An Extra Hand [Sanctuary - Kavala]

by **Ishara Dossari** on May 7th, 2012, 4:16 pm

56th Day of Spring, year 512AV

Ishara stood at the main gate to Santuary, her hands on the freshly shaped wood. The smell of sawdust permeated the air, mixing with the sweet, musky scent of horses and hay. They'd been rebuilding as much as the rest of Riverfall, though the traces of the storm were harder to pinpoint, now. You had to know what you were looking for.

And that was the problem, wasn't it? With so many repairs to be done and help needed all over the city, Ishara had encountered odd jobs and a day's meals by simply offering her help. Now that the number of those jobs had diminished, and the more complex ones being taken up by skilled artisans, it was no longer necessary to employ some one for clean-up duty. Particularly a small-statured woman.

Lifting her chin as though indignant at the very thought that she should be considered too small for any job, Ishara moved past the gates, the pale shadow of her sighthound sticking close to her heels. Raj could scent the presence of many other canines, their boundaries were marked, and trespassing made the silkena anxious.

The sun was just over the horizon, a bright disc on a clear sky. As the light slanted into the courtyard, it ignited the dust kicked up by a horse in the roundpen. The animal was pacing, to an fro, head raised and nostrils wide as it drank in the cool morning air and expelled it in a shuddering gust. Ishara smiled, admiring the way the horse moved. His step was delicate, despite his heavy build, and she could not help but imagine what her brothers would have to say about the horse's breeding background and purpose just upon sight of it. She did not have their knack for analyzation...but she could appreciate a beautiful animal all the same.

Her tongue popped against the roof of her mouth as she neared, clucking softly, and the horse's ears pirouteted in her direction, followed by it's liquid eyes. She reached the side of the round pen and stood there, her body turned three-quarters and her eyes averted in an effort to tempt the animal to inspect her. This was how her brothers taught her to approach their horses, to invite one's self into their space...and it almost always worked.

The horse pivoted towards her, took two steps...then tossed his head up, snorting. Ishara grinned, following his gaze, and gestured for Raj to back off. The silkena reluctantly slunk off to curl up by a watering trough, uneasy but obedient to his master's wishes. The horse watched this interaction, stamping a foot impatiently as indecision warred within him. Curiosity won out, however...and he lowered his head, stretching out his bristly nose to wuffle at Ishara's sleeve.

"See? Not so very bad..."

by **Kavala** on May 14th, 2012, 8:01 am

The Konti had a quick eye when it came to visitors through the gate. And in some ways it was a miracle the facility even had a gate. Huge stone walls now reached to the sky where none had been before. They enclosed the acreage in a protective perimeter embrace that gave the facility privacy, protection from the constant coastal winds, and a bit of shade depending on the time of day. There were stakes flagged out throughout the compound, but no buildings stood as of yet other than the beginnings of a barn. Piles of wood deemed 'salvageable' was stacked against the perimeter wall in places by size and shape. Animals ran loose throughout the compound, dogs and horses mainly, though other things as well.

The makeshift corral the visitor stood by held horses that were injured and under Sanctuary's treatment, mostly from outside owners. Kavala ghosted up beside the woman staring out into the arena trying to win the strange horse's attention, flanked by half a dozen silkenas herself. The dogs wove in and out of the rails, sometimes in with the horses, sometimes out roaming among the construction. She watched the woman, a critical eye trained on her actions, and spoke a soft word to the dogs which had them reacting by gathering in a tighter group.

"He is not one of mine, that gelding, and lame as they come. His coffin bone has detached from the hoof walls. See how he puts most of his weight on the back legs and seems to walk out on eggshells? If he were one of Sanctuary's breed he'd not be so timid of dogs and he certainly wouldn't have ruined himself over incorrect feed. He's getting better now though, being here, among the controlled chaos. Are you looking for a horse to purchase? I wouldn't recommend him, for certain, until he's decidedly better. Then I could ask his owner if hes interested in selling." Kavala said glancing down at the dog with the stranger, practiced eyes going over it looking for signs of illness, injury, and noting its body weight and general condition. With her dogs on the loose due to their kennel being destroyed, she had no choice but to worry about strange animals being brought in among the Sanctuary dogs.

The healer waited then, saying no more, unsure of what the woman truthfully wanted and slightly annoyed that she'd come through the gate bold as the day was long. Kavala would remember to lock it next time.

by **Ishara Dossari** on May 14th, 2012, 4:01 pm

Raj shifted, and Ishara caught his prick-eared stare out of the corner of her eye, half a heartbeat before the woman's voice rang out. She turned, and based on Serriff's brief descriptions, she had to assume this was Kavala. Though there were a few Konti women throughout Riverfall, Ishara was willing to bet that not many would have the knowledge to diagnose a horse so accurately. Besides, the pack of dogs trailing her heels was a dead giveaway that she belonged here in some sort of leadership capacity.

