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It wasn’t unusual for Zarina to visit the sanctuary she had helped build in Eskand with the help of someone like Jocasta for mobility. But today was different - she was going to relieve her sensei of any responsibility and take over the reins, once she felt ready. After all, she portal’d in a big dragon before, what was a person or two?

The first time was difficult, even when she chose Maura to accompany her - someone of small composure that would theoretically not require too much strain to accommodate for. A panting Virangish Pepper was left in the wake of the portal’s creation. [color=#E5E4E2]“Rolling ladies first.”[/color] she huffed out, gesturing dramatically into the tear in reality that showed the familiar sights of Somnes-time Eskand and the reserve barn in the distance. [color=#E5E4E2]“I suppose that trade agreement you got going with ReTan considers these thingies. Like that Silk Gate. Boats can’t do it all nowadays.”[/color]

[colour=C0C0C0]"There are volume, risk, and price considerations. Fortunately, portals are only available in limited supply and specific areas. After all, we still need to ship goods from Revidia to the Silk Gate somehow.”[/colour] She smiled as she looked up toward Zarina, [colour=C0C0C0]“Beautiful ones first it is then~”[/colour] As she made her way through the portal her friend made.

As they travelled through the portal, their perspective of the Snowsweeper Sanctuary expanded. The once modest shelters had been replaced by much larger structures, and several new buildings had sprung up, indicating the development of some kind of industry in the area. However, the most breathtaking sight was the Snowsweeper family in the field, frolicking in the meadows. There were three adults, the bull, and two pregnant mares, along with five juniors playfully charging around in the grass. Surprisingly, they all appeared to have shed their thick winter coats for the warmer season.

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Maura smiled widely as she pointed towards one of them and playfully giggled, [colour=C0C0C0]"That one clearly takes after you."[/colour]

[color=#E5E4E2]“Guaranteed it’s Adnan.”[/color] remarked Zarina with a proud grin on her face and hands on her hips in a triumphant pose. It was a delectable sight to be sure - the fruits of their efforts laid right before them with no catch. The Sanctuary had gotten bigger with the massive amount of land ever expanding and secured. 

Zarina approached the youthful animals, prompting a couple of them to look her way, but only one was curious enough to approach. It was the one she had guessed. Out of her pocket came a few sugar cubes she presented to the animal with her hands flat. The small feast attracted the attention of the others, and soon they were all congregating toward the two students much like cows would once a single one had made a friend. 

[color=#E5E4E2]“Hey, Maura, look.”[/color] Zarina was surrounded by bovine heads all sniffing about and releasing light moos for attention. She began to swing her hand up and down, which led the animals to mirror her movements with their heads bobbing. [color=#E5E4E2]“I’m now queen of the moos.”[/color]

Maura simply giggled as Zazzy proclaimed herself the Queen of the Moos. She directed her attention to the runt of the litter, appropriately named Ayla. The little cutie with its reddish fur was persuaded to come over as Maura presented a treat. The Snowsweeper had certainly grown larger since last year, definitely too big for her lap now. [colour=C0C0C0]"Even Ayla has grown into a big girl now."[/colour]

As they spent time with the Moos, they started to attract the attention of the staff working at the Sanctuary. A small crowd of them began to gather before approaching. [colour=C0C0C0]"Say, Zazzy, you did let them know we were coming, right?"[/colour]

[color=#E5E4E2]“Nope.”[/color] answered Zarina, carefree and drowning in Snowsweeper scritches and licks. When the security rangers were closing in, she absently waved at them. [color=#E5E4E2]“Heyyyyyyy!”[/color]

The rangers approached with frowns on their faces as they observed the two girls playfully interacting with the Snowsweepers. [colour=brown]"Denne helligdommen er ikke åpen for publikum,"[/colour] one of them stated, gesturing towards their weapons and the outer fence.

Maura paused for a moment as they spoke Ingrid to her, not fully understanding but getting the gist of their interaction. [colour=C0C0C0]"We don't speak Eskand. My name is Maura Mercador, and this is Zarina Al-Nader. We have come to see our investment."[/colour]

Zarina squinted at Maura. [color=#E5E4E2]“Investments? You’re actually making a profit out of this?”[/color] she shook her head. [color=#E5E4E2]“Admit it, you just fell in love with these fluffy shits.”[/color] she turned her head to one of the animals and made baby sounds whilst nuzzling its big, damp snout. [color=#E5E4E2]“Whosagoodgurl mmmm!”[/color] and it moo’d back in all its ugly goodness. 

