“Why were you so... giggly whe the giant?” Vivienne asked, her many heads tilting in curiosity. “Holy, it kinda felt like your personality just flipped whe there.”

  Rava snorted, her smirk tugging at the er of her mouth. “Ah, well, it’s not every day you e face-to-face with one of the seven titans. When it es to beings like her, respect is the safest py. Show enough deference, and they’ll usually leave you in one piece.”

  “But ughing?” Vivienne pressed. “I thought you’d gone mad.”

  Rava shrugged, her expression somewhere between amused and exasperated. “By that point, I figured if I was going to die, it might as well be with a grin. And, holy? The whole situation was ridiculous. A bunch of backwater vilgers mao summon what amounts to a minor deity. How is that not funny?”

  Vivienne’s many maws curled into wicked grins. “I suppose if you look at it that way, it is a bit absurd. But you were also pletely naked.”

  “And?” Rava quipped, feigning offence. “If I’m going to face a giant warrior with a mace taller than most trees, why not do it unencumbered? Adds to the drama.”

  Vivienne cackled, her ughter an eerie chorus. “Oh, the drama was defihere. I’m sure she was intimidated by your ck of armour.”

  Rava rolled her eyes but chuckled despite herself. “Look, I’ve seen giants before. You show them respect, maybe crack a joke to lighten the mood, and hope they don’t take offence. Besides, I had other things on my mind.”

  “Like?”

  “Like how you seemed utterly unbothered by the whole ordeal. I was half-vinced you were going to try a her.”

  Vivienne hummed thoughtfully, one of her heads snapping pyfully toward Rava. “She did look tasty.”

  “See? That’s the exact kind of talk that’ll get you squashed like a bug,” Rava shot back, shaking her head. “Giants don’t take kindly to threats, implied or otherwise.”

  “Noted.” Vivienne’s form rippled as if shrugging. “Though I’d prefer not to eat something so… metallic. I’ll stick to bandits, thanks.”

  “Great. Leave the giant diplomae,” Rava said, her smirk returning. “Now, let’s focus on finding a pce to rest. I’m too tired to expin the finer points of survival to yht now.”

  “Finer points?” Vivienne echoed, her toeasing. “Like how to graciously accept stolen clothes that smell like the rear end of a beast?”

  Rava groaned. “Remio throw you into that s ime we pass one.”

  “Oh I look forward to it. Always wao swim in a s.” Vivienne said, her many voices ringing with monoce.

  Rava chuckled, then suddenly stopped mid-step, her ears swivelling. “Wait... I hear water.”

  Vivienne’s smoky form rippled as one of her heads tilted inquisitively, the sunlight filtering through the trees casting fractured patterns across her shadowy body. “Finally. I was starting to think this forest had nothing but dirt and melodrama. Shall we iigate, or do you want to nap in a sunny patstead?”

  “Let’s iigate,” Rava replied, ign the jab as she adjusted the fit of her stolen clothes. “If there’s water, I these rags. No way am I walking around smelling like a drunkard’s den if I help it.”

  Vivienne slithered forward, her movements unnaturally smooth and quiet, like smoke carried on a breeze. “Good. The stench is starting to overpower the pine st, and it’s ruining the ambiance.”

  “Funny,” Rava muttered, rolling her eyes.

  The sound of running water grew louder as they pushed through the sun-dappled forest. Soon, they emerged into a small clearing where a wide brook sparkled in the m light, its surface alive with the flicker of sunlight on rippling waves.

  Rava sighed in relief, her ears flig forward. Without hesitation, she stripped off the ill-fitting bandit clothes and waded knee-deep into the water. She duhe garments, scrubbing them against the rocks with purposeful movements. “Finally,” she muttered, more to herself than Vivienne. “Something useful.”

  Vivietled he edge of the brook, her shadowy flimmering faintly as sunlight passed through her. She leaned closer to the water, watg the way the stream distorted her refle. “I’ll assume that was directed at the brook and not at my exceptional panionship.”

