"Can I help you?" Agathe slowly got up to her feet and was about to
follow Sasha, but she didn't want to walk into a place where she
wasn't welcome. "I most definitely can't cook, but, well, uh..."
She thought for a moment. "What other kinds of animals live on this
island?"
"I'll show you how to fish. I have a couple fishing lines. The
trick is to be patient and feel the fish on the line. You'd
probably be good at it. I have seen mostly birds and smaller
animals. However, seals do come ashore as well. If I hunt then, I
make sure to use the skin for clothes, bedding or things," Sasha
explained. "If you want, I can lead you through this maze. There
are statue people everywhere. When I am not careful, I knock them
down and feel horrible."
"Is there anything that lays eggs like chickens? Or something that
breeds rapidly like rabbits?" Agathe nodded. "I'm pretty good at
remembering my way around, so for a little while anyways, I think
I'll follow you around through the maze." She wondered if the thing
she had knocked over had been a small statue. It felt like a vase,
but it could've been a statue.
"I am sure I have seen rabbits. Not sure about chickens but the
people who lived her before probably kept some livestock so it is
possible there are chickens." Sasha took Agathe's hand, leading the
way while keeping her tail from accidently touching her companion.
She didn't want to freak her out. She knew she was strange as is.
She didn't want to freak her out and send Agathe running for the
hills.
"I could try and get a rabbit if you can't catch dinner... I can
hear their voices and they seem to be able to understand me..."
Agathe walked beside Sasha, a slight limp in her step. She wondered
what her scales would feel like, but asking and thinking were very
different, and if it sounded weird in her head then it'd sound
downright creepy actually asking. Although, she could feel the
adjustments made through her hand and could tell that Sarah was
trying to move her body differently.
"That would be good. There are root vetables and herbs that can be
added to both to make some stews. Or we could roast them," Sasha
said, thinking about all the dishes they could make.
"I have no idea how to cook them though, I would eat it, but I
don't think I could kill it... I'd bring it to you and you could,
but, I can't... I wouldn't want to do it wrong and cause it
pain..." Agathe's mouth had watered at the thought of a stew and
the idea of roasted rabbit.
Sasha squeezed her hand. "I get it. You can hear them speak. I
don't want to cause you grief. Just like me trying to warn people
away from me. What if you find them and I set up traps? Then we
could fish and garden while we wait to see if any get caught?"
Agathe nodded and sighed happy that Sasha understood her reasoning.
"Well, it doesn't quite work that way. I would talk to them and
they would come to me... Sort of underhanded in a way..." She
gasped slightly as she got an idea. "What kinds of birds are here
on the island? Any big enough to catch a rabbit?"
"Certainly. There are hawks and seabirds who catch big fish all of
the time. They roost in the temple sometimes. The cliffs are their
homes other times," Sasha said. "I completely understand the not
wanting to lead them to their deaths. That does seem quite cruel."
"Would you be able to show me to where they roost at this time of
the year? If I can befriend one or two of them then we can ask for
their help once in a while to get some food..." Agathe had cast her
eyes upwards as though she was looking for the birds, but she was
actually trying to listen to see if she could hear them.
"Sure I can," Sasha said, smiling as she led the way. "There is a
set of stairs leading up to the bell tower where they roost this
time of year. I don't know if I can get up there. But there is a
railing and they aren't steep."
"I can do stairs pretty well," Agathe smiled as she walked along
with Sasha. She planned to start talking as soon as she got to the
stairs. Hopefully at least one of them would stay to talk to her.
Sasha put Agathe's hand on the rail, saying, "there you are. I am
not going anywhere. I'll be here just so you know where I am at. I
don't want to go too far...part of me thinks I am dreaming. The
other is fearful that someone who is a threat to us both could show
up."
Agathe nodded and chuckled softly. "You're not dreaming, because if
you were, then I would either be a figment of your imagination or
I'd be dreaming as well. Neither of which is the case." She took a
few steps up the stairs before she started talking soothingly about
the idea of flying and how amazing it must be. She knew that birds
like their egos to be stroked, so hawks should be the same. Quiet
caws and clattering of beaks was the response. Agathe understood it
perfectly.
Sasha listened and watched in awe. Whoever this woman was, however
she had made it here, Sasha was grateful. She was wonderful and
kind. And more then she had ever hoped for. Maybe someone was
looking out for them.
Agathe had disappeared from view, but Sasha could still hear her
talking. She would be quiet for a moment and there'd be a reply and
then she'd continue. After a while the talking and replies grew
quieter and soon enough Agathe spoke again and a bird replied. She
then came back into view, a great hawk perched on her forearm, its
talons were holding onto her gently so as to not break the skin.
"Meet my new friend," She was grinning. "He said I can call him
what I like, so I think I will call him Shaye." Upon hearing its
name the bird cocked his head and let out a soft screech of
approval.
Agathe repeated Sasha's words and the bird turned its head to look
at her and trilled as he puffed his chest feathers. She chuckled
softly and bowed her head to him. "I had offered him some
protection, and a warm spot in exchange for food. Is that okay with
you Sasha?"