The Great Marshes

(Oh, heh. Ofelia would be prone to doing something like totally forgetting something like that. We can work in a remembrance but it might just be easier to just go with what's already happening.)

"Ohh!" said Ofelia in joy at seeing the present. She wanted to grab and examine closer, but she realized she'd probably get slime on it in her excitement. She let Breida put it back in her pack for now. She held the elf close to her in an equivalent to a hug, as much as you can do to someone a fraction of your size. She was amazed at the things Breida could get her hands on some time. Normally Glowers ate Terra Elves frequently, but Ofelia figured that was more from the fact they happened to live so close to one another. She was starting to become fascinated by them and realized they'd make much nicer friends.

Simply put, moving anything long distances in Felarya was a hassle. The jungle doubled travel time and more than half of those times the merchants just ended up getting eaten. Then you needed to wait for reclamation... and few people dealt with predators anyways...

But the Terra Elves had much faster roads, all underground! They went all the way from Frost Peak in the East to the Sandfall Maze in the West to Jotunsberg in the North. The possibilities for exotic goods was amazing... She had heard they had beautiful silk garments in the desert and gorgeous dyed fur outfits in the north...

"Thank you so much!" she said happily. "You always get such wonderful things."

"So, Myrah." she said, turning thoughtfully. "Just what sort of things are out here that we can't get back in the forests?" She remembered something about ingredients. She herself did like to experiment with the whole cooking thing once in a while, but Myrah was beyond anyone she'd ever met.

After she shook the girl's hand, Cazaria pondered to herself for a moment as she watched Karian wonder off. From what she could tell, the neko was probably a mute, since she never said anything to her. She also noted that she was headed in the direction where everybody was huddling up, which started to worry her. It wasn't because of Myrah, though. She knew that she'd at least give the young neko a chance, and probably wouldn't even try and eat her anyway since she was only a kid. The slug girl on the other hand...

"Hey, hang on!" the fairy called out, flying in front of the girl again. "Listen, you seem to be a nice kid, but Felarya's filled with a bunch of nasty things that might try and gobble you up, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Thing is, I happen to be exploring this terrain myself, and I was thinking, since you're exploring this area as well, we could explore the area together while I protected you! No strings attached either! Making a new friend's good enough for me!" She smiled at the young neko, offering her hand to her. "So what do you say?" she asked.

Karian blinked in surprise as she loked at the fairy's hand, blinking a couple of times then looking in the direction she had been travelling in before, then she looked back a the fairy bit her botto lip, closed her eyes and took the fairy's hand in her own. Karian swallowed nervously as she closed her hand around the fairies.

“I’d love to meet her while she was awake,” Myrah said, smiling and lifting up her hand. “You should bring her to my lair sometimes, I’d make up a special dinner for you and her. Not to mention that I have a few little ones of my own now, some of them are close to her age. They’d be delighted to meet her I think.” She straightened, and glanced toward Ofelia. “I’m mostly out here for the herbs and such. Many plants that grow here can’t be found anywhere else in felarya. Already I’ve found a nice variety of potential seasonings and spices to experiment with. But I’ve heard of even more exotic places, with equally exotic life and food. There’s a place I’ve heard of called the sunken forest set in a massive pit. And a forest made of gigantic mushrooms. I’ve always wanted to make a mushroom stew from some of the samples I’ve tried from there.”

Meanwhile, Breida neatly folded up the silk gown and put it back into her pack for now. The moment she did so, she found herself suddenly squished against Ofelia’s chest in a giant, slimy slug girl hug. She blinked a few times as her head was pressed against Ofelia’s skin, but just smiled and spread her arms wide to return the hug as much as a tiny elf could, resolving to wash her hair of the slime once she found a clean source of water. “I’m glad you like it Ofelia, maybe I could show you what it looks like on a terra elf later.” Breida said, after the hug. She was getting thoroughly slimed, but she didn’t care. She felt much safer in Ofelia’s hand, then alone on the ground with a fairy and a dridder hovering around nearby, even if they didn’t seem particularly hostile.

"Aw, don't be like that. I'm not going to eat you if that's what you're worried about." she said with a smile, letting go of Karian's hand and grabbing the middle of it with her finger and thumb. The young neko's body started to glow as the fairy activated her magic, shrinking her down until she was only a couple of inches tall, her hand in the firm, gentle grip of Cazaria's thumb and finger.

