- time, time, and time again (Jay)

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[atrb=background,http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae113/gimble2355/almiddle.jpg] Walk "Talk" Think One word could describe the weather that day: hot. As in swelteringly, unbearably hot. Alcyone gazed at the haze of heat that radiated from the asphalt, keeping his paws well away from it. He was treading on the baked soil, on the side of the pathway next to the Laredo river. The body of water was quite something to behold. The slow current was a deep blue, though shades of brown could be seen near the edges. Not a wind rippled the surface, which was one of the reasons behind the heat wave. On the far bank, a beach of brown sand stretched along the edges, deserted but a memory of the many humans which had swum there. On both sides, a thick forest covered the area, except for the occasional break in the trees where human houses stood, some crumbling and weather-worn, others still standing and untouched by time. Funny, he thought. One house could still be as pristine as ever whilst the one next door was completely ravaged. His careful pawsteps were silent, and his ears and eyes were on lookout for any movement or sound that could be a threat. It wasn't because all other creatures were staying in the shade and not doing much that he could let his guard down. Canines were everywhere; they seemed to be like cockroaches, astonishingly numerous. But maybe that was because felines were a lot better at hiding, and were more used to it. A cat was a shadow, a dog, a silly creature that didn't seem to see the need to be careful. Unfortunately for them, that was often what got them killed. Besides, those claws of theirs couldn't retract, which meant they clicked rather obnoxiously on the hard concrete. Maybe it was because of that that they didn't see the need to move with care; every creature could hear them coming. Though, he had to admit, some of them had found a way to counter that effect, with surprising efficiency. He couldn't underestimate their spies. The spotted cat stopped. He had reached his destination, which was a gate to a private beach that had once belonged to a human which used to live in the splendid mansion on the other side of the pathway. Many other creatures stayed in the shade to be cool, but he thought that the river was a better place to go. The cool waters would be far more effective. Alcyone pounced across the burning surface of the asphalt, not letting his paws be in contact for more that a second. With a leap, he soared over the six foot fence, landing in the moist sand on the other side. Although the clouded leopard wasn't really comfortable with water, he couldn't afford to overheat either, and so walked resolutely to the edge of the shimmering surface. Slowly, he put a paw in, then another, his nose wrinkled in disgust as the liquid got to his skin. He carefully walked in until his entire body except his head was in the water, his ears pinned back and his eyes narrowed. This isn't so bad, he thought after a few minutes of bathing. He gulped down some of the water, feeling the cool liquid slide down his throat. He could actually get used to the sensation of water on his skin. It was rather effective at cooling him, and he smiled inwardly. The temperature actually seemed comfortable now. He looked at his paws in the water, surprised to see them surrounded by small fish. They darted in between his legs like silver arrows, seeming to like the shade his body provided. Amused, the cat lifted a paw and watched them swim away with lightning speed and then slowly congregate around him again. He couldn't enjoy them for long though, because his ears perked when the slight sound of pawsteps hit them. He could hear claws clicking on the hard concrete, and therefore deduced that it was a canine. Oh shit. The problem was that the pawsteps of another dog had joined the first, which meant a fight with them would be at their advantage. He needed a plan. He wouldn't have the time to get anywhere, besides they would hear the water dripping from his coat and swishing around him. The solution: stay there and hide in the water. Which he wasn't too joyful about. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs to the maximum before closing his eyes and submerging his head. It was a strange world, underwater. The sounds were both amplified and distorted, which was rather interesting. He heard the dogs pass by, panting in the heat. Fortunately for him, they didn't see anything, and his scent was impossible to pick up in the water. He waited patiently until their pawsteps faded into nothingness before risking to take his head out of the water. Shaking his head to get the water out of his ears, the cat walked to the nearest tree; a pine with no branches except at the very top. Luckily, his kind were very good climbers. His claws dug into the bark as he ascended, and he quickly got to a big branch. He jumped onto it before laying down, his back legs hanging from his perch. He rested his head on one of his front paws and closed his eyes. Maybe he could have a nice afternoon nap before hunting for food. What could make him happier? ------------------------------------------------ words; 909 muse; Excellent xD tags; Jay with Lien notes; Sorry for such a long post, I kinda got carried away xD. I never have so many words usually o.o

[Jay]

