>>5889110A strange creature standing off to the side of Ferris is grinning and blushing. A fair female form, with hair of delicate fungal lace, and body coated with soft, white lichen.
Your stomach leaps into your throat, but you make no sudden moves. Ferris' expression of shock is exaggerated enough for the both of you. Though she recoils back from the exclaimation, she is largely unbothered by this, and waves at you with slow enthusiasm.
"What?" he shouts, still disturbed. "W-when?"
"I believe she's a Shambler," you give him an amused, if not completely genuine, smirk, "and she came sometime after you joined in recital."
"It's... a Shambler. Aren't they flesh-eating zombies? Can we just l-let it hang around like this? Sir!?"
While accounts of Shamblers, the ones you've read anyway, describe them as carnivorous, they are largely passive, unless agitated. Though with how the boy is flailing and shouting, you are unsure of how true that is, considering how she's just... standing there with a content smile.
"Well," you chuckle, calming down, "let's ask her what she thinks, huh?"
"Oh, yes, of course," he rolls his eyes, and saunters to her anyway, "oh, 'fair maiden', Squire Ferris at your service," he takes one hand of hers in his, blushing a little, "to whom do we owe the p-pleasure?"
He moves her hand up, intending to give it a polite kiss, but smooth as silk she slips it out of his fingers before his lips even approach. His jaw drops, incredulous, and speechless, as the Shambler slowly shakes her head.
"no kiss..." she points to her lips, "get infected..." she points at him, "be eaten... feed land", she points at the cap platform, then presents her body, "become... like me"
Ferris shivers, stepping back slowly, understandably no longer offended by her rejection. How very considerate of her to let you know, especially since she is essentially denying a meal. It isn't long before she shuffles closer to you, causing you some due wariness beneath your calm expression.
"hero" she smiles again.
"I, uh," you tug at the collar of your cape, "I think you have the wrong guy."
"we see" she points up, "predator... you fight..." she sighs in grateful relief, "you kill"
It appears, somehow, this lady saw your fight with Qala'Myrei. How she did so is beyond you, even with her broken speech and pantomime. You think she's implying the Amanita Heights themselves can... see, somehow.
It's almost certainly some form of magic or divination.
"Well," Ferris rejoins, "you did say you're a Skald. It isn't outside the realm of possibility you're also a capable fighter."
An understatement, but you're fine with that.
[[ Continues in next post... ]]
