New Room in the Big City! (Ultimated and Darian)

[Darian]

The Big City is an amazing place, but it can be a scary one too. Easy to get lost in the glitz and glamour in the tall towers and shining streets. Lots of little lives crammed together in a small space... you see the best of people, and sometimes people go at each other like animals.

Things are a bit more complicated when the majority of the folks IN the city are part animal, and have few qualms about literally eating each other whole and alive. A predator heavy city was no place for someone small and weak, not unless you had big, powerful friends. Corrupt cops swallowed innocent people, big corporations sometimes literally chewed the competition, and the low level employees to bits.
Many mothers will tell their children out in the countryside: "don't go to the big city! They'll eat you alive there!" but the young still try.
But all cities have a dark side... and a good side as well. For every bad pred, there's a good one. For every missing prey, there's one that's found. The big city can be ruthless... but it's a place of freedom and opportunity as well, if you have the strength or daring to take the chance. And for those that really make it home... well, there's a place for everyone in the city. It's not hard to find friendship, or even love if you learn to navigate the teeth.
The city, one should understand, is never quite what one expects it to be.

Perhaps this tale will be a little twisted, but that doesn't mean it's an entirely bad one, or a sad one.

It starts with a strong, confident resident of the city meeting a small, weak newcomer... one yet to be devoured by the city.

It begins... with a little online ad that reads:
"Looking for a live-in Roommate to split the costs of the rent! I already have a job, and am a hard worker who doesn't mind keeping the kitchen clean!
Kaitlyn Chippery."

It's not a terrible apartment, but it's not a great one. But it's very cheap, and good sized...

[ultimated]

Tessa was, as it were, part of the problem, although the city didn't seem to see it that way. A cervine herbivore by species, Tessa is a deer-taur, somewhere around 7-8 feet tall, with soft brown fur all over her body and the only sign that there might be something wrong with her herbivorous facade is her unusually tubby taur-belly. Many a cocky predator who'd taken her at face value had found themselves quickly becoming acquainted with a deer's four-stomached digestive anatomy, and would reform with a red flush of embarrassment that they were eaten by a deer of all things!

Tessa had largely coasted through city life. Being a natural predator by instinct if not by body made her a good candidate for well-paying jobs - at least until she ate someone particularly important and got fired, but her brother was even more successful than she, and would offer her work when she was between other jobs. She spent her weeks telling little preythings what to do (and occasionally where to go), and her weekends enjoying the sensations of a few bellies full of alcohol and would-be preds or self-proclaimed "Ladies' Men". She had been told that life in the big city would chew her up and spit her out, but Tessa did not chew people up, and she certainly didn't spit them out once she had her lips around them~

Even so... Life still had its annoying little hitches and bumps. Such as her house renovations forcing her to seek temporary accommodations elsewhere. She had been searching around for a place to stay in the mean time, and although she'd usually look somewhere further up-market (if not for the living conditions, then in the hopes of finding a pred who hadn't heard of her reputation that she could teach a lesson in the most fun way possible~), but the new post on the front page catches her eye... A human girl, new to the city, and apparently still full of innocence and naivete... It was so rare to find someone so "pure" here, and it had her intrigued. Surely she must know of the city's reputation? She must know that an ad like this was, in some people's eyes, the same thing as advertising fresh meat? It was so... Odd, so strange to see someone post something like this, that she found herself compelled to reply. Surely meeting this person would be far more fun than a few weeks of smugly devouring some wanna-be predator... And of course, it wasn't like she couldn't cover the rent.

An odd smile creeping over her lips, Tessa types out a response and sends it along, describing herself as a friendly, knowledgeable woman who'd lived in the city for years and needed somewhere to stay for a while. That was technically true. The trick was to lie by simply not mentioning the bad parts. Everything she said would be true, and she wouldn't tell a word of a lie, but she also wouldn't speak about the scores of wiggling, squirming bodies she'd enjoyed sending down her throat to her awaiting stomachs! As far as this Kaitlyn would be concerned, Tessa was just a big cuddly harmless herbivore...

