Private Isulus Untangling The Bonded

[Vina Skysong]

Like all other parts of Astorea, Oflainn was feeling the slow departure of summer and the arrival of autumn. The giant Druid Tree which bore the same name and which carried the village remained strong and healthy even at this time of year, bolstered by the Yladians who tended to it and the same blessings which allowed the Tangleweaves to flourish year-round, but cold winds travelled between the branches and the air held the distinct scent that came after rain, with the denser parts of the tree's foliage still dripping water now and then.

The inhabitants of Oflainn dressed more warmly and kept to their homes when possible. When they did go outside they were more careful while traversing the wooden bridges that connected various parts of the village, as autumn brought with it an increased chance of sudden gales that could lead to injury or worse for the careless tree-dwellers.

Still, life in the village of Oflainn kept going just like anywhere else, and the inhabitants had become accustomed to dealing with the changes of the seasons. While the Druid Tree itself may remain strong and healthy its dwellers would go out and gather bits and pieces from the surrounding area as decorations. And when someone can help minimise the risks of falling down they'll gladly accept the assistance.

There, that should do it~

The vulpine druidess patted the idol she'd fashioned from old branches and the feathers of northern birds. The enchanted figurine was guarding one end of a bridge, with its relative standing at the other end. Vina looked quite satisfied with her work, tracing one of the feathers with a finger before turning towards the elf standing next to her.

I'm not an expert, but as long as this little one remains whole it should prevent any unwelcome winds from threatening your crossing. Just make sure to keep it from losing its feathers~

The elf in question studied the idol with some curiosity, then nodded and smiled back. As she moved her head there was a soft jingling from her unusual jewellery, Vina's ears twitching as they caught the sound.

My thanks to you then. We can't all spend the end of the year indoors. Now, if your friend needs me help I'll see what I can do, but you'll have to bring her here. (She pointed down.) I can't move like I used to.

Sure thing~! I'll be back in a bit then~!

Vina gave her companion a happy smile and a wave before simply jumping off the edge of the wooden platform the bridge was connected to, her hair dancing around her together with the flaps of her dress as an upwards gust met her descent. She could hear a surprised yell from above, but the vixen laughed as she slowed down before hitting the platform below. Closing her eyes she swivelled her ears, trying to catch sounds of her beloved friend.

Hmmmhmmm~ Over there, is it~?

Humming to herself Vina followed the sounds which would eventually lead her to Luna's location, wherever her friend might be at that moment. She had some really good news which she wanted to share immediately.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Luna was not really so fond of this place, though nor was she exactly disinterested in this kind of place either. She herself had been, before the shut down, a disciple of Nature Magic, though she'd been little more than a novice. She hadn't been very experienced, having fed much more time and energy into her abilities as a beast tamer and as a user of arcane magic. Back when arcane magic had been more about raw force and not about construction and creation.

Oflainn was the kind of place that her friend Vina would like, though, and the girl supposedly had some kind of special project that she was working on here. One that Luna wasn't exactly privy to the details of, aside from the fact that it was supposed to be a benefit to her, but as her tail flicked and slapped against the wood that she was sat against, she couldn't figure out what it was.

That was when she caught sight of Vina, who was approaching her as she sat with her feet dangling off of the edge of the platform. She didn't fear being blown off, she was too low down and too anchored to be sent flying by a gust of the autumn breeze. The girl, who Luna knew to be something of a nature bard, was approaching and very clearly seeking her out, considering that she was approaching directly.

Hello Vina, is there something that you needed me for? Special project going okay and all?

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Vina found Luna sitting on the edge of one of the platforms on which the Yladians had built their village. The vixen admittedly found her friend's current appearance quite appealing, even though she knew that it was a consequence of a rather unfortunate turn of events, and something that the both of them were seeking to undo. From the looks of it, Luna hadn't found anything to do just yet, which meant that Vina didn't have to worry about interrupting anything either.

Heya Luna~

With another wind-assisted jump Vina reached her friend, landing next to her and giving her a smile and a wave before bending forwards and folding her hands behind her back. Her tail wagged happily, her ears also perked up as she was eager to share the good news.

