Flashback A Parting Gift. (Vanari)

[Kawa Snowsong]

Winter, Day 56, 507 AV

"As much as I appreciate the music, kid, do ya think we could get any fishing done today?"

Kawa's eyes opened, shining yellow in the morning light. He was sitting outside of his family's home in the Snowsong hold, his distinct bone flute raised to his lips. He did not even need to look over to see who had spoken to him.

"Ah, Ganar! Good morning!"

Ganar Coolwater, friend of Kawa's father and the boy's teacher of sorts, returned the enthusiastic greeting with a grin.

"Well, someone's lively this morning. I take it the Birthing Day celebration went well?"

The mention of last night's events brought an even larger smile to Kawa's face, as he nodded happily.

"Better than I ever expected. My music was very well received by the family... Most of them, anyway." Kawa ran a hand through the yellow part of his hair, chuckling nervously.

"And what did your old man say when he learned about it?" The fisherman asked, his eye color shifting slightly.

Kawa's eyes, however, grew an even brighter yellow.

"Father was very, very happy... That is all I will say about that."

"Alright, alright. So, ya ready to start another fun-filled day? I found an extra rod last night, so ya got two chance to mess up!" The older man asked, offering one of said rods to his 'apprentice'.

"Actually, Ganar..." Kawa responded slowly, his eyes turning pink. "I... was wondering if I could be excused from our practice today. There's something I need to do..."

"Your breaking ma heart, kid! Don't ya want to spend any time with old Ganar?"

The youth blinked, and quickly shook his head, apparently not noticing that his tutor was still grinning.

"No! I did not mean anything by it, Ganar! I just need to take care of something, and it probably needs to be done today... most likely..."

This earned a raised eyebrow and a laugh.

"Most likely? I don't know kid, doesn't seem important enough to let ya..."

"Please Ganar!" Kawa interrupted him, his eye color shifting rapidly. "I just need a few hours! Just this once!"

To his credit, Ganar managed to keep himself from laughing at Kawa's face, which screamed desperation. Instead, he simply placed a hand on the Vantha's shoulder.

"I'm kiddin' ya, Kawa. Go do whatever it is ya need to, I'll be busy... er... 'searching for suitable fishing spots.'"

Kawa's eyes turned yellow, as he quickly slipped his flute under the fur coat he wore and picked up his backpack off of the snow-covered ground.

"Thank you, Ganar!" He yelled, before running off down the street.

Said man blinked slowly, before letting out a very confused laugh.

"Er... Your welcome?... What in Great Morwen's name is that boy up to?"

[Vanari]

"Gods, Mother. For the last time, I don't need this! How would I even carry it?"

The eldest Skyglow held out an icepick as long as her arms, trying to shove it back into her weeping mother's hands. All composure and bravado had abandoned the master sculptor's face; she was sniffling uncontrollably, her gnarled, iron-strong fingers swiping every few ticks at the slickness beneath her glittering eyes.

Vanari sighed, set down the pick with a clunk to lean against a drawer, and pulled her mother into an awkward hug. She suddenly felt so small and frail, nothing like the brusque, bustling workaholic the teen so vividly remembered from her childhood. They were never a terribly intimate family, but now seemed as good a time as any to start being one.

"I know..." was all she murmured into the thick of her mother's furs. "I know."

They stood there for a time, neither uttering a single word. Their tears soaked quietly into each other's furs, seeping in and disappearing without a trace. Her mother was the first to break the silence, coughing roughly before pushing herself out of her daughter's arms and babbling something about too much work to be done and having to do everything herself because no one was competent enough. Ah, some things just never change.

After a few more bells, the matron's professional gruffness had made its full recovery and she kicked her daughter out of the house, insisting Vanari make proper goodbyes to all their neighbors, friends, and relatives.

The Vantha teen did as she was told...at first, but quickly grew tired of civilities and could no longer hold back her impatience. She broke off in a run after the third or fourth visit, heading to the spot she and Kawa had agreed to meet the night before.

As she jogged through the brisk, icy streets, her breaths creating puffs of white clouds that trailed wispily behind her, Vanari held a hand to her right pocket to ensure the gift was still there, safe and snug in its canvas wrapping. It had taken her all night to finish but it had been worth it; none of her other carvings would do.

Skyglow hold soon fell behind into the background as she continued running, her heavily wrapped feet now creating little holes in the blanket of fresh snow. It was getting to be rough work, keeping up the pace as icy air stung her lungs each time she panted, but she kept her legs pumping, glad for the extra warmth and unwilling to be late for once. She focused on the movement, on placing one foot in front of the other, and let all other worries fall silent.

It didn't take long to reach the little enclave where she and Kawa had first met. There was more snow now than yesterday, but she swiped one of the slabs of stone clear and plopped down, rubbing her hands to stay warm as she waited.

Ah! Right, she remembered, then pulled out a simple flute she'd borrowed from a cousin out of her backpack. Setting it on her lap, Vanari resumed her waiting, knees bouncing as she drank in the whiteness of her home for the last time.

[Kawa Snowsong]

Kawa had never been good at remembering paths. When he was not following Ganar to different fishing spots, Kawa would either stay in his home, or go to one of the few places he had memorized how to get back from. The clearing where he had met Vanari was somewhere he had found himself in by accident, and the only reason he had not gotten lost on the way back home was because Avanthal kind of stuck out in the ocean of white that was Taldera.

However, yesterday's events were so clear in the boy's mind that in was no trouble for him to 'retrace his footsteps'.

Well, mostly anyway, he did manage to lose his way twice during the trip. But the point is, he knew where he was going.

Kawa was almost to the meeting point, when a sudden thought occurred to him. Slowing to a halt, he carefully dropped his backpack to the ground, and undid the leather clasp.

'What kind of idiot am I? Why would you give this kind of gift to a Skyglow?'

His eyes turning blue, Kawa gently retrieved a small wooden flute, one that he had been up most of the night carving. He had been working on the instrument for the past week, but had done his best to get it finished after the feast the previous night.

The wind instrument was quite simple, and small for that matter. It only had three holes, two for notes and the last for the basic sound. It played nicely, though it was higher pitched than Kawa's bone flute. He had made several of these before, but he had to say this was his best work.

Not that it meant much...

'I couldn't even get a design on it...'

It had been far too late by the time the Vantha finished carving the basic flute, and his tiredness from the day's events as well as his own carelessness had earned him another... decoration, in the form of a fresh cut along the side of his left thumb. A part of his brain was beginning to question if he was making these mistakes on purpose, due to how often they occurred.

Sighing, Kawa returned his gift to his pack, and returned the carrier to his shoulder. Taking a breath to calm himself, the youth took off into a run, determined to reach Vanari before that doubting side of him got the better of him.

The fact that the girl was sitting on a rock and waiting when he got there did not help matters.

[Vanari]

As she waited, the anxious teen alternated between fiddling with her borrowed flute and the hastily finished gift in her pocket. The more ticks that seemed to go by, the more she began to doubt her decision and realize the finality of her actions. Only a few more bells, and she would need to be on her way, likely never to return. What had she been thinking? Did she even really know what she was doing? How would she even begin to cope if things ended in complete disaster?

...Would Kawa even like it?

Vanari was just in the midst of considering chucking her gift into the woods when her friend suddenly popped into view, looking, oddly enough, as troubled as she was.

"Kawa!" she beamed, waving with her free hand as the other held the flute in her lap. Digging around her pockets, she fished out the canvas bundle and braced herself as Kawa approached, the pale, morning sunlight reflecting off his yellow highlights.

She stuck out her hand, her brows knit with worry. It was now or never. "Um, I just wanted to give you this...I'm not the best carver yet but...I made it for you...err, yeah. Actually, it can be kind of useful! See..."

Vanari, forgetting her nervousness for the briefest of moments, unfolded the canvas to reveal a wooden carving the size of a biscuit. On it, she had carved Kawa's semblance playing the flute, surrounded by a sea of smiling faces. It was a bit crude and simplistic, but she wanted something he could remember the night they had shared and the incredible approval he had received from complete strangers. She hoped, in some way, the carving would remind him of his accomplishment and, perhaps, lend a bit of pride he sorely deserved.

She flipped the carving over, showing a pin that had been attached snugly in the back. "It's a broach you can wear--or, um, not wear if it's too embarrassing--but I designed the clasp myself! It's really easy to use, you just hook it in, like this..."

The flustered teen managed somehow to carefully push the pin through Kawa's cloak, then clicked the clasp downward so that the needle stayed in place. "Yeahh, it's kind of...clunky. But at least it works, if you ever have some urgent need to, uh, pin something. Look! I managed to borrow this crummy old flute from my cousin! Do you think you could teach me a thing or two on it? In exchange for something you'd like to learn too, of cour--"

Vanari halted to an awkward stop, realizing a bit too late she had babbled on in her jittery state. Her mouth opened on reflex to apologize, then shut again as she bit her tongue.

[Kawa Snowsong]

Kawa had accepted that Vanari was just going to keep surprising him, but that didn't stop him from standing awkwardly in confusion while she spoke quickly, stumbling over her words as she presented him with her gift.

It was not until his friend fell silent, that the musician finally realized that Vanari was just as nervous as he was about the gifts. It made him feel... guilty, knowing that he was, in a way, responsible for distressing the girl.

So, remembering all the tales he had heard throughout the seasons, Kawa did the only thing he could think to do.

Gently, he wrapped his arms around the older Vantha, and pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you, Vanari, I love it."

A few ticks later, the youth leaned back, though did keep his arms in place.

"And I would be delighted to teach you how to play, if you are willing to put up with me." Kawa laughed, smiling at his friend.

Then, the side of him that was actually paying attention to what he was doing kicked in, and the color pink flooded both his eyes and cheeks; and with it came his previous nervousness.

"Oh... and... I... eh..."

With a much more reluctance than he was proud of, Kawa realized his hold on Vanari, and retreated a few steps, laughing unsteadily.

"That is... Um... I..."

Breathing in deeply, the boy closed his eyes, and removed the backpack from his... well, back.

"I also made you something, though it..."

With shaking hands, he undid the clasp, finally reopening his eyes to search for his gift.

Then, slowly, he removed the small flute from within his pack.

"I did not have a chance to carve a design into it..."

[Vanari]

Vanari's eyes went wide and violet as Kawa hugged her in gratitude. In that moment, she was for once grateful for her height, since it meant Kawa had no way of seeing how fiercely she was blushing.

"I--er--I'm glad you like it..."

By the time he released her, his eyes a familiar pink of deep embarrassment, she had more or less recovered, the icy air as good a remedy for flushed cheeks as any.

Kawa then mentioned having made her something as well, and when he pulled a small flute from his backpack...

Vanari gave a small cry of joy, dropped the borrowed flute in her surprise, and had to scramble to pick it back up. She brushed some snow hastily off it before stuffing it back into her own pack, then carefully took the little flute from Kawa's hands.

The teen held it close to her face, examining and admiring its every surface and detail. It was lovely, and made just the way she preferred most craftsmanship--simple, elegantle, and competent. Looking up with a huge grin on her face, she realized for the first time that Kawa had the same sleep deprived, slightly delirious look about him that she did. So, she wasn't the only one who had slaved all night, it seemed.

Vanari cradled the flute to her chest. "I'll cherish this forever. Thank you, Kawa, it's wonderful."

She then swiped some snow from the spot on the slab of stone and plopped down, patting the empty space next to her. "Come, there's no time to waste. Ready when you are!"

[Kawa Snowsong]

"I'll cherish it forever..."

Kawa had heard that line many times sitting around the Hold during story-time, from many a story-teller. But to have a gift from him be honored in such a way...

He knew there was something he should say here, but unlike everyone in the stories, he was not a silver-tongued charmer. Thankfully, he did not need to be.

"I am... very glad that you like my work." Kawa settled on, joining Vanari on the rock. "It is... not exactly a flute you can play a lot of songs on. Due to its size, it is best suited for musical accompaniment or to play a simple piece. Bone is better for such instruments, but I am not actually allowed to carve with bone anymore..."

The youth rubbed a part of his hand, shivering at a less-that-pleasant memory. That attempt had not gone well... at all.

Glancing down at the broach on his coat, Kawa's eyes suddenly, and quite literally, lit up.

"Vanari... If we have time, do you think you could show me how to carve designs like that? I know the basics of making instruments and such, my mother is from the Skyglow Hold after all, but I..."

The Vantha blinked, suddenly realizing the connection.

"Oh... Well, I completely forgot about that..."

[Vanari]

Vanari found herself struck by surprise once more. " Your mother is a Skyglow? How interesting! I suppose that makes quite a bit of sense now, since you're both a musician and a flute carver."

As she spoke, she touched Kawa's gift lovingly, wondering distantly if perhaps she too could someday learn to carve an instrument. But, that was another worry for another day.

"And certainly, you already have the essential skills for carving so it'll probably be really easy for you to learn. We have a few tricks up our sleeves, but nothing that would be too much for someone who can make something as lovely as this!"

Vanari waved the little flute around cheerily, then settled into a more serious demeanor. "Phew, alright, shall we begin? How do I even hold it?"

She fiddled a bit with the flute, turning it this way and that to no avail.

"Morwen, this may take longer than I originally thought..."

[Kawa Snowsong]

Kawa was unable to keep himself from laughing, as he gently plucked the flute from Vanari's hands. He turned the instrument the correct way, and flipped it over so that the two note holes were on top, before returning it to his friend's grasp.

"There. My apologies, I did not even consider that you had never played a flute before. I will do my best to explain it."

Retrieving his own bone flute from its strap on his belt, the Vantha showed his friend the end that was cut open.

"I will guess that you know that all wind instruments are played by a musician blowing into them. Air is the source of their sound and the means to make music with. However, simply blowing into the flute will not make the desired sound... For example..."

Kawa raised the flute to his lips, and began breathing through the instrument, creating an uneven, quiet noise.

With a shrug, the black-haired youth lowered his prized possession.

"That much I believe everyone knows. However, I demonstrated it because it is important to understand that playing any of this type of instrument requires proper breathing..."

Suddenly, the boy blinked, and blushed.

"Oh, sorry if I am boring you. This is just how Father explained it to me... If in slightly less detail."

[Vanari]

Vanari listened attentively, nodding as Kawa explained the basics of creating sound through the flute. Proper breathing--that sounded similar enough to singing. It wouldn't be that different, right?

She was just about to find out, when her friend blushed and abruptly stopped, apologizing instead for the lesson. "No, this is not boring at all! I know next to nothing about flutes, so this is all fresh news to me. Please, do continue!"

So on they went, progressing through all the most fundamental issues and concepts of playing the flute. Vanari tried over and over to breathe life to a decent sounding note, sending air through holes and pursing her lips this way and that, but to no avail. And, despite her flute's small size, it was a bit tricky finding a comfortable way to hold it up and press down on the holes without feeling clumsy or awkward.

Again and again she blew, but all that came forth were breathy, hollow rushes of air. She longed to hear herself produce one--just one--note sweet and high with clarity, like her Snowsong friend could, but it kept eluding her like slippery bar of soap.

She heaved a sigh, lowered the flute for a moment, and glanced at Kawa. "Got any tricks for this?"