122 PW Spring
A happy little fox shifter bounced merrily down the road to an idyllic farm. The road was nothing but simple tan dirt, lined on either side by the bushes and trees which grew outwards from the Virdara woodlands. The hilly terrain made it unlikely that one would find the place without looking for it.
His werewolf companions at his back and the earth guarding them from prying eyes, Kitan finally decided to drop his illusion. momentarily forgetting that Gia did not know about his magic or his delusions. Miraculously, they had encountered almost no guards at all when exiting the city, merely the ones guarding the road to Shim. It had taken some work to convince them he was really a hunter, but a demonstration of his knowledge of the trade had won them over. It was good he had managed to glean enough from his father.
As a bird flew overhead, Kitan realized his werewolf friends had stopped moving. He turned back around and saw Gia staring at him with an odd expression on her face. He glanced down at himself and saw nothing strange. “What is it?” He asked, frantically looking about.
Farm of Hideaways
Farm of Hideaways
Last edited by Kitan on Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Gia was trailing at the back of the group, glancing behind them every few moments to ensure that they weren't being followed. Heading out of the city felt good - being able to smell the trees and river was much better than human stink - but hiding from the Bad Man wasn't going to make him go away. She growled softly to herself as she looked back forward, then let out a yelp.
Kitan's garish fox hat was gone. She darted a glance back down the trail to see if he'd tossed it aside but there was nothing. Staring with wide eyes, Gia looked at the fox warily. Things didn't just vanish and appear - well, they did, but only if there was magic involved. And that wasn't typical shifter magic! Was this fox something more than just a fox? Either way, Gia was confused and a little unnerved.
Kitan's garish fox hat was gone. She darted a glance back down the trail to see if he'd tossed it aside but there was nothing. Staring with wide eyes, Gia looked at the fox warily. Things didn't just vanish and appear - well, they did, but only if there was magic involved. And that wasn't typical shifter magic! Was this fox something more than just a fox? Either way, Gia was confused and a little unnerved.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
"You look surprised she wolf." Shade growled as he shoved his hands in his pockets and eyed her. "Oh. Didn't know he was a magic user? Sorry to inform you of that little... trade secret."
He scoffed a little before trudging onward. He took the lead without much thought, turning a corner and heading around the bend, trying not to grimace when the collar heated a little as a warning. It was going to graze his limit, he knew that by experience when he was testing the range but still.... he felt sweat drip down his back as he grimaced.
He didn't like the idea of dying.
He scoffed a little before trudging onward. He took the lead without much thought, turning a corner and heading around the bend, trying not to grimace when the collar heated a little as a warning. It was going to graze his limit, he knew that by experience when he was testing the range but still.... he felt sweat drip down his back as he grimaced.
He didn't like the idea of dying.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Kitan, now thoroughly embarrassed, strode a bit forwards with his head turned down, as if inspecting the dirt road for any flaws. He would have found no shortage of weeds to judge, had he actually been paying attention. Hands behind his back, the fox shifter kicked at a pebble, sending it spinning from the pathway.
Eventually, his rapidly pacing feet came to strike wood. He looked upwards and saw that he had nearly run into the front door. His cheeks now nearly as red as his ears from the embarrassment of it all, he strode up a wooden step and tried the door handle, only to find it locked. He turned back to Shade and asked “Did Drayel give you the key?”
Eventually, his rapidly pacing feet came to strike wood. He looked upwards and saw that he had nearly run into the front door. His cheeks now nearly as red as his ears from the embarrassment of it all, he strode up a wooden step and tried the door handle, only to find it locked. He turned back to Shade and asked “Did Drayel give you the key?”
Re: Farm of Hideaways
"Don't need it given." Shade grunted as he wandered around the house towards the back. He mumbled something as he looked around the back for a moment, counting the flowers that lined the side wall. He paused for a moment before glancing at Kitan then back at the ground.
"See, Drayel has a little boy." Shade stated flatly with a slight roll of his eyes. "He should be somewhere in the city but that isn't the point. Point is, if he ever needs to come here and Drayel isn't, they hid a key underneath the porch beside the rose bushes. Punishment for forgetting the key if you ask me."
Shade grunted as he found the flowers he wanted, then reached inside and began padding around with a frown. Finding what he wanted he growled triumphantly, pulling it free of the cobwebs and dust before holding it up to Kitan.
"There. See?" he grunted with a slight shrug. "I guess have rebellious children comes in handy once and a while."
"See, Drayel has a little boy." Shade stated flatly with a slight roll of his eyes. "He should be somewhere in the city but that isn't the point. Point is, if he ever needs to come here and Drayel isn't, they hid a key underneath the porch beside the rose bushes. Punishment for forgetting the key if you ask me."
