Search for a Perch
Log Info
- Title: Search for a Perch
- Place: A08: Northern Banks of the Tornmawr
- Summary: Rune is searching for a piece of driftwood to turn into a new perch for Pothy and gets help from the witch, Xasany. Who just so happens to be a servant of Eluna.
Ships slowly make their way along the river, heading to, or coming from, the great Alexandrian port. The sun shines brightly, the heat kept in check by the cool breeze from the mountains. It's the sort of day where one could almost see forever, if one were high enough.
A few people picnic on the grass along the river further up, while others enjoy a morning walk along the beach. A few fish from the bridge above, enjoying a better view as they do so.
A wee woman slowly walking along the water's edge, her green hair standing out against the darker backdrop of the river. She laughs at something, ducking down to grab at something in the water.
Rune is just one among two colorful individuals walking the shore of the river, it seems. The darkly dressed half-sil pauses now and again, plucking up various pieces of driftwood to inspect them. Most seem to be abandoned almost immediately, deemed to not suit whatever purpose it is that she's searching for.
One, however, seems to get further attention. It's a taller piece, with branches that split out from the main structure. She starts to look it over more closely, and then frowns. Reaching up, Rune breaks off one of the branches and a number of small bugs pour out. "Yeah, that's not going to work."
With a sigh, she tosses the larger branch further along the beach, but then chucks the smaller one into the water.
Into the water not all that far from the green-haired Gnome woman. Rune winces. "Sorry about that!"
The Gnome gives a start as the branch splashes nearby, her eyes darting a different direction, watching something retreat under water.
Her frown is severe as the turns to face Rune, but it passes pretty quickly.
"Oh, I suppose it's fine, but I was chasing that bullfrog all morning." Her expression goes from frowning to pouting. "Why are you throwing logs at random people?", she wonders, splashing ashore and leaving wet footprints in the sand as she stalks towards the Half-Sil. "I'm sure some people could use a good clobbering, but still..."
"I'm so sorry!" Rune repeats, especially as that severe expression is turned towards her. She raises her hands in a conciliatory manner, then bows forward, dyed hair shifting down to nearly touch the edge of the water. "I wasn't paying attention, it's completely my fault."
When she stands up again, Rune has a appologetic look to her, "I'd offer to help, but... I'm not not very good at tracking animals, especially in water." Her lips form a rueful expression.
As for the question, Rune opens her mouth as if to defend herself, but then she hesitates. "I wasn't trying to clobber you. Just throwing back a piece of rotted out drift wood." Her boots nudge at some wet sand. "I was looking for a piece in decent condition that might be usable as a perch for a bird."
The Gnome's hair suddenly animates as Rune bows deeply, her hair almost skimming the water. The green locks lengthen, moving to push and nudge at Rune, to get her to move back to a standing position. The hair retreats, forming a sort of nest-like object above her head. Xasany's expression is mirthful, "No, please, you need not prostrate yourself, I was teasing. Having a little fun, yes? I understand you were not trying to hit anyone with debris." The green-haired one giggles at length, and sighs.
"How about I assist you in finding the perfect perch for a bird, hmm?"
The sudden movement nearly startles Rune out of her skin. It's the reflection in the ripples of the water that she spots first, her instincts likely thinking that it might be some kind of serpent in the water. She takes a quick step back, reflexes kicking in prior to her brain identifying that it is actually hair. Very. Strange. Hair.
It is hard for Rune not to stare at something strange and unusual that she hasn't seen before. "Is that... normal?" She asks, motioning a hand at the green locks that seem to have a mind of their own.
Then, as the stranger offers to help her, Rune's seems a bit surprised. In turn, she gives a quick nod. "If... it's not too much trouble, I'd certainly appreciate it." Reaching back, the half-sil rubs at the back of her neck. "I'm not exactly a crafter, but Cor'lana said not to spend too much money, so I'm trying to piece together a gift for her and Pothy."
It's at that moment when she realizes that this individual may have no idea who she's talking about. "I'm Rune, by the way."
THe hair begins to braid itself into multiple braids, before it goes slack once more. "My hair does as I command. It is as normal as running a comb through it, when you've the knack." The Gnome taps the side of her nose. "I am Xasany. A pleasure to meet you, and to assist you."
