13th/Spring/518 AV
The city was chaos. Of course, Alvadas often was; but when Aster stepped into the streets on the morning of the thirteenth, she wasn't expecting to be swarmed by herds of various different animals. Yet that's exactly what happened.
It was as if someone had opened the doors of every house, shop, and barn with an animal in it and simply let them all loose. Aster had been wondering how Navi had gotten out during the night, since the mutt had been absent when she woke up, but it seemed the city and its trickery had something to do with that given her current situation.
Aster couldn't help but giggle as a miniature pony trotted past her, seemingly offended by the goat that was nudging its hindquarters and bleating impatiently. Stepping carefully between the crowd of animals, she began to walk. Animals stopped here and there to nibble at the walls of the maze that Alvadas had become; it seemed the city was done with glass, and was sticking with bushes for the time being.
That was a bit annoying; at least with glass walls, she could see ahead to where she was going. But there was nothing to be done about it. Aster started off into the maze, stopping to pet various dogs, cats, and even a cow along her way. She was delighted by the mass of animals.
A horse trotted past her, and Aster smiled. It had been a long time since she'd been up close with a horse, and she sort of missed the animals. Turning a corner, she found herself in a small open area. A group of lambs, their wool all dyed different bright colours, were prancing around the area, grazing and playing.
"Aw, well hello," Aster smiled, as one with pale pink wool trotted up to her, bleating loudly and butting its head against her leg. Aster crouched, petting the lamb, and soon found the others coming to investigate her as well. She laughed softly as they sniffed and snuffled at her, chewing on the hem of her dress and her hair.
"Come on now," Aster smiled, swatting one gently away from chewing on the ends of her blonde strands. It was a wonder what animals could do for her mood. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so genuinely delighted and open with her smiles.
Suddenly, the back of her neck prickled. Aster paused, standing quickly and spinning around. "Hello? Who's there?" She asked, taking a small, hesitant step back. Nobody answered, but a moment later Aster could hear footsteps, and a small redheaded woman came into view.
"Hello," Aster relaxed upon seeing the woman, and realized she recognized her. She'd been the other woman present alongside Avela at the class she'd given early in the season on disease prevention.
"Alex, right? It's good to see you again." Aster offered a small wave, glancing down when one of the lambs latched onto the hem of her dress and tugged. She glanced back to Alex, expression amused.
"Seems like someone let out a few barnfuls of animals. It's always something." Aster gave a small shake of her head, gently detaching the lamb from her dress. "How has the maze been for you? You haven't gotten too lost, hopefully? Nothing too terrible?" Aster didn't want to pry, but her questions were genuinely concerned; she remembered Alex mentioning she wasn't native to Alvadas, and the city's illusions could be a lot to wrap one's head around.
It was as if someone had opened the doors of every house, shop, and barn with an animal in it and simply let them all loose. Aster had been wondering how Navi had gotten out during the night, since the mutt had been absent when she woke up, but it seemed the city and its trickery had something to do with that given her current situation.
Aster couldn't help but giggle as a miniature pony trotted past her, seemingly offended by the goat that was nudging its hindquarters and bleating impatiently. Stepping carefully between the crowd of animals, she began to walk. Animals stopped here and there to nibble at the walls of the maze that Alvadas had become; it seemed the city was done with glass, and was sticking with bushes for the time being.
That was a bit annoying; at least with glass walls, she could see ahead to where she was going. But there was nothing to be done about it. Aster started off into the maze, stopping to pet various dogs, cats, and even a cow along her way. She was delighted by the mass of animals.
A horse trotted past her, and Aster smiled. It had been a long time since she'd been up close with a horse, and she sort of missed the animals. Turning a corner, she found herself in a small open area. A group of lambs, their wool all dyed different bright colours, were prancing around the area, grazing and playing.
"Aw, well hello," Aster smiled, as one with pale pink wool trotted up to her, bleating loudly and butting its head against her leg. Aster crouched, petting the lamb, and soon found the others coming to investigate her as well. She laughed softly as they sniffed and snuffled at her, chewing on the hem of her dress and her hair.
"Come on now," Aster smiled, swatting one gently away from chewing on the ends of her blonde strands. It was a wonder what animals could do for her mood. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so genuinely delighted and open with her smiles.
Suddenly, the back of her neck prickled. Aster paused, standing quickly and spinning around. "Hello? Who's there?" She asked, taking a small, hesitant step back. Nobody answered, but a moment later Aster could hear footsteps, and a small redheaded woman came into view.
"Hello," Aster relaxed upon seeing the woman, and realized she recognized her. She'd been the other woman present alongside Avela at the class she'd given early in the season on disease prevention.
"Alex, right? It's good to see you again." Aster offered a small wave, glancing down when one of the lambs latched onto the hem of her dress and tugged. She glanced back to Alex, expression amused.
"Seems like someone let out a few barnfuls of animals. It's always something." Aster gave a small shake of her head, gently detaching the lamb from her dress. "How has the maze been for you? You haven't gotten too lost, hopefully? Nothing too terrible?" Aster didn't want to pry, but her questions were genuinely concerned; she remembered Alex mentioning she wasn't native to Alvadas, and the city's illusions could be a lot to wrap one's head around.
