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Little bit longer this time, because this girl's keeping busy!\n\n\nAlso a nice little NSFW bit that I hope you'll enjoy as she reminisces about her missing bestie with benefits. Normally I'd split that bit off into its own chapter, but I'm gonna just leave it in this time. Enjoy!\n\n\nPlease remember to leave a comment to share any thoughts you have about this chapter! I can only grow with feedback!\n\n[url=http://www.postybirb.com]Posted using PostyBirb[/url]", "description_bbcode_parsed": "And time to check back in on Naira again! Little bit longer this time, because this girl's keeping busy!


Also a nice little NSFW bit that I hope you'll enjoy as she reminisces about her missing bestie with benefits. Normally I'd split that bit off into its own chapter, but I'm gonna just leave it in this time. Enjoy!


Please remember to leave a comment to share any thoughts you have about this chapter! I can only grow with feedback!

Posted using PostyBirb", "writing": "Mystic Heart Odyssey\n\nNaira's Search, part 4\n\nLooks like Naira's little encounter with a certain jarzin and the spirit chasing him left her with some new questions and a new fixation...\n\n-Llox\n\n___________________________________________________________________________________\n\n``Ranno! M-mister Rannowi!'' Naira called out, rushing over to an elderly konuul carrying a large bag of fish back from the lake. ``Hey, you mind if I ask you a few things?''\n\n``I'm -nngh- a little busy right now, young lady,'' Rannowi grunted as he strained to carry the heavy bag. ``Perhaps -hnngh- later...''\n\nWithout hesitating, Naira grabbed the bag and helped lift it up. ``Here, let me help you!''\n\nRannowi stumbled slightly at the sudden shift in weight, but seemed to appreciate the help regardless. ``Oh, well... thank you, but don't you have your own duties to tend to?''\n\n``I've been doing odd-'' Naira replied, then paused to grunt as she shifted her grip a bit. ``-jobs around the village today so I could maybe ask some questions about some of the old spirit stories.''\n\nRannowi chuckled. ``You're Lykou's friend alright,'' he said, then sighed. ``I'm so sorry for your loss, Naira, but I don't think dwelling on-''\n\n``He's alive!'' Naira quickly snapped, then immediately folded her ears down and winced. ``Er, s-sorry. Didn't mean to-''\n\n``It's alright, Naira,'' Ranno assured her over his shoulder with a soft smile. ``I know it's still a tender subject. What was it you wanted to know?''\n\n``Well, I was wondering about the, um,'' she started, then hesitated and lowered her voice. ``The... hounaka?''\n\nRanno stopped in his tracks and shot her a strange look over his shoulder, then glanced around before quietly responding. ``The shadow tricksters?'' he asked warily as they started moving again. ``What on earth do you want to know about them for?''\n\n``Well... what if... what if one of them has something to do with Lykou's disappearance?'' Naira hazarded. She'd been trying with less and less subtlety to get anyone in the village that was willing to talk about the old spirit stories ever since her encounter with Zyn. Half of the people she asked either didn't care to remember any that were relevant to what she was interested in, and the ones that were- usually elders- grew wary and dismissive any time she broached the subject infamous hounaka. Any patience they had left quickly evaporated if she outright tried to claim she may have met one. And asking about magic didn't tend to fare much better. ``J-just theoretically, I mean.''\n\nRanno sighed and shook his head. ``Naira, you're really grasping here,'' he said as delicately as he could. ``You're a good girl, I really hate to see you spiral like this.''\n\nNaira groaned in exasperation. She was seriously kicking herself for not memorizing more of the stories Lykou was always repeating. She'd always enjoyed listening to them in the moment, but she never thought they might actually be important. ``Why won't anyone even consider the idea?? Are the spirits real or not??''\n\n``Oh I'm sure they are,'' Ranno said as they approached the storehouse he was headed for. ``But that doesn't mean they meddle in mortal affairs these days.'' He shot her a quick look as he pushed open the door. ``And especially in... that case, that's a good thing.''\n\nNaira let her ears droop as they entered the building and set the bag down on a table, where another konuul came over and began emptying it. ``But how can we be so s-''\n\n``That's enough, Naira,'' Ranno said with a bit more sternness as they headed back out. ``I'm not interested in entertaining these ideas any further. I miss him too- we all do. But if he's still out there, you won't get any answers from a bunch of old stories.''\n\n``But-''\n\n``Thank you for the help,'' the older konuul cut her off. ``We both best get back to our own- separate- duties now. See you later.''\n\n``...yeah, okay,'' Naira replied with a defeated sigh. ``Later.'' She slumped against another nearby building and rubbed her face. After a moment, she grumbled quietly to herself, ``Who the fuck's left? Feels like I've asked every-''\n\nSuddenly, she was interrupted by a little whistle coming from the door of the building she'd leaned up against, which had suddenly cracked open. ``Sudden curiosity in spirit stories, hmm?'' a somewhat familiar voice asked from inside.\n\nNaira straightened up and squinted at the door. ``Er... Ki... Kitza?'' she replied sheepishly. She hadn't been paying much attention to where she was and somehow ended up leaning on the home of one of Lakefire's most eccentric residents. She'd considered asking her or Derrish, but was hesitant to disturb one of the master sunstone-workers from their important work- not to mention she wasn't sure she'd get a straight answer from them about anything, let alone something so esoteric. ``Uh, sorry, didn't mean to both-''\n\nThe door swung the rest of the way open as Kitza stepped out, one hand clad in a thick leather glove and the other hooked up to complicated collection of metallic joints, rods, hooks, and tongs that were constantly shifting around with every little movement she made. She was wearing her usual leather apron and some of the patchiest, filthiest clothing she'd ever seen. Her hair was a wild mess as usual, and there was an oversized bandana covering her muzzle, obscuring her crooked grin. Her boots thudded heavy on the ground with their sunstone-lined soles and toes. With a sweeping gesture of her tong-hand, she invited Naira inside. ``C'mon in, lets chat.''\n\n``Y... you know anything about the hounaka?'' Naira asked nervously as she was ushered inside. ``No offense, but I didn't think that'd be practical for your, uh-''\n\n``Pfff, practical,'' Kitza said dismissively as she shut the door behind them, then walked past Naira to a circular table. The house was a chaotic mess, with a variety of tools, chunks of rock and sunstone, strange intricate objects in varying states of construction, and strange leaf-like sheets covered in various symbols presumably painted on with a tiny brush. It was lit up by a handful of candles and lanterns haphazardly scattered around. ``Sometimes interestin' is more important than practical. Elsewise we'd never have figured out how to work this shit!'' She picked up a chunk of raw sunstone ore and gave it a big lick, then tossed it aside with a laugh. She swept some junk off of a chair by the table and offered it to her guest. She then did similar for another on the other side and sat down, then propped her feet up on the table and leaned back against the wall. After a moment, she reached over and started rooting around in a cabinet next to her.\n\nNaira hesitantly sat down, marveling in a mixture of amusement and fascination at the chaotic mess around her. She couldn't even tell what half the incomplete objects around her were supposed to be. Kitza and Derrish tended to be fairly private about their lives outside the forge. It was the first time, to her knowledge, that she or any of her friends had been inside one of their homes. \n\n``Dredgeroot swunk?'' Kitza asked\n\nStill marveling over some of the strange contraptions nearby, Naira shook her head slightly. ``Uh, no th-'' She yelped as a tankard of strong smelling liquid was suddenly clonked down in front of her, splashing a little bit of the dark contents onto the table next to it. \n\n``Yes it is, see?'' Kitza said pointedly. ``Don't tell me I don't know my swunk.''\n\nNaira stared down at the cup, then smiled awkwardly over at the other konuul. ``Uh, r-right, th-thanks...''\n\n``Of course. Glad to clear up the confusion,'' Kitza said with a broad grin, then pulled the tankard back over and took a big swig. She then lit something in a pipe and took a big puff. A moment later she turned and let out a belch that lit a previously unlit candle on a shelf next to her, then chuckled. ``Nice to have some company during my lunch break fer once.''\n\nNaira stared at her in bewilderment for a moment, but ultimately decided not to question it. She was used to seeing fire eating and firespitting tricks on Spark Night, though that usually involved more prep and trickery. But this was Kitza, so she wasn't about to question it. ``Uh, hehe... yeah, thanks for inviting me in. Um. S-so you-''\n\n``Know a thing or two about a thing or two... hundred,'' Kitza interrupted. ``'n' you been askin' around about them old spirit stories, yeah?''\n\n``Well, yeah,'' Naira said, nodding a bit. ``I know it seems far-fetched, but I wish people would as least consider-''\n\n``Whadja see? Whadja hear?'' Kitza asked, giving her a cockeyed look. ``Shadows that ain't right? Strange whispers?'' She took another drag from her pipe and grinned. ``I know what a liar smells like, `n' it ain't you. Not right now, anyway.''\n\nNaira blinked a few times, then fidgeted nervously. ``Oh. Um. W-well, I'm not saying I saw anything myself, but-''\n\n``Whew, now that one reeks!'' Kitza chided, then took a big gulp from the tankard and wiped her mouth. ``Don't stick around if yer gonna stink up the place.''\n\nAgain, Naira fidgeted in her seat, then let out a heavy sigh. ``Alright fine, yes! I saw... something. Or someone. Not a konuul though. He claimed to be mortal but he reminded me of the stories about the hounaka, and there was this other spirit that was flying around looking for him. He was using this magic to sort of, like.... `poof' around and had this second glowy set of eyes and it was really weird and...'' She took a deep breath, then groaned and rubbed her face. ``I... I think I really met one! And... and he told me Lykou's still alive!''\n\nKitza arched a brow at her and stared silently for a moment, then puffed out a little ring of smoke. ``That so?''\n\n``Yes!'' Naira insisted, then dug around in her pocket and pulled out the charm she'd helped Lykou make ages ago. ``He showed up and said his name was Zyn... something, a-and started telling me how Lykou is alive and trying to make his way home- with someone else, too- and he gave me this as proof! Lykou had this with him when he disappeared! And... and I just somehow know it's true, I can't explain it, but-''\n\n``Course it's true,'' Kitza said, then chuckled. ``Too damned crazy not to be.'' She suddenly slid the tankard back over to Naira and got up, then walked around and shoved the pipe in her guest's mouth, making her yelp and cough in surprise. ``Here, you'll need this more'n me if yer dealin' with hounaka or whatever they are.'' Without waiting, she snatched the charm from the surprised girl's hand and slapped her on the back. ``Sit `n' relax a moment while I check this over.''