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 Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 3:26 pm
It would have been nice if Malodore had been thinking of Calder's well-being, but alas! all the plague doctor had on its mind was that it was going to get to see Riley hunt. At last. If its heart was inclined to beat, it probably would have been thudding up a storm - but the mechanics of life and death, both preserving and taking, were fascinating to it. Combine that with the elegant skill of its favorite mindflayer...
Well.
After a long moment, Malodore cleared its throat. "I, ah, am freeing it now," it called out, and opened the cage. For a moment the squirrel was frozen within; then, seeing the chance for freedom, it shot out of the cage across the clearing. Thankfully not heading for Calder; the squirrel wanted nothing to do with anything that wasn't a plant at this point.
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 5:16 pm
The squirrel was more interested in freedom than the food. At least, at first.
It ran for a tree, climbing halfway up it before catching the scent of something in the wind, and changing it's mind. It tore across the field, whipping under the table and hiding there for just a moment.
Don't. Move. The whisper brushed affectionately against Malodore's mind. The whistle of wind in the trees was the only sound for several minutes, until finally the squirrel felt safe enough to climb up the tablecloth, and start filching the meal. It captured a morsel and hopped off, running back to the trees. Now, it's mind was solely on squirreling away it's find. Pun intended.
It had chosen the wrong tree.
The sound of a growl had it freezing - the sound was, as far as it could tell, coming from it's left. That made it run to the right as soon as it could move, which led it straight up a tree branch that-
...Was that tree branch purple?
The squirrel squeaked as the branch came to life, coiling around it's neck like a snake and suffocating it. Every claw at the squirrels disposal was intent on trying to free itself, which left several tiny bloody gashed on Riley's tentacle, but she seemed unphased.
She dropped down from the trees, landing on the balls of her feet, and carried the still struggling squirrel back to the table. My hunting skills lie in stealth. You should see Jericho hunt, though - it's all brute strength and chasing. It's like watching a natural disaster. She laughed and brought the squirrel to rest, still captured, on the desk, and another tentacle rose up to jab like a syringe into it's tiny ear. The squirrel fell limp, the eyes still open and alive but glazed.
It can't feel, anymore. I don't like making animals suffer.
As she slowly drained the life from the squirrel, who seemed intensely unaware while she did so, she quirked her head at Malodore in confusion, and sent him a very private thought.
Darling? Why is Calder hiding in the bushes?
Busted.
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 5:41 pm
Malodore tensed with excitement as the squirrel was hoisted upwards by Riley's tentacle - how fascinating, that she utilized camouflage and trapping techniques! "Magnifico," it told her as she came down, thoroughly charmed and fascinated.
It leaned in as she began to actually feed, a delightful shiver of anticipation running through it as the tentacle poised above the squirrel for a split second before diving downwards to take the brain from within. "Remind me never to anger you," it said, with a chuckle.
... And then two seconds later, tensed again, but in a very different way. An 'oh, merde' sort of way. "Ah..." For a moment it considered saying what Calder? but, well. It was fairly sure that untruths were not a foundation of a healthy and thriving romantic relationship. Or of relationships of any sort.
"Ah... he has been assisting me," it said out loud, drooping slightly. "Giving me advice. I did not... do not intend to deceive, I merely doubted my own prowess in such matters, and Calder has great knowledge in this particular area, and si prega di non essere arrabbiato, volevo solo farti felice, e non ero sicuro che avrei potuto senza consultare un esperto..."
Eventually it ran out of words, and waited her judgement with a sort of rigid panic.
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 5:51 pm
Calder was sympathizing. Yes. Don't miss off Riley - when she's hungry. Though he doubted she would get away with eating his brains, and he had to point out how wasteful she seemed. Just brains? Wasn't that just an undead thing? She was wasting the rest of the squirrel. A nice stew would work wonders after you got rid of the fur. Calder had never been particular for brains. His father liked them but he thought they were rather metallic in taste. Tender, but not as flavorful as the actual meat. Tough seeing Riley eat was ....interesting to say the least, it wasn't with the same enjoyment as Malodore was having. So this is what got Malodore excited? 'Plague Doctors,' Calder thought with a sigh.
And just as Calder reached out to pluck a leave and considered eating it, he heard his name. Wait? Why did they mention his name? Turning, he looked back at the couple and his heart started to hammer. Malodore was supposed to be keeping this secret so all the credit could have gone to him. It's what made it romantic! Giving someone else mention just ruined it. Why did Malodore bring it up? Wait, he hadn't heard the undead bring it up?
Calder was confused.
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 6:11 pm
Oh Jack, it was so worried. As soon as Malodore drooped, Riley's hands itched to reach out and gather it up in her arms, but she waited, and let it explain fully.
