Nothing is very permanent in the Streets Below, especially not panic. Despite strange events and rumors of monsters and shrines full of corpses, the people of the undercity always return to familiar places. A cynic might claim that it's because these people simply have no other place to go, and the memories of how the well-to-do in upper Babel would sometimes hunt those who ventured to close to the sun for sport have not yet faded. Whatever changes are happening in Babel, the Streets Below seem unaffected.
The market is bustling with ragged and desperate people, all putting on a facade of civility for what comfort it brings (and because being uncivil can get you killed fairly easily). Not everyone is doing business in the open, of course. There are plenty of nooks and alleys and occupied structures surrounding the market.
After an absolutely embarrassing and horrible evening at a party, Nicora decided to erase the memory by seeing worse! Or more likley keeping busy. The bat soon became the rather wanton rat, Nicorina, Nikky for short. She removed much of her jewelry since she would be going into a dangerous part of town; all she kept were the two nipple bars and her nose-ring. The rest is worth too much to risk. Her clothing is scant at best, a ragged loincloth and a wrap to cover her breasts. She has even come so far as to wear a makeshift eyepatch, a ragged band of dirty cloth (possibly a Gorphat bandage!) covering her left eye and wrapping around her head. All in all she looks rather, well, like the storybook nasty rat. She now moves through the street, listening discretely and keeping her good eye out for those that might watch her ... or try to get her attention. Time to find out what goes on in the Streets and who calls the shots...
There are several loitering men (or boys) leaning against a graffiti covered support wall, clearly just watching the crowd. One Skreek elbows the Eeee next to him and nods towards Nicorina. "She ain't looking to thin, eh?" is the comment. The bat just whistles at the woman.
Nikky tilts her head towards the boys, grins with all her ratty teeth, then licks her lips! "Nice ot know some of my forms are still considered hot," Nikky thinks. She continues walking on, though, content to observe for now.
There's plenty of bartering going on, but something seems odd - until it strikes Nicky that there aren't any children around. But overheard snippets of deal-making often bring up 'hungry mouths to feed' so there must be some somewhere. Maybe everyone keeps them hidden?
"That's curious. Where are the children? Are they being kidnapped and therefore kept hidden now?" Nikky has to wonder. She moves along still, but shuffling closer to some of those that do look like they could have children.
One of the shoppers is definitely collecting smaller articles of clothing. The Eee woman looks a bit worn as well, but is tenacious at getting the best deal - she's got live bugs to trade, big ones.
"Ey," Nikky says to the woman. "Y' ought t' be savin' dem bugs an have yer man mug some food, eh?" Crude, yes, but it's about how she reacts.
The woman bristles, and gives Nicky an good looking-up-and-down. "He's watching the kids," she claims. "Like a proper man."
"Eh, in me experience men don' look ater anyt'ing but demselves," Nikky remarks and even waggles her hand. "So how ya git 'em t' do it?"
"Strong ones guard the kids, don't you know anything?" the woman asks. "Especially with the new hunting grounds to go through.."
Nikky's head tilts. "Huntin' groun'? Wha dis?" she asks.
"Oh, like I'd tell you?" the woman says, and hugs her bag of bugs close to her chest. "Go look for yourself!"
"That sounds like a trap to me," Nikky thinks. "Ey, jus' a wor o' advice from a rattie. When something seems lurin' and nice, jus' migh be a trap," the skreek notes, then taps the Eeee's chest with her tailtip. "But, I may go look anyway, coul be worthwhile! Ta!" And off skips the rat.
There are others that seem to be 'rich' in fresh beetles compared to most. They are being careful not to make it too obvious though. The loiterers seem to be watching the same people, although the Skreek keeps getting distracted by Nikky.
And Nikky plays that up. Her hips are birthing-wide and they sashay so well. She continues sauntering through the market, thinking. "Yes, I bet the hunting ground is a trap. I need to find it," she works out.
Her new fan club mobilizes suddenly, as one of the power-shoppers leaves the market. One of the Eees in the group nods to the others, and slinks off to follow.
"And maybe the loiterers know about the trap. A mark?" Nikky thinks.
"Ooo, time t' follow," Nikky thinks as she slinks after the group to see just what they're up to. Nosy rat! And she punctuates this by rubbing her ringed nose. At least she knows better than to cackle right now.
