Between Sunset and Sunrise the Forest Comes Alive (Abashai )

[Nya Winters]

Nya grinned, rolled back onto her back, and looked up at the hanging meat. The kelvic was still glowing under his praise of her. Being called beautiful by a bondmate was just about the best thing she'd ever heard. Nya reached a very human hand up towards the canopy in a completely lazy attempt and made a swipe towards the deer that missed by a good twenty feet. She turned her head, yawned, and grinned. "I cannot quite reach it." Once she said the words, Nya started laughing lightly. Her mirth filled up the little clearing and she seemed to wake up completely then. "Of course. And I'm going to cook it too, and dry some of it for stores for us. But first I'm going to wash. I feel dirty. You relax and let me take care of things." The girl shuttered at the 'I feel dirty' words, rolled to her feet while keeping the cloak around her. She then turned and marched off barefooted towards the stream where happy splashing commenced momentarily. Abashai would quietly understand two things almost instantly. Nya was a cheerful morning person, and she had absolutely no ability to be quiet about her cheer. While the forest cat had no idea what sort of mood Abashai woke to, she was starting to see the patterns of his humor and appreciated the outlook enormously. She didn't even mind that he shortened her name, though she was a bit surprised someone could. Leave it to him....

She returned, wet hair and all, got dressed under her cloak and began moving about the clearing. Nya eventually scaled the tree and heaved the carcass down, careful not to bruise the meat. Abashai would see then that the deer wasn't a truly large one. It was the type they could dry into some venison jerky though and get a few meals out of. She also went back and checked the snares, cleaning them out and bringing two more rabbits back to camp. She made quick work with her skinning knife and soon had a roast on the fire, and then various strips of meat filleted out and drying around the fire. They wouldn't be hungry for sure then. Nya cleaned and carefully coiled up the snares, laying two on Abashai's pack so he could stow them away. Now that he knew how to use them, the Benshira man would never be hungry again. Nya purred as she worked, unused to having someone around and someone to fret over who needed things. It was a heady feeling to her, one that made her life somehow more complete.

"I wanted to show you my place today too. We can move some of this meat there, where it will dry better. I do not know your plans for the future, but winter is fast coming on, and I had planned to have skins ready to keep warm and a large supply of food ready to see through the cold times." She said, glancing at Sus and wondering if she could build a shelter for the horse as well. There was not much good grazing in the forest for the mare, but Nya was already thinking about that. Once the heavy snows arrived, they'd have to have dried grass stored for her as well.... unless they moved somewhere warmer. Nya wasn't particularly attached to the Cobalts. She'd just moved down here to begin her search. So whatever Abashai decided, she'd gladly travel if he wanted... or settle in for a season. He could even board his mare in the city if he wanted too. Nya had already thought about that. She knew about the polar bears who doubled as mounts for their bondmates, and she knew about the Myrian Tigers. It didn't quite make sense to her that Abashai not take advantage of her size and use her in such a manner. But she wasn't going to press him. In a day or two, she was going to take some of her fur money into Syliras and visit the saddle maker and see about some tack for herself. She was already as large as Sus in her natural form, and she saw no reason why she couldn't carry her bondmate. He would be safer with her than with anything else ever born. And now that she'd seen him, she could tell the saddle maker to build for a strong man - a large man - not for a delicate woman or a young child. Then when it was done, she could bring it back to their place - wherever that was - and just leave it out and let him make up his own mind. A cat was not like a horse at all, but she was pretty sure she could carry him safely long distances and even in all sorts of weather should he want to return to his beloved desert city or travel elsewhere afar.

And hopefully by that time, she'd be used to shifting in front of him which still she was painfully shy to do, he'd be used to the forest cat (he'd called her beautiful!!), and perhaps even a little less wary of her bare flesh. And in that time, he could help her... help her be more human. She wanted it now, worse than before - the knowledge of blending in well with other humans - thrilled her. And there was only one true way to learn that art... live it. And do so in a way that you could make mistakes in front of someone else and they could point out those were mistakes. She also needed his mind. If her's was to stay sharp and not dull away, he'd need to keep her thinking, asking questions, seeking answers. It was a hard mentality for a forest cat to maintain. It would be far easier for a bonded kelvic forest cat with an intelligent bondmate to succeed with.

Gods. What a bondmate.... Nya turned the meat on the spit and casually studied Abashai. He was beautiful too - in ways she didn't quite understand. The man made her feel things too, things she hadn't ever felt before. They were just waking things, things half realized, but she watched him and knew this morning she couldn't resist tasting him. She never wanted him to stop stroking and petting her. Such things meant the world to her. Even now she wanted to go curl up around him and just listen to the sound of his voice. But he was hungry, or would be when he fully woke, and she wanted the food ready for him by then.

Nya dismissed her obsession as part of the newly formed bond, and went back to work.

