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 Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 2:57 pm
Her stone purse gave a heavy jangle as she walked along. Last she knew her house was a dingy mud hut. Her and Anpu had been ontop of each other work. She loved him so she tolerated the guts of dead things splattering over her beautiful flowers. The stones would be her gift to him to buy him the perfect workshop. She had nothing big in mind. Just a clay hut or perhaps an adobe if her money went that far. That should be enough space for the pair, shouldn't it? She didn't even take into consideration that they would have to home slaves- er house pets when she upgraded to the new house. Oh but she planned to have as many as she could. They were such cute little things!
She frowned and hoped that Anpu had kept to his word about not beating the cats. She knew that had been a sour issue between the two. Each raised in an entirely different setting. For her, the slaves were her only escape from her rotten family- that and gardening anyway. For him, well they were tools to be used and thrown away. She did wish he could see if her way completely, even though she tried her hardest to enlighten him about kitten feelings. That they were JUST like hounds- but smaller.
She poked about the Zanzibar streets. Perhaps she'd do some shopping before she got home. Anpu would like some fresh coffee beans, and as much as he HATED the city- they did have some pretty good ones.
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Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 3:15 pm
 The fact that Anpu was trusting her to travel so far away from him, now that was surprising. Of course, it wasn't like she had been horrible. She did her work as promptly as possible, never smarted back, and was generally all around subservient. There wasn't a reason not to trust her, come to think of it, other than the fact that she was still a fairly new slave to Anpu's household. Then again, he only had Shemes and her sister, who was bound to sewing his taxidermy work. That being the case, Shemes really was the only one free.
That and the garden was flourishing. She had removed all the weeds and had several types of fresh flowers that were sprouting. The bushes were neatly trimmed. It was pleasant and she could spend every waking minute out there, making sure each petal and leaf was in it's proper place.
This day had her away from the beloved garden, however. She was back in Zanzibar, already missing the wild fragrances of her home in Caspia. Being trusted this far away was a pleasure, but the scents that came with crammed, impoverished areas. She wrinkled her nose lightly and tightly clutched the small purse of stones that had been entrusted to her. If she were to lose that... Well, she could kiss travel and life in general goodbye.
She slipped through the marketplace with as much grace as she could muster, though there were a few instances where she almost bumped into a few slaves and hounds alike. Her nose finally picked out the delicious smell of coffee beans amongst the other drifting scents. It was definitely the one her master favored and she was quick to get in line.
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Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 3:32 pm
Chione wasn't too familiar with Zanzibar as much as she had been there before- which wasn't alot honestly thinking on it. Her rich family abhorrently hated Zanzibar and like-wise so did Anpu; for almost the same reasons. She really didn't understand how him and her parents could NOT get along. Aside from the blood and guts he was as upper crust and snooty as they were. And Anpu did always make sure to clean himself up good and proper when he had guests. She shook her head and sighed, sometimes she really wished her family supported her. She felt alone sometimes even with Anpu and Chuma about, the fighting really didn't help either.
Wait wasn't Zanzibar where the slaves were sold? Maybe she could buy a nice kitty to keep her company. But again it seamed to fall back on the same rut as before. She really had no idea where she was going. With a frown she picked a direction and moved in it. Maybe a nice hound would lead her in the right direction? Or maybe- she lifted up her nose and smelled coffee; she would get lucky. She walked towards the smell seeing a large coffee shop in front of her. By Ra she felt saved.
"Finally Coffee..." But that line was UGH!
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Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:02 pm
Shemesgisa had been standing in the line for some time, the scent of the fresh coffee beans tickling her delicate, pink nose. As much as she adored the scent, she absolutely hated the taste, not that Anpu knew she had tried a ladle while cooking the stuff for him. Had he, the ladle would have probably been used to tan her hide, at least she hoped. He scared her when he had those knives. Her last screw up had almost ended with that knife between her ribs. It's a good thing his aim is a bit off, even if his paws are steady enough for taxidermy work.