After the first of them glides off, the others seem to sidle off into one of the alleys. A sensitive rat nose picks up the odor of.. smoking herbs. Not the sort Mave or Helse use, but likely wild-growing stuff. There's a definite cough and some chuckles.
"Innteresting!" Nikky thinks. She continues slinking along ... and now trying t' find that voice. "Oooh, the bugs may be bait for the loiterers..." she realizes, "Luring off muggers an stuff."
The voices are coming from right around the corner now.. but Nikky's sneaky approach is ruined when one of the bats tumbles out of the alley and starts dry-heaving right in front of her. "Slash can't handle it, hah!" the Skreek-voice brays, and there's more Eeee laughter.
Nikky actually tries to catch the bat. "Ey!?" she says, "Y'okay?"
"Wha?" Slash squeaks in surprise. Already overbalanced, he makes a grab for Nikky to keep from falling over.
Nikky does try to balance herself /and/ catch the rat! Easy t' pickpocket this way; might have something interesting! "Careful dere,/" she says.
The quick frisking reveals a small stone-bladed knife and a pair of hand-carved dice. "I'm fine!" Slash complains as he tries to get back up onto his own two feet. He's pretty skinny, even for an Eeee. Once he's balanced though, he grins and pretends to fumble again in an attempt to grab at Nikky's top.
And Nikky helps him by just directing his hand to her chest. "Ello t' you too," she teases. "First feel is free." She adds with a wink.
"Wa's goin' on?" one of the other Eeees asks, and soon the rest of the gang (two more Eeees and the Skreek) is at the alley mouth. "Free?" the Skreek-boy asks, and grooms his whiskers.
Slash isn't about to give up his free feel anytime soon. "Cor but they're big.." he mutters.
Nikky cackles. "Jus' helpin' yer coughy frien' here. Seems he's fine, no damage t' 'is hands," she jokes. She pats the backs of his hands then gently tries to pull them away.
The boy seems to deflate a bit when his hand is pushed away. He can't stop rubbing the fingers together afterwards.
"Yer cute. Now, whatcha all up t' dat cause all de coughin?" Nikky has to ask.
"So.. we all get a free grope?" the lead bat asks. He must be the leader, because he has a not-entirely ruined scarf around his neck. He's also holding a roughly-carved pipe in his hand. "We's just blowing smoke, lady, till our pal gets back. Then we'll be rolling, you know?"
Nikky looks down at her chest, then shrugs. "Sure, feel away," she offers with a smirk. "An how yas gonna be rollin?"
The boys sink back into the alley, gesturing for Nikky to follow. "Fig is gonna lead us to a treasure when he gets back," the leader claims.
And Nikky, though she knows better, follows. "Dat so? I dunno about dat," the skreek remarks, "Depeoples wit' de big bugs, righ?"
"You noticed?" the Skreek asks, and goes in for his free fondle by trying to reach down Nikky's loincloth. The others don't seem inclined to take turns, lead-bat pulling up Nikky's top and grabbing her left breast while the second Eeee goes for the right one with his mouth. "Nice jewelry!" lead-bat says. "I'm Foz, head of this gang."
"Fig's gonna find where dey's getting them!" gropey-McSkreek notes.
Nikky doesn't stop the skreek hand going in for a grope, or the ones going for her chest! "Nice t' meet yas! Y'know, dos bugs coul' be a trap. Is a great lure for people who be poor. Seen dat kinda t'ing in me travels before. Fig migh' be in danger. 'ope he's good at sneekin' and 'ope I wrong."
"Mrphph!" suckling-bat notes, as Inala's latest blessing manifests from the attention and Nikky starts lactating. "Hey, you got cubs?" Slash asks, feeling a bit left out.
"Fig is like a shadow!" Foz says, then grins. "You stick wi' us, we can pay in bugs, eh?"
"Me? Naw. Jus' some fun 'erbs dat make me do dat," Nikky claims. She smirks, then adds, "An no' pay in sticks?" she teases.
"I got a stick," Skreek-boy chuckles, and pulls his pants down to prove it. "Ah Dagh, Francis, why you gotta pull that out in front of us all! She'll think we're all stubs like you now!" Foz complains.
And Nikky reaches over and curls her hand around it then squeezes. "Eh, seems a good stick t' me," Nikky cackles. Her fingers even play a bit more.
