Post by Therdde on Jun 14, 2008 18:25:34 GMT -5
Characters:
Cayenne - Female Cat
Unnamed Male Human
Unnamed Domesticated Dogs
- Bubbling Spring -
Cayenne is one very bored cat. As well as a little hungry but the two can be solved in one go and she's gone hunting, looking for little critters to scare. Carefully she stalks through the grasses, heading towards the stream incase any had fancied themselves a drink.
It's quite possible that all manner of creatures have desired a drink lately, but the streams in the area have been incredibly active for all but the bravest to venture too closer to them while it is daylight out. Small fires can be found all up and down the stream, dogs are not uncommon, and what's more, two-legged animals are becoming increasingly common, to the point where it's has become risky to leave for any period of time, lest a person should return to find someone with a little more initiative has set up shop. That's why this particular human is still here as the sun nears its peak, eating dried food as he takes a short rest from the morning's work.
Cayenne comes to a stop, half hidden behind a bush. She's surprised! It's the first time she's seen a human since the farmer died. The sight of some dogs makes her more cautious and she looks around properly, making sure she knows where every one of the vial stupid creatures is before she focuses on the nearest man. He even has food all set out! Cay is of course a domestic cat. No matter how long she's spent about in the woods to her, man has always equaled food, warmth and the occasional stroke and that's what's going through her mind as she carefully moves out of the bushes. Eyes watching out carefully for dogs as she heads for the man.
Even as far removed from the forest and most of the large predators as this man is, it would be extremely foolish of him to let his guard down completely. Just because the dogs don't seem wary of anything in this area, so close to the farm, doesn't mean that danger, in whatever form it might take, doesn't exist, especially since he is eating and the wind is strong enough to take the smell of food a fair distance. As such, when he spots movement out of the corner of his eye, he turns his head in that direction, reaching a hand towards the shotgun similar to the ones many travelers have chosen to bring to protect themselves. Before his hand reaches it, though, he spots the creature he noticed moving, and he relaxes. If the cat were truly feral and even a small threat, it probably wouldn't be approaching him so openly.
The movement of the man brings Cay's attention back onto him and she stops dead as her gaze follows his arm to the gun. She's seen one of those before and she knows what it does. She hesitates for a short while, looking like she might run but when the gun isn't actually touched she looks around slowly for what looks likely to need shooting. No foxes or wolves in sight that she can see...she gives the air a little sniff. Just those dogs, man and the smell of food. Dogs are bit too nearby for her liking but all the more reason to be around man, they're good for climbing! She carries on cautiously for a few more steps before looking back to the man and swaggering up to him in full confidence, tail raised high.
Cats are not much use for traveling, and so the man hasn't seen one since he left his home weeks ago. All the same, he is not unfriendly towards the small animal. Indeed, he draws his hand back in and tears off a small portion of dried, salted meat to toss a short distance in the feline's direction as she walks straight up to him. He wouldn't be surprised to see her turn her nose up at it, which is most of the reason why what he offers her is only a small piece, but it's all he has to offer that she might find even remotely appealing. All of this is done with a grin, and the man speaks for a short time. Whatever he is saying clearly amuses him, and the feline might even be able to associate a couple of the words with the only other four-legged creatures in the immediate area.
Cayenne's ears perk as the meat is produced. It's a trained human! Already it knows its place. She leans down to sniff at the food. Doesn't smell like fresh meat, she'll have to work on him but food is food and otherwise she'd have to go to all the effort of getting her own. She settles down to give it one last sniff before picking it up to chew on, tail giving a little swish in the grass.
The human is a little more cautious about reaching out to stroke the feline while she's eating. Whether the cat is fairly tame or not, she wouldn't be the first animal to bite when it thought its meal was at risk of being taken. Oh, that someone could see his soft heart for small domesticated animals now. He would never hear the end of it. Rather than pet her, he tears another, just slightly larger piece of meat off, works that into two pieces, and then places them near the feline before going back to eating his own lunch, more or less in silence now.
