[Jaden Wolf]

Suga, Satou, Kati

Satou's eyes scanned her shopping list worriedly.
"Oh,oh,ooohhh...how am I going to find some of this stuff? I mean, chocolate-caramel toffee? How could she like that? I only had one too..."
On her head, a kitrell trilled, fluttering its wings.
"I collect candy, Suga! If it's supposed to be eaten, there is more than one, or even 10 sometimes! But I always have at least one of every candy I know! Why oh why did Friday decide she only liked the rare ones? That kit, seriously!" she whined as she entered the city gates, ignoring the murmur of the crowd around her. It wasn't that busy today, so she didn't have to worry about getting knocked around. For shopping purposes, she was in human form, her orange hair coming down to her neckline so it wouldn't get in the candy. As per the season, she wore cream, fur-trimmed boots with orange leggings and a long cream fur-trimmed jacket. Her gloves were orange as well and a scarf fluttered in the breeze, the colors of candy corn. The candycorn kitrell known as Suga perched precariously on her head, wings fluttering occasionally as the girl's head moved. Once inside, Satou looked at shop names and signs, hoping to find every last candy on the list and maybe some new ones. Suga trilled and Satou giggled.
"Suga, settle down. I know you don't like crowds, but I need a market. You hate traveling too, so be glad I picked the closest city to home."
___________________________________________________________________________________________
A small figure slipped through the crowd, giggling. Some people didn't notice her, others ignored her, and everyone else averted their eyes. They wanted nothing to do with a scraggly, thin child with something sticky stuck in her hair and thrown-together rags for clothes. Ignoring the cold stone on her bare feet, the girl ran down the main street, her eyes feasting on the various goods and food stands along the sides. Spotting a candy stand, she slowly slunk up, but ran away after a smack on the hand from the vendor. Sneakily, she crawled up to the next candy stand she saw. She successfully grabbed a candy apple and stuck it in her mouth. She gave a small, muffled shriek as the large man selling the candy reached out for her. Quickly, the child dove under a table, pressing herself against a building, two large cabinets on either side of her. The furniture salesman wailed something about her dirtying up his goods, and watched worriedly as the candy vendor tried to grab the thief.

[ShadowStitches]

( I hope its okay If I joyn? )


Zoey


Tyler

A joung, slightly punky looking woman made her way through the crowd on the main street,
A big corbine perched on her shoulder. Zoey searched for something for Nathan for christmas,
allthough she already had a present for him. But she slowly got frustrated. "Lets go home Zoey,
dont you think its enough shopping for today?" Tyler asked softly, not wanting to rush her.
He fluffed his feathers unconfortably. Why did he say jes to come for a shopping-tour anyway?
He hated crowds.Zoey sighted, a little sad that she didnt find anything.
"guess you're right...wait, whats going on there?"She turned towards the small tumult
at the funiture stand. Rushing over, she saw that a man tried to grab a small, thin girl, who
hid in between cabinets. She briefly grabbed the man by his collar and jerked him back, looking angry.
"Hey! what are you doing, leave her!" she said angrily. Tyler didnt say anything, but glared at the shopkeeper threatingly.

[Jaden Wolf]

((Yeah that's fine!~))

As the woman and the corbine came up and jerked the vendor back, he yelled at her, saying she should get out of the way or be arrested for helping a thief, something like that. Satou stepped out of the store curiously, able to hear the man's voice from inside the store. Holding a large bag of candy, she weaved through the crowd to see what he was yelling about. Coming up next to the woman, she listened to the man's rant, then looked around to see this "thief". Yet she didn't see anyone else, except some people stopping to look, and the furniture salesman, looking rather pale. Then she heard a little whimper from underneath the table. Crouching down, she saw a small, scraggly kuhna girl with a candy apple in her mouth and a frightened expression. Standing up, she too turned to the vendor. Now she could kind of guess what was going on here.
"Please sir, could you just leave her alone? She's just a kid." She asked the man, but he just yelled at her, that kid or not, she was still a thief. Satou sighed, seeing that he was not going to give up. She pulled out her wallet, and handed the man some ks, the average price of a candy apple. The man hesitated, then snorted and stalked away. Satou grinned at the woman next to her.
"Sad, isn't it, when even a child cannot get something without money." Then she crouched again.
"Come on out, now. That mean old man is gone, he's not going to bug you anymore." She cooed softly, trying to soothe the girl. But the girl just glared at her suspiciously and gave a muffled, frightened hiss.

