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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | Birdie, Glyphe, Natlee, Ozmatoz and Slicket continue their investigation of the Furlbrows murder in Westfall, and they soon find that the situation runs deeper than it first seemed. Slicket is game for Westfall cuisine. Ozmatoz sketches things from her unique perspective. Natlee shares her experience with hiding in small spaces. Glyphe wants to tinker. Birdie is popular with the locals. ~4700 words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Arc: EK Newbies
Natlee smooths her pigtails.
Glyphe runs around trying to pet the chicken.
[Natlee]: Oh hi!
[Natlee]: I love the way you do your hair. SO cute.
Glyphe catches her breath. "Hi Natlee! I want to do it like Jocoza Sparkwire does, with two donuts on the sides but mine's not long enough yet."
[Natlee]: Oh, so what really helps with growing out hair? Olemba oil. Just like, massage it into the roots of your hair before bed every night? And I swear your hair will grow twice as fast.
Glyphe's eyes widen. "Oooohh. Can I buy that on the auction house or is there a shop?"
[Natlee]: You have to make sure you get it from a good supplier. Lots of people will sell stuff that says it's olemba oil but it's maybe like, ten percent that and mostly just like, corn oil or something. So you should definitely go to where I get mine.
[Natlee]: I'll write the address down for you.
Natlee roots around in her bag and pulls out a cute little pink cloth-bound journal with perforated pages. She writes down a shop name and address in Stormwind City and tears it out and passes it over.
[Glyphe]: Wow, thanks!
Glyphe takes it and reads it, then tucks it away in one of the small bags at her waist.
[Natlee]: Okay but don't let the shopkeeper pressure you into buying that hand cream she makes. It is way overpriced and you can get by just fine with the kind they sell at the general store.
Glyphe eyes her hands. Is she supposed to be using hand cream? "Uh… oh," she says, curling her hands into fists so as to hide their lack of creaminess.
[Natlee]: Oh, sweetie, let me see.
Natlee holds out her hands.
Glyphe reluctantly holds out her hands for inspection.
Birdie sits up on the bench nearby. Was he really napping? "Hey," he says to the gnomes.
Natlee takes them and looks. Her eyes go wide, and then she forces a bright smile. "Oh gosh those cuticles. Aren't you a rugged little thing!"
Natlee drops Glyphe's hands and turns to Birdie with a sparkly smile. "Oh hi there, tall guy!"
Glyphe inspects her hands on both sides, not entirely sure what the cuticle is but apparently they are many and rugged. She rummages in her bags for gloves.
Natlee turns back to Glyphe. "We can talk about nail care later. It's super important."
[Glyphe]: Well I work in the forges, see…
[Natlee]: Well that's just hard mode nail care, but you can still do it I'm sure. We'll figure out something.
Ozmatoz examines her own nails as she approaches the conversation.
[Natlee]: You're like, so pretty? So you should really take care of yourself.
Slicket leaps off the gryphon as it lands, and ambles over to the group.
Glyphe blushes furiously. Happily, but furiously.
[Natlee]: Oh, everybody's here.
[Birdie]: Hey.
Annuvin croaks, "Hey," mimicking Birdie.
[Slicket]: Yep, hey.
[Glyphe]: Hi Birdie. Hi Birdie's birdie.
[Slicket]: Lot of hay around here.
[Natlee]: I've been making friends with the people here. It's not super hard. It seems like just, if you even listen to them? They really like that.
Ozmatoz blinks at Natlee.
Birdie nods approvingly.
[Glyphe]: Did they like your stew, Birdie?
[Birdie]: Yeah, it's popular. There's meat to be had around here, just need people willing to learn how to hunt, y'know?
[Natlee]: So um, there's a lady in there who makes a… particular kind of… "pie"? And she said, if we see any good um, mud, we should bring it to her, and also she wants coyote tails? I wouldn't eat anything she cooks but like, she'd appreciate it I think.
[Glyphe]: What do we do with the rest of the coyote?
[Slicket]: Well, hey, if she'll appreciate it, I'll get her as much tail as she wants.
[Ozmatoz]: Mud…?
[Natlee]: Mud.
Natlee makes a face.
[Slicket]: I don't know, I've never really cooked coyote. Do they make good eating?
[Natlee]: So um it's possible that she's like, mineral deficient? Sometimes people crave dirt when that happens.
