[FlashBack] Nayato's Searching

[Nayato]

With every inch fell, the sand that surrounded him seemed to deepen and deepen until it was utterly impenetrable, and he felt a stunning real sense of reality and weakness. It was In every fiber of his being that caused him to continue fighting to stand up but to no avail. He had set out to help the creature and he would not stop until he saw the goal through. His father had taught him better then this, when giving whole heartedly to a cause that you had to see it though and ‘prove to be worth his water‘. But in all honestly he wasn’t in the most advantageous of positions. Nayato rested for a moment simply setting his face into the sand in a momentary defeat. That was until he heard a women speaking to him. Shifting from side to side he tried to gain a proper hold of the wolf he was carrying and wipe away some sand that was on his face, though none of it got into his eyes due to his second pair of eye lids. I a good man? That thought went though his mind as his face was still buried in the sand. When the women lifted his chin Nayato gazed upon her beauty for a moment in awe. As the weight of the wolf was lifted from his shoulders Nayato wasn’t sure what to say. The women’s gaze caused Nayato’s mouth to run dry.~Wait? Perished for want of her? What did that mean? It then hit him of who she might be, he knew some stories of the Mother of Water Makutsi to give him a somewhat good idea as to what she looked like. After connecting the dots he had enough respect to speak up even though his own voice failed and fought against him. Though raspy for a moment he cleared his throat simply staying on his knees while sitting in the sand. “Cruelty, the land is full of it. But I don’t wish to be restricted by the limitations of its...Unfairness. I...i.. I would rather stand up to it. If the world should be cruel..." He paused as his voice began to raise an octave higher and cleared his throat before continuing. "...then- let it be cruel to me and no one else. I don't wish to see another person die from heat. This may be ignorant to say or arrogance but I would rather face it then let someone else.” He wasn't sure if his thoughts were correct or not. Often speaking from emotion a speaker thinks his perspective never seems to translate well and with a sigh he spoke in layman's terms. Nayato had often spoken with desert ghost or watched as they roamed with a sympathy. Some died for water but it was that sympathy that caused him to help the wolf he was previously carrying. Looking up to the women the words to slip from his mouth. "I just save them.." It was obvious he spoke general. A child wanting to single handedly erase that dry cruelty.

[Colombina]

“Perhaps your heart is in others, Nayato. Perhaps your courage is for them.”

Makutsi spread her hands wide, releasing the golden wolf, so it hung in the air. A mist formed beneath it, every particle of water supporting its weight.

“By living for others your pain will be increased.”

She continued, her voice flowing beautifully from one phrase to the next, the sound brought elation like a cold drink.

“You shall divide the sorrow between two, and you will take grief not your own to relieve those who suffer.”

Her face softened, “But the joy shall double, as each of you leave with fuller hearts than before. It is a good man who would give of himself for others. A blessed man.”

The woman then laid her hands on top of the wolf. Her eyes shut, then opened. They were now deep waters, the wellsprings of the earth.

“Bring him to me Nayato. Press further on.”

Without seeing it, Nayato knew she moved, flowing around the wolf between them until she was before him. She pressed two fingers to his lips and he felt the sweetness of water flowing down his throat. It was not much, but it could be enough to continue.

The wolf was slowly settling to the earth, and the goddess was fading at the edges into a mist.

“There will be pain on the path. As always, but if you rise again, you shall be blessed.”

Her fingertips were becoming prisms but he could see her point north, deeper into the sand. The specks of rainbow spread up her limbs, breaking them into sand sized jewels until she was gone entirely.

[Nayato]

With every inch he fell, the sand that surrounded him seemed to deepen and deepen until it was utterly impenetrable, and he felt a stunning real sense of reality and weakness. Using every fiber of his being he continue fighting against the sand shifting under him to stand up but to no avail. Nayato had set out to help the creature and he would not stop until he saw the goal through. His father had taught him better then this, “when giving whole heartedly to a cause, you had to see it though” It was a quote his father had told him when he was younger that resonated within him. He would ‘prove to be worth his water‘ but in all honestly he wasn’t in the most advantageous of positions. Nayato rested for a moment simply setting his face into the sand in a momentary defeat. That was until he heard a women speaking to him. Shifting from side to side he tried to gain a proper hold of the wolf he was carrying and wipe away some sand that was on his face, though none of it got into his eyes due to his second pair of eye lids. Am I a good man? That thought went though his mind as his face was still buried in the sand. When the women lifted his chin Nayato gazed upon her beauty for a moment in awe. As the weight of the wolf was lifted from his shoulders Nayato wasn’t sure what to say. The women’s gaze caused Nayato’s mouth to run dry suddenly feeling thirsty. He knew suddenly that she was the Mother of Water, Makutsi. In his search for water he never expected he would find her, looking upon her fingers as touched his lips. Soon closing his eyes at the sudden satisfaction and joy of his thirst being quenched. She had saved his life no doubt with the act and he knew it. Standing up he followed her fingers to gaze into the distance heading north. He spoke to Makutsi though it sounded also as if a prayer. “I give thanks to all the Waters of the world for quenching my thirst and providing me with strength. Water is life. I know its power in many forms - waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans. With one mind, I send greetings and thanks to the Mother.” Once the prayer was done his black eyes gazed up to watch as the wolf was lowed back down to him. Setting the large wolf on his back before setting off to the north. Beginning it was only after three steps until he soon felt weight of the beast against him. Not waisting the gift of water, he walked on wholeheartedly set to accomplish his goal. "I will bring you to water my friend, I promise." *** With no idea of what was in store for him Nayato let the worries fade, meeting the harsh heat against his skin like an old friend. The faithful young man had prayed to the gods all his life though having seen one with his own eyes gave him chills. That ethereal images of Makutsi etched into his memory. Replaying the moment in his mind as he ventured North.