*[
Less than thirty six bells since she had originally stumbled onto the prairie, Kalina found herself once again upon the flat, barren lands that had almost killed her last time. Having not yet morphed out of her ocelot form since the incident yesterday, Kalinas’s reasons were threefold. The young kelvic knew that safety was a relative concept at this point in time, and she remained in ocelot form because of the biological early warning system that it afforded her – she could see, hear and smell anything that could be construed as a threat much earlier than she would were she in human form. She could also break into a sprint much fasted in ocelot form, rather than having to waste time changing. Finally, the words of Amelia still resonated strongly in the young creature’s mind: it was not polite to be around people whilst naked, and she had destroyed her only set of clothes whilst morphing in the attack yesterday.
"’Melia…" she wondered what the older girl would think of her now – walking onto an unknown ship, where she had no right to be. The other would no doubt read her the riot act: a ship could be deemed as private property, and Kalina should know better than to wander aboard private property. Worse, still, Kalina had found herself on a ship that set sail… and she had ended up in a different city. She could almost hear the lecture that she would receive from Amelia and her Master – disappointment would drip from their words. The grey ocelot physically cringed at the thought, though she would have given anything to be standing opposite her Master, eyes downcast in embarrassment from disobeying him, as he reprimanded her, rather than be here, in this silent, dead city.
The kelvic ocelot wondered whether if not her disappearance had been noted by her Master, if he knew that she was missing. Kalina was prone to wandering off during the day, and even the night, and her Master was often busy; he didn't have much time for his slave. She wondered if he was searching for her, and she wondered if he would ever find her... no one knew where she was.
In the rays of the bright sun, which was starting to descend in the sky, Kalina felt the warmth that she didn't feel the morning before on the prairie. Even with her limited reception for colours in this form, the light gave the dry expanse a distinctly warm appearance, in comparison with the cool, grey land she had walked upon before. But the ocelot kitten could not associate any of that warmth with the island she was now on. "Want to go back to you, Master. Want to leave here, and leave Zel-va and go back to home with 'Melia..." But even the ignorant kelvic knew how unlikely a proposition her internalisations were. She was alone here, Marcus would not find her.
As she had many times, Kalina considered changing her form to that which could not catch the scents of the world around her as efficiently as her current one - the stench of decay was overwhelming. It was unnatural, filthy, and it was everywhere. She remembered the smell; the man with the water tricks, by the ships in Zeltiva, he had the same pungent aura about him, but it was not as strong as what was currently assaulting her nose. This, more than anything she had seen on the island, frightened her, kept her awake the night just past, and led her to believe that something foul lived here, something that she should avoid.
*
17th Day of Spring, 513AV
Less than thirty six bells since she had originally stumbled onto the prairie, Kalina found herself once again upon the flat, barren lands that had almost killed her last time. Having not yet morphed out of her ocelot form since the incident yesterday, Kalinas’s reasons were threefold. The young kelvic knew that safety was a relative concept at this point in time, and she remained in ocelot form because of the biological early warning system that it afforded her – she could see, hear and smell anything that could be construed as a threat much earlier than she would were she in human form. She could also break into a sprint much fasted in ocelot form, rather than having to waste time changing. Finally, the words of Amelia still resonated strongly in the young creature’s mind: it was not polite to be around people whilst naked, and she had destroyed her only set of clothes whilst morphing in the attack yesterday.
"’Melia…" she wondered what the older girl would think of her now – walking onto an unknown ship, where she had no right to be. The other would no doubt read her the riot act: a ship could be deemed as private property, and Kalina should know better than to wander aboard private property. Worse, still, Kalina had found herself on a ship that set sail… and she had ended up in a different city. She could almost hear the lecture that she would receive from Amelia and her Master – disappointment would drip from their words. The grey ocelot physically cringed at the thought, though she would have given anything to be standing opposite her Master, eyes downcast in embarrassment from disobeying him, as he reprimanded her, rather than be here, in this silent, dead city.
The kelvic ocelot wondered whether if not her disappearance had been noted by her Master, if he knew that she was missing. Kalina was prone to wandering off during the day, and even the night, and her Master was often busy; he didn't have much time for his slave. She wondered if he was searching for her, and she wondered if he would ever find her... no one knew where she was.
In the rays of the bright sun, which was starting to descend in the sky, Kalina felt the warmth that she didn't feel the morning before on the prairie. Even with her limited reception for colours in this form, the light gave the dry expanse a distinctly warm appearance, in comparison with the cool, grey land she had walked upon before. But the ocelot kitten could not associate any of that warmth with the island she was now on. "Want to go back to you, Master. Want to leave here, and leave Zel-va and go back to home with 'Melia..." But even the ignorant kelvic knew how unlikely a proposition her internalisations were. She was alone here, Marcus would not find her.
As she had many times, Kalina considered changing her form to that which could not catch the scents of the world around her as efficiently as her current one - the stench of decay was overwhelming. It was unnatural, filthy, and it was everywhere. She remembered the smell; the man with the water tricks, by the ships in Zeltiva, he had the same pungent aura about him, but it was not as strong as what was currently assaulting her nose. This, more than anything she had seen on the island, frightened her, kept her awake the night just past, and led her to believe that something foul lived here, something that she should avoid.
*