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 Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:14 pm
Abel landed in a tree in the swampy area of the Oasis, an hour or two before sunset. He intended to meet Sarah at her shop and walk her back to his territory for the night, if she wanted to come. He had slipped his gloves into a convenient pocket (along with a little present for her), preferring to have his paws, and claws, unhampered in case he met something unpleasant. He had also left his mantel at home. He blinked behind his glasses and saw the den. With a deep breath in his lungs, he sighed and leaped from the branch, gliding down towards the entrance.
"Excuse me, Ms. Lovett?" he asked from the entrance, peeking in with a cough, clearing his throat to notify her of his presence at her shop-front.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 2:13 pm
The cloying scent of blood hung in the air the coppery scent enticing customers to the delicate wooden sign that hung from a vine above the den.
Mrs Lovett's Pie Shop It read in carved script. Below rocks had been arranged all around in a semi circle forming a sort of counter. The closer one approached the heavier the coppery scent became, and the warmer it seemed. At a foot away the little den was a clear warning for some and an inviting nook for others.
Sarah poked her head out her nose twitching and she smiled brightly as she saw Abel. "Well what a surprise! 'Ello love." She wiped her paws on her apron and walked out to him.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:02 pm
Abel shuddered as the smell of blood washed over him, his wings twitching slightly, but he was able to smile at her when he saw her.
"Hello Sarah, my dear," he said and touched his nose to her cheek when she was in range. He tried to ignore the smell about her, but it was a losing battle. He sighed softly and licked her cheek, tasting flour and a bitter metallic taste he knew all too well.
His eyes closed and his smile was small, soft as he took one deep breath, then another.
"I thought, perhaps, I could walk you to my territory tonight, when you're finished?" he asked, his eyes opening again to watch her.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:08 pm
Sarah smiled brightly and nodded touching her nose against his and licking his cheek. "Of course!" She patted the stone counter and looked at him uncertainly. "Would you like a lil drink while I finish up? S'not...umm..I mean I have normal fare too."
She did indeed keep clam pies and fermented fruit juice on hand for anyone who stumbled unknowingly into her little lair. Most were attracted by blood, but every one in a while an innocent otter wandered past hungry or thirsty. She felt wrong giving them something they didn't even realize they were eating.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:17 pm
Abel's smile grew and he nodded.
"A drink would be nice, actually," he replied and looked uncertain whether she wanted him to come inside or take the drink out there.
"I had hoped," he added quickly, "That we could have dinner together, if you hadn't already eaten."
One paw found its way into his pocket and he ran the pads over the surprise he had put there. He just had to figure out when to give it to her, now that it was finished.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:30 pm
"Oh dinner sounds lovely, just 'ad a bite of some clams to taste test. Come on in if you don't mind the 'eat." She smiled and turned walking down the den into the shop rows of shelves had been carved into the bark and stone walls. The shelves were filled with cooling pies some gave off a delicious clam scent while others gave off a more meaty smell. Two barrels were pushed at the very far corner one marked with a red X.
Sarah grabbed a clean clamshell and filled it with liquid from the unmarked barrel before turning to hand it over to him. "Best drink for miles 'round!" She turned to stoke the fire back up it was heating a pile of rocks which were in turn turning some little pies into a delicious golden brown color.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:53 pm
The dark-winged otter followed her into the shop, looking around with a nod of approval. He sat off to one side, his attention snapping back to her when she offered him the drink.
"Thank you," Abel said smoothly, tasting the drink as he watched her walk back to the fire. It was a, different taste, similar to the fermented drinks he had had a couple of times when he managed to sneak a lap of Communion wine with the tiny piece of bread. That made him consider taking it more often, if there was wine available. It tasted young, though. It needed a little longer to ferment. Perhaps she had more sitting aside for just that.
He let his mind wander on that to make sure that it stayed away from wondering what was in the other barrel.
"Now I think I can see why you didn't want to quit running this place. It's actually, kind of cozy. This isn't grape wine, is it?" he asked and took another sip, trying to figure it out.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:09 pm
Sarah shook her head as she checked over the clam pies on the hot stones. "No 'fraid not, grapes are much 'arder to come by. I make due with the usual fruits that grow 'round 'ere. Well not in the swamp, but up where theres more trees an' whot not." She padded over to sit by him.
"It's a fruit juice mixture, gets better with age, gotta keep it away from the 'eat though." She nodded and motioned to the way the barrels were left low in the corner to avoid the rising heat.
