Among the Sea of Drykas(Akilah, Open)

[Kaja]

She blinked and saw the distress in Akilah's eyes when she asked to help. She nodded her head and backed off on it. She didn't want to cause her new friend any distress, but it was going to be very hard for her to sit back and not be serving or helping the people around her. The only time she had done that was when she was too sick, or injured to do anything to help and she had been upset about those times too. "Okay," She smiled. When the little girl sat next to her she barred her teeth at her and growled a bit, but in a playful way, not a mean way to scare her she made a funny face too.

However, then Fajra was telling Akilah about where everyone else was and she saw how much training meant to the Drykas. She must take her own training more seriously too. Maybe start practicing her unarmed more, so she could be taken seriously here, especially with Erzotol. She really had her eye on him maybe a bit more then she should have or be but he was handsome in his own way, awkward but in a cute way, and he was kind to her. Her smile came a bit brighter when she thought of him. However, she became distressed when the poor young girl next to her became distressed from Alilah’s reaction about not being able to train with her uncle. Before she could get too teary eyed from behind Kaja thought to grab her and start tickling her. “No tears, my little friend.” She said, as the little girl at first startled by being grabbed was startled out of her initial teary moment and then started giggling from the tickling that Kaja was doing to her.

She smiled over at her new older friend, and said to her. “I’m sorry that you missed your training session. I do hope I wasn’t the cause of it.” She looked down after eventually stopping tickling the little girl. She would feel bad if she got in trouble because of her. “You won’t get in trouble will you?” She asked. She was starting to understand they took their training seriously, but she didn’t know how seriously did they get repercussions for not training though? She hoped not she’d hate to think that Akilah might be hurt, or punished because of her.

[Akilah Windsong]

Akilah smiled as her cousin giggled, her arms moving wildly as she squealed.

"Thank you," she sighed, listening as her cousin quieted slowly, still laughing as she protected herself from future attacks.

"Eh? Oh, it's not because of you," she quickly reassured. "I forgot all about it." She gave a sheepish smile at that. "And I won't be in trouble--Uncle just trains whoever decides to come. At most I'm just going to be teased about this for days." She frowned grumpily at the thought. "I think the worst punishment is that I missed it. He's a good teacher, when we convince him to train us."

Sniffing the air slightly, she could tell the food wasn't finished yet. "Well, since it might be a little longer till food's ready, want to help me take care of Adámas and the others?"

Fajra jumped up. "Keegan too?"

"Yes, him too." To Kaja, she added, "He's her strider, though he's still a colt."

Proudly, Fajra pulled up the grey sleeves of her tunic, displaying the winding windmarks that ran up her arm. They swirled around the width of the arm, as though a vine was crawling up her arm. "See? I got one."

Akilah whispered, "Her best friend doesn't have one and she can't stop showing off."

Heading back to the kitchen, she quickly grabbed the small bowl containing Vespera's food, and the two baskets that sat beside it. Coming back out, she passed the baskets to Fajra to hold.

Fajra lead the way out, through a set of flaps on the far side of the room. It lead directly outside, to where a mass of hunting dogs, cats, and foxes waited, along with Adámas and Keegan. The animals were for the most part shades of grey and white, with the occasional black or brown animal mixed in. "Our family is pretty big, I have several aunts and uncles in other pavilions too. So some of these aren't ours but they all like to mix together."

Walking directly up to a icy-white coated cat, Akilah crouched and stroked her head, smiling. "Her name is Isra." Curled up to her side, Vespera lifted his head at the name. "When Vespera first came here, he was always with her, so he started to think his name was Isra too. Though, I think he's started to realize that's not his name."

The animals surrounded the three, curiously sniffing Kaja. Keegan started forward as well, brushing his black head against Fajra. He wasn't much taller than her, still growing, and overly affectionate like his partner.

Akilah carefully held the bowl above her head, it wasn't time to feed the others yet. Happily, she stroked the foxes and wildcats that winded around her, scratching the heads of the hounds and wolves. Realizing they weren't going to be fed, they settled down, and she picked up Vespera with her spare hand. Getting up, she made her way back to Kaja, offering her the bowl.

"Would you like to feed him?" Vespera squirmed in her hands, eager to be on the ground once more, and bending down, she released him. Soon enough, she would have to stop feeding him at noon, so she watched and grinned as he sat expectantly, wagging his tail.