At least now she knew she would never actually want any, right?
She fidgeted in line, her claws sheathing and unsheathing as she fiddled with tine pouch of coins he had entrusted to her. She had kept a sharp eye on it the entire time, fearing losing a single one would land her on his bad side. Finally, it was her turn. She didn't quite know the exact term for what he wanted, but she stepped up to the counter, her bright blue eyes scanning the many bags of beans, her nose trying to pick that one scent from the many others.
"What'll it be?" The hound at the counter asked gruffly, having little patience with the seemingly indecisive slave. She gave a brisk, apologetic nod to the fellow manning the peddling table in the market and fumbled for her words quickly.
"My master wants the dark roast, as black as possible, please. He wants as much as this amount can purchase." She slid the pouch towards him, waiting for him to return it, devoid of it's contents, and for him to hand her a bag of the delicious beans.
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Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:03 pm
Chione waited on the line fumbling with her own coin purse. It had been a long time since she had seen Anpu, she wondered how much he had changed and if him and her brother had made up yet. The jiggle of stones seamed to calm her mind - coffee that was all she had to think about. Coffee...
She watched briefly as a small slave bought a bag of the darkest blackest roast. That was funny- that was Anpu's favorite blend. She finally made it up to the counter and looked at the hound. He asked her what she wanted and a blank look spread over her maw. Oh goodness...what was she here for...ummm...coffee- thats right COFFEE.
"Coffee" She hummed out at him and the hound loosing his patience growled out. "Coffee- yea what KIND. We are a COFFEE SHOP. You need to have a KIND that you want to buy."
Oh dear her she seamed to upset him. "Black...Dark roast. Dark as they come." She seamed to grin at the counter hound. He then shook his head. "Sorry miss. We seam to have a shortage of Black coffee...I just sold the last to that slave over there."
She held her head low- it seamed her luck had run out. She groped the coin purse again. Well she could always buy it for double what the slave payed for it.
"Thank you." She turned from the hound at the counter and sped after Sheme.
"Little slave. Please wait up for me. I have a proposition for you." Though knowing how mean other hounds were she didn't think he would understand such big words.
"Little slave-" She called out again. "I would like to buy your coffee for double your stones!"
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Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:39 pm
He handed back her pouch and a bag of the deliciously scented beans, but she knew these would not be tasted by her again. Maybe another time, if she could find a way to sweeten the concoction... But she was not about to experience with Anpu's prized liquids. That was just asking for a good skinning and she did not wish for a beating, especially if the master's mate would be coming home soon. She wanted to make the best impression as possible and, while the garden was looking quite nice and she had made scented water to wash the paws in, she worried about not pleasing the lady of the house.
She held the bag tight and scooted out of the way of the long line, not wishing to hold it up any longer. Once clear of the hubbub, she paused in the main walkway of the open market and breathed a sigh of relief. Once there, though, she guiltily inhaled the fragrant odor of the beans her master had sent her to fetch. Delicious. Her ears flicked slightly at the sound of the vendor fussing at someone and she was thankful she had snagged the last bit for Anpu. He would have been furious if she had returned empty pawed.
She was about to start off on the journey home when a voice called out to her. She slowed and turned to face the hound, bowing slightly out of respect.
"Proper-sition?" She tilted her head slightly to one side, curious, but never met the lovely hound's eyes with her own. She was to cautious and subservient to do such a thing. If word got back to Anpu that she had been rude...
"What!? Oh, nonono, I 'm sorry. I'm very sorry, but I can't. Iffin' I don't come back with my master's coffee, 'e's bound t' be pretty darn angry with me, ma'am."
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Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:01 pm
Chione's ears fell back against her skull. Now that was just depressing. Anpu wouldn't have any coffee when she returned to him, and she knew how dearly he loved it so. She looked at the bag of beans the slave was carrying and knew that she wasn't going to buy it off of her as much as she offered.
"Your master should be lucky he's got such a loyal kitten like yourself."
