Shadra brings a Savanite slave with his equipment down below decks, the eyes of her crew upon the slave and on Ben'zhamin, the little mouse who rides Shadra's shoulder. She knocks on the cabin door. "It's me, Shadra. I've brought a friend to come and see to you… You decent?"

Ben'zhamin leans against Shadra's neck, looking slightly nervous.

Tuzan, a caracal, bows to Shadra. "I shall be on deck, Captain, keeping a lookout." The salsa-munching tuft-eared cat walks back up the stairs.

In the cabin, a restlessly pacing fox gives a quick glace to Wyn, then pads to the door. He listens carefully first, sniffing at the crack at the door's edge, and then glances at Wyn again. "Shadra and Ben. And someone else."

Ben'zhamin thinks . o O { I've put my new friends at risk for the sake of old friends. What am I to do? }

The Savanite's gaze is fixed firmly below eye level of any of the crew. He seems focused on balancing his large backpack and pouches.

Zephyr places his paw on the doorknob, tilting his head at Wyn?

Shadra taps her clawtips on the floor, then knocks again. "Did you die in there or something?"

Wyn sits crosslegged on the bed, her eyes closed. "O, good. I hope we're leaving?"

Zephyr sighs, and whispers softly. "I hope so too." He turns back to the door, grasping the knob and turning it, then backing behind the door somewhat as it opens.

Wyn shakes off the daze of extended mental drills fuzzily.

Shadra raises an eyebrow as the cabin door opens to show just Wyn on the bed. She reaches out and pushes the door flat against the wall, trapping Zephyr behind it momentarily. "Have some respect for me on my own ship," she growls.

Wyn gets to her feet and flicks her ears alarmedly.

Zephyr quickly turns his muzzle to the side to avoid a bump, flattening himself against the bulkhead, then gently pushing the door back a bit to slip out. "Sorry, Shadra… I think… after what we've been through, a little caution can't be helped. I apologize."

Ben'zhamin takes Wyn in, giving the wolf a long glance. Despite his wishing for it not to, a shiver runs down his spine

"Apology accepted," the captain says crisply. "As I've said, I've brought a friend to see you." She steps into the cabin and gestures for the Savanite slave to come along.

There's just a faint emphasis on 'friend'…

The Savanite walks in, raising his eyes only when fully inside the room. he glances at Wyn, then Zephyr… studying their form and sizing them up quickly.

Zephyr translates the Captain's words quickly for Wyn, with the same inflection on that word, then smiles politely to the newcomer, and bows slightly.

Wyn says, "Who is? He's got a lot of stuff."

The Savanite raises a palm vertically, then swivels it. His other hand points to the door.

Shadra closes the door behind the slave, then locks it with some presses of her fingers on the fine decorations. Hidden bolts click.

Ben'zhamin waits for the door to close, and then says "A change of appearances, I would guess… "

Zephyr gives Ben a momentary, questioning glance, then looks back to the captain and her 'friend'. Not knowing anything of Savanites, or slaves, he sees only an unfamiliar cheetah-morph. He glances at Wyn. "I don't know… Hopefully help."

Shadra nods. "Safe to talk now." She grins expectantly to the slave, a slight emphasis ringing on 'talk'. Savanites can't, after all.

The Savanite grins at Ben'Zhamin. A alto voice, quite musical, comes from him."You are an astute mouse, it'un."

Ben'zhamin halfgrins. It wasn't much of a guess, as that's why Shadra and he had gone to the market…

Ben'zhamin says, "Those -do- look a little like makeup cases."

Wyn watches, her thoughts racing. She moves a step closer to Zephyr.

Temmis grins widely to Shadra, as he? reaches up to his face, to pull off a mask slowly. Underneath it the face of a quite female black-furred poodle, seemingly in middle age.

Zephyr blinks at Ben's words. "Disguises? He glances at Wyn, giving her a halfhearted swish of the tail and smile. "You mean we'll be able to not be noticed?" His language switches between Rephedim standard and one Wyn can understand as he speaks, then glances at the Savanite again… and jumps! as he… she? removes her mask.

Ben'zhamin blinks and chuckles!

Ben'zhamin says, "The convincing costume bodes well, certainly."

Temmis sets down the cases heavily. "You will, foxy, or I am not Temmis Joneson!"

Zephyr backs up slightly for a moment, his tail curling defensively in front of Wyn, ears flattening, before relaxing. "That's… You're good." He chuckles softly, looking back at Wyn.

Ben'zhamin relaxes a little. Things are going to be ok. At least for the short term.

Wyn wufs, "That's a good trick."

Shadra leans back against the wall. "These two are the clients of course," she says to Temmis. "The wolf doesn't speak our language. The fox interprets for her. I'll cover the bill."

Ben'zhamin blinks softly. He knows that Shadra is not wealthy, as far as those things go. Once again, a new friend sacrifices for him and his older friends.

Temmis unpacks, a thousand little cosmetics, jars, clothes seeming to pour from the backpack. "Hokay. Usual fees, Shadrra. I know you arre good forr it."

Ben'zhamin thinks . o O { One of whom doesn't remember me, and tried to kill me. }

Shadra nods with a slight grin. "Your usual robbery you mean. But you're the best. And you know it."

Zephyr blinks. "Thank you… Shadra. I will gladly replay you as soon as I can… " He turns to Wyn. "It's alright… She's going to disguise us, give us different appearances so we can move around freely. We won't be recognized."

Wyn softly wufs, to Zephyr, "I'll go along with anything if it'll get us off this ship. Ask if she's a way to hide scent, too?"

Temmis grins widely. "I do. And also, rememberr I need lock of furr from each. That is parrt of payment."

Shadra gives Zephyr a look: translate that.

Zephyr nods at the question. "Good point." He turns to Temmis. "Temmis… do you have a way to mask one's scent as well? Both Wyn and I have strong, recognizable scents, especially when threatened, and… er… fur?"

Ben'zhamin leans softly against Shadra's neck, giving her a soft pat. "Thank you." The mouse watches Wyn expectantly as Zephyr translates.

Temmis gazes at Zephyr. "I do scent, of course, it'un. You can smell like Jupani, like Zelak, like overrripe kyootcumber if that's what we need."

Zephyr glances back at Wyn. "She seems to have a strange fascination. She wants… I suppose to count how many clients she's had, a small lock of fur from each of us. Do you… mind?"

Temmis says, "And I need furr for supplies. Just small lock. I cannot test dyes all on me, now can I?"

"I'll make you work your tail off for it of course," Shadra quietly says with some humor to Ben. "But shh. We're not out of the Waashus yet. When they've got their new looks, we'll have to make sure that as few people as possible know what their new looks will be… That's why I picked Temmis. She's never betrayed a client that I've heard of."

Zephyr perks his ears, then speaks to Wyn again. "Oh… No. It's for testing dyes. That seems alright?"

Wyn puzzles. "I guess."

Ben'zhamin looks to Temmis.

Temmis says, "Well, well, what does the woofwoof say, foxy?"

Wyn thinks . o O { Things could be worse. She could have asked for all my hair. I wonder how many months it took to grow out this long? }

Temmis's voice remains a musical, friendly alto.

