Landing hard on the ground, the wind knocked out of him, Wrack rolled on to his side to survey his surroundings..
His pack emptied onto the busy market streets of New Thalos, his waterskin, some dry rations, and.. his book lay at the feet of a tall figure in a large robe. The collision knocked the figure's hood down to reveal an insect-like face of copper skin with sharp lines, mandables, and eyes of black.
The figure eyed Wrack with fear, and quickly closed its robe, as if ashamed of what he might have seen.. But Wrack only inspected her inquisitively as he gathered his breath.. Leaving the figure standing with its hood down.
"I'm... sorry... I wasn't.. looking where.. I was going," he tried to breathe deeply, slowly returning his breathing to normal.
"The fault isss mine.. young human.." she spoke as she bent down, grasping the book carefully with enrobed forelimbs, her eyes flickered to it with interest, as if she recognized its gilded cover.
Wrack's jaw clenched with worry, his eyes watching his book with the eyes of a mother watching her infant being picked up by a stranger.
"Thisss book.. Who gave it to you?" she questioned, her mandables clicking lightly with some kind of excitement, extending her forelimb and handing it back to him.
"It belonged to my father," he replied, taking the book protectively as he slipped it into his pack, slinging it over his shoulder.
"Yess.. A ssscholar from Candlekeep.." she nodded slowly.
"Candlekeep.. ? No, my father was a farmer in.." the tightness of worry gone, he looked at her confused.
Mandibles still excited, she was about to speak again, then a hand-sized stone struck against her face, knocking her head back with a shriek.