Turning to Fajra, who was still petting a fox, she took picked up one of the baskets off the ground and headed to Adámas. She was standing stock still, shaking her head and tail at the flies that started to gather in the summer. "Well, I didn't do it this morning, did I?"

Reaching into her basket, she pulled out a curry and started to brush Adámas's coat in slow, circular motions.

Fajra, noticing what was happened, skipped over to Keegan, who has started to move to her. Meeting, she eagerly started to brush, turning her head to face Akilah every now and then to make sure she was doing the same thing. When she couldn't reach high enough, Keegan carefully lowered himself so that he remained within reach.

"So," Akilah spoke as she moved from the her mount's neck to her body, "How old are you Kaja?" She turned her head to look over her shoulder, looking at the other girl. "I'm sixteen! Oh, and when's your birthday?" Thinking carefully, she tried to remember all the other questions she had to ask.

A bondmate was important to a kelvic, she remembered. Very important. Returning to her brushing, she continued, "Do you have a bondmate?"

[Kaja]

Kaja looked now curiously at the young girls windmarks swirling and spiraling up her arms cocking her head in wonder. They were very pretty, and delicate on her arm. Kaja was still so unaware of this new peoples ways. “Are the striders the horses you own? I wondered why they seemed different then the horses I was used to. More intelligent and much more bonded to their humans then the ones in Syliras. I remembered that shortly after I came here, because the horse and rider bond was so strong and different it made me remember what I used to see in Syliras. Like all my memories big or small I was very excited by it.” She smiled broadly.

When they moved through the flap into the yard where all the animals were found led by Fajra, she smiled at all the different animals. She bent down to pet the cat that seem to be afraid of her even though she knew she would have the undercurrent smell of what she really was which was a dog. “She has no fear of dogs then?” She asked as she turned and straightened to look at Akilah. At that moment the young colt that was supposed to be Fajra came up and nudged her from behind. She turned and smiled petting the young colt on the head. “Hello, there”

Kaja smiled at Vespera, and said even though he wouldn’t understand her, “Well hello there, old friend. I hear you have been behaving yourself like a proper young pup.” She took the plate from Akilah and watched as he sat expectantly in front of her his tail walking perfectly well behaved. His food smelled good to her and her stomach grumbled. She set down his bowl, and he eagerly gobbled down his food. She watched for a little while before she turned back to Akilah. She now watched Akilah as she groomed her mare. Smiling at her as she took such care with her.

Kaja saw the other young girl’s curiosity take over her again as she started to ask many questions again. She didn’t mind she liked when people were curious as so was she. She just wasn’t being as forward here as she might be because of fear of doing something that might offend these new people that she was trying to meld with in some way. “I was born three years ago, so I suppose in terms of your age I would be three years old. However, Kelvics age faster then you so I suppose in my own aging process within my species I would be about my late teens to maybe my early twenties.” She paused for a moment to try to remember her exact birthday. She had to think hard. “I think I was born in the summer of 508 AV, but I cannot remember the day.”

Again she had a moment of frustration, as she knew she couldn’t recall something about herself, something so simple she should know but she didn’t. She still smiled though she had hopefully remembered at least the season and year she was born. She was sure that was correct. “I am pleased to know you are pretty close to my age, even though in reality I was only born three years ago.” Her smile broadened more, until she happened to mention if she had a bond mate or not. She frowned slightly, and shook her head. “No… Not yet… But I hope…” She trailed off not able to finish it because she really did hope very bad that maybe Erzotol would except her as his bond mate, but is she voiced it maybe it would jinx it. She just shrugged, and a wane smile appeared on her face. “Do you know an Erzotol?” She asked.

[Akilah Windsong]

"I don't really own Adámas. It is up to the strider to decide who they will belong to, and instead of owning, it is more like we are partners. Friends. Here in the plains, if you do not have a horse, you won't survive for long. If you do not respect your mount, you will not last." Akilah lowered her collar a little, showing the edges of her own windmarks. "Mine goes across my chest. If I get another strider, then a new set of marks will be added to my skin. You never know when a strider will come to you."

Lowering her voice a little, recalling the words of her grandmother when she returned home with Adámas, she continued, "It is said that striders have the souls of ancestors long gone, returned to us by the Goddess Semele."

Adámas could be her great-grandmother, could be some ancestor she didn't know who fought and died for life here. Could be a distant cousin or a member from another clan.

In the end, either way, Adámas was family, was her breath and blood and bones, was an extension of her soul.

And for that, she will always thank the goddess.

