Tempest had spotted a strange poster of sorts stuck to the trees in Homewood. One closer inspection they proclaimed a need for a companion willing to take another on a small adventure out into the barrens. Well that’s intriguing. Looking over the rather messy flyer, Tempest found a name and location for the noul looking for adventure. Someone named Specterdust who was residing on the outskirts of Homewood and the Ruins. Well, Tempest had some free time, although at the same time she didn’t have free time. Looking down, she had two of her foals with her. Cordy and Bipin, Bipin looked up at her and smiled, while Cordy was looking off into the distance. Cordy was growing fast too, she stood taller than Bipin who wasn’t very old yet. Tempest smiled down at her sweet son.
Not having a home to go to with foals in tow was never easy. Tempest had to rely on family or Bipin’s father to watch them when she couldn’t. He had Mahpiya right now. Tempest would get it all sorted out while she packed a couple bags. On her back, Basalt bounced with excitement.
“Are we going to go?” he asked.
“I think so. I have had plenty of experience with the Barrens. I know how to survive and being an atmos with drizzle as an ability will come in handy.” She replied.
He practically squeaked in delight. Basalt was more than happy to speed up the packing process and helped Tempest into her harness. His mate was with Cordy and would be just fine as Cordy was with Tempest’s mother. Once Tempest was all decked out in her travel gear, he hopped up on her back. “Let’s go!”
Tempest laughed at her excitable jack hop and trotted off towards their destination.
Specterdust had put up a few flyers around the marketplace of Homewood, hoping maybe some noul would be so inclined to join her on a trip into the barrens. She just wanted to get a feel for this vast desert that took up most of Vykeli. She could feel she was nearly ready for magical raise of sorts, but hadn’t yet experienced much of the barrens except what she went through to get to Grandfather tree. She wanted a more indepth experience and it would be ideal as she could then end her journey at the tree.
She laid out in the sunshine carefully flipping through one of the many leafy books she had found on the scavenger hunt in the ruins. Kevin was noisily snoring on a tree branch that wasn’t too high off the ground. The day was so lovely and peaceful. This was an ideal place to be and have her super hero HQ. It was a bit far from the business of Homewood but ideal for travelers to pass by to and from the Ruins. She was thankful to Mielikki for gifting it to her. She smiled at the thought of the older doe.
Specterdust then heard the sounds of hooves and lifted her head from her comic. A striped deep purple noulicorn appeared from the direction of Homewood.
“Hello!, I’m Tempest. I’m here about the poster, the one looking for an adventure buddy?” The purple doe said. “Is Specterdust here?”
Tempest greeted the older grey foal who was laying in a patch of sunlight and smiled at her. She watched as the foal stood up and shook herself.
“Yay! Someone is answering my call!” Specterdust said excitedly. Tempest looked confused.
“Are you Specterdust? You seem quiet young. Did your parents approve this?” Tempest replied hesitantly.
“Yes, I’m Specterdust and I happen to be an adult noul with apprentice level abilities!” Specterdust made a face that said she was displeased.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry Specterdust. Please forgive my rudeness!” Tempest was quick to apologise. “I’m all ready to go. I’ve been out into the barrens a couple times and have traveled extensively. I’m also an atmos user and can make it rain for a bit. That will be very useful. When would you like to go?”
Specterdust bounced in place, very happy. “Oh let’s go now! You’re already to go, I’ll get my bags! Kevin!!” Specterdust shouted as she took her comic and ducked into the tree house. Kevin’s eyes shot open and he screeched in surprise. He jumped down and ran into the tree house after his noul. Both reappeared, Specterdust with her bags on and Kevin perched on her flank.
“Let’s go!”
Together, both does headed back through Homewood out towards the edge where it met the Barrens. They stood side by side as before them the dry hot desert spread out for as far as the eye could see. Tempest stepped out first and continued heading out into the barrens. Specterdust followed closely behind with Kevin mumbling about how hot it is. They traveled in odd but mutual silence, both having traveled some of the barrens from their quests to the tree. It was as Specterdust remembered it and hoped to see something different.
There wasn’t much excitement in the first day of travel, just heat and dry earth crunching under foot. Tempest led them past the tree and deeper into the barrens. She seemed to have a map in her head that she was following. After a time, she finally broke the silence.
“So, Specterdust, tell me a bit about yourself?” She inquired.
Specterdust trotted up closer to Tempest and looked sideways at her. “Hmm, sure. Well, I have a mom and dad and a twin sister. Hmmm, I’m a botanic,” here she made a face, “I’m not that great at it. I’ve always wanted to be a super hero and help nouls or others in need! I even learned first aid and I make sure to stay sharp. Oh! I went on a scavenger hunt and found these neat things from the Others. I think they had heros too. I also got to see the other nouls use their magic. There was this botanic that I saw. He made a plant grow. The doe I was with, Mielikki, she’s a fungal noul and gave the sprout more nutrients so that all his hard wasn’t wasted. It was amazing! What about you?” Specterdust finished.
