Post by The Wastelander on Dec 4, 2015 7:58:37 GMT
Noctia approached the crossroads that was the Rusty Shoe with growing anxiety. She didn't like being around ponies, let alone too many of them, but it had to be done if she wanted to get some supplies. Like food. The zebra did what she always did when she had to do something unsavory: she steeled herself against it. She wouldn't be around there long anyway. In, sell things, buy things, and out. It was a sound plan. Noctia stepped past the edge of the Shoe at a steady pace, ignoring the few curious stares of passing ponies as she found a spot by one of the carts to set up. She shrugged her worn saddlebags off and began pulling out a little array of items. Dusty glass bottles of different medicines and ointments, and a few dented tins of drugs for good measure. Those always sold well enough.
Gehrman didn't like to be around ponies either... Well, save his little sister. The pony that he would gladly lay down his life for. He had grown weary of ponies looking his way with fright, even if he was... what... almost three times their size? The large griffon flicked his tail, hawk-like eyes searching for some specific items. He and his little sister were running low on medical supplies, something that would be best for him to rectify while he was here. It wouldn't be good for something to happen and for his sister to be injured. No, that would be unacceptable... Soon enough the griffon caught sight of a... zebra? His interest was almost immediately snagged what she had sitting in front of her. He saw some glass bottles and things that could potentially be medicine! The griffon couldn't help but let a smile show as he walked over. "Glorious day! Do you have medicines in stock?" He cheerfully asked. Why was he cheerful? Why, he was happy that he might have already found what he was looking for! The griffon could be rather lazy....
Noctia busied herself with straightening her wares and considered if she had anything else to sell. There wasn't much she usually picked up on her travels other than gems, various wasteland herbs, and other little odds and ends.. She was distracted from her line of thought by a cheery voice, one that seemed directed at her. Her ears rotated towards them before her gaze followed.. and she beheld the large, looming form of a griffon. And it was smiling. Noctia visibly froze, her slanted eyes widening some. She knew the Rusty Shoe was neutral ground for everypony, but.. seeing a griffon here, not attacking the place, was unprecedented. "Ah, mm.." Noctia tried to get herself to focus, when every muscle and instinct demanded she flee immediately. She took a deep, calming breath and pointed her hooves down at the glass bottles. "Y-Yes. I have an array of natural medicines. They can be used on your wounds to slow the flow of blood, such as this one, or if you suffer the afflictions of the Wasteland Winds, this one will help cleanse it from your body. Medicines to deal with infection, sickness, ointments for chafing, magical burns.." The zebra pointed at each in turn as she introduced them and sat back to await his decision.
Gehrman quirks his head, long ears perking before flicking back as the zebra showed signs of agitation much like every other pony he'd ever met. He heaved a bit of a sigh and pushed the first inklings of sadness to the back of his mind. He tried never to eat ponies... or.... creatures that could speak. The brief look was wiped from his face as he turned his gaze to the glass bottles upon the table while the zebra. He and his sister had been having trouble with raider groups recently... so perhaps some magical burn ointment? Most ponies never got to get near his little sister. Only unicorn and their ranged magic typically made it past him. Unless there were a large number, then he couldn't keep them all away. "Some magical burn salve would be best....As well as general infection medicine." he'd frown as he looked over the group of glass bottles. Did he need anything else? It would be nice to have, but at the same time he didn't want to buy it all since he needed to be careful with his and his sister's funds....
Noctia watched the griffon eye the bottles of medicine and gave him time to make his choice. He seemed torn on a decision, but he eventually chose a couple. "Of course, that will be.." The zebra trailed off to calculate a price for the two of them, "seven gems." She settled on at last, scooping up the two he'd chosen and holding them out to him, perfectly balanced on one hoof. Her free hoof she held out for the gems she'd asked for. Noctia briefly considered talking to him, making small talk that was, since one never got a chance to talk to a griffon of all creatures.. But she was still nervous.
