A Starlit Stroll [Mino]

[Avamande]

O N E • S T A R R Y • N I G H T

Ash 20, 121 Age of Steel

Avamande had long preferred to practice their art under the cover of night for several reasons that they had rigorously justified to themself. First, it was true Kalzasi was rather tolerant of magic users but actively performing Traversion in front of daytime crowds was still considered to be somewhat uncouth. While performing at night introduced the additional complication of the not always safe streets, the power of Traversion permitted them to travel along the rooftops instead. Second, the occasional Sky Guard and night time bird were excellent 'targets' to attempt to chase. Third, there was something undeniably peaceful about working out beneath the stars no matter the circumstances.

In truth, all of these were excuses for the actual reason they chose to go vaulting from rooftop to rooftop under the cover of darkness. After all, every single one of their stated reasons could just as easily be met by simply leaving the city - which was how most of Kalzasi's mages dealt with such concerns. Their emotions tempered by Negation as they were, the Hytori barely had the words to explain the real reason. They were having fun. A smile tugged at their lips as they leapt off of a cobblestone roof, the gap between it and the next far too vast for any but the most athletic to hope to cross. To an observer out to enjoy the starlit sky, it seemed for a moment as if they would collapse upon the ground in a bloody heap only for the lithe mage to vanish from sight.

The world faded away as Avamande shifted their body into Slipspace in a single Blink, their awareness blossoming into the space in between spaces. All places, all things, were connected, the strands of reality itself keeping them bound together like the very bones of the earth. They let a single laugh of sheer exhilaration that was lost in that nowhere but everywhere, the simple joy fading away as they were once more shunted back into 'proper' reality and were greeted by pain mere moments later. They had misjudged the relative positioning upon returning, appearing half a foot above the next roof and almost rolling their ankle as they attempted to salvage a landing.

No curse escaped their lips as they steadied themself anew, instead only a soft breath as they permitted their consciousness to expand. The interconnectedness of all things was an obvious truth, but it took a dedicated use of Spatial Mapping to truly drive home their relative positions in the firmament. They resisted the urge to chide themself after finishing the work, instead testing their weight upon their wounded ankle before continuing on.

[Mino]

The rooftops of Kalsazi were a familiar playground to the rathari that trotted along them now. Long before he had come to realize what he was — before anyone did, really — he had found comfort in being elevated physically above others. Perhaps it was because he liked watching the people mill about, handling the day-to-day problems they faced. The people during the day were a stark contrast to the people out during the night, hiding their deeds in the darkness. He supposed, on a level that he was no different from them.

He slow, laying at the edge of a sloped roof. Mino had been chasing this cat for — well, he didn’t keep track, but he knew it had been some time since the sun had gone down. His ears flicked, head resting on his paws as he waited. He could understand somewhat of the point of these little chases, but he wondered how much she expected of him. And what she gained from all of this. He crept forward a bit more, listening to the sounds around him for that telltale tap of paws against tiled roofs for him to follow once more.

Instead, he heard something more clumsy, less refined. Heavier, at that. He lifted his head, blinked once, twice. The steps faltered, not quite stumbled as they continued along the rooftops. Had another person joined the chase? Mino wouldn’t have put it past the cat to add competition for him to deal with on top of everything else. He pushed himself up to his feet, starting into a trot once more. He picked up speed to vault from one roof to the next, pushing off with his back legs as he stretched himself out to reach the next roof.

Easy were his steps as he followed the other, intrigued by who they might be. He supposed having competition would give him just another test to deal with. But did they know he was here? As far as the cats around the city went, he was abnormally large to anyone none the wiser about what he was. A tawny-haired cat with steps far too quiet to be heard on most occasions. Bright eyes that observed in the dark, refracting the light of the stars and moons when they landed on his eyes just right.

Now, as he closed in on this stranger, nose working, that light would not find him so easily. He slunk along the tiles, head down for a moment before he paused to take in where his next step might be. Where someone not him would have some difficulty seeing in the dark, the shapes were clear before him. A swish of his tail, another flick of his ears; he was still on track to be after the person. The distance was long enough that there would be a heavy thud as he landed, signaling his presence. But, being the cat that he was, he made his way to the tip of the roof. Sat down — and mewled.

[Avamande]

The night life of Kalzasi was Avamande's constant companion upon these excursions, both human and animal. While they did their best to avoid the former as much as possible, disliking the noise of those busily reveling and averse to the possibility of an accident interrupting that very revelry, the latter was ultimately inescapable. Most simply fled or hid at their passage, the far heavier steps of any elf, even one that did not take every step upon the ground, unmistakably different. The sounds of their nocturnal activities were thus ignored by the ever practical mage, the Hytori subscribing to the belief that they were all best served by leaving each other alone.

