#Zen: It's not a sport and you're not supposed to be good or bad at it but good spirit

[chronal-anomaly]

She had been practicing.

Maybe that was a bit ridicolous, to be practicing something like yoga. After all, the intention was the absence of self, not the presence of it. Or maybe it was the other way? Either or, Lena still wanted to be the best at the sport ( while missing some of the key elements of the activity, of course ). Still, the gentle burn of calf and thigh muscles was almost relaxing as she pulled the limb over her neck.

Years of being a runner had left Lena limber and loose, capable of keeping up with most of the exercises suggested by the monk. Still, the tedium once she reached the newest position sunk in early, setting a certain impatient tone to the way her eyes blinked open and closed.

"I think I got it. Dunno how I'm going to get outta it, but this is easy!" With her free hand, she reached toward her outstretch leg, feeling the tension flare into a sharp burn as she pushed herself further. "Y'know, I didn't realize 'alf of yoga was just stretching. I do this for cool down every day!"

@chronal-anomaly

the morning sunlight, and open air: perfect accessories to the glistening bodies - gentle stretches in calm poses. 

yoga was a practice zenyatta reccomended regulary: - excused as a good way to keep agility, more for giving a moment of silence.

as pistoned shifted and chrome moved, he instructed the pilot to do the same: gently changing from one positon to another.

「 ༀ - move with care, Lena; remember to feel tension, not pain. 」

[casspurrjoybell-25]

The Healer of Shakkara - Book One

*Warning Adult Content*

Chapter 12 - The Reunion - Part 2

"Then, I guess we understand each other."

An hour later, the sun had risen and they were clothed once more. The chill had retreated from Galen's body, though the bone-deep weariness remained.

He felt sick and dizzy when he tried to move and stayed seated by the fire, which Sevhalim fed with small branches that burned fast and hot.

Occasionally, they heard the baying of hounds but the sounds came from the other shore and Sev had not pressed Galen to move, just yet.

When a whistle like the call of a bird came through the trees, Sev stilled and listened.

It came again, with a slight variation and Sev's shoulders slumped with relief.

He rose and mimicked the whistling call and moments later four figures... a woman and three men... emerged from the trees.

"Thank the Goddess," Sev said, greeting them each with a clasp of hands and a quick embrace.

"I feared I'd lost you all."

"No such luck," the woman grinned but she wore a bloodied bandage about her brow and each other others sported some sign of injury as well.

She glanced past Sev to Galen and nodded.

"And you've got what we came for after all, I see. Good work."

Sev shot her a look as the others came to gather at the fire.

They carried cloths sacks, which seemed to be loaded with provisions and within moments passed around rough wooden plates loaded with food.

Sev handed one to Galen, who took it uncertainly.

It contained a piece of rustic bread, a slice of cheese, a hard-boiled egg and an apple.

"All stolen, I presume?" Sev commented around a bite.

"And the ship?"

"Lost, along with everything on it," this was said by a lean man with wiry blond curls and a beard.

His hands looked strong and calloused, as if accustomed to hard work.

"Water's not deep where it sank... we could dive the wreck but we'd be shot on sight and the townsfolk are picking it clean, already."

He extended a hand towards Galen.

"I'm Oberik, by the way but everyone calls me Obi."

Awkwardly, Galen shook his hand.

"Galen but you already know that, right?"

Obi winked.

"That we do but I don't expect you to remember ours. That's Rea," he said, pointing at the woman with the military posture, who was busy binding her hair into a tight braid.

"And that's Iksthanis."

The large, muscular man at Galen's right nodded.

He was bald-headed and had dark skin for a Sakkaran.

From his jewel-blue eyes, Galen wondered if he had some Naqqiri blood.

"Iksy, to my friends," he said, in a deep, resonant voice.

"I'm Zenir," said the last man, who was more slender than the others.

He had wavy auburn hair, a prominent nose and a gentle-looking mouth.

He moved his head when the others spoke but never looked directly at them and after a moment Galen realized he was blind.

"Zen's a poet," Obi said.

"And he's got a gift for song but his second sight is why we bring him along."

Zenir smiled.

"My sight failed us this time, I fear," he said.

"Perhaps I'm losing that as well."

Turning in Galen's direction, he said.

"My gift is minimal and requires interpretation... more often than not, I'm wrong."

"But when you're right, you save our skins," Obi countered.

"And in the meantime, your songs aren't bad... even earned us a free meal, once or twice."

"Speaking of," Iksy broke in.

"We've no money and no ship. Worse, there's bounties out for all of us and word has likely spread up and down the river by now. Who did you piss off, Sevhalim?"

"The wrong person, apparently," Sev said, glancing at Galen.

"Does our 'friend,' Darek, have such influence?"

Galen winced.

"His father is Captain of the Guard."

"Wonderful," Rea huffed.

"I told you it was a bad idea to offer a reward. Money greases wheels but it brings the sharks like blood in water. How are we supposed to get home now? Piracy?"

Sev rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

"No. We'll go by land. Straight west, through the Wild Green and over the mountains into Sakkara, then up to Tal P'Nir. From there, we can take horses to Jana Val."

There was silence for a moment, then Obi spoke.

"Zen? Anything?"

Zenir gazed upwards towards the bright morning sky, though he did not see it.

He shook his head.

"Nothing. But it feels better than the alternative. I've a feeling we'll hit trouble if we try the river."

"Good enough for me," Obi said.

"It's late to cross the mountains," Rea commented.

"A few more weeks and the passes will be snowed in. And the Wild has dangers of its own."

"You're all free to go your own way," said Sev.

"But I'm going by land."

"Then so are we," Iksy said and that seemed to settled it.

Galen admired their loyalty and wondered what he might have said himself, if he'd had a choice.

With their meal finished, the others re-packed their things and Sev extinguished the fire and erased all trace of it.

"We won't be going far today," he said, helping Galen to his feet.

"Just a few miles into the woods. We'll find a well-concealed spot we can rest until nightfall. Then we can cross the farmlands after dark. Once we reach the Wild.. I doubt anyone will dare to follow us."

A troubled look crossed Zenir's face but he said nothing.

"Is he hurt?" Obi asked, as Sev slipped an arm around Galen's back, taking some of his weight.

Sev shook his head.

"Mage-sickness. It will pass."

"Mage?Then he's...?"

"The P'Yrha. Yes. I'm certain of it now."

The others expressed excited surprise and asked many questions as they walked slowly through the brightening woods but Galen noted that Sevhalim had not sounded particularly happy, at all.