Timestamp: Fall 3, 513
The morning sun had yet to breach the mountains surrounding Wind Reach, it barely peeking over the line of the ocean binding Thunder Bay to Storm Sea. It blinked and flickered and crept, crimson rays rolling slowly across the waters. The gentle wind that tickled at the pine forests of the Bay moved inland, brushing the stone path of the Valley and up the mountainside before eventually reaching the city of the eagle riders.
It was the third day since their bonding, the emotional high they had been on these last few days finally begining to taper off. To say it had not been exciting would have been unfair! Mohya was a wonderful creature whose mysteries were boundless. Vira longed to know her more, that quiet bird that she had for over a year tried to get to open up to her, but understood when the eagle could not provide her the answers she sought. It did not discourage Vira from riding her as often as she could, the harness often leaving chaffs on her legs and hands where they had flown for hours until both were beyond exhausted and absolutely had to land. She adored the sensation, however, for it brought her infinitely closer to the wind eagle.
The only thing she struggled with was the pain flying brought. Her side would burn like hai's fire when they finally landed and leave her whimpering miserably the remainder of the day and at times that night. Thankfully, though, the Endal aeries had their own wash rooms and Vira had been able to enjoy long and luxurious soaks in these to help sweep away her discomfort for a time. It loosened the muscles in her body and helped her to relax.
She had not gone to see Kovac since she had shown up at his door that morning after they had bonded, though it was not by choice. Had she been able to, she would have spent her free time with him to just talk about the experience, glad that he would provide her company others had so often refused or declined to her. But their schedules were hard to match up, and as was expected of a new rider, there was much training to be done. She had been warned that much of the season, when not spent hunting in the wilds, would be spent with the rest of the Flight learning training maneuvers.
While she had not been tasked with training maneuvers this time, Vira had been assigned a block of time in the ranges with a few other newly bonded men and women. Most of them were Yasi, but there was one woman who was a few years older than Vira that would be there. So it was that as Syna began to rise and spread her light and early autumn light across northern Kalea, the teen slipped from her bed and went to the closet to get dressed.
From the hangars, she pulled one of her standard vinati and grabbed a folded bryda from the shelf below, the dark brown turning nearly to black in the darkness of the closet. The clothes were of finer quality than she was used to, but understood it came from her position now, a seasonal provision to ensure that the cities primary providers were well taken care of, no matter their skill or experience.
Both articles were placed on the bed, though the vinati was taken back up almost immediately. Vira took this and slipped her arms through the straps and then twisted awkwardly to secure it between her shoulders, grunting at the strain it put on her still healing right side. She managed to get the first hook in place before having to relax, dropping her right shoulder and tightly closing her eyes until the agony dissipated.
With an exhale, she rotated her arms behind her back again at finished the hooks quickly, returning her arms to her front immediately after. Her right hand, however, moved to cover the spot where the skin had been pulled off over her ribs, her breath hissing through clenched teeth. The act of dressing had become a difficult task now where before it had been ritualistic.
Allowing herself several chimes to recover, Vira eventually took her bryda from the bed and unfolded it, shaking out the legs. From there, she would roll down the waist and the legs until she could set it on the floor before her; after that, the teen set her right foot through the right leg and the left foot through the left leg and methodically rolled the article up both legs, slowly straightening as she neared her hips and eventually wiggling them to settle them on place.
Smoothing the material out habitually, she left the sleeping chamber and went to the bathing area where her brush and comb were typically kept. The morning ritual still had yet to be finished. Once inside, Vira grabbed up the brush and began the longer task of brushing out the straight length of tangerine and red hair. One stroke, two stroke, ten stroke. She counted with her eyes closed each brush, moving the object over slightly each time so that every strand was included without default.
The chore took nearly a full bell to finish, but once she was done, not only was her hair brushed, but it had been done up into the common bun-braid so that the weight of hair would not get in her way at the Ranges. The feather she commonly wore between her shoulders was fetched from her room, then, and the leather piece upon it was wrapped around the braid so that the feather stuck past the top of her left ear. This would bring attention to her seeing eye in the process!
With the dressing activity completed, the teen went to the kitchen and pulled some jerky from the cold storage, leaving it on the table for Tulaj (who had not made his aggressive appearance just yet). He would now have a snack and not tear up anything in the Aerie for being hungry, even if the daft bird could hunt on his own!
Only after this point would Vira sweep the room with her eyes to look for anything out of order before she grabbed her bow that leaned against the wall to the right of the door, and left. It was time to train!
