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5/08/05 - Narrative

The skunk child had continued squirming in Inle's arms long after the mysterious woman had deserted them, until Inle had no choice but to set her down or get hit in the eye from the girl's flailing fists. It proved to be something of a mistake, as Mephiti took off running as soon as her feet hit solid ground. She was surprisingly fast for such a little kid, and Inle's pace quickened to keep up with her.

"Hey, get back here! Or at least slow down!" she called after the little skunk.

"EEEEEE!" replied Mephiti, squealing in almost-fright as it seemed the big person just wasn't going to leave her alone. Her bare feet pitter-pattered upon the cold stone floor, a stark contrast to the pounding of Inle's boots, so even in the dim moonlight filtering through the small windows, Inle could tell where she was.

What she couldn't tell, however, was that there was a slightly raised stone right in the path of her awkwardly running feet. She knew it was there a moment too late, tripping over it and landing with a loud "oof" in an undignified sprawl.

The pitter-pattering stopped after a moment, as Mephiti noticed that she was no longer being chased. Part of her was happy to be away from the scary lady, but another part of her was curious as to where said scary lady went. Cautiously, she tip-toed back the way she came, peeking around the corner that separated herself and Inle. Her bright blue eyes widened as she saw the woman start to pick herself up, wincing as she did so.

"Uh oh!" she said, dashing towards Inle's side. "Ok? You ok?" the skunk child asked, genuinely concerned in spite of her lingering fear.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Inle mumbled, more than a little embarrassed. She brushed herself off, wincing once more as a skinned palm made contact with her rough jeans.

Mephiti noticed her wince and immediately grabbed the offending hand, turning it over to look at it. It wasn't badly hurt, merely skinned and red, but the girl seemed to think it was some grievous wound. "No! Oh no! Sorry, sorry!" She frowned up at Inle, tears filling her eyes. Inle struggled to kneel in front of her, wincing yet again as it aggravated a knotted muscle.

"Hey, it's ok, it's only a flesh wound." Her attempts to comfort the child with Monty Python references went unnoticed as Mephiti launched herself into her arms.

"Sorry, so sorry! Sorrysorrysorry!"

"Mephiti, it really is alright. You didn't do it, I was just clumsy and tripped." Inle smoothed the girl's dual-colored hair back with her uninjured hand, grinning as the skunk looked up at her, nearly pouting.

"Really? Ok?"

"I'm really ok, sweetheart."

"Ok. Sorry. Ok."

Inle chuckled, ruffling the hair between Mephiti's ears, causing her to squeak and take a few steps back. "Do you have any idea where we are? I'm lost," she admitted regretfully.

Mephiti smiled and nodded rapidly, taking Inle's good hand. "Yeah! My room, comecome!" With that, she dragged Inle through the castle, to a room that was unoccupied but obviously ready for a guest. "My room, see?" With that, she let go of Inle's hand and ran to the bed, launching herself upon it and giggling. Inle smiled, walking towards the bed and drawing the cozy looking blanket back. Carefully, she gathered the child up and placed her beneath the covers, quite before she knew what was happening. She didn't seem to mind, however, and smiled up at Inle, the tears that threatened earlier gone without a trace.

To Inle's surprise, Mephiti went so far as to raise her arms up for a hug. Inle, not a cuddly or affectionate type, had no choice but to comply, and hugged the girl awkwardly. As the pair released each other, Inle said quietly down at her, "Sleep now, Mephiti. I'll be here tomorrow. Think you can stay out of trouble until then?"

Mephiti's answering nod was slow, and her eyes began to droop drowsily. "Yes, I think."

Inle stroked her hair once more before straightening completely. "Thatta girl," she whispered down at her, the turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Mephiti called with a last burst of energy. "Who're you?"

It was then that Inle realized that she hadn't told the girl her name, or even her newfound relationship to her. "My name is Inle."

"K...ninight, Inle..." Mephiti trailed off, finally succumbing to sleep.

Inle smiled back at her. "Good night, Mephiti," she whispered before walking out the door.

8/15/05 - RP Recap

Down the hall from the pair, a third child of the lunar court played, jumping from stone to stone in a seemingly random pattern. She hummed an aimless tune, and in her hand was a bunch of plants; they were more than stalks of greenery but far less than flowers, and for some reason they had stirred a sense of rightness within the skunk Fae as she explored the grounds. They waved clenched securely in her fist as she pinwheeled her arms for balance, her tiny wings and fluffy tail also coming to her aid, keeping her upright.

