Unable to sleep, Carley tossed and turned on the couch she slept on. Nightmarish visions of Cy withering away to illness plagued her each time she closed her eyes and drew close to sleep. Worry gripped at her at times to the point she felt breathless.

It was ridiculous!

Giving up her endeavor to try to sleep for the moment, the little elf sat up with a frown marring her usually happy and expressive features. When Cy had told her of the illness that ran through his home of Hurin Taurae she had been quick to offer the use of the Luinista to take him back in a timely fashion. She hadn't though much of it at the time, but the reality of the situation was growing heavier now that they had made their plans to leave in just a few mere days.

Cy would be exposing himself to this disease, wearing himself down to heal those he could. His promise to her that he wouldn't overdo it had made her feel somewhat better, but that worry kept finding her. That overwhelming, crushing worry that something might happen to Cy. That something might happen and she wouldn't see him ever again.

Shuddering at the mix of the thought and the cold of night, Carley pulled her blankets off and stood up. She gazed down the hallway, listening for signs of movement from Cy's room. She heard nothing, however, and figured he had found the solace of sleep she hadn't. It was then that she walked into the kitchen and went about the very quiet and very mundane task of preparing a mug of hot chocolate.

As she worked Carley couldn't help but wonder if it had been wrong to make that offer to Cy. If he didn't have the airship at his disposal, he might not be able to make it back to Hurin Taurae so easily, if at all. Even now, she could take back that offer and alleviate her fears, but - no. She couldn't. Wouldn't. It wasn't the type of person or friend she was. Cy did so much for her. There was simply no other option than offering total support.

Having not made her beverage too hot for consumption, she made quick work of it and abandoned the mug to the sink. Rather than rinse it out and make noise, she simply trotted back to the living room and couch, where she reclaimed her seat. Out on the work table Cy had left his sketchbook, and she couldn't keep her curious little fingers off it. Carley honestly didn't think he would mind, especially considering he had left it out in such an obvious manner in the open. She admired the work he did so very much, and she figured it might help to calm her nerves.

Each page was turned carefully and delicately as she handled the book with care - which wasn't the usual for her at all. Though this was a special item and deserved nothing less in her eyes. Seeing pages of the various crew made her smile. A picture of Bothe's exaggerated smile and jawline nearly had her laughing, but she was quick to cover her mouth and stifle it. There was even a picture of Crao, looking rather handsome and distinguished. It didn't surprise her very much, as she always had a suspicion that Cy sort of looked up to the man. It was only natural it should bleed into his art.

The attention paid to the cityscapes astounded her. The fact that Cy could draw such detail from memory alone? How was it even possible? Clouds and colors and buildings and shadows of the cities and towns they visited on the Luinista were even bolder and more vivid than in her own memory! Seeing these pictures made her yearn to visit these cities once more. Perhaps when it warmed and winter no longer posed a problem for travel...

Her curiosity was piqued more so when she found a page where Cy had drawn the picture of his necklace. Normally hidden away beneath his shirt, she rarely saw the thing. An oak leaf with three tips, emeralds at each tip. Carley wondered what it could mean. There had to be some symbolism for sure. She made a mental note to herself, to later ask about that necklace in detail, and what it stood for exactly.

Of all the pictures in Cy's sketchbook however, there was one that stood out most to Carley. It obviously had a lot of care put into it and every detail, as the picture of the person on that page was so realistic Carley felt as if she could reach out and touch her. It was a little girl, with long dark hair and bright silver eyes. There was a vague similarity of appearance for sure, and given how fondly he spoke of her, Carley hadn't a doubt in her mind that this was a picture of Cy's beloved niece, Morwen.

Carley couldn't help but smile at the sweetness of it, but that smile soon faded. It had been so very long since Cy had seen Morwen. Was this his last memory of his niece? Surely she was no longer the child in this picture. Did he write her often? Did he write her at all? Though she didn't always see eye to eye with her cousin, Carley couldn't have imagined being away from Cythia in all forms for such a long time. How could Cy endure it?

