Claribel let out a great sigh of relief as she finally came upon the Southern portion of the city after having traveled all the way from the middle of Virens Forest. It was just nearly dawn when she and her travel companion had arrived in Adeluna City, and a few soft clouds dotted the sky overhead. The port they stood at now was relatively populated, though half the deckhands (and some homeless, it seemed) were passed out in various places; the other workers were busy bustling back and forth while everyone else was simply doing whatever everyone else does.

"Would you look at that!" Claribel cried as she stood upon the dock with her hand held over her brow. Out in the watery distance was a small speck which, at first, seemed like nothing more than a ship or perhaps a few more. "That's the Duchy of Egjora, it is! Oh, I remember reading all about it in my books! Okay, maybe not all about it, but I've read a little bit."

"Lookin' to sail to Egjora, eh?" came a gruff voice from nearby. Were one to look for its source, they'd see a fairly burly-looking man dressed in plain, loose garb–something one would think a dock worker would wear. "Well, yer out o' luck fer the mo'! The ship just left, and it won't be back 'til late mornin'. Best sit tight fer now."

Cinnamon stood by Claribel on the dock, and stared out at the speck that Claribel was excited about. "What is it? What is the Duchy of Egjora? What am I looking at? I thought the Duchy was like a female ruler of a kingdom."  She whispered, she didn't want the men on the docks to hear her. she didn't trust them, most of them smelt of beer and sweat. "Can we go somewhere to get some food? I'm hungry and I don't trust these men." Cinnamon said to Claribel, she looked around at the men on and around the docks. Most of them were either very drunk and unconscious, or working hard and not paying them any attention. Then some big burly guy, that had been working on repairing a fishing net behind them. Responded to Claribel's remark about the Duchy. Cinnamon was startled and jumped and hissed at the big man, but he paid her no heed as he spoke to Claribel. 

"Oh no, no! A Duchess is a feminine rank of nobility! Her male counterpart is a Duke. A Duke or a Duchess–or both, mind you–rule over a Duchy, which is what the Duchy of Egjora is. The Duchy of Egjora, as I assume it, is a territory or fief, which is what a duchy is supposed to be!" she said, a smile ever lighting her face as she spoke of what she knew. Whether what she knew was entirely accurate or not was yet to be seen; she did come from a tiny village in the middle of nowhere, after all. "Anyways, I've read that it's simply the most exquisite of cities on this side of Canelux! I've always wondered what it would be like, if their books will reflect the image portrayed to the rest of the world."

The longshoreman's words brought a small huff from Claribel; her journey to the magnificent-sounding city would not come to her so soon, it seemed. She offered him a polite nod and a, "Thank you very much, mister. We'll be waiting."

She turned to face forward again and said to Cinnamon, "Well, I guess we'll have to wait! Or just me, depending on where you're wanting to go. I heard there's a nice bakery nearby if you'd like something fresh from there! I can smell it all the way from here if I don't focus on the salt and sweat so much." With her words, she lifted a hand to gesture off towards one of the paths that led back into the city, the cobbled roads bordered by buildings crowded close to one another. "Oh, and I simply must pick up some boots! So help me if I'm traveling any further than I need to in these shoes."

 Cinnamon scrunched her face at the mention of the bakery, "I'm a cat! I don't eat fancy breads and pastries!… Maybe there's a nice butcher though." she thought to herself. "Ok let's go, I also need to find a scribe to write some a couple letters for me." Cinnamon said as her stomach growled. She trotted off at a nimble pace down the street that, Claribel had motioned towards. 

