Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

"Protection? No," Falia outright dismissed, though her expression was gentle. "you may choose either food for two days, or the clothing and enough food for a single meal," Falia explained. "As lovely as your daughters are, Enhuvin, I prefer not to bring too much by way of outside influence to my Burrows."

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

He nodded, looking to his feet. He had definitely overstepped his bounds, and was silent for a moment, considering both options as quickly as he thought he could.

Now, food for two days was more practical, but he really wanted to wow Agape, prove to him out-and-out that doubting Enhuvin's usefulness had been a hands-down mistake. He wasn't really sure, though, if he was trying to impress the man or get some sort of sneaky revenge... either way.

So when he looked up at Falia again, he had decided. "If I could get the clothing, and the meal's rations, Mistress, that would be perfect," he asked humbly, to make up for his earlier boldness.

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

Falia didn't seem to mind his attitude, either way, though she briefly explained, "you'll return where you came from, your requests will be nearby." She smirked a touch. "Try not to get the suit dirty, Enhuvin." With that, she reached a hand out to touch his shoulder and suddenly --

Chaos again! Enhuvin found himself standing knee-deep in people, though granted there was a little more room to move around, and his food and clothing (neatly folded) hadn't been deposited on soiled ground. If anything, the Fire Cavern was brighter and noisier than before!

 

[Kattunge]

Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

The sudden change did send him reeling momentarily, confused and understandably thrown by the sudden change -- but as he recognized his surroundings he took a deep breath, calming himself and taking stock.

He was still buck-naked; that would be fixed first, as he was planning not to get waylaid on his way back to the Air Cavern this time! He grabbed the clothes that she had thankfully sent back with him and pulled them on; his old clothes, taken off for the romps he'd begat offspring from... how long ago was that? Hours, or days? In any case, that done (being careful of the mass of busy and messy bodies all around), he gathered up the prizes Falia had sent him back with and looked about, found the door -- headed that direction, intent on making it back to the air cave, marching to Agape's cavern and presenting his haul and gaining a proper home base!

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

It was difficult getting out of the Fire Cavern as, for all everything was just about the same as when he'd come in, there were more people, more noises, and more partying going on in general.

Luckily, he managed to avoid anyone spilling anything on said prizes, and once he was out into the cool air of the main passageway, things began to get much easier.

Out here, the torches were glowing at daylight hours... which would make sense, given he felt as though he had a full night's rest.

Reaching the Air Cavern, he noticed that it was much busier here, too: though they weren't partying, persay, most of the people here were wearing gaudy costumes, displaying plumage to make a peacock weep. It was hard to tell if he recognized anybody, given that most were dressed up, practicing with their voices or bodies.

 

[Kattunge]

Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

On the way back to the Air Cavern Enhuvin remembered the meeting he had supposed to have had with Mehuia in the morning. Frowning, he concluded that it was probably too late now -- the torches seemed to imply that it was later in the day than morning... if it was even the same day he'd agreed to meet her. He hoped that she hadn't been too disappointed. He'd make it up to her later.

Holding his haul carefully, he watched the folks in costumes as he passed, and glimpsed many a practiced performance. It was intriguing, the zeal that seemed to go into all this competition business. People seemed truly to care whether or not they won or lost or whatever. He looked up and across the great cavern to where Agape's cabin lay. Maybe if the man seemed friendlier this time, Enhuvin would ask about the competition.

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

Distracted by his thoughts, Enhuvin never the less spotted someone in ethereal garb lean out from the dance he was passing, her hands coming up to grab him. "Enhuvin!" He turned in time to see Mehuia's costumed face gaping up at him, half in surprise and half in delight. "Where've you been?"

 

[Kattunge]

Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

"Mehuia!" She had given him a bit of a start, and he jolted to a stop, a beaming grin breaking across his face. He looked her over, taking in her costume. "You look good," he told her, before holding up his small bundle by way of explanation. "I've been to see Mistress Falia," he told her, unable to keep from sounding a touch smug!

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

"Thanks!" she preened (literally), bringing a fold of light-weight cloth up and twisting it around her fingers. "Enhuvin," she began, not really wanting to wash the smug look off of him, "the festival starts in two days, Falia must have kept you for a while!" She cast a look at the folded clothing in her hands, realizing what it meant that Enhuvin had returned in time at all. Beaming up at him, she added, "Agape's on the island... can I come along?"

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

"Oh, absolutely," he told her, glad for her company. He started up again once she seemed ready to go, though his course changed to aim for the island he thought she'd meant.

However, now he looked kind of thoughtful, and cast her a glance as they walked. "Two days? Really? She kept me for a while, then." He looked at his haul, and then added, "is that unusual? It seems weird that she'd keep men for a couple of days, too. Does that happen often?"

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

"Not that often," Mehuia replied, looking a little worried once she'd removed her mask. Her pale skin was a little sweaty, and rings of colour marked her eyes and chin where her mask didn't naturally cover. "Maybe she needed some extra time with you?"

The island wasn't too far of a walk. Crossing over the bridge, near the spot of water they'd last parted at, the moved over to the 'forest' -- each tree was gaudily hung with strings of lanterns, the air smelled fresh with green life. Mehuia began to veer Enhuvin away from the cabin, around the back. "Agape's probably not inside, I can't imagine he'd want to be cooped up with the festival so close!"

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

"Huh." To that conjecture, Enhuvin had nothing he could say. Really, what would it mean that the Mistress of this cavern kept him longer than usual? He'd been unconscious, he'd hardly know. He found himself wishing he'd taken more stock of his physical condition when he'd awoke... what if she'd had something done to him?

