[Northern Wilds] Good Morning, Sunshine (Jean Forestre)

[Andalusia]

Northern Wilds 20th of Spring, 512 AV The crisp morning air smelled especially sweet, the soft breeze looping invisible little tendrils around the grass that grew along the bank, and the wild flowers that grow between it. A couple of the bright lilac-colored beauties floated along the little spring, perched a little far away from the ends of the forest, sending gentle ripples along the cool waters, so still and reflective that it could've been confused with a mirror. A large tree trunk had long before fallen into its glassy waters, half of its body submerged into the spring, its insides hollow and riddled with little holes. The few branches that had remained intact reached out for the spring, the little leaves that had survived the fall tickling the surface with even more little ripples. Thick green moss and star-shaped vines had begun to invade the fallen tree, and even the occasional bright red wild flower had found its way around one portion of its worn bark. For Andalusia, it was the definition of perfection. The way the trees surrounded the beautiful oval body of water, creating a thin little canopy over it, leaving many large spaces for the sunlight to push through and light the spring and leave it sparkling and glowing. The warm scents of the wet moss and the damp soil, the blades of grass trickling with rivulets of water, and most especially, the deliciously sugary aroma of the wild flowers, all in a huge assortment of colors. She couldn't even name the shades and hues, there were just too many to mention, let alone to be familiar with. No evil thought could ever destroy the magic of this little sanctuary of hers, nothing at all. She sat along the edge of the tree bark, her bare feet dipped into the crystalline waters, a wistful smile on her calm face. Dante sat opposite her, all the way on the other side of the spring, fast asleep. They'd woken up even before the sun had risen to trek into the woods, getting there just as the sun was a little bit higher up in the sky. She had just finished washing her clothes a few hours ago, and she'd left it propped up against a rock to dry, along with her bow and quiver of arrows. After a nice long bathe, she would always sit along the fallen tree bark to immerse herself in the beauty of the spring, so mesmerized and enthralled by its almost ethereal beauty. She breathed in heavily, and took a long, deep sigh as her smile faded away. It was almost time to go, and that saddened her more than anything else. Gently, she moved her legs around and slowly inched off of the tree, feet landing upon the soft, damp grass. She padded over to her clothes and began to put them on, starting with her maroon-colored shorts, rolling the ends a little bit above her mid-thigh, her white torsolette, and then her black leather hunting boots. By the time she had begun to fasten her quiver around her waist and take hold of her bow, Dante had woken up and was already stretching his legs, yawning heavily. "Come on, Dan," she called out to the Luvanor as softly as she could, her voice much like a song as she spoke. He took a few moments to compose himself as he got up, and eventually trotted over to his master as she was putting her cloak on. It was a beautiful, creamy beige, reminiscent to the color of freshly baked bread. She took out a nice long arrow and prepared it along with her shortbow, turning to Dante with a nod. "Rabbit, for breakfast?" she mused. The Luvanor seemed to agree, as he began to sniff the forest floor for any signs of one.

[Jean]

