Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » A Werecat Tale (1x1)

Although the day was glum with a cloud filled sky, it would not rain today. Perhaps later in the night, but not now. The air did not taste of such dreary weather, thank the mother, and Boch relaxed on her haunches. It was the second rabbit she set her teeth into, tearing away at the raw meat and consuming most of the edible organs as well. She would bury the remains as to not attract unwanted predators on her trail but preserved the hides. They sold for money in the nearby village.

Her presence had so far remained undetected, seeking shelter among the trees and bushes lining the open fields. She required no fire and hunted silently. They had found her tracks and were wary of a large feline predator, but as such was not uncommon they were only alert, not alarmed. Seldom did they attack humans, as real prey was present a-plenty. She lifted her muzzle towards the sky and smelled the smoke drifting from the chimneys in their houses, which were clearly visible on the other side of the clearing. Soon Boch would have to venture into the village and attempt to sell her wares for coins and other shiny possessions worth many coins.

She didn't need any of that to live, being fully self-sufficient in this wilderness... But that wasn't going to cut it. They had stolen her land many years ago, driven her family into death - mother, father and the male who was to be mated to her for life among all the other tribe members - and selling Boch herself into a twisted form of slavery. Although she bought her freedom doing what she did well, in her heart the land still belonged to her. It should be a safe haven for her children, for Azmodeith if he chose to stay with them for a while as he had provided a home for so many years as well. But these invaders didn't care for pelts or guardianship. They valued those shiny coins and gems and put a high price on the land that didn't belong to them.

After Jhak and Merel left her to explore the world on their own, Boch once more set out on her quest to gain back her home. She was outnumbered and too weak to conquer through a fight. That was why the heavy pouch of coins hung at her hip. If she could not take the land back by force, then she would play their game.

It was the snapping of a twig behind her in the bushes that drew her attention. Silently, she whirled around on her heels and planted both hands into the dirt, crouching like a feral and observing the situation keenly. The wind was turned the wrong way, carrying her scent towards the sound rather than the other way around, making it difficult to assess any form of danger. It could be a harmless critter... Perhaps.

This land was not home for Batu, home was cold wet snow and hard rock. Home was a land in the clouds where his pelt blended in and his body was perfectly fit. Here in this lush land his white pelt and his icy blue eyes stood out. He'd had to learn a new way to mask himself as he took to this place.

Mud only held so long on his thick coat, but he'd woven brambles and leaves into it. Spending hours to ensure that his body could hide in plain sight he'd also had to learn how to move carefully here. Before covering tracks was easy, the snow and ice made his movements a cakewalk so to speak. But here, where the tiniest pressure could snap twigs and manipulate branches...he still wasn't quite good enough.

The sharp snapping of the twig made him inwardly curse but he froze in place with his brilliant blue eyes searching. He'd managed to get away from his dimwitted masters, but this was still alien territory and he'd heard more than his fair share of rumors about large predators in the area. Using his mountain experiences he took in slow breaths, eyes closed and almost perfectly still he blended in quite well with the flora around him especially with his tail curled around a leg.

Boch's instincts were sharp. This was no lost badger, rat or bird. For a moment the wind shifted in her favor and the scent of an unfamiliar male caught her nose. She couldn't quite see him, but he was here, that much she was sure of. The discovery caused an instant reaction in the werecat: her fur puffed up to make her look even bigger and she rose to both feet, rather than crouch on all fours. The lips of her muzzle withdrew to expose ivory fangs and allow a low, guttural growl passage.

Standing at over six and a half feet tall, it would be difficult to miss her. Her soft looking grey fur was marred by blue tinted scarification in odd, almost rune-like patterns. Bright blue eyes, dangerously narrowed in this instance, nearly matched the strange blueish color of her crudely chopped hair. Her build was not feminine in the least, although pregnancy of twins had left a little more pudge near her belly than she carried before, and was predominantly muscled, lean and fit for quick kills.

She had always despised the common languages from the humans. This was a clear, feral warning: my territory, my rules. No need to waste a breath on speaking ugly words.

Batu heard the growl but remained unmoving, his small ears wanted to twitch desperately in the direction the noises were coming from. He held there for a moment in stillness before he let his eyes crack open. Against a background that seemed to blend in well those blue eyes were like flashlights in the night, his gaze sought her and stopped before he twisted his frame to allow her to see his full stature.

He was no where near as tall as she was, his people were of a moderate height, but his build was like that of a human boxer. He was thickly muscled though his pelt had been knotted down with brambles and leaves and mud it did appear that his pelt was rather thick. He flicked his tiny ears and uncurled his thick tail from his leg.

Batu held no weapons, he never really had to, but had he been on all fours he'd seem much more like his feral cousins than the were he was. Standing at his full five foot nine he didn't puff out his body quite like Boch, but he did tighten his abdominal muscles. His legs also were tightly bound, he was ready to spring into or out of action depending on what this female would do. He was a trespasser, that much he knew but he also knew she had the advantage over him in the knowledge of this place.

Tension settled into her body when suddenly blue eyes looked at her and his shape became clearer in the growing darkness. Predominantly built for strength and power, judging by the bulk of his build. But a threat? Several growl-filled moments lingered before the sound died down in the female, fur returning to a less fluffed up state. If he wished her dead, he would already have charged within the moment of exposure itself.

She made a quarter of a turn and grabbed the gnarly looking wooden staff from its position on the ground. It was decorated with feathers and bones and as tall as the feline herself. It was proudly situated to her side. A sign of importance, of high ranking within her tribe. While her eyes retained a reserved caution for the male, she attempted to speak up.

"What you here want?"

The words were difficult to pronounce for her, her voice hardly that of a woman as she spoke mostly with oddly articulated growls and huffs.

Batu remained steady, he hadn't run across any that were close to his kind in ages and the last thing he wanted to do was fight with this female. She was built like some of the other big cats, large and built for strength and agility she would be a formidable foe if he decided to tangle with her. And he wasn't really looking forward to that.

When she grabbed the staff his mouth tightened and opened in a chuff, 'That, not needed.' His voice was rough, but it was touched with an odd accent. Something old and slightly oriental, he took a deep breath and relaxed a bit letting his shoulders fall.

She asked what he wanted and he let his eyes go off of her, not quite letting down his guard but at least furthering his relaxing stance. 'Home.' He wanted his home, but for now he'd settle for any home.

This, Boch had not expected. She tightened her grip on the staff. It was purely symbolic, not a weapon. The wood wasn't durable enough to withstand more than a handful of blows and the ornaments all had deeper meanings that were worth too much to be damaged in mindless striking. A flicker of uncertainty shone in her eyes when he declared he wanted his 'home'.

"Go then." At least this growl sounded a little more friendly, if only bit a small margin. She squinted at him before looking back at the town and its smoking chimneys, moving to resume her squatting position as she had before.

Batu watched her as she reacted to his words and he flared his nostrils in thought. 'Home lost.' He lifted an arm and pointed into the distance, 'Mountains, snow. Not here, but far.'

His explanation was rough, but he wasn't great at this part. He watched her shift and watch the town, and let his eyes gaze over to the chimneys. There was an exhalation of breath, 'Humans everywhere.' He didn't hate them, but it seemed that there was no longer any untouched territory. No longer safe havens for creatures of any species, let alone his. Batu lowered his head and reached a paw like hand up to scratch mud and brambles from his face, after a bit of intense scratching his natural salt and pepper spotted coat peeked out.

Remained silent, for a while letting his words churn through her head. It was almost eerily familiar, wasn't it? Except her home wasn't lost. Just taken. Something she planned on fixing eventually or die trying. She glanced over her shoulder, wary still, but grabbed the third rabbit she'd planned on saving for breakfast and tossed it somewhere beside her. "Sit. Eat." And if he didn't? Then it was his loss for turning down a free meal.

"Morning come, I go into town. Sell. Trade." Her loot was safely buried though, not for strangers' eyes to find. "Name, Boch." A clawed finger was pressed to her bare, flat chest as if to emphasize the meaning of it. "Daughter of chief. Shaman..." She fell silent, looking for her right word. "Student." That would have to do.

Batu kept his gaze on her until she tossed the rabbit, then his tongue lashed out across his lips. Food was definitely welcome. He kept himself contained but lowered his head some, 'Thanks.' He'd move forward, muscles aching from being tense for so long and he'd settle down with the rabbit. 'Share?' He'd hold it up and give it a shake, he wasn't without some manners at least.

