Interesting Morning..

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Slicer gave a wary sniff, climbing out of his nest and grooming his ears. The rats rock was busy, rats coming to and fro, carrying food or nest materials. Queens would need the nest materials as some new babies had been born. Slicer's whiskers twitched proudly. He would protect the colony, just as his father taught him.

At that instant, Rage turned the corner and sat in front of Slicer. Rage was a large rat, his fur a dark black with beady reddish eyes and a long, thing, white tail. His ears were nicked at the tips and his paws were worn with many scars, as was his pelt.

"Slicer." His father greeted, "Battle practice today or scavenging?" His father scratched one ear with a back paw, fur showering around them.

Slicer put his nose in the air, his dark brown pelt rippling.
"I might hang out with Willow actually, Rage."

His fathers eyes narrowed, his incisors showing.
"Ah, your mother need more attention than me or something?"

Slicer narrowed his eyes.
"No. Its just that I've been training enough. I want to take a break."

Rage huffed.
"Fair enough. See you."

Rage pattered away, his tail trailing the ground like a snake.

Slicer sighed.

Just lovely...

Majority

[Majority]

Olive slowly trotted out of the rat's rock, yawning and stretching, having just woken up.

She decided to gather some berries and food today for their storage, maybe explore a little of the woods more today, and maybe watch the mice a little too. She was always fascinated by their daily activities.
She exited the rat's rock just in time to overhear the last of a rat's conversation, and she heard one of them say he wanted to take a break. This gave her an idea!
She slowly walked up to the rat, Slicer, and asked, "Would you like to go and gather food with me? I heard you say you'd like to take a break. We can explore a little or play around..."

@flick

[Deleted]

Apr 10, 2019 11:38:17 GMT -5 Majority said:

Olive slowly trotted out of the rat's rock, yawning and stretching, having just woken up.

She decided to gather some berries and food today for their storage, maybe explore a little of the woods more today, and maybe watch the mice a little too. She was always fascinated by their daily activities.
She exited the rat's rock just in time to overhear the last of a rat's conversation, and she heard one of them say he wanted to take a break. This gave her an idea!
She slowly walked up to the rat, Slicer, and asked, "Would you like to go and gather food with me? I heard you say you'd like to take a break. We can explore a little or play around..."

@flick

Slicer gave the rat a up and down look. Female, and by the smell of her, she was older than he was.

He gave a sniff, kinda more of a huff and a sigh, and nodded.
"Sure, why not?" He walked alongside her, out into the sunshine.

"...father won't leave me alone..." He muttered crossly, "....won't let me hang out with my mother, thinks he is better than her... maybe if my siblings survived birth, we wouldn't even be arguing.... he would be up their tails instead of mine..."

He kept walking, slapping a small stone every time he put a paw in front of the other.
He looked over at the female, his ears twitching. She was a very pretty rat, and his heart lifted from dark thoughts of his father and dead littermates.
"So, what's your name? I've seen you around the colony, but I never spoke to you before."

Majority

[Majority]

Olive was very quiet, listening to Slicer's complaints. She jumped a little every time he stomped on a stone, and she began to wonder if she made a mistake asking him to go with her.

"My name is Olive. I don't think I ever saw you before. I'm usually outside the rock, exploring and watching the mice on their side of the brook. Maybe that's why."

She paused a little, sniffing the air for signs of food. She adjusted her direction towards the scent of a food-bearing plant, somewhere to the left.

"So what's your name?" she asked, trying to get into a more pleasant conversation.

@flick

[Deleted]

Apr 10, 2019 12:27:13 GMT -5 Majority said:

Olive was very quiet, listening to Slicer's complaints. She jumped a little every time he stomped on a stone, and she began to wonder if she made a mistake asking him to go with her.

"My name is Olive. I don't think I ever saw you before. I'm usually outside the rock, exploring and watching the mice on their side of the brook. Maybe that's why."

She paused a little, sniffing the air for signs of food. She adjusted her direction towards the scent of a food-bearing plant, somewhere to the left.

"So what's your name?" she asked, trying to get into a more pleasant conversation.

@flick

"The names Slicer." His brown eyes warming as he gazed at her. "Nice to meet you, Olive."

