Fireheart of ThunderClan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
firealone) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bottlecaplogs2025-04-04 05:05 pm
firealone) wrote in bottlecaplogs2025-04-04 05:05 pm
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Anasui stops mid-shovel as he realises just what Emporio said. A month? Emporio only knew her for a month? By extension, he had only known Jolyne for one month - that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing woman.
And then he realises that it's month of the kid of the kid alone. Without Weather. Without anyone he knew. A month of dealing with the murder of that bastard.
... It should be Jolyne here. Not him. If Anasui had to pick between the two of them, he'd pick her every time. Emporio should be allowed to be here with Jolyne. If not her, then Weather! Emporio's known Weather for longer and then Anasui wouldn't have to live without Jolyne! Emporio's wrong. He should be asking for any other one of their friends to be here.
But he doesn't say anything. Anasui remains silent but he starts tearing up mycellium roots faster and faster.
And then he realises that it's month of the kid of the kid alone. Without Weather. Without anyone he knew. A month of dealing with the murder of that bastard.
... It should be Jolyne here. Not him. If Anasui had to pick between the two of them, he'd pick her every time. Emporio should be allowed to be here with Jolyne. If not her, then Weather! Emporio's known Weather for longer and then Anasui wouldn't have to live without Jolyne! Emporio's wrong. He should be asking for any other one of their friends to be here.
But he doesn't say anything. Anasui remains silent but he starts tearing up mycellium roots faster and faster.
Edited 2025-04-22 05:24 (UTC)
That wasn't what he meant but that works too. Firepaw hesitates, unsure of how to proceed for a good long while, and just busies himself by kneading his paws on the ground.
"If it helps, I've been here as long as I knew my best friends, too. I only got to know Graypaw and Ravenpaw for two moons... and we spent most of that training, anyway."
Although Graypaw and Ravenpaw could end up here, and he doesn't think Emporio's friends could.
"...You don't have to tell me about them if it would make it worse. But it might help."
"If it helps, I've been here as long as I knew my best friends, too. I only got to know Graypaw and Ravenpaw for two moons... and we spent most of that training, anyway."
Although Graypaw and Ravenpaw could end up here, and he doesn't think Emporio's friends could.
"...You don't have to tell me about them if it would make it worse. But it might help."
"Hard to say. Might not matter. There are legendaries and mythicals who have power over time, space, wishes— things like that. Maybe they exist in this place too, or maybe they don't. Maybe this place has different but similar beings."
If their—the offworlders, that is—presence here is because of such beings, having been pulled here from across so many different spaces and times, maybe it's entirely possible they all might be put back exactly the same way if it comes to such.
What would he prefer? If time is passing, those back at home must be worried. That's no good. Are their Pokémon taking care of each other? Having a trainer go missing so abruptly cannot be any easier the second time around. That isn't even beginning to touch on everything, everyone else. There's nothing anyone can do about any of it, but still, it's not a fun thought, thinking about how time passing must be affecting those back where they came from. But if it isn't ...
"Wouldn't it be strange, though? If it were stuck so you didn't miss anything. And maybe you went back, and you were older than all of them.
"Nothing has changed, except for you."
If their—the offworlders, that is—presence here is because of such beings, having been pulled here from across so many different spaces and times, maybe it's entirely possible they all might be put back exactly the same way if it comes to such.
What would he prefer? If time is passing, those back at home must be worried. That's no good. Are their Pokémon taking care of each other? Having a trainer go missing so abruptly cannot be any easier the second time around. That isn't even beginning to touch on everything, everyone else. There's nothing anyone can do about any of it, but still, it's not a fun thought, thinking about how time passing must be affecting those back where they came from. But if it isn't ...
"Wouldn't it be strange, though? If it were stuck so you didn't miss anything. And maybe you went back, and you were older than all of them.
"Nothing has changed, except for you."
More than a month, even.
And perhaps that's the worst part.
