Chapter Seventeen
Songbirds began to sing their chorus upon that crisp morning, while their silhouettes soared and danced in the open blue sky high above the landscape. With the sun blazing upon the world, it turned the dark green leaves of the plants of various kinds into solid light textures. This was perhaps the most beautiful welcoming that new-leaf could provide to twolegs and clans alike. Butterflies of all sizes and colors flitted from the flowers that splashed their colors amongst the greenery.
Prey that had been hibernating during leaf-bare, were now completely abundant and wandering amongst their favorite food. Rustle. Rustle. Suddenly, a small figure dashed across the green plains just about six paces away from a small babbling river that reflected the sun’s rays. It was kind of hard to tell from the silhouette to what sort of creature it was, however as the view changed into inner workings of the tall grass that grew alongside the bank, a small fieldmouse flitted across the ground darting beneath fallen and rotting leaves and small branches. Large ears that perked wide open in fear, trailed behind its small frame and black piercing eyes flitted in their sockets.
Was that more rustling, a much louder one, coming from behind just a few paces? Sure enough, a much larger silhouette chased after the small mouse. Panting heavily, the silhouette continuously arched their back as they sprang forward while putting much speed into their limbs. “Alright Whistle, that’s enough chasing!” Mewled out a deep voice causing the silhouette to burst into a small clearing so that the sun revealed a cream and dappled pelt of a small tabby. Crystal blue eyes lingered on the mouse for a moment before narrowing in defeat, and a low grunt escaped from a closed mouth.
“You have got to be kidding me, I was about to close in on that mouse.” She muttered before hearing the voice call out to her a second time. “Coming!” She yelled back before glancing one more time towards the mouse’s direction. Giving a light huff, Whistle turned her back on the path before loping towards the sound of the voice. Took her quite a while to return to a large flat rock that was partially raised off the ground, whereupon a large blood-red ginger was laying on his back; sunning himself with his eyes closed.
The nose of the tom twitched a bit as the scent of the tabby reached him, along with his ears flicking at the sound of her approach, but he didn’t bother to open his eyes. Whistle always wondered how Dusk knew when to tell her to stop when he never seemed to be paying attention to his surroundings at times. “So, what do you think I did on my first go?” She mewled at him.
Dusk didn’t answer for a moment, instead gave a small smirk which he knew irritated her to no end. “Your turns are definitely getting sharper, and your speed is increasing as well. Though, I wouldn’t call it your first go. Wait,” He said as he knew she was going to protest that it wasn’t what she meant. “You meant on your own. Well,”
Finally rolling onto his left flank and opening his eyes, glistening hazel eyes stared deeply into her own with a lot of warmth in them; plus pride. “Not too shabby.” This made Whistle twitch with joy and anticipation. “Though I do believe that your turns could be a bit more tighter and controlled while your speed needs to be balanced so that you’re not overcomplicating things.” Rising to his paws, and stretching out his body in an arc, Dusk shook himself before turning his attention to the old twoleg nest just six paw-lengths away. “Shall we go see what the others are up to?”
Leaping down from the flat rock, both Whistle and Dusk began walking side by side. Along the way, Dusk began recalling his first interactions with Whistle and the others: