Lilliana's eyes study Neverwhere's face, sweep over the pale marking and linger on the jaw where the tension stays. A snort releases it but Lilli regards her friend with careful consideration. Despite her protestations that nothing has happened, something has upset the dappled mare. And while Lilliana would certainly like to know, for the sake of finding a solution, she won't prod and so the silence falls around them, as thick as the fog that blankets the northern redwoods.
But the silence is shortlived and Neverwhere reveals the source of her frustration, the reason why her irritation is almost as palpable as the droplets that condense against their skin. Lilliana listens as the silver mare explains it - magic. She's been made an experiment of sorts, or perhaps been given an unusual sort of test. Lilli tries to see a reason for it, for it to be something other than a callous experiment of what happens when you give a mortal a taste of something that's been missing, that they might have longed for.
A glimmer of recognition sparks behind those blue eyes. Lilliana has certainly heard of the Nerinian queen. Besides the very young and newly arrived, who has not? Perhaps introducing Neverwhere to sight was meant to be an incentive, something to encourage the mare to stay in the old Amazon lands. Maybe it was nothing at all. Lilliana has no way to make any assessments of Heartfire and she hopes for Neverwhere's sake that there was a reason behind all of this. A purpose.
Lilli wants to apologize, to offer sympathy for what has happened. But for some reason, she doesn't think the dappled mare would want it and so Lilliana offers her touch, a warm press against her shoulder. She hopes to impart some steadiness, some reassurance for Neverwhere and at the very least, to let her know that she isn't alone. She has a friend here in the Taigan woods.
A smile quirks as Neverwhere speaks again, Lilliana replying wryly, "Welcome to Taiga." A response that is met with beads of water flying, pelting against her already damp coat. The mare can only laugh in return, "Follow me then." There isn't much to see with the fog and since what Neverwhere could see without it is questionable, Lilli decides to offer her something that she could hear, that she can smell. The chestnut is careful with her steps and mindful of her pace, glancing back at Neverwhere during certain intervals of their misty walk to make sure she doesn't get overwhelmed with all the uncertainty. The silence looms with the fog and so Lilli breaks it with her words, using them as a guide for Never to follow. She tells her everything she knows about Taiga: about how impossibly big these woods can seem and despite their solitude, the forest hums with the activity of young families. She tells her about the landmarks she's learned and what she knows of navigating through the northern woods. She tells her of the Comtesse, Lepis and the Commandant, Wolfbane who lead this place. Lilli speaks of Aten and how once, long ago, this forest had been burned in a blaze.
Maybe Neverwhere knows this already; maybe she doesn't care for the details of this place. But what knowledge Lilli has, she gives it to her.
Finally, the smell of brine and tang of salt drifts in on the breeze. The ground beneath their hooves yields from the earthen soil of the forest to the granite sand as Lilliana takes one cautious step after another, making sure there are no large rocks or surfaces to slip on. A lone gull cries above, piercing the silence in its shrill demand. Lilli continues to lead Neverwhere down to the beach, her hooves relishing the feeling of sinking into the soft sand.
There is something ancient, timeless about the way the fog greets the coastline. The dark shadows loom and give way to the rocky outcroppings that Nerine is fabled for. It's close enough that Lilliana can take Neverwhere back to the old Amazonian lands, if that is what she wishes for. But this beach is secluded, empty except for the two of them. Lilli comes to stand before the coming tide and tilts her head up, offering her pulse to the old gods of the wind and sky. It's only a minute, a moment, but she closes her eyes and feels the warmth in the breaking rays where the light breaks through the fog like a knife.
She should be wary of the fog but all she thinks of are the legends, the stories her dam from brought with her from the rooftop of the world. And there behind where the fog should rise, hides the ancient things that the gods hide from mortal eyes.
When she feels the weight of Neverwhere's presence beside her, those dark lips tip upward in a smile (Lilli's shield and armor, her weapon of choice when she battles the unknown), "I know everyone comments about Taiga's woods. But nobody says much about her beaches." It's one of her favorite spots and she shares it with her, hoping that the wanderer in her appreciates what she feels here, what she can sense. Another gull cries, just as clamorous as the last. Lilli opens her blue eyes and looks at Neverwhere curiously, "What was it like? Being able to see again..?"
