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 Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:21 pm
Katori stood in front of one of the outer stables, the older wooden building surrounded by a fence that was full of playful young raptrix rough housing with one another. The mother was an older female with soft cream and caramel spotted fur that had been at the sanctuary for at least four years now with a very sweet temperament and was excellent for anyone that had never ridden the flying beasts before. The young pups though were a completely different story. Katori chuckled at the sight of them, her arms resting against the fence as she watched them playing. “Maybe I could take one of them out today. It would be a fun challenge.” She mused with a grin before glancing around for her companion. She wasn’t the only one who was supposed to be out and about helping today and Katori had a wicked idea for some fun once they finished cleaning the stables out. She had promised, after all, to help out a bit more before leaving to go further north as a token of appreciation for housing both her and Finn while they recovered from their previous injuries.
[Katori 1]
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:21 pm
Moose by Discord
Finn had never agreed to help around the sanctuary. Rather, after he’d healed enough to hide, the yaeli did his best to remain out of sight. He was found out by not only his traveling companion on more than a few occasions, but also her kin. It wasn’t as if he was ungrateful just…reticent when it came to helping beasts. Especially after their run in with the Chiavi. Still, he couldn’t shake them, and there was only so much harassment a man could take before enough was enough.
He approached the fencing without getting too close. Katori may have seen something cute, but all Finn could see were liabilities. “What’re those?’ They looked like fatter radaku with wings, but he doubted they were related.
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:22 pm
Katori glanced over at Finn, a slow smile crossing her lips as she pondered the current situation. It had been hard enough to track him down whenever he was lurking about trying to avoid the chores that she had signed them both up for in return for all the favors, but now she was really feeling like playing around since they were both mostly healed from their previous ordeal. "They're called raptrix. Have you really never seen any before?" She asked after a moment, glancing between the playing beasts and Finn. "They can be a bit intense in the wild, but the ones we have on the sanctuary consider us part of the pack so they take care of us while we also help them out." She expressed with a confident nod. "I figured we could check out this family and maybe interact with them a bit." Interact as in going up into the air with one....saying that in the moment though would possibly mean chasing Finn down since she doubted he would be into the idea, at least not without getting to know the beasts first. Even then she had her doubts, but she could be very persuasive when necessary.
[Katori 2]
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:22 pm
Moose
Finn shook his head. “No. There weren’t any on Yael when I was there and if they were in Oba I never saw them.” Oh, he was sure someone owned a raptrix or two, but the sort of people who could afford to have a beast like that cared for weren’t the sort to socialize with him.
“I’m not going in there. You can mess around with them; I’m staying on this side of the fence.” He could clear out their bedding or whatever just fine with them out here. Just because her family wanted to build some sort of bond with a thing like that didn’t mean he had to.
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:22 pm
"I see." Katori let out a soft sigh. "It makes sense though. You weren't raised in Zena like me and they're mostly up here, not like something that furry would be happy in Oba." It was far too hot there after all! Still, she was slightly disappointed...this was definitely going to be a tricky situation.
"What if they stay on this side and you stay out here?" Mused Katori with a small smile. "You could clear the bedding and stuff, but they do need treats later too. Think you can handle that?" Feeding them treats could show some bonding, right? It was a step if she could just convince Finn to at least do that.
[Katori 3]
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:22 pm
Moose
“That one, that one right there?” Finn pointed to one of the younger pups, whose sibling had given a howl and scampered off. “Just bit its brother in the balls. “ He watched them go right back to play fighting with one another and while it may have been cute for anything smaller Finn had his worries. “I’ve seen Janarim do the same thing before they start getting bigger and then they get tired of nippin’ on each other.” That’s when they either had to learn real quick or you got quicker. The concept of correcting behavior really didn’t occur to Finn.
“If they stay in the fence I’ll toss a biscuit at them when we’re done.”
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:23 pm
Katori raised a hand to cover the laugh that nearly left her lips. Yeah, that just happened...they were simply pups though. She glanced over towards the mother and gave a nod. "You just need to experience an older raptrix who isn't like a hyperactive pup." She expressed before nudging Finn and starting towards the stables where the raptrix usually rested whenever they weren't playing out in the fields. "Even if the raptrix are playful, they are well trained and we've never had a fully trained one be malicious." The wild ones that they helped before releasing back into the wild? Now those were a different story, but thankfully those were rare and so none were at the sanctuary for Finn to meet.
"I'll take it." Katori beamed at the statement, "But you have to hold up the biscuit for a full second before tossing it." She added quickly before starting towards where the rakes were for tossing out old straw and replacing it with fresh bedding.
[Katori 4]
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:23 pm
Moose
‘Need’ was a strong word that Finn didn’t necessarily agree with. He could have gone his entire life without experiencing anything raptrix related and been just fine. Still, if it was going to make her this happy then he might as well go through with it. “Fine,” Finn groused, turning his head to the side with some warmth to his skin. “But if they get too close I’m flash freezing their fur.”
The yaeli took a moment to pull a second leather hair tie out a pocket in his tunic to do up his hair. Normally a ponytail worked well enough, but when Finn worked the length of it often got in his way. So, he pulled as much into an impromptu bun as he could before taking up a rake and getting to work. “Why do they have pens anyway? They have wings; they could just fly out.”
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:23 pm
"They might actually enjoy that." Teased Katori, hoping that Finn actually wouldn't freeze any raptrix today. "The pups love it whenever it snows, they much prefer the cold to anything else." She glanced over the raptrix one final time before going into the stables to start working at the straw. She wanted to go on a flight, she truly did...but how did she convince Finn when he didn't even want to be near the creatures? Ah, yes let's just go all the way up in the sky on these fluffy beasts that you already are wary of. What could possibly go wrong?
