Small Cats ⇧ Above the Forsythia ⇧ Book 4

Two. Introductions.

Hootly padded back into camp, a rabbit in her jaws. Layner and Mocha walked past her, their own prey held tightly as they headed towards the Crevice, where the prey and other food items were placed. The sky was bright and the sun beat down powerfully on the world below, it's rays lighting the forest around her.

About a week had passed since they had embarked on the journey, and so far, the Soarians had done more progress on camp, but no information had been shared with the Soarians about the territory, as only Flightew and the admirals knew. I hope they tell us soon, she thought to herself as she padded forward towards the Crevice. Once there, she crouched and dropped her rabbit, pushing it forwards into the dark and wide overhang. A large, flat rock cast a relieving shadow over the grassy dip that sloped inwards slightly, making for a sheltered, perfect place for prey.

Twitching her whiskers, she stepped away and began to walk towards the guardians' home, which was a large, hollowed-out log from the inside that stretched for about fifteen feet (length) by five feet (diameter). She was crossed by Forsythia and Ocelot, who were both clearly walking around at a tranquil pace. "Oh, didn't see you there, Hootly!" Ocelot mewed, looking up.

"You didn't crash into me, though," Hootly purred warmly in reply. Forsythia twitched her whiskers in mild amusement.

"Oh. Well, what're you up to?" Ocelot meowed.

"I just got back from a hunting party in the neighborhood, and somehow found a stray rabbit that wasn't in the meadow or forest."

"Where are you headed now?"

"Guardian's Home, why?"

"I wish I was a guardian already," Forsythia cut in, flicking her tail impatiently.

"One day," Hootly meowed, turning her attention back onto Ocelot. The young six-month-old she-cat was clearly in deep thought as she frowned for a moment. "You good, Ocelot?"

"Is it alright if we take a trip to the Forsythia tree?" the spotted feline mewed suddenly, looking up hopefully. Hootly paused for a moment before nodding in agreement and raising her tail.

"I guess my nap can wait," the owl-like Soarian meowed. "If we're leaving now, let's go." Both Ocelot and Forsythia exchanged an excited glance before purring and heading for the entrance.

The grass brushed Hootly's paws as she stalked through the deep undergrowth of the forest. Unlike the Oarch Forest back at the Small Cat Area, the forest near the Wizen's Peaks was overgrown with grass and crowded with tall and shadowing trees. She felt a foreboding sense shiver down her spine, and she cringed slightly before padding onwards, allowing Ocelot to lead her. There was supposedly a Forsythia tree that stood on the border between the Soarian and Cliffside's kingdom lands.

Speaking of borders, there was something new compared to how the old system worked back... not home, Hootly thought to herself dryly as she padded onwards. In the Small Cat Area between the few colonies that lived there didn't have strict lines between the different territories. In fact, it was more of approximately guesses and estimates of whether someone was crossing or not. Here, though, the Cliffsiders were protective and marked their borders frequently.

It certainly is something that I'm not that used to, but so far, I think I'm doing okay along with how Flightew is regulating it. Hootly almost crashed into Ocelot's rump had she not snapped out of her daze and looked up. "Warn me before you stop suddenly," Hootly snorted.

"Keep your eyes up then," Ocelot pointed out. "Anyway, we're here. Beautiful, isn't it?"

"I think that's a shrub but okay," Forsythia commented suddenly, and Hootly peered past Ocelot and saw a large clearing. Or, large for the heavy undergrowth that surrounded the three young she-cats. Bushes and large bristly shrubs bordered the clearing, while a short, squat, looking tree with green leaves and what seemed to be small buds of flowers. They padded forward until they were next to the plant.