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Description
"Don't Bite the Hand The Feeds..."

That was something that I was told very briefly.
Very briefly before the cell I was in was opened. There was human scent, and scent of what assume to be a hunter that had been checking, on me of everyone, a few times a week. I couldn't say I looked forward for it or not. I had been moved away from Slate, and was never spoken too, there was food and water getting put down, I'd manage to knock the water over half of the time. I didn't know why I went from being very keen on where I was, knowing where things were, to not being able to pick out where water sat in a container. More than not I was knocking it over, or dunking my face in it. Often there were scowls of some kind following, few, very few said anything in defense, rarely it made anything improve or better. It was almost a gaslight for whom and whatever I was around most of the time. Thankfully only their words could be thrown.
This huntress... never really said anything, just I know it was her. the gait pattern and scent, a grunt or huff every now and then. But then there is now, today. The cell open, what felt like a collar being put around my neck, and something being tied too it. Then followed that was a tug, a light tug, from the same huntress, Tempest. So down a hall I could only assume we went. It seemed like the person up front lead Tempest, who was in turn leading me. Normally they put an Empire Cat in a chain, or something like a moving cage? But I only had a rope? It hardly felt like a heavy rope. I honestly bet if I tried I could pretty easily snap it. But what good that was going to do, I had no where to go.
That was something I both appreciated and in a way, took for granted. I when needed, always had someone there to watch me. Sera was always there, there was a such long time I wasn't there for her, and I am sure as hell not there for her now. Skye was around briefly, then she was lead away by another hunter that smelled oddly similar to herself. Then never came back... Slate and I both worry what could have come of her. I hope that she got out, or is in a better position than being in these cells... or if the worst came to worst, something took her down... I know not... I may never know what actually happened. I may never cross paths with her again... At this point, I'm a lamb being lead by another lamb, lead by a wolf. Part of myself wanted to say something, just to know what was going on, but I couldn't get myself to even attempt to say anything. Last thing I needed to try and ask a question and get killed for it simply wanting an answer or two. I can't see where I am going.
I could already hear the volume and vibrations beginning to raise in intensity as a warmth swept itself through the corridor. I knew it was a corridor by the echoes of each step everyone took. By the reverb of every and all scowls, yowls, moans, cries, anything and all of it. There were some noises some could hardly tell what it was. But there was a clear difference to me. A yowl of anguish to me was very different from a yowl of personal pain. The warmth that swept into my frame continued to build itself, as did the volume of sounds, the vibrations they all made, and the movement that was what ultimately were the streets of Massilia. I was someone that I felt was hard to read, I didn't react really. But right now, I could feel the shear disease run over me. I hadn't a clue how I looked at the moment, just I was certain whatever fur I had was on end. My face scrunched some, eyes shut, ear pinned back, and head down, I tried to just deafen everything out. But that wasn't any use... Being told to walk blind is often referred to as not being able to see with your eyes. Truly walking blind is not being able to discern anything from another, either black and deaf, or white and overloaded. I felt like it was a blend of the two sides, a side of black and being overloaded with everything else that entered my working senses.
I felt occasional tugs, some being longer, or a bit harder than another, and all I could muster was try and follow that. Hoping I didn't walk into anything, or off of anything. Eventually though, the stone, rock, whatever it really was, I couldn't tell anymore. I just know it changed to grass... groomed... trimmed, it almost smelled like it bled... I didn't like that.
"The border is here..." I heard Tempest's voice speak up, "we'll go around it, and then go back to the middle."
The rope had slack, but again, there were occasional tugs or pulls, that guided me along. I attempted to take in a scent or two, but it was all the same. Eventually I was where I assumed to be the middle, and then I felt the rope drop. I instantly felt myself trying to freeze like a deer in a sudden light. Not like I'd really know what that means, but I don't know how else to convey that... even if it makes ill sense to myself... none of this made any sense.

