Foxfang
ThunderClan 
Warrior
Posts: 30 
User: Grey
Apprentice: Brackenpaw
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Post by Foxfang on Jun 29, 2013 16:19:06 GMT
One brow dot rose upon the tabby’s forehead and completed his look of incredulity. “Do you mean twolegs? The tall, hairless, awkward and ugly things with long paws?” He had seen them before, walking their dogs along the forest path or by the twoleg nests. They certainly didn’t seem intelligent enough to build those large nests all on their own, but then again everything they did was strange. Perhaps that strangeness had rubbed off on this small cat.
The warrior suddenly froze, his body stiffening in the same instant that he lifted his nose into the wind. Mouse. A sigh of relief parted his paw. He was being overly sensitive, that was certain, but he truly did not want to be caught alone with the cat. All he could think about was getting her to safety, and then himself. But the scent of mouse reminded the tom of something else. It had been his duty to go out and catch prey, not spend half of the day talking to a kittypet. Shame heated his ears and caused his short whiskers to twitch.
“If, if their food is really as good as you say then perhaps you should go back?” His mew was low, and an urgent note colored it. Heaving his rump off of the needle bed he rose upon all fours and towered once more over the cream cat. The light pool he had been sitting next to had moved a good foxlength away with the passing of time. It reminded him that they needed to be quick.
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Ribbon
Kittypets/Loners/Rouges 
Kittypet
Posts: 24
User: Sparkie
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Post by Ribbon on Jun 30, 2013 1:43:04 GMT
She'd never heard them be called Twolegs. But it made sense; they only walked on their hindlegs. It wasn't their most prominent feature of course, so her name made more sense. Birds also only walked on two legs too. You didn't see any cat calling them twolegs. No their nasty uncovered pink skin was easily the only animal to be so naked. Ribbon had a theory that was why they liked to pet her. They envied her glossy silky fur.
She flinched when the huge feral cat froze. She wondered if she should have agreed with him. It seemed like her life was finally coming to an end, and even though she wanted to live longer, at least she wasn't going to have to spend a lot more time with Baxter. He was always so grumpy and he really only liked it when she sat still and sitting still was boring.
But the cat just raised his nose into the wind and then quickly asked, "If, if their food is really as good as you say then perhaps you should go back?"
"Yes, I want to home." She felt a shiver of excitement at the prospect. Was he actually going to let her go? "But, um, I don't know the way. I've never been so far into the forest." She flattened her ears, embarrassed. "I'm lost."
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Foxfang
ThunderClan
Warrior
Posts: 30
User: Grey
Apprentice: Brackenpaw
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Post by Foxfang on Jun 30, 2013 3:30:06 GMT
It was easy, or so it seemed, to smile in the presence of this little cat who would never know him. She could never pose a threat, or reveal his softness to another clan. She probably wouldn’t even dare to ever breach the forest again, and her innocence was a relief in comparison to the judging eyes back at camp. He had never told another feline about his secret love, yet it still felt as if everyone knew.
“Lost? Why am I not surprised?” The tabby gave a chuckle, and let the grin continue to rest upon his features. With surprisingly soft paws for his heavy weight, the warrior turned and parted his maw. Her scent was still fresh of course, and it would be easy to follow back to her twoleg nest. Hopefully, though, he wouldn’t have to go that far. Foxfang still needed to catch prey for his clan, and it was already looking like he would come home empty pawed.
Without thinking, he began to pad in the direction of the twolegplace. A cool breeze ruffled his pelt, and soothed his nerves as it raced through the scattered trunks and vegetation. As if in respond a squirrel began to chatter up ahead, announcing once more that he was encroaching upon its territory. But the warrior had only taken a couple of steps before realizing he had forgotten to tell the kittypet his intentions.
Once more feeling the heat of embarrassment in his ears, Foxfang turned to look back and gently mewed “come on, I’ll lead you back, and I won’t eat you.”
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Ribbon
Kittypets/Loners/Rouges
Kittypet
Posts: 24
User: Sparkie
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Post by Ribbon on Jun 30, 2013 4:20:51 GMT
When the wild cat had gotten up, she wondered if he was just going to leave her in the forest to rot. She thought maybe she could learn to hunt but where would she find another basket? Or another Baxter who would wash her and tell her she was being annoying?
She eyed the back of the big cat, and decided she really wasn't sure if he was the bathing type. He smelled clean, but he wasn't Baxter clean. Baxter clean meant smelling mostly like Baxter's spit for the next two days until she could roll in something really smelly and get washed all over again.
When he turned around, she gave him her full attention. She didn't really think he was going to eat her, but she wasn't all that positive that he wouldn't hurt her. Just look at the size of his paws and she really couldn't take her eyes off the scar on his back. She wanted to ask how it happened, but also, didn't really want to hear about it. Because that meant other cats in the forest and that meant one of them could kill her and eat her, and she was definitely starting to smell like fear again. She subtly tried to get up but couldn't.
Thankfully, and she couldn't believe it was thankfully, the wild cat came back rasping, "Come on, I’ll lead you back, and I won’t eat you.”
Ribbon whimpered, flattening her ears, and looking at the ground. She didn't want to admit to her weakness but the huge cat was offering to take her home and there were other cats out here, cats who would eat her, and she just didn't see another option, so she finally muttered, "I can't. My claws are stuck."
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Foxfang
ThunderClan
Warrior
Posts: 30
User: Grey
Apprentice: Brackenpaw
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Post by Foxfang on Jun 30, 2013 20:27:15 GMT
For a seemingly endless frame of time the large scarred cat simply stood, and stared. Then, slowly, life seeped back into his frozen form and finally his maw parted to let out a bellowing laugh. He couldn’t keep his eyes open as the humor of it all it him. No wonder she had stayed so still by the base of the trunk. And her earlier shuffling, had then actually been a hidden attempt to try to free herself? When he could finally get control of his body again the warrior stopped his guffawing, but a rare easy smile remained. It wasn’t crooked or devious. His eyes didn’t seem to mock or tease. No, the smile was free and light like a kit’s.
“You’re stuck.” He sauntered forward back towards the small cat, unable to resist restating the hilarious fact. “Did you try retracting them,” asked Foxfang as he was stopped to loom over the cream kittypet. Slowly, hoping not to scare her with his closeness, he crouched down to peer at her tiny claws and the earth they were lodged into. He could probably pick her up and lift her from the ground, leaving her free to pick the dirt from her paws. The action, though, would probably bring her into a state of panic once more.
From his position close to the ground the tabby looked up at her, and was somewhat surprised at how close his green eyes where to her dark brown. Their depths almost seemed empty, and something about it unnerved him. Suddenly the realization hit the tom that he didn’t know her name. While perhaps it wouldn’t matter, part of him didn’t want them to part before he could find the chance to ask. “What’s your name?”
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Ribbon
Kittypets/Loners/Rouges
Kittypet
Posts: 24
User: Sparkie
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Post by Ribbon on Jul 1, 2013 3:40:44 GMT
Ribbon held very still while the huge cat laughed at her. She didn't really think her problem was all that funny, but if the cat wasn't going to hurt her because he thought she was funny, well she wasn't going to distract him. He laughed for a long time and she found it to actually be somewhat pleasant. He sounded younger than he looked when he laughed.
Then he got very very close to her, and she just about stopped breathing. His scent was over powering up close. She almost sneezed but just wriggled her nose and sniffed. “Did you try retracting them?" He asked, crouching to exam her back feet. She shifted her weight, trying to show him her delicate paws. She was very proud of her paws, and it was going to be a long time before she would get all the dirt off. She was about to answer when he asked again, "What's your name?"
"I've already tried that. " She meowed forlornly, wanting to pout. "There's too much dirt. It's going to take forever to get them clean again. Baxter probably won't let me in my basket until they're sparkling." She sighed, then asked politely, "I'm Ribbon. What's yours?" But to be honest, she wasn't really listening to what he said. The ideas of so many baths ahead of her.... yeesh.
