Book-Hunt! (D9, LA)

[Manny Donos]

She held up a hand to stop Manny from just blurting out something like of course. "I would ask that you consider it for a while before saying yes. Likewise, I would have to speak with Mand'alor about it, but... considering the aid you have given me, us... I think he would agree."

"Of-" Manny cut off his response as Raven raised her hand. And then sat there, biting his lip and squirming as she finished.

When she did, he shrugged, spreading his hands. "I mean, sure, if you want me take some time and think about it for a while, I'll think about it." Huh. If Wookiees can't speak Basic, how do they learn to understand it? Who teaches it to them?

He shook his head. "But hey, I don't think my answer's gonna change."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel tries not to laugh. But she guesses this is pretty much exactly what Raven was talking about. "Might not change the answer, but it sounds kind of bigger than just how friends help one another when it's the whole Enclave.." She looks to Raven, "How big is that anyway?"

"And then you've got Mandalorians saying they'll back you up, and they've kind of got a reputation, right? So that's not a small thing to throw behind someone. Just seems fair that they're going to expect a not small commitment in return, right?"

She shrugs with a smile. "I mean, you're right, you're still going to say yes. But maybe it's better to not be surprised when someone calls in on that contract and it's not someone you actually know and it's bigger than you thought."

[Raven Cadera]

"For now, it's just an idea. For Manny to do... uh... 'good crime', as he calls it, and because I want to help my people. I'd be more than happy to talk things out to figure out how to best work it out for all of us. In a better locale for it, and better time, of course." She wasn't so rude as to hash it all out here in a random bookstore.

"As for our number... I think, back home, we'd be about the size of a village. Twenty to thirty, maybe fourty, people, there are many travelling in the galaxy for the sake of our group, so I've never seen everyone at the Enclave at the same time." And she had been away herself, probably missing some in passing. And then there was a steady increase in support and allies... Mand'alor would know the specific number, she knew.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel nods with a relieved easing around her eyes. "So it's not like entering an agreement where there's a whole city of people who might drop in for favors. I hope I'm not sounding...ungrateful? Suspicious?" She scratches at the back of her neck. "I think I've just spent a lot of time serving up what people want from me to...I guess look close at how many people might be wanting. You can give all of yourself away, if you're not careful. And I know this isn't like that at all, really."

"Does it mean we share enemies too?" she asks as something small and equally furry brushes by her leg with a 'prrt?'

[Raven Cadera]

"Not at all. There's nothing wrong with asking questions about what it would mean, and... well, you're still new to Mandalorians. It's only natural to ask before committing to something important," she chuckled a little, picking down another book to make a little pile in with the one she already had in her hand. "If we were that many, it would be nice. Some day, hopefully, but... well, patience."

Raven heard the 'prrt'-sound, but was looking around at eye-level to locate it, trying to figure out what it was.

"... Yes, it probably would mean that. For both of us. Hence why I'm not asking for committment or answers today, or even tomorrow. We would of course protect you as much as we can from our enemies, including from yours."

[Manny Donos]

Manny spread his hands. "Hey, as long as that favor is putting on a magic show, I don't mind doing a favor for as many of your Mandalorian friends as you want!" He coughed. "But, uh, if it's something else, we can talk. I mean, you know, if it's something we can do..."

He brushed a hand back through his hair. "Uh... how many enemies have you got, anyway?"

Manny heard the 'prrt' sound as well. "Hey, what's up, Dhel?" He put down the cookbook to look at her. "You say something?"

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

For her part, Dhel looks down at the grey striped kitten twining around her ankles. "Have I ever said..." she trails off, because she absolutely has..."hmm, *prrt*" She mimics the noise, catching the kitten's attention. "In public....before just now?"

Crouching down, she strokes the little creature's head with one slate-grey claw. "We've got spies among us, listening in to all this alliance talk."

[Raven Cadera]

"Uh... the Empire... the Mandalorians siding with the Empire..." she wasn't sure about how many others to add onto that list right now, and she was distracted by the appearance of the grey-striped kitten.

"Awwww... aren't you an adorable little furry spy? Were you talking to Dhel?" Raven was not at all aware that she was pitching her voice higher in the way most organics did when encountering cute little creatures, and she couldn't help herself from kneeling down slowly to offer the kitten her hand to sniff.

"Wait, Dhel makes purring noises too?"

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

It's pretty much impossible to spot a blush through dark fur. But the thin, dark skin within her ears where the fur thins to almost nothing picks up a warm hint of red. "Sommmmetimes..."

