Quest Forgotten Wilds

[Kaleidoscope]

... 2 days ago:

It had been a busy place outside the Sanity Centre that morning. There had been the general hustle-and-bustle of crowds, for a start. And there had been the clip-clopping of hooves on cobbles, the clatter of carts going towards the Maw, the chatter and laughter if those excited to join the venture. Then there had been the shout.
"Attention, all! Thank you all for coming, and some of you so early at that. As you should all know by now, this is a mission into the mountains. Those who don't have the equipment for it can find boots and coats to my left. We're going to build a road, and at the other end of it, we're going to make a fortune in silver!"
Shouting and cheers had erupted, and then the different workers had been organised into their groups. Equipment was found, people were equipped and the heightened atmosphere of and new beginning broke down into the normalcy of organisation. Soon however, all the workers had been prepared. The quest was underway...

At present:

"Wake up y'all!" The tent shook as a loud-mouthed man grabbed it. "Yer lazy scroungers, this isn't a holiday y'know!"
The inhabitants of the tent hadn't had the luxury of a good night's sleep. The camp's tents were all tightly packed together, ostensibly for safety. But in reality, sound carries easily through tent fabric, and sleep as a result was elusive for the majority of Alvads who had volunteered for this venture. Still, the general atmosphere was that of excitement, joy even. The most gentle scent of cooking food was beginning to curl through the early morning of the campsite, and the pearlescent, salmon-shaded clouds of the sunrise would greet those that braved the cool, autumnal air outside the tent.

They were only two days out of Alvadas, camped in a woodland clearing on a slight hill. Conditions so far had been pleasant, but although they were still within eyesight of the city, it was beginning to feel different, somehow. The air was that slight bit more biting, their surroundings just a little more wild.

Breakfast was being served for those that got out of bed early enough. There was still a lot to go around at these early stages of the journey, but the cooks the brothers had managed to find were sensible, and rationed the goods. Because of this, the food was perhaps not as appealing as what some of the people were used to. A few grumbles permeated the camp, but not enough to dampen the mood.

It was still quiet around the camp, but it would soon wake, and the early risers were making the most of the relative peace and quiet before the main hubbub of the day's activities. There would be the daily sorting into groups (arranged by tents), the doling out of equipment, the send-off of the scouts, the packing up of the camp and the beginning of the building. There was a lot of things to happen, and not a great deal of time to do it in.

It was, of course, rather difficult to tell which bell it was when there was no belltower. As such, time was told by looking at the sun. Dranum was overseeing the labourers, whilst Yavos lead the scouting mission. The two brothers had said before camp had settled for the night yesterday, that they would be setting a timetable. The camp needed to be packed away by the time the sun had been up for roughly a bell. Any later than that and their voyage would start to get delayed. They knew better than anyone else that it starts to get cold in the Unforgiving, and that there was a good reason the mountains held that name...

OOC Information :

This quest, at least for the first part, is going to be arranged like this: I will write a post which sets the scene for the day, and then you each have a max of two posts for that day in which to describe what you will be doing etc. For instance, I've written a post which lets you know what will be going on in the day, and you 4 can each write two posts, preferably Raylan, Kawari, Dexius, Thomas, and then replies, before I post the next day up. I've probably done a terrible job of explaining, but my excuse is that my computer is freezing 5 minute after I turn it on, so this is all on my phone. :/

[Raylan Ramsey]

Raylan loved mornings.

Or rather, he liked that time before morning, when the sun hadn’t risen yet and he could play a little music before the day truly started. As he wandered around, Raylan didn't look that strange. A lone man in a black mask, walking through the camp with a mandolin, trampling through Autumn leaves as well as the rest of the fallen mess of nature that ran across the ground. He wasn't particularly quiet, stepping on crisp leaves. And He didn't advertise himself, but he wasn't one for silence.

Raylan had been wandering the tent settlement for a bell now, bored. It initially shocked him just how much he missed the randomness that camping within the walls of Alvadas had to offer; a man could pitch a tent up by the sanity center one night and wake up the next morning on the dock of the patchwork port... or within some area of the Streets below.

