Nahariel grinned, and reached over to the pile of excess wood that had been forming over the day for a thumb sized chunk, holding it up to her pointer finger for a moment--at a glance she'd judged the other elf to have a comparable hand size--and began whittling away.
The space within came first, aided by a small curved chisel. "Ever since I was young, I loved wood. Before I could do aught with it, I was fascinated by Ilriane, our carver's, work. Used to spend hours watching her." Nari laughed, the breath coming from her nose in a brief huff. "Used to bring her whatever sticks I could carry, too. I don't think any of them were much use to her, but she never minded. She'd give me something small the next day, let me think it'd been my gathering that had aided her."
After checking that the space was right, she began on the outside, paring it off with a small sharp blade until it formed a rough dome. "She taught me a few things, once my mother allowed it. The day she gave me my first carving knife... well. I remember it as well as the day I got my vallaslin. Perhaps a bit more, but I don't think June would mind that, considering." The hunter tapped the apex of her tattoo with a crooked grin, and swapped the blade for a sand-cloth. "Let's make sure you're not trading metal pricks for wooden ones, aye?"
She took her time with the smoothing, a fine dust settling across her lap, her hands, her expression turning more somber. "It stopped being mere good will and kindness after the raid. She was hurt, and... I think it became more important to her that the knowledge was passed down. Felt like she had a time limit, now." The little thimble began to pick up a very soft shine. "And... she did, it turns out. Left me all of it. A fine set of tools, her space, her blessing. So much more than she gave me that first-knife day, but I was less happy to receive it."
Nari blew a forceful puff of air into the hole, then a second, then held it out to Vasran with a small quirk of her lips. "Try that. And let me know if it snags the cloth you're working with--I've a finer sand-cloth," she said, then ran her fingers through her hair with a rueful chuckle. "I'm sorry it came with history attached. I talk when I work."
no subject
The space within came first, aided by a small curved chisel. "Ever since I was young, I loved wood. Before I could do aught with it, I was fascinated by Ilriane, our carver's, work. Used to spend hours watching her." Nari laughed, the breath coming from her nose in a brief huff. "Used to bring her whatever sticks I could carry, too. I don't think any of them were much use to her, but she never minded. She'd give me something small the next day, let me think it'd been my gathering that had aided her."
After checking that the space was right, she began on the outside, paring it off with a small sharp blade until it formed a rough dome. "She taught me a few things, once my mother allowed it. The day she gave me my first carving knife... well. I remember it as well as the day I got my vallaslin. Perhaps a bit more, but I don't think June would mind that, considering." The hunter tapped the apex of her tattoo with a crooked grin, and swapped the blade for a sand-cloth. "Let's make sure you're not trading metal pricks for wooden ones, aye?"
She took her time with the smoothing, a fine dust settling across her lap, her hands, her expression turning more somber. "It stopped being mere good will and kindness after the raid. She was hurt, and... I think it became more important to her that the knowledge was passed down. Felt like she had a time limit, now." The little thimble began to pick up a very soft shine. "And... she did, it turns out. Left me all of it. A fine set of tools, her space, her blessing. So much more than she gave me that first-knife day, but I was less happy to receive it."
Nari blew a forceful puff of air into the hole, then a second, then held it out to Vasran with a small quirk of her lips. "Try that. And let me know if it snags the cloth you're working with--I've a finer sand-cloth," she said, then ran her fingers through her hair with a rueful chuckle. "I'm sorry it came with history attached. I talk when I work."