As Darkness Falls

[osprey]

Yet every time we meet

Reserved for Marigold & Opal

The sun was finishing its daily journey, it had almost slipped below the horizon. The last rays of light had turned the scattered foliage several different shades of oranges, reds and yellows. The scene was deserted, apart from a single black figure. The cat was sitting by a thin stream. He was leaning over the edge, lapping up several mouthfuls of cool water. As he drank, Silvercrest forest Slipped into darkness. The sun was gone, and had been replaced by the moon. Osprey bent his head backwards, his eyes pinned on the gleaming ivory sphere. "The Guardian of the Night." The murmur came from the shadowy black feline as he cast his mind back, revisiting old times in his memories. He slowly allowed his eyelids to slide closed, and he breathed in deeply. He remembered his mother, smiling at him gently, when he was just a kitten, as she told him about the moon.

'A shining white circle, the moon comes out every night to protect us cats from the shadowy forces of evil. Assisted by his army of glittering stars, he is the Guardian of the Night,' she had said. Ozzy could remember her tales word for word. He re-opened his amber eyes, and sighed deeply. He had been so lonely recently. The only cat he had spoken to for a few months now was a silver tabby he had met only two short days ago. It wasn't much, only one short conversation. It wasn't really enough. He was actually quite used to living alone, and he tried not to hate it. In his heart Osprey knew he couldn't live by himself much longer. His encounter with Silver had made him realize how lonely he actually was, and he could hardly believe how he hadn't seen it before. But today was a good day. For some reason, his spirits were high and he knew things were going to change.

For now, all Ozzy could do was watch the stream flow by. It was unusually cold for early night-time, but it was late-autumn. Times were colder now than they had been ever since Osprey had first arrived in Nenbrook. A tiny fish was swimming around in the freezing stream water. The muscular tom watched it slowly, before lowering his nose down to the water. A small ripple appeared, and the fish darted off downstream. Grinning slightly, the cat wondered what to do. There wasn't anything incredibly interesting around here, apart from the stream. But it was much to cold to go swimming at this time of night. Despite the current temperature, Osprey's thick black pelt was keeping him warm, although it would be no match for the chilly stream.

It was then that Mr. Coldenwing decided that he had to find some company. He raised himself to his paws, and scanned the area rapidly. There wasn't any cats around here that he could see right away; but there was bound to be someone around here, even at such a late time of night. Opening his mouth slightly to welcome any feline scents, he twisted around to view the area behind him. Just in case. It was hardly likely that there was going to be a cat right behind him, but Osprey felt it was worth a try. This first search had failed, but he knew that this was one of the only sources of water for quite a while, and the noises of the flowing stream would probably attract any thirsty felines. He once again sat down on the grassy bank, and began to think. What did he want to get out of this day?

It's axiomatic that not many cats like to think too deeply, but Ozzy wasn't an average cat. He was quiet and sometimes very unsociable, but today he was in the mood for some company. How had he become so lonely? Although it was hard to believe because of his lack of amazing social skills, the powerful tom had been around cats all his life. When he was born it had been his mother and all of the other cats in the Adoption Center, and when he had managed to escape from there he had lived with two of his siblings until he lost them in a massive storm. Then Osprey had found this city, Nenbrook, and had made friends with Lilly, Twilight, Indigo and many others. But now he had been alone for some months, and after a short encounter with Silver he really needed some more friends, or at least somecat to talk to.

Two black ears perked up like twin soldiers. The sound padding of paws was subtle under the crashing water, but it was enough for Ozzy to hear. It was only a small sign. It could be a rabbit, or an unfriendly cat heading in the opposite direction.

But it gave Osprey hope.

I skip a heartbeat

ooc :: Aww, he's feeling all confused and lonely at the moment. Time to cheer him up. <3

[snowmist]

The trees cast ghostly shadows on the ground, made even more gloomy by the dying light. Almost everything was still, except for the leaves trembling in the wind. Then, a bush shook wildly, and suddenly there was a medium-sized gray tabby she-cat standing right there in the middle of everything. Her green eyes glinted strangely in the dim sunlight. Her tail was low and straight out behind her. She seemed calm, but the only giveaway that she was nervous was the slight bristling along her spine. She glanced right and left for a moment and gave a sigh. You can't be like this. she murmured to herself, sitting down calmly.


Opal had been left on the Old Road only a day ago, because her owner, Steve, had been too sick to care for her anymore. She could still recall his scent, but now he seemed so unfriendly. She hated him - the way he had treated her like she was just a old stray cat on the street. Kicking a huge dust-storm up. She let out a slight growl. She had been his cat once! But then she remembered Pistachio Brokendaze, the fluffy silver torbie little furball she had met. They had hunted, and he had told her that it got much colder, and soon the cold white blanket of snow would come and freeze everything. Opal believed him - even from yesterday it had gotten colder. It was especially cold since it was becoming nighttime. She gave her shoulder a lick. She had been looking for a place to sleep, and wandering around, hunting a little bit, too, and some path she had followed had landed her in this cursed place.

As she sat, she heard a small splash. A stream? She couldn't be sure. She angled her ears toward, deciding that it must be a stream. Lifting her head up to the icy winds, she opened her mouth slightly and breathed in. She smelled something - a cat? Joy coursed through her veins, giving her energy as she jumped to her paws. That cat could probably help her find a sleeping place! She raced forward, her paws crunching on leaves and twigs, her tall, gray-stripes tail high up. The scent became stronger, and her pawsteps faltered. What if it was a real wild cat, one who shredded her? But half her said 'nonsense!' so she decided to come quieter, and try not to surprise this new cat who could possibly be her friend sometime.

As Opal came closer, she noticed a lone black figure standing by the stream. She padded forward quietly. He wasn't facing her, but his ears were slightly angled in her direction. The cat doesn't look too wild. she decided, coming closer to the stream. Now she was just behind the cat, but her pawsteps had definitely given her away. She hadn't wanted them to be too quiet, as not to upset him.She bent down quietly to lap up some water, but immediately snapped up when her tongue touched it. The water was very icy! She put her tongue on the top of her mouth to warm it, befire sitting up. She curled her tail neatly over her gray paws, and spoke.

Hello?

The word was quietly spoken and gentle for a cat with a personality like Opal's. She licked herself nervously, trying to decide whether he would be friendly or unfriendly. He didn't look too unfriendly...but she couldn't let looks decieve her, could she? She narrowed her green eyes slightly, staring at the black cat. She hoped she didn't look too mean, otherwise she could be eaten for this cat's dinner.

[spot]

The silver silence of this forest rattled through Marigold's mind without cease. Silence brought hunger. Silence brought madness. Silence brought death. A slow, painful death, one filled with regret and remorse. Images flashed through her tired cranium; Silence. Shattering. Pain. Blood. Screams. Sirens. The images turned into small flashbacks; Crashing through the invisible wall. The human kit screaming before pummeled by the other metal machine. Blood dripping before being sucked up by the gutter, carrying the liquid into the sewers below. She shook her head in mute sorrow for the ones she lost. The human kit's heart had stopped beating the moment of the crash. No amount of tears would ever revive her into the world in which she once lived. Afterwards, everything went wrong. The humans seemed dazed and had always forgotten about her unless she rubbed their legs. Normally, she was kicked and hit. But, they didn't seem to mind. A little while after, they had gotten a new machine; a black machine with a very large roar that scared the birds away. Soon, Marigold found herself in that machine, driving on the drive that would seperate her from her past.

Marigold was awoken from her 'dream'. Her gilded eyes searched the land, confused, expecting to see her mother and siblings. Her pelt was matted from days without wash. She was definately a sight to behold. Slowly, the memories flooded back to her, and the silver cat shut her eyes and flattened her ears as if they would drive out the memories. Sadly, it only made them clearer. She stood up, only to be greeted by pain in the back of her cranium and a loud thunk. She opened her maw in a curse; she had known better than to sleep underneath a fallen tree. Shaking the loose dirt on her pelt, she wearily walked over to where a small stream lay. Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped in, hoping to giver herself a clean wash.

The water was colder than she had thought. It shook her bones and soaked her sterling-shaded fur. With a small gasp, Marigold lept out of the water and back onto the bank. Boy, was she awake now. In a flash, her sandpaper tongue started to lick her dry. She did not need to catch a cold here as the colder weather grew nearer. Finally, her pelt had returned to its normal softness, even better than before. Days of neglect on your coat was really seen on a cat.

A small whisper was heard in the forest. Was it her imagination, or was there another cat? Swiftly, she followed to where the source had come from. There was no sound in the forest, other than the soft shish of the wind in the leaves. The silver was coated in the same moonlight color as her pelt, making her easily blend in but stand out at the same time. After a long walk through the many tall trees in this forest, Marigold did spot someone. Two someones. To her left, an ebony tom sat by the river. His amber optics seemed to notice the other cat. To her right, a gray tabby slinked through the bushes. Her pelt was longer than the tom and had a marking; a beautiful white splotch. She called out to the other cat and Marigold instead of replying kept to herself, even though she wanted to talk to this cat. She could not tell whether or not these cats were to be trusted and could be trusted, so she'd rather they took the first step rather than she. Maybe they wouldn't see her- well then, she'd just have to buck up and continue to live her life. Right?


ooc:: Marigold's got a case of the lonelys, but she's really shy and all. She's so unlike me it's funny.

[osprey]

You.
You're such a big star to me.

There was a cat sitting by the stream. He was sitting alone, no feline friends or relatives were visible. The cat himself was hardly visible, mainly because of his coat. His fur was pure charcoal black, and his eyes a bright amber. Osprey shifted around slightly, once again opening his jaw to let the beautiful forest fragrances tickle the scent gland on the roof of his mouth. He was almost confused by the new smells that he recognised. The shadowy feline had detected the scent of another of his species. A stranger, to him, but definately cat. In a swift attempt to make himself presentable, he bent his head down to groom his pelt. He began with his chest, before progressing to his muscular shoulders and down his fluffy side. Twisting around to his other side, he repeated the process; grooming his fur in short, rapid licks of his pink tongue. After most of his body had been completed, he lifted one large paw to his muzzle, and rasped his tongue over his pad before patting down the ebony fluff on his forehead.

Osprey was about to swipe his paw over his ear before he caught the scent again. This time, it was much stronger, and the rythematic padding of paws was much clearer. Sitting bolt upright, he began to take another lap of water. He didn't want to give the impression that he was potentially hostile - his body language clearly hinted that he wasn't going to be agressive. The semi longhair tom slowly raised his head as the cat approached, trying to seem casual and used to meeting other cats. He sensed her presence as she leaned down to drink from the stream. Ozzy looked up fully as she spoke, and grinned slightly as he swept his orange gaze across her. This cat was a pretty grey tabby, longhair with large green eyes. She certainly wasn't bad to look at, to say the least! But he was taken aback when she narrowed her eyes, looking almost suspicious and slightly threatening. Uncertainly, he opened his mouth to speak.

"Hello," his first word was simple, but he rolled it over his tongue in his low deep voice. "My name is Osprey Coldenwing. So what are you up to on this fine, fine evening?" His voice was almost a purr. If you looked at him for afar he'd probably seem confident and quite friendly. If you knew him well, or somehow figured out what he was feeling inside, you'd see a completely different cat. Although he was usually slightly bad-tempered, he was attempting to mask out any grumpy emotions which might be slinking into his brain. It would be a lie to say that the almost-two year old wasn't incredibly nervous, and even more so lonely. 'Okay, Osprey,' he thought, 'This is going fine... Perhaps I can make friends with this cat? She seems quite pleasant, but that eye narrow is slightly worrying. She's probably just as nervous as I am!'

