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ERIKA'S GARDEN - AFTERNOON
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Erika is working in her garden. Well, for as well as she can. The feral okapi is gently nibbling at the various plants there, careful both not hurt the plants in question and to not eat anything extra she's not sure about. A set of smashed-up pruning scissors are sitting on the nearby stump, telling a story about an earlier attempt that did not go so well without hands.
Sammi was an explorer! Learning so much about the world above. She had fairly quickly learned about the idea of 'possessions'. That one was easy. Some people had stuff that wasn't hers, but she could give them stuff that they wanted, and get that stuff. Like Creamy buns, or the fabled ice-cream. 'Property rights' was, however, something that she'd not quite grasped yet, and so her exploring had now brought her into this nifty garden, where she was exploring all the plants carefully. Currently she was licking one of the spikier ones. It made her mouth all tingly!
Erika looks up as she hears a visitor in her garden. She pauses for a second, then for another as she attempts to clear her throat enough to make words happen again: "H-hello. Or, uh... hi?"
Sammi stops what she's doing, to look over "...." She finally spies Erika, and leaves down the plant "...Oooo" She stares for a few more seconds at the Okapi "I didn't know the four legged landy things could talk. I thought it was only the two leggy ones could...does that mean the ones I met the last time were just being rude? I'd been so polite though...man..they must have been jerks..." Her mind snaps back to reality (or as close as she can get) "Oh! I mean. Hello! Nice to meet you! I was just tasting your plants. They're tingly"
Erika winces inwardly, although outwardly her face isn't really capable of much visible emotion. She shakes her head and lets out a small snort as she then leans over to look at Sammi properly: "It... not really safe. And uh... not normally four leggy, me." She shakes her head again, growing frustrated again at the difficulty of forming understandable words: "Most folks polite in Respite. Safety, too."
Sammi: "I knowww, I've been here a few days, and nobody has pitchfork'd OR torch'd me! It's great!" She considers the rest of what she's saying, taking the moment to understand it "Oh! You can shapeshift? Nice to stick to that then, it's always more polite than being in a true form, and all the mortals are like 'aargh, my eyes are melting'" She wiggles her webbed hands in mock imitation, before pouting "It's not my fault their minds can't comprehend..although" Sniff She leans in closer *Sniff* She attempts to lick Erika's nose "...No..you're totally a mortal...are you like..ooh! I know, are you like one of those legends? Of a person who sometimes loses all their fur, and prowls the night..the dreaded Skinwalker?"
Erika reflexively steps backwards at the lick: "No... just result of an accident. Just... normal, usually." She looks at Sammi, trying to decipher what she even is.
Sammi doesn't press the subject of the lick, as she also tries to comprehend "An accident? That can happen? You landy types are more fragile than I thought, your minds are all snappy, your bodies all crumble up at even the least deep bits of the ocean..and now I'm finding you can just...suddenly go from two legs to four legs? I'm impressed you ever get out of the house..."
Erika looks at Sammi, confused: "Fragile...?" She looks down at her hands- nay, hooves: "...suppose so."
Sammi: "There's nothing wrong with it..well, I suppose it's a bad thing, but not like..you're a bad person thing..." She points at the hooves "But you landsy types have magic users. Why not call one of them up and get this fixed?"
Erika looks up at Sammi again, tilting her head: "...don't know any magic users."
Sammi considers this "..But you're not even looking for one! Anytime any of my folk are about on the shores, it's all 'Oh! They've arisen!!' and after a bit of screaming, and lynching, they're alllways able to find some dark sorceror with binding magics. I think you should try harder! You seem sad without hands, and you shouldn't be sad! I'll look for magical types too! So that way it's uh...lots of eyes looking for it! Four. I think"
Erika considers the tirade of words: "But... I can't really... go out much, like this. Don't want to cause problems, mostly for myself." She sighs, shaking her head: "I want to, but I can't. My friends will find a cure."
Sammi: "Why can't you go out? People are nice, and totes unlynchy!"
Erika considers this, then shakes her head: "I am now... helpless. Just a prey. I can't leave Respite." She pauses: "...not that I ever really have. Been to Barn- Bairnell once. That was weird."
