Cat's Got Your Tongue (CYOA)

>>28907984
INUSA LIVES

>>28907984

>You watch the zebra practically gallop out of the hut, eyes still glimmering with that wetness you caught welling up
beforehand.
>Her haste gives sight of little else except a scant look at that sunburst-marked rear before she's outside.
>You look a little flustered at the sudden retreat, giving your minotaur companion a questioning look.
>For her part, Parsnip is making something a concerned expression herself as she watches the door a little more, then turns
to see you looking at her.
>She purses lips a tiny bit, then gives a shake of her head followed by a point of a finger towards outside.
>"Ahh, maybe you should go talk with her, deary," she says.
>Despite how obvious that advice is, you give a short flap and nod, leaving the weapons on the table and heading outside.
>Poppy is nowhere to be seen, the small clearing in front of the hut only having its fire pit and log beside it, foliage of
the trees making things shaded, but not completely dark yet like you know deeper into the forest will be.
>You look around, then down, seeing hoofprints leading right from the doorway and around the hut.
>You reach the back of the hut... but still no sign of her; however, you notice some broken branches, heading towards it.
>You hear more than see as you cross the threshold into the surrounding foliage, 'crack-crack!' sounding off before you find
Poppy slumped against a stump and looking at the canopy and sky peeking through it, somehow chewing something up with rolled up green attached to her lower lip, lightly smoking.
>"Oh, hey dude," she greets, looking at you with reddish eyes... although it's hard to tell if it's from her own 'medicine'
or from tears still welled up, cheeks having wet lines too.
>"Wanna puff? It'll help ya relax," Poppy goes on before you have a chance to question, hug, or do anything else, still
munching up whatever was in her mouth as one hoof comes up, offering you the 'smoke' she removes from her muzzle.

>What should you do?

>>28907994
Poppy... what's wrong? You can't just keep taking this stuff to forget your problems. I don't like how it makes you. I need you here and now. Please.

>>28907994
Take and keep hold of it. We don't want her getting incoherent while we talk about what's bothering her.

>You glance to the 'smoke,' then to her face, taking it from her hoof with a bigger smile creeping over zebra snout.
"You can't keep taking this stuff to forget your problems, Poppy," you say without making a sound, the happiness that was on her face diminishing in a moment as she re-slumps.
"So, tell me, what's wrong? I need you here and now to help with my problems and with yours," you go on, striped mare looking defeated as she looks down at the ground.
>"I didn't used to so much, ya know," she starts with a deep breath, then a sigh letting it out, lacking any kind of smoky puff.
>"It's not like it makes me any different either, just happier. How I've gone on with this mission to help get your voice and stuff back, dude."
>That's punctuated with a tiny little sob, hiccup, then a sudden reach of forehoof up to try and grab the green smoking thing from your talons... or to smack it away, you can't tell.
>Whichever it is, the latter happens, landing with a tiny spark before just smoking on the forest floor.
>"I'll tell you everything after we find the catobloowhatever and get you well, okay? How about that?"
>She looks up again, no mistaking what causes the redness of her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks, wetness over her smooth black nose too.

>What should you do?

>>28908271
Give her a hug. She's been here for us, we will always be there for her. Don't forget that.

>You scrunch your beak in a concerned way as she looks up at you like that.
>The only proper reaction to this display is a hug, wings flapping as you shift, then press into her with talons wrapped around her back.
>She makes a squeak from the motion... then sniffles, sobs, forelegs nearly crushing you in a grab back, her wet face nuzzling into neckfeathers.
>"I missed this so much, dude," she mumbles into your neck, sliding down over a shoulder with some drying wipes of her face.
>You tilt back, pushing beak to nudge her face so she can see yours.
"You've been here for me, I'll be here for you, okay?" you say with eyes staring into hers.
>She looks ready to breakdown again, lip quivering, ears pinned, trembling in your own forelegs.
>However, she blinks hard with a heavier wash of tears over her cheeks, suddenly wiggling free with a shove at you, righting herself onto her hooves with a near smack of her rump to your face in a turn towards the hut.
>"I-I need to go check on my potion, dude. Don't want it to burn," she stumbles out, another sudden gallop away, leaving you seated on the forest floor alone.

