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 Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 9:55 am
Juno, like every nomad in Sauti, had done quite his fair share of travel -- but this time it was different. This time he was leaving behind his mother and the rest of his band, and following his father towards distant lands he had only heard about before. In a few days they would cross over into Tale… and after that, well, that was up in the air. Juno, of course, wanted to go to Jauhar; he was a half-shifter after all, and he wanted to see the jungle there. But his father, Oleksy, had started going on and on about Oba, and how there was good trading to do there. Oleksy hadn’t ever been to Oba, though, so Juno was starting to suspect that all this was a ruse to keep Juno from uncovering things he was already well on his way to figuring out.
Then again, he had seen some of those richly-colored Oban fabrics and ornaments, and he didn’t doubt that it was a tempting place to trade. Perhaps a stopover would do no harm.
But that was all in the future, and the future changed as often as the wind. Presently, the father and son were getting ready to camp for the night.
They were a small caravan -- just the two of them and a half-dozen capras. Two of them pulled a small wagon, two carried lighter loads on their backs, and two rested as they followed behind on rope tethers. Oleksy rotated them around every morning -- they were hardy creatures, but still relatively small for their role as pack animals.
When they found a good spot (sheltered from the elements by a leaning rock) they set the animals out to graze, set up a simple tent and lit a fire for their meal. Oleksy left the cooking to Juno, who despite his age was not half-bad at that sort of thing, and went to check up on the wagon and capras.
Sitting by the fire, the half-breed boy tossed some sticky dough onto a hot rock and looked out into the darkness.
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2015 12:51 am
Zumei had made it her job to wander around Sauti in hopes of finding her dearest cousin or maybe discovering what she wanted to do with her life. She had hoped wandering around without her father would help her meet new people and gain new experiences, but she hadn't met a single new person! Now she wanted to camp for the night and had no supplies. Oh this was just her dumb luck. She could feel her stomach growling and couldn't help but sigh. She had forgotten her bag and everything! "Oh come on Zumei. You have to find somewhere to camp out. It's getting dark!" Soon she would be wandering around in the dark with no light and no food. Maybe running off to go find Korra on her own with no experience was a bad idea after all. It wasn't like she'd done much traveling before. Continuing to wander on, she was practically bouncing in excitement when she spotted a small fire ahead. She just hoped whoever the owner was happened to be of the friendly sort. "Hey over there! Anyone willing to help me out?" she called out, hoping for the best.
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Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 9:09 am
He had found a nice stick with which to flip the cooking flatbreads, and set some legumes to boil in a metal pot. With a few foraged herbs to add flavor, the meal soon began to smell pretty good -- Juno was no master chef, but when you had been traveling all day, just about any hot meal was appetizing.
The prentice was just about to pull the breads away from the rock, seeing that they were already golden-brown and crispy on the outside, when a voice called out of the darkness.
“Hey over there!” It was a female voice, young by the sounds of it. But he could not see much beyond the glow of the campfire, not even when he stood and lifted a hand in an attempt to block out the light. After a beat, the voice called out again. “Anyone willing to help me out?”
There was no response from Oleksy, who was perhaps out of earshot. But Juno was hardly dependent on his father (except perhaps for directions out of Sauti) and saw no reason to wait for his permission. Hospitality had always been a cardinal rule among his nomadic family, and if this girl was out alone she would certainly need the help.
“Sure, wanderer -- as willing as we’re able, at the least. Which is able enough, if you’re looking for food and drink. There’s a spot at the fire for you, if you’re not too shy to take it.”
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 11:44 pm
Someone had actually welcomed her to join them. Oh she would definitely have to thank whatever god that had decided to listen to her that day. She figured most travelers would ignore her shouting out in the woods as she was. With bandits about, one always needed to be suspicious about their surroundings - especially if the people happened to be merchants. She had heard several stories of merchants getting ambushed by bandit gangs while they traveled, so if the person offering her was a merchant they were either incredibly brave or incredibly trusting. Maybe even a little of both. She couldn't exactly complain though. She was really hungry after all. Making her way closer and closer, she was surprised when she came upon a hybrid boy by the fire. He seemed to be about her age, another shocker. He was so well put together with his traveling unlike her. She just had to be really bad at this. "Uhm....hello there. I'm Zumei. Is it really okay if I sit with you and have some of your food?" she asked softly, a little nervous about just waltzing into his camp like she had.
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Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 12:17 pm
He waved as the girl approached; she was of the wind tribe by the looks of it, but she seemed surprised by his willingness to invite her to the fire. The nomadic band he’d grown up in had always been welcoming to strangers, even ones as out-of-place as his shifter father. Having no land, territory, or valuables to protect, they had no reason to be defensive either.
