Post by Azoto on Jun 15, 2011 22:30:32 GMT -5
Players:
Tantallon (m. Cougar)
Chaska (m. Cougar Cub)
Trees are good for several things. Shade. Shelter. Food. Ground soil coverage. Annnnd climbing, which Tantallon Junior, A.K.A. Chaska, has discovered today, managing to ascend the tree in the roots of which he and his mum and sibling have been nesting, by only two or three feet. He has tiny claws, and kitten strength, so he can't really get much higher than parent face height, but he's done good just getting that ar, and is VERY PROUD OF HIMSELF.
Tantallon can recall the first he really climbed a tree. He scared several of the pack half to death, not that he had climbed higher than any of them could, but because he was busy returning a lost skull to the home of a dead owl who's spirit was quite happy to have it back. Minor details and all. He's laying out across a flat section of the roots of the chestnut, watching Chaska with the mindful patience a parent has for their adventuring young, bemoaning their first bumps and scrapes but knowing it's inevitable. "...don't go too high. I don't want to come up after you."
One ear twitches, and Chaska turns, peering at his daddeh, before making a face. "No to hah," he murmurs, before looking way up into the tree. He just needs a little more energy and he can reach the top of the whole world! And then he will RULE it all! He tries to climb up a few more steps.. but his forelegs and back legs are tired of supporting his weight by that point, and with scratching, scraping sounds, he slides down the trunk and falls to the ground. But he is UNPHASED! Paws curling over his chest, he scowls up at the tree. Oh, it wins for now... BUT ONE DAY...
"Give it time, you gotta practice and build up your strength." Tantallon warmly coaches his son, lifting up one of his own paws to flex long, curving ivory claws. "When you're stronger, you can dig your claws in more and hold on tighter." Reaching out the lifted paw, he plants the rough pads against the bark of the tree and digs in his claws, pulling it down in a jagged tug to leave furrows in the tree. It's multi-purpose, really, the action both demonstrating a good method of stretching and building the tendons and muscles of the paw and marking the tree as his - and his family's of course.
Ears twitch as the spottycub watches his dad mark the tree, and nods, rolling over to sniff at the mark of claws in the bark, before he rises up on his haunches, and reaches both paws out to try and follow suit. He barely scratches the surface, but tiny pink claws that are almost all quick extend and run down lightly, and he beams-- he's just like daddy, so there!
"Very good!" Tantallon smiles as he purrs down encouragingly to his son, his tail giving a pleased flip at the quick learning. "I bet if you do that just a few times each day you'll climb up higher and higher. In fact..." He murmurs and half pushes himself out so he can increase his reach and, with a swipe of his claw, puts a scratch in the last spot where he spies the scars from Chaska's climbing claws. "We'll practice each day and mark how high you get."
Ears perk, and Chaska nods! Whiskers frizzing a bit around his mouth as he smiles. He then lets out an eager purr, and bumps his head against his daddy's leg, rubbing back from shoulder to rump against him before he sits down, and peers at the tree. "An' I goan'na rooo da wor'l." He says, grinning. "Soonnas I geh to da topf."
"The top is a very long way away," Tantallon says with the hint of a lesson in it, that sort of faintly distant voice he reserves for important tales and the spirits themselves. "But, if you really want it and work hard, I'm sure you can get to the top." Tipping down his muzzle, he brushes it against the boy's back and plants a quick lick between his ears. "So, we have awhile yet before your bedtime. What do you wanna do today?"
"I wo'k hard." Chaska nods, and then blinks at the question. What does he want to do? Hmm! Well! He thinks about it, attention turning from the tree to his daddy fully as he considers. Then exclaims loudly, attacking his dad's paw, "I WRASSLE!" He attempts to wrap both forepaws about it with little claws extended, and then tries to chimp on it mightily! ... Tant can be thankful he's just a kitten, so no severe damage is done, buttttt..
Tantallon did more than his share of damage to his playmates as a kitten and there's little doubt several of the long-standing adults of the pack might have some cougar claw-scars under their coats. Grinning down as Chaska launches an assault on his paw, Tant gives a growl that's supposed to sound big and dangerous but comes off with half of a purr and a fair shade of amusement. He wriggles his toes under Chaska even as his other sneaks about to try and plant itself on the boy's tail.