He shook his head, forestalling such thoughts. Anyways, there were more interesting things about right now. He took a deep breath, marveling at the scent of green things. "Yeah, I can imagine why," he agreed, grinning at Mehuia as they made their way around the cabin, "It's just so unbelievably nice out here!" He felt his spirits rise again.

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

As they made their way around the cabin, Enhuvin found the ground sloped more sharply. From here he could see that a path had been carved into the grasses, and that a single figure was perched at the end of a short dock. The man's build matched Agape's, even if his back was turned to the two of them.

"Look who I found!" Mehuia ruined the relative quiet, calling out to the man as they grew closer. "Agape, Enhuvin's back!"

"Who?" the patron, jolted from his reverie -- or rather, from his book, as he set it down on the wooden plank when he turned to them -- looked the human over. "Oh, right." Was it Enhuvin's imagination or was his voice dryer than it had been a moment before? "So you did decide to come back," Agape addressed Enhuvin directly, walking a few steps off of the dock, onto solid ground.

 

[Kattunge]

Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

And how thrilled Agape sounded about it, too! Enhuvin bit his lip (well, maybe not literally) against the kind of playful retort he might make against someone he was more familiar with. "Yessir, I did," he told the elemental man instead, with a grin much friendlier than Agape's cool attitude really deserved. "I do like it here." And the more he saw the more he liked it, but he wasn't going to go on about that, considering how little Agape seemed to want to hear from the human man! "And I come with bounty from Mistress Falia," he went on, indicating the bundle he held... though, he thought with an inward sigh, the effect he'd wanted was significantly lessened since to Agate, this wasn't Enhuvin's second day here. Damn that long stay in Falia's care! "A modest offering to be added to the cavern's food stores," modest it really was, one meal's-worth of food, "and something that, with some advice from your cave residents, I thought you might enjoy for your own self." He gave a small bow and offered the pair of bundles to the skinny patron.

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

Taking the offerings, Agape's lips pinched thin as he inspected the suit. He unfolded it, looked it over both back and front, brought it close to inspect the stitching and the patterns artfully woven therein... and when he took his eyes off of the garment (garments, really -- it was a full suit) he cast Enhuvin a look even more frosty than the last. "You thought I might 'enjoy' this?" he asked, chin tilting up as he looked down his nose at the human.

 

[Kattunge]

Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

Oh... Enhuvin felt a flush of annoyance. If the effort he put in to get the damn thing had gone to waste because of bad advice from other Air Cave residents... well, what the hell. There were other places to live, and sweet as Mehuia was, Enhuvin was starting to think that it wasn't worth the trouble to bow and scrape to this picky creature. He gave a small shrug, held it for a moment before his shoulders dropped again. "I asked around. Perhaps I was misled, but someone mentioned you liked things that are in fashion outside of the Burrows, so that's what I asked Mistress Falia for. If it's not to your tastes," he went on, "I'm sure it's still effective barter elsewhere."

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

Agape held the clothing a little closer, his frosty expression cracking. "Please," he sniffed, "that isn't necessary." He folded the garments over his forearm and extended his hand to the human. "You may feel at home in the Air Cavern, I suppose." His grin, perhaps knife-blade thin, wasn't quite so disapproving as Enhuvin might have thought it otherwise.

Mehuvia grinned and gave a noise of glee. "Oh, I knew it."

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

Enhuvin cracked a grin of his own, letting his annoyance drain away again. He took the extended hand and shook it, saying to Agape, "that's good enough for me. Thank you."

 

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Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

Agape released Enhuvin's grip after a tight squeeze, casting a dour glance at Mehuia, who simply grinned brazenly. "You knew?" asked he, "you knew?" he rephrased.

Mehuia blew a kiss at him.

Agape blinked slowly at her, then plucked at the cloth of the new suit. "Why aren't you practicing for the day after tomorrow?"

"I know my part perfectly. I could do it in my sleep," the air elemental shot back, "I have done it in my sleep. Can I please welcome this man properly for completing your silly quest, or are you going to make me do something awfully convoluted?" She looked like she wanted to finish that sentence off with something lewd, but Agape's direct stare caused her to hold her tongue. Instead she waggled her brows at him.

The hybrid, mouth twisting in a grimace, replied, "so long as you don't wind up on your back for the entire festival. You're my center-piece, remember."

Mehuia made a face. "I'll put you on your back the next time I see you. Let's go, Enhuvin," she tugged on his arm, eager to leave Agape. Then she had a thought. Turning back to the hybrid, she grinned. "You're not using your cabin, may I?" Maybe she just liked making the both of them feel awkward, the rat.

Agape scoffed. "Remind me to take you down a notch or two once this festival is over, you obviously don't know your place."

"No, see, I know my place well..." she glanced at Enhuvin, realizing that they'd been bantering without letting the human get a word in edge-wise. "Oh, alright, we'll go use the nooks. Aska take you and your rank, Agape," she stuck her tongue out at him good-naturedly.

 

[Kattunge]

Re: Enhuvin's Thread (Kattunge)

Hooonestly, Enhuvin hadn't minded being left out of the banter, hardly comfortable enough around Agape to take part, even with the notably diminished amount of hostility that the patron was now extruding. Or not extruding anymore. Whatever. It was enough that Agape had given the go-ahead for (how frustrating to even require a go-ahead! Huh!) Enhuvin and Mehuia go to romp together... that cheered him enough by itself.

He grinned at the pretty elemental (okay, the pretty female elemental) when she mentioned the nooks; oh yeah! That was the way to go. The mention of departing to Agape's cabin had made him cringe to himself. She was a minx!