Stable Animals

Log Info

• Title: Stable Animals
• Emitter: Skielstregar
• Characters: Skielstregar, Zofija
• Place: Malifire Stables
• Time: April 4th, 2022
• Summary: Within the Malifire Stables, Zofija is taking care of her mount after a botched match in the colosseum as Skielstregar arrives with his magical steed. They get reacquainted, and talk about the near-deadly show at the colosseum as well as fighting machines: Zofi with the former, Skiel with the latter. After a bit of sith-makar culture being spoke of and some awkwardness, Skiel departs to get supplies.

Malifire Stables, Midday

It's a foggy day outside, a low one that obscures the ground and wafts in eddies as steeds are shuffled too and fro amongst the Malifire stables. The sun is dim behind the grey clouds, and the air cool and damp.

Cloven hooves thud against the ground with a faint hint of hollowness to them. A black haired mare with solid red eyes coming to a slow outside the large stables. It's rider- a shiny silverscaled makari- dismounts as he talks to the creature in a raspy, hissy tongue.

"Now, do you need to rest? Or...? This one is not sure how to go about taking care of you." <Draconic>

It whinnies and nudges their head against his outstretched palm. Its hooves leave marks of black ichor on the ground.

The Malifire stables, where the majority of the beasts kept by those in Alexandria were kept. And due to the owners being Arvek-nar, it was the first place that many went for care for their animals. The near fanaticism for the care of their horses made for excellent care to be had there for them.

Or in this case, for a rather large griffon. The beast was in one of the stables made for the more exotic beasts, a fair bit larger than those for the horses, and they were curled up on the fresh straw with their beak tucked under one wing. The feathers around their neck were stained with flecks of blood, and there were a few bandages still applied to their neck, as well as an Arvek-nar who was sat in a chair outside, occasionally looking up from their book to look back to the stable, and back to their book. One time checking found her seeing a large, silver sith-makar passing through, which takes her attention. "Oh, hey silver. Looking for a place to keep your horse? Owners are out in the building nearby."

Skielstregar is about to say further after he chuckles from the nudge, but he slows as he vaguely recalls the Nar grabbing his attention. With one hand still holding the reins of the pitch black creature, he offers an awkward little wave from the side. "Ah... um, hello. Thisss one... thinksss? Voarexautha isss not.... erm, a typical horssse."

Said horse whinnies again, the sound hollow and echoey. from that sound and the trail of black miasma its hooves left, that statement couldn't be more true.

He rubs his neck. "Forgive thisss one, they... they remember meeting you, but not your name. That wasss... thisss one was tired during that time, and it was all a blur."

"Well, you're in luck, this place handles more than just typical horses." The arvek-nar chuckles after shifting and adjusting her hat, pointing to the griffon behind her after a moment. "Can't say I have much experience with magical horses, but I'm sure they can get you sorted out here. Least I think it's a magical horse, if your horse is leaking black smoke like that, then I'd say you need to find a cleric or something instead."

"Don't worry about it, you had too much on your mind probably. Zofija Vogt, that's my name. Hope you're feeling better now in some way." She offers, holding out a gloved hand to the makari.

Do makari sweat? No. They don't. That's just condensation dripping off the scales on his face. "Ha ha. Yess. A cleric. Erm. That isss normal. Voarexautha doesss that."

Voarexautha just slowly tilts their head, looking at Skiel out of one eye.

He pretends he isn't being stared at. "Ah. Right. Thisss one knew it ssstarted with a Z. Thisss one isss Sssskielstregar, Warrior Caste. Though, if the name isss a bit much, Sssskiel worksss too."

He takes the hand- minding his talons- and gives it a firm shake. "Thisss one feelsss better, thank you for asssking. The weird nightsss in the city have left thisss one... eh. Out of ssssorts. Their head is on a bit ssstraighter now that they've had time home. Isss... that your sssteed? Are they okay?" he asks worriedly.

"Then your horse doesn't need urgent medical attention. That's good, you just need to get them a place to stay, and maybe something for them to eat." The Arvek-nar suggests, shaking firmly back. "Though, it is odd for you to have such a beast and seem so unsure of yourself at the same time. Did you just come across them? If you need suggestions on care, you may need to do more research. People take care of magical beasts, but if they're not prepared, it can end badly."

