22nd day of Fall, 516 AV
11th Bell
Endrykas, Dawnwhisper Pavilion
Naiya was curled up in a tangle of furs and blankets a small carved figure in her hand, but mostly ignored by the wuepo in her lap. Shai was far more interested in the sounds that shook their home and the coo of her voice as she spoke to him.
A pot sat beside the fire, warm milk and a thimble full of strained nettle, it would be cheese eventually, but it perked along unsupervised for now. Hung from the wooden rafters above the fire were two rabbits, skinned and gutted, slowly cooking in the heat of the smoke. Salt preserved meat swam in a bath of water outside the circle of the fire, it would be their evening meal, cut with vegetables from their stores.
Outside, it rained with the vengeance of a wild stallion running in the sea. Large drops beating against the fabric of their pavilion with force to match a stampeding herd. The slick sound of the water rushing down the canvas was a familiar one, the last days having prevented much from happening in the city's benefit. The sudden shock of the water on their parched land was difficult in it's own right, slicking the dirt paths, washing away tracks. If the season had been more mild, the rain would have been a blessing. Instead rain flooded their land, causing mud and rot and danger. Hunters and foragers had to beware the risk of slopes and cliffs, mudslides a true risk of venturing out into the grasses. The city had to watch where they landed, making sure the land sloped away from their homes in case of flooding.
It was a time of danger, as the sea of grass often was, but in ways they had less strength to fight against this enemy. The icy downpour had sent the smaller animals to hiding, only Khal's quick feet keeping them close. She was never more glad for their working animals than now, her bosu keeping her busy in ways that drew her away from important tasks.
Sleep dragged heavily at her features, weighed down as she was with fur and blankets, it was a struggle for the new matrin to keep her eyes open. The pavilion was warm enough despite the chill of the outside, the fire heating the central space of their home, and the rhythmic sound of the rain lulled her in ways it had not since she was a small child.
She dragged a hand across her face, peering between her fingers at little Shai, his expectant gaze drawing a smile from her lips despite the weary set of her shoulders. "He's a tall man," her story continued, her voice soft and her hands signing slowly along, "...Wild, and strong. He fights the hardest for his family, never letting something come between him and the ones he loves." She danced the carved deer across her line of sight once more, letting the creature prance in the eyes of her bosu. "He is the best hunter you will ever meet. His javelin never misses, but he hunts no more than he should. The goddess Caihya looks upon him with favor." The figurine dropped from her hand to the blanket. Shai's eyes widened, following the decent but loosing track of the toy. "His eyes are brown like the rich soil of matrin Semele, and they dance with green like the leaves of a tree. Hidden magics light bright purple stars in his gaze, letting him see beyond the realm we live in."
A crash of thunder reminded the world that Zulrav was not done with his storm, but the silence that followed the crash was stark by comparison. The rain had stopped, at least for now.
"You'll meet him one day, little one, and you'll see." She smiled, a emotion laden look that did little to improve the skill with which she recounted the words.
"He is a good man, your diakh." She softened her voice, watching the lids droop low over Shai's eyes. She nestled down beside him in the furs, the fire dancing behind his crop of dark hair, his face falling into the peaceful stillness of sleep.
She didn't bother to wipe the glistening of tears from her eyes, her mind dancing with images of Shahar, no one would blame her for the sorrow that lingered in her heart.
Shai drifted to sleep, his breath falling into a familiar rhythm, and Naiya quickly followed suit, her dreams filled with images of diakh and bosu playing together in the grass.
It was not long later that her eyes reopened, still quiet but for the sounds of Shai's breath beside her. She felt refreshed, but not so much so that she thought to get up from her bed of furs.
Instead she let her eyes drift back closed, the sound of rain that had picked back up a promise of little change in the city.
She had only just begun to doze back off when the warming sound of Baluke broke through her sleep deprived mind. She barked her warning sound, and the deep baritone of Ashette joined in, the male surely seeking his sister in warning off the approach of some stranger.
Naiya shushed her wuepo back to sleep, so long as the person who had strayed too close strayed no further, they had nothing to fear from the dogs. If they had simply ventured too close, they could wander back to where they came without further incident. If they sought the pavilion, they would have to be content to wait for the crying of the wuepo to be soothed.
The dogs would be still unless the stranger came closer without invitation, they would watch, unaffected by kind words, although they might be tempted by treats.
When Shai was calm once more, Naiya crawled out from beneath the covers, throwing a cloak around her bare form and pressing the tent flap open to peer out into the rain.
"Hello?" She called into the storm, clutching the cloak tightly around her as her eyes searched for the source of the commotion. "Is anyone there?"
