Lotus's Adventure on Mt Tinder Part 1

The sparkling waters glistened as waves rolled softly in the gap between most of Benbrooke and Mt. Tinder. A small gorgi reminiscent of a Japanese Tanuki relaxed in a small boat, softly drifting off while riding on the calm waters. Lotus fought the urge to take a short nap on the relaxing ride, and instead she checked her satchel once more to ensure her treasure was safe. Or, she supposed that it wasn’t truly her treasure - it would be the mountain’s treasure! Once a year, a rock would be selected by each household to be deposited at the altar atop Mt. Tinder, and she was once more responsible for collecting and bringing hers to the volcano. A task she prided in doing.

Even as a pup, Lotus would insist on being the one to pick out the stone that would make the trip to Mt Tinder. Back then, she’d spend days looking for the perfect stone - just round enough without being too soft looking - it had to look strong and fierce, in order to be the perfect tribute to protect them from the cold nights in the year to come! At the same time, it couldn’t be too pointy, or else someone could hurt themselves, or it would rip its way out of her dad’s (and now, her) satchel! While she still took great care in picking a stone, it was now something that she could do within an hour; just something nice and hardy. She’d try to go for one with a pleasing color if possible - a little less boring for the Gods to look at perhaps? - but the strength of the stone was the only make or break for her. She believed it showed the strength of her and her family by bringing a strong stone to the altar. It also just felt proper to her, to put some amount of effort into the task - the Gods did much for them, the least she could do was pick out the best rock possible to help refresh the lands of Mt. Tinder.

Shaking her head to bring herself out of her reminisce, she continued to row her small boat across the sea. Just enough to fit her, and the bag she’d be bringing to the expedition. The satchel was the same one her father had used when he used to make this trip, back when she was a pup. She couldn’t bear to let it go, and it still held strong and hardy. Having been crafted of weather-resistant materials, the bag - while not new looking in any way - remained exactly the way she remembered it being when she was a pup. The browns had lightened and some parts were stained, but the bag still strongly reminded her of her father. When the wind blew just right, she swore she could still smell him when she had the bag near. It was a pleasant smell of musty papers and nigami sake. It made her feel safe as she made this excursion.

She could already see the vague shadows of kites in the sky. Back when she was a pup, too young to make the climb herself, she’d demand to go with her father to Mt. Tinder so that she could stay at the base with the other gorgis and fly her own kite. She’d make it herself with the help of the crew tasked to assist the children, as her mother would stay home to care for the house. There wasn’t a year that she couldn’t remember making a trip to the base of the volcano. She said that her dad would have to be able to look at it whenever he was feeling weary on the climb, and remember that Lotus was rooting him on! She always wanted the most fierce of dragon kites. Lotus chuckled a bit at the memory as she continued to row. She missed flying those kites. Maybe when she got home, she’d make a new one, just for fun…

Ah, it was easy to let your mind wander at sea; just as the waves flowed, so did her thoughts. She instead took the time to consider what she’d packed for the trip - some bottles of water to combat the heat, a soft blue bandana that she can wet to help keep her neck cool, fire-resistant gloves, a sunhat (folded nicely in a way she hopes won’t ruin it, but she needed it to fit into her satchel), a few meals that would keep, and her stone of course (a nice one with sharp edges and a soft blue hue with a silver streaking running down the middle). She hoped she hadn’t forgotten anything important. While some gorgis would be able to utilize their magic on the mountain, she wasn’t sure how turning water to Sake would help her, unless she needed a bit of a buzz to motivate herself onwards. She giggled at the thought, sure that that would only lead to some dangerous mishaps for herself.

Magic aside, this just meant she needed to be prepared the old fashioned way. She’d always been okay in the past, but every year was different. Some required her to use all her smarts to successfully navigate the mountain, while others felt like a walk in the (very hot, flaming) park! There was no telling what the year would be like until she began the climb, so she hoped she’d prepared for the worst. Maybe she should have brought a fire-proof jacket, just in case… though the weight of that would make the hike far more unpleasant. Plus, she wasn’t quite sure where to get one.