There's the faintest scrabble of tiny claws as a kitten sibling of deepest black pounces from the shadows between two stacks of books onto the Raven's oh so vulnerable...armored...ankle. It looks rather confused.

[Raven Cadera]

"Ok, that's pretty cute, Dhel," Raven teased with a warm chuckle, but her attention was mostly on the feline.

Hearing the kitten more than feeling it's ferocious attack, Raven looks down at the appearance of yet another cat. "Ohmygosh, there's not just one kitten here but two...? You shouldn't try to fight my armor, little one... here," the black tiny panther was offered her unarmored hand, which would be a much more interesting prey than armored ankles.

The black thing wiggled its butt, preparing for launch... and sprung in a wild attack at the fleshy prey before it. Teeny tiny fangs nibbled into the skin.

"Awwww... I wish I could take you with me."

[Manny Donos]

"Maybe you can!" Manny said brightly. "Did this store say that it was a book and cat store? It might have! I don't remember."

He flashed a quick grin and a wink ("wink", he said) at Dhel before crouching down to get a better look at the fierce critter. "You could get a cat. Name him something cool. Like... Antilles!" Manny looked up at Raven, his expression earnestly excited.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel looks at Manny with a fond chuckle, even as she reminds herself never to pick up that habit of saying 'wink.' "Antilles is that Mank Cats guy...um, player? Right?" She knows that much by now. "Usually if there's a whole litter around they need homes."

As if summoned by that comment, or Manny's crouch, another wee scrabble of claws launches the tiniest calico kitten at his shoulders in a Death from Above maneuver that...maybe is even a gravball thing?

[Raven Cadera]

"I don't know... aren't pets a big responsibility? And I've never had a pet before, I wouldn't know what to do with it..." While she was talking sense to talk herself out of it, she really really was tempted.

Especially by the little black panther bouncing back and forth against her hand.

[Manny Donos]

"Hurk!" Manny expressed himself as he found himself with a fierce battle kitten on his shoulders. "Ouch! It's a bit sharp."

Awkwardly, Manny turned in his squat, looking at Dhel and Raven; after all, if he straightened, it might displace the kitten! "What's it doing?" He whispered loudly.

The kitten seemed to be alternating between licking Manny's shoulder and chomping it.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel sets down the book, then stands and gently lifts the fierce..or hungry? kitten off his shoulder. "I think she's deciding whether or not you're tasty...or need grooming." She holds the little furball up in front of her to look in its eyes, laughing as it tries to swipe her just out of reach nose. "The answer is yes, kitten."

Setting the kitten down, Dhel watchs with amusement as she promptly tackles her gray sibling and the both tumble in a clumsy ball of legs and tails.

"They can be a responsibilty. they're good for keeping small vermin out though, like crawlers and sting-toads."

[Raven Cadera]

"You're so fierce, aren't you?" Raven was having a hard time paying attention as she made the game a bit more challenging for the kitten, letting it really wrassle with her hand.

"... Do you think they're looking for adopters, though?" She asked as she looked up at Dhel from where she was crouching. Yes, she was very clearly in a losing battle over whether or not to take in the little thing. "It... could be useful to have something to keep vermin away, I guess."

[Manny Donos]

"And they clearly like to fight. Look at how fierce they are!" Manny leaned closer to the one that had jumped him. "Awww, aren't you a widdle fighty kitty?" He cooed at it.

He straightened. "And we've already got names for them. One can be Antilles, the other can be Rawrbacca. Or..." He looked at Raven. "Do they need Mandalorian names?"

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"This one should be Manka. Then you'd have an actual Manka cat," Dhel adds, as the little calico swipes ineffectively at him, then mews to voice her displeasure with the hold that's keeping her feet off the ground where they'd help her launch attacks.

She appears to have just assumed that of course Manny is going to bring a stray home. It's kind of his thing, right?

A voice wavers from someplace behind the shelf. "Not chasing the little poop machines out before they pee on something? Take as many as you like. There's three more around here someplace."

Oh hey, there is a proprietor there. Maybe behind a secret bookshelf door?

[Raven Cadera]

"Can't call it Antilles if it's a girl," Raven retorted and picked up the black kitten. How did you know if it was a boy-cat or a girl-cat? "... Doesn't have to be a Mandalorian name, but, hmmm, I think I'll wait a bit to figure out what this one should be."

Yeah, already decided. She lost that battle hard.

"... Do we know anyone else who might want a kitten?"

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"The ones colored like this all seem to have girl names?" Dhel says with a small shrug, passing the presumptive Manka to Manny...just kind of holding her out and letting the kitten claws latch onto his shirt before leaving her to hang there in a moment of confusion before she starts climbing back toward a shoulder.