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Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)


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Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

The girl's expression turns wary. "My name's Jeanette, and this village is called Olerin. No offence, Gabrielle, but we'd rather outsiders didn't know too much about us. You're welcome to stay for the night, of course."
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

"No offense taken, Jeanette. I don't want to be a bother."

The priestess took her first steps into the otterkin village. Putting on as warm a smile as she could she moved closer to Jeanette.

"If you don't want me to know much about you, then that is fine. Perhaps instead I could tell you about myself and my lands instead? Ah... but I get ahead of myself. You're kind to invite me to stay the night, but you seem a bit young to have authority here. Won't those in charge of your village be concerned about me being here?"
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

One of the other children dashes to take Gabrielle's hand and tugs at it towards the docks. "This way. Grampa Haman will want to talk with you." Jeanette seems disgruntled, but she steps out of the way.
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

"Oh, okay," Gabrielle let herself be swayed towards the docks by the new otter child. She waved a temporary farewell to Jeannette before being led hand in hand by the newcomer. She scanned around the village, trying to get a sense of her bearings and how intrigued or anxious the other villagers were upon seeing her. Did they get many visitors? How did they keep themselves very secret? She wondered if she might be in some sort of trouble. Gabrielle resolved to play up her current alias and stick to being non-harmful. She wanted to gain these villager's trust, such was the will of Mother Hydra.
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

There doesn't seem to be many adults in the village - the almost empty docks testify that most of them are likely fishing off the shore. Most of the remaining people seem to be aging, and each of them looks at her curiously but briefly before getting on with their chores, most of which seem to involve nets or boats. 'Grampa Haman' turns out to be a bearded otterman whose fur looks downright pitiful. His wary gaze quickly meets Gabrielle's. "And who might you be, young human?" There's an unmistakable hint of resentment in his voice as he lays down the net he seems to have been repairing, turning his full attention to Gabrielle.
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

"My name is Gabrielle, and I'm an assistant to a group of scholars from my lands to the west. I've been wandering these woods on behalf of my masters. I..." she paused, noting his resentful look. "I hope I'm not troubling you. Do you not see humans often?"
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

Haman spits on the ground. "Too often, if you ask me. Why are you here?" The children seem to scatter, though a few of them stay close by to listen.
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

Gabrielle tried to not look at the spittle on the ground, nor let the crude act unsettle her, however rustic and uncouth she found it.

"I'm a scholar. I work for a group of learned folk who are curious about these lands, these woods, and the people in them. My aim is completely not invasive. I just keep to myself and my notes, that's all. The last thing I'd want would be to make you feel as if I were a bother. Though, from what you and Jeanette have said so far, it seems you're not fond of humans. Is that right? If you don't mind me asking, is there a bad history between you and the humans near here?"
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

The bearded old-timer grunts. "What group of scholars? And if you're a scholar, where are all your books and notes? The humans around here aren't too friendly towards us, and we're glad to return the favor."
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

"I'm not the sort to lug heavy and expensive tomes around with me, Mister Haman, sir." She tapped her slender, typically feminine biceps. They were the sort of arms that could lift a decent amount if pressed, but were not made for many hours of continued labor. She had grown up in a castle as a lady-in-waiting after all. Tapping her head, she continued.

"Most of what I need is in here. I'm good at memory. But... I'm sorry to hear about the local populace harassing you. I can't imagine why they would."
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

"Couldn't afford a pack-animal or an assistant, eh? Some strange scholar you must be." The old man still seems suspicious, though less so. From the corner of her eye Gabrielle notices one of the boats arriving to the docks, slightly increasing the smell of fish pervading the air.
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

Gabrielle let herself laugh.

"Pack animals and assistants require money, and I've only just begun my own trial to prove my worth to my patrons. They were kind enough to provide me food and lodging and tutelage for as long as they did, but asking them to provide me with unnecessary mouths to feed and beasts to carry a load I could easily carry myself?"

She hefted her pack for emphasis, showing that indeed she could handle it.

"I suppose I could have convinced them to do so if I were the greedy sort." She shrugged and then looked to the shore where the boat was sailing in, bringing the scent of freshly caught fish with it.

"Looks like today's catch is in," she nodded towards the boat, leaving the suspicious old otter to either continue his grilling of the stranger or to relent for the time being.
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

The old man grunts. "Jeanette! Show Gabrielle where she can leave her things and sleep. The new storage house will do. And keep her company, since you don't seem to have better things to do." Jeanette perks up obediently, offering to show Gabrielle where she can sleep while the adults in the boat start unloading the fish and Hamas picks up the net, starting to repair it again.
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

Pleased that she seemed to have successfully dodged Hamas' suspicion for the time being, Gabrielle let Jeanette lead her off to the storage house.

"I'm guessing Hamas is a nice sort once you get to know him," she said to Jeanette after they fell out of earshot. "But maybe that's not possible for humans. Did something bad happen between your folk and the humans in this area?"
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

"Nothing serious," Jeanette answers evasively, "we just compete for the same fishing waters, that's all." The new storage house turns out to be located near the palisade at the western end of the village. There are sacks piled at one wall, crates at another and various clutter at the third along with a few barrels near the doorway, but the one-room building seems to be dry and surprisingly clean, and there's enough space for a bedroll in the middle.
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

"I see," Gabrielle said, then fell quiet, not wanting to prod for information too eagerly from the youth. Especially since learning about the otterkin's troubles was not her real goal. Earning trust with them was, or at the very least, one of them.

"Thanks Jeanette. This looks fine." She knelt down and put her bedroll out. Then she turned to the ottergirl. "You know, I met with one of the reptilian kindred along the way through the forest. Do your folk regularly trade with them?"
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

As Gabrielle turns around, she thinks she sees one of the barrel-lids move. Jeanette nods as an answer to Gabrielle's question. "They're just about the only ones we trade with. They give us grain and iron in exchange for fish and...other goods."
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

Gabrielle stretched her arms and got up, then put them behind her back to stretch them more, plus the small of her back. This method had the side effect of pushing her chest forward. When done with this, she shook her head side to side, loosening her neck from a day of travel.

"Mmmm, that feels better." She said to herself, then bent down to stretch her legs out. As she did, she took note of how Jeanette seemed to stop herself at the end of the sentence.

"Other goods, huh?" She smirked. "You really do know how to tug at my curiosity. Still I'm not going to pry. For now I'm more interested in how barrels move on their own."

Just as she said this she went upright, marched over to the barrel she'd spotted, and looked behind it. If she saw nothing, she'd take the lid off.
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

The barrel seems half-full of thick, green liquid. As Gabrielle stares, a tendril reaches out from the liquid and swipes her cheek. Then the liquid changes shape. First head, then beautifully sculpted arms and upper body form from the liquid. "Hello." The slimegirl stares at Gabrielle curiously. "It's been a long while since I saw a human, but he certainly didn't taste like you do."
 
Re: Chasing Tails(blueslime/Gabrielle)

Gabrielle's eyes widened as the tendril reached up and licked her face, leaving a long streak of greenish, translucent goop along he jawline.

She stepped back, letting the lid clutter on the ground next to her feet. "Je-Jeanette?! What is this?"

Comporting herself as best she could in light of the sentient being's question, she drew herself up and answered.

"Do you... do you eat humans?" she asked, again her eyes searching to the side to see what Jeanette was doing.
 
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