Closed Sometimes the Small Things Matter (Taurina)

[Turrin]

Time Stamp: 30th and 31th of Spring, 517AV
Location: Kai' Neha Valley
Who:Taurina

Walking through the area abandoned by the Zibri herd, the former endal had as frown on his face as he survey the ground for a nice pile of dry Zibri poop. He needed something to fuel his fire, and the only thing the Drykas had plenty of was cow dung. He wasn't the only person surveying the ground for a dry cow paddy either. There were plenty of other Drykas around him cleaning up the fresh and the dry dung from the ground since they needed it to fuel their fires too. Without it, the Drykas wouldn't be able to sanitize their water, cook their food, or heat their pavilions. It was disgusting for the foriegner, but it was a necessity for the horse-riders. Finding a nice pile of dung, Turrin scrapped it off the ground with a large flat into his cloth pack. When his sack was half way full, he decided not to be greedy and allowed the other Drykas in the area to collect their fuel too.

Walking over to Muncher, he stroked the horses neck and said quietly in Myrian to him, “One day, I promise you boy. You will be carrying firewood to camp instead of bull shyte.”

The horse looked over at the bag of dung being strapped to his saddle bags and shook his head at the smell. Turrin smirked at his companion because he shared the same sediment about hauling shyte around. He respected the culture of the Drykas, but he still had the mindset of a proud eagle rider, so he had a hard time adapting to the fact that he had to light his campfires with cow dung. For the past twenty-four days, the hunter had been missing the smell burning wood in his campfire. He couldn't believe that he would miss something so trivial till he came to Endrykas and had to fuel his fires with cow dung. In his mind, he thought the smell of wood fueled campfires were relaxing and pleasant. It wasn't as pungent as the fires lite with cow feces, so the aroma at night in Endrykas still bothered Turrin. He knew that he would get used it in time, but at this moment, he needed the aroma of burning wood to settle his nerves.

Getting on top of his horse, Turrin grabbed the reigns with his left hand and nudged the flanks of the large animal with his heals. For about a chime or two, the horse just stayed in one place as he kept nudging the horse. Turrin's golden eyes glanced to his sides and noticed that some of the Drykas were trying to hold their snickers as they watched him struggle with his horse. Suddenly a young teenage woman walked over to him with a amused smile on her face and said in broken common, “Hold the Yvas loosely. Tight up grip on yvas; Lift head from grass. You charge of horse.”

Turrin smiled at the teenager and said with a smile, “Thank you for your help.”

The teenager shook her head and said with nod, “People struggle in life.”

Turrin did what the teenager said and tighten the grip on the reigns and lifted the horses head from the grass. Muncher shook his head, but when he nudged the horse with his heel of the boot the horse started to move in the direction that he moved the yvas. The endal smiled at young woman's kindness as he and Muncher moved out of the pasture. Turrin did his best to steer the horse in the direction of the Duskstep Pavilion. It took him longer than it should as Muncher and him zing-zagged to the hunter's pavilion. When he finally got to the front of the pavilion, Turrin got off his horse and patted the beast's neck. He walked the horse over and tied the reigns to the piece of wood with metal rings in it. When the horse was secure, he walked into the tent and saw a old man sitting behind a table. Turrin walked over to him and asked with a smirk on his face, “Where can I find firewood, Ronir?”

The mustache man puffed on his pipe and said in common, “Riverfall.”

“No, I am looking for a place around here to look for firewood.”

The man took the pipe from his month and filled it with some more tobacco, “Well... the only natural place around here where trees grow in abundance is, Kai'Neha Valley.”

“Can you give me the direction?”

“Sure I can, but there rumors that the place is infested with Snarlwings.”

Turrin raised and eyebrow and asked, “Ronir. What the hai is a Snarlwing?”

The old hunter packed his pipe and said with a smirk, “Honestly, I have no idea, but rumors said they are nasty beasts that suck on the blood of livestock and humans alike...”

“Why do I feel like you are full of shyte?”

The old hunter lights his pipe and said with a shrug, “It probably because you're used to the smell because you shoveling it all morning.”

Turrin pressed his lips together as he tried to stifle a laugh because the old man got him there. The warrior chuckled out loud and said with smirk, “What do Snarlwing taste like?”

Ronir looked at him and puffed on his pipe and said simply, “Like chicken...Anyways if your dumb enough to risk your life for firewood in the middle of Cyphrus.”

Turrin just stared him, rolled his eyes, and asked, "Can you draw me a quick map to the location of the valley?"

The old man shook his head, took another puff on his pipe, and said simply, "I can tell you the directions, but Drykas have no need for maps, Inarta."

Turrin pressed his lips together and said with nod, "Fine, I will rely on my memory, Drykas." If the old man was going to emphasis that he was a foreigner, he will just start calling him Drkyas. It was only fair. The former endal asked, "Where is Kai' Neha Valley?"

With the pipe in his month, Ronir seemed like every other hunter that he met in his life. They were arses, and he had to marvel at the fact that all hunters around Mizahar seemed to share the same personality type as Ronir. The older hunter said, "Well you head north to the Bluevien River than you ride east till you reach the mouth of the Arale river on your side of the Bluevien River. Follow the smaller river south till reach a large dead white tree than from that tree ride west till you reach the valley."

When Ronir finished giving him directions, the he added with a smirk on his face, "Just be careful and take some Zibri paddies with you if you need drinking water. Especially if it is hot and humid like today, always boil your drinking water first even if you are thirsty."

“Your going to miss me when I am gone aren't you? That why you want me to come back.”

The old Drykas hunter shook his head and said bluntly, “I have already forgotten you, Inarta.”

When Turrin got back to his camp, he threw his bag of shyte into the back of his wagon and went to clean up before he head out for Kai' Neha Valley. When he came back from washing up,he got dressed for his afternoon excursion. The Inarta was dressed in his standard Endal garb, so he was wearing his burgundy bryda and draped over his shoulders was his hooded katinu. The endal woven the six feathers into his hair. When he was finished, he tied back his long hair with his soft leather strap. When he was finished, he strapped the talon sword and scabbard onto the belt of his right side of his waist. The other side, the endal strapped the throwing ax and the kukri and scabbard to the right side of his waist. If he was going to have to deal with man-killers like the Snarlwings. He was going to be armed to the teeth when he went into the valley. When he started to load quiver, he decided to bring twenty arrows: ten broad tipped arrows, five hunting arrows, three armor piercing arrows, and two fishing arrows.

When Turrin's weaponry was ready, he loaded his short bow along with his camouflage leather armor into the large saddle bags. The hunter packed his: One, Man tent into the bags, along with his flint and steel, his wood splitting axe, compass, archery gloves, fifty feet of rope, bed roll, camouflage tarp, hammock, iron pot, filled water-skin, and weeks worth of iron rations. The hunter was prepared for his quest if he couldn't find his way back to Endrykas. He would just travel west to Riverfall. If he came to the ocean, the akalak city would be either north or south of his position. When Turrin was ready to leave, he rechecked the straps on Muncher's saddle bags and saddle. When he was satisfied they were secured, he got onto his horse, grabbed the reigns like the Drykas teenager taught him, and nudged the horses flanks with his heel and made his way to the ribbon covered pillars in the middle of town.

As Turrin got closer to the center of Endrykas, he got the nagging thought in the back of his head to double check his gear before heading out into the Sea of Grass, so he got off of Muncher and opened his packs and started to make sure that everything was accounted for. He wasn't going to be caught with his pants down in the middle of wilderness. In Wind Reach, he would have Aponivi, his late wind eagle, to remind him to remember equipment, but now he was alone, so he had to rely on his own memory to not forget stuff. As he strapping up his saddle bags, he started to wonder if his personal quest of his will get him killed.

