As the sky painted itself with a splash of sherbet goodness, a gentle breeze graced a large but quiet park. With the sun saying hello to other side of the world, the moon graced this land, a land where strays cats roamed the streets. Here territories were drawn, and planning to overtake one another were made. Unaware of the political strife lurking every corner, a new selkirk stray roamed the sidewalk, hoping to find some comfort and solitude in the park today. He had bumped into a few older strays a few days prior, but since he was young, and a collared, no one really wanted to take him in. He was alone, alone in a park, where even very few humans would come by. After all, the inner city is where the life was, who would come to a park at this time of day?

"Nya!" cried out the young Selkirk in much sadness. He wasn't use to this lonliness! He wanted a friend or a companion to roam this cruel world with him. At least even in the worse conditions, life would be easier, just as long as he had another being to look out for him, as he would for them. With fluffed up fur, he trotted to a near by bench and hopped onto it, waiting to see if maybe a passing human would take note and pet him.... Something! Anything!

Arabella was alone; not for the first time. She had perched herself on a bench, watching the sunset with interest. It was always so beautiful. Slowly, she turned and noticed another cat. Her tail twitched; a possible friend?

She nimbly climbed off the bench and made her way over to him, tail straight up in a friendly manner. He seemed so alone; was he in the same situation she was? Did he need a friend?

Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching, his ears twitched lightly. "Nyah?" he responded and quickly looked around, wondering if it was a human. -No... nothing there...- he quietly thought to himself and drooped his head down. As his eyes met the ground, he saw something else... -Could it be?- he wondered and scanned the life form closer. There is was, a beautiful female Egyptian Mau was making her way towards him. She was just like him! That is... a collared cat as they would say around these parts. Clearly she would know his suffering and loneliness! Something most Free Collared have forgotten after becoming part of a new life style... a place without humans.

Looking at her softly, he blushed and tried not to flicker his tail around too much. He didn't really know what to do... She was gorgeous and there was just something about her! So gentle... and sincere... Raising a paw, he waved at her shyly. "H...h... hi!" he said with a slight stutter. "Um... er..." Unsure of what to do next, he decided it was best to just greet himself instead of saying something corny. "I'm Dmitry!" he finalled blurted out and scratched the back of his head nervously.

"You looked lonely," Ara told him unnecessarily. He hadn't been able to get his collar off either? That was something they had in common. "I'm Arabella," she added, giving him a shy smile. "Nice to meet you, Dmitry."

She was curious; he seemed nervous. Was something after him? Was something worrying him? Her tail twitched in concern. "Are you alright? There isn't a human chasing you, is there?" She glanced around. They seemed to be the only living creatures in the entire park.

Shaking his head quickly at her accusation, he replied, "Oh! No! It's just that... you caught me off guard is all!" That was a huge lie... He was just nervous around girls, and pretty girls at that. One of these days, he vowed to carry a different attitude... Cool and suave is what he wanted to be known for... but it would be a while till he could achieve that. He was only ten after all! Trying not to drift off into his own thoughts, he looked at her, and smiled, "I looked lonely you say? Well I guess you're right... A lot of the cats I've met have been friendly but... I don't think any of them wanted me to stick around.... Something about this... thing...." he said and pointed to his girly green ribbon around his neck. "Apparently not many cats like seeing it..." he added and sniffled a bit.... Looking at her, he noticed her collar. It was rather pretty, and definitely way better than what he had. "So you're new to this too huh?" he asked her curiously, wondering what her story was about. After all, with both of them being abandoned cats, they each had their own story.

Oh," Ara said, nodding. To be honest, she was rather shy as well; she figured it came from being abandoned."I haven't met very many cats," she admitted. "I could help you take your collar off, maybe..." Maybe he could help her with hers, too. She had tried several times to take it off, but she seemed unable to do so. "I'd be happy to have you stick around," she added. "I don't mind your ribbon. It's cute."

She nodded at his next question. Yes, she was still getting used to it. "I was abandoned as a kitten," she explained, rather vaguely.

Nodding her responses, he jumped off the bench, to meet her at eye level. "Well... I don't think I should get help on taking off my collar... Not yet..." he said, since he was still somewhat attached to it. Also from what he heard, it was best to take off the collar yourself on your own merit. That way he would understand the path he was taking.... the life he would live. "But... I could help you loosen yours..." he said with a smile. He didn't want to take away the glory from Ara since it was apparently the best feeling ever. The freedom from the collar... and the scar it left behing on every free collared cat was a powerful feeling indeed.

Circling around her a bit, he analyzed her collar,. It was an eggplant purple with a simple gold medal attached to the center of it. Whoever had given her the collar clearly had fancy tastes! "Wow... how did they get that on you!" he exclaimed, not seeing anyway to get it off her except well.... trying to break it apart.... but even that wouldn't be easy.

"I'm not exactly sure," Ara confessed. "I've tried slipping it off over my head, but it doesn't fit... Nothing I've done's worked." She wondered at his refusal at her helping him remove his collar. Maybe he had a family? Humans who cared for him? She knew she would have done just about anything to get hers off.

"Maybe I can try biting through it again," she suggested, before biting at the cloth of the collar. "Someone suggested using a knife once, but I don't know where I'd find one."

Blinking at the thought of using a knife, he was a little fearful for her safety... "I guess that would work....a knife... but... are you skilled with a knife? he asked and gulped quietly. Thinking about all the stories he has heard of people taking off their collars, he tried to recall a few that came to mind right then and there. "Yeah.... I heard most strays take a while with getting their collar off.... And each attempt is just one step closer to loosening the grip it has on your neck!" he said as he realized the purpose of it all. Luckily for him, his "collar" was just a ribbon.... Something that could easily be taken off with just a mere tug at the right piece of cloth. Looking at Ara's struggle, he moved in closer to her.... "May I have a try?" he asked, not wanting to invade her personal space.

Ara paused in her attack on the collar and nodded. "Alright," she agreed. So maybe a knife wasn't the best choice--she wasn't exactly skilled with one. "You can try." She wondered if she'd finally be getting it off. "Thank you," she added. Then she stopped, and bowed her head, allowing Dmtri to see the back of the collar.

Smiling, he drew in a little closer to her, and looked at the collar carefully, trying to see if there were any weak spots. "Hm.... well here goes nothing..." he said quietly, holding his hand at the base of her shoulders, and biting down on her collar, carefully chewing at it and making every bite count. The taste of the collar was absolutely repulsive... a foul bitter taste from the worn down leather interior. But regardless, Dmitry had to deal with it. Ara seemed bent on trying to get the collar off of her, and he had to help out a lady in distress. It was a gentlemenly thing to do! he thought and convinced himself. After a few minutes of bite at it relentlessly, a small tear could be seen. "Hm... well now we're getting somewhere..." he said as he took a few steps back and pointed at this work. "I think you should be able to weaken it further.... and possibly break through it... I believe in you!" he said cheesily and pumped his fist in the air.

Ara gave him a grateful smile before tugging at the collar once more. It felt looser, much to her relief. A ripping sound met her ears. She kept at it, and soon--soon the collar was in her paws. She turned around and hugged him. "Thank you!" she said. "Thank you so much! Are you sure you don't want me to help you with yours...?" Being free of the collar was the most glorious feeling in the world. It was like being born a second time, free of all bonds. And as Ara realized, to have it, was to want to share it. "I can help, really. Yours doesn't look so difficult."

Giving off a little bounce, he was really happy for Ara, truly he was. There seemed to be a different glow about her now that her collar was off... Who knew that the removal of an object could change a cat that quickly! It was as if the cat was becoming one with nature, tapping into their "Wild side" as some strays would have it. Grinning at her persistence, he held out his hand in a half motion and shook his head. "I'm honored that you want to help me out so much.... but I don't think I should get rid of this bugger just yet... I... I need to figure something out... Plus, another man told me to get rid of it on my own accord... That way my life as a stray would be much more meaningful...." he said and drifted off a bit, hoping to not get into too much details... "To put it simply... it's a guy thing... You know how we are" he said with a friendly wink. "Gotta prove our strength some how!" he teased at her.

"But enough about me! This moment is about you! You should really have a look on your cool scar..." he mentioned to her, admiring the look of it all. The scar was something all free collared had. For you see, humans tend to put the collar on kittens at such a young age, not realizing that cats to grow! Eventually, the cat grows into the collar, and it squeezes at their neck, creating a wicked looking scar. "There is a small fountain not too far from here.... With the night time not here yet... you might still be able to see your reflection in it!"

Ara nodded. "Oh, yes, the men have to prove their strength thing... I've never really understood it," she mused. "When you do figure things out and get your collar off," she said. "I wouldn't mind seeing you more often." She blinked, rather confused. She hadn't expected a scar. She had become so used to it that she had never even noticed that it was squeezing at her neck.

She went to the fountain and studied her reflection. With the dimlighting of the sunset, it was difficult to see at first. The scar wasn't at all pretty, but there was something about it that made her smile. She was free, finally free. "Cool," she said aloud. "Is your collar hurting you?"

Flickering his tail back and forth happily, he thought to himself -Eep! She wants to see me again!- His heart was pounding rapidly, excited to finally meet someone who actually wanted him around more often. As they went to the reflection, he watched her most carefully and smiled at her calm remark about her scar. As she asked him about his collar, he shook his head. "Nah.... this thing doesn't really hurt.... The only thing annoying about it is when humans mistaken me for a girl... Hehe!" he said, thinking about all the times he would squeak at the thought of being called a girl yet again. Just because he had a floofy and had a ribbon for a collar didn't make him a girl.... It just meant his owners.... were just... strange...

Wagging his head back and forth, he pawed at his ribbon and nodded, "I'll have to take you up on your offer when I get my collar off Miss Ara... I wouldn't mind meeting you again in the future..." he boldly said, blushing a bit. There was something about her that made it easy to be around, and something like that you couldn't just let slipped away, even he knew that.

"I don't see how they could mistake you for a girl," Ara said, looking at him. "You have that manly air about you, I think. It's quite becoming on you, though." Her tail twitched in amusement. "Of course, you can't expect humans to be able to see it. I hear they're really quite stupid."

She gave him a smile. "I'd like that. Maybe even before, if you'd like. You're a good friend." She moved, and carefully twined her tail with his for a brief moment. "Thanks again," she said.