Starfall, Return
The lands of the Southern Thanalan have always been hostile; however, X’cinna Ares lived there for a few moons, as a member of the short-lived Bloody Prints sept. She remembered heading south, per the Nunh’s commands, under the incompetent head of X'yhulud, the sand dodo. Speaking of heads and sand dodos, X’cinna looked into her sack with a large grin on her face.
———————
The trip from Ul’dah to the Sagolii was relatively uneventful, wagon trains are a common occurrence from Ul’dah, past Little Ala Mhigo and towards Forgotten Springs. Her ‘reunion’ with the Drake tribe was tense, but unimpeded; apparently one of their own had returned with a new mate from the Golden Prints Sept. The Drake tribe seemed to have largely moved on; as expected of a tribe that believed in and worshipped the hunt. In addition…
X’cinna spotted a Drake huntress lecturing another woman, while it appears typical, X’cinna’s ears briefly shot up in surprise and she approached the duo. “… U'khenova was five, ten times the huntress you are! To think we lost to you and that other bitch…, you should be glad our Nunh took mercy on your useless hide or I would have taken my time as well! You belong to US now! Your useless legs mayhap more use as fodder, you beast.â€
The Drake huntress moved to continue on, but her ears perked as she detected X’cinna's wholly-casual approach and she turned her head, and frowned deeply, “One of your bitchy sisters came back. Last I recall, they tied all of you up and brought you to be sold off in Ul’dah.†X’cinna bowed per greeting, which seemed to slightly surprise the Drake huntress, “Mighty fine day to meet you, huntress of the Drake.â€
The Drake huntress frowned and proudly sneered, “That’s U'lamana to you, beast.†The other woman just shrugged and looked at X’cinna, “Hello X’cinna.†Cinna looked at the women, with white hair and blue highlights, as well as the remnants of very deep scars across her body; it also appears half of her tail was missing; her previously folded back ears lift up slightly as she addresses Cinna. “I’ve seen you’ve been maintaining a ‘rocky’ relationship with the Drakes, sister,†Cinna states with a smug smirk.
————
The trip to Camp Nowhere was relatively uneventful, an occasional sand worm here and there, no match for the escorts and X’cinna, who came to rather enjoy sandworm meat from her previous visit here. Camp Nowhere remained operational due to the aetherlyte at its core, a cost-cutting method by the Syndicate. A few days away, Rock Falls was still relatively deserted, haunted by the shadows of the past. A congregation of the Order of Nald’thal had set up a small tent in the area, utilizing void-suppressing rituals. The caverns were still in the process of  being surveyed with rumors abound about possible mythril deposits. However, the former void-presence appears to be slowing the surveyors, whom proceed at a snail’s pace escorted by the mages of the Order; at least until the Syndicate moves less safety (and sanity) minded surveyors to the area.
While her presence lifted more than a few eyebrows, most of the original garrison had transferred out back north with the Flame Captain. It took more than a little flirting and social experience she obtained in the city to get the information she desired, but ultimately, she set off for a certain patch of dunes near Camp Nowhere. It was dusk by the time she started digging with the tools she brought from the Ravens dwelling. The freezing desert winds felt refreshing to a huntress born in the snow. After digging, and shifting, a few false leads and the remains of other half-brothers and half-sisters, she finally found her mummified prize. His face was still contorted into a look of surprise, X’cinna did a joyous pose as she looked upon the head of the sand dodo, X'yhulud. Spraying an alchemical chemical she borrowed from the Ravens, this may allow her to bring the head back north without further decay; it was important that the sand dodo kept his expression after all.
———————
As X’cinna went north towards her old home, memories drifted past her mind. She had been this way a few times, towards the so-called Camp Glorious, where the Outsiders had made their footprint in the lands of the Nunh. She sat on a caravan, whom she gained permission to travel with by virtue of being one of the natives of the region, a technical truth. Sitting by her side was a lalafellin woman, which reminded her of that Dederu Deru, a rather fancy looking tiny Outsider… lalafell, whom she served as a adventurer.
