Hopalong (Amunet)

[Kailey]

Timestamp: Summer 43, 515 Location: Somewhere between Riverfall and Endrykas Kailey was sick of the city. She found it both stifling and unnatural, although it was built upon a creation of the earth; a waterfall nestled into the protective face of a rock wall. A giant one. The Kelvic thought humans called those things cliffs, but she wasn't quite sure. She couldn't really remember, and she didn't quite care anyway, so as many other things had done, this disparate bit of information had slipped her mind too. Not that it really mattered, as she was happy she had left the eternal racket that was the sound of water crashing into water behind; just as she had the mountainous men with blue skin, and darker features. (She had yet to encounter the rarer Akalak with the alternate skin tones). She was happy too, that the day seemed fair, and nice. The weather amicable, and easy to traverse within, for although she may have been better equipped to deal with the turbulent than others, she couldn't quite say that she enjoyed it any more than they did. The sky was a blanket of pale blue, in which the fiery celestial orb hung within the western sky. It blazed a bright yellow; tinged with streaks of crimson, and orange. It dyed the points of each blade of grass such hues; although the natural green lent it browner tints. Also such was less readily apparent with the way the wind flowed through the stalks, causing them to sway delicately, as though they really were a sea, as opposed to solid land; something of the earth. As Kailey hopped through the grass, parting them with her body, as opposed to her hands, as one may the underbrush in a jungle, she could hear various rodents skittering through their length, just as she could a vulture screeching angrily overhead. She supposed it hadn't seen much in the way of carrion for a few days, any more than it could smell it, as the recent rains had washed away a number of scents; including those that smelled of decay, which was nice in many ways, but not so much for a vulture. Kailey smiled all the same however. For she didn't care- there was always more than enough for her to eat, and she felt free now. No rules. No obligations. No one- just the way life was meant to be!

[Amunet]

Amunet was out again gathering and foraging. She didn’t craft as her clan does. She wasn’t a warrior or hunter. Though she took after her mother in techniques in caring for the clan and the striders, she felt that the extra foraging provided more of a service to the clan and kin. She had a list of what was in her observation needed. Herbs for dying, general household herbs, any medicinal herbs she could find. There was a certain root that combined with a certain flower produced a black dye. The mixture of this and the fixative were not easy to make.

They went a bit deeper and had provisions for being out a bit longer seeking these herbs. The industrious girl also collected seeds of various beneficial grasses. Her provisions were supplemented with foraged edibles as well as snaring rabbits or partridge. Shatenae, her strider, had a good keen sense of where she was in the grasslands. Finding a likely spot to camp for the evening she set up her tent in a protective algove of 9 foot thick grasses. She wove amongst the grasses horizontal creating a sort of barrier behind her tent. The well shielded small fire dug into a pit served to cook her meal that she wrapped in large leaves and allowed to steam in it. The aroma of the grassland greens and a tuber she found sliced into the package with the dried meat she took with her when she was not successful in snaring. She couldn’t say she was very good at it but she tried.

As the sun was going down she took her flute and and started to play. She imagined the thunder rolling across the grasslands and the rains that followed as her flute would sing of this melody that played across the plain in a strong yet haunting way. Shetanae was relaxed as the flute playing Amunet would use sometimes to calm her little brother to sleep or she would play it for the goats that got nervous. It was just her and her companion strider and the grasslands.

[Kailey]

