[Riverfall Location] The Sanctuary

by **Ghedan Windhowl** on May 2nd, 2011, 4:34 am

"His name is Glint." Ghedan replied to Kavala, then realizing he had yet to give her his name added, "I'm Ghedan." He followed her into the clinic. His chest continued to tighten as she searched his companion for the source of his ailment.

Finding that it was a snake bite almost gave him some relief, despite the fact that Glint was still in considerable danger. Having the problem attached to a tangible source helped to make it seem more solvable. And the fact that it was tied to something he knew of made it even more so. "Oh, believe me, I know all about the anomalies of Cyphrus." He said by way of conversation.

Once Glint finally stirred again, he relaxed. He would definitely stick around for the few days while he healed. He shied away from the thoughts of what could have happened if he had been even minutes later in arriving.

"Tea on the veranda would be nice, thank you." he replied after Glint was settled.

by **Kavala** on May 22nd, 2011, 4:17 pm

NoteSorry for the delay! I've been hugely busy this month but its leveling out now.

Nenai

Kavala smiled at the Symenestra and nodded. "Thank you. He's a boy. Born on the 20th of this spring so he's just new to this world. I call him Tasi. Do you have any children?" Kavala perhaps asked out of ignorance, for she had no idea that Symenestra have issues reproducing and often a child would mean death for a female of the race. After awaiting the woman's answer, she'd nod and get down to the point. In fact, she knew so little about the race other than how to recognize one. They were rare in Riverfall, even rarer on the Sea of Grass or so far across the Suvan from their traditional homes.

"Its a pleasure to meet you Nemai. I always enjoy seeing new people and learning about them. You must have traveled far. My name is Kavala and this is my facility so I can definitely help you with riding lessons. Do you have a horse or would you require one for your journey. We have several available here that would be lithe and quick and protective of your species. I understand you are somewhat frail. I met a half-symenestra a few months ago and that was one of her requirements in purchasing a horse - that the animal be very gentle and docile. We have more like the one I sold her available or I can work with your own horse and teach you to ride and care for it properly." Kavala said, shifting her weight then the weight of the sling to her other side. The boy inside was definitely awake, but he was quiet, simply watching the interaction between his mother and the stranger with oddly pale eyes that were a liquid silver. His gaze was so like his mother's blue eyes that they looked together almost blind. But it was obvious that Kavala had no trouble seeing. Her eyes, the whole time she spoke with Nemai, were busy studying her kindly.

by **Kavala** on May 22nd, 2011, 4:26 pm

OOCA thousand pardons for the delay. I'm usually same day/next day posting.

Ghedan Windhowl

Kavala would check on Glint several times in the next bell because poison via venom was tricky. In fact, she checked on the fox so much that she finally brought him back to Ghedan tucked in an apple crate filled with a soft quilt and laid it by the hearth on the Veranda. She put on tea and added wood to the fire so that the fox would stay nice and warm. "I brought him back here because this way we can watch him without sitting bedside and bothering him by waking him up every time we walk through the guestroom door. Besides, the fire will feel really good. Its still spring so the nights get cold as is." Kavala said, looking thoughtfully at Ghedan.

"Where are you from? You have the look of the clans about you. I'm a Denusk of the Sapphire Clan. Everyone seems surprised, but my mother married my father who is an Ankal when she went to answer her Call in Cyphrus." Kavala said softly, smiling. She glanced at the fox, watchful. "He was lucky. I don't think it was an extremely poisonous snake. I suspect it was a green slider or something only mildly poisonous. Otherwise, odds are he'd be dead. Usually snakes leave foxes alone, but he might have been trying to get himself a snack. I know sliders are tasty." Kavala said thoughtfully, as if making conversation and trying to ease the stranger's anxiety at what happened to his companion.

by **Nenai** on May 23rd, 2011, 2:34 am

Nenai

NoteGlad to have you back. ^^

Nenai leaned forward slightly to get a better look at the child as his mother spoke, though did not step closer. "Tasi." She repeated softly, almost immediately smitten with the clawless, fangless baby boy. Her features softened for only a moment, before the Konti's question caught up with her.

"Ah." She leaned back, her eyes moving back to the new-mother's face. Either she was extremely accepting of the practices of others races, even the most gruesome ones, or she thought Symensestra birth was...average?

