A hooting meow sang and a moment later a small bit of laughter followed it. ”Aw, you’re still cute, Lume, even if you have gotten bigger.” The angel laughed as the once smaller owl griffin jumped into her lap and wanted scritches, which Sirona offered up happily. When she had first found Lume and healed his broken wing Sirona hadn’t thought the little house cat sized creature would become her companion. Now he was almost three times that size! But that didn’t make him any less adorable or playful.

With his owl face, kitty ears and tail, soft white fur covering most of his body, and two wings on his back with soft brown feathers that had black tips. His large eyes had a certain playfulness to them as he nuzzled into Sirona’s neck after climbing into her lap. Sirona chuckled and scratched behind his ears and his belly when he flopped onto his side.

What was Sirona doing sitting out in the Virens Forest? Nothing really. Since her failed Revolution she had been keeping a low profile at her Cathedral, but slowly, very slowly, her Clergy were heading back out into the world. They faced resentment for sure, but they continued to try and do the good work they had been doing before. Handing out food to the hungry and trying to help the homeless places to sleep at night and work of some kind. They didn’t try and spread any kind of word or convert people or preach to them. They simply made it known that they followed Light and Strength and then did the work that was needed.

Sirona had been going out to help but most of the time she was doing so incognito. Her Clergy had a rough enough time as it was, she felt as though if she was there out in the open, some might see that as a threat for them to accept any help. So she kept low, which meant she couldn’t have Lume with him because people knew that she had a pet owl griffin. Wanting to spend some time with him Sirona had flown out to the forest to just sit, play with Lume and think.

Uncharacteristically Sirona wasn’t wearing her armour. Instead she wore simple plain coloured clothing, but it still covered her well and was baggy enough now to show of any kind of curves. The sleeves were down to her wrists, but her hands were bare, and her pants down to her ankles around the tops of the boots she was wearing. Her should length black hair was loose, but without her usual hood the black tattoo work on her face was more prominent. Three curves lines moved across her cheeks, with single lines on either side in the crease between her chin and mouth. A solid black bar was right in the middle of her lower lip. Odd features for someone such as her, but they were there and in fact they were only what was visible, as Sirona had much more black ink across her body.

Another happy hooting meow from Lume and another small laugh from Sirona as the owl griffin opened his wings and hopped into the air a few feet. He flew away and out of sight for a few moments dodging around the trees and then above them and then diving back down again only to land in Sirona’s lap again. ”Show off.” Sirona chuckled as she scratched behind his ears again.

The nervous and small spirit of a young nymph boy wandered carefully but quickly through the vines of the thick and dangerous forest. He held a basket made from vines covered with a small blanket made from leaves. He looked around cautiously. He had not wanted any attention from the animals that were there, such as phoenixes, tigers, or any other mystical animals he had previously encountered when visiting Mother Tree. He usually see's her as often as he can. The tree was oddly shaped, and it bent and twisted into the shape of a female mountain giant. Around thirty five feet tall, with her hair flowing leaves of all different colors, like blue, green, and purple. The face was smooth, and her eyes were closed. Her thin lips were posed in a smile, and the appeared to be holding a water jug on her shoulder. The vines that wrapped and twisted around her body were her clothes, and her firm roots winded around her mid legs and down into the firm and dark, rich earth below.

He came into an area where the tree's blocked the way. He closed his eyes, and walked forward, pushing himself through the bark with ease. Slowly, he came through the other side of the tree's, getting leaves and twigs tangled in his hair. He sighed, knowing this was the fifth time he had gotten leaves in his hair in the past hour. He calmly shook his head rapidly, letting the twigs fall out of his hair, and the leaves onto the basket, becoming another stitched piece of fabric into the blanket. He continued his journey, deeper into the forest, using his powers to lift himself over the toughest obstacles. As he came into a very small clearing, he stepped into the warm sun and bathed in the warm sun. He took in deep breathes, closing his eyes, and stretching his arms to his side letting a stray branch hook onto the basket.

It had been four weeks since he visited Mother. He wanted to make it a special visit. He had brought her a flower bouquet. He was planning on braiding the flowers into his mothers hair. He always loved how beautiful the leaves were, and how they flowed in the wind when she sang to him. He opened his eyes, and lowered his arms. The branch that held his basket reached out, and the small nymph grabbed it, and continues his journey. He had happened to be looking at a flower when he locked eyes with another person in the forest. I… uh… he stammered, becoming slightly afraid. I-i'm sorry… I-i didn't know you were here… 

Sirona was still playing Lume, giving the adorable owl griffin a belly rub when the young boy came out of the trees close by. Sirona looked up and they locked eyes for a moment as Lume flipped back to her feet again and looked to the boy as well. Sirona wasn’t blind to the bit of fear the boy showed, and when he spoke she smiled warmly, eyes bright. ”It’s ok, this isn’t a private forest after all.” She chuckled lightly and leaned forward, this allowed her to open her large white feathered wings. Generally speaking she found that many people were put at some ease when they figured out that they were speaking to an angel. Then again, that was before Sirona had tried to start a Revolution by bringing in angels from another world, so how people viewed angels might be a bit different now.

