Outside the barn

[spike]

Though darkness had just claimed the world, a pair of eyes was outlined perfectly by the moon. He slunk ahead with his body clinging to the ground for protection. The snuffling rabbit seemed drowsy as the night took control over the long-distant day. Its eyes were half-shut and its shoulders were relaxed. The nest it had made was close. He predicted this from the scents in the air. The tom's usually sand hued fur was bleached silver and gray in the light. His narrow shoulders shifted slightly with each cautious step forward towards the prey. His whisker speckled lips twitched when the blades of the grass crossed them. The rabbit suddenly was alert when the winds shifted in its favor. A sharp hiss erupted from the loner’s mouth before he darted forward. His claws extended from the sheaths with a hunger glowing in the green-gray eyes. The rabbit had been so relaxed that its speed had failed on it.

The tom managed to pounce on the prey but it wasn’t enough to completely bring it down. Abrupt force from the spring sent him tumbling forward. His body was curled around the rabbit’s thrashing body to prevent it from escaping. But the prey’s escape was hardly a worry now. The tom held back a shocked yowl as his body collided with the side of the barn. The shock was quick to take hold as it washed over him. Fox dung, Zoomer! You can’t even hunt right![/u][/b] he mentally upbraided himself. Zoomer was still for a minute with his body still covering the rabbit’s. It was clearly dead as the breathing failed to be heard. He shifted slightly then completely stretched out his back legs. That movement freed his tangled being from the crash, and he tumbled over into the grass. Head slightly pounding, he climbed to his feet lethargically. “Urf,” he grunted when he managed to stand. Zoomer’s frame wasn’t meant for such crashes and the pain pointed that out. At least he wasn’t terribly harmed. Still, Zoomer took the time to sit and allow himself to rest. He could eat later.[/color][/font]

[froststream]

Beatrice sprinted through the field. She had travelled quite a ways to get to the abandoned barn where her siblings were buried. She saw anther barn up in the distance, and smelled cat all over. Bea increased her speed until she was almsot a blur. Her mouth still tingled from the taste of the poppies she had laid down on the graves. She saw a tom hunting silently near the barn.

"Hello," she purred. She wasn't very prudent, because this cat could tear her small body to shreds. He looked much older than her 9 moons, so she acted like she was older, too. "Fine night," she said calmly, gazing at the stars. "I am Beatrice," she said politely. "Who are you? I haven't seen you around. But, then again, I haven't really been around."

[spike]

"I haven't been around either," Zoomer snickered. "I'm Zoomer. Nice to meet you. You're terribly friendly for a loner." The tom's jaws reached back down to close around the rabbit. He paused and let it drop again. 'Um, a-are you hungry?" he stammered. Don't do it, Zoomer. Remember what Leader always said! They won't help you in turn.[/i]

Sadly, it wasn't his personality to really turn away others. The she-cat seemed young even if she was highly mature for her age. A part of him highly admired her for that. Many loners were younger though very few managed to survive on their own without help. Young cats often had to learn on their own when it came to hunting and simply surviving. She couldn't be any different. Offering some prey was the least he could do.[/font][/color]

[froststream]

Beatrice felt a purr forming in her throat whe she saw Zoomer's kind offer. She could also see, however, a bit of hesititaion, or uncertainty, or something. He was so kind to do this, but Beastrice wasn't that hungry and didn't want to take away his catch.

"No, I'm fine," she said earnestly. "I caught a mouse just a while ago." She added, even though she hadn't. Just for good measure. She placed down her extra poppy on the ground. She always brought one poppy for each grave, but she always brought an extra. She didn't know why. In case she lost one? Or did she expect to find another little mound? There were five of her siblings that died, no more, no less. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. This Zoomer character seemed very polite and kind, and she didn't feel particularily threatened around him.

"So..." she began uncertainly. She didn't know whether to leave or stay. Soem cats liked company. Some liked solitude. She didn't know where she fit into that. "Um, so... You got anywhere to go? 'Cause I don't really. I have got a den in the moors, but even though the sun's set doesn't mean I have to, too." She'd always felt rebellious about that for some reason. It was one of those weird vibes.

"I haven't really got anyone to go home to, either," she murmured. "Just me. My brother is a kittypet. But he doesn't act like one. I visit him sometimes. He's my best friend, y'know. He lives in a little blue house with a white gate. There's a willow tree by the door. His name is Eagle, but his twoleg calls him Gregory. Have you heard of him?"

She didn't expect him to know all the other cats in the neighbourhood just because he was a loner, but a coincidence was always nice. Beatrice rambled on, carefully choosing her words. "I just got bacxk from a visit to him. HIs twolegs have a pond now, a fake one. It's fun to splash in, but I don't really like water."

"My sister, Annabelle, is off behind the thunderpath. I haven't seen her, but a week ago I scented her after I was away on the other side of the lake. It was stale, but I think she's alive. The rest of my family..." She tried to think of a way that she could explain why tehy wren't around anymore. "Um, they became kittypets, too," she finished lamely and unconvincingly.

