Completed Show Me The Way

Sophia and Jehu make a foray into the jungle for some education.

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Syka is a new settlement of primarily humans on the east coast of Falyndar opposite of Riverfall on The Suvan Sea. [Syka Codex]

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Show Me The Way

Postby Jehu on July 31st, 2019, 12:41 pm

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Jehu


Jehu still had mixed feelings about the jungle. It was so very different than the desert, as if he were in another part of the universe. While plant life was sparse in the Burning lands, and one had to search for the shelter of an acacia tree, the jungle foliage enveloped you, encroached upon you. You could feel like the only thing living in some places of the desert, in Falyndar, the richness of life filled one's senses; sound, smell, touch, sight.

"I have a feeling Artik knows more than he lets on."
Jehu spoke in a hushed tone, leaning forward closer to Sophia's ear. "He just doesn't let on so no one asks him to do anything." He chuckled as they came upon the strange spiked fruit. Stopping to examine the soursap fruit, Jehu looked back to Sophia when she mentioned poison seeds. Then he carefully plucked a couple fruit from the tree, slipping them into his pack to try later. Then he replied to her question.

"I have spent the night in the jungle, but only a few times with expert guides and traders. It was much at first, so much life, so dense, even the air was thick with the moisture and scent of living things. But I learned from those men how to manage, at least for a little time, in the jungle." Jehu replied as they continued on, lagging behind Artik who only slowed a little while his followers paused.

"They explained the the basics, shelter, food, water and some big dangers. We built lean-to's by leaning a stick against a tree and laying branches against it on both sides, making just enough room to sleep under cover. Some had tarps that they laid over the branch to make a sort of tent."
He shared, hoping to offer even a little knowledge in return for Sophia's botanical teaching.

"Water was not such a big deal for me, since I didn't need any most of the time. Food was another thing. Of course, you know about plants to eat. I learned some things to hunt, but they showed me some easier things to get." Jehu stopped, prodding around with the butt of his staff at a fallen branch. It was dark and wet, already in advanced decay. Artik stopped this time, sighing loud enough for the Chaktawe and Svefra woman to hear. Jehu ignored him, crouching down to dig at the thick branch with the tip of the spear. The rotting wood fell open, revealing a number of wriggling white grubs. He picked up a couple, holding them in his palm.

"Worms and grubs are everywhere and provide nutrition. Beetles are good to eat too, but they some can make you sick if you don't cook them first. You could live a good while on just insects, if you have water." He took up one of the grubs and popped it in his mouth, chewing it up. Artik voiced a disgusted noise. Jehu held his hand out with the second grub towards Sophia, an innocent smile on his face. "The rule I was taught is that you don't eat any insect that is brightly colored or have a strong smell. Of course, don't eat any that are hairy, or bite or sting. I think most people would know not to eat those anyway!"

Artik shook his head and turned to trek on. "He's not wrong, though I'd have to be real hungry and real lost to eat any of that shyke." The man declared.

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Show Me The Way

Postby Sophia Sunshore on August 17th, 2019, 5:51 pm

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Sophia grinned as Jehu’s hushed words reached her ears. “I think you’re probably right!” She whispered back to him, though her eyes stayed trained on the back of the Svefra walking ahead of them. What little knowledge Artik had shared with the pair so far hinted at someone who was very familiar with the goings on of the jungle.

She watched as Jehu carefully removed some of the soursop fruits, making a mental note to let Uta know there was another tree down this end of the jungle. Whether she would be able to find it again was dubious, but it was always useful to know when certain plants appeared in different places. The two of them moved to catch up with Artik - who seemed to be intent on getting back as quickly as possible - Sophia ensuring she was hyper-aware of where her feet were landing so as not to trip over anything.

She nodded at the Chaktawe’s comments, a murmur of agreement leaving her lips. The jungle was certainly an overwhelming place, especially for Sophia after having spent so long aboard a ship without a single plant in sight. Even now, after being here for a few seasons, the sheer weight of life often caught her off guard when she stopped to think about it. The thought of spending a night in here, among all of these things was daunting to her.