Cayenne keeps a wary eye on the man. You never quite know with humans, they're big clumsy things, one moment they're feeding you and the next they're bumbling about and accidentally stepping on your tail. When more food is tossed her way though she's only too happy to shuffle forwards and snap it up as well. It's not good food to her tastes but humans never did seem to understand the qualities of a nice fresh mouse so she forgives it now. She quickly gobbles up the last piece as well, sniffing about for anymore before she looks back to him with a questioning meow.
The ma looks back to the feline as she meows. He speaks again, and his tone remains amused and questioning at the same time, though not so much amused as before. After speaking, he tears off another piece of the meat, this one as large as the last. This time, though, he doesn't bother to break it into two smaller pieces before placing it on the ground beside the feline. After setting it down, he speaks once more, then finishes what eating he'll be doing before he gets back to work.
Yes she wants some more, that's right, good human. Cay turns to the latest bit of meat and starts chewing on it, settling down as she does and purring loudly. As the bit is bigger than the last ones it seems to distract her for longer, chewing it to shreds. It doesn't seem to cause her any bother though.
At least the human is rewarded with a purr, which he'll take as a thank you. If he were back home, he might be tempted to take her inside and offer her an old blanket to sleep on, but home is very far away. Hence, as he finishes his lunch, he turns his mind back to where it needs to be, doing what he came to do. He begins to stand and place whatever loose supplies he has lying about back in his pack. If the feline doesn't take the hint and leave on her own, the dogs will come sniffing about eventually and test her resolve to stay to see if any more food is forthcoming, he's certain.
Cayenne looks up the moment he moves again, watching him for a few seconds. Now just where does he think he's going? She doesn't seem to be taking the hint as soon as the last of the meat is gone she trots up to him quite happily, still purring and going to brush herself round one of his legs. Her old easy life is within her sights! Nothing short of a sharp boot or a dog will stop her from following the human.
The human looks down as she rubs against his leg, and he responds with a smile and his tone is not unpleasant as he speaks. If any human in these lands is going to kick the small animal, it is certainly not this man, not without real provocation. Even so, he has shown her as much kindness as he intends to for the time being. There is work to be done, and doting on the feline any further would interfere with that. Picking up the pan from where it sat while he was eating, he walks towards the stream, careful to avoid stepping on, or being tripped by, the cat. If the dampness still apparent in the cuffs of his trousers is any hint, the area by his legs will not remain dry for long.
Cayenne untangles herself from his legs as he starts walking, she doesn't want to get stepped on, it hurts. She does however trot along just behind and to the side of his feet, tail raised high. She stops at the stream's edge though, that's one place she won't follow and doesn't even understand why anyone would want to go to.
Time stretches on as the man focuses on the task at hand. His dogs, meanwhile, who never really ventured too far, despite the freedom they've been granted during this trip, eventually tired of the rabbits and other small game that can be found in this area. As they begin to venture back, the one closest to the man has finally caught Cayenne's scent, and it is grinning its doggy grin as it ventures nearer. The two dogs belonging to the man are no strangers to cats, and while they aren't particularly mean animals, neither are they above making their entertainment off of a small feline or making sure the local animals know that he is /their/ human.
Cayenne sits on the bank watching the human. What strange things they are, she has no idea what he's doing, even the farmer never went to madness on this level. She sniffs, a small frown growing. Is that dog smell stronger? Her ears flick about and she looks about, her eyes instantly going to the dogs and she's off like a flash! Dogs are best handled from high places in her experience and she runs for the nearest tree she can see and straight up it.
The moment that the feline begins to run, the dogs, first the one who smelled her followed by his companion, give chase, barking loudly. The sound is enough to make the man stand upright and look around, in case the barking is to alert him to some growing danger. It doesn't take him long to figure that his dogs have just discovered the feline, as he predicted they might, and it causes him a grin before he goes back to sifting through the sand and mud in the stream. To the dogs, it's all good fun, and they have little trouble in following the cat to her chosen tree.
