|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:50 pm
*cue moderator intervention* =O
Not far from the den Sarah called home was a copse of thorn bushes lining the edge of a small pond. Uninviting to most, but judging from the scent of it lately, it had recently become home to a number of tasty minature otters. Maybe a new source of ingredients for her shop? It would certainly be convenient to have fresh supplies so close to home.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:22 pm
Abel Nightroad perched on a thick tree branch overlooking the pond, wings folded at his back, looking quite similar to a raven in his posture. He wondered about the pond, how it had recently become populated by those mini otters, very much like Maria and Jackie, Amorpho and Cain. And he worried, too. Sarah had started using his fallen foes in her pies, as well as whatever the predators or the Cat decided to bring in for her to process. But with this haven of miniature otters... would she go back to her old ways?
Hopefully not.
But he was worried about her. She had been so upset lately, and he knew why. She felt it was her fault, that she was the problem in their attempts. Which wasn't the case of course. He was completely certain any difficulties they had were his fault. He sighed, running a paw through his hair.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:33 pm
Sarah had been given a tip off, a whole slew of little otters were living in the thorny bushes near one of the murkier ponds in the area. She had enough meat for a batch of pies, still waste not want not. She would at least go check it out and keep them in mind if Abel produced no other sources of fresh product. She was feeling rather glum still and bruised up a bit from her nasty tree top tumble.
Softly humming to herself she came along the pond and quieted. Her heartache lessened as her predatory instincts took over, she would wait and watch to see if this was worthy prey.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:05 pm
A while of watching and waiting would reveal something a little ... unusual.
The thorn bushes did indeed seem to house a number of the tiny otters - at least, some of the time - but they clearly were not living there (or perhaps they weren't yet?). They behaved strangely for otters working on a den; even for little otters. They didn't seem to be gathering supplies. They didn't seem to be hunting, or digging or ... well much of anything other than picking thorns off the bushes.
Two or three minis at a time would appear, splashing out of the pond as though they'd dove in on the opposite side. One would stand guard while the others picked and then, once the little satchels slung across their tiny frames were full, the whole lot of them would scurry off back into the woods.
This had been going on long enough, it seemed, to tamp down the sparse grass along the side of the pond, and leave a little trail.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Luminous Imp Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:30 pm
Abel watched the tiny otters, confused. He guessed that it made sense to clear out the bushes, but... still. What could they be doing with the- His dual gaze caught a larger shape moving in the bush. He looked a little bit closer and saw it to be his Sarah. With a soft smile, he spread his wings and silently soared down to her, taking the lull of the otters to his advantage, not wanting to scare them away.
"Hello, dearest," he whispered, nuzzling her gently.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:34 pm
Sarah looked at Abel mildly startled, but she remained crouched and silent. She felt a moment of guilt, but it faded, after all she didn't intend to slaughter any little otters today. She gazed at the clearing that was going on, and her eyes narrowed.
She brushed her head lovingly against Abel's chin and whispered softly. "Whot do you think their up to?" She slid a bit closer her body twisting with cruel grace, she was made for the hunt.
How very curious... She slipped lower and followed the little trail giving Abel a glance and rolling her eyes upward that he should follow from above, her guardian angel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Luminous Imp Vice Captain
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:05 pm
The path led a good ways into the woods, and yet the little otters - some distance ahead of them - didn't seem to slow or consider stopping to rest. When one's strength began to flag, another would push it along, or they'd trade their little satchels around. Anything to keep them going at pace. They certainly seemed concerned to get where they were going in good time.
The little otters toddled along for a league or so, never deviating from the trodden grass path through the woods, which occasionally led under low trees and through fallen trunks.
At long last, the close woods opened out into a glade, though it was neither scenic nor hospitable looking. On the far side of a swampy pit that might have once been a pond was a curiously large, dead tree, and the tiny otters made right for it.
Just when it looked like the little ones would crash into the gnarled grey stump, a door creaked open, spilling flicking light out into the murk. Once all three small ones were inside, two pale yellow eyes peered out into the darkness, before the door creaked shut again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:15 pm
Abel kissed Sarah's cheek once before taking her cue to leap into the air, taking a few flaps to get high enough to soar over her. He followed her, and the tiny otters, to the tree where they stopped. He alighted on a branch, frowning at the tree before looking down at his mate. He was becoming very concerned and suspicious and started to fear a bit for her. He could fly if there was trouble. She was grounded. He couldn't let anything happen to her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:21 pm
Sarah followed quietly and curiously wondering where the little otters would take their burdens. When she saw them weaken she licked her lips and kept herself from pouncing, they weren't dead...yet. She watched wondering what they would do at the grey tree when a door opened she watched in quiet amazement.
Sarah glanced upwards and spotted Abel, she gave him a soft nod before slipping out onto the path. She was curious about the yellow eyes, the little otters, and the thorn collection. She smoothed her dress and patted her hair with a delicate paw, luckily she didn't have any flour or blood marring her appearance yet today.
