2018-09-19: Unwelcome Homecoming

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<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

Since Ethius revealed his calculations about where Mother is located, Catenna has been harder to find.

The cooking has become a little less involved - simpler dishes have left her kitchen, often left sitting out for self-service while she eats in her room. Most of her time has been lost in introspective. When she has come out, it hasn't been to say much. Caring for the Owlet - still lethargic, still barely able to move about - has consumed some of that time. The rest of it has been a mystery.

Until right about now - when Catenna finally exits her room, setting out a plate of sweet almond cookies and a few cups of tea on the table. It's not all she brought, though - well, other than the Owlet, the tiny bird cradled in her left arm.

The other thing she's got with her is a map, which she rolls out across a tabletop. It's a map of Elru.

"I suppose I should at least talk to them about Elru, shouldn't I," she murmurs down to the Owlet with a small, sad smile, bringing her fingers up to brush them through the little bird's downy feathers.

The Owlet doesn't say anything. It's an Owlet, and it's tired. It just slowly blinks its heavily-lidded yellow eyes, its foot reflexively kicking a little at those strokes. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline has been a little worried about Catenna. She was always fairly quiet, but ever since the meeting she'd been keeping to herself more than usual. Jacqueline was concerned...though she also knew that pressing Catenna on the matter would not help. And so, she waited, until eventually...

Jacqueline emerges from her own room, putting her study session on pause so she could grab something to eat and check on everyone. That's when she spots Catenna pouring over a map of Elru along with the Owlet - still tired and lethargic.

"Ah, hello there, Catenna. How're you doing?" Jacqueline greets with a smile. She doesn't ask 'what' just yet - she was trying to approach things politely. 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    Ethius once again goes quiet after sharing what he does about where he is deadly certain Mother is located. One would suspect he'd urge everyone to take very specific measures prior to leaving for Elru and otherwise guide them hands-on, but no, he seems to just leave things at that... for some reason. Maybe he hit his head again and forgot, which is a distressingly feasible explanation for almost anything he does, really.
     He happens by the meeting area largely by chance, in so much the 'chance' is 'encountering Catenna' and whatever it is he's in the process of doing - unless it is to indeed locate and just stare at people (again) - it seems to be less important than the observation he makes as he stands near the entryway in which he originates.
     "Miss Catenna," Ethius goes on ahead and asks the 'what' in place of Jay, "would that perhaps be a map of the Elru region?" ...It seems he didn't hear her quiet question to herself. 

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

Catenna is a quiet person. She keeps to herself a lot. Even still, it's worrying when she starts keeping to herself even moreso than usual. Worrying enough, in fact, that Cyre has taken the liberty of checking in on her on the regular.

It'd be even more worrying if she'd refused to see even him.

But now! Now she's back out, and Cyre is already curled up next to her, nibbling on some of those deliciously almond-y cookies. The subject of the day seems to be, of all things, Elru. "Only if you want to," Cyre says munching on a cookie like a particularly large hamster. "It's not like I've got any room to pry."

Beat.

"These are pretty great cookies though." 

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

Lydia busts in, making her way directly to Catenna and gives her jail buddy a one armed hug. "Catenna!" She says. "What a coincidence, I was just about done packing for my trip to the Colony! How bout that!" She looks over towards Ethius, having unknowingly interrupted his line of inquiry and she pulls back a moment after and places a hand on Catenna's head. Pat. Pat.

"Hey dude," Lydia says to Ethius before looking to Jay. "Another beastman joined us I'm super hype. I'm gonna have to give her the ol Lydie welcome!" You know the one that's about an inch and a half away from assault. "Make sure she feels welcome!"

She doesn't seem as passionate about the continent as Ethius but the first time she left Ignas was when she left the entire planet. After that, most travel ideas seem a bit quaint. 

<Pose Tracker> Prissa has posed.

 
Prissa slouches around the corners of the room, moving nearer to the cookies as Lydia runs interference. "Good day; good day," she says to Cyre and Jay, and to Ethius she says, "..."

STILL NOT OVER IT. However, she acquires a cookie and starts to crunch it up while contemplating the presented map. She pauses to ask Cyre, "Did you stuff the entire biscuit in your cheek pouch?" parenthetically, and with some wonder. 

