thoughtformed | [Video]

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[Well, someone's looking a bit more mature than usual... Aisling looks at least 13 instead of 6-8 years old - something about the shape of her face and the proportions of her hands as she brushes her hair back from a gilded tiara engraved with oak leaves. Unlike her normal, generally care-free attitude, she's actually looking a little worried.]

Does anyone know anything about something kidnapping animals and killing trees? There was some damage done yesterday, but before I could get there, the culprit was gone! One of my friends didn't come home last night, and no one around the damaged area is home either.

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Bad... It's like someone has blighted a large patch on the city-ward edge - trees have been cut down, the undergrowth has died, and what remains is black. I can't get anything to regrow there!

Can I take a look at it? Maybe I can help find out what or who it was.

Yes, I would be grateful. [She doesn't hesitate, even though she's asking a favor. Anything to help her get this figured out. Anything to help her friends and her forest.]

Then I'll come to the forest. Where exactly are you, Miss...?

Aisling. [She pronounces it ASH-ling.] The forest edge South and West of the city, toward the mountains. Here...

[She turns the camera to give a panoramic view of the city edge then curves around - mountains in the distance, forest running down and then this disgusting, dried, dead, blackened patch where trees curled over and in on themselves, grass withered and crisped... A small-ish patch, but the trees near the edges looked sickly too, like they were being affected more slowly.]

I'm Sirius Black. And I'll be right there.

[Literally. Because, BOOM, apparating wizard! Right in front of her.]

[She may be fairly used to magic, but she was not expecting that! She was suddenly up a nearby tree, staring with wide eyes.]

Oh...

[Now he just look sheepish.]

About that... I'm sorry. Should have warned you.

[She shakes her head and drops down out of the tree with a gesture that pushes the fright away.]

I'm skittish - this hasn't been a good day for me.

[She touches the enormous sun broach on her chest absently, as though seeking comfort from it, and makes her way over to him.]

Have you ever seen anything like this?

[She means the dead patch to one side.]

[He does his best to seem reassuring, despite appearing from thin air. Looking to the dead patch he frowns and crouches down by it, pulling out his wand.]

No, I don't think I have. Do you think it's magical?

[Still maintaining a two-foot distance between them (sorry, Sirius, it's just what she does with strangers when she's not trying to scare them) she wraps her arms around herself and shakes her head, frowning.]

Either that or a new type of disease. But it would have to be very quick to murder this whole area in such a short time.

[He's casting some detection spells and frowns.]

I can feel something... But this world's magic is so strange, I'm just not sure.

It's not like anything I've seen, either... But the land doesn't feel sick. It feels dead.

Hey...

[He'd give her a hug, but she doesn't seem to be the type for it and - if he were honest with himself - after everything, neither is he.]

Maybe it will be better in a few days, when everything is back to normal...ish again?

[Aisling shoots him a puzzled look.]

What do you mean?

Oh.

Oh...

Just that sometimes strange things happen on this island.

Things which mysteriously kill everything with no warning? We've had monsters, sure, but this is new.

[She starts pacing a little in short, sharp bursts, around the edge of things. It looks almost like she wants to go in, but she's hesitant to do so.]

I don't like it. The island could be in trouble, not just my forest.

Maybe we should ask the locals about it?

[He watches her, obviously noting her anxiety.]

Or we go deeper into the forest to see?

[She halts, considering his suggestions.]

If they know anything... [The scorn is thick, but she makes an effort to smooth it out and remain neutral.] it might be good.

It hasn't shown up in any of the rest of the forest yet - just here.

Do you want me to ask around about it?

[Getting a feeling she's not much of a people person. More a forest person.]

[Sirius is absolutely correct on that point, and while she does briefly hesitate, she nods seriously.]

I would be grateful. I can't repay you right now, but I'll do what I can when this is done.

You don't have to repay me, Aisling. I want to help.

[He nods to the forest.]

This isn't right. I want to know what happened.

[Yes she does. But she won't push it right now, instead nodding acceptance of his offer. She'll repay him later, if only to keep her own mental scales evenly balanced. She has a feeling that she's going to owe too many people too much after this.

Crouching, she reaches out one hand over the blighted area as though feeling the air currents. Gently, gently, she touches a withered flower and breathes in sharply as its stem snaps abruptly.]

It's too strange to feel from the outside... Stay here.

[Standing, she brushes at the ooze of rotten plant matter on her fingertips and looks out over the patch, steeling herself. And steps into it. A shudder runs through her, but she keeps walking till she's in the center of it next to what had been a young tree, now dry and somehow wilted, twisted. Her hands hover briefly over its surface before pressing onto them. She bows her head, partially shrouding herself with her hair, sagging slightly.]

[He listens to her, because even though he can't tell what she is, it's clear to him that she's a magical being and no matter how young she looks, she has the authority here.

But when he sees her sagging, there is too much Gryffindor bravery in him to not rush in and crouch down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.]

Are you alright, Aisling?

[She's shivering a little, and when she answers her voice is softer, breathier. Distant and tired.] This isn't a disease, but it acts like one. [It takes a visible effort for her to pull away, almost as though her hands have been glued to the trunk. Her fingertips come away last, and she staggers, devoid of her natural grace for a moment. For a moment her skin looks ashen grey, drawn tight over her face so that the underlying bone structure is more apparent, but then she shakes her head and the impression is gone. She's actually startled to see him standing there, and grabs his wrist, pulling him out of the blighted area.] It's not safe for you in there!

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