Jasmine
05-17-11, 09:58 PM
((SOLO. Zerith used with permission.))
Jasmine hitched Siela up on her hips as she led the way across a grassy field. Zerith walked beside her carrying his halberd (as usual) and a small pack with a few provisions and gifts from the city. The sun shone above them in a clear sky which made Jasmine very glad; they would need all the light they could get in a few minutes.
Before them stood a veritable wall of massive trees with vines of varying thickness hanging from the branches. Here at the edge you could see just how far the trees reached toward the sky. Bright green leaves shimmered in the very tops as a light breeze blew past them. A few feet into the vastness it became noticeable darker as the branches met overhead though not so dark as to need a torch. Neither adult spoke as they entered the Nadai Jungle.
As quiet and unobtrusive as they had tried to be, the family did not escape notice. Several pairs of eyes watched as Jasmine’s feet confidently moved toward the village that had been her saving grace years ago. Jasmine was immediately recognized, but the man with her caused great suspicion. Though he had made no threatening moves of any kind, they were still wary of the stranger.
We’re almost there, love. Jasmine said telepathically. We will probably be stopped and questioned any minute now. You remember what I told you?
Yes, Dear, Zerith responded as he rolled his eyes. She’d only told him around a hundred times. Don’t argue with them. Let them have my weapon if they ask. And, finally, let you do all the talking.
She smiled and linked her free arm through his. Siela, now around 10 months old, had fallen asleep shortly after they left the last village. This was yet another thing that made Jasmine glad. She had no desire for Siela to get scared in the jungle and for her cries to draw unwanted attention.
The young mother’s eyes darted back and forth as they walked through the jungle. Though they would not be going very far into the jungle depths, there were still many dangers. There were five different tribes within the Nadai Jungle; and while each had its own general territory, it was not unheard of for hunter to be found far from their “home” territory. Furthermore, not all the tribes got along or were at all forgiving of finding strangers in “their” jungle.
About an hour into the jungle they came to a clearing about 50 yards in diameter with a large boulder sitting in the middle of it. Jasmine walked up to the waist high stone and leaned against it. Zerith joing her though he did not relax as Jasmine was doing. In fact the clearing seemed to make him more nervous.
“Relax, love,” she told him reassuringly, “There’s a reason this clearing is so wide. It’s one fo the few areas in the jungle that is recognized as a safe area by all the tribes. No one, no matter what the circumstances, may be harmed as long they remain in this clearing. Our escort should be here soon. I’d be extremely surprised if we managed to get this far unnoticed.”
“You know us too well, Jasmine.”
Jasmine hitched Siela up on her hips as she led the way across a grassy field. Zerith walked beside her carrying his halberd (as usual) and a small pack with a few provisions and gifts from the city. The sun shone above them in a clear sky which made Jasmine very glad; they would need all the light they could get in a few minutes.
Before them stood a veritable wall of massive trees with vines of varying thickness hanging from the branches. Here at the edge you could see just how far the trees reached toward the sky. Bright green leaves shimmered in the very tops as a light breeze blew past them. A few feet into the vastness it became noticeable darker as the branches met overhead though not so dark as to need a torch. Neither adult spoke as they entered the Nadai Jungle.
As quiet and unobtrusive as they had tried to be, the family did not escape notice. Several pairs of eyes watched as Jasmine’s feet confidently moved toward the village that had been her saving grace years ago. Jasmine was immediately recognized, but the man with her caused great suspicion. Though he had made no threatening moves of any kind, they were still wary of the stranger.
We’re almost there, love. Jasmine said telepathically. We will probably be stopped and questioned any minute now. You remember what I told you?
Yes, Dear, Zerith responded as he rolled his eyes. She’d only told him around a hundred times. Don’t argue with them. Let them have my weapon if they ask. And, finally, let you do all the talking.
She smiled and linked her free arm through his. Siela, now around 10 months old, had fallen asleep shortly after they left the last village. This was yet another thing that made Jasmine glad. She had no desire for Siela to get scared in the jungle and for her cries to draw unwanted attention.
The young mother’s eyes darted back and forth as they walked through the jungle. Though they would not be going very far into the jungle depths, there were still many dangers. There were five different tribes within the Nadai Jungle; and while each had its own general territory, it was not unheard of for hunter to be found far from their “home” territory. Furthermore, not all the tribes got along or were at all forgiving of finding strangers in “their” jungle.
About an hour into the jungle they came to a clearing about 50 yards in diameter with a large boulder sitting in the middle of it. Jasmine walked up to the waist high stone and leaned against it. Zerith joing her though he did not relax as Jasmine was doing. In fact the clearing seemed to make him more nervous.
“Relax, love,” she told him reassuringly, “There’s a reason this clearing is so wide. It’s one fo the few areas in the jungle that is recognized as a safe area by all the tribes. No one, no matter what the circumstances, may be harmed as long they remain in this clearing. Our escort should be here soon. I’d be extremely surprised if we managed to get this far unnoticed.”
“You know us too well, Jasmine.”