Christmas Time Is Killing Us [Open]

[Dyzzie]

Chione had been trapped inside ALL Winter, not that the action was unfamiliar to the kitty pet, but for a feline who craved the chance to explore and see the world outside the walls of her human's nest, Chione hated the winter months. Finally - though, she was free. Free of the months inside. Free of the scratchy, thick jackets. Free of the over-heated home. Sure, she knew that if she didn't have such kind owners who took her appearance into consideration, she'd have been miserable (if not dead) from the cold and cruel winter months, but that didn't make her feel better.

Finally she was free though, and the moment she had gotten them to open the door --- she was gone. Chione had immediately left the kitty pet world behind, ready to explore the rest of the outside world. Though one look at the pretty - but odd kitty - and you'd tell she wasn't a loner, a rogue, or a clan cat. She screamed kitty pet. The biggest sign was the light weight kitty jacket she wore to protect her delicate skin from the cold (and sun). The second was the thin collar around her neck, studded with rhinestones, and topped with a small bell. The third was her . . . . fur, or lack there off. Chione was a purebred Sphinx, and she looked the part. Long legs. Long body. Long tail. Slightly Oriental face . . . and being completely hairless.

She smiled to herself in relief as she looked around in joy before smiling in delight as the sun touched her skin, the feel of grass beneath her paws. All of it was amazing, fantastic, exciting. She purred softly as she looked around before smiling and quickly took to running through the trees, her agile body moving with a surprise amount of ease. Agility ran in her breeding. Long limbs carried her effortlessly, tiny paws hitting the ground in just the right spot to carry her through the ground with out slipping in the mud, or fumbling. She smiled to herself, heading to a clearing she'd found in the fall.

She slowed down as she neared it, pausing to sniff the air - assure herself that there was no one who had claimed it during the winter. Finding it scent free, the female stepped into the field, heading straight to the rock that was already heating up in the sunlight, and happily lay down on the heated rock, eyes closing and a purr rumbling through her throat.

[Asher]

Noodle sat on his fence, staring into the forest. Finally, he was allowed outside. I wonder what it's like beyond the fence? Usually, Noodle considered exploring, then decided against it. Today though was different. It was his first time outside since fall and he was determined to get over his fear of the outside. He knew he would do it eventually anyway. Taking a deep breath, Noodle leaped off of the fence. His paws slammed into slush left over from the long winter. Noodle hissed angrily and licked his paws to free it of the stink. His long silky silver fur was not ideal for this terrain.

After about 15 minutes of grooming, Noodle set off again, heading toward the trees. This is so exciting! I can't believe I'm actually doing this! He caught the scent of another cat, and he began to follow it. He recognized it as Chione, a cat that lived down the street from his. She was hairless, so her owners hadn't let her outside since fall either. Since Noodle was only 6 months old, he had often looked up to her for exploring the forest. All the cats in the neighborhood admired her bravery for exploring the unknown.

Soon, Noodle broke into a clearing and saw her flopped down on a warm rock. He purred with amusment. "Some wild cat you are, Chione."

Dyzzie

[Dyzzie]

The kittypet was more than happy to find the place with the sun-heated rock clear and void of any others. She happily moved towards it, flopping down and purring at the touch of heat that echoed through her cooled bones and the cool air that seemed degrees colder with her inability to keep warm with a furry coat. but the rock was a nice relief - as it always was when she found her way here. THe heated stone was all that mattered as she [ressed into it, rolling onto her back and purring as she allowed different parts of her lengthy spine to touch the warmth, to warm her from the cold that had set in over the winter months. It was at that moment a voice - a young voice at that, and instantly she stood, a snarl on her features, claws unsheathed as the calico looked at the younger kit, "I'd be cautious of using that tone with me, young one. I happen to think I'm very wild." She responded, her tone lightening and her snarl relaxing as she recognized the feline from her neighborhood, "A bit far from home, aren't you . . . Noodle, isn't it?" She asked, watching him.

[Asher]

Noodle leaped back in surprise as she hissed at him. Then, she calmed down as she recognized him. "Yes, I am far from home. I finally got the courage to explore the forest!" His tail waved excitedly and his eyes glowed. "You were right, Chione! The wild is amazing! I want to stay out here forever and never go back!" He stopped short as he realized what he had just said. Noodle frowned. Was that what he really wanted? Could he ever give up his soft kittypet life? Now that he thought about it, he knew that was what he wanted. Ever since he was born he hadn't been able to understand why his mother could live like this. Just before winter, he had been taken away from her, so he decided to try to live the way she had. Noodle wasn't so sure he could take eating pellets and being cooped up anymore. "Yeah." he finally said, "I don't want to go back..."

