Open Chronicles Big Cats and Ballads

[Zarra Bundyth]

Zarra had been traveling for quite a while now. Stopping in various villages to rest and bring in some coin for next time, and of course, to play her music.

But today no inns were available, so she had to put on her broad sunhat to avoid hurting her eyes. But she would rest anyway, but maybe not go to sleep yet. No, she had a ballad to finish.

It had been a month since she had bidden the Pirate Hunting crew farewell, and she was currently working to write a ballad recounting the acts and heroism displayed by the crew that had saved her, and a particular hero among them by the name of Vulpesen.

So she sat in the shade of a tree, and set her notebook beside her to write down what lyrics she managed to come up with that worked, and taking out her viol, playable with a bow or her fingers, and began to play.

It was experimental, so there would be stops every so often, amendments made to various lines that she liked but felt lacked, and she paused to write down what sounded right. In keeping with the musical theme she'd set of course.

So focused on her music was she that she didn't see the tiger that had found her.

 

[Torie]

“Now THIS is a good one,” Torie said, sitting back on her haunches and examining the truffle she had just collected with dinnerplate-sized paws. The tiger druid had been away from town for a few days now, ever since she caught whiff of the rare fungus that could pay for her lifestyle for the next few months. Due to this she looked a little unkempt; she’d had nobody to handle her brush or groom her fur, a task that, due to her girth, she couldn’t accomplish all on her own. But now she could afford some pampering.

Placing the truffle into a bag about her neck, Torie placed her paws on the floor and walked back towards the road. Well, walking wasn’t quite right. Waddling was more apt. Part of her winced at the thought of how big she’d become. Not due to vanity but because it made doing practically anything, well… impractical. When was the last time I hunted, or pounced? she thought to herself, doing her best to suck in her gut so it didn’t get scratched by sticks or stones on the road. I really need to stay away from inns, get back to nature…

At that thought she trailed off, for her sensitive ears picked up music. Having not seen anyone for a few days she paused, wondering if she was in danger. But how could danger sound so beautiful? So she waddled along cautiously, following the delightful tunes. What she found was a young lady playing a viol. A striking thing with white hair and dark skin.

“A drow?” she said, a little too loudly. When the lady looked up she shook her head as if to clear it. “Sorry! That was very rude of me. I like your music. It goes well with the wind in the leaves and bird calls.” She smiled, all teeth and whiskers and fluff and fat rolls, and sat herself down so as to appear a little less intimidating.

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

“A drow?”

It was this that snapped her from her trance like creativity. Her fingers stopped plucking the viol as she looked up and around in the direction the sound came from, to see the large, apparently talking, tiger.

When the lady looked up she shook her head as if to clear it. “Sorry! That was very rude of me. I like your music. It goes well with the wind in the leaves and bird calls.” She smiled, all teeth and whiskers and fluff and fat rolls, and sat herself down so as to appear a little less intimidating.

Zarra blinked, talking tiger, that was new. "no, it's okay. Really. Frankly I'd have expected less surprise and more aggression. Drow aren't exactly liked." She said with a friendly smile back. "I appreciate the compliment though. Sadly I've yet to be done with it, writing songs are far more difficult than just singing them after all."

She set her viol down and sat forward to more directly engage the tiger. "My name is Zarra, may I ask yours?"

 

[Torie]

“Torie,” she said, placing an enormous paw on her chest and inclining her head. “I’m a druid. This is my animal form. I take it you’re a minstrel? You’re very good. And I quite like the sound of unfinished songs. They have a mystery to them. And drow or not, you seem nice.” Indeed, it was hard to feel unsafe around someone who could make such beautiful music.

“So, erm…” Torie looked at the sun high in the sky, at the tree and the shade. “Maybe this is a silly question, but are drows able to… walk in sunlight? I’ve heard stories is all.” Torie grimaced. Now that it was out of her mouth it sounded incredibly stupid.

