Season of Winter, Day 24, 510 AV
Side event to the winter travel thread Long Road to Ruin
The day had dawned brisk and cold, the smell of snow hanging in the air faint as a day dream. Red was blooming beside the cold campfire where Cathan had gut a hare half an hour previous. It had been a meager little critter with gray fur and too big eyes, barely worth the work to skin. The kelvic had pulled the rabbit from the snare still. Little meat was better than no meat at all, and not always had he and Kendall been able to hunt successful these past days. The young man was doing far better than the wolf had imagined, but in winter prey was sparse and rabbit and deer ran fast.
Around Cathan the camp lay quiet. Already snow started to cover the mess of crimson and pink left from his skinning endeavors and in the east the sky was blushing in shades of gold and scarlet. There was no sound coming from Sondra's tent, but if the woman was still sleeping or had gone for a walk the man was unable to tell. Kendall he knew was awake and dressing. After one awkward moment on the first morning of their journey, the kelvic had found himself slinking from the tent every morning when he felt the young man stir from sleep. Cathan figured it had something to do with modesty. Or courtesy maybe. He was not quite able to tell. One day he eventually had to ask Kendall.
Now though it was time to get ready for travel. Licking his fingers the man stood, reaching for the iron pot still hanging over the fireplace. In the woods behind their camp the kelvic knocked in the thin ice coat of small lake. Not long after he returned to the tents with water and the distinct feeling they would get a warm day. Ice had cracked easily under the heel of his boot and he could feel Syna's warmth even through the layers of rabbit fur making up his coat. Before the entrance to Kendall's tent Cathan stopped for a second, listening. Certain he heard no suspicious rustling of clothing he entered without further warning.
Warmth greet him when he stepped into the tent. It was not the largest Cathan had ever seen, made for maybe four persons. However it was one of the largest he had ever slept in. Most of the time he had found his place with the dogs, warmer than sleeping alone, but by far not as comfortable as sharing the tent with Kendall. The shapeshifter offered the man a welcoming nod, glancing in his direction just briefly. In the over ten days since they had left Zeltiva he had come to know the young man a little better. He had also decided he was not like the other men he had traveled with in the past, only in what way was still eluding him. To some extend he was softer. More thoughtful. And most definitely more polite. He was more pleasant company than the kelvic had imagined at first. In a way he had come to enjoy Kendall's quiet nature.
Careful he put the pot on the ground beside the place he would usually sleep, starting to search his backpack for razor and soap. "You know... to some degree I understand the importance of bathing." Cathan wet the ashen piece of soap in the pot, starting a rather quick wash; face, neck and behind ears. "Some people reek after a mere week without water." The kelvic tilt his head to the side, glancing at his own dark reflexion. "Not that I mind, but I can see why others might not like it."
Putting the soap aside, he reached for the small sharp blade he used as a razor. "However I will never understand human's fondness for a procedure which might result in loosing ones nose. Or part of it anyway." Cathan looked down the blade a long moment. "And you have to repeat it every second day too. "
Side event to the winter travel thread Long Road to Ruin
The day had dawned brisk and cold, the smell of snow hanging in the air faint as a day dream. Red was blooming beside the cold campfire where Cathan had gut a hare half an hour previous. It had been a meager little critter with gray fur and too big eyes, barely worth the work to skin. The kelvic had pulled the rabbit from the snare still. Little meat was better than no meat at all, and not always had he and Kendall been able to hunt successful these past days. The young man was doing far better than the wolf had imagined, but in winter prey was sparse and rabbit and deer ran fast.
Around Cathan the camp lay quiet. Already snow started to cover the mess of crimson and pink left from his skinning endeavors and in the east the sky was blushing in shades of gold and scarlet. There was no sound coming from Sondra's tent, but if the woman was still sleeping or had gone for a walk the man was unable to tell. Kendall he knew was awake and dressing. After one awkward moment on the first morning of their journey, the kelvic had found himself slinking from the tent every morning when he felt the young man stir from sleep. Cathan figured it had something to do with modesty. Or courtesy maybe. He was not quite able to tell. One day he eventually had to ask Kendall.
Now though it was time to get ready for travel. Licking his fingers the man stood, reaching for the iron pot still hanging over the fireplace. In the woods behind their camp the kelvic knocked in the thin ice coat of small lake. Not long after he returned to the tents with water and the distinct feeling they would get a warm day. Ice had cracked easily under the heel of his boot and he could feel Syna's warmth even through the layers of rabbit fur making up his coat. Before the entrance to Kendall's tent Cathan stopped for a second, listening. Certain he heard no suspicious rustling of clothing he entered without further warning.
Warmth greet him when he stepped into the tent. It was not the largest Cathan had ever seen, made for maybe four persons. However it was one of the largest he had ever slept in. Most of the time he had found his place with the dogs, warmer than sleeping alone, but by far not as comfortable as sharing the tent with Kendall. The shapeshifter offered the man a welcoming nod, glancing in his direction just briefly. In the over ten days since they had left Zeltiva he had come to know the young man a little better. He had also decided he was not like the other men he had traveled with in the past, only in what way was still eluding him. To some extend he was softer. More thoughtful. And most definitely more polite. He was more pleasant company than the kelvic had imagined at first. In a way he had come to enjoy Kendall's quiet nature.
Careful he put the pot on the ground beside the place he would usually sleep, starting to search his backpack for razor and soap. "You know... to some degree I understand the importance of bathing." Cathan wet the ashen piece of soap in the pot, starting a rather quick wash; face, neck and behind ears. "Some people reek after a mere week without water." The kelvic tilt his head to the side, glancing at his own dark reflexion. "Not that I mind, but I can see why others might not like it."
Putting the soap aside, he reached for the small sharp blade he used as a razor. "However I will never understand human's fondness for a procedure which might result in loosing ones nose. Or part of it anyway." Cathan looked down the blade a long moment. "And you have to repeat it every second day too. "
