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Sabra Knight
Feral Galaxy
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Sabra Knight
Feral Galaxy
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Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2020 7:35 pm
Updates
Uzumati was accepted - 8/04/16 Uzumati's art arrives! - 8/31/16
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2020 7:35 pm
Name: Uzumati Stage: Stage 4 - Berserker Race: Leaf Gender: Male 3 Base Traits: Silent, Strong, Gruff, Loyal Personality: A very intense silent type Uzumati would much rather get things done with his hands rather than words. He actually doesn't even speak that anyone knows of so any conversations with him are rather short lived. Most likely you'll get a grunt, growl, or a nod at the best. Living on his own in Tale has taught him to approach anyone as a prey would - silent and without warning. Only through his gaze can you truly get a glimmer of emotion there.
He's very strong and often does things without hesitation. He's got the strength of a bear and doesn't hesitate to use it or show it. It also means he has a strong heart and a very stubborn spirit - if he's used to something then it better happen his way! Good luck trying to explain things to him as well as he will get frustrated easily and just simply walk away (after table flipping the project)
As mentioned above he is very gruff and abrasive. Nothing is charming about him and rather than being charming or suave about how he comes across the boy will just put out his feelings on the table. You piss him off? You get a fist in the face or he'll just leave. Bored easily enough anyone that talks his ear off will find themselves facing a blank space where he once stood. That or he'll just slam his hands down on the table before backing up and leaving....enough is enough after all.
However, for those who do worm their way into his heart the boy tends to be loyal. Those who have won his trust or have helped him before have got a good guard at their back now as he will do his utmost to protect others. Description: Bulky muscles with lots of scars from all of his fighting over the years. Accessories: Just some feathers in his hair - he likes to accessorize with them and also a few furs here and there. Also has a claw necklace around his neck and a leather choker as well. History:
Born to a loving family Uzumati lost everything in a huge fire that destroyed his whole home. Scared and alone the little boy found himself just wandering Tale - as no one realized that he had survived the devastating event caused by a huge thunderstorm (so when lightening hit their home that night it went up in smoke). The river running through his homelands had also swollen up that night erasing all tracks of the little boy.
From there Uzu made his way into the darker parts of the forest where he lived for a while. Since he doesn't speak he can't recall much of it, nor does he truly remember the exact events of being adopted by a forest hermit who eventually was slaughtered before him by a rogue Alkidike extremist before the great battle that happened. The slaughter of the old man who had raised him caused such grief and agony that the boy not only lost part of his memories, but also his ability/will to speak. Afterwards he took to raising himself and became even more like a wild beast of Tale. Hunting and scavenging for his own food and even getting into fights with local wildlife for territory and his own right to live in the woods...it's caused quite a few scars here and there. At any sign of an earthling, however, the boy will scatter backwards into the darkness. Those with antenna especially terrify him as that triggers past feelings of anxiety and of loss...
But as time progressed he started to feel stronger and braver. So just recently the boy has taken to wandering further and further from the woods away from his makeshift hut. Rumors have begun to spread towards the village where his family once lived that a boy with bi-colored eyes and a wild look has been living in the deep woods. These rumors have reached an actual living relative of Uzu - his uncle, a gruff blacksmith- who began to wander towards the woods. Since it was his sister's son the male, Tarou, has taken it upon himself to 'tame' this wild spirit into becoming the boy he once knew.
It's taken some time -of leaving meals by the trees and of leaving trinkets here and there to catch the boy's interest- but Tarou has made it to the point that the boy will sit still for a few moments here and there to listen to his story. The story of two siblings who grew up in Tale and how they were raised. "Oliana and her brother Tarou later grew apart you see-" He began idly one day, "So that she could marry a hunter and have a family with him. They lived happily for a while while Tarou only visited on rare ocassions...but they had a son named Uzumati. He had these crazy bi-colored eyes due to almost losing one eye to a fire you know? It caused the one to grow lighter and I think he even was blind because of it...but this boy loved to watch me work despite all of that."
Then Uzumati would disappear for a few days and the stories would continue when Tarou finally lured him out again, "Eventually disaster struck as a horrible storm destroyed this happy family and their home. I thought they were all dead, but it seems Uzumati lived...I don't know what happened to him after that, but now I, Tarou, his uncle have heard he lives in these woods. Would you know him?"
Eventually and slowly he managed to reconnect with his lost nephew through these stories and while Uzumati is still a bit hesitant it is becoming more and more obvious that he's willing to leave this forest for his uncle.
Recently:
Uzumati has moved on from the loss of his uncle, the reappearance of Padma brightening his life and helping him to not go completely feral. Now that they have spent the last few years together the pair living in a tree house in the forest together near town where Uzumati can go and pick up work as necessary. He helps with carpentry and does a lot of hunting to trade furs now that he can actually communicate with others, even though he still prefers to keep silent and is a bit more rough around the edges.
Character Name: Uzumati Class Promotion: [Stage 4 (Berserker)] Current Location: Tale Journal:[X] Growth Point Links: 75/75 [What an Afternoon [10 pnts w/Lioe]] [Stay with me] [5 pnts - w/Padma] [The Signs Are There] [5 pnts - w/Padma] [Fisticuffs] [5 pnts w/Ika] [Trip Preparation Solo] [10 pnts - 3000 wc] A Long Way [5 pnts w/Family] [Formal Attire] [5 pnts w/Asa] [Preparations] [5 pnts w/Lioe] [Belrea Solo] [3000 wc - 10 pnts] [Nighttime Patch-Up] [5 pnts w/Zadia] [Afternoon Picnic] [5 pnts w/Valerian] [Farewell Dinner] [5 pnts w/Lioe] Growth Blurb: Uzumati has always lived in Tale and never dreamed of having a family of his own or even leaving the country. Now he has done both, going to Belrea and returning with his children and wife to their home in Tale which he has worked hard to build over the years. He's a settled man who has resolved to better himself as to protect those that he loves, changing from his completely reckless and wild habits to instead focus on the future by learning trade skills and guarding himself and his family from danger.
Physical Description: Feel free to take inspiration from the following:
Hair is longer with a mixture of braids and partly tied back. He has some beads, metal clasps (engraved to represent various events) and feathers as accessories in his hair. [Hair Idea] // [Hair 2] [On the fence about scruff, optional for artist if wanted like in the hair 2 ref picture!]
[Arm Tattoos] Something tribal like this on both arms stretching out across his shoulders to his collarbone and even upper back. Exact design CC.
Bracers with claws optional or even a battleaxe if wanted.
Body Type: Big muscular brute, with various faded and some more recent scars (this time instead of a witu bite on his left forearm which is faded more now he took a nasty hit from a dage with claw marks going across his chest towards his navel.)
Preferred Artists: Scar or Kana full or collab WIPs: Sure!
Uzumati had woken up early one morning and decided to take a stroll. The young man had a lot on his mind lately especially now that Padma was actively living in the forest with him and was contemplating everything that had changed in his life in the recent weeks. He had gone from just living on his own as a savage in the woods, a creature that fought with witu over territory and snarled rather than talked to strangers, towards a more sociable personality who actually at least tried to wave instead of scurrying away from others. He wasn’t completely dirty all the time now and actually made it a habit to wash in the nearby stream with actual soap instead of just splashing about in the water. He even had learned more about spices and the different ways to cook food instead of roasting meat over a simple fire or just tearing into fresh fish from the stream. Still, there was one final thing that he had to address to prove that he was doing his best to try and move forward towards a more civilized life and the more Uzumati thought about it the more he dreaded it. Just thinking about going into the village made his stomach twist into a tight knot. Could he actually do this? Wouldn’t it be better to just go and run away to live in the wilds again on his own? Uzumati glanced towards the horizon, his emerald gaze distant as he reflected upon the joys of just living freely before another pair of emerald eyes flashed through his mind and he found himself taking a step backwards. There was someone else that made him feel even happier than living in the forest. Someone who had taken care of him and seemed to have a kind heart that just melted his own with her very presence. He had met a variety of people over the years who had wanted to help him and slowly but surely he had opened up to them in various ways but they had always left to go along on their own journey. Staying with someone else after years of isolation was a completely new experience indeed but he wasn’t unhappy with it. At first the situation had stressed him out not because he was uncomfortable but because he worried that he was bothering Padma and he was terrified of losing her. However, the more dangers they faced together and the more time he spent with her made Uzumati realize how precious she was to him. He wanted to grow for her, to grow smarter and stronger so that he could help and protect her. Uzumati had taken so many steps to get there since they had built their small home in the forest and this one was going to be the hardest. He hadn’t been to the village since causing so much trouble and losing his uncle to sickness. Uzumati still felt sick to the stomach when he recalled that awful chain of events and how he had run through the rains away from the forge, the flames of his uncle’s pyre flickering through his mind. He never wanted to go to a village ever since then. These places full of earthlings just meant trouble and trouble was annoying….it just got those he cared for hurt. At least that was what he had thought at the time. Now he was starting to realize that there were pros and cons to everything in life and that perhaps he had handled everything wrong from the start. He was reckless, wild in his actions and especially not careful with his reactions towards others, but Uzumati was determined to try and change that. He wanted to be smarter, wiser with how he handled interactions with others and so today...today he would take that step forward despite the bitter memories and the fears that haunted his dreams. He was going to change and so with that decision in mind the wildman took the first step forward on that worn stone path that went beyond the edges of the forest.
[689]
Uzumati had retreated back into the forest for years after losing his uncle in the village. He was content living in the wilds like a beast because he allowed fear to cloud his judgement and keep him away from others. Now that someone has entered his life again he is facing his fears and is opting to not run away like before because she is too precious for him to lose. He’s maturing by learning to trust again and is working to change and accept others back into his life. This time he won't simply go along with things and won't run away at the first hint of trouble but will instead do his best to grow stronger so that he never has to lose someone again.
Sabra Knight
Feral Galaxy
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Sabra Knight
Feral Galaxy
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Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2022 4:05 pm
❦❀❧ Solo 1 Reflections and Trip Preparation ❦❀❧
Packing for a trip was impossible when you had never left on one before. Uzumati grunted as he struggled with another bag, the satchel almost exploding from all of the goods he had shoved inside for the trip to Belrea. The family had decided to go visit Padma’s relatives overseas and while Uzumati was interested in learning more about his flower’s family the man also was terrified of leaving home to fly across the ocean. How did they even fly on those strange ships? Others had tried to explain the design to him and he simply found himself zoning out each and every time. It would be simpler if he could believe in some sort of teleportation magic but nope this was apparently a machine for the Belreans like how they had their ships that sailed on the oceans…just in air instead. It was just so weird! Uzumati shuddered at the thought before bracing himself again. He would do his best for his family and he knew that Padma truly cared about her family so it was only fair that they visited them for once instead of her family having to track through Tale to visit them. Even though he was fairly impressed with their home here in the forest and would gladly share it with them to show off all the improvements from multiple renovations and additions. Uzumati had worked hard over the years to turn the simple den at the base of the largest tree in the forest into an actual house with wooden structures and rope bridges connecting it to the nearby trees. Everything was carefully selected by Uzumati and carved by hand, some of the pieces even being brought over from his childhood home with the hermit who had taken him in as a youngling. He had a few old trunks, an old family quilt and several wooden beams and the doorframe to his main house which had been taken from the other side of the forest where the home had been. It had been a nice place until the Extremist attack, a memory which still turned Uzumati’s stomach as he recalled being chased away by the older leaf earthling to never see him again once the Aishan warriors had wrecked their belongings and taken whatever they wanted on their warpath. Even now the memory still twisted Uzumati’s insides as he had gotten along well with the hermit before losing him in such a traumatic way. It was why for years he had lost the ability to talk, living in the wilds on his own and learning how to be more like a beast and less like any earthling. It was much simpler that way without having to worry about loss or the emotions that the youngling could not bear on his own while living in the forest. His family had perished in a horrible fire and then his new family with the older leaf earthling had been ripped away in yet another tragedy. How could he endure anything else after that? It was much easier to test his limits living in the wild and adapting to a life of solitude. Such logic had kept him alive for almost ten years before Padma crossed paths with him and made him rethink things. Of course it wasn’t simply Padma as he had encountered others over the years but the flower was the one who had made his heart twist in a strange way, not in that sickening painful way but in something strange and wonderful which he would later realize was called love. Such a strange emotion to have such a powerful sway over him and to change his life as a lone beast to one of fatherhood….
Now because of his family he was actually living in a house again with a nice little garden in the clearing, the area cleared away by Uzumati and Padma over the years and open enough to allow sunlight through to grow the plants that Padma liked to use for teas and meals. At first it had started like a little plot of land, a bit rough with a few stones moved to block the edges off, but now over the years it had expanded into several plots with a nearby well and the local spring providing water. He had gotten some help from the Belrean relatives, as strange as they were, and a little aqueduct had been installed so that it was easier to water everything that they had planted. It was a relief considering that they had at least eight separate plots now for crops, some with vines full of fruit crawling about the trellises that Uzumati had carved, others with tomatoes and green vegetables, another simply full of healing herbs both for poultices and teas, the rest with whatever seasonal vegetable or fruit seeds that they picked up from the local village and planted together for the year. The little rope bridges were nice and connected three round house structures that were nestled into the higher branches of the trees, a half-moon shape making up their living quarters with a stone walkway twisting below for an open eating area on the forest floor whenever they had company during the nicer weather. There was a fire pit even for bonfires so that the family could enjoy each other’s company and share stories in the evenings after dinner, sometimes even sharing sweet treats and roasting more food in the area by the fire. Before the children had grown into preteens the four of them had shared the main building, a round structure that had once simply held a storeroom, kitchen and large bedroom for them all. Now though the main building had expanded to even have a library tower for Padma, shelves engraved into the natural twisting wall of the tree with stained glass windows brought in from a traveling hybrid artisan that Uzumati had met in Tale once. The matori and oban hybrid woman had been quick and efficient about creating the masterpieces, one long window with blooming roses in hues of pink and yellow in the center with two smaller windows on either side with vines twisting through them. Uzumati had been terrified that the things would shatter at the first touch of a breeze but surprisingly they were resilient and he made certain that they were wiped down often to keep any debris from ruining the stained glass image that he enjoyed staring at while Padma rested in the study. He would stare more at his love but that would often lead to more distracting things which did not benefit anyone trying to work on things. So he settled for the other flowers in the room even though they were not nearly as pretty as his actual wife. Other than the tower room there was a large round room that made up the base of the main house where Uzumati had placed some furniture and mainly hoarded furs and pillows for like a casual space where the family and guests could spend time together and simply relax or even spend the night there during the warmer summer months with the night sky visible above them through the clear circles of glass installed along the ceiling there. It also was easy enough to walk through the large arched doorways onto the little outer ring of wood that made a walkway around the round house with little rope bridges connecting it to the smaller structures in the nearby trees, three single huts that made up bedrooms for his children and a guesthouse of sorts. Besides the study and community room in the main house there was also a kitchen, a small washroom, storage and then finally there was another room twisting into the upper branches that Uzumati and Padma shared together. It had taken a lot of work, both from Uzumati as he learned carpentry over the years and from outsiders who came to help him with more complicated things like the artisan with the windows and especially the kitchen. His home was his pride and joy, definitely a vast difference from the little den he had carved out in the base of the tree where he used to just live in piles of fur and whatever else he could find to help him survive the seasons on his own. Now he even had a large bed that he had personally carved himself, carrying the pieces of amber wood up the twisting stairs and ladders to piece it together inside of his room with Padma. Vines had been engraved along the base with more blooming roses along the headboard, courtesy of Uzumati who had cut his hands up over the project but still showed it off with pride despite the many bandages wrapped around his hands, and he had even tried to stain them slightly with a strange mixture given to him by another merchant who had sworn it would brighten the carved wood. The roses gleamed almost a golden color when he was finished and the natural cut of the wood already had amber streaks and golden lines which matched nicely, Uzumati having personally picked the lumber out from the local village after bringing in a huge haul of furs for trade. He was well known for bringing in rare pelts from more dangerous creatures and that trade had helped him survive the first few years with Padma before Uzumati had picked up carpentry, something he surprisingly had a talent for even though it was still hard for him to deal with others. Over the years talking still frustrated him but it came a bit easier though he was prone to only using only a couple of words for any response. He still mostly relied upon his actions, making expressions and doing a deed rather than discussing a matter and for the most part the others accepted it. It wasn’t too hard considering the local village had seen him for years now since he had decided to stay in the area and raise a family with Padma. Thankfully they never traveled far…well until this upcoming trip to Belrea and Uzumati was much happier that way. He loved his little area of Tale with the familiar forest and the territory he had fought hard for during his younger years, the local witu finally backing down and allowing the strange earthling to take over their area. And now he was going from living in a witu’s den to flying across the ocean. The very thought made him shudder again as he sat down on the edge of his bed, the piles of pillows behind him very tempting in the moment. It would be so much simpler to bury himself in the pillows and hope that his family forgot he was tagging along this trip. The thought brought a sigh to his lips as he realized he would not be able to rest if he wasn’t with his family for fear of something happening to them. He had no idea about these Belrean cities and the dangers they could pose to his family or even about what dangers would be waiting for them on the way to Sauti where the airships would be. No, even if he was extremely out of place and uncomfortable the man was determined to see this trip through to the very end. He would do his best to behave and impress Padma’s family with how civilized he could be, something he knew that they all doubted with his background and current state. Uzumati made a face at that as he glanced down at himself. So what if he wore old leather leggings, sometimes boots and barely a shirt in favor of furs during the warmer months? It was not as if a fancy outfit would do anyone good nor would it harm anyone for him to dress in what was comfortable for him. If anything those restrictive clothes he had seen those Belreans wear truly looked like they could be dangerous! How did women even breathe in those leather restraints? No wonder the lightning woman was always so angry! He would be vexed as well if he had to endure wearing something like that on a daily basis regardless of having a slender frame. Uzumati glanced down at his rather wide stomach, the muscles there making it impossible to imagine him ever fitting into any slender outfit. He shook his head at the thought with some amusement showing despite his current stressful situation. He realized he would have to finish packing and then prepare for the inevitable trip to Sauti and the airship that would take them to Belrea.
Maybe he could go hunting first or take another day to train with Ika. He missed his niece and wished more of Padma’s family was like that side where he could be as feral as he wanted. He could train with the Aishan hybrid who did not mind breaking a few ribs along the way. They had surely cracked a few bones between the two of them over the years, Uzumati coming back with a crooked nose more than once and even sporting a cast from one very heated fight. It was refreshing to brawl with her whenever she visited because he didn’t live such a dangerous life like he had before nowadays. Since becoming a father he had tamed some of his more aggressive habits of tracking down witu and fighting them or sermal for pelts, opting to act more like a traditional hunter with traps before transitioning to doing more carpentry work. His first project in town had started as an oddjob where some of the workers had asked him to help carry some wood and then Uzumati found himself hanging around with curiosity. He had to learn more so that he could make a better home to share with Padma and from there he saw that the process was fairly easy, at least in his opinion. A few days spent under a smoldering sun in the middle of one of the hottest summers ended up with Uzumati taking lessons from an older leaf earthling who was glad to share his knowledge as long as Uzumati did the heavy lifting for him during the heatwave. They had worked on building a new store together, the former building ruined by a lightning strike from a bad storm that had wrecked portions of the small leaf village. While Uzumati helped with moving heavy pieces of lumber and tools the man had paid close attention to the process and when things got a bit intense with some sickness in one man’s family and another one passing out from the heat the wild man had picked up those tools and taken it upon himself to continue their work. It had surprised the group but they were even more surprised that his attempts had been successful! A few bandaged hands later and Uzumati was doing just as well as any apprentice, surpassing some that had been at it for over a year already before the older leaf earthling started asking Uzumati to help with projects through the local villages since he couldn’t carry as much of the load anymore. Age will do frustrating things to a man. Ezirel would grumble though despite his rough exterior the older leafling was always kind to Uzumati and made certain to pay him well for his work. He was the one who even helped build the twisting stairs that led to their home study, his engravings making the wooden vines come to life throughout their treehome. He had even taken the time to teach Uzumati how to use the finer tools to make designs, his instructions helping Uzumati to make the blooming roses that were decorating the upstairs bedroom and bed. Ezirel actually loved working with Uzumati because he was quiet, a rare thing in the talkative group that he was usually working with, and Uzumati was also willing to put in the extra work to learn the craft. Uzumati had even stayed overnight in the village a couple of times opting to stay up until nearly dawn practicing and working before returning home in the late afternoon the next day, his body worn and ready to collapse in bed from pushing himself so hard. It had been worth it though since it helped him learn all the skills he needed to build their home and to make money without having to constantly hunt or barter with furs, the transactions always stressing him out whenever he was trying his best to prepare the family for the winter months. He absolutely hated dealing with merchants, most of his trades happening whenever a caravan was traveling through since pelts were always wanted especially in Zena. It was easier to trade for coin with the traveling merchants instead of flooding the village with his goods even though he did trade with the locals as well. It was just frustrating dealing with the bartering, Uzumati having knocked a few things off of a cart before in the past….quite a few times honestly. He was not good at hiding his frustrations, that much was certain. And this year had been even worse since he had made certain to save up as much coin as possible for this trip to Belrea. He had farmed, gathered, hunted and worked on projects throughout the village all summer to save up as much as he could so that they could enjoy their trip and not worry about supplies for the winter months when they returned mid-autumn or late-autumn. Uzumati was simply exhausted and just hoped that somehow this trip would allow him a break, even though he doubted it. Just the idea of the trip was already stressing him out so there was no way that the city would be a calming experience for the wild man. He would need some serious peace and quiet whenever they returned to their home in Tale. Maybe this winter it would not just be the larger beasts hibernating but Uzumati as well whenever the family finally returned from Belrea.
[3000]
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2022 4:06 pm
❦❀❧ The Trip to Belrea ❦❀❧
Uzumati was struggling to adapt to the strangeness that was Belrea. The wild earthling had already been overwhelmed with the prospect of traveling by air, something which apparently was common for the people of Belrea but more of a terrifying adventure for the bulky leafling who much preferred keeping his feet on solid ground, but he had endured the journey for the sake of Padma and their family. Now that they were in Belrea the man found himself constantly overwhelmed by everything that was there. Even while living in Tale he had never really roamed outside of his home forest save for whenever he visited the nearby visit to help his uncle or to trade and shop in the market, the man often trading furs and eventually working more on local projects to help keep his family well supplied for the harsher months of winter. Uzumati had never imagined the major cities of other countries like Oba or Zena and even those seemed to pale in comparison to the sprawling buildings that made up the center of any of the Belrean cities. He was constantly on edge, prepared to snarl or fight someone whenever they brushed too close to his family and even had gotten into a chase with a duruf once for stealing his meat kabob from a local festival that they had participated in upon arriving in the city. Stupid short thing that it was had not been expecting Uzumati to be able to catch up so quickly and grab it by that ridiculously fluffy mane like that! Of course he had been convinced to forfeit his meat kabob, very grudgingly mind you, in favor of a new one bought by the flustered owner who had struggled with an apology as they tried to process the strangeness of this particular foreigner. Even if he was dressed in more local attire there was just a wildness to Uzumati that simply couldn’t be hidden. His own mane of hair was barely pulled back in a ponytail with some beads and feathers left in since he didn’t want to unbraid them from his hair. Uzumati had a habit of taking tokens, carving beads to commemorate special events like being with Padma, the birth of their children, his first hunt and the like which he kept braided within his hair or hanging around his neck like the claw necklace which was currently resting against the hollow of his throat which was revealed by the open collar of his shirt. Honestly the fact that he was wearing a shirt in the warmer months was a foreign concept to the man who desperately wanted nothing more than to rip the suffocating thing away from his body. As amazed as his family seemed to be with Belrea, Uzumati wanted nothing more than to return to his peaceful forest so that he could go back to hunting and roaming without such restrictive clothing. How someone wore things with so many buttons, belks and buckles completely baffled him! It seemed like such a waste and dangerous especially if someone could easily get ahold of one of the belts to hold you down while fighting. Meanwhile he noticed women who wore layers upon layers of ruffled clothing, their waists cinched in those strange….leather contraptions with at least three buckles if not more! Uzumati simply shook his head at the thought and decided that at least he was fortunate his clothing only consisted of a dark green vest with some embroidery over the cotton shirt and simple brown pants with boots that buckled upwards towards his calves.
Then there were so many cafes and restaurants where one could eat instead of just one local tavern which was mind blowing for Uzumati. It made sense he supposed since so many earthlings couldn’t simply hunt in a city like this and someone had to provide enough food for all of them. One little shop would not be enough, not when blocks upon blocks of walking felt like a whole new forest which barely covered one little corner of the sprawling city. Then you had the loud noises of the mechanical beasts like the ships that Maritza worked with while his…father-in-law worked with strange medicines and unique tools that Uzumati had never seen back home in his little village. Who knew that doctors needed so many tiny knives and vials for a simple procedure? Uzumati was just good with stitching up any wounds or even applying medical paste before wrapping his injuries and waiting for them to heal naturally without any need for strange medicines and tools. You had the strangeness of the people as well, the lightning with their shockingly orange hair and piercing eyes of various colors that unnerved Uzumati with those slit pupils. They weren’t exactly like the eyes of a beast but their lightning bolt shaped pupils definitely were not anything like Uzumati had seen before, even the Matori weren’t like that, and the colors nearly made him believe they could shine in the dark just like a predator. It was definitely unnerving.
Still, he supposed he couldn’t completely complain since he enjoyed the local food. While Uzumati preferred his smoked meats, any type of meat really, the man did like the seafood when they were along the coast and the baked goods were definitely something else. He never understood how much of a sweet tooth he had until he tried all of the pastries at one bakery. The fruits and nuts in the area were really good too and he found himself foraging whenever they first decided to leave the city as a family to take a weekend in the countryside of Belrea. The spiny trees that were along the trails surrounding the cottage by the lakeside were full of nuts and Uzumati had even noticed others using the leaves and vines to create little baskets and the like. It was definitely different from Tale’s crystal grasses and leaves. Not that all of Tale’s foliage was completely crystalized but the difference was still something. Uzumati rarely saw anything made of crystal out in the wilderness of Belrea and it was nice to be able to run around barefoot without a problem for once. The sky and clouds were still the same (the sun as well since his eyes burned at the sight of it and the man noted once again to not stare directly at the glowing orb in the sky) and the water of the lake was refreshing just like the lake back home near the forest. The mountains were the biggest thing to catch his interest and after a day of being in the country he found himself wandering towards their bases, the man feeling restless after lingering around with the family and enduring so many conversations for the day. He wasn’t much of a talker even though he could somewhat speak now, his words still limited and gruff compared to the others who were talking in full sentences and constantly engaging in conversations around him. It was just too much talking and not enough action for Uzumati who finally ended up mumbling about gathering some things for tomorrow’s breakfast before heading outside for fresh air. Maybe he could get a basket of nuts that they could roast for some muffins or something. He did tend to enjoy those little spiced loaves with toasted nuts that they could warm up and eat with melted butter. And unlike the city he did not need any escorts to wander the nearby trails, that much Uzumati was confident in and thankfully so was the rest of the family as they planned to relax for the evening in the cottage.
The afternoon sun was nice, the amber rays flickering through the heavier foliage of the forest that surrounded the edges of the mountain that was near their lakehouse. Uzumati felt like it would be more worthwhile to explore now since the early afternoon heat was fading, the sun’s power over the land slowly growing weaker as it continued sinking down in the azure sky. There was a faint breeze in the air, which would later cause Uzumati’s mistake, but in the moment it was nice and refreshing against his flushed skin as he continued walking about gathering berries and nuts. A few things he ate along the way as snacks even though he was more curious to see how the nuts would taste toasted with some brown sugar or butter, a favorite snack of Uzumati’s alongside of jerky and those sour apples. Suddenly though the man froze as the sound of rolling pebbles caught his attention. Uzumati’s emerald gaze narrowed in concern as he tensed and crouched so that he could move slowly and quietly along the path. He wasn’t alone here it seemed. His gaze softened though at the sight of the creatures which had created the noise. What were those goat-like creatures? They were bigger than roati but not exactly like the aldabuck either….They were honestly beautiful with mostly gray and tan coats that had little dappled patterns in faded creams and whites going along their hindquarters. Tale definitely did not have those creatures, at least not that he had seen in the area that he lived in. Uzumati would have to ask someone what they were, his gaze studying the delicate features of the hooved creatures as they jumped over a fallen log to join others on the path leading down towards a valley across the way where he saw even more in herd. The colors varied across the creatures but they all shared little spiral horns or nubs that were for the most part cream colored with a few maybe differing in the crowd of creatures.
“The lyari are adorable, right?” A sudden voice had Uzumati nearly jumping out of his crouched position, his hands already curled into fists in preparation for a fight. Instead of something dangerous though, the man found himself face-to-face with a young woman with pale green hair that curled over one shoulder and mocha skin decorated with freckles and strange cream markings going along her cheek down her neck, almost like little arrows decorated with dots and lines. She had a straw hat covering her head while she was wearing a loose peasant blouse decorated in colorful flowers and dirty leggings that disappeared into a pair of sturdy boots, a wooden walking stick clenched tightly in one hand with a worn leather satchel bag similar to Uzumati’s hanging by her side. Despite her weathered appearance she had a bright smile on her heart-shaped face and she seemed energetic enough with the way she was walking towards him without any hesitation. “Sorry if I startled ya. If anythin’ I wasn’t expecting a stranger ta just randomly appear on my walkin’ path like that!” She teased with a chuckle as she studied Uzumati openly, her gaze darting across his broad shoulders and picking up whatever scars she could find where his clothing didn’t cover his arms. “A foreigner, a bulky foreigner that jumped just like a lil alinar!” She giggled before swapping her walking staff over and leaning against it for support, the girl obviously comfortable in this area.
Uzumati simply nodded. He was admittedly a bit embarrassed for being startled by such a young woman, but at the same time he was in the wilderness without anything familiar nearby. The lyari, at least that was what the woman had called them, had been a distraction and he hadn’t caught the scent of the foreigner since the wind was against them. The very thought made him frown. If he hadn’t caught wind of her approach then did that mean something else could be nearby? If so then she would not be as relaxed, right? Settling on that factor Uzumati found himself glancing towards the herd a final time before turning to brush past the foreigner.
“Leavin’ already? You don’t like talking?” She asked as she picked up her staff and tagged after him. “You’re definitely a foreigner. I’ve never seen anyone in Belrea that looks like you! Big and burly man sure, but those ears are so long and your gemstones are pink! I would love gemstones myself but since I’m geian we only have our markings. See?” She gestured towards her face with her free hand as she continued following him down the mountain path. “My family actually herds those lyati and I’m leaving for the evening since my older cousins took over. They’re in the valley below but looks like you’re heading towards the lake…oh! My uncle rents that cottage by the lake. Are ya staying there? It’s super lovely if so! I hope you have a grand time visitin’ though it’s a far trip to just stay in a cottage in our countryside. I guess the jams and local honey could be worth the trip though.” Her expression brightened as she somehow made the connection for herself and went along with it since Uzumati only nodded once more and didn’t reject her conclusion.
