ALVADAS-RIVERFALL
45th of Winter, 516 AV
45th of Winter, 516 AV
Faradae waved at her shadow as she stepped into a river made entirely of grass blades that waved softly in a warm, imaginary breeze. Her shadow stopped in its tracks and waved back, which made her smile. She had tried talking to it when it first started accompanying her through this elegant part of Alvadas, designed after a city she did not know, but it had remained silent, happy just to follow her around on each step she took. It had not bothered her too much. Perhaps she was getting used to Alvadas after all? She started humming a tune she had picked up on the ship to Alvadas, her mood brightening to unexpected heights in the sunshine of the Alvad sea of grass.
What had originally appeared like a river in whose bed she walked soon turned into a path that led her through an assortment of tents. It was the most curious assembly; large, streamlined, breezy homes made of a light fabric, painted in bright colours with images of animals she did not recognize. A few residents were strolling down the green lanes, all in some short or airy summer attire. The smell of dried grass was in the air. Feeling the heat, Faradae stripped of her coat and tied it around her waist by its sleeves instead. She would rather carry around an extra piece of clothing than end up in a frosty area and catch death, even if it meant she would have to sweat a little more than everyone else.
From afar, she could hear nervous snorting and the stamping of hooves. Horses, how befitting. Faradae could see the use these animals had to people who could not rely on themselves to safely and quickly get wherever they were trying to go. After a single incident where a horse had decided to kick her just for standing behind it, she had not bothered to try riding, herself. It seemed risky; she did not trust horses and she had her own wings to get by. As opposed to most humans, she could pass obstacles and did not have to worry about getting her horse, mule or personal riding dog to the other side of a rockslide, which proved timesaving.
The stables, when she found them, were larger than she had expected. People scurried about, obviously working here and terribly busy. Someone called out from the outdoor area and everyone came running. Faradae trailed behind curiously, even though this was none of her business. “That damn brown runner tore down the fences again”, she heard the man say, “and I have no idea how to find him in this forsaken prairie, or whatever landscape Ionu found funny to drop us in.” There was some commotion, and Faradae took it as her cue to move on. One last glance showed her that some other horses were trying to use their chance at escape and flocking around a single poor boy trying to keep them at bay and preferably inside their enclosure.
Half a bell later, she approached the end of the grassland. The green became duller and sparser and gave way to pure desert sand. A stone had somehow gotten into her boot, so she knelt down to remove it, when out of the corner of her eye, she saw a large bird of prey circle over a group of oversized lizards which lazed unsuspectingly in the sun. Recognizing her own movement patterns while hunting, she turned away before it swooped down on them lest the carnage dampen her mood. She was likely safe since the predator wold sate itself elsewhere, but the sight proved that not everything in Alvadas-Mizahar was happy sunshine, so she moved on.
What had originally appeared like a river in whose bed she walked soon turned into a path that led her through an assortment of tents. It was the most curious assembly; large, streamlined, breezy homes made of a light fabric, painted in bright colours with images of animals she did not recognize. A few residents were strolling down the green lanes, all in some short or airy summer attire. The smell of dried grass was in the air. Feeling the heat, Faradae stripped of her coat and tied it around her waist by its sleeves instead. She would rather carry around an extra piece of clothing than end up in a frosty area and catch death, even if it meant she would have to sweat a little more than everyone else.
From afar, she could hear nervous snorting and the stamping of hooves. Horses, how befitting. Faradae could see the use these animals had to people who could not rely on themselves to safely and quickly get wherever they were trying to go. After a single incident where a horse had decided to kick her just for standing behind it, she had not bothered to try riding, herself. It seemed risky; she did not trust horses and she had her own wings to get by. As opposed to most humans, she could pass obstacles and did not have to worry about getting her horse, mule or personal riding dog to the other side of a rockslide, which proved timesaving.
The stables, when she found them, were larger than she had expected. People scurried about, obviously working here and terribly busy. Someone called out from the outdoor area and everyone came running. Faradae trailed behind curiously, even though this was none of her business. “That damn brown runner tore down the fences again”, she heard the man say, “and I have no idea how to find him in this forsaken prairie, or whatever landscape Ionu found funny to drop us in.” There was some commotion, and Faradae took it as her cue to move on. One last glance showed her that some other horses were trying to use their chance at escape and flocking around a single poor boy trying to keep them at bay and preferably inside their enclosure.
Half a bell later, she approached the end of the grassland. The green became duller and sparser and gave way to pure desert sand. A stone had somehow gotten into her boot, so she knelt down to remove it, when out of the corner of her eye, she saw a large bird of prey circle over a group of oversized lizards which lazed unsuspectingly in the sun. Recognizing her own movement patterns while hunting, she turned away before it swooped down on them lest the carnage dampen her mood. She was likely safe since the predator wold sate itself elsewhere, but the sight proved that not everything in Alvadas-Mizahar was happy sunshine, so she moved on.
