Running of the Piglets (OPEN)

[Gegenji]

The sudden treat caused most of Gran's ire to evaporate away like the morning dew on Thanalanian grasses. Being used to treats in the jerked meat variety, though, he was surprised to be presented with one that was so much more colorful. And smelled so much differently. He snuffled at the carrot piece proffered to him, trying to figure out what it was and - more importantly - if he could eat it.

 

Sight test and smell test both came back inconclusive, but he had seen the bipeds noshing on it so it couldn't be all that bad. A small rumbling in his belly further cemented his willingness to give it a try. One more tentative sniff and the baby behemoth daintily took the treat into his mouth.

 

And then Gran proceeded to eat it in the noisiest way possible. Unfamiliar with the more rigid and unyielding texture of the carrot, the little porker crunched and munched at it with deliberate opening and closings of his mouth to ensure proper mastication. His eyes were pointed downward at his own snout, as if trying to watch himself consume the strange treat. Only after doing this for what might seem as an excessively long time did Gran swallow it. And decide that he preferred the jerky treats Chachanji gave him as a snack more, while his tummy rumbled for something more filling.

 

As if to answer his porcine wish, the assortment of meats arrived. Their current waiter hung back as a heftier fellow presented a wide assortment of roasted and grilled delights. The smell immediately set Gran to drooling, and more than willing to try to escape Steel Wolf's grasp to partake like the little piggy he was. It was only after it was all tabled that their timid waiter approached again, holding a small bowl of what looked like pressed-together balls of meat scraps.

 

"And... ah... for your pet..." he intoned, placing the bowl gently in front of the Roegadyn and her purple bundle. A closer inspection would indeed show that they were little more than leftover bits of other meat dishes that had been churned up and shaped into little spheres, perfect for consumption by a growing baby behemoth. Being as savvy as she was, Momodi had sought to think of a catchy name for the things, should she find a market for them as treats for the various other pets adventurers seemed to be traveling around with these days. Ballhemoths, Behemeaties, Minyums, an entire list of rejected ideas was scribbled down on a scrap of parchment somewhere in the Lalafell's possession. It was only when she overheard Gran's owner talking about teaching the little porker to throw rocks like the bigguns that she was struck with horrible, horrible inspiration.

 

Meateors.

 

The idea came to me on the drive home yesterday and I had to use it. So, uh, sorry not sorry. :blush:

 

[Elysia]

The Miqo'te's fanciful ramble both bemused and baffled Avis, but the real wonder was Steel, who was, unlike Avis, at present completely in touch with her maternal faculties. Avis stared in barely-disguised amazement at Steel's hopeless descent into love. What were those soft, gentle, almost high-pitched sounds being emitted from the direction of that tall, roaring, axe-bearing, elevator-charging, warlike Roegadyn? She had never employed such... methods... of endearment with her own feathered famliar, the eminent Sir Fabuli, as she liked to call him. They were close, yes, trusted each other,  yes, had non-verbal, almost telepathic bickerings, yes, but if they veered towards mutual fondness more than a strictly professional relationship, it surely wasn't the result of pets, strokes, caresses, and... cooing.

 

She broke out of it enough to turn to Miko with a heavy-lidded smirk. "Generally, my dear, anything less than three-quarters my size would be quite out of the question," she said dryly. She was quite enjoying the Miqo'te's company, though, and she wondered what it would be like if they turned the tables and launched torrents of questions at her instead. If she hadn't been this tired, it could've been her next mission. 

 

The first being achieving good standing with the baby behemoth, of course. Friendship through food made perfect sense. Avis would take it upon herself to be Pig's personal feeder this time, even if the clockwork-like movement and noisy clicks of his jaws and teeth around the carrot stick had proved a little... disconcerting. 

 

And right on cue, the food arrived. 

