[IC] Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

[GambolMuse]

An amused smirk crossed Nymira's features as Amuné accepted her coin. "Nor would I expect you to. It would be disappointing if all it took were some coins to buy your loyalty" the Dimuran mused, deciding to leave the girl be for now. Just as well as the rest of their company was joining them now, and she had to question the point of trying to speak to Ethan, the Muran quite disabled thanks to his night of drinking. Nor did Geoffrey's line of questioning make terribly much sense to her if the confused look on her face was any indication. "Er... Getup? Finery...?" she repeated with a furrowed brow. It sounded like good things, probably, though she hadn't a clue. Glancing at Amuné perhaps for some indication on what it meant it appeared as though the little girl was equally as puzzled. Or she wasn't paying any mind to the conversation.

All of this shouting was killing him, his head felt like it was in a vice. Ethan would never drink again after this, he'd learned his lesson. Thinking perhaps the yelling was over he winced inwardly when Zander shouted at Geoffrey, cringing again when the healer slammed down in the seat beside him. Lifting his head he looked to his side and managed a smile despite himself, forcing himself then to sit upright. "What are you talking about? I feel completely fine!" he lied, grinning as he stuck his thumb at his chest, "Couldn't be feeling better actually!" No sooner had he uttered that did one of the workers at the tavern bust through the door, shouting behind him as he carried out a tray of mugs. Immediately Ethan let out a whimper and hid his head under his arms, trying to drown out the noise.

"I uh... I think we will be skipping the Seamstress today actually. I don't know if I'm quite in the mood for it," Nymira said, gesturing to her well worn cloak, "I had this fashioned for me before leaving, it's important. Is it filthy? Of course, but I don't intend on getting rid of it even if I do buy something new. Wouldn't be right." Just as she wouldn't be rid of the brace on her left arm, a piece courtesy of their tanner back in her clan's grounds. It had saved her life a few times already and it had the slashes to show for it, she'd be a fool to be rid of such a piece. "It's as Amuné said anyway, she has clothes and she doesn't need anything more, we should be fine with what we have." For the time being anyways, being able to wash your clothing certainly made wearing it constantly less unpleasant.

"That being said we should be sure we have everything we need for our travels, which means we'll still go to the markets," Nymira continued as she looked over at Zander, "Simply because you're along doesn't mean we shouldn't stock up on medicine. And while we're at it we should perhaps get some proper tools. An axe for lumber, perhaps a box of tinder, I'd prefer not having to light every fire we make. We should also but some metal from the blacksmith, if they have any to spare. I can maintain my daggers and any tools we have if I have material to work with." There was likely more along the way they would need, which was fine, she would pay for whatever they needed. It did of course occur to Nymira that her pouch was certainly lighter than it had been, and even if she didn't appreciate the value of the money she recognized when she was getting low on funds. With luck they had enough to get them at least to the next town.

"Probably should see a blacksmith about something for me too, I don't have anything to fight with," Ethan chimed in as he raised his hand halfheartedly. The sound of a worker slamming down a tray on the counter made him groan and cover his ears, finally getting up from his seat at the bar. "I'm going to go get Cecil and we should get going then. It's probably quieter our there." Figuring he knew exactly where the Machina was he hurried across the room, as fast as he could shuffle anyways, pulling the door open and immediately regretting his decision as sunlight assaulted his eyes. Covering them briefly he had to shield his eyes then with his hand, emerging from the tavern and out onto the street. Sure enough Cecil was still sat atop the roof, as he likely had been all night. "Hey Cecil! Time to go!" he shouted, gritting his teeth as his own shouts irritated him. Worst morning ever.

[Mogtaki]

Cecil didn’t have any need to go inside, nor did he sleep like the rest of them. He was in a state of constant waiting whenever they went to sleep and it was pretty agonising. He didn’t want to go into sleep mode himself, it would be like he was dead for a short time if he did that and that feeling was too scary. He would rather be damaged than feel he was going to shutdown forever. To try and occupy himself instead he stayed outside all night, waiting for the day to come again. The night was calm and quiet, the weather didn’t show any sign of rain otherwise he would never be outside. He didn’t know what might happen if he got caught in the rain, he was very careful when it came to travelling but at the times he did have to walk on wet ground he felt vulnerable.

Throughout the night he was left lying on the tiled roof staring up at the sky, the stars sparkling gently as a few clouds went by. It was very pretty to look at but he couldn’t help but feel disconnected from it, as if he was never meant to share any connection to them. Those who were living could probably find some feeling towards them, probably where their Nine Saints came in. It made him wonder just where his place in this world was, why he had been made the way he had and why his purpose was combat. It didn’t make sense to him, there was nothing else to him that would differ him from any weapon other than the fact he could blend in. Everything was too confusing for him, he didn’t feel he belonged at all with this.

As morning came along he continued his wait, staring up at the changing sky until a familiar voice sounded out. Sitting up slowly he could hear Ethan, eventually standing up and gazing over the edge down at him. Guess it really was time to go, where ever he was going to go with them. Frowning, Cecil slowly made his way over to the edge of the roof, staring down at Ethan before making a jump. Despite how high he was he landed with barely a light clank, managing to make it down to the ground off a fair height with little damage. Looking up calmly at Ethan he frowned, his eyes soon looking back at the inn. “Where we going? Finally away from this place? Why did it take so long for everyone to get up this time?”

[AlexStarsion]

Geoffrey raised his hands in defense, "O'course! Meant no 'arm jus' figured since ya mentioned clothin' ya'd wanna see her. I'm okay wit' not goin'... She's ... not polite to outsiders, if ya catch my drift..." Grinning when he heard Zander thunk his head on the counter and mutter something impolite he grinned more. This was going to be a glorious morning in his opinion and he LOATHED mornings. Clearing his throat and listening to nodded to Nymira's words and where the lady wished to go.

"The Blacksmith is about halfway from the town square, can't miss the billows, nor the minecart 'e uses for advertising," Geoffrey felt like he was chewing rocks as he talked without his normal slang. "Herbalist is the other way. Lives near the gate to the town we came through. Don't really know alot about 'em. If ya want, I can lead ya to da Smithie, get Mr. High and Mighty," he cast his thumb over his shoulder at Zander. "To head for the 'erbs. Unless ya want to get'em yerself. Anyroad, I'll lead da way. Me aunt's Inn I needs to stop in though, gotsa say 'ello else she'll skin me alive."

"I'm perfectly able to get herbs," Zander said rising as he smirked at Ethan's obvious hangover. "Mayhap grab a few things for my own need. I can't obviously be in top shape to always be there when needed. I see nothing against the obtaining of herbs." He was repeating himself in his annoyance with Geo, but otherwise kept his mouth shut. Following Ethan out the doorway, he tilted his head and watched Cecil drop down to them.

"Good morning, Cecil," Zander said politely... or as politely as he could be. He was slightly shocked the boy could still stand from that kind of drop. "I doubt it, Nymira wants for items to make the travel easier, and Ethan needs a new blade." He went silent after that, waiting for the others to head out. Geoffrey was in the doorway, still grinning. Flute tucked in at his waist, a grin on his face and beckoning to the two ladies of the group.

This, is going to be interesting... Zander thought darkly. He looked up into the clear sky, and let out a disgruntled sigh. Please let no one come to me for healing today...

[GambolMuse]

"We can go to the smith ourselves I suppose, it would make sense if we're buying the tools," Nymira said, picking up one of the utensils from the table and running her finger along the length of it, "I won't work with sub-par ores or materials, I expect to have the best we can buy here. Of course their best might still be rubbish. And letting Zander handle the herbs makes sense, he likely knows what herbs are used for certain tasks better than any of us." She knew you could chew and use the pulp of a Musen leaf to help stop bleeding, and you could use the sap from a Ulea tree in a mix with some water and honey to help bring down a fever, those were two very basic remedies her clan used. Aside from those two her herbology was very limited, almost nonexistent. That buffoon Ethan probably knew more than she did.

Ethan had correctly assumed that Cecil was up on the roof still, as he had been since late last night. He'd expected his friend to not have gone anywhere and was glad to find his expectations had been met; jumping off the roof without a care, now that wasn't expected. Covering his ears in anticipation for the thunderous crash that never came he glanced up when Cecil landed with barely more than a dull thud, blinking in surprise before sighing in relief.

"Morning Cecil! And what Zander said, plus we'll be getting some herbs or medicines," Ethan added in, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb, "That's his job, we're heading to the blacksmith. And I think Geoffrey's aunt's house?" Or inn, or something like that. Boy was it hard to think straight with his head throbbing. Maybe while getting the herbs one of them could be something to deal with this stinking hangover. Rubbing the side of his head as though to alleviate some pain Ethan glanced back to the door, watching the others finally file out as well. Smiling at Amuné he waved before gesturing her over, crouching down to get eye level when she approached. "You going to come to the blacksmith with us? Or would you rather go see the herbalist?" He should probably do the latter come to think of it, and Nymira was quick enough to voice that thought.

