After a few days of foot travel, Nobu reached the outskirts of Soon's Haven, the largest port in the Land of Wind. Nobu had arranged passage on a merchant ship by the name of Star of the Sand, which would take him to the land bridge connecting Land of Fire's mainland portion to the peninsula that also held the Land of Tea. From there, he'd travel across the land bridge on foot, then continue on to Moon on a different merchant vessel. The boy had been near to Soon's Haven in the past, but he had never seen the sea itself. When he first crested the dunes and cast his sapphire eyes at the endless expanse of gently lapping waves, the child of the First Men found himself breathless, stunned by the sight.
For several minutes he remained there, silent, staring. He knew he could not remain there forever - the Star would not wait for him, and these lands were dangerous for Sunagakure shinobi. His forehead protector was tucked in his pack, brought for the journey but not worn within the Land of Wind. A genin that wandered the sands alone could get hurt in more ways than one. Before long he had broken himself from his awe, continuing his trek to the ivory walls of Soon's Haven.
Even outside of the gates, Soon's Haven was bustling. Unlike Sunagakure's more militaristic nature, this was clearly a trade city. Merchants had set up even outside of the gates, offering refreshments to new arrivals and last-minute supplies to those who were departing. Inside, the Haven was a flurry of colors and activity. Even if the buildings near the gates were hardly impressive or rich-looking, the place felt alive. Nobu felt drab in comparison, his brown leather cloak obscuring the faded blue jacket and black trousers underneath.
Wealth increased as Nobu went deeper into the city, towards the harbor. Shabby storefronts gave way to massive shops and even warehouses. Cobblers and bakers were replaced with goldsmiths and inventors. Nobu could feel his heart pounding in his throat when the harbor finally came into view. He'd never seen that much water in one place before, and the thought of spending multiple days out on the waves filled him with both dread and elation.
It took some time wandering and asking around before Nobu found the Star of the Sand, and the sun was already on its way back down from its zenith when the boy finally boarded. Nobu got appointed a bunk and settled in while the ship's cargo was loaded. When it finally cast off, the sun had sank behind the rise of Soon's Haven taller buildings. Outlined in a burnished golden light, they were a wonderful sight as the Star of the Sand cast off into the ocean. A last goodbye from Wind Country for the time being. Nobu watched until both Soon's Haven and the sun disappeared behind the horizon.
For several minutes he remained there, silent, staring. He knew he could not remain there forever - the Star would not wait for him, and these lands were dangerous for Sunagakure shinobi. His forehead protector was tucked in his pack, brought for the journey but not worn within the Land of Wind. A genin that wandered the sands alone could get hurt in more ways than one. Before long he had broken himself from his awe, continuing his trek to the ivory walls of Soon's Haven.
Even outside of the gates, Soon's Haven was bustling. Unlike Sunagakure's more militaristic nature, this was clearly a trade city. Merchants had set up even outside of the gates, offering refreshments to new arrivals and last-minute supplies to those who were departing. Inside, the Haven was a flurry of colors and activity. Even if the buildings near the gates were hardly impressive or rich-looking, the place felt alive. Nobu felt drab in comparison, his brown leather cloak obscuring the faded blue jacket and black trousers underneath.
Wealth increased as Nobu went deeper into the city, towards the harbor. Shabby storefronts gave way to massive shops and even warehouses. Cobblers and bakers were replaced with goldsmiths and inventors. Nobu could feel his heart pounding in his throat when the harbor finally came into view. He'd never seen that much water in one place before, and the thought of spending multiple days out on the waves filled him with both dread and elation.
It took some time wandering and asking around before Nobu found the Star of the Sand, and the sun was already on its way back down from its zenith when the boy finally boarded. Nobu got appointed a bunk and settled in while the ship's cargo was loaded. When it finally cast off, the sun had sank behind the rise of Soon's Haven taller buildings. Outlined in a burnished golden light, they were a wonderful sight as the Star of the Sand cast off into the ocean. A last goodbye from Wind Country for the time being. Nobu watched until both Soon's Haven and the sun disappeared behind the horizon.