"Listen up!" a voice rang out, instantly echoing in the area I was in. But I could already tell they were above, but it was definitely another cat, I couldn't tell who though, "there are two of you in this grass field. Your job tom is to find the other cat."
Are they just trying to humiliate me or something now? I thought, what even was this? I was lead across Lord knows where to be told to find the other cat? The normally blank, expressionless face I knew I carried was a mixed mess. If anything on the verge of cracking like an egg against stone. Everything smelled the damn same?! There was no wind. It was not silent, there was an equal abundance of sound that rummaged its way into where ever the hell I was. I had no reference point... as far as I could tell at the moment, I was a few feet from a wall or something that could take my head off. I didn't want to even move... it... it made me speak up, something I hadn't done since I was moved the first time.
"--you..." I stopped myself from saying anything, almost expecting to be hit or something.
That was what I was hearing from others in the cells, a lot of chaos... and I refrained from moving, just took a deep breath. I felt like I was going to start hyperventilating or something like it. Everything was still over loaded from the scents of the street. Despite here having much less, it was still enough to be difficult to process through.
"You are free to move around, if you are going toward something, I will be telling you before you are too close." the same voice spoke up from before, it was not Tempest, I already knew that, I was supposed to be finding where she was.
"... everything smells the same..." I gritted through my teeth, "how am I supposed to find someone when I can't even tell where they were!" my volume rose, it sound hoarse, unused, and clear there was fear in my words.
A decent length of silence... well no one speaking in the area, before that got broken. Not by words, but movement. I heard it despite everything else. I tuned my ears toward, resulting in a turn of my own frame. But then nothing. The silence felt far longer than it probably was actually, but then there was another set of sounds.
She jumped from one area to another. I still didn't move from where I was though. I just tuned my ears to listen. Smelling was almost useless. Vibration was hindered by the grass, hearing her was also hindered by it, but I heard every grass blade that moved... now that I was hearing for it. It was far quieter than it was Lightning, it was almost a white noise year round there. I had grown used to it. So... it was nice to hear that again. The same sounds happened again. She was jumping, but she had moved a bit before, and I did not detect that. Maybe I was just used to the deafening silence or every other noise I heard in those halls.
Another noise played out this time, that was just hitting grass. Then I heard her breath. It took almost everything to not jump out of my fur. I just held mine, but now I had a better scent to track, and a few jumps played back, but then silence was once again what rang. I knew she was moving around now. Part of me was willing to bet they were giving other visuals on what to try and what to do... they were... they were... assessing me? Why? But now I had something to follow, or track down. So I finally a step forward, I could feel my weight shift in a manner like, I shook my head and took another step, this one landing better, and another step turning into a gait quickly became the pattern. Ten paces forward, and I knew she had jumped by how the gras felt against my muzzle, I sniffed around the area, left... and followed suit. I heard her steps after that. I was close, and picked my pace up.
Instinctively, I chirped, I heard her double back, and I did the same. I felt my fur brush against what had to be hers. The wall wouldn't have had motion. I spun around and listened. But that was again interrupted.
"Alright, that wasn't bad. Not ideal but not bad. You'll get better with it." the same voice spoke up, "now see if you can anticipate the other occupant."
I already did that... and I could also already feel tiredness... I had not really exercised in months... this little stunt... I was already worn out. Now I had to keep pace? What are they even assessing me for?
"What is this even for." I spoke out, I heard the hoarse voice again, shaky as before, though a bit more irritated this time, "I didn't knock her over... I have done what you are saying to do."
I could almost feel a smirk or something coming from whoever was talking, "You've tracked not kept pace kid."
"... I've spent the last two seasons, sitting in a cage..." I let out, what little adrenaline I apparently stimulated had already fled, "I'm not wasting my energy."
There was a moment of eerie silence, but then there was a farther set of sound, and closer one.
"--I know you're there." I spoke, my tone feeling bitter, "what is this about?" I asked, who I was sure was Tempest.
Her tone came off as blatantly firm and calm, "I'm not going to hurt you."
"What is this about." I repeated, my tone remaining where it was before.
There was what felt like a second of silence between myself and whomever had to be higher up, likely the cat who was giving off instructions, had gotten a bit closer. I wasn't fond of it. Not a single bit.
"We've been quietly assessing your ability of getting around... you've been struggling from everything we've seen." the huntress paused for a moment, "a controlled environment you seem to do a bit better, but it's still not in my interest to have you where you were."
So it was in fact a test. But even I knew, there wasn't any hiding the issues I was having... didn't really know the readability they had to others, but how was I to tell that one? "... And the verdict..." I spoke in a lower volume, anxious about this huntress's next words.
"There's going to be some people that will give you a proper look at, but I'm recommending you to a different program, you do not have a place in the arena." the same blatant tone was before.
Where was this going to take me though, I didn't know. It wasn't like I had a say in the matter, or really the ability to do anything apart from go along with it.
"We have another exercise for you to do before that. And I'd rather you stopped asking questions and get it over with." the other cat spoke, who sounded less, cold up on the wall.
They were clear though, there was a distaste, if not a judgment being passed at me from this cat. His steps were clear that he was bigger, the gruff in his tone had to be a tiger. Wasn't something I wanted to deal with, but guess I'll figure that out as the day goes on...

MustangLegends Nythero
Alright so this is a collab with Mustang, art wise and had input from both them and Nyth with their characters.
But ye, Oce is now of the city for the next year maybe a bit longer depending on plots and things like that.

+6EP for Picture
+2EP for Additional Characters in Plot
+4EP for Word Count (2268)
+5EP for First City Assignment (I forget what it is called)

+17EP to Ocelet
+6EP to Tempest (May have been counted on Tempest's submission)

Description
"Don't Bite the Hand The Feeds..."

