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[Amunet]

64th of Fall
6th bell
Outskirts of Endrykas

She had wandered around the outskirts and must have passed this stand of straggly bushes with one half grown tree that she finally stopped at. Amunet was not normally indecisive but the events that particular day were stressful to say the least and robbed her of reason. Her hand was wrapped in a cloth. No one had told her that donkeys would pull back or that holding a rope for an extended period of time may cause rope burns.

The girl came off of Shetanae to examine the location. It seemed dry and it had some cover. Till the migration to winter grounds, it would have to do. She started unpacking the donkeys who stood fairly placidly to the side. The one with the big chest was first as she untied it. Her little self was under it as she tried to guide it down but it slid a bit too much backwards and she plopped on her back. The donkey side stepped away from the pile of human limbs with a large chest on her body. She wasn’t exactly hurt minus a couple of bruises on her chest, but it was awkward.

The girl flailed to get the chest off of her chest. Amunet managed to get one leg up and push up to one side and slide the thing off of her. The red head took a breath for a tick or two before getting her four man tent off of the donkey. The rest unloaded fine as they were not as heavy as the large chest. The other tent was rigged for an animal shelter. She started to peg the tent out carefully using a rock to hammer in the stakes before pitching the center of the tent up. That was the hard part. She couldn’t reach the top to secure it to the top pole thingy. Her brothers could do it with ease, but no they couldn’t make tents short girl friendly.

The strangled cry from the writhing fabric of tent as the diminutive little red head came up to try and pitch it up again. The dog and the cat were sitting primly watching the whole thing. Shetanae went to graze nearby. That mare knew when to leave that frustrated little human alone. The tent sagged. She pitched the second tent as it also was not very well put together. She at least could dig the cooking fire pit and line it with rocks to get a fire going. Once she secured the donkeys to graze with Shetanae she finally was able to set the kettle to the fire. She wanted badly a cup of tea.

It was at that point one of the center poles fell out from its spot. She groaned as she went to try and get it straightened out. She thought she might have enough energy to make a porridge dinner but that was about it for her. She did just that as well as fed her six month old hunting cat and her silkena dog. The donkeys she tied with a stone. She would need to braid something into their coarse mane or whatever its called.

Her stuff was loosely placed as she fell into her bed roll after dressing down to her under things. Leia and Camile came around her as she slept with no dreams. She was awakened by the center pole falling on top of her and the weight of the tent was upon her. Leia and Camile somehow made it out before the tent came down completely. She was flailing to find the out.

[Graham Whipmane]

"Good job Fader!" Graham crowed happily, dismounting from his Strider, Cato, quickly to meet his hunting dog as he trotted back to his master's side, a fat hare clutched in his strong jaw. "Now, drop it." He grunted, kneeling before his dog. Fader whined in disappointment, but dropped the hare as he was told, falling back to sit on his haunches as he awaited his treat.

Chuckling, Graham fished around in his coat pocket until he found a scrap of jerky for the dog and held it out, swapping the touch strip of meat for the hare. Standing he cast a quick eye over the carcass, noting with satisfaction that Fader had only pierced the pelt around the rabbit's neck, which he had broken with a fierce shake of the head. He gave the dog a good, thorough scratch behind the ears, noting how skilled the dog was becoming with taking down smaller game. Perhaps I'll have him try to take something larger next time... He wondered to himself as he tied the rabbits back legs together and attaching it to a ring on his Yvas.

Pulling himself back into place on Cato, Graham turned to horse back toward Endrykas, satisfied with the rabbit for his supper. He wasn't far out, close enough to make out the individual tents, and was surprised to see that another two had been put up in the few hours he'd been occupied. The new tents were closer to him than the rest of the city, pitched on the outskirts, and it seemed to be just the lone Drykas, judging from the lone Strider.

As Graham approached as rather strong wind gusted over the grass sea, and as he watched the tent wobbled precariously and then atop it inhabitants collapsed. He couldn't help an amused scoff as a large cat and dog slipped out from under the canvas. Evidently it wasn't as easy for their master to struggle to freedom.

"Hey, you need a hand?" He called down to the stranger from his place on Cato's back. He led the Strider closer without waiting for an answer, and dismounted. "Your tents are leaving a little to be desired." He teased with a chuckle as he came closer, scratching Fader behind the ears as the dog fell into step beside his master.

Graham crouched beside tent, lifting an edge of the canvas so that the woman underneath could crawl out from under the heavy folds of tent. "And don't you think you a bit far off?" He asked, casting a look at the many tents pitched a fair distance behind the woman. She was close enough to be heard if trouble occurred, but this distance was what worried him.

