Wildling Series Serella Savenko

Greetings! There are some name changes this week; I'm going to try to change previous posts, but for now the changes are just from here out. That character of Atcher the brownie is changed to Fen, and the Wind Rabbit Undertow is now Spindrift.
Chapter 15: Petrichor
Staring at the scene, Tonic notices how the grey seamint path curves most of the way around the circle. There are 5 box-houses, their partially-built bones tall and stark. Each box-house has a tiny, short-grass meadow around it. The house bones sit just outside the grey path; in the center of the seamint circle is a smooth, black surface that looks almost sticky (but is firm and dry to Tonic’s cautious touch). A movement catches the gnome’s attention, and Tonic braces for an attack before realizing it’s just a reflection in the window of the nearest partial-house. 
Looking closer at the reflection, it is apparent that the green is missing in Tonic’s hair puffs. With a soft, bewildered touch to a hair puff, Tonic notes other changes “My eyes should be a warm, persimmon orange, why are they now the color of black walnut?” The gnome’s mossy patches and bark-like skin are altered too; the moss is gone, leaving instead pale patterns on the delicate brown skin. “Where has my bark gone? Where is my moss?” Tonic wonders aloud. Marvelling and still gripping the perfect, red metal cylinder, Tonic lets out a loud yelp when a voice nearby says “Are you going to drink that soda?”
Fen slowly moves over to sit by Prism, collecting rocks along the way. Neither friend speaks. Prism is angry and frustrated, trying to stand, prodding at the useless legs, and attempting to figure out what’s going on. Fen is sorting the rocks, noting their colors, textures, and sizes, organizing and reorganizing them in different patterns. The brownie keeps trying to tell Prism that everything will be okay, that the rocks just need to be in the right order for it all to work out, but for some reason Fen can’t seem to communicate ideas very well. The brownie’s inspiring demeanor isn’t functioning like usual.
After the brief scream of surprise, Tonic stammers “W-what? Who..?” The gnome’s wide eyes take in a figure in odd, fantasy clothes, wavy grey hair in a bun, and sturdy, dark boots. “From your expressions and clothing I’m guessing you came from the Land of Legend. I’m Petrichor - I’m a tylwyth teg. Don’t worry; this building site is deserted. Most paths from Myth to Legend come out somewhere abandoned. I’m not sure why, though. Maybe it’s easier to build a path where it won’t run into stuff? I like to walk through and admire the quiet; it’s a melancholy sort of beauty here. Anyways, hello! How can I help?”
With another sneeze and a snuffle, Tonic’s looks again at the metal cylinder. The gnome’s mind is in a whirl trying to figure out what to ask, or say, or do. “I don’t… What’s a soda? Can you help? My friend’s legs aren’t working.” is the best the gnome can manage.
Petrichor pipes up, “Let’s go look; I’ll do my best to help. Is this your first time traveling to the World of Myth?” Tonic nods as they walk back to Prism, and the tylwyth teg continues, “Ah. Well, then. Have you discovered how you’ve changed yet? I lost my ability with plants; I can’t grow anything anymore. I create gardens in paper and paint now. I’ve learned ever so much, but it is a blow to lose my connection with living plants.” 
Tonic realizes that Petrichor’s whole outfit is adorned with plant imagery; buttons that look like flowers, embroidered patches of leaves and blooms, a hair tie knitted to look like a vine, even plant patterns woven into the cloth. The gnome says with honesty, “I’m so sorry; that sounds really difficult. I

Chapter 14: Wildlings
After a restful night at the Snail’s Gift, Tonic, Atcher, and Prism are excited to be on their way. Finding Graemes and their journey’s end seem very close, and they are full of fizzy energy. The Wind Rabbits remain asleep in their bag, satchel, and pouch, as brownie, sprite, and gnome eat and break their fast.