But today he had awoken in the same place he rested his head down the night before... It was boring, really. So now he wandered, lightly running his finger tips along the strings of his mandolin. His fingers struck downward against motionless strings causing them to quickly vibrate. The sounds the mandolin emitted were reminiscence of a lively sea shanty. It was a melody he'd heard often in his youth out on the Anchorage Flotilla.

The practice served to stave his boredom.

His gaze flickered, spinning towards the source of the sound that had interrupted his practice, barely halting the music as a distant man yelled for people to wake up inside of a tent. Upon hearing this, Raylan adjusted the mandolin strap so it was draped across his back then started to get to work on breaking down the tents while people were still inside of them. The 'Loud-mouthed man' had only just called everyone to action as Ralyan started to removing the pegs that held the tent guide ropes into the ground, collecting them one by one. watching the tents wilt until the tents fell in onto themselves.

"Rise and shine lovelies! Rise. And Shine!" The camp was on a scheduled after all. A wicked smile forming under the mask he wore.

Upon any laborer tent occupants exiting their fallen shelters, he'd nobly nod at them then collect the tent supports, and help fold the canvases. He'd spend the rest of the very early morning helping others to break down the camp site.

[Kawari Newid]

A round black nose poked out from the depths of a hollow log, into the predawn air.
As Kawari shuffled out from her make-shift shelter, a satisfied yawn escaped her gaping maw. Although she had attempted to sleep amongst the other workers, Kawari had given up after the second bell of her internal clock had passed, and had ventured out of the tent into the trees that surrounded the camp. Although she had enjoyed the companionship and closeness, the constant noise and sleep deprivation had driven her to seek temporary solitude. Her solace had come in the form of a fallen tree far enough that sounds of snores had disappeared, but still within shouting distance. Curled up in her furred form, slumber had overcome her as soon as her muzzle rested on her paws.

Kawari briefly shook out her fur and stretched out the night's cricks. Turning back to her night's den, the Kelvic dragged out her clothes and set about changing. As she oriented herself in the direction of the tents, she decided to take her time in returning- there would still be some time before most of them would wake. It would have been tempting fate to stray too far from the group, especially into unknown territory, so the path back to the camp was not too long anyway.

Unlike the city, the air was fresh with earthy scents, and she felt an odd sense of homeliness amongst the trees. Hints of decaying vegetation and the scents of various creatures, both familiar and unknown met her nose, while the sounds of rustling foliage and underbrush, alongside the light crunching of the forest floor beneath her newly acquired boots, settled into an almost rhythmic pace. Soon, she found herself humming the songs she had once sung as kit with her mother in a forest across the Suvan Sea.

Sage is for the stomach, so tuck it in the ruck
Thyme is for the throat, so pocket it in your coat
Potatoes, Onions
Parsley, meat, and chives
Perhaps some veggies too
In a pot together
They make a tasty stew
Ginger is for pain, so tuck it once again
Rosemary is for...

She drifted off the last, having reached the camp. The scent of the morning meal drew her to the cooking area, where she found a few other early risers already partaking in their share of food.
"Good morning," she smiled and received a few mumbled greetings in reply, some obviously groggy from a bad night's sleep.
"Good morning to you," replied one of the cooks, who placed a bowl in her hands. "Eat it while its still hot," he said, sizing her up as he did- admittedly, she wasn't as muscled as some of the other labourers. "You have a big day ahead of you and we can't have our workers goin' weak on us."
"As if I'm weak!" she replied with mock ferocity and grinned playfully, though she felt a slight twinge of irritation at what he had implied. 'I'm not weak and even if I was, I am clever,' she though indignantly as she ate the bland meal. 'Besides, I can carry three full bags of clay. Even silly Slim Jim has a hard time with that much...'

The thought of clay reminded her of the favour Jim had asked her the day before the expedition had set off.
"If you can, try to find some clay deposits- places near water, like a river, stream or pond. We will need to dig up some more before Winter comes and it will be safer to explore and find some while you are in a big group, but make sure you don't go off too far from the rest of them."
The young potter had quickly agreed and looked forward to the challenge.

