Trowels Dig and Guns Shoot

[Thalia Tait]

Thalia was somehow able to rope in a delinquent guard to tote off to the woods for another gathering trek. She was vastly becoming infamous among the Gunners. Grounders, acid fog, water snakes, none of that would stop her from going to get the edible flora to fill their bellies. Everyone need more than just meat to keep healthy and as food handler, Thalia was never above going into the forest to find the things they needed. In fact she sort of enjoyed it. And once she set her mind on something, she somehow wheedle people down in to going along with her.

Thalia was not an intimidating person at all. She was taller than most girls, but not too tall. She was thin, but not horribly so. She was pale but not pasty. She had freckles but they were soft and she had shoulder length brown hair with soft loose curls that ended up more like great waves. The food handler was just an ordinary looking Walden girl. Nothing noticeable, but nothing to sneeze at either. It was her personality that tended to light her up. 

She could make even the stone serious Bellamy Blake smile on a good day. She could cajole Clarke to look the other way when she went on a dangerous trek out to do her gathering. And most of all she never got into fights. With anyone. Over anything. She prided herself on being able to avoid confrontations. Perhaps people could get annoyed with constant silver lining attitude, but someone need to help people lighten up. Especially with Grounder threats alway circling above them like buzzards.

With her handmade trowel and self stitched sack for carrying her little treasures in, she marched up ahead of the quiet guard. Peering over her shoulder at the other girl, Thalia grinned. "Ready for an adventure, Goldie Fox?" she teased referring to the little gold fox who had snuck into a bear's house to lap up three bowls of oatmeal and then get chased out when she had overstayed her welcome. Oh course, she only referred to the girl in this way because of her pale hair. And maybe the fact that they might get chased out of the forest by Grounders. But she wasn't too worried.


Nicolette Carmichael

[Nicolette Carmichael]

Nic was glad for the little outings into the forest, it meant getting away from the hustle and bustle of camp. Sometimes it was just too much for her own good. The girl that had convinced her, very easily, to go was an average girl, who was seen as the food handler. Nic had seen her around, but she had never talked to her. But it wasn't uncommon for her not to have talked to anyone at camp. That was just the way it was.

She stayed quiet, having no idea what to say, so she just watched for dangers. "Ready for an adventure, Goldie Fox?"  The girl looked over her shoulder at Nic.
Nic didn't know why the girl had called her a goldie fox, but she shrugged. "Adventure? Of course." She gave a small smile. Adventures usually occurred in her mind, but real life ones were good too. "I'm always up for an adventure." She added. She didn't know where they were going, but all she knew was that the girl wanted to find some plants to bring back. Nic only knew enough about plants from her schooling days, but that was a long time ago. She couldn't remember much. As a guard she didn't need to know that anyway.



-----

Thalia Tait    

[Thalia Tait]

Thalia stepped lightly, turning to walk backwards so she could chat with the gunner she had never met before. She had yet to encounter any Grounder, but she had been in the forest numerous times. She knew that they were out there, but they had never seemed all that interested in her. Maybe they could tell how useless she was, being more expendable than most. At least in her mind she was. All the people on the Ark seemed to think so. A delinquent from Walden? She was practically invisible to most, and even to some of the other delinquents. As long as she kept everyone full and healthy, filled requests for small tools that needed bone, or kept Clarke's herbs filled, no one much cared to talk to her. So she sought them out. Sort of.

Actually it was more like she bugged hunters and gunners to accompany her all the time. Then she'd talk to them. It kept their minds off of worrying about every rustle and every shadow in the woods. In camp she usually was overwhelmed by all the people her age, so she stuck to her chores and duties. Perhaps she was stubborn, what the Old World had called a 'nerd', but she liked her life just fine. The little of it she had control over was pretty good. Better than most other people's lives. So who was she to complain?

She picked a few berries that grew on a thorny thick bush and gushed a skin staining rich black juice. They were bluish, but she called them 'blackberries' anyway. Standing she held out a handful for the gunner girl. "Try these Goldie Fox, they'll calm you're nerves," she grinned, "They won't make you trip or anything, but they are a sweet treat not many get to have at the camp." She gave the girl the berries and brushed her hands together. "I usually save them up to give to people who are having a hard time or not feeling well," she chirped, "but when someone is brave enough to come out here with me, I try to give them treats to reward their courage."

