Fleeing From Thought [brookfur]

[Cross]

//rookspot\\

[x] HailClan... Home. Home... HailClan. No matter how many times it was said, how differed it was worded... Each time the same result was received. HailClan just didn't seem like home. I can't go back. I've nowhere to go. StormClan? Huh. Whitestar would throw a fit if I was found pleading to join his ranks again... He'd probably skin me alive and line his den with my pelt. The ebony and ivory colored tom let a gentle sigh escape from his small muzzle. What confusion this was. Had he done something to deserve such mixed feelings and lostness? Rookspot blinked and pushed those thoughts away. Blaming himself would do him no good in settling in here. What he needed was something to do!

[xx] His already gloomy expression saddened. Neither Hailstar nor Oakstripe had given him any tasks this morning. Such a shame. Oakstripe seemed like the type of Deputy to always have everyone doing something. Then again, he was still quite a new member. He'd only just recently became an official part of HailClan. Perhaps he'd yet to gain his leader and deputy's trust before assigned important work. If they thought he was a traitor, he couldn't be trusted in anything. If he went hunting, he could poison the kill. If he went patrolling, he could lie and say there was no attack when there was. If he was given an apprentice, he could intoxicate their flouring minds with dark thoughts and fill their hearts with a cold blackness. But the reality was, Rookspot wouldn't do any of that. He respected and was loyal to HailClan and Hailstar alike, because they had accepted him when he'd left StormClan like a coward. With time everything he felt that was at loss would soon return to him, only in a new way so he felt such for HailClan and the cats and things inside it. One thing in paticular, he was well aware of, would never return to him no matter how hard he tried to replace it.

Larktail.

[xxx] Rookspot knew that his beloved sister did not feel the same way as he had, and that her heart belonged in StormClan while his was destined for HailClan. Destiny or not, the gap in his heart from being torn from all he had left was raw and big. He often wondered if it would ever heal, and doubted such. After Bluekit's death, the two remaining siblings had become extremly close to each other. Rookspot still felt guilty about leaving her behind like that, for he knew she was experiencing the same pain and emptiness he was, and he hated to cause her such misery. No matter, it was a new day and he needed to stop moping about like a worthless waste of fur. HailClan was his new home, and there was no turning back now.

[xxxx] Deep liquid yellow pools gazed around the camp steadily, scanning every pelt that passed by, every cat that busily moved about. Rookspot, himself, was laying quietly under the shade of a strayed bush near the corner, protecting himself of the cooling weather. Soon snow would fall and coat the lands with the frigid white fluff no cat liked. It was just another form of water, and when melted into slushy puddles it was anything but pleasant. Leafbare was almost upon them, and the scenery of nature was taking its tole. The thought of such hard times made Rookspot uncomfortable, which apparently he was doing a lot of today. Wonderful...

[Ebony]

Though Brookfur herself had little to do to busy herself, she could find no pain or blame to bring herself down. However dull life seemed in any situation, today was simply not a day she could bring herself down. She did not know why she was so cheerful, or why there was a certain bounce in her step, but she was eager to bump into any cat and eager to strike up conversation. A large grin fell in place over her lips, and her tail flagged high above her back, curled naturally out of glee.

She stepped up to the fresh-kill pile, taking a rabbit she had seen deposited recently. The she-cat was surprised it hadn't been taken already, and seized the chance to have it for herself. Greedy as she felt, and not entirely hungry, Brookfur still could not find remorse in taking a healthy meal away from a hungry kit or empty-bellied elder. It should have been taken straight there! she thought, nodding briskly as she trotted away.

Many cats were bustling about, but one--just in the corner of her eye--was alone, still, quiet... He seemed completely out of place. Brookfur couldn't say she knew him, or even remembered his name, but with a shrug she padded forward and dropped the rabbit in the dust.

"Hey, you there," she meowed cheerily, nosing the rabbit, "help me eat this, before someone sees. It's gotta be the last rabbit in the forest! I bet queens will be belly-aching for it if they saw who had it. Come on, hurry!" Brookfur urged, and plopped to her haunches regardless of Rootspot's response. She began to pluck the fur out, slapping her tongue as the coarse fibers stuck to her lips.

"Stop being like that, now, and eat something. I'd hate it if your bad mood made it snow on us." She looked up, eying the black-spotted tom with mocked spite in her cerulean eyes. Brookfur peeled back her lips in a toothy grin, before she dived back into her hurried plucking of fur.