The lalafell, Rarani Rani, ranted, “… you think they’ll accept our wares! I mean they say there’s dark steel deposits up here, stuff people down here wait to get. I’m sure your people would love to learn from our smiths and get your hands on good steel! You must be sick of bones and rocks, aren’t you?!†X’cinna nodded, not wholly paying attention to the lalafellin woman. Her tail swirled as she recalled her journey so far, all that she had done, and might continue to do…
She still worshipped the Nunh of the Falling Stars on some level. However, it wasn’t as strong as before. Rather, she had found more interesting things in the world of Outsiders than she expected: shiny things, tasty things, hot things, sweet things and sad things. She has been having ‘fun’, as the Outsiders define the topic, and learned the power of ‘cute’ through Anista, Nikha, Evangeline, and the others. But why does she still return?  She does not have an answer, not yet at least. The caravan finally arrived at sleepy Camp Glorious.
——————
X’cinna entered a tent with her tail puffed high. Sitting there on the other end, with a rather feathery-hat given to him by a opportunistic Ul’dahian, was X’indro Tia. He was reading a book, and two of his shieldbearers were nearby, apparently gossiping over a picture book of last moons’ fashions. “Ah, Cinna my wayward sister! I thought I told you to wait for the Nunh? Or have you returned to oil my chest with your liquor?†He fired a shitty grin at her.
Cinna smirked back, “Nay, I’ve come for a temporary trade. I want to find someone, and in exchange, I have a gift!†She reached into her sack and brought out the sand dodo’s head.  X’indro laughed with a look of childish glee, “This must be what the Outsiders call Starlight!†He bounced up as X’cinna tossed the sand dodo’s head towards him. He catches it and dramatically poses with the head held high.
â€What fortune! It’s been a long time my good X'yhulud! Mayhap the last time we needs part! Iâ€m glad you look as surprised as I!â€
The lands of the Southern Thanalan have always been hostile; however, X’cinna Ares lived there for a few moons, as a member of the short-lived Bloody Prints sept. She remembered heading south, per the Nunh’s commands, under the incompetent head of X'yhulud, the sand dodo. Speaking of heads and sand dodos, X’cinna looked into her sack with a large grin on her face.
———————
The trip from Ul’dah to the Sagolii was relatively uneventful, wagon trains are a common occurrence from Ul’dah, past Little Ala Mhigo and towards Forgotten Springs. Her ‘reunion’ with the Drake tribe was tense, but unimpeded; apparently one of their own had returned with a new mate from the Golden Prints Sept. The Drake tribe seemed to have largely moved on; as expected of a tribe that believed in and worshipped the hunt. In addition…
X’cinna spotted a Drake huntress lecturing another woman, while it appears typical, X’cinna’s ears briefly shot up in surprise and she approached the duo. “… U'khenova was five, ten times the huntress you are! To think we lost to you and that other bitch…, you should be glad our Nunh took mercy on your useless hide or I would have taken my time as well! You belong to US now! Your useless legs mayhap more use as fodder, you beast.â€
The Drake huntress moved to continue on, but her ears perked as she detected X’cinna's wholly-casual approach and she turned her head, and frowned deeply, “One of your bitchy sisters came back. Last I recall, they tied all of you up and brought you to be sold off in Ul’dah.†X’cinna bowed per greeting, which seemed to slightly surprise the Drake huntress, “Mighty fine day to meet you, huntress of the Drake.â€
The Drake huntress frowned and proudly sneered, “That’s U'lamana to you, beast.†The other woman just shrugged and looked at X’cinna, “Hello X’cinna.†Cinna looked at the women, with white hair and blue highlights, as well as the remnants of very deep scars across her body; it also appears half of her tail was missing; her previously folded back ears lift up slightly as she addresses Cinna. “I’ve seen you’ve been maintaining a ‘rocky’ relationship with the Drakes, sister,†Cinna states with a smug smirk.
