Stuck in the Mud

Daina

In the muck: Day Blah

The sun was starting to set on the caravan, mumbles and grunts about the weather still are let loose, only to thwuck into the soggy earth along with booted feet and some cursing.

Camp fires were carefully guarded and kept alight, the warmth not only needed physically but it was some beacon against the dreariness this sort of weather could bring with long stretches.

The party's cart was lightly aglow from the inside and Daina had been eyeing the back porch for a bit of a break for a while. The cart was cozy and warm enough but also a little stifling.

She plucks the rolled up joint from behind her ear and gives a glance around to see who's not asleep or busy, some company to share this with wouldn't be amiss. Aaren was tending to the wounds of the donkey most likely and Slavina was taking a long nap in the pile o' pillows. She doesn't see Kelly around but she has a suspicion he and Esta might be together somewhere. She grins a little at that and then her gaze falls on Janin who it seems is trying to meditate? He was certainly quiet enough. Daina creeps over real quiet like so as not to disturb too much... in case he was actually trying to get into a trance or something.

Whispers: "Janin... hey... busy?" she questions as she holds the spliff up at eye level but far enough away not to be in his face. She jerks her head towards the back door of the cart and smiles cheekily with the invite.
She rests back on her heels and seems ready to bolt if she's intruding or something like that, though hopefully that wasn't the case.

Fate

Janin takes a deep breath, lets it out slow, and then opens his eyes. They flick from Daina to the offering in her hand. His shoulders drop and the subtle tension knotted in his brow sags a little. With a small breath of a humorless laugh he says, "Yeah. Alright." He presses himself to standing and moves to the end of the cart with Daina.

Daina

She smiles a bit more broadly and straightens up to standing as well. "How's yer day been? I mean super quiet huh?" she murmurs as they step out onto the small but serviceable porch.
Lighting the J she takes a toke and then offers it over with a small smile that's restricted by the holding of her breath for that moment and then she lifts her head to exhale skyward. "I'm busy but still sort of bored if that makes any sense" she seems to lightly complain.

Fate

Janin accepts the joint and eyes it for a moment, thinking. "Yeah, quiet seems about right. I mean, aside from the rain." He raises it to his lips, takes some in, and fights to suppress his subsequent cough. A little smoke puffs from his nose at the effort, but he manages to keep his mouth shut and the cough confined to his lungs and throat. After a bit, he lets out his breath, slow and deliberate, and swallows the rest of the smoke's itch away. "I'm a little stir-crazy too."

Daina

Daina grins slightly at the coughing, surprised he doesn't smoke one thing or another. Holding out her hand for the joint she takes another pull but holds it and beckons him a bit closer. She gestures with her hands trying to explain that she's going to exhale and he should inhale. Should get him high without killing his throat with smoke.
She makes sure to leave room for personal space as she hasn't gotten a full read on how to approach that with Janin especially with his emotions in the place they are.
The plume of smoke exhaled is pretty impressive really and likely billows out from under the awning a little.
Lungs clear she takes a breath and responds. "I could go wolf and have a run, but then you guys have to deal with wet wolf smell ... no matter how I dry off it lingers for a little while anyway" she shakes her head some, bemused by that. "You have any ways to keep from going bonkers when cooped up?"

Fate

A little uncertain, Janin is nonetheless game to try this new method. He breathes the secondhand smoke through him before responding. "I... ah... can't say I do. Haven't really been in a situation like this before." He clears his throat, eyes scanning the scenery around him somewhat aimlessly. "I've felt stuck in the office, but usually a walk through the neighborhood or a trip to the bathhouse does the trick."

Daina

Daina smiles and offers him the joint again. "The office? Man ... are you like... a big deal in your ... gosh is it a guild orrrr..." she questions. Her head tilting slightly to one side as her acute hearing picks up the sound of an animal under the cart, something small... probably looking to stay dry.
Her attention having drifted to the skyline a moment she returns her regard to her smoking buddy and gives a small smile of interest.

Fate

He takes the joint, hanging onto it for the time being to take a moment to let his last doses sink in. At her question, he chuckles slightly. "Nah. All Priest's Unions have offices for their priests. Or I assume so, anyway. My discipline involves a lot of record-keeping and paperwork, and my temple doesn't really have the space for all that."

(Steady but slow footsteps squelch in the mud some distance around the corner. It sounds as if someone else is going for a walk, too. It's not particularly near to the cart, though, at present.)

