Morning comes as a glow through the overcast, and a shaking as the cabin settled back down on the ground. Aviri had some suspicious cold spots here and there, which might mean a certain ghost was snuggling him in his sleep. Or that the upper bunk just gets a draft.
A quick check shows no giant bone-monsters or snarky ghost-lizards lurking about beyond the fence. "I guess we'll run into more of the bone-things as we go. Do you suppose there's another cabin like this along the route?" Trilup asks the others.
Lin yawns and stretches, nearly elbowing Trilup in the face in the process. "Well, they seemed harmless enough last time and apparently they aren't made by necromancy so much as earth magic so they might not be explicitly evil. We should be able to make it to the edge of the forest before dusk, right Aviri?" Lin rolls out of the bottom bunk and peers over the edge of the top one to check on Aviri. "Y'all awake up there?"
"What wouldn't give for mossy bed," Aviri mutters from his bunk, "under normal trees....." He yawns and sits up, wincing at the cold splotches, adjusting his shirt to compensate the splotches with warm cloth. After a quick check out the window to ensure they were once again on the ground he nods. "Should, if we hurry." He hops down on the side opposite Waddles and starts gathering his things.
Trilup rolls off her side of the lower bunk, and digs out some fish jerky. "How are you doing for food, Aviri?" the otter asks while chewing with her mouth open. "It's just been the trees for a day.."
The Lapi pulls out a half-loaf of stale bread from his bag. "Enough," he says, breaking off a chunk and gnawing on it. "Remember to not leave any trash."
Lin unties her lantern from Waddles' lid and flips open the chest to get her things in order for the hike, stashing the lantern in the process. "Yeah, we wouldn't want to upset that guardian thing. More than that, though, it wouldn't be nice for whoever comes here next."
"Or feed the bones!" Trilup adds with a grin. "What do you feed to bones though?"
"Bonesblood," Aviri says authoritatively. "Little stringly plant. Grows on rocks." He chuckles and, taking another bite of stale blandness, slings his satchel over his shoulder. "Ready?"
"I guess we could feed the bones to Waddles. But he's got a bunch of my stuff in- Wait, when did it become a he. But it's got a lot of my stuff in it right now and I don't want a pile of bonemeal in with my stuff." Lin frowns and looks at Waddles. "Prolly 'cause you talked to me that one time and it sounded like a guy. Right..."
With the cabin straightened up for the next travelers, it's time to return to the woods. As before it is quiet, since nothing lives in them. Occasionally a golem-construction would appear and parallel or follow the group, but none were bold enough to go after (and ride atop) Waddles this time. Knowing that the forest was mostly harmless if they stuck to the path meant that the group made better time, reaching the far end by evening at the cost of being a bit tired. The road kept going uphill, and once outside the forest they faced a rocky, hilly area. Some of the bare stone looked a bit like the fingers of giants reaching up through the ground.. but the moss growing on them indicates they've been in place for a long time.
There's also smoke rising up beyond the hill, which usually means people.
After carnivorous trees, moss-monsters, electric water-dragons, and bone-golems, petrified giant-fingers hardly registered on Aviri's weird-scale, the Lapi noting them only due to the moss and the fact they weren't gnarly trees. "Hope that means cooking fires," he says, pointing to the smoke, "and not the-town's-on-fire fire."
"What if they're cooking rabbits though?" Trilup asks. "Why would they be cooking anything if they're vampires.."
"That would be billowey blackish smoke." Lin points out, "So I think we're not walking into a burning town. An' this place isn't entirely vampires, right? That would be crazy. Who would ever visit? How would they get blood to live on? Would they turn into vampire canibals?" She waves her hands around as she speak then rides on Waddles. "We need to get you a cloth or soemthing so I can look like I'm riding a magic carpet." She muses to herself.
Aviri can't think of a response for Trilup, though the recollection that they'd stand out like a fish in a desert convention makes him shiver. "Remember to keep an eye out for the blood banks."
Halfway to the top of the hill, Trilup quietly asks Aviri, "What does a blood bank look like?"
"Don't know," Aviri says. "Hopefully there'll be a sign that says "Blood Bank" or something." He takes a few steps, then chuckles. "Kinda hope the 'or something' is on the sign, too."
At the crest of the hill, the view is better. There's a roadhouse not much further along the road, which is the source of the smoke. And further beyond that are the lights of a town that crawl up the sides of an even higher hill - almost a mountain - that is capped off with a sprawling fortress. The cloud cover is a lot darker over this area, with flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder in the distance.
"I don't like thunder," Trilup notes.
