Kitan blinked twice, eyeing his own cards but listening to Gia. He had gotten lucky: he held three 4’s “Um. You’re not really supposed to tell people what’s in your hand,” he informed her, “the goal of the game is to ask other people for cards that match the numbers of the ones in your hand. If you get the most completed sets when all the cards are done, you win!”
He thought about her present situation, and lowered his hands to look her way. “You should probably just put those back in the pile and grab more random ones so we don’t know.”
Farm of Hideaways
Re: Farm of Hideaways
"Hang on, I'll help ya." Shade grunted pulling his chair close to Gia, leaning over her shoulder as he examined her cards with a hum. "See, if you have two of the same number then you put them face down on the table. So, this one and this one -" he pulled the two sevens free and placed them facedown on the table. "would go like this. Now pick up two more cards. I'll put mine back in the deck to be fair."
Shade chuckled a little as he nudged her gently while giving Kitan a mischievous grin. "We wouldn't want to have any unfair sidings against our little fox." He rolled his eyes a bit before glancing over the cards again. "Alright, now you ask the boy if he has the same card (you have to choose one) and if he has one he'll give it to you. If he doesn't, he'll say 'Go Fish' and you pick up a card. Get it?"
Shade chuckled a little as he nudged her gently while giving Kitan a mischievous grin. "We wouldn't want to have any unfair sidings against our little fox." He rolled his eyes a bit before glancing over the cards again. "Alright, now you ask the boy if he has the same card (you have to choose one) and if he has one he'll give it to you. If he doesn't, he'll say 'Go Fish' and you pick up a card. Get it?"
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Gia narrowed her eyes at the cards. All the funny little shapes and numbers... Gia had never been very good at numbers. Or shapes. She had been wild for a very long time and had learned that if she couldn't bite it, it probably wasn't food and therefore didn't matter... but humans were different, and she was human now.
She drew a new hand and arranged them, processing the numbers and funny shapes as quickly as she could. "Kitan, do you have a... um, that's an eight, do you have an eight?" At least, she hoped it was an eight. Numbers were tricky. She looked at the fox hopefully. Games were hard, but winning... winning was good.
She drew a new hand and arranged them, processing the numbers and funny shapes as quickly as she could. "Kitan, do you have a... um, that's an eight, do you have an eight?" At least, she hoped it was an eight. Numbers were tricky. She looked at the fox hopefully. Games were hard, but winning... winning was good.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Kit looked at the cards in his hand besides the numerous fours, holding them closer to his face. It wasn’t just for visibility: the white cloth on the floor had started to shake again and he was trying to distract himself from whatever nightmare was to burst from it. At least it remained silent. That detail made ignoring it much easier.
With a rueful grin, he realized he did indeed have an eight in his hand. He placed it onto the table and pushed it over to Gia, which had the unintended side effect of making him look at the white cloth. It had begun rising off the floor and assuming a different shape. “Okay.” Kitan said, staring pointedly forwards into his hand. “I guess that makes it my turn.”
At this the cloth reacted, and throwing off folds a humanoid form grew and was revealed from within. Though clothed in that white attire from head to toe, it nonetheless wore a white paper veil upon its face with various symbols Kitan did not recognize. It floated over, and though Kitan did not believe the delusions actually required their eyes, appeared to study his cards. It floated gracefully over to Shade’s side of the table and swiftly stared at his hand.
Kitan tried to ignore it and put down a matching pair of fours. “I started with these.”
Upon floating back, it reached out an arm and held it above one of the kitsune’s cards. Though Kitan hesitated, eventually he acquiesced and turned to Shade. “Do you have any sevens?”
With a rueful grin, he realized he did indeed have an eight in his hand. He placed it onto the table and pushed it over to Gia, which had the unintended side effect of making him look at the white cloth. It had begun rising off the floor and assuming a different shape. “Okay.” Kitan said, staring pointedly forwards into his hand. “I guess that makes it my turn.”
At this the cloth reacted, and throwing off folds a humanoid form grew and was revealed from within. Though clothed in that white attire from head to toe, it nonetheless wore a white paper veil upon its face with various symbols Kitan did not recognize. It floated over, and though Kitan did not believe the delusions actually required their eyes, appeared to study his cards. It floated gracefully over to Shade’s side of the table and swiftly stared at his hand.
