Rise Like a Phoenix (PAFP, she-cat needed)

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    Echo hesitated, raising her yellow eyes so they met Fen's green ones. They narrowed slightly as she stared intently at the other she-cat, deciding how much to tell her. Finally, she answered. "I can't have kits because I will never be with a mate who can give me some. I have no interest in toms." She dug her claws into the ground and looked away, suddenly anxious she'd said too much. It doesn't matter. She thought sternly. If it weirds her out, I'll just lie and say I meant I have better things to focus on than finding a love interest. Yes, that seemed a reasonable excuse. She forced the tension from her body and sat perfectly still, waiting.

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    "I've found a few attractive, I suppose. But my tastes are for the... More femenine." She lashed her tail, her back aching some more. She lay down, her lanky body too awkward with her swollen belly to lay flat comfortably. She sat back up, arching her back a bit to stretch out her aching spine. "To be honest you can find yourself with kits just by wandering around a toms territory until you find them. They're quick to pounce."
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    Echo was now watching Fen intently, pale eyes traveling down from the she-cat's face to her swollen belly. A thought struck her suddenly, but she thought it would be rude to mention it-- in case she was wrong. So she dragged her gaze back up so their eyes met again. "You're right, of course, but... I don't know, if I have kits, I want someone else around, you know? Someone I like." They wouldn't even have to be mine. She added silently in her head. She tilted her head, thinking about what Fen had said about having more 'feminine' tastes. Her hopes were becoming more difficult to squash down, which was a problem. She didn't want to do or say something stupid.

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    "I agree... In spite of my rather nomadic life I've always wanted a family." If she hadn't fallen into a string of unfortunate events, She would probably have not had her own kits. Newmoon took fen and Risingsun in, but neither of then were his blood. However he's the closest thing to a father Either of them had. If she ever wanted a family, she had always wanted to adopt her children. Possibly rescue them from the horrible dens of strays in the city. She purred at the memory of the way too kind, way too overwhelmed tom, "its getting a bit brighter out. We should probably move on. Staying in one place will make it harder for us to keep walking." She rose to her paws
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    Echo nodded and stood up. "I suppose you're right, we should get moving." The black cat flicked her tail and followed Fen. She'd never been over this way before, preferring to stay in the forest. Her pale yellow eyes were bright with curiosity as she looked around at the grassy plains.

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    The morning breeze blew across the plains, ruffling Fen's scruffy fur. She trotted a bit faster than when she was navigating the forest, everything familiar. "I used to roam these hills when I was little. Me and Sunny. One time we crossed into another rogues territory and he held us hostage for six days until newmoon traded some hunting land for us," fen was laughing, her voice light and airy, "Newmoon was livid! I don't think I've ever seen him that angry." She loved her family. As eclectic and odd as they were.
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    Echo laughed. "Sounds like quite the adventure." She meowed with a smile. She'd never really gotten into that much mischief herself as a kit, since she was a cautious little thing, so she liked hearing Fen's stories. The other she-cat's life sounded a lot more exciting than hers was at the moment! And she was getting more and more interested to meet Fen's family the more she talked about them. They sounded like intriguing cats. Hopefully they'd let her stay for a little while.

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    "You'll like Newmoon I think," Fen leaped over a fox's burrow, her hind legs wobbling on impact, "he claims he hates kits but every time I go home he had another kit he insists 'just won't get out of my hair'. He's great. And don't get bothered if he asks any odd questions," in the distance a small brown twoleg shelter could be seen, not close enough to make out any type of structure. Just a brown blob in the distance.


    ((So I've been on mobile for about a month and I finally got a new laptop! Prepare for actuall not crappy replies!))


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    Echo leaped after Fen, noting how she seemed a little unsteady on her paws. The black she-cat suspected she was correct in her assumption; perhaps she's mention it later on. Her own landing was fairly steady, as she kept the weight off her leg when she hit the ground. "Odd questions? Like what?" She raised her eyes to the structure in the distance. That must be the place. She thought.


    ((That's great!! Although I don't think your replies have been crappy. Knowing now you were on mobile makes them all the more impressive!))

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    "well I haven't actually brought anyone by before..." She giggled, trotting faster, excited to see her family, "don't worry, though! They'll love you!" She sprinted off, speeding over the hills, her muscle memory kicking in as she weaves around boulders and small ponds. She looked back at Echo, green eyes bright and filled with excitement, "come on!!"
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    Fen's excitement brought a smile to Echo's face. It was clear she loved these cats. "Okay, okay, I'm coming!" The black she-cat picked up her pace to keep up with her calico companion, though it wasn't as easy for her since she didn't know the terrain and her legs were shorter. But she managed. The structure grew steadily larger and clearer, but Echo wasn't nervous. Fen seemed pretty certain that, whoever these cats were, they'd be accepting enough.

