Stuck in the Snow... and Lost

[stelmarisa]

Gosh, it was freezing. It was supposed to be summer! Although, summer probably never truly reached these northern territories - at most, some of the snow might thaw and turn to slush. Which, Kaven mused, wasn't much better than the snow!

He was knocked out of his reverie by a gentle whinny at his elbow. He looked round to see the shaggy brown pony staring at him with a reproachful expression, snowflakes frozen into his mane. "Sorry, my darling," Kaven said glumly. "I'm not having much of a good time of it either, though."

He pulled his fur coat around him, huddling into the thick collar. "At least you have your own fur!" He looped an arm around the pony's neck and drew closer to it, staring around them helplessly. He might as well admit it - they were pretty lost. He didn't know where he was, or where he was going.

"What do you reckon boy?"

[GoblinFae]

Zurna watched the man and his pony and felt pity for them. They looked cold, miserable, and unprepared for the the deceptively cold summer. 'Just how many people come up here and believe it will be warm? I just don't understand it.' She giggled softly when she heard the man rebuked the horse about its fur coat. 'Poor things. They could use a good fire and a belly full of food.' Having decided that she began to carefully approach the pair. Summer made the ground more treacherous. You never knew whether the ice would hold you or if you were actually standing on land or or just a snowbank.

The man's last statement to the horse, seemed as good a time as any to jump into the conversation. "Well, I don't know about the horse. But, I would reckon your best course of action would be to head west just past those snowbanks where you will find a grouping of tents with welcoming people, warm fires, and good food. In fact, if you're nice I'll even take you there myself," she said announcing her presence to his left with a smile on her lips and in her eyes.

[stelmarisa]

Kaven jumped as a woman popped into his one-sided conversation, flushing at being caught talking to a horse. "Oh! Hello." He stepped towards her, smiling. "Thank you, that's really helpful. Will he be welcome?" He nodded towards the pony, who had stepped forwards in sync with him. "I can't leave him."

He laughed then. "I hope I'm nice enough! I think I'd just get lost again if I tried to find it on my own. This area doesn't really mean much to me. I'm new... obviously."

[GoblinFae]

"Actually I was talking to the horse. But, I think we can find room for you too," she teased winking playfully at him. "Of course I'll lead you. It would be very rude of me to send you to the wolves as it were. You see if I let you wander your way over to my family, they would never let you go." Leaning in conspiratorially she whispered. "but if you come with me I'll keep you safe from the overly motherly women.

"Come. It's not far this way now. You'll be warm in not time! I'm Zurna by the way. Zurna Nali," she greeted beginning the trek back home.

[stelmarisa]

He laughed, pleased at meeting someone so friendly, and funny at that. "Thank you! That would be very useful."

He followed her, the horse trailing at his shoulder, nose nuzzled into his elbow. "I'm Kaven... Damal. And this is Equi." He nodded to the horse, who whickered softly in answer.

"Do you live around here then?" he asked as they walked. "I really know nothing about Hyoite."

[GoblinFae]

"A pleasure to meet you Kaven. I guess you could say I live around here. My people are for the most part nomads. We travel with the tides and the food. For today I live here. Tomorrow is uncertain, as are all things in life. Don't you agree? As for Hyoite and the tundra, well, this is about it. We have our trappers, our hunters, our fisherman, our traders, and our sheppards. But, other than that we have snow. Lots and lots of snow."

Up ahead Zurna saw the smoke rising from her family tents. "One more snowbank and we're home. Although, I best warn you, we're a rather large family." Coming around the snowbank she added for shock-value,"when I say large I mean that I have twenty-five older brothers."

Before her was the beautiful sight of home. It never ceased to amaze her how much the feeling of being home thrilled her. To outsiders it was just a bunch of primitive tents crowded together with a bunch of nobodies living within. But, to Zurna it could not be anymore perfect, it was her family and her life. "Welcome to my home!"