[Darian]

Kaitlyn Chippery was an eager girl who had a big heart and a simple dream. She wanted to own a bakery, maybe a deli, and cook delicious food for people. Most people thought she was a friendly, open person who would happily help give directions or even move a couch if you caught her at the right time. Some people thought she was a bit naive, but she preferred to think of herself as upbeat and positive.

Not many people thought of her as dumb... but then again, Kaitlyn WAS very cute, and had only grown more beautiful as she matured. Kaitlyn was 4' 9", rather short for her age, but her body was curved nicely from a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. She had brown hair that she tied back in a short ponytail behind her head... even with her youthful white skin, she fit in well with a knitting group or a gaggle of wholesome teenagers out for a bit of out-doorsy fun. She blamed her mom's cooking for her thick legs... and her mom's genes for her nice chest. Still, she was more muscle than flab... but nothing more than a healthy, fit country girl.

She was from a small town in the country, mostly human, but still rather friendly! Kaitlyn had been raised to see the best in people of all species, but really hadn't met more than a small population. She had spent her entire life in that small town, so much that she knew almost everyone there by name! She had an easy memory with names and faces... it helped with recipies and favorite orders! Kaitlyn had spent most of her childhood working in the family bakery, which was a VERY popular shop! She knew how to cook desserts, cakes, pies hot and cold, breads soft and crunchy... she loved cooking, and seeing the joyful expressions of people taking the first bite of something she made.

But many country kids crave a bit of adventure as they grew older... to see more of the world and meet more people in it. Kaitlyn was driven to share her families recipes and improve and expand them! She was sure that her cooking skills would help make the world just a bit of a happier place. Of course, there were always dreadful rumors about the BIG CITY and how that the furries and preds that lived there were WAY more nasty than the decent folk in the countryside... well, Kaitlyn would hold with none of that. People might be different, but all folks were basically decent... and there wasn't anyone who couldn't be filled up by one of her treats! She wasn't afraid of hard work or being friendly to strangers... that was how you made friends!

Sure the rent was a... LITTLE higher than Kaitlyn expected, but when she put out an ad for a roommate, she got an answer almost immediately! Life had little setbacks, but with optimism and elbow-grease, one got where they were wanting to go.

EDIT EDIT:
Kaitlyn was actually feeling really good about the upcoming roommate too! She sounded like a nice person, and wasn't a pred at all! She was a bit nervous about having a big furry for a roommate, but the few that were around her hometown were nice enough! In fact, most of the anthros and Demi-humans in the city seemed to like her! She should be welcoming in return!

Which is why, when Tessa approached the door to the apartment with the ad, there was a delicious scent on the air. Something warm and sweet... and chocolaty?

Yes, that was definetly coming from the apartment that set out the ad... perhaps Tessa should knock?

[ultimated]

Tessa's nostrils flare as she approaches the door. Chocolate... Goodness, people did say that the way to a woman's heart was through her stomach. In Tessa's case, she typically found that her stomach was the way to her waistline, but some delicious baked goods would certainly earn Kaitlyn some brownie points. She raps her knuckles smartly on the door, turning to look at her back - she's typically transfer any waterproof containers around in her stomach, but where's the fun in dispelling Kaitlyn's innocence right away? She had instead fashioned a harness out of leather straps and tied her luggage to it. Being a taur certainly had its advantages in that way! She fixes her eyes a little lower down the door than her own height - Kaitlyn probably wasn't eight feet tall - and flexes her face into the familiar guise of a soft and trustworthy smile, which is rarely used this genuinely, and is typically seen seconds before a confident smirk, then a bottomless pink tunnel!

[Darian]

"Oh, just a second!" A cheery voice calls out. Then a pair of feet patter to the door, unlocking it with a click.

