It was a beautiful day on the beach. The colder winter months were behind them and spring was in the air. The water was still far too cold to be swam in but the weather was pleasant and the sand was just warm enough.
Gear had come down from the bustling city for a quiet Sunday afternoon. It was too soon for the crowds to come and choke the sand out with their presence. No squealing cubs running around, finally free to run as they pleased, kicking sand up. All was at peace, a calm before a storm.
Without the crowds he had leisurely found a spot. Setting his backpack down he had sat next to it. Taking out a sketch pad and looked around for inspiration.
Nothing immediately caught his eye. The vast expanse of sand stretched away as far as he could see. Then there was the ocean itself. It too a vast, blanket of green, broken up only by foam from waves. Turning from the sea he began scanning the beach again. Maybe he could sketch someone lounging in the sun. He could see a few others. A couple stood in the shallows, letting the cold water lap their feet. An older fur was sunbathing. Then there was a young looking feline walking alone up the beach towards him
She was wearing a button up shirt that was tied at the side to expose her belly and a pair of swimming underwear. In her paws was a picnic basket that was rather full judging from her stance. Her fur was a dusty brown but her hair was a rich brown that was tied up in a high ponytail.
He watched her as she slowly made her way up the beach. She would make a good muse he thought. As she neared him, she looks up and their eyes meet. He flushes as he realizes he had been staring pretty hard. He offers her an apologetic smile then looks back down at his sketch book.
Thinking their interaction is over he decides would just sketch the sea. As he began his initial sketching a shadow fell across his pages. Looking up from the pad of paper he is surprised to see the girl standing there, giving him a smile.
Now that she was closer he realized that the feline was a child. She couldn’t be above 12 years old considering her coat still had visible spots and stiles indicative of her species and age.. he felt a twinge of unease as he remembered his earlier thoughts of her and how he had been staring. “Good morning mister. How are you doing?” the feline asks first. Her voice, filled with youth but tinged with age.
“Good morning. I’m doing alright. “ Gear replies. “Are you here to meet any friends?” He asks pointedly. Here the cougar girl blushes slightly. “That’s the thing… I was supposed to meet a friend today and have a picnic. But she had to bail on me, so now I’m here with a picnic and no one to share with. “ She says sadly, holding the basket up as proof.
“Why don’t you see if any other friends can show up? What about your parents, can’t they get you?” Gear asks, pointing out the obvious.
“Only the one could show up to begin with. And I took a bus here. My mom is working late.” She replies a little too easily. “I might as well eat while I’m here right? And eating alone would be sad. Besides if I share with someone I won’t be bothered by creeps.” She continues, her voice dropping and taking on a conspiratorial tone.
“So to avoid creeps you’ll eat your picnic with a stranger?” He asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t you want to? I mean I saw you staring at me and everything…” She replies, her voice taking on a sulky tone.
Gear felt his own cheeks reddened a little bit as she pointed out his earlier transgression. He couldn’t tell if this was all an act or not. Was she really just some innocent girl who latched into the first friendly face she saw? Or had she been keeping an eye out for someone to stare at her just a little but too long…
Was she the child she seemed to be- or woman enough to know what she wanted?