Temmis turns to the mouse. "Yes, it'un?"

Zephyr shrugs, and nods to Wyn, giving her a soft smile. "This seems like it'll work. If we have to close our eyes for anything to be put on, we do it at separate times, watch each other. She seems honest, though." He turns to Temmis. "We agree."

Ben'zhamin says, "Oh… um. I'm just impatient… Wyn says she guesses it's ok."

Temmis grins. "Now, we get this airrship off the dock. You, foxy, stand up! I have much worrk to do on you."

Wyn studies the mouse curiously. Its obvious ease in a roomfull of predators baffles her.

Ben'zhamin whispers to Shadra. "I have one more stone left, Shadra. It's yours, of course. i was saving it for an energency."

Shadra whispers to Ben, "That's good of you, blood-brother."

Temmis pulls Zephyr to his feet, as he seems to be hesitating. "Come along! Hurrry and take off yourr clothes."

Ben'zhamin covers a grin.

Shadra pauses. "Do you want to watch? I'm going to catch up on my paperwork," she says to Ben. "Still putting together a cargo, since the last one fell through."

Ben'zhamin tilts his head. "Well, yes, I would. Just set me on the counter, blood-sister?"

Ben'zhamin gives Shadra's neck a hug.

Zephyr rfs? and nods, as he had only grabbed his cloak out of habit at the knock on the door… ready for a quick departure. He quickly hangs it on a hook by the door, and pads over to Temmis. "So… what can you do, now, as far as a disguise?"

The puma captain sets Ben down kindly. "You take care, little one," she murmurs, before turning to click the door open briefly, then step out and shut it behind her. It clacks shut again.

Ben'zhamin sits quietly.

Wyn mumbles something about 'playing with your food' and shakes her head in amazement at Shadra's behavior.

Wyn sits down on the bed to watch.

Temmis hmmms at Zephyr. "You, I think, we will make a Jupani. Will not be hard… "

Wyn softly wufs, "After this, what? Is there a safe place in the City? I didn't see any bug guards in the burned part."

Temmis takes out scissors and clips off a snippet of Zephyr's fur, storing in a pouch. She then hauls out a series of dyes…

Ben'zhamin says, "They're there. They make regular patrols."

Ben'zhamin says, "As near as I can figure, this is something of a police state."

Temmis says, "Hokay. I make you nice, grray shade, all over. And I will give you some dye so you can keep look after rroots grrow."

Zephyr winces a little at the touch of the scissors, ears flattening, then relaxing as he forces himself to calm. He glances at Wyn, giving her a weak smile. "She's going to make me gray. And a 'Jupani', whatever that is… " He nods to Temmis. "Sounds good… "

Temmis starts dyeing Zephyr's fur, starting at his head. "Hmmmph. Zelaks, they not police. Not smarrt enough. Just patrrolerrs."

Wyn says, "Grey."

Ben'zhamin tilts his head, and nods. He moves along the long shelf to sit closer to Wyn.

Ben'zhamin grins. "Perhaps she'll make you a fox, Wyn?"

Ben'zhamin thinks . o O { Need to start being social with her… }

Temmis works quickly, and soon, Zephyr is a nice even-grey shade, with black markings on his face. "Hokay… now forr tail."

Temmis takes something vaguely like tape, and some scissors. She folds down the fur on the tail, and trims bits of it, until ZEphyr's tial looks more wolf-like than fox-like.

Zephyr closes his eyes and takes deep breaths as Temmis works, not… all that comfortable, but enduring calmly.

Wyn looks at Ben uncomprehendingly. She's visibly pained when Temmis goes to work on Zephyr's tail.

Temmis pats Zephyr on the rear lightly with one paw. "Rrelax, cute stuff. Temmis is the best disguiserr in All Rrephedim. You arre in good hands." She winks.

Wyn flickflicks her ears.

Wyn softly wufs, "She's kind of 'friendly'."

Wyn looks at her tail, and at the mouse. "She'd add to my tail?"

Zephyr can't help showing the edge of his teeth as his tail is… cut, his claws out a little as he keeps his eyes closed tightly. He yips! and jumps a little at Temmis' pat, then opens his eyes to look at Wyn. "Yes… she… is… But is she doing a good job? I know you can't see the color… "

Temmis takes a set of false ears, and affixes them to Zephyr's real ears. She follows this with a careful muzzle-coverer. Zephyr looks more and more like a Jupani.

Ben'zhamin grins and speaks so Wyn can understand, "I don't think she means any harm. i suppose she could, certainly. A weave, i would think."

Temmis says, "Open yourr mouth, foxy? "

Wyn softly wufs, "I wouldn't believe this if I didn't see it. You look like a wolf."

Zephyr experimentally swivels his ears, wondering how false ones can make his any less large, and making sure they don't hinder movement. He avoids looking at himself as he glances at Temmis. "What… are you going to do?"

Ben'zhamin tilts his head. "Bigger teeth, i wonder?"

Wyn turns her interest to the mouse.

Ben'zhamin grins to Wyn, hiding his nervousness.

Temmis grins at Ben. "Yes, it'un, false teeth… Otherrwise, everry time foxy opens his mouth, people see little fox teeth."

Ben'zhamin nods thoughtfully…

Temmis says, "They know in a second he's a yipyipperr."

Zephyr stares at Wyn, still careful not to look at himself. "I do?" He forces himself to relax again, opening his mouth to show his teeth and long, sharp, but narrow canines.

Ben'zhamin thinks . o O { Man… that 'little' blue fox in the marketplace really shook me up! i should have gone with Shadra. }

Wyn stares at the mouse. Is it a toy? Is it a pet? It knows a lot more than a pet ought to. "Does she give you free roaming, Mouse? The cat? Why would you come back to her? For food?"

Temmis hmmms, gazing in. "Hokay… Hey mouse, Ben, is that rright? can you get me blue pouch from floorr? Rrright therre by you."

Ben'zhamin thinks about Zephyr and his comment about eating mice. The mouse nods and hops to the floor, crossing across to the bag. He g]drags it to Temmis.

Ben'zhamin says, "Here you go."

Temmis nods. "Thank you. You want to watch frrom my shoulderr? You smarrt one, maybe learrn a thing."

Wyn nods for Zephyr, grinning. "I'd still recognize you. You probably won't fool real wolfs up close, if they are paying attention," she wufs. "You look good. With some clothes, it'd be hard to pick you out of a crowd."

Ben'zhamin steels himself and returns to sit next to Wyn's foot.

Wyn swishes her tail.

Ben'zhamin says, "You look very good, Zephyr."

Wyn stares at the mouse.

Ben'zhamin says, "Er… I can watch from here, Temmis. Thank you, though."

Wyn notices her heart beginning to race. She puts her paws behind her back and fidgets.

Temmis takes the pouch, and slips some false teeth over Zephyr's teeth. "Now, these will stay on perrmanent, but I give you loosenerr forr when you want to take them off."

Temmis smiles. "Hokay, Ben-it'un."

Zephyr grins sheepishly at Wyn, still not looking at himself. "But you… think I look like a wolf? I… hrpmpth?" He acks as the teeth are fitted, then bites experimentally.

