Chance Encounters (Tayva)

Veles listened at the door after knocking and calling out. There was movement inside, which was good, and it wasn't hurried or rushed which was even better. As Tayva opened the door and Veles caught a glimpse of her sleep-tangled hair, he grinned wolfishly. She admitted to napping groggily, and as Cayleb padded over he stepped inside. "Clearly I woke everyone up. I'm sorry about that."

After stepping inside he made sure the door was closed and locked before following Tayva into the main area of the apartment. Old habits died hard, and sometimes it was easier just to flow with them than try to awkwardly change.

Making his way into the small apartment, he recalled why he had actually chosen this place as a place within the city. The combined area of the kitchen and living room was a small amount of square feet, but with no walls separating the two, and a massive window looking out, the area didn't seem cramped at all.

Noticing the window, he couldn't help but be astounded by just how much progress Tayva had made with her plants. To think that she was capable of so much with just a few seeds and two weeks. If she had her own green-house, or better yet, her own spot of land to work with, she could do amazing things.

As Cayleb sniffed warily at his boots, Veles reached down and left his fingers hanging for the small Rift Beast to smell. His clothing often changed scents drastically, depending on where he was traveling, but he always retained his wolfy musk. Cayleb recognized him and slid his tiny head along Veles' dangling fingers, silently asking for pets.

"I've brought something you might enjoy, it was a rare find for me." Veles commented to Tayva as his fingers worked their magic behind Cayleb's ears. Standing and earning a displeased squeak from the tiny creature no longer receiving his well-deserved pets, Veles reached into one of his coat's internal pockets and pulled out a stainless steel thermos.

"I've never known anywhere to have so much fruit on hand that they were actually able to be picky about which ones they ate, but this came from up north. They don't eat all the apples they collect, and they've begun making apple cider. It tastes absolutely great, would you care for some?" Veles asked of Tayva.

Tayva smiled, extending a hand out to take the thermos Veles offered to her, screwing it open and examining the contents with a sniff. It smelled both sweet and bitter, and the container felt warm to the touch. She was familiar with apples of course, but never heard of cider. So it was quite a surprise to her when she took a glass from one of the cupboards, pouring a portion into the cup and taking a small sip.

"...it's good." Tayva smiled, pouring out another smaller portion into a small bowl and setting it on the floor, allowing her furry friend to try a small sample for himself. It took Cayleb a few moments to examine the drink, before a few laps caught his interest. It wasn't meat, but the golden coloured liquid tasted good enough for him to lick the bowl clean.

She then placed the container on the kitchen table and sat down, taking another sip from the glass. With her proper use of the utensils and plates around the house, it seemed as if she was becoming a little more familiar with human society and mannerisms, though still retaining her own talents.

"What exactly is 'cider' anyways? And what lays up north?" she questioned. Even though she had spent a bit of time in this world, she still found herself learning a lot about her new surroundings, though having yet to be able to explore further past the boundaries of the city. There was something out there that was calling to her, but the job she had taken on for Veles and the plants she was to prepare had kept her in the city, not to mention the dangers that existed beyond the boundaries.

"I'm afraid I have not explored as much of the world as I thought I would have by now." the celestial added in admittance, having thought that she would have been a little more carefree in her travels by now. However with the necessities of life it seemed as if she would be stuck in the city for now, until she was better ready to venture out to find what was calling for her beyond the remnants of human civilization.

"Well, from what I can tell, cider is like an apple juice, it's just processed a little differently. When they mix in cinnamon, it's absolutely to -die- for. Sweet, but not too sweet, flavorful and smooth finishing. I think they can even ferment it into alcohol, which I'd love to try some day." Veles explained, taking a sip of the cider himself.

"Outside of the cities, there are vast expanses called Wastes. They're still in upheaval after the Enlightenment which ravaged the world. It's dangerous out there too, monsters have taken over because only the strong survive. And since it's so far from civilization, even something like a fall could wind up being fatal. A twisted ankle or even an infected cut, and it's all over. There are paths cleared and patrolled between the cities, but even on those, if you got hurt, it could be days before anyone came by to notice you. Up north is Bastion, more of a human settlement, and to the south are Okena and Elyria."

Veles could talk for days and days about the lay of the land, especially just north of Librium, in the woods he felt were his home. "When I go north on assignments, I normally stay clear of the roads, but I generally take good care of myself. I do need to always be wary of Rifts though. Cayleb isn't the only creature to come through one." he teased, petting the feline-like beast.

"Your plants look absolutely amazing. I think you'll get a very rich price for them. How was your time in town and down at Alexander's Bistro?" he asked, still scratching below Cayleb's chin.

"It sounds...interesting." Tayva replied, glancing out the window briefly, wondering how this place got into the shape it was in now. It was nothing like what she would have imagined, the wilderness apparently too dangerous for life to even thrive. What could have caused such a stir in the world to result in it? Was it something that had to do with this 'Enlightenment' that he had spoken of? "I assume you've been out there enough to stay safe, at least that's what it sounds like." she added, turning to glance over at him once more, managing another smile as he watched the man pat her companion. She had figured that there were probably more things out there than Cayleb, but to what extent their ferocity was up for discussion. She also began to wonder if there were any creatures out there as timid has he was, or rather any others just like him.

"Things were okay. I've been taking notes of prices and what not. I've also been logging everything that I've seen in the bistro." the girl explained, walking over to the counter and picking up a small envelope, a number of papers concealed within. She turned and handed it to Veles, adding: "I apologize if my writing is sloppy...It's taken me some time to get a handle of learning how to write." For the most part the girl was self-taught, having learned the written language of English as a result of studying labels and menus. While she could read just fine, the Celestial had found a challenge in the conversion of spoken word to text, her writing somewhat hastily drawn as a result of following along with some of the conversations within the bistro that she had been attending.