Common Text
Xanthean Text
Kashehino Text
Ashan 35 718
Qit'ria had just dropped off some meat at Cally's, nothing special, just the standard Hafrein she normally brought in. She was in a particularly grouchy mood today, having just been annoyed by every little thing about this city. So many people, fluttering around like ants, but without the order and purpose of the creatures. Cities were just chaos. She began storming her way to the docks, she needed to let off this steam building within her. She hadn't realized much of it was due to the hormones caused by the growing bump in her stomach, but still she needed to work it out. So she was looking for her latest enjoyment. Though he'd need to be reminded to keep his hands off of her. She had no interest in his hands.
Reaching the docks, she stomped up and down the port, looking at every ship, shoving more than one teamster and one poor ginger courier out of her way, trying to find the Windrunner, and her fisherman upon it. But the ship was never found, her loins not satisfied, and her temper increasing. Up ahead there was a group of fisherman examining a bunch of torn nets.
"T'em damn beasts got us all innat last run. Fif'teen fuckin' nets ruined. Goddamn Shimfins."
"Why dey s'far south? Waters 're warmin' up, dey should'a head back north."
"Beats me, but t'at's the fif'th time in te last ten-trial t'ey've gutted m' nets. An' look, t'ey're out t'ere now, frolickin 'round te bay still."
Qit'ria's eyes followed where they were pointing, and could see some sort of creatures out there swimming about, fins breaking the surface. She marched up to their group, a good head shorter than every single one of them. She forced her way between them with elbows and shoulder shoves, staring directly up to the one who was speaking the most. "I hunt. You pay. Each kill, you pay." She glowered at the man who hesitated a bit, holding back a joke he was considering throw her way. "Aye, aye. 'kay. Yes, ma'am."
She turned toward the water, finding that the other sailors had already moved out of her way. And she took off in a full sprint down the wooden planks, thumping heavily over the warped wood, the sailors just gawking at the crazy woman. Reaching the end of the docks, she leapt outward in a dive. She didn't quite get enough arc, half belly flopping, half diving into the water. Ignoring her stinging skin, she began frog swimming toward the direction of the fins.
Head bobbing and down in the water in her strange style of swimming, self taught of course, she could see she was getting closer. She took a deep breath and disappeared beneath the surf, to get a better look at the creatures that had plagued the fishermen. They looked to be some sort of fish with long pointed noises and dark colorings. She floated there, treading under the water, just watching them. There were only three of them, chasing one another. Watching how they swam, she could see how fast they were, undulating along the entire length of their bodies.
She surfaced to rest, and get her breath back. She dipped back down and saw that the fish had noticed her, and were approaching her, playfully, just as the Irrawaddie did. She wondered if many sea creatures were so curious and friendly. They swam by her, and she could see that their noses weren't just long snouts. They had flattened blades upon them, much like a sword. She turned to face the direction they went, toward the docks. She stuck her arms out ahead of her, to try and mimic the shape of the shimfin.
Then she tried to kick, both legs at once, and moved nowhere. She did again, repeatedly, and found she wasn't moving at all. Grumping out some bubbles, she surfaced once more, and came back down. One of the shimfins had approached, slowing as it swam around her, checking her out. When it took off, she could see that it moved its entire body as it swam, not just its tail. She floated back to horizontal, arms out in front and tried to feel her way into the undulation. It started with her shoulders and neck, rolling down her spine and hips, her legs moving a bit like a whip behind her. And she moved! Only a little bit. But movement was had. She repeated it, realizing just how straining this was, using a bunch of muscles that she didn't even truly realize that she had.
She was moving now, slowly, but moving. It felt weird. Natural yet unnatural. It felt right, as if every creature should swim this way, but unnatural because she'd never done it before. But as she crept around in little circuits, pausing to breath, she could see the shimfins watching her, almost nodding in approval. It would be a shame to kill them, being so approving. But they were prey, just like everything else.
