Welcome to Gaia! ::

It stood in isolation, without sharing one inch of curbspace, surrounded by traffic on all sides. The massive, hulking entity was surrounded by tall stone on all sides, scrubbed clean and tipped with short jabs of black iron. The building itself was something of an eyesore- it looked as though someone had woken up one day, bought an entire block of small stores and workspaces, and then simply hired a construction crew to slap them all together and add as many stories as possible to create a true Frankenstein of a mansion.

"... How stupidly arrogant," Kiv muttered in seeing the wrought-iron sign above the open gates; Welcome to Purgatory. What manner of creature lived here, she had little enough interest in. Her opinion of them was already very solidly formed- idiot.

Nonetheless, the feral woman rallied the pathetic senses of her human body and inhaled deeply. Through the foul city musk, she could still taste that scent that had led her to this building. A sharp spice, mixed something crisp and fresh- but more to her interest, there was a pulling need to approach. It was no more voluntary than the tic now tugging at her face behind her wooden mask; she had to investigate that scent. There was no option in this: even if she hadn't felt so compelled as she did, her station in rebirth was no different than that in life. As the Voice of the Spirits, any matter of arcane nature was hers to investigate, and she felt surer than sure that this demanded her attention.

Now, if only she hadn't brought the baby along for the ride, she could feel guiltless in her exploration. Wide awake, little Vanaja squirmed in discomfort at the tight grip her adoptive mother had her in, looped at Kiv's side by her waist with one arm. Ruffling her tail-fronds and wrapping her tiny fingers around the thick brown cloth of her guardian's robes, the girl made a distressed cheep and kicked her feet, prompting the woman to roll her eyes and adjust her grip to carry the child in an equally haphazard position slung over her shoulder. If this had been a proper wolf pup, not only would she be walking by now, but she would be full-grown and Kiv would be nipping at her heels to send her off. But no. Instead, she was left with a pup that still didn't walk or talk or provide for herself in any fashion- just sat around and chirped in bird-tongue, crawled just enough to get herself into trouble, and made an unholy mess of everything it could get her hands on. Eugh.

It wasn’t that there wasn’t anything better to do. There were TONS of things that were better to do. Like taking up quilting or maybe writing some sort of poem about the azure blue of the sky and the marshmallow clouds in it, and yet here he was striding along the pavement. He had barely noticed the building or it was in his blindside so he didn’t see it at all thanks to the eye patch. Then again it was equally possible that the tall man was willfully ignoring the building into oblivion. Something about it was mildly abhorrent though a finger could not be placed upon as to why that was so.

In his arms was a slightly larger baby Kaveri. Larger in the fact that her tail had grown longer and her body was striving to meet up with it a little. None the less he carried her seated upright in his arms her tail idly cupping along the man’s side unable to completely wrap around him since it was too short.

One step.
Two step.
Three step.

Oh crap there’s a Kiv and Vana. Pales stopped still a foot or two away. Safely not bumping into the pair and then he began to stare at them for a moment as if attempting to place them somewhere in his memory since it had been ever so long since he had last met them. Recognition dawned rather gradually but before speaking he turned his head to what Kiv was looking at finally allowing the building to ‘exist’ as it were.

“What the Hell?” He called out with a sudden tone of shock.

Kaveri, on the other hand gave a cheerful burble, refusing to remain silent.

It wasn't that Kiv was trying to seem aggressive or any such thing, but merely that she'd been caught off-guard. An uncomfortable growl tore free from her throat as she whipped around to face her unexpected companion, bringing one claw-like hand to the ready with the motion. It took only a quick moment for her to recognize the person there, and another to reassert herself. She remembered Pales, despite the long time that had passed since they'd met. Drawing herself upwards with assertive confidence, she shifted Vana again, now mimicking as best she could the manner in which Pales was holding Kaveri. "Pales and pup," she noted in a mild, pleased voice. "You've followed it as well?"

Finally- Vana could see what was going on, not just what was over her Guardian's shoulder! Gleeful to have spotted her one-time playmate (surprising, Kiv thought, that the fern-child would have remembered anything), the girl called out to Kaveri with a single bright chirp, crinkled her eyes happily.

