[PRP- Jauhar] On Common Ground? [Ujana/Vollerei] FIN

[Lavender Hues]

robot kitten

Ujana didn't really mind the transition from Tale to Jauhar, honestly. The forest had trees and animals, just like Yera had, and it was far more interesting than the desert, too. None of the sounds bothered her, not even the new people made her feel a sense of caution or worry, something that made her mother both relieved and, conversely, a little paranoid. With all the new exciting things to explore, it was hard to keep Uja inside where she was safe, and every morning started with finding a new route of escape into what was now a new playground. Uja was free in the forest, free to swing without rules and the nagging voices of her parents and twin sister. She was free.

"I bet I could wrestle that thing to the ground." She muttered, her eyes settled on an adolescent Radaku that lay sleeping underneath the tree limb she'd shimmied herself upon. If she could just get close enough to it without waking it up or scaring it off, she could beat it up and bring it home for dinner! Sure, bringing home a dead animal of that size would likely scare the skin off her mother, but at least they'd have some good meat to eat for the rest of the week!  

[robot kitten]

Lavender Hues

Vollerei had finished her hunt for the day was was about to head back to camp to set off with Niabi and Neska for their daily trek when she saw little foot prints in the jungle ground. Tiny foot prints. Foot prints that meant little children were out and about without guidance, for she could not see any larger tracks. She shook her head with a sigh; she knew that people felt the jungle was safe. But it wasn't! You couldn't just let a child go wandering around! Muttering under her breath about parents and kids, she headed off after the tracks, following the tracks to the base of a tree where she looked up. Sure enough there was a small earthling girl, all perched out in the open.

She also saw the radaku. It was young so she ignored it as she climbed silently upwards. With her poor sight she could not quite see that the child was eying the animal.. not until she got closer at least and heard the mutter!

She had to keep from hitting her head against the tree trunk
"If you want to keep your limbs, I'd suggest you not try to wrestle a radaku." She said tartly as she reached the branch and gave the girl a stare.  

[Lavender Hues]

Ujana let out a squeak at the sudden voice from behind her and swiveled around to look at Vollerei. Who was that? Her eyes widened sharply, furrowed, and narrowed into a pensive stare. Her aunt Tahigwa was one of these people, an Alka... Alke... A tree woman, so Vollerei wasn't all that of a shock on her eyes, but as the youngling looked her over, it was her sheer size that made her pause. How did she get so big? Was she a body builder or something? She brought her legs underneath her and perched, cross legged, her gaze ever persistent upon Vollerei.

"You're not skinny as a bean stalk like the others I've seen." She said, frankly, her head giving a slight tilt as she gazed towards Vollerei's weapon and up to her again. "You must be an elder, 'cause you're smart enough to be bigger and not skinny." She shuffled closer to Volle and smirked.

"You could wrestle that Ra-... Rada... Thing, right?" She continued, pointing towards the Radaku. "I want to bring home some meat 'cause my mama's kinda dull and she can't hunt stuff, and everyone knows you can't get bigger if you don't eat lots of meat. That's how my uncle did it, he told me so."  

[robot kitten]

Lavender Hues

Vollerei laughed at her comment. "I'm definitely no skinny twig." She said as she hauled her weight up onto the branch the girl as on. "I'm no elder yet! That'll come much later. Size doesn't indicate age on us... if it did I'd be one of the oldest!!" She chuckled; smart to not be skinny? Well.. that wasn't really why she was this big! She just liked to eat. "Elders are judged based upon their actions and wisdom... I'm still too reckless to be one."

She looked at the young radaku, currently lying with stomach exposed as it slept peacefully away. It was young yes... but it still had that powerful jaw and nasty claws.
"I'd rather not waste energy wrestling something that could break a bone." She said wryly. "And wrestling a radaku is no way to get food! You'll end up losing, lil thing you are! Best if you attacked from a distance and used weapons lass."  

