all_is_truth | (no subject)

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sannish of dahnil clan (madb)

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Who: Sannish of Dahnil Clan
When: ?????
What: An old cat finds himself in an older city

In a not so darkened street devoid of anything moving other than a light breeze, an old man in a long, loose coat over trousers and boots stared around himself with the expression of someone who had thought he'd seen...not it all, perhaps, but a hell of a lot finding out that he'd seen much less than he'd thought.

To get it out of the way; this man was not human. Seven feet tall and built like a section of wall had decided to glide out into the street on light cat's feet. His ears were sharply angled and even more sharply pointed, and his eyes were the clear, pale green of chartreuse. The years lay lightly on his broad, dark, friendly face, although he was still quite certainly old and not merely older.

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A young lady turned the corner, coming out of a wildly overgrown 'park' with a basket full of cuttings balanced on her hip. She had not expected anyone to be standing there, no, and the surprise made her eyes bleed gold, but she managed not to jump as she came to a halt. He was not someone she had seen before, but he was rather more composed than most who had freshly arrived.

Still, better to err..."good noon lord. Welcome to the city if you are fresh come?"

He turned fairly slowly to face her entirely, out of politeness. Most non-Katzu didn't react well to fast movements from one of the Clans; and while old he was also still a Katzu who hadn't entered his twilight years yet.

"No lord, kitten." he said in a cheerfully resonant tone, "My name is Sannish of Dahnil Clan. I am indeed newly come, if you can call it come when you didn't intend to be here. Wherever here is."

"Then well come Sannish of Dahnil Clan, I am Khemrys late of Rhystead Abbey and then Penrose. Here...none intended to come here I believe, but the city itself was lonely in as much as I may gather." When it felt talkative late at night in the hospital anyway.

"I am the doctor, or so the city has named me. It likes all to be employed as it were."

"Pleased to meet you, Khemrys." he said with a smile. It was a smile full of teeth, but only because he was Katzu and really couldn't prevent that. "May I help you carry your basket, kitten? I am an old man indeed, and carrying for the small is something I was raised to do."

"Ah..." she paled at that word, as much as someone with her skin tone could pale anyway, and her fingers twitched a touch uncertainly on the basket edge before she obviously reached for some sort of balance. "Yes. Please, and thank you. It is not heavy, but if you wish."

"My people are feline." he told the paling skin, "We call young people kittens. You are very young, indeed...I am closer to two hundred years than I am to one hundred fifty. It is the conceit of the old to call the young whatever they wish." he took the basket from her with another smile.

"Ah...I am...something else. In my own lands I would be a wererider. Old Blood. I have two forms and I thought you very...astute." That was the most polite way to say he'd terrified her by accident, yes?

His laugh was quiet, and good natured, "Ah, well, I may be astute but only within the context of my own world." he pondered for a few seconds, "Or in matters of hunting. I may not be so fast as I was when young, but I am yet a hunter and always shall be."

"We have many sorts here so far," she chuckled softly, pacing beside him. "From many lands. At times I am a Pard, and one who is a God in another land often shifts form. Hunting is another matter. There are often monsters and such about, mistakes the City calls them. I prefer grassrunners myself. Rabbits, but they are hidden deep in the parks these days," she chuckled.

"What you see here is what I am, no more and no less. Now, not knowing the Katzu I'm sure that you will not grasp the whole of it...but the fact that I am large, and strong, and old are all visible and all quite true. My people earn their adulthood by taking down a monster of their choice with only the tools we are born with. I am, however, an old cat and prefer to only hunt for food these days."

He wouldn't stop hunting until he was dead. It was too damn much fun.

"I am a healer," she admitted, "if there is need may I read your body? I do not believe I have encountered any living yet that would be injured by my Power, but I do prefer to be certain." And it was very strange to have to add 'living' to that statement now after meeting Ezra. She was more than convinced her healing would set the...man...on fire.

"Are all of your world Katzu?"

"If you'd like a baseline, kitten, you may scan me now." he said with a smile, "I can assure you that I am quite healthy. No, Katzu are one of three species on my world. The other two are human and olia. So that you know, we do not catch most diseases, it is very hard to break our bones, we are obligate carnivores, and I am very old so my body is winding it's way to the twilight of my life. In a bit over half a year, however, if I am still here I will enter a two week long estivation state. Dehydration is generally the only potential worry there, but IV saline and nutrition can take care of any ill effects."

"I would find it soothing," she admitted easily. "There are not many of us here. To know each person before the need for medical treatment is a boon." But she would not touch him until officially allowed!

"That is...not a word I know, but if you run the risk of dehydration...is it a trance or is it sleep this estivation?"

"Whatever it is you need to do, then, feel free." Sannish informed her, before humming a bit, "It's a bit of both. The body slows down for the duration in order to get past a time of difficulty. It is rather like what bears do, if your world has those, but in the warm months rather than the cold ones."

"My thanks, lord," she noted, touching his wrist briefly so she could get a decent read of him. Normally those in her presence felt the calm she seemed to carry with her, but now it took touch to do so. He could accept it or no as he wished, it was not a conscious ability.

"To what purpose and end?" she asked, curious. "In your lands is the heat too great?"

There were the markers of age in his body, although they laid more lightly than they would on a human of comparable age. That, however, was the only thing 'wrong' with him. Muscles, bones, it was all healthy as the proverbial horse. Her calm meshed well with his natural ease, and got another smile for her.

"For a time in the worst of the summer, yes. Nearly every creature in our area slumbers for a few weeks; the ones that don't use the time to breed, give birth, and generally repopulate an area generally filled with giant carnivores."

An aged body, but a good one. That was reassuring, and now she would have a baseline for future comparison!

"I see, and even should the weather here not trigger such it is ingrained in your people now?" she hazarded. A biological habit regardless of environment?

"Indeed it is." he said cheerfully, "Thousands upon thousands of generations of sleepers passed it down to their kittens."

"Do you know when it is approaching, this time of deep rest?" she asked simply. It would be best if they had warning?

"Yes, I do. I cannot tell you how I know, I simply do." it was just...instinct.

"Will you stay with me in the hospital when such time comes?" she asked easily. "If your own home would be more comfortable I understand, but I dislike being overly far from the hospital."

"I am from a nomadic culture." Sannish said, "I am unlikely to pick a permanent address if at all possible, so coming to the hospital will be no hardship."

"My thanks," she smiled easily at such. She much preferred people within her reach when they may be unable to care for themselves! "The city is largely empty, and it would wish you to have a job. Be careful of your words or it will see you as bound to a skill."

"Ah, thank you for the warning." he said, with honest gratitude in his voice, "I do not mind working, but I would prefer to have a job only after thought and consideration."

"And so," she agreed. "I am fortunate that I am a healer and it is ever my calling. I was not 'stuck' in a field ill suited to me, but my case is rare." Or so it seemed so far?

"I have been many things...most of which are much more a young man's game than an old. Although, as an old person, I am quite happy to know that there is a dedicated healer. Katzu may not injure easily, but when we do it should be watched." Just because it probably wouldn't kill him didn't make him any more thrilled about the idea of something healing out of whack.

"Glad I am to be of service," she admitted easily. And she was, honestly. There was simple contentment in her role, she liked having a place and a purpose. "May I ask if you came from a world called Penrose? Many of us did, we were found, lost and wandering from our own worlds somehow and abided there for a time. I am wondering if it is a waypoint for many who come here."

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