The afternoon teases at a hint of warming up, rather than falling into brutal chill. Maybe only a light coat or a jacket is required. Still, the excited chatter around the Menagerie from a fan of the butterflies sets a few of the staff into a hasty run out to the Gray Forest hunting grounds. Not that far past the walls, the trail is set up with four people milling about with a variety of jars and a few worn papers. "That's absolutely the Winter Fritillary," insists one, prodding the page. And so the great chase for the winter fritillary, a rather showy butterfly with scalloped wings and a silvery to brown shading that help it vanish into the trunks and bark for plants nearby. Mind you, the largest butterflies aren't much past three coins large. They can easily fit in the palm. And the pretty, pearlescent things are proven by exactly one in a jar.

"It's beautiful," sighs an explorer, while the Menagerie staff keep trying to inspect whatever others bring back.

Mabelle arrives at the back of the back as she usually does, darned heeled shoes. Its cold but she doesnt seem to mind, those boots must have great lining, or maybe the excitment of the hunt. She looks about the forest, and sees colors everywhere "This is beautiful!", her jar is open and her eyes are too

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Delilah before departing.

A light jacket covers her but she is a resilient thing. Tescelina arrives at the hunting grounds poised for the challenge with a butterfly net. A more pleasant instrument than her paired rapier and dagger. The knightess has come for something far more peaceable. A ribbon of simple silk fastening back her white gold hair into a buoyant tail. She has come alone. No guards or attendants or friends. More the usual for the quiet, slightly dreamy Wyrmguard. At Mabelle's exclamation, she smiles a little. Her head tipped, evading eye contact. Still, she holds that net between her hands. "My, yes. Its quite a splendor. To flutter so through the Dream. It is a boon I'm most jealous of."

Delilah stands under a tree, a poplar of no great height. Her hand shades her brow, allowing a futile attempt to sharpen her gaze as she takes in the fine detail of the trunk above her. Laughter shows there for but a moment, and she presses her lips lightly together. The slightest shake of her head sends her braids tumbling. "I somehow get the impression we're looking at nothing up there but shadows coming through the branches." All the deciduous trees are naked of leaves, the evergreens tall and spear-like. With a fleeting grin back to her erstwhile companion, Scribble, a man of many years in age, she drops back a few steps and almost goes boots over tea kettle on the roots. With a stifled yelp, she has just enough time to look over, glancing at Mabelle in the periphery of her vision. Darn it, someone saw her. "Lady Laurent, this is a charming delight. Have you decided to try and find one of these charming butterflies? Good luck if you do, for they're tricky to spot."

Mabelle winces as she sees Delilah's mistep, professionally inquiring, "Are you well? Worry not I always carry a kit with me, us physicians do not leave anything to chance" she grins, peeking at Tescelina, bowing her head as the woman is unfamiliar to her, but does not seem like she wants that to change. She gazes up the tree, "So, no butterflies up there? Perhaps perching on flowers", she's not a quitter.

Delilah GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + stealth(5) at difficulty 20, rolling 39 higher.

Delilah GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + stealth(3) at difficulty 20, rolling 7 higher.

Tescelina checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 22 higher.

Rowenova checked perception + survival at difficulty 20, rolling 56 higher.

Delilah has rolled 4 10-sided dice: 8, 8, 8, 9

Tescelina swipes her net aside and dips into a curtsey suitable for a noblewoman. She bows her head to Mabelle firstly, catching the familiar look of 'and who might you be' with, "Lady Tescelina Wyrmguard. Knight of House Wyrmguard." The baring of one. In a way, she is not dainty but deft with felcine grace in motion. Her attention drifting toward Delilah with the same, repeated like the tick of minute to minute on a clock. Like an automaton dancer. "Duchess. An absolute honor." But she is here to prowl, she studies the tree. Her finger rising toward her chin. Tap tap. There. She shoulders the net and -- kicks off her heeled slippers. She's a tall young thing, but not that tall. Tescelina moves to, in her umbra skirt and blouse, to climb the tree. Pursuing her prey. "Do pardon -- little friend -- I shall come to you, it seems."