"Grrr!" Growls Chaska, of course his growls are kitten growls. Good luck being serious at the size of a fuzzy football. He attempts to bite the wiggling toes, yanking his paws away to slap at them, before throwing his whole body into a launched attack, trying to catch the foot, flip on his back, and begin rabbit kicking like any kitten will do. "Grrraw. I gottoo dad, I goan' win!"
"Oh, he's too strong!" Tantallon mock-wails as he rolls exaggeratedly to his side with his paw 'trapped' in Chaska's fierce grip. "How am I going to escape such a mighty hunter?" His toes continue to flail against the kitten kicks, but he doesn't actually make any real attempt to pull it away. Again, however, his other paw proves a foe as they move from tail to tormenting the spotted side of his son.
And then, oh no, tickle monster! Chaska yelps! As his dad's paw comes in to poke and tickle at his side, and he grabs onto his prisoner, bellowing, "Gah! No faaaay'uh!" As he's tickled! Giggles some, as he releazses the first paw.. then wheels, launching for the other, attempting to tackle and latch on about the wrist with paws and teef. "I Gosshoo!" He says, through little kitten nips and tugs, "I Gosshoo you fie' fay'uh!"
The dreaded, most sinister, most cunning Tickle Monster! "Raaawr!" Tantallon growls with a wide grin on his face as the attack of his son switches paws. He's secretly grateful for it, letting the other recover from some of the abuse of claws and teeth and the other to take the brunt. "Oooh do you got me now? Iiiii don't think so!" The tickling paw puts up quite a battle for the boy, continuing to try and tickle him even as its assaulted.
A squeal of delight and fierceness comes from the spotty little male-cub as he's tickled and yet continues his attempts to bring the evil wicked monster of Tickle down. He falls over in a flop on his side, kicking at wiggling toes, and trying to bite his pa's wrist with kitten vigor, but with the wya his tail is flailing, there's no doubt, he's having LOADS of fun. The little fellow chomps HARD one last time though and releases, gasping and panting and laughing hard. "You no fite fay'uh!" he complains again, but he's still laaaffin'.
Tantallon can't help but laugh even as the games come to a brief respite, leaving the grown male to absently flick his tongue across a tooth and claw-scored paw even as the smile remains on his face. "Hey, I can't help it! I can shrink to be little, so, when you're big like me then we'll fight fair." Not that Tantallon is the toughest of cougars, he's hardly even big, but it's never seemed to bother him. "But then that means you have to play nice with your sister 'cause she'll be smaller than you."
"She be smalluh?" Chaska is baffled by this news, which makes him blink in the mid of panting for breath as his father stops tickling. He tilts is head and asks, "Why she be smalluh? We bof da same, rite? You an' momma bof big," he says, thinking about it. Well, to a cub, parents /are/ big! ... Though he then confides: "Mama is scarier when she angry," with a sage knowledge only a kit can obtain.
Tantallon smiles gently down to the boy with a nod of his head, "Mama's are always scary angry. I didn't know my mom long, but I remember she was angry once. I'd still be scared of her." He murmurs with a conspiratorial whisper. "But," He returns back to his normal voice, "You know how big your uncle Thrash is, right? Well, mama is shorter than him. You see, sometimes girls are smaller than boys. Most animals are like that. Some though have girls that are bigger and stronger, and those are /really/ scary mamas."
Eyes widen as Chaska tries to picture a momma larger than his OR his daddy. Whoa, like, that is SCARY. In his little imagination, there are great green eyes of fire, and the larger momma spits lightening and roars loud enough to shake the earth and and-he squeakas loudly, and covers his face with his paws. "Big Mamas are scary!" he mews, before he flops over to stare towards the den warily. Hooboy, he hopes HIS mama never gets that angry. "... I like Unca Frash," he says, thoughtfully, "He's funny." His tail flicks, curling slightly in the air over his back.
Tantallon reaches out a paw to gently ruffle the fur of his son's head, grinning reassuringly down to him. "Funny is a fair enough term, I suppose. Maybe next time we see him all us boys can go fishing. You, me, uncle Thrash, and your cousin Toyo." He's still getting used to his nephew sharing his cubhood name, but, it's a warm sort of awkwardness. "I think it'd be fun! A nice day, just us four, and we'll catch the biggest fish we can and bring it back for mom and Kachina. How's that sound?"
Eyes dance, and Chaska beams, and nodnodnods! "Ya! We go feesh!" ... a pause. ".. Wussa feesh?"
