Welcome to Gaia! ::

Draven felt like he had traveled as far north as he could in Zena before Regale seemed to protest about it. The cold was certainly getting colder and life here seemed a little more far and few between. The squat little houses holed up against small hills and bouts of trees. Draven peered through the blowing wind towards what he could only think of was an inn. All the way out here there was someone catering to travelers, as foolhardy as some come to be. Pulling back on the reins, Draven dismounted from Regale’s back and headed towards the door to the inn, the large beast following him as far as he could go.

“Beasts to the back, boy!” came a gruff voice from just inside the door.

Draven shrunk back a little at the sound of the voice, even for his age. Turning his dark colored gaze towards the heavily built man that sat beside one of the only two windows on the ground floor, he just stared a bit. Then looked back as Regale snarled softly at the earthling that spoke. His head clearly inside the door.

“I said, beasts go to the back!” The Ice earthling as he threw what he was eating back onto his plate. “Got sand in your ears?”

Draven was about to open his mouth to say something, but someone else spoke up before he could. ‘Rooth! Stop scaring the newcomers!’ Said a shrilled woman’s voice. ‘Every time we have someone stop by you scare them off!’

A sorely old woman stepped from the back of the inn’s front. Her fiery red hair and darker colored skin made it known that she too wasn’t from here. Though Draven wasn’t one to judge those around him. He was a hybrid of two separate species of earthling. Backing up a little he gave a small grin.

“It’s fine, I will take Regale around back.” He said as the woman didn’t turn her attention towards him. She was more focused on the ice earthling who had started all this.

‘Stables are around the corner dearie.’ she said finally, though still glaring. ‘Feed can be added to your night’s bill.’

Draven gave a nod as he backed out of the inn and headed around the side. There was a stable, though not as enclosed as he would have liked. Pulling the saddle off Regale’s back and pulling a large blanket from the packs he wrapped around the beast. “Please behave, we’re only here for a couple days.” Draven told Regale as he just huffed and settled down into the straw that was offered in the stall. While it wasn’t completely enclosed, there was enough to keep the snow and harshest of winds out.

Stepped away from the stable, his own pack over his shoulder, Regale was fed and water supplied. Draven re-entered the inn, shaking the snow from his hair as he did. The older woman was still shouting at the Ice male as he headed over towards the fireplace where a roaring fire was blazing. The shouts seemed to stop as a fist banged on the table, before it started up again.

“If you southerners would remain where you belong Zena would be better off.” The man shouted as he shoved himself up and away from the table. “Better be moved on before I return tomorrow night, boy!”

The woman stood her ground with her hands on her hips, holding what looked like a wooden spoon in hand. After a moment she was shaking that spoon on the man’s face before he huffed, turning his attention towards Draven. He huffed sharply before exiting the building causing the door to bang against the wall upon his leaving. The woman gave a sigh before turning back towards Draven.

‘Sorry about that dearie, Rooth is always the hot head.’ she sighed stepping over to the door to close it. ‘Now, what can I get ya?’

Draven just watched as the man, Rooth as he seemed to be called, stomped from the inn back out into the cold. He could only shake his head and glance at the woman who seemed ready to defend almost everyone that came through her doors. “It is alright, I am quite used to it.” Draven said meekly, turning his gaze away.


He was certainly paid this comment with a bonk on the head with a wooden spoon, the woman stood just behind him as she put her hands back on her hips. ‘Young man, that is something you should not take lightly.’ she said sternly. ‘The words of others like him are cruel and wrong.’

Draven could only shake his head a bit, “You kind of get used to them after a while, though.” He tried to convince the woman who just sighed before heading back to the area she had been in before the noise.

Draven also gave a bit of a sigh as he settled beside the fire. It was at least warm here and with the cold winds blowing outside, he figured that he would be staying here a couple days before the weather cleared. He hoped to not run into that man again, but if he was a regular here, Draven felt that their paths were sure to cross again. Still, the interaction would prove interesting if they did…