The Serpent and The Konti (Savi)

[Nira'lia]

“Oh, yes, we both have scales,” she said with a smile as she pointed towards her neck. They were iridescent in the sunlight and were very evident and uncommon to most. She knew how exactly it felt to be looked at oddly just because of these scales. “But I do think it’s much easier for you to pass of as a human,” she added, referring to the overall oddities of her race. That included the gills, and the webbed fingers and toes, as well. She felt sheepish at his question. Of course the herbs would taste funny. “I’m gathering them for their medicinal properties,” she explained. “Did I really come too far?” Nira’lia looked behind her, as if trying to see if she could see the entrance to the city. She couldn’t. The Konti didn’t think she had gone too far, as she also wanted to make sure that she was safe. Perhaps her estimations were incorrect. It was a good thing she had chanced upon him and not a wild animal, though. The Konti looked back at him. “I’m not… uhm, I don’t really like the stuffiness of the city, and I wanted to see if there were any plants I could collect. Is this place too far and unsafe…? That’s too bad, because the more rare plants are always deeper into the forest. Do you think I should turn back now?”

[Savitaire]

Savitaire chuckled “Walking in the forest will do that, you set off thinking you’ll just go in a small ways and end up in a place you didn’t intend. This part is as safe as the rest, only predators you gatta worry about are the wolves, but…this area is part of my territory and as such they leave this place alone. Wolves are smart that way, they don’t mess with things they are not familiar with and I…am something they don’t know how to deal with.”

He didn’t mention that it helps eating a couple for them to get the picture that something lurks that can pick them off. If they got smart and tried to surround then take him he’d be in trouble, but he never let them herd him. The two wolves that had tried to enter his area simply got picked off individually and they had simply decided this area was not worth exploring. “I’m not a fan of dogs, regardless of the species, they don’t even make a good meal, but that hardly matters now.” He chuckled “I’ll stay with you if you want, this way you won’t get lost. Besides, it isn’t a bad idea to learn about the green things you are hunting, could come in handy. So, whats so special about this particular plant, should I worry that I’ll be getting poisoned?”

His eyes watched the play of light on her scales, noted the webbing on her hands, he doubted she caught stares because she looked ‘strange’ there was something compelling about her. She drew his eye because of the play of light on her scales and her pale hair “So…do you mind telling me a bit about the race you belong to? I’m very curious…”

[Nira'lia]

“Huh?” she asked, slightly startled at his statement. “You eat canines?” Nira’lia could never imagine eating canines. Although, he was a humongous snake. It didn’t seem too farfetched. The image seemed disturbing to her… a snake coiling around a wolf, squeezing the life out of it and—she shook her head and returned to the present. “Are you honestly interested in learning?” she asked cautiously. Nira’lia had an experience with people who pretended they were interested, when they really weren’t at all. Up until now, the Konti still couldn’t figure out why someone would feign interest in such a thing, and she’d rather that he be truthful upfront. The girl was in touch with reality enough to know that Herbalism wasn’t a hobby shared by most. Amidst her doubt, his offer to accompany her was nice. He was surely strong, and she knew she’d be safe around him. Happily, she got to her feet and brushed off her skirt, and she started to lead the way to nowhere in particular. The girl simply picked a random direction and went that way. She strapped her weapon back in its place and in her hands she held the bunch of yarrow she had picked up. “This is yarrow, and don’t worry, it isn’t poisonous… I don’t think it is, anyway,” she said. Nira’lia wasn’t adept at her knowledge in plants yet, but if such a common plant was poisonous, she assumed she would know. “Uhm, the Konti… I don’t know. What do you want to know about us? And what about you? You said you aren’t a Kelvic, but I don’t even know what you’re called!”

[Savitaire]

He nodded “One takes what is offered as a meal, its just natural for me… I’m sorry if that disturbs you, seems I am making a habit of unnerving you when I only mean to be friendly.”

It saddened him that he was so inept at talking, it was to be expected since he had hardly dealt with many people, but he still felt bad. Traveling as he had hadn’t given him much contact with others and before that his mother hadn’t really let him interact with people on his own. She hadn’t even spent much time with him herself, nothing more than necessary, he knew he had a lot more to learn and was confident he would learn well. “Of course I am interested. Why would someone ask to learn something if they did not wish to learn?”

He looked away a bit uncomfortable “My race, the Dhani, are not…very liked by others much. Typically my people are very violent, but…I like to think of myself as a rare oddity as I am not given to violence without provocation. If I do kill, it is to eat, not merely for the act of ending an annoyance. I do not like to waste things, even the life of someone foolish to anger me. So the majority of the times I have been in conflict I merely prove myself to be stronger then let the foe go. My people even fight amongst ourselves, there are so few of us, but they are so caught up in idiotic rivalry that they see no shame in their actions. That rivalry has fueled the idiotic blood feud that has wasted so many lives… So I choose to follow my own way and that…does not include revenge or needless killing. So, I also must ask, don’t give away my secret? It might very well end up being the death of me if others knew…”

It was no more than simple fact, if the wrong ears heard about what he was he would be hunted down and if caught killed. He did not want to die, there were far too many things he wanted to do and he did not want to be prey to an angry mob. “I want to know everything you care to share with me, it would bring me great pleasure to learn more about your people. Not only that…if you were to tell me about yourself too? Seems a shame to spend time walking with someone and learn nothing from or about them.” He smiled at her “My name is Savitaire by the way…”

He had forgotten to introduce himself earlier, but hoped she wouldn’t mind.

