"Very." The loner answered back, a sigh escaping from a breath he couldn't hold any longer. Usually he wouldn't be so hasty with such trust, but the other's answer satisfied some of his concerns for now. Perhaps it was the tom's smaller size, or maybe Morgan's weary state was clouding his better judgement.
The defensive stance of the loner eased back slightly, as he looked up at the tom again. Actually, this tom was smaller than most. Unusual for a loner without a group, though Morgan was no ideal loner either, being weaker than most.
"Why are you out here?" Came the question. He wondered how they looked so well off compared to him in spite of being a loner, perhaps they were a kittypet?
Sascha | outsider
Purrks: The Collector quoted
Why was he out here? Was it not obvious, Sascha only wanted a place to rest for a moment. Until this tomcat had come along. His tail lashed a few times, before he answered. His voice was a little more steady, and stabilizing by the second.
"I don't have a permanent home. There was a nice spot here, I thought I'd take a break." he was getting less nervous, which was good. His voice was no longer wavering, "My name is Sascha."
He thought, maybe if he introduced himself, that he would seem less of a threat. The other tom seemed to be a little less on edge, as well. Maybe he would avoid a fight today.
__________________
"O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills," ~ O Captain! My Captain!; Walt Whitman ~ DesertClan Healing
What was he even doing? Morningpaw passed through the world. Watching as the season changed around him and he was still here and not back home. He wanted to. He did. Morningpaw thought about it every waking moment between the bouts of time where his self preservation kicked in enough for him to hunt or find some water. But every time… the image of Wolfpaw crying, with Bumblestar looking down at him. They still didn’t understand where he had been coming from.
Feeling abandoned… but didn’t want to impose. He didn’t want to take away from others just because Morningpaw was feeling down. Or was missing what it was like to be apart of his litter curled up at his mother’s stomach, no cares in the world. That was before everything. Before war and before racing to be a warrior for his brother only for it to be thrown out the window. But… now, Morningpaw could understand why… from Wolfpaw’s perspective. And maybe that’s all he really needed. It was selfish, yet selfless to return.
Morningpaw needed to return. Not for the clan, not for Bumblestar, not for himself. But for Wolfpaw. Because Wolfpaw deserves the world, and somehow… Morningpaw was apart of that somehow. He didn’t understand that, but he wasn’t going to hurt his brother any longer because he didn’t understand. Maybe… all they need. Is to talk.
Why was he out here? Was it not obvious, Sascha only wanted a place to rest for a moment. Until this tomcat had come along. His tail lashed a few times, before he answered. His voice was a little more steady, and stabilizing by the second.
"I don't have a permanent home. There was a nice spot here, I thought I'd take a break." he was getting less nervous, which was good. His voice was no longer wavering, "My name is Sascha."
He thought, maybe if he introduced himself, that he would seem less of a threat. The other tom seemed to be a little less on edge, as well. Maybe he would avoid a fight today.
"...Morgan." The loner answered, his fur seemed to finally relax as the confrontation turned into a conversation. He was still tense, but ready to talk, to cooperate for what might be a day nearing its end.
"And this is a nice spot here. Did you find it like this?" He wondered, eyes finally looking past the tom to his sleeping spot. Those grasses looked intertwined, like the shelter had been made rather than found. And unlike the shelters he usually came across, consisting of human garbage or abandoned dens, this one looked rather comfortable, albeit cozy.
__________________
Yeah, that's me. Cloverspring. Nice to meet you!
"...Morgan." The loner answered, his fur seemed to finally relax as the confrontation turned into a conversation. He was still tense, but ready to talk, to cooperate for what might be a day nearing its end.
"And this is a nice spot here. Did you find it like this?" He wondered, eyes finally looking past the tom to his sleeping spot. Those grasses looked intertwined, like the shelter had been made rather than found. And unlike the shelters he usually came across, consisting of human garbage or abandoned dens, this one looked rather comfortable, albeit cozy.
Sascha | he/him
The Collector quoted
The torbie looked at the shelter and back at Morgan, shrugging. He wasn't sure how it really got there.
"I assumed someone passing through just left. There's not even a nest anymore, and all the scents are stale." he flicked his tail and sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws. "You can rest here as well, if you need. I know it's hard to find a... good place."
He made a small face at 'good place'. There weren't really 'good places' unless you find a cave or some abandoned den.
__________________
"O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills," ~ O Captain! My Captain!; Walt Whitman ~ DesertClan Healing
The torbie looked at the shelter and back at Morgan, shrugging. He wasn't sure how it really got there.
