tab As Shadow watched Kagerou, who watched the lizard through normal eyes while also through the focal points, the pair might well suddenly notice the lack of panting nearby. Too, they might also notice the sound of a confused snort below from the female as she sat up, staring around in confusion. Perhaps it was the sound of water moving, or the way the water panted before it rose that alerted her. Either way the water erupted around the female who immediately tried to thrash as an engorged head shaped like Snickers appeared around it, its tongue lolling out as it panted, happy with itself. Its tongue continued to loll as it turned and meandered as a slime ball towards the trap, the queen thrashing within and making no noise in the process. As it stepped on the trap the dog's mouth opened into a silly, stupid smile with curled lips much like a golden retriever's when it was happy with itself. The trap snapped upwards with a sudden violence and a twang... tab And the queen was pulled through the liquid of the pupper's flesh, out of its belly and into the trap that now kept it above the water. tab As it thrashed Snickers turned and looked up towards Kagerou and Shadow with a self satisfied, dopey grin as it panted away, sitting on his hindquarters.
Royal Taorito
HeadlessKoko
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:06 pm
❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...Thev don't know mv heart. Thev don't know mv heart.❞ ❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...They don't know my heart. They don't know my heart.❞
【S I X T E E N⦁S I L E N T⦁G U A R D I A N】xxxxx◢ S h a d o w H ú n y i s t í r ◣xxxxx【B - R A N K⦁T I N K E R - T R A C K E R⦁I N K B O R N】
[x] As I lifted myself back into the tree after setting my trap, Kagerou was waiting for me, I supposed having followed shortly after. My attention was on the ground below when she spoke up all of a sudden. I glanced at her in slight confusion, but realized what she was talking about just as she clarified. Right, the dog. It worked for a name, I guess, and the dog made her happy so I let its presence go. There wasn't really any point in being mad at is as long as it didn't get in the way. Maybe I could even train it eventually to be useful.
Her gaze wasn't on me when I turned to her, her eyes on the trap below us. What little of her eyes I could see were half-lidded and long hair covered the rest. Her tone sounded the same as always, cheery but not overly enthusiastic, but I couldn't help wondering what was on her mind that she wouldn't look at me while she spoke, something she normally did. I found myself staring at her a bit longer than I should have before a touch of heat crawled into my face and I turned away again, focusing back on my trap as well. "It's... a good name," I answered quietly, trying to hide my embarrassment.
I noticed the lack of the constant, steady pant that Snickers always just before a curious snort sounded from somewhere down the path, followed by enraged thrashing and splashing. The hell? What did that dog do? I pushed myself to my feet, ready to intercept it when a ball of slime rolled into view. I'd seen the dogs face on enough puddles to recognize this sphere of liquid as it, carrying the large matriarch inside of it. She was still thrashing but to no avail. The amorphous blob that Snickers had become just moves around her limbs, preventing her from breaking free.
It continued down the path until it stepped on the trap I'd set up. I felt my heart about stop as I thought the dumb creature was about to ruin my work. But when the net snapped closed, rising into the air several feet above the ground, the dog reformed standing where it had been, looking perfectly satisfied with itself. Somewhat dumbfounded, I took that opportunity to move, sliding down the tree and onto the muddy ground below. From there, I retreated to the weight for the trap, readying to cut it loose and lower it whenever Kagerou was ready.
[You can puppet him cutting the line and slowly lowering the net.]
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ❝ I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone. ❞
Stats: Power [4] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [5] || Mana [4] • Physical| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: +0.5 • Magical| Strength: +0.5 x Speed: +0.5 • Illusion| Strength: +0.0 • Arcanist Spell Cost: [-5] Mana • Simple and Unnamed Attack Cost: [-5] Stamina
Techniques Used: ✤ [Prepared] Ink Transport - C The user writes "transport" on a piece of paper with mana-infused ink. The user then places it wherever they would like to transport to, be it a location or on a specific person, such as an opponent's back. By concentrating a small amount of mana, the can transport to the paper's location, for purposes such as to silently attack an opponent or to reveal to their comrades the enemies location.
✤
Current Objectives: ✤ Track down creature.
Items of Note: ✤
[ e x p ] 13,200 x|x [ r y o ] 0,400 x|x [ m a n a ] 600 / 600 x|x [ s t a m i n a ] 550 / 550
[ m o o d ] neutral x|x [ h e a l t h ] fine x|x [ i n j u r i e s ] none
Upon seeing the matriarch begin to move, Kagerou's eyes flicked back into focus on her current surroundings. Silently, she got herself ready to move if needed. Snickers wasn't near her, so she wasn't patting the dog, but instead left wondering where he had gone. Though, she didn't worry altogether much. Snickers had proven himself more than capable of handling himself. In some ways, better than even Kagerou.
This proved pretty much true when Snickers finally did reveal himself. Kagerou stared, bemused, as Snickers puddle-self engulfed the matriarch. She could feel Shadow tensing besides her, and without thinking, she put a hand on his shoulder, pressing down lightly to help him calm down. She had a moment of worry, too, but when she saw the dog nearly effortlessly wrap himself around the leader lizard, Kagerou trusted Snickers to do the right thing.
Only after the net snapped up did Kagerou return her gaze to Shadow. Her eyes raised, shining bright with their usual smile, to see his face of absolute disbelief at what he had just seen. She blinked blankly at first, before giving a light laugh. Shadow moved quickly, though, and by the time she had settled down from her two short giggles, he was already working his way down.
Sitting upon the tree, letting her legs dangle down comfortably, Kagerou called out to Shadow, "Snickers is a good boy. You can trust him."
She segued from that straight into talking to Snickers, "Isn't that right Snickerdoodle? Who's a good boy? Yes you are. Such a good Snickerdoodle." If she hadn't been entrusted with Shadow's luggage, she would be down in the mud to pet and pat the pupper while praising him.
Alas, Kagerou was blessed to be clean, which she wasn't going to argue against. From the tree branch she recommended, more seriously, to Shadow, "Let's give the lizard a bit longer in the net. Let her tire out. Though, in the meantime... We can try some things while we're waiting. If the lizard calms down, feel free to cut her loose." As soon as she said that, she plucked a pristine leaf from the tree and placed it to her lips. Blowing out a stream of air, she sounded a sharp note, which she then strung to another and another, until she was whistling a whole tune. Mana weaved into each note she played, applying an illusion to the lizard matriarch.
Whether it worked or not would determine if Shadow cut the lizard matriarch down. In turn, that would determine if Kagerou stood up and started leading the lizard away from its mates and to, hopefully, drier land.
Chakra: 505/525 Stamina: 250/250
• Yukashii no Jutsu [ Charming Technique ] →→Rank: C →→P/S. Sense: Chakra // Sight →→Base Duration // Upkeep: Instant (1) // 10 Chakra →→Source: Auditory Instrument →→Description: The user plays notes on an instrument, lulling animals in the area into a state of mild hypnosis. This causes the animals to think that the user's foes are their foes and that the user is an ally. This can even turn pets against their owners for a time. However, this does not work on summons.
Royal Taorito
Lanfaer
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:31 pm
_______________The Snickerdoodle Doodles... ||
tab Snickers stared and panted without any concern for the thrashing queen who was being cut down behind him. Instead he stared onwards like the brave doggo he was, watching the trees wobble in the distance as the queen fell under Kagerou's spell. It began to follow her as it landed, it's expression vapid as it watched her with a haunted, shined gaze. It was clear that it knew she was being led from the way her tail lashed about, yet it fell under the sway of the spell without question, unknowing for the moment how to break the spell.
❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...Thev don't know mv heart. Thev don't know mv heart.❞ ❝All these broken souls, they never make me whole. They don't...They don't know my heart. They don't know my heart.❞
【S I X T E E N⦁S I L E N T⦁G U A R D I A N】xxxxx◢ S h a d o w H ú n y i s t í r ◣xxxxx【B - R A N K⦁T I N K E R - T R A C K E R⦁I N K B O R N】
[x] Once Kagerou's spell had taken effect and the matriarch calmed down, I cut the weight line and slowly lowered the beast to the ground, in turn releasing her. She was clearly agitated but harmless for the time being. I watched Kagerou lead it away for a heartbeat, making sure it was actually cooperating, before following after the pair, gathering up my makeshift net and what was left of my rope on the way by. Bundling up the pile in my arms, I picked up my pace to catch up again, keeping behind the lizard in case something happened.
