HPU - Richmond Acres

[Hlaoroo]

"Quite right, Kilo, quite right." John looks up at the large bookshelf and then systematically begins tugging on every single book and ornament thereon.

~~~~
Joan makes another snowball and throws it at Pyre.

~~~~
Flynn steps off the last step and onto ground level. "Nice. Any chance of a read? You know, I wish you could go outside so we could walk and talk properly. Ah well. Shall we have a game of something in here instead? Do you play chess?"

[Welsh Halfwit]

Leslie had the feeling of danger and twisted aside to avoid the projectile and, thus, made it hit him on the side of the head. He gave a yelp and fired off a snowball at a random person as, in a corner, Potato put the finishing touches to his first snowrat.
-------------------------------------------------
"It's fairly vexing, this hunting in the dark," Kilo complained from underneath the sideboard, "but often informative."

[Hlaoroo]

"Are you speaking of the literal or metaphorical dark, Kilo? I have a tiny torch on my keyring I reckon you could handle. Well, tiny for a human at any rate." Despite having removed and replaced half the items on the shelf, John hasn't found anything.

[Keeshah]

After the rangers have taken their leave, Senka pulls herself out of the recesses of solitude and walks over to the women and fox playing cards, still not saying a word.

"erm......" Nadia muttered , then turned to the cougar "you don't know anything about this "old maid" game thingy right ?"

Well then we will just have to play poker, you have anything we could use for chips?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where do you suggest we start looking, Doc?" Paul asks quietly when they reach the woods.

"That is....*sigh*....that is a good question" Doc replied , looking around that place . Just as he feared , the snow really did cover all the tracks ,making this nearly impossible "guess we'll just have to start somewhere" he said , casually walking into the woods

Im sure we just need to keep walking an they will find us.
Btw Paul, is that your squirrel way up in the big pine tree top?

[Welsh Halfwit]

"I fear I may mean both, John," Kilo complained as he moved under a lamp table.

[Hlaoroo]

"I have a packet of jelly-beans." suggests Samantha. "I was pulling your leg, by the way, Nadia. Old Maiden's a fun card game. Poker is good too though."

~~~~
"I... don't have a squirrel, Friday." answers Paul, confused.

~~~~
Joan stands up from making another snowball straight into the path of th echunk of ice winging from Leslie's paw. It smacks her fair in the face, knocking her onto her backside. Laughing, she throws her own snowball straight back at Leslie. Unfortunately, with the snow sitll in her eyes, it arcs towards Potato instead.

~~~~
"I'll get you the torch then." John leaves the room temporarily and returns a few moments later with his keys. He unhooks the tiny torch which is powered by a single battery and consists of a single LED light. Pressing the button on the end to light it up, he looks around for the mouse.
"Where'd you get to, Kilo? Find anything yet? I've got the torch for you."

[Serence Frostbite]

"I have a packet of jelly-beans." suggests Samantha. "I was pulling your leg, by the way, Nadia. Old Maiden's a fun card game. Poker is good too though."

"oh ! I erm......I knew that" Nadia said , trying her best to look casual , and DEFINITELY not blushing from the embarrassment.

~~~~

"I... don't have a squirrel, Friday." answers Paul, confused.

"What're you two talking about ?" Doc asked halfheartedly , still concentrating on looking for any sign at all , which was much harder because of all these snow.....but then , he caught something at the corner of his eyes , he immediately turned to that direction to see........nothing....

[69eist]

Elliot sits on Faust's back as they head to pick up Chip, Elliot lays his paw on the sink for Chip to climb.

"I don't think it's snowing anymore and the snow doesn't seem to deep. Faust can pull us on a sleigh."

"Yeah I can..... Wait a minute... Do you even know where the sleigh is Elliot?"

