Summary:Who cares for the stray kittens of the Disaster Zone? Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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With cold weather, much of the disaster zone seems even more abandoned than usual, though there is a small circle of activity in the lee of a crumpled building. There is an odd collection of boxes and bins with holes in the sides and wisps of straw poking out, metal trays set out to collect rain water, others under cover that contain dry food… and there are cats. How many is hard to count, they don't exactly come out and line up, but this little corner of the disaster zone has been set up for them. And in the middle of it is a very big cat indeed, a lavender lion larger than a lion should be with a curly mane sits in the middle of a small horde of cats, some of whom climb over her boldly. It's an oddly domestic scene in such a place.
It's getting late enough in the year that Pamela has been slowing down her activities, since… well, it's a bit cold for plants to do a lot of reconstruction and renewal. Still, Dr. Isley is aware of certain pockets of life in the Zone and where they shelter.
So, she was coming by with some catnip toys (homemade) for the cats, when she sees… well, a rather large cat that's lavender, and she smiles a little, "Well, okay, I wasn't expecting that." Of course, she's green at the moment, so doesn't have much room to talk.
Elsewhere in the zone, a demolitions and clean up crew is heading home. It's been an easier day than some, thanks to the new guy who showed up to help — perfectly happy to help move stubborn slabs of masonry or the odd steel I-beam. But now Hercules's steps take him away from the job site, feeling remarkably like his old self as the big man's feet carry him along the path. Wrapped up in a fur-lined, leather cloak that looks strangely rustic, Herc's thoughts are somewhat faraway, so he's not really paying attention as he approaches.
Catseye yawns, showing a very pink tongue and long fangs. She tilts her head, looking at Pamela. "No reason to expect Catseye. Not like sent out invitations." Wait, what? And her whiskers are arched forward, her ears perked, the tip of tail twitching just a little… If someone is familiar with feline body language, they'd realize the large lavender lioness is laughing a little at Dr Isley's surprise. "Catseye watches over feral cat colonies… Disaster Zone needs more watching than most."
Ivy chuckles, "Fair, I've noticed a few of them, so I try to keep watch over them. Make sure they aren't affected by the reconstruction." She tosses a few toys towards the kittens from her bag, "I'm Ivy, by the way. Glad to see that it's not just me looking after them." Her lips quirk in a smile as she nods towards Catseye.
The burly man pauses his steps, not too far from where Ivy and Catseye are talking. It seems one of the feral cats has stopped in his path. Hercules peers down at the furry creature, and his lips quirk. "Well now, little one, I'm sure you're not watching me for my relatives." He hunkers down on his haunches, regarding the feline with amused eyes, and gestures with one hand. "Run along now, friend. I've naught to give you today."
Catseye stands and stretches as the kitties perched on her go pouncing after the catnip toys. She is HUGE, but moves gracefully. "Glad smoothskins are watching out for cats too." She grimaces, and then shimmers and shifts back to human form, or as close as she can get. The eyes are lavender not yellow, but still cat-slitted, and she still has a EXTREMELY fluffy lavender kitty tail and equally fluffy lavender hair. Her costume is form fitting, black and purple, with a heraldic lion's head across one side of the chest. "Is hard to balance school and being Cat."
Ivy nods, "Well, balancing school and life is pretty hard, even if you're not a cat. I remember working on my doctorate and… yeah, that was interesting." She smiles and sits down on a convenient perch, looking curiously at Catseye, "How long have you been coming down here?"
The stray cat seems uninclined to rush off, though, and Herc sighs, tugging on his beard. "Alright, kitten. Someone was putting out food around here, you can ride along." Smoothly, he scoops up the cat, who looks slightly startled — but no matter how much claw they try to stick in Herc's arm, it refuses to bleed. Herc, for his part, begins to make his way towards where Catseye and Ivy are talking.
