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Indira was dusty, sun burnt and generally exhausted. But she still had a little more to do before she could find somewhere safe to sleep, if such a place existed anymore. She'd just returned from the Barrens, where she'd been part of the group that had herded the Bone Crushers to their new home. A low, steady sense of horror grated constantly against her. She wasn't sure if all of them had been in that cave. She'd seen foot prints along the river bank, and that meant that Homewood itself was in grave, grave danger. The thoughts weighed heavy on her. Indira knew she couldn't stop, not for one second. Where danger had previously lurked outside of Homewood, now it was here as well.

Which was what brought her to the strange little shack, as the final rays of daylight dappled the woods and the meadows. If she was less concerned about well ... everything ... she might have noted the beauty of the day.

Fleet was perched tensely on her shoulders. Normally the jack hop was the more easy going of the pair. Not at present. Aisling trailed behind her, a worried expression on her face. "Where are we going again, Indira?"

"To an armory." Perhaps to the armory. She'd heard some chatter about the new business in the market. Some noulicorns had even laughed about it. About who would need armour. Indira was quite sure they were about to learn that the answer to that question was everyone.

As she approached the other build shack, she wrinkled her nose. What a strange thing to make use of. But desperate times called for desperate measures, she supposed. She leaned her head in through the door. "Hello?" She caught sight a noul resting her head against the table. "Is there someone here who can assist us?"

By this time Aisling was pressed up close behind her, peering over her flank.

Indira stepped through the door, and Fleet hopped of her shoulder, clearly intending to take a little look around for herself. "Indira. Thanks for the offer, but we don't really have time for a spa trip just now." The shop keeper probably wasn't exactly used to noulicorns covered in dust and sweat from the Barrens barging in, but it was what it was.

Indira scrutinized the inside of the little place. It was certainly cluttered, in that clutter her eyes settled on multiple useful things. Things that might help keep her and Aisling safe. "I've heard you make custom armour? I'm in need of a neck guard. I'd rather not loose my throat to the Bone Crushers. Would like one for her too." She waited to see if there was a reaction. Indira had no idea if word had spread through Homewood. She hoped it had, but if the council had been willing to resurrect predators and unleash them without a word or warning in the first place ...




Samhain fluttered off of Aisling's head, and landed right on Dyna's workbench. "Lottsa stuff you got in here. Interesting things. Lottsa hidey places too. Might need that." He peer around, clearly quite enthralled with everything.

Aisling watched, bemused for a moment. "Um, sorry for Samhain. He's really friendly." The faery gave a huff and flitted back to Aisling.

Indira listened carefully to her options. "No other-made monstrosities, thank you. I have seen quite enough of them. Leather will do. Do you need me to provide it? And what sort of payment do you need? More supplies? Other-made ... things from the Ruins? Her voice was strained over that last bit. But she'd haul back whatever trash Dyna wanted at this point. Some concessions needed to be made.

"You might be the only doe in Homewood who stands to gain from the Bone Crushers. I'm sure you'll see a big uptick in business." Her tone exceedingly dry. "Bone Crushers are the monstrous predators the Council saw fit to resurrect. We just got through driving them out of Homewood. Well, as many as we could locate." Indira paused, and sighed. She was being unkind. This was not how you shared news like this, but she was just so tired.

"I'm sorry. It's been a long few days since this happened. But in truth, you need to be aware. There is a new predator on Vykeli, and it will happily murder you given a chance. They are very large, and very capable. They managed to put down a group of Ascendeds and adepts, murdering and consuming many and took others prisoner." She sighed. "W-we did our best, and have driven as many as we could round up out of Homewood, but they are out there now. In the Barrens and the Ruins. ... And to be honest, I'm not even sure if we got all of them out of Homewood. So be on guard. And I suppose be ready to make a lot of armor. We're all going to need it." It was a lot of information to dump on a stranger and this one seemed so ... peppy. But better to have knowledge than to be in the dark and get eaten.



Samhain eagerly flitted over to Dyna snatched up the bauble. "Thanks pretty doe!" He did a few loops around the shop with it, before settling on Aisling once more, to carefully inspect this new treasure.

Aisling was feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Her chatty familiar and the news Indira was delivering was a lot to bare. "Thank you. For being able to make us armor. It'll make me feel a little better, I think." Aisling really wondered what all of Homewood was going to do about this. It had been days, and it really seemed like most of the population had no idea what was going in. In fact, she hadn't encountered a single noulicorn who'd heard the news without Indira telling them. And that was chilling.

Indira raised a brow. The doe had taken the news ... surprisingly well. And had had a pleasing reaction. "I'll make sure to bring back more than double. Then perhaps you'll be able to make more armor for others who'll need it when the time comes." While perhaps Dyna wasn't on the most typical path, as far as Indira was concerned she was clearly doing Grandfather Tree's will. Helping Noulicorns so they could help Vykeli. This immediately elevated Dyna in Indira's eyes.

"They have incredibly powerful jaws, capable of sheering through bone. But that's not their only weapon. They have long, sharp claws as well, and seemed quite adept at making use of them." Indira sighed. Putting it like that made it seem like they were going to need more than armor to keep safe, but at least armor was a start.

She considered for a moment. "If you could spread word of the Bone Crushers to your customers, I think that would be ... good. I don't want to think about Homewood residents being taken by surprise..." Her voice became tight and trailed off. The council had all the power to make sure everynoul in Homewood knew about this thread, but instead there was only silence.

Indira looked around the little shop, and imagined it packed with panicked noulicorns in the coming days. It seemed all but inevitable.

"We must make a pilgrimage to Grandfather Tree, but once we return I'll bring you the leather. I do appreciate it. We'll be back as soon as we can." She swished her tail. "Keep yourself safe."



Samhain opted to pitch in. "Best to find yourself a good hidey-hole if you can't fly! Wouldn't want you to get eaten!" He chirped, to conclude his advice.

Aisling would have liked to melt into the floor, but that clearly wasn't an option. All the faeries on Vykeli, and this one had picked her. She cleared her throat, and searched for the right words for the situation. "Thank you. I'm sure you'll do a good job." That seemed as succinct as she could make it. She really hoped that whatever gift Grandfather Tree bestowed upon her it would increase her confidence. Surely that was an effect experienced by some Noulicorns?

Indira peered out of the door, judging the amount of light left. "We need to be one our way, to get some sleep before our next journey begins. We'll be back in a week or two, with the supplies." She put on what she assumed was a polite tone, or at least her best attempt at one. She was bone tired and just wanted to sleep, but knew time was not on her side. She could sleep once she'd returned from Grandfather Tree, maybe.

Fleet pawed at her leg, and she extended it, allowing the jack hop to clamber up her leg and back onto her back. Indira could feel Fleet's anxiousness in her own mind, and felt a little guilt that she couldn't do anything about it. And it seemed liked it was going to be a long haul to get back to a place without constant anxiety. But that was what the council had created, so it was what they had to live with.