Kaitlyn had expected her new roomie to be a bit big, and looked up when she opened the door... she hadn't expected to have to look up further to look beyond the cleavage and see the actual face!
"Wow, you're bigger than Bessie from back home!" The cute, brown haired human is wearing an apron with a cute heart sewn onto the front, over an average shirt and pair of jeans. "Tessa, right? I'm Kaitlyn, pleased to meet you!" She happily sticks up one hand for the newcomer to shake... Tessa might note that she's just washed her hands... there are some brown stains on the apron that look new.

She doesn't seem scared of meeting someone several times her size at all! Either she's really confident or really naive... possibly both?

[ultimated]

Tessa beams down at the human before her, her predator's eyes scanning the girl eagerly. Cutesy apparel, no care taken not to get food all over herself, a warm smile, not on guard around a creature as large as Tessa... She really did have no idea what she'd gotten herself into in this city, did she? And it wasn't confidence, or at least not much of it either - she knew the look, the taste, the scent and feeling of confidence in a partner. It was one of her favourite sensations, feeling a would-be predator's confidence rapidly melt into confusion, regret and panic as her throat clamped down around their head...

But this girl was not a would-be predator, and currently more closely fits the bill of "would-be prey" - Tessa doesn't doubt that in almost any other situation, this girl "would-be" someone's prey. She briefly wonders whether it's a good thing she found Kaitlyn before anybody else... She's honestly a little surprised that the landlady didn't have a tighter, wetter "room" in mind when Kaitlyn arrived. Perhaps they were the cocky type that savoured the build-up of watching someone struggle to pay bills until they're three weeks late on their rent and would do anything to get out of debt...

The deer's big hand clamps around Kaitlyn's and shakes it. She's using her preyish charade at the moment, a well-practised act to entice would-be predators with a defenceless demeanour. A light grip and a few gentle shakes, but not overplaying the "weak prey" act either. "It's a pleasure to meet you, miss Kaitlyn!" she exclaims with a smile, a gentle smile plastered across her lips. "You're taller than I thought you'd be!"

[Darian]

"Hah! Ain't you quick!" Kaitlyn takes the jibe with aplomb. "C'mon, I'll show you the flat!" She's so happy that the big taur is friendly! The girl gets a feeling they're going to get along great.

"So, there's two bedrooms besides the living room, and I moved into the smaller one- I don't mind having less room! Honestly I thought the living room was a good deal, cause it had such a huge couch!" She points to the taur sized couch in front of the TV. "Though I guess there's barely enough room for both of us now!"

Looks like the couch was meant for an actual taur... what it's doing in a biped-sized room, who knows. Kaitlyn suspects that furniture was bought in bulk, and they had an extra big couch that they couldn't place anywhere else.

"Bathroom is over there, and there's the kitchen... and my little treat for you!" Kaitlyn bustles over to the kitchen on the other side of the living room... and the smell of chocolate has now become absolutely mouth watering. "Little welcoming snack... and a bit of practice on my part! Lemme know what you think!"

Kaitlyn brings over a plate full of what looks like chocolate cupcakes. These aren't some wimpy light brown milk chocolate cupcakes either. They're a dark, rich color, almost like midnight. There's a small swirl of red frosting on the top, shaped like a flower... it doesn't look bad at all!

When Tessa takes bite or pops one in her mouth, she'd get a surprise. Not only is the dark chocolate cupcake absolutely DECLICIOUS, rich and MOIST... it has filling. RASPBERRY CREAM filling, just tart enough to pop without ruining the sweetness. It's like eating a high end chocolate sweet, except it's a CUPCAKE.

She's only tasted stuff like this in high end restaurants, and yep, that's a rather ordinary kitchen back there! Kaitlyn has kept it sparkling clean as well...

