| | |
|
|
Saving the little ones(Open intro)
#549057 - Tue Apr 12 2005 03:19 AM
|
|
|
A litter of 3 kits huddled under the roots of a large tree, trying to become invisible to the man that had murdered their mother. She had been a beautiful vixen, with rich red fur and a supply of energy that rivalled that of her offspring.
Now, she lay several feet in front of them, her crimson fur matted with blood from the rifle. The man callously nudged her carcass with his boot, then advanced on the kits. "These young ones ought to bring a good price as pets in town."
A bright flash made him stumble backwards, and when he cleared his eyes, a slim young woman in jeans and a grey t-shirt crouched between him and the kits. Her blue eyes were confused as she took in her surroundings, but they cleared instantly as they focused first on the dead fox, and then on the gun in the man's hand. "You'll regret that," she growled as she straightened.
"Now listen, miss. This is my land, and this fox has been killing my chickens. I was within my rights to kill it."
Rosehawk's eyes flashed angrily. "For starters, she is a female, not an 'it'. Secondly, she was killing your chickens to provide food for her young. There is no faulting her for that."
"Outta my way, woman," the man warned. "I'm gonna make my money back by selling that creature's kits. You are tresspassing, and if you don't leave right now..." He took a step forward. Big mistake.
Rosehawk stepped forwards herself, spinning at the last moment to deliver a stunning back kick to the man's stomach, then completing the turn with an axe kick to the man's back as he doubled over. The blow knocked him to the ground, unconscious.
Kicking his rifle away, Rosehawk then turned her attention to the kits still hiding under the tree roots. "Come here, luvs. You're safe, now."
She knelt by their hiding place and held out her arms. The kits inched out, sniffing her outstretched fingers, and then crawled into her lap, nuzzling her stomach and keening mournfully over the loss of their mother.
--------------------
It's not that I want to die. I just wish there was a way to stop living for a while...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas hearing a gunshot off in the distance came to investigate. The anthro caribou arriving just in time to see Rose Hawk's triumphant scuffle. Thomas claps loudly as he approaches Rose Hawk slowly.
" Bravo, that was some fighing. Though it looked like he didn't stand a chance."
Thomas is within a few feet. Rose Hawk will notice that he is 5'10" but his antlers make him 8'10' Dressed in his standard tunic, he is quite well groomed and looks like he'd be willing to help her in what ever she is doing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adrian is quietly medetating in the deeper forest, when he hears the gunshot and feels the vixen's life fade from the world. He then sences mor than anything a kindred sperit and her fury for but a moment. He stands, yet his body is still sitting and like a strong winter wind, he goes to investigate. Appon his arivle he can see a young lady and caribu. He reaches down to lightly touch each of the kits in turn, soothing them and smiles at Rosehawk. And while the caribu cannot see him She will likly not eather but is more likly able to sence his presance. He touches her forhead gently and slips his paw up to floof her hair.
|
|
|
|
|
|
At the appearance of the anthro caribou, Rosehawk was slightly surprised. Where she came from, any creatures with the ability to morph did their best to hide it from humans. With the exception of those who hunted humans, such as werewolves. Still, she decided to keep her true form a secret for now.
She nodded her head in recognition of the compliment. "I probably should have just disarmed him, but in cases such as this, I tend to lose my temper a bit." Barely resisting the urge to sniff the air for familiar scents, Rosehawk glanced around. "Where are we, and just exactly what are you?"
As she asked the question, the kits toned their mourning down to slight whimpers. One of them even fell asleep, its tiny muzzle resting in the crook of her arm. A sudden breeze made her shiver, and she 'felt' the sapphire in her forehead 'glow', reacting to some power she didn't understand. She brushed her forehead in the pretext of moving her hair out of her face, just to reassure herself that nothing of her true form was showing, but the sapphire remained a light weight around her neck.
Just then, the breeze blew again, and something that felt oddly physical ruffled Rosehawk's hair. The anthro creature didn't react, so she showed no sign that anything had happened, and waited on his reply to her questions.
((I don't know if I wrote that clearly enough, but what she felt was her true form reacting to AF's presence. Nothing visible showed.))
--------------------
It's not that I want to die. I just wish there was a way to stop living for a while...
|
|
|
|
|
|
" What am I? Yeah I get that a lot when I meet humans from other realms not used to my species. I'm what you would call and antrhomorphic caribou. My name is Thomas Greenbrier. From the looks of it, his actions warrented your temper. I'm deeply empathic towards nature, too."
Thomas doesn't sense Adrian unless Adrian wants to make his presence known. He sincerely smiles warmly to Rose Hawk to ease her apprehension of tho mother's death and his strange arrival.
