B. You can deal with him, just keep your cool.

B) Polite but firm. Don't let him push you around

Are you guys crazy? Lucy's been telling everyone she was attacked by an unknown assailant, and Gustave has been lurking around her constantly. If she just talks to him here, her story loses a lot of credibility because she wouldn't seem fearful of someone who fit the profile of her attacker.

>>1115532
yeah, this.

>>1115532
If Harold confronts him, Harold pays the price, and we just look like we ignored him.

If we confront him, and let our discomfort show through, then Harold becomes a witness to Lucy looking very uncomfortable around Gustave, as well as whatever request he makes.

>>1115532
He's a little weird, but what has he done that warrants all this suspicion and dread? The guy's gotten Lucy a job. That's it so far.

Also, we said we bit him. He can't fill that profile if doesn't have a bite mark. I don't understand this credibility idea. Honestly, we lose credibility by acting like a spaz and getting some white knight to push the guy away.

tippler 2025/10/26(Sun)13:29 No. 1115567 ID: f1368b
File 176151054248.png - (15.63KB , 500x500 , p98.png )

>B
Like Violet and I agreed yesterday, I best go along with what Gustave wants, and right now he seems to walk to speak with me. Harold will intervene if I raise my voice, so I feel relatively safe.

I stand and exit the circular desk and Gustave hurries toward me to speak in a mellow stage whisper. “Lucy, my dear, how are you? How are you enjoying the library?”

“It’s very nice. My coworkers are pleasant people and it’s lovely to be surrounded by books.” I say honestly. “They were relieved we had a storm yesterday after such a long stretch of work, were you able to relax as well yesterday?”

“Yes indeed, it was good to spend some quality time with my wife and children–my wife is quite cross with me over how many long hours I’ve been spending on the most recent security threat. She wishes I could trap them and be done with it, but she should know it’s not that simple!”

Ah, so Gustave is indeed married. I suppose that’s reassuring, although it shan’t stop me from having my sordid fantasies.

Gustave scuffs the tip of his polished leather shoe on our carpet. “I’m very sorry to hear that you had to rush to the doctor yesterday. It must have put quite the damper on your first rest day as a working woman.”

tippler 2025/10/26(Sun)13:29 No. 1115568 ID: f1368b
File 176151055846.png - (12.76KB , 500x500 , p99.png )

“It was a harrowing attack, yes.” I agree.

“Now I thought it very odd in your story that any reptile thief would be out in the rain–the weather would surely make any sensible criminal take shelter rather than wander the almost certainly abandoned streets.”

“Are you calling me a liar, Mr. Gargill?”

“Not at all, I think you’re a rather sharp woman. I’m only wondering if there’s anything you omitted from telling the doctor.”

He must see the conflict in my face because he takes a step closer. “And since you had Rudger with you, any potential contact with his fellow escapees could have troubling consequences. He could begin arming them with more sophisticated weapons, sneak them a radio, expand their network of tunnels, even organize attacks on your neighbors, all while pretending to be your friendly pet. If you could tell me where you were attacked, it would give us an excellent lead in our investigation and we could avoid more trouble.”

Criminals are not sensible, Mr. Gargill, they strike where they think people are vulnerable. I'm hurt you would insinuate such things about a good docile rabbit like Rudger. Surely you raised him better than that?

We do not owe the jackass rabbit who stabbed us anything. I say you give him the location, while maintaining that it was a reptile and not a rabbit. He gets something to look into, and consequently doesn't bother us for a while.

It also serves as a peace offering, to show that we're not unreasonable. We are only concerned with our own situation, and are not actively working against him. It'll keep things friendly in future conversations.

"Gustave, you are not the police, I'm not the mayor, and Rudger isn't El Hisse. I don't want to talk to any burly, jittering old men for the next six months. And I don't want to talk to you about some conspiracy theory investigation about fictional hyper-intelligent rabbits who are secretly plotting to take over the reptilian world. If you want to immerse yourself in that fantasy, the drivel about that scenario can be found in Aisle 4, Section 20, but I really advise against reading it; the spelling is atrocious and the plot is even more drunk."

I agree, the story about secret tunnels and attacks organized by rabbits is hard to take seriously. We eat rabbits; they pose no threat to us. And surely a producer of rabbits should know this best of all; surely Cargill is keeping its rabbits safe and placid before being slaughtered, and not cultivating their intellectual abilities and feeding them dangerous ideas.

Why is he assuming these things? Surely he would know that rabbits are just dumb prey. Rudger was even dumb enough to come back home after running off, probably because he couldn't fend for himself at all.

It's all bullshit of course, but now we know definitively he's something more sinister. Playing dumb is the option for now.