[ultimated]

Tessa follows along behind Kaitlyn, scanning each room with a deceptively keen eye. Anywhere with a single route through or just one exit is bookmarked for further investigation in her mind - it's good to know which way your meals might be running later~

"Oh, you have a taur couch!" exclaims Tessa, setting down her bags on the floor in the living room and beginning to climb onto it. "See, this area is designed for the taur's lower body to lay on its side like so, and this half over here, that's like a really wide arm rest, is for the taur's upper body. You see?" The way she lays, her upper torso takes up the entire "armrest" area, and her legs occupy the sides of the couch, leaving only the space in front of her belly with any real room to sit!

She gets up and trots through to the kitchen, tilting her head a little at the sight of the cupcake. She doesn't want to oversell her preyish act, nor does she want to reveal her "secret" too soon, so she takes a modestly-sized bite - and the raspberry cream has the desired effect, judging by the way her eyes widen as she bites into it! "Oh wow! This is really good!" she exclaims, pacing herself through the rest of the cupcake. "You're a really good baker!"

[Darian]

Kaitlyn smiles brightly at the compliment.

"Thank you! I'm planning on opening up my own bakery in the city one day, but for right now, I'm just a simple delivery girl for a Chinese place down the street. They let me work in the kitchen every now and then, and I'm learning a bunch of new recipes! It's great, though I admit, all the biking from place to place does get a bit tiring. Dunno why everyone seemed so hesitant about a deliverygirl position, really."

Considering Delivery boys/girls are often the most likely to get eaten or go missing along with their orders, plenty of entry level jobs are safer and less traumatizing. Still, Kaitlyn doesn't seem to have had any 'extended deliveries' yet... she must be a bit faster than one expects.

Kaitlyn is actually a bit more impressed by the deer-taur as she drapes herself over the couch... it really is built for someone that big! And she seems so impressive like that... her big belly seemed a bit like a huge pillow!

"What do you do for a living, Tessa?" Kaitlyn asks, after she shows the Taur around the small flat. "Just curious, not worried too much about the rent... you paid a week up front! All we really need to do is sign the papers-" the girl pauses as she brings them over. "Mind if I sit on the edge here?" Kaitlyn pats the bit of space in front of Tessa's belly. "Don't really have a good seat for the coffee table..."

She... really isn't afraid of Tessa at all. She's not afraid of sitting right next to someone so big...

(I planned on having three encounters before Kaitlyn is actually nommed. Tessa noms or permanoms a racoon girl who is eyeing the human up, but is no match for Tessa. Tessa has a quick bar break with an old naga friend who encourages Tessa to pred in a more loving fashion, intimately, rather than just another layer of pudge. Lastly, the kitsune who underestimates Tessa but threatens to perma-nom Kaitlyn for kicks, rather than any actual affection.
We can skip any number of these though.)

[ultimated]

Tessa pauses a moment to consider the number of delivery drivers she'd sent squirming down her own throat over the years, often followed by the food they'd brought her, as if to add insult to injury. She'd be rather disappointed if the human ended up slipping into some slob's belly before Tessa had managed to get her lips around her...

"I figure you'd be better off in the kitchen anyway. You have so much culinary talent, it'd be a shame not to hone it further," she comments, trying to guide her away from the considerably more dangerous job of walking to the houses of hungry predators with food in hands without actually saying as much. Of course, working with food at all tended to be fairly inadvisable - working with food all day is like seasoning yourself.

"Oh, me? I'm between jobs at the moment, but I usually work in management positions. I'm good at organising people to where they need to be and keeping them motivated," she explains. Granted, she usually considered "where people needed to be" could include her waistline, especially if she'd forgotten (or "forgotten") her lunch, and found that the act of putting people on her waistline tended to be motivation enough for the others. "My brother, Terrence, owns the company Venizon, who provides internet and phone coverage to pretty much the entire city and a decent portion of the world, so I've got some cash to fall back on, but I'd prefer to stand on my own four hooves, y'know?"

