Closed From Bondage to Bonded

[Sira]

Timestamp: 90th of Fall, 516 AV

The strange weather had Sira on edge of late. She didn't mind so much that it wasn't cold. That was nice, actually. But it didn't seem right. So late in winter, and still no snow? And the mountain was acting up. Sira recalled the events not so long ago that left her trapped in the Inclement Weather and left so many others dead. She did not want to experience something like that again. Ever. A hunt was what she needed. Yes. A good one, a nice getaway from Wind Reach and the dangers of the mountain. She could go afar, stay away for a few days even. Perhaps.. perhaps Azira might come.

Sira rolled out of bed, landing lightly on her feet. Yes, a nice far hunt, and if Azira would come along it would be even better. Sira started packing her things, stowing her weapons and hunting gear in the bags on her saddle. She added a heavy winter blanket and katinu next to her tent and bedroll, just in case the season decided to act the way it was supposed to. She packed a few water skins and some rations as well. Everything they would need for a few days out in the wilderness, even if they only ended up staying for one.

With everything packed it was just a matter of retrieving the Avora. Sira made her way down to the common rooms, stopping to tell a dek she passed that she would need someone in her rooms to saddle her within the bell. "Send someone good. Someone who's done it before.. Marrin will do. Yeah, go find Marrin and tell her to wait for me in my aerie, and she'll have someone to teach."

The dek quickly scurried off to obey and Sira continued down to Azira's room. When she reached the door she knocked, and her thoughts trailed back to the last time she had appeared at Azira's door. The Avora hadn't been very pleased with Sira then, though the kelvic wasn't entirely sure why. Hopefully this time she would be more excited... though it was very early in the morning. Sira wasn't even sure if the sun was up. Well, still... this time hopefully it will be different. And if not, well, she would go alone.

"Azira," she greeted when the Avora opened the door, a hint of nervousness in her voice, "Hi. I was wondering, I know it's early in the morning but I wanted to know if maybe.. and this time you can say no, it isn't an order and you do have a choice. And um.. I was just wondering if you wanted to go on a hunt with me. I was thinking a few days, we could go south, maybe chase the elk herds. And, if you wanted, I would like the company... But only if you want to!"

Well that was embarrassing, she thought, almost certain her face had turned as red as her hair. But, there was nothing to be done. She just had to await Azira's reaction.

[Azira]

Knocking roused her from sleep, the huntress cursing the expected sound as she rolled out of bed and draped her katinu around her bare form before shuffling drowsily towards her room's entrance. Since her return from Lhavit, she still found it necessary to have a Dek wake her on the mornings of hunts, her brain still not fully acclimatised to the reduced light that came from being beneath stone. She swung the door open to find the anticipated Dek hovering beyond that she shooed away with a wave of her hand prior to the portal smacking shut in the other female's face. Azira tossed aside her katinu, discarding it by the doorway as she headed back to her bedside where her clothing was strewn.

The young woman slipped on undergarments, bryda and katinu, and was just about to put on her boots when a rapping came again. The Avora made a low noise of discontent, instantly becoming petulant as she went to answer. The door was pulled open with abrupt violence, the young woman ready to give the drudge a piece of her mind for coming back to knock again but the words dried up on her tongue, annoyance turning to shock; it was not a drudge.

Azira stood frozen in the doorway, unable to do anything more than stare at the Endal in front of her. The woman's presence outside her room couldn't have been predicted by any stretch of the imagination. The two had seen each other since her return of course but it had typically been in the presence of others, the relationship between them still more than a little uncertain. Her unexpected visit threw the girl and Sira's nervousness further disrupted her. The notion that the other was nervous was absurd, unaccountable and yet here it was plain to hear and see in her voice and demeanour. The Kelvic had even gone red! The huntress wasn't sure that she'd seen her redden before but it was oddly endearing, the blush bringing an innocent girlishness to her that the Avora found attractive.

They remained in silence for a chime before her tongue unglued itself from the roof of her mouth, seeming unfamiliar to her as it moved to shape words.

