[The Sanctuary] To Build a Home (All Staff)

[Raiha]

Raiha had been pleasantly surprised when Kanikra actually silenced the boy with those faces. He was so surprised, it seemed, that he had stopped howling. Kanikra's attempts at coddling and loving up the child seemed to be working. If they ever had children of their own, Raiha didn't think that they would have a problem with their mother. Kanikra could pull things off that an infant wouldn't catch. A more perceptive child might notice. But this worked. Kavala was able to talk now that her boy had hushed, and Kanikra cuddled the child to her. This was all he wanted, she told Raiha smugly.

You weren't like that, Raiha told her. You didn't scream for attention. You just slipped between us so rarely that she didn't notice, that I hardly noticed, and the few times she did see you, you scared her. Especially when we were younger and you nearly killed him.

He had it coming, Kanikra was dismissive as she held the boy in her arms, smiling at the memory of attempted murder, as Diallo puffed a little and relaxed, and she gently, carefully manipulated Tasi's hands as to to stroke the dog's ears and head. New sensations. New feelings. No one else had to know what she was thinking about to make her smile like that, warm and wistful though she appeared. She had been a different child, as different as night and day from the light, golden twin that everyone had admired and feared for her roughness in play. But she did not regret it. She laughed at their concepts of loneliness. Loneliness was the 'pain' of being alone, they said... but at the same time, solitude was its glorification, the celebration of being alone. She had had a sister to torment and torture and wander the nights while Raiha slept and didn't notice and woke up tired. There was no pain to being alone... because she never was.

But the sister-souls had begun to realize what it was when the spirit had failed to soothe the boy. Process of elimination told them that if it had been anything else physical, Kavala would have taken care of it, twice-marked by Rak'keli as she was. Tasi would be raised differently than they had been. His mother had an aptitude for handling both souls of the Akalak - and Akontak - she had met, unlike some who merely chose to deal with whatever soul seemed more dominant and was the easiest to get along with. Her own mother hadn't been prepared. How could she possibly have been? Raiha and Kanikra did not blame her. There was nothing to blame her for. She had named herself, because Tana had no idea when she saw her second daughter. You have no idea how lucky you are, Kanikra wanted to tell the child. Not everyone gets such chances. Enjoy them.

She adjusted her arms around him to cradle him, letting him lean against her arm and stomach as she touched his face and white hair before having a look at Kavala's sketches. "I like it. I'll cover the fencing," she told Kavala. This was their home, and it wouldn't hurt to contribute to it. Her pupils were normal-sized. Surely that meant Raiha... but it was hard to tell. Kanika was hiding her tells with this facade, at least from the others, and those faces and coddling threw a wrench into the cogs. She would push Raiha back before she could let the Konti become completely confident in any deduction with regards to who was who. She knew Kavala was not a fool. Tired, worn down, somewhat depressed, certainly, but she was not a fool. It was a point in her favour.Always good to keep the two of them on their toes and whatnot... "I'm sure with as many able bodies as we have, we can help him get the structure up and finish it ourselves. But it's plenty of space for the packs. That's more than big enough. If, Goddess forbid, we run out of space, the Deerstalkers can use the spare flights in the mews."

[Riki Stormheart]

It came as a great relief to Riki that Kavala had to much worked out. He had been a bit nervous at first but he seemed to be working with someone who truly knew what she was doing so he simply listened, ready to follow her lead when she was ready to start on the project. When the blueprints were being drawn, Riki watched as Kavala worked. The Drykas could not draw to save his life so it was good to see Kavala was skilled. Riki smiled as the drawing was finished. "It looks good to me." There was still so much to do but if they could get some outside workers, it would be much easier to handle. Kavala even knew a builder in town. The news just kept getting better. "Like I said, I don't know much about building but it all sounds great to me." He kept looking over the blueprint, thinking of all of the different things that the dogs could do in the kennels. He was excited to start to work. There would be so much to do of course. There would be more mouths to feed and more wounds to treat but it was all in the name of progress. There would be more work, there always would be but it would be exciting. "I can measure and outline the areas for walls and pens." Riki wanted to try to help as much as he could. "I don't mind taking some time to watch the dogs as well. I just don't want to spend too much time away from the building. I don't want everyone else to do the work!" He smiled as he looked at Kavala and Raiha, or better yet, Raiha's twin. "I cannot wait to get this started."

