Stories for Xote

Log Info

• Title: Stories for Xote

• Emitter: Ravenstongue

• Characters: Fizzy, Ravenstongue, Telamon

• Place: Ravenstongue and Telamon's house

• Summary: Ravenstongue steps outside for a brief moment to check on the garden pixies when Fizzy stops by. Happy to see her husband's cousin again, Ravenstongue invites Fizzy in for some tea. Telamon returns from his Shining Chalice meeting later and joins the friendly discussion.

Lúpecyll-Atlon home, evening.

The chilly wind from the west ruffles the branches of the trees in the backyard of Cor'lana and Telamon Lúpecyll-Atlon, where a collection of small lights dance around the table in the winter-bare garden. The mistress of the household walks outside, cup of tea in hand and wearing a warm woolen dress, and she looks at the little lights that flicker and wink in the relative sanctity of her own yard.

Cor'lana takes a sip from the teacup before she holds it in both hands again. "Lily-of-the-Valley, Mirabilis, I take it this is your doing?"

There's two small pairs of insect-like wings that flutter over to Cor'lana--one pair a luminous white, and one pair a vibrant pink. They're attached to even smaller women who wear petal dresses that match their wings; the white-winged lady has fair skin and blonde ringlets, and the pink-winged lady has dark skin and a cascade of plant-green braids that go to her waist. The blonde replies in a high-pitched and dreamy voice, "Yes, Lady Lúpecyll! We wanted to give you something to smile about since Telamon left for his meeting!"

"Lúpecyll-Atlon," the green-haired girl corrects. Her tone is the same pitch as her counterpart, but far more measured. "Lily, you know the Lady wants us to call them both that now, right?"

Cor'lana waves a hand. "I appreciate it, ladies, but I'm fine. Telamon will be back in a few hours. I'm not going to die of boredom--"

The blonde, Lily-of-the-Valley, gasps. "BUT YOU MIGHT, AND THAT'S A RISK I CAN'T TAKE!" she screams. Mirabilis--the other pixie--facepalms.

Bundled up in warm furs and a forest-shaded scarf, Fizzy approaches the home of her cousin and his wife, some of the sweetest people she's ever known. Naturally, it makes her nervous that she needs to impress them in some way. Despite the furs, she hears the tiny lilting voices. She thinks she can make out something about boredom, Tel at a meeting, and some sort of tiny drama.

Burning curiosity drives her forward and puts the anxiety on the back burner for the moment. She enters the gate and looks around, following the sounds of conversation to the backyard. There, she discovers the dancing lights, which spark delight in her own. "Oh my!" she expresses softly, impressed at the display. "Hello, Lana, I hope I'm not intruding? Also, I hope I may call you 'Lana'? I realize I have been but I don't know if that's too familiar yet?"

Her constant companion ventures out from among folds of fur and takes in the backyard, a new location to him. He noses at bare branches, somehow knowing to stay away from the thorny ones, and lights, and even pauses to look at the little pixies whose voices ring through the frigid air.

In stark contrast to Fizzy bundled in furs and a scarf, there stands Cor'lana in only a wool dress--albeit one that goes all the way down to her ankles--and a pair of shoes. The neckline is even deep enough to expose the strange artwork on her chest, which appears to be a number of lines interwoven with each other. Combined with the two tiny winged ladies that are in front of her, it's certainly a strange sight.

But Cor'lana's violet eyes are filled with happiness as she looks at Fizzy, and the smile on her face quickly comes after. "Of course you can call me Lana," she says. "No, you're not intruding at all. All who are family are welcome here."

That gets a gasp from both little winged ladies. "Oh my GOODNESS. Family!? Lady Lúpecyll, did you adopt another sister!?" Lily-of-the-Valley asks. Her wings beat even faster now, clearly excited.

"Lady Lúpecyll-Atlon," Mirabilis corrects more firmly this time. She side-eyes Lily for only a moment before she says, "I believe this is Lord Lúpecyll-Atlon's recently discovered cousin. Allow us to introduce ourselves, kin of our lady--I am called Mirabilis, and my chosen-sister here is called Lily-of-the-Valley. We are mere garden pixies in the employ of Lady and Lord Lúpecyll-Atlon."

"They help Telamon with the garden... when it's gardening season," Cor'lana explains, although she looks a tad bashful as she says that. "It appears when it isn't gardening season, they like to liven up our lives a little with their own brand of fey mischief." She gestures to the back door of the house behind her. "I'll lead you inside. It's too cold out here for more than just us three, and I have a pot of lavender-mint tea that's keeping warm in there, too."

