[PRP Sauti] Uncertainty (Zumei/Kauff) FIN

[Smerdle]

The first thought that trundled through Kauff's head when he saw the inn on the horizon was that he was distressingly sober. It was only a few hours after high noon, but he had been known to start drinking before this, though that was usually only because he had never stopped the night before. In any case, today was a special occasion. It had been exactly one thousand and two hundred long days since he had returned to Sauti to find his family. One thousand, two hundred days and he still had no idea where they were.

The Guard touched his belt, smiling to himself when he felt the weight of his coin pouch. Its contents would be more than enough to get a bed, a good meal, and many celebratory mugs of ale. He quickened his pace, earning him a scratch at his boot once his poscuta had scrambled to catch up. Kauff paused long enough for Rawn to climb him like a tree and settle on his shoulder, then he was off again, not stopping until he had reached the front door of the inn's obligatory tavern.

OpticPeachx

 

[OpticPeach]

Zumei had stopped for the evening at the small in hoping that she could work to stay for the night. She had been traveling for weeks without stopping, and now it was finally catching up to her. She hadn't had a good bath in days, a nice rest in even longer, and she was low on food supplies. So while she hated having to go around serving drinks in the inn's small tavern, she was grateful to have a place to sleep that wasn't a rough log or dusty floor. She was still trying to find Korra, but that had given her no leads whatsoever. So for the moment she was stuck trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. While she had spent the day serving drinks and dealing with unruly customers, she had learned a bit about the job. The guys liked to stare. Yes, she wasn't wearing a lot, but it was Sauti after all. It was hot and she didn't want to die of heat. So if they wanted to stare and be creeps then so be it. She could safely say she did not want to do it for the rest of her life though. Hearing the door push open to the tavern once more, she sighed before turning to greet the newcomer.

"Welcome! What can I get for you today?"

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Kauff didn't stare. He did look, however, appreciatively but briefly, and before she had ventured too close. Then he vowed to keep his eyes on the serving girl's face for the rest of their conversation. Or try to, at least.

"Whatever's good. And strong, I guess." He grimaced as Rawn rose on his hind legs and tried to claw his way through his master's hair. Kauff sacrificed what he had hoped was a guise of nonchalance and patience until that moment, using both hands to pull the creature down and tuck him under an arm. "And where can I sit so I won't get kicked out because of this b*****d?" He doubted many places wanted poscutas near their food, but Rawn wouldn't be any trouble once he'd settled down. He would pay this girl for the privilege of her secrecy, but he couldn't exactly get that across at the moment.

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

"Ah yes! If you'll follow me, sir," Zumei smiled, motioning for the much taller man to follow her. The Poscuta causing him trouble was incredibly adorable to her, and she would hate for him to get kicked out for the cute little creature. She led him to darker booth in the corner where the little Poscuta could happily scuttle around without bothering any other attendants. It was amusing to see such a large and muscular guy have such a small fuzzy thing traveling around with him. It was quite amusing to say the least.

I'll be right back with your drink and something for your little friend too." Oh she just wanted to be done with this day so she could relax and lay in bed while she had it. She wasn't sure how long the innkeeper would let her work for the room.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

With Rawn under temporary control, Kauff trailed after the girl in silence, looking the place and its clientele over as he passed. It seemed about average, even decent compared to some inns he'd worked in over the years. Of course, the criteria might have been different for women, but it was admittedly something he had never thought about.

The table she led him to was better than he could have hoped for, dark and in a good position to observe. Normally silent contemplation wasn't Kauff's thing, but he was feeling a little defeated today. The poscuta liked it too. Rawn got to sniffing around as soon as he was placed on the bench and left to his own devices.

"Thanks," he said as the girl departed, adding a quieter, "You hear that, rat? Something for you too," as he settled in.

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

Wandering off, it didn't take long before she was back with a drink for the man and a snack for his little poscuta friend. Her work was slower today than it had been the rest of the time she'd worked there, so she was happy to have a small reprieve from bustling around having to worry about all the customers. For once she could chat if she wanted to, or feed the little poscuta and pet it if his owner let her.

"How would you feel about me petting your little friend? Is it allowed?" she questioned, hesitantly stepping a little closer and placing a small tray of food on the seat where said friend was.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

He had already tipped a mouthful of the drink she had brought down his throat by the time the girl asked to pet Rawn. It was good, just as he had requested. Kauff nodded as he set the mug down with a satisfied sigh.

"Yeah. Go on." He grinned. "As long as it won't get you in trouble." The poscuta had moved from sniffing the bench to sniffing the tray, letting out the occasional curious chirp as he explored. Kauff gently circled the creature's middle with his fingers and slid him closer to the other Wind, ignoring the inevitable squirming. "He's wiggly, but he won't bite. His name is Rawn."

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

"Hello there little Rawn. I'm Zumei," she muttered, petting the poscuta gently. She had always wanted a familiar of her own, but since she could barely afford to feed herself at the moment she had decided against it. One day she would get her own familiar when she could afford to take care of it as well as herself.

"How did you get him? Did you find him somewhere?" she asked curiously, setting Rawn down so he could go back to eating.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

True to Kauff's word, Rawn didn't bite. He sniffed at Zumei as she pet him, almost instantly losing interest once she had stopped. The animal's one track mind focused back on his snack, and Kauff poked him in the side.

"Rude," he scolded, snorting as Rawn quickly ignored him too.

"I did, actually. I was minding my own business and he shot out of the scrub with a stupid trap on his tail." The tail in question was shorter and blunter than your average poscuta's, but not detrimentally so. "I didn't want to leave him there..." In truth, he'd tried to do just that, but Rawn hadn't agreed with being left behind. "And now I'm kind of attached." At least that much was true. "They're pretty convenient as far as familiars go. He eats almost anything with this same level of blind enthusiasm." He pulled his drink closer, sipped, then seemed to recall his manners.

"I'm Kauff, by the way. It's nice to meet you, Zumei, was it? Have you worked here for a long time?" She didn't look like she had ever done anything for a long time. He nudged the thought aside. He was not declaring himself an elder at twenty-two.

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

"Well aren't you just a big sweetheart," she chuckled, watching Rawn go after the snack she had gotten for him. She'd wanted a familiar for a while, and hearing about how Kauff had gotten Rawn made her want to look in every trap she could possibly find. Maybe then she could find someone to travel with her. It got a bit lonely on the road being all by herself. If she had a familiar at least there would be another living creature with her instead of just the ground and the scenery around her. Barely hearing his question she glanced up and shook her head.

"Mmmmm....not really. I just sort of showed up here one day and got a job. It's only temporary. Just trying to get some money so I can keep traveling!" she explained, grinning at the older wind. She was ready to be on the road again, but she had to earn more money if she wanted to eat. It was why she was stuck there for the moment.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

"Ah." He smiled and nodded. "Nothing better than traveling. Except maybe fighting, if that's your thing." Prior to the war, he hadn't imagined just carrying around a hammer would get him work, but that was a plus of taking up a weapon too. Kauff supposed he didn't wish war on anyone, but it certainly helped straighten out priorities.

"Where do you think you want to go next? When you've got more money, I mean." Realizing that might have been rather nosy, he added, "If you don't mind saying."

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

"I'm not really too sure if I'm being honest. I'd like to go beyond Sauti, maybe to Zena, but I'm not positive on that yet. As long as I'm traveling it's not too bad," Zumei stated, chewing on her bottom lip as she thought. Eventually she'd like to be able to find her cousin, but there'd been no luck on that front so for now she was determined to keep traveling. Traveling was a bit difficult without supplies, which is why she had been stuck here so long in the first place. She didn't want to go crawling back to her father to ask for more supplies, so for now she was doing odd jobs like this one.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

"Oh, Zena's great," Kauff said. "Just watch out when it starts to get cold. It's a million times chillier up there, and it was more than I expected." He wished he had some traveling stuff to give her, but he usually sold his old things to get the new ones he needed. He did have money though, and where he was going he didn't expect to need much of it for a while.

"I could give you some coin, as long as your bosses don't mind." Even if they did, that was the beauty of a nomadic lifestyle. She could just move on. "You don't have to take it, but you remind me of me. Smaller and... a girl, but otherwise, yeah."

OpticPeach

so coherent

 

[OpticPeach]

"Oh I couldn't take your coin. You probably need it just as much as I do! Besides, how else are you going to buy Rawn nice treats?" she smiled. Glancing over her clothing, she nodded at his comment about the cold. Her clothing was definitely not suited for cold weather, and if she did plan on going farther into Zena she would need to buy a change of clothes or something.

"Maybe I can buy a cloak before I head out that way. That would probably help, don't ya think?"

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Kauff snorted directly into his drink, managing to lift his head far enough away as he did so that only a tiny spatter got on his hand.

"Fair enough, I guess, though he thinks bugs are treats half the time. Maybe I can get someone to make him a little outfit... dress him up like a sailscale or something." He nodded, moving on quickly so as not to dwell on the stupidity of what he had just said. "Cloaks are good. And stick to cities. Be friendly. And that's the last advice I'll give because I'm starting to sound like my father." Actually, he sounded like his mother, but either parent would do in this context.

OpticPeach