A Lone Stranger

[Kiba]

A small grey figure flitted across the open feilds. His collar making a faint jingle. The cat slowed down to a brisk trot on the edge, approaching a forested area. Maybe here He may find something. Kiba sighed and picked up the pace again, having caught his breath. His sore pads hammered onto the hard earth and one had started to bleed slightly. He ignored the stinging and carried on, his white chest heaving. This is all he had ever done for as long as he could remember, running. From nothing, to nothing. Just running. After skirting round the piney trees he found himself on an open, grassy plain, the green grass cooling and soothing his hurting feet. His slate grey eyes saw hills rolling in the distance. He came to an abrupt halt, ready to collapse, he hadn't eaten since he stole some fish from a Twoleg pond nearly a week ago. His tongue flopped uselessly outside his mouth, gasping for water. He sat down, enjoying the gentle breeze ruffling his short grey pelt.

[.:.BlackFoxx.:.]

Nike watched a cat flop down from a tree. He narrowed his eyes, seeing the color on the cat. He stretched, not making a single sound. He jumped down lightly. He padded over, still making no sound. He saw the cat panting. "Are you a dog . . . or a cat?" Nike asked the cat He tensed his body, ready to attack if the tom did.

[Kiba]

Kiba tensed and his heart skipped a beat. He jumped up and whirled round to face the tom tom who had snuck up behind him, crouching low with his fangs bared. His cold grey eyes stared into the other cat's. After a while his heart and breathing returned to normal and his eyes didn't look as harsh. He was surprised to even see another cat let alone talk with one, though he himself hadn't said anything yet. He slowly rose to a regular position, still wary. Casting glances each way. "Hello" he croaked, his voice was cracked and hoarse from thirst and lack of recent use. After hearing himself speak he cleared his throat and this time spook in a smooth, silky voice. You... Surpised me. he purred, turning away from the other cat slightly and looking at him from the corner of his eye. "I'm Kiba by the way" he didn't bother lying, there was no point, besides, this cat might know a couple of things worth knowing. He nodded his head Away from from the other cat, gesturing out over the plains towards the hills. "You wouldn't know where we are would you?" he rasped his tongue over his paw before turning his head to face the other cat full on, with a raised eyebrow emphasising the question.

[.:.BlackFoxx.:.]

Nike sat up, not seeing a threat in Kiba. "Hello, Kiba . . . I'm Nike." He pointed his tail towards the rolling hills. "This is High Hills, and its my home. I share it with other cats that own it. They just let me stay here." He shrugged, and smiled at the tom. "So, what brings you here?" Nike leaned forward, really wanting to know. He took another step forward when the tom didnt answer.

[Kiba]

Kiba looked out across the plain towards the hills. "High hills, eh?" he mumbled to himself before turning back to face Nike, this other cat seemed friendly enough. "Oh, y'know... Just Wandering" ignoring the bleeding paw, it would heal up soon. "What about you?" he meowed, diverting attention away from himself. "What led you here?!

[icefeather]

Nike and Kiba didn't know it but they were being watched by two strange cats, Echo and Walker.
Echo looked at her paws. 'Other cats?' she thought, scared to death. Walker, noticing that echo was nervous... again, he said "C'mon! Let's go down and meet them! They seem nice enough!" Echo suddenly wore a horrific expression on her face. "Are you kidding me?" she snapped.

[Kiba]

Kiba thought he heard a rustle in the but shrugged it off, regarding it as a mouse or too many nights without sleep, still, he couldn't help feel uneasy, as if he were being watched. he shifted on his paws as he waited for Nike reply,

[icefeather]

Much to Echo's displeasure Walker bounded into the clearing, surprising the two cats. "Hi!" he said, "I'm Walker and this is my friend Echo. Well echo doesn't really want to meet any cats so she's still hiding." He knew he must've sounded obnoxious, but these were the first cat's he's seen in a while.

[.:.BlackFoxx.:.]

Nike parted his jaws to answer Kiba, but a cat sprang out. *hiss* "How come all these cats keep coming!?" he said a little annoyed He took a breathe, then looked Walker up and down. "Hmm . . ." He closed his eyes, thinking for a moment.

[Kiba]

Kiba saw the expression on Nike's face. "Is something wrong?" he asked coolly. While inside his mind he was wandering what knowledge and stories he could learn from these new cats. He'd heard tales of the clans but disregarded them as mere myths. Though he often wandered if this starclan they believed in may exist. he shook his head, his mind was digressing.

[.:.BlackFoxx.:.]

Nike was lost in thought. He forgot about the other cats, then cleared his vision. He looked back at the new cats. "So, where is this Echo?" he asked smoothly

[icefeather]

Echo appeared out of the bushes lowering her knowing green eyes to her paws. "Excuse my friend, he gets excited when we see other cats on our travels. Is this your territory? Because we'd be happy to move to another place.

[Kiba]

Kiba hadn't been paying too much attention but looked up just as Echo emerged from the bush, for a moment his slate grey eyes caught her green ones, and in them he saw knowledge, at least, he thought he did. Before he could read them they were lowered to the ground. He listened to what she had to say and couldb't help but grunt in agreement, if they weren't welcome he'd probably continue with what he'd already been doing. For now he just sat back and enjoyed the fact that he was talking to other cats.

[icefeather]

"Walker," muttered Echo, "Let's go."
"Hold on," said Walker, "I never get to see other cats, give me a break!" The truth was Echo really didn't want to go. Something in the back of her mind was telling her that this place wasn't so bad. Echo, deciding to show some bravery, she looked up at the other cats, studying them, seeing if they were safe. Then she caught Kiba's eye. He was strange. Look at those markings on his pelt. Where did he come from?

[Kiba]

Kiba saw Echo was looking at him, she seemed quite a shy cat so he flashed her a quick smile, letting her know she didn't need to worry about him being any particular threat. He rose to his paws, his bell on his patterned collar jingling slightly. He would remove the wretched thing but he liked the pattern.. He believed it had some sort of meaning. He just couldn't work it out. He looked at the other three cats carefully... Thay all seemed nice enough... maybe it was time to stop running?

[icefeather]

Echo was stunned when Kiba smiled at her. She coughed and looked down at her paws again, embarrased.
Walker on the other hand was in deep convorsation. "What are the best places to hunt here? Is there any dangerous stuff here? Like badgers or foxes?" he asked nervously.

[Kiba]

Kiba raised and eybrow at the she-cat's reaction and smiled. He turned to face Walker Well theres nothing in that direction for a long way off" he purred jokingly, indicating with his tail the way he'd just came.

[icefeather]

Echo made the desicion for herself. Her and walker would NOT go that way. She turned to Nike. "Where is the best way to go where there's food and water and not that much danger. We aren't looking for anywhere special.. we're just... you know... wandering.

[.:.BlackFoxx.:.]

OOC: Wow! You guys have been busy!

IC: Nike didnt say anything. He found these cats boring and started to think about Bird. He started to purr just at the thought of her. He forgot the other cats were there, and stopped suddenly. He smiled weakly and looked over to the side. "Hmm . . ." he was deep in thought again.

[icefeather]

OOC:I'm boring? *breaks down crying*

IC: "What? did you say something?" asked Walker as Nike started staring into space... again...