Roleplay

"Is there anything you can..?" Pith blinked, looking genuinely surprised by the stranger's offer.

Overhead, a massive feathered creature shifted in the trees and Pith looked up at the sound and swallowed. Again they felt as small and apprehensive as they had the first time they had ventured out with Hale's notes. The first time they'd attempted to...

But the light was fading, they looked back at the stranger, registering her again as an annoyance. But then-- something sparked in the corners of their golden eyes and they gestured to her abruptly,

"If you want to thank me then follow me and," Pith squinted up at the gathering shadows of the forest, "Be quick about it."

Then, with a grunt, they trudged over a particularly large root and pressed further into the trees.

"We can work out the details later, for now, we relax. The evening has set in, and honestly, I should probably think about cleaning out my first husband's cottage so this one has somewhere to sleep... as I've heard mortals like that kind of thing." She was obviously joking, a small smirk on her face. "Malady, you are welcome to stay as well, just.." she paused, looking at her, "Again, don't bathe in the pool, and perhaps avoid rubbing yourself on my tree. Dryad trees are a bit more... delicate... when it comes to things like magical poison... which, I have to admit, having never seen a creature like yourself, I am inclined to believe that is what it must be." she nods sagely.

She paused and looked at the bartender, letting out a small hum. "You've already proved yourself capable of some... interesting feats of magic. I will let you decide what you do on your own... as I suspect you're likely older than even I am."

Malady's gaze turned to Caillte again, a slight look of surprise on her face by the offer. It wasn't often people wanted her around, mostly because of her toxicity. "I'll do my best not to touch anything, promise." She said with a smile.

She glanced up at the huge tree, thinking for a moment. It was an awfully big tree she thought, she had a hard time imagining her poison being enough to do serious damage to something of its size; but she certainly didn't want to risk harming the dryad by not taking caution, especially after she'd been so kind to her. "It is magical, and really unpredictable...some people can handle a good amount, some die from just a drop or two." She said with a slight shrug.

Arrayth simply offered a little wave and a pleasant little smile, yawning and stretching "Ill remain for now, im intrigued and unfortunately as already stated, quite bored."
He took another sip of his drink while observing the room, the people, well creatures. it wasnt all new, but some was quite new, he found himself interested beyond belief..

“...yeah mortals like sleeping. It helps clear toxins in our brains? Also pretty useful if you’re sick,” Airin said, shrugging.

Am I the only one here who sleeps? That would make me... a little wary I suppose. Airin wondered how old the bartender and Caillte really were. She was certainly very young and inexperienced compared to them. She was more of a temporary being, not one who lasted centuries easily. Not that it wasn’t unheard of for very powerful mages to live to be quite old, but it certainly wasn’t common.

And Malady... was she mortal? Airin couldn’t exactly tell. She was definitely around the same age as her, but could probably avoid some of the situations Airin couldn’t. On the other hand she dripped toxin, and like she previously mentioned, some cold only take two drops, while others required more to die. Before she knew it, she had almost completely zoned out.

Hakota grinned, and jogged a little to catch up with the fast walking stranger, leaves crunching under her feet.
Moving to walk on their right side she looked over at them and said "My names Hakota by the way" in an attempt to know a little more about this person.

"... Definitely don't rub on my tree." she says with a deadpan tone. It was obvious, though, that she was worried. "Spraypaint can put me into a four day recovery period." Her nose wrinkles... a skill, considering the bark-like texture of her skin at the moment. ".. Not a fun thing to learn, just before a group of lumbermen are attempting to poach your trees... I was fortunate one of my daughters was still in the Grove at the time..."

She smiles wistfully, "Never have I been more proud of my little Azeala... than when she knocked six men flat on their rumps with their own mechanical shovel..."

Pith's mind was caught between their lingering distrust of the stranger and the repetition of the directions to Hale's workspace. They were still aggressively wary of her, yes, but they knew that any potential magic she might have-- regardless of what she ended up actually being-- would be useful for their looming task.

And Hale had always said "an extra pair of hands is an invaluable resource".

Pith half smiled at the thought of his voice, the memory of his own large hands rested on Pith's shoulder. They almost--

"My names Hakota by the way."

Pith started at the suddenness of the stranger's-- Hakota's voice, nearly stumbling over the fiddlehead of a staggeringly large fern. When they had recovered they shot her an incredulous look and said,

"Okay," as dismissively as they could manage.

Ahead, the charred skeleton of an ancient white oak that had been struck by lightning long before even Pith had been hatched loomed over them in the darkness.

"This way," Pith grunted, cutting in front of their "companion" sharply as to circle around the trunk to its left, "And keep quiet, there are entities in Hadesbrooke that prey specifically on-- agh--!"

Pith felt something long and fleshy wrap itself around their wrist and leapt back with a yelp-- tripping over their own feet before they fell hard onto their back. They struggled with the thick but otherwise harmless vine for another moment before realizing their mistake and scrambled back up, their face already a brilliant shade of red.

"Just don't talk too loud," they said, pulling their hood over their face and gesturing again for Hakota to follow, before adding, "And, if it'll shut you up, my name is Pith."

(*flickers tongue at phrasing* Hatched? HATCHED?! DRAGON DRAGON)

((Wait what. Dragon? Egg? Oh frick poor Airin she’d probably end up dead if she faced a dragon.))


((Edit: WAIT IS PITH PART DRAGON I FOUND IT I FOUND THE THING))