  Rava smirked, her tail swishing zily. “Don’t push your luck.”

  As the lekine worked, Vivienne’s attention lingered oer. Her refle wavered and reformed, her many heads morphing in the distorted surface. She studied the iioween her dark, smoke-like essend the golden sunlight.

  “Something on your mind?” Rava asked, gng over as she wrung out her tunid draped it over a low-hanging branch.

  Vivienne didn’t turn, her focus unwavering. “Just thinking. About shapes. About... possibilities.”

  Rava raised an eyebrow. “That sounds suspiciously ominous.”

  Vivienne’s many heads turoward her panion in unison, a wide grin spreading across them. “Not ominous. Just… inspired.”

  Rava rolled her eyes, stepping out of the water and shaking her fur dry in one quick motion. “Well, keep your inspiration to yourself until I’m dressed. I’ve had enough surprises for one day.”

  Vivienne chuckled, a soft, melodic sound that seemed to hum with the aether around her. “Don’t worry, Rava. I only experiment on volunteers.”

  “Good,” Rava replied, stretg as she eyed the drying clothes. “Because if I lose a limb, I’m taking one of yours in trade.”

  Vivienne’s grin widened. “Bold talk for someone who’s still half-soaked.”

  “Bold talk for someohout a leg to stand on,” Rava shot back with a smirk, settling on a sunlit patch of grass while her clothes dried.

  Vivienne ughed, her heads weaving zily. “Actually in this form I have fs to stand on!”

  The two psed into a fortable silehe sound of the brook filling the air, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze.

  “I feel like those clothes carry every bad decision their previous owner ever made,” she muttered, stepping into the brook. The cold water pped at her legs, and she exhaled a satisfied sigh. “Finally. A proper rinse.”

  Vivienne perched herself on a rge roearby, her tendrils curling and uncurling idly. “You know, it’s refreshing to see someone it so thhly to not smelling like rets.”

  Rava shot her a withering gre but didn’t dignify the jab with a response. Instead, she duhe garments into the water, scrubbing them vigorously against a smooth stohe brook carried away the dirt and grime, and soon, the water arouurned cloudy.

  “I’ll take that as a thank you,” Vivienne said with a grin, her heads tilting in a synised motion.

  Rava rolled her eyes, wringing out the tunid draping it over a branch to dry. “Thank you, oh benevolent nightmare, for your endless wisdom and impeccable entary. Truly, I am unworthy.”

  “Finally, snition,” Vivienne purred, her many heads dipping in mock reverence.

  Rava chuckled, shaking her head as she spshed water onto her fur. The cold was brag, but it washed away not only the dirt but also the weight of the st few days.

  Meanwhile, Vivienne shifted her focus back to the brook. The sunlight pying across the rippling water fasated her, and her form shimmered faintly in response. A spark of curiosity ignited within her as she reached out with her essence, allowing the aether she had syphoo flow into the attempt.

  Slowly, her shadowy substance began to take shape. A single limb extended from her main form, twisting and solidifying into something almost human. The rough approximation of a hand formed at the end, its fingers cwed and jointed, but oddly elegant.

  “Still at it, huh?” Rava asked, watg Vivie of the er of her eye as she scrubbed her arms .

  Vivienne didn’t reply immediately, her focus locked on the new limb. It twitched and flexed, the movements stiff and unnatural at first, then slowly being smoother.

  “This is harder than I thought,” Vivienne murmured, her voice more thoughtful than frustrated.

  “Well, shaping your whole existeo something new doesly sound easy,” Rava said as she stepped out of the brook, her fur damp and glistening in the sunlight. She gave a vigorous shake, sending droplets scattering in every dire. The light caught the water in tiny rainbows, a fleeting burst of colour amid the wilderness. “Maybe take it slow? One limb at a time.”

  Vivie out a low scoff, her shadowy form rippling faintly. “Way ahead of you. This—” she raised the jagged, half-formed arm with a deliberate flourish, its cwed fiwitg—“is all I manage for now. Maybe I just o find more people to eat.”