" Now as far as I've been told we are in a cat's head. I know it doesn't make much sense but if you'd care to look up into the sky you'll see the face of a cat smiling back at you."
Thomas points skyward in the direction of the Napping Cat's face. He doubts on whether or not Rose Hawk is hungry for the moment. Knowing that humans are omnivores he could help but the orphans seem to take precedence as well as welcoming Rose Hawk into the Dream.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Returning to his body, Adrian opens his eyeshe starts off siping from an ever presant clay jar of sake and humming a merry tune. Eventuly he makes his way to the place where Rosehawk is and, takeing a long pull from his jug, Neatly ties the hunter's hands together with the rifle and hangs himfrom a tree branch by said wrists. He than goes and kneels beside the fallen vixen and begins funererary rites giving her as much atention as he would one of his own kind, his voice solem and soft in sound. When he is finnished he turns to Roshawk. "Would you wish to care for thies young little one?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rosehawk looked up at the sky. "Now that," she muttered, "is freaky..." Inside a cat's dream. Just her luck. With Rakshasas, the tiger-morphs, being the primary enemies of her species, the thought of being inside a cat was enough to give her the shivers...Something that a hundred men with guns would find hard to do. "Just so this particular cat doesn't dream me dead."
She brought her head back down to look at Tom. "These kits need a family. One of their own kind. Since you obviously have been here longer than I have, would there be any chance you would know where I could find a family of foxes?"
A motion flickered at the corner of her eye, and when she turned, what she saw made her jump to her feet, toppling all but the sleeping kit to the ground. She still unconsciously held onto it, stroking its soft, downy fur as she took in the handsome stranger. And only she could appreciate how handsome he was. A human would admire him for his silver fur and human form, but would not think of him as an equal. A fox would admire his vulpine features, but would fear the human form.
Rosehawk, however, was a part of both those worlds...As he obviously was also. She brushed her dark hair back over her shoulders, and took a deep breath to calm herself before she spoke. "Welcome, surprise number 3." The answer came out in a drier and more sarcastic tone than she intended in her attempt to cover her initial shock.
--------------------
It's not that I want to die. I just wish there was a way to stop living for a while...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adrian kneels and gathers the other kits into his arms murmering softly to them. He gently scritches their ears and trokes their fur calming them. "I ask again. Would you care for them?" His eyes are as cold as ice yet his voice is soft and warm. He then takes the kits and gently wraps them in Rosehawks arms while she is still somewhat stunned. He touches her forhead gently and runs his finger down between her eyes, down along her nose tip,then then brushes her hair behind an ear.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rosehawk jerked away from his touch, backing up half a step. "No! No..I can't..I..." A thousand thoughts swarmed in her head, but not one of them volunteered to present itself. The kits were warm distractions, warm problems in her arms.
Closing her eyes, Rosehawk focused. She wasn't able to care for kits right now. Not with her current mission. If and when she found the enemy she was seeking, there was no way she could fight him with three kits hanging on to her proverbial apron strings. And if she did fight, and lost....They would be homeless again, or worse, Rakshasa dinner.
Still, after all these years of loneliness, she could feel her heart wrapping around the three bundles in her arms.
"Who are you?" She had no need to ask what he was, but it seemed imperative that she know his name. She couldn't figure whether she was angry with him for starting her heart down this path, or simply mad at herself for allowing it. Who did he think he was, anyway?
--------------------
It's not that I want to die. I just wish there was a way to stop living for a while...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adrian Nods with aproval. "Then I sahll take them into my care." He looks into Rosehawks eyes as if to let her know he understood. "As to who I am... I am Lord Adrian Fuyubara, Also known among those of my island home as Lord Winterrose." he bows slightly. "I shall care for thim till such a time as you are ... undistracted... The reason for you being here is a dangerous one, but there is no reason you should go it alone, and there is much i can teach you." He smiles and reaches to softly rub one of the kits. "In the end the desision is yours to make..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas blinks at Adrian's effecientness. The taking care of the hunter and burial rights for the mother. He didn't interfere with their conversation because it felt like he would intrude.
" That was settled easily. I would volunteer of course but me being male, a non-kitsune, and a vegetarian I'd find it near impossible to take care of them. Though it sounds like Lord Winterrose is the most capable of us."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winterrose...
Rosehawk stared into the forest over Adrian's shoulder. She was grateful that he had offered to take the kits, though his statement 'till such a time as you are ... undistracted' left her confused. Did he know about her quest? How could he? The sapphire around her neck had protected her from magic so far.
