Open A New Direction

[Nya Winters]

Timestamp: 11th of Spring, 518 AV

The Forest Cat lounged at a random table in The Commons, talking to Randal Zor. She was listening intently even though her eyes were half-lidded and she was basking in speckled sunlight. Nya in full relaxed mode screamed feline to the point that even though she wore her human form, one expected to hear purring from her throat. But she was definitely giving Randal her undivided attention.

He had red cloth he was busy shredding into one-inch strips as he talked. Nya's pack was open at his feet and the Founder was busy stuffing the strips into the pack after he cut them into ten inch lengths. "Take your Kukri and both clear the trail and mark it clearly with these red strips. I know you can smell your way through the jungle, but us humans need a clear line of sight to follow a trail until we get the trail opened up a bit. Hang a red strip clearly in the line of sight, walk ten paces, and hang another - cutting trail between the strips - and do this all the way to this library you found. Ideally we want the pathway to be easy to walk, so if it traverses any water, we'd like to bridge it with planks or bridge any spans it needs to cross... we can either build rope bridges or fall a three to create a pathway across. We need it to be safe for commoners to travel. You know researchers here won't have the Wilderness Survival that you do." Randal said, carefully instructing Nya in what he wanted done.

She reached out, taking a spare bit of the cloth, and began shredding it much like Randal was doing, adding the strips to her pack as well.

"I can do that. Do you want me to create this whole trail myself? I don't mind. But there might be others that want to come along as well." Nya said, knowing falling trees and building bridges might be something her Verusk could help with if he had a mind.

Randal nodded.

"I don't mind. This will be one of your first tasks as an official Ranger of Syka. You then will be expected to patrol the tail and maintain it. We want to make sure it stays safe as the conditions change. Do you have everything you need?" Randal asked finally, both of them having shredded the last strip of cloth between them.

"I just need a larger axe from the Mercantile if you don't mind loaning me one. I'll bring back a list of any materials I need if we need planks for bridges and things. Can I get lumber from the mill on the Founder's coin if I need it?" Nya asked, wanting to be sure.

Randal nodded. "Of course... borrow the axe and I'll talk to the sawmill and make sure they supply you with what you need. Otherwise, that's it for the day. I think this will take you multiple days but I want you to work safe, not fast.... alright?" The Founder said, being firm about this.

Nya nodded. "I'll gather up the supplies and get going now. I think we won't need too many extras on this trail, but I can't remember all the details. I think I'll go there, track back, and track back there, choosing the best path before we start cutting trail." Nya added, sitting up, closing her pack, and getting ready to head to the Mercantile to pick up her axe before she set off.

[Turrin]

Lacing up his boots, Turrin was dressed in his burgundy bryda with no shirt. He picked up his talon sword and scabbard in his right hand, and walked out of his tent. The air was thick with humidity and the temperature was already starting to rise on the beach. In this heat, he decided to forego his daily jog. He didn't need or want to overheat, so he decided to just walk to the Syka Commons. The trip down the beach was a uneventful journey as he walked along the shore. He noticed the gulls and other sea birds were scavenging the beach for anything to edible left behind from the tides. He stayed his distance from the birds because he didn't want to disturb the sacred beasts. Even if he was away from Wind Reach, he still had the same belief that birds were sacred animal, and it was taboo to hunt or harm them unless in life or death situations. In Wind Reach, it would be hard to prove yourself innocent of the crime when it comes to birds. When he made it to the commons, he walked up the stairs and found location by the railing of the structure.

Looking out into the wilds of Falyndar, Turrin stood by the edge of the railing looking out at the canopy of the jungle. The half breed had to admit that he enjoyed life back in Falyndar. From the thick ferns to the ancient tree that make up the canopy, the jungle brought back the memories of half breed boy trying to find a place in the Myrian culture. It was tough time because he was male for starters, and he wasn't a full blooded Myrian, so his grandmother was harsher on him because she wanted to weed out his mother's blood. In his grandmother's mind, he was inferior to her grand daughters, but he was the only child of her beloved son who showed promise as a myrian warrior. Leaving Taloba was hard, he was already getting ready to join the army when his Inarta mother was banished from the clan. He was furious with his grand mother, so he turned his back on his clan to protect his mother and sister on their journey to Wind Reach.

The former Endal was dressed in his typical Inartan standard dress, his bryda and no shirt. He knew if he wanted to venture into the jungle. He knew if he wanted to venture deep into the jungle. The hunter would need strong, but light enough clothing to deal with the indigenous toxic planets, biting insects, and whatever Caiyha decided to throw at him. The Inarta garb was good for the beach since it allowed him to stay cool in Syna's brilliance, but the jungle was another matter all together. Leaning up against the railing, the hunter pondered his situation. Syka was set up organized camp. It didn't have the amenities of the city, so he would have to learn how to adapt to it on his own. He had wilderness experience, but it was in the Mountains of Kalea and not the jungles of Faylndar. The half breed knew nobody in the settlement, so he might want to start introducing himself to the people of the village. He knew that he needed to buy supplies for both survival and personal use, but the big question holding him back was what?

