Are we lost? Probably.

[Krom]

For probably the third time they had passed the same tree, lost in an endless spiral of turns that even the lightly populated forest seemed to revel in. On the one instance, it was a nice change of pace being outside of the town and away from his mother and work yet on the other hand, they were probably most likely lost helplessly. ”I told you to bring the string Pachi, but no. You had to bring more of your seeds.” Duncan hissed out slightly at his navigator and co-helplessly lost wonderer that sat on his shoulder. The boy was never that great of an outdoorsman, and it didn’t help that he had spent much of the time entering the forest focused on the ground.

The duo had come out hunting truffles, the mushrooms and fungus that grew under the ground. And while it is best to take a pig or hog along with you to find the fungi, in this instance that was a bit of money and luck Duncan didn’t have. How long ago had the adventure begun? It was a mystery, but judging by the way that his stomach was rumbling and growling it had probably been a few hours. Or had it been an hour? His arms shot up into the air griping violently at the sky before letting them fall with a grunt to his sides as his shoulders began to shift from side to side before his backpack fell to the ground with a small thud.

”Pachi, go see if you can find..” Duncan start to speak toward his pet squirrel but stopped, staring at the tiny thing that didn’t even weigh half a pound when wet and he was asking it to go find fire wood? ”On second thought, I’ll just use some branches from the trees around us to start it..” if there were any instances in which the glider could have laughed this would have been it as it sat on the top of the backpack watching curiously as Duncan moved around, gathering up supplies that he needed before settling down in the middle of.. well it wasn’t so much a clearing as it was an area not so littered by things. The trees were still fairly close together but at least there were no immediately hanging branches, and the sun was still shining down through some of the branches giving a wonderful scene.

It only took a few moments for everything to be set up, the fire to have been started and the small metal pot being suspended over it with the contents of a container poured in to reheat it. There were even two bowls set out, one sized for a human, and the other more accurately described as a thimble without any holes. All that was left for the time being of course, was to wait patiently for the soup to stop releasing its aroma and be hot enough for the two to eat for a lunch.

The long… patient… wait... ”Hurry Up…” Duncan let out in a demonic tone, attempting desperately to speed up time by staring at the pot.

[TsulaKiouku]

It was peaceful to say the least, the shade of the forest keeping it pleasantly cool yet not too much so in the beginning fall. It was only her, well her technically first day, as she arrived on the island the night previous. Her body shuddered, eyes shutting tight as she pulled herself more into a ball, sitting against a tree. Just don't think about it, Briar, never think about it... she shook her head, eyes slipping back open as a sigh escaped her.

Her stomach grumbled causing her to grit her teeth, her new life isn't very new it seems. Apparently her new 'family' was just as bad as.. no, no they were much better than him. Why couldn't they have just believed her though instead of calling her a liar and disallowing her dinner and breakfast? She hadn't even been able to eat before leaving on the ferry to the island. A sot groan emitted from her, hands gripping hold of her tattered book as she forced her eyes upon the scribed pages. Focus.. focus.. don't think about food... don't think.. about... food?

Her eyes closed slowly as her head turned up, nose sniffing the air as her stomach let off a loud growl at the scent. Someone was cooking something. Here? In the middle of the forest? How peculiar... how strange.. how.. how delicious smelling. Her eyes opened once again as she stood, slipping her book into a brown back fastened at her side. "Food being cooked means people..." she commented to herself, biting her lower lip a bit at the thought of a potential crowd. Her curiosity, and mayhaps her stomach, got the best of her though as she dusted herself off and began to follow her nose. It wasn't long until she found herself hidden behind a tree, meekly peeking past it as her gaze fell upon the culprit.. or rather, culprits as she spied both a young man and a small flying squirrel. Curiouser.

[Krom]

His eyes remained closed tight laying on his side on the ground near the fire, listening to it crackle and pop as it burned through its fuel to reheat the soup that he knew would be delicious. He had made it after all, but why was it taking so long? Shouldn’t it have absorbed his very mortal essence to heat itself as he carried it around in the thermos? There was a rumble and gurgle that echoed out from his stomach once more as Pachi chattered and watched patiently. Perhaps he knew what it took to withstand the hunger? Withstand the aromas?

