Part 3 - Walking in the air
===========================================================
Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The cats, some more reluctantly than others, approach the elevated (and levitated) section of the path.
As a cat steps onto it, each stone sinks an inch, or so, only to slowly
rise again after the weight is removed from it. The stones have a
rough surface, like a tongue, and are warm beneath the cats' paws, just
as the path has been all along.
And that path continues to climb, even as the land, far below it,
descends. The plain, it is apparent from this new vantage point,
is broken up by hundreds of small, sluggish streams and shallow pools,
easily seen from directly above.
At least the path is dry. Unless it should start to rain, of course.
Eventually, even that possibility fades, as the cats move above the
clouds, and the sky darkens, until they find themselves walking through
fields of stars. The stones, it can now be seen, have a faint
glow to them, hardly brighter than the light of a single star, but
sufficient to make it easy for the cats to see the break in the path
which now lays ahead of them.
A gap of perhaps thirty feet, with a very long drop to the marshy plain, miles below.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd has been following along near the back of the procession, thinking
to himself that this was no more than being near the top of a very tall tree. He does his best not to look down, keeping his focus on the
next jump. He soon falls into the mundane repetition of hopping from
stone to stone, ignoring all that changes around him (clouds, stars,
the tremendous drop without a branch of salvation) until the
line comes to a stop. Leaning over to one side from his precarious seat
on the rock, he sees the gap and growls. " Oh great, any ideas on how to make a thirty foot leap while avoiding a three hundred foot drop?" He calls ahead to Leon at the front of the line. His long black tail
writhes in anticipation as he considers magical solutions...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
"I gots plenty uh ideas! Right on! But
da damn most valid one be probably whut ah' considered hangin' at da
damn bottom already," Antonio says loud enough for all to hear, and then there is a pause, as if he forgets to actually tell them his idea.
After a few moment, and possibly some looks from the others, he seems to realise this and chuckles like only a cat can.
"Win's. You's know, grow win's. Like
da damn birds. Win's. But jumpin' on de rocks wuz so's much
fun Ah' fo'gots about it!" he exclaims, looking quite amused indeed where he sits with the tail curled around him and a big grin on his ginger face.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by OGMO
-----------------------------------------------------------
OGMO waits patiently through Antonio's laughter, but nods her approval
when he's done. "We walk now not only through the space of
dreams, but within a dream of space. Aspects of that may aid us,
alternatively."
She flicks her tail briefly, then tenses and leaps for the first rock on the far side...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
Miss Kitty keeps well away from the floating stairs until all the other
cats, surprisingly, live as they ascend the sky. Cautiously, she steps
on each stone, letting it settle before moving to the next. The
wobbling produces vertigo in the poor cat and her stomach feels
nauseas. But she promised to see this through, and see it through she
will.
She arrives at the large gap quite a bit after everyone else and just
in time to see O leap through the skies, giving her a heart attack. A
startled meow escapes her tiny mouth as she sits behind everyone
wondering if she should turn around right now.
But like a car crash gathers humans in droves, so does this chasm force
Miss Kitty to watch as O flies through the air, and any subsequent
friends. Magic. She might have to use it; she certainly can’t jump that
far.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
OGMO leaps, and the stone wobbles a little as she kicks off from it...
but she soars through the air like a bird, to land perfectly on the far
side of the gap.
Easy.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
Miss Kitty scowls, as best a cat can scowl. If O can make, so can I! That big ol' heavy cat!
She hunches down and prepares for the leap, her back end wiggling and wiggling...
...and wiggling.
Several seconds later, she sits back down. No good, she's not going to
try the jump. Instead she concentrates on manipulating the world around
her. With a sudden jolt at the beginning, causing Miss Kitty to almost have to catch herself, the stone she's sitting parts with the ranks,
floating Miss Kitty to the other side with a satisfied grin on her face.
She knew she could do it. Hmph.
Once on the other side, the stone gently comes to a stop next to one of
the stones on the path and Miss Kitty daintily steps to it, sitting and
bathing herself waiting on the other slow pokes.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Mister Pig (NPC)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Closing his eyes, Mister Pig concentrates on the substance of his dream
self, pushing, pulling, and tweaking... Wings, as Antonio had
suggested, would be a good start in getting across the chasm, with its
worrying not-quite-bottomlessness.
A few moments of focussed thought, and there is a gentle *ping*.
Mister Pig flutters aloft, supported by a tiny pair of frantically
beating irridescent butterfly wings, and surrounded by a cloud of
sparkling dust motes.
