Open Answering the Call

[La'Nahri]

3rd Fall, 520

Nahri’s silvery blonde hair fluttered behind her as she braced her forearms on the rail that ran around the front of the ship. The iridescent scales dusting her arms and hands glittered in Syna’s golden light and the Konti stretched her fingers, the breeze catching on the delicate webbing between them.

Her time on the ship would be short, and so she still had her pack slung over one shoulder. La’Nahri had taken up an offer of passage from a Svefra she had been talking to at the Zeltiva Docks over the past couple of days. The Konti had been feeling more and more that her time in the city of scholars and sailors was nearing its end, the Call she was following still not satisfied. She had thought Zeltiva had been it for the pull that drew her out of Syliras had been strong, but after seasons of searching she still had not found what she had been looking for.

After spending some time on the Docks, the Konti had heard talk of trade happening at a new, small, settlement just along the coast. Immediately curious, Nahri had prodded some of the sailors with questions. Though she had not found out much she had come to understand that it was a fledgling settlement, though growing, that housed arcanists and those able to carve a place for themselves in the wilderness. While Nahri was not an arcanist herself - as much as she wanted to be - she was a healer who could wield magic in other ways. Her questions on whether this group had a clinic, or even someone skilled in medicines had yielded no answers, and so she had decided to find out for herself.

Nahri had been determined to walk to the settlement herself, after all it wasn’t too far away, but the Svefra she had pressed for its location had told her to board the ship instead. Apparently they would pass its dock on their way out of Matthew’s Bay that morning and besides, nobody knew if there was any safe path over land yet.

Leaning a little further out over the railing Nahri watched the surface of the sea shine, winking like a gem in the light. A call went up from one of the sailors and she raised her head, gaze taking in the approaching land. Behind the dock she could see a towered building nestled against a backdrop of trees. She adjusted her heavy pack, and when the ship had aligned itself with the dock, she stepped forward off the rocking deck.

Nahri paused for a moment on the end of the dock, face turned up to take in the tower and the landscape beyond. Something inside of her seemed to settle and a smile would over the Konti’s lips. Was this truly where she ended her wandering? Hope flared inside of her at the idea, and she strode forward along the dock, eyes glittering as she took in the sights of what she hoped would be the answer to her Call.

[Kelski]

Dock rolled slightly with the tide and the bumping of the ship, being a floating palasade anchored to teathering pilons rather than a fixed structure above the water. The design let the dock rise and fall with the tide, and gave it a bit of freedom it otherwise wouldn't have. Matthews Bay fluctuated too much for a solid structure to work well in the sheltered location Dock was built in.

A second ship was tied up to the structure on the opposite side of the Svefra ship La'Nahri arrived on. It was a sleek deadly looking thing, painted dark and riding low in the water. It had a presence about itself that its ominous name lent credibility to. "The Dark Of The Night" was painted on its side in flowing white script. It's masthead was that of some sort of water horse... finned rather than hooved. It rode high in the water for all of its profile, indicating it was not currently burdened with cargo.

There was no one about other than a black-haired man and a tow-headed boy who sat on the edge of the dock near the shore. They watched the Svefra ship bump the dock, let off the passenger, and prepare to get underway again. The older man looked on curiously. The boy looked annoyed. They watched the Konti approach, and at first said nothing.

"The Svefra aren't staying?" The older dark-haired man said. He had midnight skin to match his hair. And though his feet dangled in the water, there was an elegance about him that spoke of breeding and education. He was dressed, however, like a pirate.

The boy frowned at the man and added.... "They already were here for two weeks on their way in. They drank all the last of the good wine we made and ate up all the fresh elk Ebon took down. Did you really want them back?" He asked the older man.

That man laughed. "No... not really. Once all the stories have been told its time for the Svefra to move on." He added, and studied the woman.

"Do you have business here?" He asked curiously. The boy seemed to want to know this too. They had all but given up on the pretense of fishing and were just out and out curious now.

"We don't get many non-Svefra visitors here. That's not to say you aren't welcome, but it's unusual." The dark-skinned man said.

The beach in front of the dock was deserted. There were setups though for fires and huge driftwood that had been pulled up along blackened firepits that showed people did indeed overnight here on the beach and frequently. There was a trail with two ruts that looked like it was designed for a cart that led up the bluff towards a tower that could be seen perched on the land above. A trio of horses grazed the saltgrass along the high tide line above the beach, either wild or unconcerned by their liberty.

