Downstream?

JP with Lorem and Omni

A thrill ran through Voah's veins at the sight of seeing another human being out in these hot reaches, partially out of caution and partially out of excitement. She waved back to the man on his boat and ducked into the tent to wake up Gonyaul. This was a chance to trade or possibly even hitch a ride.

When she was sure he was stirring, Voah exited the shelter to meet the boatman.

Gonyaul rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and crawled to the tent entrance. He felt like a hibernating animal being awakened before winter was truly over. As he joined Voah outside the sunlight’s dry heat coated him like a thick sauce and made him instantly miss the shade.

He noticed Voah gesturing and moving towards the bank of the river. Following her with his eyes, he finally noticed there was a boat coming up towards the edge. It was captained by a tall skinny man. From a distance His lean form could be indistinguishable from the reed grasses along the river.

Gonyaul double timed his steps to catch up to Voah, so he was with her upon the initial meeting. He signed a Vauxian greeting and smiled hospitably. In his mind he was already preparing the default idea that they were about to meet a new friend.

He spoke to Voah as they waited for the man to secure his boat and join them on dry land. “He has boat and going west. We may able to ask for ride?”

Voah received the boatman as warmly as she could with a bow, a smile while remaining cautious of the seemingly disappointed newcomer. She greeted him in with a hello Ozainae, still one of the only words she knew in that language.

"Yes, let us hope so." she nodded to Gonyaul.

From his words, Voah caught the word "where" and answered with gestures to themselves, pointing to the boat and downstream.

"We go to Gra'akast. You going west?"