Gehrman flicks one of his feathered ears. "Seven gems." he nodded and unfurled a wing, curling his head to the side where a pouch had been concealed against his side. He dug his beak in and pulled back with several gems, dropping them onto the hoof. There were six so he had to do the same once again and pull out a seventh. With the last gem clattering onto the hoof the griffon smiled wide. "There ya go!" he chuckled some. He'd use his talons to get the gems out but the pouch was too small! Once he was able to picked up the bottles in much the same way and carefully placed them into the same pouch. "Thank you. I was worried about running low on medicine for my little sister...." he'd say as one ear flicked towards several other ponies who had come around a corner, saw the griffon, and then ducked back behind panicked squeaks. It bothered him, but... as long as his little sister wasn't scared of him he'd survive...
Noctia's sharp eyes noticed where the griffon had his pouch of money concealed- but it was merely a bad habit to mark it. She wouldn't dare try to mess with a griffon, and not one that willingly bought something from her. The zebra withdrew her hooves once she had her gems, and the griffon his bottled medicine. "And thank you." She replied, blinking at the mention of a sister. She tucked her newly earned gems away in her own little pouch around her neck, opposite of the slim dagger in its scabbard on her shoulder- in mouth's reach. "A sibling.. in some ways, we ponies and griffons are not so different." Noctia intoned thoughtfully. "Forgive me, griffons are highly feared in the wastelands as fierce predators, but to know you care for another brings me relief. It separates you from the monsters."
Gehrman flicked his tail and inclined his head some to the zebra. He was happy that she was willing to trade with him. His kind were rather feared as she mentioned later. "Indeed. I could say the same thing about pony raiders, however, could I not?..." he'd ask, and with a quiet chuckle the griffon actually sat on his haunches. He didn't mind a good conversation! "It... helps... whenever my little sister happens to be a pony." he'd say as his features stretched into an avian grin. "I don't think I could stomach pony...." he grimaced. The very thought was.... rather repulsive to the giant creature. "I much prefer larger - more dangerous, more feral prey." he couldn't help but get a bit of a predatory look at that thought. Even if he did try to be kind to most sentient creatures, he couldn't shed his predatory nature so easily.
Noctia had to admit to herself she was a little surprised that the griffon showed no temper at her bold words. He did show a bit of intelligence, though, the way he'd turned the conversation around to the violence of ponies. She cocked her head in interest, but failed to mask her surprise when the griffon so casually stated his sister was a pony. "Mm, I suppose you have a point there. Ponies are the only creatures in all the wastes who fight to hurt, who enslave others.. They are responsible for the war that caused such destruction." Noctia noted while she gave herself time to think. She tried to ignore the look on his face. "That is commendable, but tell me, how a pony and a griffon came to be siblings?"
Gehrman didn't like to be around ponies either... Well, save his little sister. The pony that he would gladly lay down his life for. He had grown weary of ponies looking his way with fright, even if he was... what... almost three times their size? The large griffon flicked his tail, hawk-like eyes searching for some specific items. He and his little sister were running low on medical supplies, something that would be best for him to rectify while he was here. It wouldn't be good for something to happen and for his sister to be injured. No, that would be unacceptable... Soon enough the griffon caught sight of a... zebra? His interest was almost immediately snagged what she had sitting in front of her. He saw some glass bottles and things that could potentially be medicine! The griffon couldn't help but let a smile show as he walked over. "Glorious day! Do you have medicines in stock?" He cheerfully asked. Why was he cheerful? Why, he was happy that he might have already found what he was looking for! The griffon could be rather lazy....
Noctia busied herself with straightening her wares and considered if she had anything else to sell. There wasn't much she usually picked up on her travels other than gems, various wasteland herbs, and other little odds and ends.. She was distracted from her line of thought by a cheery voice, one that seemed directed at her. Her ears rotated towards them before her gaze followed.. and she beheld the large, looming form of a griffon. And it was smiling. Noctia visibly froze, her slanted eyes widening some. She knew the Rusty Shoe was neutral ground for everypony, but.. seeing a griffon here, not attacking the place, was unprecedented. "Ah, mm.." Noctia tried to get herself to focus, when every muscle and instinct demanded she flee immediately. She took a deep, calming breath and pointed her hooves down at the glass bottles. "Y-Yes. I have an array of natural medicines. They can be used on your wounds to slow the flow of blood, such as this one, or if you suffer the afflictions of the Wasteland Winds, this one will help cleanse it from your body. Medicines to deal with infection, sickness, ointments for chafing, magical burns.." The zebra pointed at each in turn as she introduced them and sat back to await his decision.
