Fair Warning

[Navisya Curare]

Fall 72nd, 512 Just after sunset. She would not venture far. Really, Navisya shouldn't have been topside on her own at all. There were all manners of danger in the wilds of Kalea, especially since the djed storm. Aside from the bloodthirsty, horrific beasts that could be roaming the Unforgiving, the storm had also cracked mountains and loosened rock, creating the potential for sudden landslides. Navisya knew better than to hunt alone. That was probably why she was doing it. Still, Tevander had been distant—even for Tevander—and his silence was maddening. Best she could intuit, he was still grieving for Navisya's mother and it was manifesting in the worst ways. She told herself that this was only temporary, and given time her father would recover. It was impossible for her to fathom losing a spouse. She knew not to force him to heal, but she did not have to endure his moodiness. There were no safe places in the Unforgiving, but there were a few well-traveled passages that presented the least danger. One led to the peak north of Kalinor, bereft of dangerous animals since the hillgoats had migrated last year. Another was the route to the coast, south of Kalinor's caverns, often taken by Symenestra departing from or arriving back to Kalinor. From a high vantage point, where there was a Navisya thought she had seen the shape of sails obscuring the barely visible view of the ocean. It was worth investigating for curiosity's sake, seeing as it was on her way. Here, there were fewer game animals large enough to bring back for a profit. Her dog Zlynge would have been able to snuff them out, but when hunting alone, she preferred not to take him. While perched on a high rock and looking for movement, Navisya found something she had not been looking for. It was a the shape of a pleasant and familiar sight: a fellow Symenestra. From the looks of all he was carrying, he had just arrived by sea. In a matter of moments, Navisya scaled the rocks down to meet him. She was trying to avoid a repeat incident like the one with Avocet. She already had a reputation for ruining parties, and didn't need to have another for shooting arrows at her own blood. "You ought to be careful, walking alone," she warned him, aware of her hypocrisy. Perched atop a jutting rock in front of a barren conifer tree, she was still slightly elevated above him. Despite the graveness of her tone, she was smiling. It was good to welcome another Symenestra back home. "The warm wolves are especially active this time of year."

[Vlodaru Ceiba]

His feet were tired from the long journey home. Vlodaru had been lost, both in Taldera and at sea for the better part of the season. It truely is wonderful to be back in familiar territory, he thought to himself.

As he walked he pushed his hood off of his head, revealing his silvery grey hair. Then his eyes locked onto something he hadn't expected for a while at least. Especially not at this time. On his journey he had seen nothing of his own kind, so the sight of another Symenestra was like seeing food after a long famine. Her greeting and warning made his smile slightly. He glanced around momentarily, not really looking for anything in particular.

"Ah, but I am not alone. Not with you here." He said happily. A low chuckle escaped him as he took in the young girls features. She indeed was young, but by no means was she little. He admired her golden eyes and how they complimented her pale features. In fact, to him, everything about this woman was beautiful to him. Though this may be due to the fact that he hadn't seen another Symenestra in many seasons.

He switched his spear to his left hand. His feet came together in a v-shape as he crossed his right hand over to his left shoulder. With a rather flamboyant and elegant bow he introduced himself.

"My name is Vlodaru Ceiba." He then reached his left hand out to take the hand of the girl. His amethyst eyes locking with hers. "And what, pray tell, may I call you, Sibea?"

[Navisya Curare]

There was a pause while Navisya's smile widened, amused by the spearman's boldness. "Navisya Curare. I know of the Ceiba Web. I'm certain they will be happy to receive you home." The relief in his eyes, in his entire frame, was palpable. She too had only returned to Kalinor this past Fall—not much more than ten days ago, in fact. She had returned from her Gleaning with a human in tow, and was not privileged to see another Symenestra until she arrived back in Kalinor's main entrance. Easily, Navisya knew the relief of seeing another of the blood. Satisfied by Vlodaru's pleasant demeanor, Navisya stood and looked seaward, hanging her bow over her shoulder. "I thought I saw a ship in the bay," she remarked, passing Vlodaru another polite smile before beginning to wander in the direction of the nearest Kalinor entrance. "The last of the Symenestra are finally returning from their journeys abroad. You've missed Notok, unfortunately." So had she. He was not returning from a Harvest, by the look of him. At least, he had no companions with him. It was easier then to make light conversation without extraneous company. "Where have you arrived from, if I might ask?" It seemed she was volunteering to escort him back to the city, judging by the way she imposed her company on him. It may have been guilt, she thought, knowing she should return to Kalinor as soon as possible to avoid alarming her family.

