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Post by Xentus on Jul 23, 2020 11:52:29 GMT -6
Blue eyes scanned the green fruits hidden among the leaves. Gnaw marks. Beak holes. The animals around seemed to eat these fruits. On the ground, he could spot a few large clusters of seeds, as well as fallen leftovers of a meal. The scent coming from the rotting fruit was sweet, leaning on fermented. Whatever these were, they were probably actually quite pleasant. And that was enough to sway his mind into finding a fruit to test for himself. Reckless? Sure. But what was life without quenching the thirst of curiosity?
He'd come into trouble like this before in his life, getting driven into the unknown fueled only by curiosity.. Well, many a time before in his life. He'd learned his lesson about some things, but this was on the high end of safety in comparison to his reckless days of youth. A hand found its way up to his half-horn, rubbing the stump. It was a constant reminder that not all adventures were fun and safe. He didn't let it hold him back, though. It was just a reminder for having more caution. He lived with it well enough.
Now under the shade of the tree, the leopard gazed into the leaves towering above him. A fruit for himself, and maybe another to go, if it tasted good. Ah, and one for the seedlings to try. They.. Could maybe eat fruit? He actually never thought to try feeding them actual food before. They had mouths, technically? He raised a brow at the segmented shells of the creatures. Time to find out.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 23, 2020 12:02:50 GMT -6
The trio of elemental seedlings were carefully placed at the base of the tree while he squared it up. Climbing up a tree should be easy enough for a feline. His claws were dulled though, he kept them trimmed in order to not tear holes in everything he touched. So that didn't quite help in this endeavor. He hardly remembered the last time he tried to clamber up a tree with his own strength. Normally he'd have papilio and just fly up with ease; no need for physical labor when one had jet-wings. Next time he'd have to bring the contraption along. Never knew when being able to fly proved useful..
With a sharp exhale, Xentus began his ascent. Dull yellow claws dug into the bark as best they could, finding it difficult to find purchase. The exterior of the wood was rather smooth, hard to get a grip on. The nearest low hanging branch was a few feet up. If he could just reach it.. It was a struggle to say the least. He was out of practice with this kind of thing. But with as much strength that he could muster, the leopard made it to the first branch, clinging to it in order to haul himself up. Blue eyes glanced down at the seedlings below. They all had their shells split open so their seed had view of him up above. He felt a little embarrassed for himself knowing he had an audience, but he decided they were only looking up to him in support.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 23, 2020 12:11:53 GMT -6
From the interior of the tree's canopy, it was a little difficult to tell which fruit might be the ripest. He let his keen sense of smell guide him. The most fragrant fruit that hasn't yet been gnawed at by forest creatures.. That was going to be a tall order, but he thought it possible. The sweet smell wafted all around him, but found himself picking out a target area that seemed heavier in fragrance. It was out on a limb above him. Carefully, he clambered up to the next set of branches, testing their strength. Sturdy enough, he assessed.
He wrapped his legs around the branch and scooted himself forward toward a plump looking fruit. Its surface was lightly tarnished with natural aging spots, but aside from that, it was almost a pure, solid green. That seemed to be desirable, or so was the hope. The mango-sized fruit was plucked from the branch. He found himself in possession of three of these things before making his way out of the tangle of branches. Once on the lowest branch, he hopped down, landing on his feet.
"Success!", he announced to the seedlings, presenting them with the fruits of his labor, "Now, let us see if these were worth the effort." It wasn't tea, but he'd happily take a tasty snack over wild brewed leaf juice. He cleared a spot for himself in the leaf litter under the tree and sat with his golems. Now it was time for a taste test.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 23, 2020 12:26:27 GMT -6
A folding knife was fished from one of the side pockets of his pack. He wasn't sure if the rind was edible on these, but it was always the safer route to remove it. The skin of the fruit was somewhat leathery. It really did remind him of mangoes. But as he sliced through the flesh, the interior was nothing like a mango at all. The flesh was white and very creamy. There were some large black seeds in the center of the fruit. It was almost like some kind of strange avocado. He breathed in the sweet scent wafting from the flesh. It had an aroma like vanilla.. Nothing about it seemed off to him. It had to be a fruit that utilized animals to spread their seeds.
After encouraging himself that the strange fruit was most likely safe to eat, he bit into the exposed flesh. It was.. Pleasantly surprising. Like banana cream pie.. With hints of kiwi. Oh, it was actually fairly good. He spat out a large black seed and continued his assessment. The texture was creamy with a few pulpy fibers strewn about. Honestly, not the most appealing to him. But the flavor more than made up for it.
"Little seeds, would you like a taste?", he asked the golems collectively. He wasn't exactly sure if these things could eat anything other than their respective elements.. He offered a dollop of the flesh on his finger to the fire seedling, but its shell refused to open. Well. More for him to enjoy.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 23, 2020 12:38:02 GMT -6
The snack break was nice. He hadn't realized just how late into the day he'd wandered, and he was hungrier than he thought.. The fruits were washed down with some water, and the leopard decided it was about time to head back to camp. He did take an extra morsel with him, as dessert for later. Whatever this tree was, he thanked it for its gift to the fauna. He took its seeds with him with plans to spread them on the way back.. And perhaps keep one for himself to plant at home.
Making the way back to his campsite wasn't too difficult for him. He may be an aimless wanderer, but he's never forgotten the path he traveled. Having a keen sense of his whereabouts was an ability he passively learned over his years of traveling, driven by wanderlust. The only time it failed him was within that strange mansion.. The rules of the natural world did not apply there. Oddly enough.. It was nice to be truly lost, for once. It was an interesting experience.. His mind wandered to thoughts of the knight and embarrassing memories flooded back. A grimace curled his lips down as he now tried to repress those thoughts. The seedlings all seemed to pick up on something amiss with their master, clattering their shells in their feeble attempts to ask what was wrong. The noise returned a gentle smile to his face, and he reassured them with comforting pets on their shells.
The forest adventure was a nice one, he decided as he lay curled up in his tent. Perhaps more would await him, on another day..
> Exeunt Xentus and Seedlings Wi1, F2, W2. (25)
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 1:13:13 GMT -6
> Xentus, accompanied by...
A new day, a new adventure to be had with these curious elemental seedlings. Xentus selected three more of the little clam-like creatures to accompany him; wind, fire, and earth. Each were tagged with a number printed onto their shells to help with identification. The fire seedling here was the third and final one of its kind in his collection for him to bond with. Aside from this trio, there were three more waiting for their turn to adventure with their 'one'. The seedlings he spent time with had already shown great signs of growth, developing the crude tentacles into full bodies! Er, well, what was at least a mostly developed body. They could finally walk on their own, and he was thankful for that.
But these little seedlings were still yet to grow to their next stage. As their caretaker, he'd ensure they were happy and healthy, which meant taking them out and giving them some special time with him. He was more than happy to do so. With how much time he was spending with the golems lately, he found himself growing ever more fond of their company. Silent, perceptive, loyal. Perhaps they weren't as personable as most other creatures.. But he did like that these beings would never tire of his company.
The wiurns, for example, could usually only tolerate so much of his presence. Nazura was always so huffy, snorting his hot breath in disdain for anything he wanted him to do. Mizura was awfully shy.. And he wasn't sure if Hiatus was ever awake for more than a couple of hours at a time.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 1:26:50 GMT -6
Sure, there were plenty of other creatures in his care that he could spend more time with. There was Astaroth, who he barely knew. The talkesh was an interesting being, but he couldn't bring himself to spend time with him until he purchased a collar of speech for him. It was on the to-do list, though! He sighed, thinking about the overwhelming number of creatures he had guardianship over. He only ever wanted to have more pets, it was unbearable thinking he could ever let one go. Compulsion drove him. He was guilty of it. It wasn't something he was proud of, but at least it wasn't a job he couldn't manage. Yes, the droid did most of the hard work. But what time he spent bonding with his personal menagerie was always precious.
Never mind that, though. He plans for the day were to hike outside of the city to wherever his wanderlust guided him. A cartographers map was strewn out on the desk before him, blue eyes scanning for a suitable spot. He'd been to that forest already.. The mines weren't of interest.. Perhaps the grassland? It sounded plain, but there was much nature watching that he could do there. There was a small village nearby that he could hole up in overnight.
And so it was decided. The leopard packed lightly, taking only enough to sustain himself for a day in addition to his sparse camping supplies. And of course, the seedlings. He tucked the creatures into his travel bag and set off.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 1:42:55 GMT -6
The wagon he scheduled for was waiting at the station upon his arrival. A gruff looking hyena mammalian was the driver. Their beast of burden was an older looking common equillion. Weren't they considered extinct? Xentus looked over the gelding, trying to assess its condition. It looked well cared for, at least for being a workhorse. The driver grunted to garner his attention.
"Loaded up?", he asked bluntly, eyeing the blue leopard and whatever it was he was doing. He then motioned toward the travel bag, as if to beckon for it to be loaded as well.
"Ah, yes. Xentus was simply admiring the talent. He looks well and healthy", he replied with a warm smile, "This bag Xentus will keep in the cabin. Let us be off, yes?"
A brief look of surprise crossed the hyena's snout. Xentus was rather unassuming looking, but apparently much more attentive than he let on. The man offered no reply, however. His face returned to a near scowling resting state as he turned and clambered onto the drivers seat. And wordlessly, Xentus made his way into the cabin, making himself comfortable on the well-worn seat. The travel bag was unzipped, allowing the seedlings to peer about their wooden surroundings. Xentus did the same. The wooden carriage was less than fanciful. There was enough space in the cab to let him stretch out his legs, but only because the seat in front of him was unoccupied. It was somewhat cramped, with the faint scent of musk floating within. Perhaps from the shoddy cushion..
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 1:53:20 GMT -6
The windows were glass, closed with a latch, which he inspected in order to find a means to unbind it. It opened with a click, then creaked as he pushed it outward on its hinge. It would provide a little airflow, at least. And then, they began moving. The ride was not the smoothest he'd ever been on, but it wasn't awful. Appropriate for the price he paid, he thought. He didn't want the most lavish wagon he could afford, but he wasn't going for the very cheapest option either. This.. Admittedly, was on the cheaper side. He was a modest man. This venture overall wasn't something he wanted to need to spend much money on. He was used to the naturalistic life, but the comforts of the city had spoiled him. Normally, he'd take to walking to the village on his own two feet!
If he wasn't toting the seedlings along with him, he likely would've traveled by his own means. Perhaps on the back of a wiurn or alurook, since he now had those options. Ah, how he wished to fly on the back of a great mount.. This was not the time for it, unfortunately. And so here he was, strapped in for a wagon ride of a few hours.
The leopard glanced down at the golem trio comfortably settled in his pack. They all had their shells partly opened, seeds within looking back up at him in return. Such strange things. He hoped they would enjoy the ride more than he would himself.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 2:00:04 GMT -6
He decided to pluck the earth seedling from the set, placing it on his lap for some extra special treatment. The creatures pseudopods writhed against his pants, assessing the silk texture. It was an odd feeling, but he let the creature do what it needed to in order to settle in. A clawed hand rested over the top of its shell, rubbing the rock-hard surface gingerly. Xentus wasn't sure to what extent the creature had a sense of touch.. They didn't seem to care about any kind of damage inflicted upon their carapace or body. But they did seem curious about various textures they came in contact with. Perhaps to assess if something was an element they could absorb? Or, to identify danger? If only they could simply tell him.. But he still wasn't even sure if they had minds of their own to think with.
Simplicity was so complex, sometimes.
He appreciated that the golems gave him so much to think about. He never would've figured such life forms were possible. Magic was such a difficult concept to wrap his head around. it plays by such a different set of rules than he was used to. It was as fascinating as it was incomprehensible.
The leopard's blue eyes wandered to the window, watching the road, grasses, and trees as they passed by. The rumble of the wagon was nice background noise to accompany the background whizzing by.. And knowing that this journey would take hours? Perhaps.. A nap was in order..
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 14:20:35 GMT -6
Knock knock knock.
Xentus woke with a start in response to the rapping on the wooden door, bleary eyes popping open to see the hyena mammalian scowling at him through the window. It took him a few moments to comprehend his surroundings. The flat earth beyond the man outside the window, the wood and cobblestone buildings. Ah! Right, his little adventure. The leopard rubbed the rheum from his eyes and began repacking the golem that stayed ever so patiently in his lap back into the travel bag. The three of them within his pack had their shells closed, a barely detectable glow radiating from their seeds. Some kind of golem form of sleep? Perhaps the ride wasn't nearly as exciting for them as he thought. With them packed and all set, he made his exit from the cabin.
"Much appreciated", he thanked the driver with a smile and offered him a tip of a few credits. The man tipped his head, pocketing the tip, and directed his passenger to his luggage - a single camping backpack. He then sauntered away, heading to a building which Xentus could only assume was a station. There was only a single other carriage here aside from the one he arrived in. He'd likely need to make arrangements for the return trip.. But that could wait. Wandering this village was much more intriguing.
The village was a bit more like a tiny town. The streets were paved, though not very well maintained, and the buildings featured the same looking single floor appearance. Cozy.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 14:38:58 GMT -6
His aim was to find an inn or tavern of some sort. Small towns like these never really anticipated many travelers, but such a place could be exactly what someone needed just to hole up for a night or two. While the leopard did intend to go camping, he wouldn't mind enjoying the luxuries of such modest civilization for a night beforehand. It was about late afternoon, with plenty of time before dusk. He could spare some time to tour around. There was no hurry here.
