இ Ѻur Ѻwn Ҟeepers இ (Semi-lit Post-Apocalyptic- Beasts)

[-Starchild.Keith-]

Mabaya
- Margay - Female - Young Adult -

As soon as Mabaya spoke, Oresia turned towards her. The news that she heard was not what she was expecting. No, it was much worse. When she awoke, she hadn't expected to learn that one of their own had been brutally slain. An anger ripped through her, though the only outward sign was the flattening of her ears and flicking of her tail. She had been awake during that time, perhaps, and the thought only made her feel guilty. If she was more sociable, she would have wandered further through the city each night. If she had, she might have noticed the group and been able to warn someone.

Mabaya nodded in agreement with Oresia's last statement, she turned to catch sight of Tenzin enter the room. She was in a near-perfect spot, so she simply turned herself to face him and laid down to get comfortable. While her ears were perked with interest at every word, the anger continually simmered under the surface. Not only had they killed a leopardess, but they had taken Thayer's home? Mabaya barely knew the wolfess, but the taking of her home was enough to make her even madder. It was times like these that she wished to be larger, like Tenzin. If she was, she wouldn't be sitting here waiting around- she would be out to reclaim what was theirs.

As Oresia took the stage, Mabaya became even more aware. She was by far the more action-oriented of the two, and she tended to take that side as well. She wholeheartedly agreed that it was their city, and would do anything to keep it that way. She tapped her paw against the bookshelf in a type of quiet support of her words. However, she stopped at the mention of sharing. Sure, there were decent humans out there. Regardless of their personality, however, Mabaya preferred to live with animals and animals only. At the conclusion of her speech, she opened up the floor. Of course, the first to speak was Merikh.

Everything that Merikh said echoed Mabaya's own feelings. At the conclusion of his speech, she perked up and spoke from her perch. "I agree with Merikh. I do not like the humans at all and vote that all of them go." She had no love for any, even the peace-loving ones. Her eyes scanned the group, hoping for support.

Varg
- Maned Wolf - Male - Young Adult -

As Merikh responded to Varg's questioning, a grin broke out on his muzzle. Sure, the joke's delivery was a bit on the snarkier side, but the maned wolf was well-accustomed to the crocodile's mannerisms. He chuckled a bit before turning, his eyes catching sight of Tenzin's large form approaching. He leapt easily onto the stage, earning Varg's full attention. He shifted to the side a bit so as not to block Merikh's view before plopping down to listen. Tenzin's opening remarks shocked him- he had no idea that one of their own had been killed. Instantly he was filled with grief, his ears going limp against his head. That poor leopardess.

As Tenzin continued, he started to feel other emotions as well. These were only amplified as Oresia took the floor. It took him a few moments to understand what he was feeling. His emotions were all mixing together, but he could eventually sort them out- anger, fear, belligerence, sadness. He wasn't used to having such a heaviness within him and he didn't like it at all. Oresia's words only seemed to fan the flames and make him even more confused about everything. He was shaking his head to clear it by the time Merikh took the floor.

Varg's mouth nearly dropped open in shock at Merikh's words. He knew that the crocodile didn't like humans, but offering outright to eat them? What level would they sink to? If they were to simply kill the humans, they would be no better. He sadly shook his head as Mabaya agreed with the crocodile, taking the opportunity to speak after her. "While I do not like these attacks as much as anyone, I respectfully disagree with you." He nodded towards the crocodile and margay as he spoke. "I am decent friends with Doll. While I do not appreciate being hunted, I greatly appreciate her friendship. Perhaps she could speak to the others and explain what is happening?" Because he lived in the same building as the human female, he had grown rather close to her.

[Mavric]

✗✘☾ Mavric ~ wolf ~ Early 20's ☽✘✗

It was silent and calm when Mavric woke that morning, it was the crack of dawn. The humble abode was small, but much larger than she was used to. It was already out everywhere that humans where back in action harming animals again. 'Typical' Mavric thought listening to the chatter in the leaves above 'They are probably killing for the heck of it, damned humans need to be killed off.' The she wolf allowed her mind to wander as she soaked in the morning sun. Her mind drifted to the young red headed girl, who was much more wolf than human. The girl was as much human as Mavric was.

The calmness was disturbed by a human on the other side of the bank, it was a young female, like Mavric's friend, only this one looked starved, and pitiful. The wolf stood to her full height and then fluffed herself to make herself look larger, no human should be here, this was her home, and she would kill a human or two if they tried trespass. The girl looked at the she-wolf, terror in her eyes and spoke clumsily as if she had never done it before "I am so sorry sir, I ... water... " The girl's eyes were all white in terror. Mavric sat pleased with herself for looking so ferocious "Calm down child, take your water then leave. This is my territory, and I don't care for trespassers" She chuckled under her breath haughtily "But next time I will have to kill you."

The human warily came to the waters edge and filled a leather pouch with water. Mavric's eyes shot to the pouch, she lifted her nose, it was of a predators pelt. The she wolf growled angrily, this human was apart of the clan that killed the large cat, and probably the others. The human scuttled away into the brush, terrified. Mavric's mind raced, the clan would know she was here, and threatened one of their own. She had to leave her home in fear of loosing her own pelt. Mavric walked carefully to the water and took in the cold water. She knew she had to retreat to within the city, she hoped that there would be a place for her there.
(sorry for the delay, I have been feeling crummy lately)

[Resin]

((No worries, Mavric.))