"I love running the shop really, meet all sorts of interesting sorts. S'warm and cozy..." She nodded softly and watched him uncertain if he would ask what she dreaded, after all the shop presented a very pretty facade, not a speck of blood to be seen, but the scent hung in the air heavily.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:21 pm
Abel took another drink and nodded before moving closer to her and placing a paw around her waist, offering his shoulder to lean on, if she wanted to of course.
"Well, all good things get better with age, or at least, I think I've heard that somewhere before," he replied, smiling at her. He nodded in agreement to the atmosphere of the shop and chuckled a bit.
"I imagine working all day, though, can get pretty hot and tiring, I bet," he added, setting the now mostly empty clamshell down. In truth, he preferred tea, but had yet to figure out how to make it, himself. He was no good at working fires and engineering and the like. Maybe Sarah knew how...
"I know this is going to sound silly, but... you wouldn't happen to know how to make tea, would you?" he asked, giving her a sheepish glance, his eyes hopeful. He hadn't had tea in the longest time, or sugar for that matter, which was worse for him, as he had developed a killer sweet-tooth when living with his mentor.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:29 pm
Sarah laughed and nodded resting her head on his shoulder "I 'ope thats true." She wasn't a very young otter anymore and after a hard day she felt the effects. Still every morning she had the energy to get out of her little nest bed and get things moving. In the end loving life was what mattered she supposed.
Her ears perked and she looked at him curiously "Tea?" She nodded softly "Well yes...I would 'ave to 'unt up the leaves, but I'm sure I could find 'em...the process is fairly simple after that. Just not sure if the leaves alone would be sweet enough."
She pondered a moment longer then grinned "Oh! O'course 'ow could I forget, we could use some syrup, it sweetens up just about anything." She nodded and looked at him. "I can brew that up for you if you give me a few days." She smiled brightly glad to put her particular talents to use to help him.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:37 pm
Abel's eyes widened and his face broke into a huuuge grin.
"Really?? And you could make it sweet??" he exclaimed and hugged her, laughing triumphantly. Syrup wasn't straight sugar, but that didn't matter at all, as long as it was tea with enough sweet in it to make normal creatures' teeth rot at the mere sight of it.
Oh yes, he loved his sweets.
He nuzzled her cheek happily and smiled down at her before letting her out of the hug.
"Sorry about that. I guess I got a little carried away," he chuckled, using one paw to rub the back of his head.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:58 pm
Sarah laughed and looked at him surprised by his enthusiasm, who would have thunk he would be so happy over her minor cooking skill. "Of course I can make it sweet." She smiled and nuzzled him watching as he calmed down.
"S'alright just never found anyone so excited over tea." She giggled and rested her head back on his shoulder. She lifted her head quickly and rushed to check on the pies moving them over to one of the shelves to cool.
"There we are a nice lil batch of the day." She inhaled and nodded the scent of clam freshly coming from that little batch.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:28 pm
"Sarah, you obviously haven't noticed. I have a sweet tooth that would make a pup cringe. The thought of tea with sweetener... It's a wonderful thought indeed," Abel replied with a happy sigh, watching her work. The pies did smell wonderful, and he hoped they were the clam ones she had talked about. There were so many smells in the room, he was having trouble telling. He could smell her,too, of course. That was the only one he could pick out of all the others, paws down. And it wasn't so much that she had just been at his side a moment before. It was as if it had gotten etched into his mind, a thought he smiled over.
"So, what kind of individuals do you usually serve?" he asked, attempting idle chatter until she felt she was finished for the day.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:36 pm
"I'll 'ave to surprise you with some sweets then." She smiled and moved to toss out the older pies and pull her apron off, hanging it aside and washing her hands in a small tub of water.
She walked beside him heading to the stone door to bar it. "Oh I 'ave all sorts coming in. Theres a very witty otter whot comes in every once in a while, 'ee 'as these wicked looking fangs very intimidating, but 'e's just a poof." She giggled. "Then there's some nice wolves that come in, they be'ave themselves quite nice like and find all sorts of interesting things for trade."
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:52 pm
Abel's face lit up again and he licked her cheek before she walked to clean up.
"I think YOU are the angel, here, Sarah," he said gleefully, waiting for her. He listened as she spoke about her customers, nodding his head over it.
"They sound like good creatures. I really think I'm starting to understand this more," he added nodding and tilting his head a bit at her mention of trade.
"Oh? Like what?"
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