{Learn the [Steps]}

[Onyx Stargazer]

His silver and brown pelt tingled, slightly bristled, and he had to glue his paws to the ground everytime he brushed a tree. The darkness seemed to hold a predator that was watching his every move, every breath, every blink of every second; watching the pair of cats as they explored the unfamiliar regions.

Onyx Stargazer was scared out of his spots, dappled across his brown torbie coat, and he was glad that his orange eyes could pierce the dim light under the canopy of leaves and branches to see almost every detail as though there was a sunset-amount of light.

"When I said 'exploring', I didn't think of it this way..." the tom whispered, half to himself, half to the she-cat of which he was following. He was glad to have company; but he didn't want this type. He loved her friendship, but he wished that he hadn't yowled his deepest secret to her; The fact that he loved her. He was able to keep his voice steady, and hide that he would take a couple of mouse tails to dash out of the woods, yowling like a terrified kitten, or like a piece of prey getting killed. Inside, he was scared of this place, and made a mental note to never come back here again.

The grey and white she-cat's presence made him calm himself a little, though it was only a little. He wondered if he would be sent to hell for confessing his secret to Sparrow, but he figured not. Why would he be punished for saying, 'I love you," to the one cat he loved? He couldn't think of any reason at all...

[katzen22]

I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night
that tonight's gonna be a good night
that tonight's gonna be a good good night

Soft green ferns brushed the gray pelt of the she cat. Small gray paws stepped lightly on the ground of the forest. The she-cat's ears twitched with each sound. The crunch of a twig, the scuttle of some small animal, the paw steps of the cat behind her. The darkness made her uncomfortable, but she had to admit that the forest was enchanting. So much life all packed together, but still able to thrive. It amazed her. The natural sounds, the variety of scents, the soft ground. She hadn't known that a place like this had existed. She thought it magical during the night, but how would it look in the morning, with sunlight illuminating everything and with all the colors showing. When she could see everything and nothing was shrouded in the mystery of darkness.

Tonight's the night night, let's live it up
I got my money, let's spend it up
Go out and smash it, like Oh My God
Jump off that sofa, let's get get OFF

Her bright eyes glowed in the darkness, penetrating the shadows. She jumped at the hoot of an owl and tried her best to slow her breathing. She looked back at the cat behind her. His presence soothed her. She knew he'd protect her at any cost. That's what love did to cats, right? She still didn't know why he loved her, though. When he first saw her she was a shadow of what she was now. Healthy and shiny pelt, strong muscles, and plenty of energy. She had just been a skinny cat clinging to life, but he had fallen in love with her. He had been so kind, but she wasn't sure why. He could have just let her die, then there would have been more food for him so that he could survive.

I know that we'll have a ball, if we get down
And go out, and just loose it all
I feel stressed out, I wanna let it go
Lets go way out spaced out,and loosing all control

Sparrow looked to see something disappear into the grass. She had heard the scuttling but it had gotten away before she could see it. Her ears pressed to the back of her skull as she thought. She didn't know how to hunt, but in this place how else would she find food? She didn't want Onyx finding all the food. Though she knew he would she still wanted to help, to contribute to their survival. She also didn't want to be waited on day and night. Again, she was pretty sure he would, but she didn't want him too. She'd been on her own and relied on herself since her mother stopped feeding her. She'd survived on her own since kithood.

Fill up my cup, mozoltov
Look at her dancing, just take it off
Let's paint the town, we'll shut it down
Let's burn the roof, and then we'll do it again

When sparrow looked up at a tree near her she spotted the owl that she had heard earlier. it looked down at her with it's huge eyes before hooting again and flying off. She listened to it's wing beats until the sounds mixed in with all the others and disappeared. So many creatures! She felt surrounded on all sides. Crickets on one side, a lone bird on the other. She loved the sound of the crickets. A quiet little repeating love song. She was once told about crickets, and how they sung for love. She thought it a simple way to find a mate, but unfair. Why should you miss out on a mate just because they didn't like your song. Sparrow wondered if all the songs were unique and different, going along with each of the cricket's personality. That would help them and be a bit more fair. If they didn't like the song they didn't like the personality. Fair enough, she thought.

