Location [Riverfall] The Land and Sea Gates

[Balian Martell]

Your Words I My Words I My Thoughts

55th day of Summer, 517

The caravan had drudged along the Kabrin; The road had been long and tiring. yet on this day the general mood of the procession was lighthearted and somewhat jovial. Balian was not immune to the air of excitement, sporting a wry grin at the happy mood of those around him and feeling some infusion of energy despite his aches and pains. Sitting atop a horse for hours on end for over half the season does tend to leave one bruised and tired, however on this day the caravan that had set out from Syliras was finally to arrive at its destination; Riverfall.

The early morning had not seen a change in rolling landscape of what Balian had learned was the sea of grass, yet by midday large buildings began to rise out of the horizon and a cool sea breeze could be felt wafting over the travelers. Soon those far away buildings became larger, and the young squire was not the only one to gawk at the sight; buildings built of red stone and adjourned with massive domes, towers could be seen rising up scraping the sky. It was nothing that they had seen before, so different from the fortress city of peace. There was power and majesty to this city. It seemed a proud and dominant predator that claimed dominion over the lands around it. At the sight, the members of the caravan gave off a cheer, a load roar of hoarse voices, one that Balian couldn’t help but to add to.

They quickly came to the walls. The train of wagons, people, and horses setting off to the side of the Kabrin to allow the passage of other. Those escorts of the procession were called to the front, and Balian dutifully coaxed Ajax, his horse who had been his companion, to move forward. As he approached the gate, he could see the various members of the escorts; knights of the order had made made up most of the force, however they were reinforced by some mercenaries and warriors looking for passage or coin. He was ordered to dismount, swinging his sore leg over the saddle, only to land on shaky feet upon the firm ground. Almost instantly a giant of deep blue approached him. an Akalak, he thought to himself, remembering the discussions and stories that were told by fire light. Balian was dwarfed by this man, in both height and mass, yet when he spoke his voice was kind, if a bit rehearsed. ”Welcome young knight” the giant gave the squire a once over. If he had made any judgment on his appearance or ability, he did not share it. Before Balian could correct him that he was onlt a squire, the man continued. “You will stay at the station during your stay, yes?” strained to meet the mans gaze face to face, but again, before Balian could even answer, the blue man spoke on “Those of your order are welcome within the city, so far as you abide by our rules and laws. Here is a scroll of welcome from the city. It contains a list of our laws, a map of the city, and some advertisements from local businesses that sponsor these scrolls to be made. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and turn this scroll back in when you leave so we can reuse it". The exchange seemed almost automatic, yet the Akalak guard offered Balian a small smile as he handed over the set of scrolls.

Almost as fast the blue giant had appeared, he had set off to greet the next member of the caravan. Balian was called over by his patron knight to begin helping the caravan unload just inside the city. There was still work to be done, however their journey was at an end. They had arrived to Riverfall.

[Valour Skyglow]

Valour Skyglow
55th day of Summer, 517

The Kabrin... it had been a painful ride. It was only the break of dawn, and as much as Valour had been accustomed to riding, sitting on a horse for hours on end, repeatedly, for days, was not her forte. She stared down at the horse that had willingly taken her from Syliras all the way to Riverfall, a sympathetic smile enveloping itself onto her colored lips. She reached down to offer it a heartfelt pat, though instead almost jolted right out of her saddle as an abrupt voice yelled out: 'We're here! We've reached Riverfall!' It was laced with joy and excitement.

Valour's family was the only source she had to Riverfall, and their only source had been countless books. Whenever they had brought up the great and beautiful city, she would be attentive and her eyes would never veer from the story-teller. Their constant flow of stories had been one of her many motivations to make the perilous trip. She began zoning out- remembering the years that her mother had cradled her in her arms and revealed numerous hand-drawn images that portrayed her view of Riverfall. Sometimes they would be painted and every inch of it - in Valour's eyes - was flawless. Her mother had a way with a brush, her strokes and overall detail were incomparable.

