Seraphim leaned closer and gave the beads a curious sniff. "Oh, how pretty!" She exclaimed. The fact that they were wore and old did not subtract their appeal to her; she had no reference of their original form. Seraphim still did not know what they were used for, but they looked like strange pebbles.

"Please." She said, dipping her head once more. "Take as much as my mane as you need, all of it if you must, I won't mind." She did not know what they meant by "five hairs is worth one", she couldn't count, but Seraphim was offering all the hairs on her mane. She showed them her neck so they could cut as much as they needed off.

OOC: pardon seraphim, she had no concept of how commerce works lol. feel free to give her an akhal teke hair cut.

The traders consulted--constantly, and in hushed tones--with one another as the Gembound before them brought in various offerings.

The Baubled gem was raised in furry hands, and considered. Narrowed eyes picked over the offered bones. And three of them murmured over Seraphim's hair.

"Pull some out," one suggested. Hands reached for the foal.
"No, don't pull. Cut! Pulling hurts."
"Pulling worth more, then-?"
"Just cut." Carefully, one pulled out a slender blade of obsidian to slice away some hairs near their base.

Then, the offered prices. "Bones worth three apiece." "This glow-gem! Worth two!" "Hair one per hair. We take five, yes? No--ten. We give ten."

It still wasn't quite clear what the system was, but then one stood up straight and proud, and nodded.

"We trade back now. One for one. You get two," one added, nodding to Skeena. (Apparently bones were worth a lot?) "But you trade to each other!" "Yes. Trade very important." "One for one!" "One for two?" "One for ONE." This last was sternly-given, one creature glaring at another from beneath a broad-brimmed, tattered hat.

Clay jars were hauled out from behind a counter and presented. One was dull brown, striated with even duller blues and reds; another was softly-hued pink-brown; another a dull blue-gray; and the last an earthy green. "You pick. But you trade! Not keep. To each other," one explained.

It all wasn't very clear, but then they went on. "Secret magic inside. Hidden. Spells." "Brown has red! For the eyes!" "Blue makes glow-colors on things." "Pink is big fat orange food plant!" "Green has blue. Also for the eyes!" With this entirely also-unclear explanation, the jars were offered out.

__________

Gembound present may select one jar (except for Skeena, who apparently picks two), with or without discussing with one another first, and trade it with the jar of another Gembound present. Gembound may then open their jars to view their rewards. Gembound may wish to discuss who wants which jar before trading them around!

@Skeena @Seraphim @Wilder

The hybrid observed as the... things... spoke amongst each-other, having no idea what they meant. Bones worth three apiece? Well, that was strange.

Finally, though, they were offered jars of different colors, told to pick one each (except for her, apparently bones were worth more? she got to pick two), and so she took the Green and the Pink, holding them awkwardly. She looked at the horse and the shit-cat, asking, "Who wants what?"

As the jars were presented, Wilder's eyes immediately strayed to the blue one. Paint glowing things? That sounded like fun! But then she remembered what the traders said. To trade with each other. She blinked and turned towards Skeena. A smile faded onto her face. She reached forward and grabbed the blue one, handing it over to her, eyes glittering. "Here, Skeena! I'll take the green one!"

as a maiden she tiptoes shy with her light...

Better late than never.

Thothaga scurried up to the tiny tent, dragging what appeared to be a the crumpled, hollowed out husk of another spider, duller but identical. For those who knew the giant spider well enough-- or any spider for that matter-- would recognize it as her molt. It was still mostly intact, with the hard carapace hanging off it like an open door. It was the size of a deflated pony and had the toughness of hardened leather. Surely they needed this old thing more than her.

The spider dumped her old exoskeleton at their feet, then stepped back, stroking her fangs.
"What will this fetch me?" She asked them gruffly. It had been difficult enough dragging the blasted thing here, as her new shell could have used more drying, but she'd be damned if all the goodies had gotten taken because she waited to long to dry her nails.


"Thothaga speaking."
Thothaga thinking.

Seraphim cringed at the hair pulling, but said nothing. Thankfully one told them cut instead, which was surprisingly painless. When it was all over and done with, the little filly shook her neck. It felt lighter than before. Her mane had been crudely sheered, with stray tuffs sticking out too and fro. It would have made a hairstylist faint.

But Seraphim did not know that. Her eyes sparkled, happy to have helped. She cocked her head at the offering, watching the others as they discussed. This must be what trading is like. There was really only one jar they haven't picked. "May I have the brown? She asked sweetly. Honestly, she didn't know what "red for the eyes" meant, but if it made them happier...

Then, she turned to look at the giant spider making her why up.

The traders again chittered amongst themselves, some drawing back at Thothaga's approach. One the moult was presented to them, they spent a great deal of time debating: touching it, mulling it over, discussing amongst themselves in quiet murmurs, and clutching their chins in resting hands. At last, one spoke.

"Two."

There was a forest of nods and agreement, and one of the merchants rummaged about behind the counters for a moment. When he came out, brushing aside pale cloth, he presented Thothaga with a jar: milky-white, veined with soft teal. "This is worth two. Small things, friends," he "explained."

Another, an older female by the looks and sounds, spoke gruffly. "Remember! Trade. All must be traded." Others chorused in. "Trade!" "Gifts, always gifts-" "Must trade and barter."

The merchants then watched and waited, expectantly, for the Gembound to trade and to open their jars.

@Wilder @Seraphim @Thothaga @Skeena

Skeena didn't respond and Wilder blinked, pulling her gift back to her. "Oh, well, um..." But it was right then that Thothaga appeared and Wilder's face cracked into a wide grin. "Oh! Hey Thothaga!" As the creatures handed her a milky white jar, Wilder immediately bounced up, holding out the blue one she was carrying. "Here! Trade with me! They want us to trade!"

@Thothaga

as a maiden she tiptoes shy with her light...

The spider turned and her eyes seemed to sparkle when she saw her little cat friend. "Wilder!" She chirped, noticing a small, fuzzy black shape bounding towards her. Thothaga was pleasantly surprised. Once again, the Wilder's dark fur had hid her from the spider's poor sight."I did not see you there."

She placed the white jar down at Wilder's paws and gestured towards the blue one. "What did they about yours?" A part of Thothaga wanted to keep the white jar for herself, but it was hard to say no to Wilder and her big, fuchsia eyes.



"Thothaga speaking."
Thothaga thinking.

@Wilder

Wilder happily pushed the blue jar towards the spider. "They said is makes colors glow on things! I think that's pretty cool! But they said we need to trade so I'll give it to you!" She put her paws on the white one, eyes sparkling with child-like excitement. She wondered what was inside!

@Thothaga