He cast an eye over her little camp, impressed by the progress she had made all on her own. It seemed she had managed to do almost everything besides properly setting the tents.

"Ah, mind my manners!" He grunted as he realise he hadn't yet introduced himself. "I'm Graham, of the Emerald Clan. Pleasure to meet you."

[Amunet]

The chaotic bumps and waves in the tent ceiling seemed to be never ending. 'Where was the blasted opening? Ok wait a tick. Where is that sound coming from? ' Amunet heard the sound of a male voice and a horse. Shetanae nickered a greeting from her grazing location. The hunting cat was six months old. She was a little leggy and still growing. The dog was a sleek Silkena who are known for being sight hunters. She was two years old and an inexperienced huntress. Not that the red head wasn’t trying, but her inexperience was the dog’s inexperience. Still, all the animals were in good shape and healthy.

The offer for help came with a bit of a tease. The girl huffed a sigh as it was going to be one of those. When she saw the opening there was a mixture of embarrassment, relief and sadness on her face. “Thank you.” She said in her quiet voice. She was in nothing but her under things. The little face was marred with bruising on one side of her face. Her long red hair fell loosely about her as it went down her back like a blood red waterfall. The constant sun made streaks of fire in that hair. She looked up into his eyes from her short self and provided a polite sad little smile.

Amunet was relieved that Leia, the cat and Camile, the dog, were unharmed. The exhale of that relief was soft. Now the disaster that was her tents needed tending to. The question of her being out too far was asked. “Its close enough I can get to the River flower. “ The answer was a bit oblique and it was safe.

The man introduced himself. The little woman turned his name over in her head as if seeing if it rang any bells to the families she visited to oversee the pregnancies. It did not bring anything to mind. “It is well to meet you Graham. I am Amunet, Ruby clan.” She was technically still of the clan for what good it did her.

She looked at the collapsed tent and then at the other one meant to be an animal shelter that was not in much better shape. “Graham, if I could prevail upon you to help me with my tents or show me how to get raise them at my height and I will cook breakfast?” The girl offered. It was a tough one to ask, but she had to think of her animals not her pride. Her bandaged hand was evident of the war wounds of battling with rope and gear. Those little toes dug into the soil as she waited for his response. Would he laugh? Would he condemn her for her circumstances? Maybe he was the sort to take advantage. Her daggers were in the tent. ‘Damn.’ The girl turned sideways a little as a wary expression was on her face.

The images of Pratal’s attempts and the manhandling he attempted also was still fresh in her mind. She was still within the Watch’s jurisdiction, but anything could happen. She bit her bottom lip lightly and released it from the top of her teeth. It was a nervous action. “You don’t have to. It was just a suggestion. I can manage. “ She said the last in a bit of a rush as it reflected her nervousness

[Graham Whipmane]

A small, concerned frown tugged at Graham's scruffy face as the young woman crawled out from under the canvas. She was clearly sporting more than one injury, the bruises on her face merely being the most noticeable. He politely averted his eyes from her state of undress and instead surveyed her camp site again. As he had assumed when he first approached, the girl was indeed on her own out here, which caused Graham to become even more concerned with her well-being.

Graham smiled down at the girl. "Who am I to refuse such an invitation?" He chuckled, moving toward the second tent that was still standing. "I have a rabbit on my Yvas, you're welcome to use that if you wish." He added over his shoulder, as Amunet murmured nervously behind him.

He ducked under the sagging canvas that was serving as an animal shelter and began to rearrange the posts. "I'm not familiar with a way to make it easier on yourself." He called out to her, "Perhaps you'd be better off asking someone of you own height for tips." He finished as he pushed and help the canvas up with one hand and repositioned the middle post in the ground. He held it straight and steady as he secured the canvas and post in place, and then gave it a gentle, experimental shake to test its sturdiness.

"Why are you out here all on you own anyway?" He asked curiously as he he ducked out from under the first shelter to move toward the completely flattened second one.

[Amunet]

The muscles tensed up as if expecting some kind of attack or some kind of negative impact to her in some way. The moments ticked by as it didn’t happen. Those little fists balled up and relaxed in a steady pattern till he started to move to straighten out the tent structure and solidify it. Amunet breathed out softly a very long one. Her state of dress could not be helped till the flattened tent was sorted out. He even accepted her making breakfast and pointed out the rabbit on his yvas. The young woman provided a bit more of a smile.

