Who

Kaitlein, Amania

What

Amania ends up with some unexpected company during her getaway from the Underground.

Backdated

When

It is evening of the seventh day of the eighth month of the tenth turn of the 12th pass.

Where

Great Central Desert, Igen Coverage

OOC Date 15 Apr 2017 06:00

 

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"I didn't see you and you didn't see me, if it's all the same."


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Great Central Desert

A sea of golden sand stretches as far as the eye can gaze in all directions, marred here and there by the rough scars of granite and sandstone outcroppings of various lengths and widths. Scorching by day and bitingly cold by night in most months, the Great Central Desert is not a place one ventures without a firm plan or a quick exit (such as a dragon). The winds that whip mercilessly across this sandy expanse on some occasions can create colossal samiels and dust storms that block the sun for candlemarks at a time. Other days find the desert sitting amidst an immense calm, the sunlight painting dunes and bluffs in ever-shifting colors and the moonlight turning gold to pale silver beneath nearly unblinking stars. It is a place of great danger and beauty all at once, to be sure.


It's been some time since Kaitlein has been back within the stone walls of Kurkar hold. It comes into view just as Timor and Belior are at their height. She had spent most of the day holed up, escaping the sandstorm that had made the sky black as pitch and made breathing like swallowing glass. The ex-rustler had been smart to wait it out. Now, with the night sky clear as glass, she makes her way to the hold under the stars. As she moves her big black runner onto the beaten path, she wonders if her little hovel of a cave home is still safe behind the wall of rubble she'd collapsed in front of it.

Amania is relieved that the sandstorm blew itself out by sundown. If it had carried on into the night, she would have had to postpone her plans another night, and she wasn't sure she could have stood that. Now, clad in dark robes and a black headscarf obscuring all but her eyes beneath a broad-brimmed hat, she slips out from the Underground, following the sandstone crags around to where the runners are kept stabled. It's not as easy as she'd like to move with a stuffed satchel and a crossbow upon her back, but sand is forgiving with the heaviness of her steps, which aren't loud as it is. They feel loud, though. There's a lot of shadow for for her to blend into, and the runners know her scent, which encourages her as she approaches. When she reaches the stable, she crouches by the wall and sidles around it, stopping every now and then to listen. It's a good thing she does, for just as she's about to round the edge to creep inside, she hears approaching hooves on the harder pack of the road leading from where she is. Her heart pattering a bit too hard for comfort, she peers cautiously around the edge, taking care to keep herself blended with the darkness and ready to bolt if it turns out to be someone who would notice her absence.

Kaitlein doesn't usually stable Goliath in the public stables. but with both the outdoor and indoor entrances to her cave collapsed, she can't exactly take him home. He plods slowly up to the stables where those who might be on night guard will recognize her. It's hard to not notice the black runner and his rider with the broad-rimmed hat. Not expecting any company, Kait dismounts and leads Goliath into the stables.

Now that is a big runner! So Amania observes as the pair gets closer, though she doesn't think she recognizes them. Better safe than sorry, however. She pulls her head back around and listens for the sounds of dismounting, tack removal, and walking away. This runner may not recognize her, though. The thought has her nibbling her lip, her heart rate remaining above normal as she bides her time.

Kaitlein goes about un-tacking Goliath in silence, and as the normal sounds of the stable come filtering in, Kaitlein relaxes into the routine. Still her ears listen for what isn't there, and what is, it's a habit that hasn't ever died for her. Living the life most Undergrounders have, well, it's a good thing. Deciding that she can wait until morning to dig out her little hovel of a cave, Kaitlein stows her things in the loft, intending to sleep there. She gives the big runner a good brushing and a pail of oats before climbing to the heights of the loft to settle in for the night.

Amania listens, and listens…and listens. The sound of departure she hopes for never comes, leaving her scowling. Is this person serious? She's not even sure who it could be. But even if they're not leaving, she's going to. She waits for silence to settle in from the loft above, then pads carefully into the stable, crouched, heading for an older chestnut runner who's munching contentedly on a feedbag full of oats…and happens to be tacked up with simple reins and a light saddle. Earlier preparations on Amania's part, and she's not about to let them go to waste now. Making certain the runner knows who he's dealing with, she takes the reins and starts to carefully guide him out, doing her best not to disturb the others if she can help it.

Goliath may not truly know Amania, but something about the girl's scent is familiar. He sticks his big head out of his stall, whickering at Amania and tossing his head just a bit. There's a bucket of tasty treats just over there, perhaps he'll get one. Kaitlein on the other hand is just getting comfortable up in the loft. Her boots are kicked off, hat is over her face, and she's trying to get some shut eye. The noise of someone leading a runner from the stalls is largely ignored until Kaitlein hears the whicker of her great black beast. Quiet as the night she moves to the edge of the loft to peer down at whomever had charmed her big black devil.

