Curiosity did what, now?

[lurkingkobold]

The kobold's research cave is coming along nicely, after her previous adventure - the floor carefully flattened (by teleporting stone out) and softened (by teleporting sand in); the permanent portals to Deva and the cavern's exit, currently closed to anyone who doesn't know the passwords, but marked off, with spaces set aside for several more portals; her experimenting supplies tucked away behind further portals in her workspace; a small cache set up for her new translation necklace and any other magical items she might happen to find in her travels.

And, now, another portal, leading to another new world. She double-checks that she has her traveling gear - translation necklace, teleporting ring, twine - completes the spell, and peers through.

Comments

[last_one_out]

"Sure, you and Star can come along. But I do mean to stay out all night."

[lurkingkobold]

Dusk nods with a slightly smug grin, "mmhmm."

[last_one_out]

He shrugs. "Suit yourself, then. I thought people in the sunlit lands preferred to sleep at night when they could manage it."

[lurkingkobold]

She seems to find this amusing. "Most. I..." handwave, "I sleep mornings. And the forest is nice at night."

[last_one_out]

"Okay."

[lurkingkobold]

Grin.

And shortly they arrive at River's house. River dims the lights to Dusk's satisfaction, and after a moment's consideration dims them even further, and then gets started on dinner. "Do you like your soup any particular way, Elarron?"

[last_one_out]

Elarron is noticeably pleased about the dimmer light.

"I have no strong soup-related preferences."

[lurkingkobold]

"All right." Soup construction commences, and after another moment, River asks, "how was the trapping, Dusk? Any idea when we might get them?"

"No idea. Lots of traps, soon maybe." She doesn't seem quite so pleased about this as she has been about other things; she mostly just seems tired, actually, or perhaps resigned.

[last_one_out]

Elarron has nothing to say about the traps. The exact flavour of nothing that he's refraining from saying is that while he doesn't think it's his business to advise the elves on how to conduct themselves, he wouldn't be trying to trap tigerfolk over any of the things he has heard of the tigerfolk possibly doing.

[lurkingkobold]

River has her back to Elarron and Dusk while she cooks, which may be for the best. "That's good, the sooner the better. Even if we can't get you home, Elarron, everyone will be much less on edge once that's taken care of."

[last_one_out]

"Honestly, I don't have high hopes about going home anytime soon."

[lurkingkobold]

This gets Elarron a look from Dusk - confused and curious and concerned.

"Even aside from that, I mean. I think I mentioned we've had some trouble with the tigerfolk, recently? That has us all a little upset right now."

[last_one_out]

"Yeah, I remember. I'm just saying, I don't think my specific problem is going to be solved by anything to do with tigerfolk. It still seems much likelier to me that whatever trap-or-something I ran into was from my world, and I might have to wait to go home until someone from my world figures it out and comes to get me, unless someone here independently figures out how to put me back first."

[lurkingkobold]

River nods. "Well, you'll probably be welcome to stay regardless." And with that, she sets the soup to simmering. "Double batch of the cornbread, Dusk, and you can take the rest with you tonight?"

"Yes please." It's hard to tell, but she might be a bit pensive now.

[last_one_out]

Dusk is reminding Elarron very much of his brother Inlaith. He smiles quietly to himself.

[lurkingkobold]

River allows the conversation to peter out while she finishes making dinner, and then passes out the food - strawberry cornbread and a small bowl of chowder to dip it in for Dusk; a larger bowl of chowder with cornbread on the side for Elarron; just chowder for herself - and joins them at the table to eat in companionable silence.

[last_one_out]

Elarron appreciates the food very much but doesn't see a need to say so out loud, just smiles and eats.

[lurkingkobold]

It is pretty tasty.

Dusk finishes eating first, and takes River and Elarron's dishes to wash when they're done. While she's doing that, River asks, "what supplies do you want, for tonight?"

[last_one_out]

"Not sure," he says contemplatively. "If this were home I'd know just what to take along and I'd have most of it already, but I don't know what the normal dangers or the normal resources are in your forests."

[lurkingkobold]

"Waterskin," interjects Dusk. "Weapon - knife? - hand light, fire bowl. Travel light."

[last_one_out]

"Seems like a reasonable list, if I understand some of those right. Hand light and fire bowl, are those magic things?"

[lurkingkobold]

Dusk nods, and River explains, "A hand light makes a beam of light when you activate it, they're good for finding your way around in the dark -"

"Signaling," interrupts Dusk. "Scare monsters. Fire bowl, warmth, easier signal if lost."

[last_one_out]

"Yeah." He nods.

[lurkingkobold]

"All right. Dusk should be able to get you all of those things - " Dusk nods " - so it sounds like you're all set."

[last_one_out]

"Well, that was easy."