She looked around for herself. She had been too tired to take much of it in the night before, but now she had time for details. Many of the elves in this village were blond-haired, like Nashtra. A few had brown hair, and some other had auburn color. She said had yet to see any black-haired elves, though. Besides that, none of the elves who were awake were children; they were mostly young adults, a few that might have been about to leave their teenage years behind, but none of the little ones.

The forest looked lovely in the morning light, even though little of it made it through the canopy above them. The blue hues seemed to sparkled, the greens to glow, and even the brown of some of the trunks looked vibrant with life. It was such a lovely place to be, she completely understood why Nashtra was one of the few who ever left.

“Were you looking for something to eat?” one of the elves asked her when he noticed the way she was looking around.
Himeko turned around and looked at him. She shook her head. “No. Actually, I was looking for somebody.”
“Whom can we help you find?” the young lady next to him and asked her.
Himeko hesitated, shy about asking for him by name, wondering if she was being too presumptuous. Still, they seemed eager to help, and she decided to try. “His name is Natasha,” she said.
Both of the elves– and a few others nearby– seemed to recognize the name right away. “Ah, the explorer,” the elvan man said, as though it was terribly interesting that she would want to find him.
“He took lodging with his mother in the chief’s hut,” the woman told her. “Although… I am not sure who there is awake yet, and who is sleeping still.”

“The chief’s hut?” Himeko asked.

“We thought you knew,” the young man replied. “His mother work for the chief shaman. Nashtra is welcome there any time.”

“Oh– of course,” Himeko replied. “That makes sense.”

“They will probably rouse very soon,” another elf, who was stirring some vegetables in over-sized skillet over the fire, add. “I remember Nashtra saying that he had another journey yet to embark upon.”

“He will need to be well-rested for it,” the young woman noted. Then she smiled to Himeko. “Do not worry about anything; Nashtra is a wonderful guide.”

“Everybody ask for him to take them places,” the first elf told her.

“Everybody?” Himeko replied. “Is that so?”

“He know the lands quite well,” he said. “Now, can we get you some breakfast, or is Nashtra the only one you are interested in?”