SPLASH. Ozzy twitched suddenly (but managed to hold back a startled leap) as a loud noise boomed in his ears. Spinning around, he realized that there was yet another cat who had just leapt into the stream! With a mew of surprise, he flicked his amber eyes over the scene. Was she drowning?! No. It didn't seem so. She sprang out of the freezing stream and began to clean her silver fur. Osprey's eyes widened as he noticed her unusual spotted pelt. She was pretty stunning, with her sleek short fur and bright gold eyes. "Wow." His whisper was inaudible to everyone but himself, and he couldn't help but smile. She looked shy and wary, but it was obvious he had noticed her now so he realized he'd better say something. "Well, hi there," his rumbling purr was gentle and welcoming. He fluffed out his fur and grinned, trying to look charming.

Ozzy curled his long fluffy black tail around his paws, twitching its tip slightly. He was slightly unsure of what he was doing, and feeling, strangly. Firstly, he'd accomplished his first goal, to find another cat, but now he had some company, was he making the most of it? It was uncharacteristic of the dark tom to feel so lonely, yet friendly now he was with others, but he was in a quite a good mood depite his nervousness. Osprey considered trying to fish - maybe he could give his catch to the two she-cats, to try and pursuade them to trust him of befriend him? He wasn't incredibly hungry himself but maybe one or both of the two cats he had just met could do with some food. For now, he decided to just wait and see where this conversation led him. In spite of himself, he could hardly prevent some troubling thoughts creeping into his head. Ozzy was just so lonely in his little den; maybe one of these cats would be a good mate for him? No, no no. He couldn't possibly think of such things so early. It just wasn't right.

But still, they were both so pretty. Especially that spotted girl...

You're everything I wanna be.

ooc:; Just a warning, he's going to be totally addicted to Marigold for a while until he comes to his senses and realizes that Opal would be better for him. ;D

[snowmist]

Opal's pelt prickled nervously. She quickly widened her eyes, inspecting the tom. He was about her age, with semi-long, dark hair and orange eyes. She suddenly felt a little flutter inside her. This tom was very handsome. She quickly dismissed the thought, listening carefully as he spoke. The gray tabby nodded. He seemed nice enough. She meowed in a small voice, Hi, Osprey. Her voice became stronger as she spoke. Umm....I'm Opal Cloudpatch. Nice to meet you. It was nice to meet him. He felt safe with another, friendly cat nearby. She didn't know where she was, so she glanced around quickly, making a note of her path. Go straight from the left side of the Old Road and you get to the Silvercrest Woods before reaching Thorton Stream. she murmured to herself.

Opal noticed that he seemed to be washing his pelt. She realized with a jolt of embarrassment that a day without a good wash had caused her fur to become slightly dirty. Dust was on her paws from the Old Road yesterday, and dirt, too, from the Silvercrest Forest. And her tail was so dirty it was almost brown, after many hours of being dragged in the dirt. She quickly started licking her paws, wrinkling her nose at the taste of dust and mud. She wondered why she was suddenly so conscious about her appearance, but in the back of her mind she knew it had something to do with her thinking that this Osprey was handsome. He is. she thought truthfully, but commanded her body not to think that. NONSENSE. You don't know who that cat is. He'll slice you to shreds.

Opal jumped up, digging her claws into the ground, when she heard a splash behind her. Whirling around, eyes flashing, she rumbled a little growl. She relaxed when she saw it was just another cat. The other cat was short-furred, with a beautiful silver, spotted coat. She couldn't help being jealous about the way Osprey glanced at her. She wouldn't be so beautiful after she stepped out of the stream! she thought indignantly, as she watched the cat jump out. She seemed to not want to be noticed. Tough luck.

[spot]

Drat. She had been found. Actually, not a big surprise, considering I just jumped into the steam to wash myself off..Her mind told her. Well, there was no time like the present to make introductions. Marigold stared warily at the other two cats that stood before her, her pelt starting to prickle with nervousness and unease. Did she have to talk to these cats? Why not just leave now, before she caused a commotion? What if she was interrupting something? I should go... But something in the back of her mind nagged her to stay.

The gaze from the cat named Opal surely said that. Was that jealousy creeping up behind her eyes? Why would this cat be jealous of her in any way? She had had such a horrible life with so much pain and destruction. No. I will not think of that. She wasn't in the mood to think such thoughts. She normally never was, but did her mind listen to her? No. Her gaze fixed on the gray femme. She was quite beautiful, and obviously kind. There didn't appear to be any scratches on her pelt, showing that she had been cared for. And, she looked quite new to the forest, as she hadn't seen this cat around before. Then again, Marigold herself was quite new to this forest, so she also didn't know many cats. Except for that one named Alcander, whom she had met at the Old Road. That was where her journey in the strange land of Nenbrook had begun. She still somewhat remembered the humans that cared for her, but her memories were starting to grow hazy around the edges. Still, the jealous look made the silver femme self-concious, and she quickly gave her a look-over to make sure that she looked alright. Did she groom all of her pelt? Had her eyes changed color? Did she grow horns? Somewhat relieved that her search had proved that nothing was wrong, she turned her gilded gaze towards the ebony cat.

The look on his face threw her off. His amber eyes glittered in fasination, as if she had grown wings or another tail. But, it was had good intentions. There was no jealousy, only curiosity. His lips moved in a silent word. Wow. Marigold blushed slightly. She didn't like when other cats looked at her in such a way, and automatically dropped her gaze back towards her paws. He called out to her, his lyrics the only thing heard in the night air. She looked up once more and nodded a curt nod. "Greetings on this fine night." She replied, answering as her mother always did. She smiled, flashing her shining teeth. It was obvious to the femme that this tom meant no harm towards her. The other she-cat? Not as certain. She opened her maw once more and adressed the other cat. "Greetings. I do hope that I am not interrupting any important matters. I can go if needed." She pointed her silver tail back towards the forest in which she had come from. The road wasn't too far from here, right? Only a day or so. She could walk back and find other newer cats. There was bound to be someone else to keep her company if they seemed occupied, in which they did. Only her could butt into conversations like she did. Only her.

[osprey]

Your anticipation pulls you down.
You can have it all.

The darkness had crept up on the forest very swiftly, and soon, it would be pitch black - if the moon hadn't shown up. But it had, and it shed its silver rays of light across the woods. The hairs on Osprey's pelt seem to light up, but they were nothing compared to his illuminated amber eyes. He glanced around the scene quickly, just to check that no more cats were going to appear out of the shadows. Everything seemed reasonably quiet, so the muscled tom relaxed once more. His long ebony-black ears jerked to the direction of Opal as she spoke again. He turned his head towards the voice to show that she had his full attention. "Hi Osprey," he smiled comfortingly after she spoke her first words, and nodded for her to continue.

"Umm....I'm Opal Cloudpatch. Nice to meet you." He glanced up to the sky after her next words - looking at the stars helped him think. Opal. Oh-pal Clo-udpatch. Pretty name. Ozzy shook his head slightly and self-consciously lowered it until his head was in a normal position. He couldn't help but wonder whether Opal did actually think it was nice to meet him. Maybe it was just a polite thing to say? Blinking deeply, he cast the thought out of his mind. She didn't seem unfriendly, so he didn't really have anything to worry about. "It's great to meet you too,"he purred softly. His ears once again pricked upwards as he heard her murmur some words under her breath. He strained to hear, but it didn't seem anything very interesting. A heartbeat later, he bit his lip suddenly. Osprey knew he really shouldn't be trying to interfere or anything!

The tall feline was swiftly aware that he had somehow forgotten about the other cat in the clearing! He moved his whole body as he shifted around to see what she was up to. Ozzy tried not to look at her with awe. His heart began to beat faster slightly, and he wondered whether his skin was turning red underneath his thick black coat. He flicked up his ears and turned fully towards her, incredibly alert. As she approached, he was shocked to see a completely different emotion on the face of the longhair cat, Opal. His amber eyes shifted slightly until they were fixed on hers for a moment. They were narrowed, as if she was feeling a subtle hint of jealousy. At first he tried to ignore what was happening, attempting to force the ideas that he conjured up from his brain. It was then that he realized what was possibly going on.

Osprey did wonder why he was attracted to this silver cat, but inside he knew. He had hardly met her and already he had a tiny crush on her. How did this happen? And anyways, why did Opal look so jealous? Was it actually possible that she might like him too? No! No, no, no. He'd already pushed away the thought of mates, but it was creeping towards him again. Anyway, he was certain that Opal didn't like him in that way. He'd never had anyone think about him like that before. Ozzy knew he wasn't anything special. 'I'm just a scruffy, average black tom,' he thought sadly. 'Why would any cat would think that about me?' He couldn't. Stop. Himself. Thinking. About. It. Sighing slightly, he gazed around to see if any cat was about to speak again. Osprey bit back an embarrassed giggle as he noticed the look on her face as she glanced at him... What was she thinking about him?

"Greetings on this fine night." Her meow shook him out of his thoughts, and he returned her wide, toothy smile. She seemed unlike some other cats he had met, like the ones who'd just mutter a simple 'hi' and walk away. She was putting effort into this, maybe she was interested in him? "Greetings. I do hope that I am not interrupting any important matters. I can go if needed." He let out a short, quiet gasp as she suggested such a thing. "No, not at all!" He meowed, a little too enthusiastically. "So, what's your name, miss? Or Mrs?" Osprey's first sentence was purred out, but his face fell slightly as he spoke his last two words. He shivered suddenly as it began to rain lightly. "Has everyone got somewhere to go for the night? Because there's plenty of room in my den." Ozzy hoped he wasn't sounding like he was trying to show off or something? Or maybe they would be offended that he even suggested that they might want to spend a night with him.

The black cat sighed. He worried too much.

You can have it all, all, all!

[snowmist]

Though it was nighttime, it was still light because of the bright moon. It was a clear night. Opal's silver-gray fur shone soothingly, and her emerald eyes almost cast a light wherever they looked. She listened carefully to the ebony-black cat, nodding. As much as she wanted to throw daggers at that other beautiful cat, she kept her eyes trained on her paws. She had had enough of that pretty business in her life - her brother, Moon, had been a lot more handsome than she was pretty, and he had bragged about it. It angered Opal just thinking about it. He was probably at a nice, comfortable warm home right now, purring while his owner stroked his fur. She was out here in a place she didn't know, meeting two strange cats, and one was even more beautiful than she was. Just my luck. She gladdened slightly at the thought that Moon probably didn't have a gorgeous she-cat that he loved. But then again, even if he did, the she-cat probably loved him, not another tom.

She watched Osprey shift position, to look at the silver cat. Marveling at her. Opal was forced to look up at the other cat, because she did not want to seem rude. She tried not to glare at her, but her gaze was still intensely jealous, more jealous than before. This no-named cat probably has everything I don't have. she thought sulkily, flicking her tail side to side. She knew she was working herself up - it was so tempting sometimes. And staring thoroughly at her shining silver pelt, bright from the moon, with little shadow spots, and her deep golden eyes, Opal had to admit - this cat was pretty. But she wasn't going to give up yet, even if she saw and took note of the admiring glances given to her by Osprey.

And so polite. she thought absentmindedly, listening to the cat's words. Once again intent on working herself up, she reminded herself, more polite than I could ever be. She tried to make her purr sound welcoming and friendly. Hello. You don't have to leave. she purred quickly, straining her face to make it look friendly. It was much easier looking at her light gray paws, and not noticing how much better she was than herself. She listened to Osprey ask her what her name is. His face fell on the word Mrs. He wants to mate with her. she thought. Feeling like she was going to run away, she tore her gaze from the cat Osprey liked, putting on her paws. Again. Much better here. Just me and my paws. No worries about the other world outside. But Osprey's eyes and the other cat's sleek body flashed in her mind's eyes, and finally she had to look up again.

