Dusk Syndicate Territory

[monfang]

Originally Posted by Nighty

The white oriental mix sat by the river, just taking some time to herself, out of camp and away from others. Sure the social feline wasn't one for much alone time, but she had to take time to fix up her pelt. For all she knew, that perfect one might be sitting in camp and she most certainly couldn't walk in in a disheveled mess. It was quite and peaceful, definetky a place she wished she could share with a special someone, but oh well. Not this time, but maybe in the future if she made note of it. Her white pelt was freshly groomed, only tiny bits of moss clung to her from where she was sitting on the ground. Her pale indigo eyes scanned the rippling currents of the stream. She gazed down at her reflection even, smiling beautifully back at herself. Viana was quite vain, yes, but for the toms and the shes, not herself. She had to look good to impress them. But then there was a thud, and she whipped around in surprise. Her neck fur bristled as she looked at the source of the sound. From what it appeared to be through the undergrowth it looked like a cat that had made full contact with the tree. She stifled a laugh, knowing it would come off rude. She stepped closer looking to see who it was, who knew, maybe it would be a cute feline she could flirt with. As she stepped out and closer to viewing the cat, she let out a chuckle to see none other than her brother standing there, head pressed against the tree. "Hey little brother. Did you crash? You alright?" She asked, stepping towards him and curling her long, elegant plume tail around his flank.

Joke let out a yelp of surprise as his sister, Viana, popped out of seemingly nowhere. "Jesus don't do that, Vi! You could have given me a heart attack!" he growled, and then he stopped and tears welled in his eyes. To be honest, there were times, only alone with his siblings, that he would whine, complain, and cry, just like a little brother. He rubbed his nose and nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking about the river and didn't see the tree..." he said, sniffling. Then he brightened slightly, realizing that his beloved sister was here. "Wait a minute, what are you doing out here alone, Vi?" he asked, a curious look hitting his face. He gave a smile, to brighten it, and he loved his sister. "I should be out here with you, Sis. You know what could have happened if someone came up here and just snatched you up?" he began to ramble now, circling Viana. "Are you okay, no thorns in your paws? No sore joints? No bug bites? No bumps or itches?" he asked, circling her, speaking quickly.
Then he stopped and looked at her. "Well, come on, say something." he meowed, not realizing she hadn't had the chance. He brushed some moss off of her with his tail, not minding if it stuck to him. He's groom it out later. He then nuzzled her, pressing his nose to her ear. "Next time take me along, or Avalanche. I don't want you getting hurt." he said, and he looked sternly at her. His yellow eyes cold and hard, but soft like Gold. His famous Gold look that he only had around those he truly cared for.

[goddess of ducks]

Originally Posted by monfang

Joke let out a yelp of surprise as his sister, Viana, popped out of seemingly nowhere. "Jesus don't do that, Vi! You could have given me a heart attack!" he growled, and then he stopped and tears welled in his eyes. To be honest, there were times, only alone with his siblings, that he would whine, complain, and cry, just like a little brother. He rubbed his nose and nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking about the river and didn't see the tree..." he said, sniffling. Then he brightened slightly, realizing that his beloved sister was here. "Wait a minute, what are you doing out here alone, Vi?" he asked, a curious look hitting his face. He gave a smile, to brighten it, and he loved his sister. "I should be out here with you, Sis. You know what could have happened if someone came up here and just snatched you up?" he began to ramble now, circling Viana. "Are you okay, no thorns in your paws? No sore joints? No bug bites? No bumps or itches?" he asked, circling her, speaking quickly.
Then he stopped and looked at her. "Well, come on, say something." he meowed, not realizing she hadn't had the chance. He brushed some moss off of her with his tail, not minding if it stuck to him. He's groom it out later. He then nuzzled her, pressing his nose to her ear. "Next time take me along, or Avalanche. I don't want you getting hurt." he said, and he looked sternly at her. His yellow eyes cold and hard, but soft like Gold. His famous Gold look that he only had around those he truly cared for.

Viana just sighed. "Well good job you mouse brain." She teased, flicking her fluffy tail so that it boopped his nose. "You should pay attention. Though I don't blame you for getting distracted by a beautiful place like the river." She purred in silent laughter. As he recuperated though, Viana let out a verbal sigh of annoyance. "Joke, I can-" and he cut her off. "Joke really I can-" and he cut her off again. "No really I'm fi-" thrice he had cut her off. But then he had the audacity to ask her to say something. It's when she snapped a bit and hissed quietly to him. "I would if you would stop worrying about me for one precious moment!" She gave a huff, and calmed herself down. With a twitch of her whiskers she was fine again. "No. I'm not hurt, no thorns, no scratches, no bug bites, no bruises. No fox that's going to come eat me. No clan cats that have ambushed me. I'm. Fine." She calmed him. "And honestly, I can handle myself you know. I don't need you and especially not Ava. She younger and dumber than me. You know that. It would be me protecting her." She meowed with a roll of her eyes. Her and her sister weren't exactly close. She was closer with Joke than she was with Avalanche. But she definitely didn't want to be hanging around with her younger sister alone. But his gaze, the way Joke looked at her. He was doing it for love of his sister, and her hard gaze softened. Her pale indigo orbs turned to him and she gave him a soft smile. "I know you just want to protect me, but why am I a fighter if I can't protect myself?"

[~Breadsticks~]

Originally Posted by Fern

Kovu smiled, rolling over and looking at the shecat beside him. "Yes, it was," He said, eyes twinkling, "Hmm...yes. How about a game? Some ones the young trainees and older kits play are still interesting. Like "prey and hunter," I was always fond of that one." The muscular red tom waved his tail, occasionally brushing the tip of Maia's fur closest to him with it. No matter how the pretty molly beside him would answer, he wouldn't mind that much. Just spending a bit of time with her was enough. They never spoke that much, but both were skilled fighters, and they saw each other from time to time. His yellow eyes glowed as he flicked them back to Maia's amber ones.

[So sorry, I was without wifi for a while]
The molly smiled at the handsome tom and grinned even more each time he brushed his tail against her fur. Maia's amber orbs flashed with interest, "Prey and hunter sounds fun. Do you want to be the hunter or the prey?" She rose to her paws and brushed her tail against his side, her amber gaze meeting his yellow eyes.

[Lawlipop]

Originally Posted by Duskflight

Settling down by the plucked crow, Hannibal took a small mouthful, his eyes focused on the large tom that stopped in his tracks. Truthfully, he thought the tom would have wanted to dispose of the body himself and gone on his merry little way, not actually have taken him up on the offer. But then again, he didn't know every cat of the Syndicate and what they normally would do. So he made a note on Nero.
The corpse dropped to the ground with a dull thud, a sound that Hannibal himself has heard much too often, and the smell of it was all too familiar. It didn't bother him though, not in the slightest, and it never has. His fiery eyes focused on the body for a moment, the tip of his tail flicking in thought before he looked back up at the other tom as he stood there.
He truly doesn't know who I am. Isn't that interesting.
Refreshing his smile, he would swallow the bit of bird he had chewed and savored before replying to Nero.
"A pleasure to meat your acquaintance Nero, I am Hannibal. Were you born in the Syndicate by chance?" Asked the tom with curiosity, and while he couldn't actually feel it, he did want to know the answer to the question. It could help him piece together this tom's story.
"And the ground right there, with the moss-" He would nod his head to the ground in front of Nero where a large swath of moss was growing along with several mushrooms. "- will work just fine to hide the body. It'll decompose rather quickly, with the mushrooms above it, so you won't have to worry about it really being discovered."

Answering the dark colored tom's answer about his origins, his gaze seems to looking farther than what he seemed to be looking at. A pause of silence followed before the golden tom replied with a gruff voice. "Yes, yes I was."
Nero was the only child of Rot and his father, who he got his bright colored pelt from. His mother didn't appreciate having a weakling as a son and as soon as he no longer needed to depend on the queen's milk, she returned to her duties. Nero was saddened by her leaving, trying to beg her to stay with him, because he didn't want to sleep by himself. His father was the one who tried to mend the hole in his heart and visited him every day, which would always be the kit's favorite time of the day. Those were the days of young Nero. From a mother's boy who did anything to make her turn her head to on the verge of snapping and driving his long, sharp claws through her rotten skin and heart. The very thought of his mother made him rake his claws into the dirt below and snarl.
The stench of the crow's flesh and blood in the air and light chewing brought him back, fast enough to hear what the tom was talking to him about, his eyes looking down at the moss, barely being able to see with his long hair in the way, but is aware of what he's talking about. Once again, he was not too certain if this... Hannibal cat was truly seeking a conversation or was trying to collect information from him.

((Omg I just saw that meat pun canni you sneaky person))

[The Cannibal]

Originally Posted by Lawlipop

Answering the dark colored tom's answer about his origins, his gaze seems to looking farther than what he seemed to be looking at. A pause of silence followed before the golden tom replied with a gruff voice. "Yes, yes I was."
Nero was the only child of Rot and his father, who he got his bright colored pelt from. His mother didn't appreciate having a weakling as a son and as soon as he no longer needed to depend on the queen's milk, she returned to her duties. Nero was saddened by her leaving, trying to beg her to stay with him, because he didn't want to sleep by himself. His father was the one who tried to mend the hole in his heart and visited him every day, which would always be the kit's favorite time of the day. Those were the days of young Nero. From a mother's boy who did anything to make her turn her head to on the verge of snapping and driving his long, sharp claws through her rotten skin and heart. The very thought of his mother made him rake his claws into the dirt below and snarl.
The stench of the crow's flesh and blood in the air and light chewing brought him back, fast enough to hear what the tom was talking to him about, his eyes looking down at the moss, barely being able to see with his long hair in the way, but is aware of what he's talking about. Once again, he was not too certain if this... Hannibal cat was truly seeking a conversation or was trying to collect information from him.

((Omg I just saw that meat pun canni you sneaky person))

{Tbh I didn't even realize I did it, I was tired when I wrote this reply but dang, I'm glad I did xD}

The large tom's answer caused Hannibal to raise a brow slightly before his face melted back into the neutral but pleasant looking demeanor it was before. Perhaps he doesn't chit-chat with others much. Interesting.
It was kind of nice, knowing that not every cat in the Syndicate knew his name, or the rumors about him, it didn't make him feel any different, but it was a nice piece of information to know. Hannibal said nothing in response, simply nodded and returned to eating.
Bite, chew, savor, swallow, bite, chew, savor swallow. He ate slow, careful, as if each new bite of the flesh offered a different flavor than the last, or as if every bite was just as delicious and savory as the first. For a moment, his eyes looked to the canopy, to the branch in which the three crows had been, watching him devour the one he had caught. They were no longer there, in fact, they were likely off trying to steal more eggs, or perhaps looking for carcasses to scavenge from. The information was null to Hannibal, but he documented it anyways and placed it somewhere in his mind to draw back on later, if he needed. His gaze was drawn back to the tom as he heard him snarl, noticing his claws digging into the dirt below. "My apologies, has my eating brought back bad memories?" Questioned the tom in a sincere, or rather, seemingly sincere voice. Licking his lips, he would sit up a bit as if ready to stop eating if it had offended him or aroused bad memories of sorts.
"And you aren't much of a talker are you?"
The dark grey tom turned to the robin egg that the crow had gotten before Hannibal caught it, carefully rolling it towards himself with a paw.

[ShiningFern]

Originally Posted by TheBread

[So sorry, I was without wifi for a while]
The molly smiled at the handsome tom and grinned even more each time he brushed his tail against her fur. Maia's amber orbs flashed with interest, "Prey and hunter sounds fun. Do you want to be the hunter or the prey?" She rose to her paws and brushed her tail against his side, her amber gaze meeting his yellow eyes.

(It's fine. I honestly was busy with college homework XD)

The tom grinned in delight as the molly answered, his ears twitching slightly. He rose to his paws, catching Maia's amber gaze with his own as her tail brushed his side. He grinned again, purring slightly, "Hunter. I will give you a few moments to walk away before we begin." The red tom felt another small rumble in his chest as he backed away from the molly, tail swishing behind him excitedly. The fighter flicked his gaze back to the grey and white molly, meeting her gaze with shining yellow eyes while he waited for an answer.

[Ever]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

The tabby took a look around at the woods. At night they were almost eerie - dangerous looking - and yet, they comforted Arrow at the same time. The coloring might have been eerie, but he knew that there were normally very few cats walking around the territory at night. The clearing was the safest place to be. Either in the clearing or with a group of cats you trusted. The tom was half-asking himself how he had ended up out here with Ebony, a cat that he barely knew and certainly didn't trust - not fully, anyways, but he must trust her somewhat to be out here with her at this time of night. Was he being stupid to blindly put his trust in another cat? Probably. Was he going to regret it? Again, probably. But Arrow's guard was still up, and his muscles were tense... if an attack was going to come, his attacker was going to regret ever targeting him. At the moment the tabby was so high strung that Ebony's voice made him jump, or at least flinch. The feline turned around to answer, opening his maw and then closing it again.

Think. Give her enough information, the safest amount you can. It wasn't entirely his fault that he was so guarded. Others had played their parts in making him the cat he was now. In making him the type of cat that he really didn't want to be. "I mean my family made my life pretty miserable for a while. I guess. They didn't exactly - support the things I wanted to do. Didn't exactly support me." That was the closest he could get. No names. No ages. No dates. Nothing like that, which would give her the advantage. She could know that much, it was nothing to be ashamed of - there was no reason to give her the 'choices' he had made that his family didn't support. If anything, it was his family's job to be ashamed of him. Whether he thought that was fair or unfair apparently didn't matter to them.

But then again, his family had always been 'that one family' who were mysterious and rude and hard to be around. And Arrow had never liked them. His eyes settled on Ebony, and he watched her for her reaction. "Then again, I know nothing about what happened in your past. So maybe I can't relate." It sounded harsher then he meant it, and honestly he was glad not to know. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to know what Hannibal had been like back then... what had happened to turn Ebony's switch from unguarded to guarded. Some cats were naturally born that way. Arrow? Hadn't been one of them. He'd had to learn to guard himself, to keep himself safe, to make sure that no one was able to break past his walls so that he would remain safe and no one would be questioning him.

The quiet ones were normally the most deadly. But Arrow? He had just been hurt before, and he was just a cat trying to survive. He wasn't particuarly interesting to hang around. He wasn't the strongest, or the bravest, or the fastest, or the smartest. He wasn't manipulative - and for some reason cats hung around that type of cat. He wasn't flirty. Arrow was a perfectly normal, ordinary tom... and the thought that perhaps that was the reason she had invited him to come out here at night crossed his mind. Not everyone was trying to murder him. But, the only thing that bothered him now was... what could he have that she wanted? Everyone wanted something.

So what was Arrow's 'thing' that Ebony could want from him?

Ebony padded beside him quietly as he offered a small explanation to his statement. Though it still left her feeling the need for more about him, however she let it go in a sigh. There was no sense in pushing for more here, less was always more in the syndicate; everyone was too scared or caught up in the game of power to reveal their true selves. It made her feel sick, made her chest feel tight with loneliness. Maybe she really aught to leave, find some territory that was quiet and undisturbed. At least if she were to be alone in her solitude of a life not seeing other cats would bring her some peace. It was a different case to be trapped in a place surrounded by possible companions but to have all of them completely out of reach.

So she just kept her mouth snapped shut rather than blurting something that would make them both ultimately uncomfortable and ruin whatever fragile trust they were creating this evening. The stars that poked between the clouds caught her attention and she paused a step to stare at them, wondering what they were, what was out there. Though she quickly fell back in step and continued their silent trek, though she let her mind wander.

Mostly she was weighing the decision of leaving that seemed to echo in her mind incessantly lately. To leave could mean a possible freedom, but she would be leaving everything behind. The idea of that scared her, even though she couldn't imagine any life being worse than this one. She was just so deeply rooted in this life, in her bad family dynamics, in loyalty to the hell she called her home. Her tail hung low as she stared blankly into the dark forest, swinging with thought. A few blinks and she was back to the quiet reality, blinking over at the quiet tom who lurked beside her. She cleared her throat, suddenly feeling uneasy in the increasing quiet. "Vole for your thoughts?" She asked lightly, hoping to not catch him off guard. Maybe he liked to keep his opinions and thoughts to himself, even among friends as so many other cats did here; as she had done for so very long.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Ever

Ebony padded beside him quietly as he offered a small explanation to his statement. Though it still left her feeling the need for more about him, however she let it go in a sigh. There was no sense in pushing for more here, less was always more in the syndicate; everyone was too scared or caught up in the game of power to reveal their true selves. It made her feel sick, made her chest feel tight with loneliness. Maybe she really aught to leave, find some territory that was quiet and undisturbed. At least if she were to be alone in her solitude of a life not seeing other cats would bring her some peace. It was a different case to be trapped in a place surrounded by possible companions but to have all of them completely out of reach.

So she just kept her mouth snapped shut rather than blurting something that would make them both ultimately uncomfortable and ruin whatever fragile trust they were creating this evening. The stars that poked between the clouds caught her attention and she paused a step to stare at them, wondering what they were, what was out there. Though she quickly fell back in step and continued their silent trek, though she let her mind wander.

Mostly she was weighing the decision of leaving that seemed to echo in her mind incessantly lately. To leave could mean a possible freedom, but she would be leaving everything behind. The idea of that scared her, even though she couldn't imagine any life being worse than this one. She was just so deeply rooted in this life, in her bad family dynamics, in loyalty to the hell she called her home. Her tail hung low as she stared blankly into the dark forest, swinging with thought. A few blinks and she was back to the quiet reality, blinking over at the quiet tom who lurked beside her. She cleared her throat, suddenly feeling uneasy in the increasing quiet. "Vole for your thoughts?" She asked lightly, hoping to not catch him off guard. Maybe he liked to keep his opinions and thoughts to himself, even among friends as so many other cats did here; as she had done for so very long.

Arrow hated the Syndicate's ways, and killing? It had never been his favorite thing. Just because he was "mysterious" - not really, he just wanted to keep to himself - didn't mean that he was a born killer. For some reason that was the stereotype he had recieved. A killer. Dangerous. Deadly. Ready to lash out at everyone. Ready to kill. But Arrow wasn't a killer at heart, and he never had been. His hues flitted around the territory, half expecting to see something ready to lash out at him. It wasn't normal for him to be out here with another cat, generally he would find a hunting patrol or something and go with a group. Or, he would go on his own. The territory could be a treacherous place no matter where you were, and Arrow was afraid for his life some of the time. Ebony's words startled him, and he partly flinched - but realizing that she wasn't trying to kill him, the tom relaxed once more.

"You'd be overpaying." The words were spoken in a non-joking manner, but when his optics seemed to almost light up, it was apparent that he had been joking. Arrow? Making a joke? Was the whole world turning upside down, or what? The tabby had never been one to really make jokes before, as he had always found that there were those cats who took everything seriously. Nothing could be a joke. Nothing. And he didn't like it when he would attempt to look cool in front of those cats, only to find that they thought he was weird. The tom glanced up at the sky, seeing bits and pieces of it through the trees. The moon and stars were so bright. It was beautiful out here. Well - it couldn't hurt to tell her he was thinking about that, right? Not too much information. As long as she didn't know that much about him, he would live.

"I was just thinking about how pretty it is out here. We don't appreciate it enough." He told her, glancing over at his companion. Her mismatched optics still startled him, especially when they gleamed in the dark. He, of all cats, knew not to let down his guard too soon and assume that any cat was friendly. Yet she hardly seemed like the serial-killer type, no, she seemed like... more of his type of cat. A cat he could get to know over time. It would be some time, definitely, but it would be worth it in the end, he was sure. As long as attachment didn't play a part. If he could keep from getting attached? He could keep from getting hurt in the end, when there would be a time they would have to part ways. And with attachment, with friendship, it sometimes blossomed into more... Arrow was a confirmed bachelor. He wasn't looking for that. So as long as he was careful, things wouldn't go downhill and he could keep them on a carefully straight road.

[~Breadsticks~]

Originally Posted by Fern

(It's fine. I honestly was busy with college homework XD)

The tom grinned in delight as the molly answered, his ears twitching slightly. He rose to his paws, catching Maia's amber gaze with his own as her tail brushed his side. He grinned again, purring slightly, "Hunter. I will give you a few moments to walk away before we begin." The red tom felt another small rumble in his chest as he backed away from the molly, tail swishing behind him excitedly. The fighter flicked his gaze back to the grey and white molly, meeting her gaze with shining yellow eyes while he waited for an answer.

The grey and white molly trotted away, waving her tail behind her. "This'll be fun." She purred, glancing back at the red tom, her yellow eyes meeting his amber ones with an interested look. The fighter continued away from him, waiting, listening for anything to give him away. His fur brushing against the ground, his purrs, or his breathing. Maia hopped around in circles, her fur slightly puffing out as she tried to anticipate when Kovu would pounce.

[Ever]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

Arrow hated the Syndicate's ways, and killing? It had never been his favorite thing. Just because he was "mysterious" - not really, he just wanted to keep to himself - didn't mean that he was a born killer. For some reason that was the stereotype he had recieved. A killer. Dangerous. Deadly. Ready to lash out at everyone. Ready to kill. But Arrow wasn't a killer at heart, and he never had been. His hues flitted around the territory, half expecting to see something ready to lash out at him. It wasn't normal for him to be out here with another cat, generally he would find a hunting patrol or something and go with a group. Or, he would go on his own. The territory could be a treacherous place no matter where you were, and Arrow was afraid for his life some of the time. Ebony's words startled him, and he partly flinched - but realizing that she wasn't trying to kill him, the tom relaxed once more.

"You'd be overpaying." The words were spoken in a non-joking manner, but when his optics seemed to almost light up, it was apparent that he had been joking. Arrow? Making a joke? Was the whole world turning upside down, or what? The tabby had never been one to really make jokes before, as he had always found that there were those cats who took everything seriously. Nothing could be a joke. Nothing. And he didn't like it when he would attempt to look cool in front of those cats, only to find that they thought he was weird. The tom glanced up at the sky, seeing bits and pieces of it through the trees. The moon and stars were so bright. It was beautiful out here. Well - it couldn't hurt to tell her he was thinking about that, right? Not too much information. As long as she didn't know that much about him, he would live.

"I was just thinking about how pretty it is out here. We don't appreciate it enough." He told her, glancing over at his companion. Her mismatched optics still startled him, especially when they gleamed in the dark. He, of all cats, knew not to let down his guard too soon and assume that any cat was friendly. Yet she hardly seemed like the serial-killer type, no, she seemed like... more of his type of cat. A cat he could get to know over time. It would be some time, definitely, but it would be worth it in the end, he was sure. As long as attachment didn't play a part. If he could keep from getting attached? He could keep from getting hurt in the end, when there would be a time they would have to part ways. And with attachment, with friendship, it sometimes blossomed into more... Arrow was a confirmed bachelor. He wasn't looking for that. So as long as he was careful, things wouldn't go downhill and he could keep them on a carefully straight road.

To her surprise, he responded. With something so rare she couldn't help but let a broad lazy smile spread across her maw. He'd made a joke. Ebony honestly couldn't remember the last true joke she'd heard. Maybe she hadn't even- she couldn't remember many between her siblings when she was younger; mostly they'd teased each other, much unlike the light joke that had just occurred. It made her want to freeze the moment and live in it a little longer, for her whole life even if she could. The slender black feline couldn't remember being... happy. Happy was the word she was looking for. She couldn't remember being at ease and happy around another cat. It only made nerves prickle along her spine, anxiety threatening its rise again.

The voice in the back of her head screaming its fake, he didn't mean it, you imagined the joke, this is a dream, don't mess this up, he doesn't want to be your friend, not really. It took effort and a small cringe to force the voices quiet, to keep them from destroying this moment that had taken so much courage on both parts to create, but it felt easy; in the moment. It hadn't been easy to approach him, to invite him to join her, to trust him enough to be at ease. This, however, this lighthearted conversation, this was easy. Easier than she'd ever imagined. It had been too long, much too long and Ebony began to feel a deep regret for all the years she'd lived in silent fear here when she could have had something like this all along.

The thoughts made pain spring to her eyes as she looked over at the tom, his response settling into her mind, captured forever. "Maybe for you," She said softly, her tone melancholy, "but I've always appreciated it." She finished her words barely more than a pained whisper as she watched him carefully, unafraid to make eye contact with the tom and show him a pure piece of her, straight through to her heart. Being out here, appreciating the quiet and beauty of the evening, it was the only thing that made her continue on with this miserable experience. Somehow she'd managed to invite someone to share the beauty with her, and she couldn't hold back from revealing what that loneliness felt like. She wondered if the reserved tom cat felt it too, if he shared the loneliness that had haunted her all these moons; if Arrow wanted out of it as much as she did. She quickly looked away, breaking the moment and the open look she'd exposed him to. She hoped it wouldn't scare him away, nor change how he felt about their friendship.

Ebony had seen the way some toms looked at a female like her, hungry. She'd seen the females look back, desperate for a connection, but for something deeper. The hunger turned to something feral, such females were easy hunting to take advantage of. Though The black molly had spent enough time watching expression, watching how situations and relationships played out, if she caught that hunger in Arrow's eyes she would flee. So she watched him carefully out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't desperate, not really. She just wanted a friend in him, she didn't need more; perhaps wanted more, but at this point in her life Ebony just wanted someone to understand.