August Catch-All for Girl

[thelastjoy]

A. Late August; Open

Girl stood underneath the low awning of a shop, wrapped fish and chips held to her chest. It was late enough that most of the buildings on the street were closing up, natural light dying and artificial street lamps casting a sallow glow. Girl murmured gently, the noise lost to the hissing and screeching of the tabby hunched atop the awning.

Girl held up a chunk of the fish, trying to feed it to the upset cat. The creature swiped at her fingers and Girl jumped, dropping the corner of meat. She stuck her fingers in her mouth, sucking off grease and blood with a whine before trying again. There were enough red marks on her hands and so little of her meal left to show it wasn't the first time it had happened. There was probably something to be said about doing the same thing over and over, and still expecting a different result.

"Come on, kitty," she said sweetly, ignoring that the cat hunched further as she got closer with another piece of food. "You don't have to be scared of me. Just come down."



B. [Wild card it or pm for a specific prompt. Closed starters are in the comments.]

Comments

[thelastjoy]

She jumped when the cat did, startled by it's sudden movement and her own sent several chips flying to the pavement. Girl frowned, holding an outstretched arm like she stood a chance of catching it. She looked back up to where Mogget sat, glaring until he spoke and she recognized him. Right, not the best idea to yell at the talking cat. "You didn't have to scare him," she protested weakly, brushing crumbs off her shirt.

"He was just scared. I saw him sniffing around the trash and thought he must be hungry. But he freaked out when I got too close to feed him," Girl said, shaking her hand lightly to try to remove the sting. Without the stray to focus on, the pain was far more noticeable. "It's not that much blood."

[bellbound]

That seemed strangely kind for a werewolf. Weren't they all dog people? And yet she seemed to have some instinctive sympathy for strays.

"It's enough to put any normal person off," Mogget replied, settling down with his paws just over the edge of the awning. "Why not you?"

[thelastjoy]

She snorted, shaking her head. What about her had ever been normal? But she was sure that wasn't what he was getting at. "Ain't his fault if he don't trust people. Somebody's probably been mean to him so somebody else has gotta teach him people can be nice. The scratches will heal anyway. My kind are pretty durable."

She shrugged, expression turning sheepish. "Sides, I kinda like cats."

[bellbound]

His green eyes shone in the dark. "If you taught it to be trusting of humans, it would only fall prey to those who are inclined to be cruel. The creature is right to be wary. Especially when you try to feed it dross like that."

He could smell the fish and chips wrapped in greasy newspaper, and it was so very sad to see delicious fish ruined like that. Fish should be fresh-caught and eaten, not cooked and covered in batter.

[thelastjoy]

She frowned, shaking her head quickly. She had plans for that little cat if only it had come down to her. "If I taught it to trust humans, he could just come home and live me. Nobody would be mean to it again. I'd be good to him."

Girl held up the grease stained papers, snagging out a chip to pop in her mouth. "Dross? What's wrong with fish and chips?"

[bellbound]

"Everything." The cat got to his feet, staring down at her. He felt quite passionately about this. "You take perfectly good fish and you ruin it by cooking it in grease and covering it in breadcrumbs. It's an affront to the very concept of food."

[thelastjoy]

"Really? So you'd rather have it raw?" She licked her fingers, giggling. She could understand an actual cat preferring fresh fish, but not whatever Mogget was. If she wasn't still wary of him she'd ask if he only liked it after he became cat-like. "If you're sayin' I could get a cat to follow me home with the raw stuff, I guess I gotta get fishin'."

[bellbound]

"Of course." Of course he preferred his fish raw. Who wouldn't? Well, humans, obviously, but then humans had all sorts of bizarre habits. He gave her a dubious look. "Can you fish?"

If she could, then why was she wasting her time buying fish and chips?

[thelastjoy]

Gross. Girl nearly voices the thought aloud, but she doesn't want to offend him. She supposes she'd go for something just as raw if she was let out in wolf form.

"I guess. I mean, it can't be hard if people have been doin' it since forever. Just a pole and bait and a lot of waitin' right?" She hasn't tried before, the desert didn't provide many water sport opportunities, but TV didn't make it look too difficult.

[bellbound]

He shakes his head. "So you can't."

That's his judgement. Clearly she hasn't done it before, ergo she can't do it. She could learn, of course. But that's not the same as being able to fish right now. He stands up, stretching, and pads over to jump onto the awning of the next shop along.

"It's a skill like any other and must be learned." He's still watching Girl as he moves. "Though learning it shouldn't take long."

Not if she has half a brain. He doesn't think she's a fool, despite her poor culinary choices.

[thelastjoy]

"I probably could," she says childishly, lips pursing. It didn't seem hard and Girl's always had an exaggerated opinion of her own abilities. She follows Mogget with her eyes, worried he will take off.

"I'm a quick learner," she offers eagerly, despite her statement just seconds ago. "It wouldn't be hard to get good at it. Probably wouldn't take the day."