Slipstream

[Sjira]

(Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:55 pm)

Something had definitely happened.

They had been gone only a few weeks. Perhaps a month or two? Time was known to get away from those who went on journeys. When travels were had, there were always moments and hours ?.even days lost?where fun was being had.

Panther and s'jira had been in the expansive and very diverse lands of Llothgar where there was everything from the snow capped mountains, the gold-grassed plains, and even the black sanded beaches of Shura Saii. They had met tribes along the way and even had, what they thought, were days just to themselves to enjoy the full spring and entering into summer.

But when they returned?something told them more time had to have passed than they had initially taken for granted. Rains were colder than they should have been. Scents of frost and snow on the wind. But it was RhyDin, afterall. Yes? Was even the weather not to be expected to have an unexpected happening here and there?

It was not until they reached the cottage that something was visibly wrong. The thatch roof was in disrepair. Not from a storm, but from age.

They had stared quite a long time at it, then one another. Perhaps there was another explanation for the pits and holes in the roof. But it was when they finally ventured into the home that they discovered the food that should have kept for a few weeks had gone so bad that it had passed the point of rot and had dried out completely. Green wood that had been cut was cured enough for a good burning by then. Curtains were damaged. Wood shelves and some of the furniture was ruined from being exposed to the weather in areas where the roof had weakened and none had been there to see to the upkeep of it. " 'dar... what is thought...what has happened here...?"

The scent of the home was heavy with a woodsy smell of wood, dirt, leaves, and a wetness from more than dozens of rains.

S'jira had always kept the cottage very clean. Very well kept. It was troubling to see it in such ruin in the areas where the weather had reached it.

Gone,how long? There was no current understanding of what could have happened at that moment, but what the small one did was what was most natural for her to do. There was a mess and it would be seen to. A concerned glance to Panther, she eased the few packs she was carrying down upon the flooring in the kitchen where the damage had not reached.

Already, the small woman was in a brown dress of sturdy material that brushed hems against the tops of light, brown leather boots. She pulled her hair back with a strip of black. ?If it is well with you? there is need to clean some of this.. but the food is not good for the eating. Perhaps after, the inn can be visited, 'dar?"

A heart was worried with what was there. It told a tale of something she could not understand. How long had they been gone? Worried eyes the color of a raven?s wing lowered. At times, it was so much easier to make hands as busy as one could. And to think of things that eased her. Of running the horses along the plains or climbing the trees in the dense jungles to see how high ?jira could go before she was to scared to go any further. Or to dance for him by the bons to the beat of the feral drums. These were far better things to think of!

A sudden chittering set of sound tugged 'jira's gaze towards the mantle where a squirrel was carrying on at the site and presence of them in its new roost. A pile of leave, twigs and more were its nest and bed. The small one blinked to find it there and took in hand her broom to see the creature as gently, but firmly out the nearest of windows or door as she could. It would take a bit of doing, but she started the attempt?

***

After weeks of repairs to the roof and any damages to the inside, the cottage was returning to its previous strength and sturdiness against the elements...if not stronger and better than it had been before.

'jira had missed the home, though she had not minded being in the rooms always kept there at the Red Dragon for Panther and self. There was a certain comfort to know that both were there and at their leisure in case of weariness or the turn of weather.

Though it troubled her still that they had been gone so very long from RhyDin, she had resettled into things as if they had only been gone on that journey for a few month's time. A heart warmed to know that Panther was still close and well within her life, sharing in the worries as well as the joys.

In the barn, even more hay and feed had been brought in for Trygg. She had been there for hours seeing to cleaning up the whole area and then brushing him down from the top of his head to this tail. When it was all done, she put the brushes and other tack away, bid the horse a good night and headed the short distance to the cottage. There were a few things to finish there as well before Panther came home.