Two Spiders on One Web [Leto]

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

50th Winter, 510 A.V. Sama'el had found that it was easier to practice his Webbing if he moved away from the locus of intertwined threads that was Endrykas, not so far that he was in danger of being marauded by glassbeaks or anything foolish like that, but far enough away that he had a sense of perspective and a bit of quiet. He loved Dymphna and Denen and their Striders and Horse, but only Dohaina seemed able to sit by and abide while he worked on the internal things that were required to externalize in truth, moving out of his body to comb the web. Of course, when the others were around, he had little desire to retreat from his normal reality, which he supposed was a good and healthy thing, which would help prevent overextending himself while he was yet a novice. Many had seen him pelting out of Endrykas on his golden Strider mare as if her tail were on fire, and his name was being bandied about more and more: that new Stormwatch lad, shame about his pavilion, but what a rider! The Drykas always respected talent and skill, especially with a horse. There had always been something about the wind in his hair while galloping at breakneck speed on a horse. His hair was growing out again, though it was not quite long enough for proper Drykas appearance, though he hoped that when Summer rolled by, he would be cursing the length of it and the heat it caused. But for now he was still, seated on grass cropped short by the Drykas herds, even this far out. He was not outside his body, but he was meditating as best he could, his eyes open to the Web and his hands holding onto it as he tried to read what information came willingly to him, a passive observer of the simpler bits of the great Drykas Web. This was how he knew he was being followed. Another was coming, and it was a face he didn't know, but it was a Drykas and they were still within the domain of the horseclans, so he knew he was safe and that there was no need to panic or draw steel in preparation. But observe he did, watching the man's approach and trying to gather whatever information he might. It would be meager, he was sure, but soon he would be much better at this.

[Leto Sunsinger]

As Leto awoke that morning, he looked outside to see what there was to see. Just another day in the winter of Endrykas was all he could think, when he saw the frost torn ground. Slolwy putting on his clothes, and then clasping his cloak around his neck, he put the hood up, and looked towards his strider, Arias. Perhaps he would try to take him out for a ride today, as close as they were, he didn't have much experience riding him, rather they talked all day long, where he would talk, and his strider would neigh. Putting a hand to his strider's long face and brushing the hair out of it's eyes, it snorted a little, and Leto said, "Well, let's go now..." The strider got up off of it's laying down position, and began to follow Leto as he made his way into the city of Endrykas.

Slowly mounting his strider, Leto calmly petted it, and then nodded as he gently tapped his feet upon it's side signalling it to move forwards, but in a slow pace. As it did, it began to trot, and Leto would begin to move into the city, slowly practicing his horse riding skills which were none too decent, as he was merely a beginner in it, not even competent enough to know what to do if the strider took off without him being ready for it. Taking off the hood of his cloak, Leto looked around, his short dark black hair with blonde highlites, a birth defect from when he was born, showing now. Off in the distance, he saw somebody making their way out of endrykas, away from the protective webbing that surrounded it. Now, that's not the smartest thing to do thought Leto as he watched the man.

Slowly steering Arias to head outwards towards where he saw the man moving, Leto began his approach, the horse trotting away, and then suddenly starting to gallop. Much to his surprised, Leto was not quite ready for Arias to do this, and as he did, he quickly held on and hoped for the best. The horse for whatever reason galloped quite quickly, and sooner than he could tell, the man was almost upon the other person he has seen riding outside of the city. Not wanting to get too far away from the city limits, Leto said in pavi, "For the gods sakes, please stop!" And Arias did, but at an alarming rate. It slowed down, bent it's neck down, and off came Leto, right off the back of the horse, nearly flipping off of it.

As he flew through the air, not quite knowing what to think other than, great, he landed on his butt about four feet away from the person he had seen making his way out of the city. The man, at the age of twenty seven had never really been properly trained as to how to ride a horse, and it was obviously showing. He looked upwards as he landed, luckily it was on the softest part of his body, which made for a softer landing, but it was still a bit painful. Briefly closing his eyes, and sighing, he looked over towards the man whom was, or had been meditating. Brushing a hand through his short hair, he said, "My apologies..." and then turned his head back to look at Arias, whom he was a bit angered at, but he was sure the horse could tell, as it began to lay down with it's head down upon the ground.