It was early morning, very clear, and a little damp. Jean had risen before the sun to get a head start on some hunting. The woods were a welcome place after the noise and smells of the city. This morning was a lucky one; she'd been stalking a trio of plump geese for the better part of 2 bells. They were a noisy bunch, making them easy to follow. The only reason she hadn't taken a shot yet was because she was enjoying herself too much. They were oblivious birds, barely taking notice to her even when leaves and twigs snapped underfoot, and it was amusing to watch them. They bumbled about in a neat little line a good ways ahead of her, honking quietly to themselves and sometimes stopping to eat at the grass. Jean smiled as she watched them waddle, rear ends wagging comically. Any one of those geese would be a good meal, and she could sell or trade the feathers. Maybe even find a Fletcher to make her some more arrows. As she was ducking under a cluster of low branches, the geese waddled into some dense brush, getting cut from sight. Jean stopped and listened, hoping to gauge where they'd come out. There was a sudden, violent scuffle that wracked the bushes, along with loud squawking and beating wings from the geese. A large fox burst from cover, darting away as the geese ran out from the other side, taking flight. Petch! she thought acidly. Why did she always have to drag things out? Her head had been in the clouds, enjoying the scenery too much, and now her food was getting away. She charged headlong after the low flying geese. The branches overhead were too thick for them to fly through. They weren't agile enough to do the right maneuvers. UV She didn't know how long she'd been running when she started to lag. Her sides were heaving and her muscles burned, and she was starting to trip clumsily and loose her footing. Sweat plastered her clothing to her skin. But the geese were slowing too. She could see a break through the trees ahead that looked like a clearing, and there was a crystalline shine that looked like what might be a pool of water. The geese would stop there, she hoped. Slowing to a jog, she pulled an arrow from her quiver and nocked it to her bowstring. Less than a chime later, she burst out the trees, right behind the honking geese. They were angling toward the water and she dropped to one knee to steady herself. Jean quickly pulled the string, holding the end of the arrow steady between her middle and index finger. She anchored the shot at the corner of her mouth, her tired muscles shaking in protest. Closing her left eye to sight down the arrow with her right, she targeted the closest goose as the trio landed right at the edge of the water. The shot had to be fired quickly, just in case they decided to take flight again. She wouldn't dilly-dally any longer. To the relief of her muscles, she loosed the arrow. Right when the flock took flight again. The arrow whistled a few inches underneath the goose's body, embedding itself in the far edge of the water's bank. They moved too fast, she thought, dismayed. Jean let out of a loud growl of frustration, awkwardly getting to her feet. She only then noticed what had scared the birds off so quickly. A woman and her hunting hound were in the clearing. How did I not petching notice them? What's wrong with me today? she shouted to herself inside her head. The woman was beautiful, with long black hair and good, comfortable looking clothing. The hound was a fine dog, with pointed ears, a curly tail, and brindled fur. She couldn't think of the breed right off the top of her head, she was too frustrated to think of something like that right now. Quickly, she nocked another arrow, readying her fingers on the string. If they were a threat, she'd be ready. The woman had a bow too, so it would be a battle of who had the better aim. In Jean's current exhausted state, her mizas were on the other woman. Taking a quick glance at the surrounding clearing, she noted how far she was from the trees, where her stray arrow was, and wished there were better circumstances at the moment. The pool of water was gorgeous, and she would have liked to slip her feet in and relax for a while. "Foe or friend?" she called cautiously but clearly.

[Andalusia]

The sound of honking birds reached Andalusia's ears, though they sounded much farther than they truly were. The pair perked up and turned to the source of the sound, though they saw nothing. More loud bird calls followed, with the snapping of twigs and fluttering of wings accompanying it not long after. Dante and Andalusia turned to one another, the former wearing a sly grin. "Maybe some geese, instead, Dan?" she whispered with excitement. The Luvanor let out a little yip in agreement. Without prior notice, the geese that had sounded distant came bounding through a couple of thick bushes, their honking even louder than ever as they bumped and splashed onto the crystalline spring. Andalusia let out a little squeak in surprise, her eyes darting across the disrupted waters as the large white birds began to compose themselves in it. "Served on a glass platter," she muttered under her breath, smiling to herself as she prepared to shoot the most distracted one of them all. The birds had already taken notice of them now, their beaks pointed at her, squawking threateningly as they flapped their wings to leave. Except for one, however - the fat goose floated near the fallen tree bark, its deadly beak picking at the leaves of a stray branch. Dante resisted the urge to bark and chase after the funny-looking creatures, sitting next to his master with utmost curiosity as she prepared to take one down. Andalusia narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath, and then held it in. Just as she was about to let her arrow hit the unsuspecting animal as it prepared to take flight once more, another arrow came whizzing past it, missing by such a small margin that it had at first appeared to be a clear shot to the girl. The arrow lodged itself onto the bark of the fallen tree, its feathered tail wobbling rapidly from the impact. The flock of geese fled the scene, including the distracted fat one, flying off just as quickly as the recent events had transpired. And they got away with it all unscathed. Andalusia sighed heavily, hunching her shoulders quite a bit from the shock. She stared intently at the arrow, obviously from another bow, and gently turned to search for the archer in question. And there she stood, just as exasperated-looking as Andalusia was. She looked a little shaken and tired, as if she had ran all the way from someplace farther away, perhaps even from the city itself. But she looked incredibly fit, especially to have done such a decent shot at her current state. She was off-guard for only a brief moment, and almost in a blink of an eye, she had her bow poised and another arrow ready to launch. Andalusia gripped her quiver defensively, realizing that she had left herself vulnerable for so long as she observed the other human. "Calm," she whispered as Dante stood up, his mouth trembling as he stifled a bark. He gazed at the stranger with keen, alert eyes, paying attention for any sudden movements. But the woman was obviously not planning to kill or rob them, but was only defending herself. "If she can hit like that, I'm sure she can," the raven-haired girl mused to herself as the woman locked eyes with her. "Foe, or friend?" she called out with a steady tone. She took all her sweet time drinking her in, observing her stature, her movements. Her eyes reminded her much of another friend of hers, whose irises were also blue. Her eyes were a magnificent deep blue, much reminiscent of the sea of which she called her home. But this stranger, this woman, her eyes were a much different shade. They were more like the blue of the sky on a cloudless morning, pale and mystifying. Her lips quirked as she held in a little smile, the woman was quite pretty, which toned down her air of intimidation quite a bit. Her auburn hair struck her the most, strands of it appearing orange as the sun hit them. It brought her back to the memories of her father, when he'd described her mother's fiery red hair. Her pale skin, reddish hair and blue eyes were such foreign features, and were strikingly different, causing her to assume that she was not a native of Sunberth. She wore simple clothing, but her attractiveness brought out so much in her overall appearance that she simply looked great. Andalusia released her hold on her quiver, and brought her bow down to her side. Dante was amazed at the gesture, looking back and forth from his master to the stranger. Knowing that this left his master vulnerable, he took a few steps forward and kept a steady gaze at the woman. Not exactly a show of aggression, but only a silent message for her not to do anything drastic. "Friend," she said softly, giving the woman a timid little smile. It sounded like a note to a lullaby, as light as the pale feathers that lay on the spring in wake of the departed geese. She stayed in place as she watched the woman, hoping that she'd make the first move of approaching.