"So naturally, we are very connected to our striders." She smiled at the next comment, she had almost forgotten that Kaja lost memories. "Then I hope today will be another good memory that you can keep."

Glancing back to see Kaja petting the large cat, its tail gracefully curling in the air. "Well, we keep them together, so I guess our foxes and cats and dogs have just gotten used to each other. They have to hunt with one another, after all, so it's easier that way."

Finishing the back of her horse, she contemplated Kaja's age as picked up a long, bristled brush next out of her basket. Three years old? And she looked like she was twenty, as though she were older than Akilah?

Would that mean, when she was ten, she would look fifty? Would she die all that much sooner, aging rapidly, her friends appearing to not age at all?

Her words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. "That sounds...lonely." Her dogs, she knew, lived to twenty at most. Would Kaja then be an old woman, on her last legs, when Akilah was 34? "Does this mean you won't live past twenty? That you will..." Disappear all that much sooner?

Akilah was no stranger to death, it was a way of life in one of Mizahar's most dangerous lands. It didn't stop the pain each time, though, and even though she knew Kaja might not stay long enough in Endrykas for Akilah to witness her death, it still saddened her.

Her lifespan was that much shorter. She'd have to make today something special to remember, then, because Kaja had only so much time left in her hands and each moment was precious.

Adámas shifted slightly, and Akilah took the hint to continue with her brushing. Flicking the dirt out, making sure to cover her entire body, she traversed both sides of her horse, feeling the muscles shift as Adámas tried to accommodate her.

Hearing her birthday, a small smile tugged on her lips. "I'm born in the summer too. We should celebrate together."

Seeing Kaja's smile drop slightly, she knew she made a mistake. Apparently, it was better not to mention bondmates until Kaja did have on. Bondmates were very important to Kelvics, then. Perhaps they were like striders. "Erzotol? Hmm..."

She had heard of him, for he in the Diamond clan and so was a kinsman, no matter how distant. Occasionally, she had seen him, training in the centers or walking on the street. An older man, she had not really had the need nor excuse to contact him. "I know of him, but we haven't really talked yet."

Putting two and two together, Akilah's eyes widened, "Wait, is he your bondmate?" But Kaja didn't have one, so she amended her words. "Your possible bondmate?"

Perhaps, she thought, it was time she paid Erzotol a visit. She certainly did have a reason to, now.

[Kaja]

Kaja smiled when Akilah talked about her strider, and their bond. It sounded much like the bond mate relationship that a Kelvic had with their master. “It sounds like how Kelvics are with their bond mates.” She nodded semi-understanding, but of course not completely. When she continued talking she tried this time to concentrate very hard on what she was saying. Kaja looked around at the other animals and smiled even brighter. “It’s good they get along.” She could see that maybe they were one big pack even if a bit mismatched stranger things had happened she was sure.

Kaja felt bad it seemed that by saying her age and the difference between her aging process and a humans it had saddened Akilah some. She hadn’t meant to do that. It was just part of her life, and she didn’t really think that much about it. She just lived her life, and tried to do as much as she could. Experience as much as she could of life, and make her family, pack, and hopefully bond mate proud. She shrugged. She supposed it was lonely now for her because she didn’t have her pack, or a bond mate. She didn’t really want to think about that much. She would eventually find someone willing to be her companion. “It… different now, I suppose you could say it is a bit lonely since I was so used to being in a big pack. Though I have been out on my own now for two years, so I suppose I am getting a bit used to it…” She drifted off at the end.

Kaja’s cheeks bloomed with red when Akilah mentioned her desire. “Not my bond mate.” She looked down at the ground. “I wouldn’t mind it, but it is a big responsibility, and something that lasts for a long time. It isn’t something to take lightly.” She looked back up at the young woman. “I don’t know anything really, except that he makes me feel good when I am around him.” She gave a shy smile.

[Akilah Windsong]

Akilah couldn't stop her feelings anymore than she could stop her heart. This was a part of her, a part of being a Drykas.

In order to understand others, you must first understand yourself. In order to understand yourself, you must understand and accept your emotions, no matter what they are.

And so, despite Kaja's words, she still felt the pain that crept up her. And that was what she felt, an outsider, someone who would not have to live with it. Kaja must be strong to be used to it.

Or perhaps she didn't think of it at all. When the clock was constantly ticking, you learn to ignore it.

"A pack..." She murmured to herself. "Well, until you find your pack, whenever you feel lonely, come visit me."

Her mood lifted at that. It was better to worry about things she could do than those she couldn't.