"...Training probably counts as being with them," Emporio says quietly as he grabs another mushroom. "...That's probably what matters. I guess...part of me thinks, should I feel less sad? More..? ...Polteageist knew I was having nightmares and offered some help about that, but even they said a lot was going to just be...time. ...but how much time is enough time? ...It was only four months. Er...'moons'," he says for Firepaw's benefit.
"...I only knew her for four months. ...but it's only hurt more. I..."
The cubone pauses, and quietly steals a glance toward Anasui- the pace of digging hasn't been missed. "...I don't know if it would make it worse or not," he says eventually, turning back to the mushrooms. Lowering his voice even further, to barely a whisper-
"....Anasui died trying to save everyone after all."
And perhaps that's the worst part.
"...Training probably counts as being with them," Emporio says quietly as he grabs another mushroom. "...That's probably what matters. I guess...part of me thinks, should I feel less sad? More..? ...Polteageist knew I was having nightmares and offered some help about that, but even they said a lot was going to just be...time. ...but how much time is enough time? ...It was only four months. Er...'moons'," he says for Firepaw's benefit.
"...I only knew her for four months. ...but it's only hurt more. I..."
The cubone pauses, and quietly steals a glance toward Anasui- the pace of digging hasn't been missed. "...I don't know if it would make it worse or not," he says eventually, turning back to the mushrooms. Lowering his voice even further, to barely a whisper-
"....Anasui died trying to save everyone after all."
Edited 2025-04-22 14:57 (UTC)
The bird is very aware of the fact that they're talking about him and Emporio is whispering so not to hurt his feelings. As if it would make him feel any worse.
The amount of time you spend with someone has nothing to do with the impact on your life they make.
Anasui continues his work, digging the trench. Deeper. Deeper than it really needs to be. At least he's thorough and the mushrooms will have a tough time of regrowing here of all places with how deep he goes..
The amount of time you spend with someone has nothing to do with the impact on your life they make.
Anasui continues his work, digging the trench. Deeper. Deeper than it really needs to be. At least he's thorough and the mushrooms will have a tough time of regrowing here of all places with how deep he goes..
Siffrin ranges a bit further, pulling up mushrooms and dropping them in a pile near Firepaw's collection. They're not quite as run ragged yet, though they've been definitely been tossing themself into any quest they can find to prove themself useful. They had their enforced rest in the clinic when they first arrived, and they just straight up haven't been here as long as Firepaw.
"There were! The ones I knew about all lived with humans. Some just because humans liked having them around," which is the most neutral way they can think of to describe pet cats, when they're not sure how weird that would be when they're talking to a cat, "And some were more like... partners? Working cats, like ships' cats."
Yeah, now that they're thinking about it - they remember making friends with a lot of ships' cats while traveling. And, when they were younger, they...
...? Hm. Must just be another memory the fog's keeping from them. It's fine, they're sure they'll get it back eventually.
"It's kind of silly - it's supposed to be bad luck to sail without one, but you don't need luck to explain why things would go wrong without a cat onboard."
"There were! The ones I knew about all lived with humans. Some just because humans liked having them around," which is the most neutral way they can think of to describe pet cats, when they're not sure how weird that would be when they're talking to a cat, "And some were more like... partners? Working cats, like ships' cats."
Yeah, now that they're thinking about it - they remember making friends with a lot of ships' cats while traveling. And, when they were younger, they...
...? Hm. Must just be another memory the fog's keeping from them. It's fine, they're sure they'll get it back eventually.
"It's kind of silly - it's supposed to be bad luck to sail without one, but you don't need luck to explain why things would go wrong without a cat onboard."
Firepaw's ears perk up, and his attention turns back to Anasui. The gears are turning, although he's also just genuinely distracted by not understanding what the bird is doing.
"If he's dead, then maybe the rest of your friends can show up here. I mean.. he seems fine now. Mostly."
At least, he gets the sense that dying is not what made Anasui like this.
