Open [The Sanctuary] Twelve Years Past

[Timothy Mered]

16th of Winter 514Av

Calm and smooth as a mirror, the sea stretched out into the horizon. Squinting, Timothy could make out little white specks in the distance, white sails set ablaze by the hard winter sun. He’d awoken with a jolt that morning, an unusual tingle itching at his skin. For bells he’d wandered around, trying to figure out what was so off about today. Resting against the battlements, peering into the horizon, he finally understood why. Today was his twelfth birthday.

His heart skipped a beat.

The air, thin and moist, chilled his windpipes as he sucked in a deep breath through his nostrils. Today is my birthday, he pinched himself mentally. For a tick his lips broke into a smile rivaling the sun’s warmth, but with it came the crushing memories of home. It all seemed so long ago now, so distant. Further away than the ocean meeting the ashen clouds on the horizon. Yet there wasn’t a ship that could carry him back. Back to the days of poverty, mud and endless toil, not knowing whether he would live or die the next morning but also the days where his mother would sit at his bed and tell him a story, just before he dozed off.

Now that the pond had been stirred, more memories resurfaced. Bright laughter rung in his ears as he remember how mother had awoken him on his tenth birthday, his last birthday with her. She had made him a small cake that day, ruffled his hair and sat him down at the rickety kitchen table. Thin shafts of light had beamed down through the thatched roof that day, making the air sparkle as motes of dusts descended like falling leaves.

“You’re ten now darling,” she had said. Tender fingers, soft like silk had slipped the old, worn bracelet onto his wrist. “This was your father’s, I think it’s time for you to have it.” He hadn’t said anything back, but he still remember staring down at this most precious gift before mother had pulled him into a tight hug, nearly choking him.

Swallowing, he cast all of it aside, only cherishing the warm buzz heating up his insides, a faint residue of how he’d felt that day. Before him was nothing but a blank canvas, a dreadful, empty expanse with no clear destination and thunderous clouds rapidly approaching. Perhaps he wasn’t that much unlike one of those galleons in the distance. Presently, the weather was easy and the sea calm, but the past year had been like a mixture of deafening silence and boiling, nightmarish storms. Truly, he didn’t feel like he had a ship. He imagined himself on a raft, sailing on an ocean that stretched out in every direction, and he didn’t know where true north was.

Snapping out of his daydreams, Timothy decided to head down and stroll out of the main entrance. He plopped down at the edge of the windswept pasture, where the road faded into wild grass. Careful not to disturb his left wrist, he lay down on his back, rested his left arm on his belly and gazed up at the sky, wishing he could fly away.

[Kennen Dova]

Kennen woke up that morning excited, ready to take on the world. A few days back he had heard of a place that might be looking for a falconer, a place called The Sanctuary. While the money he had taken from his previous owner had managed to sustain him thus far, he didn't want to have to rely on it for the rest of his life. He had no illusions about how far five hundred Mizas would take him. And so he was off to find employment. The only problem with The Sanctuary was that it's outside of Riverfall a ways, a prospect which brought with it fears of slavers and worse. He knew that the road to The Sanctuary was probably patrolled, and well traveled so the risks were minimal but he had only recently made his way out of slavery, there was no way he was going to risk getting put back in it now. To top it off, ever since he had arrived here he hadn't been able to shake the bad mood he'd been in. Oh he had still been able to get excited and look on the bright side of things, but the tiniest of things had been setting off his temper. Over years of slavery he had thought he had managed to get it under control but here, every little thing had kept setting him off. But not today, he wouldn't allow it. He was going to find a job, and the sun would shine. Even if there were storms coming in, the dark clouds threatening to come in off the sea soon, it wasn't here now. Right now, the sun was shining, and everything was going to be all right. And with that thought he set out of Riverfall Heading north for the couple mile walk towards The Sanctuary. As soon as he had left the gates of Riverfall he had his bow strung, and an arrow notched ready to be pulled back and fired at a moments notice like he had seen so many hunters do. He tried keeping his attention as much as he could on the road and surrounding area, each step fighting against the overwhelming fear that something bad was going to happen, however he kept being distracted by that notched arrow. He had no practice of handling his bow this way, and the arrow kept slipping causing him to have to place it once more. It was on one of those occasions where he was re-adjusting his grasp that he realized he had made the entire two mile trek already, not really having seen any of it. Ahead of him lay the gates he had been told to watch for. "What am I going to do, just barge in and introduce myself?" he muttered to himself before looking around. No it just wouldn't do, he had to have a plan. He stood there for five to ten chimes, just staring at the establishment in the morning sun before he would sigh, starting to turn around to go back to Riverfall. He just didn't have the courage to go inside yet, but he'd try again tomorrow. Surely tomorrow he would think of something that would get him inside. As he began to turn, he noticed something he hadn't before: A kid about his own size, laying in the grass. Perfect! Whoever that kid was, must know something about this place and besides, he was getting a little lonely, maybe someone to talk to would be just the thing. Kennen began to move over to the kid, raising his hand that's holding his bow to wave as he calls out, "Hello!" With that greeting he would quickly rush over to the other boy, trying not to seem to eager as he crouches down on the balls of his feet to peer at him with his golden eyes. But no matter how much he tries, he can't keep the huge happy grin off his face. "I'm Kennen, I don't suppose you know anything about that place do you?" He would introduce himself and ask the question in the same breath, motioning over to the gates of The Sanctuary as he speaks. He knew he probably should get to know the other boy better first, but he was to happy. Here was his chance, there was no possibility this boy right outside his destination wouldn't be able to help him. Waiting for the boys response, and whether or not one is given, he would adjust his red hair, pushing it out of his eyes as his gaze moves up and down his new-found hope, trying to determine what type of person he'd just pinned all his hopes on.

