Darkness, it is something ever present whether with the coming of night or something within that lingers. It is always there, waiting to be unleashed if allowed. Perhaps it is the sight that stares back, pale green eyes seem almost dull; lacking the life they had once been known for. The slender face seems even more so, strained from the years. It is as she is seeing herself for the first time in forever. No longer the child that still lives within, buried beneath layers; unsure if she will ever be set free. What would her family think of her? Would they recognize her? Even when she doesn't even know who she is anymore, a stranger and yet not. For since she had come home she had felt a brief presence of the one she had once been. But pieces are missing, denied from escaping. For even though her heart beats within these lands, it still does not give her those she has lost; those they make the heart beat with life and love.

Tearing her gaze away from the reflection of the river, pale eyes greedily seek the beauty of the riverside as if to cleanse her sight. The steady flow of the water, the soft sway of the tree limbs in the wind, and the soft tickle of the tall grass against her body. If anything Aplos was like a second home, a small getaway from the mountains. Close and yet in a world all its own, she had been here several times in her youth and it was memories she would never forget. Moving away from the water edge and further into the forest of grass, a small smile breaks her lips. The sway of the grass caress her body, rustling within the trio of colors that color her. As if to embrace an old friend, for in the moonlight and shadows she can almost imagine that they are dancing for her. As the rhythm is set, her heart seems to match and for the first time pale eyes light up and small rasp of laughter escapes.

Dancing. Together with the wind, she moves her small body gracefully along the grass, bending and bowing as they practically cover her in height. Her body begins in tremble in excitement, a small vibration but there nonetheless. Free. As the wind seems to pick up, offering her more; as if knowing she needed this. Craved a piece of what once was. And for the first time in years she lets out that little child that had been caged, letting her run wild. Her heart flutters with happiness, bursts of laughter escape as blades tickle her body as they sway together in harmony. For it is then deep within her soul, a song escapes; matching that of the dance she does now. Matching the beauty she feels around her, that is until one small foot gets tangled within the grass..

Perhaps it is the gravitational pull that makes her gasp or the fact that pale green eyes now see the fast approach of earth. But whatever it may be, it does not change the fact that she face plants into the soil, body sprawled flat. The slight burn of dirt in her nose has her snorting, gasps of rough air as she attempts to remove it. Eyes watering as she attempts to stand, only to discover that paw is still lodged within the grass. Stuck. It only takes a moment before laughter bursts from her lips. The melody, one of pure bliss even at her misfortune. For with each laugh that falls she feels a weight lifted, as pale eyes close in her mirth. As her giggles echo within Aplos faintly.

For a moment she forgets, it is something she has done before but it does not stop nor change. As her laughter dies out, pale eyes open and look for a pair of red wondering if they had seen her accident, heart warms at the expecting gaze but as reality returns, she falls silent; a sense of loneliness taking her, away from the happiness that she has just held. It was a brief escape, a welcomed one but it always ends the same way. As her heart screams, as if breaking all over again and she no longer finds this enjoyable. Moisture gathers in those pale eyes as she tries to stand again, this time with more force but the blades do not give; merely tightening along her slender paw. A whimper escapes, from both the pain outside and within. Before she merely gives up and lies upon the soil. Closing her eyes and hoping the tall grass would shield her from all that were near.

semele

TEN - OF NOWHERE - NO SOUL - NO HEART - IFRIT & EVERLYSE