Xanthean Text
Kashehino Text
Ashan 35 718
Qit'ria had just dropped off some meat at Cally's, nothing special, just the standard Hafrein she normally brought in. She was in a particularly grouchy mood today, having just been annoyed by every little thing about this city. So many people, fluttering around like ants, but without the order and purpose of the creatures. Cities were just chaos. She began storming her way to the docks, she needed to let off this steam building within her. She hadn't realized much of it was due to the hormones caused by the growing bump in her stomach, but still she needed to work it out. So she was looking for her latest enjoyment. Though he'd need to be reminded to keep his hands off of her. She had no interest in his hands.
Reaching the docks, she stomped up and down the port, looking at every ship, shoving more than one teamster and one poor ginger courier out of her way, trying to find the Windrunner, and her fisherman upon it. But the ship was never found, her loins not satisfied, and her temper increasing. Up ahead there was a group of fisherman examining a bunch of torn nets.
"T'em damn beasts got us all innat last run. Fif'teen fuckin' nets ruined. Goddamn Shimfins."
"Why dey s'far south? Waters 're warmin' up, dey should'a head back north."
"Beats me, but t'at's the fif'th time in te last ten-trial t'ey've gutted m' nets. An' look, t'ey're out t'ere now, frolickin 'round te bay still."
Qit'ria's eyes followed where they were pointing, and could see some sort of creatures out there swimming about, fins breaking the surface. She marched up to their group, a good head shorter than every single one of them. She forced her way between them with elbows and shoulder shoves, staring directly up to the one who was speaking the most. "I hunt. You pay. Each kill, you pay." She glowered at the man who hesitated a bit, holding back a joke he was considering throw her way. "Aye, aye. 'kay. Yes, ma'am."
She turned toward the water, finding that the other sailors had already moved out of her way. And she took off in a full sprint down the wooden planks, thumping heavily over the warped wood, the sailors just gawking at the crazy woman. Reaching the end of the docks, she leapt outward in a dive. She didn't quite get enough arc, half belly flopping, half diving into the water. Ignoring her stinging skin, she began frog swimming toward the direction of the fins.
Head bobbing and down in the water in her strange style of swimming, self taught of course, she could see she was getting closer. She took a deep breath and disappeared beneath the surf, to get a better look at the creatures that had plagued the fishermen. They looked to be some sort of fish with long pointed noises and dark colorings. She floated there, treading under the water, just watching them. There were only three of them, chasing one another. Watching how they swam, she could see how fast they were, undulating along the entire length of their bodies.
She surfaced to rest, and get her breath back. She dipped back down and saw that the fish had noticed her, and were approaching her, playfully, just as the Irrawaddie did. She wondered if many sea creatures were so curious and friendly. They swam by her, and she could see that their noses weren't just long snouts. They had flattened blades upon them, much like a sword. She turned to face the direction they went, toward the docks. She stuck her arms out ahead of her, to try and mimic the shape of the shimfin.
Then she tried to kick, both legs at once, and moved nowhere. She did again, repeatedly, and found she wasn't moving at all. Grumping out some bubbles, she surfaced once more, and came back down. One of the shimfins had approached, slowing as it swam around her, checking her out. When it took off, she could see that it moved its entire body as it swam, not just its tail. She floated back to horizontal, arms out in front and tried to feel her way into the undulation. It started with her shoulders and neck, rolling down her spine and hips, her legs moving a bit like a whip behind her. And she moved! Only a little bit. But movement was had. She repeated it, realizing just how straining this was, using a bunch of muscles that she didn't even truly realize that she had.
She was moving now, slowly, but moving. It felt weird. Natural yet unnatural. It felt right, as if every creature should swim this way, but unnatural because she'd never done it before. But as she crept around in little circuits, pausing to breath, she could see the shimfins watching her, almost nodding in approval. It would be a shame to kill them, being so approving. But they were prey, just like everything else.
