It was a fine day, the beginning of the week. The sun shone and lit up Matori. Today he was faced with the same stuff that he dealt with every day but unlike every day he felt the need for something new. He had caught up on all of his commissions and for once didn’t particularly feel like gazing into the coals and asking the god of fires and light for help. He felt like going on an adventure which was strange because usually his role was that of a grounding rod. Staying at home and being a constant for his crazy, beautiful family. But today alas was not one of those days. He felt the need to do something nice for his lovely wife. Perhaps he could go out prospecting and find something nice for her. A surprise that no one else had made but something foraged from nature for a change. Maybe he could find a stone to set in a necklace or something. That would be nice. A little bling for his love.
So instead of opening up the forge and stoking flames, he stoked the fires burning away in his heart and for the first time in a while felt a bolt of pure joy at his uncharicteristicly spontaneous decision.
He felt so good tha he started to whistle as he found a stream and started following it up until he found a place with a good amount of small pebbles. Here he would start searching. He took a scrap of cloth and started to sift through the sediments looking for shinies. It occurred to him that perhaps he should leave a note but if he did get lost those same kids that were so hard to track would likely find him first and in the event of them not being able to, he knew that Thea would. Thea would turn the whole of tendaji upside down looking for him. He took such comfort in that.
The first location he checked didn’t reveal any bounty, if there was any. Maybe he had picked the wrong creek. Best to try another spot. He delved further and further, following the course of the water. It was a beautiful hike and he resolved to come up here more often when he had slow days. Perhaps hiking could become a new passion for him. He was sure the kids would like that. Thea might too, maybe she would accompany him. He was grateful for the life he had been given. One of these days he would have to visit his family. He was sure they were doing well but he missed them all.
The next spot he found had a chunk of gold sitting right on top. He glanced around before scooping it up. Sifting the surrounding pebbles revealed enough gold in total to make a chain. Better than nothing! This was so much fun. He might do this more often too. Hiking with a side of treasure hunting. No wonder some people chose this as a profession.
He tucked his prizes away and then returned to the forge to start making a chain for Thea, it would nicely match the necklace she already wore. He had been delighted to see that Zasha was taking after her Mother’s taste in jewellery, he was sure that made Thea feel good. She only had the one daughter after all among the plethora of sons. Zasha had even got her mother’s glowing green eyes. The eyes that had made him fall head over tea kettle. Remembering his first encounter with her he chuckled. Head over tea kettle indeed. At least he, as her tree dragon, had not fallen into another snare trap since. He now was aware of where he placed his feet. But more had been caught in that trap then his foot. His destiny had been intertwined with the rope that had held him still while she came along. If he hadn’t of gotten snared, he might never have met Thea, might have lived an entirely different life and been less rich because of it. She and their family had become his be all end all. He was fortunate to still have them all. His friend Ruulu had lost much, and she had never been the same, funily enough something similar had happened to her mother. Except that Iroia had found her made and missing child. Ruulu had never found Tsa or Skeena again. Thinking about them made his heart hurt so he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.
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