John
*As he looked out at the ocean, it felt natural holding her hand. Even if he had to lean his arm down slightly, the discomfort didn't bother him. Maybe that's why she felt tall. He looked to her with a confused expression.* "You have scales... But no fins. You're not a fish. But it they have shiny scales like you, I'd imagine they're nice."

*He followed her gaze, squinting slightly. He could only see the glimmer due to his blindness... What was it? He was confused, shiny water held fishes? What about other water...* "Fish that are too small to eat... I don't think any of the fish are too small. Small is fast. Fast is strong."

*He looked at the jelly before him... His body felt an unknown vibe. A warning sense that this meant danger. He slowly moved Ves away from it.* "I don't like it. Unnatural. Very strange to me." *He continued to move across the shore with Ves, hoping a town would be upon them soon.*

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Christina
Ves allowed herself to be moved away from the jelly-thing. She glanced back at it as they walked further down the beach, still curious despite the ill feeling. The world was such a big place with all kinds of new things to discover. Sure, she knew about fish, but what about the jelly-things? She wanted to know more.

Huts came into view as they crested a small sand dune, as well as a group of fishermen of different races. They all glanced up when the pair approached and Ves stopped feeling so tall. She felt small and intimidated. *Be strong. Be brave.* She wasn't alone here. Björn stood beside her.

"Hello!" She greeted the group, searching them for a friendly expression. Most looked wary and uncertain. Some turned their eyes back towards the water and went back to business. One man, however, nodded his head in a hesitant greeting. Ves focused her attention on him.

"We are travelers and we were wondering where we happened to be," The Kobold explained plainly. It wasn't exactly a lie. They were traveling, after all. Nevermind that Björn was a wanted escapee and she was a known criminal - as though helping free slaves was a crime! Well hopefully here it wouldn't be. Ves waited patiently for an answer.

The man eyed the Kobold and her Goliath companion suspiciously. Then he shrugged. **"This is Broughton Cove. Broughton proper is thataway,"** He added as he pointed. He looked like he might say more, but he was interrupted by a woman tossing her fishing nets out into the water. **"Don't tell it that! Don't you know Kobold carry diseases?"** Ves frowned lightly and considered protesting, but only shrugged and looked back up at Björn. "Want to head that way?"

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John
*Björn immediately gave a calm but simple reply:* "She carries no diseases." *He turned to look at her with a concerned expression.* "We can head that way immediately. Might be best."

*Björn began to slowly walk the direction gestured. In his head he wanted to turn around and fight the sorry bitch for insulting his Ves... His Ves? No. Ves was not his, she is no slave and he is no master. He shook his head and continued to walk away.*

"Ves, I did not know your kind have lies and rumours. Is the same said about my lot? My people?" *He assumed there was people like him, there had to be or else where did he come from? He wasn't a human. He was too tall, muscular and pale to be one. He couldn't grow body hair and his surface was smooth save for the jagged outcrops of muscle. Yes, he had to have come from someone. Or be some kind of born freak...*

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Christina
She followed alongside Björn, her tail flicking about anxiously. There were some mumbling behind them as the group of fishermen talked amongst themselves. The woman who had spoken spat on the ground, but no one moved to stop them. Ves tried to best to ignore the voices. They weren't important.

"There are lies and rumors about every race," Ves said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Kobold are seen as cowardly and dirty by a lot of folks. Even where we're from, people look down on my kind." She didn't say Dasvaz out loud, not wanting to be overheard. People were suspicious enough.

"I don't know much about Goliaths. I've only seen one other in my lifetime. He was visiting with the Orcs near the mines. At least I *Think* He was visiting. He could have been there for a number of reasons, I guess. I never actually met him, just saw him from a distance. I tend to avoid Orcs whenever possible."

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John
"I can't imagine why you'd be seen as dirty... I know first-hand you bathe well." *His attempt at humour combined with his dry tone made it sound more like an innuendo than he realised. Surprisingly, he didn't even recognise it. Instead, his eyesight followed her anxious tail. In response he gave her head a small rub.* 

"Fret not. Insults are echoed for a reason - they're not strong if coming from one person." *There was some wisdom to his words, his mentality he earned from the pits really has granted him a fresh insight.*

"I see. So I'm not the only one,...Huh." *He seemed to rest on that information for a spell.* "I agree about the Orcs. They are a scourge... I will never share my hearth with one. I prefer the company of... Smaller kinds." *He glanced down at her as he spoke. It was hard to see with his beard in the way, but he smiled a little bit.* "Once we get to this town, we can find us some food and maybe room... They do have rooms outside of the cells right?"

