[Beam]

Originally Posted by Constellation

Timid acknowledged her friend’s privacy. She butted his shoulder with her head playfully, nuzzling him. “It's okay if you don't want to tell me.” She looks up at him with a small smile.’”Family is a touchy subject for me too.” She turned away for a second, frowning for a while. She didn't remember any of her real parents. They both weren't apart of her lives. In fact, the queen that raised her told her that she was left to...die. The golden cat was in a deep thought process, and upon hearing his words, she shook her head, turning back to him. “Rocky pasts seem to be apart of all of us. Although their more of a learning experience now that we made it this far in the world.” Her tone, at first was depressing, but soon enough a sparkle of hope entered into her. She had heard him though, and apart of her was curious, but she didn't want to push him. He wasn't a syndicate cat, but still...she learned her lesson a long time ago about being nosy.

Timid pranced around for a bit, staring into the distance as she admired the view. The pretty yellow colored trees, and the different animals. It was all new to her. This scenery. It was something she never seen. It was something that she stared in awe for a while. Her ears flickered towards Fennec, and her eyes slowly turned to him. He looked so sullen. As if he was drained of every type of love. “Don't be sad, Fenny.” She cooed at him, slightly bumping into him to catch his attention. The name had slipped out, but she thought it was a good nickname. Usually--as she thought-- nicknames made everyone feel slightly better. It was just something special about being called something different. “Life's too short for sadness!” She hopped around, dancing within the trees.

That was good. He was playing with her. He was chasing after her. Even if Timid wasn't extremely fast, she purred. Games were fun. She loved playing games. They made her feel young, like she had no worries in the world. The syndicate was long forgotten. And, in that moment all she could see was the two of them in their own world. Running. Feeling the breeze through their pelt.

As they dashed through the beautiful colors of the aspen trees, she began to slow down, looking back towards Fennec with a tired smile. The she cat tipped over, falling onto her back. The leaves seemed to match the sun perfectly, blending in together in a mixture of yellow. Her green hues glanced around, until they landed on Fennec’s own gaze. “Tired already?” She purred, then twitched her ears as she heard his words. “Well, that's the one thing about bears. You don't want to mess with him. That's asking for a death wish.” She rolled around in the grass for a bit, stretching out her body. She noticed how tensed she had been. “Koala bears are adorable!” She cooed. “Which is actually really funny since they're not in the bear family at all. Only because they carry their young in a pouch--similar to the kangaroo actually!--wait… Have you ever seen a kangaroo?”

Timid had been on a few adventures herself. Being apart of the Syndicate and sometimes having the longing to know other locations, so occasionally she dispersed herself, going into twoleg territory and finding some...amazing discoveries. Timid pinned her ears to her head, and slowly she scrambled to her paws and looked towards him. Upon his compliment, she allowed a small, shy smile to cross her maw. “Heh, thanks. I didn't really think anyone would want to know about any other species. Especially is cats-- we’re pretty proud animals.” She looked away again, hiding a familiar tinge that was ready to explode under her skin. “But I assume you know a lot about wildlife. I mean, you live here with a lot of different species,” she giggled. “And… It's a hunt or be hunted world.” Her voice was quiet as she looked down, clawing at the ground slightly with unsheathed paws. “You're either prey or predator. And, every species have a predator above them. They say it's the circle of life.”

Timid hopped up onto her paws, smiling slyly towards the tom. She began padding in front of him. “This place is a real dream. So enchanting...like a myth or something...only it’s real. And, about the only prettiest place I ever seen.” Nature was always pretty, that was for certain. Even beat the two leg’s residence. Since it was so manufactured, and this place was...left alone. Hopefully for many moons to come since Two Legs liked to ruin a lot of things.

Timid stopped looking around as she turned back to trot towards Fennec. She gave him a baffled look, rolling her eyes in a dramatic manner. “Hey! I did not tackle you.” She giggled. “It was on accident. You literally allowed me to run into you.” She bumped her head into his shoulder. “It ever occurred that you could've moved out the way?” She playfully fluttered her eyes towards the tom. But, as he leaned into head, the she cat’s ears pricked in alarm. She tilted her head slightly, but relaxed as he told her that a “deer came to say hello”.