"Ominous, but inviting!" Lin chirps from atop the magic chest. "I like it! How do you know if it's an oficial blood bank or a skeevy fake one where they just rob you blind and leave you with nothing but dust in your veins?" She makes little 'fangs' with her fingers and hisses at Aviri.
"Hopefully the storm'll go away before we get there," Aviri says helpfully. He rolls his eyes at Lin's antics and makes for the roadhouse.
"What if it never goes away?" Trilup asks, just before a lightning bolt hits the roadhouse - or at least, hits the (metal!) lightning rod next to it. The thunder hits, and Trilup jumps and runs around in a panic.
The strike makes Aviri jump, too; he'd never seen lightning so close! He tries to catch Trilup and calm her down. "Well, if it never goes away," he says, "then the people've obviously built to protect against it!"
Lin flinches at the near lightning strike then giggles as Trilup panicks. She reaches out and tries to catch the fleeing otter next time she passes by Waddles. "It's just lightning and loud noise, Tril. Not gonna hurt ya."
After Trilup climbs over both Lin and Aviri, she calms down a bit. Being held upside down helps, even if it doesn't do anything to de-frizz her tail.
"We've been through far worse than a thunderstorm," Aviri reminds Trilup. "We'll get through this, no problem." He gesutres to the tail and gives Lin a questioning look.
The roadhouse has high walls and a heavy gate - which is conveniently open. The yard has a few wagons in it, and there's a stable. The windows are narrow on the main building. There's a very large door knocker on heavy looking door, shaped like a dragon.
Lin shakes Trilup once or twice, notices that the tail isn't deflating, then licks one finger and puts it on one of the metal bands going around Waddles, and licks a finger on her other hand and pokes Trilup on the nose. There's a crack of static discharging, Lin flinches, and Tril's tail returns to its usual level of poofyness according to the otter's distress.
"Ow," Trilup comments to Linyala.
"Well, here's hoping ...." Aviri says, not elaborating further. He goes to give the dragon a solid whump against the door, but stops. "Think we should get our nice clothes on. Make a good impression."
"You had a bit of lightning on you." Lin chirps and lets Trilup down. She raises an eyebrow at Aviri and gestiures at her leather vest and shorts. "This isn't good enough?" She snarks.
"We aren't wet.." Trilup notes.. and raises her arm to sniff her glands. "Do we smell?"
Aviri shakes his head and makes for the barn. "Y'both don't have to, but I'm gonna look nice. Not sure it'll help, but..." He shrugs and, once concealed by the building, starts exchanging his swamp-garb for proper city-clothes.
"You look all fancy," Trilup notes to Aviri, and casually scratches her bum. "Are we gonna be your servants?"
Aviri takes a moment to pat down his clothes, trying to smooth the creases (not wrinkles, as he was careful to fold them properly) from being stored so long. "No, servants would be better-dressed," he says with a chuckle. "Hopefully Awkwavi fashion habit rumors have preceeded us."
"Not a chance." chirps Lin and hurriedly digs through Waddles and retrieves her fancy pirate outfit. She changes quickly and flips her scarf around her neck and over her left shoulder. "There. Otherwise you'd stand out and they might eat you or somethin'."
"Looks fine to me," Silv's specter assures Lin.
"I'll stick with my reg'lar clothes," Trilup says. "In case we need to make a fast getaway! Don't want to get the good ones mucked up."
Aviri options to not say anything about Lin's attire, or how the three of them were in completely different outfits, which could be worse than all of them being peasants. He whacks the dragon against the door a couple times, holding his breath as though that might protect them from .... whatever.
"Pirate clothes only look better when theyget worn. Makes you look experienced!" Lin chirps.
The door opens creakily (Igor would be proud) and a very long-faced, dour looking human man with dark clothes and a high, stiff collar looks down at them. Aside from Dr. Fether, he's the tallest person they've seen. Milky-blue eyes size them all up, and the man asks, "Are you looking for a room for the night?" in a terribly deep voice.
Aviri freezes, realizing he had no real plan for what to do after knocking. It just seemed the right thing to do. The first building they saw after exiting the forest, surely they were supposed to knock! "Uh...." he manages to say. "If rooms're available, then yes," he says. He gulps, then adds "Also information...? And directions to a blood-bank, if those are still around."
The man looms in silence, staring down his nose at the Lapi for what seems an eternity.. and then opens the door the rest of the way. "Please come in then. Wipe your feet," he says.
"Thank you," Aviri says, wiping his feet as he enters and ensuring both otters do the same.
Lin smiles at the tall human and wipes her feet on the mat as she enters then turns around and points at the mat as Waddles follows her in, "Waddles, wipe your feet."
