[ORP The Canopy] Grand feast [open!]

[Beejoux]

The kiss to her have made her grin in return, and the feathered tip of her tail flicked at her ankles at an excited pace. "You better," she teased, pulling at his hard to draw him up and in closer before letting go so she could slip that arm over his shoulder. "You did promise."

Her other have was still preoccupied with her drink, and she lifted it between them to offer him a drink. "I was thinking maybe a drinking contest, what do you think?"

[Prolixity]

"I did," he agreed, laughing, and accepted the drink cheerfully. His tail flicked against hers, teasing. "I shouldn't occupy you all night. This is your party. But I do claim some time," he grinned.

His pointed ears flicked at the suggestion. "That sounds like fun. What prize does the winner get?"

[Illusei]

Even as she twirled and swayed, Misted Lake kept a observant gaze about her. The party was filling up. An individual dressed in gorgeous drapes of color waved - the host, Misted Lake guessed, from the way she carried herself and the bright greeting she called out. Misted Lake gave her a small wave to her in return, her hands and body busy in dance. She noticed as the individual sidled up to a mysterious kin on the dance floor. She smiled as she watched in between dancing. She loves a fun flirtation. Good for them.

Perhaps she wasn't being observant enough however, as she almost toppled over when another kin came barrelling towards her. Not again, she thought. But she liked the kin's enthusiam.

"Alright, then show us." She said, inviting the new kin to the center of the dancefloor.

[Beejoux]

"You could, though," she countered, dragging her cheek along the edge of his jaw, cat like and claiming. They shared well enough, it was pretty of what made them work so well, but she still wanted it known that she's picked him. No matter how far her adventurous spirit took her, she always returned to him.

Once he'd taken the cup she lay her other hand on his shoulder, falling into an easy rhythm with him, swaying to the percussive beat. "That's a good question. What do you think the prize should be?" An almost impish smile pulled at her lips. "What would you want for a prize?"

[Astoria]

Koku watched as the others seemingly initial annoyance faded away and cracked a joke, she assumed. "I suppose that is true. Chaos and Parties go hand and hand do they not?" Realizing she probably wasn't going to get to eat the rest of what she had selected she set the plate down in the middle of one of the tables and turned back to see that a hand had been extended in greeting.

"Hello, Dew, I'm Kokuryu, but most just call me Koku.." Uncertain of how keen her dance skills were she sorta stood there, almost awkwardly. She just needed to relax and loosen up, couldn't hurt right? Another figure approached at the statement of dance skills and found herself smiling at the "entrance" they made.

"I don't have particularly good skills, so I'd love to see what you're both capable of.." It would at least give her a moment to not feel on the spot.

[Aria Starstone]

He grinned at the response he had received, lifted his cup in turn, then refocused entirely on his current companion, beyond half watching the action, and smiling at passersby... He would be more than happy to encourage more companions to join them. He loved socializing with friends and strangers, and hopefully turning some of those strangers into more friends, too. His raspberry toned eyes glittered with delight at all of this activity. It was everything he could want, honestly, and it was looking to be a grand and wonderful evening.

"Feronia..." He said the name almost like he was exploring how it felt on his tongue... He loved the way new combinations of sounds made him think, how each felt a little different to say, and it never occurred to him that it might sound a little strange, the way he did that. It was, indeed, entirely innocent. "A pleasure, Feronia. And of course! This is a party, at the Lodge, so it is definitely the kind of event in which I would hope our fellows would be welcoming of strangers. What, after all, are events like this for but to mingle, make new friends and reconnect with old? Just doing the second would be possible, I suppose, but boring... A good way to get stuck in a rut, and not know what to do if none of those you know are present."

He glanced at the groups so far. "Besides, it's early yet, people haven't had much to drink to loosen them up, not everyone is here I would bet... There'll be lots more chances to make friends. You might get bored with me, and find someone more exciting. That said... Why not tell me about yourself? Best way to not be a stranger is to learn about one another, after all. And feel free to ask me questions, I'm generally an open book."

[Prolixity]

Iyat chuckled to Merry's assertion; if she wanted him to stay near her, he would. He kissed her temple, smiling a smile that was briefly soft and fond.

He swayed with her, thinking over the question of what he'd want for a prize. His eyes glinted with unhidden amusement. "Something good to eat," he suggested. "A special dessert, or a bottle of good wine ... perhaps to be saved for later," he added with a laugh.