"I assumed someone passing through just left. There's not even a nest anymore, and all the scents are stale." he flicked his tail and sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws. "You can rest here as well, if you need. I know it's hard to find a... good place."
He made a small face at 'good place'. There weren't really 'good places' unless you find a cave or some abandoned den.
Morgan had been listening quietly up until Sascha offered to share the shelter, to which his orange pelt twitched warily in response.
The loner was right, it was hard to find a good place to rest, which is why there had to be a catch. No other cat had offered him something without wanting another thing in return, so why would this one be any different?
"What do what you want for it? Food? Knowledge? Protection?" Morgan mewed first. He didn't want to be in debt again, but he was running out of places to go because of things like that. Life would be easier if many loners didn't withhold resources and territory, but Morgan would do the same knowing he would get a better life from it, so he couldn't blame then.
__________________
Yeah, that's me. Cloverspring. Nice to meet you!
Oh great, now one of them was crying. Melinoe heaved a heavy sigh, why did she have to blessed with kits that couldn’t keep their own? Honestly, she couldn’t have been that bad of a cat. Woe is her. At least the kitten’s siblings were less teary-eyed, if not trouble in their own regards. She was fine letting them deal with the crying kitten as they travelled, self-soothing is something they all had to learn at some point, but stars above was the sound annoying. Not to mention that they were being stared at by some passer-by, something the reclusive cat did not appreciate.
After some time Melinoe came to brisk halt, tail swishing as she turned around to regard her kittens. Well, they all looked tired and worn. Might as well. “We’ll take a break here.”
She announced with a cool tone, burning gaze sweeping around the planes. “I am going to find something to eat for you four. Do not speak to anyone, and by the spirits, do not wander. Mirage, you’re in charge.”
Her eyes swept over the kit that had been walking at her side, as if she belonged there as her right hand cat. Melinoe wouldn’t entertain the thought of taking one of her kits as her underling, but she could leave the kid in charge for a few minutes while the mother here made sure none of the helpless lumps of fur starved. If only things weren’t the way they were, she could’ve pawned them off on her brother for a day or two to look after. He surely would’ve enjoyed the task. With that, Melinoe went off to hunt.
Phantom
[ 4 moons | She / Her | Loner ]
She didn’t know why she was crying, and she couldn’t stop it either. Little wails left her maw and thick tears blurred her vision, her walk a strange wobble. But they had just been walking for so long, and her paws hurt! She sniffled even as Fen and Spector joined her side, Mirage not far ahead besides mother. “I- I dunno…”
She sniffled out, trying to stop crying just as she was told. But it was difficult.
Even so, Phantom appreciated her siblings’ concern. Clasping her maw shut and lowering her head she pushed down the urge to cry further while mother trecked on, keeping herself neatly between her two siblings until until mother came to sudden halt. Surprised, Phantom was distracted from tear-stained cheeks, and felt such a relief when mother said they would rest! She sat on her haunches almost right away, watching Melinoe dissapear into the distance. “Do, do you guys know,,, where mother is taking us?”
She questioned quietly. Sure, mother had vaguely spoken of the place where they were headed, but Phantom was not the one to pay the best of attention to such details.
Morgan had been listening quietly up until Sascha offered to share the shelter, to which his orange pelt twitched warily in response.
The loner was right, it was hard to find a good place to rest, which is why there had to be a catch. No other cat had offered him something without wanting another thing in return, so why would this one be any different?
"What do what you want for it? Food? Knowledge? Protection?" Morgan mewed first. He didn't want to be in debt again, but he was running out of places to go because of things like that. Life would be easier if many loners didn't withhold resources and territory, but Morgan would do the same knowing he would get a better life from it, so he couldn't blame then.
Sascha
The Collector he/him | 39 moons
His ears pinned against his head. Why was everything give and take? Why couls he not just be friendly for a moment? He had only wanted a comrade for a little while. He got oh-so-lonely.
"Companionship. That's all, I wouldn't want you indebted to me or anything." He assured, his tail flicking nervously. A debt was way too much pressure for him. What would he do with a cat if they were indebted? "Will you take me up on the offer...?"
__________________
"O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills," ~ O Captain! My Captain!; Walt Whitman ~ DesertClan Healing
His ears pinned against his head. Why was everything give and take? Why couls he not just be friendly for a moment? He had only wanted a comrade for a little while. He got oh-so-lonely.
"Companionship. That's all, I wouldn't want you indebted to me or anything." He assured, his tail flicking nervously. A debt was way too much pressure for him. What would he do with a cat if they were indebted? "Will you take me up on the offer...?"
