----------------------------------------------
RESPITE TRAINING GROUNDS - AFTERNOON
----------------------------------------------
Piper wipes the dust from her scales with a towel, the dusty evidence of where she'd been thwacked with a wooden staff for the last ten minutes disappearing under the cloth. She only grunts from one spot as she pushes past the gate, rubbing and looking at her left elbow. "Good hit... Have to use him again."
Florian makes his way through to the training grounds, thinking he might catch his sister there. He's not really paying much attention at the moment, as he's still thinking about the letters he and Victoria sent out to their dad back in Vamas. Unfortunately, he also doesn't notice the hulking crocodile stepping out of the main entrance just in front of him, and he winds up bumping right into her, rebounding rather handily from the sheer difference in mass. "A-ahh! S-sorry, sorry! I wasn't paying attention!"
Piper turns her gaze on Florian after she feels something thud into her, the sun at her back leaving her in a bit of shadow as she looks down at the leopard. She rolls her left arm with a grunt. Piper doesn't realize she's occupying the full breadth of this entrance. "Careful there."
Florian blinks as he regains his balance as sees who he walked into. He shivers a little and grips the strap of his case a little more tightly. "Uh... s-sorry again. I'm just, er... d-did you see a snow leopard in there, by any chance?"
Piper tilts her head a little, a little rumble running as she thinks. "Haughty? Vicious? Poorly dressed?"
Florian nods. "Yes, that'd be her."
Piper grunts, shaking her head. "Not here today. You got the same fur. You her kin, then?" She shifts her weight a bit, chuckling a bit. "Only one usually comes looking is the fox."
Florian hums, nodding in response to the question as he starts to settle down. "Yes, I'm her brother. So... not here today, oh well..." He sighs a bit, his tail swishing slightly, "I guess that means I might as well just get back to the Minnow for the day."
Piper nods. "Am going that way. Will escort you. Don't bump into anyone else." She grins a toothy grin, taking a few steps Northward, mostly joking but indeed heading back to the Minnow.
Florian chuckles a little as he moves to follow Piper. "Well, thank you for that. I'm usually a little more careful, but my mind was elsewhere."
Piper watches the road ahead, nodding. "I know. Must have been. Walking into something like me." She glances at him. "What's on mind?"
Florian shrugs a little. "Well, I'm not usually one to talk about family matters, but Victoria's been gone from home for a long while. I was just thinking about how our dad would react to hearing that Victoria is fine."
Piper breathes a quiet sigh, speaking a little quieter than she already was. "If he loved her? Relieved. Happy." Her eyes shift forward again. "Learning child has died... The look in a father's eye. Should never happen. In a happy world."
Florian hums quietly. "It's not a nice thing to see. We thought she was gone, but didn't want to give up until we confirmed it. I spent the last two years looking all over."
Piper nods. "Finding answers takes forever. You found her though. Tell him."
Florian nods. "We did. Or... well, we sent letters. It would take longer for us to travel back personally, and I doubt Victoria would want to, anyway, even to see Dad again."
Piper hums, shrugging after a few moments. "A letter. All you can do. Rarely see Victoria. Don't know her well. Still know she's stubborn. What will you do? Stay?"
Florian shakes his head a bit. "Only for a little bit. I don't intend to settle down here, but I may come by for visits sometimes. I doubt there's much call for woodcarvers, here in Respite."
Piper perks up a bit. "Woodcarver? Hm. Suppose you don't fit the... Profile of a guard."
Florian chuckles and shakes his head with a soft smile. "I'm definitely not the sort to want to swing a weapon around, even if it's in defense of a town of nice folks. Victoria was always the more assertive one of the two of us." He nods, "But yeah, I'm a woodcarver by profession."
Piper chuckles her notes, shrugging. "Delicate work. Suits you. What do you carve?"
Florian smiles. "Mostly decorative designs on anything wood. Doors, tables, chairs, cabinets... just about anything that someone would want to fancy up a bit."
Piper grins, nodding. "Sounds nice. Will have to see some time. Any pieces at the Minnow?"
Florian shakes his head. "I've not gotten any requests yet, but then, I've not really pushed my business while here in town. I do have an example piece or two in my room that I could bring down to the bar to show you, though, if you like."
Piper nods, looking ahead. "Yes. Would like. Can show you body. As exchange."
Florian furrows his brow in confusion, though he doesn't really stop walking as he gives Piper a questioning look. "You can... I'm sorry... you can do what, now?"
Piper blinks, looking to him. "Scales. Under my clothes." She pull her sleeve up as far as the fabric will yield, showing part of a pattern painted under it. "I paint. Creation for creation."
Florian 's eyes drift towards the beautiful painted patterns on Piper's arm, his expression clearing. "Oh, okay. I thought you meant... something else." He leans a little closer as the two continue to walk, his practiced eyes noting the workmanship, "These are some very beautiful designs!"
Piper blushes a bit at his compliment, shaking her head. "Oh, no. Forget you mammals are... Squeamish? With nudity. Male croc, female croc. Same shape above waist. Roughly. Besides-" She leans over him to tease at his misunderstanding. "Don't think I could. You are too cute too handle."
Florian blushes under his fur, though it shows through the whites on his patterning. "Ah... th-thank you? I try to, er... keep myself looking good." He clears his throat for a moment, "And, well... it's less squeamish, and more... I guess just an unexpected thing to hear, at least for me."
Piper laughs three rumbling notes, straightening up and patting Florian on the shoulder. "Sorry. Was mean. Not untrue, but teasing."
Florian stumbles a little at the pat, but his knees don't buckle. He chuckles and shakes his head in turn. "It's fine, really. But, um... I take it you've been an artist for a while, with designs that intricate?"
Piper hums, looking to the design on her arms before tugging her sleeve straight. "A decade, maybe? Only if I see the patterns. Can't do landscapes or portraits." She shrugs. "Specialize in scales. Not artist by trade, though."
Florian blinks, tilting his head. "Scale-painting, hm? Interesting... Patterns are pretty unique to everyone, aren't they? It's like a living canvas!"
Piper nods along. "Yes. Found a good dye. Soap off, but resist rubbing. Could try dying fur, but complicated."
Florian hums in agreement. "Fur doesn't hold color quite as well as scales would, especially during the times of the year we change coats. Still... it'd be nice to see if we could compare notes on design ideas and such!"
Piper grins, nodding as the Minnow comes into view in the distance. "Of course, that sounds fun!"
Florian smiles in turn. "Then, once we get to the Minnow, I'll run upstairs to grab the examples to show you!"
Piper and Florian head to the Minnow, spending a little time showing off their respective works and trading ideas and inspirations. Florian is spared further teasing from the croc for the afternoon. She'd feel bad about it if she kept it up and then he saw her walking off to a room with Beef later on, after all.