The slight warming in the crisp near-winter air brings out a few curious folks. It helps the Menagerie's staff of butterfly experts, plus a few guards, an explorer, and a number of curious Arvians have all clustered around the woods close to the northern wall of the city. The hunting grounds are close enough to be a pleasant walk away, but not so far that random giant bears and terrifying shavs riding boars are a likelihood. The makeshift litter of boxes, three in fact, serves as an unofficial collection point and informational table. Two of the Menagerie's staff are excitedly guiding anyone who comes by, offering a jar and pointing. "Now," remarks the elder, "the winter fritillary is a small butterfly. Almost might look like a moth, but so much prettier. The wings are special, they have a flounce like a lady's hemline." He oofs as his partner scowls at him. "It's quite true. They're all shades of silver and white, frosted and pretty. We rarely get to see them, and the gardens would be a safe haven. Well! You can just imagine how happy they'd be among all the other butterflies. Purely delightful. They're out there on the trees, and Jerome Musgrave came back to tell us -- and we've got only one so far. But if we could get a few, it'd be delightful. Just delightful."

Repeat as necessary. He's _really_ stoked about a butterfly.

Tescelina checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

Mabelle flashes a grin at Tescelina, "Lady Mabelle Laurent, Pleasure to meet you", for a moment now she is glad she kept her martial training attire and the fact she spent half her life climbing to the tree house in the Laurent estate. What a perfect combination it is to abandon all her ladylike mannerism and begins to climb the tree, without worry about her clothes, she grasps branch by branch, attempting to reach the elusive butterfly. She has no nets, but she is carrying a sliced orange.

With a laugh on her lips and a rueful wink, Delilah shakes her head at Mabelle. "Perfectly fine. Simply learning heels and trees do not often mix. Surprising, isn't it?" Making light of her own misfortune, she pinches the leather of her jacket closer to her and steps back, leaving more room for people to pass her by. Merry laughter trembles on her lips as she inclines her head again to Tescelina. "And joyous occasions when I see the knight of stars. One after my own heart, apparently." Never mind all the starry motifs around her. She strays out of the way, gazing up, way up, while Scribble probably wishes he had a cup of tea. "Goodness, look at how quick you are. I need to learn!"

Valencia arrives just in time to hear the instructions from the Menagerie's staff. She stands politely back until the instructions and explanation is done and then offers everyone a bright smile. "Good day, everyone! How wonderful this is. May I join you?" she asks gently with a happy nod. "I fear I am not an experienced naturalist or woman of the woods but I am very eager to learn."

Mabelle checked strength + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 5 lower.

Valencia checked wits + survival at difficulty 20, rolling 27 higher.

Mabelle apparently slides down the tree like a firefighter in a hurry.

"Everyone's welcome," assures the Menagerie worker. He passes over a jar he polishes up on his tunic for Valencia, just because, handing it to her with a big beaming grin. "Mind your footing, it can be a bit slippery deeper in. Looks like the frost the past few days hasn't burnt off."

Terrifying shavs riding boars might be likely, indeed, but a Halfshav servant on a grey palfrey with black points (which also includes a dorsal stripe) is, too. Scout Rowenova Bruvir rides up to the butterfly hunt on that grey mare which she rides with a saddle and packs. She gently steers via split reins to a bitless bridle, since this is a good horse, indeed. The wolf-framed woman carefully picks a curious path as she glances up from the muzzle shade to the sunlighted trees above. "I see some." her Northern-accented voice says. Meanwhile, a soulful hound lopes about, doing so until he might find Delilah.

Unimpressed by her own failure to climb the tree, Mabelle dusts her pants for a moment and reconsiders. She takes the time to pause and curtsy to Valencia, "Princess. I have not seen you in so long, how wonderful you were able to join us!". She reconsiders the evasive butterfly on the tree, walking around to the point where the root is visible in the ground giving her the highest boost and just stands there, holding her orange in the air.