Sitting on the ground he crossed his legs and stretched his back, breaking more of his camouflage. When she said what her name was he lifted his ears, tiny round ears flicking as he slammed his right hand against his chest, 'Warrior Batu. Last guard of Qadan.' It may mean nothing to Boch, but it was obviously something that Batu took pride in. His name was said with a strong hiss that accentuated his teeth, but was not an indication of his temperament as he relaxed back down once he'd spoken. He was still holding the rabbit out however, gesturing.

Her belly was full, and so she ignored the offer of sharing the rabbit. If she'd wanted more, she'd eaten it. "No."

She glanced at him when he introduced himself as a warrior, and she partially agreed with the notion by his looks. Fit to be one, for sure! But she was skeptical, even of those who were closely related to her kind. Humans were weak, fools, guided by useless luxury and greed. Two legged animals had joined their causes centuries ago and many lost the touch for their true roots. Whether or not this male was to be considered a warrior, well, Boch would have to see about that yet.

"Sleep soon." No ifs or buts, she would lay down to rest soon. She'd already prepared a 'nest' of dead leaves, moss and dry grass, but didn't plan on sharing it with him. Her brows raised in a questioning look, as if to ask if he would leave or stay, and where he'd sleep if he did.

Batu watched her and nodded pulling the rabbit to him instead, he sniffed at the fur for a moment and seemed to relish the smell. He hunted sparsely the last few days. He hadn't really had time, he'd been on the move and before he'd left he'd made sure to put on extra weight so he would have to slow down in his escape.

When he felt her eyes on him he looked up and tilted his head, she was summing him up. He could tell, but it wasn't something he hadn't been made accustomed to. Instead of dwelling on it he opened his jaw and began to tear at the rabbit. Slow, small bites. He was keeping himself from gorging, which was incredibly hard.

She spoke again and he lifted his head, letting his tongue clean up the minor mess at his lips. He nodded, 'Same.' But he gestured with a shoulder somewhere off in the distance. 'Tree.' He'd prefer a cave or a mountainside but trees he could also handle fairly well. Even if it was humorous to see him climb a tree since he was not originally made for such things.

After the meal and checking the area, Boch retired to her makeshift nest while the male found his own place to sleep.

The night was quiet and restful, albeit short. Even before the sky brightened and the sun peeked above the horizon, Boch was up and about. Breakfast had been a fish (she'd caught one for Batu too, of course) and some fruits plucked from nearby bushes. Berries, sweet and rich in flavor and staining her muzzle a deep purple for a little while. Within an hour she had packed her belongings, tying them in a tight bundle to her back with worn leather strips and ropes. Her staff was used as a walking cane as they ventured onto the road and headed towards the town.

Boch was silent that morning, a certain tension taking hold of her. A wolf had visited in her dreams, its eyes glowing a bright yellow in the moonlight with its breath puffing visibly in the cold air. It was an omen of bad things to come in her tribe, the appearance of a wolf, and she seemed a little jumpy at even the slightest of sounds.

"Me talk," she suddenly said as they approached the 'gates'. They could be hardly called such. The flimsy wooden planks were close to falling down on their own without help and were poorly fit for their purpose. Flanking each side of the gate were guards, dressed in heavy armor with cloth of pale red and the emblem of the town marked in the center. At the sight of the two large felines, one of them stepped forward with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"HALT! Identify yourself!"

Batu had gone off after the meal to climb into one of the trees and nestle among some larger branches. Before the sun rose he came down and cleaned his fur of the dirt and brambles he'd put in it to camouflage himself. Once clean his natural coat shimmered in the light, he couldn't easily hide it without caking it with dirt and grime but if they were going to town he didn't need to look like a wild cat.

He'd met Boch for breakfast equipped with just his body, he'd lost all of his possessions months ago and anything he'd gotten along the way he'd traded them for what he needed. With the lack of gunk on him the scars of his past were most certainly evident, his ears were notched in places with missing bites of skin. On his chest and back there were bald patches of fur that rested over scar tissue. It was still pink so relatively fresh.

Batu took Boch's silence in stride, his language skills were not entirely wonderful so silence allowed him to take in his surroundings and study her more intently. She was a curiosity to him, a species like his own but her life was different, or so it seemed for now.

When Boch suddenly spoke it made him raise his blue eyes to her, and with a nod he remained silent walking just to the right and slightly behind her. When the guard stepped forward Batu halted his movement, but his pale blue eyes were shifting between the two guards with a leveled intensity.