I am not my Father. I do not hear Fig approach, although perhaps I should have. I know she isn't very close yet but ... well, once I see her and realize how enormous she is, I think it will strike me as very absurd that I didn't hear her. Then again I wasn't really trying to hear anybody. I thought I was alone. Normally I have Ivezho with me and... well, when you have your twin by your side, you sort of feel ... invincible? I know that's silly, especially given how young we are, but nevertheless it's true. I never worried about that sort of thing, and now that I have been on my own, wandering around, it hasn't actually occurred to me to pay attention. The last time I saw the bird-lady nothing bad happened. And when I saw the Goddess in the woods nothing bad happened then either. I am not my Father - nothing bad has happened to me to harden me against the world.

I haven't learned to listen yet.

As I hear her voice, my small body jumps. A cold feeling of surprise seems to fall from the brightly coloured ceiling onto me, chilling me to my bones. Unafraid (because what is there in the world that I should fear?) I trot forward, my hooves clacking against the stones. "Yes I'm here!" I respond, my words falling out of my lips just as she comes into view.

I ... I can't describe this. It's ... it's ...

lovely.

I don't know if she's a tree or a horse or maybe both, but she's somehow impossibly beautiful. She appears to defy physics as she moves, for how on earth could her frame possibly support the weight of a tree? I know I am small compared to her, but I have a hard enough time moving rocks, and I would even if I were larger. My green gaze falls upon the vines and roots that cling and merge into her skin, eyes narrowing as I true to puzzle out just what it could be that has made her like this. Was she born this way? Er .. grown? Is it a spell? A curse? I don't think it's as curse, for she's far too lovely for that.

Realizing that I am gawking, I promptly shut my gray lips which have apparently fallen open without my noticing. How rude! Mother would be horrified by my behavior. In order to try and make up for this, I stand tall (although I look painfully small compared to her), and flash my most charming and diplomatic smile. "Hello miss." I greet warmly, curling my neck inwards politely. As my head raises and I continue to try not to stare, I forget what it is I'm supposed to say next. "I...I uhm.." I mumble, eyes blinking with a youthful curiosity that I can't seem to shake. "I'm Rhoa. What are you?" What?! No I hadn't meant to say what! I meant to say who! Alarm flashes across my youthful face as I notice my mistake. Shaking my muzzle I quickly try to correct my blunder: "Who! I meant who.."

Where?
I don't know.