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 Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:41 am
 Thunder rolled in the background as Sonia tore down the street, stolen meat clamped firmly between her jaws. She could taste the warm, spicy juices running from it already, and it took all her self-control not to stop and eat it at once. No, they were still behind her. Humans could be surprisingly quick when they were chasing stolen property.
...And then it started raining. Hard. Shouts and curses issued from behind her, and the blood-marked fox felt like laughing. Oh, and they'd chased her streets away from their nice dry workplace! Hah - they'd be soaked through by the time they got back, having lost both meat and culprit to the night. She didn't mind getting a bit wet, though. It was a warm night, so the water was almost a relief to her.
Turning a corner, she slowed her pace and ducked under the shelter of a fire escape to eat. It was out of the wind, dry, and fairly warm - perfect. And the meat was heavenly. A shame she hadn't had time to take any more: while this would do for her, the other Sanguinites would have to rely upon their own scavenging skills tonight.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:50 am
Thunder crashed in the background, quickly pulling a fox from his musings. Romulus had recently discovered the joys of the theatre, and had been analyzing the latest show he had seen in his head.
But he had no time for that now. Rain was falling in a torrential downpour, soaking him to the very core. If there was one thing Romulus despised, it was being wet.
Sighing, he looked around for shelter, and found that a nearby fire escape seemed appealing, if only because the smell of meat was attacking his senses. He padded over to the area and stopped dead in his tracks= here was the Elder of the area, Sonia, the female he had been trying to avoid for days.
Romulus mentally prepared himself to be killed; he was sure she knew of his recent trespassings.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:07 pm
Absorbed as she was by eating, Sonia didn't notice the newcomer's approach until he was practically on top of her. She started back a little, but noting his posture realised that he was not a threat. If anything, he seemed to be terrified of her. And his fur was getting soaked, being plastered to his body in a way that made him look small and thin. Motherly instinct took over.
"Why are you standing out there in the rain?" she scolded gently, stepping back to let him approach. "Come on, come under here and have a bite of something hot. You look half drowned, you poor soul."
There were no tribe markings about him, but the thought of black, white and blue in this pattern was familiar. Had someone...yes, she remembered now. Hylden had mentioned this one. He had been eluding her for days, and she had mostly let him be in favour of fending off the more dangerous urban foxes. Perhaps he had come looking for her in the hope of joining the tribe. But no - why would he look so frightened if that were the case?
"Are you aware of the Sanguine Syndicate?" she asked, making sure it did not sound threatening. "We have our territory in these parts - you have been lucky to avoid our patrols to date."
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:20 pm
Romulus attempted to shake off the rain before he huddled under the safety of the fire escape, but to no avail. Sighing dejectedly, he sat down in the small space open for him, watching the rain drops fall idly from his pelt for a moment.
He mentally smacked himself-he was falling back into random musings.
"I am aware of the Syndicate, Elder Sonia," he replied quietly, although his voice did not shake; he was no longer terrified of instant death. "I have been trying to avoid your patrols for the past few days, I fear. I knew I should not be on this territory, but I could not help myself."
Apologetically, he added, "I'm a theatre addict. I have been watching shows, dramas mostly, through air ducts these past days. Knowing I could not give up my joy for the theatre, I have been evasive."
More rain drops fell from the top of his head, and he became entranced by the tiny round orbs of water again.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:30 pm
A theatre-addict. Good grief. What a find. Sonia grinned broadly. "No apologies!" she said firmly. "We Sanguinites are glad to host art-lovers of all kinds, and the Syndicate is open to you if you wish to join - like all those who attempt it, though, you must face a Devil's Advocate who would turn our artists against you. Outspeak them, convince us of your worth, and a place in the Syndicate is yours."
Personally, Sonia had never been able to get into a theatre for a show. She envied this newcomer, whoever he was, for having experienced such spectacles - even though the human language was incomprehensible to a fox's hearing, body language was fairly universal. Atticus had talked of obtaining the scripts for some of the plays, and thus gaining a better understanding of what was transpiring upon the stage.
"And I believe you have me at a disadvantage, sir," she pointed out. "You know my name, but I know not yours. Will you give it to me, in exchange perhaps for a little of my supper?"
She indicated the meat again. It was still warm, white and tender underneath the spiced batter. If Sonia was addicted to anything, it would probably - much to her embarrassment - be fried chicken.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:37 pm
Romulus once again was snapped out of his musings as Sonia offered him the chance to try to become a member of the Syndicate. He had never given much thought to tribes, but had always known the Syndicate would suit him best.
