Another day, another need to be milked. As before, Otto brought buckets and Sil brought fresh beddings. And Otto didn't need to be told to attend to Nicora's other needs.. he plugged in as soon as it seemed reasonable.
"I am such an idiot. Why do I ask for .... oooh, that bit felt nice," thinks the rather crazy High-Priestess. It doesn't help that she is, like last time, active in her 'milking process'. Or put another way, good at distracting the skreek.
Otto is also a bit distracted. He seems to be milking Nicora a bit more slowly.. and focusing more on his other duty. There's a lot of smacking noises as a result - more than the sloshing ones anyway. Nicora's belly isn't quite as sloshy today as it was yesterday. The Skreek's hands sometimes slip, or squeeze too hard.. or forget about the milking altogether and grab onto Nicora's hips for a bit of vigorous thrusting.. which makes more of a mess as milk is dribbled all over the place because of it.
"I should really focus on getting this done and getting onto oth ... oooooo,/" thinks the messy High Priestess, and she wiggles back. It's also good that her swellings in some areas are reducing; a good sign for certain. That should mean the acolyte should be feeling better as well.
For a few minutes, Otto is very focused on finishing one task ahead of the other. He fountains, then catches his breath. He's soon milking again, and just rutting a little bit.
And naturally the pain and itch flares up in Nicora, snapping her attention back to other matters. "You were rather forward today," she notes to Otto. "I suppose I am not terrifying enough to you anymore."
"I.. uh.." Otto stammers. When he feels Nicora start to tighten up.. his response is to start thrusting again. "I can't help it, your worship.." the Skreek claims. At least the renewed activity.. actually helps. Nicora starts to loosen up a bit and feel less irritated. The Skreek isn't quite so aggressive this time around, since he's able to keep focus on milking at least.
"And why not?" Nicora has to ask. "What has so inspired you?"
"I.. never got to do this before," Otto admits. "I was a monster for a time, before Gorphat healed me. So.. you don't seem scary to me.."
Nicora chuckles, amused by the answer. "Fair enough I suppose. As for you being a monster, not so. I have seen far worse," she notes as she tries to hold still this time.
For a time, it's just the sound of milk squirting into buckets. The first two are filled, and the next ones are put into place as Otto works the belly-teats. Once those are done.. well, Otto becomes a bit more vigorous again. "Ah.. do your knees hurt from this position?" he asks, his nose nearly pressed to the back of Nicora's bare neck.
"No? Should it? Are you forgetting that I deal in daily suffering and discomfort? Time on my knees is of little consequence," the Yodhgorphat points out. At this point the skreeks actions are well, more painful than pleasurable given the blessing has already kicked in; but it is helping keep it from hurting as bad as it could. And for that ... she allows him to continue and is even an active participant to make it more enjoyable for him.
When Otto finishes a second time.. well, the blessing makes it a bit of a challenge for him to pull out. There's a definite 'pop' sound when he finally does. "I just don't want you to be in discomfort on my account, your worship," the Skreek says, a bit apologetically.
Nicora smirks and looks over her shoulder after enjoying aspects of round two. The sound almost makes her laugh, even with the associated discomfort. "Dear boy, discomfort is my duty, it makes me stronger," she points out as she now feels oddly empty; but that will pass soon enough with the blessing.
Otto still offers to help the priestess to her feet. "Do you need help with anything else, mistress?" he asks.
Nicora pushes herself up to her feet with difficulty. One thing can be said for her blessing; she won't 'leak'! "Nothing as of the moment," she says after some thought. "If I think of anything, I will summon. Is there anything you wish of me?"
"Only to serve, mistress!" Otto pipes up, and.. salutes? Given that his pants are around his ankles still, it's an odd sight.
Nicora chuckles, again. "Then you can pull up your pants and depart," she offers; tone tinged with amusement.
Otto does just that, and waves as he leaves.
"Strange fellow," Nicora remarks as she sits back on her bed to give herself a a quick examination to make sure her health is still safe from her 'cargo'. She is guiding the acolyte, but she doesn't want to risk her own health!
