Just surviving

[adris]

Karla wandered into town this day, having strapped to her back several rabbit pelts she hoped she could trade. She knew she needed to catch bigger prey, and hoped that this time on her entry she could be taught to use a bow. First thing is first though, she went up to one of the local vendors to get some salt for preservation.

"Hi there, how many of these would get me a couple pounds of salt? I'm going to be needing it soon enough, and next time I might bring in some fox furs if I'm lucky."

She smiled lightly, not wanting to look too out of character. Her hunting stories were always like fish stories, just barely missed the big catch. It didn't bother her too much though, she loved her home and the results of a few hunts wouldn't change that. Not one piece of the beasts she kills goes unused, ever. She respects this little community for the way it respects her and the forest she lives in too, wondering why more of the world can't be like this.

[kiyukit]

"Hmm... Salt? For a couple of pounds?" The young man behind the counter scratched his head and looked over at his mother, sitting behind him, carefully peeling an apple. She nodded and he smiled. "Well, since Mum likes the look of you, and my little sister's been wanting some rabbit fur lining for her cloak... 5. Does that sound good?"

[adris]

She smiled and gave a wave to the mother he motioned before. As always when in public she was wearing her gloves, no need to scare these kind people away.

"Sure thing boss, here you go." She undoes her sling and drops five of the furs on the counter, "by the way, where is a good hunter around here, one that can use bows instead of just traps"

She wanted to go as natural as possible... she would carve her own arrows and things of that nature. It wasn't much in return, but rabbit and squirrel meat wasn't always the most satisfying. If she could ever get some venison that would be absolutely divine though. She sighed with just the thought.

[kiyukit]

The young man, hardly out of boyhood scooped up the furs and tossed them to his mother, who caught them, and then stood up, setting aside her apple.

"Hmm... A good hunter? That uses a bow? My eldest son. If he can't serve you, he'll know who can." The older woman smiled, taking out a small leather bag, and measuring out the salt. "There. Two and a half pounds. These are good furs. If you have need of anything else, we'd be glad to trade with you. Want me to send the youngester to fetch my eldest? He'll be in the house right now, but he's always happy to talk with a fellow hunter. And might I ask your name? I'm Ashinri. This one's Menoch." she ruffled the so named Menoch's hair with one hand as she spoke, handing the bag to Karla as she did so.

[adris]

Karla gathered up her things into her bag, needed to be ready to go at a moments notice, even if she was trying to be sociable. After getting everything in order she adjusted her gloves and nodded happily.

"My name is Karla, I'm kind of a woman of nature. I would be delighted to meet you're eldest. Especially if he is as good as you say he is."

She was as patient as could be, considering how nervous she gets in anything that could be called public. She tapped her toes so as to leave the rest of her looking calm as she awaited for the man's arrival.

[kiyukit]

With a smile and a nod Ashinri sent Menoch off to a small house not far away. Within a few minutes he was back, leading a rather bemused young man, and chattering all the way.

"Um... Menoch said your name's Karla. I'm Kitchitu, but everyone around here calls me Kit..." The man trailed off, brushing red hair out of his eyes.

[adris]

Karla first layed her eye on the man and smiled, happy that he came out just to help her with her little problem. She tried to look warm, she knows that her eyepatch can be a little disconcerting to most people when they first meet her.

"Well hello there Kitchitu, I heard you are the one to talk to when it comes to learning the bow. You think you can help me out a little?"

Everytime she comes into town she feels self conscience about how she looks. It isn't that she is ashamed of her beastial presence, it is just the parts of her that resemble a scorpian might make them not want to touch her. Because of this she has taken to be overly pleasent around strangers that didn't know her.

[kiyukit]

"Not a problem miss. Um... if it's not prying, how did you loose your eye?" Kit gestured with one hand, the other burying itself in his pack.

[adris]

She giggled a little, accompanied with a smile being grateful for the man's help. This would be a fruitful visit, she always enjoyed it most when she could leave the forest and come back with a feeling of accomplishment, it gives her hope in humanity.

"Oh! I never lost my eye, I just hide it because it scares a lot of people to look at ummm... here it would be easiest to show you, brace yourself," she lifted her eyepatch so the man could see the eye she was hiding. The socket in her head was normal size, it was when you looked upon what should have been her iris inward. Instead of it being the normal human camera eye it was the compound eye of an insect.

"I'm a beast type, scorpian affinity. I'm not a bad person I promise, but scorpians kinda give off a creepy crawly vibe to most humans. So when I'm in public I cover that part of me up."

[kiyukit]

Kiy gave an impish smile "Figures why Mother would like you. My family has a love for so called 'creepy crawlies' My younger sister actually has a pet scorpion named Alexander. My aunt is a spider affinity, and my father has a love for carnivorous plants. You'll fit right in with us!"

Menoch, who'd snuck up behind his older brother, cooed in awe. "That's SO cool! How does it work? Does it see diffrent then a normal..." he didn't get a chance to finish his sentance when Kitchitu clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Sorry about that. Now, do you have a bow?" As the young man spoke, he turned to glare at his younger brother, who simply pulled away and stuck out his tongue.

[adris]

Karla smiled, usually she wasn't taken so well to when she showed people her eye. It is what led her to cover it in the first place. Her hands had always been a nuiscence though, they were a different story.

"Well, it works just like you would imagine a compound eye would, I see the same image several times. It isn't good for perception, but can detect movement almost before you know you are going to move."

She turns back to the older brother and giggles at how he reacted to his sibling's questioning.

"No, I don't have much to my name. Perhaps you can loan me one? Just for lessons of course you can have it back."

[kiyukit]

"If you wouldn't mind stepping into our house, I'm sure we could find you one. And my younger sisters would love to meet you." Kit gave her a winning smile, one hand still clamped firmly across his younger brother's mouth.

[adris]

It didn't take her long to decide on an answer to his offer.

"Sure thing, lead the way."

She followed the man into the house, delighted at having found this family to deal with during her explorations. She hated the years she trekked to the city to do deals, it was just someplace she didn't feel she belonged.

[kiyukit]

With another bright smile, Kit lead the way to the nearby cottage. Once through the door he was accosted by two small girls, one rather larger then the other. The first, barely walking, promptly grabbed his leg and stuck her thumb in her mouth. Balanced on the little ones head was a small brownish scorpion. The older girl simply smiled as her older brother came through the door, a snake twining around her fingers.

"Hey! Kit! Look what I found in the yard! Think Mom'll let me keep him?"
"I don't know Immi. You already have five snakes, and he's rather small."
"Bruver! Look what I taught Alizander to do!"
"Minta! Kit doesn't care what you taught Alexander to do!"

Blushing as he looked back at Karla, Kit managed to divest himself of the little girls. "Now, is this anyway to behave when we have a guest in our house?"

Noticing her for the first time, both girls let out sighs of wonder, followed by a flood of questions.

[adris]

Karla couldn't keep up with the questions that the girls asked, so eventually she just gave a laugh of confusion and ran her fingers through her hair messaging her scalp. She forgot what it was like to be little, and to have siblings at that. It was a while ago that she found herself with her family. She gave Kit a smile that was asking him to help her out a little, she didn't know how to act and still not be rude at the same time in this situation.