[Flashback] Family Bonds (Kelaugh)

[Solicah]

504 Fall, 22

The day was sunny with only a slight autumn chill to the air and no breeze to worsen it. Sun just passing it's apex, the time arrived that Solicah would usually be tutored in Webbing. However, with much joy and honor he had been tasked with a different goal that day. His usually bubbly demeanor had turned into outright giddiness at the prospect of teaching another Webbing. In theory the exercise was rather simple, and there were still adults around to overlook the lesson, but that didn't deter Solicah's excitement. Not much ever did.

In fact his very name derived from his unbridled enthusiasm, a sheer contrast to the norm of the children born within the Moondirge Pavilion. The children within his Pavilion were expected to be calm, introspective, and proud above all else. He had mastered introspection and pride, though calm was a trait nobody held any real hope he would ever achieve. Tranquility seemed utterly against his nature, and he accepted that in himself, as did his parents. Most other's did as well, though this didn't save him from strict punishments from time to time when his bold nature caused him to overstep his bounds. One thing that did save him some face within the large Pavilion was his quick understanding of Webbing. At the tender age of ten he had already been introduced to and learned to read already established Webbing close to him with relative ease. Accepting the help and guidance of his mentors with eager energy, he had even begun to understand the basics of weaving his own Webbing, though much still escaped his understand.

As he waited for his younger cousin to finish her current training lesson Solicah occupied himself by attempting handstands just outside of the main group of tents within the Pavilion. For he had been told multiple times not to play in the center, after a few mishaps. Bending over, pressing his small palms to the grass and dirt he pitched his body upward, with more force than was necessary. With a speedy glide he pivoted over his arms and found himself squarely on his back within a moment. Unscathed, and actually quite enjoying the sensation, though it wasn't his desired outcome he got right up and continued his attempts to do a good handstand that he could show his cousin when she got there.

[Kelaugh]

Kelaugh tried to keep her mind on her exercises, she really did, but all she could think about was what she was going to do once today's training was over.

Although she had grown up surrounded by people who could feel and manipulate Webbing, she had still not gotten the knack for it. She'd had a few teachers try this year; but they could never seem to teach her how to do it for herself. Hopefully it was going to change with this tutor. Her cousin, Solicah, was one of the most talented students the pavilion had - at least according to Kelaugh's mother, who could be trusted with such assessment as she was one of the higher Webbers in the pavilion. But this also meant that Kelaugh's mother didn't understand how hard it was for her to sense the Webbing.

Kelaugh usually found solace in her skill in using weapons. She was already quite adept at using staves and bows and she enjoyed hunting with her father and brother. But lately that had not been enough to take her mind off Webbing.

The end of the lesson came and Kelaugh laid down her weapons, thanking her teacher. She then turned and ran, giggling, through the tents. As she drew near to the place they'd agreed on, she could see her cousin attempting handstands and she grinned.

"Solicah!" she yelled, running over to him and skidding to a stop, "Hi!"

[Solicah]

Solicah spilled onto the ground yet again at Kelaugh's call, only to bounce up energetically a moment after. Steadying himself from the sudden rush of blood, heart trying to compensate for the switch in gravity, he stood dazed a moment letting his body adjust, then shook his head theatrically. "Whoa, head rush."

With that gave a wide smile to his protege for the day and approached her with greeting. "Hi Kelaugh!" His arms swept wide outward, the Pavi word for welcome. Solicah had always had a distinct flare for the physical element of the language, and at any time possible would make full use of it. The actions were thought somewhat disrespectful by some of the less sympathetic adults around the Pavilion, due to their often over exuberance.

Looking her in the eyes with his own bright expression he reached up and plucked a stray strand of hairs that had fallen from his elaborate braids, and tucked them securely behind her left ear. "Your training always puts your hair in such a state!" He noted expressively, "Honestly, I don't know how you ever keep those wild locks under control!" He jested, of course, for his own hair was a bouncing matte of tight golden curls, that was neigh impossible to do anything with, even braid into submission. In truth he envied his cousin's thick dark locks, and as such took every opportunity he could to reach out and feel them. He found this only fair, like karma for how often others felt the need to pluck at his head of ringlets. He was somewhat of a rarity among his Pavilion after all, his mother had brought the curly hair with her from another Pavilion soon before he was born, and as such he was one of only two curled haired blondes within the Pavilion, himself and his mother.

"Now that you're straightened out are you ready to learn?" He gave an encouraging smile to her, and lended an identical one to a near by adult, watching carefully as he passed by. He rather liked that so many adults were watching them work, being a bit hungry for attention as he was. He really hoped he would be able to help her onto the web. Everybody in the Pavilion had heard about Kelaugh's natural aversion to the web, and her peculiar aptitude for resisting the web's pull when others tried to coax her onto it. He personally thought that showed she must have a very strong hidden will inside of her, just waiting to be let loose once the right guide came along. Perhaps even with that guides help she would become an amazing web mage, even better than her mother. He really hoped that guide would be him.

[Kelaugh]

Kelaugh giggled and nodded, reaching out and tugging on one of Solicah's golden curls in retaliation. "Yes I'm ready to learn Sol and I hope you can teach me. I'm so bad at Webbing." she scrunched her nose and shook her head, her hair spilling back onto her face with the action and she pushed it away impatiently.

"What are we going to do first?" Kelaugh asked, tilting her head inquisitively and smiling at her cousin. She hoped it wasn't any of those breathing exercises, she didn't like sitting still and always fidgeted, much to her tutors' disgust. As an energetic child she always wanted to be moving. The only time she even came close to sitting still in one spot was when listening to stories, when she got so wrapped up in the tales she forgot about her limbs; or when sleeping, usually after tossing and turning so much, the sheets wrapped her up so she couldn't move.

