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[Shadow]

She was exhausted. Her mitts were sore to the slightest touch, having been unused to the torture of continuous travel. Her fur coat was dirty, covered in a thick layering of dirt that had accumulated itself there during her treacherous journey. The light pink satchel that hung at her side bobbed and bounced with her every step, and looked extremely out of place upon the desultory, light chocolate form that belonged to Airess. An equally out-of-place item hung around Airess's neck, the colour of the shells perfectly matching that of the pink satchel. A single pair of hopeful, light teal-coloured pools stared ahead of her, tracing the outlines of the trees as she walked slowly along. The trees had begun to thin out, and Airess's attentive ears swiveled at the familiar sound of running water. She couldn't be far now.

She turned her head to the side, gingerly giving her injured shoulder a couple of comforting licks before returning her gaze back to the path before her. The sound of rushing water was emphatic in her ears. The stream must be just beyond that rock! She picked up her pace, before slowing to walk carefully down the short, but steep, hillside that led down to the creek.

"Finally!" It would be wonderful to be able to bathe again, considering she hadn't been able to do so during her travels. She slowed to a halt as she reached the bottom of the slope, her mitts sinking into the soft, white sand of the creek bed. She padded forward, stepping delicately into the water. "Yeeeowwwhhhh!" She jerked her foot quickly out of the water. It was freezing! She gave a disgruntled sigh as she realized this would be the only way she'd be able to bathe. She removed a bar of soap from her bag, before she laid it gently atop a large rock. She grudgingly placed her foot back in the icy water, waded until she was in waist-deep, the bar of lilac-scented soap clasped firmly in her mitts.

She shivered, emitted an irritated growl, and then proceeded to scrub away every bit of dirt that had accumulated upon her body during her travels.

She'd always been a rather clean creature.

[Déesse]

The trees.... The trees were green and lush and thick, and they seemed to get thicker as Amberonn traveled up the creek. She glanced around, anxious. She wondered where Quinn had wondered off to. Hopefully she'd be able to find her way back, but Amberonn wasn't quite sure if she could. She sighed and kicked at a rock. There was nothing better to do besides wander around aimlessly. She dipped her foot into the water, and shivered involuntarily. It was cold.... Slightly cold, but refreshing all the same. She wished that she could go for a swim sometime, though when, she didn't know. It would be nice to have a relaxing day after those long weeks of travel from her homelands. Amberonn ran a hand delicately over her cheek and smiled to herself. Perhaps she would meet someone out here today. It had been a hope that didn't seem so likely since she hadn't met anyone else yet.

There was a rock sitting on the edge of the creekbed, and she decided to take a seat for a while. Besides, her feet were killing her and her search for Quinn or any others wasn't turning out so well. As she climbed onto the rock, she heard a voice close by. Turning her head, she spotted another squirrel, a female. Her heart jumped. Someone else was out here! she thought, mind racing. She sat up tall and brushed back her fur so it was perfect, then straightened her stained dress fervantly. She looked up again and smiled directly at the other squirrel. "Hello!" she said, voice perky as it broke the serene silence. The squirrel was obviously trying to bathe; she had mud caked to her fur that looked like it had never so much had even been attepted to be removed.

[Shadow]

The young squirrel's petite form quivered violently, and she rubbed an arm with her one free hand for warmth. It didn't seem to be much of a help. Her pearly-white teeth involuntarily chattered incessantly with the cold. She may not have had a chance to bathe during her travels, considering there were not places to do so, but she had managed to brush her teeth daily. She grumbled underneath her breath, roughly cleansing her pretty face free of all dirt and grime. "Yeeowww!" Her shoulder had become excrutiatingly painful when it had come in contact with the bar of lilac-scented soap. It had done a bit more than just sting, and she'd accidentally let loose a squeal of pain. She had been unable to help it. She clamped her jowls shut, her teeth pressed firmly against each other as she readied to wash it oncemore. She winced, a grimace pre-set upon her lips, as she gingerly began to wash her injured shoulder clean of germs. She did not wish for it to become infected. And if a few moments of pain could prevent that, then she was willing to do it.

"Hello!"