"She's a goer!" Foz declares, and helpfully tries to strip off what clothing Nikky has, having to bop the suckler on the head to make him let go. "Shiv, wait your turn!"
Francis is in little ratty heaven. It isn't likely that scraggly Skreek gets much action after all. Like Slash, he's pretty thin.
"Ey now," Nikky says and taps Foz on the nose (leaving the skreek's stick behind). "Wha' in it fer me?"
"We'll share the treasure, eh?" Foz offers. "All the bugs you can eat!"
Nikky taps her chin. "Well, I suppose dat migh work," the rat agrees. Her head tilts and she says right to the other skreek, "An cuz I a sucker fer my own kind, whatever dis one want of me, 'e get." She returns her hand right to where it was before on him.
"Ahh! Clear some space!" Francis says, and tries to drag Nikky down to the ground with him.. with her on top of course! "This is the bes' day ever!"
And Nikky ... cackles. She is much amused. The thin skreek is soon pinned to the ground and Nikky is soon impaled on him. She doesn't waste any time, really; Francis is soon surrounded by warmth! Rocking warmth. That squeezes.
Of course, Francis is young.. still in his teens, certainly, and life in the Streets Below isn't conducive to learning how to savor things. In under ten minutes, he's spend and drooling. It's quite possible he's burnt up all of the calories he's consumed in the past day just for this!
Nikky remains impaled on the poor rat, then curls her fingers in a come-hither to Foz. "C'mere," she coos.
"I prefer to be standin' up," the lead-bat says, after dropping his own pants. As befits the leader, he's more well fed, and so a bit more developed.
"Fine by me," Nikky cackles. She remains right where she is ... and leans forward instead! Her hand grabs the Eeee's rump and her mouth, well, that devours part of the lead bat! My, the rat has a flexible tongue. And creative. And clever use of teeth can be interesting too!
"Oooooahh!" Foz moans, and the other Eeee snicker at the expression he's making. The bat twitches and wiggles! "Not.. not all the way though.. yah?" he practically begs.
Nikky is cruel. She just about does go all the way, and only draws back at the very last second. The skreek then rises and turns. She puts her hands on the wall and flicks her bare tail up. "Pick how yas want t' finish," she tells Foz as she looks over her shoulder at him.
The bat is on the rat in a frenzy, and in his haste ends up trying both options, since he pulls out a bit too far several times and isn't very consistent.
Nikky's head dips and jaws clench. No matter which the bat ends up in, Nikky is pushing right back! "Eheheheh," she cackles through those clenched teeth!
When Foz does finish, it's in the 'alternate' entry, and he bites Nikky's ear and reaches around to fondle her chest, while Shiv and Slash start to get antsy. "Yer done, yeah?" Slash keeps asking.
"Y' feel quite nice in dere," Nikky hisses back at the Eee biting his ear. And she can squeeze something impressive, too! She seems content enough to let Foz play for a bit after that!
Eventually, when it because clear that Foz isn't going to rise to the occasional again immediately, he releases Nikky and staggers back a bit before fumbling for his pants.. "How ya get so.. strong.." he mumbles.
Nikky looks to Shiv and Slash now. "Who next, an' how?" the nasty skreek asks them. She even spreads her arms.
Slash throws himself into Nikky's arms, and kisses her. Everywhere he can reach! This boy is all tongue and hands it seems, wanting to feel every bit of the Skreek.
It's hard, but Nikky still manages to cackle! She lets Slash do as he like and explore as he desires. Her own sounds indicate which she likes best, of course! But, she's not about to not let Slash do what he likes. And she's rather impressive with her own tongue, it's not Eeee-length, but it is flexible.
Eventually Slash takes the plunge, and presses Nikky against the alley wall while hoisting up her legs. He's got a surprising amount of energy, and seems to crave as much full-body contact as he can manage. It doesn't mean he lasts much longer than the others through, and it's clearly his first time given how much he seems to fumble about until Nicorina leads him where he needs to be.
While it amuses her greatly, Nikky is good at directing Slash and making sure he really enjoys it. It might even impress a Yodhinala! Maybe she wants his first to be memorable. "Dere you go," she actually whispers in his ear at one point ... along with other encouragements. And that leaves Shiv.
