Inherently Innocent

Howling at The Dark

Peony held a wooden tray with cookies on it. She offered her little creations to the new nymphs, smiling in anticipation and staring at them one by one as if betting which one would be gone first. They seemed to have lots of different seeds on them, and warm steam was still rising. Heseltine smiled and took a cookie. He passed it from hand to hand, too hot for his skin, before taking a bite.
"Thank you, that's really sweet of you," He thanked the child.
The purple-haired nymph just walked past, looking for a spot the shade ruled, where the fire couldn't reach to warm. She seemed to belong there.
"Who is she?" Juno asked Aloe.
"No idea, but we have to manage. We got an extra nymph out and that's good."
The couple took two cookies each and walked down to the darker spot.

Everyone sat in a circle, or the closest resembling shape possible, where Juno and Aloe could face Thyme and the other nymph. Peony stood up and sat down whenever she pleased.
"Thyme Heseltine, right? You must be confused, so you can interrupt us and ask any questions you'd like. I'm Aloe, and this is Juniper," Aloe started introducing.
"Juniper Moore, right?" Thyme asked after clicking his tongue.
Juno did not expect the explanation to be interrupted so quickly.
"Yeah, Moore. How do you know that?"
"We were classmates! Or at least in the same year. You were in exploration while I was in agriculture."
How did this boy remember so much?
"Anyways, you know your ancestry," Juniper continued.
"Yup. My mother was an ishine. She spent years changing herself to look human and even managed to stay in hiding for a while with my father. I always knew I was a nymph, I just guess the higher-ups didn't," Thyme's smile faded with each passing word, "Until they found out. But by then my mother was already gone." Judging by Thyme's smile, Juniper assumed gone didn't mean dead in this case.
"A mountain range nymph," Aloe added, "They're known to be strict. We had never heard of them approaching the settlement before."
"Well, of course not. There aren't any mountains around here. Still my parents helped me train my guidance, to be able to move the earth just like my mother did. My dad's a teacher after all. But the other day I got assigned to exploration," Thyme eyed Juniper, "That was when the guards came."
Juniper turned to look at the purple-haired nymph. She was compressed against the wall, trying to vanish through it.
"My mother had left months before. I think that's when they started keeping an eye on my dad and I," She heard Thyme keep talking with Aloe, but Juno approached the girl.
"What's your name?"
"Why does everyone care so much?" She mumbled.
Juniper thought that was a stupid question, but ignored it. She asked another question.
"Do you know where you are?"
"Definitely not where I should be. And if they find out we're here, they're going to kill us all."
"Alright, No Name Buzzkill, this is a shelter that's keeping you alive, so you better listen and stop saying bullshit or the nymphs around here will kick you out," Juniper instantly regretted her words, but she didn't regret her tone.
The girl turned to face Juniper with a frown, but her fear made her look away before speakingl
"Liliac Lee," She answered.
Juniper didn't thank her, but at least she knew who to cuss out.
“Wait, I have another question," Thyme continued, "How did you know about me? I get that you got me out to help you, but how did you find me in the first place?”
“We have people on the inside,” Aloe looked over their shoulder and called Peony closer, “Her mother, for example. She’s human, Peony’s a nymph. We take care of her here while her mother’s in the settlement. She experiments in the Program but gives us information in return. An apology, I suppose.”
Thyme nodded, but he wasn’t satisfied.
“So you only let in nymphs, ishine, and a few humans?”
“Most ishine only stay a few hours before going to attack the settlement. And we don't take any humans,” Juniper scratched her cheek, “Humans can’t be trusted.”
“I thought you were…”
“I am,” Juniper hurried to interrupt Thyme, “What I’m not is as free as Peony. What time is it Aloe?”
The ishine pressed their hand on the dirt and closed their eyes. Immediately after, they answered, certain.
“Almost two hours until sunset.”
“Shit, it’s already past my lunch break," Juniper crossed her arms, "They'll find out I'm gone soon."
Aloe placed a hand on Juno's shoulder. They'd have to explain to the group the plans to advance soon.
"So you're a human and an ishine taking care of nymphs. Almost like parents," Thyme laughed at his own comment, Liliac frowned at the words.
Juniper left the circle to approach the fire. She heard Heseltine complaining about her leaving, but she wouldn't turn back for him.
She walked closer to Golshan, who was fidgeting with the roses around his head, and shook her head to the side to call him closer. The nymph had dark green skin and flowers for hair. It was hard not to assume he was an ishine at first, but an ishine could see his humanity from half the world away. The bruises in his arms were already starting to fade, but his skin still held some blue and paler green spots where needles had rested.
"You should start to gather your stuff. I'll go back to get some supplies for the trip but we're leaving as soon as I return. It wouldn't do us any harm if Peony and you baked some cookies while I'm with the new ones," Juno licked the insides of her teeth. She looked around at Horizon Hill, melancholy already crawling up her back. She couldn't stop thinking about how she'd regret abandoning their home for a second time.
Golshan nodded, "I'll tell Xochitl to gather everyone's stuff. This dirt knows I won't miss it."
"It was a nice home that lasted years, be thankful," Juno argued back.
Golshan frowned, disliking being told what to do. "So where are we going next?"
"Who knows. To the west, and west, and west, until we find somewhere to rest. With Heseltine with us, it'll be easier to build resting places. We might even find other ishines on our way. We need to find a way to stay alive and improve, take care of the nymphs we already saved with a vision of the nymphs we can eventually free. We should prepare to eventually return."
"Return with an army?" Golshan bit his lip.
Juniper didn't answer.
"I'll go talk to the new guys after we get everything in order," Golshan looked around in search of the older nymphs. Peony just ran around offering cookies even if they weren' as warm anymore.
"Juniper held Golshan's arms. The nymph held Juno's in return. "For a united Earth."
"A united Earth."