Familiar but Not the Same

by **Ebrashi** on April 29th, 2023, 1:47 am

Spring 19, 523
Morning

Ebrashi moved slowly in the thick humidity. For someone who lived in the desert his whole life, walking on this sand seemed like an insurmountable task. Sand is sand, right? Wrong. It had only been a few days since the storm but the Benshiran herder was finding life on the beach difficult. Matthias had been a great help. Such a leader explained why this settlement was bustling with activity and life.

The allowance for some time to pass for adjustments was needed but also its own struggle. Ebrashi wasn’t sleeping well though he rather enjoyed being on land again even if it wasn’t his home. Today’s monumental task was to find the sawmill, introduce himself to the owner, and insert himself in the open position of an animal handler for what sounded like very large cattle. The antelope of his family’s tribe had not survived the storm and that loss seemed to have ripped a hole deep into the young man. Hope and youthful ignorance warmed at the idea of something to fill the void.

Go north, through the pigs until you find a herd of something bigger. Those were roughly the instructions Ebrashi had received when he had inquired about the mill’s location a second time. Wet sand was absolutely weird. Golden eyes fixed upon the matted granules. It was vastly different than the perfect dunes of Eyktol. The teenager didn’t have the luxury to ponder this for very long, however, as the sounds of dozens of grunting creatures brought his focus up in front of him.

Pigs! So many pigs! They chased each other around in the water, on the sand and all over. Ebrashi almost couldn’t believe it. In his wildest dreams, he would not have been able to conceive such a place. The brown, pink, and black bodies stood out amidst the bright blue waves and light sandy beach but the animals certainly looked as if they belonged. A dagger of sadness split his heart as the thought of whether he’d ever feel that sense of connection again bloomed like a poisonous flower in his mind. The joy of experiencing the unknown beauty of nature was quickly gone and so he moved through the playful swine once again focusing upon the sands.

After another period of time passed, the grunting long since left behind, Ebrashi caught a whiff of something rich and earthy. Eyes reflecting the light Syna drew up from the ground he shuffled along towards a high but small structure. The sound of machines echoed from beneath the thatched roof but it was what lay near the structure that caused the young man to quicken his pace. Something bigger. It could not have been more clear.

Ashta!

A herd of elephants with bone covered brows, vine infused ears, and small tusks lounged, played and lingered near the mill. Ebrashi had never been around large animals like this before and the wonder spread across his face despite his vacillating emotions. Unconscious steps drew him ever closer as golden eyes widened to absorb the herd’s majesty. So enthralled by the beasts of burden was the young man that he failed to see the mill’s proprietor appear from behind a stack of timber. Study upon study, Lars simply folded his arms and leaned his strong frame into the unforgiving stack of wood as the tan-skinned newcomer whose hair was as white as his garments floated in from the beach.

Ebrashi reached the first beam of the mill and was frozen in place when a larger ashta, perhaps a bull, turned abruptly to stare at him. The creature’s movement landed both front feet at once and sent a rumble through the ground which sent goosebumps up the herder’s spine. In his native tongue, he whispered softly to the large creature. “Don’t mind me, maskam. I’m just a hak tsipor here to sing you a song.”

“That’s quite a pretty language.” Lars chimed in with Common. “You must be the helper Matthias told me about.” The millwright moved from his post and meandered around the equipment towards Ebrashi. “I’m Lars. Let me introduce you to your new herd.” He smiled warmly as he extended his hand towards Ebrashi.

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by **Ebrashi** on April 30th, 2023, 8:31 pm

Ebrashi was caught off guard by the appearance of Lars. The man was bigger, older, and a glint of his dark eyes revealed a great deal of knowledge. The young man instinctively took a step back and bowed his head as a sign of respect. After an awkward pause, he reached out and shook the hand presented to him. A good handshake was something his father had always tried to teach Ebrashi but he never quite mastered the greeting so it was no surprise when Lars’ grip popped one knuckle against the other. Golden eyes swept from a worn hand up to the face of the owner. Lars had definition in his muscle, leathery skin that was colored with tattoos and braids to keep his hair from interfering with his work. Despite these things, or perhaps because of them, the millman held a pleasant and nonchalant expression as well as a casual stance as if he worried about nothing.

