[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

This had been a really stupid idea. Dazadi didn't enjoy being warm at the best of times - her love of the cold was probably one of the reasons she'd refused to leave the palace when the council threatened to shut it down - but summer was usually manageable. Just... not when she was wearing a thick cloak meant to keep her warm in the frigid mountain air.

She was only wearing it because Xanth's instructions meant she couldn't leave that damned cub unattended for more than a couple of hours at a time. She'd figured that stuffing it in a pocket and taking it along with her was her best bet because she'd refused to stay home. If she wouldn't let her lifemate trap her in a gilded cage, then she sure as hell wasn't going to let some ball of fluff do it. It wasn't like the pockets of this roasting cloak were a harsh environment, anyway. They were lined with faux fur, big enough for the hand-sized cub to nap in (which seemed to be all it wanted to do in the twenty hours since it was poofed into her closet), but sturdy enough that it couldn't tumble out. Tall enough, too, that while it could probably get its paws and head up over the top, it wasn't yet tall enough to actually climb out. She just had to be careful to straighten it out before sitting down...

Feeding the cub every two hours was exhausting and worse, made her hungry almost constantly. She'd raided the fridge but she was bored with the stuff in there, and craving some fresh air anyway, so, out of the blue, she'd found herself thinking about dining out. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten out, and it wasn't something that usually appealed to her, but it wasn't just fresh air she craved. She found herself wanting to be around people... Not to interact with them, just to kind of... surround herself with them. She couldn't understand it, but there was no reason to stay home.

So she'd thrown open the cafe door and, with one arm curved around the cub still in her pocket to shield it from jostling and bumping, marched up to the counter to stare at the menu hanging overhead. Half the stuff they offered sounded disgusting but she quickly decided on a hot chicken sandwich and a mug of hot chocolate. Having elicited delighted gasps as she handed over more money than they'd charged and ignored the server trying to give back her change, Daz had grabbed the plate and mug and wended her way back out the door to find herself a seat at one of the tables arranged beneath the red-and-white striped canopy. She might have stayed inside but she was concerned the cub might get squashed by people trying to pass. It was also warmer indoors from the kitchen heat, and while Daz had wanted to surround herself with people, there was a limit to how many she could manage without losing her temper.

So now she sat at the table alone, the cub snoring softly in her pocket, one fist closed around her sandwich and the other around her mug, her mouth full of chargrilled chicken, and her blue eyes scanning passers-by with lazy interest.

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

Once she had experienced the delicious hot chocolate - she had had it with Piper and Cal, then Exodina, and on her own and got herself a mug at every opportunity - she had developed a vested and occult interest in it. Even if it was in the middle of summer, and she was off to get hot chocolate wearing shorts and a tee shirt in sunny New Alexandria, Sabrina had to have it. Maybe they put nicotine in it, or something addictive that forced you to want it over and over again so that Le Bon café could make a hefty profit.

Well, whatever it was, she was going to buy the delightful hot chocolate that she craved.

The café was pretty packed, and everyone was sitting under the canopy outside, in the cute little European chairs. Inside it was even hotter, but outside it was a pleasantly glorious day. Sabrina walked into the café for the umpteenth time, Eva perched on her shoulder, precariously because of her size. Lemur and owner had established a rare bond, and, despite her impish and mischievous nature, Eva had long since begun to respond to her name, and after a while, more commands. She was still, however, independent, and prone to doing what she would rather do, other than what Sabrina told her to.

It was even warmer inside, Sabrina thought as she purchased her hot chocolate and - upon request - an apple and a knife. She wasn't hungry, but she could distract Eva with food instead of letting her get up to her cringe-worthy, impish antics.

Walking outside after forking over the cash, with her hot chocolate and the apple on the tray, Sabrina glanced left and right and sighed. All of the tables were occupied by chattering people in twos, but there was one woman on her own. The Nymph could only see the back of her head, enough to see that she was an Anyelos and had blue hair. She made her way over and stopped in front of her, hovering next to the empty see. "Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked, tilting her head and unsurely standing with her pet Lemur on her shoulder.

[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

Dazadi looked up from her sandwich, startled not so much by the soft voice but the fact the girl was asking to sit next to her. She'd decided a long time ago there was a sign over her forehead saying "ANTISOCIAL - STAY AWAY" and had actively played into that, driving people away. This time, her mouth full of chicken, Daz lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. It might do her some good to have some company for a while.

Eyes on the creature perched on the girl's shoulder, Dazadi shoved the bite of sandwich to one side of her mouth and spoke around it. "What the hell is that?" She might have said something about it being unhygienic, but for one, she didn't really give a damn. For another... she couldn't say anything without being a hypocrite, given that she was still carrying Xanth's cub around in her pocket.

It seemed the hot chocolate here was popular, though. This chick wasn't the first she'd seen with it, and Daz couldn't say she was surprised. It looked, smelled and tasted delicious, but she still wished they sold peach fizz here. Or no, she could seriously go for a slice of peach in her chocolate, actually. That'd be lovely.

