She had been swinging back and forth between the trees for several minutes before something caused her to stop. Her ball joints gave a little springing noise as she halted her movement, narrowing her eyes to survey the scene below her. Something was definitely off--usually the beasts that roamed her realm did not migrate quite as fast as she did. And she had an advantage, she was not encumbered by the forest or the various obstacles that rested upon the ground. Whatever was on the ground was moving just as fast as she, and that was a rather frightening prospect to even think on.
She shivered, lacing her arms around a branch as lowered her head slightly in the ground's direction. Closer but still many meters above the forest floor--just safe enough to get a better look at the situation. There was definitely something below her, she could hear it ruffling through the branches. It sounded as if it were searching for something, maybe someone. Whatever it was, it made her uncomfortable and nervous to consider. What if it was... following her? This new thought brought with it a wave of nausea. No no no, she didn't want to be followed, she just wanted to be... left to her peace. The smallest part of her perked up at the thought that maybe, just maybe, this wasn't a hostile entity. Maybe it was her mistress, finally returning after so long. But that thought was ridiculous, there was just no way it could be.
Still her heart encouraged her to test it. Just to be sure. Just to get an affirmative. And as much as she disliked what she felt inclined to do, her fingers fluttered into her small bag, pulling out the violin she always kept on her person. If it was... her creator, then the woman would respond. And she had to be sure, she had to... she just had to double-check. It would set her mind at ease.
She tilted her head to the side to hold her violin against her shoulder, placing a thin bow atop the strings. And with a deep sigh, she began to play a sweet sonata, the notes coming across smooth with an edge of melancholy. She had only been playing for a few moments when she heard a voice from below her. She paused, ready to resume, when a laugh reached her ears, followed by a voice she did not recognize.
"I knew you were nearby... and now your music has led me straight to you." Her heart came to a perfect jolting stop in her chest, her fingers growing lax. She nearly dropped her violin, well, the keyword here being nearly. Fortunately, her grip succeeded and her reflexes kicked in. She grasped it and readjusted it underneath her arm. But now she had a new situation on her hands--a new situation that she didn't quite... know how to deal with. This creature was not her mistress. And it was threatening, its' presence had already left her feeling icky. Ohh, why hadn't she just kept moving? Even when the woman wasn't here, her dreamer was still getting her into trouble!
The creature didn't make another sound but it was looking upwards now--it's gaze just meters off from where she was secluded in the branches. She had to make a move. She couldn't just stay here as if she were waiting to be hunted. Escape was going to be her best ally, she wasn't exactly in a fighting spirit... she left that kind of violence for... the imitation. She shook her head--no, she didn't have a reason to bring that out at all. She could get out of her safe! The Lady positioned her violin against her skin once more and began to play her silky notes, but this time with a different purpose.
Mana flowed from her fingertips, the ethereal notes swirling about her before swooping to do her bidding. A nearby vine unfurled and she stepped on to it, commanding the plants to form a bridge of leaves to support her weight. It was taking her a lot of courage to keep playing, evenly at that--since she was pretty sure that the creature was probably staring right at her. Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down!.
A roar from below her caused her to start playing faster, this was no leisurely stroll. She had to move, fast. Her notes picked up in pace, growing staccato, uneven forte, and the objects around her were responding in turn. The vines wrapped around her tiny body to support her as she ran across her growing leaf bridge. She didn't want to fight, not right now--but there was only one person she knew that would be able to help her out of this situation. And she hadn't seen him in such a long time--would he even be willing to assist her?
Of course, Xander was the only one out of all the imaginaries that was more or less the same. And sometimes she still saw him, from a distance. His realm was parallel to hers, after all, and the barrier of where his realm began and hers did was somewhat blurred. Yes, she knew how to cross into his part of these thick woods--he was all she could think about. In the time before, she had looked up to him, he had been the big, furry protector in her eyes. And riding on his back (sometimes) hadn't been so bad either. She felt a bit of hesitation rise in her chest. Would he remember her as fondly as she did him? How would she even react upon seeing him again when it had been so...?
No time for that, no time for that at all.
She forced herself to keep playing, she knew where his favorite cave was. Now she could only hope that he'd be there when she arrived. Hopefully he wouldn't be too angry at the unwanted guest.