She beamed missing her own cats back when she lived at home with her family. But she couldn't get over the fact she would have no coffee to take back. She racked her brain trying to come up with anyway above theft to get it, she loved Anpu but she didn't want to see a kitten get beaten for her. It was just then she got a wonderful idea.
"Would you mind if I asked your master himself for the coffee beans? I don't want to get you in trouble- but I need those coffee beans. It's my husbands favor blend you see."
She added a small whimper as if it was in some desperation that the slave took her to the owner of the coffee. Hopefully it wouldn't be too far. But she would do anything for her dear husband.
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Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:18 pm
Shemesgisa offered her a faint, half hearted, almost apologetic smile. Her ears fell back slightly and her tail whisked behind her. She was both proud and embarrassed by the hound's compliment, unused to such kindness as of late, not since leaving the farm where she and her sister had been born and raised. As much as she would like to give in to the lady's kindness, she knew she wold have hell to pay if she came back without, even if she had double the stones.
"I do m'best ma'am. Don't wanna make 'im angry. He needs 'is coffee quite a good bit."
She paused, as the hound looked as though she was about to speak again. She looked happy for a moment, but her expression seemed to grow saddened and Shemesgisa was almost unsure of just how to respond.
"I'm guessin' I can't 'zzactly turn ya down, ma'am, 'tis poor manners. I'll take ya to 'im if you fancy a bit of a walk back t' town?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:22 am
She nodded. "Well I'm headed for Caspia so every town seams to be in the way between here and there. A little walk never scared me much honestly- my mate on the other paw, he's not really a big fan of leaving Caspia. At least that was how he was last time I left him." She then chuckled at Sheme. "I really wouldn't put it past him to send a slave to Zanzibar to pick up his coffee-" She then reassured herself that this slave probably didn't know her mate- even if they had the same taste in coffee.
"He's not a big fan of Zanzibar..." She added as if talking to the slave was keeping her mind off not getting the coffee from the other.
"What's your name little one? Mine is Chione. I do hope your master treats you nicely." She smiled sweetly having a heart of pure gold. "Your such a sweet thing to have a horrible master." She looked at her stone purse. "If he's mean perhaps I can buy you for myself. I haven't had a kitten in many years. And your just so darling."
Coffee and a kitten? Perhaps her luck was turning for the better. Oh she only hoped it would hold long enough to get both of what she wanted.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:50 am
Her ears twitched slightly at the name of the town she was headed to. Luck would have it, they had the same destination, which saved her having a long and lonely walk by herself. She grinned broadly at the hound and gave a brisk, cheery nod. After shifting the weight of the bag of coffee, she motioned in the direction she was headed.
"Lucky for me, Caspia's where I'm 'eaded, ma'am. Won't be such a boring walk with some company, eh? Caspia, that's me, born 'n bred. Master ain't big on Zanzibar, neither, hates the smell. When 'e bought me 'n my sister, 'e was so ready to get out 'o here an' I don't blame 'im none, not at all." There she went, chattering away. She, truth be told, was quite happy to have someone other than Anpu, her sister, and the flowers to talk to. She tried her best to watch what she said around the hound, but she was already getting lost in conversation.
"Chione? That's a right pretty name, iffin' I can say so. My ma named me Shemesgisa, but Master says it's too much of a mouthful, so 'e calls me Shemes. 'E treats me right good 'nough iffin' I work 'ard an' don't talk much." She practically wiggled with embarrassment as the strange hound praised her, almost unsure of what to think or how to act. The situation was down right unusual, not that she was complaining. She kept a tight hold of the coffee, just in case all was not what it seemed.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 1:19 am
"Thats great!" She chuckled. "It's less boring with a friend for sure." She seamed to have already adopted the kitten as her own, even if she didn't know the owner yet.
