Running 'Round {Carotius}

[LazyKitt]

Siyah was having the time of her life. Racing through the fields with the wind ruffling her fur was her favorite pastime. The small black cat's paws barely touched the ground as she ran, and when she laughed, it was snatched away from her. Her kinked tail was held ramrod straight behind her, and it didn't so much as twitch. She relished in the warmth that seeped into her fur. It was warm, but not blistering hot. The sun had barely risen above the horizon and spread it's warmth and light across the land. She had got up at dawn to go straight through Clan territories and play in the fields.

Of course, she wasn't watching too closely where she was going. It didn't seem like anyone would be here. So, when she suddenly came onto a figure that was nearby, she was surprised. She was also heading straight for it, and was about to crash into them. Alarmed, she stopped abruptly, tumbling over her own paws to land on her side near the other cat. Pulling herself up, she shook her head before looking at the other cat. "Sorry!" she chirped, "I was just running around. I didn't see you there!"

Carotius

[Carotius]

Whomper was out exploring the fields, half in the mood to find some delicious shrews to bring back to his siblings. The last one Thumper had brought back was exceptionally delectable, and he regretted scoffing it all down without fully appreciating its taste. He said it was closer to that big boulder. And there was where he was headed, for the big boulder that loomed in the river running through the fields, some fox-lengths away from where his family's den was.

It just so happened that he was already stalking a shrew when a disturbance in the long grass spooked both prey and predator. Whomper would like to blame the noise for scaring his prey away, even though it was he himself who did so by swishing his tail across the tips of the blades with a startled sweep. The fat shrew had scuttled away with a series of squeaks, not way out of his reach. With a heavy sigh, Whomper straightened up, ready to confront the offending quarry who was making a ruckus through the fields.

...then she appeared in an untidy tumble of fur and whiskers.

"Well, you scared off my prey with all that running around you just did, and now my grumbling stomach's only going to get noisier!" he huffed, glaring at the stranger with his taut green eyes. "I would say you're in my territory, but the fields belong to the Clans and they let me live here, so yeah, you're on their territory."

[LazyKitt]

Siyah's ears flattened in embarrassment. "Sorry," she apologized, pawing at the ground. The huge tom seemed...irritated. He sounded, and looked, likely to claw her ears off in the next few moments. "I'll catch something for you," she offered, "I'm in Clan territory often, so I know good places to hunt!" She looked at him hopefully, eyes wide. If she stayed focused, she wouldn't give in to the extreme urge to pounce on him for a game.

It was kind of hard for her to stay focused.

Paws twitching with excitement, she nearly gave in. It wasn't her fault; he just looked like the kind of cat it would be fun to wrestle with! She giggled quietly. What she would give to see this cat's reaction if she told him that. He still looked dangerous, so she wouldn't tell him. She'd like to stay alive and intact, thank you very much.

[Carotius]

Well, she apologised, at least. Whomper let his claws sink into the dirt, counting up to ten. He didn't always get easily ticked off by the loss of prey or anything of the sort. Really. but it just so happened that he woke up on the wrong side of the bed too, not to mention with a grumbling belly that, as mentioned earlier, craved the shrews roving around the big boulder standing nearby.

"You make me sound needy; I am NOT needy. Help me to hunt, and that'll be fine, but that's it. HELP me to hunt!" he snorted, his medium-length fur ruffled up from the blast of wind that suddenly got slapped into their faces. It soured his mood, and even more so when the younger she-cat appeared to be bouncing. "You catch ANYTHING with that restless kneading of the ground you do? What's all the excitement about?"

He didn't wait for an answer. The large tabby headed towards the river that surrounded the boulder, still holding half a hope that there'd be some shrews still nosing about. Heck, a water vole would do just fine, even. Okay, any prey was fine - just let it feel his tummy! Whomper lashed his feathery tail in annoyance. You just HAD to make me lose my shrew.

[LazyKitt]

Well, he didn't look too happy. Or sound too happy, for that matter. She held back a childish snicker at his irritation and nodded solemnly instead. When he left, she took a few step forward, ready to pounce. He wouldn't enjoy that, but she would. Just one quickk pounce, then... Shaking her head to regain focus, heading off to find mice or something in the grasses. She found one. She'd prove to the sour cat that she could hunt if she wanted to.

Crouching low, she crept up onto the mouse, before pouncing on it and killing it with a swift bite. With a satisfied purr, she grabbed the mouse and pranced back over to the big tom. Intending to startle him, she sneaked up behind him, then proudly meowing, "I caught something!" around her mouse. She laid it down, presenting it to him smugly. See? She can hunt! He hasn't even caught anything yet!

[Carotius]

OOC: These two are gonna be the feline incarnation of 'Brother Bear'. XD

---

The bouncing she-cat had trotted off to do her hunting, and Whomper really hoped she stayed far and long enough away for him to catch something for his own. With a roll of his eyes, he took a whiff of air, catching the faint tang of water vole somewhere the riverbank. Delighted, he bounded over to the source, quite lightly considering a tom his size. His leaf-green eyes lit up as it locked onto his prey, a fat brown body rooting about the dirt for little bits of seeds.

Dropping into a hunter's crouch, he stalked the inattentive creature, his feathery tail barely making a sound as he lifted it a good distance from the ground. He laid one paw silently after the other, muting his approach, his whiskers and ears paying careful attention to the wind, ensuring that he remained downwind of his quarry. Yes! All mine! Whomper kept still, watching for any signs of alertness from the vole. It didn't react. Satisfied, he gathered himself up, ready to spring onto his meal of the day.

"I caught something!"

