Randal was striding up the beach in nothing but loose iusas shorts that hadn’t been hit with a dye of any sort. The off-white fabric was strong and sturdy, though soaked through as if the man had been working in the ocean. He had been, in a way, or rather slinging very wet things around. Two traps were slung over his shoulders – round woven things – full of crabs that were waving their pinchers and looking frantically disturbed to be removed from the water. Around his shoulder and down the length of his torso, long ropes were coiled. It was obvious the traps had been anchored by ropes – probably off the main dock further down the beach – and were even now still trailing seawater from their damp woven depths.
He had an easy smile and a fluid step that gave pause only when he noticed the stranger on the beach naked with four dogs. His eyes darted about thoughtfully, as if assessing the situation, and immediately his direction changed from one vaguely headed towards the buildings in the clearing beyond the beach to full fledged intersection of where the strangers path would cross his.
“Hello.” The man said, strangely at ease even though it was an odd confrontation. “I’m Randal Zor. I haven’t seen you around Syka before today. Are you new?” The man said cautiously, then spared a glance for the man’s dogs. He shifted his stance, slinging the rope off his shoulder and setting down the traps. That freed up his salty arm for a shake if the stranger was of a mind too. With the other hand, he outstretched it towards the dogs, whistling softly.
“Beautiful animals you have there. Dogs? We have so few in the settlement. They look to be all different kinds.” He added, petting any that would come close. Randal knew his way around animals, most of them anyhow, and whether he should just spear and eat them or make friends. That’s how things tended to go in Syka. It was a beautiful place, but also dangerous. “I wouldn’t let them roam to far from you… even on the beach. There are snakes a plenty here – mostly eyelash vipers and other sorts that would bite them in a heartbeat rather than size them up. If they get bit, there’s nothing we can do for them. We also have python’s here. Most of them can eat people my size. Your dogs wouldn’t have a chance either. If you keep them close, they will be better off since for some reason most of the snakes dislike humans as much as we dislike them.” He added, smiling slightly. It was unasked for advice and he knew it, but he also knew the man’s dogs would last less than a day unless he kept them close.
“You look worse for wear. Are you hungry? Do you need some medical attention? We have a great healer here and a communal kitchen that might have some left over muffins or even some sausage gravy if your very lucky. They made biscuits and gravy this morning.” He said with a smile. It was one of his favorite meals.
“Come with me and you can tell me what happened.” Randal suggested, shouldering his gear and the pair of fully loaded crab traps. “I suspect we’ll be having crab for dinner tonight. Just a sneaking suspicion…. “ He said, the corner of his eyes crinkling with humor as he said so. If the stranger would do so, Randal would head towards the Communal Kitchen unless he indicated he was injured, then they’d go to The Panacea first. He had a lot of crabs to clean, and the kitchen was a great place to do so.
.
He had an easy smile and a fluid step that gave pause only when he noticed the stranger on the beach naked with four dogs. His eyes darted about thoughtfully, as if assessing the situation, and immediately his direction changed from one vaguely headed towards the buildings in the clearing beyond the beach to full fledged intersection of where the strangers path would cross his.
“Hello.” The man said, strangely at ease even though it was an odd confrontation. “I’m Randal Zor. I haven’t seen you around Syka before today. Are you new?” The man said cautiously, then spared a glance for the man’s dogs. He shifted his stance, slinging the rope off his shoulder and setting down the traps. That freed up his salty arm for a shake if the stranger was of a mind too. With the other hand, he outstretched it towards the dogs, whistling softly.
“Beautiful animals you have there. Dogs? We have so few in the settlement. They look to be all different kinds.” He added, petting any that would come close. Randal knew his way around animals, most of them anyhow, and whether he should just spear and eat them or make friends. That’s how things tended to go in Syka. It was a beautiful place, but also dangerous. “I wouldn’t let them roam to far from you… even on the beach. There are snakes a plenty here – mostly eyelash vipers and other sorts that would bite them in a heartbeat rather than size them up. If they get bit, there’s nothing we can do for them. We also have python’s here. Most of them can eat people my size. Your dogs wouldn’t have a chance either. If you keep them close, they will be better off since for some reason most of the snakes dislike humans as much as we dislike them.” He added, smiling slightly. It was unasked for advice and he knew it, but he also knew the man’s dogs would last less than a day unless he kept them close.
“You look worse for wear. Are you hungry? Do you need some medical attention? We have a great healer here and a communal kitchen that might have some left over muffins or even some sausage gravy if your very lucky. They made biscuits and gravy this morning.” He said with a smile. It was one of his favorite meals.
“Come with me and you can tell me what happened.” Randal suggested, shouldering his gear and the pair of fully loaded crab traps. “I suspect we’ll be having crab for dinner tonight. Just a sneaking suspicion…. “ He said, the corner of his eyes crinkling with humor as he said so. If the stranger would do so, Randal would head towards the Communal Kitchen unless he indicated he was injured, then they’d go to The Panacea first. He had a lot of crabs to clean, and the kitchen was a great place to do so.
.
