Winter's Game [Amondaris]

[Larina]

He seemed to brush off her bout of hostility. Anyone who spent time out in this barren tundra would have to become unfazed by such things. Or maybe he was just too kind to throw her words back in her face. Either way, Larina was thankful that her new acquaintance did not dwell on her outburst. With all the time she spent in the presence of humans, she should know how to restrain her Kelvic instinct by now. However, it always reared its head at the least opportune times, as if her own nature were bent on embarrassing her in front of others. What a bother. Human after all, are you, Sir Bearman? Larina watched quizzically as the hunter shifted his gaze away from her while she shuffled through her clothing. For someone so wild looking as he, Amondaris had surprising tact and modesty. He mentioned seeing other female Kelvic in these woods, so her appearance should not really warrant such a gesture. His polar bear blood might be more diluted that she originally thought. No, that couldn’t be. He might just be bound by the custom of his Vantha upbringing. Larina tried her best to play by human rules, who was to say that this hunter was any different? Larina grinned at the mention of her name. Lady Ilahi had blessed her with this name after she was freed from her old master’s house. Of course it was beautiful. It had to be. “My old mistress gave me this name. She said that it meant ‘protector.’” Larina whispered the last sentence in Common rather than the typical Vani, more for herself than for Amondaris. She clasped her hands behind her back and fidgeted with her fingers, a modest expression of inward pride. Not to appear arrogant, Larina quickly added, “Though, I do not know what language she took it from. None that I have heard of.” As if the origins of her name really mattered to her. “A holiday?” Was he using some Vantha nuance of the word that she did not know? Because in her humble opinion, tromping alone though cold, desolate wastes felt more like exile than a pleasure cruise. Exploration was all well and good, so long as it had a purpose. But they were a fair distance away from the city, and he was plodding around for the fun of it? She wrinkled her nose and spoke, “I always thought holidays were taken places like beaches. Or new cities. Or pretty forests. Or, you know. Places you wouldn’t, um, die quite so easily.” Dying was not usually on Larina’s plans for a happy vacation. But then again… “Maybe you are a thrill seeker and the thought of potential death is appealing to you? I can understand the rush one gets during the excitement of the chase and even the exhilaration of testing your strength against another. And the feeling of a living creature locked in your jaws can be quite satisfactory to some, I am sure. Personally, I try not to indulge in overtly hazardous past times. Aside from the occasional drink. But in moderation that’s hardly a threat. So, pitting yourself against the wilderness and its unyielding grip may not be my cup of tea, but who am I to judge you? This may well very be like a pleasant walk in the park for you. Yes. Good. May all your adventures be rife with danger, Sir Amondaris!” Larina concluded her prattling, all in Common, with a large smile and a clap of her hands. Conversation. It was not her strong suit. Shrugging aside her rambles, Larina smirked as she translated his questions about her exotic appearance into her native tongue. “I figured my accent would give me away. The…uh” Flashes of words she could not say sprung into her mind. Rhythm? Measure? Lilt? “…feel of how Vani is spoken is difficult to copy.” Well, at least Larina proved her point by bungling that sentence. “No. I came in from Syliras about, ah, two weeks ago? Yes, that’s right. I rode in with a few merchants who braved the snow to get here. It was tiring.” She winced up at him, the memories of winter blizzards and dire beasts still fresh on her mind. Larina shooed the thoughts away with a few flicks of her hand and said, “But that is past. We arrived in Avanthal safely and went our different ways after that.”

[Amondaris]

Larina was a peculiar entity, all in all. She was certainly fond of talking, that much was obvious. Or perhaps she simply rambled out of discomfort or nervousness. He couldn’t really blame her if it was the latter. He made for a fairly intimidating sight out in the wilds as he was, covered from head to toe in furs and armour, towering over almost everything save a bear or an Akalak that had wandered off into the wilderness. There was a distinct lack of anything large and blue, however, and he was the closest thing to a bear in the immediate vicinity, so his reign went unchallenged. Or something. Her rambling was infectious, though at least he managed to keep his confined to the privacy of his own thoughts. Old mistress? A former bondmate of some sort, perhaps, one that may have perished or left the Kelvic too long to her own devices. Old bondmates tended to be sore topics of conversation with the Kelvic in question, so he kept his curiosity in check and refrained from prying. He shifted slightly, moving his weight to lean on his left leg as he listened to her politely amidst a muffled rustling of furs and leather, straining only a little catch her whispered Common. “I know not the meaning of my own name, so I am afraid I cannot return the favour, Larina. Your mistress chose wisely, however. A noble role, that of the protector, and one worthy of much respect.” In his eyes, at least. Better to use your strength to protect those who lacked it than to use it against them, by far. The corners of his lips quirked up in a faint smile at her response to his declaration of this trip being a holiday. “It is true, not many would consider traversing the wilderness of Taldera to be an enjoyable experience, but I have always been something of an oddity, even among the Vantha. I find the peace and quiet to be most relaxing and I have all the time in the world to think without interruption. Beaches are too warm and cities too busy.” He lifted his arms out to either side in an expansive gesture intended to encompass the trees surrounding them. “Is this area not pretty? I find it’s cold beauty to be enthralling. The land itself is serene, graceful. Oh, it might be unforgiving, merciless and cold, but I think that is part of the charm it holds, personally. An acquired taste, perhaps.” He paused for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his features, then gave a slight nod. “I haven’t died yet, either. Though I have come close more times than I care to count, so you may have a point.” A soft laugh escaped from his throat, the sound low and gentle yet peculiarly melodic. A reassuring laugh, one belonging to a gentle, kindly man. Not one someone would typically expect to hear from such a man as the one that now stood before Larina. “Morwen’s tears, no, the thought of potential death is not appealing to me.” The smile broadened into a full-fledged grin that softened the man’s harsh demeanour immeasurably, lending him a much more approachable, amiable air. “I try my best to not die, all the time. I’d just wither away and die of boredom sitting in some house carving little figurines. Nor is the thought of soaking my mind in an alcoholic stupor appealing. So I suppose you could say it’s more that I don’t seek thrills, but I enjoy activities and locations that tend to bring thrills to me whether I like it or not.” A fur-strapped hand waved at her languidly before settling down at his sides again. “What of you, Larina? How do you best like to pass the time? Frolicking in the woods in your animal form?” At the mention of the city of Knights, the man sobered considerably, the smile melting from his face like ice in the sun. “Ah, Syliras. My father came from there, a long time ago. I think he remains there still, as well, but that is a matter of no consequence. Do you have no companions here, then? Were you to meet a friend in Avanthal, perhaps, or are you simply playing tourist?” He jerked his head back in the direction of the frozen city and fluttered the fingers of a large hand at her. “I could accompany you back to make sure you are safe, if you wish. Or give you directions, if you are misplaced. “

