"Keep your mind to your work, 'jira girl!"
S'jira startled and dropped the basket of fish, sending it spilling the fresh catch of fish along the planks of the pier. A gasp left her and she scurried to capture each one of the flopping, floundering things and put them back into the tall, woven basket.
"Och! Look it there an' whatchuv done, child!"
Her face warmed with the embarrassment of not paying attention to where she had been carrying the basket. She wasn't certain what she had tripped over as she spent a hasty look back a few paces, frowning to guess that it might have been her own two feet.
"Forgive. Much was.. in these thoughts."
"Much was in.. bah! You nearly sent the fishes back into the wates, 'jira girl!" The fisherwoman huffed with her upset and put gnarled fists at her hips. "Thinkin' about that catty man again, I'll bet m'front teeth on it!" Thale stomped off to get another basket of fish to load onto the back of the humble cart of hers.
S'jira's head lowered a touch. Then back to picking up more of the fish until it all of them were back where they belonged. A small grunt on her part, she hefted basket and fish into the cart alongside several other ones just like it.
Her mind had not so much been on Panther, but the woman from the night before. The heat was such at her face that she could feel it against her bare, upper arm. She had dared to say what her heart had felt in that moment. Rash words that had nearly caused more harm than it would have ever caused for good.
The back of her hand swept slowly against her cheek to push a stray lock of dark, brown hair from it. Her heart worried over what her words would bring, not so much for self but towards Panther.
Or even Piper. The lady Potter had felt the boiling in her own blood, it had seemed, and said things that S'jira wished later she had not. Only for the reasons that it might bring ill upon Piper from the strong woman known at Tara. Still, she struggled between being proud of Piper and worried for her.
The fluttering within her side brought her hand down against it lighty. Worry was there. She had not cared for how the woman had spoken to Panther. And though she had been born to be raised among savages, she had never dared speak like that. To anyone.
Again, she was within the well of distraction and Thale thwapped her soundly against the arm. "What's the matter with ya, 'jira girl? Eh? On with ya now. This is the last one an' I can handle it well enough withoutcha an' yer day dreamin'."
Thale chuckled and put the last of the fish-filled baskets into the old, rickety cart. She hauled herself up and slapped the reins down against the back and flanks of the swayed back horse that seemed older than woman and cart both.
The smell of fish was strong. Surely it was enough to be in her clothing and skin. And a few scales had found their way into her hair. Obsurdly, they glittered like nature's sequins.
A bath, or two, was greatly needed. She smiled a little to self to even imagine Panther finding her like that. Light on her feet, she hurried from the docks, off in the direction of the Red Dragon Inn.
S'jira startled and dropped the basket of fish, sending it spilling the fresh catch of fish along the planks of the pier. A gasp left her and she scurried to capture each one of the flopping, floundering things and put them back into the tall, woven basket.
"Och! Look it there an' whatchuv done, child!"
Her face warmed with the embarrassment of not paying attention to where she had been carrying the basket. She wasn't certain what she had tripped over as she spent a hasty look back a few paces, frowning to guess that it might have been her own two feet.
"Forgive. Much was.. in these thoughts."
"Much was in.. bah! You nearly sent the fishes back into the wates, 'jira girl!" The fisherwoman huffed with her upset and put gnarled fists at her hips. "Thinkin' about that catty man again, I'll bet m'front teeth on it!" Thale stomped off to get another basket of fish to load onto the back of the humble cart of hers.
S'jira's head lowered a touch. Then back to picking up more of the fish until it all of them were back where they belonged. A small grunt on her part, she hefted basket and fish into the cart alongside several other ones just like it.
Her mind had not so much been on Panther, but the woman from the night before. The heat was such at her face that she could feel it against her bare, upper arm. She had dared to say what her heart had felt in that moment. Rash words that had nearly caused more harm than it would have ever caused for good.
The back of her hand swept slowly against her cheek to push a stray lock of dark, brown hair from it. Her heart worried over what her words would bring, not so much for self but towards Panther.
Or even Piper. The lady Potter had felt the boiling in her own blood, it had seemed, and said things that S'jira wished later she had not. Only for the reasons that it might bring ill upon Piper from the strong woman known at Tara. Still, she struggled between being proud of Piper and worried for her.
The fluttering within her side brought her hand down against it lighty. Worry was there. She had not cared for how the woman had spoken to Panther. And though she had been born to be raised among savages, she had never dared speak like that. To anyone.
Again, she was within the well of distraction and Thale thwapped her soundly against the arm. "What's the matter with ya, 'jira girl? Eh? On with ya now. This is the last one an' I can handle it well enough withoutcha an' yer day dreamin'."
Thale chuckled and put the last of the fish-filled baskets into the old, rickety cart. She hauled herself up and slapped the reins down against the back and flanks of the swayed back horse that seemed older than woman and cart both.
The smell of fish was strong. Surely it was enough to be in her clothing and skin. And a few scales had found their way into her hair. Obsurdly, they glittered like nature's sequins.
A bath, or two, was greatly needed. She smiled a little to self to even imagine Panther finding her like that. Light on her feet, she hurried from the docks, off in the direction of the Red Dragon Inn.