RP:Shinies + Fish People = Fishies~

From HollowWiki

LOCATION: Shopping District

Where once fine ladies and gentlemen may have been free to browse elegant shops in safety, now a grimy thoroughfare of dingy stalls, clamouring hawkers and bawdy-houses line the cluttered streets. On every corner leers a drunk, a thief, or a woman of ill repute. Many of the beggars shuffling these streets were once proud sailors, now gone to ruin with drink or disease, some renedered limbless in seafaring accidents. Smoke rises from small street-fires lit in old tins with which the down-at-heel keep warm. But there's money to be made and spent here too; the occasional extravagant individual passes by, more often a figure feared than one likely to be robbed. Only the vicious get rich in Rynvale, anymore. Truly, it is a place where only the fittest survive.

The part of Haerion, plump black penguin, was played by Rhocielle, a big black wolf.

Haerion waddled around discretely through the streets, as discretely as a penguin could waddle through the grimy streets in Rynvale. The occasional squawk was his only cue to the brigands and low-lives that stalked the alleyway in search of their own prey. However, only the truly stupid risked traveling through the dim lit and narrow passages. The end result of their pickings would be slim. Out in open street, all traveled, from the rich to the poor. No one would ever suspect a penguin. Frantically waddling his way towards one nobleman, he would slip his head underneath the grand cape or overcoat and puncture leathern bag just enough to swipe a few coppers or silvers. He knew the value of the shinies to the people of the fish market. Shinies would mean fishes later.

Keturah hadn't much to do aside from wander about idly in the streets of Rynvale. Frowning, the druidess smoothed her hand over her gown, debating momentarily whether or not to simply return to the forests. She had perhaps thought it safest to travel through the main street, hands shifting to clasp behind her back as she made her way to the outskirts of the island city. Aside from the occasional nod to passerbys, the lycaness was silent. Until of course she had managed to see one of the strangest creatures she would yet lay her eyes on. Some odd fowl with a weirdly shaped little body and monochrome color pattern waddling about with the citizens with quite the purpose. Freezing in place the woman kept her gaze centered on the strange thing, until she had noticed what sort of antics the creature was up to. Blinking, she called out, perhaps a warning to the unlucky nobleman. "Oi~!"

"Eh?" came the response from the startled nobleman. "What the?!..." A startled squawking was heard from beneath the cape. In the reaction, his beak torn more from the leather bag than necessary. The rip sent a small waterfall of gold coins cascading onto the cobblestone street. The beak held two golden disks, quite enough shinies for fishies. It was time to escape. The chiming coins on the street came as the melodic music of a triangle signaling dinner. A rush of street rats and the poor came upon the unfortunate nobleman, swiping his fortunes with deft and dirty hands. In the pandemonium that ensued, the penguin made his escape. Hopping from one prone body to the next, his stubby tail wagged erratically until he was free of the greedy mob. Now, onward towards the fishies~.

Keturah perhaps would learn the benefits of keeping her mouth closed at least once in her lifetime. Sending an apologetic look toward the suddenly swamped nobleman, the lycaness dipped her head into a small bow as she darted past; or attempted to dart past the crowd. Another err in her judgment perhaps, when she had attempted to fight her way through the mass of people rather than make her way around, but she would have so hated to lose sight of the flightless pickpocket. At last breaking free of the crowd, the druidess glanced frantically about until she had found the creature again. "Oh, do wait~!" Bare feet beat harder against the cobblestone streets, the woman hurried to catch up with the tuxedo clad bandit. "Chumma chumma, I'm not going to hurt you!" It seemed she was much more interested in the penguin than the unfortunate man she had left behind. Well, the nobleman probably hadn't needed such a large bag of gold anyway.

Wings were held at his side as the penguin resumed a more normal waddle southbound on the street, the shrieks and cries of the mob lingering the background. Stubby tail wagged almost smugly about his ill-gotten goods. However, soft and content chirping in throat was short-lived. Then came the shout of the voice that had caused the raucous in the first place. In his shock, his beak opened and the shinies were dropped. Noes~! Webbed feet hurriedly pounded on the pavement to retrieve them. Safe shinies... Both coins back in his beaks possession after some awkwardness in retrieving them, a quick glance over his shoulder was given to the woman chasing him. Wings were held out horizontally for balance as he waddled as quickly away as he could. It was a truly pathetic and frantic sight. There was little chance he could ever outrun a human, but by jove, the slick feather bird would give his all. Shinies meant fishies, fishies meant for his belly.

