Kavan's Backstory: Part 2
Kavan and Naava walked from village to village for the nextfew years, Kavan taking odd jobs people had when nature became a problem. She had to remove snakes and help redirect animals where civilization had moved in, but her favorite was to help find poachers. She never spoke much to those who hired her, because she didn’t feel the need for other companions; Naava was enough for her. She never accepted money; material goods only slowed her down. She would only trade her services for something she could use such as bread, milk, or medicine. They continued to live this way, traveling from town to town.
One day Kavan wandered upon a village where she met a mercenary named Quinn in a local tavern. She walked in and made herself as comfortable as she could around so many people at the counter. Naava lay down on the floor around the stool legs. He didn’t get to rest long before he sat up to warn Kavan about the approaching stranger. Kavan turned around to see who was coming and was surprised to see a female soldier casually walking up to her. The soldier sat down beside the druid and tried to have a conversation, but Kavan was awkward; she wasn’t used to people trying to talk with her so determinedly. She decided to excuse herself for the night, but was drawn in by the mention of a poacher. Curious, she asked the girl to expound on her last statement. Kavan learned that the mercenary, Quinn, had been hired by the druid tribal leaders to track down a pack of poachers, who were quickly making the lynx extinct in the land of Castilion. Kavan was disgusted. Her usual kind side vanished as she stood and cursed the men who would harm such an elegant creature. Kavan’s venting was broken by the sound of laughter. She angrily turned toward the sound; she did not appreciate being made a joke. Quinn grabbed her hand. “If you feel that passionate about it, why don’t you come help me stop them?” Kavan wasn’t sure why she had asked, but she couldn’t turn down the possibility of stopping such a horrible thing from happening. She nodded once and sat back down. The other girl looked pleasantly surprised at Kavan’s agreement but smiled, “Good. We leave in the morning.”
The girls traveled together with a small band of three others. They became quite close during their journey and for the first time, Kavan found herself enjoying a human companion. Quinn opened up about her past and Kavan shared with her the stories of growing up in a forest. They began sharing rooms in the taverns where they’d stay and they would spend hours talking. Kavan found Quinn fascinating. They spent eight months travelling to Castilion, during which the girls became friends. Kavan felt there might be more behind their friendship, but didn’t have the courage to act upon it. She decided to teach Quinn Druidic, so they would be able to speak without being understood by others when they found themselves in crowded places. Kavan noticed that Quinn picked up the language quickly, and she found it pleasant to talk to her in Druidic. It was as if they shared secrets the rest of the world could only dream of knowing.
Finally, they reached Castilion and the band was able to track down the poachers. They devised a plan and set to work. Kavan found a few lynx who had managed to escape the poachers and rounded them up together in an open field close to the poacher’s camp. She knew it was dangerous, but it was also the best way to get the poachers to come out. It didn’t take long for the bait to work. Soon the poachers found themselves surrounded by Quinn, Kavan, and the others. They finished the job quickly, and the poachers were locked up before the sun had set. The band spent the night celebrating at the village’s tavern. Everyone enjoyed a few rounds of honey mead. By the time they were headed to bed, the moon was high in the night sky. The breeze was cool for a summer’s night and Kavan asked Quinn to take a small walk to help rid themselves of the warmth the alcohol had brought.
They spoke quietly about the events of the day and of preparing for their long journey back. Quinn stopped after a few minutes and rested on a grassy hill. Kavan joined her friend in the grass with a sudden laugh. “We make a pretty good team.” She smiled over at Quinn who was looking up at the stars.
“Yes, we do. I thank Chandra I met you in the tavern that day.” She looked away from the night sky and into Kavan’s eyes. The girls were sitting side by side, their shoulders touching. Quinn exhaled deeply. Kavan felt Quinn’s breath and noticed their close proximity for the first time. She looked at her friend’s face and leaned in slowly until their lips met. Kavan felt Quinn’s lips move in response and her inebriated mind was suddenly thinking all too clearly. She inhaled sharply and froze. Quinn pulled back with a look of concern, but Kavan was on her feet before she had the chance to say anything.
“I…I should go.” Kavan stammered. She ran back to the tavern and whistled for Naava who bounded out the door. Kavan took him into the forest where they spent the night alone, though Kavan didn’t get much sleep. She left early the next morning when the sun’s rays first peeked over the horizon. She was embarrassed by the way she had behaved the night before and wanted to leave before she had to face Quinn. She stuck to the roads she knew Quinn would avoid and decided then that she was not cut out for human interaction. For the next three years, she traveled alone, only stopping in towns to get jobs when she needed medicine or supplies. She avoided most people and was able to go back to her old ways easily. Only one thing had changed, now she was lonely.