Closed The Worn Return (Naiya)

[Colt]

80th of summer
just before evening

The sun was well into her descent by the time that Shahar returned to the Dawnwhisper camp, the day’s catch sold off. He wasn’t completely empty-handed; hung on the yvas was the fat corpse of a rooster. Though large for its kind, a bird in the Dawnwhisper camp would likely only feed them for a single night, even if thinned into a stew; there were three people to be fed, then the three cats, and now there was the addition of Snow, who was a pup and ate significantly more than a dog her size. Feeding the family was a daily puzzle, but Shahar was somewhat certain that this would be helpful. Naiya had said that she was going to hunt today, too, which would hopefully alleviate more of the burden. Shahar had been rather disappointed that she hadn’t asked him to come, but there was sense to be seen in two hunters working separately for the good of the same camp.

Snow was waiting by the fire for the horse, rider and hunting cat as they trotted over the camp boundaries, and she jumped up and rushed to meet them. Shahar had very firmly insisted that she remain at camp while he made his daily pilgrimage to the Hunter’s Allegiance, although she had not at all liked the idea; Snow was growing, and even the three days she had been with them had seen her gain an inch every morning. She had hit her growth spurt, and with as large as she was, it wouldn’t be at all long before she grew to be… however large she was going to grow.

She approached them on clumsy paws, nearly tripping over herself to greet them. The time left at home had quite obviously distressed her, even to the point that she overcame her typical fear of Akaidras and danced happily in front of him. The horse snorted and pranced backwards, somewhat accustomed to the pup’s actions; he had, after all, had experience dealing with a growing Tuka.

Shahar dismounted and was hailed by a happy armful of Snow, who stood on her hind legs and wrapped her front paws around his chest.

The Drykas led an exasperated Akaidras to the far side of the camp, where the horses and zibri grazed placidly, and in doing so became aware of the fact that Naiya was nowhere to be seen. The flap of their tent was secured closed, which suggested that she hadn’t even returned from her hunt yet. Shahar cast a glance at the descending sun above them, unable to help a twinge of worry; the last time Naiya had returned late, she had nearly killed him with worry by vanishing for an entire night. Surely she wouldn’t do so again, would she? Shahar shook himself. He couldn’t begin worrying this early. She would think him foolish for that. She would return soon. He hoped.

Shahar brought them to a halt and untacked the yvas and bags and rooster. The bird was hooked to his belt and the yvas deposited at the travois, where he retrieved the brush bag and gave Akaidras a thorough cleaning of the sweat and grime that had accumulated over the day. The routine helped to clear his thoughts, although something deep in his chest remained clenched with uneasiness; he wanted Naiya back soon. He prayed that she would be alright upon her return.

[Naiya]

Shahar's unease with strangers in their home was enough to have Naiya dismount a few chimes out from their pavilion, despite Pearl's concern about her walking on her leg so early. A little bit of extra walking, a little more more pain, and a bit longer time to heal, it was worth not concerning Shahar more so with both wounds and company. She had already caused him so much trouble early in the season, when she had gone to find Amunet in the sea of grass. She would do everything she could to prevent it in the future.

So Naiya had parted from the woman with a small bag of Turmeric powder. Pearl said it should be mixed in mild and drunk to help fight infection. Naiya had paid her a few Miza, and offered a rabbit and her services as a seamstress in the future at no charge. It was a simple exchange, and Naiya found she had a liking for the woman, perhaps she would seek her out again soon.

She glanced reluctantly towards the boar on the ground, it was heavy, and her leg hurt, she was tempted to leave it here, ask Shahar to carry it back for her. The thought vanished as soon as it came, replaced with one that made far more sense. She put her fingers to her lips, shaping them so that she could shrill a whistle. If Wildfire hadn't strayed far from the camp, he would hear her.