Rowenova checked strength + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 30 higher.

Rowenova gets Sinew Lasso with Grappling Hook and Sliding Clips from Messenger Bag.

"Oh, thank you," the little vixen nods to the man. "I shall be careful then." Jar in hand, Valenica looks like she might burst with excitement as she tries her hand, and eye, at spotting the butterfly described. Dark eyes narrow s she scans the trees and she wrinkles her nose in concentration. Rowenova's call that she has spied some turns her head and she smiles. "Excellent!" she callls out to the Wolf Scout as she turns back to her hunt.

"Oh, my dearest Lady Mabelle! How wonderful to see you. How's your luck today?" she inquires with a smile that blossoms even more as she encounters the Lady of Laurent. Valencia's eyes go wide. "There!" she calls out. "Upon that tree. See it?" she smiles to Mabelle. "I see your luck must be strong as it has also blessed me," she beams. "What do we do now? Do we catch it? I do not wish to harm it."

Mabelle checked intellect + animal ken at difficulty 20, rolling 1 lower.

Tescelina ascends barefoot up the tree. She even tucks her net into the back of her swordbelt, to make the ascent easier. Its slow going, given the size of the old bark, but the Wyrmguard manages. A dragon among the boughs. She settles in, briefly concerned by Mabelle's attempt. Her nose wrinkling. Though its Delilah's moniker; knight of stars, which has the young lady flushing ever so slightly. Her hooded cyan eyes drifting toward Valencia as she points up toward the tree. "Hello, Princess." She calls, hoping that the southern vixen did not mistake her for a butterfly. But she studies her prey, resting its wings on a branch, and tries to move in for a capture. Drawing her net from behind, chewing on her bottom lip in anticipation.

Mabelle squints up the tree at that elusive butterfly, "You flatter me, dear Princess, she speaks to Valencia but her eyes never leave the butterfly, "I can see it alright, but I will only feel lucky once I brought it, unharmed to our garden", she grins at the Princess, impressed and even envious as Tescelina totally did one over her, up so high in the tree, not scaring her own butterfly away. Her hand it still up in the air with the stupid orange. She'll get it.

Rowenova pauses her horse, drops the reins, gets her lasso out of one of the bigger packs, then she stands up on the saddle. The horse looks back like... what are you doing? But, the mare stays still otherwise. Nova grins over to where Valencia is. "Good to see you, Princess Valencia. Seeing you makes the day brighter." She wolfishly grins, scans over toward Mabelle and Tescelina, then looks up, ropes a branch, and climbs up into the tree above!

The dragon in the tree is an effective metaphor. Alas, the butterflies and branches are hard to distinguish from one another even while up there. The fritillaries disturbed by commotions where other figures try to climb up or throw a net on a bush float through the air, their wings almost like a sheet of fine rice paper stretched over the lead frame of a window. The light passing through them reveals the elaborate designs, swirls of silver and grey awash in a moonlight-pale background. The effect is dusty and beautiful in its way, especially where the dainty flick-snap of wings spread out.

Delilah has rolled 1 100-sided dice: 49

Mabelle checked charm + animal ken at difficulty 20, rolling 37 higher.

"Close!" calls the copper-haired girl, as Mabelle is just shy of the jar on the fritillary that flutters past Valencia unscathed. It hesitates for a moment and then lazily flaps on its pokey way. If anyone wants that one, they're going to have to chase it through the field.

Though the sight of Tescelina finding her way up the tree is a lovely sight indeed, the little vixen does not seem to have mistaken her for the butterfly she seeks. "Hello, Lady! I see you have found your prey. It seems I have, too," Valencia smiles to the small winged creature a few trees over.