He sniffed the air, smelling a sweet aroma. He instantly knew what it was. 
"Blueberry bush!" He squeaked excitedly. Drawing his tongue over his incisors, he scurried faster, reaching a bush with big blue berries on it. His mouth watered. He gazed back at Olive, his eyes lighting with eagerness. 

"This could feed the colony for a long time."

Majority

[Majority]

"This is amazing!" Olive shouted in joy, walking over to the bush. The blueberries were a little over-ripe, but should be fine for weeks.

"Help me carry these back to the rat's rock."

Olive picked as many as she could carry - which happened to be two - and ran happily back to the rat's rock, without waiting for Slicer.

Her excitement was too strong to wait for anyone; besides, the faster they got these blueberries home, the better, right?

@flick

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Apr 11, 2019 8:49:37 GMT -5 Majority said:

"This is amazing!" Olive shouted in joy, walking over to the bush. The blueberries were a little over-ripe, but should be fine for weeks.

"Help me carry these back to the rat's rock."

Olive picked as many as she could carry - which happened to be two - and ran happily back to the rat's rock, without waiting for Slicer.

Her excitement was too strong to wait for anyone; besides, the faster they got these blueberries home, the better, right?

@flick

Slicer grabbed three of the juicy berries and ran after Olive, rushing into the rat rock, past several startled rats and deposited them in the food chamber.
He sat, cleaning his whiskers, when a female rat turned the corner. She was very pretty, gray with white and black patches and green eyes and a soft face.
She stopped beside him, giving a smile, which showed small incisors. 
"Hey sweetheart. Gathering go well?"

This rat happened to be Willow, Slicer's mother.
Slicer nodded, heart warming.
"Very well. Me and Olive brought five blueberries back."

Willow's eyes brightened. 
"Impressive."

Slicer's ears grew hot.
"Thanks mom."

Willow licked his ears.
"Of course." Then, her eyes grew serious. "Your father said you didn't want to train."

Slicer narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, we train a lot. I wanted a break."

Willow snorted. "Train too much? It's for your own good. Those mice are after the machine. WE need it. Not them."

"But.."

Willow's eyes narrowed dangerously, which was uncommon for her.
"Go train with your father. Now."

Slicer walked to where his father's nest was, seeing him sleeping, although his ears were pricked in alertness.
He poked him, seeing him leap up, eyes blazing, ears perked up, incisors bared.

"Dad! It's me. Mom said to train with you."

"About time.." Rage growled huskily. "Let's go."

He led the way outside, hsi tail swaying. As soon as he reached daylight, he swung around, clawing at Slicer's muzzle.

Slicer howled in pain as blood sprayed the grass. He bared his teeth, leaping at his father, grabbing his shoulders and nipping his ears.

His father screeched in rage, heaving him off. Slicer skidded against the ground, his claws tearing up grass. He rushed his father, biting his ankle then slamming his head into his flank. His father rolled over, leaping up and slamming into Slicer. Slicer gave a howl as his father's claws dug into his forehead and side, blood flowing into his eyes and on his flank. He reared up with a loud hissing noise and dug his claws into his fathers flank. His father howled again, thumping onto the ground. Slicer shook the blood out of his eyes, seeing his father gazing at him. He began to circle, both emitting growls in their throats.

Slicer's heart pounded, blood roaring in his ears.

Don't give in. Don't surrender.

Survive.

Majority

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[Majority]

At that very moment, Olive reappeared from the rat's rock, having just deposited the berries.

"Okay, we'll get the re--" she paused, horrified at the scene before her. Slicer and another rat were fighting, and it was extremely vicious. Olive was terrified!

"Slicer! Let me help!"

She lunged at Rage, hoping to tackle him down, to give Slicer a chance to escape.

"Run Slicer!" she cried, unaware of what was happening. She had to save Slicer!

@flick

[Deleted]

Apr 11, 2019 10:41:21 GMT -5 Majority said:

At that very moment, Olive reappeared from the rat's rock, having just deposited the berries.

"Okay, we'll get the re--" she paused, horrified at the scene before her. Slicer and another rat were fighting, and it was extremely vicious. Olive was terrified!

"Slicer! Let me help!"

She lunged at Rage, hoping to tackle him down, to give Slicer a chance to escape.