The eggs are still there, although haven't attached - which isn't a surprise, given that Nicora is 'immune' due to prior attachment. This means the eggs are already starting to dissolve.
"Mm, good enough," Nicora mutters as she draws the shadow back and stands. She stretches a bit, cleans herself off as best she can with a towel, and then heads to extract the acolyte from her 'bed', such as it is. Hopefully she will be in a better mood today; in means the craziness will have set in!
Penance is already awake when Nicora arrives next door. The drones had really secured her.. except for her belly, which was exposed. Even her mouth was gagged, leaving only her nostrils free. She looks to Nicora with a slightly crazed expression.
Nicora arches her brow. She goes to the girl and places her hand on her stomach to inspect the woman and her implantation condition. "Calm yourself," she tells the woman, "You will be free shortly."
For Penance, there's definitely implantation. The eggs have created cysts attached to several abdominal organs, mainly the intestine, stomach and liver.
"Time to start exposing her to things so they are worn out before they develop," Nicora decides. She draws her hand back and tills away the bindings on her mouth. She also waves the drones over to help free her further.
Once she's supporting her own weight again, Penance staggers forward out of the cubby, and takes several deep breaths while holding onto her stomach. "I was afraid to sleep," she admits. "Being gagged.. was disturbing.."
"You have to get used to such things in your new life," Nicora claims as she rubs the woman's back to console her. "The horribs here will not harm you, they are my children and obey me. You must have faith."
"But.. isn't harm something I'm supposed to experience?" the acolyte asks. She keeps rubbing her stomach - which does a little smaller than the day before, meaning the eggs are absorbing the nutrients. "What must I do to.. make sure I'm not eaten by the larvae?"
"Willingly experience harm," Nicora answers appropriately. "You must now begin to inflict yourself willingly with things to strengthen your body. Where we start, well, it can be simple if you prefer. We could start with some of the parasites you identified yesterday. Once you feel confident in your faith that you can endure it, we will move to the dangerous diseases."
"The.. skin parasites?" Penance asks, and her eyes linger on Nicora's scarred scalp. "I need to infect myself.." she says, a bit blankly.
Nicora nods at this. "Yes, you do," she says flatly. "It shows faith. Do you wish me to join you in this?"
"I don't know how to.. proceed?" the girl asks. "I have categorized the parasites, and I know where the eggs are.. but I didn't record how to cultivate them or the proper means of infection.."
"Then we have to go back and look in their scrolls. You select three different ones from those you have cataloged and we will start with those," Nicora says simply and gestures for her to follow. It is back to the Hall.
Once in the hall, Penance organizes her notes, and chews her lips. "Any three?" she asks, sounding worried. "I.. shouldn't just pick the least nasty ones, right?"
Nicora arches her brow. "This is a test of faith. You much choose according to that," she says simply. "What do you think that means?"
"I.. suppose I should leave it up to Gorphat then," Penance says, and gathers up the notes. She then closes her eyes and throws them all up into the air, grabbing three at random as they fall.
Yodhgorphat Scourge nods at this. "A good use of faith. Which ones have you caught?" she inquires. "And do you wish me to endure along with you?"
The girl hands the three pages over to Nicora, and begins to collect the ones on the floor. The first one is 'green ring worm' that causes circular green welts on the skin, but no other noticeable side effect until they mature and burst through. The second is 'Gorphat's glowmites', which aren't actually mites so much as fungal spores. As they germinate, they release a green glow until the fruiting bodies (which resemble tiny Eeee wings) break the surface and send out spores. The third is the 'pulsating pustulence' which.. causes infected areas to pulsate and ooze puss, and can leave scars behind.
"A ... delightful collection," the Yodhgorphat has to admit as she looks through the collection, then goes to the index to find out the details on them and how they infect. "None of them sound too dangerous for your first time."
The fungal one is simplest.. simply insert the spores under the skin. The Pustulence one requires actually cutting the skin and rubbing the eggs into the wound. And the ring-worm eggs need to be swallowed.. there's no control over where they will appear on the skin.
Nicora heads next to the catalog of the samples to collect the samples listed. "The application of these are simple," she notes and goes through the procedures she just read through. "We will need a needle and syringe for one; you may find it on the self opposite the scrolls. The others can be done with claw, or as noted, simply swallowing," she adds. "Do you have faith enough to do this?"
Penance rubs her stomach in thought. "I don't know which ones I chose," she admits, after putting the other notes away. "I suppose that doesn't matter. Knowing the side effects, that is. These are the ones that were chosen, so.. I must endure them, and hope that my faith protects me from anything too dangerous."
"Indeed, now gather the items I requested. Also, shall I accompany you on this journey, or not?" Yodhgorphat Scourge notes, "I am still waiting for that answer."
"I.. don't know, Yodhgorphat," Penance says as she gathers the supplies. "It is no challenge for you.. but at the same time, I do not want to feel.. alone.."
"Then we will endure it together. I will infect you with each, then you will repeat on me to learn," the Yodhgorphat states simply as she heads to one of the work tables with the three small sample jars.
Penance has the needle (which looks more like a tattooing needle than a medical one) and a small knife and a paintbrush. The various eggs are kept in gooey suspensions (that look very similar to worm goo), making it possible to simply 'dip' the necessary tool into them.
"Very good. Now sit down," Nicora instructs and pats the seat next to her. "We shall then begin with the simplest ones, the ones you just swallow," she adds. She selects the jar with the sample of ringworm first. This she just dips her finger in it and offers it to Penancee to suck on once she sits.
Penance has a weird look on her face as she sucks the goo off of Nicora's finger. Having to suck everything from one part of Nicora or another may be causing her some confusion in how she feels about it.
And of course this just amuses the Yodhgorphat. The next item she selects is the glowing fungal spores and takes up the needle. "Now ... where do I wish to do this, hmm?" she inquires as she twirls the needle. The look she gets is ... disturbing. The smile is ... reminiscent of Mordicai. She slides off her chair and kneels before Penance. "This will hurt," she notes as she dips the needle tip into the goo of the glowing fungus. Then .. she goes about tattooing the poor Eeee's vulva with the shape of the Wound. The curves flow down each side, whereas Inala's orb becomes focal point of the little crown of the four small spines.
Penance cries, but doesn't sob. Her thigh muscles twitch and clench from the pain as well, and she puts her hands on her knees and digs in with her fingers to keep them from shaking too much.
And it does take a while since the needle has to be re-dipped every so often. But, it eventually does end and Nicora returns to her seat. She lets the acolyte collect herself for a bit. "Last one?" she inquires.
The girl has to take several deep breaths first. Her vulva looks rather swollen and irritated now, and that's just from the needle. She finally nods, to Nicora to do the next.
The next one requires using the knife. And this time it is carefully making a shallow cut in the girl's forehead, also in the shape of the wound. She then dips the brush into the remaining purulence parasite. This she uses to gently paint on the goo into the wound, helping to brush away the small amount of blood and work in the sample. "There, you are done," she notes when the brushwork has concluded.
Penance has to wipe at her eyes and nose. Even shallow cuts on the forehead sting and bleed a bit. "I.. thank you, Yodhgorphat," she finally says, after a bit of sniffling. She also looks at the jars and implements, and a look of worry comes over her as she realizes she's expected to return the attention onto her mentor.
"You can still choose not to," the Yodhgorphat offers, "And endure on your own." She even says this in a quiet and almost kind tone.
"It's just that.. you've got so many decorations.." the girl says. "I don't know where to work, exactly. Or what the effect will be." She does dip her finger into the ringworm jar though, and hesitantly offers it up to Nicora's lips.
Nicora eyes the girl's finger ... and having faith that she can cure herself before it becomes a problem for her, leans in and suckles on the girl's finger. It probably tastes horrible, but ... she is used to that.
