Sabbath

Sabbath jumped from fence to fence, looking for any food the two-legs would throw in the backyard for the animals. He and his sister had come here not long ago, and he had decided to stay since it was a good place to get food. His muscular body carried him easily through the backyards, and if he ran into any dogs, his powerful legs were able to get him away from them with ease. Life as a stray cat wasn't that fun. His jet black coat blended in with the shadows and his night pierceing yellow eyes were watching for any movement as he walked across the fences with ease.

Squaker, on the other hand, was smaller then her brother. She was grey and white and more curious then Sabbath. Se always stopped for a minute on the fence to look in the backyard of the houses before her brother called her towards him. She followed him everywhere. She knew that without him, she would probally be dead by now.

Underfoot & Cali

Lounging under the prickly branches of a barberry bush were two more stray cats. One was a tortishell with grey-green eyes, and the other was dark tan color with brown paws, nose, and ears, and a pair of green eyes. This second feline was a little larger than her torti-colored sister, and she was the one who first spotted Sabbath jumping up on the fence near where they were hiding. "Look." She whispered to Cali, turning her green eyes up at the tomcat and his dark black fur. Soon enough, Sabbath was joined by a smaller cat that was much lighter in color. "Another." Underfoot watched the pair out of curiosity, since she'd never seen them before.

"Do you think they're pets?" The smaller sister asked, tilting her head a little to get a better view of the siblings on the fence. Underfoot shook her head, "I don't think so, I don't see any collars." Cali sighed and scooted forward, until her black and tan splotched head was peeking out from the underside of the bush. "Psssst, hey! You two!" She called to Sabbath and Squaker, trying to catch their attention. Underfoot pinned her ears back and swatted at her sister with one of her paws, "You dolt, what are you doing? Don't attract attention to us!" But Cali ignored her larger sibling and crept out of the bush a little further, so that she'd be more visible to the other two felines.

Sabbath

Sabbath ears twitched as he heard noises from the underbrush. Squeaker stopped as she swivelled her ears towards the noise and looked that way, her light green eyes scanning the area. She soon noticed a torti-colored cat poke its head out of the underbrush and whisper to them. Sabbath noticed also and he jumped up, his muscles tensing underneath his fur. He bared his teeth and let out a low his, his tail lashing slightly. Squeaker glared at him and jumped on his back, pinning him to the ground.

Don't scare her!!! she meowed. Sabbath hissed at his sister and tried to get her off him but she didn't budge. She sat on his back and looked at the new she-cat with curiosity in her eyes. "Hello!!" she meowed with a friendly twith of her tail.

Underfoot & Cali

Underfoot shifted her position to get a better view of the siblings on the fence, fearing that Cali's decision to get their attention would be a big mistake. And at first, it started to look that way, because the tom cat showed off his teeth and gave them a low hiss, "Cali, this is precisely why I told you not to get their attention!" The hiss she gave was aimed only at her sister, and having heard it many times before, Cali simply ignored her sibling.

She couldn't quite ignore Sabbath though, and scooted back into the bush a little more with widened eyes. "Umm, hello." She meowed back to Squaker, while her eyes stayed on the tabby's black brother. "I didn't mean to startle you, if.. if that's what I did." The tortie said, trying to appease Sabbath and hopefully keep him from attacking her or Underfoot.

Sabbath

Squeakers ears twitched as the other she-cat hissed at the first one. The tortie then spoke to them, saying she didn't mean to startle them. She shook her head. No you didn't startle us. Sabbath here is just a very cautious kitty she meowed as she paws her brother that she sat on. Sabbath hissed at her GET OF ME!! he hissed but she didn't move. She just smiled at the other two cats.

Underfoot & Cali

"Caution is a good thing to have around here." Underfoot finally ghosted forward on her dainty, dark brown paws. Her gaze was a more scrutinizing one than her sister's, and she didn't hide the wariness she felt as she looked over the sibling pair sitting on the fence. Cali was unruffled by her sister's leery attitude, and because Squeakers was acting in a friendly manner, so did the little torti. She even giggled as Sabbath showed his frustration at being sat on by his sister, "No need to be cautious around us. I'm Cali, by the way. And this is my sister, Underfoot."