[Dyzzie]

The older sphinx female eyed the young kit as he spoke excitedly, his eyes glowing, "It's a fascinating place, but it's dangerous too - Noodle. You've lived as a kitty-pet for a long time." She cautioned with a half smile, before smiling slightly, "You might not want to go back, but you should anyways. Take the time to think this sort of decision of. Perhaps see if the strays are willing to teach you a little, to hunt and fight. Most kits in the wild already know alot about surviving in the wild." She stood then, jumping from her rock, and looking the kit over, "In fact . . . how about I take you hunting now and see how you do." She suggested with a smile as she made her way into the forest, "Are you coming, Noddle?"

[Asher]

Noodle raised his head proudly. "I've already caught a mouse in my yard, Chione. I'm pretty sure I know how to hunt." He smirked, then padded toward her. "I bet I can catch more mice than you anyways." Noodle bounded around her in circles, testing out his stiff limbs. I haven't run in forever!

[Dyzzie]

Chione eyed the little tom silently, choosing not to say anything in response, though the soft smile on her features suggested otherwise. She might not look like much, long legs, lean and thin body, hairless, with too big eyes, too big ears . . . but . . . she was a force to be reckoned with. "Alright then. Who ever brings the most mice back to the rock will win." She stated with a playful smile before leaping forward , her long limbs carrying her with ease, and agility over the ground - silent as she moved, tiny paws hitting the ground in a silent one-two rhythm, her mouth parting, eyes watching as she scented the area, and in the next moment had pounced and in a single sharp nip killed secured and killed a large mouse, standing tall and turning towards Noodle with the ease of a practiced hunter, her head held high, tail erect - the embodiment of the regal breed she was.

[Asher]

Noodle gulped. How had she caught the mouse so easily? When he caught his mouse, it had torn flesh and blood all over it. Hers just had two bite marks on the neck. A much cleaner kill than his had been. but he was determined t o beat her. Seeing a small er mouse, he rushed over to it and yowled a battle cry, leaping into the air. It scurried away before he even got close. Staring at his paws, he padded back over to Chione. "Fine, you've proved your point. I'm sorry."

[Dyzzie]

The older feline nodded once, a half smile on her features, "I'm glad you're willing to see reason. Now then. Let's get to work . . ." She stated, burying the mouse and making sure to mark the area to know where it was when the lessons were over. She looked back to the little tom and sat down, her long thin tail coiling around her furless paws, "Well then, let's start by working through your previous method just now . . ." She stated with a calm smile, "Tell me what you did wrong." She added, watching him.

[Asher]

Noodle looked up, his eyes burning. "I didn't do much wrong! I jumped at it... then... I don't know what happened!" he wailed. The mouse had run away as soon as he leaped. Think like a wild cat, Noodle. Think. Why did the mouse escape me? He gasped. "My battle cry! I was being too loud and it heard me!"

Dyzzie

[Dyzzie]

Chione waited silently as the other wailed, seeing if he could work it out for himself - and finally he gave the answer she wanted. She nodded once, looking at him gently, "Exactly," She agreed, "Your two big mistakes was immediately rushing forward, which made a lot of sound on it's own, and then crying out like that alerted the prey of you being a predator, so it ran away." She stood then, looking over the little tom, "You want to be quiet, and patient when you hunt. Your success depends on it. Being quiet lets you get as close to possible, and being patient means that your prey has less of a chance of escaping while you approach." She looked around before finding a medium-sized stick then, and after a bit of fluff with moss, she had it surrounded in a shape similar to a small creature. She carried the stick towards the kit then, placing it in front of him, with a reassuring smile, "Alright, I want you to bite. Just once. Pretend it's prey. What you want to do is bite the neck hard enough to kill it instantly. So I want you to bite this hard enough to break the stick inside. It might take a while to get your bite to do it instantly, but it's a necessary trick to know." She instructed with a reassuring smile.

[Asher]

Noodle lowered himself to the ground, about to face the fake prey. I have to prove to her that I can catch it! He stopped himself before he could launch forward. Slowly, he instructed himself. Noodle pulled himself toward the prey, smelling the wind. Then, he looped around so it couldn't smell him. His tail wagged with excitement. I can do it! When he thought the time was right, Noodle launched himself at the sticks and snapped it. Most of the moss had fallen off and it was a little sloppy, but he had caught it! "How was that?"