[Kitsumi]

//This roleplay will be crap, I warn anyone who reads. It will be boring, with probably no real plot or anything unless random inspiration for the character hits. Do not read if you are looking for something entertaining.


Nîdhalbe

The Paragon woke, as she often did, before the sun.

Without the golden orb's rays to keep her warm, Nîdhalbe shivered. The cave was slightly damp, and it was her own fault. She hadn't taken the proper time to dry off before settling into slumber the night before, and now she could feel the cold creeping into her very bones. With any luck, her movements would be enough to keep her warm. She hoped that the water was a bearable temperature. Her scales did a fair job of keeping her safe from the elements, but even a mighty Paragon disliked being drenched in freezing water.

[Kitsumi]

Her claws made faint scratching noises as she lumbered tiredly towards the mouth of her cave. She had thought many times about building a different sort of lodging for herself, but in the end had decided against it. The construction of a new shelter would take time. Time was something that Nîdhalbe never had quite enough of. No matter how early she rose or how late she went to sleep, there always seemed to be something else that she could have or should have done. Working long hours with little break was difficult, but she had to pay her debt somehow. At least she enjoyed her job. That helped...a little.

[Kitsumi]

Nîdhalbe's breakfast was the same as it had been yesterday, and for several days before that. Her protein came from the fish she didn't sell in Jawan's marketplace. Usually she sold her more exotic catches, leaving the more basic and less flavored fish for her own meals. Luckily, she always invested a bit of the Keystones she earned in buying various spices and other methods of bringing flavor to tasteless dishes. Bland fish became a delicious meal when it had been smoked and flavored with cumin and other spices. The plain white rice that she served on the side was especially tasty once she had added butter and just a hint of lemon zest. Snagging a banana to eat along the way, Nîdhalbe finally exited the cave and took to the sky.

[Kitsumi]

The fogginess in her mind cleared as she felt the cool morning air on her scales. She breathed deeply, but the overpowering scent of salt water and fish made it difficult to recognize any other scents. Her muscles rippled beneath her scales as she dipped and spun in graceful circles above the water. It was her routine to engage in a short display of acrobatics before she began fishing. It helped to loosen up her muscles, and this particular morning it brought warmth into her cold body. Her wings beat in a lazy rhythm, and she began her descent over the water.

[Kitsumi]

Nîdhalbe hovered just above the water. She could feel it's spray on her limbs as she watched the water for movement. She spotted a school of fish to her left, and moved in for a closer look. When the fish proved too small to be worth her time, she began circling the waters. The sun was just beginning to rise when she noticed a spot that looked promising. Diving into the water, she was able to catch three of the fish before surfacing.

[Kitsumi]

Swooping towards land, Nîdhalbe landed gracefully several feet from the water's edge. Half-hidden in a line of bushes were several barrels filled with water from the sea. The Paragon deposited the fish inside one of the barrels. They would be kept alive until she was finished with her day of fishing. Nîdhalbe liked to keep her fish as fresh as possible, not killing them until right before she left for the marketplace. She had learned rather early on that the freshest fish sold for more than those that had been killed and stored someplace.

[Kitsumi]

By the time Nîdhalbe returned to the spot where she had caught the fish, the rest of them had scattered. Luckily, they were still nearby. The Paragon spotted the sleek silver sheen of scales beneath the water, and in she went! She continued this process for a while: diving into the water and emerging with her jaws full of fish, storing them in the barrels and then returning for more. She was careful to keep the fish categorized in the buckets. She didn't want to store the much larger fish with those that were smaller and liable to be killed or eaten.

[Kitsumi]

By the time the sun had risen high in the sky, Nîdhalbe had filled two barrels with fish. Feeling satisfied with her progress so far, she took a break for lunch. Her talons skimmed the water as she flew towards land, and she looked over her shoulder to watch the trail she left. Spotting a small form just ahead of her, Nîdhalbe stretched her limbs towards the water. She snatched the fish out of the sea easily, without even slowing her pace. "Lunch is served," the Paragon said to herself.