It didn't take long before she heard the easy trotting of her strider, familiar to her as her whistle was to him. "Wildfire," She called gently, greetings, happy shaping her hands, "You found me, boy." Relief at his appearance filled her, allowing her finally to realize the many mistakes she had made in the day. Sensing her sudden distress, his trot picked up to a canter, eating up the ground between them in no time at all. He stopped at her side, nosing her head to toe, scenting the snake, boar, rabbit, and the unfamiliar Pearl too.

He snorted, disapproving in his manner, and then ducked his head so that she could scratch behind his ears. She laughed softly, a sound that was more sad than happy, and hugged his neck. She wouldn't make the mistake of leaving her family behind again.

"I need you to carry this, Wildfire," She told him, hands signing carry as she spoke, she showed him the body of the boar, letting him get a good sniff before she lifted the creature for what she hoped was the final time that day. Lifting it up this time was worse than before, she had to reach all the way up onto Wildfire's back with the weight of the beast, and it was more work than she remembered.

Glad to be rid of burden, she leaned lightly on his side, holding the boar in place as they made their way back to camp together.

Shahar was the first thing she saw on her return, brushing the sweat and dirt from Akaidras's hair. There was a tension to him, though, that tightened her own chest with worry.

"Shahar." She called to him, catching his attention as she half signed greetings, concern, love. One handed, with a protesting shoulder she wasn't the most clear, but she imagined the message was familiar enough to be understood. She couldn't move to greet him, not without leaving Wildfire with his precariously perched burden, so instead she waited for him to come and find her, to help her with the boar, and to welcome her home.

[Colt]

He stirred the fire. He checked the pot. He fetched water. He found a jagged stump when he fetched water, then retrieved his axe and chopped off a few thick chunks of wood for the fire. Anything to keep himself occupied while he waited tensely for Naiya to return.

Snow followed him on every task.

The wood was added to the fuel pile. With little else on his mind, and with Snow buzzing for attention, Shahar sat down in the center of camp and allowed the pup to fall into his lap. He pulled her to his chest, wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on the crown of her head –– right before her ears perked, and they both heard hoofbeats. Snow slipped out of Shahar’s lap and went to greet his wife.

The hunter stood just as Naiya made her way into the circle of tents, accompanied by Wildfire with exhaustion clear on her shoulders. She called his name, and he called hers.

“Naiya.” Happy see relief love come home. Snow danced towards the flame-haired Drykas, but didn’t jump up; Shahar had been sure to make it very clear that nothing liked to be jumped up on. And so the simply tumbled over herself in front of the woman, tail whipping back and forth happily.

It didn’t take long at all for Shahar to notice the state she was in.

Worry hurt inquiry? he signed. What hurt, pain? He closed the distance between them and reached out to cup Naiya’s face, which seemed well enough for him to risk touching. How happen event? What injure, love, desire to help, ask me.

[Naiya]

She was greeted first by Snow, her overwhelming excitement at her return bringing a tired smile to her face. Greetings, gentle please, steady she signed to the dog, hoping to steady her before offering her touch. She was large, Naiya did not have trouble resting a hand on her head once she had stilled.

Shahar noticed quite quickly her discomfort, seeking her across the camp, a flurry of worries proceeding him. Hurt, many, long day She signed to him as he neared, his hands cupped her face and his touch brought her immediate relief, love. She turned her face into his hand, kissing his palm, comforted immensely by his proximity.

"Will you take the boar from Wildfire's back?" Caution, heavy. It wasn't really a question, because she knew he would do it for her. She regretted the necessity of her request, though, because it meant he would move away, and she did not want to depart from his touch.

He moved though, to take the creature from the horse and Naiya stifled reluctance. Waiting until Shahar and the boar were out from under Wildfire's feet before asking the horse to walk her to the fire.

She settled herself there, gratitude signed to both man and horse. She pulled her pack from her back, pulling free first the eggs, so that they would not break. She placed them on a stone outside the fire's reach. Then from her bag she pulled the body of the snake, both it and the boar would need to be dealt with quickly. Already that had sat longer than she wished in her poorly executed hunting.

"Shahar." She called his name once more, seeking the comfort of his presence. Her leg burned, and her neck protested each movement she made, but Shahar made everything better. Apology, inquiry, great favor, tools? Preserving kit, salt, cooking supplies. Please bring, work in good company, sit with me?

Snow came to sniff at her findings, the cloth wrapped eggs, the long body of the snake in her hands, and Naiya took the opportunity to greet the dog more warmly, her unbound hand petting the large puppy, scratching behind her ears. When the pup's tongue lolled out of her mouth, Naiya couldn't keep back a laugh, leaning forward to kiss Snow's brow.

Her laughter, or some other indication of her arrival finally drew Banti from her hiding place in the grasses. The feline called softly, a sort of chirp that drew Naiya's attention, and prompted a greeting. Blood marred her muzzle and her paws, but she did not limp nor did she seem to be hurt in any other way. Likely the cat had caught herself dinner. Naiya hoped it hadn't been someone's goat. She had seen the way Banti eyed the creatures, perhaps a few more goats of their own would help impress upon the cat that they were not for her to eat.

Their camp was growing, soon they might begin to look like an actual pavilion, with a herd and creatures to aid in their hunting. Seirei and her children were now a part of their small family, their addition a happy accident that brought the joy of young children to their home.

She eyes sought Shahar, seeing worry linger in the set of his shoulders, and she in turn offered him reassurance she was hurt, but not so badly. "The boar was more trouble than I expected." She began to explain her injuries to him, silly mistake, "I missed my first shot with my bow, and he let me know he was not glad for my attempt." Bites, left leg, worst hurt "The snake was an accident, I startled him when I tracked the boar to where he fell." Bite neck, bite hand, little hurt. "I met a doctor from the Riverflower, she tended to my injuries, she plans to come check on me tomorrow." Worry, request, may the doctor visit?

[Colt]

She greeted Snow with weariness clear in the lines of her signs and body, and when he reached to touch her face she turned into his hand to kiss his palm, relief and love slipping onto her shoulders. He half-consciously moved to trace light lines on her face with his fingers, then shifted to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear; some of the tension had left her, but there remained significant discomfort; something had gone wrong on her hunt.

There was a boar, she said, and she wanted him to take it from her strider’s back. A simple enough gesture, although leaving Naiya behind to perform it made his unease return in even greater measure. He knew in the back of his mind that his worry was likely more than necessary; Naiya was home, and she was standing––albeit with the help of Wildfire––and was obviously quite capable of facing whatever pain she was in.

But what made Shahar uncomfortable was the not knowing what pain she was in, and not knowing how he could help.

He could help by moving the boar.

The hunter took the heavy animal from Wildfire’s back, hoisting it onto a shoulder so his arms wouldn’t have to bear the full weight of it. It was large, and it would need much effort to process and clean and preserve, and so he set it somewhat close to the hearth, where he could move it where it needed to be or even work on it there, as Naiya seemed to be making her way towards the hearth, too. She sat down heavily, and Shahar made to join her––but paused when he saw that she still had business to sort through.

First came a clutch of eggs, of a kind Shahar had seen often in the wilderness, placed on a stone near enough to wave away any curious cats. Snow herself made to find out what, but Shahar bid her to wait, find out soon, not yet.

Next came, of all things, a snake, long and sinuous and quite dead. Boar had not been her only kill on this day, and her pain had brought the entire camp a great bounty; Shahar couldn’t help a small breath of impressed when her entire take was exposed.

She said his name again, and he returned to her side, trailing gentle fingers through her hair; he didn’t know what else hurt or did not. She wanted the preserving kit and tools to help her deal with the animals she had brought home, and he nodded in affirmation before making his quick way to the travois to retrieve what she wanted.

