90th of Spring, 515 A.V.
There was something about the ever present and skin deep cold that drove Tinnok into the deepest of sleep when she could finally find it, as if her subconcious sought to escape the chill of the wind more desperately than her physical body. She was glad for the deep unconsciousness she found there, but not for the dreams that found her there. Tonight's was a re-run of a nightmare she had been having off and on as her and Tsuya traveled through the steep climbs and harsh barren lands they had been met with so far in this land called Kalea.
She stood in the middle of a circle of corpses, each one she recognized. They blended two events together, when she had met the Dhani Witch in the woods and sided with him against her brethren, and those who sought to take revenge upon her for those very actions. Both parties had met their demise, her mostly responsible for...all of their deaths, sent back into Dira's embrace where she would put their souls back into the bodies of new Myrians to grow and live again, perhaps more sure than they ever had been of how treacherous and dangerous Dhani blood really was.
They were almost beautiful in the circle, all laying neatly out, their wounds displayed in a dappled sunlight, the ground stained a warm crimson. Despite the macabre beauty of it, Tinnok's heart was nearly still with fear, because even though she was having the dream she was not aware of its repetition, she still could somehow sense what would happen next. And that was each body slowly rising from its serene position, eyes glaring at her, mouths moving in seething whispers that darted violently into her ears. Her hands grabbed at her sides, but she was weaponless, and then her body froze, and she was powerless to do anything but watch as her victims rose, arming themselves, and drawing near.
The first strike was from a corpse at her back, a long diagonal cut behind her shoulder blades that broke her paralysis only to allow her to fall onto her knees with a pained scream. Her hands balled into fists, and a strong foot knocked her onto her side, another foot breaking her ribs, which was when she realized she could no longer breathe. She stared out into the shadows beyond her ring of adversaries searching for the form she felt, and saw its shadow, tall and looming, white hot eyes of judgment staring down at her. More than the physical pain she felt the eyes pull something out of her, her shame, for they held no disappointment or surprise in them, they knew from the day she was born what she would become, why hadn't she?
Tinnok shot up as the dim light of dawn filtered in through the cavern entrance. Beside her, curled up in many layers of cloth she had bought specifically for their journey, Tsuya mumbled something and began to shift awake. Tinnok knew that this journey had been hard for the young girl, yet she rarely complained, Tinnok was afraid that her charge was gaining a few too many traits from her mentor.
The girl had most of the blankets, as Tinnok had almost immediately and consistently begun to morph fur over the length of her body once they reached the mountains. At first the fur was the only type she knew, that of the Akila hound, and a mixed variant that was thicker and silkier based on her experience with the Ethereal Jaguar, but though their was a marked drop in wildlife, Tinnok did well to learn from the creatures they encountered, most notably and recently massive mountain goats that Tinnok had no name for, though Tsuya did. The Halfbreed Witch referred to them as Tsong, when Tsuya asked her what it meant, Tinnok explained it meant 'horned dog' which sent the young girl into a laughing fit, and led to both of them referring to the goats as such. Their fur was multi layered, and the thick garment perfect for the wind and cold. What Tinnok could not yet replicate was the strange oily substance that lay within it, not sure what its properties lended other than a measure of water proofing. Regardless her every day had become being most entirely furred, the longer goat hair in any choice areas, such as feet and hands, and thinner fur around her face and underneath some of her clothes. The only exception was bare skin directly around her eyes and mouth, because she could not bear the itchiness it created.
She was a bit leery of the day where she would try to retract the fur, as it had become a semi-permanent part of her. She did shift its form and colors, working to perfect the perfect fit and level of warmth, but the idea of removing her longest ever shift was worrisome.
The good thing was it was rarely the most important worry in her mind. She and Tsuya rose, rolling their bedrolls, and blankets, now accustomed to the system, and experts at folding everything as neatly and small as they could manage. Tsuya had her own bag, and Tinnok had the brunt of their goods. Tinnok pulled a few slices of frozen meat from the entrance of the cave, remnants of a bird she had pounced upon, and stirred the embers of what was once a fire to soften up the meat slightly, adding a handful of nuts to their morning meal. One addition to the weight she carried, was any sticks or twigs she could find. Even the smallest of fires she found was a great comfort on the cold nights in Kalea, and occasionally the two would find a dead, or wind beaten tree which usually meant a warmer and happier evening.
After breakfast, she made sure Tsuya and her got some water into their bodies before setting out. Tsuya had an ordeal every morning to attach her harness, and get on her climbing gear. Tinnok carried several of the pitons with her, but largely relied on her morphing to aid in her climb, Tsuya, however, could do no such thing. The claws in additions to the specialized gloves, the toes she could attach to her boots, made her prepared for most anything. Tinnok still feared for the girl anytime they faced a steep face, but she had only fallen twice, and neither resulting in a serious injury. Nevertheless, Tinnok let the girl go ahead, and she followed behind always. She had also learned that going down a steep mountain incline was far scarier than ascending.
Today, Tsuya kept her claws, pitons, and rope hanging from her side, as they had ascended to get to this cavern, and had a bumpy difficult way to go, but that seemed flat compared to Tinnok had witnessed thus far in her journey across Kalea. It was cloudy when they emerged from their cave, but Tinnok could tell where the light of the sun was coming from, and continued as she had out of Falyndar, due North, still with no particular point in mind except to cross the rocky land before them.
