Beetle Juice

Log Info

• Title: Beetle Juice
• Emitter: Skielstregar
• Characters: Skielstregar, Seyardu
• Place: Mictlan
• Time: April 28, 2022
• Summary: Skielstregar is his enlarged self as he's uprooting rotting trees to look for bugs for the hatchlings to eat. Seyardu finds him, and they have a pleasant chat of the current ongoings, as well as how happy they are in their current positions in life. They head off to find something to eat after they drop off the meal for the babies.

Mictlan, Morning.

Hatching day has come and gone. Finally. The busy, busy days leading up to preparing so, so much lumber and wood has passed. And now, the requests have changed.

Instead of loads of soft wood carved by his mate for the hatchlings to chew on, the time was now to look for fell logs. Which meant rotting stumps. Which meant beetles. Lots, and lots of beetles.

Not very far out of Mictlan itself, in the treeline, a towering, massive silverscale sith-makar could be seen. He towers at a story and a half in height, massive hands gripping onto trunks of trees as a hand reaches down, grips a rotted stump. And yanks it free with a small, deep grunt. He holds out a large bag with one hand, and shakes the stump, dumping all the festering bugs and grub within into the sack.

He's unarmored and unarmed, save for the wicked looking halberd on his back that drips a black ichor.

Mictlan, even in the somewhat cool spring, kept up a warm, almost tropical environment thanks to the wards that were in place.

It was pleasant to wander around in, but less so when being forced to do so. Still, keeping one's feet busy was still a way to keep focused, and so the silver shaman was wandering, moving through the forests to take in the sights of the spring, wearing the leathers more common to Am'shere and Mictlan.

What she wasn't expecting however, was a giant makari to be tearing up trees in the forest as well. She comes to a halt, squints, before waving energetically. "Skielstregar, piece on your nest! Is everything okay, or are you just attempting to make this one feel smaller than usual?" She greets and asks.

The call out makes the massive head of the silverscale swing over and chuff. Twin trails of frozen air spilling out to flood a sizable chunk of the ground before him. A blink. Then a warm laugh as he waves back with the tree stump in hand, the roots hanging off it like a fistful of noodles. "Ah! Peace on your nest, sister!" he greets back in their native tongue, voice a full octave lower (is that even possible?) than usual from his size.

He crunches the remains of the rotted trunk and shoves it back into the hole before lumbering over slowly. "Everything is well! If this one wanted you to feel smaller, they would just get on the tips of their talons."

He carefully kneels down before her. Still taller, but far easier to look up/down at one another. "How goes?"

The cleric chuckles weakly when Skielstregar kneeled down, and all she could reach to pat was the upper part of his leg. "Yes, but it is much more noticable when you try to be three times as tall as me." Seyardu half pouts, as much was possible to do.

"That being said, this one is glad you are doing well, even if they did not expect such a growth spurt along with your changing scales. This one is, alright. Tired, but happy and well."

Skielstregar chuckles, a rumble that shakes the very air and ground. "This one will work harder to tower even taller then," he teases, a finger reaching out to carefully pat the top of Seyardu's head. "It is magic this one can do. Makes this one as large as a giant. Helps with manual labor, like pulling up tree stumps to look for bugs."

He tilts his head to the side, get's a cheeky look in his eyes, and then scoops Seyardu up with one large mitt and plops her on his shoulder. "Then rest, o tired Seyardu. You have been doing much work for the mothers. Enjoy the ride."

"This one knows it is magic, they are just messing with you." The cleric chuckles again. "This one has done similar in the past, but not for pulling up roots in the forest."

And then she was picked up. There is no small amount of undignified flailing from the cleric until she is set on her brother's shoulder, where she crosses her arms and huffs.

"Ah, you are looking for more food for the little ones. Mother knows they eat an impressive amount for their size. I have just been helping where I can, to make sure they are all healthy. It is an important task, and an invaluable learning opportunity."

Skielstregar snickers gleefully as his sister flails about, holding her for a moment before she settles down and finally places her. Slowly, he rises, though his broad shoulders make an easy seat. And the height a lovely vantage point. "Yes, this one is searching for some. They have some already, though they are speeding up the process by doing this."

A singular dead eye looks down at Seyardu from the side. "Your task is very important, especially with the Mother's gifts. Many hatchlings will surely survive to receive a name in the coming year with your aid. Though, if this one may suggest, asking if a shaman from the temple may come up to help you, as you seem to be incredibly busy as of late."

"This one is sure Tenoc and the mothers will greatly appreciate the help, so they do not need to go out foraging and hunting as much. It is kind of you to do, Skielstregar."

Seyardu reaches to pat the large makari on the head. "It is immensely important, yes. Not necessary perhaps, but important. This one hopes to see as many faces next year as possible. As for outside help, this one would avoid it if possible. There are shamans in Mictlan to help, and further outside people would put many ill at ease here. So, I will rest when I can, as there is much to do."

Skielstregar rumbles warmly in a hum, him carefully treading through the forest. He finds a rotting tree, starting to lean over and crack as he grips it with one hand. Muscles tense, and its uprooted with a slight give. "It is what this one can do for the little ones. This one's camp with Vaermiir is practically set up now, and it needn't much more in terms of lumber. The mothers needn't much more wood either. So.. they hunt for their food."

