Open Chronicles A stranger in an unknown land

[Azura]

Of all the places in this strange new world, it was almost expected that Azura would end up finding this one. The mountains called to her. They were part of her blood. As was the forest and the creatures that roamed within in. Though, they were slightly different to the animals that she was used to. Still, this place with its mountainous peaks and rocky cliffs, it's deep valleys of trees and pockets of water, reminded her of home. She had no concept that she might not have been alone. Anyone that glimpsed her antics would have been surprised to see the strange girl, pale skinned and tattooed, racing barefoot through the trees. Dressed in nothing more then a dress of opaque layered fabric, her silver and ink marked skin shining from beneath. Barely dressed, one might assume the woman would freeze in such a harsh climate. But such things never effected the savage. She was acclimatized to such conditions.

Behind her, tangled locks of black and white flew into the air, collecting twigs and leaves as she ran. She seemed guided by natural instinct, led by the whispers of the forest. For although she was not familiar with this new terrain, she seemed to instinctively know when to duck and dodge branches and trees, sailing over logs and sharp rocks, turning corners to avoid skidding into calamity. Her heart thudded with excitement. She was almost at the base of the mountain she had spied in the distance. Somewhat child like in nature, Azura thought of nothing else in that moment other than scaling the rocks that towered above her, wondering how quickly and how far she could climb before night fall. What wonders might she find nestled in those hidden ledges and grooves? She had already found several strangely colored feathers and rocks to add to her collection back home. What would the valley look like from the top? Would would she find in the caves that she could spy from the ground? Questions filled a curious mind as she veered around a fallen tree.

Finally, she found herself standing before the perimeter of rocks that encircled the valley. Out of breath, the woman panted heavily as emerald eyes traveled up the grooves, deciphering silently which path might work in her favor. Momentarily distracted by the caw of a unidentified bird as it soared above her, Azura gasped in awe at his beauty for a few seconds before returning her gaze to the challenge she had set for herself. One hand finding its place, she was about to hoist herself up when the sound of a twig snapping caught her attention. Azura paused, frozen for a moment as she tilted her ear towards the noise. After years of being hunted, she had developed a sixth sense for tuning into the natural sounds of her surroundings and the difference between that and the approach of what could be a threat. Frowning, she stared into the darkness of the undergrowth, trying to see past thickets of shadow. It was not until this moment that she considered that this place might be occupied by something other than animals...

 

[Weylin Kyrel]

Back home in the Spine. Still in the Spine.

Weylin felt there was still some things left undone before he could make himself leave. It was only him and White yet again since Zeri had left. Since he had returned to speak to his mother's people. He needed to leave and learn about his father's people. About the lesser wilds and urban landscapes his dad had once called home. Grand stories that seemed unbelievable to him to confirm as lies or truth.

Struggling with his own inner needs, he stumbled upon a stranger. A barely dressed woman running about with so much joy through the woods collecting what he assumed was for a fire or something else equally useful for someone in her state of attire. His eyes unable to leave her for all those reasons as he remained hidden and trailed her.

She might be a danger. She might be lost. Eventually his instincts and observations told him it was the later. No threat just someone not from here. So he approached and made sure to make sound so he didn't sneak up on her. A task that went against everything his body knew to do. Silence not noise was what was natural for him by now. Stepping on a twig intentionally to make noise felt wrong.

As he approached with White clearly not appreciating what her human was doing, again, just padded along by his side. The big, white mountain dog cautious of the woman still.

"Need help? Lost?"

Azura

 

[Azura]

It was not the sight of the unknown male that made the savage suddenly let out a small gasp of reverence and awe. In fact, she had not even noticed him yet. Wide emerald eyes were immediately drawn to and focused upon the large beast that stood beside him. A dog, she reminded herself of some of the words she had learned in her travels. Or at least she thought it was. She had more experience with those of the wild variety then anything domesticated. She stared with open curiosity and excitement, seemingly unaffected by its cautious nature. That coat of glimmering white that reminded her of snow falling and she smiled at the thought. She was about to drop to one knee and start murmuring to it in her native tongue when the stranger spoke.