His offer to teach her gave her even more to think about. As a nine-tailed kitsune, she knew she could trust him with her physical safety, but in the dark recesses of her mind, there was the warning that there were other ways to be injured than physically.
On the other hand, in this new world, no, this new reality, it wouldn't hurt to have a guide. Besides, the rules in this reality seemed to differ from her former dimension.
Another glance at the kits made her decision for her. If she stayed, just a little while, he could teach her, yes, but she would also be near to these delicate wonders for a little longer...
"Lord Winterrose, I would be honored to learn from you." Her voice was still stiff with formality as she bowed her head in respect. "My name is Rosehawk."
--------------------
It's not that I want to die. I just wish there was a way to stop living for a while...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adrian nods."You have chosen well. i took on a rakshasta when i was your age with little more than the training afforded the typical samurai during Kublai Khan's Mongol invasions, it nearly killed me." He picks one of the kits up cuping it in his left arm as he gently rubs it's ears. " you will need more than fighting skilles to deal with one, in addition i will teach you the use of an efective weapon, one made more accesable in thies latter years." He looks at the two in Rose's arms and smiles warmly. "If thies kits are any indication ... I think you would make a good mother."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rosehawk felt a warmth creep up the back of her neck and settle in her cheeks. She turned away before Adrian could see the full-fledged blush he had brought on. "So, in this...dream, our kind are openly accepted?" She glanced up at the hunter, just beginning to stir. "Obviously, it isn't a perfect world, and at least some scale of prejudices still exist."
The sleeping kit in her arms stirred, and let out hungry wail. As if the cry had reminded them of their own empty stomachs, the other two began to call for food also.
--------------------
It's not that I want to die. I just wish there was a way to stop living for a while...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wordlessly Adrian summons three bottles with small mipples full of warm milk. He passes two of them to Rose and begins feeding the one he's holding. "It's not the best but being male ... it is the best i can do." settles againced a tree. " for the most part... you'll find that there is many kinds of ... Anthro... I belive that is the term they use.... so as you can see i blend in well as to you ... you will look normal as well." he looks at the stirring hunter, he mumbles a few words and willes his fingers at the hunter and he slips into a peaceful slumber. "Yes unfortunetly there is some like him.... wish i could see his reaction when he wakes up.... he won't remember how he got that way and it is probly best if he doesn't remember you as a possable cause."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Curious to see what will happen after the encounter, Thomas sticks around. Watching Adrian to begin to feed the kits and Rose starting to interrogate the hunter. Thomas too wanted to know what this hunter thought about other speices. Perhaps he too could have been a target. The talk of fighting other being froms Adrian and Rose unstettled him a bit.
Sitting down on the grass for now, he grew a patch of chamomile. Harvesting it he dried it by removing the water from it. Growing a wooden cup, he cruhed the dried chamomile and placed it into the cup. Summoning a bit of water he put it into the cup and stirred it with a twig. Sipping from it occasionaly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adrian turns to look at Thomas. "So I see you know a bit of the arts Arcanium." He tickles the kit in his arms with one of his many tails. "Kits of any species are just so adorable are they not?"
--------------------
Brain: "Are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "I think so Brain but who wants to watch Snow White and the seven samurai?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
" A few of the major and minor types. Yes they are adorable. Except when they're making a mess of some sort but that's forgivable. I've been close to these type before though a bit older. They thought I was food but then again their cuteness makes up for that. May I hold one?"
Thomas wouldn't seem the fatherly type at first but he's far more responsible than others. He finishes the rest of the tea and places the cup to the side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
After a moment's hesitation, Rosehawk passed him one of the kits a bottle of milk. Trying to feed two kits at one time was rather difficult, considering their energetic nature.
"Thank you. It's been a long time since I've been around ones so small." In fact, it had been almost 300 years, when she still had relations to keep in contact with. Though Adrian would be holding the official title of her teacher, the kits had many things to teach Rosehawk as well.
She glanced at Adrian. "If you will be caring for them, they will need names, will they not?" The kit she was nursing had filled his tummy, and playfully nipped at her fingers. Almost reluctantly, she placed him on the ground, where he set to work tugging at her shoelaces.
--------------------
It's not that I want to die. I just wish there was a way to stop living for a while...
|
|
|
|
|
|
"if you wish to do so, then by all means, but as my mother was human, i can only think of names apropreat to humans." He sets the kit he's holding down and tickles its tummy. "Also we sholud be off soon, that Hunter won't sleep forever." Keeping the kit occupide with his tails he starts gathering vines of wild grapes amd boston ivy and starts to weave it into a basket for the kitswith the pritty bosten ivy leaves outward to make it look nice. He then reaches into the pouch beneath his robe and retreves a wool shirt to line the covered basket with. He gently takes the kit he was feeding and sets it within, where it gives a yawn and goes to sleep.
