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[Raif]

Her sudden exuberance curled the Endal’s lip into a rankled sneer, sharp gaze regarding the girl’s avian companion with a transcribed coldness. As soon as she left the table to retrieve her things, a poisoned thread of regret needled its way into what little tolerance he possessed. Raif was no teacher. What had inspired him to take the little whelp on in the first place was already beginning to lose its savor. Perhaps with any luck, he could frighten her away before the midday bell rolled around. This was meant to be his day of rest, after all, and the Tisuma Baths beckoned him like a pair of vixen’s eyes.

Standing up only a few ticks after the girl had vacated the dining hall, Raif reached down and plucked the neglected red apple from the slate. Stepping casually over to the entryway, the Endal positioned himself beneath the masonry of a red brick arch, leaning against its craggy surface as a warm draft from the hall tousled a few miscreant strands of hair. There was an insistence in his eyes not to make contact with familiar faces, as inevitably some whom shared an acquaintanceship with him would be curious as to his new shadow. Their jokes could wait until he’d had some time to unwind.

The faint echo of feet slapping excitedly against the cave floor ushered a groan from his throat that was swallowed by the din coming from within. Raif didn’t have to pay a glance to know who it was, but as the red haired mass bounced into view, it took him everything to curb another sneer from darkening his features. To make matters worse, it seemed she was already filled with questions.

”You’ll find out when we get there, little bird,” he breathed with restrained grief, pushing away from the archway as he began walking towards their first destination, expecting her to follow without so much as a grain of acknowledgement. ”You may call me Raif. I could give two pinions in Ivak‘s arse what your name is, but you may as well tell me anyway seeing as this day will likely be a long one.”

[Elna]

It certainly didn't take long for the Endal to get back on Elna's nerves. Right after he said that she had to follow every order, he decides to all cryptic. The pet name was certainly unexpected, although it seemed far form a term of endearment, considering his attitude. Might as well just follow him, she figured, as she tentatively made her way forward with a slight scowl behind his back and griping tightly to her bow. She knew he was going to be a jerk, but he didn't have to be a suspicious jerk.

The man finally told her what his name was, a detail that had completely slipped her mind until then, she had remembered felling rude for not asking before trying to push a lesson out of him. She felt at this point that he wasn't exactly deserving of politeness anyways considering he wasn't giving it out, in fact he seemed to be out right avoiding it. On the other hand, he did deserve respect, not only for being Endal caste but for helping out a stranger with seemingly little to gain on his part. It may have been hard to find the positive elements of the man, but Elna was determined to keep the ones he did have in the forefront of her mind. She was even ready to for give the fact that he had already forgotten her name, not that it would stop her from bringing it up. "Well, I already told you my name when we first started specking, but its Elna." She almost added something like "I guess its kind of obvious you don't care" but she managed to hold her tongue. If she was going to commit to being respectful she had to stand by that decision. She could only hope her patience would hold out.

[Raif]

”Must not be a name worth remembering,” he trailed off indifferently, glancing towards her as though Elna were little more than a figment of his limited imagination.

“This colony will only reward you if you are willing to take what it is that your heart desires. Any less, and you are no more than a bottom feeder, a leech upon society whose menial tasks serve such little purpose other than to make life just a touch more bearable for the rest of us. Regrettable? I‘ll let you make that decision for yourself. But understand this: our lives are about survival. And only the strongest of both mind and body will find themselves at the top. I question both these characteristics in you, little bird.”

Raif’s eyes searched for an unwilling participant to illustrate his first lesson more clearly as they walked down the hall lit by smoldering braziers. Dek were easy enough to come by in Wind Reach, contributing to the majority of the populace while retaining the least in status. The Endal’s cold eyes locked onto an older Inarta ambling towards them, a pile of dirty rags sheltered in his enfeebled clutches. Just by the scent alone Raif could pinpoint the man’s caste with distinct clarity.

Stepping gravely out in front of him, the Endal barred a path the other did not attempt to divert from. They simply stood in silence mere feet from one another, staring into each others eyes until the Dek turned his gaze away subserviently and towards the Yasi girl. Raif then turned to Elna, motioning with his flattened palm held up to gesture to the venerable Inarta with a mop of graying hair.

”Take this man for example. Look upon his weakness as we Inarta see it. There is no pride in his spine, no strength in his arms. Even his spirit has been shattered if you gaze long enough into his eyes. This man may have his own feelings, his own soul, his own mind, but they are all weak because he has allowed himself to deteriorate. Some day this could be you, Elna, if you allow it.”

The aging Dek simply stared at the girl with a look of despondency, sadness welling in his eyes while his lips remained silent. He had been beaten by life, that much was clear. But that did not leave him devoid of feeling. It was plain to see that Raif’s words scalded his spirit, a shaggy sigh escaping his lips as he loosened the hold on his bundle of rags.

[Elna]

Being told her name wasn't worth remembering wasn't the worst insult she had ever received, the ones that would come form Raif alone later that day were probably going to be far worse. She decided to let that one this slide right over her. She listened attentively as he gave his speech about survival. He mentioned she did not have the strength, mental or physical, to make it in society. She couldn't help but agree with him on that point. The simple fact that she was the type to agree with someone when they called her weak was a testament to her mental and emotional short comings, and her physical weakness could be seen plain as day. Still, why else would she be doing this if she wasn't going to better herself. She had no intention of spending her whole life as a weakling.