He opens his eyes, purring, and starts to drift across the gap,
following behind OGMO and Miss Kitty, and leaving a trail of glittering
sparkles behind him.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd looks up with surprise as Mister Pig sprouts wings and then gently begins to flutter across to the other side. That seems to be a good idea,
he thinks to himself, and then closes his eyes in a moment of
concentration. His tails flicks and the fur along his back bristles,
unfolding into a wide set of jet black feathered raven wings. Smiling
confidently at his sense of style, he flaps them once and then lifts
away from the stone, soaring across the gap on the warm evening updraft.
Change Self = one even (6)
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
Waiting for the others, except Leon, to clear the area, Antonio nods
and grins at the various methods applied, but when Mister Pig grows his
ridiculous wings and spreads his... dust... the ginger tomcat fails to
hide his surprise at first and then, briefly, also fails to hide his
amusement. Luckily Mister Pig does not see these reactions as he
is busy....kind of ambulating through the air.
Finally, Puss in a Boot strikes up a pose with his tail straight out
behind him and flattens, then, with a "pop", two pair of fixed wings
sprouts out on each side, along with a rudder on top, near the
hips. The tail starts to spin with a faint engine noise and
Antonio flies up into the air, looking like a furry biplane from the
first "world war" that the humans know of.
He soars up into the air, does a loop-the-loop and swoops down over the
others, zoom past at close range, whooshes up higher in the air again
and then starts to sputter and suddenly he stalls...
Falling downwards, making the sound of a aircraft screaming towards the
ground out of control he spins and tumbles towards the others - only to
at the last moment veer to the side and come to a bouncing landing.
"Curse you, Red Baron!" he shouts towards the empty sky and then laughs, allowing the changes to vanish.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
After everyone else seems to be making their way safely across the gap
Leon gathers himself and pushes off with his powerful hind legs,
sailing through the air to land on the far side.
He would not have thought of wings himself, but then he did feel like he was flying, even without them.
Turning back to look at the gap he wonders if that was a test or just
an aspect of the path they were following. He decides it was not and
waits for the others to move on once again.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
One by one the cats cross the gap, each in their own manner, whether by
flying, by leaping, or by simply riding across on one of the stones.
In the faint light of the stones, and of the bright stars, they
continue on their way. Eventually it becomes apparent that they
seem to be descending. Slowly but surely, the ground is drawing
closer and closer.
The sun rises behind them, though it doesn't seem as if they have
walked for that long, and ahead of them the stones take a turn
downwards, descending more steeply. A cliff is ahead of them, the
rockface blazing in the light of the rising sun, and the path runs down
to meet the very edge of it, and then continues across open heathland
on the clifftop, towards the open gate of an ancient stone fortress.
The gate is flanked by a pair of large bronze statues, green with
age... cat-headed human females, each holding a curved stick, and a
looped cross.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Mister Pig (NPC)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Mister Pig approaches the open gate, and sits down before it, gazing at the statues. "Is this the palace of the King of the Cats, do you think?" He turns to face his companion, "It certainly is an impressive place. Though a little intimidating."
He raises his right paw and starts to lick at it. Then, with an
obvious effort, he stops doing that, stands, and walks carefully
through the gate, and into the courtyard beyond...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
Watching Leon sail across much like The Big O did, Antonio happily
skips along the stone, even pretending to slip on a few occasions until
he notices irritation rising. Eventually the fun is over and he
sighs sadly, only to cheer up the next moment.
"Wooh dippely da mehdove alee, would ya' look at dat!" he exclaims. "I wonda' if dey gots dem supa fine little pizza bits upside dere?"
He struts after Mister Pig, figuring since he is the one with an errand
he should go first, but stays close enough to help his friend in case
of trouble - or bits of pizza.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by OGMO
-----------------------------------------------------------
OGMO sniffs slightly. "Your quest is not yet done," she reminds
Mister. "Three challenges to face, before the King of the Cats
deigns audience."
She tries briefly to find a suitable way to express that she's not
really even sure the gap at the top of the steps had been a challenge,
or just a gap...or to admit that it was possible they hadn't actually faced the first challenge, and there
might still be a `replacement' awaiting them...but, well, unless having
Antonio along constituted the Challenge of Spirit, she was quite certain there was at least one more. No need to be more
specific. Specifics always ran that niggling risk of being...off.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
This looks like a challenge. Leon thinks to himself. With what
has happened he does not know if it is the first or the second, but it
really didn't matter, there would be as many challenges as there would
be.
