((Expecting))

It was obvious after yesterdays fiasco that Hayato was going to need help if he was going to capture the likely feral kitten he had seen the previous day. He had come prepared, the thick gloves from his armor stuffed in his back pocket in-case he needed to handle the beast, and a packet containing some freshly grilled otori.

Walking onto the range he kept his eyes peeled as he waited for hsi ace in the hole as it were. Shiba Atsumori, animal catcher extraordinaire

“Hey-oh, Tsuruchi-san.” Atsumori rubbed a little sleep out of his eyes and then raised a hand in a friendly wave of greeting. He didn’t really know the Mantis well, but it wasn’t odd that a fellow miai guest would ask him for help with a critter-related problem. Surely half of Shiro Yoake had figured this out about him by now.

The sight of Hayato’s heavy gloves raised an eyebrow. Was this going to be a more fearsome creature than he’d been led to expect?

“This is where you had your run-in yesterday, eh?” He looked about curiously.

"Yeah." He replied with a nod of his head. "I tried to catch it, but she seemed like she was about ready to claw my hands to pieces." He looked back to the other man and offered a smile. "So thanks for coming Shba-san, I don't have much experience with animals other then the family dog."

"I saw here over there." As ornery as it had been the kitten had to be a female, he thought as he pointed out a place near one of the targets. "I brought some fried otori to try and lure her out." He raised up the little packet. "I mean this isn't a very safe place for a kitten."

"A fast moving kit would be a pretty tricky target, but no," Atsumori agreed, following Hayato to the range at a lanky stroll. "Accidents happen. Anyway, where there's one cat there are more... or there will be soon enough." He scrunched a hand through his hair, leaving it stood up at slightly different angles than before. "A whole colony in here would be a real problem. It speaks pretty well of the terraformin' work here, though, if R-native animals are goin' feral already after just a few generations..."

"I suppose it does." The Mantis agreed as he pulled the piece of grilled otori out of its packet and began to shred it into pieces with his fingers.

"Though not that you mention it, it did seeming like it was meowing for something." Hayato paused and glanced at the other man. "Before we get started I should probably mention I'm allergic. So if I'm a bit cautious in my approach I apologize."

The shooting range grounds were pretty well-kept and often they were cleared of fungal growths from the near-pristine turf that they laid out. The kitten's proverbial footprint his wasn't particularly large but the fact that it was here to begin with perhaps meant that this was the beginnings of its staked-out territory. It was going to be difficult but there could be a trail found.

Roll Hunting (Tracking)/Perception at TN 25 to find a trail!

Luckily perhaps it wasn't the first time that the Mantis had done some tracking, and after a bit of searching he managed to find the trail tiny feet made through the grass.

day 9 early morning kitten hunting.. hunting/perception: 4d10o10k3 29

It helped that Hayato had seen the kitten and especially where it scampered off to. The grounds thankfully hadn't been tended to yet and Hayato found some semblance of a trail that would take them to the direction toward the upper city. The kitten would be found at the Red Carp Mall.

A mall cat it seemed. Perhaps related to the elusive mall rat? It was hard to tell. Glancing at the Phoenix he frowned. "It seems like they might be even harder to find here."

"Makes sense, though." Atsumori let Hayato take the lead since he seemed to know where to start looking, perhaps on account of having seen the cat before. "Adaptable little creatures, felines. They're carnivores, but they'll happily scavenge where they can. Big ones or little ones. Can't beat the mall for that around here."

He chuckled. "Your pussycat might not be so interested in that grilled otori you brought after all, if she's got a line on the food waste recyclers out back of Kashi-wa. Anyway," he paused to stretch his shoulders, finally feeling all the way awake, "it's the same as tracking game anywhere. If you can't pick up a trail, just post up where the water and food sources are, and wait."

"You make a good point there Shiba-san." Hayato replied with a thoughtful nod as he started to make his way towards Kashi-wa. "That would be a good place to find them if they're anywhere around here."

Still he kept an eye open for flashes of fur and his ears open for tiny meows as he went. No telling where exactly they might be. "Though i wouldn't exactly call it my cat, even if we find it, and they are young enough to be domesticated I'll have to find it a home."

kitten hunt investigation/perception: 5d10o10k3 15

"Right, that'd be asking a lot considerin' you're allergic." Atsumori scratched his chin--hmm, time for a shave soon, perhaps--and kept his own eyes peeled for any signs left by a miniature scavenging carnivore. "Somebody on-planet would take her, I reckon. Anywhere there's barns, there's pests you want a cat to scare off. And they sure have both of those here."


--
stealthy kitten is determinedly stealthy!
D9 EM--Hunting/Purrception: 5d10o10k3 15

Atsumori's communicator pinged, or rather, emitted a tinny digitized version of the squawk of a rare R-native parrot. He fished it out of one of his numerous pockets, and his brows scrunched as he read the message.



That sounded serious... he checked his chrono. Did he even have time to make it back to the Snow Maiden from here before the race?

He made a quick decision and pressed the 'call' icon instead. "Heya, Kitsune-sama... I hate to be a bother, but I'm downtown right in the middle of somethin'. I could call a cab from here, but then if you're leavin' for the race soon too..."

Atsumori apparently was one of those people who reflexively nodded (or shrugged, etc.) while talking on the comm, despite being perfectly aware the other person couldn’t see him. “Sure, no worries. Anything you need.” His tone was reassuring, though usually he was better with nervous animals than nervous people. Or did Izumi sound nervous? It was kind of hard to tell at his usual speed, but the flawless spelling of that text message alone had been a bit ominous. “Err... everything all right there, Kitsune-sama?”

For a brief moment he imagined the Fox paralyzed by a caffeine overdose... was that a thing?

Hayato glanced over at the man, but otherwise tried to not pay much attention to the conversation his eyes open for a small orange kitten instead.

When samurai continued their search to the Upper City and toward the direction of the Red Carp Mall, their search would eventually prove to be fruitful when they searched low and Hayato would find a rather familiar-looking creature.



The orange kitten would be found at a waste receptacle. There was an open container that kept the remnants of a half-eaten BBQ otori bun. It seemed most of the shoppers had overlooked the kitten as it ate its findings hungrily with both of its paws placed atop of the food to claim it.

Ah ha! Prey acquired! Glancing towards the Phoenix he offered quietly. "Thats the one, seems you were right about it finding food on its own."

If either Tsuruchi Hayato or Shiba Atsumori wish to catch the kitten, they may roll Animal Handling/Awareness at TN25!

[[earlier, as the pair were walking]]



"Not exactly, I'm just in the wrong part of town from you, helpin' round up a wild animal that isn't where it should be," Atsumori replied with a chuckle. "Anyway, I'll get in touch with the ladies right away. Think I have Shiba Hoshiko-san's comm code somewhere. I didn't know she had a twin sister, though."

Izumi might overhear some Mall Sounds--tinny music, noisy conversation.

"Well, if you're sure you're okay for now..."

[[Present time!]]



"All right! Hey there, tiger-chan. That's your beast, huh?" He glanced at Hayato and nodded. "Let's see if it'll make friends."

He moved toward the waste receptacle with soft footsteps, one hand held out at an un-threatening angle, blinking slowly at the feral bakemono of doom with eyes angled sidelong.... ready for a quick, gentle grab.

--
D9 EM--animal handling/awareness TN 25. Chikushudo, VP: 5d10o10k4 41

Crushed it! XD

Hayato watched the Phoenix work. Though he was fairly certain that weird walk wouldn't help at all.

I mean who even walked like that? There wasn't even a here kitty kitty or anything.