[Mkguild] The Harvest Festival (11/20)

[Hallan Mirayas]

-------

 =


   The cheetah wore a
doublet of light blue over a white muslin shirt with short sleeves, and
breeches of the same shade as the doublet. The clothes were of wool and not=
 the
more expensive silk. He looked at little ill at ease, and his face had the =
shy
and nervous look that you would be more likely to see on a real cat.  Misha=
 saw the feline's eyes widen a little as
he and Caroline made their way over to him. "Welcome to the party, my
friend!" Misha said trying to sound friendly.

 =


   "Good evening,"
the cheetah answered softly. "It's a pleasure to be invited here."

 =


   "It's a
pleasure to have you here," Caroline responded cheerfully.

 =


   "It's good to
have you here!" Misha exclaimed. "You were in the ball game this
afternoon."

 =


   The feline smiled,
revealing a muzzle full of long, sharp teeth. "Yes, that's right."

 =


   "You play a
fierce game of ball," the fox commented.

 =


   "I'm fierce? I
wasn't the one bowling everyone over!" he said in mock surprise.

 =


   Misha laughed. "You
did well enough. There's more to the game then just knocking people down. F=
ast
and nimble does better then brute force. You broke through the defense and
scored the last goal! That meant running some distance around heaps of peop=
le
and dodging tackles. Meredith couldn't do that."

 =


   "Meredith was
his usual unsubtle self, acting like a raging bear," Caroline commented.

 =


   "That's
because he is a bear!  And he does it so
well!" Misha added with a laugh. "Padraic scored too. He's light and
nimble."

 =


   "Why is he
always wearing those bells?" the cheetah asked.

 =


   Both Caroline and
Misha laughed.

 =


   "It started as
a joke we played on him, but he seems to like them," the fox explained.

 =


   "He never
takes them off!" Caroline added with a chuckle. "At least you managed
to get him to take them off for the game."

 =


   "Were you in
any of the games?" Stealth asked.

 =


   "No," the
otter answered. "We just enjoyed the sights."

 =


   "And each
other," Misha said softly and licked the otter on the muzzle.

 =


   Stealth didn't
speak for a moment, but instead looked down at the floor as his ears droope=
d.

 =


   "Something
wrong, Stealth?" Misha asked. "You look troubled."

 =


   "I've been
meaning to talk to you.  Edmund told me
that you helped me with my=85 debt."

 =


   Misha nodded. Ah.
Don't worry about my friend. I am always glad to help a friend."

 =


   The cheetah bowed, "Thank
you; you've taken a huge weight off my shoulders."

 =


   "Well, there
is something you could do for me." When Stealth replied with a quizzical
look, the fox explained. "Did you ever try the taur form I mentioned?"

 =


   "Um=85 well, I=85
no," the feline answered with some confusion.

 =


   Misha poked the
cheetah on the shoulder lightly. "Try it! I know you'll like it. If you
need help, I can teach you. It's really not that hard."

 =


   "I=85 don't
know." He answered with his head down.

 =


   "Stealth,"
Misha said softly. "You have to try new things! Promise me you will try it
at least once. Even if you don't like it I won't mind. So long as you give =
it a
try once."

 =


   "But what if I
get stuck like that?" the cat asked, spooked by the thought.

 =


   "Stealth. I
have been a taur countless times, and I've never gotten stuck."

 =


   "I=85 I don't
think it's for me," the cheetah answered in a shy tone. He hadn't felt
this uncomfortable since the theological chat with Edmund.

 =


   Misha patted him on
the shoulder. "No need to rush into this. Take your time. For tonight.
just enjoy yourself!"

 =


   "Thank
you.  Thanks again." Stealth bowed
again.

 =


   Caroline surprised
the feline by giving him a quick hug. "Thank you for coming to the party.
Please enjoy yourself!"

 =


   "Thank you! I
will!" He chuckled in embarrassment.

 =


-------

 =


   "Wolfram!"
Misha announced. "Good to see you here! And I see you've already started
to celebrate." The ram was dresses in pants and a tunic of brown wool
edged in green. Misha noted that he already a flagon of beer in his right h=
and
and a giggling, buxom woman in the other.

 =


   The ram nodded a
greeting and hoisted his mug to the fox in salute. "Great party!"

 =


   Misha just shook
his head and chuckled as the two wandered off toward the bar.

