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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 20, 2021 19:06:25 GMT -6
Of course, that stand-offishness that tailypo were known for as they got older was much the reason why Fiera was down here today. Hopefully by bonding with as many of her kittens as possible before they grew up (a daunting task- how many carnival tailypo did she have, again? In how many colors?) she could keep them loyal to her past puberty. Granted, “loyal” seemed to be stretching the potential descriptors for tailypo, but she would accept “friendly” or “tolerable”. Right now though, “adorable” was a word that fit quite well, and she was going to milk it for as long as she could. As was Snowdrop, apparently. They had only been down in the mines for a scarce five minutes, barely past the front entrance and still quite cold from the winter air, and someone had already asked to pet Snowdrop’s precious little head. Benefits of being a baby, Fiera supposed.
Fiera 9 Snowdrop 0.4/2.4 4
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 20, 2021 21:02:17 GMT -6
Despite Fiera’s slight jealously however, they were able to make their way into the mines otherwise unmolested. In the “main hall” of the mines, there wasn’t a lot to actually mine. It had been worn down so much over the years that it was pretty much completely dry of crystals and ores, and instead was mainly used a thoroughfare to reach other tunnels, along with an equipment storage area for larger mining tools. While people were allowed to come down individually to try their hand at mining, there were a few small companies that tried a more commercial hand at it, utilizing larger machines. Those were easy enough to side step however, as Fiera eyed the side tunnels for any clues as to which part of the mines would prove most fruitful to her today. She only had her small mine cart after all, so in terms of size her options were pretty limitless.
Fiera 10 Snowdrop 1.0/3.0 5
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Post by Jack on Feb 20, 2021 21:18:17 GMT -6
A weird little animal guards a pretty red stone
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 20, 2021 21:57:44 GMT -6
Snowdrop didn’t seem to have any particular opinions on which way Fiera went, but the humanish could tell that she was getting impatient based on how she kept wriggling in her grip. “You kids just can’t stand still for a minute, huh?” Fiera hissed quietly, trying not to fumble the baby onto the floor. All of her other tailypo were like this as well, despite their outward delicateness. Snowdrop was still wobbly and uncoordinated but acted for all the world like she was untouchable, which was a bad combination of traits to have in a place that could be dangerous... like here. “Ok, ok, yeesh!” Fiera said after another brief escape attempt. “I’ll try and pick something! Keep that up though, and you’re going in the mine cart.” She said, eyeing her cart’s sturdy build and closeable lid. It was certainly quite tempting when she thought about it.
Fiera 1 Snowdrop 1.1/3.1 6
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 20, 2021 22:01:45 GMT -6
But... no. She wouldn’t put a pet in there. Not today at least. What could she say, she had been tempted by it in the past. But the whole point of this trip was to bond with Snowdrop, and she couldn’t do that very well if the kitten was locked in a box. To placate her a little bit however, Fiera began meandering toward the nearest wall. “How about over here, eh? Maybe we’ll find something good. She said, knowing full well that this area had been cleared out. Still, perhaps it would give them some inspiration. She could already tell that Snowdrop was feeling a bit more placated, grumbling softly while Fiera ribbed her head with a finger. Tailypo were easy to bore, but also just as easy to please, it would seem. She smirked. There was something vaguely familiar about that, but she’d never admit it to an outside observer.
Fiera 2 Snowdrop 1.2/3.2 7
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 20, 2021 22:07:09 GMT -6
As the pair approached the tunnel, Fiera heard Snowdrop give a little “Prrt?” Of interest. Recognizing the sound well, Fiera glanced around and caught a glimpse of red at their feet. “Oh?” She said, bending over a bit to look at it. She couldn’t identify it too well due to not being able to get out her gem guide with one hand full of kitten, but if she had to guess, she’d say it was some sort of small ruby or garnet. Not the most valuable gemstone in the world, but certainly a good start. Snowdrop seemed interested in it as well, which was odd for her species. Perhaps she was interested in it for its glossy appearance, mistaking it for a toy? After all, it didn’t look like anything that a tailypo would usually try to eat. “You want it, Snowdrop?” She said sweetly, only for the baby to make another squirming break for it.
Fiera 3 Snowdrop 1.3/3.3 8
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 22, 2021 20:18:11 GMT -6
"Okay, okay! I'll pick it up!" She said with a laugh, seeing how interested the kitten was in it. She crouched down in front of the glinting gemstone and reached out for it- only for a blurred shape to rush in and snatch it out of her line of sight. The humanish's ears flicked up as she tried to follow the movement with her eyes. A pair of tiny, black, glittering ones peered back at her, a pair of frills raised up defensively. "Oh, one of YOU." She hissed, recognizing the tiny form of the gemmorn. They were a familiar sight to her by now, as she realzied over time that they were quite common denizens of the mines. She had found at least two of them that were close and slow enough for the humanish to take home with her, and even one that was this same shade of purple.