The world was peaceful out here. Kailey supposed it was because the land was so open. No buildings to mar the face of the grassy sea. No structures to create obstacles, walls to create barriers. No people to make noise and upset the balance of what was occurring naturally. No trees or large shrubs really to disrupt the flow of the large blades. The Kelvic skipped merrily along, until music began to fill her ears. Music made not by the creatures of the grasses, nor by the elements that could wage war against it, but the music of man. Kailey wasn't sure what manner of instrument produced the sound she was hearing, but she knew that it stood alone. She knew that it had a sort of soft, wooden sound to it. Not at all brassy, not at all abrasive as would have been the case if it were a drum playing. Yet, the music was vibrant, and foreboding, as though it were meant to portray some ominous coming. It made the Kelvic's heart race as she moved onward to her left, deciding that she wanted to see what was producing the sound for herself. Kailey's ears prickled against the sound as she drew closer and closer, and then stopped a short distance away from the drykas and her strider to listen. She knelt behind the grass behind Amu, as she wasn't sure if she was friendly, and if she wanted to let herself be seen yet. The flute's song reverberated in her ears as she leaned forward, and lowered her body until her stomach brushed up against the ground, flattening some of the grass beneath her. She took a deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth, before extending her right arm forward as she slid the left ahead, and nestled her elbow into the ground for support. She leaned into it as her right hand pushed a little farther forward and parted a few blades of grass, so that it would be easier to see through everything. But there was just so much of it, so that she couldn't really see Amu at all, although she could hear her just fine. Kailey breathed deeply again, and pushed up off the ground just a little. Rustling the grass. She was determined to at least see where Amu placed her hands on the flute, if nothing else. She just wasn't sure how well this would work, as she wanted to remain hidden too.

[Amunet]

The red head changed the tune to something that was long and flowing. Like the way the winds flowed through the grass causing waves in the grass. The poignant tune would tug at the soul and try to bring it along what she was attempting to paint with her music. The mare standing close by perked up a little. Not in too much of an alarm but her nose and hearing was far superior to her own. Shetanae was an older mare and often very protective of her companion rider.

The mare was not too alerted, more curious than anything at whatever it was in the grass. It smelled animal and two legged at the same time. The mare softly nickered tossing her head towards a direction in the grass. Amunet stopped playing for a moment to look towards the grass. She tried to listen and see through the dark webbing of the interlacing grass. The slight built girl stood up and gingerly walked towards the spot a few steps. There was still no sound. It was as if she almost didn’t breath in the intervening moments. The girl then relaxed a little and went back to her seat and poked at her little fire she was cooking on.

The girl patted the mare gently on the shoulder in reassurance. The mare was confused as she swore she smelled something. Those ears swiveled back and forth as if to pick up another sound or a flare of a nostril to pick up another scent. With a snort the mare relaxed a bit. Danuae returned to her heart felt tune of wind and the sea of grass.

[Kailey]

She couldn't see anything! Darn her short stature! It's constant going off and ruining everything. Frustrated, the Kelvic nibbled on her lower lip as she crawled forward, drawing her knees along the grass. Crunching it beneath her weight as her hands stretched forward over and over again, as she alternated the side upon which she paced. Her heart hammered in her chest as her ears fought the urge to flick back and forth in their quest to capture all sound. That was, until there was no sound. The Kelvic looked up from the abrupt cessation in the music, but still, couldn't see much of anything. Although she could hear something, and feel something in the way the earth trembled, with the rumbling of the drykas' steps. Shoot, she must have heard me and gotten angry. Maybe she's coming to eat me, Kailey thought, as she pulled her head down, and tucked her body against the grass again. Doing her best to remain very still as the knowledge that she now appeared as a human and not a rabbit continued to slip her mind. Kailey's heart skipped several beats as the woman drew closer, and then, several more as she began to move away and return to her music. At which point, Kailey allowed herself to truly breath again. To let out the breath she had been holding in as she resumed her crawl; this time at a much slower pace, so as not to get herself caught as she drew closer, and the image of the drykas playing on her instrument grew all the more clear.

[Amunet]

The strider mare caught the breath out and perked her ears towards that location again. Shetanae nuzzled her elbow with her whiskers as she looked towards that part of the grass. Amunet almost scolded the mare but experience told her that the strider’s instincts were usually spot on. The girl bit her lower lip a moment. If someone was there that meant harm, it would have already happened.

Amunet signed to her companion to be calm but aware as she returned to her flute and played an upbeat tune that she played for her brother. It was light and as giggly as her little brother. The red head couldn’t help but be a little tense as she didn’t know what was lurking in the grass. Shetanae didn’t seem to defensive so that was a telling that whatever it was in the tall grass probably was not harmful.

Shetanae stomped her foot to free it of a grasping piece of grass. The Strider took a mouthful of grass that was in a pile close by. Amunet had gathered it during their camp set up. The tall grasses they were camped into was ill suited for horses. It was the shorter grasses that was the better foraging for her companion.

