DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games OAHE: Once upon an All Hallows Eve Parliament of the New Moon

Soot

She yawned, unimpressed by the tom's display. Boring. "If such had been sensed, such would have been said."

Did he think her a witless kitten to not have shared such information?

Shadow

He looked down at the speaker with disdain, closing his eyes disrespectfully.

"Useless. Now someone better able to do that will need to go out there instead."

>Seeker-On-High<

"Another perhaps in my case. Or incidental, caught up in the dangers. It's difficult to say. But a cat was drowned and now a water spirit haunts the place. There is a nasty smell to it."

Nastier still if there were more than one case. Much. It made him suspicious. His tail flicked in irritation at not spotting more, at not knowing answers rather than asking questions.

Bringer


He tended to agree with Shadow... it was an abomination, but he was not of the mercurial sort like Shadow, although he seemed to remember that, in his youth, he had been.

"Alas that you do not venture so far to have found it in the first place, for I'm sure you could look to the past for a quarter moon and more to gain such information and keep all safe."

The tone was bland as she spoke to Shadow. Very, very bland with little to no inflection.

Tiger-Lily



She is still, only her head and luminous eyes watching. There is danger here and unrest. Perhaps one causing the other. She is distressed by the news of cat sacrifices, her neck fur ridged as tension increases.

She is pleased to have the opportunity to be part of a community, to have that interaction and opportunity both to learn and to contribute. Where she was before, she was largely on her own - apart from her burden that is - but maybe was all the safer for that.

But this is not just about her.. it is about her kind.

"Were these ones that were killed small and young.. maybe more vulnerable? Could we try to teach and to protect others that might become victims?"

She is not sure if she should speak or not, nor if her idea has merit or will have support, but she won't learn by remaining silent.

Jezzabella

The old cat's keen eyes flashed as they watched the interaction. "If one cat young or old has been put in peril all are at risk. We have no knowledge of what has put our home in danger. This is more than just this time of year.

"It seems that we have multiple threats. We also have another concern. It has come to my attention that cats are being held in a place here in Silver Ford. Tiger-Lily our new addition has some experience with the kinds of places I am speaking about. As such I am asking for volunteers to lead a raid and help our brethren cats to escape. Tiger-Lily has graciously already volunteered to be a part of this mission." Her old yellow eyes sought like minded cats out in the gathering to perform the mission.

>Seeker-On-High<

That perked him up, even as a lack of support for action to deal with the water spirit had somewhat demoralized him. He had so hoped some of the bolder cats would take it as a challenge rather than a threat. This, though... This could be something that needed cleverness to work thru. And didn't expose his astral self to angry and wet spirits.

"What place? How many? And who is holding them? We could use allies if as much is going oddly as we've heard, and we could use an enemy lessened, too."

Jezzabella

"It is downtown behind the red building made of shaped blocks of stone. It has white painted walls and smells of all kinds of animals. The animals are kept in cages for a time and then they are killed. Sometimes a lucky one, like Tiger-Lily was in her last town, gets taken home by a new Burden.

"Sable can show you the building.

"Yes we can use allies especially in light of spirits crossing over like that wet spirit you found. We must combat them and prevent them from harming our Burdens." Her words were more forceful at the end of her statements, yet she coughed and sneezed as if it took something out of her.

>Seeker-On-High<

"We will free them anyway, but we should try to learn why this place is. It seems an odd thing, to gather many, give some new Burdens and then kill others. Capricious and random."

Which usually meant 'not studied enough'. Or so Seeker thought. But most cats seemed to think signs and books were just random scratches and markings, and he knew better. There might be patterns to this place as well.

Shadow

He looked from Soot to Jezebella to Seeker. Addressing the first,

"Probably not. I might have picked up a scent, but a seeker or namer would fare better. I am neither."

To the minister,

"The arrogance of the Burdens, presuming to constrain and take the lives of their betters as if we were like vermin for their entertainment. We must teach them their place: I will join this."

Finally, to Seeker,

"The dead, too, need to learn sharp lessons on staying that way. If that water thing means harm, I shall use it as a scratching post."

He lifted a forepaw, appraised it, flexed out each digit and claw, and idly cleaned the interstices.

Bringer


The big cat lifted himself and slowly stretched, head to stub tail, his head quivering slightly in concert with the waggle of his impressive stub.

"I, also, will join in on this."

She slitted her eyes in silent laughter before looking between Tiger-Lily and Jezebella.