~|Dahlia (Doll)|~27 years old|~Female Human|~

Speaking of Doll... Darkness still clung to the skies when the woman pulled herself from the bed that had been hers for over fifteen years. The mattress had changed but the heavy oak frame of the sleigh bed was the same as it had been when her parents surprised her with it for her twelfth birthday. She had taken good care of it, the cherry oak wood shimmered when struck by sunlight. Even when her parents... when everyone died... she continued to oil the every Saturday. It had become a religious habit. When she cared for this hunk of wood, merely a simple possession, she felt closer to her mom and dad and that was worth so, so much to her.

While most kids went through a period where they hated their parents, Dahlia had never felt anything but love for them. She had always been a good, although odd child and they had always been amazingly supportive of everything that she had ever done. When she wished to take up fencing, her dad drove her to every meet. When she wanted to color her hair fire engine red, her mother bought the dye and colored her hair for her. When she wanted to get her first tattoo, they advised her against it, but loved and accepted her even after she'd done it. A girl couldn't have asked for better parents. She missed them. Gods, how she missed them!

Having already risen and dressed, Doll glanced towards the calendar that she hung on the wall by her door. It was almost a year to the day. An entire year since the world had gone to hell. A year of being without human contact. A year of being without her family. Furrowing her brow, the woman tucked a rogue strand of black hair behind one ear. Dwelling on the past would not help her start her day. As she did every day before she left the building, she touched a framed picture of her parents as she went out the door. Old habits died hard, and once she locked the door, she slid the keys within the pocket of her black pants. Over her shoulder she slung her mostly empty pack. Another long day of foraging was ahead.

Most of her stock of canned good was depleted and she kicked herself for not having collected more. After a point, she had stopped collecting, thinking that she had enough of a stockpile. Boy, had she been wrong. You could never have too much food. Her time as a survivor had made her lean and strong. She worked out whenever she was able, having commandeered a weight lifting bench. That had been a workout on it's own. It was ridiculous getting all of that heavy stuff to the third floor of the apartment complex.

When she was finished musing over tidbits of her past, the dark haired woman skipped down the long flight of stairs until she reached the ground floor. Exiting the building, she scanned the area for danger. The animals, though she had been accepted by their leaders, still caused her worry at times. There were some that she was quite wary around, such as the hyenas. They understood speech as well as any other, but they always seemed to have something against her, for which she couldn't blame them. The other one that made her nervous was the giant crocodile, Merikh. He retained his animalistic behavior and attitude. She wouldn't dream of going near the big pond.

Deciding that the coast was clear, Dahlia made her way out into the darkness. The door had been shut, so she assumed that Varg was still sleeping. She had a very soft spot for the maned wolf. They had become fast friends almost instantly. At times she still fought the urge to pet him like a dog, but his coat just looked so soft it was difficult to resist. His easygoing ways made her feel very comfortable. His companionship had saved her from retreating into herself and becoming a recluse. Maybe she would bring him back something special today.

As she crept silently down the long abandoned street, making her way towards the building that she hadn't searched yet, voices caught her ear. Her green eyes narrowed and she tiptoed to the corner of a department store, peeking around the corner. Three humans stood outside of the entrance to the subway. In one of their arms, they had a long, rolled up pelt. Doll hoped that they had stolen it from somewhere, but she knew the truth. These people had killed an animal. A leopard, it looked like from here. Sorrow rose in her, but she held in her tears. Foraging would wait until tomorrow.

With soft steps she stalked the people, following them without their knowledge. They were cautious. Every few feet one would turn and look behind them. The one guarding the rear had a gun. The two walking in front had spears. The scattered, abandoned cars worked in her favor. Each time the rear guard turned, she would duck down behind one of them, hiding her presence.

All through the city they walked, eventually reaching the high end part of the city. The houses became more spaced out and the area changed from flat to slightly hilly. Placed to hide were becoming scarce, so Doll had to be extra careful. The sun still hadn't risen, so she dropped to the ground when needed, her black clothing blending in to the grassy earth. Expensive properties were reached and passed until eventually the group stopped before a large black gate. Sliding it open, the three slipped inside and made their way up a winding drive to a large, sprawling mansion.

Not only would it be too dangerous to follow them inside, but there really was no reason to. Stealing back the pelt wouldn't give the leopard it's life back. Instead, she turned and moved at a steady jog back towards the city. As she ran, she thought that she picked up the sound of a howl, but she couldn't be sure. By the time she reached New Isolia City, the sun had risen. Rather than head towards her building, she ran towards the library. Feeling more of a bond with The Wise than with her own kind, she felt that they needed to know what she knew.

Carefully, she kept a respectable distance between herself and what seemed to be a procession of animals. They were all filing towards the grand library. Perhaps they already knew what had happened. Either way, she would share the information that she had. Upon entering, she could hear their voices. Already they were discussing something, so she slid through the doors and silently placed herself at the back of the group, waiting to be acknowledged.

