Homecoming... sort of.

[Lhyrre]

{name:Mike#|#picture:11}Clouds gathered overhead, ominously.

Mike didn't much like the place... it had changed since his childhood. His huge paws were helpful as he padded across the marshy ground, keeping his paws from sinking into the muck.

He'd never thought of returning here, the place of his birth. It wasn't that it was a place of horror for him, just... simply, once you grew up, you never came home again. You established your territory, then defended it until you died. This was the way that Mountain Lions lived and died... The circle. For him, however, the circle had been broken.

No longer did his territory exist.

His foggy green eyes swept the landscape, looking for a certain place he'd known... there! It hadn't changed all that much, then. The cave. From what he remembered, it should be warm and dry, and mostly secluded and hidden. He'd only known about it because he'd fallen in once and had to be rescued by his mother. A small, rare smile touched his mouth as he jogged up to the cave. For the rest of his cubhood, the cave had served as a second home - the place where they went when the rains got bad or when it began to snow.

He ducked in.

A bit dustier, and a bit more crumbly, but overall... the same. He carefully padded up to the higher cave entrance, the one that couldn't be reached from the front and let the sunlight in. It was still there.

He was lost for a moment, reminiscing. Tumbling around here in the rare patch of sunlight in this part of the woods was the greatest pleasure he had had as a cub. Now... it seemed much smaller. He stretched out, spreading his large paws even wider, and unsheathing the claws.

He was stockily built, the puma, different than other large cats. His shoulders were massive, his tail thick, and his paws seeming too large. However, this only ensured him speed and sheer power when it came to fights. And he would fight, if need be, to protect this unclaimed cave.

Starting down, he began to set scent markings around his cave, a warning for all who crossed into the well-hidden entrance. He didn't bother with disguising his somewhat massive form as he went about brushing his coat and other ways of marking a scent barrier around the entrance.

Looking up for a moment, he saw something he hadn't seen since he left. A Marsh Butterfly! His eyes widened in amazement, and he crept up on the subtly colored butterfly, his eyes never leaving it for a moment.

He pounced, neatly startling it and making it fly up in the air. He eyed it for a moment, then leapt after it. It narrowly avoided him once more before he pounced on it carefully, making a little cave with his paws so not to harm it. He inspected the butterfly closely, noting the interesting wing pattern for later, then let it go. It flew up and up, and he raised his head to follow its flight path into the heavens.\

((Note to whoever replies - you just watched a grown Mountain Lion chase after a butterfly, then let it go. Use this irony as you will.))

[shhdawn]

{name:Kashmir#|#picture:3}The clouded leopard slowly walked through the grass...feeling it tickle her belly. Her large paws made beautiful imprints in the ground. Her tail swung back and forth as it brushed the dirt behind her. She had just done her streching, leaning forward and extending her front legs as far as they could reach. And she let a few yawns escape her mouth. With her jaws opened wide, he tongue retracted it's way out as it then curled back in when she closed her jaw.

She slowly made her way up the hills and caught interest in a strange scent. She lifted her body up not letting the grass tickle her under-self any more...her ears laid against her head, and scanned the valley around her. She caught movement in the corner of her eye up near a mountain and a cave? It looked like. Maybe a den of a couple mountain cats or whatever they were. She rolled her eyes, but seeming as she had nothing less to do she crouched down and quickly made her way towards it.

((you may want someone else in this story since we r doin Kai and Aurielle, but i decided to reply to get Kash into some action(: ))

[Lhyrre]

{name:Mike#|#picture:11}((Nahh, it's fine. =D))

Mike carefully began padding back to the cave, and stretched out in front of it lazily.

He really should start back up his butterfly wing collection - without it, he had little to do. Then again, that's how he liked it. Little responsibility, lots of time... He yawned, a cat yawn, with his tongue stretching out of his mouth.

After being chased out of his territory, that is. He still bristled when he thought of it, leaving the place he'd made his home, the grave of his mate...

