hay bales, warm barns, oh my! (OPEN)

[CAST.AWAY;;]

as the wind whistled through his fur, his eyes caught the hint of red ear tips. he looked astonished. "are you catching a cold? i sure hope not. i can't cure them. unless cedar knows." he was growing anxious and his tail was twitching nervously. he watched her again. she seemed to be more embarassed than anything. he blinked and tilted his head to the side.

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I shook my head. "Oh no, I hope not" she said ,eyes widening slightly. She shifed her paws and sat mroe comfortably, Could she feel friendhsip for a cat outside of her family? Impossible. No way. Heck yes! He was nice made her feel warm, just like her family... "Is cedar your only litter-mate?" she asked softly.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

he nodded. his eyes betrayed no emotion. "yes, he is my only brother. i have no other family other than him. sadly, he is one i would have rather left behind." he mewed, his voice deep and very wise. he smiled slightly though. he sat up and got to his paws, ears swivelling when she breathed.

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[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I looked at him puzzeled. "LEave behind? What do you mean?" I mewed, getting a cold chill spiking through me and making my fur stand on end. My pupils narrowed as I moved more into the light of the spot we had ate. No, feasted.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

with the sharp sting of cold air rushing through his thick pelt. his amusement sparked. "i hate him. he is the cruelest tom i have seem in my life. and i haven't lived very long." as he noticed her pupils narrow, he absent-mindedly moved closer to her, sharing his own warmth. the poor house cat was probably not used to being out in the freezing cold. unlike himself.

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[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I understood what he meant. "What would he have tried to do to me if you hadn't attacked him after following me to that barn?" I mewed. my voice trembling a little.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

shrugging his massive shoulders, he looked away. "i have no idea. it's different every time. he was raised by a horrible father.." painful memory flashed over his gaze and he then returned his gaze to hers.

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[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I tilted my head. "How terrible?" I mewed. I'd known my own father was raised by the worst tom I could imagine... And I had a large imagination. But luckily.. my father had vowed never to treat his kits like he had been.. And he'd stayed true to it.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

he shrugged, obviously not wanting to talk about it. some horrible memory flashed through his gaze and he still didn't feel all that warm and fuzzy around the she-cat. his tail wrapping around his paws, his kind, warm eyes looking away from her, he looked very magnificent.

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[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I swallowed and rubbed my muzzle agaisnt him, uncomfortably.. but to comfort him. "THe apst is the past" I mewed. backing away after I spoke. The patch of sunlight made me look pure-white from the glare of my smooth silky fur. My pink nose nad yellow eyes seemed harsher under the light as well, as if it exosed some of hte me inside jsut to stand in the sun.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

he smiled slightly and rested his head upon hers. he immediately lifted when she moved away. he nodded slightly at her words and glanced away, the glare from her fur blinding his eyes.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow
I noticed him turn his head and ducked out of the sun. "Sorry. Forgot what hte sun does to my pelt" I mewed softly with a sheepish smile. I noted how his head had rested upon mine for a few moments before I moved.. Hm. My fmaily enever did that when I had ot comfort them... WEll, this tom wasn't family.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

he nodded, not saying anything. the sun was going down. a bright, shining moon standing in the place of the sun. he moved foreward, ears perked, whiskers quivering. "we have no time to take you home. we'll have to do that in the morning. right now we should go find some place to sleep." his deep, mysterious voice sounding over her own ears. his eyes widened to search in the moonlight, and his fur ruffled in the wind.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I blinked, weyes wide. "What?!" my mew came as asqueak. "C-Can't we run there or something!?" I hated sleeping outside at night anywhere. I wanted ot be home!

[CAST.AWAY;;]

he nodded. "it would be far to cold by the time i can return. i feel it'd be easier to tale you home in the morning." he said reasonably. he smiled cockily. "you aren't scared are you?" he winked slightly and moved on.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

"N-No" I mewed. although I practically bolted up to him and stood closer than I had when the sun was high in hte sky. My eyes were wide in every way, my ears flat agaisnt my head, my whiskers pulled back, and I was hsaking like a chihuahua wagging it's tale. If I were just a bit smaller I wouldn've gone right underneath him if I could.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

for the first time in months, berry laughed. it was a cool, very charming sound. he watched her and curled his tail over her ears. he lifted a paw and batted her nose and smiled. "oh, come on. it's amazing, sleeping under the stars. it makes me feel safer. living under a roof is like being couped up. but thats just me." he mewed, gazing up at the sky as he spoke. the glistening white stars blinked slightly. amazing, watching them.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow
I growled nad swatted back at him. "Well unlike you I'd rather feel, quote unquote, 'couped up'. For me it makes me feel safe that nothing can attack me in my sleep" I mewed. watchin my paws as we moved. concentrating on his tail, lain over my ears to guide me.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

