The problem with Numa

Kyrii couldn't see what was threatening her. She figured listening would be wise.

"Um.....It's all right I won't hurt you. I just wanted to know if you've seen anyone attacking a harpy? The harpy has pretty blue feather's."

Kyrii hated the Idea of being threatened by anything that calles her predator. That usually meant they were food and food dosen't make threat's. She figured they were humans because of their speech.

"I heard there were a few fight's in the area so I figured I'd find human's not too far away."

The speaker shut off for a moment. Below the roots of one tree, a hasty discussion in tense whispers could be heard. Soon the whispers escalated to raised voices, to outright shouting, debating and arguing what they should tell Kyrii, if anything.

From the foliage behind Kyrii, a helmeted and armed human came running at a panicked speed from the direction from the river. He looking behind himself over one shoulder, as if fearing pursuit. With a comical thump, he ran into the back of Kyrii’s foot and fell to the ground. Sitting up and rubbing his head, he looked at what he ran into. His jaw dropped.

The argument under the roots abruptly stopped, and there was a collective gasp from the humans.

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“Oh, come now! I’ll be fine,” Larenei protested, trying halfheartedly to waive Numa off. Privately, she rather enjoyed the attention, though she wouldn’t say it. “Besides, Trav is watching.” Over at the fire, Trav chuckled to himself.

“Aye, and when yeh did the same to me, yeh cared not who watched,” Trav said, starting to cook some of the meat from the fish Numa had caught. “She jus’ be tryin’ to ‘elp yeh the only way she knows.”

Tuc135 wrote:

“Oh, come now! I’ll be fine,” Larenei protested, trying halfheartedly to waive Numa off. Privately, she rather enjoyed the attention, though she wouldn’t say it. “Besides, Trav is watching.” Over at the fire, Trav chuckled to himself.

“Aye, and when yeh did the same to me, yeh cared not who watched,” Trav said, starting to cook some of the meat from the fish Numa had caught. “She jus’ be tryin’ to ‘elp yeh the only way she knows.”

Nua smiled and cotinued to tend to Lareni's injuries.

Kyrii looked at the person who'd just hit her foot. She resisted the urge to simply eat him. Fear being an obvious reaction she tried to calm the situation. They had already threatened her and she didn't wan't to chance fighting an unknown number of human's. She knew full well how dagerous humans can be.

"You alright?"

The human simply stared at Kyrii in shock for several moments. Finally, the man seemed to come to his senses, and quickly scrambled off and dove under one of the tree’s roots. Though little change could be seen, the tense atmosphere abated, and the humans relaxed. Underneath the roots, the debate resumed, albeit in more moderate and reasonable tones. After a moment, the speaker came on again.

“Thank you for sparing him,” The human said over the speaker again. “We encountered the harpy you mentioned earlier. Surprisingly, she didn’t attempt to consume any of us. She was in good health when we last saw her. We heard the sounds of a battle earlier today, but did not know she was involved.”

“If you’re trying to find who attacked her, she did mention to us that she thought she was being pursued. Fearing that there would be other hostile predators in the area, we left a remote camera there to see if there was anyone following her. We observed a group of four nagas passing through that area some time later.”

”That’s all we can tell you about that incident,” the man over the speaker finished. “Our scouts reported that they spotted that group of nagas withdrawing to the west. It looked like they had gotten the worse end of a couple of fights. They had two different types of wounds on them, and one of them had to be carried by the others.”

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After a moment, Larenei stopped protesting and decided to simply enjoy the attention and care she was getting.

“Is this what you feel like when I dote on you, Trav?” Larenei asked idly, as she started preening her feathers.

“Aye, somethin’ like that,” Trav said, cooking some fish over the fire.

“Well, it is rather relaxing…aw nuts, those will take a while to grow back,” Larenei complained as a few of her wing feathers came off her wing. She picked them up, and shrugged. “Well, they can still be some good. Maybe a bit of blue would look good with the violet.” Larenei said, threading the iridescent blue feathers into Numa’s hair.

“Say, Larenei, if yeh be recovered enough, mayhap yeh could tell us what ‘appened?” Trav suggested, getting some more fish to roast over the fire. Larenei sighed.