Azura jumped, snapping to attention with a sudden jolt. It was a surprise to Azura that she had been followed. A shock, actually. It was very rare that anyone could stalk the woman's tread without her realizing. It was bred into her from years of being hunted. Even more so that she had not even noticed him standing right in front of her. But then, she had been rather distracted by the rush of blood in her ears and the prospect of exploring the cliffs before her. Gone was her ease and comfort. Replaced quickly by a sharpening of her features and suspicion dancing in her gaze. The woman took a step back, edging herself against the rock wall behind her. Despite the concern in his voice, she regarded him as if he was a wild animal that could snap at any moment. She shook her head roughly, those black and white coils following suit. She did not speak for several long seconds, seemingly content to study him.

"Don't need help. I.. just wanted to climb.. up there.." She said finally, a wistful longing in her voice as she pointed to the impossible peaks. She turned back to him quickly, checking that he had not advanced. Plucking a twig from her hair, she twirled it in her fingers as she tapped one bare foot.

"Is this your home?" She asked. There was no trace of an apology in her tone, no fear that she was trespassing on someone's land. She had no concept of such things. To her, no one could ever own the earth on which they stood and she was from a place where everything was shared communally.

Weylin Kyrel

 

[Weylin Kyrel]

The woman went from cheerful to cautious. Good. The Spine was dangerous for the careful and fatal for the rest. Her interest did seem to be more on White than him, which the dog did not appreciate at all. A more stern and alert shift in her weight was her only response back.

Weylin's eyes went to the cliff and followed it up. High winds. Biting cold. Icy cracks and ridges. It was very difficult to do without experience and proper equipment. Would she be able to do it without harming herself or worse?

His gaze went back to her after she asked if this was his home. She seemed nervous. The way she twirled a twig and tapped her foot reminded him of the kind of energy a squirrel had when you got close but not too close yet. He could sense a kind of wild spirit about her. A similar soul if in different ways. She wasn't one of the Old Folk. She was something else. Something similar yet different.

"Yes. You are welcome here."

It wasn't as if he held any real authority. The place was his home but no one owned it. Well none of the Old Folk claimed it. Plenty of others tried to make claims but they also tended to hide from the wilds they thought their's. The Spine was quick and often about reminding those living here no one owned her. She owned them.

"Like a fire?"

The way she was dressed, he figured it wouldn't hurt and she might not be aware of how to get one started with all the snow covered wood around them.

Azura

 

[Azura]

As she waited for an answer, those green eyes bounced from the male to the canine and back again. Seemingly studying both with guarded interest. She was not offended or put off by the dog's hesitance of her. She only gifted the beast a knowing smile though it vanished once her gaze moved back the stranger. She followed glance towards the mountains behind her, reading his thoughts quietly. Was he skeptical of the challenge she had set for herself?

"I have been climbing terrain like this since I was a child" She answered his unasked question. She was not smug, no indication that she was boasting. It was a simple fact.

She stared after his welcome, wondering why it was that she believed him. There was something strangely comforting about him.. Was that the word? Her nose scrunched as she launched into her own mind, fighting against curiosity and her natural instinct to flee. As it usually did, the curiosity won. Though his question made her doubt her choice.

As soon as the word fire tumbled out of his lips, the woman tensed and muted horror spread across her face. She could hear her heart skip a beat, thudding so hard that she clenched both fists, hoping the sharpness of her nails pressing into her palms would give her another point of focus. Had she not been edged against rock, she would have stepped back out of fear that it would suddenly appear in his hand. She had seen others manage this feat, just as she was able to conjure water.

"No!" She said far too quickly, far too dramatically. "Don't do that" She murmured in a croaky whisper, a slight tremble in her voice. She breathed in and out slowly, trying to chase away visions of charred corpses, the scent of burning flesh suddenly too fresh within her mind.

"I do not like fire. And I do not feel the cold" She said weakly, unwilling to admit that her answer was based in fear. Though, it would not be difficult to decipher the nature of her refusal. Azura was notoriously bad at hiding her emotions which always led to problems for the naive savage. Emotion was strongly linked to her magical abilities which only created more issues when the two spiraled out of her control. In that moment, she wasn't even aware that a faint blue glow had begun to emanate from between the gaps of her curled fingers, hands still balled into fists that kept the energy within contained. For now, at least.

Weylin Kyrel

 

[Weylin Kyrel]

Where else had higher mountains than the Spine?

The very thought of somewhere being like his home was both unnerving yet intriguing for Weylin. His home was dangerous and safe. Bland and beautiful. That merciless harshness providing everything one needed that was life itself. For such another place like it to exist was somewhere he was curious to see.

But her reaction to his suggestion nearly made him step back. Such a visceral reaction towards fire. What caused such a thing? Was it like his experience with orcs and centaurs? No. That felt wrong. He held no great mixture of fear and anger towards them. His was more extreme caution understanding not all of their kind were murderous monsters....

No, her reaction was more intense. More primal.

After a moment and White lowly growling, Weylin spoke. "No fire."

He began to study her closer. Perhaps she was dangerous. A threat. His hand gripped the head of his hatchet instinctively. He frowned slightly then made himself let go. He reached into his bag and pulled out some smoked meat. He held it up so she could see it then wrapped it up in a cloth.

After tossing the cloth her way as close as he could, he said, "Hungry? Food."

Azura

 

[Azura]

The low growl of the dog beside the man caught her further off guard though she did not appear frightened by the sound. It was clear by the concern on her face she felt rather guilty for unintentionally distressing it. She could feel its anxiety and wariness. Mumbling softly in her native tongue, she tried to assure it that she meant no harm, as she would the wild beasts of her home. His words melted away some of her fear and her tattooed shoulders visibly sagged in relief.

For several long moments, the two studied one another. Just as the male eyed her carefully, she had returned her gaze to him, her eyes darting as they followed each and every movement he made. This was a woman whose safety had long depended on her ability to perceive a threat before it made itself obvious. As such, she did not miss the way his hand wandered and lingered over his weapon. She frowned, watching as he instead reached into his bag. She was not even aware that she was holding her breath until it escaped her with a whoosh of relief.

"Food.." She repeated. She tried to disguise the fact that she was hungry, only allowing a small amount of interest creep into her tone. A small and curious step forward taken as she tilted her head at the wrapped cloth he produced. She was relieved he did not yet try to cross the boundary between them, instead throwing it towards her. Still, it required her to take a leap of faith. She stared between the bundle that lay between them and the man, judging the distance and the risk. Was it a trap? She chewed on her bottom lip, listening to her stomach weigh in on the situation.

Finally, took a few quick steps, reaching to scoop it up and retreating just as quick. Her eyes never left the man as she did so. Unwrapping her prize, she did not react the way anyone else might have. Instead of showing gratitude, Azura recoiled at the sight of the cooked flesh.

"Oh.." She whispered softly, her stomach turning in protest. Dismay and sadness spread across her features as she blinked at the offering in her hands. "I do not eat the flesh of living things. It is against my tribe's culture. It is something sacred that is done rarely..." She said, a slight accent now becoming apparent though there would be none that might recognize it. She might have apologized for refusing his gift or she could have thanked him, at the very least. Except Azura knew little of those customs nor did she understand them and was often taken for rude even when it was not her intention. Instead, she offered a gift of her own in return. An awkward introduction.

"I am Azura. Is there not something to eat that grows in the forest?" She asked, glancing around her surroundings. She had taken several brave steps forward in order to hold out the bundle, offering the cloth and its contents back to him.

Weylin Kyrel

 

[Weylin Kyrel]

The hunter watched as the woman slowly accepted the offered food. Tossing it had been a sort of peace offering that kept their distance so both sides felt more secure in where they were. Caution was a good thing and respecting it was better. But things took a turn he hadn't expected. She had shown disgust.

What was wrong with it? It was smoked not long ago. Venison killed, cleaned, and preserved with the proper time needed for each task without any time to allow spoilage. It was the kind of meat his mom use to say was worth its weight in gold at market.

At the woman's words, Weylin frowned. None of it made sense to him. She didn't eat the flesh of living things yet wanted to eat what grows in the forest. Was it a puzzle? Did she consume rocks? No, they didn't grow. Snow then? Snow grew higher in the Spine this time of year readily. Or did she have a bias towards animals?

His confusion plain on his face, he accepted the bag back silently. After a bit he produced another bag and offered it to her. This one contained mixed nuts (such as pine, walnut, and acorn) roasted and seasoned with salt to preserve them. Perhaps it was the animal bias theory that was correct? If it was snow then she wouldn't be hungry right now. Plenty to scoop up and devour around them.

"Animal that I hunted for that meat grew in this forest. Nuts grew in this forest. Both are living beings. What is wrong with the meat?"

Weylin had decided to ask. He needed to be less quiet with outsiders. His unwanted travels had taught him that much. Everyone viewed things differently. For his mom's people all living things were equal. There was no taboo on eating one over another. All that mattered was the death held purpose. Hunt a deer then use all you could and offer the rest back to nature. Chop down a tree and do the same. Death and life were not so different. Both were crucial for the cycle in equal measures. One fed into the other and supported it. To say an animal was more worthy of life and so should not be eaten was an insult to plants. And the reverse true as well. Eat what you wished but do not take more than what you need or can be afforded.

But not everyone saw things in such a way. Most didn't actually from what he had noticed. His people were fair yet merciless like nature itself. Bias was a tool to support one's ideals and what worked in their way of life. For the Old Folk, survival within the cycle was what was important but they were more connected to it than most.

Azura

 

[Azura]

She looked at the second bag he offered with skepticism and for a long moment, it seemed as if she would not take it. But eventually, she leaned in to snatch it from his hand. She unwrapped it as he spoke, one ear tilted towards his words though the majority of her focus was on her prize. She would have preferred berries but considering the harsh climate, she supposed that was off the menu. She had already popped a pine nut into her mouth and was chewing busily before his sentence even stopped. His question surprised her though and seemingly caught her off guard as she paused mid chew for a few seconds before swallowing.

"There is nothing wrong with it. Is just a matter of belief" She murmured with a shrug.

"It was forbidden except for during certain rituals and days of spiritual significance. And even then, I didn't enjoy the idea of eating my only friends all that much" She said with a frown.

"I guess that's just the way it has always been. Yes, they are both living beings and I have respect for both. But my people lived according to natural cycles. Many things that grow do so in order provide sustenance, like these nuts. Or the berries that drop from a shrub. A bird or a deer does not exist purely to be eaten and I am not it's natural predator so what right do I have to take it's flesh?" She asked.

"Besides, we had no need to hunt or kill. Food is provided for without the need for blood shed" She stopped, glancing about her harsh surroundings. "I do understand that not everyone is as fortunate of course" She added, her gaze returning to the nuts that were soon completely gone. She was not so ignorant that she did not understand that some were forced to do things that were against her nature out of a necessity to survive.

 

[Weylin Kyrel]

The frown on his face formed once again. She spoke of natural cycles yet her words made it sound as if it was something she was not truly a part of. More as if she stepped in and out of it like some sort of foreign visitor. Some plants did provide food, but it was not as if it was some benevolent act. Fruits and seeds were an attempt to be spread. Manipulation. The plants even had their ways of picking and choosing to whom their gifts would be granted. Birds and berries. Nightshade a favorite of songbirds that could easily kill anything else. Her view felt naive in a way to him.

But the Old Folk were different. Parts of the cycle and nature. They fully saw themselves in it and all things as part of it. Even the "civilized" folk and their cities were just another part of nature. Ants built their nests and some even farmed mushrooms below the soil. Beavers built dams and altered the landscape as a result. Birds of all kinds with their nests and badgers with their burrows. All manipulating what was around them to suit their needs and in turn might offer something unintentionally to others.

How many farmers' barns were now homes for birds and mice to stay say from the weather?

But she did have a point. Bloodshed without purpose was something to avoid. Take too much and it would effect everything else negatively. Deer were destructive without wolves. Without beavers plants became starved of precious water and vulnerable to wild fires. That was something they could agree on. Something the civilized too often forgot.

"I hunt because I am their predator as other things hunt me as their prey. We are all apart of it. The cycle. Taking too much is a sin. Not taking enough is a problem."

Weylin left things at that. Not so much in a way to lecture her so much as voice his own opinion. What was important was the nuts were never meant to be a main meal. They were meant to stave off hunger and keep up one's energy while out in the harsh weather. If she needed more to eat then he would need to find her more food. A challenge given it was winter in the Spine. Now was the season of slumber. The task was to eventually wake up when it was Spring.

He began to look around them. "Get you more to eat." He waved for her to follow then began to walk. There was plenty of cones still left to find that hadn't opened for one reason or another. Pine nuts were an option, but they couldn't sustain someone alone. Need to find some winter berries for her too. But those would prove more difficult as others would be after them too.

