Mammalia [Smiff]

[Mika]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/244y2yb.png] It was a chilly, early autumn morning. It was still dark and a little foggy but, despite the somewhat ominous feel of his current surroundings this was his favorite part of the day. The atmosphere looked, temporarily, like something out of an old mystery movie, the little dog walking down the partially empty streets felt like the main character of some particular detective story, his thoughts were currently switching from the roles of the main character, to the victim and to the villain stalking, hunting and searching for something in the mist. His reasons for leaving the room he had claimed in the school was to search for food and anything he could bring back. He could occasionally hear the sounds of a dogs claws hitting concrete and saw the silhouettes of, what he assumed to be, cats running to get out of the way of canines, and other felines, that either looked threatening or couldn't be seen. He was more cautious of the felines that he passed, otherwise he payed no mind to the cats and dogs that roamed the temporarily dark, misty streets. He was only out to look for food, but he didn't plan on staying out long. He was most likely paranoid that someone would either take the room he had claimed, which was the principals office of the school, or someone would find and wreck his books. A cat named Tony would be more likely to do the latter. The books that he kept contained information about cryptids, creatures that may or may not exist, and unsolved mysteries that police could figure out when the were still around. The had to result to chasing a few rodents in the alleyways while he was away from his home at the school, the sun had already risen y the time he got back to the front of the school. He licked away what little blood stained his muzzle as he walked down the hallway and turned right through a door. He walked passed a desk that was coated with dust and still had papers on top of it and through a second collapsed door. The old principles office still had dust in a few places excepts for the desk and the large chair behind it that had now had a blanket in the seat. He was the only one that lived here, in this particular room. Theo wasn't expecting to hear and smell someone else in his room. He made one assumption of who it was as he walked around the large desk. "Tony, is that you? I told you my books are off limits." Theo walks. "Theo talks!" Theo thinks.

[SMIFFAGRIFF]

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[atrb=background,http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g399/SmiffDemon/francis2.jpg] Francis had been seeking a change for a good while now. The old church was a suitable home, yes, but the old tomcat was beginning to feel as though sitting dormant in there was not going to bring him any satisfaction. Sure, there were plenty of things to read and examine. Hell if he'd learned all he could from that creepy old building, but he also knew that wasting away there without even being able to share his discoveries... would be... well... a waste. He was getting old, and Francis wanted to pass down his knowledge and skills to another, younger, smart animal. Another Sleuth to take his place when he finally kicked the bucket. As he flipped through the pages of a book, absentmindedly reading the information held in it, Francis remembered his old friend and nemesis,, Pascal. He suddenly found himself sympathizing with the tyrant to some degree. Now that he was getting up there in age, he wanted someone to be there to continue his work. Death wasn't something he was afraid of. When it was his time, he'd happily accept eternal rest. That said, Francis didn't want to go without at least solving one more mystery in his life... if not that, then at least teaching someone. Yes, because then, with any luck, Francis could watch his pupil from above the clouds. His thoughts were abruptly cut off however, when Theodore entered the room, calling out a name that wasn't his own, "I'm afraid you have it all wrong, brother. I'm not the Tony which you're accusing, though I am guilty of looking through your books. Pardon my rudeness. I was caught up in thinking and didn't stop to check the scents around the school." Francis paused, looking down at the Corgi from the desk he was perched on, his tail flicking back and forth a few times, "Do you read these, brother? I have never met another soul in this rugged old city that knows the beautiful art of language."

[Mika]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/244y2yb.png] As he rounded the desk the only thing he could see was his larger and heavier book of cryptids. He could hear an unfamiliar voice on top of the desk as he crawled up on the large seat and blanket and sat on his chair. His eyes were met by, not a familiar striped cat that he had expected, but a blueish-grey coated stranger. 'Right species wrong name.' He thought as the feline spoke. "As long as you don't want to destroy them I don't really mind. This is the only room I've claimed, so I guess it's inevitable someone might want to explore." He didn't seem to want to destroy his books like Tony had wanted to when Theo first met him. This stranger was the first cat that seemed interested in his books, the only cat actually. The first cat he had ever met was when his family took them to his boy's grandmother's house which had a cat that lived up to the feline stereotype. She couldn't be bothered to talk to him, much less give him a second glance. This stranger wasn't like grandma's cat but that didn't change the fact that Theo wasn't too fond of felines now. "For future reference, my names Theodore." He said as he made himself comfortable on his blanket in the large chair. He layed down on his belly and looked back to the cat. "Sorry to disappoint you but: I can't actually read them. I memorized most of them." It probably would have been helpful to Theo if he had learned to read, if he had the chance to anyway. That chance was obviously long gone now, unless this cat was saying he knew how to read. He gestured to the literature the cat was reading. "Those are mysteries the humans couldn't figure out themselves. Some could be supernatural, other involve humans after money and power." Theo walks. "Theo talks!" Theo thinks.

[/justify]

(how old is Francis now?)

[SMIFFAGRIFF]

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[atrb=background,http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g399/SmiffDemon/francis2.jpg] Francis blinked and flicked his ears, as if annoyed by the prospect of destroying books, "I don't think I could destroy one of these beautiful documents unless it truly held something atrocious in it." He offered the dog a small smile after that, to assure him once again that no harm would come to his books. "Ah, Theodore. A lovely name... with Greek origins I do believe. If I recall it means 'gift from god.' Fitting, from my perspective, as it seems I may have finally come upon another soul who values knowledge as much as I..." he trailed off, getting to his four and gracefully leaping down from the desk so he could meet Theo at eye level. "My name is Francis. And as it happens, your books that tell of unfinished mysteries just met the wold's most clever feline detecitve. It seems like a welcome challenge, to have found a book like this. I haven't had a good mystery on my hands in what feels like eons." With a stretch, the older cat let out a sigh, eyes growing distant in the memories of the olden days. To be young again, he thought, would be a blessing, and yet, a curse. To lose the innocence he had before his first mystery again would be devastating. Perhaps it really was a blessing to age, and not something to dread. "What interest do you have in these books,, Brother?"

OOC: he's about 9 years old

[Mika]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/244y2yb.png] While still sitting on his haunches in the chair, Theo lifted his forepaws off of the seat until he felt his back touch the back of the large chair and his forepaws dangled in front of his belly. He expected to look odd sitting the way he was now, but he wasn't really worried. There was a calm expression on his face as he listened to the feline tell him the meaning and origin of his name, something he had never known until now, then he started to say something else but stopped. "You seem to know alot more than I do. This is the first time I've ever known what my name meant." He said with a smirk as the feline jumped onto the chair with him and introduced himself. The meaning of names never seemed all too important to Theo, it was prabably different to others. "A pleasure to meet you Francis. You're the first cat I've met that's had an interest similar to mine. I half expected most other feline to be more interested in things like the war." He dropped his forepaws back down on the seat of the chair. He closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly as he tried to think. "It's a little difficult to explain. I guess I get kind of a thrill out of finding answers that no one else could think of." He opened his eyes again and looked back at Francis. "Maybe the same reason as you?" He asked with obvious curiosity as he asked for the felines' own interest. Theo walks. "Theo talks!" Theo thinks.

[/justify]