The Whirling Wind
A large earthen dome with a few open-air windows, this tavern is decorated with tapestries and fans that flutter from the window breezes. It apparently serves as a watering hold for both locals and travelers, although the conversations run to murmurs about the recent conflicts.

When Kin returns from her errands, she finds Lilac and Xavier where she left them, along with a passed out Master Tooth. Lilac has just finished her meal, while the Lapi mage is still in a trance, muttering his ritual. The little familiar sits close to Lilac, waiting for the Sylvanian to feed it scraps or another wooden coin.

The Kiriga has returned from her outing, pack slightly larger than it was when she left earlier; presumably some new supplies. She heads back over to the table with the sleeping Longtooth, meditating mage, and Lilac. She asks, "Lilac, did you not wish to speak with me about something?"

Lucky for Lilac that the tavern sees enough no-Naga that she was able to get her small animal 'mammal-style.' That is, skinned, cooked, and without many of the usual pieces associated with the 'reptile-style' menu choice. She sits there, now, head propped on a hand as she picks at bare remains of the meat dish before her. Every so often, she glances at the familiar and tosses it bone, coin, and the occasional vegetable from her side dish. Before Kin reaches the table, Lilac turns and smiles at her. "Oh, sure. I've had my meal – you should eat too, before we leave!" The woman stands up, pointing towards the street. "Let'sgo outside."

"But I cannot eat outside," Kin points out. "The food is in here."

"Here," Lilac says, picking up a drum stick and offering it to Kin, "nibble om this. We won't be long."

"There are teethmarks on this," Kin comments, but heads for the door anyway. "Are they safe to leave alone?" she asks as she glances back at the sleeping reptile and the oblivious mage.

The familiar doesn't move to follow, but stays near the table. Presumably to stand guard.

"I guess so. I mean, he is a mage. I don't think they let them leave Caroban if they're crazy or incompetent." The human woman casts a lingering, doubtful glance towards Xander, then shrugs and walks outside. "Anyway, it's time someone gave you The Talk."

"The Talk? Is that some sort of special item?" Kin asks, then starts to chew thoughtfully on the bone.

"Noooo, it's a special talk," Lilac clarifies. She leans back against the wall of the tavern, folding her arms and tilting her head. "You know about … sex, right, Kinny?"

"Yes, I do. Part of the process to have children," Kin answers, "Kiriga do engage in such activities; our species isn't that alien from mammals."

"Do you know how it works? Do you know … people do it for more reasons than children, outside Jadai? Do you know about Lapi men," Lilac inquires, tilting her head the other way and doing nothing to help her image as a human – and not a dog.

"Yes, I know 'how it works'. Part of a woman's education does cover that given we are expected to sire children. And yes, I know it is sometimes done for enjoyment and even more rarely, 'love'," Kin comments as she watches the human. "Now, what about Lapi men?"

Well, that's … good," the human admits. She shifts against the wall, the skews her ears. "I wasn't sure, I mean, your culture is so different and it seemed like you'd been isolated a long time. I know nobles don't receive the same upbring, and, well, um … Anyway." She takes a deep breath, exhales, and explains, "Xander is a Lapi man. Not a Lapi man, a Lapi man. The Lapi are notoriously fond of fornicating, and while it's not as common as some like to suggest, some of them are very, well … interested. Xander is interested. In you – and I think, in me. I just wanted to warn you, in case you didn't know. I like to think it's as much my responsibility to protect you, as you protect me. Not every danger has a sword, or hurts the flesh, you know?"

Kin now looks a bit confused. "Xander has such an interest in me?" she asks. "I thought he had some interest in you, but … honestly not me. At least, not in that fashion. I … feel flattered in an odd way. I mean, I felt like you mammals found us … creepy. We're not soft. Our skin isn't smooth, some of us have horns. We're physically very different."

Lilac suddenly laughs, leaning over to place her hands on Kin's shoulders. "Creepy? Different? Do you know who you are talking to, Kinny?" The bardess removes her hands and grabs her odd, lupine ears and wiggles them. "You're not that different! And, well, I don't think Xander cares about different. He may even like different. Some people like the exotic more than the familiar, and male Lapi often look outside their own because they're, well, busy."

