along the way

Anthea glanced toward Mercury with interest as he spoke of his fondness for lakes and the various sounds and smells that were common with them, a smile tugging at her lips. She didn't know if there were any lakes to visit around here or not, but she made a mental note to ask around a bit and see if she could find one. She was still getting to know Mercury beyond just the simple fact that he had rescued her and that he was exceptionally handsome so any little nuggets about his life that she could pick out she was being sure to remember—like his love of lakes and wind chimes. They both had a long lost home to think fondly of it seemed so at least they had that in common.

Eventually as they made their way over the rolling hills, they came upon the river and the falls that they had been tracking, the run of clear blue breaking up the dense foliage and greenery. It was a beautiful sight that she could already tell was going to be a frequent spot for her to visit. Her ears perked a bit when Mercury mentioned steering clear of the recently found river, mentioning the possibility of bears. She hadn't noticed the salmon that were jumping over the lapping falls at first, but once he brought attention to it she certainly did. "You're probably right about that," she said with a hint of disappointment. Growing up in the forests like she had she definitely knew that bears were not exactly something she wanted to mess around with—if they could be avoided at least.

She glanced toward him as she noticed him shifting closer, peeking up at him as she watched him scanning the trees around them. A little grin pulled at her lips and she chuckled, her tone teasing as she said, "Rescuer and protector now, hm? I can't tell if you're actually a natural hero or if you're just making sure your hard work doesn't go to waste." She gave him a playful grin and a little wink before she turned her own gaze back out toward the landscape, enjoying the view for a few moments longer before she went to turn and start moving through the trees again to put a bit of distance between them and the salmon-laden river again.

"Anthea Dásos"