[Timothy Mered]

Date here

Timothy jolted upright. A boy, not much taller than himself with striking red-hair and shimmering gold eyes called out to him. His heart leapt to his throat. The Akalak boys were all rough and tough and it relieved him to see a normal human for once even though he would’ve preferred a girl. Gawking, his eyes fell on the bow in the boy’s hand and crawled up the pale skin, finding a quiver filled with arrows pushed between sharp shoulderblades. For a tick, he expected the boy to reach for an arrow, and make a pincushion out of him.

”Hello”

Timothy pressed his lips together, unable to decide whether he wanted to leave or stay. The boy’s chipper mood made his gut turn inside out. Even as he tried to return the boy’s painfully wide grin, it came out forced and wry and he quickly decided to sink his features back into a stoic nothingness. Disregarding the hint, the boy kept his stupid grin plastered on his lips and plowed into Tim’s personal space.

When he spoke again, introducing himself and stating his business, Tim eased up a little. Staring into those swirling pools of molten gold, Timothy hardly noticed the boy had finished speaking and remained gazing at him for three ticks too long.

“Hi,” Timothy returned, but his throat, still sore from sleeping, managed only a high-pitched “I” sound. Warmth tickled his cheeks as he cleared his throat and tried again, his unbroken right hand grasping the boy’s with the enthusiasm of a dead fish. “Hi, I am Timothy and…” he cut off his sentence there and dropped his hand, kicking himself inwardly. So far, he had told every single person in Riverfall that his name was Thomas Caine, a boy from Syliras who came here as part of a travelling theatre. Even the walls, if they had ears, would think him to be Thomas. Yet this weary looking, fiery-haired archer who reeked of sweat, dirt, and other scents acquired over the boy’s travels, had managed to catch him off guard and he’d slipped out his true name.

Quickly changing subject Timothy resumed, “this is the Sanctuary. It’s a…uh, healing clinic mostly, and there’s animals too. Bringing his knees closer to his chest to shield from the boy’s hypnotizing eyes he added, “if you’re here to buy a horse, you’ve come to the right place. Or,” he couldn’t help a small smile breaking through as he rested his chin on his kneecaps, “you can buy me a cake. It’s my birthday,” he explained with a shrug.

[Kennen Dova]

