Pre-Prequel: Beneficient River and Seven Blossoms [Incarnadine Waters]

[Cry1]

"I don't know whether anything of that's true... The only thing I know is, that just one chosen of the sun has, in a few years, troubled the Realm greatly... And if that's what just one Celestial can accomplish... It makes me optimistic, you know?" Blossoms passes the water back to River, looking on the road again. Though the wagon is still moving barely faster than a walking human and the horse is still just following the road.

 

[Argas]

"The Bull has an army with him, and I wouldn't be surprised if he had other exalted with him." She breaks a piece of bread in half and holds one out to Blossoms, "bread?"

 

[Cry1]

"Thank you", Blossoms takes a big bite of the bread. She's not hungry, but that's what humans do. They eat anyway. Also, she's used to not knowing when the next meal will come around, so better safe than sorry. "I have no idea how far Harborhead is, but we should reach the caravan route tomorrow at noon to afternoon, depending on how fit the horse is. We're in no hurry, are we?"

 

[Argas]

"Not particularly. It's not like we'll find Harborhead in ruins if we're late. Creation will still be around even if we lounge around for a month."

 

[Cry1]

"Woah, don't say stuff like that. You'll jinx existence!" Blossoms giggled. "But I hope we won't take all that long. There's still some options for shortcuts..."

 

[Argas]

"Oh? Let's hear them."

 

[Cry1]

"Well, most of them have to do with me carrying you - so let's don't go there just yet."

 

[Argas]

River chuckles, "right. That would be awkward."

 

[Cry1]

"Yes, that's one point..." Blossoms yawns, the wagon isn't moving that fast after all. "Let's see how long this horse can go without rest, before we decide."

 

[Argas]

"I wonder how those slavers even get around so fast if they can only go this slowly."

 

[Cry1]

"More horses and someone who actually knows how to steer probably?" Blossoms guesses with a smirk. "Or maybe they aren't any faster. They stocked all this food after all." She pointed to the inside, where the rations where tied up and hanging from hooks in the wagon's ceiling.

 

[Argas]

River nods, "so... You can change shape right? What other shapes can you change into... Or would that be a secret?"

 

[Cry1]

"Nah, no secret. I picked up a couple of shapes over the last years. Basically one or two for every environment... It's a great gift. Some shapes aren't that comfortable, though."

 

[Argas]

"Of course, you're still human even if you carry the spark of a greater being within you," she says while gathering a pile of empty sacks and other varieties of soft objects together, "wake me up when you want to switch.


With that, Beneficent River lies down, closing her eyes and trying to get some sleep.

 

[Cry1]

The wagon actually reached the main road before sundown, where it was pretty clear which direction was the wrong one, so Blossoms chose the other, if it wouldn't actually bring them there, it would at least bring them close to Harborhead.


"River, you up?" she asked. Soon they'd have to camp for the night or come up with a better idea.

 

[Argas]

River stirs, though it takes almost ten more seconds before she's up. "yeah? We switching now?"

 

[Cry1]

"We reached the caravan route, it'll get dark soon and I doubt the horse will be able to go much longer. So either we rest up until the horse can go again, or we continue on foot and carry each other and switch each few hours... What do you think is best?"

 

[Argas]

"Haha, the former of course. Did you really need to ask?"

 

[Cry1]

"Of course I had to ask, I don't know how insane you are... yet."

 

[Argas]

River laughs, "now why would I be insane?"

 

[Cry1]

"I've met most other people under more normal circumstances" Blossoms replies, smiling. So a little while later, a few meters off the road behind a small hill, a small fire is crackling and the exhausted horse is grasing, giving off small clouds of steam in the cool evening breeze.

 

[Argas]

River drinks a bit of water before standing up, "I'll take first watch then... Though I doubt anything is going to come after us tonight."


She walks up the hill and finds a good place to sit and watch.

 

[Cry1]

Pleased with Rivers decision, Blossoms curls up next to the fire and soon falls asleep while wondering, why she trusts a stranger with the first watch...

 

[Argas]

River spends her time watching the stars. She paces around the top of the hill now and then, just trying to keep herself occupied. She never imagined leaving her home, going so far away from An-Teng. But here she was, all because she had the guts to confront a god that spread misery. She sits on a rock and turns to watch her traveling companion. The Golden Lord spoke of such people, the friends of the Solar Exalted. They were their best friends, their battle-brothers, and even their mates. But he also warned her that the times had changed Luna's Chosen. River didn't know what to think. Blossoms... She's a person no doubt, not a barbarian or a crazed man-beast looking to destroy civilization. That was reassuring.

 

[Cry1]

In her dreams, Blossoms is chasing a strange, shadowy figure. She doesn't know why she's chasing, only that she doesn't wanna hurt him... her? Her.


But who is she?


She struggles for a second so she doesn't scream when Beneficent River wakes her for her turn. After trying to pierce the night's murky shades of grey with her gaze for a moment, she finally sits up. "Anything happen while I was sleeping?"