[Welsh Halfwit]

Joan stands up from making another snowball straight into the path of the chunk of ice winging from Leslie's paw. It smacks her fair in the face, knocking her onto her backside. Laughing, she throws her own snowball straight back at Leslie. Unfortunately, with the snow sitll in her eyes, it arcs towards Potato instead.

~~~~
"I'll get you the torch then." John leaves the room temporarily and returns a few moments later with his keys. He unhooks the tiny torch which is powered by a single battery and consists of a single LED light. Pressing the button on the end to light it up, he looks around for the mouse.
"Where'd you get to, Kilo? Find anything yet? I've got the torch for you."

Potato stood back, admired his creation and found himself piledriven into the snow by a snowball from one of the bigs. Life was white for a moment - which he thought kind of matched him - and he forced his way back up into the light. "I'm alright!" he declared in case anyone was listening.
------------------------------------------
"I'm under here, John," Kilo said, coming out from underneath a sideboard, covered in dust bunnies. "You no longer need to clean under there, I am happy to say," he said, not sounding happy at all.

Elliot sits on Faust's back as they head to pick up Chip, Elliot lays his paw on the sink for Chip to climb.

"I don't think it's snowing anymore and the snow doesn't seem to deep. Faust can pull us on a sleigh."

"Yeah I can..... Wait a minute... Do you even know where the sleigh is Elliot?"

"Probably down the cellar," Chip said breezily as she sat on Elliot's shoulder.

[LovingCorgi]

"Sure you can read it. I'll give it to you later today." Koa thought about the last time he played chess. "I can play it though I don't think I'm good at it."

---------------------
Kousa was enjoying herself outside with everyone.

[Esper]

Mercury was hit with a few more snowballs as he tried to stand, knocking him flat on his back again. The cat groaned, brushing the snow out of his eyes as he sat up, then stood, then formed a snowball, taking aim

[MrNeonShot]

Hutch got to his room to find nothing but a dog bed and a massive computer with 3 monitors.
Hmm... I think it needs decoration. Red string and papers over the wall. Hutch said.
I'm going to get you a better bed later, but for now, you can sleep on the couch. Christopher said.

[Keeshah]

"I... don't have a squirrel, Friday." answers Paul, confused.

Didn't you say that you were attacked by a squirrel with a bow?

"What're you two talking about ?" Doc asked halfheartedly , still concentrating on looking for any sign at all , which was much harder because of all these snow.....but then , he caught something at the corner of his eyes , he immediately turned to that direction to see........nothing....

I think Paul's assailant is hiding up in that tree..
the ranger looks around..
Keep cool were being surrounded.. I think we found who we were looking for.

[Serence Frostbite]

I think Paul's assailant is hiding up in that tree..
the ranger looks around..
Keep cool were being surrounded.. I think we found who we were looking for.

Doc said nothing , only showed a hint of annoyance in his eyes as he took a look around. He was so concentrated on the tracks that he didn't even realize where they were . The team were now deep inside the densest part of the forest , or at least it seemed to be the case . The trees were much bigger , more than anything he had ever seen . And they were so close to each other , so much that there leaves let very little light pierce through . But at the same time , they could still see everything just fine . And among those trees.......hundreds , no ,thousands silhouettes all around them , of all kinds of creatures big and small , birds , squirrels , weasels , even canines and big cats . None of them could be clearly seen though , just , there shadows , stood there , watching them......
Finally , after what seemed like an eternity of silence , they all spoke . So many voices , of so many creatures , the old , the young , males , females , all in union and harmony , creating one single voice , not of malice , nor of malevolence , only calmness , and peace
"Good humans came ! And brave wolf came too" they said , there might have been even some hint of joy in some of their voices as they mentioned the "brave wolf"
"But bad time this is . Good humans should not come now" they continued

[Keeshah]

Finally , after what seemed like an eternity of silence , they all spoke . So many voices , of so many creatures , the old , the young , males , females , all in union and harmony , creating one single voice , not of malice , nor of malevolence , only calmness , and peace
"Good humans came ! And brave wolf came too" they said , there might have been even some hint of joy in some of their voices as they mentioned the "brave wolf"
"But bad time this is . Good humans should not come now" they continued

Ok that is getting creepy.. So you going to go talk with your fellow ferals?
or do you wish to relinquish the leadership role to us mere humans??
The ranger whispers to the cringing lupine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kandi gathers up the supplies. an carries them out to be put away in the barn...
Ooww oww! You mean! that shot was HUGE!! Moonbeam is heard complaining a bit later..
Amidst Rockys horse laugh...

Kandi then returns, Having real plastic poker chips in red white and blue..
We playing? 5 card studs?

[Hlaoroo]

"Ah. Those chips will work better than jelly beans. Well, I'm up for anything. Do you know poker, Nadia or Senka?"

