The city was a noisy mess from what she could tell. The light murmurs flooded the air over the gentle breeze that rustled the trees. The mix of coloured greens swirled in the light, scanning the field, watching the last harvester snap the reigns of his wagon. A quick stroke of her thumb was left against the tall, twisted oak before she began passed the edge of the forest. Her feet cut through the tall grass, pulling up the scarf over her whisping tresses, and wrapping the long end around to conceal her lightly freckled nose.<br/>Walking down the shallow slope was always a bit of a challenge, and time consuming with the careful placement of her steps. By the time she reached the edge of the town, a new leg of farmers would be unloading their supplies to harvest and replant. Luckily, despite the overt styles of her clothing, the colours seemed to help her blend when it wasn't appropriate to wear her cloak. As far as anyone could tell, she was just another towns member.<br/>The movement of her plum peasant skirt seemed so loud in the stillness, though matching decently with her tan tunic. The brown scarf covered most of her shoulder, hiding the striking rust tone of her hair.<br/>Past the vendors and booths of all those trying to sell their goods, she slipped into a little shop - one of the only shops under a solid roof lasting more than a few years. He was, as he called himself, a purveyor of unique and priceless items. How he managed to stay in business with a combination of his prices and attitude was anyone's guess.<br/>"You again?" he said with a raised brow.<br/>"When is it not me?" she purred with a feisty glance.<br/>"I just can't quite tell what you're game is. Usually those who come in here have somethin' in mind, but you girl- You're an odd one. What'd you do-"<br/>"I pay you to help keep your business going, yes?"<br/>He stared at her grumbling with a hesitant nod of his head.<br/>"Than that's all you need to know. Do you have anything new?"<br/>He shook his head and rambled about the processes in which he proceeds to find and collect new things. He explained the trek it takes sometimes when things seem low or business isn't as profitable as he likes. She listened mindlessly, noticing nothing out of the ordinary, nimble fingers gliding over smooth stones and painted goblets. She picked up a small charm, rubbing her thumb over it's face to remove the collected dust. She set it back on the navy table cover and inspected a small bottle. Barely the length of her pinky, it's bulb-body held a small sapling of some kind, the sprout just coming from the seed, persisting to grow up the neck. She twisted the black string around her fingers and proceeded to the front.<br/>"Just this bobble for today?"<br/>She smiled with her hand on her money, when her gaze halted upward. A gold rim caught her eye, halting her hand and bringing her forward around the counter a bit. He just stared at her oddly as he always did, trying to see what she saw. Her hand pushed aside the wooden mask and pulled a long bottle from behind it.<br/>"I thought you said you didn't have anything new?"<br/>"That? That's not new. That old thing has been up there for ages. No one's ever wanted something like that. What're you gonna do, stick a flower in it?" he shrugged.<br/>"I just might do that." she smiled.<br/>She planted a few stacked coins on his dingy counter and waved away.<br/>Among the bustle of the people again, she discretely raised her hand to smooth her covering, assuring it was still sitting properly. As she walked, tying a knot in the string of her new necklace, she looked once more at the sprouting seed inside, slowing her steps at a certain conversation.<br/>"There's somethin' out there, I tell ya. He's seen it movin' in the trees!"<br/>"Calm down Barty. Y'know that ol' man's loosin' his sight, he is. It was pro'lly just a bear or a stray horse."<br/>Her feet stopped slowly, inconspicuously fidgeting with her purchases, making sure the cork in the tiny bottle was secure and wrapping it taught around the neck of her new bottle. He ears were open, listening in on what new rumors were floating about what might be beyond the woods.<br/>"Ain't no bear walkin' up on two legs like that - and that fast. I tell ya, it's just waitin' to strike."<br/>"And what the devil do you think is gonna be strikin' a town like this?" He said with a monstrous bite of his apple.<br/>"I don't know. A werewolf maybe? It always happens to a town like this Mort. Mark my words."<br/>Mort just laughed with his beard full of apple juice, teasing the old Barty and his imagination. As she smiled beneath her veil, it was fading quickly with his following comment.<br/>"Don't worry Bart. If anything ever came'a lookin' for trouble 'round here, we'd give 'em hell. Maybe we'll get're boys together and get us an nice ol' hunt together. Make some new killin's."<br/>Her smile was gone with eyes drawn down as she rubbed her thumb and forefinger together, continuing on her way, but not before the apple Mort was holding shriveled like a prune in his hand.<br/>The hour passed and she watched the men bundle their loads and carried them into town as the sun went from it's high point to the low lighting just before dusk. As soon as it was clear, she made her way across, bounding through to the trees once clear of the fields. Without a second look, she sunk between them, weaving loosely through the columns of healthy birches, beyond the hardened soil and deep into the dark canopies. Their bodies were thicker and bent further, branches sprouting lower down their trunks with every mile.<br/>She stopped for a moment, unable to see the clear sky in any direction and observing her bottled trinket. She scanned it out in front of her and though surveying a proper placement when she was startled by a wet nose as the bottle plunked against the mossy floor. A light gasp escaped as she stood on her toes with a young fawn pushing it's way between her arm and hip. her smile stretched at the feeling of it's soft pelt, taking a glance to search for it's mother.<br/>"What on earth are you doing so close to the edge little one?"<br/>His dewy eyes stared up at her, as she glided her gentle touch down his neck. She noticed her clumsiness and teased him for making her drop something she just bought. With a last comforting stroke, she shook it lightly and brought her hand up, wiping it along the bottle to clear it of it's mess.