Odina had always wanted to be the strongest amazon that she could be. It had been a goal ever since she was a young Vandrea living in Chiume with her family. Even if others saw her as stubborn she still preserved to train and push herself to her limits, something that hadn’t stopped even when she settled into Jahaur for a few months to train with relatives of her sister’s mentor. Despite Anoud wanting her to learn about various weapons now that she was here, the Vandrea still cherished her battle axes and made certain to take to swinging the giant weapon at least once a day after training with other various weapons. It felt almost like a betrayal and one that she frowned upon despite doing her best to follow her mentor’s instructions with different fighting styles - something the bulkier and slower fighter struggled with in comparison to her nimbler sister who fought with blades and the whip. It was frustrating at first to know that she would never be as swift as some, but Odina took to learning what she could that would help her with her preferred weapon, training her body to become even stronger so that she could carry herself and her chosen weapon with pride. She would make this work and defeat Briallen one day! It would take some time and a lot of training, but Odina was confident in her strength and she would keep pushing and growing that talent of hers so that her battleaxe could make her race proud. No one would ever doubt her ability to guard her loved ones and her mother tree, not when she was fighting so hard to do this!

“Uilan was asking about you and your sister. I let her know some updates, but Briallen mostly sent letters to you.” Anoud acknowledged one day as she walked up to Odina, the Alkidike wiping sweat from her own brow after another training session. Odina had already beaten her inside to the kitchen which was a wider room with a long wooden table, the knotted wood smoothed out along the top but otherwise left alone to look mostly as it did when it was a living tree. Simplistic chairs lined up alongside both sides, seating six total, and it was here that Odina had gotten more comfortable to the point that she plopped down in a chair to wait on the others. “Though speaking of things…did you notice that wrapped box over there?”

“What?” Odina frowned as she followed her mentor’s gaze, her head tilting with confusion. “Who is that for?”

“You apparently.”

“No way.” Odina shook her head before getting up and walking over to the thing so that she could tear the paper off. It did have a tag with her name on it, didn’t it? What a strange and unexpected gift! “Who?” She blinked as she removed the lid of the box and saw the light reflecting from the polished surface of an axe. “A new battleaxe?” It was so beautiful! The bronze coloring mixed with the silver was almost like a tree bathed in starlight! It was perfect. Well, it would be perfect once she swung it around a bit to test out the balance and what not. Appearance wise though it was gorgeous. “It wasn’t you, Anoud?”

“Nope.” The Alkidike shook her head with a small grin. “But perhaps you should check with Nikini…” Her oldest who had taken to Odina despite their initial misconceptions about one another, the Shifter and Aishan hybrid preferring the smithy to fighting which baffled Odina.

Odina blinked, confusion crossing her own features. Why would Nikini do something like this for her? But now that she looked closely she could see the curved moon symbol that the hybrid used when she made weapons. Had she forgotten how much they fought at first? Her mixed feelings, almost akin to disgust and the like, were so obvious at first sight. “I should go see her.” Odina admitted much to Anuod’s amusement.

“Then go. I think she’s out in the back to help with the garden while her forge is cooling.”

Anoud didn’t need to say anything else as Odina rushed out, her mind a flurry with thoughts and thanks to the Aishan hybrid who was currently working in the dirt. “Why did you do such a thing?” The question blurted from her lips, the flush on the Vandrea’s cheeks obvious as she confronted the other woman who simply laughed at first.

“Why not? I’ve been wanting to experiment and you’re the only one to use a heavy axe around here like that.” Teased Nikini softly. “If you’re thankful then you can help me weed this garden so we can wash up for supper. Sound good?”

“I…I suppose so.” Odina was still at a loss for words even when she joined the hybrid, her mind tangled with thoughts and different emotions about everything she had experienced so far since coming to Jahaur. Who would have expected so much kindness from a family that she had originally frowned upon before? Maybe this whole mingling with earthlings wasn’t such a stain on their community….maybe.

[850]