TaLi63372
Adventurer
Night fell on Trinsic and the stars began their vigil. The girl woke and stretched. She ate part of a loaf that had grown patches of color in the jungle humidity. The girl seemed to be unconcerned with the mold and fuzz. She tucked her treasures into her patched bag and ventured out into the streets. While still flighty and easily scared, her routine had helped give her confidence in what to expect.
This evening's events would annihilate that routine.
The nag wasn't tethered in the pen. Neither was the water bucket.
The girl frowned as she studied the scene. She crept closer to the stable itself and looked inside. All the stalls were empty and being scrubbed down with a long broom by a teenage boy. She watched him for a moment, wrinkling her nose at the sharp smell of the liquid as it wafted up her nose. She snorted out the offending smell and the boy looked over. She blinked and so did he. She fled at full-speed before he could shout out an alarm. Over the bridge and to the familiar grove of trees by the tavern.
Outside the tavern a couple of horses pawed at the ground as a strange, dark-furred animal lay on the stone path. He looked as big as those other beasts, but unconcerned as he slumbered. She saw a dockworker exit the tavern with a bottle in one hand as he stumbled towards the inn. She watched him bring that long-necked bottle up to his lips and watched him drink. Her head tilted as she mind made the connection.
Water.
She looked back to the tavern and considered her options. She knew that people didn't like you taking things without getting something else. They liked flat rocks. She had seen people trade bright yellow flat rocks for other items. She did not have any flat rocks, but she had other items she could trade. Her treasures.
Giving the dark sleeping creature a wide berth, she made her way into the noisy tavern. She quickly made her way along the wall towards the back, attempting to not attract attention to herself. There were several patrons standing in the middle talking loudly to another group at a table across the room. She avoided eye contact and walked briskly towards a long-haired man with a half apron. He was keeping an eye on the patrons and drying a mug with a towel. She reached up and tugged on his sleeve and then his apron to get his attention. She pointed to the large barrels that sat against the wall and then signed, 'drink'. He quirked an eyebrow at the gesture as she furrowed her brow. She repeated it and then fished out a treasure out of her pocket. She signed again and held up a rusty hinge. He scowled at her. She scowled back and then put it away and fished out a bent spring and held it up. She could see his face scrunch up with a bit of annoyance at her broken offerings and indecipherable needs.
Just as he started to wave her off, she saw a man approaching. The girl had been oblivious as he had watched the exchange between her and the waiter. He wore one of the suits of hard clothing. It looked like the color of water and she could see reflections in its polished surface. She never knew one could wear water or that it could be hard. She was about to step back when he called out at her. She knew he was talking to her because he was looking right at her as he vocalized. She didn't move or react, but froze in place. He looked like one of those people who yelled at her a lot. He wasn't yelling although he still sounded like he barked his words roughly. She cautiously signed 'drink' at him and watched his reaction. He watched it and then looked to the waiter. He made a short verbal demand, "Water". The waiter quickly responded to that word and produced a pitcher of clear water. He handed it down to her and she carefully held it against her chest and smiled.
This evening's events would annihilate that routine.
The nag wasn't tethered in the pen. Neither was the water bucket.
The girl frowned as she studied the scene. She crept closer to the stable itself and looked inside. All the stalls were empty and being scrubbed down with a long broom by a teenage boy. She watched him for a moment, wrinkling her nose at the sharp smell of the liquid as it wafted up her nose. She snorted out the offending smell and the boy looked over. She blinked and so did he. She fled at full-speed before he could shout out an alarm. Over the bridge and to the familiar grove of trees by the tavern.
Outside the tavern a couple of horses pawed at the ground as a strange, dark-furred animal lay on the stone path. He looked as big as those other beasts, but unconcerned as he slumbered. She saw a dockworker exit the tavern with a bottle in one hand as he stumbled towards the inn. She watched him bring that long-necked bottle up to his lips and watched him drink. Her head tilted as she mind made the connection.
Water.
She looked back to the tavern and considered her options. She knew that people didn't like you taking things without getting something else. They liked flat rocks. She had seen people trade bright yellow flat rocks for other items. She did not have any flat rocks, but she had other items she could trade. Her treasures.
Giving the dark sleeping creature a wide berth, she made her way into the noisy tavern. She quickly made her way along the wall towards the back, attempting to not attract attention to herself. There were several patrons standing in the middle talking loudly to another group at a table across the room. She avoided eye contact and walked briskly towards a long-haired man with a half apron. He was keeping an eye on the patrons and drying a mug with a towel. She reached up and tugged on his sleeve and then his apron to get his attention. She pointed to the large barrels that sat against the wall and then signed, 'drink'. He quirked an eyebrow at the gesture as she furrowed her brow. She repeated it and then fished out a treasure out of her pocket. She signed again and held up a rusty hinge. He scowled at her. She scowled back and then put it away and fished out a bent spring and held it up. She could see his face scrunch up with a bit of annoyance at her broken offerings and indecipherable needs.
Just as he started to wave her off, she saw a man approaching. The girl had been oblivious as he had watched the exchange between her and the waiter. He wore one of the suits of hard clothing. It looked like the color of water and she could see reflections in its polished surface. She never knew one could wear water or that it could be hard. She was about to step back when he called out at her. She knew he was talking to her because he was looking right at her as he vocalized. She didn't move or react, but froze in place. He looked like one of those people who yelled at her a lot. He wasn't yelling although he still sounded like he barked his words roughly. She cautiously signed 'drink' at him and watched his reaction. He watched it and then looked to the waiter. He made a short verbal demand, "Water". The waiter quickly responded to that word and produced a pitcher of clear water. He handed it down to her and she carefully held it against her chest and smiled.