Sammi: "So..you're sad, because you can't go somewhere that you don't ever go?" These mortals are so confusing! She rubs her face with her little hair tentacles "But you're not any more helpless right? You can still talk the same! and walk about..and that's all you need to find people...I'm just trying to understaaand"
Erika looks at Sammi, attempting to gather her thoughts: "I will find a cure. Or someone will." She steels herself a bit: "This is not permanent. It can't be."
Sammi: "Of course not! That'd be silly! Why would you think it would be? Nothing is forever! Even in the deeeepest Aoens things change. Like My Papa now likes Green! He liked Purple for sooooo long"
Erika blinks in confusion: "...uh? Yeah, let's... that."
Sammi: "Glad we agree!" She nods "So..does this mean we're friends now?"
Erika looks at Sammi, then briefly attempts a smile but loses as she remembers how not-really-smile-like it looks. "I guess that does, yea. Always good to have more friends." There's a small degree of the cheery okapi for the first time in this conversation.
Sammi: "Great! One moment!" She holds up a tentacle, as her hands open up her bag, the bag's inside is wailing, with little wispy tendrils of green energy escaping, grasping at the plants around it, before she finds what she's looking for, and closes the bag before that energy can actually catch anything. She has a seashell! "Here you go! I give one to alll my friends!" It's one of those spikey shells.
Erika blinks several times and her ears go towards her neck, but she forces herself to not do any further escape motions. She swallows, then slowly nods towards the stump where the wrecked pair of scissors is laying: "...thank you? Put it there." She scuffs a hoof on the ground, again finding herself lacking hands.
Sammi: "Of course!" She puts it down where she was instructed "It's from the beach! I picked up loads of them because they're all really pretty, don't you think?"
Erika nods as she looks at the shell: "It is very pretty." She flicks her ears as she goes quiet for a second. "Only been to beach once."
Sammi: "Oh! I'd say you should go..but the people aren't really very nice. Not a fan of people that are different to them"
Erika nods slowly: "Well... not like I can go right now, as said."
Sammi: "Trueeee" She concedes "Which is why we need to get you all fixed! As quickly as possible!" She curls her legs under her "I...can't help! I'm not really thaat sort of Deep Down Girl, but if you need your soul flayed beyond all recognition, I can totes help!"
Erika blinks: "I... think I'm fine with my soul, thank you. But thank you."
Sammi: "Most people are" She nods,agreeing "So..." She sniffs "I don't smell any magic, but I'll keep a nose out for it for you"
Erika nods again, her voice softer: "I appr... appreciate it."
Sammi: "Of course!" She gives a little webby thumbs up "We're friends, right?"
Erika works her neck a bit, causing some foliage to shake near her: "Yup. That we are now."
Sammi: "Right! So..." She taps her bottom lip "I..um..actually, anything else you want to talk about? I'm out of ideas"
Erika pauses a bit: "Er, not much. But uh, good luck in the search."
Sammi: "Okay then! I'll head off!" She gives one more thumbs up, before climbing over the barrier to the wider city, and vanishing into the maze of buildings.
Erika looks at Sammi go, not entirely sure who she just met, but gives a mental shrug and continues working. No harm done. She glances at the seashell on the stump and allows herself a small smile.
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RESPITE FALLS GENERATOR - AFTERNOON
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Brunilda is sitting on the ground outside the generator building, reading Yet Another Magitech Book in the shade. She's not really needed to work on either of her workplaces right now, so she's doing the only thing she really knows to do as a pastime.
Cavro finds himself wandering the street, the motivation to return to his forge completely evaporated, his mind too full of self loathing and doubt as he thinks about Erika's terrible predicament. His eyes stare down at the cobblestones as he approaches the generator building in his aimless walking.
Brunilda looks up from her book upon seeing movement from the corner of her eye. She smiles upon seeing who it is: "Hey there, Cavro. What's... up?" She looks a bit uncertain upon noticing the badger's demeanor.
Cavro looks up toward the familiar voice, trying and failing to give her a smile, and approaching the pachyderm. "Ah, hel hel hello Brun... I... Am not well, honestly. Have you you heard about Erika?"