Leaning up against the rail, the hunter was lost in thought on what he needed else to buy. He knew that he needed to replace his boots with much steadier and higher boots. Also, he needed to increase his ration supply and buy another water skin. This was all temporary because eventually he will want to own land, and he will need put up a more permanent home. The tent was fine for now unless a opportunist comes out of the jungle and eats him alive. He will need to learn a trade because he wasn't a endal anymore, so he couldn't just tell a Avora tradesman to do it for him. Life in Syka was going to be a challenge for him, but the myrian blood flowing through his veins was excited to be back in his Goddess' homeland. The former Endal needed to reinvent his life in his old homeland because heading back to Taloba was not a opinion for the displaced Myrian.

Pushing himself away from the railing, Turrin decided that it was time to meet some of the settlers of Syka. Sitting close enough to hear their conversation, but he didn't sit close enough to be rude. He overheard the man talk to the woman about her first task as Ranger of Syka was to blaze a trail through the jungle. The woman said that she needed a large axe probably to take down trees along the trail. He knew that he brought his woodcutting axe from Wind Reach to Syka, so he might have to extend a hand to her and offer his axe to her cause. He said it was a couple day task in the jungle, and he was curious if she was going to do it alone? A lot of things can happen in the wilds of Mizahar even if you might be best survival expert going out alone was risky.

When the woman was ready to leave, Turrin looked over at the human woman with piercing green eyes and said with a thick Inarta accent, “I wanted to apologize if I am being rude for ease dropping on your conversation. My name is Turrin, and I am new to Syka. I overheard you needed a woodcutting axe for your expedition into the jungle. If you want to save some money, I could lend it to you.” Suddenly, the hunter got a idea into his head and offered, “I am used to the wilds of Kalea, but if you need assistance in your expedition through the jungle, I am decently skilled in archery and swordsmanship, so if you are willing to have me, I willing to assist you.”

[Nya Winters]

Nya paused just as she was about to depart for the Mercantile. The man who stopped her was a stranger, and she took a moment to process what he'd said. "Nice to meet you, Turrin. I'm Nya Winters." She introduced herself in kind as she listened to what else he had to say. The Kelvic looked thoughtful, but skeptical, uncertain of his offer and of him being a stranger. "The Mercantile won't charge me anything for the loan of the axe, but if you are willing to come and bring yours, that is fine with me." She said, waiting patiently.

"I go to create the best trail I can from between here and a library called Reclaimed Knowledge. There is a ghost there who knows a great many things. I'm not sure the best pathway to make so I'll need to walk there and back, looking over the land and deciding which is the best path and then marking it. It will be hard work and it will take perhaps more than one day. We will also have to build things in between... maybe a bridge or two... small things over small waters." Nya said softly, tilting her head and wondering if the stranger was up for it.

"I figured I'd zig zag out, looking for the best way... I'm also not exactly sure where I found it before. But I will get there again." Nya added, grinning. "Rotting books have a certain stink to them I should be able to find easily enough with my nose." She added, waiting for the man's response before she shouldered her pack and headed off in the jungle in the direction of the Maw. If he came with, they'd detour first to get the axe if he didn't have it on him. If he decided against it, she'd swing by the Mercantile which wasn't far.

[Turrin]

Turrin nodded when Nya accepted his offer to join her in trail blazing through the jungle. The hunter listened that she was trying to find a old library in the jungle called the Reclaimed Knowledge. He crossed his arms and wondered what secrets the library could be holding in the heart of the Maw. When she said that she met a ghost in the ruins, the hunter felt uncomfortable for a moment because he hadn't experienced anything really supernatural in his life. Regardless of the ghost, it seemed much more interesting that hunting small animals around the edges of the jungles and beaches. The half breed didn't show it on his face, but he was excited to see what on the eastern side of Falnydar Jungle since he was used to the jungles wilderness around Taloba. Silently, Turrin listened to her explain her task in blazing the trail. It seemed like a lot of grunt work. In Wind Reach, the tasks would be given to a chiet or a dek. However, he wasn't in Wind Reach or a Endal, so he didn't have the luxury to hand off these duties to a lower castes. In Syka, he was just another half breed with a past. Besides, he would need to learn how to do these tasks when he owned his own land, so he just have to swallow his pride and do it.

When she finished telling him her plan of attack, Turrin looked at her and said with nod, “I am not afraid of hard work Nya. Besides, it will be useful to learn the Maw if I want to learn how to hunt it later, so I am eager learn what I can from you.” Turrin listened to her when she said that old books have a certain smell. He figured in the jungle the books would have a musty or moldy smell with all the rain. The hunter returned her smile and said with a nod, “I am struggling to find game trails with my meager tracking skills in the thick of the jungle. You must have a powerful sense of smell to follow a trail by smell, Nya Winters.” The hunter let out a small chuckle, “I have to admit that I am jealous. Also I am curious how books made out of paper let alone a whole library could survive the heat, humidity, and the heavy rains of Falyndar. After all the hard work of blazing the trail, the rewards of reaching this ancient library will be worth it. If you want to come with me to my tent, I can gather my gear together along with the axe.”

