Kailia

13 year old K'ailia was having a game of hide and seek from her mother again. This time to avoid a much needed bath as the young miqo'te had fell into the chocobo pen but a half hour ago. As she ran through camp she slid to a halt, falling on her bottom in front of K'mana. She smiled, "Welcome back sissy!"

K'ailia smiled to her mother, "Nothin' needs to change ma. I am still me." The Unicorn bowed its head to the two and trotted away. But the chocobo remained because the carcass was still attached to the harness. "But I wont stop learnin'. I know there be stuff I still need ta learn.", Kailia smiled before heading with her mother back to their tent.

The unicorn bolted forward and blocked K'luha, as if saying 'nope you should be here'. K'ailia looked to her mother and smiled, "Ma, why you leaving? I would love to have ya here." she said with excitement. K'ailia then looked back to the elders. "I thank you for setting me on this path. Though I still feel strongly about the future of this tribe." With that she turned and ran to her mother giving her a big hug.

K'ailia stepped before K'jhanhi and knelt down, "I present to you proof of my hunt. This beast will trouble our hunters no more." The Unicorn clopped its hoof in the ground while Lily, the chocobo did the whole chocobo teats and wing flaps in celebration. K'ailia looked back up at K'jhanhi, "Will you have me prove myself more? I will meet any challenge you wish to bestow upon me."

Here's mine!

A little fun on the beach in the new bikini!

K'ailia nodded and stood to her feet and gave a bow before heading out of the tent. The moment of her ultimate test was now at hand. She proceeded back to her rock, where she climbed to the top and sat listening to the wind. She let the scents of the desert fill her nose. Turning her head she continued focusing on the wind, trying to find the quarry she sought. It was then the blood of her sisters and brothers mixed with that of a Sundrake alerted her. It was a ways out, but still close to the hunting grounds. She rose to her feet and lept down from the rock, proceeding to the edge of camp. Outside the camp, she let forth two sharp whistles. From the distance, two beasts strolled over to K'ailia, the first being a female chocobo she named Lily, a chocobo she had earned while in Gridania. The second, was a beast she had healed in the black shroud that not even her mother knew about. A gorgeous white unicorn. She climbed upon the unicorn's back and the three set out towards where she last sensed her quarry. It was some distance away, but over one rather tall sand dune, she soon found the Sundrake. It looked starved, and yet much larger than most sundrakes. The hunt was now on. She climbed off of the unicorn and creped around the sand dune to place herself behind the Sundrake. Focusing on the creature's back, she began calling upon earth which lifted a sizable chunk of rock from the ground beside her and with a flick of her arm, the boulder sailed through the air striking the beast in the kneecap with an audible crack of bone. She then whispered to the earth that created a torrent of wind around the Sundrake that began making tiny cuts along its scales as it turned and started limping towards her. The chocobo though was on it, grabbing the beasts tail holding it while she channeled earth again, this time making several pillars of earth rise up under the sundrake and slam together before shattering into sand, causing great injury to the beasts remaining three limbs. It flicked its tail sending the chocobo into the sand dune as it continued trying to drag itself towards K'ailia, with drool dripping from its maws. K'ailia quickly backed away and channeled another stone, sending it towards the beasts head. The beast reared its head in agony, as she cast Stone II upon it's body followed by another Aero spell. The creature flailed and thrashed under the magical assault. The time was now to end the creature's suffering. With one final cast of stone upon the beasts crown, the skull gave in and the creature moved no more. K'ailia fell back onto her bottom panting. She then whispered her thanks to the elements of Earth and Wind, for their assistance before rising to her feet once more. The elders bade she not return without assurance the beast would cause no more harm to her brothers and sisters. She smiled, there was proof right before her, and the beast though starved it was, would help feed the tribe. Pulling some spare rope out from Lily's saddle, she fashioned a makeshift rope harness around the chocobo, and the fallen Sundrake. But not before ensuring the creature wasn't merely unconcious, she used a knife she got from the leatherworkers guild to cut the throat of the drake. She let it bleed out while she tied the beast to the chocobo and then mounted the Unicorn. Normally many hunters would be assisting in carrying the carcass back. But she did not have that luxury. ------------------------------------ After several hours travel, K'ailia finally arrived back at the camp, riding into camp on the unicorn, the chocobo dragging the Sundrake behind it, they went to the center of camp. "Brothers! Sisters! I present to you the Sundrake that had injured our hunters on the last hunt!" And with that, she climbed down from the Unicorn, and began untying the drake for inspection by the elders.