Notyet is busy cooking, cleaning, and generally tending to guests and the inn while the trio enjoy a hot cereal of oats, buckwheat, and hemp seeds, with maple cream, chopped pecans, and fresh huckleberries on top. As the friends are finishing their meal, Notyet’s work slows down. The snail comes over to chat with the friends, “You seem to have learned a good bit about the World’s Between from your friend Graemes, I will try to help fill in any gaps in your knowledge before you go. Do you have questions?”
“Yes,” Atcher is ready to take notes, “can anybeing travel the Worlds Between? I understand the Lintels and Marginalia keep accidental crossing to a minimum, but are there people who cannot go? Could a group like us be separated, if not everyone is a Wildling? Are there limits to how much we travel?”
Notyet nods, “You have many good questions. As you’ve said, a Wildling is one who can travel the World’s Between. The word for someone who cannot sense or travel the World’s Between is “Glazed.” The Glazed cannot sense a Lintel, they do not get the “wild” feeling a Wildling has. When a Lintel is near, Wildlings describe an experience of the world shifting, of feeling newness, or magic, or of the world seeming brighter or more urgent. So no, not everyone travels the World’s Between.” Notyet looks at the group and continues, “As for a group traveling together, it may be possible for a Glazed to travel the World’s Between with the help of a Wildling, but I do not know. I’m not sure it’s ever been tested scientifically. Most beings regard the World’s Between as made-up, magic, fantasy, mere legend; those few who do travel are usually too busy traveling and having adventures to test the science of it.” Here the snail pauses to clear away the dirty dishes.
With a nose-wrinkle Atcher looks at Prism and Tonic, “We were doing so much, I never really considered… are we really going into the World of Myth? Where tricksy humans trap us and steal our science and skills? Where we get turned to stone? It hardly seems like something real…”
Prism’s changeable moods flow between surprise, disbelief, and anger, settling near confusion. “I never really thought… Graemes does travel, Graemes goes somewhere. And the journal mentions the World’s Between. And Nightshade said the World of Myth is real, and Vellum agreed; Notyet too. I mean, how would it even be some elaborate prank?”
Tonic pats the pocket with the plush moth in it, “I’m sure the World of Myth is real, but… well, just like any story, maybe bits of it are made up? Maybe it’s really just another part of the real world? I just don’t think magic can really be real...”
Notyet returns from cleaning and continues, “Your last question is about limits on travel; again, not much rigorous scientific testing has been done about traveling the World’s Between. However, I do get a fair amount of travelers, and they all have stories. While I’ve never heard of strict limits, travelers do report changes. Some changes might cause you to choose to limit your travels across the World’s Between. Do you know what happens when you finish crossing the Lintel? Rules between worlds don’t always match. What works on one side may be different on the other. The reward of growth requires risk; some beings who travel the World’s Between change but little, some change a lot. I have heard of s

Chapter 13: The World of Myth (and Land of Legend)
All three friends desperately want to run, but each stays on the circle of barren earth to help the other two. Slowly, in this way, each individual only managing to stay in order to support their friends, the semi-paralized trio inches forward until gnome, sprite, and brownie all stand completely on the barren patch of earth. The reddish-grey dirt is dry and grainy; no interesting rocks beckon to Atcher, no puddles call to Prism, no plants hope to sing with Tonic. The trio is frozen with anxiety, as if in stasis. Then, with a very deep breath (one full of trepidation and uneasiness), Prism, Tonic, and Atcher hold hands and reach out to touch the Tree Beyond the Garden.
Atcher waits anxiously; there is no mystical wooshing tunnel. Tonic tenses nervously; there are no sparkly lights opening a portal. Prism quickly loses patience and huffs in disappointment, “Wallowing currents! We’ve completed our Craft Conclusions, journeyed on a Wanderlust, met a dryad with a curse, were nearly stranded in a forest on our way to the Librarians, found a Knight and leveled a mountain, navigated an impossible village, crossed an endless meadow that’s only 20 paces across, walked further than I’ve ever been from home… but we made it! We made it to this tree to find Graemes. And nothing happens?! What do we do now?”
