Dahlia and Talia's Territory

[ShiningFern]

Originally Posted by Doodle

"Oh, it is awesome," Dahlia agreed. "And fun to play in- so long as you don't fall into a drift. Those can swallow a cat whole, and then you'll be frozen!" She opted out the downsides of winter: less prey, more hungry predators, and bigger risks of getting sick. A grin spread across the molly's face when Adder answered, and she waited while he waded a bit farther out. "Well, you're about to," she meowed in a much softer voice. She stayed still for a while, one paw raised and waiting to strike. After all had been quiet above water for a while, the fish started swimming closer to the cats. One almost swam right under her, but the molly waited until a decent sized shadow approached. With her paw in a curved position, she darted it into the water and efficiently scooped the fish out of the water. It popped out, still wriggling and Dahlia caught sight of a pink stripe down it's back- a rainbow trout. The she-cat had pulled it out with enough force that it went flying over the cats' heads, landing on the bank. The silver cat was already hopping through the water to reach the shore, where she placed a paw on the fish to keep it from wriggling away. Leaning down, she gave it a quick nip near the gills and it fell limp. The molly glanced up at her new friend and backed away, a big grin on her face. "This one's a rainbow trout, you can tell from it's pink stripe down the middle," she explained. "Take a bite! And don't mind the scales, you get used to them."

"Whoa! That was awesome." He said, watching as Dahlia scooped the fish out of the water and onto the bank. The grey and brown cat rushed over, smiling as he looked at it. Hesitantly, he took a small bite, wondering if he would like it or not. Adder wiggled his tail, looking to the molly, "It tastes great. Way better than a mouse." The scales taste icky though, he thought. The young cat was glad he had met this shecat, he was learning some useful things. And making a new friend.

[Doodle]

Originally Posted by Fern

"Whoa! That was awesome." He said, watching as Dahlia scooped the fish out of the water and onto the bank. The grey and brown cat rushed over, smiling as he looked at it. Hesitantly, he took a small bite, wondering if he would like it or not. Adder wiggled his tail, looking to the molly, "It tastes great. Way better than a mouse." The scales taste icky though, he thought. The young cat was glad he had met this shecat, he was learning some useful things. And making a new friend.

Dahlia smiled, content with the fact that she had just impressed this younger cat. A small laugh bubbled out as she took in Adder's wriggling tail, but she nodded in agreement. "That's what I say! A wonderful morning meal, in my opinion." Talia says otherwise. Her sister preferred forest prey over the river's plentiful fish, so the white molly found herself hunting both areas fairly often. Thank goodness the two had found a home nearby both. "Should I catch another one?" The molly asked her new friend, not knowing how much the young cat would eat. She also didn't know the last time he had eaten, so he might need the whole fish to get his energy back. Dahlia would be fine fishing up another meal, all she knew was she was hungry and wanted her belly full.

[ShiningFern]

Originally Posted by Doodle

Dahlia smiled, content with the fact that she had just impressed this younger cat. A small laugh bubbled out as she took in Adder's wriggling tail, but she nodded in agreement. "That's what I say! A wonderful morning meal, in my opinion." Talia says otherwise. Her sister preferred forest prey over the river's plentiful fish, so the white molly found herself hunting both areas fairly often. Thank goodness the two had found a home nearby both. "Should I catch another one?" The molly asked her new friend, not knowing how much the young cat would eat. She also didn't know the last time he had eaten, so he might need the whole fish to get his energy back. Dahlia would be fine fishing up another meal, all she knew was she was hungry and wanted her belly full.

"No, I don't think I could eat it all by myself. It is a pretty big fish...at leat to me." He mewed, looking at the molly. He sat down, twitching his ear slightly as a dragonfly flew by it and towards the water. Adder waited politely to hear what Dahlia would say before he ate a little bit more of the fish. I don't want to seem rude. His stomach growled slightly, just loud enough that his new friend might have heard it. He licked his chest, just a little embarrassed.

[Doodle]

Originally Posted by Fern

"No, I don't think I could eat it all by myself. It is a pretty big fish...at leat to me." He mewed, looking at the molly. He sat down, twitching his ear slightly as a dragonfly flew by it and towards the water. Adder waited politely to hear what Dahlia would say before he ate a little bit more of the fish. I don't want to seem rude. His stomach growled slightly, just loud enough that his new friend might have heard it. He licked his chest, just a little embarrassed.

