Godess? I Think Not

Arora was out doing her thing. In the jungle, she'd formed a bit of a following for her lifestyle, almost all those she had met were willing to worship her in one way or another. And as such, her Heart Tree here was flourishing. The thing had grown exponentially, reaching the ceiling of the cavern it was planted within and allowing dark branches to spread along it like vines. Pink flowers that offered faint glow to the bleak cave had formed strands to hang from the ceiling like stalactites, the tips of the bundles even offering a ripe, magenta fruit. They hung heavy to sway in winds that simply were not there, as if dangling life above the multitude of remains that lay heavy in a carpet across the floor. Piled higher at the base of her tree. And just outside the cave her flora was blooming in full, the deep navy and bright magenta glowing softly in the night spread throughout the area thickly. That's where the Goddess herself was, gently tending to the forest near the entrance of her cave, carefully nudging ferns the size of a wolf-monster's head to grow over the opening to her Heart.

Ailuin was traveling amongst the jungle, collecting samples when he happened upon a STRANGE smelling different looking different tree. That caught his absolute fascination and sitting for hours to grasp every kind of sample that one could even TRY to understand. Clearly, he was absolutely fascinated by the absurd growth rate, picking along the strange scent to follow it as he adjusted his hat and fine clothes marking him clearly as a merchant and someone who shouldn't be wandering the jungle alone. However, he had a leech of a Arkaina that hardly left him alone to his own devices, even as crafty as he may try to be, he found out soon enough after meeting the Arkaina and saving a few of her kin, she wasn't leaving him anytime soon. Even if in these times like this she was absolutely silent. Ailuin stepped forth and clasped his hands behind his back as he noted the den entrance, hmming with tail swishing side to side, only to roll his shoulders and pressed on, lifethorn flashing underneath that brilliant bright blue white color steadily as if showing NO fear despite the >>
Unknown of the area.  Stepping to stare at the fascinating tree with the glow all around him. He hmmed, picking up a flower and sniffing it over. What did smell like? A lick too. Yep. Licked the flower. What did it taste like. This was a man of science, not silly nonsensical things such as faith in Gods. Hah. He only had two Gods he worshipped, and he wasn't about to have a third.

Arora did not hide when the Arkaine neared, recognizing him for what he was though she did not call out, instead watching him walk into her cave, not even noticing herself just outside. Daft, maybe? She watched him bring his hand to a flower and cup it against his nose, knowing that it smelled of lilac and moonlight, fresh flower with the undertone of wet stone. Taste? It didn't take of chloroform like so much of this world did. No, it was slightly less bitter, with an woody grit in the back of the pallet. Definitely alien. "Hello." Stated from behind at the cave's entrance, barely leaning her horned head in before three toed feet disturbed the ground with a slight clatter of bone, the calcified things evaporating beneath her touch, springing instead navy blades of grass and deep purple fronds of fern. "This is my Home." She gestured to the tree within, it's trunk thick enough around now that it would be difficult to wrap one's arms around it. "I kindly ask you not disturb it greatly." Her Common was improving, at least. She hovered nearby, not quite within reach with her dark hands clasped before her and her ankles crossed. Crown had a few buds of pink near her jaw, though nothing more.

Ailuin hmmed as he plucked the flower, tail flicking as mismatched orange and purple eye gazed directly towards Canth. The brute before her was obviously quite a gentleman, evident by the attire of a regal vest with coin pouch and two batons on either hip linging his belt that hung loosely about him. A sack that was filled with all kinds of vials, in which one was procured and stuffed the flower into the vial. "Hello." came his response. Only to immediately take notice of the grounds effect when she pressed her feet down. Hello, what was this? Immediately Ailuin was hovering around her feet, instead of her face like any proper gentleman should, his top hat covering his horns but his pulse still flickering behind his clothes, sniffing all around her feet and grasping onto the dirt marks behind her and collecting that as well, in a vial. Scurrying around much like a man who was on a hound hunt, instead of a man who was  businessman despite his appearance of having been that. Ears flicked back as she said this was home. He turned to look over at her as she gestured to the tree, briefly. Ears flicking up. "Well your home, isn't quite home here, is it? It makes home off of the land and bones." was stated with such precision of only having been here MINUTES before. "But clearly it gives life back, intriguing." was muttered under his breath, almost as if speaking to himself, rather then her. >>If not stopped, Ailuin would immediately grab a foot from her and yank it from her, clearly aiming to try and get a sample of skin underneath her foot, sniffing it over as he placed it in a vial as well. Huffing as she said to not disturb it. "Should ask it to not disturb the bones here then." shot back, gazing up at her with a squinting dual gaze of clear pure intelligence and concentration, gazing up at her with such a perfected stoic face as nose twitched and looked her over. "Dressed like a proper slut rather then a Lady of High Esteem who leads this..." he paused, looking around him as he rubbed his hands before making a hm sound, with a clear squint directed her way. "Parasites." A good definition, really, of what it was. It was after all, feeding off  the land. Granted, it was GIVING back but it didn't mar the definition and truth of what this was. Hands tucked behind his back as he looked her up and down with a clear calculating sharp gaze, seemingly unafraid even if he knew he was ultimately sitting right in the jaws of the beast.