\n\nNaira hacked and wheezed as she inhaled more smoke in surprise, then swayed a bit from the effects of whatever was in the pipe. She quickly took it out and tried to wash it down with a sip of the swunk, but immediately cringed and shivered at the taste. ``H-hey, you could have- ooogh...''\n\n``Like I said, relax a minute,'' Kitza said dismissively as she rummaged through the piles of debris, tools, and junk stacked on another nearby table. Finally she strapped something to her face and turned around, analyzing the charm intensely. She had an eye patch over one eye with a slit in it, while the other eye had a cylindrical piece of sunstone over it that she was peering through. The short tube was polished to a shine and had tiny symbols etched all over the outside and, somehow, the inside as well. As it caught the light, it glinted and flashed in various colors as she tilted her head one way, then another and inspected the charm. ``Hmm... yes, I see....'' \n\nNaira set the pipe aside carefully, then gave Kitza a bewildered, slightly dizzy look. ``What are you doing??''\n\n``Shh! Gimme a minute,'' Kitza retorted. After she finished looking the charm over, she shook it, held it up to her ear, tasted it, then walked over to the more cluttered table again and shuffled some things around as she examined some of the symbols that had been carved into its surface. Finally, she turned back and set the charm back on the table in front of Naira. ``Thing's definitely been touched by magic recently. No spirit, though.''\n\n``Huh?? Wh- but he very clearly was! And... and mortals can't use magic!'' Naira pointed out, then hesitated a moment and sized the other konuul up, before continuing in a slightly more hushed tone, ``R-right??''\n\nKitza chuckled and went back to fiddling around with the junk on the other table, mumbling and muttering to herself. Suddenly she whirled around and looked Naira right in the eye. ``Alright. You want to keep snoopin' around out there until you get answers, right?''\n\nNaira furrowed her brows and nodded. ``Damn right I do.''\n\n``Good,'' Kitza replied with a grin. She stalked over to her guest, took off the leather glove, plucked an object from the tong-glove on her other hand, then held it out for her guest. It was a small, shiny ball of polished sunstone covered in strange symbols. ``Here's a little something to help you out. Since there's magic involved, you'll need a leg up on the stuff yourself.''\n\nNaira cautiously stood up and took the object, then glanced between it and Kitza with a wide-eyed, yet confused expression. ``...huh?? What's this? And... what are all these weird symbols?''\n\n``It's a tool, duh,'' Kitza answered matter-of-factly, gesturing around at the other assorted tools and other objects scattered around them. ``As for what it does, heh... just take it back out where you're searchin' and do a little ritual.''\n\n``Ritual?'' Naira asked dubiously. ``What does... waitwaitwait.'' She furrowed her brow and rubbed her face. ``Are you talking about getting another spirit to show up that might help me? What if it's not friendly?''\n\nKitzha chuckled and shook her head. ``Don't worry about it. Just do what I tell ya and it'll be fine. Now listen up- first you need to take that thing to some moving water. The moving part is important, so a stream or somethin', not the lake. Then you'll wanna soak it for a few minutes while rolling it around in your hands. Don't be afraid ta get your knees wet. Try and memorize these symbols along the middle while you're doin' it,'' she paused and grabbed the ball again, rotating it so that it was oriented a certain way, then pointed out the symbols around the middle. ``And remember that one up there goes `up'. Once ya got a feel for it, go out to where you're investigatin' and clear a spot on the ground, flattest spot ya can find.''\n\n``Okay...?'' Naira replied uncertainly. She was confused, but also a bit excited at the implications. She'd already met two spirits, and they just left her bewildered and a bit intimidated. The idea of meeting more was a bit scary, but also highly intriguing. ``What then?''\n\n``Find a stick and recreate the symbols in the dirt in a circle around ya,'' Kitza continued. ``Then you'll need to say an incantation.''\n\nNaira tilted her head. ``Incan... whatsit?''\n\n``Incantation,'' Kitza said, then waved dismissively. ``Look, just memorize what I'm about to tell ya and repeat it when the time comes. Ready to listen?''\n\nNaira nodded. ``Okay, go ahead.''\n\n``Alright, repeat after me, just so I know you're paying attention,'' Kitza continued. ``Earth and stone, memory and soul.''\n\n``Earth and stone, memory and soul,'' Naira repeated, after an awkward hesitation. \n\n``Bones of the world, bring me the truth told whole.''\n\nNaira again furrowed her brow. After a moment, she repeated, ``B... bones of the world, bring me the truth told whole.''\n\nKitza smiled and nodded. ``And that's it. Short and simple for an incantation, but it'll do the job.''\n\nNaira couldn't help herself. She smirked, and began to repeat, ``And that's it. Sh-''\n\nKitza rolled her eyes and gave her a light smack on the arm. ``Don't be a smartass,'' she chided, then smirked and elbowed her lightly. ``That's my job.''\n\nNaira winced and chuckled a little. ``Sorry. But thanks. What should I expect?''\n\n``Nothin','' Kitza replied with a wink. ``Expectations hold ya back. Let life surprise ya. See what happens.''\n\n``Well, if you say so,'' Naira said dubiously, then started looking over the ball again. After a moment, she pocketed it and smiled. ``Thanks, Kitza.''\n\n``Yer welcome, Nai,'' Kitza said, then patted her on the shoulder. ``Always liked you two. Real experts at `good trouble' in my opinion.''\n\nNaira blushed faintly and beamed. ``Thanks.'' She paused for a moment, then gave her a scrutinizing look. ``Hey, is all this stuff... you know, ma-''\n\n``Oh shit, I just remembered a project I gotta finish for the hunters,'' Kitza interrupted, suddenly ushering her back towards the door. ``Go on, get outta here. Lunch break over. I gotta get to work, pronto!''\n\n``O-okay! Thanks again,'' Naira awkwardly replied as she stumbled out the door. \n\n``Oh and Naira,'' Kitza said, holding the door open halfway.\n\n``Yeah?''\n\n``Don't go tellin' anyone about that thing,'' the eccentric tinkerer and smithy said with narrowed eyes. ``Trust me, you don't want the attention.'' Without another word, she shut the door behind her. \n\nNaira blinked and stared at the closed door for a moment, fiddling with the ball in her pocket. ``That was weird...'' she murmured quietly. After a moment, she shrugged. ``But that's Kitza for you.'' She glanced around warily, then suddenly bolted off to find Oren. She had preparations to make, but first she had to talk to her next closest friend so at least someone would know where she'd be.\n\n*****\n\n``I don't know, Nai,'' Oren replied with a concerned expression. ``Do you really think you'll be able to find anything new out there? Why won't you tell me what's got you all excited?''\n\n``It's just... a feeling,'' Naira insisted awkwardly. She wanted so badly to tell him everything- outside of Lykou, she knew she could trust him more than anyone else in Lakefire to keep a secret. In fact, he was probably more reliably tight-lipped than her missing bestie in some cases. But she didn't want to risk putting him in an awkward position in case people started asking about what she was up to. ``A hunch.''\n\n``Huh... you know, Nai,'' Oren said, narrowing his eyes at her. ``You're usually better at lying than that. Guilty conscience much?''\n\nNaira folded her ears down and let out a slight wine. ``Okay fine. I just don't want to risk putting you in a tight spot when people start asking about me.''\n\n``Oh? `When', not `if'?'' Oren asked, growing noticeably concerned. ``What are you planning, Nai?''\n\n``I... may be gone for several days. Or longer,'' Naira hesitantly explained. ``Maybe even longer. Just depends on what I find.''\n\n``I wish you'd tell me more. I can handle tight spots just fine, you know,'' Oren pointed out, reaching over and rubbing her shoulder. ``You know I've got your back. I just don't want you getting hurt.''\n\nNaira fought with herself for a moment, glancing around to make sure nobody else was within earshot. ``I... saw something last time we were out there. The night before we came back.''\n\n``Oh? I thought you seemed a bit off the next day,'' Oren replied. ``What did you see?''\n\n``It's.... kind of out there,'' Naira warned, rubbing her arm nervously. ``Promise not to call me crazy?''\n\nOren eyed her skeptically for a moment. ``Nai... you've been asking some interesting questions around the village. I think I know what it is, but go ahead and say it,'' he said, then smirked faintly. ``I promise I won't think you're any crazier than I already knew you and Kou have always been.''\n\nNaira couldn't help but smile and giggle faintly in response. But then she took a deep breath and hugged herself anxiously. ``Okay fine, yeah, I.... had a spirit encounter. Th-.... he said Lykou's alive and trying to make his way home.''\n\n``I... see,'' Oren replied, clearly a bit uncertain. ``That's certainly... interesting. And you're sure it wasn't a dream?''\n\n``YES,'' Naira responded defensively, then dug around in her pocket and pulled out the charm. ``Here, see? Kou had all of these with him when he went missing. The... spirit-guy I met gave this to me.''\n\n``Spirit-'guy', huh?'' Oren asked sketically. ``Spirits don't usually look much like people, you know.''\n\n``Well this one did,'' Naira said, then fidgeted a bit as she reflected over the encounter. ``Um. He claimed to not actually be a spirit, but he did magic and...'' She paused, then lowered her voice conspiratorially, ``He reminded me a lot of the stories about, uh.... hounaka.''\n\nOren furrowed his brow and rolled his eyes up in thought for a moment. Then his eyes widened when recognition struck. \"O-oh. One of... those. Are you sure?''\n\n``No. But it fits. He was all... dark and shadowy, plus it'd explain Kou's disappearance. Pose as an aliki-ka, lure him out there, then magically whisk him away on some strange grand design.''\n\n``Damn... you have a good point, that'd certainly explain him vanishing,'' Oren admitted, scratching his head. ``So... what are you going to do? Either way, what else can you expect to find out? If it is one of... those, you might not want to risk meeting it again, and there's probably nothing we can do.''\n\nNaira narrowed her eyes with determination and clenched her fists. ``Whatever I can. Spirit or not, he knows more than he told me. And I'm not going to just sit around waiting for Kou to come back,'' she said resolutely. ``Besides, for all we know, that's what it's been waiting for. It might be keeping Kou away until someone from the tribe shows that they're willing to do whatever it takes to get him back.''\n\n``A... spirit-trial,'' Oren said flatly. ``Even if that's the case, you know those are supposed to be harrowing and potentially dangerous, right?''