Post by Deleted on May 31, 2013 13:33:55 GMT -5
The park was always populated in warm weather, though perhaps not as much as the city of Gotham itself. It offered civilians a place to relax in an environment that was not so vertical and suffocating as the city itself, though nothing could hide the tall skyscrapers that surrounded the large grassy meadows. People walked along the sidewalks or sat on benches in the shade of the trees, many had dogs with them, tethered with leashes to their owners. Birds sang, and other wildlife, such as rabbits, leapt from bush to bush, and the ducks waddled across the grass begging for food. A gentle breeze offered some relief from the afternoon heat, especially to those who were jogging steadily along the paths. It was peaceful, and that was rare in Gotham, the city of crime.
Lauren twitched an ear, sitting quietly within the tall, thick branches of an old oak. Her sharp brown eyes studied the crowd below, and her long tail twitched anxiously. Different as she was from the so called normal folk, Lauren didn’t dare reveal herself, at least not yet. It would attract attention she didn't need. Her claws scraped into the bark, carving patterns as she waited patiently for her opportunity, searching for just the right victim. Someone that didn’t look capable of catching her in, or after the act. Someone whom Lauren noticed not to be very strong or intimidating, or someone she trusted not to have a quick head. A child, perhaps? They wouldn’t have anything of interest in their pockets, and a teenager might be too swift on his or her feet, but when selecting an adult, she had to be careful.
One could never tell in Gotham, that the man you plan to steal from might be an off duty cop, with a gun hidden beneath his long shirt, strapped around his waist, or just a man with a gun in general. Perhaps he or she was once in the military, and was well trained in combat. Perhaps another was a master in some martial arts, or had a weapon. Gotham wasn’t the safest place, and it was hardly a tourist attraction. People that lived within the city were likely ready to defend themselves, although there was always the occasional slacker who didn’t care, or some fool in denial, who simply couldn’t comprehend that such terrible things would ever happen to them, which would explain all the dead bodies lying in dark alley ways. What idiot would walk alone at night anyway? If it were truly necessary, why be that person, to not have a weapon on you at the time?
Lauren sighed. The lack of common sense in Gotham was depressing. She might not be the most intelligent girl in the city, having never finished middle school, but she knew well enough to run at the first sign of danger, to fight when cornered, and to avoid the shortcuts, where the criminals lurked. Lauren didn’t need education for that. Though she couldn’t help but feel some pity for the people that had been subjected to such terrible acts. Not everyone was stupid. For some people, their fates were just unavoidable. Of course, some times, they get lucky. They get saved. Batman stalked the darker regions of Gotham, but unfortunately, that often pushed criminals into the more residential areas. Criminals much like herself.
A man had passed beneath her perch, and he looked casual. His shirt wasn’t so long that it covered his waist and Lauren could see the bulge in his right back pocket that suggested a wallet or phone. He walked with a family, a wife, shorter than him, but leaner, and an older boy, perhaps of the age of thirteen or fourteen. There was a gap between him and the next few people behind him, who seemed to have their minds on the water and the ducks. It seemed like an easy enough job, and Lauren could find good use for the money that may be in his wallet. She could buy food. The rats she usually ate were always stringy with little meat. Lauren found herself craving chicken, a meat they didn't usually sell on street stands, where food was easy to snatch.
Lauren leapt silently from her tree, landing in the grass with a muffled thud. She crept close, doing her best to stay out of the wife’s view. It helped that she walked a step ahead of the man. Lauren grinned deviously, her fangs glinting in the sunlight as she slipped her claws gently into his back pocket and slowly began working out the brown leather wallet she had discovered. She moved with his every step, being as subtle as possible. She almost had it when the wife turned back to say something, and spotted her with wide eyes. Lauren yanked the wallet free with a startled shout from the man that made her leap back.
“Hey, stop!” He ordered as he whipped around toward her position. In an instant, Lauren was off, sprinting across the park with her prize in hand. She could hear the man behind her giving chase, but with her head start, he’d never catch her. “Stop her!” His wife yelled frantically, pointing as Lauren disappeared around a bundle of trees, leaping a fence onto another sidewalk and shoving through the couple of people that happened to be in her way. “Whoops, sorry, folks!" Lauren apologized with some amusement. There was a long stretch before she reached a stone wall that separated the park from the city streets. Lauren leapt over it and slipped into the city crowd.
Lauren panted as she slowed to a walk, and looked about her in hopes that no one was still chasing her. A few people noticed her strange, cat like features. Some pointed her out, others mumbled quietly, but most people were too focused to care to look. Lauren looked down at the wallet, opening it up to reveal some cash and cards and a driver’s license. She discovered the man she had stolen from was named Robert Williams, but it really didn’t interest her as much as counting the money did, but she would do that later. There were probably cops seeking her out now.
A car horn and the screeching of tires nearly had her leaping out of her skin as she looked suddenly up to see a Taxi coming to a quick stop a few feet away. Lauren noticed that she had wandered across one of the streets without paying any attention and the people on either side that had actually waited for the sign to flash green so they could walk stared, but not many said anything. It was rather common in Gotham for someone in a hurry, or like her, just not paying attention, to cross the street without looking. Cat girls, however, weren’t so normal. “Yikes.” Lauren said under her breath as she jogged out of the way. She needed to find a place to lay low for a few minutes, to get her thoughts cleared. Her eyes scanned for an alley, and when she spotted one not far from where she was, she began to head towards it. At least she’d have a moment of solitude to get her thoughts together.
