Hunters and Crafters

The cold season kept assaulting the city. Yet, at least there was a bit of respite in the center of the city - the Gardens.

And standing in the very middle of it, was a glaive wielding Dragoon - or rather, just a ruddy sith-makar, wrapped up in loose cloth and a cloak. Wisps of snow slowly falls off his form, as he glances around the Gardens with his orange eyes; red ribbons flare from the tips of his horns, before he glances down at the large-ish box by his feet.

"Hnnh, why do they always discard time so readily?" Aelwyn lets out with a deep breath, shifting weight somewhat. "The last time..."

The city is different. Large. A bit overwhelming to one not used to such things. It seems every step takes one into a new land, and yet all are behind the same walls?! The quiet green gains a tapping of wood on stone and rustle of metal and hide upon scales. A branze-clad bluescale makes his way along, eyes shifting and nostrils flaring; the sights and scents are not the same as the jungle, but they are at least in the same class. His form is hunched forward, spear in hand used as a walking staff rather than a weapon.

Aelwyn kept patiently staring somewhere in front of him - but it was inevitable that his attention would get distracted by a distracted looking sith-makar. He patiently observes the other for a time - waiting for him to stray a bit closer.

Finally, the smaller sith-makar pulls away the scarf from about his blunt snout, and calls out. "Stranger," He bows his head. "In search of something?"

The calling pulls the bluescale's ...browsing? admiring? of the scenery to the call. A blink. "Ah. Peace on your nest!" he offers somewhat apologetically as he shuffle-clatter-taps nearer the other. "Not searching. This one is scenting. Hearing. Seeing. Many things in this place. New. Different."

Aelwyn looks up at the larger sith-makar. He keeps staring at the other for a while, tilting his head to the side - before he finally bows his head. "Peace of their nest." He responds, in his typical atypical fashion. "This one has the feeling Azure is new in this city," He rumbles with amusement. "But he could have chosen a worse place to be tasting the scents." Like the docks.

The ruddy sith-makar tilts his head to the side and looks at the hammer. "Azure is a smith?"

Tlanexhuani's hunched posture makes him more long than tall, to a degree, but his knees bend to a crouch to lower him further. All to bring eyes and snout to even level for even sharing of words. "Ssa. This one is Telanexhuani, Crafter Caste. Not long in city." He exhales a staccato trio of hisses in amusement. "A claw of days past, this one not know city stand."

The ruddy draconian bows his head in turn to the introduction. "Aelwyn, a Dragoon." With the introductions aside, the smaller of the sith-makar slides his hand down on his hip and tilts his head to the side. "A first venture to a city. They say it never quite is the same after - to see the world from the outside in." His lips shift away from his teeth momentarily, as he twists his lips in amusement. "Never left Am'shere before, Azure?"

"No," Tlanexhuani answers, first. "This one never need to." His eyes then look about. "Their words are truth. Iss very different here. All softskin lands, softskin village, same as Allessandria?"

Aelwyn clicks his tongue, as he watches Tlanexhuani speak. "Same as Alessandria...?" He asks, with his voice trailing off. His attention is diverted somewhere else that the other sith-makar said. "Never needed to before, but now Azure is here. What brought him? This one assumes it was not the weather." A flash of his teeth.

Tlanexhuani eyes Aelwyn a moment before he looses loud hisses of laughter. "No, not for cold." His amusement trails off and settles. "Leave Am'shere to seek kin. Who left long ago."

Murder has arrived.

"Seek kin? Hmmh, Alexandria is a large city." The Dragoon points out, "Azure is certain they can find them here?" He tilts his head and then reaches into his satchel. A stick of something chewable, with a faint gingery taste. He sticks one between his teeth and then offers the bunch to the larger sith-makar. "Then again, if there is information to be found, this has this feeling this city is the place to look for it."

       The Gobbo wanders through the gardens, enjoying some respite from the cold, and precipitation in all its forms. Her furs have been traded for a little blue dress, sandals and a little red bow in her hair.

Murder ducks lower, and scurries from place to place, hiding behind different obstacles until she's close to the pair of Siths.