“Always easier to get by in a group,” he shrugged. “My name’s Juno. But you sure are a brave one, travelling alone and all. I mean I’ve done a bit of that myself, but only for a few hours at a time – you know, running errands and the like? I dunno if I’d have the guts to set out on my own, not ‘till I’m older and know my way around a bit better. You headed somewhere in particular, or are you just running errands as well?”
The simple stew in the firepit was bubbling now, and the flatbreads were steaming as they cooled. Milk was boiling in another, smaller pot, and as he talked the half-breed dropped in some dried leaves and spices to make milk-tea; a fragrant, warm beverage that the nomads often drank at the end of the day, when the landscape began to cool around them and the wind picked up speed. A few moments after, he stood and shouted for Oleksy.
“Dad? Dinner’s ready. And we’ve got a guest.”
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Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 8:16 pm
"Oh I'm searching for someone, my cousin to be exact, but I've had no luck. So I guess I'm just sort of wandering at the moment," she smiled, hesitantly sitting near the hybrid boy. She hadn't actually sat down to dinner with people in a good while, so this would be nice for her. "I'm Zumei, and I promise I'm not nearly that brave. More reckless than anything as my father would say," she grinned sheepishly, watching Juno get up and call his father. She was always nervous around parental figures, not really because she feared them, but more because she wasn't used to them because of her time away from her father. The stew Juno was making did smell amazing though, so she was excited to eat with the two of them even if she was a bit shy. She just really didn't want to make a fool out of herself.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 10:26 am
“Well, it takes some bravery to be properly reckless, I’d say. And… a cousin?” Juno asked, a teasing glimmer in his eyes. “How’d you manage to lose one of those?”
At that point Oleksy joined them at the fire, and was introduced to the girl. The older shifter was pleasant enough, but apparently quite tired from the trek; for a while the conversation slipped into the standard dinner-time pleasantries, mostly Juno catching Zumei up on what had been going on in their life. This sort of thing wasn’t unusual to him. In a land like Sauti, the best way to stay informed was to talk your heart out everytime you found someone to talk to.
“My dad’s been travelling between Jauhar and Sauti for a while now. This is my first time going with him, though. I figured I’d see what it’s like out that way, you know, and see if I can start making some money. Desert life’s alright, I guess, but I’m thinking I’d like to be more than just a nomad for the rest of my life, you know? I’d like to… do something. Something folks would recognize me for, I guess. But I don’t mean swinging a sword or anything like that, I can’t be bothered with even the most idle conflicts usually. I got that from my dad, I think.”
Oleksy laughed sleepily, then stood and bid the two prentices good-night. That left them once again alone by the fire, dabbing up the remainders of Juno’s stew with the flatbreads.
“So, your cousin.” Juno remembered after a moment. “Where’ve they gone off too? I’m looking for someone too, see. Except I’m hoping my dad stops dragging his feet and brings me right to her.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 1:27 am
"I....don't really know where she went to be honest. It's been such a long time since I've seen her that I'm not even sure if I remember what she looks like correctly. I just really want to find her," Zumei sighed, smiling at the hybrid beside her. Finishing up her own stew, she thanked him for allowing her to share in it before glancing around the camp more. It was odd spending time with someone after so much time alone. Having a traveling companion would definitely make moving around less lonely, at least for a time. Though she didn't really have anyone who would be willing to travel with her. Her father was stubborn and refused to leave his little hut behind like she had. She admired Juno and his father and the fact that they were so willing to explore and trade their goods with others. "So if you don't like fighting or anything, do you think you'll continue on with your father's trade? Or do you want to do something different from him?" She didn't have any clue what she wanted to do with her life, so hearing what others planned on doing was always nice. Stereochrome Eyyyyy. My brain decided to work. cool So did we want to continue with them just hanging out by the campfire, or maybe going off somewhere? Zumei is reckless and would pretty much be up for anything.
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:55 am
OpticPeach let's make something happen! 8D itk what but... a thing.
He shook his head, then turned to address her other questions. “I figure so. Travel around, make some profit here and there… sounds like a good life! My plan’s that I could specialize a bit, though. Sell a quality product that folks are willing to pay good money for, not just… pretty beads and trinkets and the like.”
He seemed like he was about to elaborate when they heard a sound; some whoops and shouts coming from a ways away, somewhere in the valley below them perhaps. Juno raised an eyebrow.
“What d’you figure that is?”
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:00 pm
"I don't know, but we should check it out, yeah? Maybe something exciting is happening, and if so I really don't want to miss that!" Zumei replied, quickly getting to her feet and holding her hand out for Juno to take. "If something happens I'll just fight them. Or something like that." She was always ready for something interesting to happen no matter what it happened to be. There was just something she found thrilling about running head first into a situation even if it wasn't the smartest thing to do. It was still exciting, and she figured she could handle herself. Yeah she'd definitely be able to. It would all work out. She was pumped up and ready to figure out what the noises were, and she hoped Juno wanted to go with her.