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Christina
"Well, it's not just me. It's how people see all Kobold," She replied. "And I did get quite dirty while working in the mines. All my family did. But I used to always bathe whenever possible. The others... Not so much. They didn't see much of a point. But it's definitely not true for all of us."

She leaned into his comforting touch, but her tail did not cease its movements. She nodded at his wise words. Björn continued to surprise her. He was so naïve, yet he knew more than he let on. "I'm not terribly worried about it. People will always blindly judge others. And they often dislike what they don't understand."

She wondered briefly about Orcs. She agreed with Björn. She avoided them at all costs. But did that mean she was as guilty as the fishermen? Was she judging an entire race? Surely there were some individuals that were good. It couldn't be that all Orcs were awful. Right?

Ves glanced up to see him smile and smiled in return. "Well, finding company smaller than you must be pretty easy, considering how tall you are," She teased with a chuckle. "And I'm sure they'll have a tavern or an inn where we can stay. It'll be nice to sleep in a bed." 

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John
"If you got anywhere near as dirty as I did in the Pits... Then I'd assume so." *He huffed a bit as he spoke.* "I like being clean... Clean is free."

"I would say the lies about your race do not apply to you. You're one of a kind... I think. I don't know any others." *He made a small laugh before quieting down.*

*He rolled his eye at her tease, a small smile creeping in.* "As long as they're scaled and small, I'll allow it." *He thought of the idea of a Tavern... The roaring fire, idle chatter, drinks, a warm bed with a real pillow...* "I'm hoping and praying for a Tavern." BF:
Christina
"I like being clean also. So I hope the tavern has a bath as well." They would find out soon enough. Ves' sensitive ears caught the familiar sounds of civilization before the town even came into view. Her keen nose caught the scent of frying fish and baked bread and her stomach grumbled hopefully.

The town of Broughton was bigger than Ves was expecting. As the sand gave way to cobblestone streets, the Kobold couldn't help but look around excitedly. There were all sorts of people here. They chattered and shouted in the streets, calling out to one another over this and that. Ves had to dart out of the way as a horse pulling a wagon passed by. A boy wandered along herding a small flock of geese with a long switch. 

Ves marveled at it all. She had seen towns before, of course, but that didn't mean she couldn't find novelty in each of them. She was someone who could find joy at the simplest of things. 

People were looking at them. Ves noticed this as well. But it didn't seem particularly malicious. Most people just seemed curious. A young child pointed before her mother scooped her up and disappeared into the crowd. The Kobold marveled at that as well. What was it like to be held so close by one's mother? She honestly didn't know. Her mother had nearly been a stranger to her. She didn't feel sad about it. Only... Empty.

"Okay!" She said cheerfully as she looked up at Björn. "Time to find us a tavern. Can you read any of the signs? Otherwise we'll have to ask."

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John
*Björn slowly managed to see the town over a large dune. He didn't have time to even put his shoes back on before the town was upon them. His feet felt the familiar cold bumps of stone that he felt in the Pits... It made him uneasy to experience. Market stall criers rang their noise in his ears and the sounds of animals screeching like banshees grated against his soul... He soon learned those noises came from children, not tortured cats.*

*Small whiffs of food could be smelt: fish, bread, cheese and other oddities. Barrels of apples and carts filled with carrots. Colours he didn't know existed like vermillion and mauve and vert blasted his working eye.*

*His face was one of discomfort... Until he recognised the look in their eyes. They may have never seen such a beast as he, the townsfolk who did notice him had a latent expression of fear and anxiety. He didn't realise how much like a brute he must seem to them... Especially with a 'disease carrying Kobold'.*

"I can read some." *He said, quietly... Björn looked at some of the signs, seeing words he didn't understand: Bakery... Barbershop... Kiln... Tavern... Tavern! He had spotted it with a bit of effort.* "Yes. I see it. T-a-vern." *He pointed to the sign and pronounced the syllables for Ves. He hoped by doing so, she would know it in future.*

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Christina
Since the pair appeared to be minding their own business and not going on a spree, the townspeople began to look away. Ves watched them out of the corner of her eye. No one seemed particularly threatening so she glanced at the sign Björn was studying. 