The cavalier looks back to the stables, and nods. "Sure thing Skiel. Yeah, that's my companion, their name is Screech. And, they'll be fine, they were already seen to by healers. Just be careful if you go back to the colosseum. Turns out if someone says live weapon training, that means it's a go ahead to shoot to kill, and you know, actually wound people." She explains, growing a touch irritated as she continues.

Now that was a million platinum question. Skiel and Voarexautha share a look. "... do you eat?"

Silence. Then a quiet whinny.

"Sssuppose not." He turns to Zofija. "Thisss one hasss ridden beasssts before, but not a... magic one. It isss different. And new. Very... new."

He bobs his head once. "Ah. Screech. Um, hello," he rumble mumbles to the griffon while raising a hand. Though, his scaled brows pinch as he returns his attention back to the Nar. ".. what? Who would authorize ssssuch a thing? Live weaponsss mean injuresss that bleed, but not to kill. Doesss thissss one have to go back there to crack a ssskull or two?"

"Apparently they used to fight with enchanted weapons there, that wouldn't actually injure if you were hit with them." Zofi shrugs. "So they decided that when they didn't have those weapons anymore, they'd just use normal weapons as usual and carry on like nothing changed, with more healers on hand."

"Which is an incredibly stupid thing to do, especially when people are firing arrows at necks and all. Doesn't help if someone dies before the healers get there you know."

The Griffon opens one yellow eye to regard the makari and horse for a moment, and there is a low noise from the lion-bird before their eye closes again. "Normally they're a lot more active, but they lost a lot of blood. So they need plenty of rest."

Skielstregar chuffs, a twin gout of visibly frozen air jetting off to the side. "That isss ssstupid. One cut issss all that isss needed to end a life."

His gaze rests on the griffon, and it softens. "... which is what I take isss what almossst happened with Screech here?" he assumes, starting to lean back against his horse, but it moves a step away to make him stumble slightly and try to pretend nothing happened.

"Yeah, it's incredibly reckless is what it is. One bad blow is all it would take." Zofi grunts. "Lucky I didn't hit them badly in return, but they all gave up. They were all using arrows and swords though, and you better believe they weren't using the flat of them."

"Yeah, that's what happened. We were supposed to take a tower in a training exercise. And it was only when we reached the base of it they started firing, and it turns out live weapon training included broadhead arrows fired from the top of it. And poor Screech took a couple in their neck."

"Gods damned idiots, I should have made them need to be carried away on stretchers for what they did."

Seeing the makari stumble, Zofi couldn't help but chuckle, however.

Skielstregar clears his throat and glances down to the ground. The horse stands there eerily still. He shakes his head before crossing his arms, the halberd on his back idly dripping a black ichor- the same color as the horse's wafting miasma. "Firing down with broadarr- that's not a training exercise, that'sss attempted murder. Whoever wassss organizing that ssstuff sssoundsss like they are too blood thirssty for their own good."

He nods once, firmly. "You ssshould have. But, at leassst Screech isss on the mend, thankfully. Thisss one jussst had to deal with ssstupid artifice acting up and had to smassssh some metal."

"Yeah, if it was back in Blar, those idiots would be court marshalled and brought in front of a tribunal. And all the people involve wouldn't be looked on favorably in terms of punishment." Zofi grunts. "Especially for intentional injury of a mount. That's just cruel and intentional evil."

The Arvek-nar pauses, and sighs. "Sorry, it's just a real shitty situation is all, and Screech got the worst of it. At least they'll make a good recovery if I have anything to say about it, and that's what's important. Stupid artifice? What, some kulthos stuff acting up? That's never a good thing, and some of it can get pretty nasty. But I'm sure you could manage, you've got the muscles to deform that metalwork with enough effort."

Skiel scratches the side of his face with his talons. "... thisss one doesss not know where Blar is. Never been. But it isss okay. You care about Screech'sss well being, and that isss admirable."

He shrugs with one shoulder, though her can't help that his maw pulls a bit at the corner in a smirk. "Not sssure, jussst some magic people either did sssomething wrong or had sssomeone wrong, and it wasss causing havoc at the Artificer's guild."

He looks down at his bare arms. Flexes them slightly.

And it was at this moment that Skielstregar's imposing figure really sets in. This man is big. This man is /strong/. And if he was tearing apart training dummies last time when he was out of sorts? Who knows what kind of havoc he could wreck with his hea din the game. "Yesss.... thisss one crushed one into many piecesss after taking many hitsss from it. The magicky dart thingsss people do. Thisss one took..." He counts on his fingers. "... twelve?"

