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[x] : Leaves on a tree ( Betoto )

Words 1,002

BarAmal rubbed his palm. That was becoming a bad habit when he was thinking. It was where his bow sting had bitten him in battle. There wasn’t a mark there, but he could always feel it just the same. He hated himself for having to flee when the retreat had been called but there had been no other choice. To many had fallen and they were all routed back. Now here he was back at home in Isd not much had changed. His father still told stories and his mother was still a guard. For some reason this frustrated BarAmal more than anything. They had lost the war and knew change was here and wasn’t going to leave. Yet at times nothing seemed to change at all. He wanted to improve and get better so next time there would be need to fall back. There would be no need to see others fall in battle. He had never even learned any of their names. Faces blurred past his mind while he went to fetch his bow and head to the archery coarse. He spent until dark out there hitting targets and scavenging for the arrows he missed. What had been the point of it all? Was there no point to fighting and trying to protect anyone anymore? Those war beasts had come and been so powerful that a good score of fighters had faced but three and been forced to flee. Sighing he meditated on the matter for a good while in the dark only to return in time to hear his father telling a story around the fire. It was a old one about growing to comfortable and stagnating. Shaking his head BarAmal wondered if anyone realized that’s what happened to them here at times. Maybe they should get out and travel more then they’d be forced to change things up a bit and learn something new.

His mind crawled over that thought for a good ten minutes before he figured out that it really should apply to himself as well. If he was going to get better than he would have to find a good number of new teachers to learn from. He nearly wanted to hug his father that night but headed home to get some sleep instead.

The next day he sat down with his mother and discussed traveling. She suggested Sauti since it was a neighboring land and while a bit colder was of a similar climate compared to the isles or Jauhur. It was true he would stand out more since he could nearly pass for a shifter, but as long as he was fine with that then it wouldn’t be an issue. BarAmal didn’t really care if he fit in at all. It was more important to him to just pick a direction and head out before he lost himself in a mire to deep to dig himself out from. His father asked him to collect some interesting stories. BarAmal resisted the urge to roll his eyes knowing his mother would swat him for it.

Prepared to head out he was surprised when both of his parents stopped him on the edge of Isd. His mother gave him a small bag. Peeking in side he was confused at what he saw. The little bag was just full of sand. Regular old sand like what was beneath his feet right now. “What is all this for? I don’t mean any disrespect.” He added quickly to show that he knew this was important, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out why. He mother only smiled and slid her arm through his fathers and laid her head on his shoulder. She then began to explain.

“BarAmal before when you left we weren’t certain if you would be coming back and we were so scared. I know that you want to go and stopping you is like trying to stop your father in the middle of a story. But I want you to remember no matter where you are in the world and no matter what may happen you have a home here and we are always thinking of you.”

It was a largely sentimental gift but instead of feeling embarrassed he was glad he had something of Tale to take with him along with the bow from his mother. “Well it does seem a bit easier than trying to stuff a whole tree in my pack.” That comment earned him a smile from both of his parents. Giving them one last hug he turned and started to head out into the unknown that would be Sauti. The ground felt hard under his feet and he was glad he had picked a warmer garb to travel in.

That little bag of sand sat in the bottom of his bag but it wasn’t something he had to have right in sight all the time. The fact he knew it was there like his quiver and bow made him feel better and somehow safer. As the ground shifted to harder rock and the color changed a bit he wondered just what surprises would be in store for him in the future. If the leaf was kind he would find a good teacher without having to travel all the way to Zena. For now wandering the edge of Sauti would be the best course until he got more used to the land. He might be determined but he was not overly reckless.