~~~~
Paul agrees with the wolf and the ranger and waits to see how Doc responds.

~~~~
"Beaut! Thanks! When will you give it to Mum and Dad? A-and I'm not very good at chess either so I think we'll be a good match. Want a game? Or do you have other plans?"

~~~~
"Sorry about that, Potato!" calls Joan, dodging another snowball. Hiding behind a small tree, she gives it a shove, dislodging the snow onto the closest pets.

~~~~
"Well. Thanks for cleaning that. It's just a fraction too short to fit the vacuum hose under. Did you find anything?" John picks a few of the largest bits of lint off the mouse and passes him the torch.
"I hope it's not too big or awkward for you." Having exhausted his search of the bookshelf, John begins to examine the fireplace and mantelpiece. The fire isn't lit in this room so John checks in there first on the off chance that he might find something. Poking his head into the chimney, he tests the bricks just inside it, having read in books that they can be loosened or removed to provide a good hiding spot. As he does, he also inadvertently knocks the handle controlling the vent, causing it to dump a cloud of soot on him. Coughing, and blackened, he retreats from the fireplace.
"No- *ahem* Noth-" he coughing a few more times, he manages to clear his lungs enough to speak.
"Nothing up there. Didn't really thing there would be but doesn't hurt to look. At least I now know that we need a chimney sweep. We must look a right pair, you and I, you with the dust and me with the soot." John moves on to examine the mantelpiece. At first he sees nothing, just a symmetrical pattern carved into the wood which supports the heavy beam on either side of the fireplace but as he looks, John notices a slight inconsistency between the two sides of the mantelpiece.
"Look at this, Kilo. Do you see what I see?" He offers the mouse his hand and once Kilo is safely ensconced on his palm, he lifts him to the level of the carvings and shows him the pair.

[Serence Frostbite]

"ok confession time!" Nadia said , raising both her arms "I have almost no knowledge of any of these card games"

~~~~~~~~~~~
"shhhhhh !" was all the answer the two men got from Doc , who's now having an even more serious look on his face . Something was off about all this , something just wasn't right , but for the life of him he couldn't tell what it was . He needed time
It was not long before they started to speak again
"Worry you should not ,good humans . For your intention is that of noble cause.But time is not right . Good humans are kind , but good humans do not know . Good humans could disturb . Lost should not yet be disturbed"

"Lost?"

[Keeshah]

"ok confession time!" Nadia said , raising both her arms "I have almost no knowledge of any of these card games"

We can teach you how to play. You should be a natural at this game, with all your bluffing and poker face.
Kandi pulls out the poker rules card from the cover sleve, and gives it to the foxy to read.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"shhhhhh !" was all the answer the two men got from Doc , who's now having an even more serious look on his face . Something was off about all this , something just wasn't right , but for the life of him he couldn't tell what it was . He needed time
"Lost?"

That's an easy one. You were born wild, but now your living with us, instead of out in the wild. hence you have become lost to them. Or maybe they believe you have lost your way, an should be sleeping out there in the mud, snow, cold and bugs with them.
The ranger turns to Paul.
I thought you and Samantha said only the pets could hear what the ferals were saying.

[Serence Frostbite]

That's an easy one. You were born wild, but now your living with us, instead of out in the wild. hence you have become lost to them. Or maybe they believe you have lost your way, an should be sleeping out there in the mud, snow, cold and bugs with them.

"And the disturb part?" Doc asked , raising an eyebrow , a little bit annoyed by what the ranger was suggesting

The ranger turns to Paul.
I thought you and Samantha said only the pets could hear what the ferals were saying.

"The eye speaks of ancient whispers . The eye grew distance from humans.As humans grew distance from us . We speak now of your voices , for no longer could you heed our own"

[Welsh Halfwit]

"Sorry about that, Potato!" calls Joan, dodging another snowball. Hiding behind a small tree, she gives it a shove, dislodging the snow onto the closest pets.

"No trouble, Miss Joan!" Potato called back as he got up and checked his snowRat was ok. Leslie yelped as a surprise load of snow landed on him. A snowball that had been headed Pyre's way now arced towards Kousa.

"Well. Thanks for cleaning that. It's just a fraction too short to fit the vacuum hose under. Did you find anything?" John picks a few of the largest bits of lint off the mouse and passes him the torch.

"Hmm?" Kilo mused as John picked the lint off and handed him the tiddly torch. "Oh thank you, my boy, thank you." He headed back under

"I hope it's not too big or awkward for you." Having exhausted his search of the bookshelf, John begins to examine the fireplace and mantelpiece. The fire isn't lit in this room so John checks in there first on the off chance that he might find something. Poking his head into the chimney, he tests the bricks just inside it, having read in books that they can be loosened or removed to provide a good hiding spot. As he does, he also inadvertently knocks the handle controlling the vent, causing it to dump a cloud of soot on him. Coughing, and blackened, he retreats from the fireplace.
"No- *ahem* Noth-" he coughing a few more times, he manages to clear his lungs enough to speak.
"Nothing up there. Didn't really thing there would be but doesn't hurt to look. At least I now know that we need a chimney sweep. We must look a right pair, you and I, you with the dust and me with the soot." John moves on to examine the mantelpiece. At first he sees nothing, just a symmetrical pattern carved into the wood which supports the heavy beam on either side of the fireplace but as he looks, John notices a slight inconsistency between the two sides of the mantelpiece.
"Look at this, Kilo. Do you see what I see?" He offers the mouse his hand and once Kilo is safely ensconced on his palm, he lifts him to the level of the carvings and shows him the pair.

"Ah!" Kilo said after looking the pair of carvings over. "They may well be identical but this one," he said, pointing to one, "shows a considerable amount more wear for the age than that one does, hmm?" He decided not to mention that the one he'd pointed at was also a little higher. Let John have his victories, he thought, he'd earned them.

[Kateleo007]

Blick was unsure about stepping off the porch and onto a snowball battlefield, but she gathers her courage and steps into the snow. She falls face-first into an unexpectedly deep drift. Blick stands up, but then sinks down to her shoulders. "IT'S EATING MEEEE!" she yelps. The more she struggled, the more stuck she became.

[Welsh Halfwit]

Leslie pushed his way through to Blick and helped her upright. "Itz OK miss Blick, Eye'll help."

[Keeshah]

That's an easy one. You were born wild, but now your living with us, instead of out in the wild. hence you have become lost to them. Or maybe they believe you have lost your way, an should be sleeping out there in the mud, snow, cold and bugs with them.

"And the disturb part?" Doc asked , raising an eyebrow , a little bit annoyed by what the ranger was suggesting

I think we have found the wrong group, I believe these are the ones who trashed Nadia's house.
So that would make the thing they don't want disturbed is Nadia's supernatural, wolf god spirit ghost thing.
She alone, was the one who contacted Samantha and Oreo. An only the pets could hear she or the others with her spoke.
But we all can hear this group speak.
Officer Friday whispers back to the wolf Doc

"The eye speaks of ancient whispers . The eye grew distance from humans.As humans grew distance from us . We speak now of your voices , for no longer could you heed our own"

Or you can't do that trick. the Ranger thought.
Since we can talk to one another now..

So why are you after Nadia the fox? What crimes has she committed among the animal-kind?
Also would you know the whereabouts of her Owner? Or who might have had ransacked her home?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Meanwhile back in Oreo's home.~~~~~~~~~~~

Oreo was being hand fed bites of pizza, since his arms were too short to reach around the pink E=collar he was wearing.
Oh I have one more thing for you Oreo.
Mr.Norton pulls out a 1 1/2" wide. Lavender collar, with artsy reflective slashes along it's length. His rabies tag, Vaccination and medical info tag, An his lime green skunk shaped pet license tag. hanging from the D-ring.
You ready to become an official legally owned pet?
Oreo waddles slowly over. Ooo oww oo Ahh yes i am.
Standing up straight and proudly to be collared.
Mr.Norton fits the collar around his neck, feeding the end into the buckle..
That's not too tight is it?
No not at all..
He then closes the buckle down, the locking mechanism "clicking" into place.
There you go then my pet.

