Of Ribbons and Rice

[Sable Baggywrinkle]

Timestamp: 80 Spring, 2012 Location: Middle Suvan, "The Gut" Rocky banks and pewter currents faded into sight, tranquil awareness settling over nature like a blanket. A small, meticulous ship rocked near the sheer rock face. Its mooring lines shot fore and aft, keeping it nuzzled safely in a crib of undulating waves. In the narrow channel no other objects moved, but sharp song greeted the dawn and preceded little fluttering shadows sipping bugs off the stirring surface. Aboard the vessel, a groggy shape tottered on deck. Nothing more than a gray outline, she bounced off the mast and tumbled over. Blessed with youth’s elasticity, the little fuzz ball tumbled right back onto her feet and continued toward the railing. Behind her, a significantly larger shape scrubbed at her eyes with the back of a hand and emerged on deck. Within a limp grasp, a fishing spear dragged along at her heels. Unwilling to break Syna’s pre-dawn hush, its low-pitched scrape washed together with The Gut’s lullaby. The lanky shape, clad in preparation of a hot day as well as the search for breakfast, lazily sat on the railing and kicked her legs over. She looked down at her fuzzy little companion, seeming to spend a moment in silent communication before leaning over to ruffle her ears. Above them, in the narrow strip of sky between canyon walls, gray brightened to blue. The tottering fuzz ball sharpened into a baby otter, and the woman’s features clarified into Svefran trait. Gold streaked the sky, lighting sparse, fulffy clouds ablaze. The woman’s hair was blond and curly, gathered beneath a roughly sewn red handkerchief. Her clothing, fitted short pants and threadbare linen shirt, stood out stark against long expanses of flesh that had tanned despite the short warm season. She took a deep breath, releasing sleep’s hold and filling herself with Syna’s gift. Laviku called, his summoning a deep rumble that reverberated through the hull and rushed between stone walls. Sable gripped her spear and wondered how cold the water would be. Just as she leaned back to snag the line attached to a nearby bladder of air, girding her proverbial loins for anticipated chill, she found herself flailing toward the dark sheet beneath. The culprit of her unexpected exodus poked her head over the side, beady little eyes watching the abbreviated flight. She cocked her head to the side as the pale shape flailed and splashed. Lumps: so graceless. When she finally stopped flapping, she realized that not only was the water rather nice, but she had both spear and bladder. With one final arch glance up to that little whiskered face, the woman disappeared beneath the shifting surface. With little light penetrating the surface, the sea became boundless. Her figure cut through the water, paddling along. Pressures caressed her, tugging on hair, fluttering clothing, but she existed in a vacuum. Only when she came up for air did progress present itself. A slightly different crag to the stone, a ship shifting left, or right by degrees. Nothing moving nearly as much as it should after an indefinable period of timeless motion. A dark shape skittered just beneath and behind the patiently kicking streak. She breached the surface, treading and using the bladder line to create a strap for the spear. Feeling smooth and like a small drop that belonged here, Sable descended once more. The spear bounced off her back, the bladder bounced along behind. Until the gliding figure attached to it was plucked from Laviku’s embrace and yanked around. The woman tumbled, flailing against the solid, smooth shape dragging her down. Her elbows and knees connected, fueled by the panic of burning lungs and inaccessible surface. Shooting through the unending blue, solid thunks reverberated and alien grunts keened in staccato. Res shot from hands, long tendrils swirling around the tumbling pair. Muscles slowed immediately, panic-fueled energy drained en masse, but still the duo moved, the Sable-sized creature providing insidious momentum. Ribbons of res blended in with the sea, batted to and fro by the current. Something sharp and deep clamped onto her leg, and the pain shot up the back of Sable’s neck. Up it zapped, until it escaped in a bubbled cry. Instinctive and panicked, she transmuted. Res solidified into razor ribbons of ice and she whipped them out with a flick of her arms. As quickly as it had started, it was over. Through the haze of red, particles caught fast within the density of the Sea, the creature sank. Sable struggled up. Crimson trails peeled off fluttering kicks and grasping reaches. Shades of azure, like an endless sea of bloodshot Tempest eyes, blinked. They winked and sparkled, teasing Sable, luring her in, taunting and inviting. Silvery crested orbs, bubbles, air. Lips parted, throat sucking…sky. Familiar brine and chilled breeze, panting and heaving. Syna tossed a handful of diamonds over the channel, obscuring the depths. Endless expanses of darkness, hiding the assailant. She treaded and spun about, peering through her own shadow to find the shape beneath her. The Sea Sparkle bobbed too far away. Sib…Sib might have gotten into the water too. She’d let her guard down. Swearing, Sable lurched forward, disappearing beneath and pulling in long strokes toward her ship. She knew better. Ever since the djed storm, the sea hadn’t been safe. Islands hadn’t been safe, ports hadn’t been safe. Nothing. Especially not the water. It didn’t take long for the weak swimmer to tire, and she pulled in lethargy, sinking more than moving forward. Ribbons of blood fluttering free and dissipating.

[Liandra]

Under the fading smile of Leth, a dark shape was darting out of the bay of Riverfall, just beneath the waves. Liandra was pressed tight against Kylayia's back, the giant seahorse fluting excitedly as they sped along. She patted him on the neck, and squeezed her knees tightly, signaling for him to speed up. The pair twisted and bounced along the currents, and began heading north, up toward an area the Svefra referred to as the Gut. Liandra had been getting a little stir crazy not having left the city for several days. After several hours, Liandra signaled Kylayia to begin picking up enough speed, she leaned back slightly, signaling Kylayia to head upwards. The pair breached the surface, glimmering droplets exploding out from them. Liandra lost her balance and knew she was going to drop off, so she kicked off as hard as she could, knowing it wouldn't hurt Kylayia, and did a poorly timed backwards dive into the dark sea. She settled in the water, floating there, rubbing her forehead that had slapped against the mirrored surface. She whistled, and Kylayia returned to her, bobbing up and down in front of her. "We'll get it next time love, that time at that whirlpool was just a fluke I suppose." She swam around to his sides, tightening up the straps for the saddle, checking to make everything was secured. Her trident, still unused, was strapped to the right side, the barbed net on the left. Satisfied everything was in proper order, she prepared to mount Kylayia, when a scent overcame her senses. Her eyes grew wide at the smell, for she knew it, it was quite familiar to her. She smiled, and quickly scrambled into the saddle, and sent Kylayia speeding northbound, following the lovely aroma of a friend. Several chimes later, she found the familiar sight of the bottom of the Sea Sparkle resting near some rocks. She was right! Sable was here! She began looking around for signs of her Svefra friend. She listened to the sounds in Laviku's domain, praying to him to help her. She heard the quick, subtle strokes that could only be Sib, way off to her right. To the left, she could hear the awkward kicks of a being not born in the ocean, and smiled. That must be her. She got off of Kylayia, when she heard two more sounds that made her blood run cold. It was the smooth, silent approach of predators. Yelling, though out of earshot of Sable, she sent Kylayia to Sib, grabbed her awkward trident, slipped it onto her back, and made way to her Svefra friend. Kylayia reached Sib quickly discovering a creature he'd never seen before. It looked like the eels that were common around rocky areas, but with features akin to a shark as well. The head was just like an eel, but from beyond that, it had a slim, streamlined shark body. The teeth though were far from being similar to eel or shark. They were short, needle like, and looked fragile. Kylayia and Liandra had seen several creatures born from the storm, but this was the first that looked like it had gotten weaker in its transformation. The little otter was swimming frantically away from the odd creature, who was matching her perfectly in speed and agility. Kylayia fluted, and Sib, recognizing the sound of a friend made way for him. He darted forward, passing the otter. The creature hadn't expected his approach, and crashed into the top of Kylayia's head, armored by the scales there. Kylayia then flipped backward, and his powerful, curled tail came upwards, and crashed into the underside of the creature's belly. The creature stopped moving, and began to sink down to the bottom, becoming food for other creatures less dangerous and stranger than itself. Liandra meanwhile was streaming through the water, following the sounds. The sleek, whooshing sound was nearing the kicking, thrashing sound, and Liandra knew she wouldn't make it in time. Suddenly, Sable and a strange eel like creature came into view, as soon it chomped small, needle like teeth into her leg. It began trying to pull her down, yanking hard. Liandra felt a stone drop in her stomach, and a tug at her heart. Why was that? She shook it off for the moment and began to slip her trident from her back, when the creature was eviscerated before her eyes. The bloody chunks slowly began to sink, and Liandra's nose was assaulted by both the blood of the creature, and of Sable, who now appeared to be struggling to make it back to the Sea Sparkle. Liandra swam up behind her, noting that the wounds to her leg were very minor, and would likely stop bleeding after she got out of the water. The critter had been more jaws than teeth she supposed. She moved up between Sable's kicking legs, and slowly up her back, her chest pressing into the Svefra's back. She whispered through the blonde's curls into her ear, "Let me help you, Sable Baggywrinkle." She took a deep waft of the woman's scent, glad to see a friend again. She grasped the woman's upper arms, just behind the elbows, and began moving them in the way most Charodae would swim. "Cup your hands, kick from your hips," Satisfied that the woman would quickly pick up on the technique, she circled around Sable's body, so she could flatten out on the surface. Liandra pressed against her, stomach to stomach, breast to breast. She caught Sable's eyes in the water, and flashed her a relieved smile. Liandra would easily keep up with her pace, and began moving her head side to side, opening her mouth, and sucking in water at the sides, to mimic how Sable should breathe while swimming. Slowly, but surely, the pair arrived at the Sea Sparkle, thanks to Liandra's navigation. She was proud of Sable, and much like their first meeting, and figured it was a Svefra custom, she expressed it with a quick peck of her blue lips, against the pale tan of Sable's own. She heard the squeaks of a safe and sound otter, as well the fluting of a happy giant seahorse. Liandra dove down beneath the surface, flipped over, and began speeding as hard as she could toward the surface. Right before breaching, she kicked extra hard, and shot out of the waves, her hands ready. She caught the side of the Sea Sparkle and pulled herself on board. She then quickly found a rope that she knew would be nearby, tied it in a very awkward knot to the mast, and tossed a length overboard. Kylayia would help push Sable up and over. Liandra would crouch down, smiling, giggling slightly, "It's been too long Sable, and this time it's you that was in trouble." She helped Sable to her feet, and pulled her into a tight embrace. Her throat was tight, too many emotions coming forth in a confusing wave. Whispering in her ear, "I'm so glad you survived, the storm killed so many... I... I was afraid I'd never smel... see you again." If the Charoda woman could cry, she would have right there, "How've you been?"