[Vlodaru Ceiba]

He closed his empty hand with a smile as she passed him by. He stood up and watched her walk. The elegance of his own kind was another welcoming site. Humans and the like all seemed too..slouchy.

"Curare you say? I remember my father speak of a guard by that name. In fact, I believe she graced us with her presence at a meal a while back. Oh, what was her name..." He spoke the last part softly to himself as he followed Navisya. "I'm not too bent up about missing Notok. Had I been harvesting however it would have saddened me."

He passed his spear back to its rightful place as he skipped up to walk by her side.

"I come from Taldera mostly. Traveling abroad, for not particular reason." He walked confidently beside her, with his gaze forward, but his body shifted politely in her direction.

"So tell me of Notok!" he said excitedly, "Who was the prettiest among them?" The women were always the best part of the festival. He and his brother often placed bets on who would win. Of course his brother always bet on his own surrogate. He glanced slightly down to his companion as he waited on an answer, and inevitably, more questions.

[Navisya Curare]

As Vlodaru caught up with her, she glanced at him sidelong. Navisya was pleased he was not too noticeably offended by her refusal to take his hand. It was nothing personal, although she knew better than to hand her heart out on a platter, not easily won over. Dainty as she looked, Navisya would not allow others to think that she was fragile or in need of coddling. "Couldn't tell you," she replied evenly. "I arrived too late as well. I returned from my Gleaning in Ahnatep not a fortnight ago. Brought a human to Kalinor—an aristocrat from Ravok." No, Vlodaru hadn't asked, but she was rather proud of him. She would take every opportunity to boast. Vlodaru had said he was not on a Harvest, but from his dialogue alone, Navisya could not tell whether he was the eldest of his siblings. It was usually they who traveled the most. She herself, second born, would not leave Kalinor without a specific purpose. His traveling spoke for his bravery and constitution. The world was not kind to their people. "Did you say Taldera?" she asked with a hint of interest. Her own surrogate mother had been Talderan. "Virtual opposite of Ahnatep, how funny. Did you see Avanthal?"

[Vlodaru Ceiba]

"No I did not. Can't say I'm upset about that either. Anything north of Novallas is just too cold for my liking." He shivered inwardly at the memories of Taldera. "Even Novallas was a bit of a stretch for me."

Vlodaru rested his spear across his shoulders. As they walked he noticed the bow slung across her shoulders.

"So, if I may, he looked at her curiously, "Whats a huntress like yourself doing out here alone? You know, the warm wolves are especially active this time of year." He tried his best not to laugh as he poorly imitated Navisyas warning from before. But Vlodaru made sure she could see that he was joking around by the look on his face.

[Navisya Curare]

Vlodaru served Navisya's hypocrisy straight back to her. She smiled, in spite of herself. "I am not made of glass." A clawed hand patted the bow slung over her narrow shoulders, reaffirming her statement. She almost made it sound as though the opposite were true about Vlodaru. "But if it makes you feel safer, I'll gladly escort you back home." Although the statement was said in light humor, it had a heavier meaning. The Valterrian age had not been kind to their people. The Symenestra were made few in number, and fewer still as the centuries continued to pass. Every Krova was sacred and treasured, and yet in order to survive, they had to venture from the peace and security of their home and into the greater, hungry world. Not every one of them made it back home. To be able to bring a Symenestra brother back into Kalinor after unknown months, perhaps seasons of travel, warmed her heart. It was a pity that Vlodaru hadn't gone to Avanthal. Even if he had, Navisya wouldn't have known what to ask. Or even whether she should ask anything. The life and origins of her birth mother were mostly irrelevant, but she was childish enough to cling onto latent curiosity. "I have never heard of Novallas," she admitted, continuing to walk alongside the man. She was difficult to keep pace with, as if she kept changing her gait to deliberately walk slightly ahead of or behind him. "There is not much in the Cribellum about the frozen North. I only know of Avanthal, and the people with the colorful eyes. I look forward to your additions about your travels." She was of course referring to Vlodaru's eventual contributions of knowledge into the Cribellum's archives. The Symenestra were nothing if not academic. "About how long were you gone?"

