New fish in town

He didn't argue as she preened herself, her body language being more honest than her words. He simply floated peaceably in the canal, content that he would get to see her again after today.

Hadama stayed silent as P continued to expound on the magic he found least desirable, letting the raven speak her part and simply waiting until she had it out of her system now. He listened, but no longer tried to defend or argue the point, though it was with a faint sense of quiet relief in the bond that they changed the subject to trade goods.

"Yes," he said simply, but there was a sense in the bond that the topic of pearl supply was closed. The last thing the merfolk wanted was more intruders coming by unannounced...

He tilted his head at P's showing off, quietly amused. "Are there dangerous animals on land?" he clarified while he dutifully admired her black-rainbow plumage. "If I take the canals out of the city?"

The reluctance filtered through the Attuned bond. Unfortunately for Hadama, though, Pihu wasn't that easily deterred. Whether from ignorance or stubbornness, she let out a croak. I imagine fruits in general are rare among yer people? What if we set up a mutual beneficial trade route on the down low?

Glancing around, she flapped her wings a few times. Bobbing her head forward and back, she sent her response back through the bond with a tinge of amusement. Aye, of course there are dangerous animals. There are dangers everywhere. Since I assume you're asking for specifics, though, if you leave the city, look out for tide jaguars. Her feathers puffed up again at the mention of those cats and her talons scraped across the dirt.

"There are some fruits that we harvest," Hadama said thoughtfully. "Others are more rare. But many do not transport well underwater... or taste as good when eaten there." The salt had a tendency to spoil the sugar, unless one was willing to come to the surface for a snack. And there were plenty who were... He grew distracted, considering P's suggestion. "I see no harm in greater trade between land and sea," he said slowly. "But why would it need to be low?"

He took the information on tide jaguars calmly enough, but his brows drew together in a faint frown of concern at P's restless reaction to the beasts she named. "What should I look for, to recognize them?" He sank lower in the water to soak his skin more thoroughly before bobbing back up to continue their conversation.

Pihu croaked as Hadama explained some of the logistical issues. Cocking her head to the side, she opened and closed her beak a few times. Aye, they'd have to come to the surface. Or we'd have to find some way of preserving them underwater. Flapping her wings a few times, she pecked at the ground. Down low. Means keep it quiet and underneath notice. And that's 'cause if people find out they'd want to muscle in on our business.

Looking over her shoulder, she felt her feathers puffing up again. They're cats with glowing spots and big claws. Usually active during the day. Pretty good swimmers too. Turning around, she eyed the mermanta.

He nodded solemn understanding, though amusement gleamed in his green eyes. "How will you find customers if people do not notice you?" He didn't mention that the business P was interested in involved oysters, not mussels, despite the conversation involving low-hanging fruit as well.

Hadama was far too stoic for that. Alas.

Her description of tide jaguars was more worrisome, and he concentrated as he took it in, committing it to memory. "They sound similar to sea panthers," he rumbled, and not with any particular joy in the comparison. "I will hope I do not meet one." Especially if they could chase him in the water... an unpleasant prospect.

Pihu croaked and shook herself at Hadama's question. Hopping closer, she scratched at the ground. Well, ye can find the mermaids, right? An' I supply the fruit. Then once I get the pearls, I'll pawn 'em at a separate spot, so no one gets suspicious. She cocked her head to one side.

Tucking her head under a wing and pulling out a crooked feather, she tossed it aside. From what I've heard of sea panthers, they're similar. Smaller, but no less fierce. As to whether the mermanta would actually encounter one, well, that wasn't exactly her issue. If he was dumb enough to end up as fish food she'd just need to find another merperson to act as a supplier.

He almost smiled, but instead only shook his head as P hopped nearer to the canal. "Unfortunately, those pearls are not mine to give. Or to trade." Emerald eyes continued to twinkle with good humor as he swam slowly in place. "And wild pearls are much rarer than the fruit I have seen hanging from your trees near the shore." His wings lifted briefly out of the water in a shrug-like gesture. "But I do not think you need to worry about competition. An honest trade would be less work, I think."

He nodded thoughtfully to her opinion of the sea panther vs. tide jaguar relationship. Neither was the sort of creature you'd want to meet on a dark sandbar at night.