>What should you do?

>>28908554
Ah geez, not much we can do until she wants to talk about it. Guess we should head back in for now.

>>28908554
Not much we can do but follow that crazy zebra.

>>28908554
Begin fantasising on the possibility of having a romantic relationship with the zebra. This is how those stories always go right?

>>28908671
But we already have a family.

>You scratch the back of your head as she speeds off again, another short flap of wings as you set yourself up to standing on paws and claws again.
>Geez, you don't know what Poppy is all about, but guess she'll talk about it when she's ready.
>You dust yourself off, put out the small flame that remained on her fallen smoke, then head back to the hut.
>When you enter, you're kind of stunned at the level of activity going on, Parsnip also staring at Poppy who is stirring the pot with one foreleg while simultaneously reaching down and grabbing bottles with the other forehoof, corks with the other.
>She dips the bottles, corks them, goes on again, all while still spinning the wooden rod in the green-orange concoction.
>"So, like, are you guys ready to go?" she asks, looking up with those red eyes and wet cheeks, but with a big smile on her face.
>The minotaur looks at you, then back at the zebra, giving an unsure little laugh.
>"I think I'm ready if you two are," Parsnip agrees, taking up the club with one hand, picnic basket in the other.
>You nod, ready as you probably could be after this strange little 'restful' stop.
>Poppy nods a few quick bobs of her head, finishing up her work before hopping to the side of the hut, digging into the box and emerging with her own bag, starting to fill it with the recently made potions and some others.
>You watch as she moves - still no hen, but very pretty.
>Quirky too, even if her bad habits are frustrating some.
>This kind of thinking is interrupted, though, by the dream you had the night before.
>Was that your wife and son or something else?
>Hopefully soon you'd have the answers, gathering up your weapons before stepping close to the door.

>Anything else to do before deeper into the woods?

>>28908722
Nope.

>>28908722
Think we're about as ready as we can be.

>You look around, hazy familiarity of the hut in your mind, but nothing particular coming to mind.
>For now, it was just a rest stop on a longer mission.
>Poppy gets herself cleaned up in her frantic preparation, Parsnip just standing nearby the entrance herself before the zebra finally comes up to the two of you.
>"Here, just in case, dudes," she says, giving you both a bottle of the potion she had made earlier.
>"Will help out if you get hurt or something. Just be careful, ya know?" she asks, looking more towards you than the minotaur.
>"Oh, thank you, deary," Parsnip says, zebra looking up at her with a grin.
>"No problemo, man. Now let's go!" she says, spear in tow and heading out of the hut with you two following after.