Finding herself comforted by the guess that it was the latter, Nenai shook her head and smiled. "No children, but I have midwifed many times."

Kavala, as she introduced herself, quickly got to the point, calmly explaining that she could be of assistance while asking about what Nenai was looking for in a horse. She even cited a half-symenestra as the reason she assumed that such a horse would either need to be protective, gentle or both.

The woman's demeanor and tone were strangely soothing, and the Symenestra found her words easier to comprehend than they had been a moment ago. She happily ignored that blatant fact that it was less about the person speaking and more about herself translating without panicking..

"Traveled far?" Nenai considered the question. In terms of distance, yes, but it was hard to grasp just how far she was from home. Until this journey, she had never left it, so even a days travel would have been 'far'. So this was...far far far far?

Unsure if her thoughts could be translated into some manner of word joke, or if attempting to do so would only make her look foolish, the teen simply nodded and moved onto answering the other questions. "I do not own a horse, but for now, I would just like to know how to ride one." Which, Nenai realized, probably didn't make much sense.

Face turning a deeper shade of gray, the Symenestra lifted one hand and tapped the claw of her pointer finger gently against her cheek, trying to make it seem as if she was thinking about how to properly explain rather than just embarrassed.

"I will be in Riverfall for a few days at least, but I do not know where I am going after..." If she explained that she was looking for her brother, she might have to explain why her brother was away from home and what may have befallen him. Distressed by that assumption, but unable to take back what had already been said, Nenai's mouth shut with an awkard click of her teeth.

by **Kavala** on May 23rd, 2011, 4:33 am

Nenai

Kavala smiled at the woman's compliments and nodded. "Midwifing is a noble pursuit. I've only sat in on a few births in terms of people myself. I am mainly an animal healer and breeder." Kavala said, slowly beckoning Nenai to follow her. "Come, meet a horse I think you'd like. I can give you riding lessons on her for ten gold, but know too that she is for sale. I've been looking for just the right rider for her, a gentle woman whom this mare can take care of. Her name is Charlin, and I'm afraid she's a bit mischevious and vain. She takes a lot of grooming because she's got so much mane. We keep it braided mostly. But she's going to take a clever rider that she can be totally loyal too. I'm afraid she's a one-woman horse, too small for a man and too smart for one too I suspect." Kavala said.

"She's afraid of nothing and hasn't ever offered to buck or shy away. She's thoroughly trained and can be ridden without tack in the drykas style if you'd like. I can teach you any style of riding you'd like, but I prefer to teach people how to handle a horse with very little tack." She said gently, slipping over to a stall and gently whispering a horse's name. A little sorrel mare stuck her head over the half door and nickered softly. Long mane fell down either side of her head in braids that framed a wide blaze. "She's a hundred and fifty gold mizas, but to the right person I'd part with her for a hundred. If you purchase the mare, lessons are included." Kavala said softly, stroked the mare's nose, and lead her out of the stall without putting any equipment on her or without really giving her any signals.

"So.. no better time than the present. Ready for a lesson?" Kavala asked, one hand on the mare's neck and one gently on the infant cradled against her chest in his sling.

Secret :

by **Ghedan Windhowl** on May 23rd, 2011, 6:37 pm

Ghedan nodded as Kavala explained why she brought Glint out by the fire. He had to admit it was very comforting to see him there. Just sleeping. The threat of loss had been thwarted. He smiled slightly as the fox stretched and settled in the apple crate, then turned back to Kavala.

"I am of the Emerald clan." For some reason it seemed wrong to say that, but he figured it was merely because he had left the clan for the time being. "I am here in Riverfall...doing some soul-searching." He added to explain his prescence here.

"You're probably right about the snake. I don't know how old Glint is, he belonged to my father, but he still behaves like a kit half the time." Ghedan chuckled lightly. "How long do you think he'll need to heal?"

