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 Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2024 7:19 am
While Lutana was settling into life in Belrea, the hybrid had decided to go to the area outside of the city to explore the small patch of forest there for any herbs and flowers that grew in the region. It was her first time actually exploring the wilderness and while others might have been a bit more wary of going through the southern area outside of the city, Lutana rather looked forward to the outing. She was dressed as usual with a simple blouse and a colorful skirt, a dark sun hat with a violet ribbon across the top protecting her from the heat of the sunlight, and a basket was tucked on her arm as she started going through the trees to look at whatever she could gather. Were those mushrooms poisonous or safe? Either way she could tuck them in a separate pouch until she returned to ask others working at the teashop that might know better or better yet look through local books and see what she could find for herself. But at the moment she had no hesitation as she plucked various mushrooms and herbs to put into the basket, at least having the sense to keep them separated in those pouches in case something wasn’t edible and accidentally oozed into the basket. Though while she was careful in certain aspects, there was no fear of any potential predator in the forest as she continued along her way while whistling a soft tune.
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Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2024 9:56 am
Recent talks with her mother had kept Aerexa up late into the night and caused the normally zealous fighter to retreat from the training grounds. The last place she wanted to be was anywhere near that woman and the one thing she had in common with her mother was her love of a good fight. So, she'd decided to take a hike - or maybe it was an impromptu trip? Depended on how long she was planning to be gone - into the wilds of Belrea. The Vandrea had still managed to bring a suitable amount of weaponry - as well as a bevy of snacks - but it wasn't as if she was looking to get anything from this trip.
Space, mainly, and if she was lucky a clearer head.
Seeing another wasn't entirely uncommon, but the figure she saw through the trees looked off. Darker than a Lightning, but not in the same way as a Geian...A hybrid? Or a foreigner? Aerexa paused in her walk, backed up a few steps and outright stared, squinting her golden eyes to try to get a better look.
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Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2024 12:28 pm
Lutana was just happily gathering some wild lemon balm that she had just found, the hybrid recognizing those from the last batch of tea that she had helped pack with the shop owner, when she realized that she wasn't quite alone anymore. Though thankfully she had seen plenty of averin since arriving in the city, Lutana just smiling and tucking her basket close to her chest while the colorful creatures flew past in the trees. Strange that they were just roosting in the trees just a moment before suddenly flying off like something had startled them.
It was then that she looked back through the trees, her silver gaze narrowing as she spotted a pair of golden eyes staring back her way. Oh? She had seen Elidae now thanks to her brother's partner, but she had never seen someone that tall or green before. Another type of Aishan? There was another tree nearby, right? Lutana pursed her lips thoughtfully before nodding and raising a hand in greeting. "Good timing! You look fairly tall, care to help out?" There was a few plants that she couldn't reach easily in the trees without climbing and honestly the strange hybrid had no qualms about reaching out to another for help. If she wanted to attack then...well it would be a lot harder to run without sacrificing all of the herbs she had already gathered. And she really didn't want to drop all of the herbs, not if she could help it.
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Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2024 1:07 pm
Aerexa never quite got over the way earthlings could refer to her as tall. For an Aishan she was short - stout, with a fair amount of muscle, but impractically small - and yet, when compared to one of their kind...Well, she supposed she was fairly tall.
She raised a hand in turn and started to casually walk closer. The Aishan was smart enough not to trust every 'friendly' face she saw and just curious enough not to heed any of those internalized warnings. "Depends on what you need help with. I'm not much good at finding herbs."
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Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2024 1:59 pm
Lutana smiled at the approach, the hybrid seemingly relaxed even as a complete stranger walked towards her. "Well, having someone to just reach for something that I can't would be helpful enough. I can point out anything I see like those berries growing up in that rather intimidating tree over there." Lutana gestured towards a tree as she spoke, the hard allspice berries hanging a good few inches above her own head and making things tricky unless she climbed. They looked inedible compared to other berries, but she knew that they could be useful in flavoring teas or other recipes if you used them correctly. Though she blinked after a moment as she looked back towards the Aishan, thinking about her request, and quickly added. "That is if you have time to spare. If anything I can repay you with a cup of tea if you need to be in the city later?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2024 4:36 pm
Berries? As Aerexa approached, she craned her head up to look into the branches above until she caught sight of them. It was easy enough for the Vandrea to reach up and start to pluck them. A few remained on smaller twigs that she could just snap off, which made it easier to keep them all together, but then that left all the individuals she needed to gather. They didn't look all that tasty, especially compared to the fuli berries just a few branches over, but maybe the earthling new more than she did?
"Oh, so that's what's up - they're for tea. That makes more sense." Aerexa gave a little laugh and handed over her load. "I was sort of curious as to why you wanted these, but I don't know - just sort of figured maybe you were having gut issues and needed to...yeah, never mind."
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 11:17 am
Lutana laughed at the explanation, the soft noise almost musical as she shook her head with amusement. "I suppose I could have explained that to you." She managed after a moment, tucking in the berries into their own pouch. "I definitely would not want to just try eating these as they are. I don't know about Aishan teeth but that would hurt any earthling." Regardless of if she had Aishan blood or not, Lutana took more after her earthling genes minus the faint darkness around her skin where the fade had blended in with shifter tones. She was fairly tall for an earthling, but still shorter than most Aishans hence her need for assistance with these taller trees.
"There's another grove of trees that did catch my attention past this trail though. I think there were some sweet berries there if you'd like. I could always use them in teas too." A sweet berry tea with some lemon to add a bit of zest to it did sound nice, especially on a warm summer day. Not everything had to be medical, that much Lutana was learning with how many casual tea drinkers there were in Belrea with its sprawling cities and cafes.
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 11:34 am
"Yeah, alright then." Might as well. It wasn't as if Aerexa was in any hurry to return to Chiume and a snack did sound tempting. Not as interesting as this weird amalgamation (goddess, she hoped she used that word right) of an earthling. She'd never seen any with eyes like that or crystals like hers. Were they painted? Or was it some kind of spell?
"So did you come here for berries? Just guessin' but you don't look local." Best just to go ahead and get it out of the way, otherwise she'd be spending all of their time together staring.
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 11:53 am
"Oh great!" Lutana beamed at the Aishan, showing her appreciation with the bright smile that crossed her lips. As usual she had that carefree attitude as she started moving, her steps only slowing once her companion mentioned her appearance. "I came to this area today to look for whatever looked interesting, mostly tea ingredients. As for Belrea? I suppose I'm not exactly from here." She twisted around, her skirts rustling as she swished the colorful fabric this and that way. It was more coverage than some of her attire she wore in Jahaur since Belrea got a bit cooler than the jungles ever did, but the colorful skirts did stand out even as she wore a darker corset to match the Belrean tops. "The outfit gave it away, perhaps?"
A tease, obviously. Lutana smiled as she simply shrugged. "I lived in Jahaur before coming overseas, I'm here to study Belrean teas and herbs." She glanced over the Aishan with curiosity, not even bothering to try and hide the fact that she was looking over her appearance. "I have some Aishan blood mixed into my heritage, but that's from the Alkidike at Chibale whereas I've never seen an Aishan quite like you before. Though such things don't truly bother me, hopefully not you as well. I think names are more important, no? I'm Lutana." She gave a small nod of greeting, realizing that she hadn't revealed the information yet and figured it was a good enough time to share it. Would have been a bit awkward to receive help and give away her background without a name, right? The very thought made her lips curve upwards with amusement, Lutana giving the Aishan a moment before simply continuing on through the trees.
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 1:24 pm
"It wasn't the outfit." Aerexa stated with a blunt point of her index finger. She motioned first in Lutana's general direction before waving a hand over her general person. "Even if you wore the same type of clothing they did I doubt you'd blend." Her tone didn't reflect any judgment; if anything it was more of a curious statement than anything else. Still, having Lutana confirm she was a foreigner put some things into perspective. And yet, also opened up more questions. Why was a foreigner out in the wilds, instead of visiting the city? Or at the very least a farm?
"Jauhar...That's shifters, right?" Shifters were from Jauhar and they had darker skin...half of the time...but the hair...Oh, but she'd said she was part Aishan. Goddess, it couldn't be much, if Aerexa hadn't been able to notice until now. She'd just thought the darker circles around the woman's eyes was some of that powder Lioe's sister used. "Ah, well, I'm from Chiume. I'm a Vandrea and my name is Aerexa."
The longer they walked, the more certain aspects about Lutana started to click in Aerexa's mind. "Are you a magic user? I don't see a weapon and it's dangerous to be this far out on your own without one. You can take one of mine if you want." She motioned to her back which, admittedly, carried at least two swords and an axe, as well as the daggers strapped to her thighs, calves and hips.
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 1:35 pm
"Is that so?" Lutana let out a soft sigh, not truly disappointed as she was mostly playing around now. It seemed the Aishan was taking her words seriously which only made it more enjoyable to tease a bit more. "I suppose I do look a bit different from most in Belrea." She finally acknowledged before nodding at the question about shifters. "I have some shifter, some Zenan and Alkidike blood in my veins. If you need specifics, I'm not much of one for narrowing down to percentages but there's more shifter in my blood than the others." Her hands did clap together at the introduction, Lutana smiling at the revelation. "So you are a Vandrea! Since I'm new to the area you're the first I've ever encountered. It's nice to meet you and I appreciate your help today, Aerexa." She hadn't been certain exactly how often Vandrea came into Belrea, especially considering they had their own island whereas back in Jahaur the races mingled a lot more, but it did seem to be a rare thing to see any Aishan warrior in the cities.
And a kind one at that. Lutana still remembered the warnings about how some Alkidike could be prickly though she had already encountered a sweet Elaria back in Jahaur while working at the other teashop. Maybe others were just a bit too wary, that was all. So far her experiences had been nothing but pleasant with Aishans, at least that was her luck it seemed. "I appreciate your concern, but I might be more at risk swinging around a weapon." Lutana finally answered with a soft laugh. "I'm more of a healer, so I've never really thought about fighting before. Is it truly that dangerous out here?" She shifted her arm, the basket bouncing as they crossed over and got closer to the grove of trees that she had noticed earlier. "I suppose throwing a basket wouldn't be that effective, would it?" Not that Lutana was too worried, if something happened then so be it. Either she could run if she truly was in danger or just accept however fate worked things out today.
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 1:57 pm
The clap caught her off guard, but where others may have shied away with embarrassment at being called out, Aerexa just stood straighter. She gained a lopsided grin and nodded. "Well, you're in luck. I also happen to be one of the strongest so, y'know, congratulations." Even if she was one of the shortest, Aerexa knew she could take down any of her sisters with one hand behind her back and blind folded. So, why not bask in her own glory?
"Well, bandits aside, you've got all kinds of nasty critters that'd make a meal outta you if you gave them the chance." Wouldn't be the first time she'd come across someone who had wandered too far, poked around too much, and it wouldn't be the last. "There's Folmara, Lyari if you make them mad enough, Gargetiums if you go in the water...." As she listed off the dangers, Aerexa ticked them off on her fingers, "And the Dage. Definitely need to be on the watch for those."
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 2:10 pm
"Oh? Then I truly am in luck especially with so many dangers out here. How can I worry with such a strong warrior with me?" Lutana nodded, her smile only growing at the Vandrea's reaction to her statement. How could she not beam at such confidence, especially when it wasn't from someone sneering at her? Not that she cared about that much either, Lutana rarely let others bother her, but it was always nice to get such a positive response. Her words in that regard were genuine, Lutana not mocking Aerexa but instead encouraging her bold declaration.
"I see. That's quite a list. I knew about a couple of them, but I haven't encountered any yet in person." Though it sounded like that was for the best, especially if they were so dangerous. "And bandits? I suppose that's something no matter which country you visit. As fancy as the Belrean cities appear there's no way to stop bandits from taking what they want outside of their walls." Lutana acknowledged, still thinking more about the wilderness of other countries and how strangely enough despite all of their differences there was always some form of danger lurking about. Though as they approached the trees, Lutana did have to pause and tilt her head as she heard something.
"Speaking of creatures, what is that one?" She gestured towards one of the trees that they were approaching with berries hanging in the branches, another furry creature also nestled up in the upper limbs that looked rather stuck. "Its so tiny...and I think might need our help." If anything one might consider it adorable, especially since it was a young dage and not fully grown yet. Not that Lutana recognized the creature or understood the dangers of a crying cub that had climbed up a tree for berries only to get stuck in the upper limbs.
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 4:46 pm
Aerexa's grin broadened and she let out a boastful chuckle. "Azehra is smiling on you for sure." It wasn't often - if ever - a stranger would drop compliments like that and Aerexa was fool enough to soak them up. Sure, Lioe would occasionally make a comment about her strength or speed, but this was different. A special little treat to celebrate her awesomeness-
-and she was getting woefully distracted.
"Huh, let's take a look." She'd expected to see an averin nestled high in the branches or some kind of pesky telma, but this...this she hadn't wanted to see. And the reaction was plain enough on her face. "So that-" She motioned with a nod of her head, "-is a little dage. And where there's a little dage there's a mama." The Vandrea turned her head, trying her best to keep an eye on the surrounding area but when nothing stuck out she looked back at the little beasty.
"If it keeps crying like that we're all gonna be in trouble."
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Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2024 7:11 pm
"Oh." Lutana blinked, her expression torn between concern for the little creature and some worry for their own safety. Though she mostly worried about the cub which seemed awkwardly wedged into the upper branches where it had been climbing for berries. "Well, I suppose we'll have to stop the crying before it's mother arrives and gets the wrong idea." She offered, looking towards Aerexa with a small smile before taking a couple of steps closer to the tree.
"I think it's actually stuck. Do you think we can help it out?" It did look like a paw had somehow gotten wedged between two limbs of the tree. No wonder the little creature was crying like that. "Surely one of the strongest Vandrea can buy time if we need? I might be able to climb up there to pry its paw loose so it can run home." She had full confidence in her expression as she glanced back towards Aerexa, her gaze bright with expectations and hope. And hopefully they could free the cub before the mother came around, only because Lutana was worried about creating a scene when she just wanted to help the little one.
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