Goats are People Too (Pygmy)

[Vanator]

Like a Cyphrus Luvanor hound, Pygmy suddenly became alert, bounding to her feet. She visibly sniffed the air, eyes closed, and swiveled her head, as if trying to detect something. Vanator stood to his feet, puzzled at the girl's sudden excitement, she called a name, running the the crest of the short hill. The Drykas began to walk after her, pulling the hand ax from his belt. He could see Pygmy jittering with excitement, but the thunder of approaching hooves alarmed Vanator and he began to jog towards the girl. Then the horseman appeared. Horsewoman actually. The axeman skidded to a halt. Another unbelievable sight. A stark white horse. The beast was almost as big as the Nightwalker Evarette had ridden. It's alabaster hide reflected the sunlight, giving its lathered fur a shimmering that appeared almost magical. The rider was not Drykas either. She sat astride a northern saddle, her raven hair and olive skin more like the Chaktawe of the southern deserts. But even at the distance, he could see she did not have their black eyes. They were deep, saturated hues. As the woman dismounted, Vanator slowly approached, stopping several paces behind the bouncing Kelvic. He heard the stranger's words, and lowered the ax. Pygmy's excitement confirmed it, this woman must be a friend. He nodded politely, but remained cautious.

[Dhanya]

As soon as Khiara was off her horse, Pygmy was embracing her. Dive-tackling might have been a more appropriate term but it wasn't enough to send the other woman off her feet. An outsider might have wondered if Pygmy was more cat than goat, she was certainly affectionate enough. She tucked herself into Khiara's side, her head under the vantha woman's chin. Khiara could hear her making a pleased, loud rumble.

Pygmy simply loved being found. It always made her happy, no matter how poor a day she'd had. Pygmy didn't make the connection between her current response and Jenon almost selling her as a child. The wound was perhaps too fresh or maybe it was just that she lacked insight.

"I always come back." Pygmy replied, neatly dodging away from accepting any responsibility for her carelessness. "Don't I always?"

It was hardly reassuring.

"I walked here, look, I made a friend! He's called Vanator, his horse is Backlash." She said, inclining her head towards him. Her voice suddenly dipped down very low, so low that Vanator couldn't hear, "I call dibs."

Khiara was used to her saying this. She tended to say as much about everything. Clothing, friends or food, Pygmy always had dibs. Most of the time she'd share but not always. Cuteness seemed to go a long way for Pygmy.

[Khiara]

Khiara smiled as the young creature tackled her, watching the axeman slow and nod at her. She returned the nod quietly, putting an arm around the kelvic and hugging her back warmly. As she looked down at her, the vanthian's eyes shifted back to violet.

"Yes, I suppose you do Pygmy. I was certainly worried though...and who would I tell my stories to if you got lost?" Glancing up at Vanator, she chuckled as the goat called dibs, unwilling to argue anything with the sweet thing. One thing was for certain, cute certainly did work in Pygmy's favor. Leading both the kelvic and the frostmarch, she walked with polite caution to the man. His origin to her was unknown, unfamiliar. Not unlike the discomfort this dry sea of grass brought her, chances were her homeland would probably be to cold for his kind. Vaguely she wondered what had brought the axeman and the kelvic together.

"Greetings Vanator, I am Khiara Snowsong, of the Vantha and this is Vsenri." She introduced the frostmarch, who snorted again and nudged her shoulder, pleased to have stopped but hot all the same.

"I didn't know Pygmy had friends out here, I thought it was just us." Looking over his shoulder, she spotted the strider by their small layout and inclined her head.

"Thats a fine horse." The young woman said with a smile, giving Pygmy's shoulders a small shake. Indeed, Backlash seemed like a fine mare...far more suited to the climate than her poor stallion.

[Vanator]

Pygmy's glowing elation at the arrival of Khiara had disarmed Vanator's apprehension, and the Drykas thrust the ax back through his belt. Just as he was beginning to believe the day could not reveal a more bizzare surprise than a goat girl, something nearly as startling had just been discovered, or discovered him. The large white steed aside, its rider evaded categorization. They approached at a respectful pace, and Vanator greeted the new arrival with a smile. "Khiara, it is a pleasure to meet you." He did not know what gesture of greeting was appropriate, so he simply nodded again. Vantha. Vanator had never heard of them, but Khiara certainly was not like any race he had seen before. Her eyes drew his gaze, the deep violet irises highlighted by golden flashes, not like the flecks in his own eyes, but shifting swirls that almost seen to move like fluid. The Vantha's rich-toned skin was covered in a sheen of sweat, but it did not detract from her exotic appeal. He wondered how she could be so warm with the late winter breeze swirling around them. "Pygmy and I just became friends." He turned his grin to the Kelvic, who bubbled, barely contained. At the mention of Backlash, he turned to glance at his steed, the mare watching the new horse carefully. "Thank you, she is also a good friend." His gaze returned to the large Frostmarch, a magnificent mount, he mused. "Vsenri is a beautiful animal, I have never seen its likes in all of Cyphrus. " He turned back to Khiara, his gaze fixed again on hers. Between Pygmy and the Vantha, the two women had the most intriuging eyes he had ever seen. "Would you care to join us, we were just sharing some bread?" Vanator found himself quite curious about the newcomer, and where a Vantha would come from, and why she, or the endearing Pygmy, would venture so far into the perilous grasslands.