  Rava paused, her ears flig toward Viviehen sighed with exaggerated patience. “You know, that would sound absolutely horrifying if I didn’t already know you’re talking about their fear aether.”

  Vivieilted one of her heads, her many maws curling into wicked grins. “That’s part of the fun, Rava. It keeps you on your toes.”

  “Uh-huh. And what happens when you scare someone so bad they faint?” Rava raised an eyebrow, her voice tinged with mock . “Do you lose out oher altogether? Or do you just feast on their unscious nightmares?”

  “An excellent question!” Vivienne replied, her toaking on a mock schorly air. “I’ll have to duct further experiments. Volunteers wele, of course.”

  “Hard pass,” Rava said, shaking her head as she id her drying clothes on a sunlit patch of grass. Her gaze drifted toward Vivieest attempt to jure another limb. She winced as the shadowy tendrils twisted and writhed, half-formed and uling. “That is... kind of creepy.”

  “Kind of?” Vivieilted one of her heads, her smoky form rippling with modignation. “I’ve worked hard to achieve full creep status. Kind of feels like an underwhelming review.”

  Rava snorted, sitting cross-legged on the grass. “Don’t worry, you’re solidly creepy. Like a bad dream you sort of want to wake up from but also ’t look away from. Very impressive.”

  “Now, that’s the validation I’ve been seeking,” Vivienne purred, her many maws curling into mischievous grins. She focused once more, her shadows tightening and densing into the beginnings of a limb. This one came closer to resembling an arm, though the proportions were off—too long, the fioo thin and cw-like.

  Rava frowilting her head as she observed. “You know, if you’re aiming for ‘humanoid,’ you might want to tone down the whole ‘spindly horror’ vibe. You’re veering more tothic scarecrow.’”

  Vivienne chuckled, the sound low and yered. “I’ll take that under advisement.”

  The newly-formed limb twitched and flexed, responding to her thoughts with increasing precision. Enced, Vivieried to add more structure—a hint of muscle, a smoother tour. But as she pushed her focus further, the shadows quivered violently and unravelled, the limb dissolving bato her amorphous form.

  Rava raised an eyebrow. “Too much too soon?”

  Vivienne sighed, her form rippling with frustration. “Apparently, this is harder than it looks. It’s like... holding sand in a sieve while someone shakes the table.”

  Rava raised an eyebrow, her tail flig. “What’s a sieve?”

  Vivienne paused, clearly trying to e up with a better analogy. “It’s a bowl with holes in it. You use it to strain things, like boiliables or whatever, to keep the food but get rid of the water. It's... well, useful, if you know how to use it—ugh, bad analogy. Fet it. Not the point.”

  Rava smirked, her tail flig as she drew out the word. “Riiiight. Sure, Vivienne. Just... moving right along.”

  Vivienne huffed, clearly a little frustrated but unwilling to admit it. “Segue! How far till we get to where we’re going, huh? I’m ready to actually make progress.”

  Rava's ears flicked as she gnced up at the sky, taking a deep breath before answering. “I don’t know,” she said, her tone unapologetiot exactly. These are unfamiliar nds to me. We’re heading in the right dire, I know that much. The general route to the ds is clear, but specifiot so much.”

  Vivienne raised an eyebrow. “You don’t know?”

  Rava grinned, showing a hint of sharp teeth. “Hey, it’s not like I’m a walking map. We’ll find it. It’s just—well, you know how it is. Even if you’ve lived somewhere a while, the world’s got a way of shifting things around. But once we’re near, I’ll kly how to get to my e.”

  Vivienne’s eyes narrowed in curiosity, her many heads tilting slightly. “ds, huh?”

  Rava nodded sagely, her expression softening for a moment. “Yes. I’m from the Serkoth . Fourth child of the current head.”

  “Three siblings?”

  Rava shrugged nontly. “Six brothers actually. I’m the middle one.”

