Sebastian laid back down on his cot. If it wasn't one thing it was apparently another. Another day with a heart pounding beginning. He decided to keep laying down until the sun rose at least. Surely that wasn't too much to ask.
Haven laid Nix out on the cooking platform again. Using rifts he picked undamaged fruit flowers, rolled dough, sliced fruits. Beloved his eager helper while the other birds covered themselves in flour.
Haven didn't raise a brow as his scones, pastries, and pie were all decorated with edible flowers. Three of the smaller birds were using their talons to carve patterns in the pastries. Haven did raise a brow as half his lemon tarts were nearly drowned in honey.
Ashton blinked up at Haven innocently as he was used as a stove top. Holding pies, trays of pastries, flowers, fruit slices. He was even used to boil a giant clay pot of water.
Haven shook his head as he continued his ministrations. The small flock's endless chirping should have annoyed him. Competition for food, resources, attention. Yet they were a pleasant accompaniment to the tinkling of the leaves. Perhaps this is why birds travel together. Flocks, perhaps he would keep the entire flock…
Haven watched as everything was just about ready. Then he started to prepare more drinks.
Beloved followed her nose to a rather… strong, yet delightful smell. She watched as near boiling water was dripped over a small mound of… minced something. It almost looked like rich earth…
Haven lightly moved Beloved out of the way as he added vanilla to her cup of coffee. He added dark cocoa to Nix's. He had not seen anyone in the area make any, so this should pique their interest.
Beloved hugged the giant tail separating her from the rows of mugs. Her slightly disgruntled, but very eager song barely more than a whisper. It was still so early… bad tigers!
Seeing Beloved turn an irritated glare on the group of tigers, he thought of adding them to the menu.
"Nix says they have use, so I won't move against, but now for one tiger, four are in debt." She announced staunchly. Her voice wasn't loud, but the wind carried it for all to hear.
Noelle stiffened as she sat at the table, she hadn't even had time to sip on her tea. She knew she shouldn't argue, but Lamont hadn't done anything…
"Such is the price, the company kept, when one faulters, the others misstep." Ashton agreed seeing Noelle's confliction. "The use of a tiger, no matter how hard, is better than death, or worse, should god's anger befall." He reminded lightly as he was handed yet another tray of fruit slices to dry.
Sebastian's stomach was starting to hurt, seeing Lord Reece, being using as a… food processing device… made it hard to take any conversation seriously. Especially when one of the smaller birds had perched on one of the edge of a pie, only to be pushed. A tiny black chick struggling to free itself from pear and crystal fruit fixing… they were so… distracting.
Haven saved the stuck bird from the pie. The other birds immediately swooped in to comfort the bedraggled chick… no… they were eating the pie stuck to her. He glanced at the hole in the mostly baked pie.
Kokono started to bawl, until a piece of pie was stuffed in her beak. Then she eagerly started cleaning herself! Yot did it on purpose! She pointed a wing at Yot, complaining to the big snake aggrievedly.
Haven turned his questioning glance to the accused bird.
Yot stilled, glancing anywhere but at Kokono or the big snake as he continued to stuff his face with his ill gotten spoils. With a chirp he fled.
Kokono continued her aggrieved chirping as the others pecked her clean.
Beloved giggled as she used a finger to wipe some of the pie filling off Kokono. So yummy!
Kokono burst into a new round of aggrieved chirps. Opening a rift to go watch the human. At least he wouldn't laugh at her!
"Tou, Hito,see that she's safe. As strong as a bird is, when young so easy to cage." Ashton added. Both saluted with a wing before following her through the rift.
Beloved sighed as she licked her finger clean, "She is quite enamored, of him she thinks highly, I guess for a human, he can be considered manly."
Haven searched for where the rift opened. Sending a soft breeze to find the missing birds. He raised a brow to see a dragon, sparing a glance for the dragonkin he smirked. So, even dragons did not leave all their eggs in a single basket.
Alexei was ready for a nap. He couldn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. A pity the streak would continue. An even bigger pity was knowing nothing he did was going to calm his Regina. She was pacing like an angry, caged lioness.