\n\nNaira shot him a bemused look. \n\n``...right. Gotta remember who I'm talking to here,'' Oren continued, rolling his eyes slightly. ``I guess it's fitting. You two did always like taking risks together. So... what, you just want to go back out there and wait around until some spirit shows up?''\n\n``Well, I won't be just waiting around. I still plan to investigate around that campsite,'' Naira said, idly fiddling with something in her pocket. ``Granted I don't know if we can trust him, but the spirit-guy mentioned that Kou wasn't traveling alone. And I have a feeling that camp belonged to whoever is with him. Someone named `Kuna', apparently.''\n\n``It would be interesting to know more about them,'' Oren conceded. ``But I thought you already searched that area pretty thoroughly?''\n\n``Wellll.... between you and me, I have something new that might help,'' Naira said quietly, then glanced around conspiratorially. ``Don't tell anyone. I won't go into details, but let's just say I got a rare private conversation with.... Kitza.''\n\n``Woah,'' Oren said, his eyes widening again. ``Enough said.'' He sighed and set his hands on her shoulders. ``Look, just.... be careful, alright? I worry about you.''\n\nNaira smiled faintly, then pulled him into a tight hug. ``I know. Sorry to worry you,'' she said, then sighed. ``If it makes you feel better.... if I'm not back in, I guess, three or four days, feel free to tell the chief or anyone else what I told you and come looking for me. Minus the Kitza bit.''\n\nOren sighed, then hugged her back tightly. ``Yeah.... that's fair. I'll keep quiet at least that long. Just be careful out there, alright? I wanna hear about anything you find out there.''\n\n``You'll be the first person I come talk to, promise.''\n\n*****\n\nAfter a good night's rest, Naira hurried out of the village early in the morning, having prepared her things the afternoon before. She didn't even stop for breakfast, choosing instead to eat some jerky and a roasted charnop along the way. She made good progress, both due to her eagerness and the fact that she'd gotten a lot better at hiking long distances through the woods with all the practice she'd gotten.\n\nWhen she eventually came across a stream, she took a short break to soak the strange sunstone sphere in the water. She'd already spent some time the previous evening studying the symbols, but this time she tried extra hard to memorize them. She found herself wondering just what they were meant to represent; they didn't really look like anything she could think of, except maybe in the most abstract way. Just a bunch of swirls and lines and shapes etched into the metal. Eventually, when she got tired of contemplating and soaking the orb, she figured it'd been long enough and put the orb away. Then she grabbed another stick of dried meat and munched on it as she continued on her way. \n\nWhen she arrived at the old campsite, she quickly set up a firepit and caught herself a fresh meal. After starting a fire, she butchered the bird as quickly as she could. She would rather have delayed eating so that she could perform the ritual right away, but her belly demanded otherwise. And once she finally sated its demands, it was starting to get dark out, much to her chagrin. After battling with herself a bit, she reluctantly decided it'd be best to wait until morning so she could see better.\n\nBut after tossing and turning well into the night, she threw off her blanket and sighed. Her mind wouldn't stop racing. She glanced out at the firepit, where a small fire was still crackling to deter whatever wildlife might take interest in her things- particularly her food. It was getting a little low, so she sighed and got up to stoke it a bit more and add some extra wood. Once that was done, she took a small piece of a branch whose end was on fire and waved it around slowly, making shapes in the air out of boredom. \n\n``...waiting sucks,'' she grumbled to herself. ``How can I be so tired but so restless at the same time? Ugh.''\n\nShe glanced up at the crescent moon and let out a soft sigh as she let the branch hang over the edge of the pit. She shifted around a bit until she found a comfortable position lounging against a small sloped boulder. Memories of sneaking out late at night with Lykou and Oren ran through her mind. Sometimes Kezhna would join them as well- officially to protect them from danger, but she knew Lykou's older sister loved mischief and breaking the rules as much as they did. Sometimes they'd sneak into the food stores and pilfer some midnight snacks; never too much, of course- just enough to act as a reward for their successful stealth mission. Other times, they'd play tag in forest under a full moon, though it never lasted long with Kezhna in the mix- she was simply too good at being `it'. In the winter, they'd have midnight snowball fights by the shore under the full moon; and in the summer, they'd go for a naked swim on the far side of the lake. \n\nTruth or dare was another fun game they enjoyed, though they often wished they had a few more people to join in. Lykou was always eager for a good dare, of course. Oren, on the other hand, almost always stuck with truths- which could be frustrating, since he didn't tend to fluster easily and tended to be nonchalant and open about most things. For her part, Naira was more than happy to go either way. \n\nThey always loved sharing spooky stories, too- something Lykou particularly excelled at. Kezh did too, but tended to get a bit too detailed with the descriptions of gore and violence at times. Lykou always struck a perfect balance of spooky, mysterious, and unsettling or enchanting, often relying on the spirit stories he was so obsessed with.\n\nAnd when it was just her and Lykou, they'd sometimes get into playful wrestling matches on the shore. Lykou had the advantage of course, but she had ways of outmaneuvering and messing with him to balance things out.\n\nThen there were the other nights, where they just found a clear spot on the far side of the lake to lounge and watch the stars, much like she was doing now. They'd see how many constellations they could remember, watch for flying stars, and otherwise just relax and enjoy the sound of the cool breeze rustling the nearby trees. Sometimes on bitter cold nights deep in the middle of winter, they'd bundle up extra tight and cuddle up for warmth, and watch the eerie colorful bands that sometimes crept across the horizon to the north and danced in the sky. \n\nWhen Oren opted not to join them, it felt a little extra intimate with Lykou. It was no wonder they'd experimented with being more than friends. She remembered the one time they made out under the stars during their brief courtship. Sure, it'd been awkward and felt slightly off, but she still remembered it fondly. Even if ultimately they didn't work out as a couple, she definitely felt a close, special bond with him that felt somewhere between friendship and romance. And unfortunately, it just made his absence all the more painful. \n\n``Dammit Lykou, you big lug,'' she murmured. ``You better not keep me waiting much longer, or so help me I'll... tear the forest down looking for you.'' She paused and smirked faintly. ``Probably have to have Kezh help with that.''\n\nHer mind continued to wander and she blushed a bit, biting her lip as she recalled some of the other activities they'd done under the stars when it was just the two of them. Although any romantic notions had been set aside, they certainly enjoyed their intimate moments together. If anything, it'd taken a somewhat more enjoyably playful twist when they'd decided to go the more friends-with-benefits route. And as much as she would never let herself go as far as she really wanted for fear of pregnancy, she still craved to feel his touch again. Her hands started to wander over her body as she remembered feeling those teasing little licks and nibbles in various sensitive places. She licked her lips as she recalled the heat and scent of his-\n\n``Fuck!'' she blurted out, sitting up suddenly. She panted a bit and glanced around, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. ``Eesh, get ahold of yourself, girl. You're out here to investigate, not...'' She trailed off and rolled up her eyes thoughtfully. After a moment, a shy grin crept back across her face. ``Then again... not like I can do much else right now anyway. And I've got all the privacy I could want...''\n\nShe glanced around one more time, as if half expecting someone to show up looking for her. But seeing as she was still thoroughly alone, she reclined back again and pulled her shorts down with a flustered smirk. ``Fuck it.''\n\nWith all the fixation on her investigations and survival far out in the woods, she'd rarely taken time to relieve certain urges since her best friend's disappearance. But her body was finally making its demands rather insistently in response to her reminiscing. So she let her hands start to wander again as she slipped back into those comfy, tantalizing memories. She remembered how Lykou would lick and nip and nibble along her legs and along her inner thighs one at a time, only to switch to the other side when he got tantalizingly close to her sweet spot. And then he'd fake her out sometimes, pretending to lean towards her sex, letting his hot breath tease her sensitive bits, only to slip up and nibble and lick her lower belly instead. That usually earned him a few playful smacks and a growl or two, but he took it in stride.\n\nShe sucked air in through her teeth as she continued to revel in her recollections. She could practically feel that first electrifying brush of the other konuul's tongue along her snatch. Sometimes they'd sixtynine with each other, but half the time, he'd just pin her so that she couldn't reach that tantalizing dick of his, and just had to lay there and get gobbled up. She'd always get to it sooner or later, but it was equally frustrating and arousing having him pin her legs up over his shoulder and begin assaulting her loins with his mouth. The sudden shift from infuriating teasing to aggressive pleasure-overload always made it hard for her to last long. \n\nOf course, he'd been awkward and inexperienced the first couple of times they'd done such things. She was sure she'd been the same, to be fair. But Lykou was a quick learner with such things, and it didn't take long for him to find out her weak spots. He could have her arching her back, moaning and shaking uncontrollably in no time. \n\nThen again, there were plenty of times when she got the upper hand on him, if she was quick. While he had the muscle advantage, she was agile and sneaky. If she got him more flustered first, she could usually trip him up and get on top of him just long enough to get her hands on his stiff weak spot and give him a good reason to give in. If he tried to reverse it, a quick flurry of licks to the tip of his cock while she kept a tight grip on the base of his shaft and shot him a sultry look usually short-circuited his brain enough to smash any more attempts to get back on top. And then, once he started relaxing and enjoying himself, she thoroughly enjoyed basking in the heat and scent radiating from his fun bits. Though it took some practice to take the whole thing in her mouth, she was eager to do it when she got the chance, if only to get positively drunk on his musk and taste. She wasn't sure what it was, but it never failed to flip a switch in her mind and make her feel like she was in heat. And if she really was in heat already... well, that usually put her at a disadvantage in their initial tussle for dominance, but occasionally she still came out on top in those circumstances. And when she did, the word `ravenous' would be an understatement.