Safe and Sound / Open

Viorel was contentedly sorting through his collection and didn't notice the fur approaching at first. When she spoke it was startling. The scale spun around with a start. He was greeted with the sight of a fur in a colour he had never seen before. It was muted and not nearly as bright as the colours he usually saw. She also had mutations he had never seen before. Her front legs were a different shape and didn't seem to be for walking on. Her thin tail ended in a tuft of fur. Viorel's shock at her arrival quickly turned to fascination with her appearance. He stared for longer than was probably polite, not that he would know or care what was polite.

When he had completed his observation, his thoughts moved to her greeting. He supposed he should say something in return. That seemed to be what she was expecting. However, he hadn't had many interactions with others since his birth. He mostly talked to himself, and his conversation skills mostly came from snippets he overheard on the wind from creatures passing by. He decided the best approach would be to copy the fur's greeting.

"Hello." He greeted quietly, tilting his head as he considered what to say next. From his recollections of previous conversations, he determined names were important. Other creatures liked to use these identifying titles when speaking to each other. "I'm Viorel."

Tags: Ree

Viorel's greeting seemed to work as intended. The strange coloured fur responded in kind, introducing herself as Marie. When she said it was nice to met him Viorel was unsure how to respond. He had never heard such a thing before. Was that a common greeting? He didn't have enough experience with conversations to know. He decided his best bet was to repeat the greeting. "It's nice to meet you, Marie."

The fur then asked if this was his home, commenting on how colourful it was. He glanced around at his collections. He did indeed have a large variety of colour in the various plants that surrounded his little nest of soft grass. Viorel turned back to the fur and nodded. "It is my home." He confirmed. He wasn't sure how to respond to comment about how colourful it was. Colourful and nice she said.

"I collect plants - they come in many colours." He offered as an explanation for his home. Viorel didn't consider that perhaps the fur was trying to compliment him. He didn't see how such a thing could be useful. To him words were for exchanging information - not idle chatter.

In the interest of an even exchange of information, Viorel asked Marie about her own home. "Where is your home?" Perhaps Viorel could get some more information about the world of Vive from Marie. Maybe she had even travelled some of the other terrains Viorel had seen along the perimeter of the tree.

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The scale was quite pleased by Marie's question about his plants. It offered him a chance to share his vast knowledge. He had worked very hard to collect all his plants and figure out what the best use was for each of them. "Not all of these plants are for eating. Some are soft and make good bedding. Some give you an energy boost. A few are just decorative. There are even some plants that will make you sick if you eat them." Viorel explained with confidence. This was something he was very comfortable talking about and it showed in his expressions and voice.

Marie's answer about her home was somewhat disappointing. It seemed she wouldn't be able to provide any information about far away lands. It was intriguing to know that some creatures had formed a group nearby to live in. Viorel didn't think he would enjoy such a living arrangement. He liked having his own space and the privacy it afforded him. So far he hadn't needed help from anyone else and he didn't think he would anytime soon. It was good to know about their presence though - he'd probably steer clear for the most part. He generally preferred to be left alone after all.

"That's an interesting idea - living in a group. What do you all help each other with?" Viorel was curious to find out why these creatures felt the need to live in a group. He personally didn't understand it. Were these creatures so incompetent they couldn't take care of themselves? It wouldn't surprise him. What other reason was there for such a bizarre living arrangement?

Tags: Ree

Viorel considered the question for a moment. Each plant was different. Some their best use was quite obvious and even the most simple minded Vivian could figure it out. Others definitely required some experimentation - and observation. "All plants are different. Some are obviously good or bad. For example you should steer clear of plants that smell bad to you. That's not usually a good sign. Others can be deceiving. There are some very pretty looking flowers that I have watched other creatures eat and immediately get sick. They looked perfectly safe but weren't. You have to be careful." The scale lectured, still happily in his element. He considered himself very knowledgeable and certainly enjoyed sharing said knowledge. Not out of any sense of altruism, but because he liked to seem smarter than anyone else.

He listened carefully to Marie's explanation about her group. It was always good to pay attention when presented with new information. One never knew when it might come in handy in the future. Viorel still didn't see the point of a group living situation, but it would be good to know as much as possible about this group he was sharing the area with. What interested him most about the fur's explanation was the mention of danger. So far Viorel hadn't encountered any dangers near his home, but he really hadn't been around for that long. If there were dangers nearby he definitely wanted to know so he could prepare. "Have you ever encountered anything dangerous in the area?"

Tags: Ree

As he listened to Marie's answer about the possibilities of danger, he began to wonder where the idea of Vive being dangerous came from. He kept hearing from others that he should be careful because it was a dangerous world. First in the tree where he sprouted, and now from this new fur. Yet, he had never encountered any dangers. It seemed neither had Marie. The fact she had not seen her friend again was concerning though. Viorel began to wonder what this unknown danger could be. That everyone spoke of but no one could describe specifically.

"Yes, it's important to be careful." Viorel nodded in agreement. Although he did not know what dangers lay in wait for himself and other Vivians, obviously he could not assume he was safe. "What made you leave your group today?" All the talk of danger made Viorel wonder why Marie would be away from her group when she considered it to offer her safety.

Tags: Ree

Marie's reasoning made sense he supposed. He often went on short excursions to collect samples and gain knowledge. Of course he never strayed too far from home. It was important to him that he kept to an area he felt safe in. He assumed Marie did the same, as she had mentioned her group was located near by. She seemed fairly smart, and he thought that was the smart thing to do after all.

He hadn't considered the possibility that the world may change again. Viorel had noticed the world's change to a warmer climate recently, what other changes could there be in the future? He supposed one never knew exactly what the future held. "That's smart. It's always good to gather as much knowledge as one can." Viorel applauded her. "I have also noticed the changes. What have you seen so far on your excursion?"

Tags: Ree