Turrin lead Nya back to his tent. He didn't say much unless the woman decided to make chit-chat with him along the way. When he got to his tent along the beach, he said to Nya, “You can stay out here, or you can come into the tent. I am just going to change into my armor and gather my gear together.” The half breed untied the flaps the door to his tent and walked inside. Walking over to his camouflage leather armor and started to change into the second skin. When she was finished, he checked the tightness of the shoulder pads by tugging on them. He laced up his brown leather boots. Walking to his quiver, he put six broad tipped arrows in the quiver, along with two hunting arrows, one fishing arrow, and three armor piercing arrows (just in case). Strapping the quiver to his right side of his hip, he picked up his talon sword and scabbard secured both to the left side of his hip. When he was finished with his weaponry, he filled his backpack with a full water-skin, three days of rations, compass, one person, tent, bed roll, flint and steal, fifty feet of hemp rope, camouflage Tarp, and iron pot.

When he finished gathering his supplies, he grabbed his short bow and the wood splitting axe and walked outside of his tent. He handed her the axe, so she could inspect it. He said with a nod, “I am used to the mountains of Kalea, and I haven't been in the jungles of Falyndar since I was boy, so I will follow your lead to the library.” The hunter said with a smile, “Shall we begin?”

[Nya Winters]

Nya nodded to Turrin. She didn’t mind his silent nature because she too was often quiet. The Kelvic didn’t know what to make of people until they basically set ground rules around themselves. So Nya took Turrin’s quietness for his enjoyment of silence. The cat waited outside while he geared up and then strapped on his weapons. She looked him over when he appeared back outside and decided to share some wisdom with him that he may or may not take to heart. “The jungle is hot, Turrin. That armor will weigh you down. It is very nice stuff, but are you sure you want to go that heavily encumbered into the jungle? You might want to move better, faster, and be more silent without all of that.” She said gently, not wanting to offend him but knowing he was in for a long hot sweaty day that would likely tire him faster and dehydrate him more than he should be when he moved unencumbered and unburdened.

“I would rather carry the weight in supplies and water than armor. Anything you are going to fight out there isn’t going to be throwing arrows and darts and swords at you. Tooth and claws maybe, but we should be okay where we are going. I’ve been marking the territory for two seasons now and most of the big predators are gone. Wear leather to guard against snake bite on your legs and especially around where your boots are, but everything else will just weigh you down.” Nya said helpfully, not trying to be bossy but concerned he’d be carrying too much weight.

She’d let him make his own decision then move forward, heading off into the jungle from the outskirts of Turrin’s camp. She took a fist full of her markers from her backpack, long sliced up colorful pieces of worn out cloth, and generally pointed in the direction of Reclaimed Knowledge. “It lies that way. And so far the walking is easy. I know I crossed one stream where I had to go deep into a gully to get past it, but it might be that we can bridge it since it was easy enough for me to jump in my Kelvic form.” Nya said, marking the first part of the trail from out of the Settlement closest to where Reclaimed Knowledge lay.

Then she started zigzagging in a search grid that moved her towards the area… switching back on herself every two tenths of a mile… to scout out which area was easiest to cross. She kept the line of flags hanging from tree branches and vines so that they could be seen either going to the settlement or coming from the settlement, often having to use two flags – one on one side of a tree and another on another side of the same tree – to keep them in the line of sight.

She asked Turrin to go opposite of her so that when they zigzagged they often crossed paths at where the flags were slowly being marked out. Sometimes, one of them would find an obstacle that was best avoided – the den of some animal or a huge hanging hornet’s nest for instance – and they’d back track to shift the line of flags to the north or south of the ‘obstacle’ for safety. Halfway there, Nya was quite happy they were getting some real headway made. The trail was practically blazing itself and it would be easy walking for the folks in the settlement that weren’t in very good shape or were younger, older, or perhaps injured.

By noon they came to the stream crossing that had cut the deep gulch and Nya called a halt to the activity to eat lunch and relax for a break. “I think we should split up and scout up and down the stream until we find the safest most stable place to put the trail across. It’s too deep to go in but almost anyone but someone very small or very old can jump this thing, so a little rope bridge between two sturdy trees will probably do the trick. Then we can go back and reflag the trail on easy ground so it leads to this crossing. What do you think?” She asked the other man as she settled in a cleared spot, away from trees, after kicking the vegetation for snakes.

She pulled out her water, took a long drink from it, then unwrapped some dried pork and began to chew on it. If she were alone, she would have hunted for a little light snack, but her provisions did fine while in Turrin’s company. She also had a loaf of bread which she broke in half and offered half to him. Nya might be a predator, but she had a soft spot for fresh bread.