Twig's Arrival

A light brown cat with black tabby stripes trotted through the forest, his paws covered in dirt and mud. Stopping for a moment, his large ears swiveled in different directions as the cat scanned the area with his yellowish green eyes. A content smile rested on the tom's muzzle, satisfied as he inspected this new area. He continued on, looking around for a suitable place he could call home.

A fairly middle-aged Bengal tom comes walking near. He's holding a plump mouse as he trots closer to the tom. His light beige eyes are somewhat fixed onto the path ahead. His muscular build flexes up and down as his paws thump on the ground.

Twig's gaze flits over to the tom. He blinks twice, staring at the other cat's unique pelt, one he had seen before though was unsure if he was seeing what he thought. No, It can't be...! Could it? That just seems... too good to be true. He thought in disbelief. "Hey, there.." he said aloud, waiting to find out if it was really him. It seemed like a fat chance it was, but a pulse of hope was rising as he stared at the tom.

The toms gaze flies over to the tom, and he stared for 3 whole seconds before dropping the mouse straight out of his jaws. "H-hello...who are you? A-are you?" He comes a kitten-step closer and examines the tom from paws to the tips of his ears. It seemed like someone he's seen before, someone he's known. It's not true, it's probably just another tom... is it?

Twig kept his eyes from widening at the sight of the tom. He must be! No, he can't... Can he? He argued with himself, but stopped as the awfully familiar cat asked the question. "I-I'm Twig.." Here it is, when I find out. Please, let it be him... His heart started beating faster at this tense moment, where he'd find out if this cat was truly who he thought it was.

The tom's heart beat nearly stopped as his eyes widened by an inch every second. "I-I'm Ripple." He stared eye to eye with the tom, his expression glued with surprise. "W-where are you, you coming from?" OH! THIS IS REALLY HIM!

Twig held in a gasp, keeping his jaw from dropping. He wanted to rush up to the tom, but controlled his excitement. "Ripple? Ripple?" His heart was beating as fast as a hummingbird's wings at this point. "I-I-" finally, he let out an amazed laugh. "It's you, it's really you, isn't it?!" a huge smile appeared on Twig's muzzle, fully convinced.

Ripple smiled and his tail lashed with excitement. "Yes, it's me, Ripple!" He laughed and nearly jumped up and down but controlled himself. "I- I'm sorry, I left without a warning. I should have told you I was leaving, at least." His eyes widened once again. "But It's glad to see you!"

He saw Ripple's half-tail, now knowing it was him, no doubt. "Oh, it's alright! I'm just... so amazed to see you. I thought you were gone forever!" Twig purred happily, overjoyed to have found his best friend. "How long have you been here, in this forest?" Twig asked, grinning widely.

"I've just arrived! About two or three days ago! This forest is so new, all the scents and so much kill," He said while he grinned happily. "How about you? I still smell the other forest on you so you couldn't have been here long." He smiles and sits on his tail because it failed to wrap around his paws.

"Yes, I just got here, too! This forest seems fit for cats, by the looks-- and smells -- of it! Have you seen any other cats around here?" he smiled largely at his old friend, glad to have finally found him again. It seemed like a miracle that, in the whole world, they had found each other. Life seemed to prick with hope in Twig's view of things, now that he had found someone he could trust.

He smiled with joy, happy to finally reunite with his thought to be long lost friend. Moving to this new forest was merely a hard decision, there were just too many bad memories, losing his tail, the earthquake... he would start a new life her, with his best friend, hoping to spark new, happier memories. "I've met a lot of cats on my way... one with the name of Tumble. She's pretty nice... not the nicest cat I've met." He licked a paw, revealing his long, sharp claws. "Am I the first?" He asked when he put his paw back down. "I'm sure you haven't met any other cats, considering you've just gotten here also."

He nodded, "Yes, you're the first cat I have seen since I left the old forest... And I'm glad you are the first." Twig let out a cheerful purr, grinning happily. "Have you already found a suitable place to stay?" from the looks of this lively forest, Twig bet that there were comfortable places to call home all over.

Ripplepaw smiled. "Oh, yes! Certainly. I found a huge den; one that would fit you, me and another cat!" He grinned and turned, his tail flicking. "Shall I lead the way?" He said with a grin, trying to contain his happiness. The dens were truly something amazing... this one was almost as big as a cave itself!

Twig's eyes widened as Ripple explained how big the den he had found was. "Yes, lead the way!" smiling, he thought how amazing it was that Ripplepaw had found such a fantastic den that could fit several cats.

He smiled and nodded, turning around. His short tail was flicking with excitement. "It's not very far. Just a few tail lengths from here!" He padded over to a bush of undergrowth and passed underneath it. Coming out the other side, he waited for Twig.

Twig quickly followed his friend, blinking when he saw Ripplepaw go through the bush. That must be why no other cats had already claimed the den -- it's not in plain sight like most dens! He when underneath it like Ripple did, smiling at his friend when he reached the other side.

Ripple nodded. "Okay," He whispered. "Just follow me. It's right over here." He padded slowly over to a large bush of ferns with a small hole broken in leading to the underground cave. He looked back at twig and smiled, dropping himself in. A small grunt was heard when he reached the bottom. "You can come down!" He shouted. "It's a small drop!"

He blinked. Another hidden hole? Twig went over to the ferns, spotting the hole which Ripple had just dropped into. "Alright, coming down!" he meowed loudly down the hole as he came down. When he reached the bottom, Twig shook out his pelt. He glanced around, "This is nice." Twig meowed with a smile.

Ripplepaw nodded. "Yeah... It didn't take me long to find it." He padded over and fixed a fluffy bed of moss for Twig. Puffing it with his paw, he smiled at twig and pointed to a small pile of 3 mice in the corner of the cave and moss at the other. "There's fresh kill over there, and moss over there." He grinned. "There's also a stream outside for gathering water and catching fish!"

"Wow, this forest has everything a cat could need!" he smiled widely as Ripple told him of all the things nearby. "Oh, thanks, Ripple." he thanked his friend, grateful to have found his best friend. Twig was lucky to even had made it to this forest, and it made everything better now that Ripple and him had reunited, and there was a perfect place to stay.