therookery | (no subject)

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FORM: Written message/poster
SENDER: WHO KNOWS ~~it's Cole~~
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: Meet Skyhold's newest pet!
WHEN: Current
WHERE: Skyhold. On the bulletin board, in the stairwells, on the scaffolding, in the privies.
NOTES: n/a

[The posters which now populate Skyhold include a drawing of a nug, wearing little pointed booties and a bow of ribbon around its neck. Those who were around when Cole put out the "missing" posters for Solas might recognize the art style.]

This is Dandelion. That wasn't her name before, but she couldn't tell me any other name, and she likes dandelions.

She's not one of Leliana's, but she belongs to the Inquisition, unless she belongs to someone else.

If you see her, please be kind.

[Dandelion can often be found snuffling around the upper floors of the tavern, or otherwise roaming the grounds of Skyhold. Often, Cole is somewhere nearby. If you'd like to action-thread running into them, feel free. Otherwise, you can also reply to the posters themselves.]

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[Korrin's sitting outside the healing tents, taking a breather as a dying Asher rests, and looking about as miserable as someone could expect about the situation. Lost in her own pain and memories of better times, she at first doesn't notice the snuffling noises of the nug nearby. At first worried that Leliana's nugs had escaped yet again, she straightens and glances around, prepared to haul them up to the rookery even though she really doesn't want to leave the area...just in case.

But upon seeing those booties and ribbon, Korrin manages a ghost of a smile as she vaguely recalls those posters. Even in her mental fog, the image provided isn't one easily forgotten. She holds out a hand when the nug draws nearer, letting herself be sniffed before she attempts to pet her. With the booties and bow, she has to admit it's kind of cute.]

Hello, there. Dandelion, right? It's nice to meet you.

[Dandelion is used to people, so although she'll follow Korrin's hand with her eyes, she'll allow herself to be petted. After a moment, she starts snuffling at Korrin's wrist, and letting off quiet squeaks.]

You're probably smelling this, huh?

[Korrin indicates the hearth cake in her free hand, mostly uneaten. Her appetite has been pretty hit-or-miss lately, and most of her intake has been in the form of tea. She breaks off a piece to see if Dandelion will take to it or not.]

Go on, it's mostly just flour and berries. Nothing that would hurt a nug.

[Sniff sniff sniff. Nibble. A squeak of appreciation. For a peaceful moment, Dandelion simply enjoys the treat, and lets Korrin pet her a little more, if she wants to.]

She likes it. [And then there's Cole, sitting cross-legged a little ways off.]

[Aw, Dandelion. Glad that the treat is enjoyed, Korrin indeed strokes her gently and glances over when Cole speaks up.]

She can have more, since my appetite up and left. I'd give her the entire thing, but I don't want her to have a stomache-ache because of me.

[When the little bit of cake is gone, Dandelion turns her attention to the scraps and scrubs of grass in the dirt outside the tent. Cole's eyes follow her.]

Oven heat. Turns dough into cakes. Makes skin hot and dry. Wanting water, but can't drink.

[Or maybe he's looking at the tent itself. It's hard to say, with his hat.]

[Watching Dandelion, Korrin leans back a little and turns some more of the cake into grumbles, distributing it among the grass. If Dandelion has her fill, the birds or mabari or whatever else will finish it off. That thing Cole says has her glancing over to the tent-flap, wondering if Asher needs anything more she can give. But she's no healer, and even the healers are a loss with him now.]

...do you usually hang around here? The healing tents, I mean.

Not usually. Sometimes. The healers know what they need to do. Sometimes there are things they can't.

[Dandelion nibbles up another bit of cake.]

[What a sweetie. Korrin isn't the world's biggest nug fan, but the presence of Dandelion helps a little, even as her face falls upon hearing that latter part, a sigh escaping her.]

...yeah, I know. If they could, Asher would be on his feet again, being an asshole at Templars and spoiling his dog.

[...its really hard to not notice the posters, honestly. This was almost as bad as the time the posters were of Solas. Almost, because at least seeing a drawing of a nug staring at you in the toilet is decisively less creepy than a drawing of Solas.

Beyond the posters Bruce doesn't really think much of it, but later in the day when he's busy trying to get the dracolisk to stop following him again he almost stumbles over the creature when he's distracted enough to not notice where he's going. He quickly steps back before he can do that, but loses his balance and falls rather ungratefully on his ass.

--these last few weeks really were not in his favor.]

[Dandelion is used to people. She is also, a little bit, used to horses, having once lived in a barn. She is not used to very large lizard things, and, being a nug, is still quite easily startled. So she's already tense and jumpy before Bruce goes tumbling onto the ground. When he does, she lets out a harried squeal, and bunny-hops away to hide behind a post.

The post doesn't actually conceal her very well.]

[Bruce hears the loud squeal of the nug as it scurries away to try and hide... not that its doing a very good job of it, considering what Bruce sees once he's done nursing the little remains of his dignity after what had happened. From behind him the dracolisk starts to trot up in the direction of the nug, most likely in curiosity since it is wearing some rather strange boots, but considering this is a dracolisk going up to a nug its a bit hard to say what would happen exactly.

Pushing himself up to his feet Bruce makes himself hurry after the dracolisk - last thing he wants is to cause some sort of incident if the dracolisk did decide that the nug was going to be its next meal.]

[Yeah, so the big lizard thing is getting closer and Dandelion is staying stock-still and trembling with adrenaline, right up until the second it gets a little too close and she takes off running. This time, she finds her way to hiding behind Cole, who has appeared crouched in the grass. Whether the dracolisk is giving chase or not, he's watching it intently.]

[Fortunately by the time the nug gets to her... owner (?) Bruce catches up with the dracolisk and manages to have it stop following after the poor frightened creature. It stops as instructed, looking at the nug and then at the newly arrived person with a snort and a flick of its tail, looking entirely unperturbed at the sudden appearance of Cole.

The same can't exactly be said for Bruce, who frankly still isn't entirely used to Cole's whole sudden appearing and disappearing act, even if he know how it could happen. But he's doing better at not showing his initial surprise to his abrupt appearances now these days.]

...I presume that's the nug from the posters. [He says in lieu of a usual greeting.]

[Once it becomes clear that the dracolisk isn't looking for a small, hairless snack, Cole stops being so intently focused on it. At the question, he looks over his shoulder to Dandelion, who is still hiding behind him.]

I added the ribbon. She tried to chew on the ends, but she doesn't mind it.

It's a... nice touch.

[Even though there's already a lot going with the boots alone, but hey. Its not like he can stop Cole from doing what he wants.

Bruce nudges the dracolisk again to get it to move back, putting more distance to better ease everybody's minds. Nobody here wants to see a poor little nug being eaten by a dracolisk who might have a sudden hankering for nug meat.]

Next time you make another set of posters, maybe you could lay off putting them in the privies.

[You know. Just saying.]

Why not? Not everyone goes to the tavern, or looks at the board. Everyone goes in there.

It's... not exactly something people expect when they go in there, that's all.

[Cole please just listen to him for once.]

[Cyril had seen the posters and wondered, briefly, why people were so keen on having nugs for pets - but that thought was easily replaced by wanting to make sure that the animal was treated well.

When he comes across Dandelion, it's while she's outside and he considers her briefly for a moment before bending down to offer her a snack.]

Are you Dandelion? [He asks her, cautious. He's getting used to the idea that any random animal might actually be a shapeshifting mage.]

[The nug is coming forward to sniff at the snack, as well as at Cyril's hand. If she's a mage, she's very committed to her disguise.]

[Cyril first feeds the animals and then carefully rubs a finger over her head, testing how comfortable she is around people. He's gentle, petting her carefully enough to easily get away if needed.]

[Sniff-sniff-sniff at his finger. She's quite comfortable around people, though always a tiny bit cautious. Such is the way of the nug.]

She says 'hello.'

[He's behind you, Cyril. Not uncomfortably close, but all the same.]

[Cyril turns a bit, surprised by not startled, and then smiles a bit at the young man he sees.]

That's good to know. [His voice is pleasant, welcoming. He turns back to the nug.]

Well, hello back to you.

[Then to the young man again,] Hello to you too...

