ORIGIN - The Sand Reckoner

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Archimedes started to follow, having seen nothing that had made him think Flit had made any mistakes. He didn't even notice the fluttermouse's change in behavior, instead pausing with a paw in the air to glance back over his shoulder.

Better not to leave them disturbed. Thoughts flicked through his head as he bounded back over to the anthill, pulling the stem free and laying it aside, before hopping after Flit.

"Yes, yes--coming, sorry." He wondered what it was that Flit had to show him--then hesitated, eyes narrowing a bit. Was he finally drawing him further into the predator's garden, now that the rat's guard was down..? Archimedes turned, changing his route at once--following, but at a distance, and well-hidden under cover of foliage as he fully skirted the garden's center.

If it is a trick, they'll find me harder than that to catch, he thought stubbornly. But he doubted that it was-... still, it wouldn't hurt to be cautious.

"Do you not get chased? Attacked? Does this place have any defense?" He glanced up at Rift as he spoke, through the cracks in the leaves where the big cat was briefly visible. He doubted anything would dare to attack the puma, but... then again, the caves seemed a terrifying place. Likely, he'd only barely touched the knowledge of what else lived here.

@Flit @Rift

The fluttermouse whisked from the stem to a nearby flowerhead as Archimedes began to follow. Hopping from perch to perch, he pressed deeper into Rift's garden, chattering as he went. "On the ground, I can usually get away from anything that chases me with my wings! And Rift scares anything bigger away when he's nearby. His garden is the safest place in Eridanus."

Although Flit found himself waiting, between each fluttering jump, as the rat lagged behind. Still, the fluttermouse kept talking eagerly. "The tick to staying out of danger is to listen for alarm calls. If the birds see anything scary then they'll shriek warn you to hide. It's usually Kytes! They're like big lizards with wings." The fluttermouse paused. "Also, be wary if a place is too quiet. It might mean something's hiding to ambush. A snake, or a bird, or... something. And usually if there are talking creatures, I've found that if you make sure to talk to them they won't hurt you. If enough gems know that the are are talking rats and mice here in Eridanus, it'll be a lot safer." Flit usually steered well clear of the rat runs, too; the large creatures could commonly be seen scurrying and twisting through the undergrowth. But the fluttermouse didn't think that would be too much of a problem for Archimedes.

Deeper in the garden, the overgrowth thickened into a twisting tangle, but the rodents would be able to pass through unhindered. It was only a matter of time before the fluttermouse would call out "we're here!" and flutter down to the ground.

Hanging, around 3 feet off of the ground here was a nest, woven firmly onto the thick stems of several towering lilies. Leaves and dry grasses had been woven together into a messy orb around the size of a baseball- and in its centre was a hole just big enough for the Fluttermouse to squeeze in. The entrance hole had been decorated with a ring of daisies, and its fragrance was that of hay and freshly-plucked flowers. The daisies were starting to wilt, Flit mused; he would need to replace them soon. If he'd known he'd be having guests, he would have replaced them before leaving.

Antennae whisking, he glanced at the rat expectantly.

"Speech."

@archimedes

Archimedes followed along, whiskers twitching nervously. At least this area was too narrow for Rift to follow, or so it seemed to him.

The nest, when he spotted it, struck him as quite fancy: full of flowers, carefully-woven, and overall somehow both delicate and sturdy. Archimedes eyed it, and thought over all of the advice that Flit was giving him. To listen to the birds, to be wary of both silence and alarm calls. Yet he'd said he had a place he could hide, and this was hardly, to Archimedes, a hiding place; yes, it might be difficult to initially uncover, but then it was hanging there, obvious and bright. Surely it wouldn't take much to just--tear it down and eat the fluttermouse within..?

He sat up, trying to think of a polite way to phrase this.

"It's very pretty, and it looks like you put a lot of work into it. It must be very comfortable," he added, and then dropped back to all fours, looking around. "And I'd think it very--unlikely?--that anyone would just come here, ahh, randomly? But if they did, it's hard to miss, isn't it?" It was pretty; just a little too conspicuous for his tastes.