[Nira'lia]

“Dhani…” repeated Nira’lia. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a Dhani before. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. You can trust me.” Honestly, she had been slightly startled by his description of his race, though she made sure to hide it from her expression. Nira’lia wanted to be more careful about how she reacted, and she didn’t want him to think that his race unnerved her. The Dhani race was very different from the Konti race, though. The Konti were very peaceful. She didn’t grow up on Mura, but she knew enough to know that feuds and violence were almost unheard of. “My name’s Nira’lia! I can’t believe I forgot to tell you that. Anyway… well, we live both on water and on land,” she said softly as they walked into the thick of the forests. “We’re the children of Avalis and of Laviku, and my hometown is the Isle of Mura. We’re also an all-female race… did you know that?” Nira’lia giggled at her last statement. Most people always found it strange that they were a race solely composed of women. No matter who their father was, none of the traits would be passed on to the child. “About me…?” she found that question more difficult to answer. She didn’t really know what to tell him about herself. “Uhm, well, I just came from Alvadas, and I’m currently travelling with a friend. Our travels led us here, which is why I’m in the city. That’s… that’s it, I guess?”

[Savitaire]

Savitaire found the information fascinating, a whole race comprised of women, he wondered how that worked. “I think if I took you to a river near here we could find more useful plants for you, I’ve seen all sorts of things growing near it. That is if you’d want to investigate?”

He liked that particular spot for large fish could be found, but also because it attracted more game and had some old trees on one side. Mostly the other reasons he liked it was it was rather pretty, he figured she’d like it so decided to take her there.

[Nira'lia]

Nira’lia definitely wanted to go to the river. Happily, she followed Savitaire’s lead. They continued to walk through the forest. How far they really went, Nira’lia wasn’t entirely sure. She loved rivers as much as she loved the ocean. Typical of her race, the Konti loved water—it was her second home. Rivers weren’t as vast as the sea or the ocean, but they were certainly refreshing. Soon enough, the two of them could hear the sound of rushing water. The Konti quickened her pace. She wore a wide, silly smile as she did so. “How nice!” she exclaimed as they finally emerged from the thick trees and came upon the river. Nira’lia couldn’t tell how deep the water was. She watched as some fish jumped to the surface and back to the river. “Have you been here before? This place is beautiful!” The Konti kicked off her slippers and felt her bare feet on the grass as she walked towards the river. She then waded in the more shallow part, kicking the water around like a child. “Do you know how to swim?” she asked the Dhani absently as she continued with her childish games.

[Savitaire]

Savitaire watched her amused “I’ve been here a few times, its got some good hunting.”

He considered it part of his territory, though granted he didn’t own any of the land its self. When she got in to the water and asked him if he could swim he laughed “I have been known to do so from time to time.”

He took off his sandals and his shirt wading in to the cold water with a sigh, when the water reached about his chest he dived under coming up to stand near her grinning. “While I can’t breathe under the water, I do like to swim.”

He slicked his hair back from his face, while the season was slowly changing it was still quite warm and the cool water was nice. Usually he just basked on the bank letting only a little water touch his scales, but he had been known to swim from time to time.

[Nira'lia]

The Konti went deeper into the water. It soon reached up until her waist. After this her clothes would be drenched, and it would be uncomfortable on her walk back to the inn, but she was slightly used to it already. Aside from that, Nira’lia was conservative enough not to undress in front of a man she had just met. When he went under the water, Nira’lia waited for him to emerge. She looked slightly puzzled, and she wondered if he was diving under to look for the plants he had told her about. Patiently, she waited, and soon enough he reappeared right in front of her. “I didn’t know that snakes liked to swim…” mused Nira’lia in response to his statement. He was much taller than her that when he emerged she was staring right at his chest. Her cheeks slightly blushing, she looked up at him and hid her embarrassment behind a laugh. Nira’lia was average enough to be bashful by such scenarios, and that was what happened. She just hoped he wouldn’t notice her embarrassment. Forcing a straight face, she turned away from him and started to go even deeper. “Where are the plants…?” she inquired, going straight to the point.

[Savitaire]

Savitaire had to remind himself when he saw her blush that even showing skin as he was, though not naked, was something many would find embarrassing to see. He himself had no issues with nudity, in fact for the most part just seeing someone naked wasn’t really enough to ‘stir’ him. “The plants would be along the bank, not sure what would be underwater. I’m sure you would know more about these things than I would, I just thought this area would be a likely spot to find more of what you needed. To be honest I hadn’t thought about swimming, though it is quite nice to do so. Most snakes do not, but most snakes still know how, I am equally able to hunt in water as I am elsewhere, but above water is primarily where I catch food.”

He chose not to bring up her blush, though from his amused expression she’d tell he had noticed. He thought it funny that she also tried so hard to cover it up, but politely said nothing about it. He wasn’t unaware that he got appraising looks from women, he knew that his stature, healthy appearance and overall features drew eyes. He had taken a couple brief lovers in the past, though mostly on his travel to Syliras. He usually ignored such looks, he was picky when it came to the women he spent any time with. He had to admit at least privately to himself the company he was with was rather pretty, the play of sun on her pale hair and shimmering off her scales only accented this fact. He pointed to a clump of plants nearby “I see rabbits eating off that sometimes.”

It was wild parsley, but he didn’t know that, all he knew was the plant attracted rabbits. Green things had no real interest to him, he usually ate them in his human form amongst other things, but never in his other forms. He was able to eat any number of things alien to his other shapes and actually liked how tastes as a human varied from his usual meals.