The grey and red Jerboa that was her constant companion and playmate nested securely in the black and white brush. Why should he float behind her when he could hitch a free ride?

Procyon looked to Dionaea, who had plopped down in the middle of the doorway. Her eyes quickly scanned the rest of the hallway, making sure all was clear once again. A second glance couldn't hurt.

" 'Good idea Dee. Les drop 'dese off, and den we can go 'splorin' more!" She rubbed the metallic surface of her new shinies, ready to get them home and hide them really well. No one would find her treasures.

Tail twitching, she held a hand out to Dionaea to help her off of the ground. Toddling a bit, not yet used to standing on two feet, she pulled Dee off of the cobbled floor. It was then that she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.

Instead of helping Dionaea up fully, she kept ahold of her hand, and jumped over her, back into the library. Unfortunately, this acrobatic move caused her to drop one of her candlesticks, and it clattered to the floor, causing quite the commotion. "Dee!" she half-shouted, half-whispered. "Someone's 'dere!"

Peeking around the corner, she saw another little girl, with a tail similar to hers. She was holding a shock of plants, and looked like she was dancing around the stones on the floor. Looking back at Dionaea, she whispered again. "Who's 'dat?"

The clatter of the candlesticks on the floor were a dead giveaway to their whereabouts. This wasn't going well for Procyon, who took pride in being sneaky. But it was her first time out and about in the castle, so she thought this was more of a learning experience than anything. Next time she'd be much more stealthy.

Dionaea merely listened, trying to determine the size of the third entity. The rush of the wind about Mephiti's arms were enough for Dionaea to guesstimate her size. "Sounds...small. Like us." she whispered, amazed at Procyon's pure speed.

But she dropped the shiny! No matter, though, as the "intruder" sounded small. If they were that small, they weren't an adult, and probably wouldn't care if they caught someone stealing. The Flytrap Fey crawled to the candlestick, sneaking a glance at the newcomer.

Strange...she kind of looked like Procyon... "I dunno! She yor sis-ter?" Dionaea asked. The fluffy tails looked similar, though the newcomer's was black and white, and without rings...

Mephiti's eyes widened at the loud, sudden noise. Her extra appendages flailed as she overbalanced and threatened to topple over, and it was only her other leg that kept the child from falling to the floor. She paused, tiny ears perking in the direction the noise had come from as if waiting for another one. Her fingers tightened on her plants as though they were a security blanket, and her multihued wings buzzed nervously behind her.

Even Perry, lazy as he was, had emerged from her tail to float above and just in front of her, long tail swaying. He made as if to float further down the hall, but Mephiti scooped him up in her free hand and sat him atop her head. It wouldn't do for him to get hurt should the noise have come from something sinister in nature, after all.

"Whozzit! Who's dere?" she asked after a long, silent moment.

"Chrrrt!" Perry echoed, his squeak a quiet boom in the stone hallway.

"Small? Like us Dee?" Procyon was still whispering, despite her total lack of silence. "Sister?" This one word did mean something to Procyon. Sizzla had explained what brothers and sisters were to her, since she had so many children. But Sizzla hadn't told her she had a sister here, in the castle. Surely she would have mentioned something, right?

Poking her head around the doorframe again, Procyon saw the little skunk Fey standing there with wide eyes. She examined the Fey's black and white striped tail, and the continuation of the white stripe up her back and on top of her head. She didn't have rings around her eyes like Procyon did, and it made her a bit wary of the new Fey. Certainly they weren't sisters. Perhaps they were related though. Instead of hiding from the other little girl, Procyon decided it was better to be friends than not.

Hearing the squeek and the girl's voice from down the hallway, she couldn't help but respond.

"Who's 'dat? Is Procyon and Dionneeeah. Who you?" Her voice echoed down the hallway, hopefully reaching the ears of the little skunk. "What you want?" She tried to make her voice friendly, but wasn't sure if it was working. It must be the shouting that warped her voice so much.

Dionaea poked her own head beyond Procyon's, all but falling to the floor without the necessary balance. She did kind of look like Procyon, but she was missing the face-mask. Still, why did everyone here have to have a tail? Dionaea felt a tad left out because of it.

"Yesh! Is Proceeon and Deeoneea! Why you haf weeds?" Her Kithain had shown her a book of flowers sometime ago, and when Dionaea was busy absorbing the information, her Kithain explained to her what weeds were. Though she'd never seen any, she figured that's what the skunk child had in her hands.