The main common area of the roadhouse is like a tavern. There are round tables and a large, blazing hearth (the source of the smoke) and the warm odor of many people. All of those people are looking at the newcomers. Most are human, but there are several glowing-eyed vampire Eeee as well, usually keeping to their own tables. The tall man leads the trio and their trunk to the serving counter, where a human woman who looks as if she's never been outdoors during the day waits. She's got a lot of big hair, dark mascara and is showing a surprising amount of cleavage - or else her corset is just pushing everything up due to tightness. "These three travelers seek shelter for the night, Mrs. Barrel," the tall man says.
"All together then?" the woman asks, eyeing Lin in particular. "Up from the south, I take it?"
Aviri tries his best to not shrink into himself, to ignore all the eyes staring at him, but doesn't quite succeed. "Y-yes," he manages to squeak. He clears his throat. "Together would be preferable."
"Floor beds only then, sweetie?" Mrs. Barrel asks. She has very red lips, and has to lean over to talk to the Lapi. She miraculously does not spill out of her clothes. Must be practice. "Is that box a pack animal?"
While Aviri negotiates their room with Mrs. Barrel, Lin looks around the room, trying to guess the density of vampires in the population. She looks back at Mrs. Barrel and shakes her head. "That's just my luggage, not an animal." She chirps.
Aviri raises a brow at her, leaning a bit back in case she suddenly exploded. "Whatever's convenient," he says warily. "Doesn't have to be on the floor."
"The bottom half of a shared room will be five shekels," Mrs. Barrel says. "Meals aren't included. Mr. Crate can show you to it, if you agree."
Aviri's just relieved that the payment wasn't in blood. He looks at his companions, then nods. "That's fine," he says, fishing out the requisite coins and handing them over.
As Mr. Crate leads them back towards the stairs, Lin checks out the crowd. There's a musician playing a stringed lyre near the hearth, but only very gently. Everyone is dressed in dark, severe tones with stiff collars, except for the women, which seem to bare their necks wantonly. The general smell of the place, and an unfamiliarity with humans, makes it hard to tell if anyone but the obvious vampires are vampires. The charm that Aviri wears doesn't seem to be reacting to anything though.. so if there are undead, they aren't hostile. Still.. they all seem to focus their attention on Lin.
Lin pivots on her heel and scurries after Aviri and Mr. Crate. She's not at all used to having so many people looking at her and just tries to maintain her composure and stick close to Aviri.
Aviri notices the stares, and how uncomfortable Lin is, and puts an arm protectively around her as though the bit of Lapi-flesh could ward off the vampires, until they're in relative safety upstairs.
The rooms are on the second floor, along a tall, narrow hallway. Everything seems tall here. Even the doors. Mr. Crate uses a key on room 6, which seems to be empty. The ceiling is ten feet high, with exposed rafters, and there is a tall narrow window, a table with a bowl and pitcher on it and some shelves for storing things. There are a few bits of luggage already on the shelves. The beds are narrow and close to the floor, and there are two of them on either side of the room. They seem small compared to everything else, but could easily accommodate a pair of otters on one of them.
"It's a very tall room," Trilup notes.
Aviri feels short in all the tallness of everything. He notes the extra luggage, recalling how the room is shared. "Thanks," he says to Mr. Crate.
"If you are so inclined, there is a bath at the end of the hall," Mr. Crate notes. "And there is still some moss soup left, I imagine."
While the taste of stale bread still lingers on Aviri's tongue, he can't think of what mosses would be used to make a good soup, and wonders if the offer is a jab at him being a rabbit instead of human. Or vampire. "That would be nice," he says, deciding to at least try it. "How much?"
Lin looks up at the rafters and stands on her tip-toes to see out the window. "Moss soup?" She whispers to Trilup after giving up on the view, "Who would ever think that's a good idea? Betcha Aviri would like it though."
"Quarter-shekel a bowl," Mr. Crate says. "You are all rather small, so a single bowl might feed you all. There is also bread and cheese and tea."
Aviri once again fishes some coins from his bag. "Bread sound nice?" he asks the otters.
"Especially if there is butter," Trilup agrees, after stashing her pack up on a shelf next to Aviri's.
"Bread sounds better than moss soup at least. Sure" Lin chirps and tries locking Waddles in hopes that he'll stay put.
"Do any of you have an allergy to ergot?" Mr. Crate asks. "If not, I can bring the bread to you here, or you may take it in the common room."
"So bread all around," Aviri says with a polite (albeit nervous) grin, offering a pair of sheckels, as he's unsure how much the cheese and tea are. "In here would be nice. And no, I'm not allergic. Not sure about them."