She lifted her claws and tapped them against the door, her dark eyes examining it carefully. "'Ello?" She murmured and peered behind her to see if more little otters would come along.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:42 pm
Sarah didn't have to wait long for a reply. The sound of little scurrying feet drifted out from beneath the door and, slowly, it opened a fraction again. A tiny otter stared up at her for a brief moment before it squeaked and fled back into the tree leaving the door slightly ajar. The flickering light from within spilled out through the crack once again, and along with it the scent of a cooking fire.
A low, gravely (and vaguely annoyed-sounding) voice echoed from within. "Well then ... come in or close the door! I'm not wanting to heat the whole of the swamp!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Luminous Imp Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:47 pm
At the sound of the voice, Abel spiraled down to land a little ways away from the door, walking to Sarah's side.
"Let's be careful, hmm?" he asked her softly before turning cautiously to the door and walking into the warmth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:53 pm
Sarah turned and nodded at Abel before slipping inside her dark eyes curiously peering about before moving to locate the voice's owner. How very strange this all seemed to her a surreal dream. She brushed her tail against her mates to reassure herself.
Where had she allowed her curiosity to lead her? Oddly enough she held little actual concern over the matter, her spirits had been dampened of late. Still in her heart sparked some caution, for Abel was with her, and they had been trying...trying, and trying. She pressed a paw against her corseted waist and wondered if they had failed yet again. Her failure.
She waited for Abel to close the door behind them before speaking, her tone heavy with curiosity. "Whot exactly is going on 'ere?" She bit her lip and gave a wry grin, perhaps she needed to brush up on her manners. "Err...I mean to say, I'm Mrs. Lovett...and I was wondering whot was 'appening with all this..." She trailed off at a loss for words.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Luminous Imp Vice Captain
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:13 pm
The little room Abel and Sarah found themselves in turned out not to be so little. In fact, judging from the size of it, it likely extended into the muddy bank alongside the tree. It was cozy, though, and cluttered to the extreme with all manner of glass bottles and hanging, dried herbs. Shelves lined the walls of the den, each packed three items deep with almost any odd or end that could be imagined. Drippy old candles dotted the room here and there. Above all else, everything seemed to be covered in a thick layer of dust and the scent of decay hung in the air, fighting for dominance with the scent of the cooking fire above which hung a large black pot - a cauldron, really - and provided most of the light in the room.
The floor was tracked here and there with the footprints of the litter otters, and marred by the shuffling tracks of the speaker the two otters found themselves addressing.
On the far side of the fire from where Sarah and Abel stood was a bobcat that looked as old as one could possibly expect a bobcat to look. Her yellow eyes were clearly the ones Sarah'd seen peeking through the doorway, though up this close they were rheumy and somewhat opaque; it was debatable how well this cat could see. She seemed exceedingly skinny - rickety, in fact - with fur that pooled around her here and there where her skin sagged. She had bald patches at the ends of her ears and tail, as though the fur there had been worn off after years and years of wear.
She blinked at the otters, looking back and forth between them slowly. "Well then, what's this I see? What brings you to see old Hazel? Mere curiosity? Or do you find yourself with a problem for her to solve, mmm? Her milky gaze seemed to linger on Sarah for a moment... though perhaps that was a trick of the light.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:24 pm
Curiosity may have led her here, but when the old cat mentioned a problem Sarah's eyes felt a slight sting. She was familiar with the sensation of tears, she held them back and pressed a paw to her stomach. Where most otters would be afraid being in a room almost trapped with a bobcat, Sarah was used to predators of all shapes and ages. She glanced at Abel for approval before moving closer.
"I was curious...'Azel?" She cleared her throat slightly. "But...now that you mention...problems." Sarah cut herself off abruptly, she felt uncertain sharing her pain, her uncertainty with this stranger.
She steeled herself and swallowed trying to get the words to come from where they rested heavily on her heart. "We 'ave a problem, we want a family, we've tried...and tried." Sarah took a deep breath trying to keep the desperation from her voice. "Nothing though, for all our 'opes and efforts...I may not be a spring duck, but I thought...still...I didn't think I wouldn't even be able to..." She looked down feeling suddenly ashamed of her confession. Her inability to sustain life where other females did so well. Was it because she was a killer? Could she not give life, love, happiness?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Luminous Imp Vice Captain
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:53 pm
"Ahhh, is that how it is?" the old cat crooned. She took a few shuffling steps forward, joints crackling along with the fire. "Don't look so ashamed, young lady. Happens to all sorts, that does. If you'll pardon the observation of an old woman, you two have your work cut out for you. What with Mr. Fancy Wings there, and you with your fine fangs. Had it never occurred that you might encounter some problems, bringing your two likes together?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