"You are honestly less creepy than I am," Kin admits with a frown. "I do see how people look at me, or react to me. Even in the Snowshoe tavern, the kids were not afraid of you from the beginning. They were of me. I had to prove I wasn't a monster."

"But you aren't! See, Kinny, people are always afraid of what's different. Sometimes, they like that fear. Sometimes, they don't. It's something I learned while traveling – and you'll learn it, too. Then you'll learn that you are a good, nice, wonderful person, and that you don't need to accept their fear. See, that's big as a bard. You really have to expect that bad impression and be prepared to turn it right around. And, see, Kinny, you can because you do make friends. Those children just loved you," says Lilac, wagging.

"Wonderful is a relative term. I am far from wonderful when you apply the beliefs of my homeland," Kin points out with a sigh, "For us, honor is everything; it goes beyond your life. We are expected to die to preserve honor." The Kiriga then smiles a small bit, adding, "But I appreciate that you do not see me as others from my home would see me. At at least do not have to live with the constant, disapproving, looks here."

"You're wonderful to me, Kinny. You saved me – if you know it or not. Without you, I might still be wandering around the world, doing who-knows-what. And, you're fighting for your homeland! You saved me, and you're brave. Whatever happens, you'll always be my friend," says the human. She wags again, then raises an eyebrow. "Now … Do you like Xander," she asks in a low, conspiratorial tone.

"He is intelligent, gentle, funny, and rather confusing," Kin answers while watching Lilac, brow raised. "He has been patient with me and has tried to make me feel as comfortable as he can. I like him a great deal, if for nothing else of having never acted like he thought I was strange."

Lilac nods slowly, then grins. "Do you want to spend more time with him? I can teach you a bit about men, especially men like Xander, so that you can have fun with him and be aware of what men like him often want," she offers.

"He would not enjoy learning how to fight or the dances of my homeland?" Kin inquires with a tilt of her head. "I have been trying to involve him in things I had thought he would find interesting."

Lilac thinks a moment, head tilting the other way, then her ears perk. "He might like dancing. I think any woman moving around would get his attention, but he may have some hidden appreciation for art and style. I don't think he'd be interested in fighting, exactly. I know fire mages are often in wars – it's in all the war epics – but him, … I think too much violence might scare him. Just a little, but a bit! You could also ask him about his family – Lapi have huge families – and his magic. You could even try fishing for what he likes, ask questions that might inspire him to talk about himself. Guys love to talk about themselves in front of women they like," Lilac offers.

"I asked him about magic and his lessons. He said it was boring to talk about," Kin says with another frown. "But I have not asked him much about his family, I must admit."

"It's worth a try," Lilac insists. "You could also ask him where he's traveled, and what he's done. Maybe, if you're up to it, offer to take a walk with him. Just, be careful of his paws, and guide him away if he seems to be aiming for you know what. Because, he will. I don't want to see you get hurt, you know?" The woman smiles again. "That's all I have to say about that. If you have questions, you always know where to find me! I'll be at your side, somewhere."

"He has never tried to touch me in any inappropriate way," Kin says, "And he has certainly had the opportunity to do so. He even allowed me to lounge against him in front of a fireplace once and he never did anything undignified."

"Really?" Lilac sounds surprised. "I figured he'd try it, but then, maybe he's seen you fight and knows he's end up in some weird shape after he tried." Glancing towards the door, Lilac asks, "Now … Do you think I should tell him? About me and my, um, problem? I've heard mages can be … unforgiving, of people like me, and I live in a country where we burn people like me."

"He will find out at some point," Kin points out and pats Lilac on the shoulder, then tries to look back and into the restaurant. "It would be less of a blow if you told him. It infers that you trust him and believe he should know. Secondly, if he knows, he is less likely to try and kill you with a spell." Then with a toothy grin, she adds, "And besides, even if he is 'cute', if he tried to hurt you I would break him in half."

"I knew my loyalty wasn't misplaced," the bardess tells Kin, with a big smile. She wags, then steps forward to give him a hug. "Would you be there, when I tell him? And when you talk to him later, I'll be there to watch out for you."

