Welcome to Gaia! ::

Reply Holds and Halls
[PRP] ... The Floating World ... [ Sevang, Zara & Fuxith ]

Quick Reply

Enter both words below, separated by a space:

Can't read the text? Click here

Submit

Celeanor

Dangerous Hunter

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:47 pm


BadumBadumBadum

Blinking back tears, the brightly colored rider leaned further forward along the runner's neck, burying sand-burned hands deeper in the beast's golden mane as his heart kept a beat with the pounding of the runner' hooves. The wind was whipping around the both of them mercilessly, carrying with it the sand of Igen's great desert. Behind them, a trio of similarly clothed riders followed, catching the dust of the first runner's passing. The first rider, gender indeterminate due to the free flowing garb common to Igen holders, braved a quick look back. None of the pursuers appeared to be gaining ground, so he eased up on the reins and relaxed his grip along the beasts barrel. Obediently, the chestnut runner slowed, though not enough to be discernible from the stallion's usual dragonlength covering gallop. Looking back again, he noted that one of the three had stopped entirely and the others had pulled their mounts to a steady trot. Hidden behind the fabric that covered his head everywhere except his eyes, the first rider grinned triumphantly, finally pulling his runner into a canter, then a easy stop while he waited for the others to catch up.

It didn't take long, and when the other three riders got within shouting distance, the first pulled back his face covering, revealing a boyishly goofy round face, and let loose a whoop of triumph. Beneath him, the runner stallion danced, echoing his rider's excitement, tossing his head and wickering at the other three runners as they caught up. "Hey, Beneli! How is THAT for Katz Field breeding huh?" The first proclaimed, urging his runner to move closer to the rider who's mount had been one of the two to trot the end. That rider, who pulled back his own face covering to reveal a swarthy youth with narrow eyes, only scoffed at the first. "Shove it between Sevang, you're so short a plowbeast would win with you on board!" The swarthy one, Beneli, retorted. The other two youths, both nearly as short as Sevang, though neither as slender, started to protest this when Sev interrupted the would-be shouting match with high pitched gales of laughter as he rode his mount closer to thump his friend on the back.

"By the Egg Beni! I'll take your big behind up on that some day!" He replied cheerily, his overenthusiastic back-pounding earning him a sour look from the Keroonian trader's son. Both knew they probably wouldn't have the chance to try such a thing, their families followed trade routes that were often at complete opposites. Only mid year after the foaling season did this particular group of boys get together when their respective caravans convened at the Lower Igen coasts where some caught ships back to Keroon or Benden. Sevang's family never bothered wih the ships, but their circuit took them through Lower Igen and down towards Big Bay Hold, where they traded with Northern textile merchants for heavy fabrics favored by some desert holders during the freezing nights of Igen winters. Still, that certain knowledge that they wouldn't see each other again for an entire Turn failed to bring the slender Sevang down.

Nudging his runner away from Beneli's taller dark brown mare, Sevang covered his face again and waved at the rest to follow him back to the large oasis that was the last staging point before the last press to the coast across the desert. They had stopped far enough away so that the dust from their impromptu race wouldn't raise suspicion. Not that any of the trader boys were worried about being taken for Holdless vagabonds, they were more worried about parents and caravan masters taking exception to racing runners to close to hoofstock that might panic. Sevang's parents only kept runnerbeasts for travel and for hauling, but the same rule applied for him. The last thing he wanted was to be chasing those large hairy desertbred hauling beasts all the way back to Igen Hold itself.

Reaching the outskirts, right were the sand gradually turned into sparse desert ground cover, Sevang pulled his runner to a halt and dismounted. It was an old habit of his, learned from his great grandpa before that hilarious old geezer had finally kicked the bucket after literally kicking over a container of expensive red dye. The old man had walked whenever he was able, and saved the energy of his runner for the desert and during important rides. The resultant healthy lifestyle had also contributed to his long life, but Sevang was too young to take that into account. All he knew was that walking was just as much fun as riding, and around here... there were always new caverns to discover as the water beneath the ground shifted and moved. His three friends stopped as well, but none of them dismounted. The youngest, a brown boy with the sharp eyes of an east coast Bitran trader, broke the companionable silence as they walked their mounts alongside Sevang with a cough.

"Y'know Sev, my folk are leaving tomorrow to catch that ship to Southern Boll." The Bitran, Eralsen, said after a moment. Glancing at Sevang with real regret, he moved his small plains runner closer so he could reach down and punch the Igen trader lightly on the shoulder. "Disty and I will beat you next year though!" He added, his young voice cracking a bit.

Rubbing his shoulder, Sevang grinned up at the youngster, studiously avoiding mention of the mist in the Bitran's eyes. Eralsen hadn't had the Turns of leaving his friends time after time like Sev and Beneli had, so the older boys avoided talking about it when they could. "You can try Eral, you can try! But hey, we'll see you off tomorrow morning! I know you probably have camp closing chores to get too now." Sev replied, patting Eralsen's pony-sized runner on the neck while his rider composed himself. Eventually nodding, Eral punched Sevang on the should again and saluted the others before trotting off. Ever sour-faced Beneli softened a little as he watched Eral's retreating back before he turned to Sevang and the last member of their quartet, a short, stocky, character from Keroon who was also Beneli's cousin. "He's not the only one with closing camp chores, right Aradi?" Beneli said, fixing his cousin with a look that left no room for argument. The stocky beastherder nodded shortly, though he was grinning at Sevang with those big teeth of his. "Not leavin' till next day tho. Gotta wait till a big ship comes in for them milch beasts." While not an outright argument on departure time, it did let Sev know that Beneli was sour about something and wanted to leave. Shrugging mentally, the slender Igenite waved the pair off. "See you guys tomorrow then, when we see Eral off." Aradi nodded and saluted, while Beneli just waved stiffly and rode off before his cousin.