No, that wasn’t accurate either as the tiny thing’s paws rubbed over its stomach in a fit of hunger before it chittered rapidly and began running over his master’s head. ”Is it done!?” He shouted out in happiness, shooting up into a seated position with a few leafs and twigs stuck in his hair as the flying squirrel gripped the other side of his head to keep from falling. ”It’s done it’s done! Oh it’s done…” He clapped in a bit of over excitement but stopped and cleared his throat before moving to scoop up the pair of bowls and a ladle he may or may not have taken from the Rosemary Inn’s kitchen.

Duncan’s bowl was filled to the top in the thick white soup that looked almost like cream rather then something that had been cooking and heating up. But then the second, much smaller bowl was filled with just two drops and then set down onto a rock to act like a table. It were possible to see happiness glowing off of a person or for that matter a squirrel this would be one of those instances.

[TsulaKiouku]

Pale green eyes glimmered at the sight of food, though they were drawn more so to the male who seemed to have prepared it. His stomach seemed as hungry as hers! Well, maybe not quite as much but nonetheless. She jumped a bit at the sudden jolt up. Had he heard her!? No, no. She calmed herself as she watched, a hand moving quickly to her lips as she stifled a small giggle a the sight. He seemed so please that his meal was ready, and rather silly with twigs and leaves in his hair.

She remained silent, biting her lip to hold back her smile as she watched such cheer emanate from the pair over a simple soup. They were like her almost, relishing in the bounty of a delicious meal no matter how simple it may look to others. No matter how easy, how meager of a thing to enjoy such as food. Uh-oh, she froze as her stomach let out a loud grumble as if announcing her presence itself. She squeaked in surprise, eyes wide and almost terror stricken as they looked to the two and their food. Had they heard? Of course they heard... her stomach sounded like a growling animal. Her body shook in protest, should she run? Could she even run? She was frozen in spot. What if she was discovered? What if the man thought she was watching him, what could she say? What if they really did think it WAS a wild animal and tried to attack her?

Calm down, calm down, please calm down. She begged herself, taking a deep breath before slowly her gaze fell to the ground. Without a word she stepped form behind the tree to reveal herself, eyes fastened to the ground as her hands fidgeted with her fingers nervously, biting her bottom lip as she resists the urge to flee away. She was starving, and there looked to be plenty... she hadn't any money but could this perhaps be someone who didn't care? Maybe it was someone who didn't care just like everyone else 'didn't care' and would toss her aside like an animal. The faintest of whines escaped her, she was just making things worse for herself with such thoughts.

[Krom]

Somewhere, above them, the god of food was smiling down upon the pair as they happily enjoyed their lunch, Duncan shoving spoonfuls of the mix into his mouth and swallowing it down as Pachi slammed his face into the thimble and lapped at it with his tongue before spending a couple of minutes grooming himself clean. It was moments like this that made the outdoors actual enjoyable, when a fire was burning its food and providing good sustenance. The wind was blowing gently and the animals were preparing to attack.

Almost in unison the pair stopped, Duncan’s spoon was half way up to his lips when he glanced around at the sound, the loud growling rumble of some sort of predator hungry for a lost truffle-splorer and his pet. ”Pachi.. did you hear that?” For a moment there was silence to his question before he looked over, sometimes forgetting the squirrel couldn’t respond in kind to him. ”Go check it out..” the grey furred things head snapped to look at Duncan with an expression akin to hate and shock, why was he was he suppose to go into harm’s way? What good would it do? What if it were a.. a girl? The honeydew eyes fluttered in confusion at what had stepped out from behind the tree.

It looked like a girl, a woman, not some crazed animal that was going to go for blood and ruin any chance he had of ever becoming a greater chef. And there weren’t any rumors about shapeshifting creatures either that feasted on the marrow of lost travelers on the island. At least to his knowledge there weren’t any. Perhaps she was just equally as lost as he was? Or worse! Duncan’s spoon dropped into partly eaten bowl of soup as he shifted quickly to rise to his feet ”You’re hungry! Please, come sit down and eat. There is plenty.” He motioned first to his own bowl and then the cauldron as he moved closer to hold out his own bowl to the girl ”Please take it and eat. What kind of cook would I be to serve someone before myself.” .

[TsulaKiouku]

Her crystalline green eyes snapped up to look at the man, stepping back a bit at the sudden eagerness of the motion towards her. Her body tensed as fear flickered though her eyes, hands balling into fists and coming to rest at her collar bones in a frightened yet shy manner. "U-uhm.." she stuttered, body easily seen to be shaking. Her mind raced as terror-stricken eyes flickered between him, Pachi, and the bowl offered to her.

What should I do, what should I do, what should I do... her thoughts were a jumbled mess. Her hands gripped tightly at the collar of her shirt, it was almost as i she wished the dress she wore could just swallow her up so she could hide. She bit her lip hard, letting o a soft whine as a small tinge of red laced her teeth yet she seemed to pay it no mind. Calm down, calm down, you're okay, no one will hurt you, he wont hurt you, he is giving you food, just take the bowl nice and easy...

She hissed in a staggered, deep breath as her gaze fell back to the floor. Her white-knuckled hands slowly releasing their grasp as she moved shaking hands towards the bowl before stopping and allowing them to fall to her sides. "I... I cannot... Please, I am s-sorry t-t-to have d-disturbed you.." she stammered, her stomach growling in protest to her actions. "Mad'am w-would be furious.." she whispered, arms wrapping around her stomach in attempt to quell it.

[Krom]

There were a few things that angered Duncan in the world; some of them were obvious and others were subtle. But what he was witnessing here was something far from angering him but causing somewhere deep inside of his chest to be played like a violin in the hands of a talented musician. What sort of person would be angry for another under their hire to suffer the kind of debilitating growls and hisses that her stomach was giving off and then become furious if they were to eat! It was inhuman. It was barbaric.

Duncan’s head shook sending the last of the leaves fluttering to the ground though a twig still remained caught in his hair ”I will have none of that.” he said rather bluntly as he took another step forward, pulling the bowl in closer to himself as he came closer to her ”We are in the woods and you are hungry, no…” he curtly shook his head at that word ”..You are starving from how loud your stomach is. So please, sit and eat something.” He motioned once more to the bowl offering it to her as he refused to believe that someone could struggle so hard to remain calm and controlled and still turn down a meal.

”It is not like having some just to coat the inside of your stomach will cause you any harm, instead think of it as preventing your body from revolting at you later when you are able to eat finally.” Behind him, still sitting on the rock in front of the metal thimble was Pachi, his normally black whiskers and grey chin coated white in the soupy mixture that he was still trying to groom off with his front paws. For a moment he seemed to be like a statue before nodded toward her, almost telling her like some sort of sentient being ‘Take it, enjoy.’ There was a small flutter of thought that crossed over Duncan’s face before he smiled at her, genuinely smiling ”My name is Duncan, a chef at the Inn in town. If your boss has such an issue with you eating something, consider this as a chef asking for an opinion on one of his meals from a potential client.”

[TsulaKiouku]

It was sudden, yet almost blissful as her body fell into a relaxed state -- her eyes having long been drawn towards his hair. Her motion was smooth, almost mechanical in a was as her long, slender digits of one hand reached out and skillfully untangled the twig and combed down his hair ever slightly. She allowed the small piece to lick into the ire before she seemed to hesitate once again. Realizing what she had done her body tensed once again.

"S-sorry! I.. I really didn't mean to... Er.." she fell silent once more, gaze merely falling as she slowly took the bowl in slightly shaken hands. It was true what he had said, she was starving and she needed to eat. It was merely the punishment soon to follow her at home in which she dreaded. "As you wish, sire." she finally replied, voice hushed in tone as she slowly moved to sit upon the ground and stare down into the bowl of soup.

