The Gig, Sunday

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

The island had moved again, new people were here, and Katniss had come back after all. Those were enough to distract Firekeeper somewhat from her melancholy at Tahiri's leaving. It also helped that the horses were anxious for the gossip on the new students, and so she filled them in as best she could.

[ooc: just about to flee for a day at the beach, but will be around later!]

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[halfman-lion.livejournal.com]

In some attempt at packing light, Tyrion hadn't brought a horse with him from Westeros. Besides, he didn't have a steed he was especially fond of at the moment: A Fandom horse would likely be as good as one from home, once he had it used to his presence.

But now that he'd had a day on the island, it was clear to him that he'd be a happier man if he had a conveyance beyond his legs. So he was at the stable, looking for anyone who seemed to work there.

He finally spotted a barefoot young woman. "Excuse me. Who would I speak with if I wanted to buy and board a horse?"

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Firekeeper couldn't help the surprise that flickered across her face as she caught sight of Tyrion, taking a few moments to stare in curiosity before answering. She'd never seen his like before, not in Hawk Haven nor any of the other human kingdoms she'd spent time in.

"I do not know if Dani wish to sell any of these," she offered with a shrug. "But if you buy a horse, they can stay here."

[halfman-lion.livejournal.com]

"And how would I find Dani?" Tyrion asked, before giving in to his crossness and adding: "You don't need to stare, you know. It won't make me burst out in juggling."

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

If he expected her to feel chastened at being caught and apologize, he was mistaken. She was used enough to stares being directed her way that she felt no shame about doing it herself.

"She work here Saturdays," she offered. "Or you can leave phone message if you wish to speak to her sooner." A pause, and then a confused: "Why would you juggle?"

One of the many reasons people found to stare at her, by the way? Sauntering casually out of the barn, stopping once he reached Firekeeper's side.

[halfman-lion.livejournal.com]

He didn't expect anything from it, save the release of his own annoyance. The reprimand had served its function.

"Because many dwarfs end as performers," he said, but there was no real heat in it anymore. In part, this was because he was distracted by the creature at her side. " -- and that's a full-grown direwolf, isn't it?"

He'd never seen a live one this close; he was half fascinated and half terrified.

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

"Royal Wolf," Firekeeper corrected automatically, before remembering that different worlds used different words for much the same thing. "You know of such?"

[halfman-lion.livejournal.com]

"In our far North," Tyrion explained, still scrutinizing the beast. "I think yours is a bit smaller than ours, but I didn't know they could be tamed at all. Where are you from?"

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Blind Seer growled at the assumption he could be tamed. He behaved in a matter that made humans comfortable because he chose to live amongst them, thank you very much. "Iron Mountains," she explained. "West of human kingdom of Hawk Haven." He wouldn't know it, she was fairly certain. No one in all her time at Fandom had.

[halfman-lion.livejournal.com]

Tyrion stepped back slightly, with a worried look at the wolf. He didn't fancy having something large enough to fit him in its mouth angry at him, (mostly) tame or not.

"I don't know it," he said, confirming the narrative. "He clearly likes you, at least. Handsome fellow."

Who Tyrion kept sincerely hoping wouldn't eat him.

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Flattery would get you- well, if not everywhere, it would gain you some ground. "He say thank you," she offered, translating for Blind Seer. "But wish to inform you he is not tamed. He act the way he do because it please him," more specifically, it pleased him to remain with Firekeeper wherever she went, which these days meant running with humans.

[halfman-lion.livejournal.com]

"And he talks to you." Well, direwolves (royal wolves, Tyrion corrected himself) were said to be intelligent animals; they wouldn't be so dangerous if they weren't. Why shouldn't they communicate?

He pressed the surprise out of his voice and added -- speaking to Blind Seer now -- "I meant no offense. Your ... kindred, in my world, generally live far from people."

Other than the wildlings, but Tyrion had no idea what they got up to north of the wall.

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Blind Seer inclined his head in an acceptance of that apology. "Most Royal Wolves do same," she admitted. The Wise Wolves were another matter entirely, but explaining the difference was complicated to someone not from her world. "The Iron Mountains is not a place where humans is welcome." At least, not after the colony of her childhood had burned.

[halfman-lion.livejournal.com]

"There's a wall in my world dividing the furthest bits of the north from the rest of the kingdoms," Tyrion explained. "Probably a bit like your Iron Mountains."

[kestrelswolf.livejournal.com]

Firekeeper nodded. "The New World belong to the Beasts, once. And then humans come and drive them out, past the mountains. But it has been so long since this happen, Royal Beasts become no more than stories to humans." She grinned suddenly. "Until we show them it is not so."