Wandering Around [Oscar/Shausha]

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Stepping behind Oscar was one thing, stepping in front of her was another, Sosicly found herself unsure of whether to be indignant or grateful. The situation seemed to rapidly becoming one she was not comfortable with, her eyes narrowed at the Zith woman. Who she only now recalled the name as the human spoke it, she vaguely recalled hearing of them visiting before, though not readily welcomed. She then stepped out from behind Oscar, drawing herself up rigidly to her not that intimidating height. He spoke of Goddess she had never heard of but her eyes were wide and boring into his skull at the mention of divine healing. And the silly Zith thought of ownership that was not exactly unappealing in terms of pride. But it was all too much, more than enough, and though her hands still fumbled she managed to get her writing out while simultaneously crushing her bitter embarrassment of the Zith’s stumble over her lack of communication. It was one thing for the human to be surprised, she was above him logically speaking but she was not above the Zith in the sense of a food chain. I cannot speak, I am Sosicly. Oscar, is exploring with me, you join and help in transporting him, and your name? She did not ask Oscar if he would approve as she still had questions for him, slowly her shoulders relaxed a bit, and a bit of curiosity sparked at why the Zith was here. She wasn’t harvested so another surface dweller here by choice? Well, she was more made for the Kalinor than the human if anything. Sosicly did not turn her back on the Zith but tilted her head to face Oscar, pointing to her eyes, then his then in a wide circle to encompass the city behind them. It was her way of asking if her would like a tour, then she opened and closed her hand in a gesture of speaking, pointed to all three of them and raised an eyebrow, inquiring if he would like to continue their conversation and include the Zith woman. Hopefully he could understand the gist of what she was saying, at times she wished she could communicate better but many Symenestra ignored her flailing about in favor of waiting for her to write. Once things got under way, and her nerves settled she would question the human-Oscar to her hearts content or just visit him again another day.

[Oscar]

Oscar was certain that the Zith was going to give him a heart attack when she propelled herself closer to him. That would be rather ironic, a healer dying of shock induced trauma. Her words indicated a lack of understanding on her part, something that slightly irritated him. Was it so difficult to believe that there were some people in the world simply willing to help out of the kindness of their hearts? That he had come here of his own free volition? Considering the reputation of the Symenestra, probably yes on both counts. Her wing hit his face, causing him to flinch slightly and turn to face both Sosicly and the Zith. Oscar noted the written words Sosicly had prepared and arched an eyebrow at the Symenestra female. Exploring? Was that what they were doing? He eyed the Zith carefully, he had the sneaking suspicion that her kind of 'help' would involve a long drop and a sudden stop. It was a poor thought for a healer to have, but he was not entirely sure he trusted this winged creature, or Sosicly for that matter. The man brushed some of his long hair from his eyes that had been displaced thanks to the Zith, noting Sosicly's gestures. It wasn't difficult to infer their initial meaning, exploring the city, as she had written down pretty much the exact same thing. The second one took more guess work but he was able to get conversation from it, and he suspected that the encompassing of all three of them meant inclusion of the Zith. So she was asking if she would like to include the winged woman in the conversation? Perhaps? He had to admit, this looked like the beginning of a terrible tavern joke, a healer of Rak'keli, a Zith, and a Symenestra all walk into a bar... He sighed and looked back to the Place of Purging, he really wanted to go back now. However it would be somewhat selfish of him to deny Sosicly his company, she had gone to the trouble of seeking him out so he possessed some obligation there. To simply depart now would be rude, Zith or no Zith. "Very well, miss Sosicly, I shall come along. I admit, I am curious to see more of your city." Oscar said with a quiet smile. His gaze shifted to the Zith, his soft brown eyes examining her carefully but not without some kindness. "I would also clarify that I am here by no ones will other than my own and Rak'keli's. If you wish to learn of the goddess of healing I would be happy to educate you on the subject. Take as you will, Zith." Oscar said, keeping to Symenos as much as possible. It was odd that a Zith would express an interest in healing, however he suspect that once she learned of the price Rak'keli demanded she would likely lose that interest. Healers did not kill, at least not outside of self defense. It was against the teachings of Rak'keli and a grave sin against her, if not an outright betrayal of her trust. He turned his attention back to Sosicly, his serene expression now back on his face, his hands folded out before him. "Where do you intend to take us, miss Sosicly? I am quite curious to see what beauty this city holds beyond the Nest or the Purging." He asked. This was not how he had expected to spend his day when he had woken up, but one thing was for sure it was likely to be interesting if nothing else.

