View source for Cold Morning, Warm Meetings

The Wilderness - Yar's Camp 

The snow has been heavy, coating the wilderness in a quiet blanket of white. It lines the ground, dots the trees, and gets everywhere when you try and march through it. Other than the few snowbirds that stay all year round, mothing stirs this afternoon, and Yar is kept upon the deck of her yurt watching the bit of clearing that she can see from where she's nestled in the edge of the woods. She stands tall, her large form and muscled features clear despite the loose clothing of wool, and the coat she wears. Some might think she was a man with her squared jaw, and size, but her braided hair, and facial paint adds some femininity. 

Yaretzi holds a cup of tea, hot and steaming against the cold, a sip taken. Like the animals, she's mostly still.

There's movement in the brush, something large moving amid the trees. Whatever it is stops for a moment, and there's a quiet almost huffing noise. Something smelling? Then the movement takes up again, this time headed directly for Yaretzi. Out of the brush comes a blue-scaled sith-makar in white which makes him surprisingly well blended into his environment at the moment. The blue blending in with the shadows, and the white blending in with the snow.

"Peasssce on your nessst." He offers quietly, but loudly enough to be heard. He has a gentle speaking voice for someone so... large. Not just tall, but solid. Though one would be hard pressed to describe him as anything other than 'muscular' in regards to his stature. "Thissss one doess not mean to disssturb."

The blue-scaled one looks at the woman in surprise and offers her the sith equivlent of a smile. No flashing of teeth, but rather a pleased wagging of his tail. "Thisss one hearsss the sssoundsss of Am'ssshere on your tongue. You ssspeak asss the People do." His head tilts. "Thisss one hass not met many sssoft-ssskinsss from there."

"Scattered, but strong." Yaretzi answers of her people, smiling in return. A deep breath is taken as she motions to the deck she uses as a porch. "Come on up out of snow. It is cold stuff, and terrible. Nothing like it in the jungles of home." which is true, not unless you sought it, and climbed for it. 

It seems the woman is alright with having company, pulling the Yurt open in a explosion of warmth coming from within. A goblin potbelly stove sits on a pile of shaped stones, keeping stray embers from setting fire to her wood and cloth home. "Yar will get tea." turning her back to Zeke. 

"Do you prefer your people's tongue? I speak it." Yaretzi's words clear and concise as she switches languages easily as she finds another tin cup to pour some of her hot water into the cup, and placing in a steeper full of tea. She'd must of been ready to make a second cup already. <Draconic>

Zeke huffs an amused laugh and nods gratefully. "Thisss one isss ssstill not usssed to the sssnow. It isss not one of the thingsss that thisss one enjoysss about life in thisss plassce." So saying he joins her on her porch, seeming to appreciate the warmth that comes from her fire and the warmth inside. When he speaks next, it's in his native tongue, which is as familiar to him as the scales on his claws. "There is no need, if you are more familiar with the common tongue, this one knows that this one has an accent, but if you do not have trouble with it; we can use the form that is easiest for you."

"Yar speaks both fine. Ish." That last word coming with a smirk as she returns to the porch, and allows the yurt to remain open. She's switched back to the trade-tongue, grinning. "Makari were whom we traded with in Am'shere. Their tongue is like ours now, but pieces of the old language stayed." she notes, offering the cup and smiling. Her own is in hand, both still wafting steam because of the weather. "Yar had to learn the trade-speak in pieces." 

"This one is Yaretzi. Jaguar's Claw of the River. Blood of tigers, and Kor's temper." a grin again flashed.

The blue-scale wags his tail again, pleasure radiating off of him. Even one who couldn't easily read sith features would feel the warmth of his pleasure. "Thisss one isss called Zeke." Not the normal introduction to be sure, and Zeke? He even says the name a bit oddly, a name which was very unusual for a sith-makar. "Sservant of the Dragonfather." He nods his head here to her politely.

