Abrupt Introductions [completed]

[Hex]

Date: 1st of Winter 509AV


Dark hues began to fade as the sun climbed, burning its way through the thick horizon towards its towering position. Life never stopped despite the cooler damp conditions of the night before and Hex was one of the many awake and alert at that time - break of dawn. All was piercingly quiet at this time and with the air so thin, the tiniest sound would be magnified and heard great distances from the source. Hex's head was engaged with memories of her camouflage training long ago as she inched through the grasses on her fingertips and the balls of her feet. Each time she pressed her fingers into the moist earth she read the movements of creatures in a vicinity around her. The ambiance of small insects and rodents dotted her sensory landscape and set a pattern in her surroundings. Anomalies that disturbed the pattern indicated the presence of a predator, giving away its position in space and time. Hex had set dozens of traps in the area in hopes of catching a small rabbit or other edible, furry creature.

She could go a few days without water but a shortage of food was something she had to get used to when she left the luxurious confinements of her tribe. After 28 seasons on her own, she had adapted various ways of tracking and securing a food supply and early in the morning was an essential time to hunt the specific prey of Cyphrus. She was far more adept with skills useful in the deserts of Ekytol but 5 seasons in the tall grass laid a good foundation for her survival there.

Hex stopped just short of a small, enclosed field and craned her neck to see past the trees at the stars. They were barely twinkling through the reddening sky and she soaked in the moment that they were drowned out by the light of the emerging sun. Her stomach rumbled as she had no luck catching a single thing all night. She was on her way to check her traps when a sound breached the air like a knife whizzing through a tunnel. It was a tiny sigh and the sound itself had an aura that was emitted by a sentient being. She knew this from her Auristics training, everything had an aura, even spirits and sounds. She had long forgotten her traps as she sped through the grass towards what began to look like a camp. Unattended embers smoldered together with a wave of heat rising like an invisible curtain towards the treetops. A horse stood with its back turned towards Hex and she recognized the tent and the horse's saddle as Drykas made.

She had been alone in the forest sleeping with one eye open for too long. She craved a community atmosphere and was in dire need of some trading. She collected pelts and animals glands for medicinal purposes and needed more vials, preservative oils, and other supplies. She traveled without a tent and often find shelter under slates of rock, and use thick grass and mud to make an artificial hill of land that hid her home. It was important not to stay in one area for too long so as not to make long term footprints that gave away details about her behaviour - a sure way to get tracked down. She thought it strange that this particular person was alone and she had even searched the surrounding area for signs of other Drykas. The only evidence of another was the unearthed tent peg holes on the other side of the already standing tent. A second pair of hoof tracks lead away from the camp and she considered following its trail.

Hex boldly entered the camp crouched low to the ground with her heart beating rapidly as she inched towards the tent. She was looking for a map or something to point her in the direction of Endrykas and carefully began untying the knotted ties that kept heat in the tent. She had managed to open half of them, afraid the flicking noise of her nails digging into the tie fabric would catch the horse's attention. She held her hand outstretched in the tent and 'sensed' the objects which included a body, some supplies and a pack. She looked back at the horse who drowsily stamped and snorted in place. Hex prayed that her racing heart not wake either of them as she crawled into the tent on all fours. She then located the pack and began to rummage through it. She was losing time with the sun now dispersing light through the tent but she was determined to find something that would help her find her way. The Drykan figure rolled over in their sleep away from her and yanked at the blanket. In doing so Hex lost her footing and tumbled in the opposite direction from them onto the right side of the tent. She made a small grunt while falling and stumbled in panic to get back up. The Drykas had already noticed her and jerked straight up to face her. His face was a mix of shock and lethargy as they met eyes. He immediately exclaimed in the Pavi language she hadn't mastered and she froze with her face red with embarrassment...

[Rhylen]

Rhylen awoke with a start, his breath dancing in the air above him. Diffused early morning light gave subtle luminance to the tent’s dull interior. He blinked sleepily, wondering what had roused him, for the aged face of Raghnall remained absent from the tent flap. The archaic shaman was prone to straining the wits of his reluctant protégé, either through trickery or outright assault. Though Raghnall always explained his unusual cruelty as the will of the plains, Rhylen still feared that the man’s unearthly wisdom was truly an addled mind borne of too many lonely years on the grasslands.