Sabbath

Sabbath hissed at his sister and she looked at him with her curious light green eyes. Ok. Ok. I'll get off she mewed and she stood up and jumped off the jet black tom. Sabbath sat up and his tail twitched. Sabbath he mewed simply, stating his name.

Squeaker smiled. And I'm Squeaker!! she mewed happily. Her voice was a bit more high pitched then other cats, even for a she-cat. I know it's a wierd name but I think it fits me.

Underfoot & Cali

Cali stepped fully out from under the bush now and stood up, letting her dark, mottled tail hang loosely behind her. "Sabbath, Squeaker, I like those names. So, you guys... are you, uh... you know..." The small tabby began to question, trailing off a little. "...pets?" She said the word as if it were taboo.

Underfoot followed her sister's lead by stepping out from hiding as well. She was noticeably larger than her sibling, though not by much. Even so, she was more cautious than Cali and was particularly vigilant about watching Sabbath. "What brings you two to this area?"

Sabbath

Sabbath ears twitched as the bush parted and the cats stalked out. His ears swiveled towards them as they spoke. Her tilted his head to the side as she asked if they were 'pets'. What were pets? He thought about it for a bit until he figured out what it meant. His fur bristed at the thoat and he hissed to no body in paricualer . You mean kitty-pets? Tch. Yea right. We used to be. When we were kits that is. We left there a long time ago. Many moons ago. Now were loners. he mewed, his tail twitching as he looked at the two she-cats with his night piercing yellow eyes.

Squeaker listened as her brother explained a bit of their past. She then looked at the bigger she-cat as she asked another question. This time, before Sabbath could say anything, she stepped in and started explaining. We've been wandering for a long time. Loners. You know us. We stopped here cause it's easier to catch food though we don't know how long we will be staying here. We might leave. she meowed.

Underfoot & Cali

Underfoot took note of how Sabbath's fur bristled, and how his hiss seemed to answer the question before he ever said anything. This feline clearly held disdain for the two-leggers. "So, you've been in contact with the humans before?" The chocolate and tan tabby sounded a bit smug in her response. She paused long enough to swivel an ear slightly in Squeaker's direction, and gleaned more information from the pair. "Have you ever been out in the Wilds?" Underfoot asked, speaking of the land beyond the bustling city roads and clustered buildings of Atroe City. "Cali and I were born out there. In fact, the rest of our siblings still live out there, in the mountains."

Sabbath

Sabbath nodded to Underfoot. "We lived there for a long time. A long away from here. We were born in a Twolegplace with our sister, Ozzy. We soon left after we met a forest cat. She talked about forest clans of cats so we went with her to check it out. Ozzy stayed. She wasn't suited to be a clan cat." he meowed.

Squeaker then stepped in. "We followed the she-cat to her clan. I personally loved it there but this grumpy paw" her tail flicked to her brother and he rolled his yellow eyes. "Didn't trust any cats in the clan so we left and have been traveling every since" she finished.

Underfoot & Cali

Underfoot soon learned that these weren't just a couple of ex-pets that lived strictly on the streets. They had experience in the wild lands, and whats moreso, the siblings mentioned something about a clan. The idea of a clan of cats, and one that lived out in the Wilds, was an intriguing one to Underfoot. "I've come across a few bands of cats here in town, but there's none that I know of out in the Wilds here."

Cali picked up on her sister's interest, "I've always dreamed of going back out there. To get away from all the noise and cars and people in this place." The cat's eyes seemed to light up with growing enthusiasm, "What about starting a clan of your own?" She looked between Squeaker and Sabbath, and then to Underfoot, who shook her head.

Sabbath

Squeaker's ears twitched as they talked again. She didn't really listen until one of them ask if they should start a clan. Squeaker twitched her tail in excitement. That would be a great idea! Right Sabbath. she meowed, turning her light green gaze towards her muscular sibling.