"T-a-vern," She repeated carefully as her eyes traced the letters. She tried to commit it to memory. It would probably be useful to know. "Sounds good! Let's go."

Ves began to walk in the direction the sign was pointing. She grinned a little as she spotted a group of children playing kickball in the street. One kick went wide and landed at her clawed feet. The young ones hesitated, eyeing her suspiciously, before one shouted at her to kick it back. She obliged. Her kick was decent and strong (for someone of her size anyways) and landed in the middle of the circle of children. They let out a small cheer and went back to playing, leaving Ves chuckling.

Her tail flicked in long sweeping movements that seemed to indicate her relaxed state. She was feeling pretty good. So far no one was chasing them out of town with pitchforks and torches. Maybe Broughton wasn't so bad. And she hadn't noticed any Wanted signs either. Hopefully their pursuers would stay in Dasvaz. 

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John
*He gave a small nod of approval and patted her head.* "Good. Commit it to your memory Ves." *He started to follow her before staring at the small orb at her feet. She kicked it and Björn flinched ever so slightly. The small ones seemed to enioy it and made some strange screech of joy that chilled his bones.*

"The small ones are ravenous..." *He muttered to himself as they walked. He was impressed with her kick at least, which showed she was nearly fully healed too. He had noticed her renewed state and seemed to slightly lower his guard.*

*Björn soon had to swoop under some large stakes some men were carrying and was met with some strangely accented remarks about his freakish height in passing. Björn was soon beginning to believe that these towns were not for people like him.*

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Christina
Ves' ears twitched. Had Björn just said... No, if it couldn't be. She had misheard. There was just too much commotion going on to hear clearly. Shrugging, she continued along the path, looking out for any building that might be a tavern.

She was barely limping and didn't seem to notice her leg at all. She was just filled with too much excitement. Her eyes drifted upwards, wanting to share the moment with Björn, and hesitated. He didn't look thrilled or happy. He looked uncomfortable. How had she not noticed?

"Hey... Björn. Are you okay? What's wrong?" Ves paused and reached out to place a concerned hand on his leg. Although she could recognize the look of discomfort in his expression, she didn't yet understand the reason behind it. She looked around, trying to locate the source of the trouble. Had he spotted something she had not? 

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John
*He felt her concerned hand on his leg and huffed, speaking plainly.* "No, no. I am okay. Do not fret for me, Ves. I am just weary. Pardon." *He wished he could hold her hand... But that would not be suitable for this environment. He preferred her comfort, but only when he wasn't surrounded. The noise of the town, the vibrations in the floor, the roars of the crowed... It was just like the Pits, just like the Cells.*

"Let us get inside. I maybe it's quieter inside." *He seemed to pick up the pace as he moved towards the door, slowly bending his back with a bit of pain as he lowered to the door's height.*

"After you." *He gestured to the door as he took one last look at the hellish noise around him. Fleshy little beings surrounded the arena with small items in hand, or food, or clubs. There was no House Seat, no stands and no corpse pit, yet he could smell the societal bloodshed in the air. He felt... A bit uncomfortable with all these people around. Yet he didn't want to let that show.*

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Christina
Ves frowned deeply, her brow furrowing. Her tail twitched in agitation at his dismissal. Something was clearly wrong. Why wouldn't Björn tell her what it was? Her eyes darted about, searching for whatever it could be. Had he spotted a 'wanted' sign somewhere? No, there were none of those around. So what could it be?

She allowed herself to be ushered through the open door of the tavern, still looking worried. Luckily for Björn the inside of the tavern had a tall ceiling, though he still might have to duck on occasion. Ves took a moment to scan her surroundings, always on the lookout for potential danger, even while fretting over a friend. The tavern seemed fairly ordinary, with a bar counter and tables scattered about the room. There was a lit fireplace and a couple of comfy chairs placed around it. It wasn't terribly crowded either, not at this time of day.

"Björn..." She mumbled as she looked back up at him. He seemed so determined to hide whatever bothered him. Was it kinder to press him or let the matter go? Ves bit down on her inner cheek as she considered. Then she led the way away from the door and towards the bar counter, where the barkeep leaned lazily. He was a Shapeshifter with the form of a humanoid mountain lion and he watched them both as they approached.

"Hello. Do you happen to have any rooms available?" She asked as politely as she could. 

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