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Post by Kristofor on Sept 20, 2020 13:03:54 GMT -6
-accompanied by my first creature, entering the city and finding a place to live So far: 110 posts done; 11 creature levels, 22 character levels gained Note: plot area reverses the gain, character gains a level per 5 posts here, creatures per 10. Note 2: Mira is sleeping in the knapsack on my back unless specified. So she's passively interacting.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 20, 2020 14:46:57 GMT -6
Mira, in my knapsack Well, here we are. I watch my potential ticket back home drive away, the bus that brought me out this far. Buses travel about as fast or faster then a motorcycle so I'm very far from the valley, from my uncle's foxhole... from anything I really know with familiarity. Well, lets get going, I tell myself. Deep breath in, hold it a moment, and exhale out slowly. Ready. Walk into the city... now. ...now. I look up at the city before me... and its mostly a tall wall around it. A mixture of stone columns, wood railings and the occasional amount of shiny humanmade something. And its HUGE. Extending to my left and to my right a considerable distance. Something calls out suddenly, just beyond me. Its a human, dressed in leathers and carrying not a shotgun, thank goodness. I've had enough of shotguns and other firearms.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 6:09:36 GMT -6
From the look and the smell, its a male human. Human males sometimes grow their patchy fur on their faces, like the BIG MAN I remember. On their top muzzle and under it, but on the mouth itself. Eating your own fur is disgusting and I have personal experience with that. He makes noises, and points at me. I want to go into the city., I tell him, pointing at myself, then the wall. He doesn't look to understand me, the grip on his weapon tightening some. In city, go live there., did he need more primitive words? "Don't try so hard, he won't understand you." There's another one, but this one isn't... like a human so much. Too much... elegance, I guess? in their face. Maybe even female. "Gus, he's a newcomer. Drop the tough act." "But Jac, he's a FOX." The other, much more refined acting one, looks away from me.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 6:14:28 GMT -6
"You remember, the pet shop is owned by a FOX, right?" he points out at the more rounded male. "You don't want the Keeps hearing of anyone being prejudiced against newcomers. Because I like my job." Gus pouted a bit and looked away. The other, Jac, looks back at me. I had no idea what he was just saying. "Gus doesn't understand animal speak nearly as well as I do. Jac is the name, don't wear it out." he sticks out a rather small bony hand, and I shake it with a bit of caution. Because although he's reedy and looks more like a mouse then a man, I can understand him perfectly. Are you a...rat?, I ask him. Jac's smile looks a bit stony. "Mousefolk humanish, actually. Wouldn't guess it, but so is Gus." Gus looked back, a small hunk of cheese in his hand, suddenly aware he was being watched again.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 6:18:14 GMT -6
"To answer your question, no, I am not a rat." He reaches behind and shows me a fully furred wiry tail. "I have met rats, and they are mean." I agree., I tell him. How do you enter this city, I came to live here. "Oh a new guy, ey fox? I've not seen too many animal folk enter the city as of late. Summers been long and with the amount of sun and rain we've had in the region, nobody wants to leave their crops in the plains." he points out behind me. Its a long stretch of grass and dirt and goes into the distance. "The local human population that isn't inside the city limits or the outer city limits don't travel as much as they used to. Times are harder if you don't live in the city." He turns me back and points at the big old gate in the wall.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 6:22:14 GMT -6
"So you enter in that gate, talk to the cat. I'm sure you know what a cat looks like; ears, furry face, flatter muzzle then yours, ugly, long whiskers, you can't miss him." Jac leans in a bit with a grin on his face. I can see mousey buck teeth. "He hit a wall as a kitten and flattened his face." That must've hurt a lot. But a cat you say, I inquire. He nods. "Cat knows animal talk and can give you any information you want to know." Taking in my human clothes, my sneakers and my probably very out of sort appearance. "Just watch your wallet around some areas. Its a bit... seedy." Seedy?! I thought this was a good place to live., I'm surprised. "NO no no, I mean there are stray creatures who will steal off people and animal alike to survive. Just watch your lunch." he points out. STeering me in towards the gate. Find a cat huh... +1
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 6:26:23 GMT -6
Well, I found a cat. And its a big cat. Bigger then Badger, and he's bigger then I am. Black and white, like some sort of strange raccoon, but without a mask. One big green eye opens lazily as it lies out across what appears to be a scrubbed wooden table just inside the gates. "Mmmr... so a new comer..." he purrs, stretching lazily. His limbs are rather short, I note. Rolling sideways off the table onto the ground, and standing up. He's not to my shoulder though, was most of that height through his tail?! "Bigmouth mice I could hear a mile off. You only speak animal, I take it." Uh, yeah! Its a bit embarassing that I dont' know human talk, but... "Don't be so modest, its embarrassing, mrrow." the cat responds. His face is round and flat and pulled into a rather mean looking face. Angled eyes, big mouth, almost reminds me of an angry badger.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 6:33:26 GMT -6
"Its not unusual for new folk to not speak the language of the city... which is where I come in." the cat leans over the table, his mouth pulling into a sly smile that shows teeth. The fur on the back of my neck and spine stands on end. "Short phrases, directions, even a short translation guide... I have it all... for a price." Wh-whats the price, I ask him. This cat is making me slightly nervous. "Give me all the food you have on you... and I'll provide my surrrrvices." he purrs. Wait a minute, I need that food., I point out, but the cat points a paw at me, claws extended naturally as finger extensions. "You have no pet with you, and you are alone in a big city. Surely such a deed as paying for my translation serrrrvices isn't below you?" the cat watches me with great interest.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 6:39:00 GMT -6
