[miraphoenix]

x
Prompt 2 is being extended another 24 hours!

This prompt will close on: CS rollover from July 20th to July 21th
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[ToraOkami303]

Username: ToraOkami303
Choose Your Clowder: Cliffside
Previous Prompt Response: n/a
Prompt Response:
Prompt 2
A young kitten approaches you and asks for your help finding feathers; do you help them?

~*~

Victoria (#C85) beams at the kitten (#E2) purring up a storm.

"Of course I can sweetling, what's your name? My name is Victoria!" She croons gently guiding the sweet little kitten towards the treeline. They are bound to find feathers out under the trees where the Macaws nest. They also might find some down stream where she spotted some rocks, caught between the stones.

"I'm Anemone, my father and I live in the Cliffs!" They chirp back happily, scampering along side the larger adult. Their bright kitten eyes peeled for any feathers they can collect up from the ground. "Where do you live?"

"Oh I live very far away! I heard from a traveler about the Festival and decided to come all the way down this year to see for myself. I'm hoping I'll be allowed to keep just one feather as a souvenir, do you think that would be alright with everyone?" She looks down smiling softly at the excited little one.

They nod happily running between the other's paws when they see something red just barely peeking out from under a bush.

"Oh yes I don't think Kardal would be upset about taking one little souvenir! So long as you don't hurt the pretty birdies to get it!" They disappear into the bush and give a disappointed "aww" as they come back out with a flower not a feather.

"I wouldn't dream of hurting the birds. Aw that's alright love I'm sure we will find some soon! How about we take the flower back as a gift for your Father hm?" She pads over on soft paws gently grooming the kit's head.

"Oh! Yeah!!" they look down at the flower considering for a moment "Could you carry it? It's very big!" They ask politely looking up at Victoria.

"Of course my little sweetling" She picks it up carefully so it will be safe until they get back. She looks ahead seeing something else Red ahead. "Oh? Little one look ahead maybe that's what we are looking for!"

They turn to look perking up and rushing ahead to see...

[350 words]

[►Athena◄]

Username: ►Athena◄
Choose Your Clowder: Cityside
Previous Prompt Response: Prompt 1
Prompt Response:

Having managed to jump across the river and collect his first few feathers, Stone was feeling rather accomplished. Until he realized that the local cat he'd been trailing was long gone leaving him lost in the middle of this unfamiliar place. Suddenly very anxious, Stone stepped once more into the jungle. He was keeping his eyes peeled for the bright blue feathers he needed to gather when there was a loud noise from directly behind him.

SNAP!!

Jumping straight up in the air, Stone's tail puffed to twice its normal size as he spun around and landed with his claws out, ready to face this unknown danger.

A little kitten with sparse fur and unfamiliar color stood there, his front paw on a broken twig, "Hi! My name's Anemone!"

Stone glanced around in confusion, not seeing anyone with this little kitten, before speaking, "Hello there... My name is Stone."

"Oooh, are you looking for feathers too??? I was out here with my dad but I thought I saw some feathers so I went to check and now I can't find my dad anymore. Can you help me find him again?"

Stone blinked. This little kitten sure was a bundle of energy.

"I'm not very familiar with this area since I'm just visiting for the festival, so I'm not sure how well I can help, but I'll try to get you back to your dad. Do you know where you last saw him?"

The two started off into the jungle, with Anemone excitedly shooting off question after question about Stone's home back in the grasslands, barely giving him time to answer.

[ԏєѧѻӆғוѓԑ]

Username: ԏєѧѻӆғוѓԑ
Choose Your Clowder: Cityside
Previous Prompt Response: xxx
Prompt Response:

Abnew was excitedly preparing for a day of hunting feathers, helping to make a morning meal and then eating their portion quickly. Raft was slow-moving after the late night of staying up learning how to better find the feathers they were looking for, but it is because of his night of studying that he feels confident to let Anemone come with them when they were approached by a kitten asking for help. Raft is admittedly a little confused that this kitten from the cliffside was here in the city, asking cats on the cityside team for help, but he figures it won't hurt to allow them to tag along - and Abnew agrees, saying it'd be a shame if they found feathers for the opposite team's side and they just went to waste.

[miraphoenix]

Prompt 2 Results

Neon sparks - [Post]

Uh-oh! The rustling in the bushes wasn’t a mouse; it was a snake, and by the look in its eyes, Junebug and Anemone are looking like tasty snacks! What does she do?

