The Eagle and the Vixen (Closed)

[Lillorainen]

I smiled and watched as Ilia, with the bowl of potato salad refilled, went to Patty, Nora and the young man with them, who had finished preparing the hot dogs which his sisters were munching on. They all three took four hearty helpings, which made young Ilia nod.
As he went back with the almost empty bowl, the Khana stopped him and asked him something in Kyrenaian, to which he replied with a nod.
"Just ordered us second salad helpings.", she told everyone, "The meat's still taking a moment, though."

Amy nodded and dropped the spiking-topic. The spiking she had meant was better unmentioned on this beach, as it was a grim and dark topic.
Instead, she grinned, reaching over to peck Dragan onto his cheek. "I'll get my dance card ready, then!", she replied with a grin, "Disaster or not, it'll be fun!"

While the Khana ordered second helpings in her mother tongue (it really sounded a bit like Abyadi), as she translated to them, Janina finished her first one - the idea to slow down came a bit too late.
She did not mind waiting a bit - she had to leave it somewhere, after all.
Chris still was in his usual The-Gods-created-the-time-but-not-the-haste mode, savoring one bite after another - but he wasn't that far away from finishing, either. For him, it would be a seamless transition from first to second.

The spiking issue was indeed nothing to debate on in here ... grim things and dark stuff.
Dragan took Amy's peck like a professional, just nodding in approval without showing too much of joy - that, however, would probably change later on, come disaster or not.
He grinned. "It will, whatever disaster may come up - even if it's Ragnarök. I've heard they have fire extinguishers for that case!"

[The Selkie]

While the Khana ordered second helpings in her mother tongue (it really sounded a bit like Abyadi), as she translated to them, Janina finished her first one - the idea to slow down came a bit too late.
She did not mind waiting a bit - she had to leave it somewhere, after all.
Chris still was in his usual The-Gods-created-the-time-but-not-the-haste mode, savoring one bite after another - but he wasn't that far away from finishing, either. For him, it would be a seamless transition from first to second.

The spiking issue was indeed nothing to debate on in here ... grim things and dark stuff.
Dragan took Amy's peck like a professional, just nodding in approval without showing too much of joy - that, however, would probably change later on, come disaster or not.
He grinned. "It will, whatever disaster may come up - even if it's Ragnarök. I've heard they have fire extinguishers for that case!"

I smiled as I watched the people around the table, Chris' attitude over eating would enable him to shovel food into himself without a pause.
The Khana smiled as Marla finished around the same time as Janina, motioning to the corner of her mouth, Cao handing the girl a silken tissue to wipe her face clean of the offending piece of potato salad.
Meanwhile, I saw two of our girls pass behind Janina, laden with big bowls of food and with a few drinks, no doubt for the guard post on the cliff. By now, it was more then clear, that someone was there and that they were there to stay as our guards and vantage.
Tea-totallers, the lot of them.

"For that and a few more!", Amy agreed with a giggle, being a bit miffed, that her kiss did not produce more of an reaction. Oh, well, she could work with that. A woman liked to be fought for and if her conquests were too easy, it was boring as well. "Don't let anyone unauthorized near the grill or we'll need them. Other then that, they're also good to deal with spiders..."
She visibly shuddered.

[Lillorainen]

I smiled as I watched the people around the table, Chris' attitude over eating would enable him to shovel food into himself without a pause.
The Khana smiled as Marla finished around the same time as Janina, motioning to the corner of her mouth, Cao handing the girl a silken tissue to wipe her face clean of the offending piece of potato salad.
Meanwhile, I saw two of our girls pass behind Janina, laden with big bowls of food and with a few drinks, no doubt for the guard post on the cliff. By now, it was more then clear, that someone was there and that they were there to stay as our guards and vantage.
Tea-totallers, the lot of them.

"For that and a few more!", Amy agreed with a giggle, being a bit miffed, that her kiss did not produce more of an reaction. Oh, well, she could work with that. A woman liked to be fought for and if her conquests were too easy, it was boring as well. "Don't let anyone unauthorized near the grill or we'll need them. Other then that, they're also good to deal with spiders..."
She visibly shuddered.

Cao handled a tissue to Marla, so she could wipe some rests of potato salad off the corner of her mouth.
Indeed, both Janina and Marla had finished the same time - little girls could be very hungry, and so could big ones. And knowing exactly where to leave all the fat was definitely an advantage for both alike.
Two girls passed behind Janina, she noticed it without actually looking at them, delivering food and drinks, heading for the watch tower on the cliff - so it hadn't only felt as if someone were up there.

"Makes sense." Dragan nodded. "Last time we let some smart-ass handle the grill ... uh, let's just say, the plan was good, the execution was insufficient."
Dragan didn't miss Amy being a bit miffed about his reaction to her kiss - or the lack thereof, to put it more precisely. But who says that men are necessarily easier to conquer, eh?
She shuddered when she mentioned spiders.
"Oh, spiders are no problem for me, either. The common ones aren't, at least."

[The Selkie]

Cao handled a tissue to Marla, so she could wipe some rests of potato salad off the corner of her mouth.
Indeed, both Janina and Marla had finished the same time - little girls could be very hungry, and so could big ones. And knowing exactly where to leave all the fat was definitely an advantage for both alike.
Two girls passed behind Janina, she noticed it without actually looking at them, delivering food and drinks, heading for the watch tower on the cliff - so it hadn't only felt as if someone were up there.

"Makes sense." Dragan nodded. "Last time we let some smart-ass handle the grill ... uh, let's just say, the plan was good, the execution was insufficient."
Dragan didn't miss Amy being a bit miffed about his reaction to her kiss - or the lack thereof, to put it more precisely. But who says that men are necessarily easier to conquer, eh?
She shuddered when she mentioned spiders.
"Oh, spiders are no problem for me, either. The common ones aren't, at least."