K'ailia bowed her head, "I meant no disrespect elder. I worry about my brothers and sisters. I worry about how we can sustain ourselves." She then looked up at K'jhanhi, "I am not suggesting we leave the desert. And I know I still must prove myself." She then looked to K'deiki, "Yes, the rest of the world has been heavily hurt by the calamity. And I do not like the idea of leaving the Sagolii myself. With your permission, I will set out now to hunt the Sundrake that had nearly destroyed our hunters." She bowed her head once more, awaiting the elders commands.

K'ailia stepped further in, taking a seat before the elders and collected herself before speaking. "I had a chance now to look at the camp, and how it seemed to of changed. The winds and Earth speak to me..." she paused a moment to let it sink in. Finally she looked at each elder, "Years ago, this tribe traveled to areas when food became scarce. But now... from what I have seen, everywhere is drying up. Even the very beasts we hunt are starved and looking to other sources for food... mostly us. What's more the Amalj'aa have increased their activities in these lands. The winds speak that they are summoning their primal..." Another pause before closing her eyes a moment and then opening them, "Elders... I think it is time the tribe moved to newer hunting grounds... the lands north of the Sagolii hold much vegetation..."

K'ailia approached the entrance of the council tent and took a deep breath before entering the tent. She looked about at the decorations. "Elders, are you busy? I wish to speak of the tribe." she said in a low voice so only those in the tent would hear.

K'ailia scoffed as the hunter jumped down and headed for the tents. It dawned on her then, that was why the elder sent her to learn from Gridania. The tribe lacked the skills needed in the post-calamity world. So K'ailia leapt down from the rock and headed towards the supply areas. She would look to see what the tribe needed the most. To her dismay, the tribe truly was suffering. What used to be a tent filled with many carcasses of prey, only two were strung out, still being processed as the workers cut the portions smaller than how they used to. The water of course was dangerously low. K'ailia shook her head. Had the supplies always been this low since she left? She left the supply tent heading to the tent used by all the elders when they held council. She needed information.

K'ailia relaxed upon seeing the hunter. She turned then back towards the sun, "Azeyma never sleeps. She merely goes to shine elsewhere till she finds her way back here." She then turned to the hunter, "I take it the time for the hunt is at hand? What is it we shall be hunting this day?"

K'ailia bolted to her feet and focused now on wend, trying to catch the scent of what was moving up the rock.

K'ailia nodded and stood. She took it to mean she had some free time till then. "Understood elder. I promise to do my best." she said before giving a bow and heading off to the side of camp she most enjoyed before she left. She went to her favorite rock formation and climbed up onto them. It had been some time since she climbed. Even she realized something was different. For now, she sat upon the rocks and looked out at the desert. Something was still bothering her. And she had a bit before she had to go out on a new hunt. She closed her eyes and focused her mind, trying to reach out to whatever it was that bothered her. She listened to the elements. Earth, air, and even the faintest of water. Something was not right within the desert. What, she could not tell yet.

K'ailia finished healing the last huntress and wiped sweat from her brow as she stood before helping the huntress to her feet. Then it dawned on her. She had completely forgotten about the elder and quickly rushed back to K'deiki. "Sorry I ran ahead like that elder. I just... well I felt I had to move quickly." she said hurridly, before kneeling down preparing for whatever berating was coming.

K'ailia nodded and got up from where she sat. She followed the elder as they made their way through camp to where the huntresses all gathered. The camp seemed abuzz at seeing K'ailia returned, and she seemed to walk with more confidence than she ever had. As they neared the huntresses area, it was clear the hunt had gone bad. Several huntresses were laying on the ground with deep wounds. K'ailia quickly rushed past the elder to the first huntress and looked the wounds over then placing her hands upon her own chest, a brilliant watery light formed around her hands as the cure magic formed and she pressed it into the huntress who's wounds instantly started closing on their own. But K'ailia was not finished. She quickly rushed to the next huntress, repeating the process. It looked like some wild predatory beast had attacked them.