Preserving kit. Salt. Cooking supplies. All there were brought back and given to her, while she greeted a happy Snow more thoroughly; Shahar’s warning about the eggs had sunk in, and Snow had done nothing more than sniff at them. She sensed that Naiya was not in the best of sorts, and so she managed to take some care in how she went about interacting with the woman; she could tell that she was hurt in some way, but not deeply enough to worry over.

She spotted the worry in him the moment she laid eyes on him, and reassurance was flashed his way as he settled down beside her with her tools in hand. She explained to him what had happened, and he looked at the bite on her leg with some degree of acceptance of reassurance; a boar bite on the leg would not be fatal, as long as it was properly seen to.

The snakebite, though, made his entire chest clench with worry at the sight of it, and he reached to brush her hair out of the way so he could see it more clearly. He didn’t know what looked good or bad, but he knew about how devastating snakebites could be. More than one at the Hunter’s Allegiance had been claimed by one.

But the puncture wounds were not surrounded by angry red flesh beyond what he usually saw follow a cut of any sort, and she said that someone from the River Flower had looked at it and given her care, something that relieved him greatly. The question of whether or not the woman could visit was met with a definite affirmation of course.

Knowing what exactly had happened to her alleviated much of Shahar’s pointless worry, leaving behind only that which was focused and attached to a cause. Naiya was hurt, and she had been seen to and would be seen to again. Her life was not in question. Her pain was something he could help avoid.

With knowledge of what had happened, Shahar let out a quiet sigh and wrapped an arm around Naiya’s uninjured shoulder and rested his forehead against the crown of her head. For a moment he remained there, simply experiencing the fact of her presence before planting a quick kiss on her temple and retreating, although moved his hand her neck opposite the snakebite. He wanted to remain physically connected for at least a few more moments before beginning their labors on her kills.

“I can take care of the boar,” he said in offering, harder task. Other things you want, I can get inquiry?

[Naiya]

He came to her when she called, impressed by her hunt. She shook her head, it had been luck that had led her hunt, not skill, there was nothing to be impressed by. His fingers traced paths through her hair. It was a touch of comfort, not seeking anything in return while he listened to her request.

Pleasure, gratitude She signed to him as he brought her the things she had asked for. Already there was a pot of water heating in the fire. What plans Shahar had for it were unclear, but unimportant for the moment.

She was reassured by the surety of his answer in regards to the doctor visiting her, and his touch was a great comfort as she finally relaxed into his embrace. He had looked at the snake bites, reassuring himself of the same thing Naiya had after she had been bitten- the snake had not been venomous. They sat together for a while before he pressed a kiss to her head and retreated back across the small distance between them, only his hand remaining on her shoulder.

He offered to take care of the boar, and Naiya accepted with gratitude. He would do a better job of keeping the pelt intact than she could. "That would be a great help. I hope we will have enough furs soon to make clothing for the children this winter." She had hoped to make a fur blanket too, but that would likely be out of her reach with the way the children were growing.

Did she need anything else? She glanced at the things he had brought her, the cooking kit, the preserving kit, and plenty of salt. More things, tentative, unsure she glanced from the eggs to the snake and back, trying to decide what to do first and what she might still need. "We'll make dinner from this," She began, saying the words out loud to help her process, "We can make soup with the snake and the eggs, or just fry the snake and store the rest." She plucked at the air with her hands, seeking words she was too weary to find.

If we need more, depends, "What do you want to eat?" Hungry? How soon? I think not need more. These were the things that mattered for Naiya. If they boiled the snake into soup, it would take longer, but it would stretch the number of people the snake would feed. There was plenty today, though, so if they wanted to they could cut the snake into steaks and cook it quickly on a hot stone. It would cook like fish, it could be ready in only a few minutes.