"The Oberver Post.", Cao explained, having seen both the girls and Janina noticing them, "There's a small post there to look out for unwelcome guests. We don't want to be here, when an Arracht or something comes around. The watchtower ruin is quite good for that, I'd say. Yven and a few others even managed to get a canon up there."
"A canon?", I asked, a bit surprised.
"An old bronze muzzle loader, I'd be surprised, if that thing even has a clean vent.", she said and shrugged, "It'll be more useful to throw that blasted thing at an Arracht."

"Then the two of you should never visit me in my home.", Macha said and smiled slightly, "There's a nest of Webmakers a few dozen kilometres away... and those blasted things can be measured in metres quite effectively."
She let a beat pass, which made Amy shudder and seek protection, snuggling herself up to Dragan and his arm, which, as he would find out, was hugged to the young woman's body in her fright.
"Granted, it's more like 0.7 metres on average, body length, but those blasted things can be quite vicious.", Macha further explained, "Still, I hate getting out my old fire hose for the occassions one of them comes too close to my home."

[Lillorainen]

"The Oberver Post.", Cao explained, having seen both the girls and Janina noticing them, "There's a small post there to look out for unwelcome guests. We don't want to be here, when an Arracht or something comes around. The watchtower ruin is quite good for that, I'd say. Yven and a few others even managed to get a canon up there."
"A canon?", I asked, a bit surprised.
"An old bronze muzzle loader, I'd be surprised, if that thing even has a clean vent.", she said and shrugged, "It'll be more useful to throw that blasted thing at an Arracht."

"Then the two of you should never visit me in my home.", Macha said and smiled slightly, "There's a nest of Webmakers a few dozen kilometres away... and those blasted things can be measured in metres quite effectively."
She let a beat pass, which made Amy shudder and seek protection, snuggling herself up to Dragan and his arm, which, as he would find out, was hugged to the young woman's body in her fright.
"Granted, it's more like 0.7 metres on average, body length, but those blasted things can be quite vicious.", Macha further explained, "Still, I hate getting out my old fire hose for the occassions one of them comes too close to my home."

Janina nodded. "It reminds me of the old watch tower at the harbor of my home city" - she said. "It's just as much of a ruin as this one. When we were children, we often went up there to play there, but like ten years ago, the gate in front of it suddenly got locked. Since then, it has often felt as if someone was sitting in there, watching the lake, like in the good old times - just like in here, but here we now know that someone is there. It's still a mystery with the Watch Tower of Lechelen."
She let a beat pass.
"There are also rumors claiming that the tower's haunted."

Macha found back into their conversation again, describing the average size of spiders in her home - which made Amy snuggle against Dragan out of fear. He put his arm around her, hoping she would be calmed down a bit.
More than half a meter ... and that was just their average size.
"This is what a world atlas is for" - he said. To take a bit more of Amy's fear, he added, jokingly, "I even think they were originally invented for the purpose of killing spiders, and later, someone discovered that they're also practical for looking up stuff on countries."

[The Selkie]

Janina nodded. "It reminds me of the old watch tower at the harbor of my home city" - she said. "It's just as much of a ruin as this one. When we were children, we often went up there to play there, but like ten years ago, the gate in front of it suddenly got locked. Since then, it has often felt as if someone was sitting in there, watching the lake, like in the good old times - just like in here, but here we now know that someone is there. It's still a mystery with the Watch Tower of Lechelen."
She let a beat pass.
"There are also rumors claiming that the tower's haunted."

Macha found back into their conversation again, describing the average size of spiders in her home - which made Amy snuggle against Dragan out of fear. He put his arm around her, hoping she would be calmed down a bit.
More than half a meter ... and that was just their average size.
"This is what a world atlas is for" - he said. To take a bit more of Amy's fear, he added, jokingly, "I even think they were originally invented for the purpose of killing spiders, and later, someone discovered that they're also practical for looking up stuff on countries."

"Oh, a haunted tower?", Cao asked with interest. "Sounds fun!"
"Like Milleadh.", I said and looked into the round, "A village in the Great Woods. During the War of the Great Woods, the little peaceful town was raped by militiamen - and the riders were cursed by Carman Fea to, once every full moon in summer, leave their camp to rape the village again, not finding it, for its remains have long since reunited with the Woods." I let a beat pass. "Travellers have often reported seeing men in scale armour and with lances, a ghostly glow about them, ride through the Great Woods and searching for something... and killing everyone, who they came across."
Beat.
"There should be thunder and lightning right about now...", I added, "...for, you know, dramatic effect."

Amy smiled slightly, amused, but still terrified, drawing Dragan's arm closer, hugging it for her dear life.
She was very afraid of spiders.
"Oh, you won't get far with an atlas with them.", Macha countered, smiling almost sweetly, "Too small of a weapon. No, once they loom over you, you forsake that book and run until you have fire. And once you have fire, you are safe." She let a beat pass. "Mostly, at least."

[Lillorainen]

"Oh, a haunted tower?", Cao asked with interest. "Sounds fun!"
"Like Milleadh.", I said and looked into the round, "A village in the Great Woods. During the War of the Great Woods, the little peaceful town was raped by militiamen - and the riders were cursed by Carman Fea to, once every full moon in summer, leave their camp to rape the village again, not finding it, for its remains have long since reunited with the Woods." I let a beat pass. "Travellers have often reported seeing men in scale armour and with lances, a ghostly glow about them, ride through the Great Woods and searching for something... and killing everyone, who they came across."
Beat.
"There should be thunder and lightning right about now...", I added, "...for, you know, dramatic effect."

Amy smiled slightly, amused, but still terrified, drawing Dragan's arm closer, hugging it for her dear life.
She was very afraid of spiders.
"Oh, you won't get far with an atlas with them.", Macha countered, smiling almost sweetly, "Too small of a weapon. No, once they loom over you, you forsake that book and run until you have fire. And once you have fire, you are safe." She let a beat pass. "Mostly, at least."