[1/2]

~~~

>It's another hour or more of following sunburst-marked butt with Parsnip behind you, not that much conversation and only a few spooks of wild animals.
>The sunlight dims from the foliage more than time of day, probably afternoon by now as you all three march on.
>"I still remember this route despite it being so long, ya know," the zebra says suddenly after nothing but grunts and puffs as she traverses the landscape in front of you.
>You can't really respond yourself with her back to you, but Parsnip makes an 'aww' kind of sound like she just heard something cute.
>Turning back to look at her, you grunt as you run into Poppy as she's suddenly stopped, gasping with mouth hanging open, your beak shortly doing the same.
>"What in the world happened here?" the minotaur says as she comes up beside you both, looking around at the devastation.
>Where once was shimmering blue flowers and beautiful lights, at least according to your dream and Poppy's description along the way... there is desolation.
>It's like a fire was set, no embers in sight, but a slightly hot aura coming from burnt ground and blackened trunks, part of the canopy missing from the destruction even if it all seems localized in a small section.
>There was definitely no flowers, plants of any kind left until grass and trees start again a short distance away.
>"This... this isn't good, dude," Poppy mumbles out, looking from one side of the scene to the other, trying to peer into the woods before settling.

>What should you do?

>>28908871
Investigate. Ask Poppy if she has any idea what happened.

>The awe sets in, tail lashing to Poppy's mumble as you break your eyes from the scene to the still staring zebra.
>She gives a jump as you nudge her side, looking at you with those wide eyes before she swallows hard as you point towards the small firepit in the middle of this section of the forest curiously.
>"I... I don't know," she says, looking towards the destruction again before running over into its midst, eyes on the ground.
>You take to a light flutter above the air in following after, not interested in feeling burning ground on your talons or paws.
>"There are those metal bulls that wander into the forest from time to time, but they only graze on the trees, they don't do this," she elaborates, looking around still.
>Poppy 'hmms' as she looks around, definitely some very big hoofprints here and there.
>From your small aerial view, you can see more of the area too, a mix of hoofprints around, some big, some less big, and some pony-sized.
>There's also some you haven't seen before, smaller sets with cloven hooves, getting a closer look as the zebra comes closer.
>She jerks her head up at the sight of the pony-sized hoofprints, looking around again before letting out a sigh of relief.
>"I think they've been and gone," she says, albeit quietly to herself.
>"Who's that, hmm sweetie?" Parsnip asks, another jump from Poppy looking back at her before giggling some.
>"Th-The beasties of course, dude!" she says, wagging a hoof towards the traipsed over area.
>"Something knocked one of those bulls over, though, I can tell you that," the zebra goes on, looking to you and pointing towards the area she had run over from, a small, but broad dip in the ground.
>"Dunno other than that, though," she asks with a few more glances at the ground, kicking up some ash as she scuffs up some hoofprints.

>What should you do?

>>28909150
Should we follow the tracks? I say we follow them.

>>28909150
Any other signs of movement? Broken tree branches, plant damage, steaming piles of poop?

>You look around some more after watching Poppy's hoof scrape the ground, getting a feel of the scene.
>Instinct kind of bubbles up as you peer beyond just a scene of the fire littered with hoofprints, dead, blackened branches and ashes of plants.
>You flutter around toward the outer rim of the destruction, looking at the foliage and the ground both.
>There are a few paths made with dirt and only small amount of debris, the less big hoofprints going down one along with a mix of pony and cloven prints as well.
>There's also a recently made 'path' if you could call it that, broken branches, crushed saplings and plants, bigger hoofprints along with more of the smaller sets that way.
>The smaller sets of hooves, both cloven and not, are littered across the area even more than you noticed, what doesn't disappear following the bigger sets seems to just disappear into the forest, only the slightest showing of rustled bushes and damaged branches showing specific paths taken into the foliage.
>Considering the dream, you imagine your quarry will be the biggest set of prints, although who knows what might have happened to it with the other prints following it.
>It'd probably be the best way to go, though.

[1/2]

>"Mister Constable!" Parsnip says as she approaches, breaking your concentration and garnering a strange look as Poppy is hooked around her waist as the minotaur comes closer.
>"We need your input, deary! Poppy'd rather us do this ourselves or, anything, ask the deer for help - but the zebra tribe knows the deeper forest better than anyone. Whenever dealing with a big threat, it's best to have a herd, you know."