Impacted by the sprite’s words, Tonic considers going home; there is no longer the pull of the Wanderlust, the adventure could be done, and they would surely meet Graemes whenever the mentor travels this way again. ...but that seems so unfulfilling. To have made it this far, past so much, only to be stopped at the last step? 
Prism and Atcher watch their friend thinking, waiting for some idea. The gnome pulls out Graemes’ journal and reads the first decipherable portion to be found: “Whenever the world suddenly seems strange, when your heart races for no reason, when your senses sharpen and drink in every detail, when places you know are unfamiliar, when unknown places feel like home, that is a Lintel to the World’s Between. Find the Lintel, and you can cross over. Although the Lintels and Marginalia are often extraordinary, the actual travel of the World’s Between is gradual, often hardly noticed.”
“That was surprisingly pertinent.” Atcher quips cheerfully.
Looking around, searching for some indication of where to go or what to do, the trio remains baffled. They leave the circle around the dead tree and walk among the depression full of violets; the flowers are fragrant, the green of the vine tunnel is bright. Wandering back out of the vine tunnel, Tonic wonders aloud, “Did we somehow miss the right tree? Is that one last piece of the Marginalia; multiple trees in barren circles in a depression of violets, and we have to find the right one?”
When the trio is out of the tunnel, Tonic turns in a circle. “Oh blister buds. Atcher, can you tell from your Stratigraphy Skirt where we need to go? I can’t figure it out.”
As Atcher begins pointing out features on the skirt, Prism notices a wiggly movement drop out of the birchbark journal and asks, “Atcher; what’s up with your birchbark?”
The three friends see the Sudden Idea about maps wriggle free of the journal and start hopping and spinning. “Maplet?” Atcher asks, kneeling down close to the little Sudden Idea on the ground, “What do you want to tell me?” Maplet spins again, so it’s rose-star shell twirls around, then points away into the thicket forest and squeaks at Atcher. “Thank you, Maplet! Back into the birchbark now.” Atcher helps Maplet back into the bronze bag. “It seems we go this way,” the brownie indicates with a gesture the way the Sudden Idea is pointing. “Mapl

Chapter 12: Lintel
The walk across the rest of the meadow is gentle, and the time seems a good bit shorter than the first half was. While strolling along, Tonic swirls toward Atcher and yelps “Quick! Before they’re gone!” while pointing at the hot air balloon floating slantwise to places unknown. 
“What?!” the startled brownie grinds to a halt and looks around with concern.
“The Useful Device! For seeing far away!” Tonic’s bubbling enthusiasm makes it hard for the gnome to articulate thoughts clearly.
Prism gasps, “Oh! Yes, let's send the Nightjar twins your Useful Device! It would likely be ever so much help to them.”
Tonic nods in grinning agreement.
“Of course! What a brilliant idea!” Atcher responds elatedly. Taking out the far-seeing Useful Device the brownie wonders, “But how do we get it back to them? The meadow takes so long to cross.”
“Wind Rabbits.” Prism asserts, while taking the Useful Device. With a sharp whistle, the sprite has all three Wind Rabbits at attention. “It will take all of you working together, but please race this Useful Device up to the hot air balloon. Okay?” Undertow twirls the Useful Device and takes the lead, showing Steam and Turbine how to lift and balance it. Atcher writes a brief note of thanks and explanation, ripping the page out of the birchbark journal. Tonic uses a bit of ribbon from a tea tin to tie the note securely to the Useful Device. Only a few slips and drops later, the Wind Rabbits are racing the Useful Device toward the ever more distant hot air balloon. Continuing their trek while the gift is delivered, the friends share the happy, satisfying feeling of helping. The woods on the far side of the meadow loom up quite suddenly, as though the meadow was eager to have the trio arrive; or perhaps the geography is not as scrunched up at this end. Looking back across the meadow, Prism notices that the hot air balloon and the Nightjar twins are no longer visible. The sprite smiles, thinking of what Weathervane said about lost things, and quietly says, “It was magnificent to meet them. I hope they bring delight where they are needed next. Although the twins aren’t exactly lost things, their friendship is treasured.” Moments later, the speedy Wind Rabbits are back.
