A traveling clockmaker's predicament (closed)

[Red_Tower]

"I don't mind at all if you want to bring Tuono." Bill said, a grin creeping up his face when the cat messed with Kano's hood. He was a little shocked by the ease she had with repairing the engine, but she had spent time around them, so it slipped his mind. "Uh, just until we get through these little streets, if you don't mind. Don't exactly want to lose sight of you..." He said, drifting a little at the end. But he tapped his staff on the ground and straightened up. "After you, lady Kano." Bill said with a quick bow.

[Deleted]

Nodding she spun around, cat dropping to her heels. Her pace remained even and steady though slower now the cat occasionally slowed to the point where it walked next to Bill. Electric blue eyes remaining steadily on him until Tuono decided Kano was moving to fast and bit on the end of her coat. Kano would stop, take a few steps backwards, then look to Bill to make sure he was still there before continuing forwards.

This process repeated itself about five times before Kano stepped out into the world full of new-found color. The cat trotted up to her with a meow and she spun to face Bill with a grin. "This trail leads to a smithy somewhere at the end and crosses with several merchants paths, but most of what is brought here is metal. There should be a path it crosses with that leads to a small town near the mountain range, this seem okay to you?" The ginger cat jumped to her shoulder and pawed at the lowered hood that was a result of his previous antics. A glance was all that was given in responce, Kano preferring to look at people as they spoke.

[Red_Tower]

Bill hurried after her, grateful for the slower pace, though still struggling at times, he was able to up most of the time. Whenever Kano stopped and waited for him it made it a lot easier. Eventually he noticed the cat walking with him, giving it a glare, before smiling at it, giving Tuono a wink.

He was relieved when they finally got out of the industrial district; he really wasn't a fan of the fums and gloom of those sorts of areas, even if the machines were interesting. Bill glanced around as they exited the area and Kano spun around. When she asked him if the plan was alright with him, he nodded at first, and then nodded again. "Yes, that sounds like a plan." He said with a smile, taking a deep breath of the fresh air and renewed color.

[Deleted]

The cat pawed at her face, "Yes Tuono?" Puuuuur. Rolling her eyes Kano looked back to Bill once again. "Would you like me to keep this pace?" She was ready to get moving again, but glad for company her walking speed could be cut down for compromise.

To the mountains it would be, the path took the easiest route through the sprawling hills and tall stick-like grass waved in the wind. Smaller green grass sat on the edges of the path doing its best to survive the onslaught of its golden cousin. Large walnut trees surrounded by limestone were dotted across the hills providing little bits of shade in the large open area.

[Red_Tower]

Bill contemplated it a moment, before quickly deciding. "Well normally I would say it's about the journey, not the destination, but I can tell you enjoy moving quickly, and now that I don't have to dodge through industrial alleyways I should be able to keep up a lot easier. Feel free to set the pace you want, and I'll be right next to you." He said with a gleam in his eye as he turned his head to look down the road, taking in the sight of the rolling hills and open road ahead. "This is always the best part..." He muttered, grinning as he rolled his shoulders.

He couldn't help being reminded of his home by the picturesque countryside, the flowing landscape with its ocean of tall grass and lone trees spotted around were very similar. "Don't start thinking of home, or you'll think of..."

[Deleted]

With a grin and a flap of her coat as she spun around again Kano was off. Long legs that took climbing and sharp turns with amazing ease managed perfectly on slightly more rugged terrain. Her pace was steady as to not trip up and take the uphills well, coat bouncing against her legs and hood jostled by the wind.

Ginger fur seemed to almost glow in the sunlight as the cat hopped off the shifter's shoulder. The cat followed at Kano's heels at a trot, unable to slow to a walk due to the size difference between the feline and its owner. Uphill, and down the pair kept an even pace though much faster than what had been provided before for Bill's sake. 'Without this cat I would probably be still stuck with the old man trying to come up with some idea that would impress the board of stuffies. Still I have this feeling it didn't need to be ordered to stalk me.' Rouw! "Oh, what now Tuono?"

[Red_Tower]

"The way she grins..." Bill thought for just a moment as she spun around and took off down the road. So he darted after her flailing coat, the wind rushing past as he caught up and kept pace, surprisingly quick on his foot through the hillsides, grinning to her from the side. He watched as the world rush by them in a stream of colors and fragrances, peaceful sounds and brilliant sunlight, a flow of air course by.

