"Please... Please do not ever tempt Undwote like that again..." I complain to my precious love, stumbling out of his grip. Collapsing against our supplies the moment he puts them down, I clutch the strong fabric tightly. Wherever the kelbalid is, he's still a fair distance behind, as my love is certainly something. Even with the additional weight, he overtook the galloping root-like.

With my stomach settling down, I glance up at the walls of the human settlement. The crashing arrival of my love spooked them and they're on the approach. My love starts to move away and the knowledge of his departure shreds away at my resolve. I weakly reach out for him, hoping to make him second guess the plan.

"Oh, stop your moaning. You can tempt whichever god it is that's linked to pride when I bring back the sadroobell. See you in a bit, Rose-sweerui!" he tells me, launching off into the distance. His power blows my hair back and shakes the ground. Saddened at first, the noise of the surprised humans manages to get a smile onto my lips. Their acknowledgement of my precious love's power is so intoxicating.

"For- For the sake of ensuring the safety of... Of our town. I will need to write down your reason for the disturbance," the head of the humans says, and I can hear them all be taken aback by my refined, petal beauty. I can hear how loud he gulps and I stand up. Though my eyes do not see as theirs do, I know what has their attention. My firm, honey-filled breasts, my slim waist and how it widens towards my hips. Slender legs and flawless skin.

All so easily rendered naked and bare if the humans just reached for it.

Approaching them, I start to fiddle with his uniform, "I am staying here to restock on supplies for a little bit. From which I shall carry on my journey to Suhurlodst, human."

While I regret not speaking of my love so vividly, part of a woman's ability to entrance men is to simply be available. I can tell they all like what they can see and I know they want to reach that slight leap closer to touch me. My tail whips at the closest hand, hooking so gently they only know it's there when it's too late. Yet, despite my necessary flirting, there's an uncomfortable truth I am struggling to suppress.

All of these men are so minuscule compared to my love. His magic outshines them all, the difference between seeing the world from a peak and the ground. I can't help but feel disgusted by how lacking these men are in their power. If the wind-people proper are petals, these lot are all roots. Every single one of them.

Wind-people are humans and yet, I feel the need to draw the distinction when it comes to those here. I can easily understand why this place is not involved with the nation of wind-people we are so close to. Why would anyone of such prestige and power want to be involved with this...? The mountains controlled by the wind-people out scale the need for such lesser population. Unlike we aelenvari, this is not a necessary evil to be suffered.

"Right... Right, got it!" the man with the tablet answers, his fingers shaking as they input the details. Turning back to my stuff with a finger on my lips, I show my wound off a little. Hiding my smirk within my mind, they all fawn over the bruises and signs of trouble. I point towards the bag.

"Perhaps you lot would be so kind as to help me into town? The road here has been very dangerous and I am simply unable to do it myself at this time." I plea, showing off the shape of my body while keeping their eyes on the provoked wounds. Wincing at the pain, I get my posture back to normal as they start to move. All of the men move to handle the job, but one is quicker than the others.

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Noting the parts of their armour that are thinner, I slip my hand to them and press down.

Bodies heat up and energy fills their muscles, "Ca-Can I get some help?"

Putting on a small smile, I watch them carry the supplies through the gate. Swatting at some bottoms with my tail, I trail after them and begin to overtake them. Reaching their front, I let my rear and legs direct them for the time being. My mind flashes images across my head, my assumptions guiding me as well as the echoes of those hunters.

Oh... My love, please return soon with your quarry. Show those hunters what you effortlessly slew. Show the whole settlement. All to protect me, my precious love, me who he calls his dearest sweerui.

I blink in confusion at how it feels like I am going through the town gate again.

"So it does look a lot like the entrance." I dimly remark with my true-voice and I glance back the way I came. The trick on the senses is one-sided, however, and the back of the actual walls couldn't be more distinct if it tried. I gesture towards a nearby table and the humans set the supplies down.

Approaching them, I vent my disgust through my true-voice. I give silent thanks through kisses on the wind and I finger wave them on their way back to their posts. The lot do so with smiles on their faces and hopes on their lips. When it is a certainty that they're far enough, I snort.

As if any of these humans have a chance with a petal of my calibre.

Going into the bag, I pull out some of the wine I brought and a glass to drink it from. Might as well keep my mind occupied with the sweet liquid made of Pluuit's finest grapes and flavours. Drinking the finely made aelenvari nectar, I spot a human of a degree unlike those from a moment ago. One with a short shoulder cape, riding boots and a narrow-pointed hat and many empty holsters. Likely leather tanned from the beasts he has felled personally.

Despite my lack of contact with human settlements, I am aware of what this man is. A valley-rider. One of the most notorious pests we aelenvari have to deal with. Unlike the thorns who helped me, a valley-rider needs to be of a certain make to succeed. Riding the wilds means they find my kind a lot and their circumstances allow for easy exploitation.

I've heard the songs of the wind-people and how they detail the petal maiden swept off of her points... Though, should this human irk me, I'll have plenty to complain about. Men of their kind are supposed to keep the roads safe. And yet, sadroobells and osi- wild osibindah have littered the path I took.

"Why hello there, delicate one," the man greets, his voice brimming with confidence and experience. I can see his magic moving quite clearly and I move mine to counter its smothering. He definitely is the kind the songs speak of. Fortunately for me, I guess, he's never impressed anything more than a stem. I just know.

I wish he would leave without having to be told or having to guess it. His lingering might even convince me to drink my wine straight from all the bottles. I'll slur and wobble my way to my love's lips and I will kiss him dearly. Both so he can feel one of the greatest acts of love and taste the rarest of spices known only as Rose'lhia-sweerui.

The valley-rider brings a leg up onto the seat and leans on the knee.

"Can I help you?" I ask dismissively, keeping my eyes on my glass of wine. It's quite entertaining to watch the liquid swirl in the glass. Watching all that magic-fermented sweetness. Delightful.

I may no longer be a member of a flower, my flower... But I've had enough animosity built up over the years towards valley-riders. Complaints from the males at their intrusiveness. The problems caused by roots vanishing along with stems. Much as we try to educate our lessers, we are all but women and we crave the love of a man. But, regardless of my circumstances, I maintain the mindset I have always held.

That of spite for those who would degrade us into being trophies, rather than lovers.

"A rose with thorns? I always did enjoy ones like that." the valley-rider goes, a small glass appearing in my sights. He raises it with a nod and I meet it with my own, if only to be courteous. Oh, how I loathe this man already! I force a smile out at him and it turns genuine as one idea enraptures me.

I can show him how small he is compared to my returning, precious love so soon!