Closing the book, she gently hugged it to her chest. Perhaps her worry was for nothing. Of all the people in Hurin Taurae getting sick, only a couple had died so far, Cy had told her. It was sad for certain, but that didn't necessarily mean it was a serious epidemic. Perhaps those that passed were old? Their immune systems weak, and they couldn't get proper care for lack of healers. Cy was young and healthy, as were his sister and niece.

She had to have been worrying for nothing. She had to.

Returning the book from whence it came, Carley followed suit. Laying back on the couch she snuggled up in her blankets. The upcoming day was too long for her to not have rested adequately. There was much shopping to be done. Herbs, supplies, medicines. But it wasn't these things nor the upcoming trip to Hurin Taurae the little elf thought on as she eventually slept. Instead, she forced her mind to happier times, where she and Cy soared through the sky with magical wings and not a care in the world...

It had been years since Cy had entered Hurin Taurae. How many he couldn't exactly remember. He stood before the tree line, simply looking within. The trees were enormous. Larger than the trees in Rhydin for certain. Many were still covered in green leaves despite the season. The ground before the forest was covered in a light blanket of snow. The forest floor itself was mostly devoid of the snow outside. The treetops kept most of the snow from falling down onto the forest floor. It was darker, as well. The difference in light was very obvious. Cy was wearing a little warmer clothing than usual. He had on a gray wool cap, a heavy, long sleeved linen shirt, brown fingerless gloves, his usual jeans, and black boots. It was a long moment before he pulled his eyes away from the forest to look at Carley and Orson. "Let's go." His words were quiet. His demeanor had grown more serious upon arriving.

Carley and Orson both hadn't said much of anything as the trio walked. The little elf - clad in blues and whites which consisted of a feathered cap, knitted turtle neck sweater, shorts, thick stockings, clunky brown boots, and a large cloak - walked slower than usual, not wanting to bypass Cy. Not to mention the fact she was hefting around a rather large and heavy knapsack, nearly stuffed beyond capacity. Any time she had thought to speak she would catch sight of the expression on Cy's face, and speaking would seem inappropriate somehow. It was Orson, who dressed as if they were traversing a great blizzard, who spoke up shortly after Cy had. "How much longer is it, boy?" He stopped walking long enough to heft up his backpack. "I'm gettin' tired." Carley rolled her eyes.

Cy had a large pack that he was carrying on his back. Mostly supplies. A little food, clothing, and other essentials. Cy began to walk, passing the tree line and into the forest. He avoided a fallen branch, which was rather large, by stepping over it. Leaves crunched beneath his boots. "Not long. Maybe twenty minutes." Which he said in reply to Orson. The forest was rather quiet. Rays of sunlight poked through the canopies of the trees here and there and left spots of sunlight among the leaves, branches, and grass.

Orson merely grunted roughly in response to the tall elf. Carley remained silent as they walked, her bright blue gaze taking in the scenery. There was something about it all that brought about an unsettling sense of nostalgia within her. It poked and prodded at memories of long ago - memories she wanted nothing to do with. So caught in her thoughts she nearly tripped over the large branch Cy had easily avoided, but Orson had lunged in time to catch her by the arm. "Careful m'sweets!" He chuckled good naturedly as he helped her regain her bearings and guided her over the fallen branch.

Cy's mind was rather clouded. It was moments after the fact that he turned around to look at Carley and Orson. Seeing that Orson had helped the little elf, he didn't ask if she was all right. He did, however, smile faintly at Carley as he was glad she hadn't fallen. Cy continued onward. It remained quiet. It wasn't until Cy saw a massive, rotted tree stump that he veered in another direction, to the west. He navigated the forest like it was a city street. He didn't need to pause to get his bearings.

Carley smiled faintly in return to Cy, as she and Orson continued along. They moved at a much slower pace than the tall elf, given their own short legs and the fact this forest was rather labyrinthine to the pair. Orson seemed rather agitated at what he perceived as a lack of concern for Carley from Cy. "Pah!" Naturally he wouldn't hold in his frustrations. "If the boy had an ounce o' care for ya sweets, he wouldn't be barreling on ahead and leaving you behind in this cold!"