Let's Do it, and live it up

((Lyrics from "I've Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed peas.))

[Onyx Stargazer]

The orange orbs soften, sympathizing for the she-cat. He wasn't the only one who was scared... Sparrow was, too. He looked around, a bird flying away with a kaw as Onyx's burning sunset gaze steamed though it's feathers. He wondered if Sparrow knew how to hunt. Of course she did! Almost every cat knew how to hunt! But, it was almost all cats know how to hunt. He wasn't sure he should ask. What if he offended her? Would he have the chance to have a special cat anymore; or ever again? He wasn't sure he should take the risk.

The brown torbie was becoming claustrophobic with all these trees surrounding him. He felt as though he was back in a cage at the pound, with barely enough room to turn around. He was relieved when the quiet steps of the two cats entered a small dirt clearing. Scenting the air, Onyx picked up the scent of lots of prey. It was hidden, but if he wanted to see if the gray and white she-cat knew how to hunt. At the dump, he had eaten an unappetizing sandwich, and drank some milk. That was a while ago, though; and in the wild you hunted whenever you could, right? You never know when your next meal will be, and if you don't know how to hunt, then your stuck eating dump-food.

He swallowed, and tryed to ask the question without offending her. He turned his head to her and quietly mewed, "Sparrow, don't let this offend you but... Do you know how to hunt?"

[katzen22]

Where'd you go?
I miss you so,
Seems like it's been forever,
That you've been gone.

Sparrow watched a breeze blow the grass around her paws and thought of her name. Maybe her name could be beautiful. A sparrow was a bird, and weren't all birds graceful when they flew? When she thinks of her last name she thinks of a bird gracefully flying on a gentle breeze. She wondered if Onyx thought so. Or, did he think her name in the same way her mother did? He wouldn't think that if he loved her, right? Or, did love not affect what you thought of someone else? How could she know unless she felt it herself, though, everyone's mind is different, so maybe it affects some but not others.

She said "Some days I feel like shit,
Some days I wanna quit, and just be normal for a bit,"
I don't understand why you have to always be gone,
I get along but the trips always feel so long,
And, I find myself trying to stay by the phone,

Sometimes Sparrow thought she thought too hard, went deeper than needed for some things. Maybe her life would be easier and happier if she didn't think so much. Did she complicate things by exploring something more than she needed? No, that couldn't be true. it was a bit harder for her since she had to think, but it made the end result easier. She was sure. But, maybe it did complicate some things. She had discovered that it was impossible to figure out love. She had just confused herself and had had to rest if she tried to pull it apart too much. There were so many different loves that you couldn't get it. You just felt it, she had realized.

'Cause your voice always helps me to not feel so alone,
But I feel like an idiot, workin' my day around the call,
But when I pick up I don't have much to say,
So, I want you to know it's a little fucked up,
That I'm stuck here waitin', at times debatin',
Tellin' you that I've had it with you and your career,
Me and the rest of the family here singing "Where'd you go?"

She wanted to run. Her paws itched to, not just because she was nervous of this place but also because she felt so free. It looked as if the forest could go on forever, an endless peaceful environment. And probably plenty of food if you knew how to find and get it. She listened to the wind in the leaves of the trees and thought it to be singing almost. When she had first stepped into the forest so many questions had gone through her head. What is this place? What is in this place? Where does it end? She had never seen so many plants in one place at once before. She had been amazed. She had played in a garden before, but not like this.

I miss you so,
Seems like it's been forever,
That you've been gone.
Where'd you go?
I miss you so,
Seems like it's been forever,
That you've been gone,
Please come back home...

