Aelin

It was a cramp in her wing that brought the girl down from the skies. The moon rested high, cradled in it's sling of darkness. It's pale glow lit the land up in hue-less shades of light. She stood in it's embrace, the greens and blues of the world around her light up. Her presence was always hailed by nature. The daughter of the Wildfire was always embraced by nature, day or night. Bending to sniff a flower she smiled at the scent before returning her eyes to the moon above. A bird rustled in the tree above her, an owl who quietly hooted at her. "They say a lady lives on the moon, a pale lady so beautiful that it is her loveliness alone that creates the light." Her eyes watered slightly and so she blinked, turning and spoke to the owl instead. "But it's a sad story." The owl blinked at her, staring widely almost spookily. "She died when she was still young, only staying in spirit long enough to kiss her lover good bye." They both turned back to the moon as if wondering who the lady upon the rounded marvel was. "I suppose everything is an equal trade. The mortal life with love and comfort in exchange for eternity of looking upon the world." After a moment the owl swooped down from the tree, flying overhead perhaps on the hunt. Life was always better while flying, freeing of any troubles or sad stories of lonely ladies.

The girl smiled and sniffed before turing to survey her surroundings. The secret grove had remained an explored piece of land to her, until tonight. Her eyes studied the curious surroundings of the new piece of land. It made sense that she'd not yet visited this place, being so close to The World's Edge. The girl was wary of the territories of others, wishing to be cautious and respectful. Still it was a romantic place, the grove of trees were reflected in a pool of crystal clear water. It was sweet, nestled away in an otherwise brutal and unreliable world. Yet the girl was not pulled closer to the pool of water because if it's romantic nature, she's never truly been wooed by anything. Her hooves and ankles felt the kiss of the cooling water, the moon rippling on the surface. The branches of the willows both creaked and sang in the wind, the strange mix of the two sounds was chilling. She felt safe, embraced by the land as the thick vegetation provided a rather comforting privacy around the crisp, cool waters. The trees and leaves were wet as if it had recently rained here, the scent of rain was very slight, if you inhaled deep enough you could just smell it. It was pleasant here, she was happy to wait here until her wing healed and became strong enough to fly upon it again.

Aelin

A rough voice speaks to her from the shadows and she starts. She turns to look upon the stag, his own green eyes were upon her. She slowed her harsh breathing, and even managed a weak smile. He was a curious fellow, his horns unlike anything she'd seen before. He was also a rather hairy beast, Never before had she seen so much...hair. They were so different, yet despite his curious appearance and rough voice she felt a certain spark of warmth towards him. He obviously saw the world quite different to how she did, hers was filled with light and fire. His must be darker. Her eyes traced over his curious features once again before answering him. "I never said it was fair. I said it was equal." She in turn counters his remark. Aelin wasn't shy and rarely played being coy, instead she spoke up, confident. "True, but as the expression goes," she paused, looking at the stag. "It's better to have loved and lost then not loved at all." Ruffling her wings she pondered the rest of his words, with a sad smile. In some ways the lady on the moon had gone through a loss just like her own - her twin Hawke. "They're nothing to say the lover was broken. Also what's to say he didn't eventually recover?" She knew from her own experience that even through it may hurt and take time, you could eventually recover form an aching heart. "Besides, above she would see lives! Births, lovers, pain, recovery and death." Anyone who got to witness so many lives must feel blessed.

As he shook his head Aelin tilted her head to the side, resisting the urge to giggle at the waggling auburn beard. It was clear that he truly did feel sorry for the Lady of the legend. Her chops curved, water rippling around her as she turned her small frame to face him head-on. He hesitates suddenly, his sentence hanging. Following his gaze back to the the moon she blinks at the shining orb. She didn't challenge him about The Moon Goddess. She'd never met the lady, having only seen The Time God. The girl slowly exited the water, walking up to the beast. "My name is Aelin." Standing closer to the male she inhaled his scent, closing her eyes as it infiltrated her nostrils. "Hmm." Opening her eyes, one a poll of blue the other an emerald of green, she committed the face to memory. "I'm not an expect on darkness, fire however." Stretching her wings, "i'm fire made flesh." After all, she was a daughter of The Wildfire born in The Dragon's Throat. Her entire life she'd been surrounded by flames, it was apart of the reason why she was questing to get her own flames. "It seems that you know more about darkness." His mood and thoughts about the Lady's fate certainly suggested this.

