Journey - Tokas/Rugan/Nyra

The hustle and bustle in a merchant bazaar was a sight to behold. Colorful awnings made of fabrics and tassels, and open stalls holding so much merchandise the tables might topple and the supports give out. The smells of spices, food, and people, merchants howling over one another, the ululating voices of singers and spellmongers. The patterned purple and red robes, dresses of blue and gold, red caps with long tassels hanging down, and the more muted tones of the common folk. For foreigners, the place may have been a wonder to behold or overwhelming to endure. 

Black and gold eyes scanned the bazaar with a practiced eye. A gold coin rolled through deft fingers, back and forth and back again, as it glimmered in the sunlight. Varrick smiled idly at the busy people, observing from his spot by a wall. A young man getting hustled by a merchant- Roendenian, by the looks of his fabric. Then at two lizard women conning a seller of some of his merchandise with practiced performances. Some tourists were sampling local cuisine with mixed results, while a child was picking the fatter man’s pocket. The Haedian chuckled.
Off at the corner of his eye, a few Reoseans caught his attention. A long-haired one, painted in the colors of the desert and blood. Another with red and black covering from head to toe, and a fiery look in her eye. Both were grumpy about something by the looks of it. And their smaller companion, a grye runner splotched with white and ears much too large for his head. Poor thing looked nervous. Satchels were tied over their backs, and pale cloth draped around their necks and backs to shield from the sun. Desert travelers? With such long fur, you’d think the big one would stay inside till nightfall. But it doesn't matter. Varrick should take his blessings as they come. If those three were looking to cross the desert, he’d have company for the road ahead.

Pocketing his coin, Varrick pushed off the wall and stepped into the busy street. Like an eel he weaved through the bodies of people and their animals, and followed the trio as they made their way towards the gate out of the bazaar. 

- 

Rugan rolled his eyes as Tokas as the runner bumped into the puller’s side. “Keep your footing, kid. I’m not a lean-on.” He grumbled. 

Giving a slight look to the puller, Tokas quickly returned his face to its resting state: mildly uncomfortable. His ears flopped with his turning head as he kept an eye on his bag, occasionally glancing back at their third companion. Nyra looked as annoyed at the dense crowd as she was at being stared at, so Tokas’ eyes quickly flitted away. The crowd around was suffocating and unfamiliar, and his paws itched to leave. The myriad of different people, different wealths, different species entirely. Lizards, humans, donkeys, birds, an Empyrean lookalike. He wanted to go back to familiar territory as quickly as he could.
“This place really is too crowded for me,” he muttered, half intending for his voice to be heard. “I told you I should have met you later.” 

“And you would have missed the briefing,” Rugan rebutted quickly. “I’m not recapping all that for you to avoid the rush hour for being a little uncomfortable. We’re going now, so take a breath.” 

“You won’t be whining the whole way, will you?” Nyra chimed. 

The apathetic tones pinned Tokas’ ears. Such pleasant company he had, rugged and serious and with the sweetness of a boulder. Tokas continued to eye the crowd in passing. His eyes snapped back to the Empyrean-esque one, that hasn't disappeared into the crowd like the rest. He was still trailing behind them. Tokas’ eyes evaded the stranger’s stare, piercing through him from the crowd.
“We’re being followed,” he ushered to Rugan, who shook his head. “I mean it! There’s this Empyrean-like one, dark and all decorated in gold. I saw him a moment ago, and he’s still there.”

Nyra turned her head back, giving a once-over to the crowd of people. Sure enough, there was a Tyrian robed in red. Her brow furrowed, before Tokas’ voice made her roll her head back. “Quit being jumpy. If he’s just leaving the bazaar like the rest of us? You’ll holler ‘thief’?” 

Rugan’s ear turned slightly at that, eye glancing to the side at Tokas with an acknowledging nod. “Just keep your head, and keep walking. We’re almost at the gate. We’ll see what he’s about then. If anything at all.” Continuing on, the puller was more aware of his bags now, waiting for a deft hand to try and go digging around. The arched gate was just twenty feet ahead and Rugan hated how Tokas made him so aware of the crowd all of a sudden. Damn that coward. 

As soon as the three made it out the gate, they hurried aside and all three looked back at the crowd going in and out. Some women, a couple men with sacks over their shoulders, a carriage and some more people. And finally, the stranger came walking out of the gate. Red shawl on his shoulders and head, and multiple satchels and pockets covered his body, with gold glittering on every bag. Gold coins were hanging off thread that wrapped across his face. They glimmered as he turned his head to the trio, with a friendly smile stretching across his lips. 

