[03:24p] 
malih didn't know how much time had passed, giving in to the self-pity of being alone. That was over now, she admonished herself.
[03:27p] malih rising, she lifted the hem of her dress in small hands, the fabric still heavy, but not nearly as it had been before now that it had dried. Letting her gaze drift over the sands once more, she knew she'd need to find food and water. Turning her eyes toward the ocean, she knew she couldn't drink it.
[03:29p] malih looked toward the west where the sun was sinking lower in its descent toward the horizon. Small feet carried her across the beach, the sand squishing between her toes. Shelter. She'd need to find safe shelter, too.
[03:31p] malih walked along the endless shore, her brow furrowing seeing the dark-stained box buried partway in the sand. She recognized it quickly, and a smile bloomed on her face as she fell to her knees, her fingers clawing at the sand to dig the box out. A small box, it did not take long until she was able to pull it free.
[03:33p] malih lifted the lid of the box on its hinges, sapphire eyes sparkling as she opened the box to reveal the contents she expected. An ink pot, happily and securely capped. A feathered plume, it's point sharpened for writing. And paper. Gloriously...
[03:33p] malih : wet paper
[03:37p] malih a saddened sigh tumbled from berried lips as she carefully lifted the rence from the box. It felt heavy and delicate in her hands. Closing the box, she set the paper carefully atop it and tried to peel back one sheet without it crumbling. It tore, an exasperated hmmph sliding from her lips. Still, she continued to work the paper free of the next page, lifting it with great care. If only she could dry it...
[03:39p] malih surveyed the beach once more, a large rock not far from where she was. Lifting from the sand, she took the box and knelt at the rock, carefully peeling the paper back a page at a time, laying sheets as flat on the rock as she could to dry. There was no wind to help, but neither was there wind to blow the paper away.
[03:41p] malih The rock covered, she knew she'd need to wait to add more after those pages dried. Looking toward the sun once more, she frowned. How quickly the time had gotten away. She pressed a small hand to the flat of her belly as it grumbled its displeasure. Food, water, shelter.
[03:44p] malih wandered the beach again, trudging up the embankment toward a grassy area. Her eyes danced with delight finding a thicket of kalana bushes. Plucking the berries from the plants, she happily ate, smoothing the hunger that had assailed her. Lifting her dress to make a basket of sorts, she filled it with more.
[03:44p] malih : No water, but for now these will do.
[03:46p] malih walked a little further, considering places for shelter. Finding none, she turned back toward the beach, wondering for an ehn how she'd arrived there. Water meant ships. Ilithia had told her great stories of mighty ships that sailed Thassa, but as she looked toward the sea, she saw no ships.
[03:48p] malih walked further along the beach, the light of the sun fading as the light of the moons began to illuminate the shore. She wondered what ahn it was and how much time there was until the sun rose again. She was brought from her thoughts as her eyes alighted on a brown mass lying on the beach.
[03:52p] malih was cautious as she went closer, her steps slowing as she realized it was....well what? A person? Its skin was pale and blue-tinged. Its hair was scraggly, not worn as the people of her home did in beautiful styles and bound with white ribbon. Kneeling in the sand, the berries forgotten as the fell from her "basket," she reached a tentative hand out, her brow creased in disgust, as she drew it across the person's face, grimacing at the scratchiness of the hair there.
[03:52p] malih : Tal!
[03:52p] malih received no reply and wondered what to say after that
[03:53p] malih : Are you alright?
[03:54p] malih put a hand to the person's shoulder and shook as hard as she could, trying to rouse the person from their slumber. No easy task for as tall and muscular as the person seemed to be. She wondered what kind of people would neglect their own so badly as to allow such growth and hair upon the face.
[03:54p] malih : Who did this to you?
[03:56p] malih tried to shake the person again and still received no reply. She let her eyes roam its form, gentle hands pushing and prodding here and there, looking for signs of injury.
[04:01p] malih seeing none, she tugged the person's linen shirt open, eyes of bright blue seeing a chest covered with hair. Still seeing no injury and having more questions than answers, she moved to straddle the person, bending over it to push on the pelvic bone to ensure it was intact. Small hands slid down each leg in turn from the juncture of the thighs to the foot before she moved and slid to the person's left.
[04:02p] malih : You are not hurt! Wake up now!
[04:03p] malih receiving no reply, she lifted to her feet and hurried to the water. Bending, she cupped her hands and carried the water carefully back to the motionless form, letting the water spill from her hands over the person's face.
[04:03p] malih : Wake up now!
[04:03p] malih seeing no movement from the person, she sighed and knelt next to it again.
[04:04p] malih : Maybe I can find some sort of papers that say who you are...
[04:05p] malih slid a small hand into the pocket of the leather pants the person wore, drawing out a heavy pouch. Opening it, she drew out a coin, one gold in color, and another a shiny grayish color.
[04:05p] malih : These are pretty! Where did you....
[04:05p] malih looked at the person again and frowned.
[04:06p] malih : Well, until you wake up, they are mine! I will keep them safe. So you can just wake up now!
[04:06p] malih frustrated, she bit against the gold coin.
[04:07p] malih : Well, they are not food, nor chocolate treats. But still, they are pretty so I will keep them.
[04:07p] malih looking back at the unmoving form, she decided to wait.
[04:08p] malih : Well, I will be here when you wake and then we will talk. Surely someone is missing you, and I'm sure Ilithia will come for me too.
[04:09p] malih thought she saw the person move but then dismissed it as wishful thinking. The sun had set and she could only see by the light of the moons in their various stages of ascent. She didn't know how long she'd been awake, but she fell asleep, her head resting against the dead man's chest.
~ M. Veyl