Do you mind me asking why you still carry it? Speedy asked nicely trying not to push any personal boundaries. Snowy just stood nearby looking interested.

Tesla nervously shrank back when they asked her name, not that she had an issue with it, but she was a bit unnerved at how they'd managed to hear her when she got real quiet. "M-my na-" She started before suddenly stopping as one of her ears shot up.



"T-Tesla..." She finished, putting her ear back down. "Sorry, there's an unknown flying person, I'd rather not be in plain sight when they come in for a landing." She said as she quickly turned and went running back to the rock she was sitting on, hiding behind it when she got there.

Callie looked at Tesla confused and a little bit worried before turning back to the new pets, Pleasure to meet you both, I'm Kallie.

Joe gave a quick nod to acknowledge them I'm Joseph, and no offense but I'm gonna go check on Tesla
he walked over and kneeled down next to her, you okay Tesla?

Ryan looks at the mask again, giving it yet another check over.

"Oh well I keep it mainly as a momento, something to hold on to."

Ryan tries not to act more nervous than he probably already seemed, it seemed like a mix of flatteration of someone actually being curious in a creepy object as such and also curiosity in why they wanted to know this stuff.

"A memento of what?" Maria asked. "Usually mementos have emotional significance."

Ryan gets a shocked look, more shocked that he didn't say the right lie.

"Oh uhh well uhh it has some significance you know in a uhh odd way...."

His voice trailing off a bit, and he looks back down at the mask wondering if he should just come clean, and without him knowing it his tattoo started to show from an unlucky wind shift, moving his fur a bit to show it.

Speedy listening intently noticed something on his leg. Hey, what's that on your leg? She asked Ryan pointing at it. Whoa it looks like some kind of code! Snowy added once he saw it clearly.

Mr. Eagle not knowing what was unfolding beneath him, said I'm going to fly ahead and greet them, just keep going straight and you'll see them soon. Then he took off kinda fast towards the other group.

Ryan was completely caught off guard by this and immediately covered the mark reading USSR.E 789, a tattoo given to him by the scientists to ID him in case anything went wrong or he escaped, but he was holding his mak in one paw and covering the tattoo with the other while still walking it made him look a little awkward, but he knew he couldn't hide it since they plainly saw it, so Ryan figured he'd have to come clean atleast with this secrete.

"Well when I was in the labs the scientists there gave me this permanent tattoo so they could ID if something happened, and i've already tried getting it removed it doesn't come off its like its painted deep into the skin"

Ryan gets really nervous but uncovers the tattoo, wondering how they would judge a pet with a tattoo especially one as odd as this one.

Speedy could sense his nervousness about this matter and tried to comfort him, Hey, it's alright. This scar here, she pointed to the one on her arm. Is from when i was shot at right after they killed my mother. And this scar, now pointing at Snowy's eye. Is from when i attacked him the first time i met him. So don't worry we won't judge you.

"We all have our little secrets that make us unique," Maria said.
"That we do," Metro added, pulling shiny gold coin out of his collar and tossing it in the air in front of him.
the glint caught Maria's eye and her eyes lit up with excitement. "SHINY!" she yelled, jumping off of Metro's back and doing a roll as she landed on the ground after catching it.
She looked mortified. "Why would you do that, Met?"
"just trying to help him feel at ease," the Lion laughed. "I think you're cute when you do that."
She blushed and angrily climbed back to Met's shoulder and sat there brooding in her embarrassment.

Ryan tried his best not to laugh as it would've been extremely rude but lets out a grin as he actually for once was taking comfort in their company, so this put him at ease a bit though hearing about Speedy's mother really saddened him but tried to be as sympathetic as he could.

"I-I'm sorry to hear that, I dont remember my parents but from what I heard from others at the labs I faired better than they did.

Ryan tries put the thought out of his mind as he now knows what the scar on Snowy's eye was and that Maria loved shiny things and these again made him feel at home.

"Thanks Maria though some secretes are best left buried, but I guess I only have my Domestication to give my thanks to the Vrach"

Ryan tries to make this sound as reassuring as possible even chuckling a little at the ironic behavior of what he said.

"Nice to meet yo..." Lux began when she suddenly ran away "What was that about?" he asked confused.
Nox bonked him lightly on the head "You going deaf with both years, buddy?" he grumbled "There's some kind of flyer landing somewhere nearby"
Then they saw a Lynx and a Jackal who quickly came to them.


"Nice to meet ya. Name's Nox." The Black Panther replied.
"Hello and don't mind Mr. Grumpy, miss Kallie." Lux smiled "I am Lux!"


Nox nodded at Joseph.
Lux didn't hear a thing from what the canine said, although he did acknowledged that the Jackal spoke "Sorry, can you repeat that?" He said, but then noticed the canine heading in the direction the small fox went just a minute ago "What was that?"
The black panther bonked him once more "It's called a Jackal, Mr. Deaf and he introduced himself as Joseph and went to check on the fox." he glanced at the Lynx "Sorry you had to see that, miss, but his right ear is almost deaf."

Hello down there! Mr. Eagle called as he came in for a landing on a small tree. I am Mr. Eagle, and who are you? He said to the two large cats, and one smaller cat.




