[SpringsSong]

The Sygriff smiled as she landed just inside Medicai's limits, the wind ruffling her feathers and the sun--although cold--making her coat glimmer.  Her owner, Fire, had sent her out alone today, mentioning that one of her friends would be sending out a pet of theirs to meet with her.  The only other information she had was that this other pet was a Wood Sahound.

"I may never understand Fire and her ways," said the Sygriff as she shook her head, "but nonetheless, the woman is my closest friend and I could never go against her will."

Niala, as she was called, had chosen to go to Medicai for a few reasons.  First, none of the other pets in the household, save for Tai'uske, had ever been here before.  Secondly, she had heard that it was a beautiful city, and she wanted to see it for herself.  Third, she just wanted to go to somewhere where no one from her family had been before.  After all, Medicai was a fairly new area--not as new as Craiss, or the Farmlands, but not nearly as popular outside of its famed LightHaven College.

[1.1]

[Austen]

Hazel was out exploring for the day. She had wanted to look around the the white and silver city for awhile now. Naturally, she had taken the first chance she'd got. Truly, the white and silver shining in the sunlight made Medicai a beautiful city.

Not even the odd Sygriff talking to herself at the edge of the city limits near her detracted from the beauty. A brilliant Blaze, whose feathers burned brightly in the sun, she merely added to the glimmering walls. The Wood Sahound woofed softly at her in puzzlement. Who was this Fire? Was she the single, specific someone the sygriff seemed to be looking out for?

[SpringsSong]

Niala turned her head at the sound of the soft bark; that had to be a Sahound, for sure... but if it wasn't, then it was either a Lucain or a Tali.  However, when her eyes landed on the Sahound, and noticed that it seemed to be looking at her, she figured this must be the Sahound that her trainer had mentioned.

She walked over to the Sahound, her head held high as her claws clinked against the streets of Medicai.  "Pardon me," she asked; her voice held the elegance of a socialite, "but you wouldn't happen to know of an Aurryinne, would you?  My trainer mentioned I was to meet someone from her family of pets."

Hopefully this was the right Sahound...

[1.2]

[Austen]

Hazel blinked, staring at the blaze sygriff, which seemed to be addressing her now. She blinked some more at the mention of Keeper Aurryinne, and blinked even more at the notion that she was one of her family of pets. Her keeper had her hands full managing the enclosures, and definitely had other things to do than to keep her as a pet.

The blinking however, quickly turned to a slight horror as she realized that the sygriff expected her to answer. Human or thought speech, neither were her gift. How was she going to communicate? She barked quickly in response, and nodded her head, empathically, frantically hoping the sygriff would get her drift.

[SpringsSong]

Niala did indeed catch Hazel's drift as she nodded her head emphatically.  It would appear that she does not have the gift of speech... how can I communicate with her, then? she thought to herself, when she remembered that she, being a pet and having no human form, could understand both human and pet tongues,  but could only speak the latter.  Thinking for a moment, she then said, "May I try guessing at your name?  Mine is Niala."

[1.3]

[Austen]

Hazel blinked, and nodded again, empathically, busily wondering how she'd introduce herself if Niala didn't guess her name right? She supposed she could bark once for the letter's placement in the alphabet, provided Niala had the patience, she smirked. She considered, and added another bark, a shorter, sharper one, in greeting. Might as well cover all bases. Not that she expected Niala to be able to interpret barking, yet. Prehaps with time and practise...?

[SpringsSong]

Niala nodded slowly; she could tell that the Sahound was greeting her.  After a moment, she gave a tiny chirp, pondering.  Let's see... what kind of name fits a Wood Sahound...? she thought, hoping that Hazel had an idea, however lengthy it was.  The Sahound would find that, because of the issues with her trainer and her Bleeder.

[1.4]

[Austen]

Curious. Niala could interpret barking. Interesting. Hazel zipped around, anxiously looking for her namesake. Winter Bloom would have to do, she guessed. An alternative name was Snapping Hazel. She snapped her jaws playfully, and pawed lightly at the plant, hoping Niala would get the hint. Much quicker than spelling.

