Challenge #02282-F092: The Downside of Being Adorable
Humans love of all things adorable. There is an earth-cat like humanoid race that comes asking for help, and after humans find out they purr and act like earth cats protect that race with extreme prejudice while also hiring them to just to groom them and hear the purring. -- Anon Guest
The Vrrrau are very different to the Meeyahndans. Though both are felinoid[1], their personalities and presentation are vastly different. The Meeyahndese evolved on the savannah, though a colder one. Their fur was short and close to their skin. The Vrrau, from a much colder origin, are significantly fluffier. They survived like the Meeyahndese did, through pack-like co-operation. They made being friendly their modus operandi.
Thus, when they needed help from the Humans, they knew all about various pack-bonding stratagems and use them for the benefit of all. They were stranded, needing, and in desperate need of some Deathworlders to help them with an otherwise impassable problem. They could hold their own, and survive for the now. What they needed was a way to move forwards and win out over just merely holding their own.
When they sent out the call, they sent it out in video as well as audio. So the Humans saw their voluminous, fluffy fur, their large, gem-coloured eyes, and heard their musical voices. The forces of telegenics won out and the Humans swarmed. Humans could never resist a cute, fluffy being. Especially one that had a slight speech impediment when speaking in GalStand.
In brief, whilst the Meeyahndans command respect, the Vrrrau demand adoration. Normally vicious, argumentative, rough, tough, and no-nonsense space marines were lining up to have a turn at gently stroking Vrrrau fur. The Vrrrau appreciated the haptic feedback, and it was more than some effort to stop most of the Humans from devolving into baby-talk.
Like most real matches, it was almost perfect. There were little snags here and there because that was the way life worked. Hand a Human a being that is smaller, fluffy, large-eyed, and talked in a certain way... and they couldn't help themselves.
"Aw you so fwuffy an' soft, iss sush a dewight..." cooed "Bloodripper" Jones.
Merru, the Vrrrau under his hands, though purring, sighed. "Hyuman Dawwen? I talk wike dis because I have to. You have de awption not to."
"Bloodripper" Jones cleared his throat. "Sorry. You read like a kid and feel like a pet and... you just get at something in my head. If you want I should stop?"
"No," said Merru. "Tank you. I find your scwatchin' dewightfuw."
"And I find you dewightful," he said. Then added. "Whoops. Sorry."
The path of true friendship is never completely smooth.
[1] Their term. Most species are a little bit egocentric. What it's generally taken to mean is that the species are descended from felid stock, and similar in many ways to Terran cats. They do still follow the anthropic model of upright, bipedal stance, with free swinging arms on each side, head atop the torso, et cetera. What we egocentric apes refer to as 'humanoid'.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / briangoff]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends!
Send me a prompt [50 remaining prompts!]
Can you imagine the cat-loving Mr. Sunshine meeting them? Heh, gods help anyone that hurts them on his watch. LOL