>>1115570
This is a good point too. You were attacked and stabbed. You don't owe those rabbits anything, and they are honestly dangerous. We don't need to give away that it was a rabbit that attacked you. I don't think we should give the location away just yet though. I think it works better to play dumb still and ask why he's even bringing this topic up. You were attacked by another reptile yesterday, why is Rudger suddenly the focus?

Giving up the rabbit out of spite could still come back to bite us. There's not much to be spiteful about anyways, it thought it was rescuing a friend.

>>1115569
I agree with keeping up the dumb, doddering woman plan. It gives him the least amount of information, and forces escalation into his court.

dismiss his concerns as ridiculous, prey aren't capable of all that.

That's a pretty big leap of logic. Prey couldn't achieve such things, could they? That's a scary thought, Mr. Gargill. You would help the police if that was the case, right?

>>1115568
Sophisticated weapons? From where?

Why are you investigating? We have police for that sort of thing. He's obviously omitting details. Gotta go indirect though. He'll see through the facade if we suddenly get too wise.

>>1115570
Support get him off our tail but also we would die in the prey revolution from starvation

tippler 2025/10/28(Tue)17:46 No. 1115693 ID: f1368b
File 176169880678.png - (10.19KB , 500x500 , p100.png )

>Feign shock and ignorance
“The idea of secret tunnels and organized rebellion by rabbits is frankly ridiculous, Gustave. Why, prey doesn’t have the mental capacity to achieve such things, Rudger is the sweetest and most docile creature–and surely Gargill is treating their stock well enough to avoid any hard feelings in the escapees.”

The crocodile gapes at me for a moment, mouth full of jagged teeth half-open. “Did they not teach you about prey in public school? Assuming you went to public school, perhaps you were home-schooled. I had tutors, and my father always made sure we knew about the risks of the family business.”

Gustave bounces in place and hooks his second hand into his suspenders. “Ms. Green, by no means am I calling you ignorant, but you have been taken in by your pet. Rabbits and other prey are as clever as we reptiles are, and it requires constant vigilance to stop guerilla warfare from breaking out in the factory with each new generation.”

tippler 2025/10/28(Tue)17:47 No. 1115694 ID: f1368b
File 176169882492.png - (13.08KB , 500x500 , p101.png )

He seems quite eager to share more information, and I in turn eager to learn his insider knowledge. “Whatever do you mean by that? No one’s ever told me prey is intelligent, and Gargill certainly doesn’t advertise the fact.”

“Oh no, of course not–it’s bad for business. No carnivore wants to worry about eating a person, much less a cute, fluffy, hatchling sized one. I can’t say I blame the prey for wanting to escape either, especially once their mothers poison them to their true purpose when they’re only kits. It’s a shame, if we could manage to snuff out the ability to communicate that they're being harvested for meat, discontent would fall and our incident numbers would be much better.”

I don’t bother to hide a look of shock since it would make sense for an ignorant woman to be shocked at this revelation. Gustave gives a small chuckle.

“Well now I’m not sure whether my hunch was right that you did stumble upon some of the errant stock. You’ll have to forgive me for assuming you were hiding something, my dear.”

A. Tell him the truth (play both sides)
B. Accept the provided excuse (sympathy for the rebellion)

B.

>>1115694
Express discomfort. Why is Gargill producing rabbits if every generation has an outbreak of violence? Why haven't they been selectively breeding for less-intelligent prey?

Excuse yourself to sit for a moment. Even if this is an act, it's still upsetting to contemplate this kind of thing.

B
Corporations are not your friends.

i fail to see how prey and reptiles can coexist long-term since you literally have to eat prey to survive, but telling the truth is pretty much betraying Rudger which is no good either...

>>1115697
Yeah, sounds about right.

A, I stand by my thought on the previous post, fuck that rabbit who stabbed us.

>>1115694
B.
This is a win, not being constantly stalked by a nepotistic reptile who plans to separate you from your pet is always a plus.
Petty revenge against an entire specie due to a circumstantial accident in the heat of the moment notwithstanding.

WELP. Why do they not de-thumb them on birth? Would end stuff before it started. Play both sides. Pretty easy to sympathize with both. One hand this is messed up. Other hand you're obligate carnivores, rabbit bigots will want you dead even if you choose to aid, and your nation is already in a war which would mean more people such as your beloved Cade would die fighting rebels too.

B

Surely there's been some search for sources of animal protein that are less intelligent? Surely they've been breeding for less intelligence? There must be something in this big wide world we can thrive off of eating that can't make art, poetry, do math, build civilization...

B) Pretend you've lost interest in Gustave's nonsense.

...Is this a slave labor camp?

B

>>1115733
Support beacuse like what else are we supposed to do starve to death or be kept in a basement being forcefeed political disidents by rudger in the new rabbit reiche?
So the mothers teach the kits no tongues being removed? No standard dethumbing like how chickens get declawed and sometimes dull beaked,
Play both sides beacuse honestly there is no love lost on either side as its only Rudger we love

tippler 2025/10/30(Thu)18:36 No. 1115954 ID: f1368b
File 176187457969.png - (12.03KB , 500x500 , p102.png )

>Why doesn’t Gargill dethumb all of the rabbits?
“It’s a fine idea on paper, but the thumb isn’t a hard material like a beak or claw, and surgery that doesn’t lead to fatal infection or substandard growth rates is expensive and time-consuming. Also, customers prefer a pristine product.” Gustave replies.

>Why don’t they selectively breed for less intelligent prey?
“Intelligence isn’t a physical trait like coat color and size that can be easily measured and managed.” Gustave explains. “We also can’t trust the rabbits to accurately demonstrate their skills, since they’re experts at staying quiet and playing dumb.”

>Are there any less intelligent animals that can be farmed instead?
The crocodile strokes his chin. “Well, there are small insects, of course, but those aren’t economical to harvest nor do they provide the proper nutrients for a carnivore like yourself.”

>Why don’t they cut the tongues of the females?
Gustave gives a big belly laugh that makes Harold turn his head to glare at him. “Goodness my dear, you have quite a morbid imagination! A mutilated doe has trouble eating, is prone to disease, and may decide it better to kill her kits than have them suffer the same fate.”

tippler 2025/10/30(Thu)18:36 No. 1115955 ID: f1368b
File 176187460821.png - (11.33KB , 500x500 , p103.png )

>B
I take a moment to collect my thoughts. It’s disturbing to think that my entire life I’ve eaten beautiful little souls like Rudger. Even yesterday I was snacking on little mouse babies with Violet without a care in the world! What a wretched existence to be trapped in a pen all one’s life, scared half to death of your impending doom.

“Thank you for answering my questions, but as I said I was attacked by a reptile and don’t appreciate the slander against my character.” I finally say.

“Ms. Green, your skills are frankly wasted on the library, are you sure you wouldn’t like a position in my department?” Gustave asks with a grin.

“No thank you, I am very happy here. Please excuse me so I can attend to my work.”

He winks at me over his shoulder as he heads toward the door, which makes me seethe with silent rage.

It’s illogical to side with the prey rebels since they’d surely enact bloody revenge on all predators–but I don’t care one bit for Gustave either. If what he said was true and Rudger becomes some kind of smuggler, surely it’ll have legal ramifications for me as his owner.

Harold gives me a concerned look once I sit back down at the desk. He must be able to see that my eyes are full of frustrated tears.
A. Confide (suggest how much to share)
B. Read as a distraction

>>1115955
What talent exactly does Lucy have that's wasted at a library but would be utilized better in the meat industry? Is he insinuating she's good at stonewalling investigation? She can't exactly be attacked and mourning perpetually.

A. Apparently the other escaped rabbits are preparing guerilla attacks.

A. You want to be left to your peace without Gargil looming over your shoulder. Gustave's interest in your pet is so tiring. Not much more than that.

A) confide that you got a new pet, that may be involved in a the gargill breakout. That mr Gargill has been very pushy about it, and its making you uncomfortable, but you don't want to make trouble since he did kind of get you this job.

A) Claim that Gustave has been harassing rabbit owners across town, and especially yourself for your obvious 'boy-magnets'; he's looking for information about some theoretical 'Rabbit Guerilla'. You hate that you can't just go to the police and claim that he's insane, not when he has so much power as the scion of a huge mega-corporation. But there is some merit to Gustave's paranoia. Rudger's been noticing things, and one of those things stabbed you.

So insect protein plus plant derived processed plant and maybe mineral based supplements (to remove undigestible elements), may be possible. I wonder where you could go to see if there is research on that as an option? Also there should be creatures without a full and complex brain in the ocean that could maybe help fill nutrient gaps.

Well, you're in a library, maybe talk to Harold about this as well?

It might be a decent use of Lucy's time to research historical reptile diets during her breaks. But even if there is an alternative, convincing the public to switch to it would be difficult. And it would also create the issue of what to do about all the prey species afterwards. The public education system has caused most people to think of them as little more than a product.

The best Lucy could hope to accomplish on her own is to make like-minded reptiles identifiable as people that prey wouldn't want to harm. Supporting violence against other reptiles isn't right, but she can weaken the motivations behind violence in the hopes that small changes will eventually lead to bigger ones.

Hopefully Rudger's friends would be willing to spare him and Lucy from involvement in their rebellion if she attempts to contribute this way.

tippler 2025/11/01(Sat)12:49 No. 1116095 ID: f1368b
File 176202658461.png - (12.52KB , 500x500 , p104.png )

>What did Gustave mean by his job offer?
I think he was enjoying my questioning and thought I had the kind of vicious mind suited to his line of work.

