define('WP_CACHE', true); Chapter 61: Sihayadda – Crossed Paths – Logs

May 02

Chapter 61: Sihayadda

Chapter 61: Sihayadda

In Which Woodgreen Is Not Jozra’s Last Name.

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Arrin Woodgreen: He listens to Jozra read for quite some time before his eyelids begin to droop and he’s listening with his eyes closed. It’s not long after that when he begins to snore softly beside her.

Yazeth: Fortunately for Jozra’s throat, Soquan begins to snore just before her voice begins to give out and she’s able to continue reading in silence.  Eventually, Joseph comes in and begins preparing lunch for the three.

Arrin Woodgreen: Due to the story, Soquan dreams of the Northern Knights. He remembers his father telling him about the Knights in their glory days and how they were respected throughout the country.

Arrin Woodgreen: A day and a half later, Soquan grins at Jozra from his seated position beside her as she finishes the book, snapping it shut. “I take it you liked the book then Joz?”

Yazeth: The ferret smiles and feels rather silly for thinking the book a mere collection of children’s stories. Oh it was certainly geared towards a younger audience, but it was well written and she found the stories captivating. “Heh, yeah.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins at her, stretching out on the bed. “Did you have a favorite story?”

Yazeth: The ferret thinks for a moment. “I liked the story about Coop and his friends.”

Arrin Woodgreen: His brow furrows as he tries to remember, then brightens, “Oh yeah, that one!” He grins at her again. “Fiarah’s coming again today, maybe if she says it’s okay, you and I can go to the library and you can pick something else out.”

Yazeth: Jozra’s ears perk at the possibility that Fiarah might actually let her do something other than lay in bed all day. “Do you know what time she was going to come by?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shrugs, “Noon-ish? I dunno, that’s usually when she stops by. She DID say you’re looking a lot better last time she was here, I say it’s a good possibility she’ll let you.”

Yazeth: A slow grin spreads across Jozra’s face. She hadn’t had a chance since Jinx and Soq went to the library the first time to get out of bed and move around without somebody telling her she shouldn’t.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan smiles, “I take it you’re glad at this then?” He reaches over to give her paw a slight squeeze, “I’m sorry you’ve had to stay cooped up in here, I know how badly you wanna move South.”

Yazeth: Jozra nods. “I do want to move South, but it’s mainly having to be cooped up… Especially after wandering for so long.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He chuckles softly and grins at her crookedly. “At least you had me to keep you company most the time, right? Some beasts don’t get that.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods again, this time more thoughtfully. “That’s very true…”

Arrin Woodgreen: Noon rolls around, and for a while it seems Soquans predictions were wrong until he sits up in bed, his ears cocked towards the door. He grins at Jozra, “They’re here.”

Yazeth: Jozra grins slyly at Soq, impressed as always at how the blind otter’s other senses have over compensated. Not a moment later, a knock is heard at the door.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan takes the liberty of shouting, “C’mon in!” before leaning over to Jozra, whispering quietly in her ear. “No offence to the dear, but Jinx is way too easy to hear a block away.”

Yazeth: Jozra stifles a giggle as Fiarah and Jinx enter the house and close the door behind them. The young ferret bounds into the room while Fiarah follows at a more sedate pace. “Afternoon. Where’s Joseph?”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan grins at Fiarah, “He’s out back with his plants.” He motions towards the back door. “So how are you today?”

Yazeth: Fiarah settles herself down in the armchair as Jinx pops out the back door to talk with Joseph. “I’m doing well. But I’m here to see how somebody else is doing.” She smiles at Jozra.

Arrin Woodgreen: He chuckles, “I think she’s in need of some good news.” Fiarah laughs softly and turns her gaze to Jozra. “How’re you feeling today Jozra? Any coughing?”

Yazeth: The ferret sits up straighter in bed, knowing now from experience that Fiarah rarely takes her answers to these questions at face value. “I’m feeling better. Haven’t really done much coughing.”

Arrin Woodgreen: She eyes Jozra. “Well your voice seems better, which means you’re telling the truth. How are you feeling strength wise?”

Yazeth: The ferret easily tosses the book into the vixen’s lap and grins. “Better there too.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Fiarah strokes her chin in thought, eyeing the ferret. “Well I guess you can be out of bed for little bits at a time, maybe walk around town a little, just as long as you keep Soquan close by.”

Yazeth: Jozra absolutely beams at the news.

Arrin Woodgreen: She waves a paw at the two and rises. “I must speak with Joseph, you two do as you please.”

Yazeth: Fiarah places the book back on the bed as she heads towards the back door. Jozra, feeling uncharacteristically giddy, pokes Soquan in the ribs. What weeks confined to bed will do to a ferret! “Wanna go for a walk?”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan nods, “Of course I do!” He bounds out of the bed and on his paws in less than a heartbeat.

Yazeth: Jozra slips out of bed and is about to make her way towards the door when she realizes she’s still wearing the robe Fiarah and Joseph require her to wear. They let her wear some pants too about a week ago but they definitely aren’t… street clothes.
She glances around the base of the bed where she remembers seeing their packs but the last time she actually saw them there was a while ago. “Umm… Soq? Do you remember where our packs are?”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan turns back to her and scoops up the book from the bed. “Check the closet; I think Joseph shuffled them into there last week.”

Yazeth: The packs are indeed tucked away neatly in the closet and Jozra soon fishes out her clothes. They’re a bit tattered, but they’ll more than do. With a little difficulty, as Jozra’s a bit more unsteady on her feet than she lets on, and a minimum of coughing, the ferret is soon changed. “It’s nice to be back in real clothes.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan grins at her, chuckling. “That’s good for you. Ready to go now?”

Yazeth: Jozra firmly steps towards the door with a very definitive, “Yes.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shifts the book over to one paw while offering his arm to the ferret. “Where to first? Library?”

Yazeth: The ferret nods as they step off of Joseph’s porch. “I can’t really think of any other place to go.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and pauses at the step, getting his bearings. “The library is over that way,” he points off to the Southeast. “To tell you the truth, I can’t remember all the twists and turns Jinx and I took.”

Yazeth: “That’s okay, Soq. We’ll find it eventually. As long as remember how to get back.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs, “Can’t you see the temple from everywhere in the city?”

Yazeth: The ferret glances over her shoulder. “I suppose you’re right. When we were first here I just thought it was a tall snag. Didn’t realize there was an actual building connected to that spire.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan nods from beside her, “Okay then.” His brow furrows as he thinks for a moment, “We take a right real soon I think.”

Yazeth: After a moment, an alleyway appears on their right, cutting between blocks of houses. Jozra leads the otter through it and soon they’re standing at another street.

Arrin Woodgreen: After reaching the street, the otter thinks some more before leading her in another direction. “A left soon here…”

Yazeth: The left is a little longer in coming and the pair almost walk past it until Jozra realizes that the gap between buildings is actually a tiny alley.

Arrin Woodgreen: Once they emerge from the small alleyway, the library is in view. Soquan starts at this news. “Wow, that was fast… I guess we found a quicker way?”

Yazeth: Jozra shrugs as the pair walk towards the building. “Maybe that really wasn’t an alley back there.” The library’s shingle swings gently in the afternoon breeze as the two approach the door.

Arrin Woodgreen: As they enter the building, Soquan turns to Jozra to whisper quietly to her. “Is there a place for book drop-offs?”

Yazeth: The ferret looks towards the circulation desk but the only thing there is the marten, engrossed in a book, and his huge ledger. “Nope. I think we just leave it with the librarian.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan nods and places the book quietly on the desk as they walk by, murmuring a quiet greeting to the marten as he looks up, startled. He leads Jozra towards the area Jinx took him to. “This is where we picked up that book.”

