Falling [Bolden Denusk] <DREAM>

[Cygnas]

Timestamp: 60th day of Fall, 511 A.V. Location: Zindal Bay Dusk fell on the Zindal Bay. The preceding morning had come with a calamity that fell from the sky. A fallen one. She was lost in that morning hour, and she fell into the bay with a crushing sound. Had she really heard anything at all? Had she really fallen down through the fissure, or had she fallen up through it? The sensation was an unrealistic one, something she had never expected to experience. She was lost now. Sorrow gripped her heart and soul like a vice. Mother Syna hadn’t been able to salvage her slip. No one had. The crushing silence of the water filling in and around her ears was deafening. Morning rays burst through the ripples on the surface. Massive air bubbles escaped her nose and mouth. She was dying, wasn’t she? ….Again? Maybe? She gave up, and the water took her with it, into darkness. As the dusk came, she felt herself stir. Sand, the shore, a sliver of hope. I washed away with each wave that slid back into the body of water. Her eyes flickered open only slightly, for the briefest of moments, before they shut again. Whether or not they would open again was up to the gods.

[Bolden Denusk]

It was the end of another long day that seemed to drag endlessly with each chime lasting an eternity. A rising night breeze picked up across the drying grass, running a playful hand through his dark chestnut curls. Nightwind farupped quietly, his ears flicking back and forth with alert attention.

The sea of grass was a dangerous enough place during the day, so when they finally made it to Zendal bay, both strider and rider gave an audible sigh of relief. Every Drykas was born knowing its dangers and none were stupid enough to traverse the sea of grass alone at night.

Bolden clucked gently to the strider as they reached the bay edge, and the stallion halted gladly on command. He brought his legs together and sagged against his mount as he slid down the side and off Nightwind's back. The chocolate colored beast turned a curious, velvety soft muzzle to Bold's shoulder in askance of grazing time.

The dark haired young man pictured a happy, rolling on his back strider with interspersed scenes of grazing until the sleek mount was too fat to walk. Nightwind nickered in a deeper imitation of a laugh and bobbed his head up and down.

The Drykas smiled despite the exhaustion of body and mind and removed the chest band and heavily laden Yvas from the stallion's lathered, sweaty back. With motions of practiced ease, he took out a brush and cloth to rub down the lathered dark animal. Nightwind stood hip shot in the setting sun, his neck outstretched, his muzzle almost to the ground.

Bolden picked the horse's feet, brushed off the dirt and grime and removed and re applied the protective leg bandages. The sea of grass was no place to be careless with your strider's legs. One mistake could mean death for the both of them. As weary as they both were, man and beast knew the safety drill with the knowledge of automatons.

The chime he'd finished grooming the animal as sleek as a polished mirror, the enormous seventeen hand strider threw himself onto his back and rolled back and forth. Nightwind squealed and whickered joyfully, the rough sand beneath him scratching those untenable places that got so itchy. His dinner plate sized hooves waved in the air making the intimidating dark strider look like a silly and carefree colt.

It couldn't help but bring a fond smile to the young Denusk's face and he watched the stallion with soft amber eyes. The stallion finally rolled his forelegs under himself and heaved to all fours to get the sea grass for grazing. The sharp blades might be murder on skin, but the salty tang was irresistible for grazing animals.

After a wrestle with the flint and steel, some kindling and the treasured bits of peat moss he piled up, Bold eventually had a good fire going. He cut off a couple branches from a lone sapling and stripped the bark off for a decent roasting spit.

"Don't make yourself sick on too much at once Nightwind."
He scolded the stallion from his overgrazing and motioned to the nearby pool of fresh water.
"Drink a little bit and pace yourself man."

The strider shook his head as if clearing flies, but this late in the fall, they both knew the gesture was to shake off the Drykas' scolding instead. Bolden almost chuckled as he set about skinning and dressing the two marmot carcasses. The catches were a damn lucky shot to get considering Bolden was a poor hunter at best.

He took out a knife and made a slit from throat to anus, severing the tenuous ties of sinew to skin. Tying the heavy marmots to the nearby tree branches, he let them bleed out as he worked. Vanator had shown him the basics as a boy, but Bold had little opportunity to put word lessons to actually practice. When he pulled the fur away from the second marmot, he realized too late that his last sloppy cut had pierced the soft hide. An entire furry leg came off from the animal separately and Bolden snorted in disgust at his mistake. He could've used that hide for mittens for the approaching winter, but it was no use crying over it now.

