Post by Helix Alexius on Feb 6, 2009 12:03:31 GMT -5
Well, today could have gone...Better; if he had chosen to sleep in and ignore the Captain's stupid orders to find the charts the great oaf had lost, perhaps he could have just gotten a nice little berth in a tavern and drunk himself senseless.
...Or the day could have just not gone at all, really, if he'd let himself drown: either way, being kicked off of the ship was no laughing matter for the embittered and embarrassed tomcat that strode along the dusty path, overlarge ears plastered flush with his skull and paws in sodden pockets, no longer caring if his tail dragged in the earth behind him.
The usually clean, pearly-grey sheen of his shaggy coat was, for the most part, an unflattering shade of gritty brown as the result of dirt and dust from the path having seemed to get glued to damp fur (not that he would ever admit to tripping as often as he had), with the singular exception being a crimson stain under his nose where he had been punched. Indeed, tufts of his fur still stuck in odd little peaks, crusted by seasalt and shaped by the winds, making him look more like a frowzy kitten than a skilled sailor. Jobless, shipless and stranded in foreign territory, there was not much to be done but explore the landscape, and particularly the intriguing fort he had spotted that morning. Shaking a footpaw with distaste at the water that squelched so annoyingly in his boots, Helix Alexius sighed to himself and wandered on with a walking mannerism more likened to dogs than cats.
Not too much later, and a familiar weight settled squarely on the feline's head, preceded by the ruffling of feathers. Rafe the kestrel perched on the only dry spot on his cat companion, the battered old tricorn he wore, and blinked, tilting his head as the cat carried on with a monotone voice.
"And where, pray, have you been hiding?"
"Kreahh!"
"I thought as much. Coward."
The bird hopped agitatedly to the brim of the hat and delivered a sharp peck to the wildcat's right ear. He winced and rolled both eyes, tail flicking as the kestrel clacked his little beak.
"Alright, alright, keep y' feathers on, I didn't mean it. Of course, a bird like you can't swim so you evaded the mess altogether. Now stay put before you fall off, else I refuse to take you with me."
The scrape of talons on scarred material told him that the bird had agreed and gone quiet, probably to preen himself in a self-satisfied manner.
"That's what I thought."
--
It was late afternoon by the time he reached the fort, fur still in discolored disarray and the small bird of prey balanced precariously on his head-an amusing enough image, perhaps, for one who had never known the pair. Drawing to a halt and staring at the fortress gates solemnly, Helix swiped his tongue along the top row of his teeth and blinked at the imposing sight. More beasts, no doubt, and then more questions, about his life, his experience, his absolutely filthy appearance, and a whole new pack of lies to feed this lot. It should have excited him, for he hadn't stretched his improvisation skills much these past few months, but strangely enough it didn't; he felt apprehensive and agitated after the long walk, and somewhat hollow in regards to feeling anything positive. He raised his leather-clad arm swiftly, as if casting a stone upwards, and in accordance to the move, Rafe leaped from his perch on the hat and took to the air without a sound. Calm eyes tracked the little kestrel's moves as the bird soared upwards and began to circle the perimeter of FEB
"Anythin' of interest, little friend?"
A quiet call hailed him from above. Helix seemed to understand and smirked vaguely.
"Well what d'you know..."
...Or the day could have just not gone at all, really, if he'd let himself drown: either way, being kicked off of the ship was no laughing matter for the embittered and embarrassed tomcat that strode along the dusty path, overlarge ears plastered flush with his skull and paws in sodden pockets, no longer caring if his tail dragged in the earth behind him.
The usually clean, pearly-grey sheen of his shaggy coat was, for the most part, an unflattering shade of gritty brown as the result of dirt and dust from the path having seemed to get glued to damp fur (not that he would ever admit to tripping as often as he had), with the singular exception being a crimson stain under his nose where he had been punched. Indeed, tufts of his fur still stuck in odd little peaks, crusted by seasalt and shaped by the winds, making him look more like a frowzy kitten than a skilled sailor. Jobless, shipless and stranded in foreign territory, there was not much to be done but explore the landscape, and particularly the intriguing fort he had spotted that morning. Shaking a footpaw with distaste at the water that squelched so annoyingly in his boots, Helix Alexius sighed to himself and wandered on with a walking mannerism more likened to dogs than cats.
Not too much later, and a familiar weight settled squarely on the feline's head, preceded by the ruffling of feathers. Rafe the kestrel perched on the only dry spot on his cat companion, the battered old tricorn he wore, and blinked, tilting his head as the cat carried on with a monotone voice.
"And where, pray, have you been hiding?"
"Kreahh!"
"I thought as much. Coward."
The bird hopped agitatedly to the brim of the hat and delivered a sharp peck to the wildcat's right ear. He winced and rolled both eyes, tail flicking as the kestrel clacked his little beak.
"Alright, alright, keep y' feathers on, I didn't mean it. Of course, a bird like you can't swim so you evaded the mess altogether. Now stay put before you fall off, else I refuse to take you with me."
The scrape of talons on scarred material told him that the bird had agreed and gone quiet, probably to preen himself in a self-satisfied manner.
"That's what I thought."
--
It was late afternoon by the time he reached the fort, fur still in discolored disarray and the small bird of prey balanced precariously on his head-an amusing enough image, perhaps, for one who had never known the pair. Drawing to a halt and staring at the fortress gates solemnly, Helix swiped his tongue along the top row of his teeth and blinked at the imposing sight. More beasts, no doubt, and then more questions, about his life, his experience, his absolutely filthy appearance, and a whole new pack of lies to feed this lot. It should have excited him, for he hadn't stretched his improvisation skills much these past few months, but strangely enough it didn't; he felt apprehensive and agitated after the long walk, and somewhat hollow in regards to feeling anything positive. He raised his leather-clad arm swiftly, as if casting a stone upwards, and in accordance to the move, Rafe leaped from his perch on the hat and took to the air without a sound. Calm eyes tracked the little kestrel's moves as the bird soared upwards and began to circle the perimeter of FEB
"Anythin' of interest, little friend?"
A quiet call hailed him from above. Helix seemed to understand and smirked vaguely.
"Well what d'you know..."
)
