A Storm Rages and Friendship forms

by **Baltair** on December 13th, 2016, 3:07 am

Winter 19th, 516 AV | A Storm Rages and Friendship Forms

The winds blew roughly through the Pavilions camp, flaps of tent fluttered in the wind as the rain became to come down. Baltair stood outside of the entrance of his tent, his Strider resting inside looking out towards him. The water landing on his shoulders and head, slowly drenching his free flowing hair, his gaze fixed up towards the sky. He stood there for a few more ticks before returning into his tent, the water dripping down his half naked body.

Winter had been hot and unusual, the crack of thunder and lighting broke the sky almost every day causing a sinking feeling in Baltair's stomach. "Zulrav seems angry Emyla. I do not understand why the snow hasn't come." he said to his Strider who neighed in response. Baltair ran his fingers through his drenched hair as he listened to the storm poor down. "What do you think Emyla? I've noticed that the others have been tensed with the coming storm." A loud crash of thunder echoed through out their camp. Emyla rose her head high and snorted before lowering it to look towards him again.

The storm raged on as Baltair stood inside with his horse. The tent empty aside from the two of them. The wind blew across the sides of the tent causing them to move slightly. Baltair's eyes glanced back out side he watched as the rain and dirt began to mix. The ground growing even more damp as time went by. "All of this rain is going to make it hard to move tomorrow. If it even stops raining then." he sighed. Across from him lay his Yvas bags, some deer jerky and bread inside of them with a few dried apples. His spear rested in front of them laid out so that the tip pointed towards the entrance of the tent. The carvings, similar to windmarks, stretched down to the very base of the spear.

Emyla stared at him with her head held at the same height as his. The two remained quiet for a few ticks before Baltair smiled. "Well hopefully whatever it is will pass quickly. While I do not care for winter, it does not feel right for it not to come." He sat down with his legs crossed, the water still slowly dripping of his back. He sighed and rolled his neck, he reached out his hand and touched his Striders forehead. Slowly moving his fingers down her nose, his smile grew softer.

by **Alekxandra Winterflame** on December 13th, 2016, 11:09 pm

19th Day, Winter, 516 A.V.

It was hard not to hate her first experience with the rain. At one time it intrigued her, the idea of water not frozen falling from the skies. Now it was something she wished she never had to deal with at all. It soaked through her red fur and turned frigid with the wind sweeping across the land. It washed away the scents in the land and made hunting impossible. Perhaps worst of all no matter how her ears pressed against her head it seemed the water found a way inside and muted the sounds most precious to her.

Alek felt as though ice was moving through her veins, and that was saying something given she was marked by Morwen and the cold rarely bothered her.

If she was entirely honest with herself it wasn’t just the rain that left her feeling cold. The events of the past few months had… changed her. Shaped her into someone she couldn’t even recognize. Memories were constantly trying to press forward to haunt her as they did at night, but there was only one thing more important to her than her past or even the rain.

Hunger.

Her time with the slavers alone had caused her to lose weight–too much weight. And life here in the grass was so different than the tundra. Alek had no idea how to survive or hunt in such a place. Perhaps the rain was just a mirror to how she currently felt inside. A torrent of emotions and needs and each struck like lightning around her mind. Each one warring to try and gain control of her.

It was only the muted sound of people and animals before her, the light blurred by water, that stilled her form entirely. A city it seemed. One made of tents that seemed to rise up out of the grass unlike any city she had seen before. But a city meant people and Alek’s body refused to budge despite the torrent of rain. She was terrified by the simple idea of surrounding herself with so many. She had barely withstood the boat that had saved her life in the first place. She hadn’t even said thank you to them… her mother would have been so disappointed.

It was only a sharp sting of pain through her abdomen that finally caused her to move her paws. People were cruel, but people also meant food. Somewhere there had to be something she could snag and run off with because she honestly wouldn’t be able to last much longer without sustenance. As it was she was bone tired and her legs trembled with every step she took.

Cautiously Alek crept forward towards the tents that lie along the outskirts of the ‘city’. The rain seemed to have driven most inside and for that Alek was both grateful and annoyed. Sneaking around the city would be easy, but finding her way into a tent without people would probably be impossible. Grinding her teeth together she flit as softly as she could from tent to tent. The rain continued to prevent her nose from picking up anything other than muted scents filled with mud.

