[lone]

Originally Posted by Deranged Llama

Toren's sea green gaze slid from tree to tree, his paw steps carrying him ever so swiftly through the darkness, winding between obsticals that lay in the shadowy forest. He didn't know where he was, and, for the first time since he left his cozy home with his mother and father, the tom cat felt a twinge of loneliness in his belly. As he continued on, hardly aware of his surroundings, the male reached the edge of the forest and emerged, blinking, in the sudden sunlight. Shocked by the sudden end to his shadowy path, Toren stopped himself, digging his claws into the peaty earth. Whiskers twitching, he picked up his head from it's hanging position and reluctantly looked around at his surroundings with a baleful, sullen gaze.

A winding creek lay to his left, and it bubbled and chuckled merrily at him as he fixed his orbs on it. Toren flicked his tail, senses on high alert. He had the sudden realization that he was not alone, and the thought unnerved him; the cat ha left, yearning for peace and quiet and time to be alone for a while. The dirty white fur prickled along the small cat's spine, and his eyes narrowed, concentrating on watching for any movement that showed signs of life. His whiskers twitched, and the fur on his pelt began to rise, an instinctive reaction. As he looked around, a puff of white caught the fleeting attention his sea green eyes. Upon closer inspection, Toren realized it was another feline, not much older than himself. Realizing she could be dangerous, the tom hunched his back in a threatening pose. The last thing he wanted was trouble, but he wasn't going to hurt this cat if they didn't strike first. "Who are you?" Despite the harshness that he attempted to poison his words with, a brighter, more sincerely polite tone of inquisitation and curiosity tempted it's way in. He lashed his tail, furious at his natural nature to appear peace rather than harsh and able bodied. The soft never lasted long by themselves, he knew from experience.

The fur on the back of the feline's neck had just settled when she saw another cat. But she remained crouched on the ground, in a submissive and terrified position. Calm, calm, calm, stay calm, calm, calm... She repeated over and over in her head, trying to do what she remembered working before, but somehow this time - it just wasn't working for her. It felt like she was suffocating, unable to breathe or move or do anything properly. It felt like she was about to drown in a sea of fear. "To... Tori," She mewed anxiously, doing her best to remain still. That, surprisingly, wasn't too much of a problem. Her body was shaking too much for her to get up right. She had thought she was safe here. Her only condolence was that this strange tom didn't carry the scent of the Dusk Syndicate with him.

That scent was beginning to fade from her pelt, but she still carried it wherever she went, a reminder that she might never be able to fully seperate herself from her past. The other tom didn't look like he would attack her without warning. He seemed to be more honorable then that. And yet, Tori was used to being teased and tormented without warning - cats could appear beside her, torment her to their heart's content, and then walk away without another word. "Wh - who are... who are you?" The words sounded shaky, unsure, unconfident. Those were some of the things that summed Tori up pretty nicely.

She was nearly backed against the tree now, doing her best to try and gather the last bit of her courage so that she could fight back if she needed to. She had never been the best at fighting, and she certainly had never been good at standing up for herself. Neither of those things were going to change now that she was on her own... in fact, it seemed she was more nervous without cats around her. Tori hadn't minded the crowds of the Dusk Syndicate because she could blend in. But here? She stood out, being the only one. Maybe Toren would see just how frightened she was and take pity on her...