Tempest smiled inwardly and even laughed. She knew who that botanic user was, Dryxel, the father of her foals. Specterdust tilted her head at Tempest, “What’s so funny?”
“Oh, I know the botanic noul you mentioned. He’s the father of my two foals. We just went and visited that sprout not too long ago.” Tempest continued to smile brightly. “I can’t wait to tell him I met you. What a small world.”
Specterdust smiled and laughed with Tempest. What are the odds?
“Anyway, I have a mom, dad and older brother. I have three foals, two are Dryxel’s while my oldest I found out here on my way home from the Grandfather tree. I’m an atmos user. Before my magic was unlocked, I went on a long journey way out here with a large group of nouls. We where in search of this one noul and their missing party. It was exciting!” Tempest said to Specterdust.
Specterdust’s eyes were huge as she looked up at Tempest. A doe who had seen stuff and already had children.
“Where are your kids now?” Specterdust asked.
“Hmmm, Cordy, my eldest, is with my mom. My son and daughter, Bipin and Mahpiya are with their father. He’s also got an older foal he found. His name is Twix.”
“Oh wow! Dryxel didn’t have foals when I saw him. It has been a while. We didn’t really talk though, I mostly talked to this golden fellow and Mielikki. Man, the adventures we’ve had and we’re still pretty young.” Specterdust mused.
Tempest smiled at the small doe. “Yeah….” She looked up at the sky and then around them. “How about we set up camp here? We can have a night out in the barrens and then head back tomorrow?”
Specterdust looked around as well and then nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
Both does, along with their familiars, worked on setting up a cozy camp. They rolled out blankets to lay on and pulled out food rations for the night.
Tempest observed the bird creature that ran around Specterdust. “What is he anyway? I’d not seen a creature that looked like him.”
Specterdust looked up and then at Kevin. “He’s a cockatrice. They’re newly revived. When a vivify noul sent out a call for guardians to the new species, I was so excited. I call him my sidekick!”
Kevin paused and cocked his head at the jack hop sitting in the shadow of Tempest. Specterdust looked over at him too.
“This is Basalt. Him and his mate lived in the bog. Cordy and I found them and they wanted to come with us. Basalt seemed pretty keen on staying with me. I think he enjoys the travel.”
“You darn right I do,” Basalt commented before going back to his dinner.
“Where’s his mate?” Specterdust asked.
“Claystone stays with my daughter, Cordy. She’s not big on travel and decided to stick by Cordy.” Tempest yawned. “We probably should get some sleep.”
Specterdust nodded and looked over at Kevin. “Hey, it’s time to settle down.” He looked at her and then hopped up on her back and floofed out his feathers and he settled down.
Basalt finished his dinner and nested down between Tempest’s front legs.
The heat of the morning sun baring down on their backs roused the small group from their slumber. The does rose and stretched out their legs before pulling out breakfast for everyone and made sure that all had their fill of water. They broke camp and began the journey back to Homewood. It was a short two day trip in the barrens and not all that exciting. Tempest wasn’t able to stay away for long as she did have little ones to return home to and Specterdust just wanted a small trip out.
About halfway back, the four seemed about done with the heat and sun and whining was certainly a word to use for whatever noise Kevin was making. Both familiars were darkly colored and that didn’t help. Tempest signed and shook her head.
“Let’s pause a moment,” she called to Specterdust, who responded by stopping.
Tempest stilled, letting the energy build up inside of her. She grabbed onto it, feeling it’s power, it was growing but so was she. Directing it up through her horn, dark clouds began to appear and build in volume. They blocked out the sun just as large drops of rain fell. Tempest shook herself and trotted to catch up with Specterdust.
“Oh wow! That’s amazing, Tempest. I’m sure glad you can do that. Very handy to have out here.”
Tempest nodded, a bit tired out from it but her energy was already building back up. “Here,” she said pausing. She dug a hole and watched as the hole filled with water. She took a big drink from it. The other three followed her example and soon all were refreshed. They continued their journey home, now with a short reprieve from the sun and heat. It was indeed short lived but it allowed the four to make it home without issues. Three of them seemed quiet tired and ready for rest. Tempest was still humming with energy, which she would be able to use playing with her kiddos.
Specterdust decided that she wasn’t going to head to the Grandfather tree. She wanted to get some rest before heading that way. She was definitely excited to see the tree line of Homewood once again. Tempest was too, she missed her kiddos. Some day she’d have to take them out on a short adventure here. That way it wasn’t too much of a shock.
The cool shade of the Homewood trees was a blessing, eventually both does went their separate ways. They made a promise to stay in touch and maybe go on another adventure together.
WC: 2,010
Abilities Used: Drizzle, Tempest
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