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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 8, 2021 11:40:02 GMT -6
That certainly seemed to have caught the creature's attention, thus supposing the validity of the theory. A number of different animals were well-known for hoarding food come the onset of fall, though the lepus had not heard of a type of insect to imitate such. Quite many impossible things could occur within the Laboratory area on a daily basis, however, so he had learned early to well manage his expectations on the degree of 'typical'. In addition, with fall as close as it was, it seemed a prudent measure.
"You may take it," he continued, assuring the creature of his intent. The hand remained steady, in large part because motion forwards would have required him to walk and it happened to be a painful endeavour that day. But likewise to allow the creature to take things at its own pace. With eyes trained on it in a calm, collected gaze, one ear none the less kept tabs upon the serpent as well. The nightshade had opted to remain where she was, content to look over the scene. For now.
|54| Summer: 54 Morelle: 13 (4/5) / 10 (4/5)
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Post by Jack on Sept 8, 2021 11:53:10 GMT -6
Hmm, it wondered as it snagged the berries and added them to its hoard. This was interesting, and if this person was offering food, then they must have quite a bit of it hidden somewhere. Now bold, the insect stalked forward toward him and bobbed its head as it looked around for more and more food. This thing had to have more, correct?
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 8, 2021 12:07:32 GMT -6
With the berries being accepted, the two seem able to make a connection at last. Thus, it seems easy enough to assume the insect creature has a strong affinity towards food, perhaps even more so than initially anticipated. Whether that would be restricted to merely produce of fruit and vegetable or other types of plants would be a subject most interesting to test and observe. A creature able to target specific types of plants for consumption could make weeding around the garden a far simpler measure.
As fear appears to give way to a more insistent form of curiosity, the lepus offers it a small smile. "We wish for more, do we?" he asks, more as formality. Much of the garden has long since bloomed, so there are fruits, berries and roots of all kinds ripening and becoming ready for harvest. But he had already encountered a few different other types during the course of the weeding itself. And so it would not have been difficult to acquiesce to the request. The lepus turned towards the barrow, and a gentle motion of the hand saw a fruit levitated from it, one of the strangely coloured ones, as he guided it towards the insect as offering. If the nightshade had any notions to attempt further approach, for ill or for good, the lepus' action certainly overturned any such intent she had.
|55| Summer: 55 Morelle: 14 (0/5) / 11 (0/5)
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Post by Jack on Sept 8, 2021 12:21:39 GMT -6
Ah, there was more! The Koguma surged forward and thought about it a little as it delved into the fruit, adding it to its collection. Hmmm. it would need a better way to carry them... Glancing over at the thing that kept all of the items, it went forward and plunked its items into it, then climbed up and sat within it, pleased with its decision to stay with its new hoard! [Congratulations, you've tamed the Koguma!] A few more things could be found behind where the Koguma had been standing.
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 8, 2021 13:51:51 GMT -6
Ah, the offering has been accepted and it appeared the creature was in no quick hurry to take its leave. Perhaps if it was seeking a resting place similar to the lotine, the lepus might have been able to direct it towards a similar patch of clearing. What aversion it had towards himself or the serpent seemed washed away as soon as it was able to recognize that the garden might yet offer even more bounty. The progression of ideas which followed that logic might yet have received some critical discerning from the mammalian, to point out a few flaws within, but there had been no time to react.
Within moments the creature had approached the wheelbarrow and taken itself inside, to settle within a newly made nest. This course of action was as sudden as it was concerning, particularly as the action was accompanied by a sudden alarmed shift beneath the barrow from the nightshade in hiding.
|56| Summer: 56 Morelle: 14 (1/5) / 11 (1/5)
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 8, 2021 13:56:19 GMT -6
Perhaps the nightshade's attempt at concealing her location had worked unintentionally well. The insect creature seemed to hardly recognize her presence there, as it would have surely otherwise considered the location most unsafe. The nightshade in turn seemed more stunned by such audacity as to be unable to articulate a proper response. She did not seek to immediately lash out, but neither did she opt to retreat back towards her nest. Prior evidence gave excellent proof that she neither considered the insect to be of specific threat to her being, as evidences by the attempt to run it off in the initial moments of the encounter.
Cautious of the outcome, the lepus observed her reaction. There was certainly intent to intervene should she none the less give into the desire to retaliate, but there was also hope that, being unable to determine any single course of action, the nightshade might opt for neither and eventually settle.
|57| Summer: 57 Morelle: 14 (2/5) / 11 (2/5)
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 8, 2021 14:04:11 GMT -6
A minor hope, yet one which increased as the moments passed and the nightshade continued to remain puzzled. By and by, with no further action from the creature, it seemed to pass from her mind entirely. Perhaps the immediate perception of an object was required to retain awareness of it. Perhaps the nightshade had merely assume the insect to have left without notice. Regardless of the true theory behind it, the result remained the same. A conflict avoided, an acquaintance made and the nightshade tames just that much more.
The lepus was confident enough in this observation that he turned to resume the work where it had been left off. Yet not so confident as to leave everything to complete chance. The ears remained turned, to pick up sound or motion from either the serpent or the barrow, while the eyes remained trained forwards. Were anything to occur, it would fall upon the lepus to cease any conflict, as well as to mend any wounds within the aftermath.
|58| Summer: 58 Morelle: 14 (3/5) / 11 (3/5)
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 8, 2021 14:09:34 GMT -6
There was more to find within the grass than merely the footprints left behind the creature. A brighter type of grass was evident close to where it had laid, along with another of the citrus-styled fruits. The lepus gathered each as best he could and set them beside him, to be added to the barrow once he was forced back to his feet once more. Given the abundance of produce within the creature's own hoard, he could have but appreciated it's due diligence towards moving such to the barrow itself. A few remaining spares, thus, were hardly of consequence.