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

Sabrina hovered for a moment around the back of the chair, before pulling it out and placing her tray on the table. She sat down and suddenly, felt her confidence sap away. It didn't ebb when she saw the woman, the subtle muscles, or her huge, folded black wings. It just sapped, just like when you drained something in a sieve, as quickly as that. She was pretty intimidating, and yet harshly beautiful at the same time, and it was just all so confusing and scary for a pipsqueak like Sabs. A pipsqueak, in fact, with no form of defence - it dawned on her. The best she could do was give them pretty bad hayfever.

Or, at work, use one of her pots and pans. But, Nymphs were against violence, so that was pretty much out of the window. (But, she enjoyed what she did, and found that slaving away in a kitchen for someone else's benefit could be pretty rewarding in terms of pay. In fact, she had just been there yesterday, and had a pretty good field day by experimenting with new dishes. She loved to cook, it was interesting and always in style.)

"What the hell is that?"

Sabrina looked up from sipping her hot chocolate, then took the apple and began a futile attempt to saw it in half with the pathetic strength she possessed. "You mean, my lemur?" she asked, offering a small smile - it was really nothing in way of smiles, and probably looked like a grimace. But, she forced on a smile, seeing as she didn't think she'd like to mess with this Anyelos, sitting opposite her. "Oh, this is Eva, my Lemur." She probably looked strange, a Lemur perched precariously on her shoulder, her tail draped around her neck.

But, whatever.

Everyone would just have to stick it. Sabs stopped from sawing the apple and flushed furiously, feeling very foolish, so abandoning any plans of cutting the apple for awhile, in favour of scratching her Lemur under her chin. She took a sip of hot chocolate and looked at the beautiful blue-haired lady, clumsily wiping her mouth. "I'm Sabrina," she offered; the woman could choose make much of it, or not. "But, um, I prefer Sabs."

[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

"You mean, my lemur?" Dazadi had gone back to chewing on her sandwich as the girl sat down but raised her eyebrows at the question. What did she think she meant, the giant zit on her neck?

Daz couldn't blame her for the grimace, really, but she was getting a bit sick of being the woman nobody wanted to talk to or sit next to. It had never bothered her. Ever. Except just lately, and she really wasn't sure why. It wasn't like it was the first time Kade had left her, and she'd coped just fine with it before. Okay, so she'd sunk into insanity and pretty much curled up in a ball in the corner for two hundred years, but that was way better than moping like she'd been doing this time.

She was getting old. That was it. She'd reached a point in her life where companionship was important and where she should've had a husband and a son to stave off the loneliness, she had an empty house instead. Well, it was an apartment, and it wasn't empty because of that timid little brat Piper, but that was besides the point. She was too old and too stubborn to change her ways, but it was seriously eating at her that her only real claims to fame was her insanity and her bad temper. Just once, she'd like to be known as the nice Aide.

On second thoughts... no. She really didn't.

"Oh, this is Eva, my Lemur." Dazadi studied the lemur, enjoying her sandwich silently. This was the first lemur she'd seen up close and personal, and she couldn't remember ever seeing one in the wild. Odd creatures, really, like a cross between a monkey and some kind of koala wannabe. Dazadi couldn't decide if it was cute or ugly or just plain weird, and eventually settled on it not being as cute as the cub in her pocket. Then again, there wasn't much she would think was as cute as the cub. Which really should have a name, she realised, if only because "the cub" was getting boring. Not that it was her place to name it... Maybe it already had a name. She should ask Xanth.

"I'm Sabrina, but, um, I prefer Sabs." What was with the timidity? Daz remembered a time when timid got you killed and the wallflowers - like her mother - were kept indoors where it was safe. Was it really so hard to get a backbone? This whole "be polite" crap had softened people up; so concerned with not offending anybody that they lost conviction and courage. It was annoying.

Washing her sandwich down with the chocolate, Daz wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Dazadi," she responded with a brief nod. Her gaze still on the lemur, she reached across the table for the abandoned apple and the knife and made quick work of slicing it up before dropping the pieces and the knife back down in front of Sabrina. Timidity aside, the girl owned a pet and was a stranger... making her the perfect person to talk to about Xanth's little 'present'.

"What's it like having a pet?" The question was abrupt and came seemingly out of nowhere. Dazadi hadn't really had anything specific in mind that she wanted to ask, just the notion that she wanted to talk to someone about owning a pet without it coming back to haunt her. She could easily ask Piper but then the Vampire would just have more proof that Daz was softer than she looked, and Dazadi was already uncomfortable with their growing friendship. Talking to a complete stranger, someone she didn't expect to ever see again and who would therefore have no reason to use it against her, was probably the closest she could come to asking for advice.

Sitting back in her chair, Daz hooked one arm over the back.

