Flashback It can be fun to get lost. (Kiera)

[Zailey]

30th of Summer of 492AV. At The Stained Pelt, Aquarium, and maybe water park. And a few random streets. Outside, the hot sun sat high above Riverfall. Summer was under way and the atmosphere was thick with clouds and humidity. Child and adult alike gathered together in search of whatever reprieve could be found, sticking to refreshing water and cool shade. Some chose a more adventurous method to escape the oppressive weather and took to the water park and aquarium. Occasionally Zaileys father would pay to cross the waters between Alvadas and Riverfall to trade some of the skins he had gathered over the past season or two. Tanning wasn’t what he was paid to do in Alvadas but was more of the result of a pastime he enjoyed and gave him an excuse to visit Riverfall. Because there was always the risk of danger, her father would normally take one of her brothers with him, confident that if things turned sour, they would have a better chance at taking care of themselves. This time, however, after much thought and discussion with his wife, he invited Zailey, believing the journey to be an excellent opportunity to bond with his youngest. After the many times the young girl had accompanied him on his hunting trips without incident, he felt foolish for underestimating his daughter simply for being female. He was also getting tired of the pouting and sad eyes she wore up until his departure. Zailey and her father had finally arrived early that morning before the heat had become too unbearable. The two ate breakfast before the boat docked so they walked through the city with pelts draped over their shoulders without stopping. To onlookers, the young girl looked like she would collapse at any moment under the weight of what she carried. Barely able to see through the fur that threatened to tickle her nose, her father looked to check on his daughter and chuckled a little. The picture was a familiar one, each of his sons had experienced the same situation. Carrying so many pelts was undoubtedly a challenge in the beginning, but he let each of his boys approach the task on their own. Maybe it was cruel, but he found humor in watching them awkwardly fumble with them until they learned on their own or by following his example. His youngest was different though. Since she was his only daughter, she held a special piece of his heart. With no desire to watch her struggle, he showed her how to carry the cargo properly from the very start. “Hold your arms out from your sides.” When she complied, he piled each arm high until they threatened to hide her head completely. All the way to The Stained Pelt, Zaileys eyes darted around. There were so many things to see, but unlike at home, they would stay where she saw them. It was hard for her to grasp the idea of a stationary city. “Dad,” she started in an attempt to get his attention, “Will everything really be in the same place when we come back here?” His answer was just a chuckle and a nod. He knew it would be difficult to believe at first, having lived in Alvadas her whole life, but she would see for herself later. “Zai, once we’re at The Stained Pelt, you can go exploring if you want. Navigating this place should be easy compared to home.” The idea of exploring a new place put a sparkle of excitement in her eye and a smile on her face.

[Kiera]

⚜ Kiera ⚜ *Kiera will be referred to as Reika in the flashback! “Reika…Reika come back here! You’ll get lost!” The tinkling sound of laughter was Oresis’ only answer as he chased down his daughter as she toddles off after a kitten. The tall man lifted up a small girl with ease and sighed. “Stay still, we will go to the aquarium later…” The only reply was a pout. At the age of eight, the girl was in the midst of what he dubbed, the most annoying year of her life thus far. Year seven had been a peaceful one, with his daughter apt on learning whatever was tossed at her. A single year was all it took to twist the curiosity in a drive to explore. That in itself had not been a problem until he had found just how quiet she could be. It was just all too easy for him to lose her if he was not paying attention just like he had been just seconds ago. It was a good thing that he had attached some bells to the ribbons in her hair. At least this way, he could hear her when she moved away. “Hey, Oresis, you need to take a look at the goods.” A rough voice interjected as a different man, tanned by the sun and worn down by work pointed to some crates of spices and herbs. He placed her back down on one of the crates, by the docks, he has just finished inspecting just before he had run off after her. “Stay here, I’ll be done soon.” The man heaved yet another sigh as his name was called again. Could they not serve to be a little more patient? “I got it, I got it. I will be there shortly.” Oresis shouted back. The father, with hair the color of soot and eyes the color of fresh bread ambled away after ruffling his daughter’s hair. He wondered if it had been a bad idea to bring his daughter on this particular business trip to Riverfall. As much as he loved the girl, she could be quite a handful. The other man called him again and he jogged off. Reika was good at listening, she could not get into that much trouble, right? Watching her father amble away, Reika’s pout slowly smoothed out into something that bordered on nervousness. Now alone, she watched as different people move out and about. Just a bit away, a boat bobbed up and down. Tiny feet tapped against wood as the girl swung her leg and held her stuffed otter closer to her body, as she was just about to settle herself into what would feel like an eternity of wait, a soft meow gets her attention. Amber eyes searched for the source only to see the black kitten she had tried to chase after just a moment ago. Reika looked back at the direction her father had left in and then back at the animal that was rolling about. With the clarity of a child, she aptly decided that she was going to play with it. “I won’t go far…right, Spoon?” She spoke down to her stuffed toy. “I’ll be right back…and you’ll be here for me.” After all, how far could she go anyways? She scrambled off the crate only to place her otter back onto the seat she had just vacate. Another nervous look was given to the spot she left before she scuttled off after the kitten with a giggle and a smile. Distance or more precisely, the lengthy distance she took. would not be something Reika was aware of until she looked up after a vigorous petting session only to see nothing. Nothing familiar anyways. There was a sudden lack of boats, a sudden lack of people, and most importantly, a sudden lack of the crate her father told her to wait at. Suddenly feeling very, very small, the dark-haired girl stood there, with eyes wide as she turned around and around before dizzily staring at the cat that she wanted to blame for the cause of all this. “Daddy is going to be…di-ssa…dissap…sad.” She floundered over the words before falling quiet. There was a sniffle, and then another, and then yet another until a steady stream dripped down her face. What was she supposed to do now?