Strut Your Stuff

I wanna be where the people are.

*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*

Padding along the sidewalks of Whitehart, Artemis had become somewhat comfortable and confident in her explorations of the outdoors. She explored freely, and had learned to point out landmarks where she could find her way back home from. Although she still flinched at every small twig she stepped on, and every leaf she accidentally crushed against her paw.

It was on this walk she came across a rather odd looking cat. It was a cat.. right? With pink fur around their neck? Cats didn't grow pink fur? Or wait, that wasn't fur. It was a collar. They were a house cat, so they had to be somewhat friendly, or at least not claw her to death? Still she shifted her gaze from the other cat to her paws as she moved to one side of the sidewalk in an effort to avoid any potential conflict. 

The show must go on
⤟ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⭒ ♕ ⭒ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⤠

BamBam had observed the nervous little creature's approach. Oh, what a darling little tortie-thing. How cautious...! Every pawstep measured as though the world might shatter beneath her feet. The way her ears twitched at every tiny sound made something unexpectedly soft bloom in BamBam's chest.

Poor little thing looked positively terrified of existing. "Oh, sweetheart..." The old tom sighed under his breath. Without a second thought, he pivoted gracefully on one pink-capped paw and altered course - and he was impossible to miss.

The pink boa framed his neck like an extravagant stage costume and every step was measured with the ego of someone who had spent years under the spotlight. With a purr, he stopped just short of invading her space. Bright gold eyes washed over her obvious curiosity., his own expression melting into wamrth. It was almost maternal if not for the obvious tom scent to him. That and coconut.

"My, my..." His voice carried a rich, theatrical tenor. "You're absolutely precious - and terribly anxious."His accusation was tempered with sympathy. "I've seen that look before."A single, pink gel capped paw rose to his chest. "You may relax, darling... I have retired from clawing strangers. It exhausted me....Emotionally.

He chuckled quietly at his own jest before offering her a practiced little bow. "I am his Lordship Bambi-Bap Mandu, First of His Name, Son of Gochujang of Noir, Lord of Mandu, and humble Aide-de-camp to His Majesty King Pendragon of Camelot."A sly smile tugging at the corner of his muzzle.

"...But unless you've several moments to spare every time we greet one another... you may call be BamBam."He recalled the way she spared him her presence by moving one sidewalk over. "And - no, no, no..."He gave a tiny shake of his head, feathers bobbing on his collar. "You should never make yourself smaller or avoid someone because that someone may share the path. You should own it, darling! Strut your stuff!"

Then as though realizing he'd slipped into one of his lectures ha bawked at himself. "Listen to me, we've only just met and I'm already giving you advice."

I wanna be where the people are.

*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*

Upon the other cat speaking Artemis froze and shifted her gaze to look at him. She very swiftly discovered her efforts to avoid an interaction were failed, however at least he wasn't dangerous? She was more so confused. He spoke a lot, but he seemed kind at least. It was seeming more and more like most cats were kind, although she was sure the unkind cats she'd been warned about existed.

There were so many words she wasn't even sure what to say, especially his name. She was relieved when he said she didn't have to say all that. Upon the comment about her making herself small she immediately became self conscious about her stance, and tried to subtly stand a bit 'larger.' "It's okay." Artemis mewed softly. "It's good to meet you BamBam, I'm Artemis." 

The show must go on
⤟ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⭒ ♕ ⭒ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⤠

BamBam's ears perked at the exchange of her name in kind. "Artemis...Magnificient name. A huntress...a moon goddess. Your parents certainly set quite the expectation for you." He was well aware of the expectations human could put on a cat.

Without realizing it, he circled her once in a mere appraising manner. Every few steps he hummed thoughtfully, occasionally tilting his head as though evaluating an invisible composition before returning to her front.

"The confidence isn't there yet...but the potential? Oh, darling, the potential is there." He hummed, while gesturing back across the streets of Whitehart. "Confidence is something you must practice...Walk. Step. Breathe." At every word he practically punctuated with a step forward, crossing paws and sashaying as needed. He held the exaggerated pose for a moment.

"...Of course, I spent nearly a decade having judges fawn all over me so perhaps I'm biased." A soft laugh fell from his dark, velvety muzzle as he momentarily forgot he wasn't the only star taking center stage here...

"So..." He purred, settling comfortably onto his haunches with all the ceremony of an aging aristocrat. "What brings a young huntress wandering Whitehart on such a beautiful day?" Clouds and gloom were lovely to the hairless cat. He hoped she agreed with him.

I wanna be where the people are.

*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*

Not entirely sure how to reply, Artemis shifted her gaze downwards and fiddled with her paws and intermittently gave her fur a few swift swipes. Remaining still as the other cat circled around her.

Bam Bam's flattery was so odd, not bad though. She just wasn't sure exactly how to take it. He seemed so confident in everything he said, and judge? He must have been part of some fancy shows.. Why was he saying all of this about her? That question never left her mind. 

 When Bam Bam eventually asked her a question it was an easy one. She knew why she was out here. Her gaze shifted from her paws back up to the other cat as she began to speak.  "I wanted to explore more of Whitehart." She said, hesitating just slightly before deciding to explain more. "I'm one of the cats at the cat cafe, but I like to explore the area around here. It's pretty."