A man began to rouse the later risers, his voice carrying effortlessly across the camp, and once done with her meal, she sprinted over to her shared tent, weaving around those who had already begun to dismantle their tents.

Common, Pavi

oocSorry for the wait! I hope it isn't too confusing/all over the place. ^^'
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[Dexius]

Dex wasn't exactly known for sleeping very well during the night or at any time at all actually. He had easily been awake for several bells and was roaming about the outskirts of the campsite when he heard it start to come to life. The scent of cooking foods and of fresh burning wood indicated to the spider that he should probably get his day underway.

Back in the campsite proper Dex noticed a few people had begun to take down some of the empty tents in preparation of the journey ahead. He noticed and recognized a few of the other Alvads that had left on the trip but many of them were unknown to him, it was a diverse city after all. Dex took a spot at one of the tents and began dismantling it with another Alvad in a black mask who was carrying a stringed instrument of sorts.

He ran his hand through his stringy hair after removing the last tent peg from the ground and handing it to the man in the mask. It seemed like he was collecting them so what could it hurt for him to have one more? "Looks like you have the rest so here's the last one." Returning to the tent at hand Dex helped another worker fold and pack up what was left of the small sleeping abode before noticing something rather important.

He was hungry. The Symenestra hadn't exactly thought about what he was going to eat while he was out on this trip. The way his people consumed food wasn't exactly pleasing to the eye of other races so hopefully they had some soup or stew.

Heading over to where the food was being doled out Dex waited in line for a chime or two before being handed a bowl of hot something. "Heard you Symenestra are pretty good at carrying things." The man handing Dex his food basically spit his words at him. "Better eat up, kid." Dex merely nodded to the man and headed off with his bowl to consume it's contents. He sat down on a nearby rock and began to drink what he could from the breakfast stew. It was going to be a long trip.

[Kawari Newid]

Pegs neatly bundled up, Kawari and one of her tent-mates were just about finished folding up the tent material when a lean man loped over to them with an easy smile. "G'mornin' ladies! Yavos is callin' for all of us scouts, includin' you double taskin' ones, to meet up at the North end of the camp. Figured we should get to know each out a bit.. better," he said, pausing for effect while he leaned towards her tent-mate, a tall broad with crows feet that had just begun to corm at the corners of her dark eyes. Although older, she was a tough broad with toned muscle, though from what sort of work, Kawari had yet to ask her. "We're to be there within the next ten chimes, so you better with that." He nodded towards the tent fabric in their hands. "Until then," he called, tossing a wink in their general direction as he departed.

"Pft, just a lad, he is," Kawari heard the woman chuckle. They shared a mischievous smile and shrug before they set about stowing away the tent. Finished bundling their makeshift shelter, the kelvic checked her dagger, waterskin, and eating knife, which she kept on her belt, and tucked her rations and flint into her body pack. Once they had packed only what they would need for the day, the pair set off for the muster point, and were soon greeted by the sight of a small gathering.

Towards the front of the group stood one of the men who had first addressed the the volunteers two days prior, Yavos. He was not a terribly tall man, with a relatively average build, as he stood a little over five and half feet. It was his eyes however, that gave away his determination and intelligence in the manner with which he gazed over the assembled scouts, carefully sizing each individual. After a another chime or so a few more people arrived, including flirtatious man from earlier, and as though this was a silent signal, Yavos cleared his throat and began to address the group.

