[D2-EE] Shall we mate?

[Mara Froste]

Mara sat on the beach with Blitz. She had began carefully arranging a somewhat secluded spot, tilting two umbrellas on their sides to make a private alcove and lined it with towels and a
soft blanket. Setting up the little portable stove from the camping kit to the side, she ignited it so flickering flames added to the atmosphere. A few added chairs a distance away for the wranglers and the mood was staged.

Blitz, for her part, had added the shiny shell and a few nice rocks and feathers she had found to the makeshift den.

(Breeder ability: Romantic Setting! For this time slot, anyone making a social Skill Roll of a romantic nature or a wrangle/energy roll to breed monsters gets +2 dice)

[Calico Carter]

Calico could be heard before she came into sight, her voice teasing and amused as the words were put upon.

"... just find it a little insulting that my bugly buddy's getting more romantic opportunities than I am, that's all, but that's fine, no, really Orlok, that's fine yes, please sit on my head and flap your wings, I love looking like a complete madwoman..."

She caught sight of Mara and waved. Orlok sat up a bit, all of his wings spread wide.

He had mercifully had his sponsor necklace removed (Calico had thought it a spectacularly tacky thing to begin with, but money was money), but the feather from before had been stuck in Calico's hair- by Orlok, as it developed.

"Evening, Mara. Don't suppose you know any human guys who like long walks on the beach, do ya?"

She mock-grimaced.

[Mara Froste]

Mara giggled softly. "Can't say I do. I don't really know much about that kind of thing myself, sorry. Seems I'm surrounded by kids anyways. Present company excluded, of course."

Blitz made a soft crooning noise at Orlok, looking at the bug with big, soft, eyes.

[Calico Carter]

"I know the feeling... never have I felt so ancient as when facing down some twelve-year old kid and worrying he and his admittedly-awesome monster were gonna beat us."

Orlok fluttered his wings and dismounted Calico's head, the feather clutched in his forelimbs.

Calico rolled her eyes.

"Never had him figured as a hopeless romantic. But Blitz is a sweetheart, so..."

[Mara Froste]

"Blitz was really upset about that fight earlier. I had a hard time restraining her when poor Orlok got bit. She seems really taken with him. She looked like she wanted to mess that warwolf up good."

Blitz ran over and began rubbing up against Orlok's deadly wings, learning into him and winding around purring and crooning softly.

'B-back home, before I left, b-before Blitz...' Mara seemed to stumble a little over the words, wincing a little.

'At the ranch there were really unusual pairings of monsters, sometimes. I don't know how it happened, but there was this deluzo that took to a hergh of all things.' She shuddered a little at the gross memory, 'the deluzo tried to impress the hergh by erm... well acting like a hergh,' she laughed as she continued, 'the funny thing was the baby was instantly loved for its talents by cheap horror movie studios for effects.' She emphasized effects with more than a bit of disgust.

'There was also a panchin that fell for a visitor's scovine... we thought it just wanted to eat the chilis, scavengers that they are.... instead they managed to reproduce.' Mara shook her head, 'I still haven't figured that one out. Little peppers growing around its neck like a mane....'

[Calico Carter]

"I was worried myself... I mean, quite aside from being part of his survival strategy, Orlok's wings are just lovely. Honestly, one more go-around and I might have conceded. I still feel kinda bad for putting him into this situation..."

Orlok's wings beat softly, and his antennae reached out for Blitz's whiskers.

His proboscis, normally the first thing to come out when a mammalian monster was so close, stayed put.

"And he can be a hard guy to read sometimes, but... I think it's safe to say he's more than a little fond of Blitz."

Calico chuckled and shrugged.

"I mean, monsters are all a little odd, and I once saw a pretty freaky-looking thing back home in Amoria that turned out to be the child of a Cindrow and a Kurvos. Now, those are closer to my thinking than, say..."

She glanced at the two cuddling monsters.

"Uhm. Anyhow. Yeah. Uh... I mean. If they're into it-"

Orlok chittered happily.

"... I mean, I... haven't got a problem with the, uhm, attempt if..."

She turned abruptly mock-scowled at the two monsters, and waggled a schoolmarmish finger.

"I'd say 'get a room you two,' but I think we're working on that!"

[Mara Froste]

Mara blushed a little at Calico, "erm... yeah this is kind of an embarrassing profession at times." She blushed again and got to work coaching the two monsters as needed, not that they seemed to need much help. Blitz gently licked the side of Orlok's terrifying proboscis once and from there things went surprisingly smoothly. Unfortunately, though they wouldn't know immediately, the staguar didn't produce an egg.

(Slight ftb?)

"They seem really happy with each other." Mara remarked as the two snuggled after.

3... needed 4 damn

[Calico Carter]

"Lucky little bastards!"

Orlok had three wings draped protectively over Blitz's flank. The other three lazily fanned the air

"Look at that jerk, he's not even going to go out for a pizza and never be seen again. God."

[Mara Froste]

"They really are lucky. Someday, it might be nice to have something like that..." Mara looked from the monster couple to Calico wistfully.

"Speaking of pizza... have you eaten? I don't really have the stuff for pizza on hand but I could maybe whip us up some pasta or a seafood chowder or something?" She gestured to the bag she carried around with her and the already lit fire.


(Edit:grammar, I can use it)

[Calico Carter]

"I never say no to a home-cooked meal."

She sighed.

"It's been about six years since I've been able to count on 'em."