[Sable Baggywrinkle]

Exhaustion, both natural and magically derived, drained each stroke. Breakfast would have gone a long way in preparing her for the intense burst of casting. Such a spell, flexing ice ribbons, drained doubly for the simple fact that it had never been cast before. Whereas the beast sank, shattered remnants of ice floated up to glitter briefly in the sun. Not even ascending for air stayed important in the single minded drive forward to search for Sib. Fatigue masked the burn of lungs and incapacitation of oxygen’s lack. It, however, didn’t obscure the sensation of a sea creature coming upon her back. Before Liandra’s tender words registered, Sable had thrown the last of her energy into one last burst of res. One great grey cloud rippled between their bodies and leaked around, on the verge of deadly force. The ice had sliced her as well as the eel thing, and she was once more prepared to sacrifice herself for victory over djed twisted malformations clogging Laviku’s realm with their putrid existence. “Let me help you, Sable Baggywrinkle,” a familiar voice whispered. Words lapped against the delicate intricacies of a water-logged ear, drowning out panic-laced thoughts and dampening the need to struggle alone. Confident and capable, the Charoda’s hands caught behind elbows and gave of their own strength to shoring up ineffectual slaps. The Svefra cupped her hands, even though the water’s pressure outmatched flagging strength, breaking fingers apart to drag through ineffectually. Kicks, sporadically convulsive, came from her hips. It was the most advanced form she’d ever kind of used. Svefran arms quivered and threatened to degrade back to sloppiness as Liandra switched positions. Fluttering through the water, graceful as any fluttering ribbon, Liandra pressed back into place. Supported and saved, the woman felt as though she had been enveloped completely within the woman’s cocoon. Warmth and comfort passed with electric swiftness from the smooth blue expanse of flesh to Sable, it seeped through her stomach, over her chest, along arms and down legs, easing muscles and worry. “Sib,” she gasped, using her first chance to breathe for this instead. But that smile didn’t waver, and Sable knew everything was going to be okay. Without the motivation of Sib’s fuzzy little butt, without help, she would have drowned. Yet Liandra’s legs kept kicking, nudging when her charge’s lagged, she refused to sink when Sable couldn’t keep herself afloat. Finally, after a much different frozen time than earlier, the guiding Charoda brought them up short within the shadow of her vessel. That quick peck conjured up a well of emotion, and only the happy sounds of Sib distracted Sable long enough for the slippery woman to escape getting a true reward. When she finally lurched over the railing, tumbling to the deck with a cathartic sigh, Liandra’s helping hand found itself full of six feet of clinging Svefra. Lanky and quivering arms wound tightly around her shoulders, cradling the woman against her. As though Liandra’s admission had been the key, her sleek back vibrated with emotional release. Against her chest, Sable trembled. But it manifested silently, unhelpfully so, and long after Sib had gotten bored of waiting for the women to acknowledge her and tottered back over to her steed, did the captain finally pull back. Though moisture clung to her cheeks, Sable laughed-deep peeling rings that thanked Dira for waiting, Laviku for sending Liandra, and Cheva for the emotions that so clearly played across the sea dweller’s face. “Too much,” gasped, lungs grumping against being starved by water and then by laughter. Reluctant to release what she’d been missing for so long, Sable pulled the Charoda down to the worn deck with her as she mostly collapsed. A headache fanned along her temples and hunger gnawed. Sable knew the effects of overgiving would only get worse, but that was a distant worry. Her nose pressed against Liandra’s forehead, lush lips laying a steady stream of kisses there. “I wasn’t in trouble…I’ve just got that desperate in trying to find you,” she mumbled, only somewhat facetious in sentiment. “Last ditch effort, you know.” Wiry, she was only slightly softer than the unforgiving deck, and as she slumped back against the mast, losing against unconsciousness, her grip remained tight clasping the Charoda to her chest.

OOC :

It didn't make sense to break this exchange up. Pash next, then Apu?

[Pash'nar]

