The Castle [03] (Remba, but don't let it stop you)

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog raised an eyebrow as he munched on his food, but kept himself silent. He wanted to snap back with something snarky, but...that wasn't going to help things. He took a breath, and carefully chewed and swallowed a piece of roast before speaking again.
"Thank you for coming with me." he said, his voice sincere, and kind. "And, yes, I am being honest."
He declined to comment further, instead busying himself with his food. Despite himself, he found himself worrying about Ms. Msh'Taan's leaving, presumably for bed, by herself. Cog's face soured for a moment. Bad idea., he thought.

[Angel]

Ketefe listened patiently to Aisha's ominous summary of the battle with the archangel, glancing surprisedly at Gina when Aisha said that the ferret and Stygian had taken care of the archangel. Never did learn much about her this whole time, did I? Wonder what she can do... Ketefe pondered. Then Stygian and Cog walked in, and Ketefe couldn't help but stare as Stygian poured himself a glass of what was unmistakably blood. The smell was faint to others, but overbearing to her. Breathing through her slightly-open mouth, she tried to continue eating the little that was left of her dinner without looking at Stygian. She smiled at Bam, Gina and Jeremiah when they walked in, but quickly went back to her food. For some reason, smiling around Stygian felt weird.

Then Aisha asked if Ketefe was going to stay now that she knew of the dangers in this place. She looked at the panthress and shrugged. "I do still wanna help out here - it's the least I can do for basically breaking in. But I probably won't stay for more than a few days - my boyfriend back home might get worried. Besides, the reason I came to this town is because I have to find two people and I've been looking for a long time. They're not in town, as far as I can tell." She didn't add that she didn't even know if they were still alive or not. They could hear the story later if they thought they could help.

[Boog]

Jeremiah simply followed Bambi and Gina obediently and took what food he was offered, figuring a full mouth would keep him from doing anything stupid like talking to the others. He chowed down and kept to himself.

[Stygian]

Slowly sipping the blood in his glass, Stygian leaned with a hand on the counter, closing his black eyes and flaring his nostrils a bit, murring as he enjoyed it. Lazily, he picked up a piece of well-fermented cheese off a plate and slipped it into his mouth between sips, slowly letting it melt and rubbing it against the roof of his mouth, the strong, sour and somewhat salty but creamy taste contrasting the irony sweetness of the blood perfectly. He got a slice of roast and started getting some dark bread to lay it out on, when he suddenly sniffed, and then looked over at Ketefe.
   "I'm really sorry to be discomforting you..." he said, his face suddenly hinting a smile. He did resist the urge to give Cog a look for that though. "We haven't had any other visitors here. And if they actually reached the castle before all this happened, then... well..."
   Leaving that sentence unsaid, he returned to the roast, having another glass and garnishing the sandwich with a bit of pepper before taking a bite out of the slightly reddish meat.

[Angel]

Oh crap, Ketefe thought, he noticed. She looked up at Stygian and smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I have kind of a sensitive nose, and I didn't want to seem impolite. And as for my... for the people I'm looking for," she corrected herself, "I didn't really expect them to be at the castle anyway."

She glanced at her plate and swallowed the mouthful of rice that was left, then snagged a scone. She didn't really feel like leaving yet, and besides, she had nowhere to go.

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha nodded as Ketefe finished her piece, leaning her back against the counter's edge with her arms crossed.  "Indeed, and sad to say we haven't come across any others in this place but ourselves.  Otherwise you would have been told," she smirked slightly.  "But then again I doubt we have been through every floor.  And I doubt that Mistress Rynkura will stay for too long either.  As for the rest of us..." she shrugged.  "We haven't been called to anything more interesting."

As the panthress finished her sentence, Jeremiah had walked back into the kitchen beneath everyone's notice.  She at least gave him a nod of greeting...she was open to the possibility that what had happened wasn't all the frog's fault, and it was in the past anyway, if recent.

Aisha kept silent as Sebastian spoke to Ketefe, setting her chin down to her neck and closing her eyes in a posture of some content; her ears kept to the duty of listening to the room.  Though her food had been finished, Aisha still felt no reason to go off by herself as her mentor had, and instead waited to see what some of the others would do.  The panther too felt concern for Rynkura, but knew that the tiger could very well take care of herself. 