Nicolette Carmichael

[Nicolette Carmichael]

The girl offered her some berries, and explained why she did. Nic smiled, and gave a thanks as she put one in her mouth, chewing. They were sweet, and really tasty. She hadn't tasted anything like it before. She groaned softly. "These... Are... Fantastic." She said. She was kind of glad to have the tension that Nic felt difused a little, even if it was just the nerves in her own mind. She wasn't nervous about being out in the wilderness, that she appreciated, but the fact that she was guarding a stranger. Even  if this stranger was just a nice girl. 

"So, what are you looking for?" As they continued, and Nic kept eating the small amount of berries that were in her hand. She didn't know how far they were going to go, but she didn't mind. It meant exploring a little, and that was exciting. As long as they didn't come across any grounders, than this may actually be a nice little trip. The forests here were beautiful, and she could imaging all sorts of things happening here, curious creatures interacting, hidden battles, or people having picnics. The possibilities were endless. She loved the trees, that stood so tall, reaching for the stars, for space where they came from. The different colours of green were incredible. This was definitely was a fantasy forest, and she felt comfortable here. 


----

Thalia Tait

[Thalia Tait]

Thalia grinned walking with the gunner girl behind her. Every now and then she stop to clip a few leaves off here or dig up a root there. It was a slow trek, but she hummed softly in between casual conversation with the other girl. But when she had given the berries to the pale haired girl, a smile split like lightning across her face. She had been hoping for that reaction. Blackberries were always so amazing. They were the sweetest thing she had ever had the pleasure to come across. Far better than the bitter green berries they usually found near the dropship.

"Aren't they?" she laughed lightly, "I may just be someone who makes the food taste a bit better for meal time, but even I like to keep some secret treats to surprise people." She hummed softly as she dug a bit deeper down to hack at a root. It was a spicy flavor Monty told her was some descendant of 'gin-ger' and it had such wonderful flavor. Unfortunately it was a vicious bloody red and when you cut into, the thick juice looked like blood. If you tried to taste the juice before it was safely cooked, it'd give you an upset stomach it was so strong. But once cooked or boiled, the spicy root make a wonderful stomach ache cure. Fascinating plants Thalia had never even seen where always hiding just beneath the fertile surface. It was like an endless treasure hunt. Always fun. For her anyway. Her cajoled guards usually didn't think so. It was why she tried to keep them entertained. It was much easier to bribe guards with food than to have to drag them out of camp with the threat of leaving saffron off their next slice of meat. No one liked tasteless food.

"Looking for?" she chuckled, "Anything, everything. Clarke wants herbs, Bellamy wants spices, Monty wants veggies, Jasper wants nuts and berries.... The list never ends." She laughed lightly then mocked a few of them, making faces. "'Thalia did you get any onions?' 'Thalia I need more red seaweed!' 'Thalia when are you going to get more halluic-berries'?"

"We don't really need a lot of stuff at the moment, but everyone always wants something," she shrugged, "And I like getting out of camp. I really, really like learning more about the forest too." The dark haired girl wandered on. "I always imagine that a handsome Grounder gather will stumble upon me and fall in love with me instantly," she mused as she gather more dandelion root, "He'll teach me all that he knows about Earth and we'll carry on our secret affair as I continue to use the information to feed everyone in camp." Hesitating for a moment, she glanced up at the other girl. "It's a dumb fantasy, since there is no such thing as a handsome or kind Grounder, but..." She shrugged.

[Nicolette Carmichael]

The girl was bubbly as they made their way through the forest, and she talked, which made Nic already feel better, meant she didn't always need to respond. She continued to give Nic the berries, and Nic was always very delighted to eat them. Definitely a nice treat. She was kind of enjoying herself to say the least. 
The girl, Thalia, explained why they were in the forest and Nic nodded. When Thalia impersonated her fellow people that had asked her for certain things, Nic laughed, loudly. It was almost spot on, and hilarious. It must be interesting to have people come to you with orders to bring back plants. Nic only got ordered to do a job, and she couldn't refuse. It was nice to laugh though, and her voice quickly disappeared into the forest, swallowed up by it's vastness. "Do they ever stop asking?" She asked her.  