"I was up and about to go hunting anyway, but why would I go with you?" she asked coldly. Neither tone nor emphasis had been intended. Her brain hadn't told her to vocal cords to do that, her brain hadn't been much help at all. In its stead, her mouth had taken speech from somewhere else more inclined to be emotional, perhaps her heart. She continued to stare, wondering if there was any manner of backpedalling she could do to rectify the chilliness she had just injected into the air between them. Sira had offered her an olive branch of sorts, an opportunity for them to be alone so they could work things out with one another. There was certainly work to be done in that regard and a hunting trip would mean that Azira couldn't run away. Such a point had its pros and its cons for her and she found herself hesitating in indecision for a few ticks before she made up her mind.

"Admittedly, I'm not doing too well with my quota and could do with something weighty like an elk. I'll go with you. I just need to get my boots." She pivoted, leaving the door wide as she returned to her bed to sit on its side. If Sira looked in, which was difficult not to do, then she would find a striking comparison between her own rooms and that of the Avora's. The difference in size wasn't as dramatic as the spartan nature of this space. Where the Endal's apartments showed signs of her personality and having been lived in, Azira's room gave away nothing at all. Her katinu still lay by the doorway beside her pack, bow and quiver of arrows but they were the only real signs of the young woman's presence. There was the typical furnishings of the Darniva Commonrooms and a chest added at the end of the bed, hardly noticeable, but that was it. There was nothing of her own to colour it and the careful lack seemed to be a very deliberate choice on her part. This was where the huntress came to sleep and that was it.

She tugged her boots on one after the other, tying them tightly and not glancing up. In fact, it was more than a little obvious that she was staring a little too intensely at her laces. She tested the ties, taking her time until it could be delayed no longer. She went to collect her belongings by the door.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Sira]

Sira fumed, and it was a good thing her face was already red, otherwise it would have shown clearly. Hod did she do that? Every time Sira tried to be a friend to this woman she said something so blatantly cold and hurtful that it drove Sira mad, and yet.. the Endal continued to try. Why did she even bother? It was clear that Azira had no desire to be anything more than Avora and Endal.

Sira clenched her fist, opening a closing it a few times, then stared down at the soft glow in her palm. Be calm, Sira. You know that isn't true.. she's just grumpy in the morning, and you are an Endal. She doesn't know how to deal with you. Sira sighed and closed her palm. Priskil, grant me courage.

Sira determined not to be angry. She knew that Azira did not mean to offend her, or at least, she didn't think she did. Luckily, she had time to calm herself, and when Azira finally looked up from her laces, Sira had a mostly genuine smile plastered on her face. She really was looking forward to the trip, and was determined that it would be pleasant.

"Okay, well, lets go get me saddled up and find ourselves some Elk.

Sira waited for Azira to join her before heading back towards her aerie, sending a Dek ahead to have their breakfast brought to them. "I'm glad you're coming. I wanted to get out for a little while, but didn't want to go alone. And something doesn't feel right.. the mountain is acting strange."

When they arrived at the aerie Sira led Azira over to her saddle and helped her load up everything she brought. They had a few chimes before the Dek came up with their food, and after the things were stored, Sira turned to the Avora.

"I know.. I know it's hard to say no to me, because of what I am. But I'm inviting you on this hunt because I like you, and I respect you, and I trust you, and I think you are a good hunter, and I consider you a friend. But you don't have to come with me if you don't want to. This isn't an assignment, it's just two friends going hunting together."

Before Azira could answer the Dek arrived with their food, and Sira glared at the Inarta in annoyance, gesturing to a table before glancing back at the huntress. "Let's eat, and then if you still want to go.. then you get to learn to put my saddle on," Sira finished, a mischievous grin creeping onto her face.

[Azira]

Sira was smiling away at her and it worried Azira slightly if she was being honest with herself. It made her uncomfortable, the woman showing up out of the blue like this, seemingly determined to be on good terms with her again. She wondered if there was some ulterior motive behind it. She had talked about desiring the company but the Avora suspected there might be more to it than that. She didn't return the smile, instead regarding the other a little uncertainly as she collected her belongings and pulled the door shut after her. As she followed the Kelvic, she chewed her lip discreetly before quickening her pace to draw level with her. She didn't say anything but she had a feeling that the other would and sure enough, she attempted to break the ice between them. Azira foresaw this trip being an awkward one.