Shade grunted as he found the flowers he wanted, then reached inside and began padding around with a frown. Finding what he wanted he growled triumphantly, pulling it free of the cobwebs and dust before holding it up to Kitan.
"There. See?" he grunted with a slight shrug. "I guess have rebellious children comes in handy once and a while."
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Kitan seemed embarrassed by his unintentional magic show and Gia bit her tongue against saying anything. Shifters were rare enough in this town, but a shifter with other magic must have had a special kind of awful life growing up... though Gia supposed he was still growing up. She knew it wasn't unheard of for shifters to have other magic, but it was rare. Most shifters were just shifters, plain and boring, or at least as boring as any human who turned into an animal could be.
She waited patiently while Shade found the key, the scent of the city fading pleasantly from her clothes and nose. Gia was much more relaxed out here than she had been when surrounded by buildings, and she even allowed herself a small smile at the flowers along the wall. A very pleasant place, this small farm.
"I imagine you were quite the rebellious child yourself," Gia said conversationally as Shade produced the key. "Just a guess."
She waited patiently while Shade found the key, the scent of the city fading pleasantly from her clothes and nose. Gia was much more relaxed out here than she had been when surrounded by buildings, and she even allowed herself a small smile at the flowers along the wall. A very pleasant place, this small farm.
"I imagine you were quite the rebellious child yourself," Gia said conversationally as Shade produced the key. "Just a guess."
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Kitan clapped once happily, and motioned to the door. “Alright then, let’s get inside. Sunny as it is, it’s sort of cold out here.” He grabbed his ears and rubbed them a little. Most of the chill was from the slight breeze which was covering the farm, and his ears caught the wind like the sails of ships. Going indoors quickly seemed highly preferable.
“Why does Drayel have this place?” He wondered aloud as they walked for the door. “I thought he was a guard, not a farmer.”
“Why does Drayel have this place?” He wondered aloud as they walked for the door. “I thought he was a guard, not a farmer.”
Re: Farm of Hideaways
"Because this was his parents home, and he actually was raised here."Shade answered flatly. He opened the door with a grim smile, his lips curling upwards while he held it open for boy and she-wolf. "When they were...well, when they died he avoided this place like the plague. It was given to him in the will, so I guess he coulda sold it but he just couldn't seem to part with it I guess. Now that he has a boy though, guess it's a good thing he still kept it."
As Shade walked in he looked around the wide kitchen with a low hum. As usual, the kitchen lay clean on the left of them while the right held a couple chairs and a rocking chair. Between them sat a lopsided round table, four chairs seated around it.
He knew from experience which of the three doors at the back were what, remembering that the left room was a bedroom as was the right while the center held the water closet. For a moment he felt like he could close his eye and smell the sweet cookies Mrs. Morig would cook while Mr. Morig sat on the rocker telling his stories. The smell of sweat and chiming of laughter that would fill the air with an almost homey feel. Looking around, Shade couldn't even lie to himself. This place felt more like an empty shell.
"You know, his father used to tell us stories while we sat on the rug, almost all night sometimes." Shade said distantly as he looked around the room. "Of course, then his mother would send us to bed with a kick in the pants to all three of us. Tell us we're a bunch of nutcrackers yet she always snuck in an extra cookie or two for us."
Shade chuckled fondly as he stuck his hands in his pockets and glanced at the dusty walls, the pictures hanging there still untouched. His eyes softened at the sight of an older sketch he'd done for them, drawing what appeared to be them in front of the house with Drayel and Shade. Walking towards it he gently pulled it off the wall and looked at it before chuckling quietly and taking it with him to the table. He sat down and glanced up at the two, body settled as he leaned back at ease.
"Come on then, sit down." He rumbled softly. "No point in standing. Worse comes to worse, I'm pretty sure we can scoop out some dice or cards and gamble a bit."
As Shade walked in he looked around the wide kitchen with a low hum. As usual, the kitchen lay clean on the left of them while the right held a couple chairs and a rocking chair. Between them sat a lopsided round table, four chairs seated around it.
He knew from experience which of the three doors at the back were what, remembering that the left room was a bedroom as was the right while the center held the water closet. For a moment he felt like he could close his eye and smell the sweet cookies Mrs. Morig would cook while Mr. Morig sat on the rocker telling his stories. The smell of sweat and chiming of laughter that would fill the air with an almost homey feel. Looking around, Shade couldn't even lie to himself. This place felt more like an empty shell.
"You know, his father used to tell us stories while we sat on the rug, almost all night sometimes." Shade said distantly as he looked around the room. "Of course, then his mother would send us to bed with a kick in the pants to all three of us. Tell us we're a bunch of nutcrackers yet she always snuck in an extra cookie or two for us."
