Lurking ((OPEN))

[X2]

Dusk hit the city, and Rumpus found himself patrolling through the streets. A normal routine, but it was always a different story, whenever he did run into trouble; kept him on his toes. But aside from catching a young queen that been tossed aside by two punk teenagers who had wanted her diamond stud collar to trade; Rumpus didn't know for what, but it was a safe bet it was for some weapon or drugs. After beating the two teenagers for kicks and because apparently it was the "right" thing to do, he had escorted the young queen back to her part of the city. After receiving a 'thank you' kiss on his cheek, and leaving her company, Rumpus found himself back where he started. The two toms had managed to pick themselves up and vacate the area, since he couldn't find a trace of them, aside from their lingering scent and a couple drops of blood. Rumpus wasn't bored enough to follow their trail, and knew a couple of teenagers wouldn't be ideal for the warehouse. So going after them now, was pretty pointless. Crimson red eyes shifted from left to right as he continued on his way, stalking down the street.

((Not the best, really suck at starting threads. Open for Henches, Jellicles or both.))

[petserpit]

((Hey, X2. I know I'm already in a thread with you, but would you mind if I joined with Zwitter?))

[X2]

((Not at all, You're welcome to join. I will probably wait a week before replying though, to see if anyone else would like to join with us. If that's okay. ))

[petserpit]

((Thank you , would you like me to wait too?))

[X2]

((You can go ahead and reply now. )

[dodd4]

a...well rounded older gray tom toddled out of one of the alleys caring a large plaid thermos. he gave Rumpus a beaming smile, "well it has been far to long my Boy, not the last Ball but the one before that if I recall." he set down the thermos and perked his rounded ears.
"would you care for a tipple?"

[petserpit]

((Thank you. ))

Zwitter was uncertain as to how many minutes had slid past as she stood immobile against the falling darkness. The slight nip of the cooling air on her thinly shielded skin, whispering the approaching dusk, had thrown her heavy body into a state of dormancy. She had heaved a sigh that tasted sickly sweet upon release, a product of her habit. She had wandered too long. It was rare that she was outside the warehouse when the air changed, and though the German was not one to fear an attack, it was a fresh and unfamiliar feeling. And it was in this lingering feeling of discomfort, that Zwitter had flanked and unknown building, with the notion of standing inert until the air would change again. The queen stood unseeing, yet unflinching, even at the padding of an approaching stranger. The growing scent made sudden link in her memory, and in the dimness, something glinted through the milky film obscuring her iris. Like a candle through a misted window. As she heard the and smelled the hench to the front of her, the metallic rasp of her voice swelled from a foot or so away. "My cousin really likes you."

[X2]

His narrowed scarlett eyes softened at the sight of an older and familiar tom walking towards him. He recognized him from the streets and they vague few times he was around the junkyard with his latest girlfriend. His eyebrow raised up in amusement. "Oh?" He shook his head at Haversham. "You sure you're not getting me confused with Alonzo. He tends to dress up as me for the ball. Heavyside knows why." His large ears swiveled as he heard the soft sounds of paws approaching the two of them. Still he did revise Haversham's original statement before Zwitter appeared.


"I haven't been to the jellicle ball since I was a teenager." He neglected to point out that it wasn't until last year that he was even invited to join the Jellicle Ball. If it sounded too bitter in his head, then he knew it would sound worse out loud. He turned slightly when a new cat showed themselves. Ah Zwitter. His eyes went wide, and he couldn't hide a grin. "Well hello to you too. Not the oddest greeting I've ever gotten though." He looked between Haversham and Zwitter. "I meet a lot of cats on the street. Do the two of you know each other?"

[dodd4]

the older tom jumped when Zwitter appeared, "well my arn't you a quiet one!" he said to her. he glanced back back at Rumpus with a grin,
"the Cabbies Cat may be old Sonny Jim, but I'm, not that old! mistake Alonso for you? not likely!now it has been a policles age since I have been properly to a ball..." he said as unscrewed the thermos top
poured a black liquid that foamed white into it, then looked at Zwitter
"would you like a sip as well?" he asked politely.

[petserpit]

A short, sharp spell of confusion scuppered any immediate answer to her fellow hench's question. The fresh, bitter scent emanating from a new presence before her, threw Zwitter into momentary disorientation. The tiny dot of the reflected lamp light seemed to bounce about her socket, as her unseeing eyes darted about and her ears twitched feverishly in an attempt to catch the thunderous voices that always accompanied such a scent, knotting her gut as she would hurry through this deafening, sour smelling stretch on her route. Answer to this personal normality came there none, and she was snapped from her trance as the scent became stronger, accompanied only by an offer posed in a voice that sounded lightsome, if somewhat well worn. She responded to Rumpus' question with soft resolve.

"He is from the place where humans speak loudly, I hear them walking without rhythm." Her brow crinkled at the curious smell of the malt, and she shifted a little closer to this new acquaintance; "What is it you are giving to me?"


((Is it okay if I enter Serpit later? Sorry for keeping you both waiting. ))

[dodd4]

the older tom gave the large queen a kind smile "it is some of the finest product from my Mothers home. this is Stout...this is Guinness." Haversham said in a happy tone. "justa wee tipple mind it takes getting used too!"