"Be a shit cavalier if I didn't care about my mount. And I spent four years caring for them, so I'm not going to just stop now." The arvek-nar grunts. "That'd be pretty stupid, and a waste of time, effort and energy. And I'd feel awful, yeah. Blar is north of here, other side of the vast. Can't miss it."

The arvek-nar blinks, and chuckles just a bit. "I've got a friend you should meet Skiel. Not good you got hit a bunch, but at least you're alright. and the other thing is the crushed to bits thing."

"Magic missiles, nasty things. Sure they just knock you around if you're lucky, but when you get hit by enough, that's when they start rupturing the vital things." She sighs. "Glad you're still standing after twelve of those."

Skielstregar gives a light nod, him glancing to the horse beside him. "... four weeks? Yess... four weeks or so..." he mumbles. Though, he returns to Zofija. "Guessss thisss one missed it. Came in from the eassst."

He tilts his head to the side, perking up. "... oh? Thisss one enjoysss meeting new friendsss."

He gives a little sigh. "Yesss... very annoying. But thisss one is... what do the sssoftskinss say again...? Tough... tough bisscuit? No. That doesn't sound right... Cake? Yesss. Thisss one is tough cake."

"Well, you might have missed it, you know, if you didn't go that way." Zofi chuckles. "I can't say you missed much, but, you know, it's home and all that."

"You can't miss her, just stop by the fernwood pub on the westside of the city, you probably know where it is. Mostly white bird, lots of colorful ribbons, and probably making friends with everyone in the place."

"Cookie. That's the word. Tough cookie, like the hard tack they put in the rations that you break your teeth on if it's been sitting too long."

Skielstregar rubs his chin. "Okay...." he murmurs. Committing that to memory for a moment.

A.. long moment. A few long moments. It's rather clear he's not the sharpest tool in the shed. "Thisss one will seek thisss white and ribbon bird."

He blinks. "Oh. Right. Thank you. But uh, a what? Thisss one hass not had that before. Hmm..." He taps a talon against a too-long fang. "Hard tack. The air back home isss too moist for hard bread."

He glances down. "... what are you reading?"

"Do it, you'd probably make her day." Zofija chuckles. "If she doesn't find you there first, which is a distinct possibility."

"You should count yourself lucky if you've never had to enjoy hardtack. Imagine bread, but suck all the water and softness out of it, and basically every bit of enjoyment. Till you have a large brick that keeps you alive, but miserable, even if you try to soften it in boiling soup."

Zofija stops, and looks to the book she was still holding in one hand, a leather bound tome of some sort. "I'm reading up on stuff. You know, mending cloth and sewing stitches, things like that. Just so I know how if I have to. Some tears get really complicated to fix without hindering movement."

"Very well, thisss one isss glad to make someone's day!"

Skiel make a face; well, as much as a makari could. His blackened tongue sticks out as he goes, "Blehhh. Thisss one hass low standards but they don't want to eat dirt again."

He tilts his head to the side. "Ah. Yesss. Essspecially with a mount sssuch as Screech. Wingsss and what have you. Thiss one isssn't that great at mending cloth, the uh, talonssss get in the way."

He clacks them together.

"Thiss one's mate tends to take care of such things."

"Well, when your options are that or starving, you don't have too much time for hunting when you're out on patrol, and you really shouldn't. Better that being on an empty stomach." Zofi shrugs. "It's not that bad, long as the bugs don't get to it at least."

Though when he mentions a mate, the arvek-nar blinks, and chuckles. "Oh, didn't know you have a mate. You might disappoint Slix if you went out to meet her, but I'm sure she'd still want to be friends. Though you really can't leave all the housework to your mate you know, but I guess having talons for hands kind of is a fair enough excuse."

"It's a useful skill, clothes, bags, sacks, tarps, anything you really need for living like that, it's good to know how to fix. And yeah, I feel like I need to get them some better armor after what happened, something to protect the neck and chest better."

Skielstregar shrugs. "Fair point," he says simply. "Though bugsss give flavor."

That, however, makes the makari pause. Then look down at Zofija. Dead, silver eyes stare at her. "She handlesss hunting and mending. Thisss one carriesss the treess and splitsss the wood," he deadpans dryer than tinder. "Thisss one would never shove all the work onto their mate."