“I didn’t see them, they jumped me from behind. There was three of them, I think,” Larenei said, shrugging.

“But why would they attack yeh?” Trav asked.

“I don’t know, but they took something,” Larenei said. “Could we not talk about this now? I’d rather not spoil the moment, Trav. I doubt they’d bother us, not with Numa here.”

“As yeh wish,” Trav said, seasoning some fish.

Tuc135 wrote:

After a moment, Larenei stopped protesting and decided to simply enjoy the attention and care she was getting.

“Is this what you feel like when I dote on you, Trav?” Larenei asked idly, as she started preening her feathers.

“Aye, somethin’ like that,” Trav said, cooking some fish over the fire.

“Well, it is rather relaxing…aw nuts, those will take a while to grow back,” Larenei complained as a few of her wing feathers came off her wing. She picked them up, and shrugged. “Well, they can still be some good. Maybe a bit of blue would look good with the violet.” Larenei said, threading the iridescent blue feathers into Numa’s hair.

“Say, Larenei, if yeh be recovered enough, mayhap yeh could tell us what ‘appened?” Trav suggested, getting some more fish to roast over the fire. Larenei sighed.

“I didn’t see them, they jumped me from behind. There was three of them, I think,” Larenei said, shrugging.

“But why would they attack yeh?” Trav asked.

“I don’t know, but they took something,” Larenei said. “Could we not talk about this now? I’d rather not spoil the moment, Trav. I doubt they’d bother us, not with Numa here.”

“As yeh wish,” Trav said, seasoning some fish.

Numa stopped and looked up at what Lareni was doing. She gave out a curious growl.

'Thank you. I'm glad we setteled this peacefully."

Kyrii's stomach let out a gurgle. she blushe'd but still not willing to fight the unidetified human's she continued toward's the east. It was after all the only direction she hadn't really checked.

"I didn't eat enough fish!"

She grumbled all the way....

(((Sorry, I'm getting a writer's block. I'm trying to think of what to do next.)))

Tuc135 wrote:

(((Sorry, I'm getting a writer's block. I'm trying to think of what to do next.)))

(OOC)
*Pantomine Drama Voice* Not the dreaded writers block!

The group of dridder’s rested in the web suspended among the towering trees. They talked amiably with one another as they recuperated from a fight. Suspended up in the trees as they were, they didn’t notice Kyrii approaching their web from the ground.

“Those nagas are getting bolder,” One commented, stretching out her arms and eight legs.

“I wonder what they were doing this far south, though,” Another mused, laying down to rest.

“I heard that they were looking for something,” A third said. “Some sort of magical thingamajig.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter now, they won’t be coming back anytime soon,” The first one said, smirking.

“I don’t know. They aren’t the type to…hold on, someone’s coming,” The second one said, shushing the others. She skittered to the edge of the web and looked over.

“Well, is it a naga?” One asked.

“No, it’s a big cat-lady,” The second one said.

“Snack time then,” another said.

“Far to big for that I’m afraid. She’s as big as us,” The second one replied.

“What? Can they get that big?” The others said, joining the one at the edge of the web.

“I’ll be a cricket’s aunt. I never knew they got that big.”

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“Aww, now look what you did Trav,” Larenei said when Numa stopped. She flipped a wing tip at Trav, knocking off his straw hat. Before it could get away from him, Trav quickly snatched it out of the air and put it back on.

“Do be serious, Larenei, yeh was on death’s doorstop when we found yeh,” Trav said, still cooking the fish. The stack of prepared fish was starting to get rather large. “I’m tryin’ to find out if yeh attackers plan on returnin’. Can yeh tell me what be stolen?”

“You worry to much,” Larenei complained. “Oh, well. It was something I found in the Evernight Forest. A pretty little gem, dark purple in color. I thought it was just another bauble, but someone else thought it was more important. After I had returned from the forest, I went to the stream where we agreed to meet, but I was jumped one night. I didn’t see who it was, but I gave ‘em what for! There were three or four of them then, but I managed to escape. By a rather roundabout way, I flew to this river here. There was a group of dridder’s I knew living here. Decent people, I’d thought they’d help me out. Anyway, before I could get to them, I was attacked again. They got in a lucky hit with a rock to my head, and it went downhill from there. Next thing I knew, was Numa here pushing the rocks off of me, and the purple gem was gone as well.”

