Private Tales Wayward Paths

[Tehi]

In the distance, rainforest sprawled across the land, the tropical plants a common sight across much of Falwood. Closer to the coast, though, the salt leeching into the soil and the coastal winds left some smaller towns amongst the more sparse forest, surrounded by hardier trees built to withstand the more variable weather atop cliffs and beyond seaside dunes and grasslands. As the sun began its journey down towards the horizon from its peak, a young woman set her sights on one particular town. Since she'd found her way from the secluded cove her people called home, she'd followed the paths and roads through the wilds, hoping that one might just lead her inland towards land-dweller civilisation. Settled in a copse of trees on the side of a hill sat a busy little stopover town. Some had passed her on the road, but she had cautiously hopped into the tree line whenever she heard a cart or horse approaching—she aimed to avoid being caught by surprise.

This bustling place unsettled her. So many land-dwellers to keep an eye on. Nevertheless, she kept up her pace along the dirt road and towards the small town, seemingly unbothered by the rough-hewn cart path despite her bare feet. As the somewhat wooded surroundings morphed into small streets and thatched roof houses she gritted her teeth. While not a place she would want to walk into unaided, it would be the best place to pick up a lead on what she was looking for, even if she stood out a little. Sure enough, the residents seemed to ogle her, watching her with apprehension the second they laid eyes on her. Oddly, they appeared to have a fascination for personal decoration. They covered themselves in fabrics and clothing. The boring browns and creams couldn't compete with the jewellery or accessories her people sometimes wore, but maybe those here found beauty in the simple and the more covering. She could only hope they assumed the pelt draped over her shoulder was decorative.

 

[Skull-hammer]

For the first time since he had arrived in the small town Skull-hammer was not being stared at by children, which he liked since it meant he could eat his barrel of pickled eels in peace.
But when the small folk started muttering about a "strange woman" . His ears began to twitch and his head looked around the corner over a small fence. Small to him at only seven feet. His full ten towered over most things.
With a half eaten eel hanging out of his mouth he spied at what the small folk were fussing about hoping it was a certain someone. It was not.
It was another one of the small folk.
It looked different and wore less but he did not think that worth much notice.
He slurped up the eel and leaned a hand over the tall fence, palm open in the sign of good greetings and in a voice like a thunder cloud called to this new stranger with a smile wide as the horizon on his face.
"Hello!"
His large green hide and yellow belly were striking against the ruddy surroundings and when he rested his arms on the fence it creaked beneath his greatness.
Perhaps this person knew something about his niece.