Aprons and Winds
Log Info
- Title: Aprons and Winds
- Emitter: Slixvah
- Place: Hayatiento Aerie
- Summary: Slixvah and her mother Jiranu are sharing a meal at Slix's medical tent. Reithak comes to say hello, and joins them, conversations swirling about Slix's reputation in the Aerie as well as the trials of the migration.
- Hayatiento Aerie, Residential Tunnels
It had been nearly a week since the Sliabhgeiko Aerie had moved in. The the worst of the travel injuries had become less and less, which opened up the floodgates for other issues: sprained ankles and wings, minor cuts and infections, and illness. So much illness. There had been a bug going around as of late.
And after healing a Sliabhgeiko egalrin, he told two people, and they told two people... and now a once ostracized witch has been... not accepted fully. But she's been getting a number of smaller cases that the medical wards don't have the resources for. Which is fine by her, but at present, her cyan tent is occupied. But not by a patient. Instead, the runt of an egalrin as a visitor.
"Hon, you've gotten so much betta' since ya left home!" a plump egalrin woman with rust red feathers and black stripes coos, pinching Slixvah's cheek with a hand as an arrangement of snacks is plated on the floor.
Slixvah giggles, lightly batting the hand. "Yeah, I have. And some of th' shtuff I've seen..."
Jiranu taps a spoon on a egalrin-friendly cup of tea. "... seen an dragon?"
"Not yet!"
They cackle.
Reithak never particularly stayed long at the aerie beforehand, but with the recent influx of ill and injured, people who had lost most of their things in a rockslide, it became more of a necessity for the inquisitor to stay close at hand. Her powers of healing were not particularly strong, but every little bit helped. More importantly, they had been busy with what help a tailor could provide, mending clothes and stitching blankets and pillows and other amenities which would make the stay for everyone just a little bit more comfortable.
Finished with their requests for the time being, The large egalrin decided to take some time off to wander down some of the tunnels, back to where Slixvah had set up her tent.
"Heya Slix! You seeing a patient at the moment, or can I stop on by?" They hum from out of sight near the tent, making their presence known before barging in.
The plump egalrin woman perks at hearing Slix's name out of someone else's mouth that isn't her own, her reaching over and pulling back side of the tent. "Ey! It's you! Wha'cha name 'gain- Reithak, right?" she coos warmly.
Slixvah perks, her leaning to the side to look around her mother before chuckling and waving Reithak in with a wing. "Heya Reirei. Come on in! You met m'mum?"
"'course we met!" Jiranu giggles heartily.
"That's my name, glad you remembered it!" The large egalrin laughs as she returns a wave back. "Course, I wouldn't blame you for forgetting, either. Awful lot of people and a lot going on that day, hope you're settling in alright."
"Yeah, we did! Showed her here when they all got here, but I didn't know she was your mom, just had a fairly good hunch." Reithak chuckles again as she enters the tent. "Was going to ask if you wanted to get something to eat with how hard you've been working, but looks like you already have that sorted."
Jiranu clicks her tongue once, her shifting around to give Reithak room to sit on a pillow. "Almost forgot! But Baby Slivvie and I spoke of ya ova dinner a couple times, had time ta lock in." She gives a little shrug, sipping on her tea. "Settlin' in alright. Kinda cramped, we's takin' up 'bout four houses in a row ta make room fo' everyone. Th' bois are gonna ask if it's aight ta knock some walls down ta open it up between them."
Slixvah snickers. "Kinda hard not tell," she motions to herself, grabbing a bundle of rust red feathers and then ruffling the same hue on her mother. "Well, eat wit' us then, hon!"
"Oh? Did my name come up more than once over dinner?" Reithak asks with one brow raised in Slixvah's direction as she takes the offered seat, crossing her legs over it. "Well, glad to hear you're doing okay at least, might have to get some stonemasons in to make sure it's safe to do that, but I think it'll be alright! It's your home as much as theirs now, and what's important is everyone's taken care of."
"Sure, I'd be happy to join you for a meal!" The large egalrin hums.
Slixvah rubs her neck. "Yuh. Mamaw was wonderin' who ya were, why you have a nickname, how long I've known ya. Just stickin' her beak in all my biz'."
