A Beacon in the Day (Kila)

[kia]

In a smaller Hold that was part of Western Hold, he was like a beacon in the crowd. He hated his hair for being so bright, even after he cut is short that long time ago. He ducked into a tent, looking for someone who sold rope and where he could rest for a bit. After all, he was getting tired of walking through these crowds, people always looking up at him and staring at him. No, there were no scars on his face, no visible markings on his face, and no freckles. It was his red hair that they all stared at him for. And his green eyes. He had no issues with his eyes as he passed by some lad, winking at the lad and smiling. Yes, his eyes were another feature about him that drew others to him, and that was something he never complained about. He just wanted to get out of this hold, away from all these people, and start his journey/slash mission. His current Metalsmith Master had no hope in the boy succeeding in his mission. "You`re a fool! You`ll die out there! And despite my reluctance to take you on, I am going to lose one of my best apprentices. Just like the last boy, except I lost him to the Smith Hall," his Master said, not very happy with the boy`s idea. But everyone was still looking for new deposits or ores and irons and even possibly gold. And that was why Nat volunteered for this suicidal mission.

He walked up to a man who was sitting in a chair, looking out at all the people in his tent. The man looked up at him and raised an eyebrow in question. "What do you want?" he asked gruffly, wondering why a young looking boy would come wandering into his tent.

"I would like to buy some rope," Nat said, not wanting to explain it. It was enough he had his Mater fussing at him, he didn`t want a complete stranger fussing at him too. "And I want some good quality rope. Not that stuff that breaks after two times of use."

The man stood up and looked over Nat, as if weighing the kid in his mind if a fight should ensue. But Nat believed he had the upper hand. He was smaller, thinner, and possibly more agile that the larger man before him. That and he cared his sword with him at all time, though it was mostly hidden inside his jacket. He didn`t want people seeing it, getting scared, and thinking he was going to use it on them.

The man stepped away, grabbing some rope, and asked Nat about how long of rope he needed. Nat laid down a mark in the man`s chair, some money his Master had given him, and looked the man square in the eyes. "However long this will buy me. And don`t cheat out on me. I will know," he said, not caring to be challenged at the moment. The man snorted at the boy`s way of how he was being treated. But, sure enough, he was not going to challenge the boy either. He cut off a good long strand of rope, wrapping it up and tying it together so the boy could carry it. Nat took the rope and left the marks where they were. He had gotten what he wanted. And now he was ready for his trip. But this meant heading back out into the crowds again. Well, he could count himself lucky. Nobody in this small hold knew who he was. And since his arrival to Western Continent, no one knew about his past either. And he was going to keep it that way. He did not want to get into another fight, especially with the Lord Holder`s guards, should they be around.

People were, especially, still skittish about the more recent happening back at Western Hold. The sight of two rogue Riders bringing terror to the people made Nat almost laugh. All the two Riders did was announce her they were and make-out out in front of the people. It wasn`t a big deal to him. Two men, kissing, seeing the pleasure in their faces. It wasn`t like he hadn`t been caught with another young man before. But it intrigued him that those two Riders would come out in daylight to announce their objective. Sure, it would have been normal if one of the Rider just terrorized the people and left, leaving people to wonder what the threat was and how it could be prevented. Now everyone knew who they were. And that was what made Nat even more interested in them. They had no fear, they were comfortable with their business, and had the strength over the people. Yes, strength. Nat liked the idea and smiled to himself, ignoring the stares he was getting from passing people.

[Kila]

"Grmhmphmmblstmp... stupid.... sharding branches and.... Faranath... son ova... damned wildreness.... bloody worthless... SHARDS AND SHELLS! GREAT FLAMING FARNATH! TUNNELSNAKE-INFESTED, FIRE AND BRIMSTONE DAMNED OUTDOORS!!!!!"

MineOwn- so loud. Bad words; came the tentative voice of the Brown Wher plodding patiently and with little trouble through the underbrush. Barely making her way next to him was his Handler. The furious woman was getting caught in the thick underbrush at every step and was clearly over this unsuccessful method of travel. As the brush had thickened, her mumbling had begun, then growing into grumbles, and finally exploding into a long string of angry curses. She very rarely got this upset, but the circumstances were, after all, quite pressing.

"Yes, loud, yes, words, Nadysk! Shells, we've been wandering out her for longer than it has been entertaining and now my sharding legs are being eaten up by these blasted bushes! I'm getting to be a little irate," she snapped, though the anger was more directed at the wildlife around her than her dearest bonded.

Hungry? he asked, already feeling and knowing it was so. His, Nadya, always had a shorter temper when she was hungry. Sleep she could function without; not food.