Cayenne clambers safely up onto a branch and glares murder down at the dogs. Fur puffed out and tail swaying irritably as she yells every insult she can think of, both for dogs and general situations. Of course to the human it'd just sound like a lot of hissing and angry meows.
The man is not about to call the dogs off of Cayenne, hissing and yowling aside. He may find the company of cats pleasant, but he isn't looking for a new pet. Besides, from what he saw when he looked briefly, she is perfectly safe. The lead dog hops up to place his forepaws on the tree trunk, still barking enthusiastically, while his companion remains firmly ground level, filling in when he thinks the other dog has gotten too quiet. They do not bother trying to speak with the feline, just the nonverbals that ought to be plenty to warn her off of their human. Besides, it's kind of funny to see her threatening them from the safety of her tree. This is so much more fun than the cats at home, who are jaded to this type of behavior from them and accustomed to having another human around who would smack the dogs' noses if they were too loud around the house. It won't take them long to tired of the game, but for right this moment it's great fun.
Cayenne swipes a set of claws down in their direction with more hisses. She's likely too high up to get them but she'll still try and be threatening and get a nose if it gets high enough. How she hates dogs! Why the humans ever leave them to freely roam she'll never know.
The lead dog lets out a laugh as the feline tries swiping at them. Fun indeed. After a couple more barks, though, he lowers himself to the ground and trots back towards his human, tail held high. The other dog follows him, tail relaxed, limp, behind him. The lead dog is certain the feline got the message, and, after all of today's activity, intends to at least get a drink and maybe even play in the water a bit, if far enough downstream to avoid being yelled at.
Cayenne hisses after them but stays on her branch. Settling down there to be miserable and annoyed. Darn dogs. She doesn't come down for some time. Not till she think she's been forgotten and can quietly slink away again.
Cayenne - Female Cat
Unnamed Male Human
Unnamed Domesticated Dogs
- Bubbling Spring -
Cayenne is one very bored cat. As well as a little hungry but the two can be solved in one go and she's gone hunting, looking for little critters to scare. Carefully she stalks through the grasses, heading towards the stream incase any had fancied themselves a drink.
It's quite possible that all manner of creatures have desired a drink lately, but the streams in the area have been incredibly active for all but the bravest to venture too closer to them while it is daylight out. Small fires can be found all up and down the stream, dogs are not uncommon, and what's more, two-legged animals are becoming increasingly common, to the point where it's has become risky to leave for any period of time, lest a person should return to find someone with a little more initiative has set up shop. That's why this particular human is still here as the sun nears its peak, eating dried food as he takes a short rest from the morning's work.
Cayenne comes to a stop, half hidden behind a bush. She's surprised! It's the first time she's seen a human since the farmer died. The sight of some dogs makes her more cautious and she looks around properly, making sure she knows where every one of the vial stupid creatures is before she focuses on the nearest man. He even has food all set out! Cay is of course a domestic cat. No matter how long she's spent about in the woods to her, man has always equaled food, warmth and the occasional stroke and that's what's going through her mind as she carefully moves out of the bushes. Eyes watching out carefully for dogs as she heads for the man.
Even as far removed from the forest and most of the large predators as this man is, it would be extremely foolish of him to let his guard down completely. Just because the dogs don't seem wary of anything in this area, so close to the farm, doesn't mean that danger, in whatever form it might take, doesn't exist, especially since he is eating and the wind is strong enough to take the smell of food a fair distance. As such, when he spots movement out of the corner of his eye, he turns his head in that direction, reaching a hand towards the shotgun similar to the ones many travelers have chosen to bring to protect themselves. Before his hand reaches it, though, he spots the creature he noticed moving, and he relaxes. If the cat were truly feral and even a small threat, it probably wouldn't be approaching him so openly.
