Through the middle of the maw of mosses a small stream ran; crisp and clear as it skirted the thick plant life. All was quiet and still save the single small rustle as from within the underbrush a skittish creature approached.

A little pink nose poked out from behind the leaves, soon revealing a white head as the rat chanced a look around the vicinity. There were no predators, no dangers, it would be safe to drink.

No thoughts crossed its mind, or at least none so complicated as the kinds of ponderings that occurred within the minds of the greater ones. No, this was a creature of pure instinct, honed through cycles of avoiding predators despite its pallid complexion.

The small creature rushed forward and dipped its head toward the water, gulping up mouthful after mouthful between sudden jerks of renewed attention to its surroundings. Nothing could be seen though, and soon it drank its feel, retreating to a mostly-hidden spot under a nearby leaf. Food soon, but for now rest.

Hours passed in silence. Long had it been since it had allowed itself to drift away in fatigue. Ears still twitched every once in a while, listening for any signs of a would-be predator getting a little too close. Even if one did appear close by, however, the small echoing gray rat had lived long enough to know exactly how to deter most of the large creatures. It knew too that it likely wouldn't be spotted from above as it lay nestles under the foliage.

A single claw reached up to scratch at a persistent itch on the back of its neck before it settled back down. A minor annoyance, very much less so than the feeling of hunger that was beginning to surface. It had been too long since its last meal; sleep would have to be abbreviated lest unexpectedly slim food choices leave it in a bad situation.

A single eye opened and a claw shot up once more to try to quell that itch that just wouldn't go away. Breathing hastened as it prepared itself for the task ahead. Then, with a single quick motion it dashed out from its hiding spot, running toward another secluded spot as it began its hunt for some form of grain or an unsuspecting insect. It could slow down later, but it had lingered in that one spot too long, which might have attracted predators nearby.

Felina, a female bobcat, never walked so far since she breathed her first breath of life. She ate, drank and slept a few times before she arrived in this place that could only be described in a single word: green. There was green everywhere she looked.

As she walked further into the area, her nose caught the scent of a rat. Usually, a scent might identify the gender and size of a fellow Lesser Gembound, too. That information was missing this time. Despite her intense curiosity, she approached the scent's source warily and fully alert.

Her blue sapphire gemstone was located between her two rearmost teats. As is common among Gembounds, the gem showed out ever so slightly. Despite that, the stone was clearly visible...blue against all the green. It was smaller that usual, about the size of a poppy seed, since Felina is a runt.

Felina got as close as she dared. Enough space for either herself, the rat or both if something *might* happen. "Hello? Is someone there?", she asked.

((OOC: The length of my posts usually vary. My most sincere apologies if this post may or may not fulfill the requirement for the proper word count.))

The rat froze in its tracks as it heard something approach. Something large. Something that was not stopping.

A shiver of fear struck deep within the large rat as a voice echoed in its direction. Such a voice that might indicate prey and an easy meal were it still traveling with its companions. A rat should not be alone. No one should be alone. This one was alone. Then again, the great beast seemed to be alone too...

Suppressing the urge to cower and hide the rat decided to take its chances at scaring the creature off, puffing itself up and advancing into the open with a snarl affixed to its face.

A low rumbling growl emerged from its throat, followed by a panicked yell in a voice that sounded like it should have belonged to a greater gembound half its size, “Grow a different plant! Grow a different plant!”

Its mouth didn't move as these words were emitted, nor did the fierce appearance of its face reflect the voice's fearful tone in the slightest.

@Felina

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OOC: Don't worry about post length too much. Usually we just try to encourage people to be in the same ballpark as those they are RPing with, but we also recognize that that can be easier for some than for others based on style and experience.