Lorielle sat upon the back of a speeding Chocobo porter, her bright eyes straining against the dark. Â The sound of the Chocobo's feet kicking back sand mixed with the whipping wind cause the Elezen woman to reach up and cover her short, pointy ears. Â The mingled swishing sounds did a number on her senses, and she would rather block all of it out while making her way across the desert.
When something spooked the Chocobo, Lorielle was flung off, unable to hold onto it with her already occupied hands. Â She hit the sand on her side, catching herself on her right elbow and left hand. Â The chocobo sprinted off, coating her in a harsh hail of sand before departing. Â She flinched and turned her head away, keeping the sand from her eyes. Â She heard the sound of large bird feet fading out as her ride continued on without her.
She propped herself up slowly, cringing and favoring her right hip.  She had no idea where she was, or how to get to her destination on foot.  She pulled her knees to her chest, throwing her head in her hands and breathing slowly.  Just my luck, she thought to herself.  After a moment or two of sitting and sulking, the small Elezen woman got to her feet.  She reached behind her, grabbing her wooden staff and holding it in her right hand.  She used it as both a walking stick and protection at the ready.
She began to walk, trying her best to follow the indentations left in the sand by the unreliable chocobo porter. Â The moonlight cast against her skin in a hazy glow, bringing out the red quality of her cheeks. Â The light crept behind her eyes, illuminating her aquamarine irises from the inside out. Â Her hair was dark brown, but beneath the moonlight took on silver streaks. Â All of her hair went into a braid, which she had wrapped around the back of her head like a halo. Â It had bits of sand on the right side. Â All in all, the small Elezen felt gritty and quite unhappy.
Several minutes of walking and she was shocked to hear voices.  One was demanding, yelling.  Another sounded just as loud, if not louder, and pleading.  Someone in trouble? Lorielle wondered, readying her staff and moving forward in faster, longer strides.  She pulled herself up and over a sand dune, coming upon a Miqo'te woman with a readied bow aimed at an Elezen in the sand.  A younger Miqo'te was hiding behind her, and a male Miqo'te was approaching with a chocobo.
Bandits? She wondered, her bright eyes narrowing to get a better handle on the situation before assuming anything.  The way one of the Miqo'te was cowering behind the other, she assumed they were startled by the Elezen currently laying on the ground.  Still, she remained uneasy, clutching her staff tightly, and remaining where she stood.
Maybe one of them knew their way out of the desert? Â Surely at least one of them did. Â Now hardly seemed like the time to approach, but she couldn't just stand away from them and watch. Â She moved slowly across the sand, down the dune, approaching the gathering cautiously. Â She made it apparent that she was using her staff as a means of support for her movement down the sand, not as a weapon.
She tried to say something to them, to alert them of her presence. Â She did not want to startle anyone more than they already were. Â She bit her lip, parted her mouth, then closed it again. Â Should she really be getting involved here? Â What if the situation wasn't like she had assumed? Â She pursed her lips, opening her mouth again.
"Pardon me," she called out softly, stopping approximately ten feet away from them. Â She waited to see how they would respond. Â She looked innocent enough, so she hoped. Â She obviously was not from around here, and she was noticeably distraught. Â Perhaps not so much as the Elezen who's life was threatened facedown in the sand.
When something spooked the Chocobo, Lorielle was flung off, unable to hold onto it with her already occupied hands. Â She hit the sand on her side, catching herself on her right elbow and left hand. Â The chocobo sprinted off, coating her in a harsh hail of sand before departing. Â She flinched and turned her head away, keeping the sand from her eyes. Â She heard the sound of large bird feet fading out as her ride continued on without her.
She propped herself up slowly, cringing and favoring her right hip.  She had no idea where she was, or how to get to her destination on foot.  She pulled her knees to her chest, throwing her head in her hands and breathing slowly.  Just my luck, she thought to herself.  After a moment or two of sitting and sulking, the small Elezen woman got to her feet.  She reached behind her, grabbing her wooden staff and holding it in her right hand.  She used it as both a walking stick and protection at the ready.
She began to walk, trying her best to follow the indentations left in the sand by the unreliable chocobo porter. Â The moonlight cast against her skin in a hazy glow, bringing out the red quality of her cheeks. Â The light crept behind her eyes, illuminating her aquamarine irises from the inside out. Â Her hair was dark brown, but beneath the moonlight took on silver streaks. Â All of her hair went into a braid, which she had wrapped around the back of her head like a halo. Â It had bits of sand on the right side. Â All in all, the small Elezen felt gritty and quite unhappy.
Several minutes of walking and she was shocked to hear voices.  One was demanding, yelling.  Another sounded just as loud, if not louder, and pleading.  Someone in trouble? Lorielle wondered, readying her staff and moving forward in faster, longer strides.  She pulled herself up and over a sand dune, coming upon a Miqo'te woman with a readied bow aimed at an Elezen in the sand.  A younger Miqo'te was hiding behind her, and a male Miqo'te was approaching with a chocobo.
Bandits? She wondered, her bright eyes narrowing to get a better handle on the situation before assuming anything.  The way one of the Miqo'te was cowering behind the other, she assumed they were startled by the Elezen currently laying on the ground.  Still, she remained uneasy, clutching her staff tightly, and remaining where she stood.
Maybe one of them knew their way out of the desert? Â Surely at least one of them did. Â Now hardly seemed like the time to approach, but she couldn't just stand away from them and watch. Â She moved slowly across the sand, down the dune, approaching the gathering cautiously. Â She made it apparent that she was using her staff as a means of support for her movement down the sand, not as a weapon.
She tried to say something to them, to alert them of her presence. Â She did not want to startle anyone more than they already were. Â She bit her lip, parted her mouth, then closed it again. Â Should she really be getting involved here? Â What if the situation wasn't like she had assumed? Â She pursed her lips, opening her mouth again.
"Pardon me," she called out softly, stopping approximately ten feet away from them. Â She waited to see how they would respond. Â She looked innocent enough, so she hoped. Â She obviously was not from around here, and she was noticeably distraught. Â Perhaps not so much as the Elezen who's life was threatened facedown in the sand.