Breakfast was prepared in short order. Nya was getting used to cooking meat after the first attempt, though she knew Abashai's diet might require more than just a steady supply of animal flesh in the simple way hers did. That was another thing she'd have to learn... how to cook and bake and how to figure out what they could both eat that would grow wild. There would even be some shopping in Syliras. She wouldn't go without him though, she decided, even for the secret ordering of the saddle. The city was no place for her, Leo Varniak, her friend, had been right. The kelvic had too much of a potential to get scared or violent unnecessarily when she was alone. Supplies from the city were important too. The time was fast approaching where there would be little to eat besides cooked flesh in the forest buried under the snow.

A predators time of feast was an omnivores time of famine.

"I think its ready... shall we eat?" She handed him a carving knife so he could cut off a portion of the deer haunch she roasted, and then tilted her head. "I want to show you my place, then I think we need to go to Syliras and get some supplies if you plan to stay here any length of time before winter. There are apples and other things we can gather, but there will need to be grains and vegetables I think, for you to eat when the snow comes and we'd best get them stored fast. Also, Sus might be more comfortable in the city with the other horses rather than in the woods for a while. There are places there she can stay far easier than living in the woods. There isn't enough grass." Nya mused, waiting for Abashai to finish cutting off a piece of breakfast before she herself carved off her own portion.

"I do not know how to cook very well... not vegetables and green things and fruit like you need. My mother warned me to not eat rabbits exclusively especially in my human form. She said they could poison me - and I assume you now - because a solid diet of meat can actually make your body hungry for other things and then sick because it doesn't get them." Nya was referring to protein poisoning which resulted from eating low fat meat exclusively. Rabbits had very little body fat and could actually kill someone if they ate a steady diet of them without any variety. Deer wouldn't have the same reaction, but deer were harder to kill whereas rabbits were so much easier. "So we should get some flour, sugar, and unless you know how to cook, some sort of instructions on how to make bread and other things so you don't get sick off the meat." Nya said thoughtfully. It was odd to note, each time she placed a heavy thought in her mind, new ones came easier. It would have simply never occurred to her to want to learn to cook before. The thought itself was so far outside the realm of Nya's understanding... but somehow she felt more.... focused, more adaptable. Her eyes glanced at Abashai, and she wholly blamed him for it.

Mirroring. Had it started already? Nya didn't want to loose the essence of who she was, but she did know she had to change a bit to adapt more to Abashai's life.

"What do you think?" She asked, not wanting to push him and certainly not the one who made all the decisions. She was just sharing her thoughts.

NoteI'm sorry I get carried away writing these posts... it just seems to come out in big clumps. Don't feel compelled to make yours as long. Sometimes in getting to know a PC, you need to explore their thoughts and make plans. I probably could have done this in a short paragraph. Ugh!

[Abashai]

Abashai tore at the hunk of venison, still hot from the fire. The meat was rare, but tender and satisfying. "I would like to see your place." He wondered what that meant, maybe she found an abandoned cottage or hunter's cabin out here somewhere. Taking another bite, he surveyed the forest around him, the lush green running all the way up the slopes of the Cobalts. Abashai knew this was ample territory for a kelvic forest cat to roam and hunt. With the city nearby, it seemed a good place to winter.

"I have not cooked much, but we will be able to get by, and I've seen Benshiran women bake flatbread since I was a boy. We will work together to prepare for winter." He had not endured a Syliran winter, not this far north. Nya obviously had, already working her plan. It felt strange relying on what others would only see as a teenage girl to help him survive. He watched Nya tear into her breakfast. Nya's strong appetite for meat, her muscle-corded arms, even the unique moss green eyes belied the great cat within the cheerful girl. He found himself fascinated with her and her kelvic nature. So foreign to him, so magical.

It was then, as he affectionately watched Nya, that he realized he finally had a Tent. Nya was his family now. He found both a measure of peace and excitement at the thought.

The Benshiran looked over at his desertbred mare, pawing through the undergrowth for grasses and clover. Nya was right, this was no place to keep a horse. Sus had been his constant companion for two years, but it would be impossible to gather and store enough grass or hay to feed her through the winter. He had to face the fact that he would have to leave her in the city. Sus was a good hearty horse and could fetch a good price, though it would sadden him to sell her. But he had a Tent now, and the mizas would help supply he and his new bondmate.

Finishing the last of his meat, Abashai stood and shook himself. He picked up the khopesh and headed over to his piled possessions. Passing Nya, he gave her a playful nudge on the shoulder and a grin. "Lets break camp and you can show me your place, then maybe you can show me the city." He leaned down closer to her ear, "Oh, and you don't have to eat your meat cooked on my account." He gave her an ornery smile and headed over to pack the snares she had laid on his pack.