"Though, I am unsure is Mad'am and Mi'lord will be any potential clientele, sire. I cook or their family... That is one reason I had come out here aside from reading. I came to collect these." she added, hand moving to open her bag to reveal her book tucked neatly to one side and a collection of truffles kept safely upon a cloth within. She had been out since early morning looking, and it had taken quite a long time to find them. She enjoyed her time alone, though, and didn't mind the silence or cold o the early morn. Her gaze lifted to the squirrel, a small smile gracing her lips though it was quick to fade. "...May I ask the name of your friend? Or are you perchance one o those who deem them pets? I prefer to say friend because that is what they should be, not property like some would have it..." she paused, biting her lip as she had begun to ramble slightly. She knew, of course, that she hadn't given her name yet she was not asked for it and she wasn't sure if this man truly would want to know it. She was, after all, a wild animal who tried to attack them. The thought made her giggle slightly before fading back into her silence.

[Krom]

It was weird, having someone else dealing with his hair then him. Especially a girl that he had only just met who seemed more afraid that he would tell her boss she ate something then making a good impression. Though she was polite, and bordering on the nearly criminally nice as she even referred to him as ‘sire’, who still referred to someone as sire in this day and age? His mind continued wondering over just who she was when she showed the inside of her bag at the… truffles? She had found some?! ”This is why I said we should have come out here sooner” He hissed at the squirrel who seemed interested more in his cup of soup then the truffles.

Duncan sighed gently before looking back toward his ‘potential client’ as she spoke about Pachi, a small smile crossing over his face as the squirrel’s head tipped slightly before moving to leap onto one of her legs and looked up toward her face. ”That is Pachi… And when he isn’t being a bit of a brat he is the best friend one can have“ almost on cue the flying squirrel had begun to leap along her arms and traveling up to her shoulder using his little claws to grip, his entire body weighing less than half a pound so the weight being almost minuscule. Once on her shoulder however it was all over, the showboating nature taking over at Pachi began to stretch out showing off his thin frame and gliding membranes.

First it started with one paw stretching out and patting at her cheek before his nose smashed into her cheek, little stuffs of air rushing out as he breathed and his whiskers rushed against her skin as he moved. Then this continued onto the other side as the squirrel passed along the back of her neck and through her hair to get to the other side and start rubbing his face like a cat into her cheek. Duncan meanwhile had taken a more interested look on his eyes, as the honeydew orbs scanned over the front of her not in a sexual manner but a more curious one.

She looked in relatively good health for someone who was being starved by her… whatever they could be called at the moment but she still seemed somewhat terrified of the repercussions of being found out as having satisfied her hunger. His vision shot back up to her face, finding it rather cute even though he could still see a hint of darker crimson on her lip like it had been split ”I’m glad to have met another cook though, so perhaps you could take some of my recipes with you when you return home, and perhaps the opposite is true for me if you would be willing to share?”

[TsulaKiouku]

The woman has taken only a mere spoonful into her mouth before Pachi was upon her shoulders. Her hands moved to place the bowl down carefully before her crystalline green eyes fell to side glance at the small creature. She smiled ever so slightly as he passed over her neck and nuzzled at her, seeming much more comfortable in the presence of an animal than a person. Her hand slipped up to gently take Pachi up before moving him to be cradled into her opposite arm. Holding him much like a child her free hands fingers slid slowly down his chest and stomach in a small cluster before they would spread out to stroke over his 'wings'. Her tough was light over the membrane, fingers shifting one after the other in small strokes at her hand was returned to his stomach, then his chest. Her gaze was set upon him, hand shifting to rub ever so slightly at his ear before finally her gaze lifted back to Duncan, though her hand remained scritching and petting Pachi.

