~ thirty-ninth fairy tale

[too_fairytale]

[ooc: backdated to this morning]

[Amy's got her journal open, as usual; she tends to treat it like a radio. Open to hear the news, turned off when she's otherwise occupied. Right now she's making breakfast. Or trying to, anyway--their spatula seems to be missing. After going through all the drawers and cabinets in the kitchenette (twice) to no avail with steadily increasing annoyance, she finally gives up and asks the castle for a replacement]

Castle? Could I get a spatula? Because it looks like you've stolen mine.

[there's a short silence. And then a very loud thud. And THEN a bloodcurdling scream. Which gets answered by a distinctly tiger-sounding growl]

Comments

[nurse_boy]

[Rory shoots up out of his chair at the table, nearly knocking the chair over, and--without even thinking--holds his hand out flat like a sword.

Nothing happens.

He blinks and looks extremely frustrated for a second before he drops his hand and looks cautiously at Amy]

Um.

[too_fairytale]

[Amy's face has gone white as a sheet--not surprising, given there's a fully-grown tiger now crouched in front of her, tail swishing dangerously back and forth. Though to be honest, it does have a faint air of being just as startled as she is, instead of being about to leap for the kill]

That. Is not. A spatula.

[nurse_boy]

[the look he gives her is wide-eyed and positively withering]

You think?!

[too_fairytale]

[the look she shoots back at him might have been capable of burning holes in the TARDIS, if she weren't so obviously freaked out. Tentatively, she takes a step back up against the counter, and the tiger growls low in its throat, tail continuing to swish]

Okay, um... nice kitty... look at me, totally harmless here, you don't want to eat me...

[the tiger stays crouched low, but now it's looking around the room]

[nurse_boy]

[meanwhile, Rory is rolling his eyes where she can't see and tossing a frustrated look at his hand. This would all be so much easier if he were still an Auton--and he canNOT believe he just thought that--but he could stun the tiger or something if he were. But knowing his luck, and the castle's apparent love of making him miserable, shooting the tiger with a stunner would make it burst into a dozen tiny tigers. Tiny tigers--but twelve of them. He swallows thickly]

Maybe it wants a steak? Do we have s steak?

[too_fairytale]

[the tiger seems to become aware of Rory then, its ears flicking in his direction, before taking a step towards Amy. She tries not to shriek and vault backwards up onto the counter, instead very very tentatively holding out her hand, palm up]

No, we don't usually keep that stuff in here, we just ask for it, maybe we should start keeping it--

[the tiger stretches forward and actually SNIFFS HER HAND]

[nurse_boy]

Oh, no, no, nonono--

[Rory makes as if to step in front of Amy, hand held out warningly, but when the tiger moves he freezes. And nearly screams like a girl when the tiger stretches forward. When it sniffs her hand, he manages a gargled noise of alarm]

[too_fairytale]

[the only reason Amy doesn't make a gargled noise too is because she's trying very VERY hard not to do anything that might spook the tiger, which includes making sudden noises. But to her amazement, after the tiger sniffs her hand, it--pushes its head underneath it in what seems like a clear invitation to be petted. Amy, having never had a cat (jungle or otherwise) is understandably flabbergasted]

[nurse_boy]

[as is Rory. He looks from the cat, to Amy, back to the cat, and back to Amy again before making another gargled noise. This time it's one of surprise]

....?

[too_fairytale]

[Amy is slightly frozen in place, hand still outstretched, while the tiger rubs along it. It seems much more comfortable around people than a wild tiger would be, which makes her think--did she just unintentionally steal some zoo's tiger?]

I... think it likes me...

[nurse_boy]

[he's watching with a sort of morbid fascination, caught between genuine curiosity and abject terror because--well--TIGER. He sidles carefully toward Amy]

... Maybe?

[is the tiger actually *purring*?]

[too_fairytale]

[does a tiger purring sound like a cat purring, or... more like a mid-sized motor? It DOES appear to be a great deal more relaxed than it was immediately upon arrival, though now that it's rubbed up on Amy it's taken to looking around again, tail twitching. And it may indeed be purring]

Do you think we got lucky and got a--tame--tiger? He doesn't really seem bothered by me, just... by where he is.