Post by tigerstripe on Sept 20, 2018 15:13:34 GMT -5
Hiyo! I'm gonna be posting a chapter every now and then in my fiction story about how Elli came to get her name, come to the Cattails world, and get her job as a name critique. Though the main character is actually one of my cats, Finley, the story is of how he grows to leave his past behind while befriending the sweet calico he meets while he's living as a loner. Any suggestions are welcome, and I love feedback, whether positive or negative! Please, tell me what you think. I appreciate it.
I placed a paw gingerly on the ground in front of me, fur prickling along my spine excitedly. I could hear the soft scuttling of a mouse somewhere in the grass and see its tawny brown fur flashing in and out of sight.
I’d positioned myself so the sunset was behind me – on bright, cloudless days like this, it gets rather hard to see prey with the sun shining in my eyes, even in the evening. I twitched my tail, then with a burst of speed from my hind legs, I pounced on the rodent and closed my jaws around its neck.
“Nice catch, Fin!” I caught Coco’s familiar voice and turned my head to see her bounding over the stretch of grass to meet me, “Looks like that training really paid off!”
I lifted my catch off the ground and we butted heads in greeting, “Nice to see you again, Coco,” I welcomed the black and white queen and placed the mouse in front of my paws. “Have you ever seen a brown mouse before?”
“Oh, lots of times,” I glanced at Coco. I’d never seen a mouse that color. “They aren’t too common, but they’re called harvest mice. They live near human dwellings, usually, since they seem to like wheat fields and gardens so much.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever tasted one before, then,” I sniffed the mouse, but it didn’t smell any different than an average mouse. I shrugged.
Coco swished her tail on the grass, like she always did when she was thinking really hard. “Alright, Coco, what is it?”
She shuffled her paws, “Listen, Finley – Leo says he needs more fighters for the Mountain Domain, and I told them I knew a cat,” she admitted.
I flattened my ears, “How many times do I have to tell you?” I scraped my claws on the earth and Coco narrowed her eyes. “You know me. I’m as clumsy as a dog in a fight. I’d never be any good for Mountain Domain any more than I’d be for Forest or Mystic Colony. More than that, I’ve told you I’m a loner. After what happened, I think I should have a right to live alone.”
“Finley, you’re not that bad. You could learn,” she insisted.
I flicked my tail, picked the mouse up off the ground, and took a few steps away from him, “No.”
I felt Coco’s paws on the grass as she caught up to me, “Fin, listen to me! I’ve told you it’s not safe for loners out here. With three other colonies, you’ll get torn up.”
“I’ve done pretty well for myself, and it’s been two weeks,” I replied stiffly, “Let it alone.”
As I moved along, I could feel Coco’s hard stare on the back of my neck. I hissed quietly to myself and gripped the mouse so hard I think another bone broke. I’m not joining a colony. Not after what happened to Flicker.
The walk back to my den was a smooth one. I caught the scent of some Mountain Domain cats as I crossed Tomb Creek and avoided them easily on my way to the forest. I still wasn’t certain what Coco meant by me not being safe as a loner. I found it easy to stay out of the colony’s whiskers, despite their clear hatred of wandering cats like me.
As I continued on my way, I heard quick steps on the ground behind me and turned my head to see a tiny calico cat loping up. She ran past me swiftly, but I stretched out a paw and placed it on her tail. She skidded to a stop and stared at me. "What are you running about for?" I demanded. She should get back to her colony. It's getting late.
"Oh. I'm trying to find a place to sleep," she answered, reaching with a paw to pull her tail out from underneath my foot. "Lemme alone."
"Why not go back to your colony?" I tilted my head.
“I’m sorry, mister, but I don't have one. I'm a loner," she opened her mouth to scent me, "And so are you! Maybe you could help me," she turned around to look me straight on.
I twitched my tail, “What is it? What’s your name?”
“Don’t got one,” she replied quickly, “What about you?”
“Finley,” I replied through the prey in my teeth.
“Well, ‘ello, Finley,” she dipped her head, “That’s a good name for you. Do cats call you ‘Finn’, ever? Either way, it’s a curious name for a cat of your color,” she gestured with a paw to my light brown tabby fur.
I narrowed my eyes, “You’re pretty interested in names for a kitten your size – let alone that you don’t even have a name yourself,” she opened her mouth to reply, but I cut her off, “What is it that you need?”
“I don’t have a place to sleep. Y’see, I’ve been traveling for a very long time, and I can usually find myself a nice place to sleep at night, but I’ve gotten awful lonely by myself. I was wondering if I could spend the night with you?” she explained.
"It's gettin' late, so I'll need an answer fast. Sorry for the rush."
Caught off guard, I instantly declined, “I just met you. There’s no way you’re going anywhere near my home. For all I know, you could be a thief cat.”
No way I'm becoming responsible for a cat again. I'll tell her to find Coco.
“If that’s your reason, mister, then go ahead and get to know me,” the matter-of-fact statement made me all the more annoyed with her, but I held my tongue as she followed me home.
“Can you hunt?” I asked.
“No.”
“Swim?”
“Not well.”