>A, tell Harold about Rudger and ask what he thinks of prey ethics
I wipe my eyes and turn toward my diminutive snake coworker. “I hope that wasn’t too disruptive, I didn’t mean to cause a scene.”

“I would have told him to leave.” Harold says gruffly. “He has no business bothering you at work, or anywhere else, for that matter.”

“He’s been persistent because I recently adopted a Gargill meat-rabbit as a pet–he escaped from the factory and found his way to me and Gustave has been convinced that there’s some kind of prey rebellion brewing.”

“Paranoia.” Harold snorts.

“Well…” Perhaps I shouldn’t say that Gustave’s claims have merit since it makes my complaints about him look weaker. “Yes, he’s very pushy and it makes me uncomfortable. My sweet rabbit doesn’t warrant such suspicion.”

“Next time he comes I’ll stop him at the door.”

tippler 2025/11/01(Sat)12:49 No. 1116096 ID: f1368b
File 176202659943.png - (14.26KB , 500x500 , p105.png )

I tug at the edge of my bandages. “He did say something interesting about prey, apparently they’re much more intelligent than we give them credit for. Have you ever heard of such a thing?”

The little hognose hesitates. “I suppose I have, yes. It isn’t a happy thought, but such is the way of the world.”

“What if carnivorous reptiles could find a different food source that didn’t involve prey? We could use insects or shellfish, and-and scientists could find out exactly what vitamins and minerals need to be supplemented and then we wouldn’t need to hurt mice or rabbits at all!

Harold sighs. “I don’t care for Gustave, but I’m grateful to Gargill Inc. we have affordable and plentiful food during a time of war. Even if such a thing is possible, I doubt it’s affordable or worth pursuing when we have a much greater threat abroad.”

>>1116096
War is only good for weapons research, and changing our diet wouldn't fight the enemy.

Unless... Would rabbits be willing to fight alongside reptiles if they stopped being eaten by them? Prey species have higher birth rates and shorter adolescence. It'd be incredibly easy for them to turn the tables and conquer reptiles if they held resentment after things changed, though.

Every solution is ethically dubious and unsafe, and they rely on a lot of good-faith cooperation. It'd take a few generations to see any results, too.

It's just something to think about for now.

So you need to research what groups or organizations are actively working on that endeavor. Because even in a fascist society, the state isn't running literally everything. Some people had to have had the same idea and have set up something to support that research! Maybe you can find them? Join that community and volunteer and send money to them and, this is important, let Rudger know that you are doing this.

There might even be groups working on more stopgap measures for more humane treatment of prey in the meantime, like doing everything possible to make their lives as reasonably pleasant and their deaths as painless as possible.

And maybe there's a calorie restriction movement, a way to figure out the minimum amount of calories and the relevant lifestyle to thrive, perhaps pushing some of that non prey supplements thing so you consume the fewest necessary people over your lifetime.

Or even, maybe there's even a way to do cultured meat? Like take a biopsy of some prey cells and culture it in some sort of... bioreactor? That might be science fiction but at least working towards the precursor technologies could be a thing?

Look into all of these things! These seem like the sorts of things that can help bring your life meaning.

At one point, that was true. You were born beasts and through progress you became people.

But Gargill has taken control. No further progress is being made. Any research towards cloned meats or soy turkey is quashed because Gargill needs to keep everyone dependent on their food.
If anything happens to the factory, you will starve, and the executives will gladly kill everyone else to keep themselves fed. It's the way of every mega-corporation to make corruption their gospel.

Having some kind of alternate food supply would make you feel safer, anyway.

>>1116097
I'm sure they'd be eager to see their young become mass-produced child soldiers.

Feigning cooperation in the war might be an avenue for the rebels to gain an upper hand for the future, though. It's not like the mammal predators will be any less hungry.

Still, you need to eat, and they won't like that even if you opt for non-rabbits. They might be more interested in alternative nutritional methods for 'friendly' predators, but you'd likely be sentencing everyone you know to population control, ethnic cleansing, and becoming the pets instead.

Your forbidden romance with Rudger is simply a star-crossed one, doomed by fate. Either you say damn the world-shaking thoughts and find a way to quietly enjoy the time you two have, let him go for both of your sakes, or commit to a grim and self-destructive path.

Well it's the 50s-ish so meat cloning is a long way off. Perhaps there is the classic second-class citizenship tactics. We get rabbits as overseers in exchange for not being food. We use 'em to quash other prey activities. So the rest of the food supply is secured. Plus it'd facilitate creating pro-prey groups as people start to see rabbits as partners and eventually people. Once the will of the body politic is mighty enough demand for alt food will create moral and financial incentives.

Look, I get it. There's a lotta debate going on right now. Prolly some real serious shit. If you side with the rabbits... how will you eat?

But if you don't, how are you gonna get dicked down by them? Tying you down and making you their pet? Revealing holes you didn't even know you had? Make it make sense.

To make this short, fuck every long-term goal you got and focus on a short-term terrible plan on how to get those rabbits to ruin you.

>>1116144

Eh even in 50s-ish tech level, they could make cultured meat slurries, juices, pates and spreads, maybe thin sheets, cultured fat ingredients, cultured meat-flavor additives, with only a bit of investment. Sure the bio-pharma revolution creating the really good growth media, and the sensors and control to put it in a bioreactor to get things to grow economically at high availability is still 40 years off or so, but there is actually a ton of useful progress they can make with the techbase they have!

I don't think the brains required to think their way outta this one are working in the public library. But they aren't working at Gargill Inc. either, so you'll have to look further up the chain for a solution.

>>1116096
nonsense, honestly. Ssssun Tzu's main thrust is that logistics and full bellies are what wins wars, and finding new ways to produce food would only serve to bolster our troops. Meat isn't exactly shelf-stable even in jerky form, so finding more ways to preserve and replicate live meat would be of great benefit.

Actually, that brings up another point, are we well-fed during a wartime because of that company's success or is it simply not viable to export live or fresh meat to the front lines, leaving a homefront glut that doesn't translate to the actual wartime conditions? Not that we could find out easily without tripping some paranoia, but idle curiosity persists.

tippler 2025/11/05(Wed)12:31 No. 1116407 ID: f1368b
File 176237467958.png - (7.75KB , 500x500 , p106.png )

“But finding new ways to produce food could be useful for our troops! Necessity can lead to invention and even the end of Gargill’s monopoly, Harold, don’t you think it’s an interesting idea?”

“It doesn’t interest me. I’m not a scientist nor wealthy enough to start my own business.” he says flatly.

“People won’t listen to a young single woman like me, I want to pursue this idea and that means I need support.” I plead.

Harold shakes his head. “They won’t listen because it’s not appropriate, Lucy. You’ll only get yourself in trouble. Why don’t you rest and take care of yourself first? You’re injured; you need to be reasonable.”

How frustrating! I thought it would be common sense to want to act on the plight of prey, but Harold seems stuck in his ways. It’s true I don’t have any expertise, but it’s a promising thought that could lead to the liberation of nice rabbits like Rudger. There could even be socially acceptable prey predator relations– then what I do with Rudger wouldn’t be so scandalous and potentially ruinous.

I’ve never heard of any prey rights groups in our Gargill dominated town. Perhaps a larger city would have such a thing?

tippler 2025/11/05(Wed)12:31 No. 1116408 ID: f1368b
File 176237469160.png - (12.87KB , 500x500 , p107.png )

I spend the rest of the workday stewing over how to speak to Rudger about all this. I doubt the rebels are interested in fighting on the reptile side of the war, and I don’t want them to turn on me or my friends. My hand throbs as a reminder of how I was attacked without hesitation.

Yes…Rudger will help me make a plan. I walk home quickly on the sidewalk on the other side of the road, crossing once I get to my house.

He’s listening to the radio again, sprawled under the shade of the sofa. Oh dear, I forgot to get his ice pan ready this morning between all the excitement with Violet yesterday. I hurry to set it out and he emerges to press against it.

I switch off the radio, sit on the floor next to him, and sigh. “Rudger, I’m not upset with you, but I’d like you to talk to me. I want to help and I have no love for Gargill.”

He immediately looks shifty and uncomfortable.
A. Press him
B. Let him speak when he’s ready

A) You got stabbed. You don't want his new friends to do something even worse to you, Violet, and the others.

B. He should realize what you've done for him up to this point. You even got stabbed for it and are still being calm with him.

A. Yeah, he let you get stabbed and then abandoned you to go with the rabbit who stabbed you. We are past the point of you needing to earn his trust and support. He owes you an explanation, and it's due right the fuck now.

If he's not willing to cooperate after all of the grace you've given him so far, then this arrangement is gonna have to change in ways he won't like.

A) you're already involved, Gargil breathing down your neck. He needs to bring you in on this before more people get hurt

B. Don't stress yourselves out over this. The microwave burrito wasn't invented in a day.

>>1116408
What they told you is the same thing his friends told him: Coexistence is not possible. There is no plan for integration, and no one is interested in making a plan for integration. This thing you have done is an impossible stupidity, but it has been done, and now each of you has tasted the apple of the forbidden tree.

