faderift | Well it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year

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Well it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year

WHO: Anders, Nathaniel, and invitees!
WHAT: Fancy birthday party in Camp Shady
WHEN: Harvestmere 27, evening
WHERE: Camp Shady
NOTES: Will update.

Since many Wardens moved into the Kestrel House, there is plenty of space in the camp for a big top tent. Finding enough candlesticks, tables, and chairs required a lot of time and a number of bribes to pull off. The tables are nicely draped with fabric lent by one of Anders' patients, and each is decorated with flowers. The tent is alight and smells like good food--more donations from grateful patients.

One of the Wardens is known for her fiddling, and she plays lively dances and crooning ballads. In the center table is an ice sculpture of a cat chasing a butterfly (you guessed it--donated by a mage patient). It glitters spectacularly in the candlelight.

On the menu is a slow-roasted pig, spiced hot cider, spectacular salads, jams, cakes, delectably seasoned vegetables, a lamb-flank, and your choice of wine. There is even a hard-won bottle of Antivan brandy Nathaniel had to win several card games to achieve.

Relax, enjoy, greet the birthday boy, and mingle. The nights will be cold soon, but under this tent, life glows.

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"They may. You could perhaps take several students up and craft them for that?" A beat, and his look gets a bit amused. "Or perhaps just decorate the lower camp so that everyone has a chance to see them."

A lot of the refugees don't really have reason to hang out in the fortress proper, after all. There's some divide here.

That gets a nod as she ponders her options, not opposed at all to prioritizing refugees over noble visitors. "That can be arranged, and we have enough time to manage it starting from now. And yes, there will be a griffon. I'm certain I would never hear the end of it otherwise, though other suggestions are welcome." At the very least, she's intent on an ice sculpture of Garahel. Skyhold could use more mabari.

"What about a cat riding a griffon?" Best of both worlds, clearly. But it's suggested with a definite smile; he doesn't think she'll be into it.

"Or perhaps we could have vague figures too, a generic swordsman, generic mage, generic archer. An ice arch that looks like it's made of ice vines, things that suggest details and don't require too many?"

"I like that plan, it would certainly save time and energy. I'll see what I can find in terms of references to work from, just because." As though she needs an excuse to go to the library, really. "And I think I could manage Purrelden, to go with my inevitable mabari. What do you say, would you like that?" The question is delivered to the cat as Garahel finishes his lamb and flops down by his furry friend.

He beams at the suggestion, looking over at the cat as well. She jumps, a little startled by the flop, before prying at one of Garahel's ears and then flopping as well, this time over a paw of his.

"I think that's a yes." Purrelden's steadily gotten used to mabari, and while she ignores most of them as beneath her, she seems to like Garahel and Lady. "I'd approve, at least. Adding cats improves nearly everything."

Inessa stares at the pair thoughtfully. "I might try for that pose for the both of them, it would be rather adorable if it could be managed." Garahel, for his part, is extremely patient with the cat and doesn't mind being poked and prodded and whatnot as long as it doesn't draw blood.

"I've seen your skill with ice. I think you could manage it with a little work." It is adorable, especially as she's not clawing at the mabari, simply flopped there. ...with a tail twitch every now and then that suggests she's plotting something before she reaches over to clawlessly bat at his free paw.

"I also think you may wish to memorize this scene while it lats, because she's likely about to end the moment of peace. She doesn't often sit still and quiet for long."

"I would definitely make the effort, to be sure." Inessa trusts in her eidetic memory to make an accurate image, and would take the time to make it as perfect as possible, just becase.

Purrelden batting at the paw has Garahel twitching it playfully, happy to keep his feline friend occupied. Inessa, observing this, chuckles. "Garahel will go along with it, though if they become too noisy I'll send him outside to cool down. He'll listen to me; it's only when he's wrestling other mabari that I'm not quite certain of that."

She follows the paw, batting at it as it moves, tail twitching in the way that says she's attentive rather than bothered, and Anders follows her movements. He loves this cat and she's having fun, as is he.

"Purrelden knows what I'm saying, and obeys when she wants to. She wants to more often than she used to, at least. But... Cats. They're intelligent, and obstinate. And I think I love her all the more for it."