OOCthe dark red is when he speaks in nari

A mouse. Thats the only way to describe the boy he was seeing in front of him. His hair was the color of straw, and he was best described as. . . small and a mouse. The only thing that didn't have that small look was his ears, and that just made the comparison that much more accurate. But that's ok, it wasn't as if Kennen himself was large by any stretch of the imagination, it was just amusing that he'd found a mouse laying in the grass. And perhaps the mouse was a dumb one, he just kinda stared at Kennen while a weird expression crossed his face. Even after Kennen had introduced himself, this boy just kept staring. It was as if he hadn't heard him or didn't understand. Just as Kennen was about to repeat himself, a little louder this time to ensure the other boy heard, the mouse spoke up. His name was Timothy and. . . and nothing. He just seemed to finish there, trailing off. What was wrong with this boy, he wasn't acting at all like how he should. Kennen could feel himself starting to get angry, his eyes narrowing a little bit at the boy. Why couldn't he be normal, didn't this Timothy know anything? He was supposed to be Kennen's ticket inside, and thats not at all how he was acting. Again he was about to say something, this time to scald the boy and let him know just how rude he was being, when Timothy spoke up again. After he finished listening to Timothy, he would resume his eager grin, his sudden burst of anger over as quickly as it had started. "No no, you misunderstand. I know what they do there, I was hoping you knew about them doing. . . whats the word?" He would tilt his head, before giving a few trilling whistles, "Falconry." After the whistles he would tilt his head and look back to Timothy to see if he understood what he was saying. While he had been learning more about falconry under his masters supervision, the words for it he still only knew in his home language. He had no idea what to call things related to birds in the common tongue, and he realized it would probably hinder him. His cheeks would quickly turn a shade of red to match his hair as those thoughts pass through his mind, quickly trying to move on past that point and focus on the last thing Timothy had said, "It's your birthday? Are cakes usually given to celebrate that? I'm sorry I didn't bring one but. . ." He would trail off, moving to sit down on the ground on Timothy's right side, setting his bow down within arms reach. After sitting down he would begin digging through a coin pouch on his hip where he foolishly keeps his entire fortune, opening it to reveal the abundant collection of golden mizas kept there, far out numbering the amount of lesser coins the pouch contains. "Perhaps I could buy you one when I return back to Riverfall, I don't want to be rude on your birthday." As he says it, he would nod a couple times, "I think i have enough if it isn't to expensive." He would bite his lip at that point, turning bright red again. He had no idea the value of things, and judging by how much just a room to sleep in cost, he couldn't imagine he would be able to afford cakes all the time. But he had never celebrated a birthday in his life, at least that he can remember, and it was just to exciting to pass up. This is what he needed to get started, a friend. And so what if he had to buy a cake to get the friend, he was determined Timothy would be his friend. The first one he's had who wasn't a bird.

[Timothy Mered]

16th of Winter 514Av

Cocking his head, Timothy listened intently as the boy quickly explained what he meant. He had an accent, as if he was trying to whistle the word. In a flash, Timothy understood why the pale boy was behaving so strangely. He’s a Kelvic bird![/i[ It all made sense. The eye color, the way he tilted his head, the way he [i]whistled. Stumped, Timothy’s brows furrowed into a V and he shook his head, utterly confused as to what the blushing archer was trying to say. An uneasy tingle built in his chest, like a scratchy itch. He’s not from around here, that’s for sure Timothy thought.

A gust of wind swept over the road, drowning the boy’s voice as he continued to speak. Even through his bleary eyes, Tim could tell that the robin-bird was struggling to find the right words. A flash of pity crossed his eyes. He knew what it was like to be a stranger to a city, to have no one around to show you around and he decided there and then that he would do whatever he could to help the lost bird find a way to its nest.

No sooner than he’d decided that, his eyes grew wide in astonishment. Gold-rimmed mizas glistered dimly as the sun shied away behind clouds. “How did you…?” There were at least a hundred mizas in there, more money than he’d ever seen. Frankly, it was a miracle the boy hadn’t been robbed seeing how he displayed his money without the slightest understanding of its value.
“Oh,” Timothy tore his gaze from the money. “You’re not being rude really and you don’t have to buy me a cake…it –it was a joke…” he mumbled a few more words in an attempt to explain his sarcasm, but the humor had obviously been lost on the Kelvic.

A distant rumble sounded and within ticks, bitter rain pattered the ground. Normally, he didn’t mind a few drops, but combined with the growing wind, whistling louder and louder, it was starting to get chilly. “Let’s get inside,” he motioned towards The Sanctuary’s entrance, “it’s getting cold and it’s no use standing around.”

Without waiting for a reply, Timothy stood up and re-adjusted the sling around his neck, making sure his left hand was resting safely inside. Occasionally a dull ache in his wrist reminded him of his incident just six days ago, but he no longer grimaced or gritted his teeth when his arm pulsed. The rain was starting to pick up. Grey curtains started to sweep down, the skies above turning a threatening dark-grey. Having no desire to soak his clothes, Timothy grabbed the other boy’s arm and started to drag him along. Just after they’d passed underneath the stone and iron gate, Timothy made a sharp turn to the right and led them into the mess hall. Large tables and benches were lined against the walls, providing enough space for all Sanctuary citizens to eat their meals.