As she waited, she looked over all of the animals that had converged. Some she had never seen, but others were quite familiar. She could see the massive form of Merikh resting in the center of the aisle. If he had deemed it necessary to drag his huge form from the park all the way here, the matter must be grave. Doll listened as they discussed... what to do with the humans. Her heart rose in her throat and she hoped with all of her being that they didn't count her in that group. If they forced her to leave, she would have no choice. She didn't wish to leave her home, the city, and her friend Varg.

She continued to listen as first Tenzin spoke of peace, then Oresia spoke of war. Merikh spoke of destruction which didn't surprise her, although she did shudder when he offered to eat the 'evidence.' Another agreed that the humans must be removed and Varg, her lovely Varg, thought of her and spoke on her behalf. She smiled and, once the room went quiet, rose to her feet. Clearing her throat, her face became serious. "I know what happened today. I saw them. I know where they are and I'll do anything that I can to help." Once she finished speaking, she stood there, a tiny, helpless human among a throng of beasts that could end her with one swipe of a paw or snap of a jaw.

[Wormgod]

((Sorry Hapi's picking on Merikh, but it's so easy to do. ))

While Hapi was disgusted by the news of today, of Thayer losing her home and a leopardess losing her life, he could not sit quietly while Merikh spoke of genocide and Ora of revenge. It was a bad habit of his to look at things from both points of view, and today, the humans' view was being ignored. The baboon stood on two legs and held up his thumbs.

"I have two thumbs. I stand on two legs. I eat plants and animals, and I am self-aware. This makes me more human than animal, yes?" Hapi waited for that to sink in. Someone out there gasped, and there was a lot of bird chatter above him.

"Wrong." Hapi said, loud so everyone could hear, "Humans are animals. They are the same as us! They make homes in their territory, they have children and children's children, they live and die just as us! And just like us, they are afraid! So many humans perished just a year ago, and now other species have taken over their territory! Merikh, imagine you woke up one day feeling horrible. You weren't sure you would survive. All of your ladies died, but by some stroke of luck, you lived. But while you were sick, fish took over your pond! The fish say 'We own this place now, and you don't deserve it, since your kind ate us for so many generations.' What would you do? Eat them, right? It's the same story happening right now! The humans are scared and angered, just like us.

"We can't hurt them any more. That will only end in destruction on both sides. Humans are creatures of reason. They will listen to our point of view. I vote we approach the humans, perhaps with an ambassador, and come to a terms of agreement."

At that, the baboon sat on his haunches again and waited for a response.

[LittleStarWolf]

Asali - Fennec Fox - Young Adult

When the humans came, Asali wasn't surprised in the least bit. They came in twos and threes, with big bangs of stomping feet, loud gesturing and quick hand movements. Asali, did not necessarily fear all humans, but this were more like savages, humans without hope or understanding. Spears in hand, sharp and long, ready to pierce the flesh of any they deemed an enemy. Sadly, the enemy looked a lot like Asali. Not so much her species of animal, but animals in general.

These humans meant no good news. They had already scared Thayer out of her home, the Opera House. That is where Asali was now. In the old fashion and beautiful Opera House. She was hiding in a small corner, watching the humans come and go. Thayer was long gone by now, most likely at the Grand Library talking to the Wise and wishing retaliation of these humans. In way Asali agreed, but part of her didn't. After all she was primary raised by a human and that human had been wonderful to her.

Yet these humans were destructive, wrenching doors open, breaking glass and dishes in the small kitchen to the left behind the entrance of the building. Asali had followed them, keeping an eye, waiting to see if they would leave or stay. If they stay, she would leave and go to the Grand Library as well. She hoped they didn't though. The Opera House wasn't really a good place for humans to live. They preferred softer dwellings to sleep on. Not that, Asali didn't as well, but she wasn't as picky as humans were. Normally she slept in one of the theater chairs, imagining plays and historically myths. She personally liked plays with music, like the Phantom of the Opera, always wondering if she would meet her Phantom one day wondering the very rooms she slept in.

Shaking her head, Asali chided herself for daydreaming at a time like this. This was important, almost a mission. Like she was a spy. Yeah a spy. Asali tip-toed around a wall to spy on the humans. They didn't notice her really. She was small after all. Anyway, they were distracted. One spoke out loud finally. "It seems there are no more animals here. And hardly any food...." At this, the human held up an empty pie tray and a bag of old potato chips, the healthy kind. "Grab what you can and lets get out of here before the wolf comes back. They always travel in packs..." . With that last statement, the humans began stuffing food into bags or backpacks and then they left, never even noticing Asali.

With the humans gone, the little fennec fox wondered if she should head to the Grand Library or just wait for Thayer to return. With a heavy sigh, she knew what she had to do. She hated going to the Grand Library. She was small and pretty much a prey animal, compared to those who resided in or near the library. With a few quick hops, Asali was out of the building and on her way to the library, despaired and sorrow in her heart. Not so much because of the humans, but because of the war that she wanted to avoid.

Once at the Grand Library, Asali peeked her head around the front doors, only to let out a loud squeak when she saw the large gathering. She hated being the smallest being among them all. Most of the small animals and those with hoofs hadn't gained intelligence, but she had and she was scared around this creatures that in the wild were her natural predator. How she knew this, she didn't really know. Maybe her human had taught her, or the zoo had. Either way, she wasn't about to go into that building. Maybe, she could just wait outside the doors till like Oresia came out. She didn't mind the silver/white female wolf as much as the other animals.