[d=black]OOC:[/d] Is the apple thing okay?

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

ooc; yeah the apple thing is fine, but i am so sorry for the belatedness and rubbishness of this post. x_X

---

Sabrina was a person easily intimidated. Why? Probably because she was a pipsqueak and had never managed to top 5"2' during the time she had grown. She regretted this, but she couldn't exactly beat herself up because she wasn't nice and tall and slight, and was instead small and had no more muscles than were required for everyday activities. It wasn't like it was her fault how she was shaped, and yes, she could be small with attitude, but that really wasn't her style. If she had attitude, she supposed that she'd be able to deck someone to prove that she wasn't exactly miniscule and to be taken lightly -- but, oh wait, she was forbidden from using violence.

Lovely. Not to mention that the best she could do was give someone really bad hayfever to prove that she was a force not to be reckoned with. Oh, yes, her thoughts tended to drift to her size and race a lot. If only someone would give her a few muscles, then she'd be less depressing about being a Nymph (and, even her brothers were only slight and in no way toned).

The woman sitting opposite her, was... butch. She was very pretty, with sharp, foreign features, but she was butch. Possibly, and Sabs didn't particularly know much of Anyeli culture, she was a fighter? For sure, she looked like one. "Dazadi." She smiled widely, as if she appreciated that she was receiving single word answers.

"What's it like having a pet?" Sabrina had been looking at the cut up apple, and her suspicions of the woman being a fighter were verified. Benignly, she smiled and stirred up a nice reply. "It's wonderful, because I live alone. I don't have to be lonely all the time, and... I'm a Nymph. I have a talent for nurturing life, so I love bringing Eva up." She grinned sheepishly and placed a segment of apple into the tiny hands of her Lemur, who took it greedily and nibbled it cutely. "I adore her."

[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

[d=black]OOC:[/d] No worries, hun. It's not rubbish, anyway.

Dazadi continued to watch the lemur with a mixture of curiosity and bemusement, eyeing the strange creature with what probably looked like a grimace.

One word leaped out at her from Sabrina's response: Lonely. It was a word she was well acquainted with and having someone so young talk about it made want to lean over and tell the girl she didn't know the meaning of the word before ripping her tongue out of her head. Of course, she may not be nearly as young as she looked, but it made Daz wonder if anyone ever escaped from its clutches. It also gave her a short-lived flash of insight into Xanth's life.

More than that, maybe it wouldn't be so bad for her to keep the cub. If everyone suffered from loneliness, then it couldn't be such a big deal when all was said and done.

Grunting in response, because she really wasn't sure what else to say in response to the girl's enthusiasm, Daz turned her attention to her mug and swirled the dregs of the chocolate around and around. She was distantly aware of something grunting whimpering faintly, like the hungry cries of a baby animal, but didn't connect what she was hearing to the cub in her pocket. "How much..." Glancing around briefly with a glare that clearly said "shut your kid up, lady" to whoever the crybaby belonged to, she finished on an explosive sigh. "- attention do pets need, anyway?"

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

How much attention did pets need? If Dazadi had asked Sabrina five months ago or so, before she came into possession of Eva, she wouldn't have had a clue. Somehow, all of the pets she had had before, simple things like goldfish, had perished under her care. The frustration over that was overwhelming, seeing as she liked to nurture and care. It was in her nature to, but, she supposed, part of the reason why she had done so well in caring for Eva, was that it would seem wrong to neglect (even, if unintentionally).

Her dad had always had a pet - thought, Sabs couldn't see how it was a pet -, a piranha that he kept in his office. It was his pride and joy, as he'd went to the gates of Hell and back to get his hands on the flesh-eating fish. Her twin and Stan had always been fascinated with it, but she and Zach had failed to see what the charms of having a fish that would eat you alive at the first opportunity. They had always fed it, often giving it live food, to mimic the wild, her dad said. She didn't like that, but, it was nature, he said. The piranha's life should have no less value than her own.

Well, whatever.

"Quite a bit, I suppose. When Eva was younger, it was kinda hard to care for her, because of her age. But, as they get older, they need less attention." Who did she think she was, a nature expert? Sabs grinned at the thought. As if. "Why, were you thinking of getting an animal?" Sabrina threw back some hot chocolate, despite the fact that it burned her throat and churned in her stomach. It was a very pleasant day, and, surprisingly enough, they were having a lightly pleasant conversation.

[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

Dazadi's face fell when Sabrina answered with "Quite a bit". She'd been really hoping the answer would be "less than you'd think", that it wouldn't matter if she forgot to feed the cub the odd day here and there, but she'd known she was clutching at straws, and hearing that the weird lemur was hard to care for as a youngster only made that so much more obvious.

But then, a glimmer of hope, and Dazadi gazed at the girl pensively. "But, as they get older, they need less attention." How much was less? And how long did it take to reach that stage? Was it something she could manage? She hadn't neglected Wolf entirely, after all, and maybe, as long as Piper was squatting in Dazadi's apartment she could make herself useful and protect the tiger from Dazadi's stupidity and ignorance...

