Woollyfeather quietly squealed with joy as she and Hawkbite tumbled to the ground, errant stardust pluming into a cloud around them as the combined weight disturbed it's rest on the ground. The lilac point shook her head when some of the dust made it's way onto her sensitive ears, and then returned her gaze to her friend.
Eyes gleaming, she ducked her head to press her nose to his cheek, returning his purr in kind. Her half tail flicked behind her in glee, further betraying just how much she'd missed her dear friend.
How much she'd missed having anyone to speak to.
"I've missed home..... I've missed you."
Perhaps it was shameful to speak of another in such a way when she had a mate. Perhaps she was crossing a boundary with the way she rolled off Hawkbite just to press her side to his.
Perhaps she shouldn't be so soothed by the presence of this other man.
But Hawkbite was her friend, and the only solace she's had in so, so long. The only thing that has kept her sane, kept her connected to home, even in the briefest of moments they've had together.
And it had been so long since she'd seen Vulturefang... Had he forgotten her? She hadn't forgotten him.
There was still a deep, burning longing for the deputy, even if she could barely remember his face. Could only remember his scent, his fur, his voice....
Could only remember how he made her feel, and the times they'd left the territory together to explore, and the stories he told of home.
Remembering just how long ago that was made her guts churn, and her stomach sink. She tries to stop the sniffle, the burning in her eyes, the tell-tale signs of pitiful and pathetic crying was coming on.
She bit her tongue, tried to focus on anything but these stupid little tears that threatened to spill.
Had she even told him she loved him? Or was it always something she'd left unsaid, hinted only in her actions and the way she spoke to him and touched him when they shared a nest and...
She tried to hide it by burying her face into the tabby's fur, focused on the feeling, the way it tickled her nose, tangled with her own fur.
Another flash of fur. A proper warning, this time. Her StarClan savior was becoming restless and wasn't going to let her forget why she was here. Why he'd helped her to begin with.
And here she was, sniveling like a kit, getting so distracted with such trivial matters when her chance at escape was right in front of her.
Woollyfeather breathed deeply.
She hoped her voice wouldn't betray what she felt, the awful little feeling inside her, squirming to be let out. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a splash of grey fur once again.
He wasn't going to let her forget why she was here. He wouldn't let her.
She needed to get on with it.
"I wish I could stay here forever. That I won't be taken away from you again."
She gave a shaky sigh, and risked lifting her head to look at Hawkbite again. This time, as she focused her gaze, her eyes couldn't help it, they slipped further upwards and locked with the round, blue eyes that stared at her in the distance.
A distant, but ever present reminder their time was limited.
She wished he would stop. It made anxiety bubble in her gut, and made her mind scramble to pick itself up.
That was... An ungrateful way to look at it. This was a favour.
But why... Why so many times in so few minutes? Was her time here really running out so quickly?
Almost unwilling, she lifted herself into a sitting position, pointedly ignored the kitten, but didn't move away from Hawkbite. She felt like she's shatter and dissolve into sea foam if she didn't have the Enforcer to keep her grounded, even with the possibility of freedom some close.
"I.... Well, we should probably put our.... Reunion on pause.... We don't know how long this... Dream will keep us connected and I know... How you can get me out."
Woollyfeather closed her eyes, and tried to set her mind to where she needed it. Tried to remember her findings. She couldn't imagine it would be easy to explain. It was hard to remember even after seeing it for herself.
"The same way we were able to speak last time. A window, they call it. I've watched them open and close since we spoke. There's a latch on my side, one I've practiced prying open.
I.... As long as two or three warriors can help me lift it, I can get out."
She went over the trials in her head, her teeth aching still from her attempts to apply enough pressure to jam it open. She just couldn't push it on her own.
She'd even found a way to slide it open enough to fit a paw under and try to wedge it further. She'd tried it herself, only resulting in sore paws as the window slammed shut on her.
Her paws tingled at the memory, and she covered them with her tail, an attempt to soothe the pain. And an attempt to hide the way her claws were now crooked after being crushed.
They didn't hurt, thankfully, but she didn't wish to be reminded further of just how much she'd been changed.
[ @
SuspiciousMindz ]