"Alright then, first order of business is getting that mud off your pants. Now I might freak you out with this, but just stay calm and still, okay?" With that, Cazaria opened her mouth, lowering Karian inside and closing her lips around the neko's middle. She then started to slosh her saliva around to get the mud off of Karian's pants, using her tongue to scrub them clean. Once she was done, she started to pull Karian out, sucking to make sure she got any excess saliva off of the neko's legs. She placed Karian in her hand as she spat out the muddy saliva, growing to predator size as she grew Karian to her normal size.

"Well, we should head back to the group I'm with." Cazaria said with a smile, fluttering back to the group as she held the neko girl in her hand. "So, do you have a name?" she asked, using her finger to gently scratch behind Karian's ear.

"I'd love to see what you look like wearing it. But be careful with all the mud in this swamp." replied Ofelia, despite the fact she was getting her own slime on Breida.

"Giant Mushrooms, huh?" asked Ofelia. She licked her lips. She didn't often find mushrooms, but she did find them quite tasty. She couldn't imagine what the giant variety tasted like. At the very least, there would be more than enough to go around!

"Well, alright, let's get going!" she said excitedly. She then paused. "Hmm. Does anyone know which direction we point ourselves in specifically? I've heard some spooky things about the middle parts of this place."

Ue stopped as she looked over to see a giant dridder and a fairy far from the waters edge. Instead of yelling really loud for her, she decided to drift up to the bank near the reeds and hum a tune that might be recognized as familiar to Myrah, luckily her mermaid voice can reach a pretty long distance.

(you dont mind if I just assume there's water nearby right?)

Karian nodded looking up to the fairy's face as she sat on the huge hand, she turned around so that she lay down on her front looking over the edes of Cazaria's hand, looking down at the ground below with curiosity on her face. she smiled kicking her feet happily against the fairy's handas she looked down at the ground and then turned toface where she was being carried to, Karian used a hand t keep the goggles on her head.

“Um, now that, I’m not exactly sure to be honest,” Myrah said a bit sheepishly, looking to the side and rubbing the back of her neck. “I’ve just been wandering randomly actually. But I do know a few things about it. The fog there has an orange tint to it from all the spores floating about. And it smells funny. But the mushrooms there are massive. Just one would feed all of us for weeks. Anyway, even if I can tell when we get close, the most I can do now is pick a random direction and start in that way. But don’t worry about anything scary. Between us, we could handle anything that comes our way.”

“And me too. I’m not so helpless,” Breida said, lounging in Ofelia’s hand. “Ofelia will tell you I take some catching. Plus I know how to use a rifle. Anyway, if we need a direction, I think I can help you. Here,” Getting her pack again, Ofelia pulled out a map from it. As was expected from a terra elf, the map outlined underground tunnels, caves, and cavern networks. “Lets see…we’re here, I believe. Right above this tunnel. The tunnels over in this direction are noted to have a more orange tint in the air. That might be our goal. In a north, northwest direction.” She rolled up the map again and put it back into her pack, somehow keeping it from getting slimed as well. “Ofelia, can you swim though? There’s a good deal of water in the way. Not too deep though, at least by your scale.”

((Bael, they’re in a marsh. There’s all the water you need, if rather shallow))

Cazaria was about to say something to the others as she approached them before she heard the Ue's humming, turning her head to see the river mermaid. The fairy smiled as she started to fly over to where the mermaid was, being careful not to drop her new friend as she did so, looking forward to meeting someone new.

"Well, the wetness won't bother me." replied Ofelia. "And I'll be quite fine in shallow water. All of us though will have to watch out for sinkholes and such. Myrah's at least a bit safer with all those nimble legs."

She started to move in the direction Breida had indicated.

"Myrah's also quite a bit faster than me." she sighed. Her type moved a bit faster than the regular slug girls, but she didn't have quite as much stamina. She rarely had the need to get someplace quickly.

As she set off, she spied Cazaria a little ways away.

"Tch. There's that fairy again. I wonder what she's up too?"

Ofelia paused, the humming quickly distracting her from the fairy.

((no i meant more like rivers and such))

Ue stops singing and notices they're further from her sight. apparently all she did was entertain herself. realizing this she decided to do her best to catch up, and started swimming in the deepest areas she could find to catch up with them. She much preferred the water.

"Myrah!" she called out as she swam toward her. She tried to control her voice as to not attract any major creatures in the area.

Karian blinked looking up at Cazaria biefly before going back to laying on the fairys hand a smile on her face as she looked down at Ue giving her a pleasent wave before she disapeard Karian sat up shrugging slightly a smile still on her face.

