ooc| open for 3-4 others.

While ‘whistle while you work’ may be the phrase most are familiar with, Peep tended to lean more towards humming. Perhaps because of her nature, perhaps because she couldn’t whistle… Not that a Crystalline daughter would admit such a fault; any fault was a bad one. Rather she believed, it was most appropriate to say that she did not like to whistle than to admit she could not. Maybe she was just making things up in her head? Blue nose wiggled and she continued to hum while she steeped many different pots of tea. Mother had hand made these pots many moons ago, before Peep was a twinkle in anyone’s eyes, before there was even a suggestion of war. They were lovely and intricate, but she always kept the nicest of them set up away from danger.

Pearle had always wanted to learn how to make impressive pottery on a scale like her mother had, but she hadn’t gotten the opportunity to learn that before the war. Thankfully her mother had passed down, what Peep thought at least, was the more important of her two primary skills. The making of tea. Maybe one day she’d find a Magpie that could teach her how to make pottery, maybe not, for now it was not a priority so long as her mother’s lovely pieces were still hers. (Who else could they possibly belong to?)

As her tea steeped, the grayscale girl slowly gathered cups and flowers, tea leaves and other odds and ends into a bag. Slowly, and with great care, she made her way to the marketplace, finding a smooth rock foundation near the edge of the area. (She would never dream of taking a spot from a Magpie, how rude!) A soft paw pulled the bag from across her body and placed it up against the stone foundation, leaving it open to reach into. Pearle would pull out her odds and ends, placing the flowers decoratively around the edge of the table, cups along the edge, stacked best she could into a couple of separate groups. Leaving one larger cup on the back end of the table away from where it could be reached at easily, Pearle had a purpose for it.

Then she would step away with her bag again, this time returning to retrieve her teas, one at a time, all four as they finished steeping. Placing each large pot on the table, spacing them as evenly as she possibly could. At the front of her table she would place a small stick with a charcoal tip to the edge, opposite of where she had placed her cups. Others were beginning to appear at the marketplace now as well, Magpies setting up their wares of the day. Pearle offered each of them a lovely polite little smile, biting back the nervousness that was brewing up in her stomach. Miri was a Magpie, maybe she’d be here to keep an eye on things somewhere in the background? Peep didn’t know if this was one of Miriam’s days or not, but the thought was enough to settle her nerves a bit.

Plus the blue and gray Jay usually patrolled the marketplace, he’d rescued her once before. The meek girl nodded to herself as she gathered the last bit of required items for her little plans. Nectar to go in the large cup she’d sat aside, since some people liked sweeter teas than others.

Finally she was ready, her teas had cooled almost to the perfect temperature and now was a good time to summon others. Pearle had been scheming recently on how to help bring up her bloodline’s name to an even higher status, similar to where it had been before the war. It had occurred to her that she wanted to prepare teas for gatherings and parties. Partially to honor her mother, and partially because she thought if she was particularly good at it, she would get noticed by those who cared for such things as propriety and charity. After all, the free taste testing she was about to do was certainly that.

Charity.


”HHHmmmmmmrrrmmmmmm! H-h-hello! Everyone! I-I am P-p-pearle, one of the lovely Crystalline daughters! Though you may a-also call me Peep. I-I have prepared some teas for all to try! I-I have taken it upon m-my-myself to prepare teas for our c-cele-brations just as my mother did before… me. I-I would like to invite… everyone… to come taste my original tea recipes… and.. and uh, l-leave a tally mark for the one you prefer best!” Feathers were puffed up a mile high, but the nervousness couldn’t quite be shaken from her voice just yet, a saccharine smile was dripping with anxiety but she swallowed it away best she could. The tiny Aviari would allow others to gather before motioning towards the cups and then to each pot of tea, ”The cups are t-there. P-please do be.. d-delicate with them. F-family heirlooms. Uh. Uh. Ah yes! The t-teas are, in order, a green tea with blueberry, a green tea with a-acai, a black cherry tea, and a- h-herbal hibiscus tea..” Pearle would sit back on her haunches and clasp her paws together hopefully in front of her chest. Had she forgotten anything? ”OH! A-apologies! I recognize t-that some do, uh, do not like… tart… teas. I have some n-nectar here. But uh, please-pl-taste the tea before you go adding nectar, y-yeah?”

 
Castiel wasn't as familiar with members of the other families as he might like. The war was done, over, but the scars would least some time. Hate and discrimination might last many more generations and although the Sanguine didn't like the idea of an outsider ruling them, he had to wonder if perhaps it was for the best. Their Phoenix wasn't an Aviari. He didn't carry the discrimination they'd faced so there was a chance he could lead them out of the pit they'd dug for themselves.

But he couldn't do it alone. He would need the pack working toward a future of unity. That meant that even Castiel would have to put away the pride of his family lines to help. 

That was why Cas followed the call of an unknown voice. There was already a spread laid out on a smooth rock when he joined and a pretty female explained her teas. Crystalline, no doubt. Her full spread, grey and white pelt, and pearlescent feathers marked her as such quite plainly.  The other female had a porcupine, which seemed to be pointed at one of the teas. As for the lady, he wasn't certain of her lineage but if he'd have to guess, he'd say Riverine. Blue. Lots of blue. Cas didn't know either of them. He cleared his throat and walked a little closer, giving a tight-lipped smile.

"Hello," he said, but that stumped him... what next? He sat down near the tall blue lady, glancing up at her, then back to the Crystalline. "I'd be happy to try some of your tea. Black cherry? I do like cherries." Wow. Talk about people skills.

#E7A1B0 * profile

Tiny paws grappled and fumbled to set out a decorate display, her small bags laid beside her behind the stone table she’d set up on. She felt the eyes of many on her and it made her stomach turned but she did her best to not show it anymore than she already had. It sickened her to feel as if she was being such a dreadful example of the proud Crystalline family, especially given that she was just so very proud to be a Crystalline daughter. Her claws shook and rattled against her cups and teapots, but she continued to maintain a saccharine smile, trying to remember to keep her feathers and head held high. She was a beauty and she knew it, grayscale with willowy, wispy opalescent feathers that shimmered with every color of the rainbow. If nothing else she should feel confident from that, superior breeding and prestigious bloodlines was only an added bonus after all. Pearle gulped down a bit of nausea and continued displaying her wares as the first of what she hoped to be many “customers” arrived.

Peep had seen the Riverine woman around before, lovely colored feathers but a personality that was a little too “wannabe” for her to enjoy the creature. Nevertheless, when Ilhuicatl decided to stop in instead of marching on by like she had intended to, Pearle gave a gracious smile. Essentially, the Sparrow was a hostess right now, and she would not allow her opinion of the woman’s personality color a professional interaction—unless Ilhu started it, because ladies can finish fights they just can’t start them (overtly). The Riverine peacock woman requested the one that Pearle was the most proud of, and then gestured to the green tea with blueberry for her companion. The Crystalline daughter grinned wide, she hadn’t considered the idea that companion animals might like her tea as well but she recalled now that her mother’s companion drank with her often. Green tea with blueberry was poured into a cup and handed down across the small stone table to the porcupine before gesturing to the black cherry tea for Ilhuicatl, ”Black Cherry, a personal recipe.”

Again she would pour a cup and hand it across, this time for Ilhuicatl, smiling pleasantly with the warmth that Ilhu was missing. The pair would then recede to the side, and she watched them cautiously with her cups, but made no vocalization on the matter as already another was approaching her table.

The Crystalline Sparrow didn’t immediately recognize the next one, a boy of brown with long wispy green feathers; similar to hers but without the full spread she had from her fantastic pedigree. He was polite and curt, offering a smile and observing the wares calmly before selecting one. Perhaps not the most talkative of creatures, he was nice enough and Pearle could certainly understand that words were hard sometimes. Not that she’d ever admit she sympathized, instead she nodded enthusiastically. A brilliant smile would pull across her features and momentarily her fear of the “savages” in the marketplace was lost on her. ”Yes! Absolutely! Cherries are considerably my favorite fruit! As I stated previously, my black cherry recipe is a personal one, not one I inherited from my mother. I do hope you enjoy it!” Allowing her soft smile to linger as she looked over his colorful feathers, pouring the cherry tea a little bit higher in the cup than she had for the Riverine or the porcupine…

Sometimes she wished she had lovely bright colors, but she would not trade her Crystalline beauty for all the colors in the world. She could always start wearing flowers…

