The land is not as constant as the sky

[cavelion_totem]

As the earth turned her face more toward the sun and the seasons grew warmer, the people who inhabited the prehistoric world rejoiced in the bounty of vegetation and new life which would inevitably lead to good food. It was a simple subsistent existence, timed to the moon, the sun, and the slow dance of the stars

Comments

[xiii_pullo]

Pullo noticed the woman floating in the water as he passed, and when he saw it was Ayla he stopped to sit down at the edge of the pool and rest.

"Hello, love," he called in greeting.

[cavelion_totem]

She heard the familiar voice and turned and twisted so she was submerged to her shoulders and could look at him properly.

"Hello, Tituspullo," she said, pulling herself closer until she could stand on the sandy bottom.

[xiii_pullo]

"Out for a swim or a wash?" Pullo asked, as both he and Lucius used it for the latter. He wouldn't want to disturb her bath, even if she was fine with nudity.

[cavelion_totem]

"I wash before," Ayla stated, then held her chin higher. "Now I swim and do no work." Her voice had a hint of defiance to it, as if declaring her laziness was something she dared anyone to scold her about.

[wholeinspirit]

Walking in search of subjects was a natural routine for Vincent after having done it for so many years. It was drilled into him, an impulse, that after he'd woken, and taken his breakfast that he would gather his supplies and walk, studying the scenery perhaps or making a long hike to a familiar spot where he often sat to sketch the landscape and paint the trees and skyline. But in this new place, it was different. The land changed, and for sometime he'd been weaker. Still weak he was, though his sttrength was more sure every day, little by little. He'd been careful throughout the previous month, the stories of tigers and scorpians catching his ears and leaving him cautious, staying close to buildings and populated areas. but now that the island seemed to have settled back into it's previous form, and that his strength was up more than ever, he had began a hike, sketchpad and his paintbox carried his him as he traveled, stopped here and there to memorise a grove of trees, or a bird's nest that he'd like to later visit

[cavelion_totem]

The water covered her ears, muffling the sounds of the birds and creatures. She could hear the roar of the waterfall and felt the sun warming her even through the cool water. It was pleasant to simply be.

Ater so long, she grew weary of floating and pulled her legs below, stood on the sandy bottom, and shook her head. Looking around, the world was bright and indistinct thanks to the sunlight that had burned against her eyelids, but it didn't keep her from seeing him there, sitting quietly. Ayla raised a hand in greeting, then ducked under and swam to the edge of the pool, pulling herself up on a rocky ledge.

"Vincent, hello," she said, her accent unimproved from the last time she'd spoken to him.

[wholeinspirit]

For the time that he waited, it could be said that he was not bored. With the rubling of the waterfall and the cool mist that hovered in the air around the pool of water because of it, and the sounds of the bird coupled by the sight of smooth clean flesh bobbing limply in the water, there was nothing about the time spent to be regretted. Apart, perhaps, from a slight disconcerting worry that he'd be reprimanded for watching her intimate moment, but he'd been struck by the thought he would not need to worry of such things from this particular girl.

When she swam towards him, he leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees, his expression calm and blank. "Ayla," he greeted, tipping his head to her, admiring the way her hair was limp and heavy with moisture. "How are you?"

[cavelion_totem]

"I am well," Ayla replied with a nod. "Today I swim and do no work. I will to work tomorrow."

She pulled herself up a little more, finding a way to cross her arms and hold herself in place with them alone so her legs could float beneath the surface.

"Do you make drawing today?"

[stranded_ford]

Ford liked to think of his hobby as a form of community service. It was hunting after all, even though it had taken him a while to get used to doing it with more human reflexes. He'd had to change his technique a bit, but Ford Prefect was nothing if not adaptable.

Which was why he walked by the pool with two large birds slung over his satchel. He'd arranged his towel rather jauntily around his head, the sun was bright, and his more primitive and predatory instincts had been appeased. Ford Prefect was in a good mood and he waved at Ayla as he walked by.

"Hey, Ayla. How's it going?"

[cavelion_totem]

It was what was called an 'expression', his greeting. She had come to understand that nothing was actually going anywhere. It was simply an inquiry as to how she was faring this day.

Ayla rolled and swam to the edge, holding on with one hand and waving with the other. "Going well," she said, looking at him and then his catch. "Ix hunts birds today...I can cook for you?" she asked. It was work, but not the kind she minded. She would cook her own meal soon enough. Adding his would be no trouble.

[stranded_ford]

"Sure thing. In fact, you can have them if you want. I wasn't planning on doing much with them, just looking for someone else who wanted them." He crouched down next to the water to be more on level with her.

"So how have been lately? Do you need to borrow The Guide for anything?"

[cavelion_totem]

Ayla nodded enthusiastically, thenpulled herself out of the water to retrieve the clutch from him. She paid no attention to bein naked or wet, or the fact that even her totem pouch had been set aside. What luck to have fresh meat for the night without having to hunt!

"I thank you, Ix!" she exclaimed. "You hunted, you must eat. Eat and bring Guide. I have many questions."

[theunascended]

The coolest place on the island, beyond the Compound, had to be the water. And, since Daniel couldn't actually go into the water, thanks to the cast, the next best thing was going to one of the waterfalls. He brought a book with him and stretched out near the water, propping his arm up against a rock, not even noticing that there was a person in the water.

[cavelion_totem]

Ayla was having fun, a rare luxury in the world she was accustomed to. Only rarely did she indulge in playing with Durc, and then only because he needed to learn things of the world of men, and she had the many tasks of a woman to perform.

Here, there was only the work she pushed herself to accomplish. One day, just one day, she could set it all aside and play in the water. She swam and floated, ducked down to the bottom to see how long she could hold her breath. She dove to examine things at the bottom of the pool, then came up with an explosive splash, showering water everywhere before she laughed to herself and scampered up the slippery rocks so the rush of the waterfall could wash the silt she'd collected could wash away, back to where it came.

[theunascended]

Daniel yelped, falling backward and barely managing to remember not to use his injured hand to steady himself. He just lay there a minute before getting to his feet slowly.

"Oww."

He glanced over to see what had come up suddenly like that and flushed, groaning a little when he realized it was Ayla. A very naked Ayla.

"Hi, there."

[cavelion_totem]

She stepped carefully from beneath the falling water and waved at him, then to make him more comfortable because of that custom, she covered her breasts with one arm.

"Hello, Dan-yel," she said, loud enough to be heard, before she dove into the water and swam over to the edge of the pool where he'd settled himself. She propped herself on the rocky ledge, letting her legs float beneath her since she could not touch the bottom, and watched him, waiting for him to speak.