Solo A Pig Day Afternoon

[Okara]

Summer 4, 518 Okara splashed water onto her face and scrubbed at the skin gently, feeling totally clean for the first time in a while. She had been surprised to find heated bathing pools available and open to all. It had been so long since her last warm bath that it felt like a luxury beyond what she could have hoped to find in such a rough settlement. She had slept well in her rented bungalow but here washing off the grit of her long journey had been far more renewing to her psyche. She couldn't imagine a more relaxing activity then soaking here while watching Syna crest the horizon and begin her quick ascent into the sky. The Konti leaned back agains the smooth stone, blonde hair plastered against her skull and rivulets of water running down her scaled face. The calls of the jungle animals near and far seemed less abrasive and more a part of the throbbing of life. Well rested she was able to calmly let the journey behind her fall away from her mind and look forward to what lay before her in the day. The possibilities of how she should fill her time seemed limitless, almost frustratingly so. She ought to get building a shelter so she didn’t pour all of her coins into her rented bungalow. But she also had to introduce herself to her new boss at the Panacea. Not to mention all there was to learn about how to live day to day in this strange place. “Are you new to us?” The softly spoken words startled Okara and she turned to see a man sitting on the edge of the pool not far from where she soaked. She eyed him warily but the relaxed lines of his body and the gentle smile as he faced out towards the ocean seemed to settle her alertness. “Yes, I just arrived yesterday actually. I’m Okara. I hail, hailed from Mura.” She explained. ”I’m glad to meet you.” ”And I am always glad to meet someone new, Okara. From Mura, hmm? Konti then. Well Okara, I generally go by Duncan. I mind the pools here, keep the water running and all that. Though they do a pretty good job of keeping themselves running.” the man introduced himself and ended with a smile of good humor. He had a disarming presence that made her relaxed and glad for his company in the early morning. ”Well then I have to thank you for providing such a luxury. I can’t think of a better way to have started my day. Now I just have to decide how to spend the rest of it. There’s much to be done, certainly. I suppose it’s all a matter of priorities.” Okara sighed and tapped her fingers against the top of the water indecisively. ”It never hurts to learn to feed yourself. Hunger will get in the way of most of your other priorities. The jungle around these parts certainly provides, plenty of fruit, though it’s not just going to fall into your lap. Well, not all the time anyways. Most things got rinds though, so I hope you own a knife of some sorts.” Duncan said, his advise seeming quite sagely to Okara. ”That’s an excellent idea! Here I was thinking about all these huge tasks to do and not even remembering the basics. Food! Thank you Duncan, you’ve solved a conundrum for me. Well I had better be on my way, nice to meet you.” Okara burst out gleefully with a happy giggle. It felt nice to have a purpose and let the other looming responsibilities fall away for the time being. She stood and stepped onto the rock edge of the pool, wringing out of her hair as she went. She pulled on her simple linen outfit and called a good bye to Duncan, waving as she went. Not entirely realizing that she had waved to a blind man.

[Okara]

Okara trotted happily along the beach, looking up as she passed by the Syka Mercantile, noting its relatively close proximity to the Community Pool. If she ever wanted to get truly comfortable with this place she would have to start memorizing all the landmarks in the area. With as much construction as was happening at any given time things were not guaranteed to always look the same and she needed to develop some points of reference. The Mercantile was so close to the water it was a good reference point for a large swath of the beach, at least the part within the bay. A quarter bell up the beach from the Mercantile the land curved around and Okara reached the uneven rows of rented bungalows, one of which she called her own for the time being. She counted along the bungalows until she spotted the correct one. She was so newly arrived she could hardly remember where she had slept the night before. Luckily, she had counted right and when she quickly hopped up the steps of the dwelling she spied her own belongings. Part of her wouldn’t have been surprised if she had entered the wrong one and had an awkward encounter with someone who did not expect a Konti to come bounding into their home first thing in the morning. Okara pulled on a pair of worn, brown boots and placed her filled waterskin and eating knife into her empty backpack before shrugging it onto her shoulders. Feeling prepared the young woman departed the bungalow, skipping down the steps with impatience. Reaching the beach again she stopped to take inventory of her surroundings and decide on a direction. She looked the way she had just come, Syna faced away from that direction so she must have come from the West. She decided to head east towards Syna with little reason for her choice other than that she needed to make one. She understood that the food bearing plants were likely a little ways into the jungle itself but she felt a little nervous of entering its steamy depths on her own. She was content to scan the jungle line from the beach even if it took longer to be successful. It was also a good reason to explore the extent of the beach that the settlement covered and begin to get an idea of the shape of the coastline. When she inevitably began exploring the ocean understanding the curves of the coastline would be helpful for finding her way back to home shores. Her steps carried her quickly east along the beach, hair rapidly drying in the breeze blowing in from the ocean. Further up the beach from the bungalows she noticed larger living spaces directly out over the water. She stopped a moment to stare in awe at the beautiful homes. The dwellings she had grown up around in Mura were often over the water, in fact partially submerged in the water. Perhaps she would be able to own a home like that someday. There was little use for 'somedays' right now so Okara pushed those thoughts away and brought her attention back to the current problem to work through. She continued east up the beach, checking the edge of the jungle for signs of fruit among the trees to investigate. She came across plenty of fibrous oblong fruits that had dropped down from tall trees crowned with leafy fronds, coconuts, but when she tapped them with her foot they seemed far harder than she was really prepared to deal with. She had tried kicking one rather harshly, just to check, and ended up with an aching big toe as the fruit rolled away through the sand. Once she had stopped swearing and her concentration returned the magic of her healing gnosis had soothed the pain.