\n\n``Mmnnnn, Kou,'' she moaned quietly as she frantically fingered herself. She'd gotten herself more and more worked up as she fantasized about making up for lost time when they saw each other again. Eventually her imagination began to run wild. Beyond just revisiting old memories, she fantasized about a world where she didn't have to worry about the risks. In her mind, she could see him mounting her and railing her with wild abandon. In the heat of their rutting, he'd bend down over her and nip down on her shoulder, growling playfully as his hips slammed into hers. And she'd give a playful, husky growl back as she pushed back against him, letting her instincts take over as she indulged in the pure, primal sensation of the moment. She whined a bit as she imagined how it'd feel as his balls slapped up against her clit with each deep, energetic thrust. And with how hot that cock felt in her mouth, she could only imagine how good it'd feel down there as it rigorously stuffed her over and over, until eventually...\n\n``AAHHH FFUUUUU-!'' she blurted out, before the rest got caught in her throat as she tilted her head back and came hard. Her butt lifted off the ground, and her body shook in ecstasy as it relished in the bliss it'd been craving for too long. Even if it was just her hand, the combination of her pent up neediness and the deeply lustful fantasizing had been enough to for her mind to go blank when her climax finally hit. \n\nEventually, she started to snap out of it a few moments after her body slumped back to a very relaxed state. She panted softly in a daze, then slowly lifted her soaking wet hand up to examine the juices on her fingers. She blushed and smirked faintly. ``...fuck, even when you're not here physically, you still know how to drive me wild.'' The smirk faded a little after a moment as she dropped her hand and stared back up at the sky. ``Would be better with you actually here though.''\n\nAfter basking in the afterglow for a while, she eventually decided to get up and clean herself off. She blushed again when she realized just how much of a mess she was. Clearly, she had been even more pent up than she thought. When she finally did get cleaned up, she realized she still somehow wasn't ready for sleep. Her body was much more relaxed, but as she looked around the camp, her mind began to wander again. This time she found herself pondering the stranger that initially set up camp there, and left behind those cave paintings. \n\nShe got up after relaxing a little while, picking the burning branch up out of the fire again to use as a makeshift torch. The very end fell off, having burned through, but fortunately there was still enough left that she didn't have to worry about the fire being too close to her hand. She walked over to the paintings and ran her fingers over the stone around them. Combined with the simplistic, messy state of the camp when she first found it, they gave her the impression of someone both contemplative and deeply troubled. There was a definite sadness, and perhaps loneliness about it all. Still, she found herself wanting to know more. \n\n``Whoever you are, `Kuna', I hope you and Lykou are getting along,'' she muttered, furrowing her brows. After a moment, she smiled faintly. ``Who am I kidding? It's Kou we're talking about here. Mister get-along himself.'' She sighed and thought for a moment. A gust of wind blew through the trees outside, making a faint howling sound, accompanied by the creaks and groans of the tall, ancient pines near the camp. The sound caught her attention and she stepped back outside. \n\nSuddenly, things seemed slightly... different, somehow. She couldn't be sure it wasn't just her imagination, but she thought she felt a faint charge in the air. The moon and stars seemed to illuminate things a little better, as well. She narrowed her eyes and glanced around. ``Alright... I don't know if there's any spirits around right now, but I'm going to take this as a sign.''\n\nShe cleared a patch of ground nearby and looked around until she found a sturdy-enough stick, then began etching the symbols from the orb in a circle around herself. After double and triple checking them against the ones on the orb itself by firelight, she took a deep breath and concentrated. ``...now what were those words again....? Oh, right,'' she said, then cleared her throat and held the orb up in front of her. ``Earth and stone, memory and soul...''\n\nSuddenly, the symbols on the orb began to glow faintly with a silvery light. The sudden light made her eyes shoot wide open and the next part of the incantation briefly caught in her throat. She couldn't believe it- magic, right there in her hands! The light started to fade after a moment, so she quickly shook her head and continued. ``Bones o-of the earth, bring me the truth told... whole...''\n\nWith each word, the light grew brighter. As she trailed off at the end, a breeze picked up and began spinning in a weak vortex around the camp. It gradually picked up, and the rest of the forest seemed to fall silent. A distant droning sound, almost like chanting, filled the air and the fire was suddenly snuffed out, making her jump slightly. A ghostly white light covered everything except for her and the orb. After a moment, things began moving around her, more and more rapidly. Her breath caught in her throat again as she gradually realized it was like she was seeing time flow backwards. \n\nTree branches shrank away; fallen ones were restored. Some trees shrank back into saplings or even vanished completely. Birds rapidly flew around in reverse. Squirrels climbed up and down trees backwards. Occasionally the ground grew muddy, and the sky grew cloudy just long enough for rain to rapidly rise back to the sky and the ground to dry off. Things kept getting faster, though, to the point that it got hard to keep up.\n\nThen, eventually, she saw it- a figure. Someone moving around the campsite rapidly. At one point, they passed straight through her. In her surprise, she stumbled back and accidentally scuffed one of the glowing marks on the ground. There was an immediate effect- parts of the forest and the strange became blurrier, though at first it was hard to tell the difference at the rapid pace things were moving. She began to panic a bit. ``Uhhh, shit, w-what do I do? S-slow down!'' she demanded, looking over the orb for any hint about how to control what was happening. ``C'mon, stop for a mo-''\n\nAt the word `stop', everything froze. She looked around, then sighed in relief. Finally, she could take in the ghostly image of the forest around her. Although it was obviously still the same forest, plenty of little things had changed around her. There was no doubt about it- she was somehow looking at a glimpse of the past. The idea amazed her. As she looked around, she realized the stranger was nowhere in sight. In fact, the debris that had been scattered around was gone as well- there was no sign of a campsite at all. ``Shit, must have gone too far...''\n\nShe pondered for a moment and looked down at the orb. ``Hey, uh... can you, y'know... continue? Start up again?'' she asked. When nothing happened she scratched her head. ``Oh boy. Um... go?'' She began to grow irritated when things stayed stubbornly frozen. ``Resume? Restart? Get going! ...do stuff! Ugh, come on! How do I make things move again?'' She grumbled and lowered the orb for a moment as she rubbed her face in exasperation. ``I just want you to show me that-''\n\nThe words `show me' turned out to be the key phrase the magic was waiting for. Suddenly things started moving again, only forwards this time. Slowly at first, but gradually picking up speed. Luckily it didn't take long for the stranger to return. They moved too quickly for her to get a good look, but she still found it fascinating to watch them anyway. The figure intitially seemed distraught and panicked, moving around erratically as they started and abandoned multiple attempts to presumably set up a camp. On many occasions, she saw them hide away in the cave, and she could see them curl into a ball inside. A pang of sympathy shot through her heart- even without seeing their face, their body language was all she needed to see that they were suffering. \n\nOver time, the figure's behavior gradually changed though. Their erratic movements became more routine and regular. No further attempts were made at developing the campsite, and debris from half-eaten food piled up outside. Scraps of fabric began to accumulate as well, and she realized it looked like bits of clothing that'd been torn up beyond repair. She still couldn't make out the figure's details due to how fast they were moving, but she got the distinct impression that the clothing was not being replaced as it broke down. \n\nThe painting began. The figure spend more and more chunks of its day sitting in or near the cave, finally being still enough for her to get a better look. Unfortunately that's when she realized much of their appearance was blurry, but she could still make out the basic shape. And there were patches that weren't blurry- the right forearm, a section of the chest, the left knee... and the eyes. She took a deep breath and began trying to time things. Finally, during one of the stranger's treks out for food, she managed to shout ``Stop!'' right as the stranger was right in front of her. \n\nShe stared into the ghostly, frozen figure's eyes with deep fascination. Many of the old stories talked about how eyes could show a person's soul, or something along those lines. And she was captivated with the ones she was looking at. There was no joy in those eyes. The light was practically gone from them, at first glance. They looked almost dead... but not quite. There was a depth there. Deep sadness and loneliness... but also more. Despite having seemingly given into their situation, she could tell there was still a faint glimmer of... something left. This individual... presumably `Kuna', had a story to tell, and had started doing so in their own way on the cave walls, even without expecting anyone to ever see it. \n\nUntil that point, Naira's focus had primarily been on trying to find out what happened to Lykou- and, hopefully, figure out a way of bringing him home sooner, or at least finding him. But now, she was becoming ever more fascinated with this stranger that apparently had some connection to it all. Something about him- and perhaps what he represented, a greater world, filled with mysteries- called to her. She slowly moved forward and reached out, as if to touch the figure's face. But the moment she made contact, the magic ended, and she realized she'd stepped a bit too far, scuffing another symbol and leaving the circle. \n\nThe ghostly light faded from the landscape, leaving her back in the darkness under the dim glow of the moonlight. The normal sounds of the forest at night returned and she stood there, marveling at what she'd just seen. Slowly, she lifted the orb back up and ran her finger over it thoughtfully. The whole thing felt like a dream in retrospect. But either way, now that she knew what the orb could do, she knew there would be more investigating to do. \n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Mystic Heart Odyssey

