On the Road to Mictlan
Log Info
- Title: On the road to Mictlan
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Cryosanthia, Sjach, Seyardu
- Place: A13: Northern Gates
- Time: Saturday, June 19, 2021, 4:40 PM
- Summary: Cryosanthia, with Lily, meets Seyardu at the Northern Gates so they can ride to Mictlan. They encounter Sjach, who is also making the trip, a thing he does regularly. Cryo hasn't been back in a while, and Seyardu wishes to speak with some of the Shaman-Caste. They set out, discussing various things, with Cryo over-sharing recent events in Alexandria. Sjach moves on ahead and the two Sith'Makar women ride more silently while Lily plays with her kite. Cryo asks Seyardu if she is distant from the People, as she exhibits obvious signs. The whitescale explains she knows these from her time with Salina, and goes into some detail regarding how she came to be able to do magic. Seyardu describes her struggle with colour-blindness. Lily triggers a trap on her kite, which spreads caltrops across the road, and they have to stop to pick them all up. It seems all the lizards in the party have lost their village one way or another. They ride on.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A13: Northern Gates *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
The northern gate of Alexandria stands grandly here, the city's northern portal to the outside world. Tall and rugged, crafted from works of the arcane that must have taken generations to achieve, the city wall around it glows with manalights and is augmented, outfitted with the latest defenses. Airships fly overhead, and towers oversee the pace of traffic into and out of the Lord's City while the statue of the Burning Phoenix overlooks it all.
The northern gates stand larger than any man. Visitors passing beneath them will pass by a pair of guard houses, as well as towers on either side. The gates open wide for caravans, who arrive from many countries, from nearby farmlands. To the west is the river and to the east the rising mountains of the Redridge, from which the city emerges from like an artful, yet bizarre outcropping.
Around the gates are a number of inns and taverns, ready to serve visitors to the Lord's City. These businesses show the eclectic mix that is Alexandria, with its mix of flavors, colors, and spices. Beyond them lies the upper Gardens District.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing, in Order -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. Seyardu 5'6" 150 Lb Sith-Makar Female A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint. Sjach 7'0" 268 Lb Sith-Makar Male Lithe emerald and charcoal sith male. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NPCs of Note =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Little Fang 'Lily' Kobold Female A pinkscale youngling in a bathing suit, Cryo's daughter. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
It's a hazy and hot day, with towering white clouds reaching up through the blue sky. Drifting slowly, like a second set of mountains. The glare of the sun washes the color from everything. It's bright, the landscape is a haze of light.
A white-scaled Sith'makar exits the Northern gates. She waves at one of the guards, another Sith'Makar, and leads a swiftclaw. With her is a small youngling, a carnation-scale who is wearing a tan leather dress and carrying a kite.
The tall one looks around, seemingly waiting for something. The smaller, is stuck waiting.
Another sith-makar, with another swiftclaw is here. Sjach, at the stables on the outskirts of the town where certain companions not quite suitible for traversing the city can be looked after while their more humanoid compatriats are about. He is squatting, sitting on his haunches, and brushing the scales of the young Swiftclaw- only about the size of a large dog- with his knuckles. Seems he has just recently retrieved her from safe keeping here, given the slightly harried stable hand that stands nearby.
"Sjach! Peace on your Nest!" Cryosanthia calls out, heading towards the emerald-scale. Her head tilts to the side. She also has something new since he last saw her, two long spars that stretch up from her back which resemble large, mal-formed wings with no leathers or fingers. She smiles, looking at the small swift-claw, "How is she? You don't take her into the city?"
Lily trails along behind her Ssassa, carrying the kite which is almost as large as she is, staying out of snapping distance from the full sized Swiftclaw.
"Peace on your nessts..." Sjach offers, turning to look towards Cryosanthia, offering her a slow blink and a flick of his tail-tip in greeting. The spines running from his scalp to his tail bristle- the height of excitement, as far as this particular Sith's emotional pallet. "It hass been ssome weekss." he says then.
On the topic of leaving his own Swiftclaw companion outside of town he turns his attention back to her- patterned with amber and vermillion, she resembles nothing so much as a little fireball. "sshe ate a cat." he explains succinctly why she does not accompany him beyond the walls.
A few minutes passed, enough for the wait to grow slightly long, until finally, through the gates, another sith'makar came through with the reins to a swiftclaw in hand. This one silver-scaled, though almost looking a slightly dull gray now, their movements just a bit slow. She looks around, before finding Cryosanthia and her daughter, giving the two a wave, and one to the other sith'makar as well with a light thump against the ground of her tail. Thankfully, the swiftclaw brought with her was one of the more docile ones.
"Peace on your nests, Cryosanthia, Lily, and I do not believe I have met you before." She greets once close enough with a sharp toothed smile.
"Apologies for not making introductions." Cryosanthia says in draconic, gesturing towards Sjach, "This one is Silence or Sjach in tradespeak. This one is Seyardu, a priestess of the Nest Mother to the Stars."
She tailthumps after each, then gazes at the little swiftclaw some more. "that would do it."
Her attention returns to the silverscale, dull-scale, exhales, her mouth tighening a little. "It is safer for you in Mictlan. This one is not sure it's safe for you to travel there, nor for this one."
"There are some unusual threats in Alexandria, Sjach."
"Besides the stench?" Sjach wonders of Cryosanthia at her warning. He straightens up, now, and pads in place to turn and peer at Seyardu. His head tilts to the side slightly, nostrils flare, and quills flicker. He offers a slow blink and a flick of his tail to Seyardu as well. "This one travels for Mictlan." he offers, simply. Seems he's a sith of few words.
"Besides what it is like inside, yes." The silverscale notes. They does not look to be in the greatest of health. The dull color was unnatural, and their silver eyes were sunken looking. "There are dangerous things happening in the city, that I do not know if I should bring up. It seems mention is dangerous. If you are travelling there though, I would greatly appreciate company on the path."
Lily crinkles her kite. Ssassa is talking. This isn't going to be flying anytime soon. She stares all the way up the whitescale, wishing for telepathy. None is needed to understand she wants to be flying a kite now.
"We should," Cryo stares at Seyardu's sunken eyes. "This one has had too many problems, from information concealed and held back." She looks towards Sjach now, "There are demons and devils in Alexandria. Disguised as Softskins. They have been since this one arrived. They congregate around the Temples, lingering. Usually they aren't bothering anything."
"This one has... had a friend, who ... was minding one. It was attempting to escape the demon lord it served. It was unusually docile, in the sense that it didn't run out and eat cats or babies. He. This one should describe it properly, it was a he."
The whitescale exhales, her hands light at her side, "He, the others, may be waiting for something. Under orders to be in Alexandria. This one doesn't mean to give you extraneous information but often the adventurers are bad at communicating things. So, there are devils and demons there, they usually don't make their presence known. They did twice, attempting to get into a Temple, then attacking on of this one's friends."
"Their attack may be related to the Shards of Animus, or something brought out of Merkabah, or Merek's history in the Iron Hells. This one spoke at length with Seldan, and it seems unlikely to be the Duke. We are ascertaining if he has a shard, or not. A scale of the dead dragon god."
Once more the Whitescale looks at Seyardu, "Demon names, Devil names are bad to say. It attracts their attention, allows them to read your mind. And if you boast how easily you can destroy them and they're listening, they may show up to give you the opportunity."
Sjach listens, maintaining that unatural stillness only one of reptilian blood can. His only movements the slow rise and fall of his chest and the spines moving almost imperceptively. Eventually, he does speak up, "This one is not concerned with the temples and their demons." he says, simply. "This one goes to Mictlan." his attention turns to Seyardu, nostrils flare again and his quills lay flat. "You are sick. Ride, this one guides and protects." he says, and nods his head over towards the Swiftclaw she emerged with.
"It is a concern for others though, and I care about the temples. Some exist to help others." Seyardu says simply, sighing for a moment before she continues. "Cryosanthia and Lily were nearby one time, and I was as well. I will be fine. I simply need time to rest, and it may be best to do so in Mictlan. And there is other things I wish to look into, there."
She certainly does not look fine though.
"This one talks too much." Cryosanthia says, lifting Little Fang up onto her Swiftclaw's saddle. She vaults up afterwards in one smooth motion, mindful of her tail. Twisting around, she tells her foundling, "Let the string out once we're moving, not so high the kite will catch in the trees. We will make our own wind."
She looks at the other two Sith'makar, inhaling scents. Her own are minimal, calm and restrained. She smells confident. "This one cannot stay over in Mictlan. May need to turn back. This one has burdens she can not share and would not endanger our home."
Alexandria though, perhaps that is fine.
She does sniff at Seyardu one more time, "The devils used powerful spells."