Arora's jaw clenched when he plucked that flower and claimed it as his own, watching it disappear into vial and then his clothing, a slight frown creasing her mouth. Not that the Goddess minded him picking her flowers to spread their pollen, it was more the disrespect he showed for her Home and Heart that caused the distinct downturn of her mouth. "I could show you my true home, but you have not yet earned my trust in that manner. It is true, I am not from here. But I promise you that I exist in perfect balance." She was calm as still water even as he approached her and took her foot into his hand, lifting it to show him the hoof there that was cloven into three pieces across her toes, more than likely able to take a sample of her hoof, though it would disintegrate the moment it left her being. "The bones are the result of offerings to myself and my domain. I take nothing that is not offered me, and only return what I am given equally." It wasn't like the alien Goddess was raiding a graveyard. >She frowned when he called her a slut, his disrespect far from appreciated, though she wasn't yet ready to call her people to her to rid her Heart of him. Perhaps he was rude, but he wasn't dumb. They both operated on logic, she simply had more knowledge on her side. "This is my armor. It was made for me to protect me from harm." A hand rose, fingertips skimming the golden plate laid across her heart and leaving trailing blue and brilliant white sparkles behind along its surface. Slowly that gold shimmered, and then suddenly snapped, covering every inch of her form in perfect fit with the shimmering material. Ever her eyes and horns hid behind a layer of white gold. "And I consider a parasite something that takes with the intention of consuming, and then moving on. I have no intention of consuming this place. Merely restoring its balance." With that her hand rose to run between her beasts once more, the golden armor shrinking back to allow the cloth to billow forth once more, pinkish gaze still aimed at him.  "I don't appreciate your rudeness, though. I could say you're dressed like a prude with the same tone, but I have enough of a mind to know that not all I see is the truth."<

Stared at her, clearly unobjectively even as she frowned. But her clear tolerance of his curious nature had him more then delighted to find a similar like minded individual. I could show you my true home "That's not...necessary for now no. I have all I need here." was stated, patting his vials of various samples he had gathered in a flurry of motion and quick precise accuracy of a hound dog on it's trail. Though he had to admit he was quite vexed for a sample of her foot underneath. When she spoke of what the bones were and what she did, Ailuin nodded. "Precisely what I said." was rumbled, Staring at her as she raised a hand, watching the magic pour forth a actual object. Tilting his head and blinking with ears flicking in surprise, Ailuin then rapped a knuckle on the formed armor, clearly seemingly testing the worth and thickness of the object, only to chuckle as it came back away. "And who made you the balance Keeper?" was rumbled, mismatched eyes gazing into her own. "What makes you worthy of such a thing to keep?" >>Clearing his throat as she spoke of his brashness, nodding as his ears folded back. "You are right, I did forget myself there on my manners. I apologize." was offered forth, pacing back and forth. "So if I wanted, say  sample of your foot there, to actually keep and study on, your price for such a thing would require?" was asked, tilting his head to the other side as his hands still remained strictly, clasped behind his back. He idly wondered if her touch along the ground actually worked on the OTHER foreign soil from her own homeland. The soil that was, of Tether. Smiling briefly at her, so brief it in a blink of an eye it was gone. "Because I must say, that might be worth trading for."

Arora's armor was thick enough he'd feel substantial weight behind the rap of his knuckles, the woman entirely unphased by his touch before the armor evaporated once more. His question on her place as a Goddess had her eyebrows twitching, though she took a step back and away from him, gesturing at her Heart, the cave, and the jungle beyond. "My people did. I was not always the way I am. I was once simply a spirit of a tree long dead beneath the soil of a planet far from here. My people found me, they worshipped me. They believe in what I am and the domain I hold power in. I never called myself Goddess, they did. They took pieces of me and brought them places in severe need of balance and I have restored it to them." Her rant held a small amount of passion somewhere, though she seemed calm enough while explaining herself to him. "I deserve to restore balance simply because I have the power and the motivation to do so. It is what has been asked of me. In return I claim a piece of this world as my own." His apology was met with a soft nod from her horned head. "You are forgiven." Easy as that, he had processed, and learned--it was all she could ask of most species. His question on her foot had her tail snapping side to side, feet shifting the weight of her hips from one side to the other. "As previously stated, I am a spirit. I am not so easy to sample, even with my aid." Hand dipped behind her to run the length of that whip-like tail, bringing the fluffy end of cotton candy hair to her palm. Opposite hand brought her fingers to the gem that lay at her throat amid those few budded pink flowers, pinching the smooth surface and drawing from it a short blade, as if it came from her throat or the gem directly. As if in demonstration, the blade was drawn across the fuzz of fur, which fell in a cloud at first but by the time it would have found the raw earth, it had turned to dust. >She brought her attention back up to him, releasing her tail to swing free. "I would have to take you to my home, and I am unwilling to do so. Unless you would like to offer your life, then there is no way of you having a piece of me in that fashion." <