[Ozmatoz]: Hey, one of those people at the other farm was eating dirt. Uh…maybe it's good dirt.
[Glyphe]: Better than mud, I'm assuming.
[Natlee]: Anyway we don't have to eat it, like I say. I will definitely not be eating it. But who are we to tell her what to cook.
[Glyphe]: There's mud around the pumpkins. Which she doesn't want, I guess.
[Slicket]: Yeah, sure, people can cook what they like.
[Birdie]: It's edible, but you really have to cook 'em. They're scavengers.
[Birdie]: The tails, though? Uh.
[Ozmatoz]: Birdie, is dirt normal human cuisine? I don't want to be culturally insensitive.
[Birdie]: No.
[Birdie]: Definitely not.
Slicket nods at Birdie. "Maybe we can use the rest of the meat, then, for the other homeless."
Birdie nods to Slicket.
Two-Shoed Lou says: Pssst… Hey, you chatty folks. Friends of my 'friend,' right? Let's talk.
Glyphe looks over at Lou.
Natlee approaches the man cautiously.
Two-Shoed Lou says: Closer…
Two-Shoed Lou says: Little closer…
Birdie moves in closer.
Slicket creeps closer to Lou.
Two-Shoed Lou leans in to whisper… but then speaks in a slightly too loud tone.
Two-Shoed Lou says: So you wanted to know about YOU KNOW WHAT, right? I do owe our MUTUAL FRIEND a favor so I can give you a tip.
Slicket nods agreeably, not commenting on the failed whisper.
Glyphe sticks a finger in her ear and wiggles it around.
Two-Shoed Lou says: I got this big folding box thing I used to sleep in. Think it could fit all of you, since most of you are so small. WAIT FOR IT…
Two-Shoed Lou says: You should take it down to the JANGOLODE MINE. Southwest of here. Take it all the way to the back and unfold it and hide in there. Wait a bit and I bet you'll hear something REAL interesting.
Two-Shoed Lou says: But that's not my box, and you never talked to me. Got it?
[Ozmatoz]: Um….sure.
[Slicket]: Right, just a box we found. And we like to go on walks in mines. It's in my gnome-date profile.
Natlee giggles.
Birdie accepts the box. "Sure."
Two-Shoed Lou says: Might have to kill a few kobolds or whatever. Think you can handle that.
Natlee nods at Two-Shoed Lou.
[Glyphe]: I've never hidden in a box at the back of a mine before!
[Natlee]: This shouldn't be too hard. Just take shallow breaths.
[Slicket]: First time for everything, babes.
[Birdie]: First time for everything, I guess.
Birdie grins at Slicket.
Glyphe giggles.
Slicket grins at Birdie.
[Natlee]: One time my mom and I had to hide in a suitcase for like, four hours, this will be easy by comparison.
[Birdie]: Was there enough air?
[Natlee]: Yeah, we just didn't zip it all the way.
[Ozmatoz]: Wha-…why did you have to hide in a suitcase?
[Natlee]: So the merchant prince didn't see us!
[Slicket]: Goblins, man. They're hard to put one over on.
[Ozmatoz]: Merchant…what merchant prince?
[Natlee]: Right?
[Slicket]: Have you spent much time with goblins, Ozmatoz?
[Ozmatoz]: Not really, no.
[Slicket]: You'd be really surprised the odd situations you end up in, when they're involved.
[Natlee]: I can't remember his name. … What, I was like seven.
[Ozmatoz]: Seven?!
[Slicket]: The Prince? Was he one of the main ones? Steamwheedle or Bilgewater?
[Natlee]: Well, yeah, she probably wouldn't have stuck us in one suitcase together if I was any bigger than that.
Glyphe listens with fascination
Ozmatoz boggles at Natlee.
[Natlee]: Slick I just said I don't know.
[Natlee]: You try remembering stuff that happened when you were seven and a little tipsy.
[Slicket]: Okay, okay. You said you couldn't remember the name. And yeah, the tipsy would do it.
Ozmatoz blinks at Natlee.
Annuvin screeches a warning as a bigger, angrier bird approaches.
[Slicket]: Most of the goblins I know are from the races.
[Natlee]: Oh hey, I learned a new prayer thing, can I try it on all of you?
Birdie shoots the angry bird out of the sky.
[Birdie]: Sure.
[Slicket]: I'm game.
[Ozmatoz]: What sort of prayer thing?
Natlee squeeeeezes her eyes shut and clenches her fists. Then she exhales a word in gnomish.
[Glyphe]: I've never had a prayer cast on me before.
[Natlee]: [Gnomish] Fortitude!!!
[Glyphe]: Wow!
[Natlee]: Oh wow it worked!!!
Ozmatoz flinches.
Ozmatoz relaxes. "Oh…okay."
[Glyphe]: I feel strong enough to wrestle a pig!
Glyphe flexes her muscles. Oooooh so strong!
[Birdie]: I think I can feel the difference.
[Natlee]: That's totally normal.
[Natlee]: But please don't.
Birdie gives Natlee a thumbs-up.
[Glyphe]: Oh. Right.
[Slicket]: Yeah, I feel even more amazing than I usually am! Thanks, Nat!
Glyphe stands on a pumpkin to see better.
[Natlee]: Okay so the lady who needs this is in there.
Natlee lets the others carry the gross stuff.
Slicket does not mind carrying the gross stuff.
Birdie drags a tail-less coyote carcass closer and leaves it by a fence for future cooking.
[Natlee]: Hi Mama Celeste!
Natlee scrunches up her face in a cute little smile.
Mama Celeste says: Oooooh, I can smell that mud from here. Mmm.
Slicket smiles at Mama Celeste, dirt in one hand and tails in the other.
Mama Celeste says: Thanks little ones! And… taller handsome one. Here, have a slice of my last one!
Birdie is still carrying the foldable cardboard box under one arm.
[Glyphe]: If you want, next time we can bring you whole coyotes. Or there's chickens out there.
Mama Celeste says: Oh well… this is all I know how to make. But thanks!
[Birdie]: Real generous of you, ma'am.
Ozmatoz tries to smile as she accepts the offered slice of dirt pie. "Oh, ah…thank you!"
Glyphe manages a sickly sort of smile and takes her 'pie'.
Slicket takes his with a smile. "Thanks ma'am, this'll be delicious."
[Natlee]: Okay so I guess we should find that um, place. Southwest, he said?
Slicket takes a bite.
[Natlee]: Slicket NO!!
Glyphe watches Slicket with sick fascination.
Mama Celeste eyes Natlee.
Ozmatoz gawks at Slicket…waiting to see what happens.
[Natlee]: I mean… save it for later?
Slicket chews and swallows. "It's… uh, it's got a lot of substance to it."
[Birdie]: You're eating dessert before dinner?
Slicket smiles at Mama Celeste.
[Natlee]: Right, what Birdie said. SO rude.
[Slicket]: Right, I'll save the rest for later.
[Natlee]: Yes.
[Natlee]: Um, let's go.
[Ozmatoz]: We should prooobably…yes, go.
Slicket tucks away the rest of the pie.
[Natlee]: Okay so he said, Jinglejangle or something.
Birdie wraps his Nope Pie in a cloth. This may be useful later, who can say.
[Ozmatoz]: Right. Jangolode.
[Slicket]: Don't worry about me, though, I've got an iron stomach.
[Ozmatoz]: Probably have more iron in it now.
[Natlee]: That must be it.
[Slicket]: You've got to, hanging out in goblin towns. And yeah, from the dirt.
[Glyphe]: Jinglejangle mine.
[Natlee]: Ew.
[Natlee]: Kobolds.
[Slicket]: Guess we'll have to fight our way in.
Annuvin croaks, "Bye."
Birdie narrows his eyes at the stormcrow.
Kobold Digger says: You no take candle!
[Natlee]: Why are kobolds like, so obsessed with candles?
[Ozmatoz]: Why do they love their candles so much?
Ozmatoz giggles at Natlee.
Natlee giggles at Ozmatoz.
[Natlee]: Okay is this the back?
[Glyphe]: Maybe they're afraid of the dark.
[Natlee]: Mkay remember, take shallow breaths.
[Ozmatoz]: Okay…squeeze in tight.
[Natlee]: Tuck in your elbows.
Birdie begins to unfold the box.
[Slicket]: Birdie, think you and the bird can fit in?
[Birdie]: Yeah.
Everyone hides in the box.
Glubtok says: What little humie want? Why you call Glubtok?
Shadowy Figure says: Sad… Is this the life that you had hoped for, Glubtok? Running two-bit extortion operations out of a cave?