Of course Pales was suitably submissive toward Kiv. Something about her body language just made him behave that way. It was likely if she screamed at him to jump he’d yelp and ask how high she wanted him to jump. One could suppose it was a lack of spine or perhaps because somehow Pales felt something like a tremendous respect for the other individual.

Unlike the first time, however, he didn’t flinch at her sudden aggressive ‘I’ll rip out your guts and eat them’ movements. He simply smiled and waited until she recognized him and nodded his head, “Kiv and Vana, a pleasure to see you two again.” He said as he glanced between the building and the pair before him and Kaveri.

Kaveri burbled back happily her tiny hands clapped out of the pure unadulterated joy she was feeling at a familiar child-face that was unlike her siblings at home. She attempted to make the sounds back at Vana but failed miserably. Darn.

“Followed ... it.” For a moment he looked clueless, his one eye gazed back and forth almost busily it seemed a wonder the man didn’t fall over in a fit of some sort. “I have been known to ... stumble onto things unknowingly.” He admitted so that Kiv knew he did such things quite unwittingly.

Was it really so coincidental as that? Doubtful: Kiv believed little in luck, less in fate, and only in being and purpose and doing. She was here with her purpose- Pales was also there. Therefore, he must have purpose, even if he had failed to recognize it so far. "The air!" Kiv barked at him scornfully, making some elaborately vague gesture with her free hand toward the building. "Try the air. That place doesn't smell like 'city', does it? It smells like... craft, of some sort. Pup, hush!" Breaking her intense stare away from Pales, she instead gave Vana a two-fingered thwap on the nose, interrupting a string of excited birdsong that the fern-girl had begun to encourage her serpentine friend.

The ability to scent things out, much like his eye was gone. Well, the scenting was mostly gone. After flinching slightly at the harsh command of Kiv, Pales tilted his head upward and gave a small sniff closing his eyes for a moment. It almost seemed as if he was sensing nothing at all and it seemed as if he was going to give up and finally...

“Ah, there it is...” Pales turned now to stare at the building with a small worry line appearing at his brow. Why did he come here? Kiv obviously seemed to have a reason to be here and could take care of things, right?

Kaveri gave a small whimper at Kiv’s reaction to their noisome greeting, but just the same she, too, obediently quieted down.

Kiv grunted in rough approval. There would have been no words to express the shame of a creature that failed to detect that peculiar scent, particularly one with pups to think of protecting. Though, if she were thinking on that note, then....

Wrinkling her nose at the little form in her own arms, Kiv ground her back teeth in frustrated thought. Vana had wisely quieted down after the light discipline dealt out by her guardian- whatever else about the plant girl that Kiv might say, at least she understood the order of dominance between mother and pup, better than any other child the feral woman had ever met.

"What is it you are thinking to do here?" She questioned sharply of Pales, likely unaware that she had taken, however slightly so, to hunching protectively over the fern-baby. "You did not come here with intentions?"

Well, luckily he had only been losing certain parts of himself rather gradually. Whatever corruption was taking place here must have been rather strong for him to even scent it out. Which mattered little for now, and his weaknesses don’t account for much right now.

Pales tilted his head at the sudden line of questioning, “Honestly? I was just going for a walk, or so I thought. I am not sure if I have purpose here or not?” truly he made a perfect pawn for whatever powers at play. He was oblivious.

"... I will call your purpose for you, then," the woman answered, her tone one of finality. She knew Pales enough to know where his place was on the grand scale she believed in- he was submissive to her, for all else, and to exert her will over him was simply her place and right. "You may... watch my pup for me, then, while I go to find the source."

Kiv was hesitant in this decision, but without fair reason. Only two real fears came to mind: that of two-legger distrust, the knowledge that fair and natural order did not always work as it should in the human world, and that one should always be cautious in such situations; and the common sense of the pack. One should never, never leave one's pup with a male, no matter how submissive, in case he should decide to kill the pup in the hopes of opening up one more opportunity to mate. But there again, she knew Pales. He was mated already, and his mate saw fit to trust him with their pup.

He would be suitable, then- and if he wasn't, she would find him and rip out his throat. Another growl stirred in her throat, just enough to communicate these intentions, as she stooped to set the child onto the sidewalk and, satisfied at her arrangements, turned immediately to investigate the odd building.

