ALYSANNE

With work on the herb garden underway, Alysanne decided it was about time she try to contribute to it if she could. And she knew just where she wanted to start. Maybe there was the chance that any of these herbs that she could collect this far north wouldn’t survive in the garden back at the Edge, but she could at least give it a shot! Besides, she had been itching to come to the Basin ever since she and Lena had talked about it. This was her friend’s home! This was where Lena and Imogen had found a family.

The only real problem was that she wasn’t exactly sure where the Basin was. She knew it was in the north, near to where she had last seen the wandering brothers of darkness. But where did the Aurora Basin start and where did Frostbreath Steppe or Frozen Arch end? Perhaps she should have asked someone for help with directions before leaving, and not relied on her (lack of) innate sense of direction. It was a slow trip, impeded both by getting lost (she found the sea three times) and by picking a careful gait so as to not disturb the slumbering owlet nestled on her back.

With the signs of spring becoming more and more minimal – but still present! – she knew she was at least heading northward. The only clue that she had was near something was when the most peculiar noise broke through the relatively silent early afternoon air. Then, up ahead on the path, there was suddenly a horse moving to block the way – and boy, it was unlike any other horse she had ever seen before. Made of a hard looking substance and just massive... but her world was hardly a conservative one. Between Nocturne and Helovia, Alysanne had seen quite her fair share of interesting looking creatures.

So she had no reason to believe, especially from where she paused a little about two dozen metres away, that this metal being was not alive. A new species perhaps! Giant horses, how wonderful!

And because of that, she flashed it a bright, genuine smile and called out in a cheerful voice. “Hello there!” Oh, maybe this giant horse could help her! Hemlock awoke at the sound and with some rather grumpy noises climbed his way awkwardly up to his usual perch between her ears. Perhaps there was some doubt, between the pair of them, that this was yet again some odd magic and not a lifeform - but whether it was living or not, Alysanne would still be polite. Such was her way. “I’m looking for the Basin - my friend Lena lives there. Could you point me in the right direction?” She hoped that she had not accidentally crossed into the Basin without permission - she was new to politics but it was never her desire to go trotting about where she didn't belong. Hopefully this metal beast knew of Lena

HealeR

world's edge