While the concept of babysitting was not out of Arilyae's grasp, there came a particular level of annoyance when it came to babysitting adults. Yet, she couldn't simply let them wonder this world so freely. Not with the danger that lurked, so literally, at every turn. What else was she to do? The spotted Arkaina had no choice but to be their body guard.... Not to mention she felt a certain debt was owed to Ailuin, for helping her sister...

That is exactly how she had ended up back on Guilderium, back at the Tether she loathed and despised with every fiber of her being. But it was apart finished.... Soon she wouldn't ever have to look at this place again, right? She could only hope... There were still a handful of things she had to accomplish here... Why not kill two birds with one stone, anyway?

Yet, here she was. Still. And, as previously mentionex, the ever lingering shadow of a certain rude Arkaine. She wasn't ever particularly far off.... Tasair seemed to have more common sense about him, but perhaps that was the tribal natures they both shared.

She had been lingering, out of sight out of mind, in the treeline. Perched within the leaves with a sharp ear turned to focus on the conversation while her eyes provided protection.

Arora had.....chosen a rather unfortunate set of words that had those periwinkle eyes snapping on the duo's direction. A glare set to the back of the foreign woman's spiked head. >>
It made her hackles stand on end, and her lips briefly peeled back over her canines in a silent gesture. The warrior shifted in her chosen tree, a seafoam green glow engulfing her eyes for a moment when she pushed to jump from the branch. Briefly tapping the use of her psychokinesis to guide where she would land.

That glow faded the moment her paws touched ground, with a clear thud to announce her presence just moments before her voice. "Is that a threat, she who thinks she deserves." While she hadn't been seen, she had still been listening. Arilyae had spoke with a tone that was just as challenging as the question, a question that had been announced like a statement.... Dared this stranger, even, despite her charge's interest.

Ailuin wasn't really caring if she was annoyed or not. It was her choice, after all, to babysit, as she deemed it, him and Tasair and Kaeda, not his certainly. Chin tilted up with not even a GLANCE as Arilyae deemed it necessary to thud her way in. Dual toned eyes simply stared right at Arora as she answered honestly. "So then you are not a godess, but simply deemed a balance keeper. I understand. Hard task, I imagine." Came his curt reply to her first statement. Despite her passion for her people and her task set ahead of her, Ailuin did not at all seem perturbed by it, nor in fact surprised at the passion that came behind her words. Tilting his head up as eyebrow rose when she said she deserved, smirking when she claimed what she had the drive to do so. "Do you? Curious...and what is motivating you right now, resting here with nothing to do?" was asked. Nodding when she said he was forgiven. "I do not often mean to be rude." When she said that next bit, Ailuin tsked. "Damn shame, no data...hm. Is there any way I could ask a sample from your heart then?" was asked, gesturing to the pulsing tree center. Watching as she moved her fluffy end to her palm, observing what she meant, only to widen his eyes in fascination at the object that became a sword. Clearly, Ailuin was enraptured at this point, smiling as his tail wagged furiously side to side. >>Those dual toned eyes dancing with pure excitement and fascination as maw parted in shock. Ears fell back when she mentioned offering his life. "Absurb, you claim to want to keep balance but demand we give our very beings to you in order to even visit your homeworld? I may be a pursuer of knowledge and intellect, Miss. But I do not kill myself over things, how am I to even record what I see otherwise?" was rambled on. It wasn't until he finished his statement that his own curt tone took on a fonder gentler tone but with a sharp edge, clearly aiming to cut his comrade off at the path. "Observe, Merle." was stated, not using her true name in front of strangers smartly, showing again, that affection for her. His hand would suddenly aim a punch at Arora. Only warning given to her was  a brief, and very curt telepathic message of Armor up before he'd slam the door as quick as it came. In that second of sharing minds however, she might have noticed Ailuin mentally ticking off a list of what was needed in order to employ this action accurately. "You see? If she was threatening, and is in fact, a balance keeper. Why would her sword not be out striking me? Why would her armor not be up?" was rumbled, hands tucked behind his back as he raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for her to think on this. "Since she is not doing any of these, how can you claim she is a threat to either me or you? Perhaps she is only doing what she knows then. Which she claimed to earlier. Balance. Break that word down, what does it mean? In order to get, you must give. Balance. In all things she drives and lives off that one word. Thusly, if I want samples, I must balance it out by giving her other things in return." Eyeing Arora. "But I will not be giving myself to you at all. Perhaps you'll settle for some potions?"