A gentle breeze blew between the two, her dreamcatcher softly bumped against her neck and stray hairs danced across her eyes and cheeks.

Aelin

It was nice to speak and have someone listen. Although, Aelin did eventually became aware of the fact that she'd probably been speaking a little too much. Still, her as her eyes drifted towards the bearded stallion who patiently listened to her from his reclining position. He was a curious soul, sitting there and (apparently) carefully considering the words that tumbled out of her mouth. Perhaps she had been too unabashed, her response a touch too snippy. Maybe she'd been born with an ember of her father's fire after all, it had flared inside her. There was something about speaking to him, the way he listened. It was inspiring and mayhap that was also apart of why she'd been responding with a touch of a challenge. Although he didn't rise to her comments and she smiled at the way he commanded himself. Aelin was aware that she sometimes acted a touch too confidently, a touch like her older sister who was overconfident in most situations. "I see." Aelin responded to his words in a sad tone. "It seems that I spoke too loudly upon a subject of which I knew only a little about." The girl wondered if the stag was more knowledgable that her because he'd lost a love. A frown creased her brow as she considered the possibility. Maybe there was something to learn from him rather than the other way around. Life had a strange sense of humour, they way you entered situations believing it would go one way and yet it went determinedly in the opposite direction.

Watching the way he cocks his head in reaction to he own surge of excitement causes a smile to curve her chops. The sandy princess wondered if her message hadn't gotten across clearly enough, if her verbal dribble had been what rendered him as confused. It wouldn't been the first time her naivety and childish emotions had gotten the better of her and she'd allowed it to control the conversation. The smile continued to linger however as she waited for a response from him. She wasn't sure quite how he'd chose to react, with humour or the same seriousness which he'd approached the rest of their interaction with. Never before had she encountered a stag with such a...serious no...austere view on life. Maybe she could teach him something after all, a brighter look upon tough times. Though she wondered it he knew that not everyone he met would bow to his views, but Aelin would be happy to learn from his past. She may even end up considering the lessons he could teach her an honour to have learnt.

Was it distrust that controlled his thoughts now? The girl had noticed the way one ear had flicked back in cautions. She's ignored it, continuing her exploration of his presence and smells. There wasn't anything familiar that clung to his dark coat, nothing that made her think of her southern sandy homeland. When he does not offer a name she frowns again, concern flashing across her features. Again her young thoughts began to whirl speculations as to why he acted the way he did. Had someone betrayed him in the past which was why no did not trust her enough to tell her his name? If so that was a sad fate for the stag. Her eyes and nose study him now with a little more scrutiny. Ever since she was young the girl liked to know things about others, figured out what made them tick. She also liked to know what darkness lurked in their past. She knew that such interest often made the target of her interest self-conscious and slightly uncomfortable. Yet she couldn't help studying others, learning about them and paying attention to the smaller details. Smirking the sandy princess watches as the stage drawings inward and then he takes advantage of her magical abilities, snatching a mouthful of suddenly vibrant green, luscious grass from the earth around him. Well at least same pleasure had been brought to him by her presence, he reclined there chewing on the grass until she spoke again and he paused. No doubt misunderstanding him once again, hopefully something that wasn't becoming a habit of hers.

Yeah, she'd pissed him off. His brow furrows and the girl bites her tongue worried about possible backlash. Honestly she'd allowed herself to get too far ahead of again, the familiar burn once again searing through her chest. He glances up at her, considering her as he swallows the grass. She remains quiet as he does so, listening to his response. She moves in front of him and eases herself before him, taking the time to consider his words. "I see." She pauses and nibbles on some grass herself, tasting the sweetness of her magic. "I suppose...hmmm." The girl fell silent again, unsure of how to shape her response to his. "I see the colours of dreams, the realm of hopes and desires is vivid and bright." She exhaled heavily through her nose. "Yet I have much to learn about this world." She knew that she was naive, after all she'd only experienced a handful of good and bad events. She short life hadn't allowed time for much else after all! She didn't wish to get on the stag's last nerve so she liked up up him, "I'm sorry if I insulted you before." Not bothering to make any excuses she simply offered him an apologetic smile.

