By the fire (open)

[Yrpa]

"Just got her actually," Yrpa was surprised when she heard those words, it had sounded before like Ariel had spent some time in Endrykas, but it wasn't a problem, she actually was kind of embaressed about having been there so long without doing anything that actually made a difference, she had just slept, eaten, riden and walked around, somewhat exploring silently the culture and life of Endrykas.

"Well I came here the 77th day of fall actually," Yrpa said, blushing a little. "I've been here a little too long without doing anything."

But that's going to change from now on! Yrpa thought to herself, having now found again that forgotten passion and fiery spirit that had always be her symbol, she knew she could do something.

Watching Ariel trying to climb up on the log, Yrpa wondered weather to give her a hand, or just leave it and make her do it herself, then she suddenly remembered when she was only a kid and couldn't reach things ... how frustraited she had gotten when someone taller had reached out and handed her the particular thing.

[Ariel]

"Well I came here the 77th day of fall actually," Yrpa said, blushing a little. "I've been here a little too long without doing anything." Ariel would have said something, but she was busy trying to get up the log. The bark was stiff, and rough beneath her clay fingertips. The bark, itself, made a strange diamond pattern, and thus, was something she could climb up. She could simply jump over the little diamond indents in the wood, or use them as a sort of stepping stone to climb higher and higher, or she could climb up them like a stairway, well kind of. Ariel grunted as she climbed and climbed, scraping a small section of clay on the bottom of her dress on the way up when a piece of wood splintered beneath her and fell away. Darn it! she thought to herself as she dangled about three and a half inches in the air. Hate when that happens. At least it'll grow back eventually she thought to herself, as her body swung back and forth a little bit, scrambling to find some footing. There was none. So she slowly moved her hands to the side, making her way over this diamond-portion of the bark. Her body was swinging from left to right, and finally, she was able to stretch her right foot over to the next diamond-section, and nestle her body into it, for a moment's rest. It felt like a hole in the wood, but it was really just the banding of bark. Hmm, she thought, maybe I should do this more often. After she had caught her breath, Ariel slowly got back up, gripping the side of the bark with her right hand so she wouldn't fall. Then she looked up, still about a foot to go. So she started climbing, and climbing, and climbing up up and up, by using the diamond-indented patterning of the bark as a way to propel herself forward, and up towards her new friend. When she reached the top, she stooped over a bit, trying to catch her breath. Her clay heart was beating really really quick. Her hands were resting about her knees, her eyes fixated on the fallen ash tree she had just conquered. "Ok, ok," she said, as she finally started to breath normally again, and stood up straight again. What a work-out she thought to herself as she walked over to Yrpa's left leg, and jumped up as high as she could. She reached her hands out on the up, and gripped onto the cloth of her clothing, pulling herself upwards and onto her leg. She came to a rest in the middle of Yrpa's left thigh. "Much better," she said, as she sat down, Indian style.

[Yrpa]

Yrpa watched Ariel struggle up the log for a while before she started looking around again, slightly losing interest in Ariels battle with the log. She looked around them, everywhere were people chatting and working, the normal life of people, Yrpa didn't quite know if she missed this, or just the company of another Drykas. Although, she did like Ariel and enjoyed not being alone.

She snapped from her daydream when she felt someone pulling into the side of her pants, she looked down and grinned as she saw Ariel heave herself up onto Yrpa's leg and sat there, with crossed legs and looking quite pleased with herself.

"Took you quite a time there eh?" Yrpa said giggling, "only kidding though," She winked at Ariel and leaned a bit back, looking up into the clear blue sky smiling.

"Hey can I ask you something?" Yrpa asked slowly, while still looking up into the sky. "Just out of curiosity?"

[Ariel]

"Took you quite a time there eh?" Yrpa said giggling, "only kidding though." She winked at Ariel and leaned a bit back. Well sorry for being only three inches tall, Ariel thought to herself, getting annoyed even if her new-found friend said that it was only a joke. At whose expense? Hers. There was a pause before Yrpa said, "Hey can I ask you something?" while still looking up into the sky. "Just out of curiosity?" Ariel looked up at her, eyeing her suspiciously. What on earth did she want to ask her? Ariel wondered, some silly question about her race? How she managed to climb up that log? How they expected to have adventures together? Something else entirely? Ariel sat, and pulled some clay out of her bag to munch on. She chewed slowly and deliberately, making next to no sound. "Go ahead," she said, wondering what she had just gotten herself into.

[Yrpa]

Yrpa looked down on Ariel who sat, chewing on something that looked like clay "Go ahead," she then said, although Yrpa wasn't sure if the question she had in mind would be offencive, since she didn't know if Ariel was uncomforable about what race she was.

