Guild: Bones Like Bare Roots
Channel: crystal-wall
33 messages
Timezone: UTC
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 05:13 PM
NPCs in this location:
> Cenzo s.npc cenzo
> The Huntress s.npc huntress

NPCs in any location are free to approach and talk to at any time!
Avatar scary ooby NPCs in this location: > Cenzo s.npc cenzo > The Huntress s.npc huntress NPCs in any location are free to approach and talk to at any time!
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 05:13 PM
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 06:00 PM
Admiring the walls of this cave are two individuals– both big cats. Cenzo s.npc cenzo is here earlier than he usually seems to turn up, muttering to the cougar in the cloak beside him. The Huntress s.npc huntress nods along, apparently in agreement. Cenzo is wearing a half mask this year, a golden jaw piece with sharp teeth that follows the shape of his own jaw– skeletal in nature. The Huntress is wearing an oil slick rainbow smear of what must be makeup across her eyes.
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 23, 2022 06:24 PM
There’s a two big cats here. Ones Bumblefoot has only ever seen on the tee vee. Her heart flutters nervously as she approaches.

There’s a swathe of black soot across Bumblefoot’s face, starting on the bridge of her nose and reaching up to her brows. It covers up her black face marking and emphasises her green eyes. Bumblefoot quite likes it. She looks unusual, fitting in perfectly within the court at last. The mystery makes her feel unusually bold.

The lion looks scarier and more unusual with blue fur and horns so she directs her greeting at his companion instead. She shakes a little, wary of being eaten.

“Hello,” she mews to the cougar, eyes wide with awe, “I’m Bumblefoot, it’s nice to meet you.”
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 06:33 PM
"Bumblefoot," rasps the cougar, turning to look at the mortal cat and all her dressings. "What an amusing name."

Her eyes appear to be a cool slate gray at first glance, but upon second look there is a slight rainbow sheen to them. "I am the Huntress. Second of my name. I like what you've done with the soot," she offers, voice softer than Bumble might expect from such a big cat.

Cenzo doesn't seem offended by the lack of a greeting. Instead he paws at some of the chunks of crystal underfoot-- nostrils flaring as he sniffs at them.

Crunch--

He seems to have... bitten into a crystal. He crunches it up. Swallows it. Huh.
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 (edited)
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 23, 2022 06:59 PM
Bumblefoot settles down, tail curling over her paws as she relaxes slightly. Her ears prick with interest as she notices a rainbow sheen to the cougar’s eyes, it reminds her of ceedees and light catchers that hang by windows. She wonders what it’s like to be strange and special like these two great ancestors before her, is it nice? Or would they rather be more… normal.

“My humans named me!”

She chirps with a smile. Is The Huntress amused because she knows the meaning or because it sounds funny? Could be either.

“How did you get your name? I’m rubbish at hunting,” she tells The Huntress, “and thank you! I think it looks nice!”

Bumblefoot puffs up proudly, very pleased to be complimented by such a majestic creature.

“I like your face paint, is it eye shadow? My humans used it and…”

She trails off as Cenzo eats a crystal. Bumblefoot knows for certain that lions do not eat rocks. They eat zebras and gazelles and other huge animals… not rocks!

“Umm,” she mews hesitantly, “you really shouldn’t be eating rocks you know? What if you need to go to the vet?”

Her tail twitches anxiously and she looks up at The Hunteress, searching for a smidge of recognition that yes, lions do not eat rocks. Even weird blue horned lions.

@scary ooby (edited)
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 07:13 PM
The Huntress seems so charmed by the cat who proudly spoke of her humans. She was someone who could not imagine being owned-- even by humans who might love her. She roamed where she liked, she traveled where it was impossible to, and couldn't imagine another life.

"I was... given my name. Like a title. I have a real name," she spoke softly, eyes flickering around the room. "But I am not allowed to speak it."

"I am," Cenzo said. "Vita... Vita... Vita."

The Huntress gave him a quick look like she'd been shot, reaching out and thumping him upside the head. He grumbled, his long tail lashed-- but he Spades' eyes burning into his back so he did not lash out.

Her mouth pursed, she turned back to Bumblefoot. "It's a poor idea to give out your real name. Especially if you've been graced with a title," she explained. "And thank you. It's... a strange material. You can only find it in certain places in the Bright Realms."

