Honey | (former) Kittypet | Tags: Oscar & Crow

Honey smiled softly as Oscar began to try and comfort her. Even through all his pain he still was trying to be supportive. The tears that were welling up began to pour and Honey felt her coat begin to heat up with embarrassment. This had been the most eventful and scariest day the she-cat had ever had, and she was overflowing with different emotions. “Y-you didn’t m-mean to.” The tabby stammered through tears, not able to fight them back anymore. Honey lowered her head, her soft cries making her injured side ache. “I’m just g-glad everyone’s okay.” Honey sniffed, burying her head into Oscar side. She didn’t want to even look at Crow, knowing the loner was probably uncomfortable with all the emotions going on.

Crow | Loner | Tags: Oscar & Honey

Crow flattened his ears as Honey began to cry, his chest growing tight. He hated it when others cried, it made him so uncomfortable. The bengal tapped his tail impatiently as he watched the two before turning to look out towards the exit of the den. Kitty had been gone for a while, he couldn’t help but feel worried. Out of the group, she was so far his favorite. Honey was too soft and Oscar was too bubbly, but he felt comfortable in Kitty’s presence. The tom sighed and turned back towards Oscar and Honey. “I know we’re having a… moment here.” Crow started, gesturing towards the two. “However I have to ask you two to try and stay as still as you can. At least until Kitty gets back with some extra supplies. Your wounds are still open, we can’t take any risks.”

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As the afternoon summer storm continued its uproar, Kitty's patience was running out. The silence from the other cat was unnerving—maybe she suspected a trap. Kitty understood the mistrust but had no time to waste; she needed to collect supplies and escape the relentless downpour.

"Look, I've really got to go, but if you're looking for shelter, follow my trail back to a tree stump marked with my scent and a few others . Just beyond that, there's a huge pine with a den at its base. Can't miss it," Kitty said quickly and moved past the tabby with a flick of her tail, focused on her task.

After another fifteen or so minutes of searching, Kitty lucked out—a muddy patch where Crow had found the healing herbs. Sending up a grateful prayer to whoever might be listening, she dug up the roots, her injured claw aching with each movement and her paws turning a muddy brown. Now, with her mouth full of roots, she realized a second trip would be needed for the cobwebs.

Cursing to herself, she made her way back, being careful to watch her step this time. She was more familiar with the terrain now, so she reached the tree stump quicker then before. She took a moment to deposit the roots on a stray piece of tree bark. Then, back into the woods she went, armed with a stick to collect spider webs which turned out to be an easier task than expected, discovering them in nearly every bush she checked. The thin stick she carried soon had a wad of the spider's hard work wrapped around it, and she uttered a sigh of relief knowing she had everything they needed.

With all the supplies secured, she returned to the stump, took another moment to load the forgotten ---and now drenched--- prey onto the bark with the roots, and pushed it all towards the den, eager to leave the rain behind.

______________

Oscar's ears pressed closer to his head as Honey's tears continued to soak into his fur. He turned to Crow for support, but the black bengal was looking elsewhere, seeming uneasy with the display of emotion. Left to handle the situation alone, Oscar let out a soft breath and comforted Honey as best he could with gentle strokes of his tail. "That's right, we're all here and ok, a bit roughed up, but alive. And I've learned something very important today....badgers are best avoided at all costs," he meowed, trying to lift her spirits with a small smile. Crow's voice then had him glancing back when the older tom spoke up again, instructing the two of them to lie still to prevent them from aggravating their wounds even further, while they awaited Kitty's return.

Oscar quietly acquiesced and settled down, urging Honey to take the more comfortable nest he had just vacated, insisting despite her protests.

The den quieted, filled only with the sound of the storm outside. Oscar fought the pull of sleep, too concerned for Kitty to rest. Time crawled by, and just as he was about to suggest a search party, a commotion at the entrance caught his attention. There was a strange scuffling noise that made him tense, but relief washed over him as Kitty appeared, a stick of cobwebs in her mouth and pushing a strip of tree bark that was loaded with medicinal roots and their earlier catch.

The white she-cat looked like she'd been through an ordeal. She was terribly muddy and soaked, but she was safe. "Kitty! You're back, and just in time—I was starting to worry," Oscar meowed, his voice heavy with relief. Earning a smile from her as she set down the stick in order to speak.

"I'm glad our awake Oscar, I was really worried about you to," she confessed, padding over to press her forehead briefly against the black tom's in a show of affection. She then turned to Crow and gestured toward the pile of herbs. "I think i've gathered plenty, so no need for anyone else to brave the storm for more. Let's get these bandages sorted, and then we can all share this very wet meal," she meowed, her exhaustion evident in her voice and posture.

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Honey | (former) Kittypet | Tags: Kitty, Crow & Oscar

Honey let out a small snort at Oscar’s attempt at a joke. “No badgers… ever again.” The tabby said with a shake of her head, bringing her paw to her eyes once more to wipe away the tears. Honey became quiet once more as Crow instructed the two to stay still. Only arguing briefly with Oscar over the nesting situation before settling back down.
A scuffling noise at the entrance of the den made Honey’s fur stand on end, breathing a sigh of relief when a familiar white cost entered the den. “Kitty thank goodness.” Honey sighed, resting her head back down in her paws. Everyone was here. She felt safe again. The tabby closed her eyes, listening to the voices of her friends and the steady drum of the rain of the den.

Crow | Loner | Tags: Kitty, Honey & Oscar

Crow eyed Kitty’s haul, impressed she got everything in one trip. “Fantastic, great job Kitty.” He praised the she-cat, beginning to gently dig through the items to get to the Comfrey. “Any trouble out there? No sign of that badger right?” Crow asked, beginning to chew up the comfrey root. He was determined to get those old, soaked cobwebs off of Oscar and Honey. “Oscar, you’re first. No objections either, you’re in much worse shape.” Crow added, voice slightly muffled from the comfrey root. “And you.” Crow said, briefly looking towards Kitty again. “Rest. I have spare nesting materials in the corner.” Crow said, gently beginning to remove the old cobweb before Oscar could get in a word of objection. Crow felt his muscles relax at the sight of the wound. Sure it wasn’t the best sight, but the bleeding had seemed to stop - or at least extremely slow down. His intense gaze became somewhat softer, relieved he wouldn’t have to loose one of his new comrade so soon.
Crow spit the root out on his paw, trying to treat Oscar’s wounds as softly as he could. The tom reached his other paw out to grab at the stick of cobweb, bringing it closer to him as he continued applying the salve. Cobweb wraps were always tricky, since they were so sticky, but at least they had time now for Crow to make a decent bandage. “There we go. Tomorrow we can look for some Goldenrod… that’s the herb I’ve used the most to help heal my own wounds.” He said before scooting over towards Honey to begin treating her.

Mantis | Loner | Tags: Open

Disgusting. Everything was absolutely drenched. HE was absolutely drenched. Large ears lay flat against Mantis’s head, clearly frustrated. “Stupid rain… had to come right now… I’m not even home… Maple is going to-“ The cream colored tom growled in frustration, continuing to mumble to himself angrily. He began to pace anxiously under the large pine he had taken shelter under. He wasn’t too far from home, but far enough for a trek back in the rain to be miserable and dark. The young tom stopped, hanging his head in frustration. All he wanted to do was bring back some food for the two of them. Ever since Maple hurt her back leg in the mudslide a few moons ago, hunting had become even more difficult for the old cat. She had taught Mantis as much as she could, but he still wasn’t confident in his hunting skills. However if they wanted to eat, he had no choice but to try. Mantis sigh and brought his head up again, light blue eyes narrowed to keep the rain out of them. Where to go now?

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Cricket

He stumbled over another tree root, flopping into the mud with a squelch. Eugh. Cricket's ears lowered back to his soaked head, pulling himself to his paws and spitting twigs from his mouth, his tail lashing with growing annoyance with the weather. 'Too many trees.' The tom mumbled under his breath, interrupted by the sound of another voice, almost definitely not his own. He went rigid in the rain, hoping the mud that was likely caking his fur kept him at least slightly more camouflaged. Nothing happened for an excruciatingly long few seconds, but he still crouched down nearer to the ground, just in case. He felt one of his paws around cautiously, gripping hold of the root he had tripped over only a few moments ago, the undeniable scent of pine needles competing with the scent of rain. Cricket practically clung to the trunk of the newfound pine tree
He stared in the general direction of where he had heard the voice. 'Hello?' His voice sounded quieter when he spoke, and he wasn't sure if he would even be heard by the stranger. Had they seen him already? The thought terrified him and embarassed him at the same time.