The peaceful silence was broken by Onyx's words, and she wasn't very surprised when he asked her if she could hunt. She had been wondering if he would ask her that. Didn't prey live in the forest? So how else would they find food other than hunting? A light blush burned under her pelt. he had taken care of himself since he had been little too, but probably much better than her. He could hunt, he could fight. What could she do other than flee and hide? "No. There wasn't anything to ever hunt while I was growing up, and no one to ever teach me, so I never got the opportunity. Living as a house cat for the first part of your life causes you to miss out on a lot of stuff I guess. I mean, I wasn't sure forests even existed until we came here. I'd only heard about them in stories." It was true. Whenever a cat in her former home was happy enough to not be hostile they would usually tell a story to those who would listen. She was usually alone, but that didn't stop her.

You know the place where you used to live,
Used to barbecue up burgers and ribs,
Used to have a little party every Halloween with candy by the pile,
But now, you only stop by every once and a while,
Shit, I find myself just fillin' my time,
With anything to keep the thought of you from my mind,

((Lyrics from "Where'd You Go?" by Fort Minor))

[Onyx Stargazer]

Onyx could barely believe his ears. He didn't love her any less, but he was amazed. He knew that kittens didn't know how to hunt yet, but they eventually learned. But, she had been a housecat, he was an alleycat. His father had taught he and his littermates how to hunt and fight, and he always loved Onyx the most.

His orange eyes gazed at her sympathetically. That was why she had been at the dump, looking for food since she couldn't get any fresh-kill. Sparrow just didn't know how. "I could teach you if you'de like..." Onyx mewed in a hushed whisper, flicking his ears towards a small rabbit over by a tree. "Watch me closely..." The torbie silently slunk around the front of the grey and white she-cat. His tail swished through the air, passing through it with ease, but at the same time, signaling for silence.

The brown and silver spotted coat blended smoothly into the pebbles and dirt that spotted the groud. Crouching down as low as he could, his white paws skimmed silently over the rocky ground as he prowled swiftly, yet silently over the soil. he was about 3 feet away from the rabbit before he stopped, staring hungrily at the unaware, small creature. It was barely enough for half a meal, only a few bites, but that was what he wanted. It would quite his growling stomach until his next meal. But before he would eat, he would teach Sparrow how to hunt for hers.

Skillfully and stratigeically, he brought his back paws between his front before bolting forward. The rabbit darted away into a bush, Onyx silently pelting after it. Onyx followed the rabbit, soon catching up, tripping it with a quick swipe to the back legs. The rodent stumbled, and as the tom snapped it's neck, it didn't even have anytime to squeal. He picked up it's limp body, and swerved silently through the undergrowth, the small prey dangling by it's neck.

Entering the clearing again, he loped up the the she-cat, dropped the catch and whispered in her grey ear, "Crouch down and still your tail, and stalk your prey with light pawsteps like I did. When you get close enough, pounce on it and bite it's neck or throat. Try it, if you want." The torbie sat beside the she-cat, his rabbit infront of him. He pointed his tail at a mouse that was scuttling around in a seed pile, obviously to busy to notice anything but rain. "Try that one."

[katzen22]

Breaking my back just to know your name
Seventeen tracks and I've had it with this game
I'm breaking my back just to know your name
But heaven ain't close in a place like this

Sparrow looked up at a tree in front of her. She could see the green of the leaves in the darkness, but just barely. She wondered what it was like to climb trees. it couldn't be too hard. The tree looked rough, plenty of notches to stick your claws in. What would it look like up in a tree? Surrounded by all the leaves and branches. She wondered what the view would be like. Could you see the whole forest, including where it ends? Could you see lands beyond? Sparrow had heard of mountains and lakes and even the ocean, but she didn't really believe those existed. But, she hadn't thought forests had existed, so it could be possible they were there, just out of reach of her.

Anything goes but don't blink you might miss
Cause heaven ain't close in a place like this
I said heaven ain't close in a place like this
Bring it back down, bring it back down tonight
Never thought I'd let a rumor ruin my moonlight

I could teach you if you'de like... Sparrow looked back at him. He would? Well, at least she could feed herself in this place then. She started to say her thanks but snapped her mouth shut as he started to crouch and stalk forward. She spotted the rabbit Onyx was after and crouched down in the grass to keep herself hidden from it. it wasn't very big, but it was food. She wondered what it was like to eat another animal. Sparrow wondered if a rabbit tasted the same as a cat and felt a bit sick. She watched as Onyx stalked up on the unaware animal. She watched him pounce and start the chase and felt alone in the darkness when he disappeared into the foliage.

