"Yes."

The reply came from above, though in the darkness it wasn't clear just where from, specifically. The word was spoken in a tempered, academic tone that sounded positively sterile it was so devoid of emotion. It might as well have been a pre-recorded machine voice, answering a question. Darkened tree boughs stretched long across the nighttime sky, and held in them somewhere, was the owner of that robotic voice.

Isopia had been lingering on the border for gods knew how long. It wasn't necessarily that she was waiting for anyone (though she would have happily welcomed Zero back into her glade, had he showed up), moreso that the border of the Falls seemed to be quieter as of late.

In her raven form, Isopia blended in well with the inky black colour the leaves had become in the moonlight. Her deathly markers were only mere whispers of gray upon her shadowed face. On the same bough sat Hubris, though the bronzey dragon was asleep, leaning against the more sturdier portion of the tree. His tail was curled around his muddied stomach, and there was a faints mile on his draconian lips, as if he was having a pleasant dream.

Because Isopia hadn't moved for quite some time, her magic had almost fully taken hold of her body. Rather than looking like an overly large raven, she looked more like a raven-shaped lump of tree. A leaf had even sprouted from around her wing joint, covered in flexible bark.

Yes. That was all she had said, because it was all the starry girl below had asked.

[OMG YOU'RE MAKING THIS TOO EASY LOLOLOL]

While Asavvi might have been frustrated, Isopia on the other hand was actually mildly impressed. Normally when Isopia was being isopia (she had become so bothersome to those around her that her name could now be used as a verb), the effect was immediate and obvious. The girl had assumed to perhaps see the filly stomp her hooves, pin her ears, or glare about. Instead, she saw ... what? The light from the floating stars cast distorted reflections onto the star girl's face, making it even harder for the demi-goddess to understand what it was she was saying. Curiosity? Patience?

The stars dipped back towards the filly, and then she seemingly rephrased her question. However whatever hopefulness that this girl might be clever disappeared as soon as the words began to leave her lips.

Perhaps you could help direct me? Despite the upward intonation that made what the girl said sound like a question, it wasn't. Not really. Perhaps I can, perhaps I can't. What you want to know, is if I will. Isopia thought, and continued to listen.

Do you know how to get there? Immediately Isopia's answer came: "Yes." She said in an identical voice as before, and as before, she answered only that which was asked of her. Now what would happen? Would the girl stomp and scowl, as Isopia had expected her to before? Would she pick up on what was happening and learn to phrase her queries in a better way? Or would she go with her instincts which told her that she was quite near the Falls, and just ... storm on it, ignoring the unhelpful voices from the trees.

Isopia was mildly curious to find out. And that was saying something.

The girl was learning.

Isopia pondered her question thoughtfully. Normally she wouldn't bother. It wasn't her duty to look after the lost or Falls-seeking world. Her duty here was to commune with her Father, and to grow stronger (a task she had given herself).  Wasn't it the responsibility of their fearless leaders to provide direction and assistance to those seeking entrance to their borders?

And yet ...

Isopia did have the authority to grant membership. Perhaps on the basis of that it was her responsibility somehow. Why else would she have the ability, if she wasn't expected to use it?

Hmm.

Then there was the girl herself. That she hadn't gotten frustrated, and that despite her youth, she seemed to be learning, was something that Isopia approved of immensely. Perhaps she would help this girl, if only so that the IQ of the Falls might rise slightly.

"That remains to be seen." Isopia answered truthfully. Then, after a pause, she decided to ask a question herself.  "Why do you wish to find the Hidden Falls? Are you looking for someone, or do you wish to become a member of the herd? Or something other reason?" Now that she was speaking more than one word at a time, the academic lilt of her voice become more prominent. It was as if she was overseeing some sort of oral exam, and was reading off the test questions the girl must answer in order to pass. In a way, that was almost precisely what she was doing.

Was it pleasant here? Isopia had lost all perspective on that. For the demigoddess, the Falls were a prison; a place she could never leave. Her child was buried here, and that alone was powerful enough to tether her. When she was asked, she often cited her Father as the dominant reason that she stayed, which most believed readily enough.

But pleasant? Well...sure. Why not.

Isopia heard the hitch in the girl's voice and the slight pause, though she was unsure what word was originally intended, and which "to say" replaced. Though it didn't matter, curiosity into the personal dealings of others was not where her curious mind often wandered. She cared about intentions and justifications, not past and familial motivations.

Having received more than enough information - and seeing more than enough of the girl to decide that having her in the Falls would surely be an advantage (if only because she clearly wasn't a moron, and that was more than the demigoddess thought of the majority of the herd), she nodded silently to herself.

"Then you have found what you seek. You stand on the borders of the Hidden Falls, as you initially believed. You may freely enter here, and continue on as a member of this herd, staying as one of us for as long as it suits you." Isopia offered, her voice now tinged with authority as she conferred membership upon the no-longer lost filly.

Sleepily, Hubris opened one large blue eye and looked down at the girl below. He smiled a dosey smile and trilled once in approval and greeting. Quickly however his eye lid slid shut, and he resumed sleeping.

True to her character, Isopia said nothing (nor felt anything) as the girl offered her thanks, and potential service in the future. The demigoddess required neither, and the darkened depths of the trees issued no response towards the starlit girl below.

Clever.. Isopia thought at the girl's request. It shouldn't have surprised her - after all, very likely the child below still could not see her. And even if she could, she would see a raven encased in wood - what sort of authority would that have conferred? The talking tree said I could join the Hidden Falls.. . Now that Isopia thought about it, it was rather absurd. Clever girl indeed.

"I will not." She responded, but that wasn't unusual. Isopia hadn't ever told anyone her name, and nothing in this conversation had inclined her to do otherwise. "However should any ask on whose authority you walk within our borders and claim these lands as your own, tell them that The Mountain That Knows gave you entrance and membership here."

Nodding to herself, Isopia stored the girl's name for future use, should she require it. Though in all likelihood, she would not. What need did she have of a filly? Even a mildly clever and patient one as Csilla proved herself to be? No .. many offered their services to the demigoddess (which she found strange, given how difficult to work with she usually was), and so she already had a running roster should she ever require assistance.

Still...if she saw this one inside of the Falls, she might not immediately evade her...so perhaps knowing her name would prove useful after all.