"Good morning to you all- I hope were able to get some manner of sleep," he said with a knowing grin, "our task for today is to secure a water source further ahead, as well as to keep an eye out for potential threats. If you come across some prey, by all means, we could use some game to liven up our meals." A round of groans and chuckles went around the ensemble. "However, don't go after more than you can chew- we don't want anyone attracting any unwanted attention out here," he continued, eyeing the group, some of whom nodded or grunted in grim agreement. "You'll be paired up and sent out in groups of four. Should you find water, send word back immediately. If you come across a Zith or any other threat, make sure to avoid detection if at all possible..." Yavos paused as he made sure he met each person's gaze with a grim one of his own before he continued. "...and if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of catching such a danger's fancy, help each other out, but do not bring it back towards the main group- we want to avoid as many casualties as possible. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," someone said from the right side of the group. "Yes'sir!" a few more chimed in. Yavos looked around once more. "I guess that will do for now. With that said, lets get you lot sorted out." Kawari payed little attention to this, her mind alight with the idea of finding a water source. 'Jim said to look for water to find clay. This is my chance!' The young potter grinned and waited to see with whom she would be grouped.


Common, Pavi

oocSorry, for the late response! Also for the liberty I took with Yavos- please let me know if I should change anything!
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[Kaleidoscope]

Refresh :

Scrap my over-the-top awkward way of running this thread. We're returning to basics and simplicity, and the norm. Hopefully that'll make it easier for everyone involved, although I'm unsure who is around anymore.

"If water is found, send half your scouting party back with the news and direction, and then we'll deliver it to the workers."

The young woman with the wavy brown hair was paired with a short, determined-looking woman wearing tough leather armour, a middle-aged man with night-sky skin and a average-looking man with shorn brown hair. The group awkwardly introduced each other. The Akalak was named Jiekkan, the ordinary man named himself Gelvus with a smile, and the woman introduced herself warmly as Tara, and patted the young Kelvic firmly on the back before the four of them started out in the direction Yavos had issued to them. It was slow-going, but as scouts they were required to take stock of everything. Tara watched the Kelvic woman carefully, and it was only a quarter bell until she was acting as the girl's guide to the mountains and their task.

By mid-day, they had traversed a small area without any hitches, having managed to avoid some day old wolf's tracks. They stopped in a grove, lightly dappled with sweet Autumn sunlight to have lunch. Tara was a chatty woman, and was full of questions and witty remarks. Jiekkan stayed to himself, whittling something slowly, whilst Gelvus sidled up to the two woman and joined their conversation. It turned out that she was a hunter who sold her meat on the market most days, and Gelvus was some kind of animal tamer. The armour she wore was her most-prized possession, and she showed her favourite parts to the group, such as the simple yet elaborate fastenings and the scuff from a close encounter with a wolverine. Gelvus was full of smiles, seemingly ready with an endless stream of banter and laughter, well- guffaws.

Lunch passed quickly for the group. Jiekkan rose to his feet and stretched, a giant of a man in that moment. "Let's carry on."
"Aah, right-o!" That was Gelvus, winking towards the Kelvic as he pulled himself and Tara from their seated position on the mossy ground.
"Any idea if we're on the right track? Finding water ain't my strongpoint. You know things like that, Tara?"
She nodded. "We've been going in the right direction, I believe! Down that slope there should be some source of water. The trees are certainly thicker, and this is the way we're heading." She pointed down a steep slope carpeted loosely with leaf mould and scree, "We might have to be careful going down though. How about you and Jiekkan go down the slope, me and Kawari can see if we can find another way around."

--Meanwhile...

The others in the camp were tasked with starting to slowly make their way towards the distant yet ever drawing nearer mine. It was a day of labour. The road needed to be built, and so almost everyone found themselves handed a spade and told to clear the way. The road building was difficult, through such wooded terrain, but as the trees were widely spaced and so with careful organisation by Dranum it wasn't too bad.

The band slowly but surely edged its way further into the mountains. They followed a worn animal track that snaked its way in the right direction. Pavestones were issued from the back of the road where they were being delivered, and although it was hard, sweaty work, the team quickly grew a camaraderie. It was needed.

___

Water was found, and the workers took a short break to refresh themselves before continuing on with their work. They worked until it was dark, and then camp was set up alongside their newly built road. It wasn't wide, merely a footpath in most people's eyes. The carts could only just fit on, but that was all that was needed. They had cleared from the trees for now, and their camp was out in the open on a rocky outcrop thatched with thin yellow grass. The night sky was clear, and above, Zintila's stars glistened with fat, bright light. The air was growing steadily colder, and the distant horizons were iced with snow, hazy yet just about visible.