Well somebody told me
You had a boyfriend
Who looked like a girlfriend
That I had in February of last year
It's not confidential
I've got potential

Small thoughts went through the she-cats head while she was alone. Would he come back? Would he leave her there alone? Did he not care? She felt her heart accelerate at the thoughts and tried to calm herself with other thoughts. He loved her. of course he would come back. She heard no noise, only silence. Even the crickets had stopped. No matter how much she tried to keep it away, fear started to creep up on her. She kept her face calm and looked completely different compared to what was happening on the inside. The fear melted away as Onyx came back through the bushes with the rabbit in his jaws.

Ready? Let's roll onto something new
Taking its toll and I'm leaving without you
Cause heaven ain't close in a place like this
I said heaven ain't close in a place like this
Bring it back down, bring it back down tonight
Never thought I'd let a rumor ruin my moonlight

The gray pelt on the rabbit reminded her of her own and she felt a bit nauseous again but didn't show it. It was food and that's what it would stay. She listened carefully as onyx explained what he did to her. She spotted the mouse and went over the directions again before crouching down and focusing on the prey. her tail kept her balance as she stalked smoothly a few paces and pounced. She felt the small and warm body under her paws and scented the mouse. Her claws tore into the soft flesh and the scent was mouthwatering. When she looked at her prize, though, eating was the farthest thing she felt like doing. She had actually killed something. Taken a life from another creature. The mouses life was cut short just because she wanted something fresh to eat. The food at the dump wasn't as appetizing but it didn't care if you ate it or not. the mouse did.

Well somebody told me
You had a boyfriend
Who looked like a girlfriend
That I had in February of last year
It's not confidential
I've got potential
A rushin', a rushin' around

((Lyrics from Somebody Told Me by The Killers))

[Onyx Stargazer]

"Great job!" Onyx congratulated her, loping over as she finished the mouse off, his muscles rippling under his brown and silver spotted pelt. "Yes you killed it, but hunting is the key to survival. It'll help you get by," If I'm not there, he finished silently to himself. It was a sickening thought, but it could be true. He loved her, yes, but he wouldn't last forever...

As his orange eyes cast upon the she-cat, he noticed that she didn't look to proud of herself. "If it makes you feel better, I like to thank my ancestors for the prey's life, and wish for many more so that they don't all die." The torbie tom's striped tail tip rested of Sparrow's shoulder. He felt sympathetic for her; at first he thought it wasn't fair that others had to die so others could live, but that was just the way it was. Onyx Stargazer had grown used to it over time, and felt that thanking the stars for it's life was the right thing to do.

ooc: Dang! I must have no muse at all...

[katzen22]

Waking up at the start of the end of the world,
But it's feeling just like every other morning before,
Now I wonder what my life is going to mean if it's gone,
The cars are moving like a half a mile an hour
And I started staring at the passengers who're waving goodbye
Can you tell me what was ever really special about me all this time?

Sparrow didn't want to be congratulated. She had taken a life in it's prime and she felt terrible. She wondered what the mouse had been thinking before her claws had ended it's life. Did it have a family? Would it's family die without it to take care of them? Had she killed more creatures than she wished to? She shivered as she saw the blood on her claws. She didn't blame Onyx for hunting, that was how he'd grown up and how he survived. She had grown up surrounded by suffering, that affected her way if looking at things.

I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come

She smiled as the tom tried to make it easier for her. Thanking your ancestors for food was a good idea if you believed your ancestors cared. What if the cats she descended from were just like her mother? What if they didn't care about her too? She didn't want to be respectful, so instead of thanking her ancestors for the kill she apologized for it in her head. Sparrow looked down at the small corpse in front of her and pushed it towards Onyx with her paw. "No thanks, I'm not very hungry anyways." She whispered. that rabbit wouldn't feed him, and just because she wouldn't eat didn't mean he shouldn't.