[Kavala]

Kavala nodded. “Okay, its all settled then.” She said, nodding to herself and looking at her notes. “I’ll ride to town and talk to the contractor. We have some wood but we’ll need more. I’ll have him order it and we’ll see how long it will take to get them out. If the lumber yard has the material, maybe they can start tomorrow. So.. that means Riki, you and Raiha stay here while I go deal with the business end of it and start marking out where exactly you want the kennel. There’s stakes stored in the tackroom and a roll of string. Go ahead and mark the corner points, where the entrance will be, and then start staking out the kennels. Leave the main section alone so the contractors can figure that out. I’ve a marking tape of hide in my carpenter’s kit which is also in the storage. Everything you should need is there including a compass. Try to line the building up with the road but also square to the compass points. Face the entrance to the east, near the road. We’ll make a separate path to the kennels unrelated to the horse gates and actual Sanctuary entrance. Does that sound good?” Kavala said, looking thoughtful. If both agreed, she’d leave them to find the supplies and ride out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Konti was gone for hours, but the two working on site didn’t seem to notice because shortly after she arrived a pair rode up to take his own measurements. It was a young Akalak with a assistant. Shortly after they left, the lumber yard started sending wagon loads of material out to the site, staging them just behind where the building was going to be built. Near dusk but with still enough time to catch the light, Kavala made it home, her finances considerably lighter (by half.. the other half taken out when the kennels was finished) and a leased wagon following her.

“Hey guys.” Kavala greeted. “I brought all the wire we need for fencing. I figured this chain link wire mesh was the best for the dog runs. I have rolls and rolls of it, fencing nails, posts, and everything we need to work on our part of it when the contractors give us the nod. Raiha, they are sending you the bill since you offered. They’ll be out tomorrow at first light. It’s a fortunate thing they aren’t busy right now. And, the lumber yard had pretty much everything we need. The only thing I had to actually order made was the glass windows for the kennel living and the rooms upstairs. We’ll have to live with just shuttered openings for a while. But with winter coming, we’ll have those installed. Raiha, while I was out, I took the liberty of ordering them for your mews as well. I hadn’t thought this summer how cold and drafty it was going to be without the glass. So you’ll have real windows too.” Kavala said. “They claim within about a ten day, maybe fifteen, they’ll be out and installing them.” The Konti added.

She looked thoughtful then said. “So, lets unload this wagon, return it, and then why don’t we all settle in for dinner, get a good nights rest, and start fresh with the contractors?" Kavala suggested.

[Raiha]

Kanikra would prefer to ignore Riki’s smile. However, when Raiha’s own response would have been to smile back, however faintly, that was the expression that Riki got in return. She hadn’t deigned to introduce herself to the Drykas, and had no idea what Kavala had or hadn’t told him. At the end of the day, he wasn’t someone she worried about. She simply did not have much to do with him, aside from helping out with the other animals. Still, when one was pretending to be someone else, you adopted those mannerisms, and Kanikra could play Raiha properly any time she wanted to, especially with someone who wasn’t too knowledgeable about either of the Akontak sisters. And around here, there was only one person that she had to work to fool, and that was Kavala... who was already slightly unbalanced from her son. Distractions were useful tools in the arts of deception. “We can handle it,” she told Kavala, nodding. She took the sling for Tasival, and got him situated over her front where she could watch him and make faces at him as she went along to keep him entertained.

She grinned down at the boy, bugging her eyes out at him before heading for where Kavala kept the carpenter’s kit and getting what she needed from there, whistling tunelessly under her breath while Diallo watched and looked on, chilling just out of everyone’s way. He knew better than to be underfoot when there was work to be done, but he liked keeping an eye on things too as Kanikra paid more attention to Tasi while she used her own weight to work the stakes rather than a mallet. Armed with a quickly-copied version of Kavala’s initial sketch, the measuring tape, and an armload of stakes, she wasted no time in getting down to business. Kanikra was smoothly efficient. She didn’t bother with a mallet - there was far less force involved for her to neatly step on one and press it down just enough as opposed to actually taking the mallet to it, especially when, chances were, it would have to be removed shortly after. Besides, it was an opportunity to test her balance, putting it in the dirt, stepping on it, and balancing on that foot before hopping off when it was partway sunk in. She only had time to do a few before Diallo started to bark - they had company. She showed the Akalak in charge the sketch, explaining where what was going, and otherwise giving them free rein from there while she tickled Tasival and answered questions.