Penance's expression is once again mixed at the suckling. Once that's done, however, she picks up the needle, and eyes Nicora. "Do.. do you have any suggestions for this one?" she asks.
Nicora holds out her left hand to the acolyte. "Use it to accent the tattoo I already have, to outline or make the green areas glow," she instructs. "It would be fitting."
"Yes mistress," Penance says. She takes Nicora's left hand in her own, and then carefully works the needle. She gives it a lot of concentration, trying to get it just under the skin.. and having a pattern to follow helps at least. Still, the girl's tongue sticks out of the side of her mouth as she works.
"Ow," Nicora thinks, though the pain is nothing compared to what Mordecai put her through over and over. And like others, her shifting can cure this later, either absorbing it or doing something with it as Scourge!
It itches of course. And there's puffiness as well, as the skin reacts to the infection. But.. isn't Scourge's skin basically the same stuff? And Scourge doesn't itch.
Following the intricate tattoos is rather time consuming as well. Penance has to pause to wipe blood off her face from where her forehead is still bleeding a bit, and then go back to concentrating.
"She is doing well, Mother. She is trying to become stronger and is doing this willingly. Granted the bugs in her gut are likely an encouragement, but it is a start," Nicora thinks.
Almost half the jar is gone by the time Penance finishes, leaving Nicora's hand a bit swollen. "Forgive for not being very.. fast," she says to Nicora apologetically. "I suppose I was not a tattoo artist in my previous life."
"You were fine," Nicora claims as she draws her hand back and flexes it a few times. "I do not expect perfection from such a young acolyte," she notes, "In time you will be able to infest as good as any. Now, you have one more to try on me, if you so choose."
Penance eyes the knife, and beings to look a bit queasy. "I.. this is the one that scars, isn't it?" she asks, apparently remembering from her notes. "What if I make a mistake? Where should I do it?"
Nicora arches her brow. "You need to have faith," Nicora points out. "Pray to Gorphat for inspiration and a steady hand so that you do not make a mistake in Her name."
The girl examines Nicora, even her tail and wings, while chewing on her lip. She seems to return to the Yodhgorphat's belly, with its scene of horrib larvae chewing their way out. This could be because she's inspired by it.. or because she's thinking about her own fate. She finally reaches out with a finger to trace the ragged edge of a tattooed wound. "I could.. here. The scar would match, and make it look more.. uh.. real.." she suggests.
Nicora considers this for a bit. She then nods once firm. "That would be acceptable, yes," she agrees. "Remember, it need not be very deep; a surface cut is adequate."
With her tongue stuck out once more, Penance carefully uses the knife. She puts her free hand against Nicora's belly, to feel when it's going to move.. and begins to 'draw' an outline. It hurts, of course.. but the cut is fine, like a papercut. Even Penance seems surprised at this. There's no shaking or tearing, and the angle is such that she's getting under the skin without stabbing into it. After each outline is done, she dips the brush and infects the area. There are several outlines to make, and when she's finished.. she looks a bit shaken.
This cut actually causes Nicora to inhale slightly, but she manages to keep completely still. When Penance is done, she reaches out and places her hand upon the girls. "You have done very well," she tells the acolyte. "Calm and collect yourself," she instructs ... then offers one of her saggy teats, "And nurse until you feel relaxed."
"Why was that so easy?" Penance asks. "Why would I know how to cut like that?" She finally seems to calm a little, and suckles. At least, she seems outwardly calm.
Nicora pets along Penance's neck. "Perhaps you had some basic medical training before," she suggests. The real reason is far worse and darker, but no need to saddle her with those. Best to cast it in a positive light.
The bleeding takes awhile to stop, due to the fineness of the cuts. Those wounds also itch terribly, of course. When Penance is finished drinking, she leans back and wipes her mouth on the back of her wrist. "Am I doing well so far?" she asks.
"You are doing very well," Nicora claims. "It will get a lot harder, though. Once you are comfortable with your current ... problems, I will take you to a place to learn about the worst plagues you may have to face," she says, "Your faith will see you through it."