Gehrman quirks his head, long ears perking before flicking back as the zebra showed signs of agitation much like every other pony he'd ever met. He heaved a bit of a sigh and pushed the first inklings of sadness to the back of his mind. He tried never to eat ponies... or.... creatures that could speak. The brief look was wiped from his face as he turned his gaze to the glass bottles upon the table while the zebra. He and his sister had been having trouble with raider groups recently... so perhaps some magical burn ointment? Most ponies never got to get near his little sister. Only unicorn and their ranged magic typically made it past him. Unless there were a large number, then he couldn't keep them all away. "Some magical burn salve would be best....As well as general infection medicine." he'd frown as he looked over the group of glass bottles. Did he need anything else? It would be nice to have, but at the same time he didn't want to buy it all since he needed to be careful with his and his sister's funds....
Noctia watched the griffon eye the bottles of medicine and gave him time to make his choice. He seemed torn on a decision, but he eventually chose a couple. "Of course, that will be.." The zebra trailed off to calculate a price for the two of them, "seven gems." She settled on at last, scooping up the two he'd chosen and holding them out to him, perfectly balanced on one hoof. Her free hoof she held out for the gems she'd asked for. Noctia briefly considered talking to him, making small talk that was, since one never got a chance to talk to a griffon of all creatures.. But she was still nervous.
Gehrman flicks one of his feathered ears. "Seven gems." he nodded and unfurled a wing, curling his head to the side where a pouch had been concealed against his side. He dug his beak in and pulled back with several gems, dropping them onto the hoof. There were six so he had to do the same once again and pull out a seventh. With the last gem clattering onto the hoof the griffon smiled wide. "There ya go!" he chuckled some. He'd use his talons to get the gems out but the pouch was too small! Once he was able to picked up the bottles in much the same way and carefully placed them into the same pouch. "Thank you. I was worried about running low on medicine for my little sister...." he'd say as one ear flicked towards several other ponies who had come around a corner, saw the griffon, and then ducked back behind panicked squeaks. It bothered him, but... as long as his little sister wasn't scared of him he'd survive...
Noctia's sharp eyes noticed where the griffon had his pouch of money concealed- but it was merely a bad habit to mark it. She wouldn't dare try to mess with a griffon, and not one that willingly bought something from her. The zebra withdrew her hooves once she had her gems, and the griffon his bottled medicine. "And thank you." She replied, blinking at the mention of a sister. She tucked her newly earned gems away in her own little pouch around her neck, opposite of the slim dagger in its scabbard on her shoulder- in mouth's reach. "A sibling.. in some ways, we ponies and griffons are not so different." Noctia intoned thoughtfully. "Forgive me, griffons are highly feared in the wastelands as fierce predators, but to know you care for another brings me relief. It separates you from the monsters."
Gehrman flicked his tail and inclined his head some to the zebra. He was happy that she was willing to trade with him. His kind were rather feared as she mentioned later. "Indeed. I could say the same thing about pony raiders, however, could I not?..." he'd ask, and with a quiet chuckle the griffon actually sat on his haunches. He didn't mind a good conversation! "It... helps... whenever my little sister happens to be a pony." he'd say as his features stretched into an avian grin. "I don't think I could stomach pony...." he grimaced. The very thought was.... rather repulsive to the giant creature. "I much prefer larger - more dangerous, more feral prey." he couldn't help but get a bit of a predatory look at that thought. Even if he did try to be kind to most sentient creatures, he couldn't shed his predatory nature so easily.
Noctia had to admit to herself she was a little surprised that the griffon showed no temper at her bold words. He did show a bit of intelligence, though, the way he'd turned the conversation around to the violence of ponies. She cocked her head in interest, but failed to mask her surprise when the griffon so casually stated his sister was a pony. "Mm, I suppose you have a point there. Ponies are the only creatures in all the wastes who fight to hurt, who enslave others.. They are responsible for the war that caused such destruction." Noctia noted while she gave herself time to think. She tried to ignore the look on his face. "That is commendable, but tell me, how a pony and a griffon came to be siblings?"
[To be continued.]