Lien didn't remember this much heat since she'd left Shanghai as a kitten. Not since hte sweltering heat of the inner city, since the streets in China. She had left the tunnels days ago, when she smell of rot and the heat with no breeze became to much, even for her. After the city proved to be of no help, Lien drifted herself off to the river. As the day had streched on, she had remained either in the shade, or at the river's edge, even going so far as to slip in to cool off. She perched herself in the leaves of one of the oak trees that rooted themselves in the banks of the river, allowing herself to nap lazily for a good portion of the day, until she was awakened by the sound of someone taking a deep breath. She opened her eyes to see a spotted head slip beneath the water, a pair of canines walking along the beach. Aparently someone did not want to be found. As the two canids walked away, Lien found herself watching the clouded leopard that had surfaced as he made his way back to the shore. He shook his head and made his way up the nearby pine. Lien stood on her branch, hopping down a branch for a better view of the larger feline. She was careful as she made her way down the branches, still eyeing the feline on the other shore. As she reached the bottom of the tree, leaping lightly to the shaded ground at the bottom, she eyed the distance, and wondered if she was really so starved for socialization as to swim across a river to say hello to someone.
Aparently not. She determined as she merely stepped up to the shore and took a drink, streching out after refreshing herself. She then stood still, looking up at the shape of the other feline, and surprising even herself by speaking.
"Are you up there to hide from the sun, or the dogs? Because if it's the former I am not sure how long it will work." She stated, seating herself in the shade, as the sun had hit her tree just enough to shade her portion of shoreline.

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[atrb=background,http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae113/gimble2355/alcytablemiddle.jpg] "Talk" All was peaceful and quiet as the spotted cat closed his eyes to have a nap. The heat made it really hard to do anything physical except for swimming, which, like most cats, wasn't one of his favourite things to do. He was pretty sure that if he went into the water everyday, he would be able to get used to the sensation of wetness enveloping his skin. Maybe could he even like it someday. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open as he heard the soft thump of a light body coming into contact with the ground. It was distant, probably on the other shore, and it was slight enough to indicate a very lithe feline. A dog could never be so silent. He lifted his head ever so slightly, turning his gaze toward the other shore. Sure enough, a grey cat was making it's way to have a drink. Opening his mouth, he scented the air. The graceful figure was undoubtedly female, and he dark points and short fur made her a siamese. But what was most interesting was her eyes; stunningly blue against her dark face, their lighter edges emphasising the almost violet core within. She had soft, feminine traits to her face, which befited her lithe yet athletic frame. Her face showed calm, and she was watching him as she took a few sips of water. His green eyes gazed steadily back at her, tinted with interest, whilst his features had an equally calm set to them. She stretched before stilling and opening her mouth to speak. Are you up there to hide from the sun, or the dogs? Because if it's the former I am not sure how long it will work. A slight amused smile played with his lips as he looked down, measuring the distance from the lowest branch to the ground at about 20 feet. "No indeed, it seems I'm in rather plain sight. The subtlety is that I am not hiding, I am sheltering from them; they are physically incapable of climbing this tree, as ill-fitted for any sort of climbing as they are. Therefore, I need not to worry that one of those creatures should disturb me in my sleep," he countered smoothly, his deep voice serene. He liked this cat: she seemed to have wits about her, which is always appreciated in intelligent conversation. He had also noticed another particular thing about the she-cat; a barely perceptible accent to her words. "You don't seem to be from around here, yet you speak the language with ease. Where is it you are from?" he asked with a questioning furrow of the brow, his ears perked toward her. He lifted himself from the branch he was on, figuring it would be more polite to be on the ground level. He climbed down the tree, his claws gripping the bark, and landed softly on the baked earth. He advanced to the water allowing his front paws to dip in the refreshing liquid but keeping the rest of his body on land as he sat down. "Oh, excuse my manners, I'm Alcyone by the way. Who may you be?" he questioned. He wrapped his tail around his paws as he waited for her answer. ------------------------------------------------ words; 537 muse; Very good ^^ tags; Jay with Lien notes; I like her, and I think he does too xD

[Jay]