"I... look forward to that?" Penance says with a bit of uncertainty. She looks to her notes, and then asks, "Is there any other research you want me to do, or should I continue cataloging the parasites?"
"Hmm. You could continue cataloging and listing the ways to cure them. Those outside this Temple in the hospice I am certain can use that information. Or, if you wish for something different, you can read up on infectious diseases," Nicora offers.
"Will I be tending to any of the patients in time?" Penance asks.
"Absolutely," Nicora agrees. "When you know enough on how to treat issues you may start working in the Hospice. You could focus on parasite treatment for now if you wish to get out there soon," she offers.
Penance bows her head, and says, "I will continue to catalogue then. Some of these parasites can be used to fight other diseases, it seems."
"Then I will leave you to it for the day. You seem to be in better spirits than yesterday, this is good," Nicora notes as she rises. She even pets the other bald girl along her head. "If you need to rest, you may return to the horribs; they will entomb you for your rest."
"Yes, that is.. very.. restful," Penance says, and forces a smile.
"You will get used to it," Nicora claims and smiles right back. And with that ... she departs to let the girl study. What does she have to do? she has to plan on being a hog.
The livestock pens are being refilled today, as a fresh batch of hogs arrives via airship. Wagons and carts also come and go, loading up or dropping off while the hogs are unloaded from the deck of the ship by a large Naga, his tail wrapped around a sturdy pole that several others pivot about to extend his reach. One of the carts approaching the ship has a tarp over it.. and under that is a large boar that is not quite what he seems.
"You're probably happy you get to keep the nose-ring," Tulani whispers, as she's hunched down next to a transformed Alptraum under the tarp.
Hogtraum replies to that by making a grunting sort of snort at Tulani. It is ... strange being an actual hog. Aside from having rather poor vision, stumpy legs, and a huge nose and jowls, the hog even finds thinking a bit more difficult. Yes, Alptraum can still think to a degree and knows who Tulani is and their plan, it also tends to have 'hoggy' desires, like the wish to root around in the dirt and wallow in mud. And one thing is certain, an actual Sylvanian boar is going to stand out compared to the others.
Especially with the big silvery 'razorback' strip of hair. At least this time it was easier to conceal the shadow-skinned right foreleg (or as Tulani dubbed it, 'The Trotter of Terror'). "Now remember, do not get eaten," the Sphynx reminds Boartraum. As she has several times now. "Try to focus. If you aren't back out in two days, I'm coming in after you, and you know that will get messy." The cart is slowing down now.
Boartraum snorts again. It is amazing how a boar can still somehow manage a 'hey, it's me! What could possibly go wrong?' sort of look. Well, outside of having to spend a lot of time as a boar and risk thinking issues and instinctual drives that is. And to punctuate everything he splats his drippy snout right in the middle of Tulani's forehead.
"Uh!" Tulani goes, and tries to wipe her head, but the tarp is pulled back just then, and Absssel reaches in and lifts Boartraum up out of the cart. There's a rush of almost flying as the swing arm swings, until the big black boar is set down in the holding pen, surrounded by other hogs. Many of them are distressed and squealing and pushing around.. but Boartraum's tusks earn him some breathing room.
And Boartraum grunts and pushes right back as hogs press up all around him. The action is instinctive; animal traits taking to the forefront in an animal's body, of course. "This might be a bad idea," the lucid part of himself thinks as he's inundated with the overpowering scent of hog. It's also disconcerting to not be able to see very well, but the time as the mostly blind Yodhgorphat keeps him from panicking too much. And so ... things become so jockeying for 'position' in the pen; and his sheer size as a Sylvanian boar gives him great advantage there.
A moment of clarity comes in the form of.. a whistle? It's really a ping, but the hoggy brain seems to think of it as a whistle. It cuts through the noise of animal thinking, and it's clear where it came from. There's an Eeee girl at the railing of the pen, her arms resting across it as she hunches over. She's looking right at Boartraum.