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Once they finish with pots, pan and the serving dishes, Bambi takes Gina out into the hallway and out of the kitchen area. 

Once in awhile she looks to the southwest looking like she is listening for something she can't quite hear.

"Can Gina talk, now?" asks Bambi "or Gina be sleepy?" as she leads the way toward the bedroom they share last night...Was it just last night? PBH wonders.   Bambi listens to the quiet castle and the night sounds as she waits for Gina's answer. She leads Gina slowly and loosely by the hand, but she lets Gina set the pace as they walk through the nightime hallway toward their bedroom.

PBH

[Stygian]

The ferret just stared at Bam, not at all along with what she was saying, or so it seemed. It didn't seem to be the speech difficulties though.
   "Um... Yeah, sure. Why not?" she replied, looking a bit confused, and perhaps somewhat tense as well.

- -

Picking up the traces of nervosity and discomfort in Ketefe's scent wasn't as easy for Stygian as it might have been for Cog, but when it came to reading signs and people and to interacting with them, he believed that he had a very good edge. Still, Ketefe seemed much too tense, even if polite. Softening her up wouldn't be a bad idea.
   "Listen... I'm responsible for this place, however much I may not like it..." Stygian said, sounding serious and a bit solemn. "And I have no reason to be dishonest. Not now. Not with you." Slowly, he settled down in the chair opposite to her, set down his glass and gave her a close, direct and honest look. His eyes were hot coals, hidden just slightly by the bangs of his pale blond hair.
   "Whatever it is, you can tell me. Trust me; if I'm taking this right, it's just the sort of business that I know," he said, making sure his face was smooth and his tone just right, so as not to have that image of the monster from before come to her again. He had a lot of charm to draw upon, when he wanted or needed. Sad that he had probably lost practice over the years he had been imprisoned.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Gina and Bambi walked awhile in silence thought down the halls.  Then Bambi stops to look over a castle's courtyard, a overgrown, ivy-choked wood of about one arc with one great tree that had grow over the castles walls  Only the top of the Tree seems glow in the moonlight, which was free of vines. Red light pockets glowed ramdomly around the dark ivy filled courtyard.

"Gina can you tell me about this garden?  Why does the ivy want to kill the tree and us?  Do you know who planted the Father Tree?" asks a sad Bambi.

PBH

[Angel]

Ketefe kept her gold eyes on Stygian as he spoke, curious even if she was still nervous about her earlier slip-up. The now-faint aroma of blood still surrounded him, but that wasn't what was making her nervous. He wasn't trying to scare her; in fact, from what she could tell, he was honestly trying to earn her trust. His eyes were still piercing, but his face was relaxed, even concerned. He knew she was trying to hide the truth, or at least, he probably suspected it. Ketefe sighed softly after he'd finished; she really hated having to tell this piece of truth to anyone. Waves of nostalgia and doubt passed her mind, as they always did when this topic came up. She didn't want to be pitied; it was an uncomfortable subject; there were so many reasons not to speak. She did her best to ignore them and finally spoke.

"Well, if you mean what I'd been trying to avoid saying, I might as well tell you," she said, keeping her eyes on Stygian's. "The people I'm looking for... they're my parents. They've been missing since I was eight."

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha listened to this exchange, and subtly felt Ketefe's nervousness around the bat.  It was something out of the panther's training and experience, she figured, being able to sense emotions and tension while relying on senses other than sight.  Not that she could be rightly blamed either, but she had grown used to the presence about him and the castle in general.  Perhaps soon, Ketefe would too.

As the felid gave her reason, regarding those she had been looking for, the panthress quirked her ears and opened her bloodred eyes just slightly to glance across at her.  "Your parents?  Well, I certainly wish you luck in finding them.  I would sympathize," she said in an apologetic tone, closing her eyes again; either tiredly, or simply to hide the evidence of a dark memory, one couldn't be too sure.  "Mine are dead."

