Submission (#3934) Approved

Word count: 1,082
Region: Faerindell
Elnin resonance is for: Zinnia
Other elnin: Kai and Nolatari
Mini requirement: Include an adult in the act

Nolatari teaches Zinnia and Kai how to tend and refill a cairn as they travel through Faerindell and why it is important to keep them stocked so that the impact of travelers is lessened on the lands around them.

     "You can identify a cairn by the pattern of stones here."  Nolatari moved a few stones carefully to reveal the dried rations and small pile of folded cloth stored there.  "These are dotted all around the main travel paths between the regions and are regularly stocked back up by the local populace.  Do you remember the one we keep care of near our home in Silveil?" 

     Zinnia nodded as Kai looked on.  "Yes, you have us give the stones a new coat of paint every few months so they are recognizable."  They enjoyed painting them to look like different types of mushrooms and they were often stacked in such a way to mark distances between cairns as well as mark out the storage locations.  "But why do they not paint them in Faerindell?"

     Covering up the cairn carefully with the same stones, Nolatari chuckled as she gestured toward the sakura-laden trees that surrounded them.  "Because Faerindell prefers the natural beauty of their stones and flowers.  Most of the times caerns are used to provide for travelers as they move through so that they don’t take too much from the land around them.  Keeping a well stocked caern means they don’t have to go looking for wood or food in an area that might have already been picked clean by earlier people moving through.  They are also designed to suit the area they are built in, like Faerindell and their natural, rounded stones.  There are some other regions that use crystals and glass rocks to mark their cairns, and I have heard that in some places of Azha they use bones as markers."  She heard the audible gasp come from Kai and turned to her son.  "Don't worry, these are scavenged bones that have been scoured by the desert winds and bleached by the sun."

     "I bet Ealei or Palu'au use shells for their cairns" mused Zinnia as they continued the thought.  "I wonder what Kyendi uses then?" 

     “Probably artifacts?”  Kai volunteered in a small voice.  “They could be all glowy and stuff like when we put the luminescent paint on the deava scares.   He looked at the fairy shrouds that hung from the branches above them and ran a paw through them before noticing something red in the near distance. 

     “Ooooh! That would look so cool at night I bet!”  Zinnia danced around their mother  “Mum! Can we go to Kyendi one day?  It’s not that far from here isn’t it?!”

     Nolatari chuckled again.  “We are in Faerindell my dear, it’s still quite a ways away.”  She looked around, pointing out the many flowers and blossoms that were growing both from the ground and within the tree leaves before pointing out the way they were headed.  “In fact, we would have to pass through Silveil to get to Kyendi and I'd much prefer to stay at home for a bit before we go out on another adventure don't you think?"  The family of five were on their way back from Bellmoril where they had a successful visit with friends and Saoirse had found a potential apprenticeship.  It was early morning and they were just breaking camp for the day so Saoirse and Donaar were still asleep while Zinnia and Kai had agreed to help her replenish the cairn after using it overnight.  Nolatari turned to head back to the campsite, looping a strand of lilacs a little higher up a branch so it wouldn't hang down too low over the path and get damaged by a passer-by.

     Zinnia had already gathered some new branches and sticks and was bundling them together with a short length of rope.  "I didn't mean go immediately, I just would like to see the floating islands you told us about. I can't even imagine what they might look like, all floating in the air..."  They pulled down some of the fairy shrouds that were covering the pathway and wrapped them around the stick bundle to make it look pretty and then stacked it near the cairn.  "There, new firewood for the next travelers. What else should we add into the pile?" 

     Wandering up with a small, fabric wrapped bundle, Kai handed it off to Zinnia.  "I found some nuts and berries in the bushes over there.  Some acorns and gooseberries that will keep for at least a few weeks."  He had also found some bright red strawberries but those were not added to the bundle, the evidence of them was on his paws and the corner of his mouth.  "Do you want to add them to the cairn or shall I?"

     "I will!"  Zinnia had almost wanted to complain about the tell-tale red stains they noticed on their brother but then spotted the other small bundle he had hanging from his belt and stifled it.  Kia was always the type to share what he found so they considered it more prudent to stay quiet for now so that the split could be two-ways and not four.  "As long as I put them back in the right place , can I fill up the cairn Mamma?"  They held the bundle carefully with one hand and picked up the top stone with the other, looking towards Nolatari with questioning eyes.

     The dark elnin nodded,  "Yes, you can fill it up and we'll see how well you remember the order I showed you."  She was confident that Zinnia would remember which stone went where; the pattern of naturally coloured stones had formed a flower shape which was pretty recognizable.  She would just check the positioning after to make sure the cairn would be watertight before they left.  "I'm going to finish off cleaning up the camp and getting your siblings ready for travel."  Nol had noticed the other two were starting to rouse and wandered off to roll them up into helping clean up the campsite.

     Zinnia laid out the stones as they went and carefully placed the rolled up package inside the deep hole, adding in the bundle of sticks, a flint and tinder set that had been also wrapped up in some waterproof material, and some other travel rations which they had not needed but checked to make sure they were still good.  Then they carefully placed each stone back in order, humming a little song.  They sat back and admired their handiwork before looking towards the forest path full of colour from the fairy shrouds and other flowers.  The fragrant breeze that floated through the rolling farmland carried with it the promise of sweet breads and pies for lunch when they got to the closer village.  Zinnia knew that beyond the village would be just a few more adventures before finally arriving back in the shadowy Silveil they called home.  They planned on making the most of the next leg of travel but was also looking forward to sharing their adventures with friends and family.  That was the whole point of going on adventures in the first place!