DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games HWD: The Heartwood HWD: One Day Out - westbound prologue

Kadri

"I learned to ride almost before I learned how to walk."

She says absently. . then looks at Daxia intensely.

"You read?"

She chews a bit on a piece of Jerky, while twirling her small knife in one hand with extreme dexterity, absentmindedly..

Daxia

She smiled and nodded. "Verchovai Kassia... insisted."

Kadri:

"I. .see."

She said thoughtfully.

"I might have business in Cragside as well."

She takes a swig of her water.

Daxia

Looking from Kadri to Cesare, again heeding advice Gilly had given, she nodded again. "No beef traveling together."

Cesare

He finishes heating up the food whilst he listens to the women talk together.

So maybe the Fates are smiling tonight? They may have company on the road. Not only will that be more interesting as Karl is not exactly talkative but also there is safety in numbers.

He laughs.

"I would welcome the company but we travel at the pace of the goats, if that is acceptable to you?"

The stew is ready. He lifts the pot from the fire and offers it around to the three women before sharing what is left between himself and Karl.

Daxia

"Mountain trails in the rain... safer to go slow," she said, nodding towards Fern.

Kadri:

"Lisica could use some leisure. Slow will not bother me."

Almost in the space of a blink of an eye she has produced a small wooden bowl.

"Only a small amount - to wet the Jerky."

She offers up some of selfsame jerky if any want it.

Cesare

"And goats will always find a safe path."

He smiles, agreeing with her and wanting to glance again into those bright blue eyes.

Although he is likely outclassed by his companions, Daxia could read for one, he has a natural confidence, sure in himself of who he is. It is who he was where the uncertainty creeps in.

He moves to Kadri, offering her some stew and taking a small piece of jerky in return.

"It sounds like we might be in accord."

Daxia

She looked from Kadri to Cesare, and said with a smile, "Reckon we are."

The Heartwood
Day's Travel Shelter, one day east of Cragside and the Rock

Taking back her tin, the young courier smiled.

"Besides, company on the trail is always nice, even if its quiet nice. It gets awful empty between here and the sea; and while there's usually an inn or a home where you can toss your kit at the end of each day, some of those days are powerful long."

Snaring a piece of broccoli with her fingers, she slowly started to nibble it to a slow and lengthy death.

"First time out of the Vale ... lets see.

"When you get to town; Stay away from the Punched Penny, that one is owned lock stock and beer barrel by the Merchanter's Guild, heard tell the beer is half water and you don't want to know whats in the stew. The Bar and Fire is a mite expensive, too rich for my coin,and unless you like Jvrillian the company is pro'lly a bit rough and all.

"One has enough trouble being taken seriously before having to deal with a drunk mercenary who thinks I'm cute and small enough to be his doll ... and the problem being short means all I'm tall enough for is good kick in the shins.

"That leaves Jake and the Hart and Horse. I was lucky enough to snare a room there on the way up. He's good folk, the beer ain't watered down and he doesn't skip on the dinner portions. His stable hand is actually from one of the Shannon farms, not some townsfolk that had to be taught how to toss a bale of hay."

Daxia

She filed away Katshka's information, then nodded. "Hart and Horse, then, ta. Always good when a stable hand understands horses, yes?" Then her eyes sparkled, perhaps with some wicked merriment, and she grinned. "Or a fist... a bit higher?"

KAdri

The short woman looks up from where she is sitting and says. . .

"I think I might understand that one. Rather than a kick to the shin, I endeavour to be somewhere away from their clumsy lunge when it arrives. My idea of fun. And theirs. Oft do not comport."

She grins widely again.

(As a note, she is likely a tad shy of five feet.)

Daxia

She looked at Kadri a moment, head tilted to one side. "Ah! I see," she said finally, nodding. "Best for me to stay out of... brawls. Fighting is for serious matters."

Cesare

"Information is always useful Katshka. The Hart and Horse sounds a good option. Are you heading there yourself?"

He smiles.

"And I would doubt a group would attract trouble in the same sort of way as a lone female traveller."

He sits back, eating his share of the food. Walking distances is no problem, he is used to it, but it is good to rest nonetheless.

"From what you seem to be saying earlier, you don't have any specific plans. Do you intend to look for work?"