[Cross]

Deep liquid yellow eyes scanned the HailClan camp with a dull interest, the young tom's mind more distant then in the scene before him itself. His tail curled neatly beside his hind quarters, the tom was so far away from reality that he narrowly noticed the pretty silver she-cat padding towards him. Without a doubt she was coming in his direction, so steadily, Rookspot changed his thoughts to focus on the warrior as she dropped a rabbit at his paws bluntly. Glancing down at it, her words bit into the pleasant silence like thorns.

Looking back up at her as she invited-- No, ordered him, to eat the fresh-kill with her so another cat wouldn't get it, he took a moment of hesitation before nodding in agreement to the strange request. Not a heartbeats passed before she spoke to him again, and he'd only just crouched down to start tearing at the soft moist flesh as her bittern comment made its way into his audits, causing them to prick. Looking up at her, he met her icy blue eyes levelly. "Oh my no, I certainly wouldn't want that. Your frosty personality is more then enough cold for the whole of HailClan." He returned, a playful smirk crawling onto his lips.

"Rookspot." He introduced with a curt nod, before turning back to their meal and starting to pluck sluggishly at the matted fur until he had the soft flesh in his reach. Then he eagerly began to strip the bones of the hare if its delicious meat and swallow it in hungry mouthfuls. He hadn't realized how hungry he was since he'd been to focused on Larktail and StormClan, and how much HailClan was lacking the sense of home.

After a few famished bites, he took a break from chewing and swallowing and looked back up at the silver tabby she-cat, marveling at her beautiful pelt and frame. Swiping his salmon colored tongue around his jaws and mouth like a towel to clean off the bits of strayed flesh and splattered blood from his short meal, he looked at her for a few heartbeats but didn't recall seeing her much around camp before. In fact, this was the first time he'd seen her period. Oh well. Joining a new Clan was bound to end in meeting new faces, too.

"If I may ask, what put you in such a cheery mood this morning? Leafbare's nearly upon us, and I wouldn't except many cats to be so joyful on such an occasion." He said, wanting to start some sort of conversation instead of preserving the silence, what he usually did. But such a good, pure mood was contagious, and sure enough it had caught on to him just by being in the happy she-cat's presence. Rookspot didn't like feeling gloomy and sad, so he welcomed the brighter emotion with glee. Perhaps his life here hadn't lost all hope after all.

[/size]

[Ebony]

The young she-cat had broken skin, and as the black-spotted warrior replied, she began to munch through the meat with small bites. She picked through the hare delicately, pausing every so often to lick her lips clean of blood, or to to straighten her whiskers. She didn't believe in keeping prim and proper for show, it was simply habit--the sticky film of blood on her muzzle was irritating, not to mention...sticky.

Brookfur lifted her head after a moment, allowing a peaceful transition of silence to flow between Rookspot and herself. She parted her jaws and yawned, snapping her eyes closed tight. For another moment, as her teeth came back together, the young she-cat stared intently at the tom, a thoughtful expression flickering across her face.

"Oh, is it?" she began, tilting her head quizzically--a smile hinting at the corner of her lips, suggesting a touch of humor in her words. She licked her lips of the rabbit's fur, and wrinkled her nose in bemusement. "If I knew that I'd have come sooner. I've heard from kittypets it can get too cold to snow; I might be of some use afterall."

Brookfur nodded briskly at his introduction, and dove back into the rabbit. She plucked gently at a leg, thinking about how to respond. Of course, her name, but that seemed dull. Swiping her tongue across her lips once more, the warrior smiled and replied, good humor still lingering in her voice, but all jokes cast aside.

"I'm Brookfur, I don't believe I've really seen you around here. I must have been with HailClan for five moons now," she admitted, "how long have you been here? I guess it's easy to miss cats, though, no matter how sullen you all are. I suppose I'm still just finding it a little hard to fit back into the Clan, I've been a loner most of my life, I feel like I've forgotten everything." For a heartbeat, she felt a wave of guilt slide through her, but as she tucked back into the hare at her feet it had disappeared. She shrugged it off, knowing that if she thought wistfully of life as a loner again she might long to return to it.

