Syrae still didn't know what was going on--he didn't have the good hearing that Jaiha did, but from what he had gathered, yep, something was going down and it wasn't good. It soon became painfully obvious what was happening. Well, maybe not obvious as to what specifically was happening, but...the people dispersing through the crouds? With the black skin and white hair? They stood out like fresh camel-dung in the sand. Okay...that was kind of mean. But Syrae was pretty sure they were responsible for whatever was happening now, the reason why so many people were on their guard. Alright, Syrae could see they were armed, but...why would people be edgy about them? There didn't look like there were that many, and they were all kinda short.
Er...well...really short, Syrae thought, raising an eyebrow. A good half foot shorter than him at least.
So...what was the big deal? They might just be a traveling caravan or something. Or...if they were hostile...and that was kind of what all the signals and stuff were getting at...then...why didn't they just take them?! Like, now! On the spot! They were midgets and there weren't many of them; Jaiha could step on them like bugs for Goddess' sakes! Bah. Hostile or not, Syrae thought they should stomp them anyway for drawing all the attention away from them--attention which should rightfully have been theirs! Best day of their lives right here, and they'd been thwarted by midgets, and Syrae liked attention far too much to want to share the spotlight with some underdeveloped creeps.
...Well...Syrae wasn't that tall...but still...he was feeling rather spiteful right now toward these...people. Feh. Well...
At least they probably couldn't kill a sandworm, too! Because they were most definitely not awesome enough! Like them. Heh.
Syrae made sure not to walk too fast so Jaiha could keep up, even though she was clinging to the back of his shirt, which kind of impeded his progress anyway. As they drew closer to the square, he was also able to better hear what was happening, even catching some statements. He caught something about someone not "ruling" them, but "directing the city", and he felt his face scrunch up into a sort of "what the hell?" expression. These people...they...wanted to <I>direct the city? What? Who did they think they were? A couple of nobody midgets wanted to direct Essyrn? A big city that had been running just fine for the last, well...Syrae had no idea how long. but a long time! He thought he'd caught some statements before that, but they were faint...so maybe he'd just heard wrong, because they'd sounded bloody flippin' insane!
Whatever the case, Syrae had determined that he did not like these people...and that they had better not be trying to do what he thought they were.
He felt Jaiha grab his hand and his attention drew over to the man that was suddenly approaching them. He looked different from the other ones that he'd glimpsed, and--much to Syrae's surprise--he was actually tall, about his height. Jeez. Well, since he was so tall, he must be the ringleader, because he still looked basically the same as the others, and he wasn't someone he'd seen before, so that made him "one of them". Syrae shifted his grip on his spear--which, like the rest of him, was still all plastered with worm guts--and it was tempting to whack the guy over the back of the head with the flat side of his blade when he bowed and called Jaiha "Lady Dragon", the protective side of him flaring. Right! Just go ahead and call her out on her looks! Jerk. Jaiha was sensitive about that, Syrae knew it, and it made him twitchy and defensive for her.
Instead, he just shifted his weight from foot to foot and gave the man a level stare while Jaiha replied to him, and he gave a nod. Damn straight. Evil victory stealer...
"Why are you here, anyway?" he asked bluntly while Jaiha did her little intimidating thing, waving her tail around--which, truth be told, even still intimidated Syrae, and he'd known her from childhood! Of course, he'd also seen what she could do with that blade--like neatly slice up a sandworm, which they had killed! And he also had a few scars from it on his right arm, as well, from accidental cuts, mostly from when they were kids. Heh. That thing was lethal.
He nodded in agreement as Jaiha told them that no one wanted them here, and to leave, and gave her hand a squeeze before taking a step in front of her. "The only directing you can do is in your dreams...no one's interested. Go home. And take your..." He gave a glance toward the huge bird behind the man. "...mutated chicken with you."