There were stakes along the dock to the north, looking like it was outlining a new project - perhaps a boathouse - that was going to be built on the water where solid bedrock outcroppings stood. Matthews Bay was sheltered, so there were very few waves that crashed the shore like a normal beach. Instead, the inlet had deep water and sand beach that was peaceful but dropped off quickly just out of sight below the azure waters. It was peaceful here, and unlike other places, it held an aura of being 'civilized' though not completely tamed like the long stone boardwalk of Zeltiva.

It was still a wilderness, but safer, more comforting, with an aura of watchfulness emanating all around it.

[La'Nahri]

La’Nahri had been so busy taking in the sights of the building perched on the land above the beach that she had failed to notice there was anyone else around. Returning her gaze to its natural line informed her that there was a pair seated at the end of the dock near the beach. Residents, surely, and so she must speak with them.

The dock rolled under her feet as she stepped carefully along. Nahri had expected it to feel more solid like those in Zeltiva, however she still had the feeling she was standing on the ship that was now steadily pulling away from her. She paused for a moment and watched it. There was an air of finality, a feeling of ‘this is it’. Nahri had no transport now to see her away from this place, so surely this place is where she should be.

With that feeling gradually solidifying, she made her way down the dock towards the duo with a little more confidence. Drawing near enough to make out features now, eyes first fell on the older man as he spoke. He appeared to have expected the Svefra ship to stay longer, and while the crew she had briefly spent time with certainly knew very well this small settlement, none of them had implied they had or would visit themselves.

Before she could say such a thing though, the boy spoke up. Nahri watched him curiously, a stark contrast to the darker man he had a tousled mop of blonde hair. The pair definitely weren’t related as far as she could tell. It would seem that the Svefra were frequent guests of the settlement, and Nahri also gleaned a name from the boy – Ebon.

Eventually the pair returned their attentions to Nahri, asking the question she knew would be coming. Why was she here? She doubted they would understand if she started to speak of the Call, so she decided instead to muster some courage to speak simply and state exactly what she wanted.
“I have come to help you. Or this settlement at least. I am a healer and I understand you do not have one here.”

Nahri’s eyes drifted over to where a series of stakes had been hammered into the ground nearby. She wondered how many people resided here in order to have built so much in the relatively short time they had been around. Again she looked up at the towered building, imagining a healing clinic perched near to it. The thread she could feel connecting her to this place hummed happily at such a dream.

Her attention returned to the man and the boy. She smiled.
“I am La’Nahri, from Mura. I imagine a place out in the wilderness such as this would have need of a healer, no?” The Konti was eager to see more of the settlement but she didn’t want to walk past the pair and seem rude.
“Would it be you who I should discuss such an arrangement with?”

[Kelski]

The pair glanced at each other. The boy made a sour face, but the dark-skinned man smiled. "Well, I don't know who you have been getting your information from, but that's not exactly right. Ebon is our healer. But regardless, where are our manners? I'm The Dark of the Night but you can call me Dark for short, and this is Dock." He said, introducing himself and the boy.

"It's nice to meet you, La’Nahri." He said, pleasantly. Dark had manners even if Dock was somewhat sour. Dock started out his life as a barn and he didn't exactly enjoy it. He liked the water so much better and being a dock was a lot better for him. Now that they were here, he was starting to cheer up. But like all things in life, it took time.

Dock studied the woman with an odd expression on his face. "You are Konti." He made the statement as if it were something new to him and somewhat concerning. "Ebon used to be bonded to a Konti Healer... its how he learned his medical knowledge. She's dead. It's going to hurt him to see you. But you'll need to talk to him about a healing position. Kelski too. I already told her that you were here and she's coming down... but she was all the way up in her workshop so I had to tell Gem. Luckily we are close." He mused.

Dark nodded as if this wasn't out of the ordinary. "You can go on up and meet her if you'd like." Dark volunteered. "We'd carry your bags for you but... we're a bit locationally challenged." He said with a smile, wavered a moment, and started to fade out of sight.

The boy didn't seem surprised. "Just follow the cart trail on up." He advised, then he too winked out of sight, more abruptly than the older man.

The pair left the Konti to her own devices... to carry her stuff and walk up the beach and up the cart trail. At the margins of the tower, in a small outdoor alcove, she'd run into a barefoot woman with a feral look to her features. Long tangled black hair that bleached to the whitest snow fell in waves around her face and outlined the black tank top that hugged her body. Loose silver pants encased a narrow well-muscled waist. She moved gracefully, purposely, and watched the Konti come up the cart trail with predatory silver eyes.