Brunilda tilts her head slightly: "About... Erika? Last I heard of her was when one of the new arrivals, Fiora I think, was looking for her."
Cavro blinks, his shoulders slumping. "Oh... Her cousin is is is here already? That..." He thinks about it for a moment, cycling between hopeful and distraught. "Might... Actually be a a a good thing. I don't know..." He sighs, looking toward Brun. "Erika had an an an accident... She's changed... I I I... Couldn't stay there with her..."
Cavro begins babbling incoherently, clearly back to plain old distraught.
Brunilda blinks, sitting up straighter just out of concern: "An accident? Changed? Is she okay?" She gets up, and after brief moment of hesitation, lowers her hand on the badger's shoulder. "Take your time."
Cavro tries to calm down under Brun's influence, taking a breath. "She she she went on a short ad ad adventure... And came back- I I I don't know how to say it... Feral? But she she she can talk and is still herself in her her her head..."
Brunilda blinks in surprise, trying to understand the stuttering enough: "...feral? That's... how?"
Cavro shakes his head, looking at the ground. "I I I don't know... I don't think she does, either..." He looks up into Brun's eyes. "I don't know what to to to do... I want to go back... I love her... But I I I turned away from her..." Tears well up in the corners of his eyes.
Brunilda nods, thinking about this. She then whispers: "Well... I can't tell you what to do, but... if you turned away, why?"
Cavro shudders, shaking his head. "I... It was so so so much to take in... I I I was frightened... The woman I love is a a a wild okapi now... I don't know what I I I can do... What I should feel... I'm just a a a blacksmith, I can't fix her..."
Brunilda looks at Cavro, considering. She lifts her hand to his shoulder again: "Wild... but still herself in her mind, right?"
Cavro nods, wiping at the tears that have fallen. "Yes."
Brunilda nods slowly, looking aside: "Well... I am not sure, I have no experience, but... if what you describe happened, I'd want the people I care about be near."
Cavro looks to the ground, sobbing once. "So I I I've failed her..."
Brunilda shakes her head: "You've only failed her if you don't return, I think. She doesn't strike as the sort to hold anger in her heart, but of course you know her better."
Cavro wipes his eyes again, still staring at the ground. "I... Thought about it... I I I wasn't sure... I'm still not. You may be right, though... I'm sorry to have loaded this on you, Brun."
Brunilda shrugs and smiles wryly: "What are friends for?"
Cavro smiles despite his funk, looking up at Brun. "Yes... I I I needed this, thank you. Staying in my own head... Was was was probably a bad idea."
Brunilda smirks a bit, prodding the badger slightly on the shoulder: "Take it from someone who stays in her own head way too much... it's really not that healthy."
Cavro chuckles, though his smile slips away as he does indeed retreat into his own thoughts again. "I... I need to to to go back to her. Right away, I think..."
Brunilda smiles softly and whispers: "Good luck."
Cavro hesitates, then steps forward, giving Brun the tightest hug he can manage. "Thank you!" He steps back, wiping his last few tears away as he turns South, heading straight for Erika's home, his pace quicker and more sure that a short time before.
Brunilda hugs the badger despite being slightly surprised, then smiles as she watches the badger go. She's not entirely certain what even is going on, but that's irrelevant. Whether or not Cavro's story was true, his fear and doubt was real.
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EAST GATE - AFTERNOON
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Louma is on a free patrol for the afternoon, paperwork having been light recently that she has almost too much free time. She's just now reaching the East gate from the South along the top of the wall, the hot sun making her feel a bit drowsy and making her move relatively slowly, but anything is better than being cooped up in her office.
Nesseth is leaning lightly against the side of the guard platform near the gate, currently chatting with a resident of the town. Before long, the resident departs and heads back into town, while he continues to lean against the side of the platform. Moments pass before he yawns widely, similarly affected as Louma by the warmth of the day.
Louma spots Nesseth, hanging back until the citizen has gone about their business. Louma slowly approaches ass he yawns, grinning as she speaks up. "Don't you dare start with that, guard!"
Nesseth startles and snaps up into an alert position, casting a quick look around as his tiredness vanishes. "Gah! I wasn't sleeping, I was just yawning!" He pauses, then sighs in relief upon seeing the person calling to him, "Oh... hi, Louma."