Kin blinks as she gets hugged. "Well … it's only because I'm the only person with the rights to hurt you," she says in that annoyingly deadpan way of hers. She taps a claw on the collar still around Lilac's neck. And if Lilac looks close enough, she can almost make out the corners of the Kiriga's mouth twitching as she's fighting a grin.

Lilac leans back and peers at Kin, really peers. "You're … joking?" She squints. "You are joking, aren't you, Kinny?" Her ears lay back, "I think that's a grin."

Lilac is greeted with Umeko's typical unemotional reptilian expression. "Joking is not honorable," she says flatly. "But then, neither am I by some standards."

The bardess twists her lips, brows narrowing … then she reaches over and smushes Kin's snout with a finger before stepping back. "Honorable or not, I'd follow you anywhere. Are you ready to go back inside," she asks.

Kin makes a playful nip towards Lilac's finger. "Even if I was not, we should. The familiar may be eating Master Longtooth's mustache by now," she observes and starts back inside. The finished leg she had been chewing on is dropped in the dust for anything scrounging to collect.

Back the table, Xavier has finished his ritual and is recollecting his unused ingredients. He looks a bit odd with a crown made of fire on his head though. The familiar is only chewing on Master Long Tooth's tail though, and hasn't found the mustaches yet.

"Better be careful, I've heard stories of people like me biting others to make more of our kind – I don't know what biting me would do," teases Lilac. She shakes a finger, then walks with Kin inside.

"You have a kingdom now?" Kin asks Xander as the two return. "Or is this a warning to others that you are a bit hot-headed?"

"I think it's the latter," Lilac remarks.

"Or maybe he got an idea," Kin suggests to Lilac. "I have heard some suggest particularly good ones are like a candle appearing over your head… "

"I have heard that, actually. In fact, I know of bog lights that like to lure travelers in to the swamp and eat them, or drown them to join the dead beneath the mere … " Lilac hmms, as if getting an idea.

"It's just the way the spell manifests is all," Xavier notes, and gives the two women an odd look. "Really, do you have to critique the appearance of all of my magic?"

"It means we are paying attention to you," Kin points out. "Would you prefer it if we ignored you?"

"Ummm… that depends," Xavier admits with a shy grin, and then continues erasing the chalk marks.

Lilac pats Kin's arm, grins a little, then retakes her seat. "I notice you pay a lot of attention to us," she comments to Xander.

"Depends on what?" Kin asks the Lapi as she tilts her head so she can watch him clean up the marks. To Lilac, she says, "But he really would not rather I show him attention, perhaps I should forget my plans then, correct? I was looking forward to it, alas."

"That would be a shame!" Lilac shakes her head exaggeratedly at Kin, then nods. "Mages are loathe to company, haven't you heard the tales? He'd much prefer an ivory tower and a good book!"

"Ah, yes, of course. I would not wish to cause him undo stress because of company," Kin says with a firm nod.

Xavier sits at the table and feeds a coin to the familiar to get it off of Tooth, then frowns. "You don't need to tease me. And right now… uh, the less distracted I am the better," he admits and taps his 'crown'. "There's a reason this spell looks so gaudy. I could take out an airship with it."

"Lapi men are prone to stress. He might have liked some stress relieving activities, like dancing with a noble Kiriga, but I'm not sure … " Lilac purses her lips, in lock consideration.

"You don't need to set off explosions under someones backside and you do it anyway to show them that you're their friend," Kin points out to Xander with a shrug. She then looks to Lilac and asks, "Do you wish to tell him while we are in town, or once we are outside?"

Lilac tilts her head. "Do you think he'll blow up?" She blinks, then adds, "Literally?"

Kin looks appraisingly at the Lapi. "No, I do not think he would. But if you wish to wait, I understand," she says.

"That… err, has been known to happen," Xander admits. "It's why it's so dangerous to attack a Fire Mage in battle – the spells he was holding will go off."

"Welllll," Lilac glances at Xander, frowns, and peers at him. "Are you ready to hear something that might be very disturbing, knowing that it could put us all at risk? "

"More disturbing than what we're already planning to do?" Xander asks, his eyebrows rising up.

"Yes," Kin notes.

