Fishy Reading [Ell]

[Mali]

Mali was at it again. Stealing from local vendors, wandering around, trying to find something of interest for her, it was all she had to do these days. There wasn’t much going on here to entertain herself. However, it was odd. There were so many elves here. She had heard things about this being a rare and amazing place, she didn’t know why, but apparently it was. She came here to find out why specifically. Something about this place being that special piqued her curiosity. There was something here and it was drawing everyone’s attention, and she wanted to know what it was.

Walking around, she noticed another stall. It had been her target as of late. The fish at this stall seemed to be the best in the area. How did she know? She had already tried all the other fish vendors. This one had to be her favourite. It was the middle of the day, the sun was already in the center of the sky, and she knew that the vendor would be too busy to notice her sticky fingers. She had made sure to watch the vendor’s routine. She had gotten lucky the first time she slipped from this stall. However, she hadn’t been so lucky with another and found that she had a harder chance escaping here if she were caught. They seemed to care a lot here. Well, they cared everywhere, no matter what city she was in.

At lunch time, the vendor usually had the most of his customers, and it was prime time for her to slip in, grab lunch and slip out. Taking a deep breath, Mali casually walked up to the stall. She had a green satin cloak covering her ears and tail. It was always painful with the cloak on. The heat added to the irritation of having to wear the item, but it was mainly the painful act of pinning her ears back that frustrated her most. Reaching the stall, she looked around, as if she were selecting her purchase. Grabbing the closest—and largest—fish in front of her, she slipped it under her cloak and shook her head. The man wouldn’t have noticed her hands and would have thought that she had decided against his stall. Walking away, she was happy for another successful mission.

“Excuse me miss, I think you forgot to do something back there,” Mali turned to see some guards staring her down. Oh, so maybe the guy didn’t notice, but they sure did. Mali thought about whether she should try to make an excuse, or just run for it. Taking her chances, she darted off as fast as she could through the crowd. Of course, the guards chased after her. Tempted, Mali wanted to start running on all fours, but instead found a sharp turn into a large and decorative building. Taking the entrance, she watched as the guards continued forward, having not seen her enter the building.

That was a relief! Now, to find some dark place to eat, she had to make sure she finished before the guards thought of coming in here. Wandering down the long halls, she saw a large room up ahead that smelled of old paper and ink. Deciding against that, she turned to find somewhere else when there was someone headed her direction. Panicking, she tried to find somewhere to hide, but there was none. What should she do? Hopefully this person wouldn’t question her. The only thing she didn’t know, was that her hood had come off, making her ears quite visible.[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Elloria]

(All dialogue is in the Ancient Language for this post)

Niko smiled as he finally passed through the gates of Ilirea, Arashi trotting along at his side. The dragon had grown quite a bit in the months since they had left the city. He stood at Niko’s thigh now and was gaining a lot of muscle and breadth. Niko was still a little saddened that he couldn’t carry Arashi around on his shoulders anymore. But more than that, he was excited that soon enough Arashi would be large enough to ride. Both of them were eager to share the experience of flight with one another. Still, Niko was glad to be back in Ilirea. He had missed the city.

Arashi couldn’t help but snort at his Rider’s thoughts. He couldn’t see what was so fantastic about Ilirea. The interesting things were out in the world - the fights, the adventures, life. Like the one they had just finished not too long ago. Not the brawling in Ellesmera, but the adventure for that cup thing some two-legged or other had wanted. That had been most interesting. Frightening, but interesting as well. And now they were back in this deathly dull city. And from what was flashing through Niko’s head, they were aiming for the place-of-many-thin-animal-skins-with-wet-powder-on-them. Today was going to be long.

Niko rolled his eyes as they made their way to the Grand Library. It won’t be that bad. There’s just a few things I need to check on, then we’ll go to the Font. Then on to either the Citadel or home, he assured the indigo dragon as they began ascending the steps.

The moment they entered, the smell of fresh fish caught Arashi’s attention. And by extension, Niko’s. Curious, the serpentine dragon clacked along the marble floors sniffing all the while. Niko followed, curious as well. It was somewhat unusual for people to bring food or drink into the Library. There were no rules against it, of course. It just never occurred to people to do so. As they meandered the many halls, Rider and dragon soon spotted an odd sight ahead of them. Arashi thought it was some short elf two-legged that had magically added ears and a tail. Niko knew at once it was a werecat, which Arashi thought an odd name for it. Niko gave Arashi a mental image/overview of the creatures, satisfying the dragon’s curiosity on the subject. That didn’t stop Arashi from slithering over to the creature and sniffing at it. He didn’t touch its mind - he disliked doing that with anyone but Niko. Two-leggeds in particular could be so unsavory. Niko followed at a slightly more sedate pace. “Hello. You seem a bit lost - though werecats usually have a reason for being wherever they’re at. I am Niko and the creature currently nosing at you is my dragon Arashi. May I ask your name?”

[Mali]

Panicked, she thought of as many excuses as she could. She was lost, that was an obvious one. She was on a tour. The building looked tour-worthy. Many people probably received tours here. It was big, and decorative outside. And it smelled like old paper and ink. There had to be something special about this place.

She soon noticed that the tall man—who seemed a little intimidating at first, being all in dark colours—wasn’t alone. He was accompanied by some kind of lizard thing. Looking down, her hand with the fish instinctively moving farther up behind her back, she shied away from the creature. What is it? She hadn’t seen one of these before. A few more sniffs and she decided to return the action. Sniffing him in return, she looked up as the man started to speak. His voice was deep and sounded smooth, like velvet. She had no clue what he was saying, but she wanted to hear more of it. Unless he was insulting her, then she wanted him to stop. Thinking about it, she wouldn’t mind if he was, it sounded nice.

Getting out of her musings, she shook her head and fidgeted with her fish-free hand. What should she say? Was he asking her why she was here? He had said a lot more than just that. He had said it in some other language, so maybe that simple phrase in another language was long when said aloud. She was confused. What excuses could she use? “I . . . I work here.” Not able to hold his gaze, she fidgeted more, looking down at the lizard around her. He would never believe that story. ”I, I’m on a tour. I got lost.” she was never good at lying. ”I’m . . . I’m hiding. The guards are looking for me.” Lowering her head, she removed the fish from behind her back and held it at her side, just high enough that the lizard wouldn’t eat it. At least, she hoped that it couldn’t, what if the lizard could jump?

Looking up, her innocent green orbs pleading with the strange, foreign man, she hoped that telling him the truth was okay. ”You won’t say anything will you? The Guards have been looking for a while. The vendors know me well,” she spoke hesitantly, shifting a bit as she looked away. “But, um, you probably don’t know what I’m saying, so, it should be good,” she smiled slightly to him. If she didn’t understand him, that probably meant he couldn’t understand her too, right?

[Elloria]

The werecat was behaving rather oddly, even for a werecat. That is to say, she wasn’t acting like much of a werecat at all. Niko had the good - or cursed - fortune to meet one or two in Ilirea on occasion and neither had acted so...human. Arashi, however, was delighted that it sniffed him back. It seemed to understand that one couldn’t learn much from another without knowing their scent first. He eyed the fish briefly before deciding against taking it. He wasn’t hungry and he’d never been that fond of fish. He hummed with delight and let it flow over into Niko’s mind as he trotted back over to the elf. Perhaps today would not be so dull after all.

Niko’s silvery eyes brightened in amusement. As she first lied, then stumbled through the truth, he quietly chuckled. She seemed very out of place. It made him wonder why she was in Ilirea and where she had come from. He held her innocent green gaze with his bright silver one. “I understand you perfectly,” he finally replied in flawless Broddring common. “I studied Common for many years. What I said was that my name is Niko and this,” he gestured towards Arashi, “is my dragon Arashi. And asked what your name is. As for the fish...I don’t exactly approve, but I’m sure you had no other way to feed yourself.” He squatted so that he was at eye level with the girl. “Correct?”

[Mali]

At least the lizard had decided not to take her food. She was thankful of that. It would be hard to find another meal if the lizard had taken hers. Watching the lizard trot over to the man’s side, she was a little relieved, relaxing her arms a bit. She didn’t know why, but the creature was odd to her. She had never seen one before, and she had definitely never heard of such lizards. Not that she could recall at least.

Her smile fell as he spoke. She could understand him, that was the first thing that registered in her head. That meant that he could understand her too. He had found it amusing that she had lied. Maybe he didn’t know that she had lied. If only she hadn’t told him the truth! She might have gotten away with it! Swallowing nervously, she looked down to the lizard again. So, it was a dragon. She had heard of those a few times. When she had heard of dragons, there were supposed to be these large creatures. She had no idea that they were so funny looking though.

This man was Niko and the liz—dragon was Arashi. Looking down to the fish as he mentioned it, she looked back up in time to see him squat down to her eye level. His eyes were so bright and silvery. They were shiny objects that had fiercely captured her attention. She wished that he would look around so she could follow his eyes; her tail started to move in anticipation at the thought of such an amusing game. Nodding her head mutely, she remembered that she still had to tell him her name. “Um, I’m Mali Cat. Cat isn’t my last name though, but, people seem to want one . . .” She spoke slowly before she couldn’t take it any more. Placing the fish in her belt, she looked back to him before slowly grabbing his face in her hands. It was his eyes! She couldn’t control herself. “Shiny . . .” Shaking her head, she let go and twiddled her fingers, embarrassed. “Sorry,”

There was a sudden racket from further down the hall and a shiver had visually gone up her entire spine.

“It’s her! The thief. We’ve been tracking you from stall to stall” Natural instinct was to find someone she trusted to help her. She never had someone like that before in her life; something she wished she could have. The next thing to do is hide. Stepping behind Niko, she hid her face in his back, hoping the guards would go away. ”I didn’t do anything wrong . . .” it wasn’t her fault she was homeless, family less, jobless, and without an education. If she had at least one of those, she could pay for it. Blame someone else for once.[/blockquote][/blockquote][/color]

[Elloria]

(“Italics” = Ancient Language)

Arashi growled loudly as this Mali Cat touched Niko's face. Now he was going to smell like fish for a long time! Plus, Niko was his. Who knew what this creature could do to his Rider. To anyone. His wings spread slightly, like hackles rising on a cat. She already seemed nervous and he was fine with that. She ought to be with a dragon around. Particularly an irritated one.

Niko sent a wave of calm to the agitated dragon. He smiled kindly at the werecat. “It’s all right, Mali. I hear my eyes are quite extraordinary, even for an elf.” He reached out and ruffled her hair slightly between her ears. She reminded him very strongly of Addison - innocent and unassuming, almost painfully shy. Arashi huffed quietly as the idea flitted through Niko's mind. “Where-” Niko's questioning was cut off by a loud voice calling behind him. He frowned, noticing Mali's obvious shiver. He rose and turned to find several guards running towards him. They stopped a few feet away at the sight of Niko. Or, more accurately, at the sight of Arashi. He felt Mali press against his back and murmur, “I didn’t do anything wrong...” The pain and loneliness in her voice struck a chord in his heart. It was Josk's childhood voice.

“Filthy wretch!” one guard spat out. He turned to Niko with righteous indignation and pointed at the werecat cowering behind the Rider. He switched from Common to the Ancient Language to address Niko. “She stole a fish from a vendor and then ran off, Niko-ebrithil. Someone’s got to pay for it.” Another guard moved to go around him and grab Mali. Niko's hand shot out and gently pushed the elf back. His eyes were no longer a bright silver, but had dulled to a stormy gray. Arashi’s head swung from glaring at the werecat to glaring at the guards. A growl began to rumble in his chest, deep and menacing. For whatever reason, his Rider was going to defend this little two-legs. If that was the case - as much as he didn’t like the creature - he would naturally protect her as well. “We’re quite aware she stole the fish in her belt,” Niko replied calmly. “I was about to ask where she took it from when you decided to step in. I will, of course, pay the vendor for the trouble she’s caused.” He tilted his head slightly, as if daring them to challenge is next statement. “That should settle things, no? If you do not believe me, I will repeat my words in our tongue.” A scraping sound could be heard as Arashi slightly dug his claws into the marble. The growl was decidedly more pronounced now. If these fools would question his Rider's integrity, he would teach them not to.

The guards shuffled a bit beneath the dark gazes of Rider and elf. “Of course we believe you, Niko-ebrithil,” the one who had spoken earlier replied. “A Rider’s word is always good. We meant no offense.”

Niko shifted to the right and bowed slightly, clearly dismissing the guards. As they left, he turned to Mali and smiled warmly. “Now then, I believe I was about to ask where you took that delicious fish from?”

[Mali]

Even with Arashi’s glaring gaze on her, she didn’t move. Hissing, she hid herself more. She was not filthy! She bathed herself every day. In addition, she couldn’t help being a wretch, it was the life she had been given. The guards started talking in another language, one that she thought to be what Niko had originally been talking in. Although, listening to the guards speak and Niko speak, it sounded completely different. She didn’t like the guards when they spoke like this. Then again, she didn’t like the guards at all. Noticing the one guard moving towards her, she hissed again. Maybe she should make a run for it again.

Clenching her eyes shut, she opened them to see that the guard wasn’t there any more. Peeking out a bit, she noticed that Niko had his hand out. Arashi wasn’t glaring at her anymore either, and instead, he was growling at the guards. Had something happened that she wasn’t aware of?

Niko mentioned the fish, she knew she was in trouble. He was going to hand her over, wasn’t he? He seemed like a good person, friendly and nice, but also the type to abide by the law. What she didn’t expect was when he said that he was going to pay for it. Her heart tingled a bit. No one had ever been that nice to her. Sure, there was that cell mate she had once that helped her escape, but that was only because he was escaping and didn’t want her left behind to tell them where he was headed.

Looking over to Arashi, scraping his claws against the ground, she had to wonder why he was doing this. Sure, he was a nice person, but he didn’t know her. Why would he do this for her? Niko bowed, in which she was clearly visible from behind him before turning to her. Her eyes were downcast, embarrassed and ashamed to have Niko do this for her. She should have just taken off when the guards approached. “From the vendor near the fountain, red sign, bald man.” She didn’t know how to read, if she did, she would have told him what the stall was called. Lifting her gaze a bit, she saw the warm smile and was confused. Why was he being so nice?

“I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you. I can’t do much though . . . but I’ll pay you back, somehow,” she would have to think hard about this. There had to be some way that she could make this up to him.

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Elloria]

Niko chuckled as he reached out to scratch just behind one of Mali's ears. She was quite an odd werecat. He wondered what sort of life she had led to mold her this way. Perhaps she had lived amongst humans most of her life? That would explain the preference for her human form, though the tail and ears were strange. When humanoid, werecats didn't really advertise so blatantly that they weren't human. He made a mental note to ask her about it later. In the meantime, he said, “It’s no trouble, Mali. There’s no need to pay me back.” He stopped scratching and offered his hand to her. “But I’m afraid I don’t know what vendor you’re talking about. There are several fountains in Ilirea’s market. Perhaps you could lead us there?”

Arashi rolled his eyes. Niko could be such a bleeding heart sometimes. This creature was supposed to be a predator. He could tell that from the sharp teeth, the hissing, the claws that had shown themselves earlier. She needed no pampering like this. Then again, no two-legged needed pampering. They should have been out living amongst the wilds of the world, hunting for their survival. That was natural. Not these stationary stone-and-wood structures that he could one day tear apart if he chose to. He mentally sighed at Niko before turning and striding back up the corridor. He knew the creature and his Rider would be coming along shortly.

[Mali]

He was scratching her ear. Was he trying to domesticate her? Whatever that meant, she didn’t seem to mind. Closing her eyes and pressing against his hand, she had to admit that it actually felt rather good. Purring, she basked in the feeling behind her ear. How could it feel so good? Opening her eyes slowly, she looked at him. She didn’t have to pay him back? That wasn’t right, if he were going to pay for the fish, she would have to do something in return. Mali knew that stealing was bad. She didn’t want to steal, but she couldn’t afford to repay the vendors. In addition, the vendors didn’t want a ‘filthy’ cat hanging around doing favours to pay for their products. Most of the vendors wanted money up front.

Looking down to his hand, she decided that she was going to pay him back somehow. Even if he didn’t know it, she was going to do something for him. Like stalking the vendors, she would just have to follow him around a bit until she found what she could do to pay him back. Not wanting to admit it, but he was the first person to do something kind for her for no intentions of his own. The only other person who had ever done such things was her mother. Taking his hand, she felt like maybe she could trust him. Maybe, like a friend.

Looking behind them, she watched as Arashi walked away. “What about your dragon?” this confused her. Weren’t they supposed to be bonded or something? She had heard that dragons were really close to the people they were close to. Mali had no idea the terms that they used, but shouldn’t Arashi be coming too?

Looking out through the market, she was hesitant to leave the building. Using her other hand, she lifted her hood back over her ears. It wasn’t that she wanted to hide them because she was ashamed of them. She wanted to hide them because people looked at her funny for them. Walking a little ways to the fountain, Mali kept her head low, trying not to draw too much attention to them. Looking up slightly, she pointed over to the red stall with the bald man. The sign clearly stated ”Isenstar Fishing” but Mali didn’t know that. “That’s it . . .”

[Elloria]

As Arashi moved ahead of them, Niko answered Mali's question. “He’s not leaving us, if that’s what you’re asking. He’s just impatient.” He started tugging Mali up the corridor after Arashi. He could feel the impatience and irritation rolling off the growing hatchling in waves. The dragon had no use for any other creature with less than four legs and lacking in wings. He sometimes wondered at the feeling of superiority Arashi had. It reminded him strongly of Ikehr - except the elder dragon showed that feeling through utter apathy. Even when similar, dragons were just as varied as his own kind and humans - perhaps even more so. Of course, he was certain the hatchling's wild mother played some part in Arashi's attitude. He mused on this as Mali led them to the vendor she'd swiped her fish from.

Arashi snorted contemptuously at Niko's musings. His ‘impatience' was not solely directed at the two-legs. There were many of his own kind he had no tolerance for. Some of those slightly older hatchlings they had begun working with before leaving for the cup-thing adventure, for example. And, of course, Ikehr-ebrithil. He'd known all along that dragon was not a fighter. How could he deal with such a paradox? He showed respect to it - however sullen - because it was considerably larger than him and with more experience. One did not claw at the belly of an elder unless one could follow through with the kill. That was all there was to it. He shook his head slightly as he let these impressions flow towards Niko, who mentally chuckled at them.

Slightly amused at Arashi's train of thought, Niko came to a halt with Mali a short distance from the vendor. Looking up, he read ‘Isenstar Fishing.’ That should have been an easily remembered name. Why hadn't Mali just told him what it was called? He looked down at her to ask, but was stopped short by the hood now pulled over her head. Was she hiding that she was a werecat? If she wanted that, why didn't she just...or could she not? She did still look quite young, but she should have pretty good control over her abilities, right? He didn't know too much about werecats, but that had been the impression he'd gotten from the ones he did know. It didn't take long to have decent control over their transformations. So why didn't Mali? “Hmmm...So the Isenstar Fishing vendor? Let’s go chat with him.” He pulled Mali gently towards the stall and got the owner's attention. Arashi sat gingerly on the ground beside him. The dragon was a bit miffed that he'd have to do some serious cleaning later after this little excursion. Niko put the impression off to the side of his thoughts and addressed the vendor. “Sir, I believe you’re missing some wares.” He nudged Mali to indicate that she should hold up the fish. “How much for this?”

[Mali]

Looking up to Niko, then to Arashi, she wondered how he knew that. Arashi was moving ahead of them, that could easily be the sign that he was impatient. Niko would know since he’s been with him since birth. But she wondered how Niko could be certain that Arashi was impatient. Maybe she should walk faster so she doesn’t irritate the dragon. If they were going to be her friends—which she hoped that they could be—she didn’t want to irritate them. She could trust Niko. He was kind and seemed very nice. She would pay him back for this, and then hopefully she could still have contact with him. She didn’t trust many people. It was nice to have someone you could trust.

Isenstar was that big lake not too far from here. She remembered passing through that area and trying to catch fish with her hands. That hadn’t worked out so well. Now Mali felt like an idiot. He probably thought that she was an idiot as well. She wanted to believe that he wouldn’t think her stupid, the kind voice and gently walk towards the vendor didn’t imply negative thoughts toward her. This was probably the hardest thing she had to do. Like a child when they steal; having to return the item or fess up for what they’ve done. She was embarrassed to walk straight up to the vendor and admit that she had taken his merchandise with no intentions of paying for it. As Niko nudged her, she slowly placed the fish on the stall, her head lowered the entire time, lowered enough that no one could see under the hood.

“I’ve noticed some things missing from inventory lately,” Mali bit her lip. Now Niko would know that she stole frequently. Even though she did do it, she wanted to have a good impression. If you didn’t have a good impression, then people wouldn’t like you.

“2 silver. Understandable, this is the best fish in the market.” The vendor grinned to Mali, taking pride in the fact that she would steal his fish because it was better than every other vendor’s was. Mali gripped Niko’s hand a little tighter, feeling anxious and nervous being here. She didn’t want to be here, at the stall. She didn’t want Niko to pay for it either. She knew that someone had to pay for it, but the thought that Niko would bothered her. He hadn’t taken the fish, so why should he pay? That was why she would have to pay him back. Attempting, she subtly slipped into Niko’s mind, not wanting to say it aloud, not in front of the vendor. ”I’m sorry,”[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Elloria]

(Colored italics = thoughts)

Niko slightly raised his eyebrow as the vendor mentioned that other items in his inventory had gone missing. It was reasonable to assume that Mali had filched food from here before, though other street urchins were a possibility. Every city had them, even Ilirea. He chose not to comment on it, however. It was not his place to judge those less fortunate than he. Not everyone could be born a nobleman nor become a Rider. He gave the vendor a small smile and slight bow after hearing the price. “Yes, that seems quite reasonable to me.” He squeezed Mali's hand slightly before letting go to pull out his money pouch. As he plucked two silver from it, he felt the werecat's presence in his mind and the sheepish apology. He sent a gentle wave of reassurance to her while handing over the silver. There is no need to apologize. We all act in the only way we know how. Though in the future, I think it would be best if you came to me if you need assistance like this, he replied as the vendor wrapped up the fish and handed it to Niko.

Arashi bristled at the presence of the werecat's mind. He tolerated the Josk creature because it was Niko's broodmate. They had hatched together, were practically of one mind sometimes. Other dragons could not communicate in any other fashion, so he did not argue there either. But the two-legs all knew how to speak those awkward words vocally. They had no business delving into his Rider's mind, which should practically be his territory only. Briefly, he wondered if the Mali-werecat could feel his irritation through Niko. Their minds were so closely linked, it would not surprise him. Then again, Niko could always dim that connection so that others would not catch it. Something about Arashi not being politically correct and Niko not wishing to insult certain parties. Whatever that meant. He prodded at Niko's mind. He wished to get their other business over with so that they could return to the villa. He had no desire to deal with the other hatchlings in the Citadel today.

Niko returned Arashi's prod, leaving behind the impression that they would return to the villa immediately. He took the fish the vendor gave him and looked down at Mali. “So. How would you like some home-cooked fish? With some fresh vegetables and fruit to go with?”

[Mali]

Mali felt Niko squeeze her hand. She had squeezed his because she was nervous, like tightening hold on something precious, something you worried about. Even though Niko wasn’t precious to her, he was the only thing that was keeping her from running away. She knew that this was the right thing to do, but without Niko here, she wouldn’t have done it. As he pulled the money out of a pouch, she felt the wave of reassurance. She also felt Arashi’s presence in his mind. She hadn’t known that Riders and dragons were connected like this. She felt irritation from the dragon and regretted what she had done. He didn’t seem to like her as it was, and now he was irritated with her. Was it because she spoke to Niko through thought? If that were the case, then she would have to apologise. She just didn’t know if he would understand her if she spoke to him regularly or if she used her mind. Maybe dragons could only understand their rider’s minds.

The vendor handed the fish over to Niko and Mali watched silently. They seemed to be having a conversation between each other. It was brief, but it made her curious. She wondered what he did for a living. He had Arashi, so that meant that he was a rider. Did they pay people to do that? If they were paid to be riders, she wondered what exactly he had to do. They didn’t fight wars, so they had to do something to earn wage, right?

She looked up to him and couldn’t believe it. Why was he being nice to her? No one was nice to her after they saw her ears. No one would want to associate with a homeless thief. He had saved her from the guards, he’d paid for her fish, he had told her to come to him when she needed help, and now he was offering her not only the fish, but cooked fish and a meal. Why was he doing this? She felt that she could trust him. He hadn’t done any harm to her so far and if he intended her harm he could have just handed her over to the guards. If he hadn’t cared about her well-being, he wouldn’t have offered assistance when she needs it. Could she call him her friend? ”That would be nice, but I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness.” looking down to Arashi, she frowned. He probably didn’t like her at all. ”I’m not sure if Arashi will understand me, but can you tell him I’m sorry. I didn’t know not to touch your mind. I won’t do it again if it offends him.” She smiled to the dragon before to Niko. She hoped that they could be friends.

Glancing down to her feet, which rubbed at the ground nervously, she moved to Niko’s side and took his free hand. Looking up hesitantly, wondering if that was okay, she smiled. “Thank you for your help Niko. I’ve never had a friend before,” she said it slowly. She expected that he would tell her he wasn’t her friend. She had never referred to anyone as her friend before, but when with other people, people she thought she could have been friends with, they would tell other people they don’t know her, and walk away. She was used to it. But this time, she hoped that that wouldn’t be the case. She hoped that he would agree, or say something kind, instead of denying her idea of friendship.

[Elloria]

(All speech is in Broddring Common.)

Arashi stared at the two-legs Mali. His eyes had begun to develop a certain expressiveness, reminiscent of his Rider. At the moment, they were filled irritation and dumbfoundment. Was this two-legs truly so...ignorant? Admittedly, most two-legs knew little about his kind and the connection that existed between dragon and Rider. But honestly...it was as if she was questioning his intelligence in assuming that he couldn't understand what she was saying and thinking. He was not some idiot prey-animal. He was a dragon, perhaps the most intelligent species in all of Alagaesia - if not the world. Yes, there were idiots among his race but even the dullest dragon was smarter than any two-legs. That was quite the last straw for him. Once Mali had finished speaking, he walked right up to her and nudged her away from Niko. He then stood up on his rear legs and placed his front claws carefully on her shoulders - rather like a dog might do, though Niko was careful to not let that impression seep over into the hatchling's mind.

Looking her straight in the eyes, the indigo dragon slipped easily into her mind. Now listen here, Mali-two-legs. As was always the case, Niko felt slightly shocked that such a fluid, velvety voice belonged to his dragon. Arashi did not look like a gentle creature, yet his voice was soft, unassuming and perfectly articulated. If one were to ignore the harsh blunt words and listened only to the sound of it, it was not beyond the realm of possibility to be lulled into a sense of security by that voice. To be drawn to it, like flies to honey. It was a dangerous voice that was still at odds with his dragon's personality. Ignorance will only defend you just so much. I am a being of few words, but that does not mean I cannot understand your awkward languages. If you have something to say to me, then say. It. To. ME. Instead of assuming that I am some ignorant prey-animal incapable of such understanding. He lifted his claws up and walked backwards slightly before dropping to all fours again. He sat and curled his tail around his legs very neatly before looking at Mali again. However, I will accept your apology. You are not the worst two-legs I have encountered, though you are mildly irksome. If Niko wishes to be hospitable and kind to you, I will naturally honor that. The irritation and dumbfoundment left his eyes as they turned slightly darker and serious. But if you harm my Rider in any fashion, you will regret it. Satisfied, he rose and walked around Niko to lead the way back to the villa.

Niko rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Please don’t take offense at him,” he said kindly. He moved over to her and took her hand again. “He’s gruff and tactless, but he usually means well.” I heard that. Niko chuckled. “Come on. You won’t be taking advantage of our friendship if you have lunch with me.” Without further adieu, he gently tugged her along and followed Arashi as the hatchling weaved through the crowd towards Niko's villa. The city bustled and buzzed with life all around them, but Niko and Arashi were almost single-mindedly fixated on returning to their home. Though they went fairly slowly to let Mali keep pace with them, it was still a fairly short time before they had arrived at the unassuming walls that surrounded the villa grounds. Niko let go of Mali's hand to pull a key from his pocket as they reached the gates. Slipping the key into the lock, he unlocked the gates and opened them, gesturing for Mali to follow Arashi through. Once they were all within the gates, he shut and locked them again. He slipped the key back in his pocket, took Mali's hand once more and led her up the path that wound through the gardens to the villa. Arashi had already nudged the villa door open, so Niko continued into the house. “Welcome to my humble abode,” he said. He let go of her hand again and walked through the house to the small kitchen. He ignored the numerous large dragon statues scattered about the house - so life-like as to be somewhat disturbing.

Arashi hopped into the kitchen and curled up in one corner. He'd go hunting for his meal later. Niko, meanwhile, set about getting ingredients to cook the fish with. “Make yourself at home,” he called over his shoulder to Mali.

[Mali]

Mali had no idea what was happening. Arashi had placed his front claws on her shoulders and was staring her straight in the eyes. It was a little intimidating, having a sharp scaled dragon this close to her. She had no idea that dragons weighed this much either. She knew nothing about their species. As a velvet voice slipped to her mind, she couldn’t believe the damage that she had just done. She had no idea that she had offended him to that extent. She had thought that dragons spoke only in that language that Niko spoke in.

As he backed away and accepted her first apology, she felt the need to apologise again. She shouldn’t have assumed anything, but what she had said wasn’t assuming anything. She had said it in ignorance, but that didn’t excuse it. ”I am sorry again Arashi. I didn’t know if you would understand or not. I did not mean to offend you again” She just kept screwing things up. How could she possibly make friends with them if she kept causing them trouble and offending them? Nodding her head, she didn’t think that she could ever hurt Niko. There wasn’t much that she could do to physically harm the man. Barely able to defend herself from danger, there was little chance of her ability to attack someone.

Looking up to Niko, she was surprised when he grabbed her hand again. His hand was warm and big, far larger than hers. “No, it’s okay.” Arashi had every right to tell her off for her ignorance towards his species. She felt the tug and followed them. With longer legs, Mali knew that they were going slow for her sake. Pulling her hood a little lower as they walked through the rest of the vendors, she hoped that no one else would notice her. She had been caught a few times by other vendors and it wouldn’t be good to get into any more trouble today. All too soon they were walking through the large villa walls. Clearly, people of high status, good income or riders resided here. There was no way that her human parents could ever afford to live in a villa like this. The walls alone showed the status and money needed to reside here.

Not expecting the stop, she almost tripped over her own feet as Niko stopped tugging her to let go of her hand to get his key. He had his own gates. He had personal gates to his house that could lock to keep people out. How much did he make? In addition, was it the riders that paid him, or did he had a separate job? Mali was even more astonished as Arashi just pushed the villa door open. Niko only had to lock the gates; he didn’t even need to lock his front door. This was amazing.

Taking his hand again, she looked around curiously. She wanted to ask what he did for a living, but that would be extremely rude, wouldn’t it? Humble abode? This was nothing close to what she believed to be humble. The inside may be humble, but his neighbourhood was prestigious. The large dragon statues were so detailed. Was this what fully-grown dragons looked like? Glancing at Arashi as he curled up in one of the kitchen corners, she pondered if he would look anything like this. ”Th-thank you,” her voice was unsteady and awkward. Make herself at home, was he certain he wanted to tell her that. He obviously didn’t mean it the way that she was interpreting. If he had meant it the way, she thought he did, then he would be allowing her to change forms, curl up and sleep in the fading sunlight; among other things.

Sitting down on a simple chair, her body was tense and rigid, her palms on her knees, her tail wrapped around her, careful not to touch too much. She didn’t know what he meant by making herself at home; she didn’t want to disturb his home to an extent that he would be angry with her. ”Is that what all full-grown dragons look like?” starting idle conversation was a good thing. Mali hoped that she wouldn’t offend anyone with that simple question.