"He is quite sweet, and I am.. happy that you see him as a friend." she replied softly, smile fading away and returning to her rather shy look. Her eyes flickered down to the truffles before returning to Duncan, a thought passing through her mind. "Payment. You can take these as payment.. for the meal..." she said softly, nodding once towards the morsels. "As for recipes.. I've never followed one." she paused, was this really something to tell a chef that takes such obvious pride in his work? Of course, she shouldn't lie or else things could end up rather confusing. "I.. I usually cook what comes to heart. I.. I like to create things, trial and error really... Though I suppose I will have to eventually learn how to cook more properly i I am to stay with Mi'Lord... They have a more tailored taste after all..." she paused. Damn herself, she shouldn't speak in such a way of those who put a roof over her head and took her away from such a horrible man, not that they are terribly better.

[Krom]

Is it possible for creatures to actually be others in disguise? Could a cat sometimes be a dog under its lithe form? Could a cow be a dragon? That didn’t matter right now though, as Pachi’s front and back paws spread out in either direction from his body, the little digits on each foot splaying out and curling as if gripping the air. His black eyes were closed and he was as close to heaven as possible for the little glutton of affection. Moments like these were what made it easy to determine who was kind and who was just pretending to love on the flying squirrel as only those who truly wanted to pet him went for the belly and wings. Perhaps he had found his soul mate.

Duncan’s face had broken into a smile watching the scene playing out in front of him, watching his comrade pass out in the girl’s arm under her attentive fingers. For a moment he had even forgotten his concerns with her until she looked up toward him once more, the smile that had been on her face disappearing into one of… fear? Embarrassment? ”I can’t take your truffles… especially the way you describe your employer, they would be furious to not have truffles with some of their meals.” He shook his head softly at the offer for them, knowing full well how difficult it could be to get good ones. But not only had her bosses seemed to not allow her to eat, and not only had she attempted to turn down his food, now she was telling him she called herself a chef and did not use a cook book? That was like telling someone they swam in the ocean and didn’t use their arms or legs.

”Hold on a moment. I’ve got just the thing for you” Duncan said with a small grunt as he pushed himself up to his feet and moved over to his backpack and began digging through its many pockets and folds before pulling the red hard cover book from its depths. It was rather plain, no writing on either cover nor on the spine either with the only real markings a couple of darker spots on the front cover from splatter. Though it was a fairly decent sized book it was obviously well used as he held it out to her with a smile ”Since you enjoy reading, and want to learn how to cook better you can use this. My recipe book, it should have more than enough variety for please your Sirses and Ma’amsess.” Duncan’s head tipped with a smile down at her as he held the book out, his eyes closed partly ”You can copy down the recipes you want or copy the entire thing and bring it back to me at the Rosemary Inn when you’re done.”

[TsulaKiouku]

Briar was pleased as her fingers scritched over Pachi's soft fur, she was enjoying the event herself though her ace hardly showed it as her gaze fell to the book outstretched to her. "I.. I couldn't.. I probably would have little time to read it, sire. In between the cooking and cleanings and dressing, and undressing, the Ma'dam and doing her make-up and hair and fetching the young sir whatever he wishes... Tending the gardens and the household... I barely have time or anything else let alone read. I only had the chance today because it is my first day in this town, I only arrived last night." she stopped, she was talking too much again.

A soft sigh escaped her, head shaking ever-so-slightly. "Please, I beg o you, take these. My employers did not know I gathered them specifically, they just told me where I can ind various herbs and so I came. Only then did I have the idea to look for these. And you, as such a brilliant chef, would have much more use of them than I." she finished, gaze falling to stare down at the bowl o soup. Her stomach grumbled a bit, causing her to furrow her brow. Stupid thing, you would think it had learned it's place by now. Yet nonetheless she found herself staring longingly at the bowl yet her hands were preoccupied by the squirrel cradled in her arm.

[Krom]

He had heard of rumors before, sometimes those that were wealthy or well off would treat those under them as if they were nothing more than a slave to do with them what they wished. And judging from the way the woman had been describing daily activities it seemed like this was the case. Even Pachi could tell from the way that she spoke there was more to the story then what was being let on, causing his paws to tuck in closer to his body and his face to nudge against her fingers. The look upon her face as she explained it, and begged him to take the truffles she had harvested causing that violin to play once more inside of Duncan’s chest making him sigh in defeat.