Sighing, Carley shook her head and gave the old gnome a look of warning. "Gramps..." She hadn't wanted there to be no trouble on this trip, particularly this early. Even if she was a little annoyed at how fast Cy was moving... "It's fine, 'k?" Her voice had lowered to address him. "Don't get so worked up. S'not good for yer blood pressure."

It took a little time to realize that he'd been distancing from Carley and Orson. He knew he should have been moving slower. He was letting his concern control his legs. Cy stopped and waited for the little elf and gnome. However, from where he stood, he could see something very strange. The trees ahead, they were rotting. It was easy to see they were dying. Very black pieces of bark lie on the ground, but Cy wasn't close enough to examine them.

Taking note that Cy had stopped, Carley tugged at Orson's sleeve. "Happy? Ya made him stop. Now c'mon. Let's hurry." Her pace increased, as did Orson's as he wanted to at least keep up with the little elf. "It's been a while since he's been here, ya know." She addressed him quietly. "And it's like... his home. Sorta. You should be more sensitive to his feelings Gramps." Orson grunted and rolled his eyes, though the goggles he wore hid that latter fact.

"Sorry." A single word still spoken quietly, as he turned his dark eyes to Carley and Orson. He was not his usual, carefree self. That much was certain. Cy resumed walking, but slower than before. He didn't want to leave the pair behind again. Once he was close enough to touch one of the pieces of bark, he kneeled down and picked it up. The outside was very black. The inside, which would have rested against the tree, was also black, but with spots of bright orange on the inside. Cy frowned. "Some sort of fungus?" The question had simply slipped out.

Carley offered the tall elf a reassuring smile, as if to let him know there was nothing to apologize for. Orson hadn't spoken in response to Cy, but nor did he grunt as he might have usually done. Even he could pick up the change in Cy's attitude. Curious over what it was Cy was looking at, Carley approached the tall elf, leaving the gnome's side. Peering over his shoulder, she wrinkled her nose at the sight of the black bark and orange spots. "Ugh... looks that way." Her gaze lifted to the tree it had come from, searching for anything other than the black bark. More spots? Another type of fungus? Parasites even? Absently, she lifted her hand to touch the tree.

The tree didn't appear smooth as a tree usually would behind the bark. It was coarse and tinted black, but the color wasn't as nearly as dark as the bark had been. The wood itself did have the same orange spots as the bark had. In addition, there were orange bumps mixed with many of the same colored spots. Cy snapped off a small piece of bark and placed it in one of his pouches. He might need it later. Then he looked over at Carley and nodded. "Has to be. Killing the trees." He looked upward for a moment.

Wrinkling her nose, Carley withdrew her hand after running fingertips over the tree briefly. It was rather gross, to her. The black, the bumps. "Tch." She wiped her hand on her shorts. "They might wanna consider tryin' to cut 'em down and hauling them off. If they rot too much and start fallin' at their size, that's all kinds of dangerous."

Orson stared at the elven pair a moment before shaking his head. "Bah, what is it with you elves and yer tree huggin'!?" Pause. "No offense m'sweets." He smiled to Carley when he took note of the bland expression she offered him. "But I thought we came here on a mission more urgent than saving trees?"

"For everything alive in the forest." Cy nodded at what Carley had said. He looked from her and over at Orson. In a normal situation, Cy would have been annoyed with Orson. However, he wasn't. Even his words lacked any negative feeling behind them. He pointed down at the bark he'd discarded. "Might be related, yeah? Can't be sure until I actually get to see someone who's sick. Village is just up ahead." Cy began walking once again, in the same direction he'd been heading before.

Orson grunted quietly, but didn't argue with Cy. He had a point, after all, though the gnome wasn't willing to admit that. He turned to speak to Carley, but she was no longer standing nearby. No, she was already walking along with Cy, taking long strides even with those short legs of hers. Muttering under his breath, he hefted his backpack up somewhat and started to follow after the pair. "Don't you leave me behind!"