And she had a strange, floating companion, too! She would definately have to get her Kithain to get her one as well.

What did she want? She hadn't wanted anything, she'd merely been dancing down the hall back to her chambers. These two strange fae didn't sound very friendly. At least now she had faces to put with names, although she wasn't sure which face belonged to which name. The one who had voiced the initial questions was wearing a funny mask--Mephiti immediately wondered why--and didn't look very happy to see her. She had funny ears, too, just like her! The other had a chubby face, oddly colored hair, and things growing out of her head--Mephiti wondered about those, too. They looked to be about her age, which was good: her innate shyness would probably have prevented her from answering the questions of an older fae.

"Um..." she replied uncertainly. "I'm Mephiti! 'N I was just goin' back to my room! 'N dey're not weeds, dey're plants! What're you two doin'?"

Procyon was quite happy to meet another Fey of her age, and instead of hiding behind the door, she decided to make herself known. She scampered on all fours down the hallway, clinging to one of her precious candlesticks.

"Hey 'Phiti! I'm Proceeeon. Dee and I are 'splorin! Wanna come 'splore with us?"

She flashed a wide smile at the skunk Fey, and twitched her tail. "Look, you've got a tail like me!" She pointed at the skunk's striped tail and giggled. "Dee likes my tail, I tink she'll like yers too."

Motioning for Dionaea to come down the hallway as well, she couldn't resist calling to her, excitement in her voice. "Dee, come here, look! Is a new kid!"

"Feetee? I'm Dee!" The flytrap waddled up to the other two, liking how much their tails were similar. And fluffy! Fluffy tails! It made her wish she had one, but she had plants growing out of her head, so that would suffice.

Plants? What would one need plants for? But she would probably prove to be a good companion! "Yesh! Wanna go 'splorin'?" She really did want Mephiti to come along. It would be wonferful to have new friends, and new stories!

Mephiti fidgeted a bit as she found herself the object of scrutiny. These two were vivacious, much unlike the older Fae she had seen from afar but had been too shy to approach. She found she didn't mind their energy, and her own young spirits rose, overwhelming her shyness. These two didn't seem to mind her, so why should she mind them?

The monochromatic girl's tail caught her interest and she swung her own around, trapping it to her side with her free arm. "'Nother tail! I like your tail, 's all pretty with the rings 'n greyness!" Her attention moved to the larger girl as she approached and she stared for a moment at the plants growing out of her head, filled with a sudden and inexplicable desire to study them. "'Splore? Yeah, we'll 'splore! 'Splore where?" She wasn't quite sure what this "'splorin'" was, but she was reluctant to leave her new-found friends.

Perry, still firmly attached to the top of her head, gave an irritated squeak, evidently feeling left out. "Oh," Mephiti said as the Jerboa harmlessly smacked her ear with his fluffy tail. "Dis is Perry!"

Procyon took a good look at the skunk Fey's fluffy tail and reached out to touch it thoughtfully. It was soft, just like hers, and she looked up back to to Mephiti, a wide grin on her face. "See! Just like me! I like yer stripe 'Phiti! So pretty..." She wished she could be as pretty as Mephiti, who had the most blue eyes she'd ever seen. She was fascinated with them almost, and her wings twitched with joy. This new Fey was sure to be a good friend. She liked her already.

Procyon sat back on her feet, her hands dangling between her legs, one hand still clinging to the silver candlestick. What happened to the other one? Had she left it back in the library? She'd have to go back and look before they continued their exploration of the castle.

"Well, we 'splored a big room with los' of big books with lots of pages! I found 'dis too!" She held up the candlestick so that Mephiti could admire it. "Is' mine now. I got it fair n' square. Dee helped too!" She patted Dionaea on her back, encouraging her to make friends with the new Fey child too. "I dunno where we's goin' next, but down the hall maybee? I wanna find more shinies!"

She saw the little creature hopping on top of Mephiti's head, and giggled at his antics. "He's cute 'Phiti! Hi Perry!"

These two tailed Fey seemed to have a special bond, depsite only having met briefly. Dionaea took mental note of how a person's voice sounded when in the company of one so similar. Seeing Procyon this happy made Dionaea smile. She hoped there would be other plant Fey like her, but with friends like Mephiti and Procyon, she didn't mind being the odd one out.

"Maybee back to Pwoceeon's chaymbers? Drop off shinies? Take Feetee with us?" she suggested. She didn't want to interrupt, but Procyon insisted. "Feetee is pwetty! Maybee Feetee knows wha plant I am?"

