1st Pounce

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[...It really hasn't been all that long since she's had a regular dream, but it feels like it's been forever. Derse was destroyed, after all, so by all right she shouldn't even be dreaming right now.

But that's okay. Given what's been happening lately, dreams that shouldn't be are pretty low on the list of weird stuff.

In her dream, Nepeta is the huntress. It's her. She's back in the Land of Little Cubes and Tea, where the ground is made of sugar cubes and waterfalls are made of every sort of tea imaginable. She's crouched behind a small hill of sugar cubes, watching for prey.

And should she see any living creature at all, she will pounce. Will you see her, green and gray against the white of the sugar cubes, and approach her from behind - or will she tackle you to the ground instead?]

Comments

[auncyenhalig.livejournal.com]

[ given Aerith's position -- crouched low to the ground, one (freshly-licked and wet) finger hovering above it, debating on whether she wants to find out if this is really sugar or if she should heed all that common sense about not eating off the ground --

this is a very involving decision, you see. the curiosity is crippling, the common sense standing staunch, and a middleman is trying to justify that it is not really eating off the ground if she's eating the ground itself. besides, this is a dream, right?

pounce her. she's wide open. ]

wow, notifs sure would be nice, LJ...

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta wiggles her rear end in the air, mimicking the movements of a cat perfectly. She recognizes at least the form of the creature in front of her - a human, though she's only seen four humans in her lifetime.

She doesn't need her claws for this one. She doesn't want to hurt the only human that's ever been in her dreams, after all!

She leaps forward like an uncoiled spring.]

I noticed they've been awful for some.

[auncyenhalig.livejournal.com]

[ there's only a blur of green and gray in the corner of her eye -- the woman turns and is promptly knocked on her back with an "ohf!", her hands rising to push Nepeta off when she stops, staring at this person in confusion. ]

A ... cat? No ... what are you? [ she is not sure whether she should expect an answer, mind still stuck on "cat". ]

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta giggles gleefully and rolls off of her "prey." The playful glint in her eyes isn't as strong as it could be, but it's definitely there - she grins and shows sharp fangs.]

AC is a troll! But AC pawsitively adores cute kitties, so she does her best to be just like them!

[No one else is around, so surely this girl must be referring to herself, right?]

[auncyenhalig.livejournal.com]

[ ... sh-sharp fangs. Aerith tenses up. "AC" did let her go, but ... ]

Do you -- does AC eat like them, too? [ and play with her food? ]

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta nods enthusiastically.]

What kind of kitty-cat would AC be if she didn't?

[She takes a good look at the human in front of her, sensing her discomfort, and decides to drop the narration to let her know she's being serious. Reassuringly, Nepeta smiles and continues:]

I'm not going to eat you, though!

[auncyenhalig.livejournal.com]

Well that's good! [ she laughs with relief. ] This dream is such a funny one, who can tell what's food and what's not?

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

It's all sugar and tea, so I think all of it is food! If you want to try some, the chameowmile is pretty good. But it always puts me in the mood for a catnap!

[She pauses.]

Actually, I am still trying to figure out how this works! My dreams haven't ever been like this before, so it's taking some getting used to...

[auncyenhalig.livejournal.com]

Knowing that you're dreaming is the first step. Another of these dreams ... wonder what it means.

Which one is chamomile? It can't put you to sleep if you're already napping.

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

Well, I can't think of another reason! This is defurnately not where I was before, and it's not as dangerous...

[But she pauses, puzzled at the woman's next words.]

What do you mean it can't put you to sleep if you're already napping? That's how dreams work! When your dreamself is asleep, you're awake! Though I guess I should not even have a dreamself right now...

This is purrplexing!

[auncyenhalig.livejournal.com]

But what if you wake up without going to sleep in your dream? ... Wait. [ she pauses, frowning. ] Are you saying you're in trouble? What's wrong?

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta mirrors Aerith's actions - she pauses and frowns, but it's only a slight pull at the ends of her lips.]

Well, I am purrty sure I'm only dreaming because I was knocked out. But I don't remember exactly!

[auncyenhalig.livejournal.com]

Hm... [ Here's an added action, Nepeta: Aerith's hand rises to her chin, her face pinching with concern. A sweet dream of sugarland turns sour when the cat -- girl -- troll? - dreaming it might be in real danger. ] Then, let's try to wake you up! And if that means you have to fall asleep here ... [ Her hand drops, and she nods. ] It's time for some chamomile!