For the moment, anyway, all seemed well. This had gone off a lot easier than I thought it would, making me wonder if we should have just jumped on the opportunity the first time she left the pack. To an extent it was thanks to the dog, but in the end she probably would have stepped on the trap regardless, unless she took a different route for some reason. It just sped up the process. And to my knowledge the males were none the wiser. It did mean though that we needed to cover as much ground as possible before they got suspicious, which shouldn't have been for a few hours at least. By then, we could be most of the way back to Kokorogakure, if not already there.
After a short distance, I joined Kagerou in front of the lizard, gesturing for her to give me my bag back. Boots and pants were muddy and my arms had splashes of mud but not enough to risk the contents of the bag being damaged. If she agreed to give it back, I took it without a word, but then asked, "Can you hold the illusion long enough to get to town?" We had both gotten a lot stronger than we had been when we woke up months before, but I was neither sure how much energy she had nor how draining the illusion was to maintain.
[Unless you or Lan has something planned, you can exit on your post if you want.]
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ❝ I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone. ❞
Stats: Power [4] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [5] || Mana [4] • Physical| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: +0.5 • Magical| Strength: +0.5 x Speed: +0.5 • Illusion| Strength: +0.0 • Arcanist Spell Cost: [-5] Mana • Simple and Unnamed Attack Cost: [-5] Stamina
Techniques Used: ✤ [Prepared] Ink Transport - C The user writes "transport" on a piece of paper with mana-infused ink. The user then places it wherever they would like to transport to, be it a location or on a specific person, such as an opponent's back. By concentrating a small amount of mana, the can transport to the paper's location, for purposes such as to silently attack an opponent or to reveal to their comrades the enemies location.
✤
Current Objectives: ✤ Track down creature.
Items of Note: ✤
[ e x p ] 13,225 x|x [ r y o ] 0,400 x|x [ m a n a ] 600 / 600 x|x [ s t a m i n a ] 550 / 550
[ m o o d ] neutral x|x [ h e a l t h ] fine x|x [ i n j u r i e s ] none
Shrilly hitting each note with surprising accuracy considering this was a leaf she was using, Kagerou walked leisurely forwards, taking the path Shadow had once led her through. She stepped lightly to the beat, but she lacked some of the joviality she usually had whenever she found an excuse to play her songs and music. Nonetheless, she did not stop whistling through the leaf, and the corners of her lips that peeked past the edges of the leaf were obviously upturned in her usual smile.
She could not speak while whistling, neither to respond to Shadow nor ask if he was sure that he wanted to work for a village they hardly knew. However, the latter she had figured out the answer to in the way he acted and held himself these past few days. As for the former, nonverbal cues would do. She willingly relinquished Shadow's bag, though he would have to wait to receive it on her terms as she found suitable breaks in the melody to quickly swap the hand holding the leaf to her lips. Then, to answer his question, she gave her hand a "so-so" wave--tilting her hand back and forth horizontally with the palm-side face down, fingers splayed out--to let him know that she thought she had about enough energy to make it to town without issue. If not, well, then Kagerou motioned with her eyes to Snickers.
Her eyes also traced back to the matriarch lizard, varying versions of concern mixed in with her usual calm. Seeing the beast up close for the first time now, she could make out a level of intelligence even in those dazed eyes. It could figure out a way to break out from under Kagerou's spell. It could also be wrong to capture this lizard and turn her into the care of an individual Kagerou knew nearly nothing about.
However, she knew well enough that not only good men existed in this world, and that not only good deeds needed to be performed.
Otherwise, Kagerou had nothing planned, so she exited stage left if that is all fine and dandy with the gm.
Exit to I dunno
Chakra: 495/525 Stamina: 250/250
• Yukashii no Jutsu [ Charming Technique ] →→Rank: C →→P/S. Sense: Chakra // Sight →→Base Duration // Upkeep: Instant (1) // 10 Chakra →→Source: Auditory Instrument →→Description: The user plays notes on an instrument, lulling animals in the area into a state of mild hypnosis. This causes the animals to think that the user's foes are their foes and that the user is an ally. This can even turn pets against their owners for a time. However, this does not work on summons.
Far from the hustle and bustle of a certain pair of shinobi, if they still identified themselves as such, who came and left, Granny was going about her own hustle and bustle. Ground tilled, rows set up, wild rice sown, water sent flowing through just reopened irrigation channels. Such was the business and busy-ness of this day set aside for planting. She had not yet lived this land long enough to know what the seasons were like, but the weather remained warm, so she could only continue planting.
