ISOPIA Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. [Iso is just chillin' in a tree in her bird form like a creep. I assume that by now most in the Edge will know she can transform into a raven, so feel free to just 'notice' her if you want :) ] The girl finds that she likes to cloak herself in blackened feathers and an avian body. She has noticed that she is treated differently - that her odd dialect and impossible maturity cause scrutinizing stares. Do they not know she ages faster than their kind? Surely they must. She is obviously not one of them, they know that much at least. The blood of a God composes half of her genetic identity. It causes her to age nearly 10x as faster as other children. They know she is a demi-god, but do they not know the burden it entails? Perhaps they don't. But then again neither does she. The child is free from the jails and chains of responsibility, for she believes she has none. She questions everything if only to understand. She calls the mare who birthed her Kahlua, for, in her mind, to call her mother would be as rude as to call her mare. Both 'mother' and 'mare' are just obvious adjectives. They describe what Kahlua is, but not who. Kahlua, even if she did not pick her own name, seemed to be attached to it. Why then would the girl call her anything else? Did they not understand why she had not yet named herself? If it was to represent the summation of her identity it was not a decision to be taken lightly, and yet all but the ashen girl - her cousin - had questioned it. The world seemed entirely irrational. Did no one think about anything? Or were they merely driven to act, like primitive machines that simply appeared to be thinking and weighing their choices, when in fact the world was simply being filtered through their senses and dictating their actions. The girl sat in a tree branch, her raven-black wings hugged tightly against her avian body. Eyes, sharp and quick to catch movements scanned the ground below. For all intents and purposes she appeared like any other raven - although was perhaps slightly larger than most - other than the skull markings that coloured her cheeks. They had followed her into this form from her own. One again marking her as being different. A harbinger of death. A wild witch.

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A L Y S A N N E It was with a fond smile as she watched Naerys trot off beside Mikey, the two of them going off to do some exploring today. There was no end for her love for that little girl, with her cheerful innocence. They made the perfect family, didn’t they? Too perfect and yet not perfect in the slightest once looked at behind the scenes. Normally Alysanne would have loved to accompany them on their short trek but she needed some time away from her perfect family to clear her head. But, not wanting to dwell on her deception either, she immediately started searching for someone else to spend her time with. Anyone. Hemlock was on the look out as well, circling above her. His idea of acceptable companions came from a very short list, composed of mares without dragon companions. It was the little owl who had spotted the demi-god first, the young filly not being on either the “Hemlock approves” or the “Hemlock disapproves” list. He hadn’t quite made up her mind about Kahlua’s daughter, much as he was fond of Kahlua herself. Mouthy one. Over there, on branch. Hemlock pointed out before landing on her head, nestled snugly between her ears. His frequent use of this vantage point had turned her forelock into quite the messy little nest but he did what he could to preen it and keep it clean, at the very least. She’s not mouthy she’s just… mature. Alysanne chided him as she wandered over to the now-familiar sight of the raven with skull markings. Incredibly mature, more like it. She had never heard a babe speak so coherently just minutes after being born. But then, she had never met a demi-god before Kahlua had given birth to one, she didn’t even know the gods could procreate. It seemed that two years in Helovia did not mean she had stopped learning the tricks this place could pull on her. Coming to stand near the tree, there was already a bright smile in the green eyes that looked up to the branch where the young girl perched cloaked as a raven. “Hello, little one.” Alysanne cocked her head slightly to the side as she looked at the pretty raven, wondering if shape-shifting in Helovia was the same as in Nocturne. Would the girl be able to talk to her as a raven? There really was only one way to find out. Uncertain as to whether she was remembered or not, she offered up her name along with her warm smile. It was too bad Naerys wasn’t with her, the little girl would have loved to see this! “My name’s Alysanne, I’m a friend of your mother’s.”

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(wasn't sure if Aly would know Isopia's name or not/when she chose to be called Iso so I stayed vague xD)

