Sounsyy had to move quickly to keep pace with the Au Ra on their journey to the stables. His legs alone nearly reaching her chest. Her boots shuffled quickly across the slick, powdered cobbles to not get left behind, not that she couldn't have found the stables on her own, but she had a nagging feeling that the Xaela valued his intended schedule and would likely leave her behind if given the opportunity.
She recalled their previous, brief introduction in the Coerthan wastes. He was matter of fact, infuriatingly so, and he was devoid of Eorzean social niceties. The latter bit didn't truly bother the captain, she did understand that he was not Eorzean after all, but she added it to her list of silent grievances as they moved in silence towards their chocobos.
Once there, the captain wandered over to the stable fence and climbed atop it to sit with her legs dangling off one side while she waited. She passed furtive glances at her Auri companion from time to time in between patient stares at the Elezen chocokeep's balding head. She felt very out of place, perched on the fence. She imagined the Xaela might have felt similarly, perhaps even Roen did as well. A trio of foreigners traipsing across the waste in the pursuit of who-really-knew-what. She regarded her stoic companion again. He had neglected to expound upon his own reasons for traveling to Dravania. Not that it was really any of her business.
The Miqo'te let out a puff of steam from her nostrils into the chilly air. Her sharp green eyes following the tendrils until the dissipated into the wind and the Elezen's bald spot once more absorbed her attention. This silence was too much. It would be a long road.
"Do they have winters like this in the Steppes-?" She started to ask the question aloud, but she trailed off as the chocokeep brought forward two birds. Her awkward query forgotten, Sounsyy hopped off the fence and greeted her rental chocobo with a scrutinizing eye, but a gentle hand through its warm feathery coat. It gave an indignant "Warrk!" in response and the captain narrowed her eyes at the thing.
She began checking the chocobo's harness, keeping an eye on the beast. It appeared to be an older rouncey, with a pale yellow beak and bland feathers. It was much too large for her to mount properly, given her own stature. It likely once belonged to some Elezen knight, but now was reduced to ferrying strange Miqo'te captains out in the cold. The bird's snootiness reflected in its eyes, watching her as she adjusted his straps like some cantankerous old crow.
Sounsyy sighed when she was finished with the bird and divvied out a few more gil pieces for extra feed and essentials for their mounts. She attached these to her bird's saddle and rewarded it with a few leaves pulled from a head of gysahl. The old bird seemed a might more amenable afterwards, so the Miqo'te took it by the reins and led it back down the pathway to Falcon's gate.
She looked about, Khadai was not to be seen. He must've taken his bird already and moved on in search of his secreted stash of provisions he was on about earlier. With a shrug, she fed her bird another torn-off green and bid it follow her without further complaint. To the bird's credit, it only fluffed up its feathers and gave a defeated kweh in protest.
Before long the two were returned to the gate. Roen and Khadai seemed to be idling ahead on the path waiting for Sounsyy to return. She nudged the old bird forward until the two were level with the Hyuran knight errant from the south and the taciturn Xaela from the east. The Xaela indicated in which direction he had hidden his provisions and the trio set off at a steady pace with Khadai at the head.
The Miqo'te observed the path west before them. Where once there had likely been gravel or even cobblestone marking the westward road, now there was just a soft, endless blanket of fresh snow from the day before. The sky was clearing now and they'd likely make good progress until nightfall if they left soon.
"Went ahead and bought spare feed fer yer mounts n' mine. Blankets also, and the like," she said when Khadai finally stopped. Her bird gave a long warble, once more indignant of being reduced to a pack mule. Sounsyy gave it a look. It quieted, returning its pale beak to preening its feathers. The Miqo'te looked to Khadai then, speaking up once more. "Don't like civilization much, Khadai? Can't bring to mind another reason to hide yer provisions out here."
She recalled their previous, brief introduction in the Coerthan wastes. He was matter of fact, infuriatingly so, and he was devoid of Eorzean social niceties. The latter bit didn't truly bother the captain, she did understand that he was not Eorzean after all, but she added it to her list of silent grievances as they moved in silence towards their chocobos.
Once there, the captain wandered over to the stable fence and climbed atop it to sit with her legs dangling off one side while she waited. She passed furtive glances at her Auri companion from time to time in between patient stares at the Elezen chocokeep's balding head. She felt very out of place, perched on the fence. She imagined the Xaela might have felt similarly, perhaps even Roen did as well. A trio of foreigners traipsing across the waste in the pursuit of who-really-knew-what. She regarded her stoic companion again. He had neglected to expound upon his own reasons for traveling to Dravania. Not that it was really any of her business.
The Miqo'te let out a puff of steam from her nostrils into the chilly air. Her sharp green eyes following the tendrils until the dissipated into the wind and the Elezen's bald spot once more absorbed her attention. This silence was too much. It would be a long road.
"Do they have winters like this in the Steppes-?" She started to ask the question aloud, but she trailed off as the chocokeep brought forward two birds. Her awkward query forgotten, Sounsyy hopped off the fence and greeted her rental chocobo with a scrutinizing eye, but a gentle hand through its warm feathery coat. It gave an indignant "Warrk!" in response and the captain narrowed her eyes at the thing.
She began checking the chocobo's harness, keeping an eye on the beast. It appeared to be an older rouncey, with a pale yellow beak and bland feathers. It was much too large for her to mount properly, given her own stature. It likely once belonged to some Elezen knight, but now was reduced to ferrying strange Miqo'te captains out in the cold. The bird's snootiness reflected in its eyes, watching her as she adjusted his straps like some cantankerous old crow.
Sounsyy sighed when she was finished with the bird and divvied out a few more gil pieces for extra feed and essentials for their mounts. She attached these to her bird's saddle and rewarded it with a few leaves pulled from a head of gysahl. The old bird seemed a might more amenable afterwards, so the Miqo'te took it by the reins and led it back down the pathway to Falcon's gate.
She looked about, Khadai was not to be seen. He must've taken his bird already and moved on in search of his secreted stash of provisions he was on about earlier. With a shrug, she fed her bird another torn-off green and bid it follow her without further complaint. To the bird's credit, it only fluffed up its feathers and gave a defeated kweh in protest.
Before long the two were returned to the gate. Roen and Khadai seemed to be idling ahead on the path waiting for Sounsyy to return. She nudged the old bird forward until the two were level with the Hyuran knight errant from the south and the taciturn Xaela from the east. The Xaela indicated in which direction he had hidden his provisions and the trio set off at a steady pace with Khadai at the head.
The Miqo'te observed the path west before them. Where once there had likely been gravel or even cobblestone marking the westward road, now there was just a soft, endless blanket of fresh snow from the day before. The sky was clearing now and they'd likely make good progress until nightfall if they left soon.
"Went ahead and bought spare feed fer yer mounts n' mine. Blankets also, and the like," she said when Khadai finally stopped. Her bird gave a long warble, once more indignant of being reduced to a pack mule. Sounsyy gave it a look. It quieted, returning its pale beak to preening its feathers. The Miqo'te looked to Khadai then, speaking up once more. "Don't like civilization much, Khadai? Can't bring to mind another reason to hide yer provisions out here."