Tempting though it may be to reach over and offer a treat, Amania has a very singular focus, and that is to get out of the stables and down the road before anyone can prevent her. No looking back. And she's almost there. Her satchel fetches up on a stable wall and scrapes, causing her to grit her teeth and bringing the reflex to bolt to the fore. But since that's rather hard to do with a runner in tow, she keeps leading him backwards…and kicks over a wooden bucket in the process. She hisses a curse under her breath, and the sounds combined have her runner backing up more quickly, whickering discontentedly until he's almost beyond the confines of the stable walls.

Kaitlein lets herself down from the loft, landing quietly as she looks at the girl. "Ya in a hurry girl?" Kaitlein's voice comes, the country twang in her voice quite thick. "I reckon' that's not th' way ta be 'round a skittish runner. Yer more like ta get kicked or bit thatta way." Kaitlein eyes the girl, and utters a low, crooning sound, attempting to calm the discontented runner for her. Idly, she wonders if this is a runaway, not that she'd stop her if she was. Kait believes in making your own way on life.

With the noise of hooves dominating the confined space for the moment, Amania doesn't hear the woman dropping from the loft…though she does feel eyes on her just before the voice comes out of the darkness. With a gasp, she stumbles back, flailing a bit to catch herself. When the woman goes about trying to soothe her runner, she stops trying to grab for her knife, straightening out instead. "He's not skittish. I know what I'm doing," she huffs, reaching up to make certain her headscarf doesn't suddenly dislodge from her face. "And I'm in a hurry to leave, is all. I didn't see you and you didn't see me, if it's all the same." It's risky, trusting that this little encounter will just pass…but there's something familiar about the woman that she can't put her finger on.

There's something about that voice that jogs at Kaitlein's memory, the ex-rustler trying on vain to place a face to the voice. After all, some women just insisted on wearing those blasted scarves. Kaitlein doesn't approve and never wears one. Running a hand through her long black tresses, Kaitlein gives a yawn and goes about petting and soothing Amania's runner. "He certainly seemed so just now." However, the runner is soon calmed and Kaitlein eyes the girl once more. "Leavin' in th' dead o'night ain't too smart neither, still some bandits 'round these parts. And gets damned cold in th' night too. Best time ta leave is jus' a'fore daybreak, durin' th' changin' o' th' guard. Reckon' ye'd 'ave less chance o' bein' spotted then." Bag and crossbow are noted and Kaitlein raises a brow, curious.

"He'd've been trying to shy away from me if he were skittish, not just grumbling about me making a little noise," Amania points out, impatience edging her tone. "And I don't care about bandits. I'm leaving a den of them, aren't I? It's too hot to travel too much during the day, and I'm not getting across this Faranth-forsaken desert in the heat of summer." Better the cold of desert nights, in other words. She scowls behind her scarf again, wondering just why she's feeling compelled to stand here talking to this woman. Maybe it's because the other could just reach out and take hold of the reins, and then she'd be stuck. Again.

Kaitlein shrugs. "Suit yerself, not my conscience that's a'gonna be weighed down if'n ye get ambushed." One look at the girl tells Kaitlein that she's young, and possibly not so wise to the world. Kaitlein takes in a heavy sigh. There was once a time that Kait would have just let her leave, with no advice or anything to take with her, cause Kait didn't care one way or the other. But now, now that the ex-rustler has some closure and has gained some of her humanity back, her conscious nags at her about letting the girl ho alone. She wars silently with herself about the matter while her brain sorts out what's familiar here. Then suddenly, and Kait can't really put a thumb on exactly what, it clicks. "Amania?" Of course she could be totally wrong, but the girl behind the scarf fits the bill.

World-wise Amania may not be, but neither is she weak. Much of Kurkar's blood consists in survivors, after all. She's about to take the chance and start moving again when the other woman says her name, and it pulls her up short. Squinting through the darkness, she tries again to figure out what's familiar. Suddenly the accent clicks into place. "Kaitlein." An acquaintance, and not a disagreeable one, generally. She reaches up and tugs the scarf from her face, relaxing slightly. "We thought you'd run off for good during the dragonrider raid, found somewhere else to be."

And the mystery is solved. Kaitlein smiles a bit and shakes her head, long braid swaying behind her. "Was righ' here when it all came about. A rider caught me jus' as I tried ta sneak out th' back. Spent a spell in Igen's brig, a good spell at that, a'fore I were pardoned an' let loose." Kait flips up the wide brim of her head to level her gaze at Amania. "Guess they figgered they 'ad bigger fish ta fry at th' time. Baham was a long gone a'fore I returned" Kait kicks at the dust in the stable and heaves a good sigh. "Been around here less an' less as o' late. Don't quite feel like I fit here no more." And the way her mind nags at her, well, seems it'll be a good while yet before she sees her long abandoned cave home. She figures Amania can probably take care of herself, but, Kait would feel remiss if she let her go off alone. "If yer bent on leavin' this late at night girl, I best be goin' with ya. Faranth knows I'd be a'lookin' fer an excuse ta leave soon enough anyhow. I can get ya t'Igen at least."

"I don't see how many can still feel like they fit here, especially if they keep trying to cling to the old ways of things," Amania says, her tone scoffing mildly. "I may still feel a burn in my throat when I see a dragonman, but it can't be said them finding us hasn't shaken things up. The Underground can't stay the same, and I'm moving faster than it is. So I'm leaving." And taking her uncle's horse to do it, not that she has any compunctions about it. When Kaitlein says she'll come along, however, Amania balks a bit. "But…why? You just got back; there's no call for you to concern yourself with me."

Kaitlein couldn't agree more with Amania's opinions of things. She begins gathering her tack back up, moving towards Goliath's stall. "'Cause somewhere out there I got a conscious and it's a naggin' at me somethin' harsh. An' like I said, I'd be lookin' fer a reason ta leave soon enough anyhow. Reckon' it's jus' the same now as if I leave two three day's time from now. " And she wants to look after the girl, but she won't say so out loud, respecting any sensibilities the girl may have about it.

A conscience. Amania isn't without one, but she's certainly had to choose to ignore it at times over the past months in order to make her plan work. With a soft click of her tongue, she eases the runner back and fully out of the stall, more relaxed now that she isn't sneaking (and much to the runner's relief). Teeth worry at her lower lip a bit as she watches Kaitlein re-tack Goliath. How much should she reveal of what she intends? It doesn't seem like it would matter too terribly much. "Well…I suppose it would make crossing easier than trying to go it alone. Though it's what I'm prepared to do," she's quick to add. "I was thinking I might try to hire myself out to one of the caravans along the way. But you think…actually going to the Weyr might be better?" She isn't sure how to feel about that, though what she's heard about the Bazaar makes the prospect of going all the way there an alluring one.

Kaitlein looks at Amania from around Goliath's broad chest, because trying to look over him would just be silly. "Hirin' on ta' a acaravan ain't such a horrid idea. I'd reckon' ya go all th' way ta the weyr a'fore you decide to go after on though. A couple o' the caravan's tha' camp at Igen have long reaches an' could probably do ya a might bit better than one o' the rag'tag strings o' wagons we get 'round these parts." Kaitlein works on tightening the belly straps on Goliath's saddle and the big black whickers, ears perking forward. Leaving? Already? There had better be oats in this for him!!! Something that Kaitlein will probably think of on her own, as a feed bag is something she tucks into the saddle bags.

Having prepared Azra already, Amania can only wait as Kaitlein prepares. "Jaszael told me about a few," she says of the major Igen caravans. "The Reika and the Zingari. And the Kadall, though they don't sound like a bunch I'd want to ask after at first," she admits. "I figured I might be able to offer myself up as a guard, considering I can shoot well." She takes a moment to scoop out a handful of oats to hold under Azra's nose. It's gone in a few breaths. "Have you ever met any of them? The traders from the Weyr, I mean."

Kaitlein nods. "I don't recollect if'n I know any about th' Kadall, or much o' th' Reika fer that matter, but I've known th' leader o' the Zingari fer a spell, and I know a dragonman tha' used ta' be Zingari." Kaitlein double checks all of Goliath's straps and shoves her things, plus a few slightly pilfered supplies from the stable stock into her bags. "Best we get goin', yeah? A'fore someone notices yer missin'." Kaitlein nods towards the stable exit.

Amania is a bit surprised to hear about Kaitlein's familiarity with the Zingari leader, dark brows arching subtly as she moves around to check that everything is where it should be on Azra's saddle again. "Yes, let's," she agrees, tucking the scarf back around her face before swinging easily up into onto the runner's back. "Maybe…you can tell me a bit about them along the way." But not before they're a good distance away from Kurkar. She glances back only once, the single regret she has about leaving rising up to nag at her before she shoves that aside as well. There's nothing for her there anymore. Onward into the dark desert she'll fly…and from there, to a new dawn on the other side of the sea of sand that's sprawled between her and the rest of Pern for so long.

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