Wyn thinks . o O { I'm being tempted. Sorely tempted. This is a test. }

Ben'zhamin says, "They… Wyn and Zephyr… can get ahold of you if they need more dye or touch-ups?"

Temmis steps back. "Hmm. Still need fix wrrists, all shaved… I have a fix."

Temmis nods to Ben. "They can. But they will not need morre forr a month, if they use some dye I give them, can put it on themselves, they smarrt, right?"

Ben'zhamin grins. "Yes. They are."

Temmis slips some false-fur coverings over Zephyr's wrists, and adds dye, until they blend perfectly with the rest of his fur. She fastens them firmly with an adhesive, that feels hot but not painful.

Ben'zhamin says, "Don't bite your tongue, Zephyr… "

Zephyr licks his nose nervously a little, watching Temmis work.

Temmis says, "Now, we drress you… don't lick at dye! You make it come all off. Still needs hourrr to set."

Ben'zhamin watches Wyn's claws dig a little into the wood of the decking. o O { I'm making her nervous… }

Temmis selects for Zephyr some native Jupani garb, making him seem like a tourist to Rephedim, not a native. "You will look like wild Jupani, makes things easierr. City Jupani will not look as close.

Zephyr rfs, ears flattening a little. "Clothes? More than a cloak? Something loose, I hope?" He thinks o O {I hate clothes. They slow you down and muss your fur.}

Zephyr listens, ears swiveling. "Wild Jupani? Shouldn't I study their culture and all, so I don't do something wrong?"

Wyn giggles. "Oh, those are cute." :)

Temmis says, "Relax, cute stuff. You have good body, we make surre you show it off for all the prretty ladies."

Ben'zhamin tilts his head. "You will have to do that probably, Zephyr."

Temmis hands Zephyr the clothes. It's mostly a pair of pants, a small necklace, and a headband. "No, no, you not need worrry. All you need to do is grrunt like "Warf Warf" for yes, and "Woof woof" for no, and shrrug when you don't know. More, it takes long time to teach you, and I am not schoolmistrress."

Zephyr's ears turn a crimson shade inside, though the undyed white fur. He gives Wyn a playful grin, chuckling. "Cute. Thanks."

Ben'zhamin chuckles softly.

Wyn says, "Warf warf!"

Temmis says, "Hokay. You put those on, foxy, I get scents."

Ben'zhamin watches, interested.

Ben'zhamin says, "how do you manufacture your scents, Temmis?"

Temmis grins at Ben. "If I tell you everrything, Ben-it'un, I will be broke in yearr. I am not the best because I am blabberrmouth, no?"

Zephyr examines the clothes dubiously, then sighs and dresses. He can't help but notice his gray fur now, and the sight obviously disturbs him a little. Tying the headband around just below his ears, he raises the necklace to put it on… and then closes his eyes and shows teeth as he remembers something. Forcing himself to calm, he finishes putting on the necklace, giving Wyn a long, quiet look as he does.

Temmis grins at Ben. "If I tell you everrything, Ben-it'un, I will be broke in yearr. I am not the best because I am blabberrmouth, no?"

Zephyr examines the clothes dubiously, then sighs and dresses. He can't help but notice his gray fur now, and the sight obviously disturbs him a little. Tying the headband around just below his ears, he raises the necklace to put it on… and then closes his eyes and shows teeth as he remembers something. Forcing himself to calm, he finishes putting on the necklace, giving Wyn a long, quiet look as he does.

Ben'zhamin chuckles…

Wyn watches quietly.

Ben'zhamin hmmms thoughtfully. "What will you and Wyn do now, Zephyr?"

Temmis opens a jar, and dabs some thick, smell paste on Zephyr's neck and muzzle, then steps behind him and puts some on his tail, near the base.

Wyn thinks . o O { He's disturbed by something. It's in his eyes. Ack; it's hard to not read him in wuf terms now. Perhaps I am only imagining things. }

Zephyr turns his head quietly to regard Ben. "Survive. As best we can. We'll do alright… "

Temmis dabs some more on Zephyr's thighs, and then recorks the jar. "You will need to add some everry week, hokay? I will give you a good supply."

Temmis looks Zephyr over… "Almost good… what am I missing… "

Temmis says, "Oh! Your eyes. Hmmm… You want blue or grreen?""

Zephyr stares back at Temmis, the light from a cabin lantern catching in his eyes… highlighting the vertical pupils. "Blue or green… what?"

Temmis says, "Eyes, foxy. You not listen to what Temmis say?"

Ben'zhamin finally reaches to pat pat Wyn's foot. "You both deserve better than to just survive. We'll have to think of a way we can stay in touch."

Zephyr blinks. "You mean… lenses? Oh." He takes a deep breath, looking at Wyn as he replies, softly. "Green."

Ben'zhamin thinks . o O { She feels and smells just like Wyn. Where to memories go. when they flee one's mind? }

Wyn jerks her paw away from the mouse. "Don't," she wufs quietly. "This is not a fair test. I don't want to fail it.

Temmis nods, and stares very very close into Zephyr's face for a second. She then fetches thin green contact lenses. "This one for the left eye, this one for the rright eye. You will still see fine, evrrything will be a little grreen, though."

Temmis hands the lenses carefully to Zephyr. "These very good, can wearrr forreverr."

Ben'zhamin blinks and nods to the wolf, taking her warning to heart. He sits very still.

Ben'zhamin thinks . o O { Perhaps it's best that they are leaving. If we should ever return to Genesis, we won't talk about this. }

Zephyr chuckles softly, not seeing Wyn and Ben as he talks to Temmis. "That's quite alright. I really can't see 'green' that strongly." Carefully holding a lens on the soft black pad of one finger, he keeps his eyelid up, putting it in… then blinking a few times. The second one follows, the lenses making his pupils appear green… and round.

Temmis steps back and smiles. "mmmm. Verry good. Show to your frriends, walk arround a little. Rememberr to hunch over a little bit."

Zephyr tenses for a moment as he looks down at his gray fur, white front, wolflike colors and features… and a thought hits him. o O {I look like a male version of Wyn now… }

Wyn swishes her tail for Zephyr.

Temmis says, "What you think, Ben-it'un? And ask the ladywoofwoof what she thinks."

Zephyr turns, slowly, to face Wyn, just… quietly watching her. His eyes, as they look into hers, have round pupils, and his colors and shapes are that of a digitigrade wolf, gray and white, muzzle, ears, teeth, and all.

Ben'zhamin grins and translates for Wyn.

Wyn softly wufs, "You're … er… "

Wyn thinks . o O { I've come to depend on you. I recognize that. So where did my words go? }

Ben'zhamin tilts his head and grins. "You look just like an alpha wolf, Zephyr."

Wyn softly wufs, "You look fine, Zephyr."

Temmis says, "Sit down, foxy, we got you done perrfect. Now for yourr ladyfrriend."

Zephyr tilts his head at Wyn, smiling a little softly for her before moving to settle on the edge of the bed. "I'm still me, Wyn… I'm… what?"

Ben'zhamin moves to make way on the floor for another set of paws.

Wyn coughs.

Wyn blushes.

