" A dark cloud came from forest bound, from the Mountains,
will it be a drizzle mild, will it be fierce storm?
Ah, my old man, heavy times!
The plow moves barely and after you plant a seed sweat from forehead, hail from eyes!
Tell me, old man, why do you cry over these long black stripes;
from black cloud are you afraid,
or are your children small dying? Tell me, old man, for I recall, what a champion once you were-"

Hakon sang freely, not loudly but enough for her presence to be known as she moved through the forest, along the small path that cut between the great oaks that littered the forest floor with light and leaf. The shield and broadsword at her back thudded rhythmically as one. Each step a small bounce upon the ball of her foot as her heavy braid swung to and fro like a joyful dog's tail.

" -May God forgive grandma Stoina, she sang, you plowed. Another time - remember?
last year, it was: I went through the forest, among champions you were sitting like the father with the beard.
What you were, then!
Now you cry - why, old man?
Is flag not flown, or have you not a young heart?"

The Paladin's hand reached up to her breast, her thumb tracing over the small ornamental bauble that hung at her neck as her song trailed off into murmured lyrics. This was the beginning of her journey alone- she was optimistic. She had supplies, knowledge and a heart full of excitement- what else could one need?

Perhaps… Caution, as that seemed to be utterly lacking to the young woman at this very moment.

Synthesis had been practicing Druid magic in the forest, gleefully channeling all her efforts into growing a quaint trio of mushrooms until they were each as tall as her thumb. Any more and she would begin to feel too tired so she leaned back against a tree and prepared to eat an apple she had procured earlier that day.
She tuned into the whispering of the flora around her and quickly became aware of a few trees becoming gossipy. Someone new was in the forest. Someone notable, because otherwise they wouldn't have cared enough to pass the message round. A minute later, Synthesis understood why.
The clack of metal, brisk footsteps and well timed singing soon reached her ear, followed by the sight of a tall woman of excellent stature walking and looking around with casual interest.
Synthesis grabbed her bag and staff, scrambled to her feet and ran unsteadily over to the human. It had been a while since she had spoken to anyone and she wasn't about to let this chance slip away. Besides, this particular person looked interesting and was going in the same general direction that  she was.
"Can I walk with you?" Synthesis asked. Then regretted it. The song had been nice.

At the edge of her hearing, she heard the quick pattering of unsteady feet, which instinctively caused her hand to slide over her shoulder, behind her a back to grasp the soft leather hilt. Already she prepared to swing the great kite shield forward defensively but stopped herself as she noticed what seemed to be a little girl. Well, perhaps not girl but certainly not quite a woman trundling over to her. Slowly she relaxed, the female looked mostly human and seemed too small to do any true damage to her, or so she thought. She had yet to even begin to delve into this land's dangers.

Cracking a tiny smile, she nods silently, her thin lips shutting quickly as the girl caught up. Continuing her journey in relative silence, though she cast the girl a curious look- subtly inquiring 'what would you happen to be doing out here?'

"Well, I'm a traveller." Synthesis blushed at how proud she sounded but couldn't much help it, "I wanted to see the world and do somthing different with myself while I was young. So I left home. And now…" she lowered her voice to a excited whisper, "I've even learn a little bit of Druid Magic!"
Then she triped on an overgrown root because of craning her neck to look up at her compantion. With sheer luck managed to steady herself and immediatly set about rearranging her bag unnessessarily on her shoulder and using her staff with superlative precision.
Casting another quick glance at her tall friend, she added "Sorry, my name is Synthesis. As you can probably guess, I'm not a very expirienced traveller yet. I still don't know what I'm going to do with myself in the long run. But you look like you know what your doing. Where are you off to? If you don't mind my asking."

Quickly reaches out to steady the girl, but quickly retracts her hand as the young girl steadies herself, a tiny smile tugging the corners of her lips as she murmurs," I'm not much of an experienced traveler myself, just… Looking for trouble, I suppose," she muses quietly, looking down in order to fully take in the young lady's appearance, she was not completely human but seemed to have no ill intent.

" So I suppose I am just wandering aimlessly until I find a path- why are you so deep in the forests?" she inquires gently, arching an eyebrow curiously.