She waits until just the right time, before dashing out and climbing up Aelwyn's back, ending up resting her elbows between his horns, and putting her chin on her hands. "Hello Tlanexhuani! Who's your friend?"

"This one did not know where to seek," the bluescale admits. "Not when enter lands. Found Mictlan. Many of The People there!" His tail flits with energy at those words. "Found kin. Guided here to more kin." Now his tail slows. "Found more kin. Learned is ... not as this one thought. Many seasons passed. Is ..." His unoccupied claws clasp at the air, seeking to pull words from it. "... complicated? Still good to find kin!" A final bit of pushed joy and tail-flicks.

Aelwyn's eyes widen and narrow slightly as the other sith-makar explains. "... not kin, but just Kin?" He asks with a more questioning tone. "This one would have thought Am'shere would have-hssh!" The ruddy sith-makar felt the now familiar hands scurrying across his back, even through the cloak and cloth he wrapped up in, and he stringently resists the urge to spin around.

"This one thinks this is sport to Shorty," Aelwyn mutters underneath his breath. "Shorty and Azure know each other?"

Tlanexhuani still a moment at the unexpected application of Murder upon Aelwyn. Then looses a hearty hissing roar of laughter. Leaning upon spear with one set of claws, the other set slaps at his knee in bemused delight. After a moment to regain his breath, he utters, words still carrying additional fading hiss. "Ssa! Wee one enjoy climbing scales. Is like youngling. Ssa, this one meet. Was this one's pathfinder to Allessandria!" His chest swells with what he considers praising and thankful words.

       The Gobbo enjoys praise, this much is obvious, as she grins brightly and nods enthusiastically. "Yes, Tlan here crashed into my camp with Skielstregar and Harkashan. I've never felt shorter." Murder runs her fingers over the top of Aelwyn's head. "They're huge!"

She stares at Tlan. "A youngling?" She giggles brightly. "I've seen twenty-five summers!"

       The Gobbo enjoys praise, this much is obvious, as she grins brightly and nods enthusiastically. "Yes, Tlan here crashed into my camp with Skielstregar and Harkashan. I've never felt shorter." Murder runs her fingers over the top of Aelwyn's head. "They're huge!"

She stares at Tlan. "A youngling?" She giggles brightly. "I've seen twenty-five summers!"

Aelwyn's eyes narrows a bit and he rumbles something about size underneath his breath, but he takes in a deep breath. Slowly lets it out. He reaches up to try and hoist the gobbo off his back - and instead hand it off to Tlanexhuani. "This one was never good with younglings." The draconian admits. "Not even those that have become pathfinders." Tail whip.

Turning his head towards the other sith-makar, he tilts his head. "Azure has met Silver? Hmmh, how was their blade?" A bit of a grin off his teeth. "This... 'Harkashan' is not familiar. Yet it is good that Azure has found people in this city - cities are like jungles, easy to get lost in, and easy to be lost in."

Tlanexhuani eyes Murder. "Enjoy climb, as youngling enjoy climb. This one not think -are- youngling. Murder too still, too quiet to be youngling," he points out with light mirth. "Ssa," he now answers Aelwyn. "This one meet many of The People. At Mictlan, near Mictlan."

He then leans his head forward, extending neck, making any transfer easier for both of the others. "This one tend many hatchlings, younglings. This one know well tail on face. Claws on horns. Teeth on snout."

The Goblin huffs at being transferred to Tlan, but she carefully settles herself on the Azure-scale's shoulders. Resting her chin on her hands, she leans onto his head. Sticking her tongue out at Aelwyn, she nods. "Yes, I know, I know, I like things younglings like." Murder laughs at Tlan's complaint of typical youngling activities. "And you wonder why short people are scared of younglings..."

Aelwyn settles the gobbo away at Tlanexhuani's shoulders, tilting his vertical horns forward a touch as he does it. A sharp look is given to the Goblin soon after. "Tch, and teeth on legs." The Dragoon lets out a low rumble, before he leans back and grabs his glaive. Suddenly, he spots something off and behind the pair in front of him, and he lets out a click of his teeth. "Finally." Turning towards the very ignored box behind him, he moves to haul it up and against him, before he bows his head towards the pair of them. "This one would enjoy hearing stories of Am'shere later, but survive Shortie, Azure." A flash of his teeth, and then he begins to head off towards a person in the distance.

