20th of Saun, 717.
This would make it official. He'd finally reclaimed all his belongings; his tent, his tools, everything he needed to make it on his own once more in the wilderness beyond. He had his companions. Jasper, Greyhide and Malice would all be staying with him from now on... and he didn't intend to ever let that change again, so long as he lived. Now all he needed was a job. Then he'd be right back where he started. In fact, he might even be a little further up the beanpole, which was better than he ever could have expected given the predicament he'd been stuck in just under a season ago. No longer would he have to stare death in the face at every break. No longer would he be separated from the things he loved, from the animals and people he loved. And now, no longer would he be reliant on the good will and giving nature of others. He'd do what he'd always wanted to do; live freely, off his own back.
The Menagerie looked like something out of a Sevrath's dream. Nothing at all like the training grounds for air, sea and ground mounts of the island's military group. He could close his eyes and still remember the sprawling lodge house that had once been his second home; the Skye Verath Lodge had been built for nearly the same purpose, although that only really provided aerial mounts, and it had been much bigger than this odd little collection of houses, spread unevenly across the tree's limbs with rickety balconies and walkways spread between them. Saying that, though, apparently the place owned a hell of a lot of the surrounding land, including two lakes and some pretty huge fields. Perhaps when he got the opportunity to go and see those, he'd be a little more impressed. For now though, he knocked on the lower-most door and waited for an answer.
He waited. And waited. And waited some more; were they always this inhospitable? He got his answer soon enough when a pale-faced woman with striking bright eyes opened the door and scanned him up and down with a look that said she was just about ready to shut the door back on him in a moment's notice. "What." Her voice was completely flat. He'd gotten better hospitality from muggers.
"I'm here about a job?" No answer; she just stared at him. "Hoping to become an animal handler, something of the like... I've got experi--" he started to explain, before the strange woman caught him mid-sentence with an interruption.
"What experience have you got?" Her bright eyes narrowed suspiciously and she looked him up and down a second time in apparent disbelief. If this was the sort-of reception they gave here, he'd be better off working in a morgue. How many people could even put up with someone like this?
Clearing his throat to try and mask his irritation, he continued regardless. Despite the owner's shortcomings, he'd been guaranteed this was the best place in Scalvoris when it came to animal care. "I used to work for the Skye Verath Lodge in Rynmere. Training and caring for the Volareons and Jacadons there, for a few seasons, so I've got experience with flying mounts mainly, but I can work with regular horses and other land-mounts too if you need them." That seemed to garner at least a little reaction, if not much; a faint widening of the eyes and straightening of posture. "If you need proof that I know how to care for animals, I've got three pets you can take a look at."
She seemed to mull over the decision for a few short moments, but eventually she opened the door and stepped out. "You're wasting valuable time, but I'll take a look at what you've got to offer." Nir'wei had to physically stop himself from gritting his teeth in frustration - after all, he'd only suggested it, she'd still accepted! - but as the woman climbed down the steps and observed Jasper, Greyhide and Malice in turn, that irritation slowly changed to smug satisfaction. She obviously didn't intend for him to perform well, it was written in her body language with bright glowing font. The more she looked over each animal, the more she picked at their glistening fur, checked their pearly white teeth, examined their spotless paws, the more appreciation slowly spread over her face, until she finally stood back up with a satisfied nod.
"Alright. You've obviously got the know-how. You know as much about training as you do about handling?" He nodded, and she nodded back. "You know much about the animals that we work with here? Merquestrians, Enormowl, Dinili, Scalvwing?" He shook his head and she frowned thoughtfully. "Alright. I've got a place for you here. I'll get someone to show you the ropes." She turned her back, and he swore he could hear some chuckling under her breath as she walked back towards the ground hut, and some muttering too. "So those incest-loving freaks actually know how to look after their stock after all."
This would make it official. He'd finally reclaimed all his belongings; his tent, his tools, everything he needed to make it on his own once more in the wilderness beyond. He had his companions. Jasper, Greyhide and Malice would all be staying with him from now on... and he didn't intend to ever let that change again, so long as he lived. Now all he needed was a job. Then he'd be right back where he started. In fact, he might even be a little further up the beanpole, which was better than he ever could have expected given the predicament he'd been stuck in just under a season ago. No longer would he have to stare death in the face at every break. No longer would he be separated from the things he loved, from the animals and people he loved. And now, no longer would he be reliant on the good will and giving nature of others. He'd do what he'd always wanted to do; live freely, off his own back.
The Menagerie looked like something out of a Sevrath's dream. Nothing at all like the training grounds for air, sea and ground mounts of the island's military group. He could close his eyes and still remember the sprawling lodge house that had once been his second home; the Skye Verath Lodge had been built for nearly the same purpose, although that only really provided aerial mounts, and it had been much bigger than this odd little collection of houses, spread unevenly across the tree's limbs with rickety balconies and walkways spread between them. Saying that, though, apparently the place owned a hell of a lot of the surrounding land, including two lakes and some pretty huge fields. Perhaps when he got the opportunity to go and see those, he'd be a little more impressed. For now though, he knocked on the lower-most door and waited for an answer.
He waited. And waited. And waited some more; were they always this inhospitable? He got his answer soon enough when a pale-faced woman with striking bright eyes opened the door and scanned him up and down with a look that said she was just about ready to shut the door back on him in a moment's notice. "What." Her voice was completely flat. He'd gotten better hospitality from muggers.
"I'm here about a job?" No answer; she just stared at him. "Hoping to become an animal handler, something of the like... I've got experi--" he started to explain, before the strange woman caught him mid-sentence with an interruption.
"What experience have you got?" Her bright eyes narrowed suspiciously and she looked him up and down a second time in apparent disbelief. If this was the sort-of reception they gave here, he'd be better off working in a morgue. How many people could even put up with someone like this?
Clearing his throat to try and mask his irritation, he continued regardless. Despite the owner's shortcomings, he'd been guaranteed this was the best place in Scalvoris when it came to animal care. "I used to work for the Skye Verath Lodge in Rynmere. Training and caring for the Volareons and Jacadons there, for a few seasons, so I've got experience with flying mounts mainly, but I can work with regular horses and other land-mounts too if you need them." That seemed to garner at least a little reaction, if not much; a faint widening of the eyes and straightening of posture. "If you need proof that I know how to care for animals, I've got three pets you can take a look at."
She seemed to mull over the decision for a few short moments, but eventually she opened the door and stepped out. "You're wasting valuable time, but I'll take a look at what you've got to offer." Nir'wei had to physically stop himself from gritting his teeth in frustration - after all, he'd only suggested it, she'd still accepted! - but as the woman climbed down the steps and observed Jasper, Greyhide and Malice in turn, that irritation slowly changed to smug satisfaction. She obviously didn't intend for him to perform well, it was written in her body language with bright glowing font. The more she looked over each animal, the more she picked at their glistening fur, checked their pearly white teeth, examined their spotless paws, the more appreciation slowly spread over her face, until she finally stood back up with a satisfied nod.
"Alright. You've obviously got the know-how. You know as much about training as you do about handling?" He nodded, and she nodded back. "You know much about the animals that we work with here? Merquestrians, Enormowl, Dinili, Scalvwing?" He shook his head and she frowned thoughtfully. "Alright. I've got a place for you here. I'll get someone to show you the ropes." She turned her back, and he swore he could hear some chuckling under her breath as she walked back towards the ground hut, and some muttering too. "So those incest-loving freaks actually know how to look after their stock after all."
