The Academy: That will never, never be

Her ears were pricked, listening intently to all that surrounded her. The chirp of a bird caught her first, then later the scriff scraff of a fox or other small mammal scurrying along in its pursuit of life. There was much to listen to, or much to ignore if you preferred it that way.

And then it became quiet. Still. Eerie, in a sense. Yet it was still warm. Welcoming. Embracing. Her pace slowed the slightest bit as she came upon the gardens and all the secrets it held. She could hear the whispers of all that had passed here, could feel the history settling in around her shoulders and making itself comfortable amongst the darkened hide. In her minds eyes she could see the questioning gaze of the pupil, and hear the deep rumble of wisdom coming from those that had already embarked and complete the long journey that she was just setting forth on. But this, of course, was all her minds doing. There were no others present in reality, as far as she could tell. And of course there were no whispers on the wind…

It wasn’t what she had expected, not really. Her rather overactive imagination had picture dull and boring, withered shrubs that were long past their due date, and equally as old equine who were attempting to educate the unworthy youth of today. Her mind had brought up really old things, covered in dust and age and nonsense. But this was not what had greeted her (thankfully). Her mind had been misled, but her heart had not. Although it was now winter, and the colors had already gone through their change and leaves had melted away, she could see that in the spring and summer this was a place of life and abundance. She could see the twigs, now mostly bare and alone, covered in leaves. And she smiled to herself. Misled indeed.

At first it was unnoticed, the fluffy little thing. So it bothered her not that one minute there was nothing, and then all of a sudden a life form. Her eyes dropped to meet it, a whuffle escaping her lips lightly. Her head was lowered slightly as she moved along after the creature, curiosity sparking in her steps. Well...this certainly was interesting. Enthralled she was, what with nature bursting through the icey cold. Briefly she lipped up some of the snow, tossing her head and sending it spraying in all directions. A few moments later and she spied the form, complete to her eye, and slowed her pace to a more regal one. A light sound escaped her lips, quiet in the sense that she didn’t quite yet want to disturb anything. “Hello.” She let the sound of greeting drift off from her body in its own time, settling into the colder temperatures and cascading between bough and twig, as her eyes reached out to his and her body drew nearer. A simple grin was upon her lips as she came to rest near Simon, not knowing whether they were waiting for another or if it were just she by her lonesome.

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Hello! My name is Eithne. I'm a mix of temper and humor, of stubborness and second chances. It's been 4 years I wandered off from my homelands. I dance to my own beat, and if I don't like you, then I really, really don't like you. However! If you can convince me to be friends, then we're friends for life.