Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves

[Kiko]

The loud braying of a donkey invaded his space first. The animal made its presence known to just about anyone in vicinity. But, he wasn't the only sound breaking the silence of this late afternoon when sensible people would be heading home. No. There was the jingle of bells, the clamor of excited voices, and several arguments over the size and spacing of tea leaves.

The troupe of gypsies spilled out of the road into the wide meadow beside it, shouting to each other about this thing or that one and quickly forming up pairs to set up tents and a central fire pit.

There was one voice over this chaotic den, one with a very resonant sounding bass note behind it.

"Adamina! Get back here!"

[Dominic]

He'd just been walking along the road, the familiar crunch of hard packed earth beneath his feet, the sound of the occasional passing carriage. Moving from one place to the next, as was his way. The sounds of activity brought a smile to his lips though. People. He loved people. The wierder the better. Orienting on the sound, his staff clacking before him, giving him a clear picture of the road ahead.

Then that voice, the booming basso yell that seemed as much indignation as it was anger. Oh that voice didn't sound too good. He headed that way instead, noting every scent, sound and sensation he could as he ambled toward the burgeoning camp. The smile stayed on his lips but he wasn't exactly sure of the welcome he'd get approaching a travelling caravan.

Getting to a distance he guessed was about right to hail out he shouted "Hey! Can I lend you a hand?" Always better to start friendly-like.

[Kiko]

Of course, that was right about the time he was barreled into by something less than a third his size. He heard and felt the hard slap of what undoubtedly was a body, and a young one at that. The child recovered quickly bounding back up and spinning her head around. Not that he saw any of that, but, he certainly could hear the muffled sound of pain and the scramble in the rocks and dirt of the road. Oh, and the voice, which shouted again.

"Adamina!"

The voice sounded exasperated, completely, and utterly exasperated.

[Dominic]

He was able to keep his feet, just about, jabbing the end of his staff into the ground to support him. His head turned to follow the sounds of pain, track the retreating steps. Taking a deep breath and steadying himself he projects his voice with a warm, resonant tone. It's a little lighter in tone than the hollering man, though just as deep and thrumming.

"Now hold on there young'un" he drawls "Where you dashing off to?" Wheeling around to face the other voice he continues "And what's a guy doing chasing after a kid mm?"

There is no confrontation in his tone, no rebuke in his words, just calm inquisition. He stands there serenely, eyes closed, leaning on his staff. Listening. Waiting.

[Kiko]

The young girl, who had been following the path of blue and green butterfly flickering about the tall weeds at the edge of the road, came to a halt. She ignored her Uncle with all the familiarity of a favored child who knew she'd get her way. But, strangers were always fascinating. She stared at the Dominic her dark brown eyes probably counting every pocket, every hiding place, and every bit of gear he had on down to the last cent.

"Oh. Um... sorry about that... did not mean to smack you."

She glanced around. The butterfly was gone. Her voice changed to disappointed instead of apologetic.

"No where. Now."

Dominic heard a low sigh, too.

[Dominic]

He turned a genuine smile to the girl, letting out a low laugh of amusement.

"No harm no foul little miss." he replied, inclining his head slightly toward the girl by way of deference. Turning his closed-eyed, wide smiled face toward the sigh he continued in the same affable voice.

"Seems the little lady has stopped her wandering. Kids hmm? Incorrigable little mites aren't they?" His tone was light, quietly probing for information on the situation. Grown men chasing small girls. That isn't usually a good thing.

[Kiko]

Dominic was now able to hear the huffing breath of the older man, plus the scuffing sound of his feet hitting the edge of the road. But, if he expected some type of ruckus it did not occur.

The older man's voice was still robust when he spoke.

"Incorrigible is not the word for that one. Just like her mother, god rest her soul. I do apologize. I'm sure she did not mean to run into you. She never pays attention to what is right under her feet."

The young girl had run off again while he'd spoken to Dominic and the other man made a tsking sound in the back of his throat. He'd also took note of Dominic's attire and features.

"Cchs. She won't be back now until dark. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Casamir and that was Adamina as you surely heard. Share our fire stranger? As a way to make up for my niece's horrible manners?"

[Dominic]

He beamed at the older man, glad to have the company. Most people, contrary to the belief of those that spread such tales, are not actually all that bad. Some might try and get an angle on you. Some might try and take what you have. But most are just trying to live life too, at least that was his thinking.

"Much obliged, but just a moment..." he paused and drew in another breath.

"Oh Adamina?! Come back and sit by the fire like a good little lady and maybe the stranger'll have a little something for you." He turned back to Casamir. "Good sir I have always found that women respond well to a man with a gift."

He settled his instrument against his shoulder again, starting toward the feel of heat coming from the fire pit, a subtle warmth on the side of his face from the direction the man had come from.

