Open The forest in her heart.

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

ever since briar had returned to the school there had been only one thing that she had wanted to do. somehow she had managed to make it halfway through the semester before she managed to go properly into the forest. she had been in for work to feed animals. but that wasn't really going into the forest.
Today was a new moon. the part of the cycle where she had the most energy. She had reached the school early and gone for a run amongst the trees it had been so long since she had felt that free. she almost didn't want to return to the lawn to take class.
as soon as class was over she headed back to her office gave it half an hour as she was practically jumping with energy before she made her way quickly almost silently into the woods. the strong damp earthy smell enveloping her like a blanket. She started to run jogging at first gradually picking up pace skipping over logs and roots and ducking low branches effortlessly as if she were running through an open field. she let out a whoop of joy before she ducked around a tree and started in a different direction.

 

[Cecras]

Cecras felt achy. He had not slept yet for the dark moon had kept the stargazing herd awake for much of the previous night and he could not rest in the day. He was an unusual centaur as he did not take much interest in reading the sky, he'd never been very good at it even as a foal. Deciding to separate himself from the herd during the sun hours, he preferred to be amongst nature and tend to the forest when he could. He came upon a tree he could see was dying. Concerned, he rested his bow at his hoof and placed both hands on the bark to perform a healing blessing. It was not magic like the wand carriers, this blessing was different - deeper, older, and more entwined with nature.

His blessing was interrupted upon hearing a call that was not in itself threatening but unsettled Cecras as the being approached his location at speed. It sounded human, but Cecras sensed a creature more than just human. Unsure if this was friend or foe, the centaur retrieved his bow in a quick motion, armed an arrow and held it poised, ready to ward off an attack if he had to.

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Briar heard hooves approaching her and changed her pace to keep in time with them. She wasn't as fast as a centai in full run she never had been. when she had been a foal she had been carried by her mother. but that had been years ago, what felt like many lifetimes when she had been living with the herd. "Aspen Sistermine: It has been far too.." she said feeling weird talking the language of the forest. she stopped suddenly both in words and movement when she saw the centaur besides her. it was not her sister but a male, a male there with a bow in his hands. It had been so long since she had held a bow. she was sure she had hers somewhere though she wasn;t sure how good a condition it was in, it probably needed a lat of time before it was workable again. "I am so sorry, I mean no disrespect sir. I didn't realise I had crossed onto the heard lands" she said slipping back into english. shew as glad madlyn wasn't with her. she would have killed her fo accidently going onto the centaur lands. it was funny that the forest was forbidden only for students. in some ways it was safer to be a student

 

[Cecras]

Cecras looked at the human with curiosity, they mentioned a centaur name although not one from his herd. He lowered his weapon slightly and gestured to the tree line. "These sycamore trees are the boundary to our land" replied Cecras, keeping his bow low and steady, still poised for a non-fatal shot if necessary. "There is protection and strength in the deep roots of a sycamore." He watched the being closely. "What is your purpose being this far into the dark forest?"

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Briar looked around as the centaur said that the row of trees she had just passed were the boundary of the heard lands. "Of course. I am sorry" she said taking a few steps back towards the tree line. this centaur was young, maybe the same age as willow. if things hadn't happened and she was with her first family he would respect her, call her mother or aunty. But that life had been many lifetimes ago and. she was on his lands.
"I am Rowan Wolfskin. I was here to run and to see Aspen sistermine" she said. using her tree name, the name she had had growing up. Rowan, the tree of protection from magic and used for divination. though aspen had given her the nominative wolfskin instead of twohoof when she had become a werewolf. "I mean no harm. and ask for permission to cross your lands, or to return to where I came unharmed" she said speaking as she would have done her elders.

 

[Cecras]

Cecras listened, he knew of a centaur by that name resided in the forest who was not part of his herd. "They are not here. Aspen has land close to the forest edge." He nodded lightly, "Very well." He replied although he was not permitting the human to cross his herd land. Cecras would not be easily forgiven for allowing a stranger any further. The punishment would be brutal. "You may return unharmed to where you came, Rowan Wolfskin."

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Briar nodded her head slowly as the make centaur said that Aspens lands were near the edge of the forest. the herd had assigned her the worst parts of the forest, at least in their opinion, the bit where most of the students entered the most, not realising that that was what she liked best. "I am aware, she is my kin" she said. I must have gotten carried away running I am sure you are aware how freeing it is to just run with no end goal in mind." she said the first time not being formal. she heard a movement behind her, the unmistakeable sound of hooves on leaves. was she being surrounded?she stopped the urge to look and see, to show fear. she wasn't scared. if he hurt her there would be hell to pay. for both of them. when he gave her permission to leave she bowed her head "Thank you. sorry I didn't catch your name" she said. she turned and left a smile spreading across her face as she saw the centaur who was behind her standing just behind the tree line.

 

[Aspen]

Aspen thought she had been seeing things. she was sure that she had seen her sister in the grounds. and by sister she meant Rowan not Madlyn. today she had been doing patrol around her territory when she heard a disturbance up ahead. She knew she wouldn't be able to do anything it was beyond the sycamore line but she slowed and managed to take in what was going on. She couldn't cross the line. but she got as close as she could to the trees. she drew her bow and while not having it raised held it ready if the need to use it arose. at least rowan had more sense than most of the teachers who came into the forest wands raised insulting her and demanding the students left. In fact It wasn't often that she had ever seen her sister acting so respectful even as a foal she had been loud and outspoken much to the annoyance of the cheifs counsel. yet here she was talking to a colt as if she was talking to the chief himself.
She was relieved when the colt let her leave. and watched as she walked towards her raising her eyes to catch hers. "Rowan" she said as the redhead approached her. "Sistermine. it has been so many years." she said putting her arms awkwardly around the wolf bow still in hand. it was so good to see her sister again. she let go of her sister and looked as the young centaur. "Rowan is my kin. she has my protection and word that she will cause no harm. any offence to her is an offence to me" she said she didn't need to be as respectful. she was technically a cheif even if it was by default.

 

[Cecras]

Cecras lowered his arrow, his body still aching from lack of sleep. "Cecras is my name." He replied. No sooner did another centaur arrive, Cecras stiffened again. He did not know them and they were dangerously close to his land. "You are Aspen?" Cecras replied, giving a short bow as a sign of respect for the elder mare. "Forest blessings to you. The wand carrier crossed the sycamores. She is permitted to leave without harm."