One Step At A Time .. [open]

[Mikurei]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=645994] Miku found herself in the large mall and crossed her arms over her chest in a protective fashion as she walked along. She knew there was no chance of her being attacked or anything of the sort, but she was still cautious, always on edge. She didn't really know anyone in her ring, only that they were, in a way, her new family. She looked around her slowly as she found a small stone bench of sorts to sit on, mostly covered in an ivy she didn't mind about. She wondered about how this place used to look before the vegetation ran it over, when people bustled about and didn't have a care in the world. She wondered if there WAS even people here to begin with, the fact of the matter being that the scientists ... the Keepers ... they had made this place. So whether or not they simply bought it ... or made it .. that was a mystery only they, themselves, knew. A deep sigh passed her lips as she leaned back against the wall that was behind her as she let her eyes close part-way, "I wonder if there is anything to do for fun around here .. ," she said as she shifted on her seat slightly. Skinny jeans hugging her legs, worn out around the back heel of them that scrunched up around black Vans. A small black tank was short and showed off her belly, ripped from something or other, she couldn't remember.

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[adler]

Adler had been napping on the cool linoleum of the mall- flat out on her stomach her hands folded beneath her head on a patch of grass poking from between the tiles and tucked away in a dark corner of one of the shops-when she heard footsteps. They were far away at first and the nap was so refreshing that she couldn't bother herself to get up and investigate the source of the sound. However, she listened carefully and heard the steps approaching her hiding place. Adler opened both her eyes and peered out of the storefront. She had a great view as the other shifter passed Adler in the shadowy overgrowth of the back of the shop. Who could this be? Curiosity overcame her and she pushed herself up onto her knees and then rose onto two feet. She looked down at her blue shirt and tried to tug it down and make herself more presentable, as it was beginning to be too short for her. It wasn't paying attention to her efforts to lengthen it, so she gave up and walked out into the open in time to see the other person sit down on a nearby bench.

"Hey!" Adler called out, grinning and waving with enthusiasm. Here was a great chance to meet a new person and make a friend. Adler winced inwardly realizing she' probably just made a complete fool of herself. Trying not to let this minor mishap damper her mood Adler sidled over to meet her new acquaintance. "So, I'm Adler. Adler McQue," she extended a hand to shake, "I'm seventeen and I shift into a bird thing, and it's great meeting you," As she continued her voice became faster and harder to understand, "I'm from India and I never knew my parents. I hope you did, because I have to say I didn't have the best life because of it, but now in the Menagerie I at least have a huge group of shifters and we can all protect each other and..." Adler blushed finally catching up with her mouth and reigning it in. How do I save this? She bemoaned herself in her thoughts. " So, ah...Who do I have the pleasure of meeting today?" Adler blinked hopefully at this new friend-she was already a friend in Adler's mind-praying she hadn't just driven them away.

ooc: hello, don't mind if I chime in do you?

[Mikurei]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=645994] Her black locks were tied back in a low ponytail at the nape of her neck, her bangs falling about her face as she tilted her head down after leaning back on the rickety bench that felt like it was going to break. As a loud 'Hey!' came from next to her she jumped, her eyes swiveling around to the lithe female that came up to her with a sheepish smile which she returned with a tentative one of her own. She looked down at the others hand meekly before taking it in her own and shaking it, "Mikurei ... you can call me just Miku if you'd like though," she replied softly and smiling at the others nervous rambling. "I'm twenty three ... I shift into a Tazmanian Devil. It's awesome that you can fly, that would've been a nice shift to have," she said as she laughed and stood up. "I would've offered you a seat but I'm afraid that the bench might not hold us both," she said as she grinned to the other girl. "Are you new to the M?" she asked softly. ooc; not at all dahlin! :] Sorry for the delay in my response tho. They will be a little slow because I was recently in a car accident and my right arm is in a sling. :[

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["Quick" Taylor]

Ooc: *jumps in*

Quick let out a small sigh in his leopard form as he finally slunk inside the doors to the mall. He was deeper inside Fulsi territory, and so he needed to be careful. Luckily enough, he hadn't been spotted yet, but just because he was at his destination didn't mean he could slack off and quit paying attention. He knew that the moment he did, a Fulsi would come right around the corner and he'd have to make a break for it.

Quick was there searching for some of the supplies that the Keepers occasionally dropped off here in the mall. He was not there on official orders from the head of border patrol for the Fallen, however. He was there purely on his own volition, risking his neck for the good of the Fallen. Sure, he might get in trouble for this, but he didn't really care. The Fallen needed water, as they were always short, and so he was there looking for some that the Keepers may have dropped off.

He slunk quietly and quickly through the mall, moving from one piece of cover to the next, staying low and always behind something so he was hidden from whatever might be looking. There was was quite a bit of light in the place, despite what Quick might have thought about it. It filtered down through the messy windows up above and illuminated him. As well as his coat camouflaged him out in the wild, here, with all this light and no plant-life around, he might as well be standing out in the open and roaring for all to hear.

One thing he had thought of, though, before he actually made it into Fulsi territory, was that if he looked rough enough, then perhaps he might be able to convince whoever might happen upon him that he was a rogue that hadn't been able to eat in a while, and had been roughed up by the Carna. So, he'd rolled around in some briars, and as a result was now covered with some nasty looking, but not dangerous, cuts and scraps and small gashes. It would be enough to convince someone if they didnt' look closely enough to see they were all superficial wounds that would heal up in a day or two.

Finally, after some searching, Quick happened upon a store that had an oddly strong looking crate in it. The crate's age clearly didn't match anything else in the mall, and so he quickly moved over to it and, shifting to his human form, opened it. Inside was exactly what he was looking for, bottles of water. There was some pre-packaged food too, but it was the water he was looking for. He wouldn't be able to carry much, but every little bit helps, even if only a little.

So, he grabbed a sack he saw laying nearby and started stuffing all the bottles of water he could into it. Eventually, he filled the bag up, and when he did he replaced the cover of the crate and slung the back across his shoulder, on his back. He then shifted back to his leopard form, the bag still strapped crossways across his body and resting on his back even in his shifted form. He then moved quickly and quietly out of the store and back the way he had come.

As he neared the door to the store, though, he noticed voices. He cursed himself silently and slowly crept up to the door quietly to peek out and see who it was. It was a pair of girls, one about the same age as him and the other a few years younger. He let out a mental growl of frustration as he tried to formulate a plan to get out of here without alerting either one of them. He had no clue whether they were hunters, scouts, or even tenderfeet. There was no telling, and so he had to assume they were the more dangerous Hunters.

However, as he stood there, thinking and trying not to make a noise, the bag he had the waters in shifted, and slapped loudly against the floor. The sound reverberated through the halls of the mall and made his heart skip a beat in shock and apparent fear. He stared wide eyed at the girls, hoping they hadn't noticed, knowing that that hope was nearly futile.....