[Nya Winters]

Nya blinked, freezing as she felt Abashai's breath on her ear. His words whispered across her senses, his smile oddly pleasing to her as her eyes flicked over to catch his body language. Still she did not move. A thought hit her all at once, though she said nothing in her stillness. With only the rise and fall of her chest and her eyes tracking his movements, Nya realized something important. Abashai accepted her. Even her parents didn't allow her to eat her meat raw in front of them. The kelvic woman blinked almost in shock and studied the man who's life was now strangely linked to hers.

Time would allow her to find out about him, his foreign ways, his thoughts, and perhaps given enough of it, she'd know what he was thinking before he himself realized. In that instant of playful banter, Nya knew there was nothing she wouldn't do for him. The feeling made her happy. Very happy. And, he wasn't going to make her pretend to be human or anything else she wasn't. His words, his playful teasing, had somehow spoke volumes to her. She was glad he said the words in passing... for she had no response to it in that stillness other than a smile.

Nya slowly smiled for him, a smile that had her heart in it, her thanks in it, and began to break up camp.

Nya had always wondered if a bond would somehow enslave her, make her suffer under false feelings like her mother's journal had implied. She had worried that her own sense of right and wrong, her own opinions, feelings, even her own needs would be overwhelmed, eclipsed, and somehow lost as someone else's replaced them. But she was old, older than most Kelvics who were bred to serve and sold into bondage in a mindless manner where they had no say and were too young to realize what they'd lost. Nya was too old to mindlessly fight in an arena or pit, or submit without complaint as she was used for pleasure. Her mother had given her a great gift, and Nya understood suddenly and clearly in that singular moment of Abashai's teasing. Her mind whirled in thought as hands kept busy, packing her backpack, gathering up the meat into a large bundle that had to be placed in her cloak since she had nothing else which could carry it. All the drying could be finished in her lair.

Nya wondered suddenly how her parents were, and if they were happy. She wanted, for the first time ever, to write to them, to tell them what happened to her. Abashai had no parents left, the sands had taken them. After hearing that story and the meaning behind his loss, hers abruptly meant more. She would ask him, later before their trip to town, to help her write to them. He might even have paper and ink. Nya had none, and suddenly regretted that. Maybe they could get some in town. The thought brought a smile to her face and as she bundled up the meat she got Abashai's attention by catching his eyes.
"I want to... write a letter to my parents before we go to town or when we are there... so I can send it with traders heading north. I had not thought this before, but they might miss me and worry." Was he influencing her already? His strong sense of family even though he was alone? "I do not have paper and ink though. And I have not written for a while. Will you lend me some if you have any or help me get some in the city? I am not certain how to write to them, so I might need help." The last she asked hesitantly, fear and uncertainty crossing her face. For as strong as she was, as confident in the woods, in the human world she was only a girl full of uncertainty and hesitation. Vulnerable. The truth was, for all that she vowed to protect the man helping her break camp, she needed him just as badly to survive. His world was far more intense than hers, far more difficult to navigate and understand. Her thoughts were of food, shelter, and water. One couldn't think like that in the city and survive for long. It was one of the reasons Nya didn't go there much - only when she was painfully lonely and wanted to find someone to talk too.

The city was a frightening place. The entire world of men were. They wanted things - needed things - demanded things and Nya understood almost none of it. It was one of the reasons she killed so thoughtlessly. A dead man evolved from a thinking confusing demanding creature into meat. Meat was easily understood and dealt with. It was useful and simplistic - delicious even. Living men... were a totally different story.

Nya shuddered.

The fire was quickly put out, sand and soil mixed into it with a large stick so that none of the embers would catch again when they were gone. Nya slipped on the backpack, picked up the bundle of meat (most of the bones had disappeared into the fire, mysteriously cracked open and missing their marrow) and quietly waited for Abashai. When he was ready, she'd lead him and his mare into the woods, heading northwest, towards the coast. It wasn't a long hike, but took several hours. Nya carefully kept them off the Kabrin, which they seemed to parallel alot (her wariness of people and things like roads would be clear to Abashai) until they could see the city rising in the distance. Abruptly turning right, more true to north, Nya lead them steadily upwards until the trees got bigger and the ground rockier. It wasn't until they climbed a last rise (Sus had little trouble, the trees were open and accommodating, the underbrush having been kept clear by elk) that Abashai saw the entrance to the cave.

It was set against a stone wall, overhung by greenery and colorful boughs of evergreen brush. There was a nice place to tether Sus, but he could tell the snowline would be down this low come true winter. Nya never hesitated, she just slipped through the entrance which looked smaller than it actually was.

Once inside, however, Abashai could tell it was expansive. There were two main sections with a small offshoot off the secondary and smaller section. The first section was a large living area with a firepit, a pile of furs, and a chest. Large candlesticks decorated the area, and a large crate of candles ensured there would always be light. The chest was neatly closed and seemed placed as one might to store clothing - up off the ground on large rocks gathered to support it. There were little things decorating the place... things a child might add. A feather here, a colorful rock there. It was simplistic, but very comfortable. The sleeping pallet was a pile of fir boughs piled with pelts that had a soft inviting look.