Pash'nar had first noticed the other ship in the gloaming; a black smudge on the horizon as the sky began to lighten with the promise of yet another morning bathed in Syna's light, a morning once again trading the opalescence of his moonlit glory for the tanned, tattooed flesh of Svefra seeming. The wind was with him as was the swift current of the Gut—though he wasn't sure he had any inkling of a true direction other than away from shore and all its complications. At least for a while. Whatever he couldn't solve, the sea always could: dulling sharp edges and washing away the rough exteriors until the smooth, bright kernel of whatever he was really after shone back at him like polished sea glass. In this case, he may as well have thrown himself out to sea forever. It was going to be a long sail. With those tumultuous thoughts, he shifted his course, bare feet on the steering pole for his rudder, heading towards the ship just as the last glimmer of moonlight surrendered with all his generous longing to the dawn. He felt the same, as always. Maybe one day, time would shift the beating object in his chest instead of just the veil that was his skin. Probably not. As the sky brightened and the details of the other ship came into view, the tattooed sailor recognized the cut of the vessel as a casinor—much more youthful than his, but the same species nonetheless. What he couldn't see was movement—the young thing wasn't headed in any direction and if she had a crew, he hadn't seen them move. Sleeping in, were they? Out for a swim? The dark-haired navigator didn't want to be perceived as too much of an interloper, knowing the consequences of setting a threatening figure this far out at sea would invite any number of unfavorable reactions. He yanked his spyglass from his belt, leaning against the pulpit of the bow as it rose and fell with the waves. He squinted, attempting to avoid the fresh sparkles of sun off the waves or the face of Syna herself as she danced above the horizon. It took him a while to focus on the deck, forced to concentrate and slow his breathing to match the roll and pitch of the front of his casinor. "Well, I'll be …" Was that a body? What was with it? A Charoda? Surely not. He blinked, leaning away to rub the spyglass confusedly on his vest, all the while noting the current and the wind were pushing his own ship along at a decent clip. He'd better petching figure out what he was staring at before he crashed into their hull by not paying attention. The false Svefra peered again through his old lens, sucked a chest full of briny sea spray in surprise, and slid away from the bow with a string of curses. A calloused hand drew along the taut fabric of his jib as he padded barefoot over his deck and cabin, ducking the boom and sliding back to shove his rudder with his foot, tugging the mainsail line and leaning with the yaw of the sudden shift. Cerulean gaze stayed fixed on the other ship's deck, sure now of the figures he'd spied. He again shoved his bare foot in the opposite direction, toes curling on worn wood, flustering the sails to slow the ship—too late, as usual. Another volley of words too harsh for the freshness of the morning escaped his lips as he scrambled to turn his rickety old girl a bit more to the starboard, lest he risk hitting the very ship he'd been headed toward. Worn wood groaned in protest against the waves, and the Timeless begrudgingly turned her bow just a few hairs in the right direction, but she refused to slow as willingly as Pash'nar urged, arms straining against the line. "Ahoy!" He shouted a hoarse warning, clipped and worried Fratava tumbling off his lips, leaning with his useless, too-leanly muscled weight in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the inevitable, "Ahoy there!" The hiss of wet wood against wood and the flutter of sails was sudden and jarring—his casinor running not simply parallel to the Sea Sparkle but against her. Both ships rocked in opposite directions, protesting the touch, but it was just enough friction to slow the tattooed sailor's ship. Once it had slowed enough for his taste, he snatched his own towline and fell purposefully backwards off his stern and into the sea without waiting for invitation, recklessly unaware of whatever trouble he'd be finding himself in for trespassing the sea or the other ship. He swam the short strokes toward the Sparkle, sputtering at the sharp cold of deep water and flowing current. He hardly bothered to search for a handhold or a foothold, scrambling sloppily up the hull of this other ship and struggling to keep a hold of his towline. He grunted and sprawled on the deck, slipping in his haste and concern, gracelessly finding his feet again while securing his boat—now at a considerable swim away thanks to his poor steering. He didn't take his eyes off the mast, off the Svefra and the (well, shyke, it really was one!) Charoda. Straightening without much leftover dignity, the false Svefra huffed stray raven strands of hair from his wind-swept face, "What the petch happened 'ere?" Pash'nar demanded, winded, deflated, and soaking wet, approaching with caution. He was hardly intimidating, despite being all tattoos and too-perfect teeth.