She heard him ask if they wanted to stay in his den. Hes so nice! She tried not to seem too enthusiastic as she jumped to her paws. Umm...okay. I just got here. My - previous - owner dropped me off on the Old Road a few days ago. She put emphasis on the world previous. He wasn't even fit to be her owner! Opal couldn't help but keep a grudge against him - but he was sick, after all. And he couldn't be partial to her, of all the stray cats on the street. But she had been special. She had been his cat. She still felt sad, though - Steve had probably died. He had had the flu, and he was an elderly man, so it was deadly. And though she had a grudge on him, she had to miss him like crazy. Plus, she couldn't wander around all night and all day. She needed someplace to stay. She glanced at the other cat, hoping she would say no. I don't need some pretty female poisoning my night's sleep. But, from the condition of her pelt, and the look in her gilded gaze, she was almost sure the stranger would say yes.

[spot]

Thorton Stream was just as beautiful mother's stories had said..The stream ran through this moonlit area, as clear as the cloudless sky. Small fish darted throuh, following the current to their next destination. Other than the occasional loud splash from a loose rock falling into the water, the forest was pretty much silent. Night had fallen on the forest, and the animals who inhabited it thought of no reason to be outside. Especially because it was growing quite chilly. The moon, a shining sphere of light, watched the bleak autumn scenery, but dark cumulus clouds had started to reach towards the light and cover it in its dark cloak. Rain was coming.

Back on Earth, nestled near the stream, three cats passed the time away by trying to have a conversation. One was a large ebony tom, the only male of the trio. His midnight pelt shone silver with the moonlight, streaks of silver intertwined with black. His rich amber optics stood out from the rest of his frame, observing the two she-cats; one with curiosity and one with hidden love. But, he tried to refuse such thoughts. It was unhealthy, thinking of that at such an early stage of friendship.

Another, a long-haired gray, gazed at the other femme with a look of envy and jealousy. Her pelt gracefully swept over her paws and was free of any twigs, dirt and other debris. A beautiful cream-white splotch covered her chest, as white as a fresh snowfall. Her emerald orbs glistened with feigned kindness, but at least she was trying to be kind to this other cat.

Then, there was Marigold. Plain old Marigold. Her silver pelt blended into the surrounding forest, but her darker spots danced, a dance of shadows and light. Just a plain old cat. She wasn't special, like some other cats she had met. Her coat was such a dreary and ugly silver. Why was it, then, that that tom actually took some interest in her? Wasn't this other femme more beautiful than she? She was imperfect. If was imperfection that had caused her to not be living in a rich family's house with a room filled with awards for her achievements. It was imperfection that had placed her in that fatal car accident. It was imperfection that made her end up on the streets, having to watch her every pawstep for danger. Her life had been pushed around by imperfection, and she wanted none of it. None at all.

"So, what's your name, miss? Or Mrs?" Osprey's kind vocals brough her back into the real world and out of her dreary thoughts. She smiled slightly, allowing her teeth so somewhat show. "It's Marigold. Marigold Silktree. And yes, it's miss." She didn't like giving out her name to strangers, especially ones whom she had just met, but it would be most certainly rude when they had given theirs as well. She did notice the change of tone as he said 'Mrs', but she paid no mind. Secretly, though, it pushed one question to the front of her cranium- Why does he like me? Marigold considered herself quite normal. Did everyone else see her in the same light?

A raindrop, a fragile thing, fell on her nose. More followed. Just what she needed; some rain to cheer her up. The clouds covered the mooon, causing everything to go black. She was grateful for her gilded orbs which allowed her to see so well at night. Well, at least she'd have an exuse to leave, now that the rain had started to fall. "Has everyone got somewhere to go for the night? Because there's plenty of room in my den." There went her opportunity. She opened her maw as to say that she had another place to stay, but the thought of sleeping underneath that tree just didn't go well with her mind. Instead, she nodded. "That's very kind of you. Thank you, Mr. Coldenwing."Maybe she'd get a good night sleep tonight. But, the looks that had been thrown by Opal were ones of jealousy. You shouldn't be here. It said. You don't belong here. Go away. Now.She could tell that she wasn't going to be the greatest of friends with this cat. Marigold sighed. Did she have to make enemies with every cat that she met?

[osprey]

So come on, so come on,
Get it on,
I don't know what you're waiting for:

Some cats, obviously, are afraid of the dark. Especially house cats, curled up in their beds, staring up at the gloomy windows with wide eyes, glad that they have a nice light house to sleep in. In contrast. some are literally the opposite. One cat in particular seemed almost invisible as a mass of dark clouds blanketed the sky, blotting out the silver rays of the moon. The cat's pelt was almost pure black - no speck of white was showing on his muscled body. His amber eyes were lit up with interest as he sat by the stream. Osprey glanced, curiously over towards Opal. She still seemed uncertain or something around the other she cat; but the black tom wasn't exactly an expert at that kind of thing so he couldn't predict her feelings amazingly well. Although he could tell she was thinking about something. Obviously, it was impossible for the semi-longhair cat to tell what.

Letting his mind wander for a few moments, he couldn't help but stray over the border into the subject which he was incredibly unsure about. Love. Romance. Mates. The tom couldn't help but wish everything was easier. His brain was still slightly confused, but he ran over what he had so far. He had just arrived at a stream, looking at first for nothing more than a drink. But then he met this tabby she cat with a white splodge on her chest, named Opal Cloudpatch. She seemed a nice enough cat, she certainly different seem agressive! 'A possible friend,' Osprey noted inwardly. So then Marigold came into the picture. Although he hated to admit it, he was definately attracted to the pretty young female. But then, he noticed that a weird emotion was showing on Opal's face. Originally, he didn't understand what she was feeling what-so-ever. But now he had a couple of suspicions. Firstly, maybe she was just envious of the spotted cat. It could be good looks, swimming talent, ect. However there was one other unlikely possibility. She could be jealous because of Osprey's attraction to this silver cat... And not Opal?

