28 Summer 514
In the sweltering summer heat, a tall muscular figure moved along Kenash's west bank. His physique was quite imposing, but his demeanor was one of submission and servitude. Despite the commotion of the city around him, his eyes remained fixed on the ground, just ahead of his feet. His clothes were acceptable by city standards, but only in the most meager sense possible; incomparably inferior to those displayed on the many figures scampering around him, so completely absorbed in themselves that most did not even notice his passing. And why should they? So menial was his existence that he was no more than a fly on the walls of Kenash. The brand, displayed prominently on his face, made that perfectly clear. Much like a fly, he zipped through the bustle of the city, never settling in one spot for more than a moment. Meticulously he picked his way hurriedly through the crowd, ducking and darting through the cramped streets with a calculated precision. With a painstaking prudence he was sure not to so much as nudge a single one of the people around him. He did not, however, pay such careful attention to the bulky kennel he carried.
Sevonne let forth a low, mewling whine as the slave entrusted with her delivery indifferently jostled her small, portable prison. At this rate she would be sick by the time she was finally passed off for inspection. Quietly she sat up, attempting to groom herself as much as possible in the palpable, humid, heat. It was no use. Indignantly she clung – claws scratching helplessly against smooth wood – to the bottom of her carefully crafted cage as it was hauled up, over, even tipped onto it's side more than once and she slid, yowling, this way and that. Was this man purposely making things difficult? At least the slave traders would treat her with some modicum of care, if only as merchandise and nothing else. With a sharp jolt, the confining enclosure finally stopped moving. A loud clatter echoed over the marble columns of the auction hall as the slave tossed the large kennel down before the entryway. Carefully he knelt and slipped a folded letter, bearing the seal of the Ackina Dynasty, snugly beneath the latch which secured the door of the cage.
Curiously, Sevonne peered through the slats of the box... What the petch was he doing?... and was shocked as he turned and walked away, leaving her there, in the mid-day sun, on the steps of the auction hall. Oi! the Kelvic yowled, What are you doing?! Aren't you even going to carry me inside?? You can't just leave me here!! I'm stuck! Master will have your hide if I die of a heat stroke before someone gets here. GAAAH! You imbecile. “Deliver” means DELIVER!!! Not drop on the steps and leave!!!! Of course, all that the slave heard was a nerve wracking amount of bellowing and mewling. He returned briefly, kicking the cage with a hefty boot, causing Sevonne to hiss loudly in alarm. “Shut yer petchin yap before ye get us both sold off. And keep it shut when the Sitai gets here ta size ye up... No one'll pay a damn cent for ye at this rate.” With that he gave the cage one last solid kick before walking away for good. Sevonne, paced a few circles inside her cage and then curled up in a ball indignantly. Although outwardly she remained silent, internally she fumed. Not only had they collared her, to which she had grown accustomed, but they'd stuck her in this gods forsaken cage.... but at least it wasn't a leash. Thank the gods it wasn't a leash.
Resting her head on her paws she stretched out as much as the kennel would allow and watched as the passerby ogled at her through the cage. You'd think they'd never seen a cat before. She thought to herself as people stopped to point and stare. “Look, look, a baby leopard. Oh oh oh, can we take it home?” she heard a very small young girl ask. Judging by her clothes and attitude Sevonne thought the girl must be a dynasty brat, and quietly rolled her eyes... at least mentally...'I'm not a baby. And I'm not a leopard. It's called a SERVAL, and there's a big difference,' she thought to herself, as she tried to ignore the growing apprehension twisting itself around her bowels. She had no idea how long she would be sitting here. And after that.... Sevonne shuttered slightly at the thought of all the various kinds of people that might possibly purchase her. Silently she prayed, Nikali, Goddess and Mother of my station, If this is truly to be my lot, at the very least let it be some one who is easy to read, if not easy to please......
Sevonne let forth a low, mewling whine as the slave entrusted with her delivery indifferently jostled her small, portable prison. At this rate she would be sick by the time she was finally passed off for inspection. Quietly she sat up, attempting to groom herself as much as possible in the palpable, humid, heat. It was no use. Indignantly she clung – claws scratching helplessly against smooth wood – to the bottom of her carefully crafted cage as it was hauled up, over, even tipped onto it's side more than once and she slid, yowling, this way and that. Was this man purposely making things difficult? At least the slave traders would treat her with some modicum of care, if only as merchandise and nothing else. With a sharp jolt, the confining enclosure finally stopped moving. A loud clatter echoed over the marble columns of the auction hall as the slave tossed the large kennel down before the entryway. Carefully he knelt and slipped a folded letter, bearing the seal of the Ackina Dynasty, snugly beneath the latch which secured the door of the cage.
Curiously, Sevonne peered through the slats of the box... What the petch was he doing?... and was shocked as he turned and walked away, leaving her there, in the mid-day sun, on the steps of the auction hall. Oi! the Kelvic yowled, What are you doing?! Aren't you even going to carry me inside?? You can't just leave me here!! I'm stuck! Master will have your hide if I die of a heat stroke before someone gets here. GAAAH! You imbecile. “Deliver” means DELIVER!!! Not drop on the steps and leave!!!! Of course, all that the slave heard was a nerve wracking amount of bellowing and mewling. He returned briefly, kicking the cage with a hefty boot, causing Sevonne to hiss loudly in alarm. “Shut yer petchin yap before ye get us both sold off. And keep it shut when the Sitai gets here ta size ye up... No one'll pay a damn cent for ye at this rate.” With that he gave the cage one last solid kick before walking away for good. Sevonne, paced a few circles inside her cage and then curled up in a ball indignantly. Although outwardly she remained silent, internally she fumed. Not only had they collared her, to which she had grown accustomed, but they'd stuck her in this gods forsaken cage.... but at least it wasn't a leash. Thank the gods it wasn't a leash.
Resting her head on her paws she stretched out as much as the kennel would allow and watched as the passerby ogled at her through the cage. You'd think they'd never seen a cat before. She thought to herself as people stopped to point and stare. “Look, look, a baby leopard. Oh oh oh, can we take it home?” she heard a very small young girl ask. Judging by her clothes and attitude Sevonne thought the girl must be a dynasty brat, and quietly rolled her eyes... at least mentally...'I'm not a baby. And I'm not a leopard. It's called a SERVAL, and there's a big difference,' she thought to herself, as she tried to ignore the growing apprehension twisting itself around her bowels. She had no idea how long she would be sitting here. And after that.... Sevonne shuttered slightly at the thought of all the various kinds of people that might possibly purchase her. Silently she prayed, Nikali, Goddess and Mother of my station, If this is truly to be my lot, at the very least let it be some one who is easy to read, if not easy to please......
