[FIN Oba] Giving Chase ~ Incan & Dem ~

[Orpheus Solon]

Incanthis had been planning to just open the front door a bit, to let in some sunlight while he studied the magical tomes that he was wroking so hard to learn from. It was going to be a peaceful afternoon filled with reading, maybe a little magical practice, but nothing more then that. Of course that plan had been completely forgotten when Junior, a dark green snaptrotter whelp, spotted a small rodent outside of the door. The whelp's eyes seemed to light up before racing after it, teeth snapping together in hungry manner.

It was something that startled the Shifter, who stood there stock still for a moment, his mind racing. He'd... he'd let Junior out! Abie was going to be so upset with him if he didn't find the little one and bring him back! He hadn't even known that he was being followed again, but he should have just assumed as much since the whelp so often abandoned the others in his nest to follow along after Incanthis. He looked toward where he was sure Abie to be, in the direction Junior had gone, then back and forth a couple times. Should he go fetch Abie? A part of him, the part the most afraid of Obans, said yes... but the rest of him said that if he didn't go now that he could lose the baby forever.

Not wanting something so awful to happen under his watch Incanthis abandon his stack of books so that he could race after the baby. Here was to hoping he could catch up and scoop up the baby before anyone did... and before he ate that rodent. Incanthis wasn't sure if it was good for him and he definitely didn't want Junior getting sick!  

[Heras Box]

The trip back across the waters had been a long one. V'demhe yawned as she felt the fatigue of travel catching up to her. Maybe she was just feeling old. After all she had just had two daughters and traveled from her home in Chibale to the other side of the world pretty much. As she stretched her arms out she walked into town hoping that she would be able to find what she needed quickly.

Dem had been away from her babies long enough and she didn't want her family to worry.

Passing several buildings she had to think of what exactly she was looking for. In Oba they had signs and such. It wasn't quite so in Chibale. Everyone knew who to go to there. Or at least, she and her mother did. When she paused to think about it she noticed that she was getting several looks. Some of fear others of anger. It had her confused for a moment before she remembered that she was an Alkidike in Oba and could easily be mistaken as an extremist that had returned from Yael.

"Oops." V'demhe gave a cringe at her mistake and started walking again. This time she would be stopped only by some creature running past her and then another bumping into her leg. "Huh?" She blinked and looked down to see what it was. A snaptrotter! And a cute one at that. Dem chuckled and bent down to collect the little thing. "Well hello there. What are you doing here?" She asked the beast curiously. Not that she expected a reply from it of course.  

[Orpheus Solon]

Incanthis came around the corner, eyes scanning for Junior, heart thudding in his chest. Where... where was the little one? Had he gotten lost? Stolen? Was someone planning to take him away somewhere to eat him? All manner of worrisome ideas started to flood his thoughts but where he actually found the little whelp was somehow ten times for terrifying for a split second. An Alkidike? Old fears, those from when he was just a youngling, sprung forward in his mind. He could recall being told about the warrior women, that they were dangerous, the sorts that hated Shifters and wanted to fight and kill them. It was something his brothers and himself were supposed to train to be ready for, an attack by them... but surely that wasn't a fear he should think too hard on any longer, right?

There had been the battle against the most dangerous of the Alkidike and they had been, if he recalled right, banished from Tendaji's mainland. If that were the case then this one wasn't a dangerous one, right? Well... likely dangerous from the looks of her but not the sort that would come after him just for being a Shifter. At least he really hoped not. Were it anything else that she picked up he might have let her keep it, but not Junior. The whelp wasn't really his to give away even if he wanted to. Which he didn't. He was rather attached to the odd little beast.

Clutching a long strand of beads, those he used as a conduit for his magic, he started forward. Maybe... maybe he could talk to her? Get her to relinquish the snaptrotter? He sure hoped so or else he wasn't sure what he was going to do. Once he got closer Incanthis swallowed hard then tried to speak, "Um... e-excuse me... that... snapptrotter... I-I'm supposed to be b-babysitting him..." He said, struggling a bit to get the words out when he felt so dwarfed by the woman.  

[Heras Box]

Orpheus Solon

Dem was busy holding the wriggling little thing that she failed to notice that someone had approached her. When the person spoke she blinked and looked around before finally looking down to her side. "Oh, hello." Her ears gave a small twitch as she listened to his words. The snaptrotter that she had in her hands belonged to him. Or, at least someone he knew.

"Ahah. So that's where this adorable thing came from." V'demhe smiled before she nuzzled her nose against the animal. She was affectionate toward it only because she knew her daughter had one of the things. Once she was done she shifted so that she could hand the boy the beast. "Here ya go."

Holding the young snaptrotter out she waited for the shifter to take hold. Though the thing seemed to be wiggling an awful lot. "I think he might be hungry. It looked like he was chasing something before he ran into me." Dem's shoulders came up slightly.  

[Orpheus Solon]

Heras Box

She was just going to give the snaptrotter back to him? It was something that he was surprised about, though he was quick to reach out and take Junior back. He hugged the creature to his chest, scratch it under the chin, before he looked up at the giant of a woman again, "Ahh... y-yes... ward. Um, that is what it was called. It's not often that they are alone... and Junior... he chased after it." Probably hungry, wanting to eat the little rodent up. At least she was able to catch him before he ate something that might not be good for him he thought to himself.

"Junior... you really shouldn't try to eat just anything that is running around. You could get sick." He thought the creature, shifting the squirming, chirping baby in his arms before he turned his attention to the Alkidike one more. It took him a moment to find his voice when it came to her and he said, "T-Thank you... for stopping him, I mean... I don't know if w-ward are bad for baby snaptrotters or not." It was something that he would need to ask Abie about when he next saw his friend... which would be after he was able to get back home once his impromptu walk had ended.  

[Heras Box]

Orpheus Solon

Chuckling she watched as the boy held the beast close. "No problem. I thought it was strange to see him here in Oba so I figured he was someone's pet." Dem grinned again.

The subject of what was good to eat for snaptrotters was something she didn't know anything about so she didn't comment. In truth she knew more about Radaku than anything and that was only because she had raised one.

"Oh, do you live around here?" She questioned. If she was lucky then she might be able to get some help from this boy. All V'demhe really needed was some directions. And hopefully she wouldn't get lost while trying to follow them. "I'm trying to find a courier." She turned her head to look around but since nothing stood out that said "Send letters here" Dem concluded that she was in an area that didn't have what she wanted.  

[Orpheus Solon]

Incanthis nodded, looking down at his squirming pet, "Yeah, his kind are from Matori which is a ways from here. Junior... and his clutch, they... might have hatched here? I'm not certan... they were given to my friend but I don't know exactly where they were born." He murmured, looking down at Junior in a curious manner. It might be possible that Junior, like Incan himself, was born elsewhere and ended up in Oba after a while. An interesting thought, though one he pushed aside when the Alkidike suddenly asked him if he lived around here. It was a question that made him go stock still, a shiver going through him. Why did she want to know where he lived? Was she possibly working for one of his past masters?

Worrisome thoughts answered a moment later when she said she was trying to find a courier. So she needed directions then? He blinked a couple times then looked up and down the road, seeming as though he were trying to orientate himself for a moment. Once he got a feel for where he was he gave a thoughtful sound, "There is a place nearby where you can hire one on. I haven't spoken to them before myself but... I could... show you to them." He wasn't sure what he thought about the idea but he felt he should offer since the woman had been kind enough to catch Junior for him. Were it not for her help the little whelp might still be chasing down and eating random ward from around the area.... not a thought he wanted to consider for too long since it made his stomach flip flop a little bit.  

[Heras Box]

Orpheus Solon

She nodded her head at him. It was very possible that he and his litter mates had been hatch in Oba. After all, if it had been someone's familiar who had laid the eggs then they could be sold or just given away. V'demhe heard of such tradings but had never been a part of them. Maybe she could look into those, though, since she did want to make sure there was a nice bit of familiars she could count on to look after her daughters.

"Oh. Well that's great, I won't have to go far." Dem was pleased to know that there was a courier closer than she originally thought. "I'm in a bit of a hurry. I need to send word back to Chibale and then get back to my family." A small laugh left her as she reached up and rubbed the back of her neck.

His offer to show her was met with a large smile and a nod. "Ah, would you? This is my first real time in any Oban city." And they were easy to get turned around in.  

[Orpheus Solon]

Heras Box

The Shifter shook his head, "No, not all that far really." It was a short walk, the sort that really shouldn't take all that long even with the snaptrotter in hand. The problem was that the moment he dropped her off he was going to be alone in the Oban city, further from the place that he was staying then he cared to think about. He'd need to run back once he saw her to her destination because at least that way it would be less likely that one of his ex-masters, Muata specifically, would catch him. How he wished at times that Junior was a bit bigger, more intimidating, and able to better chase off those who might pose a threat... but that sort of growth would take time and for now he had to look after Junior instead.

"Ah... well, we should go then... d-don't want to keep your family waiting." He said to her, wondering if her family was referring to more of her sisters? A question that he didn't want to ask, not wanting to seem as though he were getting too deep into her business. Still, if she came from Chibale then she must know about the places between there and Oba, right? As he started forward, leading the way toward where the couriers could be found, he asked in a sighly hesitant manner, "How... how is the state of Jauhar these days?"

It felt like an eternity since he'd been there though he wasn't sure when he would be going back again. He almost felt as though he missed his opportunity when he ran from his older brothers a while back. His fear over them coming to loathe him having been too much for Incan to bear at the time.  

[Heras Box]

Orpheus Solon

While she was pleased to learn that she wouldn't have to travel too far into the city to get to a courier, she noticed that the boy still seemed to be scared or something. Blinking she tried to think back to whether or not she had done something intimidating to make him feel that way; apart from being an Alkidike that is. "Oh deep roots! I'm sorry. My name is V'demhe." With her being so interested in the small snaptrotter she'd forgotten to introduce herself.

"Jauhar is doing alright." She spoke about the territory as though it were a person. "It does have a few bad spots but nothing horrible." At least from what she had seen. Dem had spent quite a bit of time there after all. Though the troubles she had had been centered around the sisters that had more extreme views. "There is less tension there since some of the Alkidikes have been sent away." Not that it made her proud to say that.

V'demhe wanted all of her sisters to continue to live near Aisha or at least be able to visit their mother tree. Sadly, she suspected that if an extremist tried they would be stopped. Or worse. With the subject making her frown some she turned her head to look away from the boy.  

[Orpheus Solon]

Heras Box

Incanthis turned to look toward the Alkidike woman as he introduced herself and to be honest he wasa little surprised. The idea that an Alkidike would be so polite with a Shifter, it wasn't expected but at the same time it was... nice. Definitely something he'd want to tell Abie about when he saw him next. Giving a smile he said, "It's nice to meet you, V'Demhe." Nice, as well as interesting and maybe a bit eye opening, "My name is Incanthis." Surely it should be alright to give his name, she didn't seem as though she were working for anyone that wanted to drag Incanthis back to them after all. She just seemed as though what she wanted was exactly what she said, to find the courier.

"I see... I... would like to return there one day, so I was curous." One day he'd go home, see if there was anything left of where he grew up, and if any of his brothers were still around. Even if they weren't he could at least visit the grave of his mother. Walking along he fellt quiet for a moment until she mentioned the Alkidike that had been 'sent away' and he nodded, "I heard rumors about that. I wasn't a part of what happened in Sauti, but word of it still spread quite a distance. I am sorry that you and yours had to go through such a thing, I know all too well how hard it can be when a family is torn apart."  

[Heras Box]

Orpheus Solon

Incanthis. It was a mouthful. V'demhe mouthed the word over and over trying to pronounce it just as he had. Giving him a smile she walked along with him, letting him and his pet take the lead. "It's actually a very beautiful place. I recommend Ast. I stayed there for a time and everyone was friendly." Plus, people in that area were more tolerant of others since it was a highly mixed community.

As the subject remained on the most recent battle that had taken place she looked toward the ground and felt her antennae droop. "It's alright. I fought against my own sisters to ensure that life in Tendaji could continue on as it has." And so that her relationship with Virain could go on. As well as the fact that she had mixed daughters. "That's actually why I need to find a courier. I just came from Yael. I spoke to one of the natives and it seems that my bitter sisters are attacking some of their villages." If she could she wanted to put a stop to it.  

[Orpheus Solon]

Heras Box

A very beautiful place, "One day soon, perhaps." Ast, huh? He supposed he could try there first, see if it was in fact as beautiful as V'demhe made it sound. The idea of going somewhere that everyone was friendly was a welcome thought. He didn't want to deal with looking over his shoulder constantly as he did these days. The idea of going to a friendly place, that sounded really nice to him, "I might tell my friend about it too, he's shown interested in traveling outside of Oba as well."

"That must have been hard." Even if she was fighting to ensure that life went on it was still something that had to be difficult. Again, something he knew the feeling of. While he hadn't directly fought with any of his brothers he'd been forced to heal those who were fighting against them. A thought that he shook off, not wanting to think to long on something from the past that couldn't be changed. He'd done what he'd done for a good cause after all. Even if it might have netted him some enemies among his own people, his own family, he thought to himself.

Blinking a couple times Incanthis asked, "You've been to Yael?" He sounded a bit surprised, having heard rumor that the place was naught but a 'toxic island' which made it sound too intimidating. It was made even more so as she mentioned that her 'bitter sisters' were attacking the villages on Yael, "Wow... are they now? How frightening for the natives there."  

[Heras Box]

Orpheus Solon

Her head gave a little bob as she nodded to his question. "Yes, I don't suggest making the trip." She'd encountered one of their beasts on her way out as well as another that had been set loose in Jauhar. Nasty little things. Each with their own bite. As if to emphasize on her words one of her hands rubbed at her thigh, remembering something.

"Mhm, the one girl I ran into seemed scared." Of me, she thought to herself. V'demhe didn't want to give this boy a reason to be afraid of her. After all, she was the nicer of the Alkidikes. "And a little upset." Which she had every right to be so Dem couldn't really blame her.  

[Orpheus Solon]

Heras Box

She didn't suggest making the trip? Incanthis really hadn't been thinking about it but hearing those words from someone that had actually visited there made him that much less inclined to ever go there. Best to avoid such a place if it was threatening enough that even an Alkidike warrior didn't suggest going there. Giving a smile he said, "I will be sure to avoid the place." No reason to go unless for some unknown reason Abie decided to go. That would likely be the only thing that would cause Incanthis to go, because he wanted to protect Abie from... well, everything.

"I see... that's a shame. It will be difficult to make friends with the natives if others are stirring up trouble." He mused, wondering if that meant that those living on Yael would see everyone as dangerous outsiders and not visit the mainland or want mainladers to visit Yael. Not good for building relationships, that much was certain.