Their destination was getting closer, somewhere in the mountains. Yet despite the beauty and excitement of the whole venture, it would be many, many more days until something interesting happened. That morning would begin like any other, waking up in the tents that were now home beside a briskly running mountain stream of sparkling clarity. Yet could they know what would happen come the evening? When it was so beautiful and peaceful, could anyone predict the coming of danger?

[Kawari Newid]

After being called out, the four members that comprised Kawari's group stood together for a few awkward moments, sizing each other up, each wondering how to proceed.

"Uh, hi," Kawari began in attempt to break the ice, though she stiffened a bit as the others turned to look at her. "M- my name is Kawari... I have been a potter at Kal's Kiln since the beginning of last season, and I am originally from Syliras." She paused, searching for what else to say. "Oh, I am tanuki Kelvic... sort of like a dog. I have a strong sense of smell and hearing, I can forage for food and use this dagger..." she said, motioning to the hollow pommel dagger on her belt. The Kelvic looked at the others with a slightly unsure smile. "It is nice to meet you," she finished weakly.

"My name is Jiekkan, and I am an Akalak, originally from Riverfall. I am skilled in unarmed and armed combat," spoke the dark skinned man in a baritone voice, who then looked at the rest expectantly, apparently done with his introduction.
It was the first time she had encountered one of Jiekkan's kind, and she marvelled at his dark blue tones of his skin, his elongated ears, and pale eyes, while he in turn returned her inquisitive gaze with indifference. Although she could see some silvering in his black hair, Kawari also saw some of the Akalak's power displayed in the muscle that played beneath his skin. On the other hand, it was Jiekkan's confident posture and the firm expression in his eyes, combined with her instincts, that hinted to the Kelvic that he would be a strong, if not reliable ally.

"Hello! I'm Gelvus, pleased to make yer acquaintance," said the man with shorn brown hair in an amiable tenor voice. "I'm an Alvad born bloke of many talents and I hope we can get along," he said, smiling at the two women in particular.
Gelvus was an average man in both height and build, and he seemed to be of a witty and easy-going nature. Alongside his smile, the man's brown eyes were sharp and his posture held a ready, almost eager quality, with his weight balanced on the balls of his feat. Before she could decide what she thought of him, the finally member of their group spoke.

"Hello, my name is Tara," she said with a kind smile that warmed up her expression, which still held her determination. "I am skilled with the bow and dagger, and I know the area around Alvadas somewhat better than most. I hope we are successful in our endeavours and it is nice to meet you all as well," she finished, giving Kawa a firm pat on the back.
The Kelvic returned her smile and felt instantly reassured and at ease with the older woman's touch. To Kawari, Tara seemed to hold the steady and calm strength of weathered stone and the warmth of afternoon sunshine.

The older woman then turned to the rest of the group, apparently taking on the role of leadership as she spoke naturally with a voice of authority.
"Well now, shall we head out?"

As mid-day came, the group had made their way cautiously through the uneven terrain in relatively good time, avoiding any potential danger as they travelled. For a hunter, Kawari was surprised by how talkative Tara was and she tried to answer any question that came her way, which for the most part concerned her occupation and Syliras. As for Gelvus, he was more than happy to engage Tara in banter and wit, and soon it was made known that he was some sort of animal tamer, though he was quick assure Kawari that he did not use his tricks on Kelvics. Jiekkan seemed content to whittle a small piece of wood he had picked up, and though he did not speak up, Kawari sensed that he was at least in part listening to whatever the trio said.

Lunch was a quick affair, and soon they were off once more with Tara in the lead, using her experience with the local terrain to her advantage.
As she indicated towards the steep slope, Kawari took a deep breath, scenting the air around them. The earthy, damp scents of decaying foliage, wood, and pants met her nose, along side that of rodent droppings, birds, and the odd mushroom. The Kelvic let out a soft pleased hum as she caught the fresh scent of water, though it was much fainter than the rest of their surroundings.
Following Tara's directions, Gelvus and Jiekkan began to descend the slope, while she and Kawari made back-tracked a little ways to lower ground, before they wound their way through the trees towards the water source's approximate location.