  Vivienne raised an eyebrow. “Must’ve been a lot of petition growing up.”

  Rava’s grin sharpened, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. “Oh, always. But I learned early to make my own path.” Rava’s eyes took on a prideful gleam. “I’m the stro of them though. My affinity for the tempest is strohan any of them.”

  “So does that mean you’re in line for head?” Vivienne asked, a touch of curiosity in her voice.

  Rava let out a soft chuckle. “Nah, it doesn’t work like that. heads are chosen by the families within the . It’s more about who’s fit to lead than who’s stro. And while I’m definitely strohan my brothers, I’m ly the whole package for leadership.”

  Vivienne's multiple heads cocked with amusement, and she let out a discorda of giggles. “So, you’re an idiot after all? I could’ve told you that.”

  Rava shot her a look, rolling her eyes with a grin. “No, not an idiot. But I’m definitely not the smartest—that’d be my oldest brother. He’s got all the books and the strategies down. And the fifth one, well, he’s the passionate one. He often volunteers for those in need around the e.”

  Vivienne snickered. “Good to know. So, who’s the best one for the job?”

  Rava’s expression softened for a brief moment, the flicker of a smile tugging at the ers of her mouth. “That’d be my you brother. He’s still young, but he’s got the barength, intelligence, and passion. The way he sees things... I think he’ll make a great head one day. He’s still going through the training for it, but it’s clear he’s got what it takes.”

  Vivieilted her heads, her many maws curving into thoughtful grins. “A perfect didate. You must be proud of him.”

  “I am,” Rava replied, her voice quieter now, more reflective, a small smile lingering on her lips. “He’s got so much potential. All the things I’ve worked for… he’s got it naturally. But it’s strange, being this far away, missing out on watg him grow into that role.” Her smile faded slightly, repced by a more wistful look. “It’s hard to be here, doing this, when I know my family’s back there... and I’m not there to see it happen. I’m on a failed mission instead.”

  Vivienne’s forms rippled, one of her heads drawing closer, as if sensing the subtle shift in Rava’s mood. "It’s never easy being away from home, especially when you care about someone’s future. But you’re still doing something important. This mission of yours, it’s a path you have to walk—even if it feels like you’re not there when they need you."

  Rava looked away, her brow furrowing slightly as she chewed on her lip, processing the words. "Maybe... I just wish I could be in two pces at onot for me, but for him."

  Vivienne’s multiple heads shifted, their expressions being more thoughtful as they hovered in close. “Sometimes, absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

  Rava’s gaze softened, and she offered a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I like that. Is that a saying from your world?”

  Vivienne gave a small, mencholiod. "Yes, it’s an old saying. I’ve learhat sometimes it takes abseo make you appreciate what you had… or what you still want to protect." Her eyes grew distant, the shadows within them flickering, betraying aion she quickly tried to mask. "But it’s not just about dista’s also about the things we leave behind—and the ones who’ll carry on without us."

  Rava watched her for a long moment, the weight of the unspoken words hanging in the air betweehere was an odd fort in Vivienne's presence, even in moments of quiet ption. She wasn’t sure why she felt that way, but it helped ease the tightness in her chest.

  “I don’t know if I’m the best person to be giving advice,” Vivienne said, her voice dropping to something more vulnerable. “But sometimes, we have to leave in order to bee who we’re meant to be. Even if that means missing out ohings we hold dear. It’s... a sacrifice. For a future that might be worth it."

  Rava blihe weight of those words settling over her. “Maybe... maybe I just o focus on what I do now. Instead of w about what I’ve missed. There’s always something iure worth fighting for.”

  Vivienne smiled, her heads tilting in a way that almost looked affeate. “Exactly. You ’t ge the past, but you shape the future. And I think your future is going to be... something worth watg.”

  Rava let out a quiet, rueful ugh. "I'm not sure I want ag me trip over myself."

  Vivienne’s many heads grinned in unison, their sharp teeth gleaming. “It wouldn’t be nearly as fun if you didn’t.”