I Can Show You The Woods [Caro]

Gods, hugs were wonderful. Did she mention how wonderful hugs were? They really were great. Kisses too. Moving on.

"Well, in a way." Lelianna explained. Oh boy; more story time about her obsessive extending of her garden. "I... Found a cave a lot earlier on, back when I first came to Arecia. I nearly stumbled into it- no really, I mean actually stumbled into it- when I was spreading and growing more seeds. It's actually really cool!" Excitement of course shone on her face as she spoke, growing with each word. Though it took a temporary backseat when Caroline offered her hand for them to start off towards this cave of Lelianna's.

The hermit only paused for a moment before accepting the other woman's hands and intertwining her fingers with Caroline's. This was what...couples did, right? Yeah, it was. Lelianna remembered seeing some people in Haven doing the same. Young or old couples walking side by side while holding hands. Sometimes it was simply holding hands, like a parent holding their child's. But this? This was definitely different from that. It felt different from what she could remember of her own parents holding her hand. Somehow more prominent. More focused upon in her mind. Lelianna didn't even realize she was staring at their joined hands, a little smile on her face as the wreath of flowers around her head displayed a wonderful range of warm colors, like a complete lovestruck dork.

What had they been talking about? Oh yeah, the cave. That they were going to. The reason they were here right now. Right.

With a few blinks Lelianna snapped out of it and of course sported a blush on her face. Jeez this whole thing was so new to her. Was staring at hands normal? Was that a thing girlfriends did? "Uhhhh.... the cave! Right! Um, t-this way." Taking a step in a direction, she actually started to lead Caroline off towards where she'd meant to go. Definitely keeping their hands joined as she did.

It did take a bit of a walk, but they got to look at more of the garden as they passed by. Plus Lelianna continued where she'd left off. "What had I been saying earlier? Oh right! Though I was a little worried about exploring the cave at first, it's actually really pretty. Plus it has its own lighting. Er, sort of. Some of the mushrooms and other plantlife down there actually glow. I've never seen anything like it before! Plus how the plants feel around there is... so unique." Her earlier embarrassment faded as she spoke yet again about the cave. "I mean Arecia has a very general feeling to all the plantlife, but each one feels... independent. Like an individual entity. But down there it's like they're all... one. A hive mind?- I think is the right term. Somehow they're all connected like it's almost one being. I haven't gone down there since I started actually hearing plantlife so... I'm not sure what it'll be like. But I'm excited to find out! Plus to show you around it- there's a lot of amazing stuff down there. The cave is actually really long. I've never explored it all yet even living out here for all these years. Though I think that's because I was busy, ah, tending to the rest of the garden."

Eventually after walking for a while Lelianna stopped them both in a relatively unassuming area. However as she walked over towards a large gathering a rocks, she pointed out the abrupt opening in the ground that was cleared of vegetation. The faint light coming in from the overhead foliage illuminated some of their descent, but it looked like it was a fairly long way down. "Here it is! See what I mean by almost literally stumbling into it?"

The sudden peck to her forehead was probably what helped get Lelianna out of her mini trance to be honest. But also what made her flustered too. Either way though it did get her to start moving and finally reach their destination. Though she'd for sure be getting Caroline back.

When Caroline asked about her stumble incident, Lelianna blushed a little. Oh boy. "Uhhhh.... well.... ok so maybe it was a little less stumble and a little more... fall." The hermit confessed. Hey when she first got there it was really hard to see the cave entrance! So it wasn't so much of a shocker when she'd accidentally taken a step to far and fell in. "B-But I didn't get hurt! The plants saved me: that's how I found out about the vegetation down in the cave. That's what caught me." She explained quickly to try and sound like less of a coutz in vain.

"Now though I use this guy to help me get down safely." As she spoke green eyes turned towards the greenery surrounding the entrance. A thick tendril of branches unwound itself from around the rocky gathering almost like a snake. It probably didn't help the imagery when Lelianna reached out and basically pet it with a smile. "It makes going down a lot easier. We'll be lowered down until we reach the plants below. Then they'll help out."

With that begin said Lelianna reached out and took Caroline's hand again. This time it was Lelianna who did the tugging, pulling Caroline in close to her with a smile. And a faint blush, of course, but a smile too. As the cyborg got close the hermit even ventured to plant a little payback smooch on her cheek as she essentially had to hug the other woman for this. "Hold on." Carefully, the tendril of branches began to wrap around both of their waists. For Caroline it added a few extra solely due to the cyborg's heavier weight. But it did end up getting them both off the ground with the creak of moving wood as it slowly lowered them deeper into the cavern.