While he walked he rubbed his palm and tried to gauge what the weather was going to be like for the next day or two. He thought rain might be coming soon. How cold was it going to be? Likely a bit colder than he was used to. He would have to find a good place to hole up if it was going to start dropping on his head. Freezing to death when he hadn’t even really ventured into Sauti would just be pathetic on all counts.

words: 1,023

BarAmal’s fingers clutched the cold rock he was using to sharpen what was left of his arrows. He was having a lot of difficulty adjusting to this terrain in Sauti. Perhaps it was time to head home. He didn’t want to seem like a failure to his parents but he was homesick and there were rumors spreading of additional fighting in the south. He didn’t think his … no he knew there was no way his father was going to stand by and do noting when shifter lands were being assaulted. So far the damage had been controlled or at least perhaps. Closing his eyes BarAmal sighed and leaned back giving up on his arrows. He couldn’t just leave his father to fight alone. Though there was no way to get back in time to catch him since it was likely his father would have taken off at the first rumors which took much longer to find BarAmal. Biting his lip BarAmal cursed a blue streak in his mind and sat up straight. No first thing was first he was going to have to find his way back home. He was near a settlement called Mez. Here he would restock trading in the skins of what he had managed to hunt. He wasn’t overly fond of the few others he had met here, but they weren’t inherently a bad people and didn’t skimp him on trades.

Mez was a two day hike making it three days before he was able to leave for home. The journey was depressing and it rained on him slowing his journey far more than he would like. Perhaps he should have found company with a caravan but he didn’t feel like company. Worries ate at his mind while he walked, he never noticed as the sand softened and the familiar scents of home started to waft over him. Strangely it was the call of the birds that comforted him and made him realize how far he had come. When the epiphany came over him he stopped and stood still a moment taking deep breaths and found himself near tears. Gulping air as though drinking water he had to sit down and did cry for a time. He wasn’t quite home yet, but close enough to feel the nostalgia and safe. The air was warmer and the trees more plentiful. It was strange what he missed most where the trees. The towering trunks that swayed gently on the windy days. Sauti had nothing like them. Instead cold jagged rocks clutched toward the sky like rows of teeth trying to take a bite from the sky itself. Perhaps it was just his way of seeing the land but from his perspective that was how it was.

When he reached his home he found it emptier and smaller than he remembered. It was clear that his home was still recovering from the war. It took some time but he found his mother was out hunting and would be back at dark. When he inquired about his father they told him that the shifter head headed for the south to help with recovery efforts. BarAmal nearly took off then but decided to see how his mother had handled this situation. Surely she was alright wasn’t she?

Darkness had long since taken hold when his mother came home that night. BarAmal was shocked she looked haggard and old. Even by the light of the fire seemed only intent on highlighting the lines that etched into her face. Her shoulders drooped and her hands seemed slow. Rushing to her side he hugged her close and it took her a moment to wake up enough to see him and recognize him as her own child. In moments she was hugging him tightly enough to cut off his air and make his body go just a bit numb. As tired as she was she insisted on sitting down and having tea like a civilized meeting. BarAmal agreed to it and made it firmly known that he was going to make the tea. He didn’t say it was because he could see her fingers shaking ever so slightly. Once ready they sat. He spoke of his trip to Sauti keeping out the parts of the crushing homesickness and feelings of dread in that land. The people were strange but fair and even kind at times. The game was new but a challenging hunt. The pointless peltries went on for some time until he mentioned coming back home to check on both his parents. His mother put up a strong front but it was needless. He could see through it in an instant. His mother was worried. Had it been this bad when BarAmal had gone to fight the first time? She never told him and he never had asked. As he sipped his tea he said he would take a trip down south and try and find his father. The look his mother gave him could freeze a raging beast in its tracks. He held a hand to stay the lecture that was seconds away, assuring her he would not be fighting himself but merely going to check on his father and perhaps offering minimal assistance where needed. Though he could really use a few more arrows, and traveling supplies would be welcome if some could be spared.

Well he wasn’t wrong. A lecture was coming and it came with the force of a storm. His mother berated him for a solid two hours without slowing before she started to go horse and made him promise to come back to her safe and sound. Smiling BarAmal said he would do just that for her. His mother not to be outdone promptly sent him to bed like an errant child so he could rest since she would see him off first thing in the morning. Rather than argue he simply sighed and nodded before chuckling realizing giving in like that was just like what his father would do. He was looking forward to finding his father well and perhaps put a few holes in some Obans on the way.

[x] : Floundering steps ( Ta'ruk)

X Class quest


passed omg he passed!!