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Smokey wasn't quite sure what to make of his new companions. They were an odd-bunch, but he supposed that was fitting for him. An oddball in charge of fellow oddballs. Jaws cracking a tremendous yawn, the blue-grey tom staggered to his paws and hopped down onto an old branch that rose, jagged and toothlike, against a bright summer's sky. ''Morning, everyone.'' Smokey grunted, looking around as they unfurled themselves, emerging out of their nests - some more enthusastically than others, a pale ginger tom approaching him rapidly, trotting cheerfully up to him with a sunny smile on his face. His name was Coffee, Carat or Caracal? Smokey tried to recall, scrunching his face in thought - the name just in his pheriphery.
''Sir Carrot reporting for duty!''
Ah, that was it then. ''Thank you, Carrot.'' He hummed placidly, ears swivelling as he heard a tom snigger. That one was viewed far less favourably. Carrot could be scatter-brained and overenthusiastic, but Smokey thought it far more welcome to Haven's snark. The tom always seemed to have the last word, one way or another. ''I appreciate that.'' Smokey huffed, glaring stonily at Haven, tail tapping out a furious beat against the stone.
''What's got your whiskers into a twist?'' Haven replied in a sing-song tone, strange irises swimming in his pupils. No matter how often he focused, he couldn't quite get them to look in one direction. ''Especially on such a fine day! I really like having my paws frozen off.'' Haven sniffed, shaking a damp paw out. The grass shimmered with frost, the warmth of the sun not yet dispelling a chill from the earth. It had been a cold night, Haven mused ruefully, a far-cry from the warm hay that he'd been used to. Shame, then that he'd to run for his life. Ears twitching, the bicolour tom looked up as a scarred silver-furred cat sat down next to him. It was a neighbour that Haven was happy for, giving them a chirpy smile. ''Hey, come to listen to Smokey's lecture this fine morning?'' Sniggering, he turned back to stare at Smokey, ears pinned flat against his skull. ''It's sure a riot!''
''Now listen here, you pie-!''
''You should listen to him.'' Replied the scarred moggy, tail coiling around their paws as they lifted their chin. Bluebell was Haven's friend, sure, and that included being his voice of reason more often than not. ''Might learn a thing or two about this place - and then you can stop padding after me.'' Bluebell huffed, ears pricked sharply as Haven scoffed loudly. ''I know you're sulking, but I worry about you sometimes, if you can't remember where the cli-'' ''Alright, alright - I get it!'' Haven interrupted, Bluebell's jaws clicking shut as they shook their head solemnly. They'd not let themselves be cowed by their friend's pouting. ''Come on, we can hunt after-wards and then you can carry on telling me your...saga.'' Bluebell sighed softly, pressing against Haven's shoulder. ''It was getting to the good bit. I can't wait to hear more.'' They smiled calmly, nudging Haven gently.
''I guess...'' Haven grumbled, rolling his eyes. ''He could still lighten up.''
A new voice entered the fray, a fluffy tabby hopping down to join Smokey. ''You're still here?'' She fixed her friend a withering look, before falling away to scrutinising a distant horizon. Feather's eyes trembled in their sockets, the fluffy cat looking disturbed for a split moment. A hush fell upon the gathered crowd of cats - not even Haven daring to interrupt the she-cat - it wasn't a secret that out of all of them, Feather was the oddest. There always seemed to be something in her periphery, something more than a mere bug, a shadow, a row of dog-like teeth and the feeling of dread. When at last, Feather turned to the gathered crowd, she spoke hushedly. ''It's nothing.'' Feather hoped it wasn't anything at least. After-all, otherworldly beings always had a flair fromt he dramatic and Feather could not hope to decipher all of their inane ramblings. ''Get going. We haven't got all day, and you lot should be back before dark.'' Feather sniffed, turning to Bluebell as the scarred cat spoke, eyes flashing in the summer sun.
''The dark.'' Bluebell snorted faintly, shaking their head. ''You've told us from day one...but why? What is there to fear in the dark?'' After-all, they'd been taught that cats were nightwalkers just as much as anything else. After-all, the shadows were what gave them stealth; And besides, when one was blind like Bluebell, there wasn't much distinction between the dark of day or night. ''Have you...seen something, Feather?'' Bluebell murmured softly, head tilting thoughtfully. Ghosts and things that went bump in the night, Bluebell would have to be lying to claim that they weren't so awfully fascinated, leaning forward to listen to Feather. ''You're always so coy about these visions...I almost doubt you have them at all, Feather.'' Yet, Bluebell couldn't deny that she'd heard each and all of them unfurl. There was always a strange howling from inland, far too beast to be a simple trick of the churning sea. Besides, she'd heard strange sounds from the tower too - and the whimpering of her companions suggested they'd seen something more than mere shadow or fox. ''Why are you so secretive about it anyway?'' Bluebell hummed softly, ears twitching.
''Bluebell!'' Smokey hissed warningly, hackles bristling. ''Don't be so nosy!''
A cool glare from Feather quietened the defensive tom, the grey tabby slowly trotting up to Bluebell. The air crackled with tension, as she stalked towards Bluebell, nose to nose with the scarred molly. The sunlight caught on her silvery whiskers, dripping with ire as she snorted faintly. ''Wouldn't you like to know, Bluebell?'' Feather snorted, tapping her nose with an outstretched paw. ''Just go on patrol, I expect to see you back before dark.'' She sighed, shaking her head gravely as she turned to stare at the cresting hilltops. Something in the scrubby-grasses caught her attention, a minute twitch of an ear, a faint chatter from the back of her throat as she turned to stare at its passing. ''Unless you think you can hold your own against-'' Feather froze, the tips of her ears chilled. ''-Yeah, it's not pleasant to say the least...have you been living under a rock?''
''For crying out-loud.'' Haven grumbled, tail lashing. ''You haven't even said anything.''
Smokey nudged Haven's shoulder with a paw, grunting at him to get a move on. ''Budge it. You heard the lady.'' The shaggy tom wasn't looking to compete with the forces of nature, but if that was what Haven willed...then so be it. It was no sweat off his back if the tom was found clattering half-way down a stream, or simply vanished into thin air. Besides, he was starving and didn't particularly want to hang around chatting for any-longer. ''The mice will be half-way into their burrows if we just stand around like this.'' Honestly, what was even his problem? A warning was a warning, what sense was there in arguing against it? ''Just be careful, you hear me.''
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xxCATS OF THE DESERT!!!
