|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 22, 2019 12:33:57 GMT -6
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:00:21 GMT -6
Lethalia could stare at the pictures in a sarane's family tree for ages. Lucky for her, quite a number of such documents existed from those she obtained her sarane from so she could stare at them for as long as she liked. Some didn't require a name attached to them, for their reputation and offspring were enough to speak to their quality. She might not have been in the breeding game herself all that long, but she also fully immersed herself in what research she could from the moment it was relevant to finding mates for Vidarr. A few years later found her obsessed with the research. It was too interesting, looking up where the branches of different creatures' would cross. In some cases, it explained a lot more about them. Like these two brats. The hen chicks would join up at night, harassing the others relentlessly when they couldn't see their aggressors. As much as Lethalia found Ardith and Tariq making a mean girls' club entertaining, she felt a bit too guilty to leave the other sarane chicks at their mercy at night. She rounded up the troublemakers and let them terrorize her house - and Estelle - at night, instead of the other babies. Ardith lv|.1 ly|.1 Tariq lv|.1 ly|.1
mining|1
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:01:26 GMT -6
This was about all the proof she needed to know that the black cave-dwelling blood in them both was what ran the thickest. Because of course they're related - perhaps why they're already thick as thieves. The same black blood that made them little terrors of the night, was also that which related the hens. A black who had won a tournament - Tariq's sire and Ardith's great-grandsire... or so. His drake son, black with lashes of gold across his hide, also a champion and Ardith's grandsire. Lethalia had delighted in seeing the beasts in the pit when she was nothing more than a spectator; back then, she never would have imagined herself in the position of raising the get of such creatures instead of just watching the show. Tariq's dam, apparently was the daughter of the first champion brown - also a giant like Vidarr. And she's related to the near-mythical Spinesnapper. No pressure, or anything. Lethalia huffs to herself, snuggling the small hens closer to her chest and hoping to draw strength from the precious bundles tucked in her arms. The satyr had never been one for worrying or brooding, and yet it found crippling enough to lead to inaction for the winter. Apparently she posessed no better coping mechanism in response to pressure than moping - and a good bit of traveling anywhere else. mining|2
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:05:54 GMT -6
The satyr can't allow herself to be intimidated out of training her henbabies. That would be sabotaging herself, more than she already has with other sarane. Besides, she also needs something of an outing to tire out her 'mean girls' club'. They seemed more placid cuddled against her than they ever did terrorizing the other hatchlings at home. It reminded her of how long it'd been since she got to work with a hen - how long since Esti had been so tiny. Ardith dozed, a sarane more happily snuggling than any she's come across so far. She's not going to hold her breath for the sweetness to continue forever. Her lineage was more than enough proof she was going to be a handful, but being depended of such dominant lineage did also guarantee she would be a flying hen. Lethalia had gotten interested in sarane after flighted hens were around for a few generations, and the two she'd witnessed were gorgeous. Jack's pure brown hen she's watched in the stands, and Vix's striped spined beast. The latter was one of the few creatures who could say could have left their mark on Vidarr, with her thorns and fire. It was certainly her drake's most prominent injury, the gnarled undersides of talons that took on flaming nettles head-on, twice. mining|3
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:06:14 GMT -6
Flying hens didn't seem too dubious, but the idea of breaking them still was. She knew better by now than to forsake any information she got about the creatures of the labs, for the sterilized writings of the labs or radio casts may not paint the creatures in as real of a light as owners can. When she stumbled across her at that tavern, Vixen had told her enough about getting whipped with the spiny end of that hen when her hormones turned that she had to believe it. Lethalia had originally been thrilled at the budding spines at the end of Ardith's tail since she had been breeding for it, after all. It's just a bit more concerning about dealing with when she thinks about it at length, even though she usually think about Vidarr's poison spaded tail as much as she should. He didn't seem to favor it's use much. Those had better not be poison-tipped spines on his daughter. It was hard not to play favorites, because she anticipated Ardith growing up the most - Lethalia had high hopes that the hen was just what she'd been looking for in Vidarr's daughters. This one was going to be something beautiful, she just knew it. mining|4
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:06:32 GMT -6
