[Color=gray][center][h1][Color=silver]M[/color][Color=lightblue]i[/color][Color=cornflowerblue]r[/color][color=green]i[/color][color=mediumpurple]s[/color][/h1]
[Img]https://i.imgur.com/BMVZGcF.jpeg[/Img][/center]
[Color=darkturquoise]Race:[/color] Changeling
[Color=cornflowerblue]Location:[/color] An unremarkable jungle
[H2][center][COLOR=RED]FLASHBACK[/COLOR][/center][/h2][hr]

[color=peru]“Ooh! I think we’re getting close.”[/color] Minerva faced Miris with that playful grin of hers. 

[color=white]“We’re almost out?”[/color] Miris’ eyes held a glint of hope as time had become so hard to keep track of at this point. She thought she’d get through this jungle in three days, but it was taking so much longer. Had she underestimated its vastness, or were the roving patrols and Minerva’s guidance causing her to wander in circles?

[color=peru]“Out? Tch, I’m good, thank you, but not [i]that[/i] good.”[/color] Minerva shook her head before vaulting over an old moss-covered log. She had expected to hear Miris accomplish the same, but nothing was coming from the young changeling. [color=peru]“Hm?”[/color] Minerva turned her head and came to a stop upon noticing that Miris had quit walking.

[color=white]“You just said…”[/color] Miris’ accent faintly bled with her frustration. [Color=white]“You said we were close.”[/color]

[color=peru]“We are.”[/color] 

[color=white]“But you just said we're nowhere near getting out.”[/color]

[color=peru]“Yeah, that's what I said.”[/color]

[color=white]“...”[/color] If looks could maim. Miris wouldn't want her dead, but a loose tree branch falling on Minerva's head would have satisfied her.

[color=peru]“Those aren't the same thing, Miris.”[/color]

[color=white]“Minerva…”[/color] 

[Color=white]“You serious?”[/color] Miris stressed the question.

[color=white]“[i]Minerva[/i]…”[/color] Minerva not answering right away only made things worse.

[Color=white]“No… no way.”[/color] Miris didn't want to believe it.

[color=white]“You’re fuckin’ with me right?”[/color] 

Minerva’s eyebrows rose, but her smile never faltered, mostly because she hadn’t heard this tone from the girl yet. In truth, she was just trying to hear more of how Miris spoke when she wasn't hiding herself.

[color=white]“Minerva!”[/color]

[color=peru]“No, of course not! Sure, I throw stuff at you, trip you now and again, steal your stuff, ate your berries that one time-”[/color]

[Color=white]“[b]Those[/b] were my berries?”[/color]

[Color=peru]“They were so good! Anyway… what I was trying to say is, leading you to the other side of this lush place is my top priority.”[/color] Minerva explained, but then the shifter's smile quickly became uneasy. [color=peru]“But… we are taking a [i]different[/i] route than the hastier one.”[/color]

[color=white]“What…”[/color] Miris inhaled through her nose. 

[color=peru]“Relax,”[/color] 

[color=white]“Relax?!”[/color]

[color=peru]“Yes, so that I can explain. If you’re angry, you’ll only hear the parts that don’t matter. So be a good girl, and [i]relax[/i].”[/color]

A few beats passed between the two. 

[color=peru]“Alrighty!”[/color] Minerva clapped her hands together. [color=peru]“Yours truly made the decision to have us trek across this fine jungle, [b]safely[/b].”[/color] Minerva let go of her smile and quickly held a hand up to stop Miris from replying too soon. [Color=peru]“I know. You think you're a badass. You think you can hop, skip, and flip your way through all those pesky patrols and all this nature.”[/color] Minerva shook her head with displeasure.

[Color=white]“I can handle myself just fine.”[/color] Miris vaulted over the log in front of her, closing the distance between them. Their eyes locked briefly until Minerva rolled her eyes and sighed.

[Color=peru]“Your version of fine doesn't stack up. Not here. Not even in most places out this direction. Beyond the jungle is the desert. Beyond the desert are the pirate-infested seas. Beyond that is… I don't know, it's probably much worse.”[/color] Minerva poked Miris’ chest, forcing a flinch out of the girl.

[Color=peru]“Consider yourself my pupil in this jungle. And I'm gonna make sure you strut out of this place better than ‘fine,’ you hear me?”[/color] Minerva nodded, prompting Miris to do the same.

[Color=white]“Fine.”[/color] Miris muttered while taking the lead. She wasn't happy about what she thought would've been a shortcut taking nearly as long as walking around the jungle itself, but she couldn't argue with the results. Aside from that patrol… and Minerva had practically walked them into it on purpose, so they hadn't truly been in danger once. Which begged an uncomfortable question. How much worse was the route Minerva had chosen not to take?

[Color=peru]“Better than fine, Miris. Better than fiiine”[/color] Minerva sang.

[Color=white]“Oh shut it.”[/color] She turned to smile back at Minerva. [Color=white]“What’re we close to, anyhow if it's not the other side?”[/color]

[Color=peru]“Oh yes! Follow meee!”[/color] Minerva darted past her, sprinting and laughing as she took the lead again.

[Color=white]“Of course it couldn't be simple.”[/color] And with that, Miris was chasing after her.

[Color=peru]“You’re gonna love it!”[/color]

 
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