<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

The Owlet eventually closes its eyes again and almost curls into the crook of Catenna's arm. Worry weights her expression as she brushes her fingers carefully over the tiny bird's head again.

That's when Jay arrives. Catenna blinks once, straightening a little and clearing her throat as she covers for a surprise she should not feel. It feels like she hasn't talked to Jay for a week, though in fact it's been less time and she's talked in passing to most everyone. "Hello," she says, bowing her head slightly as others begin to appear. "I am... as well as I expected to be, I suppose. I have had a lot on my mind."

Ethius makes a correct assumption and Catenna confirms it with a nod. "It is," she says, carefully lowering the Owlet from her arms and into a little blanket-lined basket sitting beside the chair she's sharing with Cyre.

She pauses for just a second. It is because she is tucking the Owlet in with a tiny cloth patterned with little yellow moons. The Owlet closes its eyes entirely, halfway ducking its head under the tiny quilt.

"No. If we are going to go there," Catenna begins to say to Cyre -- which is when Lydia bursts into the room and hugs her. The Moon Shaman blushes intensely, her lips parting just a touch.

Pat. Pat. "...Hello, Lydia," she says quietly.

"But... I wanted to at least talk about Elru," she says, smiling when Prissa arrives. "I... assume most of you have not been there before. Having grown up there, I thought it might help to share a few things...." Her tone's still subdued, a bit more laced with worry than usual.

"There are biscuits and tea for you, Prissa, if you wish." 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Oh, that makes sense..." Jacqueline says with a nod as Catenna speaks. They all had, she supposed, though Catenna's circumstances were unique among theirs.

Jacqueline returns Prissa's greeting with a smile and a wave before glancing toward Lydia.

"Ah...you might want to hold back juuust a little bit...Miss Mariel is a little on the shy side..." Jacqueline suggests to Lydia with a nervous laugh before returning her attention to Catenna.

"If you feel up to talking about it, I'll listen." Jacqueline says, moving to find a place to sit. "I only know what I've read and heard from others. ...Mainly Shalune, from the time she spent there." 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Prissa's silent greeting is met with a silent greeting. Lydia's vocal greeting is met iwth... a silent greeting. As tends to be the case, Ethius doesn't partake in any of the drink or snacks laid out before them while everyone seems to coincidentally come by at about the same time. Maybe it is the cookies. They are, by witness accounts, delectable - or at least, to use a direct quotation, 'pretty great.'
     Not enough sourcing to get him to go put one in his mouth... oh, well.
     Another one is on the CaraKin, then, based on what he hears. He puts a hand to his forehead. Looks like he's going to need to move some things out of a previously unused compartment... again.
     "If you are able and willing, Miss Catenna, I would be interested in what you would to have share of Elru." He says, moving the hand from his forehead and putting it behind his back - as though standing at attention. "I confess I have no recollection of ever setting foot there prior." Which is kind of what she just said - most haven't been there before. 

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

"Mmn," Cyre answers, leaning gently into Catenna's side. "If you're sure you're ready, then we'll be sure to listen we--"

Cyre turns and peers over at Prissa's dreadful accusation-- and then sort of pokes one cheek so that it collapses its delicious almondy payload back into his mouth. "Uh," he says after swallowing (because he's not a barbarian, just a baskar), "Maybe. I was saving part of it."

Beat.

Cyre eats another biscuit, more like a normal person might though.

They're still good cookies. 

<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

"Mariel?" The name rings a bell to Catenna in a distant way. "I will have to say hello to her...."

Smoothing her hands over the skirts of her dress, Catenna shifts in her seat a little. Then she gently takes Cyre's hand and squeezes it, sliding her fingers into the spaces between his.

"I would be surprised if we returned to find anything there," she says quietly. "As I said last time we met, most of central Elru is owned by the Veruni... Kaguya's people. As much as Matilda does not like me to say so, the Veruni do not generally view humans kindly, and they guard their borders zealously. We should avoid their territory if we can." With her free hand, she circles the centre of the continent with a fingertip. "...There."