Not for the first time did she doubt her resolve in leaving the jungle as the wind pulled at her jacket and fur, feeling the full brunt of the cold in the bare area of her face.
c
There was something about the ever present and skin deep cold that drove Tinnok into the deepest of sleep when she could finally find it, as if her subconcious sought to escape the chill of the wind more desperately than her physical body. She was glad for the deep unconsciousness she found there, but not for the dreams that found her there. Tonight's was a re-run of a nightmare she had been having off and on as her and Tsuya traveled through the steep climbs and harsh barren lands they had been met with so far in this land called Kalea.
She stood in the middle of a circle of corpses, each one she recognized. They blended two events together, when she had met the Dhani Witch in the woods and sided with him against her brethren, and those who sought to take revenge upon her for those very actions. Both parties had met their demise, her mostly responsible for...all of their deaths, sent back into Dira's embrace where she would put their souls back into the bodies of new Myrians to grow and live again, perhaps more sure than they ever had been of how treacherous and dangerous Dhani blood really was.
They were almost beautiful in the circle, all laying neatly out, their wounds displayed in a dappled sunlight, the ground stained a warm crimson. Despite the macabre beauty of it, Tinnok's heart was nearly still with fear, because even though she was having the dream she was not aware of its repetition, she still could somehow sense what would happen next. And that was each body slowly rising from its serene position, eyes glaring at her, mouths moving in seething whispers that darted violently into her ears. Her hands grabbed at her sides, but she was weaponless, and then her body froze, and she was powerless to do anything but watch as her victims rose, arming themselves, and drawing near.
The first strike was from a corpse at her back, a long diagonal cut behind her shoulder blades that broke her paralysis only to allow her to fall onto her knees with a pained scream. Her hands balled into fists, and a strong foot knocked her onto her side, another foot breaking her ribs, which was when she realized she could no longer breathe. She stared out into the shadows beyond her ring of adversaries searching for the form she felt, and saw its shadow, tall and looming, white hot eyes of judgment staring down at her. More than the physical pain she felt the eyes pull something out of her, her shame, for they held no disappointment or surprise in them, they knew from the day she was born what she would become, why hadn't she?
Tinnok shot up as the dim light of dawn filtered in through the cavern entrance. Beside her, curled up in many layers of cloth she had bought specifically for their journey, Tsuya mumbled something and began to shift awake. Tinnok knew that this journey had been hard for the young girl, yet she rarely complained, Tinnok was afraid that her charge was gaining a few too many traits from her mentor.
The girl had most of the blankets, as Tinnok had almost immediately and consistently begun to morph fur over the length of her body once they reached the mountains. At first the fur was the only type she knew, that of the Akila hound, and a mixed variant that was thicker and silkier based on her experience with the Ethereal Jaguar, but though their was a marked drop in wildlife, Tinnok did well to learn from the creatures they encountered, most notably and recently massive mountain goats that Tinnok had no name for, though Tsuya did. The Halfbreed Witch referred to them as Tsong, when Tsuya asked her what it meant, Tinnok explained it meant 'horned dog' which sent the young girl into a laughing fit, and led to both of them referring to the goats as such. Their fur was multi layered, and the thick garment perfect for the wind and cold. What Tinnok could not yet replicate was the strange oily substance that lay within it, not sure what its properties lended other than a measure of water proofing. Regardless her every day had become being most entirely furred, the longer goat hair in any choice areas, such as feet and hands, and thinner fur around her face and underneath some of her clothes. The only exception was bare skin directly around her eyes and mouth, because she could not bear the itchiness it created.
She was a bit leery of the day where she would try to retract the fur, as it had become a semi-permanent part of her. She did shift its form and colors, working to perfect the perfect fit and level of warmth, but the idea of removing her longest ever shift was worrisome.
The good thing was it was rarely the most important worry in her mind. She and Tsuya rose, rolling their bedrolls, and blankets, now accustomed to the system, and experts at folding everything as neatly and small as they could manage. Tsuya had her own bag, and Tinnok had the brunt of their goods. Tinnok pulled a few slices of frozen meat from the entrance of the cave, remnants of a bird she had pounced upon, and stirred the embers of what was once a fire to soften up the meat slightly, adding a handful of nuts to their morning meal. One addition to the weight she carried, was any sticks or twigs she could find. Even the smallest of fires she found was a great comfort on the cold nights in Kalea, and occasionally the two would find a dead, or wind beaten tree which usually meant a warmer and happier evening.
After breakfast, she made sure Tsuya and her got some water into their bodies before setting out. Tsuya had an ordeal every morning to attach her harness, and get on her climbing gear. Tinnok carried several of the pitons with her, but largely relied on her morphing to aid in her climb, Tsuya, however, could do no such thing. The claws in additions to the specialized gloves, the toes she could attach to her boots, made her prepared for most anything. Tinnok still feared for the girl anytime they faced a steep face, but she had only fallen twice, and neither resulting in a serious injury. Nevertheless, Tinnok let the girl go ahead, and she followed behind always. She had also learned that going down a steep mountain incline was far scarier than ascending.
Today, Tsuya kept her claws, pitons, and rope hanging from her side, as they had ascended to get to this cavern, and had a bumpy difficult way to go, but that seemed flat compared to Tinnok had witnessed thus far in her journey across Kalea. It was cloudy when they emerged from their cave, but Tinnok could tell where the light of the sun was coming from, and continued as she had out of Falyndar, due North, still with no particular point in mind except to cross the rocky land before them.
Not for the first time did she doubt her resolve in leaving the jungle as the wind pulled at her jacket and fur, feeling the full brunt of the cold in the bare area of her face.
c
