The witch completely missed Julian's subtle cues of not wanting to talk about his father's death. Had she understood his body language better, she'd have not uttered a word about it and moved on to the next topic. Drowning was something she'd come to think about a great deal. It was likely both her mother and her father were dead from the sea as well, the evidence being the broken wreckage of a ship found washed up on the shore after a big storm. She'd survived, though she often wondered how, when those on board had fallen.
But Caiyha had a purpose for her. Haeli knew that. It was just a hard purpose to understand sometimes. She sincerely hoped Julian's father's death was not a wasted one and that he died doing something he loved or needed to be doing.
Haeli watched the waitress deposit their drinks and smiled her thanks at the woman. Tea was familiar to her. In fact, it was the only drink she really knew about besides water. The fact that Julian squeezed something into his looked a bit revolting, but she didn't comment. Haeli's water came from natural places - leaves cupped to provide drinking vessels. Rainfall collected in the the apex of flower petals lightly flavored with nectar. Swamp water made her sick and she knew enough not to drink it. She was just curious why someone would pay coin for something that fell free from the sky so often. Even from where she was sitting she could smell the lemon as he squeezed it and dropped the rhine back into the water. Her nose twitched at the unfamiliar scent. Tangy, bitter, odd... she had nothing to compare it too.
"I took no offense." She admitted to his comment about rudeness. Haeli just preferred to acquire her own food, even if that meant ordering herself rather than catching it the way she was used too. The witch just wasn't sure she could communicate this idea to him. As to what the rest of what he said meant, she had very little understanding. All she knew is that he considered what he had done some sort of negative trait, and that in itself was related to who his parents were. Bloodlines. Haeli almost never thought of them. Her's were dead. She was sure of it. Truthfully she wished he'd just stop apologizing and relax. There was something restless about him, as if he was uncertain or slightly uncomfortable. She tried to lighten it up with her story of public urination and that did indeed get him to laugh.
She liked his laughter. It was so much better than his nervousness.
"Big jaw is my... enemy? A creature that would like to eat my flesh if I come to close to his waters. He has tough hide and many many teeth. We call him a crocodile though I do not think his kind like such high places as Lhavit. I learned his form early on so I could navigate the swamps easily without being bothered by his people. They more forgiving of others of their kind than they are of humans trespassing in their swamp. When he is not so hungry or I look as he does, he will often tell me stories of his people. I enjoy hearing them. Crocodiles have been among the world a long time." She said softly, looking thoughtful. "They have been here so long that they remember the first days when their mothers and fathers had longer legs and were far bigger. They roamed the land easily, not needing to stick to the backwards and lakes of the Gyvaka. I liked hearing stories of the past. Crocodiles have a gift for such things." Haeli added.
"Fang is my friend. I have known him since he was a kitten. He is a cat, a big one, with roses in his dark fur who doesn't mind the water. I've learned his form too so we can chase each other through the swamp and work together hunting. There are other swamp leopards that I know, but Fang is my favorite. He lays the best ambushes and knows where the most tender fawns are." Haeli admitted, smiling.
After a moment, she continued. "Tell me, Julian, who are your friends? I know the cello is one, but surely there must be others as well." She asked, curious about him and his life yet not knowing how much she could ask without crossing invisible lines and breaking invisible rules.
But Caiyha had a purpose for her. Haeli knew that. It was just a hard purpose to understand sometimes. She sincerely hoped Julian's father's death was not a wasted one and that he died doing something he loved or needed to be doing.
Haeli watched the waitress deposit their drinks and smiled her thanks at the woman. Tea was familiar to her. In fact, it was the only drink she really knew about besides water. The fact that Julian squeezed something into his looked a bit revolting, but she didn't comment. Haeli's water came from natural places - leaves cupped to provide drinking vessels. Rainfall collected in the the apex of flower petals lightly flavored with nectar. Swamp water made her sick and she knew enough not to drink it. She was just curious why someone would pay coin for something that fell free from the sky so often. Even from where she was sitting she could smell the lemon as he squeezed it and dropped the rhine back into the water. Her nose twitched at the unfamiliar scent. Tangy, bitter, odd... she had nothing to compare it too.
"I took no offense." She admitted to his comment about rudeness. Haeli just preferred to acquire her own food, even if that meant ordering herself rather than catching it the way she was used too. The witch just wasn't sure she could communicate this idea to him. As to what the rest of what he said meant, she had very little understanding. All she knew is that he considered what he had done some sort of negative trait, and that in itself was related to who his parents were. Bloodlines. Haeli almost never thought of them. Her's were dead. She was sure of it. Truthfully she wished he'd just stop apologizing and relax. There was something restless about him, as if he was uncertain or slightly uncomfortable. She tried to lighten it up with her story of public urination and that did indeed get him to laugh.
She liked his laughter. It was so much better than his nervousness.
"Big jaw is my... enemy? A creature that would like to eat my flesh if I come to close to his waters. He has tough hide and many many teeth. We call him a crocodile though I do not think his kind like such high places as Lhavit. I learned his form early on so I could navigate the swamps easily without being bothered by his people. They more forgiving of others of their kind than they are of humans trespassing in their swamp. When he is not so hungry or I look as he does, he will often tell me stories of his people. I enjoy hearing them. Crocodiles have been among the world a long time." She said softly, looking thoughtful. "They have been here so long that they remember the first days when their mothers and fathers had longer legs and were far bigger. They roamed the land easily, not needing to stick to the backwards and lakes of the Gyvaka. I liked hearing stories of the past. Crocodiles have a gift for such things." Haeli added.
"Fang is my friend. I have known him since he was a kitten. He is a cat, a big one, with roses in his dark fur who doesn't mind the water. I've learned his form too so we can chase each other through the swamp and work together hunting. There are other swamp leopards that I know, but Fang is my favorite. He lays the best ambushes and knows where the most tender fawns are." Haeli admitted, smiling.
After a moment, she continued. "Tell me, Julian, who are your friends? I know the cello is one, but surely there must be others as well." She asked, curious about him and his life yet not knowing how much she could ask without crossing invisible lines and breaking invisible rules.