Lien sat serenely in the dust, vibrant blue eyes meeting the aluring emerald green of the clouded leopard who perched in the tree before her.
"No indeed, it seems I'm in rather plain sight. The subtlety is that I am not hiding, I am sheltering from them; they are physically incapable of climbing this tree, as ill-fitted for any sort of climbing as they are. Therefore, I need not to worry that one of those creatures should disturb me in my sleep," Lien nodded.
"I see the logic, and with the current shade you do seem to have an advantage over the sunlight as well." She stated calmly. He then spoke again.
"You don't seem to be from around here, yet you speak the language with ease. Where is it you are from?" Lien smiled softly, chuckling slightly.
"You would be quite correct, I am originally from China, Shanghai to be exact, and moved here with my father a year or so before the humans disapeared." She informed him. "And I commend you for noticing the accent, many just overlook it, or did when I spoke to those around here." She stated, looking after the two canines with a minor expression of disgust. As she spoke, the leopard had made his way down the tree, landing on the ground with a soft thud, walking down to the water's edge to sit, wrapping his tail 'round himself.
"Oh, excuse my manners, I'm Alcyone by the way. Who may you be?"
"Lien. It is a pleasure to meet you Alcyone." She stated with a smile. "And where might you be from? A local perhaps?"

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[atrb=background,http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae113/gimble2355/alcytablemiddle.jpg] "Talk" When she spoke, her voice was calm, smooth and her words flowed with a studied elegance. It was probably her upbringing that gave her the attitude of a lady and the sensibility as well. He appreciated her serene disposition: he couldn't really stand hyper cats for long. They just seemed to suck the energy out of him, trying to keep up with them all the time. I see the logic, and with the current shade you do seem to have an advantage over the sunlight as well. He gave her an appreciative glance, looking back at the sun. The only time his tree would be inundated with light would be in the morning, when the sun was at the east. He shifted his gaze back to the she-cat, his mouth opening as he answered. "Indeed," he said simply. Her next words surprised him. He knew she was foreign, but he didn't know she was from the other side of the world. You would be quite correct, I am originally from China, Shanghai to be exact, and moved here with my father a year or so before the humans disapeared. And I commend you for noticing the accent, many just overlook it, or did when I spoke to those around here. He gave a slight nod at her praise, a slight raise of the eyebrows indicating his surprise at her origin. "My, my, not quite what I expected. It is rather rare to encounter a feline coming from so far. Is it much different from this?" he asked, interest sparking in his emerald eyes once more. He had noticed the look of disgust she had given to the two dogs who had passed, and he was satisfied that her feelings for them were in some way similar to his. His hatred could almost burn canines when he looked at them, and his words often held a hint of the compressed emotion when he spoke of them. She didn't seem to hold such intensity of emotion, but that was fine by him. Lien. It is a pleasure to meet you Alcyone. He gave suave smile before opening his mouth to speak. "Likewise," he replied. And where might you be from? A local perhaps? Her words were inquisitive, and he gave a smile. "Yes, indeed, a local. My parents escaped from the city zoo when the humans died. I was born here."

[/color] he said calmly. Just thinking of his origins cause a violent wave of guilt at his two siblings' death. He couldn't get over the fact he had abandonned them. Maybe would he never. Luckily, his features had remained calm and controlled despite the turmoil inside him. He focused on Lien, ignoring his emotions. "Not quite as interesting,"[/color] he said with an amused smile, his eyes calmly levelled with Lien. [/justify]

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words; 466
muse; Good ^^
tags; Jay with Lien <3
notes; --

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[Jay]

As she explained her birthplace's location, his eyebrows raised slightly, apparently not having expected a foreign cat to be quite so foreign.
"My, my, not quite what I expected. It is rather rare to encounter a feline coming from so far. Is it much different from this?" She looked around the city.
"There are differences. Shanghai was much... bigger, taller. When I was there the population was much higher than what Hexasol had at the time of my arrival. The people were different too, in terms of behavior and appearence. The cats and dogs though, the main differences are language and what is considered appropriate behavior, not to mention what brreds there were." She smiled. "Some breeds here were not popular in China, yet they overpopulate here." She then stopped, relising that she'd been rambling.
"I apologize, I don't mean to ramble, I just miss my home. I left my mother and brothers there, so it seems so faraway." He just gave her a suave smile at the statement that it was nice to meet him, then answered her inquery as to his birthplace.
"Yes, indeed, a local. My parents escaped from the city zoo when the humans died. I was born here." Another smile. "Not quite as interesting." Lien let out a small laugh.
"Oh but it's actually quite interesting, to be born in a city with such turmoil." She smiled serenly at him. "It must have been an interesting kittenhood, seeing how even loners tend to get caught up in the issues of the packs, prides, and tribes of the area." She stated, a small smirk on her face, she met his gaze across the river, then eyed the water, standing up and sighing.
"It seems rather silly to continue a convorsation across the expanse of a river, mind if I come join you over there?" She asked, smiling slightly, it had been so long since she had last had an educated convorsation with someone.