Oh one more important thing the vet told me as we were leaving..
You can never bite or nip a human! Not ever, no matter what might have happened.
Umm ok..
I really mean it Oreo.. if you bite a person, they will have to put you to sleep forever, to test you for rabies. There is no rabies vaccination made specifically for skunks, So they had to use a broad species one to protect you from getting it. An that meant they don't guarantee you can't contract it, or become a carrier of the disease.
He reaches over and rubs the top of Oreo's head.
Don't worry too much over it, you fox friend Nadia is also under the same restriction about biting people.
AN you can still bite another pet if you really have no other choice but too.
Uh Hah.. So many rules and restrictions to learn about being a pet..
He says struggling with trying to learn how to drink with a straw. Slurrrrrop!

[Esper]

Mercury moved into a pitching stance right before lobbing a snowball at Joan

[MrNeonShot]

Hutch was asleep on the couch now, dreaming about random things in mind.
Christopher was busy with Hutch's paperwork when Roo stepped back in the room.
She walked over to the sleeping dog and rubbed his head affectionately.
mm...Ore... he moaned.
Roo smiled.
Have fun, Hutch. Its been a great ride. Roo said, going to her pack and tapping on Christopher's shoulder.
Christopher, its time for me to head to the airport.
Oh... Christopher checked his watch, then picked up his phone.
I hope its not too early to ask Mr. Nordic for some help. I only just met him. Christopher messaged Cloe and Mr. Nordic on facebook to call him, leaving his phone number in the message.
Now we wait for him to call.

[hypernovatic]

Pyre makes a snowball and chucks it at Mercury.

[Keeshah]

Oh... Christopher checked his watch, then picked up his phone.
I hope its not too early to ask Mr. Nordic for some help. I only just met him. Christopher messaged Cloe and Mr. Nordic on facebook to call him, leaving his phone number in the message.
Now we wait for him to call.

Hello? you said to call, how can i help you?
Cleo answers, the facebook message

[Hlaoroo]

"My thoughts exactly." John runs his finger over the worn carving and then presses in the centre of it. There's a pronounced click and then a sliding sound can be heard as a counterweight drops inside the wall, followed by a second click which is almost masked by the thud of the trapdoor swinging home. John turns around to see the lounge room floor as smooth and solid-looking as if the tunnel had never been dug.
"Ha! We did it! There it is!"

~~~~
Joan gets hit in the back of the head and shrieks, laughing, as the snows slides down her neck and shirt.
"I'll get whoever through that!" she jokes, throwing a handful of snow in Mercury's direction.

~~~~
Paul stays silent and alert.

~~~~
"Really I should be catching up on paperwork but I won't tell Paul if you three won't." Samantha grins as she pops a jelly bean into her mouth.

[Serence Frostbite]

"Really I should be catching up on paperwork but I won't tell Paul if you three won't." Samantha grins as she pops a jelly bean into her mouth.

"sure , why not . Beside I have nothing else to do aside from maybe learning these games now anyway"
~~~~~

I think we have found the wrong group, I believe these are the ones who trashed Nadia's house.
So that would make the thing they don't want disturbed is Nadia's supernatural, wolf god spirit ghost thing.
She alone, was the one who contacted Samantha and Oreo. An only the pets could hear she or the others with her spoke.
But we all can hear this group speak.
Officer Friday whispers back to the wolf Doc

" supernatural wolf god spirit ghost thing ? what the howl are you even talking about ?" Doc asked , clearly annoyed , then gave Paul a quick glance "Seriously , what is he talking about?"

Or you can't do that trick. the Ranger thought.
Since we can talk to one another now..

So why are you after Nadia the fox? What crimes has she committed among the animal-kind?
Also would you know the whereabouts of her Owner? Or who might have had ransacked her home?