[Shausha]

Spring 513
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Shausha got very close to the Symnestra and squinted at the book that was held out to her. Loops of lines dotted the page and Shausha squinted hard at it. After a moment, she thrust it back into spider-lady's arms to declared loudly and abruptly, "I can't read. I'm Shausha." The truth was, she couldn't read well.

The Symnestra then resorted to some weird hand gestures. Ha! She can't talk? Oscar was saying something again, and Shausha glanced over at him, uninterested until he mentioned the word "exploration" at which Shausha did a double-take and her attention swerved to focus intently upon what he was saying. She couldn't understand all of the Symnos that was spoken, but knew enough to understand the gist of what he was saying. Ahhh! The hand signals suddenly made sense. After Oscar finished his too-polite address to the woman, Shausha perked up and said brightly, "So her name is Sosicly. Where do you want to go? Are you hungry? I'm aaaaaalways ready to eat." She moaned out the word "always" for special effect.

Oscar still looked nervously at her, but she had zero interest in eating him; He looked soft and squishy and she preferred the gamy, yet stringy meat of wild game.Living here had also gotten her used to eating fruits which were not as rich as bloody muscles, but were fun to eat and more easily obtained.

Slightly frustrated she added, "I said I won't hurt you" and punctuated the promise with another thrust of her hands down on her hips. Shausha also imagined that the spider-people wouldn't appreciate an enormous puddle of blood in the middle of their white hallway. She tapped her chin at the thought.

Shausha was suddenly struck by an idea. She crept up behind Oscar and slowly put her arms around him and snuggled against his back. "I suppose you'll need transport" she purred. She locked eyes with her fang-sister and grinned mischievously, wondering if the Sosicly understood what Shausha intended.
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[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly wondered at where they should go first, Kalinor was large but the places to go where not. She turned to survey the city quietly before nodding as she picked their destination. It would be a good start, a sort of central point and after everything they would finish at the Blue Grotto. Oscars’ next words broke her thoughts away, and she pointed to his hand then herself, meaning to include herself in the interest of this healing Goddess. She was about to write their destination when the Zith spoke, ironically answering Sosiclys’ questions without having been able to read the words. It was her luck that the Zith—Shausha couldn’t read, and she said she meant no harm, and seemed harmless if you discounted the fact that was a Zith. Still, some would say the same of the Symenestra, she would reign in her judgment of Shausha for a bit more. Showing Oscar the scribble in her book she then shut it quickly, catching the Ziths’ movement, and smiling a bit at the ground. It seemed the Zith would not need words to know what she wanted. Tell her to follow. First place is food place. Closing the book as it would be of no use for the moment, Sosicly carefully slipped them into her knapsack, and strapped it on. She would make do without it until they reached their destination. Looking to Oscar she pointed to him, and then the cities silk rope transport and shook her head, trying to signify that it would not be a good idea. Sometimes Symenestra carried foreigners but Sosicly could barely support herself at times. Moving away Sosicly took one of the thick cords, wrapped herself around it comfortably, then turned to face Shausha and gave a wide smile and nod while pointing to Oscar. Content they would figure it out or Oscar would end up in one of the baskets following her, she let herself fall and led the way to The Hunters’ Gather.

[Oscar]

Oscar noted Sosicly's gesture to his mark, the significance of it was half gleaned, again it was hard to understand hand gestures. Perhaps she possessed some interest in his mark? Or perhaps Rak'keli herself, though if that was the case it would have been better to point to the symbol around his neck. It could have meant a number of things, however further speculation was placed in the back as Sosicly raised up her book again. He nodded at the sentence, though he was not exactly keen on the company of the Zith it was best to keep an open mind. Food sounded lovely, though he was reminded of a warning his language teacher had given him regarding Symenestra cuisine. Supposedly it was the worst thing the man had ever tasted, though Oscar somehow doubted that if could be that bad. At least he hoped. Also, his exertion earlier had left him a little tired and hungry, some food might do him some good. He noted Sosicly's gestures regarding the rope, that meaning was clear enough. He had zero intentions of climbing those treacherous ropes, the fall would be rather long and the stop very sudden. The young healer let out a gasp when the Zith wrapped her arms around him. This was a situation that he would much rather avoid! "I-I ah, this is very unnecessary, miss Shuasha! There is a perfectly usable basket right there!" He stuttered out. Flying in the arms of a Zith was not something he had ever desired to experience, ever. The mere thought was terrifying. This one might claim to be harmless but regardless the thought of what could go wrong was really fresh in his mind. He'd seen what happened to victims of long falls, he really did not want to experience their final moments as well.