Wyn thinks . o O { That's for it. Next opportunity we're alone, you're breakfast, little pet. Or whatever meal is convenient. }

Temmis grins. "Ah, I see. The lady thinks foxy is all handsome like this. Well, she is rright."

Temmis says, "But the time to admirre work is laterrr, the time to worrk is now. Come along. "

Zephyr's ears blush a little too, and he swishes his tail softly at Wyn. "I… um… " He blushes even more at Temmis's words. "I… er… I mean… your turn, Wyn?"

Wyn stands.

Ben'zhamin leans back against a bedpost and watches.

Zephyr watches Temmis. "What're you going to make her?"

Temmis hmmmms at Zephyr. "Well, we will turrn a good thing to bad. She cannot speak Rrephedim, so we make her into a fastkitty, she will not have to speak at all."

Ben'zhamin blinks. "A cheetah? Gads… that will be a transformation."

Temmis grins at Ben. "Oh yes. But trrust me. You think this poodle was just anotherr Savanite, rright?"

Wyn steps from foot to foot nervously.

Ben'zhamin nods slowly, nodding. 'Good point. You're not as stocky as Wyn though. This should be interesting!"

Temmis says, "Calm, calm, woof-it'un. One of you will trranslate forr herr while I do this, yes?"

Zephyr nods to Temmis. "Yes, I will."

Ben'zhamin looks to Zephyr and whispers "Let me, Zephyr?"

Zephyr glances down at his transformed self again, shivering a little. o O {A wolf. I'm a wolf.}

Temmis hmmms. "Well, the mouse is rright… she will need to look skinnierr. Hmm."

Zephyr blinks at Ben and sighs, whispering back. "Ben… you can, but I doubt she's liable to trust you… "

Ben'zhamin nods, whispering back. "She needs to… so I can trust her. Or I'm liable to go missing."

Temmis goes to a pocket in the backpack, and removes something that looks very vaguely like a girdle, with some strangely linking straps.

Zephyr thinks… and nods softly to the mouse. "Alright… you can try."

Ben'zhamin takes a deep breath, ears pivoting to Temmis, listening.

Wyn wrinkles her nose.

Temmis turns around… "Foxy, tell herr to take off clothes. Apparrently, Temmis have to tell everryone evrrrything today."

Ben'zhamin translates for Wyn. "Wyn, Temmis has asked you to remove your clothing so she can start."

Zephyr nods to Wyn after Ben speaks. "It's alright. That's what she said."

Wyn does as she's told, leaving her clothes in a careless pile on the bed.

Temmis looks to Ben and Zephyr. "You both need to trranslate? Hokay, any road."

Zephyr watches quietly. o O {If she has to cut her fur, or trim her tail… I won't be able to watch. Otherwise I'd jump and protect her, I know that… }

Temmis says, "Tell the lady I will put this on herr. It will be tight at firrst, but will not hurrt at all."

Zephyr nods to Ben.

Ben'zhamin says, "Wyn, Temmis is going to put the girdle on you. It will be a little tight, but will not hurt."

Wyn says, "It does NOT look comfortable."

Ben'zhamin thinks . o O { Wyn had trouble wearing clothes when she was 'herself.' I'll be surprised if she doesn't freak and go into something of a frenzy. }

Wyn swishes her tail doubtfully.

Ben'zhamin translates for Temmis, incase she misses the swishing tail. "She's dubious."

Wyn raises her paws out of the way and turns to make the task easier.

Temmis looks into Wyn's eyes, and smiles gently. "You can trrust me.", she says in her most soothing of tones.

Ben'zhamin repeats that to Wyn, softly…

Ben'zhamin quietly to Zephyr. "I have a feeling that Temmis has had more than her share of dealings with this 'empire.'"

Temmis attaches the girdle slowly onto Wyn, with much care. over thirty buckles are fastened, one at a time, each one pushing Wyn's figure a slightly different way.

Wyn erfs.

Temmis buckles up the last strap, and looks pleased. Wyn's figure is much slimmer, yet wyn still can move without too much trouble, and can breathe easily. "There we go. Ought be tight, but not hurrt."

Ben'zhamin nods and translates. "Tight, but not hurtful."

Ben'zhamin thinks . o O { I wonder what she will do about Wyn's muzzle? }

Zephyr nods quietly to Ben, then just watches Wyn, trying to keep gentle eye contact with her.

Wyn softly wufs, "And I thought I was slim before. I can breathe OKie, I guess. Just sos she's not making me into a bug, is all I care about."

Temmis hauls out a thin, very fine, cloth, with the texture and colors of Savanite fur. She hmmms, taking a few measurements of Wyn's new frame with her paws, and then removing a pair of scissors.

Ben'zhamin says, "Temmis… I have heard rumors that in some places on the planet, magic is practiced? Is there someone who practices tranformational magics?"

Wyn thinks . o O { I wonder how I get into this costume by myself? Or out of it? }

Temmis hmmmphs at Ben as she cuts the clothe with the scissors. "Magic, magic. Half of it is hokum and otherr half is morre hokum. Magic would not last like rreal disguise, and otherr magicians might tell, even if you can pay all the gold and silverr to a magickerr."

Ben'zhamin grins and relates the conversation to Wyn, just in case she should feel he's keeping anything from her.

Temmis adds some miniscule buttons and snaps to the cloth, and then walks back. "Hokay. Now I will put on cloth overrtop girrdle and herr furr."

Ben'zhamin nods. "She's going to put clothing on now, Wyn."

There's a knocking on the door, and then a few seconds later, the sound of bolts clacking. Shadra peeks in. "Is everything going well?" she asks.

Wyn nods, turning helpfully for Temmis. "OKie."

Ben'zhamin erss… "The fake fur, rather… " The mouse changes languages and nods. "Yes, Shadra. Say, have you seen Zephyr?"

Ben'zhamin covers a grin.

Temmis nods to Shadra. "Is hokay."

Shadra looks in. Her eyebrow raises. "Very good."

"Anyway," Shadra says. "I'm about to have dinner. Would you care to join me, little brother?"

Ben'zhamin blinks and grins. "Er, yes… i am famished… "

Wyn softly wufs, "How do I buy clothes, I wonder."

Ben'zhamin grins. "Zephyr, take over?" He bows to Wyn and Temmis, and walks to Shadra…

Temmis says, "Goodbye, Ben-it'un. You are a smarrt mouse, good for Shadrra to have you as a frriend."

Shadra lowers a hand for Ben, unwittingly preventing him from becoming Wyn's dinner in turn. "Then c'mon up and we'll dine. Some fresh fruit from Idonia today, glazed by the chef."

Ben'zhamin says, "Good night all. Temmis… thank you for helping my friends."

Ben'zhamin steps into the offered hand.

Shadra smiles gently and picks up the mouse. "Good work on Zephyr, as always. I'll be curious to see what you do with the wolf, Temmis." She steps back.

Temmis grins at Shadra. "You will see."

Ben'zhamin waves as he disappears with the cougaress.

Temmis goes to the door, making sure it is shut securely. She then walks over to Wyn. "Now, the costume."

Wyn watches Temmis closely, trying to anticipate her commands.

Temmis puts the costume onto Wyn, showing her and Zephyr at every step where buttons and snaps are. It covers Wyn's torso and shoulders, and down to her hips, wrapping around her crotch. There's even a quick series of snaps easily freed for eliminatory purposes.

Temmis says, "The legs, and arms, and herr tail, I will have to do by dyes. Tell herr this, foxy."

Zephyr carefully watches the fastening of the costume, noting every button and snap, and how to fasten and unfasten them. He looks up at Wyn, smiling. "Looks good so far… She just said that she'll have to do your arms, legs, and tail with dye now."

Wyn looks at her tail, and then sideways at Zephyr. "She's ambitious. I'd never believe she could change my tail into a cat's, unless I'd seen her make you over first."

Zephyr nods softly, glancing down over his own form, holding out his gray-furred arms. "I know… I'm… a wolf. She's good. Very good."

Wyn mumbles to herself, "… hafta stop swishing … don't even know … twitch the tailtip."

Temmis starts in with the dyes. She gets under the edges of the costume by a good in, first applying a base coat of tawny yellow, then going over with black stripes.

Temmis stripes and speckles Wyn to perfect cheetah markings, then hmms. "The tail, this will be trricky."

Zephyr perks his ears, sitting up a little more as he watches. He hears a fragment of Wyn's mumbling, and blinks. "Tail. That's right… I have to make my tail show more emotion." He smiles. "Like you've always done. I think I've picked up a bit of that from you anyway." He looks back to Temmis, watching the proceedings. "This… I'm rather impressed with your skill. I'd never believe this if I wasn't seeing it… "

Wyn winces at the idea of shears and her tail being together in the same place at the same time. She glances at Zephyr and her ears fall.

Zephyr winces a little, his ears drooping as well. "Can you just… bind it, not cut it?"

Temmis smiles widely. "Thank you, foxy. I always trry and do good worrk, not just forr you, but forr me. I am prroud when I do good worrk."

Temmis hmmms… "I can trry. I will have to snip *some*."

Zephyr gives Wyn an understanding look, and speaks to Temmis again. "Does the species you're making her ever wear ornamental tail coverings, or anything like that?"

Temmis shakes her head. "No Savanite I know. Not slave ones, at least, and that's what she will have to be acting like."

Temmis says, "Fastkitties will have simple tunic, cloak or rrobe, badge of who owns them, sometimes chains."

Zephyr freezes for a second, then catches himself and nods… "So… she's to be a… slave, then?"

Temmis nods to Zephyr. "She will be prretending to be yourr slave. It will be best. I have chains that you can use, will make costume beterrr, but I thinks she will not like them much, rright?

Zephyr watches Wyn, then sighs, and reaches out to gently grasp her paw… with a wolf's white paw, this time. He looks into her eyes, calmly. "Wyn… The species you're being… You're _not_ going to be one, you'll be with me, and free, pretending only in public… But they're… " He just watches her quietly. "Slaves… "

Zephyr shakes his head to Temmis. "No… no chains, no thank you. I… don't think she'd like that."

Wyn lays her ears back.

Temmis nods. "I can tell with this one… she is frree rrunnerr."

Temmis says, "You tell herr no chains."

Wyn softly wufs, "You're telling me this now, after I'm all squished up in this thing? It itches. I want to take it off already."

Zephyr smiles a little and gives Wyn's paw a gentle squeeze. "She says she knows you're not a slave, and there won't be anything like chains, just an act. She called you a 'free runner'."

Wyn gulps and looks at Temmis in surprise. { How much does she know? } O o . she thinks to herself.

Zephyr winces and shakes his head. "Wyn, you can take it off as soon as we find a safe place, but it's our only hope to survive out there. I know… I'm sorry."

Temmis takes out some scissors, wire, and adhesive, and steps around behind Wyn, holding her tail.

Wyn closes her eyes.

Zephyr firmly holds Wyn's paw, whispering. "I got her to agree she's only going to trim a little, she's going to bind it, is all."

Temmis snips off a lock of Wyn's tailfur, adding it to her 'collection' pouch. She trims the tailfur a bit, binds it with the wire, and looks…

Wyn softly wufs, "Can't we just leave… to the mountains, or to a forest. I'll live in a desert."

Temmis trims off a little more tailfur, re-binds, and then sets some adhesive down. She begins dyeing the tail.

Wyn thinks . o O { Just a little. Ha! My tail feels lighter already. Let's put some glue in _your_ tail, how 'bout. }

Zephyr sighs. "I know. I want to too. We will, eventually. But this island is… well… it's way up in the air, and we don't have a way down right now. We need to survive here, just for a while, while we figure out a way to get somewhere else."

Wyn crosses her arms and glares at her feet.

Wyn thinks . o O { I'll be a cross slave wif a bad attitude. At least I'll be convincing. }

Wyn quietly wufs, "Say that again."

Wyn doesn't look up.

Temmis works with extreme care and caution. When she's finished, Wyn's tail looks amazingly like a cheetah tail, and only a third of the fur total has been trimmed off.

Temmis says, "Hokay! I outdo myself this time. Now, for the face."

Zephyr quietly watches the wolf, glancing every now and then at Temmis' work. He whispers. "I said, we'll find a way away from her, eventually… We need to just survive till we find a way down, but I want to find that mountain forest too. This city is… bad. Corrupt. I don't like it."

Wyn softly wufs, "This isn't an island. There's no smell of water."

Wyn's mind grasps at epiphany one concept at a time.

Temmis goes to a pouch, and removes some putty. "Foxy, tell herr I need to put this on herr face. It is forr mask."

Zephyr keeps talking quietly to Wyn as Temmis works. "She's going to do your face now. Wyn… with this, from what I've read about places that had slaves… She says you'll act like 'my' slave, so we won't be separated, and I'll be able to protect you. And… the island? Well… "

Zephyr points to the putty. "She's going to shape a cat face for you, so she needs to make a mask of your face with that. Wyn… this is an island, yes… but it's… well… it's floating in the sky, not in the ocean."

Zephyr tries to keep eye contact with the wuffess. "And no, I can't explain it, but it's not going to fall. It's huge, I saw it coming here, and we're… I'd guess somewhere around eight to ten thousand feet in the air.

Temmis applies putty over Wyn's face, making a well-detailed cast of it. After letting it set for about a minute, she removes it carefully.

Wyn sits down on the bed and grasps the headboard with one paw, and the blanket in the other.

Wyn doesn't reply.

Zephyr quietly scoots closer to Wyn, curling his… wolf tail around her lightly. "Wyn, if you look at things outside… whatever makes this island stay here, it's pretty old… it's been around a long time. It's probably something to do with the world itself, I don't know. But I promise, we'll find a way down, back to forests and the ground. Okay?"

Temmis starts working with the mask over on the desk, making a mold. Her attention is fully focused on the difficult work.

Wyn sits very still, barely breathing. "It's really old, so it's ready to break any moment. That'll get us down quickly," she wufs quietly.

Zephyr shakes his head again. "I doubt all these people would live here if they thought that might happen, Wyn… Whatever keeps it up, it seems to be pretty strong, and permanent."

Wyn softly wufs, "I want to stay on this ship, OKie? Tell them. That way, we can cut the lines when it goes."

