Misery Loves Company [Godlin!]

[Draconian]

Today was treat day.

It was humbling when such iconic creatures nosed at Luna's pale hands in the morning reminding her that today was the day that they got their damn treats. It was also humbling when she showed up to her post empty handed and she got to watch several sets of eyes go into a full pout. Sure she had to lean in and squint a bunch to get the full picture, the world wasn't much except for coloured fluff to her, but... She could tell. They were pouting.

Which was why, even though it was almost noon, she had her cloak on, hood over her head to keep the sun off her face. Was she sweating? Absolutely. Luna was extremely uncomfortable. She could feel the sweat trickle down her spine and soak through her shirt. Luna knew that the second she got back she'd have to take a bath and change.

Today was her lucky day though. Luna didn't have to travel too far to collect her treats for her drakelings, which meant there would be minimal wandering around and minimal staring. A superstitious people, Luna didn't enjoy being out in the midst of people too often. Despite being a born and bred Adelan, she was, to her dismay, extremely pale. Her hair was so devoid of pigment it was white, her eyes so blue that light hurt them, she'd had her own fairshare of teasing growing up so, now, she made means to cover up.

Basket in hand, fruits piled into it. She'd exchanged money with the vendor before fixing her hood and tucking her un-basket-ed hand into her pocket. A hesitant peek at the sky, eyes half closed to do so, and she gauged herself to have only been away for half an hour or so. It would be lunch time when she got back, and then bath time for the smallest of the brood. Of course, all that would happen after treats.

So distracted with her thoughts Luna didn't notice that the fuzzy thing in front of her was another person. Which would explain why she unceremoniously walked into them, lost her footing and ended up on her butt. Her hood fell off her head, exposing her pale head of hair. The incident wasn't without a few spectators and, thankfully, only a few of the apple like fruits managed to escape the basket.

"I'm so sorry!" She cried, hand instantly groping for her hood, eyes shut tightly more in an effort to avoid the pain of the bright lights than because of it. Luna quickly moved to rest on her knees to right herself before she fixed her hood and looked down at the set of feet beside her, "I wasn't looking where I was going, I deeply apologize."

[GoblinFae]

Today was a terrible day.

First there had been all the commotion this morning with Valys and Rhosiris being whisked away to do who knows what for the good of Adela. All important hoity toity business. All Zhirai knew was that dragons were involved, poncey Anastolyr was being left behind, and he wanted nothing to do with it all.

But then Ana had gone off into the city to explore and Kirsikka was busy tending to some of the others. Something about all the pollen from the plants making everyone sick and miserable. So Zhirai decided to go off on his own and THAT is how he ended up in this predicament.

He was completely and utterly LOST. Who even built cities like this anyway? Why did there have to be so many unforgiving stone walls all packed so close together with dark, smelly, narrow passageways? Didn't anyone in this star-forsaken country want to see daylight?! No wonder they were all so pink. They were just like giant naked rats in clothes.

He shuddered at the notion while trying to spin about and get his barings. It was not meant to be though as he was suddenly plowed into from behind and sent stumbling forward. Zhirai pinwheeled his arms, already off-kilter from his spinning as he stepped back to try and catch himself. Except in doing so he only managed to step on something round and cumbersome. One moment he was flailing about like a fish out of water and the next he too was on his back side, snarling and swearing in his melodic native tongue like the sailor he was born and raised as.

"Watch where you're going, Pinkskin! What, did you just learn how to walk today?" he shouted at the babbling figure in his own language. He growled further in displeasure at the thing gouging into his back only to reach back and pull forth a somewhat squashed apple. His lip curled in displeasure as he made to toss it into the human's lap. Zhirai paused though as he examined it feeling the sticky juice leak into his hand.

"What it?" he asked waving it in her face instead.

[Draconian]

Luna winced at the voice - though was a little confused at the language. Either way, it sounded a little grumpy and she couldn't blame them, despite the fact that everything was little more than a blur she could very well tell the person she'd run into had fallen over as well.

Though she had to lean in and squint to see what the person was waving at her. "I..." Luna nodded, "Yes, please" and she reached out and plucked the seemingly squished apple, making a face and placing it in the basket. The dragons wouldn't care if the apple was squished a little. Maybe they'd care if it had clearly been sat on - which it was but they didn't need to know that. Luna put the basket down - a few other apples-fruits had escaped but she couldn't see where they went and thus, she didn't worry about it.

"Here, let me help you up," her voice was apologetic and Luna made sure her hood was properly shadowing her face before she stood up and reached out a truly pale hand, finally trying to give this person a look. Hm. Were they like her? Or something else entirely? Luna couldn't really help the question that fell out of her mouth in her surprise, "Where are you from? Serendipity?" That seemed like a safe option that made sense, "I'm sorry again, for bumping into you - I have a hard time seeing."

[GoblinFae]

Zhirai squawked in shock as instead of receiving an answer, the leaking orb was plucked out of his hand. He accepted the helping hand up but did not let go as he reclaimed the offending fruit that had caused his earlier tumbled.

"What it?" he repeated in Ketran, waving it about close to her face but refusing to let her take it back until she answered. The answer was inconsequential though as his limited vision caught sight of the pale braid that slide forward out of her hood.

It was then that he finally released her hand in order to latch onto the hair instead. "You're Procyon??" Not waiting for an answer he yanked her hood off to look at her face. The eyes were all wrong. A gentler touch that brushed her hair behind her ear also revealed further disappointment. Just another Pinkskin with their strange round ears. Huffing sighing in disappointment, he released the apple back into her basket in favor of reaching out to help yank her hood back up as she had it.

"Sorry," he muttered sullenly, feeling like a naughty kitten that had gotten its paw stuck in a fishing line and needed saving.

[Draconian]

There was very little Luna could think to do when her hair was grabbed onto and her hood was pulled from her head. The sharp pain from the bright light made her squeeze her eyes shut for a moment but she opened them again to squint at her new ... friend?

"uuhh..." was all Luna could vocalize, her voice as elegant as ever in her confusion. There was always a degree of confusion when she'd meet some people for the first time, so she didn't blame his curiosity. Maybe he'd never seen anyone as pale as her before. Then, the hoot was back on and she was again confused.

"It's ..." She paused, was it okay? "Fine." Luna finished and then looked down at her basket and then back at her new friend. "My name is Luna, can I walk you home?" It seemed polite and he seemed new.

[GoblinFae]

The procyon grunted roughly, jamming his hands in his pockets as he glared at the ground. His brow furrowed as he tried to remember the right words to express what he wanted to say. Sadly simple emotions and desires such as asking for directions were proven to be far more complex in the Trader's Tongue. Why couldn't the Pinkskins speak Embass like everyone else?! Of COURSE the buggers had to be special and irritating.

"I," he paused still struggling for the right order of words and huffing in his frustration, "house lost."

[Draconian]

House lost.

Luna brought a hand up to her face and worried her fingers against her lower lip while she tried to figure out what that meant. House lost. "Well," She moved her hand from her lip and held it out to him, indicating for him to take it, "We can find your home. I'm assuming you can understand me a little, but can't speak the language well?" Luna smiled, tilting her head up so the hood only cast a shadow and kept the sun from her eyes.

"do you remember which direction? Big building? Small building?" Luna pointed in the general direction of the castle, "I work there. With the dragons. I feed them and make sure their needs are met. These are for them. " she said, shaking the basket.

[GoblinFae]

He blinked at her, struggling to process all the words and translate them into his own tongue before consider his answer then translate back for her to understand. She was correct though that he did understand at least a bit better than he could speak but even then it could be considered a very loose form of understanding. Curse the blasted wordsmith and his badgering to learn the words of the Pinkskins. If he hadn't been so persistent then perhaps Zhirai wouldn't have resisted quite so much out of pure oppositional defiance.

"Dragons," he repeated recognizing the word. "Valys and Rhosiris dragons Pallaton took with. Dragons."

[Draconian]

Luna choked on her next inhale while her companion said the name Pallaton. There had been a rumor there were unusual guests at the main castle and the Regent had accepted them as political refugees or something. Was this man one of them? Luna moved a hand to her chest to lightly pat it while she tried to cough and catch her breath at the surprise.

While she'd never met the man himself, she knew Pallaton was at least a decent person. She wouldn't get into too much trouble leading this stranger to the main gate, would she? When her hand wasn't taken, she took it upon herself to (perhaps rudely) grab the strangers and thread their fingers together so he couldn't just slip out of her grip. He didn't give his name, so she took that as a sign that perhaps he never would.

Luna didn't push and instead began walking towards the main road tugging her new companion along. "We'll get you to the main castle then, if you like. Unless you were shopping?" She chewed on her lip, looking down at the basket, the few dragons she was taking care of would get fussy if she took much longer, "How about we lead you back home and then get you an escort, hmm? I'd hate to be lost in a city if I was new to it, it's so big."

[GoblinFae]

Oh stars, he'd killed the Pinkskin. Or perhaps it was sick. Why else would it make such an awful coughing, gasping, wheezing sound. Was it catching? Zhriai eyed the way she patted her chest before reaching out to thump her lightly on the back. Maybe he was being a bit dramatic. Pinkskins were rather fragile creatures to begin with after all.

He did not have long to muse though as suddenly his calloused hand was interlocked with her much smaller one. The elf was too shocked at this latest development to immediately notice they were moving as he was too busy staring at their hands and giving them a light shake to see if she'd let go. It did not last long though as he dropped their joined hand and took in the main road. Then, he held her hand more properly giving it a light squeeze as they came up on so many of those like her. He hated the crowds, the noise, the smells that made his head ache, and worst of all, standing out so much. It was because of all of them that he had gotten so hopelessly lost in the first place just to escape them.

"Shopping, no." Zhirai finally responded after a quiet pause. "Dragons?"

[Draconian]

Shopping, no.

Good to know. Luna glanced over her shoulder and smiled towards her unknown companion, fixing her hood to cover her face better once they got walking. The pair drew gazes more curious than anything else and the pace and stride of Luna had people shuffling to the side while she walked back to the castle.

"We can go see dragons, if you like," She said smiling and with their hands still linked. The walk was uneventful - the regular citizens recognizing the cloak Luna was wearing, the pattern and colours, to know what she did and where she did it. While normally she might have been stopped and questions. Perhaps jeered at, the display of Adelan colours was a clear sign of what she did and that there may be consequences for interrupting her work.

It was a bit of a walk but soon enough the gates were coming up along with the guard... Who she walked right past, dragging poor Zhirai behind her. Basket of apples on one arm and Zhirai in the other hand she stopped and turned to him, smiling, "Do you know where to go?" She bent her elbow to point to the main building, "Pallaton is in there usually. I work and live out back," Luna chewed on her lower lip and then looked around, "Are you hungry? We can feed the dragons and then I can make us lunch if you like..." Luna smiled again, "As a welcome to Adela."

[GoblinFae]

"Pallaton left," he replied easily. The tension in his body melted greatly once it was just the two of them again. He had felt the looks. It was like being out at sea and knowing that while you couldn't see him the beast was just beneath the ice, staring. Waiting. Thankfully though, much like with the creatures of the icy depths, nothing happened. This time.

Zhirai tilted his head at her slightly, slowly processing her words. "Dragons eat...." His brow furrowed not knowing the word for the abnormal shaped balls in her basket so he only pointed instead, "Luna?" Was that the word she'd used for them before?

[Draconian]

"Dragons eat Luna?" She repeated, blinking owlishly before she looked at where he was pointing. "Dragons don't eat Luna," She took his hand and pointed it at her, "Luna," then she moved his hand back to point at the fruits, "Apples."

She smiled and started to veer away from the castle, leading the guest to where she would feed the smaller dragons snacks. "Are you hungry...? You can eat one, if you like. Eat the apple," she said a teasing smile growing on her face, "Not Luna."

[GoblinFae]

There she as touching him again. So much touching. Was this normal for Pinkskins? Was personal space not a thing for them? Why so much familiarity? Or did this one just think him stupid because of his poor command of their tongue? He wasn't an idiot thank you very much!

He rolled his pales eyes with a huff at her teasing but turned his hand in her grip enough to catch hers in turn. Zhriai then dragged the appendage to himself until their joined hands rested against his sternum. "Zhirai, eat no Pinkskins."

[Draconian]

"Zhirai," Luna repeated and paused for a moment to feel the heartbeat of her new companion. It was interest that despite the differences between them - though visually she seemed to blend in well, there was the same organ that pumped blood. "I'm glad you don't want to eat... Uh... Pinkskins." Which she could only assume was her.

The no confirmation about the apple made her also assume that he wasn't interested in that, either.

"There they are," She said, motioning towards a stone building attached to a stable of sorts and one of the smaller ones spotted her. About the size of a horse currently, the little dragon bounced over the fence and clumsily trotted their way over. "Hello, Lovely," She whispered holding the basket away from the sniffing face, "Not until we get back over the fence, and then you'll have to wait your turn."

A huff, a quick graze of scaled head to her thigh and the little dragon bounded off again, nudging it's clutch siblings into wakefulness while Zhirai and Luna walked towards the building. With no lock on the door, she pushed it open to a small kitchen and placed the basket on the table, her cloak being placed over a chair and glanced over her shoulder. "Would you like to help give out the snacks?" She smiled over her shoulder at Zhirai while she grabbed a cloth and threw it over her shoulder and grabbing the basket again.

The inside of the building was quaint, little decoration and what was around were odd trinkets like bones or slightly munched looking flowers. The furniture was wooden and meant to accommodate two people at most. The door on the other side of the room lead directly to another enclosed area that was much much larger, though a large barn door was open and the young dragons could leave and enter as they wished.

A mezzanine above the door that led to the sleeping quarters of the dragons had a living space for Luna, but it was little more than a shelf, a dresser and a trunk with a lock on it at the foot of a plush bed.

Cloak left on the chair, Luna quickly took her hair down and finger combed it before braiding the snowy white locks and grabbing the basket again, holding it out to Zhirai while she made her way to the door. "They're learning how to be gentle, but they won't hurt you."