ISOPIA Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. [Good call! She hasn't 'picked' her name yet, so no one knows it :P ] With sharp golden eyes, the raven's head tilted back and forth, capturing Hemlock's movements with interest. The girl knew that owl's had extremely keen eyesight and hearing, and wondered what it was the creature thought when he looked upon her - either in this form or her natural one. Did he see past the markings of death that cut her face in two? Would his piercing stare find and remain on the blood-splattered marking that dotted her shoulder? Would his ears pick up on her speech that so many found uncanny and undesirable? Or would he be able to see past all of it, the way that so few did, and see her? See a mind thirsting for answers to questions that she didn't even know that she had yet. Could he know how her heart beat for balance and rationality, and feel the confusion of her mind and her loneliness in this world? Her golden gaze fell to the mare below, the skull markings on her cheeks making it appear as though she was offering a slightly horrifying and crooked smile. "Hello." She replied, her oddly mature voice coming out of the beak of the bird. "You were there when I was born. Kahlua called you Aly ... she said you were a doctor of the moon." The girl recited, remembering. The painted healer had also called her beautiful, but even now the compliment made her uncomfortable and so she didn't mention it. She was not beautiful, merely an assortment of atoms placed together in a sequence that some found pleasing to behold. "Do you have lots of friends?" The girl asked inquisitively. Friendship seemed to be something that ... that was common here. But what did it take? What made one a friend? Given the circumstances that led to her birth - the murder of her brother - the girl was unsure whether or not she wanted friends. Whatever the bond was that held together a friendship, seemed to require more obligations than the girl was currently willing to bind herself too. Would she die for another? Could she ask someone to die for her? The girl didn't know, but if that's what friendship could require, then certainly it should be entered into with caution and care. Though looking around Helovia, it seemingly was not.

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A L Y S A N N E “Yes, that’s right.” Alysanne had to remind herself that this foal was not like the others - the manner in which she spoke was on par with many adults (above it, even, for some) and she doubted the raven-girl would appreciate being talked to in the same why Aly spoke to her own daughter, who did not come out of the womb with a full-fledged vocabulary. “Your mother gave me that title, I’m one of the healers for the herd.” It was a rather funny title really, almost made it sound as though they were in charge of healing the moon instead of using the powers of the moon. One of the things that she never really thought about until now, until the curious mind of the young girl perched on the branch cast the words back at her in a different way. The next question caught her off guard but it was not an unwelcome one and one she replied enthusiastically. “I do, I’m rather liberal with the attachment I think.” Her smile crinkled with laughter here and she explained further - undoubtedly falsely encouraged by the smile-like markings on the raven-girl’s face. “I consider almost everyone a friend, it makes me happy to think that everyone you meet is a friend.” She faintly wondered if that sounded delusional but then dismissed such thoughts because really, it didn’t matter. Alysanne was aware that there were evils and dangers in the world - one of them was hiding out in their herd right now - but dwelling on them and worrying about them certainly wasn’t the preferable way to spend her time. She had her own personal evils to worry about. Though, as mature as Kahlua’s daughter might appear there were some things she rather refused to talk about with a foal (or anyone, for that matter). So instead she gently asked her own question, feeling shyly curious about the young girl. Hemlock too felt some wonder, watching silently with black eyes from between Aly’s ears. “Have you made any friends?” There were quite a few other foals in the Edge at the moment, but were any of them a good match for this one?

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@[Alysanne], @[Isopia]

Small dancing lights. A moment upon waking of fractured spilling omens, circles of hopeful beams that broke through the trees surrounding Far's resting body. Awareness fell on him slowly, tiny gold-encircled pupils gazing sleepily at those lights, the whispers of branches shifting and brushing against one another collapsing about his ears. He pulled himself upright, stretching, yawning, his three white-dipped appendages flashing momentarily in the half-lights. He stood as gracefully as a goose waddles out of water...

Then, he was off.

The court jester pulled his petite feet across the earth towards an unknown path. A slumping potato of a man, a faithless scarecrow, a wooden sword in an army of sharpened spears, he walked like a buzzard flies, desperate and searching for its next meal. Yet his walk did not mark his intent--he cared not for meals, cared not for anything. He was a ghost, a traveling phantom without a heart. His motivation had died with his family--oh, but that was a tired story, wasn't it? It didn't matter, for a man as simple as he was, he had simply given up.

But there was curiosity in his eyes, still. The sparks of life that led the bag of bones to stop at the sight of an unusual black bird and a lady, speaking with ease together. So odd and yet he pondered at the sight, not certain if he was dreaming. Dreaming and reality so frequently passed together as of late in his poor beggar's mind. What made the waking world so much worse was the feeling that any of it mattered. At least while he was asleep, he knew he would wake up, and nothing that had come to pass while he slept would matter in the least... Now, here, he pondered if perhaps he spoke--and dare he?--would he disturb the obvious friendly tone, the ease and grace with which the two hello'd? A bitter coldness crept into his heart and he made to retreat, but his curiosity stayed his feet. Interaction was a craving he'd not had for so long... But he felt it now. A tinge of heart-panging, a bit of sorry-to-see-you-go... A little itch of missing... How long had it been since he'd even shared a word with another (with, of course, the exception of a meeting in which he was required to take part)? Ah... you poor beast... Stay a moment. At least pretend not to be an odd one and say a brief hello. Then depart to your cave, if you must. But be a part of something for a moment. Let not the Earth swallow you whole before you've tried a breath of connection with another being...

