Leviathan chuffed quietly, greeting his mother by headbutting her gently before turning his attention back to the Blacksmith to listen. He made a rumbling sort of sound.
"I can fight. And I can swim. I cannot hold my breath for long, but the waters are my domain -- if you give me that magic, for underwater breathing, I will help." That was how a trade worked, right? That was all he wanted, really -- something to let him stay under the waves of Fornax for as long as he wanted. He glanced to Kaimana, as if to make sure he was doing this whole 'bartering' thing correctly, before deciding that it was probably fine.
He grunted.
"Which water is it under. Fornax or Leo." Fornax was preferable.
"I know Fornax better; I am familiar with its waves. I can guide people -- and scour the shallows for shells and things." He had been a gift from the waters -- his stone had been granted to his mother by Fornax, and it only made sense that it was to this water he owed allegiance. Kaimana was his Maker, but the water was his Giver, and it was as much a parent to him as she was. A colder and more chaotic one that would steal his life away if he failed to respect it, but a parent nonetheless.
@kaimana
Kaimana happily accepted Levi's greeting, and looked up at him as he spoke. She nodded at his "bartering" attempt, although it was more brash than any offer she might've made. She felt a sudden but honestly unsurprising pang of fear in her chest that refused to show in any part of her face. She knew him well enough to have predicted, even before his offer, that he would probably want to go down there and fight. He would be good at it, too. "Levi, will you come and help me find things to enchant? I need to find something you can wear..." She whispered to him. It was scary, knowing this child she loved would want to risk himself, especially in a place she couldn't see or follow... But if James had taught her anything about parenting, it was to allow your child the freedom their heart desired, even if it felt scary at first. She had to trust Levi, and Comet for that matter. She was liable to want to go as well.
If he would follow, she would exit to take her child to the closest approximation to a "clothing store" or "warehouse" that these Caves could provide.
Text. "Speech." Thoughts.
Kaimana is going to Gemini to find enchantable stuff here: {Private} Clothes Shopping With Mom.
@Leviathan
Pelt almost snorted with derision, but stopped herself just in time. She did not, however, have the restraint to contain the words that spilled out of her next. "You are inconsiderate, Blacksmith!" she cried, amusement clear in her voice. "You ask for those of us who can fight beneath the waves, yet the meeting-place you chose is one for land animals." She gestured around them: the rocky slope of the volcano leading up to the cave, the dry floor of the workshop. "You couldn't have picked a better spot for those with bodies like mine?" Not that she... saw any nearby, currently.
"Even if you give them the power to breathe underwater, what good will that do? The dragons could be of use, but look at that horse! Those deer with their slender legs and hooves! If we are to fight something, something well adapted to the water, do you think they would even be able to flee for their lives should things turn sour?"
Her rant finished, Pelt considered whether she should stay, or say good riddance to the whole thing. The Blacksmith spoke of fighting, which she wasn't currently trying to seek out deliberately - at least, not without a good reason. He also spoke of freeing a trapped person - which was, again, irrelevant as far as Pelt was concerned. Why would she free someone who had done nothing for her?
But the Blacksmith spoke also of a possible reward, and that intrigued her. He did not have anything in mind, so Pelt assumed that meant she could simply pick for herself. She scooted forward, dark eyes gleaming. "Give me something magical." That was within his power, right? He had spoken of teaching these Gembound to enchant things. "Something to make me faster, both in water and on land. Promise me that and I'll help."
Action. Thought. "Speech."
the fox had traveled to leo. he'd seen the sudden influx of travelers and couldn't resist paying a visit!
he had walked up behind the crowd, listening intently. freeing someone who was trapped? now, thats a cause he can get behind. he was ready to FINALLY be of some help, and it seemed, if they were fighting someone, his services could be of use!
"e-excuse me, blacksmith!" he called out. "you said there would be a fight, yes? i'm not a fighter by any means, but i believe i could be of some assistance!"
he pulled his flask from his waist, hoisting it up so the blacksmith could see it, offering it even for examination if required. "i have this enchanted flask, it helps me make mixtures out of plants and materials and know what they do! i could create things to aid the fight, such as poisons or sedatives, even hallucinogenics, but i can also heal the wounded should it get bloody, with a regenerative or soothing mixture or a poultice, to help aid in healing wounds. im also willing to help set broken bones. i can also offer an energizing drink for those going into battle for a little boost!" he explained, or really rather, rambled. however he was offering what he could do. a fight was not a fair one if you could not ensure speedy recovery for yourself or others, right?
"im sure there would be ways to bring such mixtures underwater for quick use, containers of sorts?"
he thought. payment? hmm.
"i seek no payment other than the knowledge i may help those in need of it, though i will take what is offered if it is. he said with a smile.
Whale didn't know what was going on, but that was fine! She had heard that there was someone in Leo who needed help - Leo being what the bay and the surrounding area was called, apparently - so of course she'd had to come immediately, even if she wasn't quite sure exactly what they needed help with. But now that she had arrived, she found that it was kind of... hard to find whoever had been asking for help. There were some glittering purple fish browsing on algae near the surface, and occasional darting schools of silverlings, but no fish stopped to ask her for help. Whale didn't even think they could talk.
She peeked the tip of her head above the water, looking about. There seemed to a crowd gathering outside of a cave in the nearby volcano - she saw a dragon land, followed by buzzing flies, and more Gembound milling nearby. Whale didn't thinks she could get there, though. What to do? She huffed a frustrated breath, spraying air and water vapor from her twin blowholes, and contorted her face as best as she could into a frown. I WANNA HELP!
She felt a tickling in the lapis lazuli tubercle on her head, and frowned harder. She couldn't scratch that itch, for some reason, so all she could do was concentrate really hard and hope it went away -
Oh! What was that? An amorphous blob of blue light burst from the gem and bobbed just above the water's surface. When Whale turned back to look at the cave, it moved with her. This could be useful. Wondering at at the wisp of magic, she sent it floating to the volcano where the rest of the Gembounds were gathering. Hopefully, it could attract their attention. If not, well -
"I AM WHALE!" Whale bellowed, with all the power and loudness of the humpback whale that she was. "I WILL HELP! HOW DO I HELP?! I WILL BE THE BEST HELPER!"
- this would.
"GET DOWN HERE AND TALK TO ME FACE TO FACE!" she added, frustrated by her inability to join the rest of the gathering.
”I might be able to do that,” Carja piped up, raising her head high.
She caught sight of Blight and perked up, stepping towards him before stopping. Would Blight recognize her? Would he reject her like Dread did? Would he be angry she didn't save Bone and Svartis?
She stared at him for a moment before meekly approaching, ”Blight? I-It's Carja, do you remember me?”
If she didn't, she might just break down crying.