Daina

Daina smiles a little and leans back against the wood of the cart. "oh gotcha, Huh records? I hope this isnt' offensive but... that sounds awful boring" she comments with a faint wrinkle of her nose. "That why you're out here with us?" she questions as she hears the rhythmic plodding of feet in the wet ground.
"Slavina isn't training to be a records keeper is she?" she questions incredulously.

Fate

"It can get tedious," Janin allows. At Daina's first question he rubs his eyes with one hand and takes a deep breath, and then another toke. Once the smoke clears, he turns the joint over in his hand as if examining it, although his eyes are more on his thoughts than anything else. "No. I'm out here with you because I'm tired of people thinking that I'm trying to live a lie and Aaren said that this is what it would take." His eyes slide to the side. "And for Slavina's sake." He passes the joint back. "She's training to be a priestess, which sometimes requires keeping records. Probably she won't be in my discipline, but that's up to her."

Daina

Daina nods a little bit and her eyes narrow some. "so like... you know your truth isn't dependent on other people right? I mean I know acceptance is very nice and comforting and stuff but ... just... " she frowns and tries to think of a way to put it. "I just think it's important to be you even if other people don't agree with who you know you are... but that's just me" she waves a hand dismissively regarding her words and then takes the joint back and takes a deep breath and exhales "want another ?" she motions between the two of them to indicate another shotgun.
Taking a long toke she'd either exhale towards him or out into the twilight depending on his response. "How ya feelin' by the way? relaxed? I tried to get this strain to be less sleep inducing but still a really calm feeling"

Fate

The words seem to gently ripple over a still pond. Janin pushes his chin out, searching the sky for his thoughts this time. "No offense, but it really seems to me like you haven't faced a whole lot of being told that you're completely and utterly wrong about yourself. You've got a loving family who accepts you for who you are and supports you 110%, even though you're dead-set on going somewhere they can't follow. The people you love haven't made you question whether or not you're delusional or sick or something for most of your life. That's not to say you don't have your own hardships or anything, but being accepted isn't one of them."

He narrows his own eyes, considering his words. "Acceptance is more than nice and comforting. I need it. I think everyone needs it, to some degree or another. I mean, who wants to be alone and unloved? I want to be a valued and valuable part of a community. I want... a meaningful connection with my friends and family. I want them to take for granted that 'my' truth is truthful, because what they think of me is really important to me because they're really important to me."

Janin scratches the stubble on his jawline. "And, more than that, this is probably the first time ever I haven't been disgusted with myself and my body." He lets out a laugh. "I mean I've grown body hair all over the place and it's a relief. This is the first time I haven't felt wrong, and the first time I'm free of any doubts about who I am. I'm happier than I've ever been." He considers a little. "Well, and really fuckin' scared, too, but that's... that's, like... okay." He lets out a cleansing breath.

At that, he waves a hand to indicate he's all good. "Potent stuff," he adds.

Daina

Daina nods a little bit to his words and listens as he continues. "I do have a great family... two of them actually... so I guess I don't know what it's like to crave acceptance that way." she sighs "I totally get that it's important to you, it makes sense but ...I just sort of ... I'm worried you'll be pressured to returning to being who you're not?"
Her brow furrows a little. "Though I suppose in the end it's just your choice of which thing means more to you... if you do have to make that choice." She bucks up and smiles some, the twist of her lips only slightly goofy. "Maybe you won't have to though, I'm going to hope for that" she then snorts softly "isn't like...isn't it more itchy though, the more hair? Though I guess as a wolf I should be super itchy and it kind of is a little... " she muses in her mixture of concern and thc. She purses her lips and turns and peers at Janin in the dusk. "So like... what's the addition? Chest hair right? I mean ohhh or did you get back hair?" she chuckles a little. "that can be useful for feeling someone at your back!"

Slavina

The schmluck-schluck of footsteps in mud gradually clarifies into the sound of two pairs of feet: Slavina and the caravan master walking side-by-side, with Slavina every-so-often catching her balance a little with a gentle lean on the man's elbow. She's changed her garlands out for sweet anise and oak leaves, freshly picked this morning but now somewhat dishevelled and smelling (at least to sensitive wolf noses) strongly of smoke and honey liquor. The two of them carry on a quiet conversation as they approach.

Fate

Janin contentedly lets Daina ramble herself through her concerns, letting out a bit of a laugh as she questions him with utter blitheness. "No back hair, at least I don't think so. Thank goodness. But my pits and my legs are..." He lets out a whistle. "I thought they were hairy before. But yeah, I've got chest hair too, and belly hair, and a happy trail even, which... makes me feel pretty sexy." He clears his throat, finds it more coated than he expected, then hocks and spits off to the side. "But I wanna warn you that that's a very personal question. I guess maybe not in... El Pasar de Morado. But it is in Bakersfield."

In one hand, the caravan master carries a dented flask etched with delicate designs and inset with a couple small pieces of amber and a few other gems. He takes his time, ensuring that when she tips he's solid and still enough for her to right herself.

Janin perks some at the sight, and if he catches Slavina's gaze he offers a smile and a small wave, but otherwise is content to sit and chill at the edge of the cart.

Daina

Daina snirks a little at the feeling sexy comment and gives a playful shove and wink after he manages to clear his throat. She shakes her head. "I'm sorry if I was too personal, just figure you're part of the family now so why be all uptight... you know?" she smiles and tokes again as she gives a wave to the Caravan Master and Slavina. "Hola!" she chirps.
She looks startled a moment. "Oh ... hey Janin... before I totally forget, you think you can help me with my writing, just to make it more neat you know?"

Fate

Janin laughs again. "Have you seen my writing?"

Daina

Daina shakes her head "Nuhuh... figured it's got to be good with the records and all?" clearly with the feeling she's quite wrong about that figuring. A faint grin on her face.

Slavina

Slavina semi-gracefully plops down on the balcony next to Janin and pulls off muddy boots one at a time, placing them on the little boot-shelf off to the side. "Hola, Daina." She leans rather heavily against Janin's shoulder and looks up a the caravan master, sweeping her hand over the open space in invitation.

Fate

He motions between Slavina and Daina. "What was it you said about my handwriting again?"

The caravan master, meanwhile, hesitates briefly. „You two mind if I join you?" he asks, his voice considerably less commanding, much softer at the edges, and at a much more reasonable volume.

Slavina

"That it is utterly unique and shares many characteristics with fine calligraphy," she says, in the ever so slightly too perfect voice she uses to avoid slurring when she's intoxicated. "For starters, it's in ink. Also it has letters."

Daina

Daina pats the edge of the porch. "Have a sit down" she invites and offers the dwindling spliff. Looking to Slavina with a questioning look in regards to penmanship. A faint snicker hearing Slavina's words. "Sooo it's good then?"

Slavina

Slavina considers this deeply. Thoughtfully. "No."

Fate

Janin makes an accepting sort of motion towards the caravan master. Then, at Slavina's flat delivery in answer to Daina's question he snerks, which gives way to a bit of a giggle.

The older gentleman sits, slow and stiff and a little laborious. Once he's seated he takes a swig of his flask, then accepts Daina's peace offering and holds his flask out to her in trade.

Daina

Daina huhs softly and accepts the trade off, giving the brew a sniff and then a not so healthy swig before passing it back. "Gosh" she shakes her head "well I'll just try and make my lines straighter where they should straight and curled where they should curl" she shrugs a little. "Was a passing thought ya know?" she hums softly and takes a deep breath, letting the peace of the company and the brain alterations wash through her.

Fate

Once his puff is taken, the caravan master offers Slavina the joint, hesitating only to wave the flask onward around the circle. „So what's the hot topic for the day, eh?" he asks, letting the smoke leak around his words a bit before blowing the rest out.

Slavina

Slavina takes the joint, eyeballs it, then offers it to Janin without actually smoking. She listens in to catch up on the conversation.

Fate

Absently, Janin takes it and tokes once more, passing it back to Daina. „Body hair and handwriting," he explains.

The caravan master narrows an eye at Janin. „We've only been stuck for a day and a half."

Janin laughs again. „Come talk to us again tomorrow, see what we've got then."

The older fellow chuckles.

Slavina

„Body hair?" Slavina asks, giving Janin a teasing you-scoundrel kind of look.

Daina

Daina snorts softly „Discussing how useful Janin's back hair can be to warn him of enemies" she tease gently and gives Janin a big teasing smile to show she means no harm. She smiles as she glances to the Caravan Master and tilts her head. „Enough in your cups for this?" she chuckles

Fate

Janin puts his hands in the air. „Hey, she asked." Then he motions to her after her tease, as if that made his point.

The caravan master shrugs. „I've been part of stranger conversations, and sober too: I have very inquisitive young grandchildren."

