Frances
*The cleric's jubilance faded slightly, sitting beside her with a concerned expression. She gave Jace a gentle stroke, leaning in a little closer to get a good look at Juna's face.*
"...When was the last time you had a decent meal...?"
*Cecilia breathed lowly, running a couple fingers across her face and feeling her cheekbones, her eyes focused as she looked for signs of malnutrition.*
Dan
*Jace would lower his head as she'd stroke him, soon heading off under the table to rest at. With the Cleric concerning over her, Juna would tug at her cloak to pull it further over her head.*"I'm... Fine..."*She'd murmur, part of her wanting to move away from Cecilia as she'd run her her fingers along her face. Eventually she'd do just that, cutting her head away just enough to remove itself away from her touch.*"I just thought I'd come here for... Something other than... The animals I always find in the forest..."
Frances
"Mm... Ok... What've you been doing in the forest?"
*She asked softly, resting her hands in her lap; her eyes still on Juna. Worried was an understatement, Cecilia wasn't sure what to do right now... If she let the Canifor slink off, she may not ever see her again.*
"How's the little one? I know you've been taking care of her..."
Dan
*Her ears would flick beneath her cloak at the mention of her bird, for a brief moment gazing around the tavern to make sure no one was paying attention to the two of them. Cecilia was a friend, right? Surely she wouldn't do anything? Reaching for her bag that sat behind her, she would bring it to rest between them and open the top flat only slightly. The small head of the Airstrider would poke out soon followed by its quiet chirps from freedom.*"Juniper, she's... She's doing alright... Just... The forest has been full of people with... Not the best intent with her..."*The Canifor would explain, lowering the flap once more but allowing Juniper to keep her head poking out for the time being.*"I already nearly lost her once to a thief..."
Frances
*From excitement, to awe, to anger. Her face flashed between all these emotions as she stared at the little Juniper, glancing to Juna. Now things made sense... At least to an extent more...*
"That's awful! Who would try to do this..."
*She huffed, pouting with a thunderous expression as she folded her arms.*
Dan
"Some rabbit woman trying to make a quick buck from her..."*The Canifor would explain with a bit of spite on her tongue.*"I didn't want to bring her to the city but... I couldn't just stay in the forest either... She's growing fast, but there are predators out there as much as other people... I just... Don't know what to do..."
Frances
"I... Don't know either. Sorry, Juna..."
*She cooed back sadly, pressing her hands to her chest, clasped together as she prayed silently. Air Striders were, of course, extremely valuable. The notice of one was sure to spread far, and unpleasant people wouldn't think twice about claiming Juniper for themselves. It was to be even more difficult in the future, as the young one grew up...*
Dan
"It's alright..."*She murmured.*"I still have her now and... Hopefully that will never change..."*Juna would finally look back at Cecilia, noting her concern.*"I'm sure we'll be fine-"*She'd add.*"How have you been...?"
Frances
"Oh? Yeah, fine~ Just been travelling a bit, selling my potions~ Still haven't found any centaurs..."
*Cecilia returned, her expression brightening dimly as she forced a smile and a giggle. Juna's plight was beginning to eat at her, the last few weeks feeling like a waste in comparison. What did she have to protect? In comparison, nothing at all. Her shoulders would drop as a flash of sadness crossed her face.*
Dan
"Centaurs...?"*Juna would ask her with a confused look. The Canifor had heard of them before, though never had she really seen one in person. She supposed the same must be for Cecilia, though it left her wondering why she was searching for Centaurs.*
Frances
"Yeah!~ It's a long story, and you might not believe me..."
*She sighed with a small smile her jubilance slowly returning as the topic shifted. While Juna's worries would not leave Cecilia's mind for a while, at least they could have a chat in relative peace for now.*
Dan
*Juna would let out a half hearted laugh, soon trailing away in considering that maybe the lighter topic was a much better thing to discuss.*"Well... If I'm being honest, I missed getting to eat the treats that the city has... The woman in the woods had left a piece of bread behind and... I guess I just remembered the pastries and hoped to try some again..."*It was at least a half truth. She did miss some of the food that the city provided, especially bakeries. However, some places weren't so welcoming to animals at times. She remembered that from Mentia.*