The Calm after the Storm
The warrior stood atop the tallest tree in the jungle. They watched as the moon set and they watched as the sun rose. The war had finally ended. They watched as the first rays hit the grass, revealing a layer of blood on the green blades. Their own armor was permanently stained red with the blood of foes and friends alike. The fight had ended in the warrior's favour, but the damage was apparent on the warrior's scarred face. There was peace, yes, but it came too late. As the sun began to hit the highest branches of the tree, the warrior climbed down the vines on the tree.
-()-
An ocelot ran through the understory. Their home tree had been burnt down by strange creatures that walked on two legs. They had seen similar creatures before, but these ones were new. They had pale flesh and loved fire. The creatures that the ocelot was used to would never burn down a tree, and they had darker hues. The spotted cat had little idea of what happened. It seemed like the normal and the abnormal were fighting, like ocelots do over territory, but their combat had burnt down a good chunk of rainforest. The ocelot was alone, homeless and frightened. They were in new lands, ruled by the unknown. They rested only for a moment before they head something hit the ground hard. It was one of the regular two-legs, dressed in full battle armor. The ocelot wanted to run, but couldn't somehow.
The warrior had spotted the tiny cat. They saw the fear in the small cat's eyes and were brought back to the pain of the war. All of the children had that same look, the innocent, defenseless children. They wanted to help the cat, since they couldn't help the children anymore. They tossed a raw fish to the small cat.
The ocelot was surprised by the offering that just flew in front of their face. Even the natives were rarely kind enough to give a free meal. It cautiously ate the fish, finding it fresh and appealing. When it finished, the stranger tossed another, this time slightly closer to them. The shy cat crawled out of the bushes and began to eat.
The bloodstained warrior slowly led the cat within petting range. When the small creature was close enough, they began to stroke its furry head. The spotted cat didn't run away like others usually do. It seemed to like the petting, so the toughened soldier continued to pet. Eventually the creature lost its spots and gained ginger stripes.
The cat now trusted this two-legged creature. They were kind enough to be worth staying by. Some food and some care were more than enough for the stressed animal. In a world of change, this creature could be a stone of stability to build off of.