Post by Tom M on Feb 12, 2024 11:19:10 GMT
Shortly after the events of In The Heart Of The Forest and A Troubled Mind
Co-written with dee
Digs finds an opportunity to corner Calla out of earshot of the others as they enjoy their burritos.
“Umm Calla? Can we have a word please?”
“Of course”
“I need you to tell me that you didn’t,” he pauses, checks over his shoulder, and switches from calm to a harsh whisper, “know about the gods damned dragon cult before we walked in there!”
Calla pushes her glass up her nose, "Huh. I hadn't really thought of it in those terms before. But I suppose they are priests of a sort, and that relationship is with the very basis of dragon kind. I'm sorry. I could have found time to prepare you properly.”
Calla's manner is often detached and academic. This is not that. She's very present. Watchful, even.
“Are you okay?”
Digs balls his fists and erupts into absolute fury, still whispering as he snarls and spits through razor sharp teeth, “No I am not okay! How can you of all people not see it? I’ve been around for like one… thirtieth? Of the time you have and I’ve seen this happen before! I’ve seen how it ends!”
He bounces down into a crouch and claws at the back of his head frantically before popping back up just as suddenly, “They start with the ‘oh kobolds are all descended from dragons we’re all family’ and then they start picking their biggest fans as like… special servants and they tell them it’s some kind of honour when they brand them like humans do with cows and stuff and then they ask for stuff then they ask for more stuff then they stop asking then they order more stuff than you have and and and…” Digs curls up around his knees and claws at his face in distress.
Calla's tone goes cold and drops a full octave.
“I agree. It's good you're here.”
Digs freezes and looks up, his head cocked to the side as Calla continues, “Listen. I... love Orianna, and Florian, I.... I don't know yet. But I would do anything to protect them.”
It's Calla's turn to glance around. When she looks back it's like looking at a sheer cliff.
“Do you understand what I'm saying?”
Digs thinks of all the times that Orianna has gone out of her way to show him kindness and all the times he’s repaid it with dishonesty, he seems to calm down “Yeah. I think I do.”
Digs is right, Calla is a full century (and more) older than him, but in that moment they share the exact same emotion.
“Good. We'll talk more later. About that sword maybe.”
Calla hasn't ever talked down to Digs, but she lowers herself now. Almost kneeling so that their eyes are on the same level. She locks eyes with him, holds the look without blinking, and nods once. There's still no discernible emotion in her face.
“Now, are you okay?”
Digs takes a deep breath and closes his eyes before locking a hardened gaze with Calla for a few seconds. He winks and suddenly his whole demeanour softens, “Y-yes I’m f-fine.”
“Good. I really am glad you’re here”.
“Yeah… same. Maybe. Let’s not get each other killed though?”
Calla chuckles and stands up.
“No promises. Let’s just do our best”.
Digs rolls his eyes as they walk back to rejoin the others “Now you just sound like Zola.”
“I don't believe we've met.”
Calla pauses mid-stride.
"No, wait, there was that one time with the goblins. She seemed... fun?”
“And…. the other time…. That was less fun”. "
Co-written with dee
Digs finds an opportunity to corner Calla out of earshot of the others as they enjoy their burritos.
“Umm Calla? Can we have a word please?”
“Of course”
“I need you to tell me that you didn’t,” he pauses, checks over his shoulder, and switches from calm to a harsh whisper, “know about the gods damned dragon cult before we walked in there!”
Calla pushes her glass up her nose, "Huh. I hadn't really thought of it in those terms before. But I suppose they are priests of a sort, and that relationship is with the very basis of dragon kind. I'm sorry. I could have found time to prepare you properly.”
Calla's manner is often detached and academic. This is not that. She's very present. Watchful, even.
“Are you okay?”
Digs balls his fists and erupts into absolute fury, still whispering as he snarls and spits through razor sharp teeth, “No I am not okay! How can you of all people not see it? I’ve been around for like one… thirtieth? Of the time you have and I’ve seen this happen before! I’ve seen how it ends!”
He bounces down into a crouch and claws at the back of his head frantically before popping back up just as suddenly, “They start with the ‘oh kobolds are all descended from dragons we’re all family’ and then they start picking their biggest fans as like… special servants and they tell them it’s some kind of honour when they brand them like humans do with cows and stuff and then they ask for stuff then they ask for more stuff then they stop asking then they order more stuff than you have and and and…” Digs curls up around his knees and claws at his face in distress.
Calla's tone goes cold and drops a full octave.
“I agree. It's good you're here.”
Digs freezes and looks up, his head cocked to the side as Calla continues, “Listen. I... love Orianna, and Florian, I.... I don't know yet. But I would do anything to protect them.”
It's Calla's turn to glance around. When she looks back it's like looking at a sheer cliff.
“Do you understand what I'm saying?”
Digs thinks of all the times that Orianna has gone out of her way to show him kindness and all the times he’s repaid it with dishonesty, he seems to calm down “Yeah. I think I do.”
Digs is right, Calla is a full century (and more) older than him, but in that moment they share the exact same emotion.
“Good. We'll talk more later. About that sword maybe.”
Calla hasn't ever talked down to Digs, but she lowers herself now. Almost kneeling so that their eyes are on the same level. She locks eyes with him, holds the look without blinking, and nods once. There's still no discernible emotion in her face.
“Now, are you okay?”
Digs takes a deep breath and closes his eyes before locking a hardened gaze with Calla for a few seconds. He winks and suddenly his whole demeanour softens, “Y-yes I’m f-fine.”
“Good. I really am glad you’re here”.
“Yeah… same. Maybe. Let’s not get each other killed though?”
Calla chuckles and stands up.
“No promises. Let’s just do our best”.
Digs rolls his eyes as they walk back to rejoin the others “Now you just sound like Zola.”
“I don't believe we've met.”
Calla pauses mid-stride.
"No, wait, there was that one time with the goblins. She seemed... fun?”
“And…. the other time…. That was less fun”. "