[PRP] Watch as a Universe Collides [Grey X Badger]

[AlicornPlayhouse]

Grey was, in all notions, an average and quiet cat. She scrounged to survive amongst the trees and dirt she knew as her home, always questioning somewhere the worth of it all. She was raised in these forests by her parents, before their passing that is. It was all she had ever known, the grit and grime of fighting for yourself. Claws unsheathed and fangs ready. What else were you supposed to do, if you wanted to survive? Her parents were sweet, but they taught her that well. Even though life here was often peaceful, often isn't safe enough to save cats fallen to tragedy. Her parents wouldn't let her be another.

To their credit, this worked well. Despite her brightly colored pelt being near easily spotted within the dead of night, she was quick and quiet. She had lived this long, evidently! Hiding was her greatest skill, slinking between roots and hiding amongst the shade where no moonlight dared reflect against her. Her body was slimmer to most, though her thick fur gave enough of an elusion she was well sized that smaller predators wouldn't pick a fight. She was handed just about everything she needed to survive.
Except the attitude.

Grey preferred to hide even though it took more effort than fighting because, truly, she was always a softy. The thought of hurting a cat, or animal for that matter, no matter how wretched her opponent... She couldn't stand it. So, she hid. Too well, perhaps, as this quietly shy she-cat went unnoticed by even other cats around her. She had been alone for moons now, with no allies amongst cats and, to her knowledge, no clans even knowing of her existence. Grey couldn't bring herself to slash an enemy and in return she had earned a lack of acknowledgment. A ghost amongst the trees.

There were some nights, though, where she would leave the safety of her roots and shadows. When the air smelled stale of any other creatures and the moonlight was barely bright enough for her to see, but enough that the leaves still were green if you squinted just enough. Her favorite place was the pond here, not just because of the peaceful sounds of creatures that could never bother her, but because it smelled of cats. It was a popular spot, no doubt, and in this absence of others she could live in their paws. She could live vicariously through this, imagining the lives they lead. Too afraid to speak to them, too afraid to risk what may come with it, and still in these shadows of existence she found herself calmer than she had felt in what felt like an eternity.

This was proof there was life, and hope.
So, for tonight, she found herself settled amongst the ponds edge, slowly trailing the growing plants around it and spying the bugs skittering in the grasses. Her ears twitched for any sound, always awaiting an intruder to run from.. Oh, but over the hum of the crickets in her head and rippling of the water whenever her tail moved just a bit too close.. it was far too hard to distinguish anything else. Not that she cared, though, as she breathed a content sigh and laid her head down to stare up towards the stars. Maybe she should be more careful.. But she was tired, and this was the one moment she allowed herself peace.
@belloblossom​

 

[belloblossom]

Badger wasn't a stalker.

Really, he wasn't!

Sure, that sounds bad, but you haven't heard the full of it yet. Okay, are you settled? Great, now here's the thing.

Badger had seen this she-cat in the wilds before. How could he not? His hunts had him out in the evening, where his fur bled right into the darkness around him. His white patches could be covered with a roll in the dirt and he found that this also hid his general musk. He'd become quite adept at hunting. What he hadn't become adept at, was talking to gorgeous silver tabbies with eyes that told stories of flowering meadows and a fur coat that looked like it had floated down from the moon above. He'd seen her once, while hunting, another time, while he'd just been returning to his den - an old badger's den, his birthplace, ironically, before his family left. It was then that he noticed that her resting place was so close to his - such a lovely coincidence and at that point, well, whenever she went out, he couldn't help following along.

He was going to talk to her! But how do you just go up to a cat - especially a cat who was so obviously cautious about the threat of danger around her - and tell her that she's the most beautiful creature in this world or the next? He'd let her slap him, even trample him, so long as he got to bask in her presence a while longer.

Tonight, he had made up his mind to talk to her. He'd followed - which is NOT stalking, okay?! - her all the way to the pond, but now he'd been slowly circling trying to find a good angle to approach her. It was causing him quite a deal of stress and by the time he finally emerged from around the pond, out of her blind spot, and he slumped. He hadn't taken the time to hide his white patches tonight - in fact, he'd washed them so much they practically glittered in the moonlight above. His appearance was the furthest thing from his mind in that moment as he gazed at this silver beauty.

Tears filled his eyes. What right did he have to talk to her? A low mumbling cry rolled out of his mouth and he slid onto his belly. He wasn't hiding, he was in plain sight, but...
"Oh silver, moonlit swan," He bemoaned to the she-cat only a few tail lengths away. "I want to skip to the part of this evening where we might be friends, so that it wouldn't be unusual for me to tell you how your fur glistens in the dark, how your eyes glow like new blossoms in spring, but I cannot travel in time for this to occur. So I must ask your forgiveness for the mess of myself. Your beauty has brought me to tears - and while I worry knowing your heart may cause mine to burst, I had to say something to you, if this is the only moment of bravery I have to speak to you." He was rambling. He was a fool. He was a rambling fool in her presence. And okay, following her as long as he had, maybe he was a little, um, stalkery. Oh stars above, he trembled as his eyes caught the she-cat's.

He was such a mess tonight, but how could he not be? Ah, it was torture to wait for his reply, but he would not spoil this moment with his cowardice and urge to flee with the pressure. @AlicornPlayhouse

 

[AlicornPlayhouse]

Grey was, despite drowsiness, enjoying her evening. The empty hollowed out spot that had at some point been filled with cats being just enough to fulfill the desperate need she had to be nearer to them. Husks of existence- the memory of a young cat tripping in the mud only known by the small patch of grass, whispers from a gathering of a family that was echoed by the water that was surrounding her. But that's all they were, husks. Memories. Whispers. She could only feel safe, after all, surrounded by the lack of others-

Movement. No doubt in her mind, as a patch of white glinted off what was left of the moon and shown towards her. Grey's head lifted quickly from the ground, her eyes widening to see as much as she could through her surroundings. How had she been snuck up on?! Grey somehow found the time in her mind to berate herself ever so slightly. Letting your guard down now, you've made it so far, and still somehow allowed the one pleasure you had to be met with danger.
That was, until the cat that had emerged from the shadows began to slump and whine, falling onto his belly.

Grey wasn't going to waste her time, swiftly pushing herself to her paws with racing thoughts. Why here, at her favorite spot? Why was he falling over his paws and crying out? How was the white of his pelt so.. bright.. Questions she had no time to mull over as she took a step back, sure now was her chance to turn tail and run. Escape while the tomcat wailed into the night.
Moonlit swan.
Her paws stopped mid-step, one still lifted in the air, head not yet turned with the rest of her. Against her better wishes, her attention traveled out along the pond, trailing across the water. Grey found no swan, no, definitely not. "I'm... I'm sorry?" She whispered, though her voice was near impossible to hear with how quietly she said it. Grey was still trying to decide between high-tailing it, after all, so speaking was a bit of a bold leap in her opinion. But, as much as her paws burned, begging desperately to feel the pounding of earth as she darted along trees to the safety of darkness and quiet- she couldn't. She could not make herself leave, or her paws move.
Even more so, she couldn't even make herself puff out her fur or unsheathe her claws. No, Grey was stuck still, unmoving. She wanted to believe she was paralyzed by fear, but Grey knew this wasn't fear.. no matter how hard she tried she could not make sense of it.

This black and white cat trembled before her, and she felt her heart pull at itself. He spoke so sweetly, the words that seemed to roll smooth off his tongue were accompanied only by the beating in her chest that travelled all the way to her ears, then down to her paws. They seemed to align perfectly in Grey's mind, the rythmic feeling of being alive matching up with every line spoken by this stranger. Her face felt as if it were on fire in comparison to the cold air, glowing eyes and glistening fur- surely, that could not be her. But obviously it was, what other cat could he be speaking to? All of this was all too obvious in her expression, incapable of holding any form of blank face now. He begged forgiveness, and again her emotions moved against her judgement. Grey took a pawstep or two forward, somehow torn apart at the very thought that this poor lone cat was in so much turmoil, and over what! Over her?
"Oh-, please, don't shake. It's okay." She found the courage to speak again, from where she did not know. "Are.. Are you alright?" Grey was a bit louder now, but sounded quite flustered. At least she didn't sound terrified. She wanted to stutter and fall, caught off guard by the onslaught of compliments, but she was far more compelled to do everything in her power to stop his tears. "You don't have to cry, I'm so sorry!" Sorry for what? Anyones guess! Existing, perhaps, in such a way that brought a breathtaking tomcat to tears.

 

[belloblossom]

Mortification and sorrow flooded Badger as the she-cat, carved out of the moon itself, apologized to him. He looked up at her, unmoving from his trembling crouch, for he could not gather himself to do more than look upon her, his eyes full of blatant despair and... adoration. He could not suppress the small purr of delight, though squashed it soon was by his embarrassment and he hurried to explain his mannerisms.

"Forgive me, beauty, I do not mean to sound happy - but I never thought that you would speak to me in a dozen seasons. This is a moment I shall not soon forget, for to look upon you is like gazing at the night sky for the first time. I have never been as full of wonder and awe as this moment now, though I am admittedly nervous, too, for I do not wish to ruin this introduction further." He confessed. His cheeks warmed with shame, but even still he could not bring himself to pull his gaze away from the she-cat in front of him. If this was their only interaction, then he would not allow himself to look away for a moment.

"I am thoroughly embarrassed." He admitted with a shaky sigh. "I... I have imagined our meeting many times, but in no imaginings have I acted such a fool in your presence." He sighed again. "I know it is too late to remedy this, as though my messy introduction hasn't transpired, but... Please, lady of the moon, would you do me the honor of entrusting me with your name?"

A brief pause and then quickly he hurried on.
"I will never reveal your name to others, if you should not wish it. I..." He closed his eyes for a moment, opening them again to have his blue gaze swimming under silver tears. "I am ashamed to admit, that I have seen you before, but haven't the heart before to introduce myself. You seem such a strong, intelligent she-cat and I am but a bumbling, word-filled feather-brain in comparison. I had not the confidence to approach you before this evening, but I have an... affection for you. For the idea of you. I do not wish to live in fantasy any further, so... Radiance, if I may..."

He slowly moved to his paws, sitting and then bending his head down to nose his front paws.
"My name is Badger and... I wish to get to know you better. My heart lays open at my paws before you and if you are discomforted by this interaction," His chest tightened, how could she not be wary of him, with his fumbling introduction this night, "then you may send me away and I shall trouble you no longer. But..." And here Badger raised blue eyes towards the silver she-cat reverently, "If you would allow me, I would like to be your companion and friend. I have no ulterior motives or ill will. I am a lonely soul looking for company and, well, I could provide it to you, if you want me." @AlicornPlayhouse

 

[AlicornPlayhouse]

Taken aback was an understatement, honestly, as Grey looked down towards the stranger and he met her gaze. Her head slowly tilted to the side, one ear flickering downward the slightest bit as she waited... for.. well, anything. She felt exposed as he stared at her, a mouse sat in a freshly trimmed field with no burrows in sight. Then, the cat purred, and Grey's head perked straight back up. She couldn't help it, no matter how hard she tried, a very soft, almost breath like laugh surfaced. Just for a moment, but noticeable despite her best efforts.

Finally, he spoke. It probably wasn't long between her last word but it felt like moons had passed. "Forgive you?" She echoed, speaking quietly still as she didn't intend to interrupt. Still, Grey could not believe the cat was truly speaking to her. Her attention flickered around the pond, a desperate attempt to find any other creature at all he could be referring to. But, obviously this was futile. He lay here, staring directly at her. Even thinking it could be anything else at this point was almost pathetic. "I don't quite think it's ruined.." Grey whispered, attempting still to cheer up the seemingly distraught cat as he continued on.

Grey slowly began lowing her head, still watching him cautiously. Admittedly, she was a bit nervous. On the other paw, she had encountered many dangers in the wild and never before was one of them a tom like this. "It's not too late at all, it's alright." she urged, a bit confused by her own comforting tone. Even though she was a bit shaken, and her mind still swirling with worries, her voice was level. Almost gentle to the touch, if one were to personify and be able to touch it that is. Moving to answer his query, she didn't have time. It seemed as though he were hurrying quickly forward in more of a panic than she was in!

Her eyes widened as he opened his once more, visibly shiny with tears. She didn't want to, at least, the logical part of her didn't want to. But, that didn't stop her from stepping even closer and further down to his level. She looked so concerned and surprised.. Desperate, perhaps, unsure how to help as he berated himself. Grey wanted to interrupt, tell him not to speak like that about himself. It was words she was all too familiar with, maybe that's why she felt so pulled to make him feel better. She understood.
Finally, he seemed to almost kneel before her.
"Hello, Badger." Grey spoke, a bit more noticeable than the mumbling she called speaking before. "Please don't cry, it's alright! I don't plan on sending you away.." She raised a paw, and it seemed to shake. Hesitating, fearful, the last bits of her instinct screaming through that paw.. and she silenced it, shifting her weight and sitting back. He had shown he wasn't a threat, it was her turn now. "I-.. Well.." She seemed to lose her words, ears flattening back. Why was this so much more frightening than when she thought he wanted to attack her!? Her mouth felt wrong, her head all fuzzy. "I'm sorry, I lost my place, I.." She scanned the ground, as if the words stolen from her tongue would be found laying there in the grass. Inhaling deeply, she raised her gaze once more to his, a nervous smile pushing at the edge of her eyes. "Well.. my name is Grey." She managed, her tail curling forward and settling over her paws. "It isn't quite.. Radiance.. but it's mine.. and I'm not opposed to some company.. Oh!" She perked up, as if remembering something. "I don't think you acted like a fool. Or a bumbling feather brain.." And, as quickly as she had lifted, she deflated anxiously. "I'm sorry.. I didn't want to interrupt you before you had finished." She shuffled her paws closer together, suddenly aware of how wobbly they were on the forest floor. Was her whole body shaking? Oh stars she hoped not.

 

[AlicornPlayhouse]

@belloblossom