Yazeth: Jozra peers at the spines of the books running down the length of the shelf. Pausing every now and then at something that looks interesting. “…”The Snail That Ruined It All?”  I’m not even sure I want to know what that one is about.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan snickers quietly, “I’m not quite sure I want to know either; Jinx pointed it out when we were here.”

Yazeth: The ferret stops short at a book entitled, “The Desert Rat: My Exploration Over the Eastern Mountains.” Jozra wonders for a moment if she’s just being paranoid when she thinks that checking out that book would be particularly incriminating that she’s not actually from the South, but her curiosity overwhelms her caution. Maybe she should find another book and take that too. Just in case.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan looks over as he hears Jozra’s pause in musing over titles. “Find something?”

Yazeth: Jozra nods hesitantly, “It looks like it’s about an explorer.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He quirks an eyebrow, interested. “Oh? What’s it called?”

Yazeth: The ferret tucks the book under her arm as she turns back towards the stacks. “‘Desert Rat.’ Oooh… this looks interesting. ‘Erran: Northern Knight.’”

Arrin Woodgreen: It takes a moment for the title of the book to sink in before he starts and turns towards the ferret again, “What was that title?”

Yazeth: The ferret glances at Soq before repeating the title. “‘Erran: Northern Knight.’ Why?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns, “’Cause that was my grandfather’s name. Though it could just be a coincidence.”

Yazeth: Jozra tucks that book under her arm as well. “Could be. I’m rather surprised by the amount of beasts I’ve run into with the name ‘Jozra.’”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods, wrapping up his musing, “I’ll bet, it’s a pretty name.” He grins jokingly. “Only in your case, the name doesn’t fit the beast.”

Yazeth: Jozra slugs the otter in the arm, though, as she recognizes the comment as a joke she doesn’t hit him too hard. “Think two books are enough?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins at her. “At the rate your inhaled the last one, I doubt it, but we can always come back.”

Yazeth: The ferret actually laughs, and then she remembers that she’s in a library. Fortunately, the only other person in the building is the librarian, and he’s already put down his book in preparation of checking out the two Jozra places on the counter.

Arrin Woodgreen: As the two of them reach the counter, the marten relieves Jozra of her books as he writes the titles in the ledger. Sliding the books back across, he looks at the ferret, “Name please?”

Yazeth: The ferret slides the books off the counter and tucks them back under her arm. “Jozra.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The marten eyes Jozra overtop his ledger, “Last name please?”

Yazeth: The ferret glances up, just barely containing her surprise. She had forgotten that these Westerners used last names rather frequently. Mentally scrabbling, she says the first thing that pops into her head, “Ah, Woodgreen.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The marten nods and scratches down the last name, unaware of Soquan’s surprise. He starts and turns his head towards her, an eyebrow raised. As they exit the building he leans down to murmur in her ear quietly. “You have some explaining to do.”

Yazeth: Jozra grips the books under her arm tightly as they walk back down the street. Why oh why did she say that? Surely she could have come up with an innocuous, fake last name. Maybe being confined to be for weeks on end really was rotting her brain. “I… My last name is a little hard to spell… I didn’t want to have to stand there spelling it out for him.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He cocks an eyebrow as they turn down that narrow alley, not really believing her fake story. “Oh?”

Yazeth: Now’s the ferret’s chance to come up with something truly un-spellable. Too bad she’s gotten tired of lying to Soquan, especially after all they’d been through. And that one dream. She shudders slightly at the memory and then glances at the otter before replying, “…it’s Sihayadda.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He lets the name mull over a bit, falling silent for a moment. He grins and drapes an arm around her shoulders. “Well then, Miss. Sihayadda, that’s quite the last name, very pretty.”

Yazeth: Jozra flushes at Soquan’s comment and continues to walk along silently. Retracing their steps is quite simple as both beasts made mental maps, something Jozra had been making a point to do after getting vaguely lost in the SSMC’s tunnels.

Arrin Woodgreen: They walk in silence for the rest of their walk and as they mount the stairs to Joseph’s house, he opens the door and mutters a quiet, “After you…”

Jozra

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