Summary:In which the Beast encounters a lavender lioness and gets her a new place to stay thanks to Dead Girl! Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Early in the evening, and Hank is out for a run. Though only five-eleven he's rather on the bulky side, and the blue fur—yeah, not a lot of people are likely to give him too much trouble as he runs on a woodland trail near the Institute. Barefoot, he jogs at a pace most sprinters would have trouble sustaining and is not even a little winded. He's otherwise wearing a dark blue pair of sweat pants, and a matchinng jacket as he hums to himself softly during his run. And yes, from time to time he bounces - off trees, off rocks, once just for the fun of it he bounces in a series of back and forth leaps between a pair of trees to end up almost fifty feet up before he can jump no higher without risk to life and limb - TREE limb, especially! Laughing, a deep bass rumbling of a laugh, he instead hooks the tree bole on the way by, and turns to land on the ground again without breaking stride save to roll and absorb some of the momentum in excellent parkour form.
The signs of a struggle in the woods are unmistakable, the ground is churned up, and there is a large splash of blood. Then brush and broken twigs as something heavy was dragged away. It looks fairly horrid, but no signs of guns, no spent shells, no bullet holes. Catseye is pretty pleased with herself, she killed a feral pig! A small group of feral cats has joined her, and Catseye is more than happy to share her kill with the little ones. She can't eat all of it herself, after all, and feral cats share with each other.
Hank's first thought - oh dear, did I get blood or guts on me? And then he stops and looks around trying to make sense of the slaughter scene. Though he was a boy scout and earned pretty much all the merit badges while there, he's not an expert tracker by any means and so all he can conclude readily is there was a fight of some sort, and the victor dragged the fallen off 'thataway'. There's a lot of blood too, something is badly hurt or maybe dead, and that has the Beast in motion before he's even conscious of the decision. For a big guy he can move with surprising speed, and thanks to a lot of training he's even fairly stealthy! Of course, he'll not have a chance in Limbo of surprising anyone with superior senses, though perhaps the winds might favor him…hard to say. Regardless, off he goes to track the bloody trail and see who or what got hurt or killed!
Catseye hears Hank, not in time to flee, but in time to get between him and her kill. And that's the sight that greets Hank, a large lavender lion crouching and growling deep in his throat. The feral pig is hers, and she might chose to share it with the feral cats but something big stealing it is a different story. Still, she doesn't attack first, she growls in warning, tail lashing. Fighting always brings the risk of injury, and is not to be taken lightly.
Nope, fighting is never to be taken lightly — definitely something that the Beast would agree with! Hank blinks at the growling -lavender- lion, ceasing his four-limbed run, and skidding to a stop some few yards away. "That's curious, the lionESS is the one who usually hunts…" He's staying still, and takes up a rather simian position, hunkering down and leaning on the backs of his hands as he studies the tableau. "…of course panthera leo does not come in shades of purple." He inches a little closer, moving slowly and in a non-threatening fashion. "Ergo — you, are not a lion at all, but a lioness with the ability to take other forms. Sharon Smith, I presume? Rumors of your death were clearly erroneous…" Hank is careful not to smile, the baring of fangs is a threat display he shan't be risking.
Catseye tilts her head to one side, listening to Hank talk. She stretches slowly, her fur settling a little. Her posture is still uncertain, not relaxed, but at least not threatening. She stretches out, extending her claws, and rakes the ground a couple times. See how big her claws are? I'm not scared of you, really, her body language seems to say. She tilts her head to the side, keeping a careful eye on him.
"There you go, Sharon…may I call you Sharon?" Hank's voice is -deep-, his every syllable enunciated with care and vibrant. He keeps his tones soothing as he shifts positions to sit Indian-style on the ground, an even less threatening posture than the crouch he was in. A nod at the threat display, and then he meets her gaze a moment, before turning the glance away…a clear message to a cat, in this case it signifies trust. "I mean you no harm, Miss Smith…my name is Hank McCoy."
Catseye's voice is rough with a slight hiss, "Catseye. Catseye is cat." A couple of feral cats slink out of the forest, approaching the dead feral pig but keeping Catseye between them and Hank. Catseye slashes the dead pig with her claws, letting the regular cats pull chunks free and run off with them.
"Catseye? Yes, yes of course, -Catseye-." Hank nods acceptance of the name change. "I have a codename too — Beast." He makes no move at all when Catseye shreds the pig for her smaller friends, nodding after to show approval. Not that she needs his approval, of course! "Are you well, Catseye? Do you need help?" A longer glance, eyes to to eyes before he shunts it aside again to avoid it being a challenge. "If you need help, I can help you."
Catseye rumbles, deep in her chest. "Badmen hurt Catseye… Catseye run and run…" Her expression gets distant, sad. "Can't Find MotherMotherFrost. Snows come. Safeplace goooooone…." Her voice trails off in an unhappy yowl, and one of the feral cats comes over and starts to lick her. That calms her down a little, and Catseye nuzzles at the tabby. "No more smoothskins. Catseye is cat."