Chris grinned at his girlfriend's comment. "If Life just always followed a written script, eh?"
Janina grinned, too. A beat passed, then she nodded and said, "I've heard about that story. You might have heard about that new trend where WhoTubers go to the Great Woods to challenge them, since they are claimed to be haunted, and they're full of dangerous animals. Well, if they have fun doing that ... by the way, my home region is full of very superstitious folks who see ghosts in anything. Before we merged with the Rathenian states into what's the Rathland now, the Fylerian Free State was commonly called either the Cider State, or the Haunted State ..."
Chris nodded. "A few weeks ago, I met a guy who was born in Köbesvorst, at the edge of the Great Mountains of Elverholm Island, near the state border to Vedjading. There, many people even believe in vampires! It's just crazy. Said guy, his name is Lucius van Hengelen, even wrote a book about that."
Janina nodded. Chris had already told her and Dragan about that, on the ferry. She grinned. "His name already sounds as if taken from some horror novel, if you ask me ..."

Dragan noticed that Amy still hugged herself tighter.
He grinned again and said, "Well, then an old friend of mine, who used to be a law student, has an even better solution. He'd kill them with the hardcover edition of the SGV Vedjading, a collection of all laws and acts ever passed in my old home state - even from before the founding of the Federation. One could slay a horse dead with that bulky tome!"
He let a beat pass.
"And if that fails, you can still kill them with fire."

[The Selkie]

Chris grinned at his girlfriend's comment. "If Life just always followed a written script, eh?"
Janina grinned, too. A beat passed, then she nodded and said, "I've heard about that story. You might have heard about that new trend where WhoTubers go to the Great Woods to challenge them, since they are claimed to be haunted, and they're full of dangerous animals. Well, if they have fun doing that ... by the way, my home region is full of very superstitious folks who see ghosts in anything. Before we merged with the Rathenian states into what's the Rathland now, the Fylerian Free State was commonly called either the Cider State, or the Haunted State ..."
Chris nodded. "A few weeks ago, I met a guy who was born in Köbesvorst, at the edge of the Great Mountains of Elverholm Island, near the state border to Vedjading. There, many people even believe in vampires! It's just crazy. Said guy, his name is Lucius van Hengelen, even wrote a book about that."
Janina nodded. Chris had already told her and Dragan about that, on the ferry. She grinned. "His name already sounds as if taken from some horror novel, if you ask me ..."

Dragan noticed that Amy still hugged herself tighter.
He grinned again and said, "Well, then an old friend of mine, who used to be a law student, has an even better solution. He'd kill them with the hardcover edition of the SGV Vedjading, a collection of all laws and acts ever passed in my old home state - even from before the founding of the Federation. One could slay a horse dead with that bulky tome!"
He let a beat pass.
"And if that fails, you can still kill them with fire."

"Indeed.", I agreed with Janina, Mind you, it's completely irresponsible to 'challenge' the Great Woods. The area is dangerous enough for the Children and they spent their lives there. But let's not dwell on people being too stupid to live and move on to... "Though, vampires? Like in Blood-Drinkers?"
"Well, I don't think, that they mean the planes.", the Khana replied just as young Ilia came back with the bowl of potato salad, as well as a plate of sausages. "Next round of steaks still in preparation?"
"Yes, Amina-Khana.", the boy said and placed both onto the table. "Look forward to it, Mam is putting on special seasoning!"
"Sounds promising.", I said with a grin, then turned back to our discussion: "There is some truth behind vampire or blood drinker myths, though."

"That's what I have a fire hose for.", Macha said with a bit of visciousness in her eyes. "Fire hose in this case means something to hose something with fire, not to hose the fire away."
Somehow, that frightened Amy even more, as quite well emphasized by her moving closer to Dragan.
"Though I am running out of flame gel as of late, but that can be solved quite easily.", she added.

[Lillorainen]

"Indeed.", I agreed with Janina, Mind you, it's completely irresponsible to 'challenge' the Great Woods. The area is dangerous enough for the Children and they spent their lives there. But let's not dwell on people being too stupid to live and move on to... "Though, vampires? Like in Blood-Drinkers?"
"Well, I don't think, that they mean the planes.", the Khana replied just as young Ilia came back with the bowl of potato salad, as well as a plate of sausages. "Next round of steaks still in preparation?"
"Yes, Amina-Khana.", the boy said and placed both onto the table. "Look forward to it, Mam is putting on special seasoning!"
"Sounds promising.", I said with a grin, then turned back to our discussion: "There is some truth behind vampire or blood drinker myths, though."

"That's what I have a fire hose for.", Macha said with a bit of visciousness in her eyes. "Fire hose in this case means something to hose something with fire, not to hose the fire away."
Somehow, that frightened Amy even more, as quite well emphasized by her moving closer to Dragan.
"Though I am running out of flame gel as of late, but that can be solved quite easily.", she added.

Chris, who was still eating, and Janina looked forward to the next round of steaks, but some more potato salad and a sausage surely would do a good job at filling the time in between. Janina took a sausage with her fork, at a speed that hardly anyone would notice.
"Of course there's some truth behind that" - Chris said between two bites. "There's some truth behind almost anything! People do disappear in the Great Woods, just as they tend to disappear climbing the mountains without a guide."
"Which isn't edgy enough for the cool kids as a 'challenge' anymore, nowadays."
"Right. And people tend to find very creative explanations about their disappearance ..." He remembered his conversation with van Hengelen - a guy Mr. Fia would have gotten along with excellently ...
"Like vampire bites."

It was getting better and better ...
Amy moved closer to Dragan, who wasn't frightened, but rather amused. He said, "This is what we would have flamethrowers for" - he said. "Well, we don't really have spiders of that size. Like a centimeter or two of diameter at average ..."

