shellphones | Text // Free to a good home!

Type: Text/Video
Sender ID: netherese (Gale Dekarios)
To: All
Subject:Free to a good home!
Warnings: None.

Greetings! Gale of Waterdeep, at your service. Many of you may recall that some months back, there was rat trouble in port and aboard many of the ships, and a number of bold riftfarers were kind enough to adopt some highly-trained Warrior Cats to help combat the issue. Some of my crewmates were among them, but have unfortunately left us in recent months, and so I find myself with more cats than I know what to do with.

While I certainly have the space, I am coming and going too frequently to give all of these animals the attention they are due, and truth be told, I don't think that Tara is keen to share me for much longer. If anyone has any interest in adopting either Frostbite or Pumpkinpatch, I assure you they are both quite affectionate and will make excellent companions, in addition to earning their keep by keeping pests at bay. Frostbite is especially fond of feathered toys, while Pumpkinpatch prefers those that jingle.

[Sometime later, a second message from Gale's username will appear, only this time it's a video message with an extreme close-up of a long-haired calico. When she speaks, her voice is equal parts motherly and refined, as well as miffed.]

I would like to clarify that I do not appreciate being depicted as the jealous sort! It is only that these cats seem to think themselves terribly important, and fail to recognize that I am not one of them, but a wizard in my own right! I am a dedicated student of the Weave, and do not have time to be mothering these eager young cubs when I've my own research to attend to. Hmph.

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[Daria saw the message and felt…off. She sat in her room in their far emptier house. Bramblesong laid on her lap while Footloose hung around her by her feet. She was growing so used to taking care of these cats whenever Gale or Tara were here or not. It felt like her duty with the others gone. It became even harder to stomach as time went on and people left.

It felt like the same hat was worn all over again, and it made her sick to her stomach.

The curse she held since she met him, and the desire for connection anyway…

She wanted to find Gale.

Daria left her room and walked down the hall to the stairs toward the kitchen. Judging from a smell, Gale seemed to still be home and in there. So.]

[Daria had been absolutely right to follow her nose. On any given day, there was a good chance that if Gale was home, he could be found either in the kitchen or in his study, and this afternoon he's chosen to keep himself occupied with spending more time than was strictly necessary on dinner.

He looks up from where he's kneading dough by hand as she enters, the sleeves of his robes pushed up past his robes.]

Daria— come in, come in. Is everything alright?

[Her expression tells him something may well be amiss, but— well— it can be hard to tell, with her.]

Mm.

[She clearly wasn't. Footloose and Bramblesong curled on her lap as she sat on a chair next to him. She wanted to talk but she had some difficulty...conveying it in a way that was healthy. Daria wasn't mad at Gale but there was something that was upsetting her enough that she struggled the keep the bubbling at bay. Daria wanted to talk but just needed some time to find the words.]

What are you making?

[She's clearly not alright, but he knows better than to push— she'll open up and tell him in her own time, he suspects. That's likely why she's here. He offers a smile to both of the cats that have chosen to join her, and proceeds to engage as he continues on with his work.]

It will eventually be garlic bread, once I'm through with it, to go with tonight's seafood dish. I hope you're not entirely exhausted with shrimp, there's almost more of it than the two of us can reasonably eat.

As long as it isn't lasagna, I'm good with anything. Never heard of too much shrimp being a problem.

[She would offer to help...but she frankly was hardly in the mood. After biting her lip a bit and watching Gale carry on with cooking like his happy go lucky self, it made Daria finally place her emotions in a way that made sense. Without being nasty, of course, she actually didn't want to me.]

Did it feel right to you to let people adopt those cats?

[The question itself is enough to still his hands. His smile fades, and he stares down at the dough for a few moments before he turns his gaze to her, concerned.]

Ah... so that's what this is about.

[He sighs, leaving the dough where it is for the time being so that he can turn to give her his full attention, folding his arms in front of him.]

I apologize. It occurred to me too late that I ought to have consulted you first. As for your question... it's difficult to say. A part of me very much would like to keep all of them, but on the other hand, it seems selfish. They need more care and individual attention than either of us are able to give.

I know that, I logically know that but-

[Bramblesong and Footloose were purring on her lap, a little loud but they were there.]

-What if they come back? They loved those cats. It's right to make sure they get the care they need but they were so attached to those guys.

[He presses his lips together for a moment, nodding in agreement— he certainly does see where she's coming from.]

I know. They meant rather a great deal to them. Should they return, some arrangement could always be made. The cats aren't going anywhere just yet, mind you, but... it is worth considering the benefit of something that is certain as opposed to something that may or may not happen.

[Their friends may not return. He knows he doesn't need to say it aloud.]

It isn't a simple matter from any angle, I'm afraid.

Back at one of my previous places...

[She didn't have to tell him he was right, her continuing on and explaining herself felt safe to do then. Logic was always sound and easy for her to understand, feelings still weren't.]

I met someone. He adopted a cat and took good care of him. He got along better with cats than people, and it was something we had in common. Then we had more things in common.

One thing led to another, and I didn't know where we stood anymore. When I thought I did, I acted on it. Then he left and it was just me and his cat.

[Gale listens patiently, giving his young friend his full attention, and when she's through, he nods his understanding, his expression somber.]

That cat was your last connection to him.

[Even without that context, he does understand why it's difficult to let go, and he presses his lips together briefly before exhaling.]

I won't pretend that I'll be glad to see them go, Daria. I'm quite fond of them, as well... but we do have other connections to Astarion and the others. We have one another.

Text // Free to a good home!

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feel free to let this go if it's too old ❤️