landmarks: [FOREST (tall, looming trees, populated by: rodents, grubs, foxes, bears, badgers, etc.) NEARBY: plains, lake, waterfall] ● [PLAINS (snowy plains, populated by: rabbits/small animals, etc.) NEARBY: forest, summit] ● [FARMLANDS (several small farms, populated by: farm animals, dogs, humans) NEARBY: village, lake, plains] ● [SUMMIT (rocky summit, very windy and populated by: small rodents) NEARBY: plains, mt mollehoj] ● [MT MOLLEHOJ (rocky, windy and dangerous, populated by: goats, rodents, small animals) NEARBY: summit, waterfall] ● [VILLAGE (small village distanced from nature, yet surrounded by it. populated by: humans) NEARBY: farmlands, plains] ● [LAKE (typically frozen lake with weak ice, populated by: fish, small animals) NEARBY: village, plains, forest, summit, waterfalls] ● [WATERFALLS (windy/rocky and feeds into the lake, populated by: fish) NEARBY: mt mollehoj, lake].

weather: 1/7 - 1/12:
type: fog w/ sleet
temperature: cold
high: 2°f
low: -11°f
wind force: mild
wind speed: 5 mph

҂ klavier | ♂ |location: plains | mentions: n/a ҂
klavier lightly traversed the smooth terrain, each individual pawstep making a light pat noise on the blanket of snow. he paused for a moment to examine his surroundings, unsurprised to see nothing but snow layering sparse shrubbery. for a moment, he contemplated visiting the farmlands to see if he could catch an easy meal. the farmlands weren't too far off, after all. he could see the strange shapes the upwalkers made dotting the horizon. he wondered why upwalkers made such tall things. were they dens? why did they trap those large, strange animals? did the ones that looked like clouds taste like clouds too?

☹ verdammt | ♂ |location: summit/plains| mentions: n/a ☹
ver stared at the top of the mountain. the swirling grey clouds struck a deep sense of dread into his very soul. he obsessively arranged the rocks at his milky paws in an circle, and gave a relieved sigh. gingerly stepping a few paces forward, careful to not disturb his incantation, he stared around, harsh eyes layered with a distant glaze. when was the last time he had eaten? no! there wasn't time to eat. but he was so hungry.. UGH!! verdammt scratched angrily at the face of the summit, cursing the cold winds for sending all his tasty foodcreatures into their warm little dens. a shrubby bush dotted by bright wild raspberries had been in the corner of his vision for a while now, tempting him. the tom slunk over, gnawing on a leaf. it didnt kill him instantly, so he assumed it was safe. plucking a berry off with a tooth, he slurped it down. and then another. and another, until his splotched muzzle was stained pink and red where the clear white had been.

Wanheda | She-cat | 2 years, 9 months | Location: The Forest
Interacting with: Hades, open

The white thick tail of a feline swayed lightly while in great alignment with her spine, her delicate yet firm legs flexed to assure stealth and camouflage to being so close to the ground. The she-cat's piercing eyes were dilated and locked on an objective a few tail-lengths away, completely clueless of her presence, and her brother's. A paw forward, and then the other with great caution, she began to advance as a rather sassy smirk curved her lips, keeping it even when the pace was sped up. A cracking sound beneath her made her ears flatten against her head, a growl escaping at the sight of the badger running away. Some sticks wouldn't cost her a meal, that was for sure.

Wanheda's body was launched forward with long and fast strides, though her intentions were not to sink her teeth onto the badger's skin, but to intimidate with yowls, hisses, and just a few deep scratches when they tried to play brave and go the wrong way. That was someone else's job. She managed to chase him to the path of death, where Hades had been patiently waiting for his turn to play. The adrenaline running through the practically dead prey blinded the creature, believing that only Heda was hungry. The she-cat slowed down with a satisfactory expression drawn on her face while the badger continued, going straight to the claws of the devil himself.

Hades
Tom | 3 years, 11 months | Location: The Forest | Mentions: Wanheda

An incredibly massive Maine Coon tom sat in the leafy undergrowth as he awaited the prey he and his sister were hunting. His claws flexed as did his muscles in his legs, tail lashing behind him silently as he patiently waited. And Wanheda stood upwind from the large beast, as Hades stood hidden in the undergrowth with his piercing yellow eyes set on the undergrowth way before him where their future meal would emerge, his body placed in a position that was downwind. The plan was for Heda to chase the badger and sort of push it towards where he was hiding, and where he would make the final blow. That's what they hoped for, at least. And Hades - with pride - was sure their plan would succeed. No one escaped him.