Her hands shifted lightly across Adámas's hand legs, kneeling as she finished removing the dirt on his body, hidden beneath his hair. Her horse remained still as she flitted across her legs, carefully covering every inch of her body. Returning that to her basket, she picked out her next brush.

Little Fajra, eager to please, copied her actions again, dropping what she was doing. Glancing at Keegan, she couldn't tell if Fajra had done a good job or not. After lunch she would have to double check, telling her cousin what she had to improve on.

Not her bondmate? A mischievous look covered her features at those words, at the cherry stains on her face and neck. Not yet, at least. Kaja was striking, despite (or perhaps because of) her colouring, and the more Akilah spoke to her, the cuter she seemed.

Though, remembering that defensive stance she fell to before, perhaps not entirely cute. She had strength behind her actions.

"Isn't that how love usually starts out, with feeling good?" Not that Akilah could claim much knowledge in that field, aside from a few passing crushes.

And she didn't even know Erzotol Silverden, so she couldn't claim it would work out either.

Silverden, Silverden, that name still struck her memory, running through the halls of her thoughts. It was more familiar than a passing glance, a hurried whisper. That man--and she remembered a horse and her rider, the great white Dane that loped across the fields.

"Does he have a sister or cousin named Emizal Silverden? I met her a few weeks ago, briefly."

Fajra, listening in, peeked her head over her horse. "Are you in looovveee?" She frowned at that, scrunching her nose. "I'll kiss it better." She ran to the girl, giving her a peck on the cheek.

Laughing, Akilah explained. "Her oldest sister fell in love recently and has been a little...strange. As most people are. So Fajra thinks that love is some sort of illness."

This last brushing didn't take as long as the others, just brushed down the soft hair that covered her mount, leaving behind a shiny coat. Lustre, her father had described it.

It was a good thing this one was shorter. Detecting a small breeze, wafting through the air, its origins probably near her pavilion's kitchen, she sniffed it lightly. Food was almost ready and her stomach was starting to complain.

[Kaja]

Kaja blushed even more when the little girl came up to her and kissed her cheek and ran off. She thought that she had some sort of disease called Love. Maybe she did she had never been in love before, if that was what this feeling was. All she knew was that she hoped that maybe she would see him again soon. The evening they had spent eating, hunting, and sparring had been fun. He had been nice, gracious, and helpful to her. Sure he was plain of face, not as handsome as some, but he was strong seemed kind hearted, and brave. Wasn’t that all anyone wanted in the end? Looks faded, but a kind heart, never stopped being kind.

“I … I … don’t remember no one was at his pavilion when we ate together the little time we spent together was active. We sparred, we hunted, we went to his tent, and then we cooked what we killed….” She looked down at the ground feeling a bit bad now that she knew little about him. Was she supposed to? Was she supposed to know a lot about him after first meeting? She wasn’t someone that thought a lot about things, she asked what she needed to know, and the other things she figured she would find out when she would. It was her business only to know what she needed to know to survive, get along with those she served, and the rest was what they deemed to inform her of, and then not tell anyone of to keep their secrets until the day she died. That was the way of a Kelvic, serve, procreate if able, pass on the genes if they could if not that was fine, it was ingrained deep in the being to serve, to keep those things told to them secret, and to survive.

She smelled the air too it smelled of food, cooking meat, vegetables, and spices. Her stomach grumbled right along with Akilah’s. She looked at her stomach with eyes that looked cross at it for deceiving how hungry she really was at that moment. “Do you think we should help with making the table?” she asked out of habit really, from anything else, she looked down and then back up, a grin on her face. “Sorry… I forget I am supposed to be your guest, but can’t a guest help if they want to?” She offered. It was such a foreign thing for her to be served she didn’t quite know how to take it yet she didn’t want to offend these kind, generous people.

[Akilah Windsong]

"Oh well, that's okay." Akilah was a little disappointed, but she couldn't do anything about it. If Kaja didn't know, she didn't know, and no amount of wishing or wanting would change that.

Making her way to the other two, she considered Kaja's offer.

"Well..." Conspiratorially, she lowered her voice, "As long as you don't let Grandma notice, we should be fine." Fajra giggled, covering her mouth as she nodded. "Luckily she's not hom yet..." Her voice dropped even lower at this. "Or else she'd have our hide."

Fajra stopped giggling at that. "She'd eat us!"

"Cook us alive!"

"Boil us in pieces!"

"Tear us to bits!"