Arora's gaze rose when the Arkaina came from the trees, her mouth turning into a distinct frown before she was stepping out slightly to peer up into the trees the female had come from. Motherfucking Arkaines from the motherfucking trees. It was far from the first time she'd been caught off guard by one of them lurking in the branches, but none of them had deigned violence... until now. Her question received her the Goddess's attention, giving a simple and honest answer. "No." Easy as that, right? Her attention once more captured by the male before her as they continued their conversation. "I am motivated by the will of my people. This jungle, this island on this planet is overgrown. It's overflowing with life of so many frequencies, even outside of that establishment, I was here now to help seat my roots deeper into this place. I can only tell so much with such little control over my environment." She gestured to the cave entrance, the concentration of purplish and navy ferns, grass, bushes, and small trees there only seeming to bleed all the farther into the jungle. At this point, her navy saplings with their luminescent magenta flowers where a fairly often seen staple of the isle. She blinked at him when he requested a sample of her Heart Sapling, her mouth turning down into a slight frown once more. "I can offer you whatever samples you like, plus a seed if you offer me something of similar value." Her gaze slid to the woman, before the male was going off about his life and the value of it. "It was not a threat. Simply your only option to getting what you requested. I'm sorry that upsets you." Was she, though? Her affect was fairly flat, in both tone and expression, she made no real move to assuage her guilt. It wasn't until he turned to Merle and spoke, then spun to hit her that she seemed to have some real expression.Goddess had yet to experience violence from an Arkaine, and had no idea what to expect in the swing of his arm, that white gold armor snapping out around her with his mental command, though the slip into her mind would be... noisy. If he paid enough attention, he'd find it to be prayer; something was happening amid her domain while she was here. Nevertheless her armor snapped up around her and even as an added layer, with a creak of wood bending and growing the circlet around her throat shifted to layer her flesh with bark where she suspected he would hit her. If he put any sort of weight behind it, hitting her would be far from pleasant. But when he turned and explained her to the Arkaina, it drew the blossom of a smile across her face prettily, a rare expression for the woman but she was excited with how quickly he'd caught on. "Potions?" She asked, before she shook her head distinctly. "You are taking life from an outlet of my very Heart. My Home, the Tree I am From, is far from here. Nonetheless this Sapling is a piece of me, and you would be killing a piece of it to sample it. So give me a piece of yourself in return." That could mean, well... literally anything. For once, Ror decided to clarify. "No need to sever limbs or anything of the sort. The equivalent to your nail-clippings would be sufficient. The seed would be my gift to you, with a single request attached." Her gaze slid once more to the female, giving her a solid once-over. "I have no intentions of harming any Arkaine..s?" Unsure of the plural, it was stated with a question mark and a tilt of her horned head. "From what I understand, our moralities concerning balance are aligned." At least, with those she'd met so far. "There is no reason to fear me." Bold to state the woman was afraid, but what else would her defense be born of? <

Ailuin could tell by Arilyaes resounding silence that she disagreed despite the facts he laid out before her. Eyebrows raised in reply in sight of this, and shrugged his massive shoulders only to turn to Arora with a smile as she went on elaborating. Nodding. Glancing to her gesture, Ailuin tapped his maw in consideration before stepping to a nearby plant in growth and gently plucking one of its leaves, only to briskly turn on his heel to lift the leaf between her and him. "So this is a part of you? You can feel... everything this single leaf feels? Or only when it is connected to it's roots?" Clearly Ailuin was fascinated and enthralled. It sparkled in his dual toned eyes and the way his tail wagged with clear excitement was evidence enough. Smiling as she offered a trade, humming. Shrugging as she said those next words. "Upset and frustration are two different things, Im afraid. Disappointed mostly. You and your kind are quite fascinating and beautiful in their own way so far. Although it is my experience that things that are beautiful are deadly underneath the outer layer of beauty." Rattled off as he eyed Arilyae when he spoke that last bit, clearly making it clear to her he absolutely meant her in that statement. He knew first HAND how deadly that Arkaina was. >>
His hand that struck at her was odd. It was clear he meant no ill wish of pain on her. As what could have been a fist was a mere flat palm, slamming upon the breastplate of strong Hardy wood. As well, having rapped upon it prior, he didn't want to risk breaking his knuckles, although the probability of it was likely, by his observation and calculations 20%. Indeed the countless prayer of voices was likely even more reason for him to slam the door as quickly as it had come. Though the multitude of requests were easily kept up with for even that short moment. He did not find it surprising that she had such a telepathic connection to those who gave to have. In fact, he expected it. The pretty smile that ran across her face had Ailuin briefly smirking at her. The briefest but only likely to try and charm her into his offer. Her mention of that had Ailuin folding his ears back. Clearly trying to figure out what exactly OF him she wanted until she expounded further. "ah well then. Fur for fur." Was rumbled, smiling to her briefly with a actual Charming one. Hands grasped for his loose fur and pulled a handful out. Crystal shavings, carefully expunged as he eyed Arilyae cautiously. Clearly aware that she would never approve of trading crystals of his own for things. "there. Does that do the tally evenly?" Was asked as he extended his filled palm of either goods out to her. Titling his chin up as she spoke of seed. "If you ask me to plant it on where I'm from I will refuse you, Lady....?" Squinting his eyes at her as if prodding her for a proper name. >>Nodding when she spoke the species name correctly. "Not surprising. You know of a few. Can tell by the smell of it. Seems one had a bit of fun with you. His choice. Certainly not the way I conduct business. So don't expect that from me hm?" Smirking as she kept trying to reassure the tense little Solarite. "I wouldn't much bother. Woman is made of steel. Inside and out." A good joke, but truthfully resounding.