[stelmarisa]

He followed her quietly, listening to her talking about her life. He smiled. It sounded as if she truly loved this strange, wandering way of life, even with all this snow around it. Personally, he wasn't sure he was ever going to get used to it. Ice crystals were clinging to his boots, his trousers soaked through where they brushed against the snow drifts, and while he conceded that it was all very pretty, it was a little too inconvenient for him to really get along with, so far.

"Twenty... five?!" He looked up as she announced the size of her family, mouth dropping slightly open. "... wow." His own family, consisting of only one sibling, seemed puny in comparison. Any further comments he had however, were cut short as they rounded the snow drift.

"Ahh... it's beautiful!" And he meant it. The tents looked so welcoming and, well... homey, with the curls of smoke rising into the air. He felt a sudden jolt of homesickness, and a desire to be accepted as a guest in this small community.

[GoblinFae]

Zurna smiled at his awe. It was always shocking for people how large her immediate family was. "Thank you," she said softly to his compliment. "We try hard to make it so. Come let us get some food and a warm blanket for this fine fellow, and then I'll take you to meet the rest of my family."

Gently, she reached out rubbing her hands over the beast's head and flanks. "Besa, besa," she murmured to Equi quietly. "You really are quite beautiful, let's get you inside where the twins can spoil you rotten with sugar and apples," she whispered in his ear.

As if on que, her twin nieces, Cara and Aliyah came running over squealing and laughing all the while. "Aunt Z, you're back early! Did you bring us anything good?"

Zurna could not help but laugh. "Girls, this is Kaven and his horse Equi. They are going to rest and eat with us for awhile."

Cara, the bolder of the two, walked right up to Kaven and gave him a very wobbly curtsey. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Kaven. I am Cara, and the girl cowering behind your fine steed is my baby twin Aliyah."
"I'm not a baby!" Aliyah cried out still hiding behind Equi.

[stelmarisa]

Kaven smiled as he watched the children run outside, and interact with the horse. Equi pushed his nose forward curiously, allowing himself to be petted for a moment by the girls, nuzzling at the shyer one gently.

"It's my pleasure, Cara." Kaven made an exaggerated bow to the child, smiling at her warmly. "I like your home very much - is it okay if Equi and myself stay for a little while? I won't let him trample the tents!" He laughed, and looked back towards Zurna for his next cue.

[GoblinFae]

"Enough you two! Cara apologize to your sister. Aliyah quit hiding, we talked about this," Zurna commanded with a natural motherly-authority. "This is no way to behave in front of a guest. Come help with Equi and then you can finish your chores she told them." The girls dashed off to where the family's small amount of livestock were kept.

"We do not get many visitors here. I am afraid they are not used to new people," she told Kaven by way of apology as she led her two companions to the animal pen. Inside the twins were fighting over a thick wool blanket for Equi. Rolling her eyes Zurna ignored them and began assisting Kaven in unloading the pony of his burden. "You can leave what you don't need right now, in here. Nothing is going to happen to it." Having sorted themselves out the girls provided the blanket and gave the pony one sugar cube each. Leaving the pen, Zurna called over her shoulder to them, "finish your chores! The horse will be there when you're done."

Taking Kaven's hand she pulled him outside towards the largest tent. "You have to meet my parents and eldest brothers first. The others will come when they are ready." As she went to pull back the tent flap she paused. Solemnly she turned to him and said, "I promise on my life that I will defend you against the hordes inside." Her face was perfectly serious until she added, "You never what a wild human mama is going to do. They are nothing like those domesticated city ones." With the last addition she winked before entering her home.

[stelmarisa]

Kaven helped the girls to bed Equi down, taking a while to ensure that the pony was warm and comfortable. "If you get frightened, just shout for me, okay?" he laughed, petting the creature's shoulder. He set his pack down to one side, leaving it whole and unopened.
"All that's in there is my medicine things - hopefully I won't need them tonight!" he joked, assuming that this community could take excellent care of itself.

He followed Zurna back to the tents, feeling slightly apprehensive as he remembered the size of her family. His nerves were calmed somewhat as she explained that not everyone would be there, and he nodded in acceptance.