"What do you do for a living, Pea?" he asked politely, changing the subject to something less carnivorous.

Pihu croaked at Hadama's response. Flapping her wings at him, she turned so her eye was directly looking into both of his. Maybe so, but it's a question of scarcity. Merpeople have easier access to pearls than they do to fruit, isn't that what ye said? So ye'd get the pearls by giving out the fruit I provide ye, and then we'd both take a cut. The word dummy wasn't anywhere in those thoughts, but it certainly permeated the bond.

Here's another lesson for ye, this one for free. If anyone tells ye they make an honest living in Torchline, their lyin' through their teeth. Cocking her head to one side, she added, Or beak as the case may be.

Tucking her head under her wing, she cleaned her feathers. I'm a purveyor of goods, she informed him. Still not looking at him, she locked the bond down as much as she could.

He took the implied insult with amusement rather than any rancor. There might have been a faint wisp of possibility in the bond that he was teasing her... But if nothing else, Hadama had an excellent poker face. "I will consider it," he promised solemnly.

Her advice was accepted with a grateful inclination of his head for the lesson, and a bit of both bemusement and fascination at such a cutthroat culture. "Thank you, Pea."

Hadama had seen how she 'purveyed' goods earlier when she had stolen the kebab from the vendor, and again with the banana. He simply watched her cleaning her feathers thoughtfully before volunteering: "I am a smith."

Fluffing up her feathers, Pihu stepped back and forth from one talon to the other. Cocking her head to one side, she eyed Hadama. Let me know when ye've made a decision one way or another. She croaked and finally settled down.

Preening again, she was in the middle of cleaning a feather when he revealed that he was a smith. Her gaze immediately shot to him. Croaking again, she flapped her wings a few times. A smith? How would that possibly work? How do you get the metal hot under water and how do you keep the salt from corroding it? She hopped towards him.

"You are knowledgeable about this," he said, inclining his head with respect at her unexpected familiarity with the challenges facing undersea smiths. It was a pleasant surprise to find in the feathery purveyor of goods, and he considered his answer thoughtfully, though not without that hidden smile that never quite reached his face. "But not all forging is done with fire. And not all metals corrode, if they do not contain iron."

"What experience do you have with metal forging?" he asked her curiously. The mermanta submerged down to his chin, but his green eyes remained courteously on the raven as he soothed his skin in the starlit saltwater of the canal.

Pihu shuffled back and forth a few times. Not meeting Hadama's gaze, she pecked at the ground. Eh, not really. Just common knowledge. Ye have to learn how to take care of yer tools properly in Torchline, otherwise the ocean air will claim ''em. Oil 'em and keep 'em dry and all that. She croaked as the thought of rusty weapons and tools passed through her mind and bled through the bond.

Nothin' personal. Knew a few smiths is all. Smiths that were clients at the brothel she grew up in. Trying to keep the bond closed, she turned away from him. Taking flight, she moved to perch on a nearby barrel. Happy to hear more if yer willin' to talk about it.

"Indeed," the merman replied gravely, a faint thread of amusement in the bond at either oiling tools or keeping them dry underwater. But then, there were other methods...

Hadama considered her words and the phrasing with the same solemn care that he had done throughout their conversation, letting the silence sit for several moments before he spoke again with a small shake of his head. "No... I understand that it is different on land, but the techniques of deepforging are a secret among the few clans that have them. It is not something we discuss with outsiders." He inclined his head deeply in apology.

When he looked up it was to realize that the shadows were deeper, and the sun had drifted further westward in the sky. "I have enjoyed our conversation, P. And your company. I look forward to seeing you again." It was a farewell, courteous but firm, though a ribbon of quiet satisfaction wound through the bond at the unexpected pleasure of their meeting and an afternoon well-spent.

Pihu cocked her head to one side. Croaking, she didn't respond to Hadama's admittedly polite refusal. Instead, she just stared at him. Really? Who am I going to tell? It's not like I know anyone else that would ever be able to use that knowledge. She flapped her wings at him.

Hopping to the edge of the barrel, she flexed and unflexed her talons. Sure mate. Dunno how ye'll contact me, but that sounds like yer problem. Taking off, she flew to a nearby rooftop. Watching the mermanta for a few more moments, she eventually jumped off and took flight, eying the market below for more pickings.