 

Avis nodded at their favorite young waiter, who hung behind first, as she retrieved her money pouch, gesturing to indicate that the payment for this round would come from her instead. She began laying out coins on the table in small mounds carefully, and, noting how redness had seemed to spread into the waiter's ears upon nearing their very intimidating group, emptied the rest of her pouch for him. Not that there was much left. She trusted in Steel's size and that of the larger waiter to deter any thief looking to make off with a quick one, as the long-forgotten smell of Ul'dahn roasts and grills greeted her nostrils. Ah. For a moment her migraine vaporized. Perhaps she'd be able to stomach this after all. 

 

Then a second bowl was placed right in front of Pig, a bowl of meat shaped neatly by hand into red, bloody-looing balls that seemed to fit right into a human palm. The little one looked eager already, sniffing, snorting, squirming. Avis seized her chance and, reaching into the meat bowl, plucked up one of these, positioning its unwelcome stickiness properly in her hand before lifting it to the baby behemoth. 

 

"Nibbles for our tibbles!" Avis offered in an awkwardly lilting, singsong tone. "Will this your fancy tickle, you porky little pickle? Aaaaaaaaaahhhh."

 

Rhymes and songs worked for children; might they not work similarly for this stubborn little carnivore? She had fallen low indeed. Yes, Steel might find in her a good student. 

 

 

you did nault just do that. /sry, been stuck in Coerthas for a few days

 

[Gegenji]

Even if he could understand the babbling coming out of Avis' mouth, Gran would've been hard-pressed to understand what she was saying. The look he gave her was one of bewilderment, his horned head canted slightly to one side to conceptualize his confusion. He he eyebrows, one of them most certainly would've been hiked up while the other remained slightly furrowed. As he did not, he made do with what he had.

 

Still, she was offering him one of his favorite meal-time treats. Still still, she was the one that had said things towards him that - while he didn't understand them - he hadn't liked how they had been said. Still still still, he did have significant backup in the form of Steel Wolf, who seemed to be the sort to react quite negatively should the Hyur do anything overly untoward to the purple porker. He wasn't fully sure of how the dynamics worked with the bipeds - he'd seen several taller ones yelling at smaller ones that looked not unlike his owner - but the Roegadyn's much larger size and armored hide probably meant she could take Avis on should it come to blows. Not that the baby behemoth was a slouch himself, he had totally beaten that armored chocobo those many suns ago, after all.

 

So, with much nervous snuffling, little Gran slowly leaned forward from his perch in Steel Wolf's arms. A ripple of movement along his lips, followed by a second, and his mouth opened slightly. And closed. And opened again.

 

On the third time, the baby behemoth was close enough to the Meateor that his snout bumped lightly against it and gained a bit of residue in the treat's juices. Slowly, carefully, he wrapped his mouth around the ball of meat... and then, food secured, snapped back into the safety Steel Wolf's arms and began to chew.

[Steel Wolf]

No amount of training in the martial disciplines could have prepared Steel for the surprise of Avis' children's rhyme at the baby behemoth. It completely caught her unawares, frozen in shock as she struggled to not throw her head back in laughter lest she offend the Hyur, who was very clearly trying to win the purple bundle's good graces.

 

She fought with all the might of her propriety to not laugh.

 

She wasn't completely successful, as she instead had let slip a tittering "Gfuuhuuhuu..." noise.

 

Her features immediately deadpanned after the sound escaped her lips, hoping beyond all rational thought that the chuckle wasn't heard.

 

The behemoth, however, seemed to react. Either to the soft couplet coming from Avis or--more likely--the balled meat treat that rested lightly in her fingers. She watched, a smile slowly growing upon her lips as the pork loin leaned forward and once....twice....thrice made moves to the meateor before shrinking back in to the pen her armored arms had formed for him, jaw working madly at the food as if it had never been treated before.

 

"Ah! See that! There y'go! Good boy, Eggpla--er, whatever yer name is. Goood...see? She's a good sort. She's good. Yeeeees...."