K'ailia smiled as she entered the tent. "Actually I didn't hit the sand... I had hit a huntress in the fanny", she said as she looked about. Upon hearing the request to tell what she had learned, K'ailia took a seat in the elder's sitting area and began her reciting of what she had learned. "The first lesson I learned was of talking to the elements and the elementals. The first element I was introduced to was that of the earth. For it is the earth that nurtures life as it grows. Without it, plants would have nowhere to grow. But it is also unmoving and solid. It is also patient." K'ailia picked up some of the sand from the ground and it began turning into a solid mass, a rock of sand, "It also is effective as a weapon." And like that, the rock returned to sand back to the ground. "The next lesson I learned was of wind. It is the air we breath. It also works over time as a weapon, creating small cuts as it moves. It is how erosion happens. Wind can be a weapon too, but it is a weapon that works over time causing multiple smaller wounds." And around K'ailia, a breeze of wind bows along the ground shifting the sand around her slightly. Finally she looked to the elder. "And the last lesson I learned was of water. It is ever moving. It is what makes life possible. It nurtures and heals. But a lot of water can be destructive in its own ways. It can play a role in erosion too." K'ailia smiled and awaited the elder's next words.

K'ailia nodded, "Yes. My training is complete. I am prepared now for proving myself however you see fit." She bowed her head in honor of the elder before her, and indeed she spoke true. She had learned the three elements that were a conjurer's ally. She was confident she would pass whatever trial the elder would give her now.

K'ailia had arrived back at the tribe camp with her mother about a half hour ago. After setting their things out, K'ailia decided it was time to check in with the elders, or rather, the elder who sent her to Gridania to begin with. Thus she walked through camp, and noticed a few tribe members looking at her as if she was a completely different person. She didn't really feel all that different. Was it her clothes? Did she have something on her face? She didn't really pay it much thought as she saw ahead, the tent of K'deiki, the tribe elder who sent her to become a Conjurer. She stepped up to the tent flap and took a deep breath before saying, "Elder... are you there? I have returned from Gridania."

K'ailia quickly shot her head around to look at the male. "Who're you?", asked K'ailia who was now working her way out of the cloak, upon seeing her mother's irritation, quickly went to a safer area of the tent by their belongings. "You in twouble!", K'ailia said with a sly smile.

K'ailia wagged her tail under the cloak, "Yeah it is!" She reached up and corrected her bandana that had slipped to one side while she was putting the cloak on. "It's cold? Is it like when things are cool at night?", the girl asked, with her tail still swaying under the cloak.

K'ailia took the cloak and slipped it on, and it felt a little big. But she stood there with the cloak draped around herself. "This seems really big... and hot...", she says, "Why do I need such a big hot thing?"

K'ailia walked about the tribes camp. Later this day the wagon would come to take her and her mother to Gridania. She was clearly nervous. This would be the first time she'd ever left the tribe. But it made her feel better knowing that her mother would be coming with her. She continued moving through the camp, looking at the tribal cooking area, where the cooks worked on the evening meal. Looked like the hunters had brought back a large bug corpse. She passed the stable where the chocobo's were kept. Finally she arrived at the tent shared with her mother. She threw back the entry flap and walked in. "Ma, I'm back.", K'ailia announced.

K'ailia instantly relaxed and her tail began swaying with anticipation. She loved her mother's mushroom recipe. "Okay!", it was as if all the event was long past. And the thought of warm cooked goodness was making her start to salivate. She quickly jumped up to ride on her mother's back, back to camp. All was well and will end well with her full tummy!

K'ailia clung to her mother sobbing. It took a few moments for her to calm down, as her tail fur slowly receded. "K'nahli s-said to s-say somethin' about sandworm...", then looked up at her mother, "Then s-she went an p-pulled her arrow out of the cactus and broke it..." K'ailia then pointed in the direction the arrow was buried, before sniffling again, "Then she went and ran away."