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ERIKA'S GARDEN - AFTERNOON
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Erika is tending to her plants, humming to herself as she does. If someone finds it weird to find a humming okapi in the garden, well, that someone isn't present currently so Erika continues. She's in fact quite interested in a particular set of roots at the moment, for whatever distraction currently present.
Cavro paces back and forth in front of Erika's house, carrying a heavy looking pack on his back and a heavy air of worry about his expression. He does this for nearly five minutes, finally clenching his jaw and turning toward the alley. With a light huff, the badger sets on between the buildings and pushes slowly through the foliage, creeping to the edge and peering through to see where Erika is.
Erika looks up at where the foliage is disturbed, not quite seeing who it is. "Hello?"
Cavro hesitates, seeing where the voice comes from and seeing Erika remains unchanged from being changed. He steps out from the plants, head hung low in a bit of shame as he stops at the edge of the clearing. "Hello Er Er Erika." He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. "Uh... How are are are you?"
Erika steps forward with an excited step or three upon seeing who it is, but then pauses in her gait and hesitatates. "I... I am... fine. Just..." she attempts to gesture with a forehoof but it doesn't move as she wishes: "...fine."
Cavro looks at Erika, smiling weakly. "I am am am glad to hear that... You are... Still like this..." He shakes his head. "I I I mean has Plume found... Or Nesseth..." His eyes drop again, the same feeling of uselessness welling up that he's been stuck with since finding out about Erika's problem.
Erika lets out a snort-sigh. She attempts a step forward, but it collapses into a fall down onto her belly. After a moment, she looks back up at Cavro: "Still... like this. It's... me."
Cavro immediately drops the bag with a thud and jogs over to Erika, kneeling reaching out to her. "Ah! Are you al al alright?"
Erika looks at Cavro, and though there is almost no emotion in her feral expression, Cavro can pretty much smell it: "I... I'm me. J-just...y-know. Not."
Cavro rests a hand on her back near the base of her neck. "I know you you you are you, Erika!" He lets out a choked half-sob, half laugh. "I meant your legs, you nutty okapi."
Erika blinks, then leans onto Cavro's half-embrace: "I-I'm s-still me. And my legs too. Just... y'know. Or don't." She lets out a half-scared snort-chuckle.
Cavro hugs around Erika's neck properly, burying his face in her fur. "Well you must be you... Stumbling all all all over the place, making me worry."
Erika whispers as she attempts to make her head even somewhat straight: "I'm... I'm like mostly good with walking? Just, um... you." She sniffles: "D-didn't think you'd come b-back."
Cavro shakes as he tries to hold back a series of sobs. "I... I didn't know what to to to do... I felt... I feel so useless..." He hugs her a little tighter, turning his face to look at hers. "But I I I still love you, I couldn't leave you alone like this..."
Erika looks at Cavro, feeling helpless and almost unwilling to say the words she does: "...b-but, you.... you did."
Cavro drops his gaze, face burning with shame. "I I I did... I'm sorry for that... I needed to to to gather my thoughts, it was all so so so much... But that doesn't excuse it." He looks into her eyes, his own filled with his regret. "Can... Can you ever forgive me?"
Erika is silent for the briefest of moments, before nodding. She'd smile if she could, but Cavro can hear it in her voice: "Yes."
Cavro feels a wave of relief as he buries his face against her again, sobbing as he hugs her. He manages a muffled "Thank you!" as he tries to calm down.
Erika flinches slightly at the hug, but not too visibly. She snort-sighs: "C-cavro... I... I m-might be like this for..." She trails off, not really daring to finish off the sentence.
Cavro releases the hug, leaning back to a kneel, though he keeps a hand on her back. "I I I know... -Snf- We can hope that that that Plume finds... Something. Until then... Well." He looks towards the overstuffed backpack, a shy grin finally reaching his face.
Erika looks over Cavro, somewhere between curious, careful... and crying. For the first time, the feral okapi is having tears drawn out of her eyes, somewhere between despair and relief, fear and safety, heartbreak and love. She just looks at Cavro and nods slowly.
Cavro looks back toward Erika, leaning against her. "I I I wont leave you like that again... I will need to to to go for some things but I swear to to to you, I will always come back..." He hesitates for a second, then stretches up and kisses her cheek. "Promise."
Erika leans onto Cavro with her neck, her tears running freely now. She swallows in an attempt to get a word in from her uncooperating throat: "I-I'm... g-gonna be here. L-love you."
Cavro nods, smiling against his own teary eyes. "Love you too... I brought some some some things for you..." He finds it hard to break away from Erika, so just gestures toward the bag instead. "To to to make you more comfortable."
Erika turns to look at the bag confusedly for a moment, before just closing her eyes and leaning on Cavro again: "Jus' want you here."
Cavro leans against her as well, sighing as his tension finally seems to melt away... For now. "Alright, I I I'll just stay here as long as you you you like."
Erika sniffles, then whispers. "H-help me make... food? H-haven't, um... I'm not actually sure how I can hot f-food, but... n-no h-hands, you know."
Cavro chuckles lightly, looking at her. "Of course, but I'll have to to to move to do that."
Erika shifts her neck enough to look at Cavro: "T-to c-cook for me r-right now?"
Cavro nods, glancing again at the bag. "I I I told you, I'm prepared to stay here as long as as as you need."
Erika attempts a smile and it almost works. She then just leans onto Cavro: "T-thank you. M-my brave badger."
Cavro hugs Erika again, sighing contentedly.
Erika leans onto Cavro, finding no desire to move anywhere for the moment. Or, like, ever.
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RESPITE WATERFALL - EARLY AFTERNOON
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Bracvar found the marketplace rather dead on this day, choosing to close up his stall early. Instead of standing in the hot, dry marketplace making no money, he opted instead to relax near the roaring waterfall just NorthWest of the town, relatively secluded but far from unknown. He's splashing water over himself in the calmer secondary pool, enjoying the quiet.
Sammi had not been loving the heat, and the dry weather of the town, and was ecstatic when she found the waterfall, and the pool! She had settled down at the bottom of the pool, under the waterfall for a nap, and was now being awoken by the splashing about, ever curious, she drifts towards the source of the splashing, staying underneath the water level.
Bracvar wanders deeper into the pool, his crab legs well tuned at maintaining balance on the rocky bottom. He keeps only his legs in the deepening water until his knee joints are submerged, where he wiggles slightly before plunging straight into the water, sighing at the full counter against hot sun and looking around as the bubbles disperse.
Sammi spots Bracvar, and indeed comes into view when he dives down, bubbling a greeting, and a little cheerful wave of a finned hand, she's able to communicate underwater, but she's not sure if Bracvar can return the favour, so she's just waiting there, tentacles idly flipping about to see what he does. Hopefully he's happy to see a fellow subaquan type, and doesn't go all pitchforky or something.
Bracvar blinks as he spots Sammi, hesitating for a moment before breaking out in a big grin. The tendril beard floats around his mandibles underwater, showing the strange smile as more than an eye crinkle. "Hoy there! Who might you be, then?" The chosen language is slow, deliberate, and his voice while speaking it has a low volume whalesong tone to it, a trait of an East ocean upbringing.
Sammi: "Greetings! My name is not one you could hear with safety, however, you could address me as Sammi! It is quite the pleasure to find another underwater folk here, I did not think I would be so fortunate!" Her own accent was very archaic, she'd learned 'groundspeak' from those above, so it didn't come up then, but her "Aquan" was very old fashioned "Tell me Good Sir, what would be your own title?"
Bracvar grins as he listens to her speak, unexpectedly thrilled to find her here. "I am Bracvar Ovthasee, exporter of delicacies to the surface dwellers. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sammi. What brings you to this strange land, Old One?"
Sammi: "Oh, well. I'm sure you understand. I was bound for many a time, and when I was released, I gained a wanderlust, to explore the lands above the waves! I have met many interesting folks, and those by the shore were most aggressive! However, upon my arrival in Respite, the hospitality has been excellent! I am most pleased!" She floats in the water, bobbing happily "I must say, I am hearted that you treat my presence with glee, but it leaves me confused! Perhaps you could elaborate?"
Bracvar nods, settling his hips down on the rocks , though in the water he doesn't feel the need to splay his legs for comfort. "Well, to tell you the truth, I'm right terrified of the power you might have, but why should you be disrespected for that? Besides, my family has a deep regard for yours, even if we've never had the honor to meet any of you. Have the people in Respite been better?"
Sammi: "They have been most polite, and helpful, Although! One Curiosity, they do not request my Name? Do they not know the power of Names? They are so forward in many ways and wonders, but so behind in others!" She smiles, and bubbles with amusement "However, I assure you I mean none harm. Mine were always more curious of the mortals than ravenous, indeed, I believe that on occasion Mine were to protect some mortals that we favoured!" She settles herself as well, sitting down on her hair in the water "My power is less than you may believe, I am away from the Deeps, and much younger than those you spin tales of. You need not fear this one!"
Bracvar chuckles, a sound that translates poorly between the surface and the sea. "I'll take your word for it. They up there are plenty curious, but I feel they prefer to keep to themselves more than anything, never met any too keen on a trip to the bottom of the seas. I'd ask your full name, but you've already given me one to call you by."
Sammi: "Ah, my Name would be poor listening indeed!" She smirks a little bit "The deep sea is not visited by many, other than those that seek to bind Mine, or release, should Our whispers reach those that are so inclined to listen!" Another small bubbly laugh "I do not believe I have a name to call you however? What should I refer to you as, friend Crab?"
Bracvar hesitates for a moment. "Er... Bracvar."
Sammi: "Ah, yes, of course, your first name, I begin to understand how you refer to yourselfs" She nods "I believe your longer form is for times when you wish to differ yourself from among many?"
Bracvar chuckles, nodding. "You've got it right. I don't think either of us need them for the surface dwellers, though. You're wholly unique as far as I know, and I've only seen a couple other crabs in passing around Respite. And I'm the biggest one." He starts to laugh, then remembers his company and settles down a bit.
Sammi: "Ah, most impressive, as I understand. Size is a measurement of standing!" She claps her hands together, making a small wave under the water "I am..perhaps not unique, but few of Mine would breach the ocean, they do not wish to speak with those on the surface. They are, sadly, rather unhappy with how they have been treated. I believe they are being somewhat silly though!"
Bracvar nods, grin dropping to a smile. "Ah, yes. I can imagine how beings of such standing and power might have to deal with... Beggars. There's probably some truth behind their claims."
Sammi: "Perhaps, and I hope that none make such requests of mine, as I cannot help, I am much as I appear, though you must agree my appearance is appealing!" She does a little turn in the water, with a self mocking bow "I jest of course"
Bracvar chuckles, honestly admiring her varied features. "No jest about it, you're unique and not unattractive at all, surface dweller tastes can be damned to the locker." Bracvar thinks for a moment. "Say, I actually do have a request for you, if you'd humor me."
Sammi: "You may make your request!" She bows her head respectfully
Bracvar chuckles lightly, settling more comfortably onto the rocky pool bottom. "Would you care to regale me with some tales of home? This is a unique opportunity."
Sammi: "Ah, that would be a pleasure Friend Bracvar, I may need to choose the tales carefully, not all are suitible for mortal ears" But she would settle to the bottom of the pool, to regale him with tales from the deep black sea.