Then she attention went to the Eskandish staff. [color=#E5E4E2]“Ah! Yeah, uhhh,”[/color] she reached for her chest and then just emphasised what was not clearly bigger than her’s. [color=#E5E4E2]“Idun! Friend! Uhhh, Thorinn?”[/color]

[colour=C0C0C0]"You know what we meant, talking about our donations and our rescue of them,"[/colour] Maura clarified, rolling her eyes in response to the gentle chiding regarding her choice of words. However, her aloof demeanour quickly shifted to shock when she realized that Zazzy was trying to inquire about their mutual acquaintances. She buried her head in her hands, feeling the second-hand embarrassment from her request.

The rangers exchanged glances among themselves. They had limited knowledge of Avincian, so they gestured for Maura and Zazzy to remain in place while one of them went off to fetch a colleague from the nearby buildings.

Meanwhile, Ayla, the Snowsweeper, turned her attention to Maura. She attempted to sniff Maura's hands before gently licking them with her slathering tongue, as if trying to comfort or cheer up the girl. Maura couldn't help but exclaim, [colour=C0C0C0]"Eep! Ayla's eating me!"[/colour] She tried to fend off the tongue with her hands, but the playful Snowsweeper nudged her hands away and continued licking her face.

Zarina laughed. [color=#E5E4E2]“Hah! She really loves you.”[/color] and then she just slumped into the big adult female nearby, with still a little bit of white coat left, and just stayed there while the animal indulged in some tasty grass. [color=#E5E4E2]“Mmm, fluffy.”[/color] she sighed, and after a moment of waiting for the staff to get a supervisor, Zazzy looked at Maura. [color=#E5E4E2]“Heard you had quite the encounter with, errr, big creatures in ReTan, by the way.”[/color] she remarked as we went back to feeding the youths some cubes. [color=#E5E4E2]“Big animals and grumpy boys.”[/color]

[colour=C0C0C0]"Have you ever eaten battered squid, and when you put the rings in your mouth, you playfully go 'nomf' as if you were a giant creature? Well, its big brother escaped your nightmares and loomed over us all in the sky, like a walking mountain. A creature known as a Knower Titan,"[/colour] she sighed, [colour=C0C0C0]"Not even sure if it was real; it happened so quickly."[/colour] She shook her head to dispel the memory. [colour=C0C0C0]"The boys weren't too bad; Abdel was sweet. The girls were the worst, except for Kaureerah—she's great."[/colour]

[color=#E5E4E2]“Shit.”[/color] blurted out Zarina, leaned against the big male they had rescued. He was so thick and strong that he barely felt her weight against him. [color=#E5E4E2]“Sounds like bad calamari. But not all that unbelievable, I don’t think. I just expected something like a big Rettanese dragon or whatever.”[/color]

[colour=C0C0C0]"There was a large arrow dragon who could transform into a human at will, named Wu Long. We collaborated with him for a while, but we eventually ended up in a conflict due to... well, various reasons,"[/colour] she paused, uncertain of how to succinctly explain what had transpired.

The ranger returned with Thorinn by his side, the RASgardian extending his arms toward them in a cheerful manner. [color=cyan]"Ladies! It's good to see you again,"[/color] he boomed, his long, flowing blonde locks trailing behind him as he strode forward. With a mischievous wink at Zarina, he declared, [color=cyan]"I hear you've been appreciating these mighty pectoral muscles of mine,"[/color] while thrusting his chest out proudly. [color=cyan]"You should've sent word ahead; we're ever vigilant against any who might threaten these lands. We're not ones to ask many questions."[/color]

Zarina snorted. [color=#E5E4E2]“Damn, Snowsweeper raising does a number on the body sculpting creed, eh?”[/color] she regarded Thorinn, hands on her hips and lips pursed as she nodded, looking visibly impressed. [color=#E5E4E2]“Yeah, my bad.”[/color] she waved in surrender. [color=#E5E4E2]“I don’t have a total grasp on this magic yet. I didn’t plan on popping into the middle of the field, more like … Somewhere I would NOT be ambushed by these cuties.”[/color] she smiled, hands back to doing what they do best: Scritches.