Her eyes snapped back to the horse as it pivoted gingerly and moved away from the rail, anxious at the approach of yet another human and so many dogs. Raj inched closer to Ishara, his shoulder pressed against her knee. The approaching pack outnumbered him easily, and their intentions were not yet known. His ears back, Raj's tail offered up an tentative wave, hoping for peace...

"I am afraid that when I go looking for a horse, it must accept the presence of dogs," her hand lowered to run her fingertips over the top of Raj's skull reassuringly...though whether that reassurance was for her, or the dog, she did not yet know. There was work to be done here...one look at the place solidified that statement into fact. But for the moment, Ishara felt like nothing more than a trespasser...despite her familiarity with on of the Sanctuary's studying healers. That be as it may, she wasn't about to weild Serriff's name about like it was some almighty pass to get in here. No. She had to do this on her own.

Ishara ducked her head in a respectful nod, her glacial eyes meeting those of the Konti woman, "My name is Ishara Dossari. I came looking for work, hoping that you could use me," because good meals are getting hard to find. her mind provided wryly. She glanced at the group of horses milling about in the pen. "I'm familiar with horses, and dogs," she gestured to Raj, who was busy trading scents nose-to-nose with another Silkena. The determined grin that snapped across her features strengthened her resolve.

"I'm no stranger to grunt work...I can manage," even if I am small... that staement seemed to suggest.

by **Kavala** on May 14th, 2012, 6:27 pm

Kavala nodded, listening to the woman, but more importantly watching the way she acted around the dog. The dog was a Silkena, or so she looked, but did not act the way one of the trained Sanctuary dogs would. The woman's mannerism with horse was off too, as if she might know of them but hadn't worked with them much at all. One didn't coax a horse to a fence, one urged one off a fence and controlled the animal with ones eyes until the animal decided the one doing the controlling was the boss and definitely safer to be with than without. That's how it always worked with herd animals.

The Konti shifted, but her eyes lit up and she smiled at the womans words. "Well met Ishara Dossari. I'm Kavala Denusk of the Denusk Pavilion, Saphire Clan, Mistress here. I'm glad the Labor Aide finally sent someone. I've had requests in with them for ages. Skilled competent healers, animal husbandry folks, competent carpenters and expert reimancers trained in Earth is what we need. I've turned away dozens of laborers just looking for work or food. Thankfully they've finally sent someone. Tell me what your history is and what skills you bring to the table. And tell me your a reimancer. We can use you now, as in ten minutes ago. One of our side tunnels just collapsed and it needs seen too. I'm still working on a main hall and its all I can do not to overgive daily. Everyone else is fine and we have foaling well in hand this late in the spring though with all the clients we need all the healers we can get." Kavala said, then smiled at the girl, relief written all over her face. She obviously needed the help, so long as it came skilled.

Kavala reached down and ran a hand over the head of a big male Silkena with long silky blond hair. He looked watchful but didn't interfere with the new dog. He simply gave it a good look while some of the younger animals, puppies only just having reached their full growth, bounded over to say hello to the strange dog.

In the distance another pack of imperial watchers, far larger than the Silkenas, seemed to be out with another man - a Drykas - who was laying more stakes out and surveying the ground as he went.

by **Ishara Dossari** on May 15th, 2012, 3:12 am

Labor...Aide? Ishara blinked. She'd not been to the labor aide. Nor was she even remotely a reimancer. No, she was drifting in here on a hope and a prayer that they could genuinely use her, put her to work, in exchange for--

"I've turned away dozens of laborers just looking for work or food."

"Ah." She swallowed, a small frown creasing her brow. This was not what she'd been prepared for...not exactly. Lying wasn't even a brief consideration on her list. She was not without skills, though. The past few weeks she'd been assisting other families as they pieced together their lives, picking up some very basic carpentry knowledge in the process. She straightened up a bit, gathering a deep breath.

"I...well, not exactly. I mean, I am not sent by Labor Aide," a chagrined smile crept hesitantly to life as the first admission was made. In for a pinch, in for a pound, Ishara thought to herself, squaring her shoulders as she let the second bomb drop..."I'm no reimancer, either," half a breath's pause, and she hastened to add, "but I am not without skills! I have a steady hand with a hammer, and I learn fast. I am Benshiran, I--... I grew up on the sands of Eyktol, and I am a decent rider."

