Chapter Text
Exploring through the canyon was no easy feat by night, it was breathtaking in the daytime, crispy, dry air awestruck to any fine artist or adept scientist daring to master their understanding of the broad concept of climate, even more. The weather.
It poured at night and seemed to flood and slide mud, but it clears and chirps soundly by early morning. The calm lakes flow fresh running water. The courier ran his fingers through his hair with the cool water, then his beard. Fish and tadpoles seemed lively and almost friendly in the sun's rays.
The morning mist leaves the tree's bark moist with moss growing slick on their thick sides. The lake's boulders were slimy. Slick and rough life stuck to the edges from freshwater life seemed ready to shoot out of the water just in time for breakfast.
Afterward, the courier looks wayward towards the light towering above him, billowing trees trek for miles before one could note the ranger's tower to flag down a message for the tower to correspond To the further reaches of the kingdom beyond the canyon untouched by most bipedal life for weeks at a time, sometimes even months. Owned predominately by four-legged beasts and wicked, winged things.
This busy courier scales the tower, making his way up the ladder to the ranger's radio to ring their remaining response. Out of breath, choking on their words, mouth dry and lips split, they grip the wood of the ranger's door with a crossbow still posting and pointed to their throat. A fit of amusement riles the ranger's face at a lack of threat in the mellow messenger.
"Speak, messenger." The ranger prompts patience waning—the courier wheezing.
"New Irimine Chua verses just dropped. And news for the king." The courier adds between heaving breathes.
"Oh my gods, why didn't you say something sooner? I've been waiting for her new tales of travels to hit the waves." The ranger procurers the tape that was given to them and transfers its frequencies to neighboring stations to copy and replay her melodic tunes, having already played them throughout the kingdom’s furthest corners for weeks. The two sat together, sharing a meal and drink together while they listen to the new album in glee. Together, for those few hours, they laughed and watched for any notable changes to the canyon itself or signs of intruders. Making friends with a stranger.