Azura

 

[Azura]

He frowned at her words though Azura did not seem to notice his disapproval. No, her attention was still on the nuts, the last of which she popped into her mouth one by one. Taking time to chew and savor the taste on her tongue. She listened, eyes darting between the man who had not returned her introduction and the animal at his side, still waiting patiently for a command or movement. It was a comforting sign. If a beast showed such loyalty, perhaps he could be trusted? She nodded to his explanation, sensing there were elements of the conversation that they would never agree on. But that was the nature of perspective and belief. And she could not argue with his final sentiments.

For a moment, Azura assumed that this was the end of their interaction. That the male would go on his way, uninterested in what fate might befall the stranger to his home. She knew what would have happened if the roles had been reversed and she most certainly would not have offered to feed a strange male. Those who stumbled upon her sacred valley always meant harm. They were only there for one reason. That was how she had been raised. That was what led to the decimation of her culture. That was what continued after she was the only one left. But this small moment of courtesy caused a huge ripple of doubt within her. None had ever made her question her intentions before but perhaps that day would come.

Lost in thought and still recovering from her surprise, the wildling blinked after him as he started to treat into the forest. She frowned, yanking at one tangled coil of silver. A nervous habit her mother had hated. And then there was the mountain, begging her to explore. Chewing on the side of her mouth, her gaze darted between the impossibly high peaks and the man's back. She supposed she would need energy to climb, she conceded internally. For those long moments of inner debate, he might have assumed she was not coming but then, the soft crunch of bare feet on fallen snow whispered after him. Followed by a musical voice filled with confusion.

"Why are you helping me?" She asked, as she ducked, avoiding a hanging branch.

Weylin Kyrel

 

[Weylin Kyrel]

The hunter looked around as he walked through the thick snow. The pine cones still hiding nuts tended to be in the trees. The berries tended to be hiding below banks of snow. Up and down. High and low. How gathering for food went in the forests of the Spine. Could never look in a singular place for long and get what you needed. Always required a search. A hunt. A quest to feed oneself.

Her steps told him she had followed before her voice did. A question on why he was helping. At one time he might think it obvious, but he had learned by now too many times how it wasn't. Nothing that was so obvious here in the Spine for the natives was for those outside her winds and shadows.

"You need help. No other reason."

How things went here. Help those who needed it because you might be in need next. Offer a meal when you had extra and when you were without you might be given some in return. Only way to survive was to take care of each other even if you didn't know or like one another much. There was no such thing as turning a back here and it not being akin to serving a death sentence to them. Not even the mercy of tying the noose for them.

He began to spot a few pine cones up high still holding their treasures. He got his bow in hand and a blunt arrow. Quickly drawn and fired. A hit and both fell to the snow. White padded over and retrieved his arrow. He took it and shot once again. And then again. And again. And again. Till the cones were all dropped to the snow. Then he put both away.

Weylin motioned for her to follow him so they could pick the cones up. No one else was going to eat them and they wouldn't be able to sprout in Spring. A mercy for the tree so that its resources didn't go to waste.

He realized something as he walked and stopped. He turned to Azura. "Weylin. I'm Weylin. Sorry the late reply."

Then he got back to the task at hand.

Azura

 

[Azura]

Did she need help? Azura considered his answer carefully. His assumption was probably a logical one. Any normal person who stumbled across a half dressed girl in a hard, freezing climate would make a similar assessment. She was either in need of help or insane. Attempting to climb a steep and treacherous mountain with bare feet and no equipment certainly seemed to point to the second alternative. But in truth, Azura was neither of those things. She had no worry over how she might feed herself. And it was only because she did not wish to end her adventure that she did not return home for supplies. But this stranger had no way of knowing these things and in this moment, it seemed more convenient to let him believe his own version of reality rather then facing questions that may reveal far too much about her.

She nodded, seemingly the only gesture of thanks the woman knew how to deliver. Her eyes never left him, watching intently and quietly as he expertly used his weapon in order to dislodge several pine cones into the soft snow below. Upon his silent order, she joined him in gathering the fallen loot.