[Okara]

Finally, she spotted a cluster of pear shaped fruit with a shiny, green rind hanging from a tree tucked a foot beyond the beach in the vegetation. And to think, she had almost begun to regret not asking someone about the types of trees to look for or areas she would successfully find them. The last bell she had spent trudging through the sand under the hot sun had completely been worth the satisfaction of finding something on her own. It was what she had decided to tell herself so that she wouldn’t feel stupid about being so heedless. Okara approached the tree and noted its relatively smooth bark and long, leathery leaves. She placed her backpack down and took a long draw from her waterskin before pulling out her simple eating knife and plucking one of the green fruits from the tree. Her untrained fingers had grasped an extremely ripe fruit, much darker than some of the others hanging in the cluster, leaving finger-shaped soft spots on its body. She dug her knife into the fruit, scraping back a chunk of the stiff rind. She brought the light green flesh to her lips and delicately nibbled it, rolling the soft, oily substance across her tongue. It lacked the bitter taste that might denote poison and so she took a larger bite, then another. Soon her teeth reached the hard stone pit in the middle and she stopped to examine some of the fruits hanging from the tree. Looking at the cluster of fruit again she pulled down an avocado that was much lighter green. It was firmer and when she opened it the flesh was richer and seemed a little less brown than the previous. She plucked two more light green avocados from the tree and stowed them in her backpack before shrugging it back on and deciding to continue her trek. Her first discovery had emboldened her to continue exploring the beach and see what else she could find. Okara pressed on, energy returning to her limbs and her spirits rising. She marched on until the beach and jungle began to curve sharply north. Turning to look behind her she could no longer see the main portion of the town and familiar landmarks beyond the curving beach. She shrugged without worry, she need only follow the tide line back to find her bungalow. Not long after, she spotted another fruiting tree hidden further back in the jungle. This one bore globes with a bright, orange rind, glimpses of which among the green foliage enticed her to enter further within the jungle than she had previously. Okara pushed through the brush, trying to make her way carefully towards the fruit tree. She stepped carelessly and stumbled over an exposed root, only barely catching herself from falling face first into a bush. Straightening, she chose to watch where she set down each foot instead of focusing on the tree that was her goal, glad for the boots that protected her tender skin from the thick vegetation. She earned a few scratches along her exposed arms before she finally made it to the fruit tree. She mentally noted that she really needed more protective clothing, her thin linen ones were not up to the task of defending her from the thick growth around her. She pulled an orange globe down and felt the spongy rind with her fingers. Pushing her nails into the rind she pulled it back and exposed juicy sections of flesh encased in a white skin. Nibbling again to test it, a sugary tartness of the orange burst in her mouth and she immediately shoved a whole wedge onto her tongue and began to chew happily. Okara pulled down several more oranges and filled her backpack, shouldering the much heavier weight. She slowly made her way out of the jungle back to the beach, racking up more scratches along the way. Her backpack was full but she had enjoyed the exploration so far and she saw no harm in continuing on a little longer. There seemed to be plenty of daylight left and she wanted to see what lay ahead. Okara walked for a bell, stopping occasionally to drink some water and eat a section of orange. She walked through the tide occasionally to rinse her sticky fingers and cool her skin in the increasing heat of the day. Eventually as she traversed further along the beach Okara spotted a group of distant dots moving about. She stopped and frowned at the moving shapes, unsure what it could be. She slowly walked closer and closer, prepared to turn around and flee if need be. But the closer she got the more confused she became. Were those…. Pigs?