As she paused and joked with him, he took on an expression of deadly seriousness and inclined his head. "For your oath, madam, I thank you. Your protection is appreciated." And with that, he ducked inside the tent.

[GoblinFae]

The inside was warm, dark and hazy from the fire. It took a moment for the eyes to become accustomed to it, but Zurna knew her way well enough to move about blindly. "Zurna," her mother called, "who is that with you dear?"

"Hello mother!" Zurna moved to each of her elderly family kissing her mother, father and four eldest brothers and their wives in turn before answering. "This is Kaven Damal. I found him cold and weary talking to naught but his pony."

"Enough of your teasing Zurna, you'll frighten the poor dear," her Minali chastised her daughter. "Come here son, warm yourself by the fire. Don't be afraid to make yourself at home. Whatever yarns Zurna has been spinning are all false, I promise you." Looking towards her smirking daughter Minali commanded her attention. "Zurna! What are you doing? Get the boy some food, he looks half-starved."

Zurna smiled knowingly at Kaven before obeying her mother's orders. The men smoked and talked amongst themselves as the women worked on mending nets, darning socks, or sewing clothes. Handing him a wooden bowl of stew, Zurna sat on some cushions on the floor. "Sit," she whispered to him, patting beside her. From there she proceeded to name and point out her various family members. "My mother Minali and father Trafford." The matriarch and patriarch of the family were sat beside each other leading their circle's conversations and commenting on the work that was being done. "My parents are almost a hundred years old. My oldest brother Atenteben," here she pointed to a dozing man with deep wrinkles and a weather-worn face, "is about sixty years older than my youngest brother and I. In fact his family is expecting his first great-grandchild if you can believe that," she said laughing softly. "What about you? Where are you from? What is your family like? Why have you come this far north?"

[stelmarisa]

Kaven bowed to both of Zurna's parents in turn, and inclined his head respectfully to the rest of her family. Settling himself down on a soft cushion, he closed his eyes briefly, appreciating the welcome warmth of the fireplace. "This is really something special." He smiled, accepting the bowl of soup off Zurna.

He ate hungrily, licking his lips as he worked through the bowl of stew. "This is delicious.... you have such a big family! Are all your brothers married?" He paused as she turned the questions onto him, thinking a moment about his answer.

"I only have my parents and one sister, she's a couple of years younger than me. I grew up in La'marri - well, just outside it, really. It was only a small village, but it was nice, and everyone was close." He smiled, remembering his upringing fondly, before his face closed.

"I had to leave."

[GoblinFae]

Zurna laughed. "Yes all my brothers are married now although two are widowers. The twin girls you met earlier are the youngest of my brother's. Yotar has only been married a few years now. When the girls are a little older he like my other brothers will form his own family group. Then I will be the one left at home to care for the elders." Her voice was happy but a passing sorrow touched her eyes.

"Your home sounds nice." She leaned back on the cushions letting him eat. Her eyes watched the flames as she thought about what he said. "Can I ask you something? You do not have to answer if you do not wish to." She queried without looking at him. "If you were so happy at home, why did you leave?" She kept her gaze off him so as to not add unnecessary pressure. If he did not answer she would understand. They were strangers after all. 'I should not have asked. It is not my place.'

[stelmarisa]

"Will you not form your own family group?" Kaven asked curiously, noticing her conflicting expression and voice. "Or is that the way it works in your culture - that the daughter stays at home?" He paused. "Sorry if that is too personal a question - don't feel that you have to answer."

"My home is nice, it's a beautiful place with some wonderful people, and a very honest energy. That's where I found my calling, and I'm grateful to it for that. But it stopped being home. I was engaged, before...." He glanced at her, not sure if he was revealing too much. "The relationship ended, and so I left." His voice was edged with pain, and he looked away, staring into the fire.