Glubtok says: Glubtok crush you!
Shadowy Figure says: Oh will you? Do you dare cross that line and risk your life?
Shadowy Figure says: You may attempt to kill me - and fail - or you may take option two.
Glubtok says: What option two?
Shadowy Figure says: You join me and I shower wealth and power upon you.
Glubtok says: So Glubtok have two choices: die or be rich and powerful?
Glubtok says: Glubtok take choice two.
Shadowy Figure says: I thought you'd see it my way.
Shadowy Figure says: I will call for you when the dawning is upon us.
[Slicket]: Huh.
Glubtok the Ogre leaves the way he came in.
[Glyphe]: I couldn't see who he was talking to. I just saw ogre butt.
[Natlee]: I think it was a human?
[Slicket]: He called her 'humie', yeah.
Birdie emerges from the box once it's clear and begins carefully folding it up again. "I couldn't see anything."
[Natlee]: And she sounded tall.
[Slicket]: I couldn't really see anything, but definitely human woman.
Annuvin flaps around the cave, stretching his wings again.
[Ozmatoz]: I tried to get a sketch, but yeah, I didn't have a great view either.
[Slicket]: And she seems up to no good. Recruiting ogres with death threats.
Ozmatoz show off the sketch…which is mostly ogre butt.
[Glyphe]: Maybe Mr. Two-Shoes knows who she is.
[Natlee]: I feel like Two-Shoes knows more about this than he was saying. Maybe we could ask him for like a teensy weensy hint?
[Slicket]: Yeah, Ozmatoz, that part's pretty accurate to my view.
Glyphe eyes the drawing and nods emphatically.
[Natlee]: Oh my GODS, Ozmatoz, why would you draw that.
[Ozmatoz]: I draw what I see.
[Glyphe]: For historical accuracy.
Birdie laughs.
[Natlee]: Ew.
[Slicket]: If he's got any idea what this 'dawning' is, it'd be a help.
[Natlee]: Right? That sounds super cult like?
[Glyphe]: Let's go find out!
[Slicket]: I don't see how this is related to the Furlbrows at all.
[Natlee]: Kay.
[Natlee]: Lou seems to think so.
[Natlee]: He's a little… you know… but I think he does know something.
[Ozmatoz]: Look, there really isn't a way to draw an ogre butt and make it look good.
[Slicket]: Maybe they were in the cult? Or maybe they chose option one.
[Natlee]: So don't draw them then Ozma??? Gosh.
[Birdie]: You made it look pretty realistic, though.
[Slicket]: Yeah, when I look at it, I really feel like I'm there. Staring at an ogre butt.
[Ozmatoz]: Thank you, Birdie.
[Natlee]: If you're really starved for subjects, I could pose for you later maybe?
Ozmatoz giggles at Slicket.
[Slicket]: Oh, wow, yeah, you should do Nat. She's pretty.,
Ozmatoz blushes at Natlee. "I mean…yeah, if you'd want to."
[Natlee]: Slicket!
Natlee giggles at Slicket.
Natlee blushes at Slicket.
Slicket shrugs with a laugh.
Annuvin croaks, "Hey."
Natlee greets Annuvin with a hearty hello!
[Slicket]: Glyphe'd make a nice drawing, too.
[Natlee]: She is SO pretty.
[Glyphe]: No, I can't draw at all.
[Slicket]: Oh no, I mean as a subject.
[Natlee]: Aw, SO cute.
[Glyphe]: Oh!
[Birdie]: I can sketch a bit. My fiancée's the real artist. She's a painter.
[Glyphe]: You're engaged? That's so sweet! When can we meet her?
Two-Shoed Lou puts his hands over his ears as they approach. "STOP! STOP! I don't wanna hear it!"
[Birdie]: Oh! Heh, I could ask–
[Birdie]: I'll just leave this here.
[Slicket]: We didn't say anything yet, dude.
Two-Shoed Lou keeps his hands over his ears. "I don't wanna know and I don't care! That kind of information is liable to get you killed around these parts!"
Birdie leans the folded box up against the wall.
[Slicket]: Unless you're opposed to painter fiancees.
Two-Shoed Lou says: I am gonna tell you ONE more thing and then we are done. DONE!
Two-Shoed Lou still has his hands over his ears.