[ShadowStitches]

By the time Zoey got really angry, another woman came by and helped her to defend the child.
She nodded, and said "Jeah, sad as it is, some people obviously dont have a heart..."
She tried to help to lure the child out, promising her that he man was gone and
no one would do her harm. However, the child seemed too frightened.

Tyler watched the two wimen,then looking arround calmly. He would try to speak to the child
too, but out of experience he knew that a big black raven wasn't a that...calming
sight. However, he spotted Suga. He motioned with his head towards the hiding place of
Kati. "maybe you could try it" He said in his low, calm voice. He could imagine that a fluffy
orange, brown and white creature might at least calm the poor child a little more.
He just hoped that Suga understood what he said and felt the same way...

[Jaden Wolf]

Satou frowned as the other woman's attempts to convince the child to come out failed. The man selling the furniture was getting worked up, and she knew she had to get the girl out. But she wasn't sure how to go about this without terrorizing the girl further. So focused, she was, that she didn't hear the corbine speak. But Suga did. Turning her head, the Kitrell thought about it, then nodded, trilling. With another trill, she swooped down and perched on the ground. Just as she started to hop under, Satou realized what she was doing and quickly opened her bag.
"Wait, Suga. Here, give her this." She handed the kitrell a piece of candy, which Suga carefully took in her mouth. Then she hopped under slowly, trilling and tilting her head curiously, looking like a cute little bird-thing that just wanted to curl up with someone. The child gave her a suspicious look then slowly reached out a hand. Suga pressed her head against her palm and cooed, dropping the candy onto the girl's lap. Astonished, the girl picked it up and cautiously unwrapped it. Recognizing it as candy, she giggled in delight and popped it in her mouth.
"See, no one's going to hurt you, so why don't you come out from there?" Satou said kindly. The child hesitated, then scooped Suga up and shuffled slowly to the edge of the table. She peeked out, eyeing the two women and bird that were waiting for her. Despite how most children would react, the girl grinned at the sight of the corbine and climbed out.
"Birdy!~ Birdy~" she giggled, waving at him. As she did, Suga slipped out of her hands and fluttered around her head. Satou smiled and stood up, giving the furniture salesman a look that said 'she's out, so if you give us any trouble, I'll see to it your stuff IS ruined'.

[ShadowStitches]

Tyler certainly would have smiled, If he had facial expressions. He was happy that the
girl got out, and surprised that she seemed to like him. He bowed his head slightly
and said in a most calm and nice voice  "Hello there, little one"  
Zoey looked at him , the glance she gave him mirroring the same surprise he felt
towards the beahior of the girl. The woman slowly got too, smiling warmly.
"I'm Zoey, and this is Tyler" She Introduced herself and the bird, not only to the
little girl."Will you tell us your name?"

(Sorry, bad and quick post )

[Jaden Wolf]

The girl blinked as the bird spoke, but grinned even wider than before. She looked over to the woman, absorbing the names into her head.
"Birdy Tywer! You Zoey! What about Candy birdy and candy lady?" she asked, looking at Satou. She smiled down at the child and held out her palm for Suga to land on.
"This is Suga, and I'm Satou." She just finished her sentence when the girl twirled around, her raggy shirt fluttering as she moved (or shirts rather, as they seemed to be peices of shirts to cover the holes in the other ones, most likely for warmth too).
"I Kati! Ty-wer, Zoe-y, Soo-ga, Sa...toe...ou?" she paused, her brow creasing as she tried to say Satou's strange name. Satou giggled.
"Sah-toe is fine, little Katie. Tell me, little one, do you have parents...around?" Satou asked, bending over slightly to be more level with Kati. The girl frowned.
"No Katie, Kati! Kah...tee, Kati! Par...ents? You mean my Daddy and Mommy? They at their home. They tell me, 'big, strong girls don't have mommies or daddies, big, strong girls take care of selves, big, strong girls find new home and food'."
Suga nearly fell off of Satou's hand in shock, Satou nearly dropping her in her own. Parents who let their child believe that they were babies for living under their care? Encouraged her to be a beggar? Satou couldn't understand how anyone would wish that on their child.

