Sunflowers and Moonmonsters
Quote from Adriana on August 31, 2023, 12:06 pmGood. She was listening.
"Yeah, that boy. His name is Josh. I risked... a lot to keep him from dying, I'd appreciate if you didn't put that hard work to waste."
Good. She was listening.
"Yeah, that boy. His name is Josh. I risked... a lot to keep him from dying, I'd appreciate if you didn't put that hard work to waste."
Quote from Mae on August 31, 2023, 12:10 pmMercy breathed a slow breath and released it. Then she dropped her head into her palms and rubbed her eyes again.
After a moment, she lifted her head again, looking very tired... or very irritated.
"Where.... are... we?" She said each word with difficulty, but it each sounded a little clearer than the last.
Mercy breathed a slow breath and released it. Then she dropped her head into her palms and rubbed her eyes again.
After a moment, she lifted her head again, looking very tired... or very irritated.
"Where.... are... we?" She said each word with difficulty, but it each sounded a little clearer than the last.
Quote from Adriana on August 31, 2023, 12:13 pmShe was talking. That made it easier. Or harder. If she started asking about Charlie, I was in trouble. I'd have to keep her mind off of it.
"My backyard, Chapman's territory," or so he claimed, "We needed to come out here to get you some food. You spend a lot of energy in this form."
She was talking. That made it easier. Or harder. If she started asking about Charlie, I was in trouble. I'd have to keep her mind off of it.
"My backyard, Chapman's territory," or so he claimed, "We needed to come out here to get you some food. You spend a lot of energy in this form."
Quote from Mae on August 31, 2023, 12:18 pmMercy set her hands, or paws, down in her lap and stared at them... then her ears came up. One swiveled behind her. Her eyes came up too... her muzzle wrinkled and then both her ears dropped.
No... she was not going to look for her tail.
Mercy set her hands, or paws, down in her lap and stared at them... then her ears came up. One swiveled behind her. Her eyes came up too... her muzzle wrinkled and then both her ears dropped.
No... she was not going to look for her tail.
Quote from Adriana on August 31, 2023, 12:51 pm“I’m sorry sweetheart…” I said, watching Mercy’s gaze fall. “It’s not all bad. You’re senses are better now-won’t likely get food poisoning ever again…” I tried to laugh but it came out forced.
I went over to the bag Josh dragged off wnd carried it back to Mercy, sitting down in front of her.
”I boiled some eggs,” I said, pulling out a baggy and offering it to Mercy. “Hopefully these won’t slip away.”
“I’m sorry sweetheart…” I said, watching Mercy’s gaze fall. “It’s not all bad. You’re senses are better now-won’t likely get food poisoning ever again…” I tried to laugh but it came out forced.
I went over to the bag Josh dragged off wnd carried it back to Mercy, sitting down in front of her.
”I boiled some eggs,” I said, pulling out a baggy and offering it to Mercy. “Hopefully these won’t slip away.”
Quote from Mae on August 31, 2023, 1:40 pmMercy's change had come easier than most. She had everything work out for her, and she was adapting well. But all executive power in her brain was routed to that part which dealt in survival. The need of the unit had changed, and therefore much of what the mind knew and retained was compromised.. Muscles functioned differently. Thoughts and emotions came on in a strange way. Cravings were sudden, peculiar, and earnest. Mercy was remembering, or was beginning to remember some of the memories of her former life, but she did not have access to all of it. She couldn't remember the trek to the field or the trauma of the change. She had not yet consciously remembered her son, or the people who she belonged to. She had no detailed recollection of an existence beyond this moment, and she would react to any stimulant that aggravated her senses.
In that regard, it was unsurprising when, after sniffing the bag, everything human about Mercy vanished in a blink of an eye. She snapped the bag out of Robin's hands and and retreated with it, growling, as she consumed the eggs, the plastic baggy, and the grass where she dropped it. Then she looked at Robin, hungry for much, much more.
Mercy's change had come easier than most. She had everything work out for her, and she was adapting well. But all executive power in her brain was routed to that part which dealt in survival. The need of the unit had changed, and therefore much of what the mind knew and retained was compromised.. Muscles functioned differently. Thoughts and emotions came on in a strange way. Cravings were sudden, peculiar, and earnest. Mercy was remembering, or was beginning to remember some of the memories of her former life, but she did not have access to all of it. She couldn't remember the trek to the field or the trauma of the change. She had not yet consciously remembered her son, or the people who she belonged to. She had no detailed recollection of an existence beyond this moment, and she would react to any stimulant that aggravated her senses.
