Schrödinger's Fox

Chapter One

Dark brown paws and dark talons walked across the blue-tinted marble pathway gracefully. The rhythmic sound of typewriter buttons being tapped filled my large ears, even through the glass that separated me from inside the building. The occasional chime the contraption emitted being heard as well, once somebody had to move to the next line of text on their paper. Amber eyes flickered over all the various creatures at work, the humans sitting down and waiting, or having their names called. Golden-amber eyes came to rest on a tall desk, a cat-like winged creature sitting behind it, smoking a cigarette. The creature took a long drag of their little white addiciton-stick situated between two fluffy white fingers situated at the upper part of their grey white-tipped wings. A cloud of spiralling white smoke being exhaled from their nostrils, dancing in the air like ribbons in the before fading altogether.
I let out a hum as I thought for a moment, shifting the feathered bat wings stationed upon my back. I reached up with an ebony talon and scratched the bottom of my chin in rumination. I gazed around the room, nobody really noticing or caring about the tan lupine-creature that was roughly the size of a wolf currently standing outside the entrance to their building and lobby, which subsequently, was also the staff's workspace. I don't blame them for not caring. They have bigger things to worry about. Plus, it's none of their business. The two pairs of ebony horns resting upon my head reinforced my rather high status, which also meant nobody would really bother me without a good reason for doing so. The small horns on my forehead bent towards each other, and the ram horns protruding from the back of my scalp bended around my ears gracefully.
I squinted slightly. How was I going to get past the Secretary without her noticing? I formulated a stupid idea, but there was a chance it'd work. I was noted for my cunning ways, especially for using things to my advantage. My title wasn't 'the Tactician' for naught. I looked at the Secretary once more, and saw she was indulging herself in a phonebook, probably searching for somebody's name or phone number. Oh well. This was worth a try anyways.
Snapping my talons, a portion of the te smoke that was emitted from the cigarette the feline-creature had between her lips, swirled around me; and with that, I disappeared, becoming invisible.
I swiftly dodged the feet of both the lessers and greaters exiting or entering the building. I suppressed a hiss-like yip when one finely dressed gentleman with polished pointy shoes, nearly stepped on my long tail. I silently grumbled under my breath, and slowly started to creep past the Secretary's desk. Suddenly a hard object smacked into my chest, stopping me in my tracks. I slowly exhaled, and knew my invisibility wear off completely once I was spotted. I didn't bother looking at what had stopped me. I already knew. I turned my amber orbs toward the cat-like creature I have known for quite some time now. I would even call her a friend, perhaps.
Amber eyes met large bright sea green ones. Her eyes reminded me a lot of a healthy kelp forest swaying in the sea whenever I stared into them. I could almost hear the sound of lapping waves and the smell of the sea sometimes, if I stared long enough. A white suborbital brow raised at me, her arm or left wing still extended, holding the phone book that had stopped me. Never underestimate a cat's reflexes, or precision for that matter. But it was worth a try, if it meant I didn't get noticed as being late.
She withdrew her arm, and placed the book back down upon her desk. Her large, naturally serrated ears twitched slightly, which were adorned with many different types of earrings. She looked at me with her usual bored half-lidded eyes, which I then noticed had been decorated with shiny black eyeshadow, making her sea green eyes pop out against her blue-gray tabby and white fur. The icing on the cake was the black spiked choker on her neck, which she wore as a fashion statement, no doubt. Curved horns like my first pair were situated upon her forehead, above the large bangs that covered her right eye. Then, after a quick puff of the white nicotine stick, she spoke, quiet enough nobody in the room besides us could hear it, especially above the tapping of typewriter keys and chimes.
" Cliste." She said with her usual, passive aggressive curt tone, leaning back in her mesh swivel chair.
" Allison." I replied, just as bluntly as she had upon saying my true name.
" You're late." The feline meowed, almost rudely, putting out her cigarette on a small ash tray built into  her desk.
" Why did you think I tried to sneak my way past you?" I retorted in a subtle manner, slightly surprising myself with the slight sassiness my words contained.
She let out a small raspy sound of amusement escape her throat, her shoulders moving slightly when she did so. To others that'd sound like annoyance, but I knew that was her way of saying that she found something mildly funny.
" But seriously, why are you late? Enojar is going to be pissed." She said, drumming her fingers on her redwood desk once, staring at the lobby, where many humans were seated and waiting, before her eyes trained back to me once more.
" Enojar is always angry about one thing or another." I said simply. My words held truth though. The canid-creature was always angry about one thing or another. Though they didn't always show it. They were good at hiding it sometimes. But to those that knew them well, they always radiated a displeased aura.
Allison shot me a look, furrowing her suborbital cat-eyebrows this time, not in a questioning manner like before, but in an annoyed way this time, silently telling me to answer why I was late.
" I was observing a specimen." I begrudgingly said, unhappy the other pressured me into admitting something I'd prefer to keep to myself.
The cat-creature next to me let out a deep sigh, and shook her head, running her small fingers through her bangs in disappointment, which was undoubtedly directed towards me. She drew her small white furry fingers away from her face, waving her hand in annoyance, before resting it on her desk once more." Couldn't you have observed it later?" She said, making eye contact with me once more, picking up a pencil and fiddling with it between two of her fingers." Plants don't move you know." Allison had an obvious point there.
I said nothing, just let out a sigh. I half-expected the other to tease me for being at a loss for words. But she just gave me a small comforting pat on the shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts.
That reminded me of something. I sifted through the fabric bag I had strewn over my shoulders and found what I was looking for. I then threw a coin purse onto the feathered cat's desk, but it didn't make the metallic noise coins inside would make.
" You're giving me money?" She asked skeptically. I shot her a glare, and she rolled her eyes, grabbing the purse and balancing it in her palm, before opening it, her nose twitching from side to side from the smell that came from within. Her eyes lit up a little, which was a once in a blue moon sort of occurence with her. She was usually very stoic and appeared very bored the majority of the time. It made me feel good, knowing I lit up her normally bleak day like that.
" Honeybush?" She said, thinking out loud.
" Yeah... I found a plant not too far from my house. I heard it helps people relax, and sleep better when made into a tea. So I instantly thought of you. You seem so sleep deprived, and tired, so I dried a couple of leaves and brought them with me. I was going to give it to you after my meeting, but you caught me in the act." I said simply, trying to remain my normal emotionless facade.
Allison pulled the string on the purse, which closed it. She placed it next to her empty white mug, and looked at me with a small smile, which was seldom seen upon her white muzzle.
" This was the specimen you were observing, no?" She asked, which was more of a statement than an inquiry.
" Yes." I replied simply. She motioned with her eyes to go continue to my meeting.
" Cliste?"
" Yeah?"
" Thanks."
Then a shadow of a genuine smile creeped upon my dark tan maw.

• ° ● ♤ ● ° •

I swiftly closed my bag, and pushed open a door, the occupants within instantly becoming quiet as they stared at me curiously. Not bothering to look at them, I trotted over to the only open seat, which was closest to the door, and at the very end of long meeting table. I jumped into the swivel chair, spinning around once, before placing a paw upon the table to stop myself from spinning around too many times. I set my bag upon the table and looked at the opposite end, an unamused human meeting my gaze. Their deep crimson eyes meeting my own.
" Cliste.... You're late." They huffed, obviously miffed I wasn't on time.
" You're saying that like I'm unaware I am, Enojar." I shot back, taking this moment to observe the person I was speaking to. They appeared very much human, aside from their deep carmine red eyes, and their slightly pointed ears. Their sleek ebony hair was short, and was long on their right side, creating a fringe of bangs. It framed their sharp cheekbones, and tan skin nicely.  They wore a black leather jacket, and a white V-neck underneath that. They would be incredibly attractive, if it werent for their bitter personality. They lifted up their lip in a small sneer at my words, exposing their slightly pointed teeth.
" Would you mind changing into your human form? It's rather impolite, you know." They said, deciding to disregard my last sassy remark.
" I'd rather not. It's a bit more comfortable this way, isn't it?" I replied. Their face turned slightly redder, and I felt a small pang of victory. They were always fun to annoy. Enojar opened their mouth to speak, but was cut off by a laugh that could be heard from my right, whether the laugh was from the tension between me and the red-eyed being, or from my bold remark, it's hard to tell.
My eyes drifted over to the culprit, which was a skinny light caramel-skinned human. Much like Enojar, they looked human, besides their pointed ears, and brilliant lemon yellow eyes. They had wild ombre hair, and had a slight scruffy stubble upon their chin.
" Will you just shut up, Laalach?" Enojar barked at the other, slamming their palms upon the table to make their point clear." Go back to playing with those stupid cards, will you?"
The ebony-haired human was met with a simple shrug, and an," Aye," as the ombre-haired male shuffled a deck of 'stupid cards' mindlessly.
Now that I thought about it, we were a very odd bunch, made up of fifteen people. The people to my right were  more chaotic, which consisted of Laalach, Enojar, and five others. The seven people to my left were much more peaceful than the other seven.
" Yeah, please shut up." Sneered another person to my left, a dark brown haired, broad-shouldered african man with gold earrings, whom had deep violet eyes. He was swiftly smacked upside the head by the pale raven-haired woman sitting next to him. Her deep green eyes were filled with annoyance by the other's behavior." We're not here to start fights, Hautine." She growled, and the man she referred to, let out a yelp and rubbed the back of his neck, sending the  a nasty glance, which she shot back.
" Enough!! Everybody just be quiet. We're here for a reason, like Zileva said." Enojar huffed, their face turning red from either frustration or anger, it was hard to tell." Hasa was the one to arrange this meeting, and I assume its incredibly important. He doesn't do this sort of thing for no reason." Enojar slumped slightly in their seat, and gestured to quite possibly, the most intimidating person in the room. A large and tall brown-haired man with broad shoulders, a scruffy beard, and tan skin stood up. Their arms were huge and muscular, and would easily be able to snap my feeble vulpine neck with their bare hands if they wanted to. Then they spoke in a rough gravelly voice,
" I gathered you all here for an important reason indeed, like Enojar said. It is apparent one of my commanders-"
They were cut off by somebody opening the door to the meeting room, drawing everybody's attention to who opened it, which was a small petite woman with red hair. She was noticeably  intimidated by all of us, and struggled to speak for a moment, before finally managing to say a few words;

" Uh... Her Ladyship has requested to see the Tactician immediately."