The little witch giggles lightly. "Too much has different meanings to different people. But, a gift has more meaning when you have put effort into it, yes?"
Her little hands reach out for one of Rune's, tugging lightly, attempting to lead Rune closer to the bank of the river. "You can reach more driftwood if you wade in the water. It gets stuck in the sand, or the mud."
"So... are you making it a bench, with a perch for Pothy?"
"That's... kind of amazing." Things that other people might find strange, Rune usually finds fascinating. Strange abilities, magical powers, and apparently hair that obeys the whim of the head that it sits upon. The thought of it has Rune run a hand through her own hair.
"There's been a lot of threats looming down on us as of late, so I'm guessing she just would rather see me spend my gold on things that would better protect me from those things, than on simple household furnishings." At least, that seems to be Rune's best guess as to the other half-sil's meaning from the words. "But piecing things together from what I can find, that I can do."
Others might be a bit wary of following a witch into the edge of the water, but Rune follows the light tugging, her boots trailing into the shallows. "It's... a perch for Pothy. Their place got trashed recently by..." And that's where Rune thinks better of saying things aloud. She looks around, almost as if she were expecting someone invisible were listening in. "By an enemy. So I figured the least I could do was give him a new place to rest."
She pauses, tilting her head, "You know them? Cor'lana and her familiar, that is?"
"Ah, yes, the city is beset by worries. I think it is a universal law, at this point, that Alexandria be allowed no rest or respite, at least not for very long." Her smile is sad, and shows deeply in her eyes. But her expression brightens, and she smiles. "It is amazing, I am glad to say I agree."
Xasany hmmms at Rune's pause. "I understand, you do not wish to reveal someone's security concerns... or what may be lurking about in the city, waiting for the unaware."
The little Gnome spins about in a circle, splashing into water that goes up to her knees. A branch is reached for, and tugged at, slowly revealing a lengthy, thin stick, with a fork at the end. She pulls it free from the muck, and offers the wet (but not muddy) end for Rune to expect.
"I cannot say if I have met them, but by the way you've spoken, Cor'lana is the .. spell user, while Pothy is the familiar. Hmmm, speaking of which... where is mine...?" Xas looks about, casting an eye skyward.
"That seems to align with everything I've heard." Rune admits, "I only returned to Alexandria a few months ago, but it seems like trouble follows no matter where someone goes."
The comment from the Gnome seems to leave Rune thinking of a way of explaining without giving away too much where sensitive ears could be listening. "Just... be careful with sharing any information where invisible eyes might be watching." It's horribly vague and likely not at all helpful.
Rune follows deeper into the shallows of the river, her boots only offering a bit of protection. They aren't perfectly waterproof so she's likely to have some wet, cold feet in a bit.
Reaching out, Rune inspects the bit of wood and then shakes her head, "It should probably be a bit thicker along the shaft to support his weight, and maybe with a few more branches for different places for him to settle."
Xasany's appraisal of who her friends are is met with a nod. "That's right. I don't know much about familiars, myself, but they seem highly intelligent." As the Gnome seems to search for hers, Rune follows the green-haired woman's eyes skyward, "Is yours also a bird?"
Xasany nods lightly in reply to the vague answer from Rune. "I understand, just part and parcel of Alexandria living." She snorts and giggles, and then eyes the Half-Sil. She tsks.
"The water will ruin the leather.", the Gnome suggests, "You should go barefoot. There is little here to worry about, concerning your skin." The green hair comes to life once more, delicately wrapping around Rune's waist, and moving her to the shoreline. "Save your boots so that they may save your feet another time."
All of a sudden, Rune is lifted up by the hair tendrils and placed onto the shoreline. It's an unsettling feeling, one that has her a little off-balance when she's finally set on her feet again. "If they were enchanted boots, I'd probably be a bit more careful with them, but these are pretty old, anyways."
Even so, she crouches down and starts to unlace the tall boots, pouring a bit of water out of them before setting them to the side. Her bare feet touch onto the sand, "Better?" She asks, then starts to make her way back to join the Gnome. The half-sil does seem to be taking it far too gently, though, as if she were afraid of stepping on something unexpected in the water.
