[Bonfire PRP] Sticks and Stones [Fair Gecko][Fin]

[Scaramouche Fandango]

After their encounter with the caimans (seriously, why did everything seem to want to eat Gecko?), Fair Hunter was feeling somewhat strange about any further adventures. She decided that if they were going to foray out again, they'd be doing something safer. Something gentler. Something more Gecko's speed. Picking up wood for the fire seemed safe enough!

Fair Hunter found a nice-sized log. It wasn't too big- she could carry it easily enough without help. Hoisting it onto her shoulders to avoid her backfin, she turned to see what Gecko had found.
 

[So Long Gay Bowser]

"Yaaaaaay, sticks sticks sticks! It's like fetch! Only it's me!" Gecko giggled, trailing delightedly after Fair Hunter. She didn't know why her friend was so upset- it wasn't even that super scary! There was still a spring in her step as they took off to hunt for wood for the bonfire. Gecko hummed a giddy tune to herself, and Peep trailed after, petering the tune after her.

Squish

"Ah- ewww! These sticks are super icky gross. I don't like it at all." She gagged, hopping off of the sticks and shaking her hooves. Her tongue lolled out. Nasty nasty nasty! No way!

"These will never ever work for a fire! What did you find, friendo?"  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Fair Hunter grimaced at the wet wood. "Blech, these are still wet, too. Let's go over there," she said, angling her head and neck. "Maybe it's drier." As they walked, she thought about what she should say. Gecko was bouncing along like nothing had happened- should she even talk about it? No, she definitely should, this was too much for her to handle without voicing it. "Gecko... back at the waterfront. What... what was that? When did you learn how to do that?"
 

[So Long Gay Bowser]

"Huh huhwha?" Gecko blinked, several times. The same typical, vacant expression stayed on her face, and she cocked her head to the side. What had happened? The caiman, and... oh yeah. Fair Hunter did not know about that.

"I. Um. That caiman was looking very not nice? So I did not let it hurt you! Or me," she mumbled, not certain about her response. Biting her lip, Gecko looked around...

"Oh! Here is a very good log, yes?" She asked, looking to Fair Hunter brightly for confirmation. Without waiting, she dug her nose, and dug the decently-sized thing onto her back. Peep gave a chirp of distress, fluttering above the wood as it lulled onto her owner's back. Once it settled, Peep narrowed her eyes and stared with disgust at Fair Hunter.

"I- I didn't want it to hurt me. Or my good friend."

[+2]  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"And here I thought you'd be afraid of them," Fair Hunter said ruefully. "It's impressive. Maybe not the most useful while hunting- lining up a strike like that takes time and probably wouldn't work on something running away- but still, I wouldn't want to fight somebody knowing they had that in their arsenal. Taking a blow like that would not be fun." Words were bubbling to the surface, and there was a moment of horror as she realized nothing in the world could stop her from what she was about to say next. "It's a good thing we're friends, then." She pawed casually at some sticks. "Ugh, still wet! What happened here, a localized thunderstorm?"
 

[So Long Gay Bowser]

"They were kind of scary, but I was more scared of you being hurt than I was of them," Gecko admitted, kicking the dirt ruefully. It was very strange to have such a super great friend, but she loved it a great deal! She had a bird, and a frog, and Hunter! Her super bestest friend in the whole world! Her cheeks flushed brightly and Gecko could not help but grin to herself.

"I mean, I would not ever fight you! I do not think it would go well. I would also never be that mad at you, nuh uh!"

But then, she paused. Because Hunter had said it. The thing that Gecko had been waiting her entire life to hear. She blinked owlishly several times, making sure that she had not just imagined it (as she was very often to do, yes,) and then, made a high pitched keening sound. Seemingly delighted by the sound, Peep joined in, creating a horrific, hell-raising harmony.

Then, Gecko stopped.

"ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!! Yes!! It is the VERY BEST THING that we are friends!" Still giggling with far too much delight to be normal, Gecko snapped a twig up in her jaws.