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[Elloria]

Niko hummed idly as he popped into the garden to draw a bucket of water from the well. He turned the crank with a slight smile on his face. He had missed his home. Glancing around, he saw that his lemon tree was already producing fruit. He smiled. Josk certainly knew how to charm the plants, even when he wasn’t around. He plucked several after he’d pulled up the water. This would be excellent for soaking the fish in, the better to hold the flour coating he would use. He would have to invite Addison over some time now that they were back. If the angel was still hanging around Ilirea. He hadn't seen the man in Ellesmera during his brief visit, but it was always possible - Addison was quite infatuated with Josk after all.

He chuckled at the thought as he returned, set down the lemons and poured the bucket's contents into the large basin he used for cleaning food. Placing the bucket on the floor, he went to a cupboard, grabbed a small bowl and returned to the island counter in the kitchen’s center. He plucked a knife from a drawer and sliced each lemon in half. He then murmured a small spell to aid him in squeezing the juice from the fruits. Satisfied, he added a bit of water to give a bit more liquid to work with before setting it aside. As he started to clean the fish, he glanced at Mali. She was sitting so stiffly and awkwardly in the chair. He knew his furniture wasn't the most comfortable, but surely they didn't warrant that sort of posture? “You needn’t sit so uncomfortably. Relax. There’s no one here to hurt you,” he said kindly as he set the fish into the lemon juice to soak for a bit. He dried his hands before flipping a small switch at the bottom of the basin. The water drained down and flowed through a small crevice in the floor back out into the garden.

As he went to a cupboard to look for another bowl, he flicked his gaze towards the statues that Darek had given him. No two statues looked alike, just as no two dragons ever looked alike. But admittedly, he'd yet to find one that looked anything like Arashi. He pulled a bowl out and went back to the island-counter in the kitchen's center. He plucked a measuring cup from a bag of flour and carefully measured it out. “Well, yes and no. There are certainly dragons that several of those statues are based on. The silver one here, for example.” He gestured with an elbow towards the statue ‘curled up’ on one side of the counter he worked at. “This was based on the dragon Salien. I am good friends with him and his Rider Melatoth.”

He tossed some crushed oregano and rosemary into the flour. He sniffed at the dried basil he had grabbed before crushing it in his hands and adding it to the mix. “But detailed as the statues are, and diverse, each dragon grows differently. And I’ve yet to find a statue that looks similar to Arashi. Then there’s the fact that dragons become considerably larger as they age. Those statues are greatly scaled down. I honestly don’t think there’s such a thing as a full-grown dragon. I’ve heard that some of the oldest wild dragons are the size of large hills. Salien is roughly the size of this villa and he’s several centuries old.” I intend to grow much larger one day, Arashi chimed in sleepily. Niko chuckled as he mixed the flour and herbs with his hands. “So yes, some of these statues resemble adult dragons. And yet no, dragons do not look quite like that when they are ‘grown.’” He wiped the flour from his hands and plucked the fish from the juice to plop it into the flour. “I take it you’ve never seen a dragon before,” he said kindly.

[Mali]

His actions were so precise, as if he did this often. What was she thinking; of course, he did this often. He had a cooked meal every day; it was nothing unusual or special. It was special to her however. She didn’t get cooked meals often, let alone seasoned with sides. Mali watched, wondering if it was hard to cook. Did people need to know a ton of information to cook, or did they just do things? She was fascinated, knowing he was about to clean the fish, maybe even gut it, she didn’t notice that he had glanced at her at all. Looking up from the fish, she shifted nervously. Biting her lip, she looked down to her lap. Mali didn’t think anyone would hurt her here, she just didn’t feel comfortable making herself comfortable, if that makes sense. This is their home, and she’s a gust, guests have boundaries to how comfortable they can make themselves. At least, that’s what she had always thought.

Loosening up her posture a bit, she tried to feel comfortable in the house without stepping over boundaries. The statues seemed to stare back at her, the extreme detail to the carvings capturing her attention. Every time she looked back to a statue, she noticed something new about it. Mali wanted to get up and touch the statues, wondering what they were made of, if they felt anything like dragons, etc. She, however, remained in her seat, pushing aside the curiosity to know more about the statues themselves. Niko answered her questions in a long and information filled piece. So some looked like real dragons, none looked like Arashi, this wasn’t their full size, and they never stopped growing. After having never seen a dragon before today, this was a good chunk of information to receive about the ‘new’ species.

Looking at Arashi, Mali shook her head. ”I’ve never seen one before, not really. I’ve seen some flying above before, but never enough to know what they look like,” She got up and walked over to one of the larger of the statues. They looked so detailed and intricate; she felt that if she touched it, it would come to life. ”I don’t usually talk to other people either, so meeting riders isn’t something that happens often either” She smiled to Niko, pulling her hand back. She shouldn’t touch the pieces. No matter how at home he told her to feel, that was his property, and she wouldn’t want to break it.

Walking closer to the kitchen area, making sure not to step on Arashi, where he was sleeping, she watched him for a moment. ”Arashi sure looks sharp, none of the others do. Do any dragons look like one another? Are there twin dragons?”

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[Elloria]

Arashi snorted quietly, small stream of smoke puffing out as he did. I should hope I look sharp, he murmured. But no. It is unusual for dragons to look identical, unless several generations separate them. As for this...twin thing you speak of...dragons are laid in broods. Often, several eggs comprise one brood. But no dragon shares its egg with another, like two-legs do. As Arashi explained, Niko grabbed several logs from a storage container and set them in the fire pit below the kitchen window. With a murmured brisingr, he lit the logs and stepped away. It would take some time for the fire to reach a proper heat for cooking the fish. He didn't use the pit often. This had been more for Mchumba than him; he ate no meat, like all elves. But Mchumba had like to eat it every now and again. While he waited for that to heat up, Niko picked up a woven basket and went back out into the garden to decide which fruits and vegetables they would have with this meal. He had no lack of variety to pick from, thanks to Josk's last visit. He would never understand that about his brother. The man could kill without hesitation - and probably enjoyed it a little, which caused Niko to shudder - but at the same time he could make the trees sing with him and all manner of vegetation flower and fruit. His brother was sometimes a mystery, even to him who shared his mind. But one day, he’d have to ask Josk how he could make the plants grow as they did.

