fur and feathers! [Oba] [Vodyanoi + Sanele] [FIN]

[Stereochrome]

Vodyanoi had wandered over to a rather noisy and smelly section of a local marketplace -- this was where beasts and animals of all kinds were sold. There were also some tell-tale hints (like faded signs and rusted chains) of a not-too-distant past in which water earthlings too were sold here, but… well, there were distractions enough to let the matter slide. Let bygones be bygones, and all that.

Instead, he turned his attention to what he had really come to see -- the pens, cages and even small clay jars of animals, some from Oba and a few from even further out.

A small blue spite shimmered about his shoulders, keeping a light hand on one of his braids as if it were afraid that it too much be snatched up and put in a cage. However, no one paid them much attention (Vodyanoi supposed he didn’t have a look of a prospective buyer), so they wandered about unmolested, stopping to peer at this thing or that.

robot kitten

sorry for the delay!

 

[robot kitten]

Stereochrome

Sanele had found this morning Czar and a lady friend in her house.. and their kittens. She'd sighed and just looked at her overly proud perzi and shook her head. Perzi! The small furless things were not cute... well they had a sort of cuteness to them but nothing on the adorableness of the Xaraan! She grumbled to herself and decided to try and find someone to take care for them: maybe she could find someone in the marketplace who dealt in perzi and would ensure they got well cared for and found good homes.

Its my day off, she thought sourly: and here I am trying to do work! But she had a soft spot for animals and knew she needed to find them homes before she ended up adopting all of them! She spotted a familiar figure: considering it was a matorian amidst a whole bunch of obans he was easy to spot! Blue really did stand out against all the reds and browns!


She eyed the merchant who had a bunch of really happy and slightly plump perzi for sell. That one will be a good person to give the litter to, she thought... but after I talk to Vodyanoi!

"Vodyanoi!" She called out as she trotted up to him. "Hows the drumming going?"  

[Stereochrome]

robot kitten

He had stopped at the edges of a pen that held a rather large, red-brown janarim. The beast was sleeping, with its great head resting on his paws, and hence lacking much of the species’ usual ferocity. In fact, it was almost sort of… relaxing to watch. Vodyanoi had folded his arms across the top of the fence and was resting his head overtop of them in unconscious mimicry, watching the gentle rise and fall of the animal’s back. The little sprite that travelled with him settled down as well, with only an occasional flicker of his wings to mark his presence.

Well -- that was until Vodyanoi heard his name, that is. He stood upright, startling the sprite into a flurry of movement, and glanced around for the source of the call.

He had been expecting, to be honest, one of his fellow musicians -- but once he had taken a good look at what was around him, he knew that wasn’t the case (there wasn’t a single other water earthling around). Who then? Had he imagined -- “Oh!”

He spotted her moving towards him; an Oban woman he had met once in a crowd, the one who wore pleasantly straightforward clothing and moved like she was used to hard work. She was holding something like a bundle or a basket, although he couldn’t quite tell what was inside.

“Hey there!” He grinned as she approached. “I didn’t think you’d remember me! But the drumming’s gone well. Better than expected maybe… and more exhausting, some days. So are some of my fellow musicians, which is why I'm here wandering about among the beasts by way of vacation. And you? Are you out on some business, then? You do work with animals, don’t you?”  

[robot kitten]

Stereochrome

Sanele shifted her basket full of baby perzi to one arm and rested it against her hip, causing a few mews to escape as the sleeping kittens were moved. She held it out with a wry grin; "I have a good memory for faces and names! You have to if you want to make a profit in my business." Racers needed to recall names of supporters and sponsors.. and that wasn't even going into how she needed to remember all the clients that visited the farms and the merchants she would help Lan buy supplies from....

"And I haven't actually met many Matorians so.. you do stick out! I work at a Xaraan ranch.. but today is perzi business." She chuckled and pointed at the basket. "My Czar knocked up some cute thing and now I have a litter to find a home for... or a merchant who deals in them that can care for them."

"Business is going good for you troupe right? I've been meaning to make it out but with training, races, and work at the farm..."She sighed. Watching a Matorian troupe of performers would be awesome! She even had money these days to pay for it!  

[Stereochrome]

robot kitten

“A-ha! Well, I’m only sorry I’m not much for a help to you in your business. I mean, I’ve gone to xaraan races, when I was younger and lived in Oba and all.” That was when he had been a slave -- but his masters had often taken the younger slaves out on day-trips, to entertain their children and perform all sorts of little chores. Vodyanoi hadn’t understood it at the time, but… it was probably because they were less likely to try to escape in the bustling crowd of something like a xaraan race. “Those critters go fast. Mm, come to think of it, I remember being very impressed by the racers. They might’ve been some of my first little, you know, puppy-love infatuations.”

He laughed at that, throwing back his braided head of hair and flicking out a casual wrist, bracelets jingling merrily.

“And that was sillier back then than it would be now, even. I mean, at least these days I’d have some chance with an Oban. Back then… well. What’s Czar?”

He eyed now the basket under her arm -- it seemed much too small to hold a bunch of baby xaraan. Curious, he stepped up and lifted a small corner of the blanket that was covering the basket. This revealed the oh-so-adorable sight of several curled-up hairless backs, and big, floppy, not quite grown ears.