Louma chuckles quietly, slithering up beside Nesseth and looking out toward the Eastern mountains. "How does the day find you, Nesseth?"
Nesseth smiles a bit as he shifts his gaze back out towards the mountains in the distance. "Pretty nice, all told. With more people making their residence here, things have been a bit more active around the gates lately with the caravans passing through. How've you been, so far?"
Louma nods, sighing. "Yes, Respite is growing rapidly. When I arrived, there wasn't a single building outside the walls, save for a few farms." She looks at the handful of houses along the entrance road. "I've been doing better. I took somebody's sage advice about relieving my stress, after all."
Nesseth tilts his head a bit as he looks over at Louma. "Yeah... when I first arrived, there were only... something like two cottages under construction and a couple of small farm plots outside the wall." He smiles a little, "I'm glad to hear you're feeling better."
Louma dips her head in a slight bow, looking toward Nesseth. "I know we haven't... Had much time. I wanted to apologize properly for the snake situation."
Nesseth hums and dips his head in turn. "Yeah... we've not really had a chance to talk recently. I need to apologize, too, for how I acted that day."
Louma shakes her head. "It's... Well, it's behind us. We may never laugh about it, but there's nothing to be done but heal from it and move on." She straightens up, putting a hand to her uniformed chest. "But I swear that I won't test your trust in me like that again. No more secrets."
Nesseth nods and dips into a bit of a lower bow. "And for my part, I swear to improve myself when it comes to my thoughts on Snakes, and to not let that detail color my thoughts."
Louma smiles, dropping her hand. "I'm glad we might both come from this as better people, then." She turns to face the mountains, before chuckling. "I still don't expect you to go easy on me when we spar, though."
Nesseth scoffs, smirking as he straightens up and turns to look back out again. "Pfft, of course not. I don't expect you to go easy on me while sparring either, just because we made up."
Louma grins. "Oh, so I can stop holding back next time? Excellent, I'm glad." She sticks her tongue out at him, before remembering they're out in public and stiffening up somewhat.
Nesseth chuckles and grins, having no such compunctions about being seen enjoying himself while on duty... and also because of Louma remembering to put up her facade. "Hey, I'll take the extra challenge if you can give it, Louma."
Louma smiles, looking him up and down. "I don't know... I wouldn't want to hurt you." Her eyes linger on his tail for a moment, moving between his and her own. "You know... I don't recall you ever trying to use that big old natural club in a match. Was that not part of the training back home?"
Nesseth glances back at his tail for a moment, giving it a little wiggle at the thought. "...Huh, actually... it was. I just never thought to use it like that before." He takes a moment and gives his tail a stronger swing, feeling how his body shifts to compensate, "Hmm..."
Louma watches Nesseth, moving back a bit to observe. "That's not a bad swing, I bet it'd hurt plenty. How does it affect your balance?"
Nesseth hums thoughtfully as he gives his tail a full swing, spinning himself around in a circle once, after he's got some space. "Kinda... need to get my whole body into it, really. It's a counterbalance, more than anything."
Louma nods, hand under her beak. "I can see it now. So a good surprise, but not much else. To be frank, most of the times I've gotten the upper hand on you, you were off balance. Perhaps techniques that throw you off even more are not a good idea." She winks at him. "And I'm definitely not saying that just because it looks painful."
Nesseth laughs a bit, smiling innocently. "Well, it might be an unexpected hit, so I can't say I'd be hitting as hard as I could with it." He gives Louma a wink in turn, "Still, maybe that would give me the advantage to get out of your holds."
Louma moves back to Nesseth's side with a wry smile. "And how do you expect to spin like that when you're all tied up?" She mutters "Prey." after.
Nesseth smirks and gives Louma a bit of a nudge in her side upon hearing her muttering. "I mean if I can land the hit before you wind yourself around me, like those times I've gotten in those palm strikes."
Louma laughs,smiling at Nesseth's confidence. "Well, it makes a good club, too bad it's not a little more flexible." She remains looking straight forward while the end of her tail creeps over Nesseth's opposite shoulder, draping at rest there. "It's really quite useful."