The secondary area was a more 'wild' looking chamber that ended in a large freshwater pool at the far end. It had stacked firewood that looked to be enough for a few months. There was room for more though. Nya had a secondary chamber as well, off the water source, where she took the meat and hung part of it. The rest went to the fire, which she carefully began to light so she could arrange to dry the strips she'd already cut. The bloody cloak was set aside to be taken outside and washed.

"Make yourself at home. It is not much, but it is only a thirty minute walk to the city from here." She said, hesitating. The kelvic felt almost guilty she didn't have a sprawling house in the city or a tower to offer him. No... She tilted her head and studied him again. He had said his people lived in tents. Nya wondered where she could get one, and if they weren't something that were purchased, if she could learn to make one. Maybe he'd be more comfortable in one, and they could move around easier. The kelvic would have to give it some thought.

[Abashai]

Abashai slung the saddlebags over his shoulder, pulled the bedroll and large bundled tent off of Sus' back and lugged the load into the cave opening, ducking under the evergreen boughs. The desert man decided he liked the strong scent of the fir trees, even more abundant around Nya's lair than the lower woods where they had met. The smell was natural and powerful, like the aromas of his culture.

He dropped his burden near the wall inside the main chamber, the thud echoing through the cavern. Scanning the cavern, Abashai saw Nya starting a fire in the pit at the end of the room. He had given her his flint and steel and shown her how to strike the stone shard against the metal bar to produce sparks. As the small fire took to life and his eyes adjusted, he could see more of the cave's details. It was not so different from a very large tent, he thought. The firelight reflected as a warm orange glow off the rocky walls, transforming what had seemed dark and cold into comfortable and secure.

On the long hike to the cave, Abashai had thought about his present situation. He had given some room to the logical man, allowing him his say, in order to settle things in his own mind. The concern that all this happened too fast was quashed first. Abashai knew himself enough to know that he was far from impulsive. No, the uniqueness of the meeting, the instant emotional connections, spoke of something predestined, not an imagination in his mind. The need to categorize the nature of the bonding, the definition of the relationship, revealed Abashai's need to control that which he did not understand. He needed less control and more trust in his life. Finally, Abashai still struggled to reconcile the fact that Nya was an animal blessed (or cursed) with humanity. The truth was that she was both, and her charm was that she herself struggled somewhat to reconcile her two selves. He wanted to help her find that internal balance.

As he watched Nya carefully lay the strips of venison near the fire, the red glow kissing her soft cheeks and strong arms, all those questions and concerns melted into irrelevance. Again the resolution that this was right, that this was meant to be, washed over him. Like in the forest, by the stream, he felt as if Yahal had assured him again to give up control and just live in what he had been given. From then on, Abashai would have no more doubts about the bonding.


He walked over to the fire. "I like it Nya, it has all we need." Eying the chest, Abashai wondered at its contents, but dared not open it. One did not pry into a woman's private things. He gave Nya an encouraging smile and sat on the pile of furs. " I brought in all my stuff. I can empty out the saddlebags and my backpack to use to bring back supplies from town. And I promise to get you some paper and ink so we can write your letter and find someone to deliver it." It was very important to Abashai that Nya get to send her letter to her parents. He wasn't sure why, but he believed it would do Nya good. Doing good things for Nya felt satisfying, and he purposed in his heart to do it whenever possible.

[Nya Winters]

The flint and steel definitely made things easier. With the fire lit, the meat set up to dry, and Abashai's gear moved in, Nya settled down a bit. She knew Abashai had been thinking. He got a certain look to his face when he contemplated things, a look that made her think of her mother in many ways. Deep thinkers had always been part of her short life, and in many ways Abashai's habit of it comforted her. Though he didn't share what conclusions, if any, he came too in his thinking - or even what he was actually thinking to begin with - she could only guess.

Once they were settled, she ventured to speak to him about a few things. Nodding and pleased that he would help her get some writing materials and work on the letter, Nya glanced around once more. Though she kept busy, her life was full of simple needs. But as the thoughts crossed her mind, she crossed another barrier within and rather than silently contemplate her worries, she voiced them to the man moving curiously around the chamber. "Abashai, there isn't much I do here. I patrol the territory I claimed. I hunt and fish. I sleep some. I go to town and meet new people sometimes." She tilted her head, wandering over to the chest to open it up. It was only partially full - a small pile of spare clothing and an extra set of shoes. With her nose she nodded towards his things and to the more than ample room to store some of them within the chest as she talked. Leaving the lid open, she moved restlessly about the cave, almost prowling.