"Perhaps I can help you find, Emma, Catseye…in the meantime, you don't have to live in the wilds. I know another safe place we can go, a place where you can be yourself and not be afraid. Where you'll have food, and can make friends, and be all of you…little cat, big cat, and smoothskin." Oh man, he sure knows a lot of what she can do! "Two years…that's a long time to be alone." He extends a hand, a rather large hand at that, turned palm up, fingers spread and faintly curled. "Will you let me help you, Catseye?"
Catseye sniffs the hand, then shakes herself, backing up warily, "No more smoothskin. No hurt. No remember!" She bristles, her fur puffing up to make herself look bigger until she is crouching over her kill. She keeps her eyes warily on Hank, bending down to clamp her jaws around the back of the dead swine's neck so she can pick it up.
"No hurt, I promise. Please, Catseye…I want to help, you…I -need- to help you, if you'll give me a chance." After all, he was -there- when the Hellfire Academy was brought down. He participated in what turned out to be the destruction of this girl's - a fellow mutant - 'safeplace'. How messed up is that?! Regardless, not everyone there was bad, this girl was clearly an innocent and he feels some significant guilt for having caused her, however indirectly, so much pain.
Catseye rumbles and shakes the feral pig, fluffing herself up. Her posture seems to say 'See how big and fierce I am?' One of the cats makes a protesting noise, and Catseye sets it down, nosing the cat over to encourage it to eat. "Find MotherMotherFrost?" Her voice is small, not quite hopeful, almost as of she is afraid to hope.
The rumble and shake of the dead pig and fluffing up are taken quite seriously, Hank settles back on his haunches but keeps his hand extended without making long eye contact, clearly accepting the she-lion's fierceness as a given. LAVENDER she-lion…with a mane, ah well, she IS a mutant and not /actually/ a lioness after all. "I will find MotherMotherFrost for you, Catseye, I don't know where she is right now but I /do/ know a safe place. A warm place with many things to explore, and food you need not kill first." A firm nod, not quite making eye contact. "Safe."
Catseye leaves the dead boar for the feral cats. "Catseye not have to wear smoothskin? BlueBeast look for MotherMotherFrost while Catseye rest at Newplace?" She really does NOT want to take human form. It's awkward and ugly and can't fight worth a damn compared to furform. She hesitantly moves closer to Hank.
"You don't ever have to wear a smoothskin again, if you choose not to." Hank says with utter sincerity. "BlueBeast will look for your MotherMotherFrost, yes." He's stock still, hand still extended and will remain so until she decides whether or not to take his hand, or leave. That's an option too, and he won't pursue her. He meets her gaze and holds it for a time. "I will never force you or cause you real hurt. You're free to choose, Catseye."
Catseye considers for a moment, then headbutts Hank. She's the size and mass of a lion, so she could possibly knock him over. But she's not being sneaky, she's not trying to knock him over she's just… being a friendly cat. "Catseye come with BlueBeast, yes." She looks up at Beast, following where he leads.
A warm rumble of laughter as Hank gets headbutted and knocked over. And then he kips to his feet in an astonishing display of speed and grace for such a bulky fellow, he has to weigh three-hundred and fifty pounds — maybe more! *thud* He lands, and then rolls to the side and takes off running, his body language -daring- Catseye to give chase! It is not a short run to New York, but that's okay, Hank's plan doesn't include running all that way. Of course once they get to more settled areas they'll have to move with more care, but whilst in the wilds he'll play and sport with Catseye like a kid. Hell, he's only 23 for goodness sake!
Once they get close to Salem Center itself, he finds a nice spot for Catseye to wait, and returns shortly after with a rental car, and yes, he took all the extra insurance! Just in case…after all, X-Men are cursed to live in interesting times!
The drive is a couple hours, and Hank makes a point of driving at no more than five over the limit, signaling and is an exemplary driver. Fortunately, they arrive after dark, so it is easy to get to The Store and park around back in the alley. "Okay…we're here."
Catseye is glad to rompplaychase! She understands the difference between fighting and playing, and the worst she does on 'catching' Hank is headbutt him again. She is happy to wait, curling up in a ball where she is left. Then she climbs in the car, pulling in her claws and napping in the back seat. She perks up again at the news that they have arrived at their destination. She peers curiously, and peers about. "Citysmell… Bluebeast -sure- is safe for furform?" A talking lavender lion(ess) is bound to attract attention if not careful, after all.
The lights to the store are on, albeit not overly bright. However, it is obvious the place is still open- the door is left wide open for someone to step in should they so choose. There are the scents of cooking food and music is playing gently in the evening. The choice of music this evening is classical in nature, playing on a record. The very slightest of audio hiss there. It's clearly a well maintained system. Rachmaninoff, the Piano Concerto # 3.
The food smells particularly lovely this evening. Something sweet is baking, and something savory is being wafted through the door, inviting anyone to step inside.
OF COURSE Hank gets caught at times, where's the fun in not getting caught?!? He'll catch Catseye too from time to time, and will ham it up to the point of beating his chest and generally acting out his 'apier' instincts, he DOES have bestial urges thanks to his serum after all. The play is good for both of them, and when they get to the city, he scritches behind one of Cats' ears. "Maybe take your taller furform? But if you choose otherwise, well, then we'll make it work."