The further down they went, the harder it became to see. Their forms were already blocking out most of the sunlight streaming in from above, and as they descended it only grew fainter. Ultimately they reached the end of the branche's extension but Lelianna knew what came next. "Ok it's going to be a little drop, but we've got a soft landing pad." She said with a low voice because, well, the person she was speaking to was literally right up against her. No she wasn't focused on that or the shared warmth or anything thank you. Carefully the branches around them unwound before dropping them altogether. Lelianna was right; only a second later did they land on something else. Something kinda squishy to be honest. But it managed to hold firm even with Caroline on it. The faint light just barely managed to make out its texture- they were presumably standing on a giant mushroom.

"Well, here we are! The first part anyways." Lelianna said with a gesture towards the darkness before them. "We have to go further in to see the really pretty stuff I wanted to show you."

It was always so awesome that Caroline seemed to just... she got it. She was fascinated by nature too. Lelianna knew for a fact she could talk about plants all ding-ding day if she was left to her own devices. That could probably get on some people's nerves. But Caroline never really seemed that bothered. Gods above she even seemed just as excited about it sometimes. It made the hermit smile affectionately as even her crystal crown turned a rosy color.

Wait they were here for a tour. Right. Gods, Lelianna, stay on track.

"It is in this part." The Druid admitted as she took one of Caroline's hands in her own. For this part of the journey she'd need it. With a gentle tug, Lelianna began leading them off the mushroom platform to hop down a few others that had created something akin to stairs. Once they were on solid hard ground, Lelianna continued. "But when I first got down here I used the plants to help me. They... well they really saved my hide when I first came here. I just... felt where they were. Back when I only could sense what they were feeling. They were pretty curious to have someone else down here. By following that sensation I was able to go deeper with only a few trips. But now I can actually hear them. What they're saying." And oh boy, was it a treat already. The whole time Lelianna had been talking she'd been simultaneously focusing on the subterranean life around them. Just as before it sounded so... different. Instead of a plethora of whispers speaking different, it was a get deal of words spoken together. It created something like an echo effect- as though it was one voice speaking within a chamber. If she zoned out a few times accidentally on their trip, it was because she was marveling at this. Though she often snapped herself out of it. She could zone out once they actually got to the destination she intended them to see.

Over the course of the next few minutes they kept walking. Slowly but surely making their way further and further down into the depths of this strange cavern Lelianna had found long ago. It was still pitch black down here, but with the new development of words to what the Druid could make out from the vegetation, she knew where they were going. It only took a few moments of "this way?" From the hermit to know exactly which direction to go. Eventually though lights did begin to appear. Soft glowing light coming off some of the resident flora. Lelianna stopped to show Caroline some of them; tiny bunches of fungi growing on the ground of the walls while giving off a gentle aquamarine glow. "These are what I was talking about. I've only ever seen them growing down here. Some of them can get massive. Plus there's tons of different species. We'll get to see them ahead. It's only a little further."

Fortunately now the glowing fungi were becoming more frequent. It lit up the tunnels they had to use while also verifying that yes, they were still descending. Wherever the redhead was taking Caroline was clearly deep, deep without the earth.

But hell if it wasn't worth it.

Eventually the sound of rushing water began to echo through the tunnel. A smile lit up Lelianna's face and she gently tugged on Caroline's hand to urge her along. "There it is! We're almost there!" With newfound excitement, the Druid pulled them both along at an increased speed. The flowers in her hair had multipled from her energy, and the crystal crown had gone into an ever-shifting swirl of warm colors. The glowing fungi had become typical at this point: but different kinds and colors had popped up. Soft magentas or light blues. All the while the sound of running water came ever closer. Though now it sounded like crashing, as though a waterfall was ahead. Pretty soon it became obvious why. With a smila thrown behind her, Lelianna pulled Caroline to the end of the tunnel. "We're here!"

It opened up. And just kept going until the ceiling was probably a mile over their heads. To call the cavern "massive" was a gross understatement. They couldn't even see the far wall from where they were standing. It probably didn't help that hills and large rock arches dominated the rocky cavern, many of them carrying underground streams with them. Which in turn made it obvious where the waterfall sounds were coming from; there was plenty. One was even close by to their exit. A towering cascade of water pouring out from some above ground source. But that wasn't all. Lelianna had mentioned glowing flora being include. Oh there was: hundreds of fungi and other unnamed plantlife came into view as hey exited their tunnel. Not only that, but some of them were absolute ginormous! Big as trees even! And each one of them managed to give off their own unique light, the collective colors creating a wonderful portrait of soft hues lighting up this subterranean world.

"Do you like it?" The hermit had to ask after a moment or two of simply looking. This place never failed to take her breath away.