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 10:46 am
“Alright,” He shrugged, taking Zumei’s hand and pulling himself up off the ground. He was warm and rested from the fire, and his belly was full – there was no reason not to take a peek. “Let’s see what’s going on. Especially if you’re convinced you can fight off any trouble.”
It was a bit of a tease, but not a particularly hurtful one. It wasn’t that he thought badly of Zumei, but… well, they were both fairly young, and it seemed unlikely that either of them would be fighting anything off anytime soon.
They crept down the slope from the camp, their feet moving lightly and not making much noise. Soon they came to a drop-off – by the sounds of it, the commotion had come from yet further below, but they could not yet see anything. They moved closer, and now began to hear muffled voices. They weren’t close enough to hear specific words, but… whatever the conversation was about, it didn’t seem friendly. They exchanged quick glances, then moved as one up to the edge of the drop.
Leaning just a bit over the drop, the full scene came into a view. A wagon lay on it’s side, with people gathered around it. It was dark, but… Juno had the sense that something wasn’t quite right – that it wasn’t just an accident, that is. Some of the figures were bunched together and staying quiet, while another three moved restlessly and shouted.
“Do you think it’s… bandits?” He whispered, squinting at the dark.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:05 pm
"Ohhhh....maybe it is. That would be exciting, don't you think?" Zumei followed Juno's lead and peeked over the drop as well, holding her hands up on either side of her face in an attempt to see what was going on down below. If there were people in need of help down there they needed to do something. But if the bandits were armed, which they most certainly were, they wouldn't stand a chance against them. She didn't want to just sit by and do nothing though. Even if she had to charge in and just slam into them then maybe whoever they held captive could get away. "What do you think we should do? It can't be good to just leave the wagon there with the maybe people being robbed. We could....pretend to be a big animal, or go charging in, or get your father, or anything really." she whispered, ticking off random options as her mind worked to figure out something. She wasn't really one for plans, she was more of a act first think later sort of girl. That didn't help in situations like these though. If only they were a little older, or had some weapons. Maybe then they could fend them off. For now she just knew she had to do something. "I'm going to try to get closer to see if they really are bandits. You want to come or no?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 8:22 am
As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, the scene became clearer -- and it seemed that their suspicions were right. Some of the figures were armed and pointing knives and swords at the others, who were very slowly backing towards the overturned caravan.
Knowing that these were very likely fellow merchants in distress (and hearing Zumei’s excited suggestions) made him feel like he had to do something besides just sitting here and watching. Bandits were scoundrels, anyway. If he let these get on with what they were doing undisturbed, who was to say that they wouldn’t come after Juno and his father next time?
“My dad’s not much of a fighter,” he mused. “He’d probably tell us to stay out of sight. And I dunno how much help charging in would do -- I mean, I’m not even armed. But pretending to be an animal, maybe… or, wait! No, don’t go down yet. Look, see the outcropping above the caravan?”
He pointed at a steeply-sloping mountainside, into which was cut a sort of a rocky shelf. “Sometimes, those things crumble and start a landslide. If we got over there and threw some rocks down, that might scare them off… then again, we might start an actual landslide.”
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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 12:32 am
"That is a good plan though. Spook them into running away. As long as they don't see us it should work. Then we can save the day and get rid of those bandits for the time being. It'll work out," she nodded, impressed by his quick thinking. Much better than running in trying to fight things. Zumei was ready to creep alongside the mountain to where Juno had pointed to, throwing all caution to the wind yet again. The people needed help and that's what she was going to focus on. "Pssst. How close should we get? Maybe we should get on two different sides and push rocks or something so they don't spot us," she tried to be helpful, though she wasn't sure if that tidbit of suggestion helped or not.
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Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:34 am
OpticPeach congrats on zumei's growth! she looks awesome.
“I’d… rather not split up.” He shrugged a little nervously when she suggested going up two different sides. He didn’t want to look like a coward, but… a little additional caution did not seem entirely unreasonable, given the circumstances. “Not that it isn’t a good idea, I just… well, I’d like to stay close to you in case something happens, you know. If one of us falls or… it’s just dark, I wouldn’t want one of us to get lost.”
So they crept along together until they came to the rocky spot that Juno had noticed. Below, the scene was still unfolding -- the bandits were starting to unload some of the goods from the wagon. If they didn’t act soon, it would all be over!
“Ready?” He glanced at the other prentice, hoping they were strong enough to pull of what they had set out to do.
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