[Nalu]

The quick encounter with one of the many creatures of the Suvan had ended fast enough. The small, poor creature, only a baby, had only hatched a day prior before its short life was ended. It was a quick reminder that death had no preference. Sable only suffered a minor wound from the jagged-toothed, creature. The severity of the wound caused all in question to put its importance to the back of their mind. But little did Sable know, what a ghost of an event would manifest in her near future. Pash'nar's arrival and swim in the water had attracted attention of the creatures hidden below. The scent of blood in the water and the sounds of unnatural movements at the water's surface was sure to garner the attention of something. As the three on board began to become acquainted with each other, another large and heavy thump hit one of the vessels. It jarred and would almost cause those near the edge to waver and almost plunge into the sea once more. A spout of misty salt water shot up next to Pash'nar's boat as a large, grey, and white spotted back arched from under the water. Soon it was joined by at least three other humps all in various sizes, yet equally as massive. If the occupants on board would look into the water, they'd find the creatures with wide, cavernous, mouths. One of the whale like creature's mouths had what appeared to be the remnants of the thin, eel like, creature's tail hung out of its mouth. Though, the image made the relatively harmless creature's body seem like only a piece of meat stuck between human teeth. The creatures were massive with mouths that seemed wide enough to swallow an entire humanoid whole. If Pash'nar was still in the water before they arrived he would have been at risk of being sucked into one of the massive jowls of the Reaper Whales. The Suvan's vacuum cleaners, they rarely attacked living creatures. Blind, these creatures relied heavily on touch and scent. The feeling of ripples on the surface coupled with the scent of blood had drawn them from their migratory course to the two vessels and the trio. The creatures remained for several moments, one of the smaller of the whales received nudges that seemed to be more in guidance than hostility. Perhaps this was a family and the smallest one was their offspring. The encounter only lasted moments before the large animals seemed to loose interest in the area and began to swim away toward the deeper waters of the channels. The encounters were only the tip of the iceberg if these three chose to explore the sea, or more precise, what lies beneath it. However, their attentions would probably be drawn toward the sky. It had appeared to become darker shades of blue grey. Off in the southern direction, it appeared a large rain cloud was in its development. It would be wise to move away from jagged rock, just in case the rain cloud turned into a storm cloud. A bit of driftwood floated near them. A piece of parchment sat quietly on the dry surface. But it was disturbed by one of the whales as they swam away and was caught in a gust of wind. The paper took flight and flittered in the air before it once again came to rest within Pash'nar's vessel. The blood, water, and sun stained parchment held a journal entry, which read: Day 85th Spring 512AV My crew had surprised me with their strengths in the capture of this unknown creature. Its jaws were wider than that of a casinor and used a peculiar tactic of trickery. It had a lure which was shaped... The piece of parchment had a sizable gap caused by the dampness of the salt water. It picked up again sometime later. The large creature has acted quite peculiar as if it had given up it's fight for freedom since its capture. I fear that it is near death and hope we are able to bring it back to Riverfall for further studying and possibly a nice reward. Signed, The journal entry ended there. Stained by blood, the journal entry only added to the ominous events that took place after the entry had been finished. As more pieces of a ship began to float by, it would become clearer that the crew had not made it to their destination unharmed. But would the promise of adventure and exploration be answered?