I did some looking around and I found someone who might be able to help you! I had to do her a favour first, but she'll take a look at you and see if there's a way to safely separate you from Natiri~

The shaman had made it clear that she couldn't guarantee success, but that didn't deter Vina in her optimism. That there was someone who thought she might be able to solve Luna's dilemma was already a massive development.

She's waiting for us further up, so let's go and talk to her!

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Vina was using the wind to help her jump up. Luna could remember, once upon a time, that she herself had taken wind magic or aeromancy, when she had made her first foray into Terrasphere, alone. There was something nostalgic, even if she herself had never been good enough to do that kind of thing. She'd quickly replaced aeromancy, on the instructions of the person that had gone on to teach her much about Terrasphere.

Though, what Vina came to tell her was quite the good news. Luna was apprehensive, she was quite sure that there was no way to fix what had been done to her by the error that had occured when she'd been forcibly logged out. The tail and ears that she sported now were evidence enough that something had deeply mixed Natiri with herself.

Could a Lander even understand the concepts of being logged out, or of a glitch?

That's pretty good news. She's a Lander?

Luna had to ask, just to be sure. She had no clue if players would be capable of it either, but she'd always considered that a player had better odds of fixing a glitch. How could somebody that was part of this world understand it going wrong?

Still, she climbed to her feet and arched her back, cracking it and groaning as each section of spine popped. She'd been sitting there for longer than it had felt, it seemed.

Well, let's go and see what she can find out, I guess. Thanks for setting this up for me.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Luna's apprehension was clear, which was understandable given the circumstances. So far as Vina knew Luna was the only one who had to deal with this peculiar issue, which meant that there wasn't any commonly known solution.

Still, the playful vixen was confident that it wasn't an insurmountable problem. With all the fantastical and supernatural events that occurred within the world of Terrasphere it couldn't be the case that Luna's merging with Natiri was the one thing which just couldn't be fixed. And so Vina smiled and nodded, being optimistic and confident to counterbalance Luna's worries.

She's a Lander yes. A shaman of sorts, and she says it's not the first time she's dealt with two souls inhabiting the same body.

While that may not be the most accurate description of what had happened to Luna and Natiri, Vina figured it was close enough. At the very least an expert could give them some new insights on what exactly was going on and how to fix it.

She nodded as Luna got up and stretched, her tail wagging excitedly behind her as she smiled and stepped forward to grab her friend by the hand.

Anytime Luna~ Come, she's this way.

With the usual upbeat spring in her step Vina would lead the way further into the tree village, going from platform to bridge to platform. Around them the wind swirled through the maze of branches and leafs that formed most of the scenery in Oflainn, causing shadows to dance across every surface even as Vina used a little bit of magic to keep the cold winds at bay. As noted before there weren't many people out and about today, with only a very few with outdoor business passing them by.

As they reached the platform Vina had been on before the female elf was also no longer standing there, the light coming from the windows of the nearby building making it clear where she had gone.

She sometimes has to gather reagents for her work, so she asked me to help protect the way down with some wards so she wouldn't have to worry about getting blown off.

Vina indicated one of the idols they'd passed by, then walked up to the door and knocked on it.

We're back Trelumne~!

From inside a muffled voice answered immediately, supporting Vina's claim that the elf had been waiting for their arrival.

Come on in then. The door isn't locked.

It was a small building, nestled in between some branches, and once the two Starcalled stepped inside they were greeted by a room which was darker than the light in the windows would suggest. This was partially because there were shelves stacked with various trinkets, bottles, and scrolls everywhere, and thick strings holding even more exotic objects dangling from the ceiling, as if the shelves didn't hold enough space for everything that the owner wanted to hold onto.

The owner in question was seated in a comfortable-looking chair in front of a desk, turned their way with a light frown on her face as she spotted Vina and Luna.

Do me a favour and use the walkways next time. Even if you're fine, it's not good for my heart to watch someone just jump about like that.

Her attention then shifted to Luna, her expression becoming more thoughtful as her gaze became inquisitive. The tiger ears and tail of course got plenty of attention, but the rest of Luna also got subjected to that gaze, as if the shaman was trying to learn everything there was to learn about the person entering her abode within one look.

