Tell two more

Hayatiento Aerie, Midday

It's been a couple of days since the Sliabhgeiko has moved in. There's a mixture of relief, restlessness, confusion, joyfulness and remorse in the air that can be readily heard on the wind through the residential tunnels. Of course, aid efforts have not abated, more wagons and supplies have arrived over time, lining the gathering areas and being distributed, though this time at a less frenzied pace.

There is, however, that sky blue cyan tent made of silk next to the temporary medical ward. As people have settled, triage has opened up for those without life threatening injuries or illnesses. But there is only so much healing that can go around. And that is where the egalrin that the Sliabhgeiko have been avoiding comes into play. A younger egalrin, grey feathered and limping with a crutch, reluctantly drags themselves towards the tent. He clears his throat, "Um... 'scuse me, uh... Fuunomani?" he quietly says.

Slixavh, dozing on a bunch of silk pillows, blearily awakens, several blood stained rags dangling from a string above her. "... not m'name, bu' what up- ah!" she perks. "Come in, lezz get ya looked at."

He seems hesitant.

A sigh escapes her. "Ya can wait hours ta get it fixed or we can do it now, man."

"I jus' dun wan' ta, ya know..."

The rust red egalrin grimaces. "M'not gonna curse ya, Ceiwen's sake..."

Hitching a ride on one of the latest relief wagons, Simony eyes the scene ahead of her as the wagon approaches. She seems relieved, things are moving forward, aid is getting to the needy, and the specter of death retreating.

She cheerily waves to the driver of the wagon, and drops off the side, half running and skipping til she can slide to a stop. The sky blue tent is her destination, the Goblin coming in behind the limping Egalrin.

"Slixvah!", she greets rust and white woman, offering a wave. She moves to settle on one of Slix' pillows. "I'll sit and wait while you deal with the fellow here."

"... tha's not what the Elders..." The grey feathered man continues his internal debate, but is briskly surprised from the sudden appearance of the albino gobber.

Slixvah rubs her face, but any retort is cut off from Simony coming in. Her expression softens, a beribboned wing unfurling to give a pat/hug to Simony. "Heya hon, jus' got back from anota' supply run?" she hums, looking past the man briefly before staring up at him. "Ya can either heed wha' th' Elders say and have a cruddy leg fo' gods know how long or you can sit your feathered rear down and let me get ta fixin'."

He looks back to the medical ward, thinks, but a lance of pain shoots up his splinted leg before deciding otherwise. "... fine..." he huffs, hobbling into the tent and sitting down on a pillow, leg held up on another one.

The witch relaxes. "Good. Lezz get thi' fixed..." she intones, reaching a hand out as she concentrates. After a moment, several white, ethereal tendrils slough off her hand and waft towards the leg.

The patient's eyes widen. "'ey 'ey 'ey wha' th' ffff-"

"By Ceiwen, /chill/," she hisses.

The Gobbo grins, leaning into the hug, a hand gently reaching up to stroke lightly at the feathers. "Yes, it's a steady little stream now, and from the looks of things, aid is getting to everyone that needs it. So that's a breath of relief."

Simony looks to the injury that Slixvah is prepping to deal with. "Slixvah knows what she is doing, she is a capable healer. You are in good hands. Well, wings..." A little giggle is had when the tendrils appear, followed by a sigh. "Trust her."

"Yep. Tho' is gonna take people a bi' ta get used ta th' cramped tunnels. Thankfully there's tons of empty houses," Slix hums.

The man shifts uncomfortably, eyes darting from the ethereal wisps to Simony, and back to the tendrils. "... tha's th' hard part, lil' miss. Been told Fuunomani's magics leave ya wit' bad luck."

Slix just stares at him. Looks past him. And points, "'ey, is they givin' out biltong ova there?"

The man whips his head over. "Really??"

Her hand drops to his knee. "No." And the tendrils phase into the leg.

His eyes fly open, wings half unfurling to try and flap as the sensation that crosses over his face is a mixture of uncomfortableness and pain. "Hold still," she huffs.

"What are ya doin' ta me!?" he squawks, trying to paw at her arm before. "It's...! It's... huh." He stops. Blinks at his leg. Gives it a light bend and winces. "... it's.. sore, but not broken no mo'."

"Yeah, no shit," she huffs, dusting her hands off.

GAME: Slixvah rolls healing hex: aliased to 2d8+witch: (12)+8: 20

"It's good that there's houses, at least. And the upside is, might have crowded tunnels, but the sky above you all is still vast and open."