It was almost as if the horse knew that Leto should meet whomever it was that had come out here, and knew that he needed to expand his horizons as a Drykas, and learn that the tradgedy that happened earlier in his life couldn't continue to affect him later in life, causing his anti-socialness. As his dark gaze wandered over to the other person, whom seemed a bit taller than him, Leto slowly pushed himself up off of the ground, making sure he wasn't hurt anywheres as he did, the fall that could have easily broken his neck, luckily only sprained his butt...

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el was lucky, perhaps, that he had been in such a light trance, hardly even out of his body for a safe glance at the Web. He had seen Leto coming, after all, and retreated back into his body so the shock of a landing body so close didn't cause any damage to his spirit. Daed's warnings had taken root within him, and he was treating this magic with all due respect and so far he was surviving without any sort of harm. Blinking back to the normal world of sunlight and fallen riders, his dark eyes fixed on the man and he smiled sympathetically. One didn't get to be a great rider without falling off and falling off again, but one had to keep getting back into the yvas to prove that they had what it took to be great. "Ho, stranger," he greeted quietly, stretching his arms over his head and arching his back one way and another. He had all his youthful energy about him at eighteen summers, and so sitting still, even for a little time, felt strange, as if he should be sleeping that he might get up and be all energetic again. "Are you unbroken?" he asked, with a bit of humor at the situation. He supposed that when he stood up, he would tower over the other man, who seemed more compactly muscled, however. Sama'el had a long reach, but his body was wiry, whipcord muscle stretched over a long-limbed frame.

[Leto Sunsinger]

Leto smiled as he stood up to greet the stranger that he had managed to almost land upon. Luckily he didn't, otherwise that would have been quite the awkward situation. As he checked himself out, scanning his arms and legs, he noticed a few scrapes and bruises, but really the only part of him that hurt was his bum. Not bothering to rub the pain away as that would seem quite strange upon first meeting someone, Leto looked towards the man, and then said, "I am unbroken, save for some scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious." As he spoke, he smiled, and brushed a hand through his strange short hair.

Looking around, as they were outside of the city limits, Leto looked back towards the man, and then said, "My name is Leto Treebearer..." As he spoke, it was in fluent pavi, his natural language, as he assumed the man before him was a drykas as well, considering how he had ridden that horse, as well as the fact that he came from Endrykas out into the brief wilderness, close enough to stay out of danger, but far enough for some peace and quiet.

"My apologies about my horse," he then began a dark sidelong glance back towards Arias. "He just got a bit overexcited at the prospect of me meeting someone new that he just had to hurry up over here," continued Leto, looking up towards the one whom looked like he was just now becoming a man, even though he towered over Leto.

That lengthy body, it was something that Leto had an eye out for, he enjoyed the company of men, especially ones in good physical shape. But that was his own preference, probably why he was twenty seven and unmarried still. But again, his anti-socialness was beginning to creep up upon him, as he looked out towards the wilds, and shuddered a bit.

"My apologies again, I have not been this far away from the city since i was a boy," he said humbly, his dark gaze focused upon the man before him, and then shifting off to look out towards the wilderness once more. It was true he generally stayed within city limits, as he happened to not be one for adventurous outings. But he was determined to expand his horizons more, and in doing so, would need to learn how to deal with the wilds once more.

Allowing his gaze to fall back towards the man before him, he then asked, "What might I call you?"