[ShadowStitches]

Zoey felt a sharp jolt deep down in her heart. She knew, out of her own experience,
that children wanted nothing more than the love and acceptance from their parents.
She herself had a lot of arguments with her parents about her profession, her looks, her friends etc.
But they never 'abadoned' her. She knew 2 youngsters that ran away from home, but only one
other child that got so cruely sat infront of the door. She bowed down slightly
"But you know that this is not true, dont you? We could...try to find your parents and
talk to them, so they dont sent you out all alone again" She didnt know what else
to say. She was pretty shure that such cruel persons wouldnt let them talk into their  
conscience...but they could at least try. //or, we could try to find you a new home....//

[Jaden Wolf]

Kati blinked as she listened to Zoey. Her head turned down slowly, looking at her bare feet, immune to the cold now.
"Please no, Zoey. Mommy...mommy was nice. Mommy said nice thing so I leave. I know...white-coat man...man with cold silver thingy he put on chest...man said Kati sick. Kati mind not ok. I heard daddy say to mommy...'We can no take care of sick Kati. People laugh at Kati, lots of work. Too much. Kati need leave.' Mommy said ok, but mommy not wanna be mean. So mommy was nice. Kati baby. Always baby, mommy tell me. If I no live with them, Kati more big girl, but Kati will always be baby in head." She stammered, repeating the words "Kati always baby", her eyes distant. Satou listened carefully, Suga drooping in shock in her hands. The child was...sick? White coat...cold metal thing...a doctor probably. So a doctor said Kati was mentally ill? But...she didn't seem ill. Always baby...
Satou frowned, trying to understand why her parents just abandoned her...what kind of illness did the child have?

[ShadowStitches]

Zoey lay her forehead in furrows while she listened to Kati.
If she understood correctly, Kati was not able to...mentally grow up.
She never heard of that kind of mentall illnes, nor did she know if it was somehow
cureable. She still thought it was horrible to let a child live on its own,
but maybe the mother really thought she could 'grow up' a little more that way?
She doubted it. Tyler looked at Kati Intensely. The girl did not seem to be stupid,
or...that much younger mentally.
"Okay, We wont go to your parents. But how long do you live on your own already?
We really just want to help you" he said in a calming voice. Maybe they really where
able to somehoe help her, or at least find a place where she could stay...

[Jaden Wolf]

Kati looked up at Tyler, blinking.
"How long? Uh...Kati leave home when it warm outside. Everyday. It cold now, but I not care. ...Hewp, Tywar? How hewp?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she tried to think.
Satou blinked at Kati's words. Warm out everyday? Summer perhaps, or early fall? Actually, it could've been late spring too. Slowly, she knelt next to the child and smiled.
"I think Tylar means we could find a place for you to live, and someone to help you." Kati nodded to her, giggling as Suga flapped and fell off the kuhna woman's head. Picking the kitrell up, Satou thought of the four new kits at home. The second batch of kits around, and perhaps around Kati's age. Suddenly, she had a thought. What about Berry, the first mother on the beach? Her kits were grown up now, and she was so kindhearted...would she take on Kati? Satou jumped up and turned to Zoey.
"Just a minute. I think I know someone who could take care of her. I'll be right back."
With that, she ran into the nearest store and asked the woman behind the counter if she could use their phone. The woman nodded, pointing out a phone, and Satou quickly dialed the number of the clone in charge of the kuhnas. Kati meanwhile, with Suga having fluttered onto her head, looked up at Zoey.
"What's going on?" she asked.

[ShadowStitches]

Zoey thought intensely if she herself knew some one who would be willing to
take care of Kati. However, no one came to her mind. The only Place she could
really think of was the 'Kindergarden', next to where she lived. But Ora, the kind,
motherly woman who ran the place, had enough to do with about 6 orphans already...  
She winced slightly when Satou jumped up that suddently. She
looked after her confused, but then she turned back at her Kati, who looked at her confused.
"I think that she might know a place where you could stay, doesnt that sound great?" she
asked, smiling brightly. Tyler meanwhile tried to peek through the shopwindow,
but couldnt see Satou's face, and therefore couldnt tell if  her call was a success or not...