Zephyr nods softly. "I'll ask… I don't know if we _can_, it's not our ship, but I'll ask. I thought you didn't like these airships?"

Wyn thinks . o O { I can clean things, if they show me how. I can carry things. I don't remember if I can cook. Mebbe I can cook for room and board? }

Wyn softly wufs, "I hate them."

Wyn softly wufs, "At this moment, I hate them a li'l less. At least we're safe if the island goes, 'cause we can cast off."

Zephyr rfs. "Well… I think it's safe to say the island's not going to go, but… if you want, I'll ask."

Wyn eyes Zephyr.

Wyn softly wufs, "No wonder everyfur has gathered in the city. They're afraid they'll fall off the edge. How big is it? Bigger than the city?"

Temmis keeps working, the mask taking shape. She applies fur to it, thoroughly…

Zephyr watches Wyn back, green, round eyes in a gray-and-white wolf face. "Bigger? _Much_ bigger. Remember all the forest we were in? That's part of the island too. I have no idea just how big, but it's… big."

Zephyr says, "It's a whole mountain, Wyn… and trust me, I don't want to be falling either. "

Wyn hugs herself. "I want OFF of here. I'm not supposed to be up here. I'm not a bird."

Wyn says, "You said they were getting cargo ready. Let's just go with them."

Zephyr hesitates for a second, then gently wraps a gray arm around Wyn's back, just a warm gesture of contact. He sighs. "Well… it's not that easy. All the ships are being held, they said, we saw that one being searched, remember? It might be a while before this one leaves, and I don't know where it's going. You don't want to wait till we're sure we can get to someplace quiet and safe?"

Wyn thinks . o O { We need a way to get them to cooperate. I saw the crossbows… force is no use. }

Temmis finishes the mask, and sets it down on the table. She turns around to Wyn and Zephyr. "Hokay. Now, I put on makeup around eyes, and eye-colorrerrs. By then, mask will be drried and rready.

Wyn says, "I don't care where it's going, as long as it's going down."

Zephyr thinks… o O {Gah. I shouldn't have told her the island was floating yet… }

Zephyr's ears perk as he looks up at Temmis, then turns to Wyn. "She's going to put makeup around your eyes now, then will put the mask on when it's dry." He halfsmiles. "It does look pretty real so far, Wyn."

The ship rocks just a little in its docking cradle. More people climbing aboard, Zephyr can tell. Probably two, maybe three.

It could be crew coming back from a little shipping trip.

Wyn nods slowly.

Zephyr's ears flatten slightly, then perk and swivel as they track a sound. He strains a little, wondering why he can't hear as well… and then absently reaches up to touch the prosthetics holding his ears partially folded. o O {Ack. So what's coming on board?}

Temmis walks over to the bed, and applies dyes and makeup around the eyes, and around the mouth, where the mask cannot wholly cover. She shows Wyn the contacts, and guides her in placing them in.

Wyn thinks . o O { Except I'm a cat with wuf instincts. I want to chase me up a tree, or bite myself just for being. }

Wyn thinks . o O { I can see it now, at parties. Come on, Wyn? Just _one_ li'l look in the mirror? Please? It's so funny when you bark at your reflection. You got to do it for the guests. }

Three knocks, a pause, then two more knocks on the door. That's the 'warning' signal that Shadra established with Zephyr and Wyn before leaving them in the cabin for several days. Footsteps fade away, and then the heavy thumps of someone climbing up stairs follows that, muted by several walls of wood.

Temmis hmms at Wyn, while she has the contacts on. "Brrrown is good on you, yes."

Zephyr freezes, alert, and rests a paw on Wyn's shoulder. "That knock… And Wyn, I just felt someone come aboard… " He looks at Temmis. "Are you almost done?"

Wyn's ears perk up.

Temmis turns at the knocks on the door, and then back to Zephyr. "Yes, all I need to do is put on herr mask. You think therre is trrouble coming, foxy? I can hearr it in yourr voice."

Zephyr speaks to Temmis. "We may have visitors… Please hurry."

Wyn softly wufs, "This is Shadra's personal cabin. Perhaps they'll not come here. Besides, the door's special-bolted."

Temmis moves speedily now, fitting the mask over Wyn's face. The costume is perfect. "Hokay, woofwoof, you look good. Now, foxy, make sure she knows Fastkitties neverrr talk. Even if hit or hurrt."

Zephyr turns to Wyn. "Okay… like she said… if someone comes in, I'm just a… Jupani? native from the lands below, and you're… ", he winces a little. "You're my… property, a Savanite slave. If they follow what most places do as far as slaves, they can't touch you. Oh… Wyn… she just said… your race can't talk, even if hurt… "

Wyn nods.

Zephyr sighs. "And don't take it seriously if I act like you're property or I don't respect you, because I might have to put on a bit of a show."

Temmis starts packing up things, except for the scents she'll need to put on Wyn, and the extra supplies for the both of them. She starts putting her own mask on as well…

Footsteps come down the stairs. Three people. The sounds of a heated argument come to Zephyr's ears even through the door, and then a sigh. Three officious knocks on the door cover the sounds of bolts clacking back into place, and then Shadra's voice calls out, "Are you decent in there? Two gentlemen from the Port Authority want to look in here."

Zephyr glances at Wyn and Temmis. "Ready?"

Wyn pads over to Zephyr and kneels next to him, on the floor of the cabin. She nods.

Wyn looks at the floorboards.

More heated words and yelling. Shadra insists, "We've got nothing to hide, and I'm not intruding on my guests without giving them so much as a chance to fix their dress. I've got manners even if you don't."

Zephyr whispers to Temmis. "You're a Savanite slave too, right? Can you pretend to be cleaning?"

Temmis packs up, handing Wyn and Zephyr the equipment… she whispers "You put scent on later. No time now."

Wyn reaches back to put the scent on the nightstand.

Temmis affixes her own mask thoroughly and securely, and slips the backpack on her shoulders. She walks to the door, and opens it, looking out with the deferential, servile gaze of a Savanite.

A deeper voice responds, "Of course, Captain. Just following procedures. Regs say we're 'quired to spot-check ships in dock."

Zephyr pads to the doorway as Temmis exits, glancing at the captain, then at the others. He speaks in a deeper voice than usual, adding a bit of a gruff growl to it. "Captain, was good fur-groomer, worth spent money." He looks at the others again. "Yes? Check?"

Shadra nods to the Savanite-seeming Temmis, standing next to two officers dressed in cloth uniforms with chitin breastplates. The one in charge seems to be a fat raccoon whose paunch roly-polies out beneath his breastplate, the one who just spoke of regs and procedures with a certain insincerity, and his assistant is a young-looking Jupani wearing a non-reg feather behind an ear. "Ah, 'Fer, this is Inspector Sabrel of the Port Authority service. And his assistant… Iosev Zhenufy, wasn't it?" She elicits a nod from the Jupani.

The Savanite male looks to Shadra, and the guards. She raises her palm up to Shadra in a questioning sign, then points towards the stairs?

"Well, then. These two gentlemen are just checking that we've nothing contraband." The puma captain sighs exaggeratedly. "I told them that we were checked on arrival, we unloaded completely, and we've not yet begun to take on any cargo, but they insist on doing what they call a 'spot check' of the ship. I'm sure you're not shipping any illegal drugs in here, yes, Mr. Fer?" She smiles grimly.