Sjach nods his head once. "Mitclan is good. Warm. It has the scent of home." he offers simply, "It iss a good place to rest." he adds after a moment. He tilts his head a bit at Cryosanthia's explanation, but he doesn't pry. Instead, since it seems like they will be traveling together, he simply turns and begins to walk down the path away from the city, seemingly expecting them to follow.
The juvenile swiftclaw follows at his heels- she seems a bit more calm than last Cryo saw her. She's not begging for scraps or running off, at any rate.
In a moment, the silverscale hoisted herself onto her own swiftclaw with a bit of effort. The swiftclaw was well trained and calm, even crouching slightly to make the process easier. Seyardu did not try to hide how she was feeling too much. Distress, worry, all were apparent just from a the scent. She did not let it show in her body language, however.
"Yes, it will be nice to see more kin. Though I worry still about returning to a place like home, but I feel it necessary."
"Thiss one also worried." Sjach offers, not looking back over his shoulders as he pads along with the two riders behind him- at least for the time being. They could certainly outpace him if they wanted to. "Thiss one... ssha." he falls quiet a moment. "Thiss one left home many sseasons ago. Thiss one's village wass attacked." he explains, still rather terse on the details. His reticence at talking about it is clear, by the way his spines lay flat against his scales as he pads along. "Mictlan is... new home." he settles on. "Different, but familiar."
"It is more restful there." Cryosanthia agrees, leaning into her Swiftclaw to get him moving. She guides it after Sjach, careful to steer her mount wide of his little one. "Are you walking? Are the roads untroubled at that pace?"
It's a long walk to Mictland.
Lily plays out the string on her kite. It bobs along behind her.
The whitescale sinks into her riding position, moving with the larger lizard beneath her, feeling the power and motion. Letting it carry her mind off. "There are other concerns, that Seyardu carries."
"Thiss one also worried." Sjach offers, not looking back over his shoulders as he pads along with the two riders behind him- at least for the time being. They could certainly outpace him if they wanted to. "Thiss one... ssha." he falls quiet a moment. "Thiss one left home many sseasons ago. Thiss one's village wass attacked." he explains, still rather terse on the details. His reticence at talking about it is clear, by the way his spines lay flat against his scales as he pads along. "Mictlan is... new home." he settles on. "Different, but familiar."
At Cryo's question, he glances over towards her. "If the journey iss not urgent, thiss one can keep pace with a swifclaw." he says simply. "There have been some bandits on the roads, but not so near the city, nor near Mictlan. The animals of the wilds are fell fed, and keep to themselves. It iss a bountiful season." he offers.
The silver sith'makar was at ease riding the swiftclaw, but on the mount, she relaxes, or rather slumps a bit tiredly a few times, fighting against it a few times before giving up and doing what she can to stay mostly upright.
"There are things on my mind, yes. I know all too well that there are bandits on the road here. One attacked me on this road. Do not trust any you find appearing to be injured unconditionally on these roads. Mictlan is a good home, lead by good leaders. I think it would make a good home for most."
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls heal: (15)+0: 15
It wasn't just what happened at the shore. The silverscale is exhausted and trying to stay awake.
"This one has no nest." Cryosanthia says quietly to herself. A thought voiced unintentionally. She seems unaware, inhaling the scent of her mount and losing herself in their movements. She nods slowly, a good season. "No need to rush."
This disappoints Lily, as she has to tug on the kite-string more to keep it flying.
"This one would know," the whitescale says as she glances at the emerald-scale's spines. Cues that practically scream, "When you are ready."
"Not all things improve with the re-telling."
The whitescale watches Seyardu next, evaluating her, as much as can be done at a distance while mounted. Some of the pieces she was told fall together with what she sees and senses. There's more there than lingering damage, "We'll get you someplace you can rest safely."
"The road is several dayss travel. Thiss one knows many camp sites along the way. They are used by the shamans and hunters of the grove. They are safe." Sjach offers to the two of them, as he continues padding along. For his part, he doesn't seem to pick up on just how bad Seyardu's condition may be. "Thiss one will go ahead, and watch the road." he adds then. He unslings his bow from over his back, and strings it, and then emits a throaty chirp to catch the attention of his young swiftclaw companion. Then he picks up his pace to, as promised, scout ahead.
"If that is the case, then I will appreciate your expertise on the matter, Sjach." Seyardu replies, bowing her head in a nod to the sith'makar on foot. "I have brought supplies for myself and the swiftclaw I have brought, but a safe place to rest is a valuable thing."
