carmen + open

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[size=10pt]A gangly dog comes stumbling down the shoreline. As it dashes clumsily through the sand, it screams and snarls and violently shakes its head as if trying to throw something off. It spews bloody spit and lets out an awful, most antagonized howl, though despite the temper tantrum nothing appears to be physically wrong with it. Ignoring how it foams at the mouth and appears to spit blood, the gangly dog isn't in bad condition.

Its bad attitude seems to come from the pigeon atop his head, which strangely has yet to fly away in fear. In fact, the bird is taunting the rabid dog, going so far as to hop onto the very tip of the dog's nose and shake its fat little but right in its face.

"Onward, noble steed!" the pigeon cries, pointing east. The dog veers to the right and races through the sand, tongue lolling and spit flying behind it. The pigeon cackles triumphantly.

Jaws admits that the quaint little coastal town his noble steed carries him to is... less than impressive. He may be desensitized to such things now. Cute little shops with a clear view of the ocean are nice and all, but he prefers the bold silhouette of skyscrapers in the distance, car horns blaring, and harsh, bright lights right in his face. It's just what he's used to. Where is the town square? Where are the people to feed him their popcorn and street-vendor hot dogs? It's too... organic.

His noble steed, otherwise known as Cuddles, is indifferent. It's preoccupied with sticking its nose in every nook and cranny it can see in search of... something. Jaws isn't quite sure. He'll leave it to do as it pleases so long as it doesn't go around starting trouble with the locals. The last time he had been caught running wild with his drooling dog-companion, he'd spent quite some time hassling with animal control.

"Stay close, Cuddles," he commands the drooling dog, who does not bother to so much as look his way. "Beware of stranger danger."

[Tena M.]

[div style="width: 527px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: justify; font-family: constantia; font-size: 11px;"]Tena Moonspinner —
A... Sentient pigeon.  Not the strangest of intelligent creatures to come passing by, but enough to catch Tena somewhat by surprise.  Her brows crease, a sharp frown lining her maw.  The petite sand cat stared down the two, distinct blue eyes narrowed.  Quietly, she cleared her throat, indifferent to how small she was in comparison to 'Cuddles'.  Her long tail flicked behind her.  "Hey," the Demdji huffed. "You're the stranger, feathers."

"This is Sunhaven territory.  So unless you've got reasonable business, or you're joining," a part of her hopes it's not the latter.  She did not want to deal with a pigeon and their pet dog.  It made her blood boil.  Other animals using each other, just because one was smarter than the other.  Depur. "Get out."
[align=right]— I tell you this story, save your life, set you free

[guts]

This was quite the sight. When she had stepped out of her small home that morning, this was the last thing she had expected to greet her, the loud and angry squalling being the first thing to catch her attention. It sounded like some sort of fight, but when she went to investigate, it was anything but. For a second she couldn't see the source of the smaller canine's anger. She was about to dismiss it as some rabid dog when finally her eyes caught the sight of the pigeon, perched atop the dog's snout. It wasn't something you saw everyday.

Ymir couldn't hold back her laughter as she approached, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe it. There seemed to be a lot of strange things happening in these parts. Turning to Tena, she frowns slightly, giving the pigeon a sympathetic shrug. "Damn, what crawled up your ass?" she didn't know why she was all up in arms, nor did she bother asking. Instead she waited on the response.
"speech"

[JERSEYBOY]

[align=center][div style="width: 450px; text-align: justify; font-family: work sans; font-size: 8pt; letter-spacing: 0.5px; word-spacing: 3px; line-height: 1.5;"]"A stick did." Snorted Jerseyboy as he made his way over towards the already tense scene. Of course, he was hoping to [sup]alleviate[/sup] that. Why was there a need for aggression? This was a fucking dopey dog and a bird; how much of a t h r e a t could they pose? "Or maybe the whole damn tree." He added with a side glance to Tena, and he shot towards her, "Relax, will ya'? The guy hasn't even gotten a chance t' speak." If there was anything that he couldn't stand, it was these kinds of people. The pompous, in-your-face assholes who had the nerve to order you around. Maybe she was just being super overprotective of her territory, and Jerseyboy couldn't exactly relate. He wasn't even a full member of Sunhaven, after all.

Turning his attention back to the stranger, he asked, "So, uh, can we help you wid' somethin'?" He had been looking directly at the slobbering dog, as he figured that he was the one doing the talking. He wasn't exactly used to birds managing to communicate like he did.

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[size=10pt]If Tena thought that Jaws was taking advantage of this big dumb dog, she would be sorely mistaken. In all truth they were more or less stuck with each other. They had been for quite some time, though as time passed Cuddles grew less and less capable of communicating even one coherent thought. It was more of a tragedy than anything.

"Get out?" repeats Jaws, indignant. "Watch the tone or I'll sic' Cuddles over here on ya!" Of course, Cuddles won't really do what he says. Cuddles will just drool and groan like a furry little four-legged zombie. He won't offer Jaws so much as a no. "What's wrong with me jus' bein' here, huh? The worst either of us can do is shit on yer head 'n' chew up yer couch, baby. We's harmless." For the most part.

Could they help him? Jaws sincerely doubts that. "Unless any of ya have seen some ugly ol' skunk runnin' around here, then nah, prob'ly not." He hasn't mixed up the words skank and skunk, and he definitely doesn't mean it as an insult - ugly as the damn things are. He means an actual, literal skunk. "She's about yea big, got an attitude worse than your bossy friend over there does, and stinks to the high fuckin' heavens." Though if there were any skunks in the area at all, then he's sure someone would've smelled it by now.

"Y'know what, though," says Jaws, hopping back onto his drooling partner's back. "I do wanna know more about this... Sunhaven. Ain't that a funky name? Y'all a cult or somethin'?"

[Tena M.]

[div style="width: 527px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: justify; font-family: constantia; font-size: 11px;"]Tena Moonspinner —
The feline's frown deepened sharply, her tail lashing once, twice, then thrice side-to-side.  Her brow shot upwards, blue hues ablaze in questioning and contempt.  "I wasn't aware we simply let trespessasers to roam freely around our camp without permission." Honestly.  She huffed, unimpressed, raising a single brow in the direction of the bird and dog.

"I don't recommend it," the Demdji replied coldly.  A dog was nothing.  And Tena did not want to hurt someone she had deemed unfortunate enough to fall under someone else's power.  The former desert-dweller did not care about "special circumstances" and should Jaws had spoken of the situation, she would have simply snorted.  There had been a pair, she had known long back, a lion hybrid and a polar bear, the latter of whom mentally challenged, that had always rubbed her wrong.  Of course, she had no doubts the lion would have amended things since his return to the light side - not to mention his death.  "You're still uninvited trespassers." And Tena was never one to trust looks. They only look harmless.

Ears flattened, Tena turned round, done with both her clanmates and the avian. "I'm not wasting my time on a depur and his pet," she decided.  Ymir and Jerseyboy would handle it, even if they were being ridiculous.  Who just let anyone waltz in their own camp?  There was no tact there at all.  They were too soft, too trusting.  That said, the feline set off, determined she would continue on her day.  If she saw the bird again - especially with the poor canine - it would be too soon.
[align=right]— I tell you this story, save your life, set you free

[lavi s.]

WE BLAME THE TICK TOCK, THAT TICKS TO OUR SONG

"Charming, as always, Te," the young Jedi murmured, brows creasing as he watched the sand cat go.  The elusive andean mountain cat flicked an ear, turning his chocolate orbs on the bird and canine in question.  "Don't mind Tena... She has her reasons for the distrust." Especially when she called the bird a depur. Lavi did not come from Tena's home, but he had learned enough during his time accompaying her on a trip there. He knew some of the language. Depur was not a lightly used word.  "... It's not my place to really explain, I'm afraid."

"She does have a point though, I wasn't aware we just let people waltz about our inner home," he pointed out idly towards Jerseyboy and Ymir.  His ears flicked back sheepishly as he spoke however.  He just wanted to ease any potential tensions or hurt feelings, but this was not his area. He had more time to piece out Tena's mannerisms than anyone else here and as such was not sure how to proceed.  "Nonetheless, nice to meet you I suppose.  Do you have a name?  I'm Lavi Solo.  My friend was Tena Moonspinner, and uh... As I said, don't mind her too much; she has a rough past with people she views as... Depur."

code by spacexual

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[size=10pt]Jaws is just as appalled as Tena appears to be. Pet? Cuddles, despite what his nickname may imply, is no pet of his. Cuddles had been the smart one of the bunch. Jaws once considered himself to be the brawn, however now he's not much more than a snack for a stray city cat. He is disgusted, absolutely abhorred Tena would dare think he would use Cuddles in such a way. Besides, what use did he have for some dumb, drooling dog? He can hardly steer the damn thing.

"You take that back!" he screams after her, though she's already well on her way. Cuddles is blissfully unaware of the situation. "You bitch!" Though it means nothing to him, Jaws offers his companion a reassuring, "She don't mean it."

That sure ruffled his feathers. He knows he's in the wrong here, being an unwelcome visitor and all, but Tena has sure rubbed him the wrong way. He can't believe the [i]nerve of some people. With a huff, Jaws says, "My name is Jaws." He braces himself for the laughs. How such a name had been bestowed onto a pigeon was sure to have them puzzled. Jaws is about as threatening as... well, a pigeon. As he had said before, the most he can do is make a fuss and shit everywhere. "Doggy there's named Cuddles. I'm pretty sure he told me what his actual name was before, but I wasn't listening." Not that it matters now, anyway. Cuddles is on his last few legs.

"Look, I don't give a shit what's wrong with your friend. I ain't no depur, whatever that means." He's got trust issues too, but he doesn't go around accusing people of being slave-owners. He hopes Tena doesn't actually believe he, a bird, could ever control someone like Cuddles. Even if Cuddles isn't necessarily... sentient anymore, he could still crush Jaws in a heartbeat. There's just no way. "He ain't no pet. He's sick, that's all, and it's makin' him kinda fuckin' stupid, but he's my friend! Or, at least, he used to be." Truthfully, Jaws isn't sure if Cuddles can distinguish him from any other piece of prey.

"Now, let's try that again. I'd like to hear more about this Sunhaven place."

[rhosmari]

"Best be keeping insults tae ourselves, ya?" That went for both parties and she was curious really of all the hostility. So far they hadn't had any problems at their borders but then again that didn't excuse the things that could happen even in times of peace. As of late they were having all sorts of individuals show up and even now seeing these too was a curious sight. The former mutant had been all throughout the seas and had not seen a pairing like this before. It caused amusement to flicker in her serpent like eyes as she watched from a far. Although she began walking forward, thickly built frame pushing against the ground with thick claws that dug into the terra with ease. Her expression, however, was warm and inviting. But she held her body in a guarded fashion just in case anything happened. The massive direwolf would dip her head to Jaws and his canine companion Cuddles as he called it before she couldn't help but allow a laugh to pull from deep in her chest. Her twin tails shifted against each other, curling and flicking before she shook her head a bit. "Sorry, this ain't a sight I've seen before. Ya two look like something out of a story. Anyway, ya can stay as long as ya ain't being trouble tae my fair lands. Sunhaven is not a cult by the way but we are experts in trade and mercantailism. Ya want tae set up a shop ya can. Name's Marina by the way our ya can call me M."
"SPEECH"

♡marina monroe - helion - sunhaven♡