[Soriams]

((I'll post for the others later, I just didn't want to hold this up too long if anyone was waiting for Calaphan.))

Calaphan
~<<<<<<<<-–—=:•:=—–->>>>>>>>~

Looking from one animal to another as they spoke, Calaphan nodded. There were many angry voices, and that was to be expected, however, there were also those who favored moderation, and with that he was impressed. They had all come so far so fast, and he felt honored to at least be counted among them. One of the ones who spoke up did surprise him though, and that was the Margay, Mabaya. He had had no idea she felt so strongly about the humans, and he studied her for the first time. Understandably, he had not spent much time with the small arboreal feline, as she was mostly active at night. That, and she was a bird hunter. Though Calaphan was quite large by bird standards, and felt no fear what so ever standing next to Tenzin, or even a pack of wolves, there was something instinctual in him that still found small felines unsettling.

Feeling it was time to say his peace, Calaphan leapt down from the screen he had been perched on, and landed smartly on top of the ill-used podium. Looking out over those assembled, he cleared his throat to gather their attention before speaking, "Good creatures, I hear you all well, and know that there is much pain among you," he began, meeting eyes with a few of those who has spoken, especially those of Doll. That girl had courage, that was for sure. "And rightfully so. We have all lost much to the humans over our lifetimes... But I beg you to remember they have lost more," he paused, waiting to see how his words would be taken. "They too are animals, as Hapi says, and they hunger and want just as we do. However, it is a mistake to think them simple, as herd beasts that can be controlled by fear. They are keen of mind and strong of spirit, just as all of us now are. Every word, every book in this library is a product of the human mind and soul. So all this knowledge that you now cherish was first dreamed of by humans. Do not think that they will be so eager to give it up because you ask," he said, glancing back to Doll. "It is not enough to tell them what we want, that we feel and hurt too. They must understand us, listen to us as equals. Look to Doll, she is our future. She doesn't ask for charity, nor does she seek to lead, all she wants is her voice to be heard and work for the better of us all. This is what we must strive for, not equality in segregation, but universal care and understanding between all sentient creatures."

Finished, Calaphan left the podium to return to the screen above the stage. Though there were undoubtedly those who would not understand what he had said, or would be angered by it, he didn't care. He had said what needed to be said, and how it was received was out of his claws. He sincerely hoped though, that at least a few of them were open to his words, or Merikh's war would be inevitable.

Thinking about the crocodile, Calaphan knew that he might not take kindly to what he had said, and he looked over to him. The massive reptile was difficult to read, and he, as of yet, didn't know if he had taken offense to his words. For a moment, he sought out the other's gaze and held it, sharing along look that seemed to say: I'm sorry old friend, but it need to be said. Calaphan was never one to hold back on matters of this much importance, and he hoped the other would understand at least that much.

[Resin]

((Don't worry about Merikh. He's a big boy. (: ))

~|Merikh|~Saltwater Crocodile|~

Listening to the words of the 'monkey', Merikh spread his toothy jaws wide and erupted in a cacophony of raucous laughter. "The same as us? The same as us?! You have to gall to ask what I would do if the fish took over my pond? They DID take over my pond. I was abused and displaced by these neanderthals. I was ripped from my life in the wild and was almost killed in the process. No matter how horrible you think that my desires of revenge may be, the bloodthirsty desires of humans will always surpass my own." His voice lowered to that calm, collected tone once more. "And if those fish try to take over my pond again, I will do as I did before. I will fight them tooth and claw. I will not be displaced again and I will not allow them to displace others. Should they continue to kill us, I will begin to kill them and there's no amount of peace talk that can change that."

Once he had finished speaking again, the baboon was forgotten completely. How could he expect an animal like that to understand? Better to save his breath than waste it on someone that couldn't possibly understand the horrors that humans were capable of. A small, meek voice from the back of the room caught his attention. Swinging his head to the side as much as he was able, he caught sight of one of the very beasts about which they spoke. Doll, was her name, he believed. No matter how hard she tried, he would never trust her.

A sneer accompanied by a hiss was released. Her words may sound pretty, but he fully expected her to switch to the human side as soon as she was with them. She may even help the two-leggers hunt the rest of them. He wondered how she would taste. He wondered if the monkey would taste anything like a human as well. Merikh realized that he was quite hungry. As soon as Calaphan was finished speaking, he decided to leave.With care and precision, he backed his gigantic body down the aisle that intersected with the one where he had rested. Head first he left through the big double doors. "I've heard enough. My pond has been unguarded for too long."

As he walked, he thought about the raven's speech. He held no ill will towards the bird. He was entitled to his opinion, of course. Sure the humans had written the books. Sure they had built the city and done this and that. They also destroyed everything that they touched. They had been killing the world for ages and the earth retaliated. Perhaps it was up to them to pick up after the earth and finish what it had started. The sooner that every two-legger was dead, the better he would rest at night.

An echoing growl erupted from his stomach as he pulled himself into the pond that he called home. His females came to greet him and he rumbled his appreciation for them. A small island in the middle of the massive pond was where they kept their food stores. Selecting a slightly rotted deer carcass, Merikh swallowed it in one gulp, wishing all the while that it was a human instead.

