15th of Spring, 515 AV
Hirem's search was nearly over.
Though the path was almost impossible for him to foresee, the Benshira knew in his heart that the answer to his troubles was at hand. His fingers were tingling, his skin prickled with anticipation, every part of his being cried out for the reward to his arduous efforts. He could taste his victory, it seemed so thick in the air, yet the means of achieving it remained frustratingly elusive. Taking a deep breath, Hirem bent his head and closed his eyes, centring himself in the moment. You can do this, the Benshira reminded himself, his knuckles white from exertion. You can do this, so long as you do not lose yourself. Keep a clear head. The mud his knees rested on was sinking underneath his weight, but he did not pay it much heed. His hands were filthy, his brow was sweaty, and the bones in his back were beginning to ache... and none of that mattered, because he was about to find what he had been looking for all this time. His heart in his throat, Hirem plunged his shovel deep into the earth and dug, and dug and dug until he felt that he could dig no more, then pried the mud apart with his fingers and foraged like a wild dog hungry for meat...
Finally, he saw his prize. "Aha!" He cried, pumping a fist into the air. "I've got one!" Hirem reached down into the sticky mess and grasped at the clam below, a smile blooming on his face...
Then his fingers grazed the surface of the 'clam', and he realized that it was just a stone with an unusual colour. Gaping, the Benshira then bit down on his lip and chucked the damn thing as far as he could into the nearby Suvan.
"Oh shyke," he hissed, shaking his head. "Nevermind!" He cried to Kavala, waving his arm back and forth. "I was - I was mistaken." Gritting his teeth, the Benshira then pushed himself out of the mud and rose to his feet, drawing his shovel and bucket off the ground. Back to the hunt, then. "I swear, this is the work of Laviku himself. There is no way nature itself could be this cruel."
But despite his grumblings, Hirem's face was beaming, an inner light making his eyes twinkle in the bright noonday sun. Even though he had little success with this whole exercise so far - this strange clam-digging that Kavala had suggested earlier in the morning - it was proving to be a great deal of fun, a perfect way to spend a warm spring morning. At his back there was the Sea of Grass, separated from the sea by a high cliff... in front, there was the Suvan, vast and peaceful, fuming quietly in the horizon. Underneath his sandals, mud groaned and collapsed, small pools of water dotting the ground as he paced down the beach. This was a place unlike any he had ever before experienced - beaches in Eyktol were all sand, dried rock, harsh seawater and humid wind. But this beach, this little quiet haven far away from the Sanctuary and the rest of Riverfall, was a perfect mixture of earth and sea, warmth and chill, a place that made Hirem glad to have left Eyktol. Even if this whole journey to Riverfall ended up becoming a mistake, Hirem was still grateful for getting this small glance at the humble wonders the greater world could offer.
Taking stock of the beach, Hirem realized after a time that it was just him and Kavala left to dig for clams. Red must have left just a few chimes ago, he thought, glancing back in the direction of the Sanctuary for the missing gardener. Part of him was sad to see that his friends had disappeared, but mostly he was just relieved to know that the competition was solely between him and the Konti. Perhaps now I'll actually have a chance at being the first to discover a proper clam. The challenge had first arisen last night at dinner time, as the Sanctuary residents gathered in the kitchen to exchange a communal supper. Hirem had spent most of the evening quietly contemplating his food, nervous about stepping into the conversation fully... for while he was at heart a Benshira and would always love the feeling of being in a community, he had spent a very long time as a hermit. But when the topic of clam-digging had come up, apparently a popular pastime on the western coast of Cyphrus, Hirem grew intrigued when Larik offered a challenge to the group. "I say," the Kelvic had begun, eyes fierce, "that we all go out to the beach tomorrow and try to find a clam. The snow should be all melted by now... whoever can find one before Aunt Kavala does, gets to claim a favour from her." And when the chance to extract a favour from Kavala, mistress of the Sanctuary arose, one did not just pass down the offer.
But so far, Hirem had had little luck in his attempts to best Kavala. Though the Konti herself had not found anything, the odds were stacked in her favour. She's more familiar with the area, more attuned to the sea, and... damn it, if the gods don't reward her like their most prized pupil. Pursing his lips, the Benshira idly kicked at a nearby mound of dirt, mind racing to figure out how he could possibly beat Kavala.
His eyes, idly glancing down, saw something bright in the mud that he had just upheaved.
A grin crossed Hirem's features.
Two chimes later he came racing over to Kavala, holding aloft his precious clam. "Ha!" he cried, smiling from ear to ear. "You may be wise when it comes to many things, my friend, but today I have proven himself the Lord of the Beach! Look! Look at this marvel!" Cackling, the Benshira brought the clam close to his eyes, bemused by this unknown creature. "Perhaps I have finally found my calling. Hirem, Master Clam-Catcher!"