he smirked and brushed away from hard ferns and pushed himself into a warm, cozy bush. it was somewhere he always slept when he couldn't find his way back. he glanced up and at shadow when she spoke. half ignoring her, he pushed soft feathers, moss and whatever else felt soft underpaw into two neat nests. standing at the entrance and poking his head out, he called out for her. "being out in the open lifts your senses. it's an amazing feeling to be able to hear while you sleep, and maybe your nose will heal. it's a horrible feeling being unable to smell." he stated, moving back into the makeshift den and curling up in his small nest. he yawned and laid his tail over his nose, curling up into a neat, fluffy ball.

his eyes watching her movements at the entrance, he waited patiently for her to arrive.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I padded in cslowly and layed on the furthest softest edge of the nest he amde for me which happened ot be somewhat close to his. I wasn't used to this, nor did I think I could get used to this. I curled up and than lifted my front half, twisting in such a way the top of my head was agaisnt hte moss. One pwa on the ground, the otgher front paw on my side. My tail curled up between my hind legs and covering the paw on the ground I closed my eyes nad a miracle happened. I fell asleep.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

drifting into a dream, soon after she had fallen asleep, he curled tighter in the nest, ears perked at small sounds. nothing happened during that night. or nothing that would be of much danger. he yawned again, sharp teeth pointed in the light. but they soon closed, and he once again rolled into sleep.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I opened my eyes to the brightness. Morning. I jumped ot my feet. Wait.. I had slept that night!? I yawned, my pink tounge curling up between my fangs, which were delicately curved and ready to attacked. I shook out my fur, making sure nothing was sticking to it.. But I already felt it. It's wasn't soft as much anymore, it was tangled into gnarly knots. . . When htis had happened to rose she had to get a trim. And the though of having my hair trimmed made me freeze cold-as ice. Noooo. Never would anyone touchmy fur unless they were other cats, or two-legs petting/brushing me. And when I thought of going home, my stomach knotted uncomfortably.. as if I didn't want ot go home anymore. Myabe it was becuase I was afraid I'd find I missed my mother's death... I hoped she was still alive.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

he yawned and was standing at the entrance. at her awakening, he turned his head and smiled. laughing inaudibly at her tangled pelt, he slid out of the entrance, going about his duty, finding food, making dirt and finally returning to taking her home. "morning sleepy head, ready to head off?" he mewed, dropping a bird at her paws and going a little distance away to eat his water vole. his paws were slightly wet from catching it, but he was otherwise still looking soft and very clean.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I nodded. "Yes... I am" I mewed. I glared enviously at his smoth pelt. "how can you keep it untangled?" she asked, taking some bird cautiously, then trying to smooth out hte mess.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

moving towards her slightly, then settling himself beside her. he bent down to help groom her pelt. pawing out the larger clumps, he hooked his claws into her fur to tug out brambles and feathers. he smiled slightly and moved back, he wasn't interested in sharing tongues with the she-cat. or at least. not yet.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I felt a little embarassed having to be groomed by the tom.. Heck I felt embarassed for not remembering to keep my fur neat around him! Well.. I had been.. uh.. distracted... the whole time."T-Thanks" I mewed. looking downwards. Then I looked up at him and shifted my weight. :So uh... to home..." I mumbled awkwardly and dorkily.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

he smirked and moved off into the grass, the dew spreading over his pelt. he shifted and looked over the ride that they were now arriving at. glancing at the she-cat he nodded. "is that where you live?" he asked, sounding curious.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow

I nodde dmy soft small head. "well, not exactly that building.. but within that placE" I mewed. I felt a whole formig in my stomach... Would this mean I might not ever see him again? I hoped not.. he seemed really nice.. for hte most part. I looked up at him. I headed forward for the town. pausing befor eI crossed the road/ thunderpath.

[CAST.AWAY;;]

he smiled slightly, a look of slight sadness falling over him. "i think you can find your way home now. and remember, you are always welcome within my home." he then turned and went to leave, padding away. his ears tilted and he swished his tail, climbing back up the slope and standing at the top, watching her cross a black, shiny path and arriving at the other side.

[/size]

[<⌂>AnGeL<⌂>]

Shadow
I turned nad looked up at him. I didn't have the guts to ask him if he wanted ot come with me, or to invite him to come anytime, my theroat was too clogged with emotion hthat I hadn't ever felt at this climate before. My fluffy tail swerved asa good bye to him. My ears pulled back slightly, my eyes were wide a sense loss within them as I turned with my head down, and jetted off home with the wind breezing through my pelt.