little drifter (for pocket)

[LIEN]

On the outskirts of Xanadu, there is very distinctly a wide branch leading directly away from the city. It seems to be largely independent of the others, and there is a beaten path across its broad face. It's often not known exactly why one might choose to take this path out of the city. But, nevertheless, every so often, a lone traveler will change their original plans and choose this unknown route instead.

Soon, they'll find themselves mystified; for it is the only man-made path that can lead one to such a natural place. There are no buildings built into the treetops on this path. One could practically reach out and grab a bird by the wing, if they so wished. Any indication that they were once following a path becomes gradually less significant. Turning back does no good, because the city is suddenly no longer in sight. Further, further.

Eventually, a dead end. What appears to be a solid wall of wood covered in ivy sits behind a bell on a post, a small sign above it reading, "RING".

Ding-a-ling.

Honestly. Now, of all times? Lien had been hunched over a wide cauldron, gazing deeply into its depths. To anyone else, it may have appeared to be nothing more than hot water, steam rising from the surface. Lien, however, was using it to keep a close eye on a certain client of hers. What? He couldn't be misusing her products.

With a huff, she turned from her cauldron toward her doorway. She chanted something under her breath and waved a hand. The ivy concealing her entranceway parted itself to allow whoever had rung her bell to enter. "Yes, welcome, welcome." They'd have to excuse her for being a bit short that afternoon.

[SHOU]

Shou often liked to take long walks when he had the chance too, wandering away from his group into a forest steeped in nature often helped to clear his worrisome thoughts. However, it wasn't long before he found himself lost in the woods and slowly losing track of time. It did not stress him out, being lost, he was more concerned with their next raid and feeding the mouths of the other raiders. Without their strength they would be useless in their line of work. Although wandering lost in a strange forest did irritate him, and the firmly set frown showed that well enough.

After what seemed like hours, even though not quite half of one had passed, he felt as though he was in a dream. His feet were not his own and his thoughts became somewhat hazy. A couple minutes dragged on to become a full hour until he finally spotted something in the distance. It appeared to be a house of some sort, but he could not understand why someone would live all the way out here. Curiosity piqued, he walked towards the strange house and moved to enter--briefly halting at the sound of a bell. The bell seemed to awaken his dulled senses and he boldly stepped within the house and was met with a woman with the strangest hair he had ever seen in his entire life.

"Thank you." Shou muttered curtly, glancing around this place, his eyes finding someone more unusual than the last thing every time. "What is this place?" He asked forthright, briefly glancing out of the door to see the path that had somehow led him here without his own intent. "I seemed to have gotten lost, I need directions out." He was ever unafraid, even in these strange parts. His company was but a petite woman that he could easily best in combat, and she appeared to be some strange medicine-woman anyways. She did not frighten him, although he raised an orange brow at the obnoxiously large pot of boiling water in the center of the room.

[LIEN]

My, my. Wasn't this a surprise? A drifter out in the forest, stumbling upon Lien's humble abode? How interesting. Or, you know. not. The home carved from the trunk of the tree, nearly invisible if not for the bell sitting outside, had that property -- you know, drawing folks in when they were lost or misguided. It may or may not have been a certain charm of Lien's. Who's to say? Either way, no one would get in without her permission. Some ivy was not so easily penetrated.

"My home, my shop. Why? What does it look like?" Of course she realized that it must have looked rather odd. Not to her, of course. It was her every day. But with amulets hanging from hooks and forgotten languages scribbled on the wood walls, it may have come off as somewhat strange to others.

Lien laughed derisively at the poor fellow. "Sweetheart, if you're here, you don't need directions out." Again, Lien muttered something in that forgotten tongue. With a flick of her hand, the ivy that had allowed for the man's entry had closed up once more. One might find that it was more thick and sturdy than it looked. So much so, in fact, that exit without permission would be more or less impossible. You know, magic.

"Let's see, then." Lien began circling the man, a bit too close for two strangers in this country. She looked at him up and down, examining. "You're a fit young man, hm? Quite a scowl on you, though." She smiled coyly at him as she passed his front. "With a...noticeable" vulgar, blinding, offensive, ridiculous, "shade of hair." Once she was satisfied with her depiction, she ceased her dizzying antics. "Let me guess--something for love, hm? Strength above all others, perhaps?" She hoped not. All so trite.