Once the small plot, an isolated patch set up out in the wilds, was set up, Granny raised a simple dirt wall around the field to offer it a small amount of protection. She would allow nature to take its course in this garden of the wilds, and if all turned out well, there would be another surprise in a few months for any weary travelers who happened to pass through.
"Now, now. Grow my sweet little ones~" Granny cooed in motherly fashion as she dusted off her hands and turned around. Toddling off, she wondered aloud to herself, "Now where should this old woman go?". The forest rustled serenely above her. The rivers flowed calmly around her. The earth squelched happily beneath her. Within it all, just a small speck part of the grandness of this world and universe, a granny that smelled of just rained earth and fresh fruit remembered that the freshly baked cookies she had set out to cool should be ready by now. It was a good day to be alive.
Deci Nurari
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2020 6:30 pm
__ Ffionn ferreted his way through a brush of trees, his curious nose pointed upwards in the air as the rear of his shaggy blonde hair made it through. The scent of this place... the feeling that had drawn him here was indescribable, like that tiny spit of glade he had called his home so long ago now. There was an essence of the other world here. It's music, that of akin to a breathless whisper. It was if this moment that the fox made set in his mind that he would explore every nook he could of this new place.
As soon as he had finished shimming his way free Ffionn dusted himself and pulled his hood tight around his face. Two white pointed ears poking their way out the holes at the top and a smile about his face, the fox boy started his sporadic prancing. The journey was made longer as Ffionn stopped nearly any chance that he could in order to explore new curiosities, of which he found many. Things such as the birds chirping in the crisp air, or the playful rabbit who instinct dictated he chase after.
It wasn't until many more hours later that Ffionn found his way to the edge of the town's broader through his slow and methodical approach. His scarlet eyes pierced the wood to find figures moving about their daily needs. He froze and war had with all the intent of prey trapped by the stillness of their predator. From the group of humans there was a boy who came near the grove where Ffionn was hiding. His build marking him as a child, although the aging of other races compared to their mental capacity was not something this fox boy quite understood.
That fear of meeting an alien and not knowing intention was swirled inside him. A trap was expected and so a trap he prepared for. All the way up until the little boy came to set eyes upon Ffionn crouched low, having been drawn in by the wonderful orange hues of a marigold. Both stayed still inspecting each other till a great man came along to hurriedly scoop up his child. A curious smile thrown at the who was crouched in a manner most ridiculous to a people who knew nothing but peace. "Aye. Didn't see ya there at first. Don't mean to be rude, but just what are ya doin squirrelin away like that?" When Ffionn continued to give no clear indication that he would or even could talk the man dipped just a bit lower to get a better look. "Ah, those ears and tail. Are you a foxy like ole gran then? Not sure what you're doing all the way out this way then but you'll wanna head 'bout two miles thata way ifin yous is lost." His presence was making the villagers nervousness, of that much he could tell from the way his body twitched. Rising to stood very slowly Ffionn looked off into the direction the man had pointed before nodding in confirmation to him. The motion seemed to pit him at ease from a potential threat, it's sole purpose l, and without thinking much more on the subject the fox boy set off to meet whoever this gran person was. If nothing else to sell the idea that he was indeed already affiliated with her, although the notion that he might find that someone special just like him left an inexplicably surreal feeling in his heart.
Some time later Ffionn came up a cozy almost cottage style home nestled snuggly in the tops between a few enormous trees. Admittedly the sight left him with such wonder his lips hung agape. But then he was still young and anything outside what could be found in an everyday human settlement would be far outside of his range of concept. Standing very still, the fox boy sat waiting while he tried to decide whether or not showing on a whim like this had even been a good idea.
Swaying to and fro as she walked, Granny took her time returning back home. The fox girl, despite her youthful appearance, walked with the sedate gait of an old one. Occasionally, she would stop to rest her... Well, not old bones. She couldn't use that excuse any more, but the body of a seven year old was also quick to tire.