“In a hurry, my friends?” The Haedian approached with comfortable ease in his step. A thick gold hoop pierced his chin in a way you’d grimace to think of how it was pierced. Multiple more weighed down his long ears that swayed as he turned his head.

“Why did you follow us? Whatever you’re selling, we’re not buying.” Rugan confronted the Haedian, who quickly raised a hand in innocence. 

“My, no reason to be hostile, I assure you.” Varrick placed his hand over his heart with a slight bow of his head. His eyes looked from Rugan, to -, then to Tokas. “I do apologize, if I frightened you.” Tokas furrowed his brow uncertainly, but said nothing, so Varrick raised his head and gestured to the desert. “I seek companions to accompany me on my journey through the desert. Places to be, people to see, and yet the desert remains perilous for the lone wanderer. You understand. Likely why you’re not going alone yourself.” Tilting his head to Tokas, then looking at Rugan who rolled his eyes. Maybe there was an effort to restrain himself but it was not met with success.

“What says we don’t know each other? That we aren’t friends on a trip?” The puller cocked his head. 

“Friends?” Varrick parrotted with a small chuckle. “You may not know me, but you won’t take me for a fool so easily, surely?” 

Rugan huffed, true enough as it was. “So, you want escorts to take you through the desert?” He rephrased, and Varrick nodded in a more-or-less manner. “Why not hire one? What if we want pay for taking you along?” 

“Oh, you needn’t think of it like a job. I ask for none of your supplies, no moral obligation. Simply temporary companionship, to keep each other from collapsing or coming to danger on our way. Why try it alone when you’ve other fellows heading your way?” Varrick turned to walk away from the gate. “Perhaps we’ll get along better than you may think.” 

“Don’t flatter yourself…” Rugan sighed, looking at his group. “Thoughts, opinions? Jumpy?” He addressed Tokas specifically, who huffed at his name calling.

“I won’t say I trust him, but…” Tokas hummed as he eyed the Haedian. He wasn’t looking at the group, seemingly giving them their moment to decide. Tokas’ brows furrowed in thought. “He seems like a local. Desert travel is no light journey, so not unusual to want company. I’m not opposed.”

Nyra cocked her head at the debate with a shrug. “Just let the guy trail along at his own expense, we’re not babysitting anyone else.”

“Else?” Tokas repeated, sharing a sharp look between Nyra.

Looking to the ground in thought, Rugan grumbled a sigh. The stranger didn’t try to sell anything, nor did he seem like a fighter trying to jump them. A jolly fellow from the market with a bold sense of style. He’d say why not, but there’s plenty of whys. So a fine will do.

“Fine.” Rugan called out and Varrick turned to look back at him with a pleased smile. “No funny business.” 

“I’d never,” Varrick rebutted light-heartedly, before heading onward with the three Vayrons in tow.

The beginning of the trek started in small talk attempted by Varrick, though no one but Tokas took to responding to any of it. Quickly as the journey began, the sun rose in the sky and heat began to weigh on everyone’s backs. Shawls pulled over their heads, they walked in a straight line, with Rugan at the head. The duve was the warmest of the four, though he didn’t voice his discomforts at any point. It was the sweat on his snout and uncomfortable eyes that gave it away fairly easy. Nyra and Tokas had switched places after a while, with the runner trailing after everyone with Varrick following last.

The dry earth cracked beneath their paws, with sand blowing along the ground in the breeze. The heat of the ground was uncomfortable on the paw pads, and for once Tokas wished he was a camel, or a horse, or even a person with shoes would do. He could make a run ahead to cover distance, but he wasn’t exactly the most traversed Vayron when it came to the desert so he had to remain by his companions. 

“How’d you come to find your traveling companions? If you don’t mind my asking.” Varrick spoke up as he caught up beside Tokas. He eyed at Rugan and Nyra marching up ahead with their heads hung low in the heat. “Unlikely companionship. Contract? Or a friend of a friend case?” 

Tokas chuckled, enthusiasm wilted by the heat. “No, nothing like it. Trials. Make it across and survive sort of thing.” 

“Mm, oh I understand,” the Haedian nodded. “All three of you?” 

“Mhm.” 

“Interesting. Wonders of youth, taking such perilous journeys to prove oneself. Honored I was able to come along.” Varrick smiled, and for a moment, Tokas shared it.

Conversation began to fall easy between the two, with Varrick taking to storytelling to pass the time and Tokas taking to his tales of wonders. Rugan nor Nyra chimed in, but after their initial refusal to converse, Varrick gave his attention wholly to the young runner. It’d be a long journey ahead, and the two pullers were subject to learn a whole lot of stories against their will.