[ti]Private[/ti]Sneaking Out

[fortsumter]

The white and black kittypet idly played with a cat toy inside the Twoleg den. That was until, he had a better idea. He hopped up onto his cat tree and looked out the window at the night sky. It was so tempting, it practically called for an adventure. Braxton leaped from the top of his tree onto the floor. He quietly crept along, his belly fur almost brushing on the ground. He approached the door, realizing that escaping would not be easy. 
After a few moments of thinking, carefully examining the structure of the knob, He jumped up and turned the knob around. While he still hung from the doorknob, the door swung open with a quiet creak. He pushed the door with his nose to shut it, although it ended up slamming shut. He had to be quick. He bolted through the grass, scrambling up to the top of the fence. He saw that a few houses had the lights on, and he hoped that meant some cats were awake.
 "Hello?" , he meowed. "Anyone awake?"

[Broadwaykat]

It was true that some cats shunned the touch of a two-leg; even if they decided to share dens and prey with them, but frankly Melody thought they were missing the best part of living with the strange, clumsy folk. The're long, odd toes seemed to know exactly where to kneed into places she couldn't reach even at her most flexible; and she was quite content to rest on their lap while they lavished her with such ministrations. In her case, unlike her canine brother-of-den, it was the back of her neck and along the arch of her spine; where each little toe touched a spot that had her practically melting into a puddle of pure delight.

But even then, the sad fact of the matter was that it never lasted as long as she would have liked it. Twolegs were too easily distracted; and soon the gentle ministrations slowed, and stopped; their hand rested as a warm presence on her back, but no longer kneeding in a satisfactory manner. She tried to catch their attention by mewling her consent to continue, widening her eyes in an almost comical fashion - even resorting to a small nip at their fingers, her version of the quick lapping gesture the canines did, which usually caused their to make their own short, staccato shouts of delight. But in this case her twoleg simply tapped her on the nose, with a tutting noise, and eased her down to the floor.

Well...this wouldn't do. She had just been getting comfortable, but if her twoleg wasn't going to pay proper attention, why she would just find something else to do with her time. Luckily, as her canine brother had yet to learn the finer points of having a proper dirt-place close to den, insisting to go outside at all ungodly hours, there was an option of entertainment as escape left open for her too - by way of a small flap left covering an open hole in the den's entrance. 

With a practiced swish of her tail, Melody slunk her way out the doggy door and into the front yard, stretching her body and enjoying the pure, cool feeling of the moonlight on her fur; silvering the irregular tortie pattern and glinting off her shiny new collar. She cocked her head when a somewhat familiar voice caught her attention, approaching the sound with tail held high in friendly greeting. 

"At this time of night?" She teased. "Honestly, who'd want to be asleep! I may live with twolegs but I hardly keep to their schedule - it'd be ludicrous!"

[fortsumter]

Braxton noticed the she cat coming outside and perked up his ears. He heard the cat's reply and meowed calmly, "Yeah... Twolegs are strange. Their weird sleeping schedule..." He licked a paw and drew it over one ear. He looked up at the somewhat familiar cat. "Wanna go somewhere? Have an adventure?" Braxton was getting bored of staying close to home constantly , and hoped that he could venture out into a new place.

[Broadwaykat]

As much as Melody prided herself on being a strict homebody during the day - mostly as it was where her food rested and her bed, and all of her special toys - at night, it was a different story. If only because there wasn't much to do when her twolegs were distracted as they were. She hated being forgotten - so if she had the freedom to be about and feel the wind on her fur, if even for a little, measly while - she was going to take it.

Maybe it was a left over jean in her family - seeing as, although she didn't know it, several of her littermates had run off to find adventure too. She would never stray too far away from her home, but she did have a penchant for wandering, that was sure.

"Do I!?" She enthusiastically leaped up to the fence that separated their nests, collar jingling and eyes alight with excitement. "Of course. I mean, like - most of the monsters are bound to be in their nests at this time too - which means we don't have to worry about the black paths being busy - and we can go hunting for mice to play with, and...and - " She trailed off, her eyes alight with the idea of an adventure to be had.

