RP: New Faces

      As per usual, Durrankar is cooking over the fire. This time it's many sorts of meats over the fire.......and he keeps one bag away from the fire. "Can you believe they have something called cheese in the city?" He says to Uneth, who is undoubtedly here.

The light mist, not quite fully rain, is a mild respite for some from the heat. In truth, it may merely add more humidity. For most who reside in Mictlan, however, its only discomfort would be from a spike in homesickness; this could be as near to the jungle as the climate here becomes.

      Uneth is here, of course, and is not far from the fire. Near enough that the scents of cooking constantly tug at her nostrils and distract her from her task. Said task is, currently, fashioning a new basket from reeds taken from the banks of the Tornmwar. The craft is nowhere near finished, and could be a rather diminutive container even once complete. The yearling Matlalihui is seated by Uneth opposite Durrankar, watching, and even attempting to emulate with a small handful of unused reeds. "Yes. Where there is milk, there is cheese. It does not spoil so quickly."

       "Hardened milk it seems." Durrankar says as he continues to cook. He thumps his tail before looking over his shoulder to Hui, who seems to be doing well with her basket. "Teaching her how to weave, Uneth?"

       A new face appears around the fringes of the grounds of Mictlan. A face, for those who know to recognize the expression of the Sith-makar, with a reverant wonder. Copper skin glowing with the warmth of the sun peering down through the forest canopy, Tija timidly approaches one of the gargantuan rib bones. A clawed hand comes up to his chest as he feels along his own rib cage, turning his head side to side, as though counting and comparing. The copper scaled figure then begins moving at an angle into the center of the grounds, looking back and forth between the far rib, jutting towards the sky, and that behind him. He comes to a point at last, and stands, placing his hand flat on his chest over his heart, as he looks down. With a gasp, Tija hops back, bobbing his head apologetically, as he realizes he has almost walked right into the fire of the gathered trio.

       Durrankar has, at least, stood up by now, but the area for the skeleton and 'grove' is a bit larger than the skeleton. Thumping his tail, Durrankar approaches the new face in the grove. He doesn't smile....for a reptilian face has a hard time smiling, unless the face is already set like that. "Peace on your nest." Utters Durrankar to Tija. "Welcome to Mictlan. Just came here from Am'shere?"

       Offering up a trilling sound that a fellow Sith would recognize as nervous laughter, Tija swishes his tail comfortably side to side. "Apologies for intruding upon your meal," with a polite inclination of the head, to show his sincerity. "And peace to your nest as well. Thanks for your welcome, and may the Old Trickster offer you his blessings." At this, the coppery Sith reaches up to a holy symbol hanging about his neck. "In a manner of speaking, yes, I am just come from Am'shere. Truly, it has been half a year, but for that time I have been cloistered within the temple of the Trickster. Tarien, as the soft-skins call him." The trilling laugh repeats, though with less nervousness, seemingly directed at the name Tarien. "I was torn between visiting the city, which I very much wish to explore, and coming out into the forests. When I heard of this place called Mictlan, I knew that I must see it with my own eyes." And here the male throws his head back and offers the Sith equivalent of a belly laugh, "It is glorious to behold!" before turning bright and friendly eyes back to Durrankar, tail swishing gaily. "I am Tija Woami."

       Un'eth growls in answer to Durrnakar, now focused on a particularly uncooperative reed. If she is teaching, she may not be teaching well. She does not clarify to Durrankar just how long she has spent on this particular project. Hui, helpful as she is, does make an affirmative gesture to Durrankar before growling and jabbing, prodding, and bending her own reed. Just as she is taught.

       The arrival of another is an all-too welcome diversion and Uneth lowers the mass of reeds to look over and stand. Her tail thumps the ground in greeting as she offers, "Peace on your nest."

       "The copper dragon. The Tricker. The Coyote. They are all the name for the same god for us. This is a sanctuary for all those coming from Am'shere, as well as those of the blood, or those allied with the blood. Thanks to the sacrifice of the great silver." He says placing a hand upon the rib bones. "Yes....this was an actual dragon. And we honor it's memory, by making a grove here, where it passed, in honor of the Death Singing Dragon." I am Durrankar of the tyrranik tribe, Shaman Caste. This is Un'eth, my Cihuaa.....and Matlaihui.....one of Svarshan's yearlings."

        Tija Woari sees the little Hui imitating Un'eth's gestures, and makes more mirthful sounds, bringing a clawed hand to his mouth and pantomiming biting the reed, as though in suggestion to the yearling, before thumping in return as he addresses Un'eth, "And yours, cousin. Though with that one, I imagine there is little enough peace indeed!" his tone jovial as he says this, not mocking. For the briefest of moments as Tija glances at the youth, there is a hint of sadness to his features, but it passes ever so quickly. Tija places his palm over his heart-soul in a gesture of warm greetings well received. "You are kind to a stranger. Your words make my heart-fire sing. I was of the Renessi tribe, though... I was never given a caste." For just a moment, the copper's tail droops sadly, then it goes rigid and begins to swipe side to side, first determinedly, and then seeming to go more naturally into happiness again, he laughs. "I was just too much! They didn't know what to do with me!" and he trills in mirth at the thought.

