Yasmin takes in all of Catherine's story and there's a moment of silence before she finally says, "Welp, I'm impressed."
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"If you keep that up I'm likely to doze off here and you'll have to carry me to bed after." Nalada quietly says to Yelenn.
"I have absolutely no problem carrying you too bed, though I'm pretty sure we'd both enjoy that more with you awake" Yelenn says, the smile audible in her tone. "Besides, you need to eat."
She runs her fingers through Nalada's hair for a moment before sitting back and listening to Catherine's story, her hand still resting on Nalada's back. "Wow....so am I." the witchblade says, agreeing with Yasmin. "You're a good woman Catherine, you found a way to protect your loved ones, even if it cost you everything."
Nalada resumes a satisfied purr. ”I was just informing you of a possible consequence, and yes,” she starts, smiling as well, ”And I do, you’re right. So tempting a mistress as sleep might be I only had a light meal previously. Plus, I am anxious to try what you’ve come up with. I’ve never eaten a human meal before.”
Catherine smiles graciously at the two women. ”And I don’t regret a single bit of it. Except for never figuring out how to make big cats fall out of the sky on people on command, I reckon that would be really useful.”
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Yasmin stifles a laugh and says, "I bet it would. I wonder if monster summoning can conjure something in midair? Or in a tree."
Seranna sat silently as she listened to the old woman’s story. Though the profanity that followed, combined with Nadala making a comment about a human meal had her side eyeing Wallace who she was beginning to get the distinct feeling really shouldn’t be privy to this sort of conversation. Of course, it wasn’t by far the worst thing he’d be exposed to on the island. When Catherine finished her tale, Seranna could only sit back in her seat, pondering on the situation.
”Not that you require my approval…but you did the right thing. I wish more people understood the importance of family, like you do. Sadly, we’ve all be victims of the ignorant masses…and if you are really that interested-“ She snickered thinking about it, ”Maybe I could help you figure out that conjuring cats out of the sky thing. It couldn’t be that hard”
”If not a little inhumane” Zogith chimed in.
”Bah, cat’s always land on their feet, I’m sure celestial ones doubly so.” Seranna insisted.
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Catherine tilts her jaw in thought. ”Celestial kittycats? Eh, they probbaly got better stuff to be doing than keeping an old lady company or falling on some idiot’s head, like prowling for demon mice or something.”
"Well if we encounter a friendly kitty we know where to bring it," adds Yasmin.
Catherine chuckles. ”I’d appreciate that, you like kitties, Wallace?”
The boys wide eyes and vigorous nod answers that question.
"Alright everyone, dig in. I hope you all enjoy!" Yelenn says, getting up for a moment to begin serving everyone.
The moment Yelenn gets up to begin serving Xeros, who had up to this point been quietly watching the stove without moving, effortlessly turns on his feet to circle the Magi, or at least attempt to. He mostly just paces in place. ”Food? Food. Food.”
”Xeros, come to the table, there’s a plate for you.” Nalada calls out to the hungry guard. ”It smells wonderful kitten, I can’t wait.”
"Neither can I actually," Yelenn says smiling. "I've never cooked for this many people before."
"Thank you, Friend Yelenn. Xeros has not had food in a long time, Xeros has never had cooked food either." Xeros says as he keeps his eyes locked on the food while slowly backing away towards the table.
"Having something warm to eat will be a boon," agrees Yasmin. "You can only go for so long on dry bread!" She dabs her mouth as she starts unconsciously salivating.
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Xeros nods along with Yasmin without looking away from the food. ”Xeros used to eat the fish that would come into the lake. Then they stopped coming and Xeros started getting hungry. And then Xeros wasn’t. But Xeros missed fish all the same. Then Xeros saw you all!”
After a moment of thinking he adds ”You turned into great friends of Xeros, Xeros prefers friends over fish. But now Xeros has both!”
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"Mmm. Remind Mylyna to explain to you the difference in the overloaded usage of the terminology about 'eating' someone," suggests Yasmin to the Xeros.
Yelenn lets out a little snort of laughter as she begins serving everyone. "Definitely a loaded turn of phrase." she says with a grin.
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”I wouldn’t be surprised if Shivanii hadn’t already told him.” Nalada comments before her plate is filled. ”Mmmm, it smells even better within reach.”
If Xeros heard the ladies conversing about him he showed no interest in the topic of discussion anymore, instead following Yelenn around as she distributed food to everyone. Catherine meanwhile shot an eye towards Wallace at points in the conversation, who seemed to be more interested in watching Xeros move and fidget.
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While Seranna might have been a bit more subtle about her excitement the truth was that she was pretty much in agreeance with Xeros when Yelenn started handing out food. The noble had spent far too much time eating fish fried over an open fire, without any seasoning or sides. While that sort of thing might have been acceptable for Xeros, Seranna was accustom to a higher standard, and she was utterly sick of the bland taste of unseasoned meat. To say this was a real treat was an understatement of legendary proportions.