Arora's smile dropped for the most part when he moved to pluck a leaf from a nearby stem, taking a step toward him as her armor faded away from existence, her clothing seeming to unfurl from nowhere. "No, it's..." She trailed, trying to find the words for it in his language before instead she chose to demonstrate. She stepped past him and toward that Sapling, its gently thrumming navy bark seeming to hum at a higher pitch when she reached out to touch it, wrapping her arm along it entirely. "A leaf is like cutting hair. But were you to take a branch?" She reached out, body set along the length of her Sapling as she slid her palm along the joint of one branch, her touch the caress of a lover before the branch began to darken, wilt, and then shed its bark. Her pretty face contorted, showing a rare amount of expression, pain, but not physical, emotional--wracking her expression to bring her eyes to a squint, pinkish globes edging with tears. The branch decayed quickly, magenta blossoms growing dark and wilting away to fall in rains of petals from the ceiling of the cave, the woman watching them fall before the branch as a whole creaked, then vividly popped, suddenly dry enough to fall away from the whole entirely, that sound filling the cave mimicked in the a roughly choked sob from the Goddess herself. Tears spilled over to darken her cheeks, immediately wiped away by impatient hands, pulled from the destruction of that branch, though in the place it was once joined to the whole, amid the raw pink interior of her Sapling, a seed lay illuminated against it. Her fingers gathered it still dewed with her tears, her gaze rising to the Arkaine once more. "Do you understand?" As if that would help.When the conversation rolled back around to his offering to her, she rose her hairless brows when he pulled his fur, offering clippings of his gems to her and she pulled herself away from the Sapling to near him. Reaching out to touch the gems with only her fingertips, before she leaned to touch any gem on his flesh near to her, whether it be his wrist or perhaps even reaching up to his head. "Gorgeous." She murmured, before he was asking her name and she was stepping away as if aware of her lack of personal space. "Arora. I am no Lady." Her gaze barely drifting toward the silent female when she said it. "You can place your offering at my roots and take your samples. My only request of the seed be for you to plant it eventually. It will not be the equivalent to this tree for me, but it will sprout a powerful ally to nature. You may plant it wherever you wish though your condition does beg me to ask-- where are you from?" If planted, the seed that was then held out to him would sprout a tree much like those seen around the jungle now, navy with shining pink flowers though all the growth around it would flourish immensely. If grown near crops, the yields would be larger, in both gross and individual measurements. His comment on another of his kind earned him a tilt of her head, mouth pursed at his judgement of her. "It was how he chose to make an offering. I expect nothing from anyone. If they chose to worship me in the way of sacrifice and offering, then so be it. That said, I do thank you for your offering. What may I call you?" <