Vine doors? "That seems awfully inconvenient." Carley muttered at the sight, though offered a nod of appreciation to Cy before stepping through them and inside the humble dwelling. She didn't dare step further inside though, upon seeing the elven woman looking in her direction. And the sight of the man on the cot? Well that killed her smile completely. He didn't look terribly good at all. One stricken with illness perhaps? Rocking on the balls of her feet, she turned away from the woman somewhat sheepishly, bright blues seeking Cy once again.

Cy stepped in after Carley had and let the vines fall back into place. He looked around. The simple dwelling had been his home when he was younger. He looked over to the female elf. She had been looking at Carley, wondering who she was. She was much shorter than the elves of the village. Her hair color and eyes were also much different. However, when she saw Cy... "Tan.*" She spoke quietly. "You came." She took a couple steps toward Cy and Carley.

Carley found herself suddenly feeling rather awkward. Cy hadn't seen his family in years. Was it really appropriate that she be there for this reunion? Too late to back out now, she figured. Realizing that this woman was indeed Cy's sister, Carley offered her a pretty and innocent smile, still rocking on the balls of her feet. It wasn't really her place to say anything now, and if she did speak it would likely be to ask where she could set her very heavy bag down. Very inappropriate.

"Yeah." Cy's reply was hardly wordy. He didn't ask about where to set his pack down, he simply did it. No other words were spoken as he approached the elven man on the cot. Cy kneeled down next to him and began to look him over.

Gwed frowned a little. She wasn't sure what to say to Cy at all. It'd been a long time since she had seen him, and he gave her one word. But... her manners, she'd forgotten them. She stepped past Cy and moved over toward Carley. Her pretty smile made Gwed smile in return. "Amin hiraetha. Creoso a'bramin.**" She clasped her hands and held them in front of her. "I'm Gwedilyn. May I ask your name?" She unclasped her hands briefly and gestured toward Cy's bag, an offer to put hers down near his.

Carley tilted her head a little as she watched Cy depart so suddenly. The response to his sister was rather rude, she thought... But perhaps he was simply taking care of this very important priority of healing his sister's husband first? Still... only one word? She couldn't think upon it too long, however, as she was being greeted by Gwedilyn. "S'nice to meetcha, Gwed!" With a roll of her shoulder, she grasped the handle of her knapsack and set it down near Cy's bag with a muffled whump! "I'm Carley." Her gaze shifted, momentarily. "That's yer husband over there... right? CyCy mentioned him bein' sick. I'm real sorry for it. But he's definitely in good hands with CyCy!" She nodded, bunches and bunches. "Not that I have to tell ya that, I'm sure."

Gwed smiled a little. She was accustomed to being referred to as Gwed, as Cy usually did. It didn't seem unusual for one accompanying her brother to call her the same name. "Carley. Nice to meet you too." She still smiled, albeit more faintly when she turned to look at Cy and the man on the cot. "Yes. That is my husband, Beldroth. He's been very sick. None of the healers have been able to cure what's wrong with him. I... that's why I asked Cy to come." She nodded a little. "Because I knew he would be in good hands, as you said." She smiled a little more at Carley.

Cy was busy looking Beldroth over. He was shirtless and that made the sores on his body easy to inspect. Cy frowned. They didn't look good at all. Slightly blackened and a little bloody. He placed a hand on Beldroth's forehead. It was hot to the touch. He most certainly had a fever as well.

Carley didn't let her gaze linger on Cy and Beldroth long, as it wasn't really a pleasant sight. "Tch, CyCy'll have Beldy taken care of in no time." She stepped a little closer to Gwed, lowering her voice. "I got hurt real bad once, nearly died and everything, and he fixed me up good as new. Not to mention how he's always havin' to heal my scrapes and bruises." The little elf shook her head at the taller. "Bet it just makes him all that more strong with the.. uh.. healin'." She lifted both her hands and wiggled her fingers to demonstrate this... healing. Her gaze wandered Gwed as she did. "Ya know, you don't look like you've been eating right lately, not that I don't understand why. But you still gotta eat. Need me to cook something for you? Pick berries? Fruits? I brought my spice rack..."