You have found:

7 feathers

Adamented - [Post]

In addition to the stray feathers that you eagerly gather up, you spot something shiny in the nest. Picking it up from underneath the feathers, you realize it’s an item! You have found an extra breeding slot!

You have found:

11 feathers
1x extra breeding slot

EternalOutcxst - [Post]

The sun was warm and the day was peaceful; both you and Harakka wandered back to camp with Anemone to share stories at the close of the day. Although uneventful, the stories were warm and welcoming, and you felt it was a good day.

You have found:

8 feathers

ToastedCagon - [Post]

After the excitement of the previous night, Mitto was just as tired as Anemone; feeling safe, all three cats curled up and took a thankfully-uneventful nap, more than happy to rest with their hard-earned feathers as a pillow. Maybe the next day would be less eventful...

You have found:

13 feathers

kiro,, - [Post]

As Tawny and Ghost walk back towards the camp with Anemone, Ghost heard a low hissing growl as the trio walked up a small mound of loose dirt and sticks. Tawny froze, looking around for the source of the sound, and his eyes fell upon a large caiman advancing on all three cats.
In the silence between heartbeats, all three cats could hear a soft chirping sound, and realized abruptly the group was standing on the caiman’s nest; how were they going to get out of this one?

You have found:

8 feathers

ToraOkami303 - [Post]

After a long day of exploring and gathering feathers with Anemone, you turn back to head for camp. As you do so, you feel a jaunty spring in your step, the wind flowing through your fur. You see something glinting in the sun; you have found a double stat reroll!

You have found:

7 feathers
1x double stat reroll

►Athena◄ - [Post]

As Stone and Anemone made their way through the jungle, Stone heard a crackling in the leaves next to them. He looked up and came face-to-face with a feral boar, with tusks nearly as long as his tail. The massive pig snorted and pawed the ground, clearly upset by the cats’ presence. What is he to do?

You have found:

8 feathers

ԏєѧѻӆғוѓԑ - [Post]

After a long day, Abnew and Raft escorted Anemone back to the cliffside basecamp, before turning away towards the cityside camp. As the pair walked away, a cat approached them from the cliffside clowder, thanking the both of them profusely for their kindness, and asked to go with the pair! You have found one full MYO!

You have found:

8 feathers
1x full MYO

[miraphoenix]

x
Prompt 3
A group of cats are going to the city to search for feathers, while others are going to the river; where do you go?

You may answer this prompt in either art or words!

This prompt will close on: CS rollover from July 25th to July 26th
[CS Clock]



If you encountered a predator in your previous response, you may address this in your next reply for an extra chance at some feathers. ^^

As mentioned on our discord, if you have missed a previous days' prompt but still want to join in, please clearly mark which prompt you are replying to, but go ahead and answer past prompts! You will still receive rolls and chances at feathers!

[Neon sparks]

Username: Neon-sparks
Choose Your Clowder: cliffside
Previous Prompt Response: here
Prompt Response:

predator response:
Junebug steps between the snake and the kitten. bristling and hissing trying to make herself look bigger and scarier. whenever the snake tries to get closer she catches its snout in her paws, biting and kicking it with her sharp claws. she would do anything to protect a kit!

Prompt 3:
Rufus decides to follow the group toward the river with stormy at his side. he insists that it's at least a good idea to get a lay of the whole territory as stormy protests. stormy still doesn't like these strangers and doesn't want to trust them. He's grumpy about even being here but still feels he has to go along with it because his leader insists. rufus of course sees nothing wrong with these cats and happily chats the group up as they walk to the river bank together. stormy left trailing behind the group.

[Adamented]

Username: Adamented
Choose Your Clowder: Cliffside
Previous Prompt Response: [x]
Prompt Response:

Perspective [Kaneli, #A89]

I breathe a sigh of relief as I jump down from the tree branch with Anemone safely clinging to my back, between my shoulders, their little satchel stuffed full of the feathers we plucked from the Macaw's nest with incredible care. Their bright blue eyes sparkle with joy at the stash they found, though I can see they still have residual nervous energy. I've certainly taken to a trepidatious approach after that snake chased us through the jungle, my ribs still hurt even now after a reprieve from my heaving breaths and my lungs sting with each inhale of dense warm air. At least Anemone is lit up with pride now, none of that abashed young kitten I stumbled upon left in their expression. They hop off my back and onto the soft mossy ground beside me and we begin to make our way onward, now on the other side of the rushing river, having crossed the overhanging branches above head with their low hanging bows.

