Wake Up

[Nine]

There were many trees, and many pods. Some popped like ripe berries, juice coursing from their ruptured skin; others cracked like stiff-skinned nuts, exposing a core of soft tissue that would writhe to life and drop surreptitiously to the earth below. The low-hanging fruit brushed against the grass, swaying to the rhythm of the breeze. Like many before it, one particular pod had already begun to split. Its skin was pliant, the meat of the fruit flesh-like and oddly warm if anyone were to try and test the fortitude of their stomach.

Without a sound, the stem segment that held the fruit in place snapped - causing the fruit to deposit itself against the loam of the ground, where it sat for a time, untended. As the day wore on it baked beneath the sun. The skin peeled away until finally, with a rousing kick, a new entity woke within. The feline reached with eager, wet toes towards the light; an elbow was exposed, and then without further ado, the creature slid forth from the pod. A sweetness layered across its sparse fur. The juice of the fruit seemed to tinge the animal's fur with a golden dew.

And quite suddenly its eyes opened - wide, bright, and clearing with an abrupt understanding that this was life.

[yoko]

Although in his heart he felt a strong pull to wander from the orchard, he was reluctant to leave without having met anyone. He had emerged from one of these large pods, had he not? And there were so many more of them. Surely, there were others like him, but unfortunately, having just been born as well, they'd know just as little as he. No sense in not trying though. Already the world seemed large to him, and he had plenty of time to explore it. He could spare a moment or two to enjoy the place of his birth.

The land was a drink of cool water to his eyes, refreshing and soothing. The trees and their many fruits did not frighten them. He was not surprised when one of the largest and fleshiest of fruits dropped unceremoniously to the ground and split, much like it had for him. Waiting patiently, he watched as the creature emerged. He would think that she looked like him, if he knew what he looked like. From the tail, legs and fur, he supposed they were the same. But her color was different and was that how his face looked?

"Good morning," he greeted, unsure of where he learned those words, but they seemed the right ones to say.

[Nine]

The instinct that prompted the other feline to wander was the same within the tabby. Initially she was overcome by the shock of what lay around her: pulpy fruits, sky-high trees, and the damp jungle of greenery. There was enough genetic memory within her system for her to be unafraid, as he was. She knew that this was right, that there was safety here, but it was not enough knowledge to stop the inevitable jarring of her body when her ears caught his voice. The feline spooked instantly, and the sensation of fear ebbed in to apprehension. Somehow, she understood him - it was amazing really. More importantly, after hearing the words, the newborn felt compelled to imitate.

"Guhh morrr," She murmured, with a distinct pause. That wasn't right.

"Guhd moarnegg?" No, not quite there yet.

The child flopped on to her side and squirmed, irritated by her lack of ability, and managed to breach the confines that the rest of her pod provided. With a lazy kick of her back paws it finally fell away completely, leaving her caramel-marbled body to dry among the grass. Her pale eyed attention remained upon the stranger; each time she tried to mirror his words, her face became more scrunched by a disapproving scowl. "Mrrnengg! Moornegg!"

Oh this was useless.

[yoko]

Surprised by her reaction to his words, he felt the muscles of his face pull upwards. Her hatching had not surprised him, but she seemed to experiencing something other than the calm certainty with which he was accustomed. Still, he was not motivated to flee. His bright blue eyes remained fixed on her. His pale and already shaggy ears perked as she attempted speech. Curiously, he tilted his head. It was clear to him that she was trying to repeat what he'd said, but he did not understand why she had not succeeded. She attempted again, and it was difficult to judge if she was doing better or worse. Perhaps he was the one who had said it wrong, and she was correcting him.

Suddenly abandoning communication, she managed to escape what was left of her pod. When she turned to face him again, there was something unpleasant about the change on her face. He couldn't quite place a claw on it, but it was far from a peaceful look. Still, when she spoke again he nodded, understanding well enough what she was trying to say. "Yes, gooood mo-orn-ing," he repeated more slowly, figuring that his way was the correct one after all. Daring to attempt more, he sat on his bottom, raised a paw and placed it on his chest. "Mike." He then extended a paw towards her, but was careful not to reach too close, as a silent And you are?

