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ourearth) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
saveourearth2018-07-24 10:12 pm
ourearth) wrote in saveourearth2018-07-24 10:12 pm
Don't pet them, grab them! [Mingle]
Date: 25th of July
Characters: Open!
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.
Characters: Open!
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.
Excellent, I saw the first tag and was "good, good, I can use this"
This is still all a little out of his element, but hey - he does have dog-sitting experience. That's something grounded and sane to focus on. Russell draws on those hours, of trying to convince canines who've slipped the leash to let him get close enough to get their collars back on already, and moves around to the other side of the donkey.
"Right, uh, so, if we just... just pressure her, she might try to move away from us, and we can herd her back to the zoo?"
The problem is, if donkeys are anything like dogs, being out in front steal means they can get bit.
What if I had gone with a pony? o3o
Though he'd at least volunteered relevant information.
"There's got to be something we can use to make her turn to the side!"
Of course, as they speak, the donkey's already taking interest in Russell, and turning towards him.
"UH. If you can't get out in front, stay at her side!"
That is outright half-remembered advice he read somewhere. If Russell can't tell, Walter is panicking.
A pony would work, it's less the exact animal and more the running past surprised greeting
"Get out in front of her...?"
Is that donkey moving closer, hinting at the urge to chase and bite, or is that his imagination? Russell steps back a little bit, testing if she secretly has a predator's instinct to chase him down just for backing away.
"Yeah, okay, you get behind her, right? Let's, uh, let's flank her, you try to nudge her this way."
I meant more 'what pun would you use', but that's fair.
"Right," Walter says, moving now to do exactly that.
The donkey snorts, still heading towards Russell.
Walter shouts "Hyah!" in lieu of touching the animal, as a form of incentive.
Hmm. Maybe reached for some way to use 'pony up'? but IDK honestly
But she does startle at the volume of the shout, and she's now, unquestionably, nudged in Russell's direction - if only to get away from the Loud.
So Russell doesn't know if she's chasing him or escaping Walter, but either way he's scrambling back faster.
"Uhhhhh, where do I go, where does she go?"
o7
The donkey enclosure isn't hidden in any way, but it's still quite a walk - well, run.
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Yeah, there's signs. Not complete lists of every enclosure, it's not that big a petting zoo, but plenty to hint: donkey, this way.
He hastens to a jog, glancing frequently and wildly behind him, checking whether the donkey's still following him.
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Walter keeps to his pace, almost without visible effort, letting out another "Hyah!" every few minutes to keep the donkey running.
"Get ready to jump the fence when we get to her paddock!"
And, preferably, stick the landing.
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He's breathing hard, a little from the exertion and mostly from nervousness at being pursued by something with hooves and teeth, and gasps a bit as he talks. But worry and complain as he might, the paddock's coming into sight - and the fence facing them is unbroken.
"Oh god," there's no time to come up with another plan, is there?
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Actually jumping the fence would leave Russell in there with the donkey, which Walter doesn't want.
Fortunately, there is both an open gate nearby and a panicked staffperson coming their way.
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He glances one way, then the other, and spots the staffperson - and the gate. It's just in time, he only stumbles a little as he swerves in that direction and beelines for the open gate.
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"Now, Russell!" Walter shouts.
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"Oh my god," he pants, leaning against the gate on the outside, then grins at Walter. "We did it!"
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Once he's close enough, he offers a hand for a high-five.
"Sorry for the almost heart-attack, there. At least you didn't have to jump?"
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Just looking around them, he can see other people scurrying around chasing or carrying the smaller animals back to their homes.
"There's a lot of open enclosures... What happened?"
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"Three people snuck in, from what I heard."
From the Network, naturally.
"Short of playing sleuth ourselves, I expect we'll find out more later. Within the week, if there's any security footage to back it up."
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He'll have to take Walter's word on that for now, as Russell only listened to bits and pieces of the Network's message - partly because the frantic yelling was a bit much, and partly because otherwise he might have recognized voices.
"Well, I'm not volunteering for that detective work. Getting the animals home is tricky enough!"
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But that's outright guesswork.
"No arguments here!"
At least partly because that staffperson, having calmed the donkey (Walter can swear he heard the man call her 'Betsy'...!), is now coming back over to them, presumably with another assignment.
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"They're not all as... as willful as her, are they?"
Russell figures, he's here now, might as well help with the rest. If most are more chill and complacent, they could split up and get things settled even faster. But teamwork's best with the rest.
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"No, no. Some of the guinea pigs can get about as fast, though! Or so I hear," the staffperson amends.
The tiny fluffy creatures are not his domain; Walter merely raises an eyebrow.
"Most of the animals we had a priority on are... settled."
Aka most likely to hurt others or themselves.
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He might've called people in the area to confirm it, and help call animal rescue groups, though.
"So it's just gathering stragglers now... I'm already here, and happy to help. Keep helping," he correctly with a glance at Walter. "Might as well, right?"
no subject
"This whole thing might get us a few new hires... assuming it isn't one of our own that gets fired for causing it."