"Aye," the Jupani responds with a snort.

Zephyr snorts in return, looking mildly disgusted. "Drugs. Mess up mind, make body sick, stupid things." He moves aside from the door, gesturing into the room, and its single other occupant, the female Savanite. "Can look if you want."

Wyn does not move or look up from where she was when the door was opened.

"Thank you, Mr. Fer," Inspector Sabrel says. "Jus' doin' a quick checkup. No need for concern among *legit* shippers, right, Cap'n? But can't be too careful, there's dangerous types runnin' loose. I hears there's a really wanted fugitive, seen in Darkside, got a thousand gold pieces on his head… " He takes a filthy-looking wooden pipe that has definitely seen better days and taps it against the door frame to shake out loose detritus.

Shadra nods to the slave. "Yeah, you go on, got nothing to do with you." She motions for Temmis to pass by, but Inspector Sabrel raises a hand. "Just a minute, please, Captain." He looks to his assistant. "Joe?"

Iosev glances around the room, snuffling to himself.

The Savanite male waits, with a resigned attitude, turning to face the inspector, keeping his eyes lowered.

Joe sniffs at Temmis as she passes by. Taking a good wiff, he says "HGee there, missy… some might strong perfume you got there."

Shadra rolls her eyes. "You need a better grade of assistant," she suggests to the Inspector. "Can't even tell male from female? How's he going to tell orenmek from yorspice?"

Sabrel looks briefly disappointed. "Move on," he says to the slave. "c'mon, Joe. We've got a way to go. Nice tidy little ship. Bet there're a lot of places you could hide things in here."

The male Savanite's expression sours, but his eyes remain lowered. He ignores the insult, as he is accustomed to bearing them.

Joe responds, "Hon, I ain't NEVER smelled a male like that before.

Zephyr blinks at the Jupani's mistake and chuckles. "Good inspectors, yes, captain?"

The Savanite walks quickly up the stairs and disappears from view.

Sabrel gestures for Joe to go in the room and sniff around, then follows and casually looks in desk drawers, the dresser, beneath the bed, then at the window and various fittings.

Wyn thinks . o O { Erf. I think my body is froze in this position. I hope my lungs work when I stand up again. }

Joe walks around picking up various items, sniffing that them.

Zephyr looks at Joe. "Yah. He's a fur groomer, carries stuff for that. I buy little perfume for" he points to the female Savanite. "Her. Cheap stuff, keeps her happy."

Joe half-glances up at Zephyr. He responds witha snort, and wipes his nose on his sleeve.

"You're just a rookie," Sabrel comments to Joe. "When you've spent sixteen years in the force like I have, maybe you'll have seen half of what I've seen in my experience."

Zephyr winces inwardly. o O {Sorry, Wyn… glad you can't hear this… }

"Huh. Good slave girl, I hope. They seem to be getting ruder an' ruder alla time," the Inspector says as he looks over at Wyn. He jabs his empty and unlit pipe her way, gesturing with it. "What line o' work you in?"

Joe idly sniffs at Wyn. He stops for a moment, then sniffs again.

Wyn thinks . o O { Ut ohs. I'm dead. I'm still a wuf to a nose wifout a cold. }

Zephyr starts to answer the inspector, but stops to growl lowly at Joe. "Hey. Win or buy one yourself."

"Not on his salary," Sabrel says with a laugh. "They don't pay us lowly Port types much, at the Temple."

Joe looks at Wyn, and moves in a little closer for a better sniff.

Zephyr moves quickly towards Joe, paw raised and teeth back. "Inspector, you gonna stop him, or do I have to teach him not to get fresh with other people's slaves?"

Joe says, "Aye! Yer slave here smells as if she just gave a dog a bath!"

Joe sniffs at the curiously at the air. "Either that, or a fox."

Shadra coughs delicately. "Please, there are certain things which polite people do not pry into." Her gaze wanders over to the obvious wolf in the room, Zephyr.

Joe looks at Zephyr, furrowing his brow. "No need toget into a huff! Just doing my job, see?"

Zephyr stops, his ears flat back, growling lower now. "You checking for drugs, or checking for some kinda moral code?"

Sabrel laughs. "Enough of that, Joe, keep going. We've got a lot of ship to search yet. Find anything illegal?"

"Not unless ya call a Sevanite theat smells like a dog illegal."

"Hardly," Sabrel says with a raised eyebrow. "No law 'gainst… Grooming."

Joe sniffs around near the door. He pokes at a cloak there and sniffs at it.

Sabrel looks around. The guest room evidently hasn't turned up anything worthy of interest. "So what do you do for a living, Mr. Fer? Merchant, I guess?"

Joe stops and thinks, and sniffs at the cloak again. "Egads! this thing reeks o' fox!"

"Fox?" Sabrel raises his eyebrows. He glances over at Zephyr.

Zephyr stares at Joe. "You wanna quit sniffing at my slave and look for illegal stuff? It's about time to eat, and I'm hungry." He turns to Sabrel. "Yah. Different stuff, from my clan mostly. Bring it up here… "

Joe hands the cloak to Sabrel.

Shadra frowns, reaching up to scratch behind one of her black-marked ears.

Zephyr looks back at Sabrel. "You wanna keep judging my personal life, or you wanna look for illegal stuff?" He glances at Shadra. "These guys have no life or something?"

Joe asks, "And how much do these slaves go for? I could use a little groomin me self."

Sabrel examines the cloak. "Been having a little fun, aye, Mr. Fer?" He shakes the cloak out a bit, then feels its folds for any signs of hidden coins in the seams. "Or maybe *you* know somethin' 'bout a fugitive fox? Gots bits shaved 'round the wrists an' ankles? Thousand gold pieces on his head?" He looks at Zephyr speculatively.

Joe looks down at Wyn, with a wry grin on his face.

Shadra rolls her eyes to Zephyr. "Really, Inspector, when does moral conduct bother the Port Authority?" She gauges Sabrel's mood carefully. He's fishing.

Wyn thinks . o O { These cannot be the ones who set the dogs to us; They'd have caught us already. Our pursuit must not have distributed pieces of my blanket to the rest of the forces. }

Zephyr growls lowly at Joe again. "Half a cargo of metal for her, it was, and that's all I'll say. Save up and get your own, quit makin' eyes at mine and get on with your job."

Sabrel looks over at the wolf. "Well, trader Fer? Know anythin' 'bout any fugitive foxes?" He shakes the cloak out a bit, letting some of the red fur strands clinging to it drift out. "There could be a lot o' money in it fer ya… "

Zephyr pauses at Sabrel's words, his ears perking. "A… thousand? Gold?" He grins a little. "If I'd be seeing him, I'd sure have him in myself. Thousand could buy me my own fleet."

Joe says, "Half a cargo o' metal? Sheesh! A little to rich on my salery!"

Joe goes back to sniffing around the room.

The Inspector raccoon mmfs. "I see. And how did this cloak come to be aboard your ship, Captain? Have ye had any fox passengers lately?"