Cenzo gave Bumblefoot a long look, dragging his tongue over his tusks. "Would you... go to the vet... if you... ate rocks?" he asked.
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 (edited)
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 23, 2022 07:47 PM
The Huntress is really nice. Bumblefoot thinks she’s found a new friend. Maybe she’ll move into her den? Bumblefoot could move all her stuff to one side (not that she has much) and build a huge nest that The Huntress could sleep in. It must be annoying sometimes being a big cat.

She finches when The Huntress smacks Cenzo, the fur along her spine bristling before slowly settling back down as The Huntress speaks to her again. Geez. She will certainly do her very best to not make these cats upset. Bumblefoot would get squashed like a fly.

Vita is a pretty name, very… human. Not funny like Amzy or long and two sided like Minkblaze (apparently it’s because of clans, some cat group thing).

“I like both your names,” she mews politely, watching The Huntresses big paws a little warily, “How do you know what name is real though? My cat parents might have named me but my humans found me and gave me my name… if I got given a new name would that be my real name?”

Her brow furrows as she rambles, head tilted as she thinks real hard. Is Mink Mink’s real name or is it Minkblaze? Would your real name even be real if everyone calls you something different?

She’s heard of the bright realms, some weird magic court thing. Bumblefoot has been doing her best to avoid the super weird stuff. So when that weird dream thing happened… of course she ran away.

“Of course,” she mews to Cenzo, absolutely flabbergasted, “you can die from eating weird stuff you know? I’ve been to the vets loads, twice to get my vax-in-ations and then they cut open my belly and did something, and then one time I ate a bee, and another time I ate a little toy and got really really sick and my humans took me to the vet and they cut open my belly again to get it out.”

She says all this very matter of factly, after all the vets are normal to Bumblefoot. But…

“I really hate the vets.”

And she means it.

@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 07:57 PM
[CW slight body horror]
"Your real name is the name that you most align with on a personal level. Sometimes it's given to you, sometimes you choose it. Mine was given to me when I was... when I began to exist," The Huntress explained, choosing her words seemingly carefully. "Your name is your real name, Bumblefoot, if it means the most to you."

The Huntress does not understand why Bumblefoot might've eaten a toy, but she doesn't seem to comment on that.

"My body... isn't like yours. I am... built of better... things, knitted thoughts... and... power. You can still... cut me open... if you'd like," Cenzo mused. The way he speaks is so slow and purposeful. It almost seems like a great effort for him to speak.

He turns his paws over, showing Bumble the fine seams that run along the underside of his paws. The implications of that... are... unideal. They shimmer just slightly with a rainbow of color.
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 23, 2022 08:10 PM
She smiles at The Huntress, heart warm. That makes sense. She’s Bumblefoot forever and always. Even if it’s a gross foot infection. She wonders what Vita means? The Huntress is obviously about hunting. She must get loads of deer and stuff.

She bumps her head against The Huntresses’s arm, purring gratefully. Gosh she’s so good at making friends. Her big nice friend. That’s two friends!!! Four if she includes Smokestar and White Chin even if they haven’t spoken in like… forever.

She’s a bit offended that the lion seems to think he’s better than her but still leans in for a look at his paws. Her ears flatten as soon as she spots the seams lining his paws. A glittering shine of rainbow.

Bumblefoot doesn’t like that. It’s a bit too strange for her liking. She does love the court, loves having a home, but she’s really not too fond of this weird magic stuff. Bumblefoot swears she saw a talking teddy cat earlier…

“I’m not a vet,” she frowns, “I don’t cut cats open. Watch out for the doctor cats they might do it.”

A burst of bravery overtakes her and Bumblefoot smacks their paw pads together gently. Bap.

@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 08:20 PM
The Huntress snorts at the friendly little bump, leaning down to give her a friendly head lick. Given her size and strength, it might unsteady Bumblefoot just a bit. But it's meant well!

Cenzo doesn't stir away from the reaching out. For a moment, when their paws touch-- the absolute sheer difference in scale is mind boggling. Her paw is smaller than even the size of one of his toe beans. They are warm.