>She punctuates that with a wag of her club in the air towards some of the big hoofprints.
>"We're not looking to kill it, dude! We're not allowed, we just need to watch it!" the zebra points out after untangling herself from Parsnip, jumping close to you and booping snoot to beaktip.
>"C'mon, man. We can send Parsnip home and take care of this ourselves. Just need to follow that trail, right there, I know it," she goes on, rearming herself with her spear and wagging it towards the path you imagined was the best way to try.
>She seems very convicted on this as she looks into your eyes, albeit turning some to loop her other foreleg around you for a little tug to start walking.

>What should you do?

And that will be all for tonight - hopefully it was an okay return to the scene. Also hopefully you didn't mind the small timeskip trip from hut to burnt out area. Figured it'd be good to get to a more critical spot after a long break (this is where I would have preferred to stop for my hiatus).

Things will start up at the same time tomorrow evening. Thank you all for playing, reading, and otherwise! Good to be back!

Bedtime bump

>>28909365
Why aren't we allowed to kill it?

>>28910482

>>28912945

>>28909365
I would hate to send Parsnip back. That would be awfully rude. Still, I think we should track it ourselves.

"Why aren't we allowed to kill it?" you ask after making enough distance between your and her faces.
>Poppy snorts softly with a roll of her eyes, looking back at Parsnip, then toward you again.
>"Well, if what I think happened here did, the... zebra tribe left behind might care less about it; the deer, though, they're all about life persisting in the forest no matter what. They already have a thing about dudes trespassing too deep in the forest."
>You flutter wings at that, looking toward the mingled hoofprints in the ashy dirt again, then to the zebra once more.
"Sounds like the deer could help though," you point out with a point towards the same path Poppy waggled her hoof towards.
>"Nah, dude. Being a zebra, I'd be cool with them, but I don't know about a griffon," she goes on, looking back towards the larger cow leaning forward, trying to listen in to the whispering.
>"And, for sure, they aren't fans of minotaurs. Like I said, we can do it, man, just you 'n me, c'mon."
>You ponder that for a moment, then hold up talons, patting the zebra's nose before walking over to Parsnip.
"Would you be willing to go along with just us three still?" you ask, the minotaur giving an odd look.
>You get so used to Poppy understanding you that you forget about most everyone else being unable to.
>Instead, you point at yourself, at Poppy, then at Parsnip, finally sliding talons to either side to indicate that would be it.
>The minotaur watches you closely, lip pursed again as she looks towards Poppy, then back to you again.
>"Well, deary, you're the leader of this mission. I'll go with whatever you want ahh... if you'll have me," she says with a little shuffle on her hooves.
>"Just tell me what's the next move and I'll do it," she adds in, the zebra giving a tiny sigh behind you.

>What should you do?

>>28914604
I think we'll be enough. This is personal, involving others would complicate things.

>>28914604
Then let's go find our beast.

>You nod to that, turning to Poppy and bringing her over with a wave of your talons.
>She takes a few moments, but finally complies, flanking you as Parsnip does the same.
>You start a trek down the 'made' path, some branches needing to be torn away or pushed aside as you wander deeper into the forest, the open canopy from the fire quickly ceding into pinpricks of light as your trio moves forward.
>There's still not much conversation going on, although it seems a little more tense now than the trip to the area where Poppy found you.
>That's good enough, though, able to keep an intent listening into the woods, more rustling, some glowing eyes... but nothing seems to want to challenge your armed band at the moment.
>"You know, you're going to have to meet with the zebras sometime," Parsnip blurts out after a short while more, having you look over towards her as you both continue walking.
>Poppy, however, stops in her tracks with a little seething groan added in, causing the pair of you to stop and look back.
>"That'll happen when things get sorted out, ya know," the zebra says, red eyes near glowing as she looks up toward the minotaur.
>"Right now, just focus on the task at hand, dude."
>With that, the flanking goes back to being Poppy in the lead with you and Parsnip behind her, quick gallop forward leaving you more than several steps behind.
>Along with it, the rustling of leaves, trees around the makeshift path seems to be increasing, though nothing is visible yet in the near darkness of the deeper forest.

>What should you do?

>>28914855
Maybe we should take a quick look from the air. Might spot something before we stumble into it.

>>28914916
Sounds like a good plan. I had my suspicions to her having beef with the zebra tribe before but now that's pretty much confirmed. We'll worry about that later though.