Her smile dropping keyed him into yes, she felt that. Though he wasn't yet understanding it was emotional. Her no had his eyes turning elsewhere, contemplating silently as she stepped towards him with brows furrowing. Ailuin clearly took extra strides to make sure their distance remained in fact, distant. He was worse then most Solarites on a bad day as far as touching went. And space was absolutely insisted on far above the normal. Ears twitched however watching with a slight tail wag as the sapling thrummed when she stepped closer to it. Glancing to Arilyae with clear excitement and nose twitching like mad as if trying to gain more then just what the eyes could see on the chemical between creation and creator. Hands clasped behind his back as he let the leaf fall while branch started to decay before his very eyes. In order to give. She had to take. But when she started to cry, his nose went to overmode. Easily picking up on WHY she was pained. Emotional. So it wasn't a physical bond as he suspected it might have been. >>Tilting his head as his eyes narrowed. Why emotional? It seemed...well. Strange. Did plants FEEL emotions? Perhaps hers did. His eyes closed as he thought over all of it. Although not visibly noticable, it was clear by how his head dipped down that he was suddenly in deep thought. Only to twitch and snap that head up. Do you understand? Dual gaze stared into hers with a simple searching guarded gaze. "I do." As she held the seed in her hand, the "gift", only to run her free hand over the gems that no doubt would be useful for her magic. It would only amplify it, if she used them. Ailuin knew this. He also knew, that Arilyae would vehemently be against such a trade. Her fingers trying to trace over his natural trimmed gems that lined along his mindstone had his ears flipping straight back. Gorgeous. "I must say. I do not like touching. Perhaps I should have said something prior but...please, Arora." >>Only to hear her agreement. Ailuin then turned heel only to find those gems to start floating out of his hand. He paused, staring at them as they hovered near his muzzle only to turn his head towards Arilyae who clearly spoke her. "Not a fair trade." Eyebrow rose at her sudden forceful nature, and yet inwardly bristled. "Merle. You really should learn tact if you're going to insist on being around a merchant." Clippedly spoken with tert tones. "For me it is fair trade. They are my gems to trade. Respect my boundaries please." Staring at her with her glowing eyes as his own started to glow a matching blue. "I've told you to stay out of my head Merle." Boy did he sound suddenly EXASPERATED while the glow in his eyes died. "We will discuss this in private later." With that Ailuin pulled out some tools for nail clippings and hurriedly placed both at the base of the tree. Gesturing as he tapped his fingers along his hand that clasped in front of him. Clearly irritated at being treated yet again like a child. Eyes gazing straight past her to stare into Merle's with the stoicest gaze one could muster. Ears flicking however with each syllable, clearly listening even though rudely not gazing at her. "I would rather not tell you. It is fair trade I presume? You don't show me home land. I don't show you mine." Hoping that Arora wouldn't press the issue. But Ailuin certainly would likely NEVER plant the seed there. Somewhere else? Likely. Home? In prism realm? Doubtful. Smirking as she defended. "Was he orange?" Blurted out. Now he was literally poking the bear with Arilyae and he knew it. >>"green gems. Sunset eyes? Black curly hair? About...here in height lean muscle? Clearly a emotional loving tender Arkaine? Orange pulse?" Was asked, clearly describing Balto. He eyed her up and down, gazing back to the heart he stood near. "Bet he touched your heart didnt he? It's a shame he wasn't raised to not just give his heart up like that. It's what drives a man." Ailuin, to prove his point plucked an orange flower. Humming and then shifting elsewhere amongst the area, collecting handfuls of orange and cream fur, only to slap it harshly into Arilyaes hands. "I wager he was a big contributor." Steadily gazing into her eyes with such a hard piercing gaze only to shift on his heels and clearly exit out with his prizes.

Goddess pulled her humming fingers away from him the moment he said he didn't want it, taking full steps back before she intended with a distinct, "Apologies, my people are the opposite, what habits I have grown die hard." Offered him a curt 'smile' then, but it was barely a curve. It was only then that his babysitter interrupted their deal, and the two began to argue, be it verbally or not, Arora was not paying attention. Instead she returned to her Sapling, running a hand along its bark before leaning back into it, the branches of her crown creaking to reach for their home, the Sapling creaking in reply. The woman between little more than a symbol as she heard the cries of her people in a distant place, something had happened--it was not a vast unbalance in the system, but she was being requested to aid, and could not ignore much longer. Only a nod at him when he spoke to her again, indicating that she wouldn't push the subject farther, though she hadn't been asking to go there, the alien woman merely wanted to know if it was another landmass, another planet, another plane of existence? She'd find out eventually, certainly. Not having a sample of her body itself perhaps would drive him back with something of greater value and she could probe him over it then, but either way--the woman wasn't going to push it. It was only information. She had many ways of gathering that, the seed in his hand being one of them. Her attention focused in on the Ark when he started talking about her friend, in a way that she was deeming slightly malicious. Didn't even answer her question about his name before going of on that rant to perfectly describe the orange canine. "Balto." Not Broamo, Balto. "He is very kind." Her eyes narrowed at him when he began to collect tufts of fur, her jaw clenching into a grind even as her posture remained relaxed against her sapling, prayer blasting through her mind now like a siren.Her gaze slid to the woman when he went to leave her cave after slapping that orange fur into her hands like it was some kind of smoking gun. Suddenly, she didn't much like that unnamed Arkaine. The Sapling she was leaning against hummed a bit louder, the strings of illuminating blossoms swaying in a wind that was unseen and unfelt in the damp cave. <

Arilyae's chin anchored high into the air, at first. Ailuin wanted to stand there and attempt to tell her it was fair if he deamed it, and she snorted heavily. Those eyes of hers still glowing a soft seafoam green as each clipping he attempted to offer was snatched into the air the moment he let go of them. Drawn to her, without ever having to move a foot. "Simply because you wish it to be so, does not make it so." It was clear, so long as Arilyae was around, she would not allow any Arkin jewels to be left about.

