Small Lurker in Milliways

[lurkingkobold]

Here is a kobold.

To people familiar with the species, it's obviously a young one, not quite three feet tall to the adults' three and a half foot average. Its fur is blueish-grey and relatively dull, a sign that it hasn't been eating properly recently, though it's not thin. It's wearing a simple animal-skin skirt and carrying a stick, not quite long enough to serve as a walking stick, but useful for shielding itself from the worst of the undergrowth at least.

It is moving through the forest at speed, not following any path, and then suddenly it is elsewhere. After a few minutes, it notices the difference in the light; after a few more, it notices that the trees are subtly wrong - wrong species, wrong growth patterns, wrong in subtler ways that defy describing, but that tell the kobold that it is not in the forest where it grew up.

After even more minutes, it stops, having come to a clearing. There is a building, which, despite not being alarmingly large, cannot be traveled around.

The kobold does not have permission to enter the building.

The kobold cannot go back to where it was.

The kobold sits, and waits.

Comments

[lurkingkobold]

A subtle change in tension of the kobold's spine is the only indication that she's heard the question, for two or three long seconds. Then she stands, loose and calm, and moves to sit at Tyche's side.

[scatteredstars]

Tyche looks at her in very obvious confusion. "Hey," ze says, after a moment, and then waits hopefully for an answer to zir previous question.

(At least whoever this is is less tense, now)

[lurkingkobold]

No, this is a happy kobold, see? There's no reason to be worried.

She nudges Tyche's arm with her snout, asking to be petted.

[scatteredstars]

The kobold does seem happy, even if Tyche is rather bewildered as to why.

She also seems to want something. Tyche looks between zir arm and the snout, an obvious question on zir face.

[lurkingkobold]

The kobold's happy facade cracks for a moment as she considers this reaction; she is confused, and just slightly worried. She nudges Tyche's arm again, from the back this time: lift it, that's what I want you to do.

[scatteredstars]

Tyche lifts zir arm.

(Thing that ze wishes ze had for communication here: Language. Also, someone who was remotely competent at social)

[lurkingkobold]

Ah, yes, there we go, back on script. The kobold repositions herself to nudge the palm of Tyche's hand with the top of her head.

(Tyche can use all the language zie wants; the kobold will listen, like a good kobold.)

[scatteredstars]

Tyche lets zir hand rest on the kobold's head, being careful not to cover her eyes or ears, and continues to look confused. (But in a more comprehending 'oh, it's a weird social thing' way. It seems to be something ze is accustomed to.)

(That does not help Tyche with trying to work out what the kobold wants.)

[lurkingkobold]

That's ... okay. That is definitely just fine.

The kobold will be content to sit like this for rather a while, if Tyche doesn't seem inclined to do anything else.

[scatteredstars]

Tyche will sit there, studying her thoughtfully, for a while. Eventually ze seems to come to some conclusion, and speaks.

"You look," Tyche says, "like you need food. Do you want to go inside and get some?"

[lurkingkobold]

Now Tyche has two datapoints about questions that get unambiguous answers. Progress.

The answer to this question is a nod. The kobold seems genuinely enthusiastic.

[scatteredstars]

Progress!

Tyche stands, and pausing to make sure the kobold is following, heads for the door into the building.

[lurkingkobold]

The kobold follows.

She balks, just slightly, at the doorway. Tyche might not even notice.

[scatteredstars]

Tyche catches this with a scrap of her attention. Ze stops, and gives the kobold an inquiring/concerned look.

[lurkingkobold]

The kobold freezes.

[scatteredstars]

Tyche sits down again. "What's wrong?" ze asks.

[lurkingkobold]

The kobold relaxes some when Tyche steps back outside and sits; she ignores zir question, but approaches and sits next to zir.

This isn't food, but the kobold isn't going to complain.

[scatteredstars]

Tyche peers at her for a moment, and then asks again, "What was the problem?"

[lurkingkobold]

The kobold makes a brief and subtle face - annoyance? frustration? - and looks pointedly at the doorway, then herself, then, with rather less force, at Tyche.

[scatteredstars]

"The door was safe when I went through it earlier," Tyche says.

[lurkingkobold]

The kobold shrugs.

She considers leaning against Tyche, but that might discourage zir from food-related things, so she doesn't.

[scatteredstars]

Tyche considers this a moment more, and then stands. "It really is reasonably safe," ze says, offering the kobold a hand up.

[lurkingkobold]

The kobold seems confused at Tyche's offered hand, but takes it with minimal hesitation, and stands, orienting on the doorway.

[scatteredstars]

The confusion earns a tiny puzzled look, but Tyche marks it down to culture clash.

Ze heads for the door, doing zir best to be reassuring.

[lurkingkobold]

The kobold follows, without balking this time.