[Dhanya]

"This is true..." Pygmy replied to Khiara, wondering just who she could tell her tales to in Pygmy's absence. The others they were travelling with didn't have as good a head for listening to stories as Pygmy did.

Pygmy tugged on Khiara's hand, trying to lead her towards the food and a rest from the heat. She knew Khiara didn't really appreciate it and needed as much time out of the sun as she could get. Even if there was no shade, at least Vanator's resting place had a cool breeze.

"I'm hungry now." She said, sitting down and taking a bite out of the bread. She crossed her legs and tugged the shirt she was wearing down to a socially acceptable length, since she was now with even more company. It was the sort of weather she probably would have preferred to spend as a goat but the good company stopped her shifting.

"Do we need any water for Ri?" Pygmy asked, aware that he needed to be watered more than other horses due to his bulk and heavy coat.

He looked like a slightly uncomfortable crystal horse in her eyes. Shining and majestic and totally over the climate in Cyphrus.

[Khiara]

The young woman couldn't help but turn her gaze away as the traveller locked eyes with her, wondering if the strange shifting colours were unsettling to him. Glancing up again briefly, she found him looking at her again. Holding Pygmy's hand and Vsenri's reigns, Khiara allowed herself to be led to their little place under the shade.

She watched the tanned Vanator as he moved ahead of them, golden hair catching here and there in the breeze. He seemed as though he was born for this type of life, hard muscles moving subtley under bronzed skin. A pang in her heart snapped Khiara out of her study of Vanator, reminded all to sharply of the pain she kept locked away. The feelings she hid from herself to make life bearable. A small fleeting expression of grief passed over her face, and her eyes dulled slightly, before they were standing under the shade of the tree. Collecting herself, she smiled at Vanator.

"I doubt you would find many horses like Vsenri in your land. He is a frostmarch, native to the city of Avanthal. Good for taking you through the deepest of snowfall." Scratching the heated animal, her smile turned wry and she pulled out a small clump of thick hair.

"Not so good for this weather though. His coat has been moulting since we passed through the north, poor thing. I didn't expect him to take me so far but...I feel he knew I needed to get away." She almost breathed the last part, before shaking her head and smiling again. Looking down at Pygmy as she made herself comfortable and fed, the vanthian nodded, securing Vserni to the tree under the shade. The white stallion nickered at Backlash softly, before turning his attention to the lush grass.

"I think Vsenri could do with some water, perhaps even a quick dip. He's handling this heat a little worse than I am." Perhaps the statement wasn't as true as she would have assumed. As Khiara seated herself beside Pygmy, she piled her shoulder length hair into one hand and held it up off her neck, violet highlights catching the sun. Usually, in Avanthal, she wore it braided tightly and wrapped up. But in the heat as she sweated, it got hot and itchy. Another breeze pushed against the group, and the vanthian sighed again.

"I couldn't have believed anywhere could get so hot! In my home, it is always cold and white as far as the eye can see. I thought I would enjoy the warmth, but this is just..." She shook her head and gestured feebly, eyes returning to their rich violet hue, liquid gold swirls passing by like summer clouds.

[Vanator]

Vanator did not catch the solemn wave of emotion that washed over Khiara, turning to her only after her smile had returned. Once the Vantha took her place next to Pygmy, the Drykas joined them on the cloak spread beneath them, breaking off a hunk from the round loaf of dark bread and passing it to Khiara, along with the waterskin. "I have never heard of Avanthal. It gets cold and snowy in the northern parts of our lands, but we Drykas can always move to keep out of the worst of it." Syliria he knew. He had crossed paths with caravans and travelers from that northern region. But a land where it is always cold and snow covered, how far north would one have to go to see such a place? He wondered if it was farther than Mura, where his sister Kavala had gone to study. He really didn't know where that was either. Khiara must have traveled a great distance. Just like Pygmy, Khiara seemed to travel the grasslands unarmed. Had these foreigners no concept of the danger of the Sea of Grass? Pygmy had mentioned they were traveling with a caravan. At least the merchant trains passing through Cyphrus usually had a good compliment of guards. Then again, both of the young women seemed to travel quite a ways from home without apparent harm. His father had taught him not to judge to quickly on appearances. Perhaps these two travelers were more resourceful than he gave them credit for, or maybe some deity watched over them. As Khiara spoke, Vanator studied her with shifting glances. The warming sun revealed subtle streaks of violet and gold in her dark hair, curiously similar to the hue of her eyes. She was as different from Drykas women as Pygmy, and not only in the eyes and hair. Though her stature was not unusual, the Vantha too lacked the leanness of his people, exhibiting a softness to her limbs, unlike the more chiseled Drykas females. She did dress sensibly for travel, in simple leather garments, the only accessory of note was a beaded necklace around her neck. He hid a grin as Khiara aired her sweaty neck, still not sure how she could be so hot. He was quite comfortable, and it appeared Pygmy was as well. He spared a glance and a smile at the goat girl, who appeared absolutely content with Khiara now beside her. He turned his attention back to the Vantha. "I passed a stream not far from here. The water still holds the chill of winter. I'm sure you and Vsenri will find it very refreshing. Once you get your fill, I will take you there." Bouncing a look between Khiara and Pygmy, Vanator wondered if the Vantha woman knew about the Kelvic's other shape.