“I Ebrashi Molachi Selben.” Ebrashi spoke softly in Common. “I was a herder in my home. The desert. We called them..” The maize stare drifted to the ashta as flashes of white coats and long horns flew past him and drew an emptiness up from the well of his heart. “Oryx.” He lingered on the word as if it was a lost love but several tones drifted by and he blinked. The tremor of his past now faded, Ebrashi mustered his focus back to the master of the business where he stood. “I come to tend your herd.” He motioned with his right arm towards the beasts of burden nearby.

The bull who hand stomped was still just standing there. The large eyes studied Ebrashi with a depth he did not understand and it made him shuffle his weight from one foot to the next. Lars caught note of this with a pivot of his head and he smiled then moved around beside Ebrashi so they were both facing the animal side by side.

“He showed you strength. He is waiting for you to return the favor, Ebrashi.” Lars smiled from the side of his new helper and flexed the arm that wasn’t wrapped around the younger man.

“I don’t know what you say.” Ebrashi returned. His face was twisted slightly as the various interpretations of the instruction were weighed in his mind.

“He stomped to test you.” Lars patiently explained. “The bull wants to know what you’re made of.” Lars’ rough hand came crashing down against the chest of his pupil. “He’s trying to figure you out!” The one swept his arm back out giving Ebrashi all the room he needed to make a demonstration for the ashta male.

“I think I understand.” Ebrashi felt himself blush. What sort of display would convey to a huge beast the kind of man the Benshiran was? He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and whispered a prayer to Yahal. He was answered by the sound and feeling of more stomping. In a panic, Ebrashi opened his eyes only to see the big creature walking slowly in the other direction.

“It’s ok, Ebrashi.” Lars cooed. “You missed your window but you’ll have plenty more chances to prove yourself.”

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by **Ebrashi** on May 17th, 2023, 3:46 am

Ebrashi was a bit cowed by the large animals but Lars seemed like a very pleasant person. There was a joviality which resonated from his actions that the young man admired. Here was a person who owned a business in a remote part of the world and yet he had the good sense to not take himself too seriously. Perhaps there was more to the Benshiran finding his way to the ashta than he had originally thought.

“Ebrashi, let me show you around.” Lars gave his new employee a sound thump on the arm which sent a shock through the tender nerves of the slowly healing shoulder. There wasn’t much to see as the space was quite open. The mill was fascinating and its equipment was mostly foreign to the desert nomad but he paid attention all the same. Lars was proud of his work and his life- the evidence was in his voice and demeanor as he lovingly described the inner workings of some of the gear.

Ebrashi did his best to follow along but only some of the concepts really stuck. Perhaps, in time, he would be able to better understand what it was that happened here but his golden eyes strayed constantly to the big bull who had sauntered away. The creature was magnificent and yet a mystery that tugged at the young ambition and curiosity of the herder. Lars was an astute man and shifted topics once he noticed that he was about to lose his audience.

“So, this is my herd.” He strode around a table and motioned for Ebrashi to keep up. Lars moved in a way that was almost predatory. His actions were smooth and slow but he covered ground quickly. This was in sharp contrast to the quick, small steps that the animal herder made as he shuffled along to keep up. “Two bulls, six cows, and two calves. They like to hide close to their mommas.” He stretched out an arm to indicate the pairs towards the innermost edge of the clearing.

Ebrashi bent to follow the line of sight, his waist contorting awkwardly while his eyes scanned and his lips silently counted. The fine cuts of bone which protruded from the skulls would certainly help identifying one from the other as some were very similar in size. Further, the vine-like formations which hung from their ears were all quite unique as tattoos though the constant sweeping of the large ears made quick observations difficult.

The young man looked around and noticed the large patches of grass with wide blades that some of the cows were eating. A few steps to his left was one such clump. Ebrashi walked to it with soft steps, his boots padded over the trampled ground without much sound. He bent down and grasped the plant by its roots and tried to yank it free from the soil but failed. A puzzled look crept over his features. The animals pulled at the vegetation with no resistance whatsoever.

Stubborn youth that he was, Ebrashi wrapped both hands around the base and squatted down with a wider stance. In a persistent motion, the young man strained his muscles from his hands up his arms, down his back and through his legs. At first, the determined plant appeared to not be concerned with the show of strength. After a few seconds, Ebrashi felt his muscles start to twitch and burn. Just when he was about to relax and try a different approach, the roots gave way in a single whoosh which sent the newcomer flying back onto his bottom in a hail of dirt and tanned skin. Lars erupted in laughter and made a couple long strides to see if he could help up his new apprentice who had flushed bright red from effort and embarrassment.

