Closed Nesting Like a Bird [ Sphinx ]

[Nij]

summer 25th 512av "Vincis, who's he?" She whispered, obviously meaning the imposing man at the entrance to the circles of the Market Place. "Derdain; just tell him what you're coming here to do." "But...but...he's scary. Can't you do it?" "No." She crossed her arms and glared at him. She was Avora, he was Dek. He was supposed to do what she said! Although, it was better for her to just do it herself...it would be better for when she needed to come here again. Besides, it would look odd if it were the Dek telling him why she was here. She walked up to the supposed Derdain, taking a deep breath and attempting to sound like a normal person. As normal you could be as a brunette in a sea of gingers, and with a basic grasp on Nari. All well. "I'm here to buy clothing and building tools. To build a treehouse." He looked at her oddly for a second, and then nodded her and Vincis in. Thank goddess. "Where can I buy clothes?" "Felicity's Fabrics." She glared at him. "I'll show you." It felt odd being led around by someone who was of an obvious lower caste. Not that she knew anything better than this, but still. Soon she found herself standing in front of an extraordinarily colourful booth, with vinati and bryda and other assorted items in every colour she could think of, maybe even more. One of the vinati instantly caught her eye - a black cotton halter top that tied at the neck and had a simple bird formed on one side by many tiny, red glass beads. There was a plain black bryda that she snatched up, too, even though there was nothing interesting about it. She didn't like how long the bryda were, so she'd probably end up tearing off part of the legs and wearing them like shorts. She picked them up, along with a sheer red scarf for good measure. "Can I get these?" Her tone was nervous, but she'd never bought things from the Market Place before. There were others, bustling about, and it seemed very busy. Of course it would be. It was the first marketplace they've had this season, so it was to be expected. "Sure." The lady, she assumed to be Felicity, replied, with a smile on her face. She told her the price and Nij paid, fumbling over the pinions she had in her pocket. Giving the clothing to Vincis to hold, she ran a hand through her hair while thinking about what she was supposed to do next. Oh yes. Buy a hammer and nails. "Hey, Vincis, where can I get a hammer?" "A...a hammer? I thought you were kidding about the treehouse thing." "N-no...I was serious." Her tone sounded defensive, which was exactly how she was feeling. Was he critical of her wanting to live closer to nature than a cave in a mountain? He shouldn't be. He was the one who was a few steps away from being a slave, who was he to criticize her? "Just show me where I can buy a damned hammer, Vincis." Reluctantly, he showed her to The Hot Hammer. Nij looked at the man who was standing at the stall and then over at Vincis, attempting to quell the butterflies in her stomach. It didn't work. "D-do you have a hammer for sale? And maybe some nails?" Her stuttering even further slurred her Nari, but he seemed to understand it well enough. He held up a hammer, and as fate would have it, a small linen bag full of nails. "Could those work for a treehouse?" "People who make wooden furniture buy these, so I'd say they're as good as any other nails meant for wood." "What about climbing gear?" "Yeah, we have that." "Can I get some?" "Yeah, sure." He handed her the set of climbing gear, setting it next to the hammer and bag of nails. He told her the price, and Nij fished around in her pockets for the correct amount of Pinions. After handing him the money she took it and handed the stuff to Vincis, making him carry it.

[Sphinx]

Nij's first stop at Felicity's Fabrics was a smooth one. Felicity greeted the Phylonurist with a smile and a chipper voice as she named her price, a very reasonable six pinions for the outfit. As Felicity reached for the pinions, she offered Nij a piece of advice.

"Don't sound so sheepish. You're not a sheep, and this isn't a den of lions." The woman said. She took away the pinions Nij handed forward, a quick bob of her head all the thanks she expressed, and continued on with her customers as Nij continued on with Vincis.

In the bumbling crowd, Vincis was copper topped salvation. He led her through to the out-of-the-way stall of the Hot Hammer. Laid out before her eyes were gleaming tools, forged by the hands of these rough Inarta at the grace of their volcanic nest.