"Run Slicer!" she cried, unaware of what was happening. She had to save Slicer!

@flick

Rage was tackled by another rat. Rage gave a snarl, glaring at the other rat trying to pin him.

Slicer walked over, blood still dripping from his forehead and side. He nudged Olive off his father, giving her a perplexed look.
"What are you doing?" He asked bluntly, gazing at Olive while his father gave a grumpy snarl.

Majority

[Majority]

"This rat was attacking you! You were bleeding!" Olive exclaimed, surprised why Slicer was so calm.

"I thought you were in danger or something. I've never seen a rat fight that vicious before..."

Olive suddenly wondered if she'd done the wrong thing. Did she ruin her potential friendship with Slicer? Maybe she should have waited..

@flick

[Deleted]

Apr 11, 2019 11:56:58 GMT -5 Majority said:

"This rat was attacking you! You were bleeding!" Olive exclaimed, surprised why Slicer was so calm.

"I thought you were in danger or something. I've never seen a rat fight that vicious before..."

Olive suddenly wondered if she'd done the wrong thing. Did she ruin her potential friendship with Slicer? Maybe she should have waited..

@flick

Slicer gave a huff, his eyes glittering.
"That's my father. We were training."

His eyes were calm, yet had a trace of anger. She ruined his training, he had stopped bleeding!

He looked at his father, nodding to begin again.
He father snarled loudly, slamming into his flank and digging his claws in.

Slicer howled, going toward him and ripping into Rage's ear, tasting blood and a spray of the vile, red liquid going over the grass and glinting in the sunlight.

He took a quick glance at Olive, flashing her a warm smile.
I like her.."

Majority

[Majority]

Olive could not watch any longer. She turned and dashed away from their battle zone, back to where the blueberries were. She grabbed two more and began to run back to the rat's rock, but remembered their fighting. So she stopped, climbed on top of a rock, and set the blueberries next to her. She sat down and slowly began to eat them, nibbling slowly, embarrassed she had messed up Slicer's fight. But she could not bear to watch it; so Olive rested and ate, dreaming of the Machine, slowly calming down.

@flick

[Deleted]

Apr 12, 2019 10:47:03 GMT -5 Majority said:

Olive could not watch any longer. She turned and dashed away from their battle zone, back to where the blueberries were. She grabbed two more and began to run back to the rat's rock, but remembered their fighting. So she stopped, climbed on top of a rock, and set the blueberries next to her. She sat down and slowly began to eat them, nibbling slowly, embarrassed she had messed up Slicer's fight. But she could not bear to watch it; so Olive rested and ate, dreaming of the Machine, slowly calming down.

@flick

Slicer huffed, pausing as the sun began to sink in the sky.
"Let's be done." Rage grunted, eyes shining with praise. "You've done brilliantly."

Slicer sighed in relief. 
"Thank you."

He began to walk to where he saw Olive going, his dad waving goodbye with his tail and disappearing into the rat rock.
He bounded up the stone, seeing Olive with two blueberries, one half eaten.

He sat beside her, looking at one of the blueberries.
"Mind if I..?" He began awkwardly, his scratches still bleeding and they stung a bit.

Majority

[Majority]

Olive watched Slicer approach, then sit next to her.
"Sure," she said, nudging a blueberry towards him. "They're really ripe."
She wanted to say more but couldn't think of much else to say without sounding awkward, but she tried.
"So your father...you two practice fighting?" she asked, a bit nervously.

@flick

[Deleted]

Apr 12, 2019 11:50:56 GMT -5 Majority said:

Olive watched Slicer approach, then sit next to her.
"Sure," she said, nudging a blueberry towards him. "They're really ripe."
She wanted to say more but couldn't think of much else to say without sounding awkward, but she tried.
"So your father...you two practice fighting?" she asked, a bit nervously.

@flick

He grabbed the blueberry gratefully and began eating.

"Yeah." He answered, also feeling awkward. "We have done it since I was very young. I was the only of my litter to survive birth, so maybe my father thinks I'm special. He says we have to train so we can fight the mice for the technology. He says we NEED the technology, not them."

His fur prickled uncomfortably. 
"I don't agree with him though. I think the mice deserve equal treatment. Maybe we can share the technology."