Carley actually was making Gwed feel a little better than she had been. The news of Cy healing what must have been a grave injury, as well as healing her minor ones, made Gwed tilt her head somewhat. "He never mentioned that in his letters." Even so, it instilled more hope in her. She lifted a hand to touch her long ponytail of dark brown hair. Carley's healing demonstration made Gwed nearly chuckle. She was obviously a little amused. "I've not been eating like I should." She shook her head. "I can't ask you to make food for me. Not in my home. That would be rude." Another small smile appeared. "But thank you." She turned to look at Cy and Beldroth, briefly. "May I ask how you know my brother?"

Cy's right hand was glowing with a white colored energy. He was holding it over Beldroth's sores, one by one. It would ease the pain the elf would feel upon waking at the very least. Cy also wanted to see if the sores would reappear after they'd been healed. Noting the symptoms was an important part of figuring out what was making Beldroth sick.

"CyCy isn't exactly one for words." It was hard to hide a certain blandness to her tone, given what she had just seen. "Probably doesn't get descriptive at all when he writes does he? Tch, he never writes me anything." Carley turned from Gwed to kneel near her knapsack upon hearing the denial of being able to cook. She spoke as she rummaged. "I met him a while back when I was searchin' for an engineer for my airship. Thought he was cute so I hired him." She chuckled and peered up at Gwed. "Now we're dating. It's a little ironic, ya gotta admit." The irony would have likely been realized had she not left out about 99% of the story. Carley pulled a small wooden rack from her knapsack, which did indeed have a few key spices. One had to wonder how she fit that in there... She stood and offered it to Gwed. "If I ain't allowed to cook here, then this is for you. Yer gonna be busy with it later since Beldy is gonna be staaaarving when he's healed up."

"No, he is very vague when he writes." A hint of sadness was in Gwed's tone, but she shook her head to clear the feeling. "It's partially my own fault." She had been considering many things after hearing Cy was returning to the village. Gwed didn't see the irony in Carley's story, but she didn't touch upon it. "I see." She smiled a little. "He sure picked a cute one." The noise Gwed made was almost a giggle, but not quite. She reached out to take the spice rack from Carley. "Yes, I imagine he will be. Diola lle.***"

Cy stood up and moved away from Beldroth. He stood nearly Carley and Gwed. "Fever's really high. With the sores healed up, he'll be all right for now. Have some herbs I can give him for the fever, but not until he wakes up. Not much I can do until then." Forcibly waking Beldroth seemed like a bad idea. Cy looked at him again. It was like the sores had never been there at all.

Carley didn't have an opportunity to address anything Gwed had said, considering Cy was approaching. Bright blues shifted to regard him as he spoke, and she couldn't help but look a little troubled by the things he said. "You can't just use yer magic and make whatever's wrong go away then?" She was rather confused.

Cy shook his head at Carley. "Whatever's causing it... it's resistant to magic. Could feel it while I was closing the sores on Beld's body. Something deep seated. Maybe an infection in an organ that's getting carried around by blood. Couldn't pinpoint it." Cy looked down as he speculated.

Gwed frowned somewhat. She knew Beldroth's condition was serious, but Cy's inability to simply cure whatever was happening made her more worried. She didn't voice her concern. She simply looked at her husband with troubled eyes.

Carley furrowed her brows somewhat as she glanced aside to Beldroth. She knew it had to have been serious if Cy couldn't heal it easily. Resistant to magic? Had they come all this way for nothing? "Then... what now, Cy?" She addressed the tall elf quietly.

"Gonna have to treat the symptoms and see what happens." Cy looked back up at Carley. "If it is an infection, then whatever that fungus out there rotting the trees is, it's probably why. Either he ate something that had the fungus on it or it coulda contacted an open wound. Hard to say." He finally looked over at his sister. "He'll be all right, Gwed. Just need a little time to figure it out, yeah?" Cy's words were soft. She looked over at Cy and nodded slightly.

