Welcome to Gaia! ::

Tianara had taken quite a while to get there, even with her sense of direction working overtime. It was a long way, and she had been nervous about just showing up on their doorstep. Nevertheless, she made it - and paused while she looked at the homey scene in front of her.

She wanted that, one day, when she got older. She wanted to have family who would sit with her and talk, who could spend time on their own projects while still being together.

She wanted it so fiercely it made her heart ache a little. One day. One day.

But for now she had other troubles.

Stepping out onto the path, she smiled a little, tremblingly. Then she called to them. "Hi!" A part of her flinched away when she did it - some part of the trust she had begun to build in other people had been hurt by her revelation about Adrian. But she held on to what she had all the same.

Tianara flinched at the nickname. Just barely. Just for a second. But she walked up to the two of them and sat down on the porch steps with her tired smile in place. "I just came to ask a question," she explained. "I...don't suppose that either of you would know how to reach the cove from somewhere besides the forest?"

She didn't phrase the question very well, but she figured they would understand. They knew that she lived at the cove right now. They knew more about her than anyone but the merfolk. And Joshua.

With a sigh, she settled herself more comfortably on the stairwell. "Something is out there," she explained quietly. "Something that I don't know if I can pass again. And I don't think I can wait for very long."

She had to get back. She didn't know how she knew it, but she had to get back.

Tianara frowned. She'd automatically written off the sea route, since there was the problem of boats and divers and those whaling ships that had been attacking the merfolk. But now that she thought about it...right. She looked human. Unless they called out to her and she answered them

(or unless they have something with magic something like the thing in the woods something that can sense me)

they would never know. "I guess I'd thought it wasn't so safe as it was," she admitted at last. "But I suppose that if I'm careful I might make it."

Suppose. Might. Not very encouraging words.

At Allen's question, she shook her head. "No. I didn't wait around when I felt it coming - it's different. It's nothing I've felt before. I don't really know what to think of it." Except that it was dangerous. And that it was why she had to get back.

Why she shouldn't have left.

"I need to get back to Joshua and make sure that he's all right," she said quietly. "He was at the cove when I left. And whatever it is, it's between me and the cove."

((OOC: Lazy Silent is uninspired. School is haaaaaaard. *whimper*))

Tianara got to her feet. But at the words, she wrinkled her nose a little. Boats were still not her favourite thing. But she had to get back to the cove, and they had to do it now. She couldn't wait for the thing in the forest to take its sweet time leaving - and it seemed to be content just...staying there.

"Okay," she replied hesitantly instead, following Aria down the path. She seemed a little unsure of herself, and that was fair enough - the girl didn't like boats, and who could blame her? But she would manage, because they had to get there.

Once they made it to the boat, she stared down at it. "That? Is that yours?" she squeaked. It was really small. About the same size as Joshua's, and his had freaked her right out.

But after a minute or two she shook her head. "Let's go."

They had to get back. They had to get back now. She couldn't wait.

And if Joshua went off about "I told you so," well, she had no problem shoving him into the water.

((OOC: *halfheartedly nibbles cookie* Four midterms. Ten days. D8 Halp.))

Tianara didn't mind the rapids, or the water, or anything else involved. The boat itself was the problem.

As soon as Aria cut the motor - despite the fact that they weren't actually at the shore yet - Tianara jumped out of the boat and waded to shore. "I'm supposed to pull it in, right?" she asked, guiding the little boat with one hand while she moved.

Assuming the answer, she continued to pull it until the tip of the boat hit the beach. "Thank you, Aria," she said quietly, then turned around to survey the shoreline.

Nothing.

Uncertainty warred with fear, and she looked towards the cabin. If something had happened, would Joshua have taken shelter in there?

She walked up towards it, half-forgetting Aria's presence behind her. Cautiously, she knocked on the door of the cabin. When there was no response, she risked it and - not knowing what she would see - opened the door a little.

"Joshua?"

((OOC: Yeahhhhhh. *whine*))

Tianara inched into the room, closing the door softly behind her. If Aria wanted to come in, Tianara would probably not even notice - she had basically forgotten about her. She made her way slowly to the side of the bed and sat down beside him.

"Joshua," she called softly, taking his hands gently into hers. "Joshua."

Her leftover anger and fresh shame were still a hot, twisting ball in the gut, but his pain pushed it away. Whatever was going on, she had to do something to fix it.

"Joshua, wake up."

Now that he was awake, Tianara finally remembered Aria and looked around for her. She was gone. Tianara felt awful, but told herself she'd find her later to talk to her.

She was still holding onto his hands, but at his words she closed her eyes and looked away. "I should be sorry," she whispered. "I...went into the woods, and left you alone. I shouldn't have. I was supposed to stay with you. And it wasn't just for me." Her dark blue eyes were miserable. "But I went into the woods, and there was something there. So I had to run. I shouldn't have left you."

Still looking away, she seemed like she wanted to say more. But she didn't know how.

"I ran into him," she said. And then she was quiet for several minutes. "I was wrong."

That was all she had to say. She stopped talking for a long time. She didn't know what to tell him. There were tears in her eyes, but she was still looking away - unless he looked, he wouldn't be able to tell.