Well I believe it all is coming to an end
Oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend,
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come

Sparrow got up and walked a few feet away from the tom and sat with her tail curled around her paws. She'd just go back and find food in the city, she told herself. She'd never have to look at a dead body ever again. Sparrow looked up at the tree in front of her, the same one as before. her paws itched to sink her claws into the bark and climb up, and that's exactly what she did. The gray she cat got to her feet and jumped at the tree. Her claws caught in the bark easily and she started to claw her way up to the closest branch. There she sat and looked around. The canopy of leaves above her soothed her troubled mind a bit.

I think it turned ten o'clock but I don't really know
And I can't remember caring for an hour or so
Started crying and I couldn't stop myself
I started running but there's no where to run to
I sat down on the street took a look at myself
Said where you going man you know the world is headed for hell
Say your goodbyes if you've got someone you can say goodbye to

((Lyrics are from "How Far We've Come" by Matchbox 20))

[Onyx Stargazer]

Onyx flinched. Had he offended her? Frowning, he accepted the mouse, and turn away from her to eat. She didn't have to see it if she didn't want to... What was the use? He would never please her. He quickly devoured his rabbit and her mouse, and turned back to the spot she had been sitting, stopping dead when she wasn't there. He had offended her. His chances were ruined. He let her go, accepting her choice, and solemnly leaped onto branch after branch of a tall sequoia tree, his powerful hind legs boosting him up with each great leap.

The torbie emerged into the fluster of branches at the very top, and just sat up there. He was on the very top branch, a thin one that supported his weight. Standing on his haunches, he balanced himself with his tail, his white paws and striped forelegs dangling in front of him as he looked out over the horizon, towards the almost rising sun.

'Wow,' Onyx thought, too speechless to say it out loud. He heard a strange sound, the sound of shipping wood, then a crack. He was jolted suddenly downward, causing him to almost loose his balance. 'Shit!' the tom thought as he plummeted towards the ground; the frail limb had broken under his weight. He the world slowed down as he plummeted towards the ground. His pelt was scratched and torn at, being sucked at by leaves and twigs, until the tom hit the ground with a sickening thud, and all at once the forest was in hushed silence while Onyx's world fell blacker than the blackest pelt.

((Omaigod!!! It's good he's not dead... ))

[katzen22]

ooc: ONYX! NOOO! That's just gonna mess Sparrow up.

Oh brother I can't, I can't get through
I've been trying hard to reach you
Cos I don't know what to do
Oh brother I can't believe it's true
I'm so scared about the future and
I want to talk to you
Oh I want to talk to you

Sparrow, now laying down on the branch with a paw dangling, looked sadly through the leaves at her surroundings. It was only bits and pieces of a scenery but that made it all the more beautiful. She saw trees and more trees. She loved the forest and all it's beauty and life, but she couldn't eat her. If the only things to eat were other animals she'd rather starve than eat them. Why waste hundreds of lives just to save one when you could save hundreds of lives by wasting one?

You can take a picture of something you see
In the future where will I be?
You can climb a ladder up to the sun
Or write a song nobody has sung, or do
Something that's never been done

She didn't hear a thing. Everything went quiet and it frightened her. Not even the wind moved. She needed reassurance and left the tree to search for Onyx. She landed lightly on her paws and looked around. Onyx was no where to be seen. her first thought was that he was up in a tree like she had been, but those thoughts changed when she saw the furry shape under the tree. At first she thought it was the rabbit and Onyx hadn't eaten it and wondered why. But when she looked closer she saw the brown color and the torbie markings and thought she might faint. No, please no... She whispered in her mind. She didn't know what to do. She was frozen.