Yeah see we all have our little secrets, some more funny than others. Snowy finished that sentence with a chuckle still thinking of Maria. But seriously, if your past is too personal then we will respect your limits. Snowy said strongly.

"Thank you"

Ryan tried to give a warm smile as he started to put away the gasmask into the pack again, then sling the pack back over his shoulder, he then continued to walk with the group as they continued on their way to the other pets.

"So should we run the rest of the way? this walking is getting boring."

I guess we could but I don't think Ryan would be up for more running after his spill. Also, I don't want to lose to Speedy again. Snowy said to Met.

Hey, i heard that. I'm not going to sprint only a light jog! Speedy replied.

Ohhh, than i guess i can beat you there if you jog. But i had a better idea while you were talking, Me and Maria should race in the trees, and Metro and you should race on the ground.

Sounds fun, but what about ryan?

He can go with you two. What do you guys think?

Ryan smiled a bit from what almost seemed like a challenge, he wa actually feeling alot better and since he was a little more comfortable he felt he could really cut loose, in prep he starts stretching his arms and popping all those joints

"Definitely, if you two think you can keep up?"

Ryan said that last aprt a little jokingly knowing they might outrun him, but he wasn't that old he just hadn't in his time been much of a runner since the labs but he was ready.

Me, keep up with you? More like the other way around! Speedy said mocking Ryan.

"I think you're at a bit of a disadvantage, Ryan," Metro said, grinning.

Ryan actually for once smiled and laughed a little at the challenges

"Ohh Challenge Accepted!"
Ryan started to situate his pack where it wouldn't get in the way when he ran, then started to walk and stretch everything getting ready




"Disadvantage?"

"I think he's saying you're going to lose," Maria chimed in, still a bit embarrassed from earlier. "Just prove him wrong."

Alright then are we ready? Ready, Set.... *RING RING* Speedy stopped as her phone rang and at the same time so did Snowy's. They both answered their phones and talked for a little bit, then hung up. Uh, Sorry guys but we have to go now, it's very important, Dennis needs us, So bye, we'll see you another time. And with that they both took off for home at a fast pace.

Tesla just silently nodded as she waited for the flying one to land.


Letting out a sigh of relief, Tesla walked out into the open holding her journal as she cleared her throat. "I'm Tesla." She said clearly and loudly to the assumed Eagle, knowing better than to ask the name of someone who gave a vague name. She shrank back down from her false confidence, which would be easily picked out since her ears were plastered to her head the whole time.

"Oh uhh ok, well uhh should we still have the race or....."

Ryans voice trailing off, he was a littl curious what caused them to leave like that but he put it aside, if he was going to race he needed to focus on that.

"I say yes. But the tree race is off, so Maria can just hold on to my back."
Maria held on. "alright, you can go whenever."

Mr. Eagle noticed Tesla's hesitation.
"Relax, I won't hurt you."

Ryan gets into position

"Ready...Set...GO!

Ryan immediately bolted down the path, trying to go as fast as he could and this time paying attention to the surrounding trees not wanting another accident.

Met took off with all the speed of a lion on the savannah. he was only slightly hindered by the trees.
When they got close to where the other pets were, he was about to pass Ryan.
"Watch out, Met"
"huh?"
then the lion did an almost perfect replay of Ryan's earlier wipeout, landing on his back with Maria having jumped to the branch that he had just run into.

Ryan wouldn't have noticed Metro's fall if he didn't hear the branch and a loud oof but Ryan felt come compasion and stopped in his tracks then ran back to lend a paw to Metro.

"Hey you ok?"

"yeah, I'm fine. I should have been watching where I was going."
"Guess the universe was getting you back for earlier," Maria said, laughing.
Met stood up and reoriented himself.
"Well, the other pets should be just up ahead. Should we just walk the rest of the way?"

"Yeah we can walk it, though I guess this forest just has it out for runners"

Ryan started to walk along the path again trying to see if he can see any new pets.

Lux shook his head "Not an injury. I was born that way. I'm an Albino cougar."

Nox turned to the Eagle. The black feline said nothing, just nodded at the bird.

Lux shrugged and smiled "Only a minor inconvenience, that's all. I learned to live with it." He pointed at Nox "The black doofus here loves to annoy me with that."
"Oi!" Nox called "Don't give up secrets!"

(OOC: Seth, where's Kallie's color?)

"Ever since we met in a container after being kidnapped from our natural environment." Lux replied "We pretty much grew together, spare for an year of being separated... but you have no choice in the black market..." his ears fell flat as he added the last part.
Nox only nodded to that.

"Nice to meet you too, Joe."

the eagle nodded back.
Met followed, with Maria going on ahead through the trees.

"No rings on our side, just being pretty much constantly sold here and there. One of our most recent buyers was a nice rich young man, who was intending to train and release us in the wild. Yet he got..." Lux coughed, shrugging and intentionally skipping the word. Nox shrugged himself. "... by a ruthless Crime-lord. Then he was brought to justice by our Father."

Ryan kept walking for a little bit staying completely silent until it seemed he could hear talking not too far away, he started to get a little nervous now, having to meet even more pets, but he continued on.