"I'm hungry."

Glancing at her cousin, Akilah ruffled the younger girl's hair. "Then let's go in. Bye, Adámas."

Fajra ran to Keegan, kissing him on the nose. "Bye!" The horse whickered, softly butting forward, and then dropping his head once more to the soft grasses below.

Passing through the first set of flaps, Akilah headed to the kitchen, Fajra right behind her. Quietly, they peeked in, taking a look at the tall man that remained standing in front of the fire, one hand carefully stirring the pot. Beside him, on a high table, sat a bowl. Though there were still a few dangling glass decorations, the four posts on all four edges of the room carved with images of vegetation and hidden animals, the room was bare in comparison to the other rooms of the pavilion. This was out of a fear of fire, should it ever get out of control. The less things in the room to burn, the better.

Near the entrance of the kitchen, a low table sat, some bowls and cups waiting there already. Settling their baskets on the side, she quietly the plates from a low table on the side, Fajra grabbing the cups. Motioning to Kaja, she pointed at the bowls, one finger lying delicately on her lips.

Her father, she knew, must have noticed. She could feel one of her father's favourite winds in the room, probably alerting the older man of her actions. However, as long as he was willing to keep his back turned on him, she was willing to pretend nothing was happening.

When they reemerged into the dining room, Akilah carefully made her way to the center of the room, avoiding the pillows that remained scattered ont eh floor. A low table sat there, perfect hit for someone sitting, and she set her plates there. "Success!"

[Kaja]

Kaja smiled as they left the animals. She gave a pat to as many as s he could before she moved back into Akilah’s pavilion tent. She giggled at the young girls conspiratorial behavior about sneaking in and setting the table. As they all crept on as silent feet as they could and took what they were supposed to take and brought it into there eating room. She set down her burden, and placed it before the spots that the other two girls set their dishes down, and silverware. She smiled feeling like she was a part of something again. She had so missed after all this months of traveling by herself the unity of some sort of family essence.

She looked around at the cups, plates, eating utensils, the two girls before her, and the homey smell of home cooked food and she almost wanted to cry from missing her own family, and pack. It didn’t happen very often, because mostly she just thought about the time she would come back to them eventually more grown, wise, and hopefully with her own bond mate, mate and family of her own. If she were really lucky maybe even a pack of her own. She moved her head in a way to hide her face from the other girls as she felt her eyes misting over. It wasn’t that she was sad, it was just that this whole thing that was occurring before her was something she longed for, missed, and wanted so bad. She finally pulled herself together and looked over a bright smile, and just a little bit of water in her hazel light brown eyes to show the emotion that still lingered from a moment ago. “Is there anything else we can do to help?” She asked.

[Akilah Windsong]

"Eating would be enough."

She knew before he spoke that her father had just emerged from the kitchen. Turning her head, she watched as he came in, carrying a large tray with several bowls and a pot in it. As he approached the table, she sniffed the air, her stomach rumbling once more. Beside her, Fajra eagerly sat up, sitting on her favourite green cushion.

Grabbing the closest cushion, she set herself down beside the low table, watching as her father placed the bowls on the table. He didn't show it, but she knew he was observing Kaja out of the corner of his eye, taking in the stranger and assessing her.

"You are Akilah's friend, I take it?" The food on the table, he extended a hand to Kaja before engulfing her in a hug. "You seem more sensible than most of her friends, I hope you will do her some good."

Kneeling once more, he removed a separate bowl from the rest, inside it a light brown stew. Putting it on a plate, he added some freshly baked bread, no doubt something he had bought in the hopes of figuring out how to make it. Her father might be a warrior, a good one too, but his heart had always been more interested in making things, in learning their secrets.

In cooking, he found a way to handle both desires.

"I'm afraid the meat is still cooked in this one, but it isn't as cooked as the rest."

Akilah caught the glance he sent her and quickly got up and rushed to the kitchen. Out of routine, she found a tray and four glasses, pouring water into each before returning to the room.

Setting one beside Kaja's plate, she placed the others where she and Fajra sat, and the last where her father kneeled.

"I guess they won't be back in time, then?"

Her father nodded, serving the hot stew. He hadn't made stew in a while, the last time it had too many spices and since then he had been experimenting on his own with leftover meat and vegetables. Sometimes she would catch him with the odd berry or two, but she tried not to think about that.

"Aww, too bad." Facing Kaja, she apologized. "Sorry you can't meet everyone else. Next time we'll have to do this when everyone's home."