Finding A New Friend (Inwe, Falix)

[Banir Ironwood]

53rd Winter, 511

Upon a brighter but far colder winter day a large brutish man sat in a snow bank against a building. The bank was a few feet from the road and slightly distanced from others. The man however seemed larger than most, both in height and his large shoulders. Adorned in a dirty green coat, withered with more experience than the person concealed within it. With two large, dark, grey iron shoulder guards, and armour along his right arm. Boots protected by plated metal sprawled out in front of him his body against the soft white snow. His left hand held a piece of half carved ceder wood. Shavings of wood lay around him as the claw grazed against the inner yellowish brown surface. It was strange to see such a large and thug like young man carving peacefully in a snow bank.

This man wore a fur lined hood casting a shadow upon his eyes thought they still glinted in their darkness. Though his jaw, mouth, and nose where exposed they where eagerly hidden behind a white scarf. Though what could almost put someone on their rear was seeing the brute, next to a small clay person. The small Pycon was perfectly sculptured and sat on the shoulder guard. Talking away as her larger counter part carved away. Both clear against the wonderful white snow not far from the street. They where somewhere close to The Red Diamond Tavern. It was still several minutes away but there spot was nice and slightly secluded of the busy street.

[Inwe]

Leather boots crunching rhythmically onto the well-packed snow of the road, Inwe was headed home with her new prize folded in her arms. She had spent far, far too much on it. Honestly, she didn't know why she'd bought it; she didn't even really need it. It had just been so pretty on the rack… the miza coins felt like they were burning a hole through her purse… Inwe had barely hesitated before acting on a whim.

It was a cloak, made mostly of rabbit's fur; the different colored furs sewn together had been organized in a haphazard pattern, bordering the edges of the article in chestnut brown and creating a gradient of gray in the middle. Around the collar was a thick strip of plush wolf's fur, more of an accent to finish off the luxurious cloak. And even though she had spent half of all her money on it, it felt so, so soft in her arms now. It had been a poor decision, but she wasn't quite sure that she regretted it.

Soothed by the sweet caress of impossibly soft rabbit's fur, Inwe was plodding along, taking her time. She couldn't lie to Findecano. Inwe would have to tell him what she'd spent her money on. Of course, he'd want to make her return it. Inwe was hoping she could think of a way to dissuade him on her walk home.

She wasn't having much luck.

An appetizing scent, something savory like cooked meat, was teasing the crisp, Winter air. Inwe knew it meant she was nearing the Red Diamond Tavern. It was a familiar place, owned and run by her fellow Winterflames, but being reminded of her Hold only filled her with guilt. Findecano would be so disappointed.

Then she saw the hooded stranger, perched on a snowbank as he whittled at a chunk of cedar. And a… was that a statuette? It was moving. And talking?

Inwe slowed to a stop, tilting her head. It was difficult not to stare, but she wasn't sure she could believe what she was looking at. From the way the large man was bundled up, he must have been a foreigner unused to the cold. Was the clay thing a puppet? The world outside Avanthal must have been so strange.

Well, it was a good a distraction as any.

"Good afternoon," Inwe offered cheerily. She chose Common to speak to them, as most travelers did not know Vani. Her grasp on the language was not quite secure, and her accent was thick, but she spoke it quickly enough to not sound clumsy. "I don't mean to be intrude, but I've never seen such a thing before." Inwe's glinting eyes, billowing with emerald curiosity, turned to what she would later learn was called a Pycon. "It's really quite adorable. May I ask, what is it?"

[Falix]

She had been enjoying her conversation with Banir, although it was her that had done most of the talking since Banir was so quiet, that was until she was interuppted by the Vantha girl. She could tell by the shift in the color of her eyes and it reminded her of Banir, although his eyes were almost always red. She looked up at the girl who was carrying a beautiful fur cloak that she had seen earlier on their way to this spot. She looked up at the woman "I can speak for myself...and I'm not an it, I'm a girl. I'm a Pycon." While she was used to gauks and stares, and questions as well there were times when it bothered her. She tried not to sound too ofeended though as she spoke to the other girl knowing it wasn't really her fault. "I'm a clay person, that might sound more familiar to you."

She looked once again at the fur in the girls arms then turned back to Banir looking at the carving in his hand. it was coming along quite nicely. "Hehe your getting better at your carvings Banir." She turned back to the girl. "Oh my name is Falix, and the big guy here is Banir. He's my travelling compnaion. So whats your name?" Falix asked as she began to pick a bit at the pair of tiny clay angel wings that protruded from her back. Even before she had her answer she moved from where she had been sitting and hopped onto Banir's wrist with a practiced ease then from there she jumped onto his broad shoulder and sat down between the dirty green hood over his head and the dull grey shoulder guard on his left side. Her favorite perching spot. She let her legs hang over his shoulder so that her feet dangled against his collar bone and her hands rested on his shoulder supporting herself as she leaned back a little.

[Banir Ironwood]

Banir's hooded head turned to meet the gaze of the beautiful young Vantha woman. With his eyes a deep burning red they rimmed on the outside with a curious forest green. The sight of her caused him to stop his carving for a moment. The cold iron claw on his right hand stained by the shavings of wood. Listening to Falix introduce them he down to his little friend. Seeing her climb his wrist and make her way to her preferred perching spot. Shifting his armoured leather boots beneath him he lifted his bulky off the ground. With the clunking of metal upon metal, the light creaking of leather he was upright. The large man stood strong at six feet with a chest and shoulders built for hard labor. Leather straps entrenched into his coat, holding the grey iron in place. Though Falix's introduction summed up what had needed to be said Banir preferred to be polite. Bowing to her slightly then standing upright once again he spoke to her, his voice gruff and difficult. His Common was decent but it took him a few seconds between each words before speaking again.

