Wonder while I Wander (Flashback)

[Caehli Galesong]

(Flashback)

Timestamp// 509 Early Spring, Fifth Day of the Feast of Life

The sun had set and the day was done but it was only the beginning of a great celebration among the Drykas. Many clans, pavillions and even strangers were getting together to start the big feast at the end of a four day fast. All had worked hard to get the Feast of Life together this year as they done in previous years before.

However Caehli was far away from the merrymaking. Deep in the tall grass she was walking mindlessly running her hands along the grasses.It was so tall that it concealed her height of 5'2 .

A girl of fifteen shouldn't have been off by herself especially in the dark. Caehli in fact had been told many times before not to wander about alone, but she never listened. Sometimes she liked being alone where neither family nor friend could find her.

It was an inoppurtune moment to have "alone time", especially when she had dressed herself in nice attire and she was traversing in the grass.Just now people would probably be getting ready to look their very best for the feast.Even Caehli a tomboy looked pretty, she wore a deep purple skirt and a white blouse with a blue sash tied around her waist. Her hair was down as always, she hadn't the time to braid it like a silly twit but a spring flower was tucked behind her ear.

She wasn't doing much, just singing softly to herself a song of worship to Zulrav and off in her own world.She payed no heed to what was around her. She was so far off she did not hear the shivering of the grasses around her. Completely unaware of the friend or foe in wake.

[Rothyr Windbourne]

Rothyr's mount at the time, Sungold, dripped with sweat. He let his mount ride amongst the tall grass and cool down. The journey had been long that day, and the hunt longer, so he planned on letting his faithful mount rest for a spell. Being a man of the wilderness as he was, he was ready to wander about on foot. So he took off, and let the grass crunch underneath and listen for those around him to find stickers between their toes.

He had concealed his steed, Sungold, amongst a copse of trees at the time and he didn't really expect to have been followed, but, it's a small world...

[Caehli Galesong]

"Huh?" Caehli looked up in surprise, near a clump of trees resided a horse.The sound of brush crunching under foot reached her ears too. ' There is someone nearby then...' she thought to herself. This brought her out of her daydream.

She could not see far over the grass though so she became anxious. Since she did not recognize the horse it could be anyone, she was cautious.
"Hello?" she called out to the grasses.Panic filled in her when all she saw was grass and sky and no sign of other life form.

"Is anyone here?" she asked curious.

[Rothyr Windbourne]

“No one to worry about, just me, Rothyr, of the Goldsaddle pavilion,” Rothyr said, as he dismounted and let his horse wander amongst the grass where the other horses roamed. He did not hear any source for the voice, but only assumed it came from a friend considering how close to the camps they were. He knew it was too dark to recognize him by the way he looked so he simply identified himself from the outright. He had nothing to hide.

He continued to speak, as Sungold poked amongst the growing grasses for food. "What brings you to the bushes, friend? It's not common to find those brave enough to wander after dark. Or have I lost my mind, and speak to grass now?" he said the last part in jest, of course. He wasn't particularily comfortable with the unseen companion, and wouldn't be till he saw who it was.

“Do you have a name, bush-friend?" he said

[Caehli Galesong]

Caehli exhaled relieved, it was someone of the pavillions like her."Well met Rothyr".He was tall and blonde that was all she could make out in the dark, but she could tell he was kind in the way he spoke. Caehli always felt she could trust anyone of the horse tribes. She smiled gently and laughed off her anxiety. She felt very silly all of a sudden "My name? I am Caehli of the Galesong Pavillion I hail from the Amethyst Clan..." a giggle escaped her lips.


" And I wasn't hiding necessarily" she mumbled "More like...well it's very silly of me actually...For the most part I erm...like that the grasses are so tall, um you see I'm not easily found out her and I like to be out here by myself sometimes.." she finally revealed. Was it so hard to just say that? At the age of fifteen she was a very silly girl, neither woman nor child anymore.

"I've traveled with my father in Endrykas all my life as well" she confessed " this is the Feast of Life! It's a spring festival " she jerked her head back to the clump of encampments "After four days of fasting everyone puts aside feuding, quarrels and disagreement to have a feast " she explained "We open our pavillion flaps upward as a sign that anyone is welcome to travel from tent to tent, there's celebration and dancing, song and merrymaking...you know the usual festival" she shrugged with a pleasant smile on her lips.

Her eyes fell back on Rothyr "What we're you doing out in the Sea of Grasses then hm?" she asked her playful tone was teasing and inquisitive.

[Rothyr Windbourne]

“Aye, how could I forget the feast of life!” Rothyr said enthusiastically, “Hunger hasn't affected my memory. At least, that I know of. I think I would remember seeing a girl like you amongst the pavilions.” He said with a wink.

Rothyr loosened some of the buckles on the armor he wore for hunting. His bow remained holstered on his horse that grazed nearby, but his knife and the ax his father made for him both rested in the small of his back. He had just come from the field, and chose to let his horse cool down and eat before he himself joined the feasting. They had worked hard that day to bring in enough meat for the festival, and their work paid off in a good sized Zibri. They could eat for days now. At first he wondered how he would bring it back to camp but an Emerald clansman always finds a way.

“I come from the Emerald clans, myself,” He added, forgetting to mention which clan he hailed from before. He paused for a moment, before continuing on, “I like to come out here myself sometimes, it's quiet enough, and not much to worry about this close to the camps. Do you come here often?” He took a few steps closer to her, slowly, placing his thumbs in his belt and resting his hands on his hips. After treading so many miles in the saddle, with the wind rushing past him, quiet conversation sounded quite nice.

"I'm surprised I haven't seen you before, I reckon I will have to keep my eyes open more." He said with a smile.

[Caehli Galesong]

She giggled at Rothyr's enthusiasm, but blushed when he winked at her. She was far too grateful that the sun was setting so he could not see her flustered face."The Emerald Clan? Ah well the traveling city is vast and ever growing so the fact we we met up now must be fate!" She folded her arms thoughtfully.

"I'm glad I met a fellow Drykas in the grass rather a glassbeak!" She said as an afterthought. "Because I do come out to Sea of Grass often, despite the fact I find myself in a lot of trouble here I can't seem to stay away" she admitted. After all there was something about this place that was serene.

"An eye..on me?" she questioned staring bashfully at him "Oh Rothyr, I don't know I'm not too interesting you might find yourself bored too quickly" she admitted in modesty.She twiddled with her hair a nervous tick of hers. She just didn't know what to do around men, she was far too shy for them these days.

[Rothyr Windbourne]

"We're close enough to the camps, we shouldn't have much to worry about in the way of Glassbeaks, it never hurts to be careful though," Rothyr said, coming to stand next to Caehli to watch Sungold pull at some grass to eat.

"Haha, fate," he laughed, "Aye, fate it must be."

He noticed her fiddling with her hair. "You're not nervous, are you? I promise I won't bite, even after fasting for these past few days I don't like eating people, too messy and too much to explain." he jested, in an attempt to make his new friend a bit more comfortable.

"I forgot to apologize for startling you before, I didn't think anyone was out here."

[Caehli Galesong]

"Well um...nervous? No..." she lied but giggled at his joking character. She could tell he was a very kind relaxed person. This made her relax her incessant twitching had stopped.

When he stood next to her she smiled softly and indicated to his horse and without hesitation walked over to it and petted it's soft mane."What's it's name?" she asked curious. Like any Drykas she adored horses and found comfort in them.

[Rothyr Windbourne]

"I call her Sungold," Rothyr said, "She's very friendly, more than most horses I've had the pleasure of knowing. Strong also, I had to fashion a gurney to bring in a kill, and she pulled it in to camp with no trouble. She's a fine creature, isn't she?" Rothyr walked over to join the young woman and Sungold, running his hand down the mare's neck and patting her back, "I thought we were going to need to call in another hunter to drag the kill back, a good sized Zibri, but she pulled through like she always does. I'm lucky to have been chosen by her."

"Do you have a strider? Do you have your windmarks yet?" From what he could see, she was literally out here alone. Sungold was the only mare about for what he could see, but it was growing dark. The fires from Endrykas lit up the sky with a warm glow like a setting sun, and the smell of roast meat filled the air. Already he could hear laughter. He could tell tonight was going to be magical.