Yawning, you lean back on the hard stone mountainside. Falling away beneath you, you see a brown land with growth fighting for survival. Above you, cold peaks just out into the crisp air.

Briefly, you wonder why you're here. Did you really want to explore such a foreboding landmark? It did not look at all welcoming, and you doubted there was anything friendly in there...

But even as you think this, your eyes tell you you are wrong. Threading its way down to you is a small brown thing, slightly resembling a rabbit.



"Are you coming up?" he calls jubilantly. "Neyuki's too reclusive to come out herself--" he rolls his eyes "--but she wants to meet you. She's up there..." He motions slightly with his head, and where he indicated you can now just make out a grayish form. But it doesn't look much like the creature before you... In fact, it's got a beak. And tail feathers. Huh?



"Wait-wait-wait," you say quickly, stalling for thinking time. "So... First, what's your name? And what are you?"

The thing eyes you for a moment, before answering, "Kafun. I'm a cyen."

"And that's Neyuki, up there? What's she?"

Then, recognizing the source of your confusion, Kafun responds more confidently. "Yeah, that's Neyuki. She's also a cyen. She's just inherited the avian mutation. Because of it, she's really shy... I don't know what she likes about these high craggy places, but she's always in one or another. Must be something to do with her birdy side. She says she wants to meet a wanderer, but she won't come out..." He sighs and raises his eyes to look at her, then frowns with frustration. "She left again! She's not gonna meet somebody if she won't--"

And he turns and disappears, back among the rocks, leaving you to stand alone on the barren earth.

The Town of Hearth - Home