Her wings opened and relaxed behind her Sirona smiled to him again. ”My name is Sirona, this little one, though he’s not as little as he used to be, is Lume.” Sirona introduced herself as Lume made a hooting-meowing sound as he looked to Nochi, stood on his back legs and flapped his wings. Sirona laughed lightly again and petted his head. ”I think Lume likes you.” She looked back to the boy again. ”Are you lost? Or are you out exploring?” She asked noting the basket that he was carrying. Why was such a young boy out here alone, or at least far from his parents if they were around? Then again, Sirona was thinking that he wasn’t as human as he might appear, but she wasn’t going to out right ask such a thing, it would be rude.

The once trembling boy was now at ease. He had saw the woman's wings and relaxed. Oh.. I'm Nochi. He said, still a bit nervous, but more relaxed than before. He extended his small hand out towards the Griffon, and shook at bit as he sniffed his hand. He slowly began stroking the Griffins head. Wow… he's soft… He mumbles, his eyes shinning as he pets the small creature. He smiled, then looked up at the woman. Oh… I'm not lost… I don't think.. he said, looking around. In fact he wasn't. He knew exactly where he was. He tree was close to the mother tree. I can prove it, I can take you to where I'm going.. he said, brushing his hair out of his face. He blushed slightly. He had never seen a deity before. At least, a deity that didn't harass him. 

He slowly grabbed her hand, not noticing Lume had hopped into the basket he was holding. He began walking into the deeper and darker parts of the forest. Animals went into a hushed tone, the wind that once shook the tree's was now gone. The leaves that crunched under the nymphs bare feet and the deity's boots… were not leaves. They were bones of animals, humans, and even humanoids. Then they came to a large wall of trees, miles high. The boy walked up to the long, natural made gate, and pressed his hand to a smooth, black stone. Then, the vines slowly began to shrink to the top of the gate. 

He walked up to a small opening in the wall. In here! It might be a tight squeeze. I'll open it up a little bit more. He touched the side of the opening, as it expanded to her height. There… I hope thats better. He said, and walked into the opening, into a huge plain, the sky being hidden by a canopy of leaves and branches. At the center of the empty plain, dotted with small fruit tree's was a large tree. It resembled a young women, with her eyes closed, and a thin smile. She held a water jug on her shoulder, and vines wrapped around around her body like clothes. Her hair was made from leaves of greens, blues, and purples. The young boy walked up the base of the tree, and rested his forehead on the winding roots. Mother… he whispered. I have returned. 

”Nice to meet you, Nochi.” Sirona replied with the same friendly smile as Nochi started to pet Lume, who was just a sucker for attention and scratches. But Nochi said that he wasn’t lost, and he said he could take her where he was going. Curious Sirona nodded. ”Ok, I’ll follow you.” When Nochi went to take Sirona’s hand however, the Goddess pulled her hand away, not wanting to make any kind of physical contact. She may not have been in her usual armour like most knew her to always be in, but that didn’t mean she had changed her mind on physical contact.

As they started out Sirona caught sight of Lume sniffing at Nochi’s basket. ”Lume.” Sirona said and the little creature came right back over to her and jumped up, Sirona caught him and held him close. He went to favorite spot to rest and that was on Sirona’s back, using where her wings met her back as a place to lay down and stretch out. How Lume had started doing this as a habit was a story for another day, but, suffice to say that Sirona didn’t mind him doing it. At least then she knew where he was.

They walked for a time, deeper into the forest where the sun didn’t penetrate the canopy as much so it became darker. ”Nochi, why are there bones here?” Sirona asked and looked around once she noticed what her boots were crunching on.

Once resolved, however it went, Sirona continued to follow him until they came to the wall of trees. She looked up and blinked. ”Those must be miles high, how have people not seen them while flying over the forest in the past? How long as this been here?” She questioned out loud but didn’t expect an answer.

Sirona eyed the size of the entrance until Nochi made it larger for her, as she tried to go Sirona had to tuck her wings in a bit more and she reached back to help brace a napping Lume from falling off as she stooped down. They came into a huge plain that had been hidden by the tree tops and Sirona just stared and looked around at the place. She followed Nochi to the trees and the image of the woman that it held made the Goddess stop with a start for a moment as she watched the way Nochi interacted with it.

Thinking for a moment Sirona walked over a bit closer and spoke softly. ”Nochi, may I ask; is this a curse that your mother is under, is that how she is a tree? Or, are you yourself of the forest?” She asked, it was a bit blunt but Sirona was just wanting to know more of what was going on.