He stands in the rain, uncaring that it drew a chill to his too-thin body, wanting only to feel something different and something real for a change.  Pan had escaped.  From where, he couldn’t say… but he was back to something familiar once more.  The boy had no real idea of how much time had passed, but his feet had traced the way back to his cave, each memorized step bringing warm thoughts of home to him once again.  Through the weariness of travel, he had pressed onward to Delumine, winding his way at long last toward the hidden cave, long abandoned in what seemed like a different lifetime.

Pan had stepped inside, pushing away a rough collection of brambles and leaves which had collected in his absence.  He had wound through the twists and turns of the cave, feet falling almost soundlessly on damp mosses as he wept silently as memories wracked his mind.  Gone were the voices of his past, gone even were some of his treasures.  Those which remained were covered in dust, long forgotten by whatever curious seekers might have stumbled upon them.  Perhaps the green scaled boy had been forgotten by Novus as well.  Only time would tell.

For several days, he’d slept unbothered in the security of his once-home, tossing on a fresh bed of leaves as his otter snuggled close for comfort.  He’d listened to the soft patter of summer rain, drawing the scent of damp earth into his chest.  He’d cleaned the dust from what remained of his collection, and nibbled on the remnants of a days-old pastry he’d acquired at Summerfest in Denocte.  And now, after building his courage, the boy had ventured out into the world once more.

The pathways to the Dawn Court were familiar, and yet the entire land had changed since Pan had been away.  His feet led him through the muddy paths, deep into the heart of Delumine until he once again stood before the towering Dawn Court castle.  As the summer rain stilled around him, the boy simply watched for signs of life, smiling wistfully as he remembered the best times he’d had in this place… before the murders, and before the chaos that had driven him from Novus in the first place.

Now, he traces the graceful archways with wiser eyes, seeking and yearning for belonging even as his vagabond heart pulls him from aligning himself to one court or the next.  And then, those eyes find hers.  Curiosity piques from the boy to the girl, as he offers her a friendly sort of smile, rain dripping from his alabaster mane as it runs in rivets down his Arabian frame and tangles in his scales.  He watches her with interest, cocking his head playfully to the side as Oliver (his trusty companion) slinks from his bag and settles like a cape around his neck, as if challenging her to step from the castle to greet the summer rain.

It seemed the lost boy was home, and maybe not so lost and alone as he had once thought.

Despite his loneliness and longing for company, Pan remains a chipper sort of creature.  As he watches the girl in the window, a warmth rises to his eyes and his lips twitch in a teasing sort of smile, one that dares her to defy the confines of her palace home and embrace the rain-soaked world.  Still, there is a curiosity that edges him closer, as he wonders why she watches him with a cautious stare instead of joining him in the summer storm.  It is this emotion which gives him pause, and piques his interest even more as he steps to meet her at the glass, his breath fogging against the misty pane.

Are you real?

Her question draws a laugh as he shakes his head, sending rain drops flying in all directions.  Pan’s grin widens now, as he whispers against the glass with urgency.  Stay right there… and the boy turns to race from the window, leaving her to wonder where he’d gone.

He steps confidently into the Dawn Court citadel, finding his way easily through the weaving hallways until he stood in the doorway.  Here, he could see her from inside, and the boy cleared his throat so as not to startle her.  I am real. he says slowly, offering a friendly smile as he steps into the threshold of the empty room.  And you… why are you inside?  You can’t be scared of a little rain?  He teases her before shaking like a dog, water flying from his mane as Oliver chirped indignantly at his lack of manners.

I’m Pan, and this is Oliver.  There is an easiness in the way he speaks to Maret, as if the two had been friends forever.  Personable to a fault, the boy cannot help but approach strangers with an inquisitive and kindly spirit.  It simply wasn’t in his nature to take caution when meeting others.  

