[Gift] Hillside View

“Whatcha think?” Comes Neru's happy chirp.

Moss had been watching the trio march their way up the green, luscious hill toward the top. Neru had to lead Lucias since the Starlyng was blind, and while Lucias seemed to be doing fine, Neru was always there to aid his best friend. Kelpie was quiet, their head bowed down in silence.

Moss secretly enjoyed watching the three of them tread up this hill as if the weather around them wasn't hot.

Kelpie, oddly enough, was the first to answer Neru's question when they all sat under the shade.

“It's… nice.” Is Kelpie's soft, quiet reply. They still had that rather sad look, but Moss has realized that it's just something normal for them. Neru, upon hearing Kelpie's answer, brightens.

“Well, nice is one word to describe it!” Says Neru, who is cheerfully wagging his tail. “It's worth all that walking, that's for sure. Especially for this nice, cool shade…”

Lucias tilts his head toward Neru's direction but remains silent.

Moss observes this quietly. He must be focused on Neru because usually, he doesn't pay any mind to either Kelpie or her. She'd grown used to it after Neru began accompanying her for whatever reason, which meant Lucias followed along. The two were practically hip to hip most of the time, and Moss could tell they probably would be for years to come.

Turning her head to look at Kelpie, Moss can see that they finally raised their head. Kelpie looked up at the sky, watching the clouds drift across slowly. She can't help but wonder what exactly they're thinking about.

However, she turns her attention to Neru.

“How'd you find this place anyway?” Questioned the female Starlyng. Neru, gleeful that Moss was even talking to him (instead of grumbling), offered a wide, childish smile. He stares into the distance, thinking back when he came across this hill.

“I'm not exactly sure, but I was flying through a pretty bad storm. It was then, when I needed shelter, that I saw this massive tree!” Neru raises a talon, dramatically moving it around with an energy Moss usually finds sickening, but the feeling was pleasantly absent. “I narrowly dodged the huge thing, before landing underneath. The leaves are so thick and strong that I could barely feel the rain hit me.”

Neru continues to explain the story with a wide grin, his eyes flashing with excitement. Moss finds it difficult not to be enthralled by the tale, which is strange given her nature.

Oddly enough… She feels calm.

A strange realization comes to her when she, too, stares off into the distance. Feeling peaceful around other Starlyngs was rare, but these past few months of traveling with the three have changed her opinion of them. There's something warm in her chest, melting the ginormous walls of ice she's built around her heart. It was a pleasing feeling, albeit a little overwhelming at how new it was.

For the first time in what feels like forever, Moss smiles.