A silver-grey canopy of clouds had gradually enveloped the sky in an oppressive gloom as the trio lingered at the base of the hillside. Khadai's gathered provisions were now fully piled onto the saddlebags of the black chocobo who, to the Au Ra's apparent consternation, began warbling and shivering with agitation at the new load.
But despite the apparent struggles between Khadai and his temperamental destrier mount, they seemed to have gotten at least a little more familiar with each other since Roen had seen them last. Perhaps he is growing on Karadwyr too, the paladin mused. Looking around the base of the hill, she also could not help but be impressed at how well Khadai had learned to navigate within the snowy hills of Coerthas. He apparently had hid his stash of supplies in an unmarked area and returned to it without trouble.
Roen wanted to believe that the maps and the compass she had gifted him many moons ago had aided him in learning the landscape.
A quiet warble from Goldwind brought the paladin’s attention back toward the skies. The anxious trill in the back in her bird’s throat echoed the worry that was starting to crease her brows, as the sun that had promised them fair travel was threatening to make its retreat. Beyond the western mountain peaks, Roen could make out a distant gathering of darker, more ominous clouds. While Goldwind was a sturdily-built rouncey--a breed able to withstand some harsh conditions--he had grown accustomed to the warmer and drier climes of Thanalan, and made his dislike of the blizzards here well known to the paladin. She lightly stroked the feathers on Goldwind’s forehead just above the beak to soothe the bird.
“It depends on what condition we find them in and how,†Roen answered Khadai even as she still continued to study the skies. “If they are in need of further assistance and aid, then we should stay and make certain they will be able to wait for the rescue.†The paladin glanced between Captain Mirke and the Au Ra. “We were hired to guide the captain back to her crew. It would do her no good if we just left them to fend for themselves thereafter.â€
The Miqo’te captain’s inexperience under these conditions, along with her lack of knowledge regarding the lay of the land, had been made obvious. Roen was not simply going to trust that getting her to the intended destination would be the end of their job. At least, not until she was certain her and her crew could secure a safe shelter to wait for the rescue to arrive.
A ship's captain and her crew… Roen had only known one other such group of seamen. Were Mirke's men as tight-knit a group who trusted each other as those on the Second Forte? The question made her pause, though she did not quite know if she welcomed the stirring she felt within.
“How many are in your crew?†the paladin asked the Miqo’te, clearing her throat. She could already see the faces that were on the Second Forte in her mind’s eye, and while she only really knew Garalt and Daegsatz, she had at least become familiar with many of the faces there, from young to old. She marveled at how quickly those memories returned to her unbidden, especially in the middle of this frozen wasteland. Roen shook her head deliberately, as if to chase away annoying gnats of memory from her thoughts.
“That is… if all of the scouts returned to the ship safely and none were lost?†She hoped the other two did not hear the forced calm in her voice that seemed obvious to her own ears.
But despite the apparent struggles between Khadai and his temperamental destrier mount, they seemed to have gotten at least a little more familiar with each other since Roen had seen them last. Perhaps he is growing on Karadwyr too, the paladin mused. Looking around the base of the hill, she also could not help but be impressed at how well Khadai had learned to navigate within the snowy hills of Coerthas. He apparently had hid his stash of supplies in an unmarked area and returned to it without trouble.
Roen wanted to believe that the maps and the compass she had gifted him many moons ago had aided him in learning the landscape.
A quiet warble from Goldwind brought the paladin’s attention back toward the skies. The anxious trill in the back in her bird’s throat echoed the worry that was starting to crease her brows, as the sun that had promised them fair travel was threatening to make its retreat. Beyond the western mountain peaks, Roen could make out a distant gathering of darker, more ominous clouds. While Goldwind was a sturdily-built rouncey--a breed able to withstand some harsh conditions--he had grown accustomed to the warmer and drier climes of Thanalan, and made his dislike of the blizzards here well known to the paladin. She lightly stroked the feathers on Goldwind’s forehead just above the beak to soothe the bird.
“It depends on what condition we find them in and how,†Roen answered Khadai even as she still continued to study the skies. “If they are in need of further assistance and aid, then we should stay and make certain they will be able to wait for the rescue.†The paladin glanced between Captain Mirke and the Au Ra. “We were hired to guide the captain back to her crew. It would do her no good if we just left them to fend for themselves thereafter.â€
The Miqo’te captain’s inexperience under these conditions, along with her lack of knowledge regarding the lay of the land, had been made obvious. Roen was not simply going to trust that getting her to the intended destination would be the end of their job. At least, not until she was certain her and her crew could secure a safe shelter to wait for the rescue to arrive.
A ship's captain and her crew… Roen had only known one other such group of seamen. Were Mirke's men as tight-knit a group who trusted each other as those on the Second Forte? The question made her pause, though she did not quite know if she welcomed the stirring she felt within.
“How many are in your crew?†the paladin asked the Miqo’te, clearing her throat. She could already see the faces that were on the Second Forte in her mind’s eye, and while she only really knew Garalt and Daegsatz, she had at least become familiar with many of the faces there, from young to old. She marveled at how quickly those memories returned to her unbidden, especially in the middle of this frozen wasteland. Roen shook her head deliberately, as if to chase away annoying gnats of memory from her thoughts.
“That is… if all of the scouts returned to the ship safely and none were lost?†She hoped the other two did not hear the forced calm in her voice that seemed obvious to her own ears.