 

Whatever scene Avis may have made with her children's song in feeding a bright purple baby behemoth would perhaps be lost to passers-by as a giant Roegadyn woman continued to coddle and stroke its Mohawk-fur. Suddenly, her axe probably could have been made of sponge cake and fondant for all anyone knew.

 

Meateor. Dammit, Gegenji....WAY too good at this adorbs stuff.

 

[MikoBehnen]

The other two women seemed fairly engrossed with the antics of the small animal and those strange round things that looked like meat. Miko checked to make sure neither woman was looking her way and sneaked another ball out of the bowl sitting in front of Steel. 

 

It was squishy and smelled terrible to her nose, but seeing the pig happily chomping down on one she lifted it to her lips and took a small lick. It tasted largely of salt with a slight hint of dodo which was not too bad, so she took a tiny bite and immediately regretted that decision. It tasted like all the bits you didn't want to eat rolled up into a tight little ball. 

 

Trying to paw the taste from her tongue she cried "These are just awful!" and dropped the meaty morsel to the floor.

 

Decided: Meateors MUST be worked into our future band name. *nods sagely*

 

[Gegenji]

"Well, if I knew the rest of my customers would want to try them, I'd make them with more choice pieces of meat," came a response to Miko's outburst. If one were to turn their head towards the sound, and looked down the prerequisite amount, they would find that Ms. Momodi herself had deigned to investigate the waiter's talk of a baby behemoth. One corner of her mouth hooked upward in a right grin as she tapped her lower lip with a finger. "I'd probably actually cook them, too."

 

She was quiet for a moment, thinking on the possibilities of Meateors for people, before remembering why she had come over.

 

"Anyroad!" she intoned, returning to the matter at hand and placing her hands on her hips. "I just wanted to see if your little companion enjoyed my Meateors. Not many folks bring there pets in here, let alone another baby behemoth like Gran."

 

The little behemoth's ears perked up at the sound of his name, certainly one of the words he did know, and he glanced towards the speaker. He didn't even bother swallowing his meal beforehand, looking down at the owner with the Quicksand while continuing to nosh on his treat. He gave a simple snort of recognition, then proceeded to try to paw his way back down to the bowl to consume more of those delectable balls of meat.

 

This had the added effect of allowing the lady Lalafell to get a closer look at the "second" baby behemoth and, having seen it so many times before at Chachanji's side, she was quick to recognize it.

 

"Or... just Gran, apparently."

 

The little porker just gave another snort before flopping down onto the table. Oblivious to his identification, he trotted proudly to the bowl and immediately stuffed his snout into it. While muffled a bit by the curvature of the ceramics, it was fairly obvious he was going to town on those Meateors.

[Steel Wolf]

"So THAT'S th'little terror's name, then!"

 

Steel grinned broadly and offered a polite bow to Momodi--as polite as she could muster from her seated position. Her arms rested back to her sides as the now-identified porker trotted over to the bowl of delicious Dalamuds and began to eat like...well....a hog.

 

"A pleasure t'see you again, Miss Momodi." ,replied Steel. "If you're familiar with this little beastie's name, then I would hope you're also familiar with 'is owner?" Her voice was curious, even though she likely already knew the answer. Deep down, though, she had hoped that maybe Momodi didn't somehow know everything that passed through her sphere of influence and that she could keep the purple dumpling.

[Elysia]

Avis only faintly registered the Roegadyn lady's amusement and the Miqo'te's next quirky social blunder. She was rather absorbed in the queer, new pleasantness that was the baby behemoth's moist breath tickling her palm as he finally plucked the morsel from her hand on the third try. The Hyur bent and tilted her head slightly to observe Pig's decisive chewing movements with a scientist's fascination. How simple and instinctual an animal's relish was - though this rotund purple curiosity continued to perplex her so. 