[Khiara]

((talked with pygmy, we are swapping post order here as it seems appropriate in this case))

Taking the bread and the waterskin gratefully, Khiara took a deep drink of the cool refreshing liquid, before having a small bite of the bread. It had a slightly different taste to the bread from home. Heavier, with a rougher texture. Chewing thoughtfully, she nodded as the man spoke.

"That would be appreciated, thankyou. So far, the caravan's I have travelled with have only made brief stops. They are always scanning the horizon and tell us to hurry, only allowing us to fill our water skins and give the animals a drink. Vsenri and I hung back for most of the way, until we joined with another group, and met Pygmy here." Looking at the kelvic, she smiled again.

"Until I joined you, I felt like I was just a burden. Most of the group don't understand how different your climate is to ours...they push on when we need a break. I've walked Vsenri more than I've ridden him. At least you seem to want me around." The vantha nudged Pygmy lightly, winking. The shapeshifter seemed to appricate her stories too...out here the troupes of wanders didn't have the time or the patience for a good tale. Chewing more of the thick loaf, she gestured to man.

"Are you out here alone, Vanator? I have been told it can be dangerous alone in the Sea of Grass...although I've yet to come across harms way. The troupe we are with talks of serpents like whales in the grass." The woman's eyes shifted to an amused light violet tone.

"I've never seen a serpent, and by the sounds of it I don't want to...but I doubt any of them have actually seen a whale before. No land creature could honestly be that size. Where would it hide here?!" Khiara swept a hand across the swaying grass, never having encountered a reptile at home, and only catching brief glimpses of small scurrying llizards on her journey. The concept of a large, whale sized reptile was just not possible in her mind.

[Dhanya]

Pygmy stayed where she was, curled into Khiara's side, bathing in the warmth of her implied affection. She looked between the two older humans as they talked, finding that now the talking centred less around her, she also found it less interesting. She did perk up at the mention of sand serpents or whatever they were.

"Oh Khiara, those have to be fairytales they tell to travellers to scare them. Why would a worm live here? What would they eat but the grass." Pygmy did not consider herself a meal.

"They're not real, are they?" She asked Vanator, reaching up to take the bread and bite into it before handing it back.

There was just grass, everywhere, nothing at all to worry about in her mind.

[Vanator]

Vanator grinned a bit grimly as Khiara described the caravan's hurried, nervous pace. The traveling traders were fairly safe (as one could be in the Sea of Grass) if they stuck to the marked roads. Wandering off those highways invited vicious predators, Zith, and even the wrath of the Drykas themselves. Waiting until he swallowed a wad of dark bread, Vanator answered the Vantha's question. He found he was staring at her eyes again, catching the subtle shift to a lighter purple as she made her inquiry. The colors were not only beautiful, but he suspected their changing hues hid some indication of mood or emotion. Fascinating. "I am not alone, I have Backlash!" He jibed, glancing back at the Strider grazing contently. "She is fast enough to carry me from any danger." He leaned forward to grin at his new Kelvic friend. "Just ask Pygmy." The Drykas leaned back, turning his gaze back to Khiara. "Honestly, it is dangerous, even for me, but I have grown up on the plains, and know what the dangers are. Besides, sometimes I just need to get away." His eyes shifted from one woman to the other, both so far from home. Apparently, these two really needed to get away, he mused. The discussion of the perils of the Sea of Grass had served to remind Vanator that he too indeed needed to stay vigilant. He stood to his feet, strolling past Backlash to stand at the crest of the small depression. The Drykas scanned the grasslands around then, stood still long enough the listen to the sounds of life. Satisfied, he returned to stand in front of Pygmy and Khiara, folding his bared arms across his chest. "The worms are real, Pygmy, but they are only dangerous when they are young. More deadly are the glassbeaks." He left it at that, leaving them with a wry smile as he carefully approached the white Frostmarch. The strong northern steed seemed lethargic, its chiseled head lowered as Vanator scratched its forelock. He stroked the heated mount's mane and coat. Once the bread was gone, He drew nearer the travelers and offered a hand to each to Khiara and Pygmy. "Now, lets get our northern friends into some cool water. Pygmy, you may want to pick a horse," He glanced at the kelvic's well proportioned, rounded thighs and calves, remembering how he first saw her, the little running goat. "Your legs are strong, but not long enough to keep up with Vsenri and Backlash." He flashed her a toothy grin.