"Oh goodness, my apologies, Elder Sonia. My mother graced me with the name Romulus, though perhaps it has not always been used politely," he said, chuckling a little.
Tentatively, he reach out for a small portion of the chicken, eating it quickly. He nodded, satisfied- as odd as humans tended to be, they knew how to cook chicken. He had to give them that.
"My thanks for offering me an attempt to join your ranks, Elder Sonia. Perhaps I shall try. Yes...Yes, I think I will."
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:08 pm
Sonia chuckled, not unkindly. Head in the clouds, poor boy. "It gladdens my heart to hear it," she answered, nudging the rest of the chicken in his direction. She ate too much of the stuff anyway, and he seemed to be enjoying it. "But please, call me Sonia. The Sanguinites will probably call me Mother - try not to be too disturbed by that, the title is ceremonial. I have no children."
Privately she doubted she ever would. Though she had seen many beautiful foxes in her time, and delighted in the company of many of those, there was always...something missing. She could not place it exactly, but a certain spark always seemed to be lacking between her and her allies. Not that she did not love them - she did, and many dearly so - but she knew she could not fall completely in love with any of them. She needed the spark, the fire, the all-consuming want to take her over, whether that be from the first moment they met or at a later date, and whether later it faded into a quiet comfort or not. She needed the fervour to consume her utterly, even just once, as it did in the stories Atticus had read to her. It would feel like cheating a lover, despite that she had none, if she settled for anything less than that.
"When you have eaten your fill, we shall be going," she announced at length, looking out into the rain. "The weather seems to be relaxing a touch - enough for us not to arrive completely sodden, at least, and sometimes that is all one can hope for in Metropolis."
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:15 pm
Romulus practically inhaled thr chicken, glad for the meal. In the past few days, with his attempts to elude the Sanguinite patrols, the only things that had gotten past his mouth were rainwater and dust from the ducts he hid in.
Feeling the warmth spread through his body, he nodded to Sonia. "I am ready when you choose to depart..Sonia."
How odd, to refer to one of such grace and power as 'Sonia'. Her name suited her, yes, but it felt to Romulus that itneeded to be more complex- a simple name did not properly quantify what Sonia was. Still, he would not allow himself to think of a 'proper' explanation-He retreated to his own mind far too often, much like his twin had said many a time.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:43 pm
The rain was slowly letting up. Unwilling to make the poor fox wait any longer - he would probably need more food, whether the Sanguinites accepted him or not - she nodded briskly. "Follow me."
And she sprang out into the rain, hurrying along the alley and scaling a pile of boxes to cross a high mesh fence. Hopefully Romulus could keep up with her well enough. The less time they both spent out in this rain, the better.
Rounding a corner, she was met with a blast of horizontal rain. Oh, no, the wind was picking up. It howled along the main street like a living force, snatching at coats and mangling umbrellas as it drove the rain before it. Not the best weather to be out and about - poor visibility, too many cars, lots of humans not really looking where they were going...gah, what a wretched way to enjoy the rain.
"Are you still with me, Romulus?" she called back, squinting into the gale. "We have to make a run for it - this is the only safe route to our camp! I apologise in advance for the half-drowned state we shall both be in by the time we arrive!"
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:56 pm
Appearing suddenly next to Sonia, Romulus nodded. "I'm still here!"
The rain battered at him, almost blinded him. At one point, the slick pavement caused him to slide multiple feet down the street, causing shocked humans to leap out of his way. He recovered quickly and ran to keep up with Sonia.
"Only half drowned," he called to her, joking.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 5:17 pm
Laughing, Sonia ran on, soon ducking into a side street and out of the driving rain. The tall building to the right provided some form of shelter, so she slowed a little to catch her breath.
"I like you already," she confided to Romulus. "I do hope the Syndicate takes to you - ah, this way..."
She trotted around a corner, leaving a trail of drips behind her. This part of the city was almost dry, though she could still hear the clatter of the rain. And thank goodness they still had their little haunt: the makeshift shelter in a forgotten corner of the city had been abandoned by some human a long time ago, and it was more than big enough for a few foxes to get out of the wet for a while.
Sure enough, Hylden was waiting in the shelter when she arrived. The green hunter seemed to have found some degree of supper - the scent of cooked meat drifted towards her, rich and tantalising.