With Slash nearly passed out, Shiv is a bit more.. shy? He's clearly Slash's brother, but he's much slower - in every way. Poor nutrition during their mother's pregnancy, or some other factor, probably left him with a bit of issue in the brain department, and he seems to regress in Nikky's presence. He's a suckler, and doesn't seem to care what Nikky does as long as he can do that, happy to have her sit in his lap and do what she likes.
And that is what Nikky lets him do. She lets the Eeee nurse, and even pets the back of his neck while she rocks in his lap. She isn't forcing the guy at all, but she is going to make sure he gives back after he drinks! "I like this far, far too much," the rat thinks, "The smell of the rawness of it all, in the dregs..."
Eventually, Shiv realizes Nikky isn't his mother, and starts reacting accordingly, pushing her over onto her back and hooking his arms around her legs, so that her knees are pressed to her shoulders by his elbows.
"Ah, dere de instincts kick in," Nikky cackles, "Knew ya had it in yas. And now ya have it in me!" She is now showing off her muscle control to him!
It isn't clear if Shiv appreciates Nikky's skills. He moans a lot but doesn't say anything.. and is certainly lasting a lot longer than the others. His movements are still slow if erratic, but he's got strength. Surprising strength for such a thin frame.
"Lost one thing, got another. He no bad, either," Nikky thinks. Her toes wiggle and she's moaning and squeaking right along with him!
With a ragged groan, Shiv releases.. and doesn't seem to realize it for a while, since he keeps going until it's just too squishy to continue.
And Nikky lets him. He's young and not all there. No reason to make him upset. It's once he finally realizes that she gently nudges him away and gets back to her feet. "Well, dat was fun," she chirps the the exhausted gang. The rat feels even grimier, and well, a little looser from all that activity, but it'll pass!
"Don't forget me!" a new voice says, as a fourth bat struggles with his pants. "Fig!" Foz says, looking up from his pipe. "When did you get back? Did you fin' the huntin' ground?"
"Huh? Yah, I follered the old gal," Fig says, as he stands with his pants around his ankles and reaching for Nikky's chest. "Who dis?"
Nikky drops right back to her knees and grabs the bat! Much like Foz, Fig finds creative maws 'consuming' him! Maybe this is so he can actually face/speak to Foz. Or ... maybe it is just to mess with the bat. Either is quite possible with Nikky!
"Well, where is it?" Foz demands, ignoring his underling's 'plight' at the moment. Fig just... makes the oddest faces for a bit while Nikky works her magic on him. "Uhhhhhh.. uhhh.. where's what now?" he babbles.
"The hunting grounds for the fat grubs, you fool!" Foz says, and shakes Fig's shoulders.. which makes it hard for Nikky to watch her teeth.
Nikky is insistent with Fig. Very insistent. She figures Foz wants to know soon, so can't really drag this out with the other bat! The shaking ... well, she does almost bite too hard! And wow, it's hard to cackle; good thing her mouth is occupied.
"But.. uh.. it's the old.. nnnnnngh.. ah.. the old... canni-zone.." Fig stutters, getting it out at about the same time he gives it up for Nikky as well.
"What? You hit a bridge or something?" Foz asks the shaking bat. "Nobody goes there!"
Nikky's turn to nurse! And she does. It keeps her from getting too messy, after all. "The old canni-zone? Cannibals?" the skreek has to wonder. She draws back and her lips make a lewd popping sound when she does.
"It's a trick," Foz claims. "She was just leading you on to try and get you snatched, you idiot!"
"No, no, Foz! Listen!" Fig says as he starts to get his wits back.. slowly. "They's all dead! It's a naught but a bug-farm now!"
"You saw 'em?" Foz asks, sounding suspicious.
"Wha dis about bein' snatched?" Nikky asks as the lewd rat sits on her haunches, looking grungy and disheveled.
"Yeah! I got right up inside their old nest.. oh, the smell would knock out Gorphat herself, but you gotta wrap your nose and mouth.."
"And what killed 'em, eh?" the leader demands. "They just decide to eat one t'other? Something deaded 'em, and what if it comes back?"
"Heh, if it is where I think it is, I know exactly what destroyed em," Nikky thinks. She now rises to her feet and starts dressing now that the gang is occupied.