Her finger moves across the map towards its northern half. "The area you were talking about is somewhere up here, Ethius," she says quietly. "There used to be kingdoms here. Elluria is just on the edge of the Control Zone, while Arctica is on that peninsula."

Catenna purses her lips. "I do not know if you will see much of them. Arctica was... destroyed by something before I left. I am not sure what, but Arctica is nothing more than ruins now. Elluria had received weapons from the Ethos, but some enemy was attacking it when I left, too. That was a year and a half ago. I suspect when we return, it will also be gone, or at best, wracked with war." 

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

"Ethius," Lydia says. "When someone says 'hey dude', you can say 'hey' back." She looks over to Prissa for a moment and exhales faintly before looking back to Jay. "Huh? I don't know." She says, shifting her headpatting to Cyre now. Pat pat. Head pat. "I am pretty good with shy people, don't you fret. We'll be the best of pals before you know it."

Ah~! Confidence!?

She does start looking around a bit before adding, "I think it was the Metal Demons that destroyed Arctica." She must have inferred this from her interactions with the Furies. "The Ethos are doing arms deals there huh? War profiteering..." Lydia shakes her head. "Tsk tsk...."

Nobody has pointed out that she basically also engaged in war profiteering earlier. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Hm, well, if you're sure..." Jacqueline replies with Lydia. She'll just have to trust her for now, then! Particularly since Catenna begins her explanation soon after.

"Central Elru...I see. We'll want to steer clear of it, then." Jacqueline replies with a nod, looking over the map. She studies the area Catenna circles, making a mental note of it for later before watching her she turns their attention northwards.

"I see..." She murmurs.

"Metal Demons...yes, I believe that's the case. I've...seen one of their memories." Jacqueline replies. She doesn't specify whose, out of politeness. "So, in other words...the territory we will be heading into will, most likely, be entirely controlled by them..."

Assuming the situation in Elluria hadn't changed, that was. 

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

Cyre's (fluffy, super soft) head is patted! His ears twitch around Lydia's hand with every pat.

Pat.

Twitch.

Headpat.

Eartwitch.

"Hm," Cyre says in apparently ignorance of the hand on his head. "Ideally, we'll be myaking landfall somewhere to the nyorth. You knyow, to avoid the whole... Verunya thing."

"The goal is to take out the Mewtal Demyons at their home base, right? So if we can avoid antagonyaizing the Verunya in the process, that'd be for the best."

Beat.

Cyre tilts his head back to stare at the girl still patting her hand up there. "Lydia, didn't you uh. Didn't you sell a bunch of guns to people on the moon recently?" 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    Ethius listens in to Catenna's melancholy overview of the situation attentiv--
     "My apologies." He apologies as attentively as he listens, if stiffly so. There is much to be worried about what awaits them there - there's way more going on there than just Mother simply being about.
     "I see." Can he really see, though? He hasn't experienced what it's like to live there (...that he remembers).
     He turns his head and gives Lydia a look that doesn't differentiate much from the looks he generally gives as she mentions 'arms deals,' but he doesn't say anything on that front.
     "Mister Cyre," Ethius speaks up, "I should remind that the Veruni we have encountered seemed to be on board with destroying the Guardian Statues. If Mother is to be on the defensive, I have every reason thus far to believe they will come to their aid."
     "Otherwise," Ethius says as he returns his gaze level to be 'generally at the room' rather than 'at specific people,' "at present... I agree it would be best to avoid provoking or approaching them in any way, shape, or form."
     The pause between 'at present' and 'I agree' is somewhat poignant, as though he might have had to actually consider whether he agreed with that before he actually said it.
     He had a memorably darker expression during an earlier explanation of the Veruni people. 

<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

Cyre's head deserves to be patted, in Catenna's mind.

"I would not be shocked if that were true, if Mother is in fact in the north of Elru," Catenna concedes with a quiet nod for Lydia. "And I would also not be shocked to find that the mysterious enemy assaulting Elluria is also the Metal Demons. We can hope that it has survived, but I would say it is likely that there will not be many other towns there that we could visit...."

Catenna trails off and gives Cyre a look as he starts to slip cat puns into things. She tilts her head a little to one side.

