Kiana doesn't speak for awhile, then her voice carries down softly, rusty. "Humans slaughtered my people. For days they pounded our island and village with cannon fire. Then they came ashore with horrible weapons that exploded and spewed smoke and they raped the women and girls, and they rip the wings off them all. Then they killed the prisoners. The men had it easier, they only had their wings ripped off before being killed, either shot or burned alive. I've never met a human who didn't try to kill me eventually." Then her voice firms up. "I am no slave. I am a sailor and a pirate and a scout and an archer, and I will kill any human who attacks me, including those who think I am their slave." A look of unholy fury twists her features. "I will bide my time until I can do so. I could leave now, but there are those on the ship have earned my wrath, and they will die with my name on their bloody lips."
The strix glides on in silence for a bit, before finally adding. "I can think of worse companions, Malyoxa... at least these humans seem to be tolerable until they show their true nature and betray us." She admits grudgingly.
"Just be sure you don't become what you hate. It is a struggle that I face everyday," Malyoxa says with a touch of sympathy. "I'll not say more, else I'd be a hypocrite."
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"I'm so sorry..." Yuki says quietly, frowning with sadness.
She leaves it at that, believing anything further would be unhelpful at this moment.
Yuki soaks in the natural ambience of the place, but stays on guard, "So, should we check house to house or just go straight to the buildings still in good shape?"
Kiana shakes her head, perched on what looks like the sturdiest tree on the edge of the clearing. "They look dangerously unstable, and whoever owns those other houses might be upset if we start looting. Either they are friendly, or they aren't. If they are, us looting would be bad. If they aren't, better to know it before we try to loot possibly booby trapped wreckage."
"We ought to make ourselves known," Malyoxa suggests.
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"We're not alone, there's one of those foul creatures now, don't be fooled by it's size." Lies says, pointing out the squirrel and taking out her rapier.
Noro ignores the warning of Lies, having heard her more than enough. instead she investigates the grounds looking for signs of recent activity.
Malyoxa sighs. "Then defend us, valiant warrior, so that we may sing your praises later."
Kiana looks at the tree, seeing the squirrels, and if she had pupils, her eyes would be seen to roll. "Oh.. my.. I am unable to fight such dastardly things... I'm afraid you'll all have to do without my aid dispatching the terrors." Her voice is as dry as the desert.
"Well, I have to say you don't see a lot of squirrels in the Shackles normally, so that's unusual." Yuki mentions with a shrug.
"I can't say I'm versed in what lives where," Malyoxa admits.
"What do you think, Lies?" Malyoxa asks. "Are our souls in danger?"
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While the group discusses squirrels, Kiana shakes her head and pulls her lowslung backpack off. Then she folds her wings over her shoulders, almost like a formal cloak, and leans back against the tree trunk of the tree she's perched in. Her head relaxes back against the trunk, and she lets the sounds of the jungle filter through her. She may not be a survivalist, but she grew up in trees like this, and the feeling is as peaceful as she's had in a decade.
Noro wanders toward the fountain checking the water coming from it. she takes some in her hand and sniffs at it.
with a shrug she takes a drink.
"Our souls, have you taken a look at me recently, people have told me that I am damned since birth."
"Pfft," Malyoxa snorts. "If my birth dictated my destiny, I wouldn't be here now."
Kiana opens one eye. "It's not your faults you were born disabled and infirm."
"Gracing us with your acerbic wit is always a pleasure, Kiana," Malyoxa says, walking on.
Kiana shrugs. "It's true. I'd blame the gods if I were you. If they truly cared, they'd have given you a decent set of wings." There is a bit of a lilt in her voice, it's possible she's teasing the drow and tiefling.
"I don't think that's necessarily out of my reach," Malyoxa says quietly.
"Well, let's get moving to check out those houses!" Yuki suggests, moving her feet in that direction and ignoring the sniping and the weird squirrels.
Kiana stands up and stretches, her wings opening. "I think you'd look good with a nice pair of white feathered wings. Perhaps purple and black, to match your complexion." She says, actually smiling a bit. "Your reach should always exceed your grasp, as my grandmother used to say. Reach for the moon, the sun, and the stars, but be mindful of where you are when you reach."
