Garrin

After meeting Tersia, you'd have thought that seeing the Beastclanners around would have been at least a little less jarring, but something still flares up in warning every time you see a Maren snagging aquatic creatures just offshore or Harpies landing to regale clan members with the goings-on around Sornieth.

Certainly, you weren't prepared for a hissing bubble of something entirely too green to materialize in front of you.

"Garrin!" You hear a creaking voice shout, surprisingly firm. "Stop showing off!"

The bubble collapses in on itself, leaving nothing more than a dissipating, acrid-smelling gas. Now that it's not blocking your vision, you can see two figures ahead of you - a red and green Nocturne holding a wooden staff, and a similarly-colored Serthis wearing a beige cloak. You freeze to the spot - did that Serthis just attack you!?

The Serthis seems to notice your staring. Their smile is thin, but not unfriendly.

"My apologies," they say in that same creaking voice, "my disciple can be rather reckless at times." They bow. "I'm sure you're wondering - my name is Pial. I am a venomcaster - much as dragons manipulate the elements, I manipulate venom and poison. Garrin-"

"Can't get a word in edgewise," the Nocturne mumbles. If Pial heard, they don't give any indication.

"-came to me and wanted to learn the art. I agreed, but as you can imagine, my fellow clanmates were not happy with my decision."

"Neither were mine," Garrin says. "So we traveled for a while. Learned all sorts of new things! How to use different venoms, what happens to them in different climates, their effects on different elements - even Pial learned lots!" Garrin grins, casting a sidelong glance at Pial, who just smiles in a slightly more teasing way.

"You can talk when you get your vemonsource."

Garrin's demeanour immediately dampens.

"I'm working on it! You've seen the enclosure!"

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware. Aren't you supposed to be working on it right now, and not nearly melting our guest's face?"

Garrin gets an almost comically surprised expression on his face, eyes widening and every muscle going tense.

"Er... Going to... go do that. Right now." He twitches his tail and zooms away, towards a more craggy section of the island. Pial chuckles, a deep and scratchy sound.

"Don't mind him. He's enthusiastic. That's what counts." Despite being unable to see their eyes, you get the distinct sense that they're side-eyeing you. "Don't tell him I said that, though. I'll never be able to get him to follow my instruction again." You laugh, and Pial's smile softens slightly. "Perhaps I will see you again," they say, turning towards the shore. "Until then."

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