[ As they step through, though, the scene dissolves and changes. They're outdoors, all of a sudden, on a world with air that's impossibly sweet and clean. The copse of trees they find themselves in - it's heart-stoppingly beautiful, maples with heart-shaped foliage rustling as sunshine filters through, the ground dotted with ferns amidst odd alien plants in fantastical shades of red.
Byerly's eyes go narrow, and he turns to look at Dutch. It's clear from his face that he recognizes this place.
A boy crashes through the greenery. He's very small, and quite slender, and pants and wheezes in a way that sounds rather asthmatic. No mistaking those eyes, though, beautiful and long-lashed even then.
He's running from something. He stumbles to a halt before an old willow with thick leaf cover, and looks up at it with terrified eyes - with a shudder, gathers his courage and starts to climb - and then stops a single branch above the ground, shaking. Poor little coward is more afraid of heights than he is of whatever is chasing him. ]
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Byerly's eyes go narrow, and he turns to look at Dutch. It's clear from his face that he recognizes this place.
A boy crashes through the greenery. He's very small, and quite slender, and pants and wheezes in a way that sounds rather asthmatic. No mistaking those eyes, though, beautiful and long-lashed even then.
He's running from something. He stumbles to a halt before an old willow with thick leaf cover, and looks up at it with terrified eyes - with a shudder, gathers his courage and starts to climb - and then stops a single branch above the ground, shaking. Poor little coward is more afraid of heights than he is of whatever is chasing him. ]
Ah. Yes.
[ Byerly murmurs that quietly to himself. ]