Completed To and Fro

[Caesi Starguide]

.

42nd Spring 516AV
Early Morning

To and Fro

Caesi had awoken a little before sunrise that day, to set out and find Amira. She had not seen the woman since the day she showed her how to weave, due to the extensive clean up the Clans were doing, thanks to the torrential rains. Caesi was busy herself, lending a helping hand where it was needed, since the flooding destroyed and damaged many of the Clans possessions. Giving a growling yawn, she began undoing the various braids from her hair, removing the strips of purple cloth. The fabric was from her britches and tunic, that her mother cut and knotted in intricate knots for her. The Starguide's did not like anything going to waste, so she used the few pieces of fabric to adorn her hair.

Once the braids were undone, she rain her brush through her hair, untangling the mess. Once her hair was back to it's smooth, wavy self she proceeded to put a braid or two in her hair. Grabbing a section about two-fingers in width, she brushed it out, separating it from the rest of her hair by extending it out in an angle. Taking two fingers she stabbed the middle of the hair, splitting it in three sections. Keeping the sections away from one another, she grabbed the outer most right strand of hair. Bringing the strand out and over the middle strand, tugging it into place, then grabbing the long strand of hair to the left, bringing it up and over, weaving her hair into a normal and classic braid. Tying it off with a smaller piece of the purple fabric she let it fall back into the mass of her thick hair.

Taking up another section of hair, two-fingers width, she parted it the same way by stabbing it with two fingers, to make three sections of hair. Holding the sections between her fingers, she grabbed a strip of purple cloth. Tying the cloth onto the right strand of hair, up near the top, she let it fall and kept it with that right strand only. From there, she began weaving her hair into a braid, bringing the right strand that had the fabric, up and over, then the left up and over, until she had the strands intertwined in a decorative classic braid. Caesi repeated this process three more times, two with fabric, one with out. Until there was various braids scattered through out her hair. Satisfied with her results she decided it was time to go find Amira, now that sunlight was starting to slowly creep out into the sky.

Walking out of her tent, she headed to the Starguide Pavilion. Her personal tent stayed close to the Pavilion that housed her family and Clan Members. Amira and Cygnus was not inside the Pavilion, already out and working for the day, clean-up was still going on as it was a huge mess to fix in such dire conditions. Caesi gave a sigh, heading towards where their animals were kept, to see if Amira was lending a hand there.

| Thoughts |

[Caesi Starguide]

.



Caesi did not make it very far out, before she saw Amira heading away from the animals, and towards another Pavilion of the Amethyst Clan. Caesi whistled to get the woman's attention and made a run for it, pumping her legs and arms, tearing up the ground between her and Amira. It was a short distance and she made it there in enough time to stop her before she entered the other Pavilion. “Amira...” Caesi panted “I was wondering.. If perhaps you could help me with.. Weaving the grass.” She inhaled a deep breath, then exhaled, calming her rapid breathing and beating heart from the run. Mud had spattered up her legs slightly from digging her feet into the still wet ground. Her boots were covered in the gunk as well.

Amira looked her over, then back to the Pavilion she was about to enter, “Make it quick, I have things that need tended to and not much time.” The woman said slightly curtly, turning to face Caesi completely. Caesi nodded, bowing her head in apology with slumped shoulders.

“I tried the Weaving of the blades of grass you showed me, but I messed it all up. I was hoping you could show me again so I could better understand it.” The dark-haired girl explained, head still bowed in respect to the First Wife of her Ankal. Her tone came out pleadingly, hoping the woman would find time to help her again.

She heard a deep sigh and a tsking noise, Amira moved her hands indicating she was busy. “I can not show you today. Siglay in the Firstsong Pavilion of the Topaz Clan, is great at Weaving all things.” Amira made a step towards the Pavillion leaving Caesi, then looked over her shoulder speaking once more, “Just know that the woman does not speak much, as grief as made her frail of body and mind. You will find her by the fire at this time.” Amira nodded her head, moving her hand to indicate that she had to go, telling Caesi Until we meet again. Caesi gave a little smile that tugged up only one corner of her mouth, motioning her hand in Thanks and Respect to the woman as she walked away, the two parting.

