Feather and Scale

[hidden roost]

The triton cataphract gently smooths over the irritated scales of his companion, Sirena, on this sweltering day in the stable outside the mines. Though there was plenty of cover for the mounts hitched to the Concordance's post, the dry wind afforded no relief, much less escape from the arid climate. The sea-cat was snoozing deeply in a more comfortable size -any larger would make her suffer more in the heat. She rolls and turns with the soft affection, but never quite enough to wake her from her slumber.

Apolanis himself has doffed his heavy armour, the simple linens he has on as a means to stay cool. Going back into the shade of the mines was always an option, but he always worried about Sirena, especially with the turn of the weather.

"Maybe we can ask Basha about letting you stay in the grotto. I'm sure if you stay tiny, you won't be a bother to anyone." He converses, knowing he won't get much of a response. "At least, unless you make yourself to be." He gives a playful scritch behind her ears, before resuming his smoother touches, almost meditatively.

[short lake]

A rather large shadows falls over the area. However, to whoever looks up, the origin of it isn't anything grand, but rather a puffy small looking Owlin
Seeing the Triton, Yudo swoops down, his skeletal shadow wings collapsing as he hits the ground, and the large shadow dissapearing completely

"Hey there Apolanis. It's been a while. How are you and you cat doing?"

[hidden roost]

Apolanis looks up at the approach, more out of curiosity since he feels safe within the confines of the guild. As the figure gets closer, his vacant expression turns pleasant, as he greets the familiar feathery friend.

"Yudo! It's been a while. Yeah, I've been doing all right. No terrible scuffles so far. I'm glad you look relatively in one piece, in spite of yourself." He gives the owlin a playful grin, "In fact you've upgraded, it would seem. I think that new set of wings are, well, new. Right?"

[short lake]

Yudo chrips happily at the compliment
"Honestly, I've been getting stronger indeed. My last mission, I even came out relative unhurt."

They hops over a little
"I might even say I have a chance to fight you and not come out like a fried chicken"
After saying that, Yudo hops around in a cirlce
"Maybe let's not test that... Your sword is a bit too long and sharp for my taste"

Yudo stops hopping around for a few seconds
"Hey... Do you know of the problem I have with my place of origin?"

[hidden roost]

Apolanis stays seated on the ground, still casually petting the sleeping Sirena, his gaze following the bouncing owlin. "Well, I'm glad you're proud of your progress, but even I know my limits," He gives a sheepish chuckle, "I'm pretty sure, given enough of a headstart, you'd be out of my reach easily. I only got what I got, after all."

He raises his eyebrows at Yudo's question, "No, I don't think you've ever told me. Is it some kind of forest, I'm assuming?" He asks his well-intentioned assumption.

[short lake]

Seeing they have found a new victim to bother with his storytelling, he instantly regains his shadowform. Not for offence, but for dramatic effect
"Oh no my young friend... I'm from a domain of dread in the... Shadowfell" The last word was said in a slightly lower voice

They rescind their shadow again and talk more casually again
"So, long story short... A domain of dread is like a small pocket dimension in the Shadowfell that's supposed to be inescapable. However, yours truly escaped and I'm now looking for a way back in, but at the same time, a way to escape again. And I might have found a hint."

[hidden roost]

The triton blinks vacantly in response to the dramatic effect. It's evident it's made him react though perhaps Apolanis didn't quite understand the drama part of it all. As Yudo continues his roundabout explanation, it forces a tilt of his head, as his face contorts into blatant confusion.

"So... you left, and now you want to back in, and then get out?" He feels as though if Yudo is sure about this logic, then he doesn't really feel the urge to question what it all meant. "And now you have a clue how to do that?"

[short lake]

*Incorrect..." Yudo's face deflates for a second
"I found a hint, but not how to actually capitalize on it. I escaped with the unwilling help of an undead. I found some connection through my shadows to it.
The issue, it's a Death Knight. I can't kill that shit"

They poke Apolanis once
"You wouldn't be able to fight that?"

[hidden roost]

His expression stays vague, with a faraway look as Yudo continues his explanation. At the mention of fighting it, his face returns to its full expressiveness. "Oh. I haven't fought those before. So I wouldn't know."

The triton gives an emphatic shrug, "Ask me about the horrors of the deep and I can tell you everything under the sun about them. But sorry to say, death-things aren't my expertise."

"But why do you need to fight it? Can't you just ask it questions why and how it helped you out?"

[short lake]

Yudo's gaze doesn't meet Apolanis's eyes
"Well... Last time I saw it, me and my entire family were hunting it down. I doubt it will remember me fondly enough. And the undead usually aren't the happy go lucky help kind of people.
I've spend my entire life killing them. Asking them for help isn't a real option I feel?"

[hidden roost]

He shrugs, "I'm not one to shy from a little meleé, but my understanding of undead is they kinda retain some of who they are before they got all skeletal and/or ghostly, right? And if somehow whether in spite of themselves or the power that brought them back, they helped you, well..." Apolanis gestures a dismissing wave with his free hand.

"I'm not saying adopt the dead knight or whatever it's called. Feels like finding out a bit more might help you solve your mystery, before just going in, magic all akimbo." The same free hand mimics the idea of shooting beams all around them. Apolanis seems inordinately amused by this display.

[short lake]

The hand mimics of the Triton gets copied by Yudo, but actual fire shoots out in the air
"No, I can't agree with you. Undead should be returned to the grave. Been fighting my whole life against them."

They make a pew pew noice
"Only good undead is a dead undead"

[hidden roost]

Apolanis is briefly surprised by the sudden blasts of fire, leaning back a little, but settles back in as he continues to listen to the owlin. As Yudo shares his sentiment, the triton stares blankly back at him, "But they're already dead."

Shaking his head to move past the logical fallacy, he continues, "Well, yes but if you kill them before discovering more about your issue here, you might be shoving yourself into a corner here."

"Listen, I'm not exactly the most tactical minded, but even in my training for protecting my home from the threat of the evils of the water plane, we were taught to think before throwing ourselves bodily to the enemy." Sirena stirs only slightly, her whiskers quivering in her sleep, as Apolanis softly pats her.

"Or else we just add to their forces, and lose more of ours. I get that you're confident in your skills Yudo, but your family, and friends you've made here would get awfully demoralised if you fell."

Again, the triton shrugs, "Like I said, I'm not saying pull out a picnic basket for them. Figure things out. If you can't, get people who can figure it out with you."