Making a sound of acknowledgement, the young woman didn't bother to say anything, avoiding interaction until it became absolutely necessary. She understood where Sira was coming from in regard to the mountain acting strangely and she hoped that they wouldn't have a repeat of the previous year. Mt. Skyinarta had experienced some serious groundquakes then and many had been trapped within the Inclement Weather club, including the Endal. It had been a stressful time and one of death; it wasn't something she wished to see repeated.

They reached the Aerie and the huntress maintained her silence, packing her stuff away with the same concentration that she'd given her laces earlier. However, the other was still eager to get conversation out of her which meant that she couldn't remain quiet indefinitely. Not to mention the Kelvic was doing an excellent job of making her feel guilty. The Avora had treated her coldly and yet the Eagle continued to be personable. It meant that she was the bad guy in this situation and she didn't want to be, especially as she appeared to have no justification. She'd attempted to distance herself from Endal, more for her own sake than anything else but they couldn't remain aloof forever. She'd be cautious around her of course and try not to allow herself to be hurt but she didn't think it was possible to shut her out completely, particularly if they were going to be going on this trip together. She knew how the woman could get under her skin, worm her way in too close for comfort, but it was something she could only manage when they were alone together. At least with other people around they had a buffer but this way, they were too involved.

The Dek came before she could say anything but she returned Sira's smile weakly, a nervousness poorly hidden by the facade. At least she was trying, she told herself. She sat down at the table and began picking at the food, ripping bread into small pieces in her hands as she spoke.

"I'm sorry for being so cold, I just haven't... I wasn't expecting you and it's not that your visit was unwelcome but... things happened for me in Lhavit, things that changed me and I don't know how I feel... about things from the past," she explained disjointedly. Azira didn't look up as she started to eat. "Don't get me wrong, I wanted to come home and I'm glad to be back. Nothing feels the same though, does that make sense?" She raised her golden gaze, waiting to see what Sira would say on the matter.

Azira had fallen for an Ethaefal in Lhavit. She'd certainly felt something for her, awe and lust definitely but potentially something more. Plus, Alses had helped her when she'd been in a very sticky predicament involving her erratic and uncontrollable reimancy. She had bawled her eyes out in front of the woman and there had definitely been something between them. The huntress didn't intend telling the Endal about that but it still hovered in the air around her, something unvoiced but felt. It hung over her as she gazed up at another woman with whom she had had... something.

The redhead smiled, this time more genuinely. "I do want to go with you though and I'd be happy to learn how to put on your saddle," she admitted, affecting brightness although she had no idea how genuine it sounded to Sira's ears. To her own, she could hear the false note in her voice and the hollowness behind it. She chose to cover it up by proceeding to stuff her face for the trip ahead.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Sira]

Sira knew something was off with Azira, but she continued to ignore it. If it was going to make itself known, it would, and if not, it was clear that Azira did not want her to know about it and it wasn't any of Sira's business. It wasn't as if they were bonded or anything like that. At least, that was what she told herself so that she could continue to be cheerful and hopefully keep things from turning sour.

Sira ate her food quickly, ready to be on with things, and very curious indeed to see how well Azira could saddle her. It was important to get things just right, otherwise the saddle could be very uncomfortable and even make flying difficult. A strap pulled too tight or a bent feather could make the flight painful, or even cut it short if her circulation was cut off and she was forced to land early. For wind Eagles who had Endal to care for them, it was generally the Endal's duty and privilege to saddle their mount, but Sira had no Endal, and so it fell to others to do the task. Usually, it seemed that half her minders were incompetent, but Marrin was one of the better ones.

Soon enough the chiet arrived, and Sira hopped to her feet. "Marrin! I hope you weren't too busy. This is Azira, and I want you to help her get me saddled, alright. Marrin is hoping to be a saddle maker one day, so she knows her stuff."

Sira left the chiet and Avora and moved to the nest area where she promptly stripped down, stuffed her clothing into a bag on the saddle, and then in a bright cloud of glittering smoke, became a wind eagle. "Alright, you two, let's get this thing on so we can go."

