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

[lurkingkobold]

And here is River's house.

"River?"

After a few seconds, River pokes her head out the door and looks at Dusk and her lynx: "headache, huh? Go on, I'll take care of him," and Dusk nods and heads off toward her house.

"How was your night? ...come on in, I'm just making breakfast."

[last_one_out]

"Dusk was right, the forest is nice at night. I enjoyed the chance to get to know the place."

[lurkingkobold]

"Good, I'm glad." She checks on her breakfast: "Do you take your oatmeal any particular way?"

[last_one_out]

He shrugs. "Not really."

[lurkingkobold]

"All right."

And a minute later, she presents him with a bowl of oatmeal, with smaller bowls of honey and sunflower seeds on the side. "I have some strawberries left over from last night, too, if you'd like."

[last_one_out]

"Sure, if it's no trouble. Those were good strawberries."

[lurkingkobold]

This gets a grin, and she sets a bowl of strawberries next to the sunflower seeds when she returns with her own breakfast.

"So, is there anything you'd like to do today?"

[last_one_out]

He stifles a yawn.

"Not sure. Well, I want to eat and sleep, and then - I guess see if there's any way I can make myself useful while I'm here?"

[lurkingkobold]

She nods. "The council will be glad to hear that - they'll probably want to talk to you this afternoon, by the way. And I can ask around about who needs help - what kinds of work did you do before?"

[last_one_out]

"I'm not sure, really," he says, smiling wryly. "I have two older brothers and for any given task at least one of them is better than me at it, so I've always just been... the one who does whatever's left over."

[lurkingkobold]

"Hm." She considers. "Is there anything you'd like to try? Or I can just look for something easy to pick up, if you'd rather."

[last_one_out]

He shrugs. "Easy to pick up sounds fine by me."

Nom nom delicious oatmeal.

[lurkingkobold]

"All right."

Oatmeal indeed. And then dishes, and then River can feed some of the animals on the way to drop Elarron off at his hut.

"I'll be with Berry most of the morning, if you need anything, but I should be back before you wake up anyway - we should have the rest of your clothes ready by then, too."

[last_one_out]

"Thanks," he says, smiling at her. "I'll see you later, then."

[lurkingkobold]

She smiles back, "have a good night."

And then Elarron is left alone.

[last_one_out]

He goes into his hut and finds that the light levels aren't too bad and settles into a light but restful sleep.

[lurkingkobold]

River returns some seven hours later, carrying a large bundle. She's being quiet as she comes into the hut and sets it on Elarron's table, but probably not quiet enough.

[last_one_out]

Indeed not. He wakes up, hops out of his hammock, and peers around his curtain at the visitor.

[lurkingkobold]

It takes a moment for her to notice him. "Oh! Hi! I hope I didn't wake you, I can go for a bit if you're not ready to be up yet."

[last_one_out]

"I'm awake," he shrugs. "I had a good long sleep, I'm fine for the day."

[lurkingkobold]

"All right." She starts unpacking the bundle. "Here's your clothes, and we did have a set of heavy curtains in storage, and while I was there I noticed we had a spare water bowl, so I brought that too." The bowl in question was upside-down in the bundle; when she takes it out and flips it upright, it starts magically filling with water. "We don't have many of these, since we can't make them here, but with you so far away from the well I thought you could use it. Oh, and-" she produces a cloth-lined basket "-lunch."

[last_one_out]

"Thanks," he says, smiling.

[lurkingkobold]

She smiles back.

"I'll go sit with Beetle while you freshen up?"

[last_one_out]

"Yeah, sure," he says agreeably.

[lurkingkobold]

Off she goes, then.