Timestamp: Winter 79, 507
Morwen was approaching the end of her season, though the smothering blanket of white which dominated the northern summits of Kalea would not abate for some time yet. Sanikas Pass would remain closed probably for another thirty days after seasons change considering the amount of snow that had filled it. At least the winds were light today and the skies were clear, an excellent opportunity for some outdoor lessons.
The Chiet teachers brought the Yasi out to the courtyard for a day of fun, deciding to structure the lesson into not just fun in the snow, but for teaching the kids a little bit about survival in the elements. Many of the young girls and boys in the class would likely elevate into a hunters or falconers status, which meant they would need to know how to live through the harsh elements that often filled the kalean alpines. They had directed the kids before hand to dress warmly, katinu, full vinati, winter gloves and shoes.
When they stepped out onto the courtyard that day, the kids were left in complete awe. Where the stumps of the stalls that filled it in the warmer months had been, the Courtyard of the Sky had been transformed into an icy wonderland! A reimancer that lived on the bay had helped some of the hydroponics members to create this labyrinth of statues, ice forests, and even a castle. A racing course had been erected on the southern end of the courtyard for some of the kids to partake in physical endurance challenges while a small ice climbing wall had been built against the northern end. A ski slalom had also been made that went around these two and into the center, challenging the kids to race and weave on bark and steel skids through the flags that had been placed.
Vira was more interested in the snow-tunnel that had been made, the crystal entrance glinting in the sunlight. Most of the other kids were shouting about a game of capture the dek in the ice-castle while others wanted to play on the spinarets (a game of balance atop the thin spires near the center of the field). The Chiet teacher at the snow tunnel was teaching a type of cartography in the form of tunneling.
His name was Balazan, a middle aged man with black hair and red tips. His eyes, though, were a blazing gold that made Vira think of the metal just after it had been melted down. Balazan wore a rabbit-fur katinu with a fox tail neck and takin leather gloves. His hair had been completely shaved off though he wore a takin-fur knit skull cap to keep his head warm. In a bucket beside him were shovels and ice picks.
Two other yasi besides Vira were coming to check out the tunnel, and as soon as she and they were in range, Balazan went into a quick explanation. "The rule of the game is simple, kids. The first one through the maze wins. You'll each be given a pick and shovel and will be expected to find your way out. You may find collapsed bits where you have to dig your way out or a wild animal that wants to chase you back out. Tunnels are different from other elements in the wilderness. You don't typically have light to guide you, for one, so you can't find your way by plant growth. Water in this can either be a great boon...or a deadly trap so be careful." It was hard to tell if he was serious about the water bit by the mischievous grin on his face.
"So, get at the starting line." Once the three kids had set up, Balazan waved his hand. "On your mark....get set....GO!"
Vira and the other two took off into the tunnel like an arrow from a bow, the little girls longer legs able to carry her quickly ahead of them until she slipped and slid down onto her bottom. The girl yelped when her momentum carried her not onwards along the big path but left her sledding into a tunnel that had been carved to one side. "Eek!" She squeaked, sliding and spinning around a bend until she remembered the pick in her hand.
Rolling onto her stomach, Vira smacked the sharp end of the pick into the ice to use it to slow her sliding down and eventually stop it entirely. It had certainly proven quite the fright for she'd slid over a hundred feet through the small tunnel into another cave. Once she had herself stopped, the eight year old got back to her feet and tucked her hands under her arm pits, shivering and looking around. She noticed the cave was short and wide, suitable for a child to move through but not an adult.
In the middle of the little cave a steel rod had been jammed into the ice and a canvas notice put on top of it. Along the bottom of the left side (from the tunnel she'd slid down) of the cave, there was a small slit. It looked large enough for a child to crawl through, but she was hesitant to approach it after what she'd been told by Balazan. She chose to approach the note and see what it said instead.
Morwen was approaching the end of her season, though the smothering blanket of white which dominated the northern summits of Kalea would not abate for some time yet. Sanikas Pass would remain closed probably for another thirty days after seasons change considering the amount of snow that had filled it. At least the winds were light today and the skies were clear, an excellent opportunity for some outdoor lessons.
The Chiet teachers brought the Yasi out to the courtyard for a day of fun, deciding to structure the lesson into not just fun in the snow, but for teaching the kids a little bit about survival in the elements. Many of the young girls and boys in the class would likely elevate into a hunters or falconers status, which meant they would need to know how to live through the harsh elements that often filled the kalean alpines. They had directed the kids before hand to dress warmly, katinu, full vinati, winter gloves and shoes.
When they stepped out onto the courtyard that day, the kids were left in complete awe. Where the stumps of the stalls that filled it in the warmer months had been, the Courtyard of the Sky had been transformed into an icy wonderland! A reimancer that lived on the bay had helped some of the hydroponics members to create this labyrinth of statues, ice forests, and even a castle. A racing course had been erected on the southern end of the courtyard for some of the kids to partake in physical endurance challenges while a small ice climbing wall had been built against the northern end. A ski slalom had also been made that went around these two and into the center, challenging the kids to race and weave on bark and steel skids through the flags that had been placed.
Vira was more interested in the snow-tunnel that had been made, the crystal entrance glinting in the sunlight. Most of the other kids were shouting about a game of capture the dek in the ice-castle while others wanted to play on the spinarets (a game of balance atop the thin spires near the center of the field). The Chiet teacher at the snow tunnel was teaching a type of cartography in the form of tunneling.
His name was Balazan, a middle aged man with black hair and red tips. His eyes, though, were a blazing gold that made Vira think of the metal just after it had been melted down. Balazan wore a rabbit-fur katinu with a fox tail neck and takin leather gloves. His hair had been completely shaved off though he wore a takin-fur knit skull cap to keep his head warm. In a bucket beside him were shovels and ice picks.
Two other yasi besides Vira were coming to check out the tunnel, and as soon as she and they were in range, Balazan went into a quick explanation. "The rule of the game is simple, kids. The first one through the maze wins. You'll each be given a pick and shovel and will be expected to find your way out. You may find collapsed bits where you have to dig your way out or a wild animal that wants to chase you back out. Tunnels are different from other elements in the wilderness. You don't typically have light to guide you, for one, so you can't find your way by plant growth. Water in this can either be a great boon...or a deadly trap so be careful." It was hard to tell if he was serious about the water bit by the mischievous grin on his face.
"So, get at the starting line." Once the three kids had set up, Balazan waved his hand. "On your mark....get set....GO!"
Vira and the other two took off into the tunnel like an arrow from a bow, the little girls longer legs able to carry her quickly ahead of them until she slipped and slid down onto her bottom. The girl yelped when her momentum carried her not onwards along the big path but left her sledding into a tunnel that had been carved to one side. "Eek!" She squeaked, sliding and spinning around a bend until she remembered the pick in her hand.
Rolling onto her stomach, Vira smacked the sharp end of the pick into the ice to use it to slow her sliding down and eventually stop it entirely. It had certainly proven quite the fright for she'd slid over a hundred feet through the small tunnel into another cave. Once she had herself stopped, the eight year old got back to her feet and tucked her hands under her arm pits, shivering and looking around. She noticed the cave was short and wide, suitable for a child to move through but not an adult.
In the middle of the little cave a steel rod had been jammed into the ice and a canvas notice put on top of it. Along the bottom of the left side (from the tunnel she'd slid down) of the cave, there was a small slit. It looked large enough for a child to crawl through, but she was hesitant to approach it after what she'd been told by Balazan. She chose to approach the note and see what it said instead.