He blinked a bit.

Dude, wait...What?

Suddenly he was turned into a babysitter within less than a few moments and he moved closer to kneel next to Vana and thus set Kaveri next to her. He would accept it, but not without his initial protest. His desire for the well being of his allies or friends overrode whatever feelings Kiv initially instills in him and he opened his lips and firmly spoke out, “And if you are hurt? What am I to do then? It seems a little dangerous for you to be striking out alone in this place.”

Whine, whine, whine- Kiv knew what that translated to, or at the least, thought she knew what that translated to. Do not give me responsibility, snivel, wince. I question your judgment, whimper, whine. I am trying to placate you, but I still want my way, flat-eared belly drag.

It was with the most supreme of efforts that the feral woman kept from snapping at the man, speaking instead with a slow, calm, "I am only here to investigate, and intend to reserve my actions to that. You may trust me to act wisely."

As was not unusual for her, however, her body language spoke far more loudly than her words. The woman was bristling behind her mask, feet and arms spaced apart so as to take up as much physical space as was reasonably possible without losing that faint and constant hunch of poise that maintained her in a state of perfect balance and preparation. She was by no means a small woman in the first place- between her own bulk, the thick brown robes, and all else, she presented herself as quite a large creature just now. To any person simply walking by on the street, the posturing would have likely looked ridiculous. To Kiv, though, it was a very serious display of strength and threat. She intended to act in the way she'd determined best, and she did not want any more backtalk about it.

What fun would it be to put his metaphorical tail between his legs and say ‘YES MA’AM!’

...None.

So Pales finally flexed what backbone he had standing up straighter and setting his eyes with a faint bit of determination as he stared at Kiv. In all honesty he was damned tired of being treated like a limp noodle. This might be the wrong time for it, but he was gonna stand out for himself.

Mean while Kaveri found Vana by slither-crawling over close to her. The tension kept her mostly quiet.

“I still am not sure it is safe to do that all alone.” He said firmly almost repeating himself. “Even investigation can lead to danger. I only speak out for your well being.” Plus the longer he stood here the more wrong it felt. It was starting to feel as if something was watching them. Then again it could be his own paranoia kicking in.

However distant and unimpressed she might have looked, Kiv couldn't suppress a feeling of incredulity at Pales' sudden decision to speak out. Here was a man that hadn't even needed a nudge to roll over for her, whose own mate left the child-care to him. Where had this sudden spurt of rebellion come from?

It was poorly timed, though, and Kiv had no interest in indulging it. It was to her knowledge that humans rarely settled their conflicts in the manner of sensible creatures, but Kiv could hardly understand what manner they did settle them in. So far, she was posing and bluffing and threatening her way toward her desires. If it came time to follow up on those promises, what was she supposed to do to resolve it? Just as well she had a mask on, now; her uncertainty might have shown too clearly, otherwise.

"I have not asked your assessment!" She informed him harshly. "You will watch my pup, and I will come back when I have seen what is happening to make that scent!" She wasn't puffing herself up anymore, at least not in the same ludicrous manner as before. Though impossible to tell in this new body, she was raising her hackles, and taking a few careful, testing steps in a roundabout investigation of the man.

Pales kept an eye on Kiv, for that was all he had, one eye. He also kept his stance firm not backing down. It was important not to back down, especially now. “You may not have,” he retorted, “but still I give it freely. Shouldn’t a good alpha listen to all those under her?”

That’s right. He went there.

“I have every intention of watching the children as soon as I am convinced that you will come back safe or someone comes to join you. One of the two and I don’t care which. As it stands I don’t trust this place.” There. He said it. His paranoia is bold faced in front for all to see. If it had neon lights the damn thing would be flashing.

Kaveri meanwhile managed to settle next to Vana sitting quietly, still. The whole mood of this place was going sour, and fast.

The fern-baby was oddly oblivious to the angry sounds going on over her head. The only thing that seemed to fully concern her was the fact that this was not good, living earth under her butt at that precise moment, merely lifeless concrete- and that being the case, this situation just sucked. With a mute sigh, she turned her exasperated attention instead to Kaveri. At least something in her reach was worth paying attention to! This being her determination, she rolled around to get her feet roughly under her, trying to face the naga more properly.