[Nine]

There were two explanations that were the most probably cause of her slow behavior. One, she was indeed very new to the world and would need time to grow, or two - and this was most likely - her pod had not sufficiently incubated her. Language acquisition was far from her mind at this point, which could be normal or strange, she had no way of knowing. As the female struggled with pronouncing the odd sounds that the other had made, the pale feline repeated in a drawled fashion; this did not help her, but incite her. With frustration growing within, the tabby did not wish to sit around and listen to the sounds any longer. She flopped to her belly and then abruptly sat up (on cue with his introduction). but this too was fraught with error. In her haste the feline tripped on her own paws and slammed hazardously in to one of the tree trunks that grew so near. A small unripened pod was tossed loose of its mooring, comically landing right on top of her head with quite a thunk.

While Hera blinked away the sudden pain that radiated in her head, she wobbled and lurched backwards on to her belly again - but it was better this time. Even though her head was ringing from the blow, it seemed to have knocked some sense in to her. "Hera," She sputtered next. "My name.. My name is Hera." With that admitted (or rather, learned and regurgitated in one swiftly passing moment of understanding) she slumped against the tree trunk - shoulder to bark - and let out a pitying moan. "That hurt, wow, not fair."

[yoko]

Mike remained seated calmly as the newer creature rose quickly. He could not have predicted what happened next and it was all too quick for him to stop. Another creature may have laughed, but Mike only winced and got to his paws to help. He had not yet experienced pain, but his first instinct was concern. He stepped forward, but paused as she began to speak properly at last. Again, he wondered when and how they had learned to communicate, but he was grateful that they could understand each other now. "It's a pleasure to meet you Hera."

She slumped against the tree and made an odd sound. "Are you alright?" He approached slowly. The place where the unripened fruit had struck her looked about the same to him. Maybe the fur was a little flattened, but it didn't look as if permanent damage had been done. Maybe the fruit had done something to the other that he couldn't see. "It doesn't look too bad," he said, thinking these words would be comforting.

[Nine]

Hera squished her lids closed, as if passing darkness across her vision would hide her from the throbbing in her head. It didn't work, so she tried shaking off, as if doused in water and eager to be dry, but that... That only made things worse. It was rather dumb of her, but she'd never admit any fault in herself. By shaking her head in such a manner she was made aware of something called vertigo, although the word was not something she recognized. The girl swayed lightly upon her feet, and gradually her posture stabilized. When she opened her eyes again, her pale accomplice was much closer to her; she froze at first. "It doesn't look too bad," he mentioned after a quick once-over. Hera's brow creased as she frowned, and she took a defensive step back - wary of the stranger, even if he had good intentions. "It doesn't feel very good!" The girl whined, and with a huff she shoved past him - wobbling away from the tree which had so wounded her pride.

[yoko]

Having examined her head, he was now aware of the expression on her face. Distrustful was the word that came to mind. Processing the word and it's meaning, he could understand why she might feel that way. He really ought to as well. Her shove didn't bother him to much, but it took the hint and stayed his distance from her this time. He wondered if whatever feeling the knock on her head had caused her would go away, or if it would stay there invisibly upsetting her forever. In either case, there was nothing he could do to help her. Mike figured, she might not be in a talkative mood so any questions he had ought to be brief and to the point.

"Hera, are you going to stay here for much longer?"

[Nine]

His question caused her to halt in her tracks. As she considered an answer, the girl shrugged her shoulders. Her birth had happened; the pod had ruptured and there was no reason to linger. The urge to explore had risen up within her, and this stranger would not stop her for long. "No," she stated in an exasperated tone, as if to imply the obvious nature of the answer. Hera rolled her eyes as she turned to regard Mike, watching him with a bland expression on her face. "Not if the trees are going to be so mean to me." With that said, the girl chuffed and turned away again. She began to hobble away on her rubbery new legs, completely losing interest in the other feline. Places to see, things to do, she mentally recited, although where such a concept came from.. She had no way of knowing.

[yoko]

She replied in a dramatic fashion, which seemed to be her way. And then she was taking off once more without so much as a goodbye. Mike was fairly certain that he ought to feel annoyed, but instead he was rather amused. He found that the corners of his mouth pulled upwards with this feeling. He let her go without further conversation. There had been no invitation for him to go with her, and he had the sense not to ask. While he could find amusement in her behavior now, he could tell that too much time with Hera would lead him into a great deal of trouble. He did not care for trouble, so he was better off without.

With a yawn and a stretch, Mike turned his head to the direction opposite of the one that Hera had gone. Was there only one exit, or were there many? He did not know, but he carried on.