I'm guessing you're Luna then?

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

A shaman would probably be one of the few Lander types that would have experience with anything even similar to what her situation was. Two souls in one body was an apt way to put it, though Luna had no clue if Natiri's soul was even present. She had no clue if her old animal companion had survived the glitch. Had it starved whilst the servers were closed off? How deep was the entanglement between herself and her animal companion? When she had used to fuse with them, two became one in every sense. Her own soul seemed to subsume whatever she was fusing with.

Back when that had worked, anyway.

She let herself be taken by the hand and brought to where this Lander that Vina had found was. Sometimes, she did wonder if Vina didn't feel even the slightest bit of negativity towards this place. A druid tree, or society, was something that Vina had been aiming to create before the servers had been closed off to people, if she recalled correctly. Having her dream achieved without her even being there must have stung at least a little bit for her friend.

Not that Vina would ever show it, she was guessing.

They arrived soon enough, Luna looking at a well lit interior as Vina announced their return, referring to the Lander by name, before being chastised for how she had made her way to Luna in the first place. Luna chuckled, shaking her head, before stiffening up when she was brought to attention.

Ah, yes. I'm Luna. I think Vina probably told you all about me and what happened to me.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Vina gave the shaman an innocent look in response to the gentle rebuke, only to laugh silently to herself as the other two people began talking to one another. For the moment at least she could entertain herself by looking at the various strange objects Trelumne had gathered over the years, leaving Luna and their hostess to their conversation.

Don't be shy. Just come here and let me get a closer look at you.

Trelumne motioned for Luna to approach her chair, and Vina quickly added in for clarification.

Trelumne's a bit frail, so she doesn't move much if she can help it.

A price one must pay. Just don't go blabbing about it to everyone you meet: I don't need pity for the decisions I've made.

Trelumne motioned for Luna to approach again, waiting for the tiger-eared female to do so before taking one of Luna's hands and studying it carefully, tracing a long finger across the skin.

Healthy otherwise, but it does look like there's something going on here. A mishap from years ago, yeah?

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Moving slowly towards the seated woman, Luna wasn't sure how comfortable she was being examined, but figured that she needed to be if they were going to find out what was wrong with her. If they even could. It still felt like such a long shot that she didn't even dare get her hopes up that it could be undone. Especially after how long she'd spent in this state without doing anything to fix it. What if time had run out months ago and she hadn't even noticed?

She extended a hand, nervously watching as the elf took it and traced a finger across her skin, wondering what it was that the woman was seeing that she couldn't. What did the world look like to a shaman? Either way, she nodded to the woman's words, wondering for a moment the best way to explain what had happened to somebody with no concept of video games or 'logging out' for that matter.

Yes, I was very different before this happened. I used to be a Beast Tamer capable of fusing with my beast companions. Particularly, the mishap ocurred when I was fused with a white tigress named Natiri.

She explained, ears flicking as she spoke. She felt like it was such a longshot that it almost made her want to pull away, apologize for wasting the woman's time and then leave. She didn't, though. Vina had worked hard to set this up. The least she could do was humor the attempt a bit.

I'm not even sure Natiri's spirit is even present, anymore. I have no sense for it.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Vina found a spot not covered in objects and made herself comfortable, sitting down with crossed legs as she watched Trelumne study Luna's hand. Given the likelihood that she'd knock something over otherwise, she curled her tail onto her lap, stroking the furred limb slowly.

Vina did mention something of the sort. Merging with your beast partner is dangerous business, although I don't need to tell you that of all people. Two beings in one body? (She clacked her tongue.) Risky at the best of times.

Her voice wasn't unkind even though she was, whether intentionally or not, jabbing at Luna's mental wounds. Finishing her inspection of Luna's hand the shaman reached up and cupped the tiger girl's head, tilting it so she could peer straight into the Starcalled's eyes.

But you can be reassured that your Natiri is still alive. Well, perhaps alive is not the best word, but... she still exists within you. The merger just hasn't ended yet, and from the sounds of it you don't know how to put an end to it yourself.