[Vlodaru Ceiba]

Vlodaru smiled at his new 'escort'. Usually it was the other way around for him. But he understood the sentiment. It wasn't every day one of them returned home. And in one piece either.

"As an Ochya, I am typically the one escorting. So thank you very much," he said with a small bow. Though the air between them was light, he kept a firm grip on his spear. If there was one thing he remembered from home, it was that travel to Kalinor was dangerous. Even for two of them, at any given moment a tragedy could occur.



His smile wavered a bit as she mentioned Taldera.

"Frozen North indeed," he said solemnly. "Taldera is a terrible place. And a place I never want to return to. To be honest, I only saw Novallas from a distance. It was a fellow traveler who told me the name. I believe the man was one of the 'people with colorfull eyes' as you call them. I did not ask much about them however. They seemed very uncomfortable around me."

Her next question actually made him mentally stop and think. He had no idea how long he had been gone. What season it was, or even the date of when he left. After a long time he finally spoke.

"I...I couldn't tell you if I wanted to. When you are stranded in the Wilderness, concepts like keeping track of time become trivial. He spoke somewhat less cheerfully now. But by some miracle he was able to keep the smile on his face. However his smile by now was superficial.

[Navisya Curare]

"Stranded?" Navisya laughed at the word, assuming he was joking. Being far from Kalinor could make one feel lost and even helpless at times. And she had sailed on ships herself. Easily, she knew how the days could blur together, their numbers becoming meaningless. Travel was seldom a happy occasion unless one commanded both wealth and influence in their predicament—nigh impossible for a Widow. When Vlodaru failed to look as amused as she was, the mirth fell away from Navisya's features. He was serious? "Viratas—you weren't joking?" Hot blood rushed to redden her cheeks, growing warm with embarrassment. Becoming lost abroad was not altogether uncommon, it was just… usually it was only stories and not survivors that managed to make it back to Kalinor. "Please forgive me for my indiscretion, Dovnaru. I didn't think… Thank the Gods you made home." This changed things. Vlodaru's return to Kalinor was not just happy, it was momentous. "My sister is Ochya. She must have known you were gone. Do you really not know?" Exactly how long had he been missing? Seasons? Years?

[Vlodaru Ceiba]

The small crevice of a real smile reappeared on his face. But his gaze stayed low. It was somewhat amusing to him how she stumbled over herself as she realized he was serious. He waived his hand dismissively as she called him by the honorific 'Dovna'.

"Please, there is no need for that. We are equals, you and I. Luck, in my opinion, does not earn one respect. No, 'Versda-' suites better I think." He cast his small smile in her direction as he finished talking.

Ochya. He thought to himself. He looked forward to returning to his duties. Vlodaru worried much about his people while he was away. It would do his heart well to be able to protect them once again. To watch over them again. To be home again!

"Do you really not know?" The words cut through his thoughts like a knife. Slowly he looked back to the ground. In his head he was back in the forest of Taldera. The monstrous creatures, the cold, the hunger. It all rushed back to him. The people with the colorful eyes. The healer woman who saved him. And finaly, the slave girl, and her hateful master. His eyes glazed over momentarily as his head whirled with images. He stumbled and snapped out of it, quickly regaining his balance with his spear.

"I...I remember three times." He began. His voice quivered, still uneasy from the flashbacks. "Three times the land grew cold. Very cold...I imagine those times were Winter. So I'd venture to say...three years. Three years I've been away."