Ordinarily, that was exactly how they would react to the sound of another creature joining them on the rooftop, simply paying the newcomer no mind before heading to the next. And then they heard a mewl. Turning their head to see who had joined them, Avamande could not help but feel an uncharacteristic bolt of surprise. Whatever - or whoever, for this was Kalzasi - this cat was large, larger than it had any right to be. Not to mention quieter than a creature of such a size should be capable of, the mage rapidly determining that they had only heard the cat land because it wished to be heard, for they had not heard any of its prior steps or leaps.

Clearly intelligent, though that on its own told them little about what sort of creature this was, Avamande decided it would be rude not to respond to the clear invitation. Working their way to the very top of the roof, they crouched down upon their haunches so that its bright eyes were level with their dull ones. Uncertain how to address cats, let alone potentially magic cats, they decided to be respectful as possible and return the greeting that they were offered.

"Meow." The word was said entirely flat, devoid of any emotion, yet somehow earnest despite it. Leaving such a greeting on its own felt sterile however, and they extended a hand to shake. Realizing after a moment that the cat lacked the ability to respond as a man might, they turned turned their hand palm up, leaving it open for a paw.

[Mino]

It was, in truth, always fun to see how someone might handle seeing him. Fully feline and incapable of speaking, he’d always found other ways to communicate what he wanted much like the creatures his blood mimicked. But there was always an array of responses to his presence. Those that he remembered most vividly were Fawn and Hyoga; one going so far as to vomit on him and the other deciding that he’d worn some level of suspicion that warranted a stone cage. But he also thought that Hyoga was a self-righteous wings-for-brains, even if he was entertaining to mess with. Maybe that was what made him entertaining. Hm; he’d have to put that to the test.

Now though, as the person startled and turned toward him with evident surprise — surprise at being surprised or at Mino’s being there? — before getting closer. At least they had some inkling of sense. As they drew closer, Mino took a moment to assess what he could of them. Fine features; bird-like, with soft dark curls and pale skin. He tipped his head to the side, blinked once. A hand was extended to him, and with the other this close, he caught a bouquet of wildflowers. Like sunshine and honey; an interesting combination. He liked both in their own spheres, and had experienced them when mixed — but even Fawn hadn’t smelled so much like this. Not so thickly. Or maybe it had been the changes he’d noticed in her of late.

He inched forward, sniffed again. Nose working, he glanced up as the person’s lips moved and — they meowed. Like a cat. Back at a cat. His ears flicked. If he could laugh, he might have. Instead, he let loose a staccato string of chirps before placing a large paw in their hand. The other would note then the fur between his paw pads — which had been helpful in keeping his approach concealed from the other. But he would not keep his paw there for long, before trotting away and sitting, looking back at the other expectantly.

[Avamande]

Tension filled their body as they waited for the response from the cat to their approach. A rather rare sensation for the Hytori, it was almost to them just why they felt it so strongly. They were concerned that the cat would hiss or just run away from them, a fear of being rejected by such an aloof creature even now when it was obvious that this was no ordinary cat. Animals always fascinated Avamande, and a part of them knew that they would not be nearly so forward if an ordinary man was in its place.

Relief flooded through them when the cat, if it could be called a cat, reacted happily to their presence. The delightful burst of chirping drew an almost unseen smile from Avamande, muted joy and satisfaction joining their earlier relief. And then the paw sat in his hand and the smile grew wider still, to what one might be so bold as to call a grin an outpouring of emotion at the undeniable cuteness of the creature across from them that overwhelmed even the deadening effects of Negation's mark upon them.

When the cat eventually departed, as they knew it eventually would, a pang of undeniable sadness struck through them at having such a meeting end so soon. Making ready to continue their nightly excursion, for they had no desire to chase after someone who did not desire their company, they were all too happy to see the cat turns its gaze back upon them. Taking the invitation to follow, they were all too eager, quickly matching the animal's pace as the two of them continued out upon the rooftops.

Briefly, they wondered if the animal would allow them to hold it and take it with them the next time they Blinked. It was not every cat who could say that they had done that after all. Certainly by now they knew this was no ordinary cat, but it was impossible to not treat it like one. It was a very cute cat.

[Paragon]

R E W A R D S

Name: Avamande
XP: 10 XP
Requested Lore: 8 Lores

Name: Mino
XP: 10 XP
Requested Lore: 8 Lores

Note(s): Closed and reviewed per request. Enjoy your rewards!