Solo Who's The Fool? Part I

[Merevaika]

Merevaika

67th Fall 515

Her heartbeat rose as she dropped to the ground, arms out shoulder width and body as straight as she could make it. Bending her arms, she held her breath, before releasing it, now inches of the ground. With all her strength she pushed herself back up, arms vibrating with the effort required. She repeated, struggling to keep herself steady, focusing on her breathing as much as the task she was on.

She had only reached the third push-up when the man came over, observing the woman on the ground as much as her campsite. The tent was old and worn, but still sturdy, open door flapping in the wind. Inside, the possessions were still neatly in their places, waiting for their next use. Outside, it was fairly empty, the remains of a smoldering fire towards the centre and around the whole lot were several stones, marking out the area which she had claimed for herself. Not too big, but not too small either. There was space for the puppies to run around, and that's what they were doing before the man had come. Now, they sniffed at his boots curiously, tails hitting his leg with the same playful clumsiness which they still had.

Merevaika brushed off the dirt from her clothing, hoping she didn't look too messy. She rarely had visitors, and when they did, they came for business, not for friendly chats. She looked the man up and down: a fellow Drykas, windmarks peering out onto his neck, obviously the ends of a much larger tattoo behind the clothing he wore. He nodded solemnly, placing a fist on his chest as a sign of respect, and she copied him, a silence replacing her exercise.
Finally he spoke, a dark, deep voice rolling effortlessly of his tongue. "Are you Merevaika Stormchaser, wilderness guide?"

Her answer was a simple affirmative.

"I am Godwin Swiftmind, of the Topaz clan. I wish to hire your services, to guide my father to the grave of his wife."

She remained silent and still, the only movement the slight finger strokes as she kept Denviel near her, not trusting this man. There was something about him that didn't seem right.

"Will you be able to help me?" he asked after no response, impatiently, as if his plans had been ruined. But what plans? What was he scheming? Merevaika stared blankly back, before giving in to the need to work. She needed to get some money, and any work was good work.

“I will.” Simple, blunt, but what more did it need to be? Merevaika had no knowledge about this man other than what he had just revealed, and didn’t feel like idle chatter. “If you provide the right price.”

At this the man smirked, “Of course! Anything you ask!” His reply was earnest, but sly, and she felt her mistrust growing. Her gut grew heavy and she felt Denviel growling lightly through the fur on his back, and pulled him near. She didn’t know why this man would be so willing to give up as much as she demanded. Was he trying to be polite and hospitable? Did he mean what he said? Merevaika really didn’t trust him, and neither did her animals. And they always knew who to trust.

[Merevaika]

Merevaika

They had arranged to meet by her tent the following morning, with the man providing supplies for the two day journey. She had agreed, surprised with his generosity, but fully suspicious about it. It wasn’t often that she had a customer who provided food for herself, but instead she was expected to hunt for them. It was strange, and if it was any other, she might have enjoyed it, but this man just didn’t seem trustworthy.

The following morning, she awoke long before Syna, gathering up her bedroll and yvas bags, leaving the majority of things behind with Kei and two of the puppies. She trusted them enough to look after her possessions while she left them for a few days. In the bags she stuffed a grooming kit and her knife, deciding that that was all she would need, if the man was to provide the rest of the supplies.

To the pile she added her bow and quiver, before turning to Eryunt, ready to tack him up. In the pale light of morning, she felt for the yvas blanket, the large, warm mix of greens and blacks, spiralling in leaf shapes. She had paid a lot for it, all those years ago, and had been gifted with a strong, well-made possession that kept Eryunt warm and comfortable. A small hole had worn its way at the bottom corner, but that was the only sign of tear, the only sign that it would one day need replacing. It settled on his back, which had been brushed well, no more stones or dirt, and the yvas fitted on top, the bags attached. When her client arrived, she could leave.

He came soon enough, an old man riding a docile claybank mare, with a similar, younger horse behind that carried his possessions and equipment. He was older than most the Drykas to be found, deaths young and early due to the dangers of the grasses, but he still looked fully capable to take a short journey. Then again, safety came in numbers and perhaps his family was too preoccupied with preparing for winter to be able to take him.

