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Post by Lion on Jan 21, 2018 5:39:57 GMT
It was nearly midday, and the ships were pulling into port with cargo holds filled to the brim and decks crowded with sailors worn from days at sea, each of them eager to get a pint of ale in her paws before day’s end. It was an exciting time, and though more people crowded the streets, trying to sell wares to the docking sailors, it was not a particularly good time to be selling for fishers. Riune had sold some of her wares earlier in the day, but once the time came for the ships to come to docks, everyone wanted to man their store and didn’t have time to make purchases. So the otter sat for a time on the docks, watching the ships come in, chewing on a bit of stale bread leftover from a meal two nights before. The sight of those sails, billowing in the wind, always seemed to bring excitement to other creatures. Riune just wondered how safe it would be, stepping out on a deck and throwing oneself into the mercy of Sharysaan, Goddess of the Sea. In Riune’s experience, Sharysaan was not the most forgiving of deities. Soon, Riune grew bored of the sight of ships and of creatures crowding around them. She slung her sack over her shoulder, feeling the meager weight of every possession she owned in this world, and began walking through the streets of the city, watching other creatures pass by. All manner of animals lived in Chendri, and Riune knew quite a few of the residents there. She could always tell a stranger from a local, so when her eyes fell upon a rather odd-looking, large-eyed creature, she knew at once that she had never seen this creature before. For a moment, Riune paused, watching as the creature moved through the street, holding bundles in its arms. Curious, the otter began to follow. What was this creature doing, she wondered. What was it going. Before she knew it, she’d followed the creature far from the docks and deeper into the city, led on by her curiosity to see where this stranger was going. Janielove OOC: And so it begins! haha. |
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Post by Janielove on Jan 21, 2018 6:06:18 GMT
Carien  Carien slipped through crowds quickly and easily. She was lucky, for her birth god had given her a gift any introverted creature would love. She could easily blend into the darkness. So she slipped through the crowd in the shadows. Her tiny stature didn't hurt. And most creatures were distracted by the ships coming in. After all, the ocean surely made for an interesting life. If she'd been more extroverted, she would have hopped into the hustle and bustle to try to hear stories. But she was a bit afraid of being squashed, to be honest.
After a little while of this quiet, somewhat evasive travel, she noticed she was being followed. She wondered if it had to do with the bundles of herbs she carried in her arms, her pockets, and in her satchel. Or perhaps, she'd developed a reputation. It could be someone needing help, of any sort really. So when she got to a less crowded place, she stopped.
This wasn't anyone she'd helped, she knew that at once. Nor was it a member of a family she had delivered anyone to. Perhaps a friend? Finally, she just decided to speak. "My name's Carien. Is there something you need? I have, uh, herbal remedies for a number of ailments, or perhaps..." She paused for a moment, twitching an ear. "Perhaps you need a listening ear?" She'd tucked into a sort of alleyway, somewhere she knew to be more reliably empty. Her green leaf and the purple and orange eye were visible, immediately denoting her as a follower of both the goddess of earth and the goddess of mercy. Her black feather, however, was currently hidden. It was best not to show it when offering remedies, it tended to give the wrong idea.
OOC: She sounds a bit sketchy, haha! She gets nervous easily
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Post by Lion on Jan 21, 2018 6:27:02 GMT
The creature’s path was a bit difficult to follow, but eventually it veered into an alleyway and Riune slowed to a stop when she saw that she’d been noticed. Now that she’d come a bit closer, Riune could see that the things the creature carried were bundles of herbs, plants, flowers, all with healing properties, if the otter’s memory served. Standing near the creature, Riune realized just how tiny it was. Standing on her hind legs, as she was wont to do whenever she wasn’t walking, Riune towered over Carien. The otter also had a powerful build, muscles developed from a rough vocation, and her skin was laced with old and fresher scars from her dives. Two old daggers were slung one on each hip, near where Riune’s paw rested in case she needed to draw them. If the creature thought backing Riune into an alley and confronting her was a good idea, Riune wasn’t sure how clever this animal must be. Perhaps she had noticed the purple and gold symbol of the Goddess of Mercy on Riune’s chest. It was partially visible underneath her loose cotton shirt, so she supposed that might be the case. After a moment of silence, the creature spoke up. “My name’s Carien. Is there something you need? I have, uh, herbal remedies for a number of ailments, or perhaps… perhaps you need a listening ear?” Riune sputtered into a bout of laughter at the strange creature’s words. Wiping a tear of mirth from her eye, the otter grinned and said, “‘Herbal remedies,’ right. That’s what they are indeed!” The otter chortled a bit and shook her head. There was no reason, she could see, for Carien to act shifty, but meeting someone in a deserted alley and offering “remedies” for “a number of ailments” was quite a thing to do. “I ain’t in need o’ nothing, Carien, ‘twas just curious about a new face in these ‘ere parts. My name’s Riune. Don’t mean to be rude or nothin’, but what kind of creature are ye exactly? I seen all types of faces, but I can’t recall seein’ any like yers b’fore.” Riune leaned forward, examining the smaller creature with interest. She had long, lithe fingers, and her ears seemed to express her emotions more than any other part of her face, or maybe they gave that impression simply because they took up half her face. Riune wondered why she had come to Chendri. Surely she wasn’t some sort of city-hopping “natural remedy” peddler? That would be an interesting job title to hold. Janielove OOC: lol I love how randomly rude Riune can be. |
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Post by Janielove on Jan 21, 2018 6:47:51 GMT
Carien Carien knew that sneaking around and ducking into alleys wasn't, perhaps, the best and brightest of her ideas, but she needed some time away from the bustle of the crowd, and she was confident enough in her abilities to disappear, if need be. Even so, she smiled, and visibly relaxed, when the otter before her started to laugh. Laughter was good, angry family members didn't ever laugh around her. Carien started tapping her fingers on the wall next to her, more a nervous habit than anything. She obviously wouldn't be finding insects in a stone wall. Then, the otter spoke up. “‘Herbal remedies,’ right. That’s what they are indeed!” The small creature waited a few moments, expecting more to follow, and she was right. “I ain’t in need o’ nothing, Carien, ‘twas just curious about a new face in these ‘ere parts. My name’s Riune. Don’t mean to be rude or nothin’, but what kind of creature are ye exactly? I seen all types of faces, but I can’t recall seein’ any like yers b’fore.”"Not rude at all, Riune. I am quite an odd creature, I know," She gave a chuckle herself. "Nice to meet you, by the way. I'm an aye-aye. We aren't terribly common, as we're all pretty, uh, secretive, I guess you could say. Sorry about my, uh, my sneaking about, I guess. Probably didn't put me in the best light." Secrecy was good, though, in a species like her own. Secrecy was once the only thing keeping whole family groups from being wiped out. Some more superstitious creatures viewed them as omens of death. It's hard to make friends when your friends think they're about to die. "They are herbal remedies, though. Medicines, I guess, is what they're generally called. More for my own use as a healer, doctor, shaman, whatever term you prefer, but I do sell them or trade with them from time to time, when the need arises."Lion OOC: She likes when others laugh |
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Post by Lion on Jan 21, 2018 7:22:40 GMT
An aye-aye. Curious. Riune wasn’t sure she’d ever heard of an aye-aye at all, but the otter supposed her education wasn’t such that she would know the name of every species in Paradiastole by name or face. Still, Riune liked to learn new things. At the very least, encountering something entirely new broke up the monotony of everyday life. “Don’t ‘ave to apologize fer bein’ sneaky. If anythin’, I should prob’ly apologize fer followin’ ya, but I gets curious sometimes an’ don’t think too much about manners and the like.” The otter chuckled at herself. Some animals would be embarrassed in a situation like this, but Riune just found it terribly amusing, really. She wasn’t self conscious enough to feel bashful about her own behavior, and she found the aye-aye’s rather endearing, actually. “Ah, a healer,” Riune echoed. “That’s mighty useful stuff, then. Are ye lookin’ to set up shop ‘ereabouts, or are you just lookin’ to sell? I know buyers ‘round these parts, if ye need any help knowin’ who to talk to.” Examining the large bundles in the aye-aye’s arms, the otter gave another laugh and added, “Or I could ‘elp ye carry all them bags, as it looks like ye’ve got yer paws full wit’ them ‘natural remedies.’” Riune winked and smiled, her stance relaxed and her expression open. She could see the little creature was nervous, and so Riune tried to make herself look less intimidating than she knew she usually came across. Janielove OOC: If she likes otter laughs they’ll be fast friends I’ll bet haha |
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Post by Janielove on Jan 22, 2018 2:17:47 GMT
Carien Carien smiled. This was going well. "Nothing wrong with being curious, and I don't know much about manners myself, so no worries." Her statement was a free invitation for Riune to ask her any question she may have, but after a moment or two, she realized that that may not have been quite clear. "Um, since you don't know anything about Aye-ayes, I'd be happy to answer any questions you have."
When the otter asked about selling, her ears perked up a bit. "If you know anyone who'd be interested in buying, I'd be happy to sell. I'd also be looking to buy or trade for little trinkets, spices, and the like. I've got anything from something for a stomach ache to sore muscles to something to take the bite off this cold weather that's coming. I can also do more, ah, hands on healing." Her busy tail, longer than she was tall, was making a habit of curling around her legs to keep them warmer. She was quickly realizing that she was really not good at explaining. "You know, doctor type stuff. Patching up wounds, and the like."
She grinned up at the otter when she asked if she wanted help carrying anything. "That would be lovely, actually. Thank you, Riune." She held up a few of the larger bundles for the otter to take. They were marked with different colors to make identification of each one quick and easy, but the differences in smells were really enough to tell them apart, for anyone who knew what each one did. |
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Post by Lion on Jan 22, 2018 14:48:01 GMT
“Nothing wrong with being curious, and I don’t know much about manners myself, so no worries.” Riune smiled. She liked this little critter. Many around the docks were surly sorts, always getting offended over this thing and that. Otters were straightforward, blunt folk, and that tended to rub a lot of creature’s fur the wrong way. Among their own kind, they got along pretty well, tousled and shouted when they were upset, and then made up. That’s probably why most otters lived together in groups. Riune didn’t know much about aye-ayes, but she wondered if underneath the “secrecy” and apparent shyness they were something like otters.
“It’s kind of ye to offer, I know I’d probably come up with a hundred questions afore nightfall, though, so best leave it be fer now,” Riune said warmly in response to Carien’s offer to answer questions about her species. It would be interesting to learn more of the species in general, as Riune had never seen one before, but she had too many questions at the moment to narrow them down further. Carien went on about the various services she provided, and Riune simply nodded and listened, waiting for her to finish. The riverdog didn’t know much about “doctor type stuff,” but she knew where to find the shops for remedies or a bit of patching up. Considering how many scars Riune had covering her body, it was plain to anyone that she’d required such services before.
“I know some shopkeeps wot pay a good price. An’ I’m sure Tiny could use another set o’ paws if yer lookin’ to stay fer awhile.” Riune smiled slightly. ‘Tiny’ was the stitcher that she tended to go to whenever she got injured. He was an ape, not very tiny at all, but he had dexterous fingers on his hands and was more generous about payment than many other resident surgeons. When Carien offered some of her bundles to Riune, she scooped them up easily in her long, thick arms and held them gently against her chest, not wanting to damage anything inside. “Where’d ye get all these ‘ere plants, anyway?” Riune asked curiously. She spent a lot of time outside the port city, around Chendri Cove, but she didn’t have much of a head for plants and their names, let alone which ones would be helpful to treat any sort of ailments. Janielove |
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Post by Janielove on Jan 23, 2018 5:19:17 GMT
Carien "I'd be happy to stay for a while, if someone would have use for me," replied the little creature happily. She loved to be able to help in whatever capacity possible, and if that meant picking up a more settled job for a little while, maybe it'd be a good way to make a little money. And if someone wanted to buy some of her blends, well, that was fantastic. Maybe she'd even be able to train a few critters while she was here. "I travel around quite a bit. And I spend most of my time in wooded areas." She carefully opened up one of the bundles she was still holding. "These plants can all be used for stomach problems." She re-wrapped it, then pulled a little pouch out of her pocket. It was full of blended, crushed leaves. "You mix these with really hot water, let it sit a few minutes, then drink it, and your cough is gone." She carefully closed it off again and tucked it back in her pocket. "All of these are enough for around ten doses for an animal about your size, five for a larger animal."Suddenly, her ears perked up again, and she grinned up at the otter. "I could probably teach you a few things sometime, if you want. It isn't too hard to pick up some of the simpler stuff. I can teach you what grows by the river, in case you ever get yourself in a bad way." She was quite fond of her new friend. She grew attached quickly. Lion |
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Post by Lion on Jan 23, 2018 14:57:25 GMT
“If yer any good at healin’ there’s plenty would have use fer ye,” Riune said frankly. She didn’t know a great deal about what it took to heal, but she knew business, and doctors, apothecaries, surgeons, they all ran businesses, at the end of the day. And they weren’t too picky about where they got their help in a port city like this where the majority of the inhabitants were fishers, merchants, or drunks. Riune listened as Carien described the effects of her leaves. It was interesting, the otter thought, how a simple little plant could help all those annoyances. When the aye-aye offered to teach Riune, at first the otter was tempted to just dismiss the offer as a kind gesture, a formality, but as she thought about it, she wondered if it would be good to learn how to patch herself up in the event of an injury. Would save her having to pay Tiny, reasonable as his rates were. “I wouldn’t mind a few lessons, if’n ye’ve got the patience for teachin’ an old riverdog some new tricks,” Riune said at last, smiling at Carien. She usually didn’t find that smiling came quite this naturally to her. Janielove OOC: Carien’s going to have to be careful or Riune’s going to follow her around for the rest of forever lol. Word Count: 204 |
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Post by Janielove on Jan 24, 2018 6:30:05 GMT
Carien "I ought to be good at it, I've been doing it for thirteen years," she replied, a sparkle in her eye. "If you know folks who'd have me, I'd be happy to help." She had her fluffy tail wrapped around both her legs, and she was using it as a sort of chair. It was warding off much of the cold, which was definitely nice. Carien had been worried Riune would say no. It wasn't that she felt that the otter couldn't take care of herself, because it was clear that she could. But she cared for the otter, and wanted her to be okay if something happened. According to all her scars, it was clear that she didn't work in the easiest profession, and, judging by the smell of fish and brine, the aye-aye assumed she was a fisher. "I'd be more than happy to!" She chirped happily. "I never asked, what do you do for a living?"Lion OOC: They are adorable |
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Post by Lion on Jan 24, 2018 19:43:58 GMT
Thirteen years was a long time to be doing one thing, though Riune supposed she’d been fishing since she was a kit, and she’d been livin’ more than thirteen years. Any work, when one enjoyed it enough, was worth doing for most of one’s life, the otter supposed. “Aye, I know some who’d like a pair o’ healin’ hands. I’ll take you to ‘im.” Riune gestured for the aye-aye to follow. Together, she and Carien walked through the streets, talking as they went, bundles of herbs held in their arms. In response to Carien’s question about her profession, Riune gave the creature a nod and said, ”Ain’t no great secret. I’m a diver - catch fish, harvest oysters and clams fer meat or pearls if I’m lucky. Can be a tough job, but someone’s got to do it, eh?” The otter wondered what it would be like to live an adventurous life like Carien’s, to have skills that animals appreciated instead of ignored. That must be nice. Riune didn’t have any skills she considered special. She was a good swimmer, but what otter wasn’t? She could fish, but so could many other beasts. The only hobby she could really claim as her own was her wood carving, but those figures didn’t even fetch a price high enough to pay for the paint she used to decorate them. Carien must enjoy being able to help others. It was different for Riune. But she supposed that wasn’t a bad thing. She tried to help in other ways, tried to be generous and kind. There were ways of showing mercy that even a riverdog like her could exercise. Janielove Word Count: 278 |
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Post by Janielove on Jan 26, 2018 4:27:16 GMT
Carien The big eyed creature looked up at her with appreciation and sprung to her feet. "That would be great. I really appreciate it." She definitely felt safer scampering through the streets with the otter looking out for her. Before, she felt like she could be crushed and never even be noticed. Now, she felt safe as she walked. She didn't feel the need to stay in the shadows and the temptation to try to cling to the sides of the walls.
"Definitely a useful profession. I must say, though, that I've never had seafood. I eat insects, that's why I've got these long weird fingers." She held her hands up with a grin. "What do you do with the shells? I could certainly make use of them, if you don't already have a buyer or anything." She kept walking, then realized there was a very important question that she had failed to ask. "Do you enjoy fishing? I mean, I see it pays enough to keep you fed, and I know you're an otter, but do you enjoy it?" Her eyes were big and wide, as always, questioning, but not prying.
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Post by Lion on Jan 26, 2018 15:06:19 GMT
Riune snorted with laughter. “Useful, eh? I s’pose that’s one word fer it.” She wasn’t sure what a healer might need with shells, but the otter nodded at the aye-aye’s inquiry and gestured to her sack. “I got a few clam shells left, aye. Ain’t much to do with ‘em usually save find someone interested in buyin’ ‘em. Ye can have ‘em, though, if ye have need of shells.” Some creatures bought the shells as baubles, but truthfully, they never sold for much, so Riune didn’t mind giving them out if they brought happiness to some other creature. Things of beauty were funny that way. Carien’s other question quieted Riune as she considered it. The otter looked down at her companion thoughtfully, wondering how much to tell and what to keep to herself. She’d become secretive over the years. Finally, with a sigh, the otter said, “I might’ve enjoyed it once. Now it’s just… the only thing I really know how t’do.” There had been a time when Riune had loved the sea. She still felt that deep peace sometimes, hearing the crash of waves, smelling salt in the air, but there were too many sad memories that came attached to it for her to truly love it the way she did when her family was alive. “What about ye? Do ye like yer work? I expect it’s much more rewardin’ than draggin’ a few clams up from the deep.” Janielove Word Count: 248 |
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Post by Janielove on Jan 27, 2018 7:03:44 GMT
Carien 
Carien giggled softly every time the otter laughed. She was solitary enough that it wasn't a sound she often heard, but she loved it. "'Specially in a place like this, society would absolutely collapse, I think, if it weren't for fishing.""That would be wonderful. I think they'd be really useful for organizing my plants and such. You should keep a few with you, though. They are supposed to bring about good fortune." She thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something she'd heard from someone she met near the ocean. "The inner lining of the shells is supposed to bring about mental clarity and peace of mind, if you believe in the witch doctor type of crystal healing. I haven't had much experience with it myself, but I'm always open to anything that can help someone."When her companion fell silent, she looked up, studying the otter's face. She walked closer to her in these moments, to stay safer. When she answered, she seemed sad, and the little aye-aye wondered if there was anything she could do to help. She put her hand across the eye on her chest, thinking for a moment, then pulled a small, round, pink stone out of the pocket of her cloak. She nodded, but waited a few moments to answer the question. "This is, uh, rose quartz. I was given a few pieces of it by a wealthy family I once helped. I thought it was just a pretty stone, and it isn't really worth that much, but I met someone who told me that it is supposed to have emotional healing properties. It, uh, it's supposed to bring love and forgiveness, for yourself and for others, and it's supposed to help you clear your mind." She twitched her ears, studying the otter's face. "I dunno what happened that made you lose the enjoyment you held for your job, but people do appreciate what you do, even if they don't always realize it."Then she brightened up again. "Yeah, I like it most of the time. There are definitely some parts that I don't really enjoy, like when I can't save someone, and having to explain to families what happened, or having to bury someone who either didn't have a family or had been disowned is always really hard, but being able to help definitely makes up for it."