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

“Torie,” she said, placing an enormous paw on her chest and inclining her head. “I’m a druid. This is my animal form. I take it you’re a minstrel? You’re very good. And I quite like the sound of unfinished songs. They have a mystery to them. And drow or not, you seem nice.” Indeed, it was hard to feel unsafe around someone who could make such beautiful music.

"Your kind words warm my heart Torie. It's a pleasure to meet you." She replied pleasantly. "I must admit I'm not terribly familiar with druids, what exactly are they compared to other types of people. Like... How would you, a druid, compare to me, a bard?"

“So, erm…” Torie looked at the sun high in the sky, at the tree and the shade. “Maybe this is a silly question, but are drows able to… walk in sunlight? I’ve heard stories is all.” Torie grimaced. Now that it was out of her mouth it sounded incredibly stupid.

"It's not silly. It's actually a good question. The answer is yes and no. See, we aren't like vampires where the sun kills us, but being born in the underdark makes our eyes extremely sensitive to light, which is necessary in deep caves and dungeons but up here, if we aren't protected we can be blinded. Luckily enough our eyelids do enough if it comes to that, though we'd have to keep our eyes closed until the sun goes down. I just use this." She flicked the brim of her hat, "it lets me see in the daytime without it hurting my eyes, I do still need to be careful, but for the most part I travel at night so it usually isn't a problem."

 

[Torie]

Torie grinned, sagging with relief, her little ears perking up again.

“Well, that’s good to know. I promise not to dazzle you with my pearly whites, in that case!” And she grinned again, her pointy canines gleaming.

“How do I compare to you? Err… well. We both travel. Bard’s usually sing music for coin. I have magic that lets me hear the earth, and the living things on it or in it. But for coin I’m usually just doing odd jobs that require muscle."

She looked Zarra up and down. There were, obviously, plenty of other details that were different too. Not the least of which was how infuriatingly slim this drow was! But that was elves for you. She couldn't hold it against her really.

“But today I’m collecting truffles,” she said, flicking the bag about her neck. “Which means I need to head into the nearest town and find someone who will actually pay for my truffles. Do you want to come with me? And… do you know which way the nearest town is?” She smirked sheepishly. “I’ve been wandering off-road for a while. May have got turned around.”

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

“How do I compare to you? Err… well. We both travel. Bard’s usually sing music for coin. I have magic that lets me hear the earth, and the living things on it or in it. But for coin I’m usually just doing odd jobs that require muscle."

Zarra giggled and said, "I suppose that answers my question, I suppose the better question is what do druids do? Like why do they do what they do, what do they consider important?"

“But today I’m collecting truffles,” she said, flicking the bag about her neck. “Which means I need to head into the nearest town and find someone who will actually pay for my truffles. Do you want to come with me? And… do you know which way the nearest town is?” She smirked sheepishly. “I’ve been wandering off-road for a while. May have got turned around.”

"I was actually headed to a village myself. Though it's a good ways away and I'd hoped to wait till the sun was further down on the horizon to keep going. But I'd be happy to accompany you there."

As she said this she started packing up her things, it didn't take long, putting her notebook and charcoal stick on her bag and putting her viol in it's case so they could walk.

"So you're an adventurer of sorts? Could you maybe recount some of your more memorable encounters?"

 

[Torie]

Torie pondered on that as Zarra packed.

“Well, my tribe value each other. Though the clans tend to fight, if an outside force threaten us we band together pretty well. We rely on nature to live. Well, my people do. It’s harsh where I come from. I really don’t know why we stay there. I guess we’re stubborn, hah. Ahem… so, we rely on the earth to survive. We don’t sow, but we hunt, and live mostly in animal form. We value hospitality and we believe in balance. Some of my people worship the earth mother Gaia, but I’ve never really had an encounter with her… does that answer your question?”

“Ah, stories? A few. There was the time I met this runesmith who had the deeds to a mine – or didn’t, rather. But the mine was abandoned, so we had to go in and fight some yuan-ti. We lost a friend, but we won in the end and ate well for weeks. Yuan-ti are delicious! And they don’t go off. How incredible is that?

“Ready to go?” she said.