Tantallon tips his head briefly as he comes to the realization his kittens haven't experienced fish yet and a wide smile touches his face. "They're animals that live in the water. I... suppose you could imagine they're closer to snakes, but not so long and fatter, with scales like snakes and fins that can look like the wings of bugs or even butterflies. It lets them fly through the water. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and they taste really good. There are little tiny ones, but in the biggest rivers and lakes there are fish almost as long as my tail!"
... Admittedly, all of that sails riiiiight over Chaska's head, except the part where there are little ones and big ones. The kitten's mind begins tryign to peice this description together, and, alas, the best he can come out with is little Chaskas, and Big Tantallons, with butterfly wings that make bubbles when they talk. The image amuses him, and he giggles a bit, trying to make bubbles, but finding it doesn't work well with real breath. Hm. "Howya catchum?" he asks, curiously, thinking. Well, maybe the little Chaska ones are caught with mommy milk, yeah, but what about the big Tantallon ones?
Tantallon can only imagine what his son makes of his description, which the cat has to admit to himself isn't the best, but a fish is a bewildering bit of dinner. It's not easy to explain to a kitten who hasn't seen much of the world. "Well, the slow ones you can just catch with your mouth, but the big ones are easier to hook with your claws. Most of the time you gotta get into the water. It's wet, but, it's a lot of fun too chasing fish."
WET? That chases all happiness from Chaska's mind. "Ewwww, wet!" he says, making a very sour puss of a face, before he lays his ears back, "That's too much like a baff!" He shoots his dad an AWEFULLY suspicious look. Was he trying to get him to take a /bath/? Was he really that EVIL? .. Nah, dad wasn't evil. But still.. Wet.. esssh..
... Hm. Well. Okay, that makes it sound better. Getting Dirty is /fun/, because it's /fun/. And because mud is squishy. Although the look on mom's face AFTER Mud isn't fun, nnope. He considers, then nods. "Kay.. Feesh soun' fun.." He considers, and rolls over, before plodding over and trying to climb onto his dad's back. "I wunna see how high you is onna tree," he says, suddenly, looking at the mark his father put there for him to overcome.
Tantallon turns his head to help bump Chaska's bum up onto his back before he stands himself up. "How high I stand or how high I can reach?" He asks of his son as he looks to the mark which is just a short ways above his head. "It's been awhile since I tried to climb a tree last, I'm likely out of practice."
Tantallon (m. Cougar)
Chaska (m. Cougar Cub)
Trees are good for several things. Shade. Shelter. Food. Ground soil coverage. Annnnd climbing, which Tantallon Junior, A.K.A. Chaska, has discovered today, managing to ascend the tree in the roots of which he and his mum and sibling have been nesting, by only two or three feet. He has tiny claws, and kitten strength, so he can't really get much higher than parent face height, but he's done good just getting that ar, and is VERY PROUD OF HIMSELF.
Tantallon can recall the first he really climbed a tree. He scared several of the pack half to death, not that he had climbed higher than any of them could, but because he was busy returning a lost skull to the home of a dead owl who's spirit was quite happy to have it back. Minor details and all. He's laying out across a flat section of the roots of the chestnut, watching Chaska with the mindful patience a parent has for their adventuring young, bemoaning their first bumps and scrapes but knowing it's inevitable. "...don't go too high. I don't want to come up after you."
One ear twitches, and Chaska turns, peering at his daddeh, before making a face. "No to hah," he murmurs, before looking way up into the tree. He just needs a little more energy and he can reach the top of the whole world! And then he will RULE it all! He tries to climb up a few more steps.. but his forelegs and back legs are tired of supporting his weight by that point, and with scratching, scraping sounds, he slides down the trunk and falls to the ground. But he is UNPHASED! Paws curling over his chest, he scowls up at the tree. Oh, it wins for now... BUT ONE DAY...
"Give it time, you gotta practice and build up your strength." Tantallon warmly coaches his son, lifting up one of his own paws to flex long, curving ivory claws. "When you're stronger, you can dig your claws in more and hold on tighter." Reaching out the lifted paw, he plants the rough pads against the bark of the tree and digs in his claws, pulling it down in a jagged tug to leave furrows in the tree. It's multi-purpose, really, the action both demonstrating a good method of stretching and building the tendons and muscles of the paw and marking the tree as his - and his family's of course.
Ears twitch as the spottycub watches his dad mark the tree, and nods, rolling over to sniff at the mark of claws in the bark, before he rises up on his haunches, and reaches both paws out to try and follow suit. He barely scratches the surface, but tiny pink claws that are almost all quick extend and run down lightly, and he beams-- he's just like daddy, so there!