The morning sun had yet to breach the mountains surrounding Wind Reach, it barely peeking over the line of the ocean binding Thunder Bay to Storm Sea. It blinked and flickered and crept, crimson rays rolling slowly across the waters. The gentle wind that tickled at the pine forests of the Bay moved inland, brushing the stone path of the Valley and up the mountainside before eventually reaching the city of the eagle riders.
It was the third day since their bonding, the emotional high they had been on these last few days finally begining to taper off. To say it had not been exciting would have been unfair! Mohya was a wonderful creature whose mysteries were boundless. Vira longed to know her more, that quiet bird that she had for over a year tried to get to open up to her, but understood when the eagle could not provide her the answers she sought. It did not discourage Vira from riding her as often as she could, the harness often leaving chaffs on her legs and hands where they had flown for hours until both were beyond exhausted and absolutely had to land. She adored the sensation, however, for it brought her infinitely closer to the wind eagle.
The only thing she struggled with was the pain flying brought. Her side would burn like hai's fire when they finally landed and leave her whimpering miserably the remainder of the day and at times that night. Thankfully, though, the Endal aeries had their own wash rooms and Vira had been able to enjoy long and luxurious soaks in these to help sweep away her discomfort for a time. It loosened the muscles in her body and helped her to relax.
She had not gone to see Kovac since she had shown up at his door that morning after they had bonded, though it was not by choice. Had she been able to, she would have spent her free time with him to just talk about the experience, glad that he would provide her company others had so often refused or declined to her. But their schedules were hard to match up, and as was expected of a new rider, there was much training to be done. She had been warned that much of the season, when not spent hunting in the wilds, would be spent with the rest of the Flight learning training maneuvers.
While she had not been tasked with training maneuvers this time, Vira had been assigned a block of time in the ranges with a few other newly bonded men and women. Most of them were Yasi, but there was one woman who was a few years older than Vira that would be there. So it was that as Syna began to rise and spread her light and early autumn light across northern Kalea, the teen slipped from her bed and went to the closet to get dressed.
From the hangars, she pulled one of her standard vinati and grabbed a folded bryda from the shelf below, the dark brown turning nearly to black in the darkness of the closet. The clothes were of finer quality than she was used to, but understood it came from her position now, a seasonal provision to ensure that the cities primary providers were well taken care of, no matter their skill or experience.
Both articles were placed on the bed, though the vinati was taken back up almost immediately. Vira took this and slipped her arms through the straps and then twisted awkwardly to secure it between her shoulders, grunting at the strain it put on her still healing right side. She managed to get the first hook in place before having to relax, dropping her right shoulder and tightly closing her eyes until the agony dissipated.
With an exhale, she rotated her arms behind her back again at finished the hooks quickly, returning her arms to her front immediately after. Her right hand, however, moved to cover the spot where the skin had been pulled off over her ribs, her breath hissing through clenched teeth. The act of dressing had become a difficult task now where before it had been ritualistic.
Allowing herself several chimes to recover, Vira eventually took her bryda from the bed and unfolded it, shaking out the legs. From there, she would roll down the waist and the legs until she could set it on the floor before her; after that, the teen set her right foot through the right leg and the left foot through the left leg and methodically rolled the article up both legs, slowly straightening as she neared her hips and eventually wiggling them to settle them on place.
Smoothing the material out habitually, she left the sleeping chamber and went to the bathing area where her brush and comb were typically kept. The morning ritual still had yet to be finished. Once inside, Vira grabbed up the brush and began the longer task of brushing out the straight length of tangerine and red hair. One stroke, two stroke, ten stroke. She counted with her eyes closed each brush, moving the object over slightly each time so that every strand was included without default.
The chore took nearly a full bell to finish, but once she was done, not only was her hair brushed, but it had been done up into the common bun-braid so that the weight of hair would not get in her way at the Ranges. The feather she commonly wore between her shoulders was fetched from her room, then, and the leather piece upon it was wrapped around the braid so that the feather stuck past the top of her left ear. This would bring attention to her seeing eye in the process!
With the dressing activity completed, the teen went to the kitchen and pulled some jerky from the cold storage, leaving it on the table for Tulaj (who had not made his aggressive appearance just yet). He would now have a snack and not tear up anything in the Aerie for being hungry, even if the daft bird could hunt on his own!
Only after this point would Vira sweep the room with her eyes to look for anything out of order before she grabbed her bow that leaned against the wall to the right of the door, and left. It was time to train!
