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[firealone]

[This is a bit of a struggle, but Firepaw is doing his best. A very under-sized Litten is trying to put himself in frame, but he's a little awkwardly close.]

Um... hello. Can everyone hear me? My name is Firepaw, I'm- I was an apprentice of ThunderClan. Oh- and I used to be a cat, before I came here. A lot of you know me already, but... yes.

[Just going by his voice, it's pretty clear he's a kitten. Public speaking feels incredibly bad, even without a visible crowd.]

A few of you Twolegs - humans - have four legs now, and I wanted to offer help with getting used to that. I can teach you how to hunt and fight, or at least step lightly. I don't know much about our new powers, but we might be able to practice those together too. I can also help with learning different scents, since I think humans can't smell as well as cats, or... Pokemon. That might make gathering herbs and berries easier, too.

[One more thing which... feels like blasphemy for a cat, but he needs to do it.]

And... if anyone knows how to swim, I think I'd like to learn. If another storm comes with new folk, I want to be able to help them get to shore.

Comments

[firealone]

That's true - I don't think Mightyena is scary, but I haven't gotten very close to her.

[Partly because he's not a fan of the Mightyena smell, but he would never say that.]

To be honest, though, I am getting more used to spending time around all sorts of different creatures. At a certain point I stopped really thinking of the other Pokemon as 'not cats', since they can all speak.

[moondregs]

Yeah, I guess it does make a difference when you can communicate. It's hard to think of you as a cat like I know back home, since they can't speak. Or, at least, not in a language I can understand. I remember reading somewhere pet cats developed a lot of sounds specifically to get the attention of humans, that they don't use them with other cats.

[ Not that he's given much thought to cats before this, he's a movie nerd not a cat nerd. ]

... thinking about something with the same intelligence level as me as a 'pet' feels wrong, though.

[colorsflyinghigh]

[Ren grins]

Awesome. I'll head over, so I'll see you there.

[With that, Ren waves his goodbyes, and sets out for the woods, looking around for Firepaw once he gets there.]

[outbounds]

I see. I think so far, most of us are relatively unique. [ As far as matters of species go, anyway. ] Not too many with the same body as another. Not yet anyway. So picking up on how one species smells might be more just learning how one Pokemon in specific does. May be more in the townspeople here but we don't see them as often as we see each other.

[ And there's a lot more going on in the city to make all the scents blend more, it feels like? Or maybe that is inexperience talking. Either or or maybe both. Certainly there's a lot to get used to, especially in the relatively tight quarters of Oran's underground tunnels. Though bunking down with the same people on a regular basis might help with familiarity on at least some scents.

Firepaw will probably get a sense of general curiosity coming from the other end at the explanation for stepping lighter, though! Huh. It's really that simple? Well. Probably simple to explain, needs more doing to make it habit, especially with four legs. But still. ]

So be careful and go slow. Do not step with the entire foot, just the front and ease in. That is what it comes down to, yes? That and avoiding things that make noise.

[firealone]

Yep! I don't know much about Pokemon, but I know cats are quieter than dogs because cats are careful where we step, and dogs don't look where they're going.

[Although Firepaw is, obviously, extremely biased.]

I've been trying not to get into other folk's personal space while I learn their scents, but I do think it would be good to... write down what each Pokemon species smells like? It could be a good record for everyone now that a lot of you Twolegs are learning how to smell.

[He's very new to the concept of writing, but oral traditions are common for the cats in his world. So the idea of being able to record things and look at them whenever seems appealing to him.]

[telewarped]

From the Spire, duh.

[She may not be able to Telewarp anymore, but his reaction makes Shadow Sneak feel pretty close.]

Pfft, just one of my Ghost powers, I guess. I couldn't resist. Sorry 'bout it! Guess I've really been itching for a chance to practice... If it's any consolation, you got some truly impressive air just now!

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[firealone]

[Firepaw is buzzing with excitement when he heads over to meet him - he's used to standing out like a sore thumb in the woods, but he actually blends into the shadows pretty well.]

Hey! It's great to meet you in person. Um... I know you're not a real cat, but it still feels great to talk to someone who looks like me.

[Relatively speaking.]

How do you feel about a cat greeting? We normally- well, most cats sniff each other's fur, but between friends we bonk our heads together.

[firealone]

That's true - at least, I did when I was a housecat. It was just sort of instinctive. I kept meowing at different pitches until I found one that got my housefolk's attention, and then stuck to that. The cats in ThunderClan meow sometimes, but mostly when our leader is calling everyone to a Clan meeting.

[The rest of the time they're speaking... vague cat language? The books are unclear.]

The Twolegs back home talked, but it was all garbled noises. Here, it sounds to my ears like everyone is speaking cat. Um... in my world, cats also talked a lot about Twolegs being dumb, since they couldn't talk like us, so I guess it's normal to make that mistake.

[firealone]

It's uh... it's really impressive. [He has to groom his hackles back down to cover his embarrassment, but his fur is giving off literal heat.] Really, sneaking up on a cat is difficult.

[Maybe not as difficult on a kitten. Firepaw, at least, firmly believes that the older cats in his Clan could have seen her coming.

He stands back up and shakes himself off, before turning to face her properly.]

So - should we spar, or try aiming our attacks at things on the beach?

[bladeofnymeia]

Oh - I'm part of the Cheri Berries too. We could-

[A pause, and some trepidation.]

...Wait. No. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself on accident. I have poisonous bits.

[colorsflyinghigh]

[Ren's tail perks up when he spots Firepaw, heading over to meet him.]

Nice to meet you in person too.

[As for a cat greeting... well, why not?]

Sure. I'm here to learn he way of the cat, after all.

[He grins as he says it, though he's not exactly sure where to start. Er, sniffing and bonking, right? He can do that.

Leaning in, Firepaw smells like... well, fire. Smokey. Catlike in general, he thinks? He's not exactly used enough to this to distinguish all too much...

... Should he bonk his head into Firepaw? The kid looks awful excited to meet him, but is that too presumptuous? ... Eh, screw it. Ren gently bumps his forehead against Firepaw's.]

[firealone]

[Firepaw sniffs in return - wow, Ren smells just like a cat that rolled in catmint. Honestly, he's kind of jealous. But he very much appreciates the bonk, and lets out a little purr of approval.]

Alright! So - first thing's first, let me show you how to stand up.

[He backs up and rears up on to his back legs, keeping his butt flat on the ground so he can stand up like a meerkat.]

You want to keep your haunches down, and your tail on the ground behind you so it can keep you balanced, then you can crane your head up. If you want to go any taller than this, you need to have your forepaws on something.

[outbounds]

[ Hmmmm. Context wise... ]

Just to make sure. Are dogs something like this? Or. Maaaybe this?

Cats and dogs aside, I think that is a good idea! Writing down the smells, that is. It'd definitely make it easier for some of us to know what exactly we are smelling if there was a reference of some sort.

[telewarped]

Why, thank you! It's a gift.

[She giggles, smug as ever.]

Up to you, since you were the one offering. Didn't you mention before that it'd be nice to spar with somebody your own size?

[firealone]

Yeah, those are dogs! The first one is closer. In my world they look more like this. Or this. The bigger ones are a lot scarier, but all dogs tend to smell the same.

I'll have to put some thought into how to describe all the smells... and I think I need someone else to write it for me, my paws can't hold anything to make the letters with. Do you think you can write?

[firealone]

I did, didn't I?

[His ears perk up, and he crouches down with a little butt wiggle.]

Alright - powers allowed, but we'll stop if one of us yowls. Or... whatever Twolegs do.

[He's not waiting for confirmation, he's gonna pounce on her and try to knock her over.]

[outbounds]

Oh. That first one is basically just Herdier.

[ The more you know. There's a pause before his next response, though; in realspace he's definitely giving his claws a considering look. ]

Hmmm. I can ... maybe, probably write, if I do it verrrry carefully? Would have to find something decent to write it on and with first but I can definitely make the effort!

[ And if it doesn't work, then oh well, they tried. Does Lum make their whole unfired clay setup available to the public or are they going to have to look around for paper and some writing implements... ]

[telewarped]

[Seeing his (adorable) battle stance, she titters.] Scream, I guess?

[Works for me, she's about to say—just as he pounces. His crouched form at least gave her some warning, so she ducks away into her shadow again with a gasp.

Since she gave him a preview of that move before, he might be able to see her coming this time by watching the movement of her shadow, which snakes under him toward his tail, so she can reemerge behind him and swipe at him with her claws.]

Over here, dummy!

[firealone]

[He's expecting to collide with a body, so he hits the ground fairly hard when she dodges away. Still, he manages to follow her shadow and spins around in time to see her coming at him. Not fast enough to avoid the claws, though, and he hisses in pain when they connect.]

Agh, those are sharp!

[Although it doesn't hurt as much as if he were a cat, interestingly enough. Firepaw moves forward as if he's going to scratch her, but instead aims a small Ember at where he thinks she'll move to.]

[telewarped]

[She gives a playful laugh.] Don't say I didn't warn you!

[She did tell him before that she wouldn't go easy on him—but she does have the decency to hold back at least a little, since they're only sparring.

Following the movement of his paw, she lurches backward, only for his Ember to hit her square in the neck of her disguise. The attack is small, but it burns right through the white thread repair stitching there; Shoka gasps as the neck of her disguise breaks with an audible crack, forcing her false head to flop limply backward. Dark, shadowy particles spill from the opening in the cloth like blood from an open wound.]

Hah—not bad.

[It's an unnerving sight, but she's apparently unharmed, judging by the way she immediately straightens again and flies at him head-on with a Scratch attack.]

Take this!

[firealone]

[The sight of her head cracking to the side, and what looks like blood seeping into the cloth, unnerves him enough that he freezes in place. For a full second he thinks he seriously hurt her, and that's plenty of time for the Scratch to hit him right in the chest.

Firepaw hits the sand hard, and rolls onto his back so he can try to grab her with his forepaws. Does it count as a Scratch if he's kicking with his back legs? Maybe not, but cat fighting moves still come easier to him.]

How does that not hurt!?

[colorsflyinghigh]

[Right- he's seen Morgana do that. Ren nods, planting his butt on the ground.]

Right, let's give it a shot.

[He rears upright- with a little too much enthusiasm, clearly, because he ends up rearing backwards, his center of gravity somewhere totally different from what he's used to. He yowls in surprise, before falling down with an oomph.]

... Ah.

[telewarped]

What, these cute little bunny kicks you're doing right now?

[Though grabbing her seems to be no problem, with his claws hooking easily into the fabric of her disguise, his Scratch attack is somehow ineffective. Eerily, she seems to turn suddenly incorporeal each time he tries, and his back paws slide right through her like she's made of vapor.]

Guess I'm just built different!

[Her dangling false head is indication enough that his Ember worked at least—even if she still doesn't seem to be in any pain.

While they're still in close quarters, she readies her Wood Hammer attack, coiling a shadowy tendril around her tail-stick before lifting it over her head, preparing to swing it down on him.]