For all its strangeness, the rat nest back home had been relatively safe: just a crack in the rock where nothing else could fit, where the rats scurried in and out in the darkness, unseen.

@Flit

Rift half-watched the two rodents as they conversed, going through his head the next few things he needed to do to improve his garden and the rest of the forest. Only when Archimedes directly addressed him did he look back at the two. He flicked his tail with amusement. "Yes, like Flit said, nothing of the size to see you as a meal would dare come anywhere near this garden. There used to be another puma that lived here with me and he was a little more carnivorous. Predators have learned to stay away from here. And from where he lives now..."

A faraway look came into his eyes as he spoke of Sebastian and he glanced out in the direction that his brother now lived. "You don't have to worry about him, though," he murmured. "He is good as well."

Only half-minded, he stood up and walked away from the two of them and into his garden, leaning down to inspect each and every plant as if trying to distract himself from a painful memory. He wandered away further into his garden, letting the two rodents talk alone again.

*exit, unless stopped

@Flit

Flit's whiskers twitched at the praise. Clearly, he was pleased, and he nodded eagerly. "Oh, it is! I've filled it with the softest mosses and any feathers and fur I could find. It took a whole cycle to weave!" the Fluttermouse's antenna waved proudly, and he looked from the rat to his hanging nest.

He fluttered over to it, and in a second, had disappeared inside. A moment later, his little face reappeared, and peered down at Archimedes.

The fluttermouse paused at the rat's hesitant criticism, and although his feelers wavered for a moment, he nodded. "You've got to be our size to find it. It just looks like a tangle from the back, and from the top. I made sure of that! And anything our size wouldn't be able to pull it down so easily. I'd feel it coming and be long gone by the time it reached me," he explained. Then he perked up. "And if I'm worried, I can always remove the entrance flowers! I like them, but they're not functional."

The fluttermouse hopped out and landed atop his nest. He gently began to pull the daisies free with his small teeth and let them float towards the ground. They were due for a change anyway. Which begged the question; what kind of flowers should he use next? Excitement bloomed in his tiny chest. Soon, the nest was plain- just a messy ball woven of grasses and flowers, half-hidden amongst the myraid of vegetation.

"Speech."

@Archimedes

Archimedes eyed Flit, and then the nest, doubtfully. It was covered in flowers; he wasn't sure how anyone could miss it, size aside, where it hung in the brush.

But he said nothing, instead sitting back to wash his whiskers for a moment. When he looked back up, at length, Flit was changing the daisies, letting them fall away. He watched, for a time, before speaking.

"I'll go find a place to sleep. But I will see you again; thank you for your help, Flit. It's good to know of a safe place." He paused, then added--"If I find any good flowers, or... nectar, I'll let you know."

He wasn't too sure about Rift, but the cat--now wandered off, face in his plants--didn't seem intent on eating him, at least. And in retrospect it'd be a lot of work to go to for a single rat. Though it wouldn't for Flit-...

He pushed these thoughts away; if they were secretly still plotting he'd find out soon enough. For now, the travels and his anxiety had left him worn, and he hopped off into the brush, looking for a nest of his own.

It wouldn't be easy to find somewhere safe enough to satisfy him, so he'd have to get searching now.

exit Archimedes (unless stopped)
@Flit

Flit nodded as the rat spoke up, peeping over at him from where he clung to his nest. In an instant the little one was fluttering his wings and flitted down onto the ground, opposite where the rat sat. His ears perked and he nodded. "Yes, yes! Of course!" the little mouse called, feelers waving. "Come back and visit soon! Don't be a stranger!"

But the rat was already gone. Whiskers twitching with glee, he finally squeaked "thank you!" after him into the foliage, before beginning to gather up the scattered daisies at his feet. Another few moments, and he took to the air again, flying off to dispose of them- and to find some fresh flowers to weave into his home.

-exit flit-

"Speech."

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