Taemin pov

The air smelled foreign but was laced with the familiar note of a fresh start and Taemin gently pulled the ropes off New’s body, letting her join in with the other horses who were running off to explore their new home. They had been on the road since the last full moon, finally arriving at their destination today, when the moon was almost full once more. Though being their trusted companions, carrying their home, the horses were craving to be with their own, reconnecting with their origins as they ran side by side, muzzles burrowed in the others’ manes.

Taemin allowed himself to stand by his cart for a while, watching New race the stallion who had fathered her foal two summers ago with a soft smile. They had always gotten along well and though she was quite a bit older than the young stallion, she was in no way falling behind. If anything, the young one was struggling to keep up with her powerful struts and Taemin felt a wave of pride come over him as he watched her incredible strength and speed that no one else could compare to.

He had known her ever since she was born a tiny foal right next to his tent, and then ended up officially becoming her rider at his very first coming of age ceremony. He remembered it as if it were yesterday: the young mare, as deep black as a new moon night, holding her head high and on alert until she spotted him among the two dozen young men and women who were looking for a horse to choose them so they could finally pass the ritual.

To think that it had been over twelve winters since they had chosen each other for life still made Taemin’s insides tickle. Twelve winters by her side, twelve winters with purpose. Twelve winters since he had finally been able to make a name for himself – all because of her.

To this day, Taemin wondered why New had chosen him so early on. Was it because he had been there since her first day? Was it because she lost her mother just like he had lost his? How could she have known when she was born at least ten summers after he killed his mother in childbed in a hot summer night?

He remembered being terrified when their clan’s healer had announced New being with child. Afraid of history repeating itself, the two of them following the same fate as their mothers. But New broke their curse, birthing the most beautiful foal Taemin had ever set his eyes on.

Her foal was just as black as she was, but her head was of the warm brown that covered her father’s whole body. She had yet to be named, that honour being reserved to the person whom she would choose as her rider.

Taemin let his eyes wander a little, finding her frame right when the young one spotted her parents, running off with a flying mane to catch up with them as they were reaching the white forest that surrounded the wide area of green wasteland they had chosen as their new home.

Taemin’s vision was struggling to make out their silhouettes, a deep breath leaving his chest as he turned around to unpack his cart that was considerably smaller than the ones others had brought with them.

He didn’t need much to get by, to fulfill his duty.

He wasn’t a handyman; he wasn’t talented in making things.

He wasn’t a blacksmith; he could only wield their weapons.

He wasn’t someone who created beautiful things, though he sometimes wished he could capture the beauty of the world around them more proficiently than he did in secret.

He was a warrior – though he wasn’t sure if anyone outside his clan would call him that.

He was a protector, the shield of their clan, throwing himself between the danger and their people, protecting them so they could create beauty without having to worry about the darkness the world brought.

All Taemin carried with himself was his tent, a notebook he had purchased in a city a few years ago, a few pieces of almost used-up charcoal in a protective case, his hairbrush and a change of clothes that was identical to the ones he wore right now.

His clothes were simple: Pants which were proficiently crafted from bison leather, including incisions that would allow him to store his knives and several straps offering the possibility to tighten and loosen them in case an additional undergarment was needed. Beige linen shirts that were often worn with a protective layer of the same bison leather, kept in place by similar straps as the pants. He also owned one woolen cloak that protected him against rain. For winter they wore different ones made from whatever animal lived in the area in which they currently resided. Those were transported in the bigger carts, pulled by the draft horses who were handling more weight than New would ever tolerate.

After one last glance in New’s direction, Taemin threw his long braids over his shoulder and started digging holes for the poles of his tent, luckily finishing quickly as the ground was of the perfect composition. With the help of two of his fellow protectors, he raised the wooden skeleton easily and covered it with the inner layer of fabric.

Their tents were simple constructs but consisted of the wooden skeleton and two layers of fabric. The outer one was made of slightly thicker material than the inner, woven tight, because it was meant to collect the rain, leading the water down back into the ground while the layer below insulated the tent from the inside. The two layers of fabric were kept apart by a hand’s length so they wouldn’t touch – if they did, the water would leak inside instead of following the outer layer into the ground.

When his and the other protectors’ tents were standing, Taemin walked to the area which was going to be their main square in just a few days, helping with the building of community tents while the others were raising up the clan leader’s.

“Taemin-ka could you help carry this over to Kibum-ti’s tent?” One of the young boys asked and Taemin felt a smile creep onto his face upon hearing him refer to his friend with his title of honour as the new clan teacher.

“Sure.”

“Thank you!”

Together, they carried several logs that would make up the foundation of their tent of teachings, where the youngsters would be taught basic knowledge and skills, they needed to become a fully functioning member of their clan.

They worked until late at night when the last bit of sunlight disappeared behind the majestic mountains that were visible in the distance. They had been blessed with good weather which meant that they had plenty of time to set up camp without having to worry about mold and unstable foundations due to muddy ground.

There would be no rain before tomorrow night, one of their elders had announced, reading the sky proficiently and almost always accurately and therefore they were in no rush to finish up before nightfall.

Most of their members were carrying the last few things into their tents, following their nightly rituals before resting up after their travels that had started many, many days ago.

Taemin too, finally returned back to his tent in almost complete darkness, the soft humming of the others guiding his way as he familiarized himself with the area so he would find his way also in the darkest of nights.

Silence set upon their clan, their members falling asleep in their new home and Taemin sat onto the re-purposed cart which he had turned around so it could serve as an elevation for him to sleep on. 

Despite feeling the exhaustion in his bones and his hands were sore and bruised from carrying wood, he removed his leather shoes, placing his feet onto the cold ground, connecting himself to earth. Finally grounded, he took a deep breath and reached for his first braid, opening it up while humming softly.

He hummed with closed eyes, slowly, using only one breath while his fingers were de-tangling his hair with fast well-trained movements, leading the vibrations into the ground where he left his gratitude for the past day.

With one of his two braids completely open, wavy, black hair now covering his shoulder down to his navel, Taemin took another deep breath to repeat that same process, this time letting his prayers for the coming day seep into the ground as the past morning’s braid was losing shape with every layer he opened. Leave the day behind him, making space for the new one just like he had been taught by his father when he was just a youngster.

The movements were executing themselves, no vision nor attention needed and Taemin soon reached for his hairbrush, his humming ebbing out while he was combing through his long thick hair, noticing that he would have to wash it soon. He took his sweet time, brushing it through until it was silky soft, and he could finally let the day end.

In the distance he could hear the small stream making its way through the land reminding him that they have finally arrived. He stretched out his arms and legs, making sure to keep his hair on his body instead of beneath him to avoid a mess tomorrow and keep him warm.

Lying in his tent, he fell asleep, from time to time hearing the cry of an eagle owl and in a moment of clarity, he wondered if the rustling next to his tent could be mice living underground, stirred up by their arrival.

Morning came fast, the cold air inside his tent waking Taemin up shortly before the sun would rise. It was his duty to wake up their clan leader which meant he rarely ever slept covered in fur like it was the custom. He didn’t mind the cold. It was a good reminder of how much time had passed as the warmth of the previous day that remained inside his tent rarely lasted until the new morning