#willump will tolerate the robot thing. for now.

[svellsongur]

the mythology of the freljord lends itself to a hardy people, governed by the basest nature of man, scavengers as much as warriors. were this robot ( for nunu has only heard tell of these man-made creations from those frequent sailors who rule the ports, he knows little of their constitution, and is only delighted that such a thing might exist at all ) any unluckier, there is little doubt as to the less fortunate fate awaiting it. though the teeth of the beast's caution do not relent, the boy is far too eager to approach.

" wow , you can talk ! see willump, i told you. he's friendly. " the yeti, seeing his warning settle ineffective, grumbles in discontent response as it curls into itself. the boy pays him no mind. " my name is nunu, and this is willump. you can stay in the cave with us until the storm dies down. we don't mind. "

except we do mind, the beast seems to protest, crouching down low as he dares pull his gaze from viktor to nunu. send it away, nunu. he is met with but a shake of the head, a seal upon further contest of this newest addition to their party. the boy draws closer, emboldened by the protection of his stalwart companion, which creeps along the cave floor as though to dare the thing to betray his ward's trust. " viktor, are you hungry ? i have bread if you want some ... wait, do robots even eat ? "

there's time but for a most rudimentary assessment : viktor is going to die. he's too sluggish and stiff - limbed to win a fight against this beast. still, some human survival instinct overrides the machine logic, and the cave fills with the high keen of the hexclaw as it readies the laser once again — only to sputter to a stop, the angry orange light dimming out before reaching its apex. a — child?

a new variable so unexpected it throws the whole equation off. there's a beat, and when viktor doesn't find himself a heap of shredded metal at the tail end of it, he allows himself to reassess the situation. the cave. a ( human? ) boy. a beast, certainly, though perhaps not one quite as animalistic as viktor had first assumed. unwilling to take his eyes off the creature, he inclines his head in the boy's direction.

" yes — something like that. " viktor doesn't think this is the time to explain the distinction between a cyborg and a robot. behind his mask, his eyes flick over the claws and teeth still very much on display. " my name is viktor. i am … very far from home, " is what he settles on eventually.

" i apologise for entering your cave uninvited. i was seeking shelter from the storm, and wasn't aware it was already occupied. "