The ebony feline was glad when Opal seemed to cheer up slightly and act kindly to the spotted cat. Maybe, whatever it was that caused her unkind feelings or jealousy, had passed over now as quickly as it had come. "It's Marigold. Marigold Silktree. And yes, it's miss." Ozzy grinned at her slight smile, and response. Marigold, lovely name. Marigold Silktree. Stunning. Sharing his own toothy smile he spoke again, with feigned confidence. "And what a nice name it is too," he purred, sounding a little less sure than he was at first. Where had this unusual confidence come from? It wasn't like him to be as certain as he had been. Inwardly, Osprey was dying to know what this Marigold thought of him. Did she think he was good looking in anyway? He wasn't much to look at, and his personality was nothing special. But it was worth a try, wasn't it? She was too good to miss.

Identical amber eyes widened as the longhair she cat leapt to her paws. 'Someone's enthusiastic!' He thought with a silent chuckle. "Umm...okay. I just got here. My - previous - owner dropped me off on the Old Road a few days ago." Ozzy listened as she spoke, thinking over her words. "You mean that great big path? Yeh, I arrived there too. But I never really had a human, so I can't understand you as much as I'd like to," he paused for a second, making up his mind on what to say next. "So, you've not been here long, hmm? Well I've been here a good few months now. Don't worry - you get used to it." The tom let out a small chuckle, but he was speaking almost half-heartedly. He didn't enjoy it, trying to sound a little more friendly that he was used to being. But perhaps it was for the best.

A few heartbeats later, he spinned around once again to pay attention to what Marigold was saying. "That's very kind of you. Thank you, Mr. Coldenwing," he heard her say, as she nodded. Osprey wondered what level of responsibility he had now. What about if his den leaked? What about if either of them got injured... Especially that Marigold. But it was said now, and he couldn't just abandon them to the cold of the night! He blinked as he felt the rain slowly decay and die away completely. Should they head down there now, or would it be best to relax by the stream for a while? Pushing aside the confusion that had previously clogged up his brain, he managed to think clearly and make (what he felt would be) a good decision. "Well, you're more than welcome," he said, trying to sound enthusiastic but calm in a kind sort of way. "But I think we should stay here for a while. I doubt it's going to rain for an hour or two, at least. And anyway, it's really calm here, and ro... Relaxing. Yes, relaxing." Osprey realized he really couldn't bring himself to say 'romantic'.

"So, urr, how did you get to Nenbrook, Marigold?" Ozzy hesitated slightly in the middle of his question, wondering if he was being too nosy. But all he wanted to do was show interest, and he hoped he was sucseeding. The powerful feline had always dreamed of romance as an easy ride of love, but now he came around to it - it was completely different.

Why did it have to be so hard?

Your time is coming,
don't be late.
Hey hey.

[snowmist]

Darkness was coming upon the land. It slowly grew blacker and chillier. The moon rose up in the peaceful sky, a glowing beacon. Dark stormclouds crept up slowly, pouncing on the moon from both sides, covering it. Not a light shone. Total darkness. Total silence, not including the icy breeze rustling through the almost bare, colorless trees and blowing up the festive sunny leaves on the ground. And not including the other beings by Thorton Stream. A tom, black and quiet as night itself, with amber eyes like car's headlights. He was conversing with two she-cats. One of them was a light, fluffy gray tabby, with a snow-white splotch spilled all over her chest, like milk, only prettier. The other was purely beautiful. Short, sleek silver fur, decorating with dark spots dropped here and there. Her golden eyes were much like the tom's.

Opal's gaze was friendly, but her thoughts were cold. Well, well. Marigold Silktree. How showy! She thinks she's so good. she sneered inside her head. Then, as she listened to the rest of what she had to say, her mood dropped lower. She was a miss. She hadn't mated. Marigold and Osprey were going to mate. It hit her in the face with such force that she twitched her ear in surprise. She had lost him. Already, in just a simple conversation. You can tell she likes him too.. She noticed. Opal also took note of the hesitation. Please, please, PLEASE say no! But Marigold said yes. Opal, once again, stared at her tufty paws, glowerinng. I bet I would be soooo much better than that ol' Marigold Silktree. She's just a mean old cat who doesn't even notice the look Osprey is giving her. She doesn't notice anything! I would be much better. Plus, look at the condition of that pelt. Does she ever wash?

Opal felt yet some more jealousy. He thinks that her stupid name is pretty! she thought disgustedly, but her feelings toward Osprey still didn't change. Her green eyes glowed fiercely now. They were slightly narrowed toward Marigold, but not so much that someone would notice. She wondered why toms always picked the wrong she-cat. In her head, she sighed dejectedly. It was all over, anyway. Osprey loved Marigold, and Marigold loved Osprey, so they were going to make and have kits and live happily ever after. She couldn't help feeling a little hurt. Why couldn't fairy tale endings happen to her, too? It was just what she needed. Somebody to love. But now, the exact cat was skipping off with somebody else. Oh, she wasn't sad. She was angry. Very angry. But she still liked Osprey. Oh, if only I could do something to prove that I'm better than Marigold?

Her ears perked up and she glanced at Osprey as he spoke to her. She smiled. You were dropped off there, too? How were you dropped off there if you never had humans, though? She tried to think of ways, then nodded. Were you owned by an animal shelter? Did they drop you off there? And - she stopped sjhort, knowing she was being nosy. Sorry, she mumbled, and her head dropped back down to her paws. I'm such an idiot. Now I know why nobody likes me.

Opal's peltprickled uneasily. Oh. She's going to sleep with me. No wait... Osprey wanted to stay here and talk longer! Oh well. Though a bit of sleep would do me good. she thought, perking her ears up as though she was interested, but she really wasn't. She already knew what was going on. I should leave right now. Then, they could tell each other how much they love and blah blah blah and yada yada yada and the next time I see them they'll be walking down the street, purring, pelts brushing, tails twined around each other...

She listened 1/32-heartedly as Osprey asked Marigold how she came to Nenbrook. He wasn't interested in her. He never had been. Well, he had been, once, before Marigold came along. Now he was fascinated in her beauty and was studying Marigoldology, the history of Marigold Silktree. She snorted inside her head. Marigoldology. Opal looked up at Marigold, almost hatred in her usually curious eyes. Oh, when I get my paws on her...

