Welcome to Gaia! ::

Nica watched the newcomers from her hidey-hole behind the couch. She wasn't afraid of those big dogs and cats. No way she was afraid of them! She just prefered to stay in the shadow of the couch were no one could see her. As the felines and canines settled back and the room quieted, Nica noticed the black and blood red male feline, crouched near her observation - hiding - space. Nica crept foreward. Silent on her padded paws. She bent back as she finally came up to the dark and dangerous stranger. Gathering courage - not that she needed it - Nica leapt playfully - only slightly viciously - onto the strange feline.

The cats ears twitched slightly, he herd paws coming towords him, after all he was a hunter. His icy blue eyes darted to the kitten as he was jumped on. The male let himself be pounced on, he couldnt help his weakness for the young "hello" he said in his silvery voice

Nica FINALLY managed to disentangle herself from the pile of old christmas lights that had been shoved under the large poofy chair. She noticed the same black cat she had pounced on before. Too bad she had fallen right off of his back and slid under the chair. She thought he had said something to her. But now he was talking with a pretty white female and Nica didn't want to interfere. ... Until she saw the nearby Kochii. The fur raising on her back, Nica crept forward a bit glaring and growling.

Cut immidiatly saw the Kochii in front of him and growled deeply, his hackles rose on end and he reeled back only to Swipe at the kochii with a strong paw, he knew if it hit the Kochii would go flying, and he wanted to see it.(alaska moves the Kochii away from Cut) Cut rumbled dejectedly as his prey was taken from him by Alaska "I don't care" he said lowly, Cut glanced over at the kitten from before and saw her reaction before giving the Kochii a death glare "your lucky you little disease"

Nica stared at the Kochii pair perched on the curtain rod. Swishing her tail in an irritated manner, she paced back and forth, planning her attack. With a strong jump, Nica launched herself up the curtains and began her ascent. A loud tearing sound announced Nica's grand fall to the floor. Wincing and nursing her wounded pride, Nica retreated to the other side of her dark stranger. Glaring and hissing at the chittering Kochii.

Cut watched the kitten go to the side of him and hinted a smile to her letting her know that it was alright for her to be close to him. He couldnt help it, he may have had a soft spot for kittens but he wasnt usually this nice, he would protect them and that was his extent, but this one reminded him of himself as a child.

Nica smiled back at her stranger and sat down politely. Her attention was almost instantly diverted to the laughing kochii. Glaring and growling, Nica crouched down into a sulking posture. Nica wasn't one to sulk for long and quickly pinned her dark stranger's tail beneath her paws. Chittering cheerfully at her successful kill!

Cut smirked and pulled his feathered tail from the kittens grasp and up out of her reach

Distracted by the sudden flight of several Kochii to the curtain rod, Nica lost her prey. Finally noticing, she sprung up to her feet and fell into a playful stance, tail high in the air. Glaring playfully and growling softly, she pounced after her moving target.

Cut watched the winter FTC leave "you'll have to come back sometime" he said with a smirk and turned to Nica "your the kitten who jumped on me earlier arnt you"

Nica looked up from her position, sprawled across the dark stranger's back with his tail firmly in her claws. She smiled sweetly in responce to the question. "Yup! I killed a snake under the chair!"

Cut rolled and dislodged the kitten from him, he didnt like things laying on him this late at night unless it was someone he cared for a lot, and no one was like that here "I doubt there was a snake little one" he smirked, she was most likely going to be a hunter or a companion when she grew up, he could tell that from her temperment

"No! I was! I'm a fierce warrior! Fear me!" Nica laughed heartily in a deep voice. Well... as deep as a sparrow can go I suppose. She grinned widely at her stranger, jumping on him again because she didn't like being thrown aside. Nica was too proud to allow that.

Cut simply ducked and let the kitten sail over his back "sorry little one, i've been at this much longer then you" he smirked lightly and looked her over to make sure she was okay

Taking a quick head-over-paws spill across the floor, Nica pulled her self up again and aimed a glare at her dark stranger. Angry and upset, Nica set her fur on end and stared hurtfully at the black male. Finally breaking down in true kitten fashion, Nica plopped her butt onto the rug and wailed "No fair! You're bigger than me! How would you like to get a rug burn on your face!?"