Much pain streaked through him at that thought, and he quickly shuttled his thoughts down another path. Butterflies. Her name was Butterfly... Maybe that's why he liked them so much. They were colorful and fleeting, and danced away on the air, like her. She had been vivacious and powerful...

His head dropped down to his paws. Why had he chosen this cave, again? Oh, right, the sun. He glanced up at the cloudy sky. There would be little chance for sun today...

[shhdawn]

{name:Kashmir#|#picture:3}As she crept through the brush she noticed closer and closer as she got that there was something in the cave. She could make out a big brown thing...and she stopped. Maybe it was a mountain lion...that meant danger for her. She was a good fighter and could fend for herself, but she was rather smaller than other wild cats.

She found herself moving closer and clolser, curiousity-struck. Her eyes lit up as they fluttered to the caves entrance. There was a mountain lion...and he looked like he was having a cat nap. What was she doing? A male puma could easily rip her to shreds. And here she was...creeping closer to it. Her back slowly rested itself on her back paws and her tail swung back and forth silently.

Her front paws slowly drifted back and forth, letting the front of her toes brush the ground. She was almost like she was floating ontop of it, she didn't let her paws dig into the ground and make tracks..no she wouldn't be that foolish. As her eyes slowly traced up to the male, she softened her face..he looked so childish, and sweet. And she had never seen such a magnificent cat acting so adorable.

Kashmir's curiousity had taken over her mind...her imagination a much stronger place than the reality in her head. And it could be a good thing..but then again...it could be bad.

[Lhyrre]

{name:Mike#|#picture:11}Mike lifted his head, annoyance crossing his face. "I can hear you," he said. "Go away," he said flatly, putting his head back down on his paws. "Some cats are trying to sleep here, you know," he muttered.

Out of the corner of his smoky green eyes, however, he could see the cat who thought she was being extremely stealthy. Who did she think she was, coming up on him? He had to be at least three times her size. She had an interesting coat, that was for sure, but still - no matter. She was still here, disturbing his peace with her presence.

She didn't move.

Mike groaned, then stood up to his full height, looking darkly at her. His shoulders, his paws, everything about him was massive. "If you want to creep up on someone, avoid stepping on the ground," he said, giving her the glare. "Try tree roots."

With a slight, menacing growl, he turned around and stalked to the entrance of the cave, his thickly furred tail swinging behind him. He paused, stopped at the entrance, and listened. Finally, he sighed. "Why aren't you gone yet?" He finally demanded, not facing her.

[shhdawn]

{name:Kash#|#picture:3}She stopped, he had noticed she was creeping in on him. She was so shocked that he had realized her presence she just sat up on her haunches. Her tail brushed the ground silently. She didn't feel like really holding a conversation with the brute..but he just kept talking to her. Giving her tips of stepping on tree roots or something, what a strange feline.Her head slowly moved and looked at him as he talked to her. The words flowed off his tongue so smoothly. She just sat there and finally said a few words, she tried making her voice sound not scared, and tried sounding more powerful.
Why are you so talkative?
She giggled to herself. This was funny.
(excuse my small reply sorry)

[Lhyrre]

{name:Mike#|#picture:11}Mike gave an exasperated growl. "I'm not talkative. I'm trying to make you go away," he said, a note of sarcasm under his voice as she stalked into the cave.

Would the bothersome cub not leave?

She seemed intent on standing there and just talking, or starting a conversation or something of that nonsense. He sealed his lips shut and decided on his next tactic - ignoring her. It might work.

He laid down at the cave entrance to prevent her entrance and put his head on his paws, closing his eyes and quieting the urge to whap the insolent cub over the head with his tail. He heaved a sigh, and tried to get comfortable on the hard stone... as soon as she went away, he would go gather some moss or something to put on the floor farther back in the cave. Ah. That sounded pleasant...

