The bunker containing the horses also housed a variety of other, mostly farm, animals, but was considered important because the Shenandoah Compound people's main mode of transportation was kept there. They had solar powered vehicles, but since the people of the different Kru nations didn't have them, Jadoe's people couldn't feasibly use them and still remain hidden. Jadoe knew some complained about not using the trucks and cars, but she could never understand why. Everything within the compound was within walking distance or if a person was working or had packages to be delivered, there were motorized carts to get them from point A to point B. Then there was the fact that a maximum of maybe twenty people ever traveled any distance outside their home to warrant the need to use them.
The gentle slope into the bunker blended well into its surroundings, large boulders and older trees shielded it from being easily observed, even close up. Thick ivy covered the grey colored palm plate. Jadoe pushed the heavy mass of vine and leaves out of her way so that her print could be scanned. The gentle humming and brief flash of pale yellow light let her know it was still working.
"Argh." Jadoe didn't care that she sounded like a bad sound effect from one of the positively ancient zombie flicks her siblings liked watching. The noise made her feel better and since she didn't have to explain that she was beginning to dislike the Shenandoah people to one of said people, she did it again. She shut up to keep from spooking Wreck-it, her favorite horse. He didn't like many people and though Jadoe was one of the few he'd rarely trick, she was still careful to double check that her saddle was snug and kept an eye on his ears; a good indicator of whether or not he'd give her sass for the day. Rekka neighed softly from the neighboring stall, so Jadoe reached over and gently stroked her muzzle.
The two animals got along well, so if Jadoe decided to take both and do a double haul...Jadoe bit her lip and mulled over the decision to do so. The next scavenger/trader on the list to go out was Nixa and she hated haggling. She'd rather scour the forest for things deemed necessary than deal with any of the Kru nation; if Jadoe did a double run, Nixa could merely scavenge and owe Jadoe a favor. The silver eyed woman loved collecting favors, a habit she'd picked up from the older men in her family, and had quite a few. She'd never really been willing to owe anyone; if she couldn't do it or acquire it herself, she'd do without. There were items she could get from Niylah, an isolated trader, and easily store in the bunker.
Then in two weeks, Nixa could get it after she foraged. Niylah was pretty understanding, if Jadoe could only do a quick stop now, she'd make up for it with a longer one the next time her run came up and she'd buy things that were strictly for her or her mother. Knowing she didn't have the time to kick the idea around indefinitely, Jadoe went with the gut feeling to do it. Wreck-it fidgeted as his rider prepped the other horse, but ultimately behaved himself, so Jadoe took it as a good sign. She wouldn't say she was overly superstitious, but her father often commented that she was given to "flights of fancy".
Landi scoffed back in his face when the subject came up. She was less willing to place her faith in Gergoi's god and more likely to follow her instincts. Landi firmly believed in women's intuition and would make both scientific and gut decisions. True, half her experiments didn't work, but it was her gut that led her to the eye drops that saved her daughter's sight and she was the best at delivering babies; she always seemed to know what was needed to keep both mother and baby alive and thriving. Given her mother's rather impressive track record, Jadoe tried to live like Landi.
Both horses ready to go, Jadoe grabbed a pouch of water, a single rations packet for her trip, a pair of long, curved swords and led her animals up into the fresh air. She mounted Wreck-it when she had the room and set a brisk pace towards Niylah's shop. It was always a pleasure to see the blond even if her father was a misogynistic ass. He was more often than not out gathering goods to stock their shop and according to his daughter on Jadoe's last visit, would be in the second month of his planned three month trip.
Bright morning light began to filter through the foliage of the forest. The heat of the day was going to be upon her by the time she got to Niylah's place. Jadoe scanned the trees and made another mental note for the traveling journal kept by the traders and foragers; the leaves were not as green and thick as they should have been. As she continued her travels, she noted that the roads were also more heavily traveled than normal and many were traveling with what were most likely heavily ladened carts. The deep ruts in the road and items that could be considered frivolous littered along the side, further compounded the feeling that there was some sort of mass move into Polis. Good in a way that she would be less recognized by more people but not without a downside. Supplies in the city would be more tapped out than usual.
