ORIGIN - so how about a trade?

James trotted along the jungle paths, his wingspan too broad to fly through the trees without smacking into one. Around his neck was one of his woven bags, filled to the top with soaproot. He'd recently bathed, having taken a swim in one of the rivers of Pegasus and used his magic to use the root to wipe the mud and grime and general grit that had collected, when an idea came to mind.

A trade.

He himself didn't have the supplies to make the gift he had in mind for Isra (and he'd remembered after the whole ordeal that he'd so rudely forgotten to thank her), but he did know who did, and who had hands to actually craft it.

"Attikias!", he called out, not quite a yell but loud enough to announce himself as he entered the camp, "Are you here? Or busy?"

James stopped before he entered the row of tents and structures, looking around at the urns and fallen trees, noting claw marks on them. Carja, most likely, probably to make room for herself.

@Attikias

Attikias probably looked dead upon first look- thick pelt obscured the noticeable rise and fall of breathing, and the elf was fully limp over a log. One hald dangled from the side, his head faced towards the firepit in the center, and his eyes were closed.

All in all, a normal afternoon nap. It didn't help that he was a heavy sleeper after cycles of being around kids. But, when his name was called out, Attikias jerked up his head with a snort and a glance over. "Yeah? Wuh-" He shoved off the wood with a sniff. His first action of being awake was rubbing his face with the butt of his hand, squinting. How long had he been out?

Blearily, he swung his legs over once he saw James, stifling a yawn and stretching up. "Yo, James," he strained out as his arms reached above him. "Sorry- what's up?" Not that he had to say sorry, but whatever.

@James

James honestly couldn't help smiling, snickering to himself at the position before slowly walking closer, legs picking their way across camp delicately. He stopped in front of Attikias and shuffled his wings, head tilted.

"Sorry if I interrupted your nap," he said, tail swishing, "Though I promise it's for a good reason."

He lowered his head and let the bag slip onto the ground, nosing it closer, "Take a look. I call it soaproot. I use it to clean myself with but I suspect it can be used for other things. It makes you smell good, too, and helps you get clean."

He let his braid hang and lifted it with his wing, hoping Attkias saw how shiny his coat and hair was thanks to it.

"I wanted to offer a trade for it," he said, "I want to make a gift for Isra- she's the guardian of Cepheus, but alas... I've no hands nor the materials to make anything with. I was thinking some necklaces. Four, perhaps? A big one for her head and littler ones for her tails. They have their own personalities from what I can tell."

He looked down at Attikias, hopeful, "Could you do something like that?"

@Attikias

He'd moved on to stretching his legs as James approached, chuckling. "Oh, nah. Better than getting bit to wake up, or something." He disguised his pointed cough, shaking his head and taking in a quick breath. Once he'd woken up his muscles, he leaned in to the bag, opening it curiously.

"Soaproot, huh? I've never seen these plants," he talked idly as James showed off his pelt, nodding approvingly. "Looks like it works! I don't think it grows around here at all- are these still living?" Not that it mattered too much- it would be useful, though, and perhaps Vivilene could take the seeds and grow some of them herself if they weren't.

He leaned back away from the bag as James continued, rolling his shoulders back in another minute stretch. Isra, Isra... He hadn't heard of the name, but he'd been to Cepheus plenty of times. Maybe- had he heard her voice talking to Nedies? A soft 'oh' came from him as he gently realized, then a minor cringe with a second, worried 'oh', before finishing with a third nodding 'oh?' once he realized what James was doing. They weren't loud enough to interrupt conversation, but enough to tell that he was listening, already thinking.

He was quiet for a moment, staring down at the bag, before nodding. "Hey, 'course I can. No need to trade if that's all you wanted." The elf shoved off of his seat and scooped up the bag, bringing it towards the used and abused worktable he enjoyed so much. "I mean, I won't refuse this, though- I've been using clays, mostly, but I think I could definitely work with this." He'd set the bag by one leg of the table, and he'd reached off to the side, gathering his loops of rawhide rope before working his way around the other side. James would be able to see his work this way, he hoped.

"How big do you think her head- heads are? Necks? I could probably make something out of rope 'n' dye- would something gold- uh, brass, maybe? Would that fit her?" His mind was already going as he made an adjusting loop around a particularly thick cut that was more leather than rawhide, more fit for making an armband than a necklace for someone his size.

@James

James followed Attikias, curious, "I uprooted them. I knew someone who grew plants and he showed me how to do it. The roots are soft and if you take off the skin, you can scoop out the insides and use it to wash things. I think they can be replanted here, they grow in and around slow moving water, like ponds. I have a few of my own plants back home."

He pointed at the generic green leaves they had, "If you want to search for them around here, they have these leaves, but if you turn them upside-down..."

He flipped a leaf, showing a shimmering underside, like it had been dipped in silver, "They look like this. Otherwise they're rather plain."

He ruffled his wings back into place and stood a bit awkwardly, not for any particular reason other than he was just awkward himself, "It'd make me feel better if I sort of... paid you for your work. I saw the beads at the forge, they were beautiful."

James went to show a size with his wings, only to pause, "Um... You know Carja, right? Her neck is around the same size, though a bit thinner? And the snakes... perhaps a bit bigger than your wrists."

He peered at Attikias's hair, head cocked. He hadn't met anyone who had hair like him, but Attikias' looked softer, somehow, and thinner. He didn't realize his nose was practically touching the other's head until he saw his breath moving it around, snapping his head back and looking away, sheepish.

@Attkias

"Huh," Attikias muttered, holding the plant up for James to point at. "I had no idea. I dunno how well it'll grow here, since the soil's not that great, but I'm sure Vivilene could work with it." He shuffled in place, placing the soaproot back in the bag. "Doubt I could grow it here at camp without Erebos pullin' it up..."

He breathed in, then out, with a small huff and a smile. "Sorry, just... Dealing with rough kids." There was a soft chuckle as he leaned on the table. "Anyways, yeah, I mean- I won't refuse 'em, I can definitely use them. Anne'll love it." His tail flicked behind him as he pulled out the stone knife from his belt.

He paused what he was doing- cutting a slot in the end of the leather- as James explained the size. It took him a moment of looking up to imagine it, before, "I think I got it." He'd leaned down to put his weight on the table as he worked. "How long are the snakes' necks, you think? I could probably make a sort of.. two part necklace for 'em, with something connecting between? Maybe."

Attikias's knife-cut hair had fallen over his face, and he hadn't noticed James close to him, not even as he waved his hand out of the way. His attention was on the leather as he laid it out, measuring roughly how large he remembered Carja's neck to be. It may be loose, but he could have it slimmed down on one side with chevrons to squeeze into the slit he'd made at the other end.

He only noticed James at the breath, and his heard jerked up with a small 'hm?'.

@James

The stallion nodded solemnly, "I get that. I have... far too many. My own two, Comet and Peggy, then two more on the way and then the four I somehow adopted after their father passed away... all within about six months."

Oh caves he was so tired. But it was worth it to see them grow up okay, and it wasn't like he was expecting to suddenly have the burden of raising four kids. At least it wasn't for long.

James blinked and shrugged, "That I couldn't tell you. I don't really know how to describe the measurement? I don't have much to compare it to, seeing as ours are short compared to her's and Carja's is much too long. I'm glad you'll find use out of the root, though. Maybe you could plant it where you bathe?"

He pawed at the ground before blurting out, "Do you want me to braid your hair? Nothing fancy, just to get it out of your face. It's wispier than mine is so I don't know how it'll go, but I can try."

James shuffled his feet and slowly dropped down to his knees, laying down with a soft 'oomf' of air, getting himself comfy.

@Attikias