Curiosity is what lured me and it is curiosity that keeps me here, for never had I'd seen such a strangely arranged woodland put together so...purposefully. That is the impression I feel, but who am I to infer what may and may not be, in fact, natural? My eyes have never seen the like of these plants before, especially these tall, tannish sticks, so what experience do I have to judge from? None, which makes this all the more enjoyable, for a traveler of the world am I and  found somewhere new have I. There is little more wondrous then the surprises of the bounded earth, for as time has proved again and again, there is always more to see. Still, this place is peculiar to my memory of woodlands and it comes upon me as a bit of an after thought that, perhaps, winged kind like myself do not thrive here, especially those with heavy feet.

 My red body wades indolently through the still waters of a narrow creek , breaking its serene perfection as I pass, my feet raising from the sucking clay as I press through the huddled stick plants, which make a peculiar hollow sound as they spring back in place and clank into one another. My presence is well marked by this cacophony of makeshift song and I cannot recall precisely when the path had narrowed so to this point, as by now my sight was all but crowded in by the hollow wood trees and the sparse leafage they produced. The tube trees weave so thickly together the sky is hardly visible but in meek ribbons of blue in the canopy but I worry not for its apparent disappearance, for I knew the sky always and forever remains above as the earth remains below, whatever it might be hidden by. My great wings, however, shift and flex themselves restlessly now and again, unused to lying still at my side, willfully agitating the vegetation to instigate yet more sound for fun or extending themselves to clear the path ahead while I nip and tear at various plants to test their flavors.

My maw grasps at a nearby cattail and I chew at it thoughtfully when I suddenly break out into a reprieve as the path opens to a more accommodating width for me and my eyes are drawn instantly to the color of jet black and white born stark amidst the lively green of the verge and tan of the hollow trees. I find myself in the presence of a stranger, a mare and young by the looks of her, for she did not seem her full height, and horned. A smiles curls faintly at my lips at this, recalling my apparent penchant for encountering the horned folk in this land. A flutter of motion draws the attention of my gaze to something more beside the young mare and I find a small beast formed of both a bird and feline. My head cocks, tilting my fetlock clean off my face as I consider it and find myself smiling even more. Some may have been frightened of it but not I, for I am Hearth, traveler of the world and a creature of footed earth and winged air. It would be silly to think only I and my ilk were made so, for at the horizon the earth and sky touch in union and we are an embodiment of this truth, to show the connection of all things. So it is known to me.

Peering at these two also reminded me of Sacre, the one I called the Fox Mother, for he too was in the presence and friendly to an uncommon beast. I heard it mentioned once they called it a " bonded". Strange, these natives of Helovia but undeterred do I remain and fear none of their customs. Returning my attention to the young one before me I bow my heavy head in greeting.  "Well met, little one. I suggest a cattail if you're one for trying. The cold has sweetened them. " It is a causal statement and friendly, I think, to say this. Youths often talked of sweet plants and looked for them as a game back in the Distant land, to their parents chagrin at times. I nonchalantly chew the stalk of the cattail in my mouth, savoring the sugar in it. " I am Hearth, " I say kindly after a moment,"What of you?"

"Talking"
@Själ
@ Själ