“Are you any good in a fight?”
“No.”
“Can you forage?”
“Not really.”
I thrashed my tail, “I don’t see how you’ve survived at all,” I hissed abruptly.
“Oh, other cats usually help me. I can usually get them to get me a squirrel or something, or maybe a place to sleep,” she explained easily.
“So you manipulate?”
“I wouldn’t call it that,” she insisted, “I’m just friendly and maybe a bit cute.”
“Fine, then,” I sighed, “You can sleep with me for the night. But no more traveling.” What am I doing? Am I asking her to stay with me?
“Why not?” the tiny cat bushed her tail up and I flinched, despite me being twice her size.
“Manipulation isn’t right,” I replied levelly. “Perhaps there’s another place you can live.”
“Not with you?”
I laughed to myself. “Coco would be proud, but no. I don’t live with other cats.”
“But you’re letting me stay the night,” she insisted.
"Why can't I stay?"
“Because..." I trailed off. Because I can't bear thinking about my kits, and you look just like Sunset. "Because I'm a loner - I don't like other cats." I hissed. “Maybe you could live with Coco.”
“Who’s this Coco you keep mentioning?”
“She’s another loner, except… Oh, I’m not sure. All the cats love her,” I chuckled, then stopped at the bushes I usually slept under. Gripping the mouse in my jaws, I squeezed under the branches and curled up in the space underneath. My companion bent to follow and I swiveled my head, “No tossing and turning, and if you snore, I’ll rip your ears off.”
The cat hesitated, and for a moment looked as if she was second guessing her choice to spend the night. I swept my tail out of the way, “Oh, come on in. I won’t really do any of that.”
She glanced at me doubtfully, and twitched her ears as if cherishing the fact that they were still there. Then she crept in after me.
“How long have you been traveling?” I asked, crunching on the mouse between my paws.
Pulling her eyes away from the food, the tiny cat scraped her claws through the soil thoughtfully, “Maybe a month or so. Sometimes I’ll stop by a human place and stay for a night or so. They have good food, and I get attention. But most of the time it’s with other cats. They seem to like me.”
“That’s good. I think I like you, and I’m not usually a fan of living with other cats.” I shook my head and tucked my paws underneath my chest with a loud sigh. Nibbling on the mouse again, my companion reached for it with a paw that I flicked away roughly.
“Aren’t you gonna share?”
“You didn’t catch it, did you? Tomorrow I’ll teach you some hunting techniques,” I offered, then I instantly realized that was a promise I didn’t want to keep. I began to dislike the young cat sitting beside me.
“Awesome,” the cat sighed and curled up, tail over her eyes. I grunted to myself and buried my head between my paws, wishing I’d never met this tiny cat that reminded me so much of Flicker and Sunset. You’re not a dad anymore, Finley. What’s wrong with you?
I placed a paw gingerly on the ground in front of me, fur prickling along my spine excitedly. I could hear the soft scuttling of a mouse somewhere in the grass and see its tawny brown fur flashing in and out of sight.
I’d positioned myself so the sunset was behind me – on bright, cloudless days like this, it gets rather hard to see prey with the sun shining in my eyes, even in the evening. I twitched my tail, then with a burst of speed from my hind legs, I pounced on the rodent and closed my jaws around its neck.
“Nice catch, Fin!” I caught Coco’s familiar voice and turned my head to see her bounding over the stretch of grass to meet me, “Looks like that training really paid off!”
I lifted my catch off the ground and we butted heads in greeting, “Nice to see you again, Coco,” I welcomed the black and white queen and placed the mouse in front of my paws. “Have you ever seen a brown mouse before?”
“Oh, lots of times,” I glanced at Coco. I’d never seen a mouse that color. “They aren’t too common, but they’re called harvest mice. They live near human dwellings, usually, since they seem to like wheat fields and gardens so much.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever tasted one before, then,” I sniffed the mouse, but it didn’t smell any different than an average mouse. I shrugged.
Coco swished her tail on the grass, like she always did when she was thinking really hard. “Alright, Coco, what is it?”
She shuffled her paws, “Listen, Finley – Leo says he needs more fighters for the Mountain Domain, and I told them I knew a cat,” she admitted.
I flattened my ears, “How many times do I have to tell you?” I scraped my claws on the earth and Coco narrowed her eyes. “You know me. I’m as clumsy as a dog in a fight. I’d never be any good for Mountain Domain any more than I’d be for Forest or Mystic Colony. More than that, I’ve told you I’m a loner. After what happened, I think I should have a right to live alone.”
“Finley, you’re not that bad. You could learn,” she insisted.
I flicked my tail, picked the mouse up off the ground, and took a few steps away from him, “No.”
I felt Coco’s paws on the grass as she caught up to me, “Fin, listen to me! I’ve told you it’s not safe for loners out here. With three other colonies, you’ll get torn up.”
“I’ve done pretty well for myself, and it’s been two weeks,” I replied stiffly, “Let it alone.”
As I moved along, I could feel Coco’s hard stare on the back of my neck. I hissed quietly to myself and gripped the mouse so hard I think another bone broke. I’m not joining a colony. Not after what happened to Flicker.