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Foxfang
ThunderClan
Warrior
Posts: 30
User: Grey
Apprentice: Brackenpaw
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Post by Foxfang on Jul 2, 2013 15:04:34 GMT
To be honest, Foxfang was utterly perplexed. Sure, he had experienced getting his claws stuck before, it was inevitable as a cat, but the way in which hers was lodged was new to the warrior. Should he try to bite them free of the dirt? Or, would it work better if he just attempted to lift her up and away? Both of those situations sprung up an entirely new conflict, personal contact.
The tabby had always been a little on the awkward side when it came to simply addressing others. Sharing tongues was bane of his existence every afternoon, but still he did his best to try to connect to the other felines. His only pleasure came from using the daily ritual as an excuse to fuss over his daughters. Little Rosepaw was to first to complain about his overbearing tendencies. The skin between Foxfang’s eyes crinkled in contemplation, and he let out a slight sigh of discontent.
“Ribbon, is that some strange fish?” He was, to be honest, curious in her response. The newness of it all fascinated the tabby, and he was interested to know what all hid within the twoleg nests. While he waited for a response the warrior realized he had forgotten to answer her first question. Embarrassment was always quick on his heels, but he bit it back and squeezed out an answer. “And I’m Foxfang.”
Alright, now time for the kittypet’s claws. The sun was making its path through the sky a bit quicker than Foxfang would have appreciated, so a sense of urgency ruffled the hackles upon his neck. Standing up once more, he leaned over the other’s back. “Trust me, and relax” he meowed suddenly, though he was certain she would not obey. Just as abruptly, the clan cat reached down with his jaws gaping and gently attempted to take hold of the smooth fur upon Ribbon’s scruff.
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Ribbon
Kittypets/Loners/Rouges
Kittypet
Posts: 24
User: Sparkie
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Post by Ribbon on Jul 2, 2013 15:23:13 GMT
The minute the cat's mouth descended on to her neck, Ribbon realized that she was going to die. She'd thought she was safe, thought that maybe the cat wouldn't kill her, wasn't actually going to eat her. Now she realized that he was going to eat her alive.
She loosed a high keening wail, feeling his teeth in the scruff of her neck. She flailed, her fur bristling and her front legs scrabbling desperately at the leaves on the forest floor. Her barely controlled fear scent burst from her, salving the forest with it's acrid tang.
She didn't want to loose her basket, and she didn't want to die out here in the forest because the forest wasn't home and she wanted to go home with Baxter. And she didn't mean any of the mean things she said about him because he was actually just looking out for her and she knew that if he was here, he could stop the huge wild cat from eating her and she missed him, she cried for him, and for Alex who would know she was out here dead and might come looking for her and might up as cat food too and it would be all Ribbon's fault and oh no, oh no, she just didn't want to die. She was nearly twice her normal size, her fur fluffed up, and she just kept crying and twisting and yowling.
Until she stopped, panting heavily, shrinking into herself, a low continuous whimper echoing from her throat, as she just gave up.
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Foxfang
ThunderClan
Warrior
Posts: 30
User: Grey
Apprentice: Brackenpaw
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Post by Foxfang on Jul 2, 2013 16:08:39 GMT
It was in that moment, as his teeth lightly clasped upon the soft scruff of the little cream cat, that the chaos erupted. Her fur fluffed up to tickle his nose and bother his eyes, her claws flailed uselessly at the ground and spat up a dust of needles and dirt, and worst of all a keening wail of pure fear split the air.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. Foxfang wasn’t sure who he was mad at, but anger slowly bubbled in the pit of his empty stomach. This was it. There was no way her panicked calls would go unnoticed, and soon the entirety of ThunderClan would be after her. Them, they would be after the two of them. The warrior let out a strangled breath between the other’s pelt.
But first things first, before anyone would find them he’d do his best to at least give Ribbon a running start. He positioned his legs better, planting them securely upon the forest floor, and then pulled upward. Hopefully, he would apply just enough pressure to lift her claws from the dirt without injuring her. It might be a longshot, he certainly wasn’t sure of how to deal with this at all, but he wouldn’t give up without at least trying.
