Finding your way in the big city

[dunlending]

Nuala: *is surprisingly stealthy* *stays out of sight in the strange, glittering stone city*

Dagnir: *follows her*

Nuala: Why are you following me, cat? Hmm?

Dagnir: Mrowl. *headbutts her leg*

Nuala: *sighs and crouches to pet him* At least you're friendly.

Dagnir: *tries to drive her towards the main road*

Nuala: No no, cat. *hanging back*

Dagnir: *insistent meow*

Nuala: *shakes her head*

Dagnir: *bites down on her skirt and pulls*

Kak: *cackles from his perch on a wall* I think the mangy mog is trying to tell you something.

Nuala: *jerks in surprise and pulls a small dagger from her belt, expecting to see a person but seeing a bird instead* What?

Kak: Just pointing out the obvious, girl.

Nuala: Are you some kind of spirit?

Kak: No, I'm a raven. *can't make expressions, really, but voice dipping with disdain*

Nuala: I can see that, but I've never seen a raven that could talk, either.

Kak: I heard you going on about rock houses and yet here they are. *struts back and forth*

Nuala: The rock houses are less surprising than the talking animals.

Kak: what a world you live in, where only humans talk!

Nuala: A world getting stranger by the second.

Dagnir: *sits and rumbles at the raven*

Nuala: *scoops up Dagnir under her arm and keeps her knife in hand* *realizes saying something like 'you're a talking bird' would sound stupid* What do you think he's trying to tell me, then?

Dagnir: *struggles, not going to plan!*

Kak: What would I know? Cats are stupid. Even if this one's a weird member of the race.

Nuala: What do you mean? *lets Dagnir go because holding on to a wiggling cat is basically impossible*

Dagnir: *lands on his feet and huffs!* *tries to lead Nuala out again*

Kak: HE seems to actually be doing things. It's unnervin', frankly. I like my cats stupid

Nuala: *looks down at the cat* Where are you trying to take me, eh cat?

Dagnir: *the red building, or the guardhouse where Lio is, in case he can get fish for finding her* mrowl!

Kak: You know, for a coin I'll help you out, human girl.

Nuala: *looks between the bird and the cat*

Kak: Come on!

Dagnir: *hisses at Kak*

Nuala: And what help could a coin purchase from you, raven?

Kak: I know where the humans go to get food and roofs.

Nuala: You mean the horsemen?

Kak: All the humans.

Nuala: *sighs through her nose and clutches her coin purse* I've got very little to spare, Raven, and it's all copper.

Kak: I can use copper. Give me the copper.

Dagnir: *frustrated yowl*

Nuala: *to Dagnir* Is that where you were taking me, cat?

Dagnir: *NOD*

Nuala: And for free, no less.

Kak: He's a cat! You can't trust him!

Nuala: And you're a talking bird! How do I know I can trust you?

Kak: I told you my price, no strings!

Nuala: Tell me, why are there so many horsemen here? Why do they stand guard?

Kak: First you tell me what a horseman is.

Nuala: The men of Rohan.

Kak: You think I know human kingdoms?

Nuala: How should I know? You're a talking bird! *grumbles, then says:* They're tall men with golden hair. Pale skin. They stink like horses.

Kak: *scratches at his beak* They show up same as all the other humans. Same as you.

Nuala: *isn't sure what that's supposed to mean, exactly, since she has no idea how she even got there* And you, you came the same way?

Kak: Yes. One moment I was in one sky, the next I was in this one

Nuala: Sorcery.

Kak: Or something worse. *darkly*

Nuala: *fishes a small coin out of her purse and flicks it up to him* For the information. Come on, cat.

Kak: *catches it and flies off*

Dagnir: *FINALLY. Leads her to the red building*

Nuala: *follows him and goes warily into the building*

Clerk: Hello!

Nuala: Hello. I was... sent here. I just arrived.

Clerk: Well, let's get you all set up. *smiles and welcoming because hey, just another human*

Nuala: What is this place?

Clerk: The city of Gondolin. The person who sent you didn't tell you?

Nuala: Not as such, no.

Clerk: Well! *gets out a pamphlet* This should explain things while I arrange for you.

Nuala: *accepts the pamphlet and looks at the pictures* I see.

Clerk: Now, where are you from? For our records.

Nuala: *narrows her eyes and glances around to make sure no Rohirrim are about before answering* I'm from Dunland.

Clerk: Oh, we don't get many of those. *marks it down* Name?

Nuala: I'm Nuala Woolweaver.

Clerk: *marks it down, and runs her through the other questions to get an idea of where to send her* And here's your 'welcome package', as it were. *hands her a box* Keys to your new home, and I've included the addresses of some of the weavers in the city, so that they can help you get started.

Nuala: *accepts them gratefully* You've been most kind. Thank you.

Clerk: Do you need a guide?

Nuala: *laughs* I think I have one already.

Clerk: Oh?

Nuala: Aye. Would you believe a cat brought me here?

Clerk: I'm afraid not. I can get one of my workers to help you.

Nuala: I'll be fine on my own. *holds up the address card* Just tell me what that says.

Clerk: Can't you read?

Nuala: It's not really necessary where I come from.

Clerk: *reads out the address for her, as well as drawing her a map*

Clerk: Go to the room with these marks. *shows her* It's on the fifth floor.

Nuala: *nods* Again, I thank you. I'll be on my way, now.

Clerk: Come here if you have any questions.

Nuala: I will. *nods again and steps out of the building, sighing deeply. Well, at least that was over.*

Dagnir: *waiting there*

Nuala: *grins* You're still here, eh? Well, come on, then.

Dagnir: *walks along beside her, mrowling*

Nuala: Can you show me somewhere to get some food, I wonder?

Dagnir: *heads towards the lesser market, where there's plenty of food stalls*

Box from the Red Building: *does contain money, as the clerk showed her*

Kak: *at a stall arguing with the owner that he has a coin and therefore should get food*

Shopkeep: It's just a piece of copper!

Kak: You can't keep changing the rules!

Nuala: *spots him and wonders what's going on, so she goes closer to listen*

Kak: This is a transaction! I give you the coin, you give me the bread!

Shopkeep: You have to give me real money and the price, you stupid bird!

Kak: *FURY FEATHER FLUFF*

Dagnir: *making a noise that sounds suspicoiusly like snickering*

Nuala: Oi, what's wrong with that money?

Shopkeep: *warding Kak off with a stick* It's just a chunk of copper. We have real money here.

Nuala: *slightly offended* And copper has no value, then? *points to a piece of fruit* How much is that in 'real money'?

Shopkeep: One silver coin, marked with the king's mark.

Nuala: *looks at the coins she was given. They're certainly prettier than hers, but she doesn't see why hers wouldn't have value*

Nuala: *gives him a coin* Like this one?

Shopkeep: That's worth much more than a piece of fruit. Are you doing this for the bird or yourself?

Nuala: Can't it be both? How much will this get me?

Shopkeep: *noticing how grubby and thin she is, and starts pointing her at the more filling/sustaining food items*

Nuala: *has them bagged and thanks him before heading off. She finds a spot to sit under a tree and uses her knife to cut slices out of a pink and gold apple*

Kak: *chewing on the bread that the stall owner gave him* Thanks, human.

Dagnir: *settled down against her side, purring*

Nuala: *shrugs* It was nothing. You want a piece of this? *offers up a bit of apple*

Kak: *takes it and gulps it down* Ahh. A good day.

Nuala: *smiles* What a strange set we make. A human, a bird, and a cat. *scratches behind Dagnir's ears*

Kak: Weird cat.

Dagnir: *ignores and leans into the petting*