Sabbath looked at his sister then back at the she-cats. It's not easy to start one. I've never done it before. We need a territory, you need to learn the warrior code. And you also need to believe in StarClan, like all clan cats. And there are lots of clans out there. Even though you don't notice them. she meowed, his voice serious. He never thought of starting his own clan.

Underfoot & Cali

Underfoot was not so sure about this 'starting a clan' thing. She liked her quiet life with Cali, and furthermore, wasn't sure what to make of Sabbath yet. He seemed a bit rougher around the edges than Squeaker, and Underfoot was leery of that. Not at all bothered by those things, Cali was delighted at Squeaker's excitement, "With the four of us, I'm sure we could do it. Hey, we might even talk our brother Hyde into joining us. He lives out in the Wilds right now, so I know he could help us."

Underfoot sat down, curling her darker tail around her tawny side. "Don't get ahead of yourself, guys. Like Sabbath said, this isn't something that's simple to do, and there's a number of threats out there, other clans not withstanding." She looked up to Sabbath, quietly judging him, "StarClan is a foreign concept to me. Can you explain it?"

Sabbath

Sabbath sighed as she asked the question. Alright. Listen closely he meowed as he laid down on the fence. Squeaker laid down also and listened to him. StarClan is the place where clan cat's ancestors walk. They watch over the clan and even follow them if they move into a new territory. It is not only one clan's ancestors, but every clan's ancestors around that area that is in StarClan. It is where clan cat's go when they die. Even if you are not apart of a clan anymore, but used to be, and you still believe in StarClan, you will go there when you die. It is a peaceful place where prey is plentiful and there are no dangers. StarClan's hunting grounds is Silverpelt. he looked up at the sky. The stars were coming out.

Silverpelt is the collection of stars in the sky. Each star represents a warrior ancestor and when a clan cat dies, a new star is added. He looked back at them.

StarClan has some control over what happens in the forest. But they mostly just watch over us. They can give a leader 9 lives and cover the moon when there is a gathering and the clans are fighting. They also give prophecies and omens to the medicine cat of the clan. He meowed. He then thought about it for a moment then nodded. That's the best I can explain it. he meowed.

Underfoot & Cali

Cali sat down at the bottom of the fence and craned her head back. With her black and tan mottled tail curled around her side, the smaller female listened with great fascination to the information that Sabbath relayed, absorbing every word of it. Underfoot was still mildly skeptical of the whole thing, though she too sat down and gave the pair her unyielding attention, if only because her sister was so enthralled by it.

Once Sabbath had finished talking, Underfoot flicked her tail and spoke dismissively, "I don't know about all that. StarClan? I..." Cali stood up again, her eyes wide with wonder, and interrupted her sibling, "Is that really so? I've always wondered about the stars, and what they were." Looking up to the sky now, all she could see were the clouds and the blue that stretched endlessly behind them. It'd be a few more hours before darkness descended on the town, and the bright stars would become visible.

Sabbath

Sabbath looked at the siblings as they spoke. Underfoot was the first to talk and she wasn't sure on the idea but her sister interrupted her. Sabbath nodded. It is true. Even though I have never been to StarClan, I believe it is true. he meowed. He then hissed lowly to her. And I would advise you to respect your sibling and let her finish what she was saying. He nodded to Underfoot, signalling with a twitch of his tail that she may continue what she was saying.

Underfoot & Cali

Cali ducked her head down when she was hissed at and went quiet very quickly. She was a curious and sometimes too inquisitive for her own good, but she was also rather submissive to other cats that were larger than herself. Underfoot was unruffled by Sabbath's hiss, and nodded in response to im, "I was saying, I have been feeling antsy in this place lately. Around all the humans, and all the heavy smells and loud noises of their city. If the stories you tell are true, I would consider leaving this place and returning to the wild." That got Cali to perk up again with a look of hope in her light eyes, though she side-glanced at Sabbath and refrained from speaking up for the moment.

Sabbath

Sabbath's ears swiveled towards Underfoot as she spoke. His expression was un readable when she said she would consider leaving this hellhole of a "home". Squeaker, who had been playing with a butterfly, was now looking up at them but stayed quiet. Her muscular brother spoke now. That is good that you want to leave here. Shows a sign of a warrior. But starting a clan is hard. Most clans have about 20 clan cats. We only have 4. Only enough for a Leader, Deputy, Medicine Cat, and one warrior. If you know any other cats around here that want to join then tell me now. He saw Cali perk up and with a twitch of his tail, he signalled that she could speak but also let out a low hiss to warn her to still be respectful. Squeaker pawed at her brother. Sabbath. I'm hungry. she meowed. There's no good food here. Sabbath ignored her for now even though she pawed his ear several times.

Underfoot & Cali

Underfoot had taken the lead for her sister, and took charge of questioning and planning with Sabbath now. "One of our siblings, Hyde, might want to join us. He already lives out in the Wild lands." She suggested, giving this potential clan another tom cat that could possibly join. "There's a fair number of farm cats that I know of too, some of which I'm sure would consider joining us." The farm she was thinking about in particular was home to at least fifteen cats, though Underfoot knew that most of them wouldn't want to give up their semi-cozy life. Still, it was worth checking out. Squeaker's complaint about food reminded Underfoot that she was rather hungry too, and that led her to saying what she did next, "We could pay a visit to the farm to speak with some of those cats, and while we're there, there's bound to be a number of rabbits and other rodents to hunt."

Sabbath

Sabbath nodded as she started listing cats who would join. That would be good. he meowed, still ignoring his sister's pleas.

Squeaker then perked up as she mentions there might be food where they are going and she smiled. Yea let's go then!! she meowed as she jumped off the fence and onto the ground next to them. She started running in a random direction, forgeting she didn't know the way.

Sabbath saw his sister jumped and start to run. He hissed and ran along the fence and jumped down when he was above her, landing in front of her. Pay attention!! You don't even where you're going. he hissed.

Squeaker stopped right in front of Sabbath and sat down pouting after he yelled at her.

Sabbath then looked at the two. Show us the way

Jasper

He had seen better days. Worse days as well, but still better. He looked about himself now, head moving every few seconds, and saw everything in the little neighborhood as normal as could be. There were children in the far-off park and the adult two-leggers were walking this way and that, going about their business much like the birds above them.

Jasper glided effortlessly toward his favorite little house on a quaint little street that went through downtown. He perched on the fence that bordered and twitched his tail about. The old two-legger inside would toss out seed from time to time and Jasper liked to get his beak full before the annoying triage of idiot sparrows arrived. Oh, how he loathed those little morons.

As he looked away from the house and down the adjacent alley, he saw a group of yowling cats. Figuring there wouldn't be any seed today, Jasper hopped down the length of the fence before he finally flitted over above the cats onto a ill-fitting streetlamp.

Peering down he watched, as was his nature, and listened like a nosy, nosy little bird.

Underfoot & Cali

The more that they saw, the more that the two sisters could see that Sabbath was in charge and was a no-nonsense kind of cat. On the opposite end, Squeaker had the personality and excitability of a kitten, which matched Cali's very closely. It may not be the most conducive for a life out in the wilderness, but Underfoot smiled to herself to think that Squeaker and her sister could probably keep each other entertained fairly easily. "There's a number of dogs out there too I must warn you, but they won't attack you. A good claw swipe to their nose is enough to make them back off." Underfoot explained, after waiting patiently for Sabbath to put his sister in line after the excitement got the better of her.

Cali was a little more subdued, but there was still an eagerness in her eyes. Neither of the sisters yet noticed the bluejay that had alighted on the lamppost above them, but if they had... Underfoot would have been the first to dart for cover. Between crows and jays, she'd been attacked enough that even for her larger size, she would pin her ears back and dart in terror from the small, blue-feathered bird. "It'll take a while to get there, but it'll be well worth it. Stick close to me." Underfoot turned and began to slink away, heading out of the town, and out towards the country. Cali fell in line with her sister, walking in a light-footed pace that was much livelier than Underfoot's. And for all that she was observant, the little tortie cat still hadn't spotted Jasper, though if the bluejay followed them... he may find that there was birdseed to be had at the old farmhouse.