Lin elbows Aviri and whispers, "What's eggrott?"
The Lapi leans toward her. "A fungus that likes grass."
Mr. Crate takes the coins, and backs out of the room without seeming to move his feet - which is because he was just leaning into it in the first place. "I will return," he declares, and then moves on down the hallway.
Aviri shudders once Crate is gone, as though shaking off swamp-slime. "Guuuh, this place is creepy."
With Mr Crate gone, Lin pipes up, "How am I supposed to know if I'm allergic to somethin' I've never heard of?" She sits on waddles and crosses her ankles. "Does it do anything weird? Why make bread with fungus anyways?"
"The beds aren't any worse than that cabin," Trilup notes, trying (and failing) to bounce on one of them. "How long will we need to get through this place?"
Aviri shrugs at Lin's question. "Maybe they use it instead of yeast or something? Though I don't think you're supposed to eat ergot'ed wheats." Another shrug. "I don't plan on sticking around any longer than necessary, but ... time to travel through here kinda depends on how the natives react to us."
There's a knock on the door just then. Possibly the bread.
"Just so long as we don't start halucikinating." Lin mutters then nearly jumps out of her fur at the knock.
"Won't be as bad as the colored tea," Aviri says, smoothing his ruffled fur from the knock as he opens the door.
Three dark figures loom in the doorway, their faces dominated by glowing, pupil-less red eyes and bright white teeth, with fangs. Because they're smiling. "Are vou our roomies?" the first one asks.
Lin looks around briefly, as if checking the room for anyone they hadn't noticed, before repplying. "Um, yes?" She doesn't sound very sure of herself but offers a smile nontheless.
Aviri manages a few steps back before he freezes in the face of the trio. "I-if this is yours," he says gesturing toward the other luggage, "then yes."
The trio of Eeee crowd into the room. They are all black-furred, and fairly well dressed. "I am Adela, these are my siblings Adelina and Adelmar.." the first one says. "Ve are here for festival."
"Festival?" Trilup asks. "Like a harvest festival? Or one with frogs?"
"Sausage," Adela says, saying it as 'sow-sage'.
Aviri continues to back up until his legs hit the edge of one of the low beds. "'m Aviri," he says, the stress clear in his voice. His mouth opens again, but nothing comes out, and so he closes it and decides to let the otters introduce themselves.
"Hi haaaan," says the one on the left chirps, possibly Adelina? She the Eeee sure has feminine curves ... for an Eeee anyway) is of course dressed in black and lacy white frills, complete with a parasol. "Vou just missed the vlood festival. It vas last month. Vou would haf been very popular!" She says, all fangy smiles too.
"You don't dress like our gypsy vampires," Trilup notes. "I'm Trilup Oggton!"
The third vampire, Adelmar, is wearing trousers, and keeps his eyes half-lidded as if bored. He's still got long black hair like his sisters though.. and a lacy collar with a scarlet cravat. "Oh-ters?" he asks, looking from Trilup to Linyala.
Lin pokes Aviri with her tail and whispers, "You look like you're about to have a heart attack. Maybe you should go check on the food?" She gives the Eeee a wave and chirps, "And I'm Linyala Oggton, but everyone calls me Lin."
"Such tasty names!" Adela says, and walks right up to Aviri.. and reaches out as if to grasp his throat! Actually she's reaching for the bag on the shelf that he's backed his head up against.
The poke rouses Aviri from whatever mental loop he'd gotte himself caught on. Unfortunately, checking on the food would involve moving passed, and mostly likely between, the Eeee. The hand reaching toward him spurs him into action, however, and he ducks down to bolt out of the room, gets his legs caught on the bed-frame, and instead of running just fwumps down onto the matress.
Adela retrieves her bag, and says, "My, vou must be very tired. Have vou been fed upon, A-vee-ree?"
"Maybe they were hired to be snacks, no?" Adelina suggests, then gasps at the collapsing lapi! She puts her parosol down and rushed to help him up. "No no no, bruises make vou taste bad," she squeaks and tries to help the lapi up.
"Tasty prolly wasn't the best word choice to use around him." Lin admonishes Adela while helping Aviri up, "He's sensitive about stuff like that."
Aviri tries to fend off the assistance, sitting upright to show he's not injured. Or damaged, though he has to ignore why they're worried about his well-being. "'m fine!" he says. "Nobody hired us; we're not snacks; we're just passing through."
"Vou must forgive my sister, Miss Ogg-tonn," Adelmar says. "Her charms take getting used to."
Adelina's lower lip quivers as her help is rebuked. Her ears wilt, too.
"Our vampire likes to tease and flirt too!" Trilup points out with a grin. "She's a dancer! Do you all dance?"