Naira's Search, part 4

Looks like Naira's little encounter with a certain jarzin and the spirit chasing him left her with some new questions and a new fixation...

-Llox

___________________________________________________________________________________

``Ranno! M-mister Rannowi!'' Naira called out, rushing over to an elderly konuul carrying a large bag of fish back from the lake. ``Hey, you mind if I ask you a few things?''

``I'm -nngh- a little busy right now, young lady,'' Rannowi grunted as he strained to carry the heavy bag. ``Perhaps -hnngh- later...''

Without hesitating, Naira grabbed the bag and helped lift it up. ``Here, let me help you!''

Rannowi stumbled slightly at the sudden shift in weight, but seemed to appreciate the help regardless. ``Oh, well... thank you, but don't you have your own duties to tend to?''

``I've been doing odd-'' Naira replied, then paused to grunt as she shifted her grip a bit. ``-jobs around the village today so I could maybe ask some questions about some of the old spirit stories.''

Rannowi chuckled. ``You're Lykou's friend alright,'' he said, then sighed. ``I'm so sorry for your loss, Naira, but I don't think dwelling on-''

``He's alive!'' Naira quickly snapped, then immediately folded her ears down and winced. ``Er, s-sorry. Didn't mean to-''

``It's alright, Naira,'' Ranno assured her over his shoulder with a soft smile. ``I know it's still a tender subject. What was it you wanted to know?''

``Well, I was wondering about the, um,'' she started, then hesitated and lowered her voice. ``The... hounaka?''

Ranno stopped in his tracks and shot her a strange look over his shoulder, then glanced around before quietly responding. ``The shadow tricksters?'' he asked warily as they started moving again. ``What on earth do you want to know about them for?''

``Well... what if... what if one of them has something to do with Lykou's disappearance?'' Naira hazarded. She'd been trying with less and less subtlety to get anyone in the village that was willing to talk about the old spirit stories ever since her encounter with Zyn. Half of the people she asked either didn't care to remember any that were relevant to what she was interested in, and the ones that were- usually elders- grew wary and dismissive any time she broached the subject infamous hounaka. Any patience they had left quickly evaporated if she outright tried to claim she may have met one. And asking about magic didn't tend to fare much better. ``J-just theoretically, I mean.''

Ranno sighed and shook his head. ``Naira, you're really grasping here,'' he said as delicately as he could. ``You're a good girl, I really hate to see you spiral like this.''

Naira groaned in exasperation. She was seriously kicking herself for not memorizing more of the stories Lykou was always repeating. She'd always enjoyed listening to them in the moment, but she never thought they might actually be important. ``Why won't anyone even consider the idea?? Are the spirits real or not??''

``Oh I'm sure they are,'' Ranno said as they approached the storehouse he was headed for. ``But that doesn't mean they meddle in mortal affairs these days.'' He shot her a quick look as he pushed open the door. ``And especially in... that case, that's a good thing.''

Naira let her ears droop as they entered the building and set the bag down on a table, where another konuul came over and began emptying it. ``But how can we be so s-''

``That's enough, Naira,'' Ranno said with a bit more sternness as they headed back out. ``I'm not interested in entertaining these ideas any further. I miss him too- we all do. But if he's still out there, you won't get any answers from a bunch of old stories.''

``But-''

``Thank you for the help,'' the older konuul cut her off. ``We both best get back to our own- separate- duties now. See you later.''

``...yeah, okay,'' Naira replied with a defeated sigh. ``Later.'' She slumped against another nearby building and rubbed her face. After a moment, she grumbled quietly to herself, ``Who the fuck's left? Feels like I've asked every-''

Suddenly, she was interrupted by a little whistle coming from the door of the building she'd leaned up against, which had suddenly cracked open. ``Sudden curiosity in spirit stories, hmm?'' a somewhat familiar voice asked from inside.

Naira straightened up and squinted at the door. ``Er... Ki... Kitza?'' she replied sheepishly. She hadn't been paying much attention to where she was and somehow ended up leaning on the home of one of Lakefire's most eccentric residents. She'd considered asking her or Derrish, but was hesitant to disturb one of the master sunstone-workers from their important work- not to mention she wasn't sure she'd get a straight answer from them about anything, let alone something so esoteric. ``Uh, sorry, didn't mean to both-''

The door swung the rest of the way open as Kitza stepped out, one hand clad in a thick leather glove and the other hooked up to complicated collection of metallic joints, rods, hooks, and tongs that were constantly shifting around with every little movement she made. She was wearing her usual leather apron and some of the patchiest, filthiest clothing she'd ever seen. Her hair was a wild mess as usual, and there was an oversized bandana covering her muzzle, obscuring her crooked grin. Her boots thudded heavy on the ground with their sunstone-lined soles and toes. With a sweeping gesture of her tong-hand, she invited Naira inside. ``C'mon in, lets chat.''

``Y... you know anything about the hounaka?'' Naira asked nervously as she was ushered inside. ``No offense, but I didn't think that'd be practical for your, uh-''

``Pfff, practical,'' Kitza said dismissively as she shut the door behind them, then walked past Naira to a circular table. The house was a chaotic mess, with a variety of tools, chunks of rock and sunstone, strange intricate objects in varying states of construction, and strange leaf-like sheets covered in various symbols presumably painted on with a tiny brush. It was lit up by a handful of candles and lanterns haphazardly scattered around. ``Sometimes interestin' is more important than practical. Elsewise we'd never have figured out how to work this shit!'' She picked up a chunk of raw sunstone ore and gave it a big lick, then tossed it aside with a laugh. She swept some junk off of a chair by the table and offered it to her guest. She then did similar for another on the other side and sat down, then propped her feet up on the table and leaned back against the wall. After a moment, she reached over and started rooting around in a cabinet next to her.

Naira hesitantly sat down, marveling in a mixture of amusement and fascination at the chaotic mess around her. She couldn't even tell what half the incomplete objects around her were supposed to be. Kitza and Derrish tended to be fairly private about their lives outside the forge. It was the first time, to her knowledge, that she or any of her friends had been inside one of their homes.

``Dredgeroot swunk?'' Kitza asked

Still marveling over some of the strange contraptions nearby, Naira shook her head slightly. ``Uh, no th-'' She yelped as a tankard of strong smelling liquid was suddenly clonked down in front of her, splashing a little bit of the dark contents onto the table next to it.

``Yes it is, see?'' Kitza said pointedly. ``Don't tell me I don't know my swunk.''

Naira stared down at the cup, then smiled awkwardly over at the other konuul. ``Uh, r-right, th-thanks...''

``Of course. Glad to clear up the confusion,'' Kitza said with a broad grin, then pulled the tankard back over and took a big swig. She then lit something in a pipe and took a big puff. A moment later she turned and let out a belch that lit a previously unlit candle on a shelf next to her, then chuckled. ``Nice to have some company during my lunch break fer once.''

Naira stared at her in bewilderment for a moment, but ultimately decided not to question it. She was used to seeing fire eating and firespitting tricks on Spark Night, though that usually involved more prep and trickery. But this was Kitza, so she wasn't about to question it. ``Uh, hehe... yeah, thanks for inviting me in. Um. S-so you-''

``Know a thing or two about a thing or two... hundred,'' Kitza interrupted. ``'n' you been askin' around about them old spirit stories, yeah?''

``Well, yeah,'' Naira said, nodding a bit. ``I know it seems far-fetched, but I wish people would as least consider-''

``Whadja see? Whadja hear?'' Kitza asked, giving her a cockeyed look. ``Shadows that ain't right? Strange whispers?'' She took another drag from her pipe and grinned. ``I know what a liar smells like, `n' it ain't you. Not right now, anyway.''

Naira blinked a few times, then fidgeted nervously. ``Oh. Um. W-well, I'm not saying I saw anything myself, but-''

``Whew, now that one reeks!'' Kitza chided, then took a big gulp from the tankard and wiped her mouth. ``Don't stick around if yer gonna stink up the place.''

Again, Naira fidgeted in her seat, then let out a heavy sigh. ``Alright fine, yes! I saw... something. Or someone. Not a konuul though. He claimed to be mortal but he reminded me of the stories about the hounaka, and there was this other spirit that was flying around looking for him. He was using this magic to sort of, like.... `poof' around and had this second glowy set of eyes and it was really weird and...'' She took a deep breath, then groaned and rubbed her face. ``I... I think I really met one! And... and he told me Lykou's still alive!''

Kitza arched a brow at her and stared silently for a moment, then puffed out a little ring of smoke. ``That so?''