She tried to keep from salivating as she was at last served. Picking up her utensils and attempting to eat like a lady she gave pause at all the talk of eating and its many different meanings. She giggled softly at the thought, ”At least now we can do our eating in a house with a stocked kitchen…and warm beds.”
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"Quite right," Nalada says with a grin as she picks up a fork. "Mnnngh," she lets out after slicing and scooping some fish and couscous into her mouth. Bringing some fingers to her lips she goes silent as she chews and swallows before speaking "It's wonderful, kitten."
"Yeah, it's really good!" Wallace calls out as he goes about quickly eating each individual part of the meal, being careful that no two items mixed together as he ate.
Xeros took a moment to stare at the plate of food, then at the utensils, before simply picking the plate up and using his other hand effortlessly sliding all of the food into his wide mouth in the blink of an eye. Quickly chewing he lets out a long but low pleasant growl. "Good... so good. Thank you." he says to Yelenn before licking his hand. "Thank you," he says again before turning his tongue on his empty plate.
"Do you think we made enough for him?" Catherine says in a stage whisper to the chef.
Yelenn smiles, almost blushing with the praise, as she sits back down beside Nalada, enjoying both the reaction and the compliment. "I hope so." she replies to Catherine, "If not, there's always more where that came from I suppose."
Catherine nods while keeping her eyes on the guard happily licking his plate.
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When the food was finally ready Mylyna took her plate and ate with gusto. She didn't exactly shovel it in like Xeros did but she did eat quicker than the rest of the group. She looked pleadingly at Yelen, "Please Mistress, can I have some more?" She seemed sad that she ran out of food already and her large soulful eyes promised Yelen anything she wanted the lamae could give her for more food right now.
Xeros immediately jerks his head towards the two woman. ”Yes, please Mistress Yelenn, can Xeros have more?” he parrots, hopeful for more food.
”Yes Kitten,” Nalada starts to keep herself from snickering, ”They do sound like they’re starved.”
Yelenn lets out a pleased laugh, giving Nalada's hand a playful swat as she gets up. "I had a feeling seconds....or thirds would probably be in order." she says serving more food off of the laden platters she'd made with the others' help.
The Drow smirks while making an exaggerated show of shaking her hand as if it was actually hurt.
"Thank you, Mistress Yelenn," Xeros happily says as he gets, and promptly devours, his second serving.
Yasmin eats a bit more daintily and much more slowly than her companions.
"This is quite good," she says. "I appreciate the effort you put into this. I suppose I'll have to learn to cook as well so that we can share the duties. I'll take care of the dishes!" she offers.
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"Thanks! I appreciate that. We all contribute one way or another, and we'll survive here because of it." Yelenn replies, her mood positive as she gazes at the assembled group of extremely disparate individuals enjoying the meal and each others' company.
Nalada nods, momentarily putting down her fork. "We'll assist in any way we can as well. New or old, I don't intend on loosing any more friends to this island."
She then opens her eyes her just a bit, blearily looking around at those present before closing them as she goes back to eating.
Pausing with her fork in hand, Yasmin asks, "Nalada... has the cuisine changed much since the time you were last awake?"
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Smiling, Yelenn continues to eat, resting a hand on Nalada's arm as she looks around at everyone, and arching an eyebrow in curiosity at Yasmin's question.
”Hmm? I don’t know if it’s changed or if I’ve simply never had it, but I do recall salmon... this is salmon, isn’t it?” Nalada responds to Yasmin. She stops moving her arms to eat when Yelenn places a hand on her arm, which causes the Drow to smile at the Magus.
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Returning the smile with a gentle squeeze of her hand, Nalada can hear the smile in Yelenn's voice as she replies. "Yes it is, probably my favorite fish overall."
”I can tell, you outdid yourself with this meal.” Nalada replies, still smiling while happily chatting with Yelenn.
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Mylyna took her food and, much as Xeros, ate greedily, she did have a lot of mass to feed after all, and looked imploringly at Yelen for thirds when she was finished. After a third round of food she decided that she'd had enough and Mylyna started feeling woozy. She gave a big yawn, her jaws opening far wider than any humans would as she reared back, and then said, "I'm going to take a nap now." With that she slithered back towards teh fireplace and took the coat with her, bundling up as best she could with a sleepy yawn.
"Xeros will come keep you warm... after eating," Xeros calls out after Mylyna slithers back to the fireplace before looking back at the table and what remained on the plates and in the pots. By chance locking gazes with Catherine the two keep the stare held, the woman warily sliding her full plate over to the guard after a short and awkward amount of time passed. Animatedly leaning back and tilting his head he looks down at the offered plate then back to the offerer and smiles "Xeros thanks you." he says before quickly eating the food in the same fashion he had been doing.