“Don’t worry,” he said pre-emptively as he pushed the boy down on one of the benches and plopped down opposite of him, “I don’t think they’ll mind you being in here. Besides, you wanted to get in, didn’t you? What for? Where are you from?” he leaned in closer, green eyes narrowing to slits, “you’re not entirely human, are you?”

[Kennen Dova]

Timothy seemed to get excited over the money, gazing at it the same way he had simply stared at Kennen's eyes. Perhaps the other boy simply liked the color gold? Oh, the cake was a joke, to bad, Kennen had really been looking forward to a cake. Oh well, maybe he should have picked up on that. But how could he, he had never learned how a birthday is celebrated so how could he know that giving a cake wasn't the thing to do? Hopefully Timothy didn't think less of him for not knowing that. Hopefully Timothy wouldn't look down on him, or worse try to enslave him, if he found out why he didn't know it was a joke. Before he could reply, the other boy seemed to get distressed about the cold rain that started to come down, grabbing his hand and starting to drag him inside. Kennen barely had time to realize what was going on and grab his bow off the ground before they were off. He simply stayed silent, Timothy seemingly on a mission to get somewhere and after all, this is what he wanted after all? He was nervous that now that he was inside, his dream would come crashing down and he'd be back on the road back to Riverfall but this time in the bitter cold weather. They entered a large mess hall, much bigger then where he was accustomed to eating. First at his masters where he ate in the closet sized room he was allowed, and then at the inn where he simply ate in his room. Or on the ship, where at best he was allowed to eat on the deck. But this, this was huge, at least according to his very limited standards. All the benches and tables, it must be able to feed the entire world. Or at the very least most of Riverfall. Though as that thought crossed his mind, he pictured the big Akalak and decided against it. Maybe if they were a little smaller. He was pushed down onto a bench, his new friend Timothy already talking. From what he was saying, it was ok for him to be here despite it definitely not being his place just yet. But hopefully that would change, now that he was here surely he would be able to stay. They had to let him stay, it was his only plan at this point. But before he could continue that train of thought, he was being barraged by a chain of questions by his eager friend. "Um, Thanks, yea I did want to come in. I was hoping to help with the birds. I'm trained in," and again that same couple of trilling whistles, "Falconry." But as he thought about the next question, his origins, he would blush deeply. "I uh. . . I'm from Windreach." It wasn't an entire lie, after all that is where he was born. He wouldn't tell his friend, no matter how eager he seemed, about his life as a slave. He wasn't sure, but he knew slavers existed everywhere. If someone found out about his past then maybe they would try to force him back in it. "And what are you talking about Timothy, of course i'm a human." That last question definitely through him off, why would his friend think differently of him? He wasn't blue like the Akalaks, or a white woman like he had seen from afar a couple times. As far as he knew he was human, at least unless there was another word for his people that he had forgotten. "Did I do something wrong to not seem human?" As he finished, he would frown slightly. Of course i'm human, he would think to himself, why would this idiot say something that stupid?! While the question seemed innocent enough, for some reason it sparked a fire inside him. But, he found himself able to quickly smooth his hurt feelings over, his eagerness at having a friend outweighing the strangeness of the questions. Kennen would look around the mess hall after that, "So do you know who I would talk to about getting a job?" He wanted to get to know Timothy more, but he was on a mission. With the bad weather rolling in, he had to secure something soon or he was doomed.

[Kavala]

The Konti had been spending a great deal of time simply.... roaming. The cold of Winter didn't deter her much because she always had a reason to be out and about. Sometimes it was just getting away from the day to day. She often was found in the clinic, elbow deep in blood due to her profession. When she wasn't stitching up critters, helping them give birth, or working on their various illnesses and diseases, she was breeding or cleaning or worrying. And the best way to worry was to get out and about, breath the air, and pretend she didn't live in a fortress crouched on a cliff above the sea.

Kavala was Drykas through and through, even though her skin shown the pale iridescence of her Konti birth. Four walls weren't always natural and sometimes one wanted to see the weather coming for miles and miles around. Sometimes one needed to feel the wind and smell the rain coming and feel the bite of the promise of snow. Often she rode out on one of the warhorses to give it some experience or stretch their legs. Sometimes she went on foot. Today was one such day. She'd taken the dogs, the big Imperial Watchers - all of them - out for a run. They'd done a little hunting and some of the dogs had hare's slung in harnesses over their shoulders. There were five big adult dogs and half a dozen awkward bumbling ones that were half grown and all feet and ears. It was more than enough to overwhelm the two boys as the pack returned home, their mistress among them.