[The Selkie]

Chris, who was still eating, and Janina looked forward to the next round of steaks, but some more potato salad and a sausage surely would do a good job at filling the time in between. Janina took a sausage with her fork, at a speed that hardly anyone would notice.
"Of course there's some truth behind that" - Chris said between two bites. "There's some truth behind almost anything! People do disappear in the Great Woods, just as they tend to disappear climbing the mountains without a guide."
"Which isn't edgy enough for the cool kids as a 'challenge' anymore, nowadays."
"Right. And people tend to find very creative explanations about their disappearance ..." He remembered his conversation with van Hengelen - a guy Mr. Fia would have gotten along with excellently ...
"Like vampire bites."

It was getting better and better ...
Amy moved closer to Dragan, who wasn't frightened, but rather amused. He said, "This is what we would have flamethrowers for" - he said. "Well, we don't really have spiders of that size. Like a centimeter or two of diameter at average ..."

Cao took two sausages, handing one down further to Marla, who thanked her politely, the Khana and I each taking two and a good second helping of potato salad.
This time I would eat slower!
"The Great Woods are dangerous enough without people running around in there like headless chicken.", I said and wore a small frown, "Scaled Bears, Bull Boars, wolves, foxes, lynxes, insects decidedly too large to not call in the heavy artillery..." I shook my head, then smiled slightly at Chris. "Remember when I told you, that my homecountry is the merry place, where everything living there tries to kill you? Yeah, I was not talking about the Great Woods. There, it will not only try, but also succeed."
"But you wouldn't want that, right?", Cao asked with a smile.
I threw my arms around Chris. "Nope."

"Pff...", Macha made and shrugged, "Baby-Spiders."
Amy, meanwhile, looked at Dragan with a bit of astonishment, cutely confused. "There are spiders out there, which are smaller then my hand?"

[Lillorainen]

Cao took two sausages, handing one down further to Marla, who thanked her politely, the Khana and I each taking two and a good second helping of potato salad.
This time I would eat slower!
"The Great Woods are dangerous enough without people running around in there like headless chicken.", I said and wore a small frown, "Scaled Bears, Bull Boars, wolves, foxes, lynxes, insects decidedly too large to not call in the heavy artillery..." I shook my head, then smiled slightly at Chris. "Remember when I told you, that my homecountry is the merry place, where everything living there tries to kill you? Yeah, I was not talking about the Great Woods. There, it will not only try, but also succeed."
"But you wouldn't want that, right?", Cao asked with a smile.
I threw my arms around Chris. "Nope."

"Pff...", Macha made and shrugged, "Baby-Spiders."
Amy, meanwhile, looked at Dragan with a bit of astonishment, cutely confused. "There are spiders out there, which are smaller then my hand?"

Janina started to eat while listening; Chris finished his last bite before he took a sausage and another load of potato salad.
When Cel finished, she answered Cao's question by throwing her arms around him. He pecked her onto the cheek, then said, "What a coincidence - I wasn't even planning to go there!"
"Weren't even some WhoTubers from Lillorainen going to go there ...?" - Janina wondered. "I think there were some announcements."
"Really? Why does everyone just always have to follow the newest craze, no matter how dumb it is?"
Janina shrugged. "Cool kids nowadays ..."

Dragan had to grin.
"As I said" - he began, "at average. You'll also find some spiders that are a lot bigger than these - but even they are nowhere near seventy centimeters ... in the Lillöer-Archipelago, we might generally be quite privileged - we do have wild boars and wolves and such, but spiders of that size ... no."
He let a beat pass.
"And yes, there are people who are even afraid of our baby spiders."

[The Selkie]

Janina started to eat while listening; Chris finished his last bite before he took a sausage and another load of potato salad.
When Cel finished, she answered Cao's question by throwing her arms around him. He pecked her onto the cheek, then said, "What a coincidence - I wasn't even planning to go there!"
"Weren't even some WhoTubers from Lillorainen going to go there ...?" - Janina wondered. "I think there were some announcements."
"Really? Why does everyone just always have to follow the newest craze, no matter how dumb it is?"
Janina shrugged. "Cool kids nowadays ..."

Dragan had to grin.
"As I said" - he began, "at average. You'll also find some spiders that are a lot bigger than these - but even they are nowhere near seventy centimeters ... in the Lillöer-Archipelago, we might generally be quite privileged - we do have wild boars and wolves and such, but spiders of that size ... no."
He let a beat pass.
"And yes, there are people who are even afraid of our baby spiders."

"Idiots, the lot of them.", Marla, of all people, agreed, causing some chuckles.
"You will learn the thrills of new crazes and fashions soon enough, saghir.", the Khana said with a smile, "You already learned the pleasures of dancing with nice boys, so it wouldn't be too long!"
Marla blushed at the boy-comment, her eyes, for a short moment, flicking over to Chris, intensifying her blush, then back to the Khana. I had to grin - Chris really left an impact on the girl.
"Maybe. But still... there are warnings all over the Great Woods not only because of ghosts and other such things, but because it's dangerous there for inexperienced WhoTubers.", she countered, looking to Janina, "I take, that most of them couldn't even differ between a mushroom and a river?"

"Wolves and boars I can get along with. One for snuggles, one for eating, but spiders..." Amy shuddered again, loosening her vice-like grip on Dragan's arm. "The smallest spiders we have have a body length of a centimetre when adult. Terrible beasts... For them, the heel of a boot suffices, but for anything larger..."
Macha grinned.

[Lillorainen]

"Idiots, the lot of them.", Marla, of all people, agreed, causing some chuckles.
"You will learn the thrills of new crazes and fashions soon enough, saghir.", the Khana said with a smile, "You already learned the pleasures of dancing with nice boys, so it wouldn't be too long!"
Marla blushed at the boy-comment, her eyes, for a short moment, flicking over to Chris, intensifying her blush, then back to the Khana. I had to grin - Chris really left an impact on the girl.
"Maybe. But still... there are warnings all over the Great Woods not only because of ghosts and other such things, but because it's dangerous there for inexperienced WhoTubers.", she countered, looking to Janina, "I take, that most of them couldn't even differ between a mushroom and a river?"

