The Endless Forest discussion

((The world))

Cameron followed her into the human place. It wasn't really loud, probably because it's really late. No stars in the sky, hobos were on the streets. "Well this looks holly jolly."

She smiled. “Act normal. No shifting or talking to animals, but pretend you belong here.” Even though everything screamed of wrongness.

"Pssh, normal is my middle name." He waved his hand and looked around for a Pharmacy. "You're the strange one."

She shook her head and laughed inwardly. She led him down a side street and across someone’s yard and into the town.

"This looks like fun." Cameron walked beside her, a little nervous. He saw a Pharmacy. "Look, there."

She nodded and headed for the pharmacy. As soon as she stepped inside, the cold hit her like a wave. “Why is this place so freezing?” She asked, shivering.

He walked in. "It's isn't cold." He said, Cameron wrapped an arm around her, trying to get her warm. "Better?"

“It is!” She protested, but leaned into his side, scanning the aisles for bandaids.

"Maybe it's just you." Cameron saw the bandaids. "There!" He walked with her to the bandaids. "Do we have any money?"

“Nope.” She smiled deviously up at him.

"Oooooooh, we're being bad." He laughed and took the box.

She smiled and crept out the door, praying the shop alarms were either asleep or nonexistent.

He followed her and hesitated at the door. Will an alarm sound? Cameron looked at the cashier, they didn't seem to notice anything. He walked through and closed his eyes waiting for the alarm to go off...It's didn't He blew out a breath and smiled at Rue.

She led him back to the doorway into the forest.

"Do you think they would even care? If there was an alarm I mean." He asked walking with her back to the forest and opening the box.

“No.” She said without hesitation.

"Why do you think so?" Cameron looked at her and gave her a bandaid, "can you...?"

“Yeah,” she said, taking the bandaid and unwrapping it. She put it over his first cut.

He smiled, "thanks Rue." Cameron looked down at the other tiny cuts. This'll take a while.

She nodded and covered the other cuts.

He pouted, "I don't like these stupid bandaids. My arms feel like paper. Plus, Nemo is on them, I don't feel very manly."

She laughed. “You can take them off in the morning, Nemo.”

"Don't call me that!" He whined. "I will take them off the second I wake up." Cameron looked at her, "you're a bully."

“Oh yeah? Why?” She crossed her arms.

"Because...I don't like you calling me that. Makes me feel like a toddler." Cameron walked with her to their spot.

“I’m not a bully. I just helped you!” She followed him, marveling at her shortness.

"Then you teased me." He pointed out. "That's bullying."

“I’m sorry Cammy.” She caught up with him and hugged him from behind.

He smiled after a moment and looked down at her arms around him. "It's okay. I still love you." He hugged her arms and then turned. He kissed her forehead.

“Good.” She tugged him towards the lake.

He grinned and followed her to the lake. His favorite place in the forest. Cameron hadn't even seen the whole forest, but it didn't matter. This was the best.

Ember stood up from the bench, and started walking around the park.

Heather landed next to a bench where there had previously been a girl. She tucked in her wings and walked slowly after her.

Ember walked as though she had heard nothing, but her overactive mind had picked up something following.

Heather noticed a branch in the path and picked it up, staring at it intensively. The patterns were so beautiful. She had to share it with someone, so she soared a few feet in front of the girl.

Ember was unsurprised, she had felt the girls thoughts. "Good morning, and thank you for sharing the stick."

Heather backed away a bit, eyes wide. “How- how did you know?”

"You are a bit frightened but mostly surprised and.......oh, that feeling is curious."

She blinked and stepped away. “What are you?”

"Now you are creeped out that I am reading your emotions and mind," she said calmly. "And now you are slowly realizing."

He’s.ther shook her head and pinched herself. This had to be some kind of dream. But she didn’t wake up. He instincts were now telling her to spread her wings and get out of here, but she was curious. What was this girl?

Ember watched her, and then smiled and her body twisted and contorted to match the girls appearance, "you think this is a sort of dream, and you want to fly away, but you are still curious."

Heather hesitated and shook her head for no reason. “Stop — stop it.” She had half a mind to call Luke or Sam. They’d know what to do.

Ember nodded, "if you wish," she said as a ghost of a smile flitted across her lips.

Heather turned around, grumbling about privacy, and spread her wings.

Ember shrugged, "I can't help it," she said, a little hurt showing in her face and voice.

“What do you mean?” She hesitated.

"It comes to me naturally, my powers do."

“Oh. So you can’t turn them off?” She asked, tucking in her wings.