They broke like a wave around the boys. Dogs, tall all of them, with regal ears and powerful bodies came sniffing, long tails a wagging. They were all of one color theme. Some were solid black, some almost white, while the vast majority of them were harlequin in color - a riot of the two tones blended. They were friendly, the younger ones, and the older ones cautious. They didn't threaten the boys, but they did surround them. And they weren't at ease until their mistress waded into their midst.

"Easy." The Konti said to the dogs, her alto voice soft spoken, as she glanced around and raised an eyebrow at Timothy and then turned to study the new boy. Urchins were multiplying, evidently, the Konti thought to herself as a small smile flirted across her face. The Konti was dressed in Riverfall's standard uniform of leathers. Her's were dyed the color of soft cream that made her skin seem to be tanned darker than it was. Her small form bristled with weapons which were partially concealed beneath a fur cloak that kept the worst of the wind chill out. The only thing the fur didn't hide was the double-bladed longsword strapped to her back.

"Hello boys. How are you this fine day. Tim? Everything okay. Who's your friend?" Kavala asked thoughtfully. "I'm Kavala." She added for the other boy's benefit. She was fairly sure she'd never seen the second one before.

Imperial Watchers :

[Timothy Mered]

16th of Winter 514AV

Tim quirked an eyebrow at his flash companion. He was making those whistling noises again. Maybe the boy had had some kind of horrible incident causing him to be unable to utter certain words. A rather horrible fate, all things considered. For half a chime he pitied the flustered boy. Windreach, never heard of it… All he knew was that there was more to the world than Sunberth, Kenash, and Riverfall. But of how far the land stretched and just how tall the mountains could grow, he had no clue. He vaguely wondered what had brought Kennen to Riverfall and why the boy was armed.

Kennen took offense to his last question and his fierce reply snapped Timothy out of his musings. “I didn’t mean anything by it,” he scooted back an inch. “It’s just…your eyes, I’ve never seen eyes like that before. You’re Kelvic, right?” A dreadful pity washed over him. He would convince Kavala to allow Kennen to stay, or the Akalak might put him in chains. The mere thought made his blood boil. “If you are a Kelvic, you might want to watch your step. The people here usually keep them as slaves, and you don’t want to be someone’s slave,” he added darkly.

The mark on his forehead itched.

He was just about to answer Kennen’s final question when a cacophony of barks and woofs bellowed through the hall. Almost a dozen dogs and pups filled the mess hall with pattering feet, curious eyes and panting, the younger pups swarming around the table. A pup in the disguise of a cow rested its soft paws on his knees and gazed up with eager eyes. A second one jumped up the table, then descended onto the bench and sniffed at his arm in the cotton sling. “Careful,” Tim breathed, gently pushing the over-eager pup away. But no sooner than he’d done so, little cow let out an angry bark, demanding Tim’s attention. “Yeah, yeah…”

At first the dogs had terrified him, especially the younger ones. They were unpredictable and there were far too many of them for his liking. Over recent days he’d grown accustomed to their presence however and the flecked, black and white pup had taken it upon himself to follow him around. Though the dog wasn’t his, Timothy thought Little Cow would be an apt name for the wide-eyed yapper, until he could come up with a more heroic name at least.

”Easy” He recognized Kavala’s voice. As if by divine intervention, the dogs quieted and even the older ones at the back quit waggling their tails and sat down like statues. Tim found himself straightening up as well. The Konti, though short and slender, emanated power. Power that seeped into her voice, no matter how soft or loudly she decided to speak. She was winter, a snowflake from afar but with muscled arms and legs up close, hardened like ice. Yet through all that, despite the chills her piercing eyes sent down his spine, he knew there was a warm, beating heart resting underneath.

“I am fine,” Timothy looked up at her, returning her fleeting smile. “Except for the ache in my arm.” An apologetic smile followed when she inquired after Kennen. His stomach collapsed in on itself and he gulped as he slurred an explanation. “Well you see, I was just outside on the pasture and then he came along and asked about getting in though I am not sure what he wants to do here," he filled his lungs with air before he continued. "He’s a bit,” his lips settled into a thin, thoughtful line as he glanced at Kennen. “Well…odd. He whistles...”