Bleh, she was talking herself in circles here. Daz scoffed at herself as she grabbed her now-empty plate and moved it around uselessly, glancing around at the cafe's patrons as the cry-whining continued, intermingled with a strange snuffling sound.

"Why, were you thinking of getting an animal?"

Dazadi's head shot round and she stared at the girl guiltily, shifting in her seat with the awkwardness of someone caught red-handed but trying to look innocent, even blase. She'd prided herself on being self-sufficient for so long that having anyone know or even suspect otherwise made her skin crawl. She even opened and closed her mouth to protest a couple of times, but in the end, all she could do was nod as her shoulders slumped. "I was saddled with a cub," she explained shortly with a glower meant for Xanth. "But how the hell am I meant to look... Oh, censored." It was then that the whine-cry-snuffling registered as originating from her pocket, and she flushed with guilt and anger at herself for not recognising it sooner. She wanted to scream at Xanth - See?! See what happens when you trust me to keep something alive?! - and almost did. Instead, she reached into the pocket and carefully, carefully grasped the cub around the middle, slowly drawing it out and setting it on the table where it immediately started snuffling around the crumbs on her plate.

"Yeah..." she said slowly in Sabrina's general direction, as if the single word would finish her explanation and sum up how she felt about the situation. There wasn't much else she could say, really, except, "How the hell do I look after that?"

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

Sabrina felt like a priest would when in confession with a sinner, and she blinked incredulously to see the guilt in Dazadi's gaze. She was unsure on how to proceed with the confession, so to speak, and the whole innovation of the Anyelos being a sinner was... ludicrous. It was just all of the Nymph's nervous imagination, nervous for no worrying reason. It wasn't as if Dazadi was going to rip her head off and shove it down her throat.

Right? Maybe she should learn when to hold her tongue - and put aside her stubborn nature for now.

Sure, she had a decently lengthed fuse herself, but other people, and they appeared in an incongruous way, did. She hated that; she wasn't a patient person, but she wasn't exactly impatient either, she just got restless. And, she could have the patience of a saint, if she wanted to. So... she wasn't being a hypocrite, or anything.

Sabs was sub-consciously aware that she was gawping, at the small, adorable little cub that made its entrance with a fanfare. She had been hearing the mewling for awhile now but was unsure as to where it had been coming from, and now, she knew. She reached out a finger tentatively to touch it, and then realised how rude that was, or how she might hurt the little animal, and took her hand back. Blushing, she smiled, clearly captivated by the little cub. She was definitely an open book, but she said nothing about how fascinating such an animal was.

"How the Hell do I look after that?"

It was clear that Dazadi wasn't too keen on being stuck with the little animal, that much Sabs could tell. She found herself wanting to assist the angel in possibly any way she could, as the blue haired woman clearly didn't have a chance in Hell on her own. Grinning, Sabrina answered. "You want my advice? I'll do my best." Pause, and the clearing of her throat. "Firstly, name it. Don't think of caring for it as an obligation, think of it... like you want to. Just remember that you have this little creature's life in your hands, and although whether caring for it properly or not is up to you, I'd like to help."

She was blushing by now, faint pink streaks invaded the pale skin of her cheekbones. "I think baby animals require milk. And, milk they can digest, I'm guessing. It looks like a big cat from Earth, only..." She gestured to its heart-melting little self. "Only different. So, as it grows, I'm supposing that it'll need things like raw meat? And water, obviously. I think you shouldn't leave it unattended, and treat it like a baby - just don't go walking around with it in a pram, wearing a romper suit." Sabs gave a laugh at her own joke, although it wasn't that funny.

Definitely not too funny.

On the plus side, she hoped that the woman would take her advice, she thought as she held up another quarter of apple for Eva to take. Surprisingly, she didn't take it, for instead her gaze was fixed on the miniscule cub. A little frightened that she would harm the cub, the Nymph reached up to tug the lemur from her shoulder, and into her lap, between herself and the table. And then, she distracted the little curious creature with two pieces of apple, glad that she had a greedy nature.

After that, she wasn't sure what to say, quite yet.

[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

Fingers drumming lightly on the table-top, Daz stared morosely at the cub as it mewled and snuffled, hoovering up the crumbs left from her sandwich. "You want my advice? I'll do my best." Well, no, she'd asked the chit's opinion on a lark, but Dazadi didn't go with the knee-jerk response. She had asked for the help, after all, and it'd be stupid to turn it away now.

"Firstly, name it." What? Glancing askance at the girl, Dazadi how the hell she was meant to name it. Kade had done the deed when it came to their son, and it had always struck her that names should be more than just pulled out of hat. They should mean something... but how could she give this cub a name that meant anything when she knew nothing about it?