The gasps and squeals and formal pixie introductions bring a warm smile to Fizzy's face, visible now that she's pulled down her scarf. "Oh, ladies, I'm charmed to meet you both. And you are correct, I am Telamon's cousin. My name is Fisy-le’athavara Bellatoriaterra, but my friends, among which I would love to include you, call me Fizzy. I have no titles, nothing fancy. Just a really long name that even I like to shorten. And this is my dearest Xote. He's pleased to meet you as well, as you can tell by his interest."

As one might expect, he glances at Fizzy when she introduces him to the tiny fey, and then moves closer to Mirabilis and Lily-of-the-Valley, nose in the air, sniffing. He's also starting to shiver a little now that he's not protected from the winter air by Fizzy's furs.

The two pixies coo lovingly as they look at Xote. It appears that while Mirabilis might be the more 'serious' of the two pixies, even she can't resist the large and furry animal. "We LOVE him!" they both say at once, and they begin to feverishly discuss making all sorts of little gifts for their new best friend.

Cor'lana shakes her head and offers Fizzy a grin. "Sorry, Fizzy," she says. "They get distracted very easily, too. Come on inside." She opens the back door and walks in, going to the living room where Fizzy's been before. The house is nice and warm as it was the last time, although Telamon's absence is noted.

Pothy, however, is on the coffee table, eating from a bowl of peanuts that's next to the teapot. "Oh, hello, Fizzy," he greets in his boyish voice. His tail wags up and down to see a familiar face again.

Cor'lana takes a seat on the couch and gestures to the various chairs. "Please, take a seat," she says. "I've honestly little to do this evening besides write more poetry and read books, so I'm rather happy you dropped by."

"I look forward to seeing you both again soon!" Fizzy bids as she follows her cousin-in-law inside and closes the door. Xote is secure inside, first, of course. Fizzy has a seat and smiles. "I'm still so grateful to you and my cousin for being so welcoming. It isn't often I've felt that sort of humanly warmth. I think I've been missing it without knowing I have. If that makes any sense."

Then Fizzy realizes she's getting a little too warm, still bundled up. She rises and removes a few layers, revealing some ordinary traveling breeches, warm tunic and doublet, and some particularly warm boots. She gives a sideways glance to Cor'lana. "I can't help but ask, though. You weren't bundled up out there; how are you not frozen stiff?"

It's clear Fizzy has started getting used to being around people who are actually social. She's calmer, mostly, and her conversation is far less rushed.

Cor'lana pours a teacup for Fizzy without asking--probably because she knows that if Fizzy doesn't want it, Pothy will probably drink it anyway. "That makes perfect sense to me," Cor'lana replies, setting the teacup down on the table for Fizzy to take. "Telamon and I were both once newcomers here--and this is a big city compared to where I came from. Despite there being so many people, it's easy to feel lost and overwhelmed, so of course, Tel and I wanted to make you feel welcomed."

She lifts her own teacup back up to her lips and takes a sip as Fizzy asks the question. Cor'lana leans back for a moment into the couch as she seems to contemplate how to answer that. "Funny enough, it has to do, in a way, with the reason the pixies 'serve' Tel and I," she says, her violet eyes filling with a quiet sort of mirth. "To put it bluntly, and because I can trust you on the sheer virtue of you being Telamon's kin: I am descended from fey nobility."

She gestures to the mark on her chest. "This states that I am the descendant of a member of the Unseelie nobility known as the Feathered One. That's the feather," she says, pointing to the stylized feather and the two symbols inside it--a set of judgement scales and another feather. "And these are the roots of the family tree." She points to the interwoven lines that jut out from the quill of the feather. "Because I am his descendant, I've... developed some gifts, such as a small resistance to the cold."

GAME: Fizzy rolls spellcraft: (7)+8: 15

Fizzy reflects on Lana's words. "That reminds me, well, I have many questions, but I'll try to pace them. First of all, is that tattoo magical, I get the sense it is, but I don't know how, or even why I know that. And... Okay, well, let's just start with that." She takes the tea that was poured for her and sips. "Thank you, also, for the tea. It's perfect. May I give some of the nuts on the table to Xote? I mean, should I ask Pothy?"