Kitan tried to ignore it and put down a matching pair of fours. “I started with these.”
Upon floating back, it reached out an arm and held it above one of the kitsune’s cards. Though Kitan hesitated, eventually he acquiesced and turned to Shade. “Do you have any sevens?”
Re: Farm of Hideaways
"Dammit, yeah we do." Shade handed over the respected card with a sigh. He hadn't missed the odd behaviors nor the shifted glances the boy was giving. Another illusion then? He frowned but made no move to help the boy, he wasn't quite sure what he could do anyway. "Alright, now you pick a card Gia. Which one do you want to ask him about?"
The name seemed odd on his tongue. Rarely did he use actual people's names but he wanted to try it out, test how it felt. He'd decided his nicknames were better. So, he leaned in and looked at Gia's cards with a hum, glancing up subtly at the boy to double check on him. This hallucinations were becoming a pain in the ass.
Wonder were TinCan is....
The name seemed odd on his tongue. Rarely did he use actual people's names but he wanted to try it out, test how it felt. He'd decided his nicknames were better. So, he leaned in and looked at Gia's cards with a hum, glancing up subtly at the boy to double check on him. This hallucinations were becoming a pain in the ass.
Wonder were TinCan is....
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Gia also noticed Kitan's strange twitching... but maybe he was just seeing the mice too. She had caught a few flickers of little white snacks out of the corner of her eye and it was making her hungry. She tried to remember the last time she had eaten and realized it was over a day ago. Her stomach was starting to feel crampy and whiny too - it took a lot of calories to fuel her body, especially when she had shifted.
"Nine," she muttered distractedly. Honestly, those mice were just tormenting her... she darted her eyes to the corner where a small mouse hole was and saw a long, skinny tail slithering into it.
"Nine?" She questioned, wrenching herself back to attention. "I want a nine," she said, looking at the fox.
She could almost feel ears sprout as she heard the scritch-scritch of little mice feet behind the wall, and then, with one last look at the mouse hole that showed her a tiny nose poking out, she lost it. Letting her cards drop she fell into wolfshape as easily as shedding clothes... which also fell to the floor. With an excited bark she charged at the mouse hole and stuck her nose in it and clicked her teeth together before the mouse had time for a surprised squeak.
Munching happily, the wolf turned around and looked at the two males sitting at the table, then eyed another mouse across the room. Dinnertime!
"Nine," she muttered distractedly. Honestly, those mice were just tormenting her... she darted her eyes to the corner where a small mouse hole was and saw a long, skinny tail slithering into it.
"Nine?" She questioned, wrenching herself back to attention. "I want a nine," she said, looking at the fox.
She could almost feel ears sprout as she heard the scritch-scritch of little mice feet behind the wall, and then, with one last look at the mouse hole that showed her a tiny nose poking out, she lost it. Letting her cards drop she fell into wolfshape as easily as shedding clothes... which also fell to the floor. With an excited bark she charged at the mouse hole and stuck her nose in it and clicked her teeth together before the mouse had time for a surprised squeak.
Munching happily, the wolf turned around and looked at the two males sitting at the table, then eyed another mouse across the room. Dinnertime!
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Kitan jumped at the display, but quickly calmed. He set his cards down on the table and turned to watch Gia catch the mice. He licked his lips, no stranger to fresh meat. His father was a poor hunter, after all, and they had often turned to such food sources. Besides, what little he had of his fox instincts often demanded he chase small animals.
He peeked at his cards to check if he had a nine. He did. The little fox shifter chuckled and folded his cards together into a neat stack. The strange delusion also looked at his cards and seemed to giggle in silence. It floated off to hover by the door which they had entered through.
Kitan watched Gia chase the mice and sighed. He wanted to shift.
He peeked at his cards to check if he had a nine. He did. The little fox shifter chuckled and folded his cards together into a neat stack. The strange delusion also looked at his cards and seemed to giggle in silence. It floated off to hover by the door which they had entered through.
Kitan watched Gia chase the mice and sighed. He wanted to shift.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Shade watched the she-wolf scramble around after mice with an slight smile crawling across his face. He'd seen the wistful expression on Kitan's face though he wasn't quite sure if the mice were really all that tasty. Though judging by the card stacking Kitan was finished playing the game as well. Shade sighed as sat back in his chair.