Majority

[Majority]

Olive sat and thought for a minute, slowly eating her blueberry.
"I don't know what I think," she said finally, "I don't think we should have a war over the technology or anything. I think rats and mice should work together, maybe, instead of being separate. Just leave the machine alone and all be friends, I guess. I know some want to find the machine to destroy it, in case it comes back, but I don't think it will. Do you?" She asked politely, wondering what Silcer's opinion was.

@flick

[Deleted]

Apr 12, 2019 13:18:07 GMT -5 Majority said:

Olive sat and thought for a minute, slowly eating her blueberry.
"I don't know what I think," she said finally, "I don't think we should have a war over the technology or anything. I think rats and mice should work together, maybe, instead of being separate. Just leave the machine alone and all be friends, I guess. I know some want to find the machine to destroy it, in case it comes back, but I don't think it will. Do you?" She asked politely, wondering what Silcer's opinion was.

@flick

Slicer paused. 
"It might." He answered. "We know nothing of what or how the machine thinks. Maybe its just resting and then it tears up our home and we all have to leave to find somewhere new..."
He nibbled his blueberry. Above his eye began to sting and leak blood, and he drew in a sharp breath. 

"Ouch.." He whimpered.

Majority

[Majority]

Olive jumped in surprise.
"What's wrong?" she asked anxiously. Looking at Slicer's face, she gasped quietly. His eye was bleeding - or at least, it was covered in blood.
"Let's go back to the Rat's Rock and get it treated there," Olive whispered.

@flick

[Deleted]

Apr 22, 2019 9:58:41 GMT -5 Majority said:

Olive jumped in surprise.
"What's wrong?" she asked anxiously. Looking at Slicer's face, she gasped quietly. His eye was bleeding - or at least, it was covered in blood.
"Let's go back to the Rat's Rock and get it treated there," Olive whispered.

@flick

"No." He answered quickly, a bit of a growl in his voice.
He shuffled closer to her, cuddling up against her side, his eyes round and sad.
He whimpered slowly. 
" I don't need my father or mother getting angry at me for being weak.." He mumbled, his voice tight with pain.
"Can you lick it please?" He asked quietly.

Majority
(Aww, Slicer wants to be with Olive, he likes herrrrrr )

[Majority]

Slightly surprised but understanding, Olive began licking the wound, the blood flow slowly ceasing as she did.

Getting a little tired, Olive stopped licking and stood up. "I'm sorry, but my tongue is getting tired. I think the wound is a lot better now. I can resume later if you'd like. But I should probably go look for food and supplies and all that so the other rats don't think I'm lazy," she said, attempting slight humor.

Oblivious to Slicer liking her, she watched him happily, waiting patiently for an answer.

@flick

[Deleted]

Apr 22, 2019 13:04:44 GMT -5 Majority said:

Slightly surprised but understanding, Olive began licking the wound, the blood flow slowly ceasing as she did.

Getting a little tired, Olive stopped licking and stood up. "I'm sorry, but my tongue is getting tired. I think the wound is a lot better now. I can resume later if you'd like. But I should probably go look for food and supplies and all that so the other rats don't think I'm lazy," she said, attempting slight humor.

Oblivious to Slicer liking her, she watched him happily, waiting patiently for an answer.

@flick

"I'll come with you." Slicer answered immediately, his heart warming towards Olive. He walked with her, pelts brushing, side by side.
He had never really had companionship with his kind before, as his father and mother weren't really understanding of him not wanting to train and fight all the time, and his siblings deaths at birth. Olive was the first rat he felt really close to.

He gazed at her warmly, his heart fluttering.
"You like me, right?" He asked suddenly.

Majority

[Majority]

Taken by surprise at the question, Olive stammered, "Uhh...what? We're friends aren't we? Or are we?" she asked, confused. What did Slicer mean?
She paused in the middle of the path, watching Slicer with a confused expression. Not hurt or upset, but simply confused.

@flick

[Deleted]

May 2, 2019 10:56:02 GMT -5 Majority said:

Taken by surprise at the question, Olive stammered, "Uhh...what? We're friends aren't we? Or are we?" she asked, confused. What did Slicer mean?
She paused in the middle of the path, watching Slicer with a confused expression. Not hurt or upset, but simply confused.

