GLoG 93: Something something something babies

[Rebonack]

[Main Lodge]

When Reelshka makes her appearance Gwen decides that she's going to try hiding behind her from Miranda instead of just sitting there in the middle of the pathway.

This is, of course, not nearly as effective as hiding behind her mother.

Geneva is quite a bit bigger.

Gwen gives a little squeak of acknowledgement that Reelshka said hello to her, but otherwise she's going to let the grownups talk. From previous experience, Reelshka is likely aware that Gwen takes some time to warm up to people on each visit. Though if it's people she already knows it doesn't take nearly as long.

Also? Gwen wouldn't mind something to eat, but she can't quite work up the courage to say what she really wants. Just telling the scary new person her name required a monumental effort in willpower.


[Lakeside]

"It isn't GROSS they taste good," Gilda counters.

Her mom has told her not to eat wildlife dozens of times but mom isn't here right now.

Gilda will continue hunting in spite of her brother being dumb. It he would just look around he would see that ALL SORTS of animals are eating the loud bugs! Even squirrels. If a food-animal like a squirrel can eat the bugs then anything can.

Meanwhile!

Upon getting a bit closer the shiny green beetle takes flight! Glory gets a face full of silty soil for her pouncing efforts and will discover that the beetle has landed a good ten feet away. Wow this thing is really fast!


[The Darkest Corner]

There area few notable things going on at the moment.

First?

Geneva dropped off her children at GLoG again, which means the two griffin and hippogriff cubs are entertaining themselves. Or at least three of them are entertaining themselves. Gwen is hiding behind Reelshka trying to look small and inconspicuous.

Second?

There are cicadas EVERYWHERE.

They are VERY LOUD.

[Morty]

[Main Lodge]

"Thank you for keeping an eye on her, then. We're always looking for volunteers here. This many kids require many pairs of eyes." She shakes Miranda's hand. "Are you doing okay, Gwen? I know it's scare to stay here without your mom, but me, Miranda and everyone else will take good care of you."

[Ironsmith]

[Main Lodge]

Miranda smiles. "It's what I'm here for." She reiterates. "The other three have gone up to the lake. Gwen seems comfortable- well, more comfortable, at least, with you, so if you don't mind, I'm off to make sure they haven't gotten into any trouble." If Reelshka doesn't tell her not to, Miranda makes her way back to the lake. Otherwise, she listens intently to what she has to say.

[Reinholdt]

[The Darkest Corner]

Wow. There's so much happening, so many strange critters. The shadow monster might not even need her paper translated.

The first thing of note is the cicadas certainly. The loud swarm noises do not bother her. Catch her attention, but her own voice is far more terrible than these and the bugs that crawl around in her soul are far louder.

That doesn't mean she isn't intrigued! In fact, she sinks down into the ground until her dark, fathomless eyes are level with a cicada. It is an intense stare of wonderment. One of her shadow tendrils lashes out to catch one, curious as to whether it is warm. Small warm things were the most edible.

[Deathkeeper]

Lake

"TURBO gross." Gabriel insists. He can't believe his sister is snacking on bugs like some kind of wild bird. They're not birds they're griffs!
He's so disgusted he's going to go wander off somewhere so he doesn't have to look at her and all her grossness.

Glory is insistent on catching this bug to prove herself the GREATEST HUNTER and so she pumps her wings and pounces again at the bug!
She could be at this for a while.

[Rebonack]

[Lodge]

"My tummy hurts..." Gwen mutters, her head bowed toward the ground.

It's probably because of all the crying and general upsetness.

Given that Reelshka has been through this sort of thing with other children before she should know that they get over it eventually. Thankfully Gwen wasn't waiting for hours on end. It did take her a good ten minutes to calm down, though. Usually Gwen enjoys quiet activities. Giving her something to draw on at one of the cafeteria tables will typically keep her occupied.


[Darkest Corner]

The cicada is black with big round red eyes. It flicks its wings as the shadow child watches it. Its reactions are slow and clumsy and it doesn't do a particularly great job of avoiding the tendril. The animal feels about as warm as the rock it was sitting on. The dark color probably absorbs quite a bit of sunshine. It buzzes impotently in her grip.

Meanwhile! Gabriel is departing from the lake because Gilda keeps eating cicadas. Will he encounter another bug-eating child? Stay tuned to find out!


[Lake]

Gilda blows a raspberry at her departing brother. The raspberry involves spitting several cicada legs.

How is he ever going to be a great hunter if he won't hunt things?

ANYWAY Gilda sees that her sister found something neat so she decides to join her.

