|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 1:30 am
A bronze torso escorted the palest of green foxtaur bodies through the brush, chubby arms clasped around a violet bandanna stuffed with fruits. He'd not gone far from the tree where he'd been given such a kind gift, but his little arms were already trembling with the effort, and it was all-too-soon that a corner of the cloth slipped between his fingers, fruits of all shapes and sizes tumbling to the earth.
"Noh-no!" the little voice cried as he tried to juggle the escaping fruits in his arms, dropping to his knees and wrangling them close to him once again. The only thing that hadn't escaped was a plump red apple, though the minute fall did little to the quality of the other treats. Sharp little teeth bit at a dark lip as he gathered up his fallen fruits and placed them delicately back onto the bandanna. The cloth was barely big enough for him to stack all of the colourful foods upon it, and he already knew that he couldn't carry it any great distance. With a distressed sound, the boy folded the tops of the cloth together again, grabbed with both hands and heaved, only to stumble head-over-heels into a like-sized stranger.
Where... where did he go?
Wide violet eyes looked about the small meadow that she'd found the little bronze foxtaur in, but there wasn't a sign of him anywhere that Jaione looked. The tip of her tail twitched in distress and she turned her nose to the wind, sniffing for a sign of the helpless, lonesome little babe, fretful in her want to aid those unable to aid themselves. It seemed that all was lost when she picked up the faintest wafting scent, but she was certain that its origin must be mistaken. A frown tugged at her fair features and she sniffed the air again, only for her to find herself certain of what she was smelling, and more anxious than she had been before. With haste, she began following the faint trail, brows knitted above her eyes. It was a scent she'd missed for many a year by now, and one she had once wondered if she'd ever experience again; but what would her daughter be doing out here?
Everything hurt. No one had told her just how much pain labour put a woman through, and less had explained to her that she wouldn't want to move for the next month-- no, that wasn't quite right... She wanted to move -desperately aching with restlessness- but her body was in such a state of disrepair that she could do little more than lay on her side, nurse her quickly growing kittens, and yowl at Sylas to get her one thing or another. Of course, no matter what those things were, they didn't satisfy the wanderlust that Tsukasa had been born with, and she found herself longing for the world outside their ramshackle hut, in a place where she could see for miles, train hawks, practice her skills again with a bow and arrow.
"Sylaaaas. Is that soup ever going to be done? It smells so gooood and I want sooome," the young woman whined across their one-room abode, shifting beneath her covers and outstretching her hand to ruffle the hair of her young babes. Qursesi and... wait. Where was--
"SYLAS." Suddenly, the cattaur was on her feet, eyes wide as she began to frantically search the house, front paws doing as much work as her hands while she dug through their sparse furniture. Heart hammering in her chest, she spun to face her beau, fear in her eyes. "Where's Drieri?"
It was so lovely and warm outside, Drieri had decided. Much better than the dull, unchanging interior of his home and the empty and endless bickering of his parents. Beneath the sun, his coat felt like it was being heated by the gentlest of fires -- not a place too hot, and it was kind enough not to make his eyes water. The kitten padded carefully through the meadow near his home, feeling safe and unseen in the tall grass, though its rustling movements were sure to attract the attention of anyone looking for a small escapee.
There he was in the sun, minding his manners and soaking in sunlight, when he was hit full in the face by a hunk of brown flesh. The blow caused the little ghost to fall backward, flopping onto his rump as he clutched at his injured nose, tears quickly gathering in his eyes. A few words had been taught to him thus far, but they were inaccessible beyond the pain in his face, and as the figure before him stared with wide eyes, Driei began to bawl.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 12:10 am
 
But he found himself biting back sarcasm as he toiled over a so-so soup with Tsuki's whining ringing in his ears. Did she have to ask him every three minutes? "It'll be done when it's done." His call was laden with a little too much venom, but he couldn't help it; all of this parentage business was hard enough without Tsukasa needing nursing too. Sylas sniffed critically at the gray-green mixture of watercress and minnows. A few more minutes will have it looking right.
"What?" he groaned crabbily at his name. Inwardly he braced himself for another demand. But the question made him turn about in panic. "He- He's- But he was here a second ago!" The cattaur groaned in despair - as if he needed anything else to test his patience today. Acting swiftly, he grabbed the cushions that made their bedspace and moved them within arm's reach of the bubbling soup, then deposited his wife and remaining child on them. "There. Cook, and watch Qurs. I'll try to find him." Sylas attempted a bracing smile as he patted the young woman's sky-blue head. "He can't have gotten far."
Swiftly, Sylas dashed into the surrounding woods, his new father's instincts driving his feet. The scent of his offspring was still new, but unmistakable through the undergrowth. Following his nose, he soon came upon the faint sound of sobbing. That's him. "Drieri!" he called, wandering aimlessly in search of the grey-backed boy. "It's Papa, where are you?"As soon as his brother had disappeared, silent worry had plagued Qursesi. If Drieri wasn't here, inside the warmth and safety of home with Mama and Papa, where could he be? The world outside was still a blank canvas to the mottled kitten; whenever he tried to imagine it, his excited mind just conceived a world of horrors.
