@Zekle can join! :D and omg that was such a beautifully written post ;-;

The demi-goddess had stayed rather close to her small friend in the days since she found him, still partially wounded in the woods. She told herself that it was simply because she wanted to ensure his safety and to make sure that no further harm came to him - but deep down, it was really because she wanted a friend. Needed a friend. Anyone else with even an ounce more emotional intelligence than she possessed would likely have just articulated this reason. What else were friends for, if not to say, can you just stay with me a while? But of course, such phrases were not in Isopia's vocabulary, no matter how obvious they were to her subconscious mind and secretive heart.

Today the pair were wandering and wondering about the world. Zero's seemingly endless string of questions was like a symphony to Isopia's ears. She listened happily, answering when she could, and philosophizing with him about the hows and the whys of the world.

Were there skywhales? The theory of probability said that anything which was possible would necessarily happen, on a long enough timeline. And certainly in a world bursting with magic, skywhales seemed possible. The real question was whether or not the pair would find them. Isopia had found her name with the help of a whale, with Zero in tow once. Perhaps fate would intervene again and they would meet a skywhale.

What about a starwhale? Maybe that too.

Isopia..

Suddenly the demi-goddess came to an abrupt halt, the smile that was previously on her lips faltering slightly. Had she been with anyone else, she would have cringed at having her name said out loud, but as it was, Zero was the only one who was allowed to call her by her real name, her thoughts were focused instead on who or what it was which was calling to her.

Her golden eyes turned towards the trees, whose leaves and branches seemed to be whispering her name. "Did you-" hear that, she was going to say, but the look on his face answered the question before she had even finished it.

Driven by curiosity, the two friends set off deeper into the Rotunda, following the whispered path that the trees had left for them. Isopia wondered if this wasn't her Father, pulling her away to give her more instructions or clarity surrounding her recent promotion to Falls Czarina. But why the cloak and dagger stuff, why not merely make his presence known to her? The Mountain stopped abruptly again, just inside of the ring of dancing trees encircling the tree which was now seemingly coming to life. Isopia's face was its usual mask of clerical academic interest, but inside, a wellspring of intrigue and curiosity had erupted. Her golden gaze watched as the tree seemed to yawn amidst its dancing brethren.

Hubris, ever the optimist and more polite of the pair, flew forward. His bronzey body landed near the base of the tree, and his bright blue stare rose up to try and peer into the dark sockets that appeared to be the eyes of the tree itself. He trilled a bright hello, waving one small clawed hand.

"Was it you who called to me?" The demi-goddess asked, her tone reserved but uncharacteristically coated in eagerness and delight.