Shade chuckled fondly as he stuck his hands in his pockets and glanced at the dusty walls, the pictures hanging there still untouched. His eyes softened at the sight of an older sketch he'd done for them, drawing what appeared to be them in front of the house with Drayel and Shade. Walking towards it he gently pulled it off the wall and looked at it before chuckling quietly and taking it with him to the table. He sat down and glanced up at the two, body settled as he leaned back at ease.
"Come on then, sit down." He rumbled softly. "No point in standing. Worse comes to worse, I'm pretty sure we can scoop out some dice or cards and gamble a bit."
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Gia felt a small smile cross her face as the big wolf was telling his story. It was good to hear that not all his life was blood and fighting, that he had some decent memories to look back on when things were going badly. Gia had her own memories like that and it was very nice to hear Shade did as well.
The big guard having a kid was unexpected. He hadn't seemed much like a fatherly type, though he did take care of Shade... but that seemed more like a brotherly thing than anything parental. Gia briefly wondered who the mother was, but then she realized that that was probably not a place a werewolf like her wanted to go. Human relationships were so complicated. They made her head hurt.
Gia took a seat at the table as well, curious in the fact that Shade seemed more relaxed than she had seen him since this whole fiasco started. Probably something about being out of the city and in a place that smelled like home... "Cards?" Gia asked. "Gambling is not something familiar to me." She didn't have much call for it in her regular life. It was a very human thing - though she did recall some people betting on the fights for leadership back in Zhaltev, it was never something she had quite understood. Why chance risking everything to maybe gain something? It sounded like a recipe for disaster.
The big guard having a kid was unexpected. He hadn't seemed much like a fatherly type, though he did take care of Shade... but that seemed more like a brotherly thing than anything parental. Gia briefly wondered who the mother was, but then she realized that that was probably not a place a werewolf like her wanted to go. Human relationships were so complicated. They made her head hurt.
Gia took a seat at the table as well, curious in the fact that Shade seemed more relaxed than she had seen him since this whole fiasco started. Probably something about being out of the city and in a place that smelled like home... "Cards?" Gia asked. "Gambling is not something familiar to me." She didn't have much call for it in her regular life. It was a very human thing - though she did recall some people betting on the fights for leadership back in Zhaltev, it was never something she had quite understood. Why chance risking everything to maybe gain something? It sounded like a recipe for disaster.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Kit hopped up the step to the doorway and thought about Shade eating cookies. It seemed strange to the little shifter that someone who had gotten cookies as a child could turn out like Shade did. It didn’t seem right.
Kitan’s feet scooted along the dusty floor, kicking up little clouds. As he entered the long forgotten building he shivered. It was only barely warmer in here, and it was only thanks to the fact that it shielded the wind that Kitan was glad to be inside at all. He compressed his ears against the side of his head, until a few moments later when he heard a rat skitter through the walls. His right ear flicked up to follow the noise, but he didn’t say anything. He had found out that people rarely liked knowing about rats, and there were almost always some in old houses. There were a lot of things people liked to ignore that his ears picked up.
It was kind of a creepy place, though Kitan couldn’t quite place why. It was probably just that nobody had lived there in years. Yes, that must be it.
He moved over to the table Drayel had indicated, and pulled out a chair. It had a neatly folded white cloth on it. He reach down to move it out of the way, but his hand passed right through it. He jolted back, his feet leaving the floor for a brief second. His tail straightened out, but he quickly relaxed. This was just another delusion, and it wasn’t a bad one. Just a pile of folded cloth. He didn’t want Shade to hit him again though, so he rapidly thought up an excuse. “I heard a mouse.” He said, his earlier realization suddenly making an excellent excuse. “I think they have a little nest down there under the floorboards.”
He quickly and quietly moved to an adjacent chair and sat down.
Kitan’s feet scooted along the dusty floor, kicking up little clouds. As he entered the long forgotten building he shivered. It was only barely warmer in here, and it was only thanks to the fact that it shielded the wind that Kitan was glad to be inside at all. He compressed his ears against the side of his head, until a few moments later when he heard a rat skitter through the walls. His right ear flicked up to follow the noise, but he didn’t say anything. He had found out that people rarely liked knowing about rats, and there were almost always some in old houses. There were a lot of things people liked to ignore that his ears picked up.
It was kind of a creepy place, though Kitan couldn’t quite place why. It was probably just that nobody had lived there in years. Yes, that must be it.