[GoblinFae]

He followed her obediently through all of it. Flinching some as the dragon came barreling at her and awed when she did not do the same but instead treated it much like one would the massive snowcats back home. Was there more to this little Pinkskin than met the eye? Was she some sort of powerful wordsmith or beastmaster? Was she one of Adela's most respected figures? Perhaps he shouldn't have been so rough with her when he grabbed her earlier. But her hair, there it was again so lovely and white like fresh fallen snow and not so different from his own, was it so wrong to have wanted to touch it when he thought her the same as him? Anastolyr was without a doubt going to eat his liver for this later, especially if he caused grave insult to one of their host's most respected peoples.

Zhirai was startled from his whirlwind thoughts and observation of her and the limited space by the tactile feel of the basket being placed in his hand. He looked down staring once more at the strangle shaped orbs, apples she had called them.

He stepped out the door with her, blinking in the sunlight a bit as eager heads popped up at the sight of them or more specifically, Luna and her basket of treats. Zhirai stood tall and stiff as he approached warily and was approached in turn. Eye never once leaving the beasts, he reached into the basket and pulled out an apple to offer to the closest dragon, hand shaking only slightly as it was quickly plucked up. This wasn't so bad. Definitely more like snowcats.

"Beautiful. Don't eat me and I'll let you have more. Yes, you like that right? You try to eat me though you little fucker and I'll make you into a pretty pair of boots and a rucksack. You hear me?" He continued murmuring to them softly in the language of his people, voice light and lilting as it flowed and offered the dragons threats and insults.

[Draconian]

Luna watched, completed enchanted and very entertained.

"That's a beautiful language," She said, running her fingers over the snout of the dragon trying to get treats from Zhirai. The dragon momentarily turned into the scratches before nibbling the apple away and bounding away. The dragons took their treats politely and they were off again. While they were heavily meat eaters, Luna felt like diversifying their pallets for snacks was an okay sometimes thing.

The last dragon off with it's nibbles and one apple left in the basket, Luna plucked it out and sunk her teeth into it giving a delighted hum. While warm apples weren't her favourite it was still a delicious treat and she chewed thoughtfully before offering the non-bitten side to Zhirai, "Have you had an apple before? Would you like a bite? They're very sweet."

After a moment, she pursed her lips and tapped at her lips with her free hand, "How do you say 'hello' in your language? Could you teach me?"

[GoblinFae]

His head turned slowly to eye her. Had the Pinkskin just complimented him? Of course it was a beautiful language, it was of a far more cultured and fierce warrior race. It was nothing like the harsh guttural sounds of this so-called Trader's Tongue. His thoughts he kept to himself though as another head bumped under his elbow making him jump slightly and refocus his one-sided gaze back on the task at home.

Only once the treats were all gone did he return to watching her. She really was a strange one for a Pinkskin even if she did look almost as beautiful as a procyon. Apple? No. Hesitantly with a shake of his head he accepted the fruit. She had just bitten into it so clearly it was not just for dragons and she seemed to enjoy it. The Pinkskin food had yet to make his people truly sick even if some of it was harder to politely consume than others.

One confident chomp later and Zhirai could now add 'apples' to that list of impossibly difficult foods. His teeth slid across the smooth skin struggling to find purchase in its flesh as instead all he did was leave bruised dents with the impression of his teeth in the skin without managing to pierce it. The man huffed in exasperation, scowling deeply as if she had offered it up just to embarrass him. What wicked games was she playing at?

For a moment he considered being mean and causing her embarrassment as well but stayed his tongue. "Heilll ou sælll."

[Draconian]

Ah.

Luna paused and held her fingers to her lower lip, wincing slightly when he struggled to eat the apple. Would it be more rude to... Bite a piece off and offer it? Maybe... Another time. Or cut the apple and share a slice. Luna chewed on her lip and held her hand out casually for the apple back if he wanted to be rid of it.

"Heilll ou sælll" Luna said slowly, trying to mimic his mouth movements, looking at his lips and then examining his features again. Then she couldn't help herself, "You don't have to try it - the apples," She pointed at it, "I'm sorry if you don't like it. I promise they taste good... But maybe later?" An apologetic smile and she looked towards the castle proper. Looking away for a moment she cleared her throat and offered a small smile, "I take it you don't eat much fruit?"

[GoblinFae]

He nodded some at her pronunciation. It wasn't correct but it was close enough for a Pinkskin. How much more could he expect of them after all?

Zhirai flipped his hand at her as if to shake her notions away regarding the apple. She'd done enough already to humiliate him, he wasn't going to allow her to have further laughter at his expense right now. The impossible food would be saved for later when he could attempt again in peace and privacy, that is if he didn't try to give it to Valys to suffer with instead. 

Again he shook his head, staring ahead at the land so different from his own. "Teeth made for meat. Trees grow ice and crystal not," he paused trying to remember the pronunciation of the word she'd used, "fruit."