The movement of the man brings Cay's attention back onto him and she stops dead as her gaze follows his arm to the gun. She's seen one of those before and she knows what it does. She hesitates for a short while, looking like she might run but when the gun isn't actually touched she looks around slowly for what looks likely to need shooting. No foxes or wolves in sight that she can see...she gives the air a little sniff. Just those dogs, man and the smell of food. Dogs are bit too nearby for her liking but all the more reason to be around man, they're good for climbing! She carries on cautiously for a few more steps before looking back to the man and swaggering up to him in full confidence, tail raised high.
Cats are not much use for traveling, and so the man hasn't seen one since he left his home weeks ago. All the same, he is not unfriendly towards the small animal. Indeed, he draws his hand back in and tears off a small portion of dried, salted meat to toss a short distance in the feline's direction as she walks straight up to him. He wouldn't be surprised to see her turn her nose up at it, which is most of the reason why what he offers her is only a small piece, but it's all he has to offer that she might find even remotely appealing. All of this is done with a grin, and the man speaks for a short time. Whatever he is saying clearly amuses him, and the feline might even be able to associate a couple of the words with the only other four-legged creatures in the immediate area.
Cayenne's ears perk as the meat is produced. It's a trained human! Already it knows its place. She leans down to sniff at the food. Doesn't smell like fresh meat, she'll have to work on him but food is food and otherwise she'd have to go to all the effort of getting her own. She settles down to give it one last sniff before picking it up to chew on, tail giving a little swish in the grass.
The human is a little more cautious about reaching out to stroke the feline while she's eating. Whether the cat is fairly tame or not, she wouldn't be the first animal to bite when it thought its meal was at risk of being taken. Oh, that someone could see his soft heart for small domesticated animals now. He would never hear the end of it. Rather than pet her, he tears another, just slightly larger piece of meat off, works that into two pieces, and then places them near the feline before going back to eating his own lunch, more or less in silence now.
Cayenne keeps a wary eye on the man. You never quite know with humans, they're big clumsy things, one moment they're feeding you and the next they're bumbling about and accidentally stepping on your tail. When more food is tossed her way though she's only too happy to shuffle forwards and snap it up as well. It's not good food to her tastes but humans never did seem to understand the qualities of a nice fresh mouse so she forgives it now. She quickly gobbles up the last piece as well, sniffing about for anymore before she looks back to him with a questioning meow.
The ma looks back to the feline as she meows. He speaks again, and his tone remains amused and questioning at the same time, though not so much amused as before. After speaking, he tears off another piece of the meat, this one as large as the last. This time, though, he doesn't bother to break it into two smaller pieces before placing it on the ground beside the feline. After setting it down, he speaks once more, then finishes what eating he'll be doing before he gets back to work.
Yes she wants some more, that's right, good human. Cay turns to the latest bit of meat and starts chewing on it, settling down as she does and purring loudly. As the bit is bigger than the last ones it seems to distract her for longer, chewing it to shreds. It doesn't seem to cause her any bother though.
At least the human is rewarded with a purr, which he'll take as a thank you. If he were back home, he might be tempted to take her inside and offer her an old blanket to sleep on, but home is very far away. Hence, as he finishes his lunch, he turns his mind back to where it needs to be, doing what he came to do. He begins to stand and place whatever loose supplies he has lying about back in his pack. If the feline doesn't take the hint and leave on her own, the dogs will come sniffing about eventually and test her resolve to stay to see if any more food is forthcoming, he's certain.
Cayenne looks up the moment he moves again, watching him for a few seconds. Now just where does he think he's going? She doesn't seem to be taking the hint as soon as the last of the meat is gone she trots up to him quite happily, still purring and going to brush herself round one of his legs. Her old easy life is within her sights! Nothing short of a sharp boot or a dog will stop her from following the human.