While lacking the vocabulary to express his concerns, the baby sighed gently at the feeling of Mother's hands through his hair, and watched Papa carefully as he moved them over to the fireplace. He heard his brother's name - good, they were trying to find him! Watching Papa speed away, Qursesi felt inspired to imitate him. He was the elder, after all.
Scampering easily away from his exhausted mother, the baby cattaur made to the entrance of their little lair. His grey nose wrinkled as he smelled all there was to smell, and he called out his version of his brother's name into the surrounding wilderness, hoping he would hear. "Dree! Dree! Dree!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 4:21 am
"You want me to STAY HERE?!" Tsukasa shrieked after the man who'd knocked her up. Despite the pain in her body, that defiance in her eyes was unquenchable, and she shakily forced her way to her feet. There was a better chance of hell freezing over than of her playing the 'little pet wife,' and she wasn't about to let anyone think otherwise, no matter how much tire she had to fight against. The fear that drove her was only heightened when the brighter of her mottled children suddenly darted between her legs, scurrying out to see the big wide world for himself. She was out the door in a flash, nearly tripping over the little kitten, having expected him to travel much further than the threshold of their home. With a great sigh, she scooped him up, nuzzling her face into his chubby little belly and kissing him all over. "Don't you dare run away from Mommy like that again, Qursy! You have no idea how mind-numbingly terrifying it is.
Now, what's say we help look for your brother?" The relief was enough that her panic was abated for the time being, sure that their other child couldn't have gotten far if Qursesi had barely made it past the door. And yet, relief was not sense, and the soup boiled, untended, in their absence.
"PAPA!" shrieked the babe as soon as he heard the voice, though his crying had yet to abate. He flailed his arms in place, looking for a warm body to hold him until he was scooped up off the ground to snuggle and sniffle into his father's chest, kneading at his grey skin with those needle-like claws of his. "Papapapapapaaa..." the little kitten purred against the adult, nuzzling close to him as his tail swayed back and forth, a pleased smile on his face while his tears were forgotten.
Pali stared.
From the moment that the cattaur started sobbing to the point where the large, ghostly male pranced toward them, he did little more than gaze wide-eyed at this group of strangers, each and every one of which seemed to be related to one-another. His pointed little ears twitched and he frowned at Sylas, narrowing his eyes suspiciously before turning his back on the both of them, focusing his attention on something much more important: his fruit. Once again, the little foxtaur had to work on trying to turn the bandanna into a working pack, oranges and apples obstinately rolling away from wherever they're placed.
"There you are!" The call made Pali jump before he was scooped up and cradled in the woman's arms, as though she was completely oblivious to his squirming. Worry creased Jaione's brow as she pet his hair and whispered to him soothingly and, despite his protesting, lulled him into a dozy state. Slowly, she let herself smile, violet eyes flicking to the stranger who stood before her. "Hullo there," she greeted politely, eyes flicking to the babe cradled in his arms. "Are you taking care of a little escape artist yourself?"
She chuckled at the joke, but as the wind picked up, the black-and-white cattaur before her smelled the same way that the wind had before, the same similar-yet-peculiar spice that she knew to be her eccentric, airy daughter. Her ears tipped back, a wary look on her face as she wrinkled her nose to sniff at the air again, but there was no mistaking it. "Tell me, ah... no matter your name, though I'd like to learn it, do- do you know a girl by the name of Tsukasa, by any chance?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:23 pm
Qursesi squealed with delight as Mommy's arms yanked him into the air, paws paddling frantically to find purchase somewhere warm. He purred loudly and buried his face in her fur, taking a good clump into his mouth for a chew. Being a baby, he understood little of the lecture, but he picked up the word 'brother' and grinned. Everyone was going where Drieri had gone - must be somewhere fun!
"Dree! Dreedree, Dree!" The periwinkle bundled thrashed restlessly in his mother's arms, singing out his favorite word as he fought his way to the ground. "Dree, Dreeeeee~ Dree-dree!" With a final twist, he yanked his rump free and fell, landing as soft and graceful as any cattaur. Then it was to the threshold once more, where he bounded and wiggled excitedly, anxious to be on their way.
When he finally sighted his weeping offspring, relief soaked Sylas to the bone, and he was at his side in an instant, dabbing at those ever-present tears. "Hey! Hey, shh, it's okay buddy, Papa's here." In the wake of his receding panic, a laugh formed, and the ghostly cattaur smiled softly as he held out his babe. "You scared the life out of me, you know that? Your mama too - no more adventures, got it?" Probably not, but it didn't really matter; all that mattered was that the family unit was all safe and accounted for. Supporting Drieri with one arm, Sylas turned to head for home, only to be held in place by the most curious and piercing little lemon-y stare.