At least both carcasses were intact enough for a good meal. It had taken just the right amount of time for the fire to die down a bit to steady embers and Bolden spitted the marmots to cook, at last.

Something seemed wrong. Off about the place. No crickets, no male mockingbirds calling out to break the night's silence. It either meant predator or death in that quiet and a chill crawled down his spine. He intently watched Nightwind grazing for a long chime, but the stallion gave no indication of a predator nearby.

'It's probably just being out here that creeps me out is all. The sea of grass isn't exactly hospitable, even if I'm well within the bay on the sands.' he thought, trying to calm himself from an unsettled feeling that grew as steadily as the waves upon the sand.

Bold's eyes darkened to a wild honey color as he looked over at his now burning meat.
"Petch!"

He quickly turned over the spit and resettled it more evenly onto the branches holding it up. One marmot was burnt on just a half side while the other half was still raw. Bold knew he was no cook, and never would be. He sighed and chalked it up to yet another incident that made him uneasy. Just to have something to do with his hands, he filled the water skin at the pool and took a deep draught.

A bit of fortune took mercy on the young man and the other marmot looked cooked just right. With a hearty appetite, he ate the meat and later stashed away the other for future eating.

Staring into the fire, a tea mug was dwarfed in his large hands as he sat lost in thought. Bolden turned an absent gaze to the bay, not really seeing the water. The ceaseless movement of the gentle waves moved in subtle susurrations and the sound changed to an impeded pitch.

Nightwind lifted his head suddenly and whinnied at his rider to get his attention. A flash of something white fluttering near the shoreline whispered between strider and rider. Bolden stood immediately and walked in the direction of the stallion's gaze. Man and horse trotted toward the shoreline, both wondering if it was a large bird that had fallen into the bay.

A lily white hand appeared above the water's restless surface!

Bolden ran at the water with large strides, his hands reaching for the ethereal form floating just under the surface. White water churned at the abrupt entrance, spraying its waves high and wide before him, almost obscuring the filmy image a few strides ahead.

"Gods it's a dead woman!!"

With both arms he scooped up the bedraggled form from the bay's hungry waves. Holding her closely against his chest, he cradled her feather weight body and waded back to shore. Bolden could feel a faint heartbeat next to his and he exhaled with relief.

"She's alive! And now we need to get her warmed up!"

The stallion stood close by, his velvety muzzle passing softly over the woman's hair and took in her scent. The stallion sent a picture of her falling from the sky to his rider, but Bolden shook his head in confusion.

"As much as I'd like to believe beautiful women just fall from the sky Nightwind, don't be ridiculous! You've eaten too much sea grass!" the Drykas retorted scornfully.

He quickly grabbed his extra warm shirt from the bag and put it over the lovely woman. The young man chafed her hands to warm her and kept her leaned against his lap, close to the fire to get the chill out of her.

"This is no time for a swim pretty lady. C'mon, wake up and open your eyes now."

[Cygnas]

The sensation that left her body was a cold one. The fall had left her body weak and frail, her skin chilled icy from the water. Her head swam with a thousand questions and emotions. Why me? There had to be a reason this misfortune had befallen her. Of all the terrible coincidences in life, this one was proving to be the most difficult she could ever remember encountering. Remember? She pressed the boundaries of her consciousness to awaken, but to no avail. She could not remember her name. She could not remember her age, when she was born, where she was. Everything was lost. The precious, glorious home she had, basking in the eternal rays of Syna’s touch was now gone. Gone, but for how long? Syna loved her children. Surely she would draw her back into her cycle… Right? She begged as she waded through the thick, ghastly water that was her subconsciousness. She wanted to go home. As she reached out to the light above, it faded into darkness, leaving only a single cluster of flickering, gleaming sparkles. A constellation, the Swan, Cygnus. As they faded away, leaving her completely in darkness, she settled. She would call herself Cygnas, daughter of Syna. And then the waters filled her mind. They rose like a flood up to her thighs, her hips, her waist, her shoulders. Oh, her head! She was underwater, and she was drowning! Bubbles left her mouth as she screamed beneath the surface of the thick black water. Nipping needles of cold tore through her skin and infected her very core. She was going to die before she ever even woke up. She was too tired to stir, too tired to fight. So she began to sink. Down, down she sank, like a burdening boulder tied to a young, helpless, unwanted maiden. She sank and sank….. Until someone drained the tub of desperation, and wrapped her in a heated blanket. Her heart felt light and fluffy, if there was any way that was possible. It was a sudden difference, the freezing cold fading quickly into comfortable warmth. There was a curious, enlightening sensation that worked its way from her core out to her fingers and toes. She was floating, low across a sea of swaying grass warmed by the Sun Mother’s rays. Syna was saving her! Syna had heard her cries, her begging, her pleading for salvation, and she was drawing her daughter back into the cycle! ”…wake up and open your eyes now.” As her eyes finally opened, the gracious face staring down at her was not Syna’s at all, but a young man’s. His eyes were amber, his hair dark. His face was not one she recognized. She panicked. With a wicked thrust, she gave him a shove backwards and rolled to the side, dangerously close to the wavering flames. On hands and knees now, she backed away from him awkwardly, like an animal. She sat up on her knees to inspect him, and it wasn’t until then that she realized she was naked! This man, this stranger, what was he doing?! She was naked! Swiftly, she leaned forward and snatched his shirt and pulled it on over her petite body. ”What in the name of…. Who are you, and why am I naked, and why are you touching me, and – and – I – and….” Her own amber eyes, molten with fright and fury, scanned her surroundings. She looked to the man for answers. ”Why is my hair wet?”