[Liandra]

Liandra found herself in a pile of entangled limbs. She could see the tears flowing down the Svefra's cheeks, tears she wished she herself could give. Sable seemed overly relieved, "Too much." Too much what? The fish couldn't have hurt her that bad, was she injured in some other way? A way she couldn't see? She felt Sable shower her in kisses, going beyond what she perceived to be that strange Svefra custom Sable liked to do. It was quite enjoyable nonetheless. “I wasn’t in trouble…I’ve just got that desperate in trying to find you,” This shocked Liandra deeply, bringing about a massive load of guilt. She... She'd been looking for her for the whole season? Ever since the devastating storm, she'd never stopped? Liandra had gone to ground in Riverfall... never gone out to look for Sable. Then Sable's head fell against her lap, breaking Liandra from her guilt. "Sable?" She shook the woman lightly, beginning to panic. "SABLE!?!" Liandra began looking all up and down Sable's body, trying to find signs of life. Had Dira taken her?!?! After all this, ripping her away?! In her panic, she overlooked the obvious signs of Sable breathing, a trait that Charodae don't share. She pulled Sable into her chest, strange sounds escaping her throat, a strange mixture of dry sobs and pained moans. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Liandra's eyes short open. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. She pulled Sable away from her chest, and looked down. That was her heart! It still beat within her chest. She was still alive! "Oh thank Laviku..." she said in an exasperated voice. If she was still alive, then she must still be unconscious. She felt a bit sheepish as she could now see the risings and fallings of Sable's chest. What would help? Food? Water? Liandra set her down gently against the deck, and began searching hastily through the various barrels and crates. She found a waterskin, and some dried berries, which reminded her of days past. She grabbed them and rushed over to the fallen woman, sitting next to her head, which she propped up into her lap. She put the top of the waterskin to her lips, and tipped it, water gently flowing across the tanned barriers. "Drink Sable, drink, please." She put a couple of the berries between her lips, "Come back to me Sable, come back, please, Dira cannot take you now." Her large blues watched with intensity, hoping to see any signs of change in the woman. Liandra could feel her own heart in her ears, a deafening sound. "Laviku brought us back together, don't you dare die Sable Baggywrinkle, not now, Sib needs you... I ne..." There was a stir in Sable's lips, a twitch beneath the eyelids. Liandra held her breath, trying to rock her back into consciousness. Her eyes fluttered lightly, her lips taking in the berries. Liandra dripped a bit more water into her lips, "Yes, you can do it Sable, come on back." There was a thunk and scrape that shook the boat a bit. Liandra had failed to hear the greetings of the new arrival, her eyes fearful as the man stumbled over the side of the Sea Sparkle. Full on panic mode kicked in. Who the petch was this? Is he why Sable was hurt so much worse than a minor fish bite? Her normal instinct would've been to flee, but she couldn't leave Sable. She fumbled to get her trident to come off its place on her back. When she finally had it in hand, she pointed the three barbed tines at him. "Who are you?!? Get away from us!" The trident was clearly shaking in her novice hands, she'd never used it on a person before, and wasn't sure if she could. She hoped it would scare the man off. Her eyes were as fierce as she could make them, trying to mimic the glare she remembered from the Myrians that captured her. THUMP Liandra shook as the boat was rocked by some unseen force, stumbling she dropped to a knee, but managed to keep the trident pointed at the strange man. She saw a stream of water shoot up, back behind the man, much like a whale. She ignored them, whales were very rarely dangerous. The dangerous one was the mysterious arrival in front of her. Through clenched, sharp, teeth, "Who. Are. You?"