Slavina

Slavina lights up at the mention of kids. „Oh! How many? How old are they?" She twists backwards to grab a blanket from the blanket pile without having to let go of Janin.

Fate

He draws his head back a little with a grunt, blinking, as he pulls through his intoxication to attempt to summon up the numbers. „Eh... ten... ? Eleven by now, I think. The oldest is 14... ? The rest are younger than that."

Daina

Daina smiles at the conversations turn and passes over the drink belatedly. „Oh sorry" she mumbles a bit at having held onto it longer than she'd meant. She sighs a little and leans back on her hands.

Fate

Janin accepts the drink and takes a swig. When he pulls the flask away, he makes a face. „That'll strip paint," he says to the caravan master, before offering it to Slavina.

„Good way to keep warm on the road," the older fellow comments nonchalantly.

Daina

Daina gives a little chuckle to that „If we go back home you can have some tasty hard cider" she offers to Janin. „Even if I don't go back they have good brewers" she nods some and her expression shifts to one of ... not sadness, not quite but something.

Slavina

Slavina takes it and passes it back to its owner without taking a swig. "None for me thanks, any 'warmer' and I won't be very good company."

mel can I has empathy ping on Daina's something-face?

Daina

she wouldn't even know really

Fate

The caravan master makes a 'pfff' sort of noise and waves his hand. „I find that unlikely." Still, he accepts the flask and rests it on his leg.

Slavina

„How often do you see them?" She asks, pulling the blanket around her shoulders and head (the poor, battered anise wreath gets even more smooshed and releases its sweet licorice scent). „The grandkids." She adds.

Daina

Daina absently reaches over and touches the wreath to revive it.

Fate

„Nnnn... winter holidays." He shifts to a more comfortable position and leans back against the cart. „More than that, if we're lucky." His eyes flick to Daina's hand as she works her magic right in front of him, but other than that he doesn't seem to react.

Slavina

„Oh." It's a small, sad sound. She pulls the blanket tighter so only her face shows out of the cocoon and she curls herself up against Janin.

Daina

Daina hums a little. „Never as much as one likes is it?" she questions as she glances to the captain. „One of those things though... where scarcity really does make it more valuable though..."

Fate

Janin takes the cue and frees his arm to secure Slavina against his side.

„Fuck scarcity." He chuckles, long and low. „When I'm on my deathbed I won't be thinking, 'I'm glad I didn't see my grandchildren more. They feel much more valuable to me now.'" He takes a deep, almost wistful breath. „But one day soon I will retire and then they will be sick of seeing me and their old boy."

Daina

Daina huhs softly and then chuckles „I hope it's soon then" she murmurs as she glances over. „what will you do then, besides spend time with the kids?"

Fate

The caravan master leans back and puts his arms behind his head. „Ahhh... Spend the mornings in peace, the afternoons working on the house, the evenings drinking beer on the porch with the love of my life. Well, I'll have the beer—he'll have wine, I'm sure. Maybe consult, here and there. Visit the capital, if only to say I've been there."

Slavina

„Is he retiring soon too?" Slavina asks quietly and hopefully from behind her blanket.

Fate

He grins. „Sooner than me, that's for sure!" At that, he takes another swig, as if to seal his words.

Slavina

She pokes her head out a little more, a sprig of newly-refreshed leaves springing out and wobbling over her eyebrow. „That's good." She nods. "What does he do? Are you both part of... ah..." She thinks for a moment, „worker-organized industry associations?"

Daina

Daina hops up and goes inside for a moment, returning with a new joint and another blanket though she doesn't cover up just lays it down to flop on, very canid.

Fate

The caravan master gives her an odd look. „No." A smile cracks over his face, then is mastered. „He owns a logging company. Used to be a logger himself, but, well... don't get old, is all that can be said about that."

Slavina

„Tried that, but it didn't work out." Slavina says. „So if you're married to a lumber baron why are you hauling honey sticks and teacups with the rest of us shlubs?" she teases.

Fate

At that he bursts into barking laughter. It takes him a moment to be able to speak again but when he does he says, „I gotta tell him that one. 'Lumber baron.' He'll love it."

Daina

Daina sort of makes a pointing gesture like, good question and sparks up the next joint. Inhaling and holding it out to the others in offer. „Not as much lucre as we imagine?" she queries.

