Socks curled herself up tighter, the chilly morning dew touching her fur and making her shiver. She brushed against Noodle, feeling warmed against their body heat.
The two had found a dip in the ground and made a nest of heather and grass.
Noodle stirred, blinking her eyes open and stumbling to her paws. Socks lifted her head to gaze up at her.
"Ima hunt a real big rabbit today!" She mewed enthusiastically.
Socks looked uncertainly at her. "What's a rabbit?"
"A weird lookin' thing with long ears," Noodle bounded out of their makeshift nest.
"Come on!"
Socks leaped out behind her and twitched her ears. Noodle was already scanning the hillside for rabbits. She gave a sudden leap and sprinted down the hill.
Socks chased after her, tail waving in the air. She was picking up speed now, matching Noodle stride for stride.
Noodle jumped forward, crashing down on a strange brown creature with long ears and a stubby white tail. The rabbit kicked and thrashed about, catching Noodle on the eye. She let ago and the rabbit was about to sprint before Socks pounced and grabbed it's neck, gripping it until a satisfying snap came from it's spine.
"Owwwwww..." Noodle rubbed her eye with a paw. "That rabbit can put up a fight."
"It lost this one though," Socks held the rabbit in her jaws proudly.
"Oh yeah!" Noodle licked her lips. "Go us!"
Socks purred and dropped the rabbit, tucking in. She took a big bite, savouring the sweet flesh. She'd never tasted anything so good in her life.
"Rabbit's my favourite," Noodle closed her eyes in bliss, chewing.
"I've never tasted rabbit before, but it's my new favourite too," Socks took another bite.
Noodle stared weirdly at her, looking her up and down.
"What?" Socks demanded.
"You've never eaten a rabbit before?" Noodle burst out. "No wonder you asked what a rabbit was! I thought you just didn't know the name of it!"
"I- I-" Socks struggled desperately for an excuse. "I've just never been to the hills before."
"Even a rabbit strays away sometimes," she retorted, but didn't go on about it. She finished her share and sat up, licking a paw and drawing it over her ear, repeating the process until she decided they were clean enough.
"Why do you need to clean yourself if you have no fur?" Socks watched Noodle clean her hind legs curiously.
" 'cause I'm still dirty?" Noodle rolled her eyes. "Why do you ask so mousebrained questions?"
"You got me there," Socks laughed.
"Hey! I was trying to be sarcastic!" Noodle batted a playful paw at her.
Socks went into a crouch and waggled her hindquarters, pouncing playfully onto Noodle.
The two waved their paws at each other, wriggling in a squirming ball of play-fighting kits. They lost their footing and tumbled down the hill, laughing and still trying to play-fight.
They stopped at the bottom of the hill, gasping and laying on their sides, huge smiles plastered across their faces.
"I personally think I'm better at fighting," Noodle finally gasped after moments of silence.
"At fighting leaves more like!" Socks giggled, recalling the time she first met her.
Noodle blushed when she remembered the day before. "Don't say that!"
"It's true though!" Socks smiled.