As she walked along she admired the buildings Along the road. Some had small planter boxes hanging from the windows with colorful flowers in them, others had small big windows with fancy items or clothing set out on pedestals. Cinnamon stopped and ran up to the glass window of one shop. It was a jewelry shop, it had gold necklaces with large gem stones, tiaras with diamonds set in them, rings with colorful gems that glowed with a mystical aura, and bracelets made of different metals. Her eyes were focused on one particular bracelet it was silver and it glistened and sparkled. Cinnamon felt drawn too this bracelet like it called out to her. Suddenly she was snapped out of her daze, as a little girl that had been playing along the street grabbed her, and held her in a crushing grasp. She shouted to her mother. "Mommy look at this pretty kitty! Can I have her!" Cinnamon squirmed to get away but the little girl held her too tightly, she stopped squirming and looked at the little girl and said. "Little girl put me down now!" The girl shocked that a cat spoke to her dropped Cinnamon. Cinnamon took this opportunity to scamper away, and climb up into a tree. This way that the little girl couldn't grab hold of her again. "I think I'll just wait here for Claribel" Cinnamon thought to herself, she looked down at the little girl who was excitedly trying to convince her mother that the cat had spoken to her.

Cinnamon also to this opportunity to look around from her new vantage point she could see the bakery Claribel had mentioned. it was nice shop with little tables in front, with people sitting and eating. The shop had a sign in the window that said Fresh Baked Goods! And another sign out front that said Baking lessons and Recipe Books half price off! Cinnamon snickered to herself, as she imagined the looks that would be on their faces, if she went up to them and asked for baking lessons.

"Ohhh, you'd be surprised! I once found a fox laying cheeky in Old Wilma and Wilson's Bakery, the pretty critter stuffed full of biscuits and tarts and other sweet things one finds in a place of tasty treats. It had eaten so much that it couldn't move! You'd think Old Wilma and Wilson would've been upset that half their overnight stores had been gobbled up, but they were laughing like there was no tomorrow when they saw that cheeky thing too. Even fearsome foxes will eat fancy breads and pastries! Though, I'd wager you have more self-control when it comes to sweets." All this talk of bakeries and hungry little hippos creatures was sure getting Claribel herself mighty peckish. Maybe she would stop by that bakery for a little treat!

Oh! Cinnamon had run off already. Well, maybe she was looking for one of those scribes she had mentioned! She'd thought of helping her write some letters for the little kitty, but she had found her words a little too late to offer right away. Oh well! They'd meet back up soon, and they could just discuss it then if it was too much of a pressing matter.

"The bakery!" Claribel whispered in partial triumph and awe as she found herself in front of the building she had seen and mentioned before. She softly clapped her hands together as she weaved between the tables and people to duck inside. Approaching the counter, her eyes began to drink in the sight and all that the bakery had to offer–little cakes, cookies, biscuits, even some candies and sweet drinks! So many things to choose, so many delicious things to choose, and they all looked so good! Oh, darn it; Claribel was going to have a tough time choosing between what she should get to nibble on while she waited for the Duchy-bound ship.

Her gaze caught sight of a small sign off to the side, one that spoke of lessons and.. books! Books, oh, books! Recipe books, at that! Claribel clapped her hands once more and made a mental note to ask about the recipe books once she'd come to a decision. She waved off the helper after they came to her for a third time, asking if she was ready to choose. Of course she wasn't ready yet! Did they see all that the bakery had to offer? Surely they had, for they worked there! They should understand her plight and inability to make quick decisions when it came to sweets when they themselves were traipsing about a bakery Heaven.

Meanwhile, the little girl was pouting when her mother told her she ought to stop pretending and acting so silly. She gave a small stamp of her foot and tore away from her to go and find the kitty again, which she could've sworn was going towards one of those trees on the side of the path. "Kiiiittyyyyy!" she called out, "Where are youuuuuuu?" Her arms began to wave high in the air with the thought that maybe the cat was too short to see her! If she lifted her arms like this, then she'd be really tall, just like her mom! Surely then the cat would see her.

