[World's End Grotto] Hooves meet Paws [Black Onyx]

[Sarai Naavah]

16th of Summer 514 AV Sarai sat in a corner of the Grotto, her feet were up on the edge of the chair she was claiming and her knees brought to her chest. The cloak she wore, albeit a bit tattered and weathered looking, was wrapped around her in such a way only her toes and the mass of thick curled hair poked out from its depths. Her sheer small size would almost make her look like a child hidden in the darkest corner of the Inn with a large mug of kelp beer sitting untouched before her. She had heard about this thing they call kelp beer and while she wasn’t really a vegetable girl, much preferring meat, she was curious to try it and see how it tasted. Small hands slipped out from the depths of her black cloak, each taking purchase on opposite sides of the mug and pulling it closer to her until the edge of the mug found the lip of the table. Her nose wrinkled as she leaned in to smell the kelp beer, really it didn’t smell all that appetizing but she was trying new things now that she was living on her own and the beer was on that list of new things. Finally Sarai pulled it over the edge of the table and brought it to her lips, rather than actually sipping at it though she flicked her tongue out to dip into the mug and then pull back between her lips. The taste of the kelp beer made her shake her head back and forth really quickly and her tongue scrape against her teeth as she reacted rather obnoxiously to the taste. Putting the mug back on the table her entire face wrinkled in disgust at the beer, perhaps it was just the fact that it was kelp beer or maybe it was just beer in general that she didn’t like – she didn’t know but she did know she certainly didn’t like the taste of the drink on her table. She’d stick to water thank you very much. Wrapping her arms around her legs she lifted her eyes to the Inn that was bustling quietly with different patrons just doing their things. Her upturned face was dusted with a few smudges of dirt while her unmanageable hair framed her face and fell over her shoulders like heavily waved straw. Her eyes were the only thing about her in that moment that looked bright and aware, the dark green depths accented by a bright gold that rivaled the sun. Sarai tilted her head and focused on a few patron’s not far from her trying to over hear their conversation just for something to do.

[Black Onyx]

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Black was passing through the inn, a force of habit making herself go in different directions and never making the same path twice in two days. You never knew who was watching and this woman certainly did not want to be caught off guard.

She was wearing the usual, her black shirt and pants paired off with her black boots and cloak. The hood of the cloak, however was not drawn up over her face. So then her straight black hair, fell down around her shoulders and back, her brown hues clearly visible for anyone see to. Held in her hand, was an apple, something she was going to enjoy down at the docks.

Although, as she did the usual scan of the room, she noticed something that made her pause within her tracks. There was a girl, heavily cloaked, her hair was the wildest Black had ever since and there appeared to be dirt, smudged all over her face. The sight seemed odd, well it did for the Grotto anyway.

The young woman watched the smaller sized woman, pull the mug of beer close to the edge of the table before she smelt it. Wait, she sniffed the beer? No one that she knew of, smelled beer. Finally, her brown hues watched the small woman pick up the mug to flick her tongue out to dip it into the mug. She could have sworn as she watched the other woman's face screw up in disgust, that her own jaw had dropped to the floor! Never had she seen anyone drink beer like that.

Finally, Black was able to pull herself back together and she rubbed the edge of her jaw with her right hand. There was something most definitely different about this woman and she just had to find out what. Especially seeing as the blonde didn't have a problem listening in on other people's conversations, perhaps she could use her to her own advantage.

Slowly, she made her way over towards the table the woman was seated at, sliding into a chair at the opposite end of the same table. "Yeah, the taste of the kelp beer is an acquired taste, not that I drink it, mind you." A smirk settled upon her lips as she was just about to take a bite from her apple before an apparent thought came to mind. Oh, and didn't anyone ever tell you that eavesdropping is rude? Especially on patrons of a well known establishment."

At this, she lifted the apple to her lips to take a bite from the side, chewing on it in thought as she watched the other woman. Black leaned back into her chair to prop her booted feet up onto the table, a smirk settled upon her lips as she continued to quietly chew through her apple.