The large gray and white cat looks up at the bronze statues, do they
guard entrance or exit, he wonders. But he doesn't hesitate long before
he starts forward again, following Mr. Pig and Antonio as they move
through the gate.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd bounds more confidently through the night with his new set of
wings, sometimes even showing off by skipping and gliding to every
other one. As the sight of the cliff draws near, he glides past the
last few stones of the floating pathway and then gently lands, folding
the sleek black feathers back into the velvet lining of his coat,
effectively ending the enchantment...
He pauses a moment, sitting happily on the ground once more (and
secretly enjoying it more than he ever had in his waking life) while
studying the statues flanking the fortress entrance. Cat-heads were a
nice touch, but it was a little disturbing to see them atop human
forms. Why not make them whole cats?,
he wonders. Yawning once, he sits up and begins once more following the
others, his shimmering blue eyes never once looking away from the
statues and the area beyond their guard...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Walking through the gate, Mister Pig looks around, curiously.
Which is quite brave of him, considering all the bad stories about
curiosity, and its effect on the feline lifespan. The others
follow behind him.
"Yes, I think there will be another challenge
here. See? The path continues right up to that small
doorway over there. Perhaps that is the challenge? To use the Doorslip Trick to open that... "
"Close, but no catnip, Stupid!" a
figure steps out of one of the towers, onto the walkway which runs
around the fortress walls, a hideous amalgam of human's body and dog's
head, wearing a kilt of what looks to be cat pelts. It is
somewhat larger even than a human, and armed with a heavy hammer of
iron.
"You have to get through that door, yes, but you have to defeat me to open it." Strands of saliva drool from its jaws as it leaps down to the ground level, snarling at the cats. "And that won't happen."
Then it throws back its head and howls at the sky, before raising the hammer, two handed, above its head.
OOC: Antonio and Syd have a reputation for handling
dogs and can include the effects of that in their actions if they
choose to fight this creature, which is at least partly a dog.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Who is you callin' stupid? Ah, him, coo'," Antonio calls out when the ridiculous dog-human hybrid appears.
An improvement on the dog part, for certain, but overall it was a bad,
bad move by whatever mind it had sprung from.
"Oh, so's ya' wants' some fight, eh, vacuum brain?"
"Come on den! Right on! Puddemup, puddemup!"
"Come an' 'ave a go if ya think ya 'ard enuff!"
Antonio shoots his back up, turning the side to the creature and hisses and spits in-between his mocking and taunting.
Then he throws himself at the creature, claws and teeth as well as fur
straight out, making for quite the sight. It was part dog, and he
was well known to be a dog fighter - and winning over them.
He will not hold back.
OOC: If? If!? Ha!
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd growls low in his chest at the sight of the dog-man, a growl that
becomes both louder and deeper as his hackles raise in preperation for
combat. The thing has the body of a man, so the tail-chase trick is
out, leaving only one other option. He puffs up, bristling with energy
and growing larger by the second. Moments later, he snarls loudly in
the form an oversized panther, easily large enough to bite the dogs
head off in one tasty morsel. " You have the head of a dog, and therefore the mind of a dog. All ego and teeth, not an iota of intelligence.." he growls, " ...what kind of fool would bring a stick to a knife fight?" and all eight claws flex out from his front paws as he crouches low. " Drop the hammer and maybe I wont disembowel you like a rodent."
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by OGMO
-----------------------------------------------------------
OGMO simply sneezes at him, staying somewhat back, her tail waving lazily as Antonio charges.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Mister Pig backpedals away from the monstrous creature, his ears
flattening, back arching, and tail expanding, until he is standing with
the similarly posturing Leon and Miss Kitty.
Antonio and Syd rush forward. Antonio leaps, while Syd takes a moment to threaten impressively, and to assess the threat.
OGMO seems to do very little, as the thing's hammer swings down towards
Syd. Looks can be deceiving though... the hammer hits the earth
right next to the black cat, with a sound like... like... like a
squeaky rubber mouse. The suddenly plush weapon bends, and the
air fills with the smell of fresh catnip!
With a hissing yowl, Antonio strikes as the horror looks bemusedly at
its mysteriously transformed hammer, and hooks his claws into one of
the thing's arms, opening a series of parallel wounds from its elbow to
its wrist. Howling, the creature drops the now-uselsss hammer,
and swats the ginger cat aside.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Mister Pig (NPC)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Encouraged by the sight of blood pouring down the creature's arm, and
the dropped, and seemingly useless hammer, Mister Pig rushes forward
again. His claws, he realises may be a little less sharp than
they should be... they had, after all, failed to furnish him with a
secure foothold on the bridge.
Not to worry, the dog-creature has two sturdy legs which will serve
admirably as scratching posts. Digging his claws into the thing's
flesh, he starts to sharpen them.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
Miss Kitty had followed the group, sometimes toward the back and
sometimes toward the front, in relative silence. She wished the challenges would be more clearly marked, but if wishes were fishes...
