Journey to Nowhere [Private Social]

A soft rain of pink petals descended from the sakura canopy onto the calm flowing river. The sound of rustling leaves and calls of the local avian species so often disturbed the silence of the forest. The warm midday sun was accompanied by a pleasant cool breeze. In the midst of this picturesque scene stood a majestic buck. The creature was large and stood a solid six foot and half. The creature was a mix of browns and pink, its fur reflecting that of the local foliage and canopy. The buck's strong lengthy legs had a brownish bark texture mimicking the roots of the large surrounding trees. The antlers of the mystifying animal grew tall and splayed out like branches of a tree. The antlers were adorned with moss and pink growth that look very much like the petals of the towering trees above.

The lone creature slowly walked to the edge of the river and lowered his head to take a drink from the crystalline flowing waters. It took a long drink from the cool stream quenching its thirst. A sharp pain seared through the side of the creature causing it to let out a surprised and fearful bleat. The buck immediately broke into a sprint yet no matter how fast the creature ran it could not run the pain stabbing pain it felt. With each stride the creature's pace slowed, its breathing became more labored as pain was greeted with fatigue. Eventually the buck stopped from its legs and can no longer go any further. The large animal panted as it lay itself down trying to rest. The creature turned its head to finally see what was causing him that terrible pain. Lodged deep into its flesh and in between its ribs was a large and long arrow. The buck belated weakly as its gaze fell upon the train of crimson it had left behind. It leaned it’s head forward trying to lick its wounds but to no avail, the arrow was out of reach and the wound continued to bleed profusely.

A snap of a tree branch altered the wounded creature. Its ears twitching trying to locate the origin of the sound. Fear gripped the heart of the creature, it desperately tried to stand but its wounded body betrayed him. All the buck could do was wait and see what was coming from the forest. A large hand emerged from the tree followed by an equally large man. The buck looked straight into the golden gaze of a man whose eyes were filled with sympathy. On the other hand of the behemoth of a man, was a heavy hand carved bow that matched the giant's size. The tall man walked with light footsteps approaching the wounded creature. He knelt down and began to pet the creature gently.  With his free hand he reached down to his belt and unsheathed a massive hunting knife. In a swift motion he stabbed the blade into the neck of the creature, severing a major artery to put a swift end to the creature's suffering.

The massive buck continued to stare into the comforting golden eyes of its hunter as it relinquished its final breath. The man knelt beside the slain creature in silence out of respect for the majestic creature. The let out a deep sigh and effortlessly lifted the large animal over his broad shoulders and began making his way north of the forest. Eventually the man came to a sizable open clearing, where a well put together campsite was located. The tall hunter placed his quarry down and went to his tent and retrieved a rolled up leather case. Upon his return he unfurled the case revealing a set of tools that he would use to butcher the buck. He first let the blood out from the creature, and then began cutting into it with great care and precision. The hunter was deliberate in his work taking care that he did not let any part of the animal go to waste. After six hours or so had passed the sun had begun to set, and the once cerulean blue skies were now painted with hues of orange and purples.

The man had already cleaned and prepared the meat, a good portion was in the process of being smoked and turned into jerky, and some of the meat was already in the process of being made into a hearty meal. The lone hunter sat by the fire carefully watching the meat and stew he had made cook. The aroma of spices native and foreign to the area wafted into the air producing a mouth watering smell in the immediate area. The hunter began peeling a pear like fruit with his hunting knife. When he finally spoke after hours of solitude and silence.

“If you are hungry there is plenty of food… the fire is warm… you are welcome to join me…” The man's voice was deep like the sea and coarse like gravel. As a slayer the hunter's senses were far greater than that of most mortals. He had sensed an individual nearby, they seemed to bear no hostility. The hunter had run into many weary and lost travelers, he would always do his best to lend them aid be it in the form of supplies, food, or directions. He also had experienced selfish individuals who only sought to rob him from his items. The quiet behemoth of a man was curious what the stranger would do. Would they choose peace and a warm meal, or would they choose the latter…

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Post WC: 932
Rowan's TWC: 932

The lingering presence nearby did not seem to possess senses as sharp as the hunter's. Perhaps she had them but just chose not to use them. With Kanna, it was always hard to tell what she was actually capable of. Did the strength and violence of a true Sinnite, especially one mixed with Alpha blood, run in her veins and muscles ignored, or had she simply escaped the hellscape without ever compromising her values? Whether it was true or not, she preferred that people think the latter. Kanna was nothing like her prideful people and their thirst for power. The only thing she wanted to do with power was increase her healing abilities so she could do more good.

What she was, though, was hungry.

There were times when the horned young woman snuck away from her new guild to enjoy some solitude for hours and days at a time. Looking for a found family was stressful sometimes, and being from such a sparsely populated country, she was not yet used to crowds or constant companionship. The guild hall was noisy. It was days like today when no one had done anything wrong, but she felt her anxiety surge anyway and needed to get away and recharge.