————
The trip to Camp Nowhere was relatively uneventful, an occasional sand worm here and there, no match for the escorts and X’cinna, who came to rather enjoy sandworm meat from her previous visit here. Camp Nowhere remained operational due to the aetherlyte at its core, a cost-cutting method by the Syndicate. A few days away, Rock Falls was still relatively deserted, haunted by the shadows of the past. A congregation of the Order of Nald’thal had set up a small tent in the area, utilizing void-suppressing rituals. The caverns were still in the process of  being surveyed with rumors abound about possible mythril deposits. However, the former void-presence appears to be slowing the surveyors, whom proceed at a snail’s pace escorted by the mages of the Order; at least until the Syndicate moves less safety (and sanity) minded surveyors to the area.
While her presence lifted more than a few eyebrows, most of the original garrison had transferred out back north with the Flame Captain. It took more than a little flirting and social experience she obtained in the city to get the information she desired, but ultimately, she set off for a certain patch of dunes near Camp Nowhere. It was dusk by the time she started digging with the tools she brought from the Ravens dwelling. The freezing desert winds felt refreshing to a huntress born in the snow. After digging, and shifting, a few false leads and the remains of other half-brothers and half-sisters, she finally found her mummified prize. His face was still contorted into a look of surprise, X’cinna did a joyous pose as she looked upon the head of the sand dodo, X'yhulud. Spraying an alchemical chemical she borrowed from the Ravens, this may allow her to bring the head back north without further decay; it was important that the sand dodo kept his expression after all.
———————
As X’cinna went north towards her old home, memories drifted past her mind. She had been this way a few times, towards the so-called Camp Glorious, where the Outsiders had made their footprint in the lands of the Nunh. She sat on a caravan, whom she gained permission to travel with by virtue of being one of the natives of the region, a technical truth. Sitting by her side was a lalafellin woman, which reminded her of that Dederu Deru, a rather fancy looking tiny Outsider… lalafell, whom she served as a adventurer.
The lalafell, Rarani Rani, ranted, “… you think they’ll accept our wares! I mean they say there’s dark steel deposits up here, stuff people down here wait to get. I’m sure your people would love to learn from our smiths and get your hands on good steel! You must be sick of bones and rocks, aren’t you?!†X’cinna nodded, not wholly paying attention to the lalafellin woman. Her tail swirled as she recalled her journey so far, all that she had done, and might continue to do…
She still worshipped the Nunh of the Falling Stars on some level. However, it wasn’t as strong as before. Rather, she had found more interesting things in the world of Outsiders than she expected: shiny things, tasty things, hot things, sweet things and sad things. She has been having ‘fun’, as the Outsiders define the topic, and learned the power of ‘cute’ through Anista, Nikha, Evangeline, and the others. But why does she still return?  She does not have an answer, not yet at least. The caravan finally arrived at sleepy Camp Glorious.
——————
X’cinna entered a tent with her tail puffed high. Sitting there on the other end, with a rather feathery-hat given to him by a opportunistic Ul’dahian, was X’indro Tia. He was reading a book, and two of his shieldbearers were nearby, apparently gossiping over a picture book of last moons’ fashions. “Ah, Cinna my wayward sister! I thought I told you to wait for the Nunh? Or have you returned to oil my chest with your liquor?†He fired a shitty grin at her.
Cinna smirked back, “Nay, I’ve come for a temporary trade. I want to find someone, and in exchange, I have a gift!†She reached into her sack and brought out the sand dodo’s head.  X’indro laughed with a look of childish glee, “This must be what the Outsiders call Starlight!†He bounced up as X’cinna tossed the sand dodo’s head towards him. He catches it and dramatically poses with the head held high.
â€What fortune! It’s been a long time my good X'yhulud! Mayhap the last time we needs part! Iâ€m glad you look as surprised as I!â€