"Hello its, nice to meet you, I am Banir Ironwood. It is a pleasant, afternoon." His rough voice almost made it sound painful for him to speak. Though the harsh ruby eyes that gazed down into her brilliant emeralds. His left leather clad hand tucked away his carving into one of the old brown pouches adorning his waist. With it gone and out of sight he nervously brushed the shavings off of his clawed hand. Despite his large, brutish appearance he had attempted to be polite. Though his eyes spoke hatred they seemed to have a kindness lurking upon their edges. Almost as if his real emotions where waiting beneath the fore fronted rage. The red eyes gazed down at the cloak in her hands, he rarely cared about the looks of clothing. Being more a man of practical application he didn't always admire clothing. But he couldn't help but notice it was very well made. Pointed one of his sharp armored fingers at the astounding article of wear in her hands. Breaking the air as a misty cloud that was pushed past his white scarf he spoke.

"That is a wonderful, cloak you have. It must have been, expensive. Is it alright if, I take a look at it? The effort put into it, looks rather amazing." Banir was awkward with talking to others, but he was still making an effort to talk. His own shyness and slight waver in his voice gave hints that he was nervous to talk to a stranger. Weight shifting from one leg to the other with a light creak of snow beneath his large metal clad boots. His thoughts hidden from the world as he curiously awaited her answer. As Falix sat upon his shoulder he shifted to accommodate for her lack of proper seating. It was also to assure himself that he wouldn't drop his newest and smallest friend.

[Inwe]

It… she was a person!

Inwe's eyebrows shot upward, and her irises flushed greenish yellow. She was so embarrassed; this was a total faux pas—clay people? She had never known anything like that could exist. Thinking back, 'clay person' did ring with a shadow of familiarity, but no more than the idea of bogeymen or fairies or other made-up creatures.

"My goodness, I'm sorry!" Inwe hugged her cloak closer to her chest, dipping her head in a polite bow of greeting—and apology. "I didn't realize! That was so rude of me. It's just that I've never met a clay person before, a Pycon." The Vantha woman turned to the much taller man, certainly a foreigner, but she couldn't quite make out his race. His face was too obscured by his hood and scarf. It made him look somewhat threatening, but if the small clay person was perfectly comfortable on his shoulder, there was probably no reason to feel nervous standing several feet away.

"Hello Falix and Banir. It's a pleasure to meet you two, as well. I'm Inwe." She looked down at her newly purchased cloak. "This? Oh yes. I just bought it. My husband is going to be furious when he learns what I spent on it." A nervous, but lighthearted laugh followed. Banir asked to take a look at the cloak, and Inwe wasn't sure if he wanted her to hand it to him so he could examine the quality of the pelts used. Whether or not that's what he meant, Inwe didn't trust a stranger to handle her precious new cloak. "Of course. I haven't tried it on yet."

The cloak rolled out to its full length, the bottom of it grazing the pack snow of the road. With a flourish, she pulled it onto her shoulders, allowing the heavy cloak to sweep her form. The wolf's pelt lining the hood and collar brushed up against her cheek. "It's very warm. Very Avanthal. So, where are you two traveling from?"

[Falix]

She looked at the woman as she introduced herself. She gave a small smile at her telling her that everything was fine. "Don't worry I get that a lot. Anyway that is a very nice pelt, I don't have need of such things..but," She smiled adn closed her eyes for a moment her form began to shift and change and after about 5 minutes her form had changed. She looked the same as she had before, the only difference now was that she appeared to be wearing a clay version of the rabbit and wolf pelt cloak. "That doesn't mean I can't be fashionable right?"

She laughed softly and looked at Banir, although with his hood up he was unable to see her on his shoulder and her weight so insignifigant that he didn't feel her there most of the time. When the question of where they hailed from she looked at Banir again and pulled the clay cloak closer to her, unsure of how to answer. Then she looked back at hte woman before her who had introduced herself as Inwe. "Well...lets just say that we're from somewhere far away from Avanthal." She then looked back to Banir and hoped that her responce had been a good and respectful answer without actually giving away too much at the same time. She knew that Banir didn't really like talking about himself or talking that much period. He was aloof and a bit secretive and she didn't want to make him mad, that was the last thing anyone would want.

[Banir Ironwood]

With a yellowed green sparking in his raged red eyes Banir examined the cloak. It looked quite practical now that it was revealed and enshrouding the young lady. Leaning in and looking around it looked very nice and sturdy for the winter. Not getting to close in fear of her discomfort he backed off and stood upright once more. Though for a few moments he almost didn't hear what she had said. With Falix answering for him he focused on his next set of questions. His rough voice spoke soon after Falix, the young lady seemed rather interesting.

"Our destination, is Mura on, the White Isle. I guess, you could say we are, travelers. But Inwe, I don't mean, to be rude. But you seem rather, young to be married." With speaking being almost a pain he was reluctant to say more. Though he was half Vantha, Banir knew next to nothing of the culture. Quickly Banir's stomach gave a loud bark of hunger, just realizing now that he had missed his midday meal. Though his face was hidden by scarf and hood it was easy to tell this had embarrassed him. His head lowered and he uncomfortably stood before them. His voice murmured and slightly muffled.

"If it, is not trouble, could we perhaps. Continue this, conversation at, the tavern? I have, uhh, I have missed a meal and, well, uhhh." With being embarrassed like he was it was far more difficult for Banir to speak. It was almost funny to see such a large and thug like man being shy because of a rumbling stomach. With his armour creaking lightly as he awkwardly waited. Turning his head to spy out the corner of his hood, trying to check on Falix. Seeing she was still comfortable he turned his gaze back to his ironclad boots.