Hirem's search was nearly over.
Though the path was almost impossible for him to foresee, the Benshira knew in his heart that the answer to his troubles was at hand. His fingers were tingling, his skin prickled with anticipation, every part of his being cried out for the reward to his arduous efforts. He could taste his victory, it seemed so thick in the air, yet the means of achieving it remained frustratingly elusive. Taking a deep breath, Hirem bent his head and closed his eyes, centring himself in the moment. You can do this, the Benshira reminded himself, his knuckles white from exertion. You can do this, so long as you do not lose yourself. Keep a clear head. The mud his knees rested on was sinking underneath his weight, but he did not pay it much heed. His hands were filthy, his brow was sweaty, and the bones in his back were beginning to ache... and none of that mattered, because he was about to find what he had been looking for all this time. His heart in his throat, Hirem plunged his shovel deep into the earth and dug, and dug and dug until he felt that he could dig no more, then pried the mud apart with his fingers and foraged like a wild dog hungry for meat...
Finally, he saw his prize. "Aha!" He cried, pumping a fist into the air. "I've got one!" Hirem reached down into the sticky mess and grasped at the clam below, a smile blooming on his face...
Then his fingers grazed the surface of the 'clam', and he realized that it was just a stone with an unusual colour. Gaping, the Benshira then bit down on his lip and chucked the damn thing as far as he could into the nearby Suvan.
"Oh shyke," he hissed, shaking his head. "Nevermind!" He cried to Kavala, waving his arm back and forth. "I was - I was mistaken." Gritting his teeth, the Benshira then pushed himself out of the mud and rose to his feet, drawing his shovel and bucket off the ground. Back to the hunt, then. "I swear, this is the work of Laviku himself. There is no way nature itself could be this cruel."
But despite his grumblings, Hirem's face was beaming, an inner light making his eyes twinkle in the bright noonday sun. Even though he had little success with this whole exercise so far - this strange clam-digging that Kavala had suggested earlier in the morning - it was proving to be a great deal of fun, a perfect way to spend a warm spring morning. At his back there was the Sea of Grass, separated from the sea by a high cliff... in front, there was the Suvan, vast and peaceful, fuming quietly in the horizon. Underneath his sandals, mud groaned and collapsed, small pools of water dotting the ground as he paced down the beach. This was a place unlike any he had ever before experienced - beaches in Eyktol were all sand, dried rock, harsh seawater and humid wind. But this beach, this little quiet haven far away from the Sanctuary and the rest of Riverfall, was a perfect mixture of earth and sea, warmth and chill, a place that made Hirem glad to have left Eyktol. Even if this whole journey to Riverfall ended up becoming a mistake, Hirem was still grateful for getting this small glance at the humble wonders the greater world could offer.
Taking stock of the beach, Hirem realized after a time that it was just him and Kavala left to dig for clams. Red must have left just a few chimes ago, he thought, glancing back in the direction of the Sanctuary for the missing gardener. Part of him was sad to see that his friends had disappeared, but mostly he was just relieved to know that the competition was solely between him and the Konti. Perhaps now I'll actually have a chance at being the first to discover a proper clam. The challenge had first arisen last night at dinner time, as the Sanctuary residents gathered in the kitchen to exchange a communal supper. Hirem had spent most of the evening quietly contemplating his food, nervous about stepping into the conversation fully... for while he was at heart a Benshira and would always love the feeling of being in a community, he had spent a very long time as a hermit. But when the topic of clam-digging had come up, apparently a popular pastime on the western coast of Cyphrus, Hirem grew intrigued when Larik offered a challenge to the group. "I say," the Kelvic had begun, eyes fierce, "that we all go out to the beach tomorrow and try to find a clam. The snow should be all melted by now... whoever can find one before Aunt Kavala does, gets to claim a favour from her." And when the chance to extract a favour from Kavala, mistress of the Sanctuary arose, one did not just pass down the offer.
But so far, Hirem had had little luck in his attempts to best Kavala. Though the Konti herself had not found anything, the odds were stacked in her favour. She's more familiar with the area, more attuned to the sea, and... damn it, if the gods don't reward her like their most prized pupil. Pursing his lips, the Benshira idly kicked at a nearby mound of dirt, mind racing to figure out how he could possibly beat Kavala.
His eyes, idly glancing down, saw something bright in the mud that he had just upheaved.
A grin crossed Hirem's features.
Two chimes later he came racing over to Kavala, holding aloft his precious clam. "Ha!" he cried, smiling from ear to ear. "You may be wise when it comes to many things, my friend, but today I have proven himself the Lord of the Beach! Look! Look at this marvel!" Cackling, the Benshira brought the clam close to his eyes, bemused by this unknown creature. "Perhaps I have finally found my calling. Hirem, Master Clam-Catcher!"