The saddle was a sleek design, all white leather with bags strapped to the sides for storage. Some saddles were bulkier and could hold more, but this was a saddle designed to optimize performance in the air, and so some features were cut out. It had a horn for the rider to hold on to, and places for them to put their feet, as well as straps to hold the rider in place if they needed them. Few Endal actually used the straps, seeing it as a symbol of inexperience, but they were there for when the need arose. The saddle also was large enough for a second rider to fit behind the first, but they pair would be sitting very close together if they did so. This was not a pack saddle or work saddle like ones she often used when being forced to give rides to lower ranked Inarta or for hauling things around, this was a hunting saddle, designed for ease of movement and flexibility in the air. The previous times that Azira had the opportunity to ride the eagle, Sira had always been wearing a different saddle for carrying multiple riders or packing things around, but this saddle was the only one that was actually made for her, and it fit perfectly. Marrin stepped up and began to show Azira how to get it in place.

OOCFeel free to control Marrin and describe the process however you want.

[Azira]

The pair ate in silence, seemingly trying to outdo each other in speed as they both shovelled down their food in haste. Azira hoped that the Endal didn't expect to work out how to put the saddle on by herself, but she had said learn so that meant that someone was going to teach her. If Sira intended to instruct her by herself then it was likely to go badly but then perhaps they were awaiting a Dek to come to help. The huntress hoped for the latter and wondered idly what they were supposed to do if they ran out of breakfast in the meantime. Although the Kelvic hadn't reacted to what she'd said before, if they were given a chime or two to themselves then she might well try to renew conversation between them again.

Sira finished eating first and jumped up to greet a lower caste member. The Avora took in her appearance and quickly assessed that she was a Chiet rather than a drudge given the fact that she was wearing a vinati and bryda rather than a lontev. The woman's warmness towards the other interested Azira as she couldn't quite understand why she would treat the Chiet woman with some respect. However, when she recalled her relationship with Khara, it made more sense to her. She assumed that she must be useful, perhaps for this purpose of saddling but she wondered if there was something sexual between them. Deciding not to dwell on that matter, she polished off her breakfast and stood. She nodded in curt acknowledgement to the Chiet and then waited awkwardly for the Endal to undress, pack away her clothing and shift forms.

With their orders given, Marrin looked at her a little uncertainly, perhaps wary about directing Azira considering that she was her superior. It wouldn't do for her to seem to be in command in this situation and she noticed the tension in the girl's shoulders as she stepped forward to deal with the saddle. The huntress moved forward with her.

"Tell me what you need me to do and I'll handle it," the Avora commented, earning a quick glance and a nod from the underling. First, a thin pad went on the Wind Eagle's back to help keep the saddle in place and prevent it from chafing the feathers. Next, the woman hefted the saddle singlehandedly and flung up and over the dire bird's back, standing on her toes to push it from the edge as it made to slip down again. She directed Azira to pull at the straps on the far side to ensure that everything sat evenly on Sira's back. Coming back around to Marrin's side, the huntress watched her loop the first strap under her wings and in front of her legs, pulling it through the tough leather buckle. Marrin tightened it, slipping one hand beneath the band as she tugged it closer.

"You should be able to fit your hand under the strap without any pain. If you can do that then you know that it isn't too tight so it won't cause problems. That's the most important thing to remember for all of the straps," Marrin explained as she pulled it taut against her skin, loosening it a little as it dug in too much before closing it. There was another strap that went in front of the wings and about the neck and Azira set to work on this one by herself. She brought it through the appropriate loop and placing her hand beneath it and against Sira's feathers, she pulled until the leather pressed firmly but comfortably against her hand. She fastened it and slipped her hand out with ease. She tested the straps to see if the saddle shifted at all. Satisfied with her work, the Avora moved around to mount.

"I think that's everything. You can go," she explained to Marrin, dismissing her before placing her foot behind Sira's wing to find purchase and heaving herself up and onto her back. She puffed out a breath, running a hand back through her hair as she settled herself down, considering whether or not to fasten herself in or not. Deciding against it, the Inarta gripped the horn firmly with both hands and clenched her thighs to ensure that she remained in the saddle.