"Huh, what who is ... oh right, that is the spotter ... her name was, was ... grr," Boartraum tries to think as he swings his massive head towards her. His head cocks a bit at the ping, and the look. It is only a few seconds later that he's pushing his way through the other hogs; something about that whistle makes him want to come to the girl.
The girl is smiling, and there's something to her tone of voice that seems.. interesting. "Hello there," she says, once Boartraum is close enough. "You're a big strong scary fellow, aren't you? I bet you're bored here," she says, grinning a bit at her little pun. "Want to come someplace with me instead?"
Baortraum lifts his head as he listens to this /very interesting girl. His large, ringed, nose snuffles at the girl, followed by a few curious grunting noises. The boar has Tulani to thank for the large ring, refit to work with the grommet in his septum. Where Tulani /got/ it is anyone's guess. Not important right now, though; what is, is this curious and fascinating girl.
"You must be pretty tame," the fascinating girl says. "You've got a nose ring.. but your tusks aren't blunted. I wonder where you're from? Have you got a name?" she asks.
And all Boartraum can do is sort of grunt at the girl in reply. Does he really have a name? The bird-cat girl used a name, but that didn't seem right somehow. So, he rubs the side of his jowls and tusks on the fence in place of anything else he can do.
"Bertrum?" fascinating girl asks, her head tilted to one side. "I suppose that works. Bertrum. Foreign and exotic. Perfect for a tall dark.. uh.. boar." She then smiles and reaches over the rail to ruffle Bertrum's shock of silvery mane. "Don't forget about me, Bertrum," she says. "I'll be back tonight for you."
How the girl managed to get that name out of the hog ... even the hoggy parts and not hoggy parts find temselves rather confused! The touch on his back causes the boar to look right back up suddenly as if concerned he was about to get attacked, but upon spotting the girl everything feels so oddly calm. So ... he grunts and leans against the pen rails, causing the poor timbers to groan under his weight.
"You take care," the girl says.. and then walks away!
The large boar pushes against the pen, but alas the pen is stronger! But ... distractions come and go quickly to the foggier brain. Soon the hog is back to rooting about amongst the others; even occasionally stopping to check out a sow or two. Maybe some habits do cross forms...
There are interruptions of course. The big trough if filled with slop at some point, and there's a huge rush and lots of jockeying, but it's long enough to accommodate everyone. There are other people that come and look at the hogs, and sometimes a stick with a wet bit at the end reaches past and makes a mark on one hog or another. The wing-kitty girl is there, and points at him.. and the stick-brush makes a mark on his side too, where he can't reach it. It doesn't itch at least. And then it starts to get dark, and everyone tries to find the best spot to lie down.
Did he eat? Probably? Hard to remember things for long periods of time outside of that somehow he knows this is all temporary, including the stupid marky spot on its side that just won't rub off, not even after rolling about in the nice muck! But now it is dark. Dark is nice. Feels nice anyway; cooler. Boartraum settles down in the middle of all the other hogs though given his size probably still stands out a fair amount. Resting is nice against the cool and wet ground; makes his skin feel ... better somehow.
There motion, and it isn't from the hogs. A piece of the ground is moving. One end tilts down, making a ramp. And there's the whistle again, coming from the bottom of it.
Boartraum lifts up. He knows that sound. Where does he know it from? Where, where .... that Eeee girl, that's where. The one that ... petted him. Curious, the boar now makes his way towards the ramp, rooting along with his nose here and there as he goes. He can't root very deep, though, as the ring prevents it. The actual point of them, really, it keeps hogs from digging their way out.
There's a cave! Well, it's a wooden cave, but still. Boartraum isn't the only one coming over to look either. There's a smaller boar and a very big sow. The sow goes right down the ramp without hesitation.
Boartraum soon follows down the ramp, not to be outdone by some sow. He's the largest, therefore should be in charge!