Soon, her stomach had filled, and Brookfur pushed the rest of the rabbit toward Rookspot. "You can find someone else to share it with," she said with a laugh, "I'm stuffed. A nice nap would do me good now." Though not entirely serious, Brookfur hunched over and began to wash her face, licking her paw and drawing it quickly over an ear, and then another. She licked her whiskers briskly, and finally finished with a few licks to her shoulder.

Rookspot's comment didn't go unnoticed, though Brookfur remained quiet for some time afteward. She tucked her paws beneath her chest and brought her body in close, wrapping her tail against her side for a last dose of comfort. She yawned again, and finally looked back to the tom.

"Well," she began, tilting her head once more. Her eyes yet again filled up with laughter, and her voice seemed to fill with an tinge of friendliness. "I didn't know that leafbare was a time to get sad about. I'd rather be happy when there's no reason to be sad. Leafbare comes, leafbare goes, I reckon there's not much reason to be upset. Can you do anything about it? Why get all doleful about something you have no control over?" She paused, and couldn't help but add--with an air of knowing, "Doleful, I learned that from another kittypet. She was sweet. Said she came from some place named China. She was awful pretty too, I bet all the cats in China were as pretty as her."

[Cross]

Steadily the fresh rabbit was devoured by the two warriors in a matter of time, short passing of conversation between them. Rookspot welcomed the silence, having almost befriended the lack of voices to fill the air. He somewhat enjoyed not speaking or going on about pointless things, but a conversation with another cat was never something he disliked. He even sometimes relished those who were outgoing and bubbly all the time, for he was much of the opposite, usually staying back in the shadows in his own silence and observing quietly. But it was never something he yearned for horribly, like a paralyzed creature wishing it could move normally and properly. It was just something that would occasionally cross his mind and invade his thoughts.

Her voice came cutting through the silence like the ones sharp teeth against soft flesh, breaking the accepted quietness but not in such a manner that it displeased Rookspot. He looked up from the piece of flesh he was chewing to meet her cerulean gaze as she responded to his earlier comment on her frosty personality, a hint of amusement in her tone. Her reply made him chuckle softly, his tail curling in clear entertainment and reflecting his playful mood. At least she could take a joke. Rookspot hated upsetting others, since it often lead to something quite unpleasant for both himself, and the other.

It seemed as thought the she-cat welcomed the silence just as much as Rookspot did, for there would often be breaks in their conversations and sentences and one would wait a few minutes before replying to what the other said. It was a strange way of getting along, but he didn't mind it. Such a way of acting helped keep him at a secure ease, something unexpected considering the sudden change of environment since switching Clans. He still felt anything but at home in HailClan, but hopefully that would ebb [[Hah!]] with time, and frankly the cheerful presence of the she-cat was slowly helping him even more.

The female's voice once again came, this time introducing herself after a long pause since his own introduction. Another time Rookspot looked up from his tearing and chewing to meet her icy yet friendly eyes. Lifting his head and nodding swiftly as she said she hadn't seen him much, he waited patiently for her to finish before he spoke, choosing his own speech carefully. "Yes, I'm fairly new to HailClan. I've only been here for a few days, and to add to that I'm not a very noticed cat. I usually keep to doing my tasks quickly and quietly, and spending most of my free time observing at a distance, and in this case, observing uneasily. And I know what you mean. I've spent my whole life in StormClan, so to suddenly change into HailClan is almost... Unnatural, for me. I'm sad to say I'm not doing a good job at getting used to things around here, but with any luck I should be more at ease soon." He said, stopping briefly to lick his lips and to allow Brookfur to take in what he'd said without a rush, not that he spoke too fast. After a couple of heartbeats, he went on. "A loner, you say? How interesting. I admit I've never met a loner, or a former loner, at that. What was it like to live in the wild without being in a Clan or a kittypet? I imagine it must have been quite different compared to Clan life?"

Another long pause between the two cats took place as they both kept eating steadily, each at their own pace, but naturally, considering Rookspot was rather slow at most things (since he enjoyed taking his time), finished after Brookfur. Glancing over in her direction as she shoved the remains of the rabbit over to him, he let out a soft mew in agreement as he finished off the last few bits of flesh on the hide before taking a step back and sitting back on his haunches. "Now that you mention it, I'm pretty full as well. And a nice nap in the dying sun would be simply lovely after such a tasty meal." He commented, lifting a paw and beginning to wash his face with great care and delicacy.

