Winds of Change [nephero] [M]

[GoblinFae]

Atsida was slower to his feet and inclined his head respectful acknowledgment. The other Taluvans were quick to their feet and ready to follow only to be equally waved off and dismissed. There was a ripple of murmurs and grumbles but eventually they all exited leaving only Aike, Atsida, Lawona, Enoka, and Feathers Fall Mildly. Enoka sent the interpreter away while giving Atsida a pointed looked that brooked no argument. His presence was staying regardless.

"Come," Enoka beckoned in Ketran. "There is a quiet place we like to walk where there will not be quite so many stares or stubborn Elders."

Atsida shook his head slightly but exited holding hands with his daughter moments before she tore off into the settlement on her stubby little legs. "**Were you able to rest again after your unfortunate alertness drill last night?**" he asked with Enoka translating.

[nephero]

Aike watched as the toddler took off as fast as her legs would carry her, utterly amused. They took a deep breath of cold mountain air and sighed it out again, enjoying being able to move after so much time sitting.

"I was busy with the map all of last night, to be honest. I often have difficulty sleeping, and so your daughter truly did not interrupt much." They gave an amused little smile. "She is quite the fighter."

[GoblinFae]

"**Would tea help you sleep? You will find the longer you lead that problems will still be there tomorrow but lost sleep cannot be returned.**"

"If only he'd follow his own advice," Enoka quipped. He lead the quartet beyond the marked boundaries of the settlement and further towards the plains where dry and crisp grasses crunched underfoot.

Tiring from all her bolting about, Lawona soon bounded back to the adults at full tilt. She did not even stop as she full force collided with Atsida's knees and bounced off them. "You need to wait until you're bigger before doing that, Lawona," Enoka chided lightly while scooping her up onto his shoulders.

"**She is a little fighter indeed. I cannot thank you enough for understanding her antics are truly those of a young child with much still left to learn.**"

[nephero]

"Thank you for the offer, but I will only sleep less if I know I'm taking something for it." They gave a shrug, as if to say 'such is life', and watched as Lawona ran back only to full on collide with Atsida and bounce away. They couldn't help but laugh, their hand rising to their mouth as Lawona was scooped up.

"She's so small, I could not possibly be angry with her. Childhood is a time for innocence, we grow up so quickly as it is."

Aike sighed again, looking out over the grasses that would slowly turn more sparse the further west they went, transforming from rolling plains to the harsher wild grasses of Cortla. Even the smell was different, coated in the cold scent of frost as it was, nothing like the sharp warmth of sagebrush on a cool autumn night.

"It is lovely, here. I can see why you like this place."

[GoblinFae]

"He likes it better further north. Atsida hates the cold. When the snows come he's like a great bear app hunkered up in his furs and grumpy at being woken," Enoka supplied causing a very soft hiss from Atsida. "It's too still out here if you ask me. The Buffalo have already moved on and we do nothing but wait for snow. It's the perfect location for a Parliament of stodgy old owls don't you think?"

Enoka chuckled even as Atsida pinched him warningly.

"**Perhaps next winter you could show us a place you enjoy in Cortla. I promise not to bring the tiniest soldier of Talu though.**"

[nephero]

Aike was laughing too much to quite notice that Atsida seemed to be reacting particularly swiftly for a man who did not speak the Ketran dialect. Their lack of decent sleep also seemed to play a factor, as they yawned quietly behind one hand before pulling their poncho closer to themself.

"It is peaceful. In Cortla, the cooler weather means more activity. All the summer days are spent as restful as possible to keep out of the heat, so when winter sets in, all the animals come out more and more.

"But if you would like, I can show you several places. Up in the mountains, we have wonderful hot springs, perfect for easing aches and the cold at the same time." They gave the two men a mischievous sort of smile. "Even a bear cannot be grumpy there. And your tiny warrior is more than welcome to enjoy the pepper candies we have at our street stalls."

[GoblinFae]

Atsida ducked his head in embarrassment even as Lawona suddenly became excited. "Candy?!" She cried out while squirming fiercely on Enoka's shoulders in an attempt to get down and get at Aike. "Give!"

"**Lawona, ask nicely please or we will take you home and you can help Mama Enicea.**"

The child quieted with a mighty arm-crossed sulk at her father's firm but gentle words of warning. "**We would be grateful though for whatever hospitality Cortla wished to share with us.**"

Atsida paused to watch the young Cortlan, noticing how they yawned and looked so tired. "**There are some rocks ahead where we can warm ourselves. The wives use them for grinding herbs and plants. But even in the winter sun they become warm and comfortable to lay on. It is a nice treat against the chill.**"

He beckoned them then to large flat stones that had weathered storms and winds to become so smooth and indeed warmed by the sun. Atsida eagerly sprawled out, leaving plenty of room for the others to get comfortable as they desired. Lawona was returned to the ground where she took off running circles and chasing ground squirrels while Enoka watched.

