it became, for me, life or death

Siv Helsi · 01-12-2012, 05:40 PM

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Form	Info Time: Early morning Words: 1072

Salsola, Borgata Colotl

She is wearing the skirt pictured in this image and riding Hildr, for reference.

The final and most daring part of her quest was ready to begin. She had secured the other materials needed; the feathers now washed and dried, the ram skin tanned and awaiting only to be shaped and fashioned against her shoulders. Doing so would not be hard, of course. Siv had an eye for such things and by being able to measure against a living body, her cuts would be flawless. Soft leather allowed for such a thing, though once she added the layers of feathers this would restrict her movements slightly. For what she intended to do, though, it would not be enough to cause discomfort. Ritual was not a thing of fast movements; every step, much like that of this endeavor, was deliberate and thought out.

She left her daughter after feeding her. The girl was almost old enough to begin shifting, and her size was startling to her mother. Siv had assumed that any children she had would have been large in general, but given the sire of the girl, she reasoned that by the time she was finished Draugr would be a massive thing. Perhaps not as tall as her mother, but certainly stockier. Her markings were becoming more pronounced, but much to Siv’s relief, no part of the doggish heritage was clear—one might think the child was touched by her peculiar markings, but Siv herself had unique patterns and saw them clearly mirrored in her daughter…save the light splash on her face and throat.

Still, there was no reason for her to be alarmed. While the girl was aging, she was not terribly outgoing and often kept to herself. Verusha alone seemed comfortable with her quiet nature, and Siv was considering having China spend time with the girl. A mute with her daughter would be hardly a change, though it might encourage both to find ways of communication beyond silent gestures. She snorted bullishly at the thought and went out of the covered entrance to her home.

She had chosen the place because it was open, and because her aim was not to live in a ruin. The scarred man, Miqui, had been a remarkable aid in the construction. He had been the one to introduce the idea of the lattice within the walls, and between the two of them, they had produced remarkable results. The building was circular in shape, and comfortable enough to give both the mother and daughter privacy from one another (if this was needed). Siv had set up a section for her craft work, and a larger, open area for guests. The hole in the roof was small enough to keep the majority of weather out, and served as a flue for the small fireplace. With the ground hard packed below them and covered (for now) in various “scrapped” hides, they were quite cozy despite the frigid wind that slunk through the trees and from the coastline of the bay.

A similar structure bordered her own, in which shelter for her oh-so-lovely mare could be found. When she had realized Salsola’s barn had been hard pressed for space, Siv had decided to house the horse close to her for comfort. The mare did not seem to mind, even with the roughly built pen surrounding it. All of the horses grazed together, off with the sheep, and Siv let Hildr run free every morning unless she was needed. Today was such a day. If she managed to catch a reindeer, she would need the horse to help carry it.

The tack she used was what had come with the mare, though she had quickly scoffed at and destroyed the ratty blanket, replacing it with a leather one dyed the same purple shade she so favored. She carried this over the saddle now, which was held between both hands evenly. At fifty pounds it was not excessive for her—Siv was strong because of her size, despite her lean, willowy frame.

The mare was eagerly waiting for her, having been fed and not allowed to run this morning. She was wise enough to recognize patterns, and snorted at the approaching horse with a shake of the head. While not familiar with the animals as a whole, the fact that Hildr was hardy made Siv’s life easier. While strong willed, she was not green; Siv was terrified of dealing with a horse as wild as the one she had caught Salvia training.

Twin raven feathers gleamed against the mare’s mane, a color similar to her own. She and the horse were meant to be, it seemed. Siv pushed her way into the pen and set the saddle onto the fence. Hildr nudged her side, as if demanding to be hurried along. The gesture was not lost on Siv, who brushed her back quickly with one broad hand before throwing on the long purple blanket. With that done, she eased on the saddle and tightened the single strap. The bridle, hanging from the horn, was then looped over Hildr’s head. It had no bit, thus making the entire contraption easier for Siv to both understand and use.

She led Hildr out and found Draugr standing nearby, watching quietly. Siv wondered if Verusha had noticed, but saw that the coyote woman was lingering near the doorway of the yurt. Please, she trailed over to her daughter.

“I’ll be back before dark,” she promised, bending down to plant a wolfish kiss on the girl’s head.

“Can I have the antlers?”

The dark woman smiled at the question. When Draugr had been teething, she had given her antlers to chew. It seemed she now favored them. “You may, if they are not useable. I will prepare us a meal for tomorrow as well; perhaps you and Verusha can see her daughter for some seasoning.” This question was directed to the slave subtly. While not opposed to the idea of entrapment, Siv was not about to break the cultural rules of her home. She did not see a problem, of course, in having her babysitter spend time with her own daughter.

Though she seemed less thrilled about the idea, the pup nodded and retreated back to the yurt. Siv mounted the feisty mare and headed off at a trot. She followed a winding trail towards the central area of the packlands, aiming to pick up a better path north and towards the migrating herd that lingered in Drifter Bay.

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