"What are you pouncing?"

The beetle takes off again, landing another eight feet away. It keeps doing that! Not only is it fast, but it flies away every time Glory gets close! There are several other green beetles scurrying around near the edge of the lake and NONE of them want to get pounced.

[Morty]

[Main Lodge]

"Actually, I'd like to talk to you a bit more first, if you're going to volunteer here," Reelshka tells Miranda. "I'll ask someone to check on the other cubs. My nieces are quite good at wrangling the younger children." She looks to Gwen again. "I think that's just nerves, Gwen. Would you like to go to the daycare and draw something? Or read a book? We've received some new picture books recently."

[Ironsmith]

[Main Lodge]

Miranda nods. She had gotten a little ahead of herself; this wouldn't be a very safe daycare if they let anyone claiming to be a volunteer just walk in and start mingling with the kids. Of course they had some questions for her. "All right, then."

[Earl of Purple]

Main Lodge

Cheasadh- and probably her sister, Brinika- is also here. She's a gnome girl, about twelve years old. She's got quite pale skin- not helped by her move to the Underside colony-, long blonde hair tied into a ponytail with a pink hairband, and blue eyes. She's wearing a pink dress and a pair of purple sandals. She's playing a game of catch with her Teddiursa, Pookie, using a soft beanbag. If Brinika's about, it's probably a game of Pookie-in-the-middle.

[Deathkeeper]

Main Lodge

Cheasadh might spot a hippogriff cub wandering around. She has likely seen him before during Geneva's previous visits but never alone like this.
Even if she hasn't spotted him before he is likely still rather distinctive being a small fuzzy hippogriff baby with hooves and claws he hasn't quite grown into. He seems to be watching her.

Lake

Little bugs! They're more fun than the big bugs!" declares Glory, who immediately tries to pounce on another green bug and gets a face full of sand.
She really could be at this a while.

[Earl of Purple]

Main Lodge

"Oh, hey there. I'm Cheasadh, pleased to meet you. Want to join in? I'm just throwing this to Pookie, and he's trying to catch it and throw it back." Pookie's stubby arms mean he's not very good at this game, though it's possible he's better at it than the quadrupedal hippogriff. Although dogs are also quadrupeds and they tend to enjoy this kind of game, so who knows? Not that Gabriel is a dog.

[Reinholdt]

[The Darkest Corner]

Sasha stares in what is probably the tensest moment of the cicada's life. Before setting it down again. It might be an ok meal, but it reminded her too much of herself and that would just be weird. She couldn't eat the poor bug.

That's ok. She wasn't super hungry right now anyways. She had something she wanted to do! The shadow monster rises back up from the ground, just in time to possibly startle Gabriel. Hopefully they don't run into each other. Maybe Sasha should look before crossing planar dimensions.

[Rebonack]

[Main Lodge]

Gwen nods at the prospect of coloring and books and possibly coloring books.

Why talk when you can just shake your head?

That's definitely the way to do things.


[Lake]

"They're too fast you're doing it wrong," Gilda insists as her sister gets a face full of sand again.

Then?

She lays down in the warm sand is is very, very still.

Watching the shiny green beetles. Only the tip of her tail swishing back and forth.

And when one of those beetles scurries too close to her front paw?

BAP!

"I got it!"

Then it gets her back.

"AAAH!"

Gilda springs to her feet, flailing her paw around. There's a good view of a shiny green beetle biting her foot.

[Morty]

[Main Lodge]

"Come along, then. I'll ask my nieces to find your siblings, then we'll go to the daycare."

Reelshka will begin leading the way towards Brinika and Cheasadh. In the meantime, the very small goblin sister also looks at the little hippogriff. Oh gosh, he's so cute and fuzzy. It's hard for her not to just go over there and pet him.

"I think that's one of Mrs. Geneva's kids. She's a hippo- uh. Hippogriff lady who comes by now and then. Hi!" She grins at the cub with very large teeth.

[Deathkeeper]

Main Lodge

"I'm Gabe. Mom brought us here." he left before she actually took off so he isn't aware she's gone at the moment. He was too busy looking for dorfs to notice the sonic boom.
He doesn't seem terribly interested in playing catch but he does curl up near Brinika like a cat. He's bored but doesn't have any idea what to do with himself! It's probably kinda cute that his front paws pad quietly on the ground while his back feet clop.

Lake

Glory looks shocked! Appalled! Surprised!
Kind of amused, really.
"Aw, Gilda. Maybe you gotta go to the nurse?" she coos. Is she mocking or serious? It's so hard to tell with children who only kind of understand sarcasm.

