Abominable Snowman Campfire [evening]

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Electricity might be a little over her head, sure. But if there was one thing Aravis knew how to do and do well, it was build a campfire.

So after fairly minimal effort, she'd put together a rather nice fire in front of her cabin, and brought a small leather-bound book outside with her with the intention of starting a letter home. She could write it, even if she wasn't sure how to send it.

[open like a giant open thing!]

Comments

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

Gavin wasn't really used to having so much downtime. To fill it, he'd taken to walking, scouting, exploring. Even that wasn't as frantic a pace he was used to.

So, he was coming back and passing by and waving. "Hey!"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis looked up with a small smile, and raised her hand in a greeting. "Hello!"

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"Hey," Gavin said again because he was kind of a dork. Had to be a Tatooine thing. "What cabin is this?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Abominable Snowman," Aravis said, making a face. "Do you know what sort of creature that is? Because I'm not sure."

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"No," he said, shaking his head. "But I don't know what my cabin's name means either. Or any of the cabin names. Maybe it's in a book somewhere?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Oh, that's possible," Aravis said. The thought hadn't occurred to her. Not so much with the research, this one. "Are you new as well?"

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"Yep," he said. "This is my...third day. You too?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "My name is Aravis," she said, inclining her head out of respect.

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"Gavin," he said and pointed to himself. Because...he could've been naming someone else. "Good to meet you."

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Hello," Naminé said with a smile back at him. "Are you Marco?"

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"Sorry, no," he said. "I'm Gavin from another cabin. Uh, from another cabin isn't my last name."

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

She smiled. "Hello, then. I'm Naminé, and that's all right, I haven't a last name. I thought you might be Marco, because I haven't seen him yet. Which cabin are you in, Gavin?"

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"Chupacabra," he said, still stumbling over the pronunciation. "I was just out walking and thought I'd say hi."

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"The cabins seem to have unusual names. And it's nice to meet you." Naminé tilted her head slightly.

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"You too," he said. "And they do. If they're people's names, I feel bad for them because they're really hard to say."

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"I wonder," Naminé mused. "Perhaps they just made up words and wanted to see what we'd think up for the definitions."

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Test for the new students?"

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

Naminé chose a clear spot before the fire, the ever-present sketchbook on her lap. "This is a lovely idea," she said to Aravis. "Thank you."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"You're quite welcome," Aravis said, pleased. She eyed the sketchbook. "Are you an artist?"

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Yes and no," Naminé said with an amused smile. "I like to draw, I'm just not very good at it. Nothing turns out the way I see it, in my mind. But somehow sketching things out lets you understand it all. The way things interconnect, I mean."

She laughed, lightly. "And crayons may smudge a lot, but I rather like the smell."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis nodded. "I have no talent for it, either," she said with a soft smile. "But my people are storytellers. I spin my webs with words, not ink or paint. What is a crayon?"

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"They are?" Naminé looked over with interest. "Do you know some interesting stories, then? I'd love to hear them. I enjoy seeing the pieces come together. Links in a chain."

She reached down to select a green one from her small pile of crayons, handing it to Aravis. "And that's a crayon. It leaves a thicker trail than a pencil would, but it has more substance. It marks deeper, in a way."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis considered the crayon. "It's wax!" she said in surprise. "Like a green candle!" She tilted her head. "Do you know the tale of the wind and the sun? That was my favorite when I was a child."

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

Naminé smiled. "Yes, it is. They're not very precise so usually it's just children who use them, but I like the results I get. The pictures seem purer, somehow. And no, I haven't, but I'd like to."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I can understand that," she said with a nod. "And I imagine you can feel it more. It must leave a raised trail."

Aravis immediately adjusted her posture, preparing for the story. "Years and years ago, when the earth was still so new that Man was still finding his foot upon the hot land, the sun and the northern wind engaged in a fierce and unmerciful quarrel. To settle the matter, they said to each other, 'Let us cause the next traveler to decloak, and whoever is successful, may he be the winner.' They agreed upon the matter and when the next man walked along the path, they each fought with most determination to succeed. However hard the wind blew at the traveler, the traveler only wrapped himself tighter. But when the sun shone with warmth, the traveler was overcome with heat and had to take his cloak off."

Aravis smiled. "The lesson? Persuasion shall gain more than force."