Fiera 4 Snowdrop 1.4/3.4 9
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 22, 2021 23:45:23 GMT -6
She had not, however, ever met a gemmorn that was also a thief before! "Hey!" She snarled. Similarly, Snowdrop hissed at the newcomer, not that Fiera could blame her- the gemmorn was nearly her size! Unfortunately, Fiera's crouching position, bad back, and the fact that she was tied to her cart meant that she couldn't take chase immediately, and she could hear it quickly scampering away down the tunnel. "Well, I suppose that makes that decision." Fiera mumbled to herself, the decision on which tunnel to go down now made for her. The moment her back stopped screaming at her long enough for her to stand up she was off as fast as she could drag the mine cart behind her, with Snowdrop hissing encouragement- or perhaps admonishments- from her shoulder. The light from the main hall gave way to local lantern light as she dove down the length of the tunnel.
Fiera 5 Snowdrop 2.0/4.0 10
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Post by Jack on Feb 23, 2021 7:35:13 GMT -6
A stone and some ore shine in the light
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 24, 2021 15:11:51 GMT -6
Fiera sprinted down the tunnel, her footsteps accompanied by the clattering of the mine cart behind her and Snowdrop’s low hisses. The light flashed disorientingly past her due to the lanterns set up unevenly through the hall, acting as a strobe because of how fast she was moving. She blinked her eyes heavily as she tried to keep pace with the gemmorn, but it scampered further and further away as Fiera found herself unable to tell where she was really going. Just as she thought she was catching up to the little critter she skidded to a stop, realizing that the iridescent gray shape she had just “chased down” was actually a lump of ore. “Ah.” She said as she lifted it into the shifting light. “Well that’s... not what I was trying to find.” She grumbled begrudgingly. She still opened her mine cart to put it away regardless, however.
Fiera 16 Snowdrop 2.1/4.1 11
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 24, 2021 16:28:44 GMT -6
Once that was done however, the humanish shut the cart’s lid firmly before standing up to survey the surrounding area they were now in. Unfortunately, it wasn’t very encouraging. Tunnels snakes out from them in all directions, made of tough, unyielding stone. It wasn’t even that Fiera and Snowdrop were now in a clearing of sorts- it was just that this place was so badly riddled with tunnels from some miner’s mad digging that Fiera couldn’t walk a few feet without the path branching out. The gemmorn had clearly picked a good direction to make its escape in, that was for sure. Not to mention, the cave walls were pretty plain looking- there wasn’t even a warning sign of valuable gems to be seen. This place was either empty to start with or picked clean by whoever was last down here, creating this rat’s best of tunnels.
Fiera 17 Snowdrop 2.2/4.2 12
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 24, 2021 16:33:03 GMT -6
“Don’t suppose you’ve got any ideas, Snowdrop?” Fiera said, but the tailypo merely shoved her head into Fiera’s chest, perhaps frustrated by their prey getting away. “I’ll take that as a no, then.” The humanish said, giving the kitten’s back a comforting pat. She waved her hand around for a moment, deciding, before picking a tunnel at random. At best, it would lead them in a more promising direction and at worst they’d get a dead end that Fiera could at least start mining at. The humanish ducked her head a bit through the low entrance as her own torch, stuck into the back of her mine cart, gave off the necessary light. Whoever dug these tunnels was certainly working in the dark and hadn’t bothered lighting their infinite snarl. Fiera was on her own for that, but at least she knew her crystal torch and flashlight were reliable.
Fiera 18 Snowdrop 2.3/4.3 13
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 24, 2021 18:10:49 GMT -6
Sure enough, the tunnel was... a little wild. It wound through the earth with no rhyme or reason, as if whoever dug it was just following their heart as opposed to following proper safe mining procedures. Fiera supposed she couldn’t blame them too much- she only rarely followed them herself after all, they were a bunch of snooty rules for nerdy losers- but this was a little ridiculous. She was pretty sure they tried to carve out a loop de loop at some point and gave up halfway, creating a sharp upward incline in the tunnel. That was fun to drag her cart up. As she walked however, she could have sworn that she heard a distant scampering noise further down the hall. Could she still be on the trail of the gemmorn after all? Or was this a different creature? Regardless of the true answer, it gave the humanish the motivation she needed to keep going.
Fiera 19 Snowdrop 2.4/4.4 14
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 24, 2021 18:14:42 GMT -6
As she dragged the cart over one last hill, a familiar shape came into view in the torch light, and Snowdrop began her upset grumbling again, the fur on her back puffing up against Fiera’s shirt. The gemmorn! It looked back at Fiera and her suspicions were confirmed as she saw the bright red gemstone still clenched in its teeth. Fiera tried to move slowly at first to avoid spooking it- perhaps they could resolve this peacefully- but as if mocking her, the critter immediately took off down the tunnel again, it’s claws making tiny noises against the stone. Just like that, the chase was on once more, with Fiera making an absolute fool of herself with this dragon the size of a mouse. “Come on! How much energy can you possibly have?” Fiera said, starting to pant as the purple gemmorn showed no signs of flagging at all.
Fiera 20 Snowdrop 3.0/5.0 15
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Post by Jack on Feb 24, 2021 19:16:22 GMT -6
A little ore and a pretty gem could be seen soon.
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