Pre-nuTL: Home on the Range

[Nor'baal]

Home on the Range
Mytos Estate, Dantooine​

For some it was an idyllic life, yet the truth was far from the fiction. Miles from any so-called 'civilisation', the Ranches of Dantooine served as outposts of their own making, a smattering of life on the frontier of the colonised world of Dantooine in which ones fortune could be lost on the toss of a coin, one small mistake setting a homestead back years if not decades. However, for those with the grit and resilience to keep at it, there was fortunate indeed to be made in the wilderness, and one family, that of the Mytos Family had practically made reliance their middle name.

Warren Mytos (Junior) reflected on such things as he walked out of the front door to the main farmhouse, a cup of caf in his hand, top button to his shirt undone, and jacket thrown lazily over the railing in front of him. He had been working the land here for much of his life, some forty to fifty off years (he had rather lost track), and still it was throwing up all manner of surprises at him, even today. Having been left the estate and its land by his father, who had in turn been left it by his father, and so forth, it seemed to practically run in his veins, a knowledge of the area that could not be captured by modern conventional maps.

Snapping himself out of his musings, he called back into the house for his son "Get a move on, its nearly six!" he shouted, his words commanding yet not harsh in tone, as he put down his caf, did up his top button and picked up his jacket. After all, for all its tranquility, the farm was a place of work, and there was a lot of it that needed doing.

 

[Nommie]

Some think that living so far out was such an easy life where one can relax, sleep in and do whatever is wanted. No life was not that way at all. It was a lot of hardwork, where one mistake can have severe consquences. Some can become life or death. Whenever he went into town he would tell others that when someone asked what life was like so far away from civilization. Yes it made some think twice, while others continued with their plans. Some failed while others had soke success.

The twenty-eight year old still has a lot to learn himself. He has an excellent teacher; his father. Warren Mytos. He is demanding at times but they always paid off as either a well earned lesson and pleased father or as one more thing getting done with a frustrated father. And right now the lesson being learned is how to tell his mother that he really needed to get out the door before his father comes in and drags him out by the ear.

"Mother! I got to go!" Kylath protested as his mother shoved another piece of toasted bread in his mouth while he hopped on one booted foot. The teenager finally got the second boot on just as his father called for him, "I'm coming father!" He said as the blonde finished off the last of the toast.

Rushing out the door to avoid the painful alternative with Warren coming in to drag him out, "Sorry mother was insisting that I needed more to eat. Again." The young man explained as he jumped over the deck railing. To avoid his father from lecturing him again about why to dress appropriately for the chilly Dantooine mornings, Kylath actually dressed warmly this time with an appropriate outfit.

 

[Nor'baal]

Whilst is rarely made mention of it, Warren new that his son, Kylath, was the veritable lifeblood of the farmstead - as with Warren getting ever older, he was waiting to hand over the reins to his son in the coming years. It had always been the way in the Mytos family, the eldest child inherited the farm, and made space and cared for the other children should they wish to stay (which in most was the case), and this generation would not do differently. He shook his head as the boy came out, before turning to face him him and smiling - the boy was learning.

A constant struggle: the earbending of his mother or the firm look of his father, it was easy to understand why Kylath often felt pulled between the two. "Sorry mother was insisting that I needed more to eat. Again." Warren smiled, and jibed back at him "Well you need," he nodded to the boys stomach "Thin as a rake?" he jokingly asked, making a sly nod to what his wife often said of him, before walking over to the stables, wherein two Fathiers resided.

"We are up on the north side today," he noted, mounting his own Fathier and leaving his son to do likewise "Take this," Warren chucken over a quarter-staff before picking up one himself, and checking the pistol at his hip. "We may come across some of the local beasts, so I've put a shotgun and pistol in your saddle bag." he remarked, leading his Fathier out into the yard "Don't tell your mother."

 

[Nommie]

Kylath shrugged. He was not that thin. Not like how his mother puts it at where he is as thin as a rail. The young man honestly has no idea why his mother thinks he is so thin, "I must be if she kept trying to shoving toast in my mouth as I headed to the door." He chuckled as the young man followed his father to the waiting Fathiers.

"Figured we will be there today." Kylath said as he knew that they were going to be in the north field today. Each day they checked a different field. The young man mounted his Fathier; catching the quarter-staff that was chucked at him. He calmed his Fathier as she freaked out a little bit, " Easy Burc'ya."

Kylath looked at Warren with a teasing grin, "Do you always have to ruin the fun?" He asked after his father told him not to tell his mother about the pistol and shot gun in his saddlebag. As he lead his Fathier out to the yard the young man checked the pistol and shotgun. In the north field was where they came across beasts that are native to the planet, well it seemed that they were more often encountered up there. Hopefully today they will have the luck of not coming across any of the beasts save for those in the herds his father owned.

The young man gripped the reins a bit tighter as his Fathier picked up speed as she approached the fence then went over flawlessly, "Is Mr. Bartok still bothering you about selling and to him or has he finally got the message the land isn't for sale?" He asked curiously as he stopped Burc'ya to wait for his father to catch up. For weeks now Mr. Bartok had been asking to buy land from his father. Despite being told left and right the land isn't for sale the man has continued to ask. It has left the young man to wonder how he could get the message into their neighbor's head that none of the land is for sale.

 

[Nor'baal]

Heading out from the main farmyard, Warren picked up speed, his son hopefully keeping pace as he entered a light canter. "Is Mr. Bartok still bothering you about selling and to him or has he finally got the message the land isn't for sale?" his son was as astute as ever, the ongoing issue with the ever-so-direct Mr. Bortok of the neighbouring, and much larger, estate having yet to get the message regarding the Mytos' unwillingness to sell one of their northernmost reaches.

"No, he seems to be slow on the uptake. In fact," Warren kicked his Fathier into a gallop "...there have been increasing amounts of 'farmhands' being hired, nasty big blokes if you ask me." he added, heading over the top of the hills crest "Best be on the lookout around here, just in case those farmhands get jumpy on the border."

 

[Nommie]

Kylath frowned as his father told him that not only was Mr. Bartok not getting the message that the northern most part of their land is not for sale. But appears to possibly be taking aggressive steps. The young man feared the idea of their neighbor taking such steps. If Mr. Bartok was willing he could just give the word and those new 'farm hands' will come over and kill the Mytos family in their sleep.

The young man nudged for his Fathier to go into a gallop as Kylath followed Warren to the top of the hill crest, "Do you think he will take aggressive action to get what he wants?" He asked as he looked to his father, the young man was wanting to suggest that perhaps it would be a good idea to teach Jyn and Jaq how use a pistol and rifle. With an aggressive neighbor hiring jumpy farmhands he had the thought going at the back of his mind of Mr. Bartok giving the order while Warren and Kylath aren't home.

The thought made the young man think of what had almost happened when Kylath took Jyn on that trip. A shudder tore it's way up and down the young man's spine. He didn't want to ever come that close to losing his little sister again. The young man was dragged out of his thoughts when one of the younger members of their Bantha herd started to get too close to the border. With a swift kick Kylath had his Fathier race across to the wayward Bantha and successfully moved the stubborn critter in the right direction. Patting Distant Star gently he followed close behind the Bantha until it rejoined the herd. He pulled back on the reins a bit to stop his Fathier for a moment as he counted how many there were in the small patch of herd in front of him.