Walking Where One Shouldn't Walk (Valan)

[Eshatoh]

48th of Spring, 511 AV

Eshatoh had awoken to a glorious morning. He hadn't been on watch the night before, and the ground had seemed softer than usual as he lay down his bedding. Maybe there were just a few less rocks under him. Regardless, Eshatoh had already felt good when he awoke, and the day had only added to that feeling of well-being.

To make it even better, today was his break day. The entire caravan rotated through a schedule where each member was given a day off about once every two weeks. Today was his day, and he craved nothing more than solitude.

So he had gone hunting. Really, it was closer to gathering. This land was unfamiliar to him, but the Ahmed, who had made this trip many times before, had showed him some plants he could gather to supplement the diet of lamb stew. He had quickly filled a sack he had brought along for that purpose with the plants, most of which were roots and grasses.

He made sure to stay within view of the large stone pillars marking the root they were traveling and tried to move in the direction the caravan was going. Even so, he knew he was by now a good distance behind the caravan and should move back to the trade route and try to catch up, but he was enjoying himself. So he walked along. He really didn't have any chance to catch something without time to set out snares, but he kept walking anyways.

[Valan]

Life. A wondrous thing. The rush as your blood pumped under your skin, the sensations as you felt, touched, experienced something new- nothing compared to it. In a way, Valan felt sorry for those that could experience this life to the full- not just the undead, but those who sat locked up in their towers and tents, retreating far from the wonders life had to offer. He felt at those who sought to destroy such a beautiful thing, who wished death and horror on others for their own faults. All this, sewn together by a bubbling enthusiam, was what propelled Valan on his way, darting down the Cyphrus path that stretched down that plain in which the Drykas, he people called home.

Ah, the Sea of Grass, how it could enthuse some people!

Valan took a moment to laugh at this. He had been locked up in Endrykas for far to long. The tent city had it's own things that were great about it, but the vast untamed wilderness that composed the rest of the Sea- there was nothing like it. The strong lived here and the weak died- and a feral part of Valan's being took solace in this natural circle of life.

As much as Valan appreciated the untamed wilderness, it was a dangerous place. Not one to travel through while you're busy marveling at the scenery. Glassbeaks and a thousand other predators would be upon you before nightfall. No, you had to be alert, as Valan was this fine morning, his eyes searching the path and grass looming to either side for any sign of danger, a inborn instince ingrained in him as a member of the Drykas race.

Valan was traveling to Riverfall, on the other side of the vast Sea. For what, he was not sure; rumors of a Akalak asking for him had reached his ears, and knowing only one with the knowledge of his birth name, he had hastened to reach the place. That would mean traveling across the Sea of Grass to reach the proud Akalakian city- a feat many would balk at doing alone, as Valan did- he actually had a companion, but the Strider traveling behind didn't quite count.

Traveling with a guide would help lessen this fear, and luckily for Valan, he was- he himself was one of the few who made it his business to trek through this dangerous ecosystem regularly, and as such Valan knew it was wise to keep three eyes opened at all times. If you understand the complication within that statement, you realize the danger the Sea of Grass can possesses.

His eyes, traveling the route before him, was the first to catch the quiver in the grass. His ears were next- a soft shuffle as a figure moved the grasses out of his path, with either foot or hand. It was a good distance off the path, but Valan still managed to pick it up. Valan decided to take a moment to consider his choices- all of a sudden he and his horse, Raisa, stopped moving, a fact she acknowledged with a grumpy neigh. Should he see what was creating the noise, or leave it alone? Each choice had it's drawbacks, but in the end Valan decided to investigate. If this figure was stalking him, which was all to possible here, it would be better to confront them in the open daylight, and not half-asleep at night when they would most likely strike.

So, motioning for Raisa to stay several paces behind, he exited the path and waded his way through the grass, following the noise. As he got closer, the figure, he started getting glimpses of the figure he was approaching. It found it was human in shape, most likely male, and not even approaching him; it seemed to be traveling in the opposite direction. The man posed little threat to him now, but something- a want to protect others in this land, most likely from his occupation as a guide- possessed him to move forward. Finally, Valan got close enough to the figure to see it clearly.

It was indeed a man, and one who was walking- no, strolling. If that wasn't strange enough, it was clearly an outsider doing the act- even with the tan hues of skin produced in the Drykas race, this man was far to dark-skinned to be of this land. Valan's guess was the man came from farther south, from the desert, and so Valan addressed him in Common.

"Don't you know it's dangerous to travel alone through the Sea of Grass?"

[Eshatoh]

Eshatoh had been observing the man on the horse through his entire approach. It wasn't hard. With his extra Chaktawe sense, he felt the distinct rippling motion of something other than waves of grass. Instantly his muscles tensed. He had as yet been unaccosted by any of the many dangers of the grasslands, but he knew they existed. The Benshira all would have told him he was being stupid, and he knew they were right, but the wind at his back, the moist earth between his toes, and the gentle hissing of the grass running before the wind had a power too great to resist.

He wasn't alone. He had slowly become aware of something else, slicing through the grass on a path perpendicular to his own and moving very quickly. The movement of the grass dulled the motion-sensitivity of his hands, but the vast difference was still enough for him to detect it. He couldn't see whatever it was-- the grass was far too high. It was moving too quietly to be heard above the rustling of the grass. And suddenly he couldn't feel it with his motion-sense either.

Eshatoh veered quickly towards the path he was to be following and broke into a lope. Sweat coated his brow. So this might be how his life ended. He would have left one of the most dangerous places on earth only to die within a season.

Silently he mouthed, “I'm sorry, Eywaat.” It wasn't a sincere prayer, more rueful than anything else. But if he was gonna meet the god in a moment, there was no need to do so completely cold. Maybe even that short of a prayer would dull some of the annoyance the god doubtless felt towards him, now.

He was still a good quarter mile from the road when he felt the creature begin pursuit, and now Eshatoh sprinted in earnest. His follower caught up with him in no time at all, and Eshatoh whirled to face it, weaponless except for his hunting knife and well winded, too.

He was face to nose with a horse, and he jumped backwards with a startled cry. He hadn't expected whatever it was to be that close to him, and he tripped and landed on his butt.

The man on the horse's back had a solemn face covered in some sort of black marking quite heavily. "Don't you know it's dangerous to travel alone through the Sea of Grass?" he intoned.

Eshatoh climbed to his feet, dusting off his clothing. He stared at the man defiantly, thrusting forward his chin, but his left hand quivered with fear.

Trying to project a sense of confidence well beyond what he was actually feeling, Eshatoh said, “I know,” and turned back towards the caravan.

OOCSorry for the long wait. I've been working twelve hour days for the past few weeks.