Between The Lines

Just Right

The cat and bird sat there on the bridge, staring up into the starry night sky in complete silence.

"This is... nice..." the cat says, "Right, Jeremy...?"

There's a slight pause, as the bird looks to their feline friend. "Yeah... It really is Max..."

The wind blows gently through Max's fur and Jeremy's feathers. The stars twinkle brightly as the quiet resumes.

"We don't hang out that much, and whenever we do, it's always with the others." Max states, breaking the silence that once was. "You ever notice that?"

Jeremy seems a bit surprised. He doesn't respond for a moment. "Yeah, we should hang out more often. Without the others I mean."

"Mhm. They're nice and all, but I just sorta... Relate with you more, y'know?"

Jeremy looks at Max curiously. "Really?"

"Mhm... They've been friends since forever, but we're pretty new to the group... I guess I just sorta feel like background compared to them. We don't exactly fit into the group the same way they do. Sorta like outcasts."

Jeremy suddenly understands what he means. After a little while, he says, "I think I get it. I feel a little out of place with them sometimes too."

Max nods, "But when I'm with you... I don't know, it just sorta feels right."

Jeremy is caught completely off-guard by that comment. For a moment, he sits there, silent. The only noise is the sound of the wind and the rustling of trees. Finally, he responds softly. "It does, doesn't it?"

"Yeah..."

There's another long period of silence. Jeremy just sits there, looking at Max. He has this strange expression on his face, and just stares at the feline for quite some time, the stars glimmering in his eyes.

Max sighs softly. He can feel the gentle wind flowing through his messy fur, he can smell the faint scent of the woods, and he can hear the sound of the trees rustling as the stars shimmer brightly in the sky. "Stars sure are beautiful tonight, huh?"

The bird takes a few seconds to respond, still staring at an oblivious Max. "Yeah... Very beautiful..."