You'll always be my favorite ghost

Location: Cloverwood Forest.  Open to anyone. 

There were occasions, even if they were very rare occurrences, where Ada simply grew weary of being inside her own head. With a mind built for warring and variable strategy, the military adviser would often find herself running over some ‘what-if’ scenario or another. Like a game of chess as it were, though infinitely more complex, with all the courts and humans alike rendering it multifaceted. She didn’t know them; didn’t know their weaknesses, had never seen them in battles - It was perhaps what irked her most. They were supposed to trust these people with their questionable loyalties and strenuous bonds that she fully believed could turn around and stab you in the back just as soon as they would willingly forge alliances…All while the human resistance evolved and grew bold in their unchecked shadows.    

Ada had always prided herself on her control, in every faucet of her life; entropy pressing outwards from inside her chest was hardly new, but the fact she couldn’t quite seem to quell it had her erring on the side of caution. When she got like this, she knew it was always better to be alone – Or as alone as she ever was, given the large pair of wolves prowling along beside her. 

It was an entirely rare thing for her to do, to allow her thoughts a moment of peace as she wandered barefoot through the vast forrest. The soft pull of the sun’s rays breaking through the canopy and rapidly dwindling background noise making it just a little easier to breathe. She had paused in a small clearing, eyes closed and head tilted towards the sun as she tried to focus on nothing but the warmth licking across her honeyed skin. Enjoying the fleeting moment of respite, or at least, what she had thought to have been such. Tíre & Anluan’s low growls briefly disturbing the tranquility as they slowly began to stalk around the now obvious presence a little ways from the tree-line. “You know, it’s unwise to wander this forest alone, who knows what vicious beasts you might run into…”

🩹

Ami liked to run even when she didn’t have anywhere to go. It was one of the things about her that stressed her mother out the most. Ami would go running with very little thought for what could be out in the Cloverwood Forest. This was mostly because Ami felt very (and erroneously) confidence in ability to take care of herself. The Forest was her home. Surely it wouldn’t hurt her. 

This was why she didn’t hesitant to come out from behind the tree-line in her wolf form, a little reddish brown wolf, practically still a pup, and looked at the woman curiously and then to her wolves before shifting back into her human form. “I’m sorry, Miss Ada.” She reached up into the hollow of a tree and pulling out a dress, pulling it over her shoulders though with very little haste. “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you or anything.” 

-

“Oh no, don’t be. It happens to the best of us,” Alina said, waving off the woman’s apology with a flick of her wrist. A soft and almost hesitant smile tugging at the corner of her lips as the other bent down to help her. “Oh no. Sorry. I wasn’t- I’m not judging you. I just feel bad, is all? Now your sweets are all covered in dirt, I’m afraid,” She admitted, apologetically, as she offered out the apples she had managed to collect from the fallen basket. “Though, at least your apples should still be good, if you’re planning on baking them into a pie that is? Actually if you’d like, I um, I may have a recipe you could use? I uh, I help out in the Winter palace kitchens from time to time, so I know a few tricks of the trade when it comes to pies?”

🩹

Amalia shook her head, “It’s alright. No harm done. The apples are the most important part really.” She really meant it. Ami knew she really shouldn’t be eating candy anyway and the other woman did seem like she felt bad, which Ami didn’t want. The Wild Hunt Fae perked up at the mention of a pie recipe. “Really? I’d love that. If it’s no trouble, of course.” Ami smiled widely. “The Winter palace, that must be amazing. It’s beautiful there.” 

-

“You heard her,” Nik began, before repeating the young woman’s order back to the bartender who rolled his eyes in good humor. A rumble of laughter left him at that reaction before he glanced back down and answered her. “Aye. Didn’t want to be an arse, scare you and then not offer you a free drink. Now that’d just be rude.” He replied, large hand wrapping around the new tankard of ale the bartender sat on the counter along with the whiskey for her. “I haven’t seen you hear before.” At least he didn’t think so. “I’m Nik. Are you new here?” He paused and jutted his chin back towards the boisterous tavern. “To this tavern.” Nik specified.

Jane wrapped her delicate fingers around the glass and chuckled, “And they said chivalry was dead.” She took a sip, it wasn’t particularly good whiskey but she drank it anyway. “No. I mean, yes, I’m new here. When I come to the Autumn Court, I usually go to the city. I thought it might be fun to explore the countryside.” Jane glanced around, “It’s a little rowdy than I expected, truth be told.” She smiled, a little sheepish and helpless. Jane was anything but helpless but men liked helping women in need. “I’m Jane, by the way. Thank you for the drink, Nik.”