The women were in luck as they found themselves a small game trail through the brush, which Tara used as an opportunity to teach Kawari a bit about her hunter's craft, specifically tracking.
"Here are the tracks of a deer- a doe to be exact. You can tell because she has wider hips at the back and a smaller chest than a buck. See how the hind tracks are further apart than the front ones?" The Kelvic nodded, her eyes following the hunter's finger as she pointed from one print in the dirt to the next. "That's how you can tell. From the looks of how them, since they are about a bell or two old." As she rose from her crouch, the older woman pointed towards a bush not six feet further down the trail. "Over here, you can see that some fur had caught on this bush of thistles. It looks like it might be from some sort of cat, if you look at the mixed colouring and the feline tracks below. You can tell by the large wide pad in the middle, and how the toes are more in a line than that of a wolf or dog."
Kawari grinned.
"Yes, my tracks are much smaller and... narrower."
"Exactly," Tara smiled in return. "Now we should hurry up and meet those other two. Who knows how those two will fair if left alone for too long," she said with a chuckle as she ushered the younger woman towards the sound of running water.

As they broke through the trees into a rocky clearing, two heads swivelled towards them; Gelvus waved them over, while Kawari giggled softly at Jiekkan's slightly relieved look. Before them flowed stream, which gurgled along its bed, littered with stones, many of which had been smoothed by water and time.
"Well, looks like we succeeded," said Gelvus, "so what next?"
"Yavos said to send back half the party," said Tara, considering each of them in turn. After considering them, she gave decisive nod.
"I think Kawari and Jiekkan should stay here, while Gelvus and I report back. We will be faster and I can find the easiest route for the carts. Kawari can keep lookout, while Jiekkan can provide muscle should anything bad come their way."
"Makes sense," Gelvus said, while Jiekkan and Kawari nodded in agreement.
"Kawari and I will find some cover in the trees while we wait," Jiekkan told Tara, nodding towards the direction from which the two women had come.
"Sounds good. We will try to get back as soon as possible," Tara said in return, as she readjusted her armour before gesturing for Gelvus to follow her. "See you before, if not by sunfall.

The Akalak and Kelvic bid their time in companionable silence for the most part; Jiekkan continued to whittle away at his piece of wood, while Kawari contented herself with listening to and familiarizing herself with the calls of foreign birds, mimicking them every now and then while she picked samples of the various unfamiliar plants she found; the Kelvic had every intention of picking the heads of either Tara or one of the cooks for any knowledge they may have of her finds.

Soon enough, sunset arrived with the sounds of the rest of the camp, and the pair headed over to join them, parting ways to help with various tasks before bunking down for the night.

oocSorry for the wall of text. ^^' I got a bit carried away.
Please let me know if I should alter anything. Cheers!

Common, Pavi
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[Kaleidoscope]

Many more days passed, filled with the same routines that unfolded like a newly unfurling leaf. Kawari and her team of four were often sent on water-sourcing missions further afield, and although the going was slow, there was still progress. Behind them now wound a rough-paved, narrow road. It curved and wound, following natural trails wherever possible, clinging tight to contours and dipping over banks and weaving between rocks. As the days went by, and the going got tougher, it began to become more and more obvious that they were getting into steeper territory.

The expedition was now out of the thick cover of the forest. To many, leaving behind that comforting blanket of cover was a difficult thing. The first night away from the forest was uncomfortable for a start, tents were now placed onto hard-packed and weather scoured earth, instead of spongy leaf-mould. There was a difference in sound, too. Gone was the closeness and the ever-constant wildlife. This open ground was made of a quality of sound that lived in the heights- that of distantly circling prey birds and wind given free movement across the beginnings of mountain slopes.

