Completed The Best Of Days

[Tessa Bane]

1st of Summer of 513 A.V.
Sunrise

Tessa gingerly stepped out of the nook in the tree she had called camp that night, her tail swishing in the cool morning breeze. It was just a few hours after sunrise, and the dew was still wet on the leaves. Marigold, her mountain pony, whinnied happily to see her.
Strolling over to where she had lay water traps made of leaves, which were now filled with sparkling dew, she collected the water in her waterskin. The glistening drops slid into the water skin with ease, and soon the waterskin was full to capacity.
She shifted the now heavy skin in her knapsack and plucked a few raspberries off a bush as she went to collect the few things she had left in the tree, which was now much too small for her human form.
Tessa fingered her mother's necklace for good luck, then prepared for the trip towards the city of Lhavit.
Today was going to be the day she stopped living in the wilderness and started living in the city.
But the day had also been yesterday.
And last week.
And the day the Zith had attacked.
Tessa swallowed, hard. Trying to forget that memory was impossible.
The problem was Tessa had never liked living in cities or towns, always feeling more at home in the wild, living off rainwater and dew, and scavenging for berries and nuts.
After the attack on the only people Tessa called family, she had run from her Kelvic traveling group. Ending up living in other peoples' houses for the next year of her life.
In the late spring, Tessa had escaped into the Misty Peaks of Lhavit where she grew used to the wilderness, living off wild berries and mice she caught in her cat form.
Every once in a while, Tessa encountered other people, also living off Lhavit's great wild. But as the blistering summer went on, she saw less and less of travellers, as the forests in The Misty Peaks became bug-infested.
As the summer went on food became less desirable as well, with the fresh berries of spring drying out and leaving only the foul tasting summer berries and chirping crickets for food. Water was also becoming a pain to find, Tessa had to get up earlier and earlier to prevent the dew in the water traps from evaporating.
So with the coins Tessa had kept with her since the attack, she was going to move closer to the city of Lhavit and get a job.
Tessa shivered as the morning wind blew over her naked body, clothes were just something used to keep warm, she reasoned, not a necessity. It was near impossible to shift while wearing clothes, anyway.
She momentarily wondered if she could really do it this time, living in the city.
Whats different about today, Tessa thought confidently, Is that I'm three years of age today. A special day, for a special new life. I will go into the city of Lhavit, and I will survive well. Tessa scooped up Marsh, the kitten she had raised since his mother and the others in his litter were eaten by a dire grizzly bear. Popping several more handfuls of berries into her mouth, she shifted to a cat again. Tessa was frequently hungry, as shifting forms often took a lot of energy.

It was about a three days travel to The Amaranthine Gate, the quickest path being to head east towards the Amaranthine River, then finding the path that circles the center peak of Lhavit then on to the city. Just getting to the river would take half a day, finding the treacherous path taking until nightfall, Tessa planned to set up camp at the base of the path, taking in account that a fire and shelter had to be made up before the sun set.

Tessa stretched in a path of warm sunshine before jumping up onto Marigold, and setting off towards The Amaranthine River.
Today would be the day.
The best of days.

[Tessa Bane]

1st of Summer of 513 A.V.
Nearing Sunset

Tessa lightly licked the cool, clear river water of the Armaranthine River. The day was getting dark now, and she knew well she best be starting to set up camp, but Tessa took a few, sweet moments to enjoy the refreshing drink of water after the day's journey. The water from her water skin had been from the leaf-and-bark water traps she had made back at the camp. There was always filaments of dirt and plant particles in it, and the water always tasted stale. The river water was clear and cool, the best drink she had tasted in a long while.
Marsh slept on Marigold's back, having passed out half way to the river. Savoring the last drops of water, Tessa left Marsh to sleep while Marigold drank and went to go set up camp.

Taking a moment to roll her aching shoulders, Tessa tossed her heavy pack onto the grass. Shifting into her form with actual opposable thumbs, she pulled a cloak over her nude body for warmth and unfolded the tarp onto the soft grass, using the thick brush growing just above the ground as a roof to her shelter.
Tessa then turned to her backpack, setting aside the flint and steel for a fire. Wandering back into the forest for firewood, she picked up several pieces of dry tinder from the ground, using the cloak as a makeshift cloth basket for the wood. She made her way back to the camp, careful not to step on any sharp rocks or high roots.
Piling the sticks in a dip of the earth, Tessa easily got a spark going.
Now, for food. Tessa looked around the campsite, there wasn't many food sources other than the river, and without a fishing rod Tessa couldn't really get any food from that. Although she did still have about six days left of berries and nuts left, some meat would have been better. Slipping off her cloak and eating a handful of nuts for energy, Tessa felt the ground get closer, felt a tail and whiskers grow, and feel her senses sharpen as she shifted into her golden wildcat form.
Silent as a shadow, Tessa listened for any sign of prey, the swish of bird wings, the rustle of sleeping hogs, and then, a tiny squeak, barely audible. Carefully slinking towards the sound, Tessa stalked the well-sized mouse.
One more step.. Then its dinnertime.. She hunched backwards and leaped onto the small rodent, catching it by surprise.
Sinking her sharp incisors into the rodents' neck, she killed it quickly.
After decapitating and spitting the head into the bushes, Tessa dragged the mouse back to the campsite and begun her meal.
Looking at the road ahead of her, she realised the path was not much of a path at all, more towards a climb. The steep, ragged terrain seemed unforgiving and harsh. The short but hard trek she had taken from her previous campsite would seem like a cakewalk compared to this. Finishing her meal, Tessa gaged how long it would really take to get up to the city. Unlike her assumption of a few hours, the journey upwards would take closer to a few days.
Sighing as much as a cat could, Tessa decided to get some sleep for the long days ahead. Yawning, she crawled under the brush and curled up in the thin blanket, falling asleep instantly.

