A gentle breeze carried salted air over a rolling hill to grace Flora’s lungs. Her eyes lit up as she took off, following the scent to the peak of the hill before coming to an abrupt stop, and spinning to look back.

“Al!” she called out with a wave, “We made it!” she exclaimed while throwing her arms out to her sides, and she spun to face the ocean once more.

It had been a long month of travel for the two girls. They had walked their way across the countryside to the ocean’s home. Their clothes had grown worn, and they were in need of new supplies as well as rest.

In nearly every town that they had passed along the way Allura sold or traded pelts that she had earned from hunting. With her earnings she balanced between the need to replenish broken arrows and the security of food for when her hunts failed her. Beyond that, Allura secretly saved whatever money she could afford to in hopes of treating Flora to new clothes and sweets when they finally reached their destination.

The town was full of brick buildings with baskets of flowers hanging from their windows, framed by weathered storm shutters. The buildings were nestled shoulder to shoulder, reaching all manners of heights in the ever-changing elevations of the narrow streets that zigzagged through the cliffside town of the rolling hill the girls had arrived upon that morning.

“Hey! Wait up!” Allura called out as Flora excitedly darted between the people. “Shit!” she yelped, colliding into a boy her age. “I’m sorry!” she blurted as the boy turned to face her with a friendly smile.

“No worries, cutie!” he chimed, and a faint blush warmed her cheeks as she looked into his deep green eyes that were framed by chocolate bangs.

“Oh-uh tha-...” her words faded as her focus shifted to the wooden amulet around his neck. Its border was decorative with hooking s’s, and it held two rings carved in its center with a solid circle perched above the two.

“A follower of Visushio?” she questioned as his face lit up, and he opened his mouth to answer, but her focus shifted again, “Where did she go?!” Allura pressed with a slight panic as she stepped past the boy, glancing about.

“Where did who go?” confusion flickered in the boy, watching Allura as she climbed onto a nearby crate, and she shielded her eyes from the bright sun.

“Flora…” she mumbled.

“Ehnhhh,” Rune whined from his sack, earning a perplexed look from the boy.

“What was that?” the boy blinked as Allura let out a heavy sigh.

“Rune.” she answered while continuing to scan the crowd.

“Ehnnhh,” Rune greeted while slowly waving a clawed hand from the sash, causing the boy’s eyes to widen.

“Do you have any idea where she went?” she questioned the sloth as his other hand rose out of the pack, and she gently pulled him from it, sitting him on her shoulders while he held on to her head.

“What is he?!” the boy gasped, “I’ve never seen one of those before!”

“Rune is a sloth,” Allura mumbled while continuing to look.

“Ehnnh!” Rune squeaked as he slowly pointed a claw, and Allura glanced to catch a flash of pink hair.

“Good job!” Allura chimed, and she hopped off the crate, jogging off with a quick glance over her shoulder to wave at the boy. “Sorry, for running into you!”

“No problem! I’m Bryan by the way!” he called back while returning the wave.

“Allura!” she nodded without slowing, and she left Bryan to his growing confusion.

“Who was that?” another in his late teens pressed as Bryan put a hand over his amulet.

“Allura.” Bryan smiled as the teen looked down to him.

“Do you know her?” he questioned while brushing his own sky blue hair from his eyes.

“No, she just ran into me,” Bryan hummed while looking down to his hands with a small blush.

“Then what’s with that look?” he asked, and Bryan’s blush deepened.

“N-nothing, Armel.” he mumbled while shaking his head slightly, and he looked to the boy to see a warm green aura settled at his core while electricity sparked over it.

“Try not to get distracted so easily by girls.” Armel sighed, “We need to keep an eye out for the fire demon. We can’t let our gods down.”

~

“Flora!” Allura called out, and the young girl’s head swiveled, causing her pink hair to swish over her shoulders. “You can’t keep running off like that!” she scolded as Flora’s face fell, and she bit her lip. “You’re going to make me go grey before I’m even old!” she complained before looking down to the pouting Flora, and Allura gently placed a hand on her head. “Come on, I saved up some money for new clothes...” she smiled while letting her hand slide off the back of Flora’s head, “And for some candy.” she revealed as Flora’s quivering lip fell still, and her face lit up.

“Really?! Can we get some salt water taffy?!” Flora pressed while grabbing Allura’s hand excitedly.

“Of course! But, only if you don’t run off again,” Allura warned, and Flora offered a bashful smile before the two set off to get their treat.