[Taurina]

The Ethaefal was not really sure what she was doing here so near the wind-knotted gates. People watching was probably the best way to describe it. She had found a nice spot in the grass, surrounded by heat and people. There were so many of them. She had felt a jolt of curiosity earlier this day, however, and it had brought her here. This was the best place to get ahold of a rumor after all. Not that she was really the kind for such things. She was not. Well.. sometimes that was not as true as other times. She preferred quiet and keeping to herself, but rumors were apart of this tent city and occasionally she found them interesting enough to listen in on. As if they did not have anything to do, Drykas always had words and stories to tell.

Taurina was small and easily passed over in earthbound form which made hearing everything much easier, but made seeing things much harder. Especially in a crowd. Lucky for her, there was not much of one this day. Which was lucky and also not so lucky. Low crowd meant not many people to talk to or hear from. It meant hearing a lot of Yantra Ambersheaf trying to match Drykas up. The Ethaefal was not really a fan of the idea of the matchmaker coming around and meddling with the affairs of her life. So Taurina stayed as far as she could from the woman, watching for even the slightest hint of her coming over and then ducking out of the way. It had worked thus far. Yantra was talking to some pretty little brown haired Drykas for the time being. Hopefully that would sate the woman.

Taurina let out a sigh, her gaze sweeping over the area again. There was not much to look at for the time being for not many were here. Earlier there had been a couple of men bartering over some Zibri. That had been entertaining for a time. The original owner pushed for higher prices, convinced in the worth of his animals, but the other had not been as convinced. Taurina believed they had settled for somewhere in the middle, but she had not heard the exact amount for the words had been said too fast. Pavi was still something she struggled with. Especially when it was spoken too quickly or if the one speaking had another accent layered on top of the pavi like she did. That just made it harder to understand.

The Eth turned around and went towards her horse. She knew she had some fruit stored in one of her yvas bags and that sounded pretty good at the moment. Her horse was not far for the strider was had not been very keen on leaving her side since they bonded earlier in the season. He was more pushy than Melody ever was as well which Taurina had decided she did not mind. She was still completely taken with the creature. In awe over the fact that she had been chosen by him. Even when all things had not gone according to plan afterwards, having him filled a piece of her that had been empty before.

“Hi love,” Taurina spoke in her broken pavi, he did not respond to anything else.

The Ethaefal stroked a hand down his neck and made her way to the yvas bag. She slowly flipped the top flap open. It was not hard to find the fruit within the bag for it was right on top. It was some sort of round, red, semi-hard thing that was sweet enough. They bruised easy, the Eth had found that out shortly after purchasing some. When hitting against hard objects or falling to the ground, the inside turned a brownish grey color and no longer tasted like the white insides. The Eth had just put them on top after that. It was safer that way.

“Good boy,” Taurina praised gently, the strider standing still as she fished around for what she wanted.

The Ethaefal had stocked her yvas bags more than usual. She did not know why, but she wanted to be prepared should she decide to go do something. Her bow had even been brought along in case she decided to stop by the Warstorm pavilion on the way back home. It was a cumbersome thing to carry around though, Taurina had decided she did not like moving it so much. When riding she had to just wear the quiver upon her back and be careful not to move the bow to much when it was attached to the yvas. She was constantly paranoid that it was going to break or fall off somehow no matter how securely she fastened it. It did not matter that she rarely ever rose above a trot, though the strider loved to try and make her go faster, she still worried.

The other things Taurina had brought with her were more of the things she usually kept in her yvas bags. There was her rope, compass, flint and steel, her dagger, waterskin, journal, charcoal, and some jerky to go with the fruit. She did not plan on getting stranded anywhere or even leave the tent city so that was plenty of supplies for the day in her mind.

“We’ll probably leave soon,” Taurina promised, hands motioning that little was going on despite the fact she was unsure of how much the strider understood, “Just gonna do one more look.”

Taurina gave him a smile and rubbed her forehead against his cheek a tick before she took her red fruit and turned back towards the poles full of ribbon. She bit into the fruit, juice flowing from it easily which caused her to take pause for just a moment and enjoy it. The pause did not take long, however, for some stranger captured her attention. Her brow scrunched as she took in the man’s very… interesting appearance. Were those pants he was wearing? They looked almost like a skirt. And why was he wearing a coat thing? It was blazing hot out like it had been for the past two seasons. Was that a coat? It had a slit down the back.

Taurina blinked. He was like none she had ever seen before. In his burgundy colored hair there were feathers, but she saw no bird. Just a horse that was standing there as he did something in his yvas bags. Taurina watched him, finally finding someone worth the journey out here. She reminded herself to chew the bite of fruit she had taken and stopped eating mid bite. The Eth swallowed that down quickly before somewhat cautiously taking steps towards the strange man. He was tall too, but she did not think taller than her Ethaefal form. More muscular though, that was certain, and he carried more weapons.

“What are you doing?” pavi words slipped out before she had the chance to stop them.

When had she even gotten close enough for him to be able to hear her. Taurina frowned, but to herself. Her curiosity and mouth had gotten her in trouble more than once and strange as he may have been, he could easily take her down. Both body mass and the weapons told her that much. Instincts said to retreat, but she had already spoken. Might as well sate the curiosity.

“Um.. and who are you exactly?” she questioned further, signing stranger and curious, “never seen one like you before.”

Taurina thought a moment before realizing he likely did not speak pavi. She had not upon arriving either and since she still struggled, she understood that he might not understand anything.

“Is common better to use?” she asked, her accent gone and words clear, “I’m very curious to know.. who are you? You’re very strange.. I’ve never.. um.. never seen someone like you before.”

Oh that sounded awkward and very weird. Taurina felt her ears turn red. This was not a good idea. Nope, not good at all. She should have never walked over for now she was just embarrassing herself.

NoteLeaving things about her strider somewhat vague for now since the bonding thread is not finished yet.

Ledger
-1 GM for apples
-3.5 GM for half lb jerked beef

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Turrin]

Glancing to his side, Turrin notice a pretty Drykas woman walking toward him. He could tell there was curiosity in her brown eyes as she cautiously approached him. The Inarta hunter turned away from his saddle bags to give the curious woman his full attention. As she approached him, she led a magnificent horse by the reigns. He wondered if the horse was one of those striders breeds that Zhol talked about in Wind Reach. From what he remembered Zhol said about striders, they were a breed gifted to the Drykas by the gods. They were the center of there society like the wind eagles were the center of Inarta society. Turrin had to admit the woman reminded him of Inarta women since most Inarta women tend to be small in stature. However, the brown hair and blond highlights with the simple braids woven into her hair were a dead giveaway that she was from these lands. Regardless, she was a attractive woman in the mind of Inarta warrior, and he didn't mind the company even if it was just a fleeting moment of curiosity on her part.

Suddenly the Drykas woman started talking in Pavi along with the sign language that went along with it. If he decided to stay longer than a season in this city, he will have to make a effort to learn it. Tilting his head in confusion, he wished that he could understand her language right now, but the inflection of her voice sounded like she was asking a question. Thankfully, she switched to fluent common. It still had the accent of most easterners, but he could at least understand it enough to communicate with the her. The first question was harmless, but the observation that he was strange caused a amused grin to appear on his face. In most polite conversation or diplomacy, he learned you tended not to describe the other person or vocalize that they were wired. He was curious if she had Inarta blood running through her veins because his mother's people tend to be blunt and tend to have no need for social filters. The woman seemed fidgety by her question as her pale face started flush up with embarassment.