After at least a minute of peering into Luna's eyes she finally let go, leaning back in her chair and idly toying with the chain that connected her ear to her nose.

Yes, the two of you are still one, and both of you still exist. The only question is, how to separate you if you can't do it yourself. (She glanced over at Vina before shaking her head.) If you merely wanted to free your partner I could do it within an hour's work and send you on your way, but you're not looking for that I can tell. Seperating the two of you and giving your partner her body back... That will be trickier.

Trickier? But still possible?

Trelumne looked at Vina, then at Luna, waiting several seconds before slowly replying.

...Worth trying. The two of you are strongly bound together, which would be why you can't tell she's still there: for you it'd be like trying to see a part of yourself as another person. Fixing this is going to take more than a charm or a chant. And it will be dangerous.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

She was well aware of how risky it was to fuse with something, but it wasn't like she'd been fusing with an unwilling creature. The ability to do so had only manifested because she'd reached the pinnacle of being a Beast Tamer and it was an expression of the furthering of her bond with her animal companions. Or rather, companion, since she'd never actually succeeded at taming another beast back in the days before the servers had been shut down and blocked off.

It was still irritating to have this Lander sitting there telling her about risks, just after she'd acted so cavalier about being confined to a chair or whatever herself.

Still, to learn that Natiri was still there and that they were still technically merged with one another was quite wonderful news. And from the sounds of it, the fusion was as strong as it had been back when it was something she'd had full control of. They were so intimately and closely fused together that it was impossible to isolate the two as individuals.

I'm glad that she's still here. It sounds like the fusion is as strong as it always was and I just lack the abilities needed to undo it.

She wasn't going to be able to explain that some of her old abilities just didn't exist anymore. The Lander wouldn't be able to comprehend it. It'd be like telling somebody in real life that the world itself had taken away the ability to jump or taste something.

I don't mind however risky it is, if there's a chance that I can be reunited with Natiri I'll take it.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

There was a dry twist to Trelumne's smile as Luna talked about being reunited with Natiri. The shaman didn't openly commend on the choice of words, instead just playing a bit more with the adorned chain.

I did say that I'd take a look at you, so if you don't mind the risks I'll give it my best shot. I can't guarantee success either way, but from the sounds of it you'll take any chance.

What kind of risks?

Vina agreed with Trelumne's assessment that Luna would probably take any chance if it meant that she could see Natiri again, and the vixen wasn't about to get in the way of that. However, she did think it better if they at least knew in advance what they were getting into.

Dying's one of them, of course. (She looked Luna over.) You might also end up in a different shape than you are now. What you've got going on here isn't so bad, so it's worth mentioning.

Well, no point in going on about the risks if you've already set your mind on trying it. Just make sure you can live with your decisions, that's the best anyone can do.

A moment of silence followed as Trelumne turned away from Luna and Vina to look at her collection of unique and unusual trinkets. Many bottles were filled with a preservation liquid, displaying the leftovers of strange creatures. After several seconds the shaman sighed.

You'll have to gather some materials for me first. I'd do it myself, but as mentioned before... (She indicated her frail physique.) Shouldn't be hard for you.

Turning towards her desk the shaman fished out a strip of parchment and an iridescent purple quill. Putting quill to parchment she began to scribble something, letters forming despite the lack of ink.

A basket's worth of Shimmerspot Caps, a vial of blood drained from a living apex predator, and as much green wood from a tree grown from the Allfather Tree you can carry. You can find all of that north in the Tangleweaves.

Finishing her scribbling she held the parchment up for Luna, the three materials written in a rather scrawly style.

I've got all the other stuff right here, so once you come back with that I can get to work.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

So, there was a risk of being killed by whatever the shaman was going to try to do to separate her from Natiri? That was fine. As was the risk of her shape being changed. She honestly expected it to, considering that she hadn't been a beastfolk before the glitch had afflicted her as it had. The ears and tail were nice, but if she could relearn how to fuse with her pets then she could regain those things whenever she wanted, plus whatever more that she wanted.

