Quickly Through Quir - 119 4A

[Nara-pyon]

Mid-Autumn faded into Late Autumn, but as the group headed south there was little change in temperature or weather: at least, not towards cold.

Crossing the border into Quir was simple, as neither side of the border had anyone guarding it, at least not visibly. The trees grew thicker, the further south they moved: not only more dense, but also larger and wider. Some of the trees were as big around as houses, and without Kyrie as their guide, it would have been impossible to keep a straight course. Despite it being Autumn, the leaves were, for the most part, still green, though a few had begun to turn colour and fallen to the ground. There were a few wild animals as well: deer, raccoons, rabbits, foxes; nothing remotely threatening. The size of the trees meant that most of what wind there was was blocked and so the hike was very peaceful.

They were almost two weeks into the country before they even encountered any people - at least, any who wanted to acknowlege them. Kyrie had seen shadows in the trees several times over the past few weeks, but as no one had announced themselves or presented themselves as a threat, she felt no need to call any attention to them. A few times, she had seen Daeron look at her as if he had wanted to ask her about something, but he never did.

"So, just to clarify," Kaito asked after so long had passed without seeing anyone, "this country is inhabited, right?"

Kyrie grinned. "Of course it is. It's just that most of them like their privacy."

[Kara Winters]

"It is inhabited," Miyuki agreed.

The first week or so had filled her with paranoia. While the kitsune still needed to focus to really pay attention to what she was sensing, Miyuki's ability to sense auras was ingrained enough that she knew there were people near by when she felt it. It was annoying and really, really creepy to feel people for a moment and not see anyone there.

The only reason why she hadn't done anything was because Kyrie didn't seemed to be bothered and Miyuki was pretty sure Kyrie knew there were people there too.

[Nara-pyon]

"I do have to say," Kyrie added with a smile, "that we're nearly to the area where some of the friendlier people live."

"Well, it is good to hear you think we are the friendliest people in the country!" came a female voice from somewhere around them.

Most of the group looked around them for the source of the voice, but it was difficult to pinpoint, as it echoed off the trees and seemed to come from everywhere at once.

Lancaeriel and Kyrie though knew exactly where to look. They looked up into the trees, and Kyrie grinned widely.

"Hello, Mirania!" she called, waving. "Good to know you're still around!"

[Kara Winters]

Miyuki felt it, but it took her a second longer to location where the voice was coming from. Craning her neck a bit, she had to look way up to see whoever was up there.

Ryo skittered around Miyuki's feet, excited to hear there was a no person but unable to get to where that person was.

"A friend?" Lin questioned.

[Nara-pyon]

"A very dear friend," Kyrie replied with a grin, lowering her hand again. "She would always allow me to stay with her when I was passing through. Never married, though she's one of the nicest and funniest people I know. I'm sure she'll give us a place to set up the tent. Just make sure that you do your best not to damage anything, even the plants here - the people care more for nature than for themselves at times, I fear."

"Hold on a second, I'll be right down!" came the woman's voice again, once more echoing off the trees.

Kyrie grinned at the others and took a few steps back. "You might want to give her some space," she told them.

[Kara Winters]

The others moved, not knowing what to expect really. Then again, some weren't even sure what to make of the admission that the elves here cared more about the plants at times.

They were going to have to ask for details before doing research or practicing magic.

[Nara-pyon]

There was a slight whirring sound, and above them a figure came into view, growing quickly and steadily larger and clearer. The woman was descending from high in the tree at a rapid rate, and it was a matter of less than ten seconds before she was on the ground next to them, unclipping a rope from her waist. She had waist-length, golden-blond hair that was pulled back tightly in a braid. Her clothes were of soft leather, almost cloth-like in appearance, and dyed to look like the forest: mottled greens and browns in no pattern at all. She had on strange gloves with tiny hair-like protrusions in the fingertips, and soft leather slippers.

"Well," she smiled brightly, her vivid blue eyes shining as she looked at everyone, "quite the group you've got with you this time! Have to say, though, they don't all look elven. Where on Arda did you find them?"

Kyrie laughed. "Caras Galadhon, but you're right. Most of them aren't elves, and most aren't from Arda."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise, and she looked around at them all. "Wow!" she exclaimed, her eyes growing even brighter. "What races are you all? Where are you from?"

[Kara Winters]

Lin smiled, this woman reminded her of many they had met in the past and while a complicated question it was always fun answering.

"We come from a world called Gaia, but some of us are from different parts of Gaia."

Which really was only Shoneah since the rest of them were all related (with the exception of Eron).

"I'm from a race known as angels, my name is Lin," she motioned to Shiro and Kaito, "Shiro and Kaito are nekos with some angelic and yokai origins."

It was probably the best way to describe it, otherwise no one would those two were silbings. Lin used the term that was agreed on with Miyuki to use instead of demon.