During his bath, his ears pricked to hear Brookfur explaining what she thought about leafbare. He listened with a polite attention, his auds angled towards her with the tip of his tail twitching every now and then to show he was still listening, though he kept his bath going as he began to wash his legs and belly. Only when he was finished did he reply, which took several moments after she'd finished speaking.

"Fair enough. I've just always found the cold weather such a depressing time of year, nevertheless. The snow and cold make our lives so much more of a hassle, it often keeps me on my toes and a b it on edge. I can't say the same for everyone, I suppose." He finished with a shrug, then began to regard what she'd said about the kittypet. "China, eh? Hmm. I don't recall ever hearing of such a place. It must be very nice there, if your friend is as dazzling as you say. I always wondered what it was like to be a kittypet, as well. Not that I'd ever like to be one, but I'm naturally curios about others' lives, I guess you could say." He said with another purr of amusement, this time laughing at his own words and corky nature. I wish I was more interesting...

[/size]

[Ebony]

ooc: air-looom = heirloom

also italicized words are words brookfur has no idea what they are xD



The rabbit settled nicely into her stomach, and regardless of the coming bad weather, Brookfur felt quite warm inside. She suppressed another yawn and shifted her weight, tucking her paws deeper beneath her chest. The she-cat listened intently to his words, making no motion other than the subtle smile that waxed and waned across her lips appropriately. She coaxed her tail to twitch in amusement here or there, and she drew her eyes tight near the end of his long banter in content. A soft, but distant, purr rumbled in her chest, and though Rookspot had by now long finished, Brookfur renamed silent. She noticed, however, he continued regardless, and she couldn't help but laugh inwardly at his newfound eagerness to chat.

As he went on, the warrior merely nodded, absorbing his words as she did the sunlight through the trees. She listened closely, though quietly, and hardly contemplated the fact she may have seemed rude. If that had been her task, she thought quickly, she would have left the poor tom alone in the first place. Instead, she thought it rather kind to join the sullen creature, and it seemed in doing so, she'd brought some amount of light in at least one cat's day.

Once Rookspot took a moment to stop and wash his face, Brookfur pounced on her chance to speak. She cleared her throat absently, shifting her weight again as if she was comfortable. "Having been a warrior here for five moons, I myself am not as noticed as I'd like to be. But that's life, and you gotta work around the imperfectness of it all. I say, if you want that attention, you gotta reach out for it, and hope some cat has sense enough to return it, 'cause I don't think just sittin' around is going to get you anything." She paused, closing her eyes again and purring deeply in good humor. There was laughter in her voice, quite the norm, but the light in her eyes was different. Though she smiled and giggled like a star-struck apprentice, the she-cats eyes were aglow in all seriousness.

"Why did you leave StormClan, if I might ask? It seems a tad late to be leaving one Clan to come to another, what would make you do such a thing?" She tilted her head, feeling the need to interrogate him as he did the same to her. Though his questions were not as personal, Brookfur felt the need to know. She urged the quiet cat to open up, perhaps something he would do only today, or maybe for the rest of his life.

"Being a loner was nice," she continued, "there were no rules, no obligations. I could see and make friends with whoever I pleased. There was no fighting, no squabbling. I had cat friends in different gardens, I had cat friends in the alleys, I even had cat friends that lived out here in the forest and were down right rude to me. But, you know, you take what you can get I guess." At that she shrugged, pausing for a breath to refresh her lungs. Rookspot picked up again, and though Brookfur felt interrupted, she listened without complaint.

"Well, of course not," the silvery she-cat added, giving a toothy smile to the tom's apparent dislike of leafbare. "But what'd be fun about living if you weren't on edge? Oh, of course it's dangerous, but so is going on patrol, or taking a bite out of that rabbit. It might have been ill or infested with worms, and we'd not know it until we fell over dead ourselves! But Rookspot, sweety, you need to live a little."

Brookfur leaped to her paws and stretched delicately, one limb at a time, before she squared her shoulders and shook the sleep right out of her.

"China? No clue. I always thought she was lying about it, myself. But she insisted. She even stole away from her Twoleg this thing called a fan. Oh, we had loads of fun with that! Turns out she got in trouble for it though, next time I saw her she said she'd been punished for taking an air-looom and wasn't allowed on counter-tops again. She was all distraught about it." Brookfur nodded matter-of-factly, as if she herself had been educated in the aspects of Twolegs. She didn't doubt it, regardless of whatever counter-tops were, or whatever air-looms were supposed to be, she felt wiser simply sharing the wealth of her experiences.