"I'm good to go whenever you are. Do give me some warning if you decide on any funny business. I'm not strapped in and it would put a bit of a dampener on things if I fell off and splattered on the rocks below," Azira told the Endal with a laugh.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Sira]

Sira waited patiently for the pair to begin, and when they did Sira was impressed with how well Azira handled herself. It was probably in part due to the fact that she had someone knowledgeable assisting her, and also in part due to the fact that they were using a saddle that was crafted specifically for Sira rather than a general use saddle, but even so Sira was pleased. Aidara had not done so well her first time.

"No straps?" Sira sounded pleased. "Well, if you fall, I'll catch you... probably."

Sira moved over to the edge of the nest, looking out over the mountain and valley below. They weren't going that way. South, over the mountains and down the coast, that's where they were headed. Usually at this time of year such a trek would be dangerous, even with a wind eagle to fly over all the difficult terrain, but the fall was strangely warm, and Sira intended to take advantage of that. Plus, she wanted to get away from the familiar terrain around Wind Reach for a while.

[i]"You know, some birds fly south for the winter," Sira commented as she hopped off the ledge, flapping her wings and gently climbing skyward. Her aerie overlooked the valley leading to Thunder Bay, but as they rose higher and higher Sira turned away from the valley and bay and circled the peak to reveal the mountain range beyond. As far as the eye can could see, even Sira's eagle eyes, were mountains stretching south, all the way to Falyndar. "Maybe we should try it. I've been told there is a giant warm jungle filled with all sorts of things we can't even imagine beyond the mountains."

Beyond the mountains. That alone was hard to imagine. The only "beyond the mountains" Sira knew was north, to the sea. But there were other lands, not just a jungle but deserts and other mountains and islands and everything else the world had to offer. She didn't expect to go that far on this trip, of course, but it was a grand idea.

For a few bells they flew in relative silence. Sira opened a channel of communication between the two of them, and every now and then she might say something or point something interesting out that she spotted below, but for the most part the flight was quiet and peaceful, the only other communication being the simple emotion of contentment Sira allowed to trickle through their connection, though whether this was intentional or not, Azira would not be able to tell.

After a while the wind began to pick up, and Azira might have noted a change in Sira's flight pattern. When the wind started to blow too much Sira would either rise or fall away from it, but soon the wind grew stronger, and Sira's wings beat harder and more frequently as she struggled to keep her flight in check. Azira might start wishing she had chosen to use the straps after all. The turbulence was getting quite rough, and that peaceful feeling Sira had been sharing was gone. Not even a bell passed before Sira's voice sounded in the avora's mind, the concern clearly evident in every word.

"We need to land, and find shelter.. quick. I see a cave down there.. hold on tight, it's going to get rough."

Sira started down, not in a dive, but it was clear she was descending in a hurry. The cave wasn't far, but as they neared the wind grew stronger and stronger, and Sira was clearly struggling as she tried to keep the flight as safe and smooth as possible for the Avora on her back. When they landed Sira waited just long enough for Azira to get down then shifted. The saddle started to fall, but Sira was used to that, and rolled out of the way before it could land on her back. It wouldn't have hurt her, but it would have been annoying to say the least.

"Help me get this inside, I can't fly anymore today, we'll have to wait out the storm here."

Sira, with Azira's help presumably, dragged the saddle into the cave, along with all their gear and supplies attached to it, and glanced back out at the sky outside. Was it going to rain? She wasn't certain, but snow and rocks were being blown all around. "We should get some wood for a fire before it gets worse out here," she commented, before turning to survey the cave.

OOCI figured I would speed things along and get us to where we were going. Feel free to describe the cave however you want. The wind storm is what happened on the Fall Calendar for the 76th.

[Azira]

Azira couldn't stop the corner of her mouth from turning up in a silent smirk at Sira's comment although she was also smug about her tone.

"Oh thanks, I appreciate how much you care about me," the huntress replied dryly, although she wasn't sure whether or not the other heard her. She was quick to make a move to the opening in the Aerie and Azira managed to brace herself in time before the Wind Eagle went off the edge. Her stomach briefly felt like it was going to come up her throat before settling back into its normal position as the Kelvic climbed steadily skywards. Adrenaline pounded through her arteries, her pulse audible in her ears as the mountainside opened out beneath her. She wasn't sure if the Endal had opened up a line of communication between them so she remained silent, musing on the other's words as they set off southwards.