He paused, ears poised forward, listening, awaiting a good moment to speak a soft greeting... one forehoof poised to turn and bolt, if need be. Coward.

Left the vagabonds
A trail of stones
Forward to find my way home
Now as the air grows cold
The trees unfold
And I am lost
And not found

And who knows
who knows
who knows
--"Vagabond," Beirut

ISOPIA Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. The raven titled her head slightly. Kahlua had the power to give titles? If she had eyebrows in this form she would certainly have narrowed them in slightly surprise. She knew that it was typically the jurisdiction of parents to name their children, to forever brand them with a title, but the girl suspected that was only because of the blood relation between them. That Kahlua also had the power to name those in her herd, to dictate what their ranks would be called, was shocking. She never knew the painted queen held such power. Had Kahlua given her a rank? Perhaps one that started with a K to somehow preserve the tradition that the girl had ruined? I consider almost everyone a friend, it makes me happy to think that everyone you meet is a friend. Saying nothing, the girl considered this. At first she was tempted to dismiss it as being nonsensical and obviously problematic. Surely it was absurd to just consider anyone a friend. But was it? As Aly mentioned that it made her feel happy to do so, the girl tried to find value in her practices. If for instance, Aly met a traitor - someone who meant her harm - but who presented themselves as a friend, was that a bad situation to be in? Say this traitor was never able to complete their nefarious plans, and during the course of their deceit was forced to be the best friend Aly ever had? From an outside perspective surely one would say that her friendship was non-veridical. That is, not caused in the right sort of way. But what did the right sort of way matter? If all Aly sought was happiness rather than some sort of objective friendship, then it seemed viewing all as friends was the best way to that end. "I see." The girl offered, having decided that perhaps Aly's statement wasn't as absurd as she had originally thought. As the mare asked if she had any friends, again the girl had reason to pause. She certainly didn't think she did...But if Aly considered all those she met to be friends ... and she and Aly had met ... did that mean they were friends? Could someone consider you to be their friend, even if you didn't reciprocate those feelings? Puzzled, the raven's bright golden eyes focused on the healer below, intrigued. "I don't know. I don't think so.." She began carefully. "If you think that we are friends does that make it so? Do I have a choice?" Tilting her avian skull, she eyed Far. She hadn't seen him before, but that didn't mean much. He was a simple chestnut, tall and seemingly unremarkable. Her golden eyes blinked, although she offered no greeting. Kahlua hadn't taught her that yet.

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A L Y S A N N E Always one with plenty of patience in store, Alysanne did not mind waiting while the raven-girl paused after her statements and questions. She could practically hear that young mind at work! How wonderful it was to see such a young filly think so deeply about such things as friendships. Well, she was clearly making an assumption that the girl was thinking about anything she said at all. Perhaps she was taking pauses because her mind was elsewhere - the painted pegasus simply preferred to think the more positive route. Of course, the reaction she got to the question about whether the raven-girl had friends certainly supported the idea that there was a brilliant mind at work, trying to figure things out. Oh! Alysanne had not meant to give the impression that the girl would have no choice in the matter of whether they were friends or not. “Of course you have a choice!” It would not be fair to create the official 'friend' label all on her own, or to assume that it was mutual. She considered everyone a friend but whether they considered her a friend was an entirely different matter. “It’s certainly ideal for friendship to be mutual, but I could think of us on friendly terms even if you don’t think the same of me. I wouldn’t take offense to that, perhaps you would prefer to give a friendship more thought than I do.” That easy, warm smile did not falter as she made her next offer. “Though if you have need of a friend, dear, you’re welcome to find me.” Movement nearby alerted Alysanne that they were no longer alone and her owl-topped head turned to spy the chestnut stallion nearby. He wasn’t familiar to her but that hardly mattered - she had just finished telling Kahlua’s daughter how liberal she was with the term ‘friend’ and coincidentally, she was just about to demonstrate that. Her manner didn’t change, it was her natural warm, welcoming way, and her green eyes lit up with a smile at the sight of this stranger. “Why hello there! Who might you be? My name’s Alysanne and this is…” Well how was she supposed to introduce the girl? She did not know a name - the last she had heard, Kahlua’s daughter was choosing her own name. Apologetically, she turned back to the marked raven and addressed her once more. “I’m sorry, little one, have you decided on a name yet?” @[Far]

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@[Alysanne] @[Isopia]

