The ranger’s swift motion took her from the leaf litter to the canopy within a breath. Aesh never grew tired of her innate ability of Fey-wild manipulation that moved her with greater speed than the most capable bird diving from a dizzying height. Aesh took a long breath, ran his fingers through his hair and stepped back through his doorway.

Alaris dropped her rear onto the branch she was just perched on, repositioning her upper armour to accommodate her new position. She leaned over, heaved a crackly breath, and coughed up blood onto her sleeve. Alaris wiped it dismissively onto her leather sleeve and began to survey her surroundings. Despite her vantage, her view was still limited by the forest. Swivelling around with her legs pressing against either side of the trunk, she slid down the course bark of the oak to the forest floor. She looked down at the bag Aesh had given her to take to town. Most of what poked out of the sleeve had been dried and snapped easily when she applied pressure. She opened the bag wide and almost buried her head within it, as an intruder would peer into a building before committing to a robbery. Within the bag were some fresh common herbs such as parsley and rosemary as well as a few more uncommon varieties of which she did not know the names. As Alaris hefted the holding sleeve, it was apparent it was not only carrying plant material.

“What else would the High Priest need, other than herbs and flowers?” thought Alaris.
Her probing hand revealed a heavy wrapped parcel feeling almost certainly of metallic origins. Alaris knew of the rare and valuable metals required of certain magic, but rarely saw them and was unaware of their application for healing. Aesh was secretive and tight lipped, especially around common thieves.

“Why entrust a thief with valuables?” Alaris tormented herself with questions.

Though the temptation was great, she extricated her head, and realigned her priorities.
Alaris realised she would be gleaming like a beacon with her sequinned-armour in the light. She dropped to the ground and feathered the leaves away to reveal the soil. She scooped it into her hands. While Aesh took any opportunity to scold her for her lifestyle, the intimacy and complexity of the forest was not lost on her. She noticed the various sizes of soil particles, stones of various colours and textures, an old cicada wing, fibres of decomposing fallen leaves and a piece of dry deer droppings. She smeared the moist grit across the sequins, robbing them of their lustre and reflectiveness until she appeared to be an earthen mess. In humour that only Alaris could appreciate, she wiped two lines of wet mud under each eye, and placed a small cluster of leaves within a curl above her ear and made her way into the Glade with the intention of avoiding unnecessary attention from others within the forest.

Nick.

All content is original.

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Issue IX

Next Issue:
Will Alaris Fallowfire's plagued history catch up with her, despite the trust placed in her?

Acknowledgement

Cover Art