IoF Tales of 2024: December Adventure - The gift of cloth and hot chocolate

It was not too long before Udon had her stand fully prepped and ready to go for the day. Behind her, bolts of delicate woven cloth, all made by her own claws, laid out for those to see, and some on the table in front of her, with samples of each for those to touch and feel. To her left, a simple table and shears for cutting the required amount of fabric when ordered by whomever decided they liked her wears enough to buy. It was the one thing she was always so proud of this time of year. Year after year she sold out rather quickly, so this year, she made extra. All colors, textures, and thickness. 

Finally, she turned a small sign hanging above her to "open" and sat down on her pile of pillows, her long body and tail curling up to keep warm against the cool winter air. Soon the market would open for the first day, and she would expect to fill her coin pouch to the brim, to later buy foods from areas that were harder for her to travel to. Slowly, dragons seemed to appear from the very mists themselves and began to fill the long market path. The day had begun and it was not long before she had her first customers. An earthy-colored Udin with legs and a tail of white, and a VERY large woldren following close near them, whos coat was nearly as black as night. Udon smiled and tilted her golden gleaming horns, catching the light so slightly. 

"Welcome! Welcome to Udons Textiles! Anything in particular you are looking for?" She chirped, looking at the two. The udin nodded up to their large woldren companion and smiled. "My friend here is looking for some fabric, anything that's NOT wool" She chuckled, and the woldren rolled their eyes in response, before leaning down to inspect the samples of fabric, gently touching each one with a massive wing paw. They spoke for a while, testing each fabric, feeling it, looking at their shimmering colors before they finally decided to buy an ENTIRE full bolt of a deep rich purple and red colored fabric. Udon waved at them as they turned to leave, the bolt of fabric carefully packed away on the udins back. 

The day when on pretty much the same, folks filtering in buying a yard or two here and there, a bolt here and there. The sun rose higher and higher and the fog burned off when finally, Udon heard the soft tinkling of a familiar bell, followed by the call of a voice she knew all too well. 

Around the corner came a blue and white Udin by the name of Dasona, her best friend. Dasona behind her, pulled a cart of steaming pots, warmed by magic, with tinking cups hung from the side, and a small wash basin to clean said cups under it all. She spotted her friend Udon at her booth and made a quick turn, pulling up her cart. 

Udon took no time and turned her open sign to closed, taking a much-needed break. 

"Well it's about time you came around my booth with your wonderful mud Dasona." 

"ha ha, very funny" Dasona retorted before laughing along with her friend. Every year she dug out her traveling coco cart for the frost festival market and made a decent living to last her the winter doing so. She had only the best hot coco or so she said, but Udon would agree with her on that fact, even if she LOVED to tease. It was indeed a VERY thick hot coco, but Dasona only used the best coco she could find, along with the heaviest creams, hot spices, and sweet sweet sugars. It came out nearly like mud, more of a sipping chocolate than a hot coco. It was something that would warm your VERY soul for years to come. 

Dasona grabbed two mugs and and quickly filled them with piping hot coco and set one down on the booth for Udon and one for herself. 

"Sorry, it took so long, it's busy this year! So many new faces."

"True, true...I made extra cloth this year and already am halfway sold out!....Oh wait, here." Udon grabbed a small handful of gold coins and slid them Dasona's way. 

"Udon...you KNOW I don't like it when you pay me..." She huffed and gave a soft blushing smile. 

"I know I know...but you know how I feel, it's only fair, and I love your coco, What kind of friend would I be if I did not pay you and tip you well?" She chuckled. 

Both friends smiled at one another before clinking their mugs together and sipping down some warm spicy coco, gazing out over the bustling market.