"You... don't seem like a sorcerer." It's sort of left as a question, "But you're certainly some sort of magic, aren't you?"
"Still, you don't want to wander around in wet boots all day." Xasany nods and grins, "Indeed, much better." The Gnome places one of her feet next to Rune's for a moment. "Always try to get as much as you can out of boots that last a long time." Xas hugs at Rune before stepping away, wading into water that reaches her hips. "Aha!" She almost disappears into the water as she bends over, tugging and pulling at something which the sands do not relinquish easily.
From the depths comes another stick... more of a log than stick, but one that has a few suitable offshoots for perching.
With the faintest of whispers, a small, grey owl alights upon Rune's shoulder. "Erm, to answer one of your other questions, yes, he's an owl."
"Hoo."
"I'm a witch, dear."
"Wouldn't be the first time." Rune chuckes softly, "Got caught out in that big storm the other day. It took hours to actually get dry." Though that may have been her own fault, since she'd been the one to slip and fall while racing a Makari in the rain.
And there goes the Gnome under the water. That is something Rune most certainly wouldn't be doing. "Huh, that looks promising." She leans forward to inspect the driftwood just when a set of talons settles onto the padded part of her armor. Blink.
"I... see." She raises a hand to the owl, "Hello there. Make yourself at home." Thankfully she had reinforced leather and padding across the shoulders of her armor, and mithral underneath it.
Then, turning to Xasany, "Well, that certainly would explain a few things." She pauses then, giving another hesitant laugh, "I don't really know much about magic."
"Ah, yes, that is one nice thing about living around here. It rains frequently enough that the city doesn't smell too badly, too often." The Gnome eyes the leather that Rune wears. "Goodness, no wonder though, you're in leather. It just soaks up water..."
The owl blinks at the hand, and hoots, leaning against it and rufflng its feathers. "His name is Dee.", she say with a laugh.
Struggling a little, the Gnome drags the log ashort for Rune to inspect. The owl whoos and jumps from the Half-Sil's shoulder, wings fluttering until he settles on one of the possible perch locations.
"Aw, that's alright, I don't know much about Elves. Why don't we trade?"
"Better than heavy armor." Rune quips back, amused by the commentary on her attire. "It gives me better freedom of movement, and is a bit more protective than what I've seen some of my friends wear into a fight." She's likely referring to those sorts who tend to wade into battle wearing next to nothing.
"Hello, Dee. Nice to make your aquaintence." She speaks to the bird as if it were a human being. Perhaps her experience with familiars is a bit different than most. Once the owl takes off to settle on the potential perch, Rune smiles.
"Well, looks like it may have someone's seal of approval. Might just need to be cleaned up a little bit. Maybe get someone to carve some designs into it." Rune has ideas.
At the prospect of sharing knowledge, Rune looks over to the green-haired witch, "Sure. I lived on the edge of the Mythwood, in Ylvaliel. So my experiences as a half-blood are likely a bit different from most."
"Well, it does accentuate your form, much better than lumps of metal. Lighter, too." The Gnome looks down at her skinny form. "Well, I am not expecting to be attacked, usually. That's what all the metal-coated people are for, with their bigger sticks, you know?" She laughs lightly.
The owl hoos, and takes to the air once more, circling a few times before heading towards the city.
"Dee likes the city due to all the mice. A smorgasbord, to him. And people love him for it."
The little witch hops closer, leaning against Run's side so that she might whisper. "If I may suggest an accent for the gift? Carve her and her boyfriend's or husband's initials in together, like so-and-so love such-and-such. It'd be cute!"
"As for magic, goodness. It's difficult to know where to start. Witches have a patron, the Goddess Eluna. Usually. Sometimes... people choose darker patrons. They fight for the hearts and souls of witches, it seems."
"Unfortunately, I'm not always able to hide behind the big boys in heavy armor." Rune admits, walking over towards the bit of salvaged driftwood. The rogue pulls out a knife and uses it to roughly cut away a few bits where the wood sticks out awkwardly. "And I end up attacked a bit more often than I'd like, these days."
Seeing the Owl take flight, she follows it with her eyes for a moment. "I can imagine. The Market district is likely a favorite, especially with all the food vendors."
