A Healthy Outlet

Log Info

• Title: A Healthy Outlet
• Emitter: Tawyse
• Characters: Tawyse, Skielstregar, Vaera
• Place: The Wilderness
• Time: December 17th, 2021
• Summary: The following morning after Skielstregar's rampage, Tawyse sees to the sleeping makari in her camp. She makes some food for him, with Vaera showing up soon after. He explains what it is like with this 'condition', as well as some minor parts of it. He's been doing well reigning it in, but after last night, it was rather brutal to keep it on a tight leash. Tawyse suggests letting loose every and now and then, something Vaera and Skiel have yet to try. Deciding this action is better than having a repeat of last night, Skiel assumes his Forgotten self, and unloads into a dead tree. He grows weary once more, spent, and gets a reward from Tawyse: bacon! After, of course, sticking his foot in his mouth as per usual.

Bright sunlight filters in through the bare canopy above, the shadows taking the edge off of the dazzling light somewhat. The wind occasionally whistles through the limbs of the trees, adding an eerie sound to the gusts.

Tawyse is huddled in her camp, tending to the fire. A brace of rabbits stands ready for preparation, along with several root vegetables. But the Gnome is leaving these tasks for later, it seems. Every so often, she glances back at the lean-to, a mix of worry and concern clouding her expression.

Another log is passed into the fire, and she pulls her knees up to rest her chin upon them.

Curled up under the lean-to is a large, tranished scale makari man. He's fast asleep, hugging his large tail while also using it as a pillow. Fatigue was on his features, and each breath exhaled shot a stream of frozen air out of him.

The log crackling seems to make his eyelids twitch, him taking a deep breath of consciousness. He unravels, stretching out with a wide yawn. Showing off the row of wicked teeth and his set of long fangs. Slowly, he rises to a sit, rubbing his eyes as he tries to fully awaken, not even aware of his surroundings just yet.

GAME: Tawyse rolls survival: (8)+13: 21

The Gnome peers over her shoulder, a grin spreading over her face as she watches Skiel return to consciousness.

The smell of coffee soon fills the small confines of the camp, and then the smell of meat cooking, as Tawyse begins the ritual of breakfast. The rabbits are also carefully skinned, with the hides being properly stretched out on racks designed to do so. The meat is selected for smoking, later, while the offal is disposed of.

As Skielstregar sits up, the blanket laid over him folding over. He blinks, looking down at it before his dead gaze goes across the camp. His tunic is a bit torn in some places, and his face and hand had some wounds scabbing over.

The man blinks once more. "... ah.... g... good morning. Peassse on your nessst... Taw..." he rumbles softly.

Tawyse steps over to settle down on the edge of the lean-to's stick floor, and she leans against the Sith. "Good morning!", she says cheerfully, "Peace on your nest. Which is currently in my nest." She giggles, before looking over and taking his hand into hers. "You uhm cut yourself up a little bit, running through the brush, and hitting a tree. Did you want me to heal these up?", she wonders. "I can also mend your tunic... I can sew it up, or use a mend spell."

Skiel takes a moment for his lizard brain to get churning, him not responding for a few solid moments. "... ah. Thisss one... remembersss the night well." He looks down to his wounded hand, the paw dwarfing hers. "... if you wisssh. It isss minor."

He blinks at the other question, him looking off to the side, a hand reaching up to cover a hole in the tunic. "... ah.... thisss... thisss one can fix it later. There was a distinct lack of metallic sheen, tarnished or not, from the hole before he concealed it.

A light breeze tugs at her hair as she mutters something under her breath, and a green glow emanates from around her neck. The wounds that Skielstregar bears begin to fade, the scabbing falling off shortly thereafter.

Tawyse grins brightly, "You've probably not got anything I haven't seen before. But it is why I offered the mend spell, you wouldn't have to remove it. I could probably stitch it while you're still wearing it, if you stand still."

The Gnome laughs. "You boys always like to wear things until they are more hole than cloth."

Skielstregar shudders faintly at the feeling, the sensation making his hide crawl some. Some new scales should have grown in its place, yet none do. "If... that sssspell can do that, then by all meansss..." he murmurs, looking at the fire. "Thiss one, well, um, doesssn't really need much to begin with," he mentions, hazarding a small smile.