"Very good!" Tantallon smiles as he purrs down encouragingly to his son, his tail giving a pleased flip at the quick learning. "I bet if you do that just a few times each day you'll climb up higher and higher. In fact..." He murmurs and half pushes himself out so he can increase his reach and, with a swipe of his claw, puts a scratch in the last spot where he spies the scars from Chaska's climbing claws. "We'll practice each day and mark how high you get."
Ears perk, and Chaska nods! Whiskers frizzing a bit around his mouth as he smiles. He then lets out an eager purr, and bumps his head against his daddy's leg, rubbing back from shoulder to rump against him before he sits down, and peers at the tree. "An' I goan'na rooo da wor'l." He says, grinning. "Soonnas I geh to da topf."
"The top is a very long way away," Tantallon says with the hint of a lesson in it, that sort of faintly distant voice he reserves for important tales and the spirits themselves. "But, if you really want it and work hard, I'm sure you can get to the top." Tipping down his muzzle, he brushes it against the boy's back and plants a quick lick between his ears. "So, we have awhile yet before your bedtime. What do you wanna do today?"
"I wo'k hard." Chaska nods, and then blinks at the question. What does he want to do? Hmm! Well! He thinks about it, attention turning from the tree to his daddy fully as he considers. Then exclaims loudly, attacking his dad's paw, "I WRASSLE!" He attempts to wrap both forepaws about it with little claws extended, and then tries to chimp on it mightily! ... Tant can be thankful he's just a kitten, so no severe damage is done, buttttt..
Tantallon did more than his share of damage to his playmates as a kitten and there's little doubt several of the long-standing adults of the pack might have some cougar claw-scars under their coats. Grinning down as Chaska launches an assault on his paw, Tant gives a growl that's supposed to sound big and dangerous but comes off with half of a purr and a fair shade of amusement. He wriggles his toes under Chaska even as his other sneaks about to try and plant itself on the boy's tail.
"Grrr!" Growls Chaska, of course his growls are kitten growls. Good luck being serious at the size of a fuzzy football. He attempts to bite the wiggling toes, yanking his paws away to slap at them, before throwing his whole body into a launched attack, trying to catch the foot, flip on his back, and begin rabbit kicking like any kitten will do. "Grrraw. I gottoo dad, I goan' win!"
"Oh, he's too strong!" Tantallon mock-wails as he rolls exaggeratedly to his side with his paw 'trapped' in Chaska's fierce grip. "How am I going to escape such a mighty hunter?" His toes continue to flail against the kitten kicks, but he doesn't actually make any real attempt to pull it away. Again, however, his other paw proves a foe as they move from tail to tormenting the spotted side of his son.
And then, oh no, tickle monster! Chaska yelps! As his dad's paw comes in to poke and tickle at his side, and he grabs onto his prisoner, bellowing, "Gah! No faaaay'uh!" As he's tickled! Giggles some, as he releazses the first paw.. then wheels, launching for the other, attempting to tackle and latch on about the wrist with paws and teef. "I Gosshoo!" He says, through little kitten nips and tugs, "I Gosshoo you fie' fay'uh!"
The dreaded, most sinister, most cunning Tickle Monster! "Raaawr!" Tantallon growls with a wide grin on his face as the attack of his son switches paws. He's secretly grateful for it, letting the other recover from some of the abuse of claws and teeth and the other to take the brunt. "Oooh do you got me now? Iiiii don't think so!" The tickling paw puts up quite a battle for the boy, continuing to try and tickle him even as its assaulted.
A squeal of delight and fierceness comes from the spotty little male-cub as he's tickled and yet continues his attempts to bring the evil wicked monster of Tickle down. He falls over in a flop on his side, kicking at wiggling toes, and trying to bite his pa's wrist with kitten vigor, but with the wya his tail is flailing, there's no doubt, he's having LOADS of fun. The little fellow chomps HARD one last time though and releases, gasping and panting and laughing hard. "You no fite fay'uh!" he complains again, but he's still laaaffin'.
Tantallon can't help but laugh even as the games come to a brief respite, leaving the grown male to absently flick his tongue across a tooth and claw-scored paw even as the smile remains on his face. "Hey, I can't help it! I can shrink to be little, so, when you're big like me then we'll fight fair." Not that Tantallon is the toughest of cougars, he's hardly even big, but it's never seemed to bother him. "But then that means you have to play nice with your sister 'cause she'll be smaller than you."
