#madi 01

Amber had been watching Madi sit in front of a lone little fire for a few minutes, debating whether or not to approach; they interacted on the farm, of course, but Amber hadn’t made any particular moves to befriend her. But Madi was a sweet woman, a well-meaning woman. She was also the second of the farm, beneath Akbar himself.

She turned and left, but was back within half an hour with a bottle from the distillery. “Madi?” she asked, carefully, coming to stand beside her. “Hey. It’s just me, it’s just Amber. Sorry, I hope I didn’t startle you. I saw you over here and, well... I know we don’t know each other well, but... Would you like some company?”

@madibyrd​

Too many places on the beach are tucked away, grasping shade in the sweltering heat. Clementine checks for the second time that none of her trees are near someone’s home - and to check for the dozenth time that her home isn’t close to the farm. Clear. People linger nearby, but none of them look to live here.

She unbuckles herself from the tree branch, looping the belt over another branch. “Heads up!” she calls, letting her pack drop to the drop with a clang. It’s too difficult climbing up and down with it on her back. She isn’t so sure the branches of this particular tree are ready to support extra weight. At least, not yet. Maybe living in a tree is a silly idea, she certainly made a shelter against one much easier.

But the idea of someone setting this one aflame like her last one? The branch beneath her creaks in protest. “I don’t like the idea either,” she says, shaking her head, patting the branch. No, she’ll take tree living, no matter the unsteadiness of it. The branch creaks again - not in protest, but under annoyance at her presumption clearly.

“Are you kidding--”She plummets from the branch with a yelp, landing on the ground near her pack. Little bursts of pain shoot up her hands and knees, but fade after a moment. Her attunement, choosing when to act as usual these days. “Maybe a treehouse is, uh, a bad idea.”