Kiv had frozen suddenly, staring at the man with open shock. Whether he'd intended it or no, Pales had struck soft tissue with that accusation. It wasn't enough that the language had been such that she could easily understand, no; he'd found it. That, that THING, that MISTAKE, that BURDEN that she could never hoist away. How could he just stumble into that, she demanded to know?!

And suddenly, she found herself answering to him. With reason and understanding and not... not the point of dominance she should have been speaking from. "It is not trustworthy, I agree. What would you suggest, then?" She only just barely managed to regain her snarl in those last few words, scrabbling for a reminder that although she had decided (apparently??? Were these human instincts, all of a sudden? Disgusting!) to hear Pales out, that did not mean that she deferred to him!

Maybe this was his purpose, to stop Kiv from doing something insanely stupid and dangerous. Then again it could also have been to blindly push Kiv’s buttons until jackpot is achieved. Apparently that is what happened now.

He was careful not to feel proud or self righteous. After all that was a lucky or maybe unlucky mistake to have been so eerily accurate. All he did was use her own terms against her feeling that it would be the only way she’d truly understand and listen to him. That is how he read her reaction, her sudden willingness to listen to his words.

Problem was, he didn’t have an actual solution at hand. There was only the two of them and their children. No one else to coax into coming along and helping and to all around watch Kiv’s back. He had no doubts she would survive, but that didn’t mean he was any less afraid for her.

“Maybe we should gather assistance?” He tossed out her. In short of going with her and taking the burden of guarding the children and her he had no real ideas.

Kaveri on the other hand watched, with some amusement, as Vana moved about to face her. She reached out her hands to her playmate and begun to ignore all else.

"Assistance from who?" Kiv replied roughly, unimpressed with this proposition. Her social life was fairly limited, particularly when it came to who she deemed as trustworthy- she knew Pales, of course, and also remembered with grudging approval the strange woman that was Vilia's guardian. But beyond those two faces, there was no one that she'd met and found worthy of her attention- certainly no one she would ask on such an important venture!

But of course, that was only one option that Pales had offered her. Another was already forming in her mind, scheming and carefully plotted. "Of course, we could let the pups on their own in the wand shoppe. And then you could come with me."

Vanaja seemed nothing short of delighted to have Kaveri's attentions returned to her. It was entirely too rare for her to get contact with people other than her guardian, and the prospect was terribly exciting. Forgetting herself, the baby cheeped in excitement, nearly toppling straight forward in her enthusiasm to grab at the naga's hands, as though they were something she might possess for her own.

It’d be a lie to say Pales didn't have some doubts about THAT idea but soon his mind calculated a counter, “Only if someone is there to keep an eye on them.” He said finally. He wasn’t going to back down, no way in Hell.

Kaveri was gleefully getting herself tangled up with Vana allowing the other girl to grasp her hands, bouncing slightly on her rump. She attempted to stand on her own ‘legs’. The only problem was the laack of balance of both parties concerned, with her hands linked to Vana's she seemed to start to lean heavily on the other child. There was a threat of immanent baby collapse.

"We'll find someone, then!" Kiv replied exasperatedly, acting for all intents and purposes as though they were talking about getting a babysitter for fully capable teenagers. It was hard to believe that someone would not be at the shop, and if she had to bully, b***h and bite until they agreed to watch the pups, she would!

Speaking of whom. Vanaja, previously so enthralled to have her playmate, suddenly realized the folly of their play style. Thrashing her tail in a desperate, far-too-late attempt to catch her balance, the girl didn't seem to be able to think of the proper sound she was supposed to make in order to alert Kaveri of the impending trouble. And so she was silent, even as her arms wobbled and her eyes widened and the inevitable topple began, flattening Vanaja onto the ground with a loud and alarming smack of skull against concrete.

The man was pacified until ... It happened. The audible smack heard around the world. It sounded, to Pales, like something horrible had happened, however, biting down the urge to freak out which becomes visible on his face for a small moment he moved closer to the children.

Kaveri had landed on top of her playmate. She was making a distressed sound not because she herself was hurt but her ‘friend’ was hurt. She looked up at her father and let out a small whine. She then looked back onto Vana and squirmed off.

