honest is easy
fiction’s where genius lies
It was now the dead of winter, and Roland wasn’t sure what had possessed him to leave the Basin. He’d fully intended to stay put in the protective arms of the valley until the last of the snows had melted, but perhaps he was willed south by a strange sort of curiousity, to explore the further reaches of Helovia in this new and sudden darkness, and by a wish to make himself useful to the Basin. Not long ago he had walked along the beach for the first time in his life, and he had found experiencing new things was exhilarating, all of a sudden. Perhaps his time in the Basin had given him a new sort of courage, or perhaps he simply felt so trapped in the valley that any chance to get out was worthy of celebration.
The glowing trees around him cast a soft light against his pelt, barred by the shadows of low hanging branches which cut a webbed pattern across his supple hide. The sky above was dark, which was nothing new, but he was starting to grow used to the absence of light and once again he felt comfortable to venture from his usual haunts. The forest he had entered, after skirting the Windtossed Foothills, was lit up like a lantern. The trees lingering on the edges of his path glowed as if there was a golden fire lit beneath their bark, like the heartwood had come to life with a rejuvenating warmth. It was mesmerizing, and Roland found that the walk was not half bad when he was busy admiring the scenery like a young child filled with wonder.
It wasn’t long until he was hearing voices ahead and realized that he had wandered into familiar territory. Words bounced off the surrounding trees as if beckoning him towards them, and so he followed obediently in the direction of the noise. Around and above him loomed the aged trees of the Threshold, vaguely recognizable, for it had been only a year or so since he had entered these lands himself. Skirting the snow speckled foliage with a tentative curiousity, he came face to face with a small gathering.
A pale, timid filly stood before two stallions, one he knew belonged to the Basin, and the other he had never set eyes upon before. Roland noticed immediately the careful way in which she held herself, as if one of the men before her might lash out without warning. Though Roland had never met Descaro, he knew they hailed from the same home and so came to stand beside him. “Don’t be intimidated. None of us mean you any harm.” He looked down upon her with a gentle smile. Even if the expression didn’t quite reach his eyes, for he was still unnerved in the inky darkness, it was easy to act the sentiment. He was used to charades after all; he had spent his whole life reciting lies for the benefit of himself, and others on occasion.
“My name is Roland, and I am an Impersonator from the Aurora Basin. As Descaro said, you would be more than welcome in our home,” he stated kindly, and as an afterthought cast an unthreatening glance towards Thor, dipping his head in acknowledgement. “I’m sure you could find a position among our ranks to your liking, Sia,” he intoned in a persuasive voice, offering her an endearing smile.
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