He perhaps would blink at her if he had visible eyes. Instead he leans down to lick his paw pad and between his toes-- as if washing off the mortal stink. "You're... very fresh," he tells her. "To... this."
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 23, 2022 08:36 PM
The Huntress licks her and the force is enough to make the little stumble in place. She sits frozen and silent. Blinking slowly as she processes what just happened. A few seconds later she starts purring again, even louder this time.

Her paw is teeny against his. It’s warm, like a living thing. She pulls away after the little smack and when he talks watches his giant maw open. I could fit in there, she thinks, a little dazed from the sheer might of the cat before her. He could swallow her in one great big gulp. How many cats could fit in his belly? Ten? Twelve? A million?

“Everything was normal before I moved to the court, no weird magic and strange cats and other stuff.”

She stretches in place, her ginger ear twitching.

“It’s quite scary,” she admits honestly, “you guys are huge and you’re blue and there’s a talking teddy bear here and it feels like I’m dreaming sometimes.“

She leans into the Huntress’s side and sighs.

“Everyone had this shared dream recently, and it scared me so bad I ran away. But I’m trying to be brave because I have a best friend called Minkblaze and stuff I want to do here!”

She gives the both of them a sunny smile, eyes crinkled at the edges and bright.

@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 08:46 PM
"That's because... the world beyond... the Court lands... is dead... and dying. There is... no magic... in the world. There was... once," Cenzo explained, matter-of-fact. "You're right...to be... scared."

The Huntress is steady beside her, though, looking down at her with no judgement. "There's a lot to learn about the world for the average cat. Most cats would run. You're brave to have come back. And if you stay, maybe we can teach you more about the strangeness."

"I will be your guide for when your Court decides to enter the Bright Realms," The Huntress explained. "But of course, all that is your choice. I'm just glad we got the chance to meet.
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 23, 2022 09:01 PM
(Spoilered bit is Bumble referring to HP bc it’s on the blacklist!)

The idea that magic once existed everywhere is puzzling. Did magic even exist for the humans? Like in that film on the teevee where they have sticks and lights come out? How comes the magic is dying?

She doesn’t voice these queries though, it doesn’t really matter to Bumblefoot either way. Cars and planes (?) and teevees are magic too, in their own human way.

“Thank you,” she tells The Huntress, not entirely sure what she’s thanking her for. Is she even thankful?

“Would we just jump in that weird water cats have talked about? It’s like a… sewer or something.”

Underground and watery… definitely sewers.

“I’m super glad we met too! You can be my second best friend!”

Bumblefoot chatters excitedly as she looks up at The Huntress, fully relaxed and wriggling with joy.

“‘Cause you’re my friend we should have a sleepover sometime! I’ll tell you all about what I plan to do with the new stuff I got and we can have lots of snacks.”

@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 09:06 PM
The Huntress laughs at the idea that the gateway is a type of sewer, imagining it as such was so utterly ridiculous she couldn't help it. "Yes, to an extent. There's a... special way you need to go through it," she describes.

The Huntress seems flattered at Bumblefoot's request. Though she had frankly been thinking of herself as on a different level than Bumble, she realized with a start that perhaps that she probably didn't have nearly as many friends as her. Cenzo didn't count as a friend, he was barely a person.

She looks her age for once, a naive expression crossing her features in surprise. "I'd... like that," she agreed, whiskers twitching with delight. "Call my name into the gateway-- the water, and I'll come see you."

Cenzo finds himself uninterested in this friend talk. Instead he flops onto his side, busying himself with stretching his paws against the wall.
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 23, 2022 09:23 PM
Bumblefoot grins, feeling like she’s soaring high in the sky. Yes! A new friend! And a planned sleepover too! They can gossip and eat and hang out just like humans do on the teevee!

She hopes Minkblaze doesn’t mind. The Huntress does take up a lot of space after all.

“I will!”
She promises eagerly.
“I’ll make sure everything is perfect for our sleepover!”

Is the gateway like a phone? You just press the on button…?
The blue lion lies down and begins to stretch and Bumblefoot begins to feel a little bad.

“We can be friends too?”
She offers with a worried glance to The Huntress.
“You can’t be my first or second best friend though. Just a normal friend.”

