[Open] Wandering the Grounds

[regalduchess]

These days, Duchess spends more time wandering than not. Without her children to keep her on her feet, or Edgar to send her running after feathers on strings, she's had to take over her own activity schedule-- and so she's explored the castle many times over, and knows how to get where, even after it changes.

The birds in the aviary do not necessarily accept her, but they've learned that though her claws and teeth are sharp, they have nothing to fear unless the instigate a conflict-- and even then, she's more likely to bound away and return later.

Today, her wanderings bring her to the gardens. If anybody wishes to approach the cat, well- she's been lonely. It is, after all, a big castle, and she is but a small cat.

Comments

[lostinmyway]

In the gardens, Duchess will find one very happy lady working away. Grune found a few tiny plants growing in an abandoned room earlier in the day, and while she doesn't know what they're going to grow up to be just yet, she has a good feeling about planting them right here, partly in the shade of the castle.

As usual, she hums an aimless little tune as she digs a hole with her trowel in the rich earth.

[regalduchess]

Duchess often sees Madame Bonfamille's gardeners working, every few days; they plant tiny shoots, water the roses, and spray a mist that seems to keep the bugs off. Her children often asked her what they were doing; mothering the garden, she said. Just as she nurtured her children to grow up noble and cultured, the gardeners shaped the garden into a thriving paradise.

She pads up to Grune and noses her hip, forgetting for moment that she has the power of human speech now. And when she does--

"Hello, madame; are you the castle's gardener?"

[lostinmyway]

Grune looks down to see who had bumped into her; when her company speaks, she smiles.

"Oh, no. I just love looking after all the flowers and plants and trees." If she's at all surprised to hear a cat talk, she shows not the least sign of it. "My name is Grune. What's your name?"

[regalduchess]

"They are quite beautiful." Duchess has to agree, even though she's not one to dig her paws into the dirt.


"Hello, Grune. My name is Duchess." She presses up against Grune and lets her tail wind around Grune's legs, leaning down to sniff at the fresh-turned earth.

[lostinmyway]

"My, what a pretty name! It's very nice to meet you, Duchess!"

She reaches out to let Duchess sniff her hand, if she'd like.

[regalduchess]

Duchess does so; and then she ducks her head to position it under her hand. That's the signal for I want petting, please!

"These grounds are beautiful."

[lostinmyway]

It's a signal Grune understands perfectly; she immediately starts stroking Duchess' very soft coat.

"Oh, yes, aren't they? I'm so glad I can spend time with all the flowers and trees."

[regalduchess]

Duchess, herself, is more of an inside cat. But she won't complain at (or in!) such a wonderful garden.

"I must admit, I am unfamiliar with the many types of flowers in here. --do you have many other visitors here?"

[lostinmyway]

"Oh, yes." She beams at the thought. "Tauriel helps me a lot. She has her own garden over there." She points with her free hand. "And Sans helps, too, sometimes. Sophie likes to practice in the garden, and Ryoji loves all the flowers so much! Mettaton likes the roses the best."

[regalduchess]

"Oh, they all sound wonderful..." Sophie, Sans, Mettaton, she knows. Ryoji and Tauriel? Not so much. PErhaps that is a wandering for another day.

"I do not doubt Mettaton likes the roses. Which are these?" She nudges up against a plant and looks up to Grune curiously; inside cat, through and through.

/slowly unearths self from under Tag Mountain

[lostinmyway]

"Those are tiger lilies," Grune tells her. She giggles a little: a cat and some tigers!

"They won't bloom for a little while yet, but when they do, they're a very pretty orange. They're so bright and cheerful!"