"She be smalluh?" Chaska is baffled by this news, which makes him blink in the mid of panting for breath as his father stops tickling. He tilts is head and asks, "Why she be smalluh? We bof da same, rite? You an' momma bof big," he says, thinking about it. Well, to a cub, parents /are/ big! ... Though he then confides: "Mama is scarier when she angry," with a sage knowledge only a kit can obtain.
Tantallon smiles gently down to the boy with a nod of his head, "Mama's are always scary angry. I didn't know my mom long, but I remember she was angry once. I'd still be scared of her." He murmurs with a conspiratorial whisper. "But," He returns back to his normal voice, "You know how big your uncle Thrash is, right? Well, mama is shorter than him. You see, sometimes girls are smaller than boys. Most animals are like that. Some though have girls that are bigger and stronger, and those are /really/ scary mamas."
Eyes widen as Chaska tries to picture a momma larger than his OR his daddy. Whoa, like, that is SCARY. In his little imagination, there are great green eyes of fire, and the larger momma spits lightening and roars loud enough to shake the earth and and-he squeakas loudly, and covers his face with his paws. "Big Mamas are scary!" he mews, before he flops over to stare towards the den warily. Hooboy, he hopes HIS mama never gets that angry. "... I like Unca Frash," he says, thoughtfully, "He's funny." His tail flicks, curling slightly in the air over his back.
Tantallon reaches out a paw to gently ruffle the fur of his son's head, grinning reassuringly down to him. "Funny is a fair enough term, I suppose. Maybe next time we see him all us boys can go fishing. You, me, uncle Thrash, and your cousin Toyo." He's still getting used to his nephew sharing his cubhood name, but, it's a warm sort of awkwardness. "I think it'd be fun! A nice day, just us four, and we'll catch the biggest fish we can and bring it back for mom and Kachina. How's that sound?"
Eyes dance, and Chaska beams, and nodnodnods! "Ya! We go feesh!" ... a pause. ".. Wussa feesh?"
Tantallon tips his head briefly as he comes to the realization his kittens haven't experienced fish yet and a wide smile touches his face. "They're animals that live in the water. I... suppose you could imagine they're closer to snakes, but not so long and fatter, with scales like snakes and fins that can look like the wings of bugs or even butterflies. It lets them fly through the water. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and they taste really good. There are little tiny ones, but in the biggest rivers and lakes there are fish almost as long as my tail!"
... Admittedly, all of that sails riiiiight over Chaska's head, except the part where there are little ones and big ones. The kitten's mind begins tryign to peice this description together, and, alas, the best he can come out with is little Chaskas, and Big Tantallons, with butterfly wings that make bubbles when they talk. The image amuses him, and he giggles a bit, trying to make bubbles, but finding it doesn't work well with real breath. Hm. "Howya catchum?" he asks, curiously, thinking. Well, maybe the little Chaska ones are caught with mommy milk, yeah, but what about the big Tantallon ones?
Tantallon can only imagine what his son makes of his description, which the cat has to admit to himself isn't the best, but a fish is a bewildering bit of dinner. It's not easy to explain to a kitten who hasn't seen much of the world. "Well, the slow ones you can just catch with your mouth, but the big ones are easier to hook with your claws. Most of the time you gotta get into the water. It's wet, but, it's a lot of fun too chasing fish."
WET? That chases all happiness from Chaska's mind. "Ewwww, wet!" he says, making a very sour puss of a face, before he lays his ears back, "That's too much like a baff!" He shoots his dad an AWEFULLY suspicious look. Was he trying to get him to take a /bath/? Was he really that EVIL? .. Nah, dad wasn't evil. But still.. Wet.. esssh..
... Hm. Well. Okay, that makes it sound better. Getting Dirty is /fun/, because it's /fun/. And because mud is squishy. Although the look on mom's face AFTER Mud isn't fun, nnope. He considers, then nods. "Kay.. Feesh soun' fun.." He considers, and rolls over, before plodding over and trying to climb onto his dad's back. "I wunna see how high you is onna tree," he says, suddenly, looking at the mark his father put there for him to overcome.
Tantallon turns his head to help bump Chaska's bum up onto his back before he stands himself up. "How high I stand or how high I can reach?" He asks of his son as he looks to the mark which is just a short ways above his head. "It's been awhile since I tried to climb a tree last, I'm likely out of practice."