One of her favorite places to go was to the nearby town of Sakuramori. The first time she'd wandered through the forest, she'd been in search of Luminous Rose's guild hall. It'd been quite the experience! Most that had her experience would probably never come back, but while she was as gentle as a kitten, she didn't scare easily. After the environment she'd grown up in, the only thing scary about Sakuramori was how different and beautiful it was from home. And maybe the spirits. Those had kinda freaked her out. Spirits aside, it was the exotic beauty and lack of people that drew her back again and again.

Kanna was on her way out to head home when she'd smelled cooking meat. Even though she'd already been meditating for too long and entirely lost track of time, the freedom in Fiore afforded her the luxury to still not feel too much pressure to rush back. She could check out the smell. Maybe she could barter for a piece and have a full stomach for the trip back.

When he spoke to her, she was barely in auditory range. However, she still heard him and immediately recognized the depth of that gravel. Though they'd traveled from Sin together, she hadn't heard it since reaching Fiore. "Rowan?" she asked, her voice too soft to carry, but he probably heard it anyway. Short but shapely legs carried the petite girl quickly into the campsite, where she was indeed met with the sight of her lumbering friend! In the light of the fire, she looked a bit of a mess, like a child of the forest. There were twigs and petals tangled here and there in her cornflower hair, and her white dress was dingy from sitting on the ground and wandering through bushes. Still, her pleasant face became even more pleasant with a bright smile and excited eyes. "It is you!" she spoke in their native Dravni tongue, thinking not a second longer before throwing herself at him for a hug.

[wc: 546]

Rowan raised his eyebrows in surprise to the familiar face and voice that came scampering to him. He recognized the blue hair and cute horns that adorned the small head of the young woman that threw herself upon his mountain of a body. Still being unfamiliar with the custom of affection, the mountain man grunted softly as he awkwardly returned the embrace. Despite being essentially seven feet of pure muscle, the older man was gentle and as warm as the fire that crackled beside the two. His words eventually left his lips producing a deep tone. "Kanna. It is good to see you." Rowan said softly in a stoic voice. Many would assume that the giant spoke with no care, but in reality he meant what he said. The old man was simply conditioned to be cold and harsh, and was trying his his best to sound as enthusiastic as he can be.

Rowan picked up Kanna and set her down beside him, as he would use his massive bear like hands to gently pluck the leaves and twigs stuck in her hair. He would reach in his coat pocket and produce a clean brush he had just purchased in his travels. He would show Kanna the brush and she would allow him, would then begin to comb Kanna's hair gently like a father would for his daughter. "It is very nice to see you again.... and what are you doing out here?" Rowan inquired as he put down the brush and went over to his pack to take out two hand carved wooden bowls along with matching hand carved wooden spoons. He loaded one of the bowls with the hearty steaming stew, making sure to put the most delicious of cuts of meat in it. He then would take out a loaf of bread and tear a large piece and placed it in the soup before handing it to his small companion. He then would begin to serve himself before speaking up once again. "Eat. There is plenty for you and I." Rowan stated, he wasn't sure what to say or do. He was not exactly a man of many words nor was he adept in showing affection.

He would eventually seat himself beside Kanna on a log, the would would groan at the weight of pounds of muscle as Rowan settled down beside his former traveling companion. "You look good. You look even more happy." Rowan said bluntly, the man struggled to find the right words, clearly he wanted to catch up with the girl he just simply didn't know how. It was similar to how a father would stumble on his words trying to converse with his teenage daughter. To an outsider the sight might haven even looked comical.

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WC: 462 words

Kanna was a stranger to fatherly affection, since hers had been an overbearing ascendant being of pure violence and Sinnites simply weren't known for affection of any sort, but she imagined this might be what it was like. Others doing things for her was unfamiliar as well, but the warmth she felt by the simple action of him brushing her hair kept her from refusing. Frankly, she enjoyed it and allowed herself a moment of peace with her former traveling companion.

"I'm out here because this is the interesting forest south of-- Oh! Right!" Kanna interrupted herself, realizing his question jogged some good news loose. "I found a guild, Rowan! It's perfect and just north of here. It's called Luminous Rose and the people there are really nice and helpful," she told him excitedly. "I come down here sometimes just to explore and take a break from work and people, so that's why I was wandering around Sakuramori."

Her hands took the rustic bowl of stew, but her mind was no longer as focused on food as it had been earlier. That didn't stop her from eating, though. "I am happier, I think. I didn't know the world could be like this outside of home. The people and places are so different, but even though I make mistakes all the time, everything is going okay. There are some days that I don't even think of mom until I lay down to sleep," Kanna continued between hearty bites, referencing her murdered mother and the catalyst for her decision to flee their harsh, violent country. "People think it's weird that I refuse to fight, but having a healer is starting to grow on them."

Rowan might not be much of a talker, but if Kanna noticed anything awkward, she didn't let on. Instead, she chattered away while nibbling on her chunk of bread, brimming with excitement to catch up with her friend. "Hey, have you thought of joining a guild? Why don't you stop by sometime? You might like it there, too, and I'd love to have you around more."

[wc: 348 || total: 2288]