The Lapi looks from Kin to Lilac, then shrugs. "Well, might as well tell me now then," he agrees.

"Much more," Lilac says, twisting her hands uncomfortably.

"It is about why Lilac was naked and bloody," Kin says, then looks to the human.

"Oh, I really want to hear what that was all about," Xander says, resting his elbows on the table and propping up his jaw with his palms.

Lilac waves Kin to take a seat, then leans over towards the Lapi. Her mouth opens, she pauses, and then she picks up Xander's ear so she can whisper directly in to it. "I don't know how else to say this, Xander, but I … " her voice wavers, she swallows, then she spits out, "turnintoamonsterandbitepeople." She then leans away fast, shielding her face.

The ear stays stretched out as Xander's face goes through various stages of confusion. "So… that's the deal with the collar then? And you've been to the Beast Lands before?" he asks.

Kin takes a seat and folds her hand together as she rests them on the tabletop.

Lilac slowly lowers her hands, then smiles a little now that she sees Xander is taking it so well. That, and not on fire. "Um, no. Well, yes to the collar, but no to the Beast Lands. You see," Lilac reaches under her cloak and tugs at her collar, "Kinny saw it first, out of all my friends. She was worried the guards of Jadai would kill me, so she put this on, as a little but a joke – and a lot of seriousness. That way if I was caught, um … out of sorts, they'd see the collar and assume I belonged to a noble. I kept wearing it, as a symbol of my loyalty to Kin. It's a little weird some times, but it reminds me I have a place in the world, and people who care about me. As for the Beast Lands … " Lilac's head shakes, "No, what happened to me happened in Sylvania."

"Ah, a curse then!" Xander says, perking his ears up again. "That's much easier to deal with. What sets it off, do you know?"

"From what I have determined, her being in danger. When she needs to defend herself or friends, it happens," Kin comments quietly from her seat. "She also recognizes her friends and does not attack them."

"No, we really don't. Kinny thinks it happens when I or people I care about are in danger – real, violent danger. I think it happened during other times, but I can't remember, because I, well, don't remember what happens. I usually just … wake up naked somewhere." She nods to Kin at her comment. "Kin would know more about how I act when I'm, um, different."

"Well, it seems that that is something that can be foreseen at least," Xander says, seemingly cheerful. "You just have to train yourself to strip off your clothing at the first sign of danger, Lilac."

Kin rubs her forehead. "That is what I mean about interest in you," Kin comments to Lilac.

"If it was something more… physiological… then taking sedatives might prevent it," the Lapi suggests. "But that would only leave Lilac in danger in this case."

"It has admittedly come in helpful. I would be dead if it wasn't for her changing," Kin comments, "When I took on that group of six mercenaries who were going to rape that young woman. I defeated most of them, but I was not capable enough to defeat them all."

"Six?" Xander squeaks. "You do know the trick about kicking them… where they fork… right?"

"I nearly killed one doing that," Kin answers. "He vomited."

Kin lifts her foot to show him the talons on her toes. "I suspect I did significant damage."

"You need to kick more than one though, when you're outnumbered," Xander advises.

"Have you ever fought six at the same time, Xander?" Kin asks the Lapi.

"I don't remember that, either. I woke up behind a tavern and had to explain to a woman who didn't understand Standard well why I was naked and bloody," Lilac admits, ears flattening. She lays her head on her hands and grimaces. "I had to do things like that a lot since I left Sylvania."

"I don't fight," the Lapi notes. "But I do remember Sasharra's Great Balls of Fire spell. Just a variation on the classic Hotfoot, but… err… I digress."

"I was unarmed and I do not know magic. When dealing with six opponents at the same time, it is not so easy to kick all of them. When one goes down the others expect similar tactics. You must adjust and adapt rapidly so they cannot guess your next strike," Kin explains. "It was a rather depressing end to an otherwise enjoyable evening at the Blushed Pala."

Xander taps a finger on the tabletop for a bit, then asks Kin, "Does that sort of thing happen to you often when you go out?" He turns to Lilac and asks, "Or to you too, for that matter?"