She really should see if either she or Niala could obtain alphabet blocks, to facilitate communication. Otherwise, talking to the sygriff was going to be an unwieldy business...

[SpringsSong]

Niala looked at the plant, her head tilted curiously.  "A Winter Bloom... also known as the Snapping Hazel.  So... your name is Hazel?" she asked, hoping she was correct in the guess here.  However, there was another problem about; that was normal communication.  Niala thought for a moment, and then, in her mind, she got an idea.  There was a little shop for younger children not far away, and she ran in, bought some letter blocks, and then ran back out and placed them in front of Hazel, hoping she would know why she had gotten them.

[2.0]

[Austen]

Hazel barked happily. Niala had indeed caught on. She paused, confused, as the blaze sygriff ran away. She blinked, turned thrice, then settled down to wait, putting her head between her paws as she did, hoping that Niala would be back shortly.

The blaze sygriff was away for quite a while, but when she came back, Hazel could see that Niala had caught on quickly. The sygriff had brought alphabet blocks. She grinned, tapping the letters that spelt out,'W-E-L-C-OM-E B-A-C-K', pleased to be able to communicate so easily. She had missed the bells that Keeper Aurryinne had provided badly.

Now she didn't need the bells to chime out her words. She could just tap.

[SpringsSong]

[[Ack, sorrehs.  School has eaten me...]]

Niala smiled as she replied, "Thank you, Hazel."  She was relieved that she had found some manner in which she could communicate with the Sahound, but it still was hard--for her, at least--to communicate with someone else who could not communicate.  "So..." she started quietly.  "My trainer, Fire, mentioned that she knew your trainer, Aurryinne, right?" she asked.  Even though she was certain she had asked that before, it was always better to confirm it again, in the Sygriff's opinion.

[2.1]

[Austen]

(That's okay. My writing has started eating at me, too.)

Hazel barked affirmatively, tapping out, "K-E-E-P-E-R A-U-R-R-Y-I-N-N-E? Y-E-S" almost contemptously. She didn't want to encourage the idea that she needed a trainer, oh, no. To her mind, she was well-trained. The Keeper merely managed the enclosures in which everyone lived. She was free to train as she liked.

And the illusion was one that Aurryinne worked hard to maintain, that she only managed the zoo pens, and that no one was confined, merely kept, and free to advance as s/he wished, without being held back.

[SpringsSong]

Niala nodded slowly; "I see... I wonder from where...?" she asked, however this last part was strictly rhetorical.  She knew that her beloved Fire had been to other places before coming to Evelon, and Niala knew that, unless she could sit Fire down for... a very long time, maybe a day or two, she'd never know the full extent of the Fenling's travels.

[2.2]

[Austen]

((Sorry, work ate me.))

Hazel cocked her head on one side, thinking, then tapped out,"N-R-B-C", inadvertently answering a rhetorical question. Not that the word would mean anything to Niala, of course. Nor to Hazel.

Aurryinne had mentioned Fire previously, deliberately ensuring that the words carried to Hazel, as she discussed moving to Medicai City, to allow the interested crits to obtain medical training, as she left the enclosure unlocked.  She knew the Wood Sahound would immediately set out to explore the city, where Fire had had an inkling that the Blaze Sygriff would be, and she'd deliberately engineered the entire meeting, as she had promised Fire.

[SpringsSong]

[[S'perfectly fine. x3; My school life kinda ate me too.]]

NRBC...? Niala thought for a moment, and then, the light bulb above her head went off.  "I have heard Fire mention that before... I know I have... but I couldn't explain it to save my life.  All I remember is something about raising and battling five different types of critters; one canine, one ursine, one feline, one rabbit-like, and one reptilian." She said.  Maybe this was attributed to the fact that, as Fire's mount, Niala often heard her reminisce about things that had happened in her days before Evelon.

[2.3]