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Post by Caroline on Jul 10, 2011 6:46:05 GMT -5
Estelle was so quiet all the time, Shawn couldn't help but wonder if something was bugging her. Maybe she was just the type of person who kept their thoughts to themselves. Or perhaps she simply lacked anything interesting to say. Either way, Shawn found it difficult to read her mood. What if she didn't like him? That was another thought, but he decided not to weigh too much on it. He was pretty confident he hadn't done anything wrong, but even if she didn't like him for whatever reason, it wouldn't impact Shawn too heavily, if at all. He'd forced himself over the years not to get too touchy with people, especially those you had met less than twenty-four hours ago. It could be stressful sometimes, being that he was naturally a very social person who could befriend anyone.
However at this point in time, this girl was nothing more than an acquaintance, a guest, and she would be leaving today anyway. Shawn did like her though, and he would have loved to spend more time with her, but he wasn't sure how that would work out after today and figured he should just enjoy the time he had with Estelle.
Shawn took the lead of the two as they crossed the deserted field, plowing through the tall grass so the girl wouldn't have to. She could merely follow his trampled path. The foliage of the woods grew nearer, but they were still ages off. "How old are you, anyway?" Shawn asked casually, realizing she had never mentioned. He couldn't imagine she was any older than himself, her appearance was so young.
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Post by Caitlin on Jul 11, 2011 12:02:09 GMT -5
It's not that she did have anything interesting to say; she just didn't say it. Maybe it was just fear, or maybe it was because she felt that Shawn wasn't too interested in her in the first place. He was good company, but there was no point in trying to get to know him if they would be going their separate ways sooner or later. She was used to just being quiet. It was easier, and probably much more effective, than talking and talking and butting into someone's personal life. Just a nod or a quick sentence would do it. No need to be loud and obnoxious, right? She really didn't have a good reason as to why she was so quiet. But excuses would do.
Shawn's question broke the silence. It was a simple question, but something that often embarrassed her. Estelle knew that she did not look her age at all. Maybe she could pass for 15 or 16, but definitely not 17. "17, about," she replied hastily. Shawn wouldn't think she was lying, right?
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Post by Caroline on Jul 11, 2011 18:57:26 GMT -5
Shawn responded wordlessly with a simple acknowledging nod, his burly frame continuing to stalk through the knee-high sea of yellowed grass. He personally would have guessed about two years younger at least. Though he didn't think too much of it, considering how vast the rates of teenage growth were. Some bodies were just a bit later than others. He was fortunate enough to have had a rather normal puberty... Well, as "normal" was puberty could be.
After what seemed like ages of tromping across the field they reached the woods edge, a thin path sliced through the brush, indicating the route had been walked upon many times before. The forest was lush, sprouting with new life and blossoming with color. It was heavily shaded by the thick canopy of leaves above, the various breaks allowing warm golden light to peek through. It was nothing like Wixham, not in the slightest. In fact, it was practically the exact opposite; flooding with peace and honesty. To Shawn's surprise, after all these miserable years the caustic fumes exhausting from the city hadn't yet destroyed the delicate ecosystem.
"Alright, be sure to duck ahead." Shawn told Estelle as they two entered on the path, an enormous fallen tree rest five feet off the ground, it's branches entangled in the neighboring foliage prevented it from fully touching to the ground. It was much too fat to crawl over, so going under was the only option. The tree was the only major block Shawn could recall in the along the line. The faintest of scorch marks streaked across it's bark from when he had been angry one day.
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Post by Caitlin on Jul 14, 2011 13:14:01 GMT -5
She kept a steady pace. The ecosystem was much too fragile and serene to let her powers destroy it. Even a slight slowing of her pace would cause ice to form, which would easily spread without her noticing. That was the imminent downfall to having obvious, sometimes erratic powers - besides being easily discovered, she would eventually destroy anything that she came in contact with for too long. Maybe she was being a bit too cautious (paranoid, even!), but the forest, she had to admit, was quite beautiful. Sort of surreal. Though she usually wasn't easily distracted, Estelle often caught herself in the middle of tripping on a misplaced stone, a stick, even over her own feet. Luckily, Shawn had managed to remind her beforehand of the fallen tree.
She ducked under the wood, her eyes catching a slight singe on the side of the decaying bark. That was the work of Shawn, maybe - she had already figured that he had fire-based powers, so it wouldn't be that surprising if he was the one that had caused it to fall in the first place. But she wouldn't ask. That would be rude.
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Post by Caroline on Jul 19, 2011 7:19:08 GMT -5
Shawn slipped under tree behind Estelle, careful not to smash his head as he rose on the other side. He had done that far too many times than necessary. The two carried on through the woods, following the thin, trampled path. It became difficult to track at times, becoming overgrown and patchy. Luckily enough Shawn had pretty much memorized the layout of forest's east end, but a curious idea crossed his mind. Feeling adventurous, he decided to take Estelle past the waterfalls, knowing either path would wind them up at their destination, he figured there was no reason not to. Shawn stopped, inspecting his surroundings briefly to decipher the best route. "Let's take a shortcut," he suggested, deciding not to mention the waterfalls, it would be a surprise. It was a truly gorgeous site, but Shawn didn't want to get Estelle's expectations up. It would ruin the initial astonishment.
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