@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 23, 2022 10:19 PM
“I don’t… care,” Cenzo informed Bumblefoot, quite ungracefully. He didn’t particularly want to be anyone’s friend, in fact.

“Ignore him,” The Huntress told Bumble, giving her a loose gesture of the paw. “Are you liking the party so far?”
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 24, 2022 08:28 AM
Cenzo isn’t interested in her friendship, which is very mean. She doesn’t think she likes him much.

“It’s nice! I like that there’s cooked food here, it reminds me of my humans.”

She smiles at The Huntress. Mmm… food… it smells so good!

“Though there’s like a magic horse thing and a scary long thing with lots of eyes so I haven’t tried any yet.”

She frowns. Couldn’t they just not hang out by the food for a bit? Especially the weird eye thing…

“Are you having fun?”
She asks The Huntress with a curious tilt of her head.

@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 24, 2022 04:02 PM
"Ah, they won't hurt you," The Huntress said, with confidence. "The horse thing is Penny. She used to be a cat like you, in fact. I believe she was a house cat. The other... ah... well, he used to be a cat too."

"But regardless, there's a truce on for tonight. You'll be able to talk to who you'd like, do whatever you'd like," she explained. "Don't be afraid."

"I am! It's... good to see everyone. I spend a lot of time alone," The Huntress admitted. "This is... a pleasant change of pace."
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 24, 2022 05:15 PM
Bumblefoot doesn’t really believe they’re not dangerous. Even if there’s a truce, it’s still scary! What if they break it because they decide her lovely pelt just looks soooooo delicious? Bumblefoot would make a great meal, she just knows she’s delicious.

But she takes The Huntress’s reassurance gladly, bumping against her side again.

“You should come here more! Being alone is no fun, I hated travelling alone on my way to the court. Being lonely is the worst.”

Bumblefoot informs The Huntress very seriously, the expression on her face open and very honest.

“I’m sure everyone would love to hang out with you! You’re a big cat! That’s so exciting and cool. Plus you are very nice.”

She grins and a little rumbling purr tinges her last words.

@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 24, 2022 05:20 PM
"Ah... I don't love coming to... coming out of the Bright Realms. This place is so strange. So... different. I've lived in the Bright Realms so long I can't imagine staying here for long periods of time," she admitted. The Huntress drew a paw up to swipe at her muzzle a bit.

Being apart from the Bright Realms made her itch lately too. She couldn't quite place the feeling.

"But a visit is nice. I hope you all aren't too spooked by my size," she says with a little laugh.
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 24, 2022 05:50 PM
“You’ll get used to it! I couldn’t even imagine being a wild cat when I was with my owners, but now I’m eating like, mice and stuff!!”

Bumblefoot still really misses her old food.. meat in gravy and biscuits and the most delicious treats… getting fed cheese and steak and all kinds of things under the table at dinner, stealing a mouthful of popcorn during movie nights, breaking into chocolates on valentines… on Christmas her owners would let her sit with them at the table and she’d get lots of yummy meats!

But the court is good too, she still misses her home but Bumblefoot guesses this is her home now. It’s not too bad. She has her best friend Minkblaze (and now her second best friend The Huntress) at her side! She just wishes the nests were cosier. And the food yummier.

“It’s cool!”
Bumblefoot insists eagerly.
“I’m talking to a real live big cat! You’re like my ancestor but not!”

@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 24, 2022 06:37 PM
Mice and stuff.

That was so silly to the Huntress, who lived such a different life than Bumblefoot. She laughed, whiskers twitching.

"Well, cougars are quite an old type of cat. My type was not born of any real ancestor, though-- we are born of... belief? The Huntress before me was a goddess born of the belief of mortal cats-- she was a figure of good hunting, good luck, and feasting. I am... similar, but... different. Technically I am a goddess of hunting, the missing, and the lost. There are no followers left, anymore. But I remain. I don't know why," she admitted sheepishly. Her eyes flick away, perhaps something she's hiding or simply thinking about.
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 24, 2022 08:15 PM
Bumblefoot listens with keen interest, ears pricked and eyes fixed on The Huntress’s face.