[Lutz]

Feronia nodded in agreement with Uri, finding that gatherings like these were a bit more fun - if a bit more scary - when you interacted with others that you didn't know. She'd made quite a few friends in her travels but the Swamp was a big place and her path didn't cross everyone's. Parties like this drew others together that might not normally see each other in their daily lives. Not long ago parties like this had been intimidating for her, but it was at one such gathering that she had found her inner courage and let go of the worries and insecurities that plagued her. Now she attended them with an open heart and an eagerness to meet others.

"Oh, well..." About her? She sipped her drink to buy some time, trying to think of what might be an interesting fact to share.

"I enjoy traveling and learning different healing techniques," she settled on, resting her glass against her thigh as she spoke. "In fact, I've found myself becoming a bit nocturnal because of it. Lots of healing plants bloom under the light of the moon and hide away during the day so it's been easier to study and practice at night. Never thought I'd change my sleep schedule to accommodate it," she said with a little laugh. "I still have days where I'm out and about during the sunlight hours but the heat this time of year is a bit intolerable at times. Perhaps as the winter returns I'll try to soak in more sun." She offered the colorful man a smile before continuing.

"What about you?"

[Aria Starstone]

The way she started, it seemed almost hesitant at first. Uri tilted his head, expression relaxed but encouraging, hoping she would feel comfortable with speaking in her own time... And when she did, his smile grew warmer, and he shifted into a position to try to look as attentive as possible. He had no desire to make Feronia feel her words were a waste of time, or that he had asked to be polite, oh no. That would never do. He was here to meet and learn, chat and explore who was around in this lovely world.

"Mmmm healing knowledge is important. I am glad to know there are those who are studying it, and perhaps someday we can have people working together to bring that knowledge into a... A shared format, making sure it is not lost, and future generations can more easily learn it." He nodded, serious for a moment. He had no idea how one might do that... Here, perhaps, where they had hands, they could make pictures more easily to indicate what plants did what, but back home? Who knew...

"And it IS getting into the season of oppressive hotness, isn't it? Miserable. I like to find cool caves to hide in, where I can. Being more nocturnal surely helps, though, since it cools off more during the darker hours... As for me..."

He paused, his fingers coming up to his chin, brushing along his lip in a thoughtful gesture. "I explore, I travel, I meet people. I tend not to stay in one place for overly long, as I tend to get antsy, want to find something new that I had not yet seen or experienced, meet new folk. I do return to visit friends, of course, but... I do not do well being tied in one place. Perhaps it's a flaw, but I see it as what defines me, in many ways."

[Lutz]

Uri's words had Feronia smiling again. It was nice to hear that healers were appreciated not only when they were needed, but in looking forward to the future as well. Of course someone who was injured or ill would sing the praises of anyone who helped them but it was a bit more rare to find someone who understood the value in those who dedicated their lives to figuring out what plants were beneficial and the best ways to use them.

"It's certainly hard to share knowledge when it can only travel as far as I can," she agreed. She hadn't even attempted to travel to the other areas in Matope where other species and different types of plants grew. There were other worlds of healing that she had yet to tap into that she was eager to see and learn. But the Ache made it difficult to go for long and she didn't want those who were free of its burden to become affected by it.

She listened as Uri spoke of himself. It seemed that they were similar in that travel and meeting new people were things that they enjoyed doing, though Uri seemed to like the social aspect of it. Feronia didn't mind that - she enjoyed making new friends as much as the next person - but it was the knowledge she sought.

"I've met a few with the wanderlust you're describing," she said with a little laugh. "It must be so fun to see new places. Have you traveled outside the Swamp at all?" Perhaps he could give her some pointers if he had!

[Aria Starstone]

He nodded a little, at her comment about how far one could travel. It was a problem for some, for many, at this point. He was never sure what to do about the Ache, though he sometimes wondered about the inhabitants of the caves below... Did they get away without it, because they lived in caves connected to the Swamp? Or did they get trapped in the parts under the swamp, the moment they entered that zone? Or... It was all speculative, and useless. He considered her words, then made a hmmm sound.

"I have wondered, at times, if there was a way to set up trading posts... Just beyond the edge of the swamp, were those of us who are affected by the Ache can travel for a VERY short period, trade, then scurry back... To get what we need, and to share knowledge, perhaps." He sighed a little, tossing his head back for a moment as a lock of his hair covered his eyes for a moment. "But I have no idea if that would work... I don't really understand where is 'safe' for those who are outside to travel to without becoming entrapped like the rest of us."

Her question about traveling outside of the Swamp was met with a rueful smile. "I have, before I came to the Swamp. I was born in the Desert, and indulged in traveling around there, and out to the edges of the plains and even to the base of the Mountains... Never into the caves, though, and never up further, it was far too cold for my Desert born body." He sighed a little, and then shrugged. "And then I came to the Swamp, and like the rest, now it is my home. It is a large home, and I plan to explore it as much as I can, as safely as I can, for the rest of my days, but... Unless some magic changes my life, I will never leave the Swamp again, save for these... Wonderful places." He gestured around at the world they were visiting.