[Stygian]

Stygian nodded, leaning forward a bit and eating a bit, and then sipping up the rest of the blood in his glass.
   "That's a pretty serious matter. I'm wondering what would make you think you'd find them here," he said. It was a nicer way of saying 'what was so particular about them that you'd link it here?', one which he much preferred. He wouldn't try and use looks and charm against her that far, that fast. That would be pushing it, especially with the response she'd given. Not to mention that it was getting late. Leaning back in his chair again and slipping out a golden watch much resembling a Longines from his pocket, he glanced at it out of the corner of his eye. It was slowly getting toward midnight. And even though he'd rather stay up, he didn't see much point with that this evening.
   "Either way..." he said, standing slowly, "You think about that until the morning. I don't think I have to guide you to a room; the third and fourth floors should be full of them. You might want to consider sleeping close to someone else though. And, while I might sound a bit cliché when I say it, don't go out late without someone else." He smiled at her, his eyes glowing darkly beneath the bangs of his hair. "I wouldn't lose sleep over it though. It's not as horrible as it sounds."
   Chuckling softly, he made a bow to her, and then turned, eying Cog slightly.
   "I'm going to make a quick check. Then I'm retiring," he said, as he had no worries for Rynkura, and knew where Gareeku and Aisha were. Keaton though, he had not seen. And considering her state... "You do as you please," he finalized toward the wolf, and then slipped out of the room, strolling off.

- -

The ferret let out a short sigh, and walked up to the tree, trailing a gentle hand over the bark and vines, looking up, pallid eyes gleaming in the faint light.
   "This is a sapling from the tree we planted on the back slope when this castle was built. That was Ahura's work. He created this place. He wanted it to be the home of us Caerules forever," she said mournfully, sighing. "High aspirations and hopes. We thought we could find refuge from the demons and the devils here. And we were right, mostly. We didn't expect that one of us would bring them here though..."
   Slowly, Gina let her hand fall, and turned back to look at Bam. "That's why the vines are trying to kill us," she said "Because we let them. Because we give them what they need to. It was what Ahura always said, and Michael. They were both right. We needed to shut ourselves out, if ever we were to find peace." Her eyes looked almost tearful, her face full of pain.

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog sighed as Sebastian exited, and chewed the rest of his rice slowly before taking his plate to the sink, taking half a moment to wash and put it away before leaving. He paused and picked up a bottle of that whiskey before heading out.
"Right, right. Perhaps tomorrow." Cog said to no-one in particular, padding down the soft hallways back to his room. It occurred to him that he was breaking his own rule being alone. He shrugged and continued on - after all, it wasn't like anyone else was being cautious either, or like they'd barely escaped being mindless spider-drones just hours before. His face soured, and he fingered the cap on the liquor. Perhaps in a moment, Cog thought, before ascending the staircase and finally getting to his room.

The room was pretty much as it had been, excepting for a few of his old clothes scattered here and there. He kicked aside a pair of pants and brushed a shirt off a table before setting the bottle down, and sitting down beside it. There was a faint pressure on his feet, and his face skewed in irritation as he bent to check it.
The sheath of that knife he had bought from the gunsmith peered out at him from inside his boot. His face brightened, and he took it out with a grin. He'd been wanting to try something out with this.
Setting the knife on the table before him, he coughed and picked up the bottle, and leaned back into his chair, staring at the blade. He opened the cap, and took a swallow before trying to dredge up what knowledge the curse had given him about enchanting...

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Bambi looks worried around the garden but follows Gina in the forested garden to the base of the Father Tree.  The vines and their red glowing pods moved no more than any other plant, as they past them.  

After Gina's answer, Bambi takes Gina's hand in her own hand and she places them on the Tree.  "True peace is earned, Gina.  You can hide from the world, but you can't hide from yourself.  Real peace must start from within oneself, and help can be from one's family or beyond." As Gina touch the tree, she senses a peace and a warm through herself from the tree and sense of "Welcome home"  "Your sister missed that in her envy and hate.  You can't find your peace without help, even in death And I think Stygain missing that, too."

Dropping from above, two nuts from the tree come to land on their noses.  Bambi giggles "Gifts from your father's tree?.. Gina"  Bambi hands one to Gina and then she eat the other one. "mmm good, yes?  Enough for tonight.  Come, you can cry on me."  She give the Father Tree a pat and says "thank you".  Hugging Gina, Bambi gathers up her and walks them out of the garden, but still a feeling of an evil staring at them from somewhere comes over her.  She closes the doors to the garden with shiver and then smiling she takes Gina to bed.  Still feeling the warm welcome from the Tree, Bambi falls asleep.

PBH

[Sunblink]

Keaton spent the remainder of the feast distanced from the rest of the party, sitting rather morosely in a chair with her arms draped over the back of it. Not needing to eat, she found no reason to really participate or contribute to any conversations in any way, especially when she was still under the impression that the incident with the Mythos was of her fault. Sighing inaudibly, Keaton climbed to her feet once everyone was starting to filter out of the room and made her way out of the room, grabbing a bottle of whiskey on her way out.

Considering the foul mood she was in, she probably needed some alcoholic reassurance. With her, sadness led to devastation, devastation led to anger, and anger led to her getting drunk off her ass in an inebriated effort to curb her rage.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Boog]

Jeremiah finished his meal and listened in on what was going on around him.
"Sorry to hear that, Ketefe," the frog said, sympathizing with the girl. Missing your parents, that's gotta be tough. Nothing more important than family. Styg's mention of where the rooms were reminded him that he'd slept in a chair in the library the other night. Oh, and that he was exhausted. Was the spider thing only this morning?
"Anywho, night all," he excused himself and headed upstairs. The staying close to others bit was only a good idea if you weren't in the doghouse. A few people seemed unlikely to be pissed, but still. He was tempted to spend this night in the library tonight too and keep going with his research, but both Gina AND Stygian saying that would be a bad idea had him a little spooked. Those two agreeing, expecially in light of his suspicians, was probably a sign of an immenant apocalypse in and of itself. He managed to find a room with nobody else in it, removed his shoes, glasses, and hair band, and promptly collapsed onto the bed. It was a little too soft to be really comfy, but he was too tired to care.
Don't let the bed bugs bite.
Or a pissed off friend who's looking for a fight.
Mebbe another game tonight?
And a fond "goodnight and screw you" to you lot too, Jeremiah thought as he drifted off to sleep.

[Aisha deCabre]

As the others started out of the kitchen and decided on sleep, Aisha managed to catch a yawn of her own.  The night was waning slowly into the earlier hours, and the panthress would rather have it that she awaken naturally early rather than sleeping in until lunchtime.  There was a light smirk as she thought of Rynkura.  Knowing the tigress, she may well be awake before anyone else, depending on who was a habitual early bird in this bunch.  At least she wouldn't try to awaken Aisha...this wasn't her monastery after all.

She bade good night to everyone who left in turn, although she cast a concerned glance at Jeremiah, and more so at Keaton.  Neither of them seemed to be over their previous problems in the day, but instead felt isolated and warped by the experience.  The panthress could only imagine how they felt...but she only shook her head, feeling that saying anything wouldn't help.  The best thing was a night of sleep.  Something would be said if they kept up their sulking.

...As well a sleep as anyone could get, thinking of those spiders.  Aisha hummed.  It seems she wasn't very well over that part either.

With a shake of her head, she made sure that the plates were put back in their places and grabbed the holy blade from its place in the corner, before glancing back at Gareeku, still in his ever silent vigil among a dwindling crowd, it seemed.  "Another night in a 'haunted' castle, amigo."  She gestured humorously in air quotes with the word, then cast a quiet smile at him.  "Might be a good idea to retire as well.  And," she paused before turning around, toward the kitchen exit.  "Thanks for watching out for me.  The spider thing, and Mel...I owe you another one."  She chuckled.

[Stygian]

Once out of the room, Stygian heard just a bit of moving and speaking behind him before he turned his attention forward, pacing down the hallway in just the general direction of his rooms, wandering around a bit.
   He paced so for half an hour, perhaps, taking a stop past some common rooms and the main hall, not really minding anything. The ascent to the rooms above was slow and filled his head with thoughts and tiredness.
   It was his nose that brought him the whereabouts and mood of Keaton. Her glumness and anger mixed with the scent of scotch to form a noxious, drunken, peppery scent that boded ill and pain. He'd have ignored that scent from most others. But now, with the sudden desire to do something, and being interested in Keaton as he was, her having been the only one yet so far who displayed any similar traits or knowledge with him, he decided to just chance. So he walked past her as he headed back to her room, slipping out of the shadows and easing the smoothness of his steps so that the sound became at least slightly audible to the less-than-supernatural ear. He didn't say anything, but just strolling like that and giving her a contemplative, concerned look, he hoped that he made his point anyhow.

[Angel]

Ketefe cast a surprised and dismayed look at Aisha when she heard that her parents were dead. "I'm sorry," she said truthfully. After all, up until a few months ago, she had assumed her parents were dead, so she knew what the pain of loss was like. She gave Jeremiah a grateful look when he offered his condolences. The frog had had a more trying day than the rest of them, and she didn't want him to feel upset.

When Stygian asked his question, Ketefe paused. She had come to the town to look for her parents, but she had come to the castle to stop all the chaos she'd heard. I don't think Mom and Dad would trust a place like this... especially not Dad, she smiled to herself. She listened carefully to Stygian so she'd remember where the rooms were, and more importantly, to his warnings about traveling alone. Then he smiled at her, and quite a bit of her apprehension towards the bat went away. He was being far nicer than he had been earlier.

As the others began to leave the room, Ketefe felt her own growing exhaustion. She stretched and yawned, trying not to look as scary as cats usually do when they yawn. She took her sword from the floor, pushed in her chair, and took her plate to the sink. She rinsed and dried it herself, then left it on the side. Then something occurred to her.

"Shit," she muttered, smacking her forehead with her palm. "I left my other stuff at the tavern." Granted, it wasn't much; just three outfits and some paper, but still. "Ah well," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'll get it in the morning. 'Night, everyone," she smiled at the remaining people as she scootched past Aisha and walked upstairs.

Passing Keaton, she cast a slightly disapproving glance at the bottle in the succubus's hands. "Careful," she advised the jackal, slowing down a little. "Hangovers feel worse when you're upset, I'd think. And what happened wasn't your fault anyway. The Mythos is the one who attacked everyone. Not you." This sounded weird, her 19-year-old mouth lecturing a 500-year-old demoness. But no matter. She kept going.

Finding an empty room, she propped her sword up on the nightstand, removed her mask, and flopped on the bed immediately. It didn't take her long to go to sleep.

[Stygian]

Stopping upon Ketefe's appearance, Stygian eyed the feline blankly as she passed. Then, he turned back to Keaton. He stood for a moment, just looking at the jackal, and then stepped off, still without a word but with a final glance and sad smile toward the bottle that said that he was hardly so quick to judge things like that normally, but that he still thought Ketefe's words were worth pondering at least. The shame that Keaton had exuded beneath all that anger and bitterness made it very clear how she felt. What he was to do about it that wouldn't come as a late-night and personal intrusion though, he didn't know. Or didn't let himself know; after all, he was still somewhat dispirited, and quite unconvinced that she would want him of all people for company.
   Stygian finally arrived at 'his' room, entering with a sigh and closing the door behind him. He sat down on the bed for a second, before undoing his jacket and shirt, neatly folding them over a chair by the bedside, then kicking off his shoes and doing the same to his pants, and finally slipping under the sheets with a mutter at the lonely darkness. He was fast asleep within minutes; it was mostly when he felt good that he found himself restless.