[Bolden Denusk]

Bolden widened his eyes in surprise as her delicate little hand tried to shove him backwards. When the girl almost backed into the fire, he barely stopped himself from reaching out. She acted like a filly who hadn't been imprint trained yet.

Her wide frightened eyes and scared expression touched him and he stayed still so as not to make it worse. Bold couldn't help but smile a little when she finally realized she was naked without the extra shirt he'd given her. Like a fractious filly the Drykas saw her back away from him but clutch the article to her that most carried his scent.

'Poor terrified girl. Maybe she has amnesia like I did. I hope I can help her through it.' he thought sympathetically. When he spoke, he used the special gentle tone usually reserved for horses, that never failed to calm.

"Easy now little filly, I won't hurt you. I'll move back a little so you can move away from the fire a little, alright?" The young man stood slowly, moved back a few steps and sat down again. "Uh... I think you went swimming maybe? That's the only reason I can figure why you'd be naked in the bay, although that's strange at this hour and season. I take it you don't remember anything?"

Bold studied the woman for a chime, taking in how big his shirt looked on her, how it covered her to her knees and he found it appealing. His heart went out to the girl immediately. He knew what it was to not know who you were or where you came from. It was terrifying and frustrating, unable to even fathom what your own name is. Bolden resolved to help this woman and he gave her a gently encouraging smile.

"I have some roast marmot and a couple potatoes if you're hungry."

He placed the food on a woven mat in front of him, trying to coax her appetite. Bold knew that like horses, humans felt more relaxed after eating, but it was a catch twenty two; if you were too nervous you couldn't eat. The young man hoped that the smell of fresh cooked food would help. He knew food always made him feel better and maybe it would make the woman feel better.

Nightwind nickered quietly at the girl, sensing her fear. His large, soft, intelligent eyes fixed on the nervous woman and the chocolate colored strider stretched a velvety muzzle forward in reassurance.

[Cygnas]

