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 Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:15 pm
Lady Aria Starstone Kaimana examined the bundle of fruit in front of him, thoughtfully. Finally he reached forwards and pulled one free. It was round, smallish, and red. He tried to work out how to eat it. "Ahhhh... Fresh water kelp? No, but there are other, different fresh water plants. Seaweeds, some call them, of a sort. Different, but good too. If you want, I can... maybe find some later? There's not much near here, it's a bit too brakish for it." He nodded upriver. "If we went that way a ways, I could find some... near where I reside."
He managed to figure it out, and bit into it. The juicy, sweet flavor flowed over his tongue and he looked both stunned and amazed. He'd never had anything like this before! "What sort of... fruit is this? It's wonderful!"
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:24 pm
"It's a red currant," Ilum said with a laugh. "I'm surprised you like it, to be frank most find them a bit too bitter to be palatable. They make for reliable late season berries though. Personally I never really mean to seek them out, but there's just something comforting about red currants in the winter."
He bent down and rolled a larger red fruit toward the little fish. Any land dweller would have recognized it, despite it's slightly wrinkly skin, as an apple. "If we're still meeting up then, I'll find you a better sample of this one next fall. Usually these last into the winter too but something happened to my stock this year and they all started spoiling on me. Still good, just a bit soft. Don't worry too much about finding new kelp right now. It grows in seasons like food up here does, right? We can keep meeting up and exchange food when it's easier."
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:41 pm
Kaiko ducked between the waves again, trying to plot out her next move.
"I hate the cold," she muttered to herself. "Makes it hard to think." It seemed to be growing more and more likely that the small stallion was going to be too difficult to steal from. Not by the fact that he had his guard up, his guard couldn't have caught a minnow, but because he seemed to be eating all of the items he had just traded for. At this point it very well might be better for her to simply swim away and find another mark. He wouldn't know the difference, and maybe this way he would still be an easy mark the next time they met.
She sighed to herself. It was always hard letting the easy ones go.
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:46 pm
Ilum laughed, "I don't know how it is under the waters, but the 'land walkers' are plentiful, our lands are limited, and we have to share our fruits with all the creatures that live here with us. Besides, much of it dies off when the cold season comes. We're often reduced to eating things far worse than this or going without. We make up for it when the warm seasons come around though," he nodded, thinking of some of the feasts he had enjoyed in summers past when all the berries had been fruiting. "Oh, and flowers. I will bring you some spring flowers when next we meet. What would you think of meeting, every other full moon? We'll both be able to see it, no matter where we are."
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:56 pm
Lady Aria Starstone Kai licked his lips to get every last bit of the juices of the apple, then nodded. "I like this plan, Ilum. It is good. And the moon is excellent. Did you want to meet here, or... find a spot that will be a little more wind proof? In autumn, especially, we get storms off the water here..."
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:58 pm
"You know the water ways better than I do, is there a meeting place you would recomend?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:01 pm
Lady Aria Starstone Kai pondered, then nodded his head upriver. "This river, about 5 miles that way... there's a nice secluded spot where part of the river branches around a large rock. One section is somewhat shallow and flat, and surrounded by trees. It's not so shallow I can't swim, but shallow enough that I have seen land dwellers bathing there, and relaxing in the waters... And i have seen none of the leathery eaters either."
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:08 pm
Kaiko sunk down from the surface, intending to find a hiding spot where the little stallion wouldn't see her bright colours when he emerged from the river. She would decide then whether it was worth continuing on with the mark or simply leaving for the time being. If not, well she would collect up some of the kelp here then head back to her den. She had been trying to cultivate some to graze on when she couldn't get anything better, but so far no varieties had been suitable for the depths she normally rested at. She didn't expect this variety to do well though. It grew too close to the surface.
Once she was satisfied with her haul she took it with her behind a nearby boulder. If the little stallion came down here she'd be caught, but at least she'd have a good excuse to be there.
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 11:00 pm
Ilum lifted his head, peering across the stretch of land and water in the direction where Kai had indicated the meeting place would be. He would have to go there now and make sure he knew where it was. Of course, if he didn't find it now then there was no way he would be able to find it later. But, knowing that he couldn't find it would give him time to either keep looking or to devise another plan to find this interesting little stallion again. Also, if he did find it then he would have the opportunity to scout out the area in advance for tidbits that he may be able to bring back as offerings.
"Sounds good to me," he said, nodding. "I will see you again then!"
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 11:08 pm
Lady Aria Starstone "Awesome! I look forwards to it!" Kai bobbed down, his tail giving a final wave, before he headed back out towards the water. He felt happy, very content in fact, over this new friendship. He headed back towards the open water, for he still had to get home today. He was full, though! Wouldn't need anymore kelp for the day. He didn't even realize the mare he'd seen earlier was waiting nearby as he was lost in his own, happy little thoughts.
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 11:12 pm
Ilum returned the farewell, then watched as his new friend swam back out to the wide, wide ocean. It must not be nearly as dangerous as it seemed. To Ilum the ocean had always looked like endless blue depths where danger could approach from any angle, but most likely would approach from beneath. He shivered just thinking about it. If some insane set of events ever changed him into a mer he would keep as far away from deep water as he could manage at all times.
Trying to get the thoughts out of his head, he turned and began heading up stream. The way Kai had spoken about it, the location sounded like it would be dead obvious when he reached it. The river it's self was very easy to find. He couldn't imagine having trouble following it up to the spot.
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 11:15 pm
Kaiko prodded at the bundle of kelp before her. While she waited for the coast to be clear she'd started balling up the whole lot so that it would be easier to transport. It was a trick she had picked up from an old friend. An old friend that she hadn't seen for ages now. The thought made her frown, but she pushed it out of her head and focused on wrapping the ball. The inside didn't matter too much, but the outside had to hold tight without slipping to be effective. If she could manage to get it just right then she could pull or even bounce the whole thing all the way back down to her home without fear of losing it, and it consisted of far more kelp than she could had ever carried loose.
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 11:24 pm
Lady Aria Starstone Kaimana paused, as a flash of movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. What was he seeing? He turned and blinked, realizing he seemed to be right near the mare he'd met earlier. He paused to watch her, wondering what she might be doing... and also why. It seemed an odd sort of activity to him, bundling kelp. He slowly drifted closer, curiously.
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