"What do you speak of, Cryosanthia? Even if you think it best not to go to Mictlan for the time being, you are more than welcome there it seems. Even if I do not go back to Am'shere, it does not change a home." She asks after a pause.
Sjach slinks off ahead.
Cryosanthia raises a hand, waving it dismisively, "An errant thought." She exhales, staring ahead at the road, at Sjach separating from the three of them, "Mictlan, Am'shere, are home. This one does not fit well there. This one had a cihuaa. No more. He did not fit well there either."
She turns her head, looking at Seyardu, "You, and He, do not seem to align well with the People. This one will not pry, this one suspects."
She looks straight ahead again, "This one has spent too much time apart."
Lily bobs her kite.
"I am sorry to hear that. I did not fit well in am'shere, either, you are correct. But it is still my home." The silverscale responds, Cryo seeming to touch a nerve, or make the other grow sadder. "I do not know what makes it obvious to be observed, I am curious what makes you state it as such."
With Sjach moving ahead, we can pick up speed though, yes? It would make flying the kite easier." The whitescale nods, adjusting her heels against her Swiftclaw, its speed increasing. Lying low on the saddle her tail extends behind, matching and moving with the beast's. "How you move. How you smell. How you feel."
Informative and vague at the same time, though the reptilian body language is much easier for them to read, if not explain. "This one knows the signs from herself. From her mate. We were kept alone. Apart. For a long time. It is not easy to overcome."
Lily's kite flies higher, up towards the canopy.
Cryo stares at Seyardu, "We all have scars. This one would not pick at yours."
"Then it is obvious in a way. I am lucky that it is less obvious in Alexandria." The silverscale sighs once she is up to speed to match Cryosanthia. "I did not grow up alone, but the result was the same. I doubt you know any Makari clerics, most likely. If you overcame it, then how did you manage? I still feel lost at so many times still."
"This one's Cihuaa is a Sunguard of the Dragonfather. Shaman Geir is a Greyscale of the Death Singing Dragon. He advises me. This one has known a few." Cryosanthia says.
She exhales, looking forward, "Little Fang. This one lives for Little Fang and future nestlings, and the words a Speaker-caste must say when none other can."
"You know a few? I wish that they were brought up to me, but I know not everyone can be aware of everything. The guidance would have been welcome." She continues, but it passes after a moment, and the silverscale turns to give a brief smile.Still at odds with scent and body language.
"That is a good goal. I know that I live to help others, but what has happened has made me question that more. It seems that I have made trouble for others on more than one occasion, which is at odds with that. And now I go back to Mictlan, to impose more."
"Shaman Geir you might find in Mictlan. Guardian Durrankar and Shaman Un'eth, you have already met. They are there." Cryosanthia says, shaking her head. "The people are not burdened by each other's troubles. They will aid, gladly."
Lily tugs her kite down, as the speed of the group increases. Sjach has very quickly scouted ahead.
"As gladly as you aid the Softskins in Alexandria." The whitescale exhales a long breath. Stares ahead, past the Swiftclaw's bobbing head. "Mind that desire. Merek has it. He tries to save everyone. He has fallen into needless torment because of it. Some, you cannot save. Often, you must save yourself first."
"You know the drowning currents of the Am'shere rivers. How you must mind them, before leaping in. He does not." Cryo shakes her head, "He is Black Dragon blooded, and this one fears their worst traits are growing in."
"They will. As long as it is their desire to do so, I will not turn them down. Everyone always works to help." The sith'makar nods again.
"It is, a challenge. It is easy to look past oneself, and outward to help others. Yet sometimes looking back, I should spend more time on myself, make purchases for my own sake. It is hard to think about purchasing magical implements to make my own life easier, when I think about how much food it could purchase for the althean temple in the city."
"This one has had those thoughts too." Cryo says, moving with her mount. Lily rides on top of her, facing backwards on her backpack, focused on the bobbing diamond of her kite and it's long decorated tail.
"This one does not hunt. This one does not heal. This one Speaks, and does violence, which is a language itself." The whitescale lays it out frankly. Draconic encouraging fewer, more definitive words. "There are things only you can do, as Shaman-caste. Needful things."
She looks over and fixes Seyardu with an intense gaze, "You must be rested, ready. Have items that will aid in your tasks. The old, the infirm, the young, they need a wall for shelter. You must be the wall. Happy bellies will not aid them if you crumble."