>You share a side glance at Parsnip as the zebra runs ahead, the minotaur giving a little wave of her hand before starting forward again.
>You follow after, though catch up with Parsnip, tapping her side, then pointing up towards the shading branches of the trees.
>"Oh, that sounds like a smart idea. The high ground is the best place to see danger coming AND take care of it," she agrees with some nods.
>You agree with your own nods, spreading wings with a few flaps, then taking up towards the treetops.
>You can see a fair distance, even in the darkness, thanks to keen griffon eyes, but there doesn't seem to be any immediate threats to either side, just what looks like more wild animals darting around.
>There's also rustling in the treetops... though you can't make out any critters there.
>Just as you are about to look forward, your concentration is interrupted by Poppy yelling at you from the ground down below.
>"You can't be up that high here, dude! The vines are gonna get ya!" she calls out.
>Before you can react to that new knowledge, rustling intensifies and your back leg is wrapped by something green and leafy, snaking around it up to your thigh.
>More vines seem to have lifted off their branches, ready to lash out as well.

>What should you do?

>>28915064
Try to dive back down below. Or maybe try to cut the vine around our leg first.

>You soundlessly grunt at the grappling, squinting with a harder flap of wings to the other vines rising up like snakes about to snare their prey.
>You manage to swing talons at the vine holding your leg, freeing it just as the other vines start lashing towards you.
>You manage to dive, but while they don't grab, some of the green, leafy appendages strike your wings and hindquarters, causing for a roll in the air, hurtling you to the ground.
>Among the somewhat nauseating spins, you see Parsnip and Poppy jostling around like they were trying to catch a long hit in a stickball game.
>You make another soundless noise as you finally impact, only slightly feminine grunt as you end up in the arms of the minotaur, caught to her strong bosom as your world keeps spinning despite things settling physically.
>"Geez, dude, I have to keep my eye on you, don't I?" Poppy says with a huff, batting at Parsnip weakly with hooves to set you down.
>"If things don't go well this time, I'm gonna have to try and stay with you again."
>She dusts you off with hooves as you unsteadily stand... then more steadily sit on your bottom.
>The rustling noises still seem to be going on, even louder, quicker. There's also a howl in the distance... or it seems like it with the world still spinning.

>What should you do?

>>28915340
Take the time to get our bearings. We're useless if we're dizzy.

>>28915340
Remember which way is up.

>You make your head stop bobbing with talons to either side, world going from spinning to just some moderate shaking before settling some more.
>"How many hooves am I holding up, hmm dude?" Poppy goes on, standing on her hindlegs with fo... definitely two hooves up.
"Two," you say, giving the zebra a little less concerned look and a giggle, burying you in chestfluff as she hugs your head.
>That does feel nice... but your wings twitch, tail lashes as you hear something again, minotaur and zebra apparently too concerned with you to notice.
>You break free as gently as you can, turning to the louder noises, another howl punctuating the air, all three of you hearing this one as Parsnip and Poppy tense up from it.
>You look forward, then out into the deeper brush.
>Three pairs of green eyes are what you see in the darkness, although getting closer, you can see canine quadrupeds made out of... wood?
>"Great, I thought they woulda been chased away from the fire," the zebra mumbles, shifting beside, then in front of you.
>"Timberwolves?" Parsnip asks, shifting her stance some herself.
>"Of course it is, they scrounge around for critters even though they live off elements," Poppy responds.
>The quarters for fighting here are somewhat cramped, wooden beats far enough away to get a little ground, but probably not run away too far.

>What should you do?

>>28915518
Throw a stick, yell fetch

>>28915518
>>28915524
Just might be crazy enough to work

>>28915524
If that doesn't work, throw timberwolf instead.

>>28915518
I say we grapple, one of us to a timberwolf. The pony will be in most danger but the minotaur should be able to reduce hers to toothpicks very quickly and help.

>You have a flash of brilliance!
>Wooden dogs, wooden stick!
>You nudge Poppy who was staring into the darkness, her eyes probably not yet seeing anything beyond the glowing green and hearing the crunching of leaves and branches.
>She looks at you to which you explain this idea, her fierce expression softening some with a giggle, patting your head.
>"You think that'd work, hmm?" she asks with more giggles, nearly busting out laughing as Parsnip gives a worried look towards you both.
>Poppy wags a hoof, making the minotaur bring her head down, explaining things in whispers while mostly maintaining her giggles.
