Private Tales [To A New Friend and Accidental Adventures in the Tundra]

[Lleweira]

Word had long spread throughout Bhathairk; chaos had erupted from the within the Spine and both fear and excitement had let loose like wildfire. What would those who ventured there find? What had happened to the poor souls who had vanished? How many had died upon the arrival of this strange city? The topics were endless. Lleweira absorbed as much as she could, sifting through stories that piqued her interest. Tales of expeditions traveling to the Spine caught her ear, and made her wonder if she could manage to make it out there herself. Perhaps it was time she set out once more, afterall, she had only meant to visit her mother, J'vaika, for a few days before setting out once more. Those few days had come and gone, and half a Pnerian cycle later, she was still hanging around. Of course she was helping out where she could, but the itch to get moving was gradually getting stronger. As much as she liked Bhathairk, there were more places to see and experiences to be had outside of it, and so she decided on her next destination, the Spine... and she had just the route to avoid the competitive cut-throats and large convoys that might also try and make their way there; the portal stones. Afterall, she had a portal key from her last venture, and what an interesting experience it would be, being Llew's first time using one; what could go wrong? 'Well, I suppose a few things, but alas... it will work out in the end, as it always does', Llew thought to herself, as she made her way back from the Bazaar. She had picked up some potatoes and spices for dinner, which hung in a bag across her torso. Nothing like having stew on cold winter nights. The half-hafling continued to play out her plan in her thoughts. It would take her about nine days to walk to the portal stone, give or take a few depending on the terrain and the progress she made. If she could hitch a ride somewhere, that would also help. Llew began to run through the supplies she would need. She would need to prepare clothing for the cold, as it was still winter, and the portal stones, which she had marked on a map, would drop her off somewhere in the mountains. Llew turned off one of the main streets and skipped onto one of the many side streets that wove into the web that made up Bhathairk. Another twist the left, three right turns, and another left; she could navigate these streets with her eyes closed, but instead she simply let her mind wander. 'Snow, ice, and wind... hmmmm... a warm jacket and pair of boots, a thick pack to protect my necessities... a thick bedroll too... and jerky. Mmmmmmm... Lot's of jerky... and mead... some mead would be good too, if I can get my hands on some of that sweet nectar of the gods!' Her face broke into a rueful smile as she came to a stop before her mother's door. Llew turned the knob and entered. "Did you get those p'tatoes I asked for?" came her mother's voice from inside. '... best not to tell mom, she'll get worried... I'll just tell her when I get back from the Spine. Perhaps I can find a souvenir for her...' She left that final thought trail off as she closed the door behind her. * * *​

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Somewhere between Sittekar and Withereach there was a settlement of a couple of dozen Nordenfiir. A leftover from some expeditions south that’s gradually turned into a tiny village. People had added huts and wooden walls. Assumingly it was against the traitors and the beasts a first, but now that the realm was a bit calmer, it provided enough comfort for small groups of Nordenfiir to try their luck and hunt the grounds nearby. Being a warm type of people the Nordenfiir helped each other out whenever they could. The cold was harsh and unforgiving, hence they knew what hospitality and shelter were to one another.

The settlement mostly consisted out of warriors and hunters. From what Mikaela had seen she was the youngest around. Not that they gave her any slack because she was technically still a cub. If she was to be a part of the settlement, for how long she wished, she had to pull her weight. Being lean and enthusiastic she managed to hunt well, could prepare food quite a bit, and didn’t mind getting her hands dirty when fortifying the little village further. They cut trees, sharpened the small amount of weapons there were, and crafted tools to be used as spares. She truly enjoyed all of it. Some things were new, especially the tips and tricks given by the older Nordenfiir that were around, other skills she had practiced before and was honing further now.

One task, however, was new. Keeping watch wasn’t something she had done before, at least not to this degree. During smaller “expeditions” with other cubs they were taught what to pay attention to and what to do in general should it be your turn to make sure the others could sleep safely. It was different here. The post where one had to keep watch wasn’t exactly inside the settlement. It wasn’t even next to it. No tower to watch from, no hill to settle on behind a self-made or naturally formed wall.

Here it were four single points, each given to one inhabitant of the settlement, spread across an area between the portal and the huts they nowadays called “home”. Four people a night were out to make sure the ones crossing were no threat to the miniscule community. During those nights they were allowed to hunt or read next to a fire, but they had to stay in their area as to decrease the chance of someone slipping by unnoticed. The way they did things had Mikaela wondering if those had been instructions left by one of the Jorns or perhaps even precautions taken by the capital after the rough time the realm has been through. She hadn’t spoken about those thoughts to anyone yet, mostly because she was quite “new” and wasn’t sure what the reactions of the others would be, certainly should the topics go further than their guarding strategy.

Tonight was her first night on duty. She worried, of course, that the lack of Svalen would betray her should the wind wouldn’t be strong enough to carry a foreign scent.

* * *​

 

[Lleweira]

* * *​

As Llew had predicted, it had taken her about nine days to reach the vicinity of the portal stone, which had also given her time to grow accustomed to the weight she had to haul. The fact that she a load that was perhaps just under half of her own weight was no one's fault but her own.

In the end, she had settled on three bottles of mead, about three pints all together, for what journey would be fun without a bit of that fine liquid, jerked meat, a sack of assorted nuts and dried fruit; it would last her a while, should she ration it well. For clothes, she had wrapped the bottles of mead in two sets of woolen clothing and one of cotton to layer, not including her regular travel-wear, which she had worn for this part of her expedition. Llew had also decided on a pair of thick gloves, a pair of sturdy boots, and some wool socks.

Other necessities included her thick bedroll, which she had bargained down to a reasonable price, and the fur-lined jacket she had found amongst some of her older belongings, along with matching pants. Luckily, her mother rarely got rid of things, unless they were in tatters, and Llew had not exactly grown much over the years. Waste not, want not, as the saying went. The bedroll and the boots had to be bought and though both had been bargained for, it still left a sore spot in her coin purse.

Llew had also packed some spices, including salt, and about a half pint of honey in a sealed vial. A pouch a flint stones, a single serving sized metal pot, and her coin purse had also been packed, whereas her knives and dagger hung from the belt at her hips. A map was tucked hastily into her belt. Her bedroll was tied to the top of her pack with three yards of rope.

Smearing a few beads of sweat across her dusted brow, Llew's eyes landed upon a large boulder surrounded by a ring of burnt grass. It was still far enough that she couldn't make out the design that was etched into the stone, but there was no doubt that she had finally reached her goal.

"Finally! I was almost starting to regret the mead..." she sighed, quickening her pace.

As Llew paused just outside the ring of barren earth, she began to distinguish the fluid lines on the face of the stone. At first, they reminded her of the roots of a tree, or perhaps of an elongated animal, like a serpent, but she noticed the runes that made an almost stripe-like pattern along the entwining outline. Below the main stone was a ring of flat stones which held more runes, presumably the directional runes.

Llew pulled out the small bone charm from her pocket- a portal key which she had received by trading for materials that a magic user had requested. It was a pretty little thing, with a small string handing from one tip, a feather swing from the end of it. She had forgotten what the woman had called herself, mage, wizard, sorcerer, shaman, they all used magic, so magic user would have to do. The portal stone glowed with such a faint blue light, that she almost wondered if it was her imagination playing tricks on her.

Drawing out the map from her belt, Lleweira checked the notes that the magic user had jotted down for her, and hesitated. The woman's scrawl made it difficult to tell which rune matched with which location. It looked as though there were two runes beside a scribble that resembled the name Crobhear, a lake that lay within the Spine, but it didn't make sense, considering the woman's warning that touching two destination stones would kill her. Joys.

After a few moments of considering, Llew entered the ring and approached the portal stone. She circled the destination stones and located the two runes.

"Which one is it...", she murmured. 'Guess I'll just have to pick one.' Although it was not ideal, she saw little choice. Llew shook off her unease, tucked the map into her shirt, lowered her pack and began to don her winter jacket, pants, and gloves. Once she had picked up her luggage once more, she stepped forward, carefully aligning herself infront of her chosen rune, and touched the bone to the stone.

As the bone charm disappeared with a crack, a warm sensation began to hum through her body as the stone activated, and made the ends of her nerves tingle. Holding her breath, Llew touched her gloved hand to the directional rune, making sure to avoid its neighbours. With a whispered prayer, she blinked out of existence.

* * *​

Darkness enveloped Llew, and the air felt thick, though she could still breath, and her ears were met with a sound that reminded her of rushing water. There was an odd sense of weight to wherever she was, and for a minute or so, she brain began to mock her.

'Perhaps this is, maybe I'm dead... I'm a lot calmer than I thought I would be,' Llew mused.
'This doesn't seem so ba-' she began to think, as shocking cold smacked her in the face.

A hollow sound escaped her, forced out as she was blindsided by the chill. Bent over, hands on her knees, she coughed. It took her a few minutes to catch herself and attempted to regain control of her breathing.

"I should have expected that... I should have expected that."

Once she had caught her breath, she stood upright and squinted around. Snow. Lots of the cold fluff lay around her. There were less trees than she had been expecting, but the wind and snow did not disappoint.

"Welp, it seems like I'm the right place," she said to no one but herself. "Now... to figure out which way to go first." Llew looked towards the sky, which was coloured in a pale grey from a layer of clouds.

"Hmm... This may turn out to be a bit more challenging than I thought."

* * *​

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

The night came and went. Snuggled in furs around a small fire, one she had managed to build after cleaning the ground and making a pit, she had almost fallen asleep which would have been quite bad. Luckily, some of the northern birds had kept her awake. Probably snow owls. Briefly she had considered trying shooting one down for a snack during the night, but she had dried meat with her and she liked owls. Hence the decision was made to leave them be so they could continue to act as a wake up call whenever she threatened to slip into a dream.

Chewing on a bit of meat by the time the sun slowly started to creep across the horizon the young Nordenfiir felt quite proud to have made it through the night without closing her eyes for longer than was necessary. She stretched her legs, kicked a bit of snow over the sizzling branches, and slowly started to make a little tour around the area. Soon enough she could return to her hut, but as long as the sun wasn’t over the tips of the trees, she had to continue with her duty.

The cold bit into her cheeks with the same intensity as she dug her teeth into the dry slices of deer. Almost too occupied with her food to notice the vague scent floating through the snowy forest Mika came to a sudden halt. She put away her snack, cleaned off her hands with a small pile of snow and sniffed. This time her sniffing was purposeful. She was pretty sure that this scent was new. It belonged to someone who wasn’t one of their kind. Of that much she was certain.

*​

With the hood covering her jet black strands of hair Mika quietly moved toward the source of the foreign scent. Hopefully there was only one of them, she found herself thinking with a racing heart. From the stories told about the portals the majority spoke of only one traveller being able to cross at once. Horror myths about people coming out merged together or torn into pieces after having tried to travelled at the same time left everyone wary of ever trying to do the same thing. Mikaela certainly didn’t plan on holding anyone’s hand when the time to “jump” would arrive. Before that could happen, though, she would have to buy a key. Or rather trade for one. It’s why she planned to head back North once she would get her hands on some pretty furs down here.

Ah! The task ahead. She shook away the thoughts of further travel in favor of the scent being stronger now. Humanoid.. nothing rotten or incredibly odd about it. This brought an unexpected wave of relief. While humans were tricky, they were mostly quite reasonable. What one was doing all the way out here awoke Mika’s curious side. The tender creatures weren’t seen in these areas too often. To the Nordenfiir they seemed quite fragile, even the adult ones.

*​

“Ello!” the cub raised her hand, empty of weapons in order to get the traveller’s attention. Speaking in the Common Tongue as it was taught to her during childhood she hoped that this one would understand her. Chances were slim that they knew Fiirevik and there was no third language Mika had mastered during the span of her 16-year old life.

* * *​

 

[Lleweira]

"Ello!"

Llew spun, well, as quickly as her pack would allow her, to search for the source of the greeting. Their voice had sounded female, though she couldn't quite place their age, only that it seemed young. There was also a degree of uncertainty in that voice, but whether it was because Llew was a stranger or simply because common was not their native tongue, "Ello" was too short a word to make that distinction. The half-human hadn't expected to come across anyone so quickly, but still, if they didn't seek to harm her, perhaps this stranger would prove to be helpful. The fact that she hadn't been attacked yet was a good sign.

As she turned, eyes squinted partially against the cold, Llew spotted a figure who appeared to be trying to get her attention. Nothing seemed to set off her internal warnings, but it never hurt to proceed with caution, and so she didn't move but still greeted the stranger in turn.

"Hello?" Llew said, as she raised her arm and waved it slightly.

From where she stood, the stranger appeared to be a fair skinned young woman, though she could not make much out because of the woman's hood. She appeared to be dressed warmly, suitable to the environment they were in.

'A local?' Llew wondered.

Perhaps this young woman would be able to tell her if she had reached the right portal stone. Hopefully she wasn't too far off course, and was where she had meant to be, afterall, she wasn't too keen on figuring out how to activate the portal stones with her own magic on the fly. She was no mage, witch, or sorceror, and heck, part of the time she didn't even keep a grasp on what magic she did have. Llew had yet to find a teacher that she was willing to learn from, which meant she had not been instructed on how to make a portal key; the magic user who had given her the key hadn't been the most forthcoming.

'How would one even activate a portal stone without a key?' The portal key disappearing upon activating the stone was not the most comforting image.

"You wouldn't happen to know how far we are from Crobhear Lake... would you?" Llew asked. The pitch of her voice rose in the later part with hopefulness.

* * *​

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Luckily her greeting had the right effects. Now the two were face-to-face and even though size didn’t say much of one’s fighting abilities, Mika found herself relaxing a bit after getting a better look at the female. Judging by the look on the stranger’s face there shouldn’t be a fight. Both of them were just out here, one at home the other “visiting”. For what reason was yet to be found out. Mika’s curiosity was poked.

“Crobhear lake?” she echoed dumbfound. If it wasn’t for her love for maps and the unknown, she probably wouldn’t even know that such a place existed. The lake was so far away that without the Portal Stones it would probably take people a year to get there, perhaps longer considering you had to cross the mountains to reach it.

Still somewhat confused she answered honestly. “Hundreds of days of walking.” A nod was added to confirm that she wasn’t joking. “First there is the sea, then the land, then the mountains, and when you cross them there should be a lake - Crobhear Lake.”

Feeling somewhat proud of her geographical knowledge, she offered the stranger a smile. It felt good to be able to help, though the reaction she got wasn’t a happy one. Gradually the picture was coming together. The portal stone, the question, the confusion - this one hadn’t landed quite where she had wanted to.

“This is Eretejva Tundra, my home, I’m Ryurik Mikaela, but you can call me Mika. There is no need to worry.” Well, there was, but not right now. There were two of them, the settlement was near, and Mika was a Nordenfiir. Things could have been worse for the stranger, and for Mika should this traveler had been an aggressive one.

“If you’re cold or hungry we can go to the settlement nearby, they might find you odd, but they won’t be hostile.”

* * *​

 

[Lleweira]

Llew's eyes rose to meet the violet gaze of the tree of a girl that stood before her. Her movements seemed to be smooth and comfortable in their current environment. She was not bulky, but rather slim, at least by her estimate of the thickness of the girl's very warm looking outfit; very warm and well suited to blocking out the frigged air that was already beginning to sink its claws into her flesh. Llew tucked her hands under her armpits.

'Definitely local, and perhaps not human' the short woman thought to herself. The later part didn't really concern her, considering her upbringing, and that she wasn't completely human either. Rather, it simply piqued her curiosity. The young woman began to reply.

Her heart dropped. "No way.." Llew's expression froze as her mind tried to catch up with the revelation that she was, well, not where she had aimed to land.
'Welp, this is was a... an unexpected outcome...'

She did not miss the girl's smile and subtle shift in posture; a slight tilt of her head, a straightening of her back, all signs that she was proud of something, presumably her answer to Llew's answer. She couldn't blame her, it was impressive that she knew the how long it would take to walk to a place more than a sea away. It was sweet really, and the girl was clearly trying to be helpful to her, a complete stranger. She also seemed to pick up on her distress, which Llew was indeed, and began explaining where they were, in attempt to reassure her.

'Eretejva Tundra. Ryurika Mikael- Mika,' Llew thought to herself, both processing the information and making an effort to memorize the names. Unconsciously, Llew's posture relaxed as she considered her situation. 'All things considered, I'm not so bad off. Who knows, I could have been crushed inside stone or immediately drowned underwater. Instead, there I am here with someone, who so far, seems to be concerned for my well-being. '

It was Llew's turn to smile, which in turn punctuated her words as her teeth, ever so slightly, began to chatter.
"Well, Mika, that sounds like a lovely idea! I am feeling just a bit chilly right about now," she said with a sheepish expression, "and I am a bit odd, I can't deny, but harmless! Please, lead the way!"
Llew did her best to keep up with Mika, the promise of warmth spurring her on.

'Now this will make quite the story, won't it,' she thought, and Llew, being the person she was, did like her stories.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Mika was glad to have this stranger be both friendly and agreeing to follow her to a nearby settlement. Finding frozen foreigners beneath the snow now and then was always a lugubrious sight. Most who came unprepared had low chances when it came down to survival. The weather here was harsh and unforgiving. Everyone knew that.

“Follow me.. ehm, I didn’t catch your name?”

Eyeing the smaller female out of the corner of her eye she wondered if she was warm enough to reach the tiny village built to oversee this area. There wasn’t too much she could offer, but being very warm blooded and used to the cold, she took off her long, thick scarf. Silently handing it to the stranger, she gestured for her to put it on.

“I’m used to the cold, I’m a bear.” she laughed, even though she wasn’t entirely one yet. With no Svalen she was only a cub, but a Nordenfiir regardless. Her hood would stop most of the wind and snow, and soon there would be a fire to get the cold out of their bones. Well, more for the visitor than for her. She still felt quite warm as they walked further, movement always made things better anyway.

“It’s only a small settlement. We’re here to see if people come over,” she stopped, dropping the “bad intentions” and “defense line” part,”like you, lost or visiting.” Altogether it wasn’t a lie.

While she didn’t expect for this one to gather a gang of bandits to attack their settlement should she go home - travelling here cost magic or a lot of time, and the settlement was small, she was still cautious with giving too much information. Most Nordenfiir would probably remain entirely silent throughout the trip back. Mika was an odd cub.

Soon enough they were closing in on the firm path leading to the village. The snow was less there, hardened by the walking and sledding. If you had a keen smell, you would be able to make out faint traces of smoke.

* * *​

 

[Lleweira]

Llew mentally smacked her head; how could she have forgotten to introduce herself?

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm Lleweira, but please call me Llew!"

The semi-human felt as though she were being sized up from the way Mika looked at her, and she began to worry a little, until the younger woman began to unwrap her scarf and offered it her. Llew slowly accepted it, and did as Mika gestured for her to do, wrapping the warm, long scarf around her neck.

After a moment, Llew decided that she probably looked like a child, engulfed in a pool of their parent's garment, but at least it was warm. Gratefully, she grinned up at the taller woman.
"Thank you! You are too ki- wait, a bear?" Llew called questioningly after her guide, eyes wide as she jogged to catch up with the other woman's longer stride. She was pretty sure that actual bears didn't have violet eyes, but then again, who was she to say? Afterall, Llew wasn't a bear herself.

"Lost, visiting, yes, and more than a bit mildly confused," Llew murmured absently.

The faint scent of wood-fire met her nose as they neared their destination. Llew's booted feet were met with area's of packed-down snow and patches of ice, which crunched slightly under her weight. Llew was careful not to stray too far to either side of the trodden path, lest she get a boot full of snow. As they entered the edge of the settlement, Llew took stalk of her surroundings.

As Mika had said, the settlement was on the smaller side, though it did take her a moment to see the settlement for what it was. The structures that made up the settlement almost appeared to grow out of the landscape itself, since they were built close to the ground and covered in snow. A few strangers stood by the smattering of buildings, out in the cold, and the gazes that met her own were mostly inquisitive stares that had a, well, an icy edge.

Llew would be lying if she were to say that she wasn't a bit intimidated by them, given that they were all well above her measly bordering average height and they were sizing her up. She released the breath that she only just realized she had been holding, and forced her shoulders to relax as much as she could under the weight of her pack. Mika had gone out of her way to take care of her, and although it would be foolish to expect the same from everyone in the settlement, Llew hoped that she could at least make a good enough impression.

* * *​

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

“Well, I’m of bear blood.. I haven’t gotten in touch with my soul yet, it might take a while. I’m sixteen, so it’s not unusual.” she explained way too much to the stranger. Probably in an attempt to make herself feel better about her first failed Path. Back then the survival in the cold, harsh North hadn’t given her the necessary push to unlock her Svalen. It’s why she was on a Path of sorts again. Mixed with the orders of the Queen and her own interests as a young Nordenfiir.

They were nearing the “gates” now, though one wouldn’t know them to be that if it wasn't for the hardened path and some intertwining trees and planks here and there on the side. They had been slowly fortifying the place, but it was still just a small settlement to make sure there were Nordenfiir who could alerts others should something dangerous come through the gate.

Llew didn’t appear as a monster to her. And in the worst case scenario she had brought her among quite some Nordenfiir. Where aside from Mika everyone had a Svalen as far as she knew. So, it wasn’t a bad thing at all. Either help someone lost in the North or unmask a monster before it gets further toward the other more crowded settlements.

“Rör, this is Llew, she got lost. She thought the portal spit her out in the Spine. I brought her here to warm up.” Mika immediately let one of the larger men know. Mika’s top of her head barely reached his shoulder. The man was a beast. He nodded, the others watched with a bit of skepticism, but knew why all of them were here.

Turning toward the hut she spent her time in between scouting, guarding and hunting, she gestured for Llew to come along. “Let’s get inside.”

The fire was burning, but barely. Mika threw some logs on it, slowly blowing on the little bits of golden red until they set their teeth into the wood. They gradually grew and she knew that the warm already inside would only become stronger now. Taking off her jacket and gear, she set everything next to the entrance before moving back to the fire. Wood and fur made up some seats around a round stone table. She mentioned for Llew to sit.

“I’ll grab some food, I assume you’re prefer it to be cooked?”

* * *​

 

[Lleweira]

With her mouth opened in a small ‘oh’ shape, Llew’s wide eyes moved upwards as she tilted her head back until her gaze reached the top of the man’s head. He had to be at least twice her height... or not, but he was at least close. Several strong, musky scents reached her nose, which she quickly realized were emanating from the people around her. She didn’t mind it too much, having come from Bhathairk. She flashed Rör and the rest a shy, sheepish smile and a quick nod, before running to catch up with Mika.

* * *​

She hesitated for a moment, before following Mike into what Llew took to be the young woman’s home. While Mika coaxed the flames, Llew closed the entrance behind herself. As soon as the heat was sealed in, she lifted the scarf over her head, which resulted in a nest looking bundle in her hands that she slowly unravelled as her thoughts caught up to her.

‘Bear blood...’ It had to explain the size of the locals, if they were all like her sixteen year-old guide. Sixteen. Llew became embarrassed at the thought. Mika was younger yet far more competent than she.

“You assume correctly, and thank you for taking me in for now,” Llew said with a smile.

Once the scarf lay folded in her hands, she set it alongside the rest of Mika’s gear, and after following Mika’s gesture, began to shed her own gear, first setting down her pack, before she went to set her outer gear beside that of her host. Once she was satisfied, she re-shouldered her pack and headed towards the table, where she sat, set her pack on the side further away from the flames and began to rummage through it.

“Although it’s not much, I brought some drink with me,” she began, pulling one bottle out of the bag and setting it down gently on the table. “It’s honey mead... have you ever had it before? Oh, and please let me know if there is anything I can do to help! I don’t wish to be impose on you too much... Thank you for guiding and hosting me... Are the others okay with my presence? I hope my being here isn’t putting you in a tight spot...” She paused. “Sorry, I’m firing off words. Please tell me if I’m getting to be too much,” she said with a sheepish laugh. "I guess I'm just a bit high-strung from all that's happened today..."

* * *​

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

“No worries, as long as one wishes no harm to us or our home, I think that I can speak for the majority of the Nordenfiir that we take care of others too.” Perhaps not always as willingly as Mikaela did, but the xenophobia was decreasing even if only very slowly. The Queen was worthy of the seat she had taken - her goals, as far as Mikaela knew, aligned well with her own. “That doesn’t mean there aren’t those out there who would wish you harm or simply hope that you would freeze to death. There are fewer of them now, though.”

She hoped that in time there would be none of them left. Grumpy older Nordenfiir who didn’t really do any harm were fine, but traitors were not. Mika’s pride told her that should she come across one of them she would try her best to kill them. Unfortunately, right now, she wasn’t as strong as the adult ones. That’s why she was out here, this was a part of her journey to adulthood.

Moving across the room to a small frame that might looked like a window if it wasn’t so low. When opened cold rushed in, but no snow. She pulled out one of the fishes in there and closed it. “I hope you like fish, by the way.” An apologizing smile crossed her lips in case Llew didn’t. There was some dry meat, but Mika preferred fish and always offered her guest that what she liked the most.

“You’re fine and.. I’ve had a bit of it, but I’m sure that if it’s more Southern it might be different from what they manage to trade here. It’s hmm quite a delicacy in the North, if one could call it that.” laughing lightly, she waved away Llew’s worries. “They’re fine with it, the outpost is made for occasions like these and.. well, if you’ll try to kill me then that’s my fault and the others will be on our back quite quickly.” A joke, of course, but it was also the truth.

With a dagger she quickly started to fillet the fish. Having gotten a bowl and a pot to cook in, she poured water into the pot before adding the bits most human didn’t eat in there. That would make a good broth afterwards, she figured. Then went back to the little storage to get smaller fish. They were tiny and mostly used as bait, or to add flavor to the broth. She cut out the gut and threw them into the water. It was getting hotter on the fire, she quietly stirred it. This would take longer than grilling the larger chunks of fish. Those went on spikes and were then stabbed into the fire. She watched the flames lick at them. Sooner than later the smell would fill the little house she called home for now.

Bread came from another storage cabinet. Carefully she cut pieces from the loaf. They were a bit hard, but she hoped that Llew wouldn’t mind it.

“Yeah.. I probably wouldn’t be as calm as you are if I ended up so far from the Spine.” wondering aloud she wasn’t sure if it was polite to ask what Lleweira’s idea was of going there, and where she actually originated from. However, with the fish grilling and the broth simmering happily, they had some time to talk before dinner was ready.

“Not that it’s any of my business, but why the Spine and.. where do you come from?” making herself comfortable, she eyed Llew. “In time I would like to visit various places in the world, and make maps of it, too.” For too long too many Nordenfiir didn’t explore the world. Mika, as young and naive as she was, hoped to change that. Not on her own, of course, but set an example, open a gate to the world beyond their snowy landscape. No matter how much she loved her home, her curiosity was insatiable.

* * *
Lleweira (apologies, for it took me so long)​

 

[Lleweira]

Although she didn’t know this person, she couldn’t help but chuckle at the image of her trying to do harm to the weathered bear blooded people; it was like a chick trying to conquer the winds of a storm. “Try to kill you...? Only if I had a death wish. I can’t say the thought crossed my mind, but I very much doubt I would stand a chance if I even were to attempt such a dishonourable action as attacking my hosts. I’m not in the business of shedding blood anyhow, though I can at least hunt and defend myself.”

Llew watched as Mika swiftly gutted and prepared the fish, silently admiring the younger woman’s deftness, which could only have been garnered through practice.

“I do enjoy a good fish,” Llew said belatedly, “and actually, I generally enjoy foods of all sorts! Though I suppose fish is high on that list. Depending on the fish, I find it can be difficult to prepare, taking out the bones and whatnot...” Soon the scent of cooking fish hit her nose, and Llew sighed contentedly.

Lleweira glanced over at Mika; she had been expecting the question sooner or later, though she wasn’t quite sure the best way to put her thoughts into words.

“That’s a fair question to ask... well, where to start?”

Llew watched as the younger woman stirred the pot.

“I’m from Bhathairk, an orcish stronghold near the Ra Gnamb sea, which is known for its vast trade and motley inhabitants. Not too long ago, there were rumours of entire settlements that had disappeared in some sort of incident in the Spine, an earthquake perhaps, or even some ancient magic, though not a single soul was left to tell the tale.”

Llew paused dramatically, her voice had gradually begun to settle into one might expect of a storyteller, though she hadn’t noticed it until that moment.

“However, it was soon discovered that the ruins of some ancient city had appeared, and as you might expect, some people were eager to venture there and explore, perhaps to find some riches or even fame...” she smiled, with no heart in it, “and of course, there are some people who see the excitement of others as an opportunity. Bandits, con artists, or simply cut-throat competitive convoys, you name it, incidents began to pop-up here and there, and of course, news of these incidents reached the town.”

She sighed, “still, I wanted to see the ruins for myself, though not for fame or money, though money is nice and all, but like you, I’m an inquisitive, curious person, and so I tried to think of a way to get to the Spine quickly, and avoid unpleasant run-ins. I thought that the portal stones would perhaps not be a common route, as they aren’t typically used by large groups, and the closest stone to Bhathairk is in the opposite direction of the Spine.”

Llew leaned back, folded her arms, and tilted her head to the side.
“For the most part, I was right. Except, as you may have guessed, for quickly getting me to the Spine. The directions that I had been given in order to operate the portal stones, the ones written on the map I had been given, were unclear as to which rune would lead me to the Spine, so I took a guess...” Llew looked at Mika and smiled sheepishly, “... and well, here I am.”

* * *​

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Incredible

Somehow this one had ended up further from her goal and would high likely take more time to get there than should she have walked there to start with. If Mika remember the maps correctly, and she loved adding bits and pieces to them, then both the sea and then the Blightlands above and Ixchel Wilds beneath, depending on what road you would take, were now between them and the Spine. Now that she knew where this foreigner came from, she was even more amazed at how calm and collected she appeared to be. Perhaps it had to do with her adventurous spirit. Every new place had its own treasures waiting to be discovered.