They come to a stronghold. The King of Cat's? Hardly... they have more tests first. Unless the tests are within.
Or without.
The small cat notices the two stone guardians and smiles approvingly at
the images of Bast. Just to be on the safe side, she walks up to them
and sniffs around, testing them. Nothing but stone. Suddenly anathema
to Bast appears from nowhere. Human and dog of all things. The little cat's hackles rise as she darts back to where
Leon and Mr. Pig reside, getting out of the great hammer's way.
A battle ensues, but with the giant hammer splintering into catnip. Miss Kitty's sharp eyes turn to O, “Well done.”
The tabby had thought to stay out of this fray, leaving the fun to
those who were skilled with battling the dog-kind, but when Mister Pig
flies into the fracas, Miss Kitty wants some fun, too. Splaying her
silly claws, she suddenly leaps toward an arm, barely hanging on by her
little claws above Mister Pig's head.
Suddenly, this doesn't seem like such a good idea.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd smirks as the dogs only weapon becomes a cats plaything, admiring
the sudden change to their favor. He would have to remember to
compliment Ogmo when this was all over. Still posing as an over-sized
panther, Syd now lashes out at their foe with his best trait, tearing
his massive claws deep into the hound-man, hoping to pull out more than just a little blood letting...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
With little more than a ruffled coat Antonio twists around in the air
and lands feet first again the rock, lunging himself straight back at
the stupid looking dogman, teeth, claws and fur all pointing out as if
trying to slice and dice the creature all at once.
Once more his attack strikes home and he spares nothing in his battle
fury. He may only be a slightly skinny orange cat, but he
certainly fights for more than one.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
Leon had only help back for a moment, and a lot had happened in that
moment. Everyone else is lunging at the creature so it is time he did
the same. Quickly he darts around it while its attention is on the
others and once the cat is at a rear corner he leaps at the beast's
next hoping to grab that neck with his claws and sink his fangs into an
artery.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The dog-thing snarls, as cats swarm forward, leaping onto it in their determination to defeat it.
Claws rip into its flesh, and fangs sink home, as it struggles to
defend itself against the attacks of those it had originally considered
to be mere victims.
Tactics vary, from cat to cat, but they all seem effective.
Mister Pig claws at the creature's legs, and recieves a swat to his
head which sets his ears ringing, but still he holds on. Miss
Kitty and Antonio find themselves both holding onto the thing's arm, as
it tries to lift it to take another swing at Mister Pig. It's
intention changes, to trying to shake them loose, but they seem
securely fastened, and its efforts to throw them off are hampered by
the weight of the very cats it tries to dislodge.
Syd slashes his claws at the thing's belly, but it blocks the attack
and knocks him aside. Still, his claws, parried though they were,
open up a series of deep gashes across the arm that had blocked his
attack. Syd rolls clear, and springs back to his feet.
Leaping onto the horror's shoulder, Leon sinks his fangs into its
neck. Blood spurts from the wound, and Leon discovers, first
hand, just how unpleasant some creatures can taste.
Howling in pain, now, the dog-man frantically struggles to throw off
the cats, without much success. It is not down, yet, but it does
seem to be weakening...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
"You's is goin' waaay down, buttbreath," Antonio hisses and lunges at the throat of the creature, clawing his
way towards his target with all his might, which is fairly impressive
given the lack of size that the ginger cat displays.
His fangs opens up, aiming to clamp shut around the throat of this abomination.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
With a myriad of cats hanging off the dogman like thistles caught on
someone's pant leg, all four of Miss Kitty's legs wrap up and dig in
just to hang on. She's done some damage, but precious little. Dainty
and Dangerous just don't go together very well.
It's time to dig in with her sharp teeth. Savagely, she bites at the
arm below her, only to find her front right tooth snagging on some
matted hair, going through and getting caught. The poor thing struggles
to pull it from the disgusting mesh of wire-thick hair, hoping none of
her friends notice her poor display of bravery.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
As long as he manages to hold on Leon continues to hold on he continues
to claw at the monster. He has a sudden thought and unhooks the claws
of one paw from the things neck and the reaches up with those claws
trying to scratch out one of the thing's eyes. It can't very well fight
if it can't see.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by OGMO
-----------------------------------------------------------
OGMO sits down to watch the show, as the others - even Miss Kitty! -
seem to be handling the dog-man without too much difficulty.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
(NPC'd)
Syd continues to use his dream-enhanced claws to good effect, holding
on with the fromt ones, while kick-kick-kicking with the rear. He
yowls in satisfaction, mixed with not-a-little rage, as he feels them
catch in the dog-man's flesh.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The dog-thing howls as the cats continue their furious onslaught.
