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A Windowsill Chat
“And then after we divided the Southland's army, we just picked them off group by group.” The black wolf leaned on the wall outside of Silver's house. He'd managed to catch her enjoying the evening air from her window. With the shutters open she could sit in the opening as if it were made for her.
The feline took a long slow drag from her cigarette. The aroma was sweet and thick, as if she were smoking incense. “And they didn't flank you, or use the mountains to their advantage and pick you off from above, or dig in and make you work for it...”
Barius watched as she breathed lazily through her teeth. The evening sun tinted the smoke gold like the whisper of a god. “I never said it was a fast victory, or an easy one.”
Silver stretched, and the wolf was never sure if she was simply getting comfortable or subtly teasing him. “No, just implied. An army fighting on their own territory is never an easily beaten army.”
“And yet we won,” Barius grinned. The wolf rarely visited the burrows, he was nobility and the burrows were for people with no caste or class. Even the servants and slaves had their own section of town. But the only way out of the burrows was to marry into a higher class or have that class granted to you by the emperor. Barius himself had been granted nobility after the very battle he had been attempting to regale Silver with.
She seemed willing to concede his point with a casual roll of her shoulder, the motion unsettled one of her long plumes of white hair and it swayed softly in the evening breeze. “You won, so I suppose you have the right to tell your story the way you want. It's not my fault I just happen to catch the holes.”
He was close enough that he could reach out and put a hand on her thigh. Her coat was a perfect flawless white. He wanted desperately to touch it and see if she felt as soft and pure as she looked, but that was better saved for another day. “And when can I convince you to tell me the story of your time in the military? You know enough about fighting and tactics.”
“Maybe never, maybe on your next visit.” Silver lifted her head and stared up at the sky. The first stars of night were twinkling into view as daylight faded. She took another long drag from her cigarette, painting her white face fiery orange as she drew out the last dregs of the pungent herbal stick.
Barius couldn't help but smile. “Are you giving me permission to visit again?”
“Could I stop you?” Silver flicked the stub away and slid her legs back inside the hovel.
The wolf smiled. “I've seen you in the arena. You probably could.”
She reached for the shutters to close them. “Good night, Senator.”
“Good night, lady Silver.” He bowed graciously and when he lifted his head she had closed her window and was gone from view.
It was all he could do to keep from grinning ear to ear like a fool as he strolled home. She had been right, of course. Battling someone on their own territory never lent itself to a fast or an easy victory, but that didn't mean that there was no victory to be had at all. One just needed to be patient and persistent. Even though he was no longer serving the Emperor's army, the tactic served him well even now.
(Inked picture colored in Sai. Believe it or not, this was all just an experiment to draw Three's digitigrade legs a little more feminine looking.)
The feline took a long slow drag from her cigarette. The aroma was sweet and thick, as if she were smoking incense. “And they didn't flank you, or use the mountains to their advantage and pick you off from above, or dig in and make you work for it...”
Barius watched as she breathed lazily through her teeth. The evening sun tinted the smoke gold like the whisper of a god. “I never said it was a fast victory, or an easy one.”
Silver stretched, and the wolf was never sure if she was simply getting comfortable or subtly teasing him. “No, just implied. An army fighting on their own territory is never an easily beaten army.”
“And yet we won,” Barius grinned. The wolf rarely visited the burrows, he was nobility and the burrows were for people with no caste or class. Even the servants and slaves had their own section of town. But the only way out of the burrows was to marry into a higher class or have that class granted to you by the emperor. Barius himself had been granted nobility after the very battle he had been attempting to regale Silver with.
She seemed willing to concede his point with a casual roll of her shoulder, the motion unsettled one of her long plumes of white hair and it swayed softly in the evening breeze. “You won, so I suppose you have the right to tell your story the way you want. It's not my fault I just happen to catch the holes.”
He was close enough that he could reach out and put a hand on her thigh. Her coat was a perfect flawless white. He wanted desperately to touch it and see if she felt as soft and pure as she looked, but that was better saved for another day. “And when can I convince you to tell me the story of your time in the military? You know enough about fighting and tactics.”
