Y' shouldn't wurry 'bout it
Characters: Philio, Alais
Location: Camp Willow; Main Grounds
Summer is upon us. Getting here, anyway. Its warm, on the brink of being hot. The spring flowers are all up in bloom. And the camp has never been busier. The sounds of otter (and other beasts) paws beat the ground as they go about their day. Otters carrying things. Doing things. And a whole bunch of things. Thingy-things. All except one. Philio, a fisher otter from the Camp, is sitting against the side of the tavern. Whistling to himself and doing something with his paws. Something... Crafty. He remains out of the way. But enough to be seen, if someone was looking for him.
Alais is looking a little lost and sad. A group of dibbuns have run on before, but they've left her behind it seems and she can't quite keep up with them due to a slight limp in her left leg when she runs. So, she's walking slowly, and a bit sadly, giving up on catching up.
Philio is getting very frustrated with the thing he is working on. It never comes out right. Or it breaks, just when is about to finish. He tosses it on the ground and grunts looking up. Just to get something else to look at. That's when he espies the dibbun. He blinks at her and looks around. Maybe trying to see if her parents are nearby, or guardian. As she might be at school. Or something of the like. Nothing comes to mind or sight as most pay no attention to the limping girl. He decides to do the right thing, "Hey. Little girl... Are you alright?"
Alais eyes the adult as she's spoken to and shies away slightly. "..'m not s'posed to talk t' strange otters." She sends his way, but she has stopped now and wandered closer. Still doesn't look happy. "'m not little girl, though. 'm Alais."
Philio chuckles and smirks at the audacity of the little one, putting his paw against his knees "Not talk to strange otters, huh? Good. You shouldn't. But i can remedy that...Hello. My name is Philio." he smiles, "Nice to meet you Alais. See? We are no longer strangers! And you can talk to me now. Where are your caretakers? Parents? Umm... Teacher?" asking, assuming she is lost.
Alais looks unsure. "You still seem strange." She states after a few moments. But wanders a little closer still. She chews her bottom lip as he asks questions. 'Caretakers?': Blank look. 'Parents?': A shrug. 'Teacher?': A frown. And all followed by an awkward shuffle and a glance off where the other dibbuns had gone.
Philio snorts, "Alright. Alright. I'm strange. You got me... But at least im a nice kinda strange!" he grins a big silly grin, before leaning back against the side of the tavern. He notices the shuffle and glance, "I see then..." he makes motions with his paws, "So miss Alais. You look kinda sad? Anything i can do to help?"
Alais narrows her eyes. "But... I can't talk to strange otters, and... you just said you -were strange-. I should stop talking m'be..."
Philio pulls at his chin fur, "Hrm. Okay. You got me there. Im just being friendly.... Hold on... You hungry?" he looks around in his vest, and pulls out a powdered biscuit, "...I have this left over from breakfast. If yah want it... And maybe you will tell me something?"
Alais looks about to refuse, and then her stomach rumbles, giving her away. "M'be. M'be I tell you somethin'... But." She eyes the biscuit and points. "Bi'kit first. Then unly m'be I tell you somethin'..."
Philio smiles and leans forward to hand her the biscuit, "Here yah go. Hope you like it. It was made by my girl. Is very tasty... Then when you're done. You can tell me something." he smiles and goes back to leaning.
Alais nibbles it. "You have a girl?" Her nose twitches. "You don't look like a Dad..." Still at the age where she thinks parents all have a certain 'way' of looking.
Philio snorts and laughs placing a paw on his belly, "Hahaha! No. Im not a dad. I was talking about my girl. My love... Er. You'll understand when you are older." he smiles, "So. How'd you like it? Good eh?"
Alais nibbles some more. And nods. It's a nice treat. "... Everyone says that." She mutters, as he talks about her understanding when she's older. A little sulkily.
Philio pulls at his chin fur again, "... I know they do. I'm an adult, and they still say that to me!" he chuckles, "Its so embarrassing." more grinning, "Anyway. Wanna tell me something now?"
Alais says, "...They say that to you?" Interested, and a little more trusting, she's sat closer; right there on the floor. And then chews her lip again. "Um. M'be..."
Philio smiles, "Yeh they do! Secret stuff im not allowed to know till im 'older' But, Im old nooooow!" he stamps his fist on the ground like a dibbun. Phil, dibbun at heart, "...Why dont you tell me why are you here and alone?" he asks.
"Old peoples stuff..." Alais wrinkles her snout distastefully. "Y' look old t' me." She agrees and adds "Strange, too. But I guess I can talk to you..." She then shrugs. "Is ott'rs here."
Philio smiles, "See. Im strange. But in a good, helpful way!" he snorts, "Well yes they're otters around here. Like me. But that was not the answer i was looking for... As none of the other otters, seemed to want to help you. Im asking. Why are you here, in this spot?"
Alais shrugs. "I was gonna play. But 'm not quick enough. An' the others think -'m- strange anyway."
Philio oh and nods, "I see then." he then has to tilt his head, "Strange? I see nothing strange about you? A little bit of a smart alec. But other then that!" he chuckles.
Alais frowns. Was he just being mean? "Whassa... smarty lick?"
Philio chuckles, "Smart Alec. It means you are too smart for your own age."
Alais frowns and crosses her arms. "Am not."