The sun is starting to pass the zenith of its arc in the sky overhead when I begin to hear a distant trodding and quiet chatter, at first I overreact to the sound, crouching over Anemone to hide them as my ears swivel forward to the sound of many footfalls nearing us. The anxiety is building inside me, my thoughts racing as I try to predict what may happen and what I can do to escape. Did the chase alert some pack animal of our presence? Could we hide, or would they smell us? Would these creatures be able to follow us back across the river if we went back the way we came? My brain spouts in an endless stream, panicked and wary.

However, when I open my mouth yet again to attempt to drink in the scents past the humid forest air, I am immediately relieved. Its difficult to pick up at first, surrounded by such aromatic verdant greens and vegetation of vibrant colors, but it was there. A smell so natural to this place, so familiar that it couldn't possibly be misplaced.

"Anemone!" A relieved tone sighed at the sight of the young patch furred kitten, as a familiar dark furred tom rushes out of the underbrush of wavy leaves and fanned ferns with his tail raised high in the air. The worry is evident in his body language and his voice, quivering slightly as he nuzzles the young kit and drops a frog at Anemone's feet. "I was looking everywhere for you! Where did you go?" He's so wrapped up in smothering and grooming the puffball that he hasn't even noticed me yet, looking past him to the group that follows behind, relieved to reunite father and child.

"I'm alright!" The kitten tries to ward off Ube, feeling overwhelmed with the attention and embarrassed that a search party had to be arranged for him, and probably feeling a little more self aware because of the very real danger he had found himself in just moments prior. There's so much sound going on, the group talking amongst themselves in hushed voices and communicating with very slight changes in body posture and tiny unnoticeable gestures... well, imperceptible to a complete stranger anyways. Like myself.

"Thank you for finding them," Ube presses his nose to my shoulder with an appreciative purr in his throat, bringing me back from my distraction of analyzing these strange jungle cats. "And for keeping them safe."

"It's really no problem, Ube. We were just on our way to find you- although admittedly we were taken a little... off course." I look down at Anemone's bag of feathers, then sheepishly back at the river barely visible beyond the brush back the way we came. Ube gives me a quizzical look, following my glance to the river. His eyes narrow a little suspicious of me, and who can blame him.

"Did something happen?" His sharp gaze turns to Anemone, who buries their head in his fur to hide any betraying expression, nuzzling deep into his father's side.

"No! Nothing!" The kitten chimes, probably trying to keep themselves from getting in any more trouble than they already have today. I shake my head incredulously, meeting the concerned fatherly gaze intent on my now.
"There was a large snake in the woods, but we lost it crossing the river from the trees. Don't think he'll be back to bother us again." Ube seems even more relieved, although he pushes Anemone away a little bit with his foreleg.

"I wouldn't call that nothing, Anemone..." He mumbles grumpily, "From now on stay close by me. No more wandering off! You could have been hurt. What if no one was able to find you?" He mumbles something about Anemone's other parent, but I don't quite catch it. It must be hard to keep watch on a vulnerable kitten in such an unpredictable and dangerous environment, I don't envy his responsibility.

The rest of the group has begun moving again and with them Ube begins to start forward, Anemone scrambling under the many sets of legs and disappearing among the crowd. "Ube, do you mind a little company?" I inquire tentatively. He seems nonplussed and shakes his head.

"Come along, Kaneli, I could use an extra watchful eye around." He titters, leading me forward towards the front of the group where we help guide the others, keeping wary ears and eyes on the trees and bushes around us.

We've been pushing through the forest for some time when Ube next speaks up to me, focused on his watchful position. He tells me a bit more about Anemone's other parent, who lives in the city. At the mention of the city, there begins to spread murmurs of thoughts to split away from the impending gloom and darkness of the jungle, to search for any potential roosting spots within the abandoned buildings. Others seem less keen and they talk about veering towards the river again instead, there's a steep rocky hill a little down the way that's only a short climb before arriving at the bottom of a waterfall. They say the water is nice and calm there on the surface, with fresh cool currents circulating the water below to keep it pleasant and drinkable.