[X2]

Rumpus watched the two other cats carefully. He always seemed to when a hench and a jellicle met in neutral territory and he wound up in the middle. None of the jellicles knew he was a hench, that his loyalties lied with them, and that he was best friends with Macavity; well banging Macavity, but that was being kept under wraps too. But he wanted to keep those things from getting out. For as long as possible. The black tom wondered when he had become a tom full of secrets and when it when he had accepted that as normal. He shrugged at Zwitter's comment and nodded his head at the same time. "A unique, but accurate description." He peered over at Haversham,"Another one? Just how many drinks do you carry?" As he was asking this, he held up a paw, shaking his head no. He wasn't up for any alcohol at that moment.

((Short, sorry.))

[Moonstruck]

[[If this thread is not replied to within a week it will be declared DEAD]]

[petserpit]

A change had taken place in Zwitter as stood between the fresh, yet comfortable voices. Though her mouth still pooled with hot saliva (the malty scent of the offered beverage had caused her to salivate), the desire to taste it now seemed far from her contemplation. She had grown slowly agitated as the two toms spoke, her towering presence becoming ridged to the point that she appeared a disturbed Grecian soldier carved in dark marble. A soft whistle rose within the company as her stone chest pulsed with her swift, nasal breathing. Though shallow, each breath burned her nostrils with that scent so familiar, yet carrying none of the warmth of welcome or comfort. His scent. Something resembling kittenish sickness twitched in her hard expression, as she felt reminded of the smell of a dead Dagmar. Torn apart, her innards warming in the mugginess of the day an wringing her gut with their stench. Dead, dead Dagmar.

Zwitter swallowed her mouthful of thickened drool, lifting her gaze to she did not know where.

"Auf wiedersehen." She slurred, her limbs suddenly jerking into action like the first movements of a wound up toy. With a troubled stride, resembling intoxication or great fatigue, she stumbled through the company of the two voices, down the street into the dark. She did not want to stay, not with him.

"Tom." She heard his voice. He had not shouted, not at all, yet she heard his call. "Come here, Tom. I wish to speak with you."

[ZWITTER HAS NOT EXITED]

[ENTER SERPIT]

The slight tom followed her trail like a tightrope, balancing upon the thread of her scent. The inbreed smelled of blindness, he swore. A scent so bland, yet with the very first nip his head would be thrown into a state of confusion. It was as if their were a great inflation within his skull, and a veil of inky mist would fall across his vision proceeding the invasion of her nauseating pheromone. Disgusting. How he hated her. Yet he always spoke to her. He could say with shame, though without doubt, that he had spoken more to her than the Hidden Paw himself. She was akin to a wall, or a teddy bear, or a creature that bore no tongue. He could speak to her of every hole, every emptiness, every ink blot in his mind, and she, in her unseeing indifference, would never develop the incentive to breath a word to any other. At least, she may have been aware that if she did, she would really no longer bare a tongue.

Serpit suddenly became aware of a new mingle of scent, and found that of his cousin was weakening. This was accompanied by the soft, disjointed patter of Zwitter's retreat. With a lightness that may have been comical, had he not such an unsightly form, Serpit rushed forward to catch the creature up. He skidded to an easy halt in the presence of two unstudied companions, to see the shuffling, grey shape of the German queen, shrinking into the darkness. His mind set on audience with his cousin, the combined scents of these new acquaintances no connection in his mind.

"Tom." He did not shout, he did not have to. His voice slithered up the path to meet Zwitter, as if a serpent had slid from his lips. He saw the steel form freeze between the two new figures. "Come here, Tom." He commanded, gently though threat swelled in his throat. "I wish to speak with you."

[dodd4]

the old tom gave Rumpus a wink and patted his thermos, "that depends upon the company and how deeply they avail themselves of my friend here!"
then Haversham frowned his rounded ears perking at how the large queen tottered off a ways. "an odd one there, a Lass of few words."
Haversham's smile grew. "ah well, I don't mind a lass of few words.
in fact the most amazing Queen I've known was a lass of few words. you may not be able to tell it now," he said patting his ample middle, "but in my youth some humans who fancied themselves breeders picked me up off the street to serve as a studd in their cattery."
his eyes became distant and his voice took on a soft raptureus quality. "and thats wheare I met HER. well my fine lad if you are lucky there will be one that you will allways remember! for me it was Morrigan, well thats what I call her, SHE didn't bother with a name. a proper amazon she was, wild and fierce. strong she was, muscles like coiled steel and claws like the finest Schefiled knives! her fur was like the sundappled fields of ripe golden wheat and eyes
of the deepest emerald she had! magnificent... and I am not too proud to admit that when she saw what she wanted it was wham bam thankya sam,
now THERE was a Queen who KNEW how to assert herself! of course it's easier to admit that since what she wanted was me! she killed every other tom that so much as sniffed her tail, AND the human who came ta see if I was still alive, ripped out his throat as easily as you'd take a mouse. thats why I called her Morrigan, ya see long ago hereabouts Morrigan was the name of one of the goddesses of WAR. never seen her like before nor since." Haversham gave a
deep heavy sigh, "I have no doubt that if we were to meet today, if she gave me a second glance twould only be to kill me, and the sad part is I really wouldn't
mind, just to see the FIRE in those eyes again."
the old tom blinked and shook himself, then he smiled apologeticly at his younger companion. "ah me, I do cary on don't I? but then thats the danger of being
around an old codger like me, eaither we don't say a word or we talk enough for two!"