Mephiti looked like a wise one, so she figured, why not ask? Maybe, since Dionaea herself was a plant Fey, she could help the skunk in her knowledge of plants? Depsite the fact that she herslef knew little already...

The creature was cute, too! Dionaea wanted a cutie like Perry...

A faint blush colored Mephiti's pale cheeks at the compliments, and her multicolored wings buzzed with excitement. Inle called her a "cutie-pie" all the time, but things just sounded different from the mouths of peers. Any thanks she may have offered were cut off as she noticed the proffered candlestick. Her blue eyes widened in childlike wonder. It was so bright and shiny! A rare find in a castle so dim and dreary. "Isso pretty! Whassit for?"

Her tiny ears perked at Dionaea's suggestion. "Yeah, Phiti wants ta go too!" Her tail swayed behind her happily at the mere prospect of being around her newfound friends. Her head tilted to the side at the flytrap Fae's question, and she cautiously stepped closer, peering up at the growths that sprouted from her skull. With a curious air, she prodded one, both to feel its texture and to see if the object of her scrutiny had any adverse effects to it being touched. "I dunno," Mephiti said slowly. Something in the back of her mind, some instinct, some suppressed and undiscovered knowledge told her otherwise, but Mephiti literally shook it off, her head swaying side to side. "I dunno," she said again, clearer this time. "My kifain brought me a book of plants 'n stuff, but I can't read it yet. 'S got pitchers doh!"

Procyon held up the candlestick in triumph, a giant smile creeping across her face. It was her pride and joy after all. "I know! So, so pretty. So shiny!" Taking another good look at the candlestick, she turned it over in her hands, prodding the indentation for the candle with her finger. "Um, I dunno whats for...Looks nice though. I like!"

Procyon clapped her hands together as Mephiti agreed to come along and explore with them. She was happy to make a new friend, who seemed as excited about exploring as she and Dionaea were. Hopefully she'd be good at it too.

"Good 'Phiti! I's glad you're coming 'splorin! Where to now?" Looking from Mephiti to Dioneaea, and then back down the hallway, she sat down, pondering where to go next.

"Okies, I think we needta drop dis off," she said, holding up the candlestick and nodding to Dionea, who had made this brilliant suggestion. "Is heavy. Den, we can 'splore more..." Watching the other two Fey interact amused Procyon greatly. She wondered what it felt like to have little plants coming off the top of her head like Dionaea did. She watched as Mephiti poked them, noticing her strange purple markings.

"Hey 'Phiti, was dat?" she asked, pointing to the marks.

Dionaea giggled at her head's attention. She never thought her plants where nearly as impressive as Mephiti and Procyon's tails. Plants weren't fluffy or cuddly. But she didn't mind at all that they were all becoming closer. The Flytrap Fey nodded at the suggestion of dropping off the candlesticks. As strong and tough as Procyon was, she wasn't sure the raccoon could carry two heavy candlesticks about much further.

When Procyon asked about the purple markings on Mephiti, Dionaea looked down at her own wrists. Were these the same purple markings?

Not like it mattered much, though, as the flytrap fey was more than content to sit and listen to Mephiti and Procyon's conversation. Their voices had an innocent quality to them, which Dionaea's ears enjoyed.

Mephiti's tail twitched happily behind her and she nearly squealed with glee at the prospect of impending exploration. She had never properly explored the castle herself, but now she got to do it with two new friends! Her tail's movements slowed at the raccoon totem's question, and she looked down at herself. "Umm...not sure. My kifain said dey're "taaattooos," but I dunno what it means." She looked back up, smiling at Dionaea. "She's got 'em too!"

Procyon just examined the marks on both girls with wide-eyes. She was quite impressed with them, and giggled. "See, you twos got da' same marks. Means yous related someway. Though, I tink we all are somehow. Mama says I's in da Moon Court."

She sat back on her haunches, her tail swinging back and forth lazily, her wings fluttering lightly every now and then. She sat her chin in her palm, and though about how to go about exploring. First, she was going to take her candlesticks back, and then they could discuss further exploration.

"Okies Dee, Phiti, les go back to my room. I wanna put 'dese in 'dere." She held up the one candlestick, and then scampered back down the hallway to grab the other one from the doorway of the library where she had dropped it. Seeing the other two down the hall in the dim light, she called out to them.

"Les go! You coming?" She waited patiently there for them, so they could all head back to Procyon's room together. Then, they'd figure out a plan of attack. Perhaps she could find a makeshift bag in her room as well...She'd have to scrounge something up.