"Wolves and boars I can get along with. One for snuggles, one for eating, but spiders..." Amy shuddered again, loosening her vice-like grip on Dragan's arm. "The smallest spiders we have have a body length of a centimetre when adult. Terrible beasts... For them, the heel of a boot suffices, but for anything larger..."
Macha grinned.

Chris and Janina had to chuckle, too - and again when the addressed saghir ('the little one' in Abyadi and most likely also in Kyrenaian) blushed scarlet when looking at Chris after the Khana's statement.
Janina nodded, answering Amina-Khana's guess. "Well, I know that IrrerIvar knows both from Minecraft ... but generally, the most spooky phenomena the average big city kids meet in their everyday lives are drunken old men in city parks - at least, this was Leo-chan's comment at the last convention."
"And a Grey Moose every now and then - at least in Visholm" - Chris added. "What to get from Janolainen and her last year's reports, at least."
"... which you've watched only because you were interested in the Snow Disaster, not in Little Jana herself, of course" - Janina said, teasing.
"It was a disaster" - Chris said, ignoring her comment. "Longenager was basically a city of igloos. Besides, I could imagine to ship her with Ivar. Some nice WhoTubers' romance. Our Lillo-version of Gronkh and Pandorya."
"... just without the hatred they develop against each other while playing UNO online."

Amy loosened her grip.
Dragan said, "One centimeter's not much - you won't even need a world atlas to kill them. A shoe or something does its job, too."

[The Selkie]

Chris and Janina had to chuckle, too - and again when the addressed saghir ('the little one' in Abyadi and most likely also in Kyrenaian) blushed scarlet when looking at Chris after the Khana's statement.
Janina nodded, answering Amina-Khana's guess. "Well, I know that IrrerIvar knows both from Minecraft ... but generally, the most spooky phenomena the average big city kids meet in their everyday lives are drunken old men in city parks - at least, this was Leo-chan's comment at the last convention."
"And a Grey Moose every now and then - at least in Visholm" - Chris added. "What to get from Janolainen and her last year's reports, at least."
"... which you've watched only because you were interested in the Snow Disaster, not in Little Jana herself, of course" - Janina said, teasing.
"It was a disaster" - Chris said, ignoring her comment. "Longenager was basically a city of igloos. Besides, I could imagine to ship her with Ivar. Some nice WhoTubers' romance. Our Lillo-version of Gronkh and Pandorya."
"... just without the hatred they develop against each other while playing UNO online."

Amy loosened her grip.
Dragan said, "One centimeter's not much - you won't even need a world atlas to kill them. A shoe or something does its job, too."

Silence reigned from the three Selkie, myself included, and the Khana.
"I have no idea what you just said.", Marla admitted. One has to give her credit, she didn't even look ashamed for it. "But anyway, back to the topic, they might have serious troubles in the Great Woods, if they don't have a guide... preferably one of the Children."
"Those people aren't very social, are they?", the Khana asked.
"Depends.", a new voice said, a young man joining us. He was tanned, well muscled, which was quite visible thanks to him only wearing trunks, a mop of brown hair crowning his head. His blue eyes sparkled as he handed out lemonades from a cooler. I took one for Chris and me. "Many of us aren't, but quite a few are. Case in point..."
He shrugged.
"Evenin', Kieran!", Cao greeted with a grin.

"Or the heel of a boot.", Amy said, nodding, "It's not something one should enjoy, but sometimes, it is necessary."
"Like with the tarantula in your bed during the Archipelago-Shoot?", Macha asked with a teasing smirk. "You should have heard her scream and..."
"ANYWAY...!", Amy interjected, her face beet-red.

[Lillorainen]

Silence reigned from the three Selkie, myself included, and the Khana.
"I have no idea what you just said.", Marla admitted. One has to give her credit, she didn't even look ashamed for it. "But anyway, back to the topic, they might have serious troubles in the Great Woods, if they don't have a guide... preferably one of the Children."
"Those people aren't very social, are they?", the Khana asked.
"Depends.", a new voice said, a young man joining us. He was tanned, well muscled, which was quite visible thanks to him only wearing trunks, a mop of brown hair crowning his head. His blue eyes sparkled as he handed out lemonades from a cooler. I took one for Chris and me. "Many of us aren't, but quite a few are. Case in point..."
He shrugged.
"Evenin', Kieran!", Cao greeted with a grin.

"Or the heel of a boot.", Amy said, nodding, "It's not something one should enjoy, but sometimes, it is necessary."
"Like with the tarantula in your bed during the Archipelago-Shoot?", Macha asked with a teasing smirk. "You should have heard her scream and..."
"ANYWAY...!", Amy interjected, her face beet-red.

Chris and Janina noticed that they had been digressing a tiny bit.
The Khana wondered if it was true that the Children of the Great Woods weren't very social - whereafter a new voice spoke up, a young, muscled man in trunks.
"Evening" - Chris greeted as Cel had taken two cooled bottles of lemonade.
Janina nodded, greeting. "So you're rather the exception from the rule, you say? I've already heard that most of them rather live like hermits."

Dragan wasn't fully able to hide his amusement about Amy's face turning beet-red. At the same time, he raised his eyebrows.
"Well, I assume that's the risk you automatically take if you come down South" - he said. "Not that I'd love to have a tarantula in my bed. I'd probably scream, too, if that happened to me."
He let a beat pass.
"We just have cockroaches ... they're small in the North, but giant as shit in the South. Awful ..."

