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It was later in the day when Taarka turned up. He'd not visited Rani in maybe three or four months now. There were long periods of time where Taarka would disappear from the shop and not be heard of until the next time a tonic was needed. If he saw Rani around the city, he'd never acknowledge him outside of the shop aside from a glance here and there.
The bright-orange streaks of light from the sunset came through the canopy and bathed the walkways, buildings and tree trunks. Taarka made his way along one of the rope bridges that lead to the 'tonic shop' as he liked to think of it. He wore a dark brown hood and something not unlike a capelet about his shoulders (cut at the edges like leaves) to hide his face, if the man couldn't be any more secretive about his visit. He didn't want anyone knowing his private business. At his side he held a woven basket, the contents covered with a thin sheet of hide.
Standing at the door he turned his head to peer with dark eyes at the walkways and then knocked twice "Rani" he he said deeply to the door before pushing it open and making his way in. Once inside, he set his basket down on a table and lowered his hood. His eyes as shadowed as they ever were when he made his visits to the shop. His weary eyes scanned the shop for the alchemist, tail flicking behind him expectantly.
The bright-orange streaks of light from the sunset came through the canopy and bathed the walkways, buildings and tree trunks. Taarka made his way along one of the rope bridges that lead to the 'tonic shop' as he liked to think of it. He wore a dark brown hood and something not unlike a capelet about his shoulders (cut at the edges like leaves) to hide his face, if the man couldn't be any more secretive about his visit. He didn't want anyone knowing his private business. At his side he held a woven basket, the contents covered with a thin sheet of hide.
Standing at the door he turned his head to peer with dark eyes at the walkways and then knocked twice "Rani" he he said deeply to the door before pushing it open and making his way in. Once inside, he set his basket down on a table and lowered his hood. His eyes as shadowed as they ever were when he made his visits to the shop. His weary eyes scanned the shop for the alchemist, tail flicking behind him expectantly.
"It is too late fix any sorts of deals, you know! It's been a long day - I am all haggled out!"
It was a poor excuse, delivered cheerily, knowingly and unapologetically from within the shop - but then shortly, sharply, the door was yanked open and t he shop's grinning proprieties swept to the front, bathed in the warm sunset glow that filtered into the small little space, and the halo of sparkling dust motes and the shining flecks of light off of an endless sea of bottles, trinkets and reagents. The whole place presented a scattered sort of whimsy, one that did well to distract from the contents that floated many of those jars.
He escorted the other Serra inside, allowing him to make himself (relatively) comfortable, before spinning about on a heel to affording his guest a better look.
Rani's eyes flicked from Taarka's hood to the basket, before he regarded the man himself with a curious little tilt of his head. Pointedly, he dipped his head, raised both eyebrows in a silent question - but the flicking of that black-plumed tail did well to betray him.
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he wished to read the thoughts that lie just behind the eyes of his fellow unbonded - and as if he'd stared hard enough, he could glean more answers from the words that were left unspoken.
And at some unseen cue, Rani's tail curled limp and loose around his feet in a fine display of subdued sympathy. Or if not quite sympathy, one close to it; an understanding. He raised his head slowly in a half nod, settling on a safe enough way to ask the question that truly nagged at him.
"Long nights again, Taarka?"
It was a poor excuse, delivered cheerily, knowingly and unapologetically from within the shop - but then shortly, sharply, the door was yanked open and t he shop's grinning proprieties swept to the front, bathed in the warm sunset glow that filtered into the small little space, and the halo of sparkling dust motes and the shining flecks of light off of an endless sea of bottles, trinkets and reagents. The whole place presented a scattered sort of whimsy, one that did well to distract from the contents that floated many of those jars.
He escorted the other Serra inside, allowing him to make himself (relatively) comfortable, before spinning about on a heel to affording his guest a better look.
Rani's eyes flicked from Taarka's hood to the basket, before he regarded the man himself with a curious little tilt of his head. Pointedly, he dipped his head, raised both eyebrows in a silent question - but the flicking of that black-plumed tail did well to betray him.
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he wished to read the thoughts that lie just behind the eyes of his fellow unbonded - and as if he'd stared hard enough, he could glean more answers from the words that were left unspoken.
And at some unseen cue, Rani's tail curled limp and loose around his feet in a fine display of subdued sympathy. Or if not quite sympathy, one close to it; an understanding. He raised his head slowly in a half nod, settling on a safe enough way to ask the question that truly nagged at him.
"Long nights again, Taarka?"
Taarka rose a brow as he heard Rani rambling. Rani was an odd man, though. He made himself at home without much coaxing, making his way over to a seat and dropping into it with a tired sigh, lowering his hood to reveal his shadowy eyes.
He nodded to Rani's question "Such long nights. I need whatever this will buy me" he motioned to the basket and then pulled the blanket off the contents. Inside was a large selection of four different types of forest mushroom, some from the sides of trees, some from the base of trees... some tiny shriveled up ones that lived only beneath larger mushrooms. He'd brought a rather large selection, obviously planning on getting as much tonic as he could muster.
"There are rumors going around. Rumors that keep me up at night" he admitted seriously, lips curling into a frown "I keep hearing mention of a clutch....such rumors go around every now and then... but surely by now it has been long enough. Four years now, I believe....and the new bonded are soon to take their trials." he leaned forward, the chair creaking loudly as he ran his fingers through his hair to try and wake himself up. No doubt Rani knew about his obsession.
"If there is a clutch, will you be going to the hatching?"
He nodded to Rani's question "Such long nights. I need whatever this will buy me" he motioned to the basket and then pulled the blanket off the contents. Inside was a large selection of four different types of forest mushroom, some from the sides of trees, some from the base of trees... some tiny shriveled up ones that lived only beneath larger mushrooms. He'd brought a rather large selection, obviously planning on getting as much tonic as he could muster.
"There are rumors going around. Rumors that keep me up at night" he admitted seriously, lips curling into a frown "I keep hearing mention of a clutch....such rumors go around every now and then... but surely by now it has been long enough. Four years now, I believe....and the new bonded are soon to take their trials." he leaned forward, the chair creaking loudly as he ran his fingers through his hair to try and wake himself up. No doubt Rani knew about his obsession.
"If there is a clutch, will you be going to the hatching?"
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