The gaze is broken, she faces forward once more, breathing deeply again, "Silverguard Seldan is better for this advice. He faces the same concerns. That one has not had the frustration of a party all refusing healing, lest some future other need it more. He has."
"It took many years to even find myself capable of leaning divine magics. I tried to learn druidic crafts from some of the shaman caste I met, but when you cannot properly discern plants and animals and the natural world, it seems to be a much more difficult challenge. I did not know purpose until most I knew were already adopted into their castes." She continues, turning back to the road. "I know the concerns of triage well. I am still not capable of healing many in a day, so I rely on medical knowlege to tend to more minor injuries. But you are right, I need to tend to myslef too. It does not do to lose focus at an inopportune time when it could have been avoided."
Cryosanthia nods, listening, facing forward, her long horns stretching over her neck. She concentrates for a moment and a small cloth canopy appears between them. It acts as a windbreak for Little Fang, when she looks ahead.
"This one did not know magic." The whitescale admits, "This one trained with words and foil. This one led a group to capture in Charn. There, a mage forced magic on me, to make me her familiar."
Silence, just the pounding of the Swiftclaw's feet. "She was not successful. She did not survive."
Her words are flat and distant. "This one's magic did not work correctly for a long time. My Mistake, fixed that. Over a long time."
"So this one understands the learning does not come easy, and how your eyes might slow you." Cryo looks over, smiles, "You have overcome much. Be proud. Your effort is to be respected."
"So you were able to learn, even if it was an accidental situation. I understand what you say, and the similarities." She says, sighing again. "You have many years over me I believe, many years to learn. I know I am still young, with more to learn. But that time has been bought by others, as well. I do not know if that is something I can ever put a value on, or truly repay. Thank you for listening Cryosanthia. It has been long since I have been able to speak to someone."
"It is what this one does. Listen. Speak." Cryosanthia says. Yet, there's a rise in her posture, an relaxation, a slight change in scent. The gratitude was received, appreciated, her body language reflects that.
"Time spent with others is valuable, should be. This one is glad she can help." The whitecale sits up a little, the speed of her Swiftclaw slowing. Lily makes an angry hiss, pulling on her kite-string and looking around. The adults were talking about something; she wasn't listening.
"This one has not listened enough. This one tries now, to hear advice and need." Her head turns and she grins, wobbling back and forth, "they weren't great years. This one saw too much."
Oddly, she switches to tradespeak. Perhaps it's easier to tell the tale in these words, perhaps it gives her distance from them. Or there are puns that only it carries well. "I've been property twice. I will not a third time. My second owner called me 'Pet', her Beloved pet. I called her Mistress. She ensured I call her Mistress. After I escaped, I still did and many others thought it meant I wished to return."
Cryo shakes her head, "I didn't. Yet, I could not. Sabina, my friend from the Tarrace, she suggested I say 'Mistake' instead. So I do now. My Mistake was Salina. The Fey Queen of Endless Winter. Who had her own plane of ice, and a Tower that let her... do unspeakable things. When I say 'Her', or my Mistake. This is why."
"She is... forgiven, now, by the Dreaming Dragon and her agents. This one... still struggles to."
"Experiences are experiences, good or ill. They can affect you, but you are still yourself. But yes, I understand listening to others. I try to listen when I can. It is a good practice. Like now, I learn much from listening to you, and also from letting my own feelings be known."
The sith'makar listens as Cryo recounts the tail, slowing down to match the pace. "The business of gods is complicated. Even if they do not truly forgive them, it may be necessary for relations. It does not discount what you went through however."
"Thank you." Cryosanthia says. Her feelings, well she lets them out to romp around all the time. Her experiences and thoughts about them, less often. A lot less often. From her scents and movements it's clear the topic is painful for her as well.
Lily has noticed, and is making an effort to distract her, "Ssassa! Look at kitesss. Flying. Ssassa, look! Ssassa, look!"
"Yes Little Fang, it is a wonderful kite." She laughs a little.
"Watch!" The small Kobold says, and pulls a string. A string within a string, it seems, something clicks on the kite, and the tiny boxes which made up the four corners open, and caltrops spill out on the road behind them. "Seee! Casstops!"
"Ah! Oh!" Cryo pulls up on her Swiftclaw. "Lily, that's excellent. Also. We can't leave those there. We have to pick them all up."