She giggles a little more. "Wouldn't your bits hang out, though?" Snorting, her eyes close and another stray breeze tugs at her hair. Touching the tunic in question, the new tears and holes stitch themselves up, til the garment is as good as new.

"I know you said you didn't mind the cold much, but uh, wouldn't a breeze down there be a bit much?" Tawyse glances at the exposed skin on Skiel, checking for any missed cuts or scratches. "I think that's all of your wounds, and it should also have fixed any holes and rips in your tunic. Did the heal not feel nice?"

Skiel chuffs at the question, deciding to not answer it aside from a rumble of a faint chuckle. Though, he pauses as the tunic is touched. Which, ergo, his chest is. Under the gnome's hand, there's a distinct lack of scales underneath it, which where there should be plenty.

"You sure are fixsssated on ssspearsss," he bluntly points out, affixing her with a look. The rest of the tunic was fine, just the upper parts needed mending where he crashed into things. He shrugs a shoulder. "... healing magicsss never feel nice. Consssidering thisss one'sss body isss... fueled by death magicsss."

The Gnome instantly blushes brightly, and she blinks a few times. "N.noo. You just get flustered easily, it seems. I rather enjoy it, it.. it is a contrast to your gruff, warrior face that you wear."

Taw nods slowly. "I suppose that might make sense. The magics must ... clash a little bit since they are at cross-purposes." She rubs her cheeks lightly.

Skiel tilts his head to the side, the light smile turning into a proper one as he squints slightly. "... thisss one is gruff and rugged? You sssshould sssee the other warriors, they tend to be far more sssstuck up than thisss one?"

He sighs. "... yesss. They do. They ssstill work on thisss one, but ssssometimes it isss rough." There is a pause, and he lowers his head slightly. "... thisss one is... sssorry you had to sssee thisss one like that. You caught thisss one on one of their worssse daysss."

"This one can admit that she sees your humour.", the Gnome says with a smile, her cheeks still rosy. "But you can also pull of a proper warrior caste. Not stuck up, but uhm.. well, warriors always want to be thought of as strong, tough and resolute. They can't show a softer side, even though most of them do have such."

Tawyse cants her head slightly. "If I can't accept you on your worst days, I don't deserve your best."

Skiel chuffs at that. "Thisss one hass no qualms sssshowing a sssoft side. Strong, yes, but... ah... to borrow a sssoftskin sssaying, having a branch impaled up one doesssn't make for an approachable warrior."

He's silent at that for a moment, him smoothing out his tunic and fixing the blanket to lay across his lap more evenly. "... you barely know thisss one. Why go through that effort?" he rumbles quietly.

Taw laughs. "Most people have a stick up there about something. Some though... have the whole tree!" Her giggles halfway, and she blinks. "Why not? How would anyone get to know anyone better, if they don't make the effort? What sort of life would I lead if I only did the easy things?"

She reaches up to lightly punch his arm. "Besides. You're worth knowing, and thus, worth the effort."

Skiel gives a proper and short bark of a laugh at that. But he was quick to be demure once more. His too-long talons pick at each other, the slug on the arm not even moving him in the slightest. Or if he even noticed it, it could have felt like a tap to him.

His large head slowly swings over to look at her with a single, dead silver eye. "... you sssaw good well what thisss one can do. Yet you sssay thisss one is worth knowing. Why?"

The Gnome thwaps him on the arm again, this time harder. He may still not feel it. Or is ignoring it, more likely. "So what? Yes, you have a harder time keeping your dangerous nature in check. But Vaera proved it can be managed."

She gestures to the slumbering forest around them. "Any single person alive can light a fire that could burn this forest down. Any single person alive can murder people, and destroy things."

"The simple fact that you acknowledge you are dangerous, and yet you fight it every day, makes you worthy of knowing. Of being cared about, cared for."

GAME: Vaera rolls survival: (16)+10: 26

Skiel flinches this time. Yep, he was totally ignoring it last time. His eyes close, listening carefully, before inhaling deeply.

And slowly exhaling a large cloud of frozen air that wafts over the camp. "... very well. Thank you for the chance," he simply says, smiling lightly. "Vaera has been... very helpful. And a true friend in aiding thissss one."

Tawyse shakes her head, "No no, thank you for the chance." She blinks and stands up, moving to the fire. "So I have some left over boar that I've cooked, and I have something called coffee. It's a strong drink, sort of bitter, but it really helps on cold days, or when you're dragon your bum a bit. Did you want breakfast?"

Where had the other makari gone? She was just there the night before. And then she was gone, before anyone had even planned on waking.

Perhaps she had just taken a while returning to camp. There was a lot of nois and rustling leaves as she returned through the brush, with one large, makeshift wooden crutch under one arm, and a metallic leg tucked under the other, with several fish strung up on a wire.

"Peace on your nests." She finally greets. "I am fine, before you ask. but I could not get my leg working properly after fishing."

Skiel watches her move, the man perking up somewhat. ".... yesss, thisss one would enjoy breakfassst and coffee. Doing all of that leavesss thisss one quite hungry.."

His head quirks to the side, hearing something approaching. He sits up to his full height to look over the camp sides, a hand reaching over to where the spear was left last night. Then he blinks. And he's on his feet, hunched over. "Ah, Vaera! Peassse on your nest," he rumbles happily, reaching out to take something, anything from her to help. "Very well, pleasssse, I shall hold sssomething for you so you can get sssituated."

The Gnome stands up on hearing the return of Vaera. While Skiel is polite enough to ask, Tawyse moves to relieve the red-scale of her fish burden. "Would you like these set aside? Dressed? Or smoked?", she wonders of Vaera. "And peace on your nest.", she intones.

Assuming the fish are relinquished, she hangs the line by the lean-to that is used for storage. A short time later, Skiel is offered a haunch of boar, and a steaming mug. "Would you like some boar and coffee?", the Gnome asks of Vaera.

Vaera is surrounded by to other people, and one is already trying to take the fish. "They are already cleaned, I was hoping to make them for breakfast, but I took too long." Vaera chuffs. With not much else, she passes the metal leg over to Skielstregar before she sits down.

"That is kind of you to offer, I was going to smoke them if unecessary to eat now. And, you do not need to provide any food, the shelter for the day was enough. I did not know gnomes liked coffee however, I thought it was a mul'niessa thing

Skiel gladly takes the metal leg and settles down as well to sit beside the redscale. He gently places the prosthetic down beside her, him shaking his head. "Nonsssense, we can have it if need be."

He blinks, him taking the offered haunch readily and balances the small mug in a hand. The makari man doesn't say much more, him needing to replace the energy spent last night by chowing down.

"Oh, okay, well, when you're ready, you can use my fire to cook, and smoke them, as you please.", the Gnome says with a smile. A mug of coffee is still offered to the red-scale. "One of the things that I like about cities, for the most part they are stinking masses of humanity that I try to avoid, is that they have so much trade. I have found a wonderous variety of spices and foodstuff that I would never see otherwise. I had coffee in one of the pubs once, and uhm... I wanted to be able to make it myself. Finding the roasted beans in the market in Alexandria was fairly easy."

The Gnome looks to Skiel, and grins. "There's still plenty if you want it, Skiel."

Vaera shrugs and accepts the coffee, which is sampled without waiting for it to cool down.

"There are fires in mictlan for smoking, but I could do so here. For one who refers to the city as a stinking mass of humanity, I would almost hazard to say you enjoy having visitors around." They chuckle.

"I have grown used to them, they are not that bad. The cities, that is."

Skiel breaks from him eating half the haunch in one bite, him looking over to the gnome. "... if-" he pauses, holding a hand in front of his maw to finishing swallowing. "If you are willing, thisss one eatsss... a lot. A lot a lot."

Giving a dainty sip of coffee so he wouldn't imbibe it all in one go, he looks over to the other two. He nervously chuckles. "Ah... thisss one is... still hesitant to go to the city. But they go from time to time to get bacon and other ssssmall things the People can't provide."

Taw giggles at Vaera, and nods. "I don't mind having a few guests. It's.. cozy, here. You and he are not ... too much, in one place, you know?" She nods then. "I do like the things they can provide... things from other places. Oh, and the baths. Those are nice. Ah, and you're most welcome to use my fire. You don't need to go to Mictlan, unless that's your preference."

The Gnome looks at Skiel, and grins. "Yes, you may have more. I am a light eater, as you might expect. So, feeding you means I don't have to smoke most of the boar and find places to stash it." Another haunch is quickly offered up, since the first is half eaten.

"The baths are nice there, it is true. As are the goods. I buy many spices there, to make food taste better. It is something important for Skielstregar, I feel. There are not too many people here, this is also true."

Vaera sips on her coffee, and sighs. "You are feeling better today, Skielstregar? That was worse than usual, I do not mean to be unkind in saying so. Was something different?"

Skielstregar scratches the side of his head. "Thisss one hass heard of the bathsss before, but has yet to go there." He blinks, and readily takes another haunch, him bowing his head. "Thank you. Thisss one will more than likely eat mossst of the boar sssitting here, to be honesssst."

His head swivels to Veara, a sigh leaving him. "Yesss, thisss one is feeling better. Though a bit more tired than ussssual. Thank you again for... not backing down lassst night. Smelling fear would be... detrimental during that time. You are fine pointing that out, it isss just..."

He closes his eyes, gnawing idly on the last haunch before gulping it away. Another sigh. "Thisss one'ssss... affliction is changing. The sssscent isss... not... really there. Well, it isss. Faintly. Thisss one thinksss it isss building up insside them. And thisss one'sss usual bad day wasss worssse than usual."

"Perfectly happy to feed you.", Tawyse says, chuckling. "All you have to do is visit. Or I can visit you in Mictlan. I'll bring something for you, and something for the communal pot." She falls silent, moving to sit at Skiel's feet, to listen to the two Sith talk.

"Uhm. I can't say that I understand your affliction fully. So I'm grasping at straw here. Would it make sense to encourage you to let it out on a regular basis, in a controlled fashion? There is a lot of forest out here, where you can run around without running into people. Vaera and I could watch over you. Or maybe other friends, if you think I'd be in danger, hmm? Whatever makes you comfortable."

The Gnome taps her chin. "What's the worst that could happen? You could try it a few times, and see if it makes it feel better? Maybe it will let ... whatever it is... maybe it will keep it from building up inside?"

Vaera finishes up her cup of coffee, and reaches to scoop up some snow in the mug before she sets it my the fire. "Yes, I have noticed it is not nearly as pronounced, even without magic. And of course, I do not fear you, Skielstregar. Nor do I think Taw does."

"I am sure the food would be welcome, especially going into winter. Druids are excellent at finding plants that others can struggle to find in the season. As for the suggestion? I will be honest, I do not understand it fully. But the magic is linked to him in a way, that is what shaman Un'eth stated. Letting out too much of it could have consequences that are not known at this point."

Skielstregar smile some at the mention of food being given to him. "Thisss one would take up such an offer, and bring his own game to help with that."

Though, he sighs and rubs at his face. Pensive. Thinking. "... thisss one's affliction is as thus: thisss one was Forgotten at one point in time. Their mind and body gone. Thisss one died. Then came back. Their mind clear, but their body still seeks violence and flesh. Nercomancies flood from this one's body. Thisss one is uncertain if that isss what is keeping him alive, or if that is jussst a by-product."

He looks to the two women. "Vaera... bringsss up a good point. Letting loose too often issss... unknown. Thisss one has been keeping a tight leash on it asss of late, and we sssaw what happened from that yesssterday. Perhaps it issss time to... let loose? To sssee what transpirsse?" he suggets, raissing a brow. A touch nervously.

Vaera has partially disconnected.

"Perhaps, though, we don't know how much is too much.", the Gnome says. She gestures to SKiel, "You have a pretty good handle on it, right? Mostly? Like, you are confident that most of the time, you are your own master?" She reaches up to pat one of Skiel's hands. "It's probably better to experiment with it now, so you can know your limits."

"Oh, Vaera. I am going to try to talk to... the Silver Crescent.", she says, her voice lowering to a whisper. Have you heard of them before?"

"That does sound a bit concerning, yet, you did not attack me last time." Vaera sighs. She reaches for her leg to set it down in her lap. "It may be worth trying. And, yes, I have heard of them. Do you think it is worth speaking to them about it? And, how do you know them, Taw?" She asks, turning her attention to the gnome.

Skiel bobs his head, talons clacking against one another as his hand is patted. "Yessss... thisss one hass a good handle on it. Though, thisss one would prefer to eat what they can for the presssent time. Undergoing that transssformation while hungry isss not advised."

He glances to Vaera. "... thisss one did nearly attack you, though they missed. They will try it after they have finished eating."

He glances to Taw, curious of the answer to Vaera's question.

The Gnome eyes the mechanical leg a moment, and then Vaera. "I know that they exist. I was going to speak to a few of my fellow druids and see if I couldn't contact them. I won't mention Skiel at all, but I think that they may have some experience controlling a difficult affliction. Namely, as you may know, that of being a werewolf. Their experience might prove useful to Skiel."

Tawyse smiles to Skiel. "Well, only if you're comfortable with it. We don't have to do it immediately, you know? Did... did my being a bird help any? I thought a crow would be both non-threatening, and non-challenging. In a uh dominance sort of way. Like how wolves and dogs work. Or does your affliction just... make you mad at everyone the same?"

"You clearly kept your claws closed." Vaera chuffs. "And you were speaking fine. But yes, you were still struggling with control it seemed."

The response leads the red makari to nod to the gnome. "I just wished to know if I was dealing with a lycanthrope or not, not that I mind. It would be hypocritical to do so when dealing with Skielstregar often, after all."

"I am sure it would be worth looking into. Interesting idea, seeing if they would react to animals. But they seemed angered by the noise." Vaera chuckles.

Skiel shrugs his shoulder. "... uh... to be honesssst Taw, it doesssn't matter what one isss. Imagine you have had a bad couple of weekssss. Everything sssetsss you off. Thisss one's body is rife with energy. Ready to take it out on anything and anyone. It jusssst needsss a good reassson to let looossse."

He chuckles with Veara, finishing off the last of his food and downing his coffee. "Though, the bird did ssseeem to work sssomewhat. Thisss one punched the tree inssstead. However, thisss one could have chucked hisss spear all the sssame."

With a sigh, he rolls his shoulders, looking out to the exit of the camp. "Thisss one is... ready asss they will ever be about thisss."

The Gnome giggles. "Oh? No, I am just a regular little Gnome. I mean, I can change into a wolf, but only because it is a woodland animal. I don't quite have the hang of bears, but I can do a wolf, a variety of birds, a rabbit. But, I'm a normal Gnome, as far as I know."

She slowly stands, and begins to dump snow onto the fire. "Okay, if you're ready, you're ready. If you can keep yourself in reasonable control, I've got a surprise for you." Tawyse grins toothily.

"Yes, you did punch the tree, and run into it. At least you are alright now." Vaera chuckles. "We are testing it now? At least give me a chance to get my leg sorted out first. I do not wish to be surprised and not be able to react, at least."

"Well, I do not know how common druidism is among gnomes, I do not know many at all, so I will take your word for it."

Skiel tilts his head to the side. A surprise? "Bessst thisss ssurprise be no sssspears." He grins slightly, then takes the blanket off and folds it away.

He goes to a kneel. "Very well then Taw. Perhapsss birdssss would be your sssafest bet, asss thisss one cannot fly after you. Vaera, allow me to assssist."

"I cannot deny or confirm spears were used in the making of this surprise.", the Gnome says quietly. "If there's anything I can do to assist you, Vaera, just ask. SKiel's your man if you need someone to hold you up while you wrestle with your leg."

Vaera chuffs and begins the process of reattaching the limb. She takes the metal cup she had set down near the fire, now with melted snow into water, which she uses to wash the stump of the remaining leg, before she works on strapping on the artifice leg to it after wiping it down. "I will be alright, Taw, but thank you. Skielstregar has helped me with it before."

Skiel helps out the redscale with her leg, him giving a light chuff and a light hearted eye roll as he goes through the motions of the metal leg attatchment.

"Careful, the wind might come along and then you'll look like this forever!" The Gnome rolls her eyes back, and pulls her lower eyelids down, looking like she only has the whites for her eyes.

In a blink, her body morphs into that of a crow, which hops from foot to foot, and caws.

"I will admit, I am curious what Tawyse has in mind for the surprise." Vaera muses as she finishes attaching the leg, the limb flexing and claws curling as she makes sure everything is in order. "Perhaps spear hunting for more boar? that would be impressive for a gnome. Or fish, perhaps."

The red makari gets to her feet and steps away, waiting to see what would happen.

Skiel shakes his head. "As is thisss one." He doesn't elaborate further.

With a sigh and a glance to the now Crow-Taw, the tarnished scale get to his feet and takes a few steps out of the camp. "Right. Thisss one will warn Taw that the effectsss are... startling when they happen. Vaera is aware of it. Here... goesss..."

The man takes a breath, his eyes closing with a snick. There's always this... faint, tinge of anxiety that surrounds the makari, like something was off, or not right. Yet, that rolling sensation starts to come to a slow. Then it cease.

His eyes open, and the empty eyes gain a crimson hue. Increasing in vibrancy with every beat of his heart, until-

"... grrrr...." a gristly, primal, wet growl rolls in his throat.

The sensation of anxiety and death roils out in tenfold as a blast of dread, fangs grow into a double set, talons lengthing to be razors. Mana infused ichor drips from his maw, ghastly black miasma wafting from them. He staggers a bit before falling to all fours, his frame tense and looking filled with energy to unleash whatever if fueling him.

Crimson eyes flick quickly between Vaera and Crow-Taw. "Rrrright... what... what sssshould thisss one do too... let loosssse sssso to speak?" he growls at them, each breath labored.

The bird is quite good at not showing emotion, at least not as the others might understand it. It watches impassively as the change happens to Skiel. After he's done, the bird bristles, the feathers puffing up, and the little creature gives itself a shake. It caws a few times, and then, as if to answer the Skiel-hulk, it flies some distance away, and alights upon a tall tree trunk. The tree seems to have died some time in the recent past, and the main portion of the tree fell, leaving about ten feet of trunk protruding from the ground.

"Caw caw caw caaaaw."

Vaera was used to it at this point, but that did not make the process any more pleasant to see. She does not move, but watches the bird and skielstregar.

"I believe she wishes for you to use that dead tree trunk there." Vaera offers. "How, I am not sure. tear it apart, or uproot it, perhaps?"

Tawyse says, "Will it be red?"

Skielstregar whips his head over to the flying bird, him barely getting to a full stand. A rumble roils in his chest. "... rip and tear?" he asks rhetorically with a snarl, grinning wickedly.

He falls to all fours. "UNTIL IT ISSS DONE!" the raging makari bellows to the air, galloping towards the dead tree trunk. The speed at which he moves is brisk, stirring up snow into the air all around him.

He crashes into the dead trunk with a satisfying crunch, tilting it slightly off from being upright. Without further prompting, he claws into it, ripping chunks out at a time. This tree trunk would not last long under the Forgotten's ire.

The Crow wisely takes to the air before the enraged Makari slams into it at full speed. The tree, despite being dead, resists Skiel for some time, longer than it had any right to. But the Sith wins out as the trunk is first shredded by long claws, and then creaks and breaks under his weight and strength.

"Caw caw caw!", the bird calls out, from his perch among the upturns roots of a gigantic tree.

"It is a tree. You cannot rip wood." Vaera chuffs, but she leaves him to it. "Not usually."

"All she could do is watch just in case, until the tree was nearly destroyed. Then she decides to turn to look away, still keeping it in her peripheral vision, just in case.

The Forgotten Skiel doesn't abate as the tree topples over. He leaps up onto it, clawing downwards as chunks fly out of it. Eventually he breaks through it, Then turns to ripping at roots. He goes on for some time, perhaps a minute or so, before he starts to peter out.

Then, slowly, the extra fangs recede. As do claws. The ichor. And the crimson hue.

Unceremoniously, he flops to the ground. Spent. "... bluh.."

The Crow drops down upon his chest, and caws noisily a few times, before pecking at his tunic. A moment later, the Gnome returns, sitting crosslegged where the bird once stood.

"Soooo?", Tawyse wonders. "How'd it go?"

When the noises and sight die down, Vaera sighs and turns to walk over to where the bronzescale was sprawled out and the Tawyse was now on his chest. "I do not know if that worked, or he is simply too tired to keep going." Vaera notes, crouching down beside them. "Do you feel better, at least?"

Skiel groans, holding onto the side of his head. "...... tired...." he mumbles, letting himself be a seat for the gnome for the time being. "... Thisss one... is unsure... if it... did anything better or not... perhapsss... more dayss of doing thisss isss... needed..."

The Gnome giggles and nods. "Well, you cleared out some wood. I was getting tired of seeing it there." She leans forward, and puts her elbows on her knees, resting her chin on her hands. "So we'll help you out tomorrow then, and the day after and so on. So. Do you want your surprise now?"

