Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Aye, thet I am," Levi grinned as he came closer to the fire.

Earendil chuckled softly, amused by how cheerful the man was despite the fact that there was an arrest warrant out for him and his band. "Light and set," he invited the man.

"Don' mind if I do," Levi replied, moving forward and taking a seat amongst the others. "Thank ye."

He motioned towards the shadows, and a second figure followed after him: the girl who had been dancing earlier that day. She was wearing the same clothes as earlier, but now she was wearing a cloak over it: a gentle lilac colour that suited her very well.

"Me daughter, Serah," he introduced her.

"Evenin'," the girl smiled at everyone.

"Thank ye," Serah smiled at Lin.

Once the introductions were done, Arthael brought around some food for everyone.

"Ye've some beautiful horses," Serah commented as she accepted some of the food.

On the other side of the fire, Daeron stiffened slightly and looked over to the horses, counting them silently, trying not to be noticed by the others.

River beamed at Serah. "My nako is the one who breeds them!" she said brightly. "And my neko trains them!"

Serah smiled at Miyuki. "What is thet?" she asked curiously, nodding at Senka. "I've ne'er seen anithin' like et before ..."

And she had traveled all the Four Lands in her young life.

Levi smiled at Lin. "Well, Lin, for the same reason they don' like ye none, either. We be diff'ren' from them, en' they don' take lightly te people who be diff'ren'. They call us thieves because we refuse te pay double the true price o' things in town, en' fer thet they'd like te hang us."

Amalirahc blinked. "That doesn't make sense," he protested. "We refused to pay double too but they aren't trying to arrest us!"

Levi chuckled. "Aye, thet's true - en' there be a good reason fer thet. Ye see, since ye're elves, ye're ferreigners. They can' tetch ferreigners, because if they do they risk another war, which they canna afford. Us, though, we be of their own kind ... there'd be no one te miss us if they caught us."

"Fluffy Cat," Serah repeated. "Int'restin'. We've a few dogs but thet's it, and we only have them for huntin' and protectin'. Ma says cats jes' eat stuff en' have no real use, an' thet's no good."

Levi just grinned at Lin. "We're nae welcome ne matter where we be," he said cheerfully. "What diff'rence does it make where we go, then? Nae, so long as we stick tegether, it don' matter where we be or how many people want our heads."

He paused a moment, then added, "It's true thet we be a bit safer when we visit yer cities, but we're nae welcome there either."

"But does she track food, watch for attacks, protect ye or yer horses?" Serah giggled back at Miyuki. "Nae, we canna have a cat. The only thing Ma says they be good fer is thet they're nae afraid o' ghosts, but dogs'll up en' run if'n a ghost comes 'round."

Levi shrugged one broad shoulder. "It's our way of life," he pointed out. "Such it's always been, en' such it'll always be. We be content with it, se don' feel sorry for us. Fer all they've got in those towns o' their'n, I truly believe that we be the happier folk."

Serah had to think about that. "Well ... I don' know, te be honest," she laughed. "But thet's what the stories say. I've never seen a ghost, meself, though me dog's acted funny a few times. I don' even know if I'd be scared, meself."

She tilted her head slightly. "Have ye seen a ghost before, Miyuki?"

Levi smiled broadly. "Aye, thet it is," he murmured. "I couldn'a imagine ever doing anething else. It really is a wonderful life."

"Except that your own people want to hang you," Kaito spoke up.

Levi just laughed. "To me knowledge, they've never yet managed it! Aye, we're not afraid o' them. We know how te disappear quick enough."

"When we pass by battlefields, I sometimes feel something weird," Serah admitted. "Thet's where the dogs act strange, but I've ne'er seen anything. Ma says she saw something once, but I don' know anything more about it."

"Well, ye weren' looking," Levi pointed out to Lin. "And they were comin' up behind ye. Ye weren' in danger, else I'd have warned ye, don' worry. En' we've had lots o' practice in disappearin'. Some places have stories 'bout us bein' part elf, on account o' how we can disappear so fast."