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Mantis | Loner | Tags: Cricket

A soft ‘hello’ from somewhere behind him made Mantis let out a sharp squeak of surprise. The cream colored bengal whipped around, only to be face to face with a rather interesting looking cat. Mantis felt his fur try to puff up in alarm, only to be weighed down by the rain. “Hello…” Mantis replied, looking over the other cat. Cricket had curly fur, something Mantis had never seen before. His eyes, something was familiar about them. Mantis took a cautious step forward, squinting to look at the other toms eyes. Ah! He was must be blind. Maple, his guardian, was going blind and had the same sort of glaze to her eyes. “Are you… okay?” Mantis asked, suddenly feeling embarrassed over his silly question.

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Cricket - Loner - interacting with Mantis

He hadn't expected an answer, but the voice of another cat was a welcoming surprise for once. He stepped back warily and straightened his posture, though it did little to neaten his drenched appearance, the hard rain forcing his ears to lay flat and almost blended with his fur. Cricket's ears swivelled in the direction of the other cat, the caution in their tone echoing his own, 'I'm fine,' He blurted out naturally, before realizing it was rather odd for him to be fine in this situation. 'Not really. I'm looking for a den,' The tom corrected himself awkwardly, a hopeful tint in his voice that maybe this other cat had the same goal as him.

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Kitty's smile was gentle as she observed Honey's sigh of relief. The tabby had endured quite a day, they all had. She hoped that now, with them all gathered in the snug den, Honey could find some peace. Her ears then perked up, and a beam spread across her face when Crow praised her on gathering the necessary supplies, prompting her to raise her chin with pride. At last, she felt a true sense of contribution to the group's welfare, lifting her spirits. Eager to rest, she welcomed the black Bengal's instruction to relax while he cared for Oscar and Honey's injuries. For the first time since their meeting, she felt her heart warm towards the older tom. It seemed impossible that all this had unfolded just that morning. Her blue eyes reflected contemplation as she recalled Crow's question about her venture into the storm. She took a moment to settle into a cozy corner of the den, watching as Crow attend to their wounds, before sharing her encounter in the woods.
"While I was out there, I didn't come across the badger again, thankfully, but I did meet an odd she-cat. What she was doing in the rain is beyond me, but she seemed friendly enough, so I offered her shelter with us... It seems she declined," she meowed, beginning to groom her wet fur with careful strokes.

Oscar remained still and silent as Crow carefully rewrapped his injuries. Resisting the urge to flinch or cry out in pain when the old bandages tugged at his wounds, he didn't want to appear weak in front of the Bengal. A sigh of relief escaped him only after Crow had finished with him and turned to Honey. Oscar's thoughts briefly lingered on the three slash marks across his chest, pondering if they would leave scars and if they might resemble the cool battle scars of a true warrior. His contemplation was interrupted when Kitty mentioned a she-cat she encountered during the storm. Oscar's frown deepened upon hearing Kitty's offer of shelter to the stranger, and he cast a glance towards Crow.
"It was kind of you to invite her, Kitty, but we can't really offer shelter to a place that's not ours," he meowed carefully, receiving nothing but a nonchalant shrug from the white she-cat.

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Barrow | Loner | Tags: Kitty, Oscar, Honey, Crow

A small black classic tabby molly with white spotting and olive eyes

---

Barrow squinted against the rain, listening to the words that the feline spoke. She was honestly baffled that they had managed to chase off a badger, just how many cats were part of the white molly's group? The mention of the herb needed by the feline made her ears perk, and Barrow wasn't shocked they needed it. She would have been more shocked if they had managed it without getting hurt at all!

Mention of a safe place from the storm was tempting, and Barrow knew she had to hear the rest of the story from the others. Nodding her head, she made the choice that she would help out this strange cat and her companions. Though before she could say so, the other seemed to be on edge. Giving instructions on where exactly she could find this cat and her friends, the white cat bounded off into the dark storm.

