[Bronze Wood] A Desperate Chase

by **Barn** on August 6th, 2013, 8:54 pm

Ahh, a player. She hadn't been able to play this game in a long, long time. Barn loosened her muscles and dropped low to the ground, hiding in a shadow of an oak. Her pupils widened to accomodate the shade, and she became a part of the darkness. The cat's jaws opened, inhaling deeply to catch the scent of prey, any prey. There was Wade, the human. The earthy trees and plants. Her ears rotated, catching tiny sounds. Rustling leaves. There was a breeze. Which way was it blowing? Ah, towards her and the amateur hunter. That means anything in front of her she would smell.

Barn could hear Wade's breathing, a slow rythm. Her paws crept forward, settling between leaves and sticks that would otherwise give her position away. The cat's belly barely brushed the ground, slipping past obstacles. She caught the scent of an animal. A rabbit? Barn inhaled again. No, squirrel. Possibly near rabbit dung, if her scent glands were anything to go by. The Kelvic adjusted her path. She snuck towards it, noting that she was correct. Perfect, right in pouncing range.

"Meow."

The split second it took for the squirrel to whip its head around and give her a fearful look was all she needed. She leapt, claws out and snagging the animal's tail as it sprang for the safety of a tree. There was a painful wrench of her front right leg, but it was dragged backwards and secured with her left paw. A quick, precise bite to the neck ended its terror, and the feline lifted it up and swung around, looking pleased.

"See? Easy."

by **Wade** on August 7th, 2013, 4:07 am

Wade crouched down and tried to follow after the black cat, surprised at how quickly he could lose her. She disappeared into the shadow of a tree but Wade was forced to slowly creep after her so as to not give the other predator away and alert her prey. He knew he was a bumbling thing compared to her but he focused all of his mental strength into easing along and making as little noise as possible.

He slid into the shadow and waited for his eyes to adjust and pick up the cat hidden within. However, he could not spot her. He blinked rapidly and waved a hand before him at about the level of the cat's back but could not see her at all. Wade wondered if the cat had just dropped him off under a tree and headed off laughing to itself about stupid humans.

He worked his jaw as he forced himself to calm his rising anger at being tricked by a cat. He exhaled very slowly and continued his search. Finally, he managed to spot a material that was a little different than that of the grass. He focused his eyes on it and realized that it was the fur of the cat. A few moments more and he was able to pick out the head of the cat as it was looking intently in one direction.

The cat was on the move and suddenly leapt forward. It expertly pounced on a squirrel, an agile beast that Wade could not even dream of managing to land an arrow on even if it was unaware. The cat had the little squirrel in its mouth the next moment though and looked at him with what Wade could probably guess was a smug look on its face.

Wade smiled at the cat. "Bravo. Though I fear I lack your agility, as I'm just a clumsy man."

by **Barn** on August 7th, 2013, 5:19 pm

He was good... For a human. Managed to not startled the squirrel too much. It was lucky for him that they paused in fear for a moment as a reflex. Otherwise, her claws might've been in his leg. He was clumsy, but not as much as the other humans in Syliras. If he had followed her movements closely, perhaps he'd learn something. Barn dropped the squirrel at Wade's feet, flicking her tail again and rubbing her face against his shin. The cat purred, nuzzling the human's leg in hopes for a pet.

Sure, she could become human, but when she hunted and someone was watching, she wanted to be rewarded. Barn was a cat at heart, there was no doubt about it. She enjoyed a warm lap and a place by the fire, with a dish of milk or some other nourishment on the side. The Kelvic peered up at Wade with large eyes, the orange merely a ring around the blackness of her pupil. She sat, curling her tail around her paws and tilted her head towards the squirrel.

"Go on. You can have it. I've already eaten."

by **Wade** on August 8th, 2013, 12:09 am

That Kelvic cat was rubbing itself against his leg familiarly. Wade smiled as he recalled many other cats doing the same in order to receive some attention. A Kelvic was no different, it seemed. He marveled that a being that possessed the thinking power of a human, enough to transform and appeal to a hunter to stop, could also bear the mannerisms of an animal ruled seemingly only by instincts. He wondered exactly where the line between an animal and a human was drawn in the mind of a Kelvic.

Wade gently petted the cat to express his continued thanks for the helpful little hunter. His fear of it running away and his rage at being unable to find it seemed silly to him now. This noble feline had forgiven him for a grave offence and then tried to teach him how to hunt right. Even now she was giving companionship. Perhaps this Kelvic possessed more humanity than he did.

The cat gestured towards the squirrel and Wade cocked his head. She seemed to be offering it to him. "Are you certain?" he asked. "It was a good kill and it was all your work. You deserve it. I have some food at home, and means to get some if I run out." He backed away from the squirrel, intent on letting the cat have that, at least.

by **Barn** on August 8th, 2013, 2:11 am

He was correct, it was a good kill. At least the human knew where cats stood, above his kind. Barn purred. He needed food, and she had just eaten. Silly man. The cat picked it up in her jaws and dropped it at his feet again, giving him a meaningful look.

"Just eat it. If you don't, I'll forcefeed you! And that won't be pretty. Especially since I know humans get sick from eating too much raw meat."

To make her point clear, she nudged the squirrel closer with her snout. If he accepted the gift, she could go gather firewood while he skinned the beastie, or they could switch jobs. Her claws were sharp enough to pierce the animal's fur.

by **Perplexity** on October 13th, 2013, 2:25 am

Riddled with Rewards!

Player 1

Running	+1 XP
Hunting	+2 XP
Persuasion	+1 XP
Socialization	+1 XP
Tracking	+1 XP

Lores :

Notes :

Closed [Bronze Wood] A Desperate Chase