Everyone needs a coin or two and it is habit to find ways to earn a little here, a little there as both travels and the seasons move along.

The Heartwood
Day's Travel Shelter, one day east of Cragside and the Rock

"Me?"

Katshka taps her collarbone in a simple 'who me' gesture.

"Myself, I'm going to hold over in Cragside a couple days and then continue west. Darkmane and I should be able to keep ahead of the winter storms and once past Highside Heather the weather shouldn't be too bad all the way home to Talesan's Village. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up some news and such that needs to head towards Her setting, to put a little more coin in my purse."

She then nods, taking up a bit of her rice.

"Sure enough. Even if I have to sleep in his hayloft, it wouldn't be the first time and sttill coin better spent."

Daxia

"Work is part of learning about the world, yes? So I will work." She laughed, a low and pleasant sound full of humor. "Besides reading and writing, I'm very, very good at carrying buckets of water!"

"Myself. . ."

Said Kadri. . .

"I observe things. And I know horses."

Cesare

Katshka seems to be well travelled and probably able to look after herself. The other two seem less experienced. Daxia has a good attitude but Kadri seems to be limiting herself unless of course she has sufficient funds already. None of his business though. He has grown up knowing you take work where you can and the less limits you put on yourself the more likely you are to have a full belly.

"Asking around the inns or market may yield fruit, unless Katshka you know of somewhere better in Cragside?"

Ladri:

"I'll second the Hart and Horse. Nothing spectacular, but everything solid. You get what you pay for. I go sparing on the beer, but the food is good."

Daxia

The redhead shrugged. "Work if necessary, yes," she said to Cesare. "Purpose is to learn, though." She turned to Katshka and grinned. "You might know something I need to learn. Our friend Fern is cavalry trained; this you know. Now need to learn how to fight together, yes? Who can teach? I know the dressage, she does not know the destrier training."

KAdri's 'ears perk up' at that, but she says nothing specific.

Cesare

He listens hoping that either the two women both have independant means or that the Fates smile on them because if times get hard, they may have to consider selling their horses, something that sounds like it might be very difficult for both of them.

He has grown up learning to travel light, little baggage, even that of the emotional kind. Unencumbered, choices are easier, safety is more assured, independence is maintained.

He does have some sympathy with Daxia. Learning is important, however there are other things he would give a higher priority too, many things.

"I'll go and rinse the dishes. Can I take anyone's?"

He offers to clear up, needs to clean his own and it is no effort to do the same for the others. Katshka had set the fire. The others would presumably contribute in some way but it doesn't concern him overly.

The Heartwood
Day's Travel Shelter, one day east of Cragside and the Rock

"You understand I might not be the best person to give a fair answer to that, yah?"

Katshka answers that with a smile. Unconsciously she touches the small pendant she wears, a simple silver horse rune.

"I suspect the easiest for you, right now, would be to turn around and head back to the Dawnview Temple. However, I suspect they'd want to get you on one of the big destriers I just brought up and pass your horse off to someone else."

For a long set of heartbeats she just looks at Daxia's mount, as if gaging the measure of the horse.

"I don't think Fern would be happy with that at all."

She watches as Cesare gathers up the tins and plates, hers held close, her slaughter by tiny nibbles far from finished.

"They have some competent folks in Bordertown. But they are all Jvrillian. Head out to the Plains of Kaap and the clans, they are the best horsemen in general; but they don't teach outsiders and they don't teach girls.

"However, I know where Mohlkavin sends his lieutenants that he wants trained. Every now and then one of Talantal's house guards needs to be better than the rest. Where the Horde's captain spent her first year. Why Kevin Magesbane is the best of all of Lord Rame's Knights.

"Make the trek down to Talesan's Village, head about a half day's travel north of the Amber Inn ...

"... and make a deal with my Fa."

Kadri:

". .I will have to visit your Fa when next I have some time off."

She nods slightly, putting away her things carefully and putting back up the horse's feed bag.

Daxia

She just chuckled. "Fern and I, we are friends. No going back for us." Daxia glanced fondly as her horse. "Very well-trained, so going back to same trainer for more... is sensible." She grinned at Katshka. "Will make effort to visit your Fa, yes? Ta," she said with a nod.