Lotus’ boat finally reached land, and she hopped out into the water, using her strength to push the little boat all the way onto land. It just wasn’t safe to leave it in the water for that long, especially not with larger boats bringing multiple gorgis across at once. Her father had taught her that it was worth it to push the boat all the way into a small alcove near the sea, just high up enough that the tides never seemed to reach. There, she would tie it to a nearby tree so that people knew that it wasn’t just a washed up boat. Hopefully. The name of her boat, The Lotus Leaf, was painted on the side. Her father had named it after her when she was a small pup, and she tried to refresh the paint every year or so. She’d have to touch it up again when she got home, the paint was already starting to chip and peel in places, making it look more like Thc Iotuc Leat.

Excitement filled Lotus as she allowed the sounds of the island to breach her thoughts. People were happily discussing their plans, both for the bottom of the volcano, and for their climbs. First she listened to an elder couple planning their candle making station, smiling at the idea of seeing the candles lit as she made her way back down the volcano. Next, she could hear people pairing off for the climb - especially for those who needed the assistance to climb - and a few larger groups being made. Personally, she’d always taken the trek on her own, occasionally running into friends on her way up. Sometimes they’d stick together on the rest of the climb, heading in the same direction anyways, but she rather enjoyed the peace and quiet of adventuring on her own.

Bright yellows and burning oranges filled her eyes as she neared the kite making station. The fiery reds helped to make certain aspects truly pop off of the dragons. There were other colors as well, some dragons containing the entire spectrum of the rainbow, but Lotus always liked the classic, warm colors. They reminded her that she was doing this not just for the Gods, but to keep the hearth burning at home. She shut her eyes and breathed in the air, remembering that soon she’d be home, curled up in front of that hearth (without a fire of course, but the area was always a cozy one), with a glass of sake.

But first, she had a volcano to climb.

Putting on her satchel, she pulled her favorite sunhat out of the bag and gave it a soft shake in order to return it to its usual, floppy state. The rim was decorated in a plethora of different leaves, all of them green, standing out nicely against the pale, straw-yellow of the hat itself. The focal point of the leaves was a lotus leaf pressed nicely to the left side. She had made the hat herself, and loved it dearly. Once she’d shaken out the soft folds she’d made by tucking it into the bag, she plopped it on her head and sighed in relief as her eyes were suddenly protected from the sun’s rays. Perhaps she should have invested in some sunglasses? Ah well, she liked the look of the hat better.

Pride in her stride, Lotus made her way through the crowd, saying hello to gorgis as she went. She recognized many of them, as you do on a small land like Benbrooke, but had yet to see anyone she was truly close to. She often missed her friends, as gorgis were coming and going throughout the month. The most ever present gorgis were the ones who stayed at the foot of the volcano - some coming to cheer on specific gorgis while others stayed as long as they could to cheer on the whole of Benbrooke. Occasionally they’d come and go at intervals throughout the month, as well. As a pup, she’d always had to go home once her dad had returned down the mountain, and as a bit of a lone wolf herself now, she was ever thankful to the gorgis who stayed to cheer everyone on. It always felt nice to have people cheer and ask to see your rock when you reached the bottom of the hill. Comradery was certainly a privilege she was ever grateful to see plenty of in Benbrooke and the lands surrounding it.

Adjusting the strap of her satchel, she made her way over to the base of the mountain and took a few moments to just stare. Rather than beginning her climb, she took a few strides to the left of the starting point. Then, she took a seat on the ground. It may be weird, but Lotus started every climb with a quick meditation. Normally starting her mornings with it, she added on this second daily meditation to help focus her mind, and free herself of the fears that may prevent her from making this journey.

Sitting in the lotus position, she took deep breaths and centered herself. She allowed her thoughts to leave her mind, and to focus only on her breathing. Time no longer meant anything as she meditated. She could have been this way for hours, or for mere seconds. It didn’t matter to her. All that mattered was… nothing. And everything. All at once. But she let those everythings pass her by, and focused back on the nothings. She let herself be at peace.

As she slowly came out of this exercise, she allowed her thoughts to fill with positive thoughts and encouragement;

‘You can do it!’

‘You’ve done this before, you got this!’

‘You are good enough!’

‘I believe in me!’

‘Show Mt. Tinder who’s boss!’

Smiling, she allowed herself to stand. Legs a bit shaky for a moment, she gave herself a second to get on sound footing before taking the first step towards the path. She brushed a few bits of sand that had stuck to the back of her legs off, pulling it out of her fur. Her tail fluffed proudly for a moment before she took it in her hands and smoothed it out. Giving her whole body a quick shake, she adjusted her satchel once more, and smiled in excitement.

She was ready.