[Phoenix]

[atrb=border,0,true]	Topaz i will not bow. i will not break.
[CS=2] The scent of cats acted as a warning to Topaz, and she was smart enough to recognize and acknowledge it. She was nearing the territories of clan cats, of whom she had heard only rumors. Large groups of felines, living in five separate groups, coorperating and sharing prey and relying on each other to survive. The concept was completely foreign to her. And weak. A cat who relies on another gives up her independence, her strength, and any right to be called a cat. They do not last long; they never do. Her mother's words rang in her head, even after all these moons. How could they not? Never let that cat become you. And so she was raised. Never wanting to become that cat. Learning from a young age to only rely on herself. Topaz was forever thankful to her mother for teaching her the lessons she needed to know in order to survive on her own. She was a survivor. Independent. And proud. Contempt in her yellow eyes, the loner turned away from the direction of the scents. They were faint, but the fact that she could smell them meant that she was already too close. The she-cat had no desire to ever meet a clan cat, in fact, she went out of her way to avoid their territories. They would bring nothing but trouble into her hard, but relatively pleasant life. And she would never be able to understand them either. Forever a wanderer, Topaz could not understand why any cat would want to settle down in one area and spend the rest of their life in that one small space. It was a waste; there were so many other places one could see. Her mind was distracted by the sound of running water, and Topaz followed the noise. She made no attempt to hide herself; her bright orange pelt would make her stand out against any backdrop, but she knew enough to remain alert to her surroundings at all times. Even if she appeared aloof, the she-cat was by no means uninterested in her personal health. Carefully, she picked her way to the side of the stream, lowering her head. Amber eyes found their reflection, and she looked at it for a moment before glancing away. She had no desire to admire herself; Topaz knew that she was not a pretty cat. Ears on high alert, she raised her head again, licking the remaining drops from her maw. Various rocks were scattered around the landscape, and she made her way to a group of them. With strong hind legs, Topaz pushed off from the ground, leaping up on top of a rather flat rock. Even if it gave her less cover than she preferred, she could see the surrounding landscape. She could see any approaching cat.
[CS=2] i will not fall. i will not fade. Words: 477 Notes: -- Credits: I Will Not Bow - Breaking Benjamin Cat: Here

[Insidious]

The presence of a nearby water source was all it took to serenade the mind of a wandering, jet black she-cat. Her small paws emitted not a sound with each careful step placed upon the sun-baked terrain, though, she found herself halting abruptly as the fragrance of another entered her nasal cavities. Instinctively, Insidious desired cover. When another holding an unknown identity was presented, Insidious wished not to be in the open where conflict was more likely to stir. She was a feline who dwelled in the shadows, who belonged in the shadows where she was rightfully allowed to observe with high caution. Immediately, her body curved outward to approach the tangles of prickled foliage. Limbs buckled closer to the terrain beneath her paws, crouching low to minimize the view of her slender figure. Pale blue irises amongst the center of her facial structure were widened warily, ears pulled forward and constantly swiveling as to not be caught off guard at any angle. Soon, the very water source Insidious had been hunting was within view, an average sized distance placed between herself and the – likely refreshing – liquid. From her current positioning, the she-cat Insidious had scented wasn't noticeable. And for this very reason, she found herself slithering through the underbrush's concealment of leaves and into the spacious environment where sunlight was able to detect her black furred figure.

At a steady pace, Insidious advanced forward, doing so until the very second a splash of colour which didn't belong with the rest was detected upon a rock structure. Limbs locked, her tail's content, swishing motion coming to an instantaneous halt. Her ghostly eyes blinked once, analyzing the fellow feline for any traces of hostility. This was an unusual situation for Insidious, indeed. Normally, she was merely an observer, rarely to be involved in the situation's communications, or in some cases, brutal spars. Perhaps it was possible she felt out of her element? But this very emotion was not shown among her blank expression. Insidious stared forward, such a lack of blinking and gaze averting it could seem as if her intense stare was processing an attempt of burning through the she-cat's fur and down to the bones. Insidious' preference was clear in her own mind. If a conversation could be avoided, she would likely take the route. But, sadly, that didn't seem like the course of action that was going to occur. The lone female inhaled a quick breath to calm her tense stance, muscles gradually relaxing as she awaited the move of the fellow cat. If necessary, it would only take a mere instant, if that, to return to a posture readily prepared for a fight. But in all honesty, Insidious was in no mood to deal with such a predicament. If it were to come to that, her best choice would be to escape, then stalk casually. Yes, that would be perfect. What many others perhaps saw as ominous, Insidious saw as skillful. It wasn't always the most often used route for a forest cat, but what others' did wasn't of interest to Insidious. Her own tricks were hidden within the depths of that intellectual mind. Any clan cat, or even fellow loner might find her instincts to be uncommon, maybe even lame in comparison to one who's immediate reflex is to fight. Whether or not this applied for the she-cat before Insidious, her routes worked, she'd gladly demonstrate.

Stifling her thoughts from any further planning, her utmost focus returned to the orange she-cat. There was a chance this female didn't even seek a fight, then, her entire plan would go to waste. This all on its own could be a pity, no opportunity to once again test her suspicious actions. But, she had to consider what was worse: not being able to test out her common route, facing a chance of injury. Or, simply exchanging a few words and, in turn, receiving the drink she still required. Insidious huffed, her choice was obvious... this wasn't the time for a fight, not when her parched throat was in need of aid.

[Phoenix]

[atrb=border,0,true]	Topaz i will not bow. i will not break.
[CS=2] Tail tip flicking, she debated leaving the area. Water sources had a habit of attracting others, both predators and prey. From her perch, Topaz would be able to see anyone and anything before they drew near, but she was very conscious of the fact that she was not the strongest fighter. In fact, she preferred to avoid conflict whenever possible. Better to live in a world full of neutral cats rather than enemies. Another one of her mother's teachings. However, she favored her solitude to the company of another, even if the encounter did not end with unsheathed claws. Besides, her bright orange fur already attracted enough attention; the nearby stream only meant that more creatures, feline and prey alike, would see it. But by remaining near the water source, she would not have to worry about finding water for a little while, something she would gladly ignore while she could. Prey would also come to the water and ease the burden of finding food. Sitting back on her haunches, she decided to stay, at least for the night. Satisfied with her decision, Topaz surveyed the area with a cool, amber eyed gaze. The dull browns and grays she saw only reminded her just how much she stood out against the mountainous backdrop. Nothing moved apart from the undergrowth, swaying as the cool wind blew through the area. An ear flicked and she sat still. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement. A black figure, another feline, perhaps? Turning her head slightly, the she-cat's eyes locked on the approaching cat, who in turn froze, as if feeling her gaze. The ebony figure did not move closer, and Topaz had the distinct feeling of being watched, that small prickle on the back of her neck. Though her appearance gave no sign of it, her mind raced. Almost instantly, she decided to keep her claws sheathed, even though part of her warned her that she may regret this later. If the other cat drew close enough to notice unsheathed claws, it might provoke a rather violent exchange, which the orange she-cat had every desire to avoid. Of course, she would fight back and react if the black cat attacked, but she did not want to cause it. As the she-cat had no doubt that the other would come closer, if only for the water, she remained on her guard and alert, eyes leaving the cat for a moment to briefly glance around her once more. They were alone, as far as she could tell. She decided to wait and watch. Let the other cat make the first move. As long as no blood was shed, Topaz was content to leave the feline alone and watch from a distance. Let the other cat get the drink. Then he or she would leave. And Topaz would be left alone.
[CS=2] i will not fall. i will not fade. Words: 485 Notes: -- Credits: I Will Not Bow - Breaking Benjamin Cat: Here

[Insidious]

Insidious remained hesitant, seemingly frozen, not a single muscle shifting beneath her fine, black fur as her haunting, pale blue stare peered forward to meet the very gaze of this orange feline. From what Insidious was able to examine, it seemed this she-cat wasn't willing to make the first move either. Her eyes narrowed only a fraction, tail performing a single, almost annoyed slash through the air. If this feline wouldn't speak, or act, first... neither would Insidious; she was stubborn like that. Cautiously, one of her front limbs processed movement to take a step closer to the water source. It became apparent the orange feline wasn't about to react, but instead, watch carefully. For this very factor, Insidious allowed herself to stroll towards the river at a more rapid pace as to not grant the she-cat any form of satisfaction through thinking she had momentarily caused a build up of tension in Insidious.

Reaching her desired destination, Insidious lowered her neck nearer to the terrain so her light pink tongue could lap at the water's surface. Her gaze drew away from the she-cat, though her ears remained swiveled in her general direction so if she were to leap off of the rock and approach, it would be detected through sharpened senses within Insidious' eardrums. Every so often, Insidious couldn't help but flash a brief glance in the unidentified feline's direction. It was in her nature to be overly alert and guarded, this personality trait couldn't completely be turned off, no matter how great her efforts may be, they would in the end, always be futile.

A sensation of relief surged through her lean figure as the parched ache screaming in her throat began to vanish. Her tongue lightly laced across the outlining of her jaws to expel of lingering droplets before she returned to a standing position, body curved to directly face where the orange she-cat lay. Only in that very moment was Insidious able to realize the feline's claws were unsheathed, and immediately, inner hostility began to flare. Did she truly appear that threatening in this female's eyes?

No. The single word continued to be pounded into Insidious' brain. Those kind of thoughts would only lead to a situation she could likely avoid... if she were able to hold her tactless tongue. Without giving the matter much thought, Insidious found herself approaching; something about the unsheathed claws caused Insidious' more ominous side to spill, Her limbs locked when a tail length or so of space was still left between herself and the orange feline. From her newly found distance, the she-cat's features grew more defined and precise. Arching her figure outwardly, Insidious maneuvered around the rock with calculated movements, pausing when at the rock's side. There was still roughly a tail length of space between Insidious and Topaz, and the black feline wished to keep it so. Curiosity was something Insidious was unable to ignore, and seeing as she was no longer thirsty, Insidious was more willing to gamble in her games. How would the she-cat react to the new close proximity? Would her stance only grow more defensive? Perhaps, Insidious would soon receive her answer, which, of course, was a must. If no answer was found, further extents would need to be taken. Now that this feline was registered in Insidious' mind, she would remain somewhat... stalked until enough knowledge was obtained.