"And I don't... think it really matters how long you know someone. I mean, I only knew my littermates and my mother for four moons before I got adopted, and they're still important to me."
Not that that's a great point, because he hasn't thought about his littermates a single time in the last six months. He hasn't even mentioned having siblings.
"If he's dead, then maybe the rest of your friends can show up here. I mean.. he seems fine now. Mostly."
At least, he gets the sense that dying is not what made Anasui like this.
"And I don't... think it really matters how long you know someone. I mean, I only knew my littermates and my mother for four moons before I got adopted, and they're still important to me."
Not that that's a great point, because he hasn't thought about his littermates a single time in the last six months. He hasn't even mentioned having siblings.
"Mnn...."
He doesn't say 'I hope so'. It feels like that's going to be tempting fate, if he does. Fate, or...whatever the heck it is out there. He doesn't like the idea of it being fate, if he's being fully honest.
But he does pause, as Firepaw mutters his way around the timing of littermates and family, and a thought strikes him there. Firepaw is something akin to his age, after all. And...
"...Oh," he realizes with some surprise, sounding at least a fraction less dull and despairing as he does so. "...I guess...uh. You'd be an 'adult' soon, under normal circumstances..."
That's.
Well.
"...Do you feel any different?"
He doesn't say 'I hope so'. It feels like that's going to be tempting fate, if he does. Fate, or...whatever the heck it is out there. He doesn't like the idea of it being fate, if he's being fully honest.
But he does pause, as Firepaw mutters his way around the timing of littermates and family, and a thought strikes him there. Firepaw is something akin to his age, after all. And...
"...Oh," he realizes with some surprise, sounding at least a fraction less dull and despairing as he does so. "...I guess...uh. You'd be an 'adult' soon, under normal circumstances..."
That's.
Well.
"...Do you feel any different?"
Anasui doesn't think the others will come. Rarely good things happen to them. It's already a miracle he's back.
Instead of vocalising this though, he stops digging. He starts taking out the roots from the trench he's made, quietly listening in to the two kids.
Instead of vocalising this though, he stops digging. He starts taking out the roots from the trench he's made, quietly listening in to the two kids.
"Not really. I'm a few moons away from being four seasons old, but I still feel like a kit."
It felt like they were the same age when they first met. Now he's almost an adult, and Emporio is still a kitten, even though he's simultaneously much older than the ThunderClan elders. It makes his head swim a little bit.
After stewing on that for a moment, he shakes himself off and turns his attention to Anasui. "...Do you need help with your hole?"
It felt like they were the same age when they first met. Now he's almost an adult, and Emporio is still a kitten, even though he's simultaneously much older than the ThunderClan elders. It makes his head swim a little bit.
After stewing on that for a moment, he shakes himself off and turns his attention to Anasui. "...Do you need help with your hole?"
"It's less of a hole and more of a trench," Anasui says simply to Firepaw without looking at him. "I'm done anyway."
Anasui gives a dismissive snort and shakes out his bob.
"There are roots. I'm not sure which roots are edible in this world yet. Do you know?"
Anasui gives a dismissive snort and shakes out his bob.
"There are roots. I'm not sure which roots are edible in this world yet. Do you know?"
"Oh. Right!" Firepaw tugs another root out of the ground with his teeth, and drops it so they can compare. "These are the right ones... or at least they smell right. I'm not really sure, I don't like eating things that aren't meat."
All the roots and mushrooms smell like Not Food, although nothing he's gathered tastes poisonous. To him, they're all sort of the same, but it seems like the kind of thing a medicine cat would be able to judge better.
All the roots and mushrooms smell like Not Food, although nothing he's gathered tastes poisonous. To him, they're all sort of the same, but it seems like the kind of thing a medicine cat would be able to judge better.