"We're only getting materials and tools, I can go to the blacksmith with Cecil and Geoffrey," the Dimuran said as she glanced to the former, "If you don't mind, I'll need help carrying the materials back, it's bound to be heavy." Depending on the purity of the ore that was, it could be refined enough to be of use or she may have to chip away at it herself. "You should focus on getting better as soon as you can Ethan, otherwise we're stuck waiting on you. Go with Zander to the herbalist and get treated, the sooner you're well the sooner we can move again."

Ethan had wanted to tag along to the blacksmith, see his weapons be made by Nymira in person. He supposed she had a point on his hangover though and the best thing would be for him to get better. Not wanting to hold the others back he nodded once to the Dimuran, smiling as he looked to Amuné once more. "Well I think change of plans, I'll be getting medicine. Want to come with me? I know you're good with medicine, maybe you'll be able to help me?" Not that he doubted Zander's expertise in this regard as he was a healer, but it couldn't hurt to have a second opinion right? Ethan was convinced either way Amuné would likely come with him regardless so even asking was probably a moot point.

"And Cecil, if you're needing any repairs I may be able to help you as well," Nymira added in a low tone, giving the Machina a once over just to look, "It may be a bit crude compared to what Norman could do, but if you're metal then I can work with it. Up to you, we may find someone like him before long if you want any work done." There was a limit to what she could perform with her magic in this regard anyway, if too much was asked of her then they would find themselves sorely disappointed. Usually she was good for about half a dozen smaller items a day so something like a sword was already a big undertaking, any work Cecil needed done would be pushing it. But as she'd argued with Ethan's case having anyone at less than ideal would slow their stride, and the last thing she wanted was to be bogged down.

[shylarah]

"Ethan drank too much," the girl told Cecil, sounding more than a little like a tattletale. "So he feels bad. We let him sleep in. Looks like he needed it." She turned to face the Muran when he crouched in front of her. She was torn. The blacksmith was interesting, yes, and Ethan would be there, but she couldn't use what she knew of herbcraft if she didn't have supplies, and some of them had to be kept fresh. It was the only thing she had any skill with at all, and Amuné wanted very much to be useful. A few images flicked through her thoughts, bits of memory from the fights they'd been in and fears of what might happen.

Nymira jumped in, saying that Ethan should go with Zander, and that solved the debate. But it did leave one sticky issue. She didn't want to be spending time with Zander...but at least Ethan would be there. "Of course I'm going with you to the herbalist," she told Ethan, wrapping her arms around his neck for a hug. "They might have something that'd help you. Mommy made hangover remedies, but I don't know the recipe. And they always smelled awful." She wrinkled her nose. "But you smelled some last night already so it can't be any worse than what you already drank," she added, her expression turning into a smile.

[Mogtaki]

Cecil gasped lightly when Zander gave him the good morning, raising his shoulders as he nodded and looked away. He didn’t know how to approach him still, especially when he wasn’t as familiar with him as he thought he might be after the brief time they had spent together. The guy didn’t interact with him like Ethan or Nymira did so it was a little harder to judge him or tell whether he actually liked him. He didn’t really know if Zander understood what he was or whether he openly objected to his existence, especially considering how he was dressed. He didn’t look like the kind of guy who liked Machina at all, like those people over back at the village that attacked him. He would try and keep it open for the most part, but he couldn’t change how someone thought about him even if he tried.

Looking down at the ground for a moment he thought through the plans they had, staring at his feet as he contemplated the significance of an aunt and what they did. He didn’t know what that was, but it must had been unique if somebody could be associated with it. Looking back up he stared at Ethan, trying to understand why he sounded confused by it before Amuné decided to chime in. Staring at her for a moment he frowned and looked back to Ethan, wondering how consuming too much could affect an organic being. He didn’t know what would happen if he used too much oil or something, but he did hope it wouldn’t end up with some sort of affliction if he did.

Snapping out of his little thought train he immediately looked to Nymira when she offered taking him to the blacksmith and not this aunt’s house. A blacksmith sounded pretty interesting and clearer than whatever an aunt’s house was, so probably for the best. Staring at her as she gave instructions on where everyone was going he soon looked away again, hearing Ethan talking about medicine too. Seems they were going to get all sorts of strange objects on this outing, many that he didn’t understand the meaning of but felt was probably important to them. Opening his mouth to ask what medicine would be used for Nymira quickly interrupted him, staring at her as she spoke. He didn’t know that about her, he didn’t even know what she could do and what her limits were. Looking around quickly he stepped closer to her, talking quietly as if not to clue anyone listening into anything. “I…could use checks on my hydraulics”, he spoke, flexing his fingers, “Is there any way to check my battery power too? I’m pretty worried about it…”

[AlexStarsion]

Zander snorted at Amune as she stated about her mother making herbal remedies for hangovers, he was perfectly comfortable to let Ethan stew with it a little longer. It was slightly entertaining for him. He wouldn't lie to himself about that, or any of the others if they asked. He did watched the interaction between Nymira and Cecil out of the corner of his eye but gave it little thought. He was still trying to wrap his mind around that little puzzle and it was going to take more than a single night of wine drinking to put all the pieces together. Rubbing absently at his side, he poked Geoffrey in the side.

"You said at the gate we entered through no," Zander asked slowly. "The little house, almost set off by itself?"

Geoffrey nodded and looked towards the gate they entered through, "Ya ca't miss it, like I said ain't knowin' much 'bout it. So, enjoy!" He smiled down at Amune and knelt down in front of her. "Keep that un' outta trouble, with how he's actin' he'll get 'imself thrown out."

Zander huffed and took a few steps towards the way they had come into town, "The sooner we get there the sooner I'm sure we can catch back up with you lot and get everything sorted no?"

Geoffrey frowned slightly but stood up straight. Walking up towards Cecil and Nymira he patted Cecil on the shoulder, "Come-on 'eavy lift'r the sooner we get to da blacksmithie and get Nymira 'er ores the sooner I can pop in say 'ello to me aunt and we can rest a little longer. Ya'll still lookin' like ya need it."

"I didn't even drink that much, I had one mug..." Ethan whined in a pitiful tone, shoulder slumped as he was admonished by a child half his size. Granted that one single mug was more than he typically drank in a year, or ever for that matter. Thankfully his woes wouldn't be long lived as the herbalist, with luck, had something on hand to act as a remedy. Smiling sheepishly at the mention of his stink the Magi could only shrug his shoulders at that, not able to much argue that point. Giving Amuné a hug in return he tapped her nose before standing back up, giving a small wave to Cecil and the others as they began moving off. "We'll see you guys in a bit, have fun!" As much fun as one could have going to visit a blacksmith. While he ought to go see his weapon being made somehow he figured the smashing of a hammer against an anvil might just slightly irritate his hangover; a herbalist's home should be much quieter than a blacksmith's.

Nymira gave a short nod to the others as they departed, frowning when Geoffrey approached and spoke in his thick drawl once again. "Please try to speak clearly, I've heard drunkards more coherent than you," the Dimuran spoke, "As for your requests Cecil... I'll see what I can do. I don't even know what 'hydraulics' are and I wouldn't know the first thing about your battery, my expertise stops at metallurgy." A Machina was quite different from the typical tools she worked on as well, those weren't alive and moving constantly. Nymira didn't know what she'd be able to truly do for Cecil but she'd try to help where she could, she owed him that much for all he had done thus far.

"If you need anything Geoffrey do not hesitate to ask either. I owe you something for your helping us. A tool, some arrow heads, whatever you might need. Or the option of simply being paid is still there." Accepting free help didn't sit well with Nymira, she'd feel indebted for not repaying a favor. It wasn't honorable for a princess, someone with money and influence, to accept gifts and favors anyways, not when you could afford to pay for it. Come to think of it she owed the others as well for their service thus far; Ethan's pay would come in the form of whatever weapon she forged for him, Amuné would be a little more difficult to figure out, and she supposed it was only fair she pay Zander as well. "Is there anything else we need while we're about? Might as well get it all at once, two horma in one bell as it were," she added, slipping in a colloquialism of her people.

Geoffrey blushed as Nymira scolded him. He chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry... I'll try to keep it as far down as I can..." He still felt like he was crushing rocks with his teeth. He'd learn though, or she would. He had a feeling he'd learn first before she did on grounds he was sure she could beat him in a stubborn contest. For now, he'd relent to it. Hearing her request again for him to ask for something he tilted his head to the side and looked at her with seriousness in his eyes for once.