"Only if the music moves me to do so," Adela claims.
"Oh no. I am a terrible dancer," Adelina claims. She's still sniffling.
"Slow dancing is fine," Adelmar replies. "I enjoy the waltz."
Aviri's too distressed in general to notice, let alone care, about Adelina's plight. His body quivers slightly, but he does his best to hide that.
Lin leaves Aviri alone and tips her head to the side in aknowledgement. "We don't mean to be rude. Perhaps we could meet in the middle though? We're not here to feed you. As Aviri said, we're just passing through." She gives Adelina a tentative pat on the arm.
The door opens without a knock, and Mr. Crate looms in the doorway, taller than everyone else. He is carrying a wooden tray, which has a large serrated knife, a loaf of very dark rye bread, and a brown clay jar of what is likely butter.
Adelina has started to reach for Aviri again, then draws her hand back when Lin's voice catches her attention. "Oh, vell, ves. Ve should have known vou vere passing through. That was obvious. Must be near the end of shore leave by now," she tells the otter.
Adelmar raises an eyebrow, and steps clear. "Is the Lapi your hostage?" he whispers to Lin.
Aviri gets the creeping sensation that there's a whole lot of things about this place he doesn't understand, like ants under his skin. He bits his lip, and figures that if he says anything it's likely to just make things worse.
Trilup accepts the bread and spread. "Thank you, Mr. Crate," she says. "Do you have anything that can calm down a frazzled Lapi?"
"It does feel like it sometimes." Lin whispers back, "But no. He's a part of our little adventuring band."
"Hot cocoa is available after nightfall," Mr. Crate suggests.
"Is the blood free of clots tonight?" Adelina asks hopefully.
Lin finds that it's her turn to raise an eyebrow. "Wouldn't you just strain it to remove clots?"
"The blood pudding is mixed with cream, but there will be fresh blood at supper," Mr. Crate replies.
"Oh no, dearie. Once it starts to clot the whole batch tastes just awful," Adelina frets.
"G-ghost hand?" Aviri manages to say, hopefully, toward Mr. Crate.
Trilup sets the bread platter down on the bunk next to Aviri. "Look, Aviri.. bread!"
"We may have some in the kitchen," Mr. Crate says. "We use it on the livestock, to keep them calm during.. milking. I will have some sent up."
"Oh? Is the lapi a girl an needs milking? Ve can never tell vour boys and girls apart," Adelina claims.
Lin pinches the bridge of her nose and sits on Waddles. "A hot cocoa does sound good, now that you mention it."
"He means blood milking, zilly," Adela chides her sister.
Aviri nods to Crate. "Th-hank you." He picks up the platter carefully, gripping it to prevent his hands from quivering, nodding his thanks to Trilup and making a gesture that she could sit next to him. "No milking," he stammers to Adelina. "J-just nervous."
"Aviri isn't used to crowds," Trilup explains. "And even a few people can be a crowd in a small room."
"Ooooooh," Adelina says. She might be blushing, but it's a bit hard to tell.
"Ve vill be sleeping from the rafters," Adelmar notes, pointing up.
"And he only drools a little," Adelina pipes up and points to Adelmar.
The Lapi manages to regain control of himself enough to cut a piece of bread, which he nibbles.
"Do vou eat bread as well?" Adelmar asks Lin, trying to ignore his sister's jibe.
Lin starts and looks up, appearing to have been lost in thought. "Oh? Yes. Bread is good." She gets up and retrieves her canteen from Waddles so she has something to sip while eating.
Adelmar and Adela both seem fascinated enough to watch the others eat their bread. But it's hard to tell with the glowing eyes.. and Adelmar still looks bored despite the attention he focuses on Lin.
Finally, Adela asks Aviri if she can sit next to him, so that she can get something out of her bag.
Adelina is wringing her hands and watching Aviri closely. Maybe she is still worried he might be hurt.
Aviri freezes a moment, mid-chew, and then scoots over into the place he'd offered Trilup, allowing Adela to sit on the bed. His eyes flick from Eeee to Eeee as he eats, each glance to Adelina more uneasy than the last.
Lin gets herself a piece of bread and reseats herself on Waddles. "I do prefer fish," She says conversationally, "but they don't seem to be on the menu."
"Thank vou, vou are a true gentleman," Adela tells Aviri, then sits down to rummage through her bag.
Adelina tries to smile widely to show she's friendly. The fangs do not help.
"Fish are so.. cold.." Adelmar comments.
Aviri gulps--a nervous twitch as the chunk of bread remains in his mouth, requiring a second gulp to get that down. "Thanks," he says to the Eeee, giving his own half-smile in hopes that her fangs were friendly and not feindish.