Catseye perches on a piece of rubble, balancing on the balls of her feet with ease, not even rocking when a stray cat jumps onto her shoulder to give her a sniff. "Since June fourth. Was … away for a while, when got back to city, had to check on all old colonies, learn how had moved, borders shifted." She reaches up to scritch the one on her shoulder. "Most change here. Most problems too. Not surprising, but lot of work." Her speech is odd, but understandable. The grammar is just.. foreign. As if she doesn't think in English.
Ivy nods, "Well, I can definitely understand that. I've been pretty busy with the work of clearing things out, but sometimes when I see stray animals I do try to take care of them. Or find appropriate homes for them." She smiles a little wryly, "I think quite a few government agents have turned into cat people. Or even dog people, thanks to my influence." She then pauses, as the plants outside notice the rather large man approaching, which means she notices this too.
At this point, the feral cat is just resigned to being carried by Hercules, since scratching doesn't work worth a damn. As the demigod approaches, he squints. "Hello there! No worries, just… dropping off a stray that wandered a bit." Is one of the ladies green? And the other looks vaguely… cat like? Well, he has seen odder things. He carefully sets the feral down, and the cat, after a moment, bolts for the makeshift shelters and food bowls.
Catseye looks over at the feral cat that just arrived, and chirps, a high pitched sound on the edge of human hearing. It's the kind of sound that cats use talking to each other, rather than the mews they use for humans. Then she looks at Herc, "All strays, wander as please. Catseye provides shelters, and some food yes. Vaccinations and medical when needed." She smiles at Ivy, "Catseye tempted to bring them all home, yes? but not best idea. So… does what Catseye can. Cats took care of Catseye, Catseye now takes care of them.
Ivy nods, and glances over at the rather large fellow, giving him a slight smile, "Nothing to worry about here. I've been working on some of the reconstruction around here in the Zone, and making sure the animals are kept somewhat safe." She extends a hand to Hercules, "Ivy." Which, well, Herc might recognize as Poison Ivy, but she's been out of the news as a supervillain for a while.
Except that Herc hasn't been in town that long, so he just smiles broadly at Ivy in turn. "Hercules," he replies, taking her hand in a firm shake. "A friend of mine suggested I might help in the zone cleanup as well, and 'tis a daunting task indeed. No easy solutions either — all you can do is work, one shovelful at a time, one I-beam at a time."
Catseye gives a tiny snort. "Easy solutions have hidden traps. Slow stalk is safer." Not surprising that she tends towards feline metaphors.
Ivy arches a brow, "Wait, Hercules… like, literally?" She tilts her head, looking at Hercules with a curious expression, then she shakes her head, "Well, it's part of my government parole to help deal with the environmental damage. I have rather unique talents regarding plant life, after all."
Hercules looks amused. "Yes, literally. The world may have changed, but what has not changed is the need for heroes and champions." The whole 'government parole' thing doesn't seem to faze him, though he seems to interpret it as 'supervised'. "Ah. Well, have faith. I've been in a similar situation. It worked out… eventually." He looks around, and picks up a rusty looking three foot length of rebar. Idly, he begins bending it, barely even paying attention as he continues, "Things have changed so much over the years. I only recently returned to New York; I've been out for a couple centuries." The rebar, in Herc's hands, is now a well-bent pretzel, as though the steel was nothing more than licorice in his hands.
Catseye nods to Ivy, "Read your thesis. Wrote a paper on neglect of research done by women in science." She stands, stretches, shifting back to lion form. "Catseye needs to go. Class in morning." She nods to them both before loping off.
Ivy smiles a little at Catseye, looking a bit pleasantly surprised at the recognition of her academic paper, "Good evening, Catseye. And well, it is working out… to be honest, my past is a little checkered, though I am finding that positive change is possible, at least." She smiles warmly to Hercules, "My grotto isn't too far from here, I find it best to live in the Disaster Zone itself. Though with the weather changing I might try and look into an alternative."
Hercules shakes his head. "It's one thing to live close to this… ruin, another to live in it. But if you wish for me to visit, lovely dryad, I am always easy to find." His lips quirk, and he holds up a hand — with a smartphone. "I am also wise enough to adapt to the devices of the modern world."