[The Selkie]

Chris and Janina noticed that they had been digressing a tiny bit.
The Khana wondered if it was true that the Children of the Great Woods weren't very social - whereafter a new voice spoke up, a young, muscled man in trunks.
"Evening" - Chris greeted as Cel had taken two cooled bottles of lemonade.
Janina nodded, greeting. "So you're rather the exception from the rule, you say? I've already heard that most of them rather live like hermits."

Dragan wasn't fully able to hide his amusement about Amy's face turning beet-red. At the same time, he raised his eyebrows.
"Well, I assume that's the risk you automatically take if you come down South" - he said. "Not that I'd love to have a tarantula in my bed. I'd probably scream, too, if that happened to me."
He let a beat pass.
"We just have cockroaches ... they're small in the North, but giant as shit in the South. Awful ..."

Kieran nodded.
"Indeed, without tootin' my own horn, I'd call myself, my brother and our girlfriends, as well as our families and a few others, exceptions to the rule. Many of us live as hermits, that is true,but not completely isolated."
Cao nodded. "I know one, who makes an awesome skin lotion!"
I was... interested...
(Oh, what do you want, I'm a girl! Of course I wanna look pretty!)

Macha smirked.
"Oh, if it would have been a living tarantula, I'd agree with you wholeheartedly...", she began, only to be interrupted by Amy, who rushed forward to cover her mouth, causing Macha to break out laughing.
The younger girl, younger by centuries, was fire-hydrant-red.
She knew better then to try and convince Macha by this was to keep the story for herself, but Macha wanted none of it, laughing.
Amy grinned as well, indicating a serious background, but a playful nature.

[Lillorainen]

Kieran nodded.
"Indeed, without tootin' my own horn, I'd call myself, my brother and our girlfriends, as well as our families and a few others, exceptions to the rule. Many of us live as hermits, that is true,but not completely isolated."
Cao nodded. "I know one, who makes an awesome skin lotion!"
I was... interested...
(Oh, what do you want, I'm a girl! Of course I wanna look pretty!)

Macha smirked.
"Oh, if it would have been a living tarantula, I'd agree with you wholeheartedly...", she began, only to be interrupted by Amy, who rushed forward to cover her mouth, causing Macha to break out laughing.
The younger girl, younger by centuries, was fire-hydrant-red.
She knew better then to try and convince Macha by this was to keep the story for herself, but Macha wanted none of it, laughing.
Amy grinned as well, indicating a serious background, but a playful nature.

Janina raised her eyebrows.
She would quite have been interested, too - of course, looking pretty was important for a girl, and a smooth skin belonged to that, too. She grinned. "Any chance that lotion is sold in here? Asking for a friend."
Chris grinned, shaking his head. Girls ...
He asked, "On a different note - how is it, living there? Isn't it hard to survive?"

Dragan laughed.
"So it was not a living tarantula? And I assume, not a dead one, either?"
He rushed forward, only to softly pull Amy's hand from Macha's mouth. He held it, squeezing it lightly.
He grinned. "So, what was it then?"

[The Selkie]

Janina raised her eyebrows.
She would quite have been interested, too - of course, looking pretty was important for a girl, and a smooth skin belonged to that, too. She grinned. "Any chance that lotion is sold in here? Asking for a friend."
Chris grinned, shaking his head. Girls ...
He asked, "On a different note - how is it, living there? Isn't it hard to survive?"

Dragan laughed.
"So it was not a living tarantula? And I assume, not a dead one, either?"
He rushed forward, only to softly pull Amy's hand from Macha's mouth. He held it, squeezing it lightly.
He grinned. "So, what was it then?"

Cao smiled a slight bit sheepish. "I'm afraid, that he only sells very locally, Janina.", she said.
Kieran, on the other hand, answered Chris: "As long as you know, what you are doing, it's not as hard as it may sound. We rely on many, many centuries of experience and knowledge, so we have the knowledge and the experience. Some of the wild animals take exception to our mere presence, but as long as you know, what the signs are, you can avoid them... a Bull Boar for example loves to scratch its tusks on trees, which leaves specific marks."

Amy allowed Dragan to gently pull her hand away, blushing lightly at the squeeze.
She could not stop it now.
Macha adjusted her swimsuit slightly, so that nothing fell out on accident.
"It was a little toy tarantula, around this size.", Macha retold with a huge grin, holding her fingers around two centimetres apart. "A pranking toy, which someone brought in from home." Amy's head dropped in shame. "And, to be honest, used quite extensively as well..."
Macha grinned.

[Lillorainen]

Cao smiled a slight bit sheepish. "I'm afraid, that he only sells very locally, Janina.", she said.
Kieran, on the other hand, answered Chris: "As long as you know, what you are doing, it's not as hard as it may sound. We rely on many, many centuries of experience and knowledge, so we have the knowledge and the experience. Some of the wild animals take exception to our mere presence, but as long as you know, what the signs are, you can avoid them... a Bull Boar for example loves to scratch its tusks on trees, which leaves specific marks."

Amy allowed Dragan to gently pull her hand away, blushing lightly at the squeeze.
She could not stop it now.
Macha adjusted her swimsuit slightly, so that nothing fell out on accident.
"It was a little toy tarantula, around this size.", Macha retold with a huge grin, holding her fingers around two centimetres apart. "A pranking toy, which someone brought in from home." Amy's head dropped in shame. "And, to be honest, used quite extensively as well..."
Macha grinned.

"Aw, that's a pity" - Janina said.
Chris nodded - about Kieran's answer, of course. "So sending a bunch of WhoTubers without any experience into them is just as much of a bad plan as I've already assumed, eh? You hardly gain enough experience in a city park."
Janina interjected, "Ever been in that one in Jillich? It's quite much of a primeval forest." She laughed.
"No wonder, with all those cavepeople crawling around there" - Chris commented. "Now, are the Bull Boars in the Great Woods of the same kind as the one we're eating right now? Because its meat is quite tasty."