It was not long after that the vines rustled once again. A teenaged looking girl stepped into the dwelling. "I'm home." She was looking down as she came in. When she looked up. Her bright silver eyes moved over everyone present. They lingered on Carley for a moment, and then locked right on Cy.

Carley felt and looked noticeably relieved at Cy's words. It seems he had figured most of it out. It made sense to her! Though she never would have really thought the fungus, dying trees, and illness was all related... It seemed obvious the more she had thought on it. Why hadn't those in the village figured it out by now? The rustle of vines caught her attention, and bright blues drifted that way. There wasn't a doubt in her mind who the girl was. Certainly she looked older than the picture Cy had drawn, but there was no mistaking those unique eyes of hers.

Cy smiled a little at both Gwed and Carley. He could handle it, he was sure. He glanced aside when he heard the vines. There was Morwen. She simply stared at him for a long moment. All of the emotions she had felt when she read his letter flooded back to her. She didn't think he was going to actually come. She wanted to hug him and slap him at the same time. But, she was young and it again was the negative emotions that took control. "Morwen..." Cy could tell she wasn't happy at all. Nor did he blame her. She just glared at him with her silver eyes. "How could you?!" Cy opened his mouth to say something, but Morwen didn't let him speak. "Amin delotha lle!!****" She practically screamed at Cy. Her lips began to quiver and tears formed in her eyes. Then she turned and fled. Cy's expression became rather crestfallen. He hadn't expected such a violent reaction. He moved to sit down on the floor, saying nothing.

Bright blues widened considerably at Morwen's words to Cy. Carley certainly didn't think the girl would welcome her uncle back warmly at first, given that he hadn't bothered to write her at all. But to say that? It was a surprise. Still, the little elf had her doubts as to the validity of the words. She glanced to Gwed, then to Cy, where her gaze lingered. She frowned upon seeing him so hurt looking. It wasn't something she was used to at all. "She didn't mean it Cy..." The little elf wanted to sit with him and hold him. Very much so. But there were other matters to tend to. Pivoting on the ball of her foot, vines were pushed aside as she ran out of the little dwelling.


((*Brother **I'm sorry. Welcome to my dwelling. ***Thank you. ****I hate you!!))

Carley watched the dancing girl in the music box for a long moment, before her bright blue gaze shifted towards Morwen. "You mean aside from the fact he's a dumbass...?" That answer wouldn't do though, no. So Carley pondered for a very long time, trying to come up with an answer. "I dunno for sure. I just know that... he loves ya very much. I think maybe bein' away from you for so long was really hard on him, and that's how he chose to cope. I neglect to write my cousin sometimes, myself, but I do love her, ya know. It's not the best way to handle things, but..." Trailing off, Carley shrugged at the young elf. "Says nothin' but nice things about you when he talks about you."

"Oh." Morwen nodded a little. That Cy talked about her at all said something. She smiled a little. "But if he missed me he should have wrote to me once in a while." She didn't think there was any excuse for that. "Maybe I should forgive him..." Quietly said, as she looked away from the dancing girl and at Carley. Then, she just started talking to Carley. She'd really never spoke her feelings about the situation before. She didn't think anyone would understand. "I looked up to him a lot. He was always brave and protected the village. He would go out to scout on things that no one else would do. Like when the goblins made a big camp not far from here. Then he just left. He told me he was leaving, and he didn't know when he was coming back. The other people treat me different sometimes, because I like doing some of the stuff Osi'Tan did."

She didn't offer her feelings on whether or not Morwen should forgive Cy or not, but... "Yer right. He should have written you more. You should tell him that, MoMo." The little elf grew quiet as she listened to Morwen, nearly frowning. Treated her differently, huh? Carefully shutting the music box when it stopped playing, she set it back in the hollow of the stump. "Don't listen to them. The things you do that CyCy does? There's nothing wrong with them, no matter what anyone in this village tells you. Expanding yer mind and your life beyond these trees... there's nothing wrong with that at all. That's why CyCy left. There's more out there, and to try to live in this little space in such a big, big world... it's just... well... it ain't good." She twisted her lips, unable to really convey the things she felt to Morwen. But there were consequences to cloistering oneself away from the world. "You can't protect yerself from the world. You can pretend it's not there, but it is. And just because you don't go out to the world... it can come to you." She said those last words rather quietly.