Katori's thoughts were interrupted by the question and she paused before letting out a soft laugh. "I guess it's more of a comfort thing. They like having their own area even if they can fly away most are trained to stay within the area of the sanctuary unless there's something dangerous nearby or we call for them. Only the wild ones are kept inside to keep from flying off because we're afraid of them hurting themselves more." She pulled out a necklace that was tucked underneath her fur collar, a small wooden whistle at the end of it. "They can hear this from across the field and will come flying over."
[Katori 5]
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:23 pm
Moose
Unsurprisingly racking out muck and soiled bedding didn’t bother Finn. As someone who had spent the majority of his life on the streets he’d seen worse – been privy to it in most cases – and if anything he envied their living conditions. Meals, healthcare, a warm place to sleep? In his youth he would have slaughtered them and took it for himself. Now he just slept in the adjoining barn.
“Does it actually work?” He stopped for a second to take in the whistle with a skeptical brow. “It just…Doesn’t this seem strange to you? These things are supposed to be out there, maiming mammu and wearing their calves as shawls, not answering whistles. They should be the something dangerous that others need protection from.” Finn went back to his work. “I just don’t see the appeal of keeping them here all the time or wanting to heel to a piece of wood.”
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:24 pm
Katori paused, leaning on her rake after tossing out a good chunk of dirty straw. "It does work, but you can't blow it for fun since too much pressure on the whistle will hurt their ears." She expressed before tilting her head with confusion while listening to Finn, a bit of understanding slowly showing in her gaze. He wasn't wrong, it did make sense to be wary of the creatures but she had been surrounded by such things her entire life. Was it weird to trust animals like family? Katori pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I think it's just a matter of trust and upbringing. In the wild everything has to defend its territory for survival, but even raptrix form a pack with each other to survive. We've done the same here by bonding with them and earning their trust so that we can work together for mutual survival, if that makes sense. They're still predators but they also recognize us as family so things work out."
She moved to toss more straw, not feeling like pausing completely as she pondered Finn's feelings. "I mean I also found someone who was more inclined to fight others for survival, but once he realized that you can sometimes trust others he turned out alright. The dinner rolls may still go missing quickly and there could be the occasional growl if someone tried to take his plate early...but you know. I would like to think we've bonded enough to work together." She turned her gaze towards him, a slight flush on her cheeks as she waited to see if her words would take or be brushed aside.
[Katori 6]
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:24 pm
Moose
Finn’s hand stilled on the rack for a moment before resuming its stride. If his cheeks were a little warmer than before he didn’t give it much thought. “... guess you’ve got a point.” When he’d run off with three bowls of stew instead of one the only thing that was said to him was to watch for burns. He still didn’t like sleeping inside with Katori’s family, or by anyone really, but they always knew where to find him at night. He trusted them with that much, even if Finn did set a few warding glyphs on the stall door…
With the old muck tackle care of, Finn propped the rack against the side of the railing. His left hand made a flicking motion, pulling water from the air around them to splash over the exposed ground while the right sent a controlled flame to drive it up. “So do you eat the older ones or…?”
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:24 pm
"Oh?" Katori couldn't help the teasing question that slipped from her lips. "Was that agreement?" Finn could agree to things? The very admission brightened her gaze as she looke dat him, the hybrid only glancing away a moment later to help finish clearing out the area even though Finn took care of most of it with his display. "Nicely done." She complimented before nearly stumbling at his next question.
"Eat the older ones?!" Katori gasped and reached out to smack at Finn's shoulder lightly. "We don't eat the raptrix, Finn." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "There's a reason most of what you eat here is fish or poultry. When the chickens are a certain age they sometimes hit the chopping block, but the raptrix are set 'free' with a ceremonial fire. If anything the raptrix help us out by hunting down game whenever times are tough and we share the meals then." She expressed with a frown. "They're companions and treated like family, plus you would find the meat probably too tough to eat. Just for that we're going to go out there and interact with them. I want you to see how useful the raptrix truly are." They weren't ever meant to be considered a meal! They were hunters and family who helped to provide by hunting deer even...spirits help her with this one.
[Katori 7]
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:24 pm
Moose
“Yeah?” With his hands still raised her twisted one with a curl of his lip as if to say ‘so?’. Then he got smacked and he snarled. “Then you’re wasting meat! That fat one out there can feed your actual family easily. The only difference between ‘companions’ and dinner is the label you give it.” Too tough to eat? Bah! Meat was meat and it wouldn’t be the first time he’d consumed a predator’s flesh.
“No way. You said so long as I held a treat then I didn’t have to go out with them.”
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:24 pm
Katori rolled her eyes. Aaand there it was. "Oh really? So you're saying if I dropped dead right now that you'll enjoy me for dinner tonight?" She quipped back at him, her silvery gaze flashing in defiance of Finn's statements. She could never imagine eating any of their raptrix! Honestly, she much preferred just keeping to fish and non-living things. Hunting never had really been her style as it was and the occasional venison stew or jerky was the one thing she actually enjoyed that involved meat. Other than that she preferred vegetable stews and smoked salmon, bread, cheese and things like that. "There's so many other things to survive on, we don't have to kill and eat everything in sight."
She pursed her lips in a pout at his rejection. "That was before you decided to treat them like a meal option, Finn." Katori protested. "I need you to try and trust me so that you can experience why the raptrix are so valuable to us."
[Katori 8]
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