"I would aid as I may. One could also return and disrupt the working described. I thought it should stay undisturbed until Parliament decided what to do with it. Should one who could looked to see what might be found if that was considered."

The dark protege Sable leaned in close to Jezzabella's ear and whispered, his pink tongue flicking quickly. She listened and nodded.

"We will not disrupt the working yet. More may be learned." She paused though to see if any other volunteers spoke up.

>Seeker-On-High<

That was the right decision, so it wasn't a problem at all, no need to argue against it (which would be useless anyway, once Jezzabella had decided). Investigation was called for, and that meant he was likely to be in demand. And, given the events in question, this was no time to preen.

"So, do we send back the water spirit first? It will likely be active even in the night, which those who imprison our brothers and sisters aren't likely to be."

Jezzabella

"In another day or so, it will be that time when the Burdens do other things than go to certain places. The mission to free our brethern will happen in two nights, a day the Burdens refer to as Saturday. Agreed night is the best time for their rescue.

"As far as the spirit. We need to learn more and then figure out a way to banish it without loosing our own. As you know spirits are much stronger in their place that we can access as Seeker has, but they usually have something that ties them to the place of our Burdens. We need to find out who the spirit was, or what it was, maybe its True Name so that our magics are more effective when the time comes to confront it. Hopefully in that investigation we will be able to find whatever it is that anchors it here and or what summoned it, and dispose of it."

>Seeker-On-High<

"Anyone who goes to explore the yard should be cautious. It left pools like pawprints along its path from the deep, dark pool it came from, and they looked like the same water it's made of. Touch them and it might know. But follow them back and we might learn more about it."

He would be cautious, but others... not everyone here took care to avoid a fight until ready to win it.

Tiger-Lily



"I am a warder with some skills in investigation. If you think I can help with the water spirit, I would be happy to help. I have some wareness of spirits and their like."

She does not want to push herself forward too much but at the same time she wants the others to know that she will help where she can.

"And I will be pleased to help rescue our kind from that awful place. I was in a similar place for several weeks.. locked up in a cage.."

Her voice is low at the end, losing freedom is a big deal for a cat.

Shadow

"If it can lose its substance, it can be made to lose more of it. I would be willing to see what secrets it can be made to spill when threatened with destruction. Whatever its name may be, I can Shape myself into its doom, known or unknown."

Shadow took great care to avoid fights he didn't think he could win. For some reason, this tended to come across as reckless belligerence at times.

Bringer


"And if one of us is able to determine its true name," the big cat said, "I can make use of it to punish the spirit."

He looked like he enjoyed the idea.

>Seeker-On-High<

"Then I think we have a full paw of a team," Seeker said, considering carefully lest he promise too much. "Do we need more? Or want for other preparations?"

He still hadn't stood, but looked down over everyone from the climbing set.

Tiger-Lily



She thinks she is included, leastways nobody has said otherwise. She waits to see if anyone else has anything to add but gets ready herself by standing and then stretching, forelegs straight and low, tail pointing at the sky.

Jezzabella

The old cat waved a paw. "Is that all the new business we need to take care of?" She waited a moment to see for sure.

Then providing there were no other cats that needed to make commentary, she nodded to Sable.

The haughty black cat moved forward and said "I will be organizing the team for the rescue. You have two days to get all the information you can on that place and bring it to me. We will hold a last minute planning session at my house," he paused for a moment "at our house," he corrected Saturday before the mission."

"As far as the spirit find out what you can and report to Jezzabella. We will deal with the spirit as soon as we have sufficient information. For that I appoint Seeker as the coordinator. He discovered the spirit and gains the right to investigate. Meet with him if you want to assist."

Then a swirl of his tail he walked off, not even giving anyone a chance to ask questions, nor with any regard to Jezzabella.

Terror of the Alley

The shadows shifted and large feline shape appeared out of them, walking forward to join the group. He didn't look around to see who was here or where they were, for he already had studied the situation, but instead nodded his respect to Jezzabella in somewhat noticeable contrast to Sable's less-than-gracious exit. He was a large male of many pounds of muscle and a striking mane of elegant fur.

"I did not hear the details, but all know they may rely on me if my skills are needed," he announced, settling in a spot near a pool of dark shadow.

Shadow

The ginger to watched the dark-furred feline bark out orders impassively, with exactly the same insouciance as if it were a Burden issuing the decrees. Still, given the need for cooperation and the fact he had skills uniquely suited to scouting, he resolved to be there two days' hence, with more information than that arrogant rival could dream of.