Sophia’s brows rose sharply at Jehu’s somewhat casual comment about not needing water. Surely everyone needed water? As he stopped, she turned to him. “What do you mean when you say you don’t need water?” She had other questions of course, as it appeared he had some good knowledge to share, but the comment had piqued her interest. She looked at him again, noting the tanned skin and dark eyes. Perhaps it was to do with his people, similar to how the gifted Svefra were able to drink the seawater.

She peered curiously at the damp, decaying branch and then wrinkled her nose as Jehu presented her with some wriggling grubs. It made sense, she supposed, that the grubs would make for good, easy food. After all, she knew many creatures here ate them too. The Svefra stared at Jehu as he ate one without batting an eye. Gingerly, she reached out and took the grub from his hand, holding it up between her thumb and finger. The thing wriggled, almost as if it knew what was coming and she could sense something akin to distress creeping into her thoughts. Her eyes flicked instinctively to her arm, where her gnosis was covered by her shirt sleeve. Before the feeling could grow, she quickly popped the grub into her mouth and bit down.

It wasn’t the nicest thing Sophia had ever eaten. She gave a slight grimace, and hastily swallowed before she had to think about it too much more. Trying not to cough, she turned to face Artik, responding to the man’s comment. “What would you eat then, if you were stuck in here without food?” Pausing in his steps, the Svefra looked at Sophia like she had just asked the most ridiculous question in the world. “Fish, obviously.”

“You can catch fish in the jungle?”
Artik looked at Sophia like she was dense. “What, I come in here to study plants okay…” She thought about it now though, how the rivers that ran through the trees eventually flowed out into the sea. It would make sense that there would be fish in them. “Could… you show us how?”

Artik sighed again and looked between Sophia and Jehu. “Fine. But you can cook it for us when we get back.” He turned again to walk on, listening out for any source of water ahead. Sophia shot a glance at Jehu, a little victorious smile on her face.

Eventually the trio came to a wide but shallow stream. The waters were clear and interspersed with large, flat rocks. Artick gestured to it. “Fish.” Sue enough, every now and again there were flashes of shimmering fish darting their way along the stream. “Easiest way is with a spear. You can make one outta bamboo.” The Svefra pulled a long, three-pronged spear from his back. “Make it look something like this. All you gotta do is stand on a rock, wait for a fish and stab.” Sophia resisted the urge to laugh. As if it was that easy. The Svefra moved over to one of the rocks, spear in hand. “Watch.” He stood statue still, staring into the water, spear raised and ready for whatever unsuspecting fish might come into its path.
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Show Me The Way

Postby Jehu on August 20th, 2019, 6:32 pm

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The opportunity to show Sophia grubs postponed his answer to her curiosity regarding his water comment. Jehu would agree that the grubs didn't have the best taste, but he was told they would go far in sustaining a person in the jungle. He felt a boyish mischief as he coaxed the Svefra woman to eat the squirming larva. He chuckled as Sophia's featured twisted in disgust. "Unpleasant, right?" he chimed in his desert accent.

The conversation continued to stray from plants to edible animals as Artik suggested he would rather have fish. Sophia seemed excited to learn how to catch them. Jehu joined in the curiosity, having seen dead fish in the market in Ahnatep, and only seeing them alive a time or two in Riverfall.

With the new lesson pending the discovery of a stream, Jehu took the opportunity to answer Sophia's question. "I am Chaktawe." He began with a sense of pride. "Inside of us, we have a reservoir of water. If we drink deep enough to fill it, it will provide the water we need for up to ten days, without a drink."

As Artik sought for a waterway, Jehu came up closer behind the broad-shouldered Svefra. He paused a moment, holding his hand out, fingers splayed. He did it several times along the way, until he finally spoke up. "There is running water that way..." He pointed off to their left. Soon, the could hear, then see the stream.