Whether due to time or consequence, the nightshade eventually recovered from the shock she had endured. As the lepus had unknowingly assumed, a part of her did remain aware the insect was within the wheelbarrow, though the instinct to chase it off had rather diminished once it had left the high grass and settled there.
|59| Summer: 59 Morelle: 14 (4/5) / 11 (4/5)
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 8, 2021 14:14:04 GMT -6
After all, the nightshade's territory only stretched to the edges of the tall grass, so in essence she no longer felt a sense of threat towards her grounds. In much the same vein, her curiosity towards the wheelbarrow had sharply diminished. What lay within might have been worth the risk to investigate, if it hadn't suddenly obtained a new occupant. Rather the roles had a sense of reversal. Were she to investigate, it would be her the intruder, and the other creature the territory holder.
The lepus made short work of the remains of the tall grass surrounding the make-shift 'nest' of the creature. Where under normal circumstances greater care would have been taken to avoid disturbing any creature's chosen nest area, then the insect seemed to have nomadic style to it. The mammalian rather doubted whether it would have ever returned to the same spot, especially if it had to contend with the serpent for it. But the tall grass stalks were bundled up and set aside, able to yet serve a purpose elsewhere in the garden.
|60| (counted) Summer: 60 Morelle: 15 (0/5) / 12 (0/5)
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Post by Jack on Sept 8, 2021 14:17:09 GMT -6
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 8, 2021 14:32:37 GMT -6
The motion of something alerted the lepus to things not quite being as they seemed before he was able to catch sight of the second creature. It wasn't startling, but it remained surprising as he slowly sat upright. Curious.. so it appeared the insect was not alone, and this was either a travelling companion or perhaps even a mate to the first one. And certainly considerably more defensive than them as well. He made no motion to prevent it from gathering back the grass that had been harvested. In truth the creature could take as much of it as it wished, for his own purposes largely saw it as being made into compost, for lack of other use. Once it was finished, he spoke calm and collected, "I mean you no harm. If your nest has been disturbed, then my apologies."
The wheelbarrow would surely become a hive of activity within moments, but for now the nightshade's attention was caught by the lepus' voice, which immediately led it to notice yet another of the creatures within the tall grass. A slow, gradually building hiss began to build. After all, the wheelbarrow was fair game, but the tall grass was hers alone.
|61| Summer: 61 Morelle: 15 (1/5) / 12 (1/5)
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Post by Jack on Sept 8, 2021 14:39:09 GMT -6
Clinging to its items, it still stared, wide eyed, at the man but then there was a nervous click when the serpent was seen. This wasn't good, it was being surrounded, although the tall one's tone was soothing and nice, and it wanted to hear more. Nervously, it took another step forward with a slight, curious, tilt of the head.
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 8, 2021 14:51:08 GMT -6
To say the nightshade experienced a strong form of frustration would have been a great understatement. She had taken rather decisive steps with the more legal residents of the garden, ones the mammalian had brought in on purpose. With each, an accord was reached by threat and intimidation. This ground would be hers, and their ground theirs. She would not intrude, and neither would they. Unfortunately, as such things went, the insects were quite new to the delicate hierarchical order established within the garden, and thus perhaps falling prey to certain taboos unaware.
There was not much the lepus could do to change the nightshade's mind about her territory, nor would he look to do so. But, he could arbitrate, to delegate understanding and ensure a peaceful resolution. He turned to look towards the serpent, not at all hidden from his dark-seeing sight beneath the barrow. "That is enough. We shall not have conflict today. I would kindly ask you to calm down," the hand reached out and slowly lowered closer to ground. The serpent didn't understand the words nor the nuance, but she certainly had learned to know the general meaning of such gesture and tone. The hissing, with some reluctance, stopped.
|62| Summer: 62 Morelle: 15 (2/5) / 12 (2/5)
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Post by Jack on Sept 8, 2021 15:06:44 GMT -6
There, that was better, and the Koguma gingerly stepped toward the tall one with a nervous click. If he would protect it... then it would be alright. Glancing at the hoard on top of the wheelbarrow, the insect clamored aboard as well and cuddled down with its items.
[Congratulations, you've impressed the creature!]
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 9, 2021 0:26:23 GMT -6
A second occurrence of wheelbarrow intrusion was not quite as shocking to the nightshade, though she did reserve a right to remain discontent. Far too many things were appearing within her grounds, and though each has eventually left, it had caused a degree of uncertainty. Where normally she would be quite vigilant towards her borders, to chase off any upstarts with grander ideas, she could not do so with these. Indeed, she had not even noticed them. Thus, what else could she have come to so easily miss?
The lepus kept his gaze upon her, in case any sudden attempt was made towards retaliation. The insect appeared to have been impressed enough with such gesture alone, so there seemed little need to offer it food. In point of fact, the insect had managed to deduct not only the purpose of the wheelbarrow, but the nature of its contents as well. It would certainly have made a finer nest than the middle of the field, and yet one too many of such creatures could eventually make the moving of it.. rather heavy.
|63| Summer: 63 Morelle: 15 (3/5) / 12 (3/5)
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