Alatariel Rakamash

"Hey there Malcolm, what's up?" she asked with a smile
Surion turned and smiled seeing someone he'd seen a couple times and hurried over "Hihi!" he called up at Malcolm

NykolMisu

Malcolm smiled and ruffled Surion's hair. He looked at Ala, then back at the floor. "Um.. If I can't stay with Vina... Is it okay if I stay here at the shoppe for a while?..."

Alatariel Rakamash

"You know you are always welcome to stay here Malcolm, without asking" Ala said with a nod "And remember that under this roof, you are equal to any other unless your Mistress is here" she said standing up and heading towards him
Surion giggled and latched onto Malcolm's legs in a hug

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala smiled and stopped in front of he boy "You are welcome Malcolm" she said softly
Surion looked up at him "Sur up?"

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion grinned and poked Malcolm in the nose before noticing Malcolm's ears and reaching for one curiously

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion took hold of the one he was reaching for "Soft 'alcolm" he said a grin spreading across his face again as he felt it
Ala laughed "Silly Surion" she said and moved to sit on a nearby chair

NykolMisu

Malcolm smiled. He sat on one of the couches, holding Surion on his lap. He closed his eyes, purring lightly as his ear was touched.

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion stood up his feet on one of Malcom's legs he decided he wanted to see both at once and reached for the second soft furry looking ear running hte fur through his fingers giggling " 'alcolm have ear diff Sur" he said

NykolMisu

Malcolm made a soft gasp as both his ears were touched. He closed his eyes, purring even louder.

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion looked at Malcolm and tipped his head to one side, he was making interesting noises, noises he sometimes heard his mom and dad make, but different in a way " 'alcolm ok?" he asked still holding the ears in his hands feeling the fur

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion's eyes went quickly to the ears again when they moved, he giggled and wiggled one himself, he'd seen ears like this a couple times, but this was the first time he actually held one

Alatariel Rakamash

This was interesting, Surion had never come across someone who LIKED him playing with their ears. But he wasn't about to argue. He grinned his pointy-toothed grin kept playing, wiggling feeling the fur and just generally being playfully curious

Alatariel Rakamash

Those were the 'magic' play words and Surion purposefully wiggled his fingers on Malcolm's ears "tickytickyticky" he said giggling

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion's fingers were small enough to go under larger hands and he giggled lots "tickyticky!"

NykolMisu

Malcolm squeaked and laughed even more, trying to keep himself still but also trying to move Surion's hands. "Ala HELP! He's attacking!"

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion giggled continuing to try and tickle Malcolm
Ala chuckled and got up "You sure you want saving Malcolm" she said stopping near them

NykolMisu

"Yeeeeeeeessss!" Malcolm squealed, trying desperately to stop the onslaught of tickles.

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala chuckled and took Surion by his waist and lifted him away "All right little man, time to stop" she said
Surion looked up at her and pouted "But Sur have fun!"

NykolMisu

Malcolm immediently flopped onto his side on the couch, covering his head, specifically his ears, with the throw pillows.

NykolMisu

"Nyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah..." Malcolm rubbed the pillow over his ears to get rid of the tingling sensation.

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala put Surion down "Leave Malcolm's ears alone now love" she told him
Surion pouted and nodded then went in search of a Balan he'd seen in the shop

NykolMisu

Malcolm stood up slowly. He smoothed out his hair, yawning. "I'm gonna go up to bed... Night Ala..." With that, he went up to the room he usually stayed in.

Raikha

Beleger bounded into the shop and slowed to a walk, sniffing the air and looking around.
Sedai galloped in after him, pouncing on Beleger. The two rolled around, and when their quick scrap ended, she shook and straightened, ruffling her feathery wings and flipping her tail as she too looked around the shop.

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion spotted the two Balan and grinned from ear to ear "More!" he cried out turning to head in their direction

Raikha

Beleger, alarmed, back up a couple steps, his wings flaring up a little.
Sedai just stretched her neck out to sniff at him, cautious of this new arrival, but willing to make friends quick.

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala watched her son head for them
Surion giggled and reached up towards the one who hadn't moved away from him as he got close to her

Raikha

Sedai pushed her muzzle under Surion's hand, nuzzling it.
Beleger, watching, stepped closer, his neck reaching out as well.
Raikha came in then through the door, her eyes on her Balan. Upon entering she paused, her neck high, looked around slowly, and nodded a silent greeting to Ala.

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion giggled and pet them both then wrapped his arms around Sedai's neck giving her a big hug
Ala nodded a greeting "Hello Raikha" she greeted her

Raikha

Sedai purred a little and stepped closer to the child, closing her eyes.
Beleger stepped closer too, sitting close to Surion and sitting, patiently waiting.
Raikha nodded again curtly "Ala" she eyed her Balan again and smoothly moved to a chair at the nearest table.

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala sighed softly and returned to relaxing, things had been terse between them for a long time Which had been a shame in Ala's eyes but there was nothing she could do about it.
Surion let go one arm turning his head to look at the other balan and reached over to pull Beleger closer to to him to hug them both one with each arm nuzzling his face into their fur

Andanielle

Moving to stand out of the way of the door, she shook a paw gently, taking care not to send droplets at either of the balans or any humans. H'lo. Lovely, innit? I love the rain, really... There was some tension in the air that she didn't like, and Kri was trying to see just how tense it was. She hated others to be in bad moods. Life was just too short to be unhappy for all of it.

