Lazing the day away...

[Anonymous]

Gump ran his hands over the cat and made a hushed noise of awe in his throat. It was suprisingly soft compared to it's size, and Gump could feel the strong muscles moving below the thick coat.

Gump noticed his companion was glancing around the forest, as if looking for someone. He rested his hands on the cat and looked around himself, listening to the forest, unable to hear anything unusual.

"Wink look for friend?" he asked, resuming his tiny strokes of the cat.

((OOC - Hi there. I suck. I have been moving house and getting a new job and all sorts of things, but it's no excuse not to post. I'll post a reply, and hopefully we can pick up the thread again? Unless your character has moved on? - Rhymer))

[Anonymous]

"Well...kind of," he uttered. Wink smiled at Gump, wondering how sensitive to emotions the little Froogle was. The Phenin cat looked up and stopped purring. Protectively, she edged closer to Gump, as if to protect him.

"He'll be okay, girl. I've got him." Turning to Gump, Wink tried his best to stay from looking too upset. "I'm gonna go for a quick second, okay? I'll come right back. I'll leave my cat with you to keep you company, all right?"

And with that, Wink cautiously picked his way towards the area where he first heard the noise.

((It's all right...and sorry my post's so lame...I'll re-edit it as soon as I get a chance if you wish.))

[Anonymous]

Gump frowned at Wink, worried for his new friend, and watched him walk away from the clearing. He gripped the fur of the cat a little tighter, and made a gentle tutting noise under his throat.

"Wink worried. Gump worried too, huh kitty?" he said, shuffling a little closer to the cat so he could resume his patting. He studied the animal thoughtfully, making small strokes that the large beast probably couldn't even detect. He sighed and stood up, dry now after his unexpected dip, so that he could better pat the top of the cat's head. He had never been so close to such a large animal before, and it excited and confused him.

He hummed again as he stroked, completely emersed in smoothing the cat's fur down so it looked sleek. The cat seemed content to let the little Froogle give him a grooming. Gump leaned over the cat, in order to smooth the fur out on the other side of his body. He strained to reach around, hoisting himself up until his legs were off the ground, and he was draped sideways over the cat's back. He poked out his tounge in concentration as he tried to smooth the fur beneath the cat, which resulted in him toppling headfirst off the beasts back and onto the grass on the other side.

He struggled to stand, and spat fur from his mouth, wiping at his face and nose. The cat turned it's head to look at him, and he smiled at it, starting to pat the fur back into place from where his fall had dishevelled it. Within a few moments Gump had forgotten all about Wink, as his mind was only small and he could only concentrate on one thing at a time.

((Tis fine. After my absence, I'm suprised I didn't just get one line!  :)  ))

[Anonymous]

Wink had found the problem.

The man with the blue eyes was stalking them again. "Sir, I've told you--you cannot have my cat."

"But it's for sale; you said it yourself," the kind man replied. Wink kept a wary eye on the man, distrusting every word he said.

"It's not for sale now. I changed my mind."

"But--"

"--It's not for sale!" Wink said with a hiss in his voice. Turning on his heel, he went back to his little camp site to find his friend spitting fur out of his mouth. "Ah? Eating my cat now, are you?" He joked.

[Anonymous]

Gump looked up from his grooming and noticed Wink, smiling at him. He paused for a moment, and then remembered who the boy was and grinned back. He pulled a piece of fur off his tounge, getting several more on there in the process, and tried to talk around them.

"Gump likes kitty. Make him shiny!" he said proudly.

He stopped, noticing a figure standing across the clearing. Gump froze up, gripping the cat's fur tighter, his whole body tense at the thought of a stranger in the group. It was a man, much taller than Gump and slightly taller than Wink. He was coming from the direction from which Wink had returned, and Gump was still sensing Wink was not feeling comfortable. He stared at the man for a few moments, then muttered under his breath.

"Bad man go away".

[Anonymous]

"Are you, now? But doesn't her fur taste a little odd?" He tilted his head as Gump proceeded to say "Bad man go away." The Phenin cat protectively began growling, nuzzling Gump for his reassurance. She then stood and unfurled her pitch black, jewel-like wings, creating a blockade for Gump.

"Adopted Gump, have you, girl?" Wink smiled at the cat, trying to show his bravery. Turning on his heel, he found himself facing the man with blue eyes. "Why do you not take 'no' for an answer?"

Exhaustedly, the man said, "Well, let me ask you this, at least." He ran a hand through his blonde hair and asked, "How have I offended you?"

Wink had no reply to this for quite some time. "It's quite a story, and I don't feel like telling it. I've been traveling all day and I just want to rest. So please. Please, sir...just leave me be."

The man sighed and looked at the growling, cawing cat one last time. "Maybe she wouldn't be a good fit for me anyhow..." Dejectedly, he went on his way, his brow furrowed at the question: how had he offended the young boy?

Once the man had gone, Wink became less tense and the Phenin cat lowered her wings. She turned around to check on Gump, nuzzling him and "craw"-ing softly.

"She really likes you, Gump." Wink couldn't help but smile at their cuteness.

[Anonymous]

Gump had watched the exchange between Wink and the stranger from between the cats wings. He was grateful for the protection and burried his hands deep in the beasts fur, stroking gently as the man walked away. He hadn't understood everything, but the hostility and unease in Wink was easy to detect.

He continued to watch the man walk away when he was nuzzled by the cat, causing him to loose his balance and sit abruptly in the long grass. He stroked the cat's nose gently and nodded.

"Gump like kitty. Gump kitty friends" he said, grateful for a friend after so long alone. But Wink was as much his friend as anyone. He looked up at the boy and sighed, a small huff of breath barely heard on the winds.

"Wink want talk?" he asked, his eyes wide.

[Anonymous]

"Well, good. I'm glad you two are friends," he smiled. He began untying his shoes and set them beside him, only to have them hijacked by his Phenin cat. "Hey." She paid Wink no mind as she sat down to chew his shoes. "That's my good pair. In fact that's my only pair."

He blinked at Gump's question, and nodded. "Sure. Tell me about your travels. What have you discovered?" He crossed his legs and leaned forward, interested in what this little guy had to say.

((Gah! It's so short! Sorry.))

[Anonymous]

Gump frowned slightly at Wink's questions. It wasn't entirely what he ment, wondering if the boy needed to talk to him about whatever was bothering him. But he smiled again, realising that Wink would talk about his problems when he was ready.

Gump stood and puffed out his chest, trying to look as dashing as he could. Like a real adventurer. He took a deep breath and began, his voice as big and mighty as he could make it.

"Gump see all forest! Trees and birds and people and not-people! Get treasure and lots of play in wind. Sleep in tree. Gump want explore BIIIIIG town!" He finished his speech and toddled up to Wink, putting his hands on the boy's knee and looking up at him.

"Wink and kitty come with Gump?" he asked in a quiet voice. He didn't want Wink to think any less of him, but he was never one to conceal the truth. "Gump small. Not brave."

[Anonymous]

Wink tilted his head and smiled at Gump , noticing the sincerity in his eyes and words. "Aw, that's all right, Gump. I'm not that brave, either. But you can come with us. Would you mind, girl?" He added, looking to his Phenin cat. The cat "crawed" merrily, standing up on her hind paws and flapping her wings.

"Whoa! Easy there!" Wink laughed and patted his cat's head as she settled on the ground again. "You'll tire yourself out."