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    ((finally on my laptop!))
    The she-cat slowed to a stop a little ways in front of the large barn. It wasn't big, by twolegs standards. Maybe enough to fit three, or four horses. But for Newmoon and his small family it was definitely enough.
    "Newmoon!" The calico was alight with excitement, bouncing on her paws, eyes bright, "Newmoon! Risingsun! Wake your lazy rumps up I'm here!!!" It was quiet for a moment, the wind rustling the grass and the morning cicadas the only things that could be heard. After a few moments, however, a sleek black oriental cat strode out of the barn, his green eyes bright, and much kinder than his dark look suggests.
    "Fen," The can't voice was warm, welcoming, "It's been almost a month, how have you been, love?" He nuzzled the Tall she-cat, who was surprisingly much shorter than the tall, elegant tom. Fenley preened at the attention, her tail curling and eyes shutting as she purred. "I saw the fire and worried. Sunny wanted to go looking but I didn't want him to be impulsive. I'm glad you're-"
    HE was cut off by a sandy brown mass tackling Fen. She crashed to the ground, Yowling in indignation as the landed. As they rose to their feet, the sandy-brown, tailless oriental bounced happily, "How're you? It's been forever! How's Risingkit the second"
    Fen hissed at him, before turning back to Newmoon, "Keep your infant in check."
    Newmoon laughed, before turning his head to Echo, "You have... a friend?" He seemed more surprised than anything. Ignoring Risingsun's sexual mutterings, he made his way over to the small black she-cat. "And what are you doing here?"
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    Until she was addressed, Echo had been standing a little ways behind Fen, watching intently. At Newmoon's approach, she had to look up to meet his eyes. It made her feel a little dwarfed, but she met his gaze evenly. "My name is Echo." She meowed. "My home was in the forest. Fen and I bumped into each other, after we were both across the river from the flames. We talked a little bit, and she kindly allowed me to join her as she traveled her." The black cat shrugged, and smiled slightly. "She seemed very enthusiastic about you all."

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    "As mean as fen may seem sometimes, she's actually a softie," Risingsun piped up, the scruffy oriental giggling to himself.
    "You're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like," Newmoon purred, his eyes kind and posture gentle, "im sorry about your home, but im glad you're safe. Are you burned anywhere? I can take a look at the wounds."
    "Her paw," Fen cut in, before trotting inside, "I can take care of it," she gestured for echo to follow her and passed Newmoon and Risingsun quickly- before they asked any questions.
    The inside of the barn was big. High roof, soft, hay lined floor and water troughs filled with soft grass and old twoleg fabric as nests. "I was thinking we could rest here for the day and leave in the morning. I have a place in mind for you." She walked to the corner of the barn, where a pile of semi organized medical herbs sat, "come here and let me see your paw."
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    Echo dipped her head to Newmoon. "Thank you." Then she followed Fen inside, looking around curiously. The barn seemed like a decent place to live. "Sounds all right to me." She agreed to Fen's idea. The black she-cat followed Fen to the corner of the barn and sat down. She turned so her burnt leg was easy for the calico she-cat to reach. "It's not that bad. So please, don't feel like you need to waste your herbs on me..."

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    The she cat ignored Echo, grabbing some cobweb, pressing it against the wound so it stuck. "It's not too deep so I doubt it'll get infected. If it starts to seep tomorrow I'll give you some marigold." She sighed and sat down, her body aching, "I didn't think i'd be that sore from some walking but wow. We should leave at sunhigh tomorrow, so I don't make you stop early to rest."


    She sighed, her eyes closing, "I was thinking we could go to the abandoned mills just south of here? There may be some cats already there, but there are enough places to make dens, the prey is abundant and there are no true territory lines, so there won't be any disputes."
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    Echo flexed her leg under the cobwebs, which held well. "Thanks." She meowed, curling her tail around her paws. She listened to Fen's plans and nodded slowly. "Okay, sounds like an adventure!" The black she-cat smiled slightly and studied the calico. Finally, she decided to broach the subject. "Forgive me for asking, I couldn't help but notice, but... Are you carrying kits?" She kept her mew as polite as she could, anxious not to appear rude. She hoped Fen wouldn't mind the question. Her pale yellow eyes skirted the other she-cat's green ones.

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    "Almost seven weeks now," She murmured, her tail lashing to and fro, "I'll be out of your fur by the time they come, there's no need for you to worry about that." She rose to her feet, her voice changing tone, "Besides, It's my first litter, I won't be carrying more than four." She turned to walk to the other side of the barn, where a small pile of kill had been collected. "Are you hungry? If you don't like barn mice I can hunt something for you."


    ((Do you want to play any of the kits, or should I be the one to do it? Or should we adopt them out? I have pictures of what they'll look like if you want.))


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    ((Maybe I could play like one of the kits, and you could play the rest? It's up to you really, though. And I'd love to see pictures of them! c: ))


    Echo got to her paws and hurried after Fen. "If I offended you, I'm sorry. And for what it's worth, there is no need for you to get out of my fur because you were never in it. If anything, I'm the one who's being the bother. You took me in, cared for my wound, offer me your freshkill-- I owe you. And one of the mice will be fine. Thank you." The black she-cat grabbed a small mouse from the pile and crouched to eat it, focusing on the freshkill so she wouldn't have to look at Fen's face. Had she screwed up? The black she-cat curled her tail tightly around her paws and hunched her shoulders a little, as if trying to disappear into herself. It was just like her to say something stupid like that. She just had to hope she hadn't messed up badly enough to get herself driven away.

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    "No... You didn't," Fen purred, "I've never really talked about it- either nobody has noticed or nobody has asked. Not that I've had many people asking, really. It's strange." She grabbed a mouse from the pile and dropped it in front of Echo, grabbing a small bird for herself. "You know, I never pictured myself as a mother..."


    "Of course you didn't," Risingsun watched the two interact from the rafters, his long face tilted downwards to look at the pair, "You love she-"


    "Yeah let's but out of my conversation now, thanks," Fen snapped at her brother, eyes narrowed, challenging him.


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