>Parsnip makes an even more worried look at the suggestion, looking at you nodding before she turns back to the zebra again.
>"Well, ahh... deary, if you want to try it," she agrees, shifting some to the side of the makeshift path.
>With a little setup, you have a rather large leafy stick in your talons that the zebra picked out, Poppy behind you, and Parsnip somewhat forward behind a large tree.
>There is no mistaking what was coming - one timberwolf leading with two flanking it, closer and closer.
>You let them get within twenty steps when Poppy taps your rear, making you shift, then throw the tree limb into the air as the zebra goes 'FETCH!'
>The leader does, in fact, go for it!
>Parsnip gawks as you watch the powerful looking wooden beast jump, lunge for the flying stick, jumping some as the zebra then yells 'NOW!'
>Minotaur rights herself, suddenly jumping from her hiding place, grappling one of the timberwolves with a ghostly yelp of surprise, flinging it up with a loud crash, clattering splinters all around as it connects with the first.
>While surprised, the third remains though, shaking its head with another low howl before pouncing at you, quick roll getting your body and tail just out of reach.
>It snarls as Poppy jabs it with her spear, turning to face her, rearing back for a new lunge at closer range as she backs up.

>What should you do?

>>28915775
Grab it by the booty and fly upwards.

>>28915775
Shoot it in the butt.

>>28915775
Not sure if the wolf is right between us and Poppy or not. In case it is, I'll go for the grab.

>With the beast distracted, you make your own pounce forward, talons cracking into wooden flanks with a ghostly yelp from timberwolf.
>You try to flap-flap hard, though wince as pain hits you from the effort, able to take off yourself, but usual griffonly strength was crippled as wings find it difficult to move faster.
>Still, the attempt to hoist it gets its attention on you, turning to try and bite you much like it were attacking its tail, spinning in a small circle with you still latched on.
>Your world starts to get dizzy again, wings trying to create some wind shear from the jumping, snapping timberwolf until BAM! it ends up exploding into splinters right within your talons as momentum of the spinning flings you into some bushes.
>Unsteady footsteps get you up, looking out to see Parsnip's club still landed where the wooden beast was, giving her a dazed little smile to which she titters and bows.
>"Very good, very good, dudes," Poppy says, patting the minotaur's arm before coming over to check you over.
>"Just not your day, hmm man? Ya gonna be sick or anything?"
>You shake your head, tongue pushing out... though making the zebra jump in a soundless gag as your head bobs, smirking with it.
>She gives something of a gigglefit to it herself, then taps your cheek with a forehoof.
>"As much fun as a little baddie bashing is, we need to get going... like now."
>She hoists you up on her back, bushes, leaves still rustling despite no more timberwolves, some of the noises almost sounding like laughter.
>Parsnip and Poppy start down the 'path' again, you on the latter's back, although... looking down, there are no more tracks that you can see.

>What should you do?

Wew, that last one too longer than intended. Cold medicine started acting up before I'm used to for bedtime, so apologies.

But we'll stop it here for now - tomorrow, the starting time will be around 9PM CST or a little earlier since I have work. Thank you all for playing and being amusing with it, reading, bumping, all of everything!

>>28916056
Try to regain the path.

>>28916066
Thanks back, and goodnight.

Bedtime bump

>>28917213

Poppy bump

>>28919209

>>28916056
Point out the lack of tracks. Should we not find those again?

>>28919827

Had to work later, so a little time and we'll start up for a short, but should be decent-sized session. Also, QM bump.

>You nudge Poppy, then point toward the ground.
>She turns to you and blinks before looking down, making a pondering noise then smiling.
>"Good eyes there, dude," she says with a forehoof back to ruffle your headfeathers, then investigating the ground closer.
>She finds hoofprints once again, Parsnip and her correcting course with you still on the zebra's back.
>While not so dignified for a griffon, she is soft and warm to ride on - your wings are marginally sore too, of course.
>No more beasts come about, very few wild animals really, the trees mostly bare of life.
>The bushes continue to rustle and shake, though, seeming quite frantic as you enter a small area nearly completely shaded from the afternoon sun.
>Your party takes it slow through it... but nothing comes about.
>That is until another glance down has zebra and minotaur hooves heading opposite the hoofprints instead of following them, hard blink of yourself and a short twitch of tail.
>You give Poppy another nudge, pointing out this new problem, making a louder thinking noise as she looks to the path, then to some nearby bushes.