It was an intriguing possibility, travelling with Sira. It would have plenty of advantages given that the woman was mount and companion in one, and seemed to share some of the Avora's interest in the world beyond Wind Reach. She could remember the conversation they had had in the shapeshifter's bath about travel prior to her own departure to Lhavit. She wondered if that discussion had been some inspiration for this latest remark. It seemed somewhat out of the blue but given what they'd talked about before, Sira must have known how it would appeal to her. Given their current relationship though, the huntress wasn't sure that such a trip would take place anytime soon but then stranger things had happened and she'd known the course of relationships to alter drastically and abruptly previously. Perhaps it was a possibility for the future, provided that the woman had actually meant something by it. It was entirely possible that it had been a fleeting fancy that had been thrown out casually.

The return to the air was a welcome one to the Avora. It felt as if it had been too long since she'd been able to soar high above everything with the wind buffeting her as the land lay far beneath her. Death was a real possibility and one that could be brought about quite simply yet it was no deterrent to the Inarta; this was what she lived for. It was moments like these that she truly felt she was meant to be an Endal. There was nothing quite like the steady beat of an Wind Eagle's wings and the way feathers rustled in the breeze, wafting the smell of bird up her nose. She could inhale the cool crispness of the air, the damp that heralded rain or snow, and the thinner atmosphere as they reached staggering heights. There was the opportunity for magnificent dives that would send her insides up against gravity, the rush of exhilaration tinged with fear that would change to giddy relief as her organs settled heavily within her once more when flight levelled out. The whole thing was bittersweet though as she would always remember that this life was not for her as she lacked the bond that would allow this to be the norm rather than something caught in snatches that were all too fleeting.

The Kelvic was kind enough to open mental communication between them although she left the huntress to her own thoughts for the most part. Occasionally, she would draw Azira's attention to one thing or another, but for the most part she imbued their connection with a contentment that left a small smile fixed on the girl's lips for the duration of the flight.

It was when a vague ache seemed to go through her legs, hinting at a deeper pain when the chill wore off, that she noticed a certain shift in the dire bird's path through the sky. She dipped or rose as the wind blew with greater and greater gusto until it reached a ferocity that had the Avora clinging tensely to the saddle and its horn. It was now that she began to regret that the straps that could have secured her hung uselessly from the leather and she had no intention of releasing her grip to do something about it for fear that she'd be caught off-guard in the turbulent conditions and sent plummeting to her grave.

The Wind Eagle started into a swift descent for the promised emergency landing and the Inarta held on for dear life, leaning low over the horn so that the force of the wind didn't send her flying off. The descent was a bumpy one but the Avora did her best to roll with the movements until they finally hit the ground. Although her limbs were stiff and numb, she used her hands to help lift one leg over so that she could slide from the saddle and down the Kelvic's side. She bent her knees on impact but found herself on all fours as the joints failed to respond properly, thus saving herself from greater pain and potential damage. She crawled away from Sira's side as she shifted and the saddle whacked to the ground. Rising on wobbly legs, the huntress rubbed them hurriedly to restore some life and warmth to them before hobbling forward to help her companion with the weighty leather piece. They dragged it towards the cave rather than trying to carry the heavy item with the wind working against them.

Once, they were within the safety of the cave mouth, Azira took brief stock of their shelter for the foreseeable future. While the mouth was wide enough for them to stand in comfortably, the stone ceiling sloped downwards within a few feet to create a smaller space further in that would leave them bent double. It was a several yards deep and narrowed to about two yards at the back. It had a bit of a turn to it so that they could probably lie in the curved bit to protect themselves from the wind and with the help of the saddle, they could keep the worst of it off them if they could prop it up and use it to stop heat escaping and draughts coming in to disturb them. One wall had a streak of some sort of dark, thick moss or fungus running down it, which meant that there was moisture there. There was some detritus carried in by the gusts, including leaves, dirt and some twigs.