She giggles at Slixvah's deception, nodding in approval, something to save away for later. Simony hops down from the pillow, moving to help hold the Egalrin man still as it looks like he will fly the coop.

"As I said, she is good at what she does. The presentation is a little off-putting, perhaps, but her results speak for themselves." The Gobbo pats his arm gently. "It will be sore for a little bit, but it should fade pretty quickly. Go easy for a little, too. Also, you owe Slixvah a nice thank you."

The man does have to get held in place during the application of occultish medicine, but he settles down, the pain in his leg apparently having faded to a dull ache. He looks at Slixvah at having to be given thanks.

The witch reads him. And she looks away, arranging the disrupted pillows. It's clear now that she made all this to try and put people at ease. "All tha' magic does is arrange th' injuries ta be less bad. Gouges ta cuts. Broken bones ta bruises. Burns ta itches. It don' do no mo', no less," she elaborates matter-of-factly.

A crack goes through the edifice of distrust. "... ri'. Erm. Thank ya..." he mumbles.

She rolls a hand, indicating for him to continue.

He shifts uncomfortably, something about egalrin culture pressing him. "... thank ya Slixvah Unmesi fo' fixin' me."

She snaps a finger towards him, and smiles cockily. "Ya welcome. Now get out an' tell ya friends I ain't nothin' bad."

He gets to his feet, wincing as he puts weight on the leg, but he offers a parting wave to Simony, and to Slixvah before he limps off. Slix watches him go, remaining silent before a long exhale escapes her, and she flops over, face down into a pillow. "... first one to actually come in since I got here. Thank ya, Simony," she murmbles in the pillow.

Simony smiles brightly at the man as he apologizes properly, and she returns the wave as he goes. "Remember, go easy on your leg for a little."

Her smile fades a little at Slixvah's slow flop into the pillow. A gentle hand is run over the back of Slix's head, and shoulders. "Having seen, now I understand. People will get used to it, you'll see. They will come to understand, despite what the elders say. And well... your family did come to you in their time of need. The people here will all adapt."

A small, relaxed trill of a coo escapes Slix from the comfort. She shifts a bit to lay on her side, arm propped up on a pillow. "It's jus'... no one's even bothered ta even /talk/ ta me. Ya know what they call me? Back luck charm," she pouts, before its overridden by a light smile. "Th' fam ain't got that preconception, theys know I ain' gonna do a muck job, and they accept wha' I do."

A sigh escapes her. "I do hope m'Aerie adapts. They's a stubborn bunch. Hopin' that all thi' happened gets 'em ta mentally shift a bit. Especially since we don't have a Speaker no' mo'."

The smile brightens as the little coo sound. "I find that to be quite rude, that they haven't talked. I've half a mind to go and start getting angry. Let them know, hey, these relief supplies helping your kin? Wouldn't be here without Slixvah's intervention." She lets out a little sigh. "That would not have the desired effect, I fear. But it'd make me feel better about this."

The Gobbo reaches out to gently squeeze Slix' shoulder. "If it helps any, I feel you're a good luck charm. I still see you as that magnificent entrance through the portal. That will still stay with me til my dying day."

Simony's head cants slightly... "Speaker? Is... is that like the Sith caste at all?"

Slixvah snickers. "Ooooh trust me, girl. I feel th' same way too. But, Egalrin do thin's a lil' differently than ya might kno'. Give it time. Patience. Th' wind will shift and supply th' truth. Tha' guy ri' there is gonna tell two people, which they'll come ta me. And they tell two people, and they tell two people..." she rolls hand.

She reaches up to pat the hand, her face floofing up slightly. "I am glad ta make such a grand impression," she giggles. "Bu'. It's a complicated thing, I'm only jus' now learning tha'- yes, I am indeed a good luck charm. I'm serious. I thought it was way more dire, where I give too much good luck and a wave of bad luck follows when I leave, it's really far more minor. Finding spare silvers, then maybe stubbing your toe later."

She taps her beak in thought. ".. no, not at all. Speakers are like... divine guides fo' Aeries. Dey are like Wisdom from the sky, reincarnated. They oversee the Council of Elders. It is a life time position."

"I hope he tells four people, then, so that it snowballs faster. You don't deserve to be ignored, it's unfair and silly." Simony giggles lightly, her hand smoothing out the face-floof on Slixvah. "I have come to adore your facial expressions, something about the feathers just make them so... hehehehe...." The Gobbo lets out a huff of breath.