Fate

„No." He accepts the joint, breathing out sorta shapelike patterns on his exhale. (He's clearly not very good at making shapes with smoke, but he's better than most.) „There's a yearly limit to how much timber you can chop in Išganymas. Otherwise you gotta go find fallen trees to collect from, and that wood's not often good for much." He passes it along. „We don't want to make Medeinė cry."

Daina

Daina huh's softly at that and scoots so she can see out the sky where it matches up perfectly with the roof. A slight grin on her lips. „Cry or come after you or both?" she had a hard time thinking of the wolf being morose instead of fierce.

Slavina

Slavina tucks her knees back up again and does take a very small sip from the flask this time before she hands it to Janin.

Fate

Janin takes it and downs another mouthful himself, then starts coughing again, trying with some success to stifle the worst of it.

„Either," replies the caravan master. He leans over and takes the flask from Janin with a bolstering half-smile and a squeeze on the shoulder. Then he straightens. „Anyway. Enough about me. What about this group?" He nods to Janin and Slavina. „You two have any kids?"

He opens the floor a little. „Any sweethearts waiting at home? Ambitions?"

Daina

Daina snickers softly „Told you it was like you were dating," she sing songs a little before shaking her head. „Not here" she notes softly in response as she folds one arm behind her head.

Fate

Janin glances to Slavina, then looks back to the caravan master with a bit of a laugh. „She's... my cousin. And no, no kids. Or sweethearts. Ambitions, sure."

The older fellow accepts Janin's explanation and moves on, completely unselfconscious about the mistake. Then he looks to Daina. „Well of course not here!"

Slavina

Slavina freezes at the question with a mouse-under-the-cat look and, after a minute, composes herself into a glassy expression with too-bright eyes. She shakes her head and then burrows face first into her blanketed knees.

Daina

Daina snorts a little „I mean none of that over here in my spaces, none of the things for now" she glances over to Slavina with some concern but isn't sure how to help so tries to at least not embarrass Slavina by drawing attention as she tries to hide it.

Fate

Noting Slavina's reaction, Janin ruffles his fingers in her hair in what is clearly intended to be an affectionately comforting gesture. It is, however, a little clumsily considered and slightly more clumsily carried out.

The caravan master eyes her for a bit. „Did I say something?" he asks of the group in general.

„Why not?" Janin asks Daina, no less clumsy in his question-deflection.

Slavina

„You're fine," Slavina says, „I'm... just... really fuckin' drunk right now." After a long pause, she throws out a soft, „Sorry."

Daina

Daina snorts softly „Who exactly... we're not really in a place long enough to foster relationships." she shrugs some and scoots to sit up and slide over to Slavina a bit more and hold her arms out in wordless invitation for hugs. „S'ok we're all chemically altered here."

Slavina

Slavina's not able to see the hug invite what with her face still blanketed.

Fate

The caravan master grunts. „I'll drink to that." He does.

„Well, sure, but you've only been on the road for... what... a few months? What about where you came from?" Janin prompts. „El Pas... El Pass de Mordo."

Slavina

„Purple town." Slavina translates, on autopilot.

Daina

Daina hums a bit and lightly taps Slavina on the shoulder to indicate she should look up. „Hey" she smiles „hugs?" before glancing over to Janin with his question. „What... no... well ... sort of but ... not really? He'll be married next year I bet" she smiles a little bit.

Fate

„Wha... who?" Janin is intent now, surprised at hearing news he hadn't realized was there.

Slavina

Slavina looks up at Daina, firelight shining off her wet cheeks. She looks back and forth sluggishly between Janin (who she's currently hugging) and Daina (who is offering hugs), apparently torn between wanting more hugs and not wanting to give up current hugs. Finally she just kind of tilts both herself and Janin sideways so she's in Daina's hug sphere.

Fate

Janin tips easily, with a „WhoaaAAAA," followed by laughter.

Daina

Daina smiles a little at the questions and then gives a slightly sad laugh at Slavina's conflict and compromise. She maybe catches them, at least tries and gives warm hugs to both as it's easier. Snickering a little but then pausing to give Slavina a kiss on the head. Wishing she had words to help but sadly is lacking.

Fate

The caravan master watches this fracas with a slightly bemused look on his face.

Slavina

Slavina stays silent in the center of the hug pile buried in her blankets. At some point during the following conversation she falls asleep.

Daina

Daina smiles slightly and shrugs to the Caravan Master. "Hugs are good" she says simply. Giving a sort of back arm rub to Slavina trying to be comforting.