 

She heard Momodi's voice before she saw her - the proprietess had seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Avis grimaced. She should've kept the hood on, though that might have increased the chances of suffocation in typical Ul'dahn crowds in her current state. Only her hair (rather disheveled by now) falling in front of her face as she watched Pig kept Momodi from instantly knowing the absent recalcitrant Ingram girl for who she was, but recognition was only a matter of time now.

 

So she raised her chin and gave Momodi one of her big girlish grins of old. There the Lalafell lady stood in all her familiar, auburn, maternal glory, and Avis felt a great rush of affection for her - she hadn't been this close to her in a long while. Though she'd found reasons (and excuses) to return to the city twice in the past few months, she had always managed to successfully conceal her identity in the Quicksand with a hood and the fortunate fact that the reputable tavern brimmed with passing adventurers - there were always new faces around. 

 

Besides, that family affair was old news by now. 

 

"Good day, Momodi. It seems you have quite a handful to deal with today," Avis said, as though it was the most natural thing in the world for an Ingram, who'd a year ago left declaring that she would have nothing more to do with Ul'dah, to be sitting here enjoying the company of Steel and Miko while stroking someone else's baby Gran. For that was what she was doing now, her touch featherlight on his head, the way she'd seen Steel do it, while he indulged messily in an edenic playground of... meateors, was it?

 

 

Momodi's eyes widened; Avis kept her smile bright, praying that the Lalafell would focus on Steel's question and save her other questions for later.

 

Especially if one of them pertained to her abysmal singing performance. 

 

 

Avis's backstory really isn't important, but feel free to play along if you like.

 

 

Also, I'll be away in Japan for the next ten days. I should still have access to internet, though, and will try to post at least once a day whenever possible 8)  

 

[MikoBehnen]

Miko suddenly found herself in the role of the spectator, which if she were to be honest with herself she preferred to this interaction stuff. You could learn so much by observation alone, and one of her books had even called it something like the basis of science. She didn't seem to be doing to well in the social communication arena anyway. An unfortunate byproduct of her past, she supposed. A small woman had come up to the table and had at last named the catalyst of this odd trio, which meant she likely new the pig's original companion. Perhaps Miko could finally get some of her questions answered.

 

The other two woman had addressed the newcomer with a sense of familiarity which meant she was likely a well known figure in the city, and given her comment about the "Meateors," Miko chuckled a bit at the pun, she was likely the tavern's proprietor. They had also called her "Miss Momodi," which sounded familiar to even a fresh visitor to the city, so she was not just well known in Ul'dah. Being the only one in the group, including Gran it seemed, who did not know this woman, Miko elected to stay silent and see what more she could learn about this new member to their group... and if Steel's question was answered, the true owner of the first one.

 

 

*Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science. - Robert Green Ingersoll

[Gegenji]

Momodi eyed Avis thoughtfully, several memories and questions rising unbidden to her mind. She had been fairly certain she had caught glimpses of the Hyur's face from beneath a hood here and there, but she had never been absolutely certain of it. Now here she was, uncloaked - if the Lalafell had identified her correctly, of course - and spending time in some interesting company. And she wasn't referring to just Gran. Speaking of, though...

 

"Considerin' that little dish he's currently inhalin' was made with him in mind, I'd hope I knew 'im," Momodi responded playfully, one small fist on her hip as the other hand waggled an instructive finger. "That goes for his owner, too." Her free hand moved to mirror the other on her hip. "Though, I rarely see one without the other, so this is a bit of a surprise. Gran is usually in their Hourglass room until Chachan gets home, and it's hard to miss that kid runnin' around..."

 

The Quicksand's owner made a point to glance around the well-populated establishment, trying to catch sight of the baby behemoth's owner. Chachanji's return times were always rather nebulous - his tasks could run long or he'd immediately peel off to train with that Free Paladin Warren - but she usually noticed his return well before he let his little pig-friend free from his room. And even on the few times she hadn't, he had always made a point of calling up the stairs first to summon his partner in crime to his side, giving ample warning to anyone paying him any lick of attention. Of course, now that she mused on that particular point, that meant already Gran knew how to get out of the room. Perhaps it was even stranger that the little porker hadn't done it before now.

