The disadvantage of not packing for myself is that I have no idea what she packed for me to read… I guess not really a disadvantage, it’s kind of a surprise. Sorta fun… lets see.
Put my paw into the bag, pull out a random book or scroll… aaaaand….
…Author name looks Canid… ugh, okay maybe it is a disadvantage.
Try again, hmm.
“Those who brought us here.”
The book isn’t a thick one, bound in a reddish brown leather. Smells… old, comforting. It lacks an author’s name, just a title and an image of a talon. Engraved with heat, into the leather front.
It’s fairly pleasant.
It smells good, the talon on the cover feels pleasant to run my paws over. It’s not too long, and possibly written by an Avian… which, considering that I’m traveling with one, it could be useful to have some insight into their thoughts.
The subject… “those who brought us here”… information on them is often rather… unreliable. Mostly based on myth, especially on the earlier days of this world…
There’s a rock digging into my butt, that will not do.
Not the ideal reading location, I guess the fresh air is somewhat pleasant… but I’d much rather be at home… urgh.
Anyway, with that out the way…
“Those who brought us here. A telling of the first age, a story of how things became to be.”
Well that’s the first page… literally all that’s on it. The writing’s fairly big, but still most of the page is blank.
“There is nothing. With a splash, there is something.
A great canine, taller than any mountain. As vast as any sea. Sets down into the nothing. It’s body turning nothing into something.”
…Oh great, I’ve heard this before. Personally I have many doubts that the world is a giant dog.
“That nothing, becoming something. Becomes an ocean of nothing, of which the canine can swim though. Which they do, it’s head staying above the nothing. Looking out into nothing, in the total darkness of nothing.
It moves with purpose, guided. For it is not alone, on top its head a council of those who brought it here.
A crowd of beasts, both big and small gather between its ears.
For they who brought it here, have a purpose for doing so. Though that purpose known only to them.
They meet to discuss their mission, and one thing is certain between those who brought it here.
It is dark.
They look out, across the great snout. Darkness meets their gaze, as they look out across the void.
The can barely see themselves, or each other. Which will not do.
Groups of those who brought it here, set out. In search of light, their bodies fading off into the void.
With no light, without a sun there is no method of counting time’s passage. Those who stay behind, do so for an unknown number of days, or months, or years.
The search yielding no result.
Then like it was always there, those who brought it here brought something else. Bright, warm sunlight broke out across the canine’s back, blinding those who stayed behind.
A mountain spike, higher then -”
Thud
He’s sat down beside me, feathers brushing up against my face… ugh, why.
“What’cha reading there?”
I push his feathers out of my face, he apologises while rearranging himself. I swear one went in my mouth.
There’s a talon in my face… He apologises again, apparently he had knocked my glasses off. His talon presses them back onto my snout.
“Sooo then, what is it ya reading?”
He repeats his question. Even with his feathers removed from my face, he is too close.
“…Nothing, since you interrupted.”
“Aww, c'mon don’t be like that.”
“…A children’s story book.”
“…A children’s book? Aren’t you meant to be some kinda scholar type?”
“Your point?”
“Shouldn’t ya be reading something a bit more advanced.”
“Shouldn’t you be setting up somewhere for yourself to sleep?”
“I’m done.”
I look over, my servants finishing setting up my tent. Though that appears to be the only one.
“I don’t see your tent.”
“Don’t need one! Weathers calm, perfect night to sleep under the stars.”
“…Do you even know what a star is?”
“I’ve seen pictures!”
He seems very proud of that fact…
I’d never thought I’d admit it, but I actually kind of miss stars. The night sky is awfully boring without them.
It’s kind of a shame, if it’s the only sky you’ve ever known.
“You still haven’t told me what it’s about.”
“…It’s a story about the first age.”
“How boring.”
“I’d rather be reading it right now, than having this conversation.”
“Rude.”
“So is interrupting.”
“You’ve hurt my feelings.”
He’s smirking like an idiot. This is all awfully amusing to him… urgh, I think I would have rather had a Canid then him honestly.
My servant’s practically done with the tent, and somehow I don’t think I’m going to be finishing this tonight…
“I’m going to bed.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Its waaaaay too early, come on.” He scoots himself away from me, sitting in front rather than beside. “Don’t be like that, I’ll leave you alone to read.”
He’s kind of ruined my reading flow… but it is too bright out to sleep… urgh.
“I have my own things to do after all, blades to sharpen. Armour to oil, it’s a lot of work you know. This line of work.”
For someone who’s apparently leaving me alone to read, he’s continuing to do a lot of talking. It’s probably an avian thing. Birds make a ton of noise, it makes sense that their more anthropomorphic counterparts are talkative…
“A lot less interesting than you’d think too! People think it’s all adventure and violence but really it’s a whole bunch of walking about! Like this job, I’m just following you around. It’s not exciting at all, easy money sure… but really not interesting.”
He’s just, yapping now… urgh.
“Even with such an easy job, there’s a lot that has to go into it. I still have to maintain all my gear, still have to carry it all. It’s not light you know.”
For an Avian, he’s awfully beardy… I didn’t know they could even have beards. I guess it’s less of a beard though? As its kinda coming from around his eyes.
“I am going to ache for days after this trip you know, I guess at least it keeps me in shape. Never going to get fat, lugging all this shit around.”
He’s really just going to keep talking…
And I’m apparently just going to sit here and listen to it.
“I have no idea how you manage it, as a scholar you’re probably nowhere near as active as I am. Yet you’ve kept yourself in shape, do you work out?”
“No.”
“How aren’t you fat, sitting around all day reading?”
“…I just don’t eat that much…”
I prefered it when I didn’t have to be involved in this conversation… urgh.
“Not much of a food person then, I guess that works.”
I think I’m going back to my original plan. It is at least getting a little on the dark side.
“I’m going to bed.”
“No, no I’m sorry. I’ve been talking your ears off haven’t I. I’ll be quiet! No more talking from now on I promise.”
“Why are you so insistent on me staying around.”
“Who wouldn’t want to be around such a pretty thing such as yourself?”
Urgh, back to that… great.
I guess I do want to finish the story…
Where was I…
“A mountain spike, higher than the tallest of towers. Reaching higher than the birds can fly
A grand temple, perched atop.
Its greatest heights obscured by a blinding orb of light.”
…He’s started whistling… really.
I glare at him, and he stops. A dumb smirk clear on his beak. I’m pretty sure he’s trying to annoy me now.
I close the book, and remove my glasses. Putting them away in my pack.
“Ookay okay, I promise I’ll stop. Quite from now on.”
“I’m going to sleep.”
“Don’t be such a grouch, I’m only messing with ya.”
An amusing dynamic they've formed, at least to us readers, she is quite clearly not amused. XD Interesting legend, a great dog swimming (dog-paddling?) through the abyss...
An amusing dynamic they've formed, at least to us readers, she is quite clearly not amused. XD Inter