Aponivi's phantom voice suddenly started laughing out in his head, 'You are definitely a odd bird, Turrin!'

'Aren't you supposed to be dead?'

'You think death going to stop me from harassing you?'

Ignoring the wind eagles phantom's voice, Turrin could see the distress on her face, so he said in common with a thick Kalean accent, “Honestly, it rather refreshing for someone here to be so direct about my strangeness. Everyone tends to just stare at me strangely and never approach. You are least brave enough to come over and say Hi.” The amused grin turned into a soft chuckle, and he continued with a half grin on his face, “Aponivi always used to called me a Odd Bird too, so I am used to it.”

Still trying to reassure the Drykas woman that she didn't insult him. The warrior said with a nod, “It takes a lot to insult me. I wouldn't have been able to survive in Wind Reach for so long if a half breed like me didn't have thick skin.”

His golden eyes watched her face, he hoped his words relaxed her enough to continue the conversation. Turrin put a stray lock of his burgundy hair behind his ear and answered her question, “My name is Turrin Goldeneyes.” He almost said Turrin Aponivi again, but he caught himself ahead of time, and he continued with a smile on his face, “I am a Inarta warrior from Wind Reach.”

Wind Reach didn't have a formal army, but the Warhawk Flight was considered the guardian of the lands of Wind Reach, so Turrin considered himself a warrior. Of course that life was dead and gone now, but he still had the heart of warrior even without the title. Looking at her, Turrin decide turn her question around at her and asked with a playful smile, “May I ask your name? Maybe after I get back from my hunting trip to Kai' Neha Valley. I can get to know you more and tell you more about of my strangeness.”

[Taurina]

The man was grinning at her. That was a good sign right? People grinned when they found something amusing or when they were happy. His did not look really like a happy grin, but maybe an amused one. The Ethaefal tried to bring her blush to an end and destroy the red like color that had surely blossomed across her cheeks and ran up to the tips of her ears. She felt the heat from the blush, but getting rid of it was much easier said than done. Relief did not come, not until he spoke and then there was a nervous smile. Brave? Not usually. Today though, maybe. Or perhaps, instead, simply foolish.

The male spoke more, telling her of some other who thought him odd and of a place she had never heard of before. Aponivi? Wind Reach? Inarta? These were things she had never heard of before. Warrior, she had heard of those before. Inarta was placed before the title of warrior so a rank or class perhaps? Taurina thought on it, her face conveying how unsure and unknowing she was. Wind Reach sounded like a place the way he said it. Though what kind of place or where it was, the Eth had no idea. He had a different accent, but she could not place it. Aponivi, that at least sounded like for sure a name so that must have been a person. Whoever it had been talked to this man so, yes, definitely a person.

Turrin. That was also a name, his name. That was clear. The strange man’s name was Turrin Goldeneyes. Fitting, for his eyes were golden. Actually, it was a little too fitting, but Taurina did not point that out. She had let her words stumble out too much already this day. Her face was still recovering from the heated blush that had been there not very long ago. Breathing helped and so did the man’s smiles partnered with words to assure her he was not offended. That was good, he was understanding at least. She hoped to just be polite and then just slip away, forget this had ever happened and hope they did not run into each other again. It seemed he had a different idea.

“Taurina Stormblood,” the Ethaefal answered almost shyly, fixing her brown eyes on his golden ones to avoid looking at the playful smile that twisted at his lips, “Hunting huh?”

The Ethaefal had never heard of this Kai’Neha valley, but that was not unusual. She had not been with Endrykas long and the locations along the run were not all known to her. She guessed that it would be a long time, many years even, before she knew the grasses with any amount of certainty. The problem was that they were always changing. New animals, new people, new life, old life dying off. Things changed all the time. Especially in a place such as this among a people such as these. To Taurina, these were her people now. They had been in a past life and now they were again. This was their life so it was hers as well.

Taurina was quiet for a handful of ticks, thinking about what she wanted. She had been searching for something to do today and hunting was on her list of things to get better at. He had not asked her though and to invite herself.. that would mean making more words. ’Didn’t you just want to slip away and hope he forgot you?’ she reminded herself silently before shaking the question away. She had wanted that earlier, but then he had mentioned something she might be interested in doing. If, that was, he actually already knew how to hunt. If he did not, well, then it would be just a waste of time.

“Do you know how to hunt?” she asked him, deciding it was harmless to at least investigate a little further, “how long do you plan to be gone? Surely you do not plan to go out in the Sea of Grass alone?”

It was dangerous out there. Taurina remember the summer she had spent out there with a band of unknowing merchants. A chill ran up her spine, millions of tiny bumps raising along her arms before it passed and she returned to normal. The grass was not a safe place to tread alone. That much she was certain of.

Taurina sighed through her nose before glancing behind her. Her strider was calm, munching on some grass behind and to the side of her. He was tacked up, ready to go with her few supplies in the yvas bags. She would not need much more than that right? Surely not for a day’s hunting trip. It would be no more than that, right? The Ethaefal looked back to Turrin, awaiting his answers to what he had been asked. It was an adventure, a chance to do something with the day. She would not be alone and he was imposing enough… Though she did not yet know him more than his name, titles she knew nothing of, and his strange appearance. He could potentially bring her more harm than good. The Ethaefal sighed softly again, mentally weighing the pros and cons as she waited to know if he was even going to suggest that she come along.

"It is not safe for a man alone. Even a strong one," she told him, voice gentle for she was not even sure what she wanted.

Was she brave enough to even accept him should he offer? Or would she just give into the fear the ruled over her life?

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Turrin]

The brown eyed woman seemed intent in looking at him in the eyes when he asked her name. She said it was Taurina Stormblood. When he heard the surname, he instantly thought it was strong last name. One belonging to a clan of warriors. Pausing before saying something. Didn't he meet another woman from a Stormblood Clan. She was a blonde woman named Jasmine Stormblood. Turrin said with nod, “It is nice to meet you Taurina Stormblood. It is a honor to meet another Stormblood. The last one that I met was Jasmine Stormblood.”

Family units were rare in Wind Reach since Inarta rarely had time to raise their children, but in Taloba large family units were called clans. The Drykas seemed to share more similarities from each on of his parents heritages. He was hoping if she knew that he knew one of her clans women that she might relax more with him. He was starting to feel like a endal again talking to one of the lower castes. It was one thing that he didn't miss about Wind Reach. He could never make personal connections with anyone accept for a select few because of his status as a Endal. When she asked if he knew how to hunt. Turrin said with a nod, “Yes, it was my primary job in Wind Reach along with protecting it; however, I have to admit that I am unfamiliar with hunting on the Sea of Grass. I used to hunting in mountain valleys and the coastal forest of northern Kalea. It part of the reason that I am heading to Kai' Neha valley. The setting is familiar, comfortable. I might bring back something worth a damn since the hunting has been so terrible this season.”

Turrin wasn't comfortable with her enough to reveal more of his past, and he doubt that she understand the significance of his title if he told her. The Inarta warrior hated showing weakness, and being in a strange city surrounded by equally odd culture heightened the man's anxiety. Turrin didn't understand the dangers of the Sea of Grass, but he was never kind of person to let fear dictate his life. What the point to living if you hid in your bed and let life pass you bye till Dira finally takes you? However, he did smile when she let out a concern for his safety. It was a nice gesture, and it was gesture the half breed never was really given in Wind Reach. When she asked how long that he would be on the hunting trip, Turrin said simply, “I will be back tomorrow night, so I will have to day to break camp here before the city moves again. I am not the greatest horse rider, so it will be slow ride to the valley.”