The walk back to my den was a smooth one. I caught the scent of some Mountain Domain cats as I crossed Tomb Creek and avoided them easily on my way to the forest. I still wasn’t certain what Coco meant by me not being safe as a loner. I found it easy to stay out of the colony’s whiskers, despite their clear hatred of wandering cats like me.
As I continued on my way, I heard quick steps on the ground behind me and turned my head to see a tiny calico cat loping up. She ran past me swiftly, but I stretched out a paw and placed it on her tail. She skidded to a stop and stared at me. "What are you running about for?" I demanded. She should get back to her colony. It's getting late.
"Oh. I'm trying to find a place to sleep," she answered, reaching with a paw to pull her tail out from underneath my foot. "Lemme alone."
"Why not go back to your colony?" I tilted my head.
“I’m sorry, mister, but I don't have one. I'm a loner," she opened her mouth to scent me, "And so are you! Maybe you could help me," she turned around to look me straight on.
I twitched my tail, “What is it? What’s your name?”
“Don’t got one,” she replied quickly, “What about you?”
“Finley,” I replied through the prey in my teeth.
“Well, ‘ello, Finley,” she dipped her head, “That’s a good name for you. Do cats call you ‘Finn’, ever? Either way, it’s a curious name for a cat of your color,” she gestured with a paw to my light brown tabby fur.
I narrowed my eyes, “You’re pretty interested in names for a kitten your size – let alone that you don’t even have a name yourself,” she opened her mouth to reply, but I cut her off, “What is it that you need?”
“I don’t have a place to sleep. Y’see, I’ve been traveling for a very long time, and I can usually find myself a nice place to sleep at night, but I’ve gotten awful lonely by myself. I was wondering if I could spend the night with you?” she explained.
"It's gettin' late, so I'll need an answer fast. Sorry for the rush."
Caught off guard, I instantly declined, “I just met you. There’s no way you’re going anywhere near my home. For all I know, you could be a thief cat.”
No way I'm becoming responsible for a cat again. I'll tell her to find Coco.
“If that’s your reason, mister, then go ahead and get to know me,” the matter-of-fact statement made me all the more annoyed with her, but I held my tongue as she followed me home.
“Can you hunt?” I asked.
“No.”
“Swim?”
“Not well.”
“Are you any good in a fight?”
“No.”
“Can you forage?”
“Not really.”
I thrashed my tail, “I don’t see how you’ve survived at all,” I hissed abruptly.
“Oh, other cats usually help me. I can usually get them to get me a squirrel or something, or maybe a place to sleep,” she explained easily.
“So you manipulate?”
“I wouldn’t call it that,” she insisted, “I’m just friendly and maybe a bit cute.”
“Fine, then,” I sighed, “You can sleep with me for the night. But no more traveling.” What am I doing? Am I asking her to stay with me?
“Why not?” the tiny cat bushed her tail up and I flinched, despite me being twice her size.
“Manipulation isn’t right,” I replied levelly. “Perhaps there’s another place you can live.”
“Not with you?”
I laughed to myself. “Coco would be proud, but no. I don’t live with other cats.”
“But you’re letting me stay the night,” she insisted.
"Why can't I stay?"
“Because..." I trailed off. Because I can't bear thinking about my kits, and you look just like Sunset. "Because I'm a loner - I don't like other cats." I hissed. “Maybe you could live with Coco.”
“Who’s this Coco you keep mentioning?”
“She’s another loner, except… Oh, I’m not sure. All the cats love her,” I chuckled, then stopped at the bushes I usually slept under. Gripping the mouse in my jaws, I squeezed under the branches and curled up in the space underneath. My companion bent to follow and I swiveled my head, “No tossing and turning, and if you snore, I’ll rip your ears off.”
The cat hesitated, and for a moment looked as if she was second guessing her choice to spend the night. I swept my tail out of the way, “Oh, come on in. I won’t really do any of that.”
She glanced at me doubtfully, and twitched her ears as if cherishing the fact that they were still there. Then she crept in after me.
“How long have you been traveling?” I asked, crunching on the mouse between my paws.
Pulling her eyes away from the food, the tiny cat scraped her claws through the soil thoughtfully, “Maybe a month or so. Sometimes I’ll stop by a human place and stay for a night or so. They have good food, and I get attention. But most of the time it’s with other cats. They seem to like me.”
“That’s good. I think I like you, and I’m not usually a fan of living with other cats.” I shook my head and tucked my paws underneath my chest with a loud sigh. Nibbling on the mouse again, my companion reached for it with a paw that I flicked away roughly.
“Aren’t you gonna share?”
“You didn’t catch it, did you? Tomorrow I’ll teach you some hunting techniques,” I offered, then I instantly realized that was a promise I didn’t want to keep. I began to dislike the young cat sitting beside me.
“Awesome,” the cat sighed and curled up, tail over her eyes. I grunted to myself and buried my head between my paws, wishing I’d never met this tiny cat that reminded me so much of Flicker and Sunset. You’re not a dad anymore, Finley. What’s wrong with you?