@flick

"I--uh...." He stammered, his cheeks flushing with heat. He looked down, shuffling his paws, embarrassed. 
He almost gave himself away! ...or did he already?
He looked up to see her expression, and his mind went blank.
What do you even say to a girl? How do you even say you like her, without getting hurt?
He gulped, his cheeks flushing with heat again.
"...I just... like you.... a lot..." He mumbled, blushing.

Majority

[Majority]

Olive let out a sigh of relief. So that's what Slicer was thinking! He liked her!
Olive laughed and shoved Slicer over playfully. "Why didn't you say so?! You scared me! I thought you didn't want to be friends anymore or something!"
She laughed again, waving her tail. She liked Slicer too, but wasn't going to admit it without a little bit of fun!
"I'll race you to the brook!"

@flick

[Deleted]

May 2, 2019 12:38:26 GMT -5 Majority said:

Olive let out a sigh of relief. So that's what Slicer was thinking! He liked her!
Olive laughed and shoved Slicer over playfully. "Why didn't you say so?! You scared me! I thought you didn't want to be friends anymore or something!"
She laughed again, waving her tail. She liked Slicer too, but wasn't going to admit it without a little bit of fun!
"I'll race you to the brook!"

@flick

He shoved her playfully, a little roughly.
"I'd never stop being your friend." He answered earnestly. "But maybe someday we could be mates.."
As she took off for the brook, he raced after her, scampering along the forest floor. His heart soared. Olive liked him, he could feel it. But his heart suddenly dropped as a terrifying thought struck him.

What if she didn't like him?

Majority

[Majority]

"Maybe one day," Olive said thoughtfully as they arrived at the brook. She looked playfully at Slicer, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Do you know how to swim?" she asked, waving her tail in excitement and happiness. Maybe Slicer could be a future mate for her. He seemed like the type Olive liked. But then again, you could never be sure. Olive decided to test his sense of humor.
Would he like being shoved into the water as a joke? She waited eagerly, wondering what he'd say.

@flick

[Deleted]

May 3, 2019 8:55:04 GMT -5 Majority said:

"Maybe one day," Olive said thoughtfully as they arrived at the brook. She looked playfully at Slicer, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Do you know how to swim?" she asked, waving her tail in excitement and happiness. Maybe Slicer could be a future mate for her. He seemed like the type Olive liked. But then again, you could never be sure. Olive decided to test his sense of humor.
Would he like being shoved into the water as a joke? She waited eagerly, wondering what he'd say.

@flick

"Swim?" He echoed. With a sly grin, he shoved her in the water of the brook, a grin on his face.
"Do you?" He countered, laughing.

Majority

[Majority]

Olive gasped as the cold water splashed on her underbelly and face. After the shock was gone, she leapt up at Slicer, reaching for his foot and trying to pull him in.
"Nice trick!" she laughed, playfully. She began to splash and play around. The water cold but refreshing.

@flick

[Deleted]

May 3, 2019 10:15:26 GMT -5 Majority said:

Olive gasped as the cold water splashed on her underbelly and face. After the shock was gone, she leapt up at Slicer, reaching for his foot and trying to pull him in.
"Nice trick!" she laughed, playfully. She began to splash and play around. The water cold but refreshing.

@flick

He twisted, landing wrong, her grabbing his paw and he slipped, being dragged into the brook.  He stood, belly deep and gave a half-hearted snarl. "You'll regret that!" He charged at her, throwing up water. He slapped his paw down, splashing water over her blue-gray pelt. Laughing, he smiled. 

I want us to be like this forever, maybe even have pups.. His heart warmed at the thought.

Majority

[Majority]

Olive laughed, then dove underwater, coming back up in a large splash. She waved her tail around, sending waves of water at Slicer's face.

"It's a big storm! A hurricane!" Olive giggled as she made waves and splashes. It was actually quite refreshing once you got used to it. Olive wondered if her and Slicer could do this more often; she had plenty of free time, after all.

She looked playfully at Slicer, suddenly wondering if it was her future mate she was looking at. That would be something!
But she wouldn't let Slicer know she liked him back...not just yet. She wanted some more fun first.

Majority