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

“Well, my tribe value each other. Though the clans tend to fight, if an outside force threaten us we band together pretty well. We rely on nature to live. Well, my people do. It’s harsh where I come from. I really don’t know why we stay there. I guess we’re stubborn, hah. Ahem… so, we rely on the earth to survive. We don’t sow, but we hunt, and live mostly in animal form. We value hospitality and we believe in balance. Some of my people worship the earth mother Gaia, but I’ve never really had an encounter with her… does that answer your question?”

She listened intently. And the explanation seemed to satisfy her, but her words, while confirming her satisfaction, also didn't. "It does. For now."

It wasn't even meant to be ominous, rude or dismissive, it just said that she'd probably have more questions later, her appetite for lore was insatiable.

“Ah, stories? A few. There was the time I met this runesmith who had the deeds to a mine – or didn’t, rather. But the mine was abandoned, so we had to go in and fight some yuan-ti. We lost a friend, but we won in the end and ate well for weeks. Yuan-ti are delicious! And they don’t go off. How incredible is that?

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe you could recount the events in the mine to me? I'd be happy to write about it, maybe it'll be done soon enough for you to hear me sing it. If you're okay with that that is."

“Ready to go?” she said.

"Ready when you are!" She said cheerfully, hopping up to hit the road. "So how do you talk while you're a tiger? I though most quadrupeds lacked the ability to speak. Or is it just that they don't know how?"

 

[Torie]

“Excellent!” Torie said, though pulled herself up with some difficulty. She shuffled down the road awkwardly, doing her best to keep up with the spritely elf, though her legs were mostly swallowed by her fleshy body and her steps were small and awkward. It seemed even walking was an exertion for this roly-poly tiger.

“You ask a lot of questions! But that’s ok. I like talking. But how about you answer a question of mine, just so I know who I’m travelling with: how’s a drow come to be travelling by herself on the surface? Seems a little dangerous!”

“As for my ability to speak, well. You may have noticed this body isn’t exactly normal.” Indeed, as they walked Torie noticed she was only a little shorter than Zarra, having to look up only a little as they walked beside each other down the road. “I made some changes, made it a little stronger, and bigger… I mean taller,” she said. “And I made changes around the throat so I could speak. Sounds weird, I know. But we can change our forms little by little, over time.”

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

“You ask a lot of questions! But that’s ok. I like talking. But how about you answer a question of mine, just so I know who I’m travelling with: how’s a drow come to be travelling by herself on the surface? Seems a little dangerous!”

She sighed, as though remembering a less than fond memory, but she recounted her tale nonetheless. "I used to be significantly more stereotypical for a drow. Believing we were superior as drow and women, and that only the goddess Lolth was higher than us. I had gone to the surface to raid for slaves several times. Until one night, we emerged into a trap that had been set by the humans we intended to raid. And I was taking to Alliria as a slave myself. I, learned from it, seeing the significantly grander scale and superior craftsmanship of the surface people and the compassion that certain people showed. It was an eye opening experience to say the least. After a few years I got out, and I turned to a traveling bard to teach me how to survive up here. And the rest is history." She Chuckled to herself. "But it is dangerous, very much so as a lot of people tend to attack drow on sight, so I carry this just in case reason fails." She patted the hilt of her rapier.

“As for my ability to speak, well. You may have noticed this body isn’t exactly normal.” Indeed, as they walked Torie noticed she was only a little shorter than Zarra, having to look up only a little as they walked beside each other down the road. “I made some changes, made it a little stronger, and bigger… I mean taller,” she said. “And I made changes around the throat so I could speak. Sounds weird, I know. But we can change our forms little by little, over time.”

"Intriguing!" She exclaimed, genuinely interested in this knowledge. "I had no idea magic could do that!"

 

[Torie]

“Oh.”

Torie walked on in silence for a bit, thinking. She didn’t want to rush things on such a serious topic.

“Do you have family still in the underdark, that you miss? And did you learn the viol down there or up here? Either way I’m glad you like it up here.” She looked over to Zarra and grinned. “I do too. Most of the time.”