The vole ran off in a series of squeaks, its short fur bushed out in alarm and fear. The grey-brown tom hissed in irritation as his prey ran away, his medium fur fluffed out in anger. Suddenly, he straightened up, whipping around so quickly that anyone would be surprised at how he could balance with such a great mass. His whiskers were quivering uncontrollably, livid that his hunt was spoilt again.

"First the shrew, and now the vole! Hey, if this is the fastest way for me to see my parents' kin again, then by all means, keep scaring all the prey from me!" he snarled, his words heavily laden with sarcasm. "I totally don't mind starving to death if it means I don't have to deal with prey-scarers!"

[LazyKitt]

Siyah flinched. Well, so much for impressing him; she just made him angrier! "W-well," she began guiltily, "You don't have to starve to death, I caught this for you!" She nudged the mouse closer to him before stepping away quickly. "I can catch another, if you need it! I'm a pretty good huntress!" Her voice a bit stronger, she held her kinked tail above her head. She wasn't afraid of a cat who looked less like a serious threat and more like someone...to...pounce...on...

What was there to lose, anyways? A few bits of fur? She gave into her urge, crouching before silently launching herself in the air. No words, just the beauty of leaping on top of someone else. As she came down, she began to feel a rush of the usual excitement flood over her. Would she miss? Would she make it? Would he attack her? Her paws were extended but her claws were sheathed. No need for this to be mistaken as an attack, hmm?

[Carotius]

A mouse? She caught a mouse. Not a shrew. Not a vole. It's not even that sweet-tasting pigeon Thumper had been telling him about. Nope! It was a mouse. I'm getting a little sick of mice. He grumbled inwardly, large paw poking the fresh-kill tentatively. The piece of prey was a dusky grey-brown, kinda like his fur, and it had a satisfying plumpness to its flesh and bones...like himself. I'm big-boned! Maybe this mouse would be fine, especially if she offered to catch him another.

Gruffly, he lifted his head. "Well, I guess that shouldn't-"

Whomper's massive form was thrown off his paws, causing him to land on the ground with a resounding thud and swish of long grass. He rolled for a moment, feeling the much smaller she-cat clinging to one side of him, though he wasn't sure if she was excited or terrified by the momentum of events. Well, the tom knew what HE was feeling. With a yowl, he leapt onto his paws, shaking his entire body so vigorously until he was sure the black she-cat was off of him. Once he was sure, he bared his fangs at her.

"What is your problem?! Now we'll never catch enough prey for me to last the day, and it's because you keep scaring them with your ridiculous antics!" he seethed, paws kneading the ground in agitation.

[LazyKitt]

Siyah squealed as she was thrown off of the large tom, tumbling head-over-paws before stopping on her side. Her sides heaving, she howled with laughter. He wasn't so scary! Even with his teeth bared, he didn't seem threatening at all, especially since he didn't attack her after that. Climbing to her paws, she looked at him mischievously. What could she do to make him loosen up? Mock fight? A good run in the fields? Catch seven fat mice? He seemed to need his food.

"What's your problem?" she shot back, rising to her hind legs, "That was fun, and you know it! I'm sure you'll survive; there are plenty more places to hunt!" She swatted at him playfully, her sureness that he wouldn't harm her making her brave. Such a sour puss, but so much fun to mess with! If he was so hungry, then he should eat the mouse. Then he'd have enough energy to play with her!

[Carotius]

The large tom gaped in sheer disbelief, his green eyes just staring small she-cat who was howling in absolute joy. She had risen to her hind legs, a grin on her face as her forepaws swatted at his dumbfounded face, to which he didn't react much but to twitch his head and muzzle back every time her paw got close. ...Seriously? This black-furred fuzzball wasn't one bit afraid of him despite the baring of teeth and snarls?

"You really...aren't scared?" he barely reacted when his nose was bopped by her other paw, and he raised his own paw to bat at her. "You're a strange bugger, kid."

Whomper jumped back as the she-cat swiped at him again, noticing with unexpressed curiosity her enthusiasm and playfulness, and also her confidence in immediately battering at him with sheathed paws despite the hostile display he'd given; not many cats really stuck around afterwards whenever they pushed the wrong buttons, especially young ones, but this particular she-cat? Oh, she was asking for playtime...

Growling, he lunged forward with half the usual force he was used to, knowing his bulk would do most of the work in crashing into the much smaller she-cat. The mouse meal could wait - he wanted a little playfight with his siblings in ages, but this would do just fine.

[LazyKitt]

Siyah blinked when the tom started to play along with her. It was kind of unexpected. She was sure she was about to be run off. She had everything all planned out! She was going to run circles around him before dashing away into the trees with a dramatic "I'll be back~!" to top it all off! Now she'd have to-

-remember how to breathe. Siyah fell backwards and immediately felt the tom cat's weight absolutely squashing her. She felt all of her air leave her in a big whoosh. She could still breathe-luckily-but still. Sucking in air, she decided to tease the maybe-not-so-cranky tom. “So he does know how to play…” she mused loudly, “I thought he might’ve forgotten!” She squirmed, attempting to escape him, and her hind paws pushed against his belly. Of course, she couldn’t throw him off. Bleh.

[Carotius]

Whomper bared his teeth again as he pinned the black she-cat to the ground, allowing himself a satisfied smirk to decorate his features. Of course he knew how to play - just because he was a little over the middle-aged line for felines didn't mean he was too old for any fun and games! He wanted to tell the fuzzball so, but considering he was smooshing her beneath his bulk, he was sure nothing would get through her ears and into her brain. The she-cat's attempts at throwing him off were laughable, considering how tiny and insignificant her hindpaws felt against the tom's belly.

"Didn't your parents teach you not to mess with strangers?" he hissed, one sheathed paw continuously batting at the she-cat's face.