She was still there! He stilled his head from rising in annoyance. Must she? Sometimes he wondered if the entire universe was out to annoy him. Perhaps it was. Hm. He would have to think about that later.

[shhdawn]

{name:Kashmir#|#picture:3}Kash looked at him pathetically...could he be any ruder?
Could you really get any more selfish you big brute?
She mumbled to herself. Males these days..she rolled her eyes. Then she stood up, her body highly raised in the air and walked forwards so she could atleast have some dignity. And right then, she heard a crash and leaped into the air frantically and came back down, claws extracted and fur raised...there was a storm, and by the looks of the beautiful sky that had now turned into darkness. Her eyes widened with fear, if one thing she hated was a stuck-p male, she couldn't stand storms.

And being born and raised in the rainforest it was hard having such a fear, but they had always scared her since she was a cub. She stuck her head into the cool cave, she could hear water dripping from the top and nearly tripped over the large cougar.

She was stupid going into the cave where this brute laid. But she had to get out of the storm. She wouldn't talk to him or even try and notice him. She lightly stepped over his stiff body and laid as close to the back of the cave as possible. And as far away from the cougar she could get. She crossed her paws in an orderly way and softly rested her head atop them. And her body curved into a small ball with her long tail wrapping around herself. She closed her eyes and tried breathing in and out. She didn't care about the puma right now, she really needed to calm down.

[Lhyrre]

{name:Mike#|#picture:11}Mike raised his head in surprise, looking around at the trembling clouded leopard. She must be insane, crossing his territory like that!

His hackles rose as something primal and dangerous reared up in him, and he stood, looming over the smaller cat. "Do you have a death wish?" he asked, his figure backlighted by the gloomy light from the incoming storm. One could only see his eyes, and they blazed, cleared as something else, instinctive, came behind his eyes.

Then something forced him to calm. The cat was... trembling? Not from him - her eyes were focused past him to the coming storm outside.

She was afraid of storms.

Butterfly had been afraid of storms...

He turned around and curled up at the mouth of the cave, just far enough back so that the rain wouldn't hit him. "You can stay here until the storm stops," he said gruffly. "Then get out."

[shhdawn]

Kash took notice of the male getting irritated. Her small but beautiful eyes looked up at him as a way to say thanks. She didnt't have the guts to respond to the gesture. He had made himself seem so powerful and strong, but she could see beyond his darkness. Everyone had some good in them. And Kashmir would always look for it no matter how they acted towards her.

She licked her trembling paw softly inbetween her pads. And didn't loose sight of the male. Her tail curled in and out softly as she was becoming more relaxed. And then another crash and she jumped so high she almost hit her head on the roof of the cave. Her cheeks turned quite pink but it would be hard tto see in such a dark cavern.She slowly sat herself down and let her head fall between her knees and she sat on her but cowarding against the cold stone wall. She breathed heavily...just telling herself..
in...out....you're okay...it's going to be fine....in...out...
And once she kept saying this she would start to believe it...hopefully.

[Lhyrre]

{name:Mike#|#picture:11}Gah, if she's going to stay here she could stop jumping around like a bullfrog with hot feet... he thought crossly, curled up in the farthest corner from her, which was, unfortunately, closer to the rain. It would be very difficult... He shied away from the rain and from the jumpy cat, stretching out and staring at the storm outside. He'd always liked storms.

She hadn't. It was horrible, that everything reminded him of her. He used to curl up around her and point out the beauty of the storms, the swirling grey of the skies, and the way the rain streaked and smudged everything so that it looked like you were gazing into a new world.

He had been something of a poet.

Then.

Finally, he gave into the urge he'd had since he'd first seen the kit curled up, her eyes wide and frightened at the flashing, thundering storm. Padding over so that he was next to her, he laid between her and the storm, his bulk shielding most of the sight from her eyes. Embarrassed, he turned his head so that he could watch and curled his tail around his feet. Well, this would be uncomfortable.

