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[img]https://i.imgur.com/kNmO8zV.png[/img]
[b][color=DarkOrange]wordcount:[/color][/b] 1,109 (+2)
[b][color=DarkOrange]Amaterasu: level 8[/color][/b] EXP: [color=DarkOrange]///[/color]/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// (3/80)
[b][color=DarkOrange]Location:[/color][/b] Dead Zone Hinterlands
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Amaterasu's patience paid off, as the pair of newcomers she’d seen enter the inn separately now emerged together, and began to talk to a third figure. Sadly, as good as her eyesight was, she couldn’t read lips at this distance, and so didn’t know what was being said. Whatever it was they were talking about, seemed like it had been a productive conversation however, as the two stuck together after the third man left, and then headed off with a purpose.

Unfortunately, doing so, they moved out of view of her seat upon the hill, and so if she wanted to keep spying on them, she’d need to move herself. 

Thus, she wolfed down the last of her root based lunch, and then set out on a trip around the outskirts of town. 

Wanting to avoid being harassed by the town guards, she stuck to the woods, which were fortunately rather lush around the town (though they petered out into scrubland further out from it) and thus provided ample cover. 

As she made her way through the forest, however, the celestial came across a curious sight: two pairs of colorful monsters facing each other down with determined looks on their faces. Rather than battling as was so often the case with these kinds of creatures, the monsters in question were, of all things, engaged in a spirited game of sport that would have looked an awful lot like volleyball to someone who knew what that game was.

Despite the risk of losing track of the strangers in town, Amatarasu slowed to take in this odd spectacle. 

As she watched, a [url=https://i.imgur.com/6P3gIq4.png]Axolati[/url] cheered on as a [url=https://i.imgur.com/MH7btfH.png]Kichik[/url] bounced a round mushroom off of its head, and then with a hop and a dexterous flip, delivered an overhead kick to it, sending it sailing across a volleyball net and towards a [url=https://i.imgur.com/uzQGK2k.png]Bildit[/url] on the other side of it.

The ball smacked into the Bildit quite hard, but it endured the impact without falling or losing control of the ball, instead batting it of its chest, before using its two digging claws to volley the ball to the final of the four, a lizard like [url=https://i.imgur.com/ghAKwMK.png]Sprecko[/url]. This Sprecko bounced the ball up using a sticky tail covered in berries, and then delivered a calculated headbutt that sent the ball not at one of its opponents like the Kichik had, but instead landing its careful shot down behind its opponents, who were both too close to the net to catch it.

It hit the ground, resulting in a cheer from the Sprecko and Bildit, while the Axolati and Kichik gave goodhearted groans at their misplay, before the Axolati turned to run after and fetch the ball from where it had bounced into the undergrowth so they could start another rally.

This jovial sports-beast-ship came to an abrupt end as all four beheld a wolf looming over the ball, who’s feet it had coincidentally landed, one that had just been presented with an easy meal. The Axolati skidded to a halt and then began to back off, while the Sprecko and Bildit both made noises of alarm from behind the net, all clearly frightened by this predator. The Kichik stepped forwards meanwhile with a look of nervous determination on its face, thinking, hoping, to drive the threat off despite the power difference.

Their alarm, however, was for naught, as the meal Amaterasu had been presented with was not one of meat but of praise. As such, she lowered her snout as if in a bow, before nosing it under the ball, flicking said ball up, and then doing a little about turn hop before finally batting it with her hind paws in order to pass it to the Axolati.  

It bounced off the too shocked to react beastie’s round  dome, but it then recovered from the surprise and instead vollied the ball to its Kichik partner, who got the game going again. A quick spirited back and forth occurred after that, at the end of which the Bildit was knocked down by a particularly powerful hit, fumbling the ball in the process and evening up the score. It was only then that the beasties looked for the one who’d passed them the ball, finding her now on the other edge of the clearing.

They made inviting sounds for her to join in the fun, specifically to tag in for the Bildit while they took a rest. The celestial however, politely declined, turning away and vanishing into the woods, her hunger for praise sated just a little more from the encounter.

Then a handful of heartbeats later she came back again.

She had time, she felt, for a little diversion.

Thus, the celestial missed the sight of Harry’s crime and public indecency while washing his clothes in public, as she was instead too preoccupied with the important task of learning the rules of beastieball, and having a grand old time playing it.

After a few spirited rounds, the celestial was the only one standing, the little critters all too tuckered out after all the fun to continue. They did, however, have the consolation prize, or maybe just actual prize, of all having scored more points than her, in part due to her unfamiliarity with the game, and in part due to her holding back with her spikes in order to not hurt the little beasties. Still, while she came away from the games as anything but the winner, she did at least get the consolation prize of a little extra praise for her good sports-wolf-ship.

With that in her spiritual pocket, she set off once more through the woods to get back to her people watching. Having expended time on gaining praise, she burned some calories to make up for it, moving at a run through the woods, flowers blooming in her paw prints as she raced through the trees.

Soon enough, she had found another point where she could overlook the town, hopping up and into the branches of a tree to do so. From there, she spotted the bulky stranger and his distinctive brass adornments hanging around town. 

Of the other newcomer there was no sight, making her worry she’d been wrong that they’d be collaborating, only for her lower jaw to fall down slack from her upper as she saw the smaller stranger approaching wearing his new attire.

Maybe these two were not her best bet in working out what was going down in the town after all.

Still, they were her only lead, and so she was prepared to burn more energy intercepting them, should they head out of it again. That, and if she needed to buy some extra time, well, she could always draw them a tree or two. That always confused people.