 

... Or maybe he had and she'd just never noticed...

 

Hm.

 

It was a troublesome thought to be sure, and another thing she needed to remember to look into. Either way, when her search turned up negative, she returned her attentions again to Steel Wolf - her eyes hesitating briefly again on Avis - before giving a magnanimous shrug of her shoulders. Gran, being that aforementioned baby behemoth, was enjoying his Meateor meal far too much to make his own porcine input, though he did arc his neck upward a bit into the Hyur's hand for more pets. He could always make time for more pets.

 

"... but apparently he isn't here." She returned her fists to her hips as her shoulders fell, and her attentions turned to the other puzzling matter at this table. "Yet, here's someone I didn't expect to see who is..."

[Steel Wolf]

Steel nodded, a warm smile playing on her lips though her heart had sunk just a little. Of course Momodi knew the owner of the piglet. Something this obvious wasn't going to escape the Lalafell's eagle eyes. Steel often wondered how she was able to keep her fingers in so many pies without confusing the flavors of each.

 

Regardless, Gran was now home, happily gnoshing away at the bowlful of Meateors as he urged the Hyur woman to give him pets. Steel was seconds away from obliging the need, but decided against making a move. The Hyur wanted to pet the baby, and the less cuddle time Steel offered Gran, the better, since this was very soon going to be goodbye.

 

"Well..." ,she replied to Momodi. "Clearly Gran's owner didnae bother to keep a tight lock on his door. Caught 'im prancin' about the Ruby Road, giddy as ye please. Shocked he wasn't snatched up by someone more untoward than myself an' my friends here."

 

She made a passing gesture over the staring, interested eyes of the Miqo'te and the silent and unusually stiff-backed Hyur woman. She'd only just met the pair, but she acknowledged companions when they proved true...and little seemed to tie the bonds tighter than an adventure. Even if It was of a more domestic nature.

 

"Now th'question raises." ,Steel continued. "What do we do with our lovely little purple pal 'ere?"

[Elysia]

Of course the excellent Momodi knew her instantly. Avis had to admit that that was quite the relief; there was something welcome about finally re-connecting with at least a single denizen of Ul'dah - Momodi being one of its best - instead of moving in shadows all the time. Still, explanations were troublesome, and she preferred her characteristic inconsistency to be kept under wraps. 

 

The game was up. "Just passing through, Momodi, though nothing could keep me from you and your establishment for long," Avis said lightly as her fingers continued trailing through Gran's bristly fur. She wasn't exactly lying on all of those points, though now she wore a queer expression that the experienced would translate unquestionably into a single word:  Later.

 

She turned her attention back to Gran, who was actually responding positively to her ministrations. Avis marveled once again at how easy animals were to please. Was Sir Fabuli like this? Was a good bucket of feed every morning all that established his loyalty to her?  She reflected on this as, emboldened, her strokes grew more assured, even running along his ears. Still, it didn't make her think less of the creature. It was actually... endearing. 

 

"Look, Steel, Miko," Avis breathed, entirely focused on Gran's movements, "look at how strange he is - this perturbable - piggy -  sweetheart."

 

...had she actually said that?

[Gegenji]

One didn't get into a position like Momodi's without being able to read people. As such, Avis' unspoken "later" was less of a subtle hint and more as a silent, implied commentary on the situation between them. Her eyes had then turned to what seemed to be the more important topic of conversation - the wayward Gran who was now pushing the bowl around with his snout as he licked at the juices that still clung stubbornly to its ceramic depths.