[Earl of Purple]

Main Lodge

"Oh, yeah. That's my sister Brinika." Since Brinika didn't actually introduce herself yet... "Oh, yes. I think I've seen you before, though not without your mum. Don't want to play catch? I bet it'd be easy with those wings." Cheasadh offers her beanbag, though really she shouldn't be playing it indoors. She could knock something over.

Pookie also toddles over towards Gabe, sucking one of his paws. When he's closer he'll spread his arms wide and tilt his head to one side, asking- without words- for a hug. Probably a bad idea; Pookie is notoriously sticky.

[Ironsmith]

[Main Lodge]

Miranda follows after Reelksha, making a point of bringing up the rear behind Gwen. It was something of an old habit she had; whenever she wasn't the one doing the leading, she would stay back to make sure she could look after everyone in the group. It didn't have much practical use here, but it was her way of doing things.

[Rebonack]

[Lake]

"NO I'M FINE!" Gilda retorts as she finally manages to shake the beetle off. "I'M NOT CRYING!"

She is.

Gilda is totally crying.

Getting bit by that little beetle REALLY HURT.

There's a good chance Gilda isn't going to try to catch one again.

She never even WANTED to catch that stupid beetle!

She just wanted to show her sister that she's better at catching things that she is.


[Main Lodge]

Gwen is following along quietly, glancing back at Miranda every now and again just to make sure that the woman isn't going to do anything tricky or scary.

If Miranda makes eye contact with her Gwen will give a little, "Eep!" and look away.

[Morty]

[Main Lodge]

"Hello, girls," Reelshka says when she sees her nieces. Truthfully neither of them look much like her, but Brinika is likewise a goblin, if a grey-skinned one. "I was going to ask you to find Mrs. Genva's other cubs, but it seems you're way ahead of me." She smiles. "But I would still like you to find the others. I need to talk to a new volunteer, Miranda." She motions to the woman.

Brinika perks up with a big grin.

"Okay!" she says, clearly enthusiastic about being trusted with the job. "Do you know where your other siblings went off to, Gabe?"

[Deathkeeper]

Main Lodge

"No I'm okay." Gabe backs away from the bear before he gets forced into another situation where his mom ends up giving him an extra bath.
No one wants an extra bath.
"My sisters are at the lake catching bugs and being gross." he tells them helpfully.

Lake

"Oh yeah. You should see a nurse, Gilda." Glory insists.
Look at her paw, it's all swollen and stuff and Mom isn't around to kiss it! How's it gonna get better without her??

[Earl of Purple]

Main Lodge

"How many siblings are we looking for? I can see two already, but... I've not actually counted Miss Geneva's brood before." When she sees that Gabe's backing away from Pookie, she moves in to hug the bear herself. It means she gets sticky, but... she can live with that.

[Rebonack]

[Main Lodge]

"...I have two sisters and a brother..." Gwen squeaks out from behind Reelshka.

That is quite a few words for her!

Should that attract any watching eyes she'll hide again.

Yes.

Gwen is VERY shy.


[Lake]

Gilda takes in a deep, shuddering breath as she blinks back the tears!

"No! I'm not going to a nurse I'm tough!" she insists, gingerly touching her front paw to the ground. She's limping notably in spite of soldiering through it. She'll just find something to distract herself from how much her paw hurts. Easy!

Like...

Like that frog!

Look at that frog he's so huge and green.

Great big green bull frog.

[Purple Eagle]

Angel and Devil

"Uh, I don't have one." Sekhmet's just an apprentice. She doesn't have her own forge and tools yet. Those are expensive, and she doesn't have much space for them. She works in her instructor's forge along with his other apprentices, and that's over in Inside.

Angel and Devil

"Ohh... okay!" Zabb looks like he's about to ask more about her apprenticeship, but then turns to face the direction of Ironoak cabin. "Well... I have to go play with Tusky now, but I'll make sure we see everyday, and then you'll be used to me, and then we can both say yay then!"

He gives her a quick hug, and after they say their goodbyes, flies away to play with his mortal woblin bestie.

[Daycare]

"Grabbing the wrong thing could turn out badly," Moremi says.

Harley considers it, and decides to move Manja a little closer. Sadly, Manja tries to close the gap even more by leaning forwards so her stomach touches her legs, putting her much closer than intended, and reaches out while making gruntlike noises.

