Home to Roost

Log Info

• Title: Home to Roost
• Emitter: Tae
• Characters: Tae, Cryosanthia
• Place: W02: The Wilderness
• Time: Sunday, August 23, 2020, 5:48 PM
• Summary: Tae summons Cryosanthia from Mictlan, where she details the fate of the hunters who destroyed the Kobold girl's family and nest, while her panther, Shade, prowls around. Cryosanthia approves, or at least is indifferent to their fate, and their discussion wanders to related topics, the energy of short lived races, the desire to see change in one's lifetime, and goals. Tae's is to bring civilization to Kobold's. Cryo had at one point a goal to locate the more primitive sith'makar tribes that never had the protection of Am'shere, and bring news of Silver Empress to them. They talk about blue stones, friendship and the Jade Isles while Little Fang runs about, and eventually fall asleep.

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The path from the village eventually narrows somewhat, with the trees on either side becoming more populous. Moss hangs from large stones that sit surrounded by beds of leaves that has accumulated over the years.

A few trails wander in varied directions though eventually even these woods will thicken. One particular trail carries with it the scent of natural brimstone...this trail wanders north and westward, where the trees grow thick once more. To the east, it's rumored that the druids have built a sacred site.

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While it has been several days since the first meeting with Cryosanthia, it cannot be said that Tae has been idle. Waking at first light the next morning, she went into the wild to see what Shade was able to learn. Armed with this, she began her hunt. With terrifying certainty the path she followed was leading directly to the kobold family she had meant for Little Fang.

Her pursuit became a race. By fortune, the hunters were unaccustomed to being hunted, and had grown lazy and complacent. Their laziness gave Tae the time to catch them and at the very entrance of the kobold lair, by fang, blade, and spell, slew them. Seeing this, Tae's request was well-received. An extra day of hunting and scouting completed the deal, though it would also be necessary to relocate this new family as soon as possible.

More scouting, another place found that was far better hidden. Guiding, backtracking, and finally settling. A promise to return as soon as possible, and Tae was off. She believes it's ill fortune to start a journey exhausted, so she never stopped moving. After all, if she doesn't sleep, she is merely continuing her journey. Which is why she finds herself at the borders of Mictlan, leaning on a tree far more than she'd care to admit, as her request for Cryosanthia is carried, she hopes, to the sith-makar in question.

The request finds the whitescaled sith'makar and draws her out of Mictlan. She walks with one of the watchers most of the way, then finishes the journey on her own to find Tae lounging beside a tree.

Cryo is wearing her old leather armour, and boots and gloves. She has her haversack, and a seat of sorts has been added that allows the kobold girl to ride around in it, with her hands and torso sticking out. Little Fang is looking over Cryo's shoulder as they move through the woods.

Approaching, the white sith speaks, "Peace, Tae, this one is pleased to see you." She sniffs, scenting her blood, but carefully not commenting, "this one was not expecting you so soon. How goes your hunt?"

Tae raises a hand to touch her right ear, a fingertip tapping the studs there as if counting as a sardonic smile suddenly curves her lips. "It was.. successful on all counts." She forces herself to stand, her expression warming as he regards Cryosanthia and Little Fang, "How have you two been? Staying safe and sound, I hope. If there is any trouble that might be solved with it, I have coin. I didn't think to offer it before. My apologies."

In the shadows, Shade moves restlessly, moving slightly forward so her presence is known as well. She lids her eyes and looks up at Cryosanthia with a most understanding expression. There's no tension in the beast as it sniffs curiously at the Seeker.

Cryosanthia follows the gesture and notes the studs. She nods. "We have been fine. Little Fang is delightful, this one has quite enjoyed her company and she has given me lots to do. Coin is not necessary. This one used to adventure, this one has."

The white lizard looks at Shade, watching her move, her own scents switching subtly. The beast is not a threat, but others like her have been, especially when she was small and that memory returns. Still, she holds a hand closer for Shade to sniff.

Looking back at Tae, Cryo says, "This one does not need to know details, but if you wish to share I enjoy stories."

Shade tilts her head at the offered hand, and after some thinking, leans up to mark it with a strong stroke along the bottom of her left cheek. The action is more than just a motion of the head, but the panther's whole body, leading to a full turn before the cat settles elegantly before Cryosanthia once more, its attention drifting to bathing itself.

"The news is both good and not so much," explains Tae. She looks off to the east, and then the northwest. "They were not just wanderers. They were hired. Whoever or whatever they are in the employ of, their.. territory was fouled with undeath. I dared not encrouch that land on my own." She sighs, her body sagging slightly at the memory. For a moment, she looks dispondent. Her energy returns so swiftly it might lead one to second guess what just happened. "But the three hunters we pursued had emerged, and we found their trail skirting along the borders of that place. They made a perfect path towards the very kobold lair I had meant to visit. Most troubling. But they were slow, taking their ease, you might say. It let Shade and I catch them just in time, but it was a near thing. Those three shall never report what they saw or who they met. Nonetheless, it was critial to move the entire family there to a more distant, better hidden location."