Jehu looked closer at the wooden spear Artik had taken in hand, having thought it a pretty useless weapon before. Now he understood its purpose. The Chaktawe looked into the clear water at the silvery fish, marvelling at how they can live totally under water.

Artik remained perched on the rock as he gauged the movement of the fish. He thrust his spear suddenly into the water, but it came back empty. The man cursed under his breath. A few chimes later, he tried again, this time lifting a wriggling fish on the end of his spear. Jehu was amazed. He was definitely going to make a fish spear like Artik's.

"Wait... Can I make one?" Jehu interjected, eagerly looking along the bank for bamboo. There were none, but he found a thin sapling that he thought might do the trick. With the kopis, he hacked it loose from its roots and stripped off the tiny limbs and the top. Then, using the hunting knife in his pack, He worked on splitting the tip. Jehu looked back at Artik's spear for direction. His was too thin to make three prongs, but he took a piece of a twig and jammed it between his two points to wedge them apart for a two-prong spear. Then he sharpened each tip.

Standing, he brandished his new fishing spear. It was far from perfect, or even pretty, but he held it out towards Sophia. "Here, give it a try."





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Show Me The Way

Postby Sophia Sunshore on August 26th, 2019, 11:31 am

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Sophia couldn’t help but smile at the glee on Jehu’s face, despite the shudder she was trying to suppress. ”Unpleasant is an accurate word! It’s not often your food wriggles inside your mouth.”

She glanced sidelong at Jehu as they continued to head onwards. She had met a person like him before, with the dark eyes. It was a perk of being a Svefra - they came across all sorts of people while travelling the seas. But she had never had a chance to speak to the person, the Chaktawe. All she knew was they had strange eyes, and their home was hot and dry. The idea of a person having a water store inside of them was, quite frankly, mind boggling to Sophia.

”That’s… that’s really useful.” Sophia wondered how much there was that she didn’t know about other races. A lot, she guessed. ”Is that because there isn’t a lot of water where you’re from? I don’t know a lot about…” She paused, searching for the word. ”…the desert? That’s it right?”

Her curiosity about Jehu and his race only grew as he raised is hand in a strange gesture. He said nothing about it until he had repeated it several times, only to announce that he knew where they could find water. Sophia looked at him in surprise. ”How did you do that?” She assumed it was something else the Chaktawe people were gifted with, their dry home meaning it was crucial for them to have whatever links to water they could. Sure enough, the trio quickly came to the stream under Jehu’s direction.

Sophia had never watched anyone stand as still as Artik did while waiting for the fish. She was thoroughly impressed when he speared a small, silvery fish after a couple of attempts. Jehu seemed as excited as she did about the prospect of spear fishing in the jungle. The dark-eyed man set to work on his own spear, studiously splitting a sapling with his knife. Sophia watched carefully as he did it, noting how he wedged the spear apart and sharpened the ends so that she could make her own later on.

She was surprised when he presented the spear to her, rather than having a stab at fishing himself. Dubiously, Sophia took up the spear and made her way out onto the flat rock in the middle of the stream that Artik had used. She held it in her right hand, poised in a position to strike, a mimic of what she had seen Artik do. Sophia didn’t have the best balance, and she wavered a little, her shadow wobbling on the water. It caused the fish to dart away from her, so she adjusted her feet and loosened her knees in an attempt to steady herself.

It worked for the most part, and Sophia waited, as still as she could for a fish to come closer. One swam past, so close to her rock, and she jammed the spear into the water. It came up empty, of course. Sophia’s reactions were slow, and she had been holding the spear too high above the water for any attempt to be fast enough. She wondered how Artik had judged when a fish would swim past, for it seemed you had to pre-empt the stab to be successful.

Sophia tried again, crouching a little this time to bring her closer to the water without overbalancing. From the corner of her eye she saw a flash of silver heading her way, and wildly thrust the spear into the water. To her complete shock, a little fish was pinned between the prongs. She had actually timed it right! However, the fish was small enough to wriggle free from between the two prongs, for she hadn’t actually stabbed it through, just trapped it. But that was a victory enough for the Svefra for now.