[Cross]

OoC: Done!

As the two warriors finished their meal, Rookspot went on listening to Brookfur with remote interest. He had never been the very lively type, nor had he been the type to chatter all day about anything given to them. Though it seemed the she-cat was more or less like him, only in a different sense. He'd known Brookfur little since his arrival, and in fact, this was their real first conversation. Actually, this was his first conversation with anyone in his new home. No matter, with time he'd settle in just fine. Or so he hoped.

The silver tabby's voice frosted the air with her words like the snowflakes on a mid winter day. His liquid yellow eyes found their way to look into her cerulean ones as he listened and nodded briefly to what she was saying about getting noticed, though frankly, he liked staying in the back of everyone's mind, and he voiced his opinions on such openly to her. "Very true, Brookfur. Only I prefer not to be the center of attention, to be honest. I've never been the type to always make myself heard or seen, but I quite enjoy the silent but satisfying company of the shadows. They've yet to not meet my needs for attention, which are quite minuscule. But by no means am I saying that I dislike the presence of others. In fact, I often enjoy having a nice conversation with one such as yourself, but I simply do not ask or seek attention like some do." He explained calmly, licking his lips to clear away the last flavors of the rabbit.

Rookspot's assuring eyes met the she-cat's, and a clear humor and laughter was easily found in their depths. The joyfulness made a grin pull at the edges of his lips, his own dimmed golden pools brightening with such a cheery look on the features of Brookfur before him. He was enjoying her company quite a bit, which was a change for him. It had been a while since he'd had a proper conversation just for the fun of it with another cat, since recently he'd only spoken to others for duty matters or what he was assigned to do for the day. It was nice to just talk and joke around sometimes, especially for him considering he could be rather stiff at points.

Brookfur's voice broke the silence yet again, slashing through Rookspot's slight daze like the claws of an enraged warrior. Her question caught him off guard, and at the sudden feeling of invasion he shifted uneasily under he cerulean gaze. For several moments he said nothing, elaborating on just how much to tell her about his personal reasons on switching Clans so late in time. After a bit, he finally answered. "I suppose I had nothing left in StormClan anymore. I wanted a new start, but I guess it took me a while to realize that." He said with a chuckle, curling his tail in his own amusement.

Rookspot didn't often open up to others. It wasn't so much a fact that he disliked doing such or was afraid of doing so, it was more that he never felt the need to go around telling everyone his life's story for no reason. If asked, as he had been just now, he would easily explain whatever they wished to know of him, which was part of his more or less submissive nature. He wasn't the type of cat to demand or lead, and he much preferred following orders, but it wasn't so much of a liking or disliking, it was more of a natural thing for the tom. Some cats naturally spoke their mind, not able to hold their tongues. Well, he was the opposite. That much was clear.

Listening intently, Rookspot looked up at the pretty silver she-cat as she explained what it was like to be a loner. He'd always wondered what it would be like to live as a rogue, alone every day. Though you had more free will, it must be an awful hassle during leafbare and the twoleg infested seasons. Still, Brookfur seemed to have enjoyed it very much, which only brought up the question to Rookspot why she had left it behind in the first place if she liked it so much. And, being curios and also throwing back the same personal question she'd given him, he voiced his thoughts openly.

"Then why did you leave it behind? To join HailClan, I mean. You must have had to choose between Clan life or living as a rogue, and what made you decide to live here under the supervision of Hailstar?" He asked, twitching tailtip. Rookspot wasn't sure if he could give up living a certain way for a completely different type of life. It seemed so... rash. I'm not sure I'd ever become used to it... He thought quietly to himself, musing his earlier opinions.

After Rookspot had finished talking he realized he'd interrupted Brookfur. Dipping his head in a respectful manner as a silent apology, he quickly decided against vocalizing one as to cut her off again. Listening politely as she spoke of her opinions on his dislike of leafbare, he simply looked at her with a calm, pleasant expression. All her talk of the daily dangers of being a warrior made sense, though he'd never considered it before. He shifted his gaze down at the floor for a moment, not actually looking at anything in paticular but just thinking about what she said and was currently saying. Once she finished, he lifted his eyes again to meet her cerulean ones.

"I don't know if you've noticed or not, Brookfur, but I'm not the adventurous type. My life consists of doing my duty to the Clan, and spending my spare time in a quiet corner. The excitement of my day is simply going on patrol, or a good hunt. Unlike most, I don't crave the adrenaline of fear and adventure. I'm much too easily satisfied for that, and even if my life is nothing compared to say, yours, I do have to admit I do not envy you in the slightest. Perhaps on some days I would, wishing I had more things of interest, but then I realize that I don't do well in those types of situations. My calmness has its limits, and I'd rather not test them unless necessary."

Though if you focused on the actual words he spoke, Rookspot may have sounded a bit rude, but if you listened to his tone of voice and looked at his expression, you could easily be convinced otherwise. He had a certain way of speaking that hardly ever seemed mad or angry, no matter the words that were actually being coded by the voice itself, and there was such a pleasant expression on his kind features that one would never assume his sentences as something insulting or attempting to become an offense or defense of some sort. Which in fact, he actually was trying to explain his way of life gently to the more adventurous she-cat. He knew for a fact he could be, most of the time, quite a boring fellow, but he was also quite happy with who he was, no matter what others thought of him.

And then there was "China". Rookspot had never considered the fact of how big the world would really be, nor had he ever thoughts about the cats in those places. So, having nothing to really add, when Brookfur explained to him, he simply nodded to show he understood and shrugged lightly to himself as he watched her stretch her limbs delicately. He, himself, was becoming rather stiff from sitting in the same position for so long. Stretching his own rigid legs in turn, he lifted his strangely small body onto his paws, stretching his frame carefully before relaxing his muscles and turning back to Brookfur. Considering she was female and a sleek cat, he was not so much dwarfed in size by her as he usually was by other, bulkier cats. But it was obvious of his unnatural body frame, which made him look more like a newly made apprentice then a full grown warrior. Another on the tom's strange quirks, seemingly common in his gene.

[/size]

[Ebony]

Certain that she had misinterpreted what Rookspot was saying, the she-cat shook her head and rasped her ears with a paw. A cat that didn't like attention?! Well, she had just heard it all! Batting her eyelids frantically, Brookfur dipped her head and scratched with energy at her ears. This was absolutely unheard of. She just couldn't believe it. He had to be joking with her, there just... it wasn't possible that a cat of any kind could not crave attention!

She was speechless, for many moments to come. Though she opened her jaws many times, she shut them just as quickly--unsure of what she was going to say or how she was going to say it. Eventually, Brookfur clamped her teeth tight and simply listened to Rookspot, and the gritting of her canines.

Though her eyes were wide with disbelief, when the warrior finally spoke there was laughter in her voice. "Are you a cat at all?" she shouted, a bubbly giggle working its way through her words. "I've met cats that hate company, but even they had sense enough to take what was being offered to them. They might have hissed and spat and clawed one another's ears off, but when it came their turn to talk, why I haven't seen a cats talk so much in my life!"

The she-cat stopped and breathed, her blue eyes alight with glee. It seemed strange to her, to hear what Rookspot had to say, and she immediately felt the need to continue. Afterall, Brookfur was a talker, and she simply loved to hear herself meow.

"No matter how brutal life is to the loners I met, they pounced on the opportunity to enlighten me. Of course, they were generally full of empty threats and dull words, but goodness, they'd be eager to change the conversation and follow their own interests. Once, even, I met this old tom that tried to chase me out of his dustbin, and I told him, 'Well, it's not a very nice dustbin anyway,' and he proceeded to sit down, groom himself, and give me plenty of good reasons why his dustbin happened to be the best. And... somehow after we started talking about when was the proper time to eat a dead rat. That I wasn't so sure about. He was quite certain it was just after the rat had died, but I made sure to tell him never! Oh, and well, that's just how things go!" Exasperated, Brookfur drew in a long breath and returned to her belly, tucking her paws beneath her chest and swinging her tail around her side. She beamed at Rookspot with tentative eyes, a mischievous smile working its way across her lips for no known reason. After her story, though she was still certain the black and white tom was ill, the warrior felt more comfortable with the fact that... possibly... he just didn't like company.

It was simple enough.

If Rookspot wasn't a fan of attention, Brookfur was undoubtedly his opposite in every way. She was eating up his every word, absolutely in love with the conversation. Brookfur was, simply put, unable to keep her mouth shut. Now, regardless of who had started the conversation--she most certainly had forgotten--she was not going to be the one who ended it! She would get the last word in most definitely; and, silently she concluded, she would do just that even if it meant throwing out a garbled mess of nonsense. Which, admittedly, was not difficult for her.

