12, Summer, 518 a.v.
Sophia wandered along the top edge of the beach, eyes roaming over the beautiful settlement that was Syka. The jungles looming over her from the right, and the oceans that stretched out as far as she could see to her left. Occasionally she would spot a tent on the beach, or a modest dwelling that must have been built by Randal. She was following the direction the carpenter had indicated and was currently on her way to find Uta, Syka's resident botanist. He hadn't given her a lot to go on, but with a settlement as small as this, she figured that she would find the woman fairly quickly.
She paused for a moment to adjust the bags she was carrying. The large tent was quite unwieldy, especially when one added in the rucksack stuffed with everything she had purchased in Riverfall before her journey. Her Tavan, Pearl, was also not helping matters. The small seabird had the odd quirk of liking to run around when on land, rather than flying like most normal birds. It wouldn't be too much of an issue if it weren't for the fact that she liked to run around Sophia's feet.
Trying her best not to step on the little prion, Sophia hiked the bags up again and continued on her way. Someone came into view, heading in the opposite direction, and he offered her a smile. "Morning, haven't seen you before - did you just arrive on the traders ship?" The Svefra nodded. "Ah, yes I did!" The man inclined his head ever so slightly. Well, welcome to Syka, name's Stu. D'you know where you're heading?"
Sophia brightened - perhaps he would know where Uta was? "I'm Sophia, it's good to meet you! I don't suppose you know where Uta is?"
Stu paused for a moment before shaking his head. "Don't know where she is at the moment, probably in the trees somewhere, but if you wait near her house I'm sure she will turn up. You need to go a little into the jungle but it's not far, will be the next place you come across from here." Sophia thanked him and Stu wandered off in the direction of the city core with a wave.
She trekked onwards, lugging her bags after her, keeping her eyes on the trees. She hoped that there would be an obvious sign when she came across the place where the botanist lived. Sure enough, she soon found herself at a stream running from the jungles onto the beach, and as she looked up the water she thought she could see a dwelling suspended over it. She approached the edge of the trees and paused before shrugging off her tent bag. She didn't fancy lugging that through the trees at the moment and hoped that all the residents of Syka were as friendly as the two she had come across and would leave her belongings where they were. The backpack came with her though, even though she wasn’t going far it made her nervous to enter the trees with nothing.
Treading a little more carefully now, Sophia stepped into the trees proper. Even just a little ways off the beach the increase in humidity was immediately apparent. She could feel the little hairs at the nape of her neck starting to curl with dampness. Picking her way along where the river ran, she took a moment to look up. The trees towered above her, great giants capped with green. Climbers wrapped themselves around the thick trunks, vines hanging from the outstretched branches. Aside from the odd bird flitting about, Sophia couldn't see any other animals, but she could sense they were there.
Eventually she was beneath the home that she assumed could only belong to Uta. She couldn't see anyone up there at the moment, but she carefully ascended a step and peered round. "Hello?" She hoped that perhaps her voice might alert to botanist, wherever she was hiding. After a small pause where nobody made themselves known, Sophia turned and settled herself onto the bottom step. She wanted to wait where she would be found, but still keeping a respectable distance from the botanist’s personal space, even if there was not front door. Or walls for that matter.
She paused for a moment to adjust the bags she was carrying. The large tent was quite unwieldy, especially when one added in the rucksack stuffed with everything she had purchased in Riverfall before her journey. Her Tavan, Pearl, was also not helping matters. The small seabird had the odd quirk of liking to run around when on land, rather than flying like most normal birds. It wouldn't be too much of an issue if it weren't for the fact that she liked to run around Sophia's feet.
Trying her best not to step on the little prion, Sophia hiked the bags up again and continued on her way. Someone came into view, heading in the opposite direction, and he offered her a smile. "Morning, haven't seen you before - did you just arrive on the traders ship?" The Svefra nodded. "Ah, yes I did!" The man inclined his head ever so slightly. Well, welcome to Syka, name's Stu. D'you know where you're heading?"
Sophia brightened - perhaps he would know where Uta was? "I'm Sophia, it's good to meet you! I don't suppose you know where Uta is?"
Stu paused for a moment before shaking his head. "Don't know where she is at the moment, probably in the trees somewhere, but if you wait near her house I'm sure she will turn up. You need to go a little into the jungle but it's not far, will be the next place you come across from here." Sophia thanked him and Stu wandered off in the direction of the city core with a wave.
She trekked onwards, lugging her bags after her, keeping her eyes on the trees. She hoped that there would be an obvious sign when she came across the place where the botanist lived. Sure enough, she soon found herself at a stream running from the jungles onto the beach, and as she looked up the water she thought she could see a dwelling suspended over it. She approached the edge of the trees and paused before shrugging off her tent bag. She didn't fancy lugging that through the trees at the moment and hoped that all the residents of Syka were as friendly as the two she had come across and would leave her belongings where they were. The backpack came with her though, even though she wasn’t going far it made her nervous to enter the trees with nothing.
Treading a little more carefully now, Sophia stepped into the trees proper. Even just a little ways off the beach the increase in humidity was immediately apparent. She could feel the little hairs at the nape of her neck starting to curl with dampness. Picking her way along where the river ran, she took a moment to look up. The trees towered above her, great giants capped with green. Climbers wrapped themselves around the thick trunks, vines hanging from the outstretched branches. Aside from the odd bird flitting about, Sophia couldn't see any other animals, but she could sense they were there.
Eventually she was beneath the home that she assumed could only belong to Uta. She couldn't see anyone up there at the moment, but she carefully ascended a step and peered round. "Hello?" She hoped that perhaps her voice might alert to botanist, wherever she was hiding. After a small pause where nobody made themselves known, Sophia turned and settled herself onto the bottom step. She wanted to wait where she would be found, but still keeping a respectable distance from the botanist’s personal space, even if there was not front door. Or walls for that matter.
