Solo The World Upon Your Back Will Crack

[Kiyeri]

twenty-fifth of spring, 513 av When she finally left her clanhome, there was no ceremony. No one of a warrior's status came to wave her away. Her mother and sisters dared not to look at her, let alone touch her. Her father was the one who kissed her cheek and hugged her. Iktomo had failed in trying to defend her, now, he would mourn two children, instead of one. Her grandmother was the one who sent her away. She gave her no hugs, no signs of initial remorse or even sadness. Instead, the old woman was stoic and sure. She gave her horse and her rations, taking some care in helping her with the saddle. Eiya did not smile or joke during this short time and Kiyeri respected this. She was, after all, a murderer. "Grandmother..." she asked softly with her eyes downcast, "..how will I know that I am allowed to come back?" "When you have a warrior's spirit, you will be welcomed. Do not come back until you do. Death will be your only welcome if you arrive before then." There was a time, when things were less grave, that Eiya could look her granddaughter with a small sense of pride. What Kiyeri lacked in a fighter's heart, was a form of passion and energy. She was kinder and much more quiet, yes, but that made the girl a better listener with a good heart. She would have been a great priestess. But now was not that time. This, would be the last time they saw the other. And as Kiyeri gripped the reins of Nkomo's (the horse) bit, she rode off into the morning. She said no goodbyes. The first few hours of her venture was easy. The air was cooler since night's passing and everything felt newer and fresher. Kiyeri felt no discomfort in her morning travel and Nkomo enjoyed his part as much as a horse could. When it was time for lunch, they ate and rested for a short time near a stream, which was something that she thanked Makutsi for. It was only after their small detour that the journey became difficult. The sun was high into the horizon and seemed to beat against her bare back. Her hair grew heavy with sweat, and Nkomo's seemed to be out of breath after every few hours. Still, they had a long way to go. They rode into sunset, then twilight, and finally, night. She found another bank in the dark and softly tapped on her friend's side to signify that, yes, he can rest. "There, there...I apologize for making you run so far." she whispered as she massaged the soreness from his legs. After she tied Nkomo to the bark of an old fallen tree, Kiyeri grabbed some fish from the waters and started a small fire. The jungle, as dangerous as it was, was still quite beautiful at any time, and as she looked to the sky with wonder, she nearly forgot that her fish was starting to burn. "Aieeee!" she cried as she grabbed the chunks of meat with her hands. Kiyeri had also forgotten the heat of the food. But these were only minor things and as she ate, she thought of the monsters she would kill and the people she would meet. She would be more than a warrior, she would be a hero. A hero...

[Kiyeri]

She didn't plan on slipping into her dreams so fast. Maybe it was the duration of the already long winded trip that made her tired, or the effect of food in her stomach. Either way, Kiyeri fell asleep during her bout of daydreaming. The fire in front of her burned peaceably, and washed everything in an orange-red glow. -- As children, Altiya seemed to be the one that was more dare-devilish, a trait that Kiyeri would soon emulate. One time, when she was about five and the the other eight, she was led down a path to where a Tsakanna and her calf were resting in the noonday sun. "Today, I'm going to teach you to ride a tsakanna baby." She was given a quick run-down of her sister's plan. They were to sneak in and jump atop of the calf's back. And they had to do it without waking the mother. Kiyeri, being only five at the time and still very susceptible to tears, felt like she should've went to one of the adults at the time...but she also wanted to be a big brave girl. So, like most little girls that wanted to be brave, big ones...she decided that she wanted to prove that she worthy of being a member. Hand in hand, two pairs of brown colored, twiggy legs quietly shuffled in the leaves as they silently hovered over the tiny tsakanna. "Shh...we need to be very quiet." warned the oldest to the youngest. Kiyeri's dream shifted from a recollection of a past event to something else entirely. For in the place of the sleeping baby pachyderm, was the half rotted body of Altiya. Her eyes were glassy and unmoving, flies have since feasted on her fallen flesh. While the rest of her face was bloated and ashen. Kiyeri suddenly wasn't a young girl anymore...no..she was her current self. Her hands, hair, chest and face covered in blood that would never wash off. She is screaming, but no sound comes out. The younger version of Altiya only stares at her, her features suddenly mimicking the bloated vision of the coarse that laid prone at her feet like a hunted animal. She is laughing. Her voice is deeper, deeper than a man's. "YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK"

[Kiyeri]

She felt a snout nuzzle her arm and almost immediately, Kiyeri knew it was Nkomo. After some subtle pushes, she finally relented and sat up against the bark that was her pillow. So, it was a dream. A nightmarish one, sure enough, but as long as it existed in the realm of her own mind, she was safe, right? She sighed deeply, and patted her animal companion's nose before she stood and stretched. The sun wouldn't be up until an hour or so, so she had some time to get ready for her next day of travel. And from the looks of it, it was going to be a long one.