Young Writers Society

WhiteTiger - awwww! That was just adorable! Poor Tom, and even poor Dutchess

Paws

"She's a little naive."

A typical house cat then, with safe homes and safe thoughts. The cruelties of the streets a mystery to her, and also the beauty of it too. Most likely she had never slept beneath the sparkling pelt of the starry night sky.

"Why are you out here then?" Paws asked bluntly, looking at her curiously. "How can you accidentally jump?"

"Well, I, er..." she replied nervously, eyeing Paws fearfully.

Paws sighed, realising they'd get nowhere while the cat was sill scared of her. She flopped down onto the floor and forced herself to appear calm. "So, cat, what's your name?"

"P-Patches."

"So how you doing, P-Patches?" Paws grinned. "Enjoying your time outside the courtyard with Leo?" she glanced over at him and saw him watching their interaction intensely.

No one answered any of her questions.

"Oh, come on," she sighed. "No one going to talk? I need a little conversation right now to distract me from thoughts of clawing my brother's fur out."

Strangely enough, that didn't seem to help.

Tom

Tom was confused. He didn't know if he should be upset, irritated, angry, ashamed, or scared. So it seemed his mind decided to go through all of them.

So Dutchess thought he was a good stray. Tom didn't know how that made him feel either. At least he wasn't considered among the filth that had threatened to fight them. But he and Dutchess were not the same. She had said as much. Paws had said as much. Did anyone else have an opinion on the subject?

A good stray.

Anger broke through the cloud of confusion and he unsheathed his claws and dug them into the dirty ground. It was like some human petting him on the head. There, there. Good cat.

I am me, he thought. Yet that's not good enough for my status as a stray to be overlooked.

Paws was right; he was wasting his time. Dutchess had left him with two dogs in her desperate flight and he stared up at them now, wondering when they'd finally realise he was a cat. Tom had known a few decent dogs before, but they were overshadowed by those who loved to chase him.

He frowned as he realised something: Dutchess had come back for him. She had been running to her owner when she'd looked back and...

His anger was replaced by new confusion and he kneaded the ground, unsure of what to do.

Give up and walk away or let Dutchess get a little surprise when she turned around?

**WhiteTiger, your choice

Leo

Leo sat slowly, watching Paws every second. She didn't seem hostile now, but that could change. And Leo would be stuck fighting for two. Not the best plan.

"Your brother?" asked Leo warily. Paws's tail twitched irritably.

"Yes."

Paws stared at Leo for a moment. "You are very calculating, aren't you?" she said suddenly. Leo froze for a moment, staring at her.

"Tom is not waiting in the shadows, waiting for my attack signal. If you are measuring the danger of your position, stop. You are in my territory, yes, but you also have a special circumstance. That is understood."

Leo relaxed slightly, his mind spinning. He had obviously been with Patches too long. He was loosing his touch with normal cats.

"Fine," said Leo tensely. He had heard far too many things about this cat to be at ease. And he was in no mood for a fight.

"Why do you want to claw your brother's fur out?" blurted Patches. Leo stiffened, looking at her quickly. Patches seemed shocked that she had said something, and quickly began licking her paw.

Leo turned back to Paws, expecting a fight. Instead, a dangerous grin spread on Paws's face.

"He was associating a house cat."

Leo saw Patches freeze mid-lick.

Winston took off down the street, feeling absolutely overjoyed. He didn't know how or why the kennel's gate was left open, but he didn't care. All that mattered was that now he was running down a street, a million new smells to investigate, sounds coming from every direction... he was in heaven.

Suddenly he stopped, head to one side. There was a gathering of strange animals ahead. They smelled more like dogs than people did, and yet... Two dogs stood near them. His heart leapt at the idea. Dogs and whatever those other things were, congregating by themselves, no humans around to put on leashes and muzzles and things.

He gambolled towards them, barking loudly.

Now now little one, don't you fret. Just sit there like a good little dear, and Reaper will take care of you. The great arachnid edged towards the cricket the owner had brought earlier. She couldn't see it very well; she couldn't see anything very well, actually. But the insect's minute legs scurried across the web mat, and she felt the vibrations. Read the vibrations, the way a human might read braille. Just a little closer, just a step more, and then...

She sprang forward onto her meal with an uncanny energy and speed. Satisfaction flooded her mind as her fangs hit home. It struggled, panicking for a moment more before the venom stilled it.

Soon there was nothing much left but the crushed husk of the creature; this she methodically rolled into a ball, surrounding it with webbing. My my, that was most satisfactory. But what have we here? Her shoddy eyesight was at least enough for her to sense an abnormal amount of light flooding into her terrarrium. Interesting, most interesting... Scaling the glass wall like a ladder, she was surprised to soon find her long legs prodding thin air.

Oh, how wonderful! Perhaps dear Trevor wouldn't mind if I took a little stroll? Reaper slowly lowered herself down the side, then to the floor, and then the tarantula scurried out the barely cracked door.

Dutchess

I was lost. It was dark now and I couldn't hear Breanne anymore. Just perfect.

Cats hissed and I tried not to tremble. I needed to get out of this alley. I took off back towards the park and while I was looking the other way, I bumped into something.

I shrank away, keeping my eyes low. I didn't think I had the nerve to look at the thing that was about to eat me, but slowly, I turned my gaze to a familar cat.

"Tom!" I shouted relieved. He seemed just as surprised to see me. Then I remembered our previous conversation.

"My ears drooped a little. I shook my head. I was Dutchess, for crying out loud. I was a purebreed. I tried to stand up straighter.

"I was just-"

"Lost?" He asked, quietly. I nodded.

"Look, purebreed, I'll get you back to the park. You didn't leave me earlier so this is payback," tom replied.

I blinked. "No. I'll find my own way. I don't need your help," I retorted, snootily, my old attitude returning.

"Don't be an idiot," he sighed.

"Listen Tom, I can't take back what I said. I wish I could but I can't. I am SORRY, okay. What more do you want. Me to worship the ground beneath your feet, because I won't do that. I just don't care and I refuse to take your help because you think you owe me something, so just...go," I responded, loosing all my leftover steam from earlier.

**I was thinking poor Tom. ): He's so confused and adorable. ^^

Tom

"You worshiping the ground I walk on?" Tom couldn't help it, his whiskers twitched with amusement. The thought of stuck-up Dutchess crouching at his feet, murmuring prayers to the ground, amused him. "You? Little miss No-One's-Good-Enough-For-Me? Ha! C'mon," he pushed his nose into her side, forcing her to stagger a few steps forward - towards the direction of the park, "if I help you get back to the park, can you find your way home?"

"Of course, I'm not stupid."

"Good. I think your owner must have gone back. Most humans don't like to be outside when it gets dark."

"Breanne wouldn't give up on me," she told him stiffly.

"I don't know her," he answered simply.

"Well, I'm telling you she wouldn't," she said as Tom nudged her forwards again. "Would you stop doing that?"

"Only if you get a move on."

"Alright! Alright!" She stepped forwards and Tom saw her trembling. She looked exhausted. Tom supposed for a house-cat this was quite a trip, for a pure-breed this was an adventure. He too felt tired, but it was more of an emotional weariness.

He watched her with amused eyes. "Not so white now, Dutchey."

"I know!" she wailed. "I am absolutely filthy!"

He jumped up and joined her, so they walked side-by-side. "At least you won't stand out so much anymore."

"I hate being dirty," she grumbled, making Tom smile again.

They made their way back in silence for a while, before Tom looked back at Dutchess. Their eyes met, weary yellow and weary yellow. Then Tom said, his eyes gleaming, "Oh, and by the way, I'm not helping you because I think I owe you. That's not it at all."


** Aw, they are just too cute ^^ I'll post for Paws after Patches.

Dutchess

"You'd better not be," I replied, tearing my eyes away from his. That moment just felt too...intimate, for lack of better words.

"Excuse me?" He laughed for a second. I couldn't help but give a tiny smile.

"And here I thought your hearing was better than mine," I replied. Tom raised an eyebrow.

"Still sarcastic, I see?" He asked. I shook my head and kept walking. I actually wasn't being sarcstic. If I had learned one thing today, it was that street cats and strays had keener senses. They had to to survive out here.

"Is that the park?" I asked, raising my head. I could see the big oak I had met Tom under earlier. Had it only been this morning?! Then, hunched beneath the tree, was the figure of a girl. I could hear her sobs from here. She was calling my name out in a throaty voice.

"Breanne," I croaked. That poor girl! She must be so worried about me.

"Thanks Tom," I smiled, ready to dash for the girl.

Tom nodded a little. We just stood there, a little awkward. Was I going to see him? Breanne certainly wouldn't let my out of her sight in a very long time.

"I, um, it was nice to meet you, I guess," Tom said, pawing at a rock on the ground.

"Yeah. I would say I would see you soon, but Breanne probably won't let me go out for a while now," I responded, with a sad, rueful smile.

"Bye Dutchess," he said softly. I nodded and took off after the crying girl. Halfway there I turned back to the stray, and watched him walk away slowly. I hoped he would be alright.

"Bye Tom," I whispered, sadly. Stray or not, Tom was the first real cat I had ever met. It would be a pity to just let him go like this.

My head swiveled from Tom to Breanne. She was still sobbing, worried out of her mind and probably very hungry. I sighed. The poor girl. She loved me so much and this was how I repayed her.

"I'm coming Breanne," I frowned, walking towards her now.

**I know! I love Tom, he's so adorable.**

Roxy

I looked towards the darkening sky and smiled. Dinner time.

"Fancy catching a bite to eat?" I asked Gargoyle. He raised an eyebrow and I grinned wickedly.

"I know a great place. Catch me if you can," I said, shooting off towards the small resturants and little hotdog stands.

Gargoyle looked a little reluctant so I turned and stuck my tounge out.

"Chicken are we?" I teased. He couldn't help but smile and took off after me. I saw a human walk down the sidewalk grocery's in hand. I grinned. This was too easy.

I walked up behind her and nipped her shoe, causing her to lose her balance and drop her grocery's. She looked back at me and to the bag that I know stod over and took off. I grinned. I had obviously scared this one bad. Sometimes it was really no fun.

"Let's see if this human has good taste," I smiled at Gargoyle nudging the bag. This was an easy meal. "Coming?"

Patches-

I cringed and I felt my whiskers twitch. "A h-h-h-h-ho-ho-house cat?? He was...and you want to.......ohh..." My teeth clattered and I trembled ever so slightly.

Paws grinned deviously. "Chill, kid. It was only because he's my brother, and he was helping such a stuck up cat."

I relaxed a little at her words, but it was still hard to be confident around a stray who disliked house cats so much. I swallowed hard and sat down, my head lowered.

"So you never answered my question," she said after a bit. I looked up at her. "How did you get out here?"

"Well..." I said, gathering all the parts of my story, "...Leo was going to catch some little birds, and I didn't want him to, so I chased him into the tree, and...now we're here."

Paws smirked at my story and tried hard to suppress a laugh, but a chuckle escaped her throat. "Oh really?" She asked. I nodded sheepishly. "Well then, let me be the first to welcome you to life outside the neighborhood."

I smiled half-heartedly. At least she seemed friendly. And that was enough for me.

Can I still join? If so can you tell me what has happened so far?

You absolutely can!

And we kinda have a couple things going...

Duchess went for a walk with her human and met Tom, who's a stray. Then his sister, Paws, found him associating with a house cat and got mad. Meanwhile, Leo, another stray, met Patches, a less-pampered house cat and eventually, Patches wound up outside her neighborhood and now has to learn the ways of stray cats. Paws met up with them after a bit.

And as far as the dogs go, Roxy met Gargoyle in his junkyard and they became friends. Then they left when they picked up the scent of two cats, Tom and Duchess.

And that's about it And other characters are kinda doing their own thing

Thanks

Name: Taz

Gender: Male

Breed: Um, not sure. A Tabby? lol.

Home: A large house in the countryside, with his owner Chloe.

Age: Six

Appearance:



Personality: Taz is quite lazy. He loves nothing more than lying out in the sunshine, but he dislikes it when it gets too hot. He eats a lot but isn't fat at all. He is the best hunter in town and gets loads of practice in the field beside his house. He usually sits on the fence and watches for mice and shrews below. Taz is very friendly even towards people he doesn't know, and is always smiling. But if his owner leaves him on holiday, he panics and tries to find her. Taz loves to play. He's fun and affectionate. He can be a little silly sometimes and do stupid things. If he sees the slightest movement within the fields around his house he follows his hunters instinct and jumps on it. This sometimes gets him into fights with other cats.

History: Taz was hit by a car when he was three, and walks with a very slight limp. He doesn't move far from his house because he hates being away from Chloe. Other cats used to bully him as a kitten so he improved on his hunting skills to impress them all.

Other: Up for love

Taz

Taz snoozed lazily upon the rooftop, absorbing the sun rays with a satisfied smile. Chloe has just fed him and he felt very happy and content.

As Taz's eyes flickered open he saw a butterfly flutter across the field. Taz bounced off of the rofftop in pursuit with the butterfly.

"Wait until I get you!" Taz cackled, he was getting closer and closer to the butterfly.

"HAHA gotchaaa! Whoa!" Taz fell into the river. The butterfly escaped with glee.

Taz was flapping around in the water.

"HELLLPPP ME!" Taz screamed with fear.

"Where are you I can help!" Came another voice in the distance.

"I'm in the river, near the meadow. PLEASE HELP ME I CAN'T SWIM!"

"I'm coming!" shouted the other voice.

*Anyone can jump in*

Could the field be close to the park? I know not the countryside, but... I want to revive this storybook. I liked it too much!

Tom

Aching paws carried him for some distance before he realised he had no idea where he was actually going. He was startled out of his sluggish thoughts when a long blade of unpark-like grass struck him on his nose.

"Wha-huh?"

He stepped back and realised he'd been so lost in thoughts of Dutchess, that he hadn't noticed he'd wandered all the way to the Old Farm. The last time he'd seen it, it had been nothing more than an rotting husk of a farm. Now... A human must have moved in, he thought.

He turned and started to walk away when something caught his attention. A sharp sound, like a cross between a cry and a scream.

Tom straightened as his ears pricked up.

What was that?

"Helllppp me!"

With a sharp hiss, Tom turned and bounded towards whoever was in distress, yowling to them. The long grass smacked into his face as he ran, blinding him. He almost fell into the river, but skidded just in time.

"Whoa!"

There; a cat, floundering in the water, looking purely terrified. He saw the cat spot him and go to yowl again, only it choked on the water that flooded into its mouth.

"Hold on!" Tom cried, fear also raging inside him.

He was going to have to - have to -

He jumped into the water. The sudden cold was such a shock that for a couple of seconds he couldn't breathe. He felt himself begin to sink ad kicked out his legs, panicking. "I'm coming," he rasped, as he struggled through the muddy water towards the other cat.

"Just ... coming..."

Leo

Leo cocked his head, staring at Paws again. She glanced at him, stretching.

"Again with the staring and the calculating. What?"

Leo shook himself. "You are much... different... then the rumors would lead one to believe."

Paws grinned. "Good. I like to keep them that way."

Leo chuckled softly. "How true..." Paw's ears pricked toward him.

"You sound like you do the same?"

"Not to your extent," said Leo quickly. "But around my home I keep a fairly dangerous reputation."

"You do?" asked Patches. Leo glanced at her for a moment, before turning back to Paws. She still looked curious.

"And just where is your home?"

"No where near here. I live farther into the park. Keeps me away from humans..."

Paws looked startled. "Why are you so far away, then?"

Leo flexed his claws. "Food. Keeping away from humans means living in one of the less forested areas of the park. Food then becomes scarce."

Paws stared at him. "You must really hate humans..." Leo snorted derisively.

"These things are true."

I will post later