The Faoladh's Kitten (for Sassy_World900)

[cp 2000]

Deep within the rolling expanses of High-fang Forest, as the setting sun caused the shadows of the trees grow longer, a large figure could be seen moving through them, far off the beaten track in an area that would inevitably cause anyone who didn't know it well to become hopelessly lost. The figure in question, was a seven foot tall bipedal wolf in a long overcoat carrying a hunters sack over his shoulder, which may have sounded strange to anyone who lived outside the forests boundaries, but within them it was quite commonplace to find entire villages populated by all manner of curious and mythical creatures.

Ronan, as he was called by those who knew him, was what was commonly referred to as a faoladh, a werewolf like creature that was said to be the protector of lost children. Whilst many of the faoladh's from his village considered this to be their sole duty, Ronan preferred the peace and solitude offered to him by his life as a hunter, making a home for himself out in the woods and only going into the nearby faoladh village of Fennris to sell his wares, by supplies and occasionally have a drink at the local tavern. Aside from that, Ronan was content to live by himself, as his stern demeanour and quick temper made it difficult for most people to even start a conversation with him.

He was just on his way back home after buying some essentials in Fennris, when he suddenly stopped in his tracks, his ears twitching in response to a feint high pitched sound, that was somewhere between the sobs of a small child and the mewling of a kitten. Having never quite heard a sound like it before, Ronan began to slowly make his way towards it, wanting to find out who or what exactly was making the pitiful noise.

[Sassy_World900]

Deep within the forest, sitting under a large thick leafy tree. There was a little girl. Though she was not like most girls. For she had ears and tails of a domestic house cat. She wear a raggy old dress that looked like it was made from a potato sack. She was covered in dirt with twigs and leaves in her filthy ginger color hair. With her back against the trunk of the tree, she was crying.

Why was she crying? Well she had fallen out of said tree and had twisted her ankle. It hurt really and and could not stand up. Though she has no where to go. For as long as she could remember, she has always been by herself. She is sure that she had a mom and dad, but has no idea where they are or if they are still alive. She had to do everything herself. The reason why she was here, was she was looking for food. It has been days since she last ate. Though right now her ankle was hurting to much to care.

[cp 2000]

After identifying the sounds point of origin as a nearby tree, Ronan walked over to it and peered around, before looking down and seeing to his great surprise a little girl curled up at the base of the tree, clutching one of her ankles as she continued to make that strange mewling sobbing noise.

Unlike Ronan, the child looked mostly human, with fair skin that was mostly covered by dirt, and a tangled mess of marmalade coloured hair that came down to her chin. However, the ginger cat ears on top of her head and the matching tail she had wrapped around herself gave her away as a neko, a race of cat people who's villages dwelled far away from the faoladh's territory, making Ronan wonder where she could have come from.

Despite waiting a moment to see if an adult neko would come running to find their child, no one did, causing him to frown in annoyance, as although he hoped he wouldn't have to intervene, he saw no other options at this point. As such, he let out a small sigh and knelt down beside the neko, reaching out a dark brown furred paw and tapping her on the shoulder. "What are you doing out here?" he said, speaking in a low growling burr, "are you lost?".

[Sassy_World900]

When she felt pressure on her shoulder. She stops crying for a moment and looks up at the stranger. She sniffles and hiccups as he asked her why she was here and if she was lost. She wiped the tears from her face, getting more dirt on her cheeks from her hands. "I-I was hungry. So I came looking for food." she tells him in small, sad, timid voice. "I-I don't think I'm lost." she adds on. "Can you be lost if you don't have anywhere to go?" she asked.

Just then, without meaning to. She moved her hurt ankle slightly and brought a wave of more pain and more tears. "Ow! My ankle!" she cries out. "It hurts!" she whines.

[cp 2000]

Despite not being particularly pleased with the girls response to his question, he quickly put that to the back of his mind when he heard her cry out in pain once again, complaining about her ankle being sore. "Then don't move it" he said, leaning in to take a closer look as he spoke, "it looks sore, but it should be alright in an hour or so".

Although he wanted nothing more than to be getting back to his cottage right about now, he knew that he couldn't just leave the neko out here by herself, especially not in her condition. "I've...got a cottage about five minutes away from here" he told her somewhat reluctantly, "if you're really out here all by yourself...I can carry you there until you ankle gets better, then we can try and find where you came from".

[Sassy_World900]

"I-I didn't mean to." she tells him as she cries. She lets him take a look at her ankle. It was a little swollen, but at least it was not broken. Hearing that he would be fine in an hour or so made her stop crying and was done to sniffling. For she had the fear that it was.

The stranger then tells her that he has a cottage nearby and was welcome to it if she really was alone. Which to that she nods her head. "I really am." she tells him. Then she raised her arms up in the air for him to pick her up.

[cp 2000]

Despite frowning a little when the neko lifted up her arms, Ronan nonetheless reached down and lifted her up in front of him, before sitting her in the crook of his arm whilst making sure to touch her ankle as little as possible.

After wrapping some of his overcoat around her, as he couldn't imagine that what she was wearing currently was providing her with much heat, he turned and walked back in the direction he was originally going, occasionally looking down to make sure that the kittens ankle wasn't giving her any more trouble.

[Sassy_World900]

As he picks her up, she snuggles up against him and tries to warm up. For his fur did feel really warm. As they walked her ankle remained in one place so it was not causing her to much pain. She looks up at him as he looks down and smiles. "I'm Sophie." she tells him in a friendly manner. "What is your name, Mister?" she asked in a curious tone.

[cp 2000]

"...Ronan" he said after a brief moment of silence, as if deciding beforehand if he should tell the girl his name. He walked in silence for the next couple of minutes, before arriving at a two storey thatched cottage in the middle of a clearing, whereupon he walked up to the front door and went inside.

Taking an immediate left, Ronan carried the child into the living room, sitting her down on the armchair by the fire and resting her sore ankle on the footstool in front of it. "Comfortable?" he asked, deciding it was better to know if there was something the girl was uncomfortable with now rather than having her complain about it later.

[Sassy_World900]

"Nice to meet you, Mister.Ronon." she said with a smile on her face. Cuddling up to the wolf man. As the arrived to his cottage. She was taken into the living room and was place in an armchair. Te chair felt comfy and the fire felt good to. It's been a long time since she felt this much warmth. Her hurt ankle was then place on a footstool to rest. When asked if she was comfortable, she nods her head. "Thank you, Mr.Ronan." she said in a friendly tone. "You have a really nice home."