Alexei was silently praying to all the beast gods for something to distract her. He eyed the snake god… could the gods… actually hear such prayers?
"Yessss." The answer rumbled over the area as Haven gave Alexei a disdainful glance.
Alexei winced, well, now he had an answer. He pretended to not know what the snake god was referring to as hundreds of eyes questioned him.
Neolani glanced between her husband, and the dismissive snake god. She nodded for Alexei to follow her.
Alexei sighed… well, this was a distraction. He sent a silent, rueful thanks the snake god's way.
Beloved happily sampled all the foods. She would send the occasional glare to the tigers. She was still not happy! Her first morning with the big snake! Interrupted by thieving tigers!!!! Was asking so hard?
Haven watched, silently categorizing all the expressions of his future mate. He did not take his thousands of years of experience for granted. Each being, no matter how similar was an individual. The faster he learned, the faster their successful cohabitation would begin.
Ashton looked over several bolts of spider silk. Strong enough to survive even legendary dragon fire. Ashton attempted to rip the bolt, satisfied it would survive even Alaina's most powerful attacks unscathed.
Beloved leaned over Nix's shoulder as he pulled out a pair of cloth shears. After marking the black silk, he started to cut.
Haven stared at the scissors… made from Ru's talons? Then again… he had asked for the silk knowing it's resilience.
Beloved pulled out several planks of crystal. Taken from a crystal tree, not as nice as her current tree, but these were already cured and processed.
Haven encircled the industrious birds as they set to work. Nix making clothing, Beloved… an instrument?
Aston eyed the large snake. All gods enjoyed gifts. Even if they pretended to be indifferent. Pulling the silk robe on, he leapt onto Haven's spine. The robe was so large, Beloved could stand on his shoulders while wearing it, and it would still drag on the ground.
Beloved hopped up, sticking her head in the overly large sleeves, "Nix it's so big! Nix it's so long, who could wear this? We would trip, always fall."
"This is for your big snake, something to wear! Feathers are great, but no pockets are there." Ashton said draping the robe on the big snake. Then he frowned dramatically as it started to slip. "Hmm, to change as you do, we could use a spell, maybe two?" Ashton gave the big fox a wink.
Caius blinked, aiya? Him? He happily trotted over, tails swaying, "Pick me, pick me! I know just the one."
Haven side eyed the seven tailed fox. It would appear, Nix was giving it an opportunity to earn a favor.
When the snake god didn't object, Caius laid one of his tails over the robe. Picking out a particularly large mane feather, Caius enchanted the robe. Linking it to the feather to have two different forms. When the feather was like this, it would be a string, no larger than a human hair. When the snake god changed forms, it would become the robe. Much like his own clothes, no respectable beast should wander around naked.
Haven watched the fox, it wasn't particularly strong, nor as striking in appearance as Nix. Still, he glanced over Beloved who was blinking up at him, then to Nix who was doing the same. If they had use for the fox, he would not eat it.
Caius's fur bristled, Aiya! What was this snake god thinking to give him such a look? Caius discretely moved further away from the snake head larger than his body. He would not be eaten without resistance!
Beloved and Nix snapped to attention. "Nix its so shiny, in the sun it does sparkle! Nix I want it! I am rather partial!"
Ashton let a smile curve his lips, "All that you want, all you desire, all will be yours, all I can offer."
Haven raised his head, eyes constricting on the human covered in sparkly bobbles.
Leonard was confused until a party of maybe two dozen men entered from the far side of the clearing. He had to squint, yes… one of the men's outfit did reflect the light. Though he couldn't tell if it was just very well polished armor or something else.
"We can't be too obvious, we must be sedate, what if we scare off, your big pretty snake?" Ashton teased before the big snake could strike out at the human.
Beloved blinked, then fell through a rift to land on her big snake's face. "Oh, do not be wary, do not be scared! I am quite generous, with you I will share."
Haven eyed the two birds as he settled down. "We can just take it."
Beloved's eyes sparkled at the idea! "Yes! I like it, I want it! I should just take it!" Beloved opened a rift with a finger over her lips, "Nix you distract them, at me they shouldn't look!"