Are you lost or incomplete?
Do you feel like a puzzle?
You can't find your missing piece
Tell me how do you feel?
Well I feel like they're talking in a language I don't speak
And they're talking it to me

Sparrow finally found the courage to approach the body and crept up to the toms side. So still. She took her paw and placed on his cheek to move his face towards hers. She felt like crying but didn't know if she could. She had thought all her tears had been shed during her days in the box, but apparently she had been wrong. New tears appeared at the corners of her hazel eyes. They dripped down her fur and onto his pelt. Her first friend and she had lost him. Thoughts raced through her mind. What if things had been different? What fi she had told him she loved him too that day in the dump? What if she had denied his company and they had parted ways there and then? Would he still be alive? These thoughts only made the flow of tears stronger, but no sobs escaped her lips. She had gotten past that a long time ago.

So you take a picture of something you see
In the future where will I be?
You can climb a ladder up to the sun
Or write a song nobody has sung, or do
Something that's never been done, or do
Something that's never been done

Sparrow didn't notice the slight rise and fall of his chest and she didn't know to check for a beating heart. She believed what she saw and that was how most of her life had been and she wasn't about to do anything different now. She curled up next to his body. He believed in his ancestors so maybe he was with them. If cats hunted here then maybe something bigger hunted cats. That wouldn't happen to him, she swore it wouldn't. She didn't know what to do with his body, but it wouldn't be eaten by something in this forest. she was sure of that. Sparrow eventually fell into a troubled sleep, riddled with nightmares and old memories.

So you don't know where you're going
But you want to talk
And you feel like you're going where you've been before
You'll tell anyone who will listen but you feel ignored
Nothing's really making any sense at all

((Lyrics from "Talk" by Coldplay <333))

[Onyx Stargazer]

The black world slowly lightened, and Onyx felt consiousness return to his body. His vision was blurred and the world spun. His breath came in horse, choking rasps. His muscular body hurt all over, and the pain was just too great when he tried to lift his head; he couldn't move at all. His chest heaved with the effort of trying to breath. he felt a warm body on his back. _{"Spa...r-r-row?"} He coughed quietly. He let out a small moan, but it was cut short by a cough that sent pain shuddering through his body.

His orange gaze darted around the forest, surveying his surrouundings. The torbie was laying on a crushed bush with Sparrow, having fallen out of a tree. That wasn't very ideal... The bush stabbed his side with pointy twigs. Stumbling and tense with the effort, Onyx tried to push himself up and off of the bush. Once he had stumbled off the squashed cluster of twigs and leaves, he colapsed onto his other side, his strained and battered muscles screaming and yowling in immense pain; it was almost to much to bear.

The tom's side that had landed on the bush was scratched and bleeding from the impact of the pelt onto the sharp twigs. 'Why? Why did this have to happen?' he thought, closing his eyes and trying to relax.

[katzen22]

Lightning crashes, a new mother cries
her placenta falls to the floor
the angel opens her eyes
the confusion sets in
before the doctor can even close the door

Sparrow's light sleep was disturbed by a voice whispering her name. She thought her mind was tormenting her since it was Onyx's voice. The voice was so strangled she couldn't bear it. So much pain had been forced into her name it was painful to even hear it. The coughing was enough to rip her heart in two. She had found no sanctuary in sleep which is normal for her. But she had gotten used to her old memories that they didn't hurt her much anymore. She could live with that. This was new, fresh, and unbearable. Did no one really care for her? And were those that cared killed? Life was unfair, she knew, but this was torture.

Lightning crashes, an old mother dies
her intentions fall to the floor
the angel closes her eyes
the confusion that was hers
belongs now, to the baby down the hall

Her pain disappeared when something moved on the bush. She froze. Was something trying to take Onyx? She turned her head to look and what she saw made her heart skip a beat. Was this a dream? Was her head trying to torture her more with false hopes and dreams. But when the tom collapsed she immediately went to help him. Dream or not he was alive. But when she saw the wound on his side another needle of pain stabbed through her heart this was no dream. Her heart fluttered with joy that he was alive but also with fear. The battle was over yet. if he didn't get help he could still die. She'd do what she could. Sparrow cleaned the wound of blood and bits of twigs and leaves so she could get a better look at it. She tried her best to ignore the metallic taste of blood in her mouth but her stomach lurched anyways.

Oh now feel it comin' back again
like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind
forces pullin' from the center of the earth again
I can feel it.