The man's golden eyes watched her as he wondered why she kept asking about his hunting trip and continued, “I want to make it to the valley before Syna decides to go to sleep, and well before Leth opens his eyes for the night. Muncher and I plan to stay the night in the valley, so when Syna wakes up, we can hunt at the first light of morning and break camp by noon.”

Even if this hunting trip was decided in the morning, Turrin spent all morning planing the trip. He wasn't the kind of person to do things on impulse. Impulsive behavior will get you killed in the wilds of Mizahar. Besides, it wasn't his first time into the wilds alone; however, it was his first time alone in the Sea of Grass. For a moment, Turrin's smile decided to fade when he started to realize that he did everything alone. Well Aponivi was with him, but he was like the other half of his soul, so he never really thought of him as a individual. They did everything together. Now he was actually alone without the support of his trusted friend. It was always him and Aponivi. They didn't need anyone else. He knew it bothered his former flight leader to no end, but he always insisted that he would be fine. When she asked if he was going to go out alone. He just stared at her and said nothing at first. It was simple question, but he wasn't quite sure about the answer. It was always, yes. However, the answer wasn't as simple as just yes. He always went out alone because he didn't want to expose anyone to the dangers of the wilds. It better that he went out alone because no one will mourn his death when he dies in the bush.

Maybe it was his past lives coming back to haunt him. He always died alone. Suddenly, he asked himself in his head, 'Why did you just think that...?'

Looking at her, Turrin wondered if the woman was insisting to come with him. He just met her. Why would she head out into the middle of nowhere with someone that she just met. It was foolish. He could be a murderer or worst. He wasn't, but she was taking a big chance with her life. Was she trying to prove something, or does she just want a adventure? How would her clan feel about heading out into the Sea of Grass with a strange man? If something happened to her out there, they would hold him responsible. It wasn't a pleasant thoughts, but as he looked into her brown eyes, Turrin thought that it wasn't his decision to deny her. She was free to make her own decision, and he will just have to live with the consequences of allowing her to come with him.

Feeling the endal come out in him, the question had a hint of authority to it's tone. In Wind Reach, he was a leader among his people, and it was his duty to be responsible for everyone that he took out into the Unforgiving. Why should the Sea of Grass be any different? He would not let her die out there that what he learned from his flight leader Naime about leadership. You never leave a person to rot in the bush. Even if he didn't have a wind eagle, he still had the spirit of a man with authority. He was a Endal. Looking at her, Turrin asked. He wanted to confirm her intentions before allowing her to come with him into a possible dangerous situation “Are you implying that you want to come with me?”

[Taurina]

The Ethaefal smiled when Turrin admitted to having already met Jasmine. Just as he intended though without her knowing, it calmed her some and made her more inclined to trust him. Jasmine had not come home with news of a strange man from Wind Reach being someone to stay away from. The lack of such words told Taurina enough. She trusted Jasmine more than she trusted most and more so, she trusted that the blonde female would have warned them all should something be amiss with the newcomer. News spread like wildfire around the tent city, but it was even more fast moving among families. Who posed a threat, who to rely on in times of trouble, people who were useful, who to stay away from, and so much more. The whole dynamic was new to the Eth, but she was growing more and more used to it.

“Likewise Turrin Goldeneyes,” she said with a growing smile.

The Ethaefal thought of further talking about his acquaintance with Jasmine, but she did not. Instead she allowed him to reply to the rest of what she had asked him. Which was good, for he launched right into answering her questions.

Taurina stood and listened silently, taking it all in. Yes, he was a hunter. In this place that he called Wind Reach he had worked as a hunter as well as some sort of warrior. Taurina did not understand it all or connect everything to what he said in the past, but that was alright. She did not need all the information, just the important parts. He spoke of not knowing much about hunting on the Sea of Grass, but that was why he was going to the valley. There must have been something special about this valley for he spoke of it being like his old home. Mountain valleys and coastal forests did not sound like the plains to her, but perhaps this place was like that. If it was, the Eth had never seen it before.

All Taurina knew of the plains were the grasses that stretched on seemingly forever. She knew the heat, of the crater that had been filled with bones last season, of the rivers they frequently travelled near. There was the occasional tree, but nothing that could be considered a forest or a mountain. She did know what he meant though of the terrible season. It was likely only going to get worse. Morwen had really done them all in by not fulfilling her duties last season. Everything was destroyed and dying. All they had to do was live till next winter and through it. Hopefully order would be restored. That was Taurina’s wish. She did not know well of how such things worked, however. How it might take many years of regular weather for things to turn back to having any resemblance to normal.

Turrin continued speaking, answering the last two of the questions. Taurina grew uneasy with the news that he was not planning on returning by the end of the day. To go out on the plains with another during the day was one thing, but to stay through the night in an unfamiliar and dangerous place with a stranger… that was another. The Eth shifted her weight, her gaze dropping to the ground as she continued listening to him talk. He talked about not being a great horseman and more of the details of his plan. Reach there by night, hunt in the morning, be back within the tent city afternoon the following day. The Eth sighed softly, biting the skin on the inner side of her lip as she let her gaze turn and look to her horse.

Starfire was looking at her now, just watching her with that patient gaze he had. Patient and yet, full of fire and desire. She always got this feeling that he wanted to run. That he was ready to go and let loose whenever she gave the all clear. She had not yet. Their bond was still young and her riding was not up to parr with his abilities. Someday. She’d let them really run someday. Taurina sighed, searching for a way to politely get out of this conversation. An all night trip was not something she was interested in. She did not even have the right equipment! It was too dangerous. Turrin, however, asked that last question and the Ethaefal did not want to deny what she had already made nearly clear.

“I… um..” Taurina turned her gaze to focus on the strange man once more, “yes.”

The Ethaefal surprised herself with her own answer, but it was not a lie. Well, technically it was not a lie. She did want to go because of the exposer it would give her. He was capable, said he knew what he was doing, and would probably do well if it came down to a fight with some creature out there. However, she was terrified of being away from Endrykas and her pavilion through the entire night. Of being in the Sea of Grass all night. However, she did not want to be scared anymore. Since bonding with Starfire she was trying to be braver, but it was hard. Where was the line when being brave turned into being foolish?

“But I don’t have anything with me,” she admitted, nervous and fidgeting with her hands, “not to stay the night anywhere and I do not know this place. During the day it is one thing to be outside of Endrykas, but it is night that makes me more frightened. For both myself and for anyone going out there alone, including you.”

Taurina sighed, feeling her strider’s head against her shoulder. He must have picked up on her nervousness. A hand reached back and stroked his soft muzzle. If the Ethaefal had to guess, her steed likely wanted to go. It would be an adventure, but Taurina was not so sure that they could. It was just so risky. She was not sure that she was brave enough.

“Why not just hunt along the river?” she suggested, lifting her gaze back up to Turrin’s, “safer and there should be animals because of the water. Some trees maybe even. As many as can be expected anyway. Then the trip only need to be for the day, back either before nightfall or just after. I could do that trip. Learn a little bit about hunting perhaps and I’ve been looking for a little adventure. What do you think?”

The Ethaefal looked hopeful despite knowing it was foolish to ask the stranger to change his plans for her. It was worth a try. She really wanted to do something with the day and this was an opportunity to get to do that. That is, if he agreed to it.

