|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:59 pm
 |
|
|
 |
Strained became the go to word to describe everything his world after that disaster of an expedition. The word came more neutral against the others. Angry, Frustrated, Vindicated and Guily all brought up negative feelings and judgements.
He'd be right about the way to go, they didn't listen to him and he had gotten hurt, almost killed and the trip took far longer than it should have. How he kept from telling them 'I told you so' would remain a mystery of judgement against the backdrop of what amounted to a tantrum.
No one else was harmed, even if his insensitive sister had comments to make about his emotions and feelings. The exception that kept him tossing in the Warrior Den and more distracted created the guilt.
Lostpath.
She was a friend he'd played with since the nursery den. She didn't deserve the lashing of emotion and that weighed on him. Like his mother always said after a fight with his siblings, you have to make it right.
A kill for his brother erased any hard feelings, something pretty for his sister and an apology helped. Question was, what would help with Lostpath? She seemed to be fond of the feathers from the bird Bearjaw took down. Birds offered feathers and a fresh kill.
Worth a shot.
Out he went, turning away from the rivers that are their lifeblood. He had to find something,a bird still around worth catching. One of the few times he passed over prey he'd normally snag as a quick addition to the kill pile.
The sun made its way high up before he finally found something worthy of an apology. Ahead, two grouse decided to have a face off. With the birds distracted, there was little challenge for a seasoned hunter. Few steps, several shoulder, paw and butt calibrations and flying leap. Something about taking down a bird after one almost took him down gave a bit more of a pep in his step as he returned to the camp with the prize safely in his jaws.
Teach birds a lesson about trying to eat him. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:46 pm
|
|
|
|
Lostpath had been adjusting to her life back home. She'd made the effort to spend time with her mother, Goldenleaf and her brother, Waspflight. She enjoyed spending time with the friends she'd made from the journey, notably Bearjaw and Rabbitleap.
It was funny how she ended up befriending them, in hindsight. They'd reached out to her after Owlheart had lashed out... Lostpath tried to smile at him when she saw him in camp, but she'd never gone out of her way to approach him since. Sometimes she felt awkward about it, spending time with his siblings when she wouldn't approach him. She'd grown up with him in the nursery, but she couldn't ever work up the nerve to do more than nod towards him.
Some brave, blessed warrior I am. She thought as she padded out of the warrior den. Stretching in the sunlight, she began to look around for some cat she might be able to speak with, that might help her wake up.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 4:08 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:07 am
|
|
|
|
Lostpath had only just begun to blink away her doziness, when there was a thump at her paws. She looked down in surprise and stared at the bird at her paws, before raising her eye to stare at Owlheart.
"Sorry?" She echoed, or maybe she was apologizing herself. It was hard to tell. She hadn't expected him to approach her like this... had she done something wrong again? But then, why would he be giving her a bird... That was what he was doing, right?
"I don't think I understand..." She paused, rattling her brain until something clicked. "Unless this is for... the mountain?" She asked, her voice soft and uncertain. She flicked her ear with the flower from their shared adventure and tentatively rolled the grouse over to look at it. "It has lovely feathers..." She mused softly. "Thank you, Owlheart." She replied, a small smile creeping over her muzzle. If this was an apology for his harsher tones... She hadn't been expecting one to come with such a gift. "This is a very generous gift. I'm not sure if I can eat this all. Would you share it with me?" She asked the tomcat.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 4:09 pm
|
|
|
|
Pawing at the ground, Owlheart waited for her response. More than a little tense in the muscles, the younger tom debated just backing away then. Apology dropped, goal met. Only, even he knew that wasn't enough. Lostpath wasn't to blame for the groups complete lack of sense. Thinking on it too much made him way too tense.
Lowering his head a little, Owlheart affirmed her guess, "It wasn't your fault I was frustrated and everyone was going the wrong way." It was all of their fault for that wasted time, hurt paws and near death. "You were only trying to help, I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Sorry." Finishing off accepting the blame for his reaction to the situation, Owlheart wasn't exactly sure what to do with himself.
Pawing again at the ground, he looked up when she not only accepted the gift but offered to share it. Nodding with a slight rumble, Owlheart agreed, "I'd love to." Guilt at his reaction started to ebb off now that she had approved of the peace offering.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:37 pm
|
|
|
|
Lostpath was pleasantly surprised by the apology and moved over so that he could tuck into the meal beside her. Between plucking the feathers off and shifting her position every now and then, she mewed.
"I don't blame you for being upset. I was startled, but I don't blame you. The journey was far from being an easy one." She remarked, but smiled. "Still, we're home now and Foxkit is breathing easily. Stonebelly, despite being thrust into the role, is a good medicine cat." She glanced across the camp to the medicine cat den. "Cardinalwhisper and Bumblebreeze will be good medicine cats too." She added.
When she'd finally got around enough of the feathers to get at the bird beneath, she became quiet as she ate. She was thoughtful, reflecting on all that they had been through on the journey. As she finished her portion of the meal, she licked her maw and smiled.
"I think it brought us all closer, at the very least. It may have been stressful, but we all got home safely and we're closer because of it." She mewed with a smile, glancing at Owlheart. "I'm thankful for that, among many things."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 5:44 pm
|
|
|
|
Shifting from paw to paw, Owlheart moved to take the offered spot next to her. Settling back down he accidentally bumped into her before stilling. The bird was her apology, she should be first to get the choicest parts.
Besides, the bile in his stomach didn't make eating that appealing. Just thinking about it caused grooves under his paws from claws. A reminder of why that journey mattered in the first place eased a release of air. Funny, he hadn't realized that he was holding a breath. Too tense for his own good.
There was a soft edge chuckle at that. Musing, Owlheart recalled, "Doesn't seem that long ago we were all playing in the nursing den." He recalled games of pouncing with Lostkit and Cardinalkit. When he didn't have his siblings to play with due them eating or sleeping, there were other kits like her and the medicine cat duo.
Making a show of eating a little, for her benefit, the tom spent extra time cleaning his own paws and face. For a brief moment his ears went flat and he muttered, "Brought some of us, anyway." She seemed to get closer to his siblings while his relationship with them strained.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