Feeling somewhat stupid he quickly tagged on, “he’s not my friend really, though he hasn’t shot me yet either. I was just interrogating him,” he added proudly, hoping she would approve that he at least had had the decency to scrutinize the boy. "Anyway, his name's Kennen, or Cannon...I don't-...well, you tell her," he encouraged Kennen to speak up.

[Kennen Dova]

A Kelvic? He thought that his eyes made Kennen a Kelvic did he, perhaps Timothy was a little slow after all. Everyone had loved his eyes before, perhaps not always to his benefit, but never had someone said they made him inhuman. At home, he remembered his eyes had been a source of pride. For his masters, they had been a source of exotic beauty. And for his masters clients, they were a reason to spend more money and more time with him. But for Timothy, his eyes marked him as inhuman, as being different. Just as he was about to open his mouth to set Timothy straight, he wasn't a Kelvic. He may not know everything about his past, but he'd know if he could turn into an animal right? But before he can get a word in, Tim's next words were like a splash of cold water. 'you don't want to be someone's slave' is what Tim said, and those words sent chills up Kennen's spine. Had the other boy somehow read his mind? Did he know about Kennen's past? He had to go, he had to leave before everyone knew where he came from. Maybe it had been the money he'd shown, Timothy certainly had started acting weird after that. It had to be that, somehow the money had proved to Timothy what Kennen had been. Just as he was beginning to rise, his face flush, he was suddenly surrounded by a pack of dogs. He had never liked the animals, the birds usually thought they were to loud and bothersome, but this pack had a lot of half-grown puppies mixed in. No matter what mood he was in, he couldn't maintain his worry with a couple puppies putting there paws up on him, sniffing him, checking him out. There noses tickled as they sniffed through his clothes and possessions, checking out the new kid. 'Easy' It was a single word, not even a particularly fancy one, but it's effect was profound on the pack. It was as if the goddess of dogs had descended and given them a command. The older dogs backed off, and the younger ones seemed to quiet down and mostly contain there enthusiasm. It was a miracle if Kennen had ever seen one, and it had originated from one woman. If Kennen had simply seen her on the street at a distance, he wouldn't have thought twice. Certainly she was exotic, with a certain type of beauty, but she wasn't particularly imposing or threatening. However she stood with such confidence, and her voice rung with pure authority. She was used to being in charge, and she got her way. He was still examining this new comer as she began to speak more, and his expression became distant. The words themselves didn't matter, but that voice of hers stirred something deep down in Kennen. He had the feeling that he could simply listen to her for a long time and never get bored. It took him a bit to realize he had simply been staring, and that he had missed what they were saying. 'He whistles' is what Timothy was saying. Who whistles? Who were they talking about that whistles? Oh was Timothy talking about when Kennen spoke in the language of the wind? If that was the case, he had to set him straight. Whistling is one thing, but through ignorance his friend was insulting his language. But as his train of thought continues, he realizes he had tuned out the speech again, shaking his head as he realizes both this new woman and Timothy were staring at him. "Well um, I don't whistle. Well I do, but not really. I speak the Language of the Wind." He would explain lamely, his face a shade of scarlet as he rubs the back of his head. "But my name is Kennen, and I was hoping to find a job here doing. . . I don't know the word in this language." He would say, at the end shaking his head. How could he embarrass himself so much in front of this woman, the one person he absolutely wanted to impress. Perhaps in another situation, in another place, it wouldn't have mattered as much to him. Perhaps if he had met other women in his small time of freedom, he wouldn't have been as shocked by Kavala. But he was here, in this reality, and here and now he desperately wanted to impress her. "But um, It is like I teach Hunting birds to hunt." That sounded right. Not quiet as accurate as he'd like, but it's as close as he knew how to do. He whispered a silent prayer to whatever gods would listen that it'd be enough, that he hadn't completely embarrassed himself.

[Kavala]

Though things in Riverfall recently hadn’t been anywhere near ‘normal’, Kavala still retained her patient qualities. So many other things had changed about her person. She acted rash. She slept little. There was a cruelty to her that had seemed to come out which hadn’t been evident before. But patience? She still had that particular quality in abundance and it caused her to listen to what Timothy was saying without getting in to big of a hurry to interrupt him.

So, the new boy had strange eyes? Kavala glanced over assessing and noted that Timothy was probably right about him being Kelvic. She focused on him and opened her senses, expecting a flood of his emotions to fill her mind.

