Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was early. The sun had just barley started its day's jounery across the sky and over the realm of balam.

Forge, a dark tahtll was too at the start of his morning ore mining journey. It had been recently a bit harder, to leave the captain with the new fire empore's dramatic demand of a closed boarder.

However, such nonsense wasn't going to stop the old blacksmith from his duty. The new 'ruler' wanted his weapons and ammor, so ergo the blacksmith had to be free to venture for his needed materials. One could after all only find so much in the volcanic walls of the capital-and even then it would be foolish to take from it and compromise the structure. So, with that said of the Dragon wanted him dead for trying to complete his work-so be it; because Forge wasn't about to give up the one thing in all of b'alam that made him feel like he was accomplishing something he was meant for. It was the only thing that he could grab on to and make sense of any more. Besides, the black smith wouldn't be gone too long, once his task was done, he could shut himself wonderfully behind workshop doors once more.

It was there he could take refuge in his work. It was there he could bask in the aroma's of metal and cover himself in soot. There his ears could be filled with the rymthic sound of hammer beating toiling on iron.

A deep breath was taken in and though the flint pipe that Forge kept in his maw. The little lighting tool had truely been through and a lot and had helped him with even more. Passing a breath of smoke past fangs and lips, forge's stubborn soot cover paws started to lead him from the capital walls. Dust covered paws slowly started to stroll from the boarder and gate entrance of the main capital.

A heavy breath released from Forge's maw as his brow narrowed its self forward. There was a job that needed to be done, and by the weaver he wasn't going to be stopped. Soot covered tail flicked stubbornly behind him as orange claws heavily marked the rock under him.

(Sorry, for errors this was done on my phone.)

Heavy Paws moved swiftly across molten hardened rock. Orange glaring eyes remained steadfast and forward as Forge passed the gate of the city. A easy breath released from his maw coupled with a puff of smoke. The rest scowl on his maw seemed to wordlessly challenge and dare anyone to try and stop him from leaving the city, or Weaver forbid even try to talk to him.

Ever since the Dragon showed up, and Asher was made an example of, Forge had even more took to keeping to himself. The ones that opposed their new 'leader', left in fear of becoming a broken example like the pale one that had stood up to Shen. A heavy breath left Forge once more...

Well, the ones that were able to get away. Some weren't so lucky, having being capture and taken away...

Yet, the blacksmith had left just before all of this had taken place in the throne room...

Mentally, Forge shook his head to himself and shifted his thoughts to his task at paw. Finding Ore and work. Yes, sweet work...heaping it over his head like hot coals always did well to help him distract his thoughts from drama.

Another slow breath was drawn from his metal pipe as Forge took slow steps that lead him further from the capital. He had been so lost in thought, he hadn't noticed the set of paws that had fallowed his soot covered tail out of the city. Dark smoky ear turn back as he picked up on the spirit of a Nahtll, that hadn't been left behind with the capital. Strange, that only meant they where still nearby....

Slowly hunches lowered to the ground, and the dark blacksmith sat on the rough rock under him. Back tail flicked, tossing a bit of metal dust in the air before it was carefully laid rest behind him. Large chest took in another breath of his stove pipe in his maw, drawing the little flame alive to a crips ember. Telekinetic Thoughts pulled the pipe from his maw, as unseen paws lifted it so that orange eyes could inspect the lit end. It seemed hot enough. Releasing a the puff of smoke from his maw, Forge lifted the pipe to the small mortar that dangled carefully at the tip of left horn. Holding it there he used the heated end of the pipe to keep coals hot and ready-just in case he needed some fire on paw. It would always be there. As he felt his charred horns heat up, the pipe was replaced carefully back to his maw. Where once more, it's heated red end was brought to life with a slow and soft drag.

Forge's dark Ear turned as careful as sweet words tickled his ear. A sharp orange eye looked back at the Nahtil, from under a screwed and bent brow. The smokey ear flicked and shook a little.

"Hmpth." Was the gruff response that came from the black smith as he turned his head to look back to the lava flats. There was another draw given on the pipe that dangled in his maw. Dark smoky tail shifted as his orange eyes looked to where he wanted to go. Somewhere, with more coal...

"You are free to do what you want." The Black Smith Spoke, he wasn't the Weaver or the so called leader of the Fire Tribe. However he did have a job to do. Taking in another slow breath, the pipe beamed with life once more, the Black Smith rose to his paws. The tattered leather apron around his neck, rose from the ground as his paws hopped him off the slight cliff where he had paused.

As he landed, Forge turned his head slightly to look up and over his shoulder to see if the Nahtlil was really intent on fallowing. Which in it's self would be surprising. Tah Emperor was insistent on not letting b'alam leaving so easily, and was intent on enforcing such a rule. It would be interesting to see if she even dared to do so.

Landing, Forge's stern brow rose and his stif frown only curled downward more, as he watch the Nahtlil take the same leap as he.

Hm...

A very rumble left the the Tahtll, as he dark tail flicked off some more stray soot as it's tip whipped behind him subtly.

A heavy breath past though his rough charred nostrils. The pipe in his maw dimmed just a bit.

So she was going to fallow.

Another rumble left the balam, this time it was so soft, one would have to be pressed against him to hear it. Or perhaps with any luck close enough to feel it in their paws.

Turning his scruffy maw, large over worked paws shifted to turn the Tahtll away from the Nahtlil and toward the flats. Dark tail drifted strongly behind him as he didn't grace the adviser with an answer.

He, was going to the nearby stretches of spires. They proudly reached up to the sky, just past the lava flats. The BlackSmith needed some Ore, and with luck, new minerals.

Forge's dark ear turned back as the Nahtil let out a sigh. A crimson orange eye took a glance back at her as she spoke.

Hm. She was rather inquisitive, there had to be a reason why she was following him. It certainly it wasn't for his sake. What was her motive.

Dark ears turned forward as she informed him of something he had been well aware off. Question was: did she plan on following him as far as he was going to go.

"I need ore." Forge told the Nahtil, his gruff voice rolled out a puff of smoke from his maw. Only answering her for the hope of stilling her questioning.

"With the increase of demand of weapons and armor by your emperor." Just as always, Forge choose every word just as carefully and with that came from his maw, with just as much intent as he did his ore. His voice was stern, yet simple.

"I am forced to broaden my search for my need materials." The dark Tahtil stated. Which was mostly true. There was no one in the fire tribe that could challenge his words on his work. Did Forge -have- to go this far for his ore and precious metals? No, but he did like finding new sources

Dark smoky tail shifted, as anther deep inhale was made off his pipe. He didn't care what others thought of him...

He honestly could careless of what Shen said of him.

"If that is so..." The black smith turned his head to look back at the Nahtil. Pausing in his step, his orange eyes took a moment to look her over. Size her up with a faint glance. A puff of smoke left the corner of his maw, in careful thought.

"then Tah Shen, should be paying more attention to what is being said to him. Instead of speaking for others on there behalf. "The words left Forge easily enough, before his head turned away and his rough foots steps pressed him forward.

forge's dark ears turn back to the Nahtil as she offered her help. Hm, what she said was true. when Maximas and his other apprentice was around, they were able to bring back double the ore then he could by himself.

Hm.

However. An orange eye slipped back to look back at the Nahtil after she offered her help.

The 'hm' came from the Tahtlil more audibly and his smoky tail shifted behind him once more. She was too...clean. Where as Ore was dirty and perhaps the complete opposite of everything she looked like. He didn't think she would easily be able To Handle such a task, let alone want to.

"If you have any interest in carrying it..." The darker balam forfeited to her with a heavy sigh. A billow of smoke left his maw, as he did. Who was he to judge what she was or wasn't capable of. He would see what she was soon enough...

Rough steps lead them to a reddish rocky cliff face. Looking from the Nahtil, his eyes turned and trailed up the rocky wall in front of them. Orange embers looked about the rock face for stones darker in color, and closer to them. The dark spots had to be closer to the ground...

As the Nahtil spoke, her words the fire b'alam's dark ear turned. The pipe slacked a little in his maw.

No, that wasn't right, she had been there the moment the emperor claimed the throne. Forge had saw her, He had recalled her. He couldn't have missed her-she strangely stood out to him among the others. Her crimson pelt-her long silver and ashes coal touched hair....it reminded him of newly forge steel, perfect and pure still covered slightly in its impurities.