"They's been rotting for a while, Foz," Fig says, imploringly. He's still got his pants down so it seems a bit pathetic. "Ain't nothing coming back! They's got whole families picking! Kids 'n everything, with the big daddies watching over for trouble. They din't see me, and I heard 'em saying that they's gotta scoot to their holes before real night comes."
"So what happens at real night then?" Foz asks, sounding a bit more willing to believe now.
Feeling sorry for the kid, Nikky pulls Fig's pants up for him. She also gives him a hard swat on the butt in the process, but hey. She's a rat.
"Didn't hear. But they ain't gonna be there, so we can scoop up as much as we want! Fill a sled with that deadems and have our own farm where we want!"
"Dat soun' a bit ghoulish," Nikky points out and waves her left paw around a bit, "An migh' offend Sunala, yah?"
"Feh, I don' see no Yodhsunalas down here collecting corpses," Foz says. "'Sides, they wouldn't give no rites to Yodhdiphath!"
Nikky's head tilts, then she shrugs. "I guess. I dunno dat much about what ye bats worship," the skreek claims. "I am curious wha happen at night dere, tho. Dat seems weird."
"We should go now, Foz," Fig urges, finally getting his pants back up. "Just sit and watch for 'em all to leave, then rush in and loot quick like! Whatever they's afraid of, it ain't gonna come right away, if it's real! And nothing's bothered the bugs!"
"Wha 'bout me?" Nikky asks. "Y' promised me sumthin' for letting yas ride."
Foz turns and seems to think for a moment, then starts poking Francis with his foot. "Wake up, ya rat, time to get rich!" Turning back to Nikky, Foz smiles and says, "Right-o babe! All the bugs you can carry! We'll even gives you a sack!"
And Nikky kisses Foz. On the mouth. "Eeheh," she cackles, "I t'ink I likes all of yas."
"Stick with us, you neve go hungry or.. unsatisfied.. agin!" Foz promises, putting an arm around Nikky's shoulders (and squeezing a boob).
"Or tight," Nikky adds to that and cackles like the madwoman she is!
It takes time to get to the 'hunting grounds' on foot, but it does offer more cover. And Foz does know his way around. By 'real dusk' (it's impossible to tell the time of day this far into shadow, but the locals seem to be able to tell by subtle changes in the air) they've reached the edge of the Barrens, the ring of desolation around the base of a familiar tower. While they hunker down and wait, they watch as Eeee trickle out of the old Diphath coven temple. Fig counts them off, and then there's more waiting just to be certain, but nobody else emerges.
"Y'sure dis is safe to do?" Nikky asks the others softly. "Dere must be something at night dat scared dem, why else would dey flee before night?"
"Maybe ghosts," Francis suggests. "Hungry ghosts.."
"Let's go get our loot before we have to find out," Foz says, and charges ahead! The other Eeee join him, with Francis waiting to see what Nikky does.
"Mm, mebbe I shoulds sneak in first t' make sure is safe?" Nikky starts to ask, then just shrugs. She gris at Francis and offers her hand to him. "C'mon rattie, I stick wit yas." And if he takes it, off they'll go too!
Francis grins, and takes Nikky's hand. "Fat juicy beetles!" he coos.
The charges comes to a halt when they actually reach the first entry, and the carrion smell hits them. Foz has his scarf, while the others have to scavenge from their own clothes for something to filter the air with.
Nikky uses ... her loincloth to cover her face! She could have used her chest cloth, but this will be way more fun as it might mess with the guys! Eheheh.
"The quicker we's in and out of there.." Foz tells the others, then looks at Nikky.. "the quicker we can be in and out of her again, eh? Get yer sacks ready, go for the bugs and try to ignore anyt'ing else. Not likely to be no shinies left in there, 'cept teeth."
Francis generously offers Nikky an extra sack.
And Nikky accepts it! She really has no use for bugs, but gotta keep up appearances. Can always trade or donate them after all. "An don' do anyt'ing stupid, eh? Coul' be dangerous an all," the skreek adds, "And I don' want t' lose me new sticks."
"Francis, get your flash," Foz says, as they slowly enter. It's pitch black inside, but Nikky remembers the layout. There'll be galleries to either side, filled with bones. The air is filled with the clicks of the Eeee, and every so often Francis strikes a spark from his flint kit, providing a very brief flash of illumination.
