"CATNIP!" Nepeta released John's hand and dove into the massive field of her favorite plant. "OH JOHN HOW DID YOU KNOW?!" Nepeta sat up in the field and stared at John. "I knew you liked a lot of cat-related things and I thought you would like this!" John still seemed unsure of what this place was. "Come on, silly! Join me!" Nepeta grabbed John by his jacket and pulled him down into the field with her. She laughed as John spat on the ground as he accidently bit a leaf. "Not a fan of catnip, John?" "Not really, but it's fine with me since you like it so much!" Nepeta smiled at him and began rolling in the catnip, chewing on a few leaves.
John watched as Nepeta became more and more playful with every bite of the leaves. She kept insisting that he try some. "No, really I'm fine!" John continued to persuade her that he was not really a catnip person, but to no avail. Soon Nepeta had a huge grin on her face that looked like it would stay until the end of time. "Come on John, let's play!" Nepeta pounced on him and tackled him to the ground. "Hey! No fair I wasn't prepared!" Nepeta laughed then went into a crouching position. "Tag." Then she raced out of sight through the catnip, her tail waving in the air as she became out of sight.
Nepeta was making great speed! That catnip sure does the trick. She could barely feel the ground beneath her feet as she pounced through the thick catnip. "Hey, wait up!" Nepeta could hear John a long ways off. She decided to let him have a chance and slowed down a little bit. Soon she could hear his heavy breathing draw closer and closer until… "TAG! HA!" John had nearly fallen over on her when he tagged her and turned around. Nepeta narrowed her eyes and sprinted after the foolish boy. She was making great speed; John was only feet from her reach. But just as she was readying to pounce John made a great leap to the side. This made Nepeta skid forward, turning her head just in time to see John shuffle up a tree. "How clever! But not clever enough to fool arsenicCatnip!" She playfully leaped up the tree to where John was sitting.
John hadn't anticipated Nepeta's reflexes being so quick. How silly of me! "Oh no!" John couldn't escape it as Nepeta touched his ankle, and with a fast "tag" dropped out of the tree. John was ready for her though. He readied his position in the tree and jumped down inches from Nepeta. "TAG!" He yelled as he poked her shoulder. However, Nepeta was too close for John to run away. She put both her arms around him and they fell onto a big patch of catnip together. "I think you win." John was out of breath. "Are you sure? You aren't giving up so easily are you?" "No, it's just that I kinda want to breathe." "Oh." Nepeta loosened her hold on John. "Well ok then. Catch your breath then we really should get something to eat besides all this wonderful catnip."
Nepeta and John lay in the catnip plants for a while. They didn't speak a word to each other, only hearing each other's breathes as they lay side by side. John had caught his breathe quickly, but he didn't want to move away from Nepeta. He never wanted to move from this spot ever again as long as she was there with him. However, eventually John decided he wouldn't be a sloth any longer. He stood up, brushing the catnip leaves off. "Hey! Why would you want all those puurecious leaves off! They make anyone smell their best!" John stopped and decided to leave the rest on. "Well, let's gather some food up and I'll meet you back at the hive in a little while. And no pounces!" Nepeta frowned. "No pounces! How will I ever resist?" She then smirked as she climbed into a tree. "That silly troll." John smiled and set to work scouting out some more edible plants to gather.
Nepeta had just finished killing her last animal when she heard footsteps beneath her. She stuffed the dead squirrel into her hat and watched as John hurried down below. "I promised…" Nepeta looked up and leapt to the next tree, determined to beat John home. She continued pouncing and leaping with great agility until her hive was in full view and the forest began to cut off. She dropped down and noticed that John was only feet behind her. "Nepeta! What great timing, huh?" "It's puurfect!" They walked to the front door together. John opened the door and Nepeta walked in, slinging her hat full of tasty meat off her shoulder. John shut the door behind him and took his bag off him shoulder and put it next to Nepeta. "So what does it look like we are eating tonight, Nepeta?"
John and Nepeta had just finished their second helpings of the squirrel and badger stew when Pounce came into the room. "Pounce! I missed you ol' buddy!" John got out of his seat and pet the wonderful cat on the head. "Have you and Pounce been getting along well recently?" "Yeah, he's a good kitty." John gave Pounce a wink. Pounce responded with two enormous smiles. You sure helped me out today Pounce De Leon. Nepeta was already cleaning up when John came back to his seat. "What time is it?" "Hm… I'd say we have about an hour until sunrise." John took his plate to counter and set it there. "Hey John, do you maybe want to-" "Yeah, I do. Let's go watch the sunrise again."
Nepeta blew Pounce a kiss as John led her out the front door. Another beautiful sunrise to see with my matesprite. I hope it never ends. John held her hand a bit tighter as they climbed up the rocks. "Are you ok?" "I've climbed these rocks more than you have, John!" John got to the roof only a second before Nepeta did. John held out his arm, gesturing toward the edge of the roof "After you!" Nepeta sat down at the edge of the hive's roof, letting her legs dangle off the edge. John followed suit and soon they were once again watching the sunrise together. "John, how long do you plan on staying here?" "I hope to stay here until the end." "I was hoping you'd say that." Nepeta hugged John. "I think my memory is still a bit weird, because it seems like every time I see your eyes I fall in love with you all over again." Nepeta blushed as John finished his sentence. "Thank you John. I can never wait to see you again or hear your kind words. I love you."
John and Nepeta watched as the familiar colors spread themselves across the sky. The warm colors of dawn approached across the horizon. John stared on as the shades of purple and red snaked along the clouds until it became directly overhead. "The sun will be up soon. We best get inside." "Just a little bit longer, please John?" "Ok." John wrapped his arms around Nepeta and watched as the colors danced in her eyes. Nepeta turned her head to the left to see John staring at her. She leaned forward and kissed him. John kissed her back, holding her close. They pulled back and gazed as the first veins of cool colors began to show themselves. "Let's go." Nepeta and John stood up and, still holding hands, made their way down the rocks and to the front door of the hive.
Nepeta lay in her recuperacoon, staring at her red ceiling. Her mind racing faster than it ever had. She had witnessed love and felt love before, but she had never been in love with someone like this in her entire life. It was then that she realized something important. When you love someone, it doesn't mean much. When someone loves you it doesn't mean much. When you love the person who loves you back, it's everything. The greatest thing I've ever learned is just to love and be loved in return. Nepeta finally closed her eyes, and with that note of joy in her heart, found sleep.