The girl is up ahead somewhere. Boartraum can smell her. The tunnel goes on for a long way, until it opens up outside of a building. The girl is there, and some other Eeee that smells a bit like her. "Three?" the other one, a male asks. "And two boars? Why?" "Because I like them, Seylen," the girl replies. Then she whistles again and leads the troupe off deeper into the stone forest, until they finally reach a giant stone tree and go inside.
Once Boartraum can smell and then spot the girl, he heads right towards her. He's even rubbing up against her legs, almost knocking the girl over in the process! Of course he cannot do this for long because that whistle comes and he must follow it.
There are brushes. And soapy water. The girl is scrubbing Boartraum's side.. where the mark was put. "We can't keep all three together," Seylen points out. "I'm keeping this one anyway," Trystle claims.
Ugh! Soap! It's washing away all the nice cool mud. Granted that part of him seems to like this girl, so he behaves and allows it, but still ... ugh. "Keep? What is this about keep?" the lucid part of the boar coming back to the forefront. "Right, I had to find out what they were doing with the hogs that's why ... oh great, I have hooves! I need to take up normal hobbies, like drinking until I pass out."
The other Eeee is washing the marks from the sow, and also checking her over. "Not pregnant," he announces.
"Of course she isn't," Trystle says in an exasperated tone. "I know what I'm doing, brother. You never seem to get that. Dad wants them big and empty."
"I could fix that," thinks one part of Boartraum's brain. Quickly followed by, "No, no, no, you will not! Stoppit!" The large boar leans up against Trystle. "Empty, why empty?" he wonders.
The boy moves on to the other boar, which has blunted tusks and is a nondescript brown. "Ugh, I don't know what use this one will be," Seylen remarks. "Is it the one you plan on keeping as a pet?"
"What? No, I'm keeping this one," Trystle says, and pats Boartraum's back.
"You're crazy!" Seylen claims. "Look at that monster! He'd be perfect. This guy here is.. a decent dinner for a party, I guess."
Boartraum splats its nose against Trystle's leg. "Wait? What? Pet?" he thinks. "I'm not a pet! I'm ... " The monster comment elicits a low rumbling growl of sorts from the very un-blunted boar as it turns to eye Seylen.
"Hey, I just get them," Trystle snaps back. "I have to mix things up a bit to avoid having a pattern. Plus it all depends on the hogs themselves responding. It's not my problem if you don't think they're useful. I don't even know what dad does with the sows."
"I should tell you, just to see the look on your face," the boy counters, but apparently doesn't follow up on his threat. He hooks a line to the sow's nose-ring, and starts leading her towards an open doorway. "Still, I should tell dad you're trying to start your own farm again."
Boartrum shuffles about, away from Trystle, and then pushes against the back of Seylen's legs to knock him over! For some reason he feels he should defend the girl against this ... this ... jerk.
"Hey!" the boy cries as he falls over. Trystle laughs, and Seylen accuses her, "You sent him to do that!"
"Don't be stupid, did you hear me say anything to Bertrum?" Trystle says back, and waves for the boy to keep moving. "You're just upset that your new girlfriend didn't defend you!"
And Boartraum tries to quiet Seylen by coming up right beside him and lowering his unblunted tusks so that he can see them. It's only for a second and then the large boar waddles its way back over to Trystle.
"One of these days one of your beasts will turn on you," Seylen warns, although he's clearly shaken. He gathers up the lead and tugs on it, taking the sow out of the room. The other boar follows along for whatever reason. Who knows what boars think? It causes Trystle to giggle again though. She pats Bertrum on the shoulder, then climbs onto his back. "Okay, we want the other door," she tells him, and nudges with her heels.
"This is very undignified," the lucid part of Boartraum's brain thinks. The other part ... wants to do whatever it is she asks of him! So, off he trots towards the other door. The whole set of sensations is strange. There is a protective desire present, but not in the same way as one would protect a friend. It is more basic and primal.