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[atrb=background,http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae113/gimble2355/alcytablemiddle.jpg] "Talk" As he inquired about the differences, she turned her head to have a look at the city that sprawled behind her. It was difficult to say if the collection of buildings had retained some of it's former dignity, from the time where they were well kept by their human inhabitants. Some parts of the city still throned, beautiful and untouched, except for the occasional broken window. They seemed to be a testimony to the building ingenuity of those creatures. Other parts crumbled in ruins, so weather-worn that they couldn't even stay standing and fell. He wasn't there when the humans were. He had never seen the city other than less ruined than it was now, and he had never seen humans. His parents had given him a pretty good idea of what they looked like, and their intelligence, but he still would have been interested to see one in the flesh. There are differences. Shanghai was much... bigger, taller. When I was there the population was much higher than what Hexasol had at the time of my arrival. The people were different too, in terms of behavior and appearence. The cats and dogs though, the main differences are language and what is considered appropriate behavior, not to mention what brreds there were. Some breeds here were not popular in China, yet they overpopulate here. He nodded and smiled, his green gaze sparkling with an interest that he had for every bit of knowledge he could find. If there was one thing he loved, it was learning. After all, it gave him a nice way to use his brain. And discovering new things was just. . . fascinating. I apologize, I don't mean to ramble, I just miss my home. I left my mother and brothers there, so it seems so faraway. His gaze softened slightly; he understood how lonely it felt to be left alone. "Oh no, don't apologise. I understand how lonely one feels when alone," he said, a smile forming on his lips as he continued, "Besides, it was very interesting. I didn't realise that mentalities were so different. It must have been quite a feeling to arrive here in a city on the other side of the world to where you lived." He knew that if he had set of to Shanghai, it would have been very difficult to figure out what exactly those mentalities were, as he didn't speak the language. He had a newfound admiration for Lien; she had learnt the language perfectly in just a few years and had learnt to live a completely different life. She let out a small laugh as he answered her question about his origins. Swiftly, she replied to his statement: Oh but it's actually quite interesting, to be born in a city with such turmoil. It must have been an interesting kittenhood, seeing how even loners tend to get caught up in the issues of the packs, prides, and tribes of the area. He gave a slight laugh when she said that, a laugh slightly tinted with bitterness. He could only too well know how it affected his family. "You can say that, yes." he said, looking at the ground, " My parents were forced to choose a side. They chose not to join the pride. I was nine months old when dogs attacked our den. . . I was the only one to escape alive."

[/color] This time, the guilt and the shame was so violent, he could hardly keep it inside. It flashed for a moment on his face, before pain took over.

He swallowed his emotions, looking over at Lien with a slight smile. "It's not very amusing, growing up in the middle of a war. There are casualties on both sides, whatever you do. You just hope that there are more on their side than yours."[/color] He forced himself to think of something else, and he was rather happy when she said something else. It seems rather silly to continue a conversation across the expanse of a river, mind if I come join you over there? A slight smile played with his lips. " Oh yes I do. Now I can't let you get all wet, can I? No, stay there, it is I who shall come over."[/color] he said gallantly, a slight air of indignation on his traits. He lifted himself up, walked into the water until his paws no longer touched the bottom and swam over, his broad paws paddling powerfully. In a few seconds, he had reached the other bank and he walked up to Lien, sitting down in the same position, his tail wrapped around his paws.[/justify]

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words; 774
muse; Very good ^^
tags; Jay with Lien <3
notes; A good night's sleep is always good for muse xD

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[Jay]

