Dusty nodded as Hazel answered her questions, it seemed like being a mage was as difficult as she had heard, or at least hard to get completely right most of the time. And the cost for lectures was apparently as steep as what she had heard as well, so it wasn't odd that there weren't that many mages about, you kinda had to have someone willing to teach you, and likely also a bit of money to your name.
Following both Hazel and Jarrod into the establishment she had dined at yesterday she smiled and nodded politely to the owner before settling down into a wooden chair at the same table as both of her companions. She kinda liked the atmosphere of this little tavern, it reminded her of a couple of other roadside establishments she had been to over the years, simple and cozy. Perfect to rest your feet, get warm food in your belly and the chill out of your bones.
"[What about you, Dusty? Do you do anything interesting?]"
She had to stop and think a little about Hazel's question, not that she minded sharing things about herself, but she didn't exactly have a profession, she kinda did what she wanted and traveled where she felt like. "[Well, I don't really have a profession sort of. I just travel from place to place to see what Mekkan has to offer. I'm pretty good at hunting for food and trade, but I don't consider it a job.]" She smiled as her tail swirled in circles behind her. "[I guess you could say that I'm a traveler or wanderer or something. I like seeing new places and the people there, not just hearing about them from others.]"
As Dusty finished talking a young male with an apron similar to the owner came up to their table to take their orders before vanishing back into the kitchen. The conversation between the three of them continued until their meals arrived, and the pace didn't seem to slow down as the meals were finished, Dusty answering a few questions about some of the few places she had been to and receiving answers to a few about magic in return from Hazel, Jarrod occasionally joining in with a remark or two in the conversation.
As the afternoon drew to evening, the three finally got around to showing Jarrod the park near the academy, the trees there were oaks older than the surrounding walls, ash trees with moss growing up their thick trunks, as well as aspen and beech. The area here had been part of the outskirts of the city well over hundred years ago, but had been built around to preserve it for the city folk and the upper classes. They had tried to gain access to the Academy gardens, but had been kindly asked to return another day, as it was currently in use by some of the students, as such the park had to do.
The rest of the day went by quickly, and before long evening turned into night and Dusty found herself back at her inn, the three having parted in the park an hour or so earlier. As she got ready to turn in she felt pleased by the events of today, she had met two very interesting and friendly people, and perhaps she would meet them again tomorrow as well?
Having finished with her breakfast mere moments ago Dusty was sitting idly in her room again, staring out her window down at the street below as she recalled yesterdays events with a smile. Someone shouting down below snapped her out of her stupor momentarily, apparently two humans, laborers by the look of it, having a heated argument with one of the guards, who she gathered was a Basitin, but with the two others in the way it was kinda hard to tell. Still it didn't take long for the argument to cool down as another guardsman, a human this time, stepped in and helped out his colleague. Dusty couldn't make out the words over the noise that all the people going to and fro were making, but she gathered that it had to be a simple misunderstanding from how quick the situation resolved itself.
Rising up from her chair and stretching her back Dusty wondered how she should spend today, usually she just went with the flow and headed where she felt like, but today she thought she'd at least join up with Jarrod and Hazel again, they seemed like good people, and it had been fun being around them so that would definitely be on today's agenda. She started thinking about where to head if she wanted to see the two of them again as she walked over to her bedpost to get her overshirt and boots, maybe the park would be a good place? It was where they had sort of left off yesterday, and Jarrod had wanted to see it, so maybe she'd find him there today? Of course there was always the harbor or the market as well, she was sure that she had seen Jarrod and Hazel down there yesterday so maybe they frequented the area?
In the end she settled on heading to the park first and then having a look at the market and the harbor if they weren't around, and with that out of the way and her clothes on she turned and headed towards the door, intent on starting her search. Something in the corner of her eye made her stop though, her bow propped up against the foot of the bed, her archery glove and chestguard hanging over the bedpost next to it. She stopped to think for a moment, she hadn't really needed her bow much since she came to the city a few days ago, but if she didn't find Jarrod or Hazel today she might head outside the walls for a bit, and the bow would be nice if she spotted some game out there.
Eventually she donned her protective gear and slung the bow over her shoulder, there wasn't any guarantee that she would find Jarrod or Hazel after all, might as well bring it with her.
Katja was mulling over the job offer the guards had been talking about yesterday as she sat sharpening her sword with a simple whetstone. Her sword was old with a fair few notches from her training days and a few uneven lines in the metal as a result from previous sharpening from an inexperienced hand. It certainly wasn't a work of art, even back when it was brand new, but it still held a special kind of reverence from Katja, like her master's halberd had for him. As she kept on sharpening the blade her thoughts derailed from thinking about the job and she started to recall her master, the visage of the old Basitin in his travelers garb, halberd in hand and satchel at his side, fur going light as snow and his good eye always expressing joy and marvel wherever they went. A venerable warrior that still seemed like he was going to keep walking for all eternity, at least that was the feeling that she had gotten from him once, but that hardly mattered anymore.
Putting the whetstone aside and sheathing the blade, she headed over to the window and wiped the sun's glare from her eyes as she focused on one of the guardsmen further down the road, the job, yes. She didn't really have much of a reason for refusing to help the guard, and there was money in it for her too, and things would admittedly be a little easier with a few more coins to her name, and it wasn't like opportunities like these were plentiful. Picking up her pack and retrieving a small pouch that held her remaining money she opened it and counted the contents, again in favor of the job, seemed like that was the way this was going to happen. Retrieving just enough money for a couple of quick errands, she packed away the rest and retrieved a fresh change of clothes, it had been a while since she was last in a proper city and she was going to make the best of it, first was to head to proper bath establishment, preferably a Basitin one, but she was by no means picky at this point.
Gathering the things she needed she locked her room and headed out, briefly asking for directions from one of the inn's workers before heading towards the bathhouse.