His face was wizened with wrinkles and scars, a predominent white line trailing down his cheekbones to chin. Hair fell in thick grey scraggles around his face, but the majority was tied back. Sporting a short goatee, he had the look of a man past his prime. His clothes were large and grey, sporting intricate gold patterns along the ends, and a leather strap hung around his neck, ending with a topaz.

One hand rested on his knee, the other clutched a quarterstaff made from old, dark wood. He stared at her blankly, waiting for her to make the first move, and she did the same, waiting for an introduction. When it didn’t come, she took it upon herself to speak. “My name is Merevaika Stormchaser, your guide. I hope you find your journey pleasant.”

“Juniper Swiftmind.” His words were blunt and simple. No more to be said, Merevaika mounted Eryunt, taking them out towards the Knotted Gates with the essence of a silent march, a pilgrimage to the Sea of Grass.
The grass rustled beneath the hooves of the horses, and small animals scurried from them, mice disturbed from their hiding places. Her bow and quiver rested on her back, itching to be taken and used, but it was not the time to hunt. It was the time to guide.

[Merevaika]

Merevaika

When the work had been arranged, the final destination had been arranged - it was to be the grave of the man's dead wife, a woman who he had loved dearly until her life was taken by freak accident. They had created a large stone monument for her, covering the few possessions that had meant the most to her. It was located a day's ride away from Endrykas, in a purely north-easterly direction, but she had been assured that Juniper would know where to go.

This made the journey feel more like she was the guided, rather than the guide. He moved swiftly, the ground almost nonexistent under the horse's hooves, and she didn't feel comfortable doing anything other than follow, looking out for danger. The man stayed to his thoughts, mourning his loved one, and Merevaika stayed to her job, missing the playful conversations that sometimes filled her life.

They made a short break on a large hill, a perfect vantage point surveying the great expanse before them. A small stream curled around its base, providing water and shelter for the animals that rested there; a young pronghorn and its mother who had first been agitated at their arrival now basked in the midday sun at ease, enjoying the warmest weather they could find.

Juniper had led his two horses to the stream, and they were contently satisfying their thirst, hooves imprinting in the mud the familiar tracks that filled her home. Eryunt had been led beside them, and remained peaceful, unlike the puppy by his feet. Mika scampered around him, ridding the surrounding areas of any birds nestled in the grass; the last few trickled out at his excited yaps, moving to a calmer location.

The two Drykas rested upon the hill, Juniper snacking on a piece of meat, most likely left over from a hunt the previous day. Merevaika went hungry, ignoring her stomach's growls. Despite her initial thoughts, there wasn't much food, and she had decided to leave it for the man who needed it more - the younger woman had youth in her to keep her going. He still remained silent, eyes tunnels to the torment inside. His face remained sullen and steady, mouth creased so the corners pointed down. She had tried to decipher his feelings, but other than the mourning of his wife, she had nothing, so she turned to the landscape.

Apart from the pronghorns, and their own animals, it seemed deserted, but the noises of life were there. There was the sound of the grass, whispering its secrets to wind, and beyond that were the light sound of crickets. In the distance, the faint sound of a elk's bugle could be heard, and closer up was the noise of coyote, a few barks and yips that were just made out. There was no sign of them to the eye, but time as an elk revealed that sight was only one sense. There were more to be considered.

Eventually, the rest was over, and they left, leaving nothing behind but footprints. The path was well worn into the ground, a path carved by rabbits and hares. It meant water nearby, which meant more prey, more predators. A small nest in the grass. Another elk bugle. The world was bursting with life, bursting with creatures, and they were there to be seen, if you were ready to see them. Merevaika believed she was.

[Merevaika]

Merevaika

Juniper stopped suddenly, and she blinked to regain concentration on what was happening. He pointed down to the ground, then to the distance, no words said. None were needed, as it was all clearly written on the ground. Glassbeak tracks, wide spaced, yet relatively fresh as the marks were clear, not yet worn away by the Sea of Grass. It added up slowly with the other signs - a mutilated corpse, half picked clean of the flesh, and the trodden down grass around, a path pushed through. They would have to tread carefully, eyes peeled.

Merevaika couldn't help feeling foolish at not spotting it sooner. After all, even with the two travelers, it felt oddly empty, the only signs of life only signs, not life itself. A great predator like a glassbeak would empty the area around, for no creature would dare to cross its path. And there were passing through the land it roamed, easy pickings if it found them.