"I will tell him." She had decided that at the very least, she would talk to Cy. She was beginning to feel a little bad that she had screamed at him, as well about what she had said. "That's how I feel sometimes. There's more to see and do." Morwen watched as Carley twisted her lips.?"I don't want to be here forever. I think the world has started to come here already. Things have to change sometimes." Then she looked up in the sky for a few moments. Her bright silver eyes eventually returned to Carley. "I don't really hate him. He just... made me really sad. It kind of felt like he abandoned me." Her words were spoken a little sadly.

"I can understand how you can feel that way... I'd likely feel the same way, yeah? But I know for a fact that's not what he intended." Carley pondered for a moment. "I think maybe he felt alone here. He was tellin' me about how... he thought real different than the others. 'specially Elder Jackass. Said even Gwed didn't like when he opposed him... That can happen. Yer just so different from those around you, you feel real lonely even if yer not." Part of her wondered if Morwen ever felt that way, though she didn't voice her curiosity. Standing from her kneel, Carley offered her hand over. "Maybe we should start headin' back now, MoMo. Even if yer still mad at CyCy, you don't wanna worry your mom too much do you?"

"Well maybe if I talk to him he can tell me more." She thought Carley was probably right. It made sense. She did feel like that sometimes, but she never really told anyone that. Nor did she voice it to Carley. Morwen looked at Carley's hand. She was probably right. It wasn't good to worry her mother. She reached out to grab onto Carley's hand. "Okay."?She examined?Carley for a moment. She seemed to know so much about Cy. She didn't think just a friend would know so much. Or come to the village with him.?Carley'd also followed her out into the forest. No one else ever did. "You're Osi'Tan's girlfriend, aren't you?" Maybe Cy wasn't the only sharp one in the family.

Carley couldn't help but laugh a little. "What gives it away?" She thought it was somewhat humorous, given how everyone she and Cy had known pretty much saw through them and knew what was up before even they did. Turning, she started to walk from the stump and the clearing.

"Just because you can guess what he's thinking. Nobody around here can do that." She actually grinned a little bit. "Because he's weeeird." She drew the word out, mocking something she'd heard about her uncle as she followed Carley.

"Guess that makes me weeeird, too!" Carley spoke it in the way Morwen did, giggling soon after. Idly swinging their hands, she turned to peer up at Morwen. And up. And up. She hadn't exactly realized how tall the girl was until she was standing so near. "Geez, yer pretty tall for your age, huh?" Or maybe it was a norm for the people of this village. It wasn't fair... her cheeks puffed in something of a pout.

Carley giggling made Morwen giggle too. She felt very comfortable with Carley, quite obviously. "I'm a little tall. There's a couple girls who are taller than me." She looked down at Carley. She was pretty short, Morwen realized. Morwen said nothing about that though. She figured that might have been the reason Carley's cheeks puffed out.

"Taller than you? Same age as you too?? Geez, you and you tall people..." Carley muttered something or another to herself before shaking her head. The fact the people here were so tall made her think of something... "Ya know, the place I was born wasn't all that different than this place. Bein' in the woods and all." Her voice had lowered a little. "Most everyone had dark hair, were real tall - but not tall like you or CyCy, still tall though!" She held her free hand up to demonstrate.

"Yup. Same age as me. Well, close." She nodded. Morwen watched as Carley's hand went up. She laughed a little. "Being different isn't so bad sometimes." She smiled a little at Carley. The discussion made Morwen think of a memory. "When I was a real little girl, I thought Osi'Tan was a giant."

Carley thought Cy was something of a giant now, considering their predicament when it came to kissing should they both be standing... but she didn't voice any of that, of course. "'cuz he is a freakin' giant!" She laughed as well. "And there's nothin' wrong with bein' different, no. You and CyCy are different and I really like you both." The talk of Cy being a giant made her pause, as a thought occurred to her. "Oh, hey, MoMo? Word of advice. If there's any boys in the village that have been mean to you? Ya might wanna refrain from tellin' CyCy."