[Jean]

The woman was staring at her. It made Jean shift a little, uncomfortable. But it gave her time to examine the stranger more intently in return. She had pale skin, whiter than her own, and her eyes were the color of green jewels. She was wearing purple shorts, which made her smile crookedly, and comfortable looking black boots. Her cloak was a beautiful beige, and she had an embroiderer torsolette. Very different from her own clothes, but in an odd way, similar. As she was thinking all this over, the woman lowered her bow. The hunting dog was still alert, but didn't seem to be threatening her. "Friend," the woman murmured. The voice was like a bell, light and tinkling. It made her own voice seem rough. Jean pursed her lips and slowly relaxed, even if only slightly. She replaced the arrow into her quiver and glanced at the stray that was sticking out the spring. Still watching the woman and dog, she walked to the pool, skirted around to her arrow, and pulled it free. After storing it into the quiver, she crouched at the water's edge and scooped up a handful of water to drink. One hand still held her bow, and her eyes never left the woman's. After drinking her fill, she sat back on her heels and asked, "You were out hunting today? Any luck?" Her defenses were easing, but the woman's timid sweetness wouldn't butter her up instantly. "I was following those geese for near on 2 bells." Her voice was only a little dismayed. There was more game to be found, she just wished she hadn't wasted so much time. She should have put an arrow in one right when she'd seen them. Lesson learned. Kihala must have had other plans for those birds. A wind kicked up, swirling through the trees and dipping into the clearing. Ripples danced on the pool's surface, making the lilies sway. Jean looked at her reflection in the water and smiled in amusement. Her clothes were stuck to her with sweat, as well as her hair, and she had smudges of dirt on her skin. All in all, she looked crumpled and tired. The day wasn't over though. She'd come out to get some game, and that's just what she'd do.

[Andalusia]

Andalusia's head followed the woman as she moved towards her arrow, retrieving it from the offending tree bark, their eyes locked. She had asked her about her hunting, but she took a little bit of time to reply. "I-I haven't started, I was just about to go..." she replied softly, giving her another small smile. The stranger seemed friendly and confident, judging by her casual, almost cordial question. She continued to watch as she bent over the little spring to have a drink, her gaze still upon her. Andalusia shifted her weight from her left foot to her right, feeling a little strange, but she knew that she was just being careful. Seeing the stranger have a drink from the cold, refreshing body of water had suddenly made Andalusia urge for a drink of water. Casually patting her back, she realized that she hadn't put on her backpack.

"E-Excuse me," she mumbled, taking extremely slow, gentle steps towards a thick bush by the large rock she had used to dry her clothes. Gingerly, she brought out the brown woven sack, opening it up to take out her waterskin. After taking three large gulps, she returned the container into her backpack, and then proceded to strap it around her shoulders, underneath her cloak. Any sudden, suspicious movements may startle the stranger and even cause her to attack, and so she made sure to move with care and caution. Dante had calmed down now, content with the fact that the woman had acknowledged his master with neutrality, and sat down to watch her. She was staring at the glassy waters, most probably at her reflection, with a wry smile. The Luvanor wagged his tale curiously, his tongue out as he eyed her with interest. She had mentioned following the geese for quite a while beforehand, as Andalusia returned to her dog's side.