That was something that I was told very briefly.
Very briefly before the cell I was in was opened. There was human scent, and scent of what assume to be a hunter that had been checking, on me of everyone, a few times a week. I couldn't say I looked forward for it or not. I had been moved away from Slate, and was never spoken too, there was food and water getting put down, I'd manage to knock the water over half of the time. I didn't know why I went from being very keen on where I was, knowing where things were, to not being able to pick out where water sat in a container. More than not I was knocking it over, or dunking my face in it. Often there were scowls of some kind following, few, very few said anything in defense, rarely it made anything improve or better. It was almost a gaslight for whom and whatever I was around most of the time. Thankfully only their words could be thrown.
This huntress... never really said anything, just I know it was her. the gait pattern and scent, a grunt or huff every now and then. But then there is now, today. The cell open, what felt like a collar being put around my neck, and something being tied too it. Then followed that was a tug, a light tug, from the same huntress, Tempest. So down a hall I could only assume we went. It seemed like the person up front lead Tempest, who was in turn leading me. Normally they put an Empire Cat in a chain, or something like a moving cage? But I only had a rope? It hardly felt like a heavy rope. I honestly bet if I tried I could pretty easily snap it. But what good that was going to do, I had no where to go.
That was something I both appreciated and in a way, took for granted. I when needed, always had someone there to watch me. Sera was always there, there was a such long time I wasn't there for her, and I am sure as hell not there for her now. Skye was around briefly, then she was lead away by another hunter that smelled oddly similar to herself. Then never came back... Slate and I both worry what could have come of her. I hope that she got out, or is in a better position than being in these cells... or if the worst came to worst, something took her down... I know not... I may never know what actually happened. I may never cross paths with her again... At this point, I'm a lamb being lead by another lamb, lead by a wolf. Part of myself wanted to say something, just to know what was going on, but I couldn't get myself to even attempt to say anything. Last thing I needed to try and ask a question and get killed for it simply wanting an answer or two. I can't see where I am going.
I could already hear the volume and vibrations beginning to raise in intensity as a warmth swept itself through the corridor. I knew it was a corridor by the echoes of each step everyone took. By the reverb of every and all scowls, yowls, moans, cries, anything and all of it. There were some noises some could hardly tell what it was. But there was a clear difference to me. A yowl of anguish to me was very different from a yowl of personal pain. The warmth that swept into my frame continued to build itself, as did the volume of sounds, the vibrations they all made, and the movement that was what ultimately were the streets of Massilia. I was someone that I felt was hard to read, I didn't react really. But right now, I could feel the shear disease run over me. I hadn't a clue how I looked at the moment, just I was certain whatever fur I had was on end. My face scrunched some, eyes shut, ear pinned back, and head down, I tried to just deafen everything out. But that wasn't any use... Being told to walk blind is often referred to as not being able to see with your eyes. Truly walking blind is not being able to discern anything from another, either black and deaf, or white and overloaded. I felt like it was a blend of the two sides, a side of black and being overloaded with everything else that entered my working senses.
I felt occasional tugs, some being longer, or a bit harder than another, and all I could muster was try and follow that. Hoping I didn't walk into anything, or off of anything. Eventually though, the stone, rock, whatever it really was, I couldn't tell anymore. I just know it changed to grass... groomed... trimmed, it almost smelled like it bled... I didn't like that.
"The border is here..." I heard Tempest's voice speak up, "we'll go around it, and then go back to the middle."
The rope had slack, but again, there were occasional tugs or pulls, that guided me along. I attempted to take in a scent or two, but it was all the same. Eventually I was where I assumed to be the middle, and then I felt the rope drop. I instantly felt myself trying to freeze like a deer in a sudden light. Not like I'd really know what that means, but I don't know how else to convey that... even if it makes ill sense to myself... none of this made any sense.

