Completed Wandering Home [Gracen]

[Makoto Moonwater]

3rd of Fall, 508 AV He took a deep breath of cool, fresh air. It had been at least a season since he had scented this kind of clear air. Makoto glanced back at the city that had entrapped him in it's illusions, cutting him off from his foster family. Sighing, he readjusted his luggage and began walking away from Alvadas, vaguely remembering the direction they had come at the beginning of summer. He knew that his family waited for him in their home territory, the territory of the Sapphire clan. Unfortunately, he had no Strider, or any other kind of steed for that matter, so it would be quite awhile before he reached the homeland of his mother's people, unless he managed to meet some kind stranger who would take pity on him. However, he knew that this was an unlikely event and just hoped that he was able to make it home before winter set in, and that nothing too eventful occurred before that. As he walked, he began humming a made-up tune, his voice having already changed, the rich sound of a baritone with a range that perhaps tenors and basses would both envy. He continued this wordless song to pass the time, not feeling too rushed, taking the time to relax for the first time in what seemed ages. During his stay in Alvadas, he had had to put his easy-going personality to the side for the most part, keeping his wits about him for the majority of the time. His eyes wandered around him, noting the movement of animals preparing for the colder season, making him smile absently to himself. A few hours later, he was still walking, though with the sun having lowered in the sky quite a bit, he decided to take a small break. Lowering his bag to the ground, he took his cane sword and began to spin it in a clockwise rotation, steadily, but slowly speeding up, he began twirling it around his body, switching hands as he did. He had learned this at a younger age, though his age of 14 would still be considered as young, the exercise was good for arm strength, as well as keeping his hands limber. After a few minutes, he heard a sound behind him, causing him to pause in his exercise, turning towards it. It the weight of it sounded about that of a man, though he couldn't be sure, so he called out hesitantly. "...Hello?"

[Gracen]

The man rode his Zavian toward Alvadas, his pace slow and weary. When he came into view, his guard was up. That the voice came from a boy made no difference. A boy could slip a knife between one's ribs. The man might have been made of gold once, but now he was tarnished. What had been highly trained and military was now more utilitarian and mercenary. His road was a long one and he had miles to go before he could sleep. He clicked his tongue and pulled gently on the reins, bringing the stallion to a halt. The horse needed a few weeks of good feeding, but was in relatively good health. The man looked like he needed the same treatment, but he had a dangerous edge to him. He was not helpless. The hilts of more than one blade were clearly visible on his person. "Hello."

[Makoto Moonwater]

Makoto saw his mistake, it was not a man, but a man on a horse. The horse, to his Drykas' senses, seemed to have gone for a long time without food, and so assumed that the rider was in the same condition. Makoto noted the multiple hilts, his curiosity piqued by the thought of the form and design of these blades, but he did not move from his position. He had a relaxed posture, making it easier to react to any attack, since he was unsure of the man's intentions. "Good day... sir? Your horse seems to be.. umm... rather hungry? Would you care to share some of my rations? We could probably scrounge up something for him as well," he gestured to the stallion. Though his tone was calm and reasonable, Makoto was nervous, for he slightly unnerved, set off by something about the rider. He took quick inventory of this stranger, noting that the man seemed to be human, with fair hair and skin. From the looks of him, he was most likely in his late twenties, though he could be older, it was hard to tell since he seemed to have had a rough past. Makoto paused unsure of how to continue, the with a firm nod, he approached the horse slowly, offering his hand, palm flat, to the stallion and waited for him to scent it. After he did so, Makoto, moved slowly closer, then gave a horsy greeting by blowing into the steed's nostrils. Once the horse did the same, he grinned and stroked its muzzle. He turned his gaze from the horse to the rider, his face becoming a bit more serious, having learned to be at least a bit wary during his stay in Alvadas.

[Gracen]

On any other day, the stranger's forwardness with his horse might have earned him one less hand, but Gracen was tired and hungry and knew his poor stallion was too. Though the boy looked like he hailed from Avanthal, the horse's reaction made him wonder if there wasn't Drykas blood in him. Then again, if he had learned anything in his travels it was that he didn't know anything and that he couldn't trust himself or his senses. It was a crazy world. But despite the stranger's affinity for his horse, he seemed nervous around Gracen himself. This pleased him. Inspiring fear in others helped keep him alive. It was better to be feared than loved. Fear had its applications, as did love, but fear was easier to control. "We're the both of us hungry," he admitted. "But Alvadas isn't far if memory serves. Both our bellies will be full there, though if you're of a mind to share, I don't suppose I'm rich enough to turn down hospitality." He didn't dismount yet, though, still glancing askance at this strange boy traveling alone.

