The Hunt! (Open to all predators on board)

[potentialmonkey.livejournal.com]

Rufus ran down the hallways of the ship, stopping and sniffing the air every few steps.

This was a naked mole rat on a mission.

A mission to find cheese.

No longer with his owner, the naked mole rat was seemingly vulnerable to attack, and considering the nature of the food on board, someone may want to take advantage of that fact.

Comments

[withteethbared.livejournal.com]

Bella's teeth clamp shut on thin air with a sharp click. She didn't anticipate Rufus being so quick, and in her surprise she only awkwardly manages to scramble to a stop. She jumps back, teeth bared and growling a little bit. She glares at Zuko, as if it's his fault Rufus took refuge on his shoulder.

"The prey is mine. Give it back," she says firmly.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

IT'S A WOLF. Zuko is freaked out now. But when the mole-rat spirit takes refuge on your shoulder, you hold your ground, dammit!

He has, at least, rolled into a defensive stance, crouched low, his fists clenched and ready. "Back off," he says, and puffs of flame emanate from his fists for emphasis. "This one's not for eating."

[potentialmonkey.livejournal.com]

"Yeah!" Rufus says, adding in a raspberry for good measure.

[withteethbared.livejournal.com]

Bella blinks. Did it... talk? She hadn't noticed that before. Or at least, had made herself not notice it. She snorts. "Then tell me where I may find prey. I am hungry."

And oh boy does she mean it. Bella has yet to discover the mess hall.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

For the love of - why do these things always happen to Zuko?

"There's a cafeteria two doors down that way." He shrugs to his left. "Or you could go and pretend to hunt in the Sensorium. It will taste better there."

At least the wolf is reasonable.

[withteethbared.livejournal.com]

"Pretending to hunt is no honor," Bella growls. "Cafeteria. What is word?"

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

"A place where there's slop Stacy pretends is food." It'll fill you up, but not much else.

As for the honor thing, hey, who is he to criticize anyone's pursuit of honor?

"Is it honorable for spirits to hunt other spirits?"

He might be genuinely curious.

[withteethbared.livejournal.com]

"It is an honor for the Garou to hunt spirits. Spirits feed on one another, but the Theurge of my pack knows better. I have hunted a spirit in ritual before, and then we thanked it for its sacrifice to give us gnosis."

Zuko probably understood that about as well as Bella understands the slop that Stacy pretends is food, so they should be about even now. She pauses. "The thing on your shoulder. It is spirit?"

[potentialmonkey.livejournal.com]

"No, me just Rufus."

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

No, no, he gets it. Most of it. Just not the technical terms.

He glances at Rufus. "It's . . . a mole-rat that talks." WE HAS A SPIRIT Y/N?

[withteethbared.livejournal.com]

Bella loves her some technical terms. She eyes Rufus.

"That sounds like spirit. It is a Rufus spirit?" She doesn't get it, as it happens. She's mostly directing this at Rufus himself.

[potentialmonkey.livejournal.com]

"Nuhuh. Naked mole rat."

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

"See? No honor here."

Zuko isn't sure WHY he's defending the little critter, other than that it talks. Which is weird.