Post by Rust on May 15, 2017 13:10:44 GMT -6
The sun had not been up long when Rust woke from his night's rest; there were still gossamer drops of dew covering the grass surrounding the small patch of shrubbery he'd slept under, and the air still carried a hint of nighttime chill. The young tom pulled himself out from underneath his temporary shelter carefully, wary of any thorns that might prick his pelt; when he was clear, he arched his back and let out a contented yawn before gazing out at his surroundings. He'd found this spot completely by accident long after the sun had set the night before, and he hadn't bothered with scouting the area before settling in. Now, as he looked around and familiarized himself with his surroundings, he realized that where he was looked very much like every other patch of grassland he'd seen since he'd set out from the barn. The thought brought him up short; he was just ten moons old, and he'd spent the last four wandering the wilderness, forced from his childhood home by a horrific fire that'd been the cause of his mother's death. He felt a pang of grief, as he always did when he thought of home, but he pushed it aside and let thoughts of hunting distract him. He'd been good at hunting before, but living on his own had forced him to get better; it didn't take the russet-furred cat long to catch the scent of a mouse, and, sure enough, just behind a slight rise in the terrain, he spotted his prey. He'd been crouching since he'd caught wind of the rodent, and it was easy to creep within killing range and pounce once he'd caught it in his sights. It wasn't until after he'd made the kill that he noticed the scent of another cat; his hackles rose immediately, but it was far too late to run. Whoever the other cat was, they were very close; within a matter of heartbeats, they crested a small rise and stopped in their tracks. "What do you want?" a voice squeaked, and a moment later, to his horror, Rust realized the squeak had come from him. The decision having been made for him, Rust stood his ground, figuring it would look weak to run even though it was all he wished to do, and waited to see what the other cat would do.