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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 20:36:47 GMT -5
". . ."
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 20:37:55 GMT -5
The tenrec's expression lightened slightly. She wasn't honestly clueless, was she? "... Didn't you know there were stores?"
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 20:39:48 GMT -5
"Well... Why WOULD I think there were??" Taking a seat on the step that led down to the door, so as to be more at Dash's level, the florist continued, "I mean, it's the feral world... People eat each other out there!"
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 20:43:01 GMT -5
" What?! NO NO NO!" He paused. " ...well not usually..." The tenrec frowned and shook his hands and head, trying to clear up the point. "That's illegal. It only happens in the booniesh."
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 20:45:08 GMT -5
Phoebe lowered a brow, but more in trepidacious confusion. "Dash... are you sure you understand what 'illegal' actually means?" After all, why would wild beasts have laws?
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 20:48:32 GMT -5
Phoebe's question was met with a blankly stunned expression. It took a moment for what she had said to sink completely in. "... OF COURSH I KNOW!" He huffed again, resuming a crossed arm stance. "Againsht the law. It's againsht the law to eat people."
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 20:51:16 GMT -5
This... was an extremely odd development. Phoebe's face scrunched as she struggled to comprehend what her beast was telling her. Did this mean that there was a social structure in the wild that extended beyond packs or family units? A peculiar idea, indeed. Leaning her chin into one hand, the human peered curiously at her tenrec. "Interesting... What else have you guys learned to mimic from overlanders?"
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 20:55:23 GMT -5
Dash's eyes widened as his spines bristled outward, before his brow suddenly furrowed. "MIMIC?!" Fume.
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 20:57:00 GMT -5
"Well, you had to have learned it from somewhere!" Phoebe responded with a clear recoil. Actually, she looked a little fearful of him. Was buying a tamed feral about to come back to haunt her??
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 21:00:35 GMT -5
He glared at her, his jaw set. However, after a bit his cold look seemed to melt, and his gaze averted. Recrossing his arms yet again, he looked off to the side, looking rather offended. "We made our own shtuff. You monkeysh don't know everything."
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 21:06:05 GMT -5
His words probably didn't have quite as much impact as he probably would've hoped for; with his gaze averted, Dash may not have noticed that Phoebe had since scooted away from him, her back now pressed to the wall. "L-Look, take it easy!!" she stuttered, her voice a little shrill. "Y...You w-want something t-t-to eat?? I'llfixyousomefoodokay?!"
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 21:08:25 GMT -5
An ear turned towards Phoebe before the rest of his head did, his expression once again shifting- this time back to baffled confusion. "Huh?"
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 21:10:36 GMT -5
"Good, good, j-just relax," the human breathlessly instructed. Seemed she was in need of her own advice. "C-Calm down, good b-b-boy..."
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 21:15:08 GMT -5
Dash blinked, still confused. "... what?" A frown crossed his face again, though this time he didn't raise his voice. "Look, I have just as much a right to get angry as you do."
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 21:18:51 GMT -5
As it became increasingly clear that Dash wasn't going to revert to old habits, Phoebe's own nerves began to cool off as well. "Yes... Just... It looked like you were about to attack me." The florist pressed a hand over her racing heart. " That was really frightening."
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 21:33:25 GMT -5
Another incredulous blink. " Attack you??" Flustered, he sputtered. "Why would I do that??"
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 21:40:16 GMT -5
With a short yelp, Phoebe curled her knees protectively against her body and folded her arms over her head. When no savage retribution came, however, her eyes gradually exposed themselves once more. "F... Ferals... are kn-known to be... d-d-dangerous," she finally managed to say just before she keeled over with a heart attack. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she finished more steadily, "Tamed ferals are high-risk beasts. But you seemed so much sweeter and gentler than the ones I'd always heard about. I assumed you were different, but, I guess I'm realizing I still don't really know you." Leaning onto her knees, Phoebe again pressed a hand to her chest and took several deep breaths. It was quite possible her anxiety was about to make her physically ill.
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 22:46:15 GMT -5
The tenrec's ears drooped. Was she really that afraid of him? Giving an awkward, uncomfortable glance around the room (as if searching for an answer), he eventually took a stiff breath and headed to the kitchen. The sound of the water going followed soon after, and shortly after that he returned, now with a glass of water. Offering it timidly to the overlander, he continued to glance about. "... I... I'm sorry I scared you."
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 22:56:38 GMT -5
Well, he succeeded in one thing at least: At the sight of the offering, Phoebe gave a pleasantly surprised smile, and took it graciously. "Thank you, Dash." Gulping most of it down in one draught, the human released a long breath. It looked like she was feeling better already. "It's okay. I accidentally scared you a lot when you first got here, too. I guess it's just part of getting used to each other." Her hand began to migrate for his ear out of habit, but paused mid-air for a moment. But the indecision only lasted a few seconds, and Phoebe's hand set to scritching Dash's right ear. "I'm proud of you for not turning on me. It was scary, but it earned you more of my trust."
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 23:00:54 GMT -5
Dash frowned again. Not an angry one this time, but rather a... forlorn frown. " I wouldn't of 'turned' on you anyway." That said, he certainly wasn't going to turn down lovely, lovely ear scratches, and he leaned somewhat into Phoebe's hand.
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 23:07:35 GMT -5
With relief clear on her face, Dash's owner pulled him closer and wrapped him in a firm hug. "Well, now I know that," she concluded, giving him an extra squeeze. "Which is great, because now I can tell Zoe to stuff it when she calls me crazy."
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Post by DB on Mar 31, 2009 23:08:35 GMT -5
An ear twitched at the comment, and he looked up to Phoebe. "Crazy? Why?"
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Post by Leda on Mar 31, 2009 23:57:08 GMT -5
Phoebe ruffled Dash's forehead while gulping down what remained of her water. "She's been all over me ever since I brought you home, because you were born wild. She keeps insisting that you're going to snap on me some day." Giving the tenrec another loving squeeze, the human added, "I'm so glad I get to prove her wrong~"
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Post by DB on Apr 1, 2009 0:19:02 GMT -5
Taking a moment to digest that, he pulled slightly away from Phoebe. "There's nothing shcary about me at all."
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Post by Leda on Apr 1, 2009 0:22:57 GMT -5
"I'm sorry, I am. It's just... I've been afraid of ferals since I was a little girl." Phoebe rose to her feet and grabbed her jacket off the nearby coathook, slipping her arms into the sleeves as she explained. "I mean, pretty much anyone you talk to here is afraid of the feral world, but I don't know... I always found it especially frightening. I used to have nightmares about being stuck out there when I was a kid." The florist frowned, absently grabbing for Dash's leash. "And then there's the stories on the news of people with 'tamed' ferals that apparently didn't stick to their training... It can get pretty ugly."
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Post by DB on Apr 1, 2009 23:16:55 GMT -5
Dash pondered over what she said. Sure, there were scary bits, but for the most part it seemed like an exaggeration. "Well, -I'm- not scary." Holding up his hands and wiggling his fingers, he went to demonstrate. "See? Not even made for hunting." And then, grinning, he pointed to his teeth as well, speaking through his clenched fangs. "Deesh eithar, see?"
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Post by Leda on Apr 1, 2009 23:24:57 GMT -5
From a comparitive standpoint, Dash made a rather fine argument. However, Phoebe didn't have much to compare to. All she really saw was that he did in fact have sharp teeth and claws. But he was clearly trying to assure her, and instead the human just laughed it off. "It's not just that," she continued, clipping his leash onto the collar. "When you got angry your eyes got narrow and your fur puffed up and your spikes stood on end.... It was just very..." Phoebe waved her arms while she searched for words. "FRILLED DASH LIZARD ASSUMES AN OFFENSIVE STANCE!"
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Post by DB on Apr 1, 2009 23:28:42 GMT -5
Dash paused, than waved the comment off. "That's just a tenrec thing."
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Post by Leda on Apr 1, 2009 23:40:33 GMT -5
"Good to know." The overlander opened the door and led her beastie to the steps, pausing to lock the door before leading the way to the gate. "So... Whenever it happens again, what do you think is a better way to deal with it? I've heard reptiles will calm down when they have their bellies rubbed. Anything like that for tenrecs?"
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Post by DB on Apr 1, 2009 23:42:35 GMT -5
The tenrec snorted. "Nooo, just listening to me would be nice."
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