[Sable Baggywrinkle]

Sable groaned, smacking chapped lips around refreshing moisture. A voice, familiar and haunting, both pulled her from the din of unconsciousness and tugged her back in. It was a voice that whispered sweetly from the depths of her fondest dreams, a voice that guided her through riptides and whirlpools to deliver her to Laviku’s hearth. In the warmth of the Water Father’s glow, it broke fleshly barriers, dissolved her in liquid heat and released her to the mercy of unfiltered depths. A crash reverberated through limp limbs, sounds of a certain pitch that every seafarer feared. Sable struggled to rise even before groggy hues opened. On autopilot, the dazed Svefra gained her feet easily enough and made an imposing presence to back Liandra’s fierce show—except for the momentary reeling back against the mast before she found sea legs. Her eyes had a kind of glaze to them, motions slow and deliberate. A strange Svefra standing off against the physical manifestation of her dream was not the best scene to awaken to. Soft leather brushed against her foot as she took a step forward to find the source of the crash, and she gingerly leaned over to swipe up the waterskin. Liandra appeared to have the stranger in hand, so the recovering woman shuffled over to the Sparkle’s railing, popping down berries and draining the skin. After a long look at the whales, she turned around and fell back against the rail, settling in to watch the show. Slurp. Pop. Slurp. He answered questions. Slurp. Nom nom nom. Slurp. Nourishment gradually cleared away imprudent casting’s dirty haze. She remembered why she’d walked to the railing to begin with, noticed the distressed cast to Liandra’s eyes and her quivering limbs, realized that the Svefra was attached to a rickety old Casinor by a line, that the whales disappeared as quickly as they’d came, and that there was absolutely no reason for the Liandra to be treating a fellow Svefra this way. …Was there? The Sparkle was fine, she quickly ascertained, and debated whether her blithe actions regarding their showdown had made enough of a statement. Their showdown. Liandra! With a trident! Holy liters of liquid, Laviku! Choking down the last of the berries, Sable tossed aside the water skin and ducked beneath the boom to get back to her side. “I was attacked, Liandra here got me back to the ship.” As though answering his question, rather belatedly and after said savior had been so friendly, reminded her of the situation, the woman glanced at her limbs. The wound on her leg had stopped bleeding, material of her short pants ripped slightly, and fine, hairline cuts littered her arms. The floor opened up to Liandra to explain the situation. Little Sib tottered up to Pash, jumping to play with the line dangling in his hand.

[Pash'nar]

