Descending from the vastness of space to the atmosphere of the planet while fires from entry blazed along her edges, empty vacuum and stars slowly replaced by breathable air and the continents of the world looming in a curve of horizon before her, the titan was not particularly impressed.

Maybe it wasn't very fair of her, but compared to the majesty of the void and it's endless expanse, to the celestial bodies moving in their intricate infinite dance of gravity and the uncountable galaxies that shone brightly one and all, a ball of dirt covered in water and plants just didn't hold to the same standard. The world she was travelling down towards wasn't terrible by any means, but it lacked the same gravitas and grandeur that space held from it's simple existence. It was dull and boring by comparison, the features incomparable to what she was used to. But, it was where she had been bidden to go, and so she would no matter how she felt about it. The curiosity and reserved hopes she'd had were very quickly being replaced by a weary sort of grudging acceptance that this place was where she would learn what it meant to be a shepherd and steward.

Touching down in the midst of a forest, Selene straightened and took a long look around. Despite being taller than any of the trees when she landed she did so lightly, barely a rumble of the ground and only a few cracks of falling timber sounding. With her flowing black dress of darkness, luminescent white skin, and individual features taken together she greatly resembled a moon, and combined with her size it was like night had fallen on this particular patch of woodland. Small flying rodents and birds flew away from her from the treetops and ran along the ground in confusion, but she didn't even notice, only continuing to scan the area silently. She had been told to meet her teacher here, but the problem was that so much of this planet looked the same she couldn't actually be sure she was at the right place... There were many forests in the center of the continents, after all.

She heaved a sigh with it's own wind force before freezing at the small mental ping like a tiny bell being struck in her thoughts, looking down toward her feet at the figure walking towards her through the undergrowth. She had to narrow her eyes to better see her due to the other titan's own height; instead of taller than a mountain she was only the size of one of the smaller races, not even up to a bough. Holding up a hand so a bird could land on her fingers, the titan she'd come to learn from smiled at it and then looked back up at Selene. Her skin was very slightly tinted green, her hair was a gathering of flowering vines, and the simple brown robe she wore was plain except for the dirt around where her knees were and the hem.

<...Mistress Clane, I am glad to meet you. I am Selene, and-> She started, speaking words mind to mind. Clane tilted her head, politely puzzled.

<What's that, I'm sorry?>

<I am to be your apprentice, and I am honored by the role.> Selene continued, that much at least true. Despite Clane being much older than her, it was hard to tell her actual age from her face. She had been maintaining and stewarding worlds for longer than Selene had been alive, and that was worth respect if nothing else. Clane raised her eyebrows at her as Selene knelt down to better see her.

<I apologize, but I'm having trouble hearing you. Maybe it would be better if you were to come all the way down here.> Clane said, spreading her arms out slowly so the bird still perched on her hand wouldn't be spooked. It hopped up to her shoulder instead and chirped as Selene frowned, not understanding what she was getting at.

<...We're speaking mentally. How could you have trouble hearing me?>

Clane put a hand to her ear and squinted in confusion, and Selene pursed her lips before likewise shrinking in form. It took her a few seconds for her to go from the biggest thing on the planet to human sized, and when she was done Clane smiled down at her. Selene needed a few moments to get her bearings, as she had spent very little time this small, and she looked down at herself before back to her tutor.

"There we are, that's better. It's much harder to see the true nature of things when you're so high above them all. Look at you! You're such a cute little thing." Clane said, brightening up at her. Selene wasn't sure how to respond to this, so said nothing. Part of her wanted to take offense at being called cute, but there didn't seem to be any real offense to take... Clane smiled a little bigger at her being taken aback. "I'm very glad you've been seconded to me. Your role may lay amongst the stars, but that just means the lessons I have to impart will be that much more important for you to learn. The same way it's easy to lose sight of the trees for the forest, when your business is planets and space it could be easy for you to forget about the lives you'll be touching and affecting."

"It is a very big job, to work and maintain the universe as it is." Selene said, nodding. She didn't quite grasp Clane's meaning, but thought it sounded proper. Cleane gestured around them before double taking at the bird still on her shoulder, taking it to hand and holding it out to Selene, who paused and then held it. The bird looked up at her and she returned its stare before it chirped and she let it go to flutter away to the branches above them.

"Now, the very first task we're going to do together is to instill that value for life. Are you ready to begin?" Clane asked. Selene nodded and put her hands up eagerly, seizing the initiative. "Yes, of course! What will I be doing?"

"We're going to stick around here for, oh, let's say seven of this world's days. While we do, I want you to observe everything that happens around us." Clane said serenely. Selene blinked, faltering. "What... What do you mean?"