Who was there? She turned her head delicately to the side, her shoulder giving a mild sting in the process, and she found herself looking up at the petite form of another squirrel. Her light teal-coloured pools masked the pain she felt, and instead filled with curiosity. This squirrel's coat was unnaturally pure white. Just like her's. She hesitated, before greeting the young squirrel in return, "Hello." Airess looked quite a sight. Her body was half-washed, the upper half gleaming a beautiful ivory colour, and the lower half bearing a light mud colour.

"Who are you?" She yelled up at the squirrel after a moment of silence. There were several questions she wished to ask of her. Like...do you live here? Are there others? But she settled with the expected inquiry of a name. It would be a start.

[Déesse]

Amberonn's eyes searched the female squirrel's expression curiously as she bathed. She had soap! Soap. The word made Amberonn yearn to be back at the royal palace of Billanthar where she had soap, soap by the gallons. There were cinnamon bars, fruit scented bars, flower scented bars... so much soap that she couldn't use it all if she wanted to. It was pure luck that she had witnessed a maid making soap before she escaped from the palace. It all came back to her now, and she figured in due time she could make soap. Ahh, how refreshing that feeling clean would be! she thought to herself, her smile wide. The squirrel below her released a yelp, and Amberonn almsot fell off the rock. She glanced over at the area the squirrel was holding; her shoulder. It looked wounded. That would explain the yell. Soap plus injuries was never wise.

"Hello."

Amberonn heard the squirrel say. So, she had finally noticed her! That was grand. Perhaps they could start a conversation, or something like that of course. Amberonn was just itching to release a series of personal and unneeded questions, like 'where did you come from?', 'Is there anyone with you?', 'Are there others here?'. But she with-held the urge and smiled back nicely. She quickly uncrossed her legs and jumped down to where the squirrel was. Not in the water, though. She wasn't going to wash just yet.

"Who are you?"

Amberonn eyed the squirrel. She looked a funny sight, standing there, mud caked onto the bottom half of her and the top half soaked and sudsy. She giggled, and grinned back toothily towards her. "I'm Amberonn. What's your name?" she inquired, cocking her head a bit. She still wanted to ask her those other questions.... She brushed her foot over the surface of the crystal clear water and shivered again. It truly was cold. The rocks on the bottom of the creek gleamed up at her; they were jewels of all sizes and colors; rubies, emeralds, pearls, diamonds, sapphires, peridots, garnets, amethysts.... Anything and everything she could have spotted in her old kingdom. They were lovely, but she was just about too afraid to pick one up, in case others lived there. If they were any others, then they would have to adore these precious stones. She wondered if there were others. There was only one way to find out. "Where did you come from? Are there others? I don't mean to be nosy, but i need to know." she said, folding her arms in front of her.

[Shadow]

The other squirrel looked exceptionally delighted at her half-hearted greeting, although, for what reason, was unknown to Airess. She didn't exactly appear the friendly type with her pained expression, mangled shoulder, and muddy lower half. Of course, she probably didn't appear the hostile type either considering she was standing there shivering violently, her sopping-wet fur plastered to her thin frame, and covered in light purplish-white soap suds.

"I'm Amberonn. What's your name?"

Why was she giggling? Airess caught her eyes wandering over her slender frame, and then she understood. She did look a sight, her upper half a clean white, and her lower half a muddy colour. But she didn't find it all that humorous herself. "Airess." She stated simply, her teal-coloured pools trained upon Amberonn's leafy green ones. She'd lowered her voice down to it's regular pitch; there would be no reason to yell now. The other squirrel had up and seated herself upon the large boulder, the same in which her light pink satchel resided, to better speak with her.

What was she looking at? Airess's eyes followed the other squirrel's gaze down to the creek bottom where she spotted the precious gems. Rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, amethysts...you name it. She hadn't noticed them when she'd arrived, she'd been too intent to clean herself off. She still wasn't very interested in them, she had other pressing matters upon her mind. She glanced up, back at Amberonn, only to find her staring at her with a curious expression on her face.

"Where did you come from? Are there others? I don't mean to be nosy, but i need to know."

"I don't think there are any others." Airess answered, before adding, "You're the first squirrel I've seen for quite a while." She paused, letting Amberonn take in this information, before speaking once again, "And as for where I'm from? I used to live in Rithics." She paused, before adding casually, "It's up north."

