“Where there was a first meeting, there must also be a final farewell.” - Old folk saying.

Territory of Clan Bloodfang

Xewaur Plains

North-western Alcidea

7th Day of the 1st Week of the 9th Month of Year 289 VA.

It was a breezy autumn day, roughly three decades after the second human invasion of the orcish plains. Clan Bloodfang was in the midst of preparation for migrating to the northern end of their territory, as was the norm for winters. That particular day, though, many of the older members of the Clan and their respective families were gathered at the southern edge of their encampment.

They were bidding farewell to long-time guests of the Clan, a farewell that they knew would likely be the last time they ever saw those old friends in their life.

Aideen and Celia had packed their belongings, and exchanged warm hugs and words of farewell with the orcs of the Clan they had lived amongst for the past four and a half decades. A final farewell to these kind hosts of theirs, as they knew that most of them would likely already be gone by the time Aideen or Celia walked these very lands once more in the future.

Orica, who had already retired as Warchief, her position handed down to her niece Dusana, was amongst them, still hale and hearty despite pushing well into her early eighties. So was Dagna and Andromarche, by now grandparents whose eldest grandchild was already expecting their own first child. Age had taken its toll on the former knight from Clangeddin, as portrayed by the wrinkles that lined her face, but perhaps there was something about the prairie air or way of living that kept her fit as a fiddle even into her old age.

Aideen’s original plan had not included such a prolonged stay at the plains, but she changed her mind after her meeting with Celia. Since she took the girl along with her, she felt responsible for her well-being, and when she noticed that the blunt, straightforward, and simple manner of life of the orcs seem to be helping the girl cope with the remnants of her past, Aideen had simply prolonged their stay until Celia showed no more signs of being burdened by her rather painful past.

Celia might have put up a strong face to show others, but Aideen was old. She noticed the more subtle signs of the girl’s struggle with the changes her life had gone through. Signs that the younger unliving girl might not even have fully noticed herself. Sometimes psyches could be like that, remnants and scars covered up by other things to the point that not even the person themselves noticed them.

Aideen noticed them regardless.

The decades of simple living, amongst people for whom the ideas of manipulation and intrigues so commonly found amongst humans was near-nonexistent, had done wonders to help Celia recover. The people of the plains might be a tad on the violent and brutish side at times, but at the same time, they were also very honest, open, and straightforward people. Distancing herself away from the presence of people who might wish untoward things to her just because they could, the source of her painful past, helped the girl walk away from the remnants of those memories.

Since Celia had pretty much gotten over her mental demons, Aideen thought it might be a good time for them to continue on with their trek. The orcs they had been friends and guests to for four and a half decades gave them a warm farewell, with many of them gathered to send off the two unliving women despite the general busy atmosphere of the Clan.

They kept the farewells short and simple, as was the way of the clans, and before too long, the two women had set out from the encampment. After they waved at the departing pair, the members of the clan returned to their activities, as they helped the others to pack up for the winter migration. Aideen and Celia glanced backwards a few times as they walked, until the encampment was entirely out of sight.

“So… we’re moving on, huh?” Celia asked after a while to break the silence.

“Yeah. I’m thinking of heading for the territory of the elves, then the dwarves next,” replied Aideen with a nod as she walked alongside the younger woman. Both of them had switched back to the sort of clothing they arrived in, as wearing the more tribal-looking outfits of the clans would draw a lot of attention in the other regions of the continents.

“Oh, that’s nice. I’ve always wanted to see those for myself, though I guess I’ve seen some elves here in the prairie already,” said Celia with a nod. As a little girl her parents had told her stories of the other races which fascinated her greatly. To be able to visit those races herself was something she had never thought she would be able to do, yet here she was on her way to do just that. “What about afterward?”

“After that, I’m likely paying a visit to an old friend in Knallzog,” replied Aideen, knowing all too well what the younger girl was worried about. Celia had been journeying with her for the past four and a half decades, and the girl was probably afraid that Aideen would abandon her now that she could hold her own in life. “After that, I’m likely headed homeward, to the southern continent.”

“Oh… so you’re returning home then,” said the younger woman with a slightly dejected tone. Perhaps it was a bit of a dependance she had developed for the older woman who had been her mentor and friend for so long, but she was loath of even thinking that they would be parting ways.

“Not forever. I’ve told you my plans to found a city for our kind, have I not? I’d be going home to prepare for that, then once everything was prepared, head back here to Alcidea,” said Aideen, slightly teasing the younger girl on purpose. “That said, it’s not like I said I’d be going home on my own. Would you like to come along and see my hometown?”

“Really? I’d- I’d be honored to.”

“Then just come along. We still have a long life ahead of us after all.”