Turpitude Intent

CANA!

It was how the evening at the Fires started for me. For some reason I found great pleasure in bellowing her name across the Harigga. I did so every chance I got .. especially when I had something I wanted to talk to her about.

Today it was something I wanted her .. to talk to me ... about. After using her as a human shield against the dweller .. who Ayguili told me had come clear across the plains to find me ... who did not turn out to be a dweller as much as ... Kaeli's daughter who had come from the city... which is sort of the same thing only with .. potential.

There was some arguing going on as to whether that made her a dweller or not. My opinion is .. it does. Even if her blood is the highest quality of Tuchuk .. which it is not ... but even if it was? She would still need to prove herself to me as a Tribe member. What makes her special? Even all of us .. who had never seen the cities... had to prove ourselves to sit at these Fires. For the last eight years or so she has not been here .. giving to the Tribe ... learning from the Tribe.... being a part of the Tribe. Why should she be granted Tribe status so easily? It did not seem such a hard thing to do .. to prove you were here to contribute. Here to be serious about learning the ways of the Tuchuk as apposed to the ways of the city. To lift high on your hands our traditions and ways and offer them to the Sky. To reach your hand to those around you and validate who they are .. by whom you wish to become. No it did not seem so hard to me .. to put up with the teasing and the ribbing. To show strength and a drive to survive against all odds.

Those that wanted things to be easier for her .. were making her look bad. Give her a chance to stand on her own two feet and answer for her own heart and show what kind of spirit she had within her. If she could not do that .. she should not be here. But from what I could see .. she was handling all the teasing rather well. She would be one to watch. Perhaps there was some Tuchuk in her spirit after all. If so .. I would be one of the first to stand and welcome her as Tribe.

But I digress .. after I used Cana as that human shield I backed away from the First Fires amused as I took a lean against a wagon wheel .. though my gaze grew serious as I asked her ... how she was.

Now there were several reasons I asked this .. not the least of which was that Ayguili asked me to check on her because he was not so good with talking to women.

huh

And I was?

Ayguili and I were going to have to go a few rounds about that one .. but I actually needed very little push to talk to my friend. The other reasons I could not wrap up in mere words .. they just ... were.

She told me she was a little scared a little concerned .. but she was doing as well as could be expected.

I asked her what she was scared of ..?

She said .. the unknown. Then she said she was worried about him .. she missed him and asked me if that was so wrong?

I told her .. of course not. If it were me I would be out of my mind .. ranting .. raving ... pacing and breaking things. She told me she did those things at night sometimes .. when she was alone.

I asked her what I could do .. to ease things even a little for her. She said being there was a big help .. that she was trying hard to keep her head up and be strong .. to not show her feelings around the others but it had kept her from the fires more than she liked.

I told her .. she had shown no weakness. In fact that was one of those reasons I had not been able to put into words .. and I told her so. I told her also that Ayguili had been concerned. She seemed surprised he had spoken of having thoughts for her well being.

She spoke of some of her worries involving Tug who was barely eight years old. She said turnings ... I said years. We have Year Keepers for a reason .. I give them respect by using the term. Except when talking about myself .. because I did not know the exact time I was born. I only knew approximately how many times my eyes had seen Turia's walls in the distance.

We spoke of the boys. I told Cana that I would help her with Tug and with Also .. the only two she felt there was something missing with. Felt a need for something to be done .. that she could not do. I myself .. felt the closest to Tug and Also anyway ... so it was an easy thing for me to do for her.

We spoke of the raiders .. I told her what I had learned and what I had reported to Ay. I tried to still her fears about them returning and taking one of the children. There were enough dangers around that she did not need to be wondering about spirit like raiders that could take one of ours so easily. But I told her they were gone .. moving fast and swift away from the camp with no sign of wanting to return .. or hang around. It had been my recommendation to Ayguili to lift the restricted movements and I told her so.

And then things got interesting and I began to understand why I was there. She said she could not sleep. That got my attention and I asked her what was keeping her awake .. worry?

.. or what happened when she slept.

She started chewing her lip and told me she dreamt. She told me some of what she was dreaming and I told her I could help with that. I could not help her sleep .. that was for a different Haruspex or a Healer ... but after she got there? That was my .. specialty. She asked me if I could help her fight .. what was there. I told her .. I could. I told her whatever it was did not belong there and it was either there to torment her .. or to warn her. And I would find out which one it was.

She told me she would be grateful .. if she did not get any sleep soon she would not be able to continue to do all the things that she needed to do. That people counted on her to do. I told her it was important .. if this was a warning it was given to her for a reason. There was something that should be done and .. we needed to find out what that was.

She asked me if it was about Ba'atar or the children if I would let her know. I told her of course I would .. I told her I would make a dream catcher for her. I hoped it would be that simple .. if not I might have to go in.

That seemed to unnerve her a little .. I am not surprised. The idea unnerves most people. It should .. dreams are not places for the untrained to go wandering around in.

I told her if it was a message .. it would not be that hard to figure out. A message would not be trying to hide. A warning would be attempting to be heard.

We spoke briefly .. before I left her there at the wagon wheel to head to the stream for some things I would need. I could feel it .. see it all ready. The catcher I would make for her. Only I would not deliver it as I said I would .. I would hide it near .. she could not consciously be aware of where it was. I wanted to trap as much as I could without her even knowing it. Only then .. if I could not work with what I had .... would I try something a little more direct.

Yes .. I knew exactly what I needed and slipped into that turpitude air like a warmed leather glove and it fit perfectly as I strolled towards the stream. This is what I do .. who I am ... what I am good at.

When you need a daemon exterminated? Who better to call on

.. than one of them?