“Well, if the gem be what they be after, they ain’t returnin’ now that they ‘ave it,” Trav said.

“Of course, I might want it back,” Larenei mentioned. Her tone was light, but the gleam in her eyes was anything but.

Tuc135 wrote:

“Aww, now look what you did Trav,” Larenei said when Numa stopped. She flipped a wing tip at Trav, knocking off his straw hat. Before it could get away from him, Trav quickly snatched it out of the air and put it back on.

“Do be serious, Larenei, yeh was on death’s doorstop when we found yeh,” Trav said, still cooking the fish. The stack of prepared fish was starting to get rather large. “I’m tryin’ to find out if yeh attackers plan on returnin’. Can yeh tell me what be stolen?”

“You worry to much,” Larenei complained. “Oh, well. It was something I found in the Evernight Forest. A pretty little gem, dark purple in color. I thought it was just another bauble, but someone else thought it was more important. After I had returned from the forest, I went to the stream where we agreed to meet, but I was jumped one night. I didn’t see who it was, but I gave ‘em what for! There were three or four of them then, but I managed to escape. By a rather roundabout way, I flew to this river here. There was a group of dridder’s I knew living here. Decent people, I’d thought they’d help me out. Anyway, before I could get to them, I was attacked again. They got in a lucky hit with a rock to my head, and it went downhill from there. Next thing I knew, was Numa here pushing the rocks off of me, and the purple gem was gone as well.”

“Well, if the gem be what they be after, they ain’t returnin’ now that they ‘ave it,” Trav said.

“Of course, I might want it back,” Larenei mentioned. Her tone was light, but the gleam in her eyes was anything but.

Numa listened to every word."Whats so important about this gem? Did anyone tell you anything?" Numa wrote.

Kyrii Was trying her best to look for the dridder's. she kept peeking up to hopefully spot them. She then heard slight voices and finally spotted something in the tree's.

"Ah ha! I finally found you! I forgot how hard finding dridder's can be...."

She took a moment to collect her thought's.

"Sorry to bother you but..... A friend of mine was attacked over by the river,. She was badly injured and left for dead and I wanna know why. If you have any information at all please tell me."

“If you’re referring to the nagas, they were trespassing in our forest. If you’re with them, you’d better leave,” One of the dridders said.

“But what if she’s referring to someone else?” a second dridder asked.

“We haven’t seen anyone else,” A third said.

“Doesn’t that strike you as odd?” The second dridder asked.

“…Come to think of it, she should have been here by now,” The first dridder said. The chatting among the dridders stopped. After a moment, one of the dridders scurried down one of the trees and came to ground level. She took a moment to look Kyrii over.

“This friend of yours, is she, by chance, a harpy with blue feathers? Rather polite as far as harpies go?” The dridder asked, concerned.

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“Truthfully, I have no idea, Numa,” Larenei said. “The thing is, I can’t think of anyone I angered badly enough to attack me like this. Someone wanting that gem is the only thing I can think of that would explain the two attacks. I certainly didn’t make much effort to keep it secret, I bragged about that gem to plenty of people. If I knew it was so important, I would’ve kept my mouth shut. Speaking of mouths, is that fish ready yet?”

“Some o’ it be ready, but not enough to make a proper meal fer someone yeh size,” Trav said.

“Better hurry up then, because you’re starting to look tasty,” Larenei said flicking Trav with her wing again.

“Yeh try it, an’ I’ll shave yeh bald in the dead o’ night. I’ll make yeh look like a giant plucked turkey ready fer roast.” Trav responded, chuckling. He was actually pleased at Larenei’s little taunt, she was recovering and her old attitude was returning.

Upon hearing the description of Larenei Kyrii immediatly tenced up.

"Yes. You werent the one's that hurt her are you?"

Kyrii hope that they weren't. she was fond of dridders and didn't want to think they would do something like that for no reason.