- -

The following morning found the castle battered from above by a torrent of rain and occasional thunder. It seemed that the unnatural storm from before hadn't emptied the forces of the actual weather. Rather, it seemed that the weather had been strengthened by the strange occasion. After the clouds that had rolled past and around the mountains, there had come a new front which had quickly smothered the meager sunlight from the horizon and past, before the day could even dawn properly. It was the autumn ghost of the north, bringing with it storms from the bay of Haszalim and the taigas and snowy inlands of the east. While the climate around Arrien and the surrounding country was temperate and warm in the summer, and had perhaps the best winters there were according to some, the autumns were mostly a glum and cold period when people sat inside and rode out the weather, waiting for October's end.
   The smattering of rain on the windows and a gust which whipped it even harder, almost completely blurring the view outside, woke Stygian. He opened his eyes, turned his attention toward the windows, and then rolled over. He hated autumn.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel awoke to the sound of rain against the windows and vague memories of a dream that she was a doll that members of her extended family kept moving about. She stretched and admitted it wasn't as much a dream as a reflection. She slid off the bed and decided on a shower, her cleanup the night before had been rather abbreviated. After a long cool shower and a thorough buffing of her scales she looked to her clothing. The burgundy outfit was thoroughly rumpled after being slept in. Mel picked up her suede coat from the floor. It was a favorite, and being heavily magically enhanced it had repaired itself of the tears and blood stains overnight. With a sigh she decided that a reminder of the attack was not the best choice and regretfully folded it away. With a little fishing in her bag she pulled out navy pants, a white camisole, black boots, and a bright blue riding jacket with gold buttons. She dressed quickly then added a little gold watch to her left lapel. She was as a little stiff and sore, but ready to go hunt down breakfast.

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog's eye snapped open to the crack of thunder. Staying motionless in the sudden darkness, Cog silently listened to the rain patter against the windows as he awoke. A slight expression of contentedness suffused his features, and stretching underneath the covers for just a moment he rolled out of bed and strolled back to the table. He snagged his pants as he walked, and fishing his legs through he hopped back to the desk.
His knife still stared up at him, much as it had last night. Scattered parchments smeared with ink, most of it legible, surrounded the blade, although the knife itself still displayed no sign of enchantment. Despite his setbacks, he picked the blade up with a grin and set it back into its sheath, laying it down on the table before heading out from his room.
The shower was unoccupied, and it was the work of a few moments to disrobe and shower, although waiting for the water to heat took more than a few moments. The only real snag he ran into was after showering, his hair quite a tangled mess, and him without a comb. It took some rummaging to find something suitable, but quite soon he was groomed and re-dressed. He returned to his room for the rest of his articles, stuffing the knife back down his boot, and sliding his sword back through his belt he made his way to the kitchen. Breakfast would no doubt be soon, although he planned to make a cup of coffee before anyone else would be up to drink it.

[Stygian]

It took some time, but finally, Stygian managed to drag himself out of bed and get up. Cracking his neck just a bit, he slipped down on the floor in a purposefully fluid motion and started stretching, realizing he'd have to work in again the morning routine that he hadn't done in a century and a half. He bent and loosened stiffened joints, yawning widely and breathing deeply to sober up from his morning head.
   A good quarter of an hour later, he was in the bathroom, lingering in the shower for another ten minutes, and then went back out, laying out clothes more familiar than those of an evening before; wrappings, a loose white shirt with black cuffs that formed a spike pattern up the sleeves, and pants with a similar decoration by the ankles. He sat down and scribbled some things on a paper and in the notebook from before, before starting to get his clothes on.

- -

The kitchen was empty and dark. None of the lights had been left on, and some of the dishes were still out, although the place couldn't be called messy. Not yet. The cupboards were all closed, most of the place was clean as if recently washed and the spaces on benches and the large table where they had sat the evening before were open. The bags of things that Stygian had purchased before still stood, if almost empty now, against one of the counters.
   It was when Cog went through the things though, knowing that as coffee was a dryware someone might not have had the sense to put it in a cupboard yet, that to his great frustration and partly also disbelief, he couldn't find any.

[Sunblink]

Halfway into a single step away from the group Keaton froze, her unusually long ears (the side-effect of having a Fennec Fox for a father) quirking in Ketefe and Stygian's direction. Rigidly she craned her head around, a surprisingly acute expression on her face. She listened to everything told to her without any comment, the whiskey bottle dangling from her gloved grip limply. Sighing, she reached up and massaged the bridge of her nose from behind her glasses, letting them slide down her muzzle slightly.

Keaton said nothing else, not even a sigh of resignation. At least she was much more receptive than she normally would be on a bad day, and Ketefe's words had clearly effected her. Once the two had bypassed her, she started to make her way towards an appropriate room.

--

She didn't drink the whiskey. Instead she had engaged in a rather one-sided staring contest with it until she resigned and spent the rest of the night sleeping. Normally she wouldn't sleep in unfamiliar surroundings, but she needed something to pass the hours by. This wasn't SAIA, after all. Feeling somewhat groggy after awakening, Keaton lifted herself from bed, snatching up the bottle and uncorking it, then downed a pint of it before re-corking it and setting it back down.