Turning back to Rowenova and Valencia smiles back, "And you may sweetest friend! Do be careful," she worries as she makes for her quarry with a soft slowly prowl, jar open and at the ready. "Hello," she says to the butterfly, "If you would kindly join me," she beings and laughs as the other one flutters by. "OH! Hello to you too," sher offers the passing insect, but the little vixen's cap is set for the one sunning itself on the tree.

Valencia checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 9 higher.

Mabelle begins to chase it. She's getting a butterfly one way or another. As some of them rattle through the tree by the climbers, Mabelle walks around the forest with the extended orange, careful, one feet in front of the other, she doesnt care how stupid she looks. Two minutes later, a couple of butterflies land on her orange. She's happy, but not stupid enough to squeal and she lowers the orange carefully into her jar, closing it with the holed lead.

Tescelina is up there now and, looking around, she isn't quite sure where to go from here. "I have indeed, yes." She replies to Valencia with a soft smile. "I am trying not to think about getting down." She does, however, manage a slight if awkward curtsy as Rowenova ascends up the length of the trunk. "Hello," she greets to her fellow tree occupant. "Well caught, Lady Mabelle!" She calls from her perch. But with net in hand, the knightess tries to slink further down the branch. Perhaps if she can jostle it, it'll send the butterfly up and right into her snare!

Rowenova checked dexterity + alchemy at difficulty 15, rolling 24 higher.

Soft padding footsteps, the little southern princes holds her breath as she quietly creeps forward. The butterfly ripples it's frosted silver white wings and Valencia nearly gasps at the beauty of such a delicate and small creature. But she dare not speak. Gently, she lowers the glass jar and carefully cups the butterfly. It starts at her show and flits off from the trees rough bark in a big to escape only to find itself captured in the glass of the jar.

As soft as silk, the little vixen lifts the jar and gently tightens on the pierced lit and then takes a moment to admire her prize. "You are so lovely," Valencia whispers to creature the jar. "I promise you will have a good home and want for nothing. All of Arx will come to admire your lovely wings. So do not fret. You will be safe," she tells it utterly lost in the moment.

Mabelle gazes at her jar, fascinated by the little silvery creatures inside. She's not quite poetic as the Princess, but the jar is turning in her hand as she marvels. She stops to grin at the praising Knight, "Thank you! And luck up there? " she inquires as she cradles the jar in her palms, wondering if she should be greedy to look for more

Tescelina checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 20 higher.

The little butterflies aren't big but they certainly make a fine showpiece. The excited staff for the Menagerie take those jarred up and transfer them with great care into a larger crate probably used to transport bottles of milk or ale. Already they're talking between themselves about using a cart. Someone probably better go fetch that.

Meanwhile, Tescelina's shaking efforts done with great care have the desired effect. At the first shivering tremble, the fritillary is launched airborne, shaking its antennae as though to find the source of the tree-quake. Dragons!

After a smile to Valencia, Rowenova works her way up through the branches with painstaking care, being patient on her way up there. She finally cinches her scrappy form to the tree top, doing so with her special rope securely tied to her hourglass waistline. She opens up skirt pockets and pulls out a few items: this tiny net of a meshy fabric on a wire frame and a small glass spray bottle with a mysterious substance within. She carefully holds the tiny net under a treed butterfly then gently spritzes it with the knock-out gas. It falls off from the bark it once clutched into the soft netting.

The jar liberated by the Menagerie staff, Valencia is now able to watch the talents of the others come to fruition. Each with their own special way of capturing the delicate winged prey to be safely transported to their new keepers. "Bravo!" she calls out when another is secured and then another. "I did not realize such beauty was in these woods. Perhaps I should visit more often," she muses.

Tescelina's eyes widen a bit and as her plan seems to have worked, the knightess waists no time in making a swipe with her net to capture that fluttering fritillary with the swoop of wind through the thin holes. Her delight near girlish, if somewhat muted. The excitement a rare balm for the stargazing dame.

Mabelle notices the other slice of orange in her hand. Two halves make one after all, she prances about the forest, having giving up climbing all together. Self inflicted embarrassment is not quite her favorite pass time and still there are some butterflies in the air, looking for a new home, "They are magnificent are they not? The staff of the garden will be elated!"