"You can full well hunt if you want.I'm not all that hungry."His stomach rumbled in protest but he forced himself to ignore it. They'd come first. He tried not to wrinkle his nose when another snap declared Gia another dinner, his lips twitching a bit as he wondered if Drayel needed a mouse dog any time soon. She was doing a damn god job.
"Go on," he encouraged with a sharp jerk of his head. "Catch your fill."
"You can full well hunt if you want.I'm not all that hungry."His stomach rumbled in protest but he forced himself to ignore it. They'd come first. He tried not to wrinkle his nose when another snap declared Gia another dinner, his lips twitching a bit as he wondered if Drayel needed a mouse dog any time soon. She was doing a damn god job.
"Go on," he encouraged with a sharp jerk of his head. "Catch your fill."
Re: Farm of Hideaways
The wolf was in heaven. Someone needed to hire a cat for this place - these mice were out of control. Course, if there was a cat she'd probably just eat that too to save it from getting her dinner for itself. And mice weren't really dinner, truth be told. Dinner was venison or mutton or elk or boar, not mice. Mice was cat dinner.
She could hear Shade's stomach rumble and pricked up her ears at him, pausing momentarily in her someone comical (a wolf pouncing was a bit stupid, after all) hunt. The wolf made a low noise in her throat, a sort of "hrrrm?" question, before pouncing again and then putting the tiny mouse body on Shade's lap. Not to leave Kitan out, she fetched the fox a mouse too, then wagged her tail slightly. This wasn't her best style of hunting, and they'd need many more mice to make a dinner, but the wolf had learned that sharing kills was a good thing and so she did.
They should go real hunting! the wolf thought excitedly. She knew Kitan couldn't shift (a strange little fox, that one) but he had showed remarkable agility earlier on their mad dash though the city, so she wasn't worried about him keeping up. And the big Shade wolf... well, it'd be nice to have some muscle to hunt with. The wolf could bring down an elk by herself, but where was the fun in lone hunting?
Not wanting to shift again, not now with the smells in her nose and a few mice in her belly, the wolf looked at the door and then back at the pair of males, tilting her head slightly and letting out a bark. How to get them to understand...?
She could hear Shade's stomach rumble and pricked up her ears at him, pausing momentarily in her someone comical (a wolf pouncing was a bit stupid, after all) hunt. The wolf made a low noise in her throat, a sort of "hrrrm?" question, before pouncing again and then putting the tiny mouse body on Shade's lap. Not to leave Kitan out, she fetched the fox a mouse too, then wagged her tail slightly. This wasn't her best style of hunting, and they'd need many more mice to make a dinner, but the wolf had learned that sharing kills was a good thing and so she did.
They should go real hunting! the wolf thought excitedly. She knew Kitan couldn't shift (a strange little fox, that one) but he had showed remarkable agility earlier on their mad dash though the city, so she wasn't worried about him keeping up. And the big Shade wolf... well, it'd be nice to have some muscle to hunt with. The wolf could bring down an elk by herself, but where was the fun in lone hunting?
Not wanting to shift again, not now with the smells in her nose and a few mice in her belly, the wolf looked at the door and then back at the pair of males, tilting her head slightly and letting out a bark. How to get them to understand...?
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Kitan scratched his head, not understanding Gia’s odd gestures. Did she want to go outside? There would not be as great a concentration of mice out there. And the door was closed, but she could presumably get it open even with her paws. Strange. His hunger quickly distracted him from thoughts in that direction.
He picked up the one Gia had given him by the tail, dangling the unfortunate dead critter like a hypnotist’s watch. He stood and made the chair scrape along the loose floorboards. It became caught on an old upturned one, forcing the kitsune to work his way around it to get his legs out from under the table. This obstacle surmounted, he turned to use his free hand to push the chair back in and started walking towards what looked like a cupboard. “Hey Shade, can I find knives in there?” He wondered if Gia was just going to wolf down whatever she caught. Probably. She had a wolf’s jaws after all. Kit, unfortunately, had been stuck with human teeth. At least he had his ears. They were better than any humans! Maybe that was why humans and elves hated seeing them so much. Kitan’s mind whirred with this wondrous revelation.