As Xasany leans closer, Rune tilts her head towards the witch. "I'd thought about something like that. Maybe their family crest, if they have one." Her brows furrow, uncertain if they do or not. "I know that they favor the Fey, so maybe something that leans into that."
And then the witch talks about Eluna. There is a slight tightening at the edge of Rune's lips that she isn't quite able to hide. "Ahh. I see." She clears her throat, continuing to check over the perch as if it were fascinating. "So you serve the Sky-singer, then? I suppose I do as well." She sounds uncertain about that. How can someone be uncertain about what god they throw allegiances to?
"Ah, but this is where lighter armors can excel, as long as you can keep moving, I mean. Which I am guessing, you do?" The Gnome's eyes go to the bits the Half-Elf is cutting. "Oh yes, he loves being able to scuttle under a stall and feast. He comes back later, and falls asleep on my shoulder." She leans in again, a silly grin on her face. "He snores.", she whispers. "Loudly. For such a small bird, he makes a ruckus."
"Oooh, a family crest, that would be an excellent idea. And uhm... oh, a pair of bird's feet, too. For the bird. I'm sure Pothy would point out that he should certainly be represented."
Xas hops away then, dancing gracefully along the sand for a few moments, to a song she hums to herself. "Why does the mention of Eluna make you tense up so? I won't harm you, you have my promise, nor will I turn you into a frog. Or make you vomit frogs." The Gnome nods, "She called to me, spoke to me... Sadly, Taara also spoke to me. I did not like that."
"As much as I can. Not as successful as of late." Rune admits. There are a few places where her armor has been patched, including repairs across the back and belly which seem to have been recently repaired.
For as long as the comment about the owl familiar draws a warm smile to her face, it vanishes all that much more quickly when Xasany calls Rune out on her reaction to the Sky-singer's name.
"I'm not... afraid of you." Rune confirms slowly, remaining in that crouched stance as she leaves one hand on the bit of driftwood. "I'm afraid of her." She admits, looking downward rather than at the Gnome. "I... was brought back from the halls of the dead by someone at the temple. I was never told why. Only given some vague comment that the goddess sees all future paths and knows mine."
There is a haunted look in Rune's blue eyes when they find Xasany again, "So I don't know what that means."
The Gnome dances around the Half-Sil, eyeing the condition of her armor, nodding slightly. "It's happens, but as long as you survive and get stronger, it will happen less and less."
Xasany's expression grows sad, and she stops in front of Rune, nodding slowly. "That, I can understand. It would be confusing, also worrisome, myself I would wonder why I was saved, and to what purpose. Perhaps we can go to the Temple and get some divination done? To see if there is an answer for you? If you even want an answer, that is?"
Xas steps forward to hug at Rune gently, her arms going around the Sil's waist.
Rune accepts the hug as it is offered, reaching out to pat the Gnome on the back once before she withdraws, reaching out to grab the driftood piece. It is hefted up onto her shoulder as she pushes to her feet.
"The Sky-singer seems intent on showing up in my life more and more, it seems." Rune manages to put on a smile, but there is still that hesitation to it. "Right now, I'm still trying to sort myself out. I'm not sure if I can load the plans of a goddess on top of all of that."
It isn't night, but Rune does cast her gaze skyward briefly, "If she really does know my path, then she'll know I'm going to take it at my own speed." She hesitates, rubbing at the back of her neck a little, "Part of me wants to know, part of me doesn't. If I knew I was walking towards my own death, yet again, would I still take that step?" She asks herself, then shakes her head.
Rune doesn't know the answer.
"Anyways... Thank you, again, for the help with this. I really do appreciate it." For all her uncertainty around the goddess, Rune seems to accept those who follow the Sky-singer easily enough.
Xasany holds up Rune's boots, "Don't forget these!" Offering a deep bow, the Gnome smiles, a hint of concern hiding in her eyes. "I hope that I will prove to be a happy interruption." She nods then, and lets out a low breath.
"If she has chosen you, she has chosen you for her own reasons, but rest assured she did it taking into consideration how you live life. She would expect no less and no more."
Another bow, and she smiles then, "You are most welcome, I am happy to have been of assistance, and to have made a new friend! I.. I hope I am a new friend."