Nothing.

Her Konti Gift remained quiet in respect to the boy, though it flooded her with information on the dogs, clearly even broadcasting an itchy tail that one of the dogs seemed to be worried about. She reached over and scratched the wagging appendage without a thought, dulling and then eliminating the emotion from her gift just before she shut it down. Her gift never lied. It worked on animals and kelvics, but this boy was neither.

“He’s not a kelvic.” The Konti affirmed the boys’ words to Timothy.

One of the younger pups distracted her a moment. Its quiet obsession and protective feelings towards Timothy made her sigh inwardly. Another one she’d have to give away, the Konti mused. Her animals had a habit of doing that… the dogs picking their own owners and the horses – at least the striders – running off and bonding with Drykas both young and old that were passing through. She’d have to remember to tell Timothy that the dog wanted him, and that something about what Timothy called the dog bothered the dog to no end.

Kavala was too distracted to investigate further right at that moment, but she figured it had to do with the pup being a boy and whatever the boy was calling him referring to the feminine. Dogs were picky like that, which caused her to smile again suddenly. The pup that had picked the boy was neither the strongest, nor the fastest but it was clever in its own right. It had a slight conformation issue – one only a healer and breeder would note – that would keep her from breeding him when he was older. That meant the puppy would go up for adoption in the local area as a hunter, guardian, and companion. The slightly closer together chest carriage was not something anyone but another serious breeder would note. Most of the pups, in fact, from this last liter were slated for adoption. In fact, she had a waiting list about a year and a half in advance, though its existence didn’t seem to bother her, she still only bred the bitches once a year anyhow.

The Konti healer nodded at Timothy’s admission that he was fine. And then she listened as he clued her in on the whole situation between him and the other boy just by letting the dialog between the two flow back and forth. While she didn’t understand the whole of it, a slight picture was definitely taking shape. They were strangers to each other, definitely just having met. And Timothy found the new boy odd. Kavala nodded to herself and reached out her hand to touch Timothy’s arm, looking for the tell-tale sign of pain. She found none, switched sides on him, and ran her hand down the other length of his arm until she reached where he ached and let her gnosis loose on the pain, soothing the muscle and pained section below.

“It’s good of you to ask questions. But its also important to listen if you are going to interrogate. Because if you listen carefully and let them talk, often you will learn more than you might think.” The Konti said gently and turned to the new boy who was decidedly more than willing to explain himself.

The dogs were on the move again, some up scattering a bit, others nosing at the boys now that the excitement of greeting newcomers was wearing thin. Kavala did not try to hold the pack in check. In her mind there was no need. They had been out to burn energy off and that’s what they’d done, so the end of the run excitement was just another facet of getting them worked and calmed before she put them back in the kennels if they lived there or let them back to roam the facility if they guarded. Once upon a time they’d had more dogs. But now, all Kavala bred were the Watchers. In her mind they were the best and most necessary. And The Sanctuary thrived for the choice.

So when the new boy started to talk, Kavala turned her attention form Timothy and the milling dogs to the boy, letting him have his say. The boys words were phrased strangely and he had a thick accent so she had to listen hard. Kavala’s own words were tinged with the lilt of Pavi she had grown up learning. And though she spoke common, her accent was always clearly that of a Drykas. But for the life of her she could not place Kennen’s particular pitch and roll to his words. And the language of the wind? The woman grew more curious, giving the boy her most serious face.

“Well, we have jobs a plenty, but let me ask you something Kennen. Would you let someone handle your birds that you didn’t know just on the faith of their words that they can?” The Konti said, knowing she’d get her point across to the lad. “I’d be willing to hire a stall cleaner and someone who could clean the mews around the birds and kennels around the dogs until I knew them a bit better and had them work with a bird or two before my eyes to see how their temperament was. All the animals here are very important and need to know they are safe and that the people that work with them know them through and through. We do have openings, but it’s a position you’d have to earn.” She said, glancing at Timothy to see what he thought of her words.

“We can talk about it later. How about you two come help me put up the dogs, then we go wash up find something to perhaps eat?” Timothy was a bottomless pit, always hungry, and she doubted the new boy had had a square meal in days. They both looked like they could use some washing and then maybe later she could talk them into coming to town with her. The new boy would need new clothes. His looked rough, and she had an order to pick up at the market with the woodworker there.