[nephero]

   Aike couldn't help an amused smile at Lawona's little demands, shaking their head slightly as if in apology. After all, they'd already given their offering to the tiny Taluvan's sweet tooth, and had no more left. It was adorable, though, and they chuckled softly as she sulked after being reprimanded.

   "That sounds good," Aike said of the warm rocks, following Atsida to the stones and settling onto a section with another yawn and sigh. It felt nice to stretch their back out after a long night spent bent over maps in the semi-dark. The sun felt warm but not blistering against their face and they closed their eyes for just a moment to enjoy it. Just a moment, of course, and they blinked their eyes open so as to not completely fall asleep.

   They placed their hands behind their head and pulled, stretching out their muscles and grunting softly at the series of pops their spine made. They sat up again, crossing their legs and maneuvering their poncho to fully cover themself and keep warm. Out beyond where Lawona played, it was a sea of white and sky, with only a far-off dot signalling a bird of prey had found enough of an updraft to begin circling for breakfast.

   "You can see for miles, out here."

[GoblinFae]

"And yet still lose an Owl," Enoka teased lightly, winking beneath his mask for a brief second before refocusing on the young owlet as she dipped in and out of sight. Small little hoots sounded in the distance, causing the Chieftain to chuckle softly before hooting back.

"**It is beautiful,**" Atsida spoke with deep affection for his homeland. "**I'm sure you can appreciate why we want to keep it this way too, to have a home for our children's children and their children yet to come. I would have many more peaceful days like today if I could.**"

[nephero]

   Aike watched as Lawona ducked low, the little hoots travelling in the still winter air easily. They couldn't help themself, their mouth spreading into a wide grin, and even more so as Atsida answered back. It was... remarkable, how very unlike the horror stories these people were.

   "No, I fully understand that. Our mountains are the same... we build only as we must and with the cliffs in mind." They looked over to the side to watch Atsida for a moment. "When you visit, I'll be happy to show you."

[GoblinFae]

For his part, Atsida watched the Cortlan from the corner of his eye, a challenging thing to do as it was given the limitations of the mask without turning one's head. Their stretching revealed leanness but also muscle and flexibility. Theirs was a body of a warrior although different than those of Talu. Aike was far more like a supple tree branch than a hearty ash tree trunk. Atsida could respect that hidden strength.

Their talks over the past several months both in person and via letters had already showcased the younger man's prowess in both patience and diplomacy. The old owl chief did not relish the opportunity to test blows against each other. But, it was good to note it would be an honorable fight if it ever came to it.

"**I would be honored to see whatever you deemed fit to show. I understand we share in the rarity of opening our homes to outsiders, even among the united Adelan territories. I think perhaps though, despite your offer it might be best to wait until my little warrior as you've called her is a bit more grown,**" he motioned out to the fields as Lawona suddenly leaped and belly flopped into the light snow as she scrabbled to catch something. "**We would not have Cortla fall in a day under her precocious antics.**"

[nephero]

Aike listened patiently through the translation, looking out to the fields with every sound and movement from Lawona. Though trust had certainly been built, it was hard for Aike to be out in the open sky and not alert to anything out of place. Which, given this was Talu, everything was out of place to them.

They hummed in thought for a moment, truly considering the little one being loosed so in the heart of Skythread. Many foreign faces, many foreign customs, the winds and the walls and the ropes...

"I think that would be very wise," Aike said, finally. They paused again, before continuing with their words. "It is easy to forget, what you know when you were born in a place. Your little warrior has such a spirit, but I wonder if our customs would be so easily understood.

"Besides," they continued, with a much more teasing tone and a twist of their wrist, "I have only been Governor for so long. At the very least, let me finish my first term before sending the little one to overthrow me."

[GoblinFae]

Atsida burst out in deep, laughter as Enoka finished translating for him.

"It is too late for you, she has already begun!" Enoka quipped back. Atsida had begun to reply as well although the other man failed to translate, his gaze instead hyper focused and searching the horizon. 

The little bobbing head of the Chief's owlet was nowhere to be seen. 