Both sound intriguing if I'm honest, I can see a bunch of separate conversations happening about it around me, but I'm actually hearing very little. So much of their conversation is wordless, here. I look down at Anemone, weaving between my paws with every step to stay out of sunlight as we cross a gap in the trees. Some of the group are starting to wander away from the more condensed bodies, I share a silent glance with Ube whose left ear flicks slightly, he leers at me.

Maybe he can tell that I'm clueless by the look on my face or perhaps my obliviousness is something he knows and he had forgotten for a moment there, either way he seems clued in as an apologetic smile crosses his maw. "Where would you like to go next? The river to cool down and sip refreshment, or the city to find some shade and maybe some nests in the rafters?" Ah. That's what that meant.

It's a hard decision, it's tempting to slip into the water and let the cold liquid seep into my sweat laden fur, down to the skin to wick away the stickiness. I can practically taste the clear refreshing pool in my mouth, on my dry, swollen tongue. However a daunting thought of the snake i sent spiraling down its rapids and careening over its rocks has me hesitate, I glance forward away from Ube so he won't see the fear I'm my eyes. "Let's check out the city. I didn't get a very close look at the structures there, and the vines growing on them look cool, I'd like to see more of that."

Ube seems to know more than he lets on, shown in the long silence between us, but he simply nods curtly after a moment. "Alright. Anemone, do you want to lead the rest of the way?" Anemone scrambles out from under my paws, nearly tripping me and mewling their excitement. Of course, they've forgotten all about being in trouble, but Ube doesn't seem to mind. Their relationship is admirable, it's one that I'm secretly deeply jealous of, with no real relationship with either of my progenitors. The way they interact, with one another and with others, is quite an endearing thing to be witness to. It fills my heart with a tingling warmth that I can't help from letting slip onto my face, the feeling of butterflies in my stomach. I don't doubt how lucky I am to be apart of this, even just for the time being, I know I'll cherish every moment I have here with them and perhaps... maybe I'll just tag along with them for the rest of the event.

"Can I ask you something, Ube?" I pip, curiosity stirring my stomach from that joyous swirling to a sinking feeling like I've eaten a rock. "Are there a lot of predators like that around here?" I turn to my left to try to catch his eye only to see he is staring straight forward, intent on Anemone as the kit runs ahead of us to lead our small troupe of jungle wanderers back towards the city where the opening ceremony of the Feather Festival took place earlier.

"Absolutely," Ube nods solemnly, glancing only for a second to me, before taking in our surroundings again. I feel bad for exacerbating his nerves, I'm quite on edge myself. His words don't offer me any comfort. "The jungle is a very dangerous place. You have to be worried about everything. Larger cat-like creatures are in the trees, they can be jet black with giant claws. You never see them coming, but they reek. The river hides these really big, scaly green creatures. They look just like floating logs but with gleaming golden eyes that are hard to notice at first, there's no chance for you if they get their jaws on you. They're super fast in water and they have really, really long maws with tons of fangs in them. Snakes... well they're pretty much everywhere."

I'm a little taken aback by that, my incredulousness seeps into my voice. "Everywhere?" I squeak, suddenly much more aware of the space directly around me, ears turning back to display my displeasure. "You mean, even in the city?"

"Yeah. Even where we're going there's likely to be some. Mostly they like to sunbathe when the sun is at its highest, generally they like smaller prey than us so you don't usually have a problem, but..." Ube's eyes wander back to Anemone, bounding around in front of us, before hushing his voice a bit. "...kittens are another deal. They're no different from rats, in the eyes of a snake."

"That's terrifying!" I yowl, apologizing to one of the other jungle cats next to me who is startled by my outburst, dipping my head to show my genuine regret for the action. I turn back to Ube and the path we're headed on, muttering back. "Is there anything I should know about how to deal with them...?"

"Uhh, not really... well, I guess, move slowly. If you're trying to protect a smaller animal or something, put yourself between them and just move slowly and calmly away. Snakes around here aren't really interested in a difficult meal, but if you're erratic it just makes them angry." Ube quips, I'm impressed with his knowledge, but considering my earlier encounter I feel incredibly embarrassed at my incorrect reaction. Anemone had seemed like they knew what was going on and what exactly we were running from when it had happened, but I have to remind myself that they're a kitten and probably didn't know too well either. I hadn't had to deal with a snake so big before, I guess I had acted pretty rashly.