Desperately it tries to throw them off, to no avail... and then it
tries to flee.
Miss Kitty holds on tightly, as the thing tries to break away, and
finds herself snagged by a tangle of matted hair on the creatures
arm. Syd manages to shift his grip, and kicks at the
monstrosities belly, as Antonio claws his way up the arm, and bites at
the horror's throat, discovering the same foul taste as Leon had
already found. Leon, reaches around and rakes his claws across
the things eyes.
Nearby, OGMO observes, watching for any more enemies, and ready to
assist if need be. Then the man-dog staggers towards her,
bleeding profusely, and she is forced to leap aside as it topples.
Mister Pig abandons his attempt to climb higher up its leg and rolls
aside, across the ground, even as the other cats all hurl themselves
clear (still coughing out stinking hair, in Miss Kitty's case).
With a crash that sounds like the sky falling, the monster hits the
earth, and immediately dissolves into a cloud of foetid black vapour,
which oozes, rather than drifts, away on the breeze.
All that remains of the foul creature is a large, plush hammer, which smells of catnip.
From the direction of the door, there is a rumbling sound, and the
stones crack and split. The wall breaks into two parts, which
swing aside, like a pair of gates. The wooden door falls flat,
forming a bridge across the ditch outside the wall, and beyond the
ditch, the path continues, and the stones are now the colour of
sunshine.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Mister Pig (NPC)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Mister Pig races across the fallen gate, leaping onto the roadway, which now glows a gentle yellowish white. "It is still warm!" he announces, and sets off, along along the path, at a steady trot. And it feels good to walk along it, and even better to run!"
He speeds up, and leaps into the air, spinning, so that he lands facing
back the way he came, only to immediately spring again, this time in
pursuit of a butterfly, which easily evades him.
"I feel like a kitten again! It must be because we are getting closer to the King of the Cats."
He forces himself to remain calm, and starts to walk sensibly.
Even so, the tip of his tail twitches almost uncontrollably.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
Once the man-dog falls, Antonio puts it on its ignore list and it
ceases to exist, even in the past. Spitting a little from some
odd taste he acquired from an unknown source he skips after Mister Pig,
determined not to let the poor cat out of sight.
He quite agrees with him regarding the road, and tries a few bounces. Nice road indeed.
As for being a kitten, that is something Antonio rather not dwell on,
as it was a period of his life he rather not reminiscence. He
even resists the urge to catch that tempting bit of Mister Pig's tail
that calls to him to pounce it.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
Miss Kitty lands on her feet, but barely as she ungracefully falls and
twists to the ground after loosening her teeth from the matted hair of
dogface. She immediately calmly sits with her back to the thing an
begins to clean herself.
I meant to land like that.
She hears the sounds of doors opening and a bridge falling into place,
but she has her dignity to think of and so finishes her bath before
turning and purposefully walking toward the bouncing cats.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by OGMO
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Hm."
OGMO approaches the path, and sniffs at it delicately. "For those who need it, I suppose it must feel good," she decides, as she begins walking alongside the path.
Not that she in any way suspects that things in the Kingdom of Dreams might not be only what they appear to be...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The path continues, a trail of glowing stones, warm to the touch,
winding through rolling hills, dotted with white flowers. A
gentle breeze carries birdsong, and the scent of grass and blossom to
the cats, as they proceed along their way.
Ahead of them a tall mountain appears... a very tall
mountain, and there is a new smell in the air, one which the cats are
unfamiliar with. Not a bad smell... just unfamiliar.
Topping a low rise, a strange sight meets their eyes. Stretching
away to their right, the world is filled with water. Mile upon
mile of water, reaching away endlessly, towards the horizon.
White birds wheel and circle above the restless waves.
To their left is a great forest, as broad in its expanse as the
water. Dark, and rustling as the breeze strokes the treetops.
Partly hidden behind the flank of the mountain, there is a city, of the
sort built by humans. But the glowing path does not lead
there. It leads, instead, down, between the water and the wood,
across a stretch of lowland, and then up the massive mountain, via a
series of stairs and switchbacks.
As the cats take in the view, there is a flicker of white, high on the
mountainside, too big to be one of the white birds, but too distant to
be seen clearly...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
Leon follows along after the fall of the dog-man-thing. He had lingered
after it had fallen, looking at the large, plush hammer for moment
wondering if they had handled the encounter with the creature
correctly. He was never one to back away from a fight, but still...