 Cinnamon watched the little girl. She was jumping up and down waving her arms, while calling out. Cinnamon thought to herself. "I hate children." She then noticed someone nimbly climb up into her tree, and introduce herself. So she responded. "Hi Zarnithia, I don't know if I can trust you, so all I'll say is. I'm Cinnamon, and I can speak because my mother taught me." Cinnamon looked down, at the little girl below. Who had now given up searching for her. Cinnamon then noticed Claribel, was in the bakery. She looked back at Zarnithia, and said. "I have to go catch up with my friend now. Your welcome to have lunch with us if you want." 

Cinnamon skittered Down the tree and ran down the street to the bakery. She walked past the tables, with customers eating, and conversing outside, and then into the bakery. She walked over and stood beside Claribel, who was staring wide eyed at the baked goods. Cinnamon thought to herself. "They don't look that good to me." Cinnamon then noticed a delicious meat pie. She stood up and put her paws on the display case, staring, and licking her mouth, at the tasty looking meat pie inside. When one of the helper ladies noticed Cinnamon, she sternly spoke to Claribel, saying. Excuse me lady. Pets are not allowed in the bakery! Please tie your cat up on a leash outside!"

[OOC: To note for Galamon; this thread is marked as private, and thus only those who are invited may post here.]

At Cinnamon's comment, she gave a dismissive wave of her hand; clearly she just didn't know heavenly food when she saw it! Claribel was too busy fawning over all the different treats to notice the bakery employees admonishing her for a cat. They must have been awfully rude if they pin animals to random people with no justification for such claims. After a few moments more of attempting to decide what to get, she gave up with a toss of her hands into the air. She'll just get everything she wanted! The woman stepped forward and began to tap the glass in front of each treat that she wanted in a quiet count. "Mint mini-cakes, chocolate muffins, firesnap cookies…" she began to list off in an under-the-breath whisper. How much would all this cost?

From her side, a middle-aged woman emerged from the kitchen with a tray of freshly-baked… what were those? Cookies? The woman set the tray upon the counter just as she caught something out of her eye. She let out a shriek, sputtering and babbling until she managed to push out a loud, "Get it out, get it out, get it out!" With the tray of fresh whatever-they-were's now abandoned on the counter, she spun and grabbed a broom that had been resting against the corner. She raised the broom above her head and rushed from behind the counter, moving to cross the bakery directly towards Cinnamon with the intent to sweep her straight out of the bakery and into the streets.

Meanwhile, Claribel glanced over to see–"Butterfingers!" she gasped as her eyes laid upon the tray that had been left all alone upon the counter. She rushed over, distracted now from the murderous-looking woman equipped with a broom. Upon the tray sat cookie strips in the shapes of fingers–if fingers were fat and featureless and covered in a fine powdered sugar. Ohhhh, but boy did they look delicious.

 Cinnamon saw the lady with the broom coming after her, but Cinnamon was not leaving the store empty handed. She skittered across the floor and jumped up onto the counter, she then snatched up three butter fingers in her mouth, jumped off the counter and ran out the door. 
Cinnamon hid with the butter fingers she stole, in some hedges that along side the road. She took a bite from one "Whoa! Mmm, not too bad!" she said as she ate it, and then she gobbled up the other two butter fingers. She then sat there, and licked her fur and lips clean, while she waited for Claribel to come out of the store.

Inside the store the lady with the broom returned to her tray, of (perfectly fine) butter fingers, and said frustratedly. "ugh I can't sell these to customers now that a cat has been in them!" She glared at Claribel and said. "if you want these you can have them! if not then I'm gonna throw them out!" She then stormed off into the back to go bake some more. 

One of the other ladies in the store smiled apologetically at Claribel, and said. "I'm so sorry for the rudeness of the baker lady, we got a couple bad reviews last week and it's hurt our sales, we can't afford to be seen with a cat climbing around eating the goods in the store. But that's not your fault! they shouldn't take it out on the customers!" She paused to see if any of the other ladies were listening and then whispered to Claribel. "I'll give you half price off on anything you buy today. Try the double chocolate truffle rum cake it's really good!"