[Mara Froste]

"Three for me. Had to start learning to make food myself and pick up odd jobs to pay for things or starve." Mara looked hesitant, then decided to share something quite personal, "Blitz was rejected by my mother from the ranch. She was the smallest out of a clutch of eggs and a not as desirable fur pattern. I found her outside as a Newborn. Apparently, some breeders just do that.' She sighed, "Blitz is an okay fighter, but I guess most people don't expect a staguar to be so playful as a juvenile."

"Pasta, then! If you have no preference." Mara went to work prepping the food, grabbing needed ingredients from the kit.

4 successes, so food for 2 and its high quality

[Calico Carter]

"What? That's..."

Calico frowned.

"I mean, I'm a pretty lousy trapper, being honest, but... I dunno. Maybe it's having to go out and catch monsters, but I can't imagine just... throwing one away. You take one, you're responsible for 'em. The more so when it only exists because you had it bred."


She shook her head.

"Sorry, sorry, not my place to judge your family or how they do things. Pasta sounds lovely."

And when prepared, smelled lovely too.

Orlok seemed to be grooming Blitz's fur with his forelegs.

Little bastard, how dare you be a good boyfriend-type?

[Mara Froste]

"No, I agreed with you. That's why I don't speak with them anymore. She tried to tell me that was normal for pro breeders, so I took Blaze and left. Now we are proving her wrong. Or at least hope to."

She had settled on a simple tube shaped pasta with an alfredo sauce. Normally, dairy items spoiled too easily in the field, but she had a few cans of nappen milk in the kit. Some preserved shrimp once properly prepared and added to the sauce made for a wonderful dish.

Plating it out for the both of them, she reserved a little just in case the monsters might want a sample but neither looked like they wanted to join. Turning the dial on the portable stove they were left with a dull, flickering flame again.

[Calico Carter]

"I'd say you already have. Blitz is Blitz, she's not a tool, or a weapon, or a commodity."

She tucked in and made no bones about how much she enjoyed the dish.

"Anyone who can't see that doesn't understand monsters as well as they ought to. The second we take them out of the wild, they become our responsibility. You can't just dump them off because they're not quite what you wanted."

She nodded over to Orlok.

"Like, if I caught him drinking blood from someone's kid? I'd understand why he did it. But it would also be on me. I'd have to live with the outcome of that. And getting upset because a monster is less dangerous or ill-tempered than the norm strikes me as... breathtakingly shortsighted."

[Mara Froste]

"My mother saw Blitz as potentially damaging to her reputation. She is a big supplier of monsters for movies and the wealthy. There are some variables that are out of a breeders control when making hybrids. Unfortunately, some people seem to think breeding is like building a construct. You just pick the end result, and that's what the monster will have."

"The upsetting bit is one she said was right. She told me you wouldn't hear any legends of mutants in the field if people didn't release hybrids. There might be truth in that, as there are hybrids sometimes found loose. Oh and Arensa has a massive treeconda issue, due to people releasing them. Although, I assume that is due more to people deciding managing something with 3 heads and a foul temper is a bad idea after obtaining them, then breeder programs." She was shaking a bit as she finished her monologue and went to try eating some of her food. It was good, but she still distracted lying pushed a noodle around with her fork."

"Orlok seems well-behaved but I expect it happens with the blood drinkers. It's like I can't fault Blitz for pouncing on people's feet or ramming them with her horns if she is trying to make them play. Its instinctive to them."

[Calico Carter]

"Yeah, I've kinda taught him that if he's really desperate, he should take it from me."

She chuckled and selected another forkful of shrimp.

"Of course, that's only happened once or twice, thank heavens, and he always... okay, he can't speak, exactly, but he makes it plain he's asking,and when he matures it'll be less viable, but... oh! Did you know that AMBA gave us a little care package? There are these, like, blood pouches in the fridge in the hotel- I heat 'em in the microwave for a a bit and he slurps 'em right up."

[Mara Froste]

'Oh, Interesting! Are they monster or human? Does he have a preference to feed off certain monsters? I wonder if it tastes different...' She paused, 'did it hurt bad? I-if you had to, and we were with you, I can volunteer too.'

[Calico Carter]

"It's a small assortment from various monsters."

She chuckled.

"I think they're trying to discourage blood-drinkers from getting a taste for the human kind. I mean, joke's on them, he doesn't really seem to discriminate- yesterday was magnox, today was nappen, and he didn't seem to be too picky about it, but it's nice to offer a choice. Far as pain goes... it doesn't hurt, but the bite itches. Anti-coagulant stuff, y'know."

She glanced over at where their monsters were still- no other word for it- cuddling and smiled fondly.

"It's not the pain, it's the drain. He takes a fair bit more than a gnat, you know? Leaves you kind of shaky afterwards. So, sweet of you to offer, but hopefully I can let him range out to hunt something up in the field. Maybe strike a deal with somebody raising magnox for food or keeping a few nappen around..."

She grimaced.

"I'd have to figure out something to offer in return, though..."


[In-game, there's no mechanical effect listed for being bitten, but come on, the bug weighs five pounds!]

[Mara Froste]

Mara nodded, "so you'd prefer a travel companion with nappen or magnox. Makes sense considering his diet and all...." She did her best to hide any possible disappointment but it came out a bit flat.

"I can imagine it might leave you weak. He probably eats a lot at once. I am happy to hear it doesn’t hurt, though. I'd worry about you."

[Calico Carter]

Calico glanced over a bit sharply, catching the tone.

"I prefer traveling companions I get along with, Mara. But that being said, you should probably know that hanging out with me has its downsides. You ever hear about the Greenbottle Bay Fire?"