 =


-------

 =


   The crowd parted
with an admiring murmur as Drift and Alexis moved into the hall. Drift was =
in
his taur form, wearing a doublet on his upper body. The caparison that clot=
hed
his lower body draped like a blanket down to his ankles. Both doublet and
caparison were a deep shade of blue with silver buttons, and the caparison =
went
even further. It seemed a work of art, with three other shades of icy blue
curling along its dark length like gusts of winter wind. Snowflakes wrought
with silver thread glittered as he walked, seeming almost to dance across t=
he
night sky the deep blue symbolized.

 =


   Alexis rode
sidesaddle on Drift and was wearing a long, flowing dress of red and orange
chased with gold thread, which seemed to have no laces or buckles to hold i=
t in
place. Her wings seemed to extend right through the sides somehow, without
hampering the fabric, and the red and gold of her dress contrasted with Dri=
ft's
white fur and blue clothing perfectly. Her only jewelry aside from her
engagement ring was a necklace of gold from which hung a jewel of deep blue
with little flecks of gold that shimmered like little stars on a moonless n=
ight.

 =


  "Alexis, if you
please?" Drift asked, and Alexis extended her left hand. Drift took it,
and the bat slid off the taur's back, landing softly on the floor next to h=
im. "Thank
you."

 =


   Drift took a deep
breath, closed his eyes, and stiffened his front legs, bracing them as if to
take root at that very spot. His hind legs, though, stepped forward, his lo=
wer
torso started to compact in on itself as if the hind legs were compressing =
it
against the still braced front legs. His upper body changed very little, lo=
sing
height and a bit of muscle mass, but he showed no sign of pain or discomfor=
t.
As the horizontal part of his body contracted so did the caparison that cov=
ered
it, growing shorter to match the diminishing body, the colors swirling as if
momentarily liquid. The change went on with surprising speed, and in a few
seconds Drift's lower torso had compressed in on itself leaving just four l=
egs
separated by only a fingers width of horizontal torso. Then that too was
compressed and the hind legs came into contact with the front legs, the four
limbs merging smoothly into two. The physical change complete, Drift's
caparison shifted and wrapped itself around the legs, forming into pants of=
 the
same dark blue as the caparison, with the seams sewn in silver. Where there=
 had
been a Samoyed taur a few moments before now stood Drift in his two-legged
form, looking just as resplendent on two legs as he had on four.

 =


   Opening his eyes,
the samoyed morph offered his arm to Alexis, and the pair walked in Misha's
direction. Alexis' eyes sparkled mischievously at all the looks their unique
entrance had gathered, and even Drift was not able to suppress a slight smi=
rk.
An older woman intercepted the pair, and Alexis patted Drift's arm before
letting go to talk to the woman. Drift gave her hand an affectionate return
squeeze and continued on to Misha.

 =


   "Quite an
impressive entrance, Drift," Misha said when the samoyed arrived. "An
interesting set of clothes. Where did you get the enchantment to shapeshift
them? Up until now, I've only seen it on armor."

 =


  "You'll have to
ask Alexis," Drift responded.  "She
was the one who ordered it, as an 'incentive' to do that Fire Dance in =85 "
he paused, flicking his ears in wry amusement.  "=85'traditional Iscoy garb=
'. Darn sneaky
woman."

 =


   "I was hoping
you would still be wearing the loincloth," Finbar commented out loud.

 =


   "After you
already tried once to cut it? Not a chance in hell," Drift answered with a
shake of his head. He reached out as a servant walked past with a tray of w=
ineglasses,
taking one and sipping at it. "Mmm. Good wine. I don't care -how- good you
are with a knife, Finbar, that was much too close for comfort."

 =


   "I bet Alexis
thought it was too close too." Misha joked.

 =


   That got a laugh
from the whole group, though Drift just rolled his eyes.  "I'm just glad I =
thought to string a
chain through underneath the belt, just in case.  Though I was preparing mo=
re for a slipped
knot than a dagger point."

 =


   "I thought you
looked very impressive in that outfit," Caroline said cheerfully.

 =


   Drift jumped when
Alexis came up behind him, her gown flowing, smiling innocently as she snuc=
k a
pinch. "So do I," she said.

 =


   Everyone laughed,
even George, who openly yipped in delight. Terry, sitting next to him, cove=
red
her mouth with her hand but she couldn't hide the wide grin on her face.

 =


   "Buuut,"
she continued with a wink, "that's not exactly formal dance attire."

 =


   "It certainly
would have made the dance more interesting!" Misha joked.

 =


   "A more
interesting dance," Alexis mused, slowly breaking into a mischievous
smile. "Is that a challenge, Misha?" she asked in a quiet voice that
made Drift's ears drop, and his eyes widen. The samoyed gave a quick shake =
of
his head, eyes pleading.

 =


   The fox shook his
head "I know better then to accept any of your challenges."

 =


   Drift blew out an
exaggerated sigh of relief and downed the rest of his wine in a single gulp=
. "Whew.
Another close call." Alexis laughed. "I think I need to get this lady
back out on the dance floor and away from people tempting her to mischief,"
Drift said as he set his glass aside and took Alexis' hand and heading out =
onto
the floor.

 =


  "They dance
well," Misha said as he and Caroline also made their way, slowly onto the
dance floor.

 =


   "Yes, but Alexis
is better," Caroline answered as they started to dance. "Watch her
hands. She makes subtle little signals from time to time, suggesting a move
here and there. I wouldn't have spotted it if that ring didn't catch the li=
ght
against her dark hand.

 =


  "True, but
every so often Drift surprises her with something different.  A flourish or=
 some other elaboration,"
Misha added. "Just enough to keep her on her toes."

 =


   Caroline's brow
furrowed. "She looks so businesslike, sometimes."

 =


   "Yes, I
noticed that," Misha answered as he spun the otter slowly about. "It's
a cycle she seems to go through: she gets too involved in the planning, and
then Drift surprises her with some improvisation and she loosens up for a w=
hile
and really looks like she's enjoying herself. The two go well together."

 =


   "They do make
a fine couple," Caroline added.

 =


   Nearby, they saw
the ferret morph Finbar dancing with a female pine marten dressed in a
beautiful silk gown of red trimmed in silver and decorated with dragons of
gold. The ferret was dressed in a tunic and pants of the deepest blue Misha=
 had
ever seen and edged with red thread.

 =


   "Is that
Finbar?" Misha asked, surprised. "I've never seen him dressed so
well! Usually he is wearing some old and worn stuff."

 =


  "That's Danielle's
doing," Caroline answered. "And she looks beautiful. Is that dress
from the Orient?"

 =


   Misha nodded. "It
is from the far east. Danielle's family is from Fan Shoar and they keep clo=
se
trading contacts there."

 =


-------

 =


   The feline morph
was slender in build and fairly short, no more then five foot three and sle=
nder
in build. She had unmarked tawny fur all over her body that was lighter on =
her
chest and stomach than on her back. Her ears were long and pointed, and her
nose ended in a light brown leathery tip. It was rare for animal morphs to =
keep
the same human hair they had before the Change, but she had, long and brown.
Caroline noticed the feline's eyes were a mahogany color, a shade more
appropriate for a human, but her pupils now had the vertical slit of most
felines. She has short claws on her fingers and toes, and her palms and sol=
es
are covered by thin leathery pads. Her long tail was very much like a domes=
tic
shorthaired cat's in appearance.

 =


   The white robes of
a Lightbringer priestess did nothing to hide the slight clumsiness that spo=
ke
of a young girl still going through adolescence with all its awkwardness.  =
"Merai," Misha announced
cheerfully. "I'm glad you could come! I was hoping that Raven would
attend."

 =


   "Unfortunately,
Raven is out of Metamor on an urgent matter," Merai answered.

 =


   Misha nodded. "Shame.
This is a fine party. "

 =


   "Have you any
news of our troops up north?" Merai asked. "I have not heard from
Daria and Tessa in several months."

 =


   "They have
been working with a small tribe of Lutins up north," Misha explained. "The
ironic part it's the Red Fox tribe. Daria still has a lot to learn, but she=
's
distinguishing herself well. She's a fine leader. Tessa is shaping up to be=
 a
very good battlefield healer. She tries to do too much, pushes herself too
hard, and her stubbornness can get her into trouble, but she seems to be
mellowing as of late."

 =


   "You've been
watching them?" Merai asked.

 =


   "Of course,"
Misha answered. "I always keep a watch over all my friends. I'll send you
a complete report on what they have been up to the last few months as long =
as
you keep the details quiet. Please relax and enjoy the good food and good
companions."

 =


   "Thank you,"
Merai replied, and bowed to the fox.






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