[LittleStarWolf]

Charm - Human Child and Kane - Boa Constrictor

It was early afternoon, maybe around one or two and the sun was shining perfectly to hit the window of an old pet shop. Normally the shop was hidden from any sort of light, due to it being inside of a mall, but with the last raid, someone had drove a truck through the wall opposite the store, giving the store a bit of light for a few hours during the day. Inside the store, a human child lay sleeping in the a blue sleeping bag. The child gave a large stretch as she curled up tighter in her sleeping bag. The sun was shining through the store windows, making it very hard to stay asleep but she had had a late night scavenging and was feeling a bit lazy today. There was movement around her head and a cold body touched her cheek, waking her instantly. "Kane!" The young girl shrieked. "Why do you always have to do that to wake me up?" The girl asked, stretching her limbs and unzipping the sleeping bag so she could crawl out.

A small hissing noise could be heard by anyone who lived within the little pet store. Luckily, for this creature, only himself and his friend lived here. He had been basking in the glow of the morning sun for about a hour, before he made his way, slithering slowly, down to his friend who lay sound asleep. "Charm..." He hissed in her ear, curling himself up against her cheek. The young girl, named Charm, jerked awake and shrieked at him. He grinned and flicked his tongue out. "I can't help it. Its funny." Kane said almost laughing. For that was his name. Kane and he was a Boa Constrictor. "You humans are always so warm anyway. Its nice." Kane said, as he slithered away, letting the girl stretch and wake up. He was hungry as usually. You think with the world pretty much gone, it be easier to find prey but it seemed as he got smarter so did the other creatures.

"I wouldn't mind so much if you came to sleep when I did, instead of taking random naps." Charm replied, but with a friendly smile as she stood up, placing her arms above her head and giving a big yawn. She ruffled up her hair a little. It was a typical brown and long, needing a good comb. Looking around, Charm find the small little black comb she had come across the other day. It looked like a mans comb but either way it worked. She ran it through her hair, getting rid of as many tangles as possible. When she was done, she tied her hair back with a small rubber band. It was about all she had. She wish she had a hair band as they didn't pull the hair as much, but so far she had yet to find one. "Want to go out and scavenge some more today, Kane?" Charm asked the snake as put an arm down for Kane to crawl up on. Maybe they find some fresh fruit. It had been a year since the disease came and many trees were starting to bloom finally.

Kane glided up his friend's arm, to rest upon Charm's shoulders with his head hanging around Charm's neck. "Sure. I wouldn't mind going out. I'm hungry anyway." Kane replied. It use to be they lived off the left over pets in the store. It was mostly a fish store with a few snakes, mice, and rabbits. Most of the dogs and cats had escaped and anyway, Kane wasn't a fan of those meals. They fought back too much. And he was a bit lazy, like a typical snake. Preferred to let the meal come to him. Anyway, it had been months since anything beside the two of them lived in the store. Kane felt Charm nod to his answer and start to head outside. He knew where she was going. There was an old subway, that host a ton of mice. They always started there, raiding through the trains, hoping to find something human like that Charm wanted, and a good meal for the afternoon. It was a promising spot.

As they reached the subway, the two of them heard a noise in the distances... a rare but not uncommon noise. It sounded like a fight. Charm stayed silent as she quickly entered a train to hide. There was a bunch of people in front of the nearest train, surrounding an animal. At first Charm and Kane couldn't see what it was, but then Charm moved to a small door window and peeked through it, trying to find what all the ruckus was about. It looked like a leopard, or at least what Charm had heard leopards looked like. It was a beauty, spotted and almost as big as a tiger, with a lean strong body and a proud head. As Charm watched, the leopard was suddenly struck with a spear by one of the many humans that circled the leopard. "Let's get out of here." Charm whispered to Kane, worried that these humans were not like her in the least bit. Turning she headed back out the way she came, deciding she would head to the river instead and pick some fruit there.

"Agreed, lets get out of here." Kane responded. He may be a big boa constrictor, weighing up to 50lbs, but he still was only one, and the chances of him taking all the humans, was slim to none. So they made their way slyly towards the river, making sure not to be followed. "I don't know what they were thinking of doing to that leopard. Surely the other animals will not be happy." Kane thought out loud. He knew very little of the group of animals that had gathered here and there. It was thought they had a council or a leader of sorts, but Kane and Charm preferred to be on their own, just the two of them. They weren't really ones to trust anyone else, but each other. Once they reached the river, Kane slid down his friend's arm to rest at the water's edge. "I think I might go for a swim, while you pick some fruit my friend." Kane said as he entered the river, leaving Charm alone, yet within eye sight to watch her.

[Soriams]

((I like how you formatted that post, LittleStarWolf! Very nice to read, and it was interesting to hear them both cary the story.))

Musaleh (Max)
~<<<<<<<<-–—=:•:=—–->>>>>>>>~

Darkness still settled over the sprawling lands of Maison d'Apparition. The current residents, calling themselves The Second Coming, had renamed the old federal style mansion, making it a figurehead for their movement. Squatting like a massive stone ant hill, the many pillars and brick were dim with neglect, and though structurally sound, the building looked tired. Here and there, windows had been replaced by heavy boards to keep out the wind, and iron gates drawn over the once airy courtyard. Little moved in the dim light, and the close-cropped grass surrounding the building was devoid of life. This empty space was known as the kill zone, and nothing larger than a rat could easily cross it unseen, allowing anyone who watched to do so from within the safety of the house. However, today was different, there were no shadows of guards in the windows nor the whisper of hushed voices. At the deepest part of the night, a great many of the movement had left in secret, moving deep into the city, lurking in the dark places where their hand-helt torches could easily blind any animal and allow them to be taken off-guard. Each one had their orders, and they were not discussed with the others, so where they all could have gone or why was known only by one man, and he now slept deep within the building's protection.

