Waiting Is An Old Man's Game [open]

[N.y.x.]

N.y.x.

A wind blew softly through the trees, echoing through the empty streets and pathways of the twolegs. As the sun begins to drop behind the nests, the lights flicker on and off, attempting feebly to turn on. Behind these, the shadowy images of animals come to life. Rats, mice, and crows return to their nests, having learned what happens after the sun fully sets.

The lights continue to flicker, and all at once the streets are alive. Screeches are heard, and the hunters have emerged from their hiding spots to brace the new night and fight for their right to live.

Nyx felt the night air take her and carry her out into the open, a place where a cat so small and vicious should never be. In front of her was the rest of the alleyway, and it was teeming with life now that the moon was high in the sky. She would wait patiently for some unlucky scrap of prey to come, and sat down, playing the old man's game of patience.

[Featherstorm~!]

Paws pounded against the cold ground of twoleg-place as a large tom trotted through alleys, over rubbish, under broken fences. This was his new home now. He would much prefer water, forest floor, trees, but he gave that up to live with his mate, and he would gladly do it again.

Sniffing at the ground, Tawnyfoot pricked his ears. A crow squawking loudly. He crouched to the ground, looking around the corner as it ate a rotting rat. He hissed at the idea of eating decayed food, but if it fattened up the crow he wouldn't argue. So quietly he slipped behind a trash can, watching it. Then with a leap he pinned it to the ground, quickly taking its' life, before heading to Nyx.

Tawnyfoot wandered aimlessly. They shared a den in the same spot, but when out they would wander all around, together or apart, so find her would be luck of the draw. But luck was on his side as he found her, waiting for her own prey. Quietly he came up from behind her, sitting next to her and dropping the crow. "Evening."

[N.y.x.]

.Nyx.

Nyx continued to sit, almost statuesque in her lack of movement. Only when she heard someone- Tawnyfoot, her mate- appear down the alley did she move. He dropped a crow at their feet, and Nyx smelled rotting flesh. So. We've been reduced to eating crows and crow-food. How sad. She looked up at Tawnyfoot, who easily stood about half a head above her. With her small size, though, almost everyone did that.

"Hello. How's the night air treating you?" This was often how they greeted each other when they could find each other. Other times they would simply return to their shared den and territory, and hardly know each other were there until they woke up next to each other. Nyx personally didn't mind; she actually preferred this quiet lifestyle. She almost never had to fight for her food since she'd established a border around their area, and they could both wander freely within it, plucking mice and rats out of cracks as they went along.

She laid her tail upon his in a quiet show of affection as she waited for his reply.

[Featherstorm~!]

Tawnyfoot glanced down at Nyx, knowing she was probably thinking about her size. Truthfully he didn't care if she was as big as TigerClan themselves, or smaller then a mouse. He knew she could fight with the ferocity ad cunning of Lion- and TigerClan combined. Maybe that was why he admired and cared for her as much as he did. He cold pretend he was taking care of her but he knew she just as easily took care of him. Mutual survival, that swirled into a sort of love. He fed the idea, mused over it for a moment, before meeting her gaze.

"Very well actually," Tawnyfoot said, voiced laced with the faintest of sarcasm. "And you, dear Nyx?" he asked in return, as was ritual between them. He could feel her tail gently lay upon his,is own loosely intertwining with hers. It was funny to him, there love. Would it have worked, had they both been normal Clan cats, her from DarkClan, him from WaterClan? Would they have to meet in secret, make sure never to get caught? If they did, they would probably have been banished out here anyways. So maybe there destiny was always out here, inside twoleg-place.

[N.y.x.]

.Nyx.

Nyx purred slightly from the affection of her mate. She could tell he was thinking about something, but had no idea what. Maybe he was remembering his Clan life, and maybe he was thinking of how he lived now, as she was. All she knew was that she would never go back to DarkClan, and she especially didn't want to have to deal with her sister who by now must have weaseled her way into leader. Her brother would be head Medicine Cat by now, but she had no qualms about that; he did deserve to be that, for he had trained long and hard, sincerely caring what happened to his Clan.

I wonder what life would have been like if his mentor hadn't died... Her brother had been an apprentice for being a Warrior rather than for being Medicine Cat; she, though, had died from a run-in with LightClan. Though she was sweet- Bramblecloud was her name- shehad vicious tendencies toward cats from other Clans.

Realizing she had been talking to Tawnyfoot, she began to reply, but stopped. That mouse had finally wandered onto the land right in front of them, and she planned to catch it. Falling into the crouch that her mate had taught her, she stalked the rodent with deadly accuracy and silence. When she was nearly upon the mouse, she leaped, and caught the mouse without any trouble at all. She came back to Tawnyfoot, and sat down with her own prey in front of her.

"As it is me. Care to dine?"

[Featherstorm~!]

Tawnyfoot waited patiently for a reply. Both often got stuck in thought, conversations stretched over hours, though they were only a few words. He enjoyed that, the silence, because even if word were not shared they still had closeness. He then noticed Nyx stiffen, drop into a crouch. His eyes followed hers and he spotted a mouse. He turned his attention back to his mate, proud he had taught her something so useful, and watch her use it with such mastery. When her claws finally met her target he let out a satisfied purr, though more like a rumbling growl, for it was as close as his black hear would allow him to reach to a purr.

When she returned he only gave a nod, tucking into his crow, taking a bite. Tough, old, not the greatest of tastes. He wouldn't complain though. He would never eat the better piece of prey when Nyx was around, always wanting her happy. "I seen our daughter today, doing a patrol. She's growing strong and clever, and other Clans respect her, as well as her own. I think she'll be leader before we know it," he said in attempt to make conversation. He again remembered how Nyx had told him she left their kit with AirClan. At first he was angry, but then he knew AirClan was respected, had good cats, and was strong. He had no fights with them, nothing to show they were worthy of disrespect, so he was glad of Nyx's choice. Dapplenight was doing good being raised by a Clan, and with her father's cunning and mother's strength, he knew someday she would be great.

[N.y.x.]

Nyx continued to eat as Tawnyfoot spoke. She was done by the time he had finished speaking. The mouse had been scrawny, so she might end up sharing with her mate. She felt she needed to focus now, though she didn't really want to; she loved her mate, but often they dazed in and out of listening to each other. Then he mentioned their daughter.

I seen our daughter today, doing a patrol. She's growing strong and clever, and other Clans respect her, as well as her own. I think she'll be leader before we know it.

She turned to face her mate, and the maternal urge to care took over. "Did you talk to her? Who does she look like, mo or you? And is she stronger than us?" Nyx babbled on and on, eager to learn of her kit and how she was doing in her new Clan. She stopped, realizing he had already answered some of her questions. "I'm sorry. It's just... I want to know how our kit is. I want to see her with my own eyes, I guess, and right now you are my eyes."