She was determined to go through with it, though, so she listened and watched as the elven woman looked over her belongings and spoke about the fact that they would need to gather things for this, before listing out a list of ingredients that Luna didn't recognize. It was quite easy to figure out what blood from a living apex predator was, though the living part was a problem. Taking an apex predator alive was easier said than done.

Vina, could you help me gather some of these? I don't know how I could possibly get blood from an epex predator without killing it. I also have no clue what a Shimmerspot Cap is.

Though she assumed it was a type of mushroom, she wasn't sure. And she didn't want to ruin her chances of fixing what had gone wrong with herself by jumping the gun and making a faulty assumption. Pretending she knew when she didn't was going to be a bad idea, so she avoided it entirely.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

The potential risks described by Trelumne weren't something Vina could just shrug off, but it was clear from Luna's expression that she was all too willing to take this opportunity no matter what. The druidess could only nod and go along, doing her best to help and make sure that the attempt would be a success. Given how important Natiri was to Luna she wasn't surprised either.

Luna's request for help was met with an immediate nod and a smile, Vina getting up from her comfortable position and joining her friend as she looked at the short list of materials.

Shimmerspot Cap's a mushroom that grows in Isulus. Some Yladians use it to enter a trance, but I don't know exactly how it works.

I'll take care of the how, you just need to get them. But if you're curious, Shimmerspot Caps can be used to weaken the barriers between the living and the dead. (She shook her head.) Not that your tiger's dead, but to safely separate the two of you we'll need the help anyway.

Vina nodded slowly. It sounded a bit creepy, but fungi tended to be involved in the more macabre parts of nature anyway. If Trelumne said the mushrooms would be helpful Vina wasn't going to question the shaman's wisdom. Instead she placed a hand on Luna's shoulder.

You can keep something like a tiger or bear in place for a bit, right? If you hold them still I can help restrain them, after which we can safely extract the blood and be on our way. No real harm done~

Bloodletting an unwilling animal wasn't exactly nice, but at the same time needing only a vial's worth of blood meant something as big as a bear would barely notice the loss. With the list of materials in their possession Vina smiled towards Trelumne.

Thanks for the help Trelumne~ We should be back soon, unless all the animals decide to be shy~ (She turned to Luna.) Shall we~?

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Well at least Vina recognized something on the list of ingredients that the elven woman had handed over. That was a relief, because that meant that Vina was probably going to recognize it when they found it. Though, Luna had been wondering if she could just find it at some kind of marketplace anyway, rather than going hunting through the wilds for it. Apparently the locals had found some kind of usage for it anyway, so it was probably something that would be sold.

Umm, I think I can restrain something for a short amount of time by myself. I've never really tried to restrain anything though and my current, um, skills, aren't exactly conducive to that.

She could probably keep herself from being wounded by the bear or tiger, whatever Vina would decide that they were going to go after. Maybe that'd be a way to restrain one? Just reinforce herself and let it try to go to town on her? It was a very different playstyle than the one she'd adopted before the servers had closed, but things were very different than they had been.

Luna nodded as Vina turned to her, ears flicking as her tail twitched with anticipation. She was going to miss it, truth be told. But she missed Natiri more.

Let's go. Do you think we can find any of this stuff at a local market or something to save us some time and energy? I was thinking we could find the mushroom things since people use them for something.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Restraining big beasts wasn't exactly an easy task, given their raw strength. Just because someone was a competent warrior didn't mean they could keep a beast in place without crippling or possibly even killing it. Luna's admission that she would have a hard time doing so as well was hardly surprising, so Vina quickly nodded in response.

Don't worry, I just need you to hold them for a moment Luna~ I've got a good spell for restraining, so once you create the opportunity I'll take care of the rest~

While Vina was far from a combatant (and rarely if ever used her abilities for offensive purposes) this did happen to be one of the things she could do quite well. Of course, if people knew why she was good at it they'd probably just write it down as Vina being her usual shameless self again.

Thanks for the help Trelumne! We'll be back soon~!

With a final greeting to the shaman Vina led the way out of the building, the chilly air of autumn answering them the moment they opened the door and stepped through. So as to not bother Trelumne Vina closed the door immediately once Luna was through, letting the elf enjoy the warmth of her home even as the two adventurers prepared to set off into the Tangleweaves.

