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Post by Linyü on Jan 25, 2021 15:24:30 GMT -6
The fates must have been smiling on Seveth. He didn't even have to come up with a different topic, or make the attempt to segue smoothly into something else, because at that moment two figures emerged from the cavern door, and stopped short when they saw Minnow waiting there.
The two Dracomics were of a size, somewhat slighter than Minnow's towering proportions, though not very much less so. Aside from that, they couldn't have been more different in appearance. One was a pale pearlescent white, dusted over with blues and lilacs; the other was solid black, save for a lighter belly and the tips of his wings, which were touched with green. Both were surprised, though the dark one was wary, and his eyes went first to Seveth, who smiled and offered a wave.
The other burst out laughing, and called to another Draconic deeper into the cavern, not in Draconic but in Common.
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Post by Noa on Jan 25, 2021 18:14:54 GMT -6
A human... And not one that Rozanthe had seen before either. She squinted at it - or rather, at him. The short hair and the lack of breasts... This was probably a male, wasn't it?
Not that she said so aloud, of course. Great-aunt Arianza would have her hide for being so ignorant about humans. After all, Great-grandfather loved humans very much, and the older relatives liked to go on and on about the importance of understanding their culture and forging good relations... But that wasn't a concern of Rozanthe's, and she had gotten out of as much of it as she could.
Humans were a rare sight in the Canyons anyway, so it was pretty unusual that Minnow had shown up with one. "Who is this?" she said, gesturing at the human, who was doing that human mouth thing. Was that a greeting?
A terrible thought occurred to her. "Minnow, you're not... bonded, are you?"
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Post by Linyü on Jan 25, 2021 18:18:43 GMT -6
Not long after the pale Draconic called, a third Draconic inserted herself into the situation. She bore more than a passing resemblance to the pale one, though her colors were more green and turquoise tones. Almost immediately, she homed in on Seveth, and Seveth didn't think she was terribly happy to see him.
Not that he knew for sure one way or the other, of course, since she addressed Minnow in Draconic.
Minnow didn't seem fazed by it, however, and answered back easily. Judging by his body language, Seveth thought he was denying something. If he didn't seem so at ease, Seveth might have found it some cause for concern... Though then again, maybe it was too early to let his guard down.
Still, no one seemed terribly agitated aside from the newcomer, so it was probably alright, wasn't it? "Are these your friends?" Seveth said to Minnow.
"Oh yes. Roze," said Minnow, inclining his head toward the female Draconic.
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Post by Noa on Jan 25, 2021 20:14:17 GMT -6
"... And I'm Zelkova, and that's Ten," said Zelkova smoothly, filling in. Rozanthe was still studying the human, who was speaking to Minnow. Minnow had said he wasn't bonded at all, but that still didn't explain why the human was here.
"It's not often we get two-legged visitors," Zelkova went on. "What brings you here?"
"And why is he with you?" said Rozanthe, to Minnow, in Draconic. She could speak Common just as well as her siblings and half-siblings; their family, descended from a Nanaiyesh founder, were almost all clever with languages, and Great-grandfather insisted that they learned Common as a matter of course. When she had been younger, it had been a fun game, a secret code, swapping back and forth between Draconic and Common and confounding dimmer, less learned hatchlings. But knowing that it was for the sake of liaising with humans - much as Zelkova was doing now - soured the sentiment for her.
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Post by Linyü on Jan 26, 2021 0:11:14 GMT -6
"Oh, this and that," Seveth answered easily. "I must confess, I've never had the chance to travel somewhere with a dragon society, and the curiosity got the best of me."
Minnow rumbled back something in the more guttural tones of Draconic to his friend. He did seem much more comfortable in his native tongue... which made sense, of course, but it was a shame Seveth couldn't understand their conversation.
Then again, judging from the look that the teal Draconic had given him, maybe that was the point. Of their party, only this Zelkova fellow seemed terribly friendly, though at least the dark one - Ten - had seemed wary of him in only a general sense.
"Minnow is staying with his siblings at a guesthouse I run," Seveth explained, thinking it better to clarify sooner rather than later. "He mentioned he was visiting a friend today, and invited me to come along. But if I'm intruding...?"
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Post by Noa on Jan 26, 2021 0:14:58 GMT -6
It was to the human's credit, Rozanthe supposed, that his story and Minnow's matched up. If they hadn't... But, well, it wasn't really her place to interpose herself either, she supposed. Nevertheless, he had given an honest answer without any embellishments, and Minnow had invited him anyway, so she oughtn't hold his species against him.