[Déesse]

The amusement on Amberonn's face soon faded to a delicate smile as she paced around on the shore, her feet submerged in the slightly chilly water. If it had been summer, the water might have been perfect to swim in. But, alas, it was spring at the moment, and everything was acting wierder and wierder than usual. She eyed a strange heart shaped rock. It was pretty, and it looked dyed a lovely pink-red under the sun's brilliant radiance. She leaned forth blithely and picked it up, tossing it around in her hand.

"Airess."

Amberonn looked up. The squirrel, now identified as Airess, spoke her name with a tone of arrogance and grace, somethnig you didn't find among others very often. It was the same air of elogance that Amberonn herself owned; one that showed no weakness. Amberonn nodded towards her and pointed aimlessly at her shoulder, running her fingers over the heart-shaped rock. "What happened there?" she asked, and the heart rock immediately began glowing a bright crimson. At first, it startled Amberonn, but she brushed off any suspicion, thinking that it might have been the way she had tilted the rock towards the sun.

"I don't think there are any others. You're the first squirrel I've seen for quite a while."

Amberonn nodded briskly, taking a seat on the grassy bank that crept near the creek's edge. It was wierd how the grass stopped several inches from the water.... usually you'd find more sand than that. "It's the same here... I didn't meet anyone else up until i arrived here in this strange land. I met another squirrel on the beach, her name is Quinn. I happen to be looking for her. She went off in search of food." she said, glacing out at the clouds that hovered in the sky. The wierd white-leaved tree towered above their heads, creating the perfect shade for them. That fruit.... she thought to herself, looking at the grap-fruit sized peices, entranced.

"And as for where I'm from? I used to live in Rithics."

Amberonn quickly snapped out of her dazed state and moved her eyes back to the now 3/4 clean Airess. Rithics? She had heard of it. Then again, after being in her kingdom for so long, and being an heiress, she had heard of just about every other place that stretched from north to south, east to west. "I'm from Billanthar.... a kingdom that you've probably heard of. We lived relatively close to your homelands. I remember my father reading to me about Rithics when i was a little babe. We'd sit on the top of the castle and look far off into the lands. You could see just about everything from there." she stated, smiling as the memory of her father flooded through her mind. It was odd not having him around anymore. It was a wise decision for her to leave the kingdom after his death.

[Shadow]

"What happened there?"

Happened where? Oh. Yes, her shoulder. She turned her head to the side to examine it some more. It did look pretty banged up. She frowned, it was quite painful as well. After she finished with her bath, she'd be sure to bandage it up with a piece of spare cloth. She really needed to stitch the wound up, but she didn't think she could do it herself. Besides, it had long ceased bleeding.

"Fox." She stated nonchalantly, as if getting chased and attacked by a fox wasn't something out of the ordinary with her.

She was almost finished washing when the peculiar, heart-shaped rock in Amberonn's paws captured her attention. "What is that?" She inquired curiously, tilting her head ever-so-slightly to the side. She narrowed her eyes, to focus better upon the object.

"It's the same here... I didn't meet anyone else up until I arrived here in this strange land. I met another squirrel on the beach, her name is Quinn. I happen to be looking for her. She went off in search of food."

"Quinn? I'd be happy to help you look for her." She paused, before adding with a half-smile, "That is, after I've finished washing." She hadn't talked with another creature in such a long time, and, truthfully, it felt nice. Perhaps she wouldn't have to leave her, perhaps they could travel together?

"I'm from Billanthar.... a kingdom that you've probably heard of. We lived relatively close to your homelands. I remember my father reading to me about Rithics when i was a little babe. We'd sit on the top of the castle and look far off into the lands. You could see just about everything from there."

"Yes. I've heard of it." Airess didn't go into detail about it, although she'd heard that it was a rather nice kingdom. She was thinking of what Amberonn had just said, about how her father and her had once sat atop a castle. Amberonn must be royalty then. It made no difference to Airess if she was or not. Although her statement had made her wonder why she'd left such a seemingly perfect kingdom if she had enjoyed her stay there so very much.

[Déesse]

"Fox."