The thought faded quickly as he turned and ran after the others up the
warm path. They were all running, which was good. Maybe it would get
them there faster, though he doubted it.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd makes his way along the path a little more cautiously than the
others. While he enjoys the warm feel of it beneath his footpads, he
trusts nothing for what he sees anymore, and keeps expecting the worst.
Drawing into the valley, he looks to the formidable mountain ahead and
sighs, it was all uphill from here. Catching the peculiar smell on the
winds, he asks the others, " Do you smell that? What is that? Is that what so much water smells like?" His blue eyes turn to stare at the distant horizon of the sea, then look further up, toward the top of the mountain.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Mister Pig (NPC)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Mister Pig pauses for a moment when Syd asks about the strange smell. "It
seems to be coming from that direction, yes. Unless you count the
birds, there's nothing else but the water that way, so that must be it."
Then he continues along the path, almost unable to keep himself from running and jumping.
The path seems to speed them along, positively helping them to travel
up the mountain side. The lower slopes are forested, and take
only a few moments to traverse, or so it seems... and yet, as they
leave the forest, they are walking in the light of a full moon, beneath
stars which blaze brightly above the meadow they find themselves in.
Far below them, and twice far, the forest and the water spread out in darkness, and the world is silent.
The path leads to an odd structure, a set of three stone steps,
standing alone in the centre of the open meadow. The lowest step
glows with the same light as the path which leads to it. The
second step shines with the colours of sunset. The topmost one is
the colour of moonlight and stars, and burns with a pale, cold radiance.
Across the meadow, there is a movement. An animal is there.
Bigger than a large dog, and white as snow, with four legs, and a
single horn upon its head, it watches the cats. For its own part
it seems no more solid than mist, a trick of the light, brought to life.
Mister Pig leaps to the top step, to get a better view of the strange
animal. And as he does so, a strange thing happens - that is, a
strange thing, by regular standards... in the Dream, it seems fairly
normal - more steps appear above him, leading to a great city which now
floats in the sky, like some silvery cloud.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
The three isolated steps intrigue Miss Kitty as they transition from
golden waters through a rich sunset into the starry night. “But do they do something relating to what they reflect?” Curious, Miss Kitty steps and
sits on each step, starting with the bottom and making her slow,
sitting, way up to the top step and the white creature staring at Mr.
Pig.
“Careful, there. It might be a test. Or guarding that city.” Miss Kitty
hangs back, waiting for one of the braver cats to step forward first.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Oh duzn't ya' wo'ry now, Miss Kitty," Antonio says and slides over to her side with the tiniest of purring. "Mista' Pig here knows whut he be hangin', as always."
It is said with such a tone of voice and expression that is impossible
to tell if he is serious or not, and most of his attention seems to be
on her anyway.
"But let us see if dere is nuthin. Stay behind me, fine baby," he purrs and slips up the stairs.
"Me-ow!"
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
Another non oddity appears, at least not odd for where they are. Some
of them head up steps, a city appearing above them, but Leon watches
the large animal with the horn.
Instead of heading up the stairs Leon makes his way slowly, and a
little cautiously toward the horned animal, head and tail down as if
stalking prey, but also in plain site where the creature can plainly
see him coming.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd looks between Miss Kitty and Antonio near the stairs, and then over
to Leon, who disregards the city above them for the strange creature
standing in the meadow. Always one to trust in his friends instincts,
Syd pads carefully behind Leon, matching his cautious step as they
approach. " What is it? Do you think it will attack?" Syd asks quietly, never having seen such a creature outside of Evilynns picture books.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The animal, which somehow manages to look both delicate and incredibly
powerful at the same time, studies the cats as they approach.
After a few moments, when it seems they are not presenting a threat, it
lowers its head and starts to tear up clumps of grass, which it
proceeds to eat.
Even as it does this, it keeps a wary eye on those who move closer.
Meanwhile, it turns out that the steps, shimmering and illusory in the
moonlight, are quite cabable of supporting the weight of a cat, even
one with a self-confidence as large as Antonio's. The ginger cat
moves up them easily...
Behind him, Mister Pig moves hesitantly onto the first of the
newly-appeared steps, and is moderately surprised when he doesn't fall
through it.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cheerfully bouncing along, Antonio only stops now and then to admire the sight above.
"Well tickle mah' tummy and call me overfed, dere's some might impressive kittens down dere! Right on!"
He looks back and grins at his fellow cats.
"Come on already den, better not keep de baaaad kin' waitin', ya' know!"
"Jump, jump, jump up the stairs,
see, see, see what is there,
search, search, search everywhere,
there's got to be something there!"
