[quote]After awhile, Rhea glanced back at Aslynn, unable to contain her curiosity. [b]"You're not the first sun-child I've met tonight,"[/b] she said, her brow furrowed uncertainly. [b]"There were four others: a girl, younger than you in a raggedy dress, a skinny boy with spectacles, then a guy built like a tank, and a guy who wore monkeybat skins and teeth for kicks, all of them with that same look on their faces as you have. How long've you been here? And are there any more of you?"[/b] She chuckled; it almost felt like the island was being invaded by people from other worlds.
[/quote]
 
Aslynn perked up at the mention of others like her, the few hours she had been here had led her to believe that maybe she was the only one here. Her footsteps weren't as sure as the others in the group but she fared well all the same tripping only once or twice along the shadowed path. The lantern swayed back and forth, its warmth giving her enough courage to march forward confidently ignoring the anxiety and confusion raging inside her head.

[b]"There are others? I didn't know...I was just me when I woke up and that was maybe a few hours ago? It's hard to tell time..."[/b] 

Her voice wavered unsure, she was sure there was no one else when she woke up but she wasn't sure how long she had been here, hours, a few minutes, she could have been asleep for far longer than that but the information about there being others; these Sun-children, maybe they knew how she had gotten here but finding them would be a different story all together. She knew nothing about this forest or its inhabitants so setting off on her own was a no go at this point. 

[quote][b]"Miss Aslynn has a sun where she lives!"[/b] Cod squealed, hiking expertly up the roots and rocks that riddled the path.

[b]"She does!"[/b] Rhea feigned wonder and surprise. [b]"Well, we'll have to ask her all about it while we eat supper."[/b][/quote]

The mention of both her name and food drew her from her thoughts in time to see the outpost sprawl into view, the sight of the children sitting around listening to a story, the sounds of hammer clashing on unformed metal, the smell of food and tanning all flooded her at once. The scene was simple but familiar to the blacksmith, a wave of homesickness crashing down on her. Thoughts of her father and her sister, and how'd they be doing without her or if they hadn't even realized she was missing. The sparks from the hammer drew her eyes as she focused on it fighting off the urge to cry and wallow in her own self-doubt; the rustling of feathers and the soft breeze broke through her trance as she looked for the sound expecting to see a bird or perhaps a woman with feathers in her hair. 

A soft gasp left her lips as her eyes fell on the gryphon, even asleep it was majestic and awe inspiring. She had been able to delude herself that this forest was like the ones at home, just darker and stranger but seeing a beast of legend shattering that thought. Her eyes were wide and filled with shock, she stopped in her tracks completely enthralled by the beast.

[b]"Is that real...?"[/b]