Weather Warning (Giannya)

[Aarias]

29th day of Winter 512 AV
Late Morning
"Weather Warning"

In the wee hours of the morning, the cold seeping into his tent as he clings to his covers for warmth. Sleep does not grace him often, the more he tries to focus on dreams, the more faces come poking at him from the shadows of his mind.

Helping the sick is a good deed. He reminds himself, closing his eyes only to see the haunting faces of young and old in shaking pain from the Pox and the cold. The more he convinces himself that he is doing a good deed, the worse the images become. The bile, shaking, frostbitten individuals seeming to take hold of his subconscience. High spirits are unlikely to be found here in Endrykas, depression and loneliness dominating emotions.

The soft sound of footsteps is heard entering the tent but they are heavy, leaving a trail of melting snow. Not recognizing the usual pop his brother's boots gave off, Aarias tenses. Slowly, his exhausted eyes, only getting spastic amounts of sleep, turn to try and focus on the looming shadowy figure.

A pair of arms grabs his torso, easily heaving him from the bed before he can open his mouth to shout. The air is released from his lungs as he makes contact with the floor of his tent. In those few heartbeats he tries to find the strength to stand up and face his opposer.

He scrambles to his feet, his legs shifting to a clean defensive stance and his hands in fists ready to fight. His opposer frowns, the long black hair woven with his usual strands of color.

"Pathetic." Master Wekyan Nightstone snaps, "Get your warm garments together and any supplies you think you'll need. I'm sending you out in search for stragglers. I'll be outside, make it quick!"

Stragglers? Aarias ponders to himself, recovering from Wekyan tossing him onto the ground. As quickly as he can, he makes a mental checklist of the supplies he will need. Preparing his bag with food, medical supplies, flint and steel as well as a few other necessities. Once packed he throws on as much warm clothes as he can find, layering himself for what he guesses will be him spending the night out in the Sea of Grass.

Pushing the tent flap open, Nightstone stands right in front of him. His lips are curved down as they usually are. It seems nothing can satisfy him. Luckily for Aarias, Wekyan took the liberty of taking his steed and even putting his Yvas on.

Before a words is uttered from Aarias, snow impaling the two in the morning breeze, Wekyan speaks in his gravely tone. "I need you to go out there," He points to the nearest exit of the city, "And find -anyone- who may be in trouble or needs a place to stay. We already have enough death on our hands with the Pox, we don't need the cold to take even more lives. By now, you should know how to survive in the wild winter. If you die out there, you weren't ready to become a true Watchman."

The orders have been given. By now Aarias knows just to bow to his Master and mount up, making sure his bag is secure. "You're on your own, Aarias. I won't be following behind you this time. Use your brain, not always your brawn. Dismissed!"

The warrior squeezes his heels into his strider and quickly bounds off for the sake of pleasing his master. After weaving through the rows of tents, Aarias finally bounds right out of Endrykas and slows down as to not tire out his strider. He scans the winter wonderland before him, constantly searching the rolling hills of white for anyone.

[Giannya]

Giannya stands up from the rock she was sat on inside the tent and walks out, wearing a coat she made herself and some warm boots covering both of her small feet. She looks at the land, narrowing her pale blue eyes, trying to see something out of the storm, but fails miserably.

She walks back inside her tent and sank down on the bed to continue her work. She's working on a coat for her brother since he's always outside to hunt a bit for them. Giannya never was the one to hunt. She can defend herself but she would never hurt animals- not even for food.

The wind blowing strongly outside can be heard from inside the small tent and it makes her shivers when she thinks about her brother out there on his own. She's always a bit scared for him. Scared that he'll never make it back... like the rest of her family. But in this country, nobody can survive for long. Health issues, anormal temperatures, fights are all leading to death here. Sadly.

She grabs a scarf that was on the end of her bed, made from thin wool she found hidden in her moms bag that she carries with her everywhere she goes. She also grabs her arrow and bow and walks out in the cold, ready to find her brother. It's time he comes back after the long day he was gone. He told her he would come back before the sun was setting down...

She walks out, holding her coat close to her small body, her boots helping her walk in the deep snow. She covers her nose, lips, chin and ears with the scarf and narrow her eyes to see the white around her. Only white.

[Aarias]

What seems to be hours pass as Aarias and his steed trudge through the collecting snow. The blizzard only gets worse and the cold collects onto his very soul as he and his strider. Coming to a halt before making his way up another hill, Aarias grabs some of the rough wool and fur blankets from the backpack.

With ease he slips from the strider, giving his neck a good rub, softly speaking his chilled words. "It'll *his teeth chatter* be alright." The words are more to satisfy himself, knowing his strider could survive. Wanting to be safe, he drapes the blankets over his striders neck and strong body, covering all that he can on top of the pad. He makes sure the Yvas can still be gripped. He easily pulls himself up onto his horse and shifts until he is comfortable on the back of his strider.

"Master Nightstone is trying to kill me." Breathes the Warriors conclusion. "At least I have your love, Nevzor. You won't leave me to die out here in the blizzard." The smile comes across Aarias' face as he buries his face once again into his chest, pulling his fur lined cloak around him as they start moving again.