They were now a third of the way through their expedition though, and despite a few injuries gained through working, the group had seen little of conflict or danger. It was too quiet. Although they would never talk about it openly, in the privacy of their own tent, the two brothers shared a worry that they were being stalked. By whom, or what, they did not know. It wasn't based on hard evidence, nor was it even logical to think their relatively small party of people would gather enough attention to merit attack. But the thought remained, and the worry gradually began to seep into the encampment.

The terrain was now much more steep, and treacherous. Vast lichen-scored boulders littered the landscape, fallen from ascending slopes to the left of their destination. There was a harsh chill in the air, and frost in the evenings and mornings. Fuel for campfires was scarce, so only a main bonfire was made of the nighttime and everyone huddled around it.

It was on a night like this, that the first true hints of tracking started to show.

The fire was flickering with a comforting glow that radiated out into a halo of light encompassing the remaining few who were still awake. Yavos sat and mused, a mug of hot tea gripped comfortingly in his hands. Tara and Gelvus, now firm friends, were sat talking quietly amongst themselves, whilst a weathered older woman, Kiara, sat sharpening her daggers. It was a quiet night, without wind, and sound carried easily through the clear, mountainous air. Above, stars glimmered in a glorious array, and Leth's face shone with elegant brightness.

But the fragile beauty of the evening came to an abrupt end. From the night, somewhere deep in it's primal gut, came two sharp, guttural screeches. Earsplittingly load, the sound reverberated against the cliff faces. Then there were other sounds- of clattering, and scuffling, and tumbling rocks. Whether there were two, or twenty, or two hundred of the whatever-they-were's was difficult to guess. The mountain valley they were camped in was peculiarly echoing, and the sounds were coming from every direction. Fear gripped Kiara's stomach in a vice-like grip, but out of the small group of people by the fire she was the first to shout out, "Attack!" With rushing, scrambling feet, the group around the fire grabbed the nearest branches and thrust them into the fire to make rudimentary torches to illuminate whatever was to attack them.

[Kawari Newid]

"... and that's how you sharpen your blade. Here," the older woman said, indicating the end of her lesson as she flipped the sap pommel dagger before handing it back handle first to Kawari. The kelvic sat, leaning against some crates near Kiara's legs as she watched with a determined concentration that was slowly losing to drowsiness as the older woman set about sharpening her own blades. While the kelvic did not appreciate the grating tones of stone scraping on metal, she could appreciate the results as she admired Kiara's deft movements quickly hone the blade before her eyes.

The impromptu instruction on the care of her daggers had stemmed from Kiara's dissatisfaction at the state of her blades; barely sharp enough to cut through the meat that had been served in that evening's meal. The bluntness of the younger woman's blades had prompted Kiara to show her how to select a smooth, flat stone from the nearby stream, making sure that it was sufficiently wet, before demonstrating how to run the blade, slightly raised, across the flat surface on both sides of the edge until she was satisfied.

An unsettling sound broke through her drowsy haze and in an instant, both women were on their feet, blades raised and wary. A pair of guttural screeches permeated the camp and the surrounding wilderness.
Kiara, who had been the first to cry out a warning, stood to Kawari's right, a newly sharpened dagger in each hand. From the corner of her eye, the kelvic observed as the woman wove her daggers in circular patterns that allowed her to loosen the joints in her arms and back, and began to mimic her, shifting her weight and bending her knees to loosen them as well before turning her full attention back to the hidden threat.

Although she had felt a vague sense of being watched over the past few days, the kelvic had been unable to pinpoint, let alone prove that there was any kind of 'watcher' and had chalked her unease to her new environment and some of the creatures that lived within it. It was curious though that she had never sensed anything that indicated a threat from the 'watcher' and did not feel that it was a predator. Perhaps the 'noise-makers' and the 'watcher' were different all together.

As the screeches bounced off the stone surfaces surrounding the camp, Kawari and her fellow campmates were left disoriented, unable to seek out the exact location of their unknown foe. And then there was silence; disturbing and sudden silence. Despite the initial flurry of motion that had burst throughout the camp, the sounds of preparation quieted down as each member of the camp scanned the surrounding darkness with every sense they could, searching for the slightest betrayal of sound, scent or movement.

Common, Pavi
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