Shen - Prying and Prattling

[22:27] <@Deedles> "I guess you must come from a troubled town like this then." the red-haired girl said, sounding a bit sad as she did, followed by a faint grunt as she adjusted her hold of the basket she carried.
[22:32] <Shen> "Please, let me carry that. Its the least I can do." he offered, holding out a hand towards her. "I have done a bit of travelling." he admitted in answer to her question. "There are a lot of places, facing lots of troubles. I'm sorry to hear this village is no different."
[22:42] <@Deedles> She girl hesitated as she looked at him "I really couldn't... You're a guest, after all." she insisted quietly, before she uttered a faint laugh. "Mother would scold me if I made you carry this."
[22:44] <Shen> "And she wouldn't for bringing back a complete stranger who you've only just met?" he pondered aloud back to her, his hand still outstretched. "I might be a guest, but my arms are still working fine."
[22:48] <@Deedles> "Injured travellers is not an uncommon sight around these parts, and my father always used to say that the biggest problem in the world is no one helps each other." She told him with a slight smile. She glanced at the basket as she pondered on her own words, before she slowly handed it to him.
[22:50] <Shen> He nodded, taking the basket from her with a smile of his own. "Wise words used in past tense, he must have been a good man."
[22:52] <@Deedles> "He was... The best." The red-haired girl's smile brightened as she spoke. "He used to be the Captain of the Guard here." she told him, her tone holding faint hints of pride.
[22:54] <Shen> "Strong too, then." he counted with an appreciative nod. "What happened to him, if you don't mind such a question?"
[23:05] <@Deedles> She paused at that, pondering on his question. "Me and my brother were out playing one evening, it was the when the attacks first started to happen. We were attack, I got a giant cut on my leg, and I screamed, my brother trid to carry me... and then father, he tried to protect us, he'd heard me but... he couldn't see what it was that was attacking. But I ..." she trailed off, going silent as she shook her head.
[23:15] <Shen> He frowned slowly as she spoke. "I'm sorry, it must have been hard to witness such a thing... did he also suffer from lack of sight? It does make some things harder." he asked quietly, motioning discreetly towards his own eyes. He didn't want to distress the girl, but he felt her words leading to something.
[23:18] <@Deedles> She shook her head again "No, he could see just fine, but he couldn't see his opponent for some reason. No one could, but I..." she looked uncertain as she went quiet at the same set of words, before adding, in a low tone. "But I'm certain I saw a giant black tiger... I tried telling them that, but everyone told me it must of been an illusion created by the trauma..." she uttered a humourless laugh. "So I guess it must be."
[23:24] <Shen> He turned his head to her slightly more, the faint smile on his face unmoving. "It makes more sense than an invisible something." he pondered thoughtfully. "By the sounds of it, the attacks still happen. Have you seen it since that day?" he asked quietly.
[23:26] <@Deedles> "I did when I was younger, but now... sometimes, but it's like a flicker. Like seeing something through heavy rain in the night, it's really hazy and distorted, and...." She obviously got into it as she started explaining what it was like, but suddenly stopped. "And no one believes me anyway, though I've heard some of the children speak of similar things..." she murmured.
[23:34] <Shen> "For what little value it might hold, I believe you." he offered back to her with a slight, silent shrug. "Do you know anything about Tigers?" he questioned.
[23:43] <@Deedles> "Not really... I do know that the forest is called White Tiger Forest, and that there are a lot of stories about a great, white, tiger spirit connected to it." She shrugged faintly "But I don't know what that means."
[23:50] <Shen> "Sounds like an interesting story." he hummed, with a conceding nod and falling briefly quiet. "I saw there were quite a few guards around when I came in, are the attacks quite frequent?"
[00:07] <@Deedles> "They used to be more frequent, when I was a kid, but they've lessened over time. They still occure at least once or twice a week, but since we can never be sure when they always make sure to have plenty of guards around." Meifen told him as they walked.
[00:11] <Shen> "It seems like a good precaution to take." he mused in response. "For such village, you're lucky to have such numerous guardians. Though after your father, I can imagine they had a hard time finding someone to replace him."
[00:17] <@Deedles> "They did, but then Hikiru Tzuling and his wife were chosen for it." Meifen smiled slightly "They're very capable at their jobs..." she said, in that strained tone you get as you obviously struggle to find a compliment for someone.
[00:25] <Shen> "How do you mean?" he asked, his voice curious as they walked. "It sounds like you aren't too fond of them."
[00:28] <@Deedles> "They train the guards well, and they make solid patrol patterns, and they do run that girl off whenever she comes to town." She told him, hesitating for a moment, before adding. "But they make me uneasy, unlike my father who only attacked if something was a clear and present danger they seem more keen on attacking first and asking questions later." She paused
[00:28] <@Deedles> "And they talk a lot about 'the threat'... It almost feels like they want us to be scared."
[00:35] <Shen> "That is troubling." he agreed quietly as he thought. "Is it only 'that girl' that they attack? Is she the threat?"
[00:38] <@Deedles> "They seem to think so, and she does only seem to appear in town when the attacks occure." Meifen said, perking up as she pointed on ahead "That's my..." she trailed off as she suppressed the urge to slap her own forehead, clearing her throat awkwardly as she spoke, her tone holding embarrassment. "We're nearly at my home now..."
[00:45] <Shen> He smiled faintly as they approached. "I was beginning to think you lived in the forest." he clucked with an amused tone. "Thank you again for offering your hospitality..." he trailed off, as he searched for a name but realised he never received one. "My name is Shen, by the way. I'm sorry for asking so many questions without even introducing myself." he grumbled a little at himself,
[00:45] <Shen> but it was not exactly because he was forgetful.
[00:52] <@Deedles> "Oh yeah, I completely forgot to tell you my name too..." She blushed at that, muttering something about how she can ramble about stuff, but then forgets the actual important stuff. She smiled slightly at him "I'm Meifen, and don't apologize to asking stuff... as you might of noticed I can prattle on for ages." she said with a half-laugh.
[00:58] <Shen> "Its nice to meet you, Meifen." his smile widened in amusement as she laughed. "Just tell me if I pry too much, I'm a curious person by nature."
[01:00] <@Deedles> "I don't mind, it's nice having someone to talk to, but I'd really like to know about where you're from. Is it nice? Got a family waiting for you? Someone special?" she tilted her head to the side as she smiled curiously at him.
[01:08] <Shen> He didn't say anything at first, his lips barely parting then turning into another smile, this one though was full of emotion just from the mere thought. "I'm from a village not far from here, where a very large family waits for me." he chuckles as his faded eyes tilt towards the girl.
[01:12] <@Deedles> "You look really happy thinking about it." She commented, her tone revealing her own bright smile. She stopped by the front door to her and her mother's home. It was a quaint house that was made of light coloured wood with black frames around the windows, and the door, metal decorating it here and there. "So, I guess we better get you all healed up then so that you can be on your way and get home."
[01:12] <@Deedles> she concluded with a firm nod, and a broad smile.
[01:14] <Shen> "That sounds like a solid plan." he agrees as he reorientates his thoughts back to reality. "Its quite a way to go."