11500/Felidae Magic

Felidae Magic
Date of Scene:	07 June 2022
Location:	Central Park Zoo
Synopsis:	Zatanna meets one of Catman at the Central Park Zoo despite knowing that Batman would likely object to it. He presents the magician with an interesting problem.
Cast of Characters:	Thomas Blake, Zatanna Zatara

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Thomas Blake has posed:
The Central Park Zoo is a quiet refuge after the Sun goes down. There are murmurs from some animals, snores from others. There are soft roars and... purrs from the lion enclosure. In the enclosure, against all common sense, the Catman is sitting among the great cats. At first glance it would seem he's being mauled by the male lion. But the big cat is giving him a huge hug or 'glomp'. The beast is nuzzling and licking him, actually hard enough to pull his cowl and mask off. In return Thomas Blake gives the huge predator ear scritches and returns the nuzzles. One hand scratches the #1 lioness who comes over jealously after a moment for a head rub.

Blake looks incredibly happy.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Though no predator, Zatanna arrives as quietly as a cat stalking its prey. The portal closes behind her, and she steps out of the shadows, the glow of the city outlining her svelte form as she advances toward the lion enclosure. Eyes now adjusted to the darkness, the magician silently watches the play and nuzzles. The man is in his element, among fellow beings.

He looks happier and more at ease than she has seen him. She takes a step, deliberately brushing against a hedge to announce her arrival. Her voice soft, carries in the night, "Will they accept a stranger?"

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake looks up and takes a moment to focus. "They're free willed creatures. I can't speak for them. I can never figure out why I'm not attacked... well I was the one time. They have had their fill of deer courtesy of me. I couldn't get antelope or zebra. They are in an extraordinarily good mood. But, they're lions. Anyone who tells you a lion is safe is a fool. But, come on dhown and we'll see. You're pretty safe." He gets up, finally disentangling himself from the male who looks at Zatanna quizzically.

He raises his hands to catch her, "I have no idea how they'd react to magic. I can catch you if you like. No sudden movements."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Cats large and small have a measure of magic in them. The Egyptians knew that and treasured them for it," she replies, her voice a whisper in the night. Her gaze shifts from the man back to the cats then returns to him.

Keeping her movements measured and relaxed, Zee follows his instructions. A nimble jump brings her into his waiting hands that will receive a corseted waist. Both the bustier and her form fitting pants are black as are her boots.

"Perhaps if we approach them together they will see us as a unit? I'm not afraid. No homo magi treats lions like cats."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake takes Zatanna's hand and nods. The lions watch them intently, and intelligently. Then several sniff and huff loudly. A growl or two starts but it is more curious than menacing, if you know lions.

"Once... I hit a low. A real low. I was a fat loser went... emo... died my hair black. I decided to go to Afica and commit suicide by lion. I figured I'd killed a few. My father killed a lot. I owed it to them. And the pride accepted me somehow. I found myself through them. Finding myself sounds trite but before then, I was Thomas... after I was Catman. So I agree. They have a magic about them. Maybe I see that and they know it. Maybe they see something in me. I couldn't say. Maybe they understand I value them and I will help, when they're being wiped out everywhere. I've dealt with a lot of poachers. I dealt with my father." A lioness comes over to stand before Zatanna.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Peering directly at a strange dog is a challenge. Cats stalk their prey with an intense stare. Zatanna narrows her eyes, relaxes her face muscles, and does not smile, regarding the lioness eye to eye. She can feel her heart rate slow. Predators read the thump of their prey's hearts perfumed by fear and adrenaline. Slowly stretching her hand, palm up, she offers her a hand to sniff in greeting.

"I have never hunted. I am glad to say. Too many animals were already at risk when I was born. They are too noble, too beautiful to destroy," she comments, her voice low and beguiling imbued with the timbres of the magic in her blood.

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake nods, patting the she lion in encouragement. Zatanna receives a nuzzle on her hand from the predator. "The pride that took me in is dead. Poachers. A zoo may be the best place for these until the world has room for them again. But you didn't come here to meet my friends. Your time is valuable... a sorceress of your skill. What are we doing about my little artifact?" The male approaches nudging Thomas, nearly knocking him off balance.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zee accepts the nuzzle with a faint smile, fingers sinking into the fur below the lioness's ear. "You are a beauty, love," she murmurs.

Then, shifting her attention to Catman, "You have decided on the most dangerous course, trying to preserve the blade. I can sever the connection to your former love and destroy the knife without an effort. The question remains, can I do that and not destroy it?" She lifts her chin, "Count on me. I have a plan. If it does not work and the magic boomerangs on us, the lions may be feasting tonight if we perform this here and now."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake ponders a moment. "It's not worth my or your life, certainly not yours. You do some good by all accounts. Don't put yourself at risk. I have faith in you. If it must be destroyed, it must be destroyed. I thought she gave this to me because she... cared. Maybe she did but I'm not living with anyone's foot on my neck. Maybe not right here though. I don't want to upset them."

Yes. Upsetting lions is a bad idea.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Intelligent. The point is freeing yourself from the knife and living through the experience, is it not?" An impish grin lights her face then she points up, her other hand still busy caressing the the lioness. "If you are ready, let's do it now. But not here. I can use a bench outside the enclosure if there are no guards doing their rounds."

With a respectful dip of her head to the cat, Zatanna steps back. "I can portal us out without disturbing them."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake takes a moment to say his goodbyes (https://bifrostdatabase.com/library/characters/catman/). "I will be back another night, my friends. With more meat. Sleep well." He pulls his cowl and mask back on. This is a ritual he'll face as Catman. "I'll meet you outside. I need to get my line anyway." H3 points to a thin cable secured to the top of the enclosure's wall. Without waiting he runs at the wall, actually running up it, to grab the lineand scale the rest of the wall. The wall was high enough to keep lions in. Nothing human could jump that high.

Well maybe Nightwing. He hated Nightwing.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
What would Batman have to say were he to know about her magical dalliance with Catman? Nothing if Zatanna had her way. He knows how independent she is, though it would be an interesting standoff. The thought quirks her mouth to the side.

With a gesture, a thin purple line appears glowing between her and the wall. Calmly in two strides she reaches the line, lifts a hand to wave goodbye and disappears.

A disembodied voice hangs in the air, "Meet you up in front of the enclosure."