He picked up the one Gia had given him by the tail, dangling the unfortunate dead critter like a hypnotist’s watch. He stood and made the chair scrape along the loose floorboards. It became caught on an old upturned one, forcing the kitsune to work his way around it to get his legs out from under the table. This obstacle surmounted, he turned to use his free hand to push the chair back in and started walking towards what looked like a cupboard. “Hey Shade, can I find knives in there?” He wondered if Gia was just going to wolf down whatever she caught. Probably. She had a wolf’s jaws after all. Kit, unfortunately, had been stuck with human teeth. At least he had his ears. They were better than any humans! Maybe that was why humans and elves hated seeing them so much. Kitan’s mind whirred with this wondrous revelation.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
"Lower cupboard, left drawer." Shade instructed with a low chuckle as he too glanced at the mouse. Following example Shade dangled it by the tail and frowned at it, curious of what a mouse actually tasted like. Normally he'd hunt big things, like a deer or rabbit but mouse? He frowned as he sniffed it. "Do they taste that good?"
He glanced down at Gia with a curious tilt of the head. "I don't usually hunt mice. Caught a couple raccoons before though, and a cat. Mice never were my talent though. I'm too slow to catch 'em. Rather go for something big, like a cow though I guess that wasn't the best idea I ever came up with either."
Talking of hunting got the wolf riled up. He growled a little before glancing between the two of them.
"Well, other than mice why don't we try and find a rabbit or something? I could go for a good run."
He glanced down at Gia with a curious tilt of the head. "I don't usually hunt mice. Caught a couple raccoons before though, and a cat. Mice never were my talent though. I'm too slow to catch 'em. Rather go for something big, like a cow though I guess that wasn't the best idea I ever came up with either."
Talking of hunting got the wolf riled up. He growled a little before glancing between the two of them.
"Well, other than mice why don't we try and find a rabbit or something? I could go for a good run."
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Big! Big was the best! She barked happily when he said cow... though it seemed a bit unsporting to hunt a creature that was locked in a fence and couldn't escape. Cows were slow and stupid anyway, and about half of the fun of hunting was trying to outsmart something that was determined not to be eaten, smelling its fear and adrenaline on the wind, basking in the power of your body as you drew close to killing it, and then the final standoff before lunging for its throat and feeling the blood wash across your mouth... The wolf was panting and excited by the time she finished thinking about hunting something that could actually put up a fight and a good chase.
She tilted her head quizzically when Kitan started slicing apart his mouse. Why didn't he just eat it? Fox jaws might not be as strong as wolf jaws but she was pretty sure even a human could crunch apart a mouse with a little bit of effort. Strange. He smelled like a fox - why not act like one too?
She turned in a circle excitedly when Shade said "run." Running was fun! Maybe they would even find a deer or a wild hog or something! Rabbits were better than mice, to be sure, but she'd have to eat a whole bunch of them to be satisfied. And maybe it would make the strange fox let go of his human form and be a fox for a while, too. The wolf could never resist dropping the human skin and running when the hunt was in the wind, and she bet he might not be able to either.
She tilted her head quizzically when Kitan started slicing apart his mouse. Why didn't he just eat it? Fox jaws might not be as strong as wolf jaws but she was pretty sure even a human could crunch apart a mouse with a little bit of effort. Strange. He smelled like a fox - why not act like one too?
She turned in a circle excitedly when Shade said "run." Running was fun! Maybe they would even find a deer or a wild hog or something! Rabbits were better than mice, to be sure, but she'd have to eat a whole bunch of them to be satisfied. And maybe it would make the strange fox let go of his human form and be a fox for a while, too. The wolf could never resist dropping the human skin and running when the hunt was in the wind, and she bet he might not be able to either.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Kitan picked up the knife and carefully carried it over to the table. “If you two want to hunt, go on ahead. I’m fast but not sneaky, I always gave my father away when he took me along.” The curiously benevolent delusion nodded and mimed a giggle, as if to reaffirm this assumption. He scratched his ears. “And since I still can’t shift I wouldn’t be much help even catching a rabbit.”
He looked up and smiled, having just wolfed down the parts of the mouse his father had taught him were the best to eat. A little bit of blood trickled down his jaw as he smiled. “I’ll be fine on my own. If anyone comes I’ll just run to the roof and listen to find out who it is.”
Kitan wondered if the delusions were more connected to the Astral Plane than he or father had previously assumed. Maybe they were intelligent spirits, and not merely constructs of his mind. Kit set down the knife and wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve as he pondered the possibilities. Such mysteries he was wrapped in, and nowhere to turn.