Alek could only imagine how she looked. A starved, muddied, fox looking creature on legs that were too tall and one that could barely keep her balance. Weaving her way through several tents on the outskirts, she managed to spy a mostly empty tent. Snorting the water out of her nose for what felt like the millionth time, she crouched low and pulled herself across the ground on her belly to the entrance of the tent, muddying herself further just because of the bothersome rain. There was a man and a horse alone in a tent, seated in front of each other as he stroked the nose of the beautiful creature. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of anger surge through her as Alek’s mind reeled against the idea of affection.

Humans were gentle when it suited them. Even her sisters were proof of that.

Shaking her head, Alek focused her attention to the rest of the tent as she slowly skimmed across the entrance of the tent. With the rain out of her nose–mostly–she could pick up the vague scent of meat. Probably in the bags lying not too far from the man.

With one ear cocked constantly in the man’s direction Alek continued to slink forward until her nose came to press against the bags. There was definitely meat within… and bread too. The smell of food alone made her stomach tighten even further, desperate for whatever laid in the bag. Carefully slipping her nose into the bag Alek nipped gently, trying her best not to try attention to herself as she managed to snag a piece of jerky hiding within.

by **Baltair** on December 14th, 2016, 7:30 pm

The Drykas man sat with his arms crossed listing to the rain that fell behind him as he spoiled his Strider with petting. At peace within himself as his fingers danced along the fir of the animal he trusted with his life, the animal that his entire people trusted. The rain came down in sheets, the ground growing muddier by the tick. The crackling of lightning illuminated the area outside of his tent, showing the backs of neighboring tents and the few people who stood outside rushing to finish what little they could do in the storm.

Many among his people usually counted storms as a blessing, the water given to them by the God of Storms, Zulrav. But murmurs and whispers were being passed around camp. The Goddess Morwen had seem to refuse to come forward and deliver the cold and snow. Baltair pulled back and yawned stretching out, he ran his fingers through his hair. The water still locked in his hair, he sighed softly working his fingers through his hair to try and let water escape. Droplets slowly roll down his body as he sat in close proximity to Emyla. The windmarks flexed along with the muscles in his arms, the weaving lines tracing down his right arm as the Drykas man closed his eyes.

"The rain is helpful, but to much is going to cause a problem for our animals and ourselves" he mumbled to himself. He shook his head, water flinging everywhere and onto Emyla who blew in his face.He flashed her a smile before chuckling slightly. Another crack of thunder sounded through the air as Emyla's ears perked up then she raised her head and followed the animal, that had snuck into their tent, with her eyes.

Baltair watched Emyla's eyes as the horse seemed slightly spooked by something. Baltair turned his head towards the entrance of the tent, noticing a faint trail of water. He paused for a moment trying to decide if it had just been blown in from a change in the wind or if his tent had been leaking. He slowly stood up and walked towards the trail of water. He looked up towards the roof of his tent, trying to scan it for any signs of tears or holes in the roof.

He followed the trail with his eyes before noticing a strange looking fox like animal. He raised an eyebrow as it seemed to slip a piece of jerky from his bag. He sat still watching the fox like creature for a moment before turning his head towards Emyla who was in the process of standing fully upright. She snorted loudly and tapped her hoof against the ground. Baltair turned his head towards Emyla and signed the word calm. “There is no need to be aggressive Emyla, the creature is hungry. I have enough to spare” he said before turning back to look at the fox like creature. He knelt down slowly opening his hand so that his palm lay facing the roof of the tent. He moved slowly towards it, holding out his hand as still as he could.

by **Alekxandra Winterflame** on December 15th, 2016, 1:53 am

The first piece of jerky was indescribable. It wasn’t so much the taste or smell, but the feeling of accomplishment. Alek knew she may yet die to the harsh grassland, but it would not be tonight, and certainly not because she starved to death. But one piece wasn’t going to be enough and rather than keeping herself aware of her surroundings as she should, Alek let herself fall into the lull of contents within the bag. Her nose brushed over the apples and her stomach turned painfully once again, trying to remind her that she hadn’t even come close to eating enough keep up her mild strength.

