Burn baby burn - Cress, Ruan

[Jinju]

Jinju

Even though Cress tells her there is nothing to apologize for, she cannot help it but to feel a bit uneasy. What kind of horrible thing must have happened to the golden mare that her ears were gone and scarred like this. She forces a small smile out, grateful for the kind words, and lightly dips her head. Jinju would let it rest, verbally that was, as her eyes drifted towards the scar on the mare’s chest.

It is soon forgotten, or pushed away. Jinju cannot describe it how enthusiastic she gets when she hears Cress say that she grew up in one. Tephra was not where Cress desired to live, but perhaps the Taiga would give her a nice feeling of home. ”Yes a pine forest” she confirms, nodding her head as her ruby eyes twinkle brightly. Oh, Jinju loved her home so much. From the tall red trees to the spicy scent. It was Ruan who added a bit to her words, but also questioned why she wouldn’t go back to Tephra. She hadn’t thought of that, but it turns out she doesn’t have to worry about it either. ”We can offer you a pine forest, no mountains, but I hope that you’ll one day consider it home.”

There was an excited flutter in her stomach. Yes, she had brought Heda home before, but she had only been a couple of months old back then ánd Ruan had been there too. He had helped once again, but that didn’t change anything to the fact that she had found someone who was interested in her home. ”It’s not far” she had told the earless golden mare, a warm smile upon her dark lips before turning her body around towards the forest.

They passed by the river Ruan had mentioned. The trees had changed in pine trees, sturdy and tall, and the spicy sweet scent all around them. Jinju did not stop as they entered the Taiga, chose to walk on a bit further, before swaying her head in Cress’ direction. ”Welcome to the Taiga, welcome home.” After all, Jinju hoped that the scarred woman would be willing to consider the Taiga as such.

@[Affirmative] @[Toli]

[Ruan]

He felt a brief sting of embarassed guilt when she told Jinju it was alright, that she often forgets her ear-less appearance. He had noticed, naturally, but so accustomed to seeing the scars of troubled hearts as he was, he had swiftly dismissed it. It was something she had to have come to terms with on her own, something that could not be reversed or changed, and therefore didn't demand much thought but was merely accepted as something that just was.

She turned her attention to him then, and he watched her in a quiet curiosity. She never knew Magnus, she said, only Eight and, briefly, Offspring. The last name was unfamiliar to him, but he nodded with a careful smile, interest lighting in his blue eyes as she continued. She would prefer a forest to returning to Tephra, mountains and pine woods, and his smile grew. He continued their conversation as Jinju led them home.

"Mine too," he said, referring to her childhood home. "I was born in the Valley, and had recently returned to it before The Reckoning." He'd been half-starved as a child, his mother unfit in her sorrows to care for him properly in the dark cave they'd kept themselves to. So his sister had come for him and taken him away to raise him. Family was everything to him, and he still missed them both dearly though he now knew both were long dead.

He sobered at the thought, and looked ahead. Jinju and Heda seemed to be the only family he had left, his adopted daughters. He hadn't seen his son, or his other adopted children since their mother-- Well, they were gone, it seemed. Only Jinju and Heda had stayed with him. Or rather, had stayed in the Taiga. Heda made it very clear she was not pleased with him as of late, an issue he had yet to find how to remedy.

"That was where I met Eight," he continued. "He was King when I returned to the Valley." It was where he met Kilter too, the boy of his heart that kept to himself as he did, lived among the Valley's wolves as he had. The boy he'd tried so hard to find after The Reckoning had torn everything apart. But he hadn't been able to find him, and feared he must have died. It set a cold stone in his heart just to think of it. He should have been there to protect him.

He tried to shake the thoughts as they arrived home, the Taiga. Jinju guided them a bit further into the territory over the river that bordered it from the Forest, then turned to welcome Cress. "Welcome to the Taiga, welcome home."

He smiled warmly at Jinju, proud of how well she had done. She probably hadn't even needed his assistance at all, but he was glad he could be there for it as they used to when she was little. He'd always loved their trips to the Field with her tucked beneath his wing as he worked to build her comfort and confidence. And now she was no longer the timid child that had taken shelter in his shadow.

"Yes, welcome home," he said with a rare smile, settling ice-blue eyes to Cress. "I hope you'll love it here as much as we do."

I'm an idiot and thought we were waiting for Cress for some reason (which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever), so I'm very, very sorry this has taken so long D;