Welcome to Gaia! ::

Warren was lying flat on his back under a small collection of trees. It was hot today and the aldebuck were huddled around Warren taking advantage of the shade as well. Warren was just outside the settlement to the north. His father was in the market buying and trading. Vers was moderately populated and sometimes Warren had to go in with his father Kendov. He would usually hide himself under the hood of his fathers travelers cloak. He wore dreads to intimidate people, and others still found his eyes unsettling to look at. So while he was with his father he usually tried to stay out of trouble. But today he was outside the settlement and alone where no one could bother him. Well, except maybe the aldebuck. Some of the doe were nibbling at his dreads and one started chewing on his pant leg.

He groaned and sat up to get them off of him. The one was still picking at his pants and he shoved her off. "You guys don't want to eat now, it's hot out!" he told them. They all just stared at him with their brown derpy eyes, then one of them bleated in protest. Warren wrinkled his nose. They were probably thirst, he would have to lead them the water pool just under a mile away.

"Alright... i'll take you" he said, as if they could understand his thinking. It would at least give him something to do until nightfall when his father would get back. They were preparing to take the herd towards sauti. Warren liked taking them there because the weather was usually better and the air was cooler. He had grown up bordering Tale and Sauti and was used to the slight change in climates and terrain.

Warren grabbed his things and his walking stick and started to make his way towards the watering hole. The aldebuk followed him with little effort and tried to keep up. He would stop periodically so the older ones could keep up, a little encouragement from his walking stick usually kept them going.

They were only halfway to the pool and a few were already getting tired. He wiped the sweat from his brow and tapped the laggers lightly with his stick to keep them going. He was looking down when he heard someone say something.
He looked up quickly, a little surprised, he hadn't seen anyone else in the area.

Warren looked toward the stranger that called to him. He immediately noticed the skin. He had never seen anyone so pale. Leaf people were tan, and anyone who spent enough time in the sun soaked land of Tale would certainly start to.
But there was something else about this person that was out of place.

He just stared at them for a minute, trying to register what he was looking at. The antenna gave it away. He was looking at an alkidike, but it didn't look much like what people had described of them. Green with big black eyes and black dread. He looked into the eyes of this stranger, they were red where they should be black. He was beginning to wonder if what he had been told about the alkidike was wrong or if he was looking at some sort of devil.

He stood with his shoulder to them, and he looked guarded. He figured he should say something, and he was curious.
"What are you doing here?" straightforward enough, Warren didn't want to provoke it. Admittedly he had always wanted to fight an alkidike, but he knew he would need more training and wasn't prepared. And despite holding an arrow, this one didn't look dangerous.

Was he a what? A sister? He was very certain he was a man, but he didn't think the alkidike meant any offense. Perhaps because they are all one sex they don't recognize genders like an earthling would. Was it even appropriate to call it a she? The alkidike were strange to him, but he admired the idea of a warrior people.

She noticed his eyes, it was hard not to. She must not be familiar with the local legends. Probably a good thing. Warren had always been tall, but so was his father. A huge round mountain of a man. His mother was shorter and thin. She had blue eyes and spiky crystals on her shoulders; the only parts of her he inherited.

Warren shook his head, "I am no sister of yours." She was not at all what he imagined. Alkidike were supposed to be fierce warriors that attack you on sight. And here this one was, far from home and asking him questions about his heritage. Maybe she's far from home because she's different?. If that was the case they probably had more in common than he cared to acknowledge.

"But I am half leaf and wind" for a second he thought she may have been hunting his aldebuck when she put the arrow away. It had happened a few times in the past. There were plenty wild herds of aldebuck around and sometimes hunters targeted his.
"Were you trying to hunt my herd?" he asked, and nodded towards her arrows.

Warren honestly didn't know what the people of Vers would make of her. He got odd looks, and she certainly would have trouble blending in. Skin color aside her height was obvious enough.
He could relate, he had family that avoided him because of his eyes.
"I'm not sure just walking in would be that easy"

some of the herd began to wonder about and Warren had to push them forward again towards the water hole.
"My father is getting supplies for our trip to Sauti right now, he might be able to get you a few things." he suggested as he walked with his aldebuk.

travel to Sauti... with an Alkidike? Warren grimaced a little, he had only just met this one and she already wanted to take a trip with him. Surely she must realize traveling with a herd of animals would take longer than if she went by herself. But she didn't seem all that concerned about the time. He had the feeling she was looking for some sort of excitement.

He knew his father, Kendov would probably be happy to have her along. He would probably want to talk her ear off.. Warren often lacked his father's level of enthusiasm. He wished she hadn't suggested to come along, but frankly Kendov would have invited her anyway.

Then as if thinking of his father some how summoned him, Kendov could be seen leaving the city. He was on his way to them and was hauling a huge pack on his shoulders. "I think he can manage that. Thats him now"

Kendov was a huge man, but he was also round and loveable. His eyes seemed to be smiling as he made his way to them.
"Warren! What is this, are you making friends?" He asked with his booming voice. He dropped the pack he was carrying and it hit the sand with a heavy thud.

Warren felt like he was teasing him a little. He didn't make friends. He hadn't had one in over a decade. Warren appeared glum next to his smiling and boisterous father.
"No father, she is just a traveler, a stranger around here." he probably didn't need to add that last bit, it was obvious enough.

Warren tried to act like he hadn't heard her. He still wasn't sure about her. The idea of making a friend actually felt scary to him. He wasn't skilled in conversation and hated pleasantries. His father was stern enough to teach him to be polite but that was about as much as Warren could manage.

He looked over to his father who was taking of the pack

"Here son!"

Warren caught the heavy pack and let out a 'omph' and a grunt as he shifted it in his arms.

"That one is yours, I figured I would be nice and give you the little one" Kendov told him with a smile.

Warrens expression looked burdened as he adjusted the pack onto his shoulders but he didn't look surprised. A pack this size was typical for their usual trips to the border or farther settlements.

Kendov brushed the sweat from his forehead before responding to Ilyra.
"Oh my! You are going far from home!" his voice boomed.
"I would be happy to get those things for you! I have to run back to grab my pack anyway so its no trouble." He took coin pouch and poured a few in his hand to count only taking what he would need. "You're in luck I know a guy who has quality arrows for cheap. and I have more than enough provisions so I'm happy to share any food with you."

Kendov was known for being generous and overly friendly. He didnt seem phased by her race and smiled at her warmly as if she was an old friend.
"I have seen an alkidike out this far only once before back when I was a young prentice. and if my memory serves me right I thought your people were green! But you look quite pale, are you ill? should I get you some medicine as well?"

Warren shot his father a look, he had never mentioned meeting an alkidike before! It bothered him that he had not said anything about it till now.

A skin condition that changes hair and skin color... Warren pondered that a bit. He wondered if it was anything like his eye coloration.

Kendov for a moment looked embarrassed of himself. "Oh! I think I have heard of something like that before. Warren here has the same problem with his eyes, they never did look normal. But whats normal to one isn't normal to another!" he said with a bit of wisdom.

It was hard for Warren to imagine how he came from a man so cheerful, when he himself was so glum. In times like this he found his father embarrassing, but he had always been supportive.

Kendov clapped his hands together. "Well It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance I'm Kendov Tah, and this is my son Warren. I'm going to leave you two here while I go round up some supplies for you!"
He looked over to Warren and added, "If you would, round up the herd and get them ready to move."

Warren nodded, "Alright," he said as he shifted under the pack. He started to walk towards the waterpool where the aldabuck were re-hydrating, and gestured for Ilyra to follow.

Kendov nodded to her before he left to go back to the settlement.