Nodding matter-of-factly to herself, it was a moment or so before she realized Rookspot had started speaking again--and by now, stopped. Trying to recollect what she thought he had said, Brookfur looked thoughtfully to the darkening sky.

"New start? Ah, well... I guess I decided the same. Here and there, really. Well. I guess starting over isn't a bad reason, it seems a little overdone, but look at who's talking." She paused, twisting her lips mindlessly, attempting to conjure up a better response--but none came.

Thankfully, Rookspot asked a question, and Brookfur quickly rounded up an answer. "I really shouldn't have left my family, but there was a deep calling in me somewhere to just get away. I couldn't stand it anymore, just all the back and forth, the bickering, the closed-in-ness of everything..." A shrug rolled down her hunched shoulders, and she could think of nothing else to add. She still seemed confused about why she had left, as if it had been a decision she'd only made in the back of her mind, and had little reason to think about it until now. An impulse, some would say.

Brookfur was never a long thinker, let alone one that could.

"I don't necessarily live in the past," she went on, mostly to herself. "I guess I live in the now, worrying about what's going to happen or what is happening, instead of what did happen or why or how or by who. Seems useless... but, oh well. What's done is done, I can't have remorse for it." Again, she shrugged, and found herself yawning in genuine exhaustion.

The rabbit she had shared with the tom was heavy in her stomach, just the way her eyes felt. She yawned again and licked her chest, and after a moment, she looked back up and said, "I think a grooming is in order."

Though she could feel another tale working its way up, the she-cat did her best to remain silent. A strange feeling welled up, something that said to her, "Rookspot doesn't like to talk, he probably doesn't like to hear others talk either."

Yet! Regardless, Brookfur opened her mouth and began to spin an intricate yarn--between licks.

"So you do what you have to to get by? You don't worry about laughing or playing or doing something for the fun of it all? I say, Rookspot. You and your corner, is that all there is? When I first left the Clan I felt utterly alone. It was scary. I didn't trust any cat at all, and it took many moons for me to work up the courage to speak to someone. Of course, I was getting rather ill, and I think I'd come up with some sort of fever. Didn't know what to do! I left the forest after a while and went to Twoleg place--all sick and whatnot. Dreadful! Positively dreadful! Horrific! Not Twoleg place, mind you, I was. Didn't know what to do! This little kit saw me and was very happy about it. Told me about a place to go to and they'd take care of me. So, well, I did. I got fed a lot and they gave me this horrible stuff--tried get away, didn't always work--but I got better! It was great. I think it was after that, I decided to get out. I stayed in Twoleg place for a long time! So much to see... Plus, hey, there's the food, and it ain't half bad, hon."

[Ebony]

DUN

[Cross]

The small tom sat quietly on his haunches, lapping briskly at the fur on his chest and arms, as he listened attentively to his clanmate. Brookfur seemed all but quiet, babbling on and on about whatever he offered her to work with. It amused him slightly, seeing the seemingly bitter she-cat so talkative and friendly. He'd seen little of the silvery female since his arrival, but what he'd seen of her he would have expected her to keep more to herself. Clearly, he'd been quite mistaken. Keeping both ears pricked and carefully angled towards her to show he was listening, her sudden question made him look up in surprise, though his confused eyes warmed instantly as he noted the bubbly, playful tone to her voice. Listening to her calmly and making sure not to interrupt this time, once he was sure she was done he went on to respond.

"I suppose that must be because cats who are very solitary don't get much of a chance to socialize, verses Clan cats. We are all constantly surrounded by our friends and family, which happen to be large numbers indeed. We talk and socialize with each other to such an extent, I guess some of us, such as myself, often take for granted of the wonderful life we are exposed too. And I suppose I've never been much of a talkative type myself, as you've probably notice. I became more silenced when I joined HailClan, though. My sister, Larktail, was one of the only cats I really talked a lot too. And leaving her behind was difficult, but I felt the need to come to HailClan. Almost like a craving. I'm not sure if I can ever rebuild such a strong enough bond that it brings out my more talkative side all the time, but to be honest, your doing a fine job at that right now." He finished with a soft chuckle, his eyes brimming with a warm friendliness and gratitude.