         "I cannot imagine why," Uneth offers in response, though her snort is full of mirth, not bile nor bite. "Hui is an avid and alert pupil," she defends the yearling. "She will learn much, and quickly. Welcome to Mictlan, Tija Woami of the Renessi."

         Durrankar says, "If you are not casted, you have not determined your path in your life then. There is Warrior, Hunter, Shaman and more." And the paths are rather obvious too. "Come, share words, fire...meat." And there is obviosuly enough meat for all four of them."

          A small shake of the head is offered by the copper, "No, I cannot claim to be of the Renessi any longer. I am merely Toja Woami of the Old Trickster, now." He doesn't seem to let it bother him as much this time, to make this admission. Or maybe he's just getting better at hiding it. He nods to Durrankar, "My thanks, for the trip from the soft-skin city was a hungry one, and I did not bring food. I thought to summon that which I might need," he offers by way of explanation, but moves to crouch near the fire, extending his arms to the side as if ready to embrace the heat coming from before him. "I.. once thought I would be a shaman, but it was decided that it would not be so." Tija's tail moves in an S forming pattern. "There is no caste for one who cannot provide something to the tribe." This time there is perhaps a hint of bitterness to the laugh offered by the Sith, but he looks around for a moment in silence before adding. "Or perhaps something the tribe is not ready to learn." and he shrugs, turning back to the company. "Do you reside here, or are you merely enjoying your leisure in this place today?"

         "We are here often, but all of Ea is our home," Uneth offers. "We are its wardens. We go where we must. You will find your path, or perhaps create it. There is benefit to question the old, create the new." Unless it happens to be Uneth and baskets.

         Durrankar says, "You are still of the Renessi. Unless you do not choose to be." He then looks to Uneth and nods. "Exactly." And he thumps his tail. "I call Am'shere home....here is home away from home, but all of Ea is our home." he then tilts his head as he cuts a slice from the meat and gives a strip to Uneth, then Tija, then to Hui, who sits right between Uneth and Durrankar. "What can you do, Tija?""

       The copper's tail glints as its side to side motion increases, showing his appreciation for Un'eth's words. "You are too right. In my heart, I feel as though the hardness of Am'shere is creating a hardness in the hearts of our kin. The Trickster reminds us to laugh at the little woes," he offers a grin, gesturing towards one of the basket reeds. "Why become angry at the reed for being a reed? We should be more like the read, whistling our tune and bending to the wind, rather than breaking it." He pauses, "Well... I can tell jokes!" his tail flashes side to side quickly, "In fact, I have solved an ancient riddle, written on the walls of the House of Laughter. This is why I was promoted to acolyte in the temple's order."

       "You have your path already then. Your path should feel natural to you." Durrankar says as he eats the meat. "Uneth sometimes doesn't have patience, but she does when it counts. Making a basket.....doesn't. At the moment."

       The copper offers a whistle through his teeth in a pondersome fashion, "Making people laugh is good. It is something that is natural to me, and always has been. My elders did not seem to think it was good enough. In fact, they thought laughter was dangerous." His tail thumps the ground once in an almost petulant fashion, "They said it was a distraction and that it was my fau.. well... nevermind." His tail settles and droops, "I do not wish to be where I am unwanted." He inclines his head, "Now, I must admit, I am having great fun learning why humans laugh, and why khazad laugh. It is all so very different. Sometimes it takes me days to see the humor." He shrugs.
 

         Un'eth is in the midst of chewing (which Hui needs no urge for teaching to mimic), yet her tail is free to swat Durrankar's back. Lightly, admittedly. "The reeds are stubborn," she finally notes. Another tailswat comes, this one even lighter, and much lower.

See? Hui is learning.

         "Laughter can be as powerful to others as the greatest gifts of Ea, or the most mighty weapon. My cihuaa has proven this for me."

        The copper seems to beam, "Did you know, in fact, that it is one of the greatest weapons of the mightiest copper dragons? They can disable entire armies with their mirthful ways!" Okay... that's -probably- an exaggeration. "The most mighty can even tell a joke that will slay a foe." he looks coyly over at the little yearling and makes playful clawing motions, "Copper dragons, and those with their bloodlines like me, are also the best at tickles."

        Durrankar says, "It is not an exaggeration. They actually breathe laughing gas, and can kill with laughter.""

        Nibbling on the last of his piece of meat, Tija stretches and stands up. He touches the coyote's head amidst a field of stars that hangs from a copper chain about his neck and bobs his head deeply, "Thank you for the hospitality of your fire and meat, but I should be on my way back to the city. I will have vespers and duties this evening. Should you ever find need of me, or anything I might help you with, please seek me out at the temple. If I do not see you there, then I'm sure we will encounter each other again in this place." He swishes his tail impishly, "May your nest find peace... but not too much of it. Old Trickster says life is better when it is kept interesting."