"Well ... I'm wondering, you have to forgive me, I haven't met many others from other races, mostly Drykas and Kelviks ... but what race are you?" Now her eyes were fixed on Ariel, waiting for an answare, or at least some response.

Since Ariel looked like she was made of clay, Yrpa wasn't even sure if there ran blood in her veins, 'but somehow she has to live right?' she thought to herself.

[Ariel]

Ariel sat on Yrpa's leg, munching happily on her clay. "Well ... I'm wondering, you have to forgive me, I haven't met many others from other races, mostly Drykas and Kelvics ... but what race are you?" Yrpa asked. Ariel finished chewing, and swallowed, making a gulping-like noise as the clay she had just ingested entered her tiny clay stomach. "Pycon," she said, deciding she wasn't hungry anymore, and placing the rest of her food back into her thimble-sized back. Sometimes, she felt like she was the only pycon left in mizahar. She couldn't remember anyone from her past who had actually met a pycon other than herself in their lives, and some of them were a good five times her age or more. Now, that's just sad, she thought to herself. There can't be that few of us, can there? Ariel looked up at Yrpa, expecting another wave of questions from her curious little mind. Or at least, if not another slew of questions, some more awe-filled stares or something of that sort of absolutely ridiculous nature, as far as Ariel was concerned.

[Yrpa]

"Pycon" said Ariel plainly, like it was the most natural thing in the world, Yrpa watched her as she put back the clay she had been eating to her backpack.

Seeing the look on Ariel's face, Yrpa felt a bit wierd, this was probobly the most common question Ariel got on her trips, having heard a tiny bit about the pycons, Yrpa decided not to ask any more questions about it.

"Cool," Yrpa said smiling, "Never met a Pycon before." Then she straighened up and looked around, there were only few people around them now, and she was starting to get a bit hungry, feeling her stomach growl silently, she started thinking back to her tent where she had her food.

"Hey, you know how to cook?" Yrpa said suddenly, and was reminded of her own clumsy tryings while cooking since she had ignored her mother's advise on cooking when she was younger.

[Ariel]

"Cool," Yrpa said smiling, "Never met a Pycon before." Ariel nodded, and looked up at Yrpa, there was a faint rumbling, a faint tremble of the woman's legs. Wonder what that was, she thought to herself, as Yrpa asked, "hey, you know how to cook?" Maybe she's hungry, Ariel thought. As she looked up at the girl. "Sorry, no, never really needed to cook," she said, "considering I live off clay." Ariel didn't understand how others didn't eat the stuff, it was just too good to pass up in her opinion. "Why? You hungry?" Ariel asked of her friend. Wondering what sorts of things she liked to eat. Was she more of a meat-eater, or a vegetarian, or even something in-between?

[Yrpa]

"Why? You hungry" Ariel asked her, Yrpa slapping herself in the head in her mind, That's right ... she eats clay Yrpa thought embarrassed, "Well ... Yeah kind of," She looked around "Well let's just say that I refused to learn it when i was a kid, and well ... now I don't know it" She blushed a little.

Today, Yrpa wasn't proud of this lack of skill, since of course people have to eat, and you don't eat meat raw. This was of no help, she had to go back to her tent and eat something.

"Well, I think I have to go back to my tent and find myself something to eat, want to join?" She asked Ariel smiling, looking down on her, hoping for her to say yes since she was still quite curious about this little creature she was starting to like quite a bit.

[Ariel]

"Well ... Yeah kind of," She looked around "Well let's just say that I refused to learn it when i was a kid, and well ... now I don't know it" Yrpa blushed a little. Ariel got it, they were both culinarily-challenged. The blind would be leading the blind on this endeavor, she thought to herself. "Well, I think I have to go back to my tent and find myself something to eat, want to join?" Yrpa asked Ariel smiling. "Sure," Ariel replied, as she tightened her hold on her bag and looked up at Yrpa. "Hope you don't mind if I ride on your shoulder," Ariel said as she got up and walked up the length of Yrpa's leg, before grabbing the top of the cloth of her cloak, and slowly pulled herself up it. One hand in front of the other, like she was climbing a soft rope. Will... reach... her... shoulder... Ariel thought to herself, as she kept climbing and climbing for what felt like ages. A few minutes later, Ariel was sitting on Yrpa's right shoulder. Looking down at the world from Yrpa's point of view. "Nice view," she commented, wondering if she had offended her friend or not by scrambling up the length of her cloak. She hoped not, otherwise she may not get to watch her cook, or attempt cooking, maybe even light something on fire. Now that, would be interesting, Ariel thought to herself. Laughing inwardly at her own bizarre thoughts, Ariel whispered, "lets mush," in Yrpa's right ear.