Cut watched the look he got and raised an eyebrow "sorry kid, once you've grown we canhave a rematch, untill then, i doubt you could give me an kind of rug burn" he smirked "so theres no point in trying rugrat" he lifted a paw and placed it on her head gently "i ha to go through being a kitten as well, i know it well"

"But it's not fair! Everything's bigger than me!" Sniffling and sulking, Nica scooted closer to her stranger and buried her nose into the black male's shoulder.

Cut sighed gently and placed a paw around the kittens shoulder letting her calm down "you'll grow, I used to be even smaller then you, now look at me"

"But you're a boy! You're supposed to be bigger than girls. That's why boys are good bullies." Nica protested, her mewling muffled in the black fur. Sniffing deeply and calming down, Nica began to lean heaviliy on her stranger.

Cut let the kitten lean on him and smiled gently "you'll grow strong, being smaller can be an advantage if your strong, and hunters are strong"

Nica smiled at the thought "When I grow up... I wanna be a big strong hunter just like you." Sighing gently, Nica curled up into a ball at her stranger's feet. Blinking her eyes clear a few times, Nica smiled up at her dark stranger.

Cut thought for a few moments "I could train you if you like" he said cautiously

"Really!? You'd train me!?" Nica grinned eagerly at her dark stranger, popping up to her feet in seconds, all traces of drowsiness forgotten.

Cut smiled flashing his white fangs a bit "yes, you've shown me a lot tonight" he saw the energy return to her "when would you like to start" he asked "one condition, you have to stay with me and do as I say" he knew she ws have to stay with him untill she grew and had finished her training

"I can't go home at all?" Nica glanced over her shoulder at the front door. "Alright. I'll do it." Nica raised her paw in salute to her new teacher.

Cut smirked at the salute "if you wish to go home then you clear it with me, and I go with you, for the most part at least" he gave a slight head bow with his head, barly noticable "what is your name and when are you ready to start training" he asked

"I'm Nica! We can start now I guess." She smiled at her mentor.

Cut smirked lightly "what is my name, what have you been calling me in your mind" he asked

Nica blinked a few times. "um..... stranger?" Nica blushed prettilly, the rosy color appearing amongst her white fur.

Cut smirked lightly "then thats what you will call me, I'll tell you my name when you have finished your training, if you find my name out before then you are forbidden to use it, agreed" he wanted to give her more to strive for but his tone was soft at the same time.

Nica nodded solemnly. "Okay, stranger." Nica repeated her stranger's words over and over in her head.

Cut smiled gently "I'll give you a choice, what would you like to learn first" he asked and watched her, he wondered what she wanted to learn the most

Nika thought about her options. There was the obvious hunting part. But there were other parts involved as well. She had the pouncing thing down but the pretty white female had spotted her in a second. She wanted to be able to hide! "I wanna learn how to hide. Hide so good that no one can see me, even in plain sight!"

Cut smiled "good choice, you'll be a good student, but you need rest before we train, so lets go home" he led the kitten from the shop and into the woods, he lived in the shed outside of his owners house "you'll sleep next to me tonight untill we get you your own bed, and you can sleep with me any time" he said and curled up on his pile of blankets, he let the kitten sleep wherever she wanted and fell asleep slowly.

"Hmmmm.... I cant seem to find Nica anywhere! I didn't mean to accidentally leave her behind last night... I was just too distracted with your arrival, Chessa." Cypress glanced down to the hunter canine that stood at heel.

Chessa sniffed the air in the room trying to locate the origins of the small white kitten that would be her sister. Chessa had made herself aware of the kitten's scent by sniffing at the kitten's empty bedding that morning. Stepping away from her master, she swept the floor quickly, looking for a trace.

Avoiding the felines near the door, Chessa located a small amount of the scent that she was looking for. There was another female feline scent and a male feline scent in the same area. Disregarding the two bolder scents, Chessa followed the light scent of her sister, Nica. Pausing at the door to bark at her master, Chessa continued to follow the trail out the door and along the path to the woods.