Quietly, she leans over and gives his cheek a brief kiss.

Then she returns to her conversation, looking up towards Jacqueline gravely. "...Controlled, and perhaps completely destroyed, if Elluria fell. The area will be the Metal Demons' to master. And the Veruni appear to be allied with them. Ethius is right... I do not know if we will avoid the Veruni. They may intervene to support the Demons."

For a moment, Catenna hesitates. Then she touches the map again. She circles the southern half of the continent.

"I do not know if we will go here," she says, her tone a little more subdued as a hint of worry creeps into her face. "But there is another human kingdom here, called Elesius. The... Zortroa Kinship lives in the wilderness near there." 

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

"Yeah but--" Lydia trails off. She tilts her head for a moment, for a long moment, and then she says, "Well um." She pauses for a few more moments. "...huh."

She sits down and stares at the table for a while. She isn't so stunned, though, that she can't 'humph' when Ethius just gives her a silent look and look away herself. That's that and this is this and her SWEET MAIDENLY HEART was harmed! She refuses to be guilt tripped by this guy! 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

So, once they got to Elru they would be well and truly cut off - even if the Kingdom of Ell was still intact, they would likely not be in any shape or condition to provide them aid....

Jacqueline frowns and folds her arms in front of herself, thinking things over. It was a good thing they had begun growing their own food aboard the vehicle, as little as it was. They might need it.

"So we'll need to have a plan for the Veruni, as well..." She murmurs, then looks toward the place Catenna points out next.

"I see...with the Veruni between us and them, I doubt we'll be able to expect any help." Jacqueline considers. She didn't think it likely, but maybe they'd be surprised. She quiets a little at the mention of the Zortroa Kinship. Catenna's people.

Jacqueline doesn't comment on that directly. She looks up at Catenna quietly. She must be worried.

"I'm...sure everything's alright." She says. 

<Pose Tracker> Prissa has posed.

 
Prissa eats cookies and has a cup of tea.

She looks at the ears on Cyre twitching.

"Forgive me for an innocent question," Prissa says. "When you say 'destroy' do you mean the society is destroyed but many of the people remain, or is the other way, where there are no or nearly no people left? I am sorry if I am saying this without care, if any of you are from this land Arctica."

She sips some tea. "What are the Veruni?" 

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

Lydia... Stops patting Cyre's head! Instantly, his ears go still-- at least until Catenna plants a kiss right on his cheek and they shoot straight up again. Expressive, those things. They say even more about the shaman's poor heart than the bright red flush staining his cheeks.

"Ahem. Hrm. Yeah. Okay, maybe it would be kind of hard to avoid them. It'd be best if we do, but if we can't, then we do what we have to," Cyre agrees, nodding his head. "I'm just thinking that we should probably try to take out existential threats one at a time, is all."

Catenna mentions Zortroa. Cyre frowns-- his ears droop. "...Mmn. Elesius, huh...? I think it should be up to you, whether we head that way or not. On the one hand, it'd be... nice to see if they're okay. On the other--" He knows damn well how hard it is to face family after a long time apart. Cyre's hand gently squeezes around Catenna's. He'll be there, no matter what she chooses. 

<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

Catenna doesn't answer Jacqueline for a moment. She just clasps her hands together between her knees and leans forward.

Prissa is easier to answer. "Most people either fled or were slain, by my understanding... Arctica is said to be nothing more than a cold wasteland now, with a climate much like Mount Zulan was on Lunar. I think there may still be some elements of the societies in exile... we were still meeting Garlyle soldiers here in Ignas despite their hometown over in Elru being leveled."

She looks down at her hands, then up at the Spiran. "The Veruni are... visitors to Filgaia. They appeared somewhat more than a century ago and attacked most of Filgaia. Ignas and Aquvy continents repelled them, but they gained control of much of Elru." Her lips come together. "...I do not know what their origin is," she admits, "but some among my people call them the Strangers, for it is said they came to Filgaia hidden among falling stars. They are stronger and faster than humans, and most of them view us as inferior...." She looks up, expression grim. "...It is said the humans in their control zone are mere slaves, toiling and dying in the Veruni mines. And that will be our fate, if we allow them to capture us. And if we cannot prevent their designs...."

