[PRP/PLOT] What did I get myself into? [Miela + Earthmother]

[Menelie]

((OOC Note: This RP takes place while Calanthe is still a tot.))


It had been a few days after her little insect-pae had hatched--nearly a week, in fact. Miela had mostly been hiding in her room, going down to the kitchen for greens at night and not receiving visitors. She didn't know what Calanthe was, and therefore couldn't trust anyone with knowledge of her. She was almost afraid to ask Daring Do if something similar had come from the seed pod she'd taken home, so she hadn't.

But she couldn't stay locked up in here forever. The growing season was upon them, and she had work to do! Besides, this little space was no place to raise a...whatever she was. She needed to be outside, to breathe fresh air and to bask in the sunshine! And Miela's curiosity was beginning to get the better of her. She had to know what she'd gotten herself into, bringing this little life into the Tree. The Fauns were suspicious of outsiders, but Calanthe wasn't precisely an outsider. She looked so much like a Faun...at least, the top part of her did. Surely she wouldn't be cast out, at least not this young....right?

Miela, somewhat intimidated by the blind Seer, tucked Calanthe into her knapsack and made her way to the compartment occupied by the Earthmother, the oldest of the Faun, who was both wise and kind. She hesitated for a moment before knocking, then let three clear knocks resound on the door.  

[Antidia]

The faun's Earthmother had been out for the week, working on preparations for the upcoming unveiling. She'd returned to Laisidhiel that morning, but made a small stop at the pub to acquire a small bag of herbs from Mojo before heading up the ramp to her cozy little piece of heaven - carved and molded by a good friend centuries ago.

She noticed a nervous young fauny standing outside of her door. Was that knapsack wiggling? "May I help you dear?"  

[Menelie]

Miela jumped and whirled around. "Oh! Earthmother!" she made a little bow of respect. "I, uh, I had something I wanted to, er, show you, that is, if you had the time." She stuttered her answer out, her cheeks beginning to turn red. She began to fiddle with her own fingers nervously. What if she'd made the wrong decision? What if Earthmother made her leave the Tree? Miela didn't think she could sustain losing her home again. What if she was made to abandon Calanthe in the forest? Surely she'd be eaten by a hawk, or something...but surely Earthmother wouldn't be so cruel. Surely she'd at least let Miela care for her until she was older, old and strong enough to fend for herself before turning her out.

Antidia

 

[Antidia]

Menelie

Em chuckled and put a hand gently on the fauny's shoulder. "Let's head inside. I got some new tea here we can try while we chitchat." She held her small bag up and rattled it slightly. She was rather eager to try the new exotic tea.

She stepped around Miela and pushed the circular door open. "After you."

Earthmother kept a watcheful on that knapsack, sensing something about it is wriggling around in there. It had a strange energy she was not accustomed to.  

[Menelie]

Miela nodded and went inside. She was surprised by Earthmother's cozy living space. Somehow she expected something more...sparse, or space to perform rituals, or something. She hovered from one hoof to another nervously, trying to decide where to sit down, before deciding on a chair somewhat close to the door. She sat and pulled the knapsack off her back. Poor Calanthe was either going to burst out of it soon, or just fall asleep. Or eat it...

"I, er, went looking for a place I'd been to before not too long ago, but I couldn't find how to get back to it. I did find some very large trees growing in a clearing, though. There were a few large seed pods lying near the base of the trees, and I picked one up. When I did, some of the casing fell off and exposed a beautiful, iridescent inner shell. I, I was curious, so I brought it home. And a few weeks later....I was surprised to come home to an empty seed pod, and a strange little creature eating my books!" She let the whole story tumble out at once, gaining confidence near the end.

She opened the knapsack and Calanthe tumbled out. "I call her Calanthe..." said Miela.

 

[Antidia]

Menelie

Confident young fauny. Earthmother thought to herself. The information was surprising, and she was eager to learn more about-

Then the young pae creature landed on the table before Em even had a chance to brew her tea. She was startled. "Oh my." She leaned in closer coming eye to eye to the young paeterpillar. "It's a pae baby. And you said you found it at the base of a tree? Can you describe the trees, and where they are?"

Em tickled at the little baby's toes, curious if that squishy lil caterpillar body had the same motor reactions as a pae, or caterpillar.  

[Menelie]

Miela nodded. "It was a very large clearing, a few days' travel from here. The trees were...so odd. It was like a trick of perspective. They looked normal-sized from far away, but the closer you got to them, the larger they seemed. There were two of them, at opposite ends of the clearing. There were a few...seed pods, I guess, lying around the base of the tree. They were purplish, with silvery vines wrapped around them. When I picked one up, the outer layer fell away to reveal a smooth inner shell, almost like a jewel."

She paused. "Now that I'm explaining this again, I wonder why I decided to take it home. I guess it just...never occurred to me that there might be something living inside. I thought to plant it come spring!"

Calanthe giggled and pulled away. She began to look around for something to eat. She was awfully hungry.

Antidia