She carefully made her way back to the riverbank and handed the spear back to Jehu. ”Artik made it look easy.” She smiled and turned to watch the Chaktawe’s attempts. Above them, monkeys chattered, and Sophia looked up to see a group of them in one particular tree. They were poking at some hand-sized clusters of coconut-looking pods, though they definitely weren’t coconuts. The Svefra was curious, for usually the things that monkeys ate were safe for people to eat too. She turned back to watch Jehu in the river, making a note to investigate the pods when this particular lesson was over.

oocIt's Brazil nuts if you wanted to hop on the pod-investigation :)
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Show Me The Way

Postby Jehu on August 29th, 2019, 5:44 pm

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Thankfully, Sophia was a good sport about eating the grub. Jehu appreciated her sense of humor. The Svefra was curious about his physical traits, showing a curiosity for his people and his home. It made the Chaktawe feel good. It helped to be able to talk about where he was from, taking the edge off of the homesickness he still felt from time to time.

"Yes, we call it the Burning Lands. A lot different than here. The heat is dry, and so is the land, few plants and lots of sand, rock and dust." He had come to learn that most people thought the description of his birthplace was bleak and uninviting. To him, it had been home.

He then explained how he could sense moving water through his finger tips. "I can feel it in the air against my fingers, the coolness of water and how it stirs the air when it moves. Its really hard to do in the jungle, though I am beginning to learn the difference between moving water and plants stirred by a breeze." Jehu explained, realizing he had shared maybe more than his companion cared to know about him.

The fishing at the stream captured both of their attentions. After Jehu made a crude simple fishing spear and offered it to Sophia, she seemed a bit suspicious. The Chaktawe thought nothing of letting her try his spear first, it was a gesture of friendship much like that of the desert tribes. He was enjoying Sophia's company, so much more than Artik's, and he wanted her to know it.

With a smile, the desert man watched the herbalist try her hand at spear fishing. Sophia made a valiant effort, managing to pin a small fish beneath the spear. Artik was busy wrapping the fish he caught in a large long leaf he had plucked from a tree.

"Good try." Jehu encouraged Sophia as she returned the crude fishing spear to its creator. The Chaktawe readied to take his turn, carefully stepping out onto the rocks in the stream until he stopped on one overlooking an open area. He recalled how Arik positioned himself, and how Sophia did it when she pinned her fish. Knees slightly bent, spear raised but poised not too high. Then he watched.

Jehu was a hunter, and was use to the waiting game. Flickers of silver flashed beneath the softly rippling water, until he saw a good sized fish that continued to meander before him. He watched to see if the fish had any pattern to its movement. While not consistent, it did maintain a general area it circled. Just like throwing a spear, Jehu knew he would have to lead the fish to hit it. The trick was gauging how much.

Finally, he jerked into action, jabbing the spear into the water. It felt weird, how the water slowed and deflected the tips of the spear, so that it stabbed empty water next to the fish. It scurried away. Jehu looked up to Sophia, then to the chattering monkeys over head. "Are they laughing at me?" He teased with a laugh of his own. Then his face set again to the water. He chose his target, watched its movement, and, now familiar with how the impact with the water felt, Jehu stabbed the water again. The end of the spear became heavy and shook. Lifting it, he could see the smallish fish impaled on the tips.

Artik began a slow clap, feigning congratulations. He held out his hand for Jehu to toss him the fish. Jehu wrestled the creature from the spear, almost dropping it as it wriggled, then he tossed it to Artik, who wrapped it up with his.

Tossing the poorly crafted fishing spear aside (Jehu would make himself a proper one later) He moved closer to Sophia, looking up at the monkeys. "What is that they are eating?" He asked her, moving beneath the trees where the primates lounged, looking for pods or their casings to study them. "Do you think its something we could eat?" He asked the herbalist.