"I'm glad it's not as harsh as you thought... I think I would trade a stubbed toe for a few spare silvers, especially when I'm in the market and hungry for the latest pastries."Simony crosses her arms. "How does one become a speaker, then? Elected by the aerie?"

"For real, dat be nice," Slixvah snickers, accepting the attention before a wing pushes herself up to a sit. "It's unfair, aye. Bu' ya gotta remember; das 'ow we do things. In time th' truth will come out." She squints in a smile. "Thanks. Ya'll softskins do th' same thing when ya'll blush."

She settles her hands in her lap. "It's gotten tamer now tha' I've got a betta hold on it. So, spare silvers instead of strings of good things and then crushing bad luck."

The egalrin shakes her head. "No. Reincarnated. When a Speaker dies, th' Elders search the Aerie and nearby Aeries for a new Speaker ta see if one hatched. Elders raise them, and when they ready, they lead the aerie."

"I understand tha's reall' different than things in Alexandria, bu' its 'ow Ceiwen and Cernan, Dana and Gilead fo' most folks, show that we are in their favor for their skies," she adds in elucidation.

"Well, I will do my best to visit more often. Your people may not pay you attention, but you don't have to be lonely, or alone." Simony grins, her cheeks reddening slightly. "It can be controlled, then, at least somewhat? That's good to know. It must be very awkward at times."

The Gobbo rubs at her chin. "Reincarnation? Now that is neat! Uhm, how can you tell? Spells? Divinations? Tarot? Do your people always reincarnate, or just the Speakers? Does reincarnation confer previously known knowledge?"

Simony manages to look bashful for a moment. "Sorry for the deluge of questions..."

Slixvah chuckles warmly. "It's fine, hon. Don' worr' 'bout it. M'fam is one big gaggle of geese. They squawk a lot but they love me." She pats Simony on the head. "Don' worr' sugar. I ain't alone. Got friends like ya, so I ain't perturbed."

A shrug. "Eh, not really. Maybe awkward for otha' people, but I am hard pressed ta feel awkward 'bout almost anything." There's that ego.

A laugh escapes her, a tweeting chortle. "Naw naw, it ain't no big." She counts on her fingers. "I'm not sure. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. No, just the Speakers. I have no idea, I ain't a Speaker." There, all questions addressed. "The Elders know how to do that. And I sure as shit ain't no where near bein' an Elder, I am very, very young."

The Gobbo snorts and giggles, shaking her head. "A gaggle of geese!" She is pleased by the pat on the head, nodding lightly. "I am next door, quite literally, in the Monastery at the base of the spire. You're welcome any time, to my humble cell."

Her response to Slixvah's lack of awkwardness is a broad and toothy grin. "I hope the tunnels are big enough to fit your ego.", Simony says with a snort.

Her head cants back and forth as the answers are rattled off in quick succession. Her mouth opens and then closes, then opens again. "How young are you, out of curiosity?"

"I'll keep that in mind, appreciated," Slix hums in regards to the monastery, but she can't help but laugh. "Oh hell naw. They gonna need ta dig mo' ta fit it!"

A cheeky smile crosses her expression. She wags a finger, clicking her tongue. "Ah ah ah, rude ta ask such a question!" she teases before snickering. "Just messin' wit' ya. I'm only thirty. Prolly is part of my stupid big ego. Mos' of my brothers and sisters are older than me. Only a few are younger, youngest is Baby Bani at ten. Oldest is like, ninety. Zani. There's fourteen of us, includin' me."

... that entire gaggle the other day was /just/ Slix's family??

Simony covers her mouth with both hands, but the snort still gets out. "You goof. Hah, at least you can poke fun at yourself. Good for you. We uhm can see if we can get some Khazad surveyors in to see if the tunnels could be widened." The Gobbo moves to settle beside Slix on the pillows, the smaller woman leaning against the taller.

"Gosh, thirty.. and you might live to be ninety? There is so much you can do, I am honestly jealous. Oh... uhm. How is the wee one, the one who was badly injured, or sick? On the stretcher." Her voice drops slow, barely a whisper. "Did they make it?"

Slixvah sticks her tongue out of her beak. "'course I can. Have ta be. If I don't like myself so much, then me doin' all that disguisin' and shape shiftin' would do a number on my psyche, wouldn't it?" she posits sagely. A wing reflexively rests around the gobbo as they lean in, Slix opting to watch the people go outside the tent go about their day getting settled. "Make sure they give me a perch. And an open ceiling so I can fly in and out," she snickers.