Nicorina ... she tries to navigate by her nose. And by the fact she has been here before and knows the layout. And the smells. There may be real danger here and as joking as she can be, she doesn't really want to risk these guys; they're kids after all.
Even with the filtering cloth, the stench is palpable, along with the heat. It's like walking into a compost shed. The clicks of the Eeee are soon replaced by the clicks of the beetles. Their legs, their shells and their mouths busily at work. A flash from Francis, and the ruined temple with the toppled statue is there for an instant, along with the mounds of corpses. They've been piled up into heaps, to better concentrate the beetles it seems. They shine like jewels in the brief flashes. At least there's enough ventilation that methane hasn't built up.
"Keep a listen for horribs," Foz whispers.
"This is grim. And is not sanitary. As a Yodhgorphat, I should burn this place. Yet, this is their wealth in the Streets," Nicorina thinks. It hits her harder than she might have expected it to. Perhaps because she knows all too well what it is like to survive and what you sometimes must do. "Are dere horribs in here?" Nicorina whispers back.
"Dunno, but they like this sort of play to nest, and can be out hunting for food at night," Foz says. "S'why abandoned spots tend to stay that way, y'know?" He goes to the nearest pile, and when nothing jumps out, begins plucking the plum-sized beetles and dropping them into his bag. "Spread out.. prolly different types on different piles."
"I should be safe around horribs at least I've grown quite fond of them," Nikky thinks. She sticks with the other skreek and starts collecting bugs into her own sack. "Yer not bad for a first timer, by de way," she whispers to Francis.
"Hey, it.. okay yeah it was my first time," Francis admits, as he heads towards another pile with Nikky. The Eeee go further.
"Honored t' be yer first," Nikky tells Francis ... then pinches his butt. Back to bug hunting it is!
The bugs on this pile aren't beetles, but centipedes - a delicacy, and some of them are easily a foot long. "Try to get 'em to roll up, easy to pack that way," Francis says, probably blushing.
Nikky pokes and prods at the centipedes to try and get them to coil! "So far, so good. But something keeps scaring people away. I have to be careful here," she thinks.
There's nothing but the clicking and chewing of the various creepy crawlies, until Fig - who is furthest away, says, "Did you guys hear that?"
"Hear wha?" Nikky asks. She's really missing not having Eeee ears right now!
"Like.. uh.. flapping," Fig says. "Big.. flapping. From.. I think this hall goes outside too."
"Eh? Mebbe you shoul' wait here. I go look? I sneaky," Nikky claims.
"We should hide," Slash suggests.
"Okee?" Nikky asks. She seeks out Francis again and pulls him close. "Lets all hide. Lotsa sub-passages and mounds..."
"Uh, yeah let's.. get back to our entry, right?" Foz suggests, and heads for the tunnel, ears perked. "Oh.. I hear it too.."
Nikky sticks with them. As much as she wants to split and find it, she can't break the guise, either. "What is this? One of the demons? Something else?" she wonders.
"I dun wanna hide in a mount of dead cannibals," Francis admits. "What about the big statue? Lots of rubble there.."
"It must be circlin' round the tower," Foz says, as everyone meets up with him, listening at the hall. "I don't hear it anymore.. maybe it's gone?"
"Maybe it's landed," Slash says with a squeak.
"I kin go look? I good at sneakin," Nikky offers again.
Foz licks his lips nervously. "But.. ah, which way?" he asks Nikky. "There are like four tunnels coming in.."
"Which way ya ear it come from?" Nikky asks as she hands off her bug sack to Francis.
"It was coming from ... well, here and there," Foz says. "Kinda quiet now.." The Eeee starts rubbing his upper arms, as if cold.
Nikky starts sniffing the air. "/Issit Tulani?/" she suddenly wonders. "/Why would she come back to this mess?/" "Jus wait 'ere,/" Nikky insists as she slinks off, following her nose and using her tail to tap-feel. She's also on all fours.
There's definitely some cooler air coming down the passage. And something moving! Nikky can't see it but it in a moment it's probably going to be passing right over her.
"Or is it the undead?" Nikky suddenly wonders. "Ey! Who dere?" she calls out loudly. Worst case it can chase her and the others flee!
There's a really cold blast of air, right across Nikky's tail. "Who dares desecrate this place?" a deep voice rumbles. "Someone tasty?"
"Nikky de skreek an I afraid of nothin'!" Nikky claims. She even thumps her chest. "Yer pushin' it, girly. Don' get yerself killed now!" she thinks.
"You're kidding me right?" comes the slightly less deep and familiar voice of Dracotulani. Followed by a very cold tongue across the Skreek's face.
"No afraid o' you, anyways. Wit a gang gettin info. Dey collectin' bugs from here is all,/" Nikky says in a low voice, and in Sylvanian. She also has to wipe her cheek. "Yer cold is a dead giveaway. Why are you here? Yer not eatin' de bodies are you?"
"Ewww, no, I just keep checking to make sure no new coven is starting up," the dragon whispers. "Why aren't you wearing any pants?"
"Usin' me wiles to get info," Nikky claims. "An de bugs here are helpin de lower streets."
The dragon rumbles, and asks, "No signs of weirdness? I know you had one of those things down here. Are the bug-farmers going crazy or anything?"
"No dat I kin tell. De ones I wit are just kids; a streek gang. Dey seem okay," Nikky notes softly. "Doesn't seem any lingering effects so far."
"If you're sure.. then I'll leave it off my patrol from now on," Tulani says. "What's this gang you're with? Anyone worth eating?"
"Eh, keep patrol at night. Keeps down ambushes and stuff for the hunters I t'ink," Nikky notes after a thought. "An no, you kin eat dem. I already did..."
"I only eat the nasty ones you know," Tulani points out. "But I suppose I'll leave then, unless you want me to scare them?"
"Mmm, be a good way fer me to exit. Say what, why don' you chase me and I'll run towards dem ... then dey can scatter out too, eh?" Nikky suggests softly.
"Do I get to catch you?" Tulani asks, and Nikky can just tell she's grinning.
"Hmmm. And de point of dat woul' be?" Nikky has to ask.
"Well.. if they think you've been gobbled up they won't wonder where you've gone to," the dragon reasons. "Unless you want to play with them some more still?"
"Hmmm, I dunno. You coul' just chase me into the ruins and such. I dunno iffin I want dem feelin bad, y'know?" Nikky points out.
"Alright, I won't try to bite you then... much," Tulani says. "Can't promise. Chasing can bring out my feline instincts.."
"Fine, fine," Nikky says and swats where she suspects Tulani's nose is! The skreek then drops back to all fours and takes off running back the way she came! "Run! Dere is a moooonster in here! Really ugly! Wit bad breath!" she calls out.
"What?" There's a spark from Francis, which illuminates Tulani's shiny scales and shinier teeth as she barrels past. "It's the dragon!" someone shouts, and then there's panicked running and flapping and scurrying and screaming while Tulani chases Nikky around the mounds of compost, pausing at the center of the chamber to rear up and roar!
"Run, run! While ye can! I be okay! It just a dumb beast!" Nikky calls to de others. "Heheheheheh," she thinks, too.
"MOUSY!" Tulani roars, and gives chase again, while the gang scrambles out and up the exit shafts.
"Ey! I a rattie!" Nikky calls back, "See? Dumb!" She keeps running in circles, making sure the others have ample time to flee. She's quite amused.
And so the rat and dragon rampage about, until it's pretty clear they're the only ones left inside, aside from the bugs (which don't seem to care).
And Nikky skids to a halt and just cackles. "Well, dat was fun," she admits, amused mightily.
Tulani pounces, and grabbing the Skreek in her paws. "Hahaha! You shouldn't have left the party so soon," Tulani notes, and uses a claw to pull away Nikky's top. "Mave somehow convinced the Yodhblakat to do a striptease.."
"And I missed that!? Aw!" Nikky complains as she pushes at the dragon's snout. "It wasn' like I had much choice, I was spread wider den a rhian mare and reeking" the skreek points out. "I could feel things flap. It was gross!"
"Maybe she'll do it again if you ask her nicely?" the dragon says, and then the long cold tongue is lapping at Nikky's breasts. It's is chilling! But the blessing makes her give milk anyway! "Mmmm, ice-cream rat.." Tulani murmurs.
"Hey, yey, no funny! Dat cold!" Nikky complains as she continues to push and push. Except she is a small rat, and Tulani is ... as big as her ego!
Tulani doesn't seem to care, and only complains about not having any sprinkles to add. It's going to be a long night!