As he listened to the exchange between the two, the extremely unremarkable chestnut considered their words carefully, mind turning over the idea of "friendship." It had a bell attached to it, that word, and the bell called forth images he had done his hardest to forget... The contemplation momentarily gripped him, turning his mind into a fountain that poured over and over into itself, and his ears fell back against his head at the sudden tumult of mental-imagery. He was not aware that he'd been ignored by the large raven, his gold-encircled brown orbs focusing on something in the distance. However, in another moment he was pulled back into attention by further speech from the non-avian (but also winged) lady, and he jumped a bit in place, startled awake. Losing the first part of her words, he just managed to catch, "--lo there! Who might you be? My name’s Alysanne and this is…” And he watched her turn to the raven, an apology in her gaze, "I’m sorry, little one, have you decided on a name yet?”

Feeling suddenly like the voyeur he was indeed becoming, he put down the quivering, raised forefoot, his ears flicking once out of guilt. This seemed an oddly important moment, one that perhaps he shouldn't have stumbled into... Though it was a little late for that. He was about to back away and escape, but he felt the shame of his intrusion force a response from his lips.

"I'm Far. My apologies. I shunt 'ave intruded." Embarrassed, his eyes flickered between the raven and the lady equine before falling to the base of the tree the raven was seated in. Woops.

ISOPIA Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. The girl listened carefully as Aly explained the asymmetrical form that friendships could have. It mesmerized and amazed her: that you could just create certain duties and obligations - a bond - with someone else just by deciding to. And all of those regardless of what the other person wanted or thought! It made her mind spin. Did everyone possess this ability? This powerful? To instill and install friendships wherever they went? Though if you have need of a friend, dear, you’re welcome to find me At this the girl's incredulous gaze was replaced with one of confusion. Need? Why would she ever need a friend? Her independence had grown nearly as fast as her vocabulary had - a boon for both she and Kahlua. The girl had begun eating grass as soon as she could stomach it, to save both mother and child from the embarrassment of nursing. So need was a concept that seemed entirely hostile to her young mind, rather than inviting. Still, Aly had seemed so enthusiastic about the idea. She couldn't have meant anything sinister by it, surely. Still the girl was unsure what to say. She felt awkward and uncomfortable, as if Aly had offered her an item that could both have been a gift, or a poison. Her avian wings flapped helplessly as her golden eyes expressed all the thoughts that she failed to say. "Okay-" She finally mumbled uselessly, as the conversation moved to Far. Her black skull marked head twisted slightly at Far's odd accent. It wasn't like any she had heard in the Edge. If he lived here, the girl very much doubted that he was born here. Then again everyone said she spoke oddly too, and she had been born here. As Aly tried to introduce her, the girl shifted on the branch uncomfortably. Her avian feet held onto the bark while her dark body tilted forward, peering down at the chestnut stallion. "No I haven't." She admitted honestly, and almost casually. "Names are hard." The girl found it almost odd that Aly did not know the chestnut. To be this far into the Edge surely meant that he lived here - even though the Edge was neutral with respect to the political alliances of the other three herds - she girl didn't think they just welcomed anyone at any time inside their borders. Combined with Aly's liberal-friendship policy, she didn't seem to be the type simply to forget someone. And so, the girl concluded, Far could not have been in the Edge for long. "You're new here." She asserted, voicing the conclusion of her trail of thoughts. Her golden eyes peered down from the branch upon which her bird-form perched, with an uncanny clarity. @[Alysanne]

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A L Y S A N N E Alysanne’s heart dropped when the signals appeared to have been mixed up and their new friend was apologizing for interrupting. Okay, her new friend - she wouldn’t speak on behalf of the raven-girl, understanding that a little more than ‘hello’ was needed to be considered a friend in her mind. But Alysanne found herself liking Far, and hated the idea of sending him away because she hadn’t been welcoming enough. “Oh please don’t leave! You’re quite welcome to stay.” Her warm voice and matching smile were bright with sincerity and she side-stepped a little bit, inviting him to come closer to where she stood looking up at the raven-girl. “It’s very nice to meet you, Far.” She didn’t ask him more about how long he had been here, wondering if he would offer up that information after Kahlua’s daughter’s statement. He certainly was new, unless Alysanne had been completely blind and miss an entire face in the crowds of the Edge! She rather hoped that wasn’t the case, she tried her best to learn all the names and faces of those she shared a home with. After waiting to see if he would stay around, she turned back to the marked raven and brought them back to their previous topic - wondering if further discussion could help the girl find what she was looking for. “Names are hard,” She agreed with that point completely - her name had been given to her but she had named two children and picking what someone would be called for the rest of their lives was no easy task. What if they hated it? What if it did not suit them? Then it was all on you! Kahlua might have lucked out when she gave birth to a daughter that wanted to pick her own name. “It’s certainly quite the task that you’ve undertaken. If you find yourself in the company of friends, you could always ask them for suggestions.” She winked as she said it, a completely serious suggestion coupled with a little joke from their last topic. She didn’t really mean to harp on the girl about making friends, merely felt that mother-instinct kick in as she worried Kahlua’s daughter would be lonely. But then, the girl was unique - maybe she would not find joy in the bonds created with others. Her attention turned then to the chestnut stallion and she found the chance to satisfy a bit of curiosity about him, if he would oblige her. “How about you, Far, how did you get your name?” @[Far]