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Turrin]

This was the second time that Taurina admitted that she was concerned for his safety; however, Turrin wondered if she was using her concern for him as a way to deflect the fact that she was afraid doing something outside her comfort zone. The Inarta listened to all the excuses that the pretty woman could muster to not go to the valley with him. She didn't have the right equipment. She was unfamiliar with the destination. She was afraid for his safety and hers. They were valid excuses, but he wondered if it was her head talking and not her heart. He had to admit if she wasn't sincere with her words or emotions. Turrin would of packed up and left already without her, but from what Turrin could observe about the woman. Taurina wasn't going to take the jump out of the nest without someone else there to jump with her. Aponivi had a saying that before a chick could learn how to fly. The chick needed to learn how to open his or her wings and fall out out of the nest a few times. Looking at her, he wondered if she would be chick who opened her wings and fell out of the nest or would she be the chick who stayed in the nest ever envious of her brothers and sisters flying around her.

Turrin thought and smirked to himself, 'Why do I always think of bird metaphors? ...I am a walking cliché...'

Looking at the pretty young woman, Turrin shifted his golden eyes to beautiful white horse behind her. The former endal thought the horse was to perfect to be a regular horse. It was guess, but the horse behind her must be one of those Striders, god born horses, Zhol was talking about. Turrin heard stories that the wind eagles were also god touched creatures created from rising out of the ashes of the dead. It was a wonderful story told to him by his mother when he was a boy. Looking at the horse, Turrin thought in his head his golden eyes peering into the blackness of the magnificent animal's eyes and thought to himself, 'I know you can't hear me, but shall we push her out of the nest?'

Turrin learned from his flight leader that sometimes a leader has to motivate a person not out of fear or power of position. He or she needed to appeal to the soul of the people under their command to lift their spirits and allow them to see something about themselves that they likely don't see for themselves like courage, honor, or a reasons to keep fight regardless of the odds. Tying up his saddle bags, Turrin decided to just ignore her suggestions of playing it safe and hunting by the river. He wanted trees, valleys, and the smell of burning wood under the stars. He wanted to reminded of the days that he had everything and lost it. The nights that he spent sleeping under the wing of his best friend warm or dry. The days that he held love by the finger tips and allowed it to slip away without even a fight. Wind Reach and Taloba was his past, but right now, he was living his future. However, he needed to smell firewood burning one last time to remind him that he was alive. Taurina doesn't understand why these simplest things mean so much to him. Maybe by the end of the trip, she will.

Turning to face her, the vagabond said with smile, “I know you just met me, and you might not care for the reason that I came to Endrykas. Tuarina when I was a boy. I grew up in a land much different than the mountains of Kalea. My father was a myrian who fell in love with a Inarta woman from Wind Reach in the city of Riverfall. I don't know the whole story, but she was bond to the city somehow. A year later after leaving Riverfall my mother gave birth to twins my sister Kaya and me. In the jungles of Falyndar, the thoughts of giant eagles soaring over a city built into a side of volcano was just a dream for a boy whom only knew giant trees and dense jungles. I grew up with stories of the honorable and regal endal who flew on the backs of these giant wind eagles protecting and providing there mountain city with food. As a kid, I wanted to see if these stories my mother told me were true, but I knew that I had a duty to my clan and my Goddess.” Turrin said patriotically, “One day, I would serve in the goddess Queen's army till the day I die, and hopefully I would die in some glorious battle for the Goddess-Queen and not in my bed slowly dying of old age.”

Turrin paused and took a deep breath and continued his story, “When my father died in a raid on a Dhani camp outside the barricade. My Mother was heart broken, but my Grandmother who was a racist and hated my mother and especially my pacifist sister. Took the opportunity to banish my mother and sister from the clan. My sister was a artist, and in a clan who values warrior prowess over all other values. She was a mockery to the traditions of my clan and a embarrassment to my Grandmother. On the other hand, my grandmother always wished that I was born a woman because in her eyes, I had the heart and soul of myrian woman. I was the granddaughter my Grandmother wished her beloved son to have with a pure blooded myrian women. She always said that if I had the blood of a pure blooded myrian woman running through my vines. She could see me leading a Fang or the Clan someday.”

Turrin chuckled slightly at his choices in the past. Regardless of his sex, he would have been a fine officer in the Queen's army and probably have a equally stubborn myrian woman as a mate. Turrin put a stray piece of burgundy hair behind his ears and continued with a smile, “If you would have known me as a boy, I was stubborn as a tskanna and passionate as a young wind eagle learning how to fly for the first time, so I marched into the clan hall and told my grandmother that she was hateful hag of a old woman for banishing my mother and sister from the clan. She was furious, and I thought the old woman was going to kill me with her bare hands. However, I stood my ground as my father taught me and his mother taught him. She stopped her battle charge... I think. She might of either saw something in me that day that I couldn't understand, or she saw my father's apparition behind me. She just lowered her eyes, and I could see tears in her eyes. She told me that she couldn't dictate my life. Only I or the Goddess herself can do that for me.”

Turrin licked his lips that were drying in the ever growing morning heat and continued his story, “I spent all night and the following day praying for guidance in the jungle around my clan's camp. I was scared of change and scared of dying in some foreign land not under the protection of the Goddess. I was scared of losing the glories and the future promised to me if I stayed with the clan and joined the army. I was scared of never seeing my father's skull again, and the comfort and love the man gave his son who was created by loving a human woman. Time past slowly that day until nightfall finally came, and I saw a jungle eagle flying over head. It was so majestic, so perfect that I remembered the stories of the endal of Wind Reach, and realized if I can get my family to Wind Reach. Maybe...just maybe I can start a new life in city of my mothers people.”

Turrin remembered the day that he left. The weather in the jungle was cloudy, humid, and it seemed to be drizzling the whole day. It was like the jungle was weeping for him as he left it forever. Turrin continued, “My old life started with love between two different people, and my new life started with me standing up to one person that I respected, loved, and feared the most in this world. As I left Taloba, I apologized to my Grandmother for everything that I said in the clan hall the previous night. She didn't say a word, but in her eyes, I think she understood why I did it. They were my mother and sister, and they would have died on the trip to Wind Reach without my help.”

Turrin frowned slightly as he continued, “See my mother wasn't mentally well, and my sister could have defended herself, but she was always afraid of dying or taking the life of another. Not a quality held high in myrian society. My grandmother knew that I knew that she was sending both of them to their deaths. Better the wilds of Mizahar take them than to sully the name of Twisted Vine clan farther. It was a common thing that I heard my Grandmother say as my mother and sister left the clan hall.”

Turrin looked at Muncher and patted the horses neck and continued his story, “In truth, I am happy that I took those first steps out of nest because I saw some truly wondrous and also horrible things on my trip to Wind Reach. Those memories of the people, places, and experiences defined me as a young man. One of those places were the bridges of Lhavits that connected the five peaks of Lhavit together. I walked through a city built upon five different mountains. A city who completely dedicated itself to both the gods Syna and Leth. It was a grand city built upon the harmony between the two celestial gods. In my mind, I say Riverfall and Lhavit were tied for the most beautiful cities that I ever saw in my life.”

Turrin paused and clenched his jaw, “Also I met a spider man who whole quest in life was to seduce my sister, bring her back to his city, and have her give birth to his child. The child would have killed her, and she would have been discarded like trash. See we met him just outside of the Jungles of Falyndar. He offered his assistance to guide us to the city of Lhavit. My family was naive to this part of Kalea and my sister was taken by the handsome young stranger. I didn't trust him from the start. He was way to smooth for his own good and knew right things to say at the right times. As the days continued, he tried his best to create a rift between my sister and I. By the end of the trip, he tried to kill me a day from the city of Kalinor during a hunting trip. It would be easier than to get my sister and my mother to Kalinor if I was out of the way."

