Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Always." Quietly studying his stew and listening to the strains of conversations from the various crew members still murmuring amongst themselves. "I'm sure Desdemona has a few she could spare. She's fond of handing out her scales to anyone who wants them."

"Okay!" It didn't take much to get Areesa excited. Bouncing about and then settling over Kaz's shoulder as food was passed and whatnot. "It's a purrrtttyyyy nest. Perfect for snugglin'. Do you two do that a lot? Snuggle? Lynnie says it's how dragons communicate. Is that true?"

Shyrae shook her head. "They won't be happy, Sky. They'll be very angry with you for taking your brothers back and they'll try to hurt you and them. They'll also be very angry that you know how to change forms and are talking like a human."

"Maybe our other dragons too. The fact of the matter is that we don't have enough materials out here to gix everything. We have to use our heads." Poking at her temple before taking another swig from her bottle. "Let the boys rove around as they wish, I'm sure they want to stretch their legs and what not. Then make sure they're all in for the night." PUlling out her maps and searching ovet them...had to be a place nearby that was charted or seemed like a reasonable location.

"Brothers are happy." Tilting her head lightly as she listened to how bad the people she had been with supposedly were. Her mind still couldn't wrap around that, after all those people had raised her. Cue confused look. "Why angry about change and talk?" Because everyone around here seemed to love it when she got such things.

"Human and dragon...that's a disaster waiting to happen. Ever wonder why you never see any half-breeds when it comes to the dragons? Such a creature would never live long enough after hatching...if it isn't already dead in the egg. Humans are made for live birth. Not to mention even the temperature to keep such a thing even lukewarm would probably cook the thing. Useless creatures if it can't be in draconic full form anyway." Wasn't impressed, obviously. The Dragon-Folk already mimiced a human form...but they weren't human. They weren't even elven to a degree despite the shared similarities there. What use was a half-breed to a Rider? "Fair enough, I'll send a crew to look over payment from you and won't skim deep. In return, you get your supplies for repair and a look into our information. Deal?"

"There are things in the sands that can be killed and converted as well. We'll just have to be creative more than anything else." Giving a nod as she withdrew back into herself the way she did when she was depressed. She tried to hide it with her maps and other Captain's duties but he knew her better than that. Draping an arm over her shoulder as a reminder his shoulder was still there. "I think we should hit the port town a bit further up. We discovered it a few years ago, remember?"

"Because you were theirs and now you aren't anymore. You know better. They wanted you to stay a natural dragon so that they could ride you. That isn't what you're meant to be, Sky. We've taught you that you don't have to let anyone on your back that you don't want to. They disagree. You are nothing more than an animal to them and they think of your brothers in the very same way."

"Deceptive or Repentive. I remember him Well." Sylin had been quite fond of Laricalu and had been around the dragoness' brother a lot too. A lot of confrontation in those days. But a flicker of its rune at the inflection put on the one word told Sylin what it meant. Speaking to Sylin as Sylin spoke was the easiest way to get what you wanted from the seon. "Intact, but Disheveled. The stronger Foundations still have some Resolve in Them." Another flutter. "But the Locket, he Took."

A little frown as she did realize what he had just said...all their things were on the Gale Claw. Their clothes, weapons, books, maps, her various invention things...they'd have to make a trip back there too. Those things weren't essential to pirates but they were to them...the clothes not so much a deal they could get new of that but the maps and such they had to have. But that was smoothed somewhat by Kaz's tactial approach to snuggling. "Well thank you Areesa, I do try. And yes we do snuggle." Kaz just didn't know it too much, but she often snuggled up to him when they slept. "And dragons can communicate that way, often unspoken. So Eilynne is right."

A look over to where he was mentioning. "The brothel and such port? I remember it...it was the farthest we had come out without going into the saltbeds and the like. It should be on the oher side of that chasm line...which we should be rounding the end off soon enough if we get repaired and keep on. Maybe Fang will let up some when we aren't directly treading his sand anymore."

"And dragons not for riding." Just like Kaznec had said...hm speaking of him, he was on the ship now. Meant she could spend more time with him, that was exciting. Marking meant nothing to a Rider raised dragon. "Being an animal is...bad?"

"Bait isn't profitable most of the time." Everyone knew those half-breeds never lasted long, they had too many problems from the crossing and couldn't survive the life. He had no interest in him and neither did the rest of his camp. "Yes, come along then, we'll head below into the emcampment and send for your information from the main camp, as well as see what we have copied here."

Oh good, Jae agreed with him so he didn't look completely hopeless. But a glance over his shoulder as Hunter appeared, conveniently interrupting their meal with vague requests. Setting down his bowl with a light nod at Jae then. "You know how to find me if you need anything." Standing and following Hunter away then, he strode beside him, silent for the moment because there was no need to say anything until he knew what this was all about. Apparently something that Jae couldn't bear witness to either, even though she was the strategist. That was interesting...

"I know things about you, Kanzec. but I don't know everything."

Hunter's vice remained quite neutral for now. calm and steady.

"I know your mother is dead. I know your father basically runs that city. I know black boy is your uncle. what I don't know, and what I need to know, is everything between the three of you. your relationships, how well you got along, any problems, blame, issues, anything."

Stopping for a moment and looking over at him.

"I'm a thief, a liar, and a cheat. I kill for money and rob the dead and gone for copper coins to most. That's the life I lead. and while you may not understand it, at least you do respect it. But the other part of that existance is what most refer to as 'honor among thieves'. We have our own codes, and our own rules."

glancing back at the ship.

"That crew, and the Captain and crew of the Claw, are out here on my word and by my action. they signed on for the loot and safe port that was promised. which means my word is on the line. my command."

focusing back on Kanzec.

"your uncle is not the kind I would consider 'trustworthy' even by my standards. So I need to know any reason, anything at all, that he might use as leverage on us, or use as a reason to justify taking us out of the equation. He may not kill you, or seriously injure you, but I don't think for a second that he wouldn't kill us. Or bell for that matter, if we somehow got in the way."


"Good. I'll be here if you need me for further bartering. if not, my first mate should handle the matter."

before sliding down and book and looking through it's contents. of course he didn't limit himself to just those books or records on the Laerethe, but also on their inventory. knowing thier numbers and trades would serve as leverage if he needed any.

Interesting to note that despite his usual barbaric antics, captain Hawk had a "calm" side. He listened quietly for the moment, cords in his neck tightening imperceptibly as Hunter more or less laid out his life story to burn in the sun. "We are related by blood but no more than that. I don't remember him ever genuinely being in my life so you should have no reason to think that he's appeared before us because of me. He's already proclaimed himself a rogue dragon, meaning that he knows this territory and the ways of you pirates and the Riders, probably more than you. But unlike you, he lives for himself only, probably having no commitments to anyone else out here. If he was out to get us, the justifications would be simple. His own survival and personal interests come first, whatever those may be. Yes, he'll probably kill you and your crew if you get in the way."