He starts singing, quietly, as he moves on. Only he knows what
that song is all about, but he seems quite familiar with it.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd stops, lying down on the grass a few yards from the creature. He
even goes as far as to tuck both of his hands under his chest, settling
in comfortably as if he were about to nap. He watches the thing a
moment longer, blinking slowly as he studies the animal eating grass.
Things that ate grass were rarely harmful, so he asks politely, " Excuse me, do you speak?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The strange creature raises its head and regards Syd with one blue eye. Then it snorts at him. "Of course I do. This is a dream." it replies, in an extremely feminine voice.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by OGMO
-----------------------------------------------------------
OGMO's ear twitches amusedly, but she begins walking up the stairs after Antonio.
What can she say? He made his case in poetry...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
Leon wasn't sure why he chose to investigate white thing with the horn.
Perhaps he thought it would talk to them like everything else seemed to
do. He was about to speak first when Syd does and then the creature
answers, so it does speak...
Leon approaches just a bit closer and asks, "Do you know anything of the stairway in the middle of the meadow?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The beast swings its head towards Leon, and its horn gleams in the moonlight. "The stair leads to the city of Tir-Na Nog'th. I have never been there, but I have seen it in the moonlight."
On the stairs, Antonio and OGMO climb. Despite appearing to be no
more than a trick of the light, the steps do seem to be quite solid.
Mister Pig looks at the two in the meadow with the strange animal, then
the two on the staircase above him, then at Miss Kitty. His
friends are splitting up. Two equal groups, and he has no idea
which one to follow. For the moment he follows Miss Kitty's lead,
and waits to see what happens next.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
" Will we find the King of Cats in the city?" Syd asks plaintively.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
Happily bouncing on upwards Antonio keeps looking ahead.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
Leon looks up at the sky. He had not paid attention, nor noticed, if it
was night or day in this place; one can be so much like the other in
the dream. He looks specifically to see if there is a moon above them.
<orange>[OOC: quite honestly, I don't recall if we were ever told if it was night or day or if there is a moon.]
Then the cat turns back to the strange animal and asks, "Is there something special about seeing the city in the moonlight? Does it look different then in the sunlight?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Yes, I believe the King of the Cats lives in the city." the strange animal replies to Syd. To Leon, it says, "Tir-Na-Nog'th, and the stairs to it, are only there when the moon shines on the meadow."
OOC: Yep... moon is shining, and it's night (message #42).
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Yo, you's glue-fo'-paws kittens, de Kin's little cribly crib be up here! Move yo' little furry butts! Right on!"
Antonio's sweet voice rings up from the top of the barely-there staircase.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd looks up as Antonio yowls out into the cool night air and he looks back to Leon. " We should go." he says quietly, " Leave the grass-eater to his dinner and lets get moving before dawn decides to make an appearance." He looks apprehensively to the horizon, unsure what time it truly was or if a night was longer or shorter here.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
A hidden, ghost city intrigues and Miss Kitty heads off to the magic
stairs. She's unsure what Syd means since they fell asleep during the
day, but certainly Leon will understand. Perhaps he just means here, in
Dream. “I think night can last as long as we will it, here in Dream.
Unless a cat with more Will decides otherwise...”
But why would anyone want them to plummet to their deaths?
Wait, maybe she shouldn't think along those lines. Nervously
swallowing, Miss Kitty hurries her paws to catch up to the group headed
upward.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Agrrreed" Leon says and heads back to the stairs and up them quickly to catch the others.
"I wonderrr if it disappearrrs when therrre is no moon or if you
just can't get to it... Orrr maybe we will all disappearrr when the
moon is gone?" He questions as he continues upward.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
As the cats climb higher up the stairs, they start to see more of the
spectral city. The place is full of cats. Most of those
cats appear to be busy, hurrying about, and generally wearing
preoccupied expressions. Nine of them, though, do not seem to be
quite so busy. Each of those nine is huge, at least as large as
the horned creature in the meadow, and they are all, except for one,
simply lounging about in a courtyard at the head of the stairs.
The one exception is actually sitting right at the top of the stairs,
next to Antonio and OGMO. As the others climb, the giant cat
speaks to the two who had first climbed to meet him, "These are your friends?"
Across the courtyard stands a small cottage (small by human
standards). It has a red door, with a cat door fitted in to
it. "That is the palace of the King of the Cats. He is expecting you." the giant cat explains.
Mister Pig stares at the red door, and says, in a small voice, "I'm scared."
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Yeah dude sir, dese is my homeys," Antonio says with a big grin and nods to the big cat.
"Dat's right, dat's where we'll haided. Come on now, Mista' Pig, ya' gotsten dis far! Right on!" he encourages Mister Pig as he seems to hesitate.