“Aww, perzi! I used to play with these all the time when I was little.”  

[robot kitten]

Stereochrome

trying to restart Sanele muse as she got trampled recently by the newer characters XD Sorry for pitiful tag OTL

Sanele laughed along with Vodyanoi: "I think we all had lil kid crushes on the racers! They rode beasts at high speeds, had more money than us. lived the high life.... and all seemed really attractive now that I think back... Probably the effect of the Xaraan." She eyed him. "Well right now you are a drummer, muscled, good looking..... you'd probably be approached if you showed up!" She laughed. "The racers do love to um.. sleep around. I was a bit surprised when I first joined their race... guess they live large and wild cause they don't think it can last? Take it while the getting good?"

She held out her bundle. "Czar is my perzi. Well, I should say he adopted me so I'm his Oban." She made a face and shook her head, her small braids whipping about. "I have a feeling I'll be finding homes for a lot of perzi kittens in the coming years. If I had my own place I would keep more of em but my house is filled with family and too many of em already!"  

[Stereochrome]

robot kitten

no worries! o w o it's fine!

“Aw, you’re probably right.” He shrugged when she suggested that he hadn’t been the only one with a crush on the racers. They were probably everyone’s heroes… especially the slaves, who tended not to make heroes out of warriors or prominent nobles. Racers were different. They didn’t have to rich or connected to do well -- they just had to ride fast. Maybe that was part of the appeal, that these were people who weren’t a whole world and a half away from them.

In response to her flattery, however, Vodyanoi could only think to blush, not sure if she was bein serious or not. It wasn’t that it sounded entirely ridiculous (after all, Vodyanoi went to great lengths to dress himself up and attract attention), but… well, most of the racers, and the people at the track, would be Oban. And although he’d seen first-hand a few romantic relationships between the two races, he still found the idea that any Oban would be interested in him to be a bit… odd. Not unpleasant. Just odd. Perhaps that was just him taking too much of what is band said to heart. Most of them had grown up and spent their whole lives in Matori, and didn’t think too deeply on the matter of the Obans.

Ah, forget that -- there were kittens! He clicked his tongue and laughed at the story of Sanele’s perzi, Czar.

“He sure sounds like a busy fellow. And it must have been a pretty kitty he shacked up with. These little guys are so cute.” He reached into the basket to tickle gently at a floppy ear, causing a tiny mew from one of the kitties. “Are you selling them, then?”  

[robot kitten]

Stereochrome

She chuckled as he shrugged it off. True there was the race boundaries and the past of their races to get over... but Sanele knew the power of fangirls having seen it in the middle class girls that drooled over some of the racers.

"He was... I just hope its this one litter! Trying to raise Xaraan doesn't leave a lot of room for lil kittens." She smiled wryly. They were.. cute.. ish. Xaraan were cuter of course! "I know of some merchants in town who sell pets so I was going to drop them off at one. If I could find one that is reputable and wouldn't.. harm them." There were always scum bags who just wanted profits... An idea occured to her.

"Ne... you want one? They'e old enough to live apart from their mother though are still in need of some care." She held the basket out a bit more so he could see the few months old kittens mewing about and tussling inside.  

[Stereochrome]

robot kitten

sorry for bugging you to post and then not posting for a bit! first time i've had time to rp in like 10 days.

“Ugh, don’t I know it.” Vodyanoi shook his head when she mentioned the animal-dealers who seemed to know next to nothing about caring for their stock. “I’ve seen critters all stuffed into tiny little cages, stacked up high so all the filth’s just dripping from one cage to another. Makes you wanna just buy their stock, except for the fact that all it’ll do is give them more money to keep up their business. Hmph!”

He wanted to mention that he had never seen anything like this in Matori, but… well, he didn’t want to come off rude. Besides, it had nothing to do with Obans as a race -- just the whole matter of cities and everyone being crammed in together like this, earthling and animal and all. It certainly had its upsides (like the textile markets, and the food stands, and always a good party going on somewhere), but there wasn’t always enough room left for everyone who need it.

“You want one?” Sanele was saying then, shaking him out of his thoughts.

“Well…”

He sort of did. But should he?

“Would they be ok with traveling, you think?”

One kitten nuzzled up to his hand, then parted it’s tiny little mouth to give his finger an experimental nibble.  

[robot kitten]

Stereochrome

"I hate those types." She sighed when he described the cruelties some merchants inflicted upon their animals. "Some days I just wanna break in and free em all. Cause a mass panic if I did that though." She chuckled. And it was stealing; something she disliked.

"Well, so long as you keep them in sight or on you its fine. I usually have Czar sleeping on one of my Xaraan... but you have wagons with your crew right? They'll live fine in those. Gotta be careful that they don't wander at night but perzi are smart; they know that the wilderness isn't a place to wander and usually stick close.... or well... mine does. There could be dumb ones that don't of course.," She shrugged.

"These guys are young enough they'll probably stick with you and follow you everywhere so you'd just have to be careful in towns and stuff where they might get lost in all the new smells and stuff."  

