Some fields will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun.

[baldrshand]

Who: Ethlyn and others
Where: Mostly around Aldrip
What: Open log for August!
Warnings: Probably thinking about her own death in here.


Keeping busy
[She's been feeling unsettled since last month's journey to the desert, so much so that part of her wishes she hadn't gone at all. That's not a very productive or mature feeling, in her opinion. Still it is there, dogging at her heels as she buys vinegar for the clinic, fruit for her kitchen, takes her boots to be mended after their punishment in the hot sands.

She's so focused on getting her tasks done that she's too busy checking her little list to realize she's about to walk right into another person--until it's too late to stop it.]

Oh no--! Sorry!!

More monsters more problems

[Ethlyn's already somewhat used to the wildness of the animals that live around town, but they've still been animals that she recognizes. She can handle precautions against wolves and wildcats and territorial deer.

What she's not expecting to see as she gathers medicinal herbs in the woods is a huge... mossy boulder... with eyes. And arms. And a froglike mouth. And disproportionately tiny little legs.

She's frozen for a moment until it lumbers past the clearing she's in, and then she backs away slowly.]

I have never see that before.

The voices

[Ethlyn is sleeping less than soundly in her room at the boarding house. This time the new arrivals aren't people--they're plants and animals, some benign and some frightening. Between that and other people's disturbing speculation on the plantlike colossus that attacked the town in May, she's been somewhat on edge.

She's sure it's only the remnants of a dream when she hears a familiar voice--but then it comes again as her eyes fully open. She hasn't heard that voice in months. The last time she did...

She's up and out of bed in a moment, pulling on her boots over bare feet, throwing a coat over her nightdress, her sword in one hand and her staff as she pelts downstairs and out the front door. Quan's voice, calling her name away towards the meadows, and she doesn't hesitate to hurry and find it.]

Quan! Where are you!

Wildcard!

[None of these starters suit? Hit me with your own, or hit me up in the discord, via PM, or @ compassinks to plot something out!]

Comments

[ticket218]

[ First instinct is to crouch down so he can help her pick everything up, what with it all being his anyway, but once he's down there he's reminded that the only arm he has to work with is the one that was holding the bag. So now he's just on the ground with her, waving his good hand dismissively. ]

Oh no, not at all! I'm perfectly fine. I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?

[ Let's see, the fruit can handle a little bit of dirt, he didn't pick up eggs this trip--oh. A small jar of honey's made a nice imprint in the loaf of bread. That's. Fine, probably... ]

[baldrshand]

[Ethlyn shakes her head. Truthfully, these errands could have waited for another few days, she just needed something to do.]

No, none of this needs to be back right now. [She looks over his own shopping and grimaces when she sees the squashed bread.] I can buy you another loaf of bread so you don't have to try and stretch it back out every time you try to make a sandwich.

[ticket218]

Oh goodness no, I wouldn't ask that of you just because I couldn't keep my eyes on the road.

[ He'll take a second to inspect it before putting it back in the bag, one hand trying to carefully hold it by one end, and the poor unsupported half hanging in the air droops and droops until it's threatening to break in half at the impact point. ]

...Though replacing it might be a good idea, now that I think about it.

[baldrshand]

[That's cute that he thinks he has a choice in the matter. Especially once Ethlyn sees that she's practically decapitated the poor loaf of bread.]

Oh no... it really is a goner. I think a return to the baker's is definitely in order. [She manages to smile, more than a little embarrassed.] I'm... Ethlyn, by the way. We could be meeting under better circumstances, but what's your name?

[ticket218]

[ Rip grocery loaf, taken from us too early. ]

Sigma. Considering what else this place has thrown at its people so far, I'd say these circumstances are perfectly fine.

[ Which is to say, he's still not going to be holding this against her. ]

[baldrshand]

[She laughs a little, thinking about the tumultuous events of the past several months.]

That's true enough. At least we aren't trying to get to know each other while battling for our lives or trying to get through the dark woods unscathed.

[She starts heading back towards the markets.]

How long have you been here, yourself?