Dragan laughed again. He had already assumed something like that.
"Well, that's a story you may hear quite often, eh?" - he said to Amy. "Don't worry, they did the same with me at a class trip to Visholm in winter, using a toy in form of a field mouse. Not that I were afraid of mice, but I was quite startled when I woke up and found it in my bed."
He let a beat pass.
"... until I realized that winters in Visholm are too cold for mice to survive."

[The Selkie]

"Aw, that's a pity" - Janina said.
Chris nodded - about Kieran's answer, of course. "So sending a bunch of WhoTubers without any experience into them is just as much of a bad plan as I've already assumed, eh? You hardly gain enough experience in a city park."
Janina interjected, "Ever been in that one in Jillich? It's quite much of a primeval forest." She laughed.
"No wonder, with all those cavepeople crawling around there" - Chris commented. "Now, are the Bull Boars in the Great Woods of the same kind as the one we're eating right now? Because its meat is quite tasty."

Dragan laughed again. He had already assumed something like that.
"Well, that's a story you may hear quite often, eh?" - he said to Amy. "Don't worry, they did the same with me at a class trip to Visholm in winter, using a toy in form of a field mouse. Not that I were afraid of mice, but I was quite startled when I woke up and found it in my bed."
He let a beat pass.
"... until I realized that winters in Visholm are too cold for mice to survive."

Kieran nodded.
"One could say that, yes... in fact, this one is a former neighbour of ours.", the young man said with quite a bit of pride, "Bull Boars are nasty arseholes... took half a quiver to take him down. But worth it... actually, though, we aimed for a deer or something like that, but I think, the phrase is something along the lines of gift horses."
He let a beat pass.
"He was worth it, though.", he added.

Amy, still red, smiled at Dragan's anecdote, even giggling.
Macha threw Dragan a wink. He had a knack for that girl... or the other way around, however wanted someone to look at it.
"So, anyone hungry here?", a new voice asked, belonging to Ilia, the Boss' son, and his adoptive Mom, Eithne, who carried a big, big bowl of potato salad, while Ilia carried paper plates and metal silverware.
Macha grinned.

[Lillorainen]

Kieran nodded.
"One could say that, yes... in fact, this one is a former neighbour of ours.", the young man said with quite a bit of pride, "Bull Boars are nasty arseholes... took half a quiver to take him down. But worth it... actually, though, we aimed for a deer or something like that, but I think, the phrase is something along the lines of gift horses."
He let a beat pass.
"He was worth it, though.", he added.

Amy, still red, smiled at Dragan's anecdote, even giggling.
Macha threw Dragan a wink. He had a knack for that girl... or the other way around, however wanted someone to look at it.
"So, anyone hungry here?", a new voice asked, belonging to Ilia, the Boss' son, and his adoptive Mom, Eithne, who carried a big, big bowl of potato salad, while Ilia carried paper plates and metal silverware.
Macha grinned.

Chris nodded. "I see. We easily could get jealous about the nicely big animals you have in here ... at least for hunting, that is. On the other hand, a Bull Boar population as in the Great Woods would cause quite some trouble in the Lillöer-Archipelago, considering how densely our Islands are populated."
Janina hummed, agreeingly. "There would be a lot of Roadkills."

Dragan noticed Macha's wink. Yeah, they had knacks for each other ...
He let Amy's hand go back to its owner when they got interrupted - the boy and the woman, whom Chris and Janina already knew as Ilia and Eithne, brought potato salad, plates, and silverware.
"Indeed" - Dragan said.
That salad bowl was really big ...

[The Selkie]

Chris nodded. "I see. We easily could get jealous about the nicely big animals you have in here ... at least for hunting, that is. On the other hand, a Bull Boar population as in the Great Woods would cause quite some trouble in the Lillöer-Archipelago, considering how densely our Islands are populated."
Janina hummed, agreeingly. "There would be a lot of Roadkills."

Dragan noticed Macha's wink. Yeah, they had knacks for each other ...
He let Amy's hand go back to its owner when they got interrupted - the boy and the woman, whom Chris and Janina already knew as Ilia and Eithne, brought potato salad, plates, and silverware.
"Indeed" - Dragan said.
That salad bowl was really big ...

"Yes...", Kieran said and frowned, "But in the opposite way of what you think. The average Bull Boar is around one metre tall at the hump and clocks in at 750 kilograms to a ton, depending on how well he ate." He let a beat pass, me imagining what would happen, if Chris' SUV met such a thing at Ludicrous Speed. I don't think, that it would end well for Chris... "The largest one ever killed was a monster of almost two metres, at the hump, a White Bull Boar so massive, that it took a small detachment of the next Town Militia and their muzzle-loaders to make him dead. That one was a feast, the Boar Feast of 1799!"

"Then help yourselves!", Eithne said, setting the bowl down while Ilia passed out plates and silverware. Something in the woman's smile made one think, whether or not she was 'only' the harmless toy seller everyone presumed her to be. "There's more then enough for everyone, even hungry youngsters like the two of you!"
"Hey, I do have quite a bit of an appetite as well!", Macha protested, smiling as the delicious food was piled onto her plate, Ilia taking over the piling. "Come on, lad, I might be a tad older then your Mam, but that doesn't mean I get the retirement home portion!"
"As you wish, Ma'am.", Ilia said and put another load onto the plate.
Meanwhile, Amy contemplated what 'a tad bit older then your Mam' meant for a woman, who not even ten minutes ago talked about her experiences in Lillorainen... in the 13th century.

[Lillorainen]

"Yes...", Kieran said and frowned, "But in the opposite way of what you think. The average Bull Boar is around one metre tall at the hump and clocks in at 750 kilograms to a ton, depending on how well he ate." He let a beat pass, me imagining what would happen, if Chris' SUV met such a thing at Ludicrous Speed. I don't think, that it would end well for Chris... "The largest one ever killed was a monster of almost two metres, at the hump, a White Bull Boar so massive, that it took a small detachment of the next Town Militia and their muzzle-loaders to make him dead. That one was a feast, the Boar Feast of 1799!"