"I'm down for it. I think my twolegs are nodding off soon anyways; they'll never even know I was gone!"

[fortsumter]

Braxton bounced excitedly. "Well, let's go! I can lead the way." He paused for a moment , looking for a good place to start. He decided that it would be safer to stay closer to Twoleg territory, where there were less dangerous wild cats. "Alright, let's start by going this way" , he meowed confidently. He had started walking, giving his tail a flick, signalling for Melody to follow.
He had been born in the streets, and knew a little bit about surviving there, but he still had trouble hunting. He did have some confidence. He could navigate through them easily, without getting lost. He knew the streets like the back of his paw, and hoped Melody would trust him He looked back at Melody and added, "I know this place pretty well. We won't get lost."

[Broadwaykat]

Letting out a little excited squeal, Melody let her paws guide her up and over the fence and into the street in front of her nest, right next to Braxton. She was eager for a little fun, a little exploration. And perhaps getting a little bit of dinner on the way. Not that she had ever had any sort of living prey - but she'd gotten pretty close to catching a squirrel once!

Her claws dug into the road, her belled collar making a little twinkling chime as they moved along - getting rid of any hint of being able to sneak up on anyone. She continue to chatter on happily enough.

"Oh, I know my way around too, y'know. I'm no wet-behind-the-ears kitten y'know?" She chided. "I could guide us around too - but since it's you're idea - I'll let 'cha." She grinned, picking up her speed to keep pace with him, her merry bell jingling. 

"And since you're leading - where do you suppose this adventure's supposed to take us?"

[fortsumter]

Braxton continued to stroll alongside Melody. She apparently also knew this place pretty well, but Braxton was fine taking the lead. He looked over at Melody, then quickly looking away, wondering where they were going. He actually didn't know where this adventure was bound to take them. He stared down at his paws, pausing for a moment.
"Well, I was thinking we'd explore somewhere we haven't seen yet!" , he meowed. He then realized how dangerous that could be. "Or we can explore some of the bigger Twoleg nests. It'd be cool to actually see them." The upscale Twoleg dens would be a good place to explore. Braxton didn't mention hunting, because he was naturally a bad hunter, and the bell on his collar was a disadvantage.

[Broadwaykat]

"Oooh! I know just the place!" She cheered, skittering ahead a few steps and seemingly forgetting that it was Braxton who wanted to lead the expedition. "It's a huuuge nest; my twolegs used to live there before they moved into their current nest; it's like they were all stacked up on top of one another; weird, really. Like a nest-tree." She flicked her tail as she tried to remember and get her bearings.

"I'm not sure, but I bet I could smell it when we get close; it was full of all sorts of interesting smells; and you don't actually have to go into private nests there. There were all these weirdly lit tunnels..." She lapsed into her memories. "But I we'd have to be careful; they might not remember me...and you know how twolegs can be sometimes."

She shuffled her paws on the ground as she waited for Braxton's response. 

"Unless, of course...that's not exciting enough."

[fortsumter]

Braxton flicked his ears. "Of course we can do that! That sounds really fun!" He bounced ahead a bit before stopping in his tracks. "If you'd like to lead the way, go ahead" He allowed Melody to lead him there. "We can explore it, maybe also explore nearby... And we'll be back soon enough" . He looked out at the dark streets, eyes shining with confidence and excitement.He lightly flexed his claws on the ground. "Let's go!"

[Broadwaykat]

With a pleased flick of her tail, Melody ran to take up the lead in their little expedition, the bell on her collar ringing out a jaunty tune and made sure to peal through the gathering darkness. Not that either of them were likely to be unable to see in the dark, as their eyes naturally adjusted to the low light available despite the time spent in twolegged dens which were almost always unnaturally bright.

"Soo....did'ja just move into the neighbourhood or something? Only I didn't even know those twolegfolk next door even kept a nest for one of us." She pried curiously, unabashed in her nosiness to discover exactly where Braxton had come from. She did so love to gossip.