Grifftober Day 2 - Rift Seeking

Nyah sets down her oversized bag in the snow beside her. The bag looked as if it was taller than herself and bulging at the seams no less. She leans down over the brim to reach for something, digging around for some time while Ficus watched awkwardly, waiting for her to extract herself. Suddenly her long tail twitched, tailtip flicking happily, and Nyah’s front half reappeared from the bag as she pulled out a scuffed brown book triumphantly.

“Aha!” She proclaims, handing the book to the slightly confused (but grateful nevertheless) Ficus.

She dusts herself off before grabbing her bag once again and adjusting its straps slightly.

“Once you are done, you can return it to my guild house… or me, I suppose, whichever is closer!” She says with a laugh and a Herculean shrug that made a suspicious rattling sound come from her bag.

“Now,” she says, glancing around the icy landscape, “does anyone know where a cold Bagbean can get a nice hot cup of cocoa around here?”

Ficus shrugged, already flipping through the pages of the book. Nyah didn’t seem concerned and started off toward town. She seemed unbothered by the situation as she ran her fingers through the snow along the top of a fence, sending it sprinkling down to the ground. Then, shaking off the wet from her now-frigid paw, she glanced around at the nearby buildings, spotting a promising sign with a cute mug-symbol on it. She pushed open the door, which responded with a pleasant ring as she entered. The warm rush of air on her face was a nice addition, and she took the opportunity to smooth down her hair and whiskers before approaching the counter. She noticed the cafe was mostly empty, except for a strange wide-eyed bird-like griffolk that was already at a table enjoying a mug of what smelled like coffee. Nyah returned her attention to the griffolk behind the counter “One tea!” She said cheerfully, reaching for her purse.

Before she could pay, however, a scruffy leed popped out of her pocket. “WA WA WA!” It proclaimed loudly.

Nyah giggled. “And, you wouldn’t happen to have any chronopod treats, would you?”

—

Nyah sat herself down at one of the empty tables, placing her tea down carefully before shedding her bag once again. The leed wobbled precariously on the edge of the table due to the cookie—which was at least equal to its own size in radius—it was holding in its mouth.

“Wuh.” It said, muffled by cookie.

“Mhm.” Nyah replied.

She gave out a relaxed sigh, blowing on her tea gently and watching the steam rise from it as she warmed her hands on the mug. She wondered absentmindedly if all the trials would be like this. As much as she liked relaxing in a cafe, she had hoped to ‘get in on the action’ herself. She had done every trial the Griffia schools had to offer her, collected every treasure listed in the catalogs of Peagarden. Maybe she’d visit Luxor, that had always sounded interesting and mysterious. Then again, she had always enjoyed more hands-on learning. Just as she was considering an excursion to search for the great Mothership of legend the jingle of the door startled her out of her thoughts. Ficus entered, dripping with shimmering black liquid, and a serious look plastered over his face. He dropped the book on Nyahs table without a word.

“Oh… that was fast!” Nyah says cheerfully, grinning in stark contrast to Ficus’ serious look.

“Of course.” He replies, “Thank you for your assistance, but as you know I have other matters to attend to, and am needed back in Capria urgently. Goodbye for now, little sprout.”

The bell of the door rung one last time as the mysterious griffolk exited the cafe.

“Wa Wa.” The scruffy chronopod stated matter-o-factly.

“Yeah…” Nyah replies longingly.

Nyah sipped her tea slowly, and noticed the wide-eyed griffolk from before also had received a book from Ficus.

“A fellow rift-seeker.” She thought to herself excitedly, waving a little.

The wide-eyed griffolk stared at her with its wide eyes. Nyah seemed to take this well, and went back to drinking her tea.

When she had finished, she waited patiently for the scruffy leed to finish its cookie (which it had stubbornly refused to share with her). Covered in crumbs and letting out a sleepy “waaaaa” the leed finally finished its snack, and Nyah returned it to her pocket gently.

“Alright, time to go!” She announces to no one in particular.

Nyah grabs the returned book, which she places back in her bag before hefting it onto her back once again. She makes her way to the door, mumbling to herself.

“I wonder where we are going to go next!”