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 Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2024 7:47 pm
Aldara listened as Draven talked, to her it seemed that he had had a rough upbringing where she had a cozy life. One where she had both parents, a nice home, surrounded with animals due to her mother's profession. Though her mom had loved baking and tending the home more, there was also the pottery on the side. Had she been spoiled growing up?
"That sure sounds rough." her voice was soft as if she were only meant to hear it herself. "Did you have anyone back then? You know, as a friend? Like..." She swallowed dreading the answer that might come, "A girl friend?" As she asked the question she looked upwards to where his face would be to see him looking at her. Her face turned a very deep scarlet color before she turned away. She had much regret asking the question, but it was out.
There was talk of stopping at the next village or town. Glancing around she wasn't sure where she was and her map was in her bags on Soran. "I have a map, but it is on Soran." Not that she could use it and hold on at the same time.
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Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2024 8:54 pm
The questions were innocent enough, but that last one made Draven jerk the reigns ever so slightly and Regale reared up nearly tossing his passengers. Draven eased off and let Regale shake his head and glance back with a bit of a growl. "Sorry, sorry." He said petting Regale before half turning in the saddle. "I didn't have too many friends, really I didn't have any. Met some people here and there, helped escort a group of dancers around in Oba while my father tried selling things at the local market."
Draven looked forward once more and nudge Regale to press on, he looked towards the sky. The sun was starting to pass towards the distant horizon, meaning it would be night soon enough. They could possibly make it to a town, but it would be cutting things close. He was opting to sleep in the wilderness for the night. "Sun's going down. We might want to think about finding a place to rest for the night."
He was going to let the girl friend question hang there. He wasn't too sure on how to answer that one. While it was true he had never had someone he really cared about. Besides his father and adopted mother. He hadn't known his grandmother all that well.
"I am going to be in big trouble when Dem finds out about all this." He chuckled to himself thinking about the Alk that had adopted him as her own. She was sure to give him an ear full when they saw each other again.
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Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2024 9:02 pm
The sudden lurch and the rearing of Regale nearly sent Aldara tumbling from where she had seated herself. Flailing a bit she reached out and grasped the only thing that was available. Grasping onto Draven's feathery cape she pulled herself up and wrapped her arms around him. To her surprise he was more fit than she had first thought. She knew he had some muscle, he carried a sword after all, but this... Her thoughts turned back to reality as Regale regained his footing and the fear of falling went away. Aldara pulled away as if she had been burned.
"It... It's ok.." Her face was red once more as she couldn't help her mind wondering just how strong he really was. "Sorry if that was an intrusive question. You are allowed to have a personal life."
Aldara looked up at the sky and noticed the position of the sun. Looking around they were surrounded by trees and not a building in sight. She wasn't used to sleeping outside, really she wasn't prepared for it. She hadn't really packed for the prospect of sleeping on the ground. "Are you sure we have to sleep out here? Can't we travel until we find a place?"
She looked at Draven's back with hope, but from the sounds of what he had said. They were sleeping outside and she was going to be out in the open, cold and really afraid. Last time she had slept outside, in her back yard, she fled to the house screaming that something was trying to get her. She had decided then she wouldn't do it again...
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Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2024 6:20 pm
Draven flinched as Aldara had grabbed onto him, but merely brushed it off as an accident. Shaking his head, he glanced back as she seemed absolutely terrified. "Didn't you pack camping gear?" Draven asked, pulling Regale to a stop as they had reached a small clearing off to the side of the road. "You shouldn't really leave home without at least a blanket or something to keep you warm. Travel is very unpredictable."
Draven slid from the saddle and lead Regale over and into the clearing. He could only assume that the Scorra would follow its master. Draven set about clearing the place to set up his own camping gear, pitching a tent and rolling out his bedroll. Regale would have to be unsaddled and let to roam, though he wouldn't travel far from Draven.
"There is no telling if we'd make it to a town. We could keep going, but I wouldn't risk Regale's health nor the health of even your Scorra." Draven pointed out as he fixed to get a fire started to cook up whatever it is he had in his packs.
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Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2024 6:47 pm
"I wasn't exactly thinking. I thought I could just go from town to town without having to stop." Aldara said as she slipped off Regale's back when they stopped at the clearing. "I did grab some food though. At least I have that and a map..."
She called Soran over and pulled the packs from his back. She rifled through one of them before pulling out a folded piece of parchment. There was still enough light to see by as she opened it and placed it on the ground. "Lets see, I started here." She pointed at her home town, "Followed this road then... I got lost trying to take a short cut. So I don't know where we are now." Frowning she looked around to see if there was anything nearby that would could serve as a marker on the map.
"Shame we couldn't have made it here." She pointed at the small village that laid outside the Tind. "Or was it Iory that I should have been headed for." It was clear she didn't know where she was going, just letting her feet take her to where ever in hopes of finding the Chiavi. Frowning ever still at the map she looked towards the fire that Draven had started, his tent that was set up and everything. All she had was a bit of bread and fruit.
"Note to self, learn more about wilderness survival or you're going to be someone's next meal." This was under her breath, hoping that Draven wouldn't hear her.
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Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2024 7:38 pm
Draven set up his fire and pulled a couple of things from one of his saddle bags and placed them on the fire. Filling one with water to heat and the other to crisp up some small bits of meat. The smell made everyone's stomach growl in the clearing. "That is very little. How long were you expecting to be out for? Couple of days?" He questioned as he poked at the meat with a long tonged fork. "Didn't your parents teach you how to survive out in the wilderness?"
Draven looked over as Aldara laid out the map and peered at it. He followed where she had been pointing and shook his head. Short cuts were often dangerous, specially in areas you aren't familiar with. Turning back he caught Regale sniffing at the meat that was cooking. He shooed the Janarim away a safe distance before finding something for it to eat in another saddle bag. He would have to hunt soon if they didn't find a village. Regale would need more than what was given.
"We're likely in the middle of the two places. So we'll continue to follow the road until we run into someone. Someone who knows this area better than we do." He said flipping the meat on the pan, the water had come to a boil. "Come and get something to eat, I have a little bit of cocoa left. Hopefully I can get a full restock when we reach either Tind or Iory."
As it grew later, Draven soon retired to the tent. Stretching out under his feathered cloak, he left his normal sleeping gear to Aldara.
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Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2024 7:51 pm
Aldara looked up from her map as the smell of cooking food made her hungry. Folding up the map once more she put it back into the saddle bag and sat on the ground opposite side of the fire. She pulled her knees up to her chest as she watched Draven. "My father tried, but I didn't want anything to do with the idea." She turned her head away from the campfire and where Draven was sitting.
"Some of us don't have the ambition to throw ourselves into the fray." Aldara pointed out as the food placed over the fire started to cook. Her measly rations started to look bland against the sizzling meat. At the offer of the cooking food, Aldara was quick to take some. She was a bit ravenous from the fact that she had gotten lost and finding Draven... Or had it been he who found her? Again... Shaking her head, Aldara looked back towards the man, he was always there, protecting her from something...
Her heart started to beat faster before she looked away, her face turning red. It wasn't until Draven had retired to the tent was she able to breath again and she flopped back onto the ground to stare up at the sky. Soran had settled himself down beside her, his gaze looking at her curiously.
"Soran... I'm in trouble..." Was all she said before getting up to join Draven in his tent. Keeping to her side, she used his blanket to curl up in, feeling she'd never get any sleep here.
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