Welcome to Gaia! ::

She hadn't been expecting to need to stop in a village but the unexpected appetite of her new familiar was enough to give her a migraine. V'demhe sighed as she walked through the streets with her Janarim in tow. He was on a lead line, mostly because she wasn't sure how well he behaved near others, but he had his nose going toward every person they passed. Dem's antennae gave an irritated twitch as her free hand came up to rub the spot between her brows.

Once they reached the fruit vendors she paused to look over what was available. If there was one food that V'demhe loved more than others it was fruit. All kinds of it too. But her initial look was interupted when Ascale, her beast companion, put his nose firmly into her back and took a deep, slow breath then huffed. Narrowing her eyes she turned her head to look at him. "Stop acting like a child, Ascale." His action was equivalent to an "are we done yet?" The two had a small stare off there as the Janarim seemed to be bored by their stop.

Ma'am!? V'demhe blinked, ending the staring contest with her familiar, and turned her attention to the boy who had spoken to her. Now she was staring at him. Did she look that old? A small frown found its way onto her face before she managed to turn it upside down. "Ah, sure. His name is Ascale and as far as I know.. he doesn't bite." Hard. Dem would have given a cringe to her thought but she was almost sure that the Janarim wouldn't hurt the young man. After all, he would be getting attention.

The brown and silver beast turned his head with a smug air about him at having won the staring contest against his person. Since it was thanks to the boy who had spoken up Ascale showed some mild interest in him. Almost at once his nostrils flared and he started to sniff at Klaas.

V'demhe made sure to keep a firm grip on the beast's lead line in case she needed to pull him away from the boy. During this brief interlude she took the time to look the boy over. At first she had noticed the half mask he wore, but now she noticed the metal on his ear. Another thing she paid attention to was his age. He wasn't a child but he was young. Lifting her gaze she searched behind him and even around him for any sign of a parent. When she had been his age she had ventured very far from home but having become a mother recently seemed to change her views of things. Feeling worried about the boy she spoke up. "Do you live nearby?"

She was sure that wasn't exactly the best thing to ask, since it could be seen as imposing, but Dem wasn't sure how else to express concern. Other than full on mother mode and she knew this boy would likely find that side of her weird.

She watched as he smiled and answered her. V'demhe could see, even with the mask on one side, that the emotion didn't reach his eyes. It worried her a little. Especially when he told her that he lived here alone and his parents were in the next town over. He introduced himself then and even mentioned that she was the first of her kind that he had met or seen up close. It caused her to chuckle but she took his hand in hers and gave it a bit of a shake. "I'm glad that I will be the face for my sisters in your mind then. I'm V'demhe." Nothing about what he'd said had been offending to her. She rather liked that he said what he was thinking instead of trying to toe around the subject.

Ascale had enjoyed the attention so when the boy gave it to his person he huffed a little and shifted his weight. Eventually, and as sneakily as he could get away with, he would lean his body against Klaas. It was the Janarim's way of gaining his attention again.

Ascale snorted at Klaas before rubbing his shoulder against the boy gently. He wanted to be pet again and he would get his way!

Dem eyed her familiar oddly the shook her head. "Sorry about him... he's, young." It was the only excuse she could give for him. When she looked back at the boy she smiled as he said her name. "If it's easier you can call me Dem." It wasn't like her nickname was a sacred thing.

"Ah, well I was passing through on my way back to Matori. My mate and daughters are there. I'm not sure how much longer their father can deal with them before they drive him crazy." V'demhe chuckled at the idea. When her daughters were bloomed both she and Virain knew they were in for some trouble. "And you? Why are you here without your family?" The woman was curious.

Hearing that he was bad with names and faces made her smile softly. It didn't seem like the idea of him asking her name more than once would bother her. Another thing she had gained with years. Patience.

Her smile faded to a look of concern and her antennae seemed to drop a degree or two. "Accident? What happened?" V'demhe was worried about the boy. She even lifted her hand to reach toward the mask that covered part of his face. The woman wasn't going to take it off, she merely touched it with her fingers gently before pulling away an inch or two and hovering.

When her hand was grabbed she didn't try to pull away or get upset. Dem could understand. So when she was released she watched him a bit more then lowered her hand to her side. V'demhe had also heard the change in his voice when he told her not to touch. "I'm sorry that something like that happened to you at a young age." Children shouldn't have to face that. If one of her girls had had something like that happen.. she likely would have reacted the same way this boy's family did. "But it seems to have made you stronger." Not physically but.. there was something in the way he seemed to hold himself despite the cover.

So instead she smiled at him. "Are you sure it is pity they have for you? Or could it be that they are trying to protect their treasure?" Any mother would become more protective after that.

She shook her head but chuckled along with him. "I see. Gave your mother trouble did you?" The idea was entertaining to say the least. When silence followed she thought about being a bit more motherly toward him but held it back. It wouldn't do to offend the boy. After all, she was his first impression of her species.

Ascale huffed when he saw he wasn't going to get much more attention and leaned into his owner instead. She didn't seem to budge under his weight though.

"My mate is Matorian, yes." Dem grinned at Klaas. "He's rather adorable too." A small laugh left her as she thought about Virain. He likely wouldn't like being called adorable in front of other people.