There are several twists and turns, and hog brains aren't really big on landmarks it seems. At some point, they arrived in a room where Trystle stopped him and got off. "This is my room," she told 'Bertrum' in her calm, soothing voice. She took a big blanket from out of a cabinet, and sort of piled it up at the foot of a small, narrow bed. She also rearranged a few other things, and spread out more bits of linen. "If you need to make water or soil, use this corner," she instructed, after laying down some sort of canvas tarp. "This is where you can sleep," she informed, pointing to the piled up blanket next to the bed. "Try not to make too much noise. I'll go bring some water for you. Wait here, and don't destroy anything." And then.. she left, right out the door they'd just come through.
For the moment, 'Bertrum' just goes to settle onto the blankets. With the boar's form at rest it allows the lucid parts of his mind to be more active and aware, less instinct triggering distractions. "What do I do with the kids? I cannot send them to their deaths at the hands of the Yodhrephath. The world is not as black and white as they try to see it as. Nothing is ever that easy," he thinks, "Is it time for me to try and teach them the idea of compassion like I have tried to teach Rephath herself? One might think it would be easier to move a mountain than change someone's mind. But ... Babel can't be about revenge. Justice, yes, not revenge. Punishments have to be in scale with the crime."
Eventually Trystle returns, lugging a bucket of water. She sets it down and then has to stretch her arms. "I didn't think it'd be that heavy," she says to her guest, then goes to her wardrobe. She undresses, and sits on the edge of her bed. "You like me, don't you?" she asks the hog. "Only hogs ever like me."
The large boar lifts up to snuffle at the water and then drink a bit from it. The question causes him to turn his head and look to the Eeee. A snuffling soft of grunt is the only kind of reply it can offer, outside an ear flick or a tail flick. It might be imagination, but the tone of the grunt seems a bit disbelieving.
"Yeah, it's true," Trystle claims. "I'm dumpy. And from a 'fallen' family. You don't have those, I bet. Hogs don't bother with stuff like that. Given what the sows look like.. I'm probably skin and bones to you. So, shouldn't I get to keep a friend every so often? Sure, it won't last. Seylen or someone else will tell dad, and that'll be it. 'No pets!' he'll say, but really he just doesn't want any evidence lying around. I'll try to sneak you out in a few days though, Bertram, don't worry."
The boar pushes itself back up to its hooves and moves over closer to the Eeee so that he can rest its large head in her lap. Why? Even he doesn't know, but some instinctual part is trying to comfort her. Granted this means wet breath from his snout is blowing on the girl's stomach, but baors don't think too much about that.
"Your head is heavier than mine, I'll grant you," Trystle says and giggles, but pets Bertrum behind the ears for a bit in silence, before finally yawning. "One of these days, a real man will respond to me voice. Then I'm out of here. Let the others circle the drain without me. I can be.. something. I'm sure. There must be call for someone who can talk to hogs, right?" She asks as if actually expecting the hog to answer.
And the boar responds with a single grunt that could almost sound like right. Granted the comment about a real man might hurt the more lucid part of Boartraum's mind, but ... even he would have to concede he's so many different things so often it's hard to say what is real anymore. His ears flick a bit as the girl pets.
Eventually, Trystle stops petting and pushes the massive head away. "Alright.. time for bed," she says. "Morning comes early here. There'll be gamblers coming for the fight, and of course I have to be there to make sure the right boar wins so dad makes a profit. Then it'll be time to prepare the sow. Such is my life!"
And Boartraum's helpful solution to that is to nose the girl right in the stomach so she falls back onto her bed! Satisfied, the large boar gets up and shuffles back onto his pile of blankets and settles down. Sleep does sound like a good idea; maybe he'll think more clearly in the morning. There were no risks in remaining as a hog for a while, right? Or maybe there were. Too late, either way. The lucid part of the brain keys on the hog rights, simple gambling. How droll. But ... the bit about the sows carries with it darker undertones. Empty sows could be used to smuggle things. Hopefully not more of the General's monsters. PErhaps the new day will bring new light upon the matter. Or well ... maybe a really nice mud bath and a cute little collar.