Catenna hesitates a moment before shaking her head. "...The Veruni called Ambrosius regularly reminds me of what many of them think. That for the sake of their survival, they intend to enslave all of humanity and make Filgaia their own...."

She trails off as Cyre takes her hand. Catenna's eyes drift not to him, but to the Owlet, dozing peacefully beside her.

"...The other Zortroa... are unlike me," she admits with a small, sad smile, finally lifting her gaze to Cyre. "I was hoping I would not have to go back to Elru." 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    As Catenna lays down the grim reality that they may not have many opportunities in which to replenish resources - little to no towns in which to engage in trade - Ethius finds himself silently considering the logistics of what it would take to ensure they would survive travel there for exactly as long as they need to in order to be rid of Mother and--
     A part of him suggests to leave it at 'be rid of Mother.'
     Prissa asks some innocent questions. Ethius closes his eyes and lowers his head some as Catenna catches her up to speed. If only he'd take that dumb handkerchief right off his face it'd be easier to read him - other than that there is, indeed, a reaction of some kind that not even his ability to cheat and hide half of his face would enable him to win that round of poker.
     "I will say one thing on that matter." Ethius speaks up suddenly, but then again, with how halting and abrupt his own body language can be, almost anything he does may be considered 'suddenly,' huh. "I will not permit the Veruni to do further harm to any of you." 

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

"What, so they're a bunch of loud, pale, inconsiderate jerks who aren't wonderful people in even the slightest way?" Cyre chuckles, leaning in to plant a kiss on Catenna's cheek. "If you don't want to go see them, we don't have to. Wouldn't be the first time we've made it through some rough times with barely any supplies to our name."

Besides, they might still be able to fish, at least.

Hopefully.

Unless the Mother's influence has killed the surrounding seas, or something like that.

"We'll figure it out, one way or another. Don't worry." Though Cyre DOES kind of wish Ryudo would turn up to help them get through the wasteland, or something. Having a Garlean around might have been helpful... 

<Pose Tracker> Prissa has posed.

 
Prissa sips her tea. She holds the cup sideways. Well, not sideways, but she uses the handle as a finger-loop. "The Veruni," she asks, "do they have the same eyes as me?"

Then Cyre says a key word. "Oh, are they all pale as a fish's belly? Never mind." *slurp* 

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

"Oh uhhh, I was talking about the other Zortroans," Cyre clarifies. "Veruni are kind of weird overall though. I don't think they had eyes like yours? Kaguya didn't, at least."
Prissa

Prissa, the future greatest swordsmith of history, is of average height with a frenetic sort of posture. Her hair is honey-blonde and bound up in an eccentric style, with a part on the left: the right side from there is slick and pinned down, while the left side has a good ten braids of varying length, thin and tight-wound, each with some random bead or twisting loop of metal wire at the end. She seems like a young adult and makes a lot of sweeping hand and arm gestures.

KEY FACTS:

* A tanned complexion that sets off the warm tones in her hair. It's definitely a sign of time in the sun.
* Dark spectacles, made from thin mica or some kind of treated crystal. Her eyes behind them seem to be green.
* The bags of a mobile peddler, most of the time. Unusual perhaps is a dark gray djembe-style drum usually lashed on the outside of whatever she's packing.
* A sleeveless leather jerkin worn with only some cotton smallclothes for protection. This leaves her arms bare and she apparently lifts judging by the definition on those upper arms.
* Loose khaki slops over the legs along with well worn salt-stained black boots. A colorfully embroidered belt has a half-dozen folding pocket knives each snugly set in a color-coordinated loop. 

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

Lydia has gone quiet. She curls her fingers inward and then presses her hands against the edge of the table. But eventually she seems to come to some sort of conclusion, and she eases back into her chair. "Granny Halle mentioned something about that, the slavery thing." She looks over to Jay. "Though um, if you're planning on doing anything about that, Matilda..." She trails off for a moment and then adds, "Well, I don't know. I guess it's not like we have to worry about that until after we save the world, obviously." She pauses. "Though I dunno, the world may always be in danger so it might be good to make plans about that too, if you care to. I'm done letting folks do that to people though. I'm gonna do something to help my people out in Kislev once we're done with Mother too. Fair warnin'."