Gurgle.
... Except maybe to find food for his growling stomach. There wasn't much in the way of restaurants or cafes here, as he was used to. Every building he passed by seemed to be some kind of home, storefront, or a combination of both. He could just ask someone walking about the street for directions, but where was the fun in that? His stomach could hold off for a little longer. The trio of seedlings slung in the pack over his shoulder begin clattering their shells, as if to scold him for ignoring his needs. He shushed at them to no avail. If something was amiss with their master, they would let their unrest be known. Especially considering how powerless they were to do anything about it with such feeble bodies, their clattering was their only means of action.
Xentus sighed. It couldn't be helped. He waved down a passerby, asking for directions to a tavern of some sorts. He got an odd look at first, presumably from the clattering noise that accompanied his presence, but was directed to the tall building down the street and to the left.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 14:58:48 GMT -6
With a nod and quickly uttered thanks, he was off. Down the street and to the left. Tall building. He supposed it only made sense for a tavern to be taller. Another story or two meant more rooms for customers. The location he arrived to had stone and wood pillars supporting an inviting looking porch-front. A placard hung from the wooden awning - 'The Resting Toad', featuring a engraving of a frog sitting atop a mushroom. He chuckled at the sight. Taverns always had the strangest of names.
Peering through the window, it seemed like there were a few patrons within, eating, talking, drinking, laughing. Such places brought back good memories. The leopard invited himself in. A hearty "welcome, welcome" was bellowed at his arrival, guiding him toward a stocky human manning the bar.
"Come on in new face, yer just in time for the wet chainmail contest!", the man spouted with a hearty laugh, slapping the counter with a thud. Atop a makeshift stage composed of a shoddy assortment of planks stood a man posing in slick, rattling chainmail draped loosely over his clothing. The sight twisted a raised brow and a toothy smile onto the leopard's face. What an odd establishment.
"Xentus will not partake, but it looks like fun", he said with a chuckle as he approached the bar, "He does being company though. Are pets permitted?" He then lifted his pack to the bar and showed the contents of three clattering golem seedlings to the barkeep. He only received a hand wave and a laugh in reply.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 15:12:37 GMT -6
"Aw those rocks ain't gonna hurt nobody", the man finally commented after calming down, "Yer one of them city folks ain't ya? Always comin' round with some kinda vermin or another. As long as they don't scare away nobody I don't give a damn. Now, what can I fix ya with new face?"
The boisterous man was quite the character. Xentus was used to these kinds of people, finding his way with words oddly charming. Even if he was pinned out to be 'one of them city folk'. Peoples of New Tarsia almost always toted around some companion produced by the labs. It was a cultural thing, and telling sign of the labs influence. He fit right in with them, even if he wasn't born there. Not that the label bothered him. It was simply an interesting and easily made observation.
"This one looks for a meal and bed. Any kind of specials for offer? He enjoys tasting the cuisine of locals when he travels", the leopard replied warmly. For once, his odd way of speaking wasn't pointed out with a strange look on his interlocutor's face. It seemed the man was used to all kinds of characters. He simply nodded and turned away, disappearing behind saloon doors to what he could only assume was a kitchen. In the meantime, the leopard took the tote of seedlings and placed the bulky affair on his lap, opening the bag enough to allow the seedlings to survey their surroundings. He figured they would appreciate it.
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Post by Xentus on Jul 24, 2020 15:27:26 GMT -6
The seedlings seemed to calm their noises, but the occasional thump of their segmented shells was a sign that they were still somewhat upset or riled up. The strange new surroundings were a lot to take in though. There were a good handful of people, lots of loud voices, a flickering fire, and of course, the chainmail contest. Xentus couldn't help but to watch as well as the next participant stepped up onto the stage and began flailing about to garner as many hoots and hollers as possible. It looked like the strange sort of fun that only a person who's had a few drinks would enjoy. The seedlings seemed to watch what was going on warily. They had never experienced anything quite like this.
After a few minutes passed, the attending man returned with a tray featuring a large bowl, a roll of bread, and utensils. "Here ye are; arroz caldo. And yer rooms gonna be number 4, first 'un on the second floor. That'll do ya in 25 credits for the day", the man announced to the leopard, dangling the key by the tag as if to tease him. Xentus nodded, then fetched and counted the amount and handed it over in exchange. He uttered a quick thanks, then turned his attention to the food set before him. The sight.. Left much to be desired, looking outright unappetizing. In the bowl was a steaming whitish gruel with chunks of ginger and couple chicken bones poking out. But the smell! Oh, it smelled wonderful.
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