Rhylen began to breathe a sigh of relief, but was cut short by the uneasy hoof falls of Thalla nearby, her breathing noticeably elevated. Not alone, she seemed to articulate in their unique language, one shared between the Drykas and his bonded mount. She was certainly aware of some danger, but the uncertainty of the stryder’s movements gave him pause. Rhylen clicked softly with his tongue, letting her know he was awake.

In the predawn gloom a multitude of thoughts flooded his mind, weakly formulated in the chilly haze, but sparked to life by a coupling of grasslander instinct and adrenaline. His hand snaked deftly to the hilt of the ceremonial dirk that lay nearby. Thalla’s urgency told him that it was too late to conjure up an effective spell, so he would have to rely on the threat of the small blade to buy him enough time to mount the stryder and flee.

Rhylen’s heart climbed agonizingly into his throat when he heard the ties of the tent flap unfastening. The stryder would never allow something visible to get this close without a more forceful alarm. He became stone, his breathing imperceptible and his grip on the dirk painfully firm. Rhylen could only wait eyes closed, as the weight of a human form set itself down inside the tent, moving skillfully for his pack – a thief then.

As the rogue became enamored with his belongings, Rhylen gripped the bedroll with his free hand, spinning violently and catching the shadowy form off guard. A grunt, definitely feminine, erupted from the falling form as Rhylen came to his knees, stark naked in the shadows with his blade only inches from the woman’s throat. “Who are you?” he boomed in pavi, his native tongue guttural and commanding. “Where is my companion?”

He pressed his dirk forward, careful not to wound the unusual woman, but determined to have the upper hand. Her face, a mix of flushed shame and astonishment, didn’t seem to register his words. Hastily he translated into common, a softer tone, but still full of animosity. “Who are you? And where is my companion?” He gestured towards the tent flap. “The aged man!” His shouting was answered by Thalla’s whinny. “Has he come to harm?”

[Hex]

The Drykas was armed and alert as he interrogated his uninvited guest. Hex leaned up on her elbows and hands with her knees bent as she struggled under his weight to gain equal ground in front of him. He slowly but forcefully twisted the dagger, and in reaction she stuttered an explanation and scrambled backwards away from the blade, running herself up against the tent wall. The pegs on the opposite side strained to hold the tent upright and she rolled her neck back to look into his face. She instinctively read his aura but for only a second as she could not physically bare the taxing effects of her auristic ability. She was impacted by the blast of energy that he emitted as an onslaught of blinding energetic information, like looking straight into the sun in a high sky.

"I mean no harm" she released a gasp before continuing quickly, "I only want to find Endrykas. I-I don't know where your companion is... there are" she gulped, "horse tracks! A-and a tent has been moved recently, the tracks are fre-" she started to nod but backed off when the knife raised higher into her jaw.. " no really, at the most 2 chimes". She finally sighed after having to communicate in between stressed shallow breaths.

The horse outside was stamping and neighing as it paced around the tent, protective and anxious for the safety of the man inside. She looked into his face finally as the light illuminated his features. He breathed deeply as his face showed an array of emotions that were filled with confusion yet curiosity. She had anticipated her detection but was only half prepared on how she would deal with a surprise-roused Drykas. She had a 'go with the flow' attitude and never regretted. That was the key.

Her senses normalized as she came into focus with the situation's energetic pattern. The tension between her and the Drykas forged on as he held her pinned with the knife, planning and working his mind around the possibilities of his missing companion. Hex watched the face of the man above her, waiting to see what he would do next...

[Rhylen]

A long silence passed between the occupants of the tent, Thalla’s evident anxiety marring the serene cast of light through the morning mist. Rhylen remained taut in his half-stance with his arm rigid, allowing the weapon only a slight quiver. Aside from the roiling current of his eyes, all was still, the young man barely even breathed as he mulled over the extraordinary morning in his mind.