It was only after it was too late that Alek realized not only had she been spotted by the horse, but the creature had alerted the man to her presence as well. The man’s voice filtered into her mind, clearing through the haze the food had put her under and instantly she moved from stealth to aggression. She had heard the words–gentle and giving in tone–but she couldn’t couldn't understand him. But it didn't matter the words, it was the obvious what she must be to him. A wild animal, one that was currently stealing food from within his own tent. She couldn’t allow herself to believe anything else even if his tone meant was innocent.

At the raise of his hand she lifted her hind legs, crouching low on the front and without a thought bared her fangs, and dropped her ears flat against her skull. The fur lying across her shoulders bunched… or at least it would have if the petching rain hadn’t soaked her so thoroughly that her fur remained matted and flat against her skin. Not that it really mattered she supposed. She was so thin Alek was sure the flair of fur would have just been laughable really.

The worst part was she knew she wouldn’t be able to fight the man off if he really wanted to push violence. Her legs still trembled and the single piece of jerky alone wouldn’t sustain her. Her eyes swiveled between man and horse as she backed up slowly, only to come into contact with the tent. The best idea she could come up with was to bolt, but that action would only leave her in the pounding rain and she wasn’t sure she could survive the night in such conditions…

Scratch that she knew she couldn’t.

Chomping her teeth together in frustration, Alek impulsively decided that neither option was entirely viable. Trusting the man or trusting the weather. Either one was likely to kill her just as quickly as she could blink, so she threw caution to the wind. Twisting as quickly as she could given her stature, she shoved her muzzle into the bag and grabbed whatever she could hold–jerky, apples, and maybe even a little of the bread. With a gruff bark that was mostly concealed by the mouth full of food she charged the at the man. Between him or the horse she’d have an easier time avoiding him than the hooves.

At least she thought so.

Her legs refused to give her the sprint she was looking for and Alek let out a whine as her forward momentum was thrown off as her legs tripped up beneath her. Rather than bolt past the man she tumbled straight into his legs, dropping the food caught up in mouth around them as she collided into him.

The rush was slow to catch up to her given her lack of energy and she laid sprawled in the dirt panting slightly as she tried to regain what exactly happened. The fight that had previously built up within her seemed to have burnt out of her, leaving her just plain exhausted on top of the painful way her stomach twisted in need for more food. Her ears drooped and Alek buried the tip of her nose into the dirt, eyes half closed, as her mind swirled.

It was a defeated kind of stance, but it was one she had come to learn quickly after she had left Avanthal.

OOC :

by **Baltair** on December 15th, 2016, 3:37 am

Winter 19th, 516 AV | Storms

He stopped as the fox creature bared its teeth and crouched down. He slowly pulled his hand down but remained in his crouched stance. He rested his hands on his knees as he stared at her with a small smile on his face. He signed the words for friend, peace and hungry before he spoke out loud "There is nothing to fear little one. I promise." He remained where he was watching her defensive display.

He tilted his head slightly, "you act like a wolf but you look like a fox" he said to himself really as Emyla stomped her hoof behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and signed towards Emyla, quiet and friend. He smiled before turning his gaze back to the fox. He reached his hand out towards her slowly before pulling it back as she snapped at him.

It was a sudden burst of movement that caused Baltair to rock back on his heels as the fox ran towards him, food held tightly in its mouth. Emyla snorted loudly as the creature collided with his legs. He slipped backwards onto his rear and on some of the dried apples, crushing them into pieces. He looked at the fox creature and then the food, he sighed lightly and then looked up at Emyla.

Baltair moved quickly and carefully, he pulled his blanket off of his bag and formed a sort of nest with it before gently picking up the fox creature. He gently placed her down on the blanket and grabbed some of the jerky that had been throw with their collision. He placed it on the edge of her blanket and smiled softly.

He went about picking up the rest of the food and returning it to his bag, keeping the crumbled apple and walking over to Emyla. He gently brushed her cheek and held up the apple for her to eat out of his hand. Once she was done he walked over to the his bag. Pulling out a small bowl he walked over to the entrance of his tent, he held the bowl out in the rain long enough to collect a decent amount before walking back over to animal. He placed it at the edge of the blanket and walked back to the entrance.

