Out of Character:
Closed to Black Shadow, Taviri Ambria, Requiem of Insanity, and Green Gwendolyn. Bunnies between me and Green Gwendolyn are approved.
Ashla could not understand it... how come she was faster than her cousin, yet Gwen was far ahead of her?
"Hurry up, Ash!" She called.
Ashla panted from further down the hill, "I-I'm comi-ing..." Ashla was all sweaty, she slouched there for a moment. Within the grassy hills and plains of an ancient country, the best thing she could find were the heavenly winds flying into her face, cooling her down a little. Against the burning sun, the half-elf gathered her remaining strength. Brushing her hand against her stomach in protection, she pushed herself the rest of the way up.
Once at the top, she could hardly hear her blonde cousin chattering about like it's the end of the world. "Yes! We are finally here! Here to grab perfect materials for..."
For blah, blah, blah...
"Hey! Are you listening to me??"
Ashla blinked and over to her ticked looking cousin. Ashla chuckled, "Y-Yeah, sti-ill follllllowing 'ya." And Ashla stuck her thumb up, still heavily breathing from the exhaustion.
Luckily, Gwen bought it. The young elf beamed, "Great! Well, as I was saying..."
Ashla cut in, "We're here to get you some extra wood to make more arrows, right?"
The young elf clasped her hands together, "Right you are! As a member of the Trading Company, it is my duty to..."
Ashla let herself get distracted during her relative's ramblings again. Ashla was now looking at the grand sight on the other side of the giant hill they came over.
A ruined city.
As another gust of wind came over them, sending goose bumps up Ashla's pale skin, she interrupted her cousin again. "Hey, what is this place?"
Gwen shrugged, "Dunno... It is one of the cities lost during the Corpse War. Forgot the name, but yeah. People abandoned it because of how bad it was overrun."
Ashla caught a tinge of sadness in the elf's voice and remembered how this place was Gwen's homeland. Now, Gwen was not born during the dreaded Corpse War - but the country she grew up in was still suffering from it. Ashla placed a hand on her cousin's shoulder. The rough blonde smiled in a silent thank you before continuing. "But the city isn't where we're going..." And the elf pointed to a small patch of woodland just ahead of the city gates. "We go in, grab some oak branches. Get the heck out." Gwen placed her hands on her hips and looked at her cousin with confidence. "Sounds like a plan?"
Ashla looked at her cousin, a smirk slowly formed on her lips, "Sounds like a good plan to me." And the girls ran on down.