[spot]

Two sets of optics glared at Marigold, reminding her of her past experiences, back when she was a little kit. She remembered standing on that square stool with humans watching her from all angles. She could tell the emotions, most of them bad. Her tail is too long. Some said. Her paws are too small. She'll never make a good showcat. You should just put her out of her misery. If a cat could cry, she would have taken that opportunity to let it all out. Not even her mother could comfort her. Why is life so unfair? Perfection is key; sadly, it would be one key that she would never have on her keyring. Her future was picked by perfection, but they found nothing but flaws. No good could ever come from such barbaric ways. Her mind pushed forward her best friend, at least from a long time ago. What a beautfiul long white coat she had, always shining from proper care. Her ice blue orbs twinkled merrily, but most importantly, healthily. She had been accepted into the shows, and after many months of not being able to see her, she came out a selfish snob. Would I be a snob if I wasn't...imperfect?

One set of eyes was a rich and calm amber. They stared at her with curiosity, only breaking its gaze to look every once in a while at the other. The gaze was filled with curiosity, and under the cover, a hidden crush. This would not go well. She didn't think of this cat the same way as he thought of her. What would become of this? The other set was an icy emerald. They stared at her with such hidden fierceness that it made the silver femme want to go hide in a hole and never come out. The gaze was filled with jealousy and anger. Alot of anger. Yet, she had only caused the problem by being here at a particular time and a particular place. How lucky could you get?

The owner of the amber eyes looked straight into her golden ones. "And such a nice name it is too" The femme broke her gaze and looked down at her imperfect paws. Was this tom giving her a compliment? It definately seemed like it. But, why her? Why not the other cat? Who is quite a bit more pretty.. Indeed, her pelt was treated with obvious care and her stomach seemed full. She had had good hunting. Marigold looked over Opal. What devious thoughts ran through her gray cranium? The thought made her shudder.

"So, urr, how did you get to Nenbrook, Marigold?"The she-cat paused. What should she say about how she got here? Should she start from the beginning? Opal piped in. "You were dropped off there, too? How were you dropped off there if you never had humans, though? Were you owned by an animal shelter? Did they drop you off there? And -" Opal paused and muttered a sigh. Marigold tried not to chuckle- it was so much like her to babble on like that. "No, I was dropped off here by humans." She sat down on the earth, as she knew that this might take a little while to explain. "I've lived with them all my life, but they were show breeders. They only cared about perfect cats. I wasn't one of them; my paws are too tiny and my tail is too long." She lifted out a paw to show what she meant. "So, I was to be put down. But, the human kit that they had wanted me as a pet. I became her pet, and life continued." Her voice grew darker. "One day, as we were driving in the car, it crashed. I was sent flying out the window. The human kit was killed as soon as the two cars collided."She showed with her paw the three large scars that ran across her belly, from one side to the other. "This is what I got when the glass scratched me. The humans stopped caring for me, and then they eventually dumped me on the streets. To fend for myself. But, enough about me. What's done is done." She stopped. She did not want to explain what had happened to her mother or father, or the new black car, or her siblings that had either perished or moved away. Reason being, she wasn't ready to explore that part of her mind yet. She was quite content for the time being roaming the same plains.

[osprey]

So come on,
See the light,
On your face -

There was a chilly breeze in the air, blowing the long branches of the towering trees, even detaching some leaves from their trees. But the majority of the leaves in the clearing had already blown away. Autumn, even though it had dawned so quickly, seemed to be already considering drawing to a close. Winter was showing the first signs of beginning to creep in. The temperature had dropped drastically before the fluffy black tom had arrived. Thankfully, his thick semi-longhair coat was preserving his warmth. Osprey was sitting by Thorton Stream, although he didn't know its true name. To him; it was just a stream. A simple stream. It rather reminded him of himself. Average. Yet with plenty of hidden secrets and mysteries surrounding it. Although he'd never admit it, the stream was amazing too.

Ozzy's mind seemed slightly distant, as dreamy thoughts swirled around his head. He wondered what Opal was thinking, but more importantly - what was on Marigold's mind? He faced the fact that Marigold's feelings were hard to evaluate, but maybe it was possible to tell Opal's emotions if he thought hard enough. Osprey knew one snippet of information. She was envious of Marigold. But, WHY? He thought about the second possibility. Was it possible that she liked him? Hardly. Yet still possible. What was she thinking? Maybe, just maybe she thought that Marigold and Osprey might mate? The black cat gulped slightly. He suddenly felt like a tiny little kit, confronted by something far bigger and scarier than he could ever imagine. He'd never thought about actually mating with Marigold. It was kind of alright for him, but with the silver spotted cat... What if she got pregnant with his kits? What would he do? Could he live with her, and bring up a family, and...

The tom bit back the complicated fantasies when he heard Opal's voice. Blinking slowly, he turned to her to listen properly. "You were dropped off there, too? How were you dropped off there if you never had humans, though?" He returned her smile with his own gentle grin, but just as he had opened his jaw to speak, he heard her voice again. "Were you owned by an animal shelter? Did they drop you off there? And - Sorry." Ozzy was slightly irratated, but he held his annoyance back, and forced another smile onto his face. "Don't worry: it's fine. Well, I was born in an animal shelter before I managed to escape with two of my siblings. Then after a few months, there was this terrible storm and I lost both of them," there was a flicker of sadness in Osprey's gaze but he continued on relentlessly. "And then I found this huge road, so I followed it. I began to hear a buzz of voices - and then, wow. All of these cats were roaming around, chatting and playing with friends. It all started from then."