Amberonn heard Airess state the single word, and shuddered. She had never been exposed to such creatures before in her life, living in the castle since she was birthed. She had only seen pictures of them in storybooks. From what she had read, she didn't want to meet up with one anytime soon. "Are you alright? It looks like a really nasty wound. I could treat it for you if you like. I happened to take lessons from the maids back at Billanthar." she said, running a hand over her cheek. The sun felt blistering today; extremely hot. It would have been nice to sit there for a while. The clouds provided just the right amount of shade from the sun's brightness, and they also added art to the picture-perfect blue color of the sky.


"What is that?"

Amberonn looked at Airess, confused for a moment, then realized that she was pointed at the heart-shaped stone that she had clasped in her hand. "Um... i don't really know. It seems extremely familiar to me though. I've seen this kind of stone in a book somewhere before. I think it has some kind of magical power or something." she said, trying to remember what she had seen. She did remember the book, though. It was 'Ursela's guide to river rocks and jewels.' It had always been her favorite book to flip through when she needed to rest her eyes. It always had such pretty picture of gems and jewels, gold and silver and copper, sapphire and pearls. She wondered why she hadn't thought to bring it with her when she had left. Maybe it was just too heavy, or she had forgotten about it... Well, she couldn't have forgot about it. It always sat on her cherry-wood vanity, day and night. No one ever touched it. No one ever moved it.

"Quinn? I'd be happy to help you look for her. That is, after I've finished washing."

Amberonn laughed, short and merry. She remembered how nice it was to have someone else to talk to. She had been so excited when she had met Quinn. It had been weeks into her journey before she had ever saw so much as a cricket, let alone another squirrel. Now, Quinn had decided to go through an adventure streak and sprint herself across the whole country, leaving Amberonn out and alone to look for her. Pfft. That was just like Quinn. "Yes, i'd be glad to have your help. I don't suppose i'll look for her anymore, though. She can find her way around, i suppose." she said nonchalantly, flipping her hands out in a stretch.

"Yes. I've heard of it."

Amberonn smiled. "That's nice. But beleive me, it's not all that glamorous when you get into the inside of it. I grew up in the castle.... My father was king. He died a short while ago. I really hated living in the kingdom! Everything i did had a rule to it, and the whole responsibility was placed on my shoulders. I had to make all the decisions and tell everyone what and how to do their job." she said, pausing. "After daddy passed on, i was assigned to marry a male, Terrcruis Belshirea. He was in the least bit something i would want. So oneday i got tired of sitting around, being told what to do. I packed my things, told my brother goodbye, and left. I beleive it was the best thing i've ever done." she said, laughing.

Amberonn suddenly jumped up, remembering what the stone was for. "Airess! This must be your lucky day. I remember reading about a stone like this before. It... It's a healing stone. It will heal your shoulder!" she explained, standing again and smiling. It was a good thing she had a great memory, or she might have thrown it aside.

[Shadow]

"Are you alright? It looks like a really nasty wound. I could treat it for you if you like. I happened to take lessons from the maids back at Billanthar."

"I'm fine. Really." Airess blurted out hastily, declining Amberonn's generous offer. She could take of herself. She didn't want some stranger examining her wounded shoulder, poking and prodding it, before finally doing what Airess would've done to begin with. Bandage it up with a few scraps of cloth.

"Um... i don't really know. It seems extremely familiar to me though. I've seen this kind of stone in a book somewhere before. I think it has some kind of magical power or something."

"Really?" Her voice was curious, and genuinely interested. She'd heard of stones like that, even possessed a few, but she'd never seen one that looked like the one in Amberonn's paws. She rinsed off the soap suds that littered her body, revealing a coat coloured the purest of ivories, a drastic change from the light muddy colour she'd been sporting previously. Her light teal-coloured gaze was riveted upon the softly glowing stone that Amberonn's had in her paws. "Do you know what it does?" She glanced down at the river bottom again, wondering if there were other stones like it down below.