Torie looked at the road ahead with apprehension.

“How far along is this village, anyway?”

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

“Do you have family still in the underdark, that you miss? And did you learn the viol down there or up here? Either way I’m glad you like it up here.” She looked over to Zarra and grinned. “I do too. Most of the time.”

"Not really. My mother would kill me for sneezing at the wrong time in the wrong direction, and any one of my brothers would butcher everyone else in my family at the first opportunity, in fact I imagine that most of my sisters are dead by now. Families kill each other off all the time down there, most drow don't love anyone or anything, just power."

She smiled at her companion. "As for my viol, I learned to use it up here, I also know the mandolin and flute, all of which I learned up here. The bard who took me in also taught me song and dance too."

“How far along is this village, anyway?”

"An hour or two of walking if I had to guess. But I don't actually know."

 

[Torie]

“Alright. Well, that sounds awful, actually,” she said. “How do the droaw survive as a race if they’re always murdering each other? If they love power so much then really they should be working together!”

Just then Torie’s ears picked up the familiar sound of wooden wheels. A cart! Praise the world and all its blessings. “Someone’s coming. Mind if we catch a lift? I’d rather not walk the entire way.

“I can’t wait to hear you play more, by the way,” Torie said. “I imagine you’ll perform when we get to town? Hey, maybe I could perform with you!”

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

“Alright. Well, that sounds awful, actually,” she said. “How do the droaw survive as a race if they’re always murdering each other? If they love power so much then really they should be working together!

"By having a lot of babies." She replied with a chuckle. "Besides we don't usually die until we've had at least three or four children. I myself haven't had any yet so I'm an outlier but by my age most drow have had children. But also it has to do with our goddess Lolth, is literally the goddess of murder, so it's kind of required of you to betray everyone."

Just then Torie’s ears picked up the familiar sound of wooden wheels. A cart! Praise the world and all its blessings. “Someone’s coming. Mind if we catch a lift? I’d rather not walk the entire way.

"Sure, I'd love to hitch a ride." She said with a smile. "I don't mind walking but it certainly doesn't hurt to ride something."

“I can’t wait to hear you play more, by the way,” Torie said. “I imagine you’ll perform when we get to town? Hey, maybe I could perform with you!”

"Awww, thanks. I will most likely be performing a little bit in the local Inn or tavern. I see no reason why you couldn't join me, but I don't how exactly you plan to do it. Do you sing? Dance? What?"

 

[Torie]

“I suppose it’s too early to ask about drow courtship,” she said, whiskers twitching with mirth. “But I do wonder what it’s like, given you all hate each other so much.

“I can sing, a bit. And I can growl very loud. You could use me as… dramatic punctuation! I’m just jesting. But if you think of some way I could enhance your performance, let me know. At the very least I make a very comfortable seat.”

With that the cart came rumbling around the corner behind them. A farmer’s cart, moving slowly, an assortment of cheeses on the back.

“Ohhh. Can you smell that?” Torie said, licking her lips. I think paradise is a wooden cart pulled by a couple of big brown draft horses. So…” she nodded towards the startled looking farmer and boy at the front of the cart. “Do you think they’d react better to you or to me?”

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

“I suppose it’s too early to ask about drow courtship,” she said, whiskers twitching with mirth. “But I do wonder what it’s like, given you all hate each other so much.

"There really isn't courtship. We just tell a guy to get in the bed and due to the matriarchal nature of our society he doesn't really have a choice in the matter. Then most likely he never sees her or his children again." She said sadly.

“I can sing, a bit. And I can growl very loud. You could use me as… dramatic punctuation! I’m just jesting. But if you think of some way I could enhance your performance, let me know. At the very least I make a very comfortable seat.”

She giggled at the Tiger's words, "that might actually work. But I could never use you as a chair, you're too nice. But your dramatic punctuation idea might work fairly well, I know a few ballads of beasts where such an addition would be helpful, not out of place and memorable. We'll probably need to practice a bit beforehand so we get the timing right but it would certainly work."