"I do not know what a man does to keep himself busy. I do not know the next step. You cannot live in a cave like a beast because you are not one. It will be comfortable for a while, but there should be something... needs to be something... we should be ... doing. Goals. They are important. I found the cave and got my own territory because of them." She paused, chewed on her lower lip a moment and moved to flop down on the furs - childlike, but she didn't stay still for long. Soon enough she was up again, pacing and speaking once more. "I can hunt and keep you safe in a dry place. Kelvics take care of their bondmates all sorts of ways. Protection, food, sometimes transportation, a lot of companionship, and even pleasure. But you will not be happy without some sort of... plan." The next thing she wanted to say was harder, because she could tell Abashai had been a man letting the wind drift him about. Wind to Nya meant faith and thus the gods.

"You. Not Yahal, not me, not anyone else needs to decide what you want to be doing." She flopped down again, and rolled to her side, comfortable now, feeling better that she was talking to this man so openly and telling him what she felt he needed to hear. "You do not need to decide now. We need a little time... time to get supplies, time to make this place comfortable for you... time for this bond to fully develop... and you need time to think about what you enjoy and what you are best at. And we maybe need time to learn more, plan, read..." The kelvic was struggling with the idea she was trying to convey now. "So we can be ready when you have your decision made." Nya knew Abashai wouldn't pick something easy. He wouldn't pick something normal - like opening a business in a quiet safe little shop... or becoming a priest to reside over a church. Abashai would do something far harder, something unique, and she already had a glimmer of what that would be.

Even if he didn't know himself.

But ultimately it was his decision, one he needed to come to on his own. Yahal and Zulrav hadn't thrown them together for no reason. Nor did they expect them to settle in and lead a normal life. He traveled well. He even managed to make it thousands of miles alive and relatively unscarred. He dealt with strangers carefully and cautiously, but without isolating them. There was so much they could do together. There was virtually no place they couldn't go either. Nya wondered if they weren't meant to travel, escorting people safely to far off points where travel with caravans or traders would be impractical. She knew Taldera, Syliras and parts of Kalea. He knew the grasslands of Cyphrus and the dangerous burning lands beyond down into Eyktol. They might even be able to venture into Falyndar, if they so chose too. And she could learn the storms there, maybe even dance in them. Abashai could keep her safe from people, which was by and large Nya's worst danger. She could keep him safe from nature as much as she could. And together, maybe they could help others.

And when he got tired of traveling and she got old, if indeed that was the route they went, she could help him find a family. Nya would think about that later, after she figured out why he had no mate or sons now. Thirty seemed hopelessly old to her, for all that Abashai was fit and seemingly strong. Humans. The kelvic shook her head, rose once more, and went to survey her food stores. She kept speaking as she did so, her voice echoing back to Abashai if he lingered to unpack his things into the chest.

"We will need food stores. Flour, sugar, that stuff that makes bread puffy. Spices? Maybe a book with recipes, though you already know flatbread. Dried things that won't spoil. Things that will keep us strong. I need to go to the leather place, and find a paper seller in the bazaar. I hate the Bazaar Abashai. It is so crowded. The noise and the smell is horrible. So many people, so much of them not smelling like you do." She complained, dreading the trip already. "But it is interesting. I get curious and go there sometimes. I tried beer there for the first time at the end of summer. Your tea is better." Nya said, rambling now. She was nervous again, not quite knowing what to do with him in her cave - how to entertain him - how to make sure he was comfortable. And the silence was awkward, making her move about more than she would and fill the void with noise.

"We could get a place in the city. I have coin... some at least and money from skins that I could sell. Just until things are clear." She would prefer the privacy of the woods, but for him she would move into town. Time would make it easier for her there anyhow, as she got used to the noise and people.

Nya finally stopped her nervous roaming and just went to him. It was what she wanted to do all along, especially when he was thinking so heavily. She slipped up behind him, nuzzled the place between his shoulder blades, and drew in his scent. Even with his heavy overcoat on, touching him was comforting. Delicately strong arms slipped around his waist and hands splayed out across his stomach. "I am talking too much. Having a human here is making me nervous. Even you. Especially you. I want you to be comfortable, for everything to be well." Her cheek rubbed between his shoulder blades again, clearly invading his space as she took comfort from him, his scent, and the feel of him solid in her arms. Nya didn't let him go for a long while, but when she did, she stepped back slowly giving him time to scold or comfort as he saw fit..

"Shall we go now, or settle for the day and make an entire day of it tomorrow? If we leave now, shopping might take a long time and we may be better getting shelter in the city over night." Nya said, leaving the choice up to him. She was ready to go if he was, excited even to show him the big city, but she knew Syliras would be no afternoon quick trip and back.