His dark bay Courser shakes his head, responding well to his master's touch as Aarias strokes the mane. The horse would definitely be a contrast to the white snow.

"That man is going to be the death of me." Aarias fumbles around with his fingers before gripping the Yvas once more, giving a light squeeze to Nevzor as he responds well. Their journey is long from over.

By now Aarias is starting to see the wind pick up clouds of snow. His vision is impaired, unable to see even ten feet in front of him. Luckily, as the warrior moves, the pelting of the icy snow lessens. More vision is gained but not much, at least it's quiet -deathly- quiet in the planes.

He blinks and blinks again, thinking he sees something move in the snow. Try as he might, scoping his vision and narrowing his eyes do nothing to further his cause. With no other option, he feels like, he picks up the pace and heads towards the unknown figure. It could be just a figment of his imagination or he could be saving a life.

[Giannya]

Giannya lowers her head slowly, rubbing her chilled arms and looks at hee feet as she makes her way through the heavy snow. She feels a shiver down her spine and quickly look up. She narrows her eyes as she sees something in the distance and blinks, thinking it's her brother.

A small smile plays on her lips. She listens to the wind, dancing around her and sighs. She can't hear anything else. She would scream his name but here, you never know. It could also be someone or something who would attack her.

Giannya decides to move faster and see what or who this is, even if it isn't her brother. She needs to know. She looks behind her at her tent, a few km away now and bit her pale and trembling lips.

The sun is setting down quickly, the sky is already darker than a few minutes earlier. Night is almost there. But her brother isn't... She can't be satisfied with this, she can't know for sure that what she sees in the distance is her brother, but it sure is moving and alive.

Giannya twists her shivering fingers around a curl that fell off from her braids and hides it behind her ear. She walks quicker and begins to see a human male ontop of a horse. She blinks and starts running. This haves to be her brother...

[Aarias]

Aarias and Nevzor bound towards Giannya, having no idea who she is or what danger she may bring. His hand wraps around his Falchion grip, the sword resting in the scabbard. If it weren't for the slight curve to the sword and its S shaped guard, giving the otherwise normal looking longsword the Falchion features. The blade is well made with a hilt with a pommel, sturdy cross guard and a sharp steel blade.

When he feels he has gotten close enough, Aarias raises his chin and yells through the flakes of snow. There is well over a foot already on the ground. By the look of the sky, more on its way. As the sun creeps under the horizon, the dark clouds start to swallow the rest of the sunlight.

So this is what Master Nightstone was talking about when he said stragglers. He actually meant it. Perhaps he doesn't want me dead after all!
The small smile appears on Aarias' chapped face, windburns from constant riding far from evident in the fading light. Giannya might be able to catch his gaze though.

"It's not advised to be wondering about aimlessly in a blizzard you know." Aarias jokes, his voice as crisp as the air around them.

The tall Drykas warrior removes any flapping strands of hair from his own face once they come into talking range. Nevzor lets out a large breath of air, an ear flickering in some sort of "strider language" perhaps. Aarias dismounts, his hand still on his sword as he cautions the lady. In his mind he plays out scenarios of how this meeting could progress; bad, bloody, frozen alive... none of them are good outcomes.

"Do you belong to the seven clans of Endrykas or have you lost your way?" He stands ready, his inner guard blocking his intentions of saving Giannya. Aarias looks as though he can release the Falchion from its scabbard at any second and slice her cleanly in half.

His actions are reasonable in his mind for he does not know if she is a friend or a foe. I shouldn't have gotten off of my mount. It seems his heart has come through too fast with wanting to help her that he has forgotten his training. Master Nightstone would kill me if he saw this. Is all Aarias thinks about as he waits for some sort of answer from Giannya.

[Giannya]

Giannya quickly stops walking when she sees a young man in front of her. One she doesn't know. She doesn't seem scared or anxious about him though, noticing he's from this land.

- You're not my brother, she speaks outloud and sighs, loudly. Too bad... I am from one of the seven clans here, she says. Ruby, she adds, touching the clothes she made herself. I live here with my brother, I was looking for him because he told me he would be back before the sun set down... I guess it's kind of late now. I was scared since I've already lost my family here, she admitted to the stranger, her hand finds her chest, feeling the necklace with her moms ring on it she had before her death.

She doesn't reacts the way anyone else would, opening a conversation with the young man already, but still on her guards. Her hand finds a bow and arrow behind her back in case he attacks but she keeps watching him, attentive and curious. She lets a small sigh again.

- You're from one of the clans, aren't you? she asks, noticing how he looks and his horse behind. I don't travel with mine sadly, she adds, meaning the horse. What's your name? she asks, curiously, inspecting him and the horse behind, staying where she is.

[Aarias]

The warrior finds himself chuckling at Giannya, the spoiled air around them seeming to lift as Aarias lets down some of his guard. Calloused fingers slip from the leather wrapped grip of his Falchion. What an odd way to react. I thought I could be intimidating if I wished it. Aarias ponders internally.

"No, I do not believe that we are siblings. Although it would be quite the kicker to find a long lost sibling, would it not?" He laughs again, unable to contain it. Before he can open his mouth to ask where she lives, her answer comes swiftly to his ears. Acknowledging her words with a nod.