The small group of us maneuver out of the jungle and put our paws back on old, cracked concrete once again, staring at huge towers of stone that have crumbled, leaned, and some of them partially collapsed in on themselves. The dust has long settled here, some of the structures are still in incredible shape, only marred by the time passing since they were last maintained. Everyone splits off, except Ube, Anemone, and I who continue on together on our search. I'm sure they'll find more feathers, spreading out to cover the most area and check as many spots as possible in a shorter amount of time, but all this talk of snakes has really made me nervous.

The first stone house we step into has a glinting silvery clear pile of shards on the ground below where we enter in what must have once been a window, we carefully pick our way around the pieces, Ube carrying Anemone past the worst of it of course. We both look around slowly, eyes adjusting to the lack of light in here compared to outside. I glance upward, seeing the tilted ceiling above and the wooden supports and rafters that hold it up and the rest of the weight of the building on the next floors. It looks like there's some storage space made from the beams that stretch across, struts connecting them to create an area that could support more weight. I look back to see Anemone and Ube are making their way towards the next room. "You coming?"

"I'll catch up," I call, opting instead to dig my claws into the groaning wood of the beam and carefully shimmy my way up. Maybe with that open window, some macaws might have found their way in and up into these rafters to make nests and keep dry and sheltered from the winds and rains during the wet season.

[►Athena◄]

Username: ►Athena◄ 
Choose Your Clowder: Cityside
Previous Prompt Response: Prompt 2
Prompt Response:
Stone's mind went blank. There was no time to think or question what to do. Without a single second of hesitation, he grabbed Anemone by the scruff and bolted to the closest tree. He jumped as high as he possibly could. He stretched as high as possible and dug his claws into a branch. Down below, the boar charged and just missed grabbing Stone's tail. Stone managed to pull himself and Anemone up safely onto the branch, where he calmed the shaking kit down. The two of them sat in the tree for several hours, waiting as the boar calmed down and eventually wandered away. They slowly slunk out of the tree and continued back to where Anemone had lost their father.

As the two walked, they suddenly heard some voices. As they climbed a small hill, a small gathering of cats appeared. Anemone darted forward, racing towards what must be their father, eagerly recounting his adventure. Stone started chatting with the other cats, learning that the group was undecided between two places to search for feathers, the city and the river. Having just come from the river, Stone decided to follow the half headed into the city.

[harvestberry]

Username: harvestberry
Choose Your Clowder: Cityside
Previous Prompt Response: Responses to prompts 1-3 can be found here!
Prompt Responses:

Prompt #1

Characters: Pyla #F271 and Waxwing #F270

Dawn had barely crept its way into the city when Pyla and Waxwing arrived. Their journey had been long; through aching paws and endless stretches of boring scenery they had trekked south, and the difficulty was seen on their faces. As they went through the forest, which had slowly turned from deciduous to tropical, light flickered through the trees, and the sloshing of water in the river next to them became louder, more of a dull thud. Pyla sped up, slowly leaving Waxwing in the dust until he mustered up the energy to chase after her. As the bushes vanished, she skid to a stop, drawing in a gasp of breath. The land ended, dropping off to a cliff. The river next to them fell to a waterfall, landing far below in a larger river. She barely had time to look around before Waxwing broke out too, barely stopping before going over. The fur on his spine went up in fear, and Pyla snickered with amusement.

“You big oaf.” She padded over to him, touching her nose to his shoulder before looking out at the scenery. The jungle stretched on and on, neverending. In the middle of the river laid a city, worn out and destroyed by years of erosion. Looking down the cliff, some shapes moved around in a clearing; cats, she presumed by the colors on their coats. Actually, she was certain they were other cats based on the coats; spotted torbies, gray and white cats, some decorated with flowers, even a solid black cat, moving like a shadow. Colors usually unseen in wild cats. Waxwing tapped her on the side with his tail, gesturing towards a narrow path to their left.

“C’mon, we should go down! I wonder if the water will feel like home…?” He murmured, looking down at the water with excited eyes. Pyla trilled in amusement.

