Birdbrain

[raven]

A rahter impatient raven landed on a curb by the thunder path, looking back at the cat that followed him. In a speech that would have sounded like meaningless screeches to any other cat, the raven called out, "Come on, come on! If you don't hurry, someone else will find it!" upn his demand, the bird took to wing, flying toward an allyway, leaving the jet-black cat behind.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, The cat groled in her native speech, running after her bird friend. They were a pair you were not likely to see anywere else, though you might have heard of them: Raven and Sin. As Raven turned the corner, she stopped dead at a foul smell. "SIn! Why did you bring me here? You're the carrion-eater, not me!" She screeched in bird-talk. she starwed at the dead fox in revoltion.

[Ebonstar]

Walking meanlessly through the tangle of twoleg houses and trails, one cat searched. For what, well...not even she knew that. But the pull was there, the need to find this...thing, and not even she, named for the tendancy of a song to go how it wants, could resist.

So she walked.
Between nests.
Along thunderpaths.
Passing many faces, some she knew, some she didn't.
This was Serenade, loner by choice, and one who did what felt right.

And it was then that she came upon an unlikely pair, hunter and hunted, one complaining to the other, and one speaking in something she couldn't understand. Stopping, Serenade looked the two over, fighting with herself over the choice. Finally, she gave up all reasoning and chose to satisfy her curiosity. This wasn't normal for her. After all, curiosity did kill the cat. Padding gracefully forward, she meowed, 'And who might this be?'

[{darkles}]

The roads had been slippy with ice and caked in bitterly cold white sludge for days now. It was strange how the thunderpaths stayed mainly clear of the snow whilst the gardens around the Housefolk dens were blanketed completely, the untouched layer just begging to be walked through. Though he hated the feeling of ice between his toes, that was the reason for Jester's latest outing. As a younger tom he had loved to leap and pounce on the falling snowflakes, never really caring that he didn't get anything to show for his hours of play, as the snow melted the second he had it clasped between his paws. He didn't tend to do that anymore, but he always loved to make trails through the freshly fallen drifts, checking back every few pawsteps to ensure it looked perfectly ruined. He grinned wickedly, padding through another garden and leaping to the top of the fence that signaled the end of the row.

In the small alley below a fox had met it's end in the recent cold snap. The sandy coloured tom didn't think he would be able to cope living that kind of life. He was happy with his Housefolk, they took good care of him. His collar jingled it's happy little tune as he balanced carefully on the top of the narrow wood. This little cat was an expert fence-walker, he could adjust his balance with the slightest twitch of his tail or shuffle of a paw, so unnoticeably so that he almost looked like a garden figurine, doomed to keep the same position for the rest of it's life. He stood gazing at the fox for some time, wondering what it would be like to have to hunt and kill just to find food. He was just about to walk away when he heard the harsh cark of a raven. Lifting his head he saw the black scavenger gliding in his direction, followed by a darker black she-cat - unknown to Jester. They seemed to be conversing in raven speech, possibly the most strangest thing the tom had ever seen in his five long years. The black cat was in turn being followed by a second feline, though Jester could tell she didn't know it yet. Serenade was known to Jester however, he had met her on several of his little jaunts around Chelford.

The situation was too perfect to miss. Whilst Serenade was distracted with the newcomer, the beige tomcat slunk stealthily across the top of the fence to stand just above her. He made sure not to make any snow fall from his pawsteps, for that would surely alert them to his presence. Waggling his haunches and yelling a war-cry he pounced down from the fence.

'INCOMIIIIIING!!' He hit the ground directly underneath Serenade's paws and aimed to roll beneath her, flipping her off her paws and onto her back. Then, he would try to pin her down, or if he failed, just tussle aimlessly in the snow until all of his plentiful energy had been exhausted.

[Ebonstar]

Hearing the loud yowl of one who could only be Jester, Serenade leapt backwards, out of reach of his reaching paws, only to trip over his tail. Sprawling in the snow, she looked up at him, an exasperated look on her face. The white shecat flicked her black-tipped tail under the other cats nose, before scrambling up and taking a mock swipe at his ears. At the same time, she meowed, 'Jester. Of course. Haven't seen you 'round as much lately. Been gettin' lonely all by my lonesome. What's been keepin' ya?' She skittered backwards, just out of paw range, as she knew what the joker-like cat would try to do, then sat down, sweeping her forepaw over her ears in an effort to brush all the snow off them.