(sorry, school's killing me at the moment )

[Jaden Wolf]

((That's alright ))

Satou hung up with a smile, looking out at Kati and spotting her nod to something Zoey said. Relaxed, she headed back out to the group.
"Great, I still haven't checked with her, but I found out that the Kuhna I'm thinking of is here with her daughter. They should be at the square nearby, shall we go?" she asked happily as she approached. Kati leant from foot to foot, a little nervously. Satou smiled down at her and knelt again.
"I'm sure your mommy and daddy would be happy to know someone's taking care of you. You can meet her first, and her girl will be there too, but she's grown up now...she's about my age." Kati nodded to her, then tilted her head.
"How do you know her? She live at your home? She family? What's her name? Is she nice? Will she like me...will she give Kati candies?" the girl blurted out questions, suddenly curious. Satou laughed.
"You're really curious about this aren't you? Well, um, why don't I tell you on the way? And you can ask her any questions you want, I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you." With that she held out her hands, asking Kati if she wished to be carried. The child nodded Satou picked her up gently, setting her on her hip, like she did with the kits at home. Then she turned to Zoey and Tyler, and Kati tilted her head again.
"You coming Zoey? Tywer? You know the lady too?" she asked, then jumped a bit as Suga landed on her head.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Berry, Shiver

A common kuhna woman stepped out of the store, a shopping bag in hand. Behind her, a Spectrekuhna bobbed behind.
"Mum, are you sure? I really don't think those clothes would suit Tick's girls, and we don't know any other kits." Shiver said, her short-cropped natural red hair swishing as she shook her head. Berry shook her head and smiled.
"We've already bought it, no use fretting. I'll find someone to fit them on." Her face, unlike her daughter's firm and serious look, was soft and gentle. Despite this, Shiver was often referred to as the miniature version of her mother. Pushing her glasses up, Shiver looked around at the storefronts, only to realize her phone was ringing. Picking it up she hit the answer button and spoke quickly with the person on the other end. Nodding to no one in particular, she tapped Berry's shoulder and signaled that the speaker wished to talk to her. The common stopped, turning to take the phone curiously. She spoke with the woman on the other end, then hung up.
"What was that about?" asked Shiver, recieving a smile in response.
"Not telling~ You'll see when we meet up with someone." With that, she winked, gaining a sour look, and threaded through the crowd to sit by the fountain, glancing down into the empty basin, wishing there were some water. Water in a fountain was nice...or else it would just be a decorated hunk of rock, no?

[ShadowStitches]

(gonna drop out on this one, sorry
besides, it's been quite a while, I dont even know if its already 'dead' or not^^')

[Jaden Wolf]

((Mmhm, ok. I'ma finish though.))

Nodding goodbye to Zoey and Tyler, Satou walked off with the child. Suga fluttered, trying to keep her balance, as Kati's head whirled around. Satou laughed at the child's keen interest. Turning to her, Kati frowned.
"Answers?" she asked, tilting her head and nearly knocking off her passenger. Satou blinked and smiled.
"Ah, yes. What were those questions, again?" she responded gently, turning around a corner.
"Hmm..no remember. But I ask other questions? Who lady? You family? Live with you?" she blurted out some questions, and Satou laughed.
"Okay well, this lady is someone who lives in the same home as me. She's not my family, but I've known her since my brother and I moved there when we were kits. She also had kits of her own, and they're grown up now, like me...and you can ask her the rest...we're here." The two stepped into the busy square, and Satou stopped, looking for Berry. Kati copied her, very curious to see who she would be going home with. Spotting Shiver, Satou moved towards them. Kati looked ahead and saw who they were heading towards. Squriming down, she dashed off towards the two women.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Berry watched people come and go, as her daughter checked the remaining money and bills. Suddenly, a child in rags appeared in front of them.
"You nice lady?" the child asked, and Berry vaguely wondered where her parents were, until she saw Suga sitting on the girl's head.
"Ahh, hello Suga. Yes, little one, I am the lady you're looking for. My name's Berry, what's yours?" she asked with a soft smile as Suga fluttered over to her. Shiver looked in between the two, wondering what was going on. She hated being left out of the loop.