``Yes!'' Naira insisted, then dug around in her pocket and pulled out the charm she'd helped Lykou make ages ago. ``He showed up and said his name was Zyn... something, a-and started telling me how Lykou is alive and trying to make his way home- with someone else, too- and he gave me this as proof! Lykou had this with him when he disappeared! And... and I just somehow know it's true, I can't explain it, but-''

``Course it's true,'' Kitza said, then chuckled. ``Too damned crazy not to be.'' She suddenly slid the tankard back over to Naira and got up, then walked around and shoved the pipe in her guest's mouth, making her yelp and cough in surprise. ``Here, you'll need this more'n me if yer dealin' with hounaka or whatever they are.'' Without waiting, she snatched the charm from the surprised girl's hand and slapped her on the back. ``Sit `n' relax a moment while I check this over.''

Naira hacked and wheezed as she inhaled more smoke in surprise, then swayed a bit from the effects of whatever was in the pipe. She quickly took it out and tried to wash it down with a sip of the swunk, but immediately cringed and shivered at the taste. ``H-hey, you could have- ooogh...''

``Like I said, relax a minute,'' Kitza said dismissively as she rummaged through the piles of debris, tools, and junk stacked on another nearby table. Finally she strapped something to her face and turned around, analyzing the charm intensely. She had an eye patch over one eye with a slit in it, while the other eye had a cylindrical piece of sunstone over it that she was peering through. The short tube was polished to a shine and had tiny symbols etched all over the outside and, somehow, the inside as well. As it caught the light, it glinted and flashed in various colors as she tilted her head one way, then another and inspected the charm. ``Hmm... yes, I see....''

Naira set the pipe aside carefully, then gave Kitza a bewildered, slightly dizzy look. ``What are you doing??''

``Shh! Gimme a minute,'' Kitza retorted. After she finished looking the charm over, she shook it, held it up to her ear, tasted it, then walked over to the more cluttered table again and shuffled some things around as she examined some of the symbols that had been carved into its surface. Finally, she turned back and set the charm back on the table in front of Naira. ``Thing's definitely been touched by magic recently. No spirit, though.''

``Huh?? Wh- but he very clearly was! And... and mortals can't use magic!'' Naira pointed out, then hesitated a moment and sized the other konuul up, before continuing in a slightly more hushed tone, ``R-right??''

Kitza chuckled and went back to fiddling around with the junk on the other table, mumbling and muttering to herself. Suddenly she whirled around and looked Naira right in the eye. ``Alright. You want to keep snoopin' around out there until you get answers, right?''

Naira furrowed her brows and nodded. ``Damn right I do.''

``Good,'' Kitza replied with a grin. She stalked over to her guest, took off the leather glove, plucked an object from the tong-glove on her other hand, then held it out for her guest. It was a small, shiny ball of polished sunstone covered in strange symbols. ``Here's a little something to help you out. Since there's magic involved, you'll need a leg up on the stuff yourself.''

Naira cautiously stood up and took the object, then glanced between it and Kitza with a wide-eyed, yet confused expression. ``...huh?? What's this? And... what are all these weird symbols?''

``It's a tool, duh,'' Kitza answered matter-of-factly, gesturing around at the other assorted tools and other objects scattered around them. ``As for what it does, heh... just take it back out where you're searchin' and do a little ritual.''

``Ritual?'' Naira asked dubiously. ``What does... waitwaitwait.'' She furrowed her brow and rubbed her face. ``Are you talking about getting another spirit to show up that might help me? What if it's not friendly?''

Kitzha chuckled and shook her head. ``Don't worry about it. Just do what I tell ya and it'll be fine. Now listen up- first you need to take that thing to some moving water. The moving part is important, so a stream or somethin', not the lake. Then you'll wanna soak it for a few minutes while rolling it around in your hands. Don't be afraid ta get your knees wet. Try and memorize these symbols along the middle while you're doin' it,'' she paused and grabbed the ball again, rotating it so that it was oriented a certain way, then pointed out the symbols around the middle. ``And remember that one up there goes `up'. Once ya got a feel for it, go out to where you're investigatin' and clear a spot on the ground, flattest spot ya can find.''

``Okay...?'' Naira replied uncertainly. She was confused, but also a bit excited at the implications. She'd already met two spirits, and they just left her bewildered and a bit intimidated. The idea of meeting more was a bit scary, but also highly intriguing. ``What then?''

``Find a stick and recreate the symbols in the dirt in a circle around ya,'' Kitza continued. ``Then you'll need to say an incantation.''

Naira tilted her head. ``Incan... whatsit?''

``Incantation,'' Kitza said, then waved dismissively. ``Look, just memorize what I'm about to tell ya and repeat it when the time comes. Ready to listen?''

Naira nodded. ``Okay, go ahead.''

``Alright, repeat after me, just so I know you're paying attention,'' Kitza continued. ``Earth and stone, memory and soul.''

``Earth and stone, memory and soul,'' Naira repeated, after an awkward hesitation.

``Bones of the world, bring me the truth told whole.''

Naira again furrowed her brow. After a moment, she repeated, ``B... bones of the world, bring me the truth told whole.''

Kitza smiled and nodded. ``And that's it. Short and simple for an incantation, but it'll do the job.''

Naira couldn't help herself. She smirked, and began to repeat, ``And that's it. Sh-''

Kitza rolled her eyes and gave her a light smack on the arm. ``Don't be a smartass,'' she chided, then smirked and elbowed her lightly. ``That's my job.''

Naira winced and chuckled a little. ``Sorry. But thanks. What should I expect?''

``Nothin','' Kitza replied with a wink. ``Expectations hold ya back. Let life surprise ya. See what happens.''

``Well, if you say so,'' Naira said dubiously, then started looking over the ball again. After a moment, she pocketed it and smiled. ``Thanks, Kitza.''

``Yer welcome, Nai,'' Kitza said, then patted her on the shoulder. ``Always liked you two. Real experts at `good trouble' in my opinion.''

Naira blushed faintly and beamed. ``Thanks.'' She paused for a moment, then gave her a scrutinizing look. ``Hey, is all this stuff... you know, ma-''

``Oh shit, I just remembered a project I gotta finish for the hunters,'' Kitza interrupted, suddenly ushering her back towards the door. ``Go on, get outta here. Lunch break over. I gotta get to work, pronto!''

``O-okay! Thanks again,'' Naira awkwardly replied as she stumbled out the door.

``Oh and Naira,'' Kitza said, holding the door open halfway.

``Yeah?''

``Don't go tellin' anyone about that thing,'' the eccentric tinkerer and smithy said with narrowed eyes. ``Trust me, you don't want the attention.'' Without another word, she shut the door behind her.

Naira blinked and stared at the closed door for a moment, fiddling with the ball in her pocket. ``That was weird...'' she murmured quietly. After a moment, she shrugged. ``But that's Kitza for you.'' She glanced around warily, then suddenly bolted off to find Oren. She had preparations to make, but first she had to talk to her next closest friend so at least someone would know where she'd be.

*****

``I don't know, Nai,'' Oren replied with a concerned expression. ``Do you really think you'll be able to find anything new out there? Why won't you tell me what's got you all excited?''

``It's just... a feeling,'' Naira insisted awkwardly. She wanted so badly to tell him everything- outside of Lykou, she knew she could trust him more than anyone else in Lakefire to keep a secret. In fact, he was probably more reliably tight-lipped than her missing bestie in some cases. But she didn't want to risk putting him in an awkward position in case people started asking about what she was up to. ``A hunch.''

``Huh... you know, Nai,'' Oren said, narrowing his eyes at her. ``You're usually better at lying than that. Guilty conscience much?''

Naira folded her ears down and let out a slight wine. ``Okay fine. I just don't want to risk putting you in a tight spot when people start asking about me.''

``Oh? `When', not `if'?'' Oren asked, growing noticeably concerned. ``What are you planning, Nai?''

``I... may be gone for several days. Or longer,'' Naira hesitantly explained. ``Maybe even longer. Just depends on what I find.''

``I wish you'd tell me more. I can handle tight spots just fine, you know,'' Oren pointed out, reaching over and rubbing her shoulder. ``You know I've got your back. I just don't want you getting hurt.''

Naira fought with herself for a moment, glancing around to make sure nobody else was within earshot. ``I... saw something last time we were out there. The night before we came back.''

``Oh? I thought you seemed a bit off the next day,'' Oren replied. ``What did you see?''

``It's.... kind of out there,'' Naira warned, rubbing her arm nervously. ``Promise not to call me crazy?''

Oren eyed her skeptically for a moment. ``Nai... you've been asking some interesting questions around the village. I think I know what it is, but go ahead and say it,'' he said, then smirked faintly. ``I promise I won't think you're any crazier than I already knew you and Kou have always been.''

Naira couldn't help but smile and giggle faintly in response. But then she took a deep breath and hugged herself anxiously. ``Okay fine, yeah, I.... had a spirit encounter. Th-.... he said Lykou's alive and trying to make his way home.''

``I... see,'' Oren replied, clearly a bit uncertain. ``That's certainly... interesting. And you're sure it wasn't a dream?''

``YES,'' Naira responded defensively, then dug around in her pocket and pulled out the charm. ``Here, see? Kou had all of these with him when he went missing. The... spirit-guy I met gave this to me.''

``Spirit-'guy', huh?'' Oren asked sketically. ``Spirits don't usually look much like people, you know.''

``Well this one did,'' Naira said, then fidgeted a bit as she reflected over the encounter. ``Um. He claimed to not actually be a spirit, but he did magic and...'' She paused, then lowered her voice conspiratorially, ``He reminded me a lot of the stories about, uh.... hounaka.''