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el stood too, dusting off the back of his leather riding pants, then extending his hand to clasp wrists with his brother Drykas. His responses were also in fluent Pavi, even though he had spent a good portion of his young life in exile and as a slave. But such shames were not things he shared immediately upon meeting a person, and this Leto seemed intriguing if only for his strange hair and the strange way about him. "Well met, Leto Treebearer. I am Sama'el, and soon enough I hope to have a pavilion again, but for the moment I am simply Sama'el, recently of the Stormwatch. I was just... practicing at the Web when you and your Strider rode along. I saw you coming, but didn't know you were going to stop so abruptly." He wanted to offer his services teaching the man how better to ride, but he didn't want to offend his new acquaintance by pointing out his weaknesses. "You needn't apologize. I'm unhurt... But really? We aren't all that far from the City. Do you truly not meet so many people?" It seemed strange that a good looking young Drykas man would remain always within the City and not be more social, but Sama'el felt strange in other ways, so he didn't mean to pry overmuch. Everyone had their own way. "I try to meet people as often as I can, but that is because I only recently returned and have been gone for so long. My friend, Denen Brokensong, camps with me... He's an Opal Clan healer if any of your scrapes need attention, or if your sore bum becomes a broken tailbone or something." His smile was friendly, and it had a boyish quality of earnestness and good cheer. It was clear that he was overjoyed to be back among his people and the newness of it had yet to wear off.

[Leto Sunsinger]

Leto listened intently as the man spoke. So his name was Sama'el, and he didn't have a pavilion at the moment. Interesting, Leto had never really met anyone whom didn't have a pavilion, but there was a first time for everything. Allowing his dark gaze to look up to the man infront of him, he then felt a sting of guilt for not explaining why he had not been away from the city for quite some time and his smile faded away briefly.

Taking off his cloak by unclasping it at the neck, he let it fall down into his hand, and one could see upon his arms runes up and down, but also scars. His body was quite scarred up, various ones across his upper arms, and throughout his upper chest as he was wearing a leather vest. In the center of hsi chest, there was a triangle, a symbol of power that he had put upon himself, to prove he wasn't powerless against the wild, even though he felt that way most of the time.

"I don't mean to alarm you... but there was an accident when I was about thirteen," he said, unsure as to whether he should elaborate on what had happened out in the wilderness or not. "Let's just say that I was injured, and the scars of the past still remain somewhat within my mind..." he then finished, deciding that he wouldn't elaborate upon the reason his body was all scarred up, even though he had runic tattoes covering a better portion of the scarring. At least his face had been saved from the attack, and none of the wounds he had sustained formed scars there. Allowing his eyes to look towards Sam, he then said, "Perhaps I shall meet your friend at another time to be sure I am completely unharmed, save for the minor scrapes."

He smiled, and then looked towards Sama'el. "So, you were within the web, were you?" he asked, more of a rhetorical question than anything, as Sama'el had told him that he had sensed his approach via the webbing. It was great to gather information from, and Leto had some experience with it, so he was aware of the capabilities of someone who could access the webs that surrounded Endrykas. "I have some experience with webbing as well, even though I'm from the ruby clan, i felt it be an important tool... and a sacred one as well..." he said, remembering one of the seven laws of the dryka, as he was tought, to never teach an outsider about the webbing, or maliciously alter it.

As he looked towards Sam, he reclasped his cloak upon his body, and brushed a hand through his hair a bit. He was already taking a liking to this younger man, as he seemed to have a level head and such. Perhaps they could discuss the web some more, or if Sam really wanted to know, Leto would share with him what he could remember of what had happened back when he was younger. Or, they could talk about riding, or anything else that Sam wished to know. For now, Leto was reserved, but would try to be as social as could be. Arias continued to lay down, looking towards Sam and Leto, snorting a bit, then closing his eyes to catch some sleep til Leto was ready to depart once more...

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el proved a good listener, eyes widening both with respect for the runes and scars as well as compassion for the earning of them. It was good to remember that he was not the only person with tragedy in his past. It helped not to dwell on it overmuch, and to help other people. There was healing in that. Dohaina was awake, and quietly cropping the grass about them. She saw no need to worry; Leto and Arias were Drykas, after all. Still, she eyed the lazy stallion with vague interest and Sama'el, attuned to her and rather a good horseman, wondered briefly when would be the best time to breed her. He was going to need a herd, after all. "I'm not sure what my friends can do for scars," he admitted, "but perhaps you should meet them anyway if you are in need of friends. I mean," he grinned, "we could be friends, and then you would sort of inherit my friends by default. Unless you turn out to be a bore." He winked. Leto did seem a bit older, and perhaps he would not be amused by Sama'el and his somewhat younger posse. "I, ah... I was woven into the web as an infant by my father and grandfather, the Ankal. Unfortunately..." Here he paused, rather too long. He was getting used to sharing his story, because the Drykas people wanted to know, but it was different somehow with people who had tragedies of their own, like Dymphna, Denen, and now, Leto. "Well, we ventured out of Cyphrus to trade in Sylira, and on our return, we were beset by bandits. I was, ah, the only survivor. I'd my windmark..." He pointed to the rune on the inside of his left wrist -- he was of the magically-minded Sapphire Clan, after all. "And I was a man, but I was only seven. They took me as a slave and it... ah... took me about eight years to escape finally. And a few years to come to terms with myself and feel right about returning. Seems I was right to return, though... Dohaina was waiting, and things seem to be going my way for the first time in forever. "Anyway, I was pulled so far away... all the way to Sunberth... Perhaps none of the master Webbers could find me, and they just took me for dead. Perhaps they thought me not worth the trouble as we'd ventured out of Drykas territory." He shrugged. "In any case, I made it back." He changed courses quickly, because his mind could be spastic like that, especially in the flush of making a new friend. "Ruby Clan? They do have some good glyphers," he admitted. "I've only recently been initiated into the Web as an apprentice and it's the only magic I know. But I can ride and I can fight and I'm trying to learn as many skills as possible so I can rebuild my pavilion one day."

[Leto Sunsinger]

Leto smiled at the prospect of a new friend, something more than and aquaintance. His dark eyes continued to look towards Sama'el, and his smile didn't fade as Sama'el spoke of him turning out to be a bore. "Well, let's hope that you don't mind the company of an older male," he said, grinning. "I wouldn't mind the company of younger ones, friends are friends, no matter the age..." He was trying to be a bit more social, and in doing so, he hoped to not frighten anyone away by what he thought, as he developed his philosophies on relationships and the like.

As Sama'el began to tell the story of his past, Leto nodded in anticipation of it, and then began to listen intently after the long pause was over. Leto didn't speak during the story at all, just listened, as he wanted to make sure he caught everything that was said. Then just as the subjects changed, he decided to simply nod at the story, giving his sympathies that way, as he was sure that Sama'el wasn't one to look for sympathy for a tragic past. Leto could have been wrong, but he just felt as thought it was the right thing to do. But as Sama'el switched conversation topics, Leto smiled, and then looked towards him. "Yes, my uncle, the ankal of my pavilion is an excellent glypher, he was the one whom taught me how to utilize the glyphs so that we could make scrolls to store spells for the reimancers..." said Leto, explaining how he was taught about glyphs.

Smiling, he scratched the back of his head briefly, and then decided to ask about the pavilion that Sama'el was attempting to rebuild. "So, you're rebuilding your pavilion?" he then asked, gaze turning towards the sky, and then back to Sama'el. "Do you know what you're going to specialize in to help the clans yet?" He wondered what they would specalize in, given that each pavilion seemed to have some form of specialty associated with it, whether it be crafting something, glyping, webbing, fighting, or anything of that sort.

Perhaps their conversation would be the start of something new, a new friendship that would allow Leto to learn more about people, and try to break out of this shell that seemed to be holding him in for so long. He wanted to be more social with people, learn more about them, develop relationships. He didn't want to be alone anymore, trapped within his own mind for his fear of the wild, and the people and creatures that could be within it. Sama'el might be one of the first steps to breaking out of that shell, and he seemed to be able to communicate with him generously, and hold some form of a conversation with him; something that he was unable to do when he was younger after the tradgedies of the past had happened. Perhaps in the future, when he was stronger, he'd share the story with Sama'el, as it involved the death of his family, his near death, and the disappearance of his brother...