Still, he couldn't help but watch her, always trying to figure out what she was thinking, what motivated her, and simply who she was. He was trying to think of a conversation started when the cat yelped. "Something the matter?"

[Deleted]

The growl from the cat did little to intimidate the threat it saw, but served to warn Kano. "Coyote." The brown fur of the animal blended well enough, but this didn't stop two pairs of feline eyes from registering its appearance. With a leap the cat jumped to Bill's shoulder, wary of being pushed off or eaten by the coyote he was rather tense.

Kano lunged forwards, her muscles committed to the action, despite the girls plan. Turning as quickly as it could the canine darted away, continuing to run after the initial removal from reach it failed to notice the sudden halt the girl had come to. Lunging forwards and negating the action by suddenly planting your feet firmly was very jarring, but nothing she couldn't handle. Turning around again she faced Bill and Tuono.

[Red_Tower]

Bill blinked, before a grin spread across his lips and he started clapping. Of course he had to stop suddenly when he nearly dropped his staff in the process. "Wow, color me impressed. That coyote didn't know what he was dealing with." He said with a laugh as he glanced over to the cat on his shoulder, attempting to pick him up and hold Tuono in his arm. "How'd you know to do that?"

[Deleted]

Tuono relaxed and purred as he was held in Bill's arm. "I've dealt with coyotes in the past wile traveling, they usually only attack if they think you're scared or incapable of doing damage. So making it think I was going after it made it run." Kano grinned before starting to walk again the first few steps she shook out her legs to provide her previous ease despite the jarring halt.

After a while she slowed turning to look to Bill, "The merchant path is right ahead, we should be in the small town by the evening." She kept walking for a bit before turning and walking onto a different path and speeding up once again.

[Red_Tower]

"I see, well it sure is a useful skill." He said briefly, starting to follow her as she fixed her legs. He gulped for a second as she turned towards him, until he realized what she was starting to say. "Excellent, seems like we're making good time." Bill said as they took off down the new trail.
As the sun started to set he paused for a second, letting her go on ahead if she didn't notice him stop right away. He was staring up towards the mountains, watching the setting sun shine through the wind-swept trees on the mountain side. He only stood there a few seconds, trapping the image in his mind, before he went to catch up.

[Deleted]

Kano noticed his gulp and made note of it in her mind as she continued forwards. While Bill stopped she hid a soundless yawn in her sleeve and the cat hopped down. As Bill caught up the cat walked forwards to the shifter's heels again trotting along comfortably. The town was coming into view now, the wooden buildings not as new or pleasurable to the eye as the ones in the previous town but still serviceable and cozy.

"I think I'm going to need to sleep at the inn."

[Red_Tower]

"Right, guess you didn't sleep last night..." Bill said, attempting to avoid putting any emphases in the word 'you' but instead barely uttered the word. "I assume you know where the inn is in the town?" He asked as they got closer, taking in the new location, sizing it up and examining it. People probably stopped here on their way to the city the two companions had just left.

[Deleted]

"This town is much smaller so all the shops, stalls, and so on will be clustered together in the only square. Meaning anything that isn't a house is going to be in the center or town. Yes, I know exactly were the inn will be." People still chose to live here, and there were plenty of shops in the square with enough people bustling about to fill them but most would be gone into their houses soon. Only the usual stragglers would remain about and those passing through would likely be inside the very inn Kano was going to stop at.

The cat at her heels gave an accusing tug at her coat as she stepped into the town. "Tuono, it's not my job to feed you, go catch a mouse or something." The two glared at each-other for about a second before the cat walked away tail lashing in irritation. There were no alleyways here, with houses spread out nicely and a path straight to the town square.

[Red_Tower]

"It looks like a nice place, not brilliant, but I've never been a town person; too many people." Bill said as they walked deeper into the town, doing a random cartwheel forward. He turned around to face her, walking backwards into the street. "This time I'm going to pay for you, its the very least I can do to thank you for the company and guidance on this trek." He said with a grin, closing his eyes in a big smile, before tripping in a hole on the road, recovering quickly.