Lilac nods to Kin's assessment of the meal's end. "They have really good food. I mean, the best I've ever had, even if it was nothing like I've ever eaten before." She smiles at the thought of delicious food, and adds, "I can't fight at all; I always preferred to avoid trouble. The … other me seems to be able to fight, but I don't."

"It happens now and then, much more so since I fell in with Kinny," Lilac admits. "Like I said, I'd usually just hide or run. Or, well, I may have done other things. I don't remember."

"Thankfully not," Kin says, "When I go out I wish to enjoy myself and the the company of those I am with. I do not enjoy getting battered around. I do bruise and I do bleed." She taps the scales on her arm, "And I do feel. This is living, not armor."

"Well, I'm here to help you out now," Xander says, sitting up straighter. "There'll be less of these ruffians-ganging-up-on-you situations with me around, I'm sure."

"I wish Gibson was here," Lilac sighs.

"It is … " Kin starts to say. The Kiriga then reaches over and takes the Lapi's hand, "It is kind and noble of you to say that. I am honored and hope to be worthy of your defense. I only wish I could thank you properly." That probably wasn't what she was starting to say.

The Lapi's ears droop a bit at Lilac's wish, and blush at Kin's statement. He clears his throat, and says, "Also, Lilac, I think you should invest in a good leather cloak. It isn't likely to be lost when you change, and will provide you with some cover when you change back."

"She has her wings," Kin points out, "But she forgets about them often."

"And, it's not exactly defense, Kin," Xander admits. "They always attack the Mage first. It'd be stupid not to."

"I do," Lilac admits. "If I didn't catch them on things, I might forget about them entirely. Flying makes me a little queasy."

Kin releases Xander's hand. "Ah, I had thought you were trying to be … chivalrous? I think that is the word. I was flattered. I am sorry that I misunderstood you. I will defend you, then," she says, frowning slightly.

"Oh!" Lilac's ears perk up. "I DO still have this cloak! It must have survived, because the rest of my clothes are gone. Ripped, I assume, and I really liked that skirt."

"Chivalrous? I can be chivalrous!" Xander insists, then pauses and chants for about 20 seconds. "I'm just brimming with chivalry. But… I mean, you are a better fighter than I am, it would be silly to ignore that. But I'll certainly try to fricassee as many of them as possible before they get to you."

"It doesn't mean I do not appreciate the thought that I might be worth defending," Kin notes quietly.

"You're a noble, of course you're worth defending," Xander says. "And you're a woman too. So that's double-worthiness."

Lilac taps her nose, "So, now you know about me. You also know why I can scout, even if I've never done it before. Ever since the change, I've been able to smell everything, and I can see in the dark, too."

The bardess raises an eyebrow at Kin being 'doubly worth defending.'

"Does that mean you don't want to get rid of the curse, Lilac?" Xander suddenly asks the bard.

Kin looks as if she's about to say something else, then just shakes her head and sits back a bit. Her head rolls to the side so she can glance out the window at the sky to gauge the time.

Lilac's ears shoot up, and she blinks. "What?" She seems about to say something, then she drops her head back on her hands. "W-why wouldn't I? I'm a … human freak, aren't I? I mean, it's been … useful at times … But, I've stumbled across half the world in a haze, and I don't even know why I am as I am. I can't control myself for periods of time, and I don't know if it'll get better or worse." The woman glances down, frowning. "Then again, without it … maybe we'd be dead." Her ears go askew.

"Who you are is not defined by your exterior. It is defined by your actions and your commitments. It is defined by the mark you leave on the world," Kin says. "A monster on the outside can still have a beautiful soul on the inside. You are not a freak. Whatever you decide, let it be for what you want, and wan tto be. Not for what others think."

"Eh, I don't buy all that 'monster' or 'freak' stuff," Xander says, and reaches over to pat Lilac on the shoulder. "I mean, you don't attack your friends or eat babies, only defend yourself. Now, I've known human women who are real monsters, and they don't have the courtesy to change shape to let you know, either!"

"I'll … have to think on it. At the very least, I want to know why this happened," Lilac says quietly. She smiles a little at the comments, and more so at the patting. "Thanks. You guys are the best thing that happened to me in a long time. I guess without my curse, I'd have never met any of you, either." Her tail wags.