[Video]

[sand_wormie]

[Locked against Anakin, no real reason.]

[The view is looking down into a box containing a spukamas - a creature with a size and shape not too unlike those of a housecat, though it distinctly is not - and her two blind, unfinished-looking young kits. She is briskly washing them with her pointed raspy tongue as they suckle at her belly, and purrs

Comments

[catlordbeyond]

Hey, those things kinda look like Snarf. [Laughter.] Sorta.

Where I come from, animals like that were considered worthy companions for the royal family. My Snarf was a good listener; good company, when I didn't have anyone else around.

[catlordbeyond]

I don't know. We haven't really talked about it. I guess he and I have some things we should settle.

[Lion-O smiles weakly.] Sorry to have unloaded all that on you. I don't even know how it came to that.

[Think. Think.] Something about adopting cats?

[sand_wormie]

Maybe it'll help. And it's okay... [Shrug] Yeah, these are spukami. I'm trying to think of names. The mama's got this torn ear, see?

[catlordbeyond]

They have spukami in the Corellian System, right? [Really, he used the library to look-up everything cat-like.]

What about Panthera? [Smile.] That's a female name.

[sand_wormie]

Yeah, there's lots of felines there. I don't know why.

Huh... I don't know, it might be too dignified. What would you shorten it to?

[catlordbeyond]

Thera? [He's never thought about shortening that name before, but the answer seems obvious enough.]

[sand_wormie]

I kind of like Panthy...

[catlordbeyond]

Yeah. I guess that works, too. [He thinks the real Panthera would shoot someone for calling her that, but, she lived a long time ago, and he's not the one saying it.]

You don't think a queen would want a more regal name? Officially?

[sand_wormie]

Queens are just what you call mom felines. Like how hooved animals are does or heifers or whatever. It's got nothing to with royalty - she doesn't look that royal, anyway. See?

[Luke puts the datapad back over the box for a moment, showing the animal. She's patchy furred, with scars and a torn ear and a kink in her tail. The spukamus pauses in grooming to stare with wary, uncomprehending yellow eyes at the screen, the point of her tongue just poking out, then goes back to licking.]

[catlordbeyond]

[Lion-O smiles. He knows about queens, and royalty. He can see the age and injury to the spukamas.] All that just means she's experienced. Like a fierce hunter or warrior who deserves respect. Maybe you could just call her Queen?

[sand_wormie]

It could work. I guess I'll have to see if it sticks. We had a dog, years ago, and the name I gave it didn't stick, but it came whenever someone called "you".

[catlordbeyond]

I'm sure she'll let you know if she likes the name. [This was entirely a guess. He isn't really sure if spukami understand their names, or might simply recognize vocal tones.]

I'm not as sure about dog names. I knew one named Jorma.

[sand_wormie]

I tried to name mine Besh, and my aunt and uncle let me even though that's the most obvious thing... Oh well.

[catlordbeyond]

[Not obvious to everyone, apparently.] Yeah. Well, let me know how things work out for the spukami.