Niko shook off the thought as he plucked several bright red apples from Mchumba’s tree. He moved from tree to tree, plucking peaches from one and plums from a third. He moved next to the vegetable patch. He squatted by where the carrots grew and dug several up. Patting the earth back down, he moved on to pluck sprigs of spinach as well as two nice-sized squashes. He straightened up at last and returned to the villa. He set the basket down on the counter by the bowl of flour and looked at Mali. “Is there a reason you avoid people?”

[Mali]

Now that she was standing so close to the kitchen area, she had to admit that it was a little awkward, being in their villa, eating dinner with the two of them. It was their home and she didn’t feel like she belonged here. It wasn’t anything they had done wrong, it was just that she didn’t feel comfortable anywhere. She didn’t belong anywhere and had no one. She was alone; her real parents had left her and her human mother died. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had been invited into someone’s house as a guest. The last time she had been in a house, she was posing as a stray cat and a little girl took her home for the night. As Niko left the room, going outside to get ingredients for dinner, Mali felt like she should leave.

As Arashi explained about his species, she understood a little bit more about dragons. So in a way, they were similar to cats. She would never tell him that, as he could possibly see that as an insult and she didn’t intend it to be. However, like cats, they were born in litters and weren’t considered twins.

Still feeling awkward and out of place, Mali wrapped her arms around herself, her tail hanging low to the ground and slightly between her legs. Looking down to her arms, avoiding eye contact as Niko walked back into the room, she wondered how she should answer. Was there really an answer to that question? It should be quite obvious why she would avoid people. She was different and stupid, she couldn’t even transform properly. She didn’t even know any others of her species. Looking up at Niko from under her lashes, she bit her lip. How could she word this properly? ”I would think it is obvious,” she trailed off, speaking slowly. It was hard to talk about. ”Not everyone knows about werecats. I can’t exactly walk around like this. And well, I don’t have a home. I haven’t had anyone waiting for me and no one who wants me around. I’m a cat and the only things we’re considered good for is killing mice.” Mali hadn’t been this open with anyone in a long time. It felt nice to get it off her chest, but she also felt anxious. She was so vulnerable right now. She didn’t believe that Niko would take advantage of such a thing, but she couldn’t be sure.

Moving away, looking around anxiously, her ears twitching back and forth, Mali felt sad. She had never said it aloud and had never admitted that that would be the reason. She didn’t want to believe it. ”It just seemed best not to get involved with people. Not since my human mother died. My parents abandoned me with them.” what was she doing? Why was she telling him all of this? She had no reason to tell him all of this. Why was she making herself so vulnerable? Maybe, she wanted someone to trust?

Looking up at him suddenly, her ears stood up before they flattened against her head. “I’m sorry, I’ll stop talking.” Mali shrank back towards the lone chair in the villa. Her tail between her legs as she sat down. She should just eat and leave him alone. Niko was a wonderful person, she shouldn’t trouble him with herself.

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[Elloria]

Niko stared incredulously at Mali as she sat down. Parents had abandoned her? Good for nothing but chasing mice? A cat? He was fairly certain that werecats were not just cats. They tended to be creepier, actually. The loneliness he heard in Mali's voice cut him deeply. He couldn't even begin to imagine a life that seemed, to him, so very empty. But he honestly wasn't sure how to respond to her statements. He felt as though he'd been blindsided in a bar brawl...and Josk wasn't there to help him get his bearings. Although he was fairly certain that Josk would feel more lost in this situation than Niko did. If Niko wasn't a social butterfly, then Josk could be downright anti-social. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. What could he say to that?

Arashi decided that a nap was probably not going to occur any time in the near future. He lifted his lithe body up and promptly stretched his legs - reminiscent of a cat getting up from a noontime snooze. His wings unfurled, stretching away any sleepiness that might linger. Satisfied, he furled them back and sat on his haunches to observe his Rider and Mali. “Cats may be good for little besides chasing vermin pest-four-legs. But you are not a cat,” he said simply. His leg curled slightly around his body. Sometimes two-legs could be so infuriatingly obtuse. “Have you ever tried to seek out others of your kind? Surely they exist somewhere.”

Niko shook off his stupor as Arashi's voice echoed in his mind. “Arashi does have a point,” he said as he went about washing the vegetables and fruits he had brought in. “You’re not humanoid, certainly, but you couldn’t really be called a cat either. It’s a shame that people would treat you in such a fashion as that.” He looked up from his task and smiled warmly at her again when he noticed she had returned to a more timid posture. “If it will help you feel more comfortable, you could consider this place like a home,” he offered gently. “Goodness knows there’s plenty of room here if you wished to have a place to ‘come home’ to.” He grabbed a knife from a drawer and began slicing the carrots. He suddenly recalled making this same offer to Addison once upon a time. That hadn't worked out particularly well, but perhaps this time it would. And then there was Arashi to consider. But he need not have worried about his dragon. “It’s really not an inconvenience to us, if you think it might be,” the dragon stated. “It might be...nice to have someone else around.”