In theory, it made perfect sense. In reality, it was.. a little disappointing. She understood now why Malodore had been thinking about things like dating, and relationships, and .. and it seemed these things were not spontaneously emerging from Malodore with no outside inspiration.
It made perfect sense. It did. And Malodore's intentions were still true, and romantic. Just..
She leaned in and pressed her forehead against Malodore's own, and closed her eyes. I understand. She whispered, and her body lifted in a sigh.
The squirrel had been released during all of this, but enough damage had been done that it was currently walking tilted and to the left, occassionally falling over and flailing back to it's feet.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 11:44 pm
Being so close to her as it was, Malodore couldn't help but pick up on faintest flickers as she pressed her soft forehead to its mask. "Sono andato a lui, mia cara. L'idea è stata mia, lui assistito, nello svolgimento. Volentieri."
And then, of course, the squirrel distracted it. "Ah." Asking if it was all right seemed rather stupid under the circumstances.
"Ma tutto quello che ho fatto, l'ho fatto per il tuo amore," it said, turning back to her, lightly twitching its beak against her cheek.
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 12:32 am
Riley's cheek twitched, just slightly, as if she would have smiled if she could. She was starting to like Malodore's new.. enhancements. It had picked up on that faint tremble of disappointment, even as quick as it was. It was sweet how much it cared - not surprising, but sweet, and made her feel fluttery in her stomach. The final reassurance made her sigh, though this time it was a pure, blissful little sound.
I.. Her metaphorical tongue felt tied, and she pressed her cheek against the tip of the beak that brushed against her skin. I suppose, I didn't realize.. rather, I didn't expect..
Her thoughts interrupted one another, until they faded away, and she instead gave it a very light, very delicate 'kiss'. Her eyes closed as she did so, and her hand cupped the cheek of it's mask as it whispered very privately into it's mind.
Lo avete. E me. Per sempre.
Her eyes slowly opened.
I love you.
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 3:33 pm
Malodore didn't reply audibly - it just nuzzled at her cheek in its own awkward version of a kiss. Riley really was the only thing other than pure science that could make it so happy. The moment was absolute perfection, an exquisite balance of adoration and intelligence and the meeting of two minds and etc. or at least it was until the squirrel staggered right into Malodore's leg.
...
It chuckled, low and amused. "Perhaps you should put it out of its misery? Unless you'd rather I do it."
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 5:00 pm
In honesty, I would love to see you do it, but this one is mine, as per your request, and I always follow through. Even as she spoke, one of her tentacles was sliding down, wrapping around Malodore's waist, curling itself around it's hips, dipping under it's leg - and then snatching the squirrel around the neck and snapping it cleanly. The squirrel's head lolled, and it dissipated as soon as the life left it's eyes.
Maybe.. She snuck her hand up to toy with Malodore's collar. You can do it for me, next time.
Her tentacle unwound from around Malodore's limbs and body, settling back into place behind her even as her arms moved to take it's place by hugging around it's waist again.
Okay, Master of Romance. What thrill have you prepared for me next?
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 5:37 pm
"Elegant," Malodore said, clearly tickled by the clean, efficient dispatch. There was a certain art to death, as there was to life... or un-life. "And, ah... I believe we enjoy each other's company, si? There are more candied brains if you would like..."
Really, everything else it had had planned had been happily flung right out of its brain. "Tutto ciò che volete."
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:07 pm
What do I want..
A very dangerously loaded question. Her eyes lidded heavily, then slit as she chuckled. Well. She whispered. At least, we'll start with what I want right now. She tightened a quick squeeze around the plague doctors middle. I enjoy every single moment I am given in your company. Here, or otherwise. I am content, always, if you are with me. Therefore, what I want has already been given freely. There is nothing greater than this.
And she truly would find contentment in doing nothing more than standing, with her plague doctor in her arms, in the middle of the woods, gently lit by the soft lanterns it had put up for her favor. She would stand here with Malodore if it wished it, until her legs collapsed from exhaustion.
And that would be just fine.
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 10:41 pm
And while Riley was happy to be curled about her it-friend, Calder was happy that he wasn't the squirrel. Looking as if the excitement wasn't going to come, the kelpie curled up in the bushes and rested his head. It would be a long night, but once the date was over, he would clear things up. Despite how uneventful it was to him, there had been some interesting insight he had seen with two people he didn't think he'd be interloping on in such a private moment. At least it seemed, by their close hugging, that it was well worth it.
He certainly couldn't argue with that.
With that, Calder closed his eyes and decided to just rest until the date was over. They deserved some privacy now after all and he didn't need to know everything.
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