road trip [closed, ended]

[Fawn]

➳ Sunpoppy 🥀

A lone figure took lengthy strides along the edge of the Thunderpath. The occasional pass of a vehicle did little more than ruffle his pelt, content to toe the adrenaline-inducing line between life and death. His stare was set straight ahead on his journey to nowhere.

Sunpoppy kicked every pebble in his path, his posture sunken with an expression capable of homicide. He'd had it with ThunderClan. Couldn't spend another minutes around those fools, in a sea of meaningless life. He was at the end of his patience. The deputy announcement sent him spiraling into a foul mood that seemed all-too-common these days, and he couldn't bring himself to stomach the rest of the announcements.

Nihilistically, he knew he was fated to return before the night ended, yet wandering alone made that time stretch on to infinity.

So he'd hopped aboard the forever road to who-cared. No amount of nipping frost or biting winds would slow his steadfast pace.


[open to anyone, clan cat or outsider]
[edit: now closed]

[dionysus]

[ @Dipper ]

On the days when she didn’t see Falconglare, Fennec had taken to wandering. She steered clear of Thunderclan territory, not wanting to be caught trespassing and have that as her first meeting with the leader whom she hoped would admit her into the clan at some point, and thus wandered pretty much anywhere else. The young loner had explored all of the birch copse in which Fal had helped her settle and so the time had come to branch out a bit.

The other clan territories were more of a mystery to her than Thunderclan’s since she’d taken to trespassing in that territory as a way of disrespecting them before she’d realized they weren’t all murderers like the one who’d killed her parents. Due to the mysterious side of them, she chose to wander around near those rather than the ‘outskirts,’ as Fal called them, from which she’d come.

It wasn’t long before Fen happened upon a road and a lone traveler. The Somali mix had fond memories of swapping stories with many travelers but one always had to be careful with a stranger. She approached warily from behind, breathing in the scent on the breeze, and paused. This was a Thunderclan cat! She was pretty sure it was, at least- it smelled oddly similar to Falconglare.

Well, she wasn’t trespassing on his territory so she saw no reason why he’d be aggressive so Fennec trotted forward and offered a friendly wave once she reached him.

“Hey there! You’re a little far from home, aren’t you? What are you doing walking on the road?”

[Fawn]

➳ Sunpoppy 🥀

Sunpoppy could hear someone treading behind him, but he didn't care, just flattened his ears in hopes that would be an indication to go away. Even if their identity had mattered, the wind was in the wrong direction to scent who it was, though his guess happened to be on a certain Hareflood because why wouldn't he follow him.

...Or his mom. God. Please don't let it be his mother of all the cats in this forsaken forest. He didn't think he had the inner strength to gulp down his anger for her and would probably end up exploding, ruining things again. Sunpoppy's lip curled, he winced.

He was so messed up.

He messed everything up.

That was his pitiful existence, and whoever was dumb enough to be trailing after him apparently wanted a part in it.

When they spoke and trotted up beside him, it actually gave him pause--halting his lanky strides--since Sunpoppy had expected the voice of his concerned mother at this point. It startled him that she was a she, a total stranger, and also.. kinda young. That culminated in long moments of gawking until he sunk back into his typical posture, irate. "Nothing," he said, bland, unwilling to engage with a stupid baby. A bit pricklier, he amended, "Just walking. You have eyes, don't you?"

End of story. He didn't need the company of some little twerp who he'd already determined to be too immature to understand.


@Beau

[dionysus]

[ @Dipper ]

Aha, that was why he was here. Clearly the tom had had a bad day or at least had a reason to be in a nasty mood judging by his snappy responses. To be fair, clan cats probably were less used to strangers approaching them than fellow loners. The snippy attitude wasn’t enough to scare off the bored molly, though- especially not since she’d met Fal. If she could befriend the intimidating, loner-hating warrior than she could certainly befriend this grump. Or at least hang around long enough to assuage some of her boredom.

Snorting, Fennec raised a brow and shifted her paws to match his strides. Whatever it was that had driven the warrior out here- for he definitely was too old to be an apprentice like Falconglare was when they’d met- must have been bad to put him in such a mood.

“Ah of course, how silly of me to not realize that that movement of your paws was called walking. I merely meant that you seem upset- is everything alright?”

Maybe he’d snap back that it was none of her business but Fen wasn’t interested in leaving this cat to brood and stew over whatever had upset him. It was her opinion that talking helped and she’d like to provide some help if she could.