Oren furrowed his brow and rolled his eyes up in thought for a moment. Then his eyes widened when recognition struck. "O-oh. One of... those. Are you sure?''

``No. But it fits. He was all... dark and shadowy, plus it'd explain Kou's disappearance. Pose as an aliki-ka, lure him out there, then magically whisk him away on some strange grand design.''

``Damn... you have a good point, that'd certainly explain him vanishing,'' Oren admitted, scratching his head. ``So... what are you going to do? Either way, what else can you expect to find out? If it is one of... those, you might not want to risk meeting it again, and there's probably nothing we can do.''

Naira narrowed her eyes with determination and clenched her fists. ``Whatever I can. Spirit or not, he  knows more than he told me. And I'm not going to just sit around waiting for Kou to come back,'' she said resolutely. ``Besides, for all we know, that's what it's been waiting for. It might be keeping Kou away until someone from the tribe shows that they're willing to do whatever it takes to get him back.''

``A... spirit-trial,'' Oren said flatly. ``Even if that's the case, you know those are supposed to be harrowing and potentially dangerous, right?''

Naira shot him a bemused look.

``...right. Gotta remember who I'm talking to here,'' Oren continued, rolling his eyes slightly. ``I guess it's fitting. You two did always like taking risks together. So... what, you just want to go back out there and wait around until some spirit shows up?''

``Well, I won't be just waiting around. I still plan to investigate around that campsite,'' Naira said, idly fiddling with something in her pocket. ``Granted I don't know if we can trust him, but the spirit-guy mentioned that Kou wasn't traveling alone. And I have a feeling that camp belonged to whoever is with him. Someone named `Kuna', apparently.''

``It would be interesting to know more about them,'' Oren conceded. ``But I thought you already searched that area pretty thoroughly?''

``Wellll.... between you and me, I have something new that might help,'' Naira said quietly, then glanced around conspiratorially. ``Don't tell anyone. I won't go into details, but let's just say I got a rare private conversation with.... Kitza.''

``Woah,'' Oren said, his eyes widening again. ``Enough said.'' He sighed and set his hands on her shoulders. ``Look, just.... be careful, alright? I worry about you.''

Naira smiled faintly, then pulled him into a tight hug. ``I know. Sorry to worry you,'' she said, then sighed. ``If it makes you feel better.... if I'm not back in, I guess, three or four days, feel free to tell the chief or anyone else what I told you and come looking for me. Minus the Kitza bit.''

Oren sighed, then hugged her back tightly. ``Yeah.... that's fair. I'll keep quiet at least that long. Just be careful out there, alright? I wanna hear about anything you find out there.''

``You'll be the first person I come talk to, promise.''

*****

After a good night's rest, Naira hurried out of the village early in the morning, having prepared her things the afternoon before. She didn't even stop for breakfast, choosing instead to eat some jerky and a roasted charnop along the way. She made good progress, both due to her eagerness and the fact that she'd gotten a lot better at hiking long distances through the woods with all the practice she'd gotten.

When she eventually came across a stream, she took a short break to soak the strange sunstone sphere in the water. She'd already spent some time the previous evening studying the symbols, but this time she tried extra hard to memorize them. She found herself wondering just what they were meant to represent; they didn't really look like anything she could think of, except maybe in the most abstract way. Just a bunch of swirls and lines and shapes etched into the metal. Eventually, when she got tired of contemplating and soaking the orb, she figured it'd been long enough and put the orb away. Then she grabbed another stick of dried meat and munched on it as she continued on her way.  

When she arrived at the old campsite, she quickly set up a firepit and caught herself a fresh meal. After starting a fire, she butchered the bird as quickly as she could. She would rather have delayed eating so that she could perform the ritual right away, but her belly demanded otherwise. And once she finally sated its demands, it was starting to get dark out, much to her chagrin. After battling with herself a bit, she reluctantly decided it'd be best to wait until morning so she could see better.

But after tossing and turning well into the night, she threw off her blanket and sighed. Her mind wouldn't stop racing. She glanced out at the firepit, where a small fire was still crackling to deter whatever wildlife might take interest in her things- particularly her food. It was getting a little low, so she sighed and got up to stoke it a bit more and add some extra wood. Once that was done, she took a small piece of a branch whose end was on fire and waved it around slowly, making shapes in the air out of boredom.

``...waiting sucks,'' she grumbled to herself. ``How can I be so tired but so restless at the same time? Ugh.''

She glanced up at the crescent moon and let out a soft sigh as she let the branch hang over the edge of the pit. She shifted around a bit until she found a comfortable position lounging against a small sloped boulder. Memories of sneaking out late at night with Lykou and Oren ran through her mind. Sometimes Kezhna would join them as well- officially to protect them from danger, but she knew Lykou's older sister loved mischief and breaking the rules as much as they did. Sometimes they'd sneak into the food stores and pilfer some midnight snacks; never too much, of course- just enough to act as a reward for their successful stealth mission. Other times, they'd play tag in forest under a full moon, though it never lasted long with Kezhna in the mix- she was simply too good at being `it'. In the winter, they'd have midnight snowball fights by the shore under the full moon; and in the summer, they'd go for a naked swim on the far side of the lake.

Truth or dare was another fun game they enjoyed, though they often wished they had a few more people to join in. Lykou was always eager for a good dare, of course. Oren, on the other hand, almost always stuck with truths- which could be frustrating, since he didn't tend to fluster easily and tended to be nonchalant and open about most things. For her part, Naira was more than happy to go either way.

They always loved sharing spooky stories, too- something Lykou particularly excelled at. Kezh did too, but tended to get a bit too detailed with the descriptions of gore and violence at times. Lykou always struck a perfect balance of spooky, mysterious, and unsettling or enchanting, often relying on the spirit stories he was so obsessed with.

And when it was just her and Lykou, they'd sometimes get into playful wrestling matches on the shore. Lykou had the advantage of course, but she had ways of outmaneuvering and messing with him to balance things out.

Then there were the other nights, where they just found a clear spot on the far side of the lake to lounge and watch the stars, much like she was doing now. They'd see how many constellations they could remember, watch for flying stars, and otherwise just relax and enjoy the sound of the cool breeze rustling the nearby trees. Sometimes on bitter cold nights deep in the middle of winter, they'd bundle up extra tight and cuddle up for warmth, and watch the eerie colorful bands that sometimes crept across the horizon to the north and danced in the sky.

When Oren opted not to join them, it felt a little extra intimate with Lykou. It was no wonder they'd experimented with being more than friends. She remembered the one time they made out under the stars during their brief courtship. Sure, it'd been awkward and felt slightly off, but she still remembered it fondly. Even if ultimately they didn't work out as a couple, she definitely felt a close, special bond with him that felt somewhere between friendship and romance. And unfortunately, it just made his absence all the more painful.  

``Dammit Lykou, you big lug,'' she murmured. ``You better not keep me waiting much longer, or so help me I'll... tear the forest down looking for you.'' She paused and smirked faintly. ``Probably have to have Kezh help with that.''

Her mind continued to wander and she blushed a bit, biting her lip as she recalled some of the other activities they'd done under the stars when it was just the two of them. Although any romantic notions had been set aside, they certainly enjoyed their intimate moments together. If anything, it'd taken a somewhat more enjoyably playful twist when they'd decided to go the more friends-with-benefits route. And as much as she would never let herself go as far as she really wanted for fear of pregnancy, she still craved to feel his touch again. Her hands started to wander over her body as she remembered feeling those teasing little licks and nibbles in various sensitive places. She licked her lips as she recalled the heat and scent of his-

``Fuck!'' she blurted out, sitting up suddenly. She panted a bit and glanced around, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. ``Eesh, get ahold of yourself, girl. You're out here to investigate, not...'' She trailed off and rolled up her eyes thoughtfully. After a moment, a shy grin crept back across her face. ``Then again... not like I can do much else right now anyway. And I've got all the privacy I could want...''

She glanced around one more time, as if half expecting someone to show up looking for her. But seeing as she was still thoroughly alone, she reclined back again and pulled her shorts down with a flustered smirk. ``Fuck it.''

With all the fixation on her investigations and survival far out in the woods, she'd rarely taken time to relieve certain urges since her best friend's disappearance. But her body was finally making its demands rather insistently in response to her reminiscing. So she let her hands start to wander again as she slipped back into those comfy, tantalizing memories. She remembered how Lykou would lick and nip and nibble along her legs and along her inner thighs one at a time, only to switch to the other side when he got tantalizingly close to her sweet spot. And then he'd fake her out sometimes, pretending to lean towards her sex, letting his hot breath tease her sensitive bits, only to slip up and nibble and lick her lower belly instead. That usually earned him a few playful smacks and a growl or two, but he took it in stride.

She sucked air in through her teeth as she continued to revel in her recollections. She could practically feel that first electrifying brush of the other konuul's tongue along her snatch. Sometimes they'd sixtynine with each other, but half the time, he'd just pin her so that she couldn't reach that tantalizing dick of his, and just had to lay there and get gobbled up. She'd always get to it sooner or later, but it was equally frustrating and arousing having him pin her legs up over his shoulder and begin assaulting her loins with his mouth. The sudden shift from infuriating teasing to aggressive pleasure-overload always made it hard for her to last long.

Of course, he'd been awkward and inexperienced the first couple of times they'd done such things. She was sure she'd been the same, to be fair. But Lykou was a quick learner with such things, and it didn't take long for him to find out her weak spots. He could have her arching her back, moaning and shaking uncontrollably in no time.