"Wey.. lin.." She repeated, elongating his name with that strange accent of hers, her voice rolling clumsily over the pronunciation. "What does it mean, your name? Have you ever killed anyone with that bow? How long have you lived here? Were you born here? Are there any caves I could shelter in in those mountains?" Now that she had established he was not an immediate threat, her curious nature took hold and several questions fell out of her, so quickly that he had no time to answer the first before she moved onto the next. In a way, it was like dealing with a fascinated child. She finally took a breath, pausing to glance around their surroundings.

"Are we alone out here?" There was an echo of hesitance in her tone now.

Weylin Kyrel

 

[Weylin Kyrel]

They went about gathering the cones. As they did the woman calling herself Azura began to talk. Less talk and more hurl questions at him without a seeming end. He stopped towards the end and looked at her. How did he always find the chirpiest songbirds? This would make it the second time he ran into such a talkative and curious girl out in the middle of the wilds here in the Spine.

He got a bit of a distant look. His thoughts on the first: Zeri. She was gone and had left him behind.... Or more honestly she had stopped letting him hold her back.

After a bit Weylin came back to the moment.

"Never alone. Always something watching you...." He took a moment to focus on his senses. There was something more animalistic and primal about how he went about listening, looking, and even sniffing the air. After a moment he continued. "Nothing dangerous right now."

She had asked him other questions. Should he answer? They were mostly not that prying. The only one that was touchy being on if he had killed someone with his bow.

The hunter moved from the cones now all gathered up to checking for signs of winter berries under drifts of snow.

"Told my name means 'Son of the wolf' in my dad's homeland. Born here. Lots of caves. Left for a few months. Came back."

The other question left unanswered intentionally. It felt like a trap. Bait that might see jaws snap shut around him.... But he always felt that way with strangers of late no matter the question. The more personal the worse it felt. As if opening up and being known would somehow end him. It wouldn't. He knew that. He knew it was better to open up.... But the one he had done so with had left him behind. Fear whispered in his ear it would happen again.... Every time....

He began to brush aside snow from a drift. Under revealed dark green leaves with light red berries growing from it. Snowberries. More tart than sweet. Edible. Good for one's health.

"I have killed before. Protecting myself and others...." He felt compelled to explain himself as if it was required and somehow would make it less true or lessen what he had to do. ".... Not a raider...."

He began to pick the berries. She would leave now. He was the danger. The threat. One who killed for any reason always seen that way unless they held some grand title or job. His dad had spoke some on the subject before. Seen how both sides were treated. Had been on both sides. Weylin could only be on the one. His only titles being that of a fool. A coward. A wanderer without a goal.

Azura

 

[Azura]

With her arms full of pine cones, Azura had no free hands to push back those tangled spirals of hair which constantly fell over her face and so she was forced to try and blow them out of her sight. With a mighty huff she managed to free one green eye and found herself blinking at the strange look of reverie that passed over his face. An echo of familiarity rang within her, recognizing the look of nostalgia for she was often accosted with the same. Ghosts of the past that flickered and spluttered in the back of one's mind.

His answer made her stiffen, straightening her posture as she took another precautionary glance around their surroundings, scanning the gnarled branches of trees for the hidden threats they might have been stalking her tread all along. At his reassurance, her gaze drifted back to him, a quiet nod given.

"Son of the wolf... I like that." She said with a small, reluctant smile which widened slightly at the admission there were caves that might be suitable for her to take shelter in. She considered the rest of his answers carefully as she watched him crouched in the snow. He had left the most important of her questions unanswered and so she waited, her brows furrowed with concern, her smile wavering.

When his words finally did come, they surprised her. She was expecting to be faced with another person who took life purposefully, perhaps even for joy. Most of the men she had encountered were marked with blood. But very few killed only because they were forced too. This was something she understood, being cornered, needing to resort to violence to protect something sacred. Perhaps they had more in common then she had initially assumed. Her features smoothed, understanding creeping across her face.

"Sometimes, we are forced to do what we must for a greater cause. I am a protector too" She said softly, her tone softening into a musical lilt. And with that, the woman suddenly spied the berries he had unearthed. In her excitement, she promptly dropped her pine cones into the pile of others he had collected. Her hesitation of him seemed to have melted away with his answer though not completely, it was always there lurking in the background. She suddenly made a quick move towards the berries, snatching several with one hand and very ungracefully, she shoved a whole handful into her mouth. Once she had swallowed, the girl sank into the snow, sitting cross legged and looking up at him. It was a wonder her bare skin was able to withstand such icy temperatures but she showed no sign of discomfort.