Lien felt relieved when Alcyone responded to her apology.
"Oh no, don't apologize. I understand how lonely one feels when alone. Besides, it was very interesting. I didn't realize that mentalities were so different. It must have been quite a feeling to arrive here in a city on the other side of the world to where you lived." Lien smiled at the memory of the first day in Hexasol. She'd exited the boat after her father, only a year old, didn't speak much English(just enough to get by), and was relying on her father's knowledge from cats and dogs who had gone from Hexasol to Shanghai, or who he'd met on the boat. She'd spent the first year close to her father, learning the language and behaviors of the local animals and avoiding the humans.
"I believe a lot of the mentality differences come from the humans. In China there are different laws and a different kind of etiquette. And a lot of strays come initially from human families, where they learn from the humans around them."
The next response was to her inquiry of his kittenhood in Hexasol.
"You can say that, yes. My parents were forced to choose a side. They chose not to join the pride. I was nine months old when dogs attacked our den. . . I was the only one to escape alive." Lien frowned. "It's not very amusing, growing up in the middle of a war. There are casualties on both sides, whatever you do. You just hope that there are more on their side than yours." Lien nodded.
"I understand. War is an unfortunate thing that destroys the lives of even those who wish to stay as seperate from it as possible." She sighed. "Part of the reason I've been underground for the longest time until recently."
Then the mood seemed to lighten at her offer to swim across to his side of the river. He gave a small smile and responded with "Oh yes I do. Now I can't let you get all wet, can I? No, stay there, it is I who shall come over." Lien, having been unused to such chivalry since her leaving China, let out a small bout of laughter, chuckling as he rose to his paws and made his way across the river. As he reached her shaded bank of the river her chuckles had subsided, she smiled at him as he sat beside her.
"It's been so long since I've had a good convorsation with someone." She marveled. "At least half a year now I believe. It's nice to have someone else sensible around."

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[atrb=background,http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae113/gimble2355/alcytablemiddle.jpg] "Talk" There was a look of relief on Lien traits when he assured her that he was interested in what she had to say and that she wasn't actually rambling at all. She obviously had regards for other people, and didn't want to bore them to tears. The good thing was that everything she said was intelligent, and therefore retained remained entertaining. A stupid remark was rather like a bad joke. With the joke, you don't laugh. With the remark, you don't answer. Simple rules to good conversation. He focused his attention back onto Lien, who seemed to be recalling a memory, a small smile on her face. It mustn't have been too bad then. She had said earlier that she had left her mother and brothers there. Her father must have come with her. I believe a lot of the mentality differences come from the humans. In China there are different laws and a different kind of etiquette. And a lot of strays come initially from human families, where they learn from the humans around them. He nodded, laying down in the sand, the end of his tail flicking upward from time to time. ”Well, the humans used to rule the world. They affected everything around them, so it is only natural that they should influence us too.” he said, his deep voice calm once more, his green gaze locking with Lien's blue one. The depth of the human effect was rather staggering. They changed whole ecosystems with their machines and homes, displacing animals and plants, so much that in the end, they had brought a lot of problems to themselves. And they had been so numerous. I understand. War is an unfortunate thing that destroys the lives of even those who wish to stay as seperate from it as possible. Part of the reason I've been underground for the longest time until recently. He gave a small sound of agreement. War, whatever the form, whatever the reason, killed more than protected most of the time. Some wars could be somewhat justified by the actions of one of the sides, but it was still a fight, and in essence it killed. Alcyone wanted to fight, because his parents had not deserved what had happened to them. The quicker the war ended, the less cats would be killed. He wasn't one to kill innocent canines. That would mean that he was no better than the dogs who had killed his family. He hated them yes, but he didn't kill them. ”Indeed, the underground system is a good place to hide. I tend not to like enclosed spaces, so I am simply careful when I venture out. I like to see the sky above me and feel the wind on my face.” he said, looking up at the brilliantly blue sky, cloudless on that warm afternoon. He heard her laugh as he proposed to join her, and he figured there weren't many gallant felines around. He returned her smile as he sat himself beside her. He was a lot bigger than she was, something that was less noticeable from the other side of the river. ” Seems rather strange to have been having a conversation from both sides of a river.”

[/color] he pointed out with a smile.[/justify]

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words; 542
muse; Very good ^^
tags; Jay with Lien <3
notes; Aww.

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