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 Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 8:32 pm
Saoirse 1
Aisling was now old enough to travel so Saoirse was making her promise to show her daughter what tendaji had to offer come true. And what better place than where her parents had shown her. The beautiful Matori. It had been a long long trip but her daughter was holding up with all the newness quite well, eyes wide open. Saoirse was happy to have a break from home and go on an adventure herself. She had been tending the forge and her daughter for a long time and felt lighter for this adventure.
"How are you doing?" She asked Aisling who was padding along behind her mother, eyes darting this way and that. She was used to standing for long periods and the forge kept her in great shape, her daughter was full of energy and youth. But Sao thought it important to check once in a while too. After all she would by force have more stamina than her daughter and a longer stride.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:08 am
Aisling 1
They had been on the road for a while and she was starting to feel it. But every thing was so new and shiny around them. They had even taken a boat for part of their journey, apparently to walk most of it was really really hard so she was glad that the ship had been available to take them where they needed to go for at least most of the travel.
"I'm starting to get tired I think, but I'm still having so much fun." The birds and trees were all new and different and she busily scritched away on her notepad.
"That was a greater crested purple paradise macaw and that one over there a scarlet billed toucanys." She loved birds and wildlife. She hoped to be inspired by birds as a warrior and was already working on the warrior name she would carry. Each of her friends would have their own warrior name they had made a pact. She planned to uphold that pact. Thus she was thinking very hard about what she wanted it to be.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:08 am
Saoirse 2
She loved that her beautiful, bright, kind daughter was so obsessed with animals. She had a sneaky suspicion that the girl might want to become a guardian one day, though she did hope for blacksmith as well. She thought her kid was more the warrior than she, must be from her mother's lines.
Sao liked to create things but nothing in her life shone like her daughter. She would definitely be giving her a sibling once she was a bit older. She thought Aisling would make a great older sibling. A good guide for someone younger, and who would look like her. Besides Sao wanted another daughter and no dream girlfriend had yet stepped out of the ether, she could always date later but she need not have any more kids if she didn't want to. She was doing a find job with her daughter by herself without any confusing differing opinions except from her own mothers who did things pretty similar to what she did.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:08 am
Aisling 2
"Oh Mom look! I've never even heard of one of those with thr long tails! its so pretty! So blue!" The rrst of her thoughts were lost in thr ether as she kicked up her borrowed quhar to a trot to follow the bird that was whisking away like it was dancing on the air. Its wings were chiseled and crescent shaped, she figured it was a male as it had bright plumage in blues, two long twisty streamer like tail feathers and a little head crest thing. it was making a melodious song as it flew obviously trying to attract the females of its kind. She wondered what they would look like as she led her mother on a marry chase through the trees.
She burst from them and was on thr beach with thr best look at a hidden Matori cove she had ever had. " Oh mom is this it? Are we finally here?" She hated to admit to weakness but she had to admit that she was tired and could use a long refreshing nap on a bed that did not possess legs, maybe they could just nap on the beach?
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:09 am
Saoirse 3
"Yes my love, we are here, that is the great Matori sea." She grinned at the look of pure awe on her daughters face. "Isn't it just lovely? The water is warm, nice for swimming and they have the many colorful fish I told you about." Sao got off her own Quhar and went to stand next to her daughter to also enjoy the lovely view of the coastline stretching far into the distance, a smattering of small islands dotted the offshore and a pod of dolphins were gliding through. She pointed them out to Aisling and they both watched in rapture. Dolphins did come up the coast to Jauhar but were usually hard to see. It was always special when they came by. After they had passed.
"We are almost to the ranch now." They travelled along peacefully. She had friends at the largest beast ranch in Matori, it pretty much helped support the small town it was nearest too. The family continued to grow and she was eager to show off hers to that oldest of her friends Saeruin.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:09 am
Aisling 3
The dolphins were a great surprise and to her mind a good omen. Dolphins were playful and creative, fast movers in the water. Though her favorite water creature was a snaptrotter she liked dolphins too, what little girl didn't?
The moved on, and soon enough they were at the ranch gates and guided by a worker to the place prepared for them to stay a small guest cabin on the beach with everything a mother and daughter could want for a vacation.
"Mom, its soo cool here!" She was ecstatic. Everything was bright and shiny and new, there were tons of new to her people, not many of them looked remotely like her but there was a smattering of alk blood here or there, not a trace of other Aishans but Aisha had been more busy for longer than the other trees.
"I never want to leave." She hung out over the balcony rail and felt the warm wood on her hands, the sun on her face and the smell of the sea. This was paradise.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:09 am
Saoirse 4
She wasnt going to lie. It was good to be back in Matori, with the long sand beaches in front. Their borrowed cabin was partially shaded though the back deck was currently bathed in sunshine. How nice it was to be away from the forge for a bit. She loved making weapons for her sisters but this trip with her daughter had been just what the doctor ordered. Her parents had taken her here when she was young and she was happy to do the same for her daughter. Plus the sand sea and sun was so freaking nice.
The air breathed spring here, with exotic (to her) flowers blooming madly as waves crashed on the shore. They could hear the myriad of creatures on the ranch behind them start to bellow.
"Oop, must be feeding time." She winked at her daughter's look of abject horror.
"You know, you might be able to get a familiar this trip, there would be no better time than now is there anything that interests you?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:09 am
Aisling 4
Her eyes got wide as saucers at her mothers offhand comment. "REALLY? I uh well I know I love snaptrotters and kinfa!" Her utter exuberance shone clearly through. She was even more excited. And tired. But she left that last part out, her mother was likely tired as well. It was a long march even from where the boat had been able to drop them off. There were not that many nice harbors and they hadn't dared to sail the whole way.