There was uncertainty in Cygnas’ eyes as she scrutinized him. Who was this man, and what gave him the nerve to think he could touch her? She was infuriated, but scared, lost, and confused. What did he know? She looked around as the dark headed man backed away from her and took his seat again further away from her. With a crease in her brow, she looked around. Something was familiar about this place, and yet its name escaped her. As Bolden spoke to her, there was something comforting in his words. Filly… She felt her pulse slow as to a more normal pace. With a sigh, she pursed her lips and surveyed him. He was handsome, especially what with those eyes. Their amber hue reminded her of the rays of Syna as she sank down into the horizon, casting gold waves across the sky. Her hands trembled as she looked down at them and sighed, shaking her head. There was an awkward moment’s silence as she contemplated her situation, and the words of the man before her. At last, she said, ”I-I think I’m lost. I have no idea where I am, or what I’m doing here. I just remember…” And it was then that she did start to remember. Syna and all her beauty. She had been with Syna, she had been happy in her glorious heaven with the other children. What had happened? Tears dribbled their way down her cheeks as the realization slapped her hard in the face. With a slow, weak motion, she slid off her knees and sat on her bottom, staring at the sky. The fissure, she had slipped through it. Her hands reached up and tangled in her mess of hair, just behind her temples. Nothing… She twisted her fingers in the hair and brought it around before her eyes. It was brown and sun-kissed, giving it a rich caramel-blonde hue. A couple of small braids brushed against her fingertips as she inspected the tresses in her hands. Turning her palms over, she inspected them too. The glory of her form had been diminished to that of a Drykas woman sans windmarks. A vision flashed in her head of Striders running wide open through the tall, wind-shaken grasses. Cygnas looked up to him and considered, again, her situation. She couldn’t very well explain to this man that she was a heavenly, glorious being from the realm of Syna, the Goddess of the Sun. He wouldn’t believe her! No one would, for certain. And yet here this man was, with a Strider of his own. A Drykas, too, she believed. He saw her this way. It was the concrete evidence of what was before his eyes that she knew she could not tell him otherwise. Had she tried to, she knew he would take her to be inspected for head injuries. She was not a headcase. She was fine, though in tragic circumstances. She decided at last to keep her secret, well, a secret. ”I don’t remember how I got here, or where I’m from. I’m just… I just know my name.” She confessed. As the Drykas man situated the marmot and potatoes on the mat, she wrung her hands together tightly. There was something about him that made her feel at ease, and yet the dilemma of her situation was attempting to counteract that very same comfort. She swallowed hard, and flinched at first, at the large horse’s soft nicker. It startled her, and yet she knew he meant her no harm. In fact, the great beast also instilled a sense of comfort in this woman. She looked to the dark-headed man before her, and tentatively asked, ”May I touch him?” Cygnas realized that, perhaps without this man’s help, she would have been forsaken entirely and left to die in the cold bay. A pang of guilt struck her chest as she inhaled, and sharply let it back out. If the man would allow, she would reach out to stroke his steed’s soft, strong muzzle. Tenderly, she would make a low whistle with the tip of her tongue and the roof of her mouth, just behind the teeth. Though she wasn’t sure what prompted her to do so, she felt it to be a habit of hers. One long forgotten.

[Bolden Denusk]

Swift moving clouds passed over the moon for a brief chime, resembling a running man chasing a rabbit, and the fanciful notion made him grin.

"We're at Zindal Bay just off the Sea of Grass, near the great lands of Endrykas. Do any of the names seem familiar?" He asked gently.

When he saw the tears form in her expressive blue eyes, he immediately gestured in the Grassland sign that normally accompanies the rich Pavi language.

"No, it's ok filly, don't cry. You're safe now; I'll protect you. I even have some Junket left over from lunch if you like. It's vanilla flavored."

Bold infused his voice with enthusiasm, mentioning the sweet, vanilla flavored custard dessert. It would be hard to keep Nightwind away from it, but he figured, who could resist comfort food when they're upset, right?

Her expression changed and he guessed she might be remembering something. Although it didn't look like a happy memory, he understood first hand that even the worst memories had the value of finally being known. The Drykas' amber eyes filled with concern for the woman as she obviously showed signs of shock. He answered her in his calming, quiet tone,

"I understand completely. I lost my memory for six years, and knew nothing but my name. So you know your name, that's a good start then. What's your name?"

Bold took in her compactly muscular frame, strong hands and well developed shoulders. So she had the strength and training for advanced weapons or leather making. He didn't recognize any tanning dye on her hands or blue in her hair to show she was from his own Sapphire Clan. Super fine strands of silver interwoven with the two small braids, let him know she was from the Diamond clan most likely, and he shared that theory with her.

"That fine silver strand in your braids, that's Diamond Clan affiliation. Your Clan wears whites and silvers in their hair and clothing. You proudly come from a respected clan that's known for being the strongest warriors."

A big smile lit up Bolden's features as his strider approached and she asked to touch him. The animal was his biggest pride and joy and he was only too happy for someone else to admire the handsome beast.

"He approached you to comfort you, so I'd say yes, he'd like very much for you to pat him."

OOC :

Yea! Cygnas, now we have: We're two races we've never met, a word of the day(Junket) and a bunny and a running man included in the post for the first challenge!