"If he is tired, then I will move him back to the fire." Vaera chuffs. "But she is correct, if you are unsure, then it may need repeating. Perhaps bringing Un'eth along to supervise."

She raises a brow to the gnome, and shrugs. "That is up to him I would say."

Skiel looks down with a raised brow, him tiredly sitting up and scooping the gnome off of him to set her aside. "Thisss one can.... move. And... sssure..." he murmurs, getting to his feet and wobbling some.

Tawyse squeaks at being scooped up, and runs back to the camp once set down. "Alright, well you get yourself settled again, while I find it." The Gnome begins to rummage through one of the crates in the storage lean-to.

"Yes, you can move. But you are unsteady." Vaera sighs, picking up an arm to drape over her shoulders before she walks back to the fire. "I am surprised you have not told me about Tawyse. She seems like a good friend of yours, and you usually are excited to tell me about those you have met."

Skielstregar accept the aid readily, him meanidering back to camp with Vaera as he plops himself down. He sheepishly chuckles. "Thisss one hassss.... only jussst recently met them..." he murmurs.

The Gnome is definitely not listening to this part of the conversation. Or at least, she doesn't react, continuing to rummage in one of the crates. "Aha! Found it!" She pulls a small, wax-paper wrapped package from the crate, and then moves to the firepit, where she works to build a fire up.

"Are you hungry again, Skiel?"

Vaera looks at the package curiously, but she just nods and sits down near the fire. "Well, they are doing a lot to help you for having just met you. You must have that effect on people." Vaera chuckles. "That is kind of you to offer more food. Why do you gather so much, if your needs are usually so little?"

Skielstregar raises a brow as she returns with the package. "... yesss... a bit," he mumbles in regards to the package, shrugging at Vaera. "Thisss one... supposes..."

The fire is roaring once more, and she goes about setting up a small grill. "I usually donate to the communal pot, where the great tree grows in the Grove. I also trade the meat, and furs, for coin, so that I can purchase things I cannot make." The smell of bacon soon fills the camp. "Now I'll be collecting a bit more for Skiel."

"Well, it seems that way." Vaera chuckles. "Ah, that would be the gift for him? Smoked abdomen meat is quite good, I take it this is something you traded for in town? And, that makes sense, even if you need little food, the full size of the pelts and such have value for trade. I have never been to this grove, but that makes sense. And now you have another to feed."

"Have I not been doing a good enough job hunting, Skielstregar?" She asks with a raised brow.

Skielstregar blinks, him smiling some as he quickly recognizes the scent. "Oh. Thank you, thisss one doesss quite enjoy bacon..."

Though, his head whirls over to Vaera with wide eyes. "W-Wha..? N-No! You provide plenty and more for us and Mictlan! Thisss one would not abandon our camp!" he quickly exonerates himself. "Thisss one may visit here, but ssstays there!"

The Gnome shakes a little, and then her back stiffens up, while the sound of sizzling is more obvious. "When you said you enjoyed bacon, I was happy, because I had traded for it earlier. Now you can have it."

There's a pause before she continues. "Vaera is teasing you. Anyone can see that despite her leg malfunction, she is an excellent provider."

The Gnome approaches Skiel then, offering up a skewer that has dozens of strips of bacon impaled upon it. Each is longer than Skiel's hand.

"Yes, I am mostly teasing." Vaera chuckles, though she does stop to regard Tawyse. "Are you alright? You seemed a bit distracted or concerned there."

Skiel blinks, then he ducks his head some as she rubs the side of his face. ".. ah. R... right..." he mumbles. The large skewer is taken in hand, his eyes widening at the sheer amount of laden upon it. "... oh. Dragonfather blesss you."

He doesn't catch Vaera's concerns he was a bit too easy replenishing the energy he spent naught but minutes ago.

The man is an... avid eater.

"It's nothing.", the Gnome says softly, eyeing the bronze-scale scarfing bacon down as if someone were about to take the skewer from him. "He'd probably be more comfortable in a Sith-camp."

"If it was nothing, it would not be affecting you." Vaera notes. "And, I think you are likely not completely correct. The fact that Skielstregar felt comfortable enough to let loose as he did says a lot. And he does not seem to not be enjoying himself."

And by the chomping of the man's jaws chowing down on the bacon, that fact is irrefutable.

-End Scene-