She lifted the snake, regardless of what Shahar wanted to eat, the snake would need to be cleaned. With the head already removed, Naiya just had to follow the line of the vertebrae she could see, cutting from the opposite end to open the gut of the snake. The tip of her blade cut into the flesh easily enough, but the skin pulled at her hand and made the line she cut uneven. The entrails were easily scooped out of the opening she had cut, she simply pulled them free with her hand, offering it to the curious creatures. Both Banti and Snow were close at hand, and she offered them both the innards, and would offer it to any of the other cats that approached.

She plucked at the skin of the snake, seeking a hold to pull it from. It was reluctant, difficult to find and her hands felt clumsy which only made the process worse. She left it alone for a few moments, turning instead to watch Shahar. He was relieved, and settling into the comfort of work now that her safety was in less question. It brought her a peace of her own to see him settle into task. It made her happy.

I love you she signed to him gently, the words a happy reminder.

[Colt]

She accepted his offer to handle the boar, and Shahar tried to hide his relief. As she spoke of furs and winter, he wrestled her kill a few feet away from the tent and set to propping it on its back with two large rocks. Boars were one of those creatures that were too large to skin with nothing but hands, and still small enough to actually be manhandled.

With its belly and throat exposed, Shahar took out his knife and made a deep slit from one end to the other. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw both Snow and Tuka rise to attention.

Naiya liked the snake for dinner, and Shahar paused to nod his assent. She knew more than he about cooking, and it was probably best to agree with her when it came to food.

When she asked of hunger, he shrugged. Eat in a bit, he replied, gesturing to the boar. This, take time.

As she cleaned the snake, he returned to the boar. Four more slits on the inside of each leg, and then he began to pull. The skin was stuck fast to the muscle, though not as bad as deer or bison; it did peel off, with enough effort and weight behind it.

Tuka and Snow were given the snake’s entrails, which was enough to whet their appetite for more. When they realized that Naiya wouldn’t be giving them anything else, they set their sights on Shahar. While he skinned, they stalked eager circles around him, nostrils flared and ears pricked.

“Vultures,” Shahar whispered with amused exasperation.

When the skin finally came off with a wet snap, Shahar rolled his eyes, severed the hooves off the carcass and tossed them to the circling creatures, who each made their noise of excitement and took one for themselves. Banti and Kabek even stuck their noses out of their hiding places, intrigued.

When he opened the boar’s belly, the two cats came running.

He directed them toward the two remaining hooves, for all the good that did; even Tuka and Snow had stopped chewing to watch him expectantly. He started with the stomach, intestines and bladder, tossing all into a messy pile that the four hunting animals dove into immediately.

Shahar looked back at Naiya, prepared to ask about the organs, but stopped short when he saw her sign. I love you, she said across the space, for no other reason than she felt like it. He smiled bright, caught off guard, and responded with a childish mixture of warm, happy, shy and excitement. It took a few moments for him to remember he wanted to ask a question.

Inquiry, he said, pointing at the carcass. Some of this, “We should eat some now. Heart, liver, kidney.”

[Naiya]

It would take time, he had told her, so she would make soup. It was easy, and it would stretch the food they had. She dropped the whole snake into the water, it would boil a while, flavor the pot, then she would pull it out and they could pick at it. All the tiny bones in the snake made it a difficult meal and there wasn't much to be done for that.

She tossed in a pinch of salt, and then began to salt the skin. It was thin, curling around itself on her lap, but she could still manage. Perhaps they could find something to take it flat on. The Nightsongs had used the wagon bench, a seat generally empty but for the single person whose turn it was to drive.

Still, salt first, and sun. Once it was dry, there was other work, but she wasn't ready to tackle that.

Cook how, inquiry "Kidney in soup", easy, can add "Liver... slice thin, or grind to paste? On bread?" Heart unsure, usually cook slow, dry or with mead... A frown shifted her lips and tucked her towards her chest. She had eaten plenty of organs, but she had not ever cooked them, and she wasn't sure how to make them good.

Can try, Naiya's gaze lifted to Shahar, making sure he was looking before signing the words.

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Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant