mykidisthebest

[he waits until she seems more settled to speak up, wanting to disturb her as little as possible]

This is why you tame and train monsters at home, I presume.

[she is doing a bunny flop right on his back and rolling herself around; Lethe is hovering to make sure she doesn't accidentally roll off of Charon's back]

Mm, yeah. It's not like this with every animal or monster--if it's aggressive, like the gatordawgs, then it's way harder. And a lot of monsters are naturally aggressive like that. But most animals are neutral, so I just have to bribe them a little. Wild bunnies are wayyyyy easier to deal with than a griffon, for example.

[oh my god. he does not really have an idea what is going on, because he cannot see the bunny, but he does very slowly lift his wings a bit to make, like, something she can roll into instead of off]

The rabbits where I am from are extremely aggressive, but at least these are a milder sort. How do you intend to retrieve the kits?

Edited 2023-10-19 00:33 (UTC)

I've met some mean rabbit monsters before...they're not big enough to be mounts, though, so I've never tried to train one.

Hmm...

[looks at the mom bunny rolling around on Charon's back. she needed a vacation from her babies from the looks of it, so...he puts her back on the ground and addresses her very politely]

...Ma'am, do you want to get your kids for us? There's enough hay for all of them.

[either this rabbit is very smart or animals just Get Lethe because she hoppin' back to her den]

Cut Rabbits and Blade Bunnies will try to kill one on sight, yes. They are tool users, and primarily create or scavenge weapons.

[shifts himself into a slightly better position to have babies on his back in case that is what Lethe is planning]

...Cut Rabbits and Blade Bunnies...Those are ominous names. Are they a serious problem in rural areas?

[that's exactly what he's gonna do. he takes his bag that still has some hay on it and settles it on Charon's back in a space where it won't easily roll off. that's where the babies go. portable nest.

there's four lil guys rolling out of the den with mom and!!! bouncing over to chew on the rest of the hay, absolutely heedless of any potential danger from these two strangers]

[he is not, like, an incredible animals guy, but this is kind of miraculous to watch. he will not disturb these babies in the slightest]

They are rather ubiquitous, unfortunately. The forest, plains, even the desert -- a common threat for travelers, if also a useful food source.

...I guess it's about the same as hunting low-level monsters in dungeons. They must be really smart if they can make tools. Wait, do they have thumbs?

[he waits for the babies to get closer and just scruffs them as they get within arms reach and plops them into the bag-turned-carrier one at a time, where they promptly get distracted nibbling on hay. the mom impatiently demands pets while he gets the babies all settled.]

Their thumbs are rudimentary, but sufficient to the task, yes. They cannot do fine work.

[gently cranes his head backwards over his own shoulders at last, so he can observe: babies]

Five, hm. Where will we keep them?

[the babies are ROUND and SNUGGLED!!! mom is in Lethe's arms where she is doing the bunny equivalent of a purr. free babysitters ftw]

I can keep them in my room for now. I actually asked Fantasia if he'd help design a hutch earlier this morning, so they can stay outside once we have that.

I wonder if we can create some kind of protective field around it...threats have shown up in the pasture before, after all.

Hmm...I don't know if it would be a security problem or not, but we could turn one of the windows in the kitchen into a bunny door. They could hide in the kitchen in an emergency. That would require a bunny-sized tunnel leading from the hutch to the kitchen, though, and that might be too much.

It would be, I think.

[shaks his head a little]

Let's let it stand as an ordinary hutch. Aides's security will neutralize most things that would harm them, and if something gets past it I suspect their being in the barn will not be enough.

I'll think of something. Until we get the hutch set up they'll have to stay in my room anyways. I don't want them nibbling on any of the plants.

Mm, it would distress Perci.

Shall we bring our new residents back...?

[gives a nod]

I'm ready when you are. Are you fine with the kids on your back, or should I take them?

They are fine. It is a curious sensation.

[clambers to his feet, careful not to jostle them]

[sees that Charon is being careful and doesn't mind the babies, so he heads back the way they came]

If it gets to be too much, let me know and I can take them. I thought it would be good for them to get used to your smell.

I don't think I smell the same as a human like this...? Less like a predator, though.

[pauses, remembering something]

Ah -- if we take my route back, I passed a scister's nest, also. It is in use.

You still smell like you, and they pick up on that.

[reflexively looks up to the treetops]

--Yeah? Should we pick up a scister too, while we're at it?

Why not? We are here.

We found a guard for the hutch before it's even built! As long as they can be trained, that is.

Well, if it's possible, it seems you are best equipped to. Aside from Rubato, perhaps, who can speak to animals.

[...what if I could learn how to speak to Peace...]

Maybe Rubato could teach me how to speak to them too.

Perhaps he might. He addressed me in cat shape; it did not seem to be a spell.

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