[Marilaine was in the garden, tending to some new seedlings that she'd brought with her from the Emerald Graves when she spied Dandelion helping herself to some of Skyhold's wildflowers.]

Hello, there little one. Are you the famous nug from the posters? If so I won't chase you from here so long as you do not eat my seedlings.

[She spoke with seriousness trying to look Dandelion in the eye. Talking to a nug wasn't the strangest thing Marilaine had done, and though she couldn't actually communicate with the small creature, she hoped the nug might understand her. Even so, she made a note to herself to make a cover for the seedlings.]

[Nugs have bright eyes, if not particularly intelligent ones. Dandelion looked toward Marilaine while her jaw continued to work around the petals she'd been nibbling, but maybe it was only because she was making noise.

For a long while, she contents herself with wildflowers. For a short time afterward, no longer interested in snacking, she simply rested in the grass. But when she started to roam again, sure enough, she started sniffing at the seedlings.]

[Nugs were a problem in the Emerald Graves, to which Marilaine was long used to dealing with them, so when she got too close to the seedlings, Marilaine reached out ant tapped her on the nose, gently but still sudden enough to startle the creature without harming her.]

No!

[Dandelion gives a disappointed snuff, and may need a little more convincing before she backs away. By the time Marilaine convinces her to leave the seedlings be — for the moment — Cole has appeared nearby, sitting on one of the garden's stone benches.]

She doesn't understand some plants are for people. [He lowers a hand, prompting the nug to come to him, to sniff at his fingers.]

[Marilaine starts, wondering just exactly when Cole appeared.]

They are pests, these nugs. [She sighs.] But they are also gentle creatures. I bear her no ill will for being what she is.

I'll try to teach her to stay away. [He really will. He's never tried to teach anything before, though, so he isn't certain how he'll do.] She doesn't know she's doing harm... although... I know that's not an excuse.

[Marilaine sighs and sits back, brushing her fringe out of her face and tucking it behind her pointed ear.]

I wish you luck. You might do better teaching her to fly. It is her nature to eat what is tasty and who can blame her? Young greens are quite good and very tender.

[Although she didn't expect Dandelion to accept her touch after being tapped on the nose, she held her hand out all the same, trying to show she bore the nug no malice.]

Back in the Greenwood, we had these little wooden and glass houses we could put over our seedlings to keep them safe while they grew. I will just need to visit a carpenter and have some made.

[The posters were overly familiar from the last time someone had put them around Skyhold - everywhere. It was also not that hard to guess seeing as he had talked to Cole about the boot wearing nug.

What he isn't expecting is that no sooner had he found the poster hanging outside the forge building while feeding Henrietta some grain in her pen that he heard a squeak off in the shrub along the wall.]

[Cole kept the boots on Dandelion because she seemed to like them. He added the ribbon because Korrin had suggested another identifier, and she didn't mind having it put on.

She is not, however, entirely used to it yet. Nosing around in the shrubs has resulted in a little branch slipping underneath the ribbon, and now Dandelion is stuck. Squeak. Squeeak.]

[Honestly to him nugs look a bit pathetic looking to begin with - maybe it was the lack of fur - but seeing this one squeaking and having gotten stuck by a ribbon makes it seem more so. Sighing lightly, Sam puts down the feed and slowly walks over to the bush, hoping not to freak the poor thing out more than it probably already was.]

Alright, take it easy. Let's try getting this off you.

[She is distressed, Sam. She is so distressed. But luckily for him, she'd accustomed to humans, so him placing his hands on her does not send her into a further panic. In fact, by the time he has her free, she seems much calmer. She snuffles at his hand and wrist. Hello there.]

[He is lucky - he was a bit worried that she would turn around a bite him when he went to reach her, but walking off to get gloves would take too long. Once the nug is free, Sam gives a bit of a relieved sigh, glad that she was safe and the squeaking had stopped.

Staying crouched down he allows her to sniff at him, reaching out to scratch her forehead with a finger once in a while as she did so.]

Already getting in trouble I see. What were you doing in those bushes?

[There are several nugs around the Inquistion, enough that despite how odd they look, they're not an odd sight. If not for the drawing, though, he'd think this one odd. Who puts shoes on an animal used to the Deep Roads? Cole. Cole does.