Lion WC:395 OOC: Carien loves giving gifts |
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Post by Lion on Jan 30, 2018 4:20:22 GMT
Riune chuckled goodnaturedly. She was quite sure that civilization would not collapse without fishers, but she knew her work helped to feed other creatures, and that was nothing to sniff at. She'd also lived free, both in Chendri and in her homeland, and not every poor beast could claim as much. At that moment, Riune could just hear the clash of weapons from the arena, where “volunteers” trained to participate in the great gladiatorial games. Truth be told, Riune didn't believe half those participants voluntarily fought. They were slaves, like many of the beasts who came through Chendri’s docks. That was not a life Riune would wish on anybeast, and she knew she had a lot to be thankful for, being born free. Carien’s comment about the shells was intriguing to Riune, as she’d never considered whether or not the shells had any real use. That was good to know, the otter thought. At the very least, it might make a good selling point when she tried to pawn them off in the day markets. “That’s real interestin’. I guess everythin’s got a use, if ye know what use that is,” Riune said warmly. She thought that the small creature’s knowledge must be quite valuable. Perhaps it came from traveling to many places, living a roving lifestyle. Riune had never thought of traveling much—truth be told, she was a bit afraid of sailing across the ocean, days away from the shore. After the storm that took her family, she didn’t trust the Sea to carry her safely. If she did, would she have traveled beyond these lands by now, found the deserts and the Savannahs and the swamps she’d heard seafarers’ tales about to see them for herself? It seemed that, as Riune related her feelings towards her profession, some of her lingering sadness showed clearly for her companion to see. Carien offered the otter a bit of stone in a pretty shade of pink-orange, and as Riune picked up the offer stone, she gazed at it closely and listened to Carien’s explanation of its purpose. At the aye-aye’s words, Riune smiled. “Ye’re a kind soul, Carien. Doin’ a right good service for our goddess, ye are, an’ no mistake. It’s critters like you who make even a rough ol’ riverdog like me hope again.” The otter reached out a rough, work-worn paw and patted Carien’s shoulder gently. She felt reminded of the Priestess of Nehrune who had inspired her to convert her faith after she’d forsaken her birth goddess, Sharysaan, Goddess of the Sea. Carien had the same noble, kind heart as the priestess, Riune felt sure. The otter had met few such souls in her life, and she valued each one of them greatly when she did have a chance to meet them. Riune wondered what sort of feeling she would have, working so hard to save a life and having to face the loss, too. It must be difficult. The otter had lost those close to her, and that had been terrible, but staring death in the face every day, even if the deaths were only those of strangers, must be a challenge of a different and similarly grim sort. “It’s good of ye to keep with it. Ye do good work, as I said, an’ good work ain’t always easy. But it’s worth it, as ye say.” The otter nodded. She had seen with her own eyes the depths of some creatures’ despair. Though she would always try to help lift their spirits in the name of her Goddess, Riune knew there would always be creatures she could not help. Carien could help far more, at least in body, and that was a comforting thought to Riune. Even if she did not have the ability to foster to her fellow creatures’ needs, Nehrune had followers who would. Janielove OOC: Geez, this reply was long lol Word Count: 647 |
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