Teriteqas could feel the warmth of the day flowing over his feet. Each step pressing into the desert sands. Cloth covered every inch of his skin with only his eyes visible. Jerboas slept in their places against his skin beneath breathable safety. He looked to the sky. A few starving clouds slowly drifted by. The wind suddenly picked up blowing sand into his eyes. He quickly cast them down and began to try to rub the coarse grains out. A large cluster of rocks were nearby. He went to them for shelter as a sandstorm began to get whipped into life. Safe from it, his mind began to wander. A day while wandering decades ago early into his journey. It was shortly after his first jerboa companion had taken his clothing for its home....
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The waters of the oasis were cool and cold and life giving. They were sacred to the Abtati. They were sacred to the Nafas. They were sacred to Teriteqas. His hood wrap, gloves, and boots had been removed. Laid neatly nearby along with his weapons, the sand elf stepped out into the waters. In the shallows he sat down on his knees. Water flowed up to his waist. Cool and cold, it fought off the heat of the day. He lowered his head and brought his hands in front of him pressed against each other pointing towards the wind and the sky. Eyes closed he offered prayers to Abtatu. Right hand moved to dip fingers into the water. Flick they sent droplets into the air as sacrifices and the offering of first drink to his god. Then the fingers scooped and brought water up to his lips. Slowly he drank, offering more praise for the gift of life.
With the first drink offered and his thirst sated, Teriteqas bowed his entire torso into the waters. Completely he dunked his head down and bowed under the surface. He pulled himself up and then slowly rose to his feet. He walked back to the water's edge. A jerboa had found its way out of his wrap and began to drink from the bank. The wind picked up suddenly. The sand elf whipped his head to face it. High above the sky was becoming tan. A storm was brewing quickly and heading their way.
Teriteqas hurried to his belongings as he spoke to his companion to hurry. He did not bother to cover himself back up and just looked for a place to hide. There was little cover outside of the waters itself. A few, low clumps of grass clung a short ways from the bank, but would soon be overcome. No good answer was presenting itself. Then he noticed the outcropping of rocks on the other side of the oasis from him. He picked up the little fluff and sprinted as fast as he could for it.
Faster and faster the wind grew and little grains of sand began to grow in number with it. Teriteqas could feel it already beginning to sting on his bare skin and so was more than willing to slide into the shelter of stone without looking inside first. Rough stone meet side and got a wince from him. He might bruise and might have broken some skin. But he and his little companion were now safe from the sandstorm that was roaring outside.
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The waters of the oasis were cool and cold and life giving. They were sacred to the Abtati. They were sacred to the Nafas. They were sacred to Teriteqas. His hood wrap, gloves, and boots had been removed. Laid neatly nearby along with his weapons, the sand elf stepped out into the waters. In the shallows he sat down on his knees. Water flowed up to his waist. Cool and cold, it fought off the heat of the day. He lowered his head and brought his hands in front of him pressed against each other pointing towards the wind and the sky. Eyes closed he offered prayers to Abtatu. Right hand moved to dip fingers into the water. Flick they sent droplets into the air as sacrifices and the offering of first drink to his god. Then the fingers scooped and brought water up to his lips. Slowly he drank, offering more praise for the gift of life.
With the first drink offered and his thirst sated, Teriteqas bowed his entire torso into the waters. Completely he dunked his head down and bowed under the surface. He pulled himself up and then slowly rose to his feet. He walked back to the water's edge. A jerboa had found its way out of his wrap and began to drink from the bank. The wind picked up suddenly. The sand elf whipped his head to face it. High above the sky was becoming tan. A storm was brewing quickly and heading their way.
Teriteqas hurried to his belongings as he spoke to his companion to hurry. He did not bother to cover himself back up and just looked for a place to hide. There was little cover outside of the waters itself. A few, low clumps of grass clung a short ways from the bank, but would soon be overcome. No good answer was presenting itself. Then he noticed the outcropping of rocks on the other side of the oasis from him. He picked up the little fluff and sprinted as fast as he could for it.
Faster and faster the wind grew and little grains of sand began to grow in number with it. Teriteqas could feel it already beginning to sting on his bare skin and so was more than willing to slide into the shelter of stone without looking inside first. Rough stone meet side and got a wince from him. He might bruise and might have broken some skin. But he and his little companion were now safe from the sandstorm that was roaring outside.