#onustigma

the forward march has stopped. no more crunching leaves. no new twigs in snap. for the question posed, it's a worthy pause, the sudden weight of her limbs turned the ton to pin her, there, beneath his gaze and an expectant answer she doesn't, immediately, give. chooses to stand in the shadow of ilrien, rather than move out from under it, as she turns.. as ta'lara looks up and wonders, if she didn't, how quick this could get ugly. how easily strong hands could snap her bow, had they want to. if they had want to..

" bad timing, " as they track the last steps of an orlesian turncoat, hunted for a noble she's never met, because, in leliana's words, it would earn them favor. it would earn her a neck ache. make the trees overhead into a collage or jumbled leaves, colors bled together and turned into one. what the keeper had warned her about, once upon a time. swallowed by the forest.. dangerous to those who didn't know the way out. " do you ask because you want to ask, or because you want to know ? " because it felt like as good a time as any ?

the crane to look up isn't comfortable, but few things about her circumstances have been. all while the anchor glows an acrid reminder why they should press on. all while ta'lara's stomach tries to fold over on itself and give the flighty edge enough to abandon whatever this was meant to be.

" i trusted you enough to take point, " let him have her back and all the dangers he could offer it. ilrien hadn't proven her a fool for that, yet, but.. but he'd not have been the first, if he had. " does that make you feel better ? " what remains, what's left to offer, isn't colored any brighter. it doesn't quiet the kicked wind or the slow skitter of a creature in the near distance. a salve on an infected wound, she's in no hurry to amputate, but won't bandage for fear of rot, when hidden. " we should keep moving. " @valahren