The charcoal feline paused, wondering whether to say more. Making his decision, he continued. "That was a few months ago now, I'm really used to the 'stray life'." He let out a small laugh, glancing at Marigold, his amber eyes glittering hopefully. His ears swirled towards the silver spotted cat with renewed interest. Forgetting Opal for a few moments, he listened determinedly. How else could he show her he was interested? "No, I was dropped off here by humans." He noticed her sit on the ground, and he shuffled closer, realizing this was probably going to be a long story. "I've lived with them all my life, but they were show breeders. They only cared about perfect cats. I wasn't one of them; my paws are too tiny and my tail is too long." Osprey let out a gasp at this point. They didn't want her? Stupid humans. He was beginning to doubt whether or not they actually had brains. She lifted up a dainty silver paw and he glanced at it. It wasn't too small, she was probably just a naturally slim cat. Ozzy dared to glance down at his own cat-feet. They were, unlike Marigold's, unusually big, and heavy. He lifted it up to inspect it lightly, until the spotted she cat continued with her story.

"So, I was to be put down. But, the human kit that they had wanted me as a pet. I became her pet, and life continued." Osprey's mouth gaped open when she mentioned she was going to be put down, but he snapped it shut when she spoke on. "One day, as we were driving in the car, it crashed. I was sent flying out the window. The human kit was killed as soon as the two cars collided." This was a quite emotional story, he noticed. If Ozzy hadn't been the cat he was, he might have actually cared about the death of the human... The black cat tried to act like he did. He was almost impressed as he scanned his eyes over the scars on her leg. Of course he bared his own scar, across his shoulder and fore-limb. But this was caused by a crazy doberman, not the ominous force of a car. "This is what I got when the glass scratched me. The humans stopped caring for me, and then they eventually dumped me on the streets. To fend for myself. But, enough about me. What's done is done." Osprey's eyes darkened slightly. Her story wasn't exactly a pleasant one.

"Oh, Marigold. How could they do this to you?" Ozzy just wasn't an emotional cat, but he tried to symphasize. Also, he couldn't help but remember the dreaded weeks in the adoption shelter, which seemed equally bad. But he mewed on, nevertheless. "Don't worry about a thing they say." He spoke quickly, his voice deep with thought. Sighing, he puffed out his chest and spoke some brave words. "You are perfect." Instantly, he cursed himself. How. Had. He. Said. That. And why!? Osprey bit his lip and pressed his eyes closed. No, no no no no! What had brought on this suddenly idiotic courage? Slowly, he opened one bright round amber eye to see what was happening in the scene around him.

Let it Shine,
Shine,
Let it S H I N E!

[snowmist]

The pitch-black wasn't stifling. It would have been if not for the bright moon. Smiling down from the sky, shining its warm, welcoming light down on the sleeping Earth. A small stream made an S through a dark forest. Its water shimmered as it rippled on. The grass next to the stream was wet with dew from recent rain. Though the moon was still shining, dark rainclouds threatened to cover it and cry down on the Earth.

Opal could see that Osprey was annoyed after her outburst. She shot a glare at Marigold, who seemed to be giggling. How dare she! She listened carefully to Osprey's story, nodding. Don't talk, don't talk, don't talk!!! She half-listened to Marigold's story. She's prettier than me. She glanced glumly at her own, slightly large, furry paws.

She almost jumped to her feet soon after that. She felt like shouting, MARIGOLD's NOT PERFECT! I am. LOOK AT ME! But she knew she wasn't and Marigold was.

ooc|| Sorry, I don't have much Muse.

[spot]

"You are perfect."
Marigold lifted her silver cranium and looked Osprey straight in the eye. His amber eyes twinkled in the moonlight before they were quickly shut. He knew he had made a mistake. At first, the adrenaline coursing through her veins was of love. Pure love. She knew that he cared about her. It brought hope. She wanted to reach fowards, say that it was alright, then brush her muzzle against his, silver fur intertwined with black. Everything would be alright and fine and dandy and she'd have no care in the world. But she knew nothing ever turned out like that. The exhaustion of not having any rest, the pain from no food in her stomach, the emotional trauma of Opal's silent but hurtful remarks combined. The turnout; Anger. And Marigold was ready to take it out on the first thing in sight. That thing was Osprey.

"No. I'm not perfect. If I was perfect, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't have to worry about every single thing that could possibly go wrong. I'd be living in a nice warm house with no fear of freezing to death in the winter. I wouldn't have to hunt and find my own food. Damn it, I wouldn't even know what hunger was."She was standing up now, towering over Osprey, looking straight into his optics. "I wouldn't need to search for somewhere to stay every night. I would have a place that I knew and could call home. I wouldn't have to worry about dying form a sickness picked up on the streets. I wouldn't know what heartbreak and sorrow was."She leaned in, their noses slightly touched. Fire burned in her golden orbs. "And you know what? I wouldn't have to worry about the likes of you." She stopped, physically exhausted from her rant. She breathed in heavily, hoping to drop her heartbeat down to normal. She took a step back. It was like the anger had controlled her every movement, every thought and every word. She gazed at Opal, then back at Osprey. He seemed so small and fragile. What have I done? The femme looked away. "Sorry..She muttered.

Her options at that point was to stay or to flee. She picked the second and dashed through the brush. Leaves stuck to her pelt as she ran along. Twigs snapped and dug into her skin, causing blood from scratches to turn her pelt a dark red. The scars on her belly opened up, releasing another trickle of blood. Still, she pressed onward, unwilling to stop even the blood created a dark trail on the earth. Soon, her run turned into a jog, then a walk until, too exhausted to continue, she hit the ground and landed in a heap. Memories of her mother ran through her mind. Her gentle and soothing voice, her bell-like laugh, the stories she had weaved in her mind. "Nothing gold can stay....Nothing gold can stay..."Her favorite poem ran through her exhausted cranium. Closing her tired orbs, she pictured her mother quietly repeating the peom to her. She would always smile as her little spotted kit asked for a poem whe she couldn't sleep. Her mother would always draw her in before clearing her throat and beginning, only to stop to close the kit's golden eyes. Then, she would start over. "Nature's first green is gold. The hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower, but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf, so Eden sank to greif. So dawn goes down to day."Mother's voice would drop to a whispter, so faint that only she and the kit could hear it. "Nothing gold can stay." Then, just like the kit she used to be, she fell asleep, easily allowing in the dark.

ooc::Quick-type. There's probably a couple spelling errors