[Lutz]

"Hm...that could be interesting," Feronia agreed. It would make things much simpler for those bound to the Swamp to experience the other areas, at least slightly. "Perhaps we could start a trend," she added with a little smile. "Often times all it takes is one person to try something new before it catches like wild fire." She would love to learn from those in more distant regions as well as share what she knew with others in return. Of course the different biomes had different climates and she doubted some of her plants would flourish in a place like the desert with the heat or the mountains with the snow. But perhaps there was a way to make her plants portable...hm.

"Now you've got me thinking, Uri," she said with a delighted tone to her voice before taking a sip of her drink. "Perhaps those like us could perform tests, so to speak. Find the edge of where we feel the Ache and just assume that is the line. Then make it a safe distance from that spot." Surely the posts would have to be somewhere outside of the Swamp to ensure those that didn't wish to call the Swamp their home wouldn't be forced into working around the Ache, but close enough that those that did bear it could come and go easily. It was something she'd have to try when she returned to her normal form.

"I was hatched on the border of the plains and the Swamp," she said, sharing her own story with Uri. "I was found by a kimeti who saved me from exposure or predators, so I went with him. The Swamp has been my home my whole life." Though she was a kiokote, she'd never known the plains though she didn't feel as if she was missing anything. Then again, if she'd never gone she couldn't know what she wasn't experiencing.

[Beejoux]

She could be social with him near, preform whatever duties she'd need to as a host. Merry hummed softly as he kissed her temple, then grinned at his answers. Expecting, perhaps, something a little less tame, but they were good suggestions. "We've lots of wines, I think that'd work nicely.

Tail still curled around him, she drew reluctantly from his arms to walk back towards the refreshment table, looking over what was still available, or what she'd need to have restocked.

[Beejoux]

It seemed they had plenty of heady brews and juices still on hand, so Merry set to work arranging mugs in neat rows, then pouring an equal measure of varying beverage in each.

"Alright everyone! We're going to play a little game!" Grinning brightly, she turned again to face the room at large, tail falling away from Iyat to flick excitedly at her ankles.

"I've got a bottle of good wine to the person that can drain their five mugs the fastest!" It was a fairly simple game, but Safe thought it'd be fun, all the same.

Each of the rows had five mugs, and each mug held a different drink, ranging from sweet and fruity, to dry, to bubbling and botanical. She gestured at the table, grinning brightly. "Who's brave enough to give it a shot?"

A simple dice game, each person will roll 5d10, each number will relate to how quickly they manage to finish each of the mugs, but be warned, the drinks are strong!

The lower over all total, the better!

50-40: You took your time, savoring the taste and letting the buzz come on slowly.
30-20: Not the fastest, but enthusiast and eager. You'll definitely be feeling that fairly quickly.
20-10: You're really going for it, aren't you? Careful, it's going to hit you hard and fast.
10-1: Did you swallow it or just pour it down your throat? Either way, that was really fast. Walking might be a bit of a challenge for a bit.

(This game is just for funsies, and you're free to have your character get as inebriated as you're comfortable with.)

[CelestialRequiem]

Now things were getting interesting! Shiny's interest was immediately piqued at the mention of a drinking game and she called out loudly in response to Merry's question, "Count me in! I'll play!" Quickly, she downed what was left of the drink she currently had and sauntered over to the table that had been set up, still swaying along to the music.

Pre-gaming might have put her at a slight disadvantage, but Shiny wasn't the slightest bit concerned. After all, she'd been the one running drinking games throughout the winter market and while she hadn't been participating to win, she'd definitely still participated. Sitting down in front of a row of mugs, Shiny peered into the first one and clapped her hands together. "Alright, what's up first?"

Unfortunately, what was up first was something not at all to her taste and even attempting to chug it was a struggle. The next drink went down easily, but the subsequent drinks not so much. By the time she'd gotten to the last drink her face was quite flushed and what was supposed to be an indoor voice was more like an outdoor voice. "Woops! I.....might have overestimated myself, hahah!" Maybe this new body needed to build up a tolerance, or maybe the drinks were a lot stronger here. Or maybe she was just more of a lightweight than she thought. Regardless, she finished off the last drink eventually and shoved the empty mug away from her across the table.

"Done!!" The wide grin she wore seemed to suggest that, in spite of the less than stellar performance, Shiny was quite pleased.