Shaking his head, Sevang turned his attention to his runner, patting the creature on the neck. "Grumpy-britches strikes again Fire m'boy. I bet he's super angry you beat that new mare of his." The red stallion snorted at a fly, but Sev laughed as if the runner were commenting on the topic at hand. "Hurrreh indeed my fine, fleet-footed friend. Hurrreh indeed!"

- - - - - - -


Finally arriving at the border of the cothold that housed the permanent residents of the large oasis, Sevang made a bee-line for his family's caravan. He'd already figured that with so many different ships due in at the port at Big Bay Hold, more traders then just his friend's families would be leaving within the next few days. A small gather of sorts would likely be in order, and he knew he'd be needed to set up the selling wagon if his uncle, the caravan master, decided to try and do any last minute trading with the remaining travelers.



PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:35 pm


Sweepriding was more of a formality during the Interval, albeit a useful one, but it was still a duty of the dragonriders that the Holds were beholden to. With a new Pass imminent, a new importance had filled tasks that might have been dull and monotonous. Like...sweepriding over a desert in southern Igen. The golden sands rushed past below them, and Fuxith's wingbeats were strong and steady, occasionally angling to catch a thermal rising from the hot sands. They'd been doing their sweep for most of the morning and the midday heat was becoming fierce, spurring both dragon and rider to keep an eye out for a place to wait out the noontime sun.

Fuxith was the first to spot the oasis with his keen eyesight. Mine, there are trees and water down there. Would you like to land? Despite his tired wings, his flight remained steady as he waited for Zara's response. It was up to His to decide if they rested, and until then he would do as she asked.

Glancing in the direction the blue indicated, Zara caught sight of the oasis, as well as what looked like a trading caravan--possibly several, though it was hard to tell at this distance. Yes, but try to land far enough that you don't frighten their beasts. The last thing she wanted to deal with was herding startled beasts back to the caravans when she and Fuxith needed a rest. Deftly angling his wings to bring them nearer the oasis, the young blue brought them to a landing beneath one of the sparse trees.

Excited Apathy

Obsessive Hoarder


Celeanor

Dangerous Hunter

PostPosted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:19 am


For not the first time, Sevang thanked his lucky stars that his family had procured a campground near the permanent cothold. Sure enough, he had been right in guessing that his uncle would want to squeeze as many marks and goods from the other traders as he could before their departure for the port at Big Bay in the morning. Unfortunately, since Sev was not the biggest of lads, he was often sent on fetching errands, like the one for water that could only be completed by drawing from the public well the cotholders had set up at the edge of their property. Normally such a task wouldn't bother him any, but it had occurred to him around his fifth trip that pulling water up from a well, and then carrying it to the caravan's portable cistern, (where he had to climb up and pour down) would have been more of a pain if the walk between wasn't so short.

On his sixth trip back, he paused only to help some of his cousins with one of the smaller tents that was trying to fly loose, and to exchange some small talk. This particular family group was one that he seldom saw outside of working, their mother (Sev's auntie by marriage) was an odd one who preferred to avoid the caravan's social dinners.

Likewise engrossed, he would have missed the distant blue dragon landing if one of his cousins hadn't pointed it out with a startled "Ahoy!" Blinking at the sailors term coming from this cousin, Sevang obediently followed the taller lad's wild arm gesture and took a step back. A dragon? Here? Surprise warred with worry, and Sev forgot entirely that sweepriding was something that he had seen dragons and their riders do fairly regularly. The only questions his mind could think of was if the rider were bringing news that a sandstorm was coming? Did he think they were holdless? Or what if something had happened at Big Bay?

Taking another step back, he looked around for his uncle, certain that if bad news were coming he'd be the best one to hear of it.
PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:35 pm


Stripping Fuxith of his riding straps, Zara gestured to the water with a grin. "Have a good soak for a bit, I'll go see if they've got anything to drink." She didn't need to ask him not to muddy the clear waters--she knew the fastidious blue would do his best to keep his surroundings as clean as he liked to be. Maybe the caravan had a caprine or ovine to serve as a snack, although he'd fed well the day before. ...Come to think of it, she was hungry. Checking the marks in her pouch, she strode off to do some haggling.

Spreading his wings wide, Fuxith daintily picked his way through the shallows until his feet touched the bottom no longer. Floating lazily on the surface, he used his wings and tail as stabilization, eyes whirling a contented green as the cool water washed over his hide. Take your time. I will be here.

Excited Apathy

Obsessive Hoarder

Reply
Holds and Halls

 
Manage Your Items
Other Stuff
Get GCash
Offers
Get Items
More Items
Where Everyone Hangs Out
Other Community Areas
Virtual Spaces
Fun Stuff
Gaia's Games
Mini-Games
Play with GCash
Play with Platinum