Don't pet them, grab them! [Mingle]

[ourearth]

Date: 25th of July
Characters: Open!

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I.

In the afternoon on the 25th, a network message alerts the Numbered to the fact that the petting zoo in Moss Manor's Menagerie is facing a major break-out: Someone has torn down the fences, and all the bunnies, sheep, and all the other animals typically found in petting zoos have decided to book it. They are now swarming the manor's grounds.

Due to the staff being nowhere near enough to catch them all, and due to the generally low threat level of the animals that escaped, visitors are asked to help catch them instead of being sent away.

And anyone who just happens to show up and help will be happily welcomed and included in the fort, without any question of who told them that help is needed.


II.

Afterwards, Lady Margaret Camilla Brassant invites everyone onto her patio and offers refreshments - tea, water, little sandwiches, cake and scones with clotted cream and jam. She retires quickly herself, but not before giving a brief speech thanking everyone who helped save the gardens from hungry mouths.

Comments

[runs]

"... don't have to try and hold its butt and support the head?" She's been told how to hold a baby, that's pretty much what she's going off here. Just a baby with long ears. That can scratch you up, apparently, which doesn't sound so great.

"I could try to find someone who has a ...basket or whatever you put them in to carry them back," she then offers after a moment of thought. That's how you do these things, right?

[blueskying]

"Ah... do have to, I think, and be careful putting it down." He smiles, shrugs. "I've only held a live rabbit once and that was before you were born, actually. I'm sure it'll be fine as long as you take care."

And if it's not fine, that'll be a little rough but not unsurmountable for Kitty. Sky isn't here to give orders.

"Hey, there's a thought. I couldn't carry off more than one or two at a time. Would you mind, once you've got your friend settled?" Even the braver birds are neophobic and wary of his hooks, so while these are small, as chickens go, he can't just pile them into the crook of his arm.

[runs]

"I'm going to do my best!

And I can do both at the same time maybe." She grins at him and then turns to go and do the thing. "I'll be back!"

And with that, she is off.

And returns a while later without the bunny but with what looks like two cat carriers. "They only had these left."

[blueskying]

With a smile he digs out more bribes for the fowl. They are, he expects, somewhat used to wandering around the grounds. He's been to zoos where poultry and peafowl wandered freely through public areas, and the birds he's seen don't have the pecked bloody look of chickens kept in tight quarters. But, of course, white birds are more visible to predators, and these obviously aren't a flighted breed...

Well, you can only do your best.

When Kitty returns he raises his head. He's sat on a bench and one of the fluffy hens has lowered herself onto his foot, resting. "Oh, hey. Yes, I think we could fit a few into each of those."

[runs]

She flashes him a brief grin, relieved that he thinks that this will work, and puts one of the carries down.

"Maybe they'll go in there themselves if you move the food dispensing into them?"

[blueskying]

"Hmm. I could toss some and there'd be a rush into the carrier if they believed that's where the food went, and weren't afraid of getting trapped. Animals don't always figure that out as quickly as we do," he adds. "Or at all sometimes. I had a cat once who could never understand that if you threw his favorite toy into a box it was inside the box, no matter how often we showed him."

Good old Boots. "Do you want to try? You'd have to feed them a little bit first, so they knew you had something."

Since Sky is not presently distributing treats the chickens are doing more scratching, preening, and lounging, but they're still on the lookout for more free food.

[runs]

"I can." She looks a bit unsure. "Do you have some that I can use?"

She's been told off for feeding birds before - don't feed the seagulls, don't feed the swans, don't feed the ducks - so she isn't sure if this is really allowed, but if the one adult in attendance says that it is okay it should be safe and at least not super unhealthy for those birds...