He looks to his talons, and slowly nods. "They get in the way a lot. Though, armor issss good for Screech. Jussst... at the very leasst protect the vitals. That's what thisss is for." There's a >clang-clang< as he thuds his fist twice against his shiny breastplate.

"If your wood is splitting, then you might want to see a cleric." The arvek-nar chuckles. "Anyways, it does sound like you're doing work there, just wanted to make sure you're pulling your own weight and all."

"Yeah, can't get them anything too heavy, or they won't actually be able to fly. But, something, that was an unpleasant wakeup call that I was not prepared for. I'll have to fix it so it doesn't happen again."

Skielstregar chuffs, a veritable plume of frozen air wafting out to join the foggy ground as he looks off to the side. "Thisss one is certain the only thing getting split isss-"

A pause.

"... not finishing that."

He coughs into a fist. "Anywaysss. Thisss one isss going to guesss you don't know many makari. Asssume we're pulling our weight. Pleassse. It'sss rude to think otherwissse. We don't like being a drag on the People."

He just nods once. "Good idea."

The arvek-nar chuckles loudly, until it finally dies off. "No, I really don't. I didn't even know you were called makari, I thought it was sith-makar, and lizardfolk was clearly just something people called you."

"Dragon, the people, maybe. No, I don't know much about you. But that's an easy enough fix, isn't it?"

Skielstregar nods. "Thossse are all appropriate to go by. We are a proud people. It would be like... sssaying you don't know how to take care of a horssse as a Nar," he extrapolates.

He shrugs. "Thisss one sussposses? Thisss one isss a sssimple man."

"That so? I thought there would be some offense to calling someone a lizardman or lizardfolk. Guess it's good to know I wasn't unintentionally insulting an entire race for most of my life."

"Simple men are good ways to figure out more about a people though, if that means they're like most, you know? I don't mean that in a bad way, I mean, if you're trying to understand a group, it's a good idea to understand what most are like. Like I'd be a real shitty gauge for the average Arvek-nar, that sort of thing."

Skielstergar gives a shrug, him looking towards his horse. "Perhapsss it isss. We take pride in being related to dragonsss. Thisss one doesssn't care very much being called a lizard. Because, well. Thisss one isss." He gestures vaguely at himself.

He stares at the Nar, and slowly tilts his head to the side. "... no that'sss actually a terrible way to do that. Thisss hasss many thingsss about them that differ from the People. You would be better off going to Mictlan to learn about the People rather than just learn from one persson."

"I suppose that makes as much sense as anything else really, you look awfully lizard like." Zofi shrugs. "So you're saying you aren't a simple man. Then yeah, you're right, I wouldn't be able to learn about things from you. Simple enough."

"It's not a bad idea just because you aren't the right person, and yeah, maybe I could find people in Mictlan or somewhere else."

Skielstregar just sighs and shakes his head. "You can learn thingsss about thisss one. But thisss one isssn't the best example of the People. With a capital P. The Makari."

There's an awkward silence. The horse hasn't moved an inch. "So... thisss one isss... going to get sssome suppliesss.." he mumbles, taking a half step towards the stablemaster.

"So my point still stands in some form. Not saying I don't want to learn about you. But you've already told me a decent chunk about your people." The arvek-nar grunts, looking to the makari, and the horse, both of which were standing about awkwardly.

"Ah, well, yeah, stablemaster is nearby if you need supplies. They shouldn't be too hard to deal with, and I've probably taken up enough of your time. So, don't let me keep you." She replies awkwardly back.

Skielstregar gives a light sigh. "Yesss. Perhapsss when you aren't tending to Ssscreech."

He bobs his head, him picking up his horse's reins as he takes another step away. "hiss one will be around the templesss if you want to speak with thisss one more. It wasss nice talking to you Zofija. Peaccce on your nessst."

With that, he gives a little wave from the hip, and both scale and horse tread off.

"Yeah, I've got to go fill up the water again, and go hit up the butchers for a quarter of a cow or something like that." Zofi sighs. "I probably shouldn't linger here myself, but it was nice to talk and all that. I'll keep that in mind, there's a lot of temples but it shouldn't be that hard to find you in a crowd. Peace on your nest, if I'm supposed to say that. If not, then good day Skiel."

The arvek-nar waves back, and she turns back to the stall, stopping to pat the griffon on the head once before she closes the gates, and wanders off for her own needs.

-End Scene-