[GoblinFae]

"No, I should probably marry one day. I just never found the right person. Or," she laughed, "if I thought I did my brothers disagreed. Twenty-five older brothers can be a bit of a bothersome thing. I will always be the baby girl of the family. Do not trouble yourself. There is not much I would fine too personal. When you grow up the only daughter with a horde of boys you learn to not take things personally." She gave him a teasing wink before picking up a load and breaking some off for him. The rest she began to pick at, eating the soft inside before moving on to the crust.

"I am sorry for you. I understand the pain of loss, especially when it is someone important to you." She continued gazing at the flames remembering past wounds. "Your calling, what is it? Are you some sort of religious figure?" she asked trying to lighten the conversation back into familiar territory.

[stelmarisa]

He laughed. "That makes sense! My  sister is still too young to be interested in men, but when she is I can gaurantee that no man will be good enough for her! Although of course she only has the one brother - I can only sympathise with your situation." His eyes sparkled as he looked at her and laughed. I'm sure you'll find the right path for you, sooner or later."

He nodded aimlessly as they both paused, sensing her thoughts mirroring hers. He lightened as he started to talk about his job. "Well, partly, I'm a healer. You know, basic medicines, injuries, things like that. But mainly," passion came into his voice. "Mainly, I'm a dreamweaver."

[GoblinFae]

"A dreamweaver?" she asked sitting up with interest. "People pay you to give them dreams? Can you also give them nightmares? Or rather give nightmares to other people of their choosing?" Zurna was very confused. She had never heard of such an occupation before.

"How does it work? Do you have special tools you use? Where do you even learn to do such a thing? Is that why you came up here? Someone wants you to weave them a dream?" Her questions were spoken with all the excitement of a young child. Her eyes lit up with the prospect of learning something new.

[stelmarisa]

((I am SO sorry it's taken me such a ridiculously long time to reply!!))

Kaven looked shocked. "I would never give anyone a nightmare!" His eyes widened. "You don't understand the damage that dreams can do, even if they're not nightmares ... but nightmares, they can ruin a person." He was speaking from the heart, but moved on to give her a better idea of how his profession worked, and answer her myriad of questions.

"It's not exactly a profitable business... in fact it's not really a business." He admitted, laughing. "I mostly work with the very elderly or very ill, so I rarely take payment. It feels wrong, somehow." He paused here, trying to work out how best to explain the skill.

"It's ... a kind of healing, I suppose. I work with those who are exhausted, or ill, or unhappy. I can give them a restful night's sleep, and I can help to heal their body whilst they sleep, through their dreams. It's not an exact science, and of course it's not a magic solution. But a person's mind plays a big part in their body's health, and working with dreams and sleep helps them to heal - or at least, be more at ease and more relaxed. It's useful if someone is very seriously ill, I can help them to have a more peaceful passing for example, which helps both them and their family. I suppose in a way it's a type of seeing as well. If someone has a dream they cannot read, I can share in it with them and help.

I don't know where I learned it, but it's a skill that just developed as I grew up. No, there's no work up here that I know of. I haven't worked for a while, really." He stopped and took a breath, looking to her to see her reaction to all of this.

[GoblinFae]

(OOC: Hey no worries, four days is hardly anything to get yourself worked up over. I really don't mind the wait ^.^)

Zurna was startled by his outburst. Her childish enthusiasm faded as she self-consciously curled in on herself. Her legs came up into her chest and her arms around them, her head lowered to rest atop them. Halfheartedly she listened to Kaven's explanation all the while blaming herself for her ignorance and stupidity.

When he finished explaining she apologized. "I am sorry if I offended you. We are simple people here, I have never heard of anything like that before. I did not know." She fell silent until she noticed his empty bowl. Quickly she rose and took it from him. "I will get you some more," she offered trying to smile before going over to the fire.

It took her longer to get more stew than it should have. Tears filled her eyes as berated herself for her stupidity and then for crying at the drop of a net. 'Pull yourself Z! He's no one. What he thinks is meaningless. You probably won't ever see him again anyways."

Quietly she returned to him and offered him the stew. "I have heard of the mind-body connection," she began trying to break the uncomfortable tension she was experiencing. "I did not think it was real, though. Are there many where you come from that believe this?"