Open [Sanctuary] Leaf Litter

[Dust]

Fall 85, 513 AV afternoon Fall brought with it a lot of things -- late vegetables, clouds and cooler weather, the promise of impending Winter -- but above all else, the hallmark of the season was leaves. Brown leaves for the most part, the dull cast-offs of oaks and poplars, with the occasional shock of more vibrant shades from the leaves of maple or ash. Though Sanctuary was separated by pasture and wall from the woods, the forest had a lot of leaves to shed, and the wind often lofted them over the wall to collect around the buildings and in the corners. Hence Dust, armed this afternoon with a wooden rake and an abundance of energy. She had left her cloak inside, and the nip of the autumn breeze now almost made her regret that choice -- but as long as she kept moving, it wasn't chilly enough to really bother. She hadn't started raking yet, but rather began with a survey of the grounds, the rake held upside-down at her side, its handle leaning against her shoulder. Walking the wall and the spaces between buildings, poking her head around all corners, Dust scouted out the lay of the leaves. You could tell where the wind blew by how they piled up -- or maybe it was where the leaves came from. Or, for that matter, both things. The lee sides of the wall and each building were all but devoid of leaves, while they huddled against the windward sides opposite. The Kelvic debated with herself whether to collect them all in one large pile, or a number of smaller piles throughout the grounds; the first sounded better, putting them all in one place to be taken care of, but when she thought about it, Sanctuary really was bigger than it often seemed. Maybe she didn't want to push all the leaves that far. ...Well, if nothing else, she could just get started and address that when it became an actual issue. Coming back about to the courtyard, Dust decided to begin there, central as the location was. Lowering the rake and setting tines to ground, she started teasing leaves out from alongside the barn, a surprisingly more difficult task than it seemed like it should be. Grab leaves with rake, pull into pile -- but leaves, after all, had no thickness and a tendency to flutter away when they caught air just so. She had only just moved to reclaim those first escapees when Chalce emerged from Within; Dust promptly disregarded the leaves and offered the woman a cheery hello, followed with the question of do you want me to help. The Inarta smiled slightly, shook her head, and then gestured a directive too familiar -- too frequently used -- to need verbalization: Pay attention to your task. Dust offered a wry grin, and returned her attention to herding leaves... or most of it, watching from the edge of her vision as Chalce continued on to the mews.

[Caelum]

Caelum had stood in the shadow of the doorway for a minute, watching Dust set out to conquer the leaves. After Chalce disappeared into the mews, he himself vanished back into the Within. A few chimes later he reappeared, striding across loose hipped and long legged across the courtyard with a what looked like the most gnarled and worn wool sweater in the history of Mizahar in his hands. It was soft as clouds, however, and the color of pond water when it reflected back up at a winter sky, well faded from a thousand washings. "This shouldn't hamper you," he said in place of a greeting. The sweater was offered out to Dust with a faint smile when he halted beside her. It was obviously his own and smelled thickly of sun and green things, the aromas that always seemed to cling to him. "And it'll keep you warm," he encouraged. He tilted his head, carnelian strips of hair ruffling in the breeze, to take a gander at the leaves and the kelvic's industry. Long fingered hands fell to his hips as he squinted over the courtyard and then returned his attention to Dust. "I'd rather snow," he opined, dry as dust, before curving about on his heel to disappear into the barn. A short chime later he reappeared, a rake of his own in hand. It was a job that needed doing and raking was a good, servicable way to strengthen muscles.

[Vanator]

A screech overhead announced Larik's passing, the Kelvic raptor zooming just high enough to clear the walls, crossing the facility from the horse gate across to the main gate and out over the pasture and woodlands beyond. Behind him, Vanator rode through the open horse gate on Sirocco. The Denusk men had been checking on the herds in the patches of fenced grazing land around Sanctuary, and now Vanator and his Strider arrived, late for lunch and hungry.

Spotting Dust and Caelum standing in the courtyard, Van rode up to them and slid from his yvas, landing with the thud of riding boots, the jangle of chainmail and creak of leather. His smile broadened as he greeted his friends. "Good afternoon!" Gold-flecked dark eyes bounced from the rake in the Kelvic's hand to the worn sweater in the Eth's. "Nice sweater, looks comfy," Van jibed idly at Caelum, patting him on the back, his grin turning wry before addressing Dust. "If you are going to rake up all these leaves, you have a monumental task ahead of you. Let me unload Sirocco and grab a quick bite, and I will be out to help you."

With that, Van whistled to the Strider stallion, who followed the Drykas anxiously to the barn to be relieved of the yvas. After removing the yvas and gear, Vanator fetched his favorite grooming brush. Aweston appeared next to him, a wide smile on his face. "Let me brush him down, Van." The adopted Denusk asked. Sirocco liked the younger Drykas, who knew how to handle a Strider. Vanator agreed, gathered his gear, and headed back out towards the tunnel to the Within. He nodded again to Dust and Caelum as he slipped through the doorway to stash his stuff and grab lunch.