#but i discovered a new way of paiting that i like more while drawing this

[laylinara]

My part of the secret santa event, Satrana for BotNikolai on the official afk journey discord.

Have a nice christmas everyone.

[wetzoofan]

Peace ( a Natalia short story)

       

Nature is incredible in its beauty. At night, far from the lights of the city, the sky, dressed in planets and dozens of starts, bask's in glory while the sweet, calming tones of the forest blend with the silhouettes of trees to create the most majestic of paitings

Nature is also dangerous, daring anyone who want to appreciate its charms. In the United States, across multiple of its national parks, the milions of people that visit it everyday contrast the  thousands who dissapear or die, be it from getting out of safe paths, mesing with animals, to name a few. It is not a mere amusement park, for it demands be taken seriously by anyone who visits, treating it with respect.

One of its many visitor's, Natalia, knows very much  how to treat someone strong and mysterious, with a equal amount of fevor, passion and adventurous audacity.

Every weekend, between noon ( and sometimes at night), after doing walks with her cat, she spends hours exploring the woods close to her garden.

Natalia azevedo de souza is the leader of an independet organization, specialized in research and scientific analysis of supernatural phenomena, spending almost everday of the week going from city to city, helpin people with problems related to anomalies. From creatures that turn you from the inside out by just looking at them to interdimensional portals. She and her team bring safety by introducing precautions methods, utensil and sometimes ritual, doing orientations to help others familiarize themselfs with the problem at hand

Despite her obsession with all things bizzare, having a vast knowledge of creatures, She admits that the nature of her job can be exasuting. Between the countless goverment representative meetings, regulation checks and many interveviews can be very draining to her, on top of having to interact with so many people all the time. She keeps her sane by having time for herself

And theres no better way to pass the time for someone whos methods of research involve incredibly risky maneuver just to know the life scycle of certain species than Natalia

With years of experience in camping, wood carvin and nature studies as a hobby, she does lots of things, such as exploring caves, climbing tres and mountains just to get informations of specific bug species and creating wood furniture. All that culminating in a secret passage she built behind a waterfall, filled with bug info, even little drawings she made of them.

She feels imense pleasure in adventuring, challenging herself just to discover something new, going beyond common sense to face your fears and see the beauty of the universe

She likes having her space, where she can have control of things, without interruptions. Spending time doing something that isnt as comparatively hard as her job

A moment of peace

And in these moments, between waterfall baths, sitting on a natural formation in the water.

She thinks to herself

''How long has it been?''

''Its been years since im like this, between life and death, a ghost that can turn physical''

''Years studying, fighting, contributing everythign to my carrer piece by piece. Building MY purpose

''My love for inovation, my curiosity and the love i get to give others the chance to be who they want to be. Give them hope, despite it all. United by the wish to see more of this world we live in, interacting and creating our own stories. Of course, that the path to bringing hope is never going to be eazy, but ill be willing to fight, so that no one can fell like they are not enough. Each one of us, while facing certain doom, we band together to fight for whats left, to not dissapear, to live one more day, each a flame inside our bodies''

''and ill be here to see it''

...

Natalia took a deep breath, and tought about her past

''30 years, and im still the same..not in a lifetime my old self would've tought this would've happened

''But...Do i really have a past, when my memorys of it are so blury?''

''I have feelings of regret, pains, mistakes i swear to never commit, and still. Its been so long that certain details have escaped from my mind''

''And only the bad stuff remained''

''The only life i have is this one, and even knowing the irony of me sayin that, considering my predictment is... well...''

''I wonder who i was, who was my fammily, if i had friends and people who cared about me''

''And even then, is it worth to remenber this, when the life i already have is whats important?''

''...Well, i have feelings for things i barelly remenber, so they probably were  still reall to me...''

''So how long will it be when this happens to my present time too, where i no longer will remenber about the things im sharing to other now?''

''When they eventually die too?''

Natalia, still sitting close to the fountain, gets up to dry herself, she looks at her reflection in the water. holding a choked cry

After recomposing herself, she looks at the stars above, its night time and she barrely noticed it

''Even if i dont remenber, my actions, and the impact that they have, will be eternal in the minds of people, the good im doign will help so much others, so this is what matters. No matter what happens to me, ill still be here, for the sake of everyone''

''But... for just this moment, ill alow myself some alone time''

To Natalia, the florest is her personal sanctuary, and her way to distance herself. Stop thinking about things, not letting them bother her.

All her doubts, questionings, fears, are consumed by grandeur of nature. And even if this isnt the best way to calm her problems. this is the most confortable she feels.

And for all that are tough enough to handle the forest, she will be there

As times, when she has trouble sleeping, she sneakily gets out of her house, and dissapears in the woods at night.