She doesn't know much about the Veruni as a people otherwise, but she doesn't really consider Kaguya as someone who has much loyalty to her people despite her egoism and belief in her people's supremacy. Also Kaguya is on the moon and probably doesn't have to give a crap. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline's quiet. She can't really comment on the Veruni - the only one she's ever had a one-on-one conversation with was Kaguya, and she was still very...conflicted about her. For some mysterious reason, she'd never met this 'Ambrosius' fellow.

She looks over to Lydia with a bit of conflict.

"...We probably should, but I think Cyre has the right idea. We should probably take things one step at a time. We'll tear ourselves apart if we try to take on two broad-scale problems at once..." Jacqueline replies. And then there was the matter that the Veruni would be a very...difficult problem to deal with, to put it simply. 

<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

Catenna immediately tenses up at 'I will not permit' but then blinks in complete surprise when Ethius does not end the sentence in the form of an order.

"...I will also not allow the Veruni to harm and of us," she agrees quietly. "Thank you, Ethius."

She looks up at Prissa with a quick blink. "Kaguya's are close - they are a very distinctive pale green, but I think yours are a little darker than hers are...? And I...." She leans close and squints at Prissa. "...think the green is lighter, yes. But Ambrosius has grey eyes, so I do not think they all have green eyes."

She presses her lips gently together. "...The other thing we know about Veruni is that Kaguya, at least, was ill -- Kaguya was a Veruni we met," she explains for Prissa's benefit. "Something about Filgaia seems to make them quite sick...."

But Cyre has a sillier point to make, and a kiss to give her. Catenna blushes a little, flashing him a quiet smile. "I hope not to go there. But no, they are not pale. It is more that...."

Again, Catenna looks at the owl. Then back to Cyre. "...I am atypical among them - Guardian worship is very rare. The Zortroa are tamers of beasts. Most of them have strong familiars. One of my sisters, for instance, has a large gryphon." She smiles ruefully. "I only seem to get along with owls." 

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

"Owls are cuter than gryphons," Cyre answers without a hint of shame. "I'm not seeing how an affinity for owls and cats is a particularly negative quality. Now, lapsing in proper and appropriate worship of the Guardians is another thing entirely, and is something that we should probably remedy as soon as we're comfortable and capable of doing so."

Beat.

"Anyway, it's like I said. We'll only go there if you're comfortable with it, and we certainly ain't letting you go alone," Cyre huffs. I've got no place forcin' anyone to go somewhere like that." 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    Ethius gives a side gaze to otherwise unoccupied space in the room as Lydia mutters Matilda's name out loud. He doesn't see her here, and accepts he misconstrues the statement to focus back upon the rest of the room - and Catenna's gratitude for his support in so much as Not Letting Veruni Do Awful Things To Us.
     What he would intend to do beyond getting suplexed into the ground again... is still up in the air. (Or down on the ground?)
     "Ultimately I am in agreement that our focus on the time being should be Mother. Her location is, to my estimates, static. The Metal Demons do not appear to be inclined," or capable, "to move them."
     "Nonetheless, Miss Catenna, I have no intention of making contact with the Zortroa unless critical towards the end of disposing of Mother." That... aligns him mostly with Cyre's views, kind of? ('Mostly' and 'kind of' in the same sentence? Which one is it?!) "What is clear is that we should consider our preparations carefully. It appears as though we will have scant opportunity in which to resupply ourselves once we make landfall within Elru." 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Now that subject Jacqueline can talk a little more about. Jacqueline nods toward Ethius.

"I've actually been making some preparations in that regard, actually...ever since we decided to head to Elru, I've been taking stock of what we'll need there." She explains. "I had a talk with Matilda about it just the other day, actually...she's helping me work out some medicines that we'll likely need to combat the environment. She also suggested keeping a good supply of long-lasting foods on hand, just in case we won't be able to resupply."

She looks everyone over.

"If anyone has any particular suggestions or requests as to what we should bring, let me know right away so that I can take the necessary steps." 

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

"I guess," Lydia tells Jay. "But I feel like, if you wait for the best time all the time." She shrugs with both shoulders. "Then you'll never do anything about it at all. I agree about after Mother, but after that... I don't know, after seeing Lunar... I know that my people deserve better." She is talking about the beastmen rather than the baskar, but for Lydia she likely means both here.

She looks at Jay with some concern, wondering if she is seeing in Matilda what she is seeing, but she ultimately just says, "Yeah, okay."

She looks back to Catenna. "Oh yeah? I guess then little owl over there is yours." Huh, she thinks, Catenna was actually the first member of the Carakin she met as she thinks about it. 

<Pose Tracker> Prissa has posed.

 
"You will need a potion to give you discipline so you do not give all the stores away first thing," Prissa says, perhaps having gotten the measure of things. "Umm... how do you get heat, oil burners? I am unsure, but bring as much as you need, plus an extra one-fifth." 

<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

"I thought it was, once," Catenna admits with a rueful smile at Cyre's words. "My first familiar was also a young owl. But...."

Looking down at the Owlet, she blushes softly. She reaches out to gently stroke the tiny bird. "...I have started to think that I was wrong to be embarrased that I did not have the biggest creature at my command."

Ethius brings it back to business, though. Catenna straightens, shifting the Owlet's basket into her lap as she gives the mysterious man a slow nod. "I am glad. But broadly: Ethius is correct," she says to the group. "We will have to be prepared."

Fortunately, it sure seems like Jay is. With a touch more relief, Catenna smiles at the bespectacled alchemist. "I can help you stock up on food supplies. While we should be able to forage to some extent, there are some essentials I would like to have. Prissa makes a good recommendation... it is wise to have extra."

At Lydia's observation, Catenna blushes, looking down at the Owlet, then up once more. "I would not say the Owlet is mine... she is of Celesdue. But it is important to me to ensure that the Owlet is happy, healthy and comfortable." 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    Ethius also turns his head at mention of Matilda's name - the timing in which his head turns with Lydia's is uncanny but ultimately coincidental. They might be aligned in a number of overall concerns there, but...
     "Your familiarity with the environs will be critical going forward, Miss Catenna." The odd man out continues, armss once more folded behind his back. "Your care and attention of the young owl is laudable... but I must insist that you you look after yourself, as well." 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"I know, Lydia, and I understand." Jacqueline replies. "But like I said, if we try to think about dealing with both Mother and the Veruni at the same time, it's going to limit our ability to deal with either."

She's taken a little aback by Prissa's comment.

"Wh-what...? I-I assure you, that won't be a problem! B-but at any rate, heat won't be a problem. I have potions to deal with the cold, among other things. But yes, you're right..."

The vehicle could remain warm even in the coldest environments...but there were probably a number of other useful inventions, too.

Catenna gets a nod from Jacqueline, then.

"Thank you. I have to agree with Ethius, your help will be invaluable. We might not be able to do this without you..." She says with a smile. 

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

"Well, that just sounds to me like you're blessed by a life full of owls and moonlight, and that really isn't too bad of a fate if you ask me." Cyre chuckles and wiggles a fingertip gently into the fluff of the owlet's feathery scruff. "And besides, you've got a whole menagerie to take care of now, right?"

Present company... Possibly included?

"We should probably pack stuff to help us hunt and fish if we need to," Cyre says after a moment. "Worst thing we want is to end up with all our food supplies going bad. A way to purify water would be a good idea too." 

<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

"I am grateful for your concern, Ethius," Catenna says with a little bow of her head.

Jacqueline only reinforces the other nice sentiments - even Ethius is being nice, Catenna realizes. Her cheeks darken with a hint of a blush. "I will do my best for you all. It is important that we defeat Mother. In that respect, we must not fail."

Sliding her hand into Cyre's, Catenna squeezes gently. Her smile is small and introspective and her voice is quiet, but there's a simple warmth behind it. "...When I started my journey away from Elru, I was alone. I could not have asked for such kind friends as you. But... I am grateful for the events that have brought me to you all.

"Thank you."

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