The Topaz clan was not very far away from the Amethyst clan or so it seemed on horseback. Caesi hoped it would not take her long to get there by foot. She did not want to ride Py in this muck, unless she absolutely had to. The slightest thought of her dear friend being hurt or injured due to her selfishness, made her cringe. No she would not ride Py over to the Topaz clan, she would enjoy the walk the best she could.

The girl never thought Weaving to be so complicated of a thing- to intertwine long blades of grass into a basket. She could not even imagine Weaving Fabrics into something. Caesi knew Weaving of fabrics were beneficial, she just did not understand how difficult it actually was, seeing it as a past time or more of a hobby compared to animal care or hunting. Now that she was actually learning it herself, she realized just how important and time consuming it really was.

With a shrug to herself, she looked up at the sky as the sun was steadily traveling higher. The Spring chill of the early morning hours being chased off as streams of sunlight warmed the land. Fog rose from the soil, weaving slightly underneath her feet, as she splatted through the still swampy ground heading towards the Topaz Clan, Firstsong Pavilion.

| Thoughts |

[Caesi Starguide]

.




The trek to the Topaz Clan was a bit farther then she had first realized, as it had taken a few bells to arrive there. Caesi becoming lost a few times did not help either, as her navigation was not the best, even if she was from the Amethyst Clan. She looked at the fire pit that had a pot of something over it, not far from the fire pit as an ancient looking woman sitting there, seeming to be consumed at her task of weaving a basket. Great timing.. Caesi thought to herself as she walked closer towards the woman. She never acknowledged her, not even looking up from the masterful basket she had begun to weave, seeming to be lost to the world.

Then Caesi remembered that Amira said she did not speak much, as grief had stricken her to silence. Caesi cleared her through, her hand gesture of respect to a fellow Drykas, then she spoke, “Amira sent me to learn more about Weaving, I am Caesi of the Starguide Pavilion in the Amethyst Clan.” Caesi announced with a small smile and a nod of her head, as she sat down near the older woman. Siglay turned and nodded her head back to Caesi, staying silent for a moment as she started weaving grass together into a basket.

“Pick up grass, start weaving.” Siglay instructed and Caesi let out a breath she was holding, fear that Siglay would reject her and send her back on her way. The Drykas teen picked up some grass, starting it out as Amira had instructed, in an X, then started weaving more grass into it. As it started to mess up Siglay smacked her hand slightly, “No, No. Too loose.” Her gnarled hand patted her hands again, “Do not be afraid to be rough with the grass. The grass of the plains is strong, like the people.” Siglay explained, then returned to her own weaving.

Caesi frowned then smiled brightly, The grass is strong like the people.. She repeated to herself, undoing her weaving and starting back over. She started out with the X, weaving in blades of grass slower and more fierce, making it more tight. Siglay patted her hands again, “Not too tight or it will snap. Like the people, the grass has it's limits too.” The woman made a grumbling noise, nodded her head, then went back to her task. Caesi nibbled on her lip, nodding her head, it made sense to her. They were after all, only mortals, they could only bend so much until they broke.

Undoing the weaving once again, she started back over, this time making sure that it was not too tight nor too lose. “To and Fro dear.” Siglay instructed and Caesi smiled. She intertwined the blades of grass, weaving them over then under, to and fro. Gathering more blades and lacing them into the weave, taking it slow keeping the right tension in the weave. The girl kept adding blades of grass until the X turned into a square at an diagonal. It was a medium sized mat of grass that would be a small basket once completed.

Siglay looked over at her work, clicking her tongue and nodding her head, Approval. She was actually doing it right..so far. Caesi began to fold the sides, to create edges for the basket. Siglay looked over, nodding, so she continued on. The blades began to bend and Caesi was worried they would break, but they held strong like the Drykas. Once the edges were finally folded, Caesi started the task of making corners. Weaving in a blade of grass, folding them slightly, weaving all the way down to keep the basket secure. The square had turned into a small rectangle shaped basket.