"That's nice. But beleive me, it's not all that glamorous when you get into the inside of it. I grew up in the castle.... My father was king. He died a short while ago. I really hated living in the kingdom! Everything i did had a rule to it, and the whole responsibility was placed on my shoulders. I had to make all the decisions and tell everyone what and how to do their job." she said, pausing. "After daddy passed on, i was assigned to marry a male, Terrcruis Belshirea. He was in the least bit something i would want. So oneday i got tired of sitting around, being told what to do. I packed my things, told my brother goodbye, and left. I beleive it was the best thing i've ever done."

"I know the feeling." Airess agreed sympathetically, remembering her own troubles and her escape. She had once been promised to a prince called Talith, reigning from the kingdom of Syratine. He'd been kind to her; a good friend even. But the love the two of them had shared had been nothing more than the love a friend gives another. Similar to the love shared between siblings; nothing more.

"Airess! This must be your lucky day. I remember reading about a stone like this before. It... It's a healing stone. It will heal your shoulder!"

"It'll what?" Surprise. Her eyes, large and wide, and voice betrayed the surprise she felt as Amberonn's unexpected comment. A healing stone? The realization that her shoulder could be healed instantly was slightly overwhelming to the ivory female, although she was gradually taking the information in.

[Déesse]

"It'll what?"

Amberonn laughed at the surprised expression that passed over Airess's face the moment she told her what the heart-shaped stone could do. It did seem ridiculous though, for a simple stone to be able to heal a deep wound such as Airess possessed. Amberonn had once witnessed the healing of a warrior who had returned from battle in Billanthar. She had known him personally. "Yes... It's true. I once knew a warrior who fought in the Battle of Ace and Volucks. He was wounded during the second battle, and the healers that traveled with out troops couldn't cure his wounds. They brought him back to the palace, and he was in horrible shape. I remember it as if it was yesterday... His left arm was missing; all that was left was a stump that ended at his elbow. He had a large amount of his skin burnt off, and one of his legs were completely useless. The healer at the palace, she had a stone such as this. And she used it on him. It did heal him, but he never was able to use his leg again... The skin that was burned never regrew fur and his arm was still dismembered. But, it kept him from dying. I suppose that if the stone possesses that much power, it can heal a wound like yours. It doesn't look too bad..." she said.

She held the rock up at eye-view, letting the sun's bright rays fuse through it's clear red luminence. It was flawless... No cracks, no scratches, nothing. Just perfection. It wasn't often that you caught sight of one of these rare jewels... The healer from Billanthar, Petusa, had taught her of the stones. She had told Amberonn that in all her life, she had only came upon one. The same one that she had kept in a glass case until she needed to use it. "So... I wonder. Would you like to try it and see if anything will happen...?" Amberonn inquired, cocking her head left and lowering the stone so she could see Airess's face once again.

[Shadow]

"Yes... It's true. I once knew a warrior who fought in the Battle of Ace and Volucks. He was wounded during the second battle, and the healers that traveled with out troops couldn't cure his wounds. They brought him back to the palace, and he was in horrible shape. I remember it as if it was yesterday... His left arm was missing; all that was left was a stump that ended at his elbow. He had a large amount of his skin burnt off, and one of his legs were completely useless. The healer at the palace, she had a stone such as this. And she used it on him. It did heal him, but he never was able to use his leg again... The skin that was burned never regrew fur and his arm was still dismembered. But, it kept him from dying. I suppose that if the stone possesses that much power, it can heal a wound like yours. It doesn't look too bad..."

The young squirrel's light azure eyes widened in surprise. A stone? A simple stone could do all of that? It was difficult to believe...and yet Amberonn seemed to believe that it could. Airess wasn't entirely sure, as she'd never seen a healing stone before. It seemed unlikely that the ruby-coloured, heart-shaped stone clasped firmly in Amberonn's mitts could possibly heal anything at all. The idea of it just sounded so absurd.

She turned her head slightly towards the deep wound in her shoulder, gingerly giving it a few half-hearted licks. It hurt...

"So... I wonder. Would you like to try it and see if anything will happen...?"

It couldn't hurt to try it, could it? There wasn't really anything to lose. Try and your shoulder might be possibly healed. Don't try it and wait for the shoulder to heal. She'd take her chances. "I suppose. It can't hurt to at least try, can it?"

[shorttt]

[Déesse]

"I suppose. It can't hurt to at least try, can it?