"Eron is a full yokai..."

Eron waved a bit and lifted his wings from his back slightly before re-settling them over his shoulders.

"And this is Miyuki a kitsune..."

Miyuki grinned and giggled as her mother introduced Shoneah and Andarien, because they were elves but not the same type of elves, and then finally going into the different elves and which areas of the world they had come from. Starting with those who originated from the continent like Mailon and Darenis, to those who had come from the Four Lands like Dareon, and her husband. In total there were 18 people and way too many animals.

After Lin was finished, Miyuki commented.

"We're not even half way through our trip... and there is nearly twenty of us...."

[Nara-pyon]

"Trip?" the woman asked curiously, looking to Kyrie.

Kyrie grinned. "Around Arkandia, visiting each and every country. And what about you, what have you been up to? It's been a long time since I've seen you."

"Oh, you know, the usual," the woman grinned. "Climbing. More climbing. Got married."

Kyrie was astonished. "You? Finally? Congratulations!" She hugged the woman and then, with one arm still around her shoulders, turned to face the group. "And so falls the longest bachelorhood of the Light Elves!" she grinned.

The woman laughed and shrugged out from Kyrie's grip. "All right, all right, enough of that. That being said, you should come meet him. All of you. He would be happy to meet all of you. You can stay with us if you'd like, I think you'll all fit in our home. No one's afraid of heights, are they?"

She winked at them and turned to lead them further into the forest.

[Kara Winters]

"Heights?" Lin murmured thoughtfully but followed along with everyone else anyways.

There probably wasn't really anyone in the group who was afraid of heights, though she supposed she didn't really know about everyone.

[Nara-pyon]

"Oh, Kyrie hasn't told you?" Mirania asked brightly, looking at Lin over her shoulder. She pointed upwards, to the treetops. There, well over a hundred feet up, difficult to view from the ground, were platforms, half hidden by the branches and leaves below. "Our homes."

Suddenly a dog began barking, and a moment later it appeared through the trees, running straight towards the group. It stopped just short of them and kept barking at them, growling a bit between bouts of barking.

"Wolf! Heel!" Mirania commanded it in a stern voice, speaking now in the language of the land.

The dog growled again, then approached Mirania obediently and sat next to her.

[Kara Winters]

Miyuki's pokemon eyed the dog warily, even if they were protective they did not yelp at strangers. Well, Ryo did but he was young and at the moment Yasu was sitting on his little brother's tail. Miyuki gently nudged Ryo a reminder with her foot and the little eevee stopped trying to scold the creature.

"Guard dog?" Lin asked, knowing keeping animals just as pets was rare in most places.

[Nara-pyon]

"My nephew's hunting dog, named by his niece and nephew," Mirania grinned, rubbing the animal behind its ears. "And you might meet them soon. Cute as a button, both of them. Twins. Six years old."

Earendil glanced at the dog, but he kept finding his gaze going back to the woman they had just met. There was something about her that seemed familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Aunt Mirania!" came a chorus of children's voices. "Did you catch Wolf? He ran off!"

Mirania laughed. "Yes, I've got him," she called back.

"Interesting how quickly we go from wondering if there are any people to this kind of busyness," Kaito murmured to Miyuki.

[Kara Winters]

"Oh hush, you know you were getting bored without company," Miyuki whispered to him.

Really, this shouldn't surprise Kaito at all, it seemed to be a common theme in these countries to stay hidden from strangers and then pop out once someone reached a town.

[Nara-pyon]

"True," Kaito agreed.

Two children burst through the trees, a boy and a girl, as cute as Mirania had promised, but both of them stopped short when they saw the enormous group of travelers. A woman emerged from the trees after them, also running, though at a slower pace. She, too, stopped when she saw the group, but she ushered the children towards Mirania.

"What is this?" she asked curiously, without even the slightest hint of wariness in her voice.

"Visitors," Mirania chuckled in reply. "My old friend, Kyrie, her brother, and their friends."

"No need to make me feel older than I am," Kyrie laughed.

Mirania laughed again. "Considering how much older than me you are, and you're one of my oldest friends?" She winked at Kyrie, her eyes dancing with laughter. "Sorry."

Again Earendil got that strange feeling that there was something familiar about her, but he still couldn't place it, and he shrugged it off.

[Kara Winters]

"How long have you two known each other?" Lin couldn't help but ask.

Mirania was just so cheerful, it was wonderful just meeting her.

[Nara-pyon]

Kyrie and Mirania looked at each other and grinned. "What's it been, four, five hundred years?" Kyrie asked.

"A little over five hundred," Mirania agreed. "I was quite young myself, then, and rather immature, truth be told."

"Not that that's changed." Kyrie chuckled softly. "But do introduce us, I presume that these children are your niece and nephew?"

She gestured towards the children, and Mirania's smile grew wider.

"Great niece and nephew," she corrected her. "Dolph and Kaya. And this," she added, gesturing towards the woman who had arrived just after the children, "is their mother, my niece, Raina."

"Pleased to meet you," Raina smiled, nodding her head respectfully. The children hid behind their mother and peeked around her shyly.

"We're on our way to my home," Mirania explained to her extended family. "Meet Lamruil, have some food, rest ..."

"Oh, Uncle Lamruil will like that," Raina beamed. "Company while he's recovering. I know how frustrated he is, not being able to do much."

Mirania let go of the dog, and it ran off into the forest, the children following after it as quickly as their short legs would carry them. Gesturing to the others to follow, she started leading them again.

[Kara Winters]

Maturity was a bit overrated, Lin knew of several people who never quite grew up. Well, she wasn't sure about one person, he might have gotten more serious after becoming king, but beyond that...

Following Mirania once more, everyone kept close, but Lin couldn't help but keep looking around. Her mother would love this, she should get Shiro to take pictures if possible. This was something like the old tales of her childhood.

[Nara-pyon]

Kyrie and Mirania kept chatting as they walked, leading the group, and the others trailed behind, most of them looking around curiously. Shiro was indeed taking pictures with his tablet, using its zoom capabilities to get a better look at the platforms that had been built so high up in the trees.

There were also other elves around: a few up on platforms, most of them on the ground. Many of them were working - tanning hides, collecting fallen wood, sewing, creating boards out of large logs, making and sharpening weapons - while others were taking care of children, cooking, chatting in groups.

After a few minutes' walk, Mirania led them towards a tree that was particularly wide. At the base of the tree sat a man. He had short blond hair that just brushed the tips of his ears, a handsome face, and a warm smile. He was leaning against the tree, wittling something out of wood, one knee up and holding up his arm, the other straight out in front of him, splinted and wrapped. When he saw them approaching, he smiled and waved, though his expression was curious.

"Lamruil," Mirania explained, grinning and waving back to the man. "He's a climber, like me, but he had an accident last week. Slipped, his leg got tangled in his ropes. He's out of commission for at least a month, and considering that we're a rare breed, that's not a good thing. Still, he's making the best of it."

Shiro smiled. "You sound like very optimistic people," he commented.

Mirania grinned widely. "You've got that right! My brother is pessimistic enough for all of us, so we just leave it to him."

[Kara Winters]

Lin couldn't help but giggle that really reminded her of the way Caranthir would talk about Aerin before they were married.

"Hard to imagine," Lin admitted with a small smile.

She figured that maybe Mirania's brother was just overly serious or something.

[Nara-pyon]

"Yes, well, Thorontur has always been like that," Mirania smiled, not letting it bother her. "He's the only one in the family, thankfully. We're quite happy with the way things are here."

They reached Lamruil, and Mirania bent over to greet him with a kiss. "Lamruil, I've told you about my friend, Kyrie," she smiled at him, gesturing towards Kyrie.

Kyrie grinned and held out one hand. "Pleasure to meet you. I was so certain Mirania would still be single when I came back here, but I have to say, it's a pleasant surprise to find that's no longer the case."

The man chuckled softly and shook Kyrie's hand. "Likewise. She's told me many stories about you."

Mirania grinned and introduced the rest of the group, naming each one of them as perfectly as if she had known them for ages rather than a few minutes.

[Kara Winters]

Mirania's memory was amazing to Miyuki even though there was Shiro who would probably do the same thing.

"It's nice to meet you," Lin replied afterwards, "And that was a very impressive introduction."

[Nara-pyon]

Mirania chuckled and gestured towards her head. "My memory," she grinned. "Sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse."

She peeled off her gloves and stuffed them into a bag at her waist.

"Done climbing for the day?" Lamruil asked her curiously.

She smiled back at him. "Might as well. We've guests to make space for. Besides, the trees will still be there tomorrow." She turned back to the rest of the group. "Feel free to put your things down, it will all be safe. We've never had anything taken without permission here."

"Even from me," Kyrie added with a grin. "This is probably one of the safest places for foreigners anywhere in the continent - Caras Galadhon included."

[Kara Winters]

That was good to know, Miyuki nodded, "We just need enough space to set up a tent..."

Just one tent, they really didn't need a lot of space and there wasn't a point in them taking up a lot of space since they had all the space they needed in the tent.

[Nara-pyon]

"Well, feel free," Mirania replied, gesturing towards the open space beneath the tree. "Lots of room here. But if anyone wants, you are welcome to join us."

"Well, I'd like to see it, anyways," Kaito grinned, looking upwards, his golden eyes gleaming.

Shiro's look wasn't much different. "As would I," he agreed.

[Sponsored content]