As he sat back down across from her he nodded his head slowly setting the book in his lap, watching her try to settle her stomach even though she had only eaten a single spoonful before becoming distracted. He had forgotten all about his own hunger as he watched the woman, desperately trying to figure out some way that he could help her. Finally he spoke up, trying to change the subject to something a bit more light hearted ”My name is Duncan, not Sire. You do not have to call me that Miss..?” He blinked, the realization that he had never even asked for her name yet crossing his face before he chuckled slightly ”I guess in my haste to help you, I forgot to ask for your name.”

Pachi’s attention though had been drawn to her growling stomach, his mind working through and solving the equation that he was keeping her from eating. His paws flailed for a moment before he rolled onto his side and used the claws on each digit to grip her sleeve for a moment and move up her cradled arm once more to her shoulder. With a sudden leap the ever so slight weight was gone as he spread his paws once more expanding the membranes to their fullest, his tail straight out behind him. But he was not on his way to Duncan, oh no. With a sudden turn he was making his way to the rock where his soup cup had been left and once again stuck his face into the mix to lap at the broth and chitter happily before looking toward his new best friend. The grey fur around his mouth and nose had been stained white once more, as subtle sign trying to tell her ‘you should eat too.’

[TsulaKiouku]

She blinked a bit as Pachi flew off, smiling ever so slightly as he had nodded. She inclined her head in a way as i saying thank you, nearly as i she understood his intentioned, before her gaze shifted to her bag. Reaching in, she gather the cloth up and tied it carefully, reaching out to place the small package before Duncan.

It took her a moment to realize that he had been speaking, seeming to freeze as her mind went over the words. "...F-forgive me, I've never spoken to anyone with their first name before." she hesitated, "Duncan then. I Briar De-... Rose. Briar Rose." Her faint smile faltered and faded as she spoke her name, she nearly forgot her disowned status. Pity really, she was technically the heir to the largest portion o the family's fortune if her father was ever to die and yet she can and will never have nor see a coin of it.

Her gaze fell to the bowl as she picked it up once more, eating another spoonful as she seemed to relish in the flavor. "...You have an amazing talent, Duncan." she commented softly, gaze slipping over to the boy. It was blatantly obvious she was still cautious and rather unnerved, though not quite as skittish as earlier. She was not used to such pleasantries, she rarely spoke to anyone outside her family. She'd even had to play mute once before around her father's... 'friends' that would come over. She shuddered suddenly, clenching her teeth as her eyes shut tight; memories of the night just before last plaguing her mind. Her knuckles white from how tight she would suddenly be gripping the bowl.

[Krom]

Duncan’s head had inclined slightly toward the cloth that had been put in front of him, the truffles inside could easily fetch him some coins for the ones that he didn’t want to use. And the ones he did use he could make so much with that it would literally blow his mind trying to decide what he wanted to make first. He understood it would be a moot point to argue taking them or trying to give her something in return for them so he simply scooped them up and began to rise up to his feet and head over to his bag. Briar Rose huh? Except this one didn’t have any thorns or spikes to her, she was way too withdrawn into herself and afraid of everything it seemed.

He had taken his seat once more across from the woman, the one now known as Briar Rose, and on his knee sat Pachi who had finished his tiny cup of soup and was finishing grooming his face and licking his paws clean. A smile had crossed his face that seemed to get a bit bigger when she had taken another spoonful of the broth but there seemed to be a change in her expression, her fingers gripping the bowl like it was going to escape her any moment. ”Are you alright Briar?” the smile disappearing from hi s face as he watched her, trying to determine if maybe it had been something in the soup but her grip had turned white on the outside of the bowl and spoon.

For a moment they sat in silence, the look on concern that had crossed over Duncan’s brow as even Pachi had stopped grooming himself to watch with his large black eyes. Finally there was a small chitter that escaped the dwarf squirrel causing the teenager to glance down and then toward Briar once more trying to once again change the conversation to something a bit more light hearted. ”So what was it that you were reading before you joined us? What type of book?” With a little bit of luck, maybe this would make her smile a bit more and not look so frightened just being around him.