[video] Searching for parents

[emet_sulk]

[ Emet-Selch looks a little harried and stressed today when the video feed begins. There is a little axolotl clinging to a front lock of his hair, gently chewing. He either doesn't notice or doesn't care as there is urgency to his gaze and tone. ]

Should anyone encounter a pair of ambystomae - I mean, axolotls - with a carnivorous tendency, please abstain from killing them immediately and inform me of their location. I need to return their child to them.

[ This won't stop anyone killing the many axolotls involved in the search but he has to hope he finds the parents before they're accidentally killed. ]

Comments

[emet_sulk]

It stowed away on our ship. We didn't find it until we were too far to turn back.

[ They only had so much food and fresh water for the voyage. ]

[empyrean_mirror]

That's...[Kaveh sighs a little.] Well, that's unfortunate.

I'll warn Alhaitham and our crew but I can't promise they won't try to defend themselves if they can't be communicated with. [Kaveh pauses for a moment, chewing on his lip.]

I suppose if there was an easy way to locate them, you'd have already done it?

[Because he really, really doesn't want this to end in tragedy any more than Emet does.]

[emet_sulk]

They were not particularly communicative. All their children were swimming in the shallows, so they could have belonged to any of the grown individuals which confronted us. I won't fault you for defending yourselves; my friend and I did not escape without injury.

[empyrean_mirror]

You didn't?

[That's alarming. Kaveh remembers the fight with Ultima. He has some idea how powerful Emet-Selch must be.

...Though watching the axolotl crawl all over him, maybe he just has a soft spot for amphibians.]

[emet_sulk]

[ He shrugs, grimacing slightly. ]

My friend can hold his own in battle but he was never meant for the front lines, so to speak. I would usually take the fore and he would support me with his bow. Hence, I bore the brunt of the assault as we retreated to our ship.

[empyrean_mirror]

Ah. Yes, I can see where that would be the problem...

[Kaveh pauses. And smiles a little ruefully.]

I was wondering if you just had a soft spot for amphibians, even when they're carnivorous and angry.

[emet_sulk]

[ The axolotl, tired of chewing his hair, now wiggles and starts to climb up his fringe (with a little support from Emet-Selch) to sprawl on top of his head while they talk. ]

This one is but a child. I'm not in the habit of terrorising children, no matter who their parents may be. Hythlodaeus considered attempting to teach it to eat other forms of red meat rather than humans, but we won't have time for that now.