The sunning rocks

Deep within the grassy plain, a small nimble tom was resting upon two large rocks. Breathing slowly, and peacefully his pale blue fur warmed in the sunlight, as his ears were pricked to the slightest sound. Letting out a soft content purr, the tom's mesmerizing cool green hues remained closed while his paws twitched faintly. It was almost as if he was dreaming. Just then the wind b began to float across the clearing, ruffling the tom's lithe frame. With that, his eyes burst open and he begins to stand up. Yawning, he drowsily gazes around his surroundings having been asleep for quite some time. It's already sunhigh? He thought, once spotting the sun hovering powerfully in the sky. He began to groom himself with a few gentle licks. Still alert to any intruders.

A lithe she-cat stepped on the rocks, brown tabby pelt ruffled as the wind raced through it. "Newcomer?" She blinked at the tom and nodded in acknowledgement.

"H-hi!" The tom flinches and tries to jump up in surprise; not quite expecting someone else so close to where he was napping. Sadly, he loses his footing and tumbles off the rocks. He lets out a small groan.

"A-are you okay?" The brown tabby trotted over to him worriedly. After a moment she let out a giggle. "That's quite a way of greeting someone."

"Yes, I'm ok." He mumbled, standing up slowly. Smiling sheepishly at her concern, he feels his pelt grow hot in embaressment.

Her smile only grew wider as she prodded him playfully. "So, are you new here?" She repeated her question, "I'm Aurora, by the way." The brown tabby puffed out her white chest. "I've been living on my own here for a very very long time."

(Hi again~ I'm still alive! Congrats on becoming the new mini-mod! *showers you in cookies*)

Hail gives her a curt nod, self-consciously grooming his chest fur. That is a pretty name, maybe she isn't that bad? he pondered to himself, glancing at Aurora through the corners of his eye. "Nice to meet you." The tom murmured. "I'm Hail."

Grouse watches the two with interest, ears twitching.

"Hail. Hail. That sounds nice." She giggled at the way the word tasted on her tongue. Chestnutpool flicked her tail to the side as she wrapped her tail around her paws. "Are you new here? You don't seem to be from a clan." Her amber eyes flickered with curiosity and she beamed at him.

*saphire watched from her home in between the two large rocks*

"No, I'm what clan cats would call... a loner? I think that's what I would be called anyway." He smiles faintly, tilting his head a little to the side. Becoming a little more at ease, the tom's meow grows a little happier. "My name sounds weird doesn't it? Well, at least to me it does."

"It's a nice name! I've never heard it before. It sounds good though." She tilted her head to the side, beaming widely. "You're the first loner that I've met who hasn't attacked me yet, actually." The dusty brown she-cat let out a cheerful chirp. "I thought all loners were hostile, anyway."

*sapphire finds the courage to pad out* h-hello. im sapphire.

Grouse watches the three cats, wishing she could just pad up to them, but her lack of confidence denied her that privilege.

A small cheeky grin stretches across his features, "I-I can attack you in you want!" He announces loudly but somewhat shakily, giving her a playful bat with his paw. Though, at the sound of yet another cat, the tom freezes in fear, unsure of what to do.

A smirk etched across her expression and she pawed back at him with sheathed claws. "I'm a warrior! You mouse-brained loners won't be able to beat m-" Her head turned sharply, freezing in place as she spotted the she-cat. "Do you know her?" She whispered lightly, fur fluffing up, ready for a fight.

*sapphire heard aurora. for she had good hearing. she shook her head* no I live there *she pointed her tail tworads the two large rocks. she smiled* where are you from?

"No." He whispered in return, a frown had replaced his once pleasant grin, as he takes a few paw steps backwards. Turning to face the newcomer gradually, his fur rises, prickles of nervousness coursing through his system. "I'm from...from a place far away from here." Was his only reply, quiet and barely audible.

*she smiled* wow don't you love it here! its just so warm!

Chesnutpool exchanged a glance with Hail, fur flattening. "I'm from Sombreclan." She gave Sapphire a friendly smile, then scooted closer to Hail, brown fur barely brushing against his comfortingly. "I think it's fine, Hail. She won't try anything if there were two of us anyways, so just relax." She let out a small purr, amber eyes warm. "Where are you from, Sapphire?"

The tom's pale blue fur slowly begins to flatten, "I'll try." He promised, taking in a small gulp of air in a poor attempt to calm his nerves. He inches away from Chestnutpool silently, not quite yet sure of such close contact with someone else. "You're not from a clan, right?" Hail looked over at Sapphire and smiled weakly.