The interior of the over-sized house was just as still as the outside, yet not quite as lifeless. The soft sound of ruffled papers drifted from the back of the house, where a large library stood. Occupying the top two stories of the wet wing of the mansion, it was one of the few places where the original windows were still in place. Massive bookcases lined the walls of the cylindrical room, so tall that the only way to reach the top was with a clever little rolling ladder that would swing from one end to the other with a gentle touch. Lined with old books and lonely, haphazardly placed volumes, the held not order or reason to their placement, as though the previous owner had purchased them by looks alone. Silvered light from a dying moon streamed in through the high glass walls, spreading across the thick rug that covered the worn wooden floor. Settled into the middle of this lofty room was Musaleh, a large tome held neatly between his front paws with the pages spread wide to catch the light. His eyes were good in the low light, and though not as keen as the humans who had written the book he now read, he could see well enough to take in the words. It was rare for the great wire-haired dog to have time to himself like this, as he could not risk being seen reading when his master was about. It was simply impossible to find anything on purpose in this place, and he was the only one who frequented this room, as the humans were far to busy to spend time reading. Thus, he would come in and simply pull a book out at random, and judge its merits by going through it, and then sort it out by topic as best he could. Trying to bring some semblance of order to the chaos that littered his life.

This book though, had drawn the dog's attention more so than others, and Musaleh had laid for hours going over its pages. A volume of collected poems, the one that now held his attention was written by one Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, entitled A Shadow.

A Shadow

I said unto myself, if I were dead,
What would befall these children? What would be
Their fate, who now are looking up to me
For help and furtherance? Their lives, I said,
Would be a volume wherein I have read
But the first chapters, and no longer see
To read the rest of their dear history,
So full of beauty and so full of dread.
Be comforted; the world is very old,
And generations pass, as they have passed,
A troop of shadows moving with the sun;
Thousands of times has the old tale been told;
The world belongs to those who come the last,
They will find hope and strength as we have done.

It was when he came across such things, that he wondered; were there humans out there who knew the end was coming, and what would come after? So many times he had read words that seemed like they felt the pull of the world beneath them, and wished to return to the earth. Yet, in practice, so few of them seemed to remember these words of forbearance, and stilled their minds long enough to let themselves be opened to the beauty and the truth that called them. Even those chosen few who had been chosen to inherit this empty world seemed to forget their gift and choose instead to struggle against the will of the heavens. Rather than accept that what they had so squandered had been spread out across all the peoples, they instead fought to take back the silly things they had created. He longed to speak with them, tell them that it was all for naught, and to listen to the others. There was just so much to be gained. However, he knew they would not hear him. He was nothing more than a simple dog. And yet, he felt and understood as he never had before, he knew their words and their ways, but where did that leave him?

During his travels before Musaleh had come to reside here with his new master, he had come across a book about dog training in an abandoned pet store. The first thing he had ever bothered to read besides simple signs and papers, he had been both horrified and fascinated by it. Immediately he recognized many of the techniques inside as those his humans had used when teaching him and his siblings how to hunt. Beyond that though, there was endless talk of domination and authority, lessons on how to lead and be the 'alpha' of the pack, to gain respect. Through respect came control and obedience, and with that, a well behaved dog. Had all of his kind been so humble and low? To blindly follow nothing more than a strong back and carefully portioned morsels of food? Needless to say, he was disgusted by the thought of what he had been, but as time passed, he began to read a deeper meaning in it. Beyond control and foolish tricks, it also extolled the virtues of positive reenforcement and a gentle hand. Quite simply, fear never accomplished anything, it was only through trust and cooperation that one could truly move forward in partnership.

Shaking his head as though to rid himself of his reminiscent thoughts, Musaleh nosed his paw to wet it and then gingerly turned the page. These human contrivances of fragile paper and leather may have been all fine and dandy for them, with their clever fingers and dexterous hands, however, they were difficult for him to handle with his clumsy paws. Had dogs discovered the written word first, books would have been made of something much sturdier, that wouldn't be so easily destroyed by teeth and claws. Suddenly, faint creaking made its way into the house, and Musaleh tilted his ears back to listen. This was a noise he knew well, and his familiarity with it was precisely why his master slept so peacefully in his empty house.

Quickly getting to his feet, Musaleh left his book and shook out his heavy brown fur. Not bothering to replace it, as he would surly want to return to it later, he turned trotted out of the room. Heading through the maze of darkened hallways to the front of the house, he put his front paws up on the window. Just as he had thought, the gate had been opened, and one of the several groups of hunters had returned. Dropping down back onto all fours, he turned and barked, the sound a pale imitation of the wordless call that used to encompass his entire vocabulary.