Cryosanthia nods, listening to the tale, finally saying, "I have a map of corrupted areas. Later if you understand them, I'd like to mark the borders you found. It's an effort we've been undertaking."

The hunters and their deaths draw no reactions from her. It's happened and it doesn't interest her, and she isn't about to question the necessity.

"I'm glad you found the family, sad that they have to relocate, but that's often the case. It's better than the alternative." Which would be, being found again. She smiles with a warm expression even if it still is cool surrounding her, "I will be very glad to keep Little Fang longer. She plays all right with the others, this one supervises."

"Ssassa!" Chirps the kobold girl, from behind Cryo. <draconic>

Tae smiles gratefully, "I pray I won't have to trouble you much longer. It would be best to get them better settled. I tried to explain the best hunting grounds, but there was little time for a proper lesson." She raises the back of her right wrist to cover a yawn. "Sorry. Dodging ill fortune. Fool superstitions exact a toll." She looks to Little Fang and makes a small wave, smiling at the little girl. She settles herself against the tree once more, trying to make it appear as casual as possible. She fails, and the motion looks quite honestly more suggestive than her normal, which is saying something. "I can show you on a map, that is no issue. I don't know what you can do with the information. You will need many to go there. It felt.. like a giant grave."

It's not a trouble. In fact, the thought of parting with her so soon is making the sith'makar anxious. She quells the thoughts, the child's needs come first, and she is a kobold, not hers, no matter what her instincts are saying now. Cryo shakes her head, smiling, "She's a treasure, this one can wait. You sound like you understand their needs well."

She exhales, watching Tae as she reclines against the tree. She stands tall herself, a little rigid and formal, unblinking. Her eyes are unreadable gems as she examines Tae's alluring pose. "It's information. The druids may act, an expedition may be sent. There are... many graves about." Her tail pulls in.

"I've seen some corruption. The Felwood, I think they still call it. This was somehow worse to me. I don't know what is happening, but coming there at night was unnerving," replies Tae. "I'm not signing up to deal with that manner of thing. What they want with kobolds is beyond me. How they knew exactly where to find the next, though.. that is to me most troubling. They could ruin all my hard work if this continues." She growls out the last, "I will not allow them to take my living work and make it into a host of unliving!" She looks to Shade and the cat looks back. A moment later she darts off into the wood, knowing well her task. The cat, at least, shows none of the weariness that troubles the half-oruch.

Tae runs her left hand through her hair, bending her neck as she does. "Apologies. My outbursts are most... unseemly."

"No... it's fine..." Cryo watches Shade leave. Her thoughts are ominous, "Have you seen undead kobolds, evidence they're..." She won't say it, not while Little Fang is listening. The experiments haunt her, Zeke's paranoia about being Forgotten returns. She gets a little colder.

"This one can look into it, with assistance. If it is worse than the Felwood, it is a great concern. You sound very tired, is there something this one can do to help you?"

Tae shakes her head, "I'll find a place," she says softly. "Maybe head back to the village you showed me. They were kind." She laughs, "It was strange. I haven't had people smile at me like that in a long time. And the bath was hot and the water clear." For a moment, her mind wanders, "Clear as the coral atolls far to the south. Have you been to the sea, Cryosanthia? I think perhaps.. you might enjoy it. You have the look of one who loves the waters. They are warm there, depending on the currents, and you can find lovely shells, and the crabmen there brought me this necklace."

"This one swims in the harbour sometimes, and the inner sea. I've not been in warm waters. I enjoy swimming a lot." The whitescale smiles, turning her head and looking at Little Fang with one eye, "What do you think? Should we swim in the Tornmawr.""

She repeats in Draconic, "What do you think? Should we go swimming? In the Tornmawr?" <draconic>

"Yesss Ssassa Yesss!" Pipes up Little Fang. <draconic>

Cryo looks back at Tae, grinning toothily, "She likes the idea. This one is glad you were well received at the inn." She moves over to Tae's tree, sinks to the ground to sit beside her, and looks up.

Unceremoniously, Tae lets herself slip to the ground, her back to the tree. She laughs gently, "I'm not sure if I told my legs to do that or if they simply took the invitation utterly of their own volition." The half-oruch lids her eyes for a moment. "I appreciate your introduction. I think it did much good. Honestly, I prefer a soft bed to the ground at all times. My fellows think me quite a strange case." She stretches her legs out before her, sighing contentedly.