Mamaw clasps her hands together, green eyes bright. "'cause I wanna kno' wha' m'baby's up ta! Especially with such cute /friends/," she stresses, meaning anything but the word.
The daughter's face fluffs up, her flailing at her mother. "Maaaaw, stoooop!"
Jiranu giggles, turning to face Reithak. "Jus' givin' her a hard time. Feel free ta take what ev's," she gestures to the plate: full of supplies given from Alexandria, bread and dried meats, along with a large pot of green tea. "So. Reitak, since ya ain't callin' my baby a rude nickname, and ya accent ain't Alexandrian bird, ya ain't from thi' Aerie?"
"Well, Slix gives a lot of nicknames, but yeah, I know her! Real glad I've gotten to, too." Reithak hums, pausing just to rub the back of her now very fluffy head as she reaches for some bread and meat. The inquisitor takes a big chomp as she listens, and she shakes her head once. "Wouldn't dream of it, even if I was from here, but you're right, I'm not from here. From the sky curtain range, not the redridges." She answers.
Slixvah chuckles, pouring out a cup out for Reithak as Jiranu rests her head on a propped up hand. "Good! Slivvie's a sweetie. Even if she's got a big head." Slix just shrugs in a 'can't help it' kind of way. But the mother's feathered brow shoots up. "Are ya now? Das were we jus' came from."
A little sigh leaves the mom. "M'glad ya don'. Slivvie does her best ta break th' stigmas, but it's hard ta shake some of these old birds. We Unmesi know betta, jus'... one day of several bad trade deals and weird magicks and, well, ya get that. They'll come 'round."
"Personally, I think Slix's a sweetie because she's got a big head. Well, that, and it seems she had a good role model to learn from." Reithak laughs as she accepts the cup of tea, stopping for a sip. The inquisitor nods once back. "Yeah, Slix told me about that, glad she did since it gave me time to prepare for everyone getting here." She answers. "Small aerie, real small, thankfully they weren't hit by any rock slides from whatever caused the one near where you are."
Another pause, another sip. "You would think with everything, us kin would realize how you shouldn't judge so quickly." Reithak sighs as well. "I think it's just a matter of time though, things are already turning around here, which I'm real happy to see."
Jiranu snorts at that, Slix playfully rolling her eyes. "Yep! She do be like that! I'm jus' glad her friends be sayin' nothin' but good 'bout her." The mother curiously watches Reithak. "Real small Aerie. Hmmm. I kno' a handful of teeny tiny ones back in my time flyin' 'round. Glad that mess didn't smite ya'll."
A sigh escapes them both, Jiranu leaning forward. "Hon," she starts softly. "You and I both kno' that th' Wind will say what it will. Lil' Slivvie had an oopsie, and th' Aerie got in a fuss over it. Just a lil' annoyin' it's stuck so hard. Bu', now, wit' thi' whole upheaval, methinks tha' Wind is gonna change."
Slixvah bobs her head. "Yeah. Been changin'. Had some folks come in for healin' for a while now. Word's gettin' 'round I can pretty much heal fo' free, as much as I can stay away, magically. Oh. By the by, thankies fo' makin' all tha' blankets and stuff fo' people. Apparently, a bad rainstorm messed up a lot of people on th' road, and they clothes were jus' what they had on 'em."
"It was terrible! My aprons, gone on the wind!" the mother feigns despair.
"Guess you were travelling around a lot when you were young, then? I bet you've got loads of stories to tell." Reithak hums."Next time I get a letter back from home, I'll have to ask if my ma met you before. Of course, there's always the chance it wasn't a spot you could stop when you were roaming, but that's a story for another time, I'd say."
"It'll take some time, but I hope it's not too much longer." Reithak shrugs. "Helping folk is a good start, now that they're willing to accept help. And don't mention it! I may not be from here, but an aerie is family, no matter where you go. We've gotta look out for each other. My only regret is that the clothes aren't up to my usual standards, I was focusing more on making sure people had clothes than what they looked like. Always time to tailor to fit better later, at least."
"Your aprons are all gone?" Reithak replies, meeting the mock despair with genuine concern. "Now, that won't do at all. You want me to make you some new ones? Have any patterns in particular you like?"
