This Ain't No Picnic [Kiriko]

[Coci Heavenshield]

On an unknown Isle on Midvinter​

​

​

​

Siare is home. The warming fire in the center of her cave glowed through the entrance and coloured the surrounding snow, a soft yellow. The wind is howling, it always does here on the Isles and eddies of soft drift swirled around the rocks coating them in their virgin lay. She pokes the fire with a stick. Looking to excite the flame around a piece of wood she had placed there to stoke the fire and boil the water for her tea. It would be a weak tea, as she is running out of herbs and soon would travel to the mainland to gather some more.

In an hour from now, she will meet the others of her clan and take the longboat to the shores of the main continent, a secret place on which they land each year, so not to be noticed by the Valkyri. Siare watched the flame rise up, as she hums a song she likes so much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z2RzVhw4rE​

​

She poured the hot water into her wooden cup and sipped at the brew as she held it in her large paws. The Beorni had not ventured to the mainland until now, there had been whispers from the Spirits of the Wild, warning them of an evil most foul on the lands. The Vinterbound had gathered and marched on the capital of that place, and death had covered the snow with it's corruption and taken many lives of the men and women that had isolated themselves from the Beorni. How they had lost their way without the guidance of the Beorni, the relationship had broken down many years before even her time and who knew if or when they would meet again.

But it was time to go, the hour had passed with little event, save for the leaving of some washing up. And Siare gathered her leather bag and headed out toward the shore of the Isle.

[member="Kiriko Howlingfjord"]​

 

[Zak Dymo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usPrYhk9VG8​

The waves broke against the rocks.

Salt clung to ice, as dark waters pooled along a jagged coastline. The rocky sand formed a barren dead zone between the sea and the snow. The tundra blanketed with plains of ice that were dotted by the simple villages propped up against the docks and fishing boats that were tied up to piers. Tall, thin masts scattered like a forest of limb-less trees, as the boats bobbed up and down with the motion of the tide.

It was upon this shore that the dread pirate Kiriko was known to play.

The small cub was covered in a bright coat of resplendent white fur that was like fresh snow. Loudly, the young Beorni bounded and jump about as he played and waited for the boat holding his fisherman father to return to the shore. A piece of driftwood was held in hand, whipping through the air as though it were the finest rapier.

Buckling his swash and swashing his buck, the cub rolled out onto the road toward the pier to see a woman making her way toward the boats. "Hail!" the cub greeted the stranger brightly, before leveling the dread stick Deadwood at the hapless traveler. "...and halt!"

Holding the stick up toward the sky, the giggling, bouncy cub declared, "Be strange or stranger thou, I am the dread pirate Kiriko! I say to thee, thou shall not pass."

And, with that, the cub put a line in the sand with the flick of his wrist.

[member="Siare Snörvla"]​

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Although Siare just about jumped out of her fur, she could not help but giggle at the young white cub. She had been daydreaming to pass the time of day, a failing in her that can be very annoying to those in her company and clan, many times they would shout at her to gain her attention once more, and call her old and weak of mind, but that was doing her a disservice, for although she to all appearances would seem this way, she had been listening to the Spirits.

She was no stranger to cubs or their wayward doings, she had had litters of her own which have long since left home and venture out to have their own lives. She sees them from time to time, but Siare is happy for them to get on with it. She cleared her throat, her paw resting in a fist against her muzzle. "I have heard many a tale of thee, most treacherous and dreaded Kiriko! For your deeds are many and legendary among the peoples of this fair Isle and their boot quake with the mere mention of your name. Yet, I shall not be one of them that stand all a quiver in my boots", she looked around the find a long stick and did.

"For I will be victorious in smiting thee and I shall pass". Siare put the stick out in front of her, holding it aloft and ready to 'cross swords', she began to dance around from one foot to the other in hope to make the young cub laugh. She did look rather odd doing so, and she felt it too, but all the while wearing a large smile.

​

​

[member="Kiriko Howlingfjord"]​

 

[Zak Dymo]

The small, round ears peeking out from the sides of his head perked up.

She'd heard of him? Really!?

The cub's enthusiasm was further piqued when the woman picked up a stick of her own. And then she started dancing. Rolling onto his back, the cub broke into a giggling litany of laughter at the sight of the jumping brown bear. "Nooooo..." the boy managed, still giggling. "That's not how you sword fight!"