B. Sit with him and talk about your thoughts. If he chooses to comment, that is his choice.

>>1116408
Are Rudger's friends going to attack random reptiles anymore? Public schools have been suppressing awareness of prey intelligence, to the point where Lucy thought Rudger was some kind of miracle genius. There's no telling how the other reptiles will react.

Also, regardless of how you feel towards Gargill, that doesn't mean they need to be harmed or ruined for progress to happen. They're entrenched in the local economy, so the only real way to convince them to change is to convince them they'll be better off producing the new diet.

A. Yea, things are heavy, you got stabbed, there's a lot to go over on both sides... you are neck deep in it.

>>1116424
If a viable diet could be made beacuse again every reptile like us would just starve to death or just switch to another animal

B. The more involved you get with us the more endanger you are. If you're lucky maybe the two of you can relocate farther away from the future site of this rebellion

A: The whole issues of being stabbed just.. yeah there's possibility you might be stabbed within your own home if they're this aggressive.

tippler 2025/11/07(Fri)13:42 No. 1116546 ID: f1368b
File 176255175171.png - (13.87KB , 500x500 , p108.png )

>A
I don’t have time to wait for Rudger to make up his mind, this is a potential matter of life or death! He needs to do more to earn my trust than I do his at this point, I’ve always put his well-being first apart from the one unfortunate incident where he ran away from Violet. The rebels could come here to finish the job, or they could attack another reptile because I didn’t speak up!

“Rudger, I’d like to think I’ve been kind to you, and I’d like you to trust me enough for us to talk like real people. I know you’re capable of it, and you’ve always been very clever. Can’t you explain your side of things? I want to understand what you think of me.”

I keep my hands clasped in my lap even though I’d like to pet him. I don’t want to patronize him.

Rudger sighs and pushes himself into a sitting position. He beckons me closer, although his fur bristles when I lower my head until my cheek brushes his side. I hold very still, and he carefully leans toward my earhole. His voice is low and sweet and barely audible.

“The first thing my mother taught me is that they take the ones that talk.”

tippler 2025/11/07(Fri)13:42 No. 1116547 ID: f1368b
File 176255176586.png - (14.44KB , 500x500 , p109.png )

I feel the warm air from his breath on my face. He kneads his hands into his knees, clearly nervous.

“I won’t tell anyone we spoke if you don’t want me to.” I reassure him.

He nods jerkily. “Yes, please don’t. My brothers would be upset–they already think something’s wrong with me because I didn’t want to stay with them.”

“Are they your brothers by blood?” I ask, curious.

“No. They separate us after we’re weaned. They’re my cagemates–we escaped together. I got hurt and couldn’t keep up.”

He pulls away slightly and shakes his head. Does he regret talking to me already?

“What’s wrong, my dear?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t really pretend to be your pet anymore. I don’t know if I should stay here–it’s not safe for either of us. I wanted to at least tell you that before I left, since you’re decent for a reptile.”

"We need to eat, Rudger. If you can solve that, most of us will stop. Not all, but most."

It's kind of clear we stopped treating him as a full pet. Given the activities we've been teaching him and.. other activities indulged in.

Tell Rudger you won't hold him here, you see him as a person. He's free to leave if he wishes, though you will miss him. You do want to help though.

When does he plan to leave? If you could have at least one more night together before then, you too can talk about how you could help them after he leaves.

Did you have a name before we met?

Explain that you don't know of any such organizations here, but an underground railroad for rescuing escaped food herbivores should exist, as should groups working for humane treatment of food herbivores (so they live the lotus eater sort of lifestyle, full of decadence and pleasure and leisure until they are quickly and painlessly killed), as should groups championing things like figuring out a way to supplement insect and shellfish with non-meat sources of nutrients to make a complete ethical carnivore diet, as should groups that are working on figuring out ways to create lab-grown cultivated meat, like from a live biopsy of a rabbit, that doesn't require death. You want to help him find these things, but you think he and any others might have to figure out a way to get to a larger city where such things might be.

not safe? well no, but, is that so important at this point? Ask Rudger if he has ever heard of the concept of an Underground Railroad. If he stays with you, being a pet would be good cover for helping the other prey.

The thought of Rudger leaving with his cagemates reminds you of Cade leaving with his brothers in arms.
You want to make it safe for him here, because you don't know what it's like out there and it's scary. He's not a pet anymore, but a friend.

>>1116555
>>1116548
I don't think we can promise any of that. We can at least promise that we would stop if there were any other option besides starve and die.

>>1116564
This is probably the best we can do. We could help some escape. Even if just his cagemates. It would take a lot of planning to do without being discovered, and even then it would be risky, but it's something. We can go places and do things in the open that they can't.

Could he accept staying with you? Could his cagemates or kin accept working with you, knowing you still need to eat, even if it's not rabbits?

>>1116547
Nobody gets to choose who they're born as, and few even get to choose who they become. Rudger and his brothers were born in circumstances that force them to struggle to survive. Many reptiles, including Lucy until only a week ago, are completely ignorant of this.

There's nothing unique about Lucy that makes her able to empathize with prey. She's just one of many reptiles that were placed in difficult circumstances outside of their control. Rudger leaving is just another part of her life that she has no agency in.

(And maybe that's how it's meant to be. Maybe she isn't supposed to decide anything. If she can't get what she wants through her own efforts, then maybe she has to accept how others value her. But does anyone value her as anything more than a broken widow?)

For a reptile? Oh Rudger just today we were informed you are intellectual equal. Every rabbit we've ever ate could have had a mind like any reptile and that's been hard. So very hard. Like every rabbit I've... had... may as well have been a reptile! So easy to see why you hate us. Oh what do I do? Do other species have less intelligence? Please tell me that's the case. What am I going to eat to live? How do I live with what I've done? What do I DO? (sob as appropriate) Do snakes have any issue with cannibalism given wild snakes do practice cannibalizing?

>>1116547
We've covered for rudger so far, leaving now might actually arouse extra suspicion since mr. Gargill has been probing us so hard. He's definitely watching us closely, so any immediate change might be a problem.

We're already in unsafe territory, and we do want to help.

My suggestion, then, is to pursue alternative foodsource technology long term and in the immediate term start exploring avenues to get advocacy started.

My first idea is to explore outsider cultures, they're always the first to change and the hardest to fight. In this era it would probably be jazz clubs.

As for rudger, his decisions are his own, but we'd appreciate some direction on how we can help right this wrong.

>>1116589

Where do counterculture and outsider cultures and those that the establishment looks down on for odd ways of thinking and acting go to hang out and talk and relax, exactly?

>>1116605
hell if I know, erotic rock lounges? We're dealing with snake people here lol

>>1116605
Probably not rural conservative communities. Lucy would need to plan for a move to the big city for that one.

tippler 2025/11/09(Sun)13:09 No. 1116637 ID: f1368b
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“Of course Rudger, I wouldn’t want you to have to subjugate yourself! I hope you didn’t think I was too restrictive, I thought I gave you a good deal of freedom. After we–” I blush slightly thinking about it. “–after what other activities we engaged in I hope it’s clear I see you as something more than a pet.”

Rudger ducks his head. “I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you. It wasn’t right.”

I let out a surprised laugh. “Take advantage of me? Whatever are you talking about? I would think I was the one abusing my power over you.”

Now the rabbit is blushing a little too. “Well, I’m glad you aren’t upset about me stepping on your face without permission. I was angry and not thinking straight.”

“Oh, and do you have a different name I should use for you?”

He shakes his head. “Rudger is fine, you wouldn’t be able to pronounce the name my mother gave me.”

I grow somber. “I won’t stop you from leaving, but I’d like to learn more about your plans, in case I can help and for my peace of mind. Where are you planning to live?”

“With my cagemates, a ways outside of town. First we’re hoping to find an intact doe so we can grow our own colony, Minnie, the rabbit you saw me with before has been spayed, and without her thumbs she would have a hard time living in the wild.”

“Oh, will you and your friends be alright? Isn’t it dangerous to stay near with Gargill searching for you?” My mind fills with the terrible image of a crocodile’s maw clamped around a small white rabbit.

“It’s safer than the factory and it’s either that or we try to find a wild tribe.” he mumbles.

tippler 2025/11/09(Sun)13:12 No. 1116639 ID: f1368b
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>Guilt, prey rights and alternative nutrition
“I feel so terrible for what’s been done to you, what’s still being done to your brothers and sisters–I thought you might be unusually clever for your species until I learned today that all prey is intelligent! I-I’ve been eating people my entire life!”

I take a fortifying gulp of air.

“Rudger, what if instead I joined a prey rights group and we worked together to educate reptiles on how smart prey really is? If we raised awareness of how smart rabbits and mice are, I’m sure there would be a movement for food that doesn’t come from whole prey.”

He shakes his head. “Every reptile at the factory knows we’re intelligent, but the work continues. Your kind doesn’t want to face their brutality–all it does is make them feel guilty as they eat Gargill meat anyway.”

“But-but I’m not special for a carnivorous reptile. If I can be empathetic, others can too!”

Rudger shrugs but I don’t think he’s convinced.

>Short term
“Can I help you and your friends somehow? They could stay here while you’re searching for a mate–I could buy them all collars so they look like pets.”

Rudger makes a face. “They would make a mess of things and it could get you in a lot of trouble.”