Nesseth jumps a bit as Louma's tail comes to a rest on his shoulder. He glances towards it for a moment, then chuckles as he gives her tail a pat. "Well, you've got a lot more tail than I do. Like... at least five times more."
Louma wiggles her tail slightly, though the touch makes her want to pull back right away. She puts on a pouty voice, "Slight advantages. You get to sit on chairs and climb ladders. Truly, I envy you."
Nesseth chuckles as he lightly flicks a finger against some of Louma's tail scales. "But you get to have a luxurious cushion wherever you go. Just curl up and relax wherever you want." He shakes his head in amusement, "Besides, who needs ladders when you've got wings?"
Louma shudders involuntarily, drawing her tail back as she coughs against the blush that flick has caused. "There's truth in that, I suppose." She settles a bit as she watches the horizon.
Nesseth smiles a bit as he lets Louma pull her tail away. "If I had wings, I'd be enjoying the skies all the time. I don't enjoy the skies right now because I don't have wings, which is why I wiggle so much whenever you haul me up into the air."
Louma chuckles, looking up towards the clouds. "Understandable. Maybelline and I were discussing that, she said she'd let me take her up in a picnic basket." She blushes slightly, casting a glance towards Nesseth. "Well, her first suggestion was a saddle."
Nesseth chuckles at the mental image. "A stoat riding upon the back of a swan-snake, hm?" He turns to smirk at Louma after a moment, "May fancies herself a bit of adventure, then? Could be fun to surprise her with a trip into the air one day, when the weather's nice, and with... whichever option you think she'd enjoy more."
Louma gives Nesseth a playful glare. "I am not. Wearing. A saddle. Besides, she can have a snack or two in the basket." She returns to smiling. "But yes, for a city borne stoat, she seemed to have a good time at the waterfall yesterday. We even went for a dip~"
Nesseth smiles happily. "The waterfall's a nice spot for a little day trip. Plume and I like going up there once in a while just to cool off and enjoy the surroundings. There's nothing quite so refreshing as a dip in mountain spring water."
Louma nods. "I had a feeling you two would go there, too. It's romantic, at least when nobody else is around." She blushes slightly, scratching her neck. "Feel free not to answer this, but do you two usually wear swimming clothes? I mean... They don't make anything for my body type around here... But May..." She coughs, trying not to say too much, though the idea could be clear enough.
Nesseth thinks for a moment about the last time he and Plume went up to the waterfall. "No, from what I remember, we didn't really plan to swim, but we felt like jumping into the water anyway. So, uh... yeah, nude." He shrugs, "I mean... not like anyone else was there, so... why not, right?"
Louma giggles despite herself, feeling a little better about her reservations. "I suppose that's true. I just wasn't expecting to have May laying naked on my tail on the second date, you know? We didn't... Well, I think that's no a discussion for on patrol, sorry."
Nesseth laughs a bit as he looks up to gauge the time. "Well, if you don't mind me stopping my duty a little early, we could chat if you've got something on your mind."
Louma grins, but shakes her head. "Oh? Well i suppose we could, but there's not much sauciness there yet, not that I'd let on anything more than I have in that vein. Mm, but there is actually something I did want to discuss, thinking about it, although it's of a more official nature."
Nesseth nods. "Alright then, sure. I don't mind clocking in some extra time while listening, even if I wasn't expecting to hear any saucy stories yet from you two." He pauses, then shoots Louma a grin, "So what's this official business about, then?"
Louma grins, though it falls away as she prepares her thoughts. "It's about Erika Smithens, the okapi that had the accident while up Mean Peak, and some information that she provided me."
Nesseth 's grin likewise slips a bit. "Oh, yeah... Erika's current predicament. What info is this, though?"
Louma: "I found the first thing hard to believe, considering her profession, but she insisted it was in desperation that she ate some of her gathered plants while trapped in that cave, at least one of which she was unfamiliar with. A blue flower, if I remember her description correctly."
Nesseth frowns a little. "Desperation... yeah, since she was trapped, I can imagine she'd have to rely on the stuff she'd gathered, since she does have a bit of a habit of... not exactly preparing properly for trips. Probably a little overconfident in that regard..."