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20: (1): 1 (EPIC FAIL)
Seyardu stopped suddenly , but still a bit later down the road. She left the swiftclaw where she was, not risking bringing it back to where the caltropst were dropped. It was a good distraction at least.
And some of the caltrops looked close to the stones some spots on the path, leading to the silver sith'makar stepping right on one of them, seyardu grunting something in pain as her foot jerked upwards.
Cryo, likewise leaves her swiftclaw where she dismounts and sets Lily on the saddle. She stares at the carnation-scale, "That's ingenious Lily, but it slows us down."
She hears a grunt, "And Seyardu has stepped on one. Be careful with your traps that they don't hurt your own team." The whitescale gives her a kiss which is more a lick with her tongue.
"Wait there." She goes and helps gather up the caltrops. "Lily, how many?"
"Fivess in fourss. Twenty." The Kobold youngling calls.
"Well, you've found at least one, Seyardu. How many do you have?"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (3): 3
They are hard to spot among the stones and dirt.
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20: (18): 18
There was a moment where she was on one foot, before she plucked it free. "I am alright, but being careful is important. Still, that is an impressive invention, Lily!" She called back, smiling again. She seemed not bothered by it too much. More relaxed, even. "I would not have thought of making a trigger that could activate against a loose string like that."
She looked around, and thankfully, did not step on any others. After several minutes, she came back with two hands filled with them."Twenty you said? I found at least a dozen, plus the one I discovered."
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (2): 2
"It is a good trick. You'll have to show Ssassa how you did that with the string." Cryosanthia says, as she searches around on the ground. "Well, I've found three, and two. You said you have a dozen? Lily counts well. If she says twenty, it's twenty."
She says rather teasingly, "Only show the good Kobolds this trick Lily, or travelers will be angry at you!"
"It is a good idea. There is lots you could do with it, to trigger things that do not need structure. But be careful who you share what you know with, Cryosanthia is correct." Seyardu agrees as she hands off the caltrops to the whitescale. "You are good at figuring these things out."
"Thanssss!" Lily says, standing on the saddle and watching the two Sith women. She's a barely noticeable weight.
"This one thinks that is all, we have the twenty now." Cryo says, picking up the last few. She looks ahead on the road, "Let us catch up with Sjach."
She inhales, exhales, "He... has been distant from the People as well. We have not spoken of it much. The Ko-jodakh attacked his village. Killed many. Silence is a good soul, this one has seen.
"They are honest, and kind, at least from what I have seen." The silverscale nods, turning back to where she left her mount, which was waiting patiently. "They are quick on their feet, they may have made distance on us in spite of our mounts. I am sorry they had to go through what they did, however. In my travels, I saw many villages, suffering from attacks from many sources. It was difficult seeing those impacted by them, and those who could not be saved."
Cryosanthia heads back to her mount, picks up Lily and sets her on her haversack, then vaults and slides easily onto the Swiftclaw's back. She nods. "This one's village is gone too."
Nothing tragic. The river changed, and it moved." She adds, tapping at the side of her head. "So it still exists, but not the one this one remembers. Jump-Rock is gone. Snake bend, best pool, chase pool."
She takes out a box, slips the caltrops into them, and holds the box down for Seyardu to add hers, "Sun Rock is likely still there, maybe too far to safely sun on now."
"But the memory still exists, does it not? It is how it always is with our people." The sith'makar notes, chuckling a bit before she jumped onto the other swiftclaw, who was sitting near the ground. "The stories are shared, the memories retained. In sharing it, you remind and teach me of sun rock, and the places you enjoyed as a nestling."
Her mount got to its feet, and they were back on the way. "When I arrive at Mictlan, I would not mind finding a sun filled spot to rest for a while."
"It is." The whitescale nods, "it still is strange."
"Tribe-home still isss." Lily hisses suddenly, "Now empty."
"Yes Lily, it is." Cryo reaches back to rub her foundling on her back, glancing at Seyardu. "The best Sun Rock at Mictlan, we shall find it, and what do you want for dinner? Let's talk about those things."
She coaxes her Swiftclaw to up to a run, heading off.
"The best sun rock, if none can tell us, then we will find it." The silverscale chuckled as well as they broke into a run down the road. "I brought some supplies for dinner. Enough roots and herbs, with dried meats. I have learned quite a bit in my time at the Althean temple, so I will do what I can to make a decent meal, if that is alright with you, Cryosanthia and Lily. There should be extras as well, enough for Sjach. I would not leave them without a meal for the night."