Ears still politely pricked, Rookspot went on to listen to his Clanmate speak of loners after a short pause between their speech. The lives of rogues and cats that were nor kittypet nor Clancat had always fascinated him. Life without others around him constantly, even though he didn't always treasure being in crowds, seemed strange and unnatural. Having been born into Clan life, living any other way would not suit Rookspot, no matter his silenced nature. Oddly enough, Rookspot was quite outgoing. If he were to be invited to tag along on any type of 'adventure', he'd more then willingly go. I guess I just don't really go looking for trouble or excitement. He decided mentally, observing his own personality out of curiosity. " Is it interesting? Being a rogue? Is it anything close to what you feel living in a Clan?" He mewed, curios. She'd explained to him roughly what it was like living alone beyond Two-leg nests and Clan territory, but he still wasn't satisfied. He wanted to know if she regretted living in HailClan, or if she enjoyed it more then living alone.

The she-cat's voice sliced through the air like a talon, describing her thoughts on how she felt about leaving her home and family. Rogues have families? He thought dully, quickly realizing that he sounded like a kit. I guess everyone has a family, even rogues and kittypets. Bobbing his head in a gentle nod, he expressed his agreement both physically and in speech. "I felt the same way in StormClan. Even though my family was there, I felt the need to come here and live in HailClan, despite the part of me that still lingers in my old home."

I wonder how she really feels? Is Brookfur telling me the truth, or is she sheathing her lies with fake remorse and emotion? Rookspot looked long and hard into her cerulean eyes, his own amber gaze boring into her vision, studying her. He had nothing against the pretty silver warrior, but it was his own wondering that brought him to think such things. He always tried to distinguish a lie from the truth, and somehow he even managed to tell them apart a times. Most often though, he couldn't tell. It was a hard thing, to be able to sneak past ones shield of defense that held their inner secrets and feelings. It was an invasion of privacy, one reason why he always tried to muffle his interest and keep away, but sometimes temptation knocked on our curiosity, and it was jut too hard to refuse or turn down. This, luckily, was not one of those situations. Nevertheless, he was intrigued by this cat. He wanted to know more about her, for there was some element that loomed around her presence that kept him sitting there, paying eerie attention to every word that left her muzzle. Whatever the mystical charm may be that held him prisoner, it was well working.

Her comment on grooming split a playful grin across his muzzle, lighting up his expression. "I think so." He agreed with a meow of laughter, eyes brimming with amusement. Perhaps she was not all that bitter after all. A sheen of light streaked across his black and white smudged pelt, lining his fur in a tin russet silver. The strong contrast between black and white was illuminated in the sun's glow, giving it an even more immense distinction between the two basic colors. His velvet amber eyes lit up, turning ablaze in the light with their gentle fondness, and clearly visible against his charcoal colored features. His ying yang fur was nothing horribly interesting or unique, in fact, it could even be considered dull and boring (like him, one could say). But it matched him, and he wouldn't have it any other way. He liked the simplicity of his colors, and wouldn't want to have something that stood out terribly. It would lack his ability to blend in so well, and we wouldn't that. Not at all.

Once again Brookfur was going on, this time asking him how he managed to get along without excitement and adventure. Listening calmly, he waited for her to finish before gladly responding, happy to answer her question about himself. "It's not that I don't like to feel excited or that I like to linger in corners by myself, it's more that I'm not the type of cat that goes around looking for trouble or something to do. I'm perfectly happy with having a nice meal and chat with another cat, such as yourself, like we've done today. For that matter, I love sharing information and telling others about the things I know and myself, just as much as I love hearing about things others know and themselves. But I don't go around talking to anyone I see. I prefer to let others approach me if they wish to speak, then I can be sure that whoever I'm having a conversation with actually wants to hear what I have to say, and not only wants to think of an excuse to get away from me. I've found that I get to meet much better listeners if I do it this way, but I suppose I really should get out more. I do stay cooped up in camp alone much too often. " He agreed at last, eyes shimmering with a tinged sadness at how much he must have missed in with his new Clan.

"As for adventure, I'll gladly come along on any type of journey that I'm offered. I rather enjoy exploring, and though I love settling in my own nest at night, traveling isn't something I try to avoid. Like I said earlier, I'm just not the one who goes looking for these things, but rather if I'm invited I will agree without hesitation." He finished, licking his lips. That was quite a speech for Rookspot, considered he was so used to not talking anymore. But it was good for him. Healthy. If he lingered in silence for too long, he'd might as well go mute.