Terrence was almost a textbook example of predators who might regard Kaitlyn more like a walking candy bar than a sapient creature. His empire was vast and so was his gut - if Tessa's gut made a good cushion, Terrence's would make a comfortable beanbag. He'd clawed his way to the top by swallowing any competitors that didn't get out of his way, both metaphorically and physically. Business Mergers were meant quite literally by Terrence, and he had been known to leave meeting rooms that had previously held a dozen people totally alone, with the board of directors from the rival company quickly realising that the chances he'd have left without acquiring the company were about as remote as the chances of them escaping his sloshing guts. He did indeed occasionally give Tessa jobs, either within his company, or he'd simply pay her to go work at a rival's company for a while, learn their weaknesses, swallow up a few important people, and generally leave the place ripe, as it were, for the taking.

It had certainly occurred to Tessa that perhaps it would be unwise to introduce Kaitlyn to her brother.

"Go right ahead!" she exclaims, snapping out of her thoughtful daze, in response to Kaitlyn's question about resting against her gut. "By all means, use it as a pillow. I won't complain!"

(Hmmmm... The raccoon might be fun, and the kitsune may be, but I'm a little more iffy on that one. I figure Tessa's already working her way towards the correct mental angle, however, so I'm also not sure abot the naga!)

[Darian]

"Ah, Thank you kindly!" Kaitlyn sat down and leaned back just a bit on Tessa's soft, thick belly. The silky fur really made it downy... such a nice thing to find friendly folks in the city, and to have one living with her!

The human smiled as she pulled up the paperwork and listened to Tessa's job. "Hooo, you sound like you're a real mover and shaker! Me, I'm just hoping to be a good baker one day... though I understand what you mean by wanting to do your own thing," She nodded as she laid out the rent agreement. "Feels good to be out on your own, seeing more of the world and doing it your own way! I love baking, but there's gotta be all kinda of tricks and flavors out here in the big city!"

Kaitlyn's smile turns a bit strained. "It would be nice to have some family out here though... rent's a little steeper than I expected." She brightens up instantly. "Still, with you covering half of it, it'll be easy! And don't worry, I think I got a perk that'll make me a real good roommate..."

She holds up the plate of cupcakes.

"You get to be my first taste tester! If'n it works out, I certainly don't mind taking requests! though, I should warn you, some of my recipes are a bit calorie heavy, for farm living." Kaitlyn pats the belly behind her gently with a bit of teasing smile on her face.
"If you ain't careful, I might be adding a few more inches to your belly!"

These city folk have a bit of difficulty working out, after all. Desserts might be wonderful, but Kaitlyn knows how hard it is to keep a good figure, even if you eat healthy!

(I'm very proud of Kaitlyn's last line there!)

[ultimated]

Tessa is rather glad Kaitlin is facing away from her, as she struggles to contain her laughter at the woman's last comment. And what better timing could there be? All it would take would be a quick lunge, a brief struggle ending with a loud, satisfied gulp, the feeling of the woman sliding down her throat, sitting heavy in her stomach, the futility of her beating her fists on the walls as Tessa's fat factory of a belly slowly dragged her through the four chambers and went about the trivial process of converting her into pudge...~

... And yet...

And yet, she was oddly compelled to push the predator within her back down. That curiosity in the girl still lingered, and truth be told, she was a fantastic chef... For the first time in her life, she has a helpless, delicious, and above all easy meal sitting literally in her lap, and she's hesitating.

Eventually, she does open her mouth, but only to let sounds out instead of pushing the girl in. "I wouldn't doubt it!" she exclaims, happily playing a game of ambiguity with her words. "I'm a bit of a big eater - taurs always are, and ruminants such as myself have four-chambered stomachs to fill - so I wouldn't mind taking the first bite of anything you cook, nor acting as a trash can for failed foods!"

[Darian]

"Hah! the cow-girls and cow-taurs back home were the same way!" Kaitlyn said with a broad smile. She kept finding ways city folk were similar to those back home... the girl was going to do just fine!