She’s a… god? Sounds a bit strange to Bumblefoot. She’s never been very religious, there was no mother cat to teach her her beliefs and no friends to preach them. She just knows about Christmas because of her owners, and that it happens because some twoleg died or something. Her owners weren’t particularly religious either but they always did Christmas.

The clan cats within the court have a religion, some starclan made up of dead cats that come speak to them in dreams or something. Bumblefoot thinks it’s all catnip’s influence…

She doesn’t believe in gods but, maybe…

“I can be your follower?”
Bumblefoot offers meekly.
“I do need hunting help, and I lost my humans.”

“What do followers even do? Do I have to wear one of those little necklace thingies? Are there holidays?”

She grins at the thought. Holidays mean lots of food and relaxation. Bumblefoot’s two favourite things! Asides from hanging out with her new friends of course.

@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 24, 2022 08:30 PM
The Huntress laughs. She did not know what it meant to be worshipped, so when Bumblefoot offers and then asks questions, she wasn't really sure what that would mean for both of them.

She blinked naively, giving her an uncertain look. "Hm. You can be! I'm... not actually sure what that means. I think maybe this means, if you... pay tribute to me in some way-- like giving thanks or dedicating a kill to me, you'll have better luck on your next hunt? Things like that?"

"You don't have to wear anything special, or do anything special. I don't think I have any holidays. Maybe we can make one up?" she offers helpfully.
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 24, 2022 10:41 PM
“I’m awful at hunting so better luck would be useful,” Bumblefoot muses with a paw lightly touching her chin, “I think it should stack and one day I can hunt a whole deer.”

The Huntress says there’s no special things for her religion thing. Would it be called a following if you’re talking about the belief? Huntressism? Bumblefoot doesn’t quite know and even pondering on it briefly hurts her head.

“Yes let’s make up holidays!”
She chirps, paw falling from her face to knead eagerly at the ground with the other.

“There should definitely be something with food involved ‘cause food is yummy and you’re all about hunting! Ooh, ooh! And maybe a treasure hunt because of the lost and missing stuff?”

She wriggles up and down. This is exciting!

@scary ooby (edited)
scary ooby Oct 25, 2022 04:29 PM
Perhaps a newborn deer, the Huntress thought, given that Bumblefoot was about the size of any average housecat. She wouldn't want to break that dream for her, though.

The excitement over holidays has her beaming, though. "A scavenger hunt-- what a perfect idea. I'm-- I'm actually quite excited," she said, a little bit of the youth shining through the perfected outside persona she had worked so hard on projecting. "We could definitely arrange those!"
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 27, 2022 09:49 AM
Bumblefoot grins back at her, her tail slapping the ground. She’s so good at making friends that The Huntress is all smiley now!

“Cats here love finding stuff! There’s always someone looking for something so you could get a bunch of followers in no time!”

She chirps, kneading the stone floor and looking around at nearby cats. It wasn’t something she was used to back home but here everyone has loads of things and little bags. That’s why she got one to match! And to help her get stuff!
@scary ooby
scary ooby Oct 27, 2022 05:18 PM
"I guess so," The Huntress chirped, giving that a moment of what seemed to be serious thought. She felt somewhat that having a lot of followers felt like a lot of... pressure. She had never been a god with them, she had only known what it was like to be without.

But! The holidays... they sounded fun. She was looking forward to that.

She was glad she got the chance to meet Bumblefoot.

"Do you still want something to eat? I can grab it for you. Or I can walk with you over there," she offered.
@Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓
Rosa - Bumblefoot 🐓 Oct 28, 2022 08:03 PM
“That would be nice,” she mews, blinking gratefully at The Huntress, “it’ll be less scary with you there, since we are second best friends and all.”

Bumblefoot rises to her paws and then stretches, lazy and relaxed in the cougar’s presence. She’s glad to have met this strange creature at her side. She’s probably the least weird strange thing Bumblefoot’s met so far. Well… that Spades seems pretty normal but Bumblefoot hasn’t really spoken to her, other than the hello when she entered the masquerade.

Her tail swishes in the air and she watches The Huntress, waiting so she can follow along like a little chick.

@scary ooby
🪐Kendall (🦆|🌸| ☕) Nov 11, 2022 02:34 PM
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Spades BOT Nov 11, 2022 02:34 PM
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