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Show Me The Way

Postby Sophia Sunshore on September 19th, 2019, 10:26 am

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The Burning Lands sounded like a place Sophia was not sure she would enjoy. Rocks and dust, with no plants! She could barely begin to imagine such a landscape. However she could also sense the feeling of pride behind Jehu’s words. It was clear that he was fond of the place, and she felt that it was harsh of her to judge someone’s home without seeing it first. There must be some merits to a desert that you could only see through being there. Maybe one day she might see it for herself.

Sophia stared curiously at the Chaktawe’s hand as he told her how he could sense water, almost as if she were expecting to see some sign of magic. Of course, there was none, and she flicked her gaze to meet his and smiled to show her appreciation for his explanation. It was a fascinating ability, and she could only begin to imagine what it might feel like here, with water practically everywhere. Uta had once explained to the Svefra how she thought plants moved water around inside of them, and she wondered aloud if that was what Jehu had referred to.
“You can feel the water moving through plants? That’s so interesting. Uta once told me that they can move it from under the ground, right to the ends of their leaves.”

Jehu was much, much better at spear fishing that Sophia had been. He had told her that he was a hunter, and she could see it was true in the way he held himself so still, like Artik had, while he waited for the fish to come close. She wondered what he was seeing, for she was sure that he was reading the fish in some way, not just hoping and reacting like she had done. Sophia was watching Jehu so intently that she almost jumped when he moved all of a sudden, plunging the spear into the water.

She laughed at his comment, looking back up at the monkeys overhead. They were still poking at the clusters of coconut-looking pods, seemingly trying to dislodge them from the tree they grew in. She was still watching the primates when she heard the splash from the river and turned in time to see Jehu lift a wriggling silver fish from the water. She rolled her eyes in Artik’s direction and grinned at Jehu.
“Nice, you must have a knack for that!” Sophia would have to craft her own spear soon and get practising.

She followed Jehu’s gaze back to the monkeys as Artick sorted the fish. “I’m not sure actually. It looks a little like a small coconut but it definitely isn’t.” The pods were almost perfectly round and as large as a man’s hand. “Monkeys can actually make good guides to see what we can eat, so it’s certainly possible.” One of the primates bought both its hands down on one of the pods, and Sophia pushed Jehu back as she heard a crack ring from above. The pod hit the ground where they had been standing, and she could see a large crack in the top of it.

The monkeys chatter rose, but they stayed in the tree, the presence of humans below stopping them from coming to the ground. Sophia darted forward and picked up the pod, turning it in her hands. She shrugged her pack from her shoulders and located the small knife she kept on the top, wedging the blade into the crack. Wriggling and pushing on the handle, slowly the crack widened till a decent chunk of the outer pod broke away. Inside was a cluster of large, rough seeds. She pulled one out and examined it before passing it to Jehu to look at. Artik had also come closer and peered over her shoulder. “Ah.” He pulled one out of the pods himself and proceeded to crack the seed open, revealing a smooth, brown coated nut inside that he promptly popped into his mouth and chewed on.

“Artik!” Sophia was alarmed at the nonchalance with which he had eaten the strange seed - you never just ate stuff you found in the jungle! The Svefra man rolled his eyes at her shock and shrugged. “It’s a nut, Juli finds them sometimes. Tastes good.” He turned and started heading into the trees again. “Let’s go, we don’t have all day.”

With a glance at Jehu again, Sophia returned her knife to her pack and then slung it onto her back again. She kept hold of the pod, there were many more up in the tree for the monkeys to have and she wanted to see if she could grow one, especially if it would provide food. Curious, she picked another nut out of the pod and cracked open its casing. Still a little dubious, she sniffed the nut before putting it in her mouth and biting down on it. It was crunchy and incredibly nutty, and very delicious. If Jehu hadn’t tried his already, she would turn to him and nod. “It’s really good.”

