01. video

[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]

Honestly, when I first started living in the forest I had trouble telling scents apart too. There were all sorts of new smells that I'd never encountered before, so my mentors had to teach me what they all were.

[Mentors plural, because of Circumstances™.]

So... I guess where I would start is picking out how different species of Pokemon smell. Once I figure it out myself, I might be able to teach the scents of individual Pokemon, too. Sort of like... every cat smells like a cat, and that's the main smell, but my smell is a little different from my friends' smells, and the more we know each other the easier it is to pick up their scent.

[Emmet's second request gives him pause, though.]

I can help you step lighter when you're four-footed at least. A lot of it comes down to speed - even cats aren't quiet when they run. [Although that's relative, since his hearing is also very sensitive.] You want to step with your toes first, then relax your palm-pad onto the ground so it cushions the sound of your step. And... be careful for twigs and leaves, obviously.

[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.]

[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.

[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?

[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... ]