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The edge of Homewood was not a place Olwen frequented, certainly not on her own. There was a deal of risk in her doing so, but now in the middle of the afternoon she couldn't resist venturing out. There had been this increasingly urgent sort of pull that tugged on her subconscious. No doubt about it. It could only be one thing. Grandfather Tree was calling to her. Help repair and heal the world. Vykeli needs you.

She knew. She really wanted to. Noulicorns were meant to help bring life and healing to Vykeli. It's what the nannies said. What the elders said. Everyone really. Olwen knew. The urge was there, but... A knot formed in her stomach. But, how? Some went with year mates, siblings, friends, family, though it seemed many went to answer Grandfather Tree's call on their own. Just up and go! It'd be nice, but, as much as she'd like to, Olwen didn't trust her gut and instincts alone to see her safely to the source of the calling. To her, the barrens ahead of her was just this vast field of heat and brightness. A gust of cooler, moisture carrying, vegetal smelling wind from Homewood blew at her back. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. Clearly, she was in need of finding someone to help get her there. Maybe one of her friends? If not, maybe she could hire someone? Ask for a favor?

There was one thing the doe knew for certain. She didn't want to wait on it. Olwen felt ready. If she could go today, she would.

[WC: 266]

An ear turned first toward the sound of approaching foot falls from the direction of Homewood. Olwen turned her head when the buck spoke, her head still a little bowed. His tone sounded genuine. Half turning her body to face him, she offered a somewhat sad little smile. His warm, brighter tones stood out against the darker backdrop of the forests of home so she was able to pinpoint his location well enough. "Everything's okay, noulja. Thank you for asking. I'm just..." She sighed and looked back out to the vague blur of the expansive barrens. "I'm feeling the call to go to Grandfather Tree, but I can't go on my own." She finally looked up at him properly. "I can't see the way. I wouldn't be able to go safely on my own."

Her ears perked up as an idea struck her. It'd be odd if just some random noul went seeking after her. Maybe he was a scout or was a traveler of some sort. If not, maybe he might know someone who could help her. Shaking her head, she offered a brighter grin to the buck. "Please, allow me to introduce myself! I'm Olwen. And, if I may ask, are you a scout by any chance? Or just someone who was curious as to why a lone doe was off staring into space?" Her last question came with a joking tone. She wasn't unaware that it would appear kind of weird to someone that was just happening by where she stood.

[WC: 254]

Olwen simply nodded in response to the buck's concerned noise. It was what it was.

"Solar Wind." Or Solar. Or Wind. Duly noted. Echoing his name to commit it to her memory, connecting the sound of his voice to his given name, she smiled at his explanation of what he had been doing. That was nice, taking a little time out of his day to visit his dad. She brightened when he caught on to her line of thought. "Oh, I'd really appreciate the help, Solar Wind." Solar? Wind? Mm. Olwen would have to experiment with which of the buck's three names she preferred to address him as. "Well, if your fellow scouts can spare you for a bit, I'm open for a trip there and back again, even with a strange buck escorting me."

He was a scout. He had responsibilities and duties to Homewood and those in therein. On one side, she felt a little bad about sort of absconding with the buck for...Well, she didn't know exactly how long the trek to the Grandfather Tree would take. On the other side, she felt lucky. Olwen shifted from side to side, suddenly stricken with anxious, excited butterflies. This really was happening. "Have-have you been to the Tree yet? If it's a long trip, do we need to bring water or anything? Or could we make it okay in one trip? Could we go now, or soon if we need to get supplies?"

[WC: 244 ]

Oh good! She sighed in relief at the revelation that she wasn't actually stealing the buck from his duties. Solar Wind wouldn't get in trouble for taking off for the Grandfather Tree for a couple of days. Business as more or less usual, right? Eh, if she needed to, Olwen had no problem speaking to anyone she may need to if anyone got after her incredibly helpful volunteer guide.

She gasped in just utter surprise and delight at his answer, upon learning Solar Wind's gift. "No!" She laughed. "Oh, my gracious. That's pretty good! Maybe it does. Maybe it does. Could you imagine if I got Spectrum?" She snorted in her amusement and sighed. "Ah, terrible. Sorry." Olwen shook her head as she straightened herself up, clearing her throat. Her ears perked forward. They could really leave right now? They didn't need to go back for anything. She didn't have to wait any more!