Turrin killed the Symenestra male before they got to their city. In his mind, he was evil man with evil intentions. Especially when he started to manipulate his mother and sister against him. He took satisfaction the day that he killed him. It was the first time that he killed another mortal. It took his sister years to forgive him. Eventually, he had to tell her everything that he said the night before Turrin took his head and stuck it on a spike for a warning to all the other cursed spiders people that he would be watching out for them. Nobody messes with people that he cares about!

Turrin anger slowly turned back to a smile as he told Taurina about Wind Reach, “When we got to Wind Reach, I wasn't impressed like I was with Lhavit. In my mind, it was kind of a let down. I was expecting everyone to be riding wind eagles and a city as grand as the stories my mother told me when I was a boy. It was basically a cave built into a mountain and the people standing in line seemed to have a look of desperation for something better in their eyes. However, as I was standing in line waiting to get into the volcano city. When I saw a endal for the first time, It was day that I could never forget.”

Turrin stood there and his smile widened even more and continued, “There was large shadow over the line, and it kept circling us. When I looked up, I saw a bird, so massive that it blotted out Syna for just a moment. Eventually, it landed about ten yards away from the line. It was a magnificent dark brown eagle with massive golden eyes. It looked at me as I stood with my mouth open, but as I looked closer, I saw a one of the most beautiful women that I ever seen. She had long crimson hair that looked like a red waterfall and her skin was as pale as freshly fallen snow. The endal was a warrior woman from my mother's lands, so she carried a pair of talon swords on her hips, quiver, and short bow on her back. When she walked towards the line, I saw her wind eagle lift off into the sky. Blotting out the sun once again. As a young teenage boy, I was instantly in love with the female endal. She walked over to my mother and embraced her and started tweeting and whistling like a bird. I later found it that it was Nari. The language of Wind Reach. After her embrace, she turned to me and said in broken common that I had the eyes of wind eagle. She messed up my hair and walked into the city.”

Turrin finished his story and said with a warm smile, “Why I came to Endrykas. I wanted to see the Striders for myself. I heard from a young man who lived in Endrykas that they were god touched animals like the legends said about the wind eagles.” Reaching out, Turrin took Tuarina's nervous hands in his and placed them on the chest of her horse, “You share something similar with the endal that I saw in the line the first day that I came to Wind Reach. You and her were chosen by a god touched mount for a purpose. Both her wind eagle and your strider wanted her and you to soar through the air. You just have to trust him enough to give you a chance and take you there.”

oocSorry for the length of the post Graders. I didn't want to cut it short. It has a purpose for being so long.

[Taurina]

The Ethaefal was unsure as Turrin launched into a story, his story. She realized enough early on that he was not going to acquiesce to her request, but was instead going to try and convince her to follow along with his original plan. Taurina thought about stopping him, gathering up Starfire, and just taking her leave. However, that seemed like too much of the easy way out and she did not truly want that. Her heart, Starfire’s gaze.. both pulled against the logical, more dominant, part of her brain and begged her to release her reservations and just take this chance. That part of her mind though, it fought and wrapped her in the fear she frequently let control her.

The claws were out and she was reminded of what could be waiting for them out there if she went with him. Pain, creatures of the wild… death.. Strangely, it was none of that, though, that scared her most. No. It was her lack of ability to defend herself and the idea that if they were attacked she would be reliant on one she barely knew. She did not yet know if she could trust Turrin. Something could come down on them and he could leave her on her own to save himself instead. He owed her nothing and had no reason not to save his own hide rather than stop and help her. Letting herself trust him and believe that he would not leave her in a time of trial… that is what scared her more than all the rest.

The story being told, it was a long one. Turrin had many words and a long history that he had started from the very beginning. Taurina listened with the battle raging in her head and tried her best to focus on him. She knew that he would not be taking the time to tell her if he planned to just say goodbye. He had to have some ulterior motive behind telling her about his life. Her guess was that he was using it as an explanation of why he did not wish to just go the safer route. That he had some greater reason for going to the valley and perhaps he was going to include why she should come with him still. She was not yet sure on the last part, he had not gotten there yet. Taurina noticed that his story was getting interesting now though, so she focused on listening and tried to forget the battle. She could get back to it later.

Taurina learned much about Turrin Goldeneyes from his story. He had a twin, Kaya, and she was not like him. She was not a warrior, but instead and artist. Taurina connected with that for she was something of an artist as well. She aspired to be one anyway, slowly getting better with each stroke of charcoal and each prick of her bone needles. The twins had been born of love between two of different races. The title Inarta was used to describe again, but this time Taurina realized that it was a race. Not just a simple addition to the title of warrior that Turrin had. Myrian was another race Taurina had never heard of before, but heard now from Turrin’s lips. Riverfall was a place the Eth knew of, but Falyndar was not. She knew of it like she now knew of Wind Reach, as a place Turrin had once lived in.

Wherever Turrin had lived in Falyndar with the people who had lived around him did not sound like an easy or forgiving place. He spoke of how his mother told him stories of another land filled with giant birds, Wind Eagles, and how he wished to see them, but was instead tied to the land in Falyndar for some reason. He spoke of being a soldier in an army and serving a goddess queen. Taurina knew nothing of that, but that was to be expected. She had only three and three fourths years of living on this world to look back on for knowledge. The knowledge of lives past was completely gone for the most part besides remnant feelings and emotions with scattered images from the life her earthbound form represented in this life. That was not much knowledge to look back on. Not much living had yet been done.

Turrin further spoke of those people. How they had been when his Myrain father had died in a raid on another race’s camp. He called that race Dhani, though Taurina doubted she would remember for there were just so many details to take in. Why the man’s grandmother had the power to cast out his mother and sister, Taurina did not know or understand, but she had done it and Turrin had not liked it. Taurina got where he was coming from with the emotions that had gone through him at that time. She liked to think that she would have been the same if it had been her family who had been attacked like that. Maybe, if in that world, she would have been strong. She was too realistic to believe in the fantasy that should it happen to her family now, she would do that. The Ethaefal did not see herself as strong. Instead, she felt very very weak. Stubborn and sometimes loud mouthed, but it was the others who she thought of as being strong and capable.

The Myrains, from what Turrin told her, valued strong females above the rest and pure blooded ones at that. At least, his grandmother had been that way. He had been stubborn and strong, standing up for his beliefs. He used a word that she did not understand, but that did not matter. She was understanding very little. Just putting together the pieces that she could pick up. It sounded as though there had been a battle of words and Turrin had won, sort of. His grandmother had become quiet and let him live. He had then gone to his mentally unstable mother and sister who had the artist’s soul. He had been their protector, gotten them to the place called Wind Reach.

Taurina’s interest was grew more when a city called Lhavit was mentioned. It was not the fascinating fact of it being five peaks connected by bridges that interested her, but the fact that it was a land devoted to Syna and Leth. Turrin spoke of how beautiful it was there. That it tied with Riverfall in that respect. Taurina knew of Riverfall’s beauty for she had been there before departing from it last year to get to Endrykas. It had been beautiful, but not devoted to her god. This city he spoke of was and Taurina found herself interested to know more about it. Something to ask about another time, Turrin was not stopping. He had more story to tell.

The Ethaefal saw the half Myrian’s face turn angry as he spoke of this next part. Her brow wrinkled with concern as he spoke of a “spider-man” whose sole purpose was to seduce Kaya and take her to his home in Kalinor. Turrin told the Eth of how this creature mating with his sister would have killed her somehow and that he had been successful in seducing her to the point that she wished to go with him. Turrin did not speak of what had happened after the “spider-man” tried to kill him a day’s journey from Kalinor, but Taurina clearly saw Turrin before her so she knew he had not died. If she had to guess, the “spider-man” reached his own end instead that day.

