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 Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:24 pm
“Do you think the desert was always so full of sand?” Nanami found herself asking as she looked at Noelani, the desert of Oba stretching out across the horizon behind the Elarian hybrid. They had only been here for less than a week on a new dig but Nanami was already melting in the constant heat and dry air, the only saving thing for her skin the special lotions that Noelani had brought along for this particular trip. While they rested in the larger tent that Noelani had claimed as her personal quarters, the rest of the crew was meandering about the site or in the nearby town for drinks during a particularly hot day that had forced a break. Since Nanami was basically blind in the afternoon desert sun the Kawena had taken to finding refuge within the tent, the heavy canvas a blessing for blocking out the sun with a pile of pillows she enjoyed lounging upon while browsing through ancient tomes that surely would help guide their quest for more ruins. While the rest complained about taking a break it would be a lie to say that Nanami didn’t enjoy lounging against her partner for once, the Kawena’s attention more on tracing lines across Noelani’s skin instead of scouring through yet another book.
[Ami 1]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:24 pm
A slight shiver went down Noelani’s spine as she glanced towards Ami, the temptation to make the Kawena shiver in turn almost too strong before the question made her pause. “It wouldn't be a desert then.” She replied with a small smile as she tried to ignore the urge to move and instead continued lounging across the pile of silk pillows that she had gathered for her quarters. A table sat low to the ground covered in scrolls, books and all sorts of ancient tomes and maps for research with pillows being used for seats since that was more convenient to carry along to these sites. “But I suppose they wouldn’t simply build a town in the desert all those centuries ago so it’s possible that this used to be a lush valley with a stream cutting through. We did find some riverbed the other day, the gray slate buried so far beneath the sand that I’m surprised it actually still exists instead of being completely disintegrated.” The slate was a good find, a sign that there had been water at one point in the area which would actually allow a village to thrive here before the landscape turned into the scorching sands that they knew today.
[Noelani 1]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:24 pm
“Mmmhmm.” Nanami moved a scroll out of the way so that she could twist against Noelani despite the heat. Thankfully the Kawena’s skin was naturally cooler than most and thanks to the lotions she was still constantly cool with damp skin instead of dry and hot like the local earthlings whose skins were so much tougher than her own. “I would never imagine even trying to live in this country let alone in the desert here.” She admitted with a frown. “So surely there had to be a different climate for anyone to actually thrive here.” Ami had been pouring over old texts to try to confirm such a thing, but so far there had only been mention of maybe nomads traveling with flocks and chasing the rains. “Was it possible for this place to turn into a desert for part of the year only before completely drying out?”
[Ami 2]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
Reaching an arm across her companion, Noelani pursed her lips thoughtfully as she pondered the option. “I have heard about villages appearing almost overnight with the heavier rains. I have not personally witnessed it but they say that there used to be a rainy season even in the desert where it would flood across the sands, turning valleys into rivers and allowing plants that had been hibernating beneath the surface to spring to life. Nomads would settle in one area for a few weeks until the river finally dried up and then chase down the next oasis before moving back once the rains came again.” The hybrid nodded as she ran a hand up and down Ami’s arm, her fingers skimming across the Kawena’s cool skin almost playfully. “Since there’s a valley here I’m hoping one of those settlements can be found buried beneath the sands. If so then we may find some ancient art like pottery or even engravings or paintings of their lives. The last dig revealed a treasure trove of ceramics and even scrolls buried in ancient containers. Omari was delighted to see a detailed outline of tribal rain dances that were thought lost to the ages.”
[Noelani 2]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
Ami nodded as she listened to Noelani, the Kawena reaching up to grab her companion’s hand and squeeze her fingers instead of allowing them to simply roam across her skin. “I’ll keep looking through the texts that you left behind, but so far the maps haven’t matched anything to give me a major insight into the area. This is the best spot we have but you’ve been digging for days now without much luck.” She let out a soft sigh. “I miss underwater exploration. Can we go back to that after this one?”
[Ami 3]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
Noelani chuckled. “I suppose we can, but Omari is the best support I have at the moment for these explorations.” It was one thing to dive for pearls and trade them at market with whatever other underwater treasures they found, but another thing completely to discover history like this. Noelani and Nanami both adored it despite the desert heat and every time there was a success they always celebrated the findings. “Once we locate this ancient tribe then it should be time to go back to Matori. We still have a home to finish, after all.”
[Noelani 3]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
The very thought of a home had Ami pressing closer to Noelani, a flush covering her cheeks as she hugged her partner. “We do have a home to build, that’s true.” A little cottage in the cove as promised. It had taken a bit longer than expected to get everything sorted but the plan was that upon their return the workers should be completely finished with the final details so that they could move in with all of their belongings. “I’m happy that the little bathing chamber worked out, it’ll be nice once we settle in and can finally have a nice cool bathing room instead of desert sand to roll around in.” She teased lightly as she blew a puff of air towards the ground of the tent and stirred up some of the sand that somehow always managed to cover the blankets rolled out across the ground.
[Ami 4]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
“What, you don’t enjoy bathing in sand?” Joked Noelani as Ami blew the sand around them, the hybrid almost sneezing as it settled back on the heavy blankets that they were laying on. She was truly thankful that Ami had decided to tag along yet again but the revelation that they were going to be parents in the future made her more wary. Admittedly I suppose I’m the one who has to worry about things, but that’s still a few months away. Her stomach was only slightly swollen after the revelation and thankfully the morning sickness had settled since finishing up the last dig. It had given Noelani the determination to finish her job, coming over to this final stretch of desert sand to look for any artifacts.
[Noelani 4]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
“Oh yes.” Ami replied with a laugh. “Maybe we made a mistake in settling back in Matori. We should just follow the nomads and live out here in tents.” She shook her head after a moment, moving back to look at a book that had fallen to the side when she had flopped down next to Noelani. “Hmm?” The Kawena suddenly sat up and grabbed at the book, her expression shifting as she studied the text and looked at a faded sketch on the page. “This may be something!”
[Ami 5]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
Noelani quickly shifted as she crawled to sit next to Ami, her gaze narrowing as she studied the page over her companion’s shoulder. “Those cliffs in the distance…they do look familiar.” She tilted her head and looked at the drawing of the sun. “If it’s high in the sky then that means we’ll be looking west to match the picture.” There was a circle of stones and what appeared to be huts along the outside with someone in a headdress holding up another tablet as if greeting the sun god. “A morning ritual for prosperity?”
[Noelani 5]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
“It looks like it.” Ami agreed with a nod as her finger traced over the faded image. “The god….On’os? Was that your Oban god for good luck?” She asked as she glanced towards Noelani before shaking her head. “Either way if you look at the cliffs and the sun then that may point us towards the stones used in the ritual. Maybe the carvings are still there beneath the sands?”
[Ami 6]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
“On’os, yes.” Noelani nodded and her gaze brightened as pieces of the story came together, the hybrid suddenly bolting to her feet. “If it’s On’os like the picture depicts then it could very well be a ritual for fortune! That would require golden offerings for his blessing and even a potential dance to gain his favor!” It was common for the ancient tribes to have dances for every festival, the motions always used to summon the gods so that they would notice the mortals praying for aid. Excitement made her expression brighten as she imagined what they could find if they located the stone pillars in that image. It had to be this valley since those cliffs had those unique features, the way they loomed over this valley shaped something akin to a crown which would be seen as a perfect place for one of the highest ranking gods of the time. A crown for a king… Noelani let out a laugh. “I think I know that spot!”
[Noelani 6]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
Ami watched as Noelani bounced around the tent, the hybrid walking in a circle and grabbing whatever supplies she needed before going back out to face the desert heat. “I mean it’s still dangerously hot out there…do you want to go now?” It was a concern, but even she didn’t know that she could stop Noelani once she was struck by this revelation. How could she resist the urge to go ahead and move the dig to a potential treasure trove of artifacts? All Ami could do was make certain to grab plenty of waterskins before walking towards the entrance of the tent, the rays of sunlight making her flinch even though she had a scarf to wrap across her face to block out whatever light she could.
[Ami 7]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
“I do! How could we wait?” Noelani reached for some lotion and smeared it across her skin, an ointment to help block out the sun and keep her skin from drying out. Touching Ami with the lotion she quickly moved her fingers across the Kawena’s exposed skin before sneaking in a kiss. “Thank you, Ami! This will be great if we can find something in the valley.” She gushed with a grin. “If there’s treasures then our benefactor will be even more delighted and we can maybe use some of it to fund another venture when the time is right.”
[Noelani 7]
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Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:25 pm
“I know, I know.” A soft laugh escaped Ami’s lips despite her concern. “You just have to be careful, okay? I’m coming along as well to make certain you don’t dive into something dangerous…” She glanced towards Noelani pointedly. “You can’t be as reckless.” She reinforced before opening the tent once her scarf was in place. The few crew members that were nearby paused in their game when they noticed Noelani and Nanami quickly walking their way, the excitement on both of their expressions not missed by the others.
[Ami 8]
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