She had been here before.

Perhaps it would be uncomfortably close to her old home if she had felt badly about leaving, but she didn’t mind at all. Modesty strode along at Gilgamesh’s side, a wide smile on her face, a small sack clasped in her jaws. She had spent days travelling and collecting in the hopes of gathering up a sizable gift to offer the pirates (after all, she had been disappointedly empty pawed when she crashed their party before.)

The jackalope hopped along at her side, and her kite wheeled lazily overhead. The familiar salty breeze blowing in her fur felt so right. She could only hope this would work. She placed the bag between her paws. “Should I call or something? Is it too early?” Anxiety was starting to set in. What if they didn’t like her?

“Speech.”

We are the jack-o-lanterns in July setting fire to the sky

Disappointment set across his expression as he followed Modesty back toward Obsidian Beach. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to participate in the raid as he'd hoped. Something about rules or whatever, he wasn't sure of the semantics. Either way, he hoped to make it up to Sparrow next time, and this time, he would help bring another new member to the pack. It was easy to follow the galaxy-colored girl around as she searched for items to bring in offering for the Pirates. He could tell she was nervous as they walked side by side. Overhead, Erish fluttered in the sky with Modesty's kite as they squealed and chattered together. His wolverine, Urtur, had gone off to hunt, preferring to stay off the warm sands beneath his own paws. Pausing now as Modesty dropped the bag of goodies between her paws, Gil smiled and reached over to brush her cheek with his nose. "I'm sure Sparrow won't mind if we call for her now," he rumbled with a chuckle in his belly. Lifting his chin up to the salty-winded sky, he let out a friendly hello in hopes it would be answered. Preferring to be drunk, he hoped the meeting would be short and sweet so they could meet up with the rest to have a good, hearty get-together.

After the group had returned to their stomping grounds briefly, Sparrow was already planning out their next move. They needed to try to get Art back, for which Sparrow was working up a trade offer. Then she already had plans of their next raid, which probably needed to be brought to Tyr's attention, so that warranted travel to Fireside. Then there was the- oh? Gil was calling out for her and Sparrow wondered absentmindedly whether or not he had decided he was ready to leave the pack after seeing them lose.

When Sparrow arrived, however, he stood there with someone else. "Oh? So, you aren't throwing in the olive branch and calling it quits? You're either more fun than I gave you credit for, or stupider- or in my case a little but of both." She laughed, truly joking about it. "So who's the girl? She yours or yours?"

Modesty smiled as Sparrow approached, and then tipped her head in question when she spoke, looking to Gil and back to the Pirate king. She was, of course, herself. She didn’t belong to anyone… except well maybe her mother, but her mother wasn’t here. Sure she liked Gil, maybe even loved him. After all, he was her best friend, and had been for a long time now. “I’m not anyone’s.” She answered, and while the words were assertive, she smiled sweetly the whole time. “Gil is my best friend, and I would miss him too much if we weren’t in the same place. I have gifts, in the hopes you might allow me to join you…” But they were all still wrapped up and so Sparrow couldn’t make an accurate assessment of them!

Her jackalope removed a green bundle from within. “Umm, if you put some of this on the fire and breathe in the smoke it will help everyone relax,” next to come out was a small bundle of mushrooms, “Oh! These ones give visions...” A mixed bundle of dried herbs was next, “You make this one into a tea and it also gives visions, they can be a bit… scarier than the ones you get from the mushrooms though, so I’d have to measure that one out. There is more, but we could be here all day if I go through them all.” She looked to the leader with a smile. “I’m not much of a fighter, yet. But I’d be willing to learn! I promise I won’t be a burden if you let me stay.” Her tail waved hopefully. She supposed she had probably prattled on a bit, but she was young yet and eager to please.

“Speech.”