"I should see if the kobolds can become masters of the hook and spear for fishing. I have been too focused on the ways of hunting that I am most familiar with. That would open so many possibilities." She smiles at Little Fang, "They are beautiful, aren't they? Something about them is so honest to me. Even when they are trying to deceive me."

Cryo laughs as Tae slides down. Little Fang crawls leans over her shoulder and fall-crawls out of her haversack and bounds off to romp around in front of the two. The first thing she does is sprawl on Tae's legs, and stare up at her.

The white sith laughs, "She enjoys your warmth." Her tail shifts, she angles her hips so it lies more easily down by one of her legs, turning herself to face Tae, "This one also. This one is glad the introductions went well."

She exhales a heavy sigh, "This one has not had pleasant dealings with them. Those techniques shouldn't be beyond them, though I wonder if they do not enjoy chasing after the fish. Well, not all of them take to water, so perhaps not. They might enjoy building fish-traps, as a challenge."

"Their minds are fascinating," replies Tae. She laughs softly and reaches out to brush her fingers along Little Fang's cheek, then lightly strokes under the kobold's chin. "Perhaps you might grow the interest in this little one. She can be the first of her kind to conquer the rivers and lakes." The thought pleases the half-oruch greatly.

"My dream.. is for the kobolds to have their own kingdom. To stand equal to the other races. Their own traditions, their own path. Giving them a few more options is not excessive tampering, I don't think. The other races were spoiled by the divine. These little ones.. well, perhaps we can make do on our own, can't we Little Fang?" Tae looks over to Cryosanthia, studying her eyes. "I do not trust the powers that be to look after all. They have.. a poor track record."

"There is an eagerness and energy to them, and a bit too much territorial drive. One would believe they are descended from dragons purely from that." Cryosanthia laughs. She makes rawr-faces at the kobold, who returns them, but continues to crawl on Tae's legs.

"This one had similar ideas, that they might thrive in Am'shere, with some assistance. It is large and far too dangerous, but..." her voice trails off, she gazes into the forest, "this one knows 'lizardman' is a prejorative, and are those of my scales who did not have the protection of Am'shere and are brutal and violent. Monsters in every sense. This one had hoped to find some of their enclaves, convince them to accept the rule of the Silver Empress and change their ways. That goal, oh, so long forgotten."

"I have worked with a few of the so-called bestial races," replies Tae. "Being half of one myself, it seems fitting. While they all have certain features that prevent them from blending in with the greater society of races, with but a little time and attention, I can see them overcoming it. The problem is that they often have wealth before they have the power to stand against the power of men and sil." She lays her head back against the tree, "These blue stones about my neck. They were a gift of friendship, a thing that the crabmen viewed as lovely, but no more. Yet the rarity to those on the land drove the endless greed of men to move against them." She struggles with her emotions, "This time.. this time they won't undo me. I will be right."

Cryosanthis stares at the stones. Blue is a colour she has a great affinity for, "They are beautiful, this one sees why they would be pursue. They look lovely on you, that they testament friendship makes them even more valuable."

She exhales, a long breath that mists in the air, and leans back. A little too heavily, her horns thunk into the tree behind her, and stick. Now she has head support. "Coming into power or wealth too early is always a danger. For the shorter lived races, any time is almost to early. This one does not mean to insult. When a human or sil asks for patience, it might a significant chunk of a life. One wants to see change. Your goals are noble and good, even if you claim to be neither of those, Tae."

"That what I do helps others is undeniable. But.. those who stand in my way shall know little mercy. Those who harm the ones I put up.." She narrows her eyes, but it passes quickly. "Anger is not an emotional I wear well," she mutters. "It is enough that I know something of what I deal with. And that it is beyond my power to address directly. I can only hope that I make my work of less interest by means of sheer distance." She shifts her weight slightly, and her eyes stay shut when she closes them. "Just need.. a few moments of rest," she whispers. "Then I must go again. Find a place.." Her tone grows more dreamy, and it seems that she has started to doze off against the tree.

Cryosanthia is content to lie there and watch her new friend fall asleep, as her new foundling gambols around and plays hide and seek. A few times Little Fang gets to far, and she makes a noise in her throat, calling her back.

"No one wears Anger well, but it is a useful tool. It must be nurtured, like a baby, understood before it can be calmed. I hope you are successful, she needs a champion, they need a champion, and change for them may be in you." She intones soothingly, her words meant to ease Tae into sleep.

She's going to have to carry her somewhere, Mictlan is closer, so that may be the place. In the meantime, she rests also, keeping a watchful eye. Idly, her left hand traces her arcane mark on exposed root, leaving her dragon-eye.

They both fall asleep, leaving Little Fang running around to tug on their faces and eventually collapse across their laps.