((continued from here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=825&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=25 - cart))



Calli walked swiftly, trying desperately not to tug at Eri as they walked towards the Red Crow camp. The trip was heart-wrending for Calli. She knew that people had died, they always did in riots, but she wasn't sure who. She saw some kints that she recognised and closed the distance as quickly as propriety would allow.

"Junta!" She yelled, dropping her hand. "Junta! Is anyone in?"

Eriyenna followed along, mostly doing her best to just be a supportive presence. She had no idea what to expect, but wanted to make sure that Calli didn't feel alone should something sad have happened. Then again, the purple-haired witch was too much of an optimist to even dwell on such things, so she hoped she could really just be there to be glad with Calli once she found out her friends and family were safe.

From one of the kints, a garish blue one, a head popped out of an open door. It was a very pink head, with very long dredlocked hair. The head was followed by a body, which turned out to be a woman. Jumping down onto the ground, she nodded to them. The witch looked about nineteenish, with a tall wirey frame and bluish eyes. She had piercings in her lip and nose, ears and who-knew-where else. She wore long black pants and a vest, laced tight at the front. Her lanky arms were well decorated in tattoos and she walked barefoot.

"Hesta chip, whats the problem?" She asked cautiously, wrapping her pink dreds up into a high sort of bun on her head.

Calli ran forward a little, dragging Eri with her, her feet making a soft "pat pat pat" sound as they hit the ground.

"Junta!" She said, not recognising the woman in front of her, though their paths had probably crossed before. "My name is Calliope Bard, I'm the daughter of Ouranos and Gea Bard. I've been travelling away from the Crows for a while and I just heard... Could you tell me what happened?"

Her lower lip trembled slightly.

Eri allowed herself to be dragged along behind a concerned Calli. She smiled gently at the woman, not embarrassed so much as caught up in her current role as emotional support. The purple-haired witch let herself glance up at the woman's wonderful pink hair. She'd never really considered that color before, but it sure did look nice. Still, Eri was pretty committed to purple for now.

The wick stood with hands on hips and looked between Calli and Eri.

"Ye mean the riot chip? It was exactly that, a mant fight. Started with those mungo Yellow Eyes I heard. Then the jent got caught up. And then some moony golly was shootin' clocking fire into the crowd. I got my daoa and my boch out as soon as I could. But it weren't enough." She looked distant for a moment.

"I was runnin' to some doctor's place people were going to. And then I saw a huge fireball in the sky. Lot's of people got hurt there chip. Lots died too." Her eyes returned to them.

"That enough for you?"

Calli recoiled slightly, moving closer to Eriyenna, seeking comfort from the other witch. She wasn't used to hostility, particularly, and didn't know what to do with it.

"Is... Is there a list of who d-died." She asked, eyes watery and confused, she was sure something bad had happened to this woman but she didn't know how to ask. "Was there a wake or c-can I go? I think I have f-family here."

For the first time in a long time, Calli felt disconnected from her people. Normally they were like a silent cloak that she always wore, so they were always with her. Right now she just really wanted her Daoa and her Da to come take care of her.

The woman stood silently for a moment, thinking it seemed. Finally she waved a hand and grunted.

"There's probably something. Get it together chip. You don't see me blubbering like a boch." With that she went back into the kint. There was a quit commotion inside, a squabble, then another woman came out. She was older than the first, with a friendly, but sad face. Wearing a dark blue dress and apron, her brown eyes smiled at Calli. She came over and rubbed her arm.

"Hesta roshes. You have to excuse Keiyra. Her daughter was burned in the riot." The woman swallowed hard.

"Lillah didn't survive her burns, and its been strange without her little smile around here. Children should not be hurt like that." Smiling again, she nodded to Eriyenna.

"My name is Delphis, I am Keiyra's mother. Are you looking for someone in particular darling?"

Calli reddened, still feeling quite small and unsure of herself.

"Junta, I'm very sorry about that happening to your grandaughter." She didn't know what else to say. "I-I'm afraid I don't know, I've been away a while, so I don't know who went where... My name is Calliope Bard, do you know if any of my kin are in camp?"

Children shouldn't be hurt like that. Calli wasn't sure how to feel. Who would let such a thing happen?

Eriyenna let her mouth drop open a little at Keiyra's harshness, reaching to wrap an arm around Calli to comfort the both of them. She'd heard bits and pieces, but only in passing. Hearing the truth was shocking, and it made the purple-haired witch's heart sink in sadness. She'd grown up very far away from these things and could not entirely wrap her mind around why anyone would desire such violence.

The musician was very thankful for the older witch's appearance. She managed to close her mouth and produce a thin smile for Delphis, but she still couldn't find any words. She blinked and thought of a song or two, but was a little too intimidated to speak up.

Looking from Calli back to the other woman, "I'm so sorry for your loss." She mumbled, still processing that people would actually do this to each other, regardless of their race.

The older woman nodded gratefully with a smile. She knew it was an awkward subject and tried not to talk about it.



Delphis looked thoughtful, repeating Calli's last name to herself a few times. Finally, she walked back to the kint and stuck her head in. The two girls could see she was speaking to Keirya. She withdrew and came back with a smile.

"There is a Bard closer to the river. All set up down there with a lot of animals apparently. Nice looking kenser too, sweet thing. It likes treats." The woman smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry I can't be more help."

Eriyenna gave Calli's hand as cheerful a squeeze as she could muster, looking at her warmly, "Sounds like it's a good place to look next ... right?" The purple-haired musician realized she had never really asked the younger witch about her family, but by the sound of things "a Bard" was a few short of the number she may have been expecting to hear.


----




Calli nodded to Eri, feeling like an orange being squeezed, she'd never experienced something this serious before. She looked up at Delphis.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." She bowed politely. "Is there going to be a memorial? I'd like to go, to show my... support."

It took her a moment to think of the right word. When she was stressed she often found herself losing words. It made it even more difficult than it usually was to not say the wrong thing.


-----




Delphis sort of nodded, almost like she wasn't sure.

"There is going to be a Fotamos ceremony at the Festival. They will be building tributes, lighting them and sending them out on the water at dusk." She looked distant and fell silent for a moment or so. Shaking herself, she looked at Calli.

"Bethas 20th, a month from the day of the Riot."


----


Eri found herself thinking of a song or two, the imagery of little flaming tributes washing away into the darkness stirring and inspiring at the same time. With a sigh, she managed to put those thoughts away for another, more appropriate time. Nodding at Delphis, she spoke more to Calli than the older woman, "We'll be there for that, I'm sure."

The musician gave the younger witch's hand another squeeze, letting her know that she was at her disposal whenever she was ready to continue her search.


-----




Calli dipped her head, feeling comfort in the other witch's presence.

"I'll light a candle for you, mujo ma." She turned away and headed down towards the river.

"That would be my aunt, Diana, she's good with animals. She lives on her own, I don't think anyone else I know is there." She said, still sounding disheartened though a little more replenished than before. "I'm really glad you're here, Eri."

She smiled, dimples showing for a moment before disappearing.

((Just so we don't have to assume anything about rping relatives and because the thread is old my game-date standards, do you want to fade out on seeing the aunt?))

"I'm glad I came. Sad or not, it's good to know what really happened." The purple-haired musician gave Calli's hand another warm squeeze, venturing a smile, "Let's go meet your aunt. She might know where the rest of your family is."
Eriyenna looked forward to lots of animals; she also hoped that Diana had nothing but good news.