Dal'tek stood by quietly, watching the interactions between his people and the outlanders with a keen, curious eye. This sort of visit was unheard of in this generation. Yes, a single elf or human passing through was one thing - but an entire group, mixed like this? He would have to consult the elders to find out when the last time was that such a thing occurred. Thinking of the outsiders naturally made his mind wander for a moment to Kali, the elf-woman who he had become very close to. For a moment, he wondered where she was and how she was doing, praying to the Mother that she was safe. His smile only widened when he thought of her, but quickly his thoughts and focus returned to those around him.<br/><br/>One by one, each of the outlanders chose where they would go. By listening, Dal'tek learned more and more about them, whether it was something as simple as their names, or something deeper, such as the ramen's desire for solitude. The shaman allowed his people to speak to and guide them all, keeping to himself for the time being as Darion was led away by three of Dal'tek's kin, intent on taking him to the baths as requested. Foran departed on his own, seeking solitude, and Dal'tek could only imagine what sort of darkness clouded the ramen's mind to cause him to be so reclusive. The fox-man, or vulpari as they were called, was escorted away by some of his pink kin. The pink-flamingo strain of his people were always the most curious, and that made Dal'tek chuckle softly - a deep, gently rumbling chortling noise that was only audible to those standing near him. The fox-man was in for a treat, for certain.<br/><br/>Dal'tek also turned his head to see what Dawn's preference would be, the other human woman who seemed to have an affinity for nature as well. She had preferred to walk -up- the tree, even as some of his curious kin circled the tree around her position as she traveled, calling out to her in their curiosity, watching over her lest she fall. But she had not, reaching the top in due time as if she had simply gone for a stroll along the ground like any other creature. Dawn decided she wanted food, and moved to head in the direction indicated in order to find sustenance. When Verita, standing next to him, inquired about the food, he nodded to her, placed a hand gently on her back hoping she would not take offense, and urged her to walk with him. They might as well follow Dawn, as she was seeking the same thing.<br/><br/>"I only meant that the food here might be... different than what you might be used to where you are from. You shall have to tell me if it is the same or different. We eat fruits from the various trees in the surrounding wood. There are also vegetables that grow closer to the ground that we collect as well, as some of our people prefer those, or a mix of fruits and vegetables for their meals. As you can also gather, there is ample abundance of green, leafy plants that are not only edible, but quite delicious. And of course, there are roots," he said. "Those require some work, of course, as they require finding and digging, but they also provide some of the more delicious staples of our diet. In fact, it is quite a fun game that is sometimes played by our young - they race from the landing here, down to the ground, locate and dig-up a certain number of roots, then race back to the top. The first one to finish wins, and the loser is usually the one that has to clean and prepare the roots," he said with a smile. "I used to be quite good at that, myself, winning more often than not," he grinned, puffing out his chest a little. "I can only hope that you and your friends will find our selection of foods acceptable. There is much to try, and it is my hope that each of you will find something you like. I would very much like for each of you to enjoy your visit here."<br/><br/>A few anxious calls and cries from younger aviari stole Dal'tek's attention for a moment, as he turned his gaze to the side to see three young approaching, towing or otherwise herding a tall elf woman in their direction. Dal'tek's amber eyes lit-up and a smile spread quickly across his face.<br/><br/>"<i>Ula gonn shazii,</i>Kali!" (*) he exclaimed, and with a few quick, long strides he came face to face with the elf woman - an elf who was not part of the group - and tilted his head forward, pressing it gently against her own as she did likewise to meet his. Still smiling widely, he closed his eyes as their foreheads touched for a long gentle moment, and then just as quickly he backed away a step, giving her space, his eyes opening to regard her again. "Kali, it is so nice to see you! And on such a day when we have visitors!" he said, turning to indicate Verita, and also Dawn who was almost out of sight. "They and several others have come to the forest, and the Mother asked that I watch over them as their way was clouded. They have just arrived, and I would assume that you would like to meet them?" he asked, raising one of his hands up to lightly stroke Kali's hair for just a moment before catching himself doing it, quickly moving his hand back down to his side.<br/><br/>"This is Verita," he said, pronouncing the human's name with a slightly accented tone. "And that one over there is Dawn," he said, motioning towards Dawn's location. "We also have others, including a fox-man.... or, Vulpari! And there is another woman who looks like you in some ways, but then in some ways does not. And another human - a man in fact and a  brave warrior! And a ramen who has sought solitude for now, though I assume he will grow hungry at some point." It was clear that Dal'tek, much like his kin, was very excited by the arrival of the visitors, and Kali herself would know that such a thing was incredibly rare indeed.<br/><br/>"Would you come eat with us? Dawn and Verita seek food, while the others are tending to baths or their own solitude. Would you come with us, Kali? I would love to hear tales of your latest journey, and perhaps learn about the journeys of Verita and her friends, as well!"<br/><br/>----------------<br/><br/>(*) - 'You have returned/You have come back'<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>