But the silence is shortlived and Neverwhere reveals the source of her frustration, the reason why her irritation is almost as palpable as the droplets that condense against their skin. Lilliana listens as the silver mare explains it - magic. She's been made an experiment of sorts, or perhaps been given an unusual sort of test. Lilli tries to see a reason for it, for it to be something other than a callous experiment of what happens when you give a mortal a taste of something that's been missing, that they might have longed for.
A glimmer of recognition sparks behind those blue eyes. Lilliana has certainly heard of the Nerinian queen. Besides the very young and newly arrived, who has not? Perhaps introducing Neverwhere to sight was meant to be an incentive, something to encourage the mare to stay in the old Amazon lands. Maybe it was nothing at all. Lilliana has no way to make any assessments of Heartfire and she hopes for Neverwhere's sake that there was a reason behind all of this. A purpose.
Lilli wants to apologize, to offer sympathy for what has happened. But for some reason, she doesn't think the dappled mare would want it and so Lilliana offers her touch, a warm press against her shoulder. She hopes to impart some steadiness, some reassurance for Neverwhere and at the very least, to let her know that she isn't alone. She has a friend here in the Taigan woods.
A smile quirks as Neverwhere speaks again, Lilliana replying wryly, "Welcome to Taiga." A response that is met with beads of water flying, pelting against her already damp coat. The mare can only laugh in return, "Follow me then." There isn't much to see with the fog and since what Neverwhere could see without it is questionable, Lilli decides to offer her something that she could hear, that she can smell. The chestnut is careful with her steps and mindful of her pace, glancing back at Neverwhere during certain intervals of their misty walk to make sure she doesn't get overwhelmed with all the uncertainty. The silence looms with the fog and so Lilli breaks it with her words, using them as a guide for Never to follow. She tells her everything she knows about Taiga: about how impossibly big these woods can seem and despite their solitude, the forest hums with the activity of young families. She tells her about the landmarks she's learned and what she knows of navigating through the northern woods. She tells her of the Comtesse, Lepis and the Commandant, Wolfbane who lead this place. Lilli speaks of Aten and how once, long ago, this forest had been burned in a blaze.
Maybe Neverwhere knows this already; maybe she doesn't care for the details of this place. But what knowledge Lilli has, she gives it to her.
Finally, the smell of brine and tang of salt drifts in on the breeze. The ground beneath their hooves yields from the earthen soil of the forest to the granite sand as Lilliana takes one cautious step after another, making sure there are no large rocks or surfaces to slip on. A lone gull cries above, piercing the silence in its shrill demand. Lilli continues to lead Neverwhere down to the beach, her hooves relishing the feeling of sinking into the soft sand.
There is something ancient, timeless about the way the fog greets the coastline. The dark shadows loom and give way to the rocky outcroppings that Nerine is fabled for. It's close enough that Lilliana can take Neverwhere back to the old Amazonian lands, if that is what she wishes for. But this beach is secluded, empty except for the two of them. Lilli comes to stand before the coming tide and tilts her head up, offering her pulse to the old gods of the wind and sky. It's only a minute, a moment, but she closes her eyes and feels the warmth in the breaking rays where the light breaks through the fog like a knife.
She should be wary of the fog but all she thinks of are the legends, the stories her dam from brought with her from the rooftop of the world. And there behind where the fog should rise, hides the ancient things that the gods hide from mortal eyes.
When she feels the weight of Neverwhere's presence beside her, those dark lips tip upward in a smile (Lilli's shield and armor, her weapon of choice when she battles the unknown), "I know everyone comments about Taiga's woods. But nobody says much about her beaches." It's one of her favorite spots and she shares it with her, hoping that the wanderer in her appreciates what she feels here, what she can sense. Another gull cries, just as clamorous as the last. Lilli opens her blue eyes and looks at Neverwhere curiously, "What was it like? Being able to see again..?"
LILLIANA
i left home on account of snow
(buried all the things i know)
(buried all the things i know)
@[neverwhere] i wrote you a novel.. sorry
but it's all in the past, love
it's all gone with the wind