"Yes!" she agreed with vehement enthusiasm. Her display was doing nothing but wearing her out, and it was beginning to show."Oh shard it, this is the pits. I've had enough of this sort of adventure for a lifetime," she sighed, trudging on in a defeated, apathetic manner. "What I really need is a meal and a bath and a woman. Or man. Or just a bed for now," she rambled. Nadysk altered his path and bumped into her side, nuzzling her lovingly. She smiled. "At least we've got each other, right, big boy? You're the only man for me, you know!" He knew, and was obviously pleased by the fact. Pushing on her rump, he forced her up onto his back and continued on.

Look! Clearing. People, mine? Nadysk piped up after a while. Nadya, who had been sitting meditatively on his back and not really paying attention, squinted ahead. It was daytime now, though the coverage of the trees shielded them from the sun, but her nocturnal lifestyle as a Wherhandler had made her quite nearsighted. "A clearing? Is it? It is! PRAISE FARANATH!" she bawled, waving her hands joyously over her head. "Nadysk, let me down and stay in the shade. The underbrush has thinned out right? I'm want to go check this out."

Sliding gleefully off his back, Nadya made her way to the edge of said clearing and was shocked to find it rather full of people. Some sort of market? she thought to herself, studying the hustle and bustle. It was clear, however, that it was some sort of hold. Good news, babe, she reported back to Nadysk, we're /somewhere/! But how to figure out where? And how to get to sharding Dalibor from wherever here was. Ever since she and Nadysk had gotten off that Faranath-forsaken boat they'd been lost in on the continent. It had NOT taken them to the Weyr, where they needed to go, as she had anticipated.

By that point Nadysk had trundled up beside her and was looking over her shoulder through the trees. Good, Mine! Ask? he suggested, looking at their new surrounding with vague interest. If His was happy, he was happy. Brilliant as always, m'boy, she agreed, now changing focus to look for a victim. Aha! That unfortunate fellow yon stood out from the crowd. He would do just fine.

Stay, she told Nadysk again as she broke free of the trees and strolled casually after the particularly red-headed boy she had picked out moments before. "Excuse me," she said, catching up and tapping his shoulder. "I was wondering if you could tell me where we are?" She hoped her appearance did not frighten him, for on top of her already somewhat exotic appearance, she was surely scratched and dirty and who knows what else from wandering around for quite some time in the uncharted wild...

[kia]

Nat stopped when he felt something tapping on her shoulder. Probably another person begging for marks or food. He did not have any food and the marks he had were going toward other things. Like, well, he would know when the time came. And just the fact that someone was tapping him on his shoulder was already annoying him. Maybe it was just a Holder or some kid that was wanting to stare at his hair like everyone else. Stupid red hair. Good thing it was cut or else someone might recognize him. The chances of it were very slim since it had been several Turns it occurred. But he could not help it. He was somewhat annoyed easily. Though he had learned to keep himself under control for the most part, he had been in a couple of fights. Another reason he hated the Lord`s guards. Too many fights made him very familiar with the guards. Well, he was getting out of here. And he would be gone for however long it would take him to get this job done. Or maybe he could get it done, but just take his sweet time getting back home. Yes, he liked that thought. His Master would not know the difference.

Now, he needed to take care of business here. He turned around and saw a woman looking at him. He blinked. She was covered in leaves and dirt. He smirked, but almost chuckled. This was a refreshing scene in front of him. Refreshing because it was different from the everyday look of the Holders, all clean and brightly dressed. This scene would be him in a sevenday or two, maybe even sooner than that. Though, it was odd to see a woman in such a condition, it was still interesting to him. Why would she be covered in twigs and leaves and dirt? It was a curious thing to him to see her. Very curious and very interesting...

"Yeah, I could tell you where you are. You are in a small hold that beholden to Western Hold. So, technically, you are in Western Hold. Though the main hold is that direction," he said, pointing in the direction of the main part was located at, "if you want to getinto somewhere more commercial and less rural than here." He lowered his hand and looked her over again. Why was she going to Western Hold? Unless she was one of those renegades that had been here recently. That had been rather amusing on his part. And he had laughed about it. He took a twig off her sleeve and twirled it around in his hand. "Maybe you can answer a question for me. You know, like a question for question. What are you doing out here looking like this: a wild beauty? Surely you have a home or something that is missing you," he said, trying to figure her out. Maybe once she answer a question or two, he would know and then be able to continue on his quest. He just wished that he was not standing out in the open with people still staring at him. Well, if he picked up signs that she was staring at his hair, he would direct her attention with his eyes. That was his better quality, even though not most looked at them.