[Abashai]

Nya seemed so nervous, almost flustered. She paced about the room, trying to busy herself as her concerns tumbled out into the cool cavern air. He began to feel uncomfortable, knowing how his presence was stressing the solitary kelvic. When Nya pressed her head against his back and wrapped her arms around him, Abashai was actually relieved. As her warm embrace lingered, he recounted her words. You. Not Yahal, not me, not anyone else needs to decide what you want to be doing. Though the boldness of her words stung at first, Abashai knew Nya was right. He wondered how this kelvic cat, barely out of childhood, so awkward in the ways of humans, could know him so well, speak with such wisdom.

He realized now that Nya did need him, and not just for comfort. Now that her life was entwined with his, she needed him to lead his own life. He had wandered most of his life, first lead by random whim, then by his god. He recognized this bonding as another turning point in his story. Nya filled gaps within Abashai. In her own wonderful way, she complimented him. With her by his side, he felt as if, for the first time, life was something to be engaged, met with purpose.

When Nya finally slid her arms from around his waist, he turned to look down into her bright eyes. "There is no need for you to be nervous because of me. I know you want to take care of me." Reaching out, he took her hand in his. He surveyed the cave, noting the candle sticks, the colored rocks and feathers decoratively placed around the room, and smiled softly. "This is not the lair of an animal. Yes, it provides protection from the weather, security from harm, and supplies fresh water…more so than most of dwellings I have stayed in the past twelve years. but you have made this place a home." He led her by the hand to the fur bed and sat her down, then sat next to her. "You are right, we do need a place for a while. I believe this could be our home, for now. We do need time to grow, time to plan, hone our skills. I believe those things would better done away from the distraction of the city. We will need to go to town on occasion, maybe for a few days at a time, but neither of us would be satisfied living in the middle of that madness. There will be much to do here, much to learn from each other and about each other."

He looked over again at Nya. Her green eyes seemed to drink in his gaze, he drank in hers. "I don't have much money, but I can find ways to earn some too. I can play fairly well, I could earn some money in town, something. You can teach me to hunt and I can help you harvest skins and cure meat, we’ll get by.” He looked off again, not focusing on anything particular. For the first time, he thought about what he wanted to do, he had some ideas. “But just for a while, then we’ll go, we are both servants of sorts, and we will find a way help others. I want to see more of Mizahar too and we should see it together.”

"Now, about town." There was a lot of emotion hanging in the cave, Abashai believed they needed to get out, "lets go now. If we run out of time, we'll spend the night and finish tomorrow." He stood and turned to her, holding is hand out to her. If she agreed, he would tack up Sus to bring back supplies and they could go.

[Nya Winters]

It felt good, deciding things, with Abashai's hand in hers. Nya watched him, trusted him, and felt her heart lift as he called her earthen lair a home. He urged her to sit down with him and she did, listening intently. She said little, nodding in agreement however, to what he said. Life from here on out would be a something more than just survival, it would be a challenge to grow. She realized that and relaxed even more under his gaze. Nya would never feel like this again, this nervousness, this restlessness, the awkwardness of someone new in her home. Their home...

"Yes, I agree..." She said simply, trusting him and knowing his mind was thinking again. His blue-green gaze gave it away when they got that far off look. "Life is rich already. We don't need coins. Not really. We will have things to trade for the things we really need. Besides, you cannot eat coins." Nya flashed him a grin, then rose when he did and took his hand. She ran the back of his knuckles across her cheek and released him all together. She too wanted to get out, stretch her legs, and head to the city. It was simply that the reason for her going was not the usual one. They needed things. Nya never NEEDED anything but simple conversation or to watch people flowing around one another which was always fascinating to her as traffic moved in the streets. It was almost a good feeling... needing something.

Nya glanced at Abashai, then trailed along with him as he loaded up Sus. When she passed the chest, she bent into it and picked out her stash of coins. She tucked them into her clothing, near her skin, and walked out of the cave. Night was better for Abashai anyhow, when he could tell stories and play his instrument. She still wanted to hear it face to face, since she'd only heard it from a distance. But there'd be time for that later.

Nya's mind whirled as she waited for Abashai, then the trio headed down the path to Syliras. She would have to slip away for a while, because there were things she wanted to buy that she didn't want him to know about... not at first. Mainly because he wouldn't understand or because she didn't want to scare him. And then she'd give him the notes she'd copied from her mother's journal, and let him read the words for himself until he could. To distract herself from that, however, she started softly telling Abashai and Sus about Syliras.