Sincerity emanated from the woman’s every pore, her bearing a mixture of quiet fear and acceptance for the fate which now lay in Rhylen’s barely trembling hands. His dealings with people outside of the company of Raghnall could only be described as minimal. Occasionally he would assist the shaman with healing or one of the other countless remedial duties required of the tribes’ spiritual leader, but that rarely brought much real interaction. From a young age Rhylen had never truly understood other people the way he understood the horses and the earth and the sky. He was as lost now as ever he had been and improvisation was far from his strong suit.

“I believe you,” he said, breaking the brief calm, “though I probably shouldn’t.” His accent was thick, but the years of practice with the common tongue, painfully imparted through Raghnall’s heavy handed brand of guidance, allowed for him to fall back into the rise and fall rhythm of the city-folk. His eyes moved to the now open tent flap and back in an instant, swiftly regarding the empty space where Raghnall’s tent had been before. Desertion by the shaman was commonplace, another form of harsh training. He would find Rhylen again eventually, likely after much of the season had passed, indicating another lonely winter.

His thoughts returned to the woman. “I will cause you no grief if you leave now,” he said, allowing her some space to move away from the wall, keeping the barrier of the blade between them, “but you must do so quickly.” His tone remained unsympathetic.

The slight reprieve from the tension of the moment gave him a chance to cover himself. Humility was not a trait common of most grasslanders, and gave Rhylen little pause, but he feared that his bareness might cause the foreigner unnecessary discomfort and cause her to act rashly. “I will not lead an outsider and a thief to the home of my people,” his inflection heavy with disdain. “But I will warn you, that should you not go back exactly the way you came, and that includes following me, you will find things far worse than Drykas and their blades.

That she had made it this far without encountering a pack of glassbeaks or any of the varied predators that stalked the plains was short of astonishing. That she’d done it alone even more so. Rhylen questioned whether he could leave her to her doom with any real conviction. So far as he could tell, the woman did not have a stryder that could bring her far from danger in an instant. His regard of her remained stern.

[Hex]

Hex folded herself into a crouch and her knee joints cracked as she turned her face to give the man some privacy. She felt embarrassment yet painfully curious as she listened to his stern warning to leave his camp.

"I am no thief" she scoffed, "only in search of answers to my past. My methods are.. outlandish but I must find Endrykas, I must know from where I came from once." Hex tightened the laces on her right boot as she continued. "I have been searching for them alone in the grasslands for 5 seasons now and you are the first Drykas I have met." Her hand came up to push its way through her hair, sweeping it from the side of her face. By meeting this man in as wrong a way as possible, she jeopardized her chances of traveling with him. Approaching situations with subtly was not her strength, she was bold and upfront about her intentions.

"I will not steal your possessions." He gave her a look of disbelief as she gestured towards the contents of the tent, shaking her head to assure him, "I have no use for anything but what I already have and what nature has to offer."

A pause fell between them and she looked to him to gauge how he was feeling. His brow furrowed and his eyes were locked on her, watching her every movement. She spoke softly as if not to disturb the man further and tried to communicate her seriousness. "I want nothing more from you than for you to show me the way of your people, for I am half Drykas myself. Now that I have found you I can not stop pursuing your company." Hex watched as his shoulders tensed in reaction to her words, she was testing his patience but braved on, raising her voice slightly in confidence.

"I don't fear you and if we have to go through this a thousand times before you accept my companionship then I am willing to risk even my life to do so." She reached up slowly and closed her hand around his blade, squeezing it until trickles of blood pushed through the creases of her fist and fell to her thighs below, dotting her skin with wax-like droplets. Through a wince and a grin she pressed on "surely the Drykas are compassionate, for if my assumption is false tell me now as I want nothing to do with the apathetic." She uncurled her hand and let go as she peered through the tent flap at the snow covered ground. She began her leave but hesitated and turned to face him over her right shoulder.

"Without your companion you will be alone out here. I have many skills, we can help each other survive. I can heal you, and I have experience tracking and hunting. Think about it." She smiled for the first time since they met and even let out a hearty laugh despite the dark tones of their conversation. " I will leave now, and you will search for me when you are ready, and if you don't come looking I will track you down." She shrugged as she spoke her last words, rising through the tent entrance out into the chilled winter air.