"If ya really wanna pay me," Geoffrey nodded to himself. "Arrows. If we come across more of those beasts, I'd like to have a few more arrows just in case. Grab a bit o' extra ore, don' gotta be expensive, just enough strength to pierce a tough hide. I wouldn' mind a betta bow, BUT I like it. I like it's feel, much like ya cloak."

Zander chuckled at Ethan's plee, "I could simply dull it now if you wanted. Would take a few strokes of my brush if you wished. I think, however, I'd like to see the brat's concoction in full effect." He strode along slightly behind Amune and Ethan his eyes focused forward. "So fearless leader," Zander smirked with those words. "Where exactly ARE we heading towards? My as well get to know each other better now. What about you Amune? A youngster like yourself out moving with a group like this. Makes one wonder."

"Good... Otherwise I need a damned translator to speak with you," Nymira quipped before moving along. The fact their people shared a common tongue did little good when you spoke like a buffoon, she was convinced other Murans couldn't understand Geoffrey either. If he could manage to speak plainly for a minute she'd try to offer him some reasonable reward for his service as well, anything that was within her power to grant. Even should Geoffrey decide to leave after Warren he had still earned some type of payment for his efforts. Thankfully his response to that was in a language she could readily understand, his request perfectly feasible and easily accomplished. "Arrows are child's play for me, and I can fashion them however you wish. Broad-headed, barbed, you name it and I'll craft two dozen for you in an hour's time." Less than that even depending on the quality of the ore, whether or not she had to refine it and the availability of some strong wood and feathers for the shafts. Really arrows seemed like petty pay for someone yet if that's all Geoffrey wanted she'd happily oblige. "And Cecil? If I'm unable to help you is there anything more I might be able to do? You only need to ask."

Ethan was very tempted to let Zander do his work, relinquish him of this hangover and help them along their way. Tempted but he ultimately had to refuse, he didn't want a repeat of Cecil's situation and end up having to leave town. "Thanks, but I'll suffer a bit longer. It's really not that bad now anyways," he lied with a smile, cringing when a group of children went running by shouting and giggling. Smiling through it he rubbed at his head before letting out a sigh, shrugging as Zander questioned him on direction; they had traveled together for a little while now and he would think by this point Zander wouldn't rely on Ethan for directions. Geoffrey had told them where to go though so it shouldn't be too terribly hard to find the place, and locals should be able to help.

[Mogtaki]

Cecil was hoping maybe Nymira might know a thing or two about his inner workings and maybe even give him some relief from a few problems he had to maintain himself. He didn’t know how much Nymira knew but he was taking a chance and hoping for the best that she might just know how to fix what would go wrong with him. Looking to Geoffrey first when he briefly interjected he gave him a confused stare, unable to understand what an aunt was still or why he thought he needed rest. He didn’t need to rest ever, he was incapable of it so he didn’t know how he could constantly look like he needed rest. “I-uhhh…the blacksmithie…” he spoke lowly, trying to think about his words a little more before he looked off to Ethan, seeing that he was now heading off.

Hopefully the two groups would be able to find each other soon enough, he certainly didn’t want to have to wait around too long just in case those men really were out there somewhere. This new level of caution he was having to undertake everywhere was really getting to him and making him feel very strange inside like peace was just around the corner but kept dashing out of his reach every time he tried to get to it. He was feeling worried all the time if not for himself but the people around him. He couldn’t worry about himself, he was just a machine designed to kill and nobody could deny that.

Looking to Nymira at the mention of his request his face only lit up for a second before that disappeared as she told him she couldn’t help with those things. “Oh…that’s okay then. My shell is fine…” It wasn’t her fault so he wasn’t going to get upset over something that was never really there in the first place, it was just a means for him to wait and see if they ever see Norman again. He didn’t know what would happen if he was brought to an outsider, they might see him destroyed or hand him over to those men. So he would just be there to help carry the stuff, that was no problem. At least he would be helping with something rather than viciously destroy it. Looking between Geoffrey and Nymira he sighed lightly, feeling a little lost as he followed behind.

Cecil was fine quietly walking along with Geoffrey and Nymira, feeling a little disconnected to what they were talking about. It was very technical stuff, stuff that he wasn’t really familiar with. Their weapons wasn’t something he was very familiar with even if he was a weapon made by other organics anyway. Looking up to Nymira at the mention of his name he gave a simple nod before looking away again. There was probably not much she could help him with just now, artificial damage to his outer ‘skin’ wasn’t really felt by him. He would just have to keep to himself for this one and hope he wouldn’t screw anything up like last time and actually end up having to get shell repairs.

[GambolMuse]

Finding the herbalist's shop was simple, one only had to walk down the main road, hang a right at the corner where the roads intersected by the stables and there it was. For anyone but Ethan it would have been a simple walk and yet he'd somehow managed to turn it into quite the ordeal. Aside from going completely in the wrong direction initially he had somehow managed to double them back the way they had come, and only with Amuné's chastising did they finally get on the right path. Wandering aimlessly aside Warren was abuzz with activity as shops began to open and people went about their rounds, aggravating Ethan's hangover thoroughly. By the time they made it into the haven that was the shop ambient noise had been severely reduced and the lighting dimmer, it was a very welcome change.

Of course just because they had found the herbalist's didn't mean they were going to be out of there any time soon. The owner of the shop, an elderly woman by the name of Mae, was determined to fetch every single item that they wished to purchase on her own. Perfectly fine given it was her store and yet the fact she shuffled about at the speed of molasses made Ethan desperately wish to help. Politely offering a handful of times he was shot down each and every attempt, and he hadn't the heart to assert himself and get in her way. His hopes spiked briefly when a younger woman, presumably her daughter, came in with a basket of leaves and stems only to leave promptly after, abandoning them to the mercy of Mae's slow shuffle.

"Uh... Ma'am? Do you need some help getting that?" Ethan asked, watching timidly as Mae climbed up a ladder to fetch some herbs from a high shelf.

"No dearie, I'm quite capable of getting it myself, thank you though," Mae answered with a sweet smile, reaching the top rung and reached for a wooden box. Even as high as she was she barely could reach it, her fingertips just brushing the underside of the container as she attempted to grab hold of it. Unable to get a secure grasp she rose up on her toes to try and reach further, gasping as the ladder wobbled beneath her and she began to fall backwards.

Ethan moved swiftly across the way to catch Mae in time, easily doing so with how small her stature was. Relieved she was unharmed from the fall he let out a sigh and smiled at her, glancing up then when he heard the clatter of wood above. The box she had been attempting to grab had been moved a fair bit and had tipped out of its spot, the Magi hadn't time to react as it landed on his head with an audible "thwack" before spilling on the ground at his feet. Promptly setting down Mae he squatted, his hands shooting up and covering his head as tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. "Ow, ow ow ow ow..."

"Oh you poor thing! Oh let me see, I think I have something for that," Mae began, turning to go back up the ladder. Behind her Ethan paled a bit and frowned, promptly grabbing the woman and easing her down with an apologetic smile. It seemed like he wasn't having a repeat of that again.

"I'm fine, please... Can we get what we came for?" Ethan asked, still nursing the slight bump on his head.

"Of course sweetie, of course. I don't want to keep you children long," Mae answered with a wave of her hand, shuffling over to the box and collecting its contents. With the container in hand she headed back to the counter but not before stopping with Amuné, who she was nearly eye level with. "See these? If you break the stems of these leaves you get aloe, it's excellent for treating burns and soothing abrasions. You can find them everywhere in the wild, but the younger the plant the better."

---

On the other side of town things were proceeding just as smoothly: or they would be if the blacksmith weren't so difficult. The man had no issue selling them ores or the fact that a woman was claiming to be a blacksmith, he was fine with all of that. Realizing she was a Dimuran however he was keen on seeing what she might be able to do with a hammer and refused to complete the sale until Nymira had crafted something. He didn't care what that might be, it could be simple as a utensil or a blade, anything that she wished. Despite numerous protests on Nymira's behalf the man wouldn't budge on his stance and like it or not she needed the ore, meaning she would have to play his little games.

Forging was easy enough, easier still if she was able to use her magic. Yet with the blacksmith present as well as his two apprentices, not to mention the small crowd that had gathered, magic wasn't an option. Worse still was while Nymira was familiar with forges she had never used one such as this, having to ask the man numerous times what some of the tools were used for. After nearly half an hour of dawdling she finally got to work, using a bit of iron he had already been heating to repair a kettle. With hammer in hand she took the molten material to the anvil and pounded away, each strike powerful and yet delicate, shaping the material to her will. How foolish she must look garbed in one of his aprons and his gloves, both of which were far too large for her smaller frame. It beat being singed by embers with each strike she supposed.

The item didn't have to be finished or even terribly pleasing to the eye, just proof that Nymira would use the ores capably. Yet no self respecting smith would ever half-heartedly take on a project, even if it was a simple one such as this. As her face glistened with perspiration and her lungs burned from looming over the heat the Dimuran continued working, and almost an hour had passed since she had initially begun her work. Doubtless her companions were bored to tears by now yet it hardly concerned her, she had come to fetch ores to work with not keep them entertained. Besides her work was nearly complete, the metal shaped as she wished and the material now beginning to cool. Quench it in oil, let it sit and the item should be good to go.

"There's your proof, smith, now let me have my ore," Nymira said as she slipped off the heavy apron, wiping her brow with her arm tiredly.

The smith, a large man with an ember-singed grey beard loomed over Nymira, inspecting her work curiously. With arched eyebrows he reached down and lifted the piece in one meaty hand, holding it for a moment to inspect before turning to his apprentices and the crowd. "The lass tells the truth, she knows what she's doing!" he declared, presenting a dagger's blade, jagged teeth laced along the blade and a simple yet elegant design pressed into both sides of the blade. Just by holding it he could tell it was decorative in nature, the weight of the metal would snap in combat, yet it was a testament to her skill; crafting a weapon was easy, even his apprentices could do that, but to craft a work of art like this took experience and dedication. Displaying the piece to the crowd there were some jeers for the work, and a few men even exchanged bits of coin among one another, apparently having taken bets.

"Gregory, Hammond, go and get the lass the ores we promised! Load up a cart for them to take!" the blacksmith shouted, waving the two boys off before smiling as he handed the dagger back to Nymira, "I'll admit, I doubted you miss. Always been keen on seeing what your folk could craft, been too many years since I last had the pleasure of working with one of you. Perhaps come back sometime if you're passing through, I feel like there's a lot these boys could learn from you."

"I'm flattered. If I find myself in Warren again I'll be sure to stop by," Nymira replied, bowing politely with a hand over her chest. Looking past the smith to Cecil and Geoffrey she circled over to them, stopping at the former and showing the blade to him. "This is what I do, not what Norman does. I'll do what I can as promised but just so we're perfectly clear. And you'll have your arrowheads as well," she added with a glance to Geoffrey. Later she'd be able to use her magic and craft far quicker than she had just now, they would have whatever they needed before the day was done.

[AlexStarsion]

Zander let the other two enter the shop first, and followed at a slower pace. He was enjoying the fragrances coming from the few open windows and the light breeze carrying said scents. He took in a deep breath, felt the staff on his back dig gently into tense muscles they were slightly losing that tension. He crossed the threshold of the door and couldn't help but let out a laugh when jar pegged Ethan in the head. He couldn't help but laugh more when the old woman was Amune's height and pointed out the use of Aloe for burns and thats where he stopped laughing slowly and gave the woman a hard look. They others weren't paying him anymind, so he could stare at her and couldn't help but feel like they should get what they needed and begone.

Looking at the few glass jars with herbs and some with liquid with scrawled writing his let the scents waft around him and kept his hands loose at his sides. Slight tinges of green broke off from his magic, seeming searching some of the better herbs and balms. Healing magic was his main drive to find what they needed. Plants didn't exactly blend well but it gave him a bit of a heads up on what would work better with seals and the such. He put his hands on jars, and removed them quickly from some and let his hands linger on others. A few stray plants the woman had out, he stroked as he passed them by absently not really paying much attention to what he was truly searching for.

Deciding to make things a little easier, "Amune, ask the woman for scentless shafts of wood to be used as splints. See if she has anything of use for incense to help stave off bugs that swarm at night. Ethan get up and relax. Enjoy the scents of the workshop, they should deal a better blow to that pounding in your head." He spoke loud enough for them to hear and couldn't help but seem distracted. He always found himself relaxing more with vegetation around him, they didn't clammor at him for his time. Speak of lessons or of failures. Of disappointment or of secret love. They seemed to never twine around him either like they did his nurse-maid when he lived at the temple. Always clinging to her like he use to when he was younger and unsure of himself.

Letting out a faint sigh, and brushing another plant as he pasted it for what seemed like the twentieth,, but was really his second time, he stopped at a jar with King's Cure in it. Wintergreen, and suddenly he could hear his nurse-maid's voice in his head: "Good for the heart, the kidney's and getting food out of ya." He stared at it and walked it to Amune and handed it to her. He went back in search of other herbs when his hand stopped him at Basil. He could smell it though the wax paper keeping the herb fresh and the smell was strong. Most likely she had just picked this. Used for the lungs and sometimes if mixed right into antivenom. It was rare to find so much of it in this little jar. He knew his own Mother had thrown a fit when the trader had none to spare. Shaking the stray thought from his head, he brought this jar forward and thrust it under Ethan's nose.

"It'll help with your headache," he said as he turned on his clogged foot and headed back towards the smells. He wondered if the woman had a garden... She'd have to, but he couldn't see one out of the few windows.

---------

Geoffrey stood back and watched Nymira work the forge and the doming hammer. He tilted his head and watched amused throughout all of it. He turned to look at Cecil and let a smile slip on his face, "So I know little of you. Zander spoke of the other three but said little about yourself when I went to bed last night. Might I ask a little of yourself?" Yup, he still felt like he was chewing rocks but he didn't want to find out if Nymira would sock him for talking in street slang again. "Always wanted to get to know the people around me, and you may seem strange but ya look like ya gotcha self a good heart for all Zander says ya seemed unsure of yeself." He shrugged and watched Nymira work again but kept Cecil in the corner of his eye. He really did want to get to know the boy, who even in the early hours of the morning, still hadn't slept in a bed but sat on the rooftops without a second thought. He had noticed him when he had climbed into Zander's bed after playing the flute the whole night.

[shylarah]

The girl grumbled something at Geoffrey, not bothering to unloop her arms from around Ethan's neck. Why should she be looking out for Zander? She didn't like him. He could look out for himself, she thought, slipping one hand into Ethan's when he stood up and settling the other on Wyth's side. Nor did she particularly wish to discuss her business with the bothersome healer. But his comment about her mother's hangover remedy met with irritation and confusion. "Don't you listen? I said Mommy makes it, not me. I don't know the recipe. I just said that not even two minutes ago!"

Adults were supposed to be wise but sometimes the ones around her seemed rather thick, Amuné mused as she /again/ corrected Ethan's choice of route. How did he get anything done on his own when he could barely find his way out of a burlap sack with one end left open, that was beyond her. Eventually they made it to the right shop, and Ethan talked with the old lady that ran it. She was a tiny woman, not much taller than the young girl, and moved so very slow. But she knew what she was doing, and Amuné knew her mother was very particular about where things were kept in her workshop, so it made sense that Mae wouldn't want strangers rummaging through her neatly organized supplies.

The shop smelled a lot like the room her mother used for making medicine, with all sorts of herbs mingling their scents in the air. Homesickness dragged at her, and the child buried her face in Wyth's fur for a minute until it passed. A sudden fuss made her look up just in time to see Ethan catch the herbalist when the old lady apparently fell off her ladder. And then a box tumbled after and hit him on the head! Amuné gasped, hands flying to her mouth, but the old lady was a healer and an herbalist, so she could help Ethan better than the girl could. She ought to give the professional space to work, like she'd been taught.

And Zander started /laughing/. "It's not funny when someone gets hurt!" she told him, upset and angry. "You're /mean/." Her hands curled into fists. It wasn't even nice laughter. She turned her back on him.

Mae's impromptu lesson met with a solemn nod. She knew aloe, it was one of the plants she'd memorized because it was one of the best for burns, which were a common injury. "A succulent with long thick leaves, aloe treats burns with ease. It helps with things that irritate, and digestion, though that's not great." The little poem was one of a dozen or so her father had helped her make to learn her very first herbs, and she recalled it proudly.

Of course Zander interrupted the moment. "If you want something from Mae, you should ask her yourself. She's right here!" Amuné sniped, folding her arms and looking cross. It was only with obvious reluctance that she accepted the jar he gave her and went to set in on the counter. Then she went to poke around the shop herself, careful not to put anything out of place.

[Mogtaki]

Heading to the blacksmith had Cecil feeling uneasy somehow, he was not sure why he was either. He wanted to help, but this strange place they were having to do business in felt a little too familiar to him. He had never been to one before, he barely knew what a blacksmith did but something about it made him feel uneasy and worried for his safety. Even after arriving at the blacksmith and seeing what it was simply managed to make him feel worse. Watching Nymira forge for what seemed like forever he couldn’t find himself feeling better as he watched the metal bend to her will and become shaped in embers and hammer strikes. Something about the process made him feel like he was watching something similar to life being made.

He was really finding it hard to look at this right now. All of this felt like it was the same as watching life being made, even though it was simply metal being shaped and weapons being created from it. He didn’t like the feeling, he didn’t like how he felt he could relate to this process and find some sort of relation to this process. He was supposed to try and blend in with organic lifeforms, not feel close to weapons that had no mind of their own. It was kind of upsetting, he didn’t want to relate to bits and pieces of faceless metals over actual living people. He was mostly made of metal, he understood that, but his mind couldn’t get to grips with the fact that he was supposed to be more than that.

Waiting for Nymira to finish up he simply stared at the array of tools and bits of metal that was lying around, his eyes slowly moving over to the blacksmith himself as he admired Nymira’s handiwork. A lot of what he was could be said to be similar to that of the weapon she presented to the man, how it would eventually be used to kill and be a tool for someone else’s destructive will. Trying to take his mind off that thought process he did end up looking away and trying to concentrate on other things like what they were needing to do next and how much work there was left to do before they were able to leave this settlement.

Slowly turning away and looking in the direction of the exit as his mind took him there before it quickly went back to Nymira as she stopped at him, showing him what was created up close and explaining her work. Looking down for a moment he sighed lightly, nodding as he spoke quietly. “I understand. I still…don’t know what you could help me with just now, though. Maybe…something will appear in the future…” He couldn’t give himself a diagnostics report on a part of his body that was more or less a shell for what held everything that was him on the inside, so the only way he could tell if he needed his metal frame fixed was if something broke and could be seen as broken like his head from before. Norman was the man who could help him with a majority of his problems, even if he couldn’t tell him why he had been made and why did he malfunction so badly on the ship.

Feeling a little lost for thought he gasped when Geoffrey confronted him about himself, asking what he could say about himself that Zander didn’t know. He didn’t know what Zander knew or what he might had said about him from that little explanation, He didn’t even know if there was any awareness of the fact that he was completely robotic. Raising his shoulders a little he frowned, looking down as he tried to think about what he could say. “Uhh…a little of myself. Uhh, well…my name is Cecil. I, uhh…I like sunny days and flowers…” he spoke before he shook his head, “I don’t know what else you want from me. This isn’t really the best place to be talking about stuff concerning me either”.

[GambolMuse]

"Oh that's adorable. Whoever taught you that is very wise, young lady," Mae said sweetly, smiling before setting the container on the counter. The little one was far more agreeable than the one with the staff, and curiously he seemed to fancy himself a healer of sorts. The elderly woman huffed beneath her breath before getting on her stool behind the counter, making sure all of the contents they had asked after were there before adding up the costs in her head. "That'll be just 10 silvers dearies, I'll throw in a discount since the young lady is just too adorable," she added, watching as Ethan fished out the necessary funds. Accepting them graciously she placed them in a small container beneath the counter, proceeding to stack the boxes together to be bound with twine, for ease of carrying. Such a delightful group, though she did wonder where they might be heading and why they might need so much medicine. Seemed a bit young for travel, but that was none of her business.

Ethan nodded graciously as Mae bound their packages together for them, lifting them with relative ease once they were ready. "Thank you again Mae, we really appreciate the help. Sorry for asking for so much on such short notice!"

"Oh think nothing of it dear, I'm happy to be of help," Mae answered back, smiling as she waved her hand dismissively. Her wizened face sunk slightly when she looked at Zander, looking him over once before clearing her throat. "And young sir... It's not enough to claim to be a healer, one must have compassion and love. It's fine to laugh at an honest accident like a box falling but I get an air about you that you lack the heart for your job. I hope you're able to find it before long." She'd been doing this all her life and no matter how difficult the client she'd approached them with compassion, as any healer should. Her goods could sometimes save a life and she never forgot that, nor did she forget what difference a simple gesture like a smile could have. "But you're not here to listen to my speeches and I'm not here to tell you how to live. Best of luck with your travels children, be safe out there!"

Ethan parted with a small wave before leaving the shop, balancing the several containers awkwardly in his hands. The herb Zander had all but thrown into his face had done some good in relieving his headache though it would be some time yet until it was truly better or not. At this point he was getting fairly good at ignoring the dull throbbing sensation behind the eyes however and he found that he could drown out noise to relieve it even more. "Now we need to find the blacksmith, wherever that is..." the Magi muttered, glancing around as though they were going to somehow happen upon it so soon. He was fairly certain they had gone back this way to get here, meaning doubling back and heading past the inn was their best bet. Probably better off doing that than wandering and trying to find the others. "Er... So I know we head in this direction, sort of..." Ethan mumbled, glancing between Zander and Amuné with a sheepish smile, "Either of you two remember exactly where to go?"

-----

A pair of men sat out front of a smaller tavern, their brows knit with worry as they each stared into their own mugs. Their latest client had asked for a very specific type of product, one which they had yet to find. Even after their latest haul of Ydrans there wasn't one among them who satisfied the man and he demanded his request be met or have their business brought into the attention of the guard. But where were they to find such a child? There were some younger Ydrans among the lot yet none that he liked, most of the young ones were male and the young females were "too old". Quite the pickle they were in, it wasn't as though Warren was teeming with selection. Taking a long drink from his ale the man scrunched his face in disgust at the bitter taste, slamming down his mug and wiping his mouth.

"Bunch o' shite, askin' after something like that," he grumbled, spitting out the ale on the ground, "How in the hells are we supposed to find something so quick? These aren't easy to come by!"

"Man's got his tastes and we're the sort who serve 'em, we just need to look more," his companion countered, drinking his ale greedily before belching, wiping foam from his beard. "People travel in and out of this place all the time, we'll get lucky one of these days, just be patient you lout."

"Patient? Man's got us by the balls, we're on a timer here you git. Don't have no luxury of time." Gritting his teeth when he was all but ignored he dumped the rest of his ale out on a nearby planter, sniffing before spitting again. Ridiculous, having to find a young girl at the drop of a hat. If the bastard was content with Murans then they'd have one before the night was over but no, had to be a stinkin' Ydran. Setting his empty mug aside he cast a glance out at the road absentmindedly, watching some of the people passing by. When a smaller figure caught his attention his unkempt brow rose in surprise, eyes locked on the girl traveling with her companions. He'd be damned... That wasn't what he thought it was, was it? "Oi, look o'er there..."

Setting down his mug the bearded man looked out across the road, a twinkle coming to his eye as he grinned toothlessly. "Would you look at that... Seems the Saints are blessing us today! Should be just what the man was looking for." But how should they grab her? It was broad daylight and she was traveling with two older men, not to mention that moorcat. It would doubtless be the only child they saw for some time too so passing it up wasn't an option.

-----

"Yes, well... I apologize my expertise isn't machines. I'm sure I could learn but I haven't the luxury of time." Nor did she feel the need to, Machina were completely alien to her until arriving in the more proper regions of the kingdom. All she understood was they were made of metals and moving parts, and while they may seem alive they weren't... Except for Cecil. He was still a puzzle to the Dimuran and Norman's confusion did very little to help with that. With no use for her decorative blade she handed it back to the smith just in time for the apprentices to return with a small cart, a modest collection of rock and ores lining the bed with a few small timbers to use for handles. Reaching into her coin pouch to pay Nymira grabbed two gold coins without thinking and offered them over, frowning as her payment was refused.

"Look miss, I'm sure some less honest folk would take that, but it's too much," the smith said as he pushed Nymira's hand back, "50 silver is enough. Anyroad you promised to come back and show us some more of your work, and I'll hold you to that." Being able to boast and say he was one of very few smiths in the kingdom to have a Dimuran at his forge would be quite something, yet even greater still would be learning new techniques and crafts. Every smith did their own sort of work and Dimurans were no different, and he wondered just how they worked their forges back home. "Pleasure doing business with you miss, I'm sure you'll craft some real beauties with that ore."

Nymira gave another bow to the smith before grabbing hold of the cart, managing to pull it with some effort on her part. She didn't intend to haul it herself however as she brought it over to Cecil, stopping and releasing her grip on the handle. "Cecil, would you mind pulling this to the inn? I'd prefer not wearing myself down further, I still have things to forge today," the Dimuran said as she wiped at her brow again. She would need another bath before long too, she was filthy from sweat and soot coating most of her body. "Geoffrey, if you require a new bow as well I can fashion one for you. It will take longer than some arrowheads, but I feel like those aren't proper payment. I owe a debt for you acting as a guide and I intend to pay that debt."

[AlexStarsion]

Zander stood shocked staring at the little brat. Had he been that thoughtless in his order? His magic could heal breaks and fractures but the smaller and the less damage he could physically see, was still a stunt to him. He scowled darkly at her, went to open his mouth and stopped himself. He would be no more acting his age, if he fought with her. Huffing and heading for the shop door his hand was on it when he heard the woman call out to him.

He turned on his heel and cast a look at her that would probably have gotten him darker looks in return but he schooled his face with difficulty, "A Healer with a heart you say? I'll think on it, after all, I haven't the heart to put much thought behind such prattle." In a huff he turned, and smacked right into the door that was still shut. Cursing loudly, red faced in shame for h is "grand" exit being stopped because of a wooden door, he clutched his rather smarting nose and pushed his magic into it.

He pretended he couldn't hear any laughter, he pretended he had made a grand exit, and stopped a bit to the side of the building. Taking his hand away from the stinging he couldn't help but laugh himself. He was such an arse sometimes, when his pride was wounded, when he felt helpless and even now he cringed at hearing Mae's words in his head again.

Hadn't he started out from the Starsion Clan's temple, seeking to better himself? Hadn't he told himself to be kinder to these people he was travelling with. Geoffrey would probably ignore him once he found out, and suddenly he DID feel like he was Amune's age all over again. He didn't walk with the other two, but kept his eyes down and his shoulder's slightly slumped. He had shamed himself more than a door to the nose, he had a heart. For those he didn't know and didn't have to know. He went to open his mouth to tell Ethan and Amune this, but they too would probably call him a liar like that wretch Dimuran.

He picked up his pace, slightly and didn't really pay much attention to who was really watching, actions spoke louder than words. Gently, he placed a hand at the base of Ethan's neck, pushed some of his restored magic into the "leader" and drained more of his hangover out of his system. He didn't wait for them to say anything, he moved off to the side and headed back to the inn. He needed to make Seal Papers before they guessed his own nasty secret.

---

Geo frowned down at Cecil, but decided to show he meant no harm in his questions, "I like flowers and sunny days as well. I like people, I like to hear stories and hear tales of their adventures. Don' look so scared Cecil, wasn' meanin' no 'arm by it... I know so lit'le aboucha and the others..." He shrugged, cleared his throat and turned his attention to the smith and Nymira. He went to help with the minecart but wasn't sure where or how Cecil, for as small as he was, would be of help. Waiting patiently, he turned towards Nymira as she asked her question.

"My bow is much like your cloak, M'Lady," Geoffrey didn't like accepting hand outs. "If it bothers ya so, let's strike a deal. I can get ya the branches and smaller lumber for the shafts, I supply those, you make da arrow heads, fix 'em to it. IF the little princess agrees to try usin' a bow to help to defend 'erself, I'll ask ya to make 'er one."

He wasn't sure the young girl would go for it, but he liked the little girl. She was full of life and energy. He liked her more because she wouldn't bow to Zander's prime and seemed to wonder about the world. It made him wish he had a little sister, that just meant being protective of her was where his want to teach her marksman... in this case markswomanship if she ever really needed it.

"She may not be a fighter," Geoffrey continued. "But the wee lass could use it. Get 'er mind off the travels, teach 'er a bit o'focus, ya know?"

[Mogtaki]

Cecil could had said a lot more to Geoffrey, but he didn’t know what might alarm him or what he would take on board gently. He learned to understand when to hold off on what he was, even if he couldn’t help showing off some signs that he wasn’t actually a biological being. If Geoffrey couldn’t handle the fact that he wasn’t a living being and started exclaiming it in a public place they all could be in trouble. Laying low for now he only spoke of a few enjoyments that probably seemed more general to someone who was biological. Giving a little smile when he responded somewhat positively without further questioning he sighed lightly, giving him a nod. “There’s not much else to me, though…I mean, nothing that is going to stop me from speaking…”

Looking to Nymira when she came over and asked him to move the cart he gave it a quick look before nodding, moving over to the handle. “Okay…I can help with that”, he spoke, taking hold of the handle and positioning himself near the handle. He could easily pull this without much problem, plus it would mean he would be helping for once. Looking to Nymira for some sort of approval he figured he was okay with doing this, but sure enough Nymira was straight back to work. Frowning a little he turned again and began to head on back to the inn with the cart, pulling it along without any trouble.

While he didn’t really like going off on his own during the daylight, but he was willing to help if it meant he was going to be liked. The weight of the cart hardly bothered him, he was made for this kind of heavy work despite being primarily combat orientated. From what he could remember the inn wasn’t that far away, it was just a little along the way and the cart would be able to sit nicely near the inn while they waited to go. He didn’t know what their next destination was, he still felt drawn to the city. Maybe the reason his programming wanted to take him to the city was because it meant he would find out more about him and why he was built without having to go to where exactly he was built. He felt he would only fall into torturous conditions or be dismantled if he went to where he was made instead. Watching the people he was passing he gave them nervous smiles when some looked at him strangely, raising his shoulders whenever he was given strange looks by questioning individuals.

[shylarah]

The child blushed at the praise, but nodded. Her parents were absolutely wise! She looked at various things around the shop, but rejoined Ethan in time to pay the herbalist. The old lady's words to Zander reminded Amuné a great deal of something her mother often said. All the knowledge in the world was no good if you didn't use your heart. The man brushed Mae's advice off with a snarky comment. The girl smothered a giggle when he ran into the closed door, and turned her attention back to Ethan.

He had their purchases, so she called Wyth to her side and hurried to open the door. Of course he didn't remember which way they'd come from, but she did. "I don't know where the smithy is, but we came that way." Amuné pointed off down the street. "But it's going to take a while to make stuff there, right? So there's no hurry. And, um, Nymira gave me some money and said we should get things. Like maybe a bit of per...per...um, the type of food that doesn't last long?" She couldn't remember the right word for it, but she knew fruits and vegetables were important for staying healthy, and it was best to have some with every meal.

Zander rejoined them, after having lagged behind for a ways. The girl looked at him in surprise when he suddenly decided to use his magic to help Ethan. If he was going to help, why had he taken so long? Maybe he didn't want the lady at the shop to see? But then he turned and walked off. What was that about? Amuné couldn't make much sense of a lot of things the healer did, so she just looked at Ethan and shrugged.

[GambolMuse]

With their medical supplies replenished it was time to join the others, get stock of their situation and decide on their next move. Most everyone was going to be heading along towards the cities to find answers or, in Nymira's case, to secure alliances. Ethan wasn't completely certain if Amuné intended to go the whole way or not either; the further they traveled from her village the less likely they were to find a trail concerning her parents. Much as Ethan tried to remain optimistic he recognized the likelihood wasn't great out here, though not impossible. He'd travel with the girl and chase leads, however small, until they got a definitive answer. Feeling a hand at the back of his neck Ethan glanced back at Zander, furrowing his brow confused in when the healer began walking away from them, back towards the inn. "Hey Zander? Zander!" Despite calling after their friend he went off on his own, leaving the three of them to make their way back by themselves. They could just follow him and meet everyone at the inn but doubling back towards the blacksmith seemed like a safe bet.

"You want to grab some more supplies? We could do that if you want," Ethan said with a smile, reaching down to place his hand atop Amuné's head, "We can look around, might be some things we could use. Maybe while we're at it we can get a couple of candies, would you like that?" Some sweets would be quite nice right now actually, and maybe the sugar would help his headache some? Whatever Zander had done before splitting off alleviated the pain a bit yet there was still discomfort lingering, and the sooner he could be rid of that the better. Giving his head a rubbing he let out a stifled yawn, glancing up towards the sky and shielding himself from the rays as he did so. "Hm... You think we should spend the rest of the day here? One day off wouldn't be too bad I guess, we could use it to relax and recharge," Ethan said thoughtfully, looking back down at Amuné as he broke into a grin, "And... You wanted to see a minstrel back in Galloway, right? Well... Maybe we can find one here?"

"A minstrel? Can we? Yay!" Amuné gave him a big grin, clearly excited. "C'mon, let's hurry~" She practically bounced with glee as they walked down the street, skipping around the Muran man.

"Of course! I owe you for us missing the last one, so we'll visit before we leave Warren," Ethan laughed, watching her Amuné. That certainly put a bit more pep in her step, the girl really liked her music. Even more amusing than the Ydran bouncing about was how Wyth tried to dutifully keep to her side all the while, resulting in the moorcat circling around him and causing Ethan to laugh at the sight.

At the open-air market the Magi began looking around for anything they might have use of, being far more methodical than last time. By then the girl had calmed down again, but she was still excited, and rather impatient. She knew it took time to choose good produce, but...at the same time, it was not very interesting. Ethan was looking much more alert, and he semed to know what he was doing, so he would be fine without her help. "Hey, can Wyth and I go look over there?" she asked, tugging at the hem of his shirt and indicating a booth toward the edge of the area. That one had little figurines made of blown glass gleaming in the morning sun. "Please?"

He looked down at Amuné in question before following her gesture towards the glass stall. "Oh, sure! If you want to get one or two even go right ahead, I'm sure Nymira won't mind!" he answered, pointing then towards a stall with some fresh baked goods, "I'm going to go check that stall, and I'll be around. Just come get me when you're done, okay?"

"Uh-huh! Oh, that's right, she gave me this." The girl pulled the pouch of coins from where she'd secured it under the waistband of her skirt so no one could take it and held it out.

