Woodpecker's Song {Open}

It's a bit of unnatural silence as I continue picking the fruits; there is no conversation at all between anyone. This stranger decides to break the silence by giving an apology to storm and he explains that he doesn't like sarcasm. 'When people are sarcastic, it tends to imply something offensive' I consider instances where sarcasm is used and apply the explanation to them.

He then reveals his name "I'm Kohl, by the way. Forgive me?" he offers a formal apology. 'That's a very unique and interesting name.' I take another glance at him and continue my work. Suddenly, I have the urge to interact, or at least make some sort of impression on this Kohl. This is where I contemplate on saying something in this conversation. It's enticing to be able to speak to someone, but also frightful. 'What if they didn't wish to speak to me in the first place or what if I'm going to disrupt their conversation.' I make points out in my mind.

Eventually I make my way to at least introduce myself formally to him taking a bit of air in and giving myself a small boost of confidence. "Uh, I, um, my name is Lotus." I look down to the ground again in being shy again and look at the distance from my point of view to the ground. 'This is definitely more than ten meters high.' I return to my thought of analysis and keep moving on to gather fruit. The side I am working on right now is actually quite bountiful and so I continue to gather the Gamboge from this side of the tree, listening to what Storm has to say.

"Of course." The girl had angled her head towards me a little when I had spoken, but now she turns her whole body to look at me directly, her pale face splitting into a grin. I'm a little taken aback by her willingness to forgive me, as we'd only just met and she certainly doesn't have to like me, especially after I blatantly insulted her. Loud, chatty, lively, trusting, forgiving...I believe I've met my polar opposite. I smile softly at this realization. "I'm Stormy."

The boy decides to speak to me for the first time, and I incline my head in order to see his face over the top of a thick branch. "Uh, I, um, my name is Lotus," he says, then quickly looks down to avoid my gaze. His voice is soft, uncertain, as if he doesn't know whether or not he should speak. I don't mention how I had already heard his name, and instead broaden my smile and nod to him in greeting, even though he seems to be preoccupied with staring at the ground. "Nice to meet you both," I say, and it's true. It's not ever day I meet someone new, as I more or less keep to myself on work days, occasionally speaking to my partner if I have one, but even then it's usually to tell them when they miss a fruit. After all, my best friend is my mute little sister. How social could I be?

"So how old are ya?" Stormy questions as she plucks a fruit off its stem. She herself looks a little younger than I, about fifteen or sixteen, while Lotus looks slightly younger, though he may be older than he looks. I reach up and grasp a fruit hanging from the branch above me.

"Seventeen," I say, snapping the fruit off its stem and dropping it in my basket. My gaze flicks from the fruit to Stormy and then to Lotus, lightly curious of their ages. "How about you?"

((OOC: Adorable Lotus graphic by the way, plantix. xD))