"Hail, Mother," the lean vixen called, not yet acknowledging Romulus. "I have enough to share tonight. Your own fortune?"
"Worse, I fear," Sonia chuckled. "Half-drowned, half-starved, and bringing another in a similarly sorry state. Have you enough for three?"
The hunter's expression did not change. "Aye, but he's no Sanguinite."
Sonia grinned. "He may be soon. Come, Hylden, my Sanguinia - is a bite of supper and a chance to prove one's worth so much to ask?"
And there...a tiny flicker of a smile. "No, Mother. Let him approach: he may eat as he will. I've had enough to fill me."
Sonia slipped into the shelter, beckoning Romulus after her, and gently nudged the hunter's cheek. "Thank you, Hylden. Already I see a change in you - do you still think yourself so brutal?"
"...Perhaps not." That almost-smile was still there. "But only thanks to you."
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 5:28 pm
With Sonia's small vote of liking, Romulus padded into this shelter, feeling somewhat confident. He knew there was no reason to be cocky; just because Sonia liked him did not guarantee a similiar agreement among the other Sanguinites. Still, there was no causr to be afraid any longer.
He noticed the female, Hylden it seemed. Composing his features, he bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment and politely delcined the meal;he had eaten his fill earlier.
Vaguely, Romulus wondered what the two were talking about. But this was not his business, and he would not make it such.
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 9:50 am
Sonia was silently delighted that she had no competition for the food. Falling to in an instant, she closed her eyes in rapture as the first morsel of warm meat slid down her throat. This was the only moment of indulgence she allowed herself, however: from then she ate quickly and efficiently, taking no more than was enough to quiet her growling stomach. Just as she was finishing the last mouthful of her hasty meal, she recognised the tread of foxes - the rest of the Sanguinites were arriving. A dark, richly-patterned male stepped forward and bowed, his golden-brown companion slipping into the shadows behind him.
"Evening, Mother," he said, his voice calm and sincere. "One for our ranks?"
The blood-patterned elder smiled, brushing his cheek with one forepaw. "Such is my hope, Atticus."
Atticus, for this was the dark fox's name, looked Romulus over with a critical eye. "And his art?"
"Theatre. He watches the shows."
"Then name me Devil's Advocate, and let us begin."
Sonia swallowed hard. Atticus wished to speak? Oh, Romulus would have his work cut out with this one. "...Very well," she allowed, for she knew that to refuse would insult both supplicant and shaman. "Test him as you will, Sanguinius."
"Thank you, I shall."
The gilded patterns on the scholar-fox's coat seemed to gleam in the half-light as he approached Romulus. His gaze was cold and sharp.
"Your name."
It was not a question. It was a demand.
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 11:27 am
Romulus looked over at this newcomer, silently calculating for a moment.
Atticus was strong in mind, it was clear. And from Snia's reaction, Romulus would have to work hard to gain favor. Still, he detected no threat from the other. Mastery of his language and a composed demeanor were clearly what it took here.
He looked straight into Atticus' golden eyes. His own did not carry a challenge, nor were they submissive. Romulus would not back down for this one.
He said simply," Romulus."
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 2:20 pm
The shaman was not a large fox. He was small and lean, and his fur was so well-kept that an onlooker might have thought him a human's pet. Perhaps some days he was. Dark rings gleamed upon his golden forepaws, and his stare was level - a silent, blatant challenge.
"I charge you, Romulus," he said, pronouncing the name in the perfect Latin fashion of a scholar, "you have nothing to offer us. You are a lover of art, perhaps, but you are no artist. You take, but do not give. You watch, but do not display. You hear, but do not speak. You criticize, perhaps, in your mundane mind, but you do not perform. I charge you, sir...you are a parasite."
Sonia recoiled as if she had been struck. Atticus had always taken the idea of the Devil's Advocate very seriously, but this was painful. How could Romulus recover from such an onslaught?
"You may well enjoy the company of the Syndicate, Romulus of the outsiders. But if you would do so, you must give the Syndicate good reason to believe it would enjoy your company. What can you offer us, skulker in the shadows? How will you share with us this art you claim as your own?"
((Okay, this is it. You're already impressing me, Katachii - this is your chance to convince me. If Romulus answers well in your next post, he's in. Make it a good one: while long posts are appreciated, it's quality I'm really after. Good luck, and show me your best! ^w^))
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