He moved over to the table Drayel had indicated, and pulled out a chair. It had a neatly folded white cloth on it. He reach down to move it out of the way, but his hand passed right through it. He jolted back, his feet leaving the floor for a brief second. His tail straightened out, but he quickly relaxed. This was just another delusion, and it wasn’t a bad one. Just a pile of folded cloth. He didn’t want Shade to hit him again though, so he rapidly thought up an excuse. “I heard a mouse.” He said, his earlier realization suddenly making an excellent excuse. “I think they have a little nest down there under the floorboards.”
He quickly and quietly moved to an adjacent chair and sat down.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
"Not surprised." Shade grunted as he glanced around the house with a dull expression. "This place is old and not the best taken care of. I'm honestly surprised it's still standing. Actually, since Drayel and Jack live here... maybe they have some..."
Shade got up and began rooting through the cabinets, coming up with a wheel of cheese and some bread. Humming in pleased appearance he brought them to the table before going back and rooting through drawers until he came up with a deck of cards.
"So, arrizona Rummy or Go Fish?" He asked holding up the cards with a smug grin before wandering his way back to the table. "No gambling then Gia, we don't have much to play on anyway. Just for sport."
Shade got up and began rooting through the cabinets, coming up with a wheel of cheese and some bread. Humming in pleased appearance he brought them to the table before going back and rooting through drawers until he came up with a deck of cards.
"So, arrizona Rummy or Go Fish?" He asked holding up the cards with a smug grin before wandering his way back to the table. "No gambling then Gia, we don't have much to play on anyway. Just for sport."
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Gia sniffed - yep, she could smell mice. They made her want to hunt. Here and now was probably not the place, but she realized that she hadn't eaten in a long while and the wolf demanded calories. Her body ran hot and her metabolism ran quick... and mice, while tiny and tasting of chestnuts, sounded delicious and filling right about now. Well, a whole nest of them would be a snack, but it would be a welcome one. She could hunt later.
"I smell mice," Gia confirmed with a nod at Kitan. "If anyone is hungry I could get us a few," she offered, looking around. Shade was playing with cards and offering up games that Gia didn't know, so she merely shrugged and looked at the fox.
"I smell mice," Gia confirmed with a nod at Kitan. "If anyone is hungry I could get us a few," she offered, looking around. Shade was playing with cards and offering up games that Gia didn't know, so she merely shrugged and looked at the fox.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Kitan grinned and squirmed around in his seat. “Go Fish!” he said, a gleeful, childlike happiness filling his voice. His chair rattled as he jerked about.
The chair adjacent to him had been the one Gia had chosen to sit in, ignorant to the presence of the delusion. The white cloth slumped from the chair of its own power and fell to the floor moments before Gia would have come into contact with it, making not a single sound all the while. Kitan cautiously watched it out of the corner of his eye. It looked almost like there was supposed to be something living inside of it.
The little shifter dropped his head slightly and drew together his shoulders defensively. He waited for Shade to finish passing out the cards.
The chair adjacent to him had been the one Gia had chosen to sit in, ignorant to the presence of the delusion. The white cloth slumped from the chair of its own power and fell to the floor moments before Gia would have come into contact with it, making not a single sound all the while. Kitan cautiously watched it out of the corner of his eye. It looked almost like there was supposed to be something living inside of it.
The little shifter dropped his head slightly and drew together his shoulders defensively. He waited for Shade to finish passing out the cards.
Re: Farm of Hideaways
"Awright. Mice and go fish. Add a campfire and we have a regular ol' camp out." Shade chuckled as he passed the cards and rolled his eyes. "Too bad we're actually hiding."
He mused a little bit as he looked at his cards and made a face. No matches first round. Oh well, he was usually pretty good at this game anyway, the times he played with Rebbecca. Of course, he usually cheats and she was barely old enough to understand the rules but it was the win that counted.
"Awright, Gia your go first seeing how you're the lady of the bunch!"
He mused a little bit as he looked at his cards and made a face. No matches first round. Oh well, he was usually pretty good at this game anyway, the times he played with Rebbecca. Of course, he usually cheats and she was barely old enough to understand the rules but it was the win that counted.
"Awright, Gia your go first seeing how you're the lady of the bunch!"
Re: Farm of Hideaways
Gia looked at the cards passed to her in some confusion. When she said she didn't gamble, she really meant that she didn't know much about card games in general. She squinted at the different suits and colors and tried to hide her apprehension. Why would humans play a game about fishing when they could just regularly fish? That was more the wolf talking but maybe that just meant she'd been a wolf too long recently... Gia sighed and shrugged. "I have a black seven and a red seven, does that help anyone?"
Really, she should just stick to catching mice. Mice were uncomplicated.
Really, she should just stick to catching mice. Mice were uncomplicated.