Noctisardor Bypass through caverns measureless to man

@Tulimaq pls?

she follows the river west and ends up at the mouth of a valley, vibrant with the colors of fall. it is an amazing paradise, filled with woods and fields, and cool, running water that spills into a lake. she spends much time exploring, finding much joy in the place. tasha is amazed at the treasures this land has to offer, and the best is surely yet to come--for the mountains in the distance are taller than anything she has seen before, and she wishes to summit them before the snow comes.

but first, this valley. she ends up by the lake, cradled in the far end, lapping at its crystalline bounty. when her thirst is slaked, she prowls the shore, looking for fish. after a few tries--some successful, some far from it--she ends up in the shade of a willow tree, its golden-green curtains casting dappled shadows over her pelt.

tashkent wonders whether a life on her own could be better than the one she had been born into. an existence in a horde is nice enough--safety and conquest in numbers, after all. but there is no peace, no individuality. the khanate moves as one; their only goal is brutal takeover, total war. all higher-order pleasures are forgotten.

but here, alone, thoughts emerge in her mind that have never been there before. philosophy, existentialism; these ruminations are foreign and vaguely frightening, but tasha welcomes them regardless. for this brief, blissful time, she is not a barbarian but a wisewoman, and she revels in her newfound nirvana.