[color=#E5E4E2]“How are you guys holding up?”[/color] she inquired, her tone a tad deeper, signifying the end of pleasantries. [color=#E5E4E2]“The Sanctuary has its needs met, right? Any threats? Special considerations?”[/color]

Thorinn scratched his chin, [colour=cyan]"The fundraising continues, for we must amass a worthy treasury to feed these fine creatures as their appetites grow more insatiable."[/colour] He gestured toward the two expectant mares, [colour=cyan]"And lo, we've embarked upon a Snowsweeper wool workshop, a venture that shall, in time, lessen our reliance on donations. But alas, breaking even remains a distant dream."[/colour]

He snapped his fingers with a hearty laugh, [colour=cyan]"Idun, she's off to the trials this year, armed with cuddly creatures and certificates to grace your auction house! We're hoping her charms will ensnare a wealthy noble or two, for the cause!"[/colour]

Zarina scratched her cheek as she pondered. [color=#E5E4E2]“I’ve been thinking about this, actually. This self-reliance thing.”[/color] the snowsweepers were congregating more toward Maura of all people, likely intrigued as to why ‘Ayla’ liked to lick her so much. Was she made of salt? [color=#E5E4E2]“I was thinking of the Varrahasta Zoo. Maybe that could be an idea. Get a few animals in this sanctuary, and people will want to see them. In fact … This can be a good way to expand the menagerie here, with other creatures that need help.”[/color] then, she snapped her fingers as she recalled something. [color=#E5E4E2]“Were we able to get the other two known males here, by the way?”[/color]

Thorinn crossed his arms, and let out a hearty chuckle, his voice booming. [color=cyan]"This, my friends, is a sanctuary, not some pitiful zoo. Those places lock up creatures in deplorable conditions for the mere amusement of the masses. Here, we're on a sacred mission to save a species from the brink of extinction,"[/color] he declared, casting a glance at Maura, who was being thoroughly licked by the Snowsweepers. [color=cyan]"Besides, humans can be quite the perilous lot. Just look at how comfortable these magnificent beasts are with us already."[/color]

He shook his head solemnly in response to the second question, his golden locks dancing as he did so, [color=cyan]"Studding them might be on the table for our lovely ladies, but Snowsweepers, my friends, are a rare and precious treasure. We simply can't scrape together the coin to meet their exorbitant price tags."[/color]

[color=#E5E4E2]“Well, then, be a zoo that doesn’t exploit. I think the best way to get people to care is by letting them meet the beasts.”[/color] a couple of pats were placed on a pregnant female’s side. [color=#E5E4E2]“It’s gonna be about money at the end of the day. So we gotta get producing, so we can get all the remaining snowsweepers here.”[/color]

Then, she looked over at Maura and smirked. [color=#E5E4E2]“Another idea is to make this famous. Lemme explain.”[/color] she gently tugged on some of the animal’s fur, and it just slid off as if it had barely been on the animal. She was shedding, after all. [color=#E5E4E2]“You sponsor Trials teams. Mine, Maura’s and of course Idun’s. If we secure some good places, we can stand on the podium with Snowsweeper tees and a cause to flaunt to the world.”[/color]

Maura chimed in with enthusiasm, [colour=C0C0C0]"Advertisement is indeed a splendid notion, particularly when you're dealing with merchandise as fine as Snowsweeper wool. It can fuel demand, which, in turn, inflates prices. And let's not forget the positive impact on donations."[/colour]

Thorinn grinned, his voice resonating like thunder, [colour=cyan]"Ah, you've got the spirit, my friends. Let the world know about our noble cause. As for attracting those pesky poachers, well, let's just say they won't enjoy what I have in store for them if they dare set foot in these parts. Consider it a not-so-subtle deterrent to keep them far, far away."[/colour]

Zarina clasped her hands together, prompting a nearby snowsweeper to perk up. [color=#E5E4E2]“Awww, did I spook you?”[/color] she reached out to embrace the beast’s neck, and even dropped a few smooches on its cheek, sneaking her head under the thick horn. [color=#E5E4E2]“We … Could always be proactive with the poacher-snuffing. Surely there are established groups that have been hired for years. If we want them to stop, it isn’t by reacting and scaring them away. They’ll just come back even more prepared.”[/color]

The Virangish left the beast to its eating with a couple of pats and gestured for her two colleagues to come closer. [color=#E5E4E2]“I say we gather a team and start dismantling these dickheads. It ain’t like they’re hunters, they only hunt the exotic and rare. Total fuck-o’s.”[/color] she shot a conspiratorial grin at the two.

Maura contemplated for a moment before responding, [colour=C0C0C0]"Barring opportunistic poachers, a successful operation like that would require some serious infrastructure and logistics. They'd either need buyers lined up or access to a network that can move that type of illicit merchandise. It's not something easily done."[/colour]

[colour=cyan]"I shall investigate this further, and I shall keep you both informed,"[/colour] Thorinn declared. He casually spat out the snuff he had been chewing onto the ground. [colour=cyan]"Looks like I'll be doing some questioning after all, if these troublemakers come knocking on our doors. Come inside once you're done with the beasts."[/colour]