Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards

[Daz]

---

The door to the zookeepers napping room swung open. There on the rug next to a small cot was the Bake Kitsune known as Shippo. He was curled up in a ball as he slept. Shippo looked so sad. He had not moved or eaten since the night of the tournament. Daz sighed in sad frustration. Nothing would bring the kitsune out of his depression. The zookeeper had tried everything he could think of to get his friend up and moving, but to no end. Shippo did not want to go dragon hunting or hunting at all for that matter. He did not want to go for a jog or get any kind of excersice whatso ever. He did not even want to go fishing, which was one of his favorite things to do.

The zookeeper remembered the first time he saw Shippo on the Tokuno Island. Daz had been on assignment studying the pack formations of Bake Kitsune families as they hunted. It was tremendously exciting work. These creatures were masters at hunting in packs. One day Daz, had gotten allittle too close to one of the kitsunes and the whole pack decided to swarm on him. They had chased him, and had nearly done him in, before the zookeeper emerged from the forest, fell down a cliff, and onto the shore. Stunned, the zookeeper looked up to see ten of the large fox-like creatures disappear back into the forest. He was at least safe for the moment. As he relaxed a bit and began dusting himself off and examining the many cuts and scrapes accrued during his descent, he happened to look off to his left. There on a rock jetti that protruded out into the ocean sat a young bake kitsune. Strange, he thaught with suprise. These creatures were not solitary animals and this one was young. Where was his mother or entire clan for that matter? Daz froze but kept his cool while he slowly looked around behind him for any friends or relatives of the kitsune that might be closing in on him. There were none. What was he doing sitting out on that rock all by himself with his three fox-like tails dangleing in the water. The young kitsune saw Daz sitting there but looked away as though he was not interested.

Over the next couple of weeks the young elf returned to the rock jeti many times to watch this one particular kitsune that he was now calling Shippo. Each day he would get a little closer, sit, and watch with great interest. And every day the young kitsune paid no attention to the patient elf who would come a little closer, sit, and watch with great interest. Then, one day as Daz watched the young kitsune dangling his tails in the water something happened. A large fish bit down on one of the fox-like tails. Before the zookeeper knew what happened Shippo had swung the large blue fish onto the land and bit down on it killing it instantly. Ok, so this one likes to fish. How completely strange and un-bake kitsune like. As Daz pondered what he had just seen. Shippo grabbed the fish in his mouth and began trotting towards the stunned and suprised zookeeper. The kitsune dropped the fish infront of Daz and let out a loud yelp. Well, i think he is offering the fish to me and it would be rude not to take it, "thought the elf." The zookeeper then slowly cut the fish in half and tossed half of it back to Shippo. The formalities ended and both elf and kitsune feasted together side by side on the beach as the sun set behind the horizon. Soon after that, the two loners became friends and frequently fished together, sharing in the bounty of the sea.

Daz smiled weakly as his eyes teared up while watching the kitsune whine in his sleep. Daz fully understood why Shippo wasn't allowed to continue fighting in the tournament but he also knew how excited the Kitsune had been when the zookeeper read the rules to him and asked him to fight at the side of the zookeeper for the title of Moonglow Champion. No one except for Daz and maybe Lee had even come close to understanding the strength of Shippo. The tournament would have been over way too quickly. It would have been completely one sided and none of the spectators would have ejoyed it. Not to mention the politics. The Mayor and others would never have wanted an elf as Moonglow Champion. The anti elf sentiment in Moonglow was very obvious. But, Daz had to agree, it was not fair to the other fighters, human or elf, to bring such a creature to bear upon them. Shippo's feelings were hurt. He did not understand why he was disqualified. He did not understand what was happening when the zookeeper had led him away from the tournament. Daz had lied to Shippo and said that he had read the rules wrong and that the kitsune was not eligable to participate, which bothered Daz immensely. Lieing was not something he beleived in. Hipocracy stung. Always truethful? Only when convenient. Humans and elves often times struggled with the concept of honesty. Shippo was the most intelligent bake kitsune that Daz had ever seen, but it would be imposible for him to understand completely.

Daz had bought a glacial staff earlier in the day which closely resembled the prize given to the Campion of Moonglow. He laid it next to his friend and then curled up next to him on the floor, drapping an arm over the kitsune holding tight to a handfull of soft fur.

Shippo awoke and looked at his sleeping friend Daz laying next to him. He had to tear himself away from the zookeepers grip as the elf slept. The door to the room opened and the kitsune walked out. He looked back with a tear in his eye as he neared the moongate. Then came the long sorrifull howl of goodbye. Shippo walked through the portal.

When the zookeeper awoke, there was but, a tuft of the kitsune fur still in his grasp, Shippo was gone. Maybe he did understand after all.

----------------------------------------
Daz the zookeeper,
Minister of Nature, MTC

p.s. support your local zoo