"You get dressed before you freeze and see about setting up somewhere for this fire to go. I'll go and collect some wood," she told the other before she ducked back out into the full onslaught outside. It was rearing up to be one heck of a storm and she agreed with Sira that it was better to go now before it got worst. She struggled over to the treeline and set about searching for dead wood on the ground, peering up into the foliage to see if any branches were damaged and had bits hanging off them. She wanted to avoid green wood if she could due to the amount of smoke it would cause and she doubted that they would have very good ventilation in the cave. Azira moved quickly between the trees, gathering what wood that she could until her arms were full. When she could carry no more, she found her way back to the edge of the wooded area and deposited them there before delving back in for more. When she had gathered a second armful, the huntress sought the edge once more, becoming slightly turned around until she forced herself to take a few breaths to relax herself and took note of the lighting.

Heading back to a better lit area, she cleared the trees and then trekked back down to where the cave was. She dropped the wood in the opening and then returned to the treeline in search of her earlier deposit. When she had that, she jogged back to the cave and made her way deeper into it to see what arrangements the Endal had made.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Sira]

Sira nodded in agreement, the cold wind already causing goose bumps to cover her exposed chin, and watched for a moment as Azira headed off toward the tree line. A shiver ran down her spine and urged her into motion. She pulled out her clothing and quickly dressed, then looked over the rest of the gear to assess what they had. The wind most likely preceded a cold front, and possibly rain or snow as well. They were going to need to protect the fire from the weather if they wanted to keep it burning. The saddle could act as a buffer... Sira didn't like the idea of keeping it so near to the fire, but it had to be done.

She had her tent, but the ground was too hard in the cave to stake it in. She might be able to tie some parts off to make a wind break, which might mean she wouldn't have to risk the saddle so close to the fire, but upon examining her surroundings she realized that there wasn't anything she could tie it to that would be secure enough to trust it alone. She would still need the saddle.. but even so, the extra wind break from the tent wouldn't hurt, even if it did end up falling down later.

Sira pulled the saddle over to the shorter section of the cave and turned it on its side, so that the bottom of the saddle was facing the inside of the cave. It made a sort of "C" shape that they could build the fire behind and keep it out of the wind. Hopefully the wind would pull all the smoke out of the cave, rather than push it in toward them. It was already going to be uncomfortable since they wouldn't be able to stand up, but hopefully they wouldn't have to breath in smoke at the same time. Next she took the saddle pad and the winter blanket she packed and tossed them further into the cave. They could sit on the pad rather than the cold stone, and huddle under the blanket for more warmth if they needed it.

At last she turned to the folded up tent and stretched it out, considering. As it was, it wouldn't be large enough to cover the cave mouth but... Sira pulled out a knife and started to cut the tent, hacking at the "floor" of it so that she could pull the tent all the way open in a big, oddly shaped... rectangle? Triangle? No, too many sides. It didn't matter, geometry wasn't her forte. What did matter was that she could now stretch it across the entire mouth of the cave. It wouldn't cover it entirely, there were still large gaps around the tent, but it would block a lot of the wind. Sira tied the ruined shelter off, using whatever was available. One end she wrapped the ties around a large stone, another around some sort of root. There was a small nub of rock for another, and the bottom right flap, which was dangling about a foot above the ground in the center of the cave entrance she left untied. There wasn't anything to tie it to anyway, and it could serve as their "door."

Sira looked up, noting that Azira was not back yet. Was it taking her longer than it should? She gazed out toward the trees, and for a moment, she thought she spotted a figure moving through the woods, but then it was gone. A trick of the imagination? Azira appeared, not where she had seen the movement, but further down, and Sira dismissed what she saw as just the light playing tricks on her eyes. They needed to get the fire started and get into shelter.

Sira hurried over to the saddle again and began rummaging through the bags until she found a piece of flint, noting the sound of Azira dropping the first pile of wood behind her. She ran over to the pile and selected several smaller sticks and twigs then went back into the cave, carefully setting the twigs up behind the cover of the saddle. Tinder, she thought to herself, glancing out the cave opening. No time for that.

The kelvic took her knife and sliced open the saddle pad, pulling out a bit of the stuffing and carefully balled it up, then set to work lighting it, using her dagger to strike the flint, trying to get a spark.