The loner let the sounds of the cars on the distant road talk in his silence, before he gave the answer he had already picked at the start of Sascha's sentence.
"I will. I will take you up on that offer." Morgan mewed. The stubborn kindness that Sascha offered had triumphed against Morgan's own resistance today. Though at this point, he didn't really have any fight left in him for such an argument anyway. He was defeated, good and proper, and though he didn't think it, this was what he needed most of all.
The tom got to his paws to start the trudge to the den. His striped head was hanging lower than his shoulders, as if he were finally aware of how pathetic he was being before. 'I really do need this den for tonight. And what was I actually going to do if he chose to fight back? He's being nice enough, the least I could do is give him some company, if that's what he wants.'
Morgan turned around and flopped down as soon he entered, not bothering to clean himself anymore and barely in a curled up position. His head looked heavy, as did his eyelids, but they didn't close just yet.
(How do you do that collapsing quote thing?)
__________________
Yeah, that's me. Cloverspring. Nice to meet you!
The loner let the sounds of the cars on the distant road talk in his silence, before he gave the answer he had already picked at the start of Sascha's sentence.
"I will. I will take you up on that offer." Morgan mewed. The stubborn kindness that Sascha offered had triumphed against Morgan's own resistance today. Though at this point, he didn't really have any fight left in him for such an argument anyway. He was defeated, good and proper, and though he didn't think it, this was what he needed most of all.
The tom got to his paws to start the trudge to the den. His striped head was hanging lower than his shoulders, as if he were finally aware of how pathetic he was being before. 'I really do need this den for tonight. And what was I actually going to do if he chose to fight back? He's being nice enough, the least I could do is give him some company, if that's what he wants.'
Morgan turned around and flopped down as soon he entered, not bothering to clean himself anymore and barely in a curled up position. His head looked heavy, as did his eyelids, but they didn't close just yet.
(How do you do that collapsing quote thing?)
Sascha
The Collector he/him | 39 moons
He smiled softly. Good. Good, Morgan would stay. That was... he shouldn't say 'good' again, that wouldn't do any good. Oh! He did it again! Damn.
"Do you need anything? You look so worn out, I can run and fetch you some prey I'm sure." He suggested, his paws unsurely carrying him forward and sitting close to the ragged-looking tom. He felt awful about the whole thing. I mean, Morgan really didn't seem to be in very good shape. Sascha truly, truly wished he knew how to help that.
[There's a button on the format option bar that says 'spoiler']
__________________
"O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills," ~ O Captain! My Captain!; Walt Whitman ~ DesertClan Healing
He smiled softly. Good. Good, Morgan would stay. That was... he shouldn't say 'good' again, that wouldn't do any good. Oh! He did it again! Damn.
"Do you need anything? You look so worn out, I can run and fetch you some prey I'm sure." He suggested, his paws unsurely carrying him forward and sitting close to the ragged-looking tom. He felt awful about the whole thing. I mean, Morgan really didn't seem to be in very good shape. Sascha truly, truly wished he knew how to help that.
[There's a button on the format option bar that says 'spoiler']
The loner's offer to help was quickly taken as an offensive remark. Morgan's dark eyes shot over to Sascha, as if he was going to lash out. But, he held his tongue, knowing better than to bad-maw his only chance at survival... For now. Still, he chose to sulk in his own head before responding.
'Does this tom think I'm weak? I could catch my own prey! I'm better than him in any way!' Morgan's head wrinkled in thought, restraining a bruised ego for the sake of surviving this night. If it weren't for the loud arguing in his own head, he might have been able to hear the other thought subtly growing in the back of his mind. Somewhere near his last memory, before it all became an absent blur, an authentic question challenged his beliefs. 'Why is he doing this? Cats don't act like this. Do they?'
As quick as they came, these thoughts were pushed back down. No cat had been like that, and this one should be no different. If Morgan wanted his own survival he had to act like every other living cat he'd come across; cruel, assertive, and selfish. That is the only way loners survived from what he had learned, and this one was just an outlier. Though, being in his nature to learn, the question of 'why' was sure to come back to him again later.
"... You may do, whatever you want." Morgan answered reluctantly, choosing not to take the unpleasant route and risk losing this sleeping spot. He gave Sascha the choice, yet still tucked his striped head into his wounded body, obscuring it further from view. His eyelids closed to rest while he waited for the tom's response, but his head felt like it was beginning to float, as though he might unexpectedly drift off in this short moment.
( : D Thank you so much for telling me how to do that!)
__________________
Yeah, that's me. Cloverspring. Nice to meet you!
Re: Windswept Plains
