The caverns were quiet tonight. Few Banthi were around yet, though they'd been slowly returning with the recent weeks. Few had remained behind before if any, as most had taken to wandering it seemed.
One of those Banthi now trudged towards the warm cavern entrance. She'd lost track of how long it had been...weeks? Months? Years? Maybe not, but still...longer than she could remember. Suddenly, she'd had the urge to return. It wasn't something she could explain, nor did she even question it. She simply returned.
It was a very different Aurelia that crossed the threshold of the caverns. The carefree look of the past was gone, replaced by a sort of wary cautiousness. While she was far from a champion battler, she'd learned enough to take care of herself as well as keeping fed. Her movements were graceful as always, as if her paws barely touched the ground. She didn't make a sound as she slipped into the main cavern, glancing around to see no one before making her way over to the fireplace. It had been far too long since she'd had the luxury of basking in front of a fire.
Curling up on the rug in front of the fire, already the butterfly Banthi could feel her tense muscles relaxing as she soaked in the comforting warmth. She crossed her paws in front of her, staring off into the darkness, lost in thought. While she was definitely a different Banthi than she was before, far from the immature, foolish child she had been, even as an adult...there was a telltale spark in her eye; some last remainder of the young, playful Banthi she once was.
Perhaps she wasn't that different afterall...