"Uh... Hey there, kiddo. How long have you been standing there, exactly?" His niceties only earned him a frown so serious that Sylas had to laugh, put off his stride by the little grandfather he'd discovered. Golden eyes watched as the foxtaur babe turned his back to them and began rummaging with something small, trying to stack apples onto a small kerchief. It was an amusing little battle to watch, small determined will vs. the laws of nature, but eventually Sylas felt he had to intervene. As another fruit made its bid for freedom, he bent down and retrieved it, offering towards the kit. "You want a hand with all that by ch-"
The arrival of the purple cattaur killed Sylas' courtesy in his throat, and on impulse he took a few steps back, shadows disguising father and babe. His brow wrinkled as he watched her force the foxtaur into a submissive sleep - Seems a quick way to kill a kid's spirit - but something about her scent bothered him too. It was far too familiar to be coming from a stranger.
Her greeting made him flinch, but there was no helping it, so he made his way back into the sunlight, wearing a courteous smile. "Yes, but mine more lost his way. Your little one seems like a little rebel." A moment was taken for both parents to appreciate the babies, both now calmed and content, but her question was positively creepy. "Wh- What?" Suddenly he was all suspicion, eyes golden slits, tail stiff. "Yes, as a matter of fact... She's my lover. And who are you, exactly?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 4:05 pm
For her credit, Tsukasa tried very hard to keep her infant son in her arms, but she was quickly discovering that Qursesi's enthusiasm would take more than a firm hand to quash it. A gasp tumbled past her lips when she finally lost her grip, grabbing after the little cattaur and groaning as he darted away. Paying no mind to the meal that she was supposed to be watching, the young mother struggled to her feet, trotting weakly after her son, movement hampered by the pain that still possessed her lower regions. The trail of wiggling grass that her little boy left behind him made following a simple task, though she made a point to not nab the little cattaur just yet. After all, the last time she'd scooped him up, he'd made a run for it instantly; she could only imagine the same response coming if she scooped him up again.
Pali finally seemed to have found some kind of contentment in Jaione's arms, snoozing away in the same way that his new friend was, giving more fuel to the ever-present smile on the woman's face. A soft chuckle passed her lips at the pleasantries, all too true about the little foxtaur that she held in her arms. Much as she'd longed for another infant to coddle and care for, Pali had proven himself to be more independent and rebellious than even the loudest of her first litter, and was far what she'd been looking for. She'd be surprised if the little green baby even wanted to stay with her past his teen years, but for as long as she could, she'd be content to pamper and cuddle him.
A nervous flutter of laughter passed the cattaur's lips when Sylas' posture turned wary, a slight flush overcoming her glittering skin. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to come off the way it did, I just..." She grew silent as her question was answered, feeling her eyes turn watery, tail twisting around her ankles. Within a moment, she was fanning herself and smiling like she'd won her own personal chef. "I didn' mean to get so personal, it's just that Tsukasa's my daughter. I never would have expected..." she smiled ever-brighter, amethyst eyes falling to the small child in the black-and-white cattaur's arms, tears overwhelming them, much to her embarrassment. Jaione scrubbed them away, feeling a bit batty for all of her emotions, and brought the smile back to her lips in the end. "My name is Jaione. I haven't seen Tsukasa for... gosh, I don't know how many years now. I-it's not that she ran off or we fought or anything, she was just always a free spirit, go-with-the-wind kind'a girl, and... and I'm glad to see that she's found someone after all this time. Do you mind if... well, you can say no, I don't want to invite myself over or anything, but would you mind if I stopped by? It would be nice to see her again, after everything."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 10:18 pm
He might have been small, but Qursesi's sense of smell was as precise as any cattaur's, so it was easy for him to find the trail of his papa, him and his dark smoky smell. The kitten trudged bravely through the undergrowth, naively confident that Mama was behind him on lookout. Dimly, underneath the heavy scents of woodland and Papa, Qursesi could smell his twin. Several mewls echoed about the woodland, wordless probes searching for his other half. Why did he want to go so far away from home, anyway? It was baffling.
Not far away, Sylas stood frozen awkwardly with babe in arms, wincing as this woman began crying at him. After living with Tsukasa, he'd grown more accustomed to weeping, but this was wistful, grandmother crying, not the petulant tears of a stressed young adult. They were quite different. He kept her at bay with a sharp gaze until the truth of the matter finally came to light, which is when he realized that he'd been worrying over nothing. If anyone understood the toll his darling's free spirit took, it was him. With a lukewarm smile (as warm as they ever got), he gestured for Jaione to follow him. "Alright. She'll be excited to see you again, I'm sure. You can see both kittens together, if you want." It only seemed right for them to be at least introduced to their grandmother.
It was a happy few minutes of walking before an aqua-haired fluffball threw himself into Sylas' legs with a cry of 'Papa!' "Hey there, 'Sesi," he said with a grin as he ruffled the boy's hair. Tsukasa, thankfully, was right behind him. He picked up his other boy and gestured with his head towards their surprise guest. "Dear. Seems I found your mom in the forest." Here seemed like as good a place as any for a reunion.
In the safety of his papa's arms, Qursesi nuzzled close to his brother, poking with all an infant's care at his head. "Dree," he mumbled excitedly, golden eyes fixated on the strange poofy-tailed boy in the purple lady's arms. "Dree, lookee, lookee wassat?" He pointed with a chubby finger; the kitten had only ever met cattaur up until now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