[Sarai Naavah]

“…certainly don’t think that would or should be an issue …” The woman from a table or so away had a voice like nails on a chalk board while she assured her friend quite a bit forcefully of some future event that Sarai had missed before she started listening in to their conversation. “Well! I suppose you’re right I don’t know why I fret.” The first woman’s friend spoke up laughing dismissively with her comment though her voice was a bit harder to hear over the tones of the other patrons, it was softer and less commanding in its tones. The young leopard watched quietly trying to study the interactions of the friends, it was important considering she’d need to learn how to socialize in order to stop getting weird looks from people when she awkwardly stumbled through their meetings. While watching the females bicker about this and that and the latest gossip that spun Sarai’s head around so she couldn’t even keep up a figure moving towards her caught her gaze. Those wide eyes of hers were draw towards the approaching woman and away from the pair she had been watching, she flicked her gaze over the new person quickly taking in her blacker then night hair and her pale complexion. Naturally the small female pulled her legs closer to her chest if that was possible, the lower half of her face hidden by her knees while her eyes stared at the female taking a seat with her. A smile spread slowly across Sarai’s hidden lips though her eyes scrunched with amusement when the woman commented on the gross kelp beer sitting before her. When she was called out on her eaves dropping she blushed delicately and watched the woman bite into the apple wondering how she could find such a fruit appetizing. It was a moment of staring from behind her knees before she lifted her face from its hiding spot and she spoke slowly and so quietly it might make one lean forward to hear her. “Well they are talking loud, it’s hard not to over hear them … and I was curious…” Her voice was warm and inviting if not a bit shy in its tenor. Taking a deep breath she shifted her weight on her chair so she was leaning forward watching the woman who chose to sit with her a bit more intently. A smile suddenly brightened Sarai’s features and she nodded her chin towards the woman’s boot on the table “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to put your feet on the table?” She was clearly teasing finding the light chastising from the woman funny now when she was doing something Sarai was pretty sure was not a normally accepted act. “I’m Sarai.” She offered after another brief pause and then glanced at the woman’s apple and wrinkled her nose. “Do you like those? You must you’re eating it … but … “ she wrinkled her nose again before pressing her lower face into her knees again staring at the woman with wide eyes that might seem a bit invasive and might stare a bit too long for social norm but she was simply overly curious of others.

[Black Onyx]

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Black couldn't help the chuckle that issued from her lips as the other woman said that she had been merely curious. You just had to love curiousity, it was how some people was able to dredge up information. How some people got eyes into places where no other person could. Indeed, curiousity was a sweet thing.

Her brown hues watched the other woman shift, then lean forward and then finally, a smile broke out upon her features as she addressed the factor of Black's boots being upon the table in a light tone.

The other woman gave her name and then proceeded to wrinkle her nose as she looked to the apple and then question her about it. Finally she fell into a silence, staring at her with a curiousity that was certainly something that was rare. This woman, Sarai, was indeed a curious woman, curious enough for Black to consider certain thoughts.

A light chuckle broke out upon Black's lips then as she bit into her apple a couple more times, chewing upon the sweet taste while her own brown hues watched the other woman. Finally, after swallowing the food that was in her mouth, she decided to address the woman.

"My mother told me once, to not put my feet up on the table, but I don't really follow the rules." She took another bite, allowing Sarai to digest what she had just said. If this woman was smart, she would have recognized that Black had basically said that she broke the rules of Zeltiva every day.

Black quickly finished off the apple, eating every little bit of the apple until there was only the core left and she flicked it onto the table. "I enjoy apples indeed, besides, I don't exactly enjoy meat. It's quite disgusting really."

Slowly, she would take her boots off of the table, only for them to be planted upon the floor with a soft 'thump' and then she leaned forwards, resting her forearms upon the table top. "My name is Black, just Black." She nodded her head, as a smirk slipped upon her lips.