One glance at the window confirmed it--it was raining. Bullets of water pelted the glass, blurring what was beyond it into a multi-colored mosiac of blacks and greys. Booming thunder reverberated outside the azure walls of the castle, brief lances of lightning illuminating the monochromatic clouds pinstriping the darkened sky.

Her kind of weather.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Bambi woke up with a start from the thunder, but she freezes in place.. Not wanting to wake Gina, she slowly settles back down to the bed, as the still sleeping Gina moves back to her side.  The ferret girl settles against Bambi and sleeping with a look of peace. Bambi lays watching the sleeping ferret and listens to the rain in the gloomy dawn.   Bambi dozes after awhile and finds the ferret on her chest but awaking, the rain continues outside from brighter but gloomy sky.   

"Hey, Sunshine, are you okay?" PBH whispers with a smile.  " If you want talk... I will listen."
PBH

[Cogidubnus]

 Despite the dull roar of the rain outside, a faint rustle could be heard in the darkened kitchen, followed by a short gasp. Silence reigned in the kitchen a moment, all sound except the storm outside hushed.
Cog was bent over the sacks of groceries, each looking quite rummaged through. A sudden lightning bolt thundered outside, producing a tremendous crack - light flashed in the kitchen, illuminating it. Cog's face was stony as he examined the bags.
He took one deep breath and stood, turning to the cupboards, opening each one in turn. He kept his pace slow and measured, his expression unchanging as he rifled through each one, until he reached the last, fruitless cabinet.
He turned to the table in the middle of the kitchen and sat, putting his head in one hand and rubbing the bridge of his nose with the other.
"Perhaps there is some tea somewhere..." 
 

[Mel Dragonkitty]

After looking out at the lightning for a while and trying to discern if any of her remote cousins were riding the storm Mel left the window and headed out of the room hunting for breakfast. She stopped within two steps outside the door. She had no idea where she was. Nothing in the hall looked familiar, this wasn't the same hallway as the bedroom she had used during the afternoon. She shook her head, it had to be a simple problem to solve. Picking a direction at random she went looking for a downwards staircase. The kitchen was on the first floor so she just had to find the way down.

[Angel]

Ketefe awoke to an impressive crash of thunder. She immediately felt grateful for two things: she didn't have to sleep outside anymore, and she hadn't had the nightmare about getting her scar last night. She hadn't had that nightmare for a few months now. Rubbing her eyes and purring, she rolled over onto her stomach to watch the rain pounding against the windows. She had always loved watching thunderstorms, as long as she wasn't outside when they happened. She could hear faint activity in the rooms around her as the others left, but she decided to wait around for a while and watch the storm before going downstairs.

[Stygian]

It was a Stygian looking much more fresh than he felt who walked into the kitchen, looking at Cog with a dour expression. The back of his hair set up in a neat ponytail, he peered out from under the loose bangs still over his brow with his blackened eyes, his right ear with the golden ring in it twitching.
   "Someone's agitated. Did I actually manage to piss you off in your sleep?" he said, expecting the worst. He walked over and began going through the cupboards, aiming to make himself a rather meaty sandwich and some tea.

- -

Moving slightly and breathing a long, tired murr into Bam's fur, the white ferret mumbled something before rolling onto her back a bit.
   "I'm... wanna snooze a bit..." she moaned, pulling a pillow in closer and pressing Bam's arm down under her. "I'll talk... but..."

[Boog]

Jeremiah got up. This was, in his opinion, the worst mistake he made every day. If he never did it, his other mistakes would never follow. Now, how does a non-coffee drinker wake up in the morning...?
The crash of thunder was probably the first sudden noise in a while to NOT make him jump. Instead, he smiled sleepily. Problem solved. He went over to the window and threw it open, sticking his head out into the gale. He was a frog. He liked the rain. He leaned out a little more and let the chilling rain do its work, and then turned around to locate his glasses. Mebbe today wouldn't be so bad after all.

His hair was still sopping wet when he bumped into Mel by the staircase.
"Hey. Erm... Morning..."