[lone]

Originally Posted by AbsurdJinx

Calia's ears grew erect and her whiskers twitched with interest at the sight of a stranger. She was currently fixing up her bed, a nest created with the plants in the garden. It had been challenging to tear a few of the plants from the ground, and her teeth ached from tugging at the stalks. Calia stood tall, but was hidden by the thick undergrowth. She made her home beneath the small bridge by the twoleg den, her belongings hiding behind tall plants and beneath the wooden planks. She'd been living here since the ShadowClan patrol left her - a few moons, perhaps?

Deciding to investigate, she pawed a few of the messy grasses back into place before making herself known. She trotted out from beneath the bridge, squeezing through the stiff plants to freedom. Her curious gaze rested on that of a dark-pelted tomcat, his fur shining in the sunlight. He appeared to of been resting - was he a traveler? I can't handle another traveler - not another. Despite the agonizing thought, she trotted closer to him, making certain her paw steps were heavy as to alert him of her arrival. Her medium-length, thick, ginger tabby pelt slightly bounced up and down with every exaggerated step. Her tail swung behind her cheerfully, and her vibrant blue eyes held a spark of interest. She wore a large smile, clearly doing her best not to frighten him.

``Hey, stranger,`` Calia meowed softly, stopping a tail-length or so before the tomcat. ``I'm Calia. Are you lost?`` She tilted her head to the right a bit as she questioned him, offering an innocent, kit-like impression. She was your stereotypical mother - except, without the kittens. She would be friendly, soft-spoken, the most kind cat ever known. But when either she or her loved ones were messed with - oh boy, best not be 'round for that. At the moment, though, she had no reason to bring out `mama bear`.

In Calia' past, she resided in a garden - much thicker than the one she lived in currently, and not cared for as well. Traveling cats would stay with her for their chosen amount of time, and she didn't mind. She was known among travelers for homing them. They'd share stories of their travels with her as she tended to their wounds or shared a meal with them. They'd tell her of the four Clans by the ocean, and how they worked. Until, one day, she actually met clan cats. She had been hunting, and when she returned to the garden with a mouse clenched between her jaws she was faced with an entire patrol of them. Injured ShadowClan cats were cleaning their wounds and talking when Calia appeared. She told them she could tend to their injuries, and they let her. She learned they had been exiled by their evil clanmates, but they did plan to return and clean their home of such filth. Calia became friends with them, but moons after appearing, they left for their home. This truly destroyed her as she had grown close to them. She could no longer reside in the garden that haunted her with thoughts of the Clan cats. So, she left, and ended up here.

Obsidian's ears tilted backwards and pinned themselves against his head. He leapt to his paws, hues now wide open, facing the she cat before him. She looked harmless enough. Hm. Small build, soft voice, definitely not a fighter...nicely groomed though, interesting. Doesn't have the scent of a kittypet. He thought, examining her for a moment with a nervous expression. "No, I'm not lost. What do you want?" He asked, his voice a dangerous growl. He backed away from her a little, careful not to break eye contact. He had learned not all cats could be trusted, and if he broke eye contact with this one...there was no telling what she might do. She could be a dangerous maniac. Or she could be a perfectly nice cat, he thought, though he tried to push the thought out of his head. Of course she wasn't a perfectly nice cat. She could be dangerous! What did she want from him? What was she looking for? Was she trying to distract him? He looked her over again, his hues wide with alarm as he did so.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, and he never did...this she cat frightened him. She was too calm. Too quiet. Too...friendly. She must want something from him. Whatever it is, I won't give it to her! He thought with another snarl, his ivory fangs flashing in the sunlight. Slowly he unsheathed his claws, flexing them, allowing the sun to light them up, just silently trying to let her know that he had the power to hurt her if he wished to do so. The problem was, Obsidian wasn't a killer. He was a great fighter, but he was a defensive fighter. He hated attacking for no reason, and he hated cats who would do so. He was going to fight her verbally first, but not too much to allow his strength to give out.

Stupid, stupid cat. You let your guard down! How idiotic can you be! He thought, a snarl building up in his throat, although he swallowed it quickly. Not until he found out the intentions of this strange cat would he allow himself to be hostile towards her. The black furred tom could feel himself growing more and more frustrated with himself. Why was she standing so far away? Was she trying to freak him out? And why was she looking at him? What did she want? He couldn't figure out the answer to any of these questions by looking at her. She looked so innocent...and yet Obsidian had learned the hard way that the most innocent cats were the ones who seemed to be the most dangerous. That was just the way of the world, whether he understood it or not. At least, that was how it worked in his mind. Then again he had been through so much that it was only natural he would think that way. He glared at her, his hues narrowed as he tried to figure out what she was doing.

"Don't come any closer. I don't want to hurt you, but I will," He hissed. Although the she cat didn't look like she was going anywhere close to him, he definitely didn't want to take a chance. Better safe then sorry. Better cautious then not. In his opinion. He never, ever wanted to let his guard down again. Look what happened! I let my guard down, she could have hurt me, stupid, stupid Obsidian! He berated himself again, all the time keeping his hues fixed on the she cat with an almost defiant gleam in them. It was as though he were saying 'what are you going to do?' He didn't want to get into a fight. Especially not with a she cat. She didn't look defensive, or aggressive...but neither had the show cats. Those show cats had been vicious, unforgivable, cold cats. Cats that Obsidian wanted nothing to do with. Still, she didn't look much like a show cat. She didn't have the right coloring for a champion, nor the right stance, and she didn't have a snooty, stuck up voice...maybe she wasn't going to try and hurt him. Relaxing just the slightest bit, Obsidian resheathed his claws, his own words playing back in his head. I don't want to hurt you.

But if you hurt me, either physically or emotionally...you give me no choice. I 'm not going to be hurt again. He thought, keeping his hues fixed on her as though he was trying to convey his silent message through just staring.