[allofthetowels.livejournal.com]

[He remembers this, the Land of Little Cubes and Tea but why he would remember or even rather, dream of it now is questionable. It's highly unlikely for him to even be dreaming, Derse has long since been gone.

He's STRONG but even he can't remember dreaming after he was knocked unconscious before. Very few can knock him down, much less out. His memories are fuzzy, not befitting of a well educated mind but he wanders through the familiar hills of sugars and sweet smelling tea.

It is a dream, he may as well allow his dream self to tell him what he wants.

Or show him, even if all the tea makes him crave a glass of milk all the more.

He should be easy for Nepeta to find, he's big, hulking, and grey as always.]

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[He can't see it, but Nepeta's eyes sparkle with excitement and - relief. She's so happy, and relieved, and a whole slew of other emotions she's not entirely sure of, to see him again. She's not entirely sure how this place works yet. Their dreamselves should be dead, but here they both are, in the Land of Little Cubes and Tea, and Nepeta has no idea how or why they're here.

But they're here.

And that's all that matters.

She pounces, and doesn't bother softening her impact. She knows he won't mind.]

/hee

[allofthetowels.livejournal.com]

[Equius Zahhak goes down (and little cubes go everywhere) without a fight because it only takes him a split second to register the tacklepounce as not threatening and would only be dared by one troll in particular.

As dignified as he can, face first in broken sugar cubes:]

Nepeta, you're behaving childishly.

8D

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta instinctively opens her mouth to retort "No I'm not!" - but instead, she clings tightly to Equius, refusing to move.

She never thought she'd be able to do this again, even in her dreams. Not with Derse destroyed and her dream self skewered like a choice cut of hornbeast.

And certainly not ever again in the Veil.

She'd been curious about the nature of this dream before, but she decides it's not important right now. She can look into that later. There are more impawtant things to do right now.]

[allofthetowels.livejournal.com]

[It had become like a ritual between them, her cheerful rejection of his scolding that he waits to hear but nothing comes. Blinking once behind his sunglasses, he pauses, only to find Nepeta is holding on even tighter than before.

It's all too startlingly then, how his memory clears and up until that moment he blacked out, arrow through his leg, Nepeta had been hiding away like he made sure of. ...oh.

In a dream where... their dream selves are supposed to be dead he slowly raises one arm up before he rolls them both over onto their sides. He doesn't make a move to disentangle them.]

It appears my moirail has me in her paws--, I mean clutches.

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta blinks at him, surprised, and then lets out a sudden peal of laughter.]

You were purright the furrst time! "Clutches" is a pawful word, you can't make any cat puns out of that!

[She pauses.]

No, wait! I don't have you in my clutches. I have you in my clawtches!

[allofthetowels.livejournal.com]

[He crosses his arms loosely, he can feel all of her energy behind him.]

That has already been well established.

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[She giggles again and finally rolls off of him, choosing instead to latch onto one of his arms.]

You're just jealous because it's way harder to make your lame horse puns!

/couldn't help self

[allofthetowels.livejournal.com]

[HOW DARE YOU.

THIS? THIS IS DIGNIFIED SPUTTERING THAT IS NOT SPUTTERING AT ALL.]

That, a bl00-bl00ded being such as myself has no time for such foolish games.

Udder nonsense.

[What.]

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta bursts into another fit of giggles.]

Equius, you should stop all this purretense! I am your meowrail and I know you like your silly puns, so you can make as many as you want!

...Actually, I want you to make them!

[Her tone turns insistent in this last part; she might not ever be lucky enough to have a freak dream like this a second time, and with Equius dead she'll never hear any of his stupid puns again once she wakes up.]

[allofthetowels.livejournal.com]

...did you just issue me an order?

[Equius is looking at you, Nepeta. In that dumb open mouthed look of his that shows off his broken teeth. And the urgency is lost on him, well.

His memory isn't one of dying, not even close. It's of subjugation, of being put in his place, of sweat soaking right through his shirt and in this dream Equius doesn't know. Whether it was the shock or the apparent oddness of the very dream they're in, Mr. Zahhak has no idea.

But Nepeta's right, he's dead, here and there even if he doesn't remember.]

[trollplayer.livejournal.com]

[Nepeta pouts for a moment, then nods firmly.]

Yes! That is an order, so make as many puns as you want!