Mabelle checked charm + animal ken at difficulty 30, rolling 7 lower.

Mabelle checked charm + animal ken at difficulty 20, rolling 34 higher.

Laughter in the air, Delilah wraps her arms around herself as she stares up at Rowenova's careful pursuits through the trees. "Nova, what are you doing up there?" A question asked after, it must be said, the act of downing a butterfly with a spritzer is performed. Having the archer fall from the tree at that height would be inconceivable. "Do I need to tell Draven to bring you down the hard way? I bet if the two of us hauled on the rope, you'd descend like a butterfly yourself fairly safely." Observations made from an Explorer, take them at your own risk. She claps her hands lightly and beams at Valencia. "The woods are lovely. I recommend highly having Petal as a guide through the Lodge, if you haven't been any time recently. Particularly the hot springs misting up the surrounding forest, the view is mesmerizing at this time of year."

And there goes a butterfly floating over the grass. She spins and darts after it, laughing.

Olivia makes her way in fully armored, ready to deal with the untold horrors of what is likely the most horrible of battlefields.

That orange is getting far more attention than Mabelle had intended and she finally finds herself prey to about seven or so Butterfly. Its a small orange after all, and they land on her hair, shoulders and wherever they can find on her green vined blouse. She mutters to her companions, "Get them, Get them", only managing to capture the two on the orange, sealing yet another airy jar.

From the tree above, Nova glances down toward Delilah with a Northern laugh, "Cheating with Alchemy is what! The hard way, hah! I could crack a joke about your word choice, but I will spare our company... for now." Shifty eyes! Then, she lets out a Dravenesque-yet-feminine giggle which only stops because her strong teeth are carefully used to bite down on the net handle now whilst pocketting away the spray bottle of sleep-inducing chemical. Careful now, the young scout climbs down (lest someone yanks hard on her special rope, then the poor lass would probably plummet)!

For Olivia... the weather is warmer than it has been by a few degrees, which apparently gives the stir-crazy ladies of Arx reason to run around after tiny scalloped-wing butterflies that look like flying glimmers of moonlight reflected on a silvery pond. The winter fritillary is not a species seen much because they blend in very well with the leafless trees. The floating specimens have been disturbed by a few people in trees -- Rowenova and Tescelina -- while Delilah chases one down and Valencia and Mabelle need only stand still. They have jars and the odd net here or there to aid in the task, the jars being supplied by four staff from the Menagerie's butterfly garden. They're the ones who take the living butterflies back to safety and join the sixth dominion of the Compact: Flappinia, ruled by Queen Fritillary and Monarch Orangepeel.

Sir Floppington sits down right there, next to Delilah, and then leans close against her nearest leg while looking up with those soulful eyes, indeed!

"That sounds beautiful," Valencia replies with a soft gasp of delight. "Perhaps I shall make it a goal to swim in all the best hot springs of Arx on principal," she grins. Turning to watch the others, her smile only grows. By the time Olivia arrives in full armor, the little vixen looks as blissful as one of the butterflies sunning itself. "Hardly cheating! That is very clever, my sweet friend," she calls out and then offers a bright smile and warm incline of head to Olivia, "Hello! Welcome, my lady."

Olivia strides over in a hurry! "Fear not Ladies! I have come to rescue you all from peril!" She looks around a bit confused by the lack of screams of terror. "Huh.... No one is gravely wounded..." She ducks like lightning when a butterfly comes her way.

Tescelina checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 23 higher.

She swipes downward. Its rather overzealous. But the result is one caught butterfly and a very pleased young noblewoman. Tescelina smiles at her captured prey. Another victory for the dragon. She scoots, climbing back down from her perch in the tall tree with the same feline grace. Hitting the ground on her barefeet, she dusts herself off, including her umbra skirt. Which has the smallest catch in it from the errant, rude branches. Not that the fashion err is doing much to dampen her spirits. "I have done it," she declares with all pride of a victory on the battlefield. Slaying some terrible questing beast, perhaps. Holding the net up, she examines her catch.

Mabelle takes A dark-silver silk blended trumpet-sleeved gown from a small berry and silver leather side bag.

Delilah checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 20, rolling 35 higher.

Acquisitions of a butterfly require skill and grace. Delilah briefly curls her fingers at Olivia in greeting as she flows past, a vision of sunset chasing a small bit of moonlight. "Scribble, quickly, my scarf." And what she does with the scarf is plaintively simple, holding one end and snapping it just so to lie out there on the grass like an inviting, flower-scented stretch of fabric. And she waits, looking about as she does. A salute to Tescelina who descends the tall tree with nimble ease warrants a grin, and about two minutes later, she has a butterfly burritoed very carefully in silk.

Mabelle gathers another stray butterfly from her hair, holding it on the tip of her finger. She's done enough danger to nature today, she thinks, and she settles down against the tree's bark, gazing at her butterfly. As she stares at it up close she wonders aloud, "So, are you in charge of hunting the other animals in there? Like the lions? I would love to see -that-. See. I'm not joining that", she shakes her head with a grin.

Olivia turns to Delilah, "I came to tend to the wounded... Seems far safer than the notice I received on this hunting party made it seem to be." She relaxes her guard a bit, but clearly on the lookout for rogue, vicious, fluttering insects.

Valencia checked wits + survival at difficulty 20, rolling 27 higher.

Valencia checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 24 higher.

Mabelle is overheard praising Delilah.

Tescelina is overheard praising Delilah: A splendid hunt!

Valencia smiles at Olivia and then her eyes widen in shock. "Don't. Move." she whispers to the armored lady, her breath held softly. "I have you," the little dark eyed vixen whispers as she eyes a butterfly brazenly perched upon the woman's shoulder. It fluttlers and flits its wings with almost bold bravado daring them to catch it. "Be very still," she whispers as she hold a hand out for another jar and she begins to creep forward.

Olivia freezes in absolute terror at the realization there is a bug on her.

Mabelle tisks amusedly at Valencia as she shakes her own hand and lets her captive flutter free, she turns her eyes toward Valencia and Olivia watching the hunt take place as a yawn escapes her lips, quickly stifled by fingertips

The slight southern princess draws very near, dark eyes upon her prey. "Hello, little pretty, would you like to join your brothers and sisters?" she whispers. "Easssy..." she smiles to Olivia as the jar lowers every so slowly onto her armored shoulder. Obviously indignant, the little butterfly lifts and lofts to make its escape, but it is too late. It is trapped and capped wih little squeak of delight and a bounce from Valencia. "Your first butterfly," she announce to Olivia and hands her the jar to bring triumphantly to the Menagerie staff if she so wishes. "Thank you. I would never have caught that one without out," she beams brightly.

Tescelina secures her bounty and names her catch 'Shiny' which she seems to think is very funny. Odd as she is, she looks very pleased with the events and moves to join Mabelle in observing the conclusion of the hunt. At the Laurent's yawn, she smiles. "You were very swift, m'lady. I think, I too, am a touch weary. Some tea, when I return, will do wonders."

Olivia looks at the Jar and she doesn't exactly look as excited as Valencia, "I think... that one can be all yours your Highness." A slight grin. "How many will get to feast from this hunt?"

Mabelle smiles upwards at Tescelina and climbs to her feet, "Tea and some warm waters to bask in, I'm all over that. Your climbing left me in awe", she compliments the Lady, "It was lovely meeting you". She barely manages to stifle another yawn, she swears she's not bored, just weary of all the excitment, "I think I will head to the city. Maybe the walk will rouse me. Thank you for the invitation, Duchess! And Princess, it was a pleasure seeing you again." She turns here and there, "Ladies, well met", she flashes a grin and slips toward the path