“Didn’t you say that about every river and creek along the way…? Anyways, we shouldn’t be thinking about home all the time. There're other cats down there as well. Let’s get going, then.” The duo started moving down from the cliff, neatly tracing the path all the way down until they were in the clearing. Pyla’s suspicions were confirmed correct; the clearing was teeming with other cats. Some looked like locals, chatting other cats away like excited tour guides, while others looked around, equally fascinated with their surroundings as Pyla was. Instead of sticking in the clearing for long, the two went into the jungle to look for a meal.

Pyla parted her jaws, but instead of catching the scent of a mouse or squirrel, it was all rich, lush scents; her senses were overloaded, and she snapped her jaws shut, blinking quickly. This place was even more foreign than she thought; she couldn’t even catch the scent of prey. Interesting.

The day went by too quickly. They’d managed to catch a bird, but everything else they came across was either too big or looked too aggressive. Even the bird made a mess of feathers everywhere in its struggle. They ate quickly, hungry from their journey, although they still found themselves hungry. As they made their way to the city, the place advertised as a safe haven to sleep, Waxwing stopped at a bush, observing the flowers with fascination. Pyla walked a few more paces before turning around, staring at him with confusion.

“Waxwing, what are you d-“ she was cut off by a flower being stuck on her head next to her ear, a paw reaching up to thread the stem into her fur. She stood there, taken aback and staring at him with wide eyes, while Waxwing simply smiled.

“Don’t look at me like that! It looks pretty!” Pyla scoffed, looking away.

“Al-alright, I guess I’ll keep it….” She murmured. Waxwing brushed past her, loping towards the city. Pyla followed suit, catching up to him. It was already becoming too dark to make it to the city’s heart, so they settled for an alleyway at the edge. Pyla curled into a tight ball, tail over her nose, while Waxwing settled in next to her, outstretched.

(687 Words)

Prompt #2

Characters: Pyla #F271 and Waxwing #F270

Pyla had expected to wake up to the sun in her eyes, as the alley was facing east to west. Instead, she awoke to Waxwing jumping, shouting in alarm and staggering away. She looked over at him, eyes wide with shock, only to switch to inquisitive amusement. Hanging off the chocolate tom’s tail was a small sparse-furred kitten, hanging on like a fish on a hook. He sat down, and the kit jumped off, batting at his tail and giggling. Pyla stood up, stretching and yawning before placing a gentle paw on the kit’s back. They looked up, grinning.

“Hi! Are you travelers? Oo, oo, where are you from? You smell salty and fishy! Yuck! My dad told me that fish here aren’t that good. Are the fish where you’re from good? Oh, are the feathers there? Speaking of feathers, have you seen any around? I want more feathers! They’re so fun to play with!” The words spilled out of the little body too quickly for Pyla to register, and she stood there, eyes widened with shocked confusion. Waxwing gave a nervous chuckle.

“Slow down. Feathers - you want some? I coulda’ sworn we’d seen some, right, Pyla?”

The cream molly swallowed harshly, nodding. “Yes. We saw some feathers just outside city limits, do you want to get some, uh…?”

“Anemone! And yes! Oooh, my dad’s gonna be so proud of me!” The kitten scampered off, and Pyla followed, alarmed.

“Hey, hey! Not too quickly!”

The travelers helped the kit search for feathers, answering every question along the way. Yes, they were from far away. Yes, they lived by the beach. Yes, the fish were good. No, the ocean water was not drinkable. Yes, there were gigantic cat-eating fish with several rows of teeth, but they only showed up in summer. And no, naughty kits were not eaten by monsters from the deep ocean. Where did they even get that one from…?

By the time Anemone was satisfied with the feather haul, the sun was still high in the sky, just past noon. In return for their help, Anemone gave them a quick tour of the cliffside clowder’s “territory.” The dome, which they had always wanted to explore, the river, with its tossing torrents and fatal current, and the main clea-

“Anemone!” Pyla turned to find the source of the new voice; a colorpoint tom with a purple flower and striking blue-green eyes ran towards them, followed by a few other cats. He panted as he slowed down, anxiety in his eyes.

“Dad!”

“Where have you been?! I’ve been searching everywhere for you!” He demanded. Anemone gave a goofy grin.

“They helped me find feathers! Look at how many we got!” The cat looked up at Pyla and Waxwing, sighing.

“Thank you for looking after them. They can be a real troublemaker, I’m sorry if they bothered you at all.” Waxwing smiled.

“It was a pleasure. I’m sure they learned quite a bit about the world outside the jungle, just from the number of questions asked.” Anemone’s dad smiled, suppressing a chuckle and ruffling the small patch of fur on his kit’s head.

“Thank you so much, once again.” Anemone grabbed as many feathers as they could carry, and bounded after their dad, waving goodbye to Pyla and Waxwing with their tail as the two travelers shared an amused look.

(561 Words)

Prompt #3

Characters: Pyla #F271, Waxwing #F270, and Asclepius #E13

The clearing was teeming with life by the next morning. Pyla and Waxwing sauntered in, surprised to see two distinct groups forming, apart from Kardal and a few travelers he was directing. The pair looked at each other, before making their way forward, listening in on the calico’s directions.

“….exploring groups. That group is going to the city, and that one to the river! You’re welcome to join either.” Pyla glanced at Waxwing.

“Which group do you want to go with?” She murmured. He looked around, flicking his ear.

“Either or.” She looked between them, narrowing her eyes.

“…city. Let’s go to the city.” Waxwing nodded, following her to the group. After a few minutes, it left, trailing after a cat who seemed local; he had an almost caramel-colored coat, and one flopped ear.

As soon as the group entered the city, it became obvious that someone was there recently. There was an opened tin of rich-smelling food, and some displaced leaves. Excitement rippled through the group, something that was in no way shared by Pyla or Waxwing. About half of the cats went off to search for the human, eager for a chance at a quick snack or cheap affection. Most of the others stayed behind, looking for feathers while also subtly waiting to see if the person came back. Pyla, Waxwing, and a few others, on the other hand, left to explore immediately. They’d sworn off human help ever since their caretakers abandoned them, and besides, there was plenty to explore.

They claimed an alleyway to search through. Crumbled, broken, and overgrown, the alleys felt like another world. They started to rummage through piles of leaves and garbage, hoping to feel the soft touch of a feather. They found nothing, unfortunately. It must’ve already been explored in the past. In the next alley, they found a couple of feathers, but not many. The third alley had a lot more to rummage through, and so they set to work, chatting idly the whole time.

Suddenly, a whisper sounded above them. And then, another. Soon, there was an entire whispered conversation, occasionally cut by giggles. Waxwing and Pyla looked up at a crumbling staircase, met by three pairs of eyes; two regular blue, one albino. The two blue-eyed kits tucked back, barely visible anymore, while the albino kitten lifted her head, twitching her nose and parting her jaws. She perked up, and trotted down the stairs, stopping a few paces away from the pair as her siblings watched nervously. She smiled.

“Are you guys travelers…? I’ve heard a lot about the travelers. Where are you from?” She spoke with a soft voice, eyes gleaming. Pyla smiled.

“We’re from the beach, very very far away.” The little white kitten’s expression lit up.

“The beach… I’ve always wanted to see that! Does the water really go on forever there? And, and can we come with you?” Waxwing nodded at both questions, and she jumped in place, turning around.

“Glory! Nimbus! Did you hear that! We can finally leave, and the water there goes on for….ever?” Pyla looked up, frowning; her siblings didn’t seem as enthusiastic. They watched with uncertainty.

“I don’t know... I don’t think there're many flowers by the beach. Just water.” The little caramel kit mewed, backing up. The ticked tabby followed suit.

“Exactly. There’s water, but no waterfalls. It’s all still. But… you’re welcome to go. We’ll never forget you, promise.”

A crestfallen look found its way onto the albino kitten’s face. “..O-oh. Alright. So you’re… not coming with me, then….? Okay….. well, maybe I’ll see you again!” She lifted her tail, waving it farewell, and turned around.

“So, are we going? Are we going to the beach?” Pyla’s eyes widened.

“Not.. not yet. We’re still not done in the jungle. But you’re welcome to join us on the rest of our adventures here! And then we’ll take you there.” She glanced up as she spoke; her siblings were already gone. The kitten nodded.

“Yeah! I’ve never been out of the city before... U-uhm… what’s your names, again?”

Waxwing purred. “I’m Waxwing. Her name is Pyla. What’s your name, little one?”

The kitten nodded slowly. “Waxwing… Pyla… alright! My mama called me Milkweed, but Asclepius sounds cooler, so call me either!” She smiled, and Pyla nodded.

“Very well, Asclepius. Come on, let’s rejoin the group. Everyone should be back now.”

(730 Words)