"Have you got the scent, Chessa?!? Good girl!" Cypress followed after Chessa hoping to find her wayward kitten soon.

Cut's ice blue eyes shot open, there was a canine, outside the shed. The larger male rose from the bed slowly as to not wake Nica, he pushed the door open and bared his feline teeth as hir fur stood on end "leave" he said with a low growl rumbling in his chest, he wanted the dog away, and now, and he didn't want Nica to see.

”I can't do that. My orders are to find my little sister. Stand aside or I'll force you aside.” Chessa growled back and lowered herself to the ground to stare the vicious feline in the eyes.

"Chessa! Did you find her?" Cypress ran up to the growling pair and stopped short. "Chessa... Don't hurt him, Chessa. Leave him be. Nica's sure to be around the area. Come on."

Ignoring her master's orders, Chessa continued to stare at the black feline with blood on his fur. “You better not have hurt her or I'll have to kill you.”

Cut growled lowly at the dog "stay away from here mutt, she is safe where she is" stepping forward he glanced at his fur covered chest and paws "oh, you think this blood is hers, you are bad at telling scents then because this isnt blood" he smirked and whipped his tail behind him angrily, he wanted this dog away, and now. Seeing the human come behind the dog he realised that Nica had an owner, but he wasnt going to ger her involved, he wished he had the power to speak to the humans like the familiars had but right now he didnt care, he gave Chessa a gentle look with his blue eyes as to tell her that Nica was safe and he would keep her safe.

Chessa growled low in her throat before howling out loudly “MUTT! ME! You've got some nerve! I'm not stupid and I'm not a mutt! I knew there was no blood around, but you don't have to bleed to be injured! You just look like the type to harm an innocent little kitten.” Chessa saw the feline's eyes dart to the side to size up her Master. The look that followed was confusing for Chessa. There was gentleness and a plea for understanding in the male's eyes. “What? What are you looking at me like that for!?! Alright, fine, I'm sorry. It's just that my orders were to find Nica. I can't do that if you're in the way. Now, I'm sorry, but I'm coming in. And don't even try to stop me, I'm three times bigger than you.” With her final words, Chessa stood straight up and walked directly over the black feline.

Cypress stood in front of the shed watching the violent display. Spotting the nearby house, she debated with going up and confronting the feline's owner.

Cut yowled and lunged lashing out for the dogs stomach, he then darted around and lept digging his trained claws into the dogs muzzle "you wont step over MY threshhold" he said his eyes flashing angrily, he wouldnt let go, if he was thrown he would attack again, he had been trained for this and his anger had been mounted, anger was the one thing he couldnt control. "Nica is inside but due to how you have acted, you will not see her this day, the human may cross BUT NOT YOU" he growled through clenched teeth.

Cypress could see the intent behind the black feline's eyes and was nearly powerless to stop him from leaping onto her canine. Chessa wouldn't attack unless completely necessary. She had been trained well as a hunting dog.

Chessa stopped short inside the doorway, wincing in pain as the feline grabbed hold of her muzzle. She bent her head down to the ground before twisting her head at an impossible direction and standing swiftly, quickly and safely dislodging the claws and depositing the feline onto the floor. Knowing the feline would race after her, Chessa dashed off and came at heel to her master's side. Nudging her forward softly and glaring at the black cat. “Fine, you won't let me pass. I can't give you a human but I can give you my master.”

"Chessa? Are you sure Nica's in there?" Cypress looked down at the purple canine, nudging at her knees. She wasn't afraid of the black feline but she was wary of entering a dark and unknown shed. There could be anything in there.

Chessa nudged her master a little harder behind the knees, trying her hardest to push her master into the shed. “I just wish you could understand me! Nica's in the shed but I can't go in, so just GO!” Chessa's growling tone grew until she barked out the last word.

"I do understand you Chessa. Just not every word. And you don't have to shout. I'll go, just chill." Cypress aimed a beaming smile down to her canine companion before stepping up to the entrance of the shed. She smiled kindly at the black feline. "Can I come in, please?"

Cut raised his head and bared his teeth once more at the dog "can you understand me" he asked the hybrid lowly, he was angry at the dog and had been risen further by her actions so it was leaking out into his speach to Cypress. In all honesty he didn't want anyone inside now because he would have to come up and he didnt want Nica to see him this angry with the bit of blood on the canines muzzle and on his claws.

Cypress knealt down closer to the feline. "Only a little. Pretty much only small words like yes, no, stop, go, understand. I picked it up by listening to the familiars translating themselves. Though I suppose I have the ability to understand you because of my dad, he's a sphinx." Cypress chuckled lightly before setting her mouth in a stern line. "I just want to take my baby home. I was irresponsible when I left Nica behind yesterday but I didn't even realize she had followed me out of the house until she didn't come to breakfast this morning. She's always making her own rules." Cypress smiled sadly. "Please let me take my baby home."

Chessa remained in her position slightly behind her master, ignoring the small puncture wounds in her muzzle. If she was in any pain, she refused to acknowledge it.

Nica shifted and rolled over. Waking slightly, she pawed around, trying to find the warmth that had left her. Giving in to curiosity, Nica opened her eyes, scanned the area before standing to stretch. Squeaking loudly as she yawned, Nica stretched out among the nest of blankets. Finally awake, the small white kitten sat down to take in her surroundings.

Cuts body went stiff as he herd a squeak "respect my home enough to stay outside, I will be back" he said backing into the dark shed "nica" he whispered as he saw the kitten awake "your human is outside, along with a mutt, erm, canine" he said not wanting to anger Nica "what do you want to do, we can leave out the back window if you don't want to see them, but if you want to go then your free to do that" he secretly hoped that she would just leave with him but he was positive she would go out and talk, he just didnt want her to go because he wouldnt be welcome or willing to come where that dog was

Cypress nodded as the black feline retreated into the shed. She only got 'stay' and 'out' from the phrase but that was clear enough. Turning, Cypress looked out at the trees surrounding them and at the path they had travelled down. It was cozy to say the least. Staring at the house again, she wondered, again, if the owner was around.

Chessa started to clean the blood off her face now that the feline had gone into the shed. She could hear the faint rumblings of conversation in the dark building. But it wasn't enough to cover up the sound hurried footsteps behind them. Turning quickly, Chessa scanned the area carefully. She couldn't see anything but that didn't mean nothing was there. “There's something here.”

"I heard it too Chessa. Watch my back, will you?" Cypress noted Chessa's nod with satisfaction. The purple canine was very well trained.

Nica paused, her mother was here? “My momma? I want to talk to her. She'll probably make me come home though.” Nica's ears drooped at the thought. Thinking about what she should do, Nica weighed her options and choices. “Maybe you can come to our house? There's lots of room. You don't even have to see any people if you don't want to!” Nica looked up at her stranger hopefully, trying to make him stop looking so sad. “I'm gonna talk to my momma and ask her if you can come home with us.” With those final words, Nica dashed out the front door into her mother's waiting arms.

"Hello sweetheart!" Cypress smiled when Nica launched herself up into her waiting arms. Nica immediately began meowing and purring, trying to explain the situation to her mother. Cypress listened intently and caught some words like 'live' 'home' 'us' 'train' 'hunt.' "Nica... are you saying this feline is training you to be a hunter? And you want to... have him live at home with us? Don't you think he might be a little uncomfortable with all of the different people?"

Nica growled in protest. “What about the Attic! There's nothing up there and the big willow reaches the window. The cats outnumber the dogs anyway!” Nica jumped out of her mother's arms and sat down purposefully in the dirt. She aimed a confident and knowing look at her mother before spotting Chessa. “Hello again, Miss Chessa.”

Chessa nodded politely before returning her attention to the woods around the shed.

Cypress tried to piece together enough words to make sense of what Nica had argued. She got the cats versus dogs part but she couldn't figure out what at-ick was. What could the win-do be? And what about will-oh? Still sitting in her same spot and trying to piece together words, Cypress ran the words together and finally came up with the 1+1=2 kind of answer she had been looking for. "You want to live in the attic?" Cypress sighed "I suppose it makes sense. The window does touch the willow tree branches... and you could certainly come and go as you pleased. If your trainer wants to come live with us, it's fine with me. I'd rather have you close by so I can keep my eye on you."

Cut pulled is ears back unhappily as Nica ran out before he could speak with her. Calming himself with a discontented sigh he waited inside, listening. Thoughts raced through his mind, he wasnt going to leave his home or be in the same house as that dog, but he could come up with a comprimise, it would make her training harder on both of them, he wasnt looking forward to it. He scaled the shelves to a window , out it he went and scrambled to the roof of the shed. He sat there with his tail wrapped around his paws, watching them with his icy blue eyes.

Cypress smiled at her kitten before turning her gaze to the black feline perched on the roof. "Well Mr. Hunter? We have a very clean attic. It's warm and dry and the dogs can't get up the step ladder." Cypress turned her head slightly. "Nica don't run off." The kitten mewed sweetly and continued her sniffing expedition among the leaves. Cypress rolled her eyes and turned back to the male feline. "I can understand your unease around Chessa. But she is very well trained. She may have insulted you but she would never harm you or Nica."

Nica slowly wandered in a zig-zagging line through the dead leaves.Chessa tilted her head slightly to follow Nica's sound but didn't move an inch.Nica had just found a tiny little caterpillar to inspect. She sat down four or five yards away from her master, highly visible among the fallen foliage.Chessa stood quickly. The fur on her back raising in tension as she set off at a run towards Nica.

Cypress watched in horror as Chessa ran toward Nica. She was just about to call out when a large wild dog came into view. The wild animal was only a fraction of a second away from snatching Nica up to be his next meal.

Chessa caught up just in time and slammed into the wild dogs' side, throwing him off course. The wild dog was skittish and easily intimidated, quickly running off in search of easier prey. Seeing that Nica was far too terrified to move, Chessa gingerly picked up Nica by the scruff of her neck and carried her back to their master.

Being to angered at the dog and the situation he hadnt noticed the dog at first, when he did finally he knew there wasnt anything he could do and had already seen Chessa running. Cut was glad that the kitten was cureous but she needed to think of her surroundings as she stalked. "Nica..." he pulled his ears back and sighed, he didn't like the position he was in "I had my conditions Nica, you were to come stay with me, I can't train you while your in that place" he said uneasily, he didn't want to hurt the kitten.

Chessa shook her head slightly and laid down. She had nearly hurt herself with that wild dog and was feeling a bit dizzy to be honest.

Nica looked up at her mentor with a hurt look in her eyes. “But I love my momma and my family. I love them just like I love you.” Nica tried hard to hold back her tears but she was just a kitten after all.

Cypress was sorely tempted to comfort her kitten but she knew that this was between the two felines, turning instead to her new canine and stroking the fine purple head. "You did very well Chessa. I'm proud of you."

"I want to talk to you away from them Nica, will you come" he asked. He waited a few seconds before leaping from the roof to a branch then the ground, he walked into the shed to avoid Nica being risked to a wild dog if she chose to come.

Sniffling, Nica stared at the shed door before turning to her mother.

Cypress smiled sadly. "Nica. This is your choice." Cypress stroked the kitten's head softly. "I love you very much and I would hate to see you go. But this is your decision and if you choose to train with this hunter, I won't stand in your way. I only want your happiness." Kissing Nica on her soft white forehead, Cypress sat back on her ankles and nudged the kitten toward the door.

Nica wiped away the tears from her eyes and smiled at her mother before entering the shed.

Cut watched the kitten come in with tears in her eyes "no no, don't cry" he said calmly "i'll train you Nica, but its going to be harder on both of us, there will be days where you can't go home for short periods, when I want you i'll climb that willow tree you were talking about and get you from the attic, for now I have some training I want done as soon as possible, so go talk to your mother, your welcome to come stay the night with me any time Nica, and maybe if I stop hating that dog so much I might stay the night at your place"

Nica nodded as her stranger explained how they would work out her training. But at mention of Chessa, Nica blurted out “Miss Chessa is really really nice! She saved me! You shouldn't hate her at all!” Nica puffed up her chest and put an indignant look on her face before marching out of the shed to talk to her momma.

Cypress watched Nica march out with a raised eyebrow. "What's new p***y-cat?" Nica sat down stiffly and dictated the conversation back to her mother in her feline tones. "... He won't stay... but you have to live in the attic. I get it." Nica laid her ears back and mewled in an agitated tone. "Honey, cats and dogs really just don't get along at all. It's probably nothing personal." Nica glared and growled some more. "The felines at home are anthros. They don't have the same fears that normal cats do." Nica growled again. "... Nica, honey, you're a kitten. You don't know if dogs are bad or not so you don't fear them."

Nica grumbled and muttered under her breath before sighing. “Alright, momma. I'm starting my training today. I might come home tonight. I love you, momma.” Nica reached up and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. Nica moved over to Chessa's side, rubbing against her affectionately. “ I only met you a little while ago, but thank you for saving me. I love you too Miss Chessa.” Nica rubbed her face against Chessa's warm fur one last time before returning to the shed to begin her training.

Cypress stood and led Chessa out of the forest and away from her kitten.

Listening to them he growled unhappile, he was by no means afraid of that dog, she had just made him angry and he want easy to forgive. After seeing Nica return a bit calmer he let a gentle smile "you need to learn to keep aware of your surroundings Nica" he saind as soon as he saw her, he didn't want her being killed while looking at something, so insdead of hiding he would teach her this

Nica nodded, blushing in embarassment. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run off. I wasn't really paying attention.

Cut shook his head "don't apologise, just work to fix it" he said looking out of the shed door "alright, what I want you to do is to go find something that you know always tends to capture your full attentionand study it, but remember your lesson" with that he climbed out the window once more, this time he hid himself where he could see Nica as she left the shed, his silent movements and down wind position made him hard to detect for skilled hunters.

moving down from the shed roof Cut followed the kitten through the forest keeping himself hidden, watching he he smirked as she raised her ear, he had a lot he needed to teach her. Heeping himself low and away from anything that could break his cover he waited for her to drop her guard again

Watching as she slowly forgot the purpose of her catching the bug Cut crept through the shadows. when he was within about ten feet from the kitten he pounced letting out a loud snarl that sounded unlike himself to scare Nica. As he made contact with the kitten they rolled and Cut pinned her down with a large paw hovering over her throat. After staying there a few seconds he raised from the kitten and sat beside her. "Nica, can't just check every once and a while, you have to always be aware, and you can't always let them know that you are aware, and you can't forget, that dog wasnt here this time, if i had been that wild dog i wouldnt have been able to save you"

Cut laughed lightly and smiled a bit "your going to need a bath before you go home, you know that right" he said laughing lightly, he remembered that she would be leaving him that night and sunk his mood a bit. Shaking his mind from the back and fourth trips he looked at her "you may ask me one question, make it count, though I might not answer it depending on what you ask"

Smiling a bit he let out a slight laugh "you caught that, heh, alright, if its one of the questions I wont answer then you get another, who knows, it might not be just one" he said with a slight smirk

The cat smirked, he hadnt expected her to ask such a relevent question "well, for me, its practice, i'm always practicing by staying away of whats around me, not getting to concentrated that I lose sight of my goal of keeping my sences alert, it takes practice though some can do it naturally when they try" he said "that was a good question, now ask another" he said calmly, she had impressed him, so it allowed another question.

The hunter smirked once more, he had expecter her to ask more childish question, the question he though she would ask was what his name was "I watch everything around me before I move, I'm careful to step between leaves and twigs that could make noise, you have to be especially careful of your tail in woods like these as well, its a matter of distributing your weight, not stepping on anything and sometimes moving slowly" the cat gave a small laugh "you do realise you can ask me questions any time right, your learning, you're supposed to ask questions"