[{darkles}]

The problem with battle cries is that, though they may sound impressive and fill hearts with fear, they always loose you the element of surprise. Jester's battle cry was neither of the above and still lost him the crucial element - he decided it needed some work. He tumbled over underneath Serenade's paws, realising that she knew him too well to be fooled by any kind of trickery or bluffs. A wide grin spread across his handsome face as he immediately turned tail and began to kick snow backwards at the older street cat. He loved to play, and Serenade was his favourite playmate.

'I've been around..' he meowed evasively, giving up on his quarry and throwing himself to the floor to roll in the soothing cold of the icy tarmac. His yellow eyes sparkled, reflecting the piercing white of the surroundings. 'I missed seeing you though, you could've stopped by my garden?' he smiled sweetly from his upside-down position on the floor. Any cat foolish enough to visit Jester in his garden was in for trouble. He wasn't territorial in the slightest, but there was always a playful ambush being planned behind the beige ears, evidence of which was plain to see.

'How's life been treating you? Doesn't look like winter's done much harm!' he poked one paw over at the she-cat in a pathetic guesture, laughter dancing in his eyes.

[Ebonstar]

Serenade snorted at the preposition. 'Me? Come to your garden? You must think I'm crazy. Or stupid. Or both.' Snorting a laugh, she sat next to the tom, flicking snow into his eyes as she did so, and completely on purpose. 'What? Are you saying I'm fat?' she meowed, mock-hurt, and placing a paw to her chest. 'How could you!'

[sorry, utterly pathetic, but muse is on holiday... again =P]

[{darkles}]

The sandy cat screwed his face up as the icey cold hit him in the face, water dripping through his fur and getting his eyes. He blinked several times and ran a paw over his nose, brushing away the remaining snow that hadn't yet melted. Throughout, his grin hadn't disappeared, and neither did it now as he laughed at the she-cat's fake feelings of hurt.

'Ahh Serenade, you know I don't mean it!' he flicked her affectionately with his tail and guestured to the strange double act that had yet to notice his appearance. 'Who are these two? Never seen them here before..' Jester's natural curiosity was instantly snatched up and he longed to bounce enthusiasticly over towards the black cat, all smiles and how-d'you-do?. He would have done several years earlier, when his youth had found a sure companion with naivety. Now slightly older and much more streetwise, he held back. Strange cats could be dangerous, particularly if they felt threatened, and Jester sometimes had severe difficulties in holding back his excitement. It was clear the raven was in league with the feline, which intrigued the tomcat even more - who had ever heard of such a friendship between predator and prey? Certainly not he, but then as some cats were always quick to remind him, he was but a mere kittypet.

Jester didn't adore the name kittypet, it made him sound particularly soft and stupid, like one of the pampered show-cats that he knew lived opposite him. He'd never met them face to face, they were never allowed outside. The term house-cat was much preferred. The little golden tag tinkled slightly as he shook his head, clearing it of the freshly fallen snow. His battered blue collar was a prized possession, one that he was quite defensive of. However it did have it's little problems. Thanks to the tinkling noise, the stranger was almost certain to have realised she had company.

[Leopardstar]

Cadoc watched the gathered cats below with bored eyes from his perch in one of the above trees. His black pelt blended considerably into the black of the canopy of leaves. He twitched an ear. They clearly had no life but one of them looked vaguely familar, the snow white one but he couldn't place her. Although he remembered her name like it was yesterday, Serenade.
Getting bored with watching from afar, he quickly scaled the tree landing lightly on the balls of his feet opposite them, forming a triangle. His slate grey eyes narrowed as he realised why he stayed away from ohter cats. They had too many questions and he knew they would probably start bombarding him. Especially the sandy tom. "Great" he muttered, twitching his tail in annoyence.