Was this what the mouseman meant, by watching my lunch? Did he know the cat was going to shake me down?! "I'm waiting..." he purrs again, a mean smile on his flat face. He knows I have no resources of language inside the city. Waving it laughingly in my face. His fluffy tail waves behind him. Oh I don't like this cat at all. Not as much as dogs, but... Finally, I slowly put my knapsack on the table, sliding it off my back and shoulders. Carefully, I open the flap... and Mira pokes her head out. She looks at me, looks around, sees the cat, and I can see her freeze up. Cat. CAT. C A T!!!! "Well well, you have a rodent in your bag. I shall... dispose of it for you." the cat reaches for Mira... No, you won't., I tell the cat sharply, baring my own teeth and standing tall.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 6:45:46 GMT -6
"And why not... I am in charge of keeping the riff raff out of the city..." the cat leers at me now. Because she's mine. This is Mira., I reach into the bag and show the cat she's tied to a leash. The panilla dives into the bag, digging into the depths to avoid the cat. Because out meant death, fox or no fox. "Do you have... papers?" he asks me. Yes, for coming into the city. Unwittingly, I hand him my registry papers. The cat takes them, glances them up and down... and much to my relief, starts handing them back. Just as I take hold, he pulls back, and the papers... rip in half. "You have no papers. You're a stray little mutt fox who thinks he can walk into this city and act like a human. Well, let me tell you something, fox. You are dead. wrong." the cat snarls at me, his paw planting on his half of three months of decision making.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 6:52:30 GMT -6
Just to throw salt in a fresh wound, he starts tearing up his held half of my papers to my new life, in half again, and again, until the pieces are so small it considered confetti. Sweeping it into his paw, and blowing it back into my face. You, you just destroyed my registry papers., I can't quite process what just happened. I can feel my knapsack quivering in my paws, hell even I'm quivering. "Get out of my city, mutt fox. You are not welcome in this city." The cat leers at me. Reaching out and taking firm hold of my knapsack strings. "Strays don't need possessions. Go back to your fox hole and be a wild animal." I can hear the quickened heartbeat and breathing of Mira, hiding in my bag. She's flat out terrified and can't escape that cat, even if she tried. I can feel my own heartbeat in my ears; its deafening... +1
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 7:00:02 GMT -6
No. "No?" the cat asks, still smiling and still holding onto my knapsack. "No what. No you aren't a stray? No you aren't a wild animal? Looked in a mirror lately?" Have you?, I rebut at him. Looks like you had a run in with a human's dumpster wall. The cat's green eyes with yellow colored scleroses gleam dangerously. "I would watch your tongue, stray. Something may... bite it off." the cat snaps his fangs in my face, seeking to be as intimidating as possible. Its half working. Yes, I am intimidated. Don't do that., I tell him. He angles his head towards one shoulder, more fluff then muscle I bet. I'm taking my shoes off at one point. He notices. "Why'd you take your shoes off, stray? Finally admitting what you are?" he leers. So I don't break your nose when I kick you., Releasing my hold on the knapsack, I lean my weight back onto my fox legs and pounce over the table and full on tackle the cat.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 7:04:14 GMT -6
Its a short scuffle. Kicking and chopping at the cat in the chest and neck area, and a sharp bite to his ear. Throwing him over the table into the wall behind it. But he's not taking it lying down, unlike when I fought against bullies as a cub. He scratches and bites and tries to attack more vulnerable areas on me. But its only gonna work if I wasn't defending and attacking. I plant my back hind paw behind me into a stance with my paws open and pointed towards the sky, staring down my opponent. We're both breathing hard. The cat sits up, shocked at my ferocity. The knapsack has fallen to the ground, and Mira is struggling to free herself. The cat sees this, looks at me, and pounces towards her. Thankfully, I'm fast as a fox, and grab my knapsack, but.. The sound of flesh being cut... ?
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 7:08:02 GMT -6
The knapsack is held under me as I try and keep Mira from being eaten by a mad cat. His claws are carving into my skin and it hurts. It hurts and he's biting at what he can reach. Taking advantage of trying to protect my new pet friend. "A pound of flesh is an acceptable charge, wouldn't you agree, stray." the cat purrs as he pulls away, drawing his claws out of my skin with as much pain as he can inflict. I can hear him climbing over the table, with difficulty, something slapping onto it. Several somethings. "Welcome to the city jungle, stray. I hope you don't get eaten alive." He does a cattish laugh and hobbles away. I did score some good chest shots on him. He won't be doing any situps anytime soon... The cattish laughter and the footsteps fade, and I'm left alone, lying on the ground covering my... my belongings, and my friend.
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Post by Kristofor on Sept 21, 2020 7:13:41 GMT -6
I can feel Mira's heart against my lower belly, shivering in fear. I can hear my own, pounding away like it could rip through me and escape. I can feel every inch of my body aching. The places where my fur has been torn out and bitten or scratched through... they burn. They burn like someone set me on fire. A whine escapes me. It hurts... it hurts, I'm alone, and I know something isn't right. But I can't open my eyes, it feels sticky. Like someone drooled honey on my face, except it smells different. But I an hear and I can barely smell. The smell of the strong coppery smell of blood is overwhelming to my senses. But I can hear footsteps. Two sets. "Luci, you need to not murder every sap we send your way..." came a tougher sounding voice. The bigger mouseman? "Could've earned some more coin if you left him in one piece."
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