The witch sputters. "Simony, sugar. Ninety ain't our limit. We live as long as elves and makari. Mamaw and pa are like, a hundred fiddy. And they still got like mo' than double tha' left in 'em." There is a light shrug. "One thing I've learned livin' wit' others is tha' ya'll got drive and passion ta get real change done, instead of waitin' literal decades in stagnation. So I am patient with everything going on with how they dealin' wit' me."

The question gets her happy expression to drop to a seriousness. ".. Baby Bani is alive," she answers. "I cured her sickness, bu'... I gotta wait until she recovers from tha' before I.... continue." She grinds her beak. "Her wing is broken, and it healed wrong. Her arm is broken and healed wrong too. I'm... going to have ta do somethin' really brutal ta Bani. Gotta rebreak it, saw it through, reset it, and dump a shit load of healing into it so it forces to set right."

The Goblin sighs softly as the wing wraps around her. "I suppose that's true, we burn more brightly but for less time. I still wonder at what we could do if we had even ninety years. That could be scary, couldn't it. But maybe also amazing." She lets out another little breath. "Navos is the Father of Time. The God of Fate. The keeper of knowledge. I can't help but to reflect on a life's span."

Simony tilts her head back, peering up at the Egalrin. "Slixvah, let me help you. I can get healing magic into her quickly, before the pain can really take hold. Can help you with the breaking of it too. It shouldn't be your burden alone. If we work together, it can be over quickly, and as pain free as possible."

"It is only natural to reflect upon it. Some fear the end of the span. Some live to spite it," Slixvah muses. "Me thinks if ya'll had ninety years, ya'll wouldn't be able ta do anything ya'll've done before. Slapdash goblin ingenuity is borne out of the desire ta burn as bright as possible. Fo' ten explosions in Goblintown, one is a stroke of genius and advancement."

There's a firm nod. "I will accept ya help, gladly. Gonna need mo' folks, too. Mamaw's a good healer, but ain't magical. She can only do so much." She drums her fingers on her leg. "Gonna knock Bani out wit' some medicine. Do it all fast like. But not right now. Soon, but not now. Fledglings got weak and hollow bones, easy ta break, but easy ta shatter, too. Girl's gotta get better recovered befo' we start doin' that."

"I uhm have never had much enthusiasm for explosions. Channeled that all into books and languages and sketches. Does that make me a bad Goblin?", Simony wonders. "I suppose I could do smithy work, my family's a long line of smiths. But it just didn't feel... right. Does that make sense, at all?"

The Goblin nods to Slixvah, "Oh yes, she has to be strong again first. I am glad you have medicine to knock her out. That will ease things along. We can do good work with a whole bunch of healers. Bani will be in good hands."

Slixvah shakes her head. "Nay. Ya ain't a bad Goblin. Ya th' best you tha' you can be, which makes ya a good Goblin, ya dig?" she explains with a smile. "My family is all hunters, laborers, and diplomats. I sorta did the latter, but I am th' only one tha's usin' magic tha' ain' Dana. I am th' smollest egalrin of th' flock. Am I a bad egalrin? No. I am th' best bird." Ego.

"Mmm. I have no doubt about it. They jus' need me 'cause my healin' doesn't heal like most. It moves th' wounds around. Should be easier wit' my mojo. Hopefully."

She looks off to the crowd. Squints. Within the crowd, a blue egalrin boy with an arm in a sling with a dull green woman next to him is looking at the tent holding his hand, easily spotted as they stand against the flow of the crowd. A wicked smirk crosses her expression. "... an there's the two people..." Slixvah coos.

The Gobbo smiles up at Slixvah, and lets out a giggle. "If it helps you any, you're all giants to me. And yes, you are best bird." She hugs at the wing a little. "And it will go well. You move the wound, I'll heal it up quick, and Boni will be back to her usual self in no time!"

Her gaze spies the blue Egalrin boy with his mother, and she smiles brightly. "If you need a hand, let me know. But I'll stay out of your way and let you do your thing til you ask." The wing's hugged again gently. "And they'll tell two more..."

Slixvah snickers, the wing hugging back before pulling away. "Yes. Havin' been a gobbo several times before, everyone is a giant." She nods once. "Aye. Bani will heal jus' ri' and dandy."

"Naw, stay here. People saw ya helpin' in the ward. Ya bein' here does a lo' mo' than ya might think." She grins. "And they'll tell two more..." she echoes on.

Her attention raises to the two. A wing gives a rainbow wave, and she pats an empty pillow beside her.

They share a look with one another. Converse quietly. And step towards the tent.