Raid on the Chicken Ranch (open)

[shizoo]

Tango shook his head in confusion, still wondering about the odd couple he had left behind. They certainly were among the most confusing cats he'd met here! Still, he hoped the brown queen could work out her problems--with a minimum of pain.
Tango took the path out of the yard swiftly--he hoped he was going in the right direction!
The black tom was taking his time as he was hoping the lady Krystalle was resting. Rest was probably the best thing for her right now anyway.
The Burmese was confused by her anyway. . she seemed to blow hot & cold. He wasn't sure where he really stood with her--if she really liked him or was just humoring him.
Well, time would tell.
In the meantime--staging a raid for food on the local farmhouse seemed like a harmless enough adventure. Heck, if things hadn't gotten so odd, he would have invited Gus to join him--he liked the tom. He seemed like a nice guy & Tango didn't have many friends here yet.

[Moonstruck]

Finally, the light grey queen was nearly inside the city itself. She'd managed to avoid running into too many cats so far, but nearing her destination meant it was more likely a random meeting could be beneficial. Although it still could be detrimental. Shaking her head Charla pushing those thoughts away, her own hunger was more important especially with a farmhouose in view.

Quietly she ventured around the farmhouse trying to figure the best way to do this. She wasn't exactly happy with her experience in stealing food from houses, but it was a necessary evil. Although as she was evaluating the situation Charla noticed another cat and paused, momentarily having a battle between her flight and fight instinct. "Uh, hi?" She cut herself off, keeping it short so that something rude wouldn't accidently slip out.

[shizoo]

Tango noticed the gray queen & slowly came out of his crouch. Some males discounted females--as the weaker sex. Tango had always thought that stupid. From his reading--he knew females could be totally terrifying--if given reason to be.
Using his honed street sense, he evaluated her & came up with--potential threat, but more, she looked hungry. His gentletomly instincts engaged as he realized she looked almost--scared?
Politely, he nodded, going no closer & making no threatening moves.
"How do you do. I see we seem to have the same goals in mind. Shall we join forces or would you prefer I come back later?"
The handsome black Burmese had no intention of thrusting his company on her, but it might be nice to make a friend & to have a partner in this little venture. From what he'd heard, even if they got caught, the humans weren't likely to do anything to them anyway.
Cocking his head, he simply waited to see what she'd like to do.

[Moonstruck]

Weary, Charla waited as the dark tom stood out of his crouch which put her slightly at ease. Although she was quite glad when he didn't step any closer, as far as she was concerned Charla wasn't actually in the city yet and things could still go very wrong. Despite that, she silently weighed the options offered to her - hunt on her own which could get tricky with humans around, or hunt together with a cat she didn't know.

Evaluating him for a moment Charla didn't catch any indication of recognition, she'd never met him and likely neither had her family considering how similar they looked there'd be some recognition in his eyes. That meant the danger she was most worried about most likely wasn't there. "It'd probably be easier to hunt together with humans around. I'm Charla." She smiled.

[shizoo]

Tango gave her a polite inclination of his head, respectful of her wariness. From his estimation, she hadn't eaten in a while & had likely been on the streets for some time. He reined in his natural sympathy, concerned that he would put her off.
"Nice to meet you Charla, I am Tango."
His street instincts also kept him from volunteering too much information about himself. There was something. . off, about her, either she was in trouble. . or had been in trouble recently, he couldn't tell which.
"That is fine with me, my lady. Do you have a preference as to how we continue? Also, what do you prefer for prey? There are live chickens around that way. . " He grinned & gave her a mischievous look, "but I find the pre-cooked chicken in the human's cold boxes, both tastier & more of a challenge. What would you prefer?" Tango knew what he'd enjoy more--there wasn't much challenge in killing a stupid broody hen, plus he wasn't a big fan of unnecessary killing anyway. Besides. . mmm some of the sauces & cooking techniques improved the flavor to a high degree. . He could feel his mouth watering already, but it was lady's choice. Politely he waited for her answer.