Zephyr looks after Joe. "That's it. The room, _not_ the slave." He turns to Sabrel again, looking incredulous. "A whole _thousand_? Dangerous? He been around here?" He looks at the captain. "Ought to get the whole crew out looking for him, no? A thousand… "

"Mmm… " Shadra rubs her chin. "One, but we brought him up here, and he must have left his cloak by accident. That was a few days ago. I'll have to make sure that the cloak gets back to him." Her tail swishes.

Joe glances over at Wyn again, and chuckles to himself. He peeks in a box on the desk.

Inspector Sabrel mutters, then says persuasively to the Captain. "Would you like to come down to the station and give a deposition, Captain? It's probably just routine, an ordinary traveller on business, but it's best to be sure, in these troubled times. Part of Darkside's burned on 'count of this fox, you know." He tags Joe's shoulder long enough to whisper to him, "How old is this fox smell?"

Zephyr tilts his head at Shadra, looking a little embarrassed. "No, that cloak is… um… You know… her? the one I met?" o O {Gah! Shadra, don't say _male_ fox, that's suspicious! Better that they think I'm a lech or something… }

"Of course, Inspector." Shadra sighs. "And I suppose there'll be a small fee for the paperwork, of course?"

Joe whipsers back. "pretty fresh. Not more then a day old."

"Just a little one," the Inspector says with a toothy grin. "That depends on how many irregularities we find here."

Sabrel flicks an ear over to Joe, and then looks at Shadra. "Three days ago he left the ship, you say?"

Zephyr's ears flatten. "So they search for drugs and let robbers on the ships, huh.", he mutters.

Somewhere down the hall, it sounds as if two crewmembers are chasing a small running thing… A bark sounds from the distance.

"Ah… Yes, that's right, Inspector," the puma captain says as she draws herself up. She narrows her eyes toward Zephyr and Joe. What did the Jupani tell the raccoon? Can he tell how old the scent is?

Wyn thinks . o O { This is taking too long. Something's wrong. I wonder wha… ut oh. }

The Inspector draws himself up triumphantly, holding the cloak forward like a murder suspect unveiled. "Then how is it, Captain, that my dear assistant Iosev Zhenufy… "

Joe asks "Whats dat barking?"

Zephyr blinks at the captain. "So that wasn't her cloak, then? She was wearing it when she came in… " He chuckles. "Good. I don't have to find her and give it back."

A frightened squeak sounds in the corridor, followed closely by swiftly padding paws!

A large rat zips in through the open door and bursts for cover!

Inspector Sabrel declares in ringing tunes, "That this fox scent is no more than a day old?" He clenches the cloak as if choking it. "I think you'll have to come down to the station with me, Captain, and – what?"

A blue vulpus ex machina bursts into the room hot on the trail of the frightened rat!

Zephyr manages a reassuring glance at Wyn while the inspectors are distracted, and then jumps! at the rat's entrance… and what follows it. "What the?"

Joe shouts, "Egads! I smell a rat!"

BlueFox growls and pounces his adversary! A large rat gets crushed by a flying fox, snapping it's neck instantly. He grabs his prey in his mouth and shake shake shake shakes it!

Shadra goggles, then bursts into laughter. "Oh, Inspector. That's just our ship's mascot. He keeps the rats down."

The puma observes, "He's very good at it, too."

Inspector Sabrel deflates.

Zephyr stares at the… blue? fox. o O {What is… he's of… the form of my ancestors, but… what?}

Joe ask, "Yeah, but did he hafta kill that thing right in front o' me? Ewww!!"

BlueFox blinks at all the faces and his hackles go up. He backs away, protecting his food…

A caracal and a golden leopard rush into the door. "Where did that pest go," Tuzan says before Shadra waves him to silence. "Mind your manners before the Inspector," she says to him firmly. "As you can see, our mascot has just killed that 'pest'… "

Zephyr glances at Joe. o O {Doesn't anyone here hunt for themselves?}

Shadra motions the crewmembers to move on. "Though we're a crew of felines,' she goes on to the deflated inspector. "I'm afraid that our evolution has suited us somewhat less to killing the small rodentine populace, don't you think? We just don't run around on all fours anymore." Her fangs gleam. "Now that you're done harassing my guest, Mr. Fer, shall we move on to the next room?"

Inspector Sabrel shakes his head, then throws the cloak into the corner. "Feh." He glares at 'Mr. Fer' and his slave. "Come, Joe. We have better things to do than to pry into the private life of a… 'well-groomed' merchant."

Joe says on his wayout the door, "I gotta get me one o' them slaves!"

As Shadra leads the Inspector into the corridor, their conversation flits in pieces to Zephyr's ears. Something about "You understand, there's a policeman's ball, but this year, the budget's low and I was wunnerin'… "

Zephyr glances at Wyn, listening as the two inspectors leave… and then collapses next to her. "You can relax now… it worked." He looks at the little blue fox, tilting his head.

Wyn sits back on the floor and streeeeetches! "That was most unpleasant. I was sure the game was up. It may still be up, Zephyr. I think we should leave here ASAP."

Wyn swishes her kitty tail and wufs, "Looks as if the costumes work, even up close. :)

BlueFox picks up his kill in his mouth and pad pads for the door. He sniffs strangely at Wyn and Zephyr. It seems that his vulpine nose might be a bit more sensitive than your average city sniffer.

Zephyr smiles at the little fox, letting his tail swish softly. "I don't know if you can understand me, but… we owe you for that." He turns to Wyn, nodding tiredly, lying back next to Wyn. "I think we should too. _Definitely_ as soon as possible. But… we survived that one." He grins a little. "They do."

Wyn gathers up the supplies and begins applying scent.

BlueFox yarps at Zephyr and tilts his head at him oddly. His nose wrinkles at all the confusing scents.

Zephyr looks back at Wyn's kitty tail and his eyes sparkle a little. "Meow?" He ducks, quickly, and helps Wyn gather up supplies, looking at her one more time, and glancing down at his own… now gray wolflike form. "Erf… "

A caracal stops outside the cabin. "Captain's compliment, sir," he says with an amused-sounding voice. He's holding… A bowl of milk.

Tuzan walks into the cabin.

BlueFox wolfs down his rat

The caracal sets the saucer down near BlueFox, but not so near as to spook the little fox. "For our newest hunter of rats," he says. Then looks over at Zephyr with a raised eyebrow. "You must be a new guest of the Captain."

BlueFox eyes the saucer and sniff sniffs at it warily.

Smells like fresh ke'nai milk. Good stuff.

BlueFox's ears shift around warily and he takes an experimental lap.

Zephyr nods to the caracal, busy helping Wyn pack his and her meager posessions. "Yes… She's been quite hospitable, could you please… give her my thanks if she's on deck? She'll understand." He smiles, and glances at the little blue fox. "And… you have good taste in mascots."

BlueFox lap lap lap laps the milk furtively and looks up with his whiskers dripping with milk.

Tuzan says dryly, "I am told that by legend, blue foxes are considered especially lucky. They are exceedingly rare… Though perhaps this one gets about quite a bit." He surveys the wolf with an analytic eye, then his Savanite slave. "As do apparently, some other interesting characters."

BlueFox wags!