Thankfully, it appeared like the glassbeak had left that particular section, and their journey was undisturbed. Slowly, life appeared, actual life, rather than the leftovers and noises. A coyote through the grass. A herd of elk in the far distance, more like a brown smudge, but there all the same. They had passed the danger, and it was gone now, but she was careful not to let down her guard. Always vigilant, always observant. That was the way it was.

Juniper turned to follow the stream, and Merevaika followed him, shifting her balance to get Eryunt to do the same. On her lap rested the puppy, who had long tired of the run, and now rode with the Drykas, who kept her legs loose and used her body weight to guide her strider.

It was around the 17th bell now, and the sky was gradually darkening. Soon, they would have to reach the grave, or make a stop overnight, for traveling then was more dangerous and more risky. Juniper knew this too, and had sped up, quickening their pace. They traveled even more swiftly now, and she no longer could focus on the minute details they passed. There was added urgency to the journey, and she could do nothing but ride along at his pace, collecting her thoughts and preparing to stop.

At last, Syna had let the last of her rays stroke the grasses with their warm look, and the orange and purple light pooled over them, shifting as Leth slowly took up his domain. It was time for Akajia to come and bring night, with its shadows and darkness. Night was to come, bringing all her secrets with it.

[Merevaika]

Merevaika

If she had believed day held so many signs of life, night appeared to hold all of them. Crickets were loud and clear now, nocturnal animals rustling in the grasses as they awoke from their slumbers and let themselves adjust to their lives. Howls filling the air, directed towards Leth as sorrowful prayers, the wolves' way of asking for strength and courage and skill and whatever else they needed to help their hunt. It was now that Juniper gave up with the ride, stopping his horse by a large ravine on one side, where the ground had opened up to reveal the depths of Semele. The scar ran about ten metres, a couple wide at the thickest point, and disappeared into darkness, the bottom hidden, hiding secrets from the onlooker.

She aided him with untacking the horses, pulling the yvas bags off them and preparing their camp. An area was cleared for the fire, the dry grasses prepared for it easily setting alight and filling the sky with a deep amber glow, a single tendril of smoke trailing up to the sky. With the warmth of the fire on their backs, they pitched their tents, small, one man shelterd marked with the golden stitching of the topaz clan. They were snug and cozy, and would be warm when her body heat heated it.

First however came broth. There was one pot, which she filled with water before adding the traveler's stock and the bones that the man had brought. There were a few carrots too, which she choppped and prepared as Juniper packed his possessions into his tent and tended the horses, walking them around to calm them down.

The smell of the meal soon filled the camp, and the two sat on opposite ends of the fire, bowls filled with the broth. It was watery and boiling to the tongue, but they sipped it slowly, savouring the heat.

Once finished, they left the fire to slowly burn out, still smoking when they came to their bedrolls, heads heavy and eyelids ready to close. Merevaika dreamt dreams of wolves that night, their howls echoing through the landscape, overpowering the rest.

And the wind whistled, and the crickets hummed. And the men moved silently, not a sound to be heard.

[Tribal]

G R A D E S

Merevaika

Experience

• Bodybuilding: 1
• Observation: 2
• Persuasion: 1
• Organisation: 1
• Socialisation: 1
• Logic: 1
• Leadership: 1

Lore

• Merevaika: Will work for the right price
• Juniper Swiftmind: A man in need of a guide
• Leadership: Going without food so that weaker members can eat
• Tracking: The size and gait of Glassbeak tracks

Notes

Word Count: 2514

Hi, Merevaika. I seriously hope this was not a job thread because I think you can do a hell of a lot better, especially after the last grade I did for you which was amazing. You need to make the PC more active in seeing, hearing, doing things. There were a lot of times I could see you working towards skill points but couldn't award any because Merevaika wasn't watering her horse, or looking at the old man, or listening to her surrounding, or actively hunting (post 3). A lot of the time she was just following the old man's lead (I could have awarded him more points in most cases). Don't rush job threads; they can be a lot of fun, especially in the line of work Mere is in!

If your next instalment is a repeat of this I'm going to smack you with a post rather than a grade and liven things up a bit! (I don't know if that’s a threat so much as a temptation! lol). Come on girl! I've seen some amazing work from you. Wow me.