Housepets!

"Then we should probably find him to put your mind at ease," Samuel said in his best attempt to comfort Taku.\
He wasn't the best at providing comfort.

Taku thought for a second, then shook his head, "Uh... No... We need to go tell Jack. Jack will know what to do..." He started walking straight towards the ranger's station, "C'mon, he lives this way. If dad's in trouble he'll be able to do something about it..."

Samuel followed Taku, hoping things would turn out for the best. His mind wandered back to his own Kits, growing up without a father. "I sincerely hope you're father is safe. I left my own Kits with my mate in the den... I doubt they will ever see their father again."

Taku glanced back at him, "Oh... I'm... Sorry to hear that..." he really didn't know very much about having children, and really wasn't sure what to say. He sighed, "Well... Dad can take care of himself, I'm sure he's fine..." He unconsciously quickened his pace a little though, despite saying that...

"I suppose. After all, he has people to live for."

Taku gave a slow nod, though he wasn't quite sure what Samuel was talking about. He continued on, "Well... Jack's pretty capable, and him and my dad have those "radio" things with them, so he can help us find him quickly..."

RockstarRaccoon wrote: Rikki blinked at her, "Really? It's fun..." he didn't press it though, "Ok then... If you don't wanna swim, you mind taking my collar back down? Otherwise I'll have to come back up to get it... I always forget to take it off on the shore..." He gestured down at the collar he'd thrown down...

Lorna nodded, bending down and picking the raccoon's collar up before standing back up. "Yea, sure." She kept her eyes on Rikki, wanting to see him jump into the water.

"Alright." Rikki nodded, "Guess I'll see you on the shore..." He gave a wave as he backed up from the cliff, then dashed straight for its edge, getting a running start and leaping straight off the cliff, going straight into the water below. Under the water, he kept the downward momentum, swimming straight down...

RockstarRaccoon wrote:"Alright." Rikki nodded, "Guess I'll see you on the shore..." He gave a wave as he backed up from the cliff, then dashed straight for its edge, getting a running start and leaping straight off the cliff, going straight into the water below. Under the water, he kept the downward momentum, swimming straight down...

Lorna stepped closer to the edge and looked over, watching Rikki swim down further into the lake. After a few moments of watching his dark form in the water, she stepped back and turned around, making her way back down the hill.

Rikki swam downward, getting close to the bottom of the lake, then opened the vial in his hand and let the deep water into it, a few bubbles rising to the surface....

As Lorna entered the woods again to go around the bend, she heard the sound of a twig snapping and, without any more warning, a gray wolf walked absently out from behind a tree. The wolf froze, eyes locking in surprise on Lorna. It was a female, probably 2 or 3 years younger than Lorna, but she seemed a bit more worn, though definitely healthy. She stood there for a good moment, shocked, not saying anything...

(( You stop using IRC? ))

RockstarRaccoon wrote:Taku gave a slow nod, though he wasn't quite sure what Samuel was talking about. He continued on, "Well... Jack's pretty capable, and him and my dad have those "radio" things with them, so he can help us find him quickly..."

Samuel looked a bit puzzled. "What is a 'radio'? and how can it help us find your father? Is it some creature of which I am unaware?"

Taku shook his head, "No... It's like... This human thing, it's like a box, and it lets them talk to each other or something..." He thought about how to explain it, "Like... they press this button on it, and then you can hear them from the other one... I dunno... I don't understand how it works, I've never even used one. Humans make alot of weird stuff..." He shrugged it off and kept walking...

Samuel was just more confused. "I still do not understand this 'radio' of which you speak. Why would one press a fastener for clothing? And how can one hear something from a simple box?"

"'Fastener' for... Clothing?" Taku wasn't sure what Samuel meant, having never worn an article of clothing in his life. He shook his head, trying to explain, "No, you kinda push this little square that Jack called a 'button' on the side of this box thing, and it makes a little tweeting noise, and then you talk into it. Then the other one makes the tweeting noise and your voice kinda comes out of it. Like... Like calling at someone through a really long log...? I... don't know alot about it... Just that he can talk with my dad wherever he is, as long they both have them..."