Naturally, Xote is over near the table, nose wiggling madly with interest in the snacks up there.

"No, the snacks are for everyone!" Pothy says insistently, like a child who really, really wants to share his cool new toys. "Xote can have some."

Cor'lana smiles at Pothy. "You heard him," she says to Xote. "Go ahead. He might even be nice enough to..."

Before Cor'lana can finish her sentence, Pothy's already nudging shelled peanuts off the table to Xote. The sorceress shakes her head and chuckles. "I should have seen that coming," she says. "My mark is magical, yes. It's... A connection to my ancestor. An anchor of sorts. If I feed it just a few drops of my blood, I can borrow some of Grandfather's power, but only a little at a time, and only for so long." She places her fingertips on the mark itself, and it slightly shimmers in the light--the mark reacting to the presence of Cor'lana's blood in her hand, but unable to do anything so long as it remains in her hand.

"I'd appreciate it if you could keep that knowledge close to you," Cor'lana goes on to say. "People tend to hear anything about blood and they accuse you of allying with demons or other unpleasant things. My guess is that you could feel the magic coming off it due to your own magical aptitude." She smiles lightly as she gestures to Xote.

The Shadow Elf laughs at Pothy's antics, then at Xote's cautious investigation. He's never had peanuts before, that's obvious, but he embraces the snacks quite happily. "Enjoy, Xote," she says before returning her attention to Cor'Lana's explanation. When finished, Fizzy assures her, "Oh, of course not! I don't really talk about others much. It's their stories, after all, and it would be horrible of me to share something that shouldn't be shared. I avoid that by not sharing!" She gives a smile. "And that leads me to another question, if I may?"

It's not lost on Fizzy that her hostess hasn't nosed into her own life, and that gives her pause. "Oh... For equality's sake, I'm a witch, it seems. I've had magical aptitude all my life, but could never tap into it until I met Xote. It was so frustrating for my mom. She could tell it was there and couldn't bring it out no matter how or what she tried." There's a slight pause, then, "You probably know that witches are not the most respected or appreciated magic users, as your secrets would not be, either."

Cor'lana simply nods, like this confirms something she might well have expected all along. "I know a witch," she says, "and the treatment she's received at the Society hasn't always been stellar. Not necessarily in that they discriminate against her because she's a witch, like how people might discriminate against you for being half-mul, or how people have been unkind to me simply because I'm obviously half-sil--but it's more of the snootiness that some wizards can have when it comes to other spellcasters. That's why Telamon's part of the Shining Chalice--it's a social group for sorcerers."

"They have nice snacks," Pothy says. "Lana doesn't like going with Tel, though."

"I like that he has a place that he can call his own," Cor'lana says with a slight smirk and a shake of her head, refuting Pothy's assertion. "I love him dearly and could happily spend every second of this life by his side, but you have to have some notion of a life beyond your spouse, I think. Besides, there is nothing stopping you from going with Telamon next time if you really want those snacks, Pothy."

Pothy contemplates it. But only for a few seconds. "I like being home with you, though, Lana." The sweet bird gets back to shelling peanuts for him and Xote to share.

Cor'lana turns back to Fizzy with a little grin from Pothy's words. "There will always be people who misunderstand you," she says. "But there are always going to be people who will accept you even more readily. This house and the people in it do just that. So long as you can tolerate the two garden pixies and that your cousin-by-bond is descended from the fey, that is."

In response, Fizzy gives a warm smile, probably the brightest of the smiles she's had in a long time, aside from those to Xote. "That means so much. Thank you. It really does. The only people I've ever been all that close to were my moms, but the last few years, well, it was clear they wanted time to and for each other without an adult child to worry about. It was time for me to move on, and I suspect that's why they told me about my father."

"I feel so at home near you and Telamon. I'm considering, honestly, making Alexandria home. It may be cold, but Charn was at least as cold as here. I'm starting to ask people about how to get my own place. I'm not completely sure where, but I want to learn more about using magic, so if there's housing in the University District, that has possibilities. As long as they would welcome Xote."

"It's not always this cold, as I have to remind Telamon a lot," Cor'lana says with a grin. "It's actually nice and temperate for the most part the rest of the year. There are some hot days here and there, but... That's baths were invented."

