((Ha! You guys crack me up.
Shakespeare? Yeah right. Quack. Seriously though, you guys are all awesome!
I hold Dr. Seuss in the highest regard, just so you know. :p ))
Calaphan
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After he had had his say, Calaphan sat back up at his lofty perch and watched the fallout below. There were many angry voices still, and though some of them were thoughtful, there were others who were so outraged by the way the situation was developing that they left. Among those, was his friend Merikh and the small feline, Mabaya. Shaking his head, he watched them go, noting how everyone scurried out of the massive reptile's way, especially poor Doll, who had only be trying to help and support them in their campaign. Didn't they realize that it was that precise fear that had put them into this situation in the first place? Humans had neither claws, nor teeth nor even half the strength many of them had. The only thing they ever had was their cleverness, and with it they groomed the world to suit them. Now even that was taken away. Back anyone into a corner, take away all other choice, and they would fight. And that was exactly what they were doing in hanging onto their old prejudice.
Oresia was speaking again, and Calaphan turned his attention to the wolf. Though her suggestion was a good one, it made the bird nervous. They were suspicious and fearful, and she was taking on a great risk to go to them at their strongest. For a moment, his feathers raised as though a chill had taken him, but he forced them flat again. There had to be a better option. Leaving his perch again, this time he came to rest on the ground next to Ora, turning his head to look up at her from one eye.
"Your plan is good, Oresa, as always you are wise. However, I fear for all of your safety. These humans have been backed into a corner, and if you push them too hard they are likely to attack before you even get a chance to speak with them. Especially if you approach them in their home," he said, pacing thoughtfully across the edge of the stage as he spoke.
"Perhaps it might be better to choose a neutral location?" he asked, but then wondered just how such a location could be chosen.
This turned Calaphan's thoughts inward, and he paused for a long moment to think while the others spoke among themselves. Suddenly, and idea came to him, and he would have smiled had he been able.
"Ah yes! A letter! Perhaps Doll could help us compose a letter that could be delivered to the humans, asking for parlay?" he said, excited by the idea.
"And then all we need to do is figure out a way to get it to them..." he trailed off, having no idea how to do that either. Humans seemed to move about the city in secret, often traveling at night or underground, and hoping for a chance encounter seemed to be a long shot.
"I don't suppose anyone knows where they live? And it would have to be the ones that have been fighting back, because just giving it to Doll isn't going to accomplish anything. She's not the one causing the problems."Across the room, Calaphan hear a timid voice mirroring his own concerns, and he perked up, looking for the source of the voice. Finally, he decided it must belong to the small golden fox curled up next to Doll. Wanting to better hear what he had to say, Calaphan lifted up and glided over to the bench where they sat, landing on the back of the seat.
"So, you've seen them recently then? Any idea where they went?" he asked, having no idea that Doll already knew where the other hunters had gone.
Keres
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The hunting last night had been good, as Keres had come across a large herd of what once was domestic cattle lazing about in a little park on the outskirts of town. The pathetic beasts were still quite stupid it seemed, and when she attacked, they didn't even bother to try and run as a group nor make a stand. Their heavy bodies and short legs made them slow as well, and she was easily able to single one out and trip it up, providing a veritable feast for the lone hyena. She had filled her belly and then some, and now sat on the shaded stoop of a building, chewing on one of the leftover leg bones. Though her jaws were more than strong enough to simply pulverize the limb, she chose instead to simply scrape her teeth across it for the pure pleasure of the feeling. Eventually, she would probably grow tired of it and eat it, but for now, she was happy. Well, almost anyway.
Truth was, Keres was seldom content, and he prickly attitude had made her an outsider even among her own kind. Ever since the death of Ayanna, she had been out of touch, as though she had just given up. Her past haunted her as well as guilt, and the former Queen was prone to brooding. It was only the meditative gnawing and scrape of teeth on bone that kept her buzzing thoughts at bay long enough to give her some semblance of peace.
Wasting time well into the morning and Oresia's call was heard and ignored, as were an entire multitude of animals as they shuffled past. Had Keres known what the meeting was about, or respected the Keepers well enough to actually care, she would have been right there next to Merikh advocating extermination. Humans weren't good for anything, dead or alive, and the sooner they turned back into dust the better. Anything that could destroy someone as kind and gentle as her Ayanna didn't deserve a second chance. As it was, however, she was far too fat and lazy to be bothered with coming to the library. After all, what need did she have of books anyway? The whole thing was unnatural if you asked her. They were written by humans, and therefore should have been destroyed along with them.
Thus was the breadth and depth of Keres' thoughts on most days, and this warm sunny morning was no different. Just as she was considering heading back to her improvised den in the public works building to get some sleep before tomorrow night, a bit of movement down the street caught her attention. Picking her way through the streets towards her was a young human, and at the sight, Keres' large, dish-like ears pinned back behind her head, a low growl rumbling him her chest. Of course, this was not the man who had killed Ayanna, but still, it was a human.
Heaving her well-fed bulk up onto her paws, Keres slowly walked down the steps of the building to stand in the two-legged creatures path. It was only then that she noticed the large snake who slithered next to her. So it was one of those. One of the ones who thought they could make friends with the creatures they once enslaved. How the others could so easily be fooled into trusting them, she would never understand. Baring her teeth, she growled again, to bring them both to a halt and looked to the snake.
"Snake, what are you doing with this thing… Let me kill it for you and we'll both have a fine meal," she said, her voice gruff. While her hatred might have been blind, she would not stoop so low as to kill some one else's friend, if that truly was what this was. She knew that pain all too well, and would not willingly put another through it.