Tariq is a bit wigglier than her cohort, but behaves awfully well for what's usually a terror of a hatchling. She seems less bold on her own, and is certainly not nearly as good at finding trouble as Ardith was. Lethalia was quite certain she would grow out of it, especially when they went out without one another more. For now, their safety blanket was acceptable. Lethalia had tried in vain wearing a flannel for the hatchlings to cling onto and hopefully save herself from the tiny claws, but it didn't really seem to help her at all. Even tiny sarane talons went through cloth like butter. At least it was a little better than them holding onto her actual shoulder. The small hens seemed quite content in the blanket she cradled them in, just clinging to the lapels of her shirt for warmth. Even if they were a little heavy to remain there. It was easy to underestemate how big they were when she wasn't carrying them! "Well ladies," Lethalia announces to her jacket lapels, bouncing the bundles that she held. "This is the end o' your free ride."Ardith lv|1 ly|1 Tariq lv|1 ly|1
mining|5
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:06:55 GMT -6
Not that either hen would take that as indication to liven up or anything; Tariq peers up at her, more awake than her semi-lucid companion. The tiny hen offers a squeak, barely causing Ardith to stir other than a flicker of her ear, head flopping to sleep on the other side after. "Well, at least one of you is excited." Or even awake. The satyr really hadn't expected to get a lot of mining done, having to keep track of these two. It was fine that they could go on a more exploratory trip, but she wasn't against mining if she found something that looked promising - better not tire her arms out before they even arrives. She knelt to try and dump Tariq on the ground since she was already awake, but fond the sarane clinging from her clawhold in her flannel, knotted in a tiny stubborn fist. Apparently she wasn't feeling so brave without her 'cousin' to tag along. It probably was a decent survival tactic for a young thing to have, make sure to surround oneself with more hatchlings to stand a batter chance of not getting eaten yourself. The satyr giggled at the thought even while scooping Tariq back up, dropping their warm blanket. mining|6
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:07:16 GMT -6
She hoped the lack of their nest would get them to stir or let go, but nothing. "Ardith, help me out here," she implored, bouncing the hen in her arms and garnering a cranky hiss in turn. Ooh, cranky still. "Too bad." Lethalia had to balance Tariq on her knee to have a little bit of a free hand to take advantage of Ardith still being mostly asleep. She untangled Ardith's talons from her flannel, gently plopping her on the ground before the beast could regain her grip. Letting out an angry squall when she was set upon the cold wooded ground, Ardith fought the idea of facing the bright outside world just right now. Lethalia wasn't entirely sure that the black sarane were entirely nocturnal or not, but they were definitely sensitive to the light. "C'mon Ardith," smoothing her fingers over the back and wings of a cranky waking baby. "It's not even that bright out. I even didn' wake you up till we got to the woods." The mines were in the mountain cliffside 'over yonder'. These girls were more than big enough to finish walking the way there with her. mining|7
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:07:32 GMT -6
Luckily Ardith's struggle got her friend to loosen her grip, and Lethalia found it had become easier to pick Tariq's claws out of her shirt and plop her down next to her friend. Hissing boldly at her, Ardith was still too far away from being lucid enough to muster quite the same response as her friend. It wasn't as if she was the most adept with sarane, but she'd raised a handful into adulthood - and observed quite a number more in the pits. Enough experience to know they weren't exactly delicate creatures; they would be fine. After all, this entire trip was to see how they might act in more 'natural' surroundings if they'd never been introduced to what that supposedly was for them. And... well. Supposedly to find a sarane nest, if the most recent quest posting was to be believed. Perhaps hatchlings wouldn't serve her the best in this case, but she wonders if they can't hurt. It's not as though she has any fully grown critters that would be both willing to come down into the mines with her on the harebrained errand, and would be able to protect her. The hen babies could even help her a bit, if they happened across whomever the nest belonged to... mining|8
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:07:47 GMT -6
It almost felt 'empty' that Lethalia lacked any weapons strapped to her, and these little hen babies weren't about to do much to defend her. Aside from the hope that the prescence of chicks would stay an adult sarane's claws. Worst comes to worst, she has a pickaxe, hooves, and horns! Ah, they'd be fine. She had been hoping to do this trip when it was a little closer to when they hatched. But she's waited too long and both were out of the tiny baby stage, the one that she could have taken advantage of to cart them around wherever she wanted without much complaint. She could likely even let them sleep in the mining cart for most of the time if they were that small unable to put up a fuss. Both girls are bigger than that now, housecat-sized and a fair amount heavier for how muscular they would become. Certainly too big to cart around forever, since the satyr had done them the service of hiking up here without making them walk. They could make it to the cave entrance at the very least. Assuring their leashes are still attached to both babies and her wrist, Lethalia nods to herself as she carefully draws up the slack from them. mining|9
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:08:00 GMT -6