[Makoto Moonwater]

"Alvadas? That is where my father's people hail from... To be honest, I have never been there, since I live with my mother's people in the Sea of Grass..." He shrugged, glancing up at this strange rider. Could he not accept help from a fourteen year old boy? I wonder what would happen if he had so much pride that he did not accept help when he is in dire need of it..?, he thought to himself grimly. "Perhaps I'll go there one day?", he said, offering this hungry man an opportunity to talk and get comfortable, and hoping that the man would give his poor horse a well needed rest in the process. Makoto offered a half grin, patted lightly the stallion's muzzle and walked back to his packs to begin rummaging around for some food. He removed dried meats rapped in water-proofed cloth, found some apples, and brought out a flask of water. He took out a dagger, cutting an apple into efficient pieces, walked to the stallion and held out one of the pieces on his flat, outstretched hand. "I know it isn't much, but please, have as much as you like," Makoto told the rider, gesturing to the water and meat. "There is some more variety in the bag if you'd like something else.", he said, as the stallion lipped up the slice of apple. oocSorry for taking so long to post. It's been pretty busy.

[Gracen]

Gracen frowned, confused. "Have you not just come from Alvadas?" he asked, pointing behind the lad. According to his memory and his maps, the city of illusions lay in that direction, but he supposed one could never tell with Ionu's city. But he shook his head and dismounted, a weary grunt sounding as his legs took up the weight of him. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. I'm Grace." He squinted at the lad as he took out his food, watched him feed his Zavian, who gobbled up the morsel at speed and then nosed at the lad looking for more. "Thanks, and he's a greedy brute, but he oughtn't bite you unless you hurt him. Don't hurt him." The last was thrown out as an aside, not that he expected the lad to hurt his horse. He crouched down and took some of the food that was offered him, eating it in little bites as he watched the interaction with the horse. Though he wasn't a good person, he wasn't going to take all the lad's food unless he decided to capture him and sell him as a slave, but the lad had been kind out of nowhere. While that was foolish of him, Gracen couldn't bring himself to make an investment out of him through brute force.

[Makoto Moonwater]

"Ah, sorry, I confused myself there... My father came to my mother's people from Alvadas, but he is originally from Avanthal... I'm Makoto", he replied with a apologetic smile that soon turned into a grin at Grace's next comment. " and I reckon he needs every bit of it." Makoto ran an admiring glance over the stallion's lean form, though a bit thin from a lack of meals, which could easily be solved. He patted him on his flank and offered another apple, wishing he had proper rations for a horse. "Don't worry, I wouldn't hurt him if my life depended on it", he said with a admiring tone, underlined with a firm one, meaning every word he spoke. "So... where are you from? It must be a long way..?" Makoto sat gingerly by the stranger, though not too close. Though he had a very, sometimes unwisely, carefree character, he had learned to be somewhat cautious, and was not going to forget it that quickly. He took a bite of some jerky, chewing it slowly as he watched the stallion's movements wistfully. It reminded him of home, of his foster family, whom he hadn't seen for a full season.

[Gracen]

"Ah," he acknowledged, still crouching by the food. "Thanks for the rations, Makoto. It was a rough Summer." He might have asked about Makoto's mother's people, but it didn't seem polite. Courtesy from a hard-eyed ne'er-do-well might have been laughable, but there it was. Makoto was feeding him and his horse; just a snack, but that was something. He could afford a few answers to such questions. They weren't innocuous, or needn't be, but he thought they were in this case. They were too far from Alvadas yet for this to all be fancy. "From Cyphrus," he admitted, pointing toward the water. On the other side of the Suvan Sea lay his home. Well, it wasn't home anymore, or not a home in which he was welcome any longer.

[Makoto Moonwater]

Makoto nodded in acknowledgment to Gracen's thanks. "Ah, same here! I am from the Clans... from Endrykas," Makoto said with a smile. "I am of the Sapphire clan," he added. "Whereabouts are you from?" he asked innocently, unaware of the older rider's discomfort, though he noted a slight unease in his expression. "Well, rather than unease, it is more... like regret...?", Makoto thought to himself. Truthfully, he did not expect an answer, considering that one did not usually reveal too much of oneself to every stranger on the road. Makoto cared for the horse, even pouring some water into his cupped hands to give the steed a bit of water when it drew near. He did not mind attending to the horse, for he enjoyed the company of animals, and which seemed to be reciprocated with most animals he encountered. Well, except the ones that he hunted of course, but what was one to do when the needed to feed themselves? "In truth, I think that I'd like to travel more... see Avanthal's icy sights, visit the knowledge filled university and libraries of Zeltiva, and perhaps even go as far down south as Rockward Island." He shrugged, unable to remember where he had heard of the last place he had mentioned. He turned his head to look out over their surroundings, focusing on nothing in particular, but stared into the distance in thought. He was still able to register the man's words, as well as any movement from rider and horse.

[Gracen]

"Ah," he acknowledged with a nod. He could be polite when he wanted to be, when the situation warranted it. To his eyes, imperfect though they might be, Makoto looked more like a Vantha than the Drykas he had met, but he certainly seemed to have a way with horses. Of course, if he was trying to steal Grace's ride, he would have to either kill him or capture him and sell him as a slave. Rations were one thing, but he couldn't abide thieves. Well, other than himself on occasion. He was vigilant. "Avanthal is certainly icy, and Zeltiva is full of know-it-alls." He didn't mean to sound negative, but he was not wrong, either. He just didn't know how this kid was going to do all this traveling on his own. He seemed soft, naive, and Mizahar ate soft and naive for breakfast and sharted out the remains before lunch. "Good luck with that," he offered.