There was only light.. Just a blank, open, light... An untouched piece of cotton, purely white. The girl felt as if she was walking through water, never seeming to find solid ground, always resisted... Time didn't matter here... It was forever frozen in one moment, one second... There was no sound, just an empty silence that made the girl believe she had gone deaf. She felt as if there was a bright light shining behind her eyelids, as it seemed she was walking with her eyes closed, seeing nothing but white as she walked. No matter how hard she tried to open her eyes, the girl felt as if they were glued shut... As if the things before her were never meant to be seen...

[2nd of Summer 513 A.V.]
[Sunrise]

Tessa jolted upright on the tarp, bumping into Marsh, who had apparently moved his sleeping spot to on top of Tessa's back. Marsh hissed angrily after being so rudely awaked and stretched in the early morning light. It about time they started up the mountain towards the gates.

Using her nose to roll the tarp back up and nudge it into the backpack, she chewed on a mouse bone, her stomach growling. Tessa knew she shouldn't be shifting this much, as shifting from form to form often sucked energy right out of her, but she couldn't very well use her paws to lift the saddlebags onto Marigold. Shivering in her now hairless form, Tessa heaved the saddlebags full
of her camping items onto Marigold, who calmly waited for her to finish.
Tessa stroked Marigold and briefly remembered how Marigold had found Tessa, and how they had bonded, not quite a Kelvic bond, but a bond of friendship.

OOC :

See http://www.mizahar.com/forums/topic38390.html for Flashback

[Tessa Bane]

4th of Summer 513 A.V.
Midday

Nearing the top of the climb, Tessa had only about two days worth of food left, but as close to the city as she was, Tessa chose not to think about that fact. Seeing the path widen a bit up ahead, she slid off of Marigold and let the tired horse walk on her own.

Resting on the side of the path, Tessa fed Marigold some of the long grasses she had collected earlier as a substitute to grazing. Lhavit was practically in sight now, and it would only take about half an hour longer to

Walking the last part of the journey to the Amaranthine Gate, Tessa finally realized what she had gotten herself into, having no job, barely any real career experience, and not nearly enough money for a decent inn, although if she put up a tent in a enclosed alley, she might be covered.
Other than being good with horses and various other animals, Tessa had no real career experience.
Sighing, she stopped to lean on Marigold and massage her aching feet. Closing her eyes, she imagined, despite the blazing sun, the cool, damp pleasure of the forest, now far below.
Her eyes still closed, Tessa leaned against the rock face of the peak they were now climbing. Although she knew it was a foolhardy idea, Tessa took a step out with her eyes still closed, imagining stepping out of the heat and into the cool, clear brush once again.
But with her eyes closed, Tessa missed her footing and tripped over an exposed root of some long dead tree. In attempting to regain her footing, Tessa turned and twisted her ankle the wrong way.
Screaming out in pain, fell to the ground and lay on her back before pulling up her pant leg to see what had caused the intense pain. Her entire ankle was pink and swollen.
Biting her tongue to keep from screaming again, Tessa whistled for Marigold, who immediately turned towards her from munching on the handful of grasses she was snacking on.
Kneeling down, the horse let Tessa drag herself onto her saddle. Stroking Marigold's mane, she whispered to the horse, who obviously sensed something was wrong.
"Its okay, Goldie. Its just a little sprain.." Wincing in pain even as Marigold stood up, Tessa grasped the reins firmly and continued up the path. This would not be the end of her journey. This is the beginning, Tessa thought firmly, NOT the end.
She could see the gates now,
and past the giant gates, lay the great city of the skies,
Lhavit.
At last.

[Elysium]

Tessa

XP:
Hunting +1
Horsemanship +1
Wilderness Survival +2
Observation +1

Lore:
Hunting: How to Catch a Mouse
How to Start a Fire
Lhavit: The Amaranthine River
Recognizing a Sprain

Notes: Your writing has improved! Good work. I'm interested to see what Tessa does in the city.

and so, the journey continues...