“Mind, I don’t actually know where I’m going, so follow at your own risk,” Myrah said, wading through the water. She paused though, upon hearing the sound of Ue calling out toward her. She turend to look in her direction, and smiled upon seeing her. “You too Ue? I didn’t expect to see anyone I knew here, but it’s great to have some friends with me!” She said, waving to the mermaid. She turned to look down at Codda before going on her way. “How about you Codda? Want to come? I’ll give you a lift if you want.”

“That’s three other predators now…” Breida murmured while in Ofelia’s grasp. Sighing, she rested her head against Ofelia’s thumb, regardless of the slime. She didn’t care at this point. “First the fairy and the dridder, and now a mermaid too. I just know I’m gonna get eaten as an appetizer by one of them. Don’t let that happen, okay Ofelia?”

Playfully Ue decided not to tell anyone that she only eats other fish, nor that she was raised by meiramines. She smiles and waves back at Myrah gently.

"I was singing out earlier hoping to catch your attention but instead I only entertained myself. It's nice to see you, I thought I'd come exploring around this area for future habitations, and a better knowledge."

Ue's exploration sense wasn't rash though. She knows dangers, hates fighting when she can avoid it, and can often be quite diplomatic with her singing voice. Being a natural predator helps, but she knows it's not a guarantee of safety.

The mermaid looks down with a neutral-welcoming face at the others.

(Sorry guys... laptop got a nasty virus so im reduced to a really crappy desktop...)

Codda replied to Myrah's offer for him to come around her lair once and a while with a soft nod, seeing as everyone around him was making there way somewhere, he thought he would tag along, walking by before he heard Myrah talking to him again. "Oh its alright, ive been walking for god knows how lon, and my home is in the direction you are heading anyways..." he replied as he caught up with them, sticking a little closer to Myrah then the others. and keeping a fair distance from the Mermaid even though Myrah seemed to know her. Katia making a few soft sounds as he walked.

"Oi, Good thing Im used to being one of the smaller people in a group, Katia actually likes larger people, takes after her mother..." he joked as he walked, knowing it wouldn't be too long after she woke up.

(OOC: Mind if I join in the fun? I've got a new character to try out, and is somewhat different from my usual ones)

(I don't mind if you join. Don't think the others'll mind either. They'll have to speak for themselves, though.)

Soon, Cazaria had approached the fairy, keeping her customary grin as she tapped the mermaid on the shoulder, saying, "Well, hello there! It's always nice to meet someone new! Well, someone new who doesn't try to eat you, anyway." Cazaria offered her hand to shake, continuing with, "The name's Cazaria! This neko I have here's...well, I don't actually know her name yet. I think she's a mute. Just don't eat her, okay? I wouldn't be a very good friend if I let someone gobble her up."

(I dont mind, and Ue's kind of big, I cant remember if I stated this already ^^

Ue looked behind her kindly at cazeria as she spoke to her. Her tail was flowy even in the incredibly shallow marsh rivers.

"Nice to meet you too~" She said lightly.
"Hey dont be too relaxed though, you never know what I'll do." The mermaid playfully winked at cazeria, keeping up with the playfullness typical mermaid-esque tone that they tend to sport quite often.

(Um...you are aware that Cazaria's currently pred-sized, aren't you? I thought that her tapping the mermaid on the shoulder and offering her hand to shake would've made that obvious.)

(oh I thought someone else was coming up to her from the front @.@ misread i guess)

A rustling sound could be heard coming from south,heavy breathing, almost panting sound, and some very slight sobbing sounds.

A large, very large male naga was slipping bitween the trees at very high speed. He never saw the group, and they more than likely would not have seen him if not for the bright blue scales he had on his tail. He seemed to be moving at a paniced pace a few hundred yards to their offside.

Ofelia held Breida up, her cherubic face smiling.

"Oh, don't worry, I won't let any of these people eat you. Myrah wouldn't hurt you at all and the mermaid seems nice enough."

She lowered her voice slightly.

"I don't trust the fairy not to try, but you can just stay close. I won't be tricked twice by the same fairy."

"So, Ue." said Ofelia, towards Myrah's friend. "Do you live around here? Do you have an idea of the surroundings?"

Ue looked from cazeria's eyes to ofelia and then answered "no I just decided explore a little bit. my home for the past couple decades have been the myriad and jewel river. there's many delicous creatures in the water" she smiled warmly as she said this.

"I second that." Coda commented from where he was standing. "One of the most common things i eat is fish, just get a net and dive in, recently though I've had to resort to more human style fishing because im always carrying my little girl around." he said not realizing his tail was wagging until he looked back and stopped.

"So where are we going again? I lost track..."