"Zeke..." Yaretzi ponders over, the name mulled on with a nod. "It is interesting." her own being somewhat typical of the Makari. Yes, her tribe named her in their honor, and soon she's laughing. "It is odd in these parts. That is sure." a sip of the tea taken as she looks back out over the snow. "What brings Zeke out this way? Skielstregar sometimes comes to chat and hunt, but Yar gets little visitors."

Zeke looks embarrassed in the makari way. Tilting his head down and his tail growing still. For just a moment one might imagine that the sith could disappear whilst standing still. He says nothing for a moment, until Yaretzi brings up the silver-scale. "Thisss one hasss met Sskielstregar, he isss good. Thisss one isss out here, becaussse thisss onessss mate isss in Mictlan." His tail shift subtly as he talks about his mate. Embarrassed but pleased it seems.

"Avoiding the cihuaa?" Yaretzi asks a bit confused. The manners are noted, her shoulders drooping a bit a she peers at the Makari in thought. "Or heading there?" she asks, suddenly grinning. "Skiels is good friend, kind, but carries burdens. His cihuaa is kind, and worries over him. It's cute." the woman says, talking about the couples she's met. It's gossip, but she's happy to talk of friends. "Yar would fight the cold for some, but it is good to take a break and warm." a glance dropped into her tea.

"On the way back from a visssit with him." Zeke says warmly, looking pleased and yet still embarrassed. He looks at her subtly and then offers another little shift of his tail. "Thisss one did not know that Ssskielstregar had a mate much less cihuaa. It isss good that he isss happy. Thiss one knowsss that he hasss a lot on hisss mind."

He nods to Yaretzi's wisdom. "Thisss one hasss fought the fassce of Winter, and it wasss bitter-cold. It iss good to fight for thosss that are cared for, and for thossse that can not fight for them-ssseless."

"Learning of such things is why Yar has come." The woman's tone calm, her words and mannerisms might get excited at times, but always within her 'space'. "Purpose, and reason are something all must decide. Yar is still deciding what is important." she mentions, her drink sipped, taking a step towards the edge of the porch. "Fighting is all Yar knows, and these days knowing which fights matter? Personal questions." she muses again, a dry tone, but the smile makes it fairly obvious. "You mate is lucky. You seem to have an idea of it already."

"You have come to the right plasce then to learn. There issss much need of thossse with the sskill of armsss here in Alexandria." Her observation draws a small, surprised laugh from him. "Do you think ssso?" He glances to his left side. There, perhaps not immediately obvous with the fall of his cloak around him are a pair of crystal limbs. Both his left arm and left leg are made of the precious material. 

Zeke might notice an eye dip and search over him, but if Yar has noticed those limbs of precious stone, she shows no signs of it. "Yar is skilled, but not masterful." she muses again, a low tone with a muted laugh. "With wights, demons, and the crazy Yar has seen? Alexandria and Mictlan need the help." 

"Is Zeke warrior?" Yar finally asks, something spurring her to ask as she turns to face him again.

"Thisss one?" Zeke considers this for a moment, and then shakes his head. "Thisss one can fight. Will if necessssary, but thisss one isss a healer firsst and foremossst." He shifts his tail back and forth comfortably. "Thisss one hass long been in service to the Dragonfather, and hiss blesssingss to thisss one are more to aid othersss than to be the one that doess the actual battling."

"Yet it mars and marks you." Yaretzi says with a sigh, something in Zeke's words giving her thoughts. "The dangers must be great, and the Dragonfaher gives many blessings when times are tough. It seems war is the way of your foes. Kor's guided me true." her glance flicking away with a shrug and grin. "Does a Sunguard judge Kor's ways?" curiosity creeping in her tone.

Her words draw confusion at first from Zeke, and then he draws his cloak closer around himself. He opens his mouth to explain, but... He seems almost glad of her change in the conversation when it comes. So he answers that instead, a warmth emenating from him again. "Not at all. Thisss one knowsss well that all the deitiesss are necesssary; each in their own way. The god of war isss not with-out wisssdom. He teachesss usss that we musst bring our fissstsss, our weaponsss, our heartsss to bear againssst that which would try to defeat usss. Doess he not?"