"Yeah, don't worry about, you looked starving. Y-you really like fish, eh?" she quickly asks, which is met with some mix of a hiccup and an excited "Yes!" from the hungry guard. "Cool. Got plenty of that, don't have to worry about eating anything else or anything, say, if you got hungry in the middle of the night or something..." she finishes with a nervous chuckle.
Xeros, who had moved on to licking his plate, stops and nods. "Xeros watched Yelenn make all this yummy food, so he can just do that." he tells Catherine, which puts her at ease. For all of one second. "... have you ever used a stove before?" she asks. "No, but Xeros just watched Yelenn do it."
Catherine blinks, then silently stares before opening her mouth, though it takes a few seconds for words to come out. "Ya'know what, if you get hungry in the middle of the night, or any other time just... just come get me. I'll handle the stove for ya, don't wantcha ta burn your fish or anything."
"Okay!" Xeros happily responds.
"I can help too," says Yasmin soothingly. "I'm not the best cook but I do know my way around a stove."
"I'm a bit at loose ends now," she adds. "I suppose we could play a card game or just turn in for the evening early."
”Thank you!” Xeros tells Yasmin while wearing a wide smile.
”Card game?” Nalada adds after finishing her meal.
"Or any entertainment to pass the time, really," says Yasmin. "We explored a bit below the house, found the prison, and discovered new friends, but we haven't been that active and I'm not too tired yet. I guess we could get some rest and wait until tomorrow, but I'm a bit shiftless right now is all."
”I understand.” Nalada starts. ”Did you have anything in mind other than card games? I doubt I’ve played any you currently play, not that I’m opposed to learning.”
"Books? Stories? Unfortunately we only just found this house and we are guests so I don't have much to offer," says Yasmin awkwardly.
”Books? Hmm, stories sound fun, Catherine already gifted us with hers, so who should be next?” Nalada inquires, the interest in her voice rising.
"I think Mylyna is going into her post-meal doze... Yelenn, have any stories to tell? Or shall I...?"
”I’d be eager for both,” Nalada says, letting her eyes open a crack to glance between the two women.
At hearing Mylyna’s name Xeros’s head perks up. Taking one last look around the kitchen he then slinks off to curl up with the napping Lamae.
"I've read quite a few of interest I suppose or were you thinking more along the lines of us sharing our own stories?" Yelenn asks.
"I was just thinking amusing stories to pass the time," says Yasmin.
”So either then,” Nalada says while smiling.
Leaning back in her chair Nalada steeples her fingers as she thinks. "Well there was the time Shalavast was working on conjuring creatures of pure magic, in an attempt to mimic elementals, only made out of pure magic. They were cute... when they weren't exploding. Then there was-no Shivanii, we're not going to talk about any of your escapades. Hmm, maybe, hmm, too many to pick from..."
Yelenn gazes over at Nalada, intrigued by the concept of magical elementals.
Sitting right next to her Nalada could tell something had changed, so when she opened her eyes she wasn't surprised to see the Magi looking at her. Smiling she continued, "Shala, sorry, First Arcanist Shalavast didn't have the goal of creating life per-say, he was intrigued by how sentience spontaneously coupled with pure energy on the Inner Planes to create elementals without the apparent need for an intact soul to house the conscience within the materials."
She stops momentarily to think on something. "He used conductors to create massive mana fields, just entire orbs or pure arcane energy, they didn't power anything or go towards any spell, they simply existed onto themselves. I'm... not quite sure how he started it, but I believed it dealt with infusing the fields with quintessence, turning them into a self-contained quasi-plane of sorts. Science is not my forte, but when the field had settled he went about poking in prodding, not literally, but in the way that someone who had just made something like that does to get it to do something."
"The first results were crude, but intended, vermin of barest sentience... mana centipedes..." she stops and shudders as she remembers. "As the field created and churned out, it seemed to advance itself with less prodding required on behalf of the First Arcanist. Soon it was producing a beautiful menagerie, low flying birds, rabbits, kittens! Which, I'm sure had to do with a direction he was subtly directing it towards, lest it produce things like snakes or wolves and other creatures with aggressive temperaments that would be much more problematic to contain."
She smiles. "I remember him, wearing that subtle smile he had when he felt accomplished as he walked up to me, holding something as if it was the most fragile thing. It was a kitten! It looked exactly like one, so tiny, just orange and see through. And it squealed like kittens do when they're hungry, oh, and he fed it a potion from a tiny vial, oh, it was the most adorable thing! Solid enough to touch, it didn't feel like fur, but rather a soft warmness and coolness at the same time."
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"It sounds beautiful!" Yelenn comments, smiling as the memories bring a light of remembrance to Nalada's eyes.