“I will get started stoking the fire back up. “ The girl turned to see the loose pile she plopped near the fire pit she dug out the previous night. The girl worked on righting that mess. Those hands placed the pieces of wood next to each other in approximate similar lengths as she stacked the odd lengths of wood and twigs nearby in a better manner. Nearby she placed the more twig and small type pieces of wood she would need to start the fire. The little lady then darted off to get dry leaves that had fallen from the half grown tree to use as starter fuel. The dry grass that was nearby she plucked to help with that also. Amunet took the flint and tender and struck it sharply outward.

The sparks didn’t fly off very well. She tilted the tools down as she again struck sharply outwards to get a spark to go into the dry grass and leaves. It took five strikes to get enough of a spark before tendrils of smoke could be seen. She went down low and blew very gently on the growing flame. Very carefully, she added small twigs. Those eyes watched the twigs catch before she placed slightly larger pieces. She reached for a dried limb that she popped across her knee to break and add to the fire. Amunet let that catch for a few ticks before she pushed a few pieces the couple of inches under the flat stone so she could get a pot and a kettle to heat water. The other side could cook the rabbit. Rabbit, porridge, a bit of cheese and tea would see them through the day.

The slight formed red head went to Graham’s Strider. The girl approached him straight forward and in easy calm steps. She put her little hand out for the horse to smell her. She had been taught long ago that a horse gets a lot from smelling. She shouldn’t smell like anything dangerous. Actually she wasn’t sure what she smelled like other than a bruised up half dressed Drykas female. The girl’s soft voice said reassuring words and soothing tones that she often uses to sooth patients. Someone had once said that horses or animals period respond to soothing sounds positively. It works for her mare and her animals. It works for her donkeys, so it would seem to be correct it would work on others. The girl moved to get the rabbit from the yvas.

Once she had the rabbit, she moved it to the fire. She looked at her tent that the man was still fixing. “My daggers are in there. You might want to skin this one though its pelt looks nice. I don’t want to ruin it.” In fact she gave Camile a disparaging look as the sight hound still mangled her kills. It was why she hadn’t moved her to gazelle or other light deer. The dog was fast enough, but her killing technique was rough on the hide as well as it might get her hurt with larger prey.

Leia, the hunting cat, was busy cleaning herself thoroughly as she stayed out of the way. The two donkeys followed Shetanae around like puppies. The industrious girl did get water in a pot and in the kettle to be placed on the stone that was growing hot. It took several ticks before she could put the coarsely cut barley groats to put two measures of it into the water to cook into porridge with a pinch of salt. It required stirring once in a while, after it started bubbling a little. It needed a light boil so the heat could get into the grain or something like that. She knew what it should look like when it was done not why it looked like it.

Graham had mentioned that she should find someone her size to learn to pitch a tent. Her hands went to her hips with the spoon still clutched to it tightly as she glared at him. “I am probably one of the shortest Drykas in Endrykas, when you find one that knows the tricks, you let me know.” The girl fired back at him with a bit of fire in those sky blue eyes. Amunet hadn’t caught his eyes yet. There was something about the eyes of people. There were things in the eyes that tell a person a lot of things. She was still learning to read those things. The eyes were the most interesting feature to her.

The girl returned to stirring the porridge and then let it simmer for a few ticks while watching it carefully. The redhead pulled it a bit off to the side towards the edge of the stone to reduce the boil. Amunet went to fetch a couple of bowls and cups from her chest. When he asked why she was out here all alone she had to re-catch the dishes as she almost dropped them. Her face paled a little as she sat the dishes down on one of the small chests. That complicated mind circled around the short version or the long version. He was a stranger and her shame was her own.

That head tilted to the ground as she looked to the side. “I refused an arranged marriage. I am exiled from my pavilion. I am on my own.” The practical side put it out there in short precise statements. That chin lifted up as she had no doubt in her mind she would do it again. “I am surprised that you don’t know, it was rather loud and public.” Her hand went to the spoon as if it was a storm anchor and stirred the porridge.

[Graham Whipmane]

Graham moved to the next tent as Amunet moved to the fire. Lifting the edge of the canvas he crawled inside, being careful not to kneel on or break any of the woman's belongings, though it was difficult in the dark. Feeling around with his hands, Graham sought out the wooden center post amongst the bedding.

He could hear the woman bustling around outside as he tugged on the post, groaning in frustration as he realised it had been tangled in with the blankets, likely from when Amunet had been struggling to escape the tent. He tugged at the blankets and pulled the post in the opposite direction. Finally the blankets slipped free, and Graham hefted up the post, pushing up the canvas with his opposite hand.