We seek not of the guardian's pain , for no crime has the young one committed , only mistakes . Came to no harm , her companion has , for bad men have failed their intentions. Those of whom you seek , good humans , are here now . But bad men shall not leave , bad men stay , their light shall shattered , like that of the restless ones ,of whom they have brought , of whom essences tainted our home.

[LovingCorgi]

Koa thought for a second "Any special days of theirs coming up? Because its something I don't normally do and I want to give it as a special present. The plans I had for today were ruined when I woke up to snow, so playing chess or going down that hole are really the only things I have to do today."

[Hlaoroo]

"He thinks these aren't working with the wolf we were trying to track. They did just say they have Josh though but they could be bluffing..." Paul mutters to Doc.

~~~~
"Do you want to try going for a little walk again before we do, Nadia? You don't have to go far, just around the room, just to see how you go." queries Samantha.

~~~~
"Comin' up? I don't think so... It was their anniversary two days ago so it cold be a late present for that. Their birthdays aren't for a while though. I'm sure it'll be very special whenever you give it though." Flynn leads the way down the hall and into his room and pulls out a stack of games from his shelf.
"The chessboard is in this pile somewhere. If there's something else that takes your fancy we could play that too. Has the numbness worn off yet?"

[Welsh Halfwit]

"My thoughts exactly." John runs his finger over the worn carving and then presses in the centre of it. There's a pronounced click and then a sliding sound can be heard as a counterweight drops inside the wall, followed by a second click which is almost masked by the thud of the trapdoor swinging home. John turns around to see the lounge room floor as smooth and solid-looking as if the tunnel had never been dug.
"Ha! We did it! There it is!"

"Wonderful!" Kilo agreed, clapping his handpaws together. "We've saved us from the potential disaster that, uh, Potato and I caused."

[LovingCorgi]

"Its starting to, but unfortunately its taking longer than it should it should should have disappeared by now, which means only half of the overall experiment was a success." Koa pulled his laptop out and brought up his story. "I need to send this in to my friend back a Hawaii so that he can edit it as well as publish it for me. he should have it back to me within the next month or two."

----------

Not noticing the snowball flying towards her Kousa is hit in the back and immediately feels a cold chill going down her back. "COLD!!" she turns around and notices the little cat helping Blick "Did you throw that you mischievous little kitten... Lets see how you like it." Kousa makes a large ball and begins rolling it up to get bigger and bigger. Eventually it became a large ball and she began rolling it towards the kitten. "I'm going to bulldoze you! Here I come!"

[MrNeonShot]

Hullo, Mrs. Cleo. It's me, Christopher, from the vets. Well, I have an errand to run, and I'd much rather not keep Hutch moving around. Do you think you and Mr. Nordic could watch Hutch while I'm at the airport? It should only take... Christopher looked at Roo for a moment.
An hour or so. Hutch's sister is flying to the milit'ry, and I need to drop her off.

Hutch rolled over and clutched the pillow in his arms.

[Welsh Halfwit]

Leslie looked up after assisting Blick, just in time to take a snow steamroller that rolled over him, pushing him to the ground and leaving him soaking and laughing after it moved off his head. "That wazn't funee!" he laughed.

[LovingCorgi]

"Then why are you laughing" Kousa giggled.

[Welsh Halfwit]

"Nurves?" Leslie asked, trying to get up. "Yew're way stong."

[hypernovatic]

Ryze got down into the snow until her eyes were just above the snow. She silently got behind Kousa. She jumped out of the snow and tackled Kousa. Pyre made a snowball and threw it at Leslie.

[Esper]

Mercury was pelted with another round of snow that knocked him to the ground again, where he got muddy

[Serence Frostbite]

"He thinks these aren't working with the wolf we were trying to track. They did just say they have Josh though but they could be bluffing..." Paul mutters to Doc.

"I guess that is a possibility"
~~~~~~~

"Do you want to try going for a little walk again before we do, Nadia? You don't have to go far, just around the room, just to see how you go." queries Samantha.

"hm.....how about....yeah sure , why not" the fox answered ,clumsily tried to stand up , and almost lose balance