His eyes close at the pat. "Ah, you pose a good point. This one wishes they could help more directly, but..." he waves vaguely with the rotten log, like it was a stick before he shoves one end of it end the bag and knocks it against the ground gently.

A lot of different crawlies fall off and into the sack of building nightmare fuel for softskins.

"Oh, you can do more Skielstregar, if they are willing and do not mind. This one could see about finding you something to look different, if that is the concern. It is only fair, you seem almost, if not more excited about the hatchlings as Tenoc does." Seyardu laughs as she reaches to catch a large beetle that was tumbling over the edge of the bag to toss back inside it."

"This reminds me of so long ago really. This one remembers riding on your shoulders way back then, but not exactly like this."

Skielstregar shakes his massive head. "This one is far to identifiable as is, and would be promptly kicked out. It's just that this one want to help the People is all." He nods appreciatively at the catch.

That gets a rumble of happiness from him. "This one... vaguely recalls doing that, yes." He reaches up, patting Seyardu on the back carefully with a finger. "Perhaps you still could, were this one in their normal size. This one also vaguely recalls tossing you off into the creek."

"Such a brutal betrayal of trust!" Seyardu huffs. "This one is relying on you not to trip in the jungle, only for you to unceremoniously dump them in the water. And you are likely plotting it again, aren't you?"

The cleric grumbles some more, breaking back into laughter after a moment. "This one probably deserved it. I think you would be fine around people, really. This one can not even smell anything upon you anymore, and you are just thegood soul you always were."

Skielstregar guffaws, him dropping the rotten tree to scatter into decomposing pieces. "Maaaaybe~?" he teases, playing into it before shaking his head.

"Bah, likely not, just harmless fun. This one... should be. The scent this one harbored was leaking magic. Now it builds up in this one to cast spells. Though, the speaker Cryosanthia made it clear this one should just stay clear for safety. This one... uh, has heard from outside the nesting grounds how feisty the mothers get at any sight of a threat."

More lumbering, this time turning towards Mictlan proper.

"Things aren't going to get better by avoiding it." Seyardu grumbles. "But I will respect her saying that, it is her choice, and the other mothers at the end of it all."

"I just think part of it is overreacting is all. And it is not exactly fair to you."

Skielstregar shakes his head. "No, it is wise for now. Perhaps when this one is better known next time they can be present. But, eh, their emotions are high. This one doesn't want to be an easy target. There are many years left in this one, so they will have time to be in a nesting grounds to help."

"If you say so, but I don't see it."

The cleric grumbles some more, before she sighs finally. "Yes, many years to come. And, many years for that to even ever be a concern. But if this one some day did eventually wish for their own children, they would not wish for you to be unwelcome."

Skiel gives a small shrug, the motion bobbing Seyardu up and down. "Whatever makes the mothers less stressed."

He looks to Seyardu for a moment, then warmly chuckles, him reaching up to pluck her off her seat and hold her outwards. There's a seeping black ichor that leaks out from between his scales, coating him completely. And down, down, down he shrinks.

Before it all goes >pop!<, and Skiel is back to his normal tall self.

He gives Seyardu a proper hug, now on solid ground. "If you do build your own nest, this one will gladly help watch over it, and would be beyond honored to do so," he hums with her against him. "You could never make me feel unwelcome."

Finally the smaller makari is set down, and Seyardu is able to hop backwards, which leads to stumbling on the spot as the cleric rubs the back of her head. And then the cleric is pulled into a hug, which she returns readily. "This one is in no rush. But, it was not pleasant seeing how you were treated. And if this one was in a similar situation, they would not want you to be."

"Perhaps it is selfish in a sense, for this one to want you to feel welcome in that regard, but it does not change the fact that it seems to make you happy, and this one would wish for you to be welcome. It is not myself that is the concern, but the others." She elaborates, finishing with a long sigh.

Skielstregar hums and shakes his head. "It is something the People here will have to get used to. Un'eth's mate is apparently similar to this one, the People have accepted him. It will take them time for them to get used to this one. It did... hurt to be turned away, but this one is certain they will be welcome next time." Certainly got a lot of his confidence back.

He pats her on the shoulder and pulls away slightly. "Worry not for selfishness. As your want is selfless in of itself. This one is quite happy, actually. With their little camp with Vaermiir, having you back in their life, and being a general help to others where they can. And... the affliction is so much easier to control and tame now. You have no small part in that. The others will warm up. They already have."

"Ah, right, though I think it was a sibling, not her mate. This one could be wrong though, but it would be best not to mistake the mistake." Seyardu laughs. "This one hopes she is doing well, we have not spoken in some time. They did a lot for you though this one heard, and they are thankful for that."

"This one is thankful for, everything, really." She admits, rumbling just a touch happily. "This one is happy you are, that you found someone to spend time with, and that you are back in general. That your magic is more managed, and you can be welcome in many places again. It is what you deserve, and it makes this one glad."

Skielstregar quietly chuckles. "This one will have to inquire once more. It has been some time since they spoke with the shaman. They must be busy with everything here. They certainly did help this one."

The brother bobs his head, an arm looped around Seyardu's shoulders as they break past into Mictlan proper with a large sack being dragged behind him. "And for that, we both can be mutually happy. Things are going well for us. Come! Let us get a meal at the communal fire after this one drops off these for the hatchlings."

He starts leading Seyardu off towards the Nesting grounds.

-End Scene-