Garahel lifts said large paw...and then boops Purrelden on the nose. Clearly that invites retaliation, right? Inessa shakes her head, knowing her mabari is going to get in over his head but it's not a bad idea for him to learn a lesson or two about that.

"Believe it or not, I though myself more a cat person before he imprinted on me. I can appreciate intelligence and a little obstinancy just fine. But I turned out to be more Fereldan than I thought, and now I'm fairly certain it would be too much to handle both. Garahel will just have to settle for playtime when he can get it."

Clearly. Purrelden leaps up, clambering to the top of Garahel's head apparently so she can try to get his paw from there and wrestle it down.

While Anders is watching Purrelden carefully to make sure she doesn't go too far, that doesn't keep him from chuckling at Inessa's words. "The only bit of me that's Fereldan is the accent. ...And the better half, but that doesn't mean I'm about to have a mabari imprint on me. I didn't actually know they imprinted until I got the tiny one for Nate, actually. We got lucky."

Yay, new hat! At least that's how Garahel seems to see it, his attention now more focused on that than what the cat is doing with his paw. Purrelden has full rights to wrestle it down, at least until Garahel gets bored and twitches it again.

"Lady, is it? I met her when observing the flag competition." Inessa smiles fondly at that, like now a much needed bout of lighthearted fun to combat some dark times. "She's remarkable; I've never seen a miniaturized mabari until now, though like everyone, I've heard about Xenon's bear. Where did you find her?"

"Lady," he confirms with a matching smile. Purrelden pounces from Garahel's head and wraps herself around the paw, hind paws batting at the mabari's leg.

"There was a merchant who looked... sketchy. I was curious about his wares and asked, and it paid off. Especially as I know that Nate's Fereldan down to his core and likely wanted a mabari. This way he has one, and I don't have to deal with the over-exuberant drooling attention of most mabari. We both win."

Anders wins the most, in his opinion, if just because he's made Nate happy and that makes him feel like he's on top of the world.

"Before I could think to ask where he'd acquired the little mabari, he'd left. As he didn't do anything harmful I didn't alert people to his vanishing. He sold something and left."

Inessa shakes her head a little as Garahel basically lets Purrelden do whatever, only twitching that paw enough to keep the cat entertained. For all his size and bulk, he's a huge softy when it comes to playmates.

Absorbing that tale, the elven woman nods thoughtfully. "Overtly harmful or not, I suspect your instincts paid off in terms of that merchant. Lady will be much better off in your hands and Nathaniel's, than his." Exotic pet merchants aren't necessarily known for keeping their merchandise's welfare as a priority, so one less in their hands is definitely a bonus.

Neither of them seem to have any interest in hurting each other, just playing, so Anders relaxes and sits back in his chair.

"I think she will be. Especially in Nate's. He knows what to do with dogs and actually likes them, unlike me. I personally find that they drool too much, and are too reliant on their person. Purrelden is entirely..." He trails off and looks at his cat. "Most cats are rather independent."

It's not Purrelden's fault he spoils her horribly. Having something small to love again has been freeing and he rewards her for it.

"She doesn't drool, at least."

That gets a soft chuckle out of Inessa. "A bonus, to be sure. As much as I love Garahel, less of that would be nice. I wouldn't call him very reliant on me, though; his constant presence is at least partly due to his protectiveness. He may seem silly and often is, but when I'm the only elf and/or mage in the area among those less than thrilled with the presence of either, there is no better protection."

That could also explain Inessa's habit of keeping to her Grey Warden armor on missions, even those that don't require it; to her, it's often a shield against harassment.

"I understand." He's no elf, but he's a mage, and he has his name. When he's in Skyhold it's not as stressful or nerve-wracking. But when he's outside it, Anders is very aware of who is with him and who would stand with him and help if hatred turned to action.

"I don't have a dog for that. But I do have Nate. I know he has my back, and will be there for me." When they're assigned to the same missions. He should really get something to go underneath his robes that's protective.

"I'm also trying to train Purrelden better there. My last cat was a fighter."

Inessa nods, certain that while he can't understand completely (being human), his status and experiences provide him with more insight there than most. "Such loyal companions can make all the difference, to be sure. I'm glad you have them as well, Anders.

How does one train a cat in that area? Doesn't their more independent mindset make that rather difficult?" She's not dismissing the idea but is definitely curious as to how it actually works, given that she's never heard of cats being trained in such a manner.

He nods in thanks, before smiling at Purrelden.

"Sometimes it makes it extremely difficult. Let's see if this works." He picks up a scrap of meat from his plate and holds it up, clicking his tongue at his cat. She doesn't notice, too busy with trying to pin Garahel's paw. Anders clicks again and this time she sees it. After one more bat at Garahel, Purrelden crouches down, wiggles her butt, and leaps for the meat, grabbing it and leaping backward.

"One click is get the meat. When she listens. Two is when I've a target for her to get, and then she gets the meat. She's starting to get better at it."

Now that she's got the meat, Purrelden's chewing and swallowing on the way back to her buddy.

"My last cat took out a genlock. I don't think I can expect that of her, but as my future holds a lot of the Deep Roads she needs to be able to attack and come."

Purrelden better watch out, because Garahel's appetite is endless and he isn't above taking some for himself if there's even a little dropped. As it is, he whines and looks to Inessa, who tosses him some jerky. "Play nice, she earned her portion fair and square."

Turning her attention back to Anders, she raises her eyebrows, clearly impressed. "A genlock? I wish I could have seen that for myself. But yes, some training is ideal. Cats are intelligent, but the Deep Roads is a place where more than innate intelligence is needed. The more training she has, the better."

She doesn't seem to notice the threat, arrogance keeping her tail straight as she strides right over to him and plops down. Or maybe she does notice it and she's being contrary. Anders sighs. It's not like he can teach her to behave, but sometimes it would be nice if she wasn't so contrary. Or so like her owner.

"Claws to the eyes. And, granted, the genlock did part of the work itself after, falling down into a rather large chasm, but if it could see, it wouldn't have fallen." He grins at her. "And Garahel seems to be doing well at keeping his head in difficult situations? He's going everywhere with you. And he seems acceptably intelligent for something of the canine persuasion."

It's entirely teasing. Garahel's clearly competent. But the cat versus dog argument can never be allowed to rest.

Inessa chuckles, not minding the teasing at all and Garahel even barks, seeming to take all that as a compliment. "Sometimes too much so; I have to be careful to speak of baths around him, for when I do he's often nowhere to be found. You would be surprised how well a large hound can hide when he puts his mind to it."

Garahel looks over at Anders and whines. Baths are evil, please back him up here.

Anders snorts.

"Baths are good for them. Dogs have a scent that I wouldn't call pleasant if they go too long without bathing." His expression turns very, very wry. "It's the sort of scent I tend to associate with Ferelden, really. Marshes and unwashed dogs. However, Garahel should note that if he wants to continue to get affection from a lot of people, he should smell clean."

He reaches over and pats Garahel. "And really, if the water's warm and he's dried off, it should feel rather nice. But perhaps that's a spell to work on, some way of... heated drying? So that stepping out of the water isn't so painful."

Anders spares a glance in Nate's direction to make sure he's not being watched before pulling a scrap of parchment out of a belt pouch and jotting it down. "Air and fire, maybe a little force, something to work on next." He shrugs as he looks at Inessa. It's hard not to work at all.

Garahel makes a wary noise, uncertain about how bathing can lead to anything good, but the petting helps mollify him. He looks up hopefully as Inessa arches an eyebrow at Anders' idea. "That is a possibility, true. I admit my skill isn't with fire or air, but perhaps a little study for a good cause isn't out of order. I would gladly investigate with you, and Garahel help test it."

The mabari barks in agreement, probably because he knows if he obeys, that treats will happen.

Anders smiles at the bark, giving Garahel one more pat before withdrawing his arm.

"Then work on it we shall... but not tonight, as I don't want Nathaniel to be annoyed. A few days from now? We can meet up and discuss it, try a few preliminary theories? And perhaps for now I'll circulate a little more among my guests?" A short beat. "Not that your company isn't lovely. I enjoy it. I think, though, that I should be trying to speak with everyone here."

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circleprodigy - 2016-11-27 15:42 (UTC) - Expand

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