A sigh of longing whooshed from the teenager's parted lips, though multiple joyous voices snapped her out of her reminiscing. She had been staring at the back of the steed's head for the entirety of the time. Valour's perfectly purple eyes averted their gaze to the horizon, widening in shock at the illustrious city. Her limbs felt rather feeble as she observed the expanse of the perfectly assembled buildings. Her mother's drawings had made the city appear so minuscule, though in truth it was much like an astounding giant. The buildings were shielded by an immense wall, one that Valour would never think to scale; who would dare to, anyways? However she definitely was thinking about how interesting it would be to paint a few intricate designs on the stony surfaces.
The gate was quite large, as the caravan neared it only grew in size. It appeared to resemble a mouth ready to swallow the coming visitors. Those who stood were Akalak, as she could recall. She had never encountered one, though she had heard that they perceived the Vantha as a fascinating race. Still, she was highly intimidated by their physical appearance; towering, heavily muscled forms that stood proud by their city gates.

Before entering the city, Valour wanted to return the unnamed steed. Swinging her left leg around her rear, she nervously dismounted. Throughout the entirety of viewing the city and dismounting, the hoodie had drifted from her head and settled behind her neck. Valour picked it back up with a single hand, pulling it tightly over her braided hair. She looked for the main trader- the one who had lead the caravan. "Hey little girl, trying to return this fella?" He appeared beside her, chuckling lightly as she nodded awkwardly in response. "Alright, be safe." He gripped the lower portion of the reins and pulled the horse along, leaving the Vantha in front of a gate which lead to a fairly crowded part of the city. Of course it was crowded, it was the entrance!

Inhaling and exhaling, the reasonably tall fifteen-year-old walked hesitantly to the two, towering Akalak's. She debated on whether to take off her hoodie or not, as a form or courtesy, though quickly decided against it. One of them turned to her, thus created a faint reciprocation on her end. She tore her gaze away from the inside of the city to peer up at the gigantic man. He welcomed her and handed her a scroll in which he explained contained business advertisements, the map, laws and more. She focused on his words, though realised he expected a reply from her. Her eyes swiftly plunged into a faint yellow, representing her worry despite the straight-forward task. The Akalak clearly noticed this, though did not state anything, but merely waited. Valour stared down at the paper, skimming over the laws- something she would never dare break.

"I agree to the laws and promise to abide by them." The faint voice left her lips as she attempted to remain calm. After all, she was still quite young and so new experiences tended to leave her feeling timid.

The man nodded his head, motioning towards the city. "Welcome to Riverfall, little Vantha." He greeted her kindly. Valour nodded in response before quickly walking into the city- her priority would be figuring out her way around.

[Naia Whitewater]

Common | thoughts | Fratava
80th of Autumn, 517AV | Early Morning

Naia wasn’t sure if she dreaded leaving the pod she come to love to dearly the last cycle of Leth, or if the lead in her gut came from the acceptance that stepping off the ship meant a kind of finality to her time in Alvadas. It was silly, she told herself- how indecisive she was about her feelings of the City of Illusions. She hated it, then she loved it. Then it was just was.

“Heads,” the Lia’s voice carried over the bustling crew, each moving and darting and speeding about, each at ease within their work- they’d come to trade in the great Waterfall City a dozen times before, and so it was only Naia who stood portside, mouth agape and eyes wide as they sailed across the Bay.

She’d promised the Lia 25 working days for her passage to the city, and it was now the 27th they’d been at sea. As foul as some of her Svefra brothers and sisters called it, the Lia would not go back on her word, or the deal that had been struck- and so the woman took as much satisfaction as she could as she watched the others work.

It took another four bells before the ship Swell was able to dock, and a half again before Naia had finished her farewells to the crew. She had to leave like this, she'd long decided- she wasn't good at drawn out good byes, and to stay with the crew until they finished trade would surely have set an invitation to join the pod.

She took a deep breath, and in a simple step off the ship she disappeared into the crowd.

..
.

[Nadiah]

1st of Winter, 517 AV | Riverfall| Noon

Nadiah felt terribly small as she peered up at Riverfall’s colossal fortifications. The young Konti was already a diminutive figure when in a crowd but standing against the monolithic walls made her feel like an insect. She instinctively wrapped her arms around herself to make her silhouette as small as possible. A handful of members from caravan she had been traveling with nodded at her as they pushed past to speak with the guards. Their faces were set with grim frowns as evidence of the hardships faced during the weeks on the road. The journey had been an uncomfortable one for Nadiah, she had bought passage among them which had only included a small corner inside a wagon that she mostly used to sleep and two meager meals a day. It had not been a luxurious experience for her, but she had finally made it to her destination: Riverfall.

The pale young woman then noticed one of the guards speaking to her traveling companions, the appallingly tall cerulean skinned man handing over papers and then ushering her fellow travelers through the gates, leaving her behind. Nadiah’s breath caught in her throat as the imposing Akalak turned his attention to her. She froze suddenly realizing how alone she had become. Although she had barely spoken to the other members of the caravan, she had never been alone. There had always been someone nearby; a recognizable face or voice. Now she was in a world of strangers and utterly on her own.

“Hello there.” The guard repeated for what was certainly the second time, snapping Nadiah out of her stupor. She look at him, trying vainly to erase the startled expression from her face. “Can I help you with anything? “ He said looking only faintly concerned before shaking his head at the Konti woman’s bewildered expression and continuing. “Here is a scroll of welcome from the city. It contains a list of our laws, a map of the city, and some advertisements from local businesses that sponsor these scrolls to be made. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and turn this scroll back in when you leave so we can reuse it."

Nadiah numbly accepted the scroll as she nodded to him. “Yes, thank you” she said in a slightly lilting Kontinese accent. The guard nodded toward the city gates and Nadiah shouldered her backpack before passing through. She was met with a welcome sight as the beauty of Riverfall struck her. The city was arranged in natural tiers that clung around a magnificent waterfall. It was midday and the crisp blue of the waters contrasted beautifully with the warm tones of the stone used to construct the city.

This feels a little like home, Nadiah thought to herself before a rare smile pulled at her lips.
“I need to paint this.” She whispered to herself, suddenly feeling more alive than she had in years.

[Quzon]

First Day of Winter, 517 A.V.

Quzon was pleased with himself. His life was a series of hits and misses, it seemed. But right now, he’d definitely hit something rather than missing it. His decision to get rid of that slow monstrosity of a covered wagon that he trudged around Endrykas with in lieu of a nice cart was the best decision he'd ever made before venturing out with a small caravan heading to Riverfall.

As he slowly approved the city, he shifted of the cured bear hunters hide from his head that he used as a helmet before reining in his weary steed. The Seme stopped with a sudden jolt, planting its widebraced legs down as the breeching pressed against the horses backside to stop the cart in its tracks. The train of horses and wagons he arrived with began to form a queue to enter the city.

He shook the reigns to will the horse into motion once it was his time to enter, then pulled the reins again to cause the cart to stop with a lurch in front of two guards.

"Welcome, traveler. Here is a scroll of welcome from the city. It contains a list of our laws, a map of the city, and some advertisements from local businesses that sponsor these scrolls to be made. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and turn this scroll back in when you leave so we can reuse it."

He reached out from where he sat to retrieve the scroll, but his attention was dead set on the obvious Tskanna in the room. There were massive amounts of people just all standing around the gate. As he look up, there were even more on the wall itself. "What." Quzon said, quickly trying to find the right words in common to ask the guards a question. "Why they wait? City, defend?" One of the guards chuckled then simply stated 'Its Founding Day', as if Quzon was suppose to know why that had anything to do with them standing on a wall. He nodded his head to the guard before shifting the reins to move the horse forward into the city proper.

[Madeira Dusk]

20th of Spring, 518

Madeira was first to step off the ship with her wooden chest in her arms, her ghost chattering in her ear, and her heart full of awe as she beheld Riverfall for the first time. The city rolled off the cliffs and lazed into the water like a great sleeping beast. She had never known a city to look so strong; even from the port she could see the great stone buildings and hear the crash of the powerful river. Allister and Ssanya were behind her somewhere, but she didn't wait for them. The Spiritist was propelled forward by wonder and the little ghost pressed to her side.

Emma was the more chipper than she had ever seen. The child kept a running commentary of the who, what, and where of Riverfall for Madeira, who was half listening. This was the city where the girl had lived and died, and she was evidently excited to be back.

"And that's the portmaster", she babbled on. "He's an angry man. Papa says he is 'a right bastard'-"

"Language!"

"But that's what he says! And that river is called the Bluevein. Because it looks like a blue vein, I suppose. Oh, those beached canoes make a great hiding spot! One time, Raj and I-"

”Hello there, can I help you with anything?" Two Akalak stepped out of the bustle of people and veered right for them, like bloodhounds alert to the scent of cluelessness. The older of the two was a light cerulean colour, with a head too far off the ground to make it through any sensible doorway. The other was younger, smaller, darker, and wearing five sows worth of leather. Both had identical crewcuts and stoic frowns. The older of the two continued:

"Here is a scroll of welcome from the city. It contains a list of our laws, a map of the city, and some advertisements from local businesses that sponsor these scrolls to be made. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and turn this scroll back in when you leave so we can reuse it."

Madeira took the battered parchment that had passed through hundreds of hands like she was receiving a priceless relic. Her eyes lit up with a childish kind of fascination.

"A map! Incredible", she purred, turning the incomprehensible lines of colour this way and that like she would be able to read it if given the right angle. This was only the second time she had ever held a map, and the first time she had even seen a city map.

The taller Akalak cleared his throat pointedly. He was waiting for an answer.

"Oh! I apologize." She scanned the common translation of the city laws. It was nothing too overwhelming, though the cultivation law was laughable. She read the laws out loud, hoping Emma, who couldn't read, would listen closely.

"I've read and accept the laws of this city. Thank you for your hospitality" She said formally upon completion, sensing these were the type of people who put a lot of weight on respect and etiquette. "I think we will take a look around your beautiful city before we find lodging."

The shorter, darker Akalak shifted uncomfortably.

"... It's not advisable to be outside after dark, miss." he admitted. "There are strange shadows in the city that have been attacking people."

If the human was shocked to hear this, it didn't show. She didn't ask for clarification or explanation, just narrowed her eyes and asked: "where do they come from?"

"Nobody knows. They can be warded off with fire and light, but it is still best to get your business done while Syna is still high in the sky."

"Ok, thank you."

"Welcome to Riverfall." the dark one inclined his head (did she hear a touch of sarcasm in his voice?) and the two moved on.

Madeira folded the map neatly and put it in her pocket. The city above her was not so much lazing but looming she realized as she looked skyward. A shiver touched her back and she wondered, not for the first time, if she made the right decision to come here.

x

[Taurina]

An Afternoon in the Early Spring of 518

The journey had not been planned. Leaving home, family, and life was not something contemplated for long, if at all.. Taurina had just woken up one morning and decided that she needed to go, she had to. She had decided that it was too hard too remain in Endrykas when her heart wandered somewhere outside of her body. Decided that she could not watch her dear friend give birth to her love’s child when he was no where to be found. Decided that Endrykas could not be her home anymore. Not until she had learned how to survive again.

Everything had been packed into yvas bags and tacked onto Starfire. She had not said goodbye, not properly. Had not given any promises of return or reminded them that despite it all she still loved them all. It hurt too much. Knowing that this would only further destroy their hearts hurt too much.

It was Asher alone, the one who had always understood her shy nature and gentle soul, whom she had told. Somehow without too many words he had understood, and he had let her go. She brushed kisses upon his cheeks and hugged him tight as tears pricked eyes purple in the nighttime light. He had wished her well and promised that whenever -if ever- she came back she would always be welcomed with open arms. They were family. Forever into eternity. Love bonded them and that was something distance would never be able to break.

The gates grew as they drew closer and closer to them. So different from Endrykas the city of Riverfall was. Warriors with skin painted hues of blues, violets, reds, and greens protected it. It was a city of beautiful art and gorgeous buildings. People lived happy, stand-still lives here. It was not like Endrykas. Somehow that was comforting. It was also incredibly sad.

On her strider of white with the colorsplash mare she still owed trailing behind, Taurina approached the gate and the two Akalak men that guarded it. She gave them a tired smile, worn from her journey and from the company she had kept on it. She would be happy to get away from the overly excited Drykas merchants. Not that they were bad people and that the distractions had not been greatly needed, but Taurina was done. Her social need overfilled to the point of being drained.

"Welcome, traveler. Here is a scroll of welcome from the city. It contains a list of our laws, a map of the city, and some advertisements from local businesses that sponsor these scrolls to be made. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and turn this scroll back in when you leave so we can reuse it,” one of the two Akalak who approached instructed in a voice that could be considered nothing but serious.

Taurina took the worn scroll in her hands, looking over the contents of it even though she had seen and agreed to it before. It had been a long time since last she was in Riverfall. Nearly two years to the day in fact… Curious. She had never planned to return when she left. Funny how things never went as planned.

“Thank you, I agree to your laws,” Taurina promised, her own tone serious.

The Akalak with violet toned skin nodded before he added a warning, “be careful in the dark, there are shadows out there. Light and flame is all that has been found that works against them.”

Taurina nodded, slowly. Shadows? What did he mean by that? The Ethaefal was curious, frightened, but there were others behind her and she already felt as though she had taken too much time. Her hands clenched Starfire’s mane with a nervous grip as she decided against linger any longer. Later. She would find out from another later. Hopefully before dark.