The show must go on
⤟ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⭒ ♕ ⭒ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⤠

"A cafe cat?" His ears teased up towards the cloudy sky. That sounded postiviely adorable for a cat like her and his tail gave an approving little flick. "So many people to meet every day... every one of them arriving with a story to tell..." He sighed dreamily. "I imagine you hear quite a few!"

His eyes wandered briefly before he was distracted by the glimmer of his starry charm on his neck, and gave it a lick. "You'll become aquainted with Whitehart in no time... I've been wandering a bit myself and long enough to discover that Whitehart is a peticular little village."

With the corners of his eyes wrinkling with a certain, dramatic mirth, the old tom continued. "This village is home to some of the most fascinating cats...and I believe it's pratically my civic duty to make introductions." He could just see it now, and he paused to imagien the possibilities.

His tail gave a impetuous tap as he stretched his forepaws out, each capped nail bright before he hummed a high note of amusement. "You simply must meet the Cats of Camelot."

I wanna be where the people are.

*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*

"I've heard some stories. Nothing too interesting yet." Artemis mewed, gaze shifting upwards as she tried to remember if there was anything she heard and remembered. Everything the humans said went in one ear and out the other, it was mostly random gibberish so the interesting stuff got filtered out too. 

Looking back at BamBam she followed his gaze down to his star charm before looking at her own rainbow colored collar. "I don't have anything to compare it to, but Whitehart seems nice so far." Artemis looked at the buildings around where the two of them were talking. It seemed like a good human town, and the cats were certainly interesting. 

"Who're the Cats of Camelot?" She looked back to Bam Bam now, she'd never heard of that group of cats. Not that she really knew much of anything about any group of cats outside the cafe.

The show must go on
⤟ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⭒ ♕ ⭒ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⤠

BamBam's golden eyes lit up at the question, his expression immediately taking on the unmistakable air of someone who had been waiting for an excuse to tell a particularly marvelous story. "Darling, they're heroes...Or at least they have the good sense to believe they are." He winked at her.

"They are a noble little fellowship of cats devoted to quests, chivalry, and glory...! Led by King Uther, of course. Possesses an almost unreasonable amount of confidence in the destiny of his kingdom." he had shifted ever closed to her as he spoke, keeping an eye out for the magnanimous cats themselves.

"But you didn't hear it from me..." He purred as he stretched his neck, rotating it from his plump shoulders. "They defend the honor of their court, go out on occassional adventures. You'd probably fit in beautifully...They are certainly not cafe cats, but you may find yourself intrigued."

A mischievous glimmer returned to his eyes. "Are you?"

I wanna be where the people are.

*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*

Artemis definitely did find herself intrigued. She didn't particularly understand what he meant by devoted to quests, chivalry, and glory, but it was probably good? If anything it was interesting to hear about more cats in the area. 

Her gray eyes shifted from the sky back down to Bam Bam as she debated what exactly to say next. "I'm definitely curious." She said after a few moments before cautiously licking her chest fur. "The way you describe them they seem like an interesting group of cats." Although she was unsure if it was just every cat Bam Bam described sounded interesting, with the way he described her it didn't sound like her at all. 

The show must go on
⤟ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⭒ ♕ ⭒ ♢ ✦ ♢ ⤠

BamBam's smile widened, clearly delighted by her answer. "I know an adventurer when I see one." His tail gave a pleased little flick. He barely registered the amount of time he had spent talking to this new oddity, but BamBam wasn't about to let her free of his capped claws just yet.

"Tell you what...I would be positively delighted to introduce you. Though I wouldn't presume upon your time. If you have somewhere you need to be or your humans are expecting you back at the cafe, by all means, don't let an old tomcat and his ridiculous stories keep you." He purred at her, head tilting in the direction down the road, eyes half lidded with his usual opulence.

He gestured grandly toward the very stretch of Whitehart road where they stood. "When you're free...Meet me here again on the next cloudy day. Don't you love a good, sunless stroll?" Oh how he hated how the weather oft schemed against his beautiful skin.

'We'll take a walk towards Camelot itself where you can meet the King and whoever else happens to be embroiled in whatever glorious nonsense his majesty deems. Until then, Artemis..." He gave a sweeping bow as he lowered his head with a dip of his boa-ed shoulders where the tinkle of his charm lay on top.

He turned to continue his stroll, then stopped after precisely two steps and looked back over his shoulder with a wink at her. With a sly smile and a roll of thick sincerity. "And remember...Practice your strut."

I wanna be where the people are.

*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*

One swift glance at the state of the sun showed he she had been out for a bit too long. Artemis dipped her multicolored head at the furless cat in thanks. "Thank you, I'll meet you then." She should hopefully be able to get away. Maybe she'd learn more, so she wouldn't have to rely on the humans at all anymore. 

Beginning the walk back to the cafe Artemis looked around, made sure no cat could see her, and then she did.. try to strut. It took about three paw steps before she got embarrassed and anxious all at once. She then paused for a moment, shook her head, and walked normally the rest of the way.