Sophia then stepped carefully after Artik away from the water. The ground here in the rainforest proper was uneven and absolutely covered in tree roots, and it took a lot of concentration not to trip. She paused, much to Artik’s annoyance to cram the entire nut pod into her pack so that she could walk easier, taking her cutlass up into her hand. Soon enough the burble of the stream disappeared completely and the trio were once again surrounded only by the rustling of leaves and the sounds of the jungle animals.
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Show Me The Way

Postby Jehu on September 20th, 2019, 2:27 pm

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Jungle under my feet, the Dunes in my heart


Jehu joined the Svefra woman in her curiosity. The monkeys were making quite a commotion above them, some of them handing the strange pods. Sophia didn't know what they were either. She suggested they were probably edible, since the monkeys ate them. Jehu remembered that fact, another way to learn whether something is safe to eat or not.

Jehu had turned to see what Artik thought when Sophia's hand fell forcefully on his shoulders, shoving him back. Suddenly, between them, one of the pods fell from above to land on the jungle floor at their feet with a thud. It was almost the size of a grapefruit. Jehu looked up to the botanist with a crooked grin. "Thanks, that would've left a big bump on my head. He heard the grumpy Svefra man harumph behind him.

The Chaktawe watched as Sophia investigated the pod, working it open with her knife. Inside were smaller seed-like objects, arranged almost like the sections of a citrus fruit. he took the one offered to him, shaking it. Jehu was taking his time figuring it out when their guide reached in and took a seed as well. Without hesitation, and in spite of Sophia's sudden exclamation, the Svefra man ate the contents within the shell. Artik shrugged, revealing the pod seeds were actually known food. Jehu was more confident when he heard Juli ate them too. He cracked open the seed in his hand and ate the large nut inside. It was very good!

"Mmmm!" he hummed to the blonde as he munched the seed. He looked around until he found a couple more pods and slipped them into his pack. He had quite a bit of new foods found during their trip, kinds he would remember to gather on hunting trips.

As they left the stream behind, Artik's voice carried back to his wards. "Don't know about you, but I am ready to head back. These fish will start to stink soon. And since I an the only one who knows the way back, you are heading home too." The surly man informed them. Jehu got his jungle mind on again, consciously watching his steps as well as where he was heading. He was satisfied. The newcomer had learned a lot from Sophia, and even from Artik, as well as getting to know the pretty botanist woman a little better. He hoped they would be friends.
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Show Me The Way

Postby Sophia Sunshore on September 30th, 2019, 2:41 pm

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As they moved deeper into the trees again the light slowly faded. The river had broken the canopy allowing golden sunlight to stream through more freely, but now the trees were thickening once more, their branches reaching for one another overhead. Sophia’s eyes adjusted fairly quickly to the gloom, which she was thankful for, as the footing was rough enough to constantly catch her out. She quietened for a while as she tried to settle back into the rhythm of walking that the jungle required – the loose knees and the sway that animals seemed to move with.

An eyebrow rose at Artik’s back. Clearly the Svefra had had enough of the jungle for one day. Sophia wasn’t sure she would ever tire of the place, for there was just so much to be seen. Of course, after recent escapades, she was ever reluctant to dash headlong into the trees on adventures anymore. Her excitement had blinded her to the dangers of this place and she had been incredibly lucky.

After a short while of walking, Sophia heard the sound of a branch snapping somewhere off to the left of the trio. She whipped her head round, scanning the trees and seeing nothing, not even a leaf moving. It was dark between the trunks, and she knew that there would be creatures perfectly camouflaged against the gloom. Artik either hadn’t heard it, or was not concerned about it as he barely broke his stride. Sophia turned to look to Jehu, wondering if he had heard the noise too.

Sophia cautiously stepped onward, trailing the Svefra through the trees. She continued to shoot furtive glances to the left as they went, but nothing ever revealed itself to her. Perhaps it had just been an old rotten branch falling from a tree.

Slowly the roots beneath their feet lessened, and the spaces between the trees started to grow wider. Sophia was starting to tire a little from trekking over the uneven jungle terrain and was pleased at the prospect of food that awaited them. As the ground became easier to traverse, she was able to fall into step next to Jehu again.

