#anyways- yes I'm calling a group of phantumps/trevenants an orchard

[eternapocalypse]

Glimwood Tangle is a dangerous place, especially during the winter, when the cold threatens to nip at your heels, to set frostbite deep in your bones. Hop — he thinks that's his name — is lucky he doesn't need to worry about any of that, but the temperature still wracks his body in shivers, the roots of the tree he's seeking refuge in providing little shelter from the cold.

It's as dangerous as it is lonely here. He hasn't seen another person since the start of winter. Part of him wonders if he's the only living thing in the forest right now, but maybe that's too self-centered for him to think. Maybe he's just unlucky. It feels fitting, familiar in a way that hurt.

Shaking, he huddles in on himself, trying to keep warm. His eyes peek out from the tangled tree roots, searching for something in the darkness outside, but all that's there are glowing mushrooms and snow.

That is, until, there's a voice.

It's soft, and for a moment Hop thinks he's just hearing things. But it gets louder, closer, and then he sees dark hooves trampling on the snow outside. He tries to get a closer look, but all he can see is a mass of white.

"Slow down!" something (someone?) calls out. "Lad, you're going to get yourself hurt."

Another voice replies, familiar and indignant. "I won't, mum—!"

It's cut off with a yelp as a small, dark face crashes into the roots. Hop flinches, finds himself looking into purple eyes that stare back curiously.

It's a Wooloo, his mind says before he registers it. A mix of grief and anger wash over him at the thought and he can't quite wrap his head around it. A Wooloo out of all things.

"Who're you?" they ask, and Hop moves back a step, glaring.

"Root! Stars below, you're going to give me a heart attack." The first voice from earlier is louder now, and there's hoofsteps just outside of the safety of Hop's refuge. "Are you alright?"

Root finally tears his face away, looking behind him. "Yeah!" he responds, before looking back at Hop. "There's someone in here."

Hop moves back further, until his back nearly phases into the dirt behind him. He curls in on himself, tries to look smaller, as if that'd make him invisible.

"They're very ugly!" Root continues, and Hop lifts his head to shoot him a look. "And they're being very weird."

There's a huff, followed by a sigh, before Root is pushed away very lightly. Another Wooloo stands before Hop now, much larger and older than Root, but their wool isn't pure white, patches of black scattered across it like autumn leaves.

"What did I say about being rude?" they say with disappointment before taking a peek through the tangled roots. Their expression morphs to something else as they look down on Hop. "Heavens me, a Phantump? In this neck of Glimwood?"

Hop swallows, staring back. For some reason, the mention of his species makes his chest clench up, like it's wrong, wrong, wrong.

"Where's your family, dear?" they ask. "Surely a orchard of your folks should be around here..."

"Don't have any," Hop forces out of his mouth. "'m alone."

Something in the Wooloo's eyes flashes, and he can't tell if that's a good thing. "Now, that won't do at all, especially in this weather."

They pause, as if thinking.

"Me and my son are heading to Ballonlea," they start. "If you'd like, you could come with us? It'd certainly be warmer and safer for you."

Hop's mouth presses into a thin line. The name Ballonlea rings a bell, but he can't quite grasp whatever memory that comes from, like he's trying to cup water in his hands.

A minute seems to stretch into eternity as he thinks about the offer. It'd be the best option, but he doesn't know if he could trust these people.

Instead of voicing that, though, he just mutters "okay" and slowly floats out of the roots, watching the Wooloo and their child carefully.

I hope I made the right choice.

"Wonderful!" The Wooloo smiles and takes a step back. "Ah, where are my manners? My name is Charlotte, and the little scamp with me is Root. What's yours, little one?"

"Hop," he stammers out. "My name's Hop."