Unexpected (Adine)

[Wayfarer]

Shaking himself as he stepped out of the cold water, the first thing that Anton reached for was a towel.  Light help him, hygiene was all well and good but some days you had to wonder whether the Creator really intended for man to bathe regularly when every water source was more frigid than an Aes Sedai.  Well, that thought was slightly unfair, but there it was nevertheless roaming through Anton's mind as he dried himself as quickly as he could as the dawn of the day broke the horizon.  Sooner he was dry, sooner he could put some clothes on and the sooner he could put some clothes on, the sooner he could get away from the creek where the wind cut across the water with a particular cruelty this morning.

 

Slipping his clothes on with unnatural speed, Anton packed up his things and quickly made his way up the bank and onto flat ground.  Just eighty yards away, the lodge that he had built with the help of a few others here and there.  The old Tracker hut had been handy as a place to keep materials for teaching and a few other odds and ends, but Anton had envisaged something better.  That and he needed something to occupy himself since his ability to travel had been somewhat curtailed as the Head Tracker.  Janna had meant well by it, and it had taken a great deal of trust for her to pick him, but he often wondered whether he was the best choice.  He disagreed with too many things that had become accepted within the Stedding, perhaps that was one of the reasons he had chosen to create an alternative.

 

Not that there were not homes outside of the Stedding, Anton had lived in at least two others, but he had wanted somewhere that he could think of as...  free.  It was a simple place, a single storey building that had its own kitchen, a dining room that also served as a classroom, several bedrooms for people to stay and a store room for supplies.  It had taken time, but Anton wasn't finished with it by any means.  He would expand on it with time, until it was as independent as he could make it.  Besides, every man needed a labour to keep him occupied, this was his.  Even if he wasn't the best leader the Trackers had ever had, he would at least make something of which his fellows could use between their extended travel out in the world.

 

But, that wasn't something to be dwelled on.  No, today was going to be fun, perhaps tonight as well.  His students had Timewalker to watch over them, and that in turn was a lesson for Timewalker because she had to become more used to responsibility and more importantly, the people around her.  He would take the day off, to a degree for there was still things to be done, but it was a day off nevertheless.  Today he was going to go and visit with the Band of the Red Hand, something he had only done a few times when he'd wanted to trade for some things or simply get away from the Stedding, but it was good nevertheless.  Perhaps he'd even see Carnhain there if the man was around, after all, it was his duty to cut that man down to size...

 

 

It probably shouldn't have taken as much time as it did, but Anton had loafed a little as he had made breakfast.  Breakfast was good, breakfast was warming, warmth was a temptation to go back to sleep and forget about the rest of the day for at least an hour or two as he was in no hurry.  Temptation was also something that Anton occasionally indulged in, so the sun was up and perhaps it was about ten in the morning when he was finally ready to depart. 

 

His packs filled with fur cloaks and hats that he'd made himself over the past couple of months, they were but a couple of the things he was taking with him to trade.  Maybe he'd be able to get some glass panes for the windows, wooden shutters were all well and good but some glass would be really nice all the same.  Maybe some more crockery as well, and some more utensils, they would also be quite handy.  Perhaps he could skim some Band surplus as well, he'd have to talk to Carnhain about that.  The man was usually willing to help out after he'd been heckled a little.  And a toasting iron would be wonderful.

 

Picking up his staff that was resting on the door frame, Anton opened the door and stepped out into the cool morning air only to pause as he saw a figure in the distance who was following the creek.  Someone coming to visit?  It took a bit of focus as he extended his senses, but as the person approached he was able to figure out who it was and it puzzled him.  Adine Sedai?  Her warder wasn't with her, and she was seeking him out?  Not in a hurry either so it wasn't an emergency.

 

Sighing, Anton disappeared back inside as he unslung his packs and left them behind the door, he would attend to that later.  A guest was a guest and besides which he was curious as to what this was all about.  Going into the kitchen to get a small fire started, water was set so it would boil and he left the kitchen to go and greet her.  She was taking her time approaching, but at least it gave time for the water to boil, that and for Anton to contemplate just what exactly she was doing.

 

 

Anton Averdal

Farpaw

 

OOC:  Left it open for you to decide whether you were riding a horse or just walking, and its about 10am :)