It is her first Orangemoon.

No longer does the heat bother her eye, for though it is covered by her sun-spun silver forelock it is sensitive. Living in shadows has made her reluctant to indulge in the pleasures of the warm Tallsun weather, though it has made her meet two of the best friends she could ever ask for. Sweet Torasin's patience and Kiba's adorable curiosity remind her of the day she learned of the ocean and its ways, forever believing it to be a sentient feminine being through his soft words. Tingal, the unique stallion she had met that had comforted her for her own strange attributes and made her feel like maybe she wasn't as far behind Raeden in beauty as she had thought. Both were infinitely precious to her, and that was the only reason she did not cheer over the passing of the summer season. Her twin had always been the one to sneak away under the guise of night, both with and without her. Upon learning that Ru had met Tingal on her own terms away from both her twin and her mother, Rae had seemed both hurt and angry over the fact that Hotaru was slowly achieving her own independence. So today she did not venture, though her desire to make more friends certainly tempted her. Ru had come to realize that she was an awfully lonely soul, no matter how much she trailed hopefully after Raeden. Every friend was cherished, met with nothing short of a full display of love and affection. But...remembering the stricken look upon her sister's beautiful face that evening in the Heart, Hotaru forced herself to ignore the urge to find one of her two friends.

Though it made her feel even lonelier to wander about her home on her own, there was a certain pleasure to melting away from the world and dissolving into her thoughts. Perhaps she was not as stunning as her sister- though in the future she hoped maybe she could at least be bearable- her brain was an attribute she was fast beginning to love about herself. Musings on life, nature, and magic kept her occupied for hours at a time. However today, she was far more entranced by the changing of the world around her as autumn took its turn ruling the elements. Every vibrant emerald leaf that marked the Foothills like an icon turned into shades of amber, umber, and orange. They drifted soundlessly to the forest floor, and when the wind was especially fierce they danced and twirled in small tornadoes. Though the cold was not drastic, it was noticeable enough. Hotaru was starting to love this season, for it was a perfect temperate world that suddenly brought relief to her frail form.

Sunlight was weak that morning, though it was awfully early for one so young to be wandering about already. Air was brisk and inviting, a pleasant coolness that rustled locks of moonshine with strands of inviting gold. Though not bright enough to bring the full beauty of the sunny color to light, it danced in her silver strands like small fairies bringing idle beauty to such a simple part of her. It was so quiet, the fair dawn stirring few creatures especially of her species. For who would wish to rise this early, when the light was still gentle and did not disturb their rest? This hour appealed to Hotaru the most, for it gave her the peace she so desired. All that accompanied her on this quiet mission with no destination were the soft chirrups of the birds and the rustling of small mammals in the foliage at her hooves. Wind tugged playfully at her mane, rushed past her hooves in a playful hope of spurring her into motion. Distant trickling of what was clearly water had pink ears rising with curiosity upon her crown, pearly horn pointing in the direction she heard it from. Imagining the wind as a playful creature, perhaps an otter swimming around her eagerly, Hotaru giggled shyly despite having no audience and gave in. Spindly legs drew her across the grassy area, down knolls and up ridges that held no special semblance in her mind. Giggles followed like a stream of invisible butterflies behind her, fluttering to keep the company of any ears close enough to listen. Shyness lingered even in her own private paradise, laughter hushed and smile tentative. It almost reminded her of the exact state she had been in when first meeting Mesec and Murdock. Was she attracting to herself people with the same letters in their first name? Tingal and Torasin, Mesec and Murdock...Hotaru giggled at the thought, careening downhill towards the noise that so attracted her.

Was it the ocean? Was it truly so big that it could stretch around the whole of Helovia? Excitement laced her veins like a narcotic, driving her onward in her need for knowledge and enlightenment. It wasn't long until it was revealed to her, a vertical tumble of water that cascaded down the rocks like a massive river from the sky. At its feet lay a body of water so small in comparison to Sister Ocean that Ru could feel no fear in her stillness and comforting clarity that did not taste or smell of salt. Even so she approached hesitantly, curiously. Muzzle touched first, sipping the liquid curiously only to find the familiar taste of earth and spring water. Satisfied she settled her weight- what little there was of it with her frail form and Arabian influence- firmly on her hind legs and picked up the palomino forelegs that danced so close to the water's edge. With a happy little whinny she leapt forward into the cool depths, water hardly coming past her knees with the distance she'd managed. Kicking and giggling she splashed about in the substance, drawing rainbows of droplets into the air just like Torasin had taught her. Long plume whipped and caught water, flashing little diamonds that stayed stubbornly in her locks to bring light to each spot where they landed. Only when she had played too long to keep up any more energy- thrashing your legs was easy on land, but with water to slow you and make you work harder it wasn't so simple- Hotaru clambered back out of the water. Palomino coloring had darkened on her legs, and even parts of her strawberry half had been darkened to a hue of sunset pink. Yawning despite not being too tired, having awoken a mere few hours ago, she tripped on the muck of the shallow end coming out of the pool of water and twisted her ankle sharply. Shrill cry echoed from her mouth as she tumbled down to her knees. Tears bloomed instantaneously in her eyes, though only the soft emerald and sapphire mix of her right eye could be seen. Carefully she tried to put weight on it from where she was on her knees, only for fire to spread angrily up the offended limb. Walking would not be an option, but she didn't remember how far she had run, all the hills she had delighted in having never been seen before. Instinct took hold before her intelligence could but in and she began to cry out for help, a wordless song that mothers always responded to. No matter the species, the wail of a child always brought somebody running to protect them, and Hotaru was too scared to keep her head long enough to actually call for help. With how early it was, would anybody even be awake? Once her throat had gone too sore to continue, she lay on her side next to the water, cheek pressed to the downy grass, and wondered why she had to always be so alone without Raeden.

::tag- Apollo at first, Raeden/Phaedra and other members may jump in with permission after a certain amount of time
::words- 1305