[PRP] Even a Faun Needs a Home (Gulliver & Kishi)

[Antidia]

The encroaching hurricane had the island nearly shut down, except for the fools who liked to risk their lives in horrible storms. Kishi liked to think she wasn't one of them, and the heavy winds and rough waters all around the tree had her scared. So she was preparing for the worst.

When the mellons that lived in Laisidhiel had started buzzing about the weather alert and the free sandbags, Kishi did not hesitate to claim some for herself. She had no idea what they would be used for, but apparently they were an important commodity during rough weather.

With a heavy sandbag in each hand, she dragged them all the way from the beach to Laisidhiel. It had taken her all day nearly and she was pretty exhausted. She had just crossed the threshold of the grand entrance and she dropped both bags for a small rest.

"Just a lil ways left, Kishi. Don't give up now." She rubbed her wrists in turn and stretched her arms out and across each other as if she was preparing for a race.  

[Antidia]

Kishi had watched the faun approach her. She'd recognized him from the big meeting a few weeks ago. He was the new Captain of their Rangers, if she remembered right. The bow kinda gave it away, too. She watched his fancy antlers as he approached, thinking them to be rather pretty. She had sadly missed the swearing-in ceremony because of the difficult faerie she met in the ruins during her wife contest trials. She still didn't know who won it, and how.

She'd returned after the bonfire had been extinguished, a rainbow feather in her hands. All the faun had gone to sleep for the night, so she'd missed her chance to turn it in. So she kept the pretty feather she'd found on the ground instead.

"Ah, thank you, but I think I got it. I only have a short ways left to go," she told him, and pointed up to the second floor and one of the closed nook doors. "See, just to there."

She smiled and bowed her head to the faun. "Thank you for the offer though," she added cheerfully while holding her hand up to him. "I'm Kishi, by the way."  

[Antidia]

After pulling her hand back, Kishi looks behind her to see what grabbed Gulliver's attention before she said anything. She assumed another Faun was coming, but it must have only been the storm.

"They are heavy. They're sandbags. The fairy weather forecast said they are for protection against the storm, so I had to get them. I got four of them, but they're heavier than they look, so I dropped two along the way. It was a long walk from that lake beach, fighting the wind and all. I will try to go back for the other two later after some rest, if the storm's not here yet." She spoke frankly, and ran a hand through her hair to try and get some of the water out.

She wiped her wet hands on her legs, which were also wet, but likely it gave her a sense of right, then knelt down to take a sandbag in each hand. "The storm is getting close, so if you need some, you might wanna hurry."

She is still rather tired and growing weak, so she drags the bags instead of carrying while she heads for the ramp to head up to the next floor. "It was good to meet ya, Gulliver." she said with a glance over her shoulder.  

[Antidia]

Kishi froze for a few seconds while Gulliver took her bags from her. He did that as if they weighed nothing so she was a lil in awe. She raised a hand and opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out.

Instead, she giggled at his words. He spoke so formally and it was funny, but fascinating to her. He spoke like the brave protectors in her storybooks.

"You have a place to protect. The whole Tree!" She grinned raised her arms above her head for dramatic effect to emphasize she really meant the whole Tree. In case he didn't get it.

"Thank you for the help." She wasn't going to turn it down if he insisted. But it was her habit to turn down assistance when offered, especially if she was able to do it herself. But when others insisted, she let them. "It's just over there." she pointed again to her door and walked up the ramp. Her nook was on the opposite side of the tree from the entrance, so they'd need to walk half the length of the walkway.

"Which one is yours?" she asked, completely missing what he'd meant about not having a place to protect.  

[Antidia]

Kishi pushed her door open, as all nook doors opened inwards. They did not have door knobs or locks, because as a society, locks were not needed, and it was an unwritten rule to value a faun's privacy and always knock first when visiting.

Inside, the nook was small, but it was one of the few with an outside window, too. Kishi had procured some linens and textiles from the mainland in her adventures and brought them back to decorate her home. She had some fancy -- fancy to her, but they were just two sheets of gingham fabric -- curtains over the window. On the left side of her nook was her down palate and on the right was her desk and a little stool that was carved from a small chunk of a log. There was an item that looked like an antique brass oil lamp on the desk, along with a few candles and other trinkets.

"Can you put those here?" she pointed to the floor just inside her nook.

She had not stepped inside yet, only pushed the door open. After the sandbags were on the ground she looked down the hallway and then glanced towards the floors above her.

"Are you new to Laisidhiel? You came with Artemis, right?" she inquired, wanting to repay his favor by helping him, too. She put her hands on her hips, studying the doors she could see from the railing in front of her own door.  

[Antidia]

Kishi clapped her hands together and turned to face Gulliver. She had a large smile on her face and looked excited. "Well." she started, bringing her hands close to her chest. "This is how it works. Nooks with closed doors have someone living there. We're supposed to keep our door closed if we're not inside, or if we're sleeping. Nooks with the door open are generally available to move in, however, some faun leave their door open for light when they're home."

She rocked back on her hooves and glanced to each door on the second floor, noting each one was closed. Not surprising, because the closest ones always went first. "You have to trust that Laisidhiel will guide you to the nook that is meant to be for you. Just walk around, looking at them, and when you enter one that's meant for you, Laisidhiel will let you know." She smiled and took the few steps back towards her own door and closed it. "I can help you!"

"Each nook starts small, so don't worry if Laisidhiel gives you a small room. She will make your nook bigger as your needs and family grow. And if you want some fancy things done to your nook, all you have to do is contact the Tree Shaper. We finally have one now!" she said with excitement. They'd gone a long time without one, and she'd never actually met one, but she'd heard tales of Tree Shapers and their amazing abilities. "Tree Shapers can put your name on the door, if you want it. I haven't had a chance to meet him yet, so my door is still blank."

"I'll walk with you." she insisted and started walking towards the ramp that lead upto the third floor. "There's some above me that were available last time I wandered around."  

[Antidia]

Kishi kept on talking as she walked up the ramp and stopped in front of the first open door on the third floor, which would be visible to Gulliver from where he stood, as the ramp ascending the inside of the tree was just a large spiral.

"This one is nice. No one's lived there in all the time I've been here." She said and looked over her shoulder to see if Gulliver was listening. She noticed he wasn't even there. She frowned, thinking he ditched her, but she got the glimpse of light sparkling on his equipment as he remained in front of her door.

She approached the banister and cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted down to him. "Gulliver, up here!" and after shouting, she waved her arms around to make sure she got his attention.