“Maybe never, maybe on your next visit.” Silver lifted her head and stared up at the sky. The first stars of night were twinkling into view as daylight faded. She took another long drag from her cigarette, painting her white face fiery orange as she drew out the last dregs of the pungent herbal stick.
Barius couldn't help but smile. “Are you giving me permission to visit again?”
“Could I stop you?” Silver flicked the stub away and slid her legs back inside the hovel.
The wolf smiled. “I've seen you in the arena. You probably could.”
She reached for the shutters to close them. “Good night, Senator.”
“Good night, lady Silver.” He bowed graciously and when he lifted his head she had closed her window and was gone from view.
It was all he could do to keep from grinning ear to ear like a fool as he strolled home. She had been right, of course. Battling someone on their own territory never lent itself to a fast or an easy victory, but that didn't mean that there was no victory to be had at all. One just needed to be patient and persistent. Even though he was no longer serving the Emperor's army, the tactic served him well even now.
(Inked picture colored in Sai. Believe it or not, this was all just an experiment to draw Three's digitigrade legs a little more feminine looking.)
Category Artwork (Digital) / General Furry Art
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 592 x 800px
File Size 99 kB
Story time! I have to ask: in what era does this take place? It all seems very fantasy/mideval-ish, but then Three (Silver) has a cigarette, which makes me think it's much more modern (perhaps colonial?).
I can see that Three is no fool, but neither is she one to push off a potential ally. How intriguing.
I can see that Three is no fool, but neither is she one to push off a potential ally. How intriguing.
It's a mishmash fantasy world based off of grecco roman themes, but it doesn't have a set time or place. That said, Three's learned how to roll her herbals even if there's no such thing around. The fact that she smokes in public here makes me think that cigarettes aren't that uncommon though. (And as a nonsmoker myself, I've had to do the strangest research on how one would go about doing so, and what exactly is safe to smoke. Gyah!)
Hmm. Three appears to have a full head of hair.
Either that, or she got hit upside the head in the arena so hard her bangs got knocked waaay off center.
Teric's comment compelled me to do a quickie Google/Wiki search and the first article I pulled up states the hookah dates back at least 2000 BC and that the Aztecs and Maya had smoking tubes. I think you're fairly safe from accusations of anachronism.
Either that, or she got hit upside the head in the arena so hard her bangs got knocked waaay off center.
Teric's comment compelled me to do a quickie Google/Wiki search and the first article I pulled up states the hookah dates back at least 2000 BC and that the Aztecs and Maya had smoking tubes. I think you're fairly safe from accusations of anachronism.
Yes and no. There's a huge difference between a pipe or water pipe, and ROLLING PAPER. Paper and papyrus, vellum, all such materials were VERY valuable until even semi-industrialized production came along, and would not lightly have been used for such until some kind of true industrial processes were available.
So it is a BIT out of period. I have no doubt Three could make paper, hell, I know how to do it. But it's still not trivial, and I'd have a bitch of a time starting from wood pulp myself... I picked it up at faires, where they usually start with rag or recycled paper fibers.
So it is a BIT out of period. I have no doubt Three could make paper, hell, I know how to do it. But it's still not trivial, and I'd have a bitch of a time starting from wood pulp myself... I picked it up at faires, where they usually start with rag or recycled paper fibers.
I love the little story accompanying this piece, it shows off the balance of character that makes Three so awesome. Feminine, strong, clever, and playful. I also like the sensuous tone in the piece, especially where Barius wants to place his hand on her leg and feel her fur. It's not overdone nor overly understated, but, well, honest. Based on this exchange, their relationship is definitely based on a continuous contest of wits that highlights aspects of their personalities and character strengths. Three has considerably more experience and thus is able to play defensively because she knows how the game works, but Barius has the drive and persistence that allows him to maintain the energy for his strategy. It also shows in the picture as well. This is quite a treat to end the work week on!
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