"That's m-must have been quite a hunt," she chuckled softly, her grip on her bow loosening. She wasn't one to trust quickly, but the woman seemed harmless, and that was truly enough for her. "I know a great place where, where rabbits f-frequent," she muttered after a brief pause, "you could come if you, you like, i-if you want rabbits." Rabbits multiplied like wildfire, and she was sure that revealing her hotspot to the woman wouldn't deprive her of some good game. It was just one person, after all, and she was sure she wouldn't spread the information. It was a pleasant little clearing, with the grass much thicker and the ground riddled with lesser forest bushes. The dens were all over one side of the little field, and whenever the little rodents would scamper out to gather and eat, it was must like a party. She watched the woman gaze at her reflection, and wondered what might've been so interesting. Even when she was scuffed and exhausted, she was quite the looker. If they were closer, she would've comlimented her on it. Perhaps even now, in awe, but her shyness got in the way of things, as usual.

[Jean]

This woman was timid, that much was obvious. She watched as she retrieved her backpack and relieved her thirst, and listened politely as she spoke. Jean was comforted by the gentleness of the stranger, more than she would have been with someone else. She was struck differently by this woman. They seemed to be very similar in many ways, yet different for obvious reasons. The hound was noticeably at ease now as well. Without even thinking about it, Jean had loosened her grip on her bow, much of the tenseness gone from her body. "Those birds definitely had me going for a while. Obviously I'm not the best runner, else I would have had more luck and most like bagged one. But, beggars can't be choosers." She stood and stretched her tired muscles, sighing as the stiffness left them. Her legs felt like water after her run, but a slow pace would get the feeling back again soon. Jean pushed some curls out of her face, smoothing the sweaty strands back away from her sticky skin. What an awful feeling. She'd take a nice bath later this evening. A cold creek would do wonders, or maybe she'd come back to this pool for some relaxation. The woman invited her to share a hunt. She mulled this over in her head, tossing the idea back and forth in her mind like a ball. Rabbit did sounds nice, though she'd really wished she could get those goose feathers. "Alright," she agreed. "You can lead the way." Then remembering her manners, she added, "Thank you. I'm Jean, by the way." Tentatively, she moved closer to the woman, obviously going to follow where she led. Jean held her free hand out to the hunting dog, palm upward, offering him her fingers to sniff. She had a strong fondness for animals, and this dog was quite a beautiful creature. "There now, boy," she murmured to him encouragingly, a smile touching her lips.

[Andalusia]

Andalusia chuckled softly, nodding as the woman stood and began to stretch, her arms extending up towards the sky. "I k-know what you mean," she replied empathetically, taking small steps closer to the waters as the woman cleared her face of the strands of hair that stuck to her damp skin. She had cooled down now, it seemed. She noticed that she was a lot less tense, and that in itself caused Andalusia to feel a wave of warmth and comfort. She felt trusted.

"Alright," the woman agreed to her invitation. Relief washed over the raven-haired girl as the stranger began to take careful steps towards her. She gave her a warm grin in return. Hopefully, they could become friends, and perhaps even hunting partners. "You can lead the way," she added, as she approached both her and Dante, "thank you. I'm jean, by the way." She watched as the auburn-haired woman, Jean, gingerly leaned over towards Dante, who remained seated on the grassy floor, his tail wagging. There was something about the little sparkle in her eyes that gave away her appreciation of animals, and more specifically, dogs. Andalusia wanted to ask, but her throat locked due to her timidity. "There now, boy," Jean brought her hand out to the Luvanor as she murmured, a little smile gracing her warm expression. Dante flinched backwards, before hesitently reaching out to sniff her hand. After a few moments of touching his wet nose to the tips of her fingers, he began to give them little playful licks. Andalusia giggled, her hand reaching over to cover her mouth. "He likes you," she trilled lightly as she moved towards a little path to the side, one so small that it could easily be left unnoticed. She made a light clicking sound, much similar to a bird's high-pitched, yet soft chirp, and Dante quickly rose to his feet and joined her by her side. "Let's get going, it's no too far away," she murmured with a smile.

The path had obviously been used and treaded upon many times, as the string of a trail swerved around the wide trees and thick bushes. Andalusia moved slowly along it, hoping to strike a conversation before they got to the clearing. The forest was alive, speaking to them through the crooning of the birds, breathing with them through the soft, cool breeze. Without a father or a mother figure, Andalusia found enough comfort and solace in the forest. It was a manifestation of her parents. Although her emotions occasionally tend to get the best of her, the woods would always remain her home, her comfort, and her cure. She grinned like an idiot at the beautiful sights, sounds and scents, as if she were a little girl seeing it for the first time. It was distracting, and she couldn't help it. Dante made a soft yip as he trotted ahead of the pair, already smelling the rabbits. It was almost time to eat.

