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 Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 8:03 am
"It's a shame, isn't it," he appended almost instantaneously, before the yowl of the third creature present reminded him that it was the topic on hand, not Grey's saddening reluctance to start a family. "And ah, she would never have difficulties with children, I imagine," a solemn, earnest nod, for she was so capable in all aspects that he honestly believed that babies and their accompanying responsibilities to her would be like water off a duck's back. "She merely doesn't seem..."
The realisation of a pet cat's utility started to claw at the edges of his mind. "...inclined to...have children...yet..."
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 8:05 am
"Well," she said, appearing to scrape at an offending patch on the ground distractedly - she could sense that victory was at hand... "she's never even had a pet."
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 8:22 am
"She is terribly capable," he noted sentimentally, without warning, "and so she perhaps expects the same of everyone else because she's never experienced that kind of..." maternal instinct "...emotion."
"Alright Cue," he sighed, then beamed at her to display his gratitude. "I'll take the little fellow in and I shall give it to Grey. Thank you."
Somewhere to his right, the owlcat skittered into a dried pelt and furiously shredded it to bits.
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 8:33 am
So it was to be given to his lady Grey - Cue had some idea of how well that was going to go over. "That is a fantastic plan," she exclaimed with as much cheer (at the best of times, not much) as she could muster, beginning to beat a rather hasty retreat, "well, I won't intrude on that wonderful moment. Do go ahead - and please don't mention my part: if she thinks it was all your idea," My future will be much healthier. "she'll be so impressed with how...nurturing and compassionate you'll show yourself to be. How ready to be a father."
She was on the very edge of the clearing by now, ready to make it break for it back into the safety of dense swamp. Not that she feared any doe, but Grey was a rather special sort, whose revenge tended to come in...less readily discernable ways, and a prudent kimeti knew better to be safe than sorry. Just the business she had come here for to settle: "About the stock needed for tomorrow?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 8:42 am
Such a sweet girl, he reflected, and placidly informed her: "a couple more coypu would be good, it's been popular. Take care now, Cue!"
Rise turned to the owlcat, angrily tangled up in hide, and waited for it to roll over.
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 8:57 am
Coypu. The endless pickling potential Rise seemed to see in every single creature was almost impressive. She nodded briskly and hurriedly disappeared into the trees.
All in all, she reflected as the salt marsh storegrounds quickly became little more than a memory in the wake of her silent hoofsteps, a good night's work. That owlcat...well. She wasn't quite in the habit of finding functional homes for hapless animals, but - there was nothing hapless about that owlcat, and nothing functional about that home, so it was obviously a perfect match. It would be interesting, she concluded, to see how Rise and Co. were getting on with their new acquisition the next time she returned...but that was an affair for another day. Several other days. Maybe even months, just in case.
In the meantime, she'd just have to unload all that coypu off on Death and Cry for delivery.
*******
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:42 am
Rise had managed to firmly seize the owlcat by the scruff of its neck in a vulnerable moment after it had tired itself out from viciously battling the sunning rocks. It yowled and hissed as he trotted along the familiar path to their special mangrove - Grey's workplace, essentially. The furry, expansive tail swatted angrily and helplessly at his chest while he rehearsed his speech in his head.
He could never get used to the sight. Grey, delicately balanced atop buttressing mangrove roots, her lithe silvery body poised and straight, her dark eyes alert and focused on the water below. He sighed, causing the cat to frantically attempt twisting. Once he had his moment, he stepped towards her, a hoof into the pool.
"Drhling," he started, through angry grey owlcat fur.
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 2:29 pm
"Whtr y dng gt ut uf hr," she hissed, as irately as 'meti'ly possible with a piece of flint clenched tight between her teeth. She had just made the requisite markings and was double-checking that the levels were correct, when this clumsy hoof had interrupted, sloshing the water up and down and all over the notches freshly made on the roots. When she threw an angry glare over - she had to stop and stare. Fastidiously, she placed the flint back into its usual spot before speaking again, "and what's that horrifying thing you've got with you? I'm not sure it's safe to pickle, if that's what you're thinking."
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 2:57 pm
"Srry luv," he said through that mouthful of fur, and tried to figure out how to put it down without it running off [the one thing he did not consider]. Rise scanned the area and carefully sploshed over to a suitable network of roots, dangling and then wedging the creature into a smallish space. It struggled and screeched, but since it was making such a fuss, it did manage to stay stuck. Rise smiled satisfied, then looked up and explained, "it's an owlcat, my dear! And no, it's not for the pickling." He looked down at it again - yes, what an astonishing fur match. "It..." the word pet was not meant to appear yet. "It does have splendid colouring, don't you think?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:00 pm
"You're trying to say something while trying not to say it," she pronounced flatly, "just say it."
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:01 pm
He paused, condensed his speech, and explained: "it looks like you and I thought it would make a nice pet."
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:05 pm
The owlcat had, in the course of their little conversation, worked its way free. It did not run off. It did, however, begin to systematically destroy the ancient withered mangrove.
For the longest time, Grey did not speak. Perhaps she was stunned speechless by his romantic thoughtfulness. "Who are you and what have you done with my lifemate." Perhaps not.
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:08 pm
He hadn't planned this far. Instead, he looked earnest and awkwardly admitted, "I thought it might be a nice thing to do together."
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:13 pm
The owlcat had decided there were too many roots to shred, and had therefore scrabbled up the rotting bark instead. It was currently doing something unspeakable to the hollow trunk.
"What," she said, the very faintest tinge of incredulousness colouring her words as they stared at the moonlit creature, "watch a cat piss down a tree?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:19 pm
For the first time, Rise actually looked at the owlcat. Examined it. Took it all in. Found that it was, indeed, pissing down a tree.
The bewilderment he'd experienced from every single pet came rushing back to him. He had never been able to understand why Fade kept Soup alive, nor the appeal of Soup, alive. And for a sentimental, weak, romantic moment there, he'd thought it'd be...different. That he'd finally understand.
But it was pissing down a tree and his optimism had most certainly faltered.
"I guess..." Rise started, rather wearily.
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