Jiranu bobs her head. "Yuh. Loads ta tell. Got fourteen runts and still got plenty more ta tell!" she coos happily. "Oh that'd be divine, Reithak. Might be a bit, I was roamin' 'bout a century ago. But- thankies regardless!"
Slixvah sips her tight, sighing lightly. "I /am/ considering just walking into th' medical ward and fixing everything," the runt of a witch conspires seriously, eyeing the ward next door. "Reputation be dammned, I ain't dive through portals to other planes and fell undead jus' ta get side-eyed fo' th' past near week."
The mother giggles, patting her daughter on the shoulder before nodding towards Reithak. "Honestly Reithak? Th' Commons here is a prett' good spot fo' better wear ta sell. Or at least barter. Sliabhgeiko are a stubborn bunch, so they wanna barter bad. It's hard ta take gifts- all that Khazad influence over centuries, ya kno'?"
But, the mother perks. Her throwing an arm around the inquisitor and baying. "Oh my aprons! So many pockets! So many flowers! The one I miss the most is a green one with the word 'Chicken Wing' on the front!"
Slixvah giggles.
"You know, as much as I know that would work well, can't force these things, Slix. Better to let them get to know you on their terms, right? It's been working well so far I'd say." Reithak notes, reaching to pat Slixvah on the head as well. "You're right, I'd like to make some more things for them in time, huh?" She chuckles. "Been a while since I had a tailoring business, didn't really plan to reopen one again for some time, but funny how things work out sometimes, right?"
Reithak is caught off guard by the arm, but she just laughs and hugs Jiranu back. "Oh don't worry, I'll make sure they've got pockets for every utensil you could flap a wing at, and they'll have flowers just as pretty as those on the mountainside." The inquisitor coos. "Tell you what, after we finish eating, I'll take your measurements and draft out some patterns, how's that sound?"
Slixvah's mildly heated decision is cooled off from the pat on her head, a long sigh escaping her. "... fiiiiine..."
"It is funny how that works out," Jiranu coos, swaying with Reithak some before pulling away and holding up a wagging finger. "Nope nope! Not utensils! Me's a healer and mender. Pockets fo' scissors and bandages, knives, and medicinal herbs. I'd love ta see what ya come up with tho! And tha's so kind of ya! I miss all my fancy pockets on my healin' apron. Tho, Papaw's more the cooker. He still has his apron," she enthuses before mildly grumbling good-naturedly. She perks. "Oh, that'd be right lovely, hon! We can do tha-"
Just then, the door to the ward opens, and a gaggle of various egalrin get ejected. "We got 'nuff folks in here! Come back tomorrow! It's jus' cuts and scrapes, we got broken bones in here! You can wait!" one of the healers says in annoyance, perhaps having been harassed for far too long to be seen.
There is a very, very awkward staredown from the group of about eight and Slixvah, raising a feathered brow and waggling her fingers in greeting before pointing up at her sign. 'Healing Services' it reads in Trade and Auran.
Mother Unmesi grins widely, her getting to her feet and offering a hand to Reithak. "'ows about now? Me thinks someone's about to be-" she raises her voice "-very busy fixin' all these people out of the kindness of their heart!"
The group shifts uncomfortably. One steps forward.
"Ah, a healing apron! Well, that's even more of a priority, make sure you can get back out there and help out even better!" The egalrin laughs. "I know just the thing, my dad's a herbalist, so I know a thing or two about how to get something right for that."
"Appreciate it, Slix." Reithak chuckles again. "Wouldn't do for them to not be happy with someone as wonderful as you, you know?"
The egalrin looks to the door of the tent. "Just like that. You know, that sounds like a great idea!" The inquisitor nods as she gets back to her feet. "I'd say Slix is rested up and ready to help more people. I'll clear out to let you work Slix." She adds aside to the witch. "She's great at what she does, so don't be shy!"
Jiranu helps Reithak up as Slixvah's visage floofs a bit from the compliment. "Now now, lets get outta here before Slivvie turns inta a fluff ball," Jiranu giggles.
Slixvah rolls her eyes, a wing swatting at her mother playfully before pushing things aside to make room. "Catch ya laters, thank ya fo' stoppin' by" she hums, eyeing the newcomers. "Oh come on, now, I ain't gonna bite! I have cookies!"
Another one steps forward.
And they'll tell two people...
-End scene-