Submission (#3953) Approved

Quest: Resonance - Act 3
Act Type: Support
Word Count: 1182
Adult Elnin Present: Stellalea [ELN475]
Regional Affinity: Ahza
Claiming Regional Affinity for: Rhapsody [ELN2578]
Adventurer Rank Unlock Mini-Requirement: n/a

Just a little further… Rhapsody strained against the angry winds. He could barely see a meter in front of him. The kittom had wrapped his cloak tightly around his mouth and nose to keep the dust out, yet he still felt the grit of sand against his teeth. The haboob had blown in from out of nowhere. He and his companions had no choice but to continue. If his trusty compass was leading him in the right direction, they should arrive at the shelter any minute now.

The kittom paused briefly to make sure his companions were still following close behind him. They had tied ropes around their waists to make sure they didn’t get separated, but who knew how well the knots would hold up in the raging gale? He could just make out a white cloak behind him. As Stellalea approached, he spotted a second bundle of white bunkered down on her back against her leather satchel. Good… Luma was prone to wander, and she could easily get swallowed up in the rapidly shifting sands. Well, given the severity of the conditions, it was much more likely that she would get blown off course. Her mother insisted on carrying most of the duo’s supplies, and the tiny kittom was lightweight.

Sandstorms were not uncommon in this part of Ahza, but they weren’t usually this intense or this sudden.

After what felt like many hours, Rhapsody spotted a familiar skull staring at him from the sand. The smaller cairns that usually marked the path to the shelter had toppled and been lost to the sands. Thankfully, some of the bones were larger and more firmly set into the harsh landscape. The tip of a rib poked out to his left, and a large femur jutted out up ahead, pointing directly to their destination.

The skull of a once gargantuan creature loomed before them. Rhapsody pulled a lever to its left, and the jaws sprang open. As soon as they crossed the threshold, the red, black, and gold kittom pulled a second lever inside and the jaws snapped shut, blocking out the snarling sands. Rhapsody rushed to light the lanterns. The canvas walls were stitched securely around the creature’s ribs. The wind tore at the thick, tightly woven fabric, trying to take the shortest path across the landscape. Thankfully, the walls held against the assault. Rhapsody was relieved that his party made it here in one piece. This structure had weathered many a storm, and he was certain that they were safe at long last.

Stella and Luma brushed the sand out of their hair and fur and gazed around the room in awe. Over the years, it had become a tradition for travelers to leave their signatures and pawprints on the rugged canvas. The shelter was fully furnished, complete with a fully stocked pantry running water. Rhapsody explained that the water was piped in by gravity from a nearby spring. The excess was stored in a large underground cistern. Any water used in the shelter was filtered and directed to the cactus garden outside.

Rhapsody emptied the contents of his satchel on the dining table, brushing the sand onto the cobblestone floor. He would need to sweep up tomorrow. For now, the bedraggled nins needed to worry about food and rest.

The kittom took stock of his provisions. He was growing tired of sardines and dried apricots, so he switched them out with pickled prickly pear cactus pads and a securely sealed jar of cooked beans. Generous nins often donated their excess non-perishable foods to the pantry before heading into Termina. This was a lifesaver to those who packed too light and to those who had tired of their food stocks after eating the same thing for several days.

They couldn’t open the vent hole in the tent due to the storm, so they would need to eat their dinner cold tonight. Rhapsody set the table and spooned out the beans and cactus onto plates. He pulled some cured meats from his food stores and fanned out some slices on top of the beans. He hopped back to the pantry and pulled out a bag of fresh corn tortillas. Rhapsody slid out a few of the rounds and piled them on a plate in the center of the table, then returned the rest of the bundle to the pantry. The tortillas were still soft and pliable. No heating was required!

The three nins ate in silence, listening to the storm slowly die down. Now that he finally had a chance to sit down and relax, Rhapsody could feel his muscles start stiffening up. He would be sore tomorrow. Thick clumps of sand had gathered on his long lashes, threatening to fall into his eyes. His fur felt out of sorts, and he felt a persistent twitch in his side, urging him to scratch himself all over. His companions hadn’t fared any better. Stella’s usually glossy, cascading waves had puffed up into a tangled nest of sandy curls. She yawned and struggled to keep her eyes open. Luma, who was typically cheery and full of energy, was sprawled against the floor, staring off into space. Her purple fur was ragged and filthy.

Before heading off to bed, the three nins took turns rinsing off in the washroom, which was divided from the main room with a large curtain. It wasn’t wise to sleep while that filthy.

Late the next morning, the nins awoke and set off to assess the storm damage. The tent itself had held up well, but it was coated in a layer of sand. Stella grabbed a long-handled broom and beat it against the canvas walls to shake out the dust, sneezing as the cloud settled around her. Luma washed dishes that they had been too tired to clean the night before and swept the floors inside the traveler’s haven.

Rhapsody and Sneak set off to rebuild the cairns that had been displaced in the storm. The nin carefully dug the bones from the sand and set them in piles every few hundred yards. The pomu pulled some longer ribs and femurs from his shadow to give the cairns more support. Rhapsody had no idea where Sneak picked those up, but he was thankful for the help. After what felt like several hours, Sneak retreated to Rhapsody’s shadow and the nin plodded back to the shelter for lunch, his paws sinking deeply into the sand with each step. On the way back, Rhapsody gathered up bright fuchsia fruit that had fallen from the crowns of nearby cacti, thick gloves protecting his toe beans from becoming pincushions. Miraculously, the cacti were still standing tall, having weathered last night’s furious sandstorm.

After their midday meal, the nins continued to tidy up the shelter until it was time for bed yet again. The next morning, they woke up early to continue their journey. They were still at least two days’ walk from Termina. Before they headed out, they each left a paw print on the canvas wall, signed Rhapsody, Stellalea, and Luma.