Conley Brothers

Star nodded "yes, with us" he invited "Maybe... We sit just here" he pointed to the ground by the cage "And they sit there" he pointed over to the table farther away, he seemed to understand now that coming out of there was scary and it would take him time

"I'm doing alright, I was just showing Claudius some photo's of the circus" she told him "I thought it might help"
 
Claudius eased closer to the bars of the cage and looked out nervously. That spot was close, and the tent was a nice enclosure. He supposed that might be okay, as long as Camilla said it was. "Out?" he whispered to Starnacht. "It is allowed?" Yes, he'd been told it was allowed, but it was still difficult to wrap his mind around. Even so, he started inching toward the door, watching Camilla and Vlad cautiously.

"Oh dear," Vlad chuckled. "You were always so good at catching us at our finest moments, such as a wardrobe malfunction or stuffing our faces with food. He must be getting a good laugh out of those pictures."
 
Starnacht nodded "yes. Out allowed" he smiled to assure him, he took a seat on the ground by the cage and waited

She laughed lightly "Those are in my private collection" she teased "these ones are the professionally taken ones"
 
Vlad placed a hand dramatically over his heart. "Ah! I am relieved. That is not so bad."

Claudius started inching to the door. He reached out, his hand trembling a little as he clasped the latch.

"We're here!" the twins squealed as they dashed into the tent. "Did you eat without us?"
 
Camilla smiled but didn't get a chance to reply as the twins arrived

"Of course not" she smiled and walked over towards them "I do need to ask a favor of you two though "
 
Camilla smiled "see my friend over there" she glanced over at Claudius then back at the twins "he is shy and a little timid so we need to speak softer and be careful not to startle him...I need you two to help me show him people can be nice. Help me out?"
 
The twins looked over to where Claudius coward in the cage. "Oh... Okay. We'll try to be quiet," they both promised. They took a deep breath and tried to calm themselves. "We are happy to see you, Miss Camilla," they greeted her politely.
 
Camilla smiled "thank you boys" she said " had your favorite made for desert" she before looking back at Claudius

"Claudius, this is Tim and Tam, Vlad takes care of them too" she introduced "they will stay over on this side of the tent with the table"
 
Claudius slowly inched back over to the bars and looked down at the white haired... boys? Girls? He actually couldn't tell, and their fluffy hair falling over their eyes was not helping as they smiled up at him with identical looks of mischief. "Mirrors?" he asked uncertainly.

"Minors, actually," said one.

Vlad walked over and stood behind them. He held one hand over their heads. "This is Tim, and this is Tam," he said, indicating them with his hovering hand.

"No, I'm Tim!" protested the other.

"No you are not," Vlad said calmly.

Tam pouted, "How do you always know?"

"Because I am magic!" Vlad teased with a smile. "Come, let us eat before it gets cold."

Claudius leaned over slightly and sniffed animalistically. They smelled almost as identical as they looked, but one was ever so slightly different from the other. He could smell it. Now just to remember which smell went with which one. Tim and Tam were not exactly hugely different names. He could tell through scent, but now he was curious. How could this Vlad person tell the difference? Was he truly magic? Was it really? No, that was silly. It was one thing for different creatures like Starnacht to exist, but honest to goodness magic? Not likely. He settled back and watched the twins and their guardian sit around the table.
 
Starnacht smiled, staying seated by the cage, still hoping Claudius would come and join him outside of the cage.

The dinner was fried chicken and potatoes with a side of corn, carrots and a salad and of course the promised desert
"Should still be warm" Camilla said, opening the ceramic pots she had been keeping everything warm in
 
Claudius watched Starnacht. He crept over to the door and touched the latch. No one seemed to notice or care. He fiddled with it a little, trying to work up the courage to open the door himself.

The twins put their hands over their mouths as they squealed in delight. "So good!" they whispered hoarsly, their "whispers" not particularly quiet.

"You put together a fine feast, Miss Camilla," Vlad praised.
 
Afraid I'm not the chef like Vlad" Camilla said "I just asked the cook to make it special for tonight" Camilla explained, serving up a plate for Claudius and passing one over to Vlad for Starnacht "Never had much need to cook for myself"
 
"Ah, I see," Vlad smiled. "My mother taught me when I was a tiny thing. She was determined that if ever any of her little ones ended up alone, they would not starve." He took the plate over to Starnacht and gently ruffled his hair.

"It is so tasty!" cooed one of the twins as they sampled.
 
"Well, she taught you well" she smiled, walking over with him, pausing near the cage "Come out?" she asked Claudius now, her attention back on him, she wasn't going to force him to come out but leave it as an option for him

Starnacht accepted the plate and smiled before sniffing the food curiously "Does smell good yes" he agreed with the twins, his long tail twitched in anticipation
 
Still wary of a trap, Claudius slowly opened the cage door. It swung open, the iron creaking unhappily, making him jump. He stood half crouched in the open doorway, staring down nervously. How exactly did he get down?

Vlad smiled as he watched the creature slowly discover - or perhaps rediscover - what it meant to be a person. He waited patiently, keeping one eye on the twins. Thankfully, they were too busy discussing food to notice.
 
Camilla offered him an encouraging smile and dragged the stool over with her foot so he could use it to step down on "That's it" she said softly, it was exciting to see him making this sort of stride, even if he didn't come out, it was some significant progress that he had opened the cage at all
 
"Can we eat now?" Tam asked eagerly.
"In a moment," Vlad assured him. "Wait just a little longer."

Claudius wavered a moment, glancing between Camilla and Starnacht. Then he stepped down. He wabbled a little on the stool, caught himself, then stepped down all the way. He stood frozen, every muscle tensed and ready for flight.
 
Camilla took a couple steps and put his plate of food down by Starnacht, but not too close in case he wasn't totally comfortable. She then stepped back "I'm going to go sit with Vlad and the twins" she nodded down to the food "Go ahead" she said gently before moving over towards the table to give him space.
 
"Now?" the twins asked Vlad in chorus.

Vlad waited until Camilla looked comfortable then nodded. "Now."

The twins needed no more encouragement as they dove into their food eagerly.

Claudius inched his way over to Starnacht and the food before crouching down cautiously. He put his hand down, feeling the ground. "Earth," he whispered.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top