[PRP] A Bite To Eat (As Here I Fell + Crawley)

[Baneful]

Crawly always tried really hard to live each day to the fullest. He was an Acha with many plates to spin and not enough time to keep them all from breaking. At least he was never bored.

In terms of his social life Crawly didn't have a tribe or even a particular group of kin that he ran with day to day, he kept his social circle mostly to himself and Ash. It certainly wasn't that he didn't have people who (quite badly) wanted to talk to him, he just didn't want to talk to them. In all actuality, he spent quite a lot of his time avoiding a group of unpleasant kin he technically still worked with.

That particular day he'd just gotten done visiting one of the groups he stopped by at, he'd done a pretty impressive deal where he'd passed off some really pretty rocks for some honest to goodness fish, fancy ones even. He had them wrapped in a big leaf and carried proudly in his mouth.

"'ate 'ill 'oo 'ee 'at 'I've 'ot" he sung at Ash through his mouthful of bounty. "'oo 'are 'unna 'ike 'it"

[Toshiful]

Ash also spent a lot of time avoiding meaningful interaction. It wasn't malicious. Many kimeti, he was sure, were entirely lovely, but he preferred to perform a few good deeds and make things a little brighter and more comfortable for his fellow swamp denizens with the knowledge that he himself had a comfortable and quiet place to retire to, a perfectly reasonable little patch of out of the way land he had stuffed with artisanal knick knacks and that encompassed all the parts of the swamp he liked best.

Matters with Crawly were entirely more complicated. As much as he was dedicated to helping others, Crawly was just as dedicated to the opposite. They had grown up in the desert, under two opposing tribes with very different philosophies, and when they'd first arrived at the swamp it was with the intention that they would be ambassadors on behalf of their respective tribes, and keep the other tribe's ambassador from succeeding in their own goals. However, it quickly became apparent he couldn't go back to the desert, and other ambassadors were less keen to join him, so they relied on Ash for updates and progress and the like. At first, he had been very keen, but after a while his original tribe had seemed far away, and some of their goals not quite in touch with some of the things he faced, and it was difficult to do all he was asked without any help.

The only one who truly could either understand his position or help him was the acha he was supposed to be opposing.

He knew he was the enemy, he did. Obviously, he was. But since they were both stuck, and they both needed to make reports, and it wasn't likely their tribe members would set hoof in the swamp, Crawly had suggested it might be better if instead of sabotaging each other they might do a little cooperating, which included the occasional exchange of favors. Working covertly together, as it turned out, involved occasional other things together, like sharing a walk, or a meal, or a conversation, and Ash found that his longtime and hereditary enemy was a perfectly pleasant companion in all these pursuits.

"I'm sure I won't like any of your nefarious plots," Ash said affably. His nose caught some of what Crawly was carrying in his mouth. "Is that fresh fish?"

[Baneful]

The fish had come from completely legitimate means, at least if by completely legitimate one meant that it had been legitimately stolen from the same kin that he was supposed to be working with. That wasn't really stealing, it was more like.. payment. For all his hard work. Crawly had come from the desert mostly alone, but did have a few other individuals who periodically checked in with him that everything was going well. They usually brought rare and exotic snacks and guzzled them without even the slightest regard for their taste. They could get more food anywhere. Ash liked snacks and therefore it only made sense that they shared it with him.

Crawly didn't worry too much about anything, cruising through life with an ease that was almost magnetic.

He put the fish down in front of Ash. "I'm sure you won't." he said. "But you could foil this particular nefarious scheme by retreiving this delicious and very fresh fish from the jaws of those who would use it to fuel their evil intentions."

Sliding it towards him with a hoof, he grinned. "It certainly wasn't a gift, because that would be violating the terms of engagement wouldn't it?"

[Toshiful]

"Well," Ash said, blushing and a little flustered by this invocation of terms. "Surely supper isn't bad. Sharing is good, in fact. Oh, it smells wonderful, Crawly."

He couldn't help bending to take in the fresh and delicate and complex aroma.

"It really is so hard to get this kind. You'll join me, won't you? I mean, there's more than enough for two."

[Baneful]

"Well, maybe a nibble." Crawly said, inclining his head a little. He didn't eat very much, not actually taking very much pleasure out of it. He would rather sit and watch Ash eat than eat himself. It wasn't a very good trait all told. The group he was supposed to be working with felt very strongly about excesses and indulging in them. He just didn't feel too great about it.

This was better than indulgence, seeing the way that Ash looked at the fish was a pleasure all its own.

"Do you have a preparation in mind for it?" There were always interesting herbs to be found in the swamp and curious things to do with them and sometimes Ash had them handy somewhere.

[Toshiful]

"Oh, I did have some things tucked away. And a bit of fermented fruit drink I'd been saving for a special occasion- I haven't tried it yet, but I think you'll like it."

Ash bundled up the fish and leaves neatly, heading towards his croft. Crawly, of course, knew where it was because he'd helped him put it together and had altogether been very supportive through the process, and had found the most wonderful clutch of roe that they'd shared with a side of roasted and de-gilled mushroom caps. He could remember it very warmly and distinctly.

"It's a shame we don't have anything to celebrate," Ash said, although of course he could always appreciate the merits of a rare and delicious meal.

[Baneful]

"Fermented? Oh you sneaky devil you." said Crawly, smiling. "And I bet I will, I've heard about how good that tastes."

He followed along behind Ash, his tail swishing behind his angular hooves.

"How about we just celebrate our good luck in coming into possession of some fresh fish and no one getting hurt. Or well, neither of us getting hurt anyway."