 

"Well," the lady Lalafell spoke, turning to face the seated Roegadyn. Those eyes that read deeper than most people thought gazing into Steel's own golden orbs. "I'm more than willin' to return the little porker to his room... if that's what you'd like me to do. From how I'm seein' it, though, I don't think we needs must rush him away quite so quickly. Mayhaps he'll be well enough in such friendly company until his owner returns to claim him."

 

At which point, Momodi silent added, they could meet the boy who owned the baby behemoth. The friend-loving Chachanji would most likely be thrilled to meet some new faces, especially those who were so enamored with his little companion. She had seen the faces he'd give Koporo, who was more than a little vocal about his opinions on the purple piglet. And his opinions in general.

 

Avis' blurting of the word "sweetheart" drew the Lalafell's attentions back to her formerly-wayward customer. It wasn't a look of confusion or alarm or anything of that nature. Just a warm smile as the Hyur cemented the friendly atmosphere at the table.

 

"Friendly company, indeed," she repeated, motioning for one of the servers to come claim the empty Meateor bowl before Gran licked a hole through the table. "Anyroad, our little friend seems to be in the mood for seconds. We'll bring around another helpin'. And if you need anythin' else, just ask. Okay?"

 

With a masterful grin and a wave of her hand, Momodi returned to her post behind the counter. Though, her eyes often drifted back over to that table of companions brought together by weird happenstance. She'd have to press Avis for the details when that unspoken "later" became "now."

[MikoBehnen]

At the mention of Gran's owner coming to claim him, Miko sat up straight with barely contained excitement. They would be able to tell her where he came from, or what he ate, though glancing over at the behemoth she was fairly sure she could answer that herself now. 

 

She leaned forward after the small proprietress walked away, not noticing the strange look she'd shot at her table mate. "What do you think his owner is like?" she asked. "I bet it's someone like Steel and that's why he likes her so much! Or maybe it was a pirate who found him on a ship he'd raided! Or a princess who received the pet as a gift from a mysterious suitor." she sighed and put both her hands to her face "Oh, a Princess!" 

 

Her mind spiraled off, quickly creating even more ridiculous ideas. Her favorite being one where Gran, and his mighty Paladin companion with a tragic back story, fought their way through a castle full of pirates and dragons to save the mighty warrior princess being held prisoner at the top of the tower by the evil moogle enchanter! Gran even got his own sword in that particular fantasy, and he was quite daring. 

 

The image of the small pig with a sword in his mouth cutting down pirates caused Miko to look at him with a new sense of awe. She stuck her hand out and whispered to Steel "May I try petting him too?"

[Steel Wolf]

Steel could hardly contain her beaming smile at the mention of not locking up little Gran, despite knowing his name, his owner and his ultimate destination within Ul'dah. More porker time! She was beyond the moon with delight.

 

So, too, was Gran as he tried like hell to eat the ceramic off of the bowl of meateors. The servers would have to be quick. She was tempted to remove the bowl from his feverishly snuffling snout, but she thought better of it and instead left him to absolutely eat the scent off of the bowl in front of him.

 

She gave Momodi a nod of thanks as the mistress of the Quicksand returned to her regular post. Her giant grin was flashed to all at the table. Avis' mention of sweetheart to the piglet. Miko's newest rambling stream. A platter of delicious meat. This was probably the happiest Steel had allowed herself to be in a long, long while.

 

"I don't see why ye can't give 'im a pet. He seems t'like the pets, doncha, Gran?" ,cooed Steel. Again with the cooing.

 

"Ladies." ,she then stated, clapping her hands on her lap. "it would appear that we are tasked with a great an' noble deed. T'keep this little purple bundle under our protection an' watch as he enjoys hisself and the splendors of Ul'dah while we await for his owner's return. I'm open t'suggestions, save for puttin' him back in his room. Obviously, Gran-boy 'ere's not looking to be clapped in a box again."

[Elysia]

Avis withdrew her hand from Gran and stared after Momodi fondly as she left their table. She did owe the good lady an explanation, a story or two, before she departed again. They would have much to talk about - over Momodi's best brew - of that she was sure. 