The walk took exactly thirty minutes, and as they drew closer to the city, Nya began telling the story as she knew it. "In the great war between the Gods, there was one god that loved people beyond measure. He loved it when people gathered and created group things all together, like cities. His name was Sylir and he was known far and wide to the world. Every city, my mother said, owed its existence to Sylir. And every city that died, she also told me, died because Sylir did so as well." Nya took a breath and glanced at Abashai. She didn't know what they told of the destruction of the world in the burning lands and the cities beyond. "The war was fought because a God went crazy when his mate was killed." Truthfully, she didn't really understand the finer details of the Valterrian. "Ivak, he is fire and volcanos and all things hot and fierce..." Nya said with a grin, partial to the thought of someone being fierce. "He.... went wild, and tore the world apart. Many of the other Gods got together, to stop Ivak, but it was really hard. There is something called love and passion, and those things filled him up along with rage and made his power very strong." Nya said, then gestured towards the fortress city. "Sylir had love and passion too... for people, all people, not just one person." Nya said, though she had a puzzled look on her face about this. "He did something, along with Isur and Morwen, maybe others - I forget all their names - and stopped Ivak. But he was killed in the battle. His body was torn into pieces and those pieces ended up everywhere. One piece came here, on the same cliff as the castle is on. It grew into a tree, so maybe it wasn't a piece at all but a seed." Nya said, lightly jumping pothole. They were on the road now, having emerged from the forest near the main gates.

"The tree is called a Windoak, or The Windoak... it talks to people. It remembers being Sylir sometimes. The city is named for him. So is the Region. It talked people into forming a group, to help clean up after the war. They built a city here, around the tree, and everyone lives in its stone walls. It's the biggest place I've ever seen, and my mother says the whole of the city lives in the castle or could if they wanted." Nya said, slowly falling into the line at the main gates to be let in. "The Syliran Knights are the people who the tree convinced to come together. That is why Sylira is safer than most places. True crime, other than the small stuff - thieves and lies and gambling - doesn't happen here. Everyone is the eyes. Everyone is the ears... of these knights. This place is not like Ravok... where everyone belongs to anyone strong enough to enslave them. Syliras is full of weak people, but because there are so many, they are stronger. There are many elders here with white hair and much knowledge. But none of the Knights are old, they all die young. That is why I came here... because of the balance." Nya said, giving her name to the gate guard and telling him they were there for supplies and to trade. Abashai would be questioned, then they would be allowed to move into the city through the narrow double doored gates.

"I like the story of Sylir and the tree. I want to see the tree someday. But I think I would have to be a knight to do that." She grinned at the thought, moving into the city proper with Abashai after he too was questioned. It's bustle stretched out before them, and Nya grinned. She was okay here, out in the streets where the crowds weren't so heavy.
"Welcome to Syliras, which most say should just be called Stormhold after the castle." She pointed, and sure enough he could see the whole of the city.... literally... was the castle. Everything else 'outside' was portable, temporary, or located where it was because it was not safe to move it indoors.

[Abashai]

Nya's tale of the Valterrain had delighted Abashai. The version taught to him as a child was very Benshiran-centric and omitted much of the story. He loved hearing her tell the story of the tree, watching how animated she became, how her eyes sparkled when she spoke of things that interested her. He walked beside her, leading Sus (he would not ride while she walked in human form, to look down on her. The mare was growing accustomed to Nya's Kelvic scent, and may let them both ride when they returned home), the girl was engrossed in her tale as they picked their way through the woods.

From Nya's description, Syliras seemed to be the most civilized town he would come across. Abashai had run across Syliran Knights on the Kadrin Road. Heavily armored and armed mounted men, they had questioned him but did not harass him. Professional and courteous, he could see why the people respected, and outlaws feared, the knights.

Abashai was awestruck when they approached Syliras. He tried to gauge the breadth and length of the vast city, unable to fathom its size. As they entered the gate, he could see the city was not as old as the ancient cities of Yahebah or Ahnatep. Those cities still showed signs of the great cataclysm, sections of them still in rubble centuries later.

When Nya mentioned Stormhold, he looked up at the massive fortress, it indeed appeared as a city within itself. The streets were not crowded this close to the gate, but they were alive with people of all sorts, moving in different directions at different paces. The human Nya suddenly seemed small and vulnerable to him. He stepped closer to her, unconsciously nudging in front of her, placing her partially behind his shoulder as he studied the myriad of people. "Maybe we should find a place to stay first. We can stable Sus and have a place to stow our purchases." He glanced back at Nya with a sheepish grin. "Do you know of such a place my dear bondmate?"

[Nya Winters]

As she passed the city gates and pointed out Stormhold, Nya instinctively reached back and pulled the hood of her forest green cloak up over her head, concealing her features within its deep shadows. The girl quieted, fell into step beside Abashai, and stopped fidgeting at all. Her stride held no bounce of excitement that marked the kelvics pleasure leaking out. Instead it had a measured careful pace to it that seemed... utterly human. There was a sudden seriousness to her, as if she were indeed back out in the woods on the verge of a hunt. If he caught a glimpse of her features as she looked up at him occasionally, he'd see a serene young woman - a mask Nya had perfected well - that didn't quite work with the predatory caution in her eyes. In the woods, Nya felt safe and comfortable in her own element, but here she was surrounded by potential predators and dangers she wasn't fully certain of. It wasn't an unpleasant experience for Nya, it was simply a uncertain one. And more importantly, it gave Abashai a glimpse of the sort of woman Nya was eventually going to grow into.