The human looks down as she rubs against his leg, and he responds with a smile and his tone is not unpleasant as he speaks. If any human in these lands is going to kick the small animal, it is certainly not this man, not without real provocation. Even so, he has shown her as much kindness as he intends to for the time being. There is work to be done, and doting on the feline any further would interfere with that. Picking up the pan from where it sat while he was eating, he walks towards the stream, careful to avoid stepping on, or being tripped by, the cat. If the dampness still apparent in the cuffs of his trousers is any hint, the area by his legs will not remain dry for long.
Cayenne untangles herself from his legs as he starts walking, she doesn't want to get stepped on, it hurts. She does however trot along just behind and to the side of his feet, tail raised high. She stops at the stream's edge though, that's one place she won't follow and doesn't even understand why anyone would want to go to.
Time stretches on as the man focuses on the task at hand. His dogs, meanwhile, who never really ventured too far, despite the freedom they've been granted during this trip, eventually tired of the rabbits and other small game that can be found in this area. As they begin to venture back, the one closest to the man has finally caught Cayenne's scent, and it is grinning its doggy grin as it ventures nearer. The two dogs belonging to the man are no strangers to cats, and while they aren't particularly mean animals, neither are they above making their entertainment off of a small feline or making sure the local animals know that he is /their/ human.
Cayenne sits on the bank watching the human. What strange things they are, she has no idea what he's doing, even the farmer never went to madness on this level. She sniffs, a small frown growing. Is that dog smell stronger? Her ears flick about and she looks about, her eyes instantly going to the dogs and she's off like a flash! Dogs are best handled from high places in her experience and she runs for the nearest tree she can see and straight up it.
The moment that the feline begins to run, the dogs, first the one who smelled her followed by his companion, give chase, barking loudly. The sound is enough to make the man stand upright and look around, in case the barking is to alert him to some growing danger. It doesn't take him long to figure that his dogs have just discovered the feline, as he predicted they might, and it causes him a grin before he goes back to sifting through the sand and mud in the stream. To the dogs, it's all good fun, and they have little trouble in following the cat to her chosen tree.
Cayenne clambers safely up onto a branch and glares murder down at the dogs. Fur puffed out and tail swaying irritably as she yells every insult she can think of, both for dogs and general situations. Of course to the human it'd just sound like a lot of hissing and angry meows.
The man is not about to call the dogs off of Cayenne, hissing and yowling aside. He may find the company of cats pleasant, but he isn't looking for a new pet. Besides, from what he saw when he looked briefly, she is perfectly safe. The lead dog hops up to place his forepaws on the tree trunk, still barking enthusiastically, while his companion remains firmly ground level, filling in when he thinks the other dog has gotten too quiet. They do not bother trying to speak with the feline, just the nonverbals that ought to be plenty to warn her off of their human. Besides, it's kind of funny to see her threatening them from the safety of her tree. This is so much more fun than the cats at home, who are jaded to this type of behavior from them and accustomed to having another human around who would smack the dogs' noses if they were too loud around the house. It won't take them long to tired of the game, but for right this moment it's great fun.
Cayenne swipes a set of claws down in their direction with more hisses. She's likely too high up to get them but she'll still try and be threatening and get a nose if it gets high enough. How she hates dogs! Why the humans ever leave them to freely roam she'll never know.
The lead dog lets out a laugh as the feline tries swiping at them. Fun indeed. After a couple more barks, though, he lowers himself to the ground and trots back towards his human, tail held high. The other dog follows him, tail relaxed, limp, behind him. The lead dog is certain the feline got the message, and, after all of today's activity, intends to at least get a drink and maybe even play in the water a bit, if far enough downstream to avoid being yelled at.
Cayenne hisses after them but stays on her branch. Settling down there to be miserable and annoyed. Darn dogs. She doesn't come down for some time. Not till she think she's been forgotten and can quietly slink away again.