"Thanks kiddo, don't be too long either, okay? I don't know when they'll get back and I don't want them to know I bought you a bunch of sweets," Ethan added with a playful wink, "Nymira might get mad, say I'm spoiling you. Our little secret got it?" Handing over a few coins he watched as she ran off, then cut through the crowds for the bakery stall, his eyes shining with excitement at the sight of the pastries and other baked goods. They should probably buy actual supplies, but... These sure did look tempting.

Amuné admired the tiny trinkets, delighted by the various animals. She didn't plan to buy any, of course, but they were adorable. How did they make all those little details? She'd heard glass got blown, but she'd never seen it done, and couldn't really imagine how it worked. She was so focused on the sculptures that when Wyth's head came up and he focused on something in an alley a few feet away, she didn't notice.

He wasn't supposed to go after the smell of food without permission. And it wasn't the scent of fish that made Wyth go to investigate. It was the sounds, sneaking and a word he recognized as referring to people like his man and sometimes his girl. Not friendly tones, either. A face peeked out, then drew back. But though he entered the alley alert, he did not expect the thing that circled his neck, nor the sudden bite in his shoulder. He snarled. These men smelled like sweat, and fear, but more than just theirs.

"Wyth?" Amuné had just heard him snarl, but he wasn't in sight. Where had he gone? He didn't usually wander off, but maybe he'd seen a rat or something? "Wyth, come back, you're being naughty!" she said, trying not to pay attention to the sudden surge of fear she felt. She headed for the alley where she thought she heard him -- and he was there, but so were two men! They had the moorcat with a rope around his neck, at the end of a long pole, and were trying to keep him from pulling free, or getting close enough to attack. They'd not been entirely successful: one sported a long set of slashes down his side.

She didn't need her gift to tell her these men were bad. Amuné turned to run, but a rough hand grabbed her. Another covered her face with a cloth. "Ain't the best, but it oughtta do the trick... Put you out like a light" a voice growled in her ear, as the sharp scent made her head swim. "That's a good girl, go on an' sleep..."

She couldn't move, couldn't reach her trapped friend. "Ferget the damn cat, we gotta go! Get yer ass in gear!" Wyth was there somewhere, she just had to find him. Where was Ethan? He'd help, he'd make the bad men go away. Darkness weighed her down, and her last thought before she passed out was that if Wyth was here, how would he help Daddy through the dark so he could find her?

"Really 'ope Nymira don't mind me buyin' a few things," Ethan managed through clenched teeth, holding a pastry in his mouth, his arms full of items. So perhaps he should have bought more than just some pastries and a couple of various bits, but he didn't know what they still needed. If they weren't leaving today they could check tomorrow and come back anyways so he wasn't too terribly concerned.

Expecting to see his young companion and her pet he glanced around the busy market, unable to spot Amuné anywhere. Was she still over at the glasswork stall? Taking a bite out of his pastry he carefully held it as he cut through the crowds again, easily finding the glass stall as the crowd around it was rather small. Oddly enough she wasn't there, and glancing back over his shoulder he didn't see Amuné or Wyth around. Where had she gotten off to?

"If you're looking for the little girl, she ran off that way," the man behind the stall explained, pointing to the alleyway to his right with a bony finger, "Her cat went in and she followed after, might have seen a rat or something."

"Oh! Well thanks mister, appreciate it!" Ethan beamed, digging out a copper and setting it on the stall before hurrying off. Peering around the corner to try and surprise his young friend he frowned when he couldn't spot her anywhere, entering the alley proper to take a look around. "Hey Amuné? Wyth? You guys in here?" he called, stopping in mid stride as he felt his foot hit something. Glancing down at his feet his eyes widened in shock at a foot sticking out from some crates, and following the offending limb up he saw a man, dead as could be with several deep tears in his side. Wyth was right by him, struggling to get to his feet. Ethan dropped the items in his arms at knelt at the moorcat's side, he looking him over hastily for any wounds, trying with little luck to pick up the large animal.

"You're alright, doesn't look like you're hurt," Ethan reassured as he undid the tie around the moorcat's throat, throwing the tool aside. Seeing a dart in his shoulder as well he swiftly removed the offending object, tossing it aside and giving the animal a petting. With luck Wyth would be okay, right now there wasn't much time to sit here and make sure that the moorcat was one hundred percent unharmed. Racing to the other side of the alleyway he looked around for the Ydran girl, frowning uneasily at her absence. "Amuné?! Where are you? Amuné!"

"I appreciate the assistance, Cecil. I'd do it myself, but uh..." Nymira explained as she gestured to her leg, still wrapped in bandages, "Putting too much strain on that makes my leg give. I can't apply pressure right now, so... Thank you." After the incident prior with the Machina not feeling welcome or needed she supposed showing a little more gratitude would help. It wasn't as though she hadn't been grateful for anything prior to this, she just didn't believe it had to be said every time. Say 'thank you' too many times and it becomes insincere, like you're simply trying to placate the person. This time though Cecil had earned the genuine article.

While they were moving along she wanted to make sure Geoffrey wasn't in dire need of anything once more, wishing to settle this debt she felt she now owed. He didn't appear to wield traditional bladed weaponry so crafting him a sword or dagger made no sense, the only thing she knew him by was his bow and arrow. Geoffrey did agree to accepting her crafts yet not for the reasons she had originally expected. "So you wish for me to arm Amuné then? If Ethan doesn't raise a fuss over the matter I don't see why not. Having the girl capable of defending herself will make travel easier," Nymira noted, nodding once before glancing at Cecil again, "I don't imagine you'd have need of a weapon? I've seen you fight and you're fine without one, but I'll offer you the same as well."

Amuné had to be around here somewhere, surely she couldn't have gotten far, right? The image of the dead man in the alleyway told him something was seriously amiss and yet he tried desperately to reassure himself otherwise. Maybe Wyth had just gotten spooked by him, or maybe it hadn't even been Wyth to begin with. Yet his claws was bloody and that still didn't answer the question: Where was Amuné? Running down the street, Wyth slowly chasing behind, he pushed through people left and right in an attempt to find his little friend. At the panicked pace he was going he hadn't noticed the streets open up at an intersection, nor did he see the cart in front of him. The next thing Ethan new he'd tripped over someone's leg and gone tumbling across the dirt, ending up on his back all out of sorts.

"Ethan? What in the hell are you doing?" Nymira asked with a frown, looking at the jumbled Muran confused. Hearing a heavy breathing off to her left she noticed Wyth coming up as well, seeming unusually sluggish and having difficulty moving. That was curious, even for his large size the moorcat never had issue moving quickly. There was something even more troubling than that still, something that she almost dared not ask. "Ethan... Where is Amuné?"

"I don't know! I'm trying to find her!" the Magi answered, scrambling back to his feet and approaching his friends, "We were at the stalls, I turned my back for one second and then she was gone! And I found Wyth in an alleyway, almost out cold, and there was a man... And he had this leash around his neck, and a dart, and..." And he didn't know any more than that. He didn't know where the girl had gone off to, why Wyth had been bound like that or who that man was. All he knew was Amuné's disappearance was completely his fault.

The Dimuran let out a sigh before shaking her head, looking at Wyth's haggard form as she reached down and stroked his mane, "So we have to go find her then, because you were negligent. Fine, but it seems that Wyth has been poisoned, or something like it. Geoffrey, go and fetch Zander, we'll need to tend to Wyth. Cecil, forget the cart for now, we should begin searching. And Ethan... You stay with us. The last thing we need is to have to find your directionally disabled self too," the Dimuran snapped, reaching out and pulling back Ethan by his collar. "Wyth, can you track Amuné? Or Cecil, do you have any means?" If Amuné had only wandered off on her own then tracking her down shouldn't be too difficult; judging by Ethan's frantic story and Wyth's bloodied claw however Nymira had a hunch it was a little more dire than that.

[AlexStarsion]

Geoffrey grinned at Cecil, "Ya shouldn' 'old yerself back from speakin' ya mind anyroad." As they walked he kept trying to somehow see \if he could help Cecil carry the cart, but when it seemed the younger had it, he shrugged and kept his eyes on the people around them. He scowled right back at a few that gave Cecil odd looks, daring them to open their mouths and say something. Most just shrugged and went about their day and Geoffrey was happy to leave it at that. He whistled a bit as they walked back towards the inn and his eyes kept looking around. He didn't want any of his aunt's people to see him just yet, without him stopping in and saying hello. Part of him dreaded that, he may seem to love the woman, but she was fierce and always looking for a way to one up his mother. Being slightly lost in thought and his surroundings, he caught the tail end of what Nymira was saying to him.

"I do not doubt Ethan will throw a fit," Geoffrey said with a smile on his face. "However, it's better to have some way to defend 'erself. Make it easier for the rest of us, ya know? We'll tackle that when we--- oof!" Someone knocking into him, his leg at least. Almost sent Geoffrey sprawling to the ground. He turned to holler at what was probably a child, and stopped when he say Ethan, sweat on his brow and panic in his eyes. Speak of the devil and all that. Looking around for Amune he watched Wyth almost stagger to the group. Listening to Ethan talk he gritted his teeth.