For a moment, the scaled boy seems to drift off in his thoughts as he wonders at how much the palace had changed since he’d been here last.  Were there any familiar faces here anymore?  Would they welcome him back?  Pan shivered as he remembered the horrors he’d witnessed when last in the Dawn Court, eager to put the image behind him even as it had haunted him for the last several months.  In a way, it was good to start over, he decided.  His gaze returns to hers once more, as he seems to shake away the darkness, an easy smile replacing his daydream stare as he waits for her to introduce herself.

In the moment he stands in the doorway and watches, she looks like the princess in a fairytale, locked away from the world.  Pan doesn’t have to wonder for long why, as she quickly explains, My parents have told to stay inside. They say I’ll only get sick again, like when I was a baby.  He snorts and chortles with something akin to laughter, haughtily replying, "That’s parents for you… always too overprotective and worried.  Besides, if you get sick, you just have to go to the hospital.  There are healers who can fix you right up!”  

It seemed like such an easy answer for the boy, who knew nothing more of her condition or her past, just as he knew nothing of parents or their rules.  "Do you stay in all the time, or just when it rains?”  Maybe they were at least somewhat reasonable – for Pan could not imagine being locked away at all hours of the day, unable to feel the caress of sunlight on his face, unable to hear the whisper of wind in the trees or the birdsong in the morning air.  He lived for such peaceful moments, drawing inspiration from everything around him and wanting to experience all which life had to offer.

At the mention of his name, the otter scurries down his master’s side and curiously approaches the girl with quiet chattering.  In his furry hands, he carries a smoothly polished river stone, which he carefully places at her feet as a gift before turning to discover the rest of her castle room, obviously unused to the finery… for the boy and his otter lived in a cave, wet and cold even in the best of conditions.  Pan had done his best to make it homey (and Oliver wasn’t complaining) – but it sure wasn’t as nice as the citadel.

As his companion explores the room, Pan turns his attention back to the girl, floored a bit by her next question.  What does the rain feel like, in summer?  Rather than exclaiming his surprise that she’d never experienced a summer rain before, Pan thinks over her question.  How could he explain to a blind man what the world looked like, or to one without the ability to smell, a flower’s sweet fragrance?  His pause is thoughtful as he considers before answering.

"It feels wet."  He offers her a playful grin, but continues.  "But warm as well – like a hug or a soothing bath.  It’s definitely the best kind of rain for splashing and playing – the kind that doesn’t leave you chilled to the skin… I’m not a fan of cold, myself."  

He takes one daring step toward the door, looking at her with a playful wink that dares her to follow.  "But don’t take my word for it… come, see for yourself.  A little rain could hardly hurt…"

He knows the moment she softens, the moment her haughty coils fall to the floor, and almost catches a hint of a smile.  He’d take it, Pan decided… for he knew that the girl was one who seemed too proud to give him more.  Still, there is a teasing affection in his voice, and he nods reassuringly as she takes a first unsure step toward him, then a second.  She brushes against him, almost trustingly, which is all the encouragement he needs.  

With a twinkle in his eye, Pan whistles to his otter who quickly scurries up his leg and settles on his withers.  Come on then, what are you waiting for?  And with the challenging words, he turns and begins to trot playfully down the cobbled hall.  His hoofbeats are light as he makes his way past the throne rooms and libraries, winding his way through the familiar castle with an unexplained ease.  For though Pan is a vagabond, he had always considered himself a Delumine citizen at heart – though one with wanderlust in his blood.

The boy turns to make sure his new friend follows, weaving his way toward the gardens and waiting only for a pause in the final doorway as she presses closer to freedom.  You ready?  He asks only once, stepping back into the rain as it once again covers him with its warmth.  The summer sun is hidden behind thick clouds, but there is still a warmth to the air which only summer can bring.  All around them is the unmistakably earthy scent of wet foliage, and it sings to his soul as he longs to splash in the puddles and wallow in the muddy soil.  But he doesn’t – not yet.  Instead he waits uncharacteristically patiently for the sheltered girl to join him before tossing another challenge to her.

Come on, catch me if you can!  And the boy races away into the wilds of Delumine, daring his new friend to follow.