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Floral Stripes [DragonSong]

Started by Juno, September 01, 2016, 01:43:20 PM

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Juno

"Well, no. This is my first trip but I've read up on what to expect. You know, poisonous plants and the like. I've seen some poor sketches and I'd like to catalog my own," he explained, gesturing around them and not really realizing the shifter was warning him off for other reasons. "Find out how I can use them with my own concoctions and such."

DragonSong

Akio sat back and ran his hand through his hair. Sharp golden eyes swept over Irah and he shook his head.

"You're going to get yourself killed," he muttered, tail lashing in irritation. Then he huffed out a breath and got back to his feet. "Fine. Fine, see if I care." Slipping into Thanati, he muttered something about crazy, stubborn foreigners under his breath.

Juno

Irah winced at how obviously irritated the shifter was. Truly he didn't understand why given how honest he'd been, but he didn't have experience to understand that the stories of the dangers lurking among the islands were very real and still concerned him no matter his reason for visiting.

His eyes went wide and he just stared as Akio ranted in Thanati, truly understanding nothing of it himself but a little in awe of his first opportunity to hear the language spoken so fluidly.

"Look, I appreciate your...passion behind this but I really don't think I'll be in any danger. I'm always careful in new places. To be honest I've heard of some pretty frightening things about this place, but-" He gestured around them and shrugged, thinking it all seemed far too calm among the trees for him to fear for his life.

"I'd intended to hire a guide in the village, but I had to come see it for myself," he explained, breathing a tired sigh and feeling a little foolish since this man had such a strong opinion about what he was doing there. "Maybe that wouldn't be the worst idea anyway, get the lay of the land at least from someone who knows it."

He tilted his head slightly, eyeing Akio thoughtfully for a moment. "Could I interest you in the job? I'd pay well for the help."

DragonSong

"Yes, good. Hire a guard, that's an excellent idea-"

His voice choked off when the stranger offered him the job. "I- ah..." He floundered, searching for a reason not to accept that would be more valid than "I don't want to" or "I don't like talking to people."

...Nothing.

Well fuck.

"I...have to get this boar back," he sighed eventually, rubbing his hand down his face. "You're welcome to tag along if you like."

Juno

Irah beamed that his offer wasn't immediately rejected, nodding eagerly at the tiger shifter's counter-offer and hurrying to stand right beside him. "Of course I will! But...where is back?" he asked, suddenly a bit timid as he turned his head towards the village he'd come to, or at least he thought so not realizing he was turned around already and he was looking towards open water beyond the dense trees.

He lifted a hand to point out in the same direction. "The village? Or is there another one on this island?"

DragonSong

Akio snorted. He moved forward and took Irah's hand, directing him to point in the right direction. "The village," he confirmed. "There's plenty of settlements, but that one's closest."

Juno

He smiled sheepishly, flushing in embarrassment at being proven inexperienced on the island once again. "Right, that one. And what will we do with the boar?" he asked curiously. "Turn it over to the authorities? For attacking?"

DragonSong

Akio blinked at him.

"What crazy ass place are you from that a wild boar can even be turned over to authorities?" He shook his head and bent to grab the animal, hoisting it up with a grunt. "I'm going to sell it, you looney."

Juno

"Well it's evidence so I thought-" Irah shook his head, looking away in embarrassment. On such a wild island it probably didn't matter if a few boars were attacking people. It was wild jungle territory after all, not private land.

Shaking his head he stepped off in the correct direction Akio had directed him towards. "The sooner that's done the sooner you can help me... -what was your name?" he questioned hesitantly, realizing he'd never gotten it in the first place.

DragonSong

The shifted snorted and shouldered the boar almost too easily, a subtle hint at how powerful he was under the ornery attitude.

"Akio," he replied bluntly.

Juno

Irah paid no mind to his movement of the boar, completely oblivious to his strength as he instead fumbled to grasp his name. "Ack... Akio?" he stumbled through, incredulous and wrinkling his nose at it. "Akio what? Just...Akio? Is that a nickname? Do you have other names? A surname, perhaps? Family name?"

DragonSong

Another snort."Ah-kee-oh," he said slowly, as though talking to a child. "Just Akio." His frown deepened slightly.

He supposed he'd had a family name once. He didn't really see the point in laying claim to it though. "What's it to you, gaijin?" he muttered, quirking an eyebrow.

Juno

"Riiiight." Irah shook his head in disbelief, eyeing the shifter up and down like the lack of a surname was more unusual than the cat ears sprouting from his head. "Just never met anyone before with only one name. Seems a little odd. How do you differentiate yourself? You know, from the other Akios wandering about," he pressed, as if his obvious appearance wasn't good enough to do the job.

DragonSong

He quirked an eyebrow. "Seriously? Why would I need to?" It wasn't like he was really in the more populated areas of the island often.

Shaking his head, he muttered, "You done with the questions? C'mon, I'll get you back to town, then you're on your own."

Juno

Irah frowned but continued to follow along, wary of fallen branches or snaking vines that might trip him. He wasn't entirely satisfied with the answer but this Akio was a strange man with some obviously strange quirks to him. It didn't feel smart to pressure that in unknown territory if he was content with his one name.

"You mean...we'll be on our way," he offered, not willing to accept that his offer of work to the shifter as his guide was being rejected just like that.

DragonSong

Akio sighed. Damn. He'd sort of hoped the foreigner would have let it go. "We'll see, gaijin. Don't get ahead of yourself," he muttered as he easily navigated the jungle floor. The trees were much further apart this close to civilization- this was like a pleasant stroll for him.

Minus the dead boar over his shoulder.

Juno

He said the word again. Irah glowered at him in his ignorance, uncertain what he was being called but certain it couldn't be anything pleasant. He remained quiet the rest of their short walk to the village but it felt like an eternity. Unused to navigating the jungle foliage in such heat the young nobleman was out of breath by the time they were out and had to stop, bracing his hands against his knees for a moment as he regained his composure.

"This place is beautiful but this is definitely going to take some getting used to," he groaned, wiping his forehead on his sleeve and looking to the sky in silent prayer for milder weather.

DragonSong

The tiger glanced over his shoulder and chuckled. "You doing alright there, pretty boy?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow. "It's still a bit of a hike from the trees into the village proper."

Juno

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," he grunted, waving his hand dismissively and taking a last gulp of air before righting himself and hurrying to catch up.

"I can do this," he murmured, though more to keep his confidence up than convince Akio he could. "It's just very different."

DragonSong

The shifted snorted again. "What, not the cushy mainland you're used to?" he prodded, one eyebrow quirked.

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