Aelwyn has left.

Tlanexhuani snorts lightly at his shoulder ornament. "Youngling not know be scared. Tenders would be more scared of wee ones -for- younglings, not wee ones of younglings." A pause. "Softksins meet younglings?" He asks incredualously after realizing what the gobber's comment implies. This is briefly interrupted with Aelwyn's excusing and deparature, to which Tlanexhuani offers customary faring of well.

"You try bringing a basket of baked goods into Mictlan and find out what happens. One wiff of deliciousness and you'll be mobbed." Murder giggles at the thought. "A good friend of mine.", she say softly, her voice trembling, "Did that once, and had younglings following him all the time. Svarshan was a good man, but I used to laugh at him with the younglings eagerly begging for treats. As if they were starved!"

"And we'll see you later!", the Gobbo hollers, waving to the retreating Aelwyn.

"Ssa," the big blue hisses lightly, mostly mirthfully, "younglings, hatchings always hunger. Not know yet if eat again. Eat all can find. Tenders, others learn care with food." There is a pause before he shifts the topic, turning one eye to try and peer better at the gobber. "Peace on nest, wee one. Keep warm today? Shed fur?"

"I cheat, but yes, I changed what I was wearing for this place. It's always warm and snow-free here." Murder peers at the eye, leaning in closely to inspect it. "Were you able to find Zeke?", she wonders, letting out a sigh and resting her chin on his forehead. "You seem in good spirits so I guess that you have found him."

Tlanexhuani's tail flicks several times before he answers, and not just due to attempting to swivel eye to regard Murder even as she is sprawled between shoulder and head. It may be a challenge not to cross eyes. "Ssa. This one found Zeke. As you said would find. Shared words."

She reaches up to tap at the bow in her hair. "I have a magical item which can change what I am wearing to whatever I want it to look like. Still wearing furs, which you can see if you touch my arm or leg." Her leg is extended out for such an experiment, should he choose.

Her hand reaches out to lightly touch his cheek. "You seem ... hmm, a little sad? It's hard to tell, but you don't seem entirely happy to have found your kin."

Tlanexhuani's eye blinks at the bow and explanation about it. The offered experiment is accepted, but it's his tongue that darts out the side of his maw to touch. "Murder could wear sca... skin, yet look in furs?" Which is probably not the way it would actually be used, but he seems to grasp the concept? Maybe?

His tongue flicks again, this time out the front and not towards Murder. In thought, or to get rid of loose fur. "Iss... not as this one thought. Kin was not told of kin. Not know. Not this one, not any kin."

Murder squirms at the tongue's brief exploration, and laughs. "I haven't thought to try that, actually. I usually just change it to something I would normally wear, or to disguise the fact that I might not be wearing much at all.

She falls silent, taking in his talk of not knowing kin. "You didn't know what he went through? Or about his arm and leg? From what little I have heard, his mother was... incredibly mean."

Tlanexhuani exhales a long, slow breath. "This one did not know. Does not know. Kin was egg when Nona... his nest-mother ... take and go. This one not know why. Not know how nest-mother tended. Now only know she worry for him. Called name that is ... wrong." His posture and head sag. "Know very little."

Her little hand rubs at his cheek, and she makes a soft sound. "Don't beat yourself up, not your fault. But! You've found him now. You can catch up. You have hundreds of years to make things better."

Murder idly traces along the scales of his face, drawing geometric shapes. "Murder is happy you can be a big brother now."

Tlanexhuani is quiet for a time, then his tongue flicks out once more. Not for arm or leg to test clothing, but for a swipe at Murder's face. A moment more of silence before he speaks. "Uncle. This one was called uncle by many young. By Nona, also. This one First clutch. Nona second. This one ... big brother to Zeke nest-mother."

Murder squeaks at the sudden lick, and then laughs. "Uncle then. You get the chance to be an uncle. That's amazing, isn't it? Especially since before knowing of him, you had no idea that there was more kin." Her expression grows distant, as if her mind has gone to some place far away. "Zeke is probably grateful to know of you. Kin who has never hurt him."

