05-30-2012, 06:21 PM
Cannot be bothered with table for this. Soooo.... Niernan is 15, Ciaran is 13. Word count: 1050
The bright afternoon sun shone dazzlingly through the sparse cover of the tree canopy, the new spring buds were just opening and the fresh, small green leaves offered little protection from the strong sunlight. A wide beam of light shone around the foliage of a rather impressive and ancient Oak tree, illuminating the figure that reclined in a crudely fashioned wooden chair outside a house that was buried in a mound of earth. The round door, a faded yellow colour, with paint chipping from the wood and the grain of the timber showing through, was slightly open, allowing a glimpse of the dark and cool interior of the house.
A shadow, darker than the shadows in the house, detached itself and stepped out into the light on silent paws. It revealed itself to be a large, long furred cat. The dark fur around the cats muzzle was salted with grey, even some of the long tail hairs were fading and showing the wear of age. But despite the obvious signs of aging in the cat its step was spry and light. The cat trotted over to the roughly hewn wooden chair, it placed its front paws on the arm of the chair, mounting the arm easily, placing itself on the wide wooden platform, carved specifically for the cat. It opened its mouth and instead of meowing let forth a string of perfect High Speech. "Why didn't you wake me? I thought we were going to go to the lake today and fish?" The voice was distinctively male, with the slight croak of age to it and a faint Irish lilt. He turned his head to the canine form lying back in the chair.
The canine himself was old, that much was evident in the white and grey fur that peppered his muzzle, eyebrows, goatee and head fur. The male was in fine form for one of his years, his muscle tone only having wasted slightly and his eyes still bright and clear. His black fur had lost a bit of its lustre and was shot through with grey here and there, but his body was still well defined, making it obvious that the male was still active. He raised his left hand paw, the thin fingers disappearing into the thick, ebony and mahogany fur of the cat. He massaged the cats shoulders and sighed with contentment, a simple smile spreading across his aged muzzle as a deep rumbling purr rolled from the cats throat.
The wolf turned his head, cerulean blue eyes, untouched by age met the cats grey-green orbs. He smiled at his feline companion, warmth and affection filling his eyes, he leaned his head forward and rested his broad, greying forehead against the cats slightly smaller and not so grey forehead. He had closed his eyes by the time their heads touched, allowing emotion to wash through him and a contented sigh to escape his slightly parted lips. "You looked so peaceful, I didn't want to interrupt your first good sleep in a while." The cat pulled away sharply, letting the wolfs head slip a little. The large canine recovered and pulled his head back to look at the cat, the cat stared back in disbelief until his face softened, reading the truth in his companions features. "Oh Niernan. You'll never stop looking after me will you?" He asked. The wolf, now identified as Niernan, shook his head slowly. "You will always be that tiny kitten that I picked up 13 years ago, Ciaran." Niers smile was dazzling, his perfect white teeth flashing in the noon sun. The cat batted at his wolf companion playfully, catching him on the end of his muzzle with a sheathed paw, but his smile was warm.
The old pair sat in companionable silence for a while, both turning to look out over the view their perch gave them. Nier surveyed the village that had been his home for the last 13 years, his eyes finding the familiar houses and placing so many names to them. Names that he no longer got to use in everyday life. He inhaled deeply, a single tear making its way down his furred cheek as he thought over his lost companions. Life had been good when he was with them, true there had been arguments, but there had also been fun, laughter, light and love. He sighed again, his thoughts turning to those of love. He had loved plenty of others in his time, he was sure that his children and their children were floating around somewhere, but none of them were bothered enough by an old man anymore. He had not seen any of his family for a long while. Not since the passing of his mate had he seen his first son and that had been a tense meeting. He didn't like to dwell on the thought of it and Ciaran hated it even more, so he wasn't surprised when the cat noticed his gloom and promptly stuck his cold, wet nose into Niernans ear.
Nier shuddered at the cold sensation and flicked his ear away from his companions nose, giggling slightly at the way his friend found to distract him. The cat stared at Niernan "Were you thinking of family again?" He asked. Niernan nodded, his smile fading into slight sadness. He turned his eyes to the sky, focussing on the pattern of the new foliage against the azure expanse of sky, blinking rapidly to clear his teary eyes. "I miss them Ciaran. I miss the days we had, the days we could have had." The cat mewled in response, moving from the arm of the chair to the sun-warmed lap of his companion, cuddling his large body into the wolfs chest. Niernan buried his nose into the familiar and comforting fur of Ciarans back, the smell of the cat washing over him. "I'm glad I've got you still." He murmured, his Irish touched voice laden with emotion. The cat let a purr rumble out and snuggled in closer, "And I you." The cat looked up, catching Niers cyan eyes, "We've grown old together, you and I." Niernan smiled wistfully at his cat, "No-one else I'd rather have done it with, old friend."