Firepaw is quiet for a while, turning that idea over in his mind. He's already been here long enough that he feels apart from the cats of his world, full of knowledge that no one else would understand or care about. If he went back to the exact point in time he came from, he would be months older than his friends, probably quite a bit bigger than them, and that makes a big difference to a kitten.
"I think I'd rather if time kept passing." He decides finally. "Then when we finally get home, my friends will have all sorts of things to tell me, just like I have all sorts of stories for them."
Even though he's pretty sure the only thing they'll really be impressed by is his new ability to hunt things bigger than himself. Of which there is very little back home anyway.
"I think I'd rather if time kept passing." He decides finally. "Then when we finally get home, my friends will have all sorts of things to tell me, just like I have all sorts of stories for them."
Even though he's pretty sure the only thing they'll really be impressed by is his new ability to hunt things bigger than himself. Of which there is very little back home anyway.
"Guilmon mentioned that he was friends with his human, too. And Akechi and Ren used to be friends with a cat in their world... it seems like in a lot of worlds, humans and animals get along better than in mine."
He's sure the humans in his world mean well. But the cats he spent most of his time around certainly didn't care for them - Graypaw nearly wretched the one time he suggested trying to get adopted.
"I think I know what a ship is... they're like a den that goes on the water, right? I don't know why a cat would want to be on one..."
He's sure the humans in his world mean well. But the cats he spent most of his time around certainly didn't care for them - Graypaw nearly wretched the one time he suggested trying to get adopted.
"I think I know what a ship is... they're like a den that goes on the water, right? I don't know why a cat would want to be on one..."
A... den? Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Siffrin nods.
"Humans use the larger ones for moving loads around - like food."
They pause for a moment as they focus on picking another large-ish mushroom. They return with it in their mouth - which also feels like a food hygiene faux pas, but it's not like they have any other options - and settle down to slice it up next to Firepaw.
"Even if you're moving something else, you need enough food stored to survive for weeks or months out on sea. So there's usually a lot of rats that sneak on board."
"Humans use the larger ones for moving loads around - like food."
They pause for a moment as they focus on picking another large-ish mushroom. They return with it in their mouth - which also feels like a food hygiene faux pas, but it's not like they have any other options - and settle down to slice it up next to Firepaw.
"Even if you're moving something else, you need enough food stored to survive for weeks or months out on sea. So there's usually a lot of rats that sneak on board."
"I think I could fit in there entirely, so that probably counts as a hole."
But that's as far as he'll go for arguing. Ah-
"Oh, right- your diet didn't really have to change much with this form huh... ...mmm. Looking at what they came from, these roots should definitely be edible. I guess the guild will ultimately decide on that though."
But that's as far as he'll go for arguing. Ah-
"Oh, right- your diet didn't really have to change much with this form huh... ...mmm. Looking at what they came from, these roots should definitely be edible. I guess the guild will ultimately decide on that though."
"I suppose. But it's deeper than it is wide." But fair. They don't have to go over the technicalities of trenches today.
Anasui grunts. As long as the kids think that it's okay and/or it can be someone else's problem, that's good enough for him.
"We continue picking mushrooms until we can't carry anymore, right?" Straight to business as usual...
Anasui grunts. As long as the kids think that it's okay and/or it can be someone else's problem, that's good enough for him.
"We continue picking mushrooms until we can't carry anymore, right?" Straight to business as usual...
"Is that what a trench is?"
He has no frame of reference, but Anasui and Emporio both seem to know all sorts of things.
"But yeah, that's the plan. Fill our bags up, then carry more in our mouths. Or... paws."
And now that they have a pretty good pile of roots, he sets about carefully picking them up with his claws and moving them to the saddle-bags on his back. Which, despite how tired and sore he is, he's doing well enough as to imply that either Littens are more dexterous than cats, or warrior cats are built different.
He has no frame of reference, but Anasui and Emporio both seem to know all sorts of things.
"But yeah, that's the plan. Fill our bags up, then carry more in our mouths. Or... paws."