"**Lawona!**" Enoka barked, suddenly very serious and firm as he stood higher on the rock where they all sat perched, his body that of a tensed warrior and no longer the flirtatious easy-going jokester. Atsida in turn gazed outward as well, trilling an owl call that went unanswered while sliding off the rock to crouch and see if he could catch sight of the missing child from a lower angle. 

[nephero]

At the sudden shift in tone, Aike tensed. They, too, stood up, looking across the land surrounding the rocks and focused on any sign of movement. There was so little to see for so far, where could she have gone?

Slowly, carefully, they stepped their way off the rock and looked for where the grasses had been disturbed by Lawona's passing, rolling their foot against the dirt to get a better sense of the threads underneath. Aike continued on then, brows knit as they continued to look for movement among the grasses.

"++Little Owl!++" Aike called out, not expecting her to truly respond to the words, but also somewhat hoping the sound of Cortlan speech might prompt her to strike and end the worrisome moment.

[GoblinFae]

No response greeted their desperate ears. The light snow and tall grass belied nothing either. There was no movement, not even a wind to rustle them or distract from an ill-intentioned intruder.

Atsida, seeing nothing moved to lay his ear upon the ground hoping to hear the sound of thundering footsteps, anything that might indicate his eldest child was somewhere even if it was sneaking up on them or someone stealing her away. 

Silence.

Enoka hopped down from his perch as well, moving on quick, silent feet towards where the little girl had been playing. Her footsteps had muddied snow and bent grass plenty in circles from her hopping about but there was no sign of her having run off or even necessarily of circling back.

Where had she gone?

[nephero]

"++Little Owl!++" Aike called out, louder this time. They moved quicker to join Enoka at the circle of flattened grass, and knelt down to sink their hands into the cold mud. The shock of cold made it difficult to feel for the threads lingering in the earth, fleeting as they were, but Aike kept still, waiting for the sensation deep in their skull that would let them see what echoes remained.

[GoblinFae]

Enoka raised a brow slightly as he caught sight of Aike. He would gladly accept their help but he wasn't sure what to make of them kneeling in mud with their hands buried in it. For all he knew flowers were about to burst forth or a giant spiderweb. Cortlans could be such strange people.

He looked outward once more as if to spy a bobbing head or dark shadow to take after. Instead there was only Atsida now on the rock looking out and around to see if the child had indeed evaded three adults to double back. 

Still nothing aside from mud, flattened grass, and fresh snow that had slid off one of the rocks where she had been playing in front of. 

Enoka could only imagine the tongue lashing they all would receive from Enicea the moment she learned of her child's disappearing act. 

[nephero]

Grandmother's leg hairs, but it was cold.

Aike sucked in a breath and let it out again, ignoring the way the cold burned their skin the longer their hands were submerged. Still, it seemed the temperature would seemingly not allow for concentration, and Aike was about to withdraw their hands--

When they realized the feeling of cold was not entirely their own.

There. The thread was there, lost under the noise of other, smaller threads. There was cold, and surprise, vigilance and--

Intruders. The telltale thud of large footsteps on the ground above. Grazers? No. Predators? Perhaps. Burrowing was safe, burrowing was warm, burrowing would keep them hidden and secret--

But then there was the intruder. And the intruder was cold, was not blessed with furry hands that kept so warm.

Aike blinked, and looked back to the rocks. They didn't speak for fear of losing the thin thread they had found, instead following the gossamer line of feeling over to the rock. They circled it, once, twice, before dropping down again and beginning to dig through the snow that had fallen there. Their hands ached, but the thread was here, the intruder was here, Lawona was here. They were sure of it.

[GoblinFae]

One moment the Cortlan Governor was kneeling in the mud and the next they were digging in the snow like an angry badger. The Taluvan at their side didn't even pause to question before letting out an indiscernible huff and dropping down to join in on the digging. 

For the barest, briefest moment Enoka caught sight of a flash of brown in the snow before more snow fell to bury the tunnel they were trying to form. He dug faster, cursing softly under his breath at the fool child managing to get get herself seemingly buried.

The more they dug though, the more the snow kept collapsing back down again from the snowdrift created by the rock. 

"When you see her shoes again latch on and pull. I'll try to keep the snow from falling more."

[nephero]

Aike nodded, still wordless even as they stopped clinging so hard to the thread. They kept digging, trying to toss away the snow as they went, eyes fixed on where they had last seen her--

There!

Aike's hands, frozen and hard to move as they were, snapped out to close around Lawona's ankles. They only took a moment to make sure they could keep their grip, before rocking back and pulling with every part of themself to free the poor upended owlet.