We are the jack-o-lanterns in July setting fire to the sky

When Sparrow approached, his yellow gaze turned toward his leader with a calm but friendly smile. His interactions with the Pirate King had never been anything but friendly teasing and fun. So when her questions splayed out across the sand for them, his ears may have flicked back for a second. Did she really believe he wouldn't want to be a part of the pack due to his inability to join one measly raid? A quiet chuff releases from his lips and as they opened to retort in a camaraderie-type fashion, Modesty spoke up. Sure, he hadn't been very vocal about his feelings toward Modesty. He wasn't vocal about feelings with anyone, but Sparrow may as well place the dunce cap on his head now. Both his cheeks flush as Modesty's confident words fill in perhaps all Sparrow needed to know. He really needed to work on his communication skills. Slightly flustered, his expression pales as the younger girl excitedly displayed her gifts the jackalope pulled out from the sack. Truly, it was more than Gil had ever offered, but he would prove his worth in the next raid. "I won't call it quits as it appears we may need a bit more muscle next time around," he finally gets in, adding a small wink as Modesty's words die off into the breeze. "To answer the other question, she is mine in the sense that I won't be letting anyone else harm her or try any sort of funny business," Gil's eyes harden for a moment as he looks to Sparrow specifically. They both had been to Sparrow's get-together where her companions had theatrically displayed her woes of losing the girl she loved. No one would be getting in between him and Modesty if he had anything to do with it.

The girl said she wasn't anyone's and Sparrow decided right then that she was at least alright. Sparrow gave a small, approving nod at her words. She mentioned liking Gil enough to not want to be without him and while it was a very sweet sentiment, Sparrow had to restrain from rolling her eyes. Was she even worse of a sap when she was in love? Maybe, but this girl still looked young and seemed just as much. She babbled on happily about various drugs and dandies she brought and Sparrow eyed them somewhat greedily. While she could guess what some might be, others were more foreign to her. She rounded up her pitch by promising not to be a burden. Afterwards, Gilgamesh stated that she was, in fact, under his protection. Though he insinuated one thing, Sparrow's mind was pointing the other way. She flicked her eyes in his direction, the edge of her smile dropping from her eyes for a split second, "Good. She's young," Sparrow said pointedly at the man, implying the closest thing to a warning she could muster before the smile glittered in her eyes as she turned to the woman once more, not missing a beat. "But that's never been a problem, and with your knowledge of fun plants and all, I think you'll fit right in! We don't really stay here a ton, but you can stash some of these in the pirate ship in the cove-harbor-whatever it is." "Gil," Sparrow said, turning her attention back to him, all trace of her previous 'don't mess with children' warning gone. "Do you wanna show her around after we put these gifts away?" She had no reason to believe he was doing anything unsavory with the young woman, but that's why she had just shot him a warning glance- if she had been really concerned, she would have pulled him away for a talk, but she was pretty sure he understood and was taking a protective role; that would be good to foster in the pack of misfits. "And what should we be calling you, Miss...?"

If the girl’s smile could grow any wider it would split her face in half. “Modesty! No miss, just Modesty.” She responded enthusiastically, her whole back end swaying as her feet danced excitedly at her back. If Gilgamesh wasn’t careful, he’d end up with his face full of her tail again.

With directions on where to leave her stash, she happily gathered up her bag, waiting for Gil to show her the way to the ship. A ship! This really was a new and exciting adventure!

“Speech.”

We are the jack-o-lanterns in July setting fire to the sky

The pointed stare from Sparrow was not lost on him. He met her gaze as his expression relaxed. So, they were on the same page. Everything would be on Modesty's terms and her's alone and Gil would ensure no harm ever came to her. She was a bundle of joy and spirit that warmed the dead flame he believed was his heart. Being in her company was all he wanted - even if he merely sat around listening to her garble away about whatever was on her mind that day. It was a pleasant reprieve in his once dark life that he couldn't bear to lose ever again. He was glad that his and Sparrow's silent conversation between glances was missed on Modesty as her back end began wagging excitedly again. Stepping carefully to the side so he wouldn't be tail thwapped by her, he smiled softly. It was a tender smile that many never saw and really only for her. Seeing her happy made him happy. Clearing his throat, he nodded in Sparrow's direction before turning his attention over to the galaxy-colored girl. "The ship isn't far, I'll show you," he said as his head lifted to look in the direction of the cove Sparrow mentioned. "Can't wait for the next raid meeting," Gil tossed a mischievous smile in Sparrow's direction before nudging Modesty to follow him.

Sparrow was glad internally that Gil seemed to understand her gaze, not taking any unwarranted offence by her words. The young girl excitedly bounded forward with the promise of the pirate ship and Gil followed her, tossing back the words about looking forward to the raid meeting. Sparrow flashed her sharp-toothed smile at them, "Good, I expect both of you to show!"

She watched the merry two bound on their way and turned to her own devices. With more numbers, untrained or not, their likelihood in raids went up and then they could be a bigger hitter when it came to packs that actually mattered in the future.