The girl then talked about her little fantasy, and Nic almost stopped in her tracks. She wasn't the only one that fantasised about stories in the forest. Nic smiled brightly, although the girl wasn't looking at her. "I love coming out here too. Get away from... Well. The confides of the camp." She admitted. "Too much happening at once." She really liked listening to the girls fantasy. It wasn't something Nic herself would have dreamed up, but it was really nice to hear someone else's dream. "That's amazing. But hey, you NEVER know what you will find. This place is a wonderful mystery." 
They continued to walk, as the girl sometimes stopped to collect some plants. Nic would then watch the trees, making sure no grounder, handsome or not, get the jump on them. "You know, when I'm here, I dream not about myself, but all the possibilities that can occur here. Battles unseen, epic tales of wonderers, maybe some romantic getaways." She told the girl. It was nice to have someone else think the same as her, in a way. To be able to know that someone else dreams about things that may not even occur. 


-----

Thalia Tait

[Thalia Tait]

Thalia snip, snip, snipped away as she hummed in between her sentences. She was a rather cheerful person usually. She found it a lot more calming to be around pleased and contented people, than stressed and fearful people. It was nice to be able to make someone laugh. She was always trying so hard to make people grin or laugh. Everyone was always so stressed, she just simply refused to let them be that way around her. They deserved to laugh and eat sweets and have a pleasant stroll through her beautiful forest. Grinning at the thought of it being hers, she moved on to digging up some subground veggies.

"Stop asking, wanting and needing?" she laughed, "Nah! They are always on some life or death adventure or trying to win the day or something intense like that. Lil' ole me is easily ordered and then forgotten as they go on their ways to save the world." She shrugged and grinned, twirling her trowel around as she spoke. "I get it though," she mused, "That's why I try to go out as often as possible and bring back more than what they ask for. A good tasting meal and a nice full belly is the least I can do for our prince and princess and their loyal warriors, like yourself."

She was picking little white blossoms from a shrub when she heard her guard grin and gush about their wonderful forest. Hand her some of the blooms, she popped one into her mouth. It wasn't as good as blackberries, but the flowers had their own light sweetness, like edible silk. It was a delight in and of itself.

"I agree!" the dark haired gather grinned brightly, "As camp something terrifying or dangerous is always looming over our heads, but here..." She closed her eyes and lifted her hands to take in the filtered sunshine and faint birdsong. "It's like living in a dream!" she chirped and sighed, "Everything is colorful and vibrant and musical and mysterious and... magical! Like something extraordinary could happen at any moment!" Turning a bit pink at voicing her dreamy like thoughts, she looked up at the fair haired girl. A smile looked good on that cherub face. She looked younger, more alive, almost like a nymph from some old tale from a book her father had read to her long ago.

Continuing their walk, Thalia stopped once more to collect some of what Monty called 'spin-ach'. It was smell when cooked in animal fat, but it was good for them and tasted a lot better than it smelled, so as long as she mixed in some garlic or onion-like plant. In fact there was some onion grass now. Goldie Fox spoke once more over Thalia's humming. "Like things that could of happened in the past?" she asked thoughtfully, then grinned, "I think about that stuff too sometimes, like when I find shells of old car, you know those machines people used to ride in? Or what certain things used to be for." She laughed thinking about the face Adam made when she made him cart back her 'junk'. Or... the face he had made. He had died in acid fog not to long ago...

"What sort of things do you think happened here?" she asked the other girl, standing up to look around and rubbing her brow with the back of her hand.

[Nicolette Carmichael]

The girl continued to walk and talk, and it was great. She was really talkative, and interesting to listen to. Nic didn't have to dream while escorting this girl. The girl almost did it for her.  "Like things that could of happened in the past?" she asked her when Nic told her about her thoughts. The girl quickly continued,"I think about that stuff too sometimes, like when I find shells of old car, you know those machines people used to ride in? Or what certain things used to be for."
Nic shrugged. "Not necessarily." Answering her earlier question. "Mostly it's all fantasy. I'd like to think it's real. Just... Imagine... Some warriors fighting their way through an army, using the trees as shields. Some on horses, swords in their hands, battle cries called. Endless possibilities." She sighed almost happily. "Sometimes when I'm on duty, I continue this story that I have in my mind. About this man, Steve. A great warrior, but confused man." She had never mentioned it to anyone, but she didn't have anyone to tell. Bellamy wouldn't get it, he probably wouldn't understand how someone so intelligent could get caught up in stories. But Nic knew this girl understood. From the looks on her face when talking, Nic could tell the girl enjoyed the fantasies. 