Glyphe looks over at Birdie. "He's sort of eccentric, isn't he?"
[Slicket]: Okay, I hope it's something useful.
Birdie nods to Glyphe.
Two-Shoed Lou talks too loud, since he can't hear himself. "There are a couple of thugs just went behind the farmhouse. They're talking about STUFF that might interest you. That's it. We don't know each other. Never seen ya."
[Birdie]: Sure. Nice day for a walk.
[Ozmatoz]: Oooookay.
[Natlee]: Mm hm.
[Slicket]: We like walking in mines and around farms, yeah.
[Natlee]: A nice, quiet, stealthy walk.
Birdie makes a gesture to Annuvin.
Natlee puts her fingers to her lips as she glances back at the others.
Natlee points at Thug.
Slicket keeps quiet.
Thug says: Did you… Did you meet her?
Thug says: Yep. She's for real.
Thug says: She wanted me to tell you lugs that she appreciates the job that we did for her on the Furlbrows. Gave me a pile o' gold to split with you all.
Thug says: See her face? Is it really…
Thug says: Whoa, what do we have here? Looks like we have ourselves an eavesdropper, boys.
[Ozmatoz]: Uh oh….
Thug says: Only one thing to do with a lousy, good-for-nothin eavesdropper.
Thug says: DIE!
[Glyphe]: Plural. Eavesdroppers.
Birdie whistles to Annuvin.
The thugs attack, so the team kills them.
Natlee flees!
[Slicket]: Well. Guess there's justice for the Furlbrows.
There's a scream. The group hurries back to Lou, only to find him dead and Lt. Laine already on the case.
Stormwind Investigator says: You were standing right here! What the hell did you see? Speak up!
[Natlee]: Oh no….
Homeless Stormwind Citizen says: I… I didn't see nothin'! He… he died of natural causes.
Stormwind Investigator says: Natural causes? Two bullets in the chest and his shoes are on his head. What kind of natural death would that be?
Lieutenant Horatio Laine says: Doesn't look good, rookie.
Lieutenant Horatio Laine says: This was an execution. Whoever did this was sending a message…
Lieutenant Horatio Laine says: A message for anyone that would dare snitch on these criminals.
Lieutenant Horatio Laine says: It would appear that poor Lou really put his foot…
Lieutenant Horatio Laine says: In his mouth.
Slicket gasps.
Natlee covers her face with her palm.
[Slicket]: Lt. Laine, you're the one who sent us to talk to the guy!
[Birdie]: Ah, damn.
[Glyphe]: Poor Mr. Two-Shoes.
Natlee cries.
Lt. Laine looks up and spots the gnomes and Birdie. "Oh. It's you."
[Birdie]: We were just attacked by a group of four thugs who confessed to the crime against the Furlbrows and noticed us eavesdropping, sir.
Lt. Laine says: Well, rookies, looks like we're dealing with an organization here. You don't just off the richest bum in Westfall in broad daylight and leave no witnesses. Someone with power is behind this. What have you learned?
[Slicket]: What Birdie said. And there's some human woman behind it. Didn't get a good look at her.
[Slicket]: She's been recruiting ogres and… I guess, thugs?
[Ozmatoz]: But she's scary enough to intimidate an ogre.
[Glyphe]: We have a picture, but you probably don't want to see it.
Lt. Lane says: Okay, so… over at the Jansen Stead you found a letter and some scraps of red cloth. Some thugs confessed to a murder. What's this about ogres?
Slicket nods agreement with Glyphe.
Ozmatoz shows Lane the picture. Possibly out of spite. "Here."
Lt. Lane says: Oh for— UGH.
Lt. Lane says: That is some distressingly detailed ogre posterior.
[Slicket]: Some woman hired thugs to kill the Furlbrows. She's also recruited that ogre. You can recognize him by the butt now.
Birdie nods.
[Ozmatoz]: Look, it's not my fault ogres are like 70% posterior.
Lt. Lane says: How many heads did the ogre have? Did any of you see? Or were you not looking up that high?
[Ozmatoz]: Yeah. There were two heads.
[Slicket]: …oh. Um. I think two?
Lt. Lane says: A mage, then.
Slicket nods at Ozmatoz.
Ozmatoz points to the picture. "I did draw more than the butt."
Lt. Lane says: Something is just… not adding up, rookies. Tell you what. You seem to warm up well to the locals. Go talk with Farmer Saldean at his farm. See if he knows anything.
[Slicket]: We're not gonna get him executed, are we?
Lt. Lane says: I'd prefer you didn't
Lt. Lane says: Maybe be a little more discreet this time.
[Natlee]: Ugh.
[Natlee]: Like it was OUR fault.
Birdie looks around.
[Natlee]: Okay so like I have no idea where the Saldean farm is.
Slicket looks to Birdie.
[Birdie]: I do.
[Glyphe]: I wonder who gets his shoes.
Natlee thanks Birdie.
[Birdie]: Discreet. They already know what we look like by now, I bet, but…
[Glyphe]: What would you do with his shoes? Yours are nicer— Oh. Never mind.
Birdie removes his tabard, folds it neatly, and stows it inside his pack.
[Natlee]: Oh, should we do that?
[Birdie]: We already stand out, but it's something.
Natlee carefully removes her tabard so as not to mess up her hair, and then straightens her pearly-white robe.
[Slicket]: Right, we're undercover. Sort of.
[Birdie]: Annuvin, keep watch.
Glyphe sighs and takes off her pretty tabard, revealing her tatty robe underneath.
Birdie whistles to the bird in a different tone.
Slicket pulls off his tabard carelessly, and then reaches to straighten up any drooping points on his mohawk.
Annuvin soars up into the air, away from the group.
[Natlee]: Hey Glyphe, we should totally go shopping later.
Ozmatoz sighs, reluctantly removing the tabard.
Small-time Hustler says: Keep your head low, buddy.
[Birdie]: Those things in the fields are the harvest watchers Rozalin mentioned.
[Natlee]: I guess those are the things we're not supposed to tinker with.
[Natlee]: …as if I even would know how…
Glyphe tries not to look like she desperately wants to tinker with them.
[Slicket]: Huh, kinda clumsy-looking. I would not want one of those tryin' to kill me.
[Birdie]: S'cuse me. Mr. Saldean?
Farmer Saldean nods warily to the strangers in greeting.
Farmer Saldean says: That's me. Whatcha want?
[Slicket]: A certain Laine suggested we might come down to talk to you. *Slicket lowers his voice*
Farmer Saldean says: Laine? *Saldean spits to one side* If I were you I wouldn't give that fella the time of day.
Farmer Saldean says: What is it he wants to know from me?
[Slicket]: Yeah, he seems like kind of an a$$hole to me too.
Glyphe nods her agreement. That is true.
[Slicket]: Nah, we're just interested in what's goin' on in Westfall. Seems kinda… dangerous here?
[Ozmatoz]: And a terrible art critic.
Slicket nods at Ozmatoz.
Farmer Saldean says: It sure is. If you want my advice? Just turn back around and head east. There's nothing for anyone here.
[Birdie]: You heard about the Furlbrows, I figure? Hi, I'm Birdie.
[Slicket]: But there's sure a whole lot of people here.
Farmer Saldean says: Most have nowhere to go. Our farm has been kind of a halfway house for a lot of 'em. We do the best we can, but… *he gestures out toward the field.* Sometimes they stray too far and the Watchers get 'em.
Farmer Saldean says: Damn Defias put those here before Cobalt Company ran 'em off.
Glyphe looks left, then right, but doesn't say anything.
[Birdie]: Generous of ya. Anything we can give you a hand with?
Farmer Saldean says: I don't suppose you know how to kill Watchers?
[Slicket]: We're pretty good at killing stuff period, but I've never tried Watchers.
[Birdie]: Never fought 'em specifically before, but I've taken some mechanicals apart.
[Ozmatoz]: Does fire work?
Farmer Saldean says: If you're willing to try, I'd be obliged to you.
[Glyphe]: Is it ok if we take 'em apart in, say, a tinkering fashion?
[Birdie]: Yeah, no problem. You want any of the parts?
Farmer Saldean eyes Glyphe suspiciously at this talk of tinkering.
Farmer Saldean says: Don't do anything fancy! Just kill 'em.
[Birdie]: Sure.
Glyphe sighs sadly. "Okayyyy."
Natlee eyes Harvest Watcher up and down.
[Natlee]: Those things really are super menacing.
[Slicket]: They are.
[Natlee]: You first, Slick.
[Slicket]: here goes nothin'!
[Natlee]: Oh!
[Slicket]: Hah! No problem.