“Thank you for the warning,” was all the Ethaefal said before she passed through the gates and entered the beautiful city of Riverfall.

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

[Faradae]

Faradae 21st of Spring, 518 AV When Faradae first spotted the domes of Riverfall she had heard so much about during her journey, she had been on the road for 60 days. While she usually preferred to use her wings to travel great distances, this time a caravan had proved to be more practical. She’d flewn from undead-heavy Sahova to Syliras, but the city had been overflowing with refugees after two nonexistent winters, and Faradae hated crowds. She’d done the natural thing and tried to find someone who needed a letter delivered so she could get some of her travel expenses back in and make the next move worth her while, but all she could find was a heavy parcel that needed transport to Riverfall. While not incredibly large, the delivery was impossible to carry in her bird harness, but the reward offered cancelled out the caravan cost, and she skipped buying a horse, tent or large amount of food, hunting for herself on the way. For a small fee, another traveller let her dump her parcel on his wagon, and that was that. Still, the extended travel had worn her out. Especially the slow moving cost her nerves. She could have covered the space between Syliras and Riverfall in half the time at least, and they were held up for several days when two of the scouts’ horses fell and broke a leg respectively. No ground travel without complications. She swiped a dirty hand over her dirty face to rid herself of sweat – the mid spring sun could be relentless when you spent the whole day facing it without shade. It took them another three bells to reach the ferry, and soon after she told her companions her goodbyes and took her parcel – she hadn’t become especially attached to any of them. She had seen her fair share of impressive cities and abstruse locations in the last years of her travels, but Riverfall left her stunned all over again. Towers and domes of intricate designs, coloured glass reflecting the sunshine, the splashing of water was audible even outside the gates. She was already impressed, and hadn’t seen more than a glance. The guard welcoming her at the gate seemed use to this sort of flubbergasted visitor. “Welcome to Riverfall,” he greeted her, “I take it you’re new to our city. Here is a scroll of welcome from Riverfall, it contains a list of our law’s a city map and some advertisements from local businesses that sponsor these scrolls to be made. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and turn this scroll back in when you leave so we can reuse it.” Fara nodded absent-mindedly as she opened the scroll and cast a quick glance over what she had been given. A map seemed incredibly useful to her, especially since she needed a delivery in a city she’d never been to before. These first courier runs in a new city were always the hardest ones, but she didn’t usually have a map. Kuvin and above? She frowned for a moment, then she remembered something the other travellers had told her: Kelvics were treated like tame animals in Riverfall. It might be smart to hide her true nature for the time being. It wouldn’t be too hard to escape the city gates when she needed to fly. And who knew, maybe she could smuggle this scroll out when she left again? Maps were nice to have, and nobody would remember to ask a bird to return a scroll as it left via airway. “Of course”, she finally responded to the guard and flashed him a smile before brushing past.

[Azmere]

19th of Summer 518AV

The man sat on the ferry and looked up to the city as it stretched towards the sky. The knights had said that Riverfall was a place to find answers. For the most part, the human spoke highly of the sprawling hub of life perched on a cliff that not only guards a river but stands watch over the sea as well. The position not only seemed strong but smart. From what he had gathered, the scarred vagabond could learn a lot from the warriors who lived and ruled over this place but he had to fall in line. There was a strict order and a numb intolerance for certain things -so the knights had claimed.

A cold canine nose pressed into the palm of the man’s hand. The contrasting gaze fell upon his companion’s icy stare and smiled. Rough hands shook slightly as they took the dog’s ears into their grasp and shook his fur in a loving yet rough sort of way. It seemed whenever the beast and the lost locked eyes that the animal was trying to convey some kind of message to the man. The hollow one tried to think on this but he kept coming back to the glaring issue of his present circumstance. He was heading into a place that he did not know without knowing who he was or how he could benefit such a well-constructed society. Normally, one might question the opinions of others on many subjects but the ignorance of a blank mind led to an innate need for trust.

As the trip wore on, the space given to the man and his dog was unmistakable. People gave them a wide berth but to pinpoint an exact reason among the many plausible ones might be difficult. The man was covered in scars and strange tattoos to the point that his eyes didn’t match. He carried rugged equipment and a decent amount of it then was flanked by a large dog - not huge, but imposing enough in its combination of physical prowess and seemingly intelligent stare. The pair smelled of stale air, stagnate water and a fear of baths. On top of that, the man and dog might each have been intimidating in their own right but the hungry look of their forms and the lost look on the man’s face left a sort of impression like he was not in his right mind.

