Hold on Forever

Meeting

Pyrrhus

Pyrrhus waited outside Gem, sitting tailor-style with his hands palm-up on a rock where Caiden had left him. The Chosen of Journeys assured him someone would be along shortly, and he'd know who it was he was supposed to go with when they arrived. A typically Sidereal answer; short of useful information and long on cryptic phrasing.

The south was merely hot, and very dry, this deep into Descending Air, instead of the burning furnace this direction usually was. Even so, he was glad he'd only worn the lightest of his linen wrapped tunics.

It was edging towards sunset when a mounted man rode up, peering out from under the ubiquitous southern brimmed hat at him. Another horse, a slim grey with a dish face and proudly arched neck, trailed behind on a lead. The man swung down easily and Pyrrhus caught the flash of orichalcum from a sling on his back.

"Reckon you're the fellow I'm meant to round up," the man said in the trade tongue, Riverspeak. "Can't think of any other reason a body with sense would be sittin' out here in the sun."

"I imagine so." Pyrrhus slid down off the rock and answered in the same tongue, surreptitiously stretching the cramps out of his legs by picking up his packs. Mistress' attentions still hadn't faded completely, despite nearly a year passing, and his bones ached. "Are you late, or am I early?"

"Star-blessed leave you here?"

Pyrrhus nodded.

"Then I'm late. Apologies; took longer'n'I thought to get out this way." The man smiled, warmly and genuinely, around a piece of hay he was chewing on. He stuck out a hand. "Name's Caleb, Caleb Raith, of the Dawn."

"V'neef Pyrrhus, Zenith." Pyrrhus exchanged grips with the other Solar, regarding him steadily. Caleb was maybe a few fingers shorter than he was, with a slightly slimmer build but no lack of muscle for it. He didn't look like the usual Southern dusky stock; his paler complexion was only burned tan and his wavy dark brown hair had sun bleached streaks in it, what Pyrrhus could see beneath the hat. Caleb's eyes were honey brown and bright, with plenty of laugh lines crinkling the corners. His grip was firmly confident and he held it just long enough to take Pyr's measure in turn, then let go with a nod and a swish of the heavy canvas longcoat he wore.

"Y' know how to ride?" Caleb asked, untying the grey and offering the reins to him.

"Yes, though it's been awhile." Pyrrhus accepted them and went over to the grey to make friends, petting the horse's suede nose.

"This is Rain. He'll do you right. Got a lotta fire when y'can light it, but he's as lazy as a temple cat." Caleb swung up on his own mount, a buckskin of a heavier build and intelligent dark eyes, holding his reins loosely in one hand. "Mine's Dirt. He'll steal your hat, if ya let him."

"Hello, Rain," Pyrrhus murmured. The grey gelding whuffed into his chest and nudged him, hard, and Pyr staggered a step back with a smile. The packs he secured to the back of Rain's saddle then mounted up. "Ready--?"

"Aye. This way. Gotta ways to go tonight before we can camp." Dirt and Caleb wheeled around to the east and a little north, heading deeper into the sandy wastes. Pyrrhus felt the glitter of essence on his senses like a dusting of snow against his skin, and power like faerie lights danced along the hooves of their mounts and the lines of Caleb's reins. "You been t'the south before?"

"Yes. Not for long, in either visit however - a few hours at a time." Pyrrhus brought Rain up alongside Dirt. "Caiden didn't tell me about the reason for me being here. Will you enlighten me?"

"Aw, y'know the star-blessed. Never givin' ya a straight answer when they can talk you in circles instead." Caleb shrugged. "They wanted you here, tol' me to come get ya, an' tol' me the place t'go after, so I'm here. Figger we'll get more as we go. Was there something you needed doin' elsewhere?"