"So, d-do you hunt here o-often?" she turned Jean to ask, her wide eyes filled with genuine interest, "I c-camp out here in the woods, I live here, s-so I go out to hunt here a-all the time."

[Jean]

"He likes you," the woman told her. Jean smiled more openly now, gently scratching behind one of the hound's erect ears. What a beautiful creature. The dog got called back to its master's side and she followed. They were going to be following an animal path, narrow and winding through the trees and brush. It was smooth and flat, worn down from much use. She probably wouldn't ever have noticed it unless it was pointed out to her. Their slow pace made for a good time to enjoy the scenery. Her companion was obviously doing so, so she let her eyes and mind wander. A robin called from a branch overhead, then a cardinal cried from further into the trees. She inhaled deeply, breathing in the thick smell of damp earth and dew grass. The hound was scouting ahead, sniffing for any scent that hadn't been taken by the morning moisture. She yawned widely, lips curling back and showing all her teeth. Her companion's words brought her out of her drifting state then, and she smiled. "I hunt all over the place. I don't really have a favored ground yet. I haven't been in the region for very long. It must be nice being out here all the time. I have a place set up in the city. I may end up moving outside sometime though, who knows? I feel a little homesick for the words when I'm in the city. Have you been here a long time?" When Jean loosened up, she often got to talking in long bursts. It was a bad habit of hers. "You never did tell me your name," she added.

[Andalusia]

Andalusia smiled warmly as Jean replied to her question. She rambled quite a bit, bringing her thoughts out in the open in one breath, a bit like her whenever she was excited to speak. Looking at her companion now, with the incredibly thick woods as her backdrop, she looked alien - standing out with her shocking auburn hair and blue eyes, while the forest exuded only shades of green and brown. It was a foreign occurence for the raven-haired girl, to be interacting with another human being while she was out hunting, or even just in the woods. Nonetheless, it was the beautiful, pleasant kind of different, one that she hoped would soon become natural.

The forest continued to sing, using the millions of different birds soaring and fluttering all around the peaks of the trees as its voice. Andalusia would do absolutely anything and everything in the world to have a singing voice so great, that when heard it would be just as mesmerizing as the sound of the forest. It could only be called magic, and nothing else. She watched Jean intently as she spoke, her muscles relaxing as she seemed to move more fluidly, a comfortable expression showering over her youthful face. "The, the city's a nice ch-change of scenery, b-but the forest is my home," Andalusia spoke a little louder now, feeling comfortable in the presence of this woman, "I s-started living here l-last year, when I-I moved to Sunberth, from... From Zeltiva." She decided to stop there, a tinge of a blush flooding her cheeks as she lowered her gaze to Dante, who continued to trot ahead of them, his nose buried into the mess of dirt, weeds, and dried leaves. "You never did tell me your name," Jean added afterwards. Andalusia's eyes widened and shot up, her little blush deepening as she let out a tiny surprised sqeak. She turned to look at Jean once more, an apologetic pout on her lips. "I-I'm so, so very... Sorry," her eyes so badly wanted to shift away in anxiety, but she forced them to remain on the auburn-haired woman's face. "I-I'm, I'm Andalusia," she replied shyly, her voice lowering once more, "It's v-very nice to meet you." The latter was said in such a muted manner, that it was barely even audible. Andalusia turned to look at Dante afterwards, her flushed cheeks causing her to look a little feverish and sick.

[Jean]

This woman was very shy. She stuttered and talked softly as if she were afraid to speak too openly. Jean herself was feeling much more at ease. Obviously her companion had no thoughts of killing her. If she'd wanted to, Jean would already be dead. Only a few moments ago had her breathing started to regulate itself properly again. "I love the forest too. Dangerous, but beautiful and relaxing. And Zeltiva is a good city. I'd love to study at the university there someday." They'd stopped during their conversation and Jean slouched her weight onto one leg, making her hip stick out. The embarrassment and apologies from her companion about forgetting to introduce herself made her uncomfortable, and she shifted her weight to the other leg awkwardly. "No need to be sorry, really. It's nice to meet you too, Andalusia. A beautiful name, by the way." She smiled encouragingly and shrugged her shoulders, hoping to ease the mood. Dante was wandering further ahead so she lurched back into a walk. Jean would have liked to relax longer and rest, but if they were going to catch any dinner they'd need to keep moving. She walked up to Andalusia and passed her by, glancing over her shoulder when she was a few paces ahead. "I'd like to keep on the move, if that's okay." Another smile. "What brought you to Sunberth?"