Knowing that this noise would be enough to wake the entire house, Musaleh quickly made his way to the front door and waited. Though he could easily have nosed open the board that barred the door, it was unwise to pull the handle without permission. This thought was two-fold. One, he was not entirely sure which humans returned, and they were likely armed. Anything rushing towards them on four legs was likely to become a target if they weren't careful. Second, and quite simply, he didn't want them knowing that he could get out on his own. Their thinking that he was confined allowed him some semblance of freedom, and he wanted to keep it that way.

Sitting back on his haunches, Musaleh didn't have to wait long before Joost appeared, wiping the sleep from his eyes. The human seldom slept very soundly, and was still dressed, so it was quite likely that he had fallen asleep sitting up in the map room again. Wagging his tail happily, Musaleh pranced on his front paws, waiting to be let out. "Oh, who is it boy? Has someone come back?" Joost asked sleepily. Musaleh didn't answer he knew the question was rhetorical, and the human went to the window to squint out into the darkness. He was never going to see them, as they had already passed the bend in the road, and the shaggy brown dog let out a whine to remind him of such. "Ok, ok, I'll let you out. Just be careful," he said, and opened the door for him.

Barking twice to let the returning humans know he was coming, Musaleh ran out to meet them, his long legs carrying him over the dew covered grass in a few strides. Joost followed a ways behind him, taking his time to see what the dog would find. Hitting the dirt road, Musaleh ran up to the men, his tail wagging happily behind him. It was strange, to stick to such simple forms of communication when he could of just as easily called out to them in welcome, but for now, he had to bide his time. As the training book had mentioned, this was a critical time, and he had only just begun to gain their trust.

Reaching the little group, Musaleh hopped around them, taking in the scents they carried back with him. From the stale oxidized smell they brought, he knew they had travelled the subway tunnels, and what's more, they carried with them the sweet smell of meat. The thought made him salivate, but that soon turned to revulsion when he caught a whiff of what else they had with them. Rolled up in their arms, they carried a heavy spotted pelt, and when he stuck his nose into it, he immediately recognized it as belonging to a great cat.

Stomach turning with anguish, Musaleh let out a low growl, startling the human carrying it into taking a step back. Stumbling back, he took a heavy seat on the ground, and a moment later felt a hand pass over his head, to scratch him behind the ears. "Easy Max, take is easy," a voice said, and Musaleh tilted his head back to look a Joost. "Don't worry boy, it's dead and won't hurt me," he finished, and Musaleh's heart sank even lower. Brown eyes wide and pleading, he looked up at his master, only one word in his mind now: Why?

Josephus Smith (Joost)
~<<<<<<<<-–—=:•:=—–->>>>>>>>~

The map room was a large and windowless room that once served as a game room of sorts. Essentially a large open box, the new occupants had cleared out the theater seating and now useless electronic gadgets, replacing them with a massive table. This table, so large that it had to be supported in the middle with a stack of bricks, held a painstakingly precise hand drawn map of New Isolia. It was no longer good enough to simply make use of the old road maps that littered the floor beneath the table, as the wildness had crept in and changed the landscape. The new map held more than street names and directions, it had landmarks and notes on where and when large animals were sighted, as well as where several of them were known to live. Of note was the library, the park and, as had been the most recent focus of their attentions, the theater. This building lay right in the middle of town, and two of the glass towers on either side had collapsed in around it, making it nearly impossible to move from one side of the city to the other without walking miles around it, or risking a trip through the subway tunnel. Should they be able to secure the building, they would then have a direct route across the surface, and it would be much easier to navigate the city. To that effect, Joost had sent out a scouting party to see what they would find there, grab anything useful and return with information.

Lit only by a few solar lanterns, their light growing dim from the extended use, the room was quiet and still. One might have assumed it was empty, were it not for the steady, deep breaths that came from one of the deep chairs. Unable to sleep upstairs, alone in the empty house, Joost had dressed and come down to study the map. There was only one thing that occupied his mind and consumed his waking hours, and that was the survival of the human race. It even invaded his sleep, in the form of nightmares and restless tossing and turning, so that he had spent many nights down here, planning and strategizing rather than resting. Last night had been no different, and he had eventually lulled himself to sleep while pouring over the map.

Further out in the house, an excited bark awoke him with a start, and Joost quickly pulled himself together. Max was a good dog, and would not have barked for no reason, so he hurried up to the front room to see what he was on about. Talking softly to the excited animal, he could see nothing outside the windows, but trusting the animal's keener senses, he let him out anyway. Should there be an some horrible beast out there, the big dog would undoubtably have it cornered before he got there.

Shifting his service pistol under his belt Joost set out after his dog, a smile spreading across his face when he saw the returning hunters, successful in their quest. Soothing the excited dog, he beckoned them to come inside. "Don't worry, he's not growling at you. He just doesn't like the smell of that hide you've got there," he said, and together the group walked back up to the house.

Once inside, they all made their way to the kitchen, and pelt was rolled out for inspection. Raising his eyebrows, Joost let out a low whistle of appreciation that made Max perk his ears. "A leopard? Nice work. Did it put up much of a fight?" he asked, running his hands through the thick, soft fur as though it belonged to him. The story was shared, and more kudos were given. "Alright, well make sure you take it to the tannery out back, and then you can have the rest of the day off. You deserve it," he finished, enjoying the appreciative smiles they gave him.