Of course, Kaitlyn had no idea how... ravenous the bovines near her home could be, if they though they could get away with it. Sadly or luckily, it's harder for folks to go missing in a smaller community, and a prey heavy town meant that preds were... MUCH better at hiding their instincts.

It also helped that the Chippery family bought a LOT of milk and butter, and it was always bad business to eat your best customers. Now, if one of the cows had managed to charm Kaitlyn into a serious relationship, the girl might have found out her neighbors were hungry for a lot more than sweets... but Kaitlyn was as obtusely difficult to charm as she was charming. No cow managed it before Kaitlyn moved to the Big City.

But those were thoughts for another time.

"Well, want another one while we fill out the paperwork?" Kaitlyn offers up the plate and a pen, looking happily up at her new roommate... and hopefully, her new best friend.

000000000000000

Tessa would discover a few things about Kaitlyn in the next couple days. The first and most obvious thing she discovers is that Kaitlyn works REALLY hard. 44 hours a week at her part time job as a deliverygirl, using a BIKE instead of a car. On her days off, she bakes and cleans the house. No wonder the small human is in such great shape... her entire day is a heavy duty workout!

But, she always has a smile for Tessa, and is as happy and chipper as when they first met. Most other folks would have started complaining about their boss at that point.

Kaitlyn also is a curious girl... in addition to asking about Tessa's favorite flavors, she's constantly looking up flavors and recipes catering to different people or species. She wants to include EVERYONE in her cooking, and that includes exploring different cultures! Needless to say, Tessa had a HUGE variety of flavors to try with Kaitlyn around...

Still... it was a two days later that Kaitlyn came home with... a guest. Well, more of an encounter...

One of the advantages to working so close to the apartment was that Kaitlyn often went home for lunch breaks. A handy thing, that let her chat with Tessa more.

[ultimated]

Tessa happily agrees to a second cupcake, the delicious treat tumbling down her gaping throat...

----------

Tessa seems happy to see the woman's smile, and really appreciates her hard work around the house! She would happily clean up the place herself while Kaitlyn's out - but she mostly spends her free hours relaxing on the couch, watching TV, and eating snacks, many of which wiggle delightfully as they melt down~

When asked her favourite flavours, Tessa finds it entertaining to try to name as many foods as possible that are also species of animal: chicken, salmon, turkey... It may surprise Kaitlyn to learn of Tessa's carnivorous appetite, but she seems happy enough to eat vegetarian meals, and eagerly wolfs down any sweets she's offered too.

The appearance of a guest in the house is a rather interesting opportunity for Tessa. She finds herself rather attentive as soon as the guest walks through the door. She's never felt the need to protect prey before...

[Darian]

Kaitlyn actually doesn't mind that Tessa names meats as some of her favorite food... goodness knows her family had LOVELY barbecues! Maybe Tessa would be interested in some types of English meat pies... It seemed that Kaitlyn simply thought it was a little joy that they shared.

"Hey Tessa!" Kaitlyn announced as she popped in for lunch. "Hope you don't mind, but I brought in a guest for lunch... I met her on the way back from work! I tempted Sylvia with the fried chicken we made last night. I hope you haven't eaten all the leftovers yet!"

A new voice drifts into the room, sounding a bit tomboyish, but still confident. "Hey now, they just sounded too good to miss! And I told you-"

Into the room walks a raccoon mimi- A furry with more human traits than animal ones. Only definete ears and tail, and fur more like aesthetic markings over smooth, human skin. These types of anthro's often weren't considered as strong or dangerous as the more animalistic furrys... but that made them cunning, and more likely to use their charms to get closer to unsuspecting humans or more helpless prey before gulping them down.

She had nicely cut hair in a bob, and reddish brown fur and green eyes.

"You can call me Sly!"

Given the size of this raccoon's CHEST, with boobs larger than her HEAD, the 5' 6" mimi had been a VERY successful hunter. Her shapely figure was bigger than Kaitlyns, and held that smoothness that came from vore-pudge... just enough to be tempting.

