31st of Fall, 508
The twilight was fading, and the embers in fireplace were cooling down. The black sky, which had been speckled with a river of brilliant stars and the iridescent moon, had been replaced with a vast indigo blanket. Most of the Kalanue people were asleep in their tents, but a few, including Maha, had already risen and were getting ready for their daily tasks. For Maha, that meant hunting for game and gathering mushrooms. She was moving silently about the tent so as not to wake her mother, father and brothers, who deserved more time to enjoy their sleep before they start their own routines.
After a quick wash, Maha had dressed herself with her usual attire and was now making sure she had everything she needed for her hunting trip. In her bag, she checked that she had her eating knife, flint and steel, a roll of hemp rope, short bow arrows, and her preservation kit, which included a pouch full of salt, a few empty jars, and folded sheets. Since she wasn’t going to take a long trip – she would be back by nighttime, perhaps tomorrow morning – she figured she wouldn’t need too much for a ration. But just in case she can’t find anything to eat, Maha decided to put in some goat meat jerky into a small pouch and fastened it to her belt, next to the half-full waterskin. On the other side of the belt, she had fastened her straight-blade Kris and her hunting knife.
After quickly scanning around the tent and confirming that she was ready, Maha took her bow, slung her cloak around her shoulder and set out the tent. The night had left the air very cool – Maha clutched to her cloak tighter, as she hated the cold. Her tent was set up near the Redstone Cliff: heading northwest would take her there, and heading south would take her to the deserts. Maha chewed on her lips and pondered as she stood outside her tent. Should she go northwest, where she would be able to find an abundance of goats, mushrooms, and crows, or should she go south, where it may be more dangerous, but the bounty she may find would be of greater prize? She strode over to the fireplace and warmed her feet amongst the cooling ashes.
“Well, mother did say she needed more feathers,” she mumbled to herself.
Totse, her mother, had specifically asked her to bring her some crow’s feathers last night, as she was a seamstress as well as an artisan. But Maha also wanted some wolf’s fur, for it would be worth for a good trade for her next trip to Yahebah. The merchants there did not want goatskin as much – the Benshirans were mostly herders and traders, hence they always had enough goats to produce meat, milk, and leather for themselves.
After some thinking, Maha looked up and strode northwest, heading towards the dark figure rising across the horizon that was The Redstone Cliff. She decided that it would be easier than the desert to hunt crows there, and occasionally, golden wolves could be found within the terrain. If she is lucky, she would pick up mushrooms and cucumbers on the road as well.
Although the air was cool, the rocks and sands beneath her feet were relatively warm. As Maha made her way, she occasionally held up her hands and felt the air – an action that would seem odd to non-Chektawes, but commenced with a perfect reason. The ‘freckles’ on her fingers let her sense motions in the air, letting Maha know if there was anything living and moving nearby. Nothing so far, which made Maha feel both relieved and anxious at the same time. Relieved, because it meant there were no potential dangers nearby, and anxious, because it also meant no potential game to hunt.
“It’s been only a few steps since you left the tent, Maha,” she thought, attempting to calm her frustration. Taking a deep breath, she looked back to see where the Kalanue tents are. She was now on top of a sand dune, and she could see the little encampment that had grown small enough to fit in her hand. Assuring herself that she was on the right track, Maha turned around and walked again towards the cliffs, which was getting closer to her with each step taken.