[Solicah]

He grinned. "A race. Before we start I'm afraid you're going to have to lose to me in a race." This time he was not kidding, not only was he dead serious about the race, he also had full intention to beating her in it. He was older, and his legs were longer, he had the clear advantage. But, he decided it was only fair to offer her some explanation for her inevitable humiliation. "The race isn't just for you, though. I like running before I have to sit down for a while because it helps me calm down some. And, it lets your body breath deep all by itself!" He gave a rather proud smile to the girl. He loved being able to pass on his trade secrets, as already public as they might have been.

"I'll let you call when to start the race, but we have to run all the way to your tent over there," he gave a bold point of his longest finger, as he always pointed, toward Kelaugh's family tent. "All the way to mine." He let the feature sweep in a prolonged arching curve toward his own family tent, on the opposite side of the Pavilion, trying his best to emphasis the long distance with his body and voice. "And, than. All the way back, here. To pick up-" He took off a dark blue clothe wrapped around the back part of his hair. "This." He dropped the cloth down on the ground, hoping the wind didn't decide to pick up before they came back for it. He smiles and looked at her, ready to bolt at any moment.

[Kelaugh]

Kelaugh frowned a bit, she'd never heard of this before, but she couldn't deny that it appealed to her. "Hmmm okay." she said slowly, nodding and smiling at Solicah. "But you're not going to win! Go!" she yelled as she took off in the direction of her tent, laughing.

She ran as if she was being chased by a pack of glassbeaks, pushing herself to the limit. She was already warmed up from training and running over here so she felt she might have the edge here, not to mention her head start.

[Solicah]

Immediately in toe Solicah bolted after her, his mind focused solely on sprinting faster than her. He was shocked at how speedy the little rascal was, those little legs conveying her across the ground as if she were running across the web itself! A grin stretched across his face as he almost caught up to her right before the first tent, then like some unearthly speeding snake she changed directions without losing any speed, due to her petite size in comparison to Solicah. Turning red in the face Solicah forced himself to turn, losing some ground in the alteration. Ground he hoped to make up on the straight away where his longer legs would give him the advantage.

Sure enough as they flattened out he began to pull ahead, his lungs and muscles screaming at him to slow down. His head pounded and his vision collapsed in on itself, turning his mental focus into a physical focus. He could only see forward now as he sprinted, and that's all he needed to see! All for the best, he figured, he wouldn't want to see the disproving looks on the adults faces as he sped full speed through the center of the Pavilion anyway. On the up side he knew they couldn't say anything if he managed to initiate Kelaugh.

Rounding the second turn, heart attempting to launch full speed out of his chest he maintained a tentative tie with her, and poured everything he had into the last stretch! He cleared his mind of his competition, and the race, and the conservative adults. All there was in his world was his body, and that blue scarf. That is until a new element blew intrusively into the picture, a large gust of wind. The thin blue cloth took flight, swept aloft by the gust straight toward both speeding competitors!

Suddenly Solicah tried to break the running trance he had put himself in, forcing his body to come to a stop. Hard thuds reverberated upward through his body from each bounding attempt to slow himself enough to make an attempt at the cloth. Still running half speed when the cloth came floating past he desperately fanned his wanting fingers into the air holding the cloth elevated. He felt it, his heart leaped, and pounded harder. He felt cloth against skin, right along his slender fingers, then nothing as he continued his halting bounds, trying to slow enough to turn and run back for it. It had slipped through! His head ached, his mouth dry, a familiar metallic flavor filled it. Once his body came to a stop it fought with vigor the idea of speeding off again for the prize.

[Kelaugh]

Kelaugh's feet pounded to the rhythm of her heart and her blood sang in her ears, she felt her muscles expanding and contracting with every breath, and every step, she took. It was like time slowed down and she alone was in motion. She was hardly aware of her cousin passing her near the finish, then all she saw was the blue cloth. Slowing herself she came out of her running trance and watched Solicah snatch at the cloth. Kelaugh was sure she had lost, until the fabric slipped free of Solicah's grasp and flew through the air towards her. She reached out a hand and plucked it from the air, grinning in victory as she slowed to a stop beside Solicah.

She looked at her cousin, who seemed worse for wear after the race, then she held out the cloth to him, "I believe this is yours." she smiled.

[Solicah]

Panting and gasping for air he snatched the cloth from her hand, with a wide grin. "What are you? Half Strider?!" He gave out a winded laugh, still trying to catch his breath. He tied the cloth back to his head pulling the loose hair off of his brow he plopped down on the ground right there.

"Ok, you won this time, but next time victory is mine, little cousin. Now sit down, you deserve a rest. Lets talk about webbing. You think running here is amazing, wait till you see the web." With a smile he put his hand out, waving her to sit.

Once she was settled he continued. "Don't go falling asleep on me now, or I'm going to dump a basin of cold water on your head!" He threatened light heartedly. Not abandoning his jovial tone he instructed, "Get comfortable, but stay sitting up for starters. Once you're comfortable close your eyes, and no peaking or it doesn't work. Then let me know once you've caught your breath and we can start." He wanted to make sure she came down from her spike of adrenaline before they began, it would induce a natural calm and help her relax her mind. Or at least that's the effect it always had on him. In fact in that moment he felt the vivid ache of his oxygen deprived muscles rearing in his body, and his mind beginning to slow down in the wake of the excitement. His body was ready.

[Kelaugh]

Kelaugh smiled and did as she was told, settling herself with her legs crossed. Her heart slowed as she breathed deeply and closed her eyes. Amazingly, she felt almost no need to fidget, although her left foot tapped a little. Some of her previous tutors' teachings leeched through as she measured her breathing. "Okay, I'm ready." she said softly.