Tuc135 wrote:

“Truthfully, I have no idea, Numa,” Larenei said. “The thing is, I can’t think of anyone I angered badly enough to attack me like this. Someone wanting that gem is the only thing I can think of that would explain the two attacks. I certainly didn’t make much effort to keep it secret, I bragged about that gem to plenty of people. If I knew it was so important, I would’ve kept my mouth shut. Speaking of mouths, is that fish ready yet?”

“Some o’ it be ready, but not enough to make a proper meal fer someone yeh size,” Trav said.

“Better hurry up then, because you’re starting to look tasty,” Larenei said flicking Trav with her wing again.

“Yeh try it, an’ I’ll shave yeh bald in the dead o’ night. I’ll make yeh look like a giant plucked turkey ready fer roast.” Trav responded, chuckling. He was actually pleased at Larenei’s little taunt, she was recovering and her old attitude was returning.

This gem had Numa's interest. "Did you at least get a glimpse of who attacked you?"

“What? No, no no! She’s a friend of mine!” The dridder said, shocked and shaking her head. Her black hair tumbled around her shoulders. “That harpy, Larenei, she had sent word that she was in trouble, a group had tried to attack her several days ago. We had offered to let her stay with us. Tell me, is she alright? Does she need help?”

“I bet it was those nagas we fought earlier. They had been wounded already when we found them. The wounds looked like those claws like hers would leave.” Another dridder said from the spider web.

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Larenei thought a moment, rubbing a wing over her head. “Well, I didn’t see much the first time, and even less the second. I did catch a glimpse of red hair the first time though,” She said after a moment.

Tuc135 wrote:

“What? No, no no! She’s a friend of mine!” The dridder said, shocked and shaking her head. Her black hair tumbled around her shoulders. “That harpy, Larenei, she had sent word that she was in trouble, a group had tried to attack her several days ago. We had offered to let her stay with us. Tell me, is she alright? Does she need help?”

“I bet it was those nagas we fought earlier. They had been wounded already when we found them. The wounds looked like those claws like hers would leave.” Another dridder said from the spider web.

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Larenei thought a moment, rubbing a wing over her head. “Well, I didn’t see much the first time, and even less the second. I did catch a glimpse of red hair the first time though,” She said after a moment.

Numa nodded. "Anything else?"

"I already spoke to those snakes. The said it may have been you. I don't know or care who did it I want to catch them and make them pay."

Kyrii was sick of this game. Hide and seek was only fun if you knew who or what you were looking for and where.

“The nagas lied. I’m a friend of Larenei. If you don’t believe me, ask her yourself, I’ll go with you if you want,” The dridder said. “My name is Myrah, ask Larenei about that. She’ll tell you if I was the one who assaulted her.”

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Larenei thought hard, closing her eyes. After a moment, she shook her head and sighed. “No, nothing that I could swear to, I’m sorry,” Larenei said. “It’s rather embarrassing, letting them jump me like that without even getting a good look at them.”

Tuc135 wrote:

Larenei thought hard, closing her eyes. After a moment, she shook her head and sighed. “No, nothing that I could swear to, I’m sorry,” Larenei said. “It’s rather embarrassing, letting them jump me like that without even getting a good look at them.”

Numa brushed her head against Lareni, trying to be of some comfort.

"Man this sucks. I can't find good lead's anywhere.. I'm going back to check on her now so I'll tell her I ran into......Myrah......Was it? I'm sure she'll be happy to hear you we're worried."

Kyrii turned to leave. Then as though she forgot something she turned back.

"Thank you."

Then she headed back to her waiting companions.

“Well, I suppose everyone has an off day every once in a while,” Larenei said. “I’m beginning to think it was worth it, fish from Trav, care from Numa. I should get myself beat up more often.”

“Methinks the attention be muddlin' yeh wits,” Trav said. Since he didn’t have a platter or anything, Trav had piled the fish onto a huge leaf. Such was the amount that he cooked, Trav couldn’t lift the leaf, but had to drag it over to Numa’s and Larenei’s side. The rich aroma of spices and herbs, with a touch of citrus, wafted up from the fish. “I ‘ave yeh know I’ve used up almost me whole supply o’ seasonin’s on yeh fish.”