Surveying the landscape ahead, the friends determine that the trees are large, the brambles tangled, and the undergrowth a thicket. It is hard work to get into the woods. Atcher chooses a sharp Sudden Idea from the Birchbark journal to help cut into the brush. Tonic looks for a path with the least harmful plants, and uses the Mighty Teaspoon Hammer to sweep aside and crush any plants blocking the way. Prism barrels through like a storm, ripping and stomping, and sometimes howling from a vicious thorn or stick. In this way, sprite, gnome, and brownie make it through the woods. 
Once inside, the light is a dappled green, and the air is cooler. The trees are older and larger, so the undergrowth is thinner, making progress much easier. The trio stops for a rest and a snack of nuts and dried fruit. The Wind Rabbits chase up a breeze to cool everyone, and soon the friends are searching for the depression full of violets that marks the Tree Beyond the Garden. Atcher uses the Sudden Idea about maps to help determine their course. The underbrush has thickened again, and sturdy green vines curl and lock everything together, almost into a wall. Tonic observes, “Some of these vines are as thick as the bowl of my Mighty Teaspoon Hammer. We won’t be able to cut them. But if Compass saw the hollow of violets, then there must be a way through. Look for any sort of break in the vines, or more cleared area.”
The search is quite fruitless for a long while, until Atcher notices the openi

Chapter 11: Weathervane
Actually approaching the dome takes some time, but not so long as the trio feared in this strange, scrunched-up meadow. Upon closer sight, the dome is a large, round, puffy, rainbow-kaleidoscope of color; and it seems to be inflating. A figure bustles loudly behind the dome, and there is a constant roaring-hum of a noise happening inside the dome. As Prism, Tonic, and Atcher approach the scene, the Wind Rabbits rush up and over the bright dome, twirling and snuffling playfully. “Hullo! Fairwinds, little friends.” is heard to come from the otherside of the dome, where the three Wind Rabbits went. 
Rounding to the far side, the brownie, sprite, and gnome see a cheerful, busy figure giving bits of sand to the Wind Rabbits (the airy lagomorphs are happily crunching up the tiny particles). The stranger is a bird with a small beak,who is wearing spectacles and a light blue cravat.
Tonic calls “Greetings and hospitality!” while Prism waves and Atcher peers at the woven cube next to the figure.
Looking up in surprise, the stranger greets the three friends. “Hullo there! Are these Wind Rabbits your friends? They are wonderful!” Flapping a wing in salutation, the stranger continues, “Call me Weathervane. Have you ever worked on a hot air balloon before? I could use some help with mine. We lost some things during a spot of nasty weather recently, so Compass went to fetch some supplies, but my dear twin set out ages ago! We are the Nightjar twins; have you heard of us? We write and reenact our explorations!”
The friends stare uncertainly at the enthusiastic figure. Noting the hesitation, Weathervane continues, “Weathervane Poorwill Nightjar? Compass Frogmouth Nightjar? The famous twins, exploring by land and air? … no? Well, no matter! You are in for a treat, because you now are able to make our acquaintances! I travel the skies by hot air balloon, and Compass traverses the land. We put on performances of our most astounding adventures, so all may know of lands far flung and learn of the wonders within them!”
“Do you need any help?” Atcher offers. “I’ve not worked on a hot air balloon before, but I think if you tell us what to do, we could follow directions.”
“Splendid!” Weathervane crows with enthusiasm. “I appreciate all the help you can give. Here, just hold this rope,” the bird-creature hands a rope to Atcher, “and if you would help pull the basket upright,” Weathervane continues, motioning at Tonic, “and could you have the Wind Rabbits assist in filling the balloon? We will have this set in no time!”