[Stereochrome]

robot kitten

He laughed at the thought of animals running all over the place. Some would be more cute than anything, or a nuisance at best (perzi, say). But flocks of snarling janarim was a whole other matter, and ‘mass panic’ was a gentle way of describing what would really happen.

In his opinion, at least. No doubt Sanele knew lots more about the behaviours of big critters like that.

“Yeah, we travel in caravans -- and they’re full of good places to curl up. Maybe it’s not so bad an idea… they are cute.” He eyed the little hairless creatures, curled up together for warmth. Most were asleep. A few squinted dazedly at him. One opened it’s tiny mouth to yawn, still toothless and hence entirely adorable.

Vodyanoi reached down to scoop that one up. It was blue-green like the ocean, with dappled spots and violet crystals. For an Oban critter, it really looked like it would have belonged back in Matori. Perhaps that was why he was so attracted to it. It curled up in his hands, crystal-tipped tail hanging down.

“Isn't this one pretty? I could convince myself to take him off your hands, m-hm. You want something for him?"
 

[robot kitten]

Stereochrome

post 6

Sanele looked at the perzi her companion had chosen and smiled; he would pick the one that looked like a matorian! "That's a ... boy yup." She said as she reached out to tweak the tail up and check quickly. "And nahhh... No reason to pay for him! I'm not looking to profit off these guys." She wasn't breeding them and wasn't in dire need of money due to her job.

"This way I know at least one of my Czar's spawn finds a good home! Plus I have a feeling Czar is going to have a lot of spawn considering how often he wanders off..." She sighed. Her perzi had a more active love life than her!  

[Stereochrome]

robot kitten

As immature as it was, Vodyanoi couldn’t help but giggle at the way she deftly checked under the perzi’s tail to make sure he was, indeed, a boy. The kitten’s ears twitched a bit in response, but otherwise he didn’t seem to care much about the intrusion. Vodyanoi wasn’t sure why he’d figured on the kitten being male without even checking -- maybe it was the whole deal with him looking so familiar, like Vodyanoi himself in perzi form.

“Well, I’ll take care of him. I’m going to end up with a bit of a critter collection, but… I guess I’ve got nothing on you when it comes to living and working with beasts.”

‘Beasts’ was an odd word to refer to a zanteer and a baby perzi, anyway. They were hardly fearsome. He cradled the kitten against his chest, and watched it fall asleep in a matter of seconds.

“Must be nice! Well, you can’t really blame Czar, the city’s crawling with eligible girlfriends. And at least he’s a gentlemanly sort, if he takes them all home so they can have their kittens in peace. You could almost be proud… there’s grown men out there who can’t handle that sort of thing.”  

[robot kitten]

Stereochrome

post 7 been busy in life and not on gaia as much but will check back in for this one so you can grow vody!

Sanele grinned; "I've almost got enough Xarran to start my own farm!~ Just need the funds now...Not too mention that someday soon I'l end up wandering off into Tendaji to go on a beast catching spree... Gonna take another farm owner to beat me in critter hoarding soon!" She joked before laughing at the waterling's comment on her perzi.

"I hadn't thought of it that way! Though if all his girlfriends end up giving me litters this size I might start wishing he didn't bring them hoe.... but then they'd be on the street with a smaller chance of survival.." She sighed before smiling slightly.

"You ever been out into the tendaji areas yet? Or has your troupe stuck to Matori and Oba?" She asked curiously. Maybe he had some information on the lands out there she could use so she wasn't going in so blind.  

[Stereochrome]

robot kitten

thanks! no worries, i'm busy too, just relentless out of necessity. xD who needs more than 5 hours of sleep anyway?

“Hmph, funds. It would be a better world if people could do what they wanted without having to think about all this money. Not that I blame you for setting yourself that sort of goal, that is -- I’m sure you’ll be able to come up with the money soon enough, and be right clever about the way you run things. But me… I’m glad my profession doesn’t require stockpiling any more money than I can spend on food and baubles the morning after a performance!”

“I can’t imagine these poor things out on the street.” He pursed his lips, stroking the kitten’s blue back. He knew, of course, that there were tons of stray perzi… but it was one thing to see fully-grown ones, with claws and teeth and jutting crystals, and a whole other matter to think about a baby curled up in some dusty old basket in the back alley. “But if I think about it too much, I might become one of those crazy old ladies who hoard perzi. Have you seen the one that lives around the block? If you go by her place, you’ll see at least a half-dozen perzi basking on the windowsills. And I’ve never seen the same perzi there twice, so who knows how many she has…”

He brightened up on the subject of travelling -- not that he’d been upset or anything like that, but gosh, this was something he was getting rather excited about.

“Well, see, the troupe’s plans are to stay in Oba a while, then loop back to Matori. But I’ve got a hankering to travel, and I think they’ll let me -- the troupe leaders, that is. We’ve been talking a bit about me going off to Jauhar and Tale and all that, so I can see what kind of music they have there, and maybe bring back some ideas… maybe even some performers! So I might do that. Or… I might even go to Yael. It’s just so mysterious! I can only imagine what sort of music they’d have… do you think they’d like mine? They might think it’s a racket!”