Finally, eventually, she made her way back to her home amongst trees no lesser than the other ancient, towering trees of this serene forest. Compared to them, the small white figure standing and staring in awe was almost lost. However, this was Granny, and grannies don't lose their little ones. "Ufufufu," Granny greeted with a happy laugh, "What little one do we have here?" and inquisitive sniff, "I don't believe we've met have we? I am Granny, and would you like some cookies?" In her little arms, she held a little basket. Her little face smiled like an old grandmother indulging her grandchild. She gave off an inextricable feeling of... How to explain... Like there was no reason to refuse her, at all, and that accepting would be doing her a favor. Yes, the feeling that let little old grannies get away with smothering all their love onto the young folk.
Evanescently Magnificent
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 10:35 am
__ Fear robbed the fox of all senses but that of the presence that had swept up behind him, forcing him to spin round on his heels. Dark red eyes drank in the form of what was... well... someone special just like him? It was hard to say. The essence the rolled off her was of the lightest purity, such that Ffionn had nothing even to compare it to. Not even the child at the forest edge. The last residuals of adrenaline leaving his body forced a breath deep enough to catch a hint of the bond they shared. That was at least enough for Ffionn to lower his guard, though not completely at ease.
In stark contrast to the rest of his body language, which gradually fell into a more relaxed posture, Ffionn's two great fluffs for ears twitched separately from each other. Searching for any muffled hint that would be cause for him to flee, but dropping after none was found. Instead they pointed forward, forward towards the curiosity that was Granny. Eyes couldn't help but glisten greedily over the small offering of cookies. He was hungry, the sudden uproar his stomach now lamented was testament enough to that.
However, Ffionn could do nothing but shake his head. "I cannot." He spoke simply. Despite his hunger a hesitation still racked his bones and stayed his hand. The bridge between them was too great to cross, but... perhaps this was a bond that existed to be nurtured. "A... Granny... ?" the name sounded spoke strange on his lips. Not a once in his travels thus far had the fox happened on any creature named so. "Good Morning Granny, I am a Ffionn." Perhaps it was still too early to say as such, but if Grannies were as pleasant as their smell then Ffionn thought that he should like them very much.
"Oh my," Granny's eyes gleamed as she, too, realized what Ffion must be. A hand raised to her mouth, now shaped like an "O" in pleasant shock. The twitching of the ears, the swish of the tail. The language of the body, such was the way foxes spoke, radiated so clearly. She was too long a cultivated one to have that instinctual sense Ffion used to sniff out her true form, and she no longer had the extrasensory perception that could replace it. However, she was sure that this was a child of nature. Though, his shape was that like a child of culture.
Smiling adoringly, Granny admitted, "I never expected to find another like me here. Not yet have I heard a tale from any of the young uns that sounded like mine. Though, many of the younglings here do have such fascinating and ever so different tales to tell." Too late, as Grannies were oft to, Granny realized that she had gone far ahead of herself. "Oh my. Oh my," she repeated herself as she began bustling, waving Ffion in. "Where are my manners?" she chided herself as she tried to turn Ffion around and get him into her house, "Yes yes, dear. You may call me Granny. Oh dear, but you must be starving. You're so thin! I bet I can feel your ribs under those clothes of yours. Look at your poor ears even, dear. No meat. No meat at all. And the way your stomach grumbled earlier. Just cookies wouldn't be enough! You need a full meal in you, that's what you need. Eat. We must fill you up first and then we can start talking about other matters. Let's go. Let's go." On and on, she fussed, pinching here and there. It was doubtful whether or not she heard anything Ffion said about not eating any food. After all, Grannies had such selective hearing.
Evanescently Magnificent
Posted: Fri May 15, 2020 4:53 pm
__ Liked them very much indeed. The more she spoke the more Ffionn could see that light and warm feeling take over him, he could not place it with anything he had experienced before but he knew that he wanted more of it. Knowing, warm, but firm too. Take them off and there is soft underneath. “Inside? Inside is comforting, sleepy, enveloping. Are you sure? I want an inside, but you do not know me-” Confused protests were placed aside and Ffionn was pushed inside the house and while there was no resisting, even already being inside the home seemed to perplex the fox boy. The only steps he took in those first few moments were enough to allow Granny enough room to pass to assumedly lead him though the home, the boy flat out refusing to take any steps outside of a tight line behind Gran.