[Shausha]

Spring 513
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"Alright!" she cried. Shausha jumped up and down. "Lets do this! Hey Oscar, do not worry. I have done this many times." Putting her arms around him for a second time, she locked her grip by holding her own wrists firmly. Oscar smelled of medicines and herbs. His skin tingled with an unfamiliar magic energy.

Under her hands, she felt his heart beating quickly. She could almost hear his body pumping blood. Pumping blood. Her eyes dilated and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. In an instant, her mouth craved to be around his throat and her fingers itched to rip open his rib cage. Shausha almost lost herself when she heard a human cry out from the infirmary. It broke her concentration for just a moment, but was enough for her to recover her self-control. She quickly let go, wiped the smallest amount of sweat from her brow and muttered "Oopsies..."

Trying to play off the strange pause she took while holding onto him, she said, "Oh, I suppose you would prefer that thing" and waved a hand at the basket. "Well, suit yourself!" She wanted to get out of there. Fast. Shausha ran to the edge of the platform and dove off the side, tucking her wings in tightly to assure a rapid fall. On the way down, she let the cool air and darkness calm her nerves. Shausha knew and loved that her instincts were infallible at self-preservation, but she did not like how they encroached on her autonomy. Hoping Oscar didn't notice her slip up, she glided down to meet Sosicly.
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[Sosicly Magnolia]

Humans rarely populated Kalinor, Zith even more so but while the city was large the inhabitants were not, and news traveled fast. Most had heard of the human healer and the strange Zith. But people still paused to stare at the entering trio, Sosicly paid it no mind, she had gotten that stare enough when people realized she was that mute. That and she was too busy wheezing from the trip, swinging a little to fast on the last one had left her breathless. Once she caught her breath she pulled out her book again, flipping to the page with her questions. As she watched the other two step in and get comfortable she noted with amusement that Oscar had not taken up Shausha on her ride. Either way he would be carried, maybe if the Zith continued to be...polite she would ask for her own ride. There was no way she could show Oscar the city and not just drop. We have food you both eat. She continued to write in Common, We sit where you like. Then she approached the front to order a small glass of water, and waited for the other two to decide what they would like to grab from the bar. While she occupied herself writing out the the questions she planned to continue with both her Zith companion and her human one. Watching from her angle she could see how many stared, very few made it subtle, and wondered it that was how people seen them when they were in cities. Why are you here? She showed the words to Oscar, but pointed at them both, tying to indicate why were they both there.

[Oscar]

OOCSorry I'm late, needed to get things settled with my alt. I should be posting much faster now though. Oscar had followed more slowly than the Zith, though considering that he lacked wings or an adequate grasp of acrobatics it was no surprise that his progress was rather ponderous. The whole way to the tavern he had focused on not looking down, or imagining the dizzying heights he was hanging above. He focused instead on the destination, a tavern he was not familiar with. Oscar was quick to follow behind Sosicly as she entered the tavern, not blind to the stares that were offered to them. He was somewhat used to sticking out like a sore thumb in Kalinor, aside from the odd trader or the surrogates humans were rare. So he did what he normally would in such situations, he took it in stride and turned his attention to his host. He took note of her written words and spoke them aloud for the benefit of their illiterate companion. "We should pick where to sit, Zi- Shuasha, and apparently they have food here that is edible to races other than Symenestra." He relayed in common, feeling out of place as the go between translator. Oscar was actually a little relieved with learning that this place had food, he had heard unpleasant rumors about Symenestra fare. The young healer preferred his food solid, however he was not particularly hungry at the moment so he simply opted for something light. Besides, he could always get a meal when he arrived back at the Public House. He inclined his head slightly and ordered a small cup of water, taking it with thanks to the bartender. Oscar noted the words scrawled upon the page and turned to the Zith to relay their meaning in common, before switching back to Symenos to address Soscily's question. It was not exactly a difficult answer to give, the course that had brought him here was clear. "I am here to heal any who wish it. Rak'keli's teachings guided my path, and they guide my actions here." Oscar replied, moving towards a nearby empty table and pulling two chairs out before standing behind his own, waiting for his companions to seat themselves first.

[Shausha]

Spring 513
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Shausha burst into the dimly-lit tavern, making it perfectly clear to everyone that she had arrived. This place, like every other in this freakin' city, was quiet, save for the clinking of dishes and whispered Symnos. Pausing once to flip her dreadlocks dramatically, she took a moment to enjoy the gasps that followed her entrance. When she finally became aware of more than how many eyes were on her, she surveyed the room haughtily.

Elaborate chairs lined raised platforms on which food was served in decorative bowls. Shausha wrinkled her nose incredulously. So ceremonious! In Xy, meals were dumped in piles and her people shared them in large, social circles while seated on the floor. She smiled and blinked a couple times, remembering the time her friends had a tug-o-war fight over a particularly juicy human leg.

Oscar broke her reverie by relaying Sosicly's question. Shausha opened her mouth to answer when she became aware that Oscar had pulled out two chairs, one with each hand. Puzzled, she wondered why he needed both. Shausha beat her wings once and passed by him, taking an available chair. She stood on the seat before squatting down, hands between her feet.

"I'm here for food, duh." She said, finally answering the question. She fiddled with the cup on the table. Shausha knew that was not what they meant, but played dumb since she was not sure herself of why she was in Kalinor. At first, she came in hopes of finding new friends; Xy was getting too familiar. However, it was disappointingly clear after a couple days that this place was not what she expected. Why she was staying, she could not say.

"I wish we could hunt for dinner. It's so boring to sit here and..." she trailed off, sniffing the air in order to peruse the menu. When she first arrived, her housing came with a bowl of fruit that was wrapped loosely. It also came with a card which, on account of her illiteracy, was quickly flicked away. She did however, enjoy one of the fruits particularly well and would not stop swooping down and pestering random passerby until one of them told her what it was called.

"I WANT A MANGO," she declared, abruptly finishing her sentence. She smiled proudly at Sosicly and Oscar, smug at her display of culture.
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[Sosicly Magnolia]

OOC : I will try to keep up with this so we can push on through and whip out some new threads for the new season! No worries Oscar, delays are inevitable, and alts eat everything the muse have to offer till they can be silenced. Also, Shausha don’t worry about nudging me, it reminds me that I need to get these threads moving And (c) is for Common and (s) is for Symenos. Sosicly nodded in thanks to Oscar for her chair, falling into it in relief, and taking a moment to steady her herself. As she set up her writing utensils she judged them silently for their answer. She still did not believe he could actually like it in Kalinor but she was willing to admit that he had not fled yet, the will of ones Gods could be a powerful thing. The young woman finally decided that Oscar was someone she could associate with, while Shausha was…hard to pin point. At the very least she wasn’t dangerous any more so than Sosicly was to a human. When Shausha shouted for food, Sosicly winced then shook her head, waving to get the Ziths’ attention before pointing to her own ear, then raising and lowering her hand to attempt to communicate that Shausha shouldn’t yell. The caves always echoed so loudly, and they had enough attention as it was, they didn’t need to be asked to leave. At least not until they had a good rest and a bite. Only in the silence that settled after the shout did Sosiscly realize she was imposing on Oscar as well. If you like, I write in Symenos for you to learn? You speak in Common if easier. I am sorry for making you speak for me. She stopped her writing there and she showed it to Oscar, she was not going to have him stop but whatever made it easier for him to interpret was important for conversation. She drummed her nails on the table and turned to Shausha, and pointed a finger at the mango as their orders were delivered and cocked her head in question. She had thought Zith preferred meats. Waiting for her Shaushas’ answer, she pulled the book away to write more questions, debating where they should go after. Oscar had been correct, Kalinor was beautiful and he should be happy to see it all but she found she wanted to impress them and give them more incentive to stay or allow her to pester them with questions. Deciding to write her questions in both Common and Symenos, Sosicly took a few extra moments to write before sliding the book back to Oscar. (c)You miss you home? (s)Do you think of your home often? (c)Did your Goddess say to be in Kalinor? (s)Did your Goddess command you to come to Kalinor? (c)Are you two going to say here? (s)Are you both going to live in Kalinor?