"Don't think of caring for it as an obligation, think of it... like you want to. Just remember that you have this little creature's life in your hands, and although whether caring for it properly or not is up to you, I'd like to help."

"Yeah," Daz snorted. And no. She'd loved Wolf more than anything else in the world, Kade included, and yet she'd been so eager to shove him at Dora. But... she'd wanted this, hadn't she? And she was sure she'd heard somewhere that pets were easier than kids. Maybe she could do what Sabrina suggested.

"I think baby animals require milk." Dazadi glanced at her again, then at the cub, who had almost cleared her plate by now but was still whining and mewling, and swore. It was probably already too late to stop the cub from getting an upset stomach or whatever happened - it wouldn't kill it, would it?! - but she could stop it from finding anything else appropriate.

Reaching out, she grasped the cub around the middle again and drew it to her chest as Sabrina continued, cradling it in the crook of her elbow. Seeing it like that, it actually made Daz feel... weird. Softer, like... something inside her was melting. But that was just ridiculous.

"And, milk they can digest, I'm guessing. It looks like a big cat from Earth, only... Only different."

"I'll say," Daz snorted, poking a scrawny wing gently with the tip of her finger. Remembering that Sabrina had reached out as if to pet the cub, Daz studied the girl's face, then the curious lemur, debating if it would be safe to let the girl hold it. "So, as it grows, I'm supposing that it'll need things like raw meat? And water, obviously. I think you shouldn't leave it unattended, and treat it like a baby - just don't go walking around with it in a pram, wearing a romper suit."

Face a mask of bewilderment, Dazadi asked, "What the hell's a romper suit?" She didn't mention the fact that "treat it like a baby" was probably a bad idea on her part - she vaguely recalled giving Wolf a dagger to play with when he was barely a toddler and them both sulking when Kade took it back - but Daz wasn't about to let a stranger in that far.

With the lemur now in the girl's lap, Daz watched the way Sabrina hugged the creature and fed her almost absently. There was obvious affection, but she made it seem so easy, and it made Dazadi's eyes gloss over with the wistful thought that maybe one day she'd share that kind of bond with... Yeah, she really did need a name.

Clearing her throat, she glanced down to realise her fingertips were automatically stroking the cub's soft fur, and cleared her throat again for good measure. "What kind of names are good for pets these days?"

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

Sabs hadn't thought for one moment that Elysia didn't have everything that Earth had (and more), and thus, the angel's questions startled her. She took in her shocked expression and blinked dumbly, taking a minute to realise how oblivious and silly she was when it came to Elysian culture. And here, she'd thought she'd been getting somewhere.

Because, of course, she had been living there for a good few months and had settled in nicely. Sure, she oftenly learned a new thing every day, and today it was that she really had a lot to learn. Some might think that she was daft for not knowing the culture of a place in which she had lived for quite a while. And they might be right, to be perfectly honest.

But, she didn't condescend Dazadi. She was gentle and patient, when she answered. "You know, those little one piece outfits that babies wear." She hoped that the expression on her face, the one that made Sabs feel like she were speaking a different language. Which it must sound like, to the Anyelos - at least from that she could gather that she had lived in Elysia for awhile, anyway (maybe she had been born there? maybe she had forgotten what Earth was like?).

Well, whatever (there was that silly indifferent phrase, again).

At least she had been listening to the Nymph. Sabrina had been afraid that she wouldn't listen and just consider her a total nutter, but, fortunately, it didn't seem that way. She had actually seemed intent as the Nymph spoke, telling her everything that she knew, a lot of it from the Nature documentaries her dad had made her and her brothers sit and watch. 'To grasp a firm understanding of everything which Nymphs loved most,' he'd said. Personally she thought it was just because he didn't like to watch them alone because it made him feel old, and the same applied to Ray Mears' Bushcraft.

But all of that was irrelevant, she thought as she idly stroked Eva, gathering her in her arms for a moment to hug the Lemur. Who, might she add, was particularly affectionate day, letting out a soft little Lemur-noise of what Sabs disillusioned herself, briefly, into thinking it was love. With a small smile, she handed the Lemur the last apple quarter and murmured, vaguely aware that it was out loud, "There you go, my sweet."

"What kind of names are good for pets these days?" That was enough to make Sabrina look up absent-mindedly and smile brightly, still petting the Lemur. "I'm not sure, but I do know that 'Fluffy' is particularly popular." She laughed at her own light hearted joke, hoping that Dazadi would see that she was only teasing. "Or you could do the classic, 'naming after aspects of your pet' thing. Like... the colour of its fur. Or its personality. I don't know, what floats your boat?"

Smooth move there with that daft question.

[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

"Oh, that's what those things are called?" Daz snorted. She'd always just called them "baby suits", and "romper" was a weird word for them, to her mind. Babies didn't romp. Did they? Well, maybe they did... She remembered Dora dressing Wolf up in those things when he was a mite but they hadn't looked very dignified to Dazadi. And then, as soon as he could walk, the one-piece suits were no good anymore. And then looked what happened the second he could dress himself - chains and piercings and tattoos and... ye gods, her son had turned into a punk.