This tent was much more difficult to right than the last had been. He growled as he tried to position the bottom of the post into the ground, kicking aside blankets to get it stable. With the post in position he moved into a crouch, pushing the tarp around until the top of the post slipped into place. Graham smiled in satisfaction as he gave the post a good shake.

He poked his head out of the tent as he heard Amunet speak, and looked around for her daggers before spotting them where they were poking out from under her bedroll. Stooping down, he grabbed them before ducking out from the tent and moving over to join Amunet at the fire. He sat next to her, placing the daggers down between them so that he could pull the rabbit towards him. He had never tried to skin a rabbit before, but he had watched enough people do it that he thought he could probably figure it out. He took Amunet's prompting about her daggers as an offer to use them, and as Graham only had his bow and arrows, he had no other option.

He knew many liked to bleed out the rabbit, but Graham didn't have the time to sit around for a few hours waiting for the blood to drain out, and so he began by feeling along the rabbit's back legs until he found the small ankle joint. He set the knife to the knuckle and began pushing through the flesh. He grunted and bore down on the knife, sighing in satisfaction as it broke through, and Graham severed the skin on the other side until the first foot was completely removed from the leg.

He chuckled and shook his head, amused by the woman. "I doubt that." He countered, mind going to Ife, and all the fiery passion packed into her tiny little frame. "Actually, your only a little shorter than a woman I know." He replied, a little a little vaguely. It felt a bit odd for him to share his feelings about his future wife with a complete stranger.

He held out two of the feet to Amunet, calling Fader over to give him the foot in his other hand. "For your animals." He clarified, gesturing to the cat and dog as Fader took his treat and settled down next to Graham. His face settled into a frown as Amunet spoke. He knew he was incredibly lucky to have found someone he loved, but he had been raised his entire life to believe that you did your duty for your clan, no matter what.

"I've been a bit occupied this season." He said simply, making a small cut along the back of the rabbit, pulling the skin away from the muscle and making a cut perpendicular to the bone on each side so that he could slip his fingers under the skin. "Why did you refuse the marriage?" He asked, hooking his fingers under the skin and pulled, one hand tugging the skin down towards the head of the rabbit and the other tugging towards the tail.

[Amunet]

She watched now and then as he righted the tent and it looked like it was supposed to. That was a relief and it showed on her face. When he remarked on seeing someone nearly as short as she was that surprised her a bit. Still with the ever moving population of the city, it was possible that she hadn’t met this person. The girl took the porridge a further away but close to stay warm. She offered two sticks to skewer the rabbit with once done as she took the offering for her animals. “Thank you. “

Amunet patted the side of her outer thigh before her firm voice lifted up. “Camile, come.” The long hair shimmered in the morning sun in a light gold as she came up to her mistress and gently took the offered piece. “Good , girl. “ The red head said softly. Leia purred at her calves. “Leia, there you are.” Leia came also as Amunet held it up. The growing cat lifted up on her hind legs to get the foot. “Good, girl. “ The young hunting cat took the piece. She licked it and gnawed on it till it scooted from her paws. It was at that point it became a toy. Leia batted it all over the camp before pouncing on it and gnawing some more. The cat was very fast with her movements. Amunet watched her for a time giggling a little at her antics.

It was at that moment he asked the dreadful question. She fidgeted with her hands nervously for a few moments as she turned the question over in her head. Amunet should have seen that question coming. Events recently have been so much and so fast that she hadn’t thought of these answers. There was a long intake of breath and an even longer soft exhale of breath before she began. “The one I was to be married to is a respected high ranking man of the ruby clan. He has much status. He also only thinks of his order and his way. Thinks only of the trade and of mizas. “ Drykas tend not to care about coin much, but it was what other foreigners bargained with. Pratal saw it as that bargaining chip. That edge and tool to trade with was not lost on the shrewd man. It was a great tool in his eyes.

“He is cold, calculating and without passion. Tell me Graham, how much is a soul worth?” Her sky blue eyes looked directly on his eyes. Arranged marriages were not uncommon and more of the norm. Most couples did end up finding a measure of happiness. “I would have never found happiness within that man’s grasp.” The girl said in a quiet voice that spoke of a certainty. She fingered her hair and brought the edges around her face back towards the back of her head. With her hair loosely pulled back from her face, she separated it in three strands. End over end she braided down the simple loose braid. This was definitely no status braid, but utilitarian to get her hair out of her face. Her other cheek was not marred but there might be an occasional opal sheen to it.