 

She turned back to Steel, whose dramatic pronouncement of their day's duties revealed barely restrained delight at the prospect of a few hours more with 'Gran-boy'. (What would she do when the time for parting came?) Avis smiled, awash in the easy merriment of fresh new kinships, and her mind spun with ideas and memories. "The Chocobo Stables," she suggested, reciting the first few places that came to mind. "Gran might meet more like-minded friends of the beaked kind. Or we could take Gran and Miko on a fountain-bath trip and annoy some guards. Or... haul all of us over some tricky terrain for the best secret views of the city." Her eyes closed for a moment as she recalled a childhood spent scraping her palms and snagging her best dresses through splintered stalls and peeling alleyways. 

 

She leaned forward and picked up a fork, adding, with a new note of regret - bitterness? - in her tone, "I'd prefer to avoid the Gold Court or any of the red-carpeted areas, though it's far more likely for Miko to spot a member of royalty there rather than here."

 

Avis reached for one of the meat morsels and popped it into her mouth in some satisfaction. Ul'dahn meats - drier, sharper, a spicy sensation to the unaccustomed tongue. Her appetite had not yet returned, but she knew what was good for her. Best to stock up, even if that might mean an even heavier head while they clambered through their city with a restless baby behemoth. But perhaps the second round of meat might lull him to sleep too?

[Gegenji]

If Gran was aware of all the conversation about him and what to do with him, he resolutely refused to show it. Getting that last speck of Meateor juice off the bottom of the bowl was of utmost importance, after all, and that demanded his full attention. Even once that was long gone, the baby behemoth had to make sure he didn't miss any other hidden bits and that required getting a better angle on the situation. However, his pawing at the bowl's lip for that needed advantage had an unexpected result - tipping the whole thing up and over his head before getting hooked on his horns.

 

What followed was an odd little scene of the little porker back-pedaling and dragging the upturned bowl with him as he went, interrupting the conversations both at the table and those nearby with the grinding sound of ceramic against wood. Even his little whines were drowned out by the gravely noise, which continued until he backed up into Miko's eager hand. The sudden stop did manage to jolt the bowl free, however, and it noisily oscillated about until settling back down flat and upside-down on the table.

 

Free of his unintended headgear, Gran warily approached the offending bowl, creeping up on it like a couerl after a skittish spriggan. Leaning forward, he gave it a tentative snortling sniff to ascertain its current threat level. After he built up enough confidence, he pawed at it lightly with a front foot before dancing away with a warding snort to keep it at bay. Another poke and retreat, and he was confident enough to give it a good kicking with a hind leg as he turned away from his defeated adversary and focused on other matters - such as the meaty treats the bipeds were eating.

 

After all, the dangerous Bowl was no threat now that he had given it such a sound thrashing.

[Steel Wolf]

*casts Re-Raise on the thread!

 

 

Steel watched with an amused expression as the purple piglet had a Fierce Battle with the now truly emptied bowl of Meateors. She clapped a hand on her cheek and shook her head at Gran's antics, letting out a cheer as his horn tapped the offending dishware for a sign of life before kicking it away like the carcass it was.

 

"My hero!" ,she exclaimed loudly, scooping him up for a quick hug and a few pets before returning him to the table and to his own devices once more.

 

She took up another strip of meats from the center platter--a long piece of gamey but spicy jerky--and tore off a bite, chewing a few times as she mused over Avis' suggestions. All of them seemed excellent ideas, but one did stand out to her mind. "Well...seein's how our valiant little steed 'ere enjoys charging off into new territory, he might like himself a visit to th' Stables. It'd be close enough to where we can meet up with his owner should he come seekin' him, and far enough for those little hooves to feel adventurous."

 

She rubbed her chin, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Though...I do rather enjoy the thought of annoyin' me some Brass Blades. Or guards in general..."