Luna's suggestion gave Vina pause, the vixen glancing upwards in thought and letting out a prolonged hum while her tail flicked behind her. Eventually she gave a small shrug.

We could give it a try, but Shimmerspot Caps lose potency quickly after getting harvested. Fresher is better, and because of that most Yladians probably wouldn't try to sell it on the market~ (She walked towards the bridge which would lead further downwards.) But let's go take a look just in case! If they do sell any we can keep them fresh inside our inventories.

So far as Vina knew edibles would last longer inside the inventory, so it was a way of keeping something as time-sensitive as Shimmerspot Caps in good condition. The playful druidess wagged her tail as she let the way towards the larger platforms, where the inhabitants of Oflainn would also come together and deal in matters such as trade and festivals.

As for the other stuff, green wood just means recently cut wood, so we'll have to put in some legwork to get it. And the predator blood... Trelumne didn't say it, but I think that tiger blood would be the most effective? (She motioned to Luna's ears.) I'm guessing that the blood is meant to help connect to Natiri's life force, so tiger blood would be better than bear blood~

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Okay, I'll leave the actual restraining to you. I think I can immobilize one for long enough for you to restrain it or something like that.

She wasn't exactly sure how she would do that, though. Projecting an aura of gravity would slow and hinder everybody, including Vina. Perhaps it would have to be a case of just grappling and pinning whatever they selected to bleed? She might as well put this powerful body to the test whilst she still had it. She could probably manage it, especially with the boosts to physicality that came with the Martial Arts mastery.

She quite liked some of the benefits that came with it.

Luna followed Vina as they left the elven woman, stepping out into the cool air. The point that Vina made, about markets not keeping the mushrooms because they lost potency quickly was a little disappointing. The thing about tiger blood made sense, though it did raise possibly a very important question that Luna hadn't considered until just now.

So what kinds of apex predators can be found in these regions anyway? I don't really know anything about the local area, so I'm hoping you had an idea. It'd be a pain to have to travel far just to find a tiger.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Sure thing~ Don't worry, I'll have your back.

Thanks to the chilly weather there weren't a lot of people out and about, but as they made their way towards the lower portions of the tree which were more commonly used they did come across some shops and stalls. Most of the stalls weren't manned, but one which sold various types of food did have the owner sitting behind it, a cloak draped across his shoulders to help ward off the cold as he steadfastly held onto the possibility that someone might want to buy something. His patience was rewarded as Vina spotted him and veered towards the stall, motioning for Luna to join her as she looked at the male's goods.

A good day to you both. Is there anything I can help you with?

Vina answered the elf's polite greeting with a friendly smile, leaning forward a little as her gaze went from his goods to his face, her tail swishing behind her.

Good morning~ My friend and I were wondering if you also sell Shimmerspot Caps? Trelumne is in need of some.

The Yladian raised an eyebrow at that, the cloak on his shoulders shifting as he raised one hand to rub his chin before he quickly grabbed the cloak with his other hand to ensure it wouldn't fall off.

Shimmerspot Caps? That's not exactly what we'd call food, but I might still have a couple... I'll check.

Turning around he bent down and began to rummage through some sacks that were stashed away behind the stall, muttering something under his breath about what Trelumne might be up to this time. He didn't sound particularly suspicious about it, but as Vina's sharp ears picked up on his mumbling it became clear that the shaman was well-known for wanting strange stuff occasionally.

Eventually, the merchant turned back towards them and dropped a handful of dried mushrooms on the counter. They were fairly long, with a steel blue stalk and a cylindrical head of a darker blue with a smooth surface. The most noteworthy feature were the spots: quite large, shaped as ovals and circles, but their colour shifted depending on one's perspective, from green to purple to black to even silver, as if the spots were made of a different material entirely than the smooth blue that formed the head.

That's all I've got on me at the moment. (He rubbed the back of his head.) They aren't worth much preserved like this, but Trelumne might still have a use for them.