Perking up despite the rain, Barrow nodded to herself once more before she turned and went off in another direction to begin her own search. It didn't take her long to find a clump of the herb, one she was moderately familiar with due to her travels. Stashing the roots under a stone the tabby looked around with narrowed eyes, trying to see through the rain. By the roots of a large tree, she caught a faint trace of scuffling, and her eyes lit up. Surely they wouldn't be opposed to something to eat. Diving headfirst into the muddy hole, Barrow quickly dispatched three of the mice in the den before the rest managed to escape.

While it wasn't much, she decided that the roots and the mice would have to do for her offering. Turning around for a moment, Barrow trotted off in the direction of the stump, finding the scents still barely lingering and some prey scattered around as well. Scooping up a few more of the kills, the molly turned and followed the directions that the other molly had given. It wasn't long before she found the tree and while she only hesitated for a moment, the rain was enough motivation to send her scrambling through the entrance.

Fur soaked through, and covered in mud, Barrow was surely an unappealing sight to see beyond the fresh-kill and herbs in her jaws. Resisting the temptation to shake the water from her pelt, the tabby looked around the small den at the cats resting inside. Flicking her tail up in greeting, she moved over to stand beside the cat she'd met before, who was now grooming herself. Placing the herbs and food down next to her she grinned up at the white molly.

"Sorry for taking so long, the rain really muddled my brain for a bit there! I wasn't able to find a lot of the herbs, but I found some mice and picked up some of the prey that was by the stump. I figured it was y'alls in the first place!"

Keeping her tone light, she glanced around at the other three cats, noting their hesitation at her appearance. Maybe getting the rest of the story wouldn't be as easy as she'd hoped.

"Oh! I'm Barrow by the way, I didn't have the chance to introduce myself out in that storm!"

---

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Mantis | Loner | Tags: Cricket

Ah, so they had a similar goal. “I’m looking for some shelter too.” Mantis replied, looking around at their surroundings. “I live in a barn not too far away, but I’ve been too scared to go back by myself in the storm.” The young cat replied, slightly embarrassed. This was but maybe his fourth trip outside the barn without Maple. Mantis shuffled his paws nervously, remaining quiet for a moment. Maple was probably worried and angry with his sudden and long disappearance. He hoped she wouldn’t come looking for him. “Um.. my name is Mantis.” He introduced himself, hoping it would make the situation a little less tense. “I… I think there’s an abandoned den around here though. I’ve found a few. Or I can try and get us back to the barn.” He continued, beginning to shiver from the cold rain. He could probably get them back, feeling more confident now that he wasn’t alone. “I feel a bit more confident now that I’m not alone.” He added.

Crow | Loner | Tags: Kitty, Honey, Oscar & Barrow

Another cat? No thanks, Crow had met enough new faces for the day. Plus it was already a bit cramped in the den. The tom opened his mae to speak but quickly shut it as some scuffling at the entrance of the den caught the tom off guard. The bengal’s fur instinctively puffed up as the tabby entered the den. This must have been the cat Kitty was speaking of, or at least it better be. He words confirmed Crow’s thoughts and he forced his fur flat, glaring at Barrow for a moment. However, the sight of food and more herbs temporarily won the tom over. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to you all.” Crow said with a sigh, shaking his head as he finished up Honey’s fixings. Crow looked to the she-cat, taking in her muddy appearance. They all virtually looked the same at this point, having been caught in this surprise storm. “My name’s Crow… thanks for bringing the extra herbs we need them.” He replied, sitting down and wrapping his long tail around his body.

Honey | (former) Kittypet | Tags: Oscar, Crow, Kitty & Barrow

Honey took a deep breath, finally able to relax a bit more as the herbs ever so slightly numbed her pain again. She was almost un-phased as Barrow entered the den, just grateful it wasn’t another enemy. Her stomach growled audibly as her gaze fell down to the prey the other she-cat had brought. “My name is Honey.” The cream colored tabby replied, offering Barrow a friendly yet weak smile. She nodded in agreement with Crow’s statement, grateful for the extra supplies.

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Cricket - loner - interacting with Mantis

His tail twitched as he took in everything the other cat was saying, offering very little gestures of the sort to confirm he actually heard. He was certainly taking his time, despite the cold rain pouring down onto them. 'Finding a den here would be.. faster. But if you remember where the barn is I wouldn't be against that too.' The tom tilts his head, attempting to get any clues around this cat's identity. From their voice Mantis seemed young, hardly old enough to be out here alone in the forest. A crack of thunder tore him from his thoughts, urging him to wrap this up, and maybe introduce himself as well. 'I'm Cricket.' He mrrowed, his tail flicking back and forth. A Mantis was a bug too, both bug names. Bugs were cool.

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Mantis | Loner | Tags: Cricket

Mantis let out another high pitched as thunder roared around them. He felt tears begin to swell in his eyes as he shrunk down closer to the ground, his confidence slipping away again. Maybe it would be better to go that den he had seen. “Nice to meet you.” Mantis said, looking in the direction of the den. “Um… you can follow me. We can go side by side if that’s easier.” The tom said, walking up next to Cricket’s side to where their roots were brushing. He was much smaller than Cricket, he still hadn’t gotten that ‘growth spurt’ Maple had told him he would soon get. “We‘ll just go to the den I was thinking of, it’s too stormy.” Mantis said, beginning to take a few steps forward in the direction they needed to go. “There’s a big stump next to the den, it will be easy to spo- find.” The Bengal quickly corrected himself, not wanting to insult Cricket or make him uncomfortable.

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Cricket - Loner - Interacting with Mantis

'That's fine,' Cricket's ears pricked at the roars of thunder, letting out a relieved sigh. He hadn't been keen on trudging through a storm to get to Mantis' barn. Cricket trailed after him, distancing a little as he let himself fall behind. He was well aware it didn't help, yet he was still incredibly anxious over the little chance of falling over again, and he would hate to slow them both down, so he would simply rely on the sound of the other cat's voice to keep track of them. 'How many times have you been here..? You sound like you know it well.' The tom attempted weakly to make conversation, picking up on the quick correction as the younger cat spoke.

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Mantis | Loner | Tags: Cricket

Mantis made his was through the forest, squinting his eyes from the rain. “I was born around here.” Mantis replied, making sure to slow down every so often to make sure Cricket was still with him. “I know this area alright, but I’ve only been out by myself a pawful of times.” The tom replied, slowing down as the large tree stump came into view. “Oh right here.” Mantis said as they grew closer to the stump. A decent sized hole leading down into a den was right next to it, easy enough for the two to get into. Mantis leaned forward and sniffed at it, scrunching his nose at the very faint and old scent of an older fox. “It’s abandoned. Be careful, the entrance is on the ground to your right.” Mantis said, looking back at Cricket before crawling down into the den. The young cat sighed in relief as he stepped down into the den, glad they had some shelter for the time being.

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Cricket - Loner - interacting with Mantis

He flicks his tail in acknowledgment, gingerly outstretching one of his paws till he felt the gradual slope into the hole before he allowed himself to cautiously make his way inside and sit against the wall, quickly making work of his soggy pelt. 'So there's others with you?' Cricket murmured between licks, thankful for the chance to get dry. He swivelled his ears in Mantis' direction for his answer, neatly curling his long tail around his paws. How Mantis talked about it, and obviously his age, gave him a few clues, and he would hope there *was* another cat with him, considering how young he probably was! Maybe a few cats? Cricket's whiskers twitched, unsure how anyone could handle any more than a duo.

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Mantis | Loner | Tags: Cricket

Mantis quickly began to groom himself, tired of having soaking wet fur. “Mm.. just me… and Maple.” He replied, talking in between licks; stopping for a moment to continue talking. “Sometimes a wandering cat will stay in the barn for a sunrise or two, but besides that it’s just us.” The tom continued, deciding to temporarily give up on his still wet fur. “Don’t worry though she’s real nice. She took me in when I small. Or… smaller I guess.” Mantis said, finally sitting down with a sign of relief. His little legs were exhausted, he should never have gone past the broken fence like Maple had warned.
“She’s probably really worried…” He said softly, beginning to shuffle his paws anxiously. “She got hurt when she was hunting not too long ago and so I’ve been going out to try and catch us some food. She’s…” Mantis hesitated, knowing Maple would give him a swift hit with her paw if she heard what he was about to say. “Old.” The bengal said, slightly flinching as he said it. “Like… really old. She thinks she can still do everything by herself but she can’t, so I’ve been trying.” Mantis explained, shaking his head. “But here I am. Stuck in a storm because I went too far. With not even a mouse to show for food.”

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