Raif seemed to be looking around for something at this point, but she couldn't really tell what until he stopped in front of the elderly Dek. He stared at the man with a strange intensity, Elna could clearly see a certain level of disgust written across his face. The Dek looked away form Raif with a defeated look on his face and down towards Elna. Being stared at by him was terribly unsettling. He was not only filthy but almost soulless, like she could tell he carried that same saddened expression on his face for all hours of the day. She wished she hadn't mad eye contact.

Raif went along with next speech, tearing into the man with his words piece by piece. She certainly agreed with the sentiment. The thought of ending up like this man was likely her greatest fear. Still, the way Raif made an example of the man right to his face seemed unnecessarily cruel. Elna pondered if she should make her thoughts known on that subject. She had a tendency to assume that instructors where always giving her secret tests, like everything she was told had hidden meaning. To her, it didn't feel like a far jump in logic to challenge the Endal a bit. It would show some of that strength of character he was looking for if she did anyways.

"Was it really necessary to make an example of this man right to his face? Even if the lesson is true, I'm the one that needs to learn it, not him. Couldn't you make the same point form a distance? Or perhaps after he had walked past." Elna stood up for the old drudge, but did so with apprehension. She was careful to ask questions rather then make statements as a way to test the waters of how he would react. Hopefully he would be impressed that she showed some conviction in the face of a superior, even if she was pulling punches.

She did not bother to look at the Dek's reaction to her words, feeling she rather had enough eery eye contact with him already. Still she liked to figure he was happy to have someone defend him. However, she agreed with everything that Raif had said, but felt the Dek would be to weak to handle hearing it. The irony that she had said that in front of the man, reinforcing his implied weakness, was lost to her.

[Raif]

A contemptible sigh hissed past thinning lips, turbulent as the midwinter seas, Raif’s eyes darkening with a look of intent that lacked any trace of a silver lining. ”Necessary?” The word held on his tongue like the point of a knife braced against a soft curtain of flesh. ”Everything we do is necessary…”

The tremulous thunder of the Endal’s deprecating voice preceded the lightning crack of his hands, reclining his shoulders ever so slightly before bending forward and snapping his arms into and through the pile of rags. Like a flower‘s petals they bloomed, sullen mismatched colors tipping woefully in all directions as a shudder of a breath filled the Dek's throat with a clawing screech of dismay.

Past rags and fumbling arms, Raif’s hands found purchase on brittle shoulders that met with a dense thump, stealing that which had been taken in by the Dek’s lungs and tossing him back in the same manner as the scraps he once carried. All it took was a heel to catch against the smallest protrusion of stone before his fading scarlet strands were dashed ruthlessly upon the floor.

There was no hint of amusement nor indulgent glimmer that tested the indifference of the Endal’s expression. All that had been-- all that was-- nothing more than a lesson for a yasi who thought to exercise her tongue. If she felt compelled to show sympathy for a man who was likely more a burden than asset to the colony, then she would never understand the importance of keeping it alive. Sacrifices always had to be made.

With no more than an unconcerned glance to his own shoulder, Raif plucked one of the rags that had found its way onto him, casting it in the direction of the small girl with a nonchalant flick of his wrist. Little more than enough force to send it wafting lazily before her feet as it crumpled helplessly to the ground.

”There may come a day when you realize that all choices you make are of great consequence, their ripples spreading further than your eye will ever see. Our choices may never be easy, but we do as we must to survive. This man,” his hand gesturing flippantly towards the pile of tangled limbs that made little effort to move, ”is more burden than one may understand. Too old to mate, too feeble to hunt. He should have done us a favor long ago and hurled himself from the Edge.”

A scowl teetered along the slender creases of Raif’s mouth, quivering like a secret poised upon the edge of breaking. A sharp inhale dispelled it, leaving a slow exhale to find toneless composure once more. He began to move again down the hall without the slightest hesitation etched into either foot.

[Elna]

Elna threw her hands in front of herself in a flinch as if Raif had slapped something out of her arms. His actions completely catching her off guard. It didn't help much when he knocked the Dek to the floor with the same level of care that one would swat a fly with. Considering Elna already felt that he was being unnecessarily harsh, it was a lot for her to take in. She was snapped back into attention as the rag tossed as her hit her shins. She jumped back as if the rag was cursed. He gave his speech and moved on leaving the feeble man on his back.

As not to lose step with him she quickly followed him, trampling over the laundry in the process. She hand't the time, desire or bravery to try and "help" the man any further, leaving him to return to his work without so much as a second glance. The less she saw of his defeated expression

As she caught up to his side, she attempted to get more out of his odd brand of instruction. "Excuse me Raif, I only mean this as a simple question, but isn't that the point of putting them to work? Deks offer little to society so we offer little in return offer them little back. It's like you said their menial tasks make our lives a touch more bearable. In return we give them a "touch" of food and shelter. As long as they work they aren't such a burden that they have to kill themselves are they."

She didn't know if this was the right time or the right person for questions and answers, but she was legitimately curious. What ever you give to society, it will give back. Thats how she understood the way the world worked.