RockstarRaccoon wrote:======== Brookshire Meadows ========
Sid stared, softening a bit. "Oh... Well..." he scratched the back of his neck, "I... I guess I can understand that..." He remembered that a year or two ago his own life was pretty horrible... He shrugged, "Don't s'pose you wanna talk about it...?"

Johnny's expression changed from slightly worried to stone cold and serious. He kept a more polite tone though "No, neither me nor my brother want to discuss the matter."
~~~~~~~~~~
Jack was calmly continuing massaging Mason, finishing his front side, but he in no way reacted to anything else around him.

RockstarRaccoon wrote:"'Fastener' for... Clothing?" Taku wasn't sure what Samuel meant, having never worn an article of clothing in his life. He shook his head, trying to explain, "No, you kinda push this little square that Jack called a 'button' on the side of this box thing, and it makes a little tweeting noise, and then you talk into it. Then the other one makes the tweeting noise and your voice kinda comes out of it. Like... Like calling at someone through a really long log...? I... don't know alot about it... Just that he can talk with my dad wherever he is, as long they both have them..."

Samuel was just getting more and more confused. "Soo... does it use birds to relay messages?"

"Uhh.... No... I don't think so..." Taku said, imagining little tiny bird zipping between the boxes, imitating voices as they repeated messages... He shook it off, "No... I've actually never seen anything go in or out of them, just heard them talking into them and voices coming out..."

"So voices emanate from a box with no natural explanation?" he asked, getting a bit worried.

Taku thought, "Uhh.... I guess... I mean, Jack as trying to explain something about "radio waves" and "magnets"... But you know, human stuff is really weird and unnatural anyway, so I kinda just... had no idea what he was talking about." he half-deadpanned the last bit. He gave a shrug, "I dunno how it works, I'm not a human." He turned around to walk backwards, gesturing down at himself, "See? I have fur. I don't need clothing to cover my weird furless body, I'm not naked without it."

Samuel grabbed Taku's shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Taku, I do not know how to tel you, but this 'Jack' and your father may be practicing witchcraft. If they get caught, they'll both be burned at the stake. Just tell me they haven't brought you into their Satan worshiping ways."
this was a bit awkward because both of them were still moving just as fast as they had been. Luckily they didn't trip over anything.

Taku stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Samuel with complete and utter confusion. He just stared at him, mouth hanging open slightly, drawing a complete blank. He'd never even HEARD of "Satan", whatever that was, and the only thing "burning at the stake" connected to in his head was offerings of wood to Father Sky for a good year, and his family wasn't even too into that. Finally, he just blurted it out: "Samuel, what the SMUT are you talking about?!"

RockstarRaccoon wrote:Rikki swam downward, getting close to the bottom of the lake, then opened the vial in his hand and let the deep water into it, a few bubbles rising to the surface....

As Lorna entered the woods again to go around the bend, she heard the sound of a twig snapping and, without any more warning, a gray wolf walked absently out from behind a tree. The wolf froze, eyes locking in surprise on Lorna. It was a female, probably 2 or 3 years younger than Lorna, but she seemed a bit more worn, though definitely healthy. She stood there for a good moment, shocked, not saying anything...

Lorna froze in place as she heard a twig snap, slowly lowering her foot to finish the step. She turned her head quickly and locked eyes with another wolf, gray and younger by the size. The older wolf wasn't sure what to say or do, she had never seen another wolf before. After what felt like a long passage of silence, but was probably only a minute, she spoke. "Er...Hi?"

RockstarRaccoon wrote:Taku stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Samuel with complete and utter confusion. He just stared at him, mouth hanging open slightly, drawing a complete blank. He'd never even HEARD of "Satan", whatever that was, and the only thing "burning at the stake" connected to in his head was offerings of wood to Father Sky for a good year, and his family wasn't even too into that. Finally, he just blurted it out: "Samuel, what the SMUT are you talking about?!"