Exhaling, she saw the strider and whispered a string of phrases to it as she tip toed her way around it to exit the camp. The strider scrapped its hoof on the ground and grunted, never losing sight of her as she slowly tried to ease its mood. She sent out waves of empathetic energy to the strider in hopes that it would understand her honest intentions which were non violent in nature. By then the sun had fully appeared above the horizon and was bounding its way up, casting light on snow that glistened in response. A quick glance at the tent showed no sign of the young man yet but she swallowed her worry and thought back to her aching stomach. She had faith that whatever path she ended up on would ensure her success...

[Rhylen]

Rhyen exhaled slowly after he had fastened the ties, his heart hammering and his stomach disturbed. She is mad, he thought to himself, reliving the woman’s self mutilation. The scent of blood hung in the air and he felt as though he might gag. Half Drykas, he wondered as he moved about the tent’s interior, careful not to upset his internal balance, more madness. He was wrong, though, and he knew it. Even as he began pulling on the leather pants and light linen tunic that made up the majority of his personal attire, Rhylen knew that he was kidding himself. He had seen it in her eyes, and in her face. The woman’s coloring was off, but her bone structure was that of the horse clans, if a little slighter than most.

He paused, closing his eyes against the light that now shone strong against the outside of the tent. He breathed deeply a few times to gather his wits, clearing the morning fog and focusing on the matter at hand. If he were to believe what he already knew to be true in his heart, then his duty as one of the Drykas mystics, apprentice or not, was to aid the woman in her search. To the tribes, all those who bore the windmarks and possessed the ability to form lifelong bonds with their mounts were as kin. If she truly had been on the plains for so long, then it would mean some force had kept her alive until now, and the same power had likely guided her to him.

Raghnall would see this as a sign of his obligation. Ha! Rhylen mused privately, perhaps the old codger has arranged this as another test. So be it. He hurriedly gathered the rest of his belongings from the interior of the tent, stuffing them into his pack and saddlebags. When he was sure that nothing was out of place, and after a few more soothing breaths, he unfastened the ties and stepped out into the chill air of daybreak. “You may travel with me,” he said to her back, dropping his saddlebags at her feet. “You’ll find a few days worth of food in the large part there, near the front.” He pointed to the correct pocket, knowing that she’d find only nuts, roots, and a few types of edible plants and grasses. “If you want meat, you’ll have to find it on your own. I don’t eat it.”

He neatly set about dismantling the tent, taking care to keep it clear of the light snow that had fallen. As he did so he spoke, gaining more confidence with the tongue word by word. “We will reach Endrykas by nightfall, if we move with haste.” He considered her for a moment, gauging her height and weight before continuing his work. “It will be a hard pace, but you look able to keep up.” The thought of leading this strange woman unnerved him still, but it would be worth it when he was free of her. He would stay with the nomads for a day or two, and then set off again. Rhylen prayed that he would find some indication of Raghnall’s plans for him by then. He hated staying still for too long, almost as much as he hated the throng of people that would certainly be milling about Endrykas in all manner of fashion.

Isolation was more to Rhylen’s liking, but it would be interesting at least to have a companion on the short journey. He only wished that the feeling of discomfort in his stomach would relent. “I’m called Rhylen,” he said after another moment, finding her eyes. “And Thalla,” he added, gesturing towards the stryder while he stood. The tent was tidily rolled up beneath his arm.

[Hex]

The air was filled with an abundance of life that seemed not to exist less than a chime ago. Frogs, birds, and insects went about their ritualistic endeavors to survive long enough for future species sake, and for once in a long time Hex felt at ease with nature's purity. Living alone takes a certain state of mind to enter - that of total awareness and even paranoia at the hardest times. Even with the dis-ease she had caused both the Drykan and his bonded strider, she was confident that the discomfort of an abrupt introduction was small compared to the agony of dying alone in the sea of grass. Hex felt that life was too precious, both of them too young to die anytime soon. It would not be easy but in time, he would grow accustomed to her brash ways.

