Closed Hunting the Fallen (Atticus, Kelski)

[Khara]

18th of Spring, 516AV

Khara liked the aptly named Trail of Waterfalls, it offered a way between the misty peaks of Lhavit that didn't involve trying to convince herself that riding an Okomo was perfectly safe. The Inarta girl had scaled the rocky mountains around Wind Reach without such need for an animal and she had been stubborn in her near refusal to make use of them now. The trail felt like cheating, though, with it's wooden planks making for easy footing. That was probably for the best for now, though, given her companion. Even if she was relying on him for the moment.

She had been surprised when Atticus had asked her to accompany him on an outing. Her brief meeting with him when she and Zhol had gone to Iraltu's Observatory had brought about her mentioning that she had been a game scout in Wind Reach, but Khara hadn't expected much to come of it. But here she was, walking with the young astronomer on their way to a rumored area off the Trail of Waterfalls between the peaks of Sartu and Tenten that had been found to be abundant with meteorites. While it was Atticus that had to lead the way to the trail, it would be Khara would be in charge of trying to find the best footing once they were off the path. And to keep the young man from being eaten by a bear while he searched for the fallen stars, of course. Are there even bears in Lhavit? Khara wondered. Whatever threats that might try to harm the astronomer, then. She was armed with her bow and quiver, even if she wouldn't need them.

The weather looked as if it would cooperate at least. The last few days of rain had let up and the sky was only patchy with clouds. It was good to see Syna and feel her warmth again, even if the trees that overhung the trail only allowed for brief glimpses. Strangely enough, Khara felt more at home than she ever had since arriving at Lhavit. She still refused to call the city that, it was a place she was staying it, not home; but it felt good to be out in what was passably wilderness with her bow at her back with the promise of not walking on a carefully tended to path. The rocks that Atticus was interested in were only a mild curiosity to the Inartan, fallen stars was about the only way she had heard them described but she was sure to learn more before the day was out. If they were lucky and found any - there was always the possibility of coming up empty handed.

"Is much farther?" she asked the young man, eager to tread upon stone and earth rather than wooden planks. "They said near a waterfall, yes? So many, though. I do not know which is which, yet."

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"

[Atticus Leslie]

"Uhh... Not quite sure. I'm not the best with the whole... Nature walk... Thing. I kinda just stay in one place and look up a lot usually." He joked. "I guess we'll know when we get there, right?"

Atticus clung to the straps of his knapsack eagerly, his wide eyes observing his surroundings with thirst. It was a gorgeous day and the light from Syna illuminated the world around him just so it seemed nearly ethereal. Or it could be that Atticus didn't get out much other than his daily commute from Zintia to Sartu for work, otherwise he was something of a homebody, or a workaholic depending on who was asking. Things like this were difficult to come by typically and a real treat to embark on. Of course, this time, there was incentive. Meteorites could potentially contain a lot of insight into the nature of things beyond the world Atticus took residence in. Of course, he was no geologist, and would have to take it to someone that would know geology better than he to harbor any real results, but it would get the job half done to simply have meteorites in his possession. Lucky him, Khara had agreed to help him traverse the forests. He was pretty unfamiliar with the whole ordeal and Khara's specialty could really help him.

Though he had only heard rumors of the fallen rocks from other astronomers, Atticus quietly beamed at the possibility of contributing something like this to his community. For his personal experiments and interests, it would yield little results, but there were many he knew that could benefit greatly from something like this. He hoped so, at least. Anything to broaden the horizons of Lhavit, right?

He wasn't sure how many people exactly were on this trail, but it was a fine afternoon. He wondered nervously if anyone else could possibly share Atticus' goal. Rarely would there be more than one meteorite and secretly he hoped he wouldn't have to share, regardless of how rude it may be.

"Do you do this kind of stuff often?" He half-shouted back to the girl. "You know, just walking around the woods armed?"

Idle conversation aside, the prospect that someone else may be present for the same goal was somewhat nerve wracking. There was certainly no one walking in front of Atticus - on the trail, anyway. He'd be entirely surprised if there were someone walking near them in the woods. But close behind was still a complete possibility - even likely. Even more likely was that someone had reached his destination before he had the ability to.

Or, of course, that he would lead Khara to be totally lost without a trace of where he should go. She was certainly right. There were, indeed, a lot of waterfalls.

That, out of all things, seemed most probable.

Boxcode by Verena