After he had answered, “Well let’s get the rabbit situated by the fire to cook.” If he allowed, once it was complete skinned and detached from the head, she would take the rabbit flesh still on bone. With a disturbing snap she bit the legs back a bit to get it flat. She saw her brother do this a couple of times. The two sticks was pushed firmly into the thicker flesh of the thigh then shoulder on each side. This was then placed on the open fire side of the cooking fire to cook.

The girl then went into the now corrected tent to get her pants, shirt and boots on. Now a little more better able to face the day, she came out with a five pound round of cheese. She cut two small slices very carefully. She would try and make her stores stretch as much as possible and Gods provide the rest. The two bowls had porridge in it cheese placed on top to melt in with the residual heat.

[Graham Whipmane]

The skin bunched and gathered around the rabbit's neck and tail, and Graham used a knife to cut and pull it away until he could set the skins aside from the rest of the carcass. Taking up the knife again, he cut the flesh from around the neck of the rabbit, and when the bone was exposed he picked the rabbit back up, gripping it tightly on either side of the cut. He snapped the neck back and forth quickly, until all that was left to do was cut the last of the muscles and tendons.

Ruby Clan, so probably a crafter of some kind... Graham thought to himself, finally detaching the head and dropping it down next to the scraggly scraps of skins. "Love can always develop, even in an arranged marriage." Graham replied. "My own sister was a part of an arranged marriage. It was hard for her at first, but after a few seasons her and her husband began to understand each other." He shrugged, one shouldered, thinking fondly of his older sister and her children.

Nodding he passed the rabbit over, watching as she positioned the rabbit over the fire. Soon enough the smell of cooking meat began to waft around the campsite. "So what will you do now that you're without a pavilion?" He asked, watching as she prepared the porridge.

[Amunet]

"Love can always develop, even in an arranged marriage."

How many times had she heard that? How can she make it understood that Pratal was not the loving kind. There was a soft sigh as her face softened. The man was there to help her and so she held her tongue in that regard. “Most find happiness, yes. Some do not. Some hold their daughters in some regard like a treasure to be sold for secrets, trade, livestock, favors and even Mizas. “ She had heard about dowries going fairly high for daughters of high status families. “How much is a soul worth, Graham?” She asked softly as she looked into his eyes.

“My work is with the people of Endrykas, not to pretty up a man’s arm.” The young red head didn’t explain the circumstances. It didn’t really matter at the momen. She finished putting the slice of cheese on the hot porridge and moved towards the man. She looked up into his eyes as she put the bowl in front of him “I will work.” The spoon was placed in the bowl. “… and survive.” The words were simple and yet held a lot of meaning.

Her belongings didn’t really scream crafter. There were herbs, bottles of tinctures, bandages bundled neatly and books that see frequent use. She raked a strand of hair over her right ear absently. It was an unconscious thing as the errant hair that always escaped seemed to need to be tucked out of the way. It only escaped again sometime after that but it danced around the shimmering swirling sigil of winged serpents that followed the ‘C’ of her face, on her cheek and down to the jaw. It was delicate as it was prominent. “Thank you, Is there anything I can do for you in return?” Breakfast seemed hardly a fair trade and she was not one to shirk her responsibilities.

[Graham Whipmane]

Graham shrugged, deciding to let the matter go. He had just met this woman, and he didn't know her nearly well enough to start judging her decisions, or arguing with her about her opinions. It was a matter that didn't personally affect him, and as such, he didn't much mind what the woman decided to do. "It's just sad to see someone lose their family over something so common." He said simply. "If you can find happiness and fulfilment in your work, that's what's important I suppose." He picked up his bowl, taking a long, satisfied sniff before he pulled the first spoonful to his mouth. It was hot, but tasty, and with a grateful nod Graham shoveled another large spoonful into his mouth.

"I still think you should set camp closer to the other Pavlion's though." He added after he had swallowed the mouthful. "When you move your camp next, seek out the Whipmane Pavilion, in the Emerald Clan. We have space enough for you to pitch your tents, and you will be much safer." The tent's of The Watch wrapped around to back of the Emerald Clan, so it was naturally the safest place for a lone horsewoman to camp.

"Well, since you offer, you're a healer of some sort, right?" He questioned, setting the bowl on his knee for a moment to regard the woman. "It's would be beneficial for me to know one personally, to ask for advice and such." He continued, thinking of Ife. If all went well with their marriage, the two would be expecting a child in the season's to come, though Graham knew little to nothing of birthing or caring for a pregnant woman.