His eyebrow raises by her reactions once more. She doesn't seem too distraught about -not- finding her brother in a storm such as this.

"The sun is just setting ma'am - perhaps he is now just returning home to find that you aren't there. Now he is the one who is worried. Allow me to escort you home."

Aarias pauses, forgetting to introduce himself. The light comes on and he offers her a quick bow of his head out of respect. "My name is Aarias Stormshadow and I am of the Diamond Clan." The smile invades his face but doesn't stay long. "Have you been out here long? Are you frozen to the bone? Here..." He steps back to his shifting strider and takes one of the blankets. Still being a bit careful, he steps closer to Giannya and offers it the warm fur to her.

"You seem displeased with me being a part of the clans." He honestly states, feeling a bit of a sharp poke to her words. Perhaps he is just assuming wrong. "No matter what you may feel, allow me to help you home and make sure you're safe. It's my duty to. If your brother doesn't come home then I shall assist you in finding him. I insist that, no matter how capable you are - I have no doubts in your ability - ... two is always better than one when facing the dangers of the Sea of Grass."

[Giannya]

Giannya narrows her eyes at him, wondering why he's being nice suddenly but also wondering why he's chuckling at her. He seems so... amused? She stands still but don't take the blanket from him- not from strangers. She believe he won't hurt her but he's not her friend yet. Though she haves to help him. She won't let him there, alone in the cold night.

- I don't need the blanket, no, thank you though, she says, softly, almost in a whisper. I believe it would be a good idea to return back but I wasn't outside for a long time, she admits. Here, take the blanket, you seem like you need it more than I do, she says.

She turns and looks at him over her shoulder.
- Follow me, we can go back to my tent, there it'll be warm. You can stay for a bit and if you need to sleep, we have an extra bed. Are you okay? Did you get hurt while you came here? she asks, softly, stopping midway as she walks to face him and inspects to see if he looks hurt. Oh right... I didn't tell you my name, I'm Giannya. Giannya Craftsilk.

She waits still for his answer, knowing if he's hurt she could help since it was one of her skill. She was a good helper with others, she would always help them if they were hurt, like she did for her brother.

[Aarias]

Aarias' smiling face somewhat fades, the ice from his breath collected on the scruff of his beard. It's obvious that he has spent hours in the bitter cold. His auburn colored hair is speckled with snow and ice.

A frown quickly flashes as she rejects the blanket. "It's only a blanket." He tells her softly, offering it one last time. "Are you sure?" If she persists her current path, he wraps the cloak back around his strider, knowing that the warmth of her tent will be enough for him to be comfortable.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Craftsilk." The warrior proclaims proudly before recoiling into the warmth of his cloak once again. He believes there is no point in getting back on his strider. With a sharp whistle, Nevzor turns in their direction, following beside Aarias as he walks to Giannya. When she starts to walk again, he keeps a steady pace with her as he picks up his knees in order to plow through the heavy snow.

"I am not hurt, only chilled to the bone. The offer for shelter is very kind, I appreciate it and the offer of a warm bed to sleep in. I am sure Master Nightstone would want me to refuse your offer. Not to doubt his expertise but I am sure he didn't predict -this- much snow would reach us."

His head bows to his chest and he lets out a series of coughs, the cold disrupting his throat. Once clear, he looks over at Giannya, seeming to study her as casually as he can before looking to their path. She is correct to assume that he won't hurt her. When dealing with people, Aarias has been taught never to instigate a fight but to protect others when one does arise.

"I am assuming your brother left your tent in order to find some food? If you could have helped him, why did you not accompany him?" His tone nothing but curious. "I too have a brother - two years older. One might say that he takes pride in his family, his family being me. Hovering over my shoulder and acting like any older brother would. He means well and I thank him for all his concern but I can take care of myself. Vacien, my brother, forgets I am twenty most days."

They walk and walk, the sun depleting under the horizon. By the time they might reach the tent, all sunlight has faded. The moon attempts to shine through the thick clouds, creating a hazy illuminated circle in the sky but nothing more. The snow doesn't help their sight though.

[Giannya]

Giannya peeks over at him, beside her and bits her lips, noticing he looks sick. She hears him cough and cough and frowns a bit, feeling bad for him and sorry. It's kind of sad. She hopes he'll be better and she hopes she can help him once home.

- You don't have to lie if you do feel sick, she says and smiles, softly, trying to be nice to him. You must have caught a cold, she whispers, to herself a bit.

She shivers a bit, hugging herself and even if it's hard to see with the heavy snow, she sees her tent and her face brightens up a little, She sighs and looks at him.

- We're here, she says. Maybe my brother will be back soon... maybe he was caught in the cold or the snow.

She tries to walk as fast as she can in the snow with him and the horse and finally reaches the tent, in the darkness. She looks at him.

- Okay, let's go inside, she says, lifting the door of the tent gently.

Giannya walks inside and looks at him. She walks to the corner and starts a small fire. She also grabs some soup she made before and walks over to him.

- Here, eat this, you'll feel better.