"What sort of things do you think happened here?" Thalia asked her, having turned to look at her. It was a curious question to ask and Nic paused a moment, looking around. 
"People probably used to come here, going for walks because they could. They would take a day trip here, maybe even camp out for the night. Have fun. Families taking their children outside because they needed time away from home." She smiled. "Or maybe there were animals here, foxes, wolves, deer, fighting the battle of nature. Little wolf families teaching the pups how to hunt." She looked around as she did, imagining the scenes in her mind. 
But she quickly composed herself. "But hey, those are stories; ideas to pass the time, keep my mind active. Avoid the bad, gloomy thoughts." She felt the need to explain herself. Too much self indulgence may not be good out here in the forest. She was still a guard after all. She straightened her back, and composed herself. She was on duty. She wore this uniform, carried this gun, because she was here for a purpose. Escort the girl. Her job, her duty, was always going to be a guard. It was always going to come first to her little dreams. Now that her biggest dream had actually come true, be a guard. 


-----


Thalia Tait

[Thalia Tait]

Thalia wiped her hands on her pants nodding as the other girl spoke of her day dreams, grinning as she mentioned a warrior named Steve. "Confused but valiant Steve, hm?" she hummed pleasantly, rubbing her sleeve over her face, "What sort of things does he get him self into? Or does trouble chase after him?" Thalia really was curious. She had always liked fairy tales and stories that had an ancient world ring to them. Swords and warriors and talking animals... That sort of thing was right up there with her romantic fantasies.

Thalia had little dreams, but her romantic fantasies was always big. She'd imagine tumbling through time after entering a cave or stream. She'd imagine being able to halt an entire army of Grounders (who looked a lot like Arker boys in fur and metal) when gathering flowers to knit into her hair. Or that her singing voice would be so sweet and echo so hauntingly beautiful that the forest wind fell in love with her, sheltering her in a woodland palace for the rest of her days. They were all silly things that if she had ever said out loud would only reward her with stares or mocking laughs. 

But wasn't day dreaming suppose to be what a girl her age did? Wasn't she suppose to be dreaming of a prince or warrior to swept her off her feet, carry her far from all sorrow and live happily ever after with? No, probably not. Even in the Ark their lives had been pretty bleak and mundane. No one cared about anyone but their father, mother or spouse to be. And themselves. And her being as plain as she was, as forgettable as she was? Thinking, even back then, that someone would fall instantly in love with her was imbecilic. At most she could of hoped to get into a Match that gave her father better access to medicine to keep him comfortable till he eventually lived out his final days in space. And then maybe she have a kid or adopt one if her husband didn't feel enticed by her, ignore any affairs he had, maybe have a few of her own, pass her trade onto her kid or someone else, and then die. 

Die and have almost all of her belongings taken back into the colony and be floated out into space naked for all eternity or burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. How romantic was that? Ew, she much rather have her silly fantasies than anything as morbid and depressing as that. Of course, she had never thought about it like that before. Here on Earth she did though.

"Little wolf family..." she smiled at that. Yes, day dreams were far better than reality sometimes. They kept you sane, allowing you to escape for the harsh cruelties of the working in the real world. Too bad not everyone saw it like that. Even her poor, pretty guard felt the need to sullen and stiffen herself once realizing that life was happiness like dreams were. Putting another blossom in her mouth, she munched on it thoughtfully.

"At least in the forest it seems like those dreams could be reality," she sighed wistfully, watching sunshine drench a canopy of bright green leaves above them.


Nicolette Carmichael

[Nicolette Carmichael]

"Confused but valiant Steve, hm? What sort of things does he get him self into? Or does trouble chase after him?" Thalia asked her. 
Nic smiled. It was kind of nice to tell her story out loud. Although she wouldn't be telling Thalia everything, it still felt like something, and she almost excited. "He get's up to a lot of things actually. Has a complicated relationship with his younger brother. They always fight, BUT his brother is like his second in command. Then there's the big battle that's coming up. He's fighting for his kingdom. He knows he wants to one day become king, but he doesn't know how, because he knows his flaws, and he doesn't like them." She told her. "So he tries to change himself, which ends up being more destructive than he intended. So... He accidentally gets his best friend killed." She gave a small, crazy chuckle. She still couldn't believe she had done that, but she had. She couldn't take it back. The story must go on. "So, I'd say that trouble does chase him. Sometimes he can be very loveable though." 
She glanced at the girl and shook her head. "I'm too invested, sorry. It's stupid." She muttered lightly. Here she was blabbing on about a character she had created in her mind. HER mind. To Nic he was real though, sometimes she would imagine him walking around the camp. Sure in her mind Steve lived in a grand castle, and the camp was NO where near a castle, it was nice sometimes to imagine him, as company. It wasn't that she was lonely, sometimes she just needed that small distraction. It was nice. In her mind he was a handsome knight. Sometimes she even put herself into the story. As the young kitchen maid, who was friends with Steve's younger brother. But Thalia probably didn't want to hear anymore. No way.