She thinks for a moment. "I think the Arcanists' Society--which is open to all arcane spellcasters, regardless of what some snooty wizards might think there about witches and sorcerers--has student housing you could likely request. There's also plenty of housing around here that will rent to anyone. When Telamon and I were looking to buy a house, we almost bought a fixer-upper that was previously occupied by some..." Cor'lana pauses again to find the words. "They were a bit more enthusiastic about partying and revelry than they were about their studies. Tel inquired later and apparently the place was condemned on account of how structurally unsound it was."

Cor'lana raises her teacup back to her mouth. "I'm just glad that you found your way here of your own free will," she says. "Not everyone has arrived in Alexandria so freely." She takes a sip.

Fizzy blinks owlishly at Cor'lana. "It sounds like you know some. If I can be bold, you weren't one of them, were you?" She sips her own tea because she'd forgotten it until reminded by her host's actions. "I guess I am lucky in that. Grateful to my father and Algar--my brother. Do you know how strange it is to say those words?" She looks a little dazed by the fact that she gets to keep saying them. "I'm a little leery of the Arcanist's Society. If most of them are wizards, I don't know that I want to have anything to do with them. Is there not more, hm. Or less Arcanist's Society allied housing? Or universities?"

The Shadow Elf quietly thinks on that with the tiniest of frowns. "Would you recommend some other place to live? More friendly, maybe?" She reaches down, somehow knowing that Xote has tired of that particular snack and wants to be near her. Her fingers find his head and ears and she gives some tender rubs. "And is there any other way to learn magic? Or history? Or anything. I didn't really have a very, um, deeply educational upbringing."

"Well, like I said--I know a witch at the Arcanists' Society, and she seems to be learning a lot there despite her difference from the wizards and even the sorcerers," Cor'lana explains. "That being said... I'm sure there are witches here in Alexandria who could take you on as a student outside of the Society. I was, for a while, an apprentice of a famous sorceress here called Lady Sandy--we don't see each other much these days, just because my life has become so much busier, but I still think of her fondly."

"She liked giving me snacks," Pothy says with a boyish giggle. Of course that's his primary criteria for liking someone.

Cor'lana looks thoughtful again. "Well, I actually rented a room at the Fernwood Pub for a while," she says, "and then I got a decent rent on an apartment in the Market District. You can rent a place here in the University District without being a student at the Society, though--there are plenty of people who do, on account of the cheap rent. I have to admit I picked my apartment because it was the easiest way to get Pothy his snacks from his favorite market vendors."

Listening attentively, Fizzy nods as she takes everything in, the options and promise of possibility. "I think cheap would be good for now. As long as it's warm and not falling down around my ears. Do you think I could find good furniture for a decent price? Or are there apartments already furnished? Was yours?" She stops short realizing that she's throwing questions at Cor'lana like birdseed at a wedding. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Let me give you a chance to answer! And... I forgot to ask more about your grandfather. Tel mentioned, but the information seemed like there would be a story associated with it that I wasn't prepared for."

The little albino familiar noses under Fizzy's hand as if to say, "I'm not going far," and starts exploring the house--at least this room and wherever else has open doors. Fizzy takes a moment to watch him wander off, commenting, "He has the cutest little walk." Naturally, she's interested in soaking up all the information she can get.

Cor'lana giggles a little at Fizzy's enthusiasm, delight twinkling in her violet eyes. It's easy to see how she's a descendant of one of the fey--emotions are worn on her face so openly and strongly. "It's fine. My apartment in the Market District was furnished," she says. "I didn't feel like trying to figure out how to buy furniture and lug it all the way back to my apartment, so... I went for one that had everything I needed."

She takes another sip of her tea. "Actually, I had almost all of the furniture in this house sold to help reduce the cost," she says. "We kept the table, and we kept two of the bedframes--and then downsized to one." There's a slight blush on her face, but, well, she is describing a perfectly normal married couple living arrangement. "Much to Grandfather's joy, of course."

She observes Xote for a moment as he goes through the study door. "Thankfully, nothing in there for him to get into," she says. "Pothy has his nest in there, and that's also where Telamon likes to do a lot of his spellwork, studying, and star chart work. But all of the sensitive stuff is kept locked away. Now, what would you want to know about Grandfather, exactly?"

A thoughtful expression crosses the Shadow Elf's face, one that clearly indicates she's trying to remember what she heard and what she wants to ask about. "I believe Tel said he's a fey lord? And right now, that's all I can remember." Fizzy smiles apologetically. There were people going in and out of the pub, very distracting." Another pensive pause, then she adds, "I guess I'm not always comfortable or trustful of a lot of activity. It makes me a little nervous, like there could be someone dangerous. I suppose that comes from how I grew up."