"Just what I said. We're going to stay in this area, as still as we can, and watch over what happens in our presence. All the plants and animals going about their lives and doing their best to exist here on this world, we're going to see play out before us." Clane said, before turning around and scanning the area. Walking over to a downed tree, she patted the spot next to her. "We've even got a comfortable place to sit while we do! How lucky."

Resigned to her fate, Selene joined her and carefully fixed her dress of night before taking a seat and folding her hands in her lap. Silence had fallen between the two, the noises of the forest around them eventually creeping back into wary regularity. Clane had glanced over and tapped Selene on the arm. "We don't need to sit in silence- go on, tell me about yourself. I'd love to hear."

"There isn't much to tell." Selene shrugged. The openness and friendly manner of Clane had thrown her off, she'd expected her teacher to be a stodgy sort instead of a peaceful woodland woman. Clane continued to look at her and smiled encouragingly before Selene relented. "Well... I'm from the Elysian star cluster, of a dynasty of shepherds among the galaxies. After learning of the material universe from my parents I was perceived to have a future in-"

"No, no, that's all things that have happened to you. I mean, tell me about yourself. What do you like to do? What draws your interest? What makes you happy, and what makes you sad?"

"Oh. Well..." Selene started, once more unsure. No one had ever asked her something like this before. "I like to.. fix things, and make them orderly. Or take the random nature of the universe and align it's parts the right way. The calling of our kind appeals to me, more than some of our other functions... I like learning, and I like putting into practice what I learn. One day I hope to make pretty things all my own, stars and planets and all sorts of space phenomenon."

"I was never much for space, myself, but I can understand why." Clane nodded. "Give me trees and dirt any day."

"But there's so much to space! The physical pieces and the rules that govern it all, moving in a constant perfect harmony... Or, mostly perfect. I suppose that's where we come in. As for what makes me sad, leaving my parents and my home was harder than I expected, and I expected it to be hard to start with. But more than that, I... We'll never be done, will we?" Selene asked, looking to her. "As titans, there will always be more to set right and fix and maintain, not less. Even if our entire race worked constantly to the end of our days, entropy is always just a step behind us and our efforts. That worries me."

"You are a smart one, aren't you? Yes, I suppose you're right, in a manner of speaking. Our work will never be done, not here or anywhere else. But that's no reason not to try, is it?" Clane said. "And besides, maybe there's a value in the doing itself, rather than just the finishing. Oh! Look, we've got company." She said, pointing to a tree branch. Selene watched the birds there hopping around and changing places, they likewise eyeing the pair as they did. When Clane whistled one of them copied her in birdsong, before some of the others did as well.

That was how they spent the next span of days, sometimes sitting, sometimes walking to an area just outside their area but always returning to the log and the same clearing. It shocked Selene to really realize how much life was right under their noses, from insects and birds to small animals and bigger ones, to say nothing of all the plants. Clane explained things like how a food chain worked and what an ecosystem was with examples drawn from what they witnessed, making sure that Selene grasped her main point; That life was all interconnected in many ways, and that organisms depended on many things to sustain themselves, not all of them obvious. Even small changes could have big effects, and life had value no matter what size it was or where it stood in the grand scheme of things. Even though all life was messy, chaotic, and unpredictable, it was beautiful because of those things, not in spite of them. Although Selene would remember that she had taken in the lesson quickly, in reality it had been a few days before it all had really sank in.

The sun rose and set on them, but it made no difference. Clane would take her to see birds in their nests or ants marching to and from their anthills whether there was daylight or they were lit by the moon, and many other animals more besides. She told her about the plants and trees around them, the fish in nearby water sources, and the complicated relationships between predators and prey. Through it all Selene trailed after her teacher, at first quietly but eventually asking questions and trying her best to understand.

"...No matter how small, or how insignificant, everything that lives deserves the chance at life. Preserving that and them is the most important part of what we do, as far as I can see. Creating, shaping, and preserving, they're all for that single goal. To protect the lives of everything that exists." Clane said aside to her, the two looking down at a mouse in her hand that had frozen at their attention. Selene slowly nodded, finally understanding that point. Seeing this, Clane set the mouse down as it sped off into the undergrowth.

"That's the most important lesson I have to teach you, and it's even more vital you understand it since you'll be part of the universe up above. When you're corralling planets and putting moons in their places, I want you to remember the uncountable number of lives that depend on your decisions. It's a great big lot of responsibility, and you have to be sure of yourself if you're going to do the job right." Clane said down to her.

"I will be. I promise." Selene said in subdued tones. Clane patted her on the head and she looked up at her, surprised out of her reverie.

"Good. Lucky for you, you have such a wonderful teacher! Now come along, we've got so much more to explore and see on this world. When we're done, I'll let you try your hand at creating an animal of your own. Between the two of us, I'm sure you'll come up with something amazing." Clane said, smiling. Selene smiled back, no longer nervous but eager to continue her education.