"Ah, here it is!" Adela says, and produces a dagger from her bag. It has a very ornate hilt and sheath.. with an odd addition: a sort of tube that extends from the hilt.
"But tasty!" Lin counters, "Of course, you can also cook them if you want. So many different ways." She looks at her slice of bread as thought it personally offended her and takes a bite.
"Must vou use that thing, sister?" Adelmar asks, sounding exasperated.
"Not for us, dearie," Adelina comments, looking away from Aviri for the moment. "Solid food tends to make unpleasant magic on a vampire's stomach."
"I don't want to spill on my clothes," Adela claims. "Sausage can be slippery.. and vou always make that undignified slurping sound.."
Aviri's eyes fix on the knife. He takes another bite and looks to Adela, then back to the knife, as though worried if he looks too far away it'll jump out of her hand and stab him.
"Vou just like to stab vour food," Adelmar insists.
"Vou do need to learn how to bite delicately and suckle, sister," Adelina chides. "How else vill vou ever find a husband?"
"That sounds like it could be problematic if your food is alive and you want it to stay that way." Lin comments.
"Chewing and spitting is.. I prefer to sip," Adela claims. "It is not childish."
Noting Aviri's looks finally, Adela tells him, "I can be very gentle, I assure vou."
There is a knock at the door, which Adelmar answers. Mr. Crate is there, holding a very small cup and saucer. "Your Ghost Hand, sir. On the house," he says to Aviri.
Another gulp to clear his mouth allows Aviri to reply. "Would rather not find out." The knock startles him, the bread thumping against the tray as it slides off his lap. He catches the loaf, so it doesn't fall completely off, and resets the platter properly. "Thank you," he says to Mr. Crate, genuinely grateful as he takes the cup and saucer. He separates them by a couple inches so they don't clatter as he sips.
"/If you wanted a ghost hand, I'da given you a backrub," an ex-raccoon voice whispers to the Lapi. The Eeee don't react to the disembodied voice, so it's possible that only Aviri and the otters can hear her anyway.
"Supper will be served in the common room shortly," Mr. Crate notes. "There will be fresh blood sausage, which has won fourth place in last year's festival."
Lin sits up straighter and tries to peer into Aviri's cup. "Is it made of dead ghost? That doesn't make sense. Ectoplasm maybe?" She tries to get close enough to sniff the cup.
"Fourth place?" Adelina inquires, sounding disappointed.
"Ghost hand the herb," Aviri mutters over his teacup to both Lin and Silv. It wasn't a very tasty tea, but he could feel it working already. He smiles and sinks a but into the bed.
"What's it do?" Trilup asks next, but without invading the Lapi's space. "Does it make you feel gooey?"
"Mmm," Aviri says happily, looking infinitely more calm and collected now, as though the Eeee weren't even in the room. "Just calms you," he says, putting the saucer and half-full cup on the platter and just smiling. Admitedly, part of what he's feeling is probably placebo, but that's just as good until the herb starts working properly. "Got some seeds from a vendor a while back. I'll make you some when we get back home."
"But I'm not freakin' out or in need of calming." Lin chirps, "They're just vampires, an' they're people, not monsters or anythin' weird. Thanks, but I think I'll pass on yer weird, mind altering tea." She shuffles off of waddles and onto her bed so she can lean back against the wall.
"Oh, but everyone vould expect someone like vou to be brave under all kinds of pressure," Adelina tells Lin.
"Lin can down a whole ounce of Scumble and not puke," Trilup claims. "That ain't mind-altering though. It just turns yer brain upside-down."
"How calm does it make vou?" Adela asks, leaning in to sniff at Aviri's breath.
"And inside out, and makes yer ears ring and your throat burn." Lin adds with a chuckle. "Thanks, though. And not all kinds of pressure, but deffinitely some!"
Aviri's smile fades, and he leans a bit away from Adela. "Not that calm, sorry," he says, though he manages to do so with a normal voice! Progress!
"I bet a nice nibble and a little blood letting vould help make vou feel calmer," Adelina offers.
"Nibbling is relaxin'?" Trilup asks. "That's not what Emmett uses it for.."
Aviri shakes his head to Adelina. "No, sorry again." He scoots a bit to the side of the bed. "The tea's got that covered. Thanks though." He sips again, to prove the point.
"Maybe Emmett could try some of your tea." Lin suggests, "Who knows, it might make him a little less horny."
Adelina's lower lip quivers again.
"Adelmar, go bring us some sausage," Adela says, and hands over some odd looking coins. They appear to be made of colored glass.