"Come along, ladies..." she attempts to prompt, tugging on the limp lines. Neither hen looked enthused at her, but Ardith's tired eyes blinked rapidly to try and reorient herself. "C'mon, free ride's over."Lethalia had clearer directions on where to go this time, thanks to that quest posting. The leaf of paper was more-or-less useless to her when she can't yet decode the scribbling upon it. Someday she would, but that wasn't today. The woman pulls her copy of the posting from her pocket as her hens get their bearings, eyes wide and distracted by their new surroundings enough to allow their owner a pause. Flicking the paper straight, she flips it over to the map on the back - some markings indicating which hillside, and from there, his estimate of which cavern entrance to take. Pursing her lips, she's not entirely sure whether or not to trust the directions of someone who manages to lose a valuable something in a sarane nest. Admittedly though, she's never seen the creatures out in the 'wild', and this would be her best bet to be able to observe something of them in a natural habitat. The black sarane definitely acted differently than any others she'd worked with thus far, it felt important to learn something about them with these baby cave crawlers at her heels. Ardith lv|2 ly|2 Tariq lv|2 ly|2
mining|10
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:08:12 GMT -6
Let alone this someone had left something of value, down in the mines, in a literal sarane nest and saw it fit to send any enterprising or stupid adventurers down to retrieve it for them. But yet, didn't feel any obligation to say what it was that he was sending people on this potentially hazardous outing for? It made a little bit of sense that a 'renowned metalsmith and gem-crafter' would be down here in the mines for materials. But it begged the question why someone with such a reputation would be down here doing the dirty work themselves? The opportunity of seeing a sarane nest is too good, even if the woman does have an odd feeling there's something wrong with the 'quest'. Even so, she's here, isn't she? Can't be that afraid of it if she's already at the mines. Lethalia's been here often enough with other sarane babies and nothing bad had happened, perhaps putting her more at ease than she should really feel about the whole ordeal. Odd how normal it was to venture down here with small ones, without really thinking much of it - and it seemed like quite a few other people did it, too. Still, Lethalia had yet to stumble across anything larger than a gemstone gargoyle, and even that one wasn't aggressive. mining|11
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:08:25 GMT -6
The gem critters didn't like the light and might make a bit of noise to try and 'protect' their gems, but those weren't a threat to the sleepy baby hens waking at her feet. Lethalia's heard of big bugs and worms down here, but she'd yet to witness the beasts. To think there was somehow she could stumble across an adult sarane was something she knew was something that could happen, but how unlikely it seemed put her at ease. Perhaps they would run in response to noise and light, just like most creatures who make the depths of the caves their home. On second thought. It would probably startle away a hen, a drake and she'd be dead. But this shouldn't be chasing after the latter, considering she's never met a drake that made nests. Then again, how deadly could a hen be if she had eggs? The captive sarane at the labs weren't breeding, but Lethalia hadn't heard if the same could be said of the wild ones. There's a horrible idea she hadn't thought of before, getting between something like a bear and her cubs. Yeah, it would have been really nice to have known a little more about this one. mining|12
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:08:38 GMT -6
Best they get going before she scares herself with silly ideas. Lethalia looked down at the whelps to see if they were waking enough, and back at the map - yeah, they were around the entrance they were looking for. "You guys ready now?" she inquires, looking down at the babies. It had been such a long time since she'd interacted with sarane babies, she forgot how pathetic looking of creatures they are early on in life. It was so easy to forget with all of her adult pseudo-dragons being a few years old now, and so far from being this cute and tiny. She could remember, had plenty of pictures of them, but the imagery is difficult to conjure up when she's seen all four of her adults shedding blood in the pit. Hardly able to contain how cute she found baby sarane, the woman knelt by them to rub their little heads and try and rouse them to more wakefulness. If she can get them just playing to get through the caves, it probably will be an easier trip. Sarane were always little monsters, but if they were doing something they were more vested in, they could be fooled into becoming marginally more cooperative little monsters. mining|13
|
|
|
|
Post by Lethalia on May 30, 2019 22:08:51 GMT -6
At least the woman's got her bearing enough to know here to drag the henbabies off to. "Ardith, Tariq! Let's go, babies!" Lethalia chirps with another attempt to get them in motion. They're getting to the age that they're going to sustain quite a bit of energy for crawling around in the caves with her, they just had to get there. They also didn't react to their names just yet, but they would someday - especially if she made a point of using their names more often. More than likely she's going to be shouting at them enough that they'll know well what their names are by adulthood. Tariq was the first one to get annoyed enough to swat away one of Lethalia's petting hands, letting out a high-pitched growl before trying to get her giant assailant away. Able to jerk her hand away fast enough to not get clawed, it meant the satyr could smirk down at the fiesty hen since her flesh was fully intact. "Tha's the idea, wake up little one!" she encouraged, fluttering her fingers a little closer to Tariq's cranky snapping jaw. Better be taking her other hand off of Ardith before she picks up any bright ideas from her friend. mining|14
|
|