Zelkova laughed again. "I would invite you in, but Ten and I were just on our way out. Roze...?" He turned to Rozanthe with an expectant air, and it was all that she could do not to sigh. At times like this, she would have preferred Izorin to Zelkova. Izorin might not have been very pleasant, but he had a singular talent for making people feel unwanted, and frankly she could have used some of that now.
Alas, her clutch brother was holed up in his room, working on his scribbles. "Yes," said Rozanthe, in fluent Common. "Do come in. Please."
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Post by Linyü on Jan 27, 2021 3:31:08 GMT -6
Seveth had the sense that the teal Draconic - Roze - hadn't really wanted to invite him in, but courtesy or something dictated that she did anyway. If he knew the underlying factors in play, Minnow certainly didn't look it, seeming as blithely oblivious as ever. But whether that was a calculated choice, designed to make the situation less awkward than it would have been if he had acknowledged it, or whether he really was that unaware, Seveth would have been hard pressed to say.
Regardless, they entered. Minnow looked, if not perfectly at home, then at least reasonably comfortable. Seveth, on the other hand, was busy taking in the sights. The interior was a very well-polished hall, with patterns cut into the walls, and even decorative carvings here and there.
"Wow," said Seveth.
Minnow laughed. "You like it?" he said.
"It sure looks lavish," Seveth replied. And compared to most living caverns he'd seen so far, it was.
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Post by Noa on Jan 27, 2021 3:37:16 GMT -6
Rozanthe still wished the human hadn't come. She had been looking forward to spending time with Minnow, and hadn't expected the intrusion of a third party. And why would she? Minnow was the friend of both Izorin and herself, but Izorin wasn't generally very sociable, and especially not when he was in one of his artsy moods. And Minnow's siblings cared little enough for the society of his friends, so that was that.
And he hadn't even commented on the state of her scales... What a pity. She really had gone to all that trouble for nothing.
Still, it was a little amusing to see his reaction to the cavern.
She didn't dignify his admiration with a response, however, and simply guided them toward the sitting room. It was mercifully empty; she didn't know what she would have done if Zinnian was here. Zinnian couldn't speak Common, but he could embarrass himself perfectly well in Draconic.
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Post by Linyü on Jan 27, 2021 3:46:09 GMT -6
Minnow followed after Roze, and Seveth followed after Minnow, though most of his attention was still on taking in his surroundings. He was inclined to reassert his initial assessment, that this was an affluent family with an expensive home.
"Is your cavern like this too?" he said to Minnow.
Minnow glanced back, his expression turning thoughtful as he considered Seveth's question. "No," he said. "Smaller, plain walls. Not many of us. And mother... likes simple." That didn't indicate whether they were simply that way by choice, or if they were living within their means, but any further questioning in that direction would have crossed into the realm of outright rudeness, so Seveth held his tongue.
The sitting room they arrived at was no less well-situated, with artfully carved windows overlooking the river. It was empty, and given its Draconic proportions, the whole space felt rather... well, the opposite of 'cozy', whatever that was.
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Post by Noa on Jan 27, 2021 3:49:14 GMT -6
"Make yourselves at home," said Rozanthe, in Common, for the human's sake. A waste and a pity, considering Minnow wasn't exactly fluent in the language, but she knew that he understood much more than he could speak, so there was that, at least. And if he spoke to her in Draconic, which the human evidently had no command of, all the better. It was not quite so good as having him to herself, but she was already being forced to compromise on that front.
She could have been rude to him, of course, but if Zelkova or any of the older family members caught wind of that, there would be hell to pay. It wasn't worth the risk, even if she wasn't feeling particularly charitable towards him.
"I'll bring some refreshments." Her enthusiasm had evaporated, but she was obliged for the moment to play the role of at least a mediocre host.
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Post by Linyü on Jan 27, 2021 4:12:06 GMT -6
Minnow settled himself along one of the alcoves by a window. "Do you come here often?" said Seveth, watching him. Roze had made her exit, and Seveth briefly wondered about the sort of refreshments that an affluent Draconic household might find it within themselves to offer - not to mention, did they not have help? But maybe that was a cultural difference too, and as to the nature of those refreshments, he knew he would find out soon enough.
"Sometimes," said Minnow. "When we were small, play outside more. But now Roze likes... home, or shopping. Sometimes parties. And Izzy, he only likes home."
"Izzy?" Seveth hadn't heard that name before.
"Ah, Roze's brother. Probably you will not see today." Minnow made a vague toss of his head in the direction of one of the doors out of the sitting room, most likely in the direction of wherever this 'Izzy' fellow could be found.
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