Pash wasn't particularly sure what was worth reacting to. Close to the edge of the other ship, the false Svefra was forced to fall forward with the same lack of grace as his arrival when the reaper whales surfaced. Smashing against the wooden deck was certainly a better alternative than flailing back into the water, especially once he got a good view of the strange creature's cavernous mouths. Sucking in a pained, panicked breath through his too-perfect teeth, the navigator happily ignored the threats of the charoda and his concern for the semi-conscious blonde while he watched the things disappear, leaving refuse and flotsam in their unexpected wake. A short string of surprise curses fumbled from wet, salty lips as he slipped his way back up to a standing position for the second time since his arrival. He'd be embarrassed if it had been worth his time. Then, the charoda brandished a trident in his general direction, and though he had no real familiarity with their facial expressions, he was very sure she had no idea how to use that pointed thing against him to do him harm. A dark brow arched on his tanned face and he huffed seawater and unruly strands of hair from his face instead. He stifled a laugh, tattooed arms crossing over his bare chest as he stared for a moment at the blue-skinned fish woman without any real expression of fear, "Put that petchin' thing down before you hurt someone." Pash'nar snickered, hardly a threat in his tone so much as a hint of amusement. He raised a calloused hand in mock dismissal of the charoda's real worry before placing it over his chest in cautious greeting, "Name's Pash. I ain't commandeerin' th'ship or nothin'. Seen it at dawn." Finally, the lanky, blond woman stirred. His gaze shifted from the trident-wielding blue thing to the Svefra. She seemed oblivious, or at least unconcerned, delirious maybe. Wandering about her ship as if she was alone, consuming food … stuff. Cerulean eyes followed her around for a bit before returning to the charoda—Liandra was her name, then … one of them had a name, at least—wondering if she was considering him for dinner or if he was just going to remain some unwelcome guest. The blonde made at an explanation, which Pash'nar at least found satisfactory. After whatever the petch just surfaced, he'd have probably believed anything. Eyes slid to the water suspiciously, concerned for a few heartbeats that there were more hungry things waiting with open mouths below them, before he was distracted by a couple handfuls of fluff that was an otter. He hummed and teased it further with his tow line before looking back up at the other Svefra, "I was just worried, s'all." He didn't have much else of an explanation, though he couldn't help but look back out to the water, glancing at the flotsam the giant creatures had left behind as he absently taunted the otter pup. At least nothing had swallowed his boat. That would have been awkward. There were some things floating in the dark blue brine that may have been interesting if he'd felt like swimming. He didn't. "Attacked? By those things?"

[Liandra]

Liandra hadn't seen Sable arise yet, as she was glaring daggers into the supposed concerned citizen of the sea. She knew there were people out there that would say anything, do anything, to get their hands on a ship. And she was not going to lose the Sea Sparkle on her watch! But she knew, absolutely knew, this man couldn't be trusted. She edged closer, keeping her eyes on him. "Get off this ship, you cannot have it!" She pulled the trident back, as if letting him have a moment to get away. But then she stabbed it forward, as hard and as straight as she could, her eyes closed the entire time. THUNK! She opened her eyes, slowly, wondering if she'd killed him, scared, because she'd never killed anyone before. She hadn't killed him. She did however carve two gashes through either side of his left thigh, and pinned his leg to the rail of the ship. Two prongs were uncomfortably close to his groin, and one was on the outside of the injured leg. “I was attacked, Liandra here got me back to the ship.” Sable was awake! Liandra totally forgot about the man and that she had attacked him. She dropped the handle of the trident, and turned to run to the blonde. She first stepped on the handle, which caused the barbed tines to loosen a bit. Then she went to step over it, tripped, and pulled it with her as she fell, causing one of the barbs to snag onto Pash's butt cheeks as it fell from the wooden rail. She fell, hard, her chin and chest stinging in pain. She pushed herself up, practically scrambling as her long limbs flailed about, as she rushed up to the Captain. She pulled her into a tight embrace, "Thank Laviku you've returned to me, Sable Baggywrinkle," She choked out a cry of happiness, relief, a strange sound, songlike as the Charoda tongue was, with a groan like a breaching whale. She had forgotten completely about the strange man, about the whales, about everything else as she clutched Sable to her chest.

[Sable Baggywrinkle]

Only the faintest of headaches fanned over her temples, but remnants of physical unease continued to plague the lanky Svefra. They manifested as a weak frown on pallid features. At least it wasn’t her butt bleeding. As Liandra tackled her, the weak woman staggered against her, awkwardly patting her back. Her senses were too weak to enjoy the physical manifestation of the sea at the moment. There was too much going on to be lost in this reunion. She cleared her throat. “Liandra, you just stabbed one of the last remaining Svefra on the Suv…” Sable trailed off, gaze sharpening on the bleeding man. “You ran your petching antique into my ship. What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with both of you? I almost get eaten and my rescuers turn out to be as bad as the monster,” she scoffed, untangling herself from the Charoda and fetching the discarded waterskin. Sib continued to play with the rope, despite the owner’s preoccupation. Sable took the little fuzzbutt’s lead and retrieved the line to tie it off to a cleat before staggering off to check the anchor lines strength after having the stress of another ship placed on them. Coming fore again, she took a deep swig and wiped dribbles off on the back of her wrist.