[Daycare]

"I'll ensure she doesn't grab the wrong thing, then." Zither simply says, moving Orin even closer. She reaches out as well while also making baby noises of exertion, and their fingers touch. Those ears still are interesting, but now Manja's face is in vogue, and thus what Orin is reaching for in order to have a feel... or several.

"Do you live in inside?" Zither figures she should make conversation with the other young mother.

[5a Violista]

[Daycare]

Manja spots an opportunity!
Even as Orin's reaching towards her, she suddenly flips the situation on its head by going after Orin's hands. She then shows off the ultimate show of domination by trying to stuff Orin's hands into her mouth.

...
Babies do that.
Try to stick things in their mouths.


"No," Harley Moremi says. "Riverside, actually. Got a place there." Used to have a place there, is more accurate. "Well...I guess I'm in HALO now. Actually don't spend much time in Inside - just a day, at most."

[Morty]

[Main Lodge]

"Thank you, Gwen," Reelshka says encouragingly. "Well, girls, take a look around the lake and bring them back, will you?"

"Yeah!" Brinika puts on a... very large baseball cap with the GLoG logo. It seems this is her "official GLoG business" outfit. "Come on, Cheasadh, let's go!"

Reelshka, meanwhile, turns to Gabe.

"Come with us to the daycare, would you Gabriel? You can go outside later, but I'd like to get all of you in one place first and talk to Miranda about something. And there are toys and books there."

[Earl of Purple]

Main Cabin

Cheasadh grins and puts her own cap on, before following Brinika. Cheasadh's cap, of course, is pink. Pookie watches her leave before waving at Miranda, Reelshka and Gabriel and heading out himself. Whether the bear pokemon catches up to the two girls or just gets distracted looking for honey is debatable.

[Deathkeeper]

Main Lodge

Gabriel pads over and plops down next to Gwen, gently tickling her sides with his stubby wings. Gwen is less shy when her mom or big* brother is around.
"That's fine. There's too many bugs outside. Being gross." he sticks his tongue out and won't have trouble following Reelshka. Though he won't progress without his sister.

Lake

"Being tough doesn't make your paws better! Gilda is tough and strong and great but her pawsies are sore!" coos Glory, who attempts to insinuate herself under Gildra to bop her beak against her paw.
Of course this is in vain as everyone knows only moms and nurses have the power to kiss bad stuff away.
"You hafta get it checked or it could get inflection!"
Close enough.

*Gabriel is older than Gwen by a manner of seconds but as a female hippogriff Gwen is and will be the largest sibling of the four by default.

[Rebonack]

[Main Lodge]

Gwen giggles a bit at the tickling, but otherwise doesn't respond aside from a nod.

To the daycare!

Within our heroes will find one Khannie sitting at a table working on her homework. The definitely human child and not a kangaskhan disguising herself with an illusion decided to come over to visit her friends after school. The rules are strict, though. Finish homework first and THEN she can play. But this isn't the BAD sort of homework. These are fun summer classes! Which means she's practicing her magic!

At the moment she's working on making three illusions of solid shapes with a smell aspect. So far she can only get one at a time.

It would probably be easier if she didn't have to concentrate on her human disguise, too, but she isn't about to let it drop.

"Hi Mrs Reelshka!" Khannie calls out, waving at the goblin.

Then?

She gives a gasp when Gabe and Gwen step into the building.

"Ohmygosh they're so cute! Who are they?" she asks. She's pretty sure they aren't pokemon. Pokemon have a distinctive look to them.

Gwen, for her part, tries to look small at the attention.


[Lake]

"I don't need my paw kissed I'm fine!" Gilda retorts just to be contrary, hopping sideways to try to avoid the medical smooching. She looses her footing and falls into the shallows of the lake, scaring the frog.

The incoming children will be treated to a dripping wet Gilda looking cross.

[Morty]

[Main Lodge ==> Sapling Cabin]

"Hello, Khannie," Reelshka says. "These are Gabriel and Gwen. They'll be staying in the daycare today." She looks down at the two griffins. "Go ahead and find any toys and books you like. I need to speak with Miranda."

[Lake]

"Aha!" Brinika points triumphantly at the two griffins as Gilda comes out of the lake. "There they are! And not a moment too soon, it looks like they're getting into trouble." She hurries her pace towards the cubs. "Hey kids! Our aunt would like you to report back at the daycare."

[Earl of Purple]

Lake

"Yeah, don't worry though- you aren't in trouble! There's just a new volunteer you should meet and get to know." Cheasadh grins, though it's not as toothy as Brinika's. Comes with having rounder teeth.

Pookie is following behind, trying to catch up, though he's weighed down by the large pot of honey he's found somewhere.