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OLDHAMMER SMITHY - MID-MORNING
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Cavro finds himself pacing circles around the street in front on the building, one of it's huge doors swung partway open, it's damaged latch dangling uselessly from one nail. Every time he passes the gap, Cavro's eyes travel across tipped over crates, completely emptied out, and two sacks left over on the floor that weren't there when the smithy was closed up the night before. He bites his knuckle, anger and worry both boiling inside him with each pass.
Erika is half-walking, half-bouncing towards the Smithy, with the intent of seeing her friend for a bit. She slows her pace upon seeing the badger outside... and more than a bit miffed. "...Cavro? What's up?"
Cavro perks up at the familiar voice, though his bristling fur doesn't settle. He starts toward her, shaking his head and scratching his snout nervously. "Erika! It it it's terrible! They took took everything! The the hinges! The nails! They even stripped the the new chain off the forge!"
Erika looks at the slightly unhinged door, then at the slightly unhinged badger: "...who took, and what? And... huh. Why?"
Cavro takes her hand, leading her to the entrance. Indeed, everything that had held new product was empty, and the bellows cogs were literally unlinked from eachother. "Gone gone gone! So much work... If my tools weren't in the grease bin, they'd be be be gone too!" He felt like he was going to break down, but didn't want to do it in front of the okapi. "Your father went to to to find the guards already but but..."
Erika looks around, starting to realize the seriousness of the situation: "But... but who would... do something like this?"
Cavro shudders, taking in a deep breath. "Bastards, that's who... The parts would be be fine if they hadn't taken that chain, a couple days work!" Cavro sighs, taking a long look at the cold forge before turning away from the room with his head down, scratching at his snout hard enough that a little grey fur flutters on the breeze.
Erika steps next to Cavro, and after just a brief hesitation, gives him the tightest of hugs from behind. She's not sure what to say, so she doesn't say anything.
Cavro feels arms wrap around him, startling him for a moment before he feels a calm wash over him. He rests in the embrace for a long moment, laying his cheek against her arm with a sigh. "I don't know where to start..." He mumbles.
Erika gives a quiet sigh, before looking down at him with a smile: "Lunch?"
Cavro looks up at her from inside the hug with glassy eyes, pausing for a moment before nodding. "Sure... If you like."
Erika lets go of the hug, smiling a bit brighter: "I can help you figure out what's gone and what's left after. Deal?"
Cavro nods silently, giving her a small smile. "Okay, thank you. Yeah, lunch sounds good then. Where do you want to go?"
Erika shrugs, stepping to the door: "Your pick, and my treat."
Cavro steps back out into the street, looking about. "You don't have to do do do that, but thank you. I could go for a long walk, too, if you you don't mind. How about that tavern again?" He's trying his best to pep up for Erika, but his voice remains relatively quiet.
Erika touches Cavro's shoulder briefly with her hand, before withdrawing it as they walk: "I don't have to, but I'll do it anyway. And we can go for a walk, I don't mind."
Cavro warms at the touch, blushing a little thinking about how emotional he was being in front of her a few minutes ago, rubbing a fresh sore spot on his snout. "I found it first, thankfully. Your father heard me... well he heard and came down, but I stopped him from going inside and and and asked him to get the guards. Of course, it's not the first time, so he just wanted to to to know what was gone..."
Erika sighs a bit, but smiles: "You'll sort it out. But right now, I just wanna know you are fine, Cavro."
Cavro nods, though still staring a bit at the ground. "I'll be okay once the forge is running again." He sighs then looks toward Erika. "Oh, were you coming over for something this morning?"
Erika hesitates for the briefest of seconds, then shakes her head: "Nothing much, really." She smiles at her friend: "Just wanted to come say hi, but... well, guess you don't mind company either right now."
Cavro can't help but smile back now. "That's sweet of you, I'm really glad you did come by."
Erika giggles, waving a hand: "Eh, it's nothing. You're fun to be around, and I can only talk with my ferns for so long before I start going coo-coo."
Cavro snorts a chuckle, covering his muzzle. "Well, as long as they don't actually start talking back to you..."
Erika shrugs, grinning a bit: "Well, I've heard of a few rumours, but... I dunno, who knows what's down South, right?"
Cavro chuckles, nodding. "Could be all sorts of of of weird things. You haven't been down that way yet with all your exploring?"
Erika shakes her head, shrugging: "Not really. Some way, but I have plenty to do elsewhere for now. Easier to dodge known dangers than unknown ones, you know?"
Cavro 'ahh's, nodding and turning forward again. "That's pretty wise."
Erika sticks her tongue at her friend: "First time anyone's called me that in a while."
Cavro: "They don't know how smart you you are, that's all. Don't see anyone else with a jungle in in in their backyards!"
Erika grins, though she blushes ever-so-slightly too: "You're just saying that. It's my Mama's garden, I just took it to my care."
Cavro smiles up at her, feeling almost normal in mood now, even almost properly happy. "I mean it, but you don't have to take it if if if you don't like to."
Erika gives Cavro's shoulder a poke: "I just might refuse. Otherwise I might start creating hubris for myself and no one could tolerate that!"
Cavro snorts a chuckle, grinning. "The the the great okapi botanist, grew a great carnivorous plant and was eaten for her arrogance!"
Erika laughs, waving a hand: "Yeah, let's not do that. Besides, arrogance doesn't really fit me I think." She looks down at herself: "I'm way too thin to be arrogant."
Cavro puts an arm around her waist and gives her a squeezy half hug. "Just makes a a sneaky hug easier!"
Erika gives Cavro a look, smiling: "You have a point. I think."
Cavro smiles at her, then hastily releases his hug, blushing deeply as he realized how the gesture might come off. "Sor sorry..."
Erika waves a hand, smiling still: "No worries. Let's go find that lunch."
Cavro rubs his snout, not quite able to look directly at her. "Mhm!"
Erika glances at her friend, but then turns to look forward as they walk. "Food is a good thing to have. For... food reasons, and all."
Cavro feels a bit relived as he sign for the Thirsty Minnow peeks out from around the next corner. He nods towards it, grinning. "Ah, sanctuary!"
Erika hee's a bit at Cavro's reaction, but nods with a pretty similar grin: "Yup! We are saved from... uhm... hunger. Yes."
Cavro pushes the door open ahead of Erika when they reach the building, giving a slightly exaggerated bow to her while smiling wide.
Erika giggles as she goes in, winking at her friend. The two have a peaceful meal together, though the conversation is mildly more subdued than usual for some reason...