As if by divine providence, the eggs were coming to the salamander! The big lug couldn't be happier. Well, maybe a little bit happier - if the shouty one would stop yammering things. The little glittering thing was of brief interest due to its inherently shiny nature, but the amphibian knew where its interests lay.
It was big and it was hungry, so it wanted food. Food that just so happened to be presented openly to him. As would be his right, had he the intelligence or ego to even consider such things. He didn't, though, so he went with the simple solution of "see food, eat food."
That maw opened again, this time regaling three things with its... unique scent instead of one. Its rubbery tongue lolled out and scooped up the armload of dodo eggs in one go, curling up around the batch before retracting back into the salamander's mouth. A mouth that closed with a snap, followed by an incessantly noisy sound of shattering eggshells.
... And leaving poor Jancis with her arms - along with most of her upper torso and head - coated in salamander saliva. The hair that usually curved just so over her right eye was now sticking straight up thanks to its new, primitive styling technique. At least the rain would help wash it off... right?
That wasn't to be the end of the Conjurer's ordeal, however, as the salamander returned its attentions to her after a grand, guttural swallow. It sniffed and snortled at her clothes, which still had the scent of dodo eggs clinging to it, and dimly wondered what other gifts the Hyur had for it. It pressed into her intently, urgently, with a slimy, rubbery snout.
Several other of the slimy beasts has also seemingly gotten interested in the scent of eggs. The one near Ana oozed its way over to prod Jancis in the back of the leg, and several others were seeming to get interested as well. More and more seemed to emerge from the muck, until there was a crowd of them to rival the crowd of onlookers.
Salvation came from an odd source. The massive salamander itself. This was his treat-giver, they could not have her! With a warbling wail that engulfed Jancis, Cliaux, and Cyan again in his marshy breath, the beast took to rounding up his smaller kin, snapping and lashing out at them. Just as quickly as the smaller amphibians had appeared, they were chased off further into Upper La Noscea by the dominant male.
But how long until he returned, or more salamanders took advantage of his absence? Who could say...
It was big and it was hungry, so it wanted food. Food that just so happened to be presented openly to him. As would be his right, had he the intelligence or ego to even consider such things. He didn't, though, so he went with the simple solution of "see food, eat food."
That maw opened again, this time regaling three things with its... unique scent instead of one. Its rubbery tongue lolled out and scooped up the armload of dodo eggs in one go, curling up around the batch before retracting back into the salamander's mouth. A mouth that closed with a snap, followed by an incessantly noisy sound of shattering eggshells.
... And leaving poor Jancis with her arms - along with most of her upper torso and head - coated in salamander saliva. The hair that usually curved just so over her right eye was now sticking straight up thanks to its new, primitive styling technique. At least the rain would help wash it off... right?
That wasn't to be the end of the Conjurer's ordeal, however, as the salamander returned its attentions to her after a grand, guttural swallow. It sniffed and snortled at her clothes, which still had the scent of dodo eggs clinging to it, and dimly wondered what other gifts the Hyur had for it. It pressed into her intently, urgently, with a slimy, rubbery snout.
Several other of the slimy beasts has also seemingly gotten interested in the scent of eggs. The one near Ana oozed its way over to prod Jancis in the back of the leg, and several others were seeming to get interested as well. More and more seemed to emerge from the muck, until there was a crowd of them to rival the crowd of onlookers.
Salvation came from an odd source. The massive salamander itself. This was his treat-giver, they could not have her! With a warbling wail that engulfed Jancis, Cliaux, and Cyan again in his marshy breath, the beast took to rounding up his smaller kin, snapping and lashing out at them. Just as quickly as the smaller amphibians had appeared, they were chased off further into Upper La Noscea by the dominant male.
But how long until he returned, or more salamanders took advantage of his absence? Who could say...
~