In that regard, it was unsurprising when, after sniffing the bag, everything human about Mercy vanished in a blink of an eye. She snapped the bag out of Robin's hands and and retreated with it, growling, as she consumed the eggs, the plastic baggy, and the grass where she dropped it. Then she looked at Robin, hungry for much, much more.
Quote from Kaqurei on August 31, 2023, 1:56 pmThe calvary got back just in time, then. He had a dead mule deer slung over his shoulder, and was dragging another live by the antlers back to Mercy.
The dead one was flung at her feet. The live one was forced to lie on its belly as Josh leaned his bulk onto the animal and pushed it to the ground. His grip on its antler did not relent. Not that it put up too much of a fight. Struggling against him the whole way back had spent most of its energy by now.
The calvary got back just in time, then. He had a dead mule deer slung over his shoulder, and was dragging another live by the antlers back to Mercy.
The dead one was flung at her feet. The live one was forced to lie on its belly as Josh leaned his bulk onto the animal and pushed it to the ground. His grip on its antler did not relent. Not that it put up too much of a fight. Struggling against him the whole way back had spent most of its energy by now.
Quote from Adriana on August 31, 2023, 2:01 pmI drew back and watched Mercy. Josh came in the nick of time. I stayed clear of the deer and watched him lean his weight on the live one, watching carefully to see what Mercy would do.
"Good timing.." I exhaled a careful breath and drew near to Josh.
I drew back and watched Mercy. Josh came in the nick of time. I stayed clear of the deer and watched him lean his weight on the live one, watching carefully to see what Mercy would do.
"Good timing.." I exhaled a careful breath and drew near to Josh.
Quote from Mae on August 31, 2023, 2:46 pmMercy's instinct was to run the minute Josh appeared at the edge of the field. He had grabbed her once. She would not let him grab her again. She ran away, almost to the treeline, but stopped there and watched him. She could smell his prey, and the frantic movements of his living victim enticed her to stay. But she did not return for the deer. She stood at the edge of the clearing and watched him.
Mercy's instinct was to run the minute Josh appeared at the edge of the field. He had grabbed her once. She would not let him grab her again. She ran away, almost to the treeline, but stopped there and watched him. She could smell his prey, and the frantic movements of his living victim enticed her to stay. But she did not return for the deer. She stood at the edge of the clearing and watched him.
Quote from Kaqurei on August 31, 2023, 3:59 pmJosh's body language was totally at ease, in spite of the fleeing Mercy and the struggling deer. He was confident she'd come back, now that there was fresh meat available.
He looked at the preacher and shrugged his shoulder a little. "We got lucky," he replied. "The herd's made off in a big way after all the fuss. Otherwise I'd 've got three. Or four. These two got their horns all locked together."
Perhaps that explained why the dead one's antlers were broken. There wasn't any blood. Its neck must have snapped somehow too.
"Figured it's just as well. She can eat 'em both, but I hear sometimes the newby won't touch 'em unless they catch 'em themselves. Well, now she's got options."
A small involuntary shudder happened somewhere at the back of his head, and he shook his ears. "Better'n what I got. They made me drink some kinda somethin' outta a bottle. Bleurgggh."
Josh's body language was totally at ease, in spite of the fleeing Mercy and the struggling deer. He was confident she'd come back, now that there was fresh meat available.
He looked at the preacher and shrugged his shoulder a little. "We got lucky," he replied. "The herd's made off in a big way after all the fuss. Otherwise I'd 've got three. Or four. These two got their horns all locked together."
Perhaps that explained why the dead one's antlers were broken. There wasn't any blood. Its neck must have snapped somehow too.
"Figured it's just as well. She can eat 'em both, but I hear sometimes the newby won't touch 'em unless they catch 'em themselves. Well, now she's got options."
A small involuntary shudder happened somewhere at the back of his head, and he shook his ears. "Better'n what I got. They made me drink some kinda somethin' outta a bottle. Bleurgggh."