Olwen paused in turn. "Nnnnot really. No. This is probably about as far as I've ever gone before. Certainly as far as I've gone on my own. Occasionally some friend of mine would accompany me for walks kind along the edge of Homewood..." A frown briefly tugged at her features. "At least before the new predator brouhaha. Mm. But I'd been feeling the drawing and couldn't take just milling about my den or the safer, well memorized places I know in the Homewood interior. I know some nouls can go their whole lives not answering the Tree or don't feel the need to go get gifts, and that's perfectly fine for them, but...It's not for me. I don't want to sit idly by, just feeling this pulling for the rest of my days. Mm nm! So, Solar...Wind...If you have a strong preference on what I call you, please do let me know or I'm just gonna keep switching it up until something sticks." She grinned. "I'm so very ready. Ah, walking I can walk alongside you or kind of trailing at your flank. Since it's going to be a multiday trip, I lose what little I can perceive in the dark. Dusk and later just..." The doe shook her head. "It is what it is. We can figure out what works best for us as we go," Olwen said with a punctuating nod for finality to drive her sentiment home.

[WC: 394]

Olwen breathed a small sigh of relief at no longer having to worry over which variant of her guide's name to use and nodded. Solar would work for her just fine. Her gusto wasn't dampened by Solar Wind's caution. She appreciated it, in fact. Part of her hesitance to venture out on her own into the Barrens was precisely for those reasons. Unless they were very dark in overall color or had significant dark markings, dire rats, catbeasts, or whatever would just appear to blend into the landscape around her. She may hear them approach if she focused on keeping an ear out on her surroundings, but if they were sneaking? There was always a chance she might miss something. Soft sands could muffle the sounds approaching carnivores or hide what direction they may be coming from. One was plenty dangerous on its own, but she wasn't unaware that sometimes they'd band together too. It wasn't hard for her to imagine the worst case scenario. When the want for a change of pace or the urge to venture out from Homewood, the doe couldn't help but think of what would likely happen if she didn't bring a friend or friends or some other noulicorn out with her.

She blinked at learning his ability. "Oh! Solar, that's so great! I'll definitely keep in mind should worse comes to worst." Olwen hummed her acknowledgement as the buck moved to stand at her side. "Lead on, Solar. I'm looking forward to seeing where this path takes me, even though I don't know what it'll be looking like at the end." Taking a deep, calming breath, she squared her shoulders and held her head high. "Only one way to find out." Olwen offered him a quirked little grin as she started walking. "At the very least, by the time we get back home after this trip, you won't be able to say you're a stranger anymore."

[WC: 322]

It was Olwen's turn to laugh. "I've developed a pretty thick skin growing up, so I don't think you're going to have to worry about annoying me, Solar. I think it's pretty safe to say that this trip will end up with us being friends." After all, the scout had been nothing but kind, and warm, and pleasant to her thus far, and he was helping her take this big, important step even though it'd have him away from Homewood for a couple of days. Really, she was so grateful for him. The offer of friendship wasn't going to be an issue in the slightest.

And so, they were off! The further they went the more amped Olwen became, at least, until the sun set and the world grew ever darker. Her answers to things Solar said and asked became shorter, less in depth. Eventually she grew quiet as her growing anxiety began to gnaw at her. She was rarely away from her den after dark and here she was trekking across the barrens with the night deepening around them. The familiar smells and sounds of Homewood were ever increasingly behind her. Not that this fact made her want to stop, or turn around to go back. This was something she was wanting to do, that she was needing to do. Trying to calm herself, Olwen took a series of slow, deep breaths, absently taking a half step closer to Solar for the increased feeling of his presence next to her. "Sorry," She uttered softly, her voice scarcely above a whisper. "It's just that it's so dark..."

[WC: 267]

"Oh, no, no," She soothed. "Don't feel bad. It's okay, really." Most didn't have to think on the cycles of day and night. It was just a fact of life, of nature. Olwen honestly didn't fault him for not noting the growing dark. Her voice trailed off out of curiosity when Solar quieted. A warm point of light grew at her side. She blinked and smiled, breathing a small relieved sigh. "Oh, wow! Yes, that's just what I was needing, Solar. Thank you. That's much better. I don't know how long you can hold it for. Does using your abilities tire you out? As excited as I am to be actually doing this, if we need to stop and rest in a bit, we can. Can't have my guide tuckering out on me." She nodded with a playful little nudge of her shoulder.

[WC: 143]