"So, you're not exactly from around here, or if you are, you have kept one hell of a low profile till now." At this, she leaned back into her chair, her right arm lifting to hook around the back of the chair while her gaze flickered away from Sarai.

Luckily for them, the Grotto wasn't exactly full of people, so other than the loud gossiping women, they had the room all to themselves. However, this woman was certainly odd. She wasn't afraid of being caught listening, especially if she thought that it was ok to listen to two loud patrons. Maybe, just maybe, Black might be able to use her for an informant.

[Sarai Naavah]

Sarai’s eyes widened when the woman claimed not to follow the rules, perhaps she was a vagabond? Perhaps Black was a pirate or even a burglar! The small female gaped at the thought and the possibilities that could come with not following the rules and she shifted in her seat back and forth until she was more comfortable. Pirate. Taking in the woman’s black hair and her blatant care-free attitude the young leopard settled on pirate. She had never met a pirate before. Suddenly she frowned from her seat and looked hard at the woman across from her, her eyes scanning around with pin pointed inquisitiveness. Where was the parrot? Weren’t pirates supposed to have parrots on their shoulders? That’s what she read in story books anyways. The crunch of the apple that Black was finishing pulled Sarai from her thoughts and her eyes landed on the woman’s as she spoke again. “How can you not eat meat?” She blurted out in shock. Everyone ate meat she was pretty sure of this. No one ate apples. “It’s delicious; you just need the right kind of meat. I hunt, I’ll bring you meat. There are these little ….” She paused to make the size of the animal she still hadn’t learned the name of with her hands “….furry things. They’re yummy.” She nodded firmly with the insistence that Black just clearly was getting meat in all the wrong places. The only logical answer to Sarai was that Black just didn’t understand how good meat could be. The leopard understood that most people didn’t eat it raw and that most people didn’t turn into a predatory feline but she couldn’t wrap her mind around the thought that someone NEVER ate meat. Disgusting? She thought Black was a crazy pirate and now she decided she must teach the buccaneer what proper food was so she stopped thinking apples were the bees knees. Tracking the movements of Blacks feet as they slid from the table Sarai slid her own feet from her chair unfolding her small form and she mimicked Black’s movements in a fluid motion. First she pushed the gross kelp beer out of the way and then she leaned forward and placed her forearms on the table, her body leaning out awkwardly from the chair since she didn’t bother to move it closer. With a huff of air to move an unruly piece of her crazy hair from her face she laid her chin on her arms and watched Black as she spoke, her head tilting ever so slightly to the side. “I’ve lived here my whole life.” The girl was staring, really most people found it rude but how else was she supposed to learn from people if she didn’t watch and listen? Sarai was memorizing Black’s features and committing them to memory while also trying to drag in the female’s scent across the table as they both leaned forward. The scent wasn’t something that Sarai noticed really, not at first but as she focused on her new friend she thought she smelt something a bit off from the norm. Suddenly the blond shook her head more to herself then to Black and she gave the girl a smile “I’ve never seen you either, maybe you’re the one with the low profile?” She nodded closing the subject at that before her eyes drifted towards the woman nearby again. “…did you SEE the outfit she was wearing yest-“ The voice cut through Sarai’s attention briefly before she brought her gaze back to Black. “Are you a pirate?” She finally asked the question that had been tumbling in her mind. “Where’s your parrot? I read in a book once that all pirates have parrots.” Tilting her head the other way she flashed another smile at the idea of sharing a table with a rough and tumble pirate. “Pirates don’t follow rules.” The words were spoken as if to explain where she concluded the profession she pinned on the woman across from her. “Do you loot booty?”

[Black Onyx]

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Black couldn't help it as her jaw just suddenly gaped open in response to the words that just seemed to spill out from the other woman's lips. It was like a torrent of questions, but at the same time it was as if she was trying to rationalize her questions by following up with what she read or heard.

After what seemed like fifty questions later, the other woman became silent after her last question being, “Do you loot booty?” Black couldn't contain it any more and she threw back her head and howled with laughter. This action was just effortless, seeing as the questions were so funny that she couldn't respond any other way except in a bout of a full hearty laugh.

