Ampoule nodded astutely, listening as his voice managed an explanation for the gathering she, in her opinion, had just crashed. She had also fairly assumed that she would not be turned away, as a nymph was generally a welcome boon to any group of people. Even if they did not know the truth of her being, she often came off as gregarious and open, which were qualities the regular folk held in high regard.

Then, her eyes drifted about the room. Merriment abounded, and music drifted through the rafters. She hadn’t known beasts to be capable of such behavior! It was a joyful occasion, and despite the influence of fermented alcohols, the guy clearly wasn’t all bad. She even managed to appreciate his funny little accent and the way he visibly mulled over their every word.

She grinned, placed another berry upon her tongue, and popped it into her mouth. He mentioned druids, which procured a slightly sideways smile from Ampoule, who had begun to sway. Druids – mystics from a distant, faraway land. How exotic! She must collect one.

Congratulations on your establishment, she celebrated him genuinely, placing a paw to her heart. Most creatures in the world amounted to little more than nothing at the end of their mortal life, and it was admirable that this red-furred beast had an innate desire to create order out of chaos. Interesting events out of dissonant, separate souls.

In a life that never ended, this was the entire meaning of existence.

Something was stirring in the midst of the chaos, noticeable despite the scene’s every effort to distract her. The crowd flowed, leaving Poseidon unattended. Ampoule felt the edges of her intuition awaken. Come, the sea nymph bade Mal, as if he were not a king in his own right, and drifted to her Patron.

They now stood abreast the navy brute (Mal was assumed to be in tow, but perhaps he was not; her attention was wholeheartedly distracted), just beside the happening, and she craned her head to see what the floor could conceal. Then the nymph gasped, a noise taken straight from her heart.

Oh, Olympus! With eyes ablaze, she leapt in a leonine manner to take the place at the side of the women closest, gaping and commenting with gusto, Tha e a’ deàrrsadh! (It glows!) she cried. Iarsma naofa! (A holy relic!) she gushed, the languages awakening on her eager, excited tongue.