[Kiko]

Adamina had not gone far. She was hidden though, behind a blackberry bush and currently shoving the berries into her mouth as fast as she could pick them. When Dominic spoke her newly stained fingers stopped stripping off the ripe, or more correctly; overripe berries. She listened in, rather excitedly; especially at the last word the stranger had said.

Gifts? She liked gifts.

She peeked through the bushes to see if Uncle Casamir was still in the road. Adamina frowned. He'd turned away and taken the stranger with him into camp! She stuck her head around the bush. It was no fun if there wasn't anyone to chase her.

[Dominic]

He heard the rustle, very faintly, of the girl peering from the bushes. Perhaps she was simply shifting to run some more or had found some other distraction to lead her from camp. Knowing now that the jovial man with the booming voice, Cassamir, wasn't such a threat he fretted a little about the girl running around in the woods at dusk.

He didn't go into the woods alone, and for good reason. Strange noises, low growls and odd scents he couldn't identify would linger uncomfortably and, as a man with a head full of stories, he couldn't count the number of tales that began with some innocent little thing wandering off between the trees. Time for a little more of the carrot.

"Oh my this pouch upon my belt is so very heavy. I hear that the girls in the travelling caravans have the nimblest, swiftest hands in all the kingdom. I heard they have the spirit of the ancient Gypsy queens in them. I bet that a girl such as that would have no trouble fishing out a necklace from a heavy pouch beloning to a simple blind man by the fire."

Gauntlet thrown. The lute pick on the leather cord in the pouch is of little real value, but it is a small keepsake he'd not mind trading for as precious a commodity as a child's safety.

[silverdust]

There was a further rustling on the other side of the clearing, followed by a small rabbit, clearly running for its life. Following close on its heels is... a girl running on all fours? She gathered herself mid-stride and leapt forward, landing on the rabbit with both hands. She bared her fangs and went to bite down on her prey's neck. Only then did she seem to realise she'd run into a clearing, and that it was occupied. She looked around, grinned, and let the terrified bunny go.

[Kiko]

Adamina took up the challenge of the pouch, naturally. She was way too inquisitive for her own good; as her Uncle had already mentioned. She slunk away from the bush keeping to the shadows and then the taller grass as the men walked toward the camp.

A quick eye might have spotted the swaying grasses, but her footfalls were silent. She had made it almost to Dominic's hip and she was gaging the easiest way to pluck it off him, when a girl running on all fours made her gasp.

She flung her head up to watch. Adamina's mouth hung open in shock when the girl landed on the ground with her hands wrapped around the twitching form of a rabbit. She didn't miss the fangs, either. Neither did Casamir, whose expression was of a man flabbergasted.

Dominic, of course; being blind, couldn't see any of that only hear the gasp and wonder why.

[Dominic]

He heard the soft padding of the pouncing creature, the shriek of the trapped animal, the gasp. Judging from the sounds there was a predator in the midst of the camp, only a springing leap from jucier prey than the hapless woodland creature. Without missing a beat he stood up from beside the fire, wheeling around and brought his staff up to a ready position. Wolf? Mountain lion? Small bear? He didn't know, though he'd heard they all roam these woods.

"HYAH! BACK! GET GONE!" he bellowed at the percieved threat, interposing himself between whatever dire creature intends to attack and where he judged the vulnerable girl to be. He concentrated all his focus into his hearing and touch, waiting for even the smallest clue of an attack. Heart pounding he tenses, knowing that he'll get just one good swing if it leaps. A futile effort maybe, a lion would be using his bones as toothpicks within moments, but at least he'd have been able to buy enough time to rouse the rest of the caravan to...whatever was prowling out there.

[Kiko]

Casamir, meanwhile had managed to recover a modicum of composure, or whatever it was free thinking men did in a moment of absurdity. He reached out to clasp Dominic on the shoulder, while Adamina and the rest of the camp stared at them all.

Of course Adamina would be the one to react the fastest. The girl gave a shout of laughter and then went rushing forward.

"How did you do that! How did you learn to run that fast? Can I run on my hands and legs like that too? Wait! Let me see!"

And she was off scampering around in the grass. She had way too long of legs, though and ended up just capering around like a monkey. Much to the continued amusement of the onlookers. Even Casamir had to choke back a laugh. He sputtered a bit, too, forcing it down to speak to his guest.

"It is alright Dominic. No harm done it seems. Just a... visitor to the meadow."

[silverdust]

The stranger girl with the pointed, furry ears and tail made a low sound that was half amusement and half frustration. She'd gone rambling today, and had been looking forward to that rabbit. Damn snapping twig, that set the flighty little thing off. She made a placating gesture at the tall (well, compared to her most people were tall), imposing one who demanded she back off like some forest beast. Quite obviously she didn't relise he wouldn't be able to see it.

"Many apologies, I did not mean to startle anyone. I was out hunting and went where my quarry went.". She looked of in the direction the rabbit had fled in and softly sighed. She gave a small smile at the young girl running around the clearing trying to imitate her. One small hand was offered to the tall one holding the staff, "Katerina."