When the sun beamed down on the freshly frozen ground, it created this incredible concentration of heat that left delicate flakes of falling snow evaporated as they spun and popped pockets of steam into the air, like the laughter of nature. Collapsing onto her knees Hex dug her hands into her dress pockets until she uprooted a vial, no larger than a fat worm with a cork pressed into the neck. A vibrant green liquid with flower petals and grass shavings sloshed inside. The bleeding in her hand had stopped, as if basking in the beauty of nature jump started her healing process. Her wound was not much deeper than a scratch, a wound easily cleaned and stitched up. Hex used the organic aid of the earth's herbs and her suture skills to heal herself. The plucked cork was re pocketed and the vial poured over the wound. She held her breath for a moment and then smiled as she exhaled, sighing with pleasure. Turning over her hand she felt the excitement of butterflies in her stomach as the cells of flesh on either side of the wound began to tickle and race. The solution foamed and bubbled, pushing out dirt and bacteria from the wound before she wrapped her palm in linen. The feeling of the potion tingled through her entire body, as if every one of her particles' attention was drawn to the cut.

The strider had stopped pacing but held a fierce contemplation over Hex being there. It was a protective act of intimidation, and it was important that Hex stand her ground righteously though not threateningly. She took long, deep breaths, emitting an aura of trust and calm to lower the anxiety levels around the camp. As she rose to stretch her back, the tent flap was flung open to make way for the emergent figure of the Drykas. Hex straightened her back at his tall presence and listened as he conceded to the idea of travel together. His offer of food was more than kind and she took a small handful of nuts into her mouth, savouring the rich oils of the crumbling seeds. She didn't require much food and was more interested in examining the variety of edibles he carried. She learned the textures, smells and hardness of each type, predicting the locations of where she could find them herself. This kind of information was invaluable to her because now she could seek out those resources herself.

The Drykas spoke his name as well as his steed's - Rhylen and Thalla. Their eyes met and she smiled to see his were bright in colour like hers. A feeling of instant connectedness with her other race fueled the virtue of her travels. She thought of her pack of belongings she left buried in the core of a decaying tree, the middle eaten and excavated into a shell.

"My pack.." she gestured listlessly off into the distance before running off. No more than a quarter of a chime passed when she reappeared with a leather bag that hung by her left thigh. With the long single strap, she often secured the bag tightly to herself by strategically weaving the strap with itself around her arms and back for unhindered movement. It was frustrating trying to run and dodge effectively with a pack swinging at her side. She appeared back at the camp with the bag loose in her hand and then sat down to organize herself. The healing vial she used was refilled with a purple essence this time. It was gingerly poured one drop at a time from a tall, thin vial and when the cork was popped into place causing excess wisps of essence to curl and thin before fading away into nothingness.

Looking around the camp, the evidences of inhabitants was minimal apart from the fire pit which could be disguised in a number of ways. Grass that had been squashed by the weight of the tents could be rustled and fluffed to appear undisturbed. With peg holes filled and foot prints removed, the camp site appeared unmoved with the right efforts. The traps she had out the night before were too far and she wanted to get moving towards Endrykas so she would have to go back for them at a later time. The risk of being tracked didn't worry her so much anymore, in fact she often wanted to be found.

"I'm prepared to leave when you are Rhylen." She perked up from being in deep thought, her smile as golden as the sun rays that irradiated everything they touched.

[Rhylen]

“No name then,” he muttered under his breath in Pavi as the woman dashed off in search of her belongings. She seemed strange, childlike almost, as if excited by the prospect of something novel. True, Rhylen did feel a sense of purpose now that he had met the woman, but her buoyant personality mixed with her tendency towards odd bursts of mirth left him considering his judgment. He shrugged to himself and regarded Thalla, his face lighting up now that he was alone with his friend. He turned to her with a smile.

“Quite insane,” he said, barking a laugh when the horse rumbled her approval. He moved closer taking her head and allowing for a shared moment of appreciation. It was generally very lonely out on the Cyphrus, and he was now, as ever, happy to have her with him. “We will be on our best behavior when she is around,” he added firmly, taking pert ears as a sign of the mare’s attention. If the woman was truly keen to learn the ways of the Drykas, she would need to learn their language first, but he rather enjoyed at least that small privacy for now. “You think she’s ready to journey with us?” he asked in Pavi as the strange woman returned, knowing Thalla preferred a staggering pace. She shifted her weight with uncertainty, which brought another smile to his face.

