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Marten yawns, sitting up to wash over his fur quickly to make it neat once more. It was mid-day, he was enjoying a sunbath after chasing a rat. He sucks in a soft breath, sighing deeply as he gazed across the yard, looking over the other cat that lived here.

.

Yet, he didnt even know her name yet. It had been so long, and somehow he was still calling her tux. "Hey, tux!" The tomcat purrs, getting up from his perch to bound the few lengths over to the other cat, a female. "I dont think I've ever gotten your name?" Marten asks, his fluffy black tail swaying side to side patiently. After all, if they lived in the same place, it only made sense that they knew each others names. They hadnt talked much lately either- something he was needing to ask about too. For now, this was enough to start.

- 1st person

I flicked my ear towards the sound of the nickname given to me by the tomcat of the farm. I glanced, watching him saunter over to where I was perched on a board leaning against the fence to the horse barn. The horses were minding their own business, of course, there were some rowdy yearlings still. I had my favorites out of the bunch, like the chestnut mare who hated everyone but liked me enough to let me sleep on her back while she grazed. I looked back over and he wasn't very far from me, "I don't know, how about you keep guessing names" I said. I wasn't actually given a name since I kinda just showed up, the humans hadn't bothered to give me a name. They figured I would either die or run off and they would never see me again.

"Tux it is then." Marten concludes, his fur ruffling slightly as he sat down to inspect the other closer. "I'm gonna assume you were a stray before this? Seeing as you just sort of showed up here." He asks lightly, not trying to push it too much just incase. His bright blue eyes glistened with curiosity: something he hadnt shaked off when he had matured. The feline hops up on the fence once more, watching the farm and everything else unfold. "Can I ask why you decided to stay? I'm not complaining.. I'm just.. curious." Like everything: Marten was just curious. He didnt know the most, especially as far as stray like things went. He was born a barn cat; he didnt have to deal with hunger or fear or cars or dogs. All those things just weren't something he knew, bit he knew that others knew those things, so he tried to be polite.

"yes, I was a stray, unfortunately," I said looking up at him and one of the mares coming over to sniff him out. "I stayed just because I don't have to deal with coyotes, dogs, and other predators. The horses and donkey keep them away, while mice come for their spilled feed." the mare was nearly pushing him off the fence, he never really hung around the horse barn so naturally, they were curious. Others started gathering around the fence and the chestnut mare started coming around. She walked right up along the fence and pushed him off and I took the chance to get on her back. "Are you struggling there Tomcat?" I said with a tone of snarkiness in my voice with a small smirk.

Marten grumbles when the mares nudged him and knocked him off. He huffs, tail lashing as he hops back up to glare at the she. "You really are something else, I swear.. but do realize, I'm friends with the dogs. I can have them chase ya," He retorts. It was true, he never exact hung out over here: he was normally over by the chicken coops where noone bothered him all the time. "Well, you arent a stary now, you know that right? You're just another barncat, like me! You arent difficult because you were a stray." Marten growls quickly. He was never great at keeping up this act for long, he always falters after a minute. His fur fluffs up and it was obvious he was trying really hard to look serious.

"How do you call yourself a barn cat when you don't even sleep in the barn?" I ask standing on the mare's back and licking my paw and grooming myself. I eventually lay down and stare at him, I decided to finally look at his features. He was definitely a Tomcat and born on the farm, he was way too large to be a street cat. My small figure and skinny size just showed I was more muscle and meant for speed. He was muscled and large but had more meat on him and was more buff visually. He was becoming standoffish but I was also being kind of a brat at the same time, so I didn't judge.

"Oh, I do!" Marten reassures. "They've been locking me inside lately though." He adds with a shrug, his fluffed out fur finally sitting down a little bit. He hopped down off the fence and headed to the barn. "C'mon, I can show ya!" He glances back, flicking his tail as he waited for the other to follow. Once she did, he padded into the barn and followed a very strategic path up into the rafter where he had made a little bed. "Right here! I just redid the bedding with some loose hay." Marten states as he places a few more stray pieces onto the pile, rather proud of his work, it had taken quite a while to do, he'd have to admit.

After debating for a while I followed after jumping off the mare's back. When we go up into the rafters I looked at his spot, it looked comfortable but in a bad location. "It's in a bad spot, the owls enter the barn and live up there," I said looking up towards where the owls were nesting the past nights. "one could come and kill you in your sleep," I said trotting off towards a tight crack "I sleep in here, I don't know if you will fit though." I hesitated for a second "that was meant to be more of a compliment by calling you buff," The space was nice and cozy, I had stolen things from all over the place including a bunch of feathers I stole from the owl's nest. For the most part, it was straw, it warms up nicely. I curled up in my little cat nest and was content, I looked at the Tomcat, he was just watching.