[Moonstruck]

She nodded slightly acknowledging his name and taking a comment to commit it to memory, names usually faded from her mind after a meeting - it'd always been more pragmatic that way. But she was planning on staying around so remembering names would mostly likely be helpful.

Charla's face scrunched up in confusion as Tango inquire about what type of prey. Pre-cooked? Somehow whatever the humans had come up with as precooked didn't sound all that appetizing and wondered what had possible driven him to attempt that. "Pre-cooked? What could possibly drive you to break into a human house just for that?" Sure she'd gotten into human houses before, but going through all that hassle for some odd tasting meat? For a cat she was meeting out of the safety of the city or a tribe he really didn't seen that pragmatic.

[shizoo]

Tango bowed & gave her a polite smile. The black Burmese sighed inwardly when she gave him the 'look'. Having lived on the streets for so long, he was used to the 'look'. It said, Cat are you absolutely crazy? Have you lost it? Tango knew he was prone to flights of fancy & odd notions, but to his mind, that's what made life about living & not just surviving. A difference very few cats were able to understand or even appreciate.
"My lady, if I may?" Tango attempted to explain his reasoning. "The cooked meat the humans eat has been cleaned & prepared to be disease-free. It may be an acquired taste, but that doesn't make it bad. Plus there's the challenge of getting in & out without getting caught. There's a certain rush in besting an adversary that's almost as smart as a cat, don't you think?"
He paused a moment, trying to explain his probably uncatlike position about other species--his 'sensibilities' had gotten him in trouble before & likely would again.
He looked her in the eye earnestly, his orange ones glowing with a bit of passion. "I have a . . code if you will. I do not care for unnecessary killing. The chickens & birds there are primarily used for eggs & for raising little ones not for meat. They are caged & stupid, but don't necessarily deserve to die for that. They are defenseless & easy prey, that is true, but don't you feel they do not offer any. .challenge?" He paused & eyed her thin form with sympathy. "If of course you are in desperate need & or. . " He paused delicately, "umm. . if you have any kits to feed, of course I will assist you in any way I can for immediate food."

[Moonstruck]

Charla remained skeptical as she listened to Tango as he tried to convince her of eating the humans' odd tasting food. She remained rather steadfast in her opinion of the fact that such was not worth the needless and excessive effort for a simple meal. Although at his mention of not wanting unnecessary killing a small snort of disbelief escaped her, her expression hardening slightly, "So you'd rather let the humans do the dirty work? Let them kill the chicken to keep your conscious clear?" Standing a bit straighter now Charla took a step forward as she continued, "And do not assume to quickly such desperations. It's a tiny little thing called pragmatism." Done with the quick rant, Charla realized what she'd just said, rather confrontationally and sighed her posture deflating slightly. She really needed to stop doing that.

Taking a step back she glanced between Tango and the house, "Perhaps hunting together is not the best idea. It seems we both have our own ideas on a meal, however as I said I'm not desperate for a meal so if you'd prefer I can find one closer to the city." She allowed him a simple way to be rid of her company.

[shizoo]

Tango gave the pretty queen a polite bow & smile. "I do not see that as necessary my lady. We can certainly coordinate a hunt for some suitable sustenance."
He cursed himself a little for making her uncomfortable. Ruefully he figured he wasn't helping his case to make a friend as when he got uncomfortable, he tended to get very formal. In his experience this personal tendency made others either annoyed or confused.
The all black tom nodded mildly. "And I certainly wasn't putting the killing off on another, but the way I see it, as the meat the humans store is already dead, why let it go to waste? That doesn't matter, however. As you prefer the hunt & the kill, I would be happy to assist you."
Privately he figured he would help her first then make his own raid afterwards-it was the polite thing to do.
Lithely, he jumped down to her level & bowed again. "Would you care to lead the way?"

[Moonstruck]

Silently Charla was thankful that her little outburst hadn't caused an unpleasant scene. After all she really didn't want to get into a fight if she could avoid it simple because to the queen it was wasted effort. Although she had to admit his formality of speech was odd, and something that Charla had rarely encountered. Usually formalities came from those who were about to be conned. "I suppose as it is where humans keep their own food, it is not going to waste considering they're going to eat it."