Of course, this spouting and stumbling over words might not be aiding in your favor, she tartly reminded herself, and clamped her mouth shut. Her eyes found the toes of her boots for a long moment, during which she sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Who was she kidding? Kavala had turned away dozens...dozens of hopefuls knocking on her door. What in all of vast Mizahar would prompt her to make an exception? Ishara swallowed, scrabbling about for...

"I'm a fair storyteller, too, if it pleases you," she murmured, glancing back up and squaring her shoulders once more. It was all she really had left, outside of the basic niceties that came with being raised the only daughter in a large family. Still, she was sturdier than she looked...a practiced eye could discern the toning of her arms and legs from beneath her clothing by studying her stance. The spark of determination in her eye spoke for her earnesty.

Such earnesty was lost on Raj, who was being subjected tothe rapturous attentions of a puppy who was currently wriggling up to him. As though the pup's antics were infectious, Raj's tail lashed from side to side and his forelegs skidded forward in a play bow. Eyes wide, tongue peeking from his gaping maw, he skipped away a few steps...and sank into his bow again.

by **Kavala** on May 22nd, 2012, 5:09 pm

Kavala simply stared. There was nothing more she could actually do and she couldn't have said what she wanted to say due to politeness. So the girl could ride? She could tell stories? Anyone could bang a hammer to a nail, but without skill it meant little or nothing to the construction they had going because it was important that every thing be solid.

And truthfully having taken in so many strays over the course of the years, and having them leave with little or no thought, Kavala was done doing that unless the people in question were kelvics and truly needed the help.

"You are a long way from home. And as much as I hate to say it, I have no place for a storyteller or rider. Everyone here can ride competently or better, and everyone here has stories. But they also work and have knowledge of construction, medicine, reimancy anything.... but you don't even look like a fighter. I can't afford charity. I've given out all kinds of similar jobs throughout the years to folks willing to 'learn' but they always leave and usually the windfall is theirs not mine. After the storm I simply don't have the extra coin to take in new employees that don't have something physical they can bring to the table to help with operations here. We've enough hands to clean and feed. Most of the cleanup is done too, we just have to rebuild. I'm sorry, Ishara, but without something else there's nothing I can do." Kavala said.

The Storm had changed her. The Council had changed her. Everything in her life had changed. Once, she would have reached out to this woman, now she couldn't, wouldn't... and had no real idea why.

by **Ishara Dossari** on May 23rd, 2012, 3:53 pm

Ishara frowned softly, glancing from Raj's cavorting with the younger silkena's, to the woman standing before her. Grudgingly, she has to admit that she had a point. There was not much that she was able to offer that could not be matched by those already within the walls of Sanctuary. And while Serriff was schooling her in the ways of combat, she was no way near proficient enough to be labeled 'competant' when it came to fighting.

"I understand," she murmured, forcing a tight smile. As disappointing as it was to be turned away, she could appreciate Kavala's honesty...blunt as it was. "I wish I had more to offer...but, I am still learning," she nodded more to herself than the pale-haired Konti before her. It was not the first time she'd been turned away from a job these many weeks, and it probably was not the last. She was young and able-bodied...eventually there would be a place that could use her. Have Faith, she reminded herself grimly, a deep breath pulled into her lungs as she considered the rocky ground her Faith had been subjected to since the death of Abyar. Have Faith, and by Yahal's grace, things will get better.

"Thank you for your time, Kavala. I hope you find the reimancer you are looking for."

She "tsk-tsk"-ed softly, and Raj's head shot up above the shoulders of the youngersters, his golden eyes pinned to his master. Disentangling himself from the enthusiastic press of furry bodies, he trotted back to her side, silken ears falling back against his skull as his elegant features nosed her hand. She gave him a pat of praise, and turned to go, the pale silkena following closely at her heels.

by **Kavala** on May 27th, 2012, 8:27 pm

Kavala nodded to the woman. Once, she would have called her back, at least offered her a meal for the road or gave her a suggestion on where to look for a job. But now, after everything, she didn't have the energy.

Carefully she closed the gate after the woman and her dog, locking it securely behind them. When she was sure the girl was gone she leaned against the gate and stared out at the expansive ruin of Sanctuary's yard. "I'm sorry. But you'll find out. U ou'll find out, lady, that unless you stop wandering and find a place to plant your feet the world is a cruel place. And even then there's no guarantees. Death is the only escape from life. And its a vicious vicious thing." For a moment she thought of Ronan and tears welled up in her eyes. He was on the road for the djed storm. And even though she had a small lock of his hair, she wouldn't look at his Chavi. She couldn't. Dead. There was no chance in the world he was alive while traveling in that storm.

And Ishara would find out, unfortunately, that her best recourse was finding a home or indeed remaining with family if they were still alive.

by **Sojourn** on June 8th, 2012, 9:06 pm

Ishara's Package :

Kavala's Package :