Oh please StarClan, the tom silently prayed, let this work.
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Ribbon
Kittypets/Loners/Rouges
Kittypet
Posts: 24
User: Sparkie
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Post by Ribbon on Jul 2, 2013 16:29:20 GMT
Ribbon felt herself being pulled up, her front paws slowly lifting off the ground and with a small tug, her claws came loose. She stopped panicking.
Oh.
Well, that made much more sense. Fox had already agreed to take her home. Of course, he would help her with her claws. He had already said that he wasn't going to eat her. Why would he lie?
Ribbon felt her ears twitch in embarrassment. She quickly sat down, pulling her claws into her paws, and began to groom her ruffled fur. She couldn't quite meet Fox's eyes and she tried to make herself be quite, but she was feeling something like euphoria because she actually wasn't going to die here, and she'd just get Baxter to give her a quick wash, and maybe he'd want to come out and meet her new friend, because actually if you looked at him long enough and squinted he wasn't all that scary. He certainly was nice. She liked him. She liked Fox.
She stood up, pressed herself under his chin, turning sideways to rub against his chest with her flank, purring. "Thanks, Fox."
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Foxfang
ThunderClan
Warrior
Posts: 30
User: Grey
Apprentice: Brackenpaw
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Post by Foxfang on Jul 3, 2013 3:06:33 GMT
And just like that, the kittypet had relaxed. Foxfang was confounded. It had happened so suddenly, her change form a wailing ball of attempted terror to a docile and behaved cat, that he was once more stunned into inaction. The warrior’s jaw had dropped, immediately releasing her, and somewhat ungracefully he stumbled back a mouse length or so. Her just couldn’t understand it. Then again, what did it matter?
Perhaps even more perplexing, though, was when the cream feline came up and actually rubbed her form to his chest. It wasn’t a strange action, necessarily, for it was common for cats to warmly great others in such a fashion. He just didn’t expect it from Ribbon.
“You’re welcome,” he mewed softly, fighting a stutter that would give away his shock. Warmth and appreciation heated the cat’s pelt. There were some in his own clan who could not seem him for anything but a cold and agitated tom. This kittypet was different, though. She proved that gentle hearts did not mean unseeing eyes. With humor the warrior gave a snort.
“Alright, time to get you back. Follow me.” With leaves and needles crackling underfoot Foxfang headed towards the direction of the yet unseen line of twoleg nests. Before skirting a bramble bush, though, he tossed a worried glance over his left shoulder to see in the little cat was still following.
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Ribbon
Kittypets/Loners/Rouges
Kittypet
Posts: 24
User: Sparkie
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Post by Ribbon on Jul 4, 2013 6:20:47 GMT
Fox seemed a little shocked that she'd been open with her thanks, but Ribbon didn't mind. House cats were always touching and talking and basically interacting with each other. It was how they kept themselves amused. The furlackers weren't always there to be interesting, but gossip and friendships were. She supposed he was going to have to get used to it, since they were going to be very good friends, she could already tell. He hadn't even tried to eat her yet. Though, if she reflect on herself, that may have been because she was much to stinky and scared to taste good. A little part of her honestly hoped that it never changed.
She trotted behind the large cat, his well muscled legs taking one stride for two of hers, and she had to admit, she was impressed. He was huge. Baxter could maybe compete with him in girth, but never in brawn. She wondered how the female cats felt about having such dangerous cats wondering around with them out here. And then she wondered if the female cats were as well prepared for life in the wild. And then she tried to picture Fox with a green ribbon around his neck and a prettier glossier pelt. And then she couldn't stop herself from purring in amusement because there was no way, the feral cat could be anything but male.
She started to pant, not realizing she'd come this far out into the forest, and she was starting to get tired, and her feet were starting to her and she just wanted to sit down and rest for a minute but she couldn't ask Fox to stop, since he was obviously not going to kill her, she wanted to be friends, and friends didn't order their friends around... did they? She and Alex never did but Baxter often told her what to do. But she and Baxter weren't friends were they? They didn't feel like friends. Ribbon's pace slowed as she struggled to figure out if she and Baxter just shared the same furlackers or if they were actually comrades.