[Fawn]

➳ Sunpoppy 🥀

The corners of his muzzle twisted down in a sneer, defensive. Sunpoppy had no doubt she was mocking him with that prissy statement--a cat with no name, just a random outsider who'd found him and was already falling into the path well-carved by clanmates. It was only natural to expect she'd make fun of him like everyone else did, and here was the proof.

Sour, he muttered, "Real cute." There was an unflattering name he would've slid into that if the wrath of his mother knowing by way of the stars didn't force him to reconsider.

"Why would you care?" he shot back, sullen, unrelenting in his tight-lipped approach when he didn't even know her. This was a nobody to him, and he was certain she'd feel similarly -- if not disdain for him as everyone else managed to. An edge of disgust threatened his tone as he said, "Just go back to your mom or something." Dumb young she-cat wandering out here in the middle of the night. Hadn't anyone warned her she'd meet cats like him?

Sunpoppy couldn't bring himself to unburden upon a stranger, much less this one. She wouldn't get it, and he wasn't about to try. So if she had to be here, he wished she'd at least have the sense to shut up.



@Beau

[dionysus]

[ @Dipper ]

Wow he really was in a bad mood. A harmless joke prompted that sneer? Seemed a bit overkill but Fennec supposed she acted similarly when she was in a bad mood. The grumbling did little to dissuade her and instead of leaving him to his dour musings continued to walk beside him, plodding along silently as she awaited the rest of what he had to say.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Fennec had plenty of experience talking down cats with anger issues so this grouch hardly seemed a challenge to her. Over the ten moons of her life, too, Fen had realized that it was easier and more interesting to be friendly than to be apathetic or rude. Her mental health took a turn for the worst when she acted negatively so kindness was really for herself too. Either that or she was just bored and curious about what drama had annoyed the prickly cat so much.

His dismissal left a bad taste in her mouth that worsened with the nasty delivery and she felt the fur along her spine raise defensively. Instead of starting a fight, though, Fennec let it fall again and simply stated,

“She’s dead. Has been for moons.”

Even though Fen had grown up using the word ‘months,’ she slipped the clan way of referring to them into her statement to throw him off guard. Her father had taught her it long long ago and even though she’d spurned it during her time of rage against the clans she had always remembered.

[Fawn]

➳ Sunpoppy 🥀

Sunpoppy could think of a hundred reasons why she wouldn't care, and her implication that she couldn't come up with a single one merely convinced him she wasn't hiding intellect under her lame attempts of a conversation. If ThunderClan, the place he was born and raised and served for moons, couldn't manage the ability to give a damn about him, he sure as hell didn't expect a shred of decency from a stranger.

And so far, his preconceived notions about his new shadow being an annoyance were spot-on. It was actually worse than his shadow. This one was trying to force a dialogue instead of just talking down to him.

The revelation about her mother elicited a dangerously flat, "Great, amazing. Not all of us are so fortunate." She didn't have to brag.

When the rumble of a vehicle approached from behind them, Sunpoppy glanced over his shoulder to watch the monster's blinding eyes racing in their direction and briefly let the call of the void whisper to him about how easy, how satisfying it'd be to use a long leg to whack this she-kit into its path. Let it devour her.

Honestly, he was half-tempted to jump in front of it himself. Being devoured didn't sound so bad. Numbness. Milliseconds dragged as the rush of wind ruffled his pelt, and he closed his eyes to envision being overtaken by its force. The rush didn't last.

He trekked on, pads stinging from the freezing ground, but he wasn't emotionally-equipped to turn back. That was a fate worse than the company he'd somehow acquired, though he couldn't imagine he was much of a treat to her either -- her refusal to ditch was puzzling.

Sunpoppy's attention didn't wander from the never-ending road ahead. "If you're going to Anywhere with me," he started, breathing a puff of white in the cold, "you can at least be quiet doing it."


@Beau

[dionysus]

[ @Dipper ]

A yawn fled from Fennec’s jaws and she shook herself idly as he fur puffed up against the cold. Her companion wasn’t much of a... well, companion, but beggars couldn’t be choosers so she decided to stick around. Maybe if she hung out long enough he’d start talking about what was bothering him.

His question of why she cared didn’t prompt much introspection on Fen’s part. It hardly took a lot of energy to inquire about someone’s life and in fact this grumpy old fart was still more interesting than lone wanderings as she waited for Fal to return. Logically, the young loner knew that her fellow wanderer was probably barely ten moons older than her and by no means elderly but if he insisted on comments like ‘go back to your mother’ than she would respond in kind.

