✖ so what's your story?

[✖ s a n n i]

It had been only one nightfall and sunrise since the departing with Nightfoot, Whitewhisker's twin sister. We've been together for as long as I can remember, the white tom thought, longing to be with his sister again. Of course, the enclosure wasn't huge, so he would see her again, but she may not want to take the time to say anything to him. She wanted her independence, and it was obvious to Whitewhisker why. He stretched lazily on a flat stone in the middle of wherever, too absorbed in his thoughts to feel like doing anything. He stretched his claws, watching as they flexed, sheathe, unsheathe, and repeat.

[duckyaisha]

If any cat were to look at Rainstripe at this moment, they would think she was attempting to walk while having a seizure. Her legs moved violently and unpredictably, as if an unknown force were dragging her one way and she was trying to walk the opposite way. Determination flashed in her yellow green eyes as she struggled against the force that tried to move her body towards the enticing smell of blood- cat blood or rat blood, it didn't matter. Her stomach growled, but that was nothing compared to the longing of the Other for the feel of bloody meat under its claws. It was like a raging flood, consuming everything in its path but still wanting more.

Rainstripe was trying to walk the opposite way, resisting the Other. She lifted one striped leg and the Other dragged it towards the meat. She attempted to move it the other way. The Other was stronger, but this was her body. She would not let him have control! Slowly, slowly, the leg moved the way she wanted it to go. Part of her thought that if she could just block the smell of blood.... But how? Scanning the enclosure, all the could smell were sticks, leaves, and insects. Oh, and sand. Sand! That was the answer. To make the Other happy, she ran a few steps towards the meat smell, then paused and dug furiously before the Other noticed that she had stopped running.

The sand she had reached was thick and wet, like grainy clay. She dipped her head down and used her claws to press a layer of the wet sand onto her nose. The meat smell still filled her mouth whenever she breathed, but it was weaker now. She was able to trot back to where she had been before. A feeling of triumph filled her, and pride. Look at me, I can move my legs the way I want to! She thought to herself. Most cats took this for granted, but for Rainstripe, it was a blessing.

Her yellow green eyes finally noticed a white tom lounging on a flat stone. Just to prove how much control she had over her body now, she walked towards him.

[✖ s a n n i]

Sheathe, unsheathe, repeat. Whitewhisker felt like an idiot, and his large, green eyes closed, as if he were going to go to sleep. He listened to the bustlings of the others inside the enclosure. Scraping claws on the ground made his ears prick, but it wasn't until the sound of soft pawsteps came that he opened his eyes again.

Above him he saw an up-side-down she-cat with clay and grit on her nose. Whitewhisker made a face, confused as to why anyone would want that foul smelling stuff on their nostrils. Umm, hi there, he said awkwardly, up-righting himself on the flat stone, so that the she-cat was right-side-up again. Why is there dirt on your nose?

[duckyaisha]

Hostility flared in her mind as the Other instantly became aware of the white tom in front of her. It unsheathed her claws, flicking her tail back and forth, baring her teeth. It wanted to fight. The Other paced the perimeter of her mind impatiently, trying to override Rainstripe's control. /No!/ She thought, the mental equivalent of a loud, angry yowl. The Other hissed and pushed forward again. Using all her mental concentration, Rainstripe shoved it back to a corner of her mind. The effort required was tremendous, as if she had pushed a huge boulder right out of the Enclosure wall.

Finally, she was ready to talk. The Other's constant clamor in her head had died down. It knew when it was beaten. Rainstripe sighed gratefully, resheathing her claws and bending her head downwards to show that she really did not want to fight at all. "I-I'm Rainstripe," she meowed nervously, glaring at the Other in her mind as she thought of what to say next. Conversation and social skills had never been her strong point, and since being invaded by The Other she had become almost a recluse, hiding from cats instead of greeting them. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk, oh, she did. But she did not want to fight a mental battle with the Other, who wanted to attack every cat it met.

"I have dirt on my nose because I hate the smell of blood," she meowed truthfully. It wasn't a lie. The Other's lust for blood combined with the ghastly memories of Branchkit's murder had made the stench of blood revolting to her. Even rat blood made her stomach turn, which meant her meals were reduced once more to crickets and lizards.

[Cloud]

"The smell of blood?" Pebbletail had been passing by, holding a lizard she'd just caught in her jaws, when she couldn't help but overhear the tabby's words. "I admit it's not pleasant...sometimes necessary, though." She padded over and sat down next to the gray she-cat, nodding politely to the white tom on the rock. "I'm Pebbletail, con." She meowed simply. She wondered if the other two cats would also state their beliefs and if so, what they were.

[duckyaisha]

The Other reared its head once again, focusing Rainstripe's eyes on teh newcomer. She managed to keep herself in control as the Other struggled to attack Pebbletail. Focusing more intently, Rainstripe closed her eyes and shoved the Other back to a corner of her mind. /And stay there!/ she though triumphantly. Now onto the large problem. How to socialize. Looking blankly at the other con, she meowed, "I-I'm Rainstripe." Only half of her mind was focused on what she was saying; she was also struggling to keep the Other at bay. It didn't stay down for long. "I'm a-also a con."

[✖ s a n n i]

The she-cat seemed to be having some sort of trouble answering Whitestripe's question, and he looked at her absently, confused. The white tom's fur bristled and his own claws unsheathed again as he saw the she-cat's aggressive manner, but almost instantly, she stopped. Strain showed on her face, showing how difficult it had been to conceal that... that anger. Rainstripe. What a nice name. Though they all seemed nice to the tom. Whitewhisker was kind of boring.

My name is Whitewhisker, he responded, and that would make sense, if there was any blood around. He had probably caught her in a difficult spot, and he was unsure of what to say after his awkward comment. He was glad when another she-cat, naming herself Pebblestripe, had interrupted their silence, but more unsettling came after as the she-cats mentioned that they were anti-clan. My name is Whitewhisker, pro, he said with all the confidence he could muster.

[duckyaisha]

Immediately, the Other wanted to leap at him and attack. How dare he think a Clan was a good idea! Rainstripe shoved him back with all her might. /We can only attack if he strikes first!/ she hissed, and it grumbled for a while, but eventually agreed. "What makes you think a Clan will make this place any better?" She wanted to add something about whether or not he was intelligent enough to make his own decisions, but she didn't want them to become enemies.

[Cloud]

Pebbletail sighed. A pro. Oh well, what did she expect? Heaps of rat meat and an eternal light season? And at least the other she-cat was a con. Maybe she could convince her it wasn't worth arguing with such a lizardbrain and be able to talk with her privately somewhere else. Maybe she was even a Rebellion member.

"I can see this is going to go nowhere fast. Rainstripe, how about you and me go talk somewhere? I'll even share my lizard with you," the gray she-cat said, prodding her catch wth a paw. Perhaps it was rude to ignore Whitewhisker, but she didn't care. Beliefs were the essence of what mattered, and if they didn't agree arguing was so much pointless chatter.

[✖ s a n n i]

Rainstripe struggled to hold her calm manner once more, and Pebblestripe merely sighed, though Whitewhisker could imagine her rolling her eyes. I just think it would be a nice idea, he replied to Rainstripe. Cats living together and helping one another out? It's what you're doing right now, Pebbletail, whether you like it or not. Whitewhisker snapped his jaw shut as he realized his comment was sort of rude. Sorry, he meowed, disappointed that they didn't want to be in his company any longer. Whatever, he snapped at himself. There are plenty of pros in the area. He continued to laze about on his boulder. Nice meeting you anyway.