A blue horned man with horns and a talking sword in the woods. [Open]

[JackieCat]

"I think I'm alright, fine, good, okay," Meerior said. "And if you want to get to the next town, I can get you there quickly.  Would you like that?"

[Valoric]

     "You can? Yes, we would like that very much so! But how are you going to do that?" Azul asked once again, realizing that his amazement and confusion hasn't stopped since he has met this person.

[JackieCat]

"I will show you."

Ten she closed her eyes and de hte high, eerie keening noise again, throwing her head back and calling into the skies.  There was a long moment as she did this without pause, but her cry petered out as another keel sounded through the night.

Meerior started her own call again, and soon the two sounds were in perfect harmony.  The other cry grew louder, and a few moments later the sound of something,and something large, could be heard. It was coming nearer, and then a large beast burst into the clearing.

It was nearly nine feet tall at its back. It was burly and compact.  It stood on four legs, but the front   legs were longer than those in  the back.  It had thick gray skin, a short neck, and a small head.  IT had a short snout and two small black beady eyes, as well as a short tail and two large ram horns curving from its skull.

It grunted and looked suspiciously at Azul and Perditrix.  Meerior walked up to it and laid a hand on its face, speaking in the keening language.

Then she turned and smiled widely, and crazily, at Azul and Perditrix.  Then she grabbed one of the bests horns and swung up onto it, so she was sitting on the large hump of its shoulders.

"If you like, you can climb on."

[Valoric]

     At first Azul was with restraint, standing back and trying to get a good judgement about the beast that now stood before him, after yet again Meerior made her weird noises. Eventually he shrugged and jumped aboard the great beasts shoulders behind Meerior. He looked around confused and asked,"Where do I hold on? So I don't fall of the beastie, I mean."
    Although Azul was rolling with the situation very well, Perditrix shared his concerns with the group as loudly as a talking sword could with out yelling or sounding rude," I beg your pardon, Madam, but do you know the way to the next city? Moreover, dear, it is rather late. Should we appear with a blue man who has horns and 9 foot sword on the back of a rather larger creature behind a young lady who speaks in tongues in the dark of night, we would be driven off with the sharpest instruments the towns people can muster and as many torches as they have twigs and oil."
     Azul nodded, "He is right, ya know? What do you think we should do Meerior?"

[JackieCat]

Meerior laughed. "Oh, well be fine, good, well, safe!  I know the way to the nearest town, due North, and hang onto me." She didn't seem to see that, to many people,that could be awkward.  "And I can hold onto this."  She motioned to a horn sticking out of the beast between its shoulder blades. "When we get near the town we'll stop and get off, then go into town off of the Clarriga, which is the being we are riding which is a Clarriga.  And you may want to hold tight, firmly, securely, for a Clarriga moves very fast!"

[Valoric]

     Azul's immediate thoughts were sparking with nerves. How am I supposed to hang on to her? She's a girl! I thought guys aren't supposed to touch girls? Where do I even start? , he practically shouted inside his head. After much consideration, he settled with resting his hands ever so lightly at the top of Meerior's hips.
     However Azul also had to readjust Perditrix so that he didn't flap against the creature they were going to ride, or more importantly hurt someone. "Excuse me, sir. Could you find a less complicated position for me to rest in while traveling?" Perditrix polity requested of his friend and Envoy. Azul promptly responded by tying Azul safely across his back, then returning his hands to their resting place.
     Finally, now fully adjusted for the ride ahead, he signaled to Meerior, "When you're ready, I think we are all set!"

[JackieCat]

Meerior didn't seem uncomfortable at all when Azul put his hands on her hips, and she waited patiently while he and Perditrix got settled.

When he said he was ready, Meerior spoke again to the beast in the strange tongue and the Clarriga lurched forward.  It started to run through the forest.  Meerior bent low over its back as it ran.  It moved very quickly, its heavy lumbering gait jostling its riders.