EBC: Not So Diffrent After All

Avigail laid on top of a low wall that was part of the garden her owner had. She didn’t really spend much time with her owner, he just fed her, give her place to sleep and sometimes took her somewhere. But otherwise she didn’t know him, which she didn’t mind at all, she didn’t particularly like humans. She didn’t hate them, but they were annoying and weird creatures.

Today she was bored, very bored, there were many things she could be doing… should be  doing…But she just couldn’t bring herself to get off her butt to do them. She sighed picking at the loose brick stone under her paw.  C’mon Avgiail get off our lazy butt and do something...Find Judas, or maybe look for Jasper? I haven’t see him in a while, he’s grown real fast…An apprentice already… so the red coloured clouded leopard leap down from the wall and onto the street. She padded down the street looking for a familiar face….

Jasper was in a bad mood. His favorite human, Annabeth, had been gone for almost two weeks on a school trip, and the house just wasn't worth his time without her there, especially because he was still lacking a mentor. Jasper had been Apprentice age for over 3 months now, but with the growing concern with Empire cats attacking the city Jasper was told to wait, and wait, and wait, and wait. He was sick of waiting. He was a teenager with nowhere to aim all his growing strength and boisterous energy. Smacking a bucket with his paw Jasper watched with satisfaction as the bucket soared across the yard clanging loudly, before he stepped out of his yard. He marched down the street, not really paying attention to where he went or what he did. Anything was better than sticking around doing nothing.

 Judas is out on a Patrol....Figures... Avigail thought as she was hopping to see the mischievous Elite Hunter. As she padded down the street Aimlessly her ear's flat against her head and her tail low, almost dragging on the ground.

She jerked her head up suddenly at the sound of a loud  CLANG!, "What was that?" She wondered out-loud. Whatever it was it was living, and better then walking around depressed. So she mildly curious began to pad down the street towards the sound. Perking her ear's to hear better.

Jasper marched down the street and was just about to turn the corner when suddenly he was nose to nose with a familiar face, green eyes staring right at him. He stopped barely before he ran into her. It was amazing, how he was almost looking her eye to eye now, no longer craning his neck to look up at her chin. Have I really gotten that big? He asked himself. "Avigail." He greeted, sounding more surprised than anything. "I haven't seen you in..." Jasper wasn't really sure

Avigail turned the corner to find herself starring into Jasper's red-ish coloured eyes. She was slightly startled by this...The little lonely cub she had known before was no more. And in his place was a young adult feline that was head-to-head with her.

"Oh, Hello Jasper...Its been too long. It's great to see you...You've...You've...Grown so much!" She said, her tail swishing back and forth, glad to see him again. She didn't quite smile, but....She almost smiled?

"You've grown so much..." Jasper held his head a little bit higher, his mouth twitching into what was almost a smile, even though he didn't know what to say to that. "Um, what are you doing here?" Jasper hadn't seen her in this side of town ever. When he had first met Avigail it was when he had been wandering hungry and alone in the market. "I mean..." He found himself surprisingly tongue tied. Avigail made him nervous in a way he couldn't explain, in a way no other cat did, (Non-Romantic)

"What am I doing here? Erm..." Avigail paused a moment, her ear's twitching. She didn't know how to answer, because she was lonely?  I can't say that he'll think I'm weak... She thought a second, and shrugged slightly.

"I wanted to see you and make sure you were okay." She said finally, which was true in fact. Her tail swished behind her slightly.

"What have you been up to as of late Jasper?" She asked, wanting to change the subject, and curious about how he has been.

Jasper felt like he was still being treated like a cub. If she was coming to check on him as an Apprentice, than that would be a different story, he could tell her of training, and what he was learning, but instead, she was coming to check on him while he was still quote Leto: "A defenseless cub" and Jasper looked away in embarrassment at just the thought.

"Oh, not much really." He said bitterly, looking at who knows what while he spoke. "With this stupid war no hunters have been assigned to mentor me. Maybe the war is just an excuse, and no body wants to train me. Either way I'm still a Tribune." Jasper suddenly closed his maw. He hadn't meant to say ANY of that. Sure he had been thinking about it, a little, but there was something about Avigail that seemed to pull it out of him, and the feeling shocked him. Jasper NEVER expressed how he was feeling.

