[PRP] Looking for frogs (N'Seka, Azora) -fin

[Annchen]

N’Seka was still working up the courage to talk to Malaya about cubs. He was pretty sure he was ready, or as ready as he would get. Luckily he had the opportunity to “borrow” a cub to… ahem… practice on. His sister Naledi'Layla had recently had a litter, and he was currently taking one of his nieces on a little walk. N’Seka and his brothers had been adopted into the family, but that didn’t make him feel any different than the rest of the bunch. As far as he was concerned this was his little niece, and he hoped they could have a good time together.

Layla had told him that she was on the timid side, but that was probably good. N’Seka wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep up with a too energetic cub. He smiled down at the cub trotting beside him. He got winded easily, but short cub legs couldn’t go very fast so that part worked out too. And Layla would get some rest, so he actually helped.

“What would you like to do today, Azora,” he asked.  

[Talencia]

Azora had been very pleased when mother had told her that she'd be going on an outing with Uncle N'Seka. She was on her best behavior when he fetched her, and now was trotting beside him proudly. It wasn't often she got to do something separate from her siblings. They often got a little too loud and rambunctious for her. She didn't like rough play, she didn't like chasing around. She tended to prefer to play in a shaded spot with small bugs and leaves and such.

At his question, she answered him with something that seemed completely unrelated to h is inquiry. "Unc'l, I heard that there are scary monsters in the gardens," she said quietly, turning huge yellow eyes to gaze up at him with near-fear and fascination. "They go 'reebit, reebit, reebit.' I've heard them too." She gave a little shudder of her pelt, but asked eagerly, "Is it true, unc'l?"  

[Annchen]

N'Seka remembered his own childhood monsters, so he didn't laugh when he realised what kind of monster she must be talking about. He'd been an avid leaf slayer after all. Small things could still be big and scary to a cub. And what better way to deal with that fear than to expose the monster for what it was?

"Hmm," he said, frowning slightly, "That does sound serious. Perhaps we better go take a look at the gardens to make sure no harm comes to the plants. I used to fight monsters when I was your age."

They might find Mlinzi in the gardens too, and with a bit of luck his sight would be ok today.  

[Talencia]

She clearly was both excited and worried, diving between his forepaws when he announced they'd go make sure the plants were okay. He did have a point, she supposed. Those plants helped keep some of her friends feeling comfy and good, after all. Wouldn't they hurt if they didn't have these special plants in the gardens? She squared her shoulders, but trembled like a leaf. "Okay Unc'l Seka, I'll come help fight the monsters," she said bravely in a voice that quavered with fright. She was an amusing study in contradictions, but so long as her uncle was with her, she'd go and face these monsters.

To distract herself, she asked him something related to what he'd said. "What monsters did you fight, Unc'l?" She was also trying to figure what monsters he'd have defeated at her size, but not fight again now that he was so big and strong. His sickness didn't register to her as weakness, the opposite of strong. He was bigger than she was, and brave, and therefor he was strong. Simple as that.  

[Annchen]

"I was very good a pouncing dry leaf monsters," N'Seka said proudly, and puffed his chest out a little, "They're surprisingly tough, but once you get them they just crumble."

Perhaps it was silly to brag about childhood heroics, but he had enjoyed it back then, and hopefully Azora would appreciate his tales. Luckily they weren’t far from the gardens at all, and he was only slightly winded when they reached the outskirts of the planted areas.

"The first thing we should do," he said to his niece, "is to scout the area."

He was looking for any signs of frogs, but he was also keeping an eye out for Mlinzi, or any of his colleagues. He was pretty sure he could identify the herb he used to soothe his throat, but he'd rather not start chewing on something toxic. He had a feeling they'd talk a lot today, and he could use some.  

[Talencia]

For a moment she felt made fun of. Dry leaf monsters indeed! But she never came to conclusions quickly, nor liked to harbor unkind thoughts about anyone. So it was that she slowly realized he was trying to reassure her. Perhaps her monsters were equal to dry leaves in seriousness? A little of the fear left her then, and she padded next to him solemnly. Even if they weren't going to be dangerous, she took hunting for these monsters seriously.

"How do we scout?" she asked innocently. Her ears were pricked for the tell-tale 'reebit' as they approached one of the many gardens. All she could hear, though, was the soft whisper of grass, the rasp of rough-edged leaves, and the faint trickle of water. The gardens were damper and cooler often than other places, and this was something she liked. If only those nasty monsters were just like dry leaves!  

[Annchen]

N'Seka crouched lower than he had done in many moons, and his joints seemed to be up for the challenge. He tried to see the gardens as a cub would see them, and looked around with a serene smile.

"We look with our ears, and noses, and eyes," he said, "And we will move from one area to the next until we find them. I had planned to become a monster hunter before our Lady decided to make me her servant so I do have some training in sneaking up on monsters."

He remembered a small pond in the shade of a tree that was used to hold water for the gardens during most of the dry season. It seemed like a good place to find frogs and he moved towards that area while they were looking.

"If I'm guessing correctly," he said, "I think your monsters like water and damp places."  

[Talencia]

She watched him, then did her clumsy-cub best to mimic him. She crouched down in the front, but in cub-fashion, forgot about her hindquarters. They rose comically behind her, tail waving excitedly in the air like a flag. She crept along beside him that way, scurrying with her chest and chin pressed to the ground, eyes wide and ears moving constantly. She paid close attention to his instructions, and was a bit reassured to hear that he'd liked monster-hunting, and wanted to do that when he'd grown up. At least he was big, so she was sure to be safe with him from those scary reebit monsters!

"That's.. why they like the gardens, isn't it Unc'l?" she whispered, her voice very soft. Azora was very accomplished at being quiet and whispering. It made sense that these reebit monsters liked the gardens if they liked water, and she was proud of herself for making such a vast leap of logic. "Maybe we can catch one?" This was said with more trepidation. Would these monsters be safe to catch? She was worried they might do someone harm!  

[Annchen]

"Yes," N'Seka whispered back, "As long as the Gardeners do their job there are plenty of damp places here."

He pushed aside a large leaf with his paw and poked his head under it to investigate. There were no monsters hiding under it, however. Well, unless you counted the black bug that was waving its antennas at him. He pulled his head back out and looked around for other likely places.

"Maybe," he agreed, "But you have to promise to use only your paws, no teeth and no claws."

He knew that some amphibians could taste really bad, and possibly have nasty side effects so it was better not to bite one. And they better not kill one, because cleaning up frog goop would be just as bad. His sister would probably strangle him if he let Azora come to any harm. That is... unless his mother got him first.  

[Talencia]

Wait, no teeth or claws? To fight reebit monsters?! "B-but Unc'l!" she protested in an urgent whisper, "don't monsters bite?" How could she catch something dangerous if they could bite and she couldn't? She began to show more trepidation about this monster hunt, hanging back behind him instead of peeking under leaves like he had. This had sounded fun at first, but talk of biting, and claws, and teeth... she was beginning to feel frightened in earnest, rather than just in the playing-pretend way.

She finally paused under a plant larger than she, looking about her with growing worry. What if they leaped out at her? "Can they jump?" she asked, her voice still hushed but rising louder as she fretted. She edged towards the large-leafed, towering plant, still glancing around in fear. She was so distracted she nearly trod on a very small creature who apparently had been hiding under the plant too. It was about as big as her paw, and looked very soft and squishy. "Look out, little friend," she whispered to it, "there are reebit monsters around!"

The small creature gave her a googly-eyed look waddled a step sideways as if nervous, then in a high, anxious voice, asked her, "Reeb?" Azora nodded vigorously at her new little friend. "Oh yes, reebit monsters! You haven't seen any, have you?" The small creature settled down into the damp earth and just stared at her, unblinking. "Oh dear, what if that means yes?" Azora worried. She scooted over to the squishy, lumpy critter and put her paws around it tenderly. "Don't worry, I'll protect you!"

"Reeb. Reeb. Reeb. Reeb---it," chirped the little green thing. "Yes, that's what it sa-," she began, then looked at it startled. It leapt from between her paws and let out another very distinctive, "reebit!" before disappearing under another plant. Why... why, that was a... "UNC'L!" she cried aloud, but more with awed discovery than panic. "Unc'l, I founds one! A reebit!" No longer would she call it a monster! Why, the tiny thing could have been squished by one of her very own small paws! They weren't monsters at all! They were just another creature that loved the gardens, and were taken care of by the gardeners! The revelation was exhilarating.  

[Annchen]

"It wouldn't be fair," he whispered back, "They haven't got any teeth or claws."

He kept an eye on his niece to make sure she was all right. Her scent was sharp with fear, and she sounded more afraid than she had on the way here. N'Seka hoped that he wouldn't have traumatized her too badly. His sister would have his hide... What was she asking now?

"Jump?" he repeated, wondering if she'd be more or less afraid to know, "Err..."

But before he had the time to decide what to say, Azora found her new little 'friend'. N'Seka decided to hang back, but kept a close eye on the encounter. In the end he didn't have to intervene, since both frog and cub survived the ordeal without incident.

"You did," he said with a proud smile, "I think I see my friend Mlinzi over there. Should we go and tell him about the reebits? I think he'll like that."

The nearly blind apothecary could often be found around the gardens, and N'Seka knew for a fact that he liked kitlings. He also enjoyed stories, and he might like to tell Azora a thing or two about plants.

((Should we leave them there? Maybe one more post from you?))  

[Talencia]

Azora beamed at the brief praise and approval from her uncle, then pricked her ears with interest. The experience with the reebit had been exhilarating, and the idea of someone else being interested in hearing about it pleased her. She wasn't often the focus of attention, which she preferred, but sometimes it was nice anyway. "If you think he'd like to," she replied with wistful shyness. They were already moving towards Mlinzi, but Azora looked back over her shoulder, calling out in a not-whisper, "Don't worry, I'll come back later, reebit!" She then trotted willingly after N'Seka, her world forever changed by the discovery of reebits.