[+3 total]  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Fair Hunter thought for a moment to tell Gecko to quiet down, or else the whole swamp would be alerted- but really, she wasn't hurting anything, and there was a party happening nearby, after all, so she focused her efforts on finding wood. "I don't think you need to worry about me getting hurt- I work with caimans all the time- but still... it was... sweet." She felt her face flushing and stared hard at the ground, where she found another log to add to her load.

[+4]
 

[So Long Gay Bowser]

"Yes okay I know! But the thing is that you always look out for me, and so it is okay if I look after you too!" She replied, tail wagging delightedly. Out the corner of her eye, Gecko saw a great and leafy branch! How wonderful! Flipping the twig to her back with the log (much to Peep's dismay), Gecko trotted over to the branch and snapped it up as well.

"Tah dah! I am doing so very good, yes!" Gecko called delightedly. "And- and- these caimans were not your caimans! They were not nice ones. Yours are... okay they are not nice either, but they are at least not always hateful of me!"

[+7 total]  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"Mine are hunters. Without them, we wouldn't have as much to eat. Besides, they're cute once they decide they like you. That just takes... time, and some kind of magic, I think. They respect hunters, and they're used to me." Fair Hunter paused and had a look at a big wet patch. Should she go around it? Nah, it'd be fine.

"AUGH!" she yelped as the wet patch turned out to be a much deeper puddle. "Seriously what happened here? Why is everything so wet?"

[+3]
 

[So Long Gay Bowser]

"Magic?" Gecko gasped, her eyes flashing with delight and wonder. Fair Hunter had not told her she was magic! It explained a very good deal about her friend, though! Like how great she was! Giggling with delight, Gecko tossed another decent bundle of twigs and sticks onto her stick pile.

"You did not tell me that you were magic! How did you get it? Why do you use magic to train caimans? Can you do any tricks?" She whined at the next, "show me a trick Hunter! Plllleeeeeaaaaase?"

[+8 Total]  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"I wish I WAS magic, then I'd find some actually decent wood!" Fair Hunter huffed as a suitable-looking log sloughed off its sodden bark as she tried to pick it up. "It's... not like magic tricks, Gecko. More like, hm. Impressing them. Putting on a good show for them, letting them see why they should respect you. There's some razzle-dazzle to it, I guess. A bit of a trick- but no smoke, no misdirection. Just good, honest caiman sense."
[+3]
 

[So Long Gay Bowser]

"Hey!" Gecko clambered, fighting to keep a fake scowl on her face despite the terrible laughter bubbling in her chest. The result was a very silly grimace/smile, and Gecko barely managed to choke out-

"I thought... bad jokes... were my stick," whilst picking up another grand and leafy branch, before dissolving into ugly laughter. She snorted several times in delight, nearly winding herself in giddy and laughter. When it finally died down, there were tears of laughter in Gecko's eyes.

"I... hoo. I am so very funny. But um. Do you think we could find a way to get them to like me, too?"

[+12 total]  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"Eh, it's a party," Half Truth said with a shrug, pleased she'd managed to keep a straight face during the pun. She wasn't really much of one for jokes, but it was kind of nice being able to let her guard down and not be so serious for once. "And you know? Maybe we can. They're awfully particular, so don't take it personally if they don't, though." She nosed at some sticks; to her eternal delight, they were actually usable.
[+4]
 

[So Long Gay Bowser]

"oh gosh I won't! Frog doesn't like everyone ever!" She nodded sagely, suddenly in complete understanding. Frog was a very particular... frog. Thing. She still wasn't quite sure. But he took to different kin differently as well, so she understood totally!

"I will do my best to impress them, though!" Gecko promised, puffing her chest out with pride. She was going to be a good enough kin for these gators to love! She would do it! Her pride caught her off guard though.

"Um. Do you want my help carrying some stuff and things back? I am a pretty good carrier!"