11th Bell
Endrykas, Dawnwhisper Pavilion
Naiya was curled up in a tangle of furs and blankets a small carved figure in her hand, but mostly ignored by the wuepo in her lap. Shai was far more interested in the sounds that shook their home and the coo of her voice as she spoke to him.
A pot sat beside the fire, warm milk and a thimble full of strained nettle, it would be cheese eventually, but it perked along unsupervised for now. Hung from the wooden rafters above the fire were two rabbits, skinned and gutted, slowly cooking in the heat of the smoke. Salt preserved meat swam in a bath of water outside the circle of the fire, it would be their evening meal, cut with vegetables from their stores.
Outside, it rained with the vengeance of a wild stallion running in the sea. Large drops beating against the fabric of their pavilion with force to match a stampeding herd. The slick sound of the water rushing down the canvas was a familiar one, the last days having prevented much from happening in the city's benefit. The sudden shock of the water on their parched land was difficult in it's own right, slicking the dirt paths, washing away tracks. If the season had been more mild, the rain would have been a blessing. Instead rain flooded their land, causing mud and rot and danger. Hunters and foragers had to beware the risk of slopes and cliffs, mudslides a true risk of venturing out into the grasses. The city had to watch where they landed, making sure the land sloped away from their homes in case of flooding.
It was a time of danger, as the sea of grass often was, but in ways they had less strength to fight against this enemy. The icy downpour had sent the smaller animals to hiding, only Khal's quick feet keeping them close. She was never more glad for their working animals than now, her bosu keeping her busy in ways that drew her away from important tasks.
Sleep dragged heavily at her features, weighed down as she was with fur and blankets, it was a struggle for the new matrin to keep her eyes open. The pavilion was warm enough despite the chill of the outside, the fire heating the central space of their home, and the rhythmic sound of the rain lulled her in ways it had not since she was a small child.
She dragged a hand across her face, peering between her fingers at little Shai, his expectant gaze drawing a smile from her lips despite the weary set of her shoulders. "He's a tall man," her story continued, her voice soft and her hands signing slowly along, "...Wild, and strong. He fights the hardest for his family, never letting something come between him and the ones he loves." She danced the carved deer across her line of sight once more, letting the creature prance in the eyes of her bosu. "He is the best hunter you will ever meet. His javelin never misses, but he hunts no more than he should. The goddess Caihya looks upon him with favor." The figurine dropped from her hand to the blanket. Shai's eyes widened, following the decent but loosing track of the toy. "His eyes are brown like the rich soil of matrin Semele, and they dance with green like the leaves of a tree. Hidden magics light bright purple stars in his gaze, letting him see beyond the realm we live in."
A crash of thunder reminded the world that Zulrav was not done with his storm, but the silence that followed the crash was stark by comparison. The rain had stopped, at least for now.
"You'll meet him one day, little one, and you'll see." She smiled, a emotion laden look that did little to improve the skill with which she recounted the words.
"He is a good man, your diakh." She softened her voice, watching the lids droop low over Shai's eyes. She nestled down beside him in the furs, the fire dancing behind his crop of dark hair, his face falling into the peaceful stillness of sleep.
She didn't bother to wipe the glistening of tears from her eyes, her mind dancing with images of Shahar, no one would blame her for the sorrow that lingered in her heart.
Shai drifted to sleep, his breath falling into a familiar rhythm, and Naiya quickly followed suit, her dreams filled with images of diakh and bosu playing together in the grass.
~`~`~
It was not long later that her eyes reopened, still quiet but for the sounds of Shai's breath beside her. She felt refreshed, but not so much so that she thought to get up from her bed of furs.
Instead she let her eyes drift back closed, the sound of rain that had picked back up a promise of little change in the city.
She had only just begun to doze back off when the warming sound of Baluke broke through her sleep deprived mind. She barked her warning sound, and the deep baritone of Ashette joined in, the male surely seeking his sister in warning off the approach of some stranger.
Naiya shushed her wuepo back to sleep, so long as the person who had strayed too close strayed no further, they had nothing to fear from the dogs. If they had simply ventured too close, they could wander back to where they came without further incident. If they sought the pavilion, they would have to be content to wait for the crying of the wuepo to be soothed.
The dogs would be still unless the stranger came closer without invitation, they would watch, unaffected by kind words, although they might be tempted by treats.
When Shai was calm once more, Naiya crawled out from beneath the covers, throwing a cloak around her bare form and pressing the tent flap open to peer out into the rain.
"Hello?" She called into the storm, clutching the cloak tightly around her as her eyes searched for the source of the commotion. "Is anyone there?"
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Naiya space[/cmotheolor] [color=#97BA45]Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant