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As the year comes to an end, an abnormal cold snap has taken over Tendaji. The mountains of Zena are covered in a blizzard, and even the desert of Oba is feeling a bit of an abnormal chill.
[ What do you get up to during the cold? Do you find a place to warm up, or check up on a friend? ]
The fires of the forge were usually enough to keep any errant winds at bay, but the few times Yazeed had managed to sneak away for a break he'd never lose feeling in his fingers. It had been years since he'd spent a good winter season in Chibale, so maybe he'd forgotten what they felt like, but a part of him knew this wasn't normal. A little chill, maybe, but the storm that had settled in was horrendous. Any poor soul unlucky enough to get caught outside tonight would have a rough go of it tomorrow which...honestly made him wonder if he should bother going home at all.
"Maybe I should just stay here?" He murmured to himself. It wasn't as if he'd never pulled an all nighter and at least the smithy was warm. With a non-committal hmm, he rubbed his hands together and went back inside, eager to close the door behind him.
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Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2025 7:40 pm
Faenna pulled her sweater up higher around her neck. How was it so bitterly cold? She hadn't taken a wrong turn at that old tree and ended up in Zena, right? She was glad that she at least always had the sweater in her pack, but this weather was beyond a simple sweater. Having just arrived to the village, she had yet to find a place to stay. A place that would hold her and a janarim...
"Oh! Hey! Excuse me!" She hunched against the wind as she scurried toward the light of the smithy and the silhouette. "Please, is there room for us? Just for the night?"
Following close behind Faenna was a creature of Oba, all plate scales with a blanket tied around its neck. Not quite fully grown, the janarim grumbled and nudged at Faenna's back roughly. She knew where the heat was and wanted to go there!
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Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2025 5:28 pm
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Yazeed very nearly thought he'd imagined the voice. It wouldn't be the first time that night he'd mistaken the whip of the wind as someone calling to him. This time, however, he was met with a sister scurrying his way and didn't so much as hesitate to widen the door for her. The sight of the Janarim wasn't entirely alarming; he'd seen more than his fair share with his families travels, but bringing one into the smithy would be...well, a little awkward. The space was large enough, but had the poor thing been fully grown there wouldn't have been enough room to turn around.
"Of course! Come on before the two of you lose your toes." Or claws? Talons, maybe, in the Janarim's case. "It's not the most comfortable for an overnight stay but at least it's warm."
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2025 9:12 pm
Ah! Thank the goddess! She gave her most brilliant and appreciative smile as she hurried inside. "Thank you so much! Goodness, I know I've been gone for some time, but I don't remember it ever getting this cold here before." She hurried first to move a couple boxes and guided her janarim in safely. "Okay Pyke. You stay right here and try to not break anything. We don't want them to regret letting us in!"
The janarim stretched out with her nose toward the brightest of the flames. Grateful for the heat, she paid no heed to Faenna and simply settled down with her legs curled against her belly.
Faenna sighed and rubbed her hands together as she turned back to her savior. "My name's Faenna. Once I'm feeling my fingers again, is there anything I can do to repay you for letting us stay?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2025 9:15 am
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Once his guests had made their way inside, Yazeed set about making the space a little more 'comfortable'. He pulled out a few of his leather aprons and laid them on the ground, as close to the fire as it would be comfortable, and hoped that would be good enough for the Janarim. At the very least it would be more comfortable than the hard packed ground.
"That's because it hasn't. Not that I can remember at least." Even with the fire of the forge as healthy and strong as ever there was enough of a n** to make the skin on Yazeed's arms tingle. "I've been gone for a while myself, but I can't remember ever feeling this cold in Chibale." Maybe it was an ill omen? Or some sort of spell?
Her introduction was met with a welcoming smile and a nod. "The name's Yazeed and don't worry about it. I'm just happy you came here before the frost got to you." Since he'd already put away most of his projects for the evening, Yazeed started on another; heating up the kettle. It was an older thing, clearly one that had seen better days, but interesting enough was a Belrean bronze. "Tea? I don't have much in the way of food, but if you're hungry enough I've got some jerky stashed back."
Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2025 7:50 pm
Faenna laughed lightly. "I can say with confidence that it wasn't me bringing this around. We were hot and cozy in Oba before we headed this way, and then Jauhar wasn't bad." She rubbed her arms again and gave another smile. "Thanks. We appreciate it. I sure won't say no to some tea, but we've got some food in my pack." She was able to get a better look at her host now, surprise briefly crossing her features. Quite obviously a hybrid... It was good to see Chibale being accepting of him. "Oh! How about a few sweets? Oba's got this stuff called Lemon Drops. They just sit in your mouth and melt slowly. It's sooo good! I still actually have a couple left."
Pyke sniffed at the air a little and stretched her claws along the ground. When Faenna scolded her to be careful, she stretched out as far as she could to lay her big head on the offered aprons. She was finally warm, and she was determined to be cozy, too!
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Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2025 9:45 am
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[4/7]
Yazeed set up a few posts, and some well tied hooks, just above the fire so he could hang the kettle. It would be close enough to boil the water, but not enough to damage the metal. The fires of the forge would have consumed the bronze if he'd let it. "Oh yeah? I'll try some." Lemon drops? He wondered if his siblings had ever made it to Oba with their parents and if they'd tried them yet. Maybe he should ask about it in his next letter.
He moved about the space, ever conscious of his size, and gathered up the necessary materials. Two cups, neither matching, and little bits of metal he'd picked up in Belrea to help sift the tea leaves. Once he had it all in place Yazeed poured the now warm water over them before putting the kettle back on the hook.
"Oba's a long walk from Chibale. Did you go all the way there for your friend here?" He lifted one of the cups and handed it to Faenna before taking up one of his own.
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:04 pm
Faenna rubbed her hands together to make sure she had the dexterity for digging through her pack for the little baggie in one of the deeper pockets. She pulled out a small drawstring pouch and shook out two little round candies of a pale yellow color. When the tea came to her, she did a trade and handed the candies over. "Thank you." She looked over to the janarim and nodded. "Yup. I actually went there from Belrea. It's been a while since I was last in Chibale." She cocked her eye at the door to the outside and snorted with an amused smirk. "If I didn't know any better though, Chibale doesn't seem happy to see me again."
Pyke sniffed at the air as the tea's scent warmed the space. Then she yawned and laid her head back down. The tea was nothing interesting to her.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2025 9:05 am
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"To Oba from Belrea, huh?" Yazeed palmed the candy for a bit before moving it to his thumb and forefinger for inspection. It wasn't as if he'd never seen things like this before - his parents had a taste for them - but they were rare enough in shape that he took his time. When he popped the tart treat into his mouth his eyes widened, one eyebrow drawing down as his face scrunched up, and after a non-committal sounded he murmured, "It's great. Really, I love it."
Yazeed shifted the candy from one side of his mouth to the other and listened to the maelstrom outside. When he felt he could talk properly again he added, "Or maybe it's just so excited it doesn't know what to do?"
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2025 8:45 pm
Faenna couldn't help watching for Yazeed's reaction to the candy... and she wasn't disappointed! It was difficult to not laugh out loud. Instead, she summoned up the most earnest expression she could manage and wiggled excitedly. "I'm so glad! I can make sure to have more sent here for you so that you have a regular supply."
The suggestion that Chibale was excited did get a chuckle before taking a sip of the tea. "That's a nice thought. Perhaps Aisha is telling me to stay by making it so cold as to make traveling again uncomfortable." She looked over at the now snoozing janarim and shook her head. "Maybe one day, but I'm not ready to settle in one place yet. There's still a lot of world to see."
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2025 7:58 am
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"That's kind of you, but you don't have to. I can always have my parents - or maybe my brother, if he's in the area- send some by." It was hard to say where his family was at any given time, but Yazeed knew that if it was a possibility they wouldn't hesitate. If anything it might be a new staple for them to keep.
"So, where have you traveled?" He leaned back in his seat and crossed his leg over his knee. "Or maybe, what was your favorite? Probably anywhere that isn't here right now." Yazeed gave a little smile as he reached for his tea cup.
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2025 8:17 pm
"If you're suuure~ I wouldn't mind at all." She grinned over another sip of tea. "You have family there?" A brother? How interesting!
Faenna's smile warmed with genuine pleasure as she thought over her various travels. "Not sure I could pick a favorite. I think it'll be quicker to say where I haven't been! Zena, Sauti, and Yael. Had my feet in every other territory at least a little. Wait, those other islands, um, Kahikina; I haven't been there yet either." She laughed and gestured to the door that kept the freezing air outside. "Guess I shoulda crossed that off my list first! Probably nice and warm there right now."
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2025 4:37 pm
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"Sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not," Yazeed shrugged with a soft smile. "They've always been travelers. My mom and Dad are from Belrea, and Mom's from Chibale." They'd kept the travel light when the kids were little, mainly for safety, but once the two boys were old enough to help with their sister....Well, the sky was the limit. Literally, once they took up airships. "Sounds like you'd fit right in with them."
It wasn't everyday he met a sister so well traveled, and honestly, it was pretty refreshing. Finding someone who had ventured from Chibale wasn't all together uncommon, but to go that far, that often..."So, you said you went to Matori? There's a little near the coast, a cobbler actually, but if you catch her at the right time her son bakes these sweet rolls that are divine. He used to hand them out, but I don't know if he still does. Can't remember the exact spot though - maybe if I had a map?" He shrugged.
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 8:33 pm
Faenna grinned. "My moms enjoy travel as well. It wasn't something they could do until later in their lives though. They were very busy with work here before their trip to Azehra. Then a lot of things became.. complicated. But they can go wherever they want to now. Especially now that my little sisters are old enough to not need them all the time."
She tapped a finger to her chin and shook her head. "I don't remember specifically, but I'll definitely keep them in mind when I go back!" A sharp snore made Faenna actually jump a little and she looked over at the sleeping janarim with surprise. "Well, alright then."