Jadoe grinned for a second. Her run would come back light but knowing she'd be owed a substantial favor balanced it out.. Nixa's father controlled most of the cloth guild, which in turn was responsible for distributing anything that even remotely involved cloth and worked closely with those within the tanner's guild. Perhaps Jadoe could manage to finally get another decent cloak. Jackets were preferred by many when the compound transitioned into the pseudo winter that mimicked what was happening to the planet; since Jadoe went into the real cold and preferred to blend in as much as possible, she often wore a cloak. Her good cloak had been damaged though by one of the bigger predators left alive four outings ago and though she'd repaired it, no way she was going to spend precious credits having an apprentice in the cloth guild do it, it no longer looked quite as nice. When the members of the Kru nations saw her slightly damaged cloak, they assumed she had less and therefore offered her sub par items for trade. It was a pain in the ass. She'd use a favor to get a newer cloak and save herself some hassle later on down the road.
The ground leveled out in front of her and Wreck-it picked up his pace without any urging, Rekka following close behind. Jadoe had to keep better track of the road to avoid major ruts that would possibly damage an axle or cause a twisted leg on one of the horses. She passed only a few people heading towards Polis. None were Ice Nation; those that looked up to see her face quickly dropped their gazes when they caught site of the pale, slightly raised lines on her cheeks.
A person alone with two horses meant that person had supplies, which in this world was essentially wealth. The Azgeda scars and double blades strapped to her saddle, within easy reach, made her both a tempting and terrifying target. Jadoe had been trained since she was five on handling and safety with guns, as all children in the compound were, and then daggers, swords, and axe when she was ten. Carrying a weapon among the Kru nations was a death sentence if you didn't know how to use them. She was more comfortable with blades than guns, though she didn't let it show; she'd managed to attain a sharp shooter rating in both short range pistol training and long range rifle.
The path ahead split. Those she'd passed would go right to Polis while she took the left fork toward her fist stop. The cloak she pulled back to drape across her mount, hoping that some hint of a breeze would hit her. The path to Niylah's was more narrow and less used, so the ruts were random but shallow and the sides of the road dropped down steeply, so any breeze generated by the forward motion of the horse was nil. Shaking her back her thick, pin straight blond hair, she used a precious hair tie to pull it all back.
Glancing at the sky, her brows furrowed; despite the thick dark clouds hanging low, there was no tell tale smell of ozone saturating the air. There was also a lack of humidity that should have been present. The air should have been oppressive under such heavy cloud cover. "Something is so wrong right now." Wreck-it's ears flicked back at the sound of Jadoe's voice. What the hell could affect the weather?
Niylah's shop came into view and Jadoe sighed with relief. Perhaps the other woman would know what was going on; she was out of the way but it was wise to know what was going on around your home. The architecture always delighted Jadoe. There was nothing like it within the compound, squares and boxed shaped buildings were quick and practical in a bomb shelter the size of a small city. Over time, decorative features such as fountains and small parks had been added, but space was limited so there was only so much any given generation could do. The most random place you could be were the newer sections of forest that hadn't been planted in a grid.
The trading post also lacked concrete, made of cleverly curved and intricately carved wood, the outside was as warm and inviting as the inside. The exterior was simple and beautiful, at times blending into its surroundings while other times it dominated the small clearing. Inside was a cluttered, charming disaster that would drive many of the Shenandoah compound into a tizzy; everything had its place and cleanliness was godliness within its concrete, steel reinforced walls. Time and exposure to the homes and shops of the Kru nations had given Jadoe a sense of where things were located and the clutter had stopped bothering her a while ago.
Dismounting, she dropped lightly to the ground, running her fingers along the packed dirt. Horses, no big surprise, but what pulled her up short were the tire marks sunk into the earth. Skaikru were the only ones that had working vehicles and used them. Why were they all the way out here? Dread skittered it way up her spine, made her stomach clench and sweat to coat her palms. What the hell was going on?