[Lavender Hues]

Ujana's lips puckered inwards and flexed, almost as if she were upset with Vollerei's denial of being an elder. How could she not be an elder? Elders were supposed to be the biggest and the most intimidating! Were there too many skinny people already pulling the strings that those who deserved the power couldn't break through? The youngling shifted her position as Volle joined her on the branch and gave a sigh. The world was so weird, wasn't it? The little weak people on top and the big strong people on the bottom. Maybe it would change once she got older.

"I would have a weapon, but my mother won't even let me hold a stick!" She exclaimed, shaking her head. "It could attract danger, Ujana, she says. It could hurt you, she says. UGH! My father really did a number on her!"

She folded her arms and huffed.

"I thought we moved away from Yera so we could stop worrying." She said, glancing towards the Radaku. "Instead the worrying got a whole lot worse and louder, too! I want to be big and strong, but everyone says I gotta stay put!"

Her eyes darted up to Vollerei and scanned her face. Lass? What was a lass? Was that another way of calling her a little girl? Once again, her lips puckered.

"And I'll have you know that I'm no lass!" She continued, her shoulders arching. "I'm the roughest youngling this side of the forest, and I'm only going to get rougher, m'am! No one can stop me!"  

[robot kitten]

Lavender Hues

Vollerei chuckled at the youngster's words. If only Neska had a bit of that fire, I practically have to drag her off to practice anything dealing with weapons. "You're a mite small to be using weapons just yet... if you use them to soon you can stunt your growth you know right? Too much too soon is bad for the body."

Her father had done a number on the mother? What was that supposed to mean? Had he.. hurt her? Or just died and made the mother paranoid?
She didn't want to step on that landmine so she ignored it. Kids home situation was not her business!

"Well if you're new here I can imagine that your mother would be worried... not like she could know where to find you if you got lost or eaten by wild beasties... I know I'm worried about my little girl and she's bigger than you!"
As the child fluffed up in indignation Vollerei laughed, waking the Radaku below who gave a startled yip before darting away into the undergrowth.

"But you're a wee lil thing! And you may think your rough but you really should wait to develop a bit of weight and height before you try taking on animals. As is your're jsut a snack for them." She chuckled. "I'm Vollerei, what're you called lil spitfire?"

Girl had confidence! Vollerei always liked confidence.... but too much too soon could mean a child would get hurt or killed. She ought to know!  

[Lavender Hues]

robot kitten

Stunt her growth? Ujana couldn't help but make a face at that statement. Working out made muscles, right? Sooo, how could working out make muscles not want to grow? She appeared dumbfounded for a moment, the thought just a little too far from her level of understanding, and proceeded to nod. Yeah, okay, whatever big lady. If she was this big already, she must know her stuff, no point in arguing that.

"Ehhh, she's probably fine or bugging my uncle." She mused, grabbing onto her feet and pursing her lips. "I don't even think she noticed me gone, though, she usually starts yelling or flailing her arms about, you know? I can hear her do that for miles, so..." She paused, listening to the surrounding area, before nodding again. "Yeaaaah, she's fine."

She shifted her place along the branch and watched the Radaku scamper away, her lips pushing forward in thought. That weird animal sure was fast... Maybe she was a bit too small to try and catch it. She huffed at the realization and turned her gaze back to Volle.

"Ujana, and what's a spitfire?" She asked, her brows furrowing. "You can light spit on fire? How do you do that?"  

[robot kitten]

Lavender Hues

*repokes* there... should be in your notices now!

Vollerei laughed at the girl's reactions. She wore her thoughts on her face that was for sure! "Loud voice ehh? I got lucky there; mine were too deep or soft voiced to be shrill enough to hear from far away!"
She kept an eye on Ujana just in case the girl tried to go chasing off after the radaku. Bad idea that plus the lass would just get lost chasing something that fast! When she didn't move Vollerei relaxed; so she had sense not to do that at least!
"Spit fire is kinda like..." She thought for a moment; "A really feisty person who's got so much energy and confidence and attitude it seems they can breath fire?"She thought for a bit longer then nodded to herself.. yeah. that kinda seemed right.

"it's a compliment Ujana. As for lighting spit on fire.. never seen that. Though there are some people who know a trick on how to breath fire.. I think they drink alcohol and spit it over a torch to make it explode or something.... Looks cool but I wouldn't risk it!"