[Okara]

They were pigs! A huge group of them. And not frightening, wild looking pigs, normal pigs. Okara struggled to guess how a huge group of livestock managed to end up on a beach in Falyndar. Apparently doing quite well for themselves based on the groups of little piglets running through the herd. They seemed a little wary but unafraid of her so she continued to move closer to them. Their surprising presence and unbothered attitude drew the curious Konti closer and closer until she stood a few scant feet from the closest wandering pigs. She wondered if anyone knew they were out here, unaware that the Swine Swells was a well known place and the pigs were used to visitors from the settlement. The closest pig lifted its snout and snorted a few times, catching the scent of the juicy, fragrant orange in the woman's hand. It continued to snort and move closer to her thinking she had come with a lovely treat to share. It seemed to be a subtle signal that Okara did not recognize as the several next closest pigs snorted back and turned to converge on the woman. Okara backed up a few steps but the pigs kept coming towards her, looking up at the fruit she carried. Feeling a little fearful, she had no idea how these strange pigs might behave, she threw the orange at them. Two stopped to gobble the fruit but several more kept approaching. Okara stumbled back in the sand and fell, cursing as most of the fruit in her pack came spilling out and what didn’t spill out crushed beneath her. The pigs happily ignored the woman to feast on the spilled fruit. Okara sat in the sand, shocked, staring open-mouthed at the pigs. She slowly stood up and shook out her back pack, already feeling a stain spreading across the back of her shirt. She snatched her waterskin and knife before the pigs jostled past her to munch on the squashed avocados that had fallen near her feet. ”You… you… you greedy bunch of PIGS!” Okara shouted indignantly at the animals. A few of the pigs startled away from the annoyed woman but went back to their meal once they saw she did not pursue them further. Walking a few steps away from the creatures she kicked at the sand in annoyance. She plopped herself down on the beach among the peaceful pig herd and proceed to sulk, shoulders slumped. The pigs finished the fruit and began to mill around, snorting and squealing as they went about their pig lives. Occasionally they sniffed at the salty Konti but none bothered her. A few chimes passed and her poor mood began to melt away in the sun. They were just animals after all and Okara had been holding a delicious fruit. Based on their lack of fear of her and their eagerness to see what she had she guessed she was likely not the first to have come bearing treats. She sighed, there was little she could do but move on with life. The oranges and avocados were gone but at least she had gotten to eat some. She pulled her shirt off and inspected it, seeing that the stain from the squished avocado wasn’t quite as large as she had thought it to be. She pulled off her pants as well and stood in the shallows of the ocean, rinsing and wringing out her clothes a few times to get rid of the fragrant oils that would be sure to draw insects to her. As Okara tended to her clothes she noticed a few of the pigs enter the shallows around her and begin slowly treading around. Despite herself she laughed at their happy antics, beginning to forget how upset she had been at the beasts. She watched them play a while. Their fleshy, pink bodies moved easily through the water and her heart softened at the cute little tails waggling about. Deciding to make the best of things, Okara tossed her shirt and pants clear of the water onto the beach and lowered her scaly body into the shallows. She floated along with graceful webbed fingers steering her course as she watched the pigs enjoy the cool waters under Syna’s intense gaze. When they came near she playfully splashed at them and they squealed in delight, swimming around the Konti.

[Okara]

