Another Adventure {Whim}

[Kalak8538]

Yarik was beyond frustrated with his situation.

The sun was directly overhead, beating down on the Caravanserai situated in the Serha Plains. The rover had only stopped here for rest, but discovered that one of his two mules had become quite ill. There was no way it would last on the road, and Yarik was not the kind to force it to try.

He had a friend here, one who could watch over the beast until it was healed. However, it would take some time... Time that he did not have. Every moment he spent off the road was lost money. It was a nice enough rest stop, but there was limited business here. Without that steady income, the rover would not be able to afford additional nights or food.

He had to keep moving, but how? One mule could not budge such a load, and none of the other caravaneers had beasts they were willing to trade. Yarik cursed under his breath for his helplessness. He would need a miracle.

[Whim]

Kai squinted at the little blue vial. It was near empty. A drop kept him human for a day but he wouldn't reach Moonspear in time. The young noble could handle being an animal by itself, sort of, but the one road was no place for a donkey. His swordsmanship was wonderfully impressive but required thumbs.

He needed a trustworthy companion, and someone heading north.

The Adelan merchants are headed in the wrong direction. The sellswords looked a bit rough and might rob him or worse. There was a musician heading north. Kai had seen the bard play for a pack of children earlier; didn't seem malicious for what it was worth.

The young man approached Yarik's wagon. The bard seemed in the proccess of packing up. "Hello? Is this Yarik by any chance? The name's Kai and I hear you're going north..."

The young man hadn't noticed his ears. From rationing the potion Kai's had turned furred and pointed, like a donkey's. Such features were common to shifters. Though Kai certainly didn't like grouping himself in with those near-feral animals.

[Kalak8538]

Yarik was muttered curses as he stared at the empty yoke. With his back turned, he did not even notice the man approaching him. The introduction had taken the rover by surprise.

"Oh! Umm... Hm?"

His presence was acknowledged, but the colorful man still did not turn around to look at this stranger properly. There was too much on his mind, which showed as he continued inspecting the wagon.

"I mey be... But mey be not. Whut if I am?"

Yarik did not mean to reveal his identity to the stranger just yet. There was no telling what he wanted. The rover had just as many enemies as he did friends in the world, and he needed to know why this stranger was so interested in his route.

[Whim]

Kai stepped forward to bask in the shade of the caravan. The Yarik's stock was wondrous and colorful as the man himself. Kai might have bought something: jewels for his sisters or a toy for his brother, but he hadn't a whole treasury. Instead the youth offered Yarik a smile, producing a purse of silver.  "I'm looking for travelling companions. I've got to get up to Moonspear, and I haven't a mount."

"I'll pay my way. And I can handle myself on the road but Serha and Adela are rough country. Safety in numbers I suppose." Kai rests a hand on his swordbelt. It was a pretty weapon but saw more use sparring than killing. Just as well, he didn't want to look threatening but it was better to look a man who could take care of himself, than a milksop boy.

[Kalak8538]

"I suppose so..." replied Yarik, turning around to face the young man.

He noticed the purse first, and realized that it was indeed someone looking for transportation. Judging by how quickly he produced payment, the rover inferred that this one was either desperate, or rich.

Just then he noticed something else. Something that had taken him somewhat aback : The ears.
Short fur, a tad elongated, and pointed, like some kind of beast. Who was he? What was he?

Yarik did not mean it, but his glance lingered on them. Even after the original shock, his eyes did occasionally drift back, regardless of how much he tried to resist. Yarik was not the kind to point out such things. That is, until someone else addressed that elephant.

"Well... Even if I am acceptink, I cannot leave..."

There was hesitation in Yarik's tone. He was not a travel service or mercenary by any means. Yet, payment was payment. He needed that money.

"I am wizhout one mule...

[Whim]

Mule. Kai stared at Yarik, then to the empty halter, adding hastily "I can buy a replacement if that's the holdup. I'm a bit eager to reach Moonspear, you see."

The young man notices Yarik hadn't stopped staring? Did he know? Kai reached up to brush his hair and felt the ears, immediately turning red. Oh no. "I uh- I should mention I've a bit of a curse you see."

He gulped and hesitated, hoping Yarik wasn't so superstitious to turn him away. "I need a certain potion made or I'll go changing into a donkey. It's nothing malign or dangerous."

[Kalak8538]

Yarik went wide-eyed with the description of such a curse. It was not from fear or concern, but from surprise. He had seen quite a bit traversing the multitudes of Le'ranna roads, but this was something else. He would have been incredulous at such a claim, had the evidence not been staring him right in the face.

