Conversations continued around them, and Spark was mowing through the candy canes, no thoughts, head empty. They watched as a couple more gembound joined the gathering. It was hard to ignore the towering figure of the Sentinel, as he left strange shadows in his wake. Spark regarded him with muted interest, intent on their snacks, unable to penetrate social boundaries- until he presented to the crowd what he held in his palm.

Glittering black scales, shimmering rainbows on their surface; They thought back to Pride’s offer and the images it had conjured, weapons and armour made of gems, sparkling in the dimmest of light. If they got their talons on them, they could make dreams a reality. They had witness others giving gifts, could this be one? The idea of taking such a prize left a bad taste in their mouth regardless. They looked to the weapon they clasped. Perhaps… They could part with it.

They didn’t feel much fear in the approach, aside from the regular nervousness they felt in large social gatherings. Not that the valkhound wasn’t intimidating, because he definitely was. Something about his skeletal face however, reminded Spark of an old friend. “ Uh- Could I have those? Maybe?” They tried. ”I can offer something in return, if you want. I’m certainly not using it. They presented the dagger. ”Never been used. Enchanted I think, but I’m not sure with what. Would you be interested?” More of a trade than a giving of gifts, but they didn’t want to tread on anyone’s toes. Plus, judging by the halberd (It had eyes, why on earth would it need eyes?) the gembound might find some use with it. It had been designed for a purpose after all, who was Spark to deny it of its intended function?

@The Sentinel

The Sentinel studied the strange creature that had come before him.

In some ways, his odd mind immediately decided it was his opposite: almost canine, but white to his black, long and low-slung to his upright stance, and graced with warm, gold accents to his cold blue. A moment later he was distracted staring at Spark's wings, pondering them--so much so that he nearly did not hear what was being said to him.

Pale eyes shifted down to regard the dagger. After Spark had finished speaking, he seemed to take a moment to think: and then he stepped forward, offering down his hand, unfurling his fingers further to fully expose the glittering Oily scales in his palm.

"Gifts," he rasped, eyes again sliding to the dagger, but it was half a question: was he doing it right..? Either way, they were being offered out for Spark to take.

He looked to Spark again, expression empty. "Does it have a name?" he asked, though it wasn't clear if he were speaking to himself. Possibly, he was asking Spark for theirs.

@Spark

Pride followed Acheron back in, his gait rather more sedate than her leaping bounds. She'd grown up from a bumbling child, yet somehow he still felt the old parent whenever he went anywhere with her. His was a calm demeanor, peaceful and dignified. Hers was... well.

Hers was not.

Not that he didn't love his daughter, she just--she was different, that was all. He'd been looking for her sister to intro--Ahh. He was jarred from his thoughts by Lorelei, whom Acheron had insisted was her new friend and needed introduction. The dog-deer was leading him to her now, and he paused, dipping his head down. "A gift-giving," Acheron had called it, and he'd decided to see Lorelei before creating his typical offering of a gift. The same thing he'd in fact offered to Spark once upon a time--who he noticed a moment later, as his head came back up, as the magic faded.

"Hello, Spark," he called out, with a friendly nod. A moment later he'd picked his gift up in his lips and carried it to Lorelei, setting it before her.

The gift was a blue lace agate, a stormy blue-gray in color, shaped very much like Lorelei herself. It bore both heads, the long body, the flippers--but was shining gemstone, less than a foot long. "I am Pride," he told her, nodding his head in greeting. "It's good to meet you--Acheron told me much about you. Here is a gift." He stepped back, warmly polite, tail flicking behind him.

red deer img credit - dan seagrave

@Lorelei

Acheron stuck close, cheerful and excited at the meeting of friend and father. "You don't need to give anything, though!" she hastened to assure Lorelei, as Pride made known his gift. "And if you want to come back and hang out with us? We have a little garden and stuff! Not a lot of water, but you're welcome," she invited for a second time.