Taurina watched as Turrin’s anger gave way to a much more pleasant emotion and her wrinkled brow smoothed once more, though she did not smile. She was still very focused on listening. The Inarta Myrian spoke of his first day in Wind Reach. How it had been an underwhelming, cave-like place that did not compare to Lhavit. He spoke of being let down about the fact that not everyone soared through the sky on those giant eagles his mother had filled his head with stories about. Yet, despite his initial disappointment, he had gotten to see one that day.
His face lit up when he told this part and Taurina could not help but crack a small smile. His enthusiasm was contagious.

He spoke of how the rider of the brown Wind Eagle with golden eyes had come down to embrace his mother and meet him. She had spoken first in a language, nari, that sounded like a bird according to him. He had fallen in love with her in the way most young males fell in love with attractive women and she had told him that his eyes were like that of the eagles. Taurina’s smile grew a little for she could not help it. His eyes were golden and since he spoke of the eagle having the same eyes, she guessed that the woman had been right. He did have eyes like the eagles.

The story was finished and now Taurina grew nervous once more. He was moving into the part she was unsure about wanting to hear. His reasoning for telling her all of this. The Striders of Endrykas, he told her, were his reasoning for coming to the tent city because he had been told that they were godsent creatures. Zulkina. Taurina’s gaze moved from the strange man and moved over to her strider. She did not even mind when her hands were picked up by the exotic man, though she did initially jerk away from the touch before relaxing within it. Azmere had done something close to the same when she had first met him. Az had pressed her hand up against his scar covered cheek, however, and Turrin pressed both her hands against her own horse.

The pulse of Starfire’s heart calmed her nerves and steadied her. The tremor of fear melted away with Turrin’s larger hands covering her smaller ones on one side and Starfire’s coat beneath the touch of the other side. The Ethaefal took a deep breath and released it. Turrin was challenging her and he was using Starfire to do it. Somehow he knew what she knew, that the stallion was ready to soar. Maybe not through the sky, but through the air at least. It was the closest they would ever get to flying and Starfire wanted to show her. She believed that he did. She was just too scared to let him. She let the tangles of fear and self doubt bind her so that she never changed. She never broke free. Turrin challenged that. He was offering her a way out or at least a place to start. Another breath was inhaled and then slowly released.

Taurina moved her hands away from Turrin’s and ran them up towards the stallion’s neck. She buried them then in his mane and focused her gaze on his. She saw what she wanted to see. The challenge, the fire, the desire to go. This was an adventure and she did not want to let her mind to ruin it for her. Instead, for once, she wanted to follow her heart. She wanted to jump in and just go. Take the chance to soar through the air.. or at least begin to try her hand at soaring.

“Alright Turrin Goldeneyes,” Taurina turned her gaze to focus on the exotic man once more and let her hands drop away from her horse.

Taurina looked nervous, but more sure now. At least she would not be alone and because he had once protected his sister, Taurina decided to trust that he would protect her as well. She might not have been family, but he did not seem like the type to just leave her -or any woman- to fend for herself. The Ethaefal did not believe he was that selfish.

“You are right, Starfire desires to soar and I am only showing my selfishness by holding him back,” she admitted, “we may not be able to soar today or tomorrow or the day after that, but we can start trying and I think it starts with this. I desire adventure, something new, so I am deciding… now.. to take the jump. I’ll accompany you to this Kai’Neha valley. If you will have me? Weaknesses and all?”

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Turrin]

Turrin watched as Tuarina studied her Strider, and the former endal just waited patiently for her answer. Being a wind eagle rider himself, he remembered the first flight between the rider and mount was important, but the connection needed to be tested through trial and error to be strong enough when the situations become dire. Honestly, he couldn't stand Aponivi when he first bonded with him. The wind eagle was pushy, arrogant, and talked in platitudes so much that Turrin thought that he was a preacher. However, the bond was strengthened between them in time, and eventually it was strong enough for Aponivi to make the ultimate sacrifice for his rider. A true symbol of love. When he spoke to Taurina, the woman seemed to know in her heart what she needed to do to strengthen the bond with her Strider. She just lacked the confidence and the survival skills necessary to take such a drastic leap. Turrin didn't mind being her crutch as she learned to walk again. It was nice to have someone even a stranger to rely on him again.

When Taurina started answer his challenge, the former endal's smile widen with her response. She accepted the challenge. She wasn't going to play it safe. Turrin said jokily trying to lighten the mood between them, “Good. However, the soar to the valley will likely be a slow glide through the plains with my lack of riding abilities.”

Turrin looked at her and apologized, “Sorry about the length of my story. I figure if you knew more about me that we wouldn't be strangers anymore. It takes a certain amount of trust and risk to tell someone part of their life story. Especially to someone that you just met. However, I figure if your going to accompany me into the wild. You should know the type of man that I am.”

The former endal said with a nod, “Alright, you were concerned about your lack of equipment. I have a solution. You can use mine. I have a one person tent that you can use for the night and a bed roll. Don't worry.” The burgundy haired man said with a wink, “It has been washed recently...” Turrin continued, “I will just sleep outside with the horses. I have a tarp and hammock that I can sleep under if the weather gets dicey.”

Looking at the small woman, Turrin wasn't sure how safe the valley would be since he heard rumors of Snarlwings. He wasn't sure about the woman's fighting ability, but if she was going into a potentially dangerous situation. The hunter unhooked his kukri sheathe from his belt and handed it to the brown haired woman and said with a nod, “I am not going to lie to you. Supposedly there is rumors of dangerous beasts in the valley forest, so I want you to carry this dagger for the time being.”

Turrin looked at the curved one sided dagger, and he remembered the day that he acquired it. It was a dark day in the former endal's past, and the wielder of the weapon was sacrificed to Myri to strengthen his spirit. It was an old custom of his father's people to give him spiritual strength till the end of the battle. He hoped the spirit of the Inarta dek would keep the unsure woman safe till she could come home. Turrin said with a nod, “The man who wielded the weapon is dead now, but he was brave and hopefully his bravery and spirit will keep you safe.”

Unsheathing the curved dagger, Turrin showed her the blade and said simply, “The outside edge is dull, so you can touch it while the inside curve is very sharp.” Turrin walked a few paces away from her. He hasn't used it since he ate the heart of the original wielder. Hopefully, he will remedy his neglect of weapon when his life settled down. All he can give her was his own theories on the weapon, so he said simply, “This is a slashing weapon, so unlike most daggers that are piercing weapons, you will need to slash at your enemies with the inside curve of the blade.”

Turrin held the dagger sheathe at his waist as he pulled dagger with a upward almost backhanded slash up the imaginary abdomen of his invisible enemy. It was awkward swing up because he was still used to the weight of his talon sword. The warrior stopped when he finished the whole attack, so he twisted his wrist slowly, so she could watch till the inside of the edge of the dagger was pointing up and to the left. He slashed horizontally to the left at the height of the imaginary enemies exposed neck. The slash was wobbly, and he doubt that he would have cut his enemy. However, he want to demonstrate what he thought a person could do with the weapon. The Inarta warrior held the position till the imaginary warrior fell down to the ground dead. Sheathing the weapon, the half myrian held it out for her to take and said with a nod, “If you are going to survive in the wilds, Taurina, you can't rely on anyone, but yourself to keep you alive. I will do my best to get you back to your clan alive, but ultimately, you will be the person who get you back to Endrykas safely and in one piece.”

