Xenofos — Muddy Road To Paps
????, Storm Season, Season/Disorder Week
Context
Storm Season/Disorder Week/Fireday/After leaving Straw weaver camp [[[s02:session-25|Session 25]]]
Events
As the dust… that is, the mud… of the Bison Clan fades behind them, Berra clumsily steers her bison over towards Xenofos and his noble zebra. It takes her a while, and then when she is there she says nothing at first.
Xenofos nods quietly.
“Heya. How are you? I worried.” She could have been more subtle.
“Patched up. We are even then.” Xenofos smile looks a bit tired.
Berra thinks for a bit. “Yeah, that was close,” she finally says. “We were all lucky.”
“Lucky to ride away from that, yes.” Scholar nods. “Someone said it was the eternal rage of Stormbull.”
“Owwww.” Whether Berra knew that or not she sounds both awed and sympathetic. “Next time, I’ll know not to kill his things.”
“Pardon?” Scribe looks at the Swordswoman.
“I didn’t realise that would be taken as disrespect,” Berra says. “So next time, I’ll just bury them.” There is her usual beat-pause before she adds, “If it comes up again.”
“You killed something belonging to Urox?”
“I think so? I mean, I assume it belonged to Urox. I thought it belonged to the Shaman, so I was sending it off with him.” She has a new scar just visible on her left temple, a dark brown smudge like something bruised her there and the bruise faded into her hair.
“I don’t think any god would take kindly to Humakti separating there belongings and sending them to underworld to Humakt… The Bull may have loud voice to make his opinion heard.”
“To be honest I suspect even Humakt might have been irritated. But anhow, that’s why it turned up, I think. I’d expected it to go on longer, to be honest. I’m really surprised we survived. I mean, not just me. And I’m pretty surprised I did.” Berra looks over towards the newest bisons in the mini herd.
“I was pretty occupied, but I saw you going down and also Tiwr being so badly mauled at some point I am surprised he and Nala are with us. And I would probably not ride today without Valseena either.”
“It hit me pretty fast. I manage to get back up, but I could feel my spirit in my throat.” She looks at him, and grins. “Pretty much a perfect Death, to be honest – fast. But I’m still here, so we get to go on and do our best.”1 Insight: Berra seems to be trying to hold in her awe and pleasure. Humakt touched her. In a good way.
“Perhaps not quite perfect. If it is true that those who fall to that rage join it for all eternity…” Xenofos looks sideways at Berra “Might suit you, but I wish more restful afterlife.”
Berra considers, and says, “Humakt might have had something to say about that. I don’t think I could become a skeleton. But I could have become a ghost, probably.” That does seem to disturb her.
“I am glad you did not get to find out. Or I.” Xenofos says quietly.
Berra nods. “Yeah, you’d have probably hated it. It’s good to have you around. Do you know anything about where we’re going?”
“I am trusting our local people to know how we get to Paps. I hope we skirt Dead place. Holiest place of Eiritha, sacred to all the Tribes.”
“Wait, Dead Place is… oh, you don’t mean that’s the holiest place. Right. Sorry, with you now. And I’ve never even heard of Tourney Altar, so I have no idea what to expect there. But we’re not getting there by tonight, so I … I don’t really have to find out until next week.” Berra shrugs awkwardly.
“Yes I meant Paps.” scribe confirms.
“Mhm.” Berra looks forwards again, and then deftly stands up on Followed’s saddle, balancing easily to look ahead and around. It makes her a little taller than Rajar would have been on Billy. “No danger I can see around. I’m sorry I made faces when I said I wasn’t marrying you.”
“You did? When?” he looks sideways at Berra.
“Oh, we were riding back. Nala asked if I was getting married. I was a bit shocked to be honest. And then she thought that Rajar was going to be killed at the end of his marriage.”
Raised eyebrow. “I know she does not really drink, what drugs is she taking?”
Then he shrugs. “Apology accepted, no offence taken. I am poor husband material anyway.”
“Um, maybe they do that in her Tribe?” Berra looks a bit disturbed. then she shrugs off Xenofos’ words. “I thought you’d overheard. But it was all a surprise.”
” I was kind of concentrating on not dropping off my zebra when we rode back.” he says casually.
“Were… sorry. I should have noticed. I was… alright, I was mostly trying to see if anything was coming in but that was bad of me.”
He waves the notion away. “Nah. I was not even wobbling. And the zebra did the walking.
“You’re a better rider than I am,” says Berra with a smile. “Hey, are your new scars brown too?”
“Most of them, yes. Touch of Eiritha I guess.” He looks a bit bashful when he says that.
“I was wondering. It looks like a tiny bit of bison skin but on me.” She looks down and rubs her thumb along where a blade went through her. “I think I got stamped on, but I can’t remember. But it’s like the opposite of the time Varanis hit me in the face.”
That gets a grunt in reply. Xenofos is scanning the horizon.
Berra peers at him, thoughtfully. Maybe she is wondering if her tact just ran over that way, which is why she cannot find it.
He sighs and continues the ride in silence.
- 1Insight: Berra seems to be trying to hold in her awe and pleasure. Humakt touched her. In a good way.