Then she'd plodded over, flopping her legs beneath her, seeming content. She'd let her dad introduce himself and all that, but she was here anyway, listening happily in.

What a good day this was-!

doberman photo credit: pato garza on flicker

Lorelei looks up from her wonderful treat when she hears more footsteps approaching. Acheron is familiar, of course, but behind her... Lorelei shifts to the side, trying to get a better look at Pride. He's so pretty.

She smiles, with both heads. "Hello! You're Acheron's dad? Nice to meet you!" she excitedly babbles, inching a little closer to him.

Lorelei wasn't expecting a gift from Pride too. She peers down at the little gem, inspecting it. How cute. "Aw, you didn't have to. Thank you," she says, setting the gem figure next to her rock from Acheron.

Turning back to the two of them, she continues, "I wouldn't mind coming along. And I already crawled my way here, so I might as well see it now."

@Pride

The hound glared down at them as they spoke, and Spark felt more beetle than anything else: Something small, shiny, trapped to a surface by a pin. Though cosmetically, his strange skeletal face was somewhat similar to Wicker's, They couldn't find none of his warmth. They couldn't find much of anything really, Spark imagined that the anatomy of his face didn't allow for much expression. Maybe it was just the sheer amount of eyes on them that made their wings twitch.

A beat passed, one that felt longer than it should, before the Sentinel stepped forward to offer the scales. They were even more gorgeous closer up, Spark's eyes lighting up as they saw them proper. Though the likelihood of them inflicting an injury was quite small, they were gentle as they scooped them from his palm, extra mindful of their talons. They were cold, and wet with... God knows what. Where had they come from? What were they made of? Maybe they could ask Pride about it when they got the chance. They noted the oil stains where the scales had brushed against plumage. Hopefully they weren't permanent.

In return, Spark offered the dagger, blade faced towards themself. They watched the surface shimmer, for what may be the last time. A fair trade, probably. The hound asked for a name. "The- the dagger?" Where they supposed to have named it? The blacksmith hadn't told them about it.

"Hey!" Spark turned briefly to return their grandfather's greeting. Wait- had he been asking for theirs?" I'm... Spark." They realised the redundancy of the introduction, with Pride having called to them already. Maybe the Sentinel hadn't heard. "What's yours?"

@The Sentinel

THE GIFTENING

He listened, quiet and fascinated, to the recipe. Fruit rolls. He thought he could make those, then, and his next thought was murmured aloud: "I wonder how it would taste with different fruits..?" Not that there was anything wrong with peach! But different flavors... His frog-like eyes widened at the possibilities. Oh-! But--Sprig wanted--right!

"Well--you will need mint, or peppermint," he began, thinking. His voice was soft, his gecko fingers toying absently with a twist of ribbon. "Which is a small plant--you will recognize this smell!--dull green, with ragged edges. Small leaves. But you could use something similar," he mused. "You will need sugar--taken from sweet plants, or even honey--and it is heated, rolled, and colored with dyes. The dyes can be from anything," he went on. He didn't know everything about candy canes; but he knew enough! "You flavor the sugar with the mint, and twist the heated sugar from both colors into long ropes, and then cut them, and make them into this shape. -The shape is not important," he finished. Really, you could do candy canes in any shape! "They are called candy canes!" He beamed, hoping this was helpful. Maybe he had just introduced a sustainable candy cane industry to the caves! What joy that might bring!

His attention soon drifted, by necessity; he had to pay attention to the rest of the gathering, too. He thought maybe Arquia wasn't quite sure of him--though he wasn't certain--but he felt a little sad, at that; he wondered if anyone else doubted his intentions. Just what have these poor people been through?

Ahh--but then further distraction, as others exchanged their gifts! He brought Spark a small box wrapped in shining gold, wrapped and topped with a white ribbon, the sort that was a big poof of curls. Next he offered the tall and blatantly corrupted Sentinel (but who was Naskital to judge) a squat red-and-green box with candy canes on the wrapper, a silver ribbon topping it. And last, a larger, lighter gift for Pride: wrapped in red and gold, topped with a bright red ribbon.