"Commi!" Dionaea giggled happily, waving Mephiti along with her. Carefully, she stood back up on her feet and began to toddle her way down the hall, taking slow, deliberate steps. She wanted to make sure Mephiti would not be left behind, though she did not know how fast the skunk baby could move.

Idly, she sang (or, rather, tried to sing) a song she had just made up on the spot. Not much of a song it ended up being, but still. Dionaea rather liked the way voices echoed off walls.

"Sploring, sploring, Feetee and Pwoceeon es sploring..."

Tiny, black-furred ears perked up at the beckon. "Oh, right!" Mephiti chirped before beginning to awkwardly run after her new friends. It may have been dangerous for someone so young and imbalanced to attempt a sprint down a stone hallway, but her arms, tail, and rapidly-fluttering wings worked in conjunction to keep her upright. Her pace slowed as she reached her plant-based friend, and she smiled at the impromptu song. "We 'splore da whole castle? Oh, oror outside!" There was a notable spring in her step that died a little as her stomach rumbled loudly. "Or da kitchen? Not had breakfast yet," she said with a bit of a blush.

Procyon scampered on ahead, hearing Dioneaea's song from behind her. She giggled, and shouted back down the hallway before continuing back to her chambers, her sprockets still buzzing around her head.

"I like yer song Dee! Come on Dee n' 'Phiti! Les' go!"

Arriving at her door, she pushed it open to see her kithain sitting on the bed on the other side of the room. The woman smiled when she saw Procyon, and the little raccoon-fey scampered over to her on all fours, launching herself into Sizzla's lap, the candlesticks still clutched tightly in one hand. It had seemed like ages since she had seen her kithain, and she had missed her, even though she'd been quite busy with Dionaea and Mephiti.

"Kifain! I miss you! How's you doin?" she asked the silver-haired woman, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Before Sizzla could get a word in edgewise, she held her new treasures up to Sizzla's face. "Looksee! I got shinies! I's need a bag to put 'em in Siz-la. I needta be able to carry my shinies around..." She was bursting with things to say to her kithain, but first things first. She needed that bag.

Sizzla gave Procyon's fluffy tail a quick petting, and she laughed at the Fey's excitement. She was always glad when her charges were happy to see her, even if she had been gone a long time. "Sure Procyon, I can get you something for your shinies. You will need some good tools of that nature as well. How about I pick you up a lockpicking kit too. Then you can learn to really be a thief. How's that sound?"

Sizzla wasn't sure if she should encourage stealing, but it seemed to be in Procyon's blood. She knew she couldn't stop the Fey from doing it, so she may as well nurture her talents. Upon agreeing to get a bag and some other tools for the little girl, Procyon jumped up and threw her arms around Sizzla's neck, dropping the candlesticks into her lap.

"Sank you Siz-la! Procyon will be a good thief. Very smart about it, yush." She pulled her head back from Sizzla's shoulder, eyes beaming. "Good kifain!" She gave Sizzla a light poke in the shoulder, teasing her just a little. She certainly was charismatic in her dealings with others. What a charmer...

Hopping off of Sizzla's lap, she went back to the door to check for her friends, who should have been there by now. "I's waiting on Dee and 'Phiti. They's be here soon I 'magine."

Dionaea heard Procyon's excited chatter with her Kithain and realized she should probably return to her own. Dionaea turned around to wave to Mephiti before deciding she needed to head on back to her own chambers. Her kithain might be worried sick.

Toddling into Procyon's chambers, Dionaea made a sloppy bow to Sizzla. "Hi Siz-la! I rember you!" Her wings buzzed happily as she watched Procyon and the fae woman interact. Procyon indeed loved her Kithain.

"Bu I shood go back to my kifain too, Pwoceeon. Meebee we splore tomorro?" She smiled and giggled again, waddling back out into the hallway. Mephiti hopefully wouldn't mind her sudden departure. Finding her sense of direction, she waddled down the hallway.

Mephiti was the last of the trio to reach Procyon's chamber, and her pace slowed considerably as she reached the door. Another new person? Procyon's kithain? The skunk peered in curiously, watching their interaction for a moment before becoming distracted by Dionaea's departure. "Oh!" she said, a bit disappointed that their playtime was already over. "Ok den!" Popping her head once more into Procyon's chamber, she called out, "See you later, havva good day!" It was something her own kithain often said to her. With that, she stepped back and moved down the hall opposite from Dionaea, towards her own chambers.