*sapphire stared at chesnutpool* s-sombreclan? *begins to back away*

She smiled at Hail, feeling a certain protectiveness of him. The she-cat stroked her tail down his back gently, tail just barely touching his hairs. "You know Sombreclan?" She smiled pleasantly at Sapphire, eyes warm.

*her eyes filled with tears* y-yes. I do

He glances at Chestnutpool out of the corner of his eye, surprised that she was being so gentle. Feeling a burst of warmth, and courage, the tom steps forward a little. He tilts his head to the side, "Is something wrong?" He asks in a careful tone, looking at Sapphire.

"You alright?" The brown she-cat flattened an ear, eyes widening.

its just...a sombreclan cat killed my sister. *looks down at paws*

Ice had wandered far away from her Twoleg place once again and found herself in a place where it had been rumored that loners often came. She saw a two loners and a strange smelling cat. A clan cat maybe? She couldn't figure out which clan though. The she-cat had been about to walk over and say hello, being the social and sometimes naïve cat she was, but when the she-cat loner mentioned the death of her sister, she thought it would be rude to barge in at such a sad comment. Ice decided she would watch at a distance until the time was right.

(OH, OOPS. I re-read this and realized that I was actually RPing with Aurora in the beginning. I'm such a dummy xD)

Aurora's ears flattened. "Oh, I'm sorry..." She blinked sympathetically, stepping forward lightly.

if I ever see him again it will make me sick! that stupid heartless grey cat with that weird ginger paw!

Aurora tilted her head. "Us loners generally don't mix with them anyway."

Ice, unable to wait any longer, decide to make herself noticed at once. "I've been separated from brother." she said with empathy, walking up to them.

(So many she-kitties o.O I'm surprised Hail hasn't had a heart attack yet xD)

Casting a quick glance at Aurora, the tom's ears flatten a little at the news. "O-oh..." He muttered, not quite sure what to say. Gazing down at his paws, he flinches at the sound of yet another cat.

Aurora blinked at Hail, sensing his discomfort. "Let's get out of here." She smiled. "You're new, right? I'll take you to where I live."

Rivalry strolled in, watching the cats with curiosity.

Aurora grunted. "It's you again." Her pelt fluffed up.

The tom cackled a dry laugh, nodding. "It seems it is."

Aurora's eyes narrowed, feeling provoked. A ripple ran down her tabby pelt. "Who are you?" A hiss filled the air.

The black furred tom took a step to the side, coolly, not seeming rushed or aggravated. "Rivalry," he said, "And you are?"

She slowly relaxed and sighed, trotting over to him. "Aurora." She tilted her head to the side, untrusting.

"Ah," he said, seeming interested, "You are not from the clans. I have met a lot of cats who were from clans." An oily smile spread across his muzzle.

"You mean, the ones with funny names?" A laugh escaped her muzzle. "I know some of them. All prideful and all. Really dislike us too." She tossed her fur nonchalantly. "At least they never bother us."

*sapphire blinked and silently slipped away*

Rivalry cracked a laugh, "That sounds all too familiar," he said. "I do enjoy messing with them. Trespassing and stealing prey," he said, "Watching their expressions.." He tilt his head in the direction of Sapphire, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Aurora frowned, tail drooping. "No one here dares to do that. We had a cat who trespassed into their territories once but I haven't seen her ever since." Green eyes flickered apprehensively. "It's best if you leave them alone, like we do."

"Exactly!" Hail piped in, puffing out his chest slightly, trying hard to appear braver than he actually was. His eyes glanced over at Rivalry, filled with contemplation. "Getting involved with the clans is not a wish decision..." He looked back down at his paws.

Creek bounced past, eying up the random loners. "Clan cats! Ohh, I know of clan cats! They can be dangerous," she blurted, butting into their conversation. "They get so worked up over their territory! I had a cousin or a friend or something once who used to steal prey from them!" She rolled her eyes then pranced around the three cats. "What's your names?" O.O

Hail glanced over at yet another newcomer, opening his mouth to speak, but not quite sure what to say. Instead, he recoils and staggers backwards, landing on the ground in surprise. "H-hail." The lithe tom murmured, looking down at his paws in complete embarrassment.

"Aurora." The brown tabby let out a purr, blinking at Hail's amusement. "Silly, we're all loners. We help each other."

Grouse dares to pad over to the group of loners, her ears flat."