"I don't know if I will sleep tonight now," (lies, she would totally sleep), she giggled madly. This was the most fun she had ever had. "I miss my grandmas, but I'm happy you are here with me Mom."
Now the impossible decision of which critter she wanted. She could always get one of the other kind later and she didn't want to distract herself too much from the actual vacation but well A CRITTER!
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:09 am
Saoirse 5
"We can go look at both tomorrow." She remembered how she had been allowed to bring home a zanteer cup all those years ago at a stand on the beach, that was how she had met Saeruin who had gotten two.
She wondered how much of this trip was a memory trip and how much was for the amusement of her child. Either way it was going really well. Their travel hadn't been bad and she stepped out onto the sand, sighing at the memory and smells of this most magical place. Jauhar would always be her home but she had a soft spot for Matori, maybe when Aisling was a little older they would chose to live her for a time. But it was more important that Aisling learn the ways of Aisha young, that was paramount.
Aisling seemed pretty devoted to the mother goddess so she wasn't too overly concerned.
"Now time for food and a relax on the beach before bed. I am so tired." They had put the Quhar in the guest barn and they were currently being doted upon by young beast tamers. Sao had been amused.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:10 am
Aisling 5
"Oh yes that sounds good!" She liked the idea of relaxing on the beach, it just seemed right somehow. There were a few people already at it down the beach, while a group of snaptrotter frolicked in the water.
"I had no idea a place could be so beautiful, your stories as good as they were really didn't do this place justice." Yet how could you describe this place to someone who hadn't left their home before. She was so glad that her mother had decided to come here.
"What are we having for dinner?" As if on cue her stomach rumbled loudly and they both had a good giggle. "Apparently travel makes a difference for hunger." She was also a growing girl and needed lots of calories to grow tall like her mom. Maybe that was the earthlings shortness problem they simply were not eating enough. That and Jauhar had mighty good food, though the shifters were no taller than the Matorian people she had seen.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:10 am
Saoirse 6
She was tired but very satisfied with their trip so far. This was so fun. She was having a great time.
"We have two option for food, we could borrow a couple mounts and head to the town that is not too far away, we would have our pick of Matori cuisine there. Or alternatively we could brave the main house hearth and eat there. Though there are many many more Ninyelts than there were when I visited. I leave it up to you." She nodded at her daughter. This was Aisling's vacation too after all.
Sao wouldn't mind either way but she did feel a bit socially drained after all that travel and guarding her only daughter against various real and imagined threats. She had a bit more sympathy for her own mothers too when they had taken her travelling at a young age. There had been a lot to plan for but it had all worked out really well. She was very grateful for that. She hoped that Aisha saw her efforts to keep the promises she had given in her prayers and hoped that when she went again to pray for another daughter to have a good reception.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:12 am
Aisling 6
"Yeah to be honest, I would be okay with a little more riding if that meant we had a somewhat more private just you and me dinner. I think the travel has made me slightly antisocial and a bit cranky." She made a comical face for her mothers benefit and she read the relief on her mothers face when she looked at her.
"Looks like I am not the only one who feels that way, don't worry mom I'm sure tomorrow we will both feel much better and ready again to seize the day in the name of Aisha."
"What sort of mounts do you think they would let us borrow?" She loved critters of all kinds and this pace was choc a block swarming with them. This was going to be fun. This whole trip had been fun, if a bit tiring she might add. Still though!
"How fast do you think we would get there?" The saddle soreness was mostly gone by now but the chaffing had not. Though the rich healing salve her mother had slathered over it definitely helped with the pain. Apparently if she rode enough that would fade with time.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:12 am
Saoirse 7
She was honestly relieved that her daughter had chosen the town option. She wanted rest before going back over there too Her friend Saeruin had 3 sets of kids now? Like that was fantastic but added to the rest of the family it added up quickly. And they were a curious lot the whole bunch of them. Which on most nights would be fun. But she wanted good hot food and to relax with her daughter.
"Oh probably some Xaraan if we want to get there fast." She winked at her fascinated daughter. "Pretty cool huh? They also have snaptrotter, perzi, sailscales, janarim and a few Xanteer though not so many of them." The ranch was stuffed with critters she was sure there were a few odds and ends of other species too somewhere in the depths of the ranch. Usually problem critters there for training. "I still have a soft spot for Xanteer."
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:12 am
Aisling 7
They did indeed get to borrow Xaraan, and they were very fast, she had a blast. They went to both a sushi stand and a fried chicken stand and were quite full and happy by the time they made it back to the ranch for a cup of tea on their cabin porch and an early bedtime to help them recover from the long travel to get there.
Aisling awoke to the sweet song of exotic matori birds and went right to watching them flutter outside on the beach and in the nearby trees. This was simply enchanting. She sketched as many birds as she could before she was called in to a simple breakfast that would be easy on their stomachs she was sure that by lunch time they would be starving again. She giggled, they were always starving. They had high metabolisms. Not for the first time she wondered if she might be destined to be a blacksmith like her mom. She sure loved her work. Aisling would have to think hard on that.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 8:13 am
Saoirse 8
The next morning they were indeed in more cheerful spirits, she was so excited to see what her daughter chose as her pet. She had sent a bird up to the main house the night before with a request to be shown the kinfa and the snaptrotter that were well trained enough or in the case of the kinfa small enough to suit her child. A sturdy pet or two was just what was needed to help her daughter grow in empathy and courage. The snaptrotter would help her build her confidence and ability until the kinfa was able to fly her. It was brilliant. And even better her daughter did not know that she was allowed to chose two critters that was her own fun little surprise. After all what was one more. She knew her daughter was responsible and she would help her look after them.
"Come Aisling, its time to go see the animals!" She wasn't sure who was more excited as they raced out of the house together giggling and laughting. This was going to be a honey of a day. Then they could rest at the beach and soak in the sun.
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