Although Nic knew she shouldn't feel embarrassed to tell the girl these things, she did. Nic didn't know Thalia, and Thalia didn't know Nic. They were strangers. And usually you don't tell strangers these intimate things, things that only come from the mind. Maybe she was crazy after all? It was confirmed. She was crazy.

She mentally told herself to shut up. She was getting out of hand!

Thalia stopped, and looked up at the canopy above them. "At least in the forest it seems like those dreams could be reality,"  she said. 
Nic nodded, even though the girl couldn't see her. But she didn't want to say anything. She had said enough. Dreams were dreams. Stories were stories. None of it was going to come true, so why should they be spoken aloud? Nic had always kept that side of her a secret. Even her best friend, Benny, hadn't known about it. But here she was telling a stranger one her most precious story, or at least her most precious person; imaginary person, she corrected herself. Although she couldn't take it back now. The damage was done.  


----

Thalia Tait

[Thalia Tait]

The other girl talked about her Steve, a complex warrior who'd rival even the complicated character of their own leaders. Thalia smiled and nodded as she listened while working. With such a peaceful and pleasant day out, the storytelling was completely welcome. "He sounds like a very interesting person," she grinned, "And don't be sorry! Your dreams are a sanctuary. You should be proud that you can dream them, while others in your profession would much rather just shot at things." 

"And you are not stupid," she said in a more serious, but gentle and warm tone, "Your colorful imagination just proves how intelligent you are. You've created an entire person, with a family and life struggles." She smiled at the other girl. Thalia wished she could put her at ease. Or at least make her feel as though she were free to speak about her day dreams. In truth she really like hearing about them. She really liked knowing that someone else escaped from reality in a similar fashion to herself.

"Tell me more," she coaxed, "That is, if you want to. I like hearing stories." She bent back down to continue her digging for roots and vegetables. "And I don't get to talk to very many people," she tried her best to convince the girl into talking more, "So it's rather nice meeting someone I have something in common with."

[Nicolette Carmichael]

Hearing the girl praise her for her fantasy was incredible. It boosted her confidence just that little bit more. It was a strange feeling, she never really felt that way. She gave a small chuckle at Thalia's mention of her job. "Don't get me wrong, I love to shoot things too. And hit things. I suppose it comes with the territory." She told the girl. And it was true. There was something great about shooting and hitting things. Sure she wasn't a violent person. "It also helps to imagine battles in my head." She added.

They still continued to walk, and Thalia continued to work. But it was starting to feel a bit more comfortable now. "And you are not stupid," the girl replied, giving a small but friendly smile, filled with a warmth Nic only knew from her best friend.  "Your colorful imagination just proves how intelligent you are. You've created an entire person, with a family and life struggles."
Nic smiled at that. "Well. Thanks for calling me intelligent. Hardly anyone has ever called me intelligent. You know, apart from my teachers at school. Come to think of it, when they heard I was joining the guard, they told me it was wasted potential. Because I was smart, highest grades in the class, every year. But hey, look at me. I have a job that I love, isn't that important?" Intelligence, was definitely not associated with being a guard. They were seen as determined, and aggressive people. People who only knew rules, and followed them no matter the consequences. They were thought to be heartless, people who shot first asked questions later. But Nic thought she was a little different than that. Even some of her fellow guardsmen weren't like that. The people who weren't guards didn't know everything.