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He watched the two ladies converse, his entire body still tightly coiled and ready to run, but the large raven in the tree gave her golden eyes to him and he was captured. Mildly unsettled by her honesty and the piercing quality of her look, Far began to fidget, shifting his weight from one side of his body to the other and nibbling at his shoulder in an attempt to look like a fly was bothering him. He was uncertain how to answer her, but the words of the other winged lady—‘Alysanne,’ was it?—pulled him in another direction. While the dark shape in the tree was both mysterious and calculating, the mare, Alysanne, positively radiated a warmth that was catching. Far felt rather bashful, not knowing if he deserved all the fuss. He waited his turn to speak, listening to the conversation with the intent not to appear to really listen, as it might have appeared rude. Bowing his head to both, he tried not to embarrass himself further when he spoke.

“Pleasure to mit ya both. An’ I suppose I’m new t’most. I’ve been a bit… “ Far paused, searching for the correct word. Standoffish? Antisocial? “…Busy,” he finished, lamely. Then his mind was pulled into the conversation between Alysanne and the raven and he was soon considering the naming of children. For his first family, it had been an event they considered sacred. He’d learned the naming rite from them, a ceremony in which each foal’s name was given through votes from the other family members, with the veto-power given to sire and dam. Much of the individual personality of the foal was taken into account, as well as particular acts the foal had taken in its first month, or (rarely) months of life. This ceremony had seemed so terribly traditional to Far that he’d decided not to reenact it after the birth of his own child, instead trusting his love to name the filly (as he thought his own abilities lacking). Recalling that name rang another bell in his heart, and Far had to turn Alysanne’s words carefully in his mind before he responded again to keep the pain at bay. Yet, he was a bit confused by her question, not sure how she meant it. Didn't everyone go through something similar when they were named?

“Th-The usual way, I assume?" He blinked and shrugged. His story was boring to him by now. It was almost too embarrassing to tell again. And nobody wanted to hear all that mess, certainly. Clearly dodging yet another question, he asked, ”How’d ya git yours, then?” He tilted his head to one side quizzically, eying Alysanne. He tossed a curious glance to the black bird, wondering how birds usually named themselves.

@[Isopia] @[Alysanne]

ISOPIA Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. The girl felt a certain amount of relief as Aly conceded that names were hard. No small amount of pride flooded her system as she entertained the thought that perhaps she had convinced Aly of her point of view. The girl liked being right about such things, but even more so she enjoyed broadening the minds of others. It hadn't occurred to her that perhaps Aly was simply being nice, and agreeing with the girl who was basically a toddler. Don't all parents, and those with children encourage the very young? You're the smartest child ever! or That's the most beautiful painting I've ever seen. The girl watched as Aly so easily directed the conversation to Far. She had never been a good conversationalist. She could talk, that wasn't the problem. Although it seemed the types of things that she wanted to talk about were never of interest to anyone else. For instance, she would have preferred talking about naming conventions, about rituals and customs passed down from generation to generation. Not the practical importance of such things, but their normative implications. Why did they do such things? And even more curious, why did everyone just go along with it ? Far's statement that he had been named the usual way only further affirmed her lingering doubts. Did no one ever question anything? Uncomfortably, the girl shuffled her blackened wings. Her golden eyes scanned back and forth from Far to Aly. She didn't know how much longer she could keep this up - she was trying to act normal after all. She felt tension and anxiety race up through her small form, blurring her vision and making her mind scream for her to leave. How much longer would it be before the conversation shifted back to her? And then what? Would she be able to provide satisfactory answers? "Sorry I have to go-" She muttered hurriedly, the words pouring out of her beak and melding together. Her golden gaze rose towards the skies and her wings propelled her body to follow. Was her exit rude? Perhaps. But it seemed to the girl a better option that displaying her ignorance and awkwardness in front of her Mother's friend, and Far. Awkward Iso out!

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