He can't help but laugh softly when the scents and music conspire to lure him in, and the growling of his stomach…nothing to do with it. "THIS place, is safe. If you want to go back, I'll take you wherever you want, but meet my friend first?" Assuming she'll follow, he leads the way inside.
Dead Girl might be a -little- surprised to see Hank back - and more than a tad disheveled, and…in the company of a rather large LAVENDER lion. "Oh Dead Girl…I have a new friend for you to meet, and a favor to ask…might we come in, dear lady, so you may meet and decide?"
Catseye shifts to were form long enough to open the car door, then flows right back to full lion. She follows Hank inside the store, peering around curiously. If she wants to see something too tall for her lion form she shifts up to werecat, just long enough to see or get around an obstacle, then back to lion form. The shifting is incredibly fluid and natural, not looking painful or awkward at all. "Smellnice. Soundnice. Catseye meet BlueBeast's friend."
Dead Girl peeks out from the kitchen when someone calls her name. "Hello!" She doesn't even seem phased that Hank is bringing a lavender lion into her store. She even waves, "Nice to meet you!" Not even the slightest blink. "I'm almost done with dinner! I was thinking lamb chops and rice. It feels like a good Saturday night meal, right?" she wonders, "You two want anything to drink?" she wonders, "It's a nice summer night, something refreshing might be nice. I've made my lemonaide with mint today for that reason. The same with the tea!"
Hank grins toothily at how absolutely unphased Dead Girl is, laughing to himself softly. "Ah, food would be lovely, and anything -you- have cooked will surely sate even the Beast's hunger, dear lady." He leads Catseye through the chaotic yet organized shop to take one of Dead Girl's hands and bow over it in a gesture that was old fashioned when Dead Girl was a child! He does it with perfect aplomb, massive hand enfolding dead flesh and warming it as he kisses the air just above. "Please…" He straightens. "…this is Catseye, and she is in need of shelter while I help her with a problem, can we hope to impose?" He motions Catseye closer for the introduction.
"Catseye…this is my friend, Dead Girl. She is kind, and will never harm you. This place is hers, and she welcomes all." A grin. "And she loves to cook!" He steps to the side so the lioness in lavender can approach. "I know I can trust her." He says, not sure WHY, but never doubting. "You can too."
Catseye shifts up to were-form, six feet tall and covered with lavender fur that is even thicker than the lion's fur. Her face and eyes are definitely feline, not lupine, as is the nervously twitching tail behind her. "Hihi Deadgirl. Lemonade yesplease? Not had longlong time." Oh yes, human thing. She holds out her hand to shake, pulling her claws back in, her tail lashing behind her with nerves.
Dead Girl laughs at Hank's gestures- good natured, however, is the laughter. "Oh! Now I feel like a princess!" she says, beaming bright. Friendly, despite the fact she is very obviously a walking human corpse.
"Oh yeah, she can stay as long as she needs!" Dead Girl says, again not even missing a beat. Someone needs a place to stay- they can stay here. "I've got a few private rooms up on the third floor. She can take which ever one she likes the best." she continues.
Dead Girl's lamb chops come out of the oven- the rice is ready, she's made some kind of sauce. And, of course, fresh baked bread. Rolls and a loaf, all put out on the table with a pair of plates. "Or would you prefer like a bowl?" she wonders to Catseye. She didn't assume, of course, that Catseye eats out of a bowl. She assumed they'd want a plate like everyone else… She then takes Catseye's hand and gives it a friendly squeeze. "Lemonade, Doctor McCoy?" she wonders of him.
"You know, some day I -will- surprise you, dear l—highness." Hank shifts to give her the proper mode of address for the princess Dead Girl clearly is! "And thank you, truly. I had few options I liked, and then I remembered my welcome and your words when I last wandered by." Hank doesn't even think about it, he helps set the food out, and the drinks and glasses too. "Lemonade for me as well, of course. I trust you implicitly and will never make a demand for victuals or beverages, I will let your whim guide me." And yes, he's serious.
To Catseye. "Take whatever form you wish, Catseye." He hopes she'll take the were-form, and eat at the table, but she's who she is, right?
Catseye's eyes dilate and home in on the bread. Her tail goes straight up and starts to quiver, as if he she wants to pounce on the loaf. "Plate, yes pleasethankyou. Catseye safeplace gone, BlueBeast say safe here?" She sits at the table, keeping wereform for now, though it is really hard to keep from just grabbing the loaf of bread and running. She tilts her head, peering curiously at Dead Girl. The bread and lemonade are things she hasn't had in literal years. The rice is less tempting, but the lamb is tempting as well. She is hesitant in using the silverware. She remembers how, it just feels awkward after so long.
Dead Girl smiles brightly. She nods, "Oh yeah! No one will bother you here, otherwise they have to deal with me." she remarks, "I can be very scary when I need to be." She assures the pair, "In the mean time- let's get you both fed." She serves quickly- rice and lamb chops, a bit of sauce and lemonaide in a big glass pitcher. "Okay! Go ahead, and help yourself to more." Dead Girl nods towards the platters that hold rice and lamb. More than enough for both to eat their fill.