--------------------
Brain: "Are you pondering what i'm pondering?"
Pinky: "I think so Brain but who wants to watch Snow White and the seven samurai?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great. Rosehawk was trying to remain neutral where the kits were concerned, yet here he was handing off the important task of naming them to her... She shook her head. Guys were so hard to understand, even when they weren't completely human.
A good name was crucial where she came from. It was something that stuck with one his or her whole life. Even though aliases may be used, the true name stubbornly adhered to the fox's spirit. Not something to be rushed into. She would give herself some time to pick up the unique feel of the individual fox before giving them a name.
She watched as he wove the basket with incredible alacrity, amazed with the deftness with which his fingers moved. Apparently, he was skilled with more than magic. And, with nine tails, he had obviously had more than enough time to learn, if not master, anything he wanted. With time, so would she, Imokou willing.
"Careful with the basket. They say the little foxes spoil the vine, you know..." And Rosehawk smiled for the first time that day, albeit a small one, almost a smirk.
--------------------
It's not that I want to die. I just wish there was a way to stop living for a while...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adrian smiles and gently rocks the egg shaped basket. "True but whats a few vines to the comfort of a couple of kits." Noticing the smile he snakes a couple of tails over to tickle her ribs. Turning back to the basket he starts to softly sing...
She was just sixteen and all alone, When I came to be, So we grew up together, My mama child and me, Now things were bad and she was scared, But whenever I would cry, She'd calm my fears and dry my tears, With a rock and roll lullaby....
And she would sing sha na na na na na na na ... It will be all right sha na na na na na.... Sha na na na na na na na ... Now just hold on tight...
We made it through the lonely days, But Lord the nights were long, And we’d dream of better moments, When mama sang her song, Now I can't recall the words at all, It don't make sense to try, 'Cause I just knew lots of love came through, In that rock and roll lullaby...
He contenues to humm softly his eyes half closed, his gentle side on full display it would seem.
|
|
|
|
|
|
" Great basket. I wish I could do that by hand." Thomas turns his attention to the hunter. Since they didn't know what to do with him, Thomas might as well do it. Removing the gun from his hands, Thomas replaces the bondage to full suit made of vines, suspend from a tree. A few fruits hang from the vine just in case the hunter gets hungry.
" Well, I hope that's better."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adrian chuckles ... "Make the vines poison ivy and it is perfict." His chuckle takes on a darker quality as he says..."And to top it off he will never be able to keep a live animal as long as he lives, they will always end up mauled as if attacked by some savage animal. Foxes shall always elude him seeming to vanish into thin air." his voice has a sence of finality to it. He gathers up the now satisfyed kits placing the other two inside the basket and stands. "You may come if you like but none of us should be here when he wakes. All in all He is getting off verry lucky, in the old days he would have lost one of his family members as it is he will be strongly inconvenianced." He looks at Thomas. "One of the biggest mistakes one can make is to do harm unto A kitsunebi or those under their protectin, for Their wrath can be great, but by the same token the oposite can bring one great rewards. I'll have to tell you the tale of the Kitsune and the fagget cutter sometime. You may find it interesting." He picks up the basket and sets it on his shoulder. He smiles warmly to Rosehawk offering her his arm. "You might just both learn something and teach without realizing it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rosehawk eyed the proffered arm undecidedly. She recalled stories of kitsunes being able to attract those they wished, although she had never cared to use it herself. Was that what he was attempting on her?
A blue light spilled out from her neckline, encasing her in a glowing cocoon. The light was a contradiction, brilliant in color, yet its glow only reached less than a foot in either direction. It was as if it was shining in upon itself.
When it faded, it was sucked into the gleaming sapphire on Rosehawk's forehead. She now stood upon four paws, having changed into her fox form. Stepping up to the tree the kits had used for refuge, she leapt as high as she could, her mouth closing on one of the large heart-shaped leaves as she descended.
She padded over to Adrian. Standing on her hind legs, she placed her front paws on his chest and lay the leaf across the fox kits as a blanket. Pausing before she returned to all fours, she whispered in his ear. "As a teacher, you have a lot to learn about women, but keep trying...It's flattering." Her voice had a rough, yet lively quality to it, a side effect of speaking in her fox form.
Swishing her tails teasingly, she spoke for Tom to hear as well. "Well, you heard Lord Winterrose. Let's move out." And with that, she entered the woods.
--------------------
It's not that I want to die. I just wish there was a way to stop living for a while...
|
|
|
| | |
Reply Main
New Thread
Flat
Threaded
Edit
Quote