[shhdawn]

Kash slowly was calming down. Her heart started beating at a normal childs beat. She let her head look up towards the storm..maybe she could challenge it...like prey..oh no no. That wasn't working.. She quickly looked away towards the wall. Her breath came out in small white puffs tthat iced her whiskers. She twitched her muzzle and squinched her eyes. This really was a heck of a day. She then watched as the male slowly made him way between her and the storm. She feltt slightly relieved and a lot more relaxed. She inched her way a bit closer to his body heat. She was shivering from head to toe. She silently smiled and curled into a ball. Her long tail covered her muzzle and her ears laid flat against her head trying to keep the warm inside her. Her eyelids slowly lifted and closed, and finally just shut. Softly as she could Kash said,
Thank you...

Her voice cracked but she was happy she atleast could express how wonderful she felt now. The butterflies flew all arounf her bpdy up to her ears and down to her toes.

[Lhyrre]

{name:Mike#|#picture:11}Mike simply grunted in reply, glad that she was finally holding still. The cold didn't affect him as much, with his winter-thick fur and the fact that he wasn't from the tropics, and he noted the frost on her whiskers. Where had that come from?

Turning his head, he could see the sleety storm finally slowing, realizing that the cold had swept in and turned the rain to sleet as they had waited out the storm. He hadn't truly noticed, as his nose was buried in his thick tail - traditional cold-weather sleep pose. Didn't the kit know anything at all? Probably not... from the look of her, she was from the rainforests in the deep south, where the extreme cold never reached.

Finally, with the last of the sleet turning to a damp, cold drizzle, he turned his head to look at her. "You would sleep better," he began, "If you covered your nose with your tail while you slept. The cold's coming on."

Despite himself, he couldn't help feeling a bit of... affection? for the child. Obviously alone, and with no idea of how to protect herself against the cold... her coat looked thin - didn't whatever type of cat she was grow a winter coat?

Oops, he thought, exhaling a great sigh. I may have just let a huge annoyance in...

[shhdawn]

Kash opened her eyes wth great difficulty, they were already freezing over. She had never been in such a state. Then when he turned to look at her she couldn't help butt notice his eyes...what magnificent eyes. The shape, the slant, the tints of gold...it was just so...intruging. When he gave her a tip she came back into focus, she couldn't already be falling...oh no..she was done with searching for love. She just could take care of herself...except for now.
She took the tthought into consideration, and slowly moved her tail over her nose. She could already feel the warmth grasp her. Her whiskers twitched as they thawed out. She giggled, how come she hadnt thought f it before? How silly she was, when it came to shivering to death. She was smiling now and as totally blushing. What a fool she had been, if he hadnt have been here shed probably be dead.. wow...that was a lot to consider in a small frozen mind.

[Lhyrre]

{name:Mike#|#picture:11}Mike grunted, then sighed. "The sleet should run through in a moment - but it's the end of fall." He looked at her oddly, for a moment. "Do you know anything about this type of terrain?"

He wasn't being chatty, but he wouldn't be responsible for this cat's foolish death, if he could prevent it.

Now that he had, resignedly, accepted the fact that he wasn't going to get rid of the cat anytime soon, he rolled over to look her square in the eye. "If you don't, you should realize that winter gets worse than this." his eyes narrowed slightly. "And that you could die."

Looking over her dappled coat, he realized that she must be from the far south... farther south than he'd been. Mountain lions were adaptable, living everywhere on this continent, but her kind obviously wasn't. Some kind of... leopard? He shrugged, then decided it didn't truly matter. She was pretty enough, for sure, but completely clueless. Of course, on the off chance he ever ended up in a rainforest, he probably would be just as helpless. Marshes, swamps... all those he could do. He'd traveled a bit, and this area was as varied as it got.

He groaned. Why was he so charitable? his grumpy, reclusive side groaned. Because he had to be.... Darn charity.