[PRP] Does The Moonlight Shine on Metal? (Iron x Hang the Moon)

[Lutz]

"Not a burden, I promise," Hang the Moon said kindly. As Iron offered his assistance in hunting and providing she nodded, glad to let him help out. She knew some kin wanted to earn their keep, so to speak. While she'd be happy to bring him back to the main part of the Swamp for 'free', she was just as happy to have him assist in their journey back.

"I'd love to hear about where you're from," she said with a smile. "Especially about any plants there that might not grow here. Some day I'd like to travel to the mountains...maybe you could come with me when I do." If Iron was going to be hanging around her area of the Swamp she was sure he'd be easy to find. Having a guide up in the mountains would be a huge benefit and maybe he could find his family and let them know he was okay, just part of the Swamp now.

"And I can tell you all about the Swamp and what plants to avoid. For the most part everything is safe to eat," she added. "There's just a handful of plants you should stay away from. But they're pretty easy to identify based on color and leaf shape."

[doomsayer]

Iron had not felt this happy about anything in a very long time. He felt like he finally made his first friend here in the swamp and he hoped that, with Hang the Moon's help, he would be able to meet more kind kin that would be willing to be friends with him.

As they traveled deeper into the swamp together, he talked of the plants he found out about as grew up in the mountains; "The plants... that grow from... where I came from.... aren't very colorful. Much like... the kin of that region...the plants adapted... to the harsh conditions and weather. They grow... needle-like leaves with a... thick waxy coating...to be able to retain.... more water for longer. They have... thick bark to.... protect against the harsh... changes in temperature. The trees grow to... be cone-shaped with flexible branches to... help them to cope with... heavy rains and harsh weather."

"The bushes and herbs... are not usually colorful. There are the... occasional yellow or purple blooms,... but most... are green or even brown. The ones... for healing are... usually brown... or have to be... dried out... before they can... be useful."

[Lutz]

Hang the Moon drank in every word that Iron said, making mental notes about how the plants differed in the harsher, colder climate. She was sure she wouldn't be able to cultivate any healing plants here, the soil too wet and the air too humid, but perhaps she could make a little garden of sorts just within the reach of the Obelisk...

"How wonderfully strange," she said as he explained the way the plants grew there, nothing but curiosity and awe in her voice. "Lots of the plants I use for healing are dried as well, but some can be used right out of the ground. I"ll show you when we get back to where I live." It was a week or so journey yet, but she felt like it would go by much faster now that she had a companion that could talk back to her.

"Can you speak to me like you would back home? I'm curious to know how the Totoma in your region communicate."

[doomsayer]

Iron was hesitant to speak to Hang the Moon in the way he did with other Totoma in their part of the mountains. Where he and his family used to live was in the very, very inhospitable crag region, where one could not simply walk a straight line to traverse a distance as there would be a crevice, a dip, a crack, or a wall to scale in order to get where they needed to get. Thus, their method of communication was less reliant on words and more or deep, reverberating humming that can find it's own way out of a deep hole, or loud, high pitched calling (yodeling) that would carry itself across great heights and distances.

Instead of explaining this all to Hang the Moon with his staggered speech and limited vocabulary, he simply opted to demonstrate the sounds to her with a simple preface of "This mean help" or "This mean found food". The sounds that he made didn't translate well to the swamp as mud and trees tend to dissipate and not bounce sound around.

"We no talk lot mountain. Less word, faster action. Less noise alert predator."

He hoped that showing Hang the Moon how he usually spoke didn't make her see him as less.

[Lutz]

Hang the Moon listened with fascination, ears turning to catch the sounds as Iron demonstrated how he spoke back in his former home. He used more sounds than words...though, at the end of the day, weren't words just sounds?

"That is fascinating, Iron," she said, clearly impressed by how he and his family communicated. "It's simple but effective." She hesitated a moment before looking up at the larger Totoma, hopeful tone to her voice.

"Could you teach me? I know it's not the same as the mountains, the trees and foliage really dampen sounds here, but I'd love to learn if you'd be willing to teach me." They had quite a journey ahead of them before they made it back to Hang the Moon's home, it would be a great way to pass the time!

I think we can wrap this with your next post!

[doomsayer]

He hoped Hang the Moon did not notice him blush from her being fascinated by the sounds he made. She made him feel like he wasn't just some outsider who didn't know the ways of the swamp. She interacted with him in a way that he felt like he actually had some unique knowledge or perspective to offer that could be beneficial or at least entertaining to learn. Never had he even considered that their differences in language and upbringing could bring them together. He hoped he could stay with her longer.

Nodding his head vigorously, he responded to Hang the Moon's request with unreserved agreement, "Happy to teach! Maybe others use too. If hear more."

And so they spent the rest of their journey happily learning from each other. Iron trying his best to commit to memory whenever Hang the Moon would stop to talk about plants she finds growing along the way, and Hang the Moon learning to produce the deep and shrill sounds that are the core of communication among the Totoma of the crags.