"Well... As long as iz not contageous." he joked with a nervous chuckle.

In his opinion, humor was the best thing to break the sudden tension.

"But serious... Iz not so eazy. I have looked. No one here iz sellink animal zhat culd pull wagon..."

[Whim]

Kai offered a sheepish smile, not wanting to scare off the bard. "No, no, its hardly contagious. A faerie had occupied an old ruin on my family's estate," he gave a scowl, "He took took issue with it being dug up for farming. Need to sip a potion to stay myself. No risk to you, of course."

"I'd be willing to pay any price for one. I've got to get north," he huffed, looking up and down the Caravanserai. Already the Adelan merchants had pulled off. From the corner of his eye he spotted a thin, moth-eaten mule the crude stable adjacent the well. That one was Yarik's, of course. "What about that one?"

Kai frowned and looked to the empty halter. He had one other idea but it wouldn't come to that.

[Kalak8538]

Yarik shrugged off the stranger's tragic backstory. He was desperate to go, and offered payment, but it was hopeless. There was just no animal here that could do the job, regardless of how much money he had. The rover gave a lighthearted chuckle as the stranger's finger found his own weakened beast.

"Zhat one iz not goink enywhere! He iz sick. Zhat iz why he is not pullink wagon..."

The Yarik's jovial smile faded again, as a sigh left his lips.

"But zhat iz only it uther mule in whole stinkink place!"

Saying that line made him think about the "curse" that supposedly plagued this young man. A donkey would not be as strong as a mule, but it would do. However, even if the curse was real (which it seemed like it was most likely was), the kindhearted bard would not dare ask a client to pull the wagon.

It was a funny concept to joke with though!

"Unless you are willink to pull it, yes?!" he said, laughing in earnest once again.

[Whim]

Kai turned an alarming shade of red at the suggestion. Surely it was a joke, but most jokes did have a hint of truth. Kai gave a heavy sigh of exasperation, looking something of a spoiled child, and removed his overcoat. "I will end up one if I don't get to Moonspear on time. I suppose I've no choice... at least until something suitable comes along.

"You'll keeep an eye on my things I suppose?" he cracked a bemused smirk. "And I'd suppose we'll be renegotiating? Pulling a wagon wasn't quite what I'd in mind."

Kai held up a finger walked toward the other side of the caravan, in search of privacy...

[Kalak8538]

"Wha- Wait! I vas only-"

There were many times when the bard's harmless kidding went a little too far. This seemed to be one such time. Yarik did not expect the man to actually agree. The last thing he wanted was to make a client pull his wagon, especially a paying one.

"Umm... Yes, I vill." he answered.

The man did not have much to watch, and there were few who would go through such lengths to steal these. The colorful rover watched as the man disappeared behind the wagon. This wasn't right, and he knew it. He was thinking of the closest place to find a better replacement, so the cursed traveller would not need to pull any more than he needed.

[Whim]

Kai looked up and down the encampment one last time. The last of the stragglers had left for the vast sea of grass. The young man heaved a sigh. He's no reason to trust or distrust the bard but was out of options, "I don't- I don't see any other way...

"And, ah, this will stay between us I hope. Just a moment." Kai held up a finger walked toward the other side of the caravan, in search of privacy...

And with that he slipped behind the caravan. He hastily took off and folded his clothes, which were fit for travel but fine all the same, and lad his sword and purse atop them. The young lord had grown more used to the transformation with time. He didn't like them but the routine was familiar, it was like clenching a muscle. First, his fingers and nails twisted into black hooves, and russet fur was sprouting from his skin. Next came a sickening crunch of bone, though he felt only pins and needs. Once on four equine legs now and the change was migrating from his extremities to his core, his neck and body thickening. The boy's vision momentarily blacked as his face rearranged itself. And in the span of a minute the young man was replaced with an ass.

The russet donkey snorted in annoyance, gingerly trotting back around the side if the caravan. He shot an awkward glance to the mule. "...ready, I suppose..."

[Kalak8538]

Yarik did not believe what he saw. As he looked down at the donkey, the bard half-expected to see the man laughing as he came out from behind the wagon again. It was only when the donkey spoke did he know this was no joke.

"Umm... Sure."

It was such an awkward moment. Yarik used his quick thinking to find an excuse to go collect himself.

"I vill... go put yur zhings in wagon! Stay here..."

He collected his client's effects, and brought them to the back door. Once inside, he took a moment to process what he just saw.

"Now I have seen everyzhing!" he thought to himself.