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Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

Unaware of her new royal title, she stalks our regally in the manner of all cats, tail high and swaying in time with her graceful walk, head up, her eyes straight ahead.

He is doing well. Now she has to protect him.

There is a scruffy area to the rear of the garden which can hopefully supply vermin for her wards. First things first. She reckons that she will need to place them around the house but not in obvious places. Burdens have a penchant for stupidly removing wards. These need to be longer term protection. She will need at least three, probably four.

Jayden


Shaking his head and scowling slightly, Jayden watched her out of sight, then closed the door and went back to his desk, his laptop and the persistently unimpressive web site for which he was responsible.

A few hours pass. Outside, Tiger-Lily accomplishes her arrangement of wards. The burden is as protected as she is capable of making him. In the process she had to fight off one threatening Tom who thought he should own the entire building of small burden homes. She informed him correctly, that was not the case.

There was nothing outside to indicate anything amiss, like there had been in the woods.

Inside the website continued to plague him as did the news ticker. Another day and no credible information about the missing boy. He had been missing over a week now. Hope was trending to a low point. No one honestly thought they could find him alive after all this time. But finding him was still the goal.

Jayden


He drummed on his desk with the eraser end of a pencil, not quite understanding why this one unknown child had become so important to him.

"Probably the damn cat's fault," he grumbled and then realized just how much time had elapsed since he'd let her out.

Jayden made his way to the door, opened it and looked around.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

She is not in sight and unaware of her burden's concern. She must report in all that she has seen so that others are aware and maybe they can do something about it.

She is planning on doing this fairly quickly and then going home to check on her burden. She has put protections in place but that does not mean her burden would stay within them!

The cat doesn't come when called, but that is not all that odd. Cats are notoriously fickle.

Where is Tiger going to make her report? Jezzabella's?

Jayden


Muttering under his breath, Jayden closed the door and went into his kitchen where he looked through the cabinets and the refrigerator. After a few moments of consideration, he made himself a sliced turkey and cheese sandwich with mayo on whole wheat bread, took a beer from the refrigerator and sat at the table.

"Damn cat," he muttered as he took his first bite.

[OOC Yes Jezzabella's unless she meets one of the group en route ]

[OOC: We will do it here, to give Ex something to read. :)]

The trip across the dozen or so streets and four or five other cat's territories goes well. Most are dealing with other incursions and don't notice her. Soon she finds herself at the door of Jezzabella's burden's home. The old cat is lying in the window looking like she is asleep as Tiger-Lily approaches.

Tiger-Lily

She meows softly in respect, a little like a burden's clearing of the throat to get attention.

Whilst waiting she considers what she has come to say.

Jezzabella

Before she has a chance to meow the old cat says "what brings you hero of the animals?"

Tiger-Lily

She blinks twice.

Hero?

Perhaps she is referring to the escape she helped with? Either way she is not taking on another name or titled just now. She has too many already.

"Leader, I come with news. My burden took me on a journey which ended at the woods not far from here. There were other burdens there all wearing the same clothes. My burden and I walked a little further in. My burden seems to have been looking for something so I decided to scout the area too. I came across some bones. My nose told me they had been used in magic but didn't seem to be active. I disrupted them just to be sure. Just after than, the day started to turn to night far too early, a chill was in the air suddenly and it felt like a power was gathering. My duty was to my burden and so I ran into undergrowth and managed to make a ward. Whether that had an effect or something else occurred but the bad effects went away. I lead my burden back to his metal thing and left him safe where we live whilst I came here to report."

She waits whilst Jezzabella thinks it through.

Jezzabella

The old cat's eyes flash open at the description but she doesn't move. A little tremor occurs in her tail as she considers the words. "That bares further investigation. Could you tell if there were other workings nearby the one you found?" She looked like she knew the answer to that question, but she had asked in any case.

"We must find out what was wrought. Can you arrange for another trip to that location? I should go myself to investigate. I may do so tonight. But I will need further description so that I can find it."

Tiger-Lily

She hesitates, not yet sure enough of herself to make quick suggestions.

"Perhaps I could take you, maybe some of the others also, tonight?"

Jezzabella

"I think just myself for now. This sounds too important to take too many till we learn more. Meet me here after sundown?"

TIGER-LILY

She reasons that JessaBella is their leader and therefore knows what she is talking about. That, and it is a privilege to accompany her.

"Yes, of course, I'll return then."

She hopes she doesn't sound too eager.

Time agreed upon, and meeting set, Tiger is on her own for a few hours. Just past dark she is to meet the old cat for her excursion.

Tiger-Lily

She returns home, accessing via the small window and goes to find her burden to make sure he is OK. Once reassured she will find a comfortable spot and get some sleep in preparation for the woodland escapade tonight.

The occasional half-open eye allows her to judge the light so that she is ready to return to Jezzabella at the appointed time.

Jayden


Somewhat reassured now that the cat was back, Jayden stretched out on the sofa and was soon snoring lightly.

Time passed.

Jayden spent much of the time running through dark sinister woods with fear clutching at his heart. Almost as if he were a little boy again.

One dream was trying to wake his sister over and over again, to no avail.

Dizzy noted her burden's sweaty brow and tossing from the evil dreams.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

She is concerned about her burden's state of mind and doesn't want to leave him unprotected. She heads out to create another ward or fetch one of the others inside, her intention to hide it under the sofa.

Jayden


He suddenly sat bolt upright on the sofa and looked wild-eyed around the room, but it wasn't clear whether he was awake.

"Sis! Wake up! Sis!"

Then Jayden slumped back down on the sofa.

[OOC Nice.]

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

She is just heading back with a mouse in her mouth, creeping along in super-stealthy mode so as not to wake her burden when he suddenly yells. Back arched, she leaps backwards startled, side on to him, ready to defend herself. When all subsides moments later she shakes herself and heads around the back of the sofa to cast her ward.

The working was easy enough. Soon the evil sofa was protected.

Jayden woke from his nap nit feeling refreshed. In fact he felt like he had just finished a long run.

Outside the window the afternoon crept into evening.