He snapped at her to get out of his head, and yet again she snorted. Once more pushing thought into the scientists's mind. You are an idiotic fool of a man. And she absolutely meant that! These jewels were percious. sacred even, and here he was trying to trade them off for something this woman compared to disposable parts of hair trimmings..... Fuck no.

Yet, she bristled when Ailuin spoke of Balto..... Those eyes still entirely engulfed with a glow the same color as the pulse that beat from her Lifethorn. When the woman in their company spoke his name... Not even his alias, but his name, the spotted Arkaina's head shot to turn in her direction. That tail of hers positioned high at her back. Giving her a rather thorough visiual inspection. >>
It's a shame he wasn't raised.... Arilyae bared teeth at that, one of the larger rocks on the floor hovering into the air briefly before hurtling at him like a bullet."You will not talk about my son in such ways." Spoken through a growl and the curl of fist, yet still. Ailuin pushed it....

Ari's attention briefly rolled back over to Arora, a curiousity finally peaked... Yet, Ailuin grabbing her arm to abruptly present her hand, just to slap a handful of balto's fur within her palm? Had the spotted house bristling yet again.

Arilyae stood there looking like the living incarnation of brutality and murder, that glow still possessing her eyes as she stared him down. Eye for eye. A low, deep and dark growl rumbled quietly in her chest as her feet shifted. >>She curled her fingers tightly around the fur that had been placed there, with a flash of crystaline teeth when he walked by her. You think you can just walk away.... A though sent straight to his mind as she half-turned. Although it took more concentration than the jewels hovering at her shoulder side, the spotted Arkin ultimately had no trouble lifting Ailuin completely off the ground. "You're leaving?" At first she hummed. Taking on an almost sultry tone... Almost. "Here. Let me help." That last word accented with a force that propelled him like a rocket out of the cave. Missing the first few trees of the jungle before ultimately being personally introduced to the trunk of a sturdy one a handful of feet into the tree line. It was unfortunate his skeletal structure wouldn't suffer a broken bone or two... Maybe, if she was lucky, connect I've tissue between joint may have been damaged.

Her hand held up, that glow in her eyes finally fading. Ailuin a jewel fragments falling into the palm of her hand. Balance she could understand... Balance, she might have occasionally lost track of. However, regardless of success or failure - balance is still what she lived by. "Perhaps you might have swayed my interest after all, Arora was it?" Now soft periwinkle returned to the spirit as Arkin faced her. Stepping closer and offering that first full of rustic fur out with her palm facing downward. "You'll have to explain your relationship with my son, some time." she did not, however, allow Arora to actually reclaim the fur. Instead, if it was reached for, Arilyae would drop it and the hairs scatter on the unseen wind.

She never had bothered questioning those.... Outsiders he had left the tribe for. She never knew names or faces, but she could only take an educated guess. Right? >>It was then that the warrior woman turned on her toes, lifted a hand over her shoulder in an almost deceptively friendly gesture. "You can call me Merle, and the dumbass you can call whatever you want." The dumbass being the arkaine she was now approaching where she had tossed him at that tree.

Arora pulling her fingers away from him had him breathing out a sigh of relief, rubbing the areas which she had touched. "Ah no apologies needed, Arora. Ailment will suite my calling just fine." was offered over. A...strange name no doubt. But suiting for how ingratiatingly annoying he purposefully set out to be. Her nod of agreement on Ailuins disposition over Prism realm had him simply forming a curt smile of his own with eyes locking with hers and nodding in return. Ailuin heard the name, glancing back to Arora briefly in with a stoic piercing sharp gaze into her eyes when she rambled off the name of the Arkaine he described. Despite the warning from Arilyae, akin to her nature of not taking the clue to step down, he did the same. He knew of course, she would indeed throw him or throw a tantrum over what he said. He knew the repercussions of what he was doing, Ailuin was not at all, by  any means a dumbass, as much as Arilyae would LOVE to state otherwise. He fully knew when he started just what path he was trekking on, and truthfully he didn't care that he was trekking on it. She shouldn't have inserted herself into the deal they were making out of her own beliefs and culture that clearly strikingly were different from his own. What a mother hen. Staring up at her as she said those first words to him as he talked about her son, and he paused. "I was talking of the Mother Hen who raised him, actually." Ouch. Hands clasped smartly behind his back after he had slapped that fur in her hand, her glowing eyes and staring up at him simply had him gazing down at her with no visible reaction for the longest time as he slapped her around for daring to Mother Hen his ass. Her question in his head had him growling in their link, clearly not pleased with her insistent naggy. I'm sorry to bother, Nanny. But perhaps I don't need you nagging at my heels. was resounded clippedly in their link, his own eyes lighting up a light blue briefly in that mismatched hue. >>Taking a nice walk a few steps, he knew as she asked in that sultry tone, ears flattened sharp against his skull as tail twitched. "Hopefully without a mother henning clucking away at my heels, yes." was resounded back to her, another verbal witty slap, clearly not pulling the punches, only to go flying. But there was no screaming despite. Even as she flew him around, Ailuin simply flew with one stoic face, clearly unimpressed stamped all across him as she threw him around in her anger. You know for a mother hen, you have yet to learn to control and channel your own anger. I imagine, Balto then, has the same issue. Funny how much he follows in your footsteps. So addicted to sex he sexes with outsiders. So enraged he takes it out on those near to him. There's no other reason he'd carry so much guilt on his shoulders that's clearly seen in his posture and the way he talks. At least he, unlike his predecessor, knows when to stop and knows that it is wrong and is trying to fix it. What have you done about your issues, Arilyae? I surmise nothing so far that I've seen. Even now you're throwing a childish tantrum, Nanny.  Oh what an asshole. Upside down, against the tree, Ailuin simply dug around for his pipe and started to smoke it. She wanted to be in his head? Fine then. Take a seat