[spike]

"Same, same," he yawned. "Siblings are kittypets. I don't bother talking to them though. What good would it do anyways? They've turned soft and I've turned cold. We'd end up fighting." Zoomer let his fangs sink into the rabbit's pelt. He allowed the coppery taste to flood his mouth hastily. Prey seemed rare for such a poor hunter as Zoomer. The rabbit was amazing due to that.

"But still," he muttered once his mouth was cleared of prey, "you're highly social for a cat. How old are you anyways? You seem much younger than I am, Beatrice. I rarely meet other loners and even when I do, none have been as friendly as you. See this?" He lifted his chin to show a thin scar running along his chin and neck. "A loner did that. Not a very pleasing tom, I'll say that right now."[/color]

[:c a i:]

A dark, well-camouflaged shape was slowly moving closer and closer to a barn, the only signs of its presence the rustling of the grass underfoot. The shape was moving slowly, very slowly, as if it were running out of energy. It kept to the shadows, concealing itself from anything that might be watching. But suddenly the shape was forced to leave the shadows and immediately the shape of a tall, roughened cat was hit by the moonlight. The pale glow caught his eyes and reflected from them, turning the dark green to eery silver. Pann had emerged.

He was tired and weakened from a long, long journey. So long that he could scarcely remember stopping. His step was weary and to make matters worse, Pann had torn a claw somewhere along the way, leaving him limping and in pain. It was this pain, incidentally, which caused him to become reckless and head for the dark shape of a twoleg construction, hoping for shelter and somewhere to rest. But he had not noticed the presence of other cats. It was as if the tiredness had sucked all the alertness from him and the sting of his torn claw consumed all his senses, preventing him from realising that two cats were outside the barn towards which he was headed.

It was only when he was virtually in front of the cats when he realised he had walked straight into what looked like someone else's territory. Pann froze, lifting his head to stare at the two cats in shock. He immediately recoiled defensively, eyes flicking from one to the other. One was very young, not yet full grown. The other was older and sand-coloured. This was a dangerous place to be. If he had walked into a group of cats' territory, they could easily tear him apart. Even these two would overpower him, for he was weakened and struggling even to walk. It was too late to turn and run. All he could do was hope that he would be allowed to leave without harm.

[froststream]

Beatrice looked curiously at Zoomer's scar,

"I'm nine months. Or nine moons. I'm not sure which way you prefer. I don't know. I suppose I haven't been on my on for that long.... Annabelle and Eagle were with me since I was a kt, but we went out on our own when we were seven moons. Only a moon ago I was left alone. MY siblings made wise choices. I made the choice I thought was wise. I love the moors and the freedom and not belonging to anyone that comes with be a loner. But also pain and hunger comes with this. If I had become a kittypet... I'd be fed and healthy, but I wouldn't be free. Some twoleg would think I was under its control. I hate that feeling."

Beatrice paused. She was about to go on, when she heard a faint padding noise behind her. She whipped around, expecting to find a dangerous, angry loner that Zoomer saw a lot of. Perhaps this was the one who had attacked Zoomer. Who knew. It was, after all, a small world.

But what she saw let her take a breath. It was a dark coloured tom who smelled of many places, but also of hunger and tiredness. She watched him hobble along, almost painfully looking. Beatrice saw how weakened he was. She stood from her squatting position and scrambled over to him. She kept her distance of about five tail lengths. That was the safety space. It was one of teh few things her mother had taught her.

"Hello...." Beatrice murmured quietly. What did she expect, for him to suddenly break out into greetings and dance? Maybe it was only her who hadn't been hardened or roughened by the real world. Not yet, anyway. Beatrice leaned back towards Zoomer. He knew the ropes, what he was doing. She felt safer around him.

[spike]

Zoomer's mind raced with unhappy thoughts over this. More cats wasn't exactly his idea of a good day. When Beatrice trailed back to him, Zoomer took the moment to climb to his paws unsteadily. Fighting was not something he was looking forward to. But this cat didn't seem like a fighter either. He was just a hungry cat, like the rest of them all were at one point.

"You're a pathetic looking fellow," Zoomer jokingly stated. It wasn't a lie but he hadn't meant it offensively either. The sandy tom approached the unnamed cat to breathe in the scent he hardly knew. He must've been a loner or a well-traveled fighter. Either way, there seemed hardly any fight in him now. "Got a name for us?" he then inquired.[/color]

[froststream]

Beatruce watched the cats around her. She tilted a bit towards Zoomer, but felt no resentment or hostility towards the newcomer. Maybe that was the differene between Beatrice and a loner.

"You look hungry," she said slowly. "Here. Sit down on this moss and hay, curl up and I'll find you something to it."

She had no idea what she was doing. She hadn't eaten anything since dawn, either, but here she was willing to help a stranger, who could be potentially dangerous, to feed himself. Pondering this, she pulled together some moss, and a bit of hay that must have fallen out and blown away from the nearby barn. She scarbbled it all together into a decent nest, underneath a leaning tree. It was warm, soft, and a bit of food was all that she could do for the stranger. She turned to look at him again.

"Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you. Please. Lie down. You'll collapse anyway if you keep walking."

[:c a i:]

Pann regarded the two cats with as much contempt as he could muster. He narrowed his eyes resentfully at the older cat's words. He did not care whether he was joking or not, for he would not accept disrespect from anyone. He looked almost pityingly at the young she-cat, noting her naive, innocent manner. She was too friendly, too sympathetic. She would learn that not all strangers were safe to spend time around eventually.

"Not a name which I will tell you." Pann's slightly accented voice was rough from disuse as he stared defiantly at the other tom. "I am fine, thank you. Eat your own catches. I will find my own." He softened his words ever so slightly, just to show that he appreciated the little she-cat's attempt to look after him, whether he needed it or not. He glanced down at his paw. There was dried blood and dust on the fur, staining it a dark, rust-red. He would summon the strength to catch something.

[froststream]

Beatrice felt her ears burn with embarrassment. She scoffed at her nest, strewing parts of it around her, just to show she agreed. She realized she must have offended him, implying he was weak and alone. She bobbed her head down in what was meant to be nod. She couldn't help feeling and looking at him doubtfully, but she hastily averted her eyes. These cats she was meeting.... They were so roughened and independant. Perhaps that was what she was supposed to be, or to become.

"Of course," she said tightly. "You may as well know I'm Beatrice."

She then sat down again, but she was tensed. Always tensed. The breeze sent shivers down her back, a cold chill through her skull. Her heardbeat quickened and thumped harder. The round moon was showering down light, but the sky was otherwise as dark as death itself.

"I... should be going..." she mewed hesitantly. She nooded politely at the two cats before padding slowly towards the shadows.

[:c a i:]

Immediately, Pann felt guilty. He should not have shut the youngster down so harshly, for he knew she was only trying to help him. He probably did look a sorry state with his mud-flecked pelt and injured paw. A far cry from his usual, tough "I-Can-Cope-With-Anything" appearance. He sighed and walked slightly awkwardly after Beatrice, catching her up. She was no threat to him. "I didn't mean to upset you." He muttered. "Thanks. For trying to look out for me. But I'm older than you and I can look after myself. If you want to survive alone, you can't afford to rely on others." He told her, a steely gleam in his eye.

He paused, wondering whether it was safe to reveal his name to Beatrice at least. He didn't see any harm in it, for she would be no danger to him. He sighed, unused to being around other cats after so long flying solo. "I'm Pann." He meowed gruffly. The night was drawing on and he still had to feed himself, as well as figure out what to do about his paw.

[froststream]

Beatrice put on a smile. "Hey," she said softly. "I'm not upset. You do what you want." She smiled again. "I'm not really sure I can afford to help everyone, anyway. If I did, there would be nothing for me. You have to sort of keep your ground, remember your priorities."

She sighed, but she kept her smile. "I suppose why they call us loners." She dropped that extra poppy. "I hear the Clan cats eat these for pain. You can have it. I had lots, but I put them..." She paused, realizing she had let something slip. "Away," she finished simply. She set down the red poppy and gazed at the stars. "But, seriosuly, I should be going. I still have to find somewhere to sleep. With all the foxes I scent here and there, my old fox hole isn't exactly a safe bet."

[spike]

The tom rolled his eyes before retreating to his caught rabbit. No surprise, it was a younger tom that wasn't so quick to give up the wall he had built for himself. How many times had that cat been him? Zoomer settled down to begin the process of gnawing at the hide the rabbit had grown from age. His ears flickered between the two though he didn't speak up when Beatrice announced she had to go. He would've offered the barn but it wasn't his to offer.

That tom, Pann, seemed fairly kind once you broke the barrier. No doubt those little she-cat's innocent eyes would bust away any hidden protection Pann made. Zoomer knew that he was old enough to be out of their little group. He wasn't up for the youngsters' talking. No, the rabbit's presence was enough. Still, dead prey wasn't much company. Zoomer held back the sigh that built up in his chest. No use letting it go. It was just another day in the life of a loner.

But he did feel slightly uncomfortable between these two. Not to mention Pann was only kind to her. He wasn't very fond of hte idea that he might not have taken a liking to him. Zoomer cautiously stood before dragging his prey a distance off. He decided he'd let them talk. He had a different place to be.[/color]

[:c a i:]

Pann swallowed his pride and took the poppy seeds with a quiet "Thanks". He'd also heard of using the seeds from these flowers as remedies, though that was a long time ago from a cat he'd once known. He did not press Beatrice, but he wondered why she had tailed off. And why was she carrying poppies around? Strange. He sighed, feeling the slight numbing effect of the seeds. It was a kind of relief to his stinging paw, but still he could feel the sharp pain when he took a step on it.

"I need to find somewhere too." Pann muttered. "No idea where I am. This is the far from home." He frowned. "I mean, my old home." He corrected himself, irritated for forgetting that he had no home these days. "Where did your friend go?" His piercing gaze swept behind them, wondering where the older tom had disappeared to. "Does he know this area? Is it anyone's territory?" Pann tried to glean as much information as he could from the young she-cat. Best to know as much as possible. Knowledge was power, or so he had heard.