More blood welled up in the wound after she cleaned it and she knew just licking it away wouldn't work. What happened when the blood ran out? She needed something to stop the bleeding. Leaves! She thought. Thinking leaves from the trees would be better than leaves on the ground she scrambled up a tree and got a mouthful of the green plants. She got back down the tree and dropped the leaves into a pile. She new the leaves wouldn't stay on by themselves. She needed something that would stick. Spider webs were sticky and terribly hard to get off. She had run into them before. Sparrow ran over to the long grass and collected a couple of the webs in her paw. Then she stuck the leaves to Onyx's would with the webs. The webs stuck easily to his fur.

Lightning crashes, a new mother cries
this moment she's been waiting for
the angel opens her eyes
pale blue colored iris,
presents the circle
and puts the glory out to hide, hide

Sparrow knew just stopping the bleeding wouldn't heal the wound. He needed energy to do it. She didn't want to, but she needed to. Sparrow sniffed the air and caught the scent of a squirrel. She followed the scent until she saw the bushy tailed rodent under a tree digging around for one of it's buried nuts. It didn't notice her sleek body moving through the grass and she had the advantage since she was downwind of the animal. She felt sick at what she was about to do but it was for Onyx's sake. She lunged and caught the squirrel between her claws, killing it quickly so it would feel no fear. She brought her catch back to Onyx and dropped it in front of him. She knew he'll need water. The green plant under the trees was pretty squishy and she wondered if it was absorbent. When she went to check it was already wet with the morning dew. Dawn was approaching past. She brought a chunk of moss back to Onyx and placed it next to the squirrel. Please let him be okay. She thought.

Oh now feel it comin' back again
like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind
forces pullin' from the center of the earth again
I can feel it.

((Lyrics from "Lightning Crashes" by Live))

[Onyx Stargazer]

Onyx opened his eyes again, smelling the squirrel. His orange eyes could see a little bit better, the world was clearer than before. His muscles were starting to recover. He fought for enough strength to pull the damp plant towards him, and licked it, extracting some of the precious liquid from it with his tongue. Gathering up enough strength, the tom winced as he tried to sit up a little to take a few bites of the squirrel, not hungry enough to finish it.

Laying back on his side, the pain ebbed away, little by little, minute by minute. "Sparrow?" His feeble mew was a little bit clearer as he looked at the gray and white she-cat, his orange eyes meeting bright hazel. "You saved my life," he wheezed, his gaze dragging down towards the thick grass underpaw. 'She saved my life... I never would've survived on my own...' the brown and silver cat thought gratefully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"No..." a rough voice barked quietly, staring wide-eyed as the brown spotted torbie fell from the mighty tree. The black and white dog thumped through the forest as the tom landed in the bush. The mighty creature flew through the forest, fearless of it's vast expance of trees and undergrowth. Skidding to a halt, it's powerful jaws opened and clamped down on the stems of a small patch of marigold. With a small tug, they were broken off of the rest of the stems, and Twig raced back through the forest towards the scene of the happening, the marigold stil tightly clamped in his jaws.

The border collie stopped dead when he saw the other cat. A grey and white fea, who was strapping leaves to his friend with cobwebs. 'Good thinking...' Twig thought as he watched the she-cat bring Onyx a squirrel and some water. He slowly and cautiously approached the pair, aware that he was a dog, and they were cats.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Onyx's eyes traveled past Sparrow, and he saw Twig. 'D*** it! What else could go wrong?!' he thought sourly. He knew that the dog was his friend, but infront of Sparrow? That just wasn't convinient. How would Sparrow react? Could he escape embarassment? Would Sparrow still ven want to see him, let alone talk to him? He had had better days...

((Don't worry. Twig's nice and he helped onyx escape from the pound. He would never hurt a cat. ;D))

EDIT - ((Forgot to bold my speech.))

[katzen22]

((I know about Twig. I got bored one day so I read Onyx's bio and then I read the RP with Tempest and him. I actually had been wondering what would happen if she ever met him))

If I had to
I would put myself right beside you
So let me ask
Would you like that?
Would you like that?