Ebrashi got up quickly. There was nothing graceful about his recovery but it was certainly efficient. He was on his feet again despite some lingering pains by the time Lars reached him.

“Are you ok?”

“I’m fine.” Ebrashi said tersely. His eyes were on the shallow tangle of roots that looked alot like filthy sheep’s wool. Slender tubes twisted in an out in a never ending maze that held sand and soil as if they were precious metals. For no reason other than he felt compelled, the young man shook out some of the dirt with an up and down motion. Once most of the debris was cleared, he ran his fingers through the mess of subterranean anchors to feel their coolness.

The action reminded Ebrashi of his intent for the grass. The golden eyes were lifted to find the closest ashta who was regarding the stranger with a gaze that held some kind of ancient wisdom. For a moment, neither moved as a dance played out in the space between breaths. The heifer was the first to move with three confident but small strides towards the bungalow where the two men stood. Ebrashi did not move from his place, a weird mix of excitement and fear kept his feet firmly planted. He slowly raised the green grass up to a higher level so it could be easily seen.

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by **Ebrashi** on May 17th, 2023, 3:51 am

This ashta was smaller than most of the rest of the herd but not by much. Ebrashi watched as the slow progression erased the distance between them. Her skull had the typical bone protrusion but it almost looked like her brow was furrowed in thought and worry. The large eyes never wavered from the young man with the offering. As she drew closer, Ebrashi could see himself framed in the endless black glass orbs.

Lars didn’t move but he did lean in a bit to whisper something to Ebrashi. “Her name is Meena.”

Ebrashi gave a slight nod in appreciation to Lars but continued to keep the grass aloft for Meena to see. Oryx were staunch creatures in the herd but skittish when alone. This ashta was venturing out towards an unfamiliar human so the herder decided to play things safely and went back to what he knew. He took one small, steady step towards the brave beast and let his voice revert to his native tongue of Shiber.

“In the process, in the waiting
You're making melodies over me
And Your presence is a promise
For I am a pilgrim on a journey.”

He lifted his voice and took another step with each line. The big animal froze in place as he moved instead but she did not shy away from Ebrashi. His voice was even and soft -nothing magnificent like a bard of his people but it was a way to communicate his good will towards the creature he so desperately wanted to touch. His chest tightened as his diaphragm expanded and contracted but the act of singing was only partially to blame. Every movement closer made the excitement grow like a child daring to adventure into a dream.

“And You will lift my head above the mighty waves
You are able to keep me from stumbling.”

Ebrashi began to rhythmically shake the grass, the rustling sound helped fill the space between his words and breaths. His volume rose slightly as well but not to anything of a great projection. He still clung to the safety of repressed vocal chords as they were less likely to stray into flat tones or sharp pitches. This came as a comfort since Meena began to take a few steps towards him once more.

“And in my weakness
You are the strength that comes from within
Good Shepherd of my soul
Take my hand and lead me on.”

As he finished the last note, his voice faded into nothing but a breeze for the world between man and beast had vanished. Meena had extended her trunk after a few more steps from both parties and wrapped the end around the grass. Ebrashi held it for a moment so that he might run his empty hand along the tough skin of the magnificent creature. His golden eyes stared straight into the onyx pools and he felt a validation; a sense of belonging. When he finally let go and watched the ashta retract the offered grasses into her mouth, he heard Lars comment behind him.

“And now Tuka knows who you are.”

Ebrashi looked up to see the bull watching the interaction from a short distance away. He was still and calm as if to say that he approved of the herder’s presence. The young man smiled and felt the quickness in his heart subside. This felt right.

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by **Gossamer** on May 21st, 2023, 2:13 am

The Fates Have Spoken
Here is your thread grade!

Ebrashi-

Navigation +2, Psychology +2, Observation +5, Socialization +3, Animal Husbandry +3, Body Building +1, Singing +1

Swine Swells: Location & Appearance, Psychology: Working Through Trauma/Grief/Loss, Sawmill: Location & Appearance, Ashta: Appearance & Personalities, Lars: Appearance & Mannerisms, Ashta: How They Greet Newcomers, Lars’ Herd: Two Bulls, Six Cows, Two Calves, Ashta: How To Tell Them Apart, Ashta: How They Graze, Body Building: Uprooting Plants, Singing: Singing To Sooth/Greet Strange Animals.

As always PM me if you have issues.