A pensive look came over Lelianna's face before she closed her eyes and focused on listening. Which meant they had to slow down a little, but Caroline had asked and the Druid was happy to oblige the question. "Well when we first came in it had been... 'Welcome back.'" The hermit smiled to herself at that. It warmed her heart to know that the vegetation recognized her so much so it knew she had returned. "But now it's... telling us where to go. Little things. 'Watch your step' and 'This way' or things like that. It's guiding us right now. And being very sweet to do so. Thank you." The last words were said to the flora inquestion, and as Lelianna got the response her smile grew wider. She opened her eyes and looked at Caroline. "And it just said 'You're welcome.'"

When they got to the main cavern that voice had grown even stronger. While Caroline marveled at the sight, Lelianna let her take it in as she moved further along. The Druid stepped up to one of those gigantic glowing plants and gently placed a hand on it. She could feel the hum of life underneath her fingertips, and hear the entity speak gently to her. As odd as the echoing voice of the underground flora was, she couldn't help but find it strangely peaceful. Everything down there was also attuned to each other. It was a marvel really, and that connection was easily felt by one so sensitive now to its kind.

Lelianna smiled back at Caroline before her green eyes turned back to the large flora beside her. "I never thought anything like this existed either." It was a softly given confession. "All the years I spent in Arecia, and I never imagined a place like this myself. Or found anywhere else like it for that matter." Her hand slid off the plant's "trunk" as she continued walking. Glancing about, she could take in a great deal of the underground marvel around her. Not only that but feel its presence. With a deep inhale Lelianna closed her eyes once more. He energy about this place was so enthralling to the earth Magi. Here so deep in her element she simply felt... at peace. Completely and utterly at home.

"Everything down here just feels so...solid. So connected with everything else. I know up on the surface I feel connected with Arecia and all of the plants up there, but this..." She shook her head a little and chuckled to herself gently. "It's just so... different. So complete. I don't feel connected; I feel apart of. Not..." What was a good analogy? "Not a spoke on the wheel, but the wheel itself. I am one with it all, not just a piece of a large mass of other pieces." Green eyes opened again, and she looked back at Caroline. With a sheepish smile she shrugged. "It, ah, might sound a little dramatic or overly zen honestly. But... it's true. Down here I just..." The Magi sighed and shook her head.

"I never feel so close to earth as I do down here." She admitted. "Which might make sense since we're so far down in it but... yeah... And I haven't even discovered everything about this place but now I... I feel like I might be able to."

As the hand slipped into her own, Lelianna felt herself relax once more. She was getting better at doing that when the other woman was around. Caroline simply made it so, well, easy. Comfortable. The Druid gave the cyborg's hand an affectionate little squeeze, though she did blush a tad. Her connection certainly had taken a rather large jump forward recently. Almost instinctively Lelianna reached her free hand up to touch one of the gem spires protruding from her head. They had gotten a little taller lately, though they were still fairly small. "It's... definitely changed. I feel like Arecia is opening up to me more. Which honestly makes me... really happy."

"But yeah, this place..." Lelianna dropped the hand from the crystal and instead lightly swung the one holding Caroline's back and forth idly. "It's something else. I haven't explored all of it yet; I feel like that would take a long time. Though what I've seen so far is fantastic." With a gentle little tug, Lelianna began walking once more. Since they didn't really have a specific path in mind, they walked slowly. Taking in the scenery was rewarding enough. No way did Lelianna want to rush any of this. It was too nice down here for that. They started up one of the branching rock arches as Lelianna intermittently spoke. "There are some animals down here too actually that I've never seen above ground either. Not just the flora is unique. Though most of what I've seen has been small. Usually the fish are easier to spot than anything else."

During their walk they passed a great deal of different glowing flora. Most were in large groups intermingled with each other, though certain species stood apart on their own. As they passed nearby one of the river streams, Lelianna pointed towards it. "If you look closely you might see some." And indeed if Caroline looked closely she might be able to see some of the aquatic life; small dark fish with tiny specks of their own light being the only thing to give them away. "Though I'm no expert in fish, I know I've never seen most of these in the streams or the lake up above. Some of them are similar but not quite the same." Some sort of evolutionary feat, no doubt.