(I could change this to a full on furry, but I thought this would be more fun.)

"Now, you said you had... a..." Sly's eyes grew almost as big as her boobs as she took in Tessa size and noticeable girth.

"...roomate?" her voice trails off to a squeak.

"Yep! This is Tessa who I was telling you about! She's been a big help to me!" Kaitlyn walks on off to the kitchens quickly to get lunch set out. Clearly she hasn't seen her 'new friend's' reaction to the sight of Tessa.

Sly now seems much more hesitant to walk into the apartment.

[ultimated]

(I'm certainly fine with her being a demi!)

Tessa watches with acute interest as Sly enters the room. She currently lays sprawled across the couch as per usual, taking up all the seating space in the room save for that which requires the use of her plump taur-belly as a backrest.

Her expression visibly lights up as Sly stares at her oversized body, with a predatory cunning that most creatures in the city understand: This was The Hunt, the Great Game, or many other names that it could be known by. There were only two outcomes of The Game: Either the prey escapes, or the predator gets to enjoy a big, squirming meal. It was rare for a hunter like Sylvia to suddenly find themselves shunted into the role of prey, but that was the thing about The Game - you could be made to play the role of prey at a moment's notice, and refusal to play usually results in losing.

She may not realise it just yet, but Sylvia has one important advantage. Tessa doesn't want to spoil her delightfully naive room-mate's innocence by gulping the raccoon-woman down in front of her. She'll be aware soon enough - if she's bad at figuring things out, this will be a short Game indeed. The two predators are now tap-dancing across a social minefield, and while Sylvia has to find a path that leads out, preferably via Kaitlyn, Tessa merely has to reach Sylvia to win her prize...

"Do come and sit down," invites Tessa, patting the couch cushion closest to her head, right in front of her expansive gut. Her eyes remain locked on the demi-human, scanning her every move...

[Darian]

"Oh, this is Tessa! I told you, she's a big softie!" Kaitlyn calls out from the kitchen, her back turned but she's still quite visible from the kitchenette. "Even let me cuddle up next to her belly when we first met!"

Kaitlyn is of course, quite ignorant of the great game.

Sylvia is not ignorant of the game. She's also QUITE aware that she's outclassed here; Tessa would see the racoon's eyes dart between Kaitlyn and Tessa, taking in the deer's size and the noticeable pudge on her middle. A raccoon is a scavenger, and a small one at that... one that survives on it's own by being sneaky and clever, and most importantly, not hanging around when a bigger predator shows up sniffing your catch... or laying claim to your prey.

Sly pulls out her phone, her eyes wide and her tail twitching.

"Oh, important call here-" she speaks quickly and presses something on the phone. "What's up-oh how terrible! I'll come right away!" Sly shoves her phone back in her pocket and begins backing up toward the door. She doesn't look away from Tessa, clearly keeping an eye for any sudden movements. "Kaitlyn, I'm terribly sorry, but somethings come up. I can't stay at all!"

"Oh, really? What's wrong?" Kaitlyn turns around, holding a warmed up glass pan of food. She looked a bit dismayed at her new friends distress, not seeing Sly's focus on Tessa at all.

"Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be able to handle it once I'm back there, far away-" Sly pauses for a moment, then turns to give Kaitlyn a teasing smile. "But, ah, it smells really good though! I think I might try to catch you later for dinner! See you then!" And the raccoon darts out the door with as much grace as she can. speed walking down the hallway.

"... I guess it was just something that couldn't wait..." Kaitlyn muses, walking over with a steaming casserole. "more for us then!" she smiles up at Tessa as she puts the pan and two plates in front of the deer.

Tessa wouldn't be stupid though... no pred ever threw around meal references in a joking manner. Sylvia was Sly indeed... she might be waiting around for when Kaitlyn was alone to be much less subtle about nomming her. In fact... she may not have gone far at all. Merely waiting for Kaitlyn to head out back to work after lunch... alone.

What would Tessa do?