The queen gave the tom a hard glance when he mentioned assisting her hunt, now that never spelled good news. Silently she wondered about the tom, he'd already assumed she was in desperation and now she couldn't manage to kill her own cooped chicken. She decided to leave it for now, but to keep a careful eye on the black tom as she nodded and started towards the coop she'd spotted. "You'll assist yet not eat?" Charla made sure to keep her tone lighter, making her question more of a quip.

[shizoo]

Tango kept his face pleasant, but noted her more defensive posture with a bit of dismay. She likely didn't believe him, & he cursed his tendency towards the formal whenever he felt shy or nervous.
He nodded politely. "Thank you, but I do not need to eat at this time. Actually I was gathering some food for an injured lady cat & trying to tempt her appetite."
He gave her a boyish grin & quipped, "And aren't we more deserving than any human to reap the bounty of their abundant food?"
He didn't know her well enough to know how she felt about humans, so he wasn't going to try & explain how cooked human food made him feel closer to his beloved lost human girl. "How would you like to proceed fair lady?" he asked gently.

[Moonstruck]

Now she was exceedingly confused by this tom. He commented how he didn't want the human food to be wasted, them states that it's not actually for him but an attempt to make an other eat. So there was a chance it'd be wasted. She also didn't see how they could possibly be more deserving of human food than the human were. Honestly Charla didn't harbour the distaste so many cats seemed to have towards humans, in fact when she could she found herself watching their behaviour. "So there is quite the chance you will be wasting the human food because you don't want the humans to waste it."

However the queen simply didn't acknowledge the comment about them being more deserving with anything more than a slightly raised eyebrow in opposition. She knew very well that other cats thought the humans were horrible creatures. Instead she glanced at the coop and back to Tango. "If you aren't going to eat the chicken stay here. I prefer to do my own hunting." She said before slipping into the coop and making quick work of the oldest hen she was able to find, seeing no reason to kill a healthy young one that could give more eggs. After the quick meal she returned to where her and Tango had been, much more content that she now had a full stomach.

[shizoo]

Tango sighed at the confused reaction of the queen. He really was bad at this socialization thing. Drawing into himself, he respected her wishes & simply nodded politely to her & kept watch while she went about her business. Carefully he made sure neither the humans nor any other predators snuck up on her while she was eating.
Desperately he wished his own beloved human wasn't still missing. She had been the only one so far who'd been able to see past his quirks to the heart within. Still, he consoled himself with the thought of Krystalle waiting in the healers den, & with the Jellicle leader, both had been good to him so maybe there was hope.
Ears down dejectedly, he silently admonished himself for always saying or doing the wrong thing though. It always seemed that he said the wrong thing at the wrong time.
He was so lost in his own bleak thoughts & in watching over the queen. . he failed to notice someone or something sneaking up behind him. .

[Moonstruck]

Charla was pleasantly surprise when she was left alone to hunt. Honestly the queen had nothing against the tom, despite her confusion at his odd logic, but she had always preferred hunting alone. It'd always been one of the few times that allowed her to clear her head around her old tribe.

As she re-approached Tango, Charla noted his body language and the lack of attention to his surroundings and sighed lightly. Making sure to stand a bit back she reached out a paw to tap Tango's shoulder. She new from experiene not all cats startled well and mentally prepared herself.

[shizoo]

At the last moment the small black tom felt Charla's presence & his street skills allowed him to turn what could have been an embarrassing stumble into a graceful turn. (he just hoped she hadn't noticed the slightly wobbly start)
"Ah there you are ma'am. Eaten well I hope?" he asked politely.
Tango smiled at her,though from the looks she gave him, he could tell he was a bit of a puzzle to her. Well, that was no surprise, he thought dryly. why should she be any different than the average Jellicle he'd met? Tango wasn't feeling sorry for himself-just resigned.
he knew & accepted himself as being more than a bit odd.
"Is there anything I can do for you then before I venture inside?" He inquired nodding at the building.