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 Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:39 pm
 The snow was thick, and soft, and few people were out in it; it was largely undisturbed. The further from the centre of town one traveled, the more untouched and pure it was likely to be. Shiahn and her human companion had marvelled over the beauty of it; the way it clung to a slender branch by the window; the way even some leaves had little piles of snow curled up, cupped inside them. It seemed like a miracle.
Shiahn had wanted to share this incredible act of nature with her friend; but the human wasn't able to spend the day away from her work, and so Shiahn had set off alone. Remembering what they had said about the snow being more undisturbed further from the centre of the town, she struck out in that direction. Even the disturbed snow was amazing to her; she stopped in a quiet road at one point with a single set of tire tracks; marvelling over the way the snow held the tire's imprint, the constant, tireless zig-zag of a slender line of snow less pressed down that the rest. She only snapped out of staring at and walking along this incredible piece of natural art when a car beeped behind her, and she remembered that this was, in fact, a road. She noticed that the driver looked amused and didn't feel too bad about holding him up.
She continued; gazing in awe at the gardens, the trees, the bushes. They were all so beautiful; and she was so busy drinking it all in that she hadn't noticed that she had absolutely no idea where she had ended up, and just as small an idea of how to get home again.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:27 am
 It was such a strange thing, the winter. The first inklings of it were uncomfortable, the way the cold tendrils would sneak into the warm days. Now that it was fully winter and the snow lay in blankets upon the ground, Kosey felt a little better about it; the indecisive period of the season was over. While Kosey was not crazy about winter, he was even less enthusiastic about indecision.
As his big furry feet splayed out across the snow, he thought perhaps it wasn't so bad. While he definitely preferred the warm sun beating down on his skin, and hard packed earth steady under his paws, the cold weather had its benefits. For one, his heavy, thick mane was, for once, not insufferably hot. The wind ruffled it constantly, keeping him cool, while it's thick warmth acted like a warm scarf. He was adjusting nicely.
Still, he did wonder at himself. Why had he chosen to come out? Looking out over the uninterrupted white landscape, he remembered. It really was beautiful. and quiet. The later was, perhaps, more drawing that the former.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 6:00 pm
Shiahn was also fascinated by the way the snow made everything smell. It was like the scents buried under the snow were muffled, more subtle; and the scents of those who had been by since the snow fell was bright and vivid by comparison.
She wandered back and forth; alternating between staring in awe at her surroundings, and snuffling at her feet, until she came across what she thought was the fresh scent of another passing Maneki Neko. Did she want company? Well, she had been very happy enjoying the snow by herself; but she had also wanted to share it with her human companion, so why not? She started winding after the scent; not thinking that she might be following it the wrong way, not even thinking of the fact that she was paying no attention to where she was going. She was lost in thought about this mysterious Maneki Neko, who she may or may not find; who she may or may not like. What would they be like? Who were they? Were they enjoying the snow as she was? Her thoughts and musings on the possibilities distracted her completely.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:59 pm
Kosey was being brave and lounging in the snow, under a tree. He felt the desire to lay down and relax and thus saw no reason that the cold should be allowed to dictate his behavior. So he laid down. Twitching this way and that, shuffling his paw a little farther forward, a little ways back, sweeping the ground with his tail... yes, it was a tad uncomfortable. He was pretty sure his hind quarters were either falling alseep or freezing... but he wanted to lay down. He was tired. He would not admit defeat.
While trying to take his mind off of his cold butt, he turned his attention deliberately to the things around him. He took a deep breath. The cold air seared his lungs in a pleasant way, and it tasted particularly fresh, like a cold pool of water. There was a hint of pine in the taste, likely from the very happy looking evergreens around him. They didn't seem to mind the snow at all.
Mmm... water. Now that he thought of it, Kosey realized he was quite thirsty. He glanced around, eye cocked. He didn't suppose he'd find fresh water in the middle of a freeze. He'd have to go look for some. He wasn't about to lick the snow, no matter how clean it looked.
