Drunken Shenanigans [open]

It was a warm, sunny day in Viridity. Most cats would be out and about enjoying the weather, but one didn't like the heat quite as well and had chosen to spend the day at home. Said home was a deep, large badger set. It was filled with twists and turns each one leading to a room designated for something different. In one herbs, mushrooms, and poisonous plants were stored. In one was a nest of dried grasses and ferns, decorated around the edges with shiny pebbles. And the last was the room in which our stay-at-home currently resided. 

It was the largest of all the rooms, stocked to the brim with fruits that lined the walls and rested on flat stones to keep them off of the dirt. These fruits were common in Viridity's territory. Berries, peaches, and even a few apples. Most were in some state of decay, which was just how their owner wanted them. For in the center of the room was a large, hollow turtle shell. It was so clean that had it been brought into the sunlight it would have gleamed. It had been passed down through our molly's family for generations. As the oldest kit in her family, it had eventually been passed on to her. It was filled to the brim with a deep purple liquid in which chunks of rotting fruit floated. 

Our molly- a husky chocolate cat by the name of Paige- was currently kneading the mixture with her front paws. Her claws were extended, allowing her to chop and slice the fruit chunks with ease. Her forelegs were stained nearly black by the long and hard work, but she enjoyed it. It was fruitful, if you'll excuse the pun. For when she'd finished kneading and allowing the fruit to ferment it would turn into something that, while not particularly delicious, was sweet and intoxicating. It would last her for some time down here where flies couldn't get to it. After all, she didn't have many friends to share it with. The few she had didn't understand her fascination with the fermented fruit mixture, but Paige didn't care. The work made her happy and the result made her even happier.

She kneaded for quite some time. Feeling the berries squish between her toes was satisfying. Feeling fruit part between her claws even more. No matter how hard the work was Paige always had fun. It was one of the few pleasures that she had in this world that nobody could take it away from her. It was relaxing- therapeutic even. She could take out all of her stress on the fruit, all of the pain and hardship she'd faced in her life, all the sorrow and fear. She could strike the bowl as though she were striking everyone who had ever hurt her. That was rewarding. 

After a long while of this she finally stopped. The mixture was like a soup now, thick and frothy from all of the movement. Perfect. Paige removed her paws from the mixture and leaned down to lap at the shell's contents. Just a taste to see how it was coming along. It was sweet, bitter, and not quite ready but tasty all the same. Paige relaxed there drinking from her shell for a while, letting the liquid refresh her dry throat and sooth her through the Summer heat. By the time she'd gotten her fill things were all a little wobbly. She had trouble standing up when she went to do so and nearly stumbled headfirst into her mixture. That would have been bad. I'd ought to get out of here while I'm like this, was the one coherent thought that she could form. Her eyes were heavy, her paws clumsy as she made her way to the entrance of her home.

She needed to go wash up. She wouldn't lick the mixture from her paws- not now that they were all covered in dirt from her trek to the surface. Besides, it was hard to get that stuff out of fur. No matter how much you licked you would always be sticky. Water was the best option. Paige blinked blearily as she was exposed to harsh sunlight. She squinted in a disgruntled manner. Ugh, sun. I hate summer. Sure, prey, fruit, and herbs might be plentiful this season, but Paige just couldn't stand the heat and how bright it was all the time. It made her head hurt. She'd always had sensitive eyes but it always got worse after she'd been drinking.

Clumsily Paige stumbled through the forest, heading in the general direction of a small pond she knew of. She went there often to wash up and sometimes to fish. It was a nice place- good for cooling off in Summer too. It soon came into sight. The water reflected the sun beautifully, sparkling under the heat of the orb. Paige smiled. She loved it here. Waddling to the water's edge, Paige soaked her forelegs in the cool pond. That's the spot, she thought happily. 

So absorbed was she in her task of washing and the refreshing feel of the water- not to mention inebriated- that Paige didn't notice the approaching cat behind her until they were nearly upon her. When she finally heard the approaching pawsteps Paige whipped around- only to stumble and fall on her chin. She bit her tongue on impact and let out a sharp squeal of pain. Looking up blearily, tears in her eyes, Paige scowled. "Whassa? Who's there?"