Synthesis, upon finding the woman didn't seem to have a destination either and hearing her speak so softly, felt a little more confident.
"I've heard it can be dangerous traveling via the main roads. There are highway men and all sorts of low types who'll pick on the weak ones. I'm traveling alone and about as weak as they come because of…" She paused. Was it wise to advertise her disadvantage? In addition, many people didn't like demons or even angels for that matter! "I guess you could say I was born different to most. I also haven't any money to buy food so I have to find it myself. Off the beaten track I don't have to worry about thieves and I can find all sorts of edible stuff which I can help grow a little for eating."
The steady clack of metal filled a short silence as they walked, reminding Synthesis of the sword and shield flashing whenever the light broke through the canopy above to shine upon them. A niggling feeling of worry clawed in her stomach.
"When you say trouble, you don't mean fighting do you? Something dangerous? Something…"
Synthesis was torn. Her new friend seemed nice enough. But swords were for killing. Who (or what) was so dangerous that it needed killing? Or was the dangerous thing walking right next to her?

" Fighting is what I am good at- what I can remember… At least," she answers carefully, a pacifist, eh? Well hopefully she wouldn't have to listen to preaching lecture after lecture. She couldn't imagine life without the sword and shield.

Her constant prayer and song was also a reminder of what possibly life could have been before, before several months ago. Nothing but fragments remained of that old life, but what she knew for certain was she was a soldier, a knight, yet she lacked a path and purpose.

" Do not worry, little one-" she spoke instinctively,"- I have no plan on robbing nor being robbed," she flashes a tiny smile, the gesture unsure yet warm nonetheless.

Beathing a sigh if relief, Synthesis visibly relaxed. She's never spoken to a soldier before, only seen them from a distance patroling or, once or twice, throwing their weight around. She'd never seen them smile unless they were being boisterous with one of their own. This woman certainly seemed serious but at the same time she'd smiled a couple times already and told the smaller girl not to worry. She seemed quite considerate actually.
"Well, that's good. As long as your not a bully to picks on people who can't defend themselves. I detest bullies. I… I'd fight them if I could… to help people. I think one has to defend themselves. I think it's okay to fight then. Is that what you do?" Synthesis looked up hopefully. Maybe her friend was the same and would approve. (Why did she want this stranger's approval?) But then maybe the woman would think her pathetic, fanciful and naive. At worse, she could take offence. It could go either way really. It was only then that Synthesis realised she didn't know the other's name.
"And, I'm sorry, but I don't think I caught your name?"

Hakon hesitates, she fought when she was provoked, she fought when she was forced to, but she also fought… For the sake of War? Maybe. Her memories were a fog, she just knew she had swung a sword and spilled blood a hundred thousand times before, yet she could not remembef for certain for what purpose. Perhaps in the name of God? Perhaps in the name of King and Country? But what King? What country? She couldn't remember. Trying to remember made her head ache, she just knew she wasn't from HERE, this plane, or this world… But HERE.

she blinks rapidly and forces another smile," Hakon Kilandre, that is my name," she answers carefully," Synthesis, who named you?" She asked, the question seemed so natural and instinctive she couldn't contain it- the girl's name was certainly unusual-

Synthesis appreciated the change of subject away from a potential point of contention. The last thing she wanted was to making things awkward or even hostile. However, her name, if she were to tell the truth, would lead to the topic of her heritage which also felt risky to discuss. Her parents had warned her that some people might not understand. But then Hakon spoke without any trace of judgement and it wasn't as if she could really hide what she was if anyone cared to look at the soft mass of feathers pressed to her back or even her eyes.
"My parents named me." She said, a little slower than before. "They argued quite a bit about it because they're polar opposites in almost every way, which I guess is why they get along so strangely. You see, they're both of different races. I'm a mixture of the two - a Synthesis - and they wanted to celebrate that."
Synthesis remembered her childhood with fondness and into her mind flicked many images. One of which was her mother and father standing in the kitchen. They had their arms slung over each other's sholders and were smiling: her mother slightly sassy and sly, her father innocently in love; adoring of his family. Her mother told her never to be ashamed of what she was. Her father said she could do anything she wanted and anyone who judged her on her bloodline was someone she didn't want to know and someone who didn't deserve to know her.
In all, they'd warned her of the dangers but encouraged her to believe in herself.
Now, Synthesis liked Hakon so she was going to be honest. She hoped Hakon, and others, would do the same for her. All the same, she braced herself for a potentially violent rebuffal.
"My mother was an angel. My father was a demon. But they're both good people. I… hope you understand."