Still grinning, Rhylen regarded the woman and then shifted his focus to the saddlebags, moving to pick them up. It was at this point when he became conscious of the uneasiness in his stomach again, realizing that it hadn’t really settled down since its inception. The sight of blood had sparked the feeling he was sure, but the lingering queasiness gave him pause. Some moldy food, he reasoned, taking the weight of the bags and loading them onto Thalla with considerable care. He passed on breakfast and instead took a long drink from the waterskin, which now hung from his right shoulder.

“Let us be off then,” he said, turning so that the rising sun shone on the right side of his face. He clicked his tongue and began to trot alongside Thalla. It was chilly enough to wear the fur cloak that lay bundled in his saddlebags, but he would work up a sweat soon enough and they could not afford to lose much more time. “We move like this until midday,” he called over his shoulder, “then follow the sun as she sets. That way we won’t be torn apart by anything on the way.” Theoretically, he added to himself, if she doesn’t slow us down. He wondered how long she had been awake, praying that they would not need to stop before nightfall. Ahead lay glassbeak territory, and the carnivorous raptors would most certainly happen upon anyone who lingered for too long.

[Hex]

Mind alert, she focused on the trip ahead as they jogged lightly. Hex pulled herself through the interlocking loops of her bag strap, yanking her long hair out from underneath the woven flaps. Though her energy had been low from the morning's heart racing events, she found a second wind as she caught up with Rhylen, matching his pace. Hex was used to running at much faster, harder paces and so was enjoying the leisure trot. Three chimes had passed since they started out and they were well into a large expanse of tall grass just outside the small forest where they met. Hex who stood a hands length shy against the grass tips could not see how far the field spread but as she registered objects with her other senses, she could perceive just how far everything was to her. The grasses themselves delivered messages of the environment as the three of them swayed through it, the blades of grass caressing their faces and arms.

When Hex heard a soft clicking sound she thought for a moment that Rhylen and his steed were communicating but she had second thoughts when the sound came from at least 2 other locations in their vicinity. Without hesitation Hex dropped to the ground fingers first, throwing her hands into the soil. A blinding light came to her eyes and she could not longer use them, but she could feel everything, every movement, every breath. She gasped as her senses traveled out around as if flying through the air in search of predators. Like snakes uncoiling towards her she read the calculated swift movements of carnivorous beasts, four of them, from behind and at both flanks. The sound of their teeth scraping together sent chills down her spine and her skin pimpled, pointing the hairs on her body straight up. If he hadn't noticed their approaching presence, or the sounds of horror that escaped Hex's lips, there was no mistaking the eerie effect that fell over the field as the predators pursued their prey. Her face shot up to meet Rhylens, she only prayed that they could plan an escape unharmed...

[Rhylen]

He cursed in Pavi, knowing from the look in her eye that something was very wrong. They had lingered far too long in the daylight. A foolish move. Two gruesome deaths were certain to befall them lest they make haste. “Come,” he cried, grasping the woman roughly by the arm and hauling her unceremoniously onto Thalla’s back. Her perch was awkward, but it would have to do for now. A hiss broke the silence about them, stirring a feeling of dread deep within the Drykas.

“Fly!” he bellowed, urging Thalla to run with him, then pulling himself up behind the woman and pressing her nearer the stryder’s neck. The horse didn’t need any more encouragement than that, shifting from what she would consider an effortless canter, to the innate gut wrenching velocity of the Cyphrus striders. She was partially weighted down by the saddlebags and additional passenger, but still Thalla flew, the ground rushing past them at a tremendous speed.

Once he was sure that they would not all fall off, Rhylen chanced a glance behind them, spotting a thrashing serpentine creature directly behind them as it struggled to keep up. The beasts of the grasslands were swift, but not enough to match the pace of a purebred stryder. So long as they did not encounter more of these beasts, they would stay alive. Eventually, however, Thalla would tire of this pace, and they would once more be at the mercy of the plains, and the precarious path to Endrykas. “Don’t forget to breath,” he whispered in the woman’s ear. “Face away from the rush of air.”


Continues in: A Cold Welcome