"Listen up!" a voice rang out, instantly echoing in the area I was in. But I could already tell they were above, but it was definitely another cat, I couldn't tell who though, "there are two of you in this grass field. Your job tom is to find the other cat."
Are they just trying to humiliate me or something now? I thought, what even was this? I was lead across Lord knows where to be told to find the other cat? The normally blank, expressionless face I knew I carried was a mixed mess. If anything on the verge of cracking like an egg against stone. Everything smelled the damn same?! There was no wind. It was not silent, there was an equal abundance of sound that rummaged its way into where ever the hell I was. I had no reference point... as far as I could tell at the moment, I was a few feet from a wall or something that could take my head off. I didn't want to even move... it... it made me speak up, something I hadn't done since I was moved the first time.
"--you..." I stopped myself from saying anything, almost expecting to be hit or something.
That was what I was hearing from others in the cells, a lot of chaos... and I refrained from moving, just took a deep breath. I felt like I was going to start hyperventilating or something like it. Everything was still over loaded from the scents of the street. Despite here having much less, it was still enough to be difficult to process through.
"You are free to move around, if you are going toward something, I will be telling you before you are too close." the same voice spoke up from before, it was not Tempest, I already knew that, I was supposed to be finding where she was.
"... everything smells the same..." I gritted through my teeth, "how am I supposed to find someone when I can't even tell where they were!" my volume rose, it sound hoarse, unused, and clear there was fear in my words.
A decent length of silence... well no one speaking in the area, before that got broken. Not by words, but movement. I heard it despite everything else. I tuned my ears toward, resulting in a turn of my own frame. But then nothing. The silence felt far longer than it probably was actually, but then there was another set of sounds.
She jumped from one area to another. I still didn't move from where I was though. I just tuned my ears to listen. Smelling was almost useless. Vibration was hindered by the grass, hearing her was also hindered by it, but I heard every grass blade that moved... now that I was hearing for it. It was far quieter than it was Lightning, it was almost a white noise year round there. I had grown used to it. So... it was nice to hear that again. The same sounds happened again. She was jumping, but she had moved a bit before, and I did not detect that. Maybe I was just used to the deafening silence or every other noise I heard in those halls.
Another noise played out this time, that was just hitting grass. Then I heard her breath. It took almost everything to not jump out of my fur. I just held mine, but now I had a better scent to track, and a few jumps played back, but then silence was once again what rang. I knew she was moving around now. Part of me was willing to bet they were giving other visuals on what to try and what to do... they were... they were... assessing me? Why? But now I had something to follow, or track down. So I finally a step forward, I could feel my weight shift in a manner like, I shook my head and took another step, this one landing better, and another step turning into a gait quickly became the pattern. Ten paces forward, and I knew she had jumped by how the gras felt against my muzzle, I sniffed around the area, left... and followed suit. I heard her steps after that. I was close, and picked my pace up.
Instinctively, I chirped, I heard her double back, and I did the same. I felt my fur brush against what had to be hers. The wall wouldn't have had motion. I spun around and listened. But that was again interrupted.
"Alright, that wasn't bad. Not ideal but not bad. You'll get better with it." the same voice spoke up, "now see if you can anticipate the other occupant."
I already did that... and I could also already feel tiredness... I had not really exercised in months... this little stunt... I was already worn out. Now I had to keep pace? What are they even assessing me for?
"What is this even for." I spoke out, I heard the hoarse voice again, shaky as before, though a bit more irritated this time, "I didn't knock her over... I have done what you are saying to do."
I could almost feel a smirk or something coming from whoever was talking, "You've tracked not kept pace kid."
"... I've spent the last two seasons, sitting in a cage..." I let out, what little adrenaline I apparently stimulated had already fled, "I'm not wasting my energy."
There was a moment of eerie silence, but then there was a farther set of sound, and closer one.
"--I know you're there." I spoke, my tone feeling bitter, "what is this about?" I asked, who I was sure was Tempest.
Her tone came off as blatantly firm and calm, "I'm not going to hurt you."
"What is this about." I repeated, my tone remaining where it was before.
There was what felt like a second of silence between myself and whomever had to be higher up, likely the cat who was giving off instructions, had gotten a bit closer. I wasn't fond of it. Not a single bit.
"We've been quietly assessing your ability of getting around... you've been struggling from everything we've seen." the huntress paused for a moment, "a controlled environment you seem to do a bit better, but it's still not in my interest to have you where you were."
So it was in fact a test. But even I knew, there wasn't any hiding the issues I was having... didn't really know the readability they had to others, but how was I to tell that one? "... And the verdict..." I spoke in a lower volume, anxious about this huntress's next words.
"There's going to be some people that will give you a proper look at, but I'm recommending you to a different program, you do not have a place in the arena." the same blatant tone was before.
Where was this going to take me though, I didn't know. It wasn't like I had a say in the matter, or really the ability to do anything apart from go along with it.
"We have another exercise for you to do before that. And I'd rather you stopped asking questions and get it over with." the other cat spoke, who sounded less, cold up on the wall.
They were clear though, there was a distaste, if not a judgment being passed at me from this cat. His steps were clear that he was bigger, the gruff in his tone had to be a tiger. Wasn't something I wanted to deal with, but guess I'll figure that out as the day goes on...

MustangLegends Nythero
Alright so this is a collab with Mustang, art wise and had input from both them and Nyth with their characters.
But ye, Oce is now of the city for the next year maybe a bit longer depending on plots and things like that.

+6EP for Picture
+2EP for Additional Characters in Plot
+4EP for Word Count (2268)
+5EP for First City Assignment (I forget what it is called)

+17EP to Ocelet
+6EP to Tempest (May have been counted on Tempest's submission)