The Outskirts of the Maw
Spring 20, 518
12th Bell
Tai stood at the edge of the wild jungle, just where the thin undergrowth became denser, giving way to the true jungle of Syka. Tai had been in Syka for near a full season now, but this was the first time the woman had actually stood on the edges of the wildlands, and now she found herself grounding herself lest she lose her nerve.
“Syka means jungle,” Tai said aloud to steady herself. “You’ll have to go in there eventually.”
Tai had taken pains to equip herself to the best of her abilities and equipment. The woman had found that her simple leather vinati brought from Wind Reach worked extremely well as a top in the heat of Syka. The garment was styled as a halter top that exposed her midriff, and had limited embellishments to discourage curious parrot beaks. Attached to the shoulders of the top was a pair of leather shoulder pads, ideal for a perching parrot, and where Blue now relaxed.
Tai’s legs were covered by a simple green bryda, a pair of pants that were long, flowy, skirt-like in nature, and did an excellent job in keeping the inarta cool. Her feet were covered by simple leather boots; ideal for trekking in the wilderness.
Tai had strapped her short bow to her back, and her quiver of arrows were on her back and within easy reach. Her backpack was settled over her free-shoulder and contained all her remaining important items: climbing gloves, flint and steel, a filled waterskin, and her grappling hook. Finally, attached to her waist was an ever useful hatchet.
Tai wasn’t a novice when it came to survival. She had spent many long nights of her youth camped in the mountains with hunting companions, tending fires and keeping a watchful eye out for hungry mountain lions. And it wasn’t as if she had no practical experience in the jungle as well. But still, Tai hesitated. Some hindbrain reflex screamed DANGER at the Inarta, reminding her furiously of how unknown these strange wildlands were to her.
What was she? A child?
Tai scoffed at her inner reflex and pushed forward into the thick underbrush, crushing ferns underfoot which sprang back into position the moment her weight was off of them.
This would just be a few hour trek to scout out the area, Tai reminded herself, to get the lay of the land. The better the woman knew the area, the easier it would be to look for parrots. Besides, there was a quiet voice in the back of Tai’s mind that had been gradually growing louder in the past season.
She had quieted it as she had settled into her routine of caring for her parrots and setting up her new home, but it had grown in strength in the calm and now it was impossible to ignore. ‘Go find an adventure!‘ the voice yelled. Tai was an inarta. She couldn’t very well ignore it, could she? Abanath could keep an eye of her parrots while she was gone; the day’s adventure was hers.
Spring 20, 518
12th Bell
Tai stood at the edge of the wild jungle, just where the thin undergrowth became denser, giving way to the true jungle of Syka. Tai had been in Syka for near a full season now, but this was the first time the woman had actually stood on the edges of the wildlands, and now she found herself grounding herself lest she lose her nerve.
“Syka means jungle,” Tai said aloud to steady herself. “You’ll have to go in there eventually.”
Tai had taken pains to equip herself to the best of her abilities and equipment. The woman had found that her simple leather vinati brought from Wind Reach worked extremely well as a top in the heat of Syka. The garment was styled as a halter top that exposed her midriff, and had limited embellishments to discourage curious parrot beaks. Attached to the shoulders of the top was a pair of leather shoulder pads, ideal for a perching parrot, and where Blue now relaxed.
Tai’s legs were covered by a simple green bryda, a pair of pants that were long, flowy, skirt-like in nature, and did an excellent job in keeping the inarta cool. Her feet were covered by simple leather boots; ideal for trekking in the wilderness.
Tai had strapped her short bow to her back, and her quiver of arrows were on her back and within easy reach. Her backpack was settled over her free-shoulder and contained all her remaining important items: climbing gloves, flint and steel, a filled waterskin, and her grappling hook. Finally, attached to her waist was an ever useful hatchet.
Tai wasn’t a novice when it came to survival. She had spent many long nights of her youth camped in the mountains with hunting companions, tending fires and keeping a watchful eye out for hungry mountain lions. And it wasn’t as if she had no practical experience in the jungle as well. But still, Tai hesitated. Some hindbrain reflex screamed DANGER at the Inarta, reminding her furiously of how unknown these strange wildlands were to her.
What was she? A child?
Tai scoffed at her inner reflex and pushed forward into the thick underbrush, crushing ferns underfoot which sprang back into position the moment her weight was off of them.
This would just be a few hour trek to scout out the area, Tai reminded herself, to get the lay of the land. The better the woman knew the area, the easier it would be to look for parrots. Besides, there was a quiet voice in the back of Tai’s mind that had been gradually growing louder in the past season.
She had quieted it as she had settled into her routine of caring for her parrots and setting up her new home, but it had grown in strength in the calm and now it was impossible to ignore. ‘Go find an adventure!‘ the voice yelled. Tai was an inarta. She couldn’t very well ignore it, could she? Abanath could keep an eye of her parrots while she was gone; the day’s adventure was hers.