Wait. She'd lost track of the conversation again.

"I'm not sure, but I do know that 'Fluffy' is particularly popular." Dazadi pulled a face, glad the girl had only been teasing. No way she could slap a stupid name like that on a tiger without giving it some serious identity issues. "Or you could do the classic, 'naming after aspects of your pet' thing. Like... the colour of its fur. Or its personality. I don't know, what floats your boat?"

"I don't have a boat," Daz responded, her own lame attempt at teasing. She was so rusty, having only ever teased her boys - and then not very often - that she forgot to smile as she said it. "How can you tell its personality when it's too young to eat solid food?" This with a pout as she realised just how hard it was going to be to name the critter. Still, the pet-traits idea was the best one so far, and it wasn't like Daz was going to come up with anything better. As long as they avoided the ridiculous stuff like "Stripey".

"How did you name your lemur?" Lemur wasn't something that screamed the name "Eva" so Daz couldn't quite connect the dots there and was curious to find out how the girl's mind worked.

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

"I don't have a boat."

Sabrina would've came across as rude if she didn't smile, but she probably came across as rude anyway when her lips stretched out into a grin. She wasn't sure how old her companion was, but the point was that that sounded like the type of thing her dad would've said to her. He always thought he was funny when he wasn't, though she would still laugh anyway, as he always seemed hurt when she didn't. She had always been a very good daughter, she thought with some degree of pride, as she had never particularly been a bad teenager or defied him (against her will, anyway).

And, she loved her father. The Nereid never picked favourites, loved his four children all the same, but she felt like she had always been her mother's favourite. She was the only female, she was the only daughter of four children - sure, three sons was good, but what about a pretty little girl? Sabs wasn't surprised to find her mind drifting away to thoughts of her family; that tended to happen often, and she wondered if it was time to pay another visit to her beloved father. Of course, he understood that she was completely independent now - she lived in a completely different dimension - but daddy would always be willing to pull a quarter from behind her ear.

"How did you name your lemur?" To Sabrina, that was a tough question. She wasn't quite sure at all how she named Eva, but she supposed she'd drawn it from the word 'angel', and thus the name Evangeline. But, a Lemur named Evangeline hadn't appealed to her, so she'd shortened it down, and that was how she had achieved naming her pet successfully. Though, to be honest, she wasn't so much a pet as the master, and Sabs the pet.

So, she proceeded to explain, at the risk of sounding like a complete nutter. "I named her through the name Evangeline, but her name doesn't suit her personality. She's a devilish little creature." This was said affectionately, and as she did so, she petted the Lemur adoringly. "I'm sorry, when it comes to names I'm not really a lot of help..." That much was true. She wasn't being much of an assistance, even though she wanted to be. "Maybe you could translate a word that suits the cub, from a different language." She wasn't sure what languages Dazadi knew, but still. It was a thought, right?

[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

Dazadi wrinkled her nose. This was getting more and more confusing by the second. She couldn't see the point of translating other languages. She was a very patriotic kind of person and though she knew a couple of languages well enough to question the lineage of a few foreigners, she only ever spoke anything but Anyeli because it was easier than trying to mime her demands to those who didn't understand it. To her, the language of her own people was exotic and beautiful enough without dragging alien words into the equation.

Besides, the problem wasn't with the words, it was what words would be appropriate, and she didn't see how looking to another language would help matters. If anything, having more words to scramble her brains would just make things worse.

"Ugh." This was harder than her training had been. At least she knew the cub would grow up to give 'em hell, she realised with a start, as she glanced down to find its teeny fangs clamped around her finger. Hell...? Actually, that was oddly appealing and went with the cub's red eyes rather well, except... "Oh. He's hungry, right?" Or maybe he was playing, but he had been crying a few seconds ago so it stood to reason he was actually trying to eat her finger. "Um..."

Her hesitancy brought her up short and she pouted. Piper's silliness was contagious, that was the only excuse she could think of. Ordinarily, Dazadi didn't do hesitant. If she couldn't think of what to say, she didn't say it, period. Or just frowned at a person as her mind mulled over what she wanted to say, and then voiced it.

"They sell milk here, right? Yeah," she answered herself, cradling the cub - who was still trying to gnaw her finger, and by the feel of it had actually pierced her skin by now - to her chest as she scraped her chair back and stood up. "I'll be right back."

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

If Dazadi had known Sabrina around two years ago, she would probably have snorted to see the Nymph giving her advice on how to look after another life. She had always had that unconscious desire to be able to take care of others, for them to know that she was a good choice to come to when her family needed reassurance or looking after. But, unfortunately, although she had always meant it with good intentions, she had never been any good at nurturing life. Period.