Sarai thought she was a pirate for heaven's sake and that Black also had a parrot. It was the first time that she had heard anyone call her a pirate and it was amusing to say in the least. Most generally spotted her for the thief that she was.

Taking a moment, she pulled herself up within her chair a little straighter as her brown hues seemed to take in the woman before her, amusement still filled within their depths. She pressed her right hand to her chin, her elbow resting on top of the table before her. This woman was indeed very curious and Black could most definitely see herself using this type of woman just to gain an advantage. After all, many people tend to over-look those that would think one was a pirate rather than a thief, palming them off as stupid. An advantage indeed.

Leaning back into her chair, she crossed her arms over her chest as she continued to stare back at Sarai. "Meat is still rather disgusting, I tried it once, it didn't settle within my stomach very well."

She paused as she drew in a breath, still trying to quell the laughter within, she just couldn't believe that the woman thought she was a blasted pirate. "I don't have a parrot because I'm not a pirate. I'm a thief, so I guess you could say, in a way, that I loot booty." She couldn't help a small chuckle at this as she shook her head.

The strange thing that striked her as odd, was the simple fact that the other woman had said that she had lived here her whole life and yet she still did not know the difference between a pirate and a thief. Where had she been hiding? Under a rock? "You haven't seen me, because it's my job as a thief to keep a low profile. The fact that you haven't seen me, is because I've been doing a very good job of keeping a low profile." Or maybe it's the simple fact that she has been living under a rock.

Black had also noted the fact that the woman across from her seemed to be mirroring some of her movements, was it just simply because of the fact that she didn't know what civilization was? "How about, we make a deal. Instead of bringing me the nasty little furry critters, you bring me information instead. Anything you hear, or see I want to know about it." She angled her head slightly in the direction of the patrons a smirk curving her lips.

While it wasn't a crime to listen in on people's conversations, it was considered rude. However, if this woman before her continued like the way she was, they might just get a kick out of it and forget about whatever information they had been discussing about had been heard. Hell, they might even give her a gold coin for the amusement she provided.

[Sarai Naavah]

Sarai’s hunched over form suddenly shot straight in the air, her eyes wide and her eyebrows high as Black burst out laughing. It was a shot of adrenaline worthy of the most intense brawl fight and it was everything the leopard could do to keep herself from bolting in that moment. She definitely had not expected to be laughed at and the frown that pulled at her mouth would hint at her disapproval since she wasn’t trying to be funny. In order to catch her breath she stared at her company and shook her head towards the woman “Apples are.” She challenged slightly, but as her heart rate came down and her eyes stopped flashing between fight or flight from the startle she had been awarded the girl eased into a smile and went back to mimicking Black’s seated position. She wasn’t trying to mock her, it was as if she was trying to learn the woman’s ways while her arms crossed over her chest and her head tilted to one side casually. “You’re a thief.” Sarai repeated slowly, an eyebrow quirking as if she didn’t believe her. For a long moment it was a stare off between the women before Sarai grinned wide from ear to ear “I steal things …. though I always got yelled at for it.” Frowning she shrugged a delicate shoulder under her cloak. “What do you steal?” Curiosity flooded her and she stopped mimicking Black’s positioning so that she could lean forward and study more closely. It was the deal proposed that gave the feline pause, only for a moment she hesitated as she tried to think of what information to give her and she still didn’t understand why the woman was so adamant on hating mouth watering meats. “I’m going to bring you one of those furry things.” That was that, the woman was getting a furry thing whether she wanted it or not and Sarai would shove it in her throat if she had to just to make her see that meat was yummy. “Information? What kind of information? Like …. Anything?” She perked a brow and chewed her bottom lip trying to think of things she had seen. “I saw the whole city last week … from the roofs. That was so pretty. Have you been up there?” While she spoke her fingers dashed out from beneath the cloak to pluck the offensive apple from the table by the stem. The way she held it, it was as if she wanted nothing to do with the apple and touching it was like she was touching poison. Sarai lifted the apple into the air by the stem and she twirled it while she looked at the bite marks and the now browning insides before she scoffed. “See, it rots so fast – just disgusting.” She would then take the apple core and plop it into the just as offensive kelp beer with a grimace. “They’re made for each other.” Shaking her head at the food and drink she wiped her hand off on her cloak as thoroughly as she could before she looked back to Black “I can show you the roofs if you’ve never been … how to jump them and move around the city.”