“So, what made you leave your home and come here?” There was genuine curiosity in her voice, for when the Chaktawe had spoken of his desert home, he had done so with such clear fondness in his words. Realising that it may be a somewhat personal question, she quickly shot him a sheepish smile. “You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to.”

Soon enough the jungle was behind them, and Sophia was promptly rolling up her sleeves, hoping for relief from the humidity in the form of a sea breeze. They wound their way over to the kitchens where Artik retrieved the fish from his pack and presented them to Sophia and Jehu. In the pause before Sophia took one, the Svefra raised an eyebrow at her. “Don’t tell me you can’t cook a fish.”

Sophia scowled at him. “I’m not that useless of a Svefra.” She grabbed one of the fish and washed it off before placing it on a countertop. She then retrieved her knife from her own pack and set about removing the scales. She scraped the knife along the body of the fish from tail to head in clean, smooth motions, the scales easily coming away on the blade. When she flipped the fish over to start on the other side, it occurred to her that Jehu may not be aware of what to do with a fish, coming from a land with little water.

If he needed her help, she would gladly offer it. Removing the scales was the easy part, as long as you kept your movements smooth so as not to catch the skin. When both fish were cleaned and the counter cleared, she turned her fish so that its underside was facing up, motioning for Jehu to do the same.
”Insert your knife right here.” She tapped her knife on the Chaktawe’s fish to show him before piercing the blade into her own, right up near the tail. ”Cut slowly in a straight line and stop at the base of its head.” Sophia had never been the neatest at this part, often ending up with a slightly jagged line, and today was no different. It was however, a clean enough cut for its purpose, and she set the blade aside.

”And now you just have to…” She trailed off and instead demonstrated the somewhat grislier next step. She opened up the fish along the cut and reached in with her hand to grab the entrails and simply pull them out. Satisfied that she had everything removed, she waited for Jehu to be finished and then took both the fish to wash again.
”If you can find some salt anywhere here, and maybe a lemon we can get cooking!”

oocI hope this post is okay, it reads funny to me. I'm in a bit of a funk today! Let me know if I need to change anything up. ALso feel free to wrap up with your post if you see fit to :)
NOTE: During the Fall Sophia is a Dhani, specifically a golden eyelash viper. See here for more detailed info.
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Show Me The Way

Postby Jehu on October 4th, 2019, 12:52 pm

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Jungle under my feet, the Dunes in my heart


The trio resumed their jungle trek, their course leading back to Syka. Jehu followed behind Sophia, and they both grew more quiet, focusing on their steps and that which immediately surrounded them. The Chaktawe spared a few glances at Sophia's back, and at the blonde mane that cascaded down her back. She was smart and pretty, and one of the friendliest people he had met in Syka. He hoped they would be friends.

Jehu heard the loud snap, his head darting just as Sophia's did to find the source. Their eyes met, confirming that it was 'something'. A glance at Artik's back revealed no concern on his part. But Jehu gripped his spear a little firmer, his seeking gaze shifting more often to that side of the path until they reached the edge of the jungle.

When the path widened, they were able to walk side-by-side again, the looming peril of the denser jungle fading. They began to talk. Sophia expressed a curiosity about his story. Jehu offered her a small smile, assuring it was alright to ask.

"I just didn't feel like I...belonged." He had never really expressed it like that. He had still felt part of the family, just maybe lesser of one. "We have a rite of passage, you could say I failed it in some way, didn't receive from the gods what was expected. That left a stigma."

He paused, wondering why he felt so free to explain it to Sophia. Maybe because in speaking his thoughts out loud, he was finding some revelations for himself. "But I really didn't leave so much because people were treating me differently. I really left to find an answer to that failed event, to find out why the gods didn't answer me." he looked around them. "For some reason, this place seemed like a good place to find gods." Another soft smile flashed as they found themselves approaching the Commons.