Lauren twitched an ear, sitting quietly within the tall, thick branches of an old oak. Her sharp brown eyes studied the crowd below, and her long tail twitched anxiously. Different as she was from the so called normal folk, Lauren didn’t dare reveal herself, at least not yet. It would attract attention she didn't need. Her claws scraped into the bark, carving patterns as she waited patiently for her opportunity, searching for just the right victim. Someone that didn’t look capable of catching her in, or after the act. Someone whom Lauren noticed not to be very strong or intimidating, or someone she trusted not to have a quick head. A child, perhaps? They wouldn’t have anything of interest in their pockets, and a teenager might be too swift on his or her feet, but when selecting an adult, she had to be careful.
One could never tell in Gotham, that the man you plan to steal from might be an off duty cop, with a gun hidden beneath his long shirt, strapped around his waist, or just a man with a gun in general. Perhaps he or she was once in the military, and was well trained in combat. Perhaps another was a master in some martial arts, or had a weapon. Gotham wasn’t the safest place, and it was hardly a tourist attraction. People that lived within the city were likely ready to defend themselves, although there was always the occasional slacker who didn’t care, or some fool in denial, who simply couldn’t comprehend that such terrible things would ever happen to them, which would explain all the dead bodies lying in dark alley ways. What idiot would walk alone at night anyway? If it were truly necessary, why be that person, to not have a weapon on you at the time?
Lauren sighed. The lack of common sense in Gotham was depressing. She might not be the most intelligent girl in the city, having never finished middle school, but she knew well enough to run at the first sign of danger, to fight when cornered, and to avoid the shortcuts, where the criminals lurked. Lauren didn’t need education for that. Though she couldn’t help but feel some pity for the people that had been subjected to such terrible acts. Not everyone was stupid. For some people, their fates were just unavoidable. Of course, some times, they get lucky. They get saved. Batman stalked the darker regions of Gotham, but unfortunately, that often pushed criminals into the more residential areas. Criminals much like herself.
A man had passed beneath her perch, and he looked casual. His shirt wasn’t so long that it covered his waist and Lauren could see the bulge in his right back pocket that suggested a wallet or phone. He walked with a family, a wife, shorter than him, but leaner, and an older boy, perhaps of the age of thirteen or fourteen. There was a gap between him and the next few people behind him, who seemed to have their minds on the water and the ducks. It seemed like an easy enough job, and Lauren could find good use for the money that may be in his wallet. She could buy food. The rats she usually ate were always stringy with little meat. Lauren found herself craving chicken, a meat they didn't usually sell on street stands, where food was easy to snatch.
Lauren leapt silently from her tree, landing in the grass with a muffled thud. She crept close, doing her best to stay out of the wife’s view. It helped that she walked a step ahead of the man. Lauren grinned deviously, her fangs glinting in the sunlight as she slipped her claws gently into his back pocket and slowly began working out the brown leather wallet she had discovered. She moved with his every step, being as subtle as possible. She almost had it when the wife turned back to say something, and spotted her with wide eyes. Lauren yanked the wallet free with a startled shout from the man that made her leap back.
“Hey, stop!” He ordered as he whipped around toward her position. In an instant, Lauren was off, sprinting across the park with her prize in hand. She could hear the man behind her giving chase, but with her head start, he’d never catch her. “Stop her!” His wife yelled frantically, pointing as Lauren disappeared around a bundle of trees, leaping a fence onto another sidewalk and shoving through the couple of people that happened to be in her way. “Whoops, sorry, folks!" Lauren apologized with some amusement. There was a long stretch before she reached a stone wall that separated the park from the city streets. Lauren leapt over it and slipped into the city crowd.
Lauren panted as she slowed to a walk, and looked about her in hopes that no one was still chasing her. A few people noticed her strange, cat like features. Some pointed her out, others mumbled quietly, but most people were too focused to care to look. Lauren looked down at the wallet, opening it up to reveal some cash and cards and a driver’s license. She discovered the man she had stolen from was named Robert Williams, but it really didn’t interest her as much as counting the money did, but she would do that later. There were probably cops seeking her out now.
A car horn and the screeching of tires nearly had her leaping out of her skin as she looked suddenly up to see a Taxi coming to a quick stop a few feet away. Lauren noticed that she had wandered across one of the streets without paying any attention and the people on either side that had actually waited for the sign to flash green so they could walk stared, but not many said anything. It was rather common in Gotham for someone in a hurry, or like her, just not paying attention, to cross the street without looking. Cat girls, however, weren’t so normal. “Yikes.” Lauren said under her breath as she jogged out of the way. She needed to find a place to lay low for a few minutes, to get her thoughts cleared. Her eyes scanned for an alley, and when she spotted one not far from where she was, she began to head towards it. At least she’d have a moment of solitude to get her thoughts together.