---

Spark will, upon unwrapping their gift, find what seems a small, cheap cardboard box containing paper packets of instant hot chocolate mix. Naskital will murmur that these should be mixed with hot water to make the drink on his table! However, this hot chocolate will be magickally tasty to whatever type of creature drinks it; and it magickally replenishes over time, at a rate of one packet per day. (Watching the inside of the box will prevent its mysterious regeneration.)

The Sentinel will find a rope of shiny, somewhat tacky silver tinsel intended for a holiday tree, except it is enchanted to softly glow with silver light.

Pride's box contains a non-magical gingerbread house, complete with little mints, sugar icing, and gumdrops shrubbery.

@Sprig @Spark

The Sentinel waited with a silent indifference that was either deep, innate patience or a wandering mind. He tilted his head a fraction at Spark's initial question, wondering at the name The Dagger, but his mind clicked back into place as his own fingers closed around the hilt of the enchanted weapon. He took it, studying its sheen and shimmer, and then looked back at Spark.

Part of him--the part that hungered for magicka, that felt weakened when he did not consume it--felt the urge to simply drain the weapon of its power. But that would be destroying a masterpiece for a mere snack, so he refrained; he would need to find something later to feed from.

"Spark," he rasped in echo, gaze lifting to Pride as he realized the white stag had been addressing this one. He looked back to Spark again, and then--suddenly--gifts were being presented to them.

The Sentinel did not know what to do with his weapons. He had a halberd, but he always carried that in one hand; the dagger had no loop or the like with which to tie it to anything, and his armor had no belt or scabbard. He stared awkwardly at Naskital for a moment before tucking his halberd beneath one arm, then taking the dagger in one hand, the gift in the other. He studied the wrapping for a moment, staring inscrutably at the little candy canes. When he tore it away with his claws (as if forgetting he had a sharp weapon--two sharp weapons--he could've used instead), he stifled the urge to simply destroy it. Chaos. The Sentinel pushed the urge aside with difficulty, disregarding it as best he could.

Within the box was a thread of light: something silver, something he'd never seen before and whose purpose wholly eluded him. Uncertain, he dropped the box and lifted the rope of tinsel. Light. He himself gave off swirling shadows, so what would happen if...

The Sentinel lifted the silver tinsel, draping it over his shoulderplates, letting it dangle down his armor. Then he stood stolid and stoic, staring off at the far wall as he tried to discern the purpose of this... thing.

Pride dipped his head. "You are welcome to. If you'd like, Acheron can carry anything for you, and I-" Pride focused, eyeing Lorelei.

Surely he had some magic he could use to make her travel easier? "Let me make this a little easier," he offered, and concentrated. His magicka flickered, then failed, and he blinked. "Ahh-... I'll try again in a moment." He could feel the faint stab of the magic nearly twisting around on itself, but he'd mastered its type well enough that he managed to disperse it before anything terrible happened.

He shook his head a little, apologetic, and turned away. "Spark!" he called out. "Acheron and I are bringing Lorelei to see our home; you're welcome to join us." It was good to see his sort-of-grandchild; he'd hate to run off without him.

red deer img credit - dan seagrave

(should we do a new thread?) @Lorelei

She eyed Pride, waiting for some sort of miracle--for Lorelei to get washed along with them on a magic river, or something--but nothing happened. Acheron tried to shrug off her disappointment, peering toward Lorelei.

"Yeah, I can carry something?" The red hat still sat jaunty on her antler tines, so her beaming offer looked extra cheerful--but then, she was extra cheerful. Seeing Lorelei again was better than any gift, really, and she was excited to invite her home to see it.

Not that there was much to see, but still! Bringing a friend home was always good.

doberman photo credit: pato garza on flicker