Avigail watched his expression change as he spoke, flicking her ear's back with mild surprise. She could say she understood how Jasper felt, maybe not exactly but at least with feeling like no one wants you. She was surprised to hear such bitter words from the Apprentice, it reminded her a lot of.... Herself, actually. She found that rather ironic.

She thought a moment before answering,

"I assure you the reason isn't as you think, but I do understand why you'd be frustrated. I would be too if I were you, your old enough to start training but your still treated like a cub." She said, tilting her head to one side slightly.

"I'd be careful not to let your bitterness show around other hunter's though, they will be quick to correct you.." She added, a slight note of firmness in her voice. "If you like, I'm not doing anything, I can show you some fighting moves?" She said.

At her offer Jasper's ears perked up, and he looked her again in those stunning green eyes. "Really? You wouldn't get into trouble would you?" He asked. Would she be breaking rules? Training him? Jasper didn't know

Avigail shrugged, "No one ever told me I can't show a friend some tricks." She smirked for a brief moment, before the smile faded back into her usual serious expression.

"I know a good clearing that we can use too." She added.

Jasper almost smiled. "Then I would be honored." He said, feeling excited for the first time in weeks. He took a few steps and then looked back to see where she would lead him.

"Alright c'mon then," Avigail said waving her tail at him. As she turned and jogged down the street, she turned left 'round the corner and took the street down a slope for a little ways. Before checking both ways on the road and crossing over to the other side, she glanced back to make sure Jasper crossed. Glancing up to the sky to see the clouds clear up and the sun shining down on them.

Jasper followed Avigail around each corner, staying close to her left hip, only pausing when she crossed the street, He waited until a particularly large cart horse passed before catching up to her. The weather was beautiful, it would be a good day to train. "What are Empire cat's like?" He asked, once he was across the street. Which cat hadn't been thinking about Empire cats with talk of a war going on?

"Empires cats?" Avigail repeated his question her ear's flattening. "They think they have freedom...And they do. But at the cost of their sanity, they are selfish, only caring about their empire and no one else. They lack morals, they don't care how many of us they have to kill to keep their stupid 'freedom'. And they are cowards at heart who deserve to be reminded of their place!" She said with a growl, hate laced in her voice as she spoke. It wasn't directed towards him though, but towards the empire cats. She clawed the brick below them with her black claws as she walked.

"All you need to know is they are scum, and shouldn't be trusted." She said more gently to Jasper, but still some firmness in her voice. She then turned her attention back to where they were going, walking into a courtyard that looked long abandoned. Some broken crates laid down on one side of the clearing, a small brick wall went around the edge parts of it collapsed over.

"Human's don't come here often...Making it good for practice." She said turning to him swishing her tail lightly.

Jasper listened carefully, hoping he hadn't upset her by bringing up the topic. It seemed to make her very angry, but when her voice softened he got the feeling it wasn't at him. "But what freedom is it that they think they have? I mean, isn't it freedom to be able to come and go into the city whenever we want. To interact with humans. Sure not all humans are friendly but neither are cats. What is it they think they have that is worth killing over?" Jasper asked as he observed the courtyard.

Avigail was quiet a moment, as a memory of the coliseum fights flashed in her mind. She remembered the fight that gave her the scars across her face, then she turned her head back towards Jasper.

"Freedom from the coliseum fights. From the humans I guess." She shrugged, "Their just blinded with lies though..." She said clawing the brick below her paws, leaving scratches in them.

Jasper paused after hearing her answer, his face thoughtful. Judas had told Jasper not to go near the colosium till he was older, but now that he would soon be an apprentice, (whenever that was) Jasper was getting more and more curious about that place. He didn't understand freedom from the humans, cats were only caged when they couldn't keep the human's laws, simple as that, but... "Why freedom from the colosium...what is in there?"

Avigail fell quiet, "I could answer that. But be sure you really want to hear the answer." She said,

"But we came to practice did we not?" She asked changing the subject, she had no doubt Jasper could handle the truth of the coliseum. But it wasn't a topic she liked to talk about for long.

She turned to him looking at him with her one good green-coloured eye, her ear's perked up slightly.

Jasper gave her a funny look. He felt like she was avoiding the subject, but it wasn't like him to press, so he found his stop in the grass and too a ready stance. "We did, how do we start?"