She was stepping on more stakes when Kavala came up the road, and she raised her head. Your turn, Kanikra informed Raiha suddenly as she stood up and stretched to her full height, dusting off her leather trousers.

Already?

Yes.

If you say so. Raiha was herself by the time Kavala approached, and Tasi, or his brother, who had yet to be named, was sleeping in the sling. He would doubtless want to be fed when he woke up, but in the meantime, Raiha had him. And she wasn’t acting like it had been anyone but her today, but Kavala knew that for the most part Raiha was more inclined than not to keep her sister’s secrets. She listened as Kavala told them what had transpired on her trip to town, and she nodded. She’d pay the bill when it came in. She always felt that Kavala overpaid her. This way she could help put some of the funds back into the business. “That sounds great, thank you,” she thoroughly liked the idea of windows in the mews. While she could just huddle down under whatever she could find in the winter, and certainly had for her first winter in Riverfall, the birds couldn’t, and anything that could help with that was welcomed. She eyed the wagon before lacing her fingers, palms down, and stretching out her arms in front of her and then overhead, twisting her torso a little to loosen up. “Let’s get started, then,” she didn’t mind hard work. It was good for you, after all. Certainly it was Raiha now, certainly, though her voice wasn’t any different and Tasival was unharmed in the sling. If Kavala wanted him, Raiha would pass him to her, and get started on moving lumber. Sometimes one had to wonder who had who's mischievous streak - Raiha or Kanikra.

[Kavala]

The next day the contractors arrived shortly after the supplies were delivered and the builders got to work immediately. Having the runs all laid out helped, so they were able to put the foundations beams in immediately and begin framing the building. Two stories went up in less than ten days and in another twenty the finishing work was completely done. They had to come back to install the glass windows since the glazer didn't have them completed in that quick amount of time. Raiha got her own windows for the mews too when the kennels came, so it was a happy day for Sanctuary all around. In a short thirty days the kennel was totally done, especially with the staff helping to haul and cut the wood, roof, and finish the inside and outside walls. It was all but completed save for the dogs moving in and the staff finishing the mesh fencing that made up the runs.

The mesh fencing went up as soon as it was delivered from the fencer supply and was stretched and tacked in place.

Kavala took the time to landscape the kennels with dog friendly plants and trees, all things they could make medicine out of. It took time for her to roam the grasslands and fringe forest, uprooting saplings to transplant and moving small bushes of service berry and heartbloom. She also had basic furniture made for both the downstairs apartment and upstairs apartment, which constituted a bed, desk, chair, end tables and wardrobe. They painted with leftover paint from the mews and murals inside so they made the living areas bright and colorful. All the dogs were supplied with containers holding water and food from things inside Sanctuary where Kavala claimed she was going to replace the dishes with new ones she crafted in the winter.

All in all it was a well planned well executed building project. Now all they needed was a kennel master and a helper to fulfill the roles.

Costs :

Kennels charge - 800 (barracks) + 500 (Common cottage) = 1300 gm

Furniture -
Desk, good – 5 gm
Bed, good – 20 gm
Chair, good – 1 gm
Wardrobe, good – 5 gm
2 End tables, good – 2 gm
Bookcase, good – 20 gm
Hearth, good – 6 gm

= 59 gm x2 (two suites) 118 gm

total: 1418 GM

[Creeper]

Kavala   Skills Child Care: 1 Planning: 1 Architecture: 1 Drawing: 1 Leadership: 1   Lores Tasi: Just Let Him Cry It Out Is That Kani Playing with Tasi?   Other The Sanctuary has gained the Kennels. Keep an eye on that blue skinned vixen, she's gonna corrupt that kid of yours! Grats on the upgrade though! Raiha   Skills Child Care: 1 Planning: 1 Acting: 1 Acrobatics: 1   Lores The Foot is Mightier than the Mallet Giving Back to Your Generous Employer   Other -1418 Golden Mizas I'm loving the dynamic of the two girls, especially playful Kani. Now pay your bills! Ghedan Windhowl   Skills   Lores   Other Lakara Varanti   Skills   Lores   Other Riki Stormheart   Skills Observation: 1 Planning: 1   Lores Nagging Thought: Will I Ever Have a Child?   Other Hopefully you will have a child one day!