A solitary magpie winged its way through the lonely paths of the forest, raucously sounding a cry seemingly at random as it we'ved around, Under, and over the ancient branches of the Forest Giants. Once, as he came to a relatively clear area of the forest, his beady gaze fell upon an explosion of excitement, a frantic fox desperately trying to flee the hounds and The storm of hooves that pursued. But in the space of time that it took him to blink, his wings had already carried him to the other side and back into the cover of trees, The incident already becoming memories of the past.

An undetermined length of time seemed to slide by like slipstream and the single bird dipped beneath a cluster of leaves and quite suddenly found himself in The companionship of a lonely little cottage, ivy vines and clumps of roses winning in the battle to completely cover the rusty colored bricks of the ancient walls, A feisty strand almost reaching to the small chimney. He circled the little building once, feathertips brushing against the thatched roof, Before he settled on one of the windowsills, ruffling his feathers quickly before beginning to twitch and jerk his head back and forth, observing the interior of the cottage.

Lifting her warm brown gaze from the flames of the fire where she stood retrieving the kettle of boiling water with the hem of her skirts wrapped around her hand, Branna's brow quirked upwards with surprise at the appearance of the magpie on her sill, feathers fluffed up as he watched her warily. Her full lips parted for a moment before she turned her mouth up into a smile that made the corners of her eyes crinkle. "nervous as ever my lad Magpie." She lilted teasingly to the bird as she carried The black kettle over to her small table in front of the fireplace, lifting it up to pour A small amount of the hot liquid into a carved wooden cup waiting for her, a small blend of tea leaves nestled in the bottom. She heard A small croak of response from the window as she moved to replace the kettle on the hook above the flames and she laughed in response, Spreading out her dress as she Took her place at the table, watching the black and white bird as she thoughtfully let her drink steep.

She was a beautiful woman, this Branna of the woods, Or those who she allowed to ever see her claimed, describing her with a long lithe body and skin that had been generously kissed by the sun, Hair The color of midnight that cascaded past her shoulders in long loose curls, a mysterious aura about her person... But she would more accurately describe herself as a woman who enjoyed the outdoors far too much and wore simple clothing so that she need not worry should her blouse catch on a thorn. Both could be accurate, but she preferred not being vain.

Lifting the cup carefully from the table to her mouth, Branna gently blew on the tendrils of steam that were lazily curling up from the surface of her drink, amusement dancing within her eyes. Testing the drink, she allowed a satisfied sigh to escape her as she discovered that it had cooled enough to not skulled her mouth, savoring the minty sweet flavor that washed over her tongue. Leaning back in her chair, she regarded her visitor with a slight tilt to her head, hair falling over her shoulder with the movement. "I have heard news of a hunting party making merry in the forest today." She mused aloud as if talking to the magpie, Though The bird didn't seem to be paying any attention to her, having started to preen his feathers back into place. Despite this, she continued to talk, Sounding reflective as her gaze drifted out of the open window. "A new Lord has taken over the estate no doubt and is showing his guests some amusement..." The cup lifted to her lips once more and she took a thoughtful sip. "perhaps he would appreciate if I were to provide him with some excitement, Would you think not?" She asked, Not expecting an answer.

A moment of quiet contemplation then saw Branna leaping lightly to her feet with a joyous tinkle of laughter, startling the magpie from her windowsill and sending him flapping into the sky, leaving behind more then a single feather in his haste. "yes! I believe that I am feeling up to having some fun today." She trilled excitedly, placing her cup onto the surface of the table before she kicked off her slippers. With graceful movements, she pulled on the silk ribbon holding her dress in place around her waist, allowing it to slip from her shoulders with a few gentle tugs and stepping from the red fabric as it whispered onto the floor. Gliding to the wooden front door, she flung it open in her excitement, rushing out into the sunlight that spilled over her little clearing. And with each step that she took, her form seemed to shrink, until at the edge of the woods, a black hare dove into the underbrush with a soft rustle.