The group works hard following Weathervane’s instructions, pushing and pulling and straightening and twisting all the bits that need adjusting, until the hot air balloon is filled, and ready to take off. While waiting for Compass to return, the friends ask Weathervane to share stories of the twins’ travels.
“Certainly! I love to regale an audience with a good tale of travel.” Weathervane answers. “I would give you one of our books, but sadly, they were in one of the bags we lost during the storm.”
“Oh no! Did you lose a lot of items?” Prism asks, worrying it may have been the storm whipped up on the mountain that caused the twins to lose their things.
“Not to worry. We lost some items, but most we can easily replace. I did lose my treasured moonstone necklace, and Compass lost a favorite tin and  beautiful pen. Still, the items served us well while they were with us.” Weathervane moves to fix the position of the basket’s weights and check the straps.
Prism speaks up, confused, “Aren’t you sad to have lost meaningful items? I don’t understand why you aren’t upset.”
“Well sure,” the explorer replies, “I’m a bit sad, but I k

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Wildling Series; Wild Adventure. Episode 13; Chapter 10: Stories
With Atcher, Prism, and Tonic all reunited, evening is arriving. They set out dinner, arrange a camping spot, and once it was dark enough, they set up the Night Tent. The trio hug and joke and laugh as they go about their tasks. Turbine assists with starting a fire, and Steam helps find tasty plants. Undertow stays in the Seafoam Satchel and rests from a grueling day. Once they are all settled and eating their meal of roasted veggies, bread, and cheese, the friends are eager to share their stories.
Prism goes first, sharing the story of taking the stream. “You were right, Tonic. The stream is part of the village, and did not allow me to swim my way around the Marginalia’s twisting. I had a terrible rough time.The stream was never where it should be, and sometimes it wasn’t even a stream! I would swim forward into open water, only to bash into impossible rocks and muddy banks. Everything was disorienting and uncomfortable, and I hated feeling alone. Every time I thought I was making progress, I kept finding myself back beyond the wall, or halfway out in the forest! Once I even found myself in the ocean; I had to swim a current that was hidden in a subaquatic cave to keep up with that twist. The stream did not like my affinity for water, and had to pull a lot of tricks to keep me turned around! Everyway I faced was upstream current. Undertow could barely keep up with the flickering speed of twists. Skidding along the surface as fast as a freshening wind, that Wind Rabbit almost got twisted to places without me! I had nearly made it into the middle of the village, when I came to some shallows lush with cattails and thick with mountain laurel. The fight to get there was exhausting, as whatever way I went, I was fighting current. The place was gorgeous, though, just like The Shallows at home! Undertow sniffed a laurel bloom floating in the stream, just as the place twisted again. I was horrified! I barely caught a hindfoot as I felt the waters changing, and Undertow ended up stretched thin across several waters. Poor thing was barely a puff for a while. I gathered Undertow up into my arms, calling the fierce little Gale to me across the wide winds and waters. It took forever, I was worn out from trying to stay still in the shifting river, but every moment Undertow was stretched meant another twist and a further stretch of the wind rabbit. I gathered as swiftly as I could, coiling the rabbit up and gathering as much breeze into my arms as I could; I think Undertow lost a bit of an ear, but it will heal.” Prism gently pets the sleeping rabbit in the satchel and goes on, “Once I had Undertow together I just slumped against the riverbank and stayed still, cradling the little Wind Rabbit as the world twisted around us. I think I slept that way for a while. That’s where we were when Undertow heard Steam singing. I’m so glad I was already holding the rabbit, or I never would have been able to keep up! I’m so relieved to be with you both again. I missed you, my friends.” Prism finishes the story with a smile and a friendly hand-squeeze.
Atcher’s story is next, of using a Sudden Idea and getting help from some Bits and Pieces. “I didn’t think we could just ASK for help, and I really wanted to use a Sudden Idea about maps! I opened to a fresh page in my birchbark journal, and started mapping what I could see of the town. The Sudden Idea helped orient me, and I kept track of where I’d traveled with my stratigraphy skirt. I walked around part of the outside of the Village, but the edge