"What does he know?" The bluescale asks, though rhetorically. "He knows only nest-mother. If nest-mother hurt him..." There is a raspy rumble briefly to the words before he continues. "Zeke would know only: kin is pain. This one shared words. Kin knows this one is here. Is his choice to share more words."

A moment of quiet before his tongue clicks. "Murder be careful. Not climb to many of The People. Could become food. Murder is ..." his tongue clicks again "...tasty."

"And that's all you can do, tell him you are here, you are kin, you would listen, support." Murder rolls her shoulders in a shrug. "Well I don't think you're pain, and that has to count for something." She eyes his eye curiously, "I may be tasty but I am not food. And I will shank anyone who tries to eat me."

The eye eyes her back firmly for a moment before blinking and little hisses of amusement leak out. "Is not Murder is tasty. Is Murder food. Murder eat like youngling, too..."

The Gobbo huffs noisily and shakes her head. Her eyes focus on the horn just above his eye. Craning her neck, she daintily gnaws at the horn. "I do not eat like a youngling! And maybe you are food?" Murder doesn't bite particularly hard, just enough to make a gnawing sound on the horn.

Tlanexhuani is gnawed! Chewed! At the second bite, he makes an odd squeaking sound (that isn't from his knees). "No! This one!" He lowers more: to one knee; then the other. "Is caught!" Now he falls (slowly) to the ground. Is felled. Yet, miraculously, his attacker is conveniently upright and in no danger of being crushed as he goes down.

The maw quickly lets go, as the Gobbo seems genuinely surprised. She stands up and looks around. "Are.. you okay?", Murder wonders, stepping off of him and going round the front so that he might see her. "I.. did I chew to hard?" She crouches down, putting her face close to his, concern evident in her expression.

Tlanexhuani lies upon the ground. Still. Maw partly open and tongue lolled out. Eyes closed.

Until one eye opens to peer at Murder. "This one is... kill of mighty hunter!" he explains. Then his eye closes again. Kills are supposed to be dead. That's what it means. On the other claw, kills probably are not supposed to be leaking little hissing chuckles.

The sensation of a small foot being planted on his nose is felt, and Murder strikes a victorious pose. "And now I will have to ... uh... drag my kill back to my lair." She snorts. "Or ask him to move himself at my convenience..."

The Gobbo hmmmms. Her outfit changes, quick as a flash. Now she is covered in what seems to azure scales.

Tlanexhuani's chortles can no longer be even patially contained. His snout flicks up to lift the victorious hunter up, though not necessary off of his snout. He then rises with some swiftness back to his feet with rustling of metal and leather and creaking of knees. "Ha! Where is..." he eyes the shift to scales and snorts " wee blue one's lair?"

The Goblin laughs, and clings to his head as he stands up. "Pff.. you found it the other day, out in the woods." She crawls slowly and carefully to avoid his horns, though something of her fur/scales snags on one of his horns, leaving a tuft of fur hanging and blowing in the wind. But Murder ends up on his shoulders once more. "Probably better to find a pub or inn here."

Tlanexhuani reaches up to give the goblin a pat at back with flat of hand and without claws. An affectionate thing, and also reflexive: it ensures she doesn't inadvertently topple off in getting settled, even if not needed. "Ah! Did not know was full camp. Not hunter rest before move on. This one also make camp. Outside. Allessandria not this one's village." Play aside, he inquires, eye flitting to her. "Murder wish take to lair?"

Another laugh, "Ah, you've heard that there's some boar meat there that hasn't been eaten yet?" Murder pats his head fondly. "If you wish? I mean, it's a bit of a walk. Is your camp closer, that might be a better idea." The Gobbo peers up at the sky, letting out a huff of breath.

"It may snow, it's hard to tell. But it's going to be very cold either way."

"Air cold, but fire iss warm," Tlanexhuani points out with a hissing chuckle. "This one see if remember path. If not, have best guide." He then begins to move, with spear taps on one side and goblin-weighted shoulder on the other. It all balances out, in a way.

"Yes, fire is warm. Do you have a fire at your camp or are you suggesting we go to mine?" She pats at his cheek with a chuckle. "Well. I could get us lost also. You might not want to depend on little ol' me. But I'm sure we'll be fine."