"Then help yourselves!", Eithne said, setting the bowl down while Ilia passed out plates and silverware. Something in the woman's smile made one think, whether or not she was 'only' the harmless toy seller everyone presumed her to be. "There's more then enough for everyone, even hungry youngsters like the two of you!"
"Hey, I do have quite a bit of an appetite as well!", Macha protested, smiling as the delicious food was piled onto her plate, Ilia taking over the piling. "Come on, lad, I might be a tad older then your Mam, but that doesn't mean I get the retirement home portion!"
"As you wish, Ma'am.", Ilia said and put another load onto the plate.
Meanwhile, Amy contemplated what 'a tad bit older then your Mam' meant for a woman, who not even ten minutes ago talked about her experiences in Lillorainen... in the 13th century.

Unbeknownst to Chris, he and Cel thought alike (hardly a surprise, though, considering how often that happened) - hitting such a beast on a highway at more than 200 km/h of speed would be very unlikely to survive. Even with way lower speed and way bigger vehicles against way smaller animals ... they knew why they had put fences to both sides of most rural highways ...
Janina raised her eyebrows. "Well, at least no one could complain about still being hungry at the end of the feast, eh?"
Chris nodded. "They had tons of meat. Literally."

Indeed, Eithne's way of smiling had something ... how to even describe that.
Dragan had to grin when Macha complained about her 'retirement home portion' - being old, obviously, did not necessarily have to mean requiring smaller portions. At least not in her case.
After all, she was 'a tad older' than Eithne. A 'tad' didn't seem to be a lot for someone who could remember the second orbital city wall around Lillorainen's largest city being built (asking for that in a retirement home, she would probably have ended up being asked why on earth anyone would build a wall around Pontrath).
Dragan patiently waited - ladies first.

[The Selkie]

Unbeknownst to Chris, he and Cel thought alike (hardly a surprise, though, considering how often that happened) - hitting such a beast on a highway at more than 200 km/h of speed would be very unlikely to survive. Even with way lower speed and way bigger vehicles against way smaller animals ... they knew why they had put fences to both sides of most rural highways ...
Janina raised her eyebrows. "Well, at least no one could complain about still being hungry at the end of the feast, eh?"
Chris nodded. "They had tons of meat. Literally."

Indeed, Eithne's way of smiling had something ... how to even describe that.
Dragan had to grin when Macha complained about her 'retirement home portion' - being old, obviously, did not necessarily have to mean requiring smaller portions. At least not in her case.
After all, she was 'a tad older' than Eithne. A 'tad' didn't seem to be a lot for someone who could remember the second orbital city wall around Lillorainen's largest city being built (asking for that in a retirement home, she would probably have ended up being asked why on earth anyone would build a wall around Pontrath).
Dragan patiently waited - ladies first.

"According to the story...", Kieran replied with a grin, "...the whiskey and the ale was very forthcoming, the meat very delicious and while there were lots of people celebratin', a lot of the meat was dried and also sold. The skin and the tusks vanished, though."
"I think there was talk about making a movie out of it.", Cao added.
Kieran nodded. "Indeed, starring, apparently, Gwen Cróimiam of the Tribe of Cork and a few other big names.", the lad said, "Though they'll start shooting next year, I believe."

When Macha had her share, Ilia gave Amy, who made him give her quite a bit as well, actually a tad more then Macha, the lad stopping after that, looking at her with a bit of uncertainty.
"Second plate?", he ventured.
"Might be the best idea.", Macha agreed, sitting back and making the way free for Dragan. She leaned over and pecked the Lillo onto the cheek, out of acknowledgement of his gentlemanly behaviour, which was sadly not a given these days.
And, also, as a little lesson for Ilia: Be good and good things come to you.
With her plate in her lap, she waited until everyone had something to eat.

[Lillorainen]

"According to the story...", Kieran replied with a grin, "...the whiskey and the ale was very forthcoming, the meat very delicious and while there were lots of people celebratin', a lot of the meat was dried and also sold. The skin and the tusks vanished, though."
"I think there was talk about making a movie out of it.", Cao added.
Kieran nodded. "Indeed, starring, apparently, Gwen Cróimiam of the Tribe of Cork and a few other big names.", the lad said, "Though they'll start shooting next year, I believe."

When Macha had her share, Ilia gave Amy, who made him give her quite a bit as well, actually a tad more then Macha, the lad stopping after that, looking at her with a bit of uncertainty.
"Second plate?", he ventured.
"Might be the best idea.", Macha agreed, sitting back and making the way free for Dragan. She leaned over and pecked the Lillo onto the cheek, out of acknowledgement of his gentlemanly behaviour, which was sadly not a given these days.
And, also, as a little lesson for Ilia: Be good and good things come to you.
With her plate in her lap, she waited until everyone had something to eat.

Of course, whiskey and ale had been involved. Some things never changed.
"So it could be in the cinemas like next year?" - Janina wondered. "It does sound nice - I'd definitely watch it!"
Chris nodded. "So would I. Must be fun watching how they tear such a beast down."

Dragan was not entirely sure whether or not he needed to be rewarded for something that should actually be natural, but he accepted Macha's peck - also, it, indeed, would be some lesson for Ilia.
He nodded in approval, again trying not to show too much surprise about it.
When Amy had her portion, a slightly bigger one, Dragan waited for Ilia to be ready, then said, grinning, "Amy's size of portion should be sufficient for me, too. Not that someone thinks I eat too much!"
He had to laugh - he had a few kilos more than, say, Chris, but he still didn't have the figure that anyone might assume he had fallen into a bowl of a potion of strength - or something like that.