There was love and affection in her gaze, that much was obvious. She would probably love the Lemur more than she would another human being, though she supposed that her family took a close second (but they weren't compact and fluffy and adorable). She wasn't a hardened person, either, meaning that she was prone to easily loving; it hadn't taken her long to become completely besotted with the lemur.

"Sure." She watched the Anyelos stand up and then sank into her own thoughts, her own concerns and a little reluctant for her day off to end. The freedom in the sun was enjoyable, and she didn't want it to end, didn't want to abandon the pleasant days and ability to lie in past her usual rising time of 7am - can you believe it, barely into adulthood and already missing out on lie ins? It was something of a disgrace -, usually until at least 9am.

Such were her thoughts as she awaited the angel’s return.

[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

[d=black]((OOC:[/d] I can cut my post up, rather than have Daz return all at once, if you like. [d=black]))[/d]

As she shuffled to the door and through it, Daz struggled to detach the cub from her finger, surreptitiously stuffing it ever-so-gently back into the pocket of her cloak. At least, as surreptitiously as she could get when the cub's fangs refused to let go of her flesh and its teeny claws kept catching on the fabric of her cloak. She wouldn't be surprised to find fraying bits where the weave had come loose under its unwitting attack. Still, she was pretty sure the wait-staff would have apoplexy if they spotted a demonic tiger cub in their midst. People could be so stupid about these things... which only begged the question: Why hadn't Sabrina lost her marbles at the sight of the cub? It wasn't like there were more of the things on the loose.

Right?

Hm, maybe she should ask Xanth about that. Maybe it wasn't so unique after all, despite Purple Head's intimations. But, nah, Daz would know about it, surely.

"Hey, you're in the wa-ayyy, take your time." Daz glowered at a cafe patron but stepped aside to let the backpedalling pansy through, more annoyed with herself for stopping in the middle of the cafe like an idiot than she was with him for saying anything. Although, okay, so there was a good dose of annoyance aimed at him, too, but it wasn't his fault she kept getting distracted. It was weird, in a way. She hadn't been this... Eh, she wasn't even sure there was a name for it, but she hadn't been it since she bonded with Kade. Maybe their bond had kept her grounded, or maybe she'd just tried harder to focus for him, but she'd noticed since he left that she'd sunk more and more into her old habits. Letting herself be carried off into her thoughts, losing track of time, not paying enough attention. It wasn't nearly as bad as it had been before, when Kade was dead, but she wondered how long it would be before she started losing chunks of time altogether.

And dammit, she was doing it again. Grrr.

Stalking up to the counter, she managed to by-pass the queue of one by shooting another glare at the idiot who'd tried to tell her to move and, in her most polite tone - which admitted still managed to sound like a gruff demand - asked for a warm bottle of milk. When the server eyed her suspiciously, Daz stared stone-faced and, perhaps assuming there was a baby waiting for her, the waitress nodded and hurried off to fill the order. "And while I'm here," Daz called, still rather gruffly, "I'll have another - uh, two more hot chocolates and two of those... what the hell are those things?" This last was asked with some surprise as she poked at a very sticky chocolate bun covered in icing, chocolate flakes and topped with half a strawberry each. "Yeah, two of those," she nodded as she licked her finger, liking what she could taste of the icing.

That reminded her, she needed a tissue for the bleeding fingers on the other hand, and she grabbed a serviette to wrap around them while the tiny cuts healed over. That cub could do was going to do some serious damage when it grew up.

Having paid for the new food - and exorbitantly for what should, in her mind, be a free service for the mothers, even if the milk wasn't intended for a baby the way the waitress thought - Dazadi carried her newly laden tray back out to the table she'd been sharing with Sabrina and slammed it down with a rattle of crockery. "Here, I got you this thing and another drink." Never let it be said that she didn't share, and she supposed it was the least she could do as thanks for the advice.

Dropping her butt back into the seat and sagging until she was comfortable, Daz carefully drew the cub back out of its pocket and sat it on the table beside the tray, reaching for the bottle to test the temperature of the milk against the back of her hand. Satisfied it was okay, she cradled the cub in the crook of her elbow and gently poked the teat into the tiger's mouth, frowning in concentration.

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

While she wasn't really one for sweet delicacies or any type of confectionary, really, the thing, whatever you might call it, looked really appealing. She was flattered, too, that Dazadi had bought her the sticky bun and more hot chocolate. And all, in return for advice that was somewhat unhelpful. She wasn't good at expressing feelings, in this case it was gratitude, and instead simply hoped to Xanth that she didn't sound ungrateful. "Thank you, very much," the Nymph said, lips curling up into a smile.