“Hm?” Timid turned her head to stare at the majestic creature. She entered into a crouch position, creeping forward to get a good look at the other species. Deers were pretty. Powerful. Well, a lot bigger than she was. “Wow.” She blinked her eyes, staring as it stared at her. One movement, and the deer would had left. They were skittish animals, but as well as intriguing to observe. “I wish other species could understand our language, and we can understand theirs.” She glanced towards Fennec. “I can practically pick up facts about other animals based on what they do, but I would never understand their intentions for doing such things.” She huffed, but continued to watch the deer in a silent show.

On that thought, this place was an excellent observation area of undisturbed animals. Timid wouldn't mind coming here in the early morning just watching the animals as long as she could. She stepped back, allowing the deer to handle its business and she slowly walked back towards Fennec. She perched herself under his chin, nuzzling softly into his chest.

“I changed my mind,” she began. “I want to stay here, if you still don't mind the intrusion.” She knew, out here, she could make that decision. But, there would also be that one feline that would ruin it all. She just hoped it wouldn't be so soon.

(Oh wow!!!!! That place must be like REALLY pretty!!)

Fennec tensed when he felt Timid's head nuzzling his shoulder. Really, the only people he had really voluntarily curled up with was his siblings, and even then it was mostly from trembling in fear in the shadow of their mother. So the other feline's head was like a numb feeling spreading through his shoulder, to which he didn't know how to react. He only squeaked out the words "Thank You." to Timid, but what he really wanted to say was I could tell you everything...if you wanted me to.. He took a deep breath of the dull forest air and listened to her words, he never knew how much they had in common and how wistful the little golden cat was.

Fennec reviewed his thoughts again, but again, nothing but family popped up. His thoughts were too crowded with the visions of glinting, matte, and pearly claws slashing towards his face. The one time he was pressed against the ground and he felt the sharp claw digging into his foreleg. Although the pain was too great to be there in person, it hurt more to relive it over and over and over again. The hurt must’ve shown everywhere on him, because then he heard Timid talking to him. He let out a tiny laugh, shaking his shoulders. As Timid bumped him, he touched his feathery tail tip on Timid’s pelt in a friendly gesture. “Fenny? Is that my name now?” he teased, a grin engraving itself on his maw. Any sign of a sad demeanor was erased, even the melancholy glint in his eyes was sparkling with laughter at Timid’s fun nickname for him. “Then I guess I’ll call you..Timmy. Heard that one before?” he teased, watching her saying how life was too short to be sad any day. He relaxed his posture, if Timid could find happiness of the black hole of the Syndicate, then he could find happiness with his past behind him.

But could he find it with a grieving heart?

At that, his smile faded and was replaced by a fake one. And the glint in his eyes was violently stamped out like a broken firework. Grieving. He had forgot. His heart was still stone for Swift, buried somewhere in the forest; tucked into the dirt by his cream paws and his sister’s black paws. But then to add on to the rockslide, Holly was caught in the accident: and then there was Fennec. But his short sprint after Timid definitely helped his depressed case.

Fennec watched her stretch on her back in the grass for a moment, and suddenly felt the urge to stretch himself. After his muscles being warmed up by the run, he hadn’t stretched out since he woke up. A jolt of surprise shocked him like lightning when her green eyes landed on him. They were such a pretty color, compared to his dark honey colored orbs. ”Pfft! You wish!”he joked after her remark, rolling his eyes dramatically as he caught his breath.

His tail curled as her voice rang out in the wilderness, talking about the danger of bears. He smiled when she cooed at the grey little animals that were not koalo bears, but Koala bears. He tilted his head as she went on. “Wait, they’re not actually bears?” he exclaimed at her fact then taking in the carrying the young in the pouch part into his head for logic. “aren’t those types of animals called marsupials?” he questioned, remembering the fact, but not how he knew it. He shot his gaze strongly back at Timid as she mentioned a thing called a ‘kangaroo’, at first he was confused, but realized that he knew it. Where did he hear that term? ”I think I know what they are.. Can I get a refresher?” he asked.

Fennec hid his smiled as she watched Timid get to her paws and flatten her ears to a head, in a way, it looked like she was blushing to him. He listened carefully as she talked about knowing species. Personally, Fennec had never thought of cats as a whole species, or they had a whole entire vibe. He had only thought of animals that way: like spiders evil, birds unintellegent, dogs aggressive. But there was seemingly much more to it than that.

He shrugged at her words after that. ”I guess I do. Not as much as you, though.” he felt a blush rising to his cheeks, making his ears angle backwards.Only, it disappeared as he heard Timid talk about there was always something there to hunt you. He breathed deeply, his jaw clenching slightly.

The circle of life. Sure, he would talk about the circle of life forever. But the circle of life always seemed unfair to him. Sure, things died. But was that natural, or the world totally against every move you make? He pushed the thought to the side to unbury later.

Fennec, now slightly annoyed, made his tail rise above him and followed after Timid, her words skipping over his ears as the image of the day Swift was knocked backwards by the blow. There was no harm done then...yet. He cleared his face and tried to focus on what Timid had said, which he only half-heard. “Pretty...yeah.” he mumbled after her. Deciding to focus on the present.

At her excuse, he gave another little laugh, this time it came from his heart. He rolled his eyes in a mocking way after her. When she bumped her head on his shoulder, he flinched again. It was hard to find out how to react so casually to a simple form of interaction. He gave another small chuckle, a smirk on his face. He never really thought of moving, but it was worth it, he met Timid, and spotted a deer.

He was relieved when Timid showed interest in it by crouching and creeping forward slowly. Fennec chose to sit where he was, observing the scene unfolding round him with every flap of a butterfly’s wings. His ears were perked at full max, reaching out to drain any action from the deer and aspen clearing. He tilted his head as she spoke again, flashing a small smile as Timid glanced back at him. ”Yeah.” he nodded in agreement, “I can also walk outside and tell that stupid song bird that wakes me up every morning to shut up and let me sleep.” he kept a level voice at his joke, hoping it would make Timid laugh.

The surprised, jolted feeling of numbness entered him again when Timid stepped back and positioned herself under his fuzzy chin. Each time Fennec felt her against his fur, a prickle of what felt like electricity shot through him. Not again- how could he respond to this? He was just standing there like a tree! In attempt to make this less awkward, he took his tail and rested it next to Timid, close enough for it to brush against her.

A joyful feeling spread through him when Timid spoke again, finalizing her decision to his offer- which he had spaced out on completely. “Of course I don’t mind! I’m glad you're away from that Syndicate place.” He mused, leaning his head back so he didn’t hit Timid’s forehead with his jaw. His eyes searched to see if they could find hers momentarily.

While in this slightly awkward position, Fennec recalled what Timid had said. The Life Cycle. Right, he had his thoughts about that. But what did it really mean. After a life of living something just died at the end? It didn’t matter if they were just born or the oldest cat alive, they died. It was so unfair. Swift had died, Holly had died, and all at the merciless paws of ‘The Life Cycle’. He never really knew what happened to Thomas or Birch, but he knew for a fact: all dead. His eyes misted and his jaw clenched angrily. Anyone he’d ever grown close to had suffered a dark ending around him. Maybe life would keep that wheel spinning: taking it out on Timid just for him to feel all the pain. Could he handle all of that? Slowly, he began to stand. His eyes tearful and down-casted and angry, a faraway look to him as he stood and took two pawsteps backward. He didn't look at Timid’s expression immediately, all he could think of was the one thing in his head: he was bad luck, pure and simple. Who was to say that his bad luck was everybody getting caught in rockslides and being murdered by so-called “family”? If he was really bad luck, then what did that make Timid?

(Oh yes, especially in the Wintertime)