Stone's Throw

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene reddens. "Ah. Of course."

[Varric]

"Err, in a practical fashion, it's a bit more thorny from a-- ah, an emotional one, of course," Varric adds quickly, an apologetic expression forming. "And I'd be happy to be there if you wish. During or after or both."

[Helene Dakesh]

"I would appreciate that," ne says quietly. "Here, let me get you my notes. That can be the first step."

[Varric]

"Yeah. Yeah. No-- no sense in doing anything else until we get this answer, right?" He offers a smile, mostly supportive, a little uncertain. 

[Helene Dakesh]

"...there is no sense doing any of it if it does not please you," ne corrects, looking a little worried. "Are you... alright?"

[Varric]

Varric looks down for a good thirty seconds, breathing even and regular, before looking back up. "Mostly. This blinked me, I won't dissemble about it. I'm going to need a day or two to work through it all-- and read your notes, if you're still willing-- but I do want to talk it out as well, once I'm more sure about my starting point."

[Helene Dakesh]

Ne reaches up, just touching his cheek with the back of two fingers. "Alright, my love. I will wait as long as you need."

[Varric]

He closes his eyes halfway, lips quirking up, as he leans into nes fingers. "Thank you."

[Charon Tethras]

Charon has been staying at an inn in Coalside, paying a copper each per day to curl up somewhere vaguely in the vicinity of a fire at night on the cold hard ground. Thankfully they'd brought their own blankets; blankets were a silver each if they had to buy them from the innkeep. This is unsustainable in the long run, but so far, the merikos cat and the half-blind kobold haven't found themselves to be the most employable of fellows. And Joy's clearly too young to be on her own or working as more than a newspaper delivery girl. 

Maybe if they had a home, they'd find work? Steeling himself, holding Dill's hand, Charon makes his way towards the one area of town he's been avoiding: Cattown. 

At first he can't help but boggle. He's never seen so many of his kind in one place. Before coming to Nyra, he's never seen a full-blooded catfolk. Did you know they don't have hair? They're covered in fur all over. And their eyes have the same slitted pupils his have, a feature he hasn't seen often. Their tails are expressive in a language he finds he can speak natively, unlike the human body language he struggled to master. He feels surprisingly at home. 

But it doesn't last. Those tails are quivering with anxiety; there are stares, whispers, snickers. He's new here. That's something he can't just overlook, racial heritage or not. And he's walking in the streets like a human, not on the beams above like a cat. That's not a great introduction either. Plus he's holding onto a kobold for dear life, a merikos summit girl drifting in their wake and staring at everyone. That's not cat behavior either. 

A tawny cat finally breaks the embargo and drops down in front of them, startling both boys into taking half a step back. "Ey. Joo lost?"

"Ah. I was... we don't have anywhere to go. To stay, I mean. I was hoping..."

The cat leans forward, closing his eyes to sniff at Charon. "Joo lost alright. I take you to Father, he sort you out." Then he's bounding away, pausing only once to look over his shoulder to be sure they are following. 

[Diligence]

Eyes covered but ears quivering, Dil sags for a second, then squares his shoulders. "Do it," he says in a bravely resigned voice, as if he'd just told a fellow hero to kill him now, before the Grand Archdevil Wizard-Mage Putitrumbois finishes taking over his body.

Of course, for such a serious young kobold like Dil, agreeing to be carried so they can move fast enough is even worse.

[GamesMaster]

Joy scoops up Dill like he's a straw doll, lifting him onto her back with ease. Then the three of them are moving, following the strange catfolk through the tangle of streets. 

And, oddly enough, through them away from the center of Cattown. 

[Diligence]

Dil... just whines softly when they hit with a particularly jarring thump. Otherwise, he's silent and miserable. Stupid city. Bright and loud and everything is too big and too far. 

[NPCs]

Their destination, it turns out, is a solid but unadorned stone building just outside Cattown proper. Not that any of the three new arrivals realize this. The building is surrounded by a low, stout wall of stone, but the gate is not just open but has been left open long enough that dirt and grass has wedged it loosely in place. It's a fairly large building, almost the size Dil's old school but with two floors. The main doors are visible from the gate; two solid oak doors, also open and currently bracketing a young woman in leathers scolding a pair of human children maybe Joy's age. Given the impressive quantity of mud on the two and the footprints leading a few steps into the temple, it's probably a very warranted scolding. There are three other young kids, a catfolk, an elf merikos and some race with butter yellow skin and magenta hair, are watching this from under a tree. Based on the books open in front of them, they're supposed to be studying but a show like this is too good to pass up.

[Theta "T" Roidmet]

The woman points to the other kids, clearly dismissing the muddy ones back to their schoolwork. "One more strike and you're sitting out puppy time," she calls after them, stopping to right her hair and skirt before she turns to greet the new arrivals. 

"Ah, Janique, who have you brought us today?"

"Some newbs," the cat says with a yawn. "Kay, I got places to be. Bye." With no more fanfare, the cat is up a ladder and off into the catwalks again. 

[Diligence]

"...what's puppy time?" Dil whispers to Joy, sounding baffled but curious.