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With the coming of night, Xavier had left his hive to get an early start for setting out into the Four Fronds with his lusus close behind. The goal of the night was to find some flapping feathered beasts and mushrooms for a stew he planned to cook. The jadeblood ruffled his messy black hair out of his face as he peered around the forest surroundings. Given he'd be in the forest, he'd grabbed a sling and a bag of rocks to use for trying to bring down his lunch. A sack for the mushrooms, and any other odd and end he might find while out foraging.

Behind him was his mother-lusus, Anu. The large insectoid moved along at a steady pace, her peaceful smile evidence she was in fact at peace and enjoying herself. The large motherly virgin mothergrub still kept a watchful eye, as the Four Fronds was a dangerous place. However, it didn't keep her from encouraging Xavier to grow and challenge himself to further his strive to become independant.

With a smile on his face, the freckled four horned boy moved down a slope, heading further into the groove of the forest. He had a bit of work ahead of him that night, but the active child didn't seem to mind. Bouncing along, Xavier crouched down when he found a little mushroom patch. Inspecting them to see if they were poisonous, he sniffed and turned them over before deciding they were safe enough as he slipped them in his sack. He'd brought his tin whistle along to play later, for now he had other things on his mind like filling his belly.

Xavier leaned on his bent knees as he peered at the next couple of mushrooms. The jadeblood pursed his lip slightly as he looked back over his shoulder. "Mum, do yuh think I'll find more trolls to make friends with?" He asked her quietly as he brushed off a mushroom before giving it another curious little sniff before popping it whole into his mouth to munch at.

The lusus smiled sadly at her son's timidity. I would hope so, you are a kind boy Xavier. She soothed his worries, glad to see him easily busying himself and becoming distracted for the now.

Riffling around a little more he stood up and smoothed his kilt down. As he tried fussing with the sack, his mother gently reached down and took it from him as they pair moved as if they would walk to another spot. "I'm going to catch a flapping beast for dinner...do you want one too?" He asked his lusus, placing a hand on her as he leaned in to rub his cheek against her with a smile.

A small little clicking hiss sound followed and a polite nod. The grub-mother agreed it would work nicely for supper.

That was all Xavier needed to hear. He grabbed his sling, and picked up a rock to go with. Before switching to his glaive, he used slings and stones. The glaive was better for open areas, and was hard to carry still for the small boy. This worked just fine. Loading a stone into the sling pouch, he began walking slowly, eyes up on the trees above looking for any signs of the tasty little winged beasts. He was distracted enough he didn't hear the oncoming of the girl and her lusus. The jadeblood was pleasantly oblivious still, a determined stubborn set to his jaw as he tried his hand at stalking for food, wanting to provide for his mother, and self with childish vigor.

Anu stopped moving, rising up a little as she glanced around, as if she sensed they were being watched. It was easy to be paranoid; they were in the dangerous territory after all.

Xavier was actually fairly frustrated their didn't seem to be any of the pesky beasts anywhere on this side of the forest! Oh Grub Sticks. This wasn't working out at all like he'd hoped it would. Just as he was about to give up and go look for a long eared hopper beast, he heard a crunch of a twig on the forest floor. Whipping around, the greenblooded troll was confronted by a peculiar site. Atop a large bear-lusus was a child, about the same age as him. Although it was hard to tell, they appeared to be a tealblood if first glances based on clothing and hair alone was all telling. While startled, he was quick to jump in front of his lusus, sling at the ready if they were hostile in any fashion.

Seeing as she was just as nervous as he was, given the weapon she gripped so tightly...he relaxed. Xavier lowered his sling just as his lusus' claw touched his shoulder as if to tell him it was okay. Hearing the trolls words, his brows furrowed slightly as he looked towards the direction she'd mentioned then back to her. "O-oh!" His cheeks flushed slightly. "No, I didn't realize that actually." Xavier stated truthfully, with a reluctant smile forming on his face. "Yuh think I would know better, but I don't usually look for them round this time of night." He admitted finally, looking down as he sheepishly toe'd his boot at a twig on the ground.

Looking back at the strange new pair he tilted his head slightly. "Thank you..!" He blurted, looking up at the other grateful for the help. He was leery of the other, not knowing nor trusting their intentions but in all fairness she didn't have to tell him that information.

Xavier visibly relaxed a bit more seeing the girl slide off her lusus. For a moment he'd been concerned the two of them were somehow connected like one great big creature. With that aside he put his weapon away. Xavier realized he had never met her before either, which wasn't entirely bad he just didn't know what to make of her yet. While he'd been unsure of the situation, the more she talked the more Xavier realized she seemed like a normal enough kid.

Rubbing his neck at her comment about thinking it was silly he was hunting at the wrong time. He waved a hand in the direction he'd come from, back towards Busthind. This caused his oversized shirt sleeve to wave with before dropping to his elbows. "No! I'm not from here. I'm from the edge of the mountains, my hives in a really big tree." He explained.

Pausing at her next remark of introducing himself he straightened his shoulders and stood up as tall as his small frame would allow. "It's a pleasure to meet you Eilidh and Papa Bear." He inclined his head, lightly thumping his chest. "I'm Xavier, and this is Anu...but I call her Mum." Xavier added, before his brows furrowed slightly. "I was looking for mushrooms to make a stew with to go with the flapping beasts. Nothing else really no, what about you?" He asked politely, curious to know more about the other troll.

Xavier nodded then, his smile genuine as she mentioned living somewhat closeby. "Yuh it's not to far from here. I dunno maybe we just never ran into each other, the forest is large." He pointed out, glancing around the brightly colored array of trees that expanded as far as the looking orbs could see. His attention went then from his lusus, to the tealblooded pair before them. "Likewise, you guys seem really nice!" Xavier replied with a little happy laugh, and bob of his head in confirmation.

"Oh..yuh. I will start heading that way soon." He remarked, not ready just yet to leave her as he was enjoying the chatter.

When she looked suddenly again between her lusus, then Xavier himself the boy rest one of his gloved hands on his mother, leaning into her ever so slightly. "Huh?" He started to say, blinking a few times in confusion. Then, when he realized she wanted him to keep a secret he began bobbing his head up and down in understanding. "Oh--! Okay! I promise I won't tell anyone else, sure thing!" He agreed, stepping forward, and offering out his pinky for her to shake as an agreement. He'd learned that from Emiola, and he took it as a sign of promising, and trusting the other troll to do as agreed.

Xavier gently curled his around the other trolls pinky and shook it. "It's uh..something a friend taught me. Its a way to agree, and promise something I guess." He explained sheepishly as he pulled his hand back after seeing her look at him so strangely.

Maybe that had been a dumb idea? In any case Xavier just wanted to make sure the other troll knew for sure he meant what he said.

Xavier hadn't even thought about sometroll breaking their promise. His brows furrowed slightly in consideration. "Then that makes yuh a lying grub sack. Who wants to be one of those I guess right? I'm not sure..I didn't ask that question." He admitted reluctantly.

Watching her closely he crept after the other troll silently. Surprisingly she seemed to know exactly what she was doing. Watching how the lusus batted at the bees Xavier had never seen such a richer looking substance. "Oh wow! Is that the stuff edible?" He asked sniffing at the general direction. He was pretty sure that answer was unlikely given his lusus shook her head as if to say no.

However he waited to ask the little tealblood out of curiosity. He couldn't help but smile at her being willing to share with him...it made him feel almost at home around his new possible friend.