Flashback Off to See the Wilderness

[Neyasi Tillandsia]

23 of the Day, Spring of 508 A.V.

The creepy-crawly shadows of twilight crept closer and closer, until they touched the bare toes of Neyasi's sandal-clad feet, bringing with them the chill of early spring, when it held no gentle warmth, nor bitter cold, but simply a mildly unpleasant chill that lifted the hairs on her arms and legs, turning her nose red, and numbing her ears. The young Symenestra female sank further into her cloak, sneezing loudly.

Across the small pile of twigs and dry leaves, Vordinan looked up at her, amusement crossing his face. "Still cold?" He asked, adjusting his sitting position, so that he could continue to work on the fire that had yet to be made. Neyasi chose, rather indignantly, not to respond to that. For a moment. "Yeah." She finally sighed, rubbing her face vigorously so as to bring back the feeling.

Vordinan grinned, before taking up the flint and steel, preparing to light the fire. "You should pay attention, Neyasi. You need to learn this." He said, glancing up at her once more, his cold grey eyes serious. Neyasi sighed, and lurched onto her knees, crawling closer so she could see. She watched Vordinan, as he struck the flint against the stone, and sparks flew, causing her to lurch backwards.

Vordinan's eyebrows went up, and he held out the flint and stone. "You try." He said, nodding towards the objects held in his hand. Neyasi blinked once, before taking the items from him, and holding them awkwardly. Vordinan sighed. "Like this, Neyasi." He said, reached across to fix the positioning of her hands. Neyasi glanced up at him doubtfully, before striking them together, rather awkwardly. "You won't get any sparks like that. Bash them together, but move them in opposite directions." Vordinan instructed.

Neyasi looked down, eyebrows knitting together in concentration, before striking them together, the flint moving down, the steel moving up, their surfaces grinding together in an agitatingly-loud sound. As if by some miracle, a few white-hot sparks flew, touching down on the twigs, which had begun to smoke, and then they began to glow. Vordinan grinned, before bending down low, so that he could shield the pile with his hands, and blow ever so gently on it to get it going.

"Neyasi, think you can add some more twigs? They're over thee, the small, thin ones, and a maybe a couple of the larger." Vordinan said, motioning towards the pile of sticks. Neyasi dutifully took up three of the small sticks, and two of the medium-sized ones, turning, and carefully poking them towards the glow, as the first tiny blue flames started to reach up, turning orange as they began to devour the new fuel.

The pile grew larger, the sticks turning into logs, as Vordinan and Neyasi built it up with the flames, until their fire crackled merrily before them, and Neyasi sank bank into her cloak against the tree, rubbing her arms. "Better?" Vordinan asked, grinning at her. Neyasi shook her head, attempting to smother a smile. "I guess so." She said, staring into the flames, almost as if hypnotized.

[Neyasi Tillandsia]

After a few moments, Vordinan spoke again. "Y'know, Neyasi, you should probably learn more about survival." He said slowly, almost as if he was having the discussion with himself, than with the young Symenestra female. She sat up a little. "Why?" She asked, giving him a quizzical look. Vordinan sighed. "You're going to be doing a lot of traveling, if you want to find your father, Neyasi. You have to know how to survive on your own." Vordinan said.

As he spoke he stood, and began to wander a little ways into the woods, examining thin tree saplings along the way. Neyasi rose, and followed him, to continue the conversation. "But you know how to survive, right?" She asked, watching him examining a stout, solid sapling, a little thinner than her neck. "Yes, but I am limited you know, and besides, I'm... Not always going to be here." He said, and it seemed that he was avoiding her gaze, as he pulled out a jagged dagger, and pushed the tip into the bark, testing its resistance.

"What do you mean? You're a Nuit." Neyasi said, oblivious to what he was attempting to get across to her. Vordinan sighed. "You're not planning on leaving me, are you?" Neyasi asked, suddenly worried. Would he try to leave her by herself? She wouldn't survive, if he did. She just knew it. Vordinan turned his head to look her in the eye. "No. I made a promise, Neyasi. I'm going to stay with you until the end." He said quietly. "But it's not impossible for Nuit to die a second time, you know."

Vordinan began to crudely saw through the tree with the jagged dagger, looking up towards the top of the sapling. Neyasi fell silent. "So what are you doing?" She asked, suddenly taking an interest in what he was doing. Vordinan glanced at her, before looking back at what he was doing. "Getting the materials to build a bed." He said after a moment. "You're going to build a bed?" Neyasi asked curiously.

"Not a real bed. Just a raised platform so the ground doesn't suck out your body heat." Vordinan said, as the sapling came down with a thud. Vordinan grabbed one end, and started to drag it back to the fire. "Never go too far from your fire. It will help protect you from wild animals. And if it doesn't, stay near a tree so you can climb it in a hurry." He said, depositing the sapling next to the fire.

"Couldn't I just sleep in a tree?" Neyasi asked, looking up at the canopy above her. Vordinan snorted. "Sure, if you fancy falling out in the middle of the night. A fall like that will shatter you, Neyasi. I don't care if you can cling to any surface. If you're asleep, you're going to fall out." He said, examining the length, and shifting over to the other end to cut it down to the right length.

"Can I try?" Neyasi asked curiously. Vordinan looked up at her, pausing, before flipping the dagger in his hand, and handing it to her, handle-first. Neyasi took it, and knelt down beside him, putting the blade to the niche where Vordinan had started, and she began to saw, the motion grating on her arm, and, after a nudge from Vordinan, she started to saw faster, her hand beginning to turn red and sting.

At the last, she sat back, and looked up at Vordinan, who grinned. "Not bad. Come on, we need more." He said, rising to his feet. With a sigh, Neyasi followed suit.