Keturah could run quickly. If balance had not proved to be such a prominent hindrance, the druidess would almost consider herself.. well. Fast. Hardened soles of her feet ached already from the pace she was forcing herself to take, and desperately, she kept her gaze centered on the little thing. "Wait, wait~!" She continued to call, as if the creature could understand common tongue. "I really won't!" Her head was lowered, legs pumping as fast as she could manage. Managing to loop around the thief, the druidess pivoted and crouched; arms extended as though to catch Haerion up. Of course, she had not quite been thinking of what it would mean to try and capture a creature she had spooked so badly barehanded, especially when he was so keen on escaping to purchase those fishies. Alas, the druidess had no knowledge of his intentions, and curiosity had certainly made her brash to say the least.

Haerion could still hear the odd sounds the woman would call out behind him. Fishies~ Fishies~ Fishies~ That is all that mattered. Soon, the penguin would reach the fish market and wharf. Freedom to the sea, if he could manage it. His tiny webbed feet ached from such incessant running. Beady eyes widened as soon enough there was the woman right in front of him, arms ready to capture him. Skidding to a stop, the poor flightless bird fell upon his rump in front of Keturah. Wings had been flapping futilely in an effort to prevent the aforementioned slip. Erratically, he brought himself back up and attempted to waddle away in the opposite direction. However, so close had his fall been to her, that Keturah was in a prime position to merely snatch him up from behind.

Keturah had not held the intention to torment the little one, but it certainly seemed to be proving the case. She had simply never seen such a thing like the fish-loving-hooligan. He even had a cuteness to him, that only served to push the girl more in her attempts at capture. She pouted when her arms had come together in her first attempt at catching him, finding nothing but air in her grasp. Blinking, she turned her gaze downward, crooning softly so as to calm the understandably frantic penguin. Yet he had turned away again! "Wah-wah~! I already said I wouldn't hurt you!"Taking the opportunity to catch him as he turned away, the druidess was quick to pounce forward, arms outstretched so as to wrap around the lil' guy.

The two gold coins came to clink helplessly upon the street as the penguin was grappled almost effortlessly. Shrieking squawks filled the vicinity as his wings fluttered in a pathetic attempt to escape. He could not. Realizing his capture, the sleek wings came down to rest upon the woman's arms. A blank expression was kept on Haerion's face. How else would a penguin look when captured, but not immediately eaten. As bland and emotionless as his expression was, he was sad. There were no fishies to be had now. Perhaps the woman had some gold he could steal once she would release him~. Squawk squawk~.

Keturah , now holding some creature in her hands that she could not identify for the life of her, merely held on until he had calmed the squawking. It wasn't as if she could blame him for the terrors, she realized, perhaps too late. Gaze flickered toward the fallen coins, a dark brow furrowing. One hand lifted slowly, rubbing gingerly against a sleek wing. Perhaps if she had realized that the coin purse she kept at her side was in danger, the druidess would have been much more careful upon her release of the little one back to his proper place upon the street. If.. that was his proper place. How was a desert born to know the natural habitat of a penguin of any sort, let alone what the curious fowl was. "See?" she said, almost indignantly. "I didn't hurt you at all~!"

The penguin turned, waddled in fact still, until beady black eyes stared at the woman. He was clearly a bird, but an odd one. Save for the beak, wings, and feathers, there was nothing bird-like about him in his proportions. An extremely plump body with small and smooth features giving the appearance of soft black velvet. His wings could hardly be used for flying, so small in comparison. Webbed feet patted idly at the street beneath him. He did nothing. He simply stared at her~. Any questions asked by the woman would be answered by a curious tilt of the head or a squawk and chirp. If she attempted to leave, a waddling penguin would be close behind. She hadn't harmed him, and wasn't trying to eat him. Maybe she would lead to more fishies~.

Keturah kept her crouched position, balancing on the flats of her feet with her an elbow propped up on her thigh. Curiously she stared at the thing, as though trying to figure what exactly he was. In truth, the druidess was doing just that! "Chal, well.." She paused, clicking her tongue against her teeth. "What are you even supposed to be?" Without waiting for a response, the lycaness pushed herself to a standing position, taking but a moment to brush away at her skirts. "Stop stealing from people, yes? Be a good child." Snorting, the woman lifted her hand in a wave farewell and turned on her heel to continue down the street; hardly aware that a waddling penguin would be following close behind.