“I see..” she thoughtfully muttered while turning the fish so it wouldn’t burn on one side. It was always hard to separate myth and tales from truth, but seeing as this one had embarked on a journey to see it with her own eyes, well, she felt a little bit bad that Llew had missed her destination. At the same time, perhaps destiny didn’t want her to cross roads with all types of dangerous thugs and sellswords.

“Runes are hard to read, it’s a shame you were given an unclear map. On the other side,” she placed cups to drink from between the two of them. “it’s brought you here and now we can learn from each other about each other’s homes.” Gesturing toward her she then patten on her own chest with a wide smile.

Of course she wasn’t as interesting or exciting as a potentially ancient city that might have or might have not risen from the depths of the earth. Regardless, she figured while stirring the future broth, one always had to make the best of their situation.

“I wish I could tell you that it won’t be hard to get a key, but I’m a terrible liar.” The young Nordenfiir said while taking a long wooden board and placing it between the cups. Soon the pieces of fish were put on there while she used a long wooden spoon to stir the broth. Some dried herbs were added there while she threw a tiny amount of sea salt onto the still sizzling pieces of salmon. They had the mead to drink and when that was gone she still had ale. The broth would cook a bit longer, and should they be fill by the time it was done, they could always reheat it and drink it in the morning with some dry elk and pickled vegetables.

“Please, dig in.” she gestured before taking a piece of bread herself and using a piece of cloth to take out the sticks. “Yeah, those are hot, watch out.” Hopefully Llew didn’t have a problem with having no forks, because of Mika was honest, she kept on trading those and the majority of the spoons she made with people for sleepovers and some drinks during her journey.

“It’s not because there are none who can make them or they would be too expensive and hard to trade, it’s more of a .. we’re faraway from any big city. This here is but a settlement.” Thoughtfully chewing on the fish, she tried to estimate which city was the closest to them and whether there would be someone with the knowledge of magic there. Chances were real any big city had someone, so the distance would have to decide. Unless Llew was planning to take on a journey and board a ship later on.

“If.. a key is what you want, of course.”

* * *​

 

[Lleweira]

Mika hadn’t reacted the way Llew would have expected most people to react- perhaps a shocked expression, a laugh, or some other reaction to the absurdity of her situation, but instead her host remained cool and collected, logically considering the predicament the half-human had found herself in.

“In truth, I should be thanking my lucky stars that I didn’t just go and die by mistake...” she chuckled in a self-deprecating manner, punctuated with the hint of a mixture of a grimace and a smile.

“A key... Yes, I figured that it wouldn’t be easy to get, but then, nothing that is worth much ever really is,” she trailed off, her attention lapsing as her eye was drawn back to the pot. Her stomach whimpered at her, and she quieted it with a gulp of mead, and accepted the food Mika offered to her warmly.

“Thank you for the food!” Llew sipped the broth and sighed, content. The warmth ran down her throat, while the flavours of the broth settled deliciously on her tongue. “This is fantastic! It is just right!” Llew beamed. She tore a piece from the bread Mika had given her and dipped the morsel into the broth, and plopped it into her mouth. Her happiness was evident in the quiet hum-like sound she made as she set into her meal.

“... and yes, I might as well take advantage of this detour and learn what I can,” Llew said, momentarily pausing in her revelry of the food. “I had never imagined myself coming here, but there is already so much that piques my interest! A people of bear’s blood, and who knows what el- well, you probably already know- but what else there is here in your land! And of course I would answer what I can about my home as well, if that is what you desire,” Llew said, meeting Mika’s gaze with a grin.

“I suppose if we are to do this, we’ll need to plan a route or two, gather supplies and what not... oh, what is the currency or bartering like here? Hmm... also, I wonder if my gear will be suitable...” Llew began to think half aloud, half addressing Mika, not entirely conscious she was doing so.

“Ah! Is there something I can do for you? Considering that you have already practically saved me, I feel that it is unfair, since I am receiving so much...” Llew looked at Mika inquiringly. She didn’t like the idea of such a one-sided situation, as at least for now, she was most likely going to be rather reliant on the younger woman. A foreign landscape; a different way of life; a different culture... there was so much was yet to be prepared for.

“Oh! Also... please tell me if my manner of speaking is too much. My mouth sometimes runs off a bit,” Llew murmured, said mouth turning a bit sheepish.

“In any case, whether or not you decide on something now or along the way, in addition to satisfying your questions, if there is something else I can help you with that you can think of, please tell me!”

Llew began to dig into her soup once more, though her attention remained on her thoughtful host.

* * *
ooc: My utmost apologies for the painfully late reply! ( >.< )​