ORIGIN

Attikias was nervous. Was it the fact that the person he was seeking out was a literal murderer for hire? No, probably not- he was one a long time ago, or he’d aimed to be one, in any case.

It was the fact that she could potentially murder him. That wouldn’t settle nicely on anyone’s conscious, the elf thought, readjusting his armor as he paced through the overgrown jungle. She probably wouldn’t want him to shout into the air about her- but did he remember where she made her den? Maybe. Batting away another large frond with his spear, Attikias turned about as he reached the cave wall.

Now, he just needed to walk along its length. Which way, though? Left, maybe- yeah, that seemed right. The rock patterns seemed a bit familiar all the way over here.

When he came to an opening, he drew his spear in closer, not particularly bearing it out as a defensive but keeping it ready just in case. ”Venari?” He called out hesitantly after a moment, already running through the powerpoint he’d made in his head.

’Tell her about Mother. Ask her to help. See if she wants to help. Offer something in exchange? Do mercenaries want things in exchange? I’d want something-’ He shook his head as his thoughts derailed, coming to stand fully in the entrance to the den. ”I come with an offer.”

"Venari," the elf had called, "I come with an offer."

No response... at first.

Eridanus's ambient noise filled his ears for a while, barely disturbed by his voice ringing out: spinners warbling; powdery moth wings beating neatly through the air; water tumbling over stones. That while stretched just long enough for it to be appropriate for Attikias to turn and try a different time—wait, what's that noise?

Something shifted in the brush, and a huge shadow darted along the wall. Hundreds of scuttling footsteps resounded, growing more and more distant, then coming closer.

... and, suddenly! There she was, staring down at Attikias from her perch on the wall. The eye on her forehead twitched shut, and she fidgeted with her mandibles before chiming with a brief "you called me?" There wasn't a trace of annoyance in her voice, though the insectoid arm woven through a basket's handle implied that she had definitely been busy. It was full of flowers and various shiny objects.

Which—"excuse me!" Venari chirped cheerfully before dropping her full length onto Eridanus's floor. She coiled up briefly, and then sauntered into the brightness of her den. Decoration could wait a moment—she plopped the basket down and turned back towards Attikias.

Her frontmost limbs tapped against one another, like one would tent their fingers at a particularly boring Zoom meeting.

"What kind of offer?"

@Attikias

There wasn't a response. Was she in there? He leaned in, briefly, struggling to see in- but he sighed out, going back to lean on the wall of the cave. Fine, he could wait.

Except, there was a flash of dark, and the elf fully startled, his tail sticking out akimbo to his body as he flinched away from the huntress. Holy SHIT- a strangled noise of surprise came out of him, but the longer he stood there bewildered, the more he realized, oh. That was the person he was looking for.

He cleared his throat, looking to the completely out of place basket, then to Venari herself. "Uh-" He shook himself out like he was rattling himself back together, putting the armor back in place and running fingers through his hair. "Yes! Venari, hi- I'm Attikias. Did you- You're a hunter, right?" His head cocked to the basket.

Well, every hunter needed their hobbies, he supposed.

"You take commissions, right? --It's not for people! Just, I need help with something, and-" He stopped for a moment, hands out mid-wave as the only mobile part of him was his lashing tail.

What could he even say? Wood? Did she like wood? Or paintings? Or- "Do you like art? I make wood figures and things, and I can help garden, if you want that. Or flowers or art like- paintings, or anything."

He swallowed, hard. Even if she was friendly, it still wasn't easy talking to a massive centipede. He calmed himself for a moment. Right, though- his point, and he cleared his throat and took in a deep breath.

"But, um- do you know anything about a fungus called Mother?"

Attikias

Game Master Bunny

Attikias