There's only the tappy-tap of Xote's feet in the other room and the occasional snuffle. Xote is very well-behaved and respectful. Fizzy smiles. "It sounds like Xote is a very good capy. I don't hear any noises that could indicate too much nosiness or naughtiness. It's a veritable mystery how that happened. I haven't had him very long, and he was wild before that."

There's a slight smile that crosses Cor'lana's face as Fizzy recounts what she remembers of what Telamon said. It's a smile that's... awfully like trying to figure out how to explain an inside joke, or how to explain something that might take ages to tell. "Grandfather was fey nobility," she starts. "He left the court many, many years ago and retreated to his home deep in the woods of Quelynos, where the fey dwell. He met the mortal elf woman that became his wife when she turned up on his doorstep, and... many years later, I am here. One of the last of their family line, and the new head of my Grandfather's mortal bloodline here in this realm."

She places her teacup down onto the table. "That is why Telamon took my name and I took his," she says, "and we forged together a new family name. Two half-elves who fell in love and planted the seed for a new family tree. One that, in a roundabout way, now includes you in its roots." The twinkle in her violet eyes returns again. "And Xote, too. He's too cute to leave off."

Fizzy watches Cor'lana's face while the tale is told. "One detail I'm clinging to that makes me most curious is how--and why--his would-be wife turned up on his doorstep?" she queries almost faintly. "But... I do think it's quite lovely to share names in honor of both families and your new family."

The Shadow Elf's face lights up like the pixies' decorations outside as Lana finishes. "Isn't he just? And listen, he's not destroying anything. He's just a curious little guy. I love him so much!" It's truth. Not only is it so obvious Fizzy loves her Xote, it's blatantly obvious that he's a very good boy. His little pitty-pats bring him back to the main room and he takes his rightful place at his witch's knee.

And at this juncture, the other half of the Lúpecyll-Atlon union arrives. A weary footstep -- not really fatigue, but perhaps a little startled -- and the door is unlocked, letting in a brief gout of cold air as Telamon calls out, "Honey, I'm home!" It's almost hilariously mundane, as he removes his heavy cloak, before doffing his boots and setting them on the shoe rack to dry out.

Walking into the living room, his eyes light up as he looks at Cor'lana, and he smiles at Fizzy warmly. "Good eve, Fizzy. It's good to see you." He's dressed to the nines, as he usually is -- ruffled white silk blouse, dark leather trousers, house slippers on his feet. But there's a new addition Lana will notice: a small, shining pin on his lapel in the shape of an elaborate goblet.

Cor'lana's eyes react much the same way that Telamon's do when she sees him, and she springs up from the couch to give him a hug and kiss hello. "Welcome home, my starborn king," Cor'lana replies, using her usual Sylvan pet name for him. Her finger taps the pin on his lapel with a wide grin. "Don't tell me, did you get promoted?"

She takes her seat back on the couch, gesturing to the teapot. "Do you want me to pour you a cup, Tel?" she asks. "Fizzy and I were just talking about Grandfather. Specifically, how he and Grandmother met. Quite the story there, in fact--a fairy tale, almost, if it weren't for the fact it's true."

Fisy-le’athavara, already bright with pride in her familiar and happiness at her current company, brightens even more when her favorite cousin appears. "Tel! It's good to see you, too!" She may be growing far more enthusiastic the longer she's in Alexandria. Maybe the city's good for her. Or the company. She sips some tea that may not be particularly warm now, as she keeps forgetting it's in her hands. "Someday, I would love to hear every family story you both have to tell. We can start with this now, though. I mean, if that's okay."

The elf doesn't appear as uncomfortable as she did at first, even with that check-in if Tel and Lana are okay with sharing stories. Even so, Fizzy reaches down to scratch her capy. A little smile touches her lips and she says, "Xoty would like to hear the stories, too, you know."

Telamon returns the hug and kiss to Lana, giving her a squeeze. "I... well, short answer, yes. Can I sit down? I feel a bit like the fellow who went fishing for bream and hooked a tuna." He ambles over in Lana's wake, sitting down next to her. At the offer of tea, he nods with a smile. "You always know me, queen of my heart. I could use something to drink."