[Black Onyx]

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Black had taken note of the startled response that she had received from the young woman before her and it kind of reminded her of an animal, especially when they got startled. She had watched a startled horse kick into flight mode, which had been some-what hilarious as the horse barreled its way through the streets filled with people. At this thought, a smirk slipped upon her lips as she listened to Sarai repeat, “You’re a thief.” Slowly.

Some people wouldn't believe that fact and it seemed that the woman before her was also having a hard time believing that fact. However she soon watched a smile spread upon her lips as she began to talk again and Black listened with amusement sparkling within the muddy depths of her gaze.

“I steal things …. though I always got yelled at for it.” It was then that the young woman before her paused before she continued with, “What do you steal?” Black blinked, was she honestly going to ask her that question? Well, might as well amuse the young woman as she noted that she seemed to be watching her, almost as if in study. "I steal mizas of course, a thief has to live some how."

She chuckled softly as she then placed her booted feet back upon the table, crossing them at the ankles. She then leaned back into the chair to make it rock back so then the whole of her weight was balanced upon the two legs of the chair that she was seated in. "Lucky you were only yelled at, some of the fellow thieves get clapped in iron and taken away."

The young woman widen her eyes as she then followed up her sentence with, "I even hear that kelvics get shipped off to Ravok if it be known to officials what they were." Whether that rumour was true or not was another thing. Black had only heard it in whispers, but she wasn't going to allow any officials to know what she was.

As Sarai confirmed that she would indeed bring Black back a furry animal, she just shook her head as she wondered why she was so persistent on the meat topic. If this woman ever did bring her back any kills, maybe she could sell it off, make some mizas off of it. Hey, if it was a free profit, then she really couldn't complain about how it had come about.

"The kind of information I'm really interested in, is information about the people within Zeltiva. If you see a fight break out, I want to know about it. Stuff that attracts the human eye." She nodded her head, she hadn't really had to explain to anyone what kind of information she really wanted, so it was kind of odd having to explain it to someone. It was a first really.

Her brown hues watched Sarai as she picked up the bitten apple and Black couldn't help the smirk that slipped onto her lips as Sarai dumped the apple into the kelp beer. “They’re made for each other.” While some things were made for each other, Black couldn't help but shake her head at this comment. Normally people made connections with other people, not make connections with food and drink.

Sarai's next comment made Black perk up some-what. “I can show you the roofs if you’ve never been … how to jump them and move around the city.” If Black learned how to jump along rooftops, that would make get-aways so much quicker and it could shave time off when ever she had to cross town quickly. She wouldn't have to worry about shoving people out of the way to get where she wanted to go. Plus! people rarely looked up. Perhaps stopping to chat with this odd woman was a good idea after all. "I'm interested, although it will have to be for another day."

[Sarai Naavah]