Again Nic smiled when Thalia wanted to hear more. Thalia was really sweet, and Nic appreciated it, very much. She didn't feel so nervous anymore. It was a rare occasion to feel like this. Might as well enjoy it while she could. At that moment they had stopped, and Thalia was digging up some roots. So Nic looked out at the trees, making sure no harm came to the girl. "Alright." She smiled happily. She didn't know where to start. "So Steve's background. His father is King, King Joseph, and he is a very mean king. His people don't really like him, but they follow him nonetheless, he was their king. The Queen, Queen Constance, she was a lovely wife to her husband. The King, he used to be liked, back when his Queen was still alive. The Queen unfortunately was murdered, by a famous assassin. Codenamed The Shadow. No one knows who this person is, no one has ever seen them." She spoke in her story telling voice. "She was murdered when Steve was about 8 years old. And after she was murdered, well the King sent out a small group of knights, tasked on finding this assassin, to no avail. They all died. The King in his grief became a bitter man. But every night he would stare at the portrait of his sweetheart, and cries." She said sadly. 

"Steve has 3 siblings. His younger brother, and second in command, Kristoff. His other younger brother, Colton. And finally his younger sister, Autumn. And of course Steve being the oldest is next in line for the throne." She continued. "Anyway. Steve and Kristoff are similar in some ways and completely different in others. Both of them Knights, have values that are the same. But Steve, he has a temper. A really bad one. He tries to manage his anger, but he's not very good at it. Kristoff is usually the one in the way of this, who tries to help, but can't seem to. Steve sometimes loses his temper and hits him. But Kristoff doesn't take it in the wrong way. He doesn't have his brothers temper. Steve and Kristoff are both calculated people, able to think 10 steps ahead, they think things through very well. Kristoff is much nicer, able to see the good in people, even his older brother. Steve doesn't think he has any good in him. Which makes him very confused, a battle in his own mind." 
Once Thalia finished with the root, they continued on, and Nic continued telling the younger girl about Steve and his family. "Now. Of course I had to add myself into the story." She gave a small chuckle. "I'm just a kitchen maid, you know, nothing special. She's lived her whole entire life in the Castle that the royal family live in. She grew up with Kristoff. They are around the same age, and somehow became friends. For years the two of them have had feelings for each other, but neither have done anything about it. Because they don't think the other likes them. Steve knows his brothers feelings, and tries to get him to do something about it, but Kristoff is a little stubborn, and refuses to do it, afraid of being rejected." 

Nic paused, glancing at the girl. What else could she say about the royal family she had made up in her mind? "Steve has always been a little rebellious. Sneaking off for days at a time, fighting monsters. Or he would hide some important documents, or some of his sibling's stuff just so that they would have to find it. Steve was cheeky like that. He didn't do it because he was cruel or anything, he just liked to challenge them, to prove himself worth something. He also has a complicated relationship with his father, who has never really liked his eldest son. And likes to punish him whenever possible. Steve, being relentless, just takes it in vain, and still continues to annoy his father." It felt good to get all of this out of her head and out in the open. "I think that's about it in regards to Steve and his family. And now that Steve is older he knows he has a responsibility, and wants to be a better King than his father, but he just doesn't know how. He has only really seen his father be greedy and cruel. He himself doesn't see himself as a good man, no matter how hard he tries. So he contemplates handing over the throne to his younger brother, but he doesn't know if his brother would be able to handle it, or whether or not he is ready." 
Again she looked at the girl, and this time waited for her to respond to her character's background. Hardly any of this had to do with the actual story that she had created for the past few months. Of course backgrounds were important, but the best bit was the actual story. The struggles and triumphs of these characters. How they may have changed, or stayed the same. 


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Thalia Tait

[Thalia Tait]

Hardly anyone called her intelligent? Well, perhaps they all had lockjaw in their jealousy, because the dreamy Goldie Fox sounded very intelligent to her. And to be a guard as well must mean she was quite strong or fast or both. Chuckling to herself, she felt sorry for any poor fool who crossed the lady knight at her side. Thalia smiled as she listened to the other woman tell her story. She could see it all in her mind. The castle, the knights, the crying king... It made her work go by so fast, it made their walk seem enchanted.

"It's like getting to glimpse at another world," she sighed wistfully, "I envy your mind! I can't really make up such detailed dreams. But, my father said I got my mother's knack for interpretation. Like a mockingbird, or something." She flushed. It sounded odd when she put it all like that. "What I mean is..." she rubbed the back of her neck, "Here, I'll show you. One moment, please."

Thalia felt the sun on her face and smiled up at the sky as she closed her eyes. The story filled her with something very familiar, like the lullaby her father used to sing to her. Though she couldn't remember the words and hardly remembered the tune, it felt like the retelling of a story. Perhaps, if she listened to the bird and found a tune... There. With a smile she opened her mouth and let the tune carry past her lips and echo out into the quiet forest.

