Summer 29th, AV 15, Early Evening
The heavy scent of smoke and alcohol washed over her like a tidal wave as soon as the heavy wooden doors came to a close behind. Her extra sensitive tongue could literally taste the sour sweat hanging in the air. Her eyes surveyed the dank, dim lit tavern as she took her first few steps. A haven for ruffians and misfits alike. Perfect. She felt eyes upon her as she traversed the wooden flooring, inevitable, she assumed. Skae was a fair bit taller than most of the females here, even some of the males, she had noticed. Not to mention a good deal stockier to.
She found the closest table and plunked herself down on to a worn looking bench, a crack running through it's middle. She took quick, discreet glances at the creatures around her. Humans, people, they referred themselves as. The vast knowledge she had consumed about these mammals prior to arriving in Syliras was enough to get her through the gates but she doubted it would get her much further than that. No. If she was going stay here for any length of time she needed to act like them, speak like them, BE them.
Her eyes skirted from person to person, cautiously observant. Her gaze rested upon a well fed man, repeatedly slapping his thigh with a heavy hand. A strange sound emanating from deep within his throat whilst his body convulsed, almost violently. A short man with a balding head sat opposite, said something in a light tone that she couldn't quite make out, then they both hurled back in their seats and began bellowing the same strange noise, their bodies shaking, like some sort of bizarre ritual. What odd gestures these creatures use...
She lowered her gaze to the table. A large heap of something lay on a metal dish. Food, she assumed, if it could really be called that. Food. The one thing she doubted she could ever get used to here. Skae was hungry of course, famished in fact, she hadn’t had a decent meal in at least a week. Right around the time before she had entered the gates. To have what you desired delivered to you, sliced, diced and crushed in such a way it was beyond recognition was just unfathomable to her. The thrill of the hunt had more or less been removed completely. She had tried to imitate the unfamiliar chewing motions humans and other similar mammals used whilst eating but for some reason it gave her terrible indigestion.
She had also attempted eating normally in this form. On her second day of staying in Syliras she had come across a large rat scurrying through an alley. She was a lot slower in this form but her reactions were fast as always. She had snatched up the rat and snapped it’s little neck before it had time to react. When she had felt certain no eyes were on her she shoved the whole thing into her mouth and swallowed. She had not accounted for the fact her human gullet could not expand and contract like it normally did and she nearly choked to death there and then in that alley. She had taken note of a few possible hunting grounds outside of the walls however she would need to be cautious. A snake prowling in the nearby woods, especially one of her size would quickly attract attention.
“May I help?”
Skae looked up, startled. She was deep in thought and had let her guard down. A female was standing above her, a wooden platter with mugs piled upon lay in her hands. Skae’s eyes narrowed as she assessed the situation. The barmaid placed a hand on her hip patiently and frowned worryingly. “I’ll have whatever they are drinking…” The dhani replied, her head motioning toward the two males she observed previously. The barmaid nodded, eager to be free of the snake’s piercing gaze. Skae wondered what she was even doing here, she supposed she had to start somewhere.