Long shoots of grass stuck out and Caesi looked over at Siglay, as she forgot what to do with them. Caesi pointed to the shoots, gesturing What Now to the older woman. Siglay looked over, “Weave them back into the basket, inside and outside, to keep things from falling out.” The woman said then went quiet again. Caesi sighed lowly, then did as the woman said.

She brought the long shoots one by one back towards the basket, going in an order. One would go on the inside, then the next on the outside. Doing this made it look a little awkward, but Caesi thought it was a unique pattern. It had taken a bell to complete the weaving, but she had finally made a small rectangle basket. Though there was no handle for the basket, “How do you weave a handle?” Caesi asked, looking over at the woman, her large basket a thing of amazement.

Siglay cleared her throat, “Take ten blades of grass.” Siglay handed her the grass and continued, “Then weave those into a band. Weave them by keeping them long and not in an X.” Siglay said in a throaty voice, as she watched Caesi since she was now completed with her own basket.

Caesi laid the long blades of grass on her lap, keeping them in an horizontal. She began weaving the blades together, going over and under, until a thick and slightly wide band formed. Given it was a little sloppy looking since it was her first attempt at it, but it appeared durable. Siglay grinned ever so slightly at her bumpy looking handle, then handed her two more blades of grass.

“Take the dagger pointed end and begin to attach the handle to the basket by weaving it in with one blade of grass to each side.” Siglay instructed and Caesi nodded in acknowledgment.

Taking the long blade of grass, she weaved it into a small opening at the base of the weaved handle, then she feed the dagger point through the edge of her basket, connecting the two. Bringing the point back up and back into the handle, stitching it as if she were sewing. When it was weaved completely in on one side, she did the same to the other side. Once completed she realized she did not make sure the sides were perfectly matched. Her handle was from one in to the other, at an angle. She let out a slightly frustrated breath and Siglay looked over, chuckling.

“It takes time to be better at it.” Siglay simply said, patting her shoulder ever so softly, as if contact with another was the last thing she wanted. Caesi looked over giving her a big smile, “I will get better.” She said with determination, picking up the basket and examining it. It wasn't all that great, matter of fact it was horrible looking, but at least it was durable and sturdy. Compared to Siglays beautiful basket, her's was like it's monster twin. Caesi pouted slightly, “Yours is so beautiful.” She said in awe, Siglay smiled, “I have been doing it for many years.” The older woman said softly, staring off into the distance as if she was thinking about another time.

Caesi rose up, her misshappen basket in hand, “I thank you Siglay for your time and instruction, it really helped me out a great deal.” Caesi bowed ever so slightly in great respect to the woman, who just nodded. “I hope to come again to learn another time?” Caesi asked and the woman smiled softly nodding her head once more. The silence was becoming a bit awkward, Caesi never did well with silent types, so she gestured a farewell to the woman, taking her crazy looking basket with her, as she journeyed back to her own Clan and Pavilion.

OOCSeason Challenge

Word Count:2385

| Thoughts |

[Rufio]

　

┍ lookie lookie
i got a hookie! ┘

⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙

xp

Cosmetology +1
Runing +1
Rhetoric +2
Socialization +1
Observation +3
Weaving +2
Philosophy +1

lores

Caesi: A helping hand in times of hardship
Starguides: Waste nothing that can be made into something else
Cosmetology, Hair: A simple 3 strand braid
Caesi: Admitting failure & asking for help
Siglay Firstsong of Topaz Clan: A skilled weaver
Weaving: Long-grass is strong & flexible
Weaving: Finding just the right tightness & tension
Weaving: Making & adding a basket handle out of long-grass
Caesi: Tenacious & determined

notes - Good job, 't'was a pleasure!

　

⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙　　 ⋙

┍ if you feel i missed anything shoot a pm x please remember to edit your request! ┘