Pales, mean while looked over at Kiv almost in askance as to if he could check Vana over for wounds and the like. So far, without touching the child, he was checking if there was any distressing ... leakage onto the concrete.

No, no leakage, no. Not unless eyes counted. Although the child was still quiet, struggling anew to find the right noises to express her state of being, that apparently didn't equate to wellness. It took no time at all for those waterworks to fill up, dribbling over onto her cheeks, mouth working and wondering and stammering over no-sounds in the search for--

She found it. Suddenly bursting into loud and terrible shrieks - not baby-shrieks, but the desperately short-aired shrieks of a baby bird lost from the nest - the girl swung her arms around wildly, groping at the injured spot and throwing the full of her body into the panicked calls of injury.

Kiv was... unimpressed.

"It's just a bump," she grumbled without sympathy, but gave a vague shrug of permission to Pales nonetheless. There wasn't even any blood!

Pales gently sat the weeping child up again now physically looking over. Sure it might be just a bump but you could never make too sure with children this young. It didn’t help that the man was a giant walking bleeding heart on some days. After looking over and feeling satisfied he lifted Vana up and began to work on cheering her up, starting off with the classic silly face to the ever popular tickling of the stomach. He also tries a silly voice.

In a way, yes he was coddling her, but in an abstract way he was teaching her to ignore and move past the pain, or attempting to. He might fail all the same.

Meanwhile Kaveri crawled over to Pales’ legs looking up at them. Mostly looking at Vana with concern in her young eyes and for being so young she seemed to feel guilty for what she had done to her playmate.

More detached than ever, Kiv crossed her arms and scowled, watching Pales doing his best to bring a smile back onto the baby's face. She could understand being concerned for a pup, but this? This was silly! Vanaja wasn't a newborn anymore - at least, Kiv didn't think of her as such - and it was high time that the girl started sorting out her independence. Did humans always fuss so over their young?

The fern girl was slow to brighten up, uninterested in the odd faces and merely irritated by the attempts to steal a laugh through tickles. The wild cries grew dimmer, however, as Vanaja caught snatches of Pales' oddly-pitched voice begging for her attention. Blinking through those wobbling, tearful eyes, she fell silent at last. Her gaze picked up an almost studious intensity, and she seemed to be shaping her mouth into curious, mimicking shapes.

For Kiv it was fussing. For Pales it was a distraction technique to get the child to stop concentrating on their pain. Of course, Kiv would likely think it to be a waste of time.

Once stumbling upon the magic thing he continued making the funny sounds at her for a time sitting on the ground so that Kaveri could also have a look over at her friend.

Once father is at her level she claims a portion of his lap and pulls herself up on it with a small grunt and stares at Vana with an expression that clearly says, “He’s crazy. I know. Just humor him.”

After a few moments of this nonsense he glances up at Kiv and remembers he was being watched and shrugged blushing just faintly for some reason feeling somehow ashamed for his behavior.

With only a smooth wooden face to look at, it was hard to decide exactly what thoughts were working in Kiv's head at that moment. Her stance suggested they were nothing so complimentary, however. "If you're satisfied, we can--"

The funny sounds started all over again. Just as though someone had recorded Pales' strange-voiced babbles in their entirety, Vanaja was mimicking them back to him, an absolutely tickled expression on her face as she swung her head around to direct them happily over to Kaveri as well.

Pales was listening to Kiv had to say up until he heard his silly noises coming from the child. He was aware of Vana’s talent for mimicry but he didn’t think it extended THAT far. “Huh.” He said in a bemused manner. “Talented little squirt.”

Kaveri was amused she started giggling all concern and worry going away from her face. Her happily clapped her hands even as Pales carefully managed to scoop up both girls and carry them comfortably in a sitting up position.

“Anyways, ready?” he seemed fully capable of taking care of small children. Even managed to carry them in a manner that was suitable.

That didn't seem to pass by Kiv, at least. She supposed that she could allow Pales to carry her pup to the wand shoppe, at least, since he seemed adept enough at it. "Let's see to it," Kiv agreed and started off to lead the way, while Vana continued her happy recital.