[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/JoCptIT.png[/img]
[img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjQwLmZmMzUyOS5XbVZ3YUhseWFXNWxJRWw2YTJsbGJDQSwuMAAA/popsies.regular.png[/img][/center][hr][right][color=f6989d]Location[/color]: Forest outside Roshmi | [color=f6989d]Time[/color]: Morning --> Afternoon | [color=f6989d]Interactions[/color]: Bowyn | [color=f6989d]Mentioned:[/color] Kenia, Darius, [i]Vaeril[/i], Elthreal, Alkenroth[/right][hr]
Zephyrin raised her eyebrows at Bowyn's questions. How would he react if she told him that the lives already lost meant less to her than her own? Perhaps he would find her so cruel and abandon her here in the forest. 

[color=f6989d][i]'Does it matter?'[/i][/color] She answered his question in her mind but refrained from saying it out loud.

There was nothing Zephyrin could do for the dead; they were gone. But she was still here — living and breathing. There was a plethora of things she could do for herself! Others might find her sentiments self-serving, but Zephyrin only had desires to live for herself, not others nor Avalia. If being selfish kept her alive, how could it be wrong?

Zephyrin tilted her head to the side as she fiddled with a lock of her hair. She did it out of habit whenever too many thoughts whirled around her mind. Zephyrin carefully selected her next words, leaving out the bits that might incur the wrath of her male counterpart. 

[color=f6989d]"Everyone is driven by different desires and motives. At the end of the day, aren't we all just seeking to fulfill our own selfish desires? Whether we desire a life of peace, revenge or pleasure. Who's to say what is right and what is wrong?"[/color]

Bowyn and Elthreal were good examples. Although they shared the common goal of overthrowing the lich king, they were driven by their own personal reasons. Should one reason be more justified than the other? 

Zephyrin fell quiet as she pondered what it meant to be [i]right[/i]. Everyone's reality was shaped by their own beliefs and experiences. Therefore, reality was subjective. In that sense, neither Bowyn nor Elthreal were right or wrong. They were just different. But if that were truly the case, could the same be said about Alkenroth? Zephyrin frowned — confused. The concept of right and wrong were too vague for her to understand. 

Bowyn had referred to Alkenroth as [i]evil[/i]. But would the death of the lich king rid Avalia of evil? It would only be a matter time before a new kind of evil would arise and replace him. Just like night and day, [i]good[/i] and [i]evil[/i] would always exist — whatever those words personally meant to each person. The universe was governed by this duality, and these forces were interconnected and interrelated in the natural world. There was no use fighting it.

Winter fairies had only managed to survive by hiding and avoiding danger — not confronting it. Perhaps Bowyn was different from them, but for someone who had lived in the settlement her whole life, it was all Zephyrin had ever known. [i]Hide when you can, flee when you must.[/i]

[color=f6989d]"..Nevertheless, I won't get in your way!"[/color] Zephyrin added quickly before Bowyn could further attempt to shoo her away. She nimbly moved to position herself closely behind him, as if to silently protest that she wasn't going anywhere else!

Staying behind with Darius and Vaeril was not an option for Zephyrin. Traveling with a human companion would only attract all sorts of trouble. In addition, there was no guarantee that they wouldn't sell her off to the black market if they got the chance! At the very least, she wouldn't have to worry about that with Boywn and Kenia. 

Following Elthrael, as Bowyn had suggested, also didn't seem like a wise choice. There were too many uncertainties surrounding the [i]moth[/i] fairy. Saying goodbye to those tasty apples would be a real shame, though. On the bright side, Bowyn was skilled at catching fish! Indeed, Bowyn and Kenia were her best options. Bowyn was a good cook, and Kenia seemed like a capable fighter. She wouldn't allow them to shake her off so easily!

Zephyrin followed closely behind the two, picking up one of the bottles Bowyn had decided to leave behind. It was some kind of liquor she had never seen in the village before. She popped the bottle open and took a small sip. 

[i][color=f6989d]'That tastes.. gross!'[/color][/i] Zephyrin grimaced as she forced herself to swallow the pungent liquid.

--

They continued to traverse through the forest, putting a safe distance between them and the smoke they had spotted earlier. Before she knew it, it was already past noon, and she realized this after her stomach grumbled in protest. It was time for lunch! Zephyrin stared at Bowyn expectantly. [hr][right] [@Helo] [@Tae] [@FunnyGuy] [@Dezuel] [@Alivefalling][/right]