While Kosey was contemplating his route to water, a bird landed in the tree under witch he lay. It was a crow of some kind and of a significant weight, despite its hollow bones. Thus the weight of it's sudden arrival shook the branch on which it landed just enough to dislodge of clump of snow. The snow fell onto a very unprepared Kosey, who leapt with a howl into the air with all of the expected grace of a wet cat. Kosey shook himself off and glanced around sharply, hoping no one had seen his unseemly reaction.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:59 pm
Shiahn caught sigh of her quarry. They were lying in the snow; she thought it must be cold; but maybe they didn't mind? They- he? Yes, she decided she though it was a he. She pondered on why- the shape of his back, his scent, for a couple of moments as he shifted and fidgeted; before she came back to herself. Her original train of thought had been on why he might have been perfect comfortable, given his mane and fur; but she'd totally lost it and picked up on another- related- one.H
ow to approach him. She cocked her head, wondering. Maybe he didn't want to be disturbed. Maybe he was lying under the tree for that reason. Maybe she should just sit nearby and let him make the choice. Maybe-
Suddenly he jumped up with a startling yowl, completely snapping Shiahn out of thought. She blinked in surprise, then tried- and failed- to stifle her giggles. She at least turned her head away until she could arrange her face into an expression that didn't look like she was laughing at him, and approached him.
When she spoke, amusement still shone in her eyes; but her voice was full of mock solemnity. "Did the snow pounce on you?" She imagined it as a white kitten, pouncing onto an elder or playmate, and had to fight back her giggles again- this time, succeeding.
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:27 pm
Kosey was mortified to hear a voice off to the side. If there was any doubt whether the individual caught site of his ungraceful, er, moment, it dissolved with the comprehension of her words.
Trying to regain his dignity, Kosey turned around to face her. He was, however, at a loss for words. "It was cold," he stated unnecessarily.
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Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:34 pm
Shiahn kept the mock solemnity on her face as she nodded.
"Yes, I hear snow can be rather like that." Partly to demonstrate her point she turned to a small pile of snow nearby. Keeping her back legs in place, she pounced with just her front legs into the pile, keeping her legs stiff and her paws splayed. The snow poofed into the air and fell back in a ring around her front paws; sticking in shining crystals to her fur. She stared in amazement.
"Wooow", she whispered. "Did you see that? That was beautiful." She wasn't even really aware that she was talking to anyone; more a habit of talking to her human than the memory that she'd just approached someone. He was fading from her mind as the beauty of the snow seized her once more.
How had this never been captured in a painting, a picture, a form of art all could enjoy at all time? The way it shone, reflected the light- and the way it flew into the air... She leaped, fully this time, at another patch of snow; kicking at it, making it spread in a glittering spray that lasted only a second before falling back down, the clumps almost indistinguishable from the rest of the snow. She lowered her face to the snow she'd just scattered, enthralled by how brief and fleeting the beauty she'd created was- and then it was just another part of the snow again. It was incredible to her.
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 6:27 pm
Kosey watched the other Neko, twitching his ears. What was she doing? Was she playing with the snow? He resisted the urge to curl his lip. Ugh, snow. It was so sticky and wet and... cold. Why would anyone want to enjoy the cold sticky stuff, he didn't know. He paused. The thought entered his mind that perhaps she was still making fun at this expense. Humph. His feline eyes narrowed and he began turning to walking into the forest, "Yes, well..." he said abortively as he turned.
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:52 pm
Shiahn continued to be fascinated by the snow for a moment; before the tone of voice of the male's words sank in and her head snapped up. She danced anxiously over to him; her ears splayed to the sides and the tip of her bob tail drooping.
"Oh no! I'm sorry, was I rude? I didn't mean to be! I'll leave you alone if you want me to, but I didn't mean to offend you if that's what I did! I just... I'm really easily distracted, sometimes, and I get excited by my thoughts. I really didn't mean to upset you!"
Just as she had basically forgotten the male when the snow caught her attention; now it was pushed from her mind at her anxiety over having possibly hurt his feelings or insulted him in some way. She was aware that she wasn't the most... Socially adept Maneki Neko; although that seldom bothered her because she was too busy finding wonder in the world around her, at times like now, when it had a negative effect on someone else, she hated the fact that she hardly knew what she was doing around her own kind.
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