When she first arrived in the Northern lands and was met by Jacquez and Firefly, the girl was convinced that she had experienced enough of the sea to last a lifetime and the thought of so much as hearing another wave made her wretch. Her distaste for the ocean was short lived, though, and as soon as she got her landlegs back and stopped feeling like the world was constantly swaying, she began to brave a few walks and hikes out to the Cour des Miracles’ stunning shores. Certainly the territory had plenty of other beautiful and attractive scenery, but Orin quickly found herself awed by the sight of the water that wasn’t so fouled and polluted that it stung when you swam in it. This place was a stark contrast from where she and her brother had set sail with that ragtag group of sailors.
Another thing Orin had sworn off for the rest of her life was fish. There had been so much stinking fish on that boat that they were practically swimming in scales rather than water! Niro and most of the sailors survived on the rations they had brought along with them, but when supplies ran short, it was the smaller passengers who had to take the next best food source. Orin happily consumed bland fish after burnt fish after almost-raw fillet (that cook had been so unreliable), whilst her brother – a helping hand among the crew – maintained his full belly on the nicer grains and poultry and preserved beef the crew had stored. Certainly she wouldn’t complain then, but once they were on dry land and she caught the scent of bovine on the wind, she promised herself no seafood for a long time.
But as her opinion of the sea had changed so quickly, so seemed her feelings towards fish. At least, when it was being prepared so expertly, so close, and she was so delightfully peckish!
The girl had been leisurely wandering the coast, taking a much needed break from her studies. Her brother swore she would go blind if she stared at too many words for too long, and despite knowing better, she secretly wondered if he was right. Sometimes fatigue would set in, and it seemed to be hard to focus on anything. So to rest her mind, her eyes, and to stretch and exercise her body, she hiked the coast that she vowed she would never go near again.
She hadn’t been meandering long before the scent of crisply burning woodsmoke tantalized her nostrils. The smell had gotten her attention before she had even seen the gray plumes of a cook’s fire, and without pause she wandered towards it. After rounding a small, rocky bend, she could see where the smell was coming from; a little gathering of four Luperci out on one of the close islands. Most were unfamiliar, but one black Mohawk was unmistakable. Smiling to herself, the small woman waded out into the water towards the group.
She was so petite, in fact, that from afar it seemed a child approached, though Niro would know better. Where the water only reached the others’ knees, it nearly came to her midsection, but she was not afraid of the water nor of swimming. Soon enough, she was dredging up onto the isle, waving at the others. As she approached and came into better focus, it was well obvious that this small Luperci was no child, but a young woman, and just about as grown as she ever would be.
She made a show of inhaling deeply, her golden eyes turned to the girl who was cooking. “That smells exquisite!” She proclaimed, with all the sincerity and vigor she could muster, before scanning the group. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” She added, though seemed to already be under the impression that she was not. “I’m Orin. His better half.” She playfully punched Niro on the shoulder, before adding, “and by that, I mean sister.”