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The best time to go fishing is in the early morning before anyone else comes to the shore and disturbs the peaceful atmosphere. Really, for Louis, it’s more about having a nice morning than catching that night’s dinner, but they will stand by their opinion.
Unfortunately, this morning wouldn’t be as peaceful as they always hoped.
The presence of a small fishing boat sitting capsized on the shore draws their attention immediately and with caution, Louis approaches. Sure there had been some choppy weather the last night, but this isn’t a boat they recognize so it’s better not to be hasty.
A spot of pure darkless draws their attention enough to hurry their pace forward and they gasp as they round the boat.
There, lying face down in the sand, is a young child with darkless hair, the thing spotted from the other side of the boat. Quickly they feel for the child’s pulse and sigh gratefully upon finding it. Thank Change they were still alive.
Louis gently turns the child over, checking for any injuries and not finding any. Their breathing is quiet and even as well. The only obvious signs of something being wrong are that they were found unconscious next to a tipped boat.
They take a moment to look around and try to determine what happened.
There are a few other things scattered around this side of the boat, most notable of which are a funny-looking hat and some nautical navigational tools. The hat matches the same pure darkless of the child’s cloak and appears similarly made, a matching set.
The navigational equipment is more peculiar. One of the water-logged papers is some form of chart covered in dots. Could those be… stars? Another paper is a map, ruined by the water and missing its northernmost portion. Besides those is a compass and, more peculiarly, a sextant. Louis would expect any boatsperson worth their salt to keep a compass on them when sailing, but a sextant is something they would only expect from ships making longer, ocean-faring journeys. What a tiny fishing vessel would need with one they can’t understand.
In fact, where did this boat come from? Their town is located at the northernmost point of Vaugarde and this child scarcely looks like a local.
No, none of that matters, Louis reminds themselves. They were starting to get a headache from thinking too hard about it.
Setting to work, they lay the child down in the sand and stand. They flip the boat back over the right way and begin piling everything that had spilled into it. Once everything but the child has been haphazardly piled in the boat they pull it further inland so nothing will be washed away.
Louis returns to gather the child in their arms and run back to town to find help. Any other lingering confusion can be dealt with at another time. Ensuring their safety and health came first.