"There was a boy"
"A very strange enchanted boy"
"They said he wondered very far~ Very far~ Over land and sea"
"A little shy~
"And sad of eye~ 
"But very wise was he..."

"And then one day"
"A lucky day, he passed my way"
"Then we spoke of many things~ fools and kings~ then he said to me"
"'The greatest thing'~ you'll ever learn~is to love"
"And be loved in return..."

The song trailed off into the woods, as if dancing on the wind. Thalia felt her face flush. "I can't make up such wonderful tales like yours, but..." she smiled a bit bashfully, "Well, I guess this is my awkward way of showing you how much I enjoyed it." She lifted up her hands and looked at them. "It's like a story will just run through your blood when you hear it, you know?" she murmured, "It fills you up and you just have to let it out, to give breath to how you feel about it." Looking up at the fair haired guard she grinned and gave a shy shrug. "I couldn't really tell you with just plain words how I felt, so," she flushed, "I had to show you in my way just how beautiful and deep your story effected me..."

[Nicolette Carmichael]

OOC: That song was epic! I loved it... As you can tell from the way Nic reacted... haha

----------------------------------------

When Thalia explained how she felt about Nic's story. Well. Nic was absolutely taken aback, her breath was literally taken away by the small breeze that came through the small clearing they were standing in. Thalia's voice, was... Incredible to say the least. There was something so enchanting about it. She loved the words too. It resonated deep in her mind and bones. Her spine tingled, her skin was now goosebumps, and she felt like she was going to cry. 
"That. Was. Beautiful." Nic finally said in a soft whisper, after the girl had finished singing and explaining her thoughts behind it. She hadn't needed the explanation, but she felt the truth behind it. "I know a thing about the story running through your blood. I literally felt that right now." She gave a small chuckle. "I'm delighted that you love my characters. Maybe I can share my story with you? I mean, aren't stories meant to be told? To someone, anyone? I tell the stories to myself, but maybe it's time I share it with someone else?" 

It was incredible how in such a short amount of time, this girl, Thalia, was able to get these things out of Nic's head, and out into the open forest. Right now, this was their enchanted forest, from those fairy tales, from the old days. This was their haven. Even for just a moment. She felt like anything could happen right now. She felt almost powerful. But she wasn't. This forest was bigger than all of them, they were just small creatures among the beautiful, tall trees. The trees could hide anything, be anything. She could not dictate what the forest would do, or what it could throw at them. But... She decided that was the beauty of it all.  

[Thalia Tait]

Thalia turned red and gave a small shy laugh, waving the compliment  away. "Not at all," she chuckled, "I was just repeating the beauty of your story. Mimicking like a mockingbird, as my dad would say... But thanks." She was smiling brightly, beaming really. It felt good to share her little secret hobby with someone else. Walden kids didn't get to go to many fancy parties with music, like they did in Phoenix. So many Walden kids simply made their own, making up songs, beating on hollow buckets, tapping together junk metal, making their own little instruments out of bits of junk and rejected things here and there. No many were willing to own up to it though. For some reason on the Ark, if you made too much noise the Guards would have it out for you afterwards. Well, the mean spirited ones anyway. They thought all Waldenites were lowly urchins ready to become criminals at any moment. And maybe they had been right. She was here on Earth from being Confined, wasn't she?

Goldie Fox offered to tell her more and wide eyed Thalia nodded with a beaming grin. This was turning out to be one of the most interesting treks she had ever gone on. Usually she entertained her gunners, but today she was the one getting entertained. "Please do! I'd love to hear more!" she chirped, "Stories are always magical things. Just like food they get better when you share them with others."

The dark haired food handler was delighted. It wasn't often that her guards and escorts had the patience to deal with her day dreaming. Now she had found a guard with even better day dreaming than she could of ever thought up! The forest seemed to shiver in the breeze with her contentment. It was a beautiful place. A place she always loved, no matter what happened. Fights with Grounders or tussles with wild animals, it was wild and raw and natural. Nothing could mar the beauty and enchantment the forest held for Thalia. As fearful as she was, in the woods she felt far away from everything awful. Like she was in her own little green wilderness world. And that was something no Grounder nightmare could take away from her either. Just like the Ark could never take away the Tait family heirloom of song.