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It had been a long two weeks for the winged elf.
It had taken her a further three days before she was strong enough to leave the Monster Hunter's Guild. Her wounds would rip whenever she used her wings for more than just a small take off or landing, and her broken ribs had caused her relentless torment. Annie had asked her to stay longer, but she hadn't been able to put off going home any earlier. There was something telling her that people knew where she was and her dawdling was being frowned upon. With her wings still weak she had made most of the journey on foot with Willis, who had stuck to his word and seen her home. At the edge of her territory she had regretfully had to leave him behind and continue the rest of her journey on foot to the towering city she was from. The only way to access it was with wings, the foot passages long ago sealed up.
What had followed, she still hadn't told Willis in full detail. It was personal, and the feelings it had stirred up had left scars on her heart. The conclusion had been the one she had wanted, but it was a bittersweet victory when she thought of the looks on her loved ones faces. It had been decided by the Elders that Caliane was to venture into the outside world and make reports back to her city. Then, they as a people would decide whether the Avariel's should return to the world once more. Cali had rejoined Willis a day after she had left him. She had actually been surprised to find him still waiting for her - she wouldn't have blamed him if he had left. When she had returned she had led one of the strange mountain ponies with her packs; she had a feeling it was going to be hard to find clothes with wing slits in them wherever they wandered. Willis had been sweet, not pried too hard, even though she could tell he had a million and one questions. Instead, as they made their way through the Spine, Cali taught him what she knew of the landscape there, showed him her tracking methods for Ogres, the tell-tale signs for Griffin hunting grounds, the subtle traps that goblins set for rabbits. It had been a pleasant journey, filled with laughter by the campfire and whispered confessions under the stars. Willis had taken the reigns when they left the Spines and Cali stepped into a whole new world. He began filling her in on the history of the land, and in particular of the Monster Hunters, of which she was now a member.
Their journey had led them to Alliria. Outside of which Cali now stood gawking.
"It's huge."
No, huge was an understatement. A Griffin was huge. This was... this was.... She didn't have the word in her own tongue or the Common one. As they had travelled further south and the climate had improved, and the further they had got from her home, Cali had changed into a more informal version of her normal Hunting attire. She still wore her trusty bucket boots, though instead of thick leggings she now wore a pair of short jerkins which came to her mid thigh. Over the top of that she wore a longer tunic with slits up the sides of the skirt in order to allow ease of movement if necessary. It was cinched in at the waist with corset brace, which was still acting to keep her tender ribs in the right position whilst they healed. Her arms were bare put for the vanbraces she wore, again to hide the bandages she still had to wear around her wrists. Slung from her hip was her quiver and bow - her most prized possessions. She had thought them lost when she had been taken but Zandeer had found them when he returned to the site of her abduction. She wore her hair loose but for two braids which pulled some of her mane off of her face.
And over the top of it all, including over her wings, was a bloody cloak.
"I can't believe you're making me wear this," the winged elf grumbled as they walked towards the gates, wriggling under the uncomfortable weight against her wings.
It had taken her a further three days before she was strong enough to leave the Monster Hunter's Guild. Her wounds would rip whenever she used her wings for more than just a small take off or landing, and her broken ribs had caused her relentless torment. Annie had asked her to stay longer, but she hadn't been able to put off going home any earlier. There was something telling her that people knew where she was and her dawdling was being frowned upon. With her wings still weak she had made most of the journey on foot with Willis, who had stuck to his word and seen her home. At the edge of her territory she had regretfully had to leave him behind and continue the rest of her journey on foot to the towering city she was from. The only way to access it was with wings, the foot passages long ago sealed up.
What had followed, she still hadn't told Willis in full detail. It was personal, and the feelings it had stirred up had left scars on her heart. The conclusion had been the one she had wanted, but it was a bittersweet victory when she thought of the looks on her loved ones faces. It had been decided by the Elders that Caliane was to venture into the outside world and make reports back to her city. Then, they as a people would decide whether the Avariel's should return to the world once more. Cali had rejoined Willis a day after she had left him. She had actually been surprised to find him still waiting for her - she wouldn't have blamed him if he had left. When she had returned she had led one of the strange mountain ponies with her packs; she had a feeling it was going to be hard to find clothes with wing slits in them wherever they wandered. Willis had been sweet, not pried too hard, even though she could tell he had a million and one questions. Instead, as they made their way through the Spine, Cali taught him what she knew of the landscape there, showed him her tracking methods for Ogres, the tell-tale signs for Griffin hunting grounds, the subtle traps that goblins set for rabbits. It had been a pleasant journey, filled with laughter by the campfire and whispered confessions under the stars. Willis had taken the reigns when they left the Spines and Cali stepped into a whole new world. He began filling her in on the history of the land, and in particular of the Monster Hunters, of which she was now a member.
Their journey had led them to Alliria. Outside of which Cali now stood gawking.
"It's huge."
No, huge was an understatement. A Griffin was huge. This was... this was.... She didn't have the word in her own tongue or the Common one. As they had travelled further south and the climate had improved, and the further they had got from her home, Cali had changed into a more informal version of her normal Hunting attire. She still wore her trusty bucket boots, though instead of thick leggings she now wore a pair of short jerkins which came to her mid thigh. Over the top of that she wore a longer tunic with slits up the sides of the skirt in order to allow ease of movement if necessary. It was cinched in at the waist with corset brace, which was still acting to keep her tender ribs in the right position whilst they healed. Her arms were bare put for the vanbraces she wore, again to hide the bandages she still had to wear around her wrists. Slung from her hip was her quiver and bow - her most prized possessions. She had thought them lost when she had been taken but Zandeer had found them when he returned to the site of her abduction. She wore her hair loose but for two braids which pulled some of her mane off of her face.
And over the top of it all, including over her wings, was a bloody cloak.
"I can't believe you're making me wear this," the winged elf grumbled as they walked towards the gates, wriggling under the uncomfortable weight against her wings.