This world held no place for one with a virtuous heart. Zelena Timanti had spent her youth locked away within her father's manor. Ryse had often told her that this world was a bitter cesspool that sired only hatred. And no matter how golden her heart might be. She'd only encounter the hostility of others due to her otherworldly visage. Like a fool, she challenged his pessimistic outlook concerning life. However, her experiences only bolstered the cynical man's views.
Not an instance went by where the cephalopod didn't extend a warm yet helpful tentacle. And each time, it was invariably lobbed off. Zelena's friends had forsaken her. The list of their sins far outnumbered the kindness she had received. It ranged from sexual assault to betrayal, experimentation, manipulation, and of course, the death of her family. With each experience, she swallowed a mouthful of ash. Only to spend many a night in the fetal position in some dark cave alone, save for her tears.
Within such tenebrosity, the octopi discovered herself compelled to meditate. The heartless belly of the earth provided her the stillness she required to reassess her life. Zelena couldn't refute the reality of her predicament. No one would glimpse beyond her monstrous extremities and see the lady trapped inside this repellent shell. Few souls, if any, possessed the acumen to witness her suffering. And even fewer could relate or hope to mend what was so thoroughly broken.
Several times she flirted with suicide. And each time, she'd chicken out from plunging a jagged rock deep into her neck. From the arid wastelands to the primordial bosom. The octopus continuously ran into opposition. This bitter plane was no place for a hero, no home for a better woman. And with this truth embraced, Zelena sought to rectify her current trajectory.
Those outside of that lair needed to suffer. They needed to feel but an ounce of the torment they inflicted. No one was coming to save her. There would be no hero gallivanting about on a fiery steed. No holy sword brandished to repel the demons that beset her sanity. It was either evolve, die or succumb to delirium. And she'd be damned if she were to accept defeat without putting up some opposition.
Many sellswords were dispatched to investigate the murmurs of her nest. And while she endeavored to reason with them, such entreaties ultimately fell on deafened ears. Left with little in the way of an alternative, she'd defend herself and snuff out their embers. Those tendrils clenched their throats, snapping the neck or pinning them within the rotting fog she disgorged. Once they were mummified, the cephalopod saw fit to liquefy what remained of their organs and slurp up the biological stew. Within her mind, there was no point in wasting a good meal.
Their corpses were interred within the vast systems of caves and tunnels darted throughout the jungle. And while some adventurer might happen across the carcasses. Those poor and unfortunate souls' names and identifiable markers had been peeled from them. Zelena knew she couldn't remain hidden forever. It was only a matter of time before the red sap or verdant dynasty cornered her. And so, rather than hunker down, she'd decide to migrate.
Silently, her feelers navigated through the darkness. Along with her echolocation, the aquatic horror needn't fret the umbra. Zelena had grown accustomed to these living conditions. A part of her wondered if she had become the monster many proclaimed her to be. Or, perhaps, if she was such a beast from the moment she was birthed? While worrisome, the sojourner wouldn't chafe over such inconsequential details. Instead, she'd select to keep herself focused on the task at hand.
The emerald beauty emerged from the gullet of the earth. Her moist skin embraced the affable kiss of the binary sols. The cephalopod let out a purr, lolling within its rays before prowling through the foliage and shade. The ferns were still wet from the morning dew, indicating sufficient daylight to seek out a more suitable dwelling. With their blades brushing against her skin, the predator kept a low profile while she ambled between the maze of towering lumber.
Zelena finally hit a clearing. However, she dared not risk stepping free from the overgrowth. Now camouflaged within the coppice, her skin would change hue and texture to blend in with her surroundings better. Those topaz and jade eyes studied the rocky peaks of the fingers of the elders. Her orbs had now acclimatized to the ambient light while the pupils split and remerged in a continuous cycle. Cautiously, she'd slither amidst the rim of the tree line.
After about an hour, she'd stumble across a small settlement at the base of one of those immense rocky pillars. Given its fortification and clangor, the octopus could only cull that this was a point of interest for the government. Gradually she'd wiggle out her tentacles, adhering their suction cups to the bark while her skin immediately imitated its appearance and feel. Carefully she'd scale up the tree, only to perch her buttocks on a thick branch. The shade, leaves, and her skin's natural abilities should hide her from detection.
Zelena tapered her eyes, peering between the gaps as this viewpoint granted her a clearer sight of the vista. And much to her stupefaction, this wasn't some backwater village but an outpost. It appeared meant to safeguard one of the many passageways interconnecting the municipalities of the jungle. A highway of sorts she had known to be utilized for ferrying troops and goods securely across the providence.
Zelena smirked as she had a moment of clarity and inspiration. If she could somehow infiltrate that network, she could move about freely and likely without suspicion. After all, the last thing many would suspect would be for her to hide in such a known location right under their very noses. Zelena could even use them as jumping points, suctioning onto the spiders as they unknowingly moved her about the dynasty.