So when he sees the little thing scooting around, Anders clicks his tongue and calls her name.]

Are you lost? Did you need a hand getting back to Cole? ...A third hand.

[Talking to a nug feels a little sillier than talking to a cat, for some reason. At least no one is staring. Yet. Purrelden inches closer, sniffing, and Anders puts a gentle hand on her back.]

Friendly. Not a snack.

[Dandelion hasn't met many cats, so she doesn't know how afraid she needs to be. The baseline existence for a nug, though, is cautious anxiety, so her nostrils are flaring while Purrelden is sniffing at her.]

She already had the shoes. [Cole is walking up to Dandelion's side, then crouching down next to her, almost mirroring Anders and Purrelden.]

[Purrelden raises a paw as if to bop Dandelion and Anders gently lowers it.]

Color me surprised.

[Not that Cole heard the thought, or that Cole was nearby, but that someone else would think to clad a nug.]

Perhaps they meant her as a gift for you? When I think boots on nugs, I think of you first.

[He looks up from his cat to give Cole a smile.]

How are you doing? Are you prepared for what's to come?

[Cole tilts his head at the suggestion, considering it seriously.]

Most people think of the Nightingale.

There's still so many ways to help. That's all I need.

With the boots?

[He shouldn't question it, really. If Cole says that's what they think about, that's what they think about.]

There are. I meant specifically the one thing, whenever it's authorized, but I agree. There's a great many things to attend to.

[Pausing, he looks over at Cole. He's not sure about asking the next question, but now that it's crossed his mind there really isn't any taking it back.]

Do you... Do you miss Justice at all? Or note his absence?

[Dandelion sniffs around Anders' shoes. Cole shifts from one foot to the other.]

Justice never spoke to me. Not before the last day, when he wasn't Justice. I could feel him there, watching everything, but... it wasn't like a friend.

I know he's gone now. But I don't miss him. It's better for him to be in the Fade.

[His eyes widen, Dandelion forgotten. He had thought Justice completely destroyed, but... He seizes on the tiny hope.]

He's in the Fade. He's... He's survived? He's out there?

Parts of him. Pieces. He might find his way back to being him, someday. So long as people can dream of Justice, yes. There's a chance.

Or he'll slip against a thought, shape a dream, and become something else.

[He takes a shaky breath, feeling tears threaten. Justice could heal, could recover from what had been done from him, and be home. Or take another shape, but he exists and he can mend.]

Thank you. I... thank you.

[Lux has never met a nug on his travels thus far. Fennecs he's met plenty of, enough to consider himself king of his far smaller brothers and sisters as he stands looking suitably windswept but majestic wherever he happens to be as they scamper about, investigating this strange beast.

But a nug? He's not met a nug.

Araceli's seen the posters on her way about since she's making extra circuits to make sure Korrin is resting or doing something that might pass for rest, leaving food and drink for Korrin's friends as they keep their quiet vigil over their mercenary. One day and she won't feel like her time in Thedas is lurching from one disaster right into the next with Dairsmuid still so fresh but for the moment, she hunkers down next to Lux as he sniffs.]

Very dapper, no? Much smarter than all the pictures I tried to show you in the books. He doesn't bite, pequeña, hola. [Araceli's hand reaches out farther than Lux's cold wet nose, soft and scented from a trip to the kitchens, held out for Dandelion to sniff as the fox continues a circuit with his ears all pricked up.]

[Lux may not be attacking, but Dandelion recognizes a predator and goes very still, her nostrils flaring as she prepares to bolt at the first sign of danger.

She leans forward to sniff at Araceli's hand, but moves no farther than that for the moment.]

I think he's more frightened of you. [Undaunted, Araceli is always undaunted unless she needs to ride horses in which case she is...not so much daunted as personally offended and affronted. Lux goes belly-down, ears twitching and Araceli's free hand on him presses in a gentle command to stay as she scoots closer.

Nugskin feels odd under her fingertips but she doesn't push, glancing this way and that for anyone that might come to Dandelion's rescue.] You are a popular girl, did you know? So many posters everywhere that I'd show you some if you trusted me to leave you with him - he's a gentleman for a rogue. You would have such a full dance card if you were a proper lady.

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