Sparrow watched Onyx carefully to make sure he didn't strain himself. She looked down at her paws when he ate the squirrel. She felt that sickening twist in her stomach again. She looked when he called her, meeting his gaze. "You saved my life." She smiled at him slightly, her eyes said. She shook her head. "No, I only helped. I..." Pain stabbed at her heart again as she imagined the tom's body, lifeless and cold. Tears brimmed at her eyes. "I thought you were dead." She whispered.

Something's getting in the way.
Something's just about to break.
I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane.
So tell me how it should be.

What would he think of her, crying for him like this. Would he think her weak? No, he wouldn't, but she felt the fear. Her mother would have called her weak. She laughed, but there was no humor. Only sadness. The tears finally spilled over and soaked her fur. "This is the first time I've cried since i was a kitten." Sparrow hugged herself. She felt cold, alone. Even though it was a warm morning she was chilled to the bone.

Try to find out what makes you tick.
As I lie down
Sore and sick.
Do you like that?
Do you like that?

Sparrow saw Onyx look past her and she looked to. her heart almost stopped. Her head was screaming at her. Her instincts. Danger! Run! No. She had to keep a cool head. No panicking. Onyx couldn't run to safety. He was to weak to even sit up. had she promised herself that nothing would take Onyx? The strange scent of the animal reached her. She'd seen something like this before. What were they? Weren't they dogs? A cat had described a dog to her once, and it was similar to this. Sure, the dog could take Onyx. Over her bloody and battered dead body.

There's a fine line between love and hate.
And I don't mind.
Just let me say that
I like that
I like that

She stood up as her eyes turned to bright, menacing slits. She showed her fangs as a hiss escaped her mouth. She wasn't trying to hold it back. She wanted to scare this thing away. She knew that was unlikely. A cat scaring away a dog? But she could hope. This was unlike her. Onyx had almost died once and she wasn't about to let it happen again. She'd fight this dog even if it killed her which was a strong possibility. Her mother had always said she'd die young. Maybe her mother's prediction would come true.

Something's getting in the way.
Something's just about to break.
I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane.
As I burn another page,
As I look the other way.
I still try to find my place in the diary of Jane.
So tell me how it should be.

((Lyrics from "The Diary of Jane" by Breaking Benjamin))

[Onyx Stargazer]

((Coolio. I guess it might be a good thing that I brought him into the tale of two kitties. ))




'No! I can't let Sparrow hurt him! Oh, why does everything happen to me?! the tom thought tto himself. What would happen next? He knew that Sparrow wouldn't hurt him, she just wasn't like that. He had to tell her. Was her love more important than his friendship? No. Onyx had known this dog for a long time. His heart ached at the thought that either he had the chance of losing the she-cat's trust, or he might hurt Twig.

Reluctantly, he forced himself to his paws, his body yowling in protest, and trudged up to the furious fea, and layed his tail cross the middle of her back. "Sparrow, please don't do this..." he mewed, terrified of what might happen. All he could do was keep himself from crying, and stopping himself from collapseing again. Swallowing his fear, he murmured, "He's my... friend..." Staring at the ground, he waited for Sparrow to spit in his face, or break out in laughter, or flatly walk away, not ever speaking to him again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twig kept walking, surely the she-cat would spare him? Stopping close to the she-cat, he stared in astonishment as Onyx confessed of their friendship to his lady-friend. The herbs he was carrying dropped to the ground as the collie's jaw dropped, his brown eyes round with shock. "Onyx, don't do that..." he barked sadly towards the tom.

"I have to, Twig. You were my best friend. Nobody should hurt you," the brown and silver spotted torbie mewed sadly, his snowy white paws barely picking themselves up off of the ground before dropping to the ground, having barely enough strength left.

The dog held himself back from racing up to his old pal, rooting himself to the ground. He waited for what would happen next. His pleading eyes fixed on Sparrow as he lowered his body, and whimpered. 'Please let me help him,' his eyes seemed to say as he hoped for the best.