Then again, there were plenty of times when she got the upper hand on him, if she was quick. While he had the muscle advantage, she was agile and sneaky. If she got him more flustered first, she could usually trip him up and get on top of him just long enough to get her hands on his stiff weak spot and give him a good reason to give in. If he tried to reverse it, a quick flurry of licks to the tip of his cock while she kept a tight grip on the base of his shaft and shot him a sultry look usually short-circuited his brain enough to smash any more attempts to get back on top. And then, once he started relaxing and enjoying himself, she thoroughly enjoyed basking in the heat and scent radiating from his fun bits. Though it took some practice to take the whole thing in her mouth, she was eager to do it when she got the chance, if only to get positively drunk on his musk and taste. She wasn't sure what it was, but it never failed to flip a switch in her mind and make her feel like she was in heat. And if she really was in heat already... well, that usually put her at a disadvantage in their initial tussle for dominance, but occasionally she still came out on top in those circumstances. And when she did, the word `ravenous' would be an understatement.

``Mmnnnn, Kou,'' she moaned quietly as she frantically fingered herself. She'd gotten herself more and more worked up as she fantasized about making up for lost time when they saw each other again. Eventually her imagination began to run wild. Beyond just revisiting old memories, she fantasized about a world where she didn't have to worry about the risks. In her mind, she could see him mounting her and railing her with wild abandon. In the heat of their rutting, he'd bend down over her and nip down on her shoulder, growling playfully as his hips slammed into hers. And she'd give a playful, husky growl back as she pushed back against him, letting her instincts take over as she indulged in the pure, primal sensation of the moment. She whined a bit as she imagined how it'd feel as his balls slapped up against her clit with each deep, energetic thrust. And with how hot that cock felt in her mouth, she could only imagine how good it'd feel down there as it rigorously stuffed her over and over, until eventually...

``AAHHH FFUUUUU-!'' she blurted out, before the rest got caught in her throat as she tilted her head back and came hard. Her butt lifted off the ground, and her body shook in ecstasy as it relished in the bliss it'd been craving for too long. Even if it was just her hand, the combination of her pent up neediness and the deeply lustful fantasizing had been enough to for her mind to go blank when her climax finally hit.

Eventually, she started to snap out of it a few moments after her body slumped back to a very relaxed state. She panted softly in a daze, then slowly lifted her soaking wet hand up to examine the juices on her fingers. She blushed and smirked faintly. ``...fuck, even when you're not here physically, you still know how to drive me wild.'' The smirk faded a little after a moment as she dropped her hand and stared back up at the sky. ``Would be better with you actually here though.''

After basking in the afterglow for a while, she eventually decided to get up and clean herself off. She blushed again when she realized just how much of a mess she was. Clearly, she had been even more pent up than she thought. When she finally did get cleaned up, she realized she still somehow wasn't ready for sleep. Her body was much more relaxed, but as she looked around the camp, her mind began to wander again. This time she found herself pondering the stranger that initially set up camp there, and left behind those cave paintings.

She got up after relaxing a little while, picking the burning branch up out of the fire again to use as a makeshift torch. The very end fell off, having burned through, but fortunately there was still enough left that she didn't have to worry about the fire being too close to her hand. She walked over to the paintings and ran her fingers over the stone around them. Combined with the simplistic, messy state of the camp when she first found it, they gave her the impression of someone both contemplative and deeply troubled. There was a definite sadness, and perhaps loneliness about it all. Still, she found herself wanting to know more.

``Whoever you are, `Kuna', I hope you and Lykou are getting along,'' she muttered, furrowing her brows. After a moment, she smiled faintly. ``Who am I kidding? It's Kou we're talking about here. Mister get-along himself.'' She sighed and thought for a moment. A gust of wind blew through the trees outside, making a faint howling sound, accompanied by the creaks and groans of the tall, ancient pines near the camp. The sound caught her attention and she stepped back outside.

Suddenly, things seemed slightly... different, somehow. She couldn't be sure it wasn't just her imagination, but she thought she felt a faint charge in the air. The moon and stars seemed to illuminate things a little better, as well. She narrowed her eyes and glanced around. ``Alright... I don't know if there's any spirits around right now, but I'm going to take this as a sign.''

She cleared a patch of ground nearby and looked around until she found a sturdy-enough stick, then began etching the symbols from the orb in a circle around herself. After double and triple checking them against the ones on the orb itself by firelight, she took a deep breath and concentrated. ``...now what were those words again....? Oh, right,'' she said, then cleared her throat and held the orb up in front of her. ``Earth and stone, memory and soul...''

Suddenly, the symbols on the orb began to glow faintly with a silvery light. The sudden light made her eyes shoot wide open and the next part of the incantation briefly caught in her throat. She couldn't believe it- magic, right there in her hands! The light started to fade after a moment, so she quickly shook her head and continued. ``Bones o-of the earth, bring me the truth told... whole...''

With each word, the light grew brighter. As she trailed off at the end, a breeze picked up and began spinning in a weak vortex around the camp. It gradually picked up, and the rest of the forest seemed to fall silent. A distant droning sound, almost like chanting, filled the air and the fire was suddenly snuffed out, making her jump slightly. A ghostly white light covered everything except for her and the orb. After a moment, things began moving around her, more and more rapidly. Her breath caught in her throat again as she gradually realized it was like she was seeing time flow backwards.

Tree branches shrank away; fallen ones were restored. Some trees shrank back into saplings or even vanished completely. Birds rapidly flew around in reverse. Squirrels climbed up and down trees backwards. Occasionally the ground grew muddy, and the sky grew cloudy just long enough for rain to rapidly rise back to the sky and the ground to dry off. Things kept getting faster, though, to the point that it got hard to keep up.

Then, eventually, she saw it- a figure. Someone moving around the campsite rapidly. At one point, they passed straight through her. In her surprise, she stumbled back and accidentally scuffed one of the glowing marks on the ground. There was an immediate effect- parts of the forest and the strange became blurrier, though at first it was hard to tell the difference at the rapid pace things were moving. She began to panic a bit. ``Uhhh, shit, w-what do I do? S-slow down!'' she demanded, looking over the orb for any hint about how to control what was happening. ``C'mon, stop for a mo-''

At the word `stop', everything froze. She looked around, then sighed in relief. Finally, she could take in the ghostly image of the forest around her. Although it was obviously still the same forest, plenty of little things had changed around her. There was no doubt about it- she was somehow looking at a glimpse of the past. The idea amazed her. As she looked around, she realized the stranger was nowhere in sight. In fact, the debris that had been scattered around was gone as well- there was no sign of a campsite at all. ``Shit, must have gone too far...''

She pondered for a moment and looked down at the orb. ``Hey, uh... can you, y'know... continue? Start up again?'' she asked. When nothing happened she scratched her head. ``Oh boy. Um... go?'' She began to grow irritated when things stayed stubbornly frozen. ``Resume? Restart? Get going! ...do stuff! Ugh, come on! How do I make things move again?'' She grumbled and lowered the orb for a moment as she rubbed her face in exasperation. ``I just want you to show me that-''

The words `show me' turned out to be the key phrase the magic was waiting for. Suddenly things started moving again, only forwards this time. Slowly at first, but gradually picking up speed. Luckily it didn't take long for the stranger to return. They moved too quickly for her to get a good look, but she still found it fascinating to watch them anyway. The figure intitially seemed distraught and panicked, moving around erratically as they started and abandoned multiple attempts to presumably set up a camp. On many occasions, she saw them hide away in the cave, and she could see them curl into a ball inside. A pang of sympathy shot through her heart- even without seeing their face, their body language was all she needed to see that they were suffering.

Over time, the figure's behavior gradually changed though. Their erratic movements became more routine and regular. No further attempts were made at developing the campsite, and debris from half-eaten food piled up outside. Scraps of fabric began to accumulate as well, and she realized it looked like bits of clothing that'd been torn up beyond repair. She still couldn't make out the figure's details due to how fast they were moving, but she got the distinct impression that the clothing was not being replaced as it broke down.

The painting began. The figure spend more and more chunks of its day sitting in or near the cave, finally being still enough for her to get a better look. Unfortunately that's when she realized much of their appearance was blurry, but she could still make out the basic shape. And there were patches that weren't blurry- the right forearm, a section of the chest, the left knee... and the eyes. She took a deep breath and began trying to time things. Finally, during one of the stranger's treks out for food, she managed to shout ``Stop!'' right as the stranger was right in front of her.

She stared into the ghostly, frozen figure's eyes with deep fascination. Many of the old stories talked about how eyes could show a person's soul, or something along those lines. And she was captivated with the ones she was looking at. There was no joy in those eyes. The light was practically gone from them, at first glance. They looked almost dead... but not quite. There was a depth there. Deep sadness and loneliness... but also more. Despite having seemingly given into their situation, she could tell there was still a faint glimmer of... something left. This individual... presumably `Kuna', had a story to tell, and had started doing so in their own way on the cave walls, even without expecting anyone to ever see it.

Until that point, Naira's focus had primarily been on trying to find out what happened to Lykou- and, hopefully, figure out a way of bringing him home sooner, or at least finding him. But now, she was becoming ever more fascinated with this stranger that apparently had some connection to it all. Something about him- and perhaps what he represented, a greater world, filled with mysteries- called to her.  She slowly moved forward and reached out, as if to touch the figure's face. But the moment she made contact, the magic ended, and she realized she'd stepped a bit too far, scuffing another symbol and leaving the circle.

The ghostly light faded from the landscape, leaving her back in the darkness under the dim glow of the moonlight. The normal sounds of the forest at night returned and she stood there, marveling at what she'd just seen. Slowly, she lifted the orb back up and ran her finger over it thoughtfully. The whole thing felt like a dream in retrospect. But either way, now that she knew what the orb could do, she knew there would be more investigating to do.

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