Sabrina drained off the rest of her hot chocolate, then pushed the empty mug onto their shared tray. The day was warm, but the hot liquid felt good sliding down her throat, even though the sun was beating down (and Sabs was no doubt looking like fried chicken by now, seeing as the effects of her suncream would be wearing off). She now examined the tastefully-selected bakery-treat and picked it up, her first instinct to go for the least-teeth-rotting ingredient - the strawberry. Quietly, she ate her half-strawberry and then took a careful bite of the bun, almost feeling it attack the enamel on her teeth.

Oh well. It really tasted quite nice, so not to worry.

She surveyed Dazadi and thought about how maternal her pose was, and what a good photo it would make for the front of maternity handbook. That was, if one replaced the tiny cub with the frail wings, with a real baby. "So," she began out of curiosity, starting her question, "Any ideas for a name yet? I'm sorry I haven't been as helpful as I should've been." She wasn't good with names, but 'Eva' was an Earthen name (maybe that had been why she had picked it, for a little bit of home?).

[Dazadi]

Piper's Boutique : Mini Anden : Full Credit

Daz was non-committal as the Nymph thanked her, lifting a shoulder in a half-assed shrug, as if it didn't matter to her whether the girl wanted it or not. The truth was, if she hadn't said thanks, Daz would probably have been censored, but now that it was out there, it made her uncomfortable.

Grunting, since "you're welcome" wasn't a phrase she enjoyed having in her vocabulary, Daz kept one eye on the cub while watching Sabrina in her peripheral vision. She seemed like another girly-girl to Dazadi, her movements laced with feminism. Not grace, necessarily, but a indefinable - for Daz, at least - that reminded her way too much of her memories of her mother. Oddly enough, that didn't fill her with disgust as it used to.

Awkwardly straining her arm so she could free up a hand while the cub fed, she reached for her sticky bun and dabbed at the icing with the tip of her tongue, completely ignorant of the lack of manners. Glancing sideways at Sabrina when the girl spoke, Dazadi withdrew her tongue and licked her lips instead, delighting in the sugary taste.

"I'm sorry I haven't been as helpful as I should've been." Daz gave that one-shouldered shrug again, scowling a little. Apologies like that always smacked of fishing for reassurance to her and she wasn't the reassuring type. Besides, she'd bought the chit a bun, what more did she want?

"I dunno. Something to do with Hell, I suppose," she mused as she remembered what she'd thought while in the queue. She'd always been fascinated by the concept of Hell, ever since she'd been a reluctant student forced to read the translation of Dante's Inferno. She couldn't remember why, or even much at all about the poem, but the concept of multiple versions of Hell had stuck with her. During the two hundred years while Kade was gone, she'd even thought herself living in Hell - when she was capable of coherent thought, that was - and the more she thought about it, and considered the cub's red eyes and dark colouring, the more she figured it was a good fit. "Yeah, Dante sounds good."

[Sabrina]

¤ Piper's Boutique ¤ Dafont ¤ Kyuusho ¤ Aethereality ¤ Hanna Beth ¤

Surprisingly enough, she wasn't uncomfortable with silence, probably because she was distracted by the delicious looking sticky bun. She was quite content to sit and nibble at the icing and drift into her own train of thought, about tomorrow... Oh the joys of being a working woman! Sometimes, she would have to go into work, into that stuffy, pressurising kitchen, and it would be absolutely glorious outside. That distracted her from her job, from what she was preparing or cooking, and she would glance longingly at the doors to the back of the restaurant.

Her boss was a kind man who, although he would blare orders at her in the pressur of the restaurant atmosphere, understood that she was newer to this than her fellow chefs. It was a nice restaurant, too, and she was getting used to how much she was relied on and had to rely on others. Sure, all she made was the starter, but she was learning, and hoped dearly that she would be able to rise up in their ranks. There was a sort of hierachy in the kitchen; and she was right at the bottom, only one better than their dish washer or the rubbish-man.

"I dunno. Something to do with Hell, I suppose." Sabrina was startled, and didn't realise that she had been staring at her own slender hands, and her sticky bun with a few bites taken out of it, for quite awhile. The Nymph looked up with an expression of curiosity, knowing fine well that the odds were that she wasn't pulling it off with finesse. She didn't have a flair for stuff like experiencing one feeling and displaying a different one, she was too much of an open book. So, what she hoped was curiosity was probably tainted with a dumb look, as if she didn't comprehend what the Anyelos had just said.

Fortunately, her words soon sunk in and she nodded stupidly, having no idea how to connect the dots between the name 'Dante' and Hell. She wasn't into stuff like that, since the prospect of death was something which had always scared here. Yes, it was inevitable, but sh didn't want to think about it yet. Taking a sizeable bite of her bun this time, Sabrina nodded again, then put it down and took a mouthful of hot chocolate. "Um, good choice." She tried to sound like she was talking about, smiling distractedly, and then shrugging and abandoning all hope of actually accomplishing the 'oh yes, I know what you mean' look.

"Will you be able to take care of him... her... it?" She was referring to the cub; she wasn't sure that it would be wise to just let Dazadi go and call it a day. She'd feel guilty.