Turrin looked at her and said with a sympathetic smile, “I accept you with all your weakness and strengths, Tuarina. Honestly, I am scared every time that I head out into the unknown. It just your soul telling us that we are alive. However, I don't let my fear rule me or dictate my actions or my life. You lack confidence because you don't have the experience to test your resolve. Allow the pain and sadness along with the happiness into your life because they will all strengthen your soul.”

Turrin didn't allow her to say no to the weapon because he pushed the weapon into the woman's hand. Taking his compass out of his saddle bags, Turrin flipped the metal lid and waited till the needle was pointing in the northerly direction. The hunter needed to go east, so he looked to his right towards the multicolored tents. Turrin put his right foot into the stirrup and swung his left leg over the butt of Muncher, so he was facing the front of his horse. He smiled at the Drykas woman and said playfully, “Sorry about my constant preaching. A friend of mine loved to drone on and on about philosophy, so I might have picked it up with him. Anyways, our destination is east towards the multicolored tents and we will follow the river for a time, so come on lets have some fun!” Turrin took the reins of his horse and nudged his horse with the heel of his boots. The horse gruelingly started to move forward through the tent city.

[Taurina]

Despite having just accepted the challenge, the internal alarm bells were ringing and all rational thought pulled at the Ethaefal to turn back. Turn back before it was too late. It was pride that kept her from doing so. Well, pride and curiosity. Now that she had made the decision to accompany him, she wanted to go. There was something out there to see that she had not seen before. A valley to explore and someone to go with so that she would not be alone. It would not be much of a soar through the grasses, as Turrin reminded jokingly, but it would be a slow glide in the right direction. Taurina quirked a close lipped, lopsided smile that pulled more at the left side of her face than the right. She was going to do this, nerves be damned. The decision was made.

“You do not have to apologize for the length of your story, I am glad you told it,” the Ethaefal told him, her smile lingering though now more in her eyes than on her lips, “we all have a story. Long and winding some of them, short and complicated others. It is few I have met that have simple ones. It is true what you say, to learn each other's stories closes the gap between stranger, acquaintance, and friend. It puts me closer to ease to know your story, what kind of man you are. Perhaps I shall tell you some of mine, but later for we are burning daylight staying around here trading tales.”

Turrin went on to bring up the Ethaefal’s lack of equipment and his solution to the problem. He offered his own tent and bedroll to her, taking for himself only a tarp if the weather got bad. Taurina felt the heat of a blush that formed too quickly and too easily at the flash of his wink. Her face turned to Starfire for a moment to let the heat subside, though he had likely already seen it. Her skin was not quite so bronze as the others in the Drykas city and was pale enough that every time her face burned red, all could see. Taurina sighed, tangling fingers in her stallion’s long, wild mane before she looked back to the man with goldeneyes. The same smile as before returned, a reaction to the comment directed at the cleanliness of the equipment.

“Recent washing.. good enough. Alright, if it is needed, I will use it,” she told him, teasing just a bit before turning more serious, “thank you for the offer. Your kindness has not gone unnoticed.”

Taurina was unsure of how much sleep she would need on this trip or, even, how much she would be able to get. It was rare for her to sleep during Leth’s reign, but she had not slept yet during Syna’s light this day and it was unlikely she would be getting any now. The mind required rest, no matter day or night. She preferred to sleep during most people’s waking bells, taking scattered naps around her daily tasks and doing what she did not finish all through the night. It was strange, different, and not very Drykas-like, but that was her in a nutshell. She would always been one who was separate from all the rest. Wholly Drykas, wholly Ethaefal. It was just the way things were.

There was kindness in Turrin, but also a streak of protectiveness with a dose of reality. Taurina witnessed all three traits as he pulled the strange weapon from his person and offered -well, more like forcefully gave- it to her. He warned her of the dangers, but not to scare her. The Eth realized that he would not be giving her the weapon or telling her all these things if it was just to simply scare her away. Instead, she believed, that he wanted to keep her informed and aware of the situation she was willingly stepping into. He told her of the beasts in the valley, gave her the strange “dagger” in an effort to help keep her safe. He told her of the man who had had it before and how he wished the dead man’s bravery had rubbed off on the weapon. That the bravery and that man’s spirit would protect her now.

Taurina was unsure if she believed in such things as lingering spirits and traits attaching themselves to weapons, but she was not going to be so unkind as to deny him his beliefs and hope. Besides, she was an Ethaefal. A person from another life living again. In honesty, it seemed that truly nothing was past the gods’ capabilities. Perhaps this was as well. So the Eth kept her mouth shut and simply watched as Turrin told her of this strange new weapon that was nothing like the small dagger she had in one of her yvas bags. It was bigger, only sharp on one end, and curved. So strange and even Turrin handled it awkwardly as he demonstrated an upwards, slashing strike. His words rang true, however, it would only be her who could be truly relied on in the end. No matter how hard he tried to ensure her safe passage back, he could fail. It was up to her to make sure she got home in one piece.

“You are braver than I Turrin Goldeneyes,” Taurina admitted with a sad smile, the sheathed blade within her grip now, “fear had been the dictator of my life for far too long and I have let it.. but now, now I want things to change. My soul, it is as you say, it needs some strengthening.”

Taurina’s free hand reached out back toward Starfire and she stroked her fingertips down his cheek. There was little room for fear in the Drykas way of life and now that she was bonded, was fully Drykas, she needed to grow away from it. To stop giving into it and instead just go with where the winds took her. She sighed with that thought and hooked Turrin’s weapon around her own waist. Time for a leap of faith.

The Ethaefal’s smile changed over from sadness to amusement as another apology found its way across Turrin’s lips. Twice he had done that now, apologized for things he did not need to. Instead of responding, Taurina just rolled her eyes playfully before giving a sharp nod to his directions. She moved to Starfire’s side and took hold of the yvas handle with her left hand. Her right hand gathered up a portion of his mane before pressure was applied to both hands. Taurina balanced evenly on her legs before giving a small jump and pushing up through her arms. The momentum from the jump helped her in getting her upper body up onto the horse’s back. She could not maintain it long, but long enough to swing her right leg over the stallion’s back. Another cluster of moments later, after some shifting, she was sitting evenly on the stallion’s back working to catch her breath. He was a lot harder to get on top of than Melody just because of size, but at least he stood still and they were slowly getting better with the more practice they got.

“Time for an adventure,” Taurina chimed in with smile that did not linger, hand out sighing for Starfire to go and follow.

Starfire was a force of power beneath the novice rider, always pushing to do more and go faster. There were times when controlling him was beyond the Ethaefal’s abilities and it was only her panic that slowed him. He did not do that now, thankfully, but instead followed the path of the inferior horse Turrin rode. He tried to pass the other horse up, multiple times, but Taurina held him back. Hands worked against his mane, legs applied pressure to try and get him to listen. A few times Taurina had to make the stallion move in a circle to slow him down and allow Turrin a moment to get ahead. When she could, the sign follow demanded respect. It was a continuous battle as they moved through the tent city towards the river that was not far beyond it. A battle that novice rider struggled to win.

It was not longer than a bell before they were on the outskirts of the traveling city and well on their way towards the river. The moment they passed the multicolored tents of the opal clan, Taurina felt the fear grip onto her heart again. Realization hit her once more: they were going out into the Sea of Grass. The Drykas would not be so closely around them and all she would have to rely on was herself, her strider, and a man she hardly knew. A deep breath was drawn in, eyes closed, and a pause taken. Then all was released and a steely resolve to continue on was all Taurina had allowed to remain. They continued on. Two strangers and their horses towards a valley likely riddled with danger.

“Here we go,” Taurina murmured to herself, determined not to let the fear swoop in and take control of her, “time for some fun. Leth, protect us all.”

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'