He looked up and smiled, having just wolfed down the parts of the mouse his father had taught him were the best to eat. A little bit of blood trickled down his jaw as he smiled. “I’ll be fine on my own. If anyone comes I’ll just run to the roof and listen to find out who it is.”
Kitan wondered if the delusions were more connected to the Astral Plane than he or father had previously assumed. Maybe they were intelligent spirits, and not merely constructs of his mind. Kit set down the knife and wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve as he pondered the possibilities. Such mysteries he was wrapped in, and nowhere to turn.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Shade debated on leaving, unsure if he really wanted the boy on his own. Last time it was a disaster. This time, who knows. He chewed on his lip for a moment before growling, standing up and pulling off his shirt with a heavy grunt. He glanced over at Kitan with a serious look. "Any signs of danger, you find us. Got it? I don't want to come back to fox pelt."
He pulled off his boots then began to undo his trousers. He didn't even bother to warn either of them, Kitan being male and Gia he doubted cared any more then he did. So soon he started his shifting, groaning as once more bone and hair began to move and grow to fit his newest form. This tranformation was slower then the others, probably due to his constant shiftings today. He grumbled when he finished, laying on his belly for a minute to wait for the aches to dull away.
He glanced up at Kitan and pricked his ears, his tail wagging half assed before glancing over at Gia. He sighed as he got to his feet and snorted at her, raising his head and locking eyes with her in a show of dominance. He didn't really mean to do it but the wolf came out before he could really think of it, challenging the female to try and take his role from him. Of course, being as quick as she was he'd have a damned of a time trying to fight her off.
He pulled off his boots then began to undo his trousers. He didn't even bother to warn either of them, Kitan being male and Gia he doubted cared any more then he did. So soon he started his shifting, groaning as once more bone and hair began to move and grow to fit his newest form. This tranformation was slower then the others, probably due to his constant shiftings today. He grumbled when he finished, laying on his belly for a minute to wait for the aches to dull away.
He glanced up at Kitan and pricked his ears, his tail wagging half assed before glancing over at Gia. He sighed as he got to his feet and snorted at her, raising his head and locking eyes with her in a show of dominance. He didn't really mean to do it but the wolf came out before he could really think of it, challenging the female to try and take his role from him. Of course, being as quick as she was he'd have a damned of a time trying to fight her off.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
The big wolf was leaving the fox? They couldn't leave the fox. The fox would probably be good at catching rabbits, he was so quick and nimble. She barked at him again and stamped her paw on the floor, then tilted her head at Shade when he started to change. Did it have to be so painful? Was he cursed in some way? To her, falling into wolf form was like slipping into a cool stream. Human form didn't feel quite as nice to go back to, but... that was actually something she probably needed to worry about a little more. She remembered an old mentor telling her that when wolf body felt more natural and more right, it was becoming more natural. As much as Gia loved being a wolf, she didn't want to be a wolf permanently. At least, she didn't think so.
The big wolf made eye contact and his head lifted. Gia responded from wolf instincts, letting her mild concerns over that fade. No one who wasn't her master or leader got to pull rank on her! Who was this wolf? Her fur bristled and her tail rose up over her back, her ears slammed forward and she glared, upper lip skimming the top of her teeth and barely letting them show.
She stalked forward a step, ignoring the fact that the big wolf was bigger than she was, a very soft growl coming from her throat. It wasn't that she wanted to be leader, despite the fact that Gia thought she'd be better at leading a hunt than someone who had only hunted cows and chickens. She just didn't want to be a sniveling, whimpering mess following some strange wolf who was grateful to be wearing a collar!
The big wolf made eye contact and his head lifted. Gia responded from wolf instincts, letting her mild concerns over that fade. No one who wasn't her master or leader got to pull rank on her! Who was this wolf? Her fur bristled and her tail rose up over her back, her ears slammed forward and she glared, upper lip skimming the top of her teeth and barely letting them show.
She stalked forward a step, ignoring the fact that the big wolf was bigger than she was, a very soft growl coming from her throat. It wasn't that she wanted to be leader, despite the fact that Gia thought she'd be better at leading a hunt than someone who had only hunted cows and chickens. She just didn't want to be a sniveling, whimpering mess following some strange wolf who was grateful to be wearing a collar!