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el shrugged off Leto's age with a smile. Age generally meant greater wisdom and skill, and Sama'el knew he needed to surround himself with more of those things to temper what he had going for him, which was youthful vim and vigor. And Leto's questions proved stimulating. He hadn't actually thought about specializing his future pavilion. The one he had grown up in had been rather self-sufficient, balancing skills, though eventually their battle skills proved insufficient to keep them alive. "Well, ah... I suppose it'll have something to do with the mysteries," he said thoughtfully. "I mean, I'm of the Sapphire Clan, after all. But I've joined the Watch, which is run by the Diamond. I'm learning to work leather from a master in the Ruby. I've learned a thing or two about horse breeding, so if Dohaina keeps staring at your Arias, I might have to play at being Amethyst sooner or later to develop a herd. I'm an indifferent hunter; my friends've joked that I'd have better luck running down prey than hitting it with an arrow, so I've that to work on were I an Emerald. I'm like to marry a girl of the Opal, and if I'm Ankal, I'll have to have the wisdom of the Topaz as well..." He thought about all he had ahead of him, took a deep breath, and grinned fatalistically to his new friend. "That's a lot, huh? Well, anything worth doing is worth doing right, and that can take time. That's all right. I'm young. "And what about you? What are your plans for the future?"

[Leto Sunsinger]

Leto smiled and listened as Sama'el began to give off his long list of what his pavilion might specialize in. By the time he was done, Leto had an even bigger grin upon his face, given the fact that Sama'el had just pretty much said his pavilion would specialize in everything when it came down to it. It was much to the man's amusement though, and he was surely enjoying his time around this younger man. As he looked towards him, he said, "So, specializing in an all around pavilion? That will take some time, but you are right, you are young, and you have plenty of time to think about what you wish to do, and then accomplish it..."

As he spoke though, it almost gave him a glimpse into his own mortality. He was indeed getting older, and hadn't found anyone to bond with yet, to truly become close to a person, and in that, find someone to be with. Then again, his uncle had already resigned to the fact that it would never be a woman, so Leto was almost envious of Sam's capability. It somewhat limited Leto's options of who he could choose to be with.

As he watched Sam, his eyes drifted towards Dohaina, and he smiled. "I have many possible futures," he said, turning his eyes back towards Sama'el. "As do you, hence what you've already said. As for the future i'm heading towards right now, it seems that my arts of glyphing will be my foremost skill, and i shall more than likely continue the art of glyphing as an Ankal of my own pavilion once my uncle passes on, which I do indeed dread will happen sometime soon as he is getting older... But I also have another possible future, whether it be in webbing or summoning, two skills i've picked up over the years... One much more strange to utilize than the other given it's concepts." He did indeed speak of summoning as being the strange one out of the two, given he was used to the webbing as it was a natural thing for Drykas to be used to, once they had been exposed to it.

"I would like to find someone to bond with at some point in time, hence my coming out of the pavilion more often now, but that can wait i suppose. You're lucky in a way," he said, smiling at Sam, his envy turning into admiration for the younger man, to be so natural with himself. He left it at that though, not wanting to delve into any further problems that might separate him from the rest of his people. His hair was already strange enough, perhaps his mannerisms too, but after everything he had been through, he was lucky enough to be alive.

"I find that the future is better left to be a mystery, as are some people's pasts, makes things more enigmatic that way, something that can be interesting, and help to draw people closer to them, curious to find out about their pasts, or their futures. Personally, I don't mind sharing my future, but much less my past... Perhaps in the future, you're learn more about it," he said, feeling a bit uncomfortable talking about his past, but knowing that going out of his comfort zone was probably a better way to form relationships with people, whether they be good or bad ones. Hopefully Sama'el would understand this in a way. Brushing a hand through his hair and scratching an itch on the back of his head, he then laid eyes upon Arias, whom was calmly napping while Leto talked to Sama'el. Turning his eyes back towards Sam, he smiled, and then said, "A bit lazy i'd say, but it gives him personality..."