[S] Late night repast
Ambitious_Wench
All rights reserved
(Witth thanks to Jenny M. for her invaluable assistance.)
Heartwyrm and Dr. Kralk made their way down the corridors of
DoomWarren to her quarters. If one listens carefully, one can
hear their murmered conversation.
"...don't think I'm really ready for a mate, Papa. I am sure
that Luna will provide one when I am. But I will make the effort
to get to know my wyrmkin."
"Capital, my dear!" He beamed, his vorpal fangs clicking together.
His encircled eye winked with a vermillion gleem. "I do hope you
find friends. Not to put too fine a point on it, I note that your
fur is badly in need of grooming. I am sure that Mara will take
care of it for you. You would do well to cultivate her companionship.
As for Hannibal, I am sure that he would appreciate your talents on
your aetherphone."
They stopped by an entrance, Heartwyrm's paw on the opening mechanism.
Her theremin rested beside her. She smiled at Kralks adroit avoidance
of that name.
Just then a wonderful aroma wafted within sensory range, and they
both stopped to appreciate it. "Mmmmm, do you smell that, Papa
Kralk? Something smells good and spicy."
Heartwyrm's mouth began watering, and much to her chagrin, she could
not contain it behind her teeth. She raised a paw to her face, and
wiped it away as quickly as possible.
Just then a figure bearing a carry-container rounded a corner.
"Ah! Heartwyrm!" Hannibal proclaimed, "just the one I wanted to see!
And the good Doctor!" He bowed to them. "I was wiping up something
in my new wok and thought you'd might like a taste."
Dr. Kralk suppressed a chuckle. Mara must have spoken to Hannibal
at the same time he was speaking to Heartwyrm. Bless her forsight!
He *grinched*, and the paroxism passed quickly.
Heartwyrm looked to her foster father, and blinked. She held her
paw to her mouth still, in an effort to suppress her drooling. Her
elongated ears turned a bright red.
Kralk looked at her, and guessed her problem. He reached into a
vest pocket, and withdrew a snowy handkerchief, and handed it to her.
With a look of utter gratitude, she accepted it, and pressed it to
her mouth. "I tend to get messy when I am eating, and it's always
good to be able to get the bits of tissue out of one's fur."
Hannibal took a breath. He stood about average height for a convert,
which meant that Heartwyrm was nearly half again his size. "Ah," he
said quietly, as if groping for a reply, "the new teeth take a bit
of getting used too. If this isn't a good time...."
Heartwyrm shook her head, and then nodded. She lowered the kerchief,
and said, "Actually, this is a very good time, Hannibal. Please,
come in!" She returned the cloth to her mouth, and then opened the
entrance. She waited until the two bucks had entered, and then
hoisted the theremin and followed.
She closed the door with a shove of a rear paw, and then placed the
theremin on a low table against the far wall. She turned to her
guests still, and her tummy rumbled at the smell of the food Hannibal
had brought.
She had seen him in the choir, recently, and his voice was sweet and
true, if untrained. It seemed he was always in the kitchen, or moving
about the warren with food and he always had a cheerful smile. He
was, as Kralk had said, "a decent chap".
She went to him, and took the container from his paws, and placed it
on her eating table. She was mildly embarrassed that she had not
thoroughly cleaned it from her last meal. Dark stains still lay in
the bottoms of the blood runnels along the edges.
"Hmm," Hannibal said thoughtfully. "Let me wipe down the table
and get some proper plates," he said cheerfully. "After all,
good food and good company deserves good plates!"
Her ears still burning, she nodded her thanks. He turned to get
the needed items from the kitchen. The sweet aroma of the food
was stronger, and her mouth watered all the more. She was greatful
that he was such a gentlebun, and had not mentioned it. She looked
to Dr. Kralk, who had already made himself comfortable. He smiled,
"I claim priviledge of age, my dear," he said as he sat in the
most comfortable of the dining chairs.
She turned back just as Hannibal was finishing wiping down her table.
Humming a quiet tune he then laid out the dishes and, she noted with
deep gratitude, a large stack of napkins. Then he pulled out a chair
for her, and with a bow motioned for her to be seated. She did so.
The smell of the food intensified. He opened the container, and began
portioning out the food between three plates. As he did Heartwrym
recognized the piece he was humming: it was an invocation to Luna,
a piece that they had been practising for an upcoming concert.
"All set!" he said, rubbing his paws together in a satified way.
"Perhaps something to drink? No? You Dr. Kralk?"
At their declination of beverages, he seated himself and they began
to eat.
"Delicious, Hannibal! I see you have learned from Sammael some of
the finer points of emotion seasonings... this meat tastes of just
the right amount of fear. A lovely piquancy!"
"Is that what that flavor is? I thought it might be lemon..."
Hannibal smiled at her. "Ah, my secret is out. The meat wasn't
quite fearful enough, so I added just a hint of lemon grass...
and that brings out that exquisite blush of terror." He
beamed with delight. "I'm so glad you like it."
They continued commenting on the flavors, and Hannibal explained
the methods he had learned from the master squirrel chef on how
emotions in the animal would flavor the meat. Her hunger sated,
Heartwyrm was no longer plagued with her problem. She cleared the
table, as the two bucks sat and chatted.
"Hannibal, old chap, I was amused to find you in seeking out
Heartwyrm's company tonight. We had been speaking of you earlier
this evening."
Heartwyrm returned, and resumed her seat. Hannibal looked to her
for confirmation, and then backed to Dr. Kralk. "Oh?" he said,
trying to sound casual, "What about?"
Dr. Kralk wiped delicately at the corner of his mouth and then
turned to Heartwyrm. "Go ahead, my dear."
Heartwyrm took a deep breath and then blurted out "Would you like
to go to the Ball in Rhode Island with us?"
Hannibal blinked in surprise. "Why..." he grinned slowly, "I'd be
delighted."