At his question she paused, seemed to consider things, and spoke. Her voice was soft, thoughtful, and he could tell she was trying to make up her mind. "There is the Golden Dragon, but the people inside are friendly - so friendly I think they would make you uncomfortable, especially the women. And the White Swan is somewhat expensive, and not exactly to your tastes with all its expensive dishes and silk table cloths. Travelers Row might be best. The old woman there will charge us only a single silver miza for a nights stay in one of her rooms. We only need a single one." She'd spend the night stretched out across the door in her wilder form anyhow. Cities were not easy on Nya's ability to sleep.

Decision made, Nya turned down a side street and started walking eastward, along the city wall itself until they came to a line of doorways and small enclosed courtyards built into the actual city walls themselves. She stopped at the first of these and knocked politely on the door. An older woman with a serene voice answered and then beckoned the two inside. She let them into a small functional office with a large counter that seemed to be the front to a larger apartment behind a door past the counter. Nya glanced at Abashai, produced a silver coin from within her clothing and laid it on the counter. "We need a room for the night to store our gear, with at least one sleeping pallet, two if you have one." Nya said, knowing it was too much to hope to get an actual bed in the bargin. The old woman, who had introduced herself as Matlida nodded and reached for the coin as Nya laid it down, her hand brushing the kelvics. She then pocketed the coin with a smile. She was pale, so pale her skin and hair were about the same shade of white. Her blue eyes were bright however, animated even, as she produced a room key. She handed it to Abashai rather than Nya, making sure she brushed his flesh as well when she passed him the key.

"You will both enjoy the quiet. We have several ground floor rooms, and I've given you the furthest one down the row. Its on the opposite end of this complex with no close neighbors. If you hunt tonight, little one, make sure you are not seen. They have spotted an overly large cat in the woods and several people are eager for a pelt." The woman said, looking at Abashai then. "If they knew she wasn't feral, they wouldn't be so eager." Nya nodded, understanding what the konti meant. She found the Konti interesting... truthfully overly gentle. But she trusted them completely. "Thank you..." Nya said softly. Maltilda stopped them just before the door however. "You want to go talk to Nabinu... at All Things Leather. He'll have exactly what you need, child. And you Sir, need to go visit the Temple of All Gods. There's a scholar there with a cup of tea that needs a good long visit with a southerner." The woman said, then turned and disappeared back into the back apartments.

Nya glanced at Abashai, shrugged, and slipped back outside. She waited for him to follow and then headed down Traveler's Row to a small room with a hearth, a simple pine bed, and table with two chairs. Nya waited for Abashai to unlock it, then searched the whole place. It was comfortable, but not exactly spacious. Nya dropped her backpack on the table, and looked around. "Will this do?" She asked.

[Abashai]

After leaving the Konti's office, Abashai felt both perplexed and concerned. He knew of the Konti, even seen a few, but never spoke to one. They were supposed to have mystical powers. Matilda seemed kind and caring, but the things she said, she knew, was a bit unnerving. What was that about the leather shop and the temple? Her comment about the hunters seeking the cat's pelt plainly alarmed the Benshiran, but he did not want Nya to see it.

Nya. She was different in the city. Her usual zeal restrained, she tempered her feline tendencies with a very human demeanor. Abashai's looked into her face beneath the cowl. The Kelvic girl looked very much the part of a mature young woman...beautiful, confident but cautious. Nya's moss green eyes still possessed the power and wariness of the great cat inside of her. He tried to allowed himself to relax. This was, after all, part of his new adventure. He wanted to see and do and learn of things he had not seen, done or known before, all the while hoping to learn more about Nya, about the Kelvics and what it means to be bonded.

At the end of the row, Abashai had wrapped Sus' reins around a gatepost outside while they checked out the room. Throwing the empty saddlebags and his backpack on the bed, he nodded approvingly to Nya. "Yes, I think this will do fine. I will take Sus around to the stable and get her settled in, then we can decide what we need to get, and where to get it." Abashai tried to smiled at Nya. Heading towards the door, Abashai paused and turned towards Nya. He choked down a fierce anger. Abashai was not overly aggressive, violent only in defense, but he swore to himself he would bring swift and sudden death to anyone who threatened Nya. He had no doubt the giant forest cat could defend him from every sort of creature he had ever seen, even the powerful desert tsanas. But he knew he was willing to die protecting her from men and their weapons. "To be honest," he decided to be up front with her, "I did not like to hear that men were wanting to hunt the cat...you." In that moment, the Benshiran's usual controlled, rational voice was replaced with a low passionate tone laced with a menace that seemed out of character. "I will kill them if I find them, I hope you would too." He looked into her eyes, which immediately softened his heart, but not his resolve. Then he turned to take Sus to the Traveler's Row stable.