04-20-2020, 01:24 AM
[table][tr][td]![[Image: b94dbd8a-65a5-11ea-af51-45358cb49cc4.gif]](https://piskel-imgstore-b.appspot.com/img/b94dbd8a-65a5-11ea-af51-45358cb49cc4.gif)
[div style="width: 300px; max-height: 100px; height: overflow; overflow: scroll; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: -5px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #152232; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;"]He kept fancying that Ivan was absorbed in something — something inward and important — that he was striving toward some goal, perhaps very hard to attain.
[/td][/tr][/table]
pixel by tricky
[/td][td][div style="width: 300px; max-height: 100px; height: overflow; overflow: scroll; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: -5px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #152232; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;"]He kept fancying that Ivan was absorbed in something — something inward and important — that he was striving toward some goal, perhaps very hard to attain.
— Бра́тья Карама́зовы
Ivan belonged to no other era or world. It was a fact that he could not change about himself even if he wanted to. He knew of course, that one could not long for something that didn't exist. Though he pored through pages and photographs of other enlightened civilizations, he knew that he was just a cat, born to live out his days in Tanglewood. He was not given a choice, but not many others were.
What Caustic did in his basement was just a theory for Ivan. It was never a fact, and it was namely out of basic politeness that he did not pry. He never came into Caustic's house or yard unannounced since the incident with the rabbit. The thought never occurred in his mind that Caustic was trying to leave. If he woke up to the day that Caustic was gone, the world may be a lot less confusing, but there would still be something missing.
That was why, when he smelt smoke wafting through his sensitive and delicate nostrils, Ivan became uneasy. His gut told him it was Caustic. Who else would be capable of such a thing? His cowardly heart wormed inside of his chest as he rose to his feet, albeit shakily, since he had been sleeping previously. The young feline was a streak of black across the ground, his heart sinking further as he came closer to what was Caustic's home.
There was little hesitation in his step when he made a straight line for the home, peering through the broken window. "DOCTOR CAUSTIC!" He screeched into the underground room. The smoke burned Ivan's lungs and he wheezed, eyes tearing up in response to the heat. He whipped his head around, realizing how stupid it was to get close to a fire. In the distance he saw Aurum with a deadweight on his back. Ivan didn't think twice but to follow, ignoring the heed for water elementals. He had none.
Ivan reached the two in no time, crawling forward with his bony shoulders hunched. He reached out a paw to aim to bat at Caustic's own. All professionalism left him, he had the semblance of an idea to back away and give him room, but he was just too worried, his seafood gaze raking the wolf's pelt, while occasionally shifting to Aurum. What happened?
What Caustic did in his basement was just a theory for Ivan. It was never a fact, and it was namely out of basic politeness that he did not pry. He never came into Caustic's house or yard unannounced since the incident with the rabbit. The thought never occurred in his mind that Caustic was trying to leave. If he woke up to the day that Caustic was gone, the world may be a lot less confusing, but there would still be something missing.
That was why, when he smelt smoke wafting through his sensitive and delicate nostrils, Ivan became uneasy. His gut told him it was Caustic. Who else would be capable of such a thing? His cowardly heart wormed inside of his chest as he rose to his feet, albeit shakily, since he had been sleeping previously. The young feline was a streak of black across the ground, his heart sinking further as he came closer to what was Caustic's home.
There was little hesitation in his step when he made a straight line for the home, peering through the broken window. "DOCTOR CAUSTIC!" He screeched into the underground room. The smoke burned Ivan's lungs and he wheezed, eyes tearing up in response to the heat. He whipped his head around, realizing how stupid it was to get close to a fire. In the distance he saw Aurum with a deadweight on his back. Ivan didn't think twice but to follow, ignoring the heed for water elementals. He had none.
Ivan reached the two in no time, crawling forward with his bony shoulders hunched. He reached out a paw to aim to bat at Caustic's own. All professionalism left him, he had the semblance of an idea to back away and give him room, but he was just too worried, his seafood gaze raking the wolf's pelt, while occasionally shifting to Aurum. What happened?