And now that they have a pretty good pile of roots, he sets about carefully picking them up with his claws and moving them to the saddle-bags on his back. Which, despite how tired and sore he is, he's doing well enough as to imply that either Littens are more dexterous than cats, or warrior cats are built different.
"They hunt rats? Those must be very brave cats."
Or Firepaw's just a wuss. Realistically, he's been hunting bigger things than rats since coming here, and things that fight back much harder, but he still remembers how scared he was of them when he was a cat.
"I heard ShadowClan cats hunt rats, too - they were a different group of cats that lived in a different part of the forest. But they eat all sorts of nasty things, like toads and crowfood."
Although he isn't... actually sure how much of that is true, ThunderClan cats really like trashing on ShadowClan cats.
Or Firepaw's just a wuss. Realistically, he's been hunting bigger things than rats since coming here, and things that fight back much harder, but he still remembers how scared he was of them when he was a cat.
"I heard ShadowClan cats hunt rats, too - they were a different group of cats that lived in a different part of the forest. But they eat all sorts of nasty things, like toads and crowfood."
Although he isn't... actually sure how much of that is true, ThunderClan cats really like trashing on ShadowClan cats.
"Rats, mice, whatever else sneaks on." Siffrin's never thought about the cats maybe being nervous about it! All the ships' cats they've seen never seemed to hesitate, no matter how big the rats got. But then again, that's probably why they got picked as ships' cats.
"Maybe they know the humans on board would help them out if they got hurt...?" Who knows.
Siffrin wrinkles up their nose and sticks out their tongue for a moment. Ew. "I've had frog legs before, but I don't think I could eat toad."
"Maybe they know the humans on board would help them out if they got hurt...?" Who knows.
Siffrin wrinkles up their nose and sticks out their tongue for a moment. Ew. "I've had frog legs before, but I don't think I could eat toad."
"It's long relative to you two," Anasui mutters under his breath.
Anasui undoes the 'scarf' around his neck with his beak and shakes it out. Then, he sits down and puts the cloth down on the floor.
"I can probably carry more than you two can. However, you need to tie this sling on me when we're done." And with that, Anasui will start using his beak to fill up the mushrooms.
Anasui undoes the 'scarf' around his neck with his beak and shakes it out. Then, he sits down and puts the cloth down on the floor.
"I can probably carry more than you two can. However, you need to tie this sling on me when we're done." And with that, Anasui will start using his beak to fill up the mushrooms.
"You really think so?" Laios asks, ears perking up almost immediately. That's certainly high praise, and from an actual hunter no less. It's almost too hard to fully contain himself at the mere thought, but somehow he manages to channel it all into wagging his tail, which somehow seems to be going even faster than before. Then, all at once, his eyes grow wide at the sudden realization.
"—oh! I got so caught up in the moment, I didn't even think about that!" His ears go flat in slight embarrassment; that is one of the main reasons they're here, after all. Still, he licks his lips slowly, savoring whatever remnants might have gotten stuck in his teeth. "It's... tangy! Maybe even a little sour, but not in a bad way."
"The breast should have an even richer flavor, though." As he says this, he flips over the Ducklett onto its back with his paw, but he seems hesitant to dig right in first. In the dungeon, this would be where the prep work started, a crucial step for any human now rendered unnecessary to a dog and cat. "Do you want to try a bite?"
"—oh! I got so caught up in the moment, I didn't even think about that!" His ears go flat in slight embarrassment; that is one of the main reasons they're here, after all. Still, he licks his lips slowly, savoring whatever remnants might have gotten stuck in his teeth. "It's... tangy! Maybe even a little sour, but not in a bad way."
"The breast should have an even richer flavor, though." As he says this, he flips over the Ducklett onto its back with his paw, but he seems hesitant to dig right in first. In the dungeon, this would be where the prep work started, a crucial step for any human now rendered unnecessary to a dog and cat. "Do you want to try a bite?"
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