While the leisurely walk continued, Lelianna added in a few more things. "I've also found out this place has a lot of gem deposits. For some reason it's really rich in them down here. I can show you some, if you like. A few of them literally grow out of the walls; it's really cool!" The hermit offered with a smile over to her girlfriend. Then she looked out over the caverns again and with a wistful sigh said: "There's a lot about this place that's amazing. It really would take a while to discover it all. These caverns just have... so much history, I can feel it! Like... like I found traces that earth magi used to live down here, actually. Or at least something that could shape stone. Maybe a spirit of some sort. I think the plants would know; they'd have to." Her voice was filled with surety as she said it, even nodding a little to herself. "People don't realize it sometimes but plants really... they really see a lot. Trees really are ancient sentinels; the things some of them have observed are... are... well I don't even know but it's probably a lot. Maybe not extremely exciting stuff since they'd mostly see other plants grow but... you could potentially hear how a whole forest came to be! Or- or maybe hear about how even Haven was formed! Maybe even Arecia itself if you could find the first tree or at least one of the older ones." And so on did the Druid ramble with excitement creeping into her voice unknowingly. But eventually she caught herself and, with another deep blush, halted.

"Ah... s-sorry I got really into talking about that." Jeez she was talking even more than usual today, she swore. Was it the caverns that we're making her suddenly spout exposition? "But um... yeah. I-I really would love to learn more about this place and if others really were down here long ago. That would be so..." She struggled to find a word. "Just... the possibility that others could have been down here... maybe even living down here, once upon a time... or even using it as a place to worship Arithelia, or maybe just get closer to the earth itself. I could definitely understand why they'd do that."

She'd never seen a gem deposit? Oh well guess what little detour they were making now. As Lelianna began actually leading them off towards a true destination now, she answered. "I... haven't, actually." She admitted. The thought had crossed her kind before, don't get her wrong, but... "I just really... I wasn't too sure who to tell, I guess. I-I think it would be a good idea too, since we could learn a lot about our ancestors, possibly. But I never really... knew anyone in Haven who I could have told. Not until recently, I suppose." She had met the mayor after all. Someone who'd probably be very interested in this place and making sure it remained undisturbed or pilfered for its resources. "Y'know, I really seem to have been meeting more people in this past year than the rest of the seven I've been here." Lelianna remarked with a little thoughtful frown. "I noticed it before; I never used to run into that many people out here in the woods. Now I seem to find them all the time! Er, well they find me usually. And I make ahhhh.... less than stellar first impressions." Embarrassing ones, really.

Now after Lelianna had gone on her little rant and then off it, she looked over in faint surprise when Caroline firmly squeezed her hand. Oh. Right. Someone actually liked her rambles. Gods, that was still probably one of the hardest things she had to get used to. With a faint bit of pink touching her cheeks, she looked away sheepishly. "Ah...sor- I mean... okay. I'm just really not used to someone being around to listen so much. Er, well, I mean not another person I guess. Arecia listens but it never talked ba- well okay now it can but before it didn't-" She paused with another frown. "...Alright so it could still communicate but usually by dropping acorns on my head or swatting me with a branch. Not actual words. So I never really... I guess I never..." She trailed off, face starting to grow a bit redder. "...I was going somewhere with this, I swear..."

But as that trail of thought floated away in the wind, she moved on. It was always nice to have Caroline actually get what she was saying. or, even if she didn't, at least try. For all the times the cyborg didn't feel natural in nature, Lelianna sure thought she was getting there. Goodness, she already thought the woman's presence in the woods was just a fact now. Caroline lived there now as much as Lelianna did. True maybe she didn't have the same connection to the plantlife itself as Lelianna did, but she was as much a part of the place now as the druid was.

"Neither would I but...I think I would miss everything up above too." Confessed the druid with a little shrug. She stopped with Caroline to observe the mushrooms, but eventually encouraged them to move once more. They were getting close to some of the gem deposits Lelianna wanted to show her. "it's wonderful down here but I'd miss the trees and plants up there. Plus I don't think Skjorn would take it too well if I suddenly became a mole." The redhead said with a laugh. "He'd try dragging me back up, probably. Plus Stewart wouldn't be able to hang from the ceiling." She glanced up towards the roof way, way over their heads. "Aaaaaaaand I don't think I'd like him to try dropping on your head from that height." No please.

Eventually after walking a bit more Lelianna took Caroline over towards another large rocky platform. This one rose higher, but they didn't climb up to it's top. Instead Lelianna took her along the wall side of it, pointing towards it as they approached. "Here's some of the gems I mentioned. There's a lot more I'm sure, but these are good for an example." And indeed as she had mentioned the deposit itself seemed to stretch and take up a massive portion of the rock itself. Long spires of pure, uncut gemstone sprouted out from the side of it with dark blue coloring. Lelianna walked up to some of it closer to their height, and with a hand she reached out to touch it. "This is another reason I...haven't really told anyone else about this place." The druid confessed softly. "I'm just worried someone might come and...hurt this place."