[ AW ] Good Tidings

muriel vos-salvatore

Muriel could see the surprise on the man’s face as she offered her deal. She knew she was shooting high, but shoot high or go home, after all. She was here to survive just as he was, and this was an easy opportunity to get something good to eat with the help of another, and all she had to do was give advice that would last a lifetime – a few snacks for a lifetime’s worth of advice. It seemed a short deal on her end, but still, one that Muriel considered good enough.

”You’re right, I don’t have anything valuable, aside from my own knowledge.” The man said, his tone defeated. Muriel grinned slightly.

”It seems a good deal to me. I teach you something that will last a lifetime, and you give me something that will last a day. A short end on my side, but something I’m willing to do, for the fair price.” Muriel said, her voice almost singsong along with the crashing of the waves behind them.

Something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She allowed her gaze to flicker towards it for a second, before flickering back to the man. She didn’t think he would truly attack her, but one could never be too certain – not in the life of a pirate. She did, however, after the fact, allow herself to glance again, this time holding her gaze there. Her head tilted to the side slightly, studying the sudden appearance of the glowing, pearly mushrooms. They hadn’t been there a moment before… had they? Surely, she wouldn’t have missed something so odd upon the shores of the beach, right? She looked towards the ground, wondering if perhaps some driftwood had shifted, or, something that had been concealing them from her initial view. But now. The things seemed to have spawned from the nothingness. Muriel twitched an ear slightly, frowning.

”And I know something quite intriguing about that mushroom ring over there. If you sniff them, they can enhance your senses. Try it, you’ll see I’m right. In exchange, you can help me afterward.” The man said. Muriel grinned.

”I was born a day, but it was certainly not yesterday. I know those are not normal here – and I do not doubt that you know something about them. But I do not trust you enough to go and sniff them. They could be poison for all I know.” Muriel said, her paws moving slightly on the sand, bringing her closer to the edge of the pool. ”I don’t think it’s worth the risk to my health, because I’m sure you’d try to get one over on me,” Muriel said, grinning as if she’d caught the man in something. For all she truthfully knew, he could be being honest in the situation, but Muriel was no fool. Brazen, bold, and headstrong, sure… but a fool? No.

@Arythmetik

template © bean

A R Y T H M E T I K

The roguish woman had a point. She could teach him what was edible, what was dangerous, how best to snatch the little critters from the pool… This was invaluable knowledge that Aryth could use every summer for the rest of his life. And if he didn’t take her “deal,” he’d be forced to go scavenging elsewhere for berries or some such. All flora was in short supply after the heatwaves and the Professor knew he wouldn’t have an easy time. So was it better to come back to the Arboretum with a pathetic snack, or nothing at all?


But then the mysterious mushrooms appeared. And Arythmetik did try to pull one over on his swarthy counterpart. Sadly, she did not take the bait.


If it were possible for wolves, Aryth would have been sweating buckets.


The large, yellow-eyed woman prowled closer. Aryth blinked and swallowed heavily, his lips moving ever so slightly as he watched the other wolf’s frame tower closer and closer. She didn’t seem aggressive or angry; on the contrary, she was smiling as if she was pleased with herself for outsmarting him. The woodsy wolf knew he shouldn’t have attempted something so risky. He was out of his element and besides, what he’d just tried to do was wrong and went against his typical code of ethics. His heart was practically beating a drumline in his chest. Just because Muriel didn’t seem angry didn’t mean she wasn’t threatening. Thinking on his feet, the Professor tried to play off his anxiety as offense. “I—I would never try to poison someone!” he stammered, flustered. (That much was true.) “Well if that’s what you think of me—!”


Suddenly, the woman’s sea-salt aroma wafted to Aryth’s nostrils, and he realized how close in proximity they were. And how she’d basically just caught him trying to trick her. Yup, coming back with nothing at all seemed like a better option right about now. The scholar leapt to his feet and bolted across the sand, calling over his shoulder in a high-pitched voice, “I’m sorry but I must be off!” He ran until the tide-pools and the pirate were out of sight.


Arythmetik exits.

code by claerie


@Muriel LMAO sorry about my cowardly boy here! I figured it was probably best to end this anyway since it's an older thread. Feel free to post once more if you want, and it should be VERY entertaining if they cross paths in the future! XD <3