Arora seemed none the wiser as she spoke the Arkaine's true name, she'd never been told anything but--her gaze meeting Merle's evenly, openly. She held no aggression in her expression, in fact there was little to nothing of an affect on her, the Goddess merely existing there between their drama as a source of information. It was only when the male was hiked into the air that the woman's flat expression broke into the smallest smile, a hand raising to run along her armor plate between her breasts, her pinkish gaze flickering blue for the briefest moment as he soared, and then hit that tree with a delightful thump. He'd deserved it, in her opinion. Not that she was one to verbalize such things, but when Merle turned toward her to bring her attention outward, it was clear in her small expression that she was pleased with what the other female had done. Interesting that she was Balto's mother, but it did not in the least seem to perturb the Goddess. "Yes." She confirmed her name even though it was unnecessary, not seeming to catch the colloquialisms of this world yet. "Willingly. If I am not here then I can be summoned here with sacrifice or prayer. Your son is..." She trailed when she reached for the fur and the woman just dropped it, gaze watching it fall before her own hand returned to her side, though her words continued nonetheless. "The kindest person I have met in this place. It's rare to find someone like him, I think you did fine, despite the clear tension concerning him." She nodded her horned head in the direction of the other Ark, before the other woman was turning toward him as well, giving her name herself, this time. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Merle." Murmured somewhat under her breath, seeming sincere enough though the woman had indeed interrupted the trade the two had agreed upon. Interesting situation, though her focus was split between it and the massive prayers calling to her from another world.When Merle walked a sufficient distance away the Spirit would turn, leaning her forehead against her Sapling, tail whipping once behind her before stilling entirely. Checking in, the colors of her Sapling bagan to pulse with a wider breadth, the cave almost beginning to illuminate from within, magenta sheen peering from beneath navy bark, those pink blossoms hanging in strings from the ceiling and its branches all wilting as one and falling in a rain of petals. She was gone to their world for a solid moment, unresponsive as she leaned against her throbbing deciduous, her crown also beginning to wilt away, falling to little more than a navy circlet around her throat, a singular, round gem at her pulse--the pinkish light fading from it as she gave what she could to right what had been wronged so far from here. It was only after a decent few minutes that the woman would raise her head and once more grow attentive to her surroundings, having trusted those around her not to attack or... steal while she was otherwise incapacitated. When she did turn, it was with a wipe to her damp cheeks, though her affect had flattened out to nothing despite the tears that had rolled down her face to gather at her chin. And of course, if they had been speaking to her, or noticed her inattentiveness, she would give a soft, "Apologies." Though if the two hadn't even looked? All the better.<

Ailuin didn't look. He had no angle to. Arilyae coming to beat him up had him almost smiling in amusement. The same woman that had been his savior would be the same one to beat him. So she thought. He had after all, been sparring with her. He had learned to dodge quite well! And it wasn't like the male was ever unarmed. If she deemed him a threat enough to continue attacking...truth be told at this very point, Ailuin was comforted in that. You may have saved my life Nanny. But that does not give you the right to abuse it. with that resounding last statement lingering in her head as she approached, Ailuin flipped himself around with glowing eyes and slowly set himself back on his feet. Turning briskly to have his back facing the ever angry approaching Dragon that was growling at his heels as he walked casually past her and perhaps annoyingly leaving no visible trail as he disappeared into the depths of the jungle. Clearly aiming to lose Arilyae or at least for once. Trying to. Good thing he hadn't found a herb that would make your scent disappear! Ailuin, having of course, overheard her last words about Balto had him snorting. The boy was indeed a hero. But one that still needed much improvement. It wasn't however, his fault for being misguided. It was surely the dragon at his heels fault. bullying. Interjecting. All of things which he clearly despised.