Once he's in place, and the tea is poured, he offers Fizzy a smile. "I once heard Alexandria has a million stories in it, so you're in a good place to find them. But I know what you mean. Still... let me recount what happened." Tel gathers his thoughts. "The Chalice is a gathering for those magicians who possess what I call 'the talent', which is to say, sorcery. Most of the time the members come from noble backgrounds, though members have been known to sponsor aspirants from the gentry. I've supported this, with the argument that it's foolish to pretend that power doesn't exist solely because the person doesn't have a noble title."

Cor'lana's a diligent lady. Telamon's teacup is poured and in his hands in very little time at all. "Of course we'd love for Xote to hear the stories," she says with a wide grin. "And yes, I've told Fizzy a little about the Shining Chalice, but not quite so much about their inner workings. We were talking about possible options for her learning magic and I discussed how some sorcerers organized a 'club', of sorts, for sorcerers that is distinct from the Society."

She pulls down one of a few lovingly woven blankets from the head of the couch, putting it in her lap. "What happened today that was different, however?" she asks. "Xote's going to be on the edge of his seat." A tiny jest.

Fizzy laughs at Lana's tease and shakes her head. "Well, he would! Even though his ears are tiny. And he doesn't speak human. Okay, I think he does like the sound of human voices, anyway." She sips some of that tea. "But yes, please tell me more about the Shining Chalice? How it works, how the snooty people accept others or not? And this new pin?"

She's definitely more interested than Xote, who has settled into resting at her feet. If the occasional tiny twitch is any indication, he's out cold.

Telamon laughs softly. "Yes, it was different. There was... discussion. It wasn't an argument -- nothing like that little to-do with Kelev. But I think Master Stiger is going to push hard for opening the Chalice up for aspirants, regardless of birth, to anyone with 'talent'." He smiles. "In recognition of my part in this, he raised me to the rank of mentor -- I'll have the right to help induct new members, if they wish. I can also use the facilities full time to help train novice sorcerers."

His lips curl up faintly. "Which is good, as I've agreed to work with Auranar on teaching her some new ideas and techniques. She's... been wanting to try and develop her own abilities."

"Auranar's one of our friends," Cor'lana explains for Fizzy's sake. "A dear friend, in fact. She was one of my bridesmaids for the wedding. We'll have to introduce you to her sometime soon--she's a really, really nice girl. I'm glad you've agreed to take her under your wing, Tel, but I'm always happy to help, too." The sorceress smiles.

She reaches over and takes Telamon's hand--the one that isn't occupied with tea, that is, which happens to be his hand with the ring and wedding curuchuil--and squeezes it. "I'm really proud of you, darling," she tells him. "I think you'll make a fine mentor--both for Auranar and for the Chalice. They need more people like you, and less like that walking ass of a man, Kelev." The curse leaves her mouth like a finely guided dagger to the gut.

Fizzy's smile is a little wistful, but Xote wakes up just then for unknown reasons. The large albino rodent perks up, looking toward the door, the window by the door, or maybe both. His aforementioned tiny ears seem to have caught something, as that twitchy little nose, and shining eyes.

Fizzy looks down at the sudden movement and follows the source of Xote's interest, the door or something outside. It's then she notices the snow and wind have picked up. A frown crosses her face. "Oh... The weather seems to have taken a turn for the worse. I think Xote thinks we should go back to the Fernwood before we can't. I apologize, sincerely. Maybe we can meet again, here, at the Fernwood, or some other place, for more stories?" Even her eyes are pleading for more connection.

And while her eyes plead, she's donning her heavy winter gear in layers, bundling Xote up under folds of the long coat and cloaks.

Telamon nods firmly. "You are always welcome here, Fizzy." He sets his cup down, and while holding Lana's hand, his other reaches out to take Fizzy's briefly. "Family is the best gift a person can have, and I'm glad to know you. Just take care out there on your way back, all right?"

His eyes sparkle gently, warm and kind. "And Xote, you take care of her too, understood?" He gives the capy a grin and a mock-stern look. "I'm depending on you."

"Luckily for you, Fizzy, I'm a follower of Vaire. Stories and poems are what give me life," Cor'lana says with a grin, a twinkle in her eyes again. "Be safe in the cold out there--both you and Xote. Pothy doesn't know many pale-colored animals to be friends with, after all."

She's content to let Telamon be the hand that reaches out. They are the cousins by blood, after all. "Come back when you can," she tells Fizzy. "And I'll have more capy-appropriate snacks for Xote the next time around."