Louma nods. "We've both been there, though you're a skilled hunter. My other concern is the predator that had caused her to hide in the first place. She said it was a bear. That's concerning on it's own, and I don't know if she was frightened into misremembering, but she said it was wearing armor. The way she described it, it was our travel armor."
Nesseth furrows his brow a bit as he listens, thinking it's just going to be a bit of standard hunting duty. But the last bit of Louma's description causes him to pause and look at her in some disbelief. "...Our travel armor? You're sure she said that? Why would a feral bear be wearing our armor?"
Louma doesn't like the thought she's been mulling over in the back of her mind, Erika's transformation opening a disturbing world of possibilities. "Who would dress a bear in armor, if not a bear?" She looks pointedly to Nesseth.
Nesseth meets Louma's look with a skeptical expression for a few moments, though as he holds her gaze, he starts to come to the same conclusion as her. "...You're thinking that bear might be Garwin, aren't you?"
Louma frowns, nodding. "I don't like voicing it. I'm hoping that he and Victoria are fine out there, and Erika's bear is a fluke." She shakes her head, sighing. "I'm going to be asking for volunteers at the barracks tomorrow."
Nesseth hums and leans against the railing of the platform a bit. "I'm sure they're both okay, in that they're at least not dead or seriously injured. But... we all only have one set of travel armor apiece, and it'd be easy enough to see if someone forged a copy of it." He sighs quietly, "You already know I'm signing up for that."
Louma nods slowly, giving Nesseth a sideways look. "Assuming the worst, will Plume be alright with the risk?"
Nesseth nods. "I'll have to talk with them, but they know I'm a hunter and a guard, along with all that it entails. You need a tracker, and I don't know if any of the others have the level of experience I do in that regard, even if they're better at fighting than I am."
Louma nods, smiling. "I know. I'm going as well, of course. I should have sent someone after them, but things were so chaotic here, and I did tell them to take their time returning."
Nesseth hums in agreement. "No, I think you did everything you could at the time. But, now they're in trouble, and we're here to help get them out of it, right? Sometimes, even the safe jobs can turn sour."
Louma relaxes back on her coils, crossing her arms. "We shouldn't have too much trouble finding them, I hope. I may be placing a lot of hope in Erika being cured before we leave, but we don't have a lot of time now that the issue has shown up."
Nesseth shakes his head. "Not many folks go out towards Mean Peak, honestly. Erika's one of the few who knows how to navigate the area safely, aside from the guards." He pauses, then casts a look at Louma, "So... what's the plan if we set out before Erika gets cured?"
Louma chuckles, looking out towards the mountains again. "Well... We've got that chain net in the armory. Do you think that's large enough to capture a feral bear?"
Nesseth thinks for a moment or two. "...Big enough, for sure. But are the chains strong enough, is what I'm wondering..."
Louma shrugs. "Either way, what other option do we have? It all depends on what the cure winds up being, doesn't it? Could be some sort of tincture, or a piece of magitech, or strictly the work of a mage."
Nesseth nods. "Yeah... that's true. We just need to hope we're able to keep Garwin under control. Hopefully Victoria's alright out there, too..."
Louma turns to Nesseth. "I do too, she's not exactly the best fighter in the ranks. I don't even want to think about any other possibility right now."
Nesseth hums, frowning a little. "Yeah... everyone's been fine this whole time. I'd rather it stay like that..."
Louma leans against Nesseth for a moment. "Yes, let's keep a positive attitude. For today, though, I think I'm done patrolling. Perhaps I'll visit Maybelline and then head to the Minnow."
Nesseth leans to the side and gives Louma a brief, light hug. "Probably a good idea, that. I think once I wrap up my duty here at the gate for the day, I'll go and stop by Plume's place, and then get something to eat at the Minnow as well."
Louma nods, smiling. "Sounds like a good plan, I'll see you later then. Enjoy the rest of your shift, Nesseth." She gives him a quick salute before she slithers over to the platform stairs, spreading her wings to skip them and glide down to the street, happy to have cleared the air with the lizard, despite the ever changing, yet persistent continued cloud of tension.