He sat on the ground staring at the animal curiously, Emyla laid back down where she was originally not taking her eyes off the strange creature. Baltair rolled his shoulders and listened to the rain as it fell behind him. It was calming to him, no matter how hard it came down. He quietly hummed a song that his father had taught him while waiting for the animal to wake up. He figured that she was just going to try to run away again, but he wanted for her to at least eat before she ran off. It wasn't in him to just let a poor animal suffer. He figured that the storms and lack of winter was causing a lot of problems for the Sea of Grass.

by **Alekxandra Winterflame** on December 17th, 2016, 1:38 am

One moment Alek could remember vividly her failed attempt at bolting from the tent with her mouth so full of food her jaw ached. The next moment it seemed she found herself lying on the ground… no that wasn’t right. She was lying on a blanket–one she didn’t remember seeing on the ground when she had entered– and before her was several pieces of the jerky she had tried to steal.

Huffing out a shallow breath Alek realized she must have passed out in her effort to flee. Ignoring the jerky despite how it called to her, she lifted her head from the blanket and glanced around the tent. There was no telling how long she had been out, but the storm still raged outside the tent. The horse had settled back into a resting position, though she could see the creatures was watching her. If she had the energy she probably would have snorted at the thought of herself attacking the horse. Even on her best days she was nowhere capable of taking down a horse.

The man had also seated himself on the ground and Alek let herself really take the man in. From the tattoos snaking along his arms, to his half naked appearance in general. Given the heat it would make sense for those in the grasslands to dress differently, but Alek was still coming to terms just how different this ‘world’ was compared to the one she had come from. Half naked handsome men included.

Pulling her eyes away from the two, she finally noticed that the man–in an act of kindness it seemed–hadn’t just placed her on the blanket or even left food for her. He had even fetched fresh rainwater for her. It tore at her, the idea that maybe he was doing this just because it could. Part of her insisted there must be something else he wanted, that this was some sort of trap and the next time she would wake up there would be a collar around her–or worse–some sort of cage.

But he had that chance once already.

Heaving a sigh Alek decided it was just too much to think about. Ever since she had gotten off the slaver’s boat she had done nothing but consider every single expectation of everyone she had met. It alone was exhausting and to be honest… she wasn’t very good at it. So instead of trying to figure out just what the man wanted she focused on the food before her.

Slowly she pulled a piece of jerky to her and carefully gripped the meat between her paws. Alek spied the back of her left paw where the grayish discoloration of her mark normally laid, though now it was thoroughly covered in mud. It unnerved Alek a little as the mark reminded her that Morwen should already be doing her annual walk through the land.

Only it was hot here in the grasslands…

Something was off and Alek found herself mildly surprised that she hadn’t noticed this fact before. She had been so hungry, so tired… the idea that Morwen wasn’t here to spread winter told her something was wrong. Very very wrong.

As she finished the jerky before her, Alek finally returned her attention to the man she couldn’t understand... in more ways than one. Carefully she tried to get her feet under her, but they refused to hold her weight. She crumbled back onto the blanket and she couldn’t help the snarl that left her lips.

She was stuck in a tent with a stranger. Tilting her head Alek let her ears droop, not entirely pressed to her head, but certainly not friendly either. A low growl left her, directed at the man though she wasn’t sure why she was trying. They very clearly did not communicate with the same language.

by **Baltair** on December 18th, 2016, 3:59 pm

Winter 19th, 516 AV | Kindness are the words of the heart

Pavi Common

In the moments that the animal awoke, Baltair looked towards her with a small, friendly smile on his face. He sat with his legs crossed and his arms resting in his lap. Emyla turned her head away from the fox and drifted off to sleep. Baltair looked towards his strider and his smile grew wider before he returned it to the fox like creature and spoke in common "You may not know what I say. But you do not seem from here" He paused for a few ticks and shrugged.