"Witchcraft, black magic. Evil deeds that spit in the face of God. Anyone found guilty of this crime get taken away and sent to their dark lord, and they are ALL... FOUND... GUILTY!" Samuel was shaking Taku at this point. "And anyone who associates with them are hunted as servants of evil." He was still remembering the fresh wound of losing the kind woman to the flames of the trials, and the hunt that nearly killed him before he woke up here.

Taku just blinked, "What?? Magic?? But I...." He shoved Samuel off of him, staring at him as if he was a lunatic, "Samuel, are you out of your mind? Sent to a 'dark lord'? 'servants of evil'? This sounds like one of those crazy stories the humans tell each other!! And which 'god' are you even talking about? What crazy person is going to hunt them down over a talking box?!"

======== Near the Lake ========

Neko wrote:Lorna froze in place as she heard a twig snap, slowly lowering her foot to finish the step. She turned her head quickly and locked eyes with another wolf, gray and younger by the size. The older wolf wasn't sure what to say or do, she had never seen another wolf before. After what felt like a long passage of silence, but was probably only a minute, she spoke. "Er...Hi?"

The young wolfess blinked, tentatively raising a paw and giving a little wave, "Um.... Hi..." she blinked, standing her ground, unsure of the sudden appearance of a stranger, "You.... You don't live here... ...Who are you?"

Lorna stood her ground, not afraid of a younger wolf who would surely be weaker then her. "No, I don't. I'm Lorna, and I'm just passing through."

RockstarRaccoon wrote:Taku just blinked, "What?? Magic?? But I...." He shoved Samuel off of him, staring at him as if he was a lunatic, "Samuel, are you out of your mind? Sent to a 'dark lord'? 'servants of evil'? This sounds like one of those crazy stories the humans tell each other!! And which 'god' are you even talking about? What crazy person is going to hunt them down over a talking box?!"

Upon hearing "which god" Samuel remembered that a few of the older animals he knew were of a different religion. A religion that was not punished by some of the humans.
he calmed down a bit. "Tell me, is this area inhabited by the pagan humans?"

Taku blinked, still fully confused, "What? What's a... a 'pay-gun'?" he asked....


======== Near the Lake ========

Neko wrote:Lorna stood her ground, not afraid of a younger wolf who would surely be weaker then her. "No, I don't. I'm Lorna, and I'm just passing through."

The other wolf blinked, very unsure of the wandering animal, but tried to be polite with her, "My name is... Polaris..." she said, rubbing her paw on her side, taking a step forward before offering it, keeping eye contact...

RockstarRaccoon wrote:Taku blinked, still fully confused, "What? What's a... a 'pay-gun'?" he asked....

Of course he doesn't know that word... come to think of it, I don't even think I know that word. Where did it come from?
(OOC: because I just realized I don't think pagan was a word back then. so his magic must have picked it up somewhere.)
"nevermind, let us forget this incident and continue on our way."
Though I must be wary. If this is witchcraft, I can't go exposing myself to it.

Lorna watched the other wolf rub their paw against her side before offering it to her. "Nice to meet you Polaris," switching Rikki's collar to her left hand, she outstretch her right and shook the wolf's paw.

Polaris jumped, yanking her paw back when Lorna grabbed it, "Wha? What are you doing?!" she asked with surprise, completely unfamiliar with the gesture...


======== Closer to the development ========

RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:"nevermind, let us forget this incident and continue on our way."
Though I must be wary. If this is witchcraft, I can't go exposing myself to it.

"No," Taku said, holding his paws up, "Not until you explain to me what you're going on about!" The fox had gone completely bonkers on him for a moment there, and he wasn't sure if it was something odd from the distant culture or the fox was just a lunatic...

RockstarRaccoon wrote:"No," Taku said, holding his paws up, "Not until you explain to me what you're going on about!" The fox had gone completely bonkers on him for a moment there, and he wasn't sure if it was something odd from the distant culture or the fox was just a lunatic...