Amberonn nodded. "As far as i know, there is no harm whatsoever in just trying. Although i am pretty sure it will work." she said, jumping off the rock and into the water. She cursed loudly, wrapping her arms around herself. It was cold. The rock glimmered beneath the sun, and Amberonn revealed it from her chest, holding it directly over Airess's wound. Then, she placed it onto the wound, in the direction of the sun. "It said in the old novel to make sure the sun shines directly onto the wound...." she said. She carefully left the rock and reached down into her pack, bringing forth a jar of blue powder. "This is Vreggola. It's supposed to create some kind of healing ointment, but when it comes in contact with the chemicals in the rock, it completely heals a wound." She left her voice to trail off, and pinched a bit of the powder out, sprinkling it on Airess's shoulder. After several moments, she removed the rock. To her dismay, the wound was still there, though it looked a bit cleaner. She shook her head. "I guess that it takes a while to heal. Maybe a day or so, but by then, it'll be perfectly healed. Without a scar." she explained, placing the rock in her rucksack. "So. Why did you come to these lands...?" she asked curiously.

[Shadow]

"As far as i know, there is no harm whatsoever in just trying. Although i am pretty sure it will work."

It would be nice if it worked, although Airess wasn't going to get her hopes up. She paused briefly, her teal-coloured eyes locked with Amberonn's emerald ones, before saying softly, almost defeatedly, "Alright." She nodded her head lightly, the azure pools disappearing momentarily beneath a mass of long, perfectly curved lashes. She glanced back upwards, meeting the young, ashen-furred squirrel's gaze for the second time. Amberonn's eyes were bright, filled with a certain calmness and confidence, as she walked towards Airess, the reddish-coloured stone clasped securely in her mitts.

"So I just...hold out my arm and...what?" A small, uncertain smile appeared upon her peach-coloured lips. Her expression was one of mixed emotions. Curiosity. Silliness. Uncertainty. Seriousness. The situation was serious, well, that is, if the stone really worked. And Airess was uncertain, yet curious, of what Amberonn wished for her to do now. She also felt a bit silly asking Amberonn what to do with her outstretched arm.

"It said in the old novel to make sure the sun shines directly onto the wound...."

Airess nodded in understanding, making a mental note to remember that if the healing stone really worked.

"This is Vreggola. It's supposed to create some kind of healing ointment, but when it comes in contact with the chemicals in the rock, it completely heals a wound."

"Vreggola? Vreggola." She sounded out the word correctly a few times, curiously eyeing the small jar filled with blue powder. Amberonn removed the lid, pinched out a bit of the powder, and sprinkled it over Airess's wounded shoulder. Airess stood still, her head turned to the side, teal eyes riveted upon her shoulder as Amberonn did her 'magic'.

It didn't work. At least not completely. Although, it did feel a bit better...and the wound wasn't quite as messy as before. It looked...considerably cleaner. Airess gave it a few light licks, before turning back to face the other squirrel.

"So. Why did you come to these lands...?"

"For freedom." Airess stated rather vaguely, before adding with a slight shake of her head, "My father is a bit overbearing sometimes." A small, grim half-smile appeared on her lips, before she shook it away with a shake of her head. "So why are you here?"

[Déesse]

"For freedom. My father is a bit overbearing sometimes. So why are you here?"

Amberonn nodded, a curious smile overtaking her lips. "Pretty much the same. My Father expected me to be the ruler of our kingdom, to take the place of my mother and exceed her good deeds by far." she said, sighing. "However, I couldn't stand the royal life. I need to be free and careless, to live the life of a normal creature. And, my Father was overbearing, over-confident and expected too much of me. I suppose my younger sister shall be claiming the throne now." she said, and released an anxious laugh.

"I do have a brother, but he also despises the royal life.... He's like me. When i left, he caught me in the act, and swore to me that he would come find me after the whole situation of me dissappearing burned down... I hope he's coming." she said, smiling. Dallantiqus. "His name is Dallantiqus. I'm quite sure you two would get along." she said, rolling her eyes. "He's a bit silly though, curious, and a huge joker. But he's the best friends you could ever ask for." she explained. Dallantiqus. She missed him dearly. Maybe he would come....