"Just play it waaay coo' and we gots'ta be crib in time fo' leftovers," he half sings and saunters off towards the hut, then stops, looks back
and clearly waits for Mister Pig to come up and take point. On
his face is a big, confident grin.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by OGMO
-----------------------------------------------------------
OGMO nods her acknowledgement as the others approach, that they are
indeed her friends. Though she can't speak for how Antonio might
feel about them.
She blinks at Mister Pig's comment. "As well as sacred," she
suggests. "It is a fool who does not fear the granting of a wish."
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
Leon's questioning thoughts shove all sorts of traumatic images into
Miss Kitty's imagination. A cloud could slowly stroll past the moon,
plummeting them all to their deaths!
As they see more cats, she can't help but wonder if any of them are real like she and her friends... all sleeping in the physical world
somewhere. Or are they merely denizens of Dream? Gulping at prospects
of ghosts and vanishing cities, Miss Kitty asks one of the giant cats,
“Excuse me, but can you tell me if the city will disappear around us if
the moon hides? Or once we're here, are we safe?”
Her eyes plead for good news.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Antonio
-----------------------------------------------------------
Slipping up next to Miss Kitty this time, Antonio as good as whispers to her, eager to make her feel more safe.
"Win's, mah' lovely, win's gots'ta keep us safe."
Then he is off again, in case Mister Pig needs him, or before Miss Kitty can swipe at him, in case she feels so inclined.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Syd
-----------------------------------------------------------
Syd is one of the last to join his companions at the city edge. He
notes the larger cats, but his attention is distracted by the hundreds
of other cats moving about on various tasks of importance. He pauses in
the confusion to consider their journey from the top of the shed to
this moment. A man in a rocking chair. Floating rocks. A dog-headed man
and finally floating stairs to the city proper. The 'tests' hadn't been
all that difficult really, and he smiles confidently, hurrying his pace
to catch up with Mr. Pig in a show of support. " Congratulations Shadow Dancer!" he says," You've passed all the tests and have been granted an audience with our King!"
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by The Dream (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The gigantic cat gazes at Miss Kitty, and speaks to her in a reassuring tone, "Fear
not. Once within Tir-Na-Nog'th, you are safe. Though the
stairs may vanish without moonlight to make them real, the city is
always here. Magic simply hides it from view."
Another of the large cats, gets to its feet, stretching, and adds to what the other had said, "And
it is lucky for the King, his guards, and all of these petitioners,
that it is always here, or they would all be in danger of falling to
the mountainside below. But that has never happened. Yet...
"
"Hush, Warburton!" the first cat says, then, to the visitors, "Pay no attention to him, he is merely teasing you."
Bolstered by the words of his friends, Mister Pig springs past the
guardian cats and hurries to the cottage. After only a brief
moment of hesitation, and a quick wash of his paw, he pushes through
the cat door...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by OGMO
-----------------------------------------------------------
OGMO stops briefly outside to groom, straightening her fur. It's
largely unnecessary, as her dream-self hasn't picked up very much in
the way of dream-dirt anyway, but perhaps she wants to look her best
for the very King of Cats.
Or maybe she just wants to show that even for a meeting with the very
King, she's not in any particular hurry. After a few moments, she
follows the others through the door.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
Antonio's message pulls a glance from Miss Kitty. She knows he's
offering comfort, but she hasn't a clue what he means. Unless the wind
will keep them safe...
She turns back to the giant cat and listens. To both of them. One seems
to want to say more, but is cut off. The tabby cocks her head to the
side as if deciding if he really is merely teasing. A blink. A yawn. And then an, “Excuse me, thank you!”
Miss Kitty stretches to her feet and turns to follow the others through the little cat door with a swish of her tail.
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Leon
-----------------------------------------------------------
That's a bit of a relief, the city itself does not just disappear.
Leon moves along beside Miss Kitty, "Good to know we'll be safe while we'rrre herrre, yes? He says/asks her as they approach the cat door. Then he waits for her
to enter before following her through. He sniffs at the door before
pressing his head against it. He's never liked these things. Debra
always opens the door for him when he wants in or out...
===========================================================
Re: Part 3 - Walking in the air by Miss Kitty
-----------------------------------------------------------
Miss Kitty purred a little smile to Leon, “Very good. Now hopefully,
the King of Cats will be friendly.” Cat doors aren't completely
familiar to Miss Kitty either, though she's used them at the other house she visits with her humans every summer. She pushes the flap up
with her head and carefully pulls her paws up and through the hole. On
the other side, she shakes her fur free and licks her paws until Leon
is ready to follow the others.
===========================================================