[Cygnas]

Cygnas gave the dark headed man a skeptical look as he pinpointed their current whereabouts. The Zindal Bay… Sea of Grass… Endrykas. A fleeting vision of massive tents and cantering horses struck her as familiar. A mass of hardy people crossed between and in and out of the large tents. These people appealed to her in a way she could not fathom. As the man began to motion in the Grassland Sign, it seemed only natural for her to reply in the same form. The Pavi language spewed forth from her tongue, complimenting the gestures. ”I remember valiant Striders and their riders, magnanimous tents, and the swaying grasses…” The expression on her face was an incredulous one. Where were these memories coming from? ”But I am not one of your people, I – “ Cygnas stopped herself before continuing. The thought of her beautiful Goddess splaying her rays across the morning horizon brought a sense of fear she had never associated with the entity Syna. What would this man think when he saw the horns that would curl from her temples? The strange hair colors? The iridescent skin? He would shun her for certain, she felt. And that was something she couldn’t afford. She needed him, and she knew it. After sputtering a bit, she continued, ”Wha-what I mean is, I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t understand what’s happening. I just know what I remember. The horses, the people, the tents, the grass… But it all seems so foreign.” His words shocked her, though. I’ll protect you. Would he? Why? What obligation did he have to serve her? She wasn’t sure, but she would welcome the offering of dinner. She had never heard of Junket before, but she was willing to try it. He then asked her name, to which she replied, ”I’m called Cygnas.” It felt like a lie. The name didn’t sit well with her conscious. The name she had been given by Syna was one she failed to pronounce in the Pavi or Common tongues. She simply shook her head and closed her eyes. Cygnas, after the Swan. But something else was different. Her Drykas name, it had been one out of her grasp as well. Someday, maybe, it would return to her. ”What may I call you?” Asked she. As the stranger spoke, she listened carefully. He noted the silver strand her he braids, to which she searched through her hair with tentative fingertips. He spoke of her supposed clan. She bobbed her head up and down, nodding, explaining, ”I remember wearing white and silver and clear colors. Strange, where are my clothes…? The whereabouts of her clothing were not something she was necessarily worried about. She was more worried about what would become of her when this man found out she was in a way lying to him. Cygnas was omitting that she had fallen from the heavens above, and omitting was the same as lying, was it not? He would surely be upset if he found out, but she wondered if he would be any less likely to assist her if she were not one of his own race? Upon being granted permission to touch his steed, she lifted a tender hand and stroked the soft, solid muzzle of the lovely Strider. Something in the touch brought her comfort, and she wanted nothing more than to maintain the feeling as long as possible. Whatever was happening, she slowly began to feel like everything was going to be alright. Sooner or later, everything was going to be alright.

[Bolden Denusk]

Bolden innocently assumed her denial was over clan types, not even knowing what an Eth was.

"I know you're not from Sapphire Clan or the Denusk Pavilion like me, but we Drykas take care of each other. When I lost my memory, the Amethyst Clan, Sunstorm Pavilion took care of me."

He watched her expressions change quickly, varying from uncertainty, indecision, and confusion. The man had been there and knew how disconcerting it was to be asked a bunch of question and be lucky even to remember your own name. Cygnas didn't sound like a Drykas name, but it probably held some subconscious importance to her.

"I'm Bolden, or Bold, whichever you like. The attention hog is Nightwind. Watch out though-he'll start eating your hair if you let him. He's a cheeky bugger."

He grinned, not half proud of his saucy strider. The young Drykas thought for a moment and suggested.

"Well if you -did- go swimming, maybe you left your clothes on the beach? We can go looking for them in the morning if you like. It's too dark to go searching for anything right now, and the Sea of Grass is enough death waiting to happen even during the day."

Nightwind whuffled softly on her head, gently nibbling at the stray strands of hair and spreading horse slobber on her affectionately. Bold watched him and gathered up the custard dessert for Cygnas.

"Stop chewing on her head, horseface and let Cygnas eat. Just put up a hand and shove him away so you can get some food in you. Sometimes he acts like an overgrown dog."

The stallion caught his eye and shared a quick flash of a white form literally falling from the heavens. Bolden raised an eyebrow at the strider in confusion. That made absolutely no sense at all and the Drykas figured it was yet another thing that only his strider could know but never rightfully convey its meaning.

There was something delicate and ethereal about Cygnas that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Although she had the frame and looks of a typical Drykas, her accented words were just slightly off--especially with the strange word Cygnas. He knew their culture favored a lot of A's in the female's names and hers just sounded... different.

[Cygnas]

Cygnas listened carefully to the man’s words, and made sure to commit his name to memory. How awful, to have forgotten nearly everything. She wanted only to return to her rightful home, but it seemed that her stay on this earthly place was inevitable now. Swallowing her fears, she nodded and sighed. She said, ”This will surely take some getting used to, Bolden,” She added his name at the end, almost as an afterthought, a half-concerned attempt to try on his name. ”Nightwind, he’s a lovely specimen.” She patted the strong animal’s nose again before looking to the sustenance before her. The young woman began to eat slowly, completely unused to the action of feeding. As she ate, Cygnas thought deeply about the preceding morning. She remembered her fall, if only distantly. She knew she hadn’t been swimming, but she supposed it was best to simply let the man think what he wanted. There was nothing he would be able to find out from searching the bay, and she knew she could simply ignore the fact that she was withholding information from him. At this point, it just wasn’t the right time to confess everything to him. He would surely think she had bumped her head on a rock jutting from the bay. Disappointed in the overall situation, she shook her head. Again, she felt her temples, searching for the rounded horns that had once splayed from her cranium. Nothing. Nervously, she watched Bolden. What had he been doing all the way out here, then, if the Sea of Grass was so dangerous? She sighed again, and finished the meal before sliding over closer to the fire. Several moments passed before she finally asked, ”So, what were you doing out here by the bay, if I may ask? Where is your family?” At this point she was at a loss. There was nothing to her name. No clothes, no currency, no personal affects. And here this strange Drykas man was, riding from the grasses like a savior mounted on a noble steed, to the rescue. What was she going to do with herself? ”I have no idea what to do… If I can’t remember anything, where am I to go? I don’t own a single thing, and I’m without home, family, and land. It seems so foreign, this place…”

[Bolden Denusk]

The strider arched his thick neck at the praise and raised his tail like a flag. His vanity appeased, he moved off a couple steps to graze on the sea grass. It wasn't often they got the salt rich grass, but in moderate amounts, it was good for the horses. The Drykas beamed proudly at the handsome strider, as if it were entirely to his credit that the stallion looked the way he did. He couldn't help it. Nightwind was one of the very few he could trust with his life and to praise his strider, was essentially praising him-at least to his way of thinking.

"You look like you could use a nice hot cup of tea." Bold got up and moved to set the kettle on, taking out two mugs. When he sat back down, he remained silent, allowing her time with her thoughts. He knew how hard it was to even just think after memory loss like that. Trying to find what was familiar and what seemed too different to accept.

The moon began her quiet ascendency into the deep violet night sky, stars just waking up and winking into their own natural brilliance. The waves quietly tapped at the shore, mimicking the sound of a horse being groomed. The wind caressed the tops of the tall grasses, bending the heavy seed heads. Nightwind cropped at the grass in a rhythmic, comforting whisk of sound. The smell of the open bay with its clear clean water, sent up occasional sprays to mist the air with its own fresh scents. Damp beach sand added its own slight aroma to the mix and the kettle announced hot tea to the mix.

Bold poured steaming hot fragrant tea into the mugs, stopping to inhale it for a chime. He took a sip first and handed a mug to Cygnas, before answering her questions.

"I'm providing for myself right now before we move on again for migration. This particular section has the fattest prey and with all the food provided by the bay, I needed to stock up. I .. uh.. had a bit of a falling out with my broth--ah father, so while I travel with my pavilion, I keep my own company. My clan is a half day's travel across the grass to the east so I'm taking a few days of foraging, fishing, hunting and gathering to lay in meat, fish and seafood supplies while I can. Also, there's salt blocks I chip off so our clan's horses have them until we travel back this way."

His eyes turned dark and honey colored at the forlorn sound in Cygnas' voice and he thought for a moment before trying to reassure her.

"Well you can't travel the Sea of Grass on foot, so me n Nightwind will give you a lift when we go to meet back up with my pavilion. I can't abandon this trip to return just yet, but if you don't mind waiting a little while, we can share our food and shelter. I'm sure you'll get your memory back, all in good time." Bold said with encouragement, gesturing for her to drink her tea while it was hot.

"I need to lay in supplies of peat moss and brown stone near the caves because they're not just smaller to carry, but they burn longer and hotter than regular wood. I could actually use your help with that. There's caves all over the place here and if we split up our search, we could bring in twice as much. I have some extra gloves and an old head scarf from my sist--Kavala that you can use."

When he'd lost his memory, the Amethyst Clan had kept him busy with work. He'd felt better that he was doing -something- and it took the pressure off of constant questions and searching for answers he just didn't know. Poor Cygnas looked like she needed a hand up and Bolden didn't mind in the least.

"We'll work it out together Cygnas, don't worry." Bolden smiled down gently at her.