The happy flute piece continued as it danced in the air of the growing evening. Her little fire blinked in the subdued lighting that was slowly dwindling. After the song was completed she would venture a careful statement in her best common. “Person, there?”

[Kailey]

One hand, two hand. Right hand, left hand. Step, stop. Pause, force a breath. First hand, second hand. Both hands, both legs. Steady, steady. Move forward again. Kailey paused mid stride the next round, her hand poised in the air; her leg itching to move forward. Her ears prickling against the sound of all incoming stimuli as her breath caught in the back of her throat again and her eyes widened. Her heart beating even faster now, as the strider continued to pester its master, and the master continued to play, and then finally, stop again. At which point, Kailey finally eased her hand down onto the grass, and held her breath. And held it and held it until she couldn't any more, and let out what she had been with a heavy pah, before taking more in. But by then it was to late, she had been sensed time and time again, and as such, pushed up against her hands, so that her body was raised a little, so that just the top of her head could be seen above the grass from her hiding place. When she realized it wasn't very good, she eased herself up, allowing only her head to peak over, and catch sight of both horse and master. Kailey forced a small smile. "Hi," she replied cheerily in common. "Nice music," she lied, as she had liked some of it, and some of it had been far to loud, and some just didn't seem to blend together as well as it could. Or what she felt it could, but what did she know? In any case, she took a few steps forward, rustling the grass as she moved, and came to stand before Amu. "You play often?" she asked. "Or just when you think that you are alone?"

[Amunet]

Amunet gauged the girl who came out with some trepidation. The more she came out, the cautious girl realize she was not armed. Unsure of how she was surviving out here without anything to survive with much less alone. The smile was returned with a tilt of her head and a small polite one.

"Thank you." She said in cautious common. "when im alone or waiting for something to get to .. umm. done." She hoped the word choice would convey properly. The girl played while waiting for the pot to boil or if something needed to simmer a while but needed to be watched. "at night, best. Help little brother to sleep. sooth strider and animals. work in progress. " The red head sat down at the small shielded fire and lifted the flute. It was made with bone. One of her brothers had etched knotwork into it for her.

"your out pretty far in the sea of grass. What brings you out here?" The blue eyes regarded her as she poked at her dinner. Shetanae didn't seem alarmed at the moment.

[Kailey]

Kailey nodded. The woman's common was broken, but for the most part, it got the point across. As Amu went back to the side of her fire, and began to poke whatever it was she was cooking, the Kelvic sniffed the air. She smelled the smoke within it as much as she saw it, and she caught the scent of some sort of meat as well. She wasn't an avid eater of such, and couldn't discern what it was specifically, but she guessed it wouldn't be long before it was ready, and not long after that when it would burn if the drykas didn't tend to it. She also supposed it hadn't been seasoned yet, as she didn't smell any herbs or anything. But she could have been wrong about that. Smoke was pretty strong a scent, and had a tendency to cover up everything other than fear pretty well. "Didn't like the city much. Too many controlling blue men who don't want to let me out to do anything or go anywhere or have fun. They're so booooooring," Kailey confessed as she took a few steps closer to the fire to inspect whatever was cooking. "What ya making there?" she asked politely, before wondering if there was something more fun than communicate poorly that the other woman would want to do, or if this were it.

[Amunet]

So she was from the city. That didn't explain the lack of supplies or escorts. Those sky blue eyes regarded the girl as her speech seemed to indicate a naivete and youthful frame of mind. Well sort of. "Men can be blue?" Amunet's curiosity got the better of her as that struck her as an oddity. Truly she heard of things out past the sea of grass but Blue men was the absolute first!

"I have food if hungry.Tried to snare a partridge or a rabbit but i had no success. " The packets was drawn out of the fire and put on the side to cool. The clever girl had taken dried meat, greens and tubers she foraged with wild onion that was also found. With her knife she poked at the package of very large broad leafed grasses that created the cooking packets. The sea of grass had many treasures and secrets. Amunet knew she had yet to uncover even a portion of them.

"What are these blue men like?" The girl asked in her naivete at such a thing that existed. "Surely men who are blue couldn't be that boring." What did this Drykas young lady know of what laid beyond the sea of grass or in the cities at its edge. She lived her life with the moving city of Endrykas and on the back of her strider.