She laughed even more?when Carley called Cy a giant. Light and happy. It seemed much of her sadness and hurt had gone away. "I like you too, Carley!" How could she not after Carley had let her talk about Cy and had been nice to her. However, the words of caution made her tilt her head a little. "There's been one or two. Why? He won't do anything if I tell him will he?"

"Are ya kidding!? He'll go apeshi- er... I mean..." Carley thought of a better way to word that for young ears. "CyCy's kinda overprotective over people he cares about." That was better. She nodded somewhat. "Then again if you think they deserve to get some sense knocked into 'em, by all means..." Grin!

"Oh. No I don't want him to beat them up. I can take care of them myself." She smiled nice and bright at Carley. How would she take care of them? She didn't plan to say. "I won't say anything to him about it then."

Oh that only made Carley like Morwen even more! "Tough girl then, eh? I like that! We shouldn't always depend on a guy to take care of our dirty work for us." She returned that nice, bright smile as she continued to walk along.

"Yeah! I can take care of myself." Morwen nodded confidently. She had a sudden urge to be silly because she felt better, so she pulled her hand away from Carley's. "Guess who I am, Carley." Then, she stuck her hands inside the pockets of her pants and closed her eyes a little bit. She took a really large step ahead. A very exaggerated?impersonation.?There was only one person they had in common, so it wasn't really a hard guessing game.

Carley's brows lifted curiously at Morwen's sudden desire to be silly, though upon seeing that impersonation? She laughed and laughed and laughed. "The not so gentle giant, CyCy, maybe?" She wrapped her arms around herself as she giggled a little more. "So he's done that forever then?" Snickersnort.
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"Uh huh." Morwen nodded a couple of times. It was an answer to both of her questions. "He still does that now?" It made the girl smile. "I guess he hasn't changed much."

Rather than answer Morwen's question normally, Carley decided to do so with an impersonation of her own. Standing tall as she could, she stuck her hands in the pockets of her shorts and rolled her eyes. "Tch. Whatever."

The young elf laughed pretty hard at Carley's impersonation of Cy. She lifted a hand to cover her mouth after a moment, but giggling persisted for a few moments. "Hm. I guess it's a good thing he hasn't." Spoken after she'd calmed down some.

Carley snickered briefly before taking her hands out of her pockets. "Yeah, I think so. When a person's great there's no reason for them to go and change." Did she seriously just say that? She rolled her eyes at herself before she started to walk again, something sheepish about her posture.

Morwen smiled big and looked at Carley. There was a bit of a spring in her step. "You really do like him a lot." It apparently made her happy. Likely because her opinion of Carley was a very positive one. The village appeared ahead. Morwen went past the vine archway, but she didn't go very fast. She didn't want to leave Carley behind.

She was at least used to traveling with long legged people, so Carley didn't trail too far behind Morwen as they moved through the archway. "Yeah, s'pose you can say that." Was the little elf trying to downplay it perhaps? Embarrassed? Hm...

"Suppooose?" She drew the word out and giggled a little. When she saw her home, her smile dwindled a little bit. She planned to apologize to Cy. Of course she wanted to have a long talk with him too, but she wasn't sure it was the right time. She neared the vine doorway and just stood there for a moment, bright silver eyes on Carley.

Carley grinned a little. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I do." Her steps slowed to a stop when she saw Morwen linger outside the doorway, rather than enter. Grin dwindled to a faint smile as her bright blues shifted to meet the bright silver gaze of the young elf. "He ain't gonna be mad at you or anything for what ya said, MoMo. I think part of him had to know he had it comin'."

Morwen listened to Carley. It took a moment, but she nodded. "I didn't want to be so mean." She thought Carley understood how she felt pretty well though, so she said nothing else. She just took a deep breath and then walked through the vines.

Carley's gaze shifted to follow Morwen as she stepped into the little dwelling. Not wasting any time, she followed after the young elf, only a couple steps behind.