[Game Thread] Chapter 1 - Market Day (CLOSED)

It's an unusually sunny day in Big Cliff. Not dreary, foggy, misty, or storming as is more common. Nope. Bright sunshine and a few white, puffy clouds. It's a good day for being a cat.

It's also a good day for the Farmer's Market, which is some kind of event the humans have every month or so to buy and sell food. Of course, they buy and sell food on other days too, so it's not entirely clear why Market Day is so special. But Jim and Jane especially seem to love Market Day. They make a whole big deal out of it. The get up early ("to get the good stuff" they say) and spend hours there. Then they come back and make a big meal, which they usually serve to friends. They don't even open the cafe; the day after Market Day is when the customers get to eat some food that came from the market.

Most of the stuff that comes from the Farmer's Market is fruits a veggies - not especially great for cats (although some of the green leafy stuff isn't the worst) - but every now and then they bring home something tasty. Like today, they brought a whole chicken. It smells so good now that it's cooked. They also brought home some weird stuff today, though. A bottle of red wine that has a sinister looking octopus on the label (its eyes seem to follow you). A bunch of strange vegetables that look particularly unnatural.


This Market Day, Apple Tart and her owner are the guests for the Market Day meal. It is currently mid-afternoon, and the humans are eating their food outside, enjoying the rare sunny day. The rest of the cooked food is in the kitchen. Sadly, the remaining cooked chicken is in the oven - no stealing bites, though you have all been promised some chicken once the humans are done eating.

While Mr. Bigfoot is looking around for a bird to catch, he notices something moving on the roof of the cafe. It's not a bird - no wings. Not a squirrel - too big. Mr. Bigfoot only gets a glimpse of the large furry creature before it slips through a hole on the side of the house under the peak of the roof. INTO THE HOUSE. Whatever it was just went into the attic over the cafe.

Meanwhile, inside, Apple Tart, Rasputin, and Middie all hear a loud thump from upstairs. A quick look around confirms that the three of them - the only cats currently in the house - are all present. Jim and Jane and Apple Tart's owner are all still outside. So what is moving around upstairs?

Mr. Bigfoot goes bounding up onto the AC unit, then makes a leap to the gutter. At least, that was the plan. He's done it before. But this time something on the gutter gives way. It doesn't come completely off the house, but it shifts enough that Mr. Bigfoot looses his balance and tumbles back down to the ground."What the..." a human voice calls out as Mr. Bigfoot hits the ground. It's Jim, and he stands up to see what the sound was. "Oh no. You poor guy." He walks towards Mr. Bigfoot, then squats down and reaches out a hand to offer a pet - but he doesn't reach all the way, waiting for Mr. Bigfoot to either close the distance or run off.Meanwhile, inside: Rasputin rotates his ears, listening for any new sounds. Something is up there. An animal. He hears claws clicking on the floor as it walks. Not a cat though. Or a dog. It has an unusual smell - the smell of outside, of damp hair, and a hint of human garbage. It's not a pleasant smell at all. Rasputin homes in on the creature's sounds and smell, until he is looking at the door to Jim and Jane's upstairs study. The door is slightly ajar, and Rasputin sees another pair of eyes looking back at him. Eyes surrounded by black fur - like a mask.

Rasputin is looking at a raccoon, and the raccoon is looking back.

Inside the house, the racoon remains locked in a staring contest with Rasputin for about a second, and then it takes off. It bolts out of the room it was in, slides a bit on the hardwood floor as it tries to make a quick turn, and then continues running down the hallway away from the stairs. That's the direction of Jim and Jane's bedroom. Also, he doesn't even say a single word in response to Apple Tart.

Outside the house, Jim scratches Mr. Bigfoot behind the ears. "I think he hurt himself," he calls over his shoulder to Jane and Apple Tart's owner. "What were you trying to do, big guy?" he asks, as if he would be able to understand anything Mr. Bigfoot might say back (for all their smarts, humans just can't seem to get the hang of cat-speak).

"Hurt himself?" Jane asks as she comes up behind Jim. "Well that won't do. Why don't you come inside and have a treat?" she says. Then she walks over to the back door and opens it, motioning for Mr. Bigfoot to go through.

"You know you'll have to give everyone a treat if you do that, right?" Jim jokes.

"Only if they're good," Jane replies.