Notwithstanding that stroke of genius, there wasn't enough luster to burn away the peril regarding her plan. How could she get in unnoticed? Now submerged in thought, her foci surveyed the scene more thoroughly. It was then she received her eureka moment. She would need to sneak into one of the boxes, and then the idiots would do the rest of the work for her. Perhaps she could seek to charm her way into their employment only to abandon her post. The latter of which was a gamble.
Zelena had no inkling how far word had spread of her description. Or if any at all had? After all, she might have been paranoid regarding Valerna's interest in caging her. A fear warranted due to the decade she spent crammed in a large flask. The tendrilled maiden hated the flask and swore never to be imprisoned again. Whatever ensued, she'd have to act quickly or under the curtain of darkness. Which presented a slew of problems given some mistook her for the defiled. How one could look at her and think she was one of those meanies, Zelena would never understand.
Was it the tentacles? Or maybe her fashionable suit of living armor? Shrugging it off, the octopus would crawl between the trees, moving closer and closer to the outpost at a steady pace. She'd desist her movements once she reached the closest tree to the station. From on high, she would abide and analyze them. Looking for any fool, she might charm or an easy way in. Whichever opportunity presented itself first.
Zelena’s mood seemed to change again for reasons the goatkin was unable to perceive. She didn’t think she did or said anything that would be offensive. Though the octopi did seem to assume the worst of situations which was in her right due to how people had treated her. The cartographer tilted her head in confusion at the cephalopod’s reaction. Xoco thought it was perfectly reasonable to distrust someone who wanted to access important parts of the jungle. As the creature had said herself, she didn’t know her and she didn’t trust her. In fact if anyone else had asked, the rock collector would have turned them down. The only reason she was considering it was that Zelena just wanted a place to travel without having people attack her.
Xoco had then expressed potential ideas for getting into the tunnels so she wasn’t sure where Zelena had gotten the idea that she wouldn’t help her. The goatkin grew sad as the octopi expressed goodbyes. Xoco tried to smile back and say something herself but before she could open her mouth, Zelena had disappeared. The cartographer quickly stood up and pressed against the tree as the horns sounded and members of the red sap rode passed her.
The goatkin had a sinking feeling that they were going after the cephalopod. Before she knew it they too had run into the distance and there was no way Xoco would be able to catch up. The rock collector stared in the direction they had gone for a long time. Finally Xoco would take out a piece of paper, one that she normally used for maps and wrote a small note to Zelena on it. The octopi would likely never find it but it was the goodbye the cartographer was unable to say. She placed a rock on top of the paper, knowing it would likely get waterlogged in less than a week and started off towards the outpost. Xoco was heading back to her hearth and her family.
“Zelena, I hope you are well. - Xoco”
The mood had changed once again. Zelena was left bewildered concerning what was so humorous about her predicament. She had begun to question if Xoco's previous empathetic aura was an illusion. Camoflague of sorts to screen her true intentions. In silence, the cephalopod mulled over this while she tilted her head. She wondered if perhaps the goat saw her as a kook. And rather than stuff her in a flask if this woman considered her to be an object of amusement. Such introspection ruffled the octopi, leading her to contemplate which she detested more.
Zelena would keep her distance while maintaining a vigilant eye. If nothing else, the fact that Xoco hadn't begun to chuck stones was a good sign. Nonetheless, things often had a habit of devolving around her. And so she'd keep her wits about her while studying the hooved stranger, which made the sight of the goat's relief all the more baffling. Why would she become visibly relaxed once the offer had been turned down? Unless she had no intention to carry out her word?
Could it be that this was all a ruse? A series of empty banalities with nothing substantial to support them? Could Xoco be so cruel as to appropriate her misery as a mode to prop herself up? It wouldn't be the first time Zelena languished and was used as a pawn to stoke another's virtue. Such dreary thoughts would be stored in her mind while she continued to assess the hooved lady. And this made Xoco's poor choice of words all the more damning and painted her in a poor light.
Unable to conceal her offense, the cephalopod would scrunch her nose from disgust. What manner of creature did Xoco take her for? Why would she make her interests known to an employee of the state if her motivations were so destructive? And while Zelena could understand the usefulness of assuming the worst of people. She failed to locate anything she had said to have led one to such an appalling conclusion.
Nevertheless, the goatkin tried to offer an alternative. However, the maiden of the sea had long since considered that avenue. The curtain of twilight afforded many advantages. Yet, the defiled were quite the nuisance that had the habit of keeping the sentries on edge. To make matters worse, given her grotesque appearance, it wasn't uncommon for some to sling a spell first and ask questions later.
Zelena unleashed a hefty sigh while she kicked the dirt. Those bicolored eyes stared down at the earth while she swayed side to side as she folded her arms underneath her bosom.
"I understand."
A pause ensued while her pupils veered back up at Xoco.
"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of myself. I've grown used to it."
She'd nod, offering a half-hearted smile before biting down on her bottom lip for comfort.
"You should return to the warmth of your hearth."
And with that, the cephalopod blended into the jungle before running off. The racket of distant horns bellowed while the red sap agents rode passed Xoco on their mounts. In their hands were nets and tranquilizing darts. One thing was clear, they were on the hunt and moved in the same direction as Zelena. And just like that, the song of her life would come to mind.
This bitter earth
What a fruit it bears
What good is love
That no one shares?
And if my life is like the dust
That hides the glow of this rose
What good am I?
Elders only knows
This bitter earth
Can it be so cold?
Today I'm young
Too soon I'm old
But while a voice
Within me cries
I'm sure someone
May answer my call
And this bitter earth
May not be so bitter after all...
Xoco relaxed as the octopi seemed to be less agitated. Though it was slightly hard to tell through the brush in which Zelena was hiding. The ever impatient cartographer figeted while the silence stretched out. It was odd, the goatkin thought that she smelled lavender from the cephalopod’s bush. She shrugged it off as she quietly clacked her hooves together.
Seeing Zelena’s head slowly rise up put a small smile to the rock collector’s face. Xoco was glad that the creature rejected the offer of gifts. In the goatkin’s rambling she had just been listing off random things not realizing that some of them were quite expensive. The cartographer tilted her head as the octopi resumed shuffling around the thicket. What Zelena said when she popped up again was not what the goatkin was expecting. Although for someone as scared of people as the cephalopod it made sense that she wouldn’t approach random people for no reason.
The cartographer considered Zelena’s words carefully. As someone who transported supplies all over the jungle, it probably wouldn’t be hard to smuggle the octopi to the tunnels. But if they were caught, Xoco could lose her job or worse. After weighing the options for a while, the goatkin would speak.
“I am not totally against that proposal but I do have some concerns. I don’t want to lose my job if we get caught and I don’t want to be responsible for letting someone do damage to a valuable part of the jungle infrastructure. I don’t think you would do something like that but I have only known you for less than a day. You can camouflage yourself right? So that will make things easy on the sneaking in part. Probably would be best to do at night.”
Xoco fell silent again, watching Zelena to gauge her reaction.
That aura of combativeness abated upon beholding the goatkin's bodily reaction. The manner in which Xoco hugged herself struck a chord. The octopi herself often did so to feel a pittance of warmth within the cave. A mode that Zelena employed to verify that she was indeed still alive on a biological level. Upon witnessing the goat's behaviors, the aquatic scourge felt nonplused. Could it be her time within the wild had pushed her deeper into the realm of being a monster? Was it possible she suffered from a major malfunction that was the root cause of her loneliness?
While comfortless, Zelena couldn't dismiss the possibility. Fellowship was the cornerstone of what separated sentient beings from mere animals. And as of late, its dearth had taken a toll on her. The cephalopod tilted her head, repeatedly blinking from utter bewilderment while she squatted. She extracted solace by maintaining a low profile. For within her eyes, it was better to be easily overlooked than to loll within the limelight.
Zelena tapered her foci, studying the strange child's eyes as if trying to cull forth erudite concerning the matter at hand. Xoco's confession had plucked her heartstrings. And with that development, her internalized self-loathing only amplified. Why did this goatkin writhe from remorse? Could it be that Xoco wasn't out to harm her? No. It must have been a facade to lure her into complacency.
Xoco's initial remarks received no rejoinder. That silence shattered whenever she spoke or the distant birds chirped. There, within that thicket, Zelena managed to regain some measure of composure. Remaining mute, she'd clean and primp herself with those feelers while they emitted a lavender perfume. The cephalopod did so to still her nerves while she tussled with how to best deal with this oddity. She could kill her. But such barbarity wasn't in Zelena's nature.
Notwithstanding her outward veneer, the oceanic horror wasn't the violent sort. Nonetheless, that didn't prevent others from surrendering to their lesser nature whenever around her, which made what the goat suggested next all the more perplexing. Gifts? Was this hooved girl trying to court her? It couldn't be. Who would wish to invest themselves in such a broken creature? Zelena would shake her head, thus ridden the mind of such silly thoughts.
Slowly she'd peek her head over the brush while she stared at the charitable soul of a goat.
"I have no permanent abode to call my own. Anything you supply would be additional weight to carry. Never mind that books are expensive, and I doubt you could afford to satiate my appetite for knowledge."
Zelena countered, only to drop down once more and fidget within the foliage. Her sharp movements caused the bushes to rustle before she finally mustered the strength to stand.
"But you could help smuggle me into that network. It's a big cave, perfect for someone without a place to wander. Some things money or worldly possessions can't buy. Assuming you're fine sneaking onboard someone like myself. I need to keep heading north. I wish to see what lies beyond the jungle. Perhaps there I'll find what I'm seeking after."
She added candidly only to nod twice as she stroked her chin with one of those sleek tentacles.
The goatkin’s face fell at the reaction of Zelena. She should've guessed that a hug would not be appreciated given the treatment, the octopi had shared a glimpse of. Xoco winced at the roar that the creature let out a roar and again she berated herself for acting without thinking. The cartographer wrapped her arms around herself, looking down at the ground in shame. Xoco remained silent as Zelena sp