Among the Sea of Drykas(Akilah, Open)

[Kaja]

Kaja smelled all the food coming out and her mouth started to water, literally. A side affect of her animal form. She too watched the older man his movements, and the way he placed the food on the table. However, she wasn’t as covert about it as he was with her. It was obvious that she watched his every move with interest, his grace, poise, and commanding style. It was obvious that nothing much could get past this elder patriarch in the family, even if he might let it seem like something had. As the piping bowl was set before her she sniffed at it. It smelled good, the meat maybe a touch more cooked then she would have liked it, but if she had learned anything in the last two years of being on her own you didn’t turn your nose up at good food, even if it was cooked not to your liking.

She smiled at the older man, and replied. “I would hope so. I would like her as a friend…” She’d be shocked out of her words when the big man engulfed her in a hug, and she did a shy giggle as he pulled away. However, she wasn’t sure if she would live up to his expectations of being sensible or not. She would like to think she was, but she knew she was still very young, and needed to learn many, many more things. She bowed her head as he put the plate before her and said, “Thank you for her generosity, friend.” She called everyone friend or she liked to anyways. She hardly ever met anyone who wasn’t a friend anyway.

Kaja listened to the father and daughter speaks to each other as she spooned up her first bite full of stew. It was good. She smiled, as she watched them talk and settle to eating. “It’s okay, I don’t mind, maybe next time.” She said, “This is very good, sir.” She added. She then fell silent again a shyer side coming out with the older patriarch there then Akilah had seen in her new friend. She ate though heartily, even taking a bit more of the broth, and vegetables from the tureen of stew. That was not a normal for her, she usually didn’t eat much vegetables.

[Akilah Windsong]

Her father's eyes crinkled as he smiled at the compliment. "I'm glad you like it."

Fajra chimed in, "I like it too, I like it too," and he chuckled lightly as he patted her head, thanking her as well.

Akilah was silent as she observed her friend and her odd silence. Kaja didn't speak terribly much before, but her movements were more assured before. She seemed...uncertain, like she did when they first met. She didn't really understand it, but Kaja was eating, and eating, and that was all that really mattered.

Sinking her own teeth into the meal, she gave a soft moan of delight. "It is good!" The bread was soft, with a hint of garlic, and the broth wasn't too hot. Just warm enough for Akilah to drink it without burning her lips.

Noticing that Akilah ate faster than her, Fajra started to increase her own speed, trying to eat as much as she could.

"Fajra, you can't eat that much," her father protested, but he didn't do anything to stop her. Fajra did this every time, and the belly ache she would suffer from after was enough punishment.

"I can too!"

Perhaps one day it would stick.

Akilah gave a wolfish smile at the challenge. She was ravenous as it was, making Fajra tick was just an added bonus.

Glancing up at Kaja, she winked mischievously before helping herself to more food. "Oh, I think I'll take more too."

Her voice was a little dramatic, a little staged, but it did the trick. It didn't hurt that Kaja took some more broth and vegetables as well, having already cleared her own plate.

"Akilah," her father sighed as Fajra responded to the threat, taking more food on.

"I did nothing, right Kaja?"

[Kaja]

Kaja watched as everyone dug in, it seemed a bit like the old times with her own family, and pack. She ate but watched all the different things that were going on. She knew she could eat a lot and fast. Maybe not as fast as in her dog form, but she could still pile it in. She watched as the younger girl said she could eat as much as she wanted. Even she when she was a pup couldn’t eat as much as her brothers who most were older then her. The first time she had got sick she pretty much decided that when her stomach was fool there was no reason to put more in at least not at this point. She smiled at the younger girl, and not knowing what this man was to her possible an uncle or something else, she said, “You should listen to your elder.” She smiled over at Fajra. “You will make yourself sick if you eat too much. I did that once when I was younger trying to keep up with my brothers who were older then me. I ended up getting sick, and I know I don’t like getting sick. Do you?” She asked with an innocent tilt of her head.

When she carried on saying she could Kaja smiled and looked over at Akilah. She shrugged her shoulders. Then Akliah while Kaja was eating more of her meal took some for herself and she heard her father scold her. She blinked as she was brought in and she looked from the daughter to the father and said, “Well… She did just get seconds, and if little Fajra does too, it isn’t really Akilah fault that she wants to get sick.” She shrugged realizing that she had been slightly confrontational and she bent her head, and ate going silent and a light blush coming on her face. It wasn’t that she didn’t think she should have an opinion, or that she shouldn’t voice it, but she was in their tent eating their food under there invitation, and it seemed bad manners to her to make the father look foolish. “Sorry…” She said softly.