The matter of the fish was foreign to Jehu. Luckily, Sophia considered the desert man's lack of experience with fish and allowed him to work with her. He removed his shirt and tied it around his waist, then retrieved his own knife. Following the Svefra woman's example, Jehu used the knife edge to scrape at the scales. It took a chime to get the angle right, to get under the scales but not under the skin. The blade caught the skin a couple times, and when he was finished, the fish's flesh was not as smooth as Sophia's, but the scales were all removed.

She then offered step by step instruction, for which Jehu was grateful. He wielded the knife as she demonstrated, piercing the fish's underside, slicing open the fish with a slow, smooth motion. It was a less than perfect line and a few jagged edges. But that part he understood. As a hunter, he could see it was like gutting any game. Without reservation he dug out the fishes organs and placed them in a bowl. He wondered if it was used for bait.

They cleaned their fish, which would become their dinner. Jehu would thank the Svefra botanist several times during the meal for all the things she had taught him that day. He had learned a lot, even from Artik, and had a pack full of new foods for him to enjoy.


END
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Jehu
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Posts: 102
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Joined roleplay: May 31st, 2019, 9:53 am
Location: Syka
Race: Chaktawe
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Show Me The Way

Postby Madeira Dusk on January 22nd, 2020, 9:47 pm

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Grades Awarded!

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Jehu

Skills
  • Observation: 5xp
  • Socialization: 5xp
  • Negotiation: 1xp
  • Planning: 1xp
  • Persuasion: 1xp
  • Land Navigation: 1xp
  • Botany: 2xp
  • Wilderness Survival: 5xp
  • Teaching: 2xp
  • Carving: 1xp
  • Fishing: 1xp
  • Cooking: 1xp

Lores
  • Lore of the necessity of knives in jungle travel
  • Sophia: knowledgeable about jungle plants
  • Lore of the physical appearance of a Svefra
  • Negotiation: help your neighbors, get help in return
  • Land Navigation: the ribbon orientation trick
  • Wilderness Survival: common traits of poisonous plants
  • Animal: spider monkey
  • Plants: soursop tree fruit is edible
  • Wilderness Survival: making a fishing spear
  • Wilderness Survival: if a monkey can eat it, a human can too
  • Fishing: spear fishing
  • Brazil Nuts: safe to eat
  • Cooking: preparing fish

Awards & Retribution
+Kopis: -4gm
+Sheath: -2gm
+Guide: -5gm


Notes
What a densely packed thread! Your character learned a lot, and frankly I did too. Enjoy your loot, and let me know if you have questions or concerns. :)


Sophia Sunshore

Skills
  • Organization: 2xp
  • Writing: 1xp
  • Observation: 5xp
  • Socialization: 5xp
  • Planning: 3xp
  • Teaching: 4xp
  • Wilderness Survival: 5xp
  • Persuasion: 1xp
  • Agility: 1xp
  • Fishing: 1xp
  • Logic: 2xp
  • Botany: 1xp
  • Cooking: 1xp

Lores
  • Lore of the physical appearance of a Chaktawe
  • Jehu: Chaktawe
  • Teaching: the basics of jungle preparation
  • Teaching: the ribbon orientation trick
  • Wilderness Survival: be aware of what kind of game trail one is following
  • Wilderness Survival: always keep close to the shore
  • Wilderness Survival: common traits of poisonous plants
  • Animal: spider monkey
  • Wilderness Survival: be aware of your surroundings
  • Chaktawe: need very little water
  • Fishing: spear fishing
  • Chaktawe: racial ability to find water
  • Wilderness Survival: how to make a fishing spear
  • Agility: keeping ones balance
  • Wilderness Survival: if a monkey can eat it, a human can too
  • Brazil Nuts: safe to eat
  • Cooking: preparing fish

Awards & Retribution
+Blue Seaglass

Notes
Sophia makes a good teacher. I'm impressed by the research you've done so you can write your botanist character properly as she gets more knowledgeable. I hope you got everything you wanted, if you have questions or concerns give me a shout!
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Madeira Dusk
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