This constriction of movement, however, did not keep the fox from making comments on just about every bauble he set his eyes upon. Particularly a shadow cast on the wall from a perfectly placed belongings, the shape reminiscent of a bird. “Oh. Blue jay, Blue jay, sing your song, what do you see from the top of your tree? Can you see up? Can you see down? Mm the rest of the poem is sad. Gran?” He was deeper into the house now, and hopefully onto the trail of food as the objections from his stomach only grew worse. “I want to ask. You said you were… like me? What did you mean? Does this place look real to you too?” It was an oddly phrased question, odder still to one who didn’t come from the same place as Ffionn himself. But such were the ways of his spirit-esque birth that drove him to be an outsider and social pariah to everyone who met with him. Deep red eyes now searching for Granny’s answer. “I want to have a friend I think."
Ffion's ramblings as he was coerced into Granny's cottage built around a tree were only met with phrases of assurance like, "Now now," and, "Don't you worry dearie." From the outside, it could be seen that the wooden cottage partly encircled the tree and consisted of several stories. Above the clay-tiled roof, a well-maintained rope ladder dangled from one of the branches high above and similar ladders and bridges could faintly be seen scattered haphazardly throughout the tree, but only where it seemed necessary.
The inside of the wooden cottage was a small, cozy place. Soo-jung would complain that there was never enough room and Zhuobian would find every excuse to miss an opportunity to be cramped in the tight confines of Granny's homes. However, to a small fox like Granny, the seven foot ceiling and naturally even lower doorway felt like a comfy home to her. In some places, due to the roots that humped above the ground, the floor-to-ceiling space was even smaller. Where there weren't any roots, patches of wood floor kept dry above a foundation of stone could be found. The back wall of the cottage was the curved trunk of the giant tree it was built besides, and a narrow set of stairs could be seen leading up to the second floor, also built in the same manner.
One would expect much of anything, much less much to create clutter out of, in a society starting from scratch. However, despite everyone working together to make ends meet, Granny had somehow found exactly enough clutter to give her small home that standard grandma feeling. No one knew where Bunny could find so much extra dried macaroni, but several pieces of his macaroni art were pinned to the walls alongside old versions of various plans, schematics, maps, and other more useful drawings made by her own more grown up children that Granny had proudly collected to show off. A few chairs, some shelves, and a couple tables were scattered about. The edge of a rocking chair could be seen just around the curvature of the tree. There was a fireplace, of course. Planting pots of various sizes were neatly stacked against a wall. There was a crude vase of flowers. The kitchen that took up almost half of the first floor chock full of various utensils and other kitchenware, plus dried and hanging herbs and other vegetables. However, somehow, all of the clutter was organized chaos. Aware of how moist the floor could get, there wasn't a single thing touching the floor other than the furniture. It was easily possible to navigate through the pathways left by the arrangement of furniture and there was certainly enough room to work.
Leading the way inside, Granny had bustled straight into the kitchen, her intentions to feed rather quite clear as immediately sounds of cooking preparation could be heard from inside. Clay pots that held preserved foods were opened. Vegetables and herbs were snagged from the ceiling. "What a lovely song dearie," Granny praised when she heard Ffion enter the kitchen as she hopped down from the counter after plucking from a supply of herbs that was beginning to run low, "And I think having a friend will be good for you, too." She pinched the newly reborn's cheek on her turn around to arrange the ingredients she had collected: turnip, asparagus, potato, a small pile of herbs, and some salt. Plus, she had already started warming up a pot of leftover barley, turnip, and fish soup.
As she boiled some water for the potatoes and started busily dicing the turnips and asparagus into small pieces, Granny answered with all of her ancient wisdom, "Real, little one? I'm not sure from whence you've come from that you ask such a question, but yes, I would say this realm looks as real as any I have been in. Though, I daresay it operates on far different principals." complemented by a motherly smile.
