This is a story I wrote for my town''s newspaper. I had to keep it around 900 words, so I apologize if it isn't that good. These are my original characters,and there are no Clan cats. These are kittypets, or alley cats. If you read this, please vote on my poll. Thank you!

A Winter's Relationship

Snow fell slowly on the white ground. Cold air swam through the sky. Tall fences stood over the small garden. A brown tabby cat crouched upon the fence, eyes narrowed. His tail twitched, and his ears perked at a small movement among the thick blankets of snow. With a strong leap, he pounced. He found her.

"Aha! Found you!" the tom mewed happily, his tail lashing.

"Not fair! I was hiding so well!"

"I'm much too skilled for a simple trick such as that." He released the she-cat beneath him and plopped down onto the snow.

The she-cat, her white fur standing on end, growled in annoyance. "I thought my white fur would hide me! Why didn't it work!?"

"Because you told me that's what you were going to do?"

"Hmph! I don't think so," the she-cat meowed, "I believe you suggested it to me, Mudd!"

"Maiden, Maiden, Maiden," Mudd sighed, "I didn't think you were going to. You hate being too cold, or too hot, or too pampered, or..."

"I get it!" Maiden exclaimed, "Don't need to be rude about it."

"Okay, okay," the brown tabby laughed, "so, why don't you tell me why you're not as angry losing to me as you normally are?"

"Well, if you must know," the she cat mused, "it's a holiday!"

Mudd blinked, a blank expression on his face, "A holiday..?"

" Yes! The day when the humans cover trees in shiny things!" Maiden elaborated.

Mudd just stared.

"Do you not know what a holiday is," She asked, "are you that primitive?"

"No, I just-"

Maiden suddenly gasped, "We can celebrate together, as a couple!"

Mudd huffed. "We don't need a holiday to be a couple."

"But, we can give each other gifts, and eat cream together!"

"We can do that normally. We don't need to celebrate anything."

"Well, it'd be more fun," Maiden mewed.

"We can have fun on our own."

Maiden twitched her whiskers in annoyance, "Why are you being so negative? You're usually up for anything other than entering a house."

"Well, I just don't celebrate holidays," he meowed, "it's a waste of time."

"You must! For me!" she demanded politely, "Relationships come with sacrifice!"

"Ugh." Mudd grunted, and jumped onto the fence.

"Where are you going?" Maiden asked, her patience thinning.

"Anywhere else," he hissed.

Maiden glared at him. "Don't you care about me enough to celebrate this?"

"Don't you care about me enough to not make me celebrate this?" Mudd retorted.

Maiden opened her mouth to reply, but Mudd jumped off to the other side of the fence. Maiden growled in frustration at her mate. He was so inconsiderate! How could he get angry about a holiday?

There is literally nothing scary about colorful lights, and extra food, and collar decorations. Maiden thought, aggravated.

She stomped into her owners' house angrily. She ate some food left for her. The sunset's gold rays shone through the slightly opened curtains, and onto her face. Maiden decided that she would sleep on her feelings. She curled up on her bed, and closed her eyes. Tomorrow was another day.

Maiden woke up with a gasp that morning. Her dreams were full of terrible imagery. Most of the events were about Mudd hating her forever. She flinched at the thought.

Could I be the one who needs to make a sacrifice?

The more she thought about it, the more guilty she felt. She would go apologize, and spend the day without her owners. She looked at their bedroom door, and padded towards it. She laid her ear on the wood door. Her owners were sleeping in. This would probably be her only chance to leave for the day.

Maiden slid out of her small door, and looked at the dark sky. She had woken up very early. Only a little light streaked the sky, and the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. The claws of cold took hold as the wind blew. She shivered, and shook herself. Maiden walked to the fence, and jumped for it. She dug her claws into the cold wood, and struggled to climb up the rest of the way. She reached the top, and jumped onto the other side.

Maiden took in the bleakness that she only ever saw through a car window. The snow that piled in her garden was not present here. Only stone, and road was in front of her.

The humans must have got rid of all the snow.

She walked through the city, looking for her love. She called for him, and tried her best to track him. Sadly, she got hungry first. She slowed and groaned in regret. Why did she not eat before she left? She suddenly smelled an appetizing scent. She followed it diligently, and soon came across a small container, likely holding human food. She didn't care if it was half eaten at this point, and tried to take a bite.

"Hey! What are ya doin' with my food?"

Maiden jumped and cowered in fear at the large tom cat looming above her. He growled and walked towards her. His claws scraped against the ground. She closed her eyes, hoping that her owners would save her. She opened her eyes when she heard hissing in front of her.

"Get away from her, Coon."

Maiden smiled with relief. It was Mudd!

"Make me!" Coon shouted, lunging at him.

Maiden turned her head from the violence. It made her queasy. She heard the hisses and smelled the blood, but soon Coon's garbage smell faded a little. Mudd had won and was inspecting her.

"Are you okay? You're not hurt, right?"

Maiden nodded.

Mudd suddenly straightened up. "Why would you come out here?! It's dangerous!"

"I know! You've told me." she replied.

"Then why?" he responded

"Because I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have tried to make you celebrate my holiday…"

Mudd looked at her thoughtfully. "No, I shouldn't have got too angry about it. Just because I was given a bad experience, doesn't mean I can ruin it for you…"

She smiled, "Would you like to be a couple regardless of the holiday?"

Mudd smiled. "It doesn't matter. We can be a couple during a holiday, can't we?"

Maiden purred, "I love you, Mudd."

"Heh. Me too." he then added, "Want to go play in the snow until the holiday lights get turned on?"

"Anything as long as you're with me," exclaimed Maiden.

Thank you for reading! Review, and look at my poll! :)