"And who might you be?" Lies questions, her rapier still out, though not in a threatening manner.
Yuki jumps back in surprise as the squirrel takes humanoid form. Quickly recovering, she addresses the woman, "Oh hi there. I'm Yuki, nice to meet you! We're just exploring the island, we were pretty sure we were just going to run into aggressive kobolds, I hope we didn't trespass. Do you live in one of these buildings or is this your stretch of jungle?"
Still a little startled, Yuki's friendliness seems more artificial than she intended.
Malyoxa is taken completely by surprise by the transforming squirrel or transforming woman, whichever it might have been, stumbling and falling to the ground. As the others ask their questions, she quietly picks herself up and dusts herself off. The drow attempts to quickly adopt an unflappable facade.
Malyoxa manages to look like a shivering idiot who doesn't know whether to smile or frown.
Kiana doesn't even blink when the squirrel turns into a woman. She looks at the woman thoughtfully, and then nods. "She was very wise. It ran in my tribe. We were a very contemplative and peaceful folk. I often think if we'd been more violent and blooodthirsty, we might still exist." She gives the woman a wolfish grin. "I'm trying to balance the two, meditative bloodthirst. Hopefully it will prove to incorporate the wisdom of my grandmother with the survivability of a rat."
Noro was haveing a drink at the fountain and soon was wandering a bit around the "square" eventually making her way back to the group.
she never really left the group's eyesight though.
she returns just as the request for introductions is made.
Namesh Noro, been shipwrecked here for going on 2 weeksh. been fighting off Koboldsh the whole time. jusht reshently met theseshe folks. well exshpt for Lies here, she wash shipwrecked here with me.
Looking at all the animals, Malyoxa answers. "I...I...am Malyoxa?"
Her words end in a question, as if she wasn't sure herself of her identity. The drow would have preferred grisly death and carnage to this. At least, she knew how to deal with the former.
"Lies." Is all the tiefling says, not offering any context as to if she was calling the squirrely woman a liar or simply referring to herself as Lies.
Remembering what their task was, Malyoxa collects herself. "Ah, we are in the service (and, by that, I mean we are basically slaves) of some pirates who tasked us to make sure this island is not inhabited. Are there other settlements nearby? I am pretty sure we can leave this meeting out of our report."
"Hmm, I think that's where we head to next. Shall we go then?" Malyoxa asks the others.
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Kiana bows, her wings sweeping around in a former bow that is fairly involved, with lots of feathers sweeping around her and forming an ornate motion. It's a bit unsteady, as if she hadn't done so in a long time. "Kiana, Daughter of Nethellia, Daughter of Misana, Sunbane of the Tribe Sunbane." She says very formally and precisely.
Looking at all the animals, the strix's eyes narrow. "I hope that I am wrong, but I suspect you are missing a female feline and her cubs from your friends. I apologize for their loss. I had no intention of harming cubs, they are not worthy of hunting. One from the ship however killed the mother and cubs for their pelts and meat."
"Yeah, I'm Yuki like I said. Everyone else explained the most of it. Thanks for being cool. We're just going to go check out that wizard's village like Malyoxa said. Very nice to meet you!" The oracle says in a polite, if nervous tone.
"So wait, who lives in those nice houses nearby?" Yuki asks, since Edea seems quite friendly and forward with information.
"Rather nice house for no one to live in. Also it sounds like the kobolds are becoming a bit of a problem."
Kiana nods. "The meat will be used. It's just against my clan's methods to hunt cubs or mothers. Do that enough, and there is nothing to hunt."
Malyoxa, with no reason to distrust the druid, waits for the others to finish their conversations.
"Yeah, that's still weird that anyone would take the time to keep up those houses, unless magic is involved." Yuki adds with a shrug, pauses for a moment, then says, "Thank you for your hospitality, Edea! See you around, I'm sure."
Kiana narrows her eyes at the druid as the druid lies to them. She makes sure the druid knows she knows she lied. Then she shrugs. "Well, nothing to do about it. If nothing lives there, nothing lives there. I don't think we should stay here in the clearing though, never know what might sneak up on you when the lady isn't looking. We've got time to spare now anyway, we need to continue the survey." She flexes her wings, and shoots straight up, one hand on her bow.