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Foxfang
ThunderClan
Warrior
Posts: 30
User: Grey
Apprentice: Brackenpaw
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Post by Foxfang on Jul 6, 2013 19:04:34 GMT
Through the thinning lattice of stems and leaves Foxfang could distinguish the glistening scales of twoleg dens. Their strange colors contrasted jarringly with the soft foliage, and it sent a wave of unease skittering across the warrior’s spine. It was wise to be weary of Twolegs. But stoic as always, he would not show his fear to the kittypet. Instead, the warrior squared his shoulders and continued to trudge on towards the looming monoliths.
When a small purr rippled through the hot air one ginger ear flicked back momentarily. What was Ribbon up to? Just as he had decided to ignore it, the other’s panting and slowed footsteps became prominent. Foxfang closed his eyes and furrowed his tabby brow. Of course she could not keep up with him; he should have set a slower pace. She was soft and particularly delicate looking, while he was certainly the opposite.
Rolling his olive eyes at no one but himself, the forest cat stopped and waited for the cream kitty to catch up. Perhaps he should ask if everything was okay, or worry over the contemplative look upon her face. Whatever had caught her attention seemed to be giving her trouble, and he couldn’t help letting slip a small tug of worry.
“We’re almost there,” he finally mewed, still somewhat lost for words. “Can you pick out your den?” He was loath to cross the edge of ThunderClan’s territory, and his curiosity was far from strong enough to carry him much further.
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Ribbon
Kittypets/Loners/Rouges
Kittypet
Posts: 24
User: Sparkie
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Post by Ribbon on Jul 6, 2013 22:31:21 GMT
When the wild cat slowed and called back to her, Ribbon was ripped from her thoughts. Eagerly she flounced up next to him, then winced because flouncing was a bad idea when her pads were sore. He was so big and his feet were probably so tough he could walk on the gravel in her furlacker's garden forever. She wanted to have tough pads like. She vowed to worked at it and maybe she could persuade Alex into it as well. They were friends.
She looked around Fox, scanning the fences and turned back to him, purring loudly. "Of course, I recognize my home, Fox. I don't normally get lost."
She trotted towards the tall white fence where her furlacker's lived. It wasn't easy to scrabble up it, since it was smooth from whatever white coating they'd put on. (That had actually stuck to her feet in a gooey mess the month after she'd been adopted and they wouldn't let her lick it off, and it had made Baxter so mad.) But he was big enough that maybe it would be okay.
"C'mon." She flicked her tail, standing at the base of her fence. "I'll show you my furlackers." She paused considering. "You're almost bigger than Baxter but you'll be able to fit through the flap."
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Foxfang
ThunderClan
Warrior
Posts: 30
User: Grey
Apprentice: Brackenpaw
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Post by Foxfang on Jul 7, 2013 3:21:31 GMT
Dark eyes, shaded from a shaft of ailing light by a small shrub, peered outward from the forest’s depths to where the kittypet stood. She had left the embrace of the woods to stand diminutively by a white structure. It glared in the sun harshly as if trying already to warn him away. Twolegs were trouble.
With all the finesse of a lumbering badger Foxfang meowed a solemn response. “I won’t fit in anywhere. This is where we part. I won’t have anything to do with twolegs.” And neither should you. Looking warily up the vertical sides of the den inherently the clan cat’s hackles bristled.
No, he would not be tempted to let curiosity sway him. The life of a kittypet could remain mysterious, and the information could stay on a need to know basis. So it was simple. He didn’t need to know.
“I’m glad your home safe, but try to stay out of the forest. I’m not the most dangerous thing out there.” Sadness clouded the warrior’s gaze as his eyes tried to communicate the truth of Foxfang’s words. Sure he was big, tall, and had the training of a fighter. But he was far from cruel, and not the most deadliest of clan cats.
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