Strike. Nothing.

Strike. Nothing.

Strike. Spark! Didn't catch.

Strike. Nothing.

"Petch!"

After several tries, a few sparks, but no success Sira threw her hands up in frustration. She knew how to light a fire, of course, but her actual experience with doing it herself was very limited. As a kelvic, her eagle form was more suited to surviving the cold than her human form, and she could eat food raw with no problem, so more often than not she simply spent the night as an eagle, or if she was with others, left them to deal with the nuisance of setting up camp. Sira turned to Azira, who by then had returned with the rest of the woods.

"Do you want to give this a try? I can't get anything."

[Azira]

Azira hadn't known what to expect Sira to do in her absence but it wasn't this! Ducking beneath the loose, flapping part of the tent to enter into their temporary abode, she was half-amused and half-worried by what confronted her. The Endal seemed to have read her thoughts in regard to the use of the saddle and the repurposing of the tent was innovative but she was amazed by her apparent helplessness in the face of a fire. The huntress was far from being a wilderness expert but the notion that the Kelvic was unable to make a simple campfire gave her reason for concern.

She shrugged, approaching the spot to have a better look at the other's preparations. She appeared to have pulled some of the stuffing out of her saddle pad and the young woman fingered the material to judge its suitability as kindling. It felt odd to her but there was no reason she could determine that would stop it from lighting. Even so, she chose to use a more familiar material for starting the blaze. Returning to the mouth of the cave, she collected some of the foliage she had noted on the stone floor previously. It seemed dry enough, perhaps aided by the gusting wind and some of them even crackled in her grasp. However, for the most part she was able to gather the brown needles that had come from the evergreens, which would give off a pleasant scent, although that was a happy by-product of what she needed them for. Returning to the little huddle of twigs, the Avora stuffed most of the tinder under them, leaving a portion of it outside and a gap for easy access. The material that she had left outside of the kindling was collected together and scrunched up into something resembling a ball. Forcing a little hollow into it, she took her own flint and steel from her bag, preferring the familiarity of it in her hand.

She positioned her instruments a few inches above her kindling and struck the steel down the stone. Tiny sparks flew from the movement but even though she made sure that the end motion would end over the dry bundle, no embers appeared. The woman struck it again, her arm jerking down sharply so that the flint and steel grated against each other with a distinctive rasping sound. This time, sparks landed where they were supposed to but the wished for ember glinted briefly before winking out, a small black smudge the only sign that it had ever existed. The huntress persisted so that on the third try, the ember landed and remained glowing. Tossing aside flint and steel, the redhead cupped her hand around the kindling and blew gently on the tiny red dot. It went yellow, veering on whiteness as it ate up the oxygen greedily, using it to grow and spread. Another cautious, calculated breath and the ember glowed more brightly and reproduced itself to form a more noticeable little fiery mass. Coaxing the dry material around it, she puffed again and watched it properly catch flame for the first time, dragging the fuel towards it to devour rapidly. She poked the little ball into the mass of kindling and tinder and continued to blow, encouraging the infant flames to grow larger and mate to produce more. Wisps of smoke curled upwards from the pile but still she puffed until the foliage she'd collected was fully alight and had spread to the stuffing that Sira had set aside for this purpose. Soon, the twigs caught and the huntress watched the growing blaze closely to ensure it was strong enough and wouldn't be smothered before she began to place the firewood onto it.

"I think we're good. We should start getting the real heat out of it in a few chimes," she remarked, placing her hands close to the new fuel to feel the warmth that was beginning to escape from beneath. She watched a tongue of flame slip through an opening, licking tentatively at a piece of branch that gradually blackened with the contact. "Now that's out of the way, there isn't really much for us to do. I suppose that eating is a good start although an inventory of what we have might be a higher priority. I imagine you packed for a few days and I did as well so it shouldn't be a problem. I don't see us being confined here for too long anyway."

Azira went to sift through her gear, removing her own blanket to add to the little nest that her companion had begun in her absence. It was obvious that they were going to be in quite close quarters and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. For the moment, she pushed the thought from her mind and set about looking for something to do. Rooting through her bag seemed as good an option as any although it was only for show; she knew what was in it already.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara