Closed A delicate friendship

[Aurorah]

Aurorah Timestamp: Winter 513 AV The wind whipped Aurorah's hair, the coarse velvet like strands stinging as they floated past her eyes. Annoyed, she forced her frozen, clammy hands to work, and braid the three bits together. Another gust of the icy cold wind racked her protesting bones. Winter was in full swing among the Cyphrus Plains and many of the flimsier tents and caravans had packed up, seeking a place with shelter from the raw and merciless elements. Her own Tent was barely enough to serve her against the cold, and game in the Sea of Grass grew scarce. A pair of horses rushed past her, invading her space, and her indignant shout was not heard in the thunderous booming of the beasts' hooves. As she saw more horsemen racing towards her, she pushed past a dancer who had managed to rack up quite an audience. The dancer scowled at her, narrowing his eyes, and one of the women watching booed her, as another man invited her to dance. Aurorah did not like the keen, almost predatory look in his eyes, and sidestepped to avoid his reaching arms. That was the exact reason why she preferred it when her animal was let loose. The cat was stronger than the human, and attracted far less attention. She imagined what she must look like now. A Zeltivan woman whose features were almost more animal than human in the middle of Endrykas - a whole world away from where she was supposed to belong. As the morning continued, more and more people emerged from amethyst tents and pristine white caravans. Quickening her steps, Aurorah darted to her own tent, uncaring of who she bumped into. The only thought on her mind was to let the animal free and curl up with her tail over her nose, blocking the white noise of people joyously talking.

[Hope Dawnwhisper]

* Hope * * The young woman shivered; she was strongly regretting leaving her tent so early, when the temperature was lower than it would be later in the afternoon. But she knew that if she tried to sneak back home and return to her tent, she would quite possibly be caught by Shahar, or worse, Khida. Both would likely be disappointed at her for returning – they were likely afraid that she would, once again, regress. Days had recently been filled with two steps forward, one step back… or even three steps back, on some days. It was definitely an uphill struggle, but she was slowly becoming glad of the support she had from the Drykas and Kelvic in climbing to the top. Most of all, though, she was glad that Shahar had given her the chance to care for the mare, Dainellas. The horse had been a rock, of sorts, to her. She was practically the entire foundation upon which Hope now stood. The young woman wasn’t foolish, she knew that the horse would likely turn and give attention to anyone who offered her some in return. But caring for her, even just brushing her hair, was enough to make Hope feel useful, needed, even wanted. It was Dainellas whom she was out with now. She was not yet brave enough to get on the creature’s back, especially with one of those foreign contraptions that the Drykas used as saddles. Instead, the pair had left the paddock in which Dainellas was kept, and were just walking around along the outskirts of the city. She was careful not to venture too far, having long since been warned of the dangers awaiting defenceless folk in the Sea of Grass. Many people were further out than her, most riding horses, some working on the land, so she felt safe on the outskirts. “I thought you could do with a different view, Dainellas,” she murmured to the horse as the pair walked, and Hope worked as an apple with a knife. Managing to cut a slice off, she held out her palm, fingers flat, and offered it to the creature. “Don’t tell anyone I have you this… I don’t think Shahar intended the apples to be fed to you.” She grinned and stroked the mare’s neck. Often, she had begun speaking Pavi, or at least Common, to the horse, in an effort to practice both even when she was alone. But today it was too cold and as such her brain didn’t seem to be allowing her the functioning needed to speak in anything other than her mothertongue. She cut off another, larger, section of the apple and bit a bit of the end off to eat for herself. Her face scrunched up on disgust and she spat it out. “Gods, this id definitely for you, girl. There’s no way that Shahar would subject such sour torture on any of us.” She said as Dainellas took the rest of the slice from her hand and munched on his happily.Hope grinned up at the mare, “Well I’m glad one of us likes it.” OOCHey, could you set an exact date for the thread, so I know where to put it in my thread list? “Winter” is a bit vague! Thank ye