I'll Learn You A Thing Or Two

The venom collector seemed unperturbed by the growing audience, her focus unwavering as she deftly manipulated the reptile. Her response to Caedes' inquiry carried the weight of experience, a simple gesture revealing a past encounter with the deadly toxins she now expertly harvested. The obsidian-furred woman's throaty chuckle echoed through the clearing with a hint of amusement. He heard the other girl speaking, asking a question about the venom’s uses. To that he laughed inwardly, because even the deadliest herbs had their use in medicinal purposes. Snake venom was no different.

Caedes, ever the keen observer, was drawn to the snake – the way its limp body was manipulated to the old woman's liking... “Masterful.” His verdant gaze flickered with intrigue as he watched her practiced paws, dexterous it seemed, coaxing venom from the serpent's fangs. The sight of the snake's lifeblood trickling away, its venom going into the pottery for later use stirred something within him, a primal fascination mingled with a hint of admiration for the art and precision. As well as his own hidden delight. He heard that rapturous voice beside him speak to the old woman, questioning the craft and its difficulty. He waited for her query to be answered before his voice, deep and resonant, cut through the air, a question laced with curiosity and veiled amusement leaving his maw. “Beyond interested. But it does seem a waste to kill the snake. Was it uncooperative?” The dire brute grinned, his eyes flicking to Mariah for a moment, daring, pleading for her to spare him a glance…