Rolling backwards, head over heels, the white cub flipped back onto his feet and once against brandished his stick. Taking a few steps forward, the boy whipped the driftwood through the air several times to demonstrate proper swashbuckling. When he had finished the boy planted the point of the stick into the ground and leaned on it as he motioned back along the road. "Okay. You may pass," the cub decided finally.

If or when she did, the small cub would fall into step along side her. "Where are you going?" the cub would inquire, curiously. Seriously, it was an island. No one ever went anywhere.

[member="Siare Snörvla"]​

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

She mimicked the small little cub as best her old bones would allow, well she was not that old but by comparison to the young lad, she felt ancient. She was pleased when he finally stopped and granted her passage along the track to the beach, she laughed at his however as he is full of joy and wonder of a child. Ah to be so young again with life laid before you to take hold of by the scruff of the neck and give it a good shake.

Siare went into a low bow of respect for the young brave and daring pirate Kiriko. And as she proceeded down the path he followed along side her. "I venture across the seas on yonder long boat to a land long forgot and dangerous to seek treasure of inconceivable wealth", her paw raised to the skies with dramatic fashion. " For upon distant shores are bounty a plenty for those brave enough to take the journey beyond our shores. I go with those brave souls that tend to the boat and with such flare and skill, they ride the waves with naught but wood and cloth".

"To the main land we travel come the turn of the tide", she added, yet it was not to the main land they go but a very very large neighbouring isle some distance away.

​

[member="Kiriko Howlingfjord"]​

 

[Zak Dymo]

Listening...

...at least, somewhat listening...

The cub's smaller legs moved in a flurry of motion to keep up with the longer strides of the taller Beorni. A stray butterfly caught the cub's attention, prompting the boy to dart forward and then drop onto all four paws as he pounced off and around to chase after the butterfly.

Bounding back through the snow, the cub shot out from behind the brown lady to again resume stumbling along beside her. All told, he'd done a complete circle around her as she walked. "Ye, I know much of the wood and wind that goes over the dark waters," the cub proclaimed, proudly. For starters, he was the Dread Pirate Kiriko!

Being a dread pirate meant knowing something about ships and water.

"My da's a fisherman. He sails the wood and wind all the time," the boy chirped brightly.

[member="Siare Snörvla"]​

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

What would be not known to Kiriko and Siare alike, is that the 'mainland' was a vast distance away from the isle and the land on which she gathers her herbs was one of the large in a group of them some distance away. The waters between the isles provide the means for fishing on boats designed for the purpose, but they are nothing compared to the long boats of those stinking Valkyri, a people that do not know water to cleanse the body. At least that is what legend foretells.

Siare laughed at the antics of pirate Kiriko, he is but a youngling and acting as such which she delighted in and reminded her of her first little of cubs. Oh that seemed long ago now, many seasons had passed but by reckoning she is still very much in the prime of her life. Yet, she remains a free spirit..

"Your Da must be very brave. Those dark waters are dangerous .. especially when the season turns and the winds of change bring the ice". The two had reached the shore and before them, the boats are moored with Beorni males tending to the nets and spears.

"Good morrow, water riders", she said as they passed them, but she would not be sailing with them today but rather one of the small vessels that would transport her across the waters. The return greeting was loud and jovial with one a little cheeky inquiring when she would be in season. She ignored it, with a smile.

"Which boat is your Da's?".

​

[member="Kiriko Howlingfjord"]​

​

Spoiler

[member="Arnor Oathsworn"], if you wish to test your new bear please feel free to join us . And apologies to Kiriko for being so flippin late!

 

[Zak Dymo]

A short, fluffy tail swung with the motion of the little bear butt, as the young cub playfully skipped alongside the larger, maternal Beorni.

Occasionally, the butterfly would flutter back down through the air, prompting the boy to prance forward as he buckled and swashed at the air with his driftwood branch. It was only when he'd heard the woman speak up and say 'Good Morrow' that he realized that there was anyone else about. Turning his head this way and that, the boy's round, tufted ears perked up on the sides of his head as the small youngling seemed shocked to discover they were at the shore.

As he'd stared at the boats, the cub found he'd fallen behind. Short legs scurried to catch back up with the woman. "Why he'd ask about the season?" the cub wondered aloud. Everyone knew what the season was! Winter or rain. That was pretty much it.

"My Da leaves before first light," the cub chirped, before picking up the pace and dashing off for a mooring further down the shore. As he arrived to an empty berth, whose mooring lines floated atop the water, the cub stopped and spun back around. "Here's where he ties up!"

[member="Siare Snörvla"]​