A heavy breath left the black smiths maw. The pipe clinched and tightened in his maw.

"You should leave." Forge answered after of a moment of silence. His voice noticeably grew rougher and if possible more uncaring. He didn't really care if she knew he wasn't too fond of the emperor. The Emperor knew that, but need him. And Forge however didn't have time for deceitful words. Regardless, how pretty and enticing they where.

" I rather 'dirty' paws do not touch my unrefined ore." The black smith spoke distastefully before he turned his head to examine the cliff before him once more.

"Go report to your 'weaver'." The dark balam spoke with a flick of his chin. The braid bounced with the foreign movement. Turning his large paws he turned his walk to follow along the cliff edge. He didn't have time for such things.

Forge wouldn't think to lie to someone he had just met or even someone he had known for as long as the true magus....


[Dezel count ends here]

Forge's heavy steps thundered him forward. Long dark tail flicked behind him as his ear angled back. He couldn't help but still listen to the Nahtil's words. Her moment of rattle and anger did not go unnoticed.

"You have no real interest of being here." The forge stated, or at least she had no interest being there for the right reasons in his mind.

Forge let her question fall to his foot steps as she asked why she would report him. She could and no doubt would. Another b'alam that is looking for favor from their master. She would deny herself such a obvious reward had she not. His dark padded steps paused as he came to a dark 'nook' in the rock face. Ears perked forward and his dark tail couldn't stop its self from rattling a little at the tip.

Yes, this was a good sign. It was what he was looking for.

The pipe in his maw turned about, and the apron that hung around his neck, lifted and removed itself. Forge's thoughts lifted it to the side and carefully sat it down. Pulling his gaze from his task he had almost been distracted enough from the Nahtil. His eyes slowly moved back over to her as he felt her eyes rest on him.

She waited an answer, one that addressed his motives.

Why?

She wouldn't understand them-or care for them. However, by looking at her, he was sure she wouldn't leave until she got at least that out of him.

Taking a breath, the Tah released it and his sooty tail shifted behind him.

"A blaze has no quail or felt desire with the one who lights it, nor does it feel anything for those that keep it fed. It simply exists and does what it was woven to do...." Forge hoped the analogy would help explain his motives. If she true fire burned inside of her, and there was no doubt it didn't, she would understand. Orange eyes looked to the little crack of a cave in front of him, with a bit of longing. He sighed...

He just wanted to work, and be left alone...

"As long as it keeps burning, it doesn't care what keeps it a blaze or who it warms." Forge went on to explain, to a Nahtil...who's name he still didn't even know. Nope, and she didn't even know his name. The only name that had been constantly thrown around was 'Shen'.

Dark ebony tail flicked, orange cracked nails peeked from his two front paws in a mindless movement.

"My paws are always dirty, I am the -forge-. But My craft is honest and our own, and it belongs to fire. " Forge raised his maw proudly before turning from his work, he took a step closer to the Nahtil. The pipe at his maw turned and corned to his maw once more. Just to make sure to not poke the Nahtil.

"Just as a blaze is fed, it cares not who or what extinguish it's" Forge's charred horns shifted the mortar that dangled with a little tilt of his head.

"and it's surprising for one so 'young' that you wouldn't even know what that even looks like." The orange eyed Tah's maw was not even a inch away from the Nahtil. At such a close distance from his dark head, the scaring that freckled his dark nose from his his work was more noticeable. Though that wasn't all, something else had become visible at such a closeness, other scars. Scars that had been too 'clean' to have been made by stay embers. The soot and work grim had done a fairly good job at keeping such marks hidden at a distance. The bare lines stretched down about his neck, and chest-that had been cloaked by the apron. The ones the side of his maw, just miss completely stretching over his gaze. The lines had been carved calculating so not hinder paw or sight. No, they had been placed there in a show of wound and mockery. Enough to hinder but not cripple.


Forge may have known nothing of her loneliness or where she had came from. However, she-this nameless Nahtil, knew nothing of his past and the betrayal and brokenness that he suffered from.