Ian flung his arms around his mother, hugging her fiercely as the eagles were unloaded and most of them left the immediate beach for the warm sea water or the loose sand higher up down the beach. He held her like it had been years, and to the little boy it felt like it had been. He planted wet kisses on her gaunt cheek and buried his small fist into her shirt, holding her tight. “Never go away again.” He said firmly, clinging to her neck like a lifeline. Then, after another round of fierce hugs, he laid his head on her shoulder for a moment as if all was right in the world. Then, after just a brief pause, he lifted his head and looked thoughtfully at her.
“Down.” He said, firmly wanting out of her arms. If she sat him down, he’d take her hand and tug her along the sand, up the beach, not north, not east, but strangely south. “Show you.” He said firmly, glancing back at her and knowing she was tired but wanting her to follow anyhow. Up past the high waterline, Shade had vanished where he stood. Instead, if Shiress scanned around, she’d find him with some of the other heavy lifters in the settlement carrying crates and boxes of cargo up the beach towards the Syka Events Center to be sorted later. Everyone worked when The Veronica pulled into port or Wind Eagles decided to drop from the skies… everyone.
Alric too had disappeared with Lys walking northward up the beach towards the obvious destination of Mathias’ cabana. She knew what would happen there… peace, a chat, and Mathias would probably give him something to drink or plunk a line in the water. It wasn’t any more or any less than he’d do for anyone else, and Shiress knew his deck was open if she needed to go there to sleep in peace tonight.
But for now, Ian was impatient. “Come on…. mommy… hurry.” He said, tugging her along. They were definitely going south… and at a rapid pace. Truthfully, the more she walked the better Shiress felt after so many days in the saddle riding the flying bird. There was a rhythm to the wingbeats that didn’t quite leave her stride as she followed her son. But oddly she didn’t feel tired… the bone deep exhaustion had left her at his touch and at her feet finally sinking back into Syka’s soil. She should have been hungry, thirsty, and all kinds of things, but she wasn’t. Not at all, in fact. She felt almost refreshed. And the more Ian tugged her hand, the further they walked until what Shiress thought would be a short jaunt turned into almost a bell of walking along the gently lapping water. They had to briefly duck inland and follow a trail that bypassed Estuary Cave until they came out on Komorebi Estuary which was a shaded spot of speckled sunlight and no beach. Instead, the trail cut into young jungle trees that crowded out the sunshine and left the Estuary sheltered.
An ethereally beautiful woman sat on the rock, as if lost in meditation. She had alabaster white skin and long sleek black hair that framed wide dark eyes that looked ageless. She turned her head when the pair came into sight and a slight smile curled her lips. She was sitting, cross legged, on the rock as if she’d been waiting for them the whole time. Ian paused at the edge of the water and a break in the trail that led around the little cove to the big meditative rock itself. He dropped his mother’s hand and pointed. “See?”
He said, gesturing to the woman, as if Shiress would know that’s what they came to see. The little boy then plucked himself down on a child sized rock that made a perfect seat and began tossing out small pebbles into the waters of the estuary to scatterer the brightly colored fish. He looked like he wasn’t about to leave that spot for the life of him.
The woman, meanwhile, rose to her feet. “Shiress….” She said, beckoning the doctor over. “It’s good to see you.”
.
“Down.” He said, firmly wanting out of her arms. If she sat him down, he’d take her hand and tug her along the sand, up the beach, not north, not east, but strangely south. “Show you.” He said firmly, glancing back at her and knowing she was tired but wanting her to follow anyhow. Up past the high waterline, Shade had vanished where he stood. Instead, if Shiress scanned around, she’d find him with some of the other heavy lifters in the settlement carrying crates and boxes of cargo up the beach towards the Syka Events Center to be sorted later. Everyone worked when The Veronica pulled into port or Wind Eagles decided to drop from the skies… everyone.
Alric too had disappeared with Lys walking northward up the beach towards the obvious destination of Mathias’ cabana. She knew what would happen there… peace, a chat, and Mathias would probably give him something to drink or plunk a line in the water. It wasn’t any more or any less than he’d do for anyone else, and Shiress knew his deck was open if she needed to go there to sleep in peace tonight.
But for now, Ian was impatient. “Come on…. mommy… hurry.” He said, tugging her along. They were definitely going south… and at a rapid pace. Truthfully, the more she walked the better Shiress felt after so many days in the saddle riding the flying bird. There was a rhythm to the wingbeats that didn’t quite leave her stride as she followed her son. But oddly she didn’t feel tired… the bone deep exhaustion had left her at his touch and at her feet finally sinking back into Syka’s soil. She should have been hungry, thirsty, and all kinds of things, but she wasn’t. Not at all, in fact. She felt almost refreshed. And the more Ian tugged her hand, the further they walked until what Shiress thought would be a short jaunt turned into almost a bell of walking along the gently lapping water. They had to briefly duck inland and follow a trail that bypassed Estuary Cave until they came out on Komorebi Estuary which was a shaded spot of speckled sunlight and no beach. Instead, the trail cut into young jungle trees that crowded out the sunshine and left the Estuary sheltered.
South of the Estuary Cave on the way to Treasure Point is a location on the Syka Coastline that is truly lovely. The Komorebi Estuary is a deeply shadowed spot, speckled with sunlight that filters through the trees and splashes on the water creating a daily show of color that almost resembles living stained glass. The tropical waters team with life here, shallow and mixed with fresh water. Beneath the waist-deep water lies a plethora of crabs, lobster, and all sorts of bivalves.
There is a multitude of enormous freshwater muscles that can be found scattered across the cobbled estuary floor. They thrive in the brackish water and seem to do just as well with the tide in and salt mixing in as they do at low tide where the water is mostly fresh. The inside of the shells has an amazing coloring that reminds folks of sunlight striking oil and shimmering a rainbow of color.
Among the stone, shrimp scurries and provides a veritable feast for those able to net them with tossed out hand nets. Shorebirds and waders frequent the Estuary, harvesting its bounty for themselves. The hunting here is almost always good and more importantly, it is an incredibly peaceful place to visit.
Equal to the sources of protein, plants, and wild edible foods grow just as plentiful. There are sedges, grasses, and seaweed that are delicious and nutritious. There are also numerous kinds of mushrooms growing in this moist environment. Algae, moss, and other rock growers are numerous here and can provide incredible sources of vitamins and minerals for those who know how to forage for them.
There is a huge rock on the northern end of the estuary that the briny water laps. It is an amazing place to meditate and do some serious thinking. It is also a lovely place to fish from or even simply just soak in the calm of this somewhat holy place.
An ethereally beautiful woman sat on the rock, as if lost in meditation. She had alabaster white skin and long sleek black hair that framed wide dark eyes that looked ageless. She turned her head when the pair came into sight and a slight smile curled her lips. She was sitting, cross legged, on the rock as if she’d been waiting for them the whole time. Ian paused at the edge of the water and a break in the trail that led around the little cove to the big meditative rock itself. He dropped his mother’s hand and pointed. “See?”
He said, gesturing to the woman, as if Shiress would know that’s what they came to see. The little boy then plucked himself down on a child sized rock that made a perfect seat and began tossing out small pebbles into the waters of the estuary to scatterer the brightly colored fish. He looked like he wasn’t about to leave that spot for the life of him.
The woman, meanwhile, rose to her feet. “Shiress….” She said, beckoning the doctor over. “It’s good to see you.”
.