Dahlia nodded, whiskers twitching as she heard a small rumble from the other cat's stomach. He was certainly hungry, and she realized he was keeping himself from eating out of politeness. "Okay, we can share the fish then. Go ahead and eat as much as you like, and I'll have whatever is left. And don't you worry about eating too much- if I'm still hungry I can just catch another one." The molly settled down to wait, looking out at the river rather than at Adder so she wouldn't make him feel self conscious as he ate. A pleasant smile wormed its way to her face as she took in everything about the river- the buzz of dragonflies, croaks of frogs, and the splashes from the fish as they occasionally came to the surface. This was her happy place, and she could just lay there for hours and still be content.

[ShiningFern]

Originally Posted by Doodle

Dahlia nodded, whiskers twitching as she heard a small rumble from the other cat's stomach. He was certainly hungry, and she realized he was keeping himself from eating out of politeness. "Okay, we can share the fish then. Go ahead and eat as much as you like, and I'll have whatever is left. And don't you worry about eating too much- if I'm still hungry I can just catch another one." The molly settled down to wait, looking out at the river rather than at Adder so she wouldn't make him feel self conscious as he ate. A pleasant smile wormed its way to her face as she took in everything about the river- the buzz of dragonflies, croaks of frogs, and the splashes from the fish as they occasionally came to the surface. This was her happy place, and she could just lay there for hours and still be content.

"Okay." He mewed, grinning. He settled down by the fish, leaning his head over to take a few bites. Adder still wasn't used to the scales, but he continued eating to satisfy his growling stomach. "I am full. You can eat now." The young tom mewed once he had eaten a little less than half of the trout. He flicked his tail and stood up, moving out of the way so Dahlia could eat. The grey and brown tom grinned, happy that the shecat was so nice. Most cats he met either tried to just have him leave or make him a kitty-pet.

[Doodle]

Originally Posted by Fern

"Okay." He mewed, grinning. He settled down by the fish, leaning his head over to take a few bites. Adder still wasn't used to the scales, but he continued eating to satisfy his growling stomach. "I am full. You can eat now." The young tom mewed once he had eaten a little less than half of the trout. He flicked his tail and stood up, moving out of the way so Dahlia could eat. The grey and brown tom grinned, happy that the shecat was so nice. Most cats he met either tried to just have him leave or make him a kitty-pet.

Dahlia moved over to the fish, eating the rest of it rather fast. Maybe not the best manners, but she wasn't quite as delicate as she once was. When the molly was finished, she flopped onto her side and peered over at Adder. "So, what's your story?" She questioned, genuinely curious about her new friend. "I'll share mine if you do," she tacked on with a grin.

[ShiningFern]

Originally Posted by Doodle

Dahlia moved over to the fish, eating the rest of it rather fast. Maybe not the best manners, but she wasn't quite as delicate as she once was. When the molly was finished, she flopped onto her side and peered over at Adder. "So, what's your story?" She questioned, genuinely curious about her new friend. "I'll share mine if you do," she tacked on with a grin.

"I was born as a kitty-pet, but half a moon ago...the two-legs abandoned me, and I was trapped in their den for a while. I was able to find my way out, and ran away from the two-leg place." He mewed, looking at the molly as he talked, "A lot of cats I met told me I looked like an adder, so I made that my name. And I learned how to hunt." Adder sat down, laying his tail over his gray paws. His eyes glowed with curiosity as he wondered what Dahlia would say, and what her story was.

[Doodle]

Originally Posted by Fern

"I was born as a kitty-pet, but half a moon ago...the two-legs abandoned me, and I was trapped in their den for a while. I was able to find my way out, and ran away from the two-leg place." He mewed, looking at the molly as he talked, "A lot of cats I met told me I looked like an adder, so I made that my name. And I learned how to hunt." Adder sat down, laying his tail over his gray paws. His eyes glowed with curiosity as he wondered what Dahlia would say, and what her story was.

Dahlia's mouth popped open in shock. "Your twolegs just left you there? How awful!" She exclaimed, shaking her head. "But, that is cool that you named yourself. My mother named both me and my sister." The molly pushed herself into a sitting position for her story. "Well, we were both born kitty-pets as well, and lived with our mother and father. We were spoiled rotten! It wasn't a bad life at all, but our parents told us that their twolegs were going to get rid of both of us and send us somewhere else. I didn't want to get separated from my sister, so one day we just up and left until we found this place! Taught ourselves to hunt and everything." A happy smile grew on her maw; Dahlia was quite proud of her hunting abilities and how quickly she had adapted to life as a loner.

[Doodle]

@Lonestar23
(On mobile so I apologize if it’s a bit short!)

Dahlia shuffled out of the den, peering through the branches of her and her sister’s willow tree to check the sky. Despite blue being her favorite color, she was a bit disappointed to find a clear sky. Before heading in the night before, the white molly had noted storm clouds in the distance and hoped for rain the next day. Their territory could do with some storms; the grass filling the clearing had started to turn yellow and dry out. Not to mention, some rain would cool the place off. The yellow sun above promised a sweltering day for the two sisters. “It’s all clear,” Dahlia called back to her sister, who appeared moments later from the den in the base of their willow tree.

“Beautiful day,” Talia remarked, inspecting the sky just as Dahlia had moments before. Unlike her littermate, Talia hated rain and all things water related. She was beginning to understand why Dahlia loves to swim so much, however, as the heat on days like this became almost unbearable. Already she knew her day would be spent in the shade of the forest bordering their clearing, while Dahlia would use up the day swimming and fishing. “You’re going to fish, I’m guessing?” Talia asked, just in case the white feline decided to join her in the forest instead. Dahlia simply nodded in answer. “Alright, I’ll be hunting in the forest. If I need anything I’ll come grab you.” Never one to rush, the brown molly started to stroll towards the trees. She paused, however, when her sister called out.

“Tal, if you see Max can you direct him to the river? I think he’s coming over today.” Max was Dahlia’s best friend- besides her sister, of course. It wasn’t unusual for Talia to see the tom in their territory, coming over to spend time with Dahlia. The Brown Mau nodded, continuing to walk to the forest. Soon the trees engulfed her, the shade instantly making her feel better. Not wanting to hunt straight away, Talia climbed a nearby tree and laid across one of the lower branches. For now, she’d entertain herself by watching the forest. She kept her ears perked, listening for any signs of other cats nearby. While she’d keep an eye out for her sister’s friend, Dahlia was hoping to come across Holden, a tom she’d grown close to during her time living in the wild. He was the only cat she completely trusted, aside from her littermates of course. Spending time with Holden was always refreshing compared to hanging around other loners, as he was also the only cat she’d let her guard down and be herself around. Yes, she decided she very much hoped to see Holden today.

[lone]

Coming here was always nice, especially since it meant that Max got to see Dahlia. Over time, he had grown really fond of the sweet she cat. She was his best friend, after all. The only disadvantage to coming was, surprisingly, her sister. Max didn’t dislike Talia, necessarily, but the brown feline scared him. Walking through the territory, the young tom was on guard, just waiting to be spooked - or perhaps left alone - by the other she cat. His fluffy black and white fur was uncomfortably warm in the sunshine, so he was sticking to the wooded areas for the moment being. It was probably a mistake, but Max was too uncomfortable in the heat to care much. ”Dahlia? Are you there?” His voice shook a little - Max was the definition of a “scaredy-cat,” no matter how much he tried to deny it, and he hated being jump-scared. He had a weird relationship with Talia - she was the type of she cat he would trust to save his life, or with a secret, but not the type that he would turn his back on for more than a few seconds. Dahlia, on the other hand, he trusted completely… no matter what the circumstance was. He pretty much worshipped her, and would have done whatever she asked - she was like a goddess for him. With all of that, it was no surprise that Max had an undeniably huge crush on the pretty white feline, but - and here was the problem - he was too awkward to say or do anything about it.

---

At this point, Holden knew Talia’s territory better than his own. He was always coming here, regardless of the fact that she probably would get tired of him at some point, and most of the time he would hang out for the whole day. There’d been a few select occasions when he and Talia had stayed up in a tree or something all night, but it had been some time since they’d done that. Holden wouldn’t push and force her to do something she was uncomfortable with… he respected her too much for that. Heading through the woods, his sleek brown fur dappled with bits of sunlight coming through the trees, Holden stopped every once in a while to glance up into the higher branches. It would be no surprise if his best friend was hidden somewhere up there, which was why he was taking the time to check. Catching sight of another pelt, this one black and white, Holden smirked a little bit. He wasn’t sure if Talia knew just exactly how frightened Max was of her, but it was funny to watch at times, anyways. Heading over in the other tom’s direction, the brown feline stopped when he caught sight of another cat, this one sitting up in a tree. Going around the other side, Holden headed up the tree, practically bounding over towards the branch Talia was sitting on… and nearly missing it in the process. ”Hiding, Tal?” He asked in a low whisper, putting his muzzle near her ear. Holden tended to be pretty bold in physical acts - he never meant to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but he was more confident in his movements and didn’t seem to have much of an aversion to physical contact. ”She’s over here, Max! You’re good!” He called to the smaller tom, who jumped, glanced up in alarm, and headed over in their direction with a determined expression on his face.

@Doodle