>Without warning, she swings a forehoof at one, causing it to rustle and shake in that near giggling noise before she softly grunts with a flop onto her hindquarters, making you soundlessly do the same as you tumble to the ground.
>"Well, dudes, who's up for a picnic right now? I could go for some munchies," the zebra announces with a reach into her mane, pulling the typical rolled up green thing from it and putting it in her mouth, albeit keeping it unlit.
>"Isn't in the middle of a path kind of... silly?" Parsnip asks with a look down at her.
>"C'mon man, I'm hungry," Poppy responds with a silly sort of whine, lunching for the basket the minotaur was carrying, making her lose balance but stay standing.

>What should you do?

>>28921550
Why the hell not? Poppy will just fiend for it if we refuse. Might as well get over with it. Besides, the path doesn't look well-traveled.

>You right yourself, giving Poppy a strange look too, but end up shrugging towards the minotaur.
>Your stomach is a little rumbly from breakfast as it is, so why not?
>Despite the amount of hoofprints, it's doubtful you'll get interrupted again anytime soon as long you keep quiet.
>Parsnip relinquishes ownership of the basket moments after that, it landing on the ground with Poppy digging into it with tail in the air as her head and a forehoof disappear into the large woven container.
>You give a little stretch, looking at the strangely rustling bushes, peering closely yourself before just settling and waiting for your turn to get something from the basket.
>"Ahh, could I get my picnic blanket, deary?" the minotaur asks, poking the mussed mane partly showing from the basket, forehoof not digging inside batting at her digit.
>It's a few more moments before Poppy emerges from the large basket, munching some sausages with unlit smoke still attached to her lip, other hoof holding a pie.
>She chews noisily as she looks at you, then the minotaur, twitching her tail with a giggle.
>"Think fast, dude!" she calls out with a spittle of meat on the ground, winding up her forehoof, sending the pie sailing towards you!

>What should you do?

>>28921778
Think fast of, course. Very fast. About the pie that's on our face. I'm sure it can still be eaten though.

>>28921778
Catch it mouth first. do a flip

>Eyes are wide as she sends the dessert sailing at you, wings pomfing out with a small wince.
>Obviously, you could totally avoid it with your feline agility, but why do that when Poppy seems intent on creaming you with her pie.
>'SHPLT!' goes the cream-covered thing, getting a smackerel of lemon as it connects.
>To enhance the effect (and also to keep the stuff from getting more on you than it should), you spring your legs while flapping wings, sort of failing in the second part as your belly fur gets speckled with whipped cream as you go once, twice, before landing again, tin hitting the ground before you do.
>You lose the ability to use another sense as darkness coats your beak and eyes, gooey, lightly tart, but very sweet darkness, slurping it up with your tongue.
>Your hearing gets far more than any seeing could be, Poppy busting out laughing, the bushes rustling loud and wildly too with Parsnip crying out 'Oh my dear!' among it all.
>The zebra's laughing cuts off sharply as you raise balled up talons to wipe away goop on your eyes, minotaur gasping and nearly bellowing as the bush rustling stops all of a sudden.
>When you can see again, Poppy is standing nearby, hugging some strange viney, twitching balls to her chest in one forehoof, grinning as she gives a slurp to lick some more of your pie-covering away.
>"Man, wish I didn't hafta waste such a killer pie, but thanks for playing along," she says with a giggle and big grin.
>"Especially nice acrobatics, haha! Really made it genuine ta get them off-guard," she says, nosing down to the squirming plants she was holding, little glowing circles sometimes visible in their leafy middles as they seem to struggle against her.
>"What do ya think we should do with 'em?"
>Parsnip acts as a mother hen might as the scene settles fully, using her dress to dab and wipe away other gooey dessert on your face, neck, but no lower, kind of unsure about what or why this all happened.

>What should you do?

Wew, who knew a thrown pie would kill the thread, then me? I kid, I kid. Imagine it's about time to end tonight's session for real, though. Hopefully things have been enjoyable in this return.

I have to say, though, that I'm going to have to take a short break seriously, short one, not two months again, fug me again from work/holiday stuff, so the next thread will probably be Friday at 9pm CST (which hopefully that works for y'all players since it is the most common time I'll be getting off of work usually). Don't think the thread needs to be bumped until then. Thank you all for playing, reading, bumping, and everything else~ Feel free to leave comments, questions, or otherwise and please leave some commands for the start of next thread, thanks!

>>28922506
Lick yourself clean, as catbirds do.

>>28922506
Everfree forest. Viney vegetable ball-plants that have circles (eyes?) and a sense of humor.

Attempt to interrogate our vegetable prisoners.

>>28923438

Go with.... apple