The men made their way out the back door, and Joost retrieved a piece of the meat they had brought back with them. There was no sense in letting fresh food go to waste, and it looked as though it would make a nice breakfast. Stoking the fire for the wood-buring stove they had brought in, he put some oil in a pan, and set it on the burner to heat. Cutting off a few pieces of fat, he offered them to Max who growled again, and turned up his nose. "Hey now, it's not like you to snub fresh food like that. What's wrong with you, Max? Don't you like cat?" he said in a cajoling voice, offering once last time before dropping the whole mess into the sizzling pan.

A few minutes later, Joost sat at the kitchen table, humming happily while he ate the first hot breakfast he had had in days. Now if only the group he sent out to the theater would return with good news as well, he would be all set to move forward with his plans. Glancing down to Max, who sat across the kitchen from him, looking at him with what seemed to be begging eyes, he scoffed, "You had your chance, boy, don't look at me like that," he said, and barked out a laugh, finishing off the last of his meal. Today would be a good day, he thought, and leaving the dishes behind, he made his way back to the map room.

[Resin]

((You and your ridiculously lovely posts, Soriams! I feel like I'm writing DR. Seuss books while you're writing Shakespeare.))

~|Dahlia (Doll)|~27 years old|~Female Human|~

She winced when Merikh spoke of eating humans although she hadn't expected anything different. She remembered his story from his time in the zoo. She had gone to see him, to see all of them, when they were still captives. Doll saw zoo's differently now, but when she was an unassuming child, they were magical places. Part of her couldn't blame the crocodile for hating humans as he did. Not only was he stolen from his home, but he was mistreated and shoved in a small enclosure that was a fraction of the size of his wild habitat. Humans had also killed his mate. She understood his anger and frustration, but she wished she could make him see that they weren't all like that.

The raven spoke, praising Doll. The praise was greatly appreciated. Acceptance among The Wise was actually very important to her. She nodded her thanks to Calaphan, her green eyes meeting his bright, intelligent black orbs. The baboon, Hapi spoke and she nodded her approval of his words, though she doubted anyone saw. There was another that wished for peace. Sadly, in her heart she knew that there would be no peace. Not for a long while, anyway. It didn't mean that she wouldn't try, however.

Merikh's retort caused her to wince and put her hands over her ears, shielding them from the loud, bouncing bass that sent her eardrums vibrating. His voice, when he was loud, gave her an instant headache. She was sure that that was why he did it. He knew he could be loud and threatening, so he made a point to do it often. When he swung about, the crocodile was perfectly lined up with the small woman, striking fear into her heart. Eyes widening, she moved to the right, placing the rows of bolted down benches between them.

He scared her like no other. She was sure that she reeked with fear and had no doubt that the animals could both smell that fear and hear the quick thudding of her heart. Once the massive reptile worked his way out of the room, Dahlia leaned over, placing her palms upon her knees. For a moment there, she was pretty convinced that he was going to lunge forward and end her life. She had seen it in his eyes.

A small squeak caught her attention and she moved to the doorway. Looking out into the hall, she saw the small form of a fennec fox, clearly startled by something. Whether it had been the abrasive, terrifying crocodile or something else, she didn't know. Crouching down, she got closer to the fox's level as to not scare it. "Hello. Do you want to come sit with me and listen? I'm a little scared, myself." Motioning with her hand, Doll went back into the room.

Seating herself on one of the hardwood benches at the back of the room, she continued to watch and listen to animals and they discussed what to do about the rest of her kind. When the little fox came into the room, Doll fixed her with a comforting smile and motioned to the bench, inviting the vulpine to join her. "My name is Dahlia, but you can call me Doll. What's your name?"

~|Oresia|~Co-Leader of The Wise|~Female Cascades Wolf|~

Seeing Doll at the back of the room, Oresia furrowed her silver brow. The human woman was no threat to them and because of that, Ora accepted her presence. Would she rather never see the woman again? Yes. Ora would love to never see another human in her lifetime. Unfortunately, that wouldn't happen. There were too many of them and more seemed to show up each day. The best that she could hope for was that whatever had killed the rest had shorted out their reproductive systems and they would slowly become extinct as so many of the animal kingdom had.

Dahlia's offer to parlay with the leader of the humans was intriguing. Ora knew that the woman was friendly with Varg and a few others, but she wasn't aware that she would go against her own kind for them. The offer earned her a few points with the large silver canine and she nodded once in approval. After listening to Hapi speak, she winced, squeezing her eyes shut momentarily. Of course Merikh would have an angry response to that. He had lost much and she understood his frustration and discomfort at having the humans so close.

If staying and listening to the rest hadn't been her duty, she would have quickly gone after the raging crocodile. Though she wished for the humans to leave the city as well, she didn't want to kill them. She worried that Merikh would carry out his threat and take out any humans that he came across. That would only create more problems for all of them.

Clearing her throat to get the attention of the gathering, she addressed them once more. "If no one else has anything to add, I'd like to make a suggestion." The large female fixed her sulfur yellow eyes upon the human at the back of the room. "Doll has offered to speak with these humans. I believe we should let her do it. Just as we wouldn't kill one of our own, I'm hoping they won't be willing to kill one of their own." One grey tinged ear flicked, a tick of hers. "I will go with her. If anything happens to me, Tenzin will still be here to lead. As the leaders of the Wise, it is our duty to meet with the leader of these humans. What say you?"