Philio hrms and smirks, "Yeah you are..." he leans forward, and whispers "That's a good thing, mizz! Don't yah wanna be smart?"
Alais exclaims, "Yah! But... I -am- not too smart f'r my age!" She glowers a little "And b'sides, that doesn' help me play..."
Philio laughs, "Well good! Being smart is a good thing. Especially around here. With all these knuckleheads around!" more laughing, "Hrm. Well no. It doesn't... Er. What do you have trouble with?" Play usually comes natural to young'us.
"The others dun want to play with me as much. And now 've hurt my foot too, so am slow enough t' be lef' b'hind..." Alais complains, poking at the ground once she's done with her biscuit.
Philio hrms, "Ah. Now that makes sense... Why don't they want to play with you?" now he looks concerned, "You hurt your foot? Are you alright?"
Alais shrugs again, and continues to poke at the ground. "I dun think the same. An' 'm strange." As if that answers everything. "... An' I tripped on a root and hurt m' foot."
Philio nods, "Your not strange. Just different. And if they don't realize that. Well. Poopoo on them. Im different. My love is different. Even they are different." he hrms, "Everyone is different. Now. How about we got beat up... I MEAN. Go find the other dibbuns." he says with a silly grin.
Alais looks aghast. What did he just say to do to them? "Ew... No.." She whines. That would be gross. And then listens to the rest. She looks at him warily. "'s long as we dun have to poop on them..."
Philio snorts, "Fine. No pooping. But you have to do something for me then" he stands up and dusts his butt off.
Alais eyes him again, warily. He may be the dispenser of nice biscuits... but still, he's still gross; pooping on people. o.o
Philio does not poop on people. It was mearly an expression, "See that necklace..." he points to the thing he threw on the ground, "I want you to pick it up and hold it for me." the necklace is silk based. With a turquoise pendant. The pendant has an intricate design on it. But the rock itself is broken.
Alais nods quickly, and takes up the necklace, her eyes widening a little. "I's pretty." She comments, even though it's broken, and holds it up at him. "Y' made it?"
Philio pats her on the head, but doesn't take it from her, "You keep it, for now please." he smiles and nods, "Yep. Though i keep breaking the rock. And its very annoying... Which way did the others go?" he asks, looking around.
Alais holds on to the necklace and nods, but she's looking at Philio with a little more respect. She has no idea how people make these things yet. "O'er there. To the pond..." She points, stil bit reluctantly.
Philio smiles and points for redundancy, "Over there? Alrighty then... Lead the way, " he waits until she moves off first.
Alais frowns. But does. "Okee." She nods, and off she wanders. Pondwards.
Philio smiles and nods, going after her slowly. Trying not to seem to hurry with her injured self. Or without trying to mock her by being slow. At least. Trying not too. When they reach the pond he nods, "Ah. Here we are. The ole' swimmin hole. Not much good for fishing. But for swimmin!" he grins.
Alais nods. "I caught a fish in 't, though." She replies, with just a note of pride in there. Across the water, dibbuns are at play, splashing and chasing eachother.
Philio looks down at her and chuckles. Going to pat her head again, "You did? Dang. You do better than me then. And i fish for a living!" he chuckles and nods toward the other dibbins, "...Here. Why don't you go catchup and play with the others?"
Alais looks reluctant. "They wun' want me too..." She bites her lip, and fiddles gently with the necklace.
Philio leans down, resting his arms on his legs, "...Aw, come on. I bet you are a barrel of fun. I know it. Just gatta try."
"How di' this break?" She asks, suddenly, referring to the stone in the necklace. But she's looking from it to the other dibbuns as though with some thought.
Philio tilts his head, "Heh. Okay. I tell yah. But its our little secret. Okay?" he looks around, "I was chiseling a little drawing on it..." he points to the obvious dents in front of the rock, "Then i chiseled to hard. And cut the thing in half..." he sighs and looks down.
Alais asks, "Can't you do the drawing anyway, wi' the fish in 't? It still looks pretty... And, um," Alais actually smiles now "Y' was makin' 't f'r someone?" She's going somewhere with this... "
Philio nods slowly, "I could. But i want this thing to be perfect... Cause. You are right. It is for someone. Someone very special to me..." he smiles at it softly.
"Well, t' them, 't'll be perfect 'f 's zackly how y' made it... Mistakes an' all. Cause that's why people are special... 'Cuz people even love the mistakes..." The little otter states, wrinkling her nose, and trying to give the necklace back. "B'sides... 's still pretty."
Philio smiles softly at her and then at the necklace, going to take it slowly back from her, "...You're right. By golly you are right..." he chuckles, "Thanks Alais. Hope she likes it..." he puts it in his pocket, "... And she says yes..." more soft sighing and looking off toward the pond again.
Alais smiles, properly, and seems to consider her own words... Well, if the stone is fine, and she really did believe it was... "I... I could go play, I guess..."
Philio smiles and nods, "Aye. You go do that... Now remember that it was a secret. Just between you and me" he nods and goes to sit on a stump nearby.
Alais nods. "A secret... Y' shouldn't wurry 'bout it though, mister Philio." She offers a smile, and a small wave, and off she limps, toward the others. There's that tense moment, where there's no clue as to what will happen. And then, smiles. She's been accepted to the game, and is soon playing a pat-a-cake game with another of the girls.
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