"Does she have a name?" She asked, her eyes moving towards the wolf that remained at his side. Her mother had always warned her about doing so. A named thing is a tamed thing. She would say in a lecturing tone. But she and everyone else she had ever known were gone. And so were most of the rules she had been forced to live by. The girl showed no sign of leaving, instead making herself comfortable as those emerald eyes turned on him once more, waiting.

"I could bring you some food from my home in return for what you have offered... If you like. Then you can spare at least some of the animals" She said, somewhat hesitant and surprised at her own generosity. As she spoke, she scooped up some snow, turning it in between her hands and crafting a tiny ball from it.

Weylin Kyrel

 

[Weylin Kyrel]

The response back to him on how he had killed in the past was far from what he had expected. Understanding was far too rare even on the small things it seemed. Even his mom's people weren't as understanding of everything he had been through as he had hoped when he had been following their ways. That slight difference in parentage mixed with an odd jealousy towards his dreaming dad. He had been a true protector. What had Weylin been other than trying to selfishly stay awake like a stubborn child?

The hunter glanced at her and gave her a nod in return. The way he moved betraying some of his feelings of thanks towards her kindness.

How quickly she dropped the cones and began to pick berries made him blink. White growled a bit at the sudden movement but then went back to her grumpy glaring in silence. He gave her room to pick then went to pick up what she had dropped. He had a place to store them on him where she didn't even have enough to cover herself with.

When the request for a name was asked, he looked over at the big mountain dog. The look he got told him everything he needed to know. "She doesn't want you to know."

The lost girl began to play with some snow as she mentioned bringing food from her homeland in return. A strange suggestion given how long it would take to go get it and return even using the portal stones. Perhaps she underestimated how difficult things were in the Spine or their methods of preserving food was just that thorough?

"No need. Food is a guest's gift and right. Nothing owed or needing a return."

Life was precious and feeding those hungry was something you should always do. Provide food. Provide shelter. Help them if they are lost. Do these things to those not trying to kill you and one day it might mean your own survival. The way of the Old Folk, his mom's people. The way of many even outside the Spine even if wars and conflicts made some forget.

"Full? Eat your fill. Will store some for later."

The cones for pine nuts was full and would need to be dealt with once they could relax. If she wanted more berries they needed to gather them now and she could have them while he removed cone from seed.

"Find us shelter soon."

That was going to be needed. The winds were constant here and they brought about sudden turns in the weather often. The light wouldn't remain long either this time of year. As cold as it was now it would be far worse when it grew dark.

Azura

 

[Azura]

Azura did not seem phased by the fact that her attempt at learning the animal's name was rebuffed, a small and careless shrug given as she focused on scooping more snow into her cupped hands, adding to the sphere she had constructed. She showed more indifference to her offer being declined, only one green eye lifting to peek at him through a veil of black and white. Was she a guest or an intruder? She pondered the question internally, perhaps for the first time considering that she waited for no invitation before she picked a place to explore, diving in without a second though for those who might share the ground on which she walked.

"I could eat more." She admitted. "But I will be okay for a little while longer" She added quickly. In truth, she had become used to eating little, sustaining herself through spirit rather than appetite. His last words seemed to surprise the girl for the ball she had so carefully created now crumbled in fist that suddenly clenched.

"Us..." She seemed confused at his choice of wording. Lips stained red with berry juice parted as her mouth fell open slightly. His generosity and willingness to accommodate her made her feel slightly guilty at the way she had almost instantly considered him a threat. Though, it could still be a trap. Nervously, she began tracing shapes and patterns into the snow covered earth as she tried to force herself to reply. She was tempted to flee. To do as she had always done and turn on one heel without a word, sprinting away into the forest. But there was something in this male's spirit that called for her to put aside her reservations. Not only that. It would be dark soon and she had no knowledge of what waited in shadow or how the climate might change. What if she failed to find shelter and was caught off guard?

"You do not have to feel obligated. This is your home and I would not want to intrude on your space" She said, glancing towards the animal with a look of consideration. "But if it is no trouble, I will accept your offer."