[Akilah Windsong]

Fajra flushed slightly at Kaja's remark, her stomach already a little unsettled from the excess intake of food. Not wanting to look like they made her change her mind, and not wanting to get sick, she changed her tactics.

"I just got some more for you, Uncle," she said, swiftly depositing the rest of her food into his plate. He had a look that showed she wasn't fooling anyone, but accepted the food nonetheless.

Akilah frowned slightly, her plan thwarted, but there were other meals. Fajra would take a little while before she completely learned her lesson.

That frown grew deeper when Kaja apologized for rushing to her aide. It's not like she did anything wrong. If anything, Akilah should be apologizing to Fajra, but to do so would be to admit her plan, and she would never do that with her father around.

"Kaja, you don't have anything to say sorry about," Akilah replied, confused. "That's what you thought, right?"

Her father ruffled her hair slightly, before giving a warm smile to Kaja, understanding her reason for apologizing more than his inexperienced daughter. "At this table, you don't have to worry about voicing your opinion. We're open to discussion, no matter what the topic is."

Looking up from her mussed hair, she didn't quite understand why her father added those words. Were there tables where you had to worry about talking? She had never seen one before--at all of her friends homes, there were no bans on topics. Anything was open and conversations flew from subject to subject.

Maybe Kaja's table was different. Resting her chin on the palm of her hand, tapping her cheek lightly, she mused over the topic, over the people who wouldn't like hearing opinions.

As she finished eating, dipping the last of her bread in her curry, she wondered what Kaja would do next. Perhaps she could join her for the remainder of the day, she had no pressing plans.

[Kaja]

Kaja smiled feeling a bit better when it seemed that Akilah's father wasn't angry at her. She nodded at Akilah in agreement that, that was what she thought. She ate again a few bites and then said, "Yes, I ... Well I didn't want to sound rude. You have been so nice to let me into your family for a little while...." She stalled out a sad look creeping onto her face. "I must admit I have missed sitting around a table and just listening to everyone talk, and watching my family eat. I ... Miss them..." She finally admitted.

She put her head back down and finished the rest of her stew, her second bowl. She didn't know what else to say at the moment she was feeling rather babyish for admitting that she was missing her family. She shouldn't this was her destiny like all the other females in her family she was striking out to find her own world, her own life. Possibly it would come back to her home town, but for now she was on her own. She watched and listened to the conversations around her with a pleasant smile on her face despite admitting she was slightly blue a moment ago. In her thinking it wasn't good to dwell on the sadder things, but look at the happier things. Right now she was in the tent of a very energetic family, and she liked it.

For some reason she just stood up and once again she made herself useful as usual it was part of her upbringing, part of her dna almost. She started picking up plates that were not being used anymore, and took them into the kitchen. She cleared her area of the table. It was just something she did, she always wanted to be useful, and despite her trying to ignore the fact she had no one to serve, it always niggled in the back of her mind. So probably even unconsciously she was trying to show she could be a good person to have around to help in front of the people that she drew attention to her for a moment. This is what she did for the last few moments of Akilah, her father and cousins eating time.

[Akilah Windsong]

Akilah winced slightly at Kaja's words--it seemed that every time she spoke to her, she somehow reminded the other girl of what she lost. Her father nodded in response, murmuring his condolences for her situation.

She didn't know what to say in reply, what to do. Her words, she knew, would not be enough, would not seal away these wounds. That was something only time and Kaja could do and Akilah held no power over either. Instead, she reached across the table, taking Kaja's left hand into her own. Giving it a tight squeeze, she let go.

(and she knew, even more, that some wounds couldn't ever be sealed, just locked away and hidden.)

She almost protested when Kaja got up, gathering her dishes and cutlery with her, but her father stopped her with a single look. Gulping down the last of her curry, she quickly picked up her plate and Fajra's, placing them in the kitchen. Her father was still eating, slowly, chewing carefully before he swallowed.

"I have to wait for everyone to return, so you can go ahead," he dismissed them, and Fajra took off running, no doubt to Keegan. Akilah glanced at Kaja, walking with her to the entrance of the pavilion.

"I'm glad you enjoyed lunch. It was fun spending the morning with you." That was one good memory Akilah could claim to have created, at least. "What are you going to do now?"

[Kaja]

Kaja was glad she was allowed to do something to thank them for her kindness to her to feed her, and give her just a moment of family life she missed so much. She smiled to herself, she liked Akilah, and her family. They were good people, strong, proud, and funny. She followed Akilah out and didn't know what she was going to do with the rest of her day.

However, she knew she couldn't keep Akilah up anymore she had already missed a good training session with her uncle. She knew it wasn't really because of her, but she also couldn't stop thinking that it was because of her that she had got distracted in the first place. "Thank you so much for your kindness. I have had another very good day today." She smiled at Akilah as she said it. "You and your family of what I have met are very generous with your time and goods. I don't know I might just take a nap or something. We should meet again maybe we could help each other train? I am trying to train in Unarmed." She smiled at her thinking an up and coming young warrior like herself might help her a lot.

[Akilah Windsong]

"I had lots of fun too--it's been a while since I've had a friend come over for lunch." Akilah smiled back, a little shy and embarrassed with the compliments Kaja was giving. It wasn't like she did anything special, it was what anyone would do, but she liked hearing those words nonetheless. "We should train--it would be nice to train with someone other than my cousins for once. I meet them enough as it is."

It really would be nice--she loved her family, but sometimes the internal competition was wearing. It was enough to know that some of them had two striders, or were stormwardens, enough to know that one cousin was better than her and another was worse. It didn't help that sometimes the adults would play up the competition.

Glancing up at the sun at its zenith, she shaded her eyes. The sky was a clear blue, a few birds and clouds marring it. "It's a good time to take a nap, just hot enough. I think I'll go wandering over to the training grounds, then--maybe Uncle is still there."

It seemed like a good enough plan and Akilah didn't waste another thought on the afternoon, secure with her choice. If Uncle wasn't there, there'd be someone else there, ready to train with her.

[Kaja]

Kaja smiled, and followed the other younger girl out of her family's tent, and nodded. "I would like that a lot." She replied to her about accepting her offer of training together. She couldn't wait for another adventure in Endrykas. She hoped she saw Erzotal again, but as days went by and somehow they didn't see each other she became more and more disheartened that the one night they spent together was going to be their only one. Oh well, another may come in her distant future maybe...

She walked off in one direction, as her new friend walked in another. It looked to be in the direction of the Diamond training pavilion. She smiled as she made her way to her humble place she was renting to dwell in while she was here. She supposed she had to figure out soon what she was going to do stay, leave and go else where, or go back home to the comforts of her family as a failure to be on her own.

THE END

[Quixotic]

Thread Award! Hello there you two, Lariat’s asked me to take a look at this thread because life’s still doing its best to devour him and you’ve been patiently waiting for a month so here I am. That said, let’s crack on with the xp shall we? Kaja Skills Negotiation + 1 Persuasion + 1 Observation + 4 Philosophy + 2 Childcare + 2 Animal Husbandry: Dogs + 1 Stealth + 1 Socialisation + 5 Lores Wanting, needing to belong to someone Finding your way around the shifting pavilions A different concept of service, friendship The flexibility of a Kelvic’s mind Tickling’s a great way to distract a child Windmarks are pretty Striders and their relationship with the Drykas A strange and varied pack can still function as a pack Drykas table laying Speaking your mind amongst the Drykas is always encouraged Akilah Skills Persuasion + 1 Negotiation + 1 Land Navigation + 1 Observation + 2 Stealth + 1 Child Care + 2 Animal Husbandry: Dog + 1 Horsemanship + 4 Intelligence + 1 Stealth + 1 Socialisation + 5 Lores Faith, duty and the desire to prove yourself The role of Kelvics in the world, as they see it Stop and think of others before acting Different folks think differently Kelvics and their lifespans The strange customs of other lands Other Notes : This was lovely thread to read The writing was well done, the descriptions too and getting a peak into family life in a pavilion is all always a pleasure. Great work both of you, hope to see some more of your threads in the future. That's all from me, if there're any problems just PM me and we'll see what we can do.