“I’ll help you gather more later. Here, Numa, you should have some. They’re good!” Larenei said. “Do you think you could rub what’s left of the spices on yourself, Trav? That would be tasty, don’t you think?”

“Maybe I should eat all this fish meself and leave none fer yeh,” Trav replied, taking one of the fish for himself. Larenei only giggled at that, the pile of fish was almost as big as Trav himself. She picked up one of the fish and flipped it up into her mouth.

“Oh, hey, there’s Kyrii, just in time too. Hello! Come and have some fish!” Larenei called out, upon seeing Kyrii. She waved a wing over her head.

“Faith, I ‘ave to cook enough fer three o’ yeh big folk?” Trav said. Taking his own meal with him, Trav returned to the cooking fire and got another batch of fish cooking.

Kyrii had a dissapointed look on her.

"I found nagas, dridders, human's a harpy and a dryad but not a single clue........"

She picked up a fish and tossed it into her mouth. At her size it was more of a joke than a bite.

"Oh and Myrah say's hi...."

Tuc135 wrote:

“Well, I suppose everyone has an off day every once in a while,” Larenei said. “I’m beginning to think it was worth it, fish from Trav, care from Numa. I should get myself beat up more often.”

“Methinks the attention be muddlin' yeh wits,” Trav said. Since he didn’t have a platter or anything, Trav had piled the fish onto a huge leaf. Such was the amount that he cooked, Trav couldn’t lift the leaf, but had to drag it over to Numa’s and Larenei’s side. The rich aroma of spices and herbs, with a touch of citrus, wafted up from the fish. “I ‘ave yeh know I’ve used up almost me whole supply o’ seasonin’s on yeh fish.”

“I’ll help you gather more later. Here, Numa, you should have some. They’re good!” Larenei said. “Do you think you could rub what’s left of the spices on yourself, Trav? That would be tasty, don’t you think?”

“Maybe I should eat all this fish meself and leave none fer yeh,” Trav replied, taking one of the fish for himself. Larenei only giggled at that, the pile of fish was almost as big as Trav himself. She picked up one of the fish and flipped it up into her mouth.

“Oh, hey, there’s Kyrii, just in time too. Hello! Come and have some fish!” Larenei called out, upon seeing Kyrii. She waved a wing over her head.

“Faith, I ‘ave to cook enough fer three o’ yeh big folk?” Trav said. Taking his own meal with him, Trav returned to the cooking fire and got another batch of fish cooking.

Numa sat and allowed Lareni to have her fish. Oce she'd finished, she ate the leaf.

“Myrah’s in the area? That’s good, she’ll help us find whoever did it. She’s always had a soft spot for me. Thanks Kyrii,” Larenei said, eating more fish. “Pity you didn’t find out more.”

“Well, she may ‘ave found enough,” Trav said, bringing over more fish. “Nagas, dridders, humans, and a harpy. Hmmm…Larenei, let me see yeh wounds, please.” Larenei looked at Trav, then shrugged and lay down. Trav clambered onto her stomach and looked at the bruses.

“Well, a dridder’s poison be their best weapon, yet I saw no bite marks, nor did yeh seem to be suffering the effects o’ poisonin’,” Trav said.

“Plus Myrah’s a friend. She’d have the head of anyone who attacked me like this,” Larenei said.

“And humans wouldn’t cause bruises. They fight with swords or magic, or with guns and exploding things. They’d cause cuts, piercing, or burns. It looks like yeh was hit with somethin’ blunt,” Trav continued.

“Plus I know I was attacked by people my size. So the harpy or the nagas. A harpy fights with her talons, I should know, though in fights, I’ve often picked up stones or logs to throw at intruders. Plus there was more than one attacker, I remember that. Nagas, on the other hand, often fight with their tails and fists. That’s blunt.” Larenei said.

“Mayhap, but we don’ know if it be the same nagas Kyrii found…Kyrii, can yeh tell me more about what yeh learned? Can yeh recall ‘ow many harpies and nagas yeh saw? And tell me about the humans too,” Trav asked, sliding off Larenei and returning to his cooking fire. “Oh, and ‘ave as much fish as yeh want. If yeh run out, I’ll cook more fer yeh.”