"Every day." Yaretzi says in agreeance to Zeke with a broader smile. "Apologies, Zeke. Yar did not wish to bring up ill topics. She has noticed many carry the marks of what has plagued Alexandros." she reasons, finishing her tea, and tossing the last cold bit out into the snow, watching it make holes that will disappear the next it snows. "If Yar brings up hard things, do not fret to say so."

Zeke seems to consider her words and he draws himself up a little, allowing his cloak to fall open more. Not too much. He dislikes the cold. But enough to see his limbs. "Thisss one doesss not bear the physssical marksss of the many thingsss which have plagued Alexandria. Thessse limbsss are a gift of the Dragonfather. A truth you ssspeak more than you know. Thisss one wassss born with-out thesse limbsss. Thisss one did not recieve them until thisss one had marked well the firsst scentury of life."

Yaretzi turns to look directly at Zeke with what might be amazement in her eyes. "No!" she says, that bit of the story catching her off guard. "Yar had thought... well, it matters not what she thought." Yaretzi's words filled with a laugh. "Apologies again, Zeke. Yar has war on the mind, and thought only of that." being wrong not bothering her in the slightest. No, Zeke seems more interesting now than before. "Such younglings would have a rough life, and many would not make it." she admits with a more somber tone. "Some blessing indeed."

The sith seems to grow still again. Something in her words making him uncomfortable, but once again he quickly recovers himself. "Thisss onesss nessst-mother wasss very protective. Ssshe... Kept thisss one sssafe and away from othersss for a very long time. Thisss one... hass learned much sssince then, of what isss right and wrong. What isss... healthy and what isss not. Thisss onesss nessst mother wasss not sso. But thisss one owess her much for her diligence at leassst." He nods once. "Perhapsss the Dragonfather wasss looking out for thisss one even then."

"It is the way of things. Yar suspects at least." Yaretzi admits, the uncomfortableness of the conversation noted as her tone changes and the excitement drops. "Such blessings are not just handed." stepping towards her yurt, and resting the mug she'd been using on a small table inside the doorway. "Zeke is a healer. Protector, and helper. Using the gifts given to help others. Blessings they may be, using them as Zeke has is honorable. Perhaps more so than Yar." 

"Kor had given Yar a temper, one she can not control well once sparked. It is a curse to some, but Yar will not let it be so for her."

Zeke shifts his tail a little, trying to offer a comforting expression. These things can be so difficult to convey cross-species. Even when one is familiar with the sith as a people. "It iss true. The blesssingsss of the godsss are often hard to tell when one isss in the midssst of recieving them. Perhapsss your temper isss one sssuch. Asss you ssay; a gift from Kor that you might find greater ssstrength in your battlesss. If you mean to make it a blessing, thisss one isss ssure that it will become sso."

"Make it a blessing." Yar repeats with a nod. "Zeke speaks true words. A blessing is partly how one sees it. Intent. Personal meaning? It matters." her mind ticking away in thought, but as the Makari shifts, she watches with a nod. "Yar has no doubt it will aid her, but it is only a curse if she lets it be. Kor teaches us to be ready to wage war every day, even if it is not on the horizon. It does not mean make war every day. Yar had to learn this. In a hard way."

The blue-scale looks to the horizon and then nods to the woman he is beside. "Thisss one sshould leave you to what you mussst do today. Thiss one doess not wissh to become an unwelcome guessst." He shifts his tail, amusment showing that he knows that he has not been a burden this day. "Thiss one thanksss you for your tea, and your very good company. It hasss been a pleasssure."

"What one must do? Yes. Yar has things." The change in conversation again bringing a grin to her lips. "Peace on nests, Zeke. Be safe in cold, and may tea keep you warm till home." a single nod given as she takes that cup he'd been using. "Yar will work on her war."

-End