Quite a pessimist he was. Oh well, not her problem- it wasn’t like she had to live with the grump. Speaking of living with him, it appeared that his mother had annoyed him. Had Fennec been a bit older when her own died or had she died more recently that comment might have made her wince but instead she laughed. The grass is always greener on the other side.

“Mhm, well if you need some help with that, I know a cat.”

Strangely enough, she actually did... Even so, Fennec doubted the cat would take her up on it. She also didn’t particularly want to be involved in a murder but perhaps the mother was abusive and deserved it- one never knew. The stranger paused and Fennec looked around for what had stopped him, finally noticing the whir of a car which she’d long since started to tune out. Cars weren’t anything new to her but the tom seemed somewhat captivated by it- come to think of it, if he didn’t like his mom so much, why not just bring her here?

It wasn’t until after the car passed that he made his snarky comment about being quiet and Fennec just snorted. She was kind of growing tired of talking anyway and needed a bit of time in the quiet to recoup her socialization battery and yet she didn’t feel like leaving him to wander either. The few things he said were hardly fatiguing so why not keep going.

[Fawn]

➳ Sunpoppy 🥀

Laughing at other's misfortune didn't seem very polite but hell, Sunpoppy guessed he would've done the same to the cats he thought nothing of. So. As was expected in that regard, and besides, she was just a dumb kid. He offered little more than a grunt at what he supposed could be perceived as an invitation, doubtful that she actually knew a cat like someone capable of murder would be able to tolerate her without letting their self-control slip up.

Because it was in direct contrast to her previous resistance, he wasn't expecting her to listen. But gods above, he was sure glad she did. They could continue this walk for however long without her talking his ears off, she could just be that ghost of a shadow that was barely more than a puny irritant. It was quiet, cold, downright isolating, and he preferred it that way.

The moon's shift might've been more visible if it hadn't been covered by clouds, and it wasn't easy to discern for many pawsteps they'd walked in silence. The scenery came and went, his pelt had relented to the bitter temperatures and it numbed him to the bone, a welcome change. It stung his throat like he wished poppy seeds were able to. His legs hardly felt like an operable part of him anymore as they trekked onward, they were an extension of a meaningless exterior that kept him functioning physically.

It was only when they'd reached a glowing town ahead that he slowed in disinterest. Twolegs weren't his style, and a mindless walk wouldn't be nearly as relaxing when he had to watch his back for actual danger. "End of the line for me," he said to her, dismissive, "go on, or don't." Really, he didn't care what she chose to do provided she didn't make the return-journey worse than it already was -- having a destination made the time left in freedom measurable, limited.

"But if you're coming," Sunpoppy continued over his shoulder while he turned around, "ditch before we get to ThunderClan. I kill trespassers on sight." It was monotonous and factual, if not inching into morbid fantasy.



@Beau

[dionysus]

[ @Dipper ]

As the night progressed the chill in the air grew bolder and bolder. Already, Fennec’s paws recognized the familiar ache from the rock-strewn road and the occasional patches of ice and slush did little to help. Before long she was longing to be back on grass and she gave the cat a sidelong glance- those warrior cats didn’t know how lucky they were. Soon enough, though, her paws froze enough that she couldn’t feel the uneven asphalt and she plodded along dutifully beside the stranger as if it were her job.

At this point, even Fennec didn’t know why she was still trailing along. Perhaps she was dedicated to solving this puzzle. Every cat had a key that opened them up so what could this grump’s key be? Surely his mother had something to do with it. Fen had met plenty of cats with mommy issues and they usually fell into two groups- they either hated all cats who resembled their mother in any way or they were desperate for their approval. Clearly, the stranger was part of the primary.

Fennec’s line of thinking found itself interrupted by a crack in the silence. She hadn’t even noticed the town up ahead but it figured that he would be too scared to actually enter it. That was not a clan cat’s domain. Fen no longer lived there now that she had Falcon and the birch copse so she turned and trotted after the clannie, snorting as he thought to intimidate her by threatening her. Falconglare had actually tried to kill her and they were now friends so his measly threat did nothing to dissuade her.

“You know, it’s a lot easier to talk to someone you don’t know than someone you do. You’re headed home now, presumably where your problems reside, so this might be your last chance to talk to a third party.”