Uzumati simply nodded and nodded some more. This was a very talkative girl, wasn’t she? Still he endured since she wasn’t causing him any harm. At least that was his belief but once again the wind was not on his side and it was only after the girl grew suddenly quiet that Uzumati found his steps stumbling. “Oh.” She muttered as she quickly reached out to tug the wild man backwards. “We uh…have company.”
Uzumati immediately whipped around to see whatever it was. Apparently while they were walking the pair of them had not realized that they had come across the territory of a dage, one which was very angry in the moment since it was guarding little ones. The geian girl let out a little squeak before moving forward, her steps carrying her until she accidentally tripped and caught her leg in some vines that had been crawling around the edges of the path hidden by the foliage there. “Oh no, no no. She’s very angry!”
Rather than running away though, Uzumati stood his ground. Others may have instinctively wanted to run away but the wild man had lost such fears a long time ago, his resolve to guard his territory making him feel more defensive than anything else. Even if he was in a foreign land it was not his habit to run away nor was he prone to leaving behind someone in need, as reckless as a decision it was. This was his first time seeing such a strange beast though. It was taller than him when it stood up on its back legs and it had the strangest face with a long snout and tiny black dots for eyes with larger ears that swiveled towards him as he came barreling at it. Uzumati slammed into the furry creature, groaning with effort as he managed to somehow shove it back a step away from the girl who was trapped in the vines. “Escape.” He managed with a grunt before shoving against the giant creature, not giving it a chance to swipe until the girl had managed to free herself. She was struggling against the vines, slowly crawling away as Uzumati kept running at the creature and slamming into it while dodging the large claws that slowly swung towards him with a roar.
“Careful! Dages are very strong!” She called out with worry though a glance from Uzumati had her shutting up, the girl nodding. “I can bring help.” She offered though the wild man was already caught up in the fight, his stance changing to keep the dage from approaching more.
“Don’t.” Uzumati responded as he took a moment to catch his breath. “Just leave.” He truly hated speaking but it seemed the girl was going to be stubborn about things until he forced her to go. It was hard enough to focus on the angry creature, having someone to protect was only hurting him more. Of course it was enough of a distraction for him to miss the next swing, Uzumati catching the claws in his chest again. Something shattered on the inside and a loud roar of pain left his lips before he braced himself and slammed a fist into the great creature’s stomach, causing it to stumble so that he could leap on its back and wrestle it to the ground. Blood oozed through his torn shirt, pain lacing up his sides from the cracked ribs and a mixture of blood and sweat decorated his face as he tumbled through the dirt with the dage. Was this how he died? Wrestling with a strange beast in a foreign land? Seriously so much for him behaving during this trip! Surprise though flickered across his features as smoke suddenly filled his vision and Uzumati found himself getting tugged backwards, his satchel being thrown into his arms.
“You run!” It was the geian girl again who was tugging him along. “The smoke should only last a little bit longer, so let’s go!”
For once Uzumati found himself actually willing to run from a fight. It was mostly to protect the girl and also because he wasn’t willing to put his life on the line for a random fight, especially when the territory was nothing he ever meant to claim. Thankfully it seemed the dage was not willing to chase after them and eventually the pair found themselves at the base of the mountains, their bodies heaving from the exertion. Uzumati was fairly beaten up, his clothing tattered and ruined while his aching body attested to at least two cracked ribs and the stickiness on his chest definitely meant blood. “Are you alright? Shouldn’t we get ya to a healer?”
Uzumati shook his head. “Family near.” He managed in between breaths. The last thing he wanted to do was complicate this situation and have things blow up, not when his Belrean relatives were already wary of him. This would only make more trouble for Padma. Uzumati winced both at the thought and the new wave of pain.
“I….guess.” The woman let out a soft sigh as she glanced over the foreigner. “Since I know the cottage is nearby I’ll let ya go this time.” Her pale blue gaze was nervous though as she studied Uzumati again. “It looks really bad though…”
“Healers.” He managed again as he tried to shake off her worry.
“Your family has healers? Oh good.” Some of the tension left her shoulders but she couldn’t help chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully. “Here.” The woman held out her walking stick towards Uzumati. “At least use this to help you back.”
Uzumati pondered the gift before slowly nodding, his hand reaching out to grab the walking stick for support. It was probably a good idea considering how his body was starting to shudder from the pain, the bloodloss starting to make his vision swarm. At least the lake was nearby…he could go clean up there and sneak back inside without worrying Padma, right? That much decided Uzumati simply turned and started walking back towards the cottage, his steps slow but sure as he returned home. [3198]
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