Sara shrugged a shoulder at the woman as she stared at the apple core bobbing in the kelp beer. “Well I grew up in the orphanage, so I didn’t really get in trouble …. I just thought if someone left something somewhere I could have it.” Turning her eyes onto black she grinned flashing her enlarged eyeteeth as she did so. “Mizas are nice, I liked taking other things. I don’t think I’m very good at it since I got caught, but like I said. It’s not my fault they left it there for me.” Her logic was so simple in her mind; if it was there for the taking then she assumed she could take – even after getting chastised for doing it that didn’t stop the itch she had to claim things that were lying around if she found them pretty. When Black mentioned Kelvics getting shipped off to Ravok the young leopard leaned forward with intrigue. “Ravok … What’s Ravok? Is it a Jungle?” She wasn’t stupid, she read a lot but she didn’t read maps and she never really thought of the world outside Zeltiva until the other week. She found no need for it but this was the second time she was told about places far away and she was partially determined to learn about them. “I heard there are places covered in oceans of grasses …” she raised a hand high above her head “…It’s supposed to be hard to hide there. How would I hide?” She already clumped Black into her people so she talked easily to her, the woman was interesting and she was a fellow thief! That’s all Sarai needed to know despite not actually being a thief at all she assumed one attempt or two made her one. Tilting her head to the side she shrugged lightly “I don’t see any special things happen, I meet people all the time though. I met this one boy; he thought he was a hunter.” Sarai leaned in and then whispered across the table “I don’t think he’s a hunter, he dropped his spear all clumsy like. Nice boy though.” She nodded happily and grinned from ear to ear when Black seemed interested in jumping across roofs with her. “Oh it’ll be fun; you’ll get hurt though … I promise that… I had these huge scrapes all over my thighs and almost fell between the jumps. It was so much fun though, just warning you.” Thinking for a moment Sarai then stood up and moved to stand near Black “I’ll tell you interesting things about people … but …” she paused for a long moment trying to think of what she could get out of the deal since well, she needed things too. “….you have to teach me to steal better.” With that proposal she held out her hand waiting to shake on it and ‘seal the contract’. She wanted to learn how to steal without getting caught so in turn if she saw interesting things she’d let Black know though she wasn’t sure how much of a help she could be.

[Black Onyx]

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Black was silent as she listened to the woman before her, taking note of the small little movements she made. This woman before her had grown up in an orphanage? Didn't they normally teach the children general human behaviour within those walls? She had only questioned this, simple because she had watched the other woman copy a couple of her movements, Black had just chalked it up to trying to look cool, but maybe there was something behind it, some hidden motive.

Taking a deep breath, her brown hues rolled upwards towards the roof of the Inn, that they were currently occupying. Sarai didn't know about Ravok and she had met an odd hunter. Mostly people that go out hunting either know how to hunt or have someone with them to teach them how to hunt. A man out on his own, who is pretty clumsy, sounds pretty dumb, she thought to herself. For all they knew, he probably got eaten by a cat by now.

She couldn't help but chuckle at the simple fact that Sarai was warning her about getting hurt from doing an activity like running across roof tops and almost falling down. In any activity, you can expect to get hurt some how. However, Black had fallen silent, as the woman before her asked her to teach her the skill of Larceny.

Her brown hues looked to the other woman, taking in Sarai's features again, she began to seriously ponder about taking her under her own wing just to teach her to steal. If Black could have, she would have chosen a different profession, anything if it meant that she could earn gold a different way. East street was no place for the ignorant.

Slowly, she dragged her booted feet off of the table top once more so then they landed with a thump upon the wooden floor, her chair returning to rest upon four legs once more. She lifted her arms so then they rested upon the top of the table before her, palms down. "Stealing are not for those that have a conscious, so if you have one, I recommend that you get rid of it. If a wave guard catches you, you'll end up in irons before you can even say, 'Petch it.'"

She leaned back into her chair once more as she took a deep breath while a sigh settled upon her lips. If she said yes, then she would have to teach someone the skill of larceny and she will probably have a shadow more often than not. Black had grown quite used to keeping herself company. Now that there might be another person tailing her, she didn't know how she would handle it.

However, she wanted the information more than her privacy. Black had a feeling that she would one day regret this. "Alright, I'll teach you how to steal, so long as you are sure that you want to go down this path. I'll even let you come along to some meets with a couple of informants if you're eager enough. There is one rule how ever.

Black leaned forwards within her chair once again, her muddy hues locking with the eyes of Sarai. "Whatever I show you and what ever you hear within my presence, you don't speak of to anyone else. You speak of this to anyone and I will hunt you down myself. Are we clear?"