"If you do understand me. I mean no harm to you. The cold hasn't come and something is wrong" He paused again before he stood up and shrugged. He walked over to his bag, making sure that his movement were slow as to not startle his new temporary room-mate. He reached into one of the bags and pulled out his bed roll, undoing it he placed it a few feet from Emyla. He stretched out on it and yawned as he stared up at the ceiling.

A quiet spread over the tent as Baltair listened to his horse breath and the rain fall outside of the tent. He turned his head to look at the fox creature again. "Do you like jerky?" he asked not really expecting to get an answer, he chuckled to himself as his stomach growled loudly. He rolled over and pushed himself up walking over to the bag that she had been in earlier. He pulled out a few pieces of jerky and the bread, he walked back over to his bed roll and sat down on it.

He munched on the food, pulling the jerky with his teeth as he looked back outside into the storm. "I wonder when it'll end" he said speaking in Pavi. The Drykas trusted in Zulrav, his faith had been born at a young age from his father teaching him. The God of Storms and Winds were almost like a father to the Drykas people and thus many of them offered him praise.

The young man continued to stare out into the storm as he ate, once he finished his last bite he turned back towards the fox creature, rotating his body to face her completely. "You can rest here, if you feel safe" he said with a smile.

He closed his eyes and crossed his legs again. A deep breath left his body as he lowered his head and brought his hands together. One balled into a fist and the other that covered it. "Goddess of the wide, rolling grass land that we call home. Mother of the children that dance in the fields of grass and the trees that stand tall. Thank you for the blessings that you have given us. The animals that you give to us to eat and help us along our journey."

He paused for a moment taking another deep breath and holding it for a few ticks before releasing it. "Lord of howling winds. God above that controls the thunder and lighting. He who lights the sky with a snap of his fingers, praise be unto you. You provide us with rains and storms, protect us from raging fires. Thank you for everything you do. You guide us with your winds, the words that whisper along the lightest of breezes. Thank you for your guidance. "

by **Alekxandra Winterflame** on December 21st, 2016, 8:53 pm

Alek barely refrained from rolling her eyes as the man smiled. Something irked her about his persona towards her and she couldn’t quite figure it out. He wasn’t mocking or insincere. He seemed to genuinely care that she was taken care of. But it still unnerved her as the horse drifted off to sleep and the man spoke a language far more familiar to her than his previous tongue. Honestly she wasn’t well versed in the common tongue but she picked up the words well enough to at least make out his intent.

Something is wrong alright…

Snorting she shook her head, causing her ears to flap against her fur before she laid her head back down onto the blanket. Alek couldn’t help but wonder what had happened with Morwen that she had decided not to fulfil her duty. She had always left the city and the people missed her greatly for it.

Alek snapped out of her thoughts however as the man stood and began to rummage around the tent. She kept herself still, only moving her eyes to watch his movement. She told herself it was to give the appearance of contentment, but really Alek wasn’t sure she’d have the strength to bolt if she wished. Luckily for her the man seemed interested only in settling in for the night and feeding himself this time. His focus was the rain rather than her and Alek truly let herself relax.

She wished she could go home.

It wasn’t really possible, seeing as she had no idea which way that would be. Short of shifting and trying to ask the man for directions in broken common, which was not happening since it was easier to protect herself in her current state, Alek had no way of figuring it out either. She should have never gotten on that boat in the first place… her brother’s worries had been correct.

It was the thought of Liam that suddenly struck her as to why she was so irked at the man. His kindness was like a mirror, one that matched her brother’s almost identically. Her mother’s too, if she allowed herself to admit. After all the two of them had welcomed her into their family without so much as a second glance. While this place was not home, the man’s common words that she was welcomed to rest dug painfully without trying.

Turning her head she pressed herself into a ball, even allowing her dirty tail to cover her eyes and nose in an attempt to hide, even a little bit. Alek pressed her ears to her skull, trying to drone out the foreign words and find sleep before she was overcome by the sudden nag of grief inside her. Before it had been all about survival, but now that she had a moment to rest the possibility that she may never see her family again was nearly overwhelming.

So she let the man’s tone of voice pull her away until she no longer had to focus on the pain...

by **Sloane** on January 21st, 2017, 11:43 am

Baltair :

Alekxandra :

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