Okara was content to stay cool splashing around with the pigs as morning shifted to afternoon and the heat increased. She enjoyed watching them snuffle around and occasionally dip their heads into the water to snatch at a fish or creature they had found. Eventually she knew she had to begin retracing her steps or she would be wandering the beach in the dark. She found a piglet snoozing in her clothes on the the beach and shooed the little creature away as it snorted in its indignation to have a nap interrupted. She had to shake her clothes roughly to be rid of the sand the piglet had stamped into them before pulling them on, a little stiff with salt from an ocean cleaning. Okara found her backpack and started to make her way slowly along the beach. She felt heavy and lazy under the hot gaze of the sun. There seemed little reason to rush anywhere at this time of day. By the time she journeyed all the way back to where her bungalow was tucked into the edge of the tropical forest her legs burned from a second trudge through the sandy beach and her skin felt hot from exposure. A second dip in the ocean seemed the perfect solution but as she glanced up at Syna she noticed the sun was about to begin its descent towards the horizon. Evening would be here soon and while she could happily spend her whole day underwater she couldn’t see in the dark any better above or below the waves. From the time she was a small child she had been warned about the potential dangers of swimming in the dark when predators would be hard to spot approaching. Hesitating a few moments, Okara decided she had time for a short dip. She didn’t intend on taking too long, just a quick swim to relax her muscles and cool her skin. She left her backpack, clothes, and boots in her bungalow and strode naked towards the shoreline, stepping carefully so she didn’t cut her feet on broken sticks and brush littering the ground. Okara walked carefully into the rolling tide and when she reached waist level she dipped down and submerged her whole body, pushing forward with her legs. As much fun as it was to float around with the pigs it felt exhilarating to truly swim. The cold water made her webbed limbs forget their tiredness and glide her quickly through the ocean with hair streaming behind her and water flowing through her gills. She swam straight out into the open ocean for several chimes then curved her direction and allowed the pull of the rising tides to carry her further into the bay and toward Solitude Isle. As the Isle came near she directed her webbed toes to guide her around the Isle and follow the curve of Falyndar’s coast line. Okara watched the rocks and kelp beds pass beneath her. She noticed the water was getting darker and with dismay realized that evening fell very quickly in this part of the world. Her eyes spotted an opening near a group of rocks and she slowed her speed to examine the opening. It wasn’t enormous but was large enough to perhaps pass through. She noticed a fish dart down into the hole and disappear, something must be beyond it. The Konti looked up and noticed a dark shape in the distance growing larger. A tendril of apprehension curled up in her chest as she realized he knew very little about the creatures that swam in these oceans. Predator or prey? She didn’t know and in the dimming light didn’t particularly care to stick around and find out. With a kick of her legs she entered the opening, figuring that if it didn’t lead anywhere it was at least a nice place to hide until she was certain she could make it back to shore safely.

[Okara]

As she passed further into the opening the light dimmed more and more until she could only make out the outlines of the rocky sides of the little stream. She swam along slowly with her hands outreached to carefully feel the rocky side, wary of any sharp edges that could cut her as she passed. She fought a hint of rising panic, cursing at herself for thinking an evening swim in a place she barely knew was in any way wise. She reached out and touched something scaly, pulling back with a start until she realized it was only a fish that had been far more startled than she. She could feel the waves of pressure against her face as the fish hurried to swim away from her and further into the underground passage. She followed slowly in its path reaching out more gently then she had before. She reasoned to herself that with the number of fish she had noticed the passage must lead somewhere. Fish may not be the smartest but they had good directional sense and she wanted to see through the exploration. The rocks around her began to gain more definition and she realized with excitement that the increase in light meant she was getting close to the other end. Suddenly, the underground passage opened up into a large rocky pool and above she could see some remnants of evening light shining down through the water. She studied the area around her and watched fish of all sizes swimming idly around to feed and disappear into nooks and shadows among the rocks. As the light filtering in from above lessened Okara noticed a strange thing around her. Algae covering the rocks around her began to slowly give off an ethereal glow. She watched in awe as the quality of light changed and the filtered light from above faded and the fish filled pool was lit by the glowing algae. Okara pushed her foot against a rock to slowly send her body rising through the water in a cloud of bubbles and blonde hair. Peacefulness filled her heart and mind as she rose through the glowing water and she wondered if the passage had transported her into another world altogether. Eventually her head broke through the water and she gazed around the cave she found herself in. Glowing algae clung to the walls above the water and softened the edges of the rocky cave. Beyond the glow she could make out pieces of darkening sky showing through the broken cave roof. Kicking softly, Okara swam to the edge of the pool and pulled her naked body onto the lake, water streaming down her skin. She noted a stone firepit not far away and stretched her body out along the pool edge, dipping her fingers up to the webbing into the water. She watched the roof above as the sky turned black and stars began to wink here and there. She thought back to the day she had experienced: finding fruit laden trees and gathering their bounty, discovering the pigs and quickly losing her foraged treasure in her hasty apprehension, making friends with the creatures and splashing around in the ocean, and then finally finding this otherworldly place. She knew the mishaps had been caused by herself but she was glad to have stumbled upon the places that she had. All in all this was a strange land she had come to but perhaps it was not such a terrible place to make a life.

[Okara]

Grades and Awards   Okara Experience Socialization 1 Observation 5 Foraging 1 Lores Syka Location: The Community Pool Duncan Malstrom: Maintains the Community Pools Foraging: Avocados, Appearance and Signs of Ripeness Foraging: Oranges, Appearance Syka Location: The Swine Swells Making the Best of an Unexpected Situation Playing with the Swine in the Swells Syna Sets Quickly around Syka Syka Location: Estuary Cave Notes Self grade. Argue with yourself if you are upset!