The brother takes the coins and bows to the others before slipping silently out of the door.
"Where are vou all passing through to and from, if it is not prying?" Adela asks, mainly directing the question at the otters since Aviri is in his comfy place.
This time Aviri notices Adelina's lip-quivering, but only narrows his eyes slightly as he finishes the little cup of tea. He glances toward Adela but, upon seeing her addressing his companions, doesn't answer, and returns to ensuring Adelina doesn't pounce.
"We're coming from Blackshire at the moment." Lin chirps, "Off to a lake to pick up a package to deliver back to Blackshire. We're messengers!"
Adelina is back to wringing her hands and fidgeting with the lacy frills of her sleeves.
Aviri cringes slightly, as though he ate a bit of bad bread.
"My, that must be dangerous and exciting," Adela notes. "Do vou work for the Kurai family then?"
"For the moment." Lin chirps, "As for dangerous, yeah. We've had a fair few encounters with magical residues and enchanted objects. There was even a talking sword. It was kind of a jerk though so we left it next to an enchanted toy that kept shouting "Kill." and the like. Last I know, they were locked in an eternal shouting match." She chuckles and takes a sip of water.
Aviri looks into the empty teacup with a bit of sadness, sets it down completely, and nibbles on the bread some more, taking larger and more confident bites now. "Annoying sword...."
"How charming," Adela says. "My little dagger is far from enchanted though. The closest ve get to magic is my father's godbox business."
"He sells godboxes?" Lin asks, "What's a godbox?"
"Oh, it is a box that holds the spirits of vour dead relatives to keep vour food cold," Adelina explains.
"Do they have to be relatives?" Trilup asks.
"Vell, relatives are less likely to escape and haunt your undervear drawer," Adelina points out.
Lin blinks and takes another sip of her water. "That sounds profitable. And really, what else would you do with your evil step-relatives?"
"Contrary to the stories," Aviri says sagely (the tea helped tremendously, he discovered!), "not all step-relatives are evil. There's a rumor of a wild step-uncle that grows on a frigid steppe that is actually quite amiable."
"You know stories?" Trilup asks in shock. "But.. stories are told to other people. And you don't like people!"
"Books, Trilup." Lin chirps, "He probably read books. It's an okay thing to do, you know. Even I read them sometimes!"
Aviri says, "I live in a warren," Aviri says with a chuckle. "Sound gets around."
"What do you read in books?" Trilup asks her cousin. "I've seen some of the covers of books in Dr. Pike's library though.."
There is a knock, and then Adelmar enters. He's carrying a plate with three dark sausages on it. They don't look like they've been cooked at all though.
Adelina mutters, "... fourth place blood sausage ..." Her ears wilt.
Aviri says, "It's better than fifth, right?" Aviri asks his bread quietly."
Lin shuffles into the corner of her bed. "Some stories about heroic adventures and stuff. I like the ones that analyze monsters too. Can't hurt to know the weak points and tendencies of the usual suspects. Then there are some about the great thieves of the past. You should try them soemtime. I'd be happy to help with some of the harder words when we get home... If you want."
"There are books about stealing stuff?" Trilup asks, eyes wide. "Do.. do you have to steal the book though before you can read it?"
The sausages are handed out to the other vampires. Adela unsheathes her dagger, which has some sort of hypodermic tip, and stabs her sausage so she can 'sip' the blood up through the daggers straw.
"Only if you read it and return it before anyone notices it's gone." Lin chirps smugly.
Aviri watches Adela's dagger with a little bemusement, hiding it behind a bite of bread (his portion of the loaf is nearly gone, now) as he checks Adelina to make sure the sausage is satisfying her.
Adelina picks her sausage up. Her lips part, followed by her teeth. The end of the sausage is fed between her jaws, then she daintily bites down, fangs sinking into the casing. Lips close, then she suckles quietly ... and the sausage casing begins to deflate. To top it off, she goes, "Mmmmm."
"So, what's left of a blood sausage once you take out the blood?" Lin asks.
"Vou seem to enjoy fourth place just fine, sister," Adelmar notes.. then bites the tip off his own sausage and chews on it to get all the juice out. The smell is.. porky.
"Fat and meat," Adela notes, dabbing at her lips with a lace handkerchief. "I suppose," she adds.
"It is reasonably decent," Adelina claims, "Not as good as fresh would be." The last bit came with her eying Aviri.
"So, it's just regular meat in a tube oce you take out all the blood stuff?" Lin looks between her slice of bread and the vampires with their sausages. "Do you eat the rest of the sausage or are you just after the juices?"
