Kasrjin frowned. Surely that was not correct. There were some very basic principles to finding one's way--following water, tracking shadows cast by the sun, following the stars, and so on. All of these had failed him one way or another for various reasons. The stream had ended in an aquifer, the arboreous canopy made sunlight and shadows inaccurate, and the layout of the stars from this continent was completely foreign.
Then again, he was a stranger to this land. To be lost was to be expected, and it would be foolish to assume that any concepts, much less those related to geography, would remain universal.
The Xaela lowered his weapon further such that the tip hovered just above the soil, attempting to appear less threatening while maintaining a practical posture in case he was required to act. The female appeared to be somewhat less wary, though he could tell that she was still tense and prepared to flee if the situation called for it. Still, the fact that she was even speaking to him, even if it was due to an injury, was fortuitous. Kasrjin felt some small measure of relief, that perhaps he may yet be guided from this obtuse forest.
At the comment made to his appearance, he glanced down briefly. Garments aside, he was sure to be out of place in any settlement. It would likely be best to continue avoiding civilization for now, at least within the realms of practicality. If there was a town nearby, then it was highly likely that the masked assailants that had attacked him had resided there, and undue antagonism would cause aggravating delays.
After several silent moments of breath thought, Kasrjin exhaled and trudged a short distance to pick up the sword harness that had been flung off the blade, and the fur pack he had abandoned. Affixing the harness back to himself, he stared the female in the eye, taking note of the adverse weather that seemed to be approaching unrestrained.
"I require guidance towards snow and mountains." His manner of speech was not unlike the Xaela himself: blunt and to-the-point. Even the way he spoke the words sounded as if iotas of breath had been clipped from the beginning and end so as to be efficient. "Point me in the proper direction and I shall be on my way."
Of course, there was little reason to assume that any directions he received would be correct, but there were a few possibilities in the Au Ra's mind. One is that she would give him a random direction and he would leave, allowing her to depart in peace. Then, he would likely become lost again. The second was that she would be willing to guide him personally, though that held its own host of traps and ambushes, to say nothing of the female's injury.
Tsanai had told him of the concept of bartering services as opposed to physical possessions that that the western continent possessed. Odd as it was, perhaps he could use that.
His eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips attempting to find the right words. "I will offer my body in return," Kasrjin offered, his expression stern and straightfaced. It made sense. It was very likely that this female possessed the perceptive abilities to discern his status as a warrior from both his weapon and his clothing. Thus, if the peoples truly did trade services, then it would only stand to reason that she might wish to utilize his abilities as payment, and that to word the offer in such a straightforward manner meant it would be unlikely that she would misunderstand his intent.
Then again, he was a stranger to this land. To be lost was to be expected, and it would be foolish to assume that any concepts, much less those related to geography, would remain universal.
The Xaela lowered his weapon further such that the tip hovered just above the soil, attempting to appear less threatening while maintaining a practical posture in case he was required to act. The female appeared to be somewhat less wary, though he could tell that she was still tense and prepared to flee if the situation called for it. Still, the fact that she was even speaking to him, even if it was due to an injury, was fortuitous. Kasrjin felt some small measure of relief, that perhaps he may yet be guided from this obtuse forest.
At the comment made to his appearance, he glanced down briefly. Garments aside, he was sure to be out of place in any settlement. It would likely be best to continue avoiding civilization for now, at least within the realms of practicality. If there was a town nearby, then it was highly likely that the masked assailants that had attacked him had resided there, and undue antagonism would cause aggravating delays.
After several silent moments of breath thought, Kasrjin exhaled and trudged a short distance to pick up the sword harness that had been flung off the blade, and the fur pack he had abandoned. Affixing the harness back to himself, he stared the female in the eye, taking note of the adverse weather that seemed to be approaching unrestrained.
"I require guidance towards snow and mountains." His manner of speech was not unlike the Xaela himself: blunt and to-the-point. Even the way he spoke the words sounded as if iotas of breath had been clipped from the beginning and end so as to be efficient. "Point me in the proper direction and I shall be on my way."
Of course, there was little reason to assume that any directions he received would be correct, but there were a few possibilities in the Au Ra's mind. One is that she would give him a random direction and he would leave, allowing her to depart in peace. Then, he would likely become lost again. The second was that she would be willing to guide him personally, though that held its own host of traps and ambushes, to say nothing of the female's injury.
Tsanai had told him of the concept of bartering services as opposed to physical possessions that that the western continent possessed. Odd as it was, perhaps he could use that.
His eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips attempting to find the right words. "I will offer my body in return," Kasrjin offered, his expression stern and straightfaced. It made sense. It was very likely that this female possessed the perceptive abilities to discern his status as a warrior from both his weapon and his clothing. Thus, if the peoples truly did trade services, then it would only stand to reason that she might wish to utilize his abilities as payment, and that to word the offer in such a straightforward manner meant it would be unlikely that she would misunderstand his intent.
