Exchanging Hands [c]

Rashoumon eventually learned just who Daytrader was and what she wanted after an extensive talk following him accidentally flinging himself into her home. It was still quite odd to him, but Daytrader had offered him fresh food in exchange for him looking for things to give to her. Rashoumon was more than happy to oblige; it was difficult to hunt in the forest because those clan cats were always chasing him away, demanding that he did not steal the food that was rightfully theirs. As if any cat can own any piece of land.

He had managed to find something in his search over the past two days though, and good thing too, because he was starving. He felt he may just keel over and turn to dust. He just hoped that this was something actually worth a good amount of food to Daytrader.

“You,” Rashoumon called as he approached the hideaway Daytrader used as a nest. “You had better be in there. I have something to trade." He looked down at the item he had found. He went scrounding around for a while around Twolegplace and came across an old stray hound messing with a yellow item, in the same shape as that thing Daytrader called Canard. He had waited in the shadows until the dog grew bored and left, and then Rashoumon snatched it up. After all, if Daytrader liked the one that she already had, perhaps she would like this one…though, it was admittedly in horrid condition, full of bite marks and its hard nearly decapitated at the neck. Rashoumon grimaced. He could only hope that she would at least take pity on his efforts, since he had found nothing else even close of interest during his time scavenging.

Rashoumon found an Abandoned Rubber Duck in worst condition.

Daytraders orange snout appeared around the corner first, followed by a singular green eye, and then the rest of her head. She sniffed around and looked him up and down, until her eyes finally settled on the mangy yellow object he carried. Her grin was so wide it might have split her face in half.

"Fancy seeing your little self here again," She purred, flicking her tail and whacking him on the nose with it, before gesturing with her head for him to follow her in. It was... both less and more cluttered than before. Stank a bit more of twoleg discards; the place she usually got the nice smelly sticks had been utterly cleared out. Scavengers.

"Let me see it, I'll see it's worth," She said, narrowing her eyes to begin the scrutinising process. Did she have a true system of value? Absolutely not. It was whatever her ancestors decided. Papa had always said, 'go with your gut'. It was brutalised, truth be told. Though it was like Canards long-lost sibling, and she was certain the little yellow bird creature would be happy with a friend.

"Two small things, or one big thing," She decided, leaning back onto her haunches. She flicked an ear and grinned, pointing with her snout to the various piles lining the 'walls' of her hovel. "If you don't see anything you like, gimme a little whisper and I'll find it for you and how long it'll take to get."

Rashoumon anxiously watched Daytrader look over the discarded duck and he relaxed when that grin appeared. His ears perked up and he eagerly sniffed around in her pile. He did not care for most of the junk that she collected, but she did find interesting bits of food here and there. After looking around, he found a hardcontainer that was partially chewed open. There was a clear film that had been ripped up and inside were some sweet-smelling nuggets. It looked similar to the kittypet food he’d seen around the Uprights’ nests from time to time, but this smelled sweeter and less vile. He looked over at Daytrader.

“This is food?” he confirmed and nodded towards it. “I’ll take a meal of this as my payment.” That should be enough to keep him going for another couple of days while he scrounged up more items. And, maybe, he could get some hunting done in that forest without clan cats trying to tear off his tail.

Daytrader looked, momentarily, surprised as he made his pick. She stood up, tail ramrod straight for all but a second, and followed her like a wisp as she turned to the far wall. "Are you certain? I have plenty of other things. Jingly balls, light balls, squeaking balls..." She kicked out a couple as she spoke of them, and then narrowed her eyes at him. "You are just hungry? You can have the nuggets, but if you wish; next time you bring me a little item, little treat, I can go catch something for you. Some of the twoleg dens have these little boxes with crushed up mice in them... Rarer these days, with the flow of in-and-outs."

She kicked one of the balls, flashing some kind of bright light as it rolled, to him. "A token, to celebrate your first purchase with me, hm? An incentive to return. And, look, if those forest kitties are giving you bother next time you're fiending for a morsel, stop by. I mightn't have something that day, but if you get me a doohicky, I'll make it my business to find you a snack."

Rashoumon nodded when Daytrader double checked with him. He had no interest in her bobbles and knickknacks; they were useless when it came to manner of survival. That was all he was interested in at the moment. “The food is just fine. With how difficult it is to hunt in that blasted forest with those awful clan cats, it is better to just get food while you have it.”

He looked at the odd ball that flashed with artificial light as it rolled. What use could he possibly have for that? But he did not want to offend Daytrader, for fear of her not wanting to welcome him back again, so he gave a little nod before bending down to begin eating the dry food. “That is…generous. I am certain I will return with more items in the future. Simply ensure that you have food on paw.”