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion looked and saw yet another Balan "More!" he cried out happily letting go of the two adults and taking off for Kri

Andanielle

At the outburst, the balan briefly tensed at the unknown, then made herself relax. What this was, she wasn't certain, but she could guess it was a baby human. What an egg that must have been to hatch this one. As he made his way to her, Kri told herself to treat him like a baby balan unless... This was just a small human? She'd find out...

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion threw his arms around the balan giving her a big hug and nuzzled his face into her fur enjoying the feeling of the soft fur

Raikha

Beleger eyed Surion, then the other Balan, then Sedai. He half shrugged and sat again.
Sedai walked over, following Surion, her eyes shifting curiously to Kri.
Raikha watched Ala and sighed, looking out a window. Loneliness was making all things harder every day now..

Andanielle

Dipping her head slightly to return the nuzzle, she decided that this must be the two-legged's version of a baby, as he didn't have the vocabulary of a child balan... Though maybe they were different.
From her position it was hard too see things the way she was used to, but she spied the balan following the baby two-legged and smiled unseen. H'lo. I'm Kriani, or Kri. Know what this is? she asked in reference to the hugging baby, hoping the other knew.

Alatariel Rakamash

Surion lifted his head looking at her "Balan talk to Sur head" he said with a giggle
Ala looked up and over at Raikha "You know, this is getting rediculas, we used to talk easily with each other all the time"

Andanielle

Balan called Kri, Sur head, she corrected with a giggle, pulling away enough to look at him. Or is it just Sur?

Andanielle

Ah. Well, it's nice to meet you, Sur, head and all. As he pulled away, she took the chance to bring her tail 'round front, just so no one could sneak up on it from behind. Do you know who everyone else is? She thought she'd heard Ala, but she couldn't be certain. Kri didn't know the others anyway.

Raikha

Raikha sighed again and looked back at Ala "...Ala, when you're not around me, you're with Torvil, mostly, right?" she narrowed her eyes at her own thoughts as she spoke "These companions; meditating with Toga- even Talaris has her own business now.. this is it for me. Perhaps you don't understand, but Ala, I do not .. interact with many.. humans." she shook her head, more to herself than anything, and shifted her eyes to the floor.

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala sighed and got up wandering towards Surion "whatever Rai, to each their own" she said sounding somewhat dejected "Come on Surion, it's bed time" she told him lifting him up
Surion waved at the blue Balan then the green and yellow one then the sandy-orange one "Bye bye"

Andanielle

Bye. The area free of little (possible) terrors, the speckled Balan relaxed visably, and smiled at the other two and the human she thought might belong to them. Hello... she tried once more, wondering if perhaps, like Bane, they were just grumpy too and not too keen on meeting new creatures.

Raikha

Raikha watches Ala "You get lonelieness, don't you?" She stood, upset now. "Perhaps you'd rather I just go.." she sighed and eyed her Balans on the floor sadly, reluctant to call them to leave.

Alatariel Rakamash

"I get it plenty well Rai" Ala said stopping in the back room door "But least I tried to solve it instead of isolating myself, I'm sorry things didn't go as you hoped all those many months ago, but it doesn't mean you need to hold it against me", her voice was soft

Raikha

Beleger and Sedai stare at each other blankly, both obviously blank minded as well.. brain farting..
Raikha looked up slowly at Ala "I am not holding it against you, Ala. Simply.. " she shrugged a shoulder "I don't know what to say anymore.. I feel I have ..just nothing to contribute; what am I to talk of? My ..forest adventures?" she sighed, knowing she was being as emotional as all the elders had hoped a young fire elder would be.

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala shrugged "Why not? I don't mind hearing about someone's adventures" she said not sure if she should call Rai a friend or not, she certainly didn't know if they could be considered such or not anymore

Raikha

Raikha searched her face "well, they're really all I have.. just.. self training, I suppose.. -training for what, I don't know.. " she smirked a little, thinking it a bit silly.

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala nodded holding Surion as he started to doze against her "Each person may have some kind of training or quest they need to complete for themselves" she said

Raikha

Raikha nodded, yawning "True." She half shrugged again "I train because it's.. heh.. well, what I was raised to do.."

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala nodded "You've been doing it since I've know you I remember when you came back to the Pae'il HQ with that ring" she said pointing to the ring Rai wore

Raikha

Raikha blinks and looks at the ring, not having paid it any attention for a long while "Wow.. this ring..."

Alatariel Rakamash

"You were very proud of that accomplishment... and I think you were right to feel that pride, from what you said it was quite an accomplishment" she said bouncing lightly in place

Raikha

Raikha nodded at the ring "hmmm" she yawned again and looked up at Ala "I wonder the time.. I am tired.."

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala looked into the backroom on the wall "Late, after Surion's bed time" which would explain why the child was fast asleep in her arms

Raikha

Raikha nodded, gazing at the child "perhaps we should sleep too?" she looked around on the floor, snuffing, not surprised, to see Beleger and Sedai fast asleep and curled up together by a couch chair.

Alatariel Rakamash

Ala nodded "There are guest rooms and barracks upstairs you are welcome to crash in Raikha" she said prepared to turn towards the back door again

Raikha

Raikha nodded "I'd be very grateful.." she glanced back at the Balan "I'd hate to leave them here alone." she stifled a yawn and looked around instinctively for any belongings she may have brought.. of which she had none. Nodding once again, curtly, to Ala, she eyed the stairs "Well, good night, Ala.. Um.. " she nodded, to herself more than anyone "...I like this.. talking to you again. ...I have missed it." she smiled a little smile and started heading towards the stairs.

Alatariel Rakamash

"As have I, feel free to grab food from the kitchen if you are hungry, I'm heading out to the house out back but we do leave some food in the shop kitchen" she said watching Rai disappear before heading towards and out the back door