And soon enough, a large, meaty badger with small, beady eyes, broad shoulders, sharp claws, and sleek black fur that covered its whole body, save for a white stripe down his black and head, emerged from the undergrowth. It was being chased by the graceful form of his gray and white sister, who lead the beast right into Hades' sharp claws. His tongue swiped across his razor sharp fangs as he awaited. Soon his sister slowed to a satisfied halt and the badger neared until he was only inches from the tom. Then Hades sprung from hiding, teeth bared and claws unsheathed, his massive body landing on the barely larger badger as it struggled to escape his claws and get a better angle in the battle. Hissing, he battled with it, biting and scratching, yowling a few times as he was painfully scratched or bit, until the bloodied badger fell, a minor dust cloud arising as its body hit the floor with a heavy thud. Licking his blood-stained maw, he looked over at his sister as he walked off of the carcass, ignoring the not-too-painful stinging coming from the few scratches he recieved. "Now we eat."

҂ klavier | ♂ |location: plains, headed towards forest | mentions: n/a ҂
the lean felidae gazed longingly at the forest. he dragged his small, pink tongue over his black, debating whether to enter it when a strong gust of freezing wind struck him, pulling his fur every which-way. "i need to get out of the open," he mused aloud, tail flicking with irritation. surely, the desolate trees must offer some shelter. and perhaps, a morsel in the form of a mouse or two.

he began padding in its direction, soon enveloped by thin trees that soared high into the clouds. once more, he began gazing. he wondered if they touched the sky. the tom sat in curious silence for a second, kneading his paws into the soft snow and staring into the heavens. there was bound to be a storm sometime. it would be apt to find some sort of shelter, he thought.

☹ verdammt | ♂ |location: summit/plains| mentions: n/a ☹
those berries had satisfied a gnawing hunger deep within. but a quick glance at the sky proved only to make those berries want to come back again.

verdammt ran in a stressed, quick circle, as if he felt the anxiety of everyone else, too. he knew that climbing the mountain would bring him closer to that cold, wet sky- adding to that, he absolutely dreaded the feeling of soggy fur.

a propped up rock nearby would suffice for now. he haphazardly mushed leaf litter down beneath it and curled up. fur slicked down, he looked emaciated and young, almost like a fearful hiding child.

[ Ben ]
Male • 5 y/o • Manx/Turkish Van Mix
Location: Plains - Forest | Mentions: Klavier

Ben crept forward on silent paws, golden eyes focused intently on the rabbit hunched over only a few paces ahead of him. His dark pelt was doing him no favors, his crouched image easily visible against the surrounding snow to anyone who bothered to look. He would have better luck in the forest where undergrowth would offer him some cover, but he wasn’t the sort of cat to spurn opportunity. Ben hadn’t spotted a rabbit since the start of the cold season. It was worth a shot.

His prey was too busy brushing away the thin layer of snow to get at the grasses beneath to take much notice of the creeping cat, or at least that’s what Ben was hoping. As soon as he was within pouncing range the wind changed and the rabbit immediately sat up on its hind legs, nose twitching and ears swiveling. He watched the creature’s eyes widen with fear once it caught his scent and leaped for it in the hopes he would catch it before it had a chance to run. No such luck. It slipped between his paws and shot ahead.

He tore after it, but his short legs and bulk hindered his speed. Before long the rabbit escaped into a burrow and Ben slowed to a halt, his breath forming small clouds of pale vapor around his mouth as the cold started to seep through his thick coat. His whiskers twitched in mild amusement, imagining he must have been quite the sight if anyone had been around to see his failed hunt, he wasn’t much of a runner all things considered.

Iris surely would have had something to say. Sadness pierced his heart at the thought of the slightly taller she-cat. They had decided recently to go their separate ways. He understood she desired independence, but it seemed like only yesterday she was still a fretful youngster trailing after his every step.

The tabby tom shook his head, as if trying to chase away his depressing thoughts. Iris would do just fine on her own, and if she ever changed her mind, he would welcome his sister back with open paws. As the wind changed direction again a new scent assaulted his nose and Ben paused, an unfamiliar tom appearing just ahead of him. He watched the cat disappear beneath the trees and waited a minute or so before following suit, not wanting the cat to suspect he was being stalked by a stranger.

As luck would have it, the cat appeared to be headed in the same direction of his winter den, where he'd planned to rest his paws a bit before attempting a hunt again. If he had a tail it would have flicked with uncertainty before he started forward at a slower pace, lagging behind.

((I'll add Iris in next time. This got a bit loner than intended.))

Melody | She cat | 2 Years
Location: Forest | Mentions: N/A ~ {Open}

The wind shifted the matted fur against her back and pushed her ears and tail forward from their resting position. But she herself refused to move as she looked down upon the lifeless rat a few inches from her glistening claws. It's fur was glued together with its own blood, and a large claw mark raked down its belly where her own had just been. It was always strange too her, killing her own meals, she was so accustomed to being fed her hard kibble that left the flavor of meat on her tongue. And she preferred it that way, because this would only leave behind the taste of a shiny coat against her sensitive flesh.

Her stomach growled interrupting her thoughts and bringing her back to the feeling of the cold pinch in the air, and the scent of the rat. It smelled old even moments after it's death, and it made her all the more reluctant to eat it. But as her stomach growled a second time, and could rival that of the house folks dogs, she knew she had no other choice.

҂ klavier | ♂ |location: forest | mentions: ben [indirectly] ҂
the mix wandered slowly through the cold forest, comforted by being in an enclosed space again. something about being in the open of the plains unsettled him to the marrow of his bones. but something felt.. off. like there were eyes piercing through his fur.

something piqued his interest, and he immediately became distracted once more. there was a comfortable looking den. he sniffed it quickly. the faint smell of feline lingered, but the wet scent of snow was far more powerful. he figured it hadn't been used recently. tucking himself inside a lingonberry bush a fair distance away, klav loafed on a bed of snow, watching it intently.

☹ verdammt | ♂ |location: summit| mentions: n/a, asleep [open] ☹
too much tired to be bothered to do anything else, verdammt slept peacefully, tail curled around his small frame. even under his shelter, the bitter cold still gripped him.

[ Ben ]
Male • 5 y/o • Manx/Turkish Van Mix
Location: Forest | Mentions: Klavier

Ben lingered beside a small stream that cut through the forest, crouching in front of the half frozen brook to lap up a few mouthfuls of frigid water. A thin layer of ice covered the area closest to the bank, but it was easy enough to break apart, only needing a firm press from one of his large paws to shatter into pieces and drift away in the sluggish current. When he was certain the stranger had been given enough time to depart uninterrupted he continued onward toward his den.

He paused upon reaching a spacey burrow dug beneath the roots of a mighty elm, a cozy nest made from ferns and moss tucked inside. Klavier's scent still hung in the air and he could see the faint outlines of his pawprints in the mushy snow covering the forest floor. His nest was empty and untouched, likely not disturbed since his last visit. His mouth opened, drawing in the scent as his gaze scanned his surroundings, but Ben caught no sign of him. "If you're still here, you might as well come out," he called, voice lacking even a hint of hostility. "I don't bite."

◙ ◙ ◙ ◙ ◙ ◙

[ Iris ]
Female • 3 y/o • Cornish Rex
Location: Forest | Mentions: Hades, Wanheda

Iris watched the pair silently from the branches of a birch so tall it seemed as if reaching for the sky. The blue and white of her pelt blended well with the silvery bark, but her creamy patches made her a beacon for anyone who looked closely enough. Should either cat glance up for any reason they would likely discover her without much issue. Iris had no intentions of interrupting their hunt or purposefully alerting them to her presence, more curious as to how things would turn out for them. They must be starving to risk going after a badger of all creatures.

She expected both cats would be torn to shreds, and her tail flicked as her golden gaze followed the she-cat's path through the forest. She drove the beast toward the huge tabby lying in wait before coming to an abrupt halt. Did she expect him to defeat a badger on his own? It simply wasn't possible. As the badger burst through the bushes where his foe rushed to meet him Iris found herself holding her breath, inching to the farthest end of the branch that would hold her weight to better view the scuffle.

In a matter of minutes the bloody battle was over, the badger dead at the tabby tom's paws. Iris blinked in disbelief. He'd done it. Something Iris had never thought any cat could do. She wondered briefly what badger meat must taste like, and after a struggle like that hoped for their sake it was tasty. "That was quite the catch," she called down to the siblings, sprawling across the thick branch again and resting her chin on her crossed paws. "Very impressive indeed." A fight like the one she had just witnessed had been thrilling enough to melt away her usual ice cold deamnor, if only for a time.

Escarcha (Essa ; Carcha) | She-cat | Location: Forest

She padded into the forest from her tree, hollowed out long ago by a storm. She smelt other cat around, and longed to speak with them. No. She said to herself. Food first. Social interactions later The Ragdoll shook her head and scented for prey. It was difficult to push away the cat-scent, but she managed to beathe in a mouse. She chased after it and soon had breakfast for herself.

Moments later, she had downed her meal and set off after the other forest cats. It had been a while since any of the other cats had spoken to her. She was beginning to doubt herself.. People don't like you. Don't you know that?! her inner voice began screaming at her. She couldn't shake it, so continued on her way.

҂ klavier | ♂ |location: forest | mentions: ben [directly] ҂
the feral rose from his comfortable loaf stance and emerged, albinoid eyes fixated on ben. he examined the curious mix with gentle eyes, tail lowered and curled slightly at the tip signalling interest. "hello," he uttered, "is this yours?" klavier was referencing the comfy looking den. the.. alluring, lovely, snuggly nest. the warm nest.

☹ verdammt | ♂ |location: summit| mentions: n/a, asleep [will awaken next turn] ☹
the small feline turned gently in his sleep, uttering a guttural chirp.

Wanheda | She-cat | 2 years, 9 months | Location: The Forest

Interacting with: Hades, Iris

Wanheda, as if nothing was happening before her eyes, quietly sat in the eye of the hurricane and upon a comfortable bunch of leaves, raising her right paw as her pink tongue made sure to clean it with effort. Her brother was done with the task after just a few minutes, green gaze landing on him.

"Keeping all the fun to yourself can be very exhausting, brother. Especially with all the years you carry.", the she-cat meowed tilting her head to one side. Hades was undeniably young, but she was a teasing and sarcastic soul who always seemed to find the perfect chance to mess with other cats. Luckily for her, her victim was accustomed to her words and even answered back, which only made it more fun. She was about to walk closer to Hades, when an unknown, feminine voice was heard over the tranquility of the forest.

Heda soon found the source of such surprise, laid upon a branch of a quite tall tree. As calm as she ever was, she placed her rear back on the ground again and curled her white tail around her paws, a curious expression on her features. "The show is over, dear.", she'd say, distanced from her brother at least a meter. "Though thank you.", her characteristic accent was present in every word, her nose wrinkled lightly and her lips curved into a grin as she spoke.

OOC: Who is Escarcha aproaching exactly? O.O

Merry Christmas everyone❤️

Escarcha (Essa ; Carcha) | She-cat | Location: Forest

The small she-cat noticed a group of cats chatting in the forest. Excited to find people who might be friendly to her, she trotted over, a grin on her face. Don't you dare! They will never like you! As she had for many years, she pushed away her inner voice. It didn't know what it was talking about anyway.

"Hello!" She chirped, hoping she looked like she wasn't battling her mind. "I'm Escarcha, but you can call me Essa!" She began to doubt herself again. You've already pushed them away, Essa. Good luck finding anyone else. You're such a screw-up

OOC: Just about to get on that! :D

Hades
Tom | 3 years, 11 months | Location: The Forest | Mentions: Wanheda, Iris, Essa

Listening to his sister's teasing words, he rolled his eyes. "What did you say? I'm sorry, my old age must have damaged my hearing." he said with a chuckle. Yes, a chuckle. Any cat who knew of Hades knew he wasn't one to quickly joke, smile, or laugh. But with his sister, he could easily find humor. She was literally the only feline he would ever joke around like that with. No one else could expect any different. He smirked as he stood in waiting for his sister to approach, turning around as she began walking towards him. He then was about to take a bite from the badger when a feminine voice called out to them from above. She was complimenting, in a way, his fight with the badger that he had, indeed, killed. He nodded if only briefly, looking up. His eyes soon lay on the slightly graceful looking figure of a blue and cream tortoiseshell she-cat. She had rather large-looking ears as well as long white whiskers. And one bright part of her was her chest, which was completely pure snow white. Then she had rather striking eyes the shade of a yellowish golden. He narrowed his eyes at the stranger, naturally hostile towards newcomers.

"Thank you." he said, tone deadpanned, though one could tell he was being sincerely thankful, even if his serious voice showed this not. He then looked over at his sister as she spoke, grinning while she thanked the she-cat. Tail lashing quickly behind him as one dark ear flicked, his undeniably intimidating yellow eyes glanced between Wanheda and the stranger before resting on the latter female as she sat atop a branch way above. The tabby tom rose to his full height - not that it would intimidate the other as she was above - and let his eyes stay a bit narrowed, tail continuing to lash behind his larger body. Then yet another feminine cheery voice echoed across the little clearing.

Oh God, another female?? he thought with annoyance as his head quickly turned to look upon the she-cat as she approached with cheery tones and friendly meaning. He narrowed his eyes and stayed at full height, looking down at the white ragdoll female with gray on her face, ears, and partially her legs, as she introduced herself. His ears erect, he instinctively stood near his kill. Wouldn't want any cat stealing his food after all their hard work, now would we? His sister was a bit better with the social talking, so he'd leave the chatting with her. He was more the brawn, anyway.

OOC: kinda blocked lel