"Well, to start, pretend I'm the enemy. When you get into a fight you need to know your own weaknesses and strengths, as well as the enemies’ weakness and strengths. For example, your not going to fight a big lion with blunt force. Lions are big...But slow. Make sense?"

She asked as she moved to the other side of the court, getting into a stance spreading her toes out for balance. Her tail held low, watching him.

 "Ready?"

Jasper listened carefully, "Yes that makes sense, So are you going to be fighting like a lion, or like a leopard?" He flinched internally, wondering if that was a stupid question, but she had just given him that piece of advice and he wanted to know if she would be testing him on that. Even as he asked though, he lowered himself slightly, locking his red eyes with her emerald one. He wasn't going to act like a cub, he was going to take this seriously.

With the final missing pieces of the fight in place Jasper felt a little smile come to his lips, allowing himself to take in a deep breath to calm his heart. He was excited, and his claws unsheathed slightly feeling his footing in the grass.

Avigail was the enemy this time, not the rock like her first lesson with him. Jasper felt his mind blur her in his memory and put her in a different coat in his minds eye. She wasn't Avigail, he had reason to be afraid.

Jasper's ears followed her as she paced around him, making sure he knew her every step. He itched to pounce but his instinct told him to wait, Let her come to me

"I'm Ready." He said.

Avigail watched him, he said he was ready but she waited a few moments longer. Slowly circling him, then she suddenly leaped forwards, she aimed a blow to his shoulder at the same time going to nip lightly at his neck. Her claws sheathed of course, she planted her back feet on the ground and pushed back shifting towards his side crouching down in a defensive stance.

Jasper's instincts were freaking out, and his breathing picked up a little giving him away, even though his position didn't change. It was against any cats nature to allow itself to be so vulnerable, especially because he was the smaller still out of the two cats, but he forced himself to remain still, or else he would never be able to see if he could match her speed. Hoping to throw her off a little, and lure Avigail to pounce, her twitched his tail quickly in a wide sweep across his body, like his human used to do with string.

Avigail watched him, she flinched slightly as if she was going to attack again but stopped herself. Circling him her ear's flicked back. She then ran at his side, just close enough to hit his ankle's with a paw, before she moved back into a defensive crouch. She was trying to provoke him into attacking her, not trying any large leaps or attacks.

When she flinched, he flinched, in fact he dropped lower to the ground that same instant but then realized she had done what he had tried to do and succeeded, that made him blush, he was losing his own game. She circled him and then darted forward, again he went to leap out of the way but felt her touch his paw. Blast She was faster than him, but could he keep up if he really tried, turning at first as if he was about to head the other direction Jasper rotated his weight shifting on a time and lounged for her, his head down making fast contact with her shoulder, hoping to headbutt Avigail and throw her off balance.

Jasper had shifted his weight much faster than she had expected him to. He moved in on her blind side and she wasn't able to move fast enough to see him, but she heard the sound of his paws and shifted back slightly - but not enough. She felt his head slam into the side of her jaw it stunned her slightly.

 She only hesitate for a second to jump back turning on her back legs and raising herself up, her front paws in the air as she lunged at him. Going to try at bring her weight down on his head and shoulders, she let out a snarl - not that she would actually hurt him, but to try and intimidate him.

Jasper felt a wave of triumph wash over him when she stumbled. Some may call it getting cocky but it was something different for Jasper, it was a thrill that came only in sparing that seemed to fill him with purpose. It was a wonderful game, and so taking the momentum he already had as soon as she was on her back paws Jasper jumped up, grabbing her middle in a kind of bear hug and kicking off the grass with his hind legs. If he could get her on the ground then he wouldn't have to worry about who was faster, he wanted to keep contact. He felt her snarl rumble through her chest with his ears pressed up against it and it made him smile, letting his own snarl, much deeper than it used to be come out with moment.

Avigail realized she had made a mistake as she felt Jasper's chest press up against her body his momentum gave him enough power to knock her down on her back. She didn't fight it though going limp until she felt Jasper, on top of her. Avigail wasn't very fast, but she was very strong and her hits were more powerful then Jasper's. But Jasper reacted fast then she could.

She then she brought her hind legs up, and tried to kicked him in the stomach, holding back the full force but still hard enough to make it hurt slightly. At the same time she lifted a paw to try and swat him in the side of the head.

Jasper's lack of experience proved true. He was so excited that his tackle had worked that he hadn't planned as far as what he would do when he got her on the ground. Her back legs came up surprisingly fast beneath him and though it wasn't hard enough to throw him off Jasper gave a great "Oomph!" As she nailed him in the stomach. He hadn't so much as caught his breath when her paw came across his face smacking it to the side. Jasper stumbled a little, but gritting his teeth snapped his teeth forward, the closest thing where her paw had thrown his head ended up being the side of her neck fur. He had bit fast, but realizing what he was doing he checked himself. His teeth wouldn't come close to breaking skin, but he did have a good mouthful of her fluffy pelt. He adjusted his hind legs so that he wasn't directly over her anymore, but standing more at an angle with this jaws and forepaws holding her

Avigail found this was good practice for her as well, she was making mental note of things she needed to remember. Such as protecting her neck as she felt his teeth lightly touch her furry neck. Her fur spiked up in alarm, flinching slightly out of instinct. She twisted her head down and nipped at his ear, hoping to cause him to pull his teeth away. She then twisted her hips and kicked at his hind legs trying to knock them out from under him.

Jasper felt his ear get snagged and one of his back legs get kicked out from underneath him, luckily she missed his other one so Jasper managed to get his rear paw back and move away, with his front left paw he attempted to shove her have off his ear, all while still holding a firm grip on her neck, which only seemed to be succeeding in twisting his neck around in an uncomfortable manner

Avigail felt his paw trying to shove her off his ear, she held on but loosened her grip slightly as he twisted his head. She didn't want to accidently tear off his ear if he jerked too much. But the rest of her body went limp for a few seconds. Which freed her from the tangled mess of limbs. She then suddenly brought her hind legs up into his stomach, very lightly grazing his stomach with her claws. Not enough to draw blood, but enough to let him know. She then tried to slam her front paws against either side of his face to try and stun him.

Feeling Avigail's claws rake against his stomach, even though at the most it would have been a scratch, was so startling to Jasper that he actually let go of her neck, and unintentionally dodging her paws smacking him on either side of his head. Jasper did this kind of half leap to get away from her hind legs and took a swipe of his own at her head with his right front paw.

Avigail felt Jasper's paw smack her in the face as he leaped back away from her. She noticed he seemed a little unnerved and startled. Part of her felt a pang of guilt, but then she remembered how ruthless the empire cats where and the guilt left. It would be good for him, now he would remember to protect his belly in a fight.

With Jasper no long directly on top of her, she rolled her hips kicking out at him to distract him while she rolled onto her side and leaped back up on her paws.

Jasper got kicked in the side by Avigail as she rolled herself up, but he had been far enough away it did little more than make him stumble a step back. He give his head a shake, he couldn't let something as simple as another cat's claws rattle him enough to lose his cool. And besides, he didn't want Avigail to feel like she had to go easy on him. Letting a snarl rip through his throat again Jasper jumped, a leap that would take him clear over Avigail, before he spun his hind legs around to donkey kick her in the side. Only later would Jasper realize that cats didn't do this, but he had been kicked by a horse before and that was the first thing that came to mind.

Avigail crouched down low as he leaped over her, she turned on her hind legs and jumped to the side slightly surprised by his unusual kick. He hit her in the ribs, but it wasn't enough to slow her down as she swung a paw towards his face.

At the same time she turned and leaped at him from his side, aiming to get on his back.

With his four paws on the ground for only a moment Jasper twisted around his middle so that he could face her instead of allowing Avigail to snag his back, As a result her swipe hit him in the neck instead which hurt but didn't displace him. Deciding to follow her strategy a bit, he braced himself for her lounge and brought his paw up to smack her face as well

Avigail smiled, seeing that he was adjusting his strategy. She felt his paw smack her in the face, messing up her leap as she dug her claws in the ground to steady herself. She growl that rumbled deep in her throat, it grew into a roar as she lunged forwards towards his face. But she turned in-mid lunge skidding slightly and slamming her shoulder into his side. She kicked tried to kick out at his back leg, swinging a paw towards his head. Before leaping back and crouching down low again.

Avigail came at him so fast, with one move after another now Jasper quickly grew overwhelmed and had to merely let his instincts kick in and operate out of reflex alone. He got kicked, rammed and smacked before she retreated back a few steps. Jasper reacted with a growl of his own, not wanting to give her another second to recover he jumped forward, both paws aiming to smack her neck first the right then the left his claws stayed retracted but upon the third swipe he gave more of a shove, his teeth snapping by her face to keep her distracted.