The bright afternoon sun shone dazzlingly through the sparse cover of the tree canopy, the new spring buds were just opening and the fresh, small green leaves offered little protection from the strong sunlight. A wide beam of light shone around the foliage of a rather impressive and ancient Oak tree, illuminating the figure that reclined in a crudely fashioned wooden chair outside a house that was buried in a mound of earth. The round door, a faded yellow colour, with paint chipping from the wood and the grain of the timber showing through, was slightly open, allowing a glimpse of the dark and cool interior of the house.
A shadow, darker than the shadows in the house, detached itself and stepped out into the light on silent paws. It revealed itself to be a large, long furred cat. The dark fur around the cats muzzle was salted with grey, even some of the long tail hairs were fading and showing the wear of age. But despite the obvious signs of aging in the cat its step was spry and light. The cat trotted over to the roughly hewn wooden chair, it placed its front paws on the arm of the chair, mounting the arm easily, placing itself on the wide wooden platform, carved specifically for the cat. It opened its mouth and instead of meowing let forth a string of perfect High Speech. "Why didn't you wake me? I thought we were going to go to the lake today and fish?" The voice was distinctively male, with the slight croak of age to it and a faint Irish lilt. He turned his head to the canine form lying back in the chair.
The canine himself was old, that much was evident in the white and grey fur that peppered his muzzle, eyebrows, goatee and head fur. The male was in fine form for one of his years, his muscle tone only having wasted slightly and his eyes still bright and clear. His black fur had lost a bit of its lustre and was shot through with grey here and there, but his body was still well defined, making it obvious that the male was still active. He raised his left hand paw, the thin fingers disappearing into the thick, ebony and mahogany fur of the cat. He massaged the cats shoulders and sighed with contentment, a simple smile spreading across his aged muzzle as a deep rumbling purr rolled from the cats throat.
The wolf turned his head, cerulean blue eyes, untouched by age met the cats grey-green orbs. He smiled at his feline companion, warmth and affection filling his eyes, he leaned his head forward and rested his broad, greying forehead against the cats slightly smaller and not so grey forehead. He had closed his eyes by the time their heads touched, allowing emotion to wash through him and a contented sigh to escape his slightly parted lips. "You looked so peaceful, I didn't want to interrupt your first good sleep in a while." The cat pulled away sharply, letting the wolfs head slip a little. The large canine recovered and pulled his head back to look at the cat, the cat stared back in disbelief until his face softened, reading the truth in his companions features. "Oh Niernan. You'll never stop looking after me will you?" He asked. The wolf, now identified as Niernan, shook his head slowly. "You will always be that tiny kitten that I picked up 13 years ago, Ciaran." Niers smile was dazzling, his perfect white teeth flashing in the noon sun. The cat batted at his wolf companion playfully, catching him on the end of his muzzle with a sheathed paw, but his smile was warm.
The old pair sat in companionable silence for a while, both turning to look out over the view their perch gave them. Nier surveyed the village that had been his home for the last 13 years, his eyes finding the familiar houses and placing so many names to them. Names that he no longer got to use in everyday life. He inhaled deeply, a single tear making its way down his furred cheek as he thought over his lost companions. Life had been good when he was with them, true there had been arguments, but there had also been fun, laughter, light and love. He sighed again, his thoughts turning to those of love. He had loved plenty of others in his time, he was sure that his children and their children were floating around somewhere, but none of them were bothered enough by an old man anymore. He had not seen any of his family for a long while. Not since the passing of his mate had he seen his first son and that had been a tense meeting. He didn't like to dwell on the thought of it and Ciaran hated it even more, so he wasn't surprised when the cat noticed his gloom and promptly stuck his cold, wet nose into Niernans ear.
Nier shuddered at the cold sensation and flicked his ear away from his companions nose, giggling slightly at the way his friend found to distract him. The cat stared at Niernan "Were you thinking of family again?" He asked. Niernan nodded, his smile fading into slight sadness. He turned his eyes to the sky, focussing on the pattern of the new foliage against the azure expanse of sky, blinking rapidly to clear his teary eyes. "I miss them Ciaran. I miss the days we had, the days we could have had." The cat mewled in response, moving from the arm of the chair to the sun-warmed lap of his companion, cuddling his large body into the wolfs chest. Niernan buried his nose into the familiar and comforting fur of Ciarans back, the smell of the cat washing over him. "I'm glad I've got you still." He murmured, his Irish touched voice laden with emotion. The cat let a purr rumble out and snuggled in closer, "And I you." The cat looked up, catching Niers cyan eyes, "We've grown old together, you and I." Niernan smiled wistfully at his cat, "No-one else I'd rather have done it with, old friend."