"Hey, Starr!" An upbeat voice called out. Starr pivoted her ear in the direction of the sound without opening her eyes. Without looking she instantly recognized the voice of her friend Rita, a wolverine. Starr opened one eye to look at her approaching friends. Like always, Himari was clinging to Rita's shoulder, barely able to hold on as she skipped excitedly towards the black cat. Starr had been leaning against the brick wall of Cherryton Academy, waiting for them so they could walk to lunch together. Himari, a nimble grasshopper mouse, leaped onto Starr's shoulder once they were a few feet apart. Starr was a much more stable perch, considering her serious nature as opposed to Rita's bubbly one.
"What took you guy's so long?" Starr asked calmly, smiling slightly at seeing her friends. She was very reserved with her emotions, but let her walls down around these two.
"OH. MY. GOSH. Starr, you are not going to believe this story." Rita started, nearly jumping with energy as she began to recount how they had seen Louise in the hallway, and nearly got his autograph, but Himari got separated and it was SO terrifying because she could have easily been trampled. "Luckily, I bravely got down on all fours and found her safe and sound, embarrassing myself in front of the school's Prince, Louise!" She swooned dramatically as they walked towards the cafeteria. "You see how I would sacrifice my public image for my friends, Himari? In that moment, what Louise thought of me was far from my mind, until I knew you were safe!" It was a wonder she wasn't in the theater club with how much she posed and monologued even the most mundane events.
Starr half listened and shared a small greeting with Himari who was still sitting on her shoulder. The girls always carried her around, ever since middle school. Himari was quiet, even for a mouse. She rarely spoke, and when she did it was difficult to hear her tiny voice. Ignored and bullied by those of similar size in middle school, she then met Starr who accepted and appreciated her silent disposition. They met Rita in their last year of middle school. She was also ostracized by her classmates, as they found her constant chattering to be too much. Starr and Himari, both quiet and patient beings, were very good at listening to Rita talk, and talk she did.
"Anyway, Starr where's your brother? I thought him and his friends were meeting us today too?"
"I'm pretty sure he's going to meet us there." Starr replied. Rita began another speech about homework and their plans later that night. As the three girls walked, and in Himari's case, perched, across campus, they suddenly heard the growing sound of heavy footsteps. Starr turned her ears, and then her head quickly when she realized who it was. She held her hand up to Himari, who jumped onto it, and then back to Rita's shoulder as Starr reached out towards her. Rita had stopped in her tracks when Starr did, keeping her mouth closed for the longest time since arriving.
"Staaaaaaaaarr!" Came a yell from a great distance. It grew louder as the voice got closer, the screams sounding more panicked. "STARR! STARR YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME!" It was Ringo, her twin brother.
Starr clenched her fists, digging her sharp claws into her skin. She then saw the grey tabby cat round a corner and head straight for her. He always managed to find her when he needed help. Some sort of twin sense, she figured. Shortly after the small cat came into view, a group of three large carnivores appeared behind him. Ringo finally reached her and quickly bolted behind her, using her as a shield. She crossed her arms and glared down at him from the side. "What did you do?"
"It was just a harmless joke! I didn't think they would get this upset, maybe a little mad, but okay, I mean, it's not that big of a deal..." Starr shushed him, then nodded her head to her friends.
"You two go on without us. We'll catch up." Rita, with Himari in her hands, reluctantly backed off, then turned and quickly walked away as the larger animals approached. Starr turned her attention back to them, who were now towering over the two cats.