"And I'm sure glad you live in Caspia. I'll make sure to visit you from time to time to check up on you...though it is amusing two hounds in Caspia happen to like the same type of coffee. I assume your owner just moved there? It would seam my husband would corrupt somebody else to like his horrible coffee. It really is too bitter for me. But it keeps him from loosing his edge when he's working. The poor fellow tries his hardest to give me everything he wants." She sighed and looked down at her stones. "Thats why I have to get him his coffee. It's the least I can do to make up for all of his kindness." She rambled on.
"But if your master likes the same type of coffee as my husband- the two much meet if they already haven't. I'm sure my husband could use somebody who is appreciative of the same type of paint thiner." She stuck out her tongue at the thought of tasting any of his coffee.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:07 pm
She had never, in her short life, considered a hound as a friend. She was hesitant to agree, suddenly finding herself wary of the upbeat hound, if only because she feared that genuine friendliness actually hid some sort of danger to her own well being. Being a cat, a slave, one couldn't blame her, right? She was still naive at times, yes, but before being placed on the market, she would have soaked the attention up. Now she wasn't so sure, due to her rather unfortunate experiences in Zanzibar. Still, she nodded and smiled, not nearly about to act impolite towards the pretty lady.
"Thankee, ma'am, awful kind of ya. I ain't knowin' many 'o th' masters in Caspia, or anywheres for that matter. My ol' master weren't too fond of et, not at all. Smells lovely, though, eh? My master, 'e's much calmer when 'e's drinkin' the stuff, so I'd be 'appy t' brew it all day long, sure would. 'E sounds like a right lovely fellow, yer mate, eh? Master, mine that is, 'e's 'ead over paws for his lady. I been workin' 'ard to make 'is shop nice for 'er, sure have! Ain't never seen anyone that devoted, no siree."
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:28 pm
She cocked her brow more and more as she listened to the kitten. This hound they were going to see sounded more and more like her husband with each breath the other took. "Coffee addiction eh?" She chortled out and stopped to look the cat square in the eye. She didn't do it in a mean or aggressive way. Mearly that she was curious.
"Your master wouldn't perchance be named Anpu?" Sure it was a shot in the dark but she couldn't seam to place anyone who fit the description the other spoke of. Oh it would sure be wonderful if Sheme belonged to her husband...that in turn meant that she belonged to her. Oh that was great. She liked this one already. Not to mention she would be able to surprise her husband by sneaking up on him like this. She inwardly giggled. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when she walked in.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:59 pm
Whether she meant it to be aggressive or not, looking into another creature's eyes was usually taken as just that and she quickly diverted her own, bright blue ones to her paws. She was afraid that niceness was going to vanish, just like she had seen in many hounds since being sold to Mr. Hyde. She bristled slightly and shuttered, afraid of some sort of reprimand, but it didn't seem to come. In fact, she was almost surprised by the words that left her maw.
"Y-yeah-yes ma'am, actually, that is. My master, 'is name is Anpu, for sure." A shot in the dark or no, Chione had hit the nail on the head with her guess. She clung tight to the beans and gave a brisk, quick bow. She hoped she hadn't offended this hound, who obviously knew her master. Naive and a bit oblivious at times, she hadn't even connected the two, but she certainly would given a few moments. "He's not a bad master, not really, not iffin' I work 'ard and keep my 'ead low. S'a slave's job, doncha' know? T'be seen 'n not 'eard and all."
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:06 pm
Chione's eyes widened. "Oh my dear Shemesgisa! That is such wonderful news!" She bubbled over from top to tail. "That means your my slav- er kitten!" What luck maybe not being able to buy coffee was the best thing to happen to her all day. It seamed her strange luck seamed to be holding- and even growing.
"Isn't that quite wonderful my dear!" She assumed the slave had connected two and two together that she was Anpu's long gone mate. Anpu must have talked about her enough from the words the kitten had used before. "I can't wait for you to take me to see him...it's been far too long. I really should have returned sooner." She groped at the stone purse knowing she needed to leave as to collect money so that the two would live comfortably. Anpu had always been so giving to her. "I guess I won't be needed to buy that coffee from you after all lovie."
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