“I don’t mind! It’s the least I could do. Or would it be better if I tried to help find a doe? I can do whatever you’d like. As a reptile it’d be much easier for me to ask around–you can stay with me until then.”

He wavers. “Only if you’re willing to.”
A. Search for a doe
B. Host the rebels
C. Both

A for now

if we can convince another reptile to help, they can do B maybe, or switch it up and they do A and we do B.

Doing both feels like putting too much on our plate and cause higher suspicion. Only help with what we can.

A, I guess? One pet is company - suddenly becoming a crazy rabbit lady would be a bit much on your library salary. The other thing I'd suggest is if any of Rudger's friends can't hack it in the wild, if they're worried about their ability to survive or need medical care, you could care for them.

>>1116639
A. I think it's a bit much to start living with a group of fugitives, one of whom previously stabbed you. Getting ahold of an unspayed doe will be tough, but maybe you could finally meet your neighbor. Casually exchange stories about meeting your rabbits. Ask if she had the spaying and dethumbing done, and if she regrets it now.

B) As long as they stay underground, literally underground, Rudger can act as the front for the tunnel while the rebels dig deeper and deeper.

Not for free, though. You'd like rent in the form of any gemstones or gold they find while digging the tunnels.

>>1116639
Openly keeping the entire bunch of them as pets after what Gargill told us would have him on us like flies on shit. You're letting the fantasy about getting bukkake'd be rabbits steer the wheel, Lucy.

A, at least if they can successfully form a community somewhere it's possible Rudger could visit now and then. Or he could keep posing as our pet in public, and we could help smuggle them stuff they can't get in the wild like bandages and medicine.

We should think about options to help get Gustave off their back. Maybe we could fake their deaths somehow? It would need to involve some frozen store-bought rabbits and a fire, but the purchases could leave a trail.

I wanna say C but it would be way too obvious if they were all living in your house. They'd need to be hidden somehow. Maybe living around the house, moving at night, coming inside when needed? Searching for a doe is fine though.

>>1116645
But yeah, don't give up on the goal of getting bukkake'd by rabbits up yet either.

A. Even the little things can help the vulnerable.
Until they find safety out there, you'll keep your bed warm for him. Amongst other things.

tippler 2025/11/11(Tue)17:47 No. 1116781 ID: f1368b
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>A
Rudger’s right, hosting his brothers here would be difficult at best and end with more stabbings at worst. They should be surviving well enough in the wild since they’re herbivores–there’s plenty of vegetation to eat, and if they dig burrows they can escape the oppressive heat. No, I won’t be opening my house to hostile strangers, even if they’re as cute as my friend.

“I’ll help find you a mate, Rudger, we can visit Minnie’s family and ask if they know any other houses who keep female rabbits, then you can talk to them in private to convince them to leave with us. I’m afraid you’ll have to pretend to be my pet when we’re out in public or if Violet comes over.”

Rudger bobs his head eagerly. “I can do that, I don’t mind at all.”

While we’ve spoken, Rudger’s voice has gotten louder and more confident. I still have to focus to hear him, but I don’t need to have my head at ground level.

tippler 2025/11/11(Tue)17:48 No. 1116783 ID: f1368b
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I feel the terrible urge to give Rudger a hug. Things have irreversibly changed between us, but I want to be closer to him than ever. My foolish fantasy of being he and his cagemates’ pet isn’t realistic, but Rudger really is my equal partner now, in our mission to improve the lives of prey.

I can even ask him to–to join me in bed without the worry that he doesn’t understand. It seems like he was enjoying himself in our past two encounters, now that everything is out in the open we can be true lovers.

“R-Rudger,” I stammer, “do you–would you mind if we continued our intimate relations? In secret of course, it sounds as if we would both get in trouble if word got out.”

He lays his back against the cool pan. “Do you ever wonder if relationships between carnivores and their prey existed before? I guess they must have, but it does feel strange when you grovel for me.”

“Yes, it’s so wonderfully dirty…”

“Since we have a plan and we’ll be staying together anyway…I would like to, Lucy, yes. Preferably before bed once it’s cooler.”

What shall I ask Rudger for in terms of intimacy this evening?

Let him fuck dat snussy

You wanted some release in your next encounter, so perhaps ask to be leashed, muzzled and get some tail time. Remember to draw the curtains, now!

>>1116787

Yea, he isn't limited to domming you. He can be a gentle lover, an enthusiastic equal lover, and also dom you and degrade you some of the time. There's lots of options! Keep the variety up!

Maybe you two could bathe together, if he's okay with being wet. If not, try naked cuddling and fondling.

Rudger literally jumps on your venom sacs until you're dry.

He's new to reptile anatomy. Teach him the ways of the snussy, be patient, he might take a bit to learn how to get you off.