Oil was ladled into a cast iron pan and the fire set beneath it. While she waited for the oil to heat, Granny swiftly peeled and diced the potatoes into larger chunks to help them cook faster. "Your shape is that of a child a culture, yet I daresay, you act more like a child of nature," the tiny Granny, who stood on a stool so she could reach the counter top, started explaining, "Many centuries ago, I was a fox that was newly given human form after many decades of gathering energy. I do not know what story your journey took, but I feel like you, too, were once recently a fox." The diced turnips and asparagus along with the herbs and some of the salt were deposited into the heated pan. The rest of the salt was used to season the water for the potatoes, and while Granny waited for that water to boil, she began stirring the vegetables. [16 sentences cooking]
Evanescently Magnificent
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:49 pm
__ Ffionn took his place at Granny’s table happily. Happy but confused that is. His mind was a wanderlust of so much sensory overload that he could barely contain himself to just kicking back and forth in his chair. There were so many memories in the objects that surrounded him; it was nothing at all like the other homes that he had been in. “Damp floors, cold seeping through the crack no matter how much firewood you put on, and the people! Oh, the people. Always hitting me with brooms, screaming for me to get out. Yes, this is much more pleasant.” He decided out loud while watching his hostess begin her meal preparations. The smell of which had managed to lure him into a state of at least partial heartsease. At least until Granny’s questions provoked his sense of excitability once more.
When next he spoke, it was with all the emotion that one would come to expect from a younger grandson. Such as he was already making this his home. “Nature, yes! I come from nature, but this this nature.” He answered while gesturing in a wide arc around himself. “You understand, yes? That’s why! What’s why I was led here.” Ffionn’s smile widened now to the point where small chirping could be heard. Sure to confuse anyone who wasn’t already used to the noise a joyous little Ffionn makes. Meanwhile, Ffionn’s body was already twisting to reflect this change. A shape-shifting that occurred as easily for the fox as another might breathe. Hopping off the chair in replacement of the young boy, was a tiny little fox; only recognizable by the bell that hung unaltered around his neck. The bauble signaling his approach before the fox arrived himself to playfully paw at Granny’s feet. “I want to help! I want to help Granny. It is why I’ve come here, I know it is!”
Swats slowly turned into rubs, that turned into ferocious nibbles, that turned into anything that could attempt to pull Granny’s attention away from the food and onto him. If the older (younger) woman had wanted to get rid of Ffionn now, she had long missed her chance to do so without hurting his feelings.
"Mhm mhm," as she busily stir fried the vegetables, drained the potatoes of water, and lowered the flame for the bubbling pot of soup, Granny listened to all the Ffion had to say.
"Oh dear, that must have been terrible."'
"I am happy that you find my little house pleasant."
She was bringing Ffion a bowl of heated soup when he suddenly spread his arms out wide. After dodging the arms and saving the soup, the toddling old granny smiled indulgently at her new grandson as she placed the bowl of soup on the table. She understood? Yes she did. As a beast would understand, so did she. The inexplicable pull to a place where one could belong, powered by factors noticed and not. It was a survival instinct to find a place that was home, and no pull was perfect. Trial, error, and concessions filled the path to an end that was different for each and all. Ffion knew of this, too. He exclaimed innocently and chirped like an innocent kit, but already, almost as soon as he declared his place, he'd made a "concession" to ensure he could stay. The deal of helping in exchange for a harmonious relationship.
By the time Ffion made this deal, Granny had already returned to the kitchen to tend to the finishing stir fry and smash the boiled potatoes into a mash. She did not find it strange when she heard four light feet approach instead of two heavy ones, nor was she surprised to see an orange fox swat at her instead of the pale boy she had taken in.
"Now now," neither confirming nor denying her acceptance of the deal, Granny chided the impatient child, teasing him by addressing the wrong issue, "I know you must be hungry, little one. Just wait a little longer. The food is almost done." With the patience of a sage, Granny withstood Ffion's attacks on her legs. None of what he was doing was actually trying to hurt her, after all. Though ferocious in their need for attention, his play nibbles were little more than light nips at her ankles. Even when Ffion's attempts escalated to him hugging Granny's short leg to nibble at her knees, the little saint walked the tray of finished food to the table with no other indication of Ffion's attacks other than a tilted gait because of the additional weight on her left leg.
Once the food was set on the table, and if Ffion had yet to relent his attacks, Granny would call out sweetly, "Child."
If even then Ffion still did not stop, her sweet voice would call out with a jarringly ancient sternness, "Child." It was a voice that was neither angry nor bothered, yet it commanded a call to respect the difference in years that separated the two. It was the duty of the older generation to indulge and nurture the younger, but so did the younger have a duty to listen and acknowledge their elders.
Once Granny had Ffion's attention, whether it required calling for him once or twice, she would give a lesson without preamble, "Take care the words you utter, for language has the power to bind. Now, eat. Before the food gets cold." For everything, there was a time and place, and right now, twas the time for sustenance. [31 sentences cooking]