[Larina]

The Kelvic leaned back on the frozen timber as she listened to Amondaris speak. Without even trying, his elegant Vani painted the most attractive pictures of the winter in her mind. Quiet trees stooped with snow. Winter’s breath murmuring icy secrets in her ear. Blurry snowflakes clinging to her eyelashes. The forest did have a kind of soft serenity. Coming back from her musings, she grinned at Amondaris. “I guess the winter does hold a few merits.” But as if to mock her newfound harmony, the wind picked up and snapped harshly at her face. Larina convulsed and yanked the hood of her cloak up around her head. Her eyes narrowed, and glaring in the direction of the gust, she muttered, “But only a few.” The deep peal of the hunter’s laughter grabbed her attention, and Larina turned back to the man in front of her. How odd! First he showed restraint towards his prey. Then he expressed modesty towards her bareness. And now this? Mirth was generally in short supply in the wild. Not that it wasn’t appreciated. The glinting color of his eyes was very lovely, and Larina mimicked his cheerfulness with a half-smile. But there was no doubt in the Kelvic’s mind that Amondaris belonged in the woods. Every inch of his appearance spoke the part. Heck, he even smelled like the wilderness. But she couldn’t quite figure him out. What he did was truly at odds how he seemed. Puzzling. Not a tame bear, are you? But even as she thought the words, Amondaris provided her with an image that shook the idea from her mind. Wood carvings! Ha! Larina pictured the hulking man bent over a tiny figuring which he was etching out to be a billy goat. There were an assortment of carving knives and chisels made in miniature which would look even smaller in the giant paws of the man. Her whimsical fancy also had Amondaris wearing a round pair of glasses for detail work that made his eyes look buggy and twice as big. Larina snickered and bit down on her lip to keep from bursting out into laughter. No, he was definitely not a tame bear. At the mention of her snow romping, Larina balked. “You saw all that?” She stared at the man in wide-eyed horror. Embarrassing. Completely. The Kelvic had hoped that Amondaris had only seen her perched stylishly on top of the ridge, but no! She fumbled for an explanation. “Yes. Of course you did. Right. There were ground squirrels, you see. In the snow bank. You couldn’t see them from where you were skulking behind your tree. Because one does not often see things when they skulk. But I could smell them! They were definitely there. I-I wasn’t frolicking. That was hunting. It’s a very unique style. Very hard to master! But, ah, good for ground squirrels.” She swallowed and gave a curt nod of her head, “Yep.” That story would fly, right? Larina fiddled with the sailor’s knot around her neck and hoped the hunter would be taken in by her ruse. But, oh. What’s this now? All of the merriment which had flushed his face was quickly dwindling away. She furrowed her brow, realizing that the mention of Syliras had wiped clean his smile. So, it was his father then. Larina’s mind prickled with questions about why this memory vexed Amondaris. Maybe his father was a wood carver…? Yet, the Kelvic was not foolish enough to voice any of them. She knew a sore spot when she saw it. Instead, she took his lead, choosing to answer his questions rather than ask her own, “Ah, no. No one waits for me in Avanthal. And I am not here to see the sights either. Or, rather the sight. Singular.” The snow provided a rather uniform view. “I heard rumors of people gathering here to worship the goddess Priskil, and I had wanted to meet them. You don’t happen to know if that’s true, do you?” “Oh,” she murmured at the man’s offer to bring her back to the icy city. “Well, I had been hoping to get back to those pesky ground squirrels…” Her speech trailed off, and she scratched the back of her head. There was no way Larina was going to morph back into her wolf body now. That form was so uncouth and downright improper in the presence of good company. The Kelvic felt addled when there were other people around while she tromped about as a dog. That would not do. “But, I guess I can spare their lives this once!” Larina concluded with a chipper grin. She scooped her satchel out of the snow and flung it over her shoulder. The cold flakes coated her back and seeped into her wool cloak. Larina winced up at the man, “Yes, some hot chocolate sounds pretty nice right now. But then, the cold doesn’t seem bother you much, does it Sir Amondaris? Lucky bear. Well lead on, I suppose!”