Tordon, the man who managed the Hot Hammer, was always pleased to see new customers, although the one to approach him did have an unusual request. Nails and a hammer wasn't something one was asked for often in this city, where it seemed glassworks were in much higher demand than tools for woodworking. His surprise was embodied by a blink, but he quickly regained his composure.

"All together, the price is ten and five pinions." It was a little steep, but the cost of something so widely not sought after was special occaision to hike up the cost one or two pinions. He was surprised when the girl didn't try to bargain him down for them.

The bulky gear Nij now found herself weighed down by prompted the thought that she should drop some of the unecessary things back in her room before heading out into the Unforgiving. She didn't want to dirty her beautiful new clothes without getting the chance to wear them first, after all.

[Nij]

After the harrowing experience of having to talk to all these crazy, fire-haired humans, Nij quickly ran out of the Market Place. The Poona was hitting its head against the wall just outside, and Derdain was looking at her almost venomously. She untied the Poona and speed-walked out, the classier alternative to running. The abomination followed her like it always did, and so did Vincis, carrying all her stuff. She slowed down after a few chimes at this unnecessarily hurried pace, and everyone slowed down with her. She arrived at her room, but she didn't really know how - muscle memory? She sighed and put down her stuff. "Do you even know how the hell to build a tree house?" Vincis, attitude as always. Nij sighed again, loudly. What she was thinking of was more of a nest than anything. She could always ask some birds how they did it. And then she could more permanently live in the unforgiving, instead of living here. "The birds do." "What're you going to do, build a nest?" "Yes." It was Vincis' turn to sigh. The poona looked at both of them expectantly. She pat its head. "We could make this thing carry all our stuff." Vincis face-palmed at this. "Well? What else would we do?" Her voice was almost whiny now. She made him turn around and she changed out of her hot foreign clothes and into her new, and much cooler, bryda and vinati. Grabbing the hammer and nails, she set out of the cave, whether Vincis was coming or not. Of course he followed, and so did the poona. She made her way to the Unforgiving.

[Sphinx]

As Nijin walked by, followed by the loyal abomination and the snarky Dek, she was given appreciative stares by some of the other inhabitants. Now that she wasn't wearing her stuffy clothes and dressed with the flair of the Inarta themselves, they found more reasons to check her out. If she had red hair, she would have fit in among the people perfectly.

As she exited Wind Reach, Val nodded at her. He was currently speaking with another newcomer, a bird on his shoulder, and so could spare little attention to the comings and goings of Wind Reach's resident witch. The bird was also more concerned with its precarious position than the next Inarta to take a stroll.

When Nij got outside to breathe the fresh air, she could feel a sense of calm creeping over her. Outside felt natural, much more than being cooped up inside that hellishly hot volcano at this time of the year. Her gnosis allowed her to feel the status of the land and become aware of what some of the birds and plants where doing if she could see and touch them. A few nontalkative birds took flight as she stepped off the road to look for the perfect tree.

All around her were tall trees in various conditions and types, but primarily tall and with sharp needles with few leafy trees interspersing the whole. Already some of these trees had a few yellowing tips on their leaves, a sign of the impeding fall that would cause them to shed.

Some of these trees looked nice to build a nest in. Some of them even already had a nest or two among their branches! Nijin didn't know much about what trees were better than which, but if she asked nicely than maybe the birds would help her.

[Nij]

She glanced around until she caught a little songbird by the eye. Where do you build a nest? The bird's Nura was as twittery and jumpy as the bird itself. Big tree, strong tree, don't want my eggs to fall. Well, Nij knew that much, but hearing it from the songbird, she had a perfect tree in mind - Angel Oak. She knew enough about botany to be able to spot one, but there weren't any near. The songbird was still there. Do you know where an empty Angel Oak is? Empty? Free of other nests. Yes, witch. Can you show me, please? Yes!