Vina looked over the mushrooms with interest, noting their rather shrivelled appearance. From what she could remember these were the correct mushrooms, although they weren't as vibrant as she could remember them being in the Tangleweaves.

Trelumne said that we'd need a basketful... What do you think Luna? If we combine these with what we can find while we're taking care of the two other things we might not have to go looking for more.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Making their way to the market, Luna followed along happily after Vina. It was quite hard to keep a happy feeling from bubbling up inside of her. There was a chance that she was going to be reunited with an old and dear friend once more, so of course she was excited and happy. It wasn't impossible to keep it to herself, but it was difficult enough that she was sure somebody that knew her, like Vina, or somebody that was more sensitive to the feelings of others would be able to tell.

She wasn't sure why she wanted to hide it, to be honest. Perhaps to spare some heartache in case it was all for nothing and didn't work, or ended in tragedy?

Still, she left the work of actually purchasing the mushrooms that they needed to Vina, though she offered the woman some currency so that Vina didn't have to pay for anything out of her own pocket just in case. It wouldn't be a good look for somebody to be paying so that she could reunite with her own virtual pet and it wasn't like money was too hard to come by.

There was always work for somebody to be doing, after all.

I think it'd be a good idea to do what you said. Best to try local things before we have to go out of our way in search of the things that we're looking for, all things considered.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Vina hadn't expected Luna to offer to pay for the mushrooms, although it did make sense of sorts. However, the druidess would take the money with a tilt of her head.

I'll pay for half. I'm also eager to see Natiri again, so it's only fair~

It would be delusional to pretend that she had as deep a bond with the tiger as Luna, but Vina's friendly nature meant that she'd be happy to give the large feline a big hug and welcome her back to the world of the... embodied? According to Trelumne, it wasn't like Natiri was dead, after all, so they were just giving her a new body to inhabit.

With Luna's assent to buying the few dried up Shimmerspot Caps the merchant had for sale Vina smiled brightly. With some luck this would make things go a lot faster once they reached the jungle proper.

All righty then~ We'll buy all the Shimmerspot Caps you have~

The merchant nodded, drumming his fingers on the wooden board that served as the counter of his stall. He gave the both of them a polite smile.

Thanks for your patronage then. As I said, dried like this they're not worth much, so that'll be...

Some quick head-calculus later and Vina handed the merchant a modest amount of gold. Given that harvesting the mushrooms required entering the Tangleweaves the low cost did truly support the idea that these mushrooms weren't considered nearly as potent once they aged.

Taking the mushrooms with her Vina bid the merchant a good day before turning back towards Luna, holding up the preserved fungi.

That was a smart idea Luna! I don't think any other merchants will be selling them, but with some luck this'll save us a lot of looking around inside the forest~!

The vixen was certainly happy with the windfall, humming cheerfully as she put the mushrooms inside of her inventory.

Even if they're not as potent Trelumne should still be able to use them~ So, to the forest then?

They'd already gone quite a ways down the Druid Tree's trunk, the ground close enough that for an athletic type it would be possible to just jump down. Vina gave Luna a sly smile as she stepped closer, wrapping her arms around her white-haired friend as around the two of them the wind picked up.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

You really don't have to pay for half.

Luna put up a token resistance against Vina's insistence that she would pay for half of the cost of the mushrooms that they were buying. She knew it was a fairly pointless endeavor, that Vina would be insistent on covering the cost no matter what, but she still felt the need to at least make it known that she was willing to cover the entire cost herself. She didn't want to seem like she was just relying on others to solve her problems for her. She'd left that kind of behaviour in the past.

Once they had the Shimmerspot Caps that they'd asked for, though, she handed over the amount of money required of her and followed Vina as they left, allowing Vina to carry them and store them in her inventory for safe keeping whilst they continued their descent down the druid tree.

The forest, yes. Should we look for bark first or for a predator to bleed first?

Or were they just going to walk around and see if they stumbled upon one of the things that they were searching for? Luna didn't know, but she also didn't mind, as Vina wrapped her arms around her. Slowly, she gathered Vina into her arms, before she lept off of the tree and down to the forest floor below, confident in the durability of this stronger body whilst she still had it.

@Vina Skysong