"Slave trade," he bit out harshly. "Didn' think it'd be dis bad 'ere! Most people know how ta do in targets with special ease..." He knelt next to Wyth. "Drowsy from da looks of it..." When Nymira asked him to get Zander he nodded and took off at a run. "MOVE IT!" He shouted at the few people who stood and stared. He pushed them out of his way and took off for the Inn.

--

Zander sat on the feather bedding, hand shaking and his head throbbing. What was he suppose to do? He felt the need to stay with these people, but at the same time he wanted to be anywhere but near them. His nose still hurt, his pride was in worse shape and part of him wanted to just pack up and head off from town. Throwing himself back onto the bed and putting his arm over his eyes, he decided that perhaps a short nap would calm his frayed nerves. Where his birth givers worried about him? Afraid he'd spout off how the Starsion Clan had fallen. On how his father stole sensible people from their homes, and used the Family Seals to see other ways they could affect the different races!?

Shaking his head, he gave up on the nap, and reached into his bag and started making out Seal Papers. Minor Healing, Sleep, and poison cures. The Papers were fully for show, he was sure Ethan and Amune had an idea as to his powers, after all he had flaunted it in front of them without a care. When had he lowered his guard around strangers anyway!?

He was so caught up in a drawing, he screamed in fright when the door to his shared room was cast open. He didn't even think when he threw the ink well at the offender as if that would stop them. He missed, of course, the sound of shattering glass brought his eyes to the person and a few choice words died on his lips when Geoffrey was talking and he couldn't hear him. He took in the other's appearance.

"What happened," Zander ask as he stood, and left the Finished Seal Papers on the bed and grabbed his staff from the floor. Geoffrey spoke of how he had a feeling Amune was taken by slavers. Wyth's condition and Ethan's panic. Geoffrey grabbed his bow and quiver and made a side stop into Nymira and Amune's room looking for the women's daggers.

"Let's go!"

---

They sprinted back, Geoffrey's leather boots making little noise compared to Zander's wooden clogs as they ran back into the market place. Zander stopped to look at Wyth and let out a sigh. He was glad he hadn't taken any of the items with him or else this would be annoying. Taking his time, and putting the staff down, he knelt in Wyth's eye sight and held up his hands.

"You don't care for me," Zander said matter of factly. "To be honest, I don't care for your owner either..." He reached for Ethan, and dragged the man down to his side. Rooting through the back he felt for the item he needed. His hands placed the few jars they had gotten and scowled. Catnip would give Wyth the perk he needed to throw off being drowsy. He hadn't thought of that at all. "...one must have compassion and love." He gritted his teeth and reached for his pouch with ... He swore loudly. "Not a word out of any of you about this..."

He very gently grabbed Wyth's front paws, when the beast hissed at him he glared right back, "I heal people, not animals. Come here!" He was going to have a nice scratch once they found Amune and Wyth could think straight he just knew it. Closing his eyes, taking a breath to the count of eight and holding it for eight. He released after eight seconds and fell into his magic. It was the funniest shade of green. Emeralds mixed with pine needles. It reminded him of spring days and he could forget himself in his gift.

Feeling Wyth struggle a bit, he bit back a growl and poured his magic into unfamiliar territory. Muscles, sinew, blood, all glowed green in his minds eye. Opening his eyes he left Wyth go and without a by your leave grabbed the dart from Ethan and jabbed himself in the arm with it. His magic instantly came to call and poured green into the pinprick. His head swam for a moment.

Grabbing Wyth again, a little rougher this time he poured his magic into the beast. He was sweating from this sort of back and forth struggle. What felt like hours, but was most likely a few minutes he felt the drug in Wyth's system start to break apart naturally in the moorcats system. The immune system figuring out what didn't belong and starting to destroy the chemicals. He didn't realize his grip had tightened at that. He liked cats, really he did. He had one back at the temple.

When he felt something bite him he hissed out in pain and let Wyth go. "What was that for!?" He hollered at the moorcat. It hurt to unbend his fingers from their gripping position. He blushed when he realized why Wyth had bite him.

"Sorry... Wyth..." He looked away. "Should have gotten most of the drug out of your system, if ya don't mind..." Zander held out a hand for someone to help him up. His legs were sore his head was throbbing more and he refused to look any of them in the eyes. He had used his magic without a Seal Paper. He didn't care if these Magi cared one way or another. He felt tainted suddenly.

[Mogtaki]

Cecil really didn’t understand Geoffrey very well, his way of speaking wasn’t in his language processing so he had to decipher it himself. That was definitely something he didn’t understand about people, how only a few of them spoke a different way than all the rest despite being part of that group in the first place. Giving him a nervous smile he continued with his duty, looking away as his focus went back on the road itself. It felt like it was always going to be hard fitting in with this bunch no matter how he went by things or how he chose to express his views, it just meant he was going to have to try and keep to himself a little more unless he wanted to fall into the inability to understand anybody else.

Lowering his head as he pulled the cart along he looked to Nymira as she tried to express some gratitude towards him pulling this along, looking down to her leg before away again as he sighed lightly. “Uhh, it’s fine, really…” He didn’t know if it was just her trying to cheer him up a bit but he would’ve pulled the cart regardless if he was asked, seeing as how he wasn’t going to get injured doing such a thing. It was just a cart and some stuff, it wasn’t as if it was something to be truly thankful over his ability to pull it along.

Not talking as he continued doing his job he kept his eyes on the road before making a side-glance to Nymira as she asked him about getting a weapon, staring at her as she talked about it. He didn’t understand whys he would want to give him something on top of what he already was, it was no secret either. “Uhh, I am a weapon so I’m not sure how that might work out…” Feeling confused by the thought of a weapon doing some good being attached to someone like him his thoughts were quickly diverted when Ethan showed up unexpectedly. He didn’t know why Ethan had practically ran to get them, but it seemed to be somewhat urgent if he had taken the time out of his little venture to come and find them.

As Ethan proceeded to ramble on about some sort of scenario Cecil looked around, confused as to what he was talking about concerning Amuné. He didn’t understand what he was talking about, nobody would want to take someone else surely. Being told to abandon the cart he immediately dropped the handle and jumped away from it, looking back at it before to Nymira and Ethan when the call to start the search was made. Feeling rather confused he gasped when Nymira asked him about a very specific job, opening his mouth to speak but nothing coming out.

He didn’t know what it meant to track someone, he wasn’t around other people enough to tell whether there was anything different from Amuné compared to other people. Slowly looking around for a moment he let out a groan, finding it hard to understand what he could possibly do that might help them out. “I probably do, but I don’t know! I don’t know most of what I can do until I need to do it and I’ve never had to track down somebody before…” he spoke after a while, looking around at everyone else for a moment before he groaned, “Unless I’m meant to track down individuals so I can kill them. Maybe I can, but I would probably need to be where she was last…”

[shylarah]

Wyth was groggy, and very worried about his girl. He hadn't been able to keep the men from grabbing her. One kept him on the long stick, and the other grabbed her, and then they'd turned to run. He'd managed to jump after them, scoring a killing blow on the one, but he was too weak to get the other.

When Ethan removed the dart from his shoulder it helped some, as did time, but Wyth needed to find his girl /now/. She was in trouble and it was his job to keep her safe and look after her. Ethan ran off, and the moorcat managed to drag himself slowly after. He wavered on his feet when he finally reached the man again, who'd run into the others they were travelling with. Good. More hunters meant more help for his girl.

A sudden person right in his face made him jerk backwards, nearly falling over again. The man his girl didn't like. She wasn't around, so he just watched Zander warily, though he snarled a warning when the man grabbed his paw. He wasn't in the mood for playing. The man seemed to be trying to do something, however, and he looked earnest about it.

The giant feline didn't really understand what the healer was doing. Not until the heaviness left his limbs and the fog cleared from his head did it make sense. And the man was being unpleasantly rough about it, so Wyth put his teeth into the man's arm -- not enough to do any damage, but enough to get his attention. That got him a yell, and the cat's ears went back. Stupid man, yelling at him when he wasn't the one doing the hurting! The change in tone indicated the man realized his mistake. Better. Maybe the kit wasn't beyond training. Wyth hoped that was the case. People-kittens were frustratingly hard to train, but it would be better for his girl if she and this man would get along.

Once Zander was on his feet, the moorcat moved close and brushed against the man's side. Of course, Wyth was a large cat, and a brush from him carried considerable weight behind it. Then he looked at the group, hoping one of them would have some idea where they could look for his girl. He would have difficulty retracing the route to where she'd been taken, and tracking wasn't really one of his skills.