.: Bloodfeather :. || Lilliana ||

[Wolfbane]

ALL THE DOUBT YOU'RE STANDING IN BETWEEN

Slanting in hazy beams, the forest light illuminated everything in a radiantly soft afternoon glow. Halos of filmy gold burned tree trunks, setting leaf edges on fire too. The low sun winked through the tapestry of overgrown woods each time Bane took a rolling step, just off to his right. This place had the smell of dust motes and animal musk, but most of all it has the smell of Lilliana in the air, lingering. Electricity danced across Bane’s skin where they walked side by side, hinting as to what it might feel like if they were to suddenly bump into each other. He felt like he could drown in the smell of her; pungent summer fruit.

That’s wonderful, she told him but he thought it was a lie. No way to be sure of that, just a feeling of intuition. Maybe projection. For fuck’s sake, man, Wolfbane silently snapped, angry at the weakened state of his mental well-being.

He was acting out of character around her. Or was it because of her? Why was he questioning himself all of a sudden? “Oh, I plan on entire world domination.” The Pegasus pretended, straight-faced. If he couldn’t reel in his wayward emotions he could at least do his best to feign good conversation. Which was growing much harder the longer he caught himself staring at Lilliana, who was completely bathed in the white-hot glow of liquid sunlight.

He’s known the girl for less than half a day and already he’s mirroring her bright grin, catching himself edging closer to the cloying scent of her sweet, gasping laughter by leaning even closer. When she slows, he slows. When she looks back over her sloping copper shoulder, sweeping him up in a wave of smoky blue lashes, Wolfbane sensed his stomach drop. I’ll try to keep you on your toes then, Lilli warned, I wouldn’t want to get boring on you.

Bane swallowed, hard.

“Thank me?” He muttered at the back of his throat, “Thank you, Lilliana.” The striped horse murmured humbly. Under the shadow of his blue mask Wolfbane’s hard eyes softened and his mouth had lost its edge. Deliberately, he slid one hoof ahead of the others and pulled himself close, quietly telling her, “You didn’t have to trust me, yet you did.”

He became statuesque as he hovered there, beside Lilliana, breathing calmly over her and letting his eyes admire such an intimate angle. They lingered at her sharp, pixie-like cheeks and imprinted the color of her sienna skin into his mind for safekeeping, eventually settling where they always tended to. Then he smiled.

“We’re here.” Bane spoke louder than he’d been speaking, hesitating for a second longer before turning away and plodding onward, as if he hadn’t been contemplating much more devious things a moment before. That was it, he promised himself, she’s just a girl and you’re… you. That’s all. The thought swept through him. Underfoot the ground had turned soft and damp, the soil was black. Wide, prehistoric ferns sprouted in waves while thick brush grew up like verdant walls on either side of a wide, flat trail. Above all were the redwoods, which loomed as infinite sentries along the border of Taiga. Their massive size seemed impossible, made all the more imposing by a backdrop of invisible insect noise or the occasional, melancholy cry of a bird. As twilight descended, a light fog began to rise like mist from the pine-needle earth.

“Mysterious enough for you?” Bane quipped in a soft voice, looking back at Lilli. “I’m sure you’re tired and ready to rest.” He guessed after waiting for her reply, “I can give you some privacy, if you want.” The suddenly stoic brute offered.

“Ooooor,” He drew the phrase out into one long, extended vowel, “I could show you around. No extra charge.”

WITH WOUNDS THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS SEEN

WOLFBANE

@[lilliana] cont. from their meadow thread

[lilliana]

The way that the strands of sunlight weave through the noble trees around them makes Lilli realize that the day has almost flown by. It doesn't surprise her that the traveling to Taiga would be time-consuming. She has made enough trips through the Common Lands to know that Beqanna is a vast place and the borders of its kingdoms were blurry to Lilli, cloudy in her mind from her limited knowledge of them. As they continue to trek down this path, Lilli wonders how long the journey from the Meadow to Taiga does take. She wonders how far they've gone and how much further they have to go.

The crimson girl is content to let her mind wander about the journey for a moment and to allow herself to be grateful that it was the palomino stallion she encountered today. Another empty night would be waiting for her otherwise and for that alone, Lilli is thankful for whatever circumstances have brought them together. As much as she tries to occupy herself with the vaguer thoughts about Taiga, about the journey, about the trees around them, she can't stop the part of her mind that reels from her earlier statement. It still rings in her daintily tipped ears, playing the hollow and practiced words that paint Lilli as a liar. Her blue eyes stare out searchingly ahead, observing the trees that seem to grow taller and more impressive the further they go all the while still being so achingly aware of Wolfbane beside her.

His serious composure to her next question makes her laugh, breaking the silence that had settled around them and Lilli finds herself able to look at the Pegasus again. "Oh good," she says, unable to match Wolfbane and the smile catches again as she looks up to him. "And here I was worried that you set a low bar for yourself." The question of Taiga still lingers in the back of her mind but Lilli is willing to let it wait for another day. If there is another day, there is another chance for her to enjoy his company and to learn more about him (at least she hopes).

There is a fair amount of guilt that comes with her wishing that the sun might slow its descent for a moment longer. She knows she shouldn't ask for anything more than what has been given. It has already been above and beyond what she has deserved from him. It has been enough and yet there is something in the crimson mare that finds herself wanting the day to last just a little longer.

When she offers him her gratitude for allowing her to come with him, something in the blue striped stallion shifts. Lilli's already serious expression changes and her lips press together in a thin line, afraid that she has said something wrong (again). Bane comes closer and the change she had sensed in him makes him beautiful. His hazel eyes have gone soft and the aspects of his facial features paint an entirely different picture than of the one that Lilliana had initially imagined earlier. She doesn't feel afraid of him now and Lilli lifts her chin a little higher, the thin line changing into a tentative smile as she studies the stallion from Taiga.

It was such an easy thing to do, those blue eyes say. "I didn't have any reason not to trust you," she murmurs back, a simple truth. Her gaze lingers on his face, marveling at the startling contrast of his blue mask, how the strands seem to shimmer from navy to violet, the parts where the edges become jagged and melt into the gold. The edges of her lips quirk again as Lilliana becomes aware of how intently she has stared, how the world has fallen away from around her and how the conversation has stalled. Slightly unnerved by this, she moves her gaze back to the shrouded scenery. "I figured that worst comes to worst, your trees wouldn't be as big as you said they were."

Wolfbane moves forward then. She doesn't quite hear how much loader his voice comes because her blood hums in her ears, a quickening pulse that she is only now struggling to steady.  Without his body so close to hers to claim her attention, Lilli can see clearly for the first time of the height of the Redwoods and her mind immediately is drawn to their age, how ancient they must be. She becomes aware of the considerable amount of ferns around them, the smell of the rich soil beneath their hooves. The stallion continues to move forward but Lilliana slows and eventually stops, craining her head up higher and higher with an expression of awe on her crimson features. She blinks taking it all in. Her gaze comes down from the heavens and she grins at Wolfbane then, clearly enchanted with Taiga. "This is.. this place is incredible," she says.

The only thing that could hamper that expression is coming. The bright enthusiasm dims to a polite facade. She understands. And she thinks that it won't be so bad to wander through the timeworn woods herself, to get acquainted with this place that she has decided on.

But when he drawls out another option, Lilliana tilts her head slightly as she listens to him. "Free?" she muses and the smile slips again, transforming from cordial to an eventual warmth that reaches her eyes. "Well then.." she pauses and gives a slight incline of her head to the waiting wood. "Let's see what Taiga has to offer."

@[Wolfbane]