"Hello." She said simply, curiously, her head tilting to give away her curiosity.

"The boys said you were interested in being a healer? Come ... sit. Hattie said if we had a guest she'd bring out some refreshments if you are hungry or thirsty." She added softly, gesturing to a wrought iron table with four chairs set in a little side garden off the kitchen.

Kelski had a husky alto voice that ran smooth and purposeful. There was a slight Lhavitian accent to her words, though the specific tones were fleeting as she watched the Konti and waited for her reaction.

"Tell me about yourself... how you heard about us and why you are here," Kelski said, not mincing words and getting right to the point. As she spoke, an elderly woman with chocolate dark skin bustled out of the tower from a side door and set a platter down that had a pitcher of tea on it - filled with ice cubes - and an array of cookies. The silver-eyed woman thanked the old woman and poured them both glasses of iced tea.

[La'Nahri]

La’Nahri tilted her head ever so slightly at the older man’s words. They had a healer here already, Ebon, the one mentioned to her earlier. Possibly none of the visitors she had come across had had the need to meet him and so people outside of the settlement would not know about him. In any case, being here still felt right to the Konti, so perhaps there may be space for two.

Nahri smiled as the man introduced the pair of them to her, Dark and Dock. They were interesting names, nicknames perhaps? Either way she inclined her head to them.
“It is lovely to meet you both too.”
Nahri blinked at the boy as he spoke to her now. He recognised her as a Konti so perhaps there was another here already. A small frown tugged at her brow as he continued, his words blunt as he spoke of the death of Ebon’s bondmate. He offered up a second name to her too, Kelski, and then his words became a little confusing to follow. He had let this Kelski know she was here, but how? Nahri had been watching him ever since she had stepped off the boat. A third name was spoken - Gem, who apparently also knew Nahri was here. She flicked her gaze to the older man in confusion.

Apparently nothing was amiss as Dark was nodding and telling La’Nahri to head on up and find Kelski herself. “Oh, thank you, I will find her.” Nahri offered the man a smile of her own in return, that then stuck in some odd sort of shocked grin as he simply disappeared into thin air. Wide eyes flicked to the boy again and she nodded mechanically as he told her to follow the cart trail before vanishing too. The Konti took a moment to compose herself, glancing up at the sky and then back at the ground. They must have been ghosts or some similar entities. She took a breath and then gathered up her bags before stepping off the dock and onto the cart trail.

The walking allowed Nahri to regather her thoughts that had scattered at the surprise disappearing of the pair on the dock. It was not long until a woman came into view ahead near the tower. She was striking, blank hair that faded to white and eyes of bright silver that seemed to pierce right through Nahri. Her voice though was soft and somewhat soothing.
“Oh, I… yes.”
So the boy, Dock, had somehow managed to get a message to this woman. Perhaps it was to do with being some sort of spirit?

La’Nahri set her bags down and settled herself in a seat before casting her gaze around the small garden. Kelski joined her at the table and got straight to the question - why was Nahri here? There was a pause before the Konti answered while another woman set refreshments down. She pulled the glass of tea towards her gratefully.
“Thank you. The boy, Dock? He was correct, I would very much like to aid your settlement as a healer, though he also told me that you have such a person already.” She paused again for a brief moment, wondering how much she should say. She met Kelski’s gaze and had a feeling that she was sat across from a woman who one could trust. “I am not sure how much you know of the Konti? Some of us, we are called away from our homes. It is… like a feeling here.” She gestured to her chest. “I have been searching for a place to settle, someone to aid and when I stepped off the boat here it felt… my soul felt happy.”

Nahri had no idea if her words would make sense to one who has not felt the Call themselves, but she was not sure how else to describe it. She took a sip of the tea, which was delicious.
“Oh, I am sorry, my name is La’Nahri. I understand you are Kelski? Did you build this beautiful place yourself? It is quite an achievement.” Nahri smiled at the woman. “I feel I should admit to you - I do still have much to learn, though I am aided by my lady Rak’keli.” There were so many things Nahri wanted to ask about the settlement, about the pair on the docks and the people here but she held her tongue. It was Kelski who should be asking her the questions, as after all Nahri was the uninvited visitor.