Aelin

His current state doesn't appear healthy. Having taken advantage of the fact that he'd turned his gaze away to mull over her words, Aelin again found herself inspecting the beast that had appeared before her. Her eyes gazed at how he seemed almost hollow between his ribs and the protrusion of his hip bones. It was clear that he needed a good feed, maybe he didn't have a home that provided him with enough to eat. Maybe, if their meeting went well, she'd invite him back to the Throat for a decent feast. It was hard to look away from his apparently hungry body. Aelin puffed her cheeks then released their air slowly, wondering what it must be like to go hungry. As a privileged member of the Throat she'd never gone hungry, she stomach had always been filled. Not only is his body seeming to wither away but his appearance is dim in contrast to her own bright and glistening dun coat. The sandy princess eyes the auburn curtain of his beard, knotted in places, the hair dry and stiff where, she thought at least, a healthy shine should shimmer. The girl looking to her own body, daily well groomed aside from the odd grain of sand that still lurked upon her body, her hair was healthy, falling thickly and vibrantly over her neck. She normally never minded about her appearance, most of the time it was slightly disheveled but healthy. Yet now she found herself comparing them, wondering if it was her privilege that allowed her to feel comfortable appearing bedraggled.

Was the beast always so flat and empty? His voice, his eyes his body...what about his heart and soul? Was he born into a repressive society or had she been speaking about love to someone who had experienced the pain? Like the fool that she was. Pondering her words she thought about her own dreams and the dreams of others, the way she loved to brighten them up. Painting the dreams as vivid, bright, and (she hoped) aspiring. The sandy princess had always had complete control over the lands of dreams and truthfully no, she'd never experienced nightmares before. That was what had been gifted to her, the ability to always experience the good in life. Yes, perhaps that why she'd thought of his so dark...murky. She'd been wrong, blinded by the brightness in her own vision. Felling his gaze upon her dreamcatcher she turns her head slightly, proud of the item that had been with her almost since birth. A symbol of her abilities since birth, always intwined with her dreamland. It was through dreams that she learned about others, saw into their souls and had a shot at understanding the other. Yes she was young, still with a lot of time to learn about this world. Additionally she also (clearly) still had a lot to learn about this world. The invitation causes her head to tilt to the side, studying the strange beast before her. Out of all the people she would have thought would have let her into their dreams...well he would have been the last one that she'd ever guess.

She grins as his chin juts out in challenge, motioning toward the dreamcatcher. Still listening to his words she summons the magic from within her, sending it out towards the beast, feeling and searching. Oh, she'd prove herself to fair better than other, the familiar burn works it's way across her chest. As the stag looks away she can feel what remained unsaid between them. They had all suffered and faced struggles of the heart, the way love made you tender towards the soul of your affections and fearful that you would one day loose them. Had the lady in the moon or her lover feared loosing each other? They must have. "Yer laz disse qafat atthirarido kifindirgi." A sigh curled from her lips, long and drawn out and she looked to the moon. "But you'll never get an answer." Her magic crept towards the beast, but it could not see into his dreams yet. "The funny thing about dreams...most of the time you have to be asleep for them to appear." Looking back towards the beast she widened her eyes, innocent and kind. "I'll accept your challenge but you have to trust me enough to sleep." The girl said it doubtfully, as if she knew the stag would not like the idea of leaving himself so vulnerable with only a small girl watching over his sleeping form. She wouldn't be insulted if her laughed at her. In fact a coy smile curved her own lips. Damn. What an ass she'd been tonight. "Walking among dreams I'm free, I suffer living in the land of the living." She grinned at the stallion, "here I think i know more than i actually do."