He had to admit it was a little suprised by Kavala's heritage. Everything about her said Konti, but he had to admit it made sense. He hadn't heard or read about many Konti devoting their lives to healing animals, but with the Drykas background, it made sense. "I would never have guessed you were a part of the Drykas race." He said voiceing his thoughts, "Perhaps we have even met before at Endrykas in the past?" he added, though it was highly unlikely.

by **Kavala** on May 23rd, 2011, 7:38 pm

Ghedan Windhowl

Kavala was silent for a long time. She barely heard what he'd said about not guessing she was Drykas nor his question about them having met before. If he saw her ride like she was part of the horse, he'd understand her heritage. Even her dress and her soft perfect Pavi gave everything about her heritage away. Her scaled skin and pale looks meant nothing when someone really looked. The way she treated her horses like rare treasure was also telling.

But there were things about him that were telling too. His eyes, for one thing, made her understand that he had pain and wounds and being in Riverfall for soul-searching was far more telling in her mind than mistaking a Drykas for a Konti just because she wore the skin of one.

She answered him absently though... her mind still thinking on him and examining his features. "He'll be fine in the morning after a good breakfast and some rest." She said first, then blinked, glanced around, and chuckled. "Everything about me is Drykas, Ghedan. You have only to look past my features. Ask my horses or look at my clothing or the way I knot my hair. But I think you are hurt in your own way, aren't you? People come here for all kinds of healing. I think you need some of your own, don't you, so you can start seeing a bit more clearly. Do you need a job? I have room to hire more help around here and I promise you Sanctuary will buy you some time to work through whatever it is you've left the Grass to work through." Kavala said, looking thoughtful.

She usually wasn't so forthright. But Ghedan seemed to need it. Riverfall, and especially Sanctuary was full of strays. One more or even a lonely pair of them with a fine strider among the packaged deal would not be a burden.

by **Ghedan Windhowl** on May 27th, 2011, 2:26 am

Ghedan could hardly believe he had missed so many signs of Kavala's Drykas heritage. Perhaps it was because he'd been away from home almost a year now, or perhaps he really was blinded so much by his own grief that he hardly even gave others a second glance anymore. What had become of him. A job. He'd survived the last year by performing odd jobs as they came to him, and doing mild healing from time to time, but this would give him a chance to actually do something worthwhile and not always be worried about where the next meal would come from. It seemed kind of sudden, but it made sense with who he was. It made sense, and perhaps it was a little inkling of direction, a hint of his path.

"I'd love to work here. When do I start?" A smile crept across his face, a smile that had been missing for a long time.

by **Kavala** on June 27th, 2011, 6:17 pm

Kavala laughed. "You can start now. And while I have everyone here who's employed cleaning, preforming horse care, working in the clinic, and such... because your Drykas I'd like you to start by helping me exercise horses and break new animals in to ride. I don't know how you feel about that, but it would be long hours in the saddle, lots of room to learn more about riding, and get these horses ready to sell. We have a lot of mouths here to feed, and often we have herds out on the grass that need watchriders looking out for them. We move them around, because we can't keep them all here close to Sanctuary unless there are storms. They'd overgraze the paddocks relatively fast." Kavala said thoughtfully.

"I can start you out at 3 GM a day plus room and meals for both you and your friend. When you prove to me you can ride competently, I'll let you start teaching people and horses, doubling your salary. I'll need you to be around, though, and work hard. You'll get days off too and spending money. I don't wait until the end of the season to pay, but pay you along the way so anything you need can be provided for. We're a family here.. and everyone works together. So if someone needs help, please don't hesitate to jump in. If you have projects you want to start, I'll do what I can to help with them as well." She added, wondering if that was fair.

"And as for getting started, I'm about to ride out and move one of the broodmare bands. Would you like to come along?" She asked, knowing she could use the help and it would give her a chance to see how the man rode. He was Drykas though, so she knew she didn't have too much to worry about.

by **Ghedan Windhowl** on June 29th, 2011, 5:55 pm

Ghedan could hardly believe the change that occured since this morning. He had woken up unemployed (besides whatever odd jobs he could find) and fearing for the life of his closest companion. Now, his fox had been rescued, and he had a job. Not only that, but he would get the chance to ride often. Since coming to Riverfall, it had been only on rare occasions that he would get out on the Sea of Grass with Qwinn.

Without any hesitation to Kavala's request he replied, "Sure. I'd love to come along."

OOCSorry it took me so long to get around to this post. Especially since it's so short