Her thoughts were quickly distracted by the arrival of a very familiar face. Pearle beamed excitedly to see Miriam, remembering to politely smooth down her coat (as if it wasn’t already flawless). Miriam had been helping her since her mother’s passing, a kind Crystalline woman with a good head on her shoulders. Peep was constantly elated at the presence of someone she respected although she certainly felt more self-conscious about her personal presentation. After all, she’d stuttered over herself like a true fool. The young Crystalline offered her elder a respectful curtsy, reigning in her smile to something more placid and serene. It might have worried her to have the elder woman around but at the same time it eased a great deal of her anxiety about being in the market place. When the Dove spoke, requesting all the teas and making sure she had water, Pearle’s eyes jutted around before giggling bashfully. The girl reached around to grab the pot still sitting next to her bag, ”Oh gracious yes! I must have been so excited to get started I forgot to set it up here. Thank you, Lady Miriam for reminding me! I’ll be sure to not make that mistake again!” Embarrassing but in public she would not show it to these others.

Everyone made mistakes from time to time, as far as Pearle was concerned it was a lesson in self-regulation, she hadn’t forgotten the water, simply to place it on the table. Instead she quickly worked to pouring tea for Miriam, deciding to make small talk with her fellow Crystalline, ”I hope your day has been well Lady Miriam?” In private she would have likely called her Miri, but such informalities were for more private and personal settings unless instructed otherwise— such as how Pearle allowed others to call her Peep indiscriminately in most cases. And yet one more arrived, the tea maker smiled politely looking Akuna over.

Sapphire. Featherless. Sibling to a bastard. Shameful really. Had she not been struggling so hard to keep her face composed in the presence of the elder Crystalline she might have touched her paw to her chest and looked upon Akuna with pity. But if nothing else, she was polite when she requested samples to which Pearle poured with continued warmth as she looked out at those who were drinking her teas. ”It is a great pleasure to have you all here. I do hope to continue forward in my brewing. My mother was a master at such things and I think it would do her and my family great honor to one day excel to her level. I’ll also gladly take flavoring suggestions to attempt.”

Teas:
Green Tea Blueberry- Icpalli, Akuna & Miriam
Green Tea Acai- Akuna & Miriam
Black Cherry- Castiel, Ilhuicatl & Miriam
Hibiscus- Miriam

 
”Yes! Absolutely! Cherries are considerably my favorite fruit! As I stated previously, my black cherry recipe is a personal one, not one I inherited from my mother. I do hope you enjoy it!”

Castiel smiled a little broader. The stuttering dropped from her voice and suddenly she had confidence. Interesting how a passion did that to a heart; lit it on fire and burned away insecurities. At least for a time. Castiel wished he had such passion. Perhaps he just hadn't found it yet. He recieved the tea, taking in the scent, the warmth as another Crystalline joined the group, as Castiel had expected to happen. Tea. Not that the other bloodlines didn't partake in it, but Cas didn't think the others took it quite as seriously as the Crystalline. It seemed the gravitated toward anything that would set them apart from the others. Anything that would make them look superior in any way. Castiel raised a brow but said nothing.

"Wonderful display, my dear. I would like to try them all, if you please, so as to give my best judgment of each. A small sample of each tea will suffice for now. No nectar, please. Do you have a supply of water on hand to neutralize the tastes between tests? It is important to be as accurate as possible, of course."

Castiel had a hard time telling when Crystallines were being rude or helpful with their delivery but it wasn't his place to say. Blue eyes shifted to Pearle and waited. She took no offense and Cas relaxed once more. He didn't like that he felt so tense around other houses, but not everyone saw eye to eye yet, including himself. He tasted the tea, glancing up at the new addition to the group.

"I'll sample both the blueberry and acai. Riverine, I assume? A pleasure to meet you."

To that Castiel shifted. It wasn't every day one got to see a ... well a vulture, acting so important. But Cas would never say as much. The poor, featherless, creature. He didn't dare say that word to her; out of pity if nothing  He resisted the urge to flex his own feathers, shaking slightly to flatten them against his fur. Still, she put herself in the middle of the group, extending formalities toward those she thought were more important than him. He merely flicked his ear and turned his attention back to Pearle.

”It is a great pleasure to have you all here. I do hope to continue forward in my brewing. My mother was a master at such things and I think it would do her and my family great honor to one day excel to her level. I’ll also gladly take flavoring suggestions to attempt.”

"It's delicious. Perhaps... more fruit teas? Peach? Pomegranate maybe?"