Avigai felt his paw smack her in the side of the neck, she instinctively turned her head the other way only to be met with his other paw. Stunned for a second she heard the sound of his teeth snapping in front of her. Before he could shove her she ducked down, pushing with her hind legs she suddenly jumped up shoving her shoulder into his chest.

Trying to stun him, she brought up her left paw wrapping it around his ribs at the same time she nipped at his ear, then tried to shove him to the ground. Avigail was the stronger one and knew she could knock him down, but his hits had stunned her enough that she was slightly slower now.

Jasper felt her heavy body ram him and her paws wrap around as he was shoved to the ground. He was breathing hard now, or was until she knocked the breath out of him. With her weight and the claustrophobia Jasper panicked and struck her in the stomach with both his hind legs, before attempting to roll out from underneath her and puts some space between them. It was a scary feeling not being able to breath, and Jasper's pupils dilated, if she didn't notice Jasper would either pass out before he caught his breath or in desperation might strike out with his claws on accident.

Avigail’s instincts screamed for her to keep attacking, the tides were turning in her favor. But as he kicked her in the stomach loosening her grip enough for him to slide out. She sucked in a deep breath having all her air been knocked out of her by his kick. She twirled around snarling, but then stopped noticing the fear in his eyes and his ruffled spiked up fur. Avigail took a deep breath and relaxed,

“I think we should stop for now. You need a break, are you alright?” She asked, a hint of concern in her voice yet also slightly firm too. Part of her felt bad for scaring him, the other part though reminded her that he needed to learn. Empire cats wouldn’t show any mercy.

She gave him a few moments to recover, sitting down herself and licking a paw.

“You have a lot of energy and strength, but you’re too confident, your very smart and a fast thinker which is good. But your over-confidence will get you gutted open like a rabbit.” Avigail said, but then her voice softened. “I’m proud of you.” She said, hearing Avigail tell anyone that she was Proud of them was a VERY rare thing.

With Avigail giving him the space Jasper's breath came back, and he took a minute to work on inhaling and exhaling evenly. It didn't take long, but he was grateful.

He looked away, a little embarrassed, "I'm fine." He answered, his pride was wounded more than his body, which is why her words came as a shock to him.

Avigail complimented him with words he had never heard another cat say. He found himself looking right at her. Avigails advice was spot on, he could feel it, and yet her praise filled Jasper with a kind of fire that would drive him to be better. She was right, he needed to know his limits, but knowing that was hard. But when had anything ever been easy for Jasper?

"Thank you.'' He said humbly. Jasper felt the need to give, affection, but he didn't know how, so he just sat there. "I think that will help me, next time there will be claws involved."

Avigail watched his reaction, a lot of young male felines got over pride-ful and didn't listen to experienced Hunter's when they gave advice. So she was impressed when he humbly responded, and she smiled just slightly at the corners of her mouth.

"If I or any other hunter push you to your limits, don't be angry. Just remember we do it because we know how dangerous those empire cats are...And we want you to be prepared." Avigail said, "Those that aren't...Don't make it back..." She sounded sad for a moment, but quickly pushed the thought aside.

She stepped forward and gently nuzzled the side of her face against his fluffy neck fur.

 ...Dont make it back..." Jasper's eyes glazed over a little when she said that. In his head he saw a little body being carried away, never to come back, and his decision, to never let that be something that would happen to him. So he was surprised to suddenly feel Avigail's soft face rub against him. Jasper went stiff for a moment, almost more terrified than if she had slapped him, but then he relaxed some, letting himself decide how he felt about it. It was warm, like the lick Avigail had first given to a small hungry cub who had missed his breakfast, and it was motherly. He wanted to nuzzle her back but realized he couldn't, too soon, not yet.

"That wont happen to me." He found himself saying outloud. "I'm not going to be one of those cats that can't handle it."

Avigail gave him one more gentle nuzzle before stepping back, and nodded. She noticed his change in mood and felt slightly bad, she hadn't meant to. But she also wanted him to be prepared, war wasn't a game it was serious.

 "I know you won't...I'll be sure of that if its the last thing I do." She said,