"Mr. Crate mentioned cattle," Aviri says. "Maybe you could get fresh from them?"
"It's better if it comes from something that can think," Adelina notes. "The spirit is more flavorful that way."
"I enjoy the flavor and feel of chewing it," Adelmar says.. then turns and spits a wad of chewed up sausage back onto the plate before taking another fresh bite.
"What do they have to be thinking about?" Trilup asks, curious.
"Ve cannot swallov anything solid," Adelina explains to Lin. "Or it makes us ... vell, vomit."
"Someone" Aviri corrects at a volume just over a mutter. He chews on the last of his bread and sets the tray aside.
Lin stretches and sets the remainder of her bread on Waddles. "Maybe, then, Trilup and I could finish those off for you once you're done with them?" She offers, hopefully.
Adelina offers the shriveled up husk to Trilup. "No, something," she comments to the lapi. "Not all that thinks are people."
Trilup inspects the sucked dry sausage. "I don't think it's been cooked," she informs Lin. "Shouldn't it be fried?"
Aviri blinks, and tilts his head slightly. "Do you ... you don't drink people-blood?"
"Oh, of course ve do sometimes. It is very sensual," Adelina notes.
"Hmm, that's a point." Lin chirps then starts inspecting Waddles. "I wonder if Waddles has a cook function." She pokes and prodds at the chest.
Aviri nods slowly. "I see. Sorry again, but I'd rather not." He glances up at the rafters, then back, realizing he's probably not going to get any sleep that night.
"It von't hurt," Adelina promises.
"Really, Adelina," Adelmar says. "I am sure that Lapi taste like rabbits. The oh-ters would be the exotic flavor. But zey are predators."
"I'm really sorry," Aviri says more fimly, directly at Adelina, "but I'm not going to agree to it. I'm not."
"Vou should haf more tea," Adelina mutters.
"And I'd zap you silly if you tried without permission." Lin chirps with a wide smile. "You should talk to the last dragon who thought it could out-zap me."
Adela leans in towards Aviri again, this time to whisper in his ear, "Vou should show her vour teeth, and say vou'd like to have the first bite.."
"Zap vith vhat?" Adelina inquires curiously.
"I think you may have lost that zap battle," Trilup notes to Lin.
Aviri's about to say something to Lin, but stops at Adela's whispers. He looks at her strangely. "But I don't," he says.
Adela makes an odd expression. Vampire Eeee can't 'roll their eyes' after all. "No, vou just need to intimidate her back, ja?" she whispers. "Vou have bigger teeth."
"I held my own!" Lin shoots back, indignant. "Anyways, that dragon would probably just go "Bwar!" at you and try to eat you." Lin patts the windup lightning gun that's still slung under her shoulder. "With this little beauty right here. What, did you think I'm magic? I've gotta get special training and stuff for that, if I'm even someone who kin do magic at all."
Aviri's forehead wrinkles, wondering if this is some sort of trick and an intimidation game is, like, vampire foreplay or something. "I do..." he whispers back, grinning a bit as though in practice to exposing them. "But they're for gnawing, not sucking."
Adela pulls back from Aviri and looks at him again. "Vhat do vou gnaw on?" she asks.
Aviri frowns. "Bread and stuff," he says nebulously.
The Lapi smirks. "The bones of my enemies," he adds as an afterthought.
Adelina picks up her parasol from near the door. With a hop, then a scrabble of claws and wing, she makes it to the rafters. Feet hook, then she swings upside down and folds her wings about herself. The parasol is unfurled, then pulled down around her head. Huh, makeshift earplugs and light shade.
"Ah, that is good to know," Adela says, and pats Aviri on the shoulder. "Lapi should be fierce. And my sister leads.. we have had a long day, and should retire."
"Ninight!" Lin chirps and stops trying to use Waddles to cook the sedicated saussages.
Aviri nods, surprised that he didn't flinch at the shoulder-pat. "I hope you sleep well," he says to the group as a whole.
What comes out of the trunk is an empty, but clean, sausage casing.
Before long, all three bats are hanging from the ceiling.. one over each of the floor beds. At least they aren't staring down with glowing red eyes.. yet.
"Huh." Lin pokes at the sausage casing. "Someday I'll figgure you out." She grumbles and charges her zapper before curling up in her bed.
Aviri finally gets off the bed and puts the tray and teacup near the door before commandeering the bed beneath Adela. Despite his prediction that he'd not sleep a wink, the toil of the tourney through enchanted forests and navigating vampiric conversations wins over, and he's soon sleeping.
Trilup is the last one to turn in... still wondering what she shouldn't be thinking of to keep Adelina from wanting to bite her..
(OOC) Log stop