Welcome to Gaia! ::

Raemos had always been an early riser, but today he woke up unusually early, even for him. It was still dark and quiet in the cottage, save for the living sounds of breathing. Raemos slipped into the kitchen and unshuttered the windows, peering out on the rough landscape he called home. From the cold brilliance stars in the sky and the infinite darkness on the horizon, he knew that it was early yet. Barely morning. He shuttered the window and started to wash up. When he was awake, he usually stayed awake. Sometimes, he would randomly wake in the middle of the night, refreshed and restored from a hard days work. Oddly, those were the times he could return to sleep's beautiful embrace.

Other times, he could not. No matter how he tried, sleep would not come to his awake and eager body. That was when he took his walk and started his day. Normally, though, wakings like that happened later, closer to the sweet light of morning. Maybe it had to do with having a guest in the house. They had never really had guests before – the people they occasionally hired from town stayed in the barn or in a tent on the property. And Vona, though she stayed in the house, was family, not a guest. But his uncle was.

Raemos realized that he was nervous. He had a new person to prove himself to, and considering that the man had muscles on his muscles, Raemos wasn't sure if he could. He decided to clear his head with his morning walk. He was sure that by the time he got back it would be morning anyway and the day would begin in earnest. He decided to check the herd first. Checking the herd before continuing on his morning walk was a habit his father had approved of, and given how much that man approved of most of what Raemos did, Raemos had made it more than a habit – he had made it routine. He put on his shoes and clothes and pattered out of the house, only taking a small pack with him. He figured he'd be back before he needed more than a light snack and a canteen of water, or anything else. He did bring his small sword with him, but only because it, too, had become habit to tie it's sheath to his belt.

He walked out into the desert night, looking up appreciatively. The desert had always been at its most beautiful at night. A sea of stars above mirrored the sea of sand below. He wondered if it mirrored the desert in other things, too, if things skittered and slithered among the bright points of light? Was there life up there, among the gods and their battles? He could smell the herd's thick musky scent as he approached, and he heard them huff and scuffle. He cooed to them to calm them.

He loved his family's business. Even though the animals would, likely, end up on someone else's table, he didn't mind. He and his parents gave them a good life, one he could be proud of. He stroked the broad thigh of one of the sheron they kept with the kargoths. The herd stayed together for protection and warmth on the cool nights, though in the day the kargoths went off on their own.

”Shhh...” he said, soothingly. It was nighttime, of course they would be disturbed by his approach. One of the smaller Kargoths started threat displaying to something in the distance, and Raemos stroked its flank, wary. Was there something else out there?What was upsetting them, he wondered? He knew that the herd had been skittish as of late, and had been somewhat unhealthy. Was something in the night harassing them? It wasn't a dragon – that would have meant casualties. But what?

And then he saw them – three dark, winged, flapping shapes coming inexorably towards the herd. He stared at them. Dunkel! That explained it then. The bloodsuckers had been helping themselves to his family's herd. No wonder the livestock had been upset. He knew what he had to do. They were a menace and they wouldn't stop coming back until they were dealt with. He had his sword, and he had his will. He would exterminate them.

He waited until they were close, about to settle in upon one of the beasts, before he threw his sword. The sword was not meant to be thrown, and he was pretty sure he had pulled something, but it impaled one of the Dunkel. Its stolen blood leeched into the sand as the others milled about in confusion. He retrieved his sword quickly and, with the speed of frustrating and tiring practice, he managed to jump-slash another. The last one flapped, hard, and turned tail only to get smacked down by a Kargoth's trunk. Raemos finished it as it lay stunned on the ground.

He looked at the carnage he had wrought, oddly pleased. He didn't know why he should be happy about killing a creature that had only been doing what was in its nature. In fact, he knew he should feel kind of sad. But no, he felt pride. He had destroyed a threat to their business, and he had done it himself... though he did wish he had some sort of ranged weapon he could use. He rubbed his shoulder and winced before he started taking off the Dunkel's wings – he had heard they were valuable, though the meat was mostly inedible. With a warm feeling in his heart and a spring of confidence in his step, he turned to continue his walk.