“Ohhh. Can you smell that?” Torie said, licking her lips. I think paradise is a wooden cart pulled by a couple of big brown draft horses. So…” she nodded towards the startled looking farmer and boy at the front of the cart. “Do you think they’d react better to you or to me?”

She held her hands up as if in surrender, "I have no idea, I may not be attacked as frequently as I used to be but I don't know if they'd respond better to a dark elf or a talking tiger. I simply have no clue."

 

[Torie]

Torie wanted to reply – some quip about joining the drow for its matriarchal society – but then the cart was upon them. Torie stepped onto the road and raised a paw gently. The farmer pulled on his reins, and the horse tossed its head at being so close to an apex predator.

“Hello gentlefolk! We are heading into the village for some shopping and performing. I’m Torie, and this is Zarra. Alas, it’s been a long day and our feet are very tired.” Speaking for herself, of course. “Could we bother you for a lift into town? We will gladly pay, and I, for one, would love to sample your cheeses!”

The farmer and his boy looked at each other, as if thinking the other knew what to do.

“Suppose we could… though not sure this old wagon could take you.”

“I will compensate you for any damage incurred,” Torie said.

The farmer shrugged, and that was all the invitation Torie needed. She went to the back of the cart and reached up with her forepaws, bouncing up and down as she tried to gain enough momentum to haul herself upwards. One… two… three! She leapt, foreclaws digging into the wood, and promptly plopped back to earth.

To Zarra she looked over apologetically.

“Sorry. This may take a while.”

Nevertheless, after several more attempts, they were on the back of the rickety wooden cart surrounded by cheese wheels of various sizes. Torie set to work making space for them by eating as much cheese as she could. One wheel disappeared. Two. Three and four, until she lost track. Was it five or six now? It didn’t matter. She was off the road, headed back to civilisation. “I can’t wait for a good brushing out,” she said, slouching against the cheeses, her tightening belly and fuzzy jowls jiggling every time the cart bounced over a rut or stone.

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

The farmer shrugged, and that was all the invitation Torie needed. She went to the back of the cart and reached up with her forepaws, bouncing up and down as she tried to gain enough momentum to haul herself upwards. One… two… three! She leapt, foreclaws digging into the wood, and promptly plopped back to earth.

To Zarra she looked over apologetically.

“Sorry. This may take a while.”

Zarra sighed and helped her new companion up into the cart. "Aren't cats supposed to be agile?" She strained as she lifted the rather large apex predator, that probably didn't actually threaten the horse too seriously so calling her "predator" probably stretched the truth just a bit. But, who cares.

Zarra was very worried about how the farmer would react when he found out seven of his cheese wheels had been consumed already. Nonetheless she thanked the farmer kindly for allowing them to ride on the cart.

And as a bit of an unofficial thank you she pulled out her viol again and started to play a slow, calming tune, no words, just the strings.

 

[Torie]

“Sorry,” Torie said, grinning sheepishly, though thankful for the help as well. Not that Zarra had helped muchp much. Though Torie didn’t know it, she suspected she was enormous enough to weigh roughly a metric ton, and Zarra was just too small to make much of a difference. “I exchanged my agility for… huggability?” she said, ending in an inflection as if wondering it passed as a proper word.

As Zarra started to play, in between stuffing her face with wheels of cheese, Torie rumbled deeply in her throat. It was a deep purr, deeper than anything a human could achieve, perhaps the closest thing to it was the lowest note on a double bass. She modulated her tone to try and compliment Zarra’s strings, though wasn’t sure how well she did.

“What do you think?” she said.

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

“Sorry,” Torie said, grinning sheepishly, though thankful for the help as well. Not that Zarra had helped muchp much. Though Torie didn’t know it, she suspected she was enormous enough to weigh roughly a metric ton, and Zarra was just too small to make much of a difference. “I exchanged my agility for… huggability?” she said, ending in an inflection as if wondering it passed as a proper word.

"You certainly look pretty huggable." She said with a giggle. "I think I'd make that exchange too, if huggable on tigers was the same as huggable for elves that is. But, whatever."