He was a cat that normally stayed away and watched calmly from a distance, only running in when help was needed and he had a past that he kept under wraps, giving him a mysterious appearance and personality. His pelt was entirely black except for a white trail of fur that snaked from the nape of his neck, across his side to his back leg. He tended to bite back with sarcastic remarks and his fighting skills were one of the best, making him a deadly enemy. Anyone dumb enough to get close to him was either someone he respected, loved, not that happened alot, or had a deathwish.
His gaze raked over the white she cat to his right. Not bad stance, appealing eyes, soft coat. Propbably a good hunter but he wouldn't place his life on it. He tended to fend for himself. She looked like a rogue and again he struggled to place her, not that any of this showed on his face. It remained passive and his eyes looked like an assessment rather then a check out, interested sort of gaze. This was something he didn't do exceptionally well and propbably the reason why he didn't bother to mate. He'd probably piss them off.


He locked eyes with the she cat, slate eyes searching, before turning to the cat on his left. Defineatly a kittypet he thought and at the thought of it is hackles raised on instinct, not bothering to hide it.
His mind wirred and he waited for them to greet before saying anyuthing. He never jumped in first, it made him seem eager. Softly, unusal for a cat of his size he sat on his rump appearing calm but like normal, always on guard. What the hell, he thought I might as well get to know them seeing as I made the effort to come down here.
To tell the truth he had just come down to get a better look at the cat known as Serenade.

[Ebonstar]

The lithe she-cat watched as their little group was joined by another, more beaten-looking cat. Obviously a loner, and one who liked to fight too. Looking him over, she felt a shock of recognition. She knew this cat. Unable to remember where from, she gazed at him, struggling to recall. It hit her with a shock, and she hissed the name in her head, remembering the fight, and his part in it. 'Cadoc.'

She remembered the day, the fight which cost her the only cat she could call father, and the enemy. She had leaped in in front of Jester, who had been locked in battle with another cat. This cat. Scoring a blow along his back, she had given Jester an opening to escape, knowing that he had only been caught up in this by mistake, and when he took it, she followed, her thoughts never returning to that day.
At least, that's what she liked others to believe.

Instead, her thoughts had been constantly drawn to the black cat who had been attacking, one who she had seen introducing himself to another cat mere moments before the fight had begun. That was how she knew his name. Cadoc. Battle Prince.

[{darkles}]

As a normally cheery, chatty fellow, the sudden change in attitude and stance was dramatic, even scary. That a cat could flip so fast from one personality to another would scare Jester at any rate, but he cared little for whoever might be watching, all his attentions were focused on the piece of bad news that had just rolled up. Abandoning his friendly conversation with Serenade he leapt to his dust-coloured paws, the line of thicker fur along his spine rose, giving the general effect that he was twice his former size. Those once so joyful yellow eyes had become slits of mistrust and dislike, scrutinising the black tomcat with the air of one choosing the best bit to attack. His collar tinkled again as he stalked forwards several paces, his back was arched and he moved sideways like some demented form of fluffy crab, legs stiff and tail thrashing. A very low caterwaul escaped his maw, not a challenge but a warning. In those younger years Jester had been in several nasty scrapes with loners, rogues and sometimes the odd kittypet that couldn't take a joke. The hardest battle he'd ever fought was against the tomcat he faced now. The cause escaped his memory, though he knew it had not been his fault, nor his choosing to get involved. If it wasn't for the pale she-cat who sat beside him, he may not have come back from said battle. Needless to say the appearance of this face from the past was not a welcome one, and neither was the body and claws attached to it.

'Cadoc!' he spat viciously, as though tasting the foul once-a-month medicine that the Vet provided his Housefolk with. The look of disdain on his face was clear, and his posture showed no signs of his feelings receeding. Thanks to this scrap of darkest night, Jester had become involved in what he could only imagine was a territorial fight between two rival gangs of alley cats, the kind from over the other side of town - the kind who held grudges. There were still parts of the town that the dusky cat feared to tread, incase some cat recognised him from the fight and tried to pin the blame on him. Before that day, he had been free to wander as and where he pleased. It didn't suit him to be scared, and he blamed it all on Cadoc.

[Leopardstar]

Cadoc smiled almost sadisticly at the ginger tom. Some might have mistaken it for joy but those who knew him, which was not alot, knew it was his trademark grin. Narrowing his eyes, Cadoc, meowed, "Its nice to see you again...... kittypet." He almost spat the word out in disgust. As a kit he had escaped his home and he thought that anyone who wasn't brave enough to run from their grovelling two legs was worthy of nothing and his opinion was clear.
He took in the now puffy kittypet standing in front of him then to the white she cat on his other side, noting a close relationship and trust. He shuddered. Turning back to the overprotcetive fuzzball he continued "Ive always kept you with me Jester". He indicated to the white stripe down his left side. he was bored of this joint alread and it was clear n his eyes.
Turning once more to Serenade he meowed "The years have been kind" and left it at that.
He turned his back to start leaving.
""

[{darkles}]

The disgust was evident in his tone, even if he didn't say what he was thinking - this tomcat despised house-cats, almost as much as Jester despised him. The dusky tom seethed in anger at the way Cadoc had spat out the word, as though he might catch something nasty even from saying it. Never thought I'd have to see you again.. he thought to himself, too incensed to say anything sensible. The tom was still speaking but Jester wasn't listening. He didn't really want to start a fight, it wasn't his nature, nor was the end result a very pretty one. It usually meant a trip to the Vet and several bald patches where the scratches had been cleaned with nasty smelling chemicals, as if they thought he couldn't keep them clean enough himself!

'There's nothing wrong with being loved and cared for!' burst out of his mouth before his brain could tell his tongue to stop. 'Maybe if you weren't so full of yourself you'd realise it!' he added, thinking that if he was going to be shredded, he might as well say what he was thinking before, instead of wishing he'd said it afterwards. Being a house-cat didn't make you a coward. It didn't make you stupid and it didn't make you incompetent either. Jester had proved on more than one occasion that he could catch his own food, but it wasn't his fault that his Housefolk had taken it away from him before he'd gotten a chance to eat it. They'd done it to look after him. He'd heard them. Every time they'd taken his catch they told him he'd get 'wermms' and assured him that he didn't really want to eat it anyway.

There was nothing wrong with being happy.

[Ebonstar]

Serenade was getting annoyed with these two... males! They were just going to succeed in ripping each others fur off, and then they'd regret it. So, she decided she had to act. 'Will you two just stop!' She screeched, fluffing herself up and hissing. 'You are acting like a pair of insolent kits who have escaped from the nursery. When will you just grow up! This is pathetic. Yes, you have a right to not like each other, but that gives you no cause to rip each other's fur out without provocation, especially in this weather! Great Starclan!' The white cat spun and leapt up onto the very fence that Jester had appeared on, and sat, facing away from the two toms.

[Leopardstar]

Cadoc whipped his head to the tom beside him. "Maybe if you were tougher you would know what you're missing out on" he hissed back. Great starclan this cats crazy he though sourly if he thinks that living with twolegs is the better life. His ears suddenly pricked at the cat Serendaes words even though they weren't particually quiet. Flicking his tail in annoyence he hissed slyly before eyeing the kittypet. But he wasn't a cat to go against her orders so he refrained from ripping the tom apart.
Growling and keeping his eyes on the ginger he padded over before leaping up onto the fence where the snow white she cat sat. He sat there quietly waiting for her to speak.

[{darkles}]

Jester had only heard of 'starclan' in stories told by passing loners, generally those who didn't linger long and feared most other cats. He had no idea of the power they held over other cats. He did have some idea of the frustration that seemed to be coursing through Serenade, but even her harsh words would not calm him. The sandy fur on the back of his neck also refused to lie flat, and the feeling of ill-will towards Cadoc was not lessened when the black tom leapt to join Serenade.

'Mouse-brain' he muttered to the floor, tearing his eyes from the backs of both friend and enemy and slinking quietly down the alley, the new cat and her feathered companion completely wiped from his mind. The slush of half melted snow clogged into his paws as he found himself out on one of the more exposed Thunderpaths in Chelford. He snorted aggressively and, without looking back, made off into the nearest garden. Another few minutes in the presence of Mr-Big-Paws and Jester was sure he would either have killed himself or the professed 'battle prince'. Being such a chatty cat he'd come across many different views and opinions in his time, hence why he had heard of starclan, though he knew not who they were. It was unlike him to push his opinions onto another cat, preferring the each to their own motto. However, there are times when one's better instincts and judgements are overpowered by such things as anger and hate, leading to more than just a clash of personalities. Stubborn, flea-bitten fox dung! he cursed Cadoc silently, I'm as tough as any cat.. The mental voice took on a tone of sullen protest as he listed Cadoc's misjudgements about cats of his nature..


[OoC; Exit one Mister Jester! =3]

[Ebonstar]

Will post asap, gota go now, soz