[Natlee]: They come apart super easy, huh.
Birdie whistles, calling Annuvin back down.
[Glyphe]: If only I had my arclight spanner….
[Slicket]: I get the impulse, Glyphe, but let's not turn folk against us.
[Birdie]: He did say not to do anythin' fancy. And he's watching us.
[Birdie]: Something's still buzzing in this one.
[Glyphe]: Behind us!
[Slicket]: Hey, Glyphe, you could check it out?
[Natlee]: Everyone always expects me to understand this stuff. I do not.
Glyphe pokes around gleefully. "It looks like a secondary power source. We should take it to the farmer and see if he's okay with us looking at it better."
[Natlee]: Definitely ask first. He seemed kinda twitchy about it, right?
Birdie cuts a couple of wires and passes the component down to Glyphe.
[Birdie]: Yeah.
Glyphe's eyes widen and she tries to stop grinning.
Natlee points at Harvest Watcher.
[Slicket]: I think that's pretty much cleared out the field.
[Birdie]: Yeah.
[Slicket]: That's handled a lot of them, Mr. Saldean.
Farmer Saldean says: I saw. That was fun to watch, I've got to say.
Glyphe clears her throat. "Um, excuse me, Mr. Saldean sir? We found something while killing them. Not tinkering! Just… you know." She shows him the harvest watcher heart.
[Birdie]: The rest of 'em turned off proper when we cut them down, but that thing's still buzzing.
Slicket smiles at Mr. Saldean.
Farmer Saldean eyes it with concern. "What is it? Wait, is that its heart?"
Glyphe eyes it. "I say secondary power source, but okay."
Farmer Saldean frowns. "I heard if you have the heart of a Watcher you can control it, make it do what YOU want. But I don't know anything about that kind of stuff."
[Slicket]: Would you like us to take a closer look at it?
Glyphe gets stars in her eyes.
Farmer Saldean says: I feel like I can trust you with it. You did put yourself in harm's way to help us.
Salma Saldean says: Hon, who's that out there? That young man? Do I know him?
Salma Saldean 's voice rings out from inside.
Slicket straightens, and then realizes the human probably means the human man.
[Birdie]: Mrs. Saldean?
Salma Saldean says: Oh my goodness… it IS you! Come in here and give old Salma a hug.
Salma Saldean says: Are you still doing deliveries? Gosh, look how tall you are now. So handsome.
Birdie smiles at her. "Gosh, you don't look a day older, Mrs. Saldean."
Glyphe giggles at Farmer Saldean.
Annuvin stays outside.
Salma Saldean gives Bertrand a very appreciative once-over. maybe just… a little too appreciative?
Birdie does go give her a hug.
Salma Saldean says: Such a good boy.
[Birdie]: You still makin' that stew?
Slicket glances at the orphans, and smiles at Mrs. Saldean.
Salma Saldean says: I sure am! You remember the ingredients?
[Birdie]: Yes'm. Do you have the okra or do you want me to pick some of that up too?
Salma Saldean says: I could use some more. What I have's gone a little off.
Farmer Saldean says: Now how am I supposed to get those mechanical wretches out of my fields?
Salma Saldean says: Who are your little friends?
Glyphe waves at Salma Saldean.
[Natlee]: I'm Sister Spatterspark, a priestess from Ironforge. But you can call me Nat.
Birdie grins. "This is Natlee, Glyphe, Ozmatoz, and Slicket."
[Ozmatoz]: Ozmatoz Flickbristle, ma'am.
[Slicket]: Slicket Throttleblast, ma'am. Warrior.
[Glyphe]: Um Glyphe Tinkerspell. That's my last name.
Salma Saldean says: Well bless your little hearts. We've got room if you want to stay here a while. So long as you're willing to do a few chores.
[Slicket]: Sure thing. We're here in Westfall to help out.
Salma Saldean says: Wonderful. Make yourselves at home.
[Birdie]: Say, if we get you enough fresh ingredients, you think you could make some extra for me to take over to the Furlbrow farms?
Salma Saldean says: I don't see why not!
[Birdie]: What'cha need? Okra and…?
[Natlee]: So maybe while we're here, Glyphie, you can figure out what to do with that… heart… thing?
Glyphe cheers at Natlee!
[Slicket]: If we could help these farmers control those things, I bet that'd be a game changer.