The ferry docked and people unloaded, most of whom knew what to do and where to go. The man and his dog followed along at a slow pace. Heavy packs, poor diet and a limp took their toll. The scarred traveller grimaced with each step that put his weight down upon his left leg but he soldiered up towards the massive gates.

Just then, the sun broke through the clouds and its radiance sent the man staggering off to one side. He shielded his eyes and twisted on the path until he was turned around and his back was to the fiery globe. Even then, with only indirect light to content with, his eyes wanted to remain shut. Tears streamed down his face and left filthy streaks in their wake as the natural illumination settled in upon the man. He focused on his breathing and held his fingers against his eyes for a few ticks. Once he felt balanced, he allowed his hand to drop and then slowly opened his eyes once more.

The man stared at the ground and marveled at the detail he could see when he was able to focus even though the edges of his vision were certainly blurred. Chimes passed as people did the same. Everyone came and went in one direction or the other while he simply stood and tried to adjust to life above ground. There was a sick feeling in his gut for the longest time -like a lump of dirt but the gentle burn of the sun’s rays on his exposed skin was gradually melting away his unease. With a deep sigh, he closed his eyes again and turned around to face the city known as Riverfall. The man lifted his face to the sun and opened his eyes. More tears helped him fight through the pain and temporary blindness from the bright surroundings but his body adjusted at its own pace.

The gates were magnificent and worthy of the description given to the vagrant by one of the knights. With a set jaw and a bit of renewed strength, the pair set forth into Riverfall. When they passed under the great arch, a huge warrior of blue skin and large muscles stepped into his path. The massive hand held out a map and gave a greeting. "Welcome, traveler. Here is a scroll of welcome from the city. It contains a list of our laws, a map of the city, and some advertisements from local businesses that sponsor these scrolls to be made. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and turn this scroll back in when you leave so we can reuse it." The man must’ve stared in some kind of odd way at the host for the living giant rolled his eyes then walked away to greet other visitors.

The scarred man shrugged and moved along further into the city. There was so much to look at and so many people that the ground began to pitch and roll with each step. Clutching his welcome pamphlet and putting a hand down on the head of his furry friend, the weary traveller found himself tipping and leaning towards the nearest wall. After a few awkward steps and the sudden urge to shuck his load, the man dropped his bags and sat abruptly on top of them. It was a fall of sorts but the gear made it look more intentional that it actually was. The dog moved in and pressed his nose t the man’s leg. Rough hands stroked the animal’s neck then felt around on the pack until a waterskin was produced. The man lifted it to his lips and drank deeply. When he was done, he simply looked around with a bewildered expression. He had no idea how to start this next phase of his adventure of rediscovery. One thing was certain- he would need help.

Textbox courtesy of Firenze

[Naali]

Naali

21st Day of Summer, 518

21st Day of Summer, 518

Coming through the gates in a cage was not how Naali wanted to enter a new place. There was a sense of excitement in the air. Riverfall was different than where she grew up. The first thing she noticed was the amount of water. Water in the grasslands is worth its weight in gold, especially in the hot dry days of summer. Here the water flowed freely. No rationing it. The second thing she noticed was the breeze blowing in from the ocean. Cool air fighting the heat of the plains. Different smells assaulted her nose. Sea salt, dead fish, mixing with the smells of people’s sweat, and food being cooked all mixed giving an interesting odor. Something was missing though.

Naali’s nose twitched and she shifted in the cage. She had tried to get the Akalak warrior to take the collar of her. He didn’t understand her scratching, whimpering, and pushing on the collar. He probably thought she was a pet of one of the slavers, a prize to taken home. He had been nice enough, pushing meat through the cage at meal times. But the rope leash was a bit much when he let her out of the cage.

They were met by more guards and officials. Naali yelped and growled trying to get their attention. Oh how she wished she had a full bark like the wolves. A couple dogs near by started barking. She was told to be quiet by one of the men who hit the side of her cage. She flopped down and put her head on her paws, wrapping her tail around herself.

It wasn’t till later in the day that Naali finally got enough attention to get the collar removed. It happened when she managed to snag the collar and was choking herself, more like acting like she was choking. A skill one needs to have when your parents put you on a leash. You should have seen the warrior’s look when Naali changed form.

Even worse was the looks of the clerks that needed to do addendums on the earlier paperwork. It took a day to get her paperwork done, then another to get her personal possessions backs.