As Zarra started to play, in between stuffing her face with wheels of cheese, Torie rumbled deeply in her throat. It was a deep purr, deeper than anything a human could achieve, perhaps the closest thing to it was the lowest note on a double bass. She modulated her tone to try and compliment Zarra’s strings, though wasn’t sure how well she did.

“What do you think?” she said.

She listened to the low rumble, for the most part it helped but every now and then it was a little out of place. Nothing practice wouldn't solve. "It's pretty good actually. A couple of tweaks are all I see it needing. Good work for your first time. At least I think it's your first time."

(Hey, did you know that tigers can't purr? They Mach more of a chuffing noise?)

 

[Torie]

(They can't talk either ).

"You certainly look pretty huggable." She said with a giggle. "I think I'd make that exchange too, if huggable on tigers was the same as huggable for elves that is. But, whatever."

"Stick with me and I can make you as huggable as you like. Cheese wheel?" she said, holding one out for Zarra to sample.

She listened to the low rumble, for the most part it helped but every now and then it was a little out of place. Nothing practice wouldn't solve. "It's pretty good actually. A couple of tweaks are all I see it needing. Good work for your first time. At least I think it's your first time."

"We did used to sing around the fires at home. But it's not really singing, by... more developed standards," she said. "There's no notes or anything. We didn't write much down - I learned writing when I left home to travel. But I never learned music writing. We just... sang, and learned from one another." She shrugged, then smiled. "But if you think you can work with it, I'm keen to practice!"

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

(They can't talk either ).

(Fair enough.)

"Stick with me and I can make you as huggable as you like. Cheese wheel?" she said, holding one out for Zarra to sample.

"No thanks. I'd rather hold on to my physique thanks." She said with a smile. "Besides. I don't think this kind farmer will appreciate you eating all his cheese. Do try to keep it under wraps."

"We did used to sing around the fires at home. But it's not really singing, by... more developed standards," she said. "There's no notes or anything. We didn't write much down - I learned writing when I left home to travel. But I never learned music writing. We just... sang, and learned from one another." She shrugged, then smiled. "But if you think you can work with it, I'm keen to practice!"

"Well then I should teach you!' she said gleefully as she pulled out one of her two notebooks. This one filled with completed songs. She began explaining notes and their arrangement, also how to read notes from a page. After that she showed her the song she'd just played and pointed out where exactly she'd been just a little too high or just a little too low to sound right.

 

[Torie]

"No thanks. I'd rather hold on to my physique thanks." She said with a smile. "Besides. I don't think this kind farmer will appreciate you eating all his cheese. Do try to keep it under wraps."

"Don't worry! I can pay for it. You don't cart around this much cheese unless you're going to sell it. I'm just his first customer."

"Well then I should teach you!' she said gleefully as she pulled out one of her two notebooks.

Torie watched and learned, following the little figures on the paper, though it was hard going. But she asked questions and tried to be a good student - in between eating a few more cheese wheels.
"This is hard work," she said. "I'm not sure it'll make me a better singer. But, I suppose it means you'll be able to explain things more easily." She flopped onto her back, white belly jiggling like pudding, taking another bite of the cheese wheel which she held between her paws. This time with much less voracity. Her middle seemed noticeably wider, too.

She tried again a few more times - singing, that is. Not eating cheese wheels - and did her best to correct her mistakes. She had good ears. Hadn't someone once said good ears are important to musicians? But kept looking to Zarra for the drow's approval.

 

[Zarra Bundyth]

"This is hard work," she said. "I'm not sure it'll make me a better singer. But, I suppose it means you'll be able to explain things more easily.

"That's the idea. You aren't learning to sing, you're learning how to learn." She said cryptically.

She tried a few more times, and steadily they fixed her mistakes one bit at a time, and so she started the song again to let her try it when they were actually making music in front of people. So, they continued their lesson until they entered the town.

Zarra got off and thanked the farmer again for his kindness, and continued on with her friend, giving the farmer and his boy a friendly goodbye.