"before I woke up here I was being chased through the woods, fearing for my life because I was nursed to health by a woman who was suspected of practicing the black arts and I fear it may happen again. Is that a good enough an explanation?" Samuel was a little annoyed. to be fair, a lot has happened to him.

"'Black arts'?" Taku said, bewildered, "What does that even.... Wait... Anubis is black," he gasped, "They're not gonna kill Anubis now, are they?! He's my friend!!" Taku started freaking out too...

RockstarRaccoon wrote:"'Black arts'?" Taku said, bewildered, "What does that even.... Wait... Anubis is black," he gasped, "They're not gonna kill Anubis now, are they! He's my friend!!" Taku started freaking out too...

Samuel facpalmed. This is a very frustrating situation for both parties involved. "No, it has nothing to do with actual color. Black means evil in this instance."

RockstarRaccoon wrote:Polaris jumped, yanking her paw back when Lorna grabbed it, "Wha? What are you doing?!" she asked with surprise, completely unfamiliar with the gesture...

Lorna jerked her paw back in surprise, raising a brow at the strange gray wolf. "I was just shaking your paw to greet you, what don't you get?"

Polaris blinked in confusion, "Shaking... Shaking my paw...?" She had no idea what the strange wolf was talking about, "What... why would you do that? I was giving you mine so you could smell it..." She looked at Lorna long and hard, "Are... Are you one of the animals from..." she struggled to pronounce it, "'york-shy-are'...?" She knew those animals could be pretty weird...

---- At the lake, right by there ----
Rikki surfaced, getting a good breath, holding his head above the water as he held the full vial. He sighed, letting himself float onto his back so he could take a quick break before paddling back to shore...


==== Near Brookshire Meadows ====

RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:Samuel facpalmed. This is a very frustrating situation for both parties involved. "No, it has nothing to do with actual color. Black means evil in this instance."

Taku blinked, "'Evil'? So... You mean, like bad people....?" He calmed down a bit, thinking about it... "Uh... I dunno about anyone being evil around here... I mean... Dad said something about humans being evil this one time, but he sometimes gets into rants..." he shrugged, then looked at Samuel, drawing a blank, "Wait... How do you know if someone's 'evil'?" Taku actually had never thought about this concept...

RockstarRaccoon wrote:Taku blinked, "'Evil'? So... You mean, like bad people....?" He calmed down a bit, thinking about it... "Uh... I dunno about anyone being evil around here... I mean... Dad said something about humans being evil this one time, but he sometimes gets into rants..." he shrugged, then looked at Samuel, drawing a blank, "Wait... How do you know if someone's 'evil'?" Taku actually had never thought about this concept...

Samuel opened his mouth and began to answer, but stopped and thought a little. "That's actually a good question. I guess if they hurt people, but none of the people that were burned seemed like they'd hurt anyone. hmm."

Taku thought about it hard too, "Hmm... Well... Jack gave Rikki this charm this one time, and said that it would protect him from evil... I think they said it was magic..." He snapped his fingers, "That's it! Jack knows magic, and he knows all about evil! I bet he'll know who's gonna be burned at the stake!" He grinned in triumph! Then stopped... "Wait... Wait.... This is crazy!" he flailed his arms, realizing that he'd been sucked into the lunacy as well!

"So he does use magic. I can't be party to magic, it is evil, even if some are misled to believe otherwise. However, this means this Jack may simply be misled. I will go with you to show him the errors of his ways."

Taku blinked. He was now thoroughly convinced that Samuel was completely bat-dropping insane. However, they had a job to do right now, "You know what? You're most definitely out of your mind, but that's ok man, so is pretty much everyone around here." He turned and started walking again, waving it off, "Let's just... Go tell Jack about the wolf, then you can do whatever...."

"Yes, we must be sure your father is safe." he said as he followed after the Taku again.