Sometimes life surprises you. This fact wasn't new in Indira, but it had rarely been so applicable to her own life. She'd ventured to the Grandfather Tree to receive her gift. She's had some preconstructed notions about what the gift was going to be. Probably like her mother, botanic. Maybe fungal. On an outside chance, atmos. Instead, it was none of these things. Solar. Indira laughed quietly. That was something she certainly hadn't seen inside herself. But surely Grandfather Tree must be right. Right up until her visit she'd assumed her future involved settling into some little glade in Homewood and tending to plants. Keeping dire rats from eating them. That sort of thing. Good gardener-like things. But her gift was to endure. What was there to endure in Homewood? A noul talking too long about a boring topic? A little bad weather? Nothing much. Nothing to really put her gift to use. She'd spent the last few days thinking hard about her future. What her destiny was supposed to be.
So she stood on the edge of the barrens, where the sun baked down on everything, and nothing seemed to live. Was her destiny not in the green Homewood, but out here, in the dusty nowhere? Certainly there were enough rumours about what might be out here, hidden under the cracked earth. Or even just on top of it, so far out of reach that no Noul knew just where it was. She certainly didn't know. Yet.
Her hooves struck the dried, cakey ground, sending up little puffs of dust. She'd outfitted herself as best she could, somewhat to her mother's horror. A little bit of water strapped to her. She might be able to endure the heat, but that didn't mean not drinking wouldn't kill her. And, of course, her ever present shadow.
Fleet, a small jackalope, stared up at her. "I don't know if this is a good idea, Indira." A long ear twitched, concerned. "You aren't just supposed to take off into the barrens. That's how you die."
Indira smirked at her familiar. "Hey, I'm prepared. And I'm pretty sure Grandfather Tree gave me this gift for a reason. And I don't think it's because I'm supposed to stick around in Homewood forever." She squinted into the distance, towards the dark mountains. "There's gotta be things out here I can do." She clopped forward, Fleet keeping up as best she could. "Look, you'd better stay in my shadow. It's bound to get hot and dusty out here."
Unmentioned was the purpose of this trip. To try out her gift. To see how far she could push herself. Maybe this gift was Grandfather Tree's way of telling her she was meant to be a wanderer. As she pondered it more and more it seemed like maybe that was the exact message she'd been meant to get. She, unlike many others, didn't crave being in crowds of others. She was quite happy on her own. Of course Fleet was a fine companion, but even that wasn't really a need as far as Indira was concerned. Any thoughts she'd had of being a gardener seem to be draining out of her head with each step she took.
Together they trekked on. The desolate landscape didn't change, but each step took them further and further from Homewood. And from safety. "This really is ... barren." Fleet panted, as they stopped for a quick rest. The day was quickly being scorching.
Indira nodded. The sun was pressing into her dark coat, making her more and more uncomfortable. Unlike her companion, she didn't have the benefit of a walking sunshade. She shifted her weight, considering. Could her gift help with this? Surely getting sunburnt and blistered on her first excursion should be avoided if possible ...
She closed her eyes and called upon her gift. She certainly felt something, but couldn't put words to it. Fleet watched her closely. "Are you ... ?" Indira nodded. She was.
Her eyes opened, and a grin spread across her face. "It works!" The sun was beating down, the day was clearly as hot as could be, and she simply didn't feel it anymore. She felt quite comfortable! She shook her head in wonder. This was going to be beyond useful. A wandered who could endure the heat without much worry? That was marvelous. Sure, she felt a little ... drained? after using her gift, but that was certainly better than getting scorched shoulders! "Well, now we're going to have to find something useful. We'd better get looking."
wc: 757
