- alleyway - [open]

[Gusty]

/open to all, feel free to join!

In the dark alleyways of Twolegplace- or Town, as Daedalus called it- there were lots of things to do. Yes. Just to keep himself alive was a struggle in itself, because he had to scravenge food from those pesky human's trash bins. And as a result of malnourishment, his body was undersized and thin; any cat could clearly see his rib cage and frame.

If he wanted to, Daedalus could've became a housecat. He could have lived under the protection of humans, which would supply him food and a fine shelter. But living with people had a cost. It would restrict his freedom, and Daedalus would rather live half-starved than chained to humans with a collar.

And the young tomcat enjoyed being alone, anyways. Away from other loners. Away from other housecats. Away from people and dogs and whatever was living- it was just so much easier that way.

[bobtail]

/open to all, feel free to join!

In the dark alleyways of Twolegplace- or Town, as Daedalus called it- there were lots of things to do. Yes. Just to keep himself alive was a struggle in itself, because he had to scravenge food from those pesky human's trash bins. And as a result of malnourishment, his body was undersized and thin; any cat could clearly see his rib cage and frame.

If he wanted to, Daedalus could've became a housecat. He could have lived under the protection of humans, which would supply him food and a fine shelter. But living with people had a cost. It would restrict his freedom, and Daedalus would rather live half-starved than chained to humans with a collar.

And the young tomcat enjoyed being alone, anyways. Away from other loners. Away from other housecats. Away from people and dogs and whatever was living- it was just so much easier that way.

Lily purred happily as her Twoleg leant down and filled her food bowl. She brushed against their leg briefly before wolfing down the meal. It wasn't the nicest thing she'd ever tasted, but it was food and it was easy to get. She couldn't understand why some cats insisted living in the wild and catching their own food was better.

The tabby she-cat padded over to the cat flap, swishing her tail once before leaping through it, landing delicately on the stone path outside. She looked around with squinted blue eyes as she trotted towards her fence. She wriggled her rump before pushing upwards, grabbing the top of the fence and pulling herself up.

The house cat lay atop the fence, staring out into the rest of the town, claws dug into the painted wood to help keep her balance. Lily watched cats come and go, subconsciously wondering why some cats enjoyed exploring as much as they did. Couldn't they be satisfied just wandering around a little before returning home?

She turned her gaze to the nearby alleyway, where lots of cats tended to wander before disappearing again. Maybe one or two stayed there, but Lily wasn't going in there to find out. Perhaps if Ember were here to go with her, but the other kittypet was still asleep. Lily sighed and rested her head atop her paws, gaze fixed on the alleyway.

[Gusty]

SamCats

Dead ahead of him, Daedalus saw an outline of a human's fence. Fences, to him, were stupid. Didn't people know that animals could easily jump over them? Sure, it could keep out large creatures such as foxes, but any agile feline or squirrel could easily hop over the painted structure.

Looking closely, the young tomcat realized that there was a moving specimen on top of that said fence. It didn't take long for him to realize that yes, the creature was a cat. And it was most likely a housecat too.

Well, that's nothing very interesting. he thought, flattening his ears. Just another stupid housecat in this dreadful Town. ...as per usual, Daedalus was thinking pessimistic, biased thoughts towards a probably-innocent Lily.

The tabby backed away from the fence, slowly slinking away into the shadows. The ragged-pelted tom felt more at ease with the darkness and rotting trash cans than sunlight and freshly-painted fences, anyways.

[bobtail]

Gusty

Lily pricked her ears and widened her eyes a little when she saw something move near her fence. The reflection of feline eyes; the subtle shift in the air that meant someone was nearby. She frowned, suddenly realising how many of her perceptions were influenced by her former title.

The kittypet shook her head to clear it, feeling her collar chafe against her neck. She sighed and carefully sat up, narrowing her eyes to watch as the vaguely feline shape disappeared back into the alley. Everything inside of her screamed to turn away and jump back into her garden, but the blood running through her veins knew that she couldn't.

The tabby she-cat stood and turned on the fence, bracing before leaping to the stone path on the other side. She turned her attention to the alley once again, hesitating for a moment before her instincts took over and she began to pad towards it.

[Gusty]

SamCats
[sorry for the late response]

Daedalus flicked his ears as he heard the padding of footsteps behind him. Someone's there. he thought, tensing up for a brief moment. He only relaxed when he smelled the scent of another cat- faintly mixed with the aroma of human, too. Must be a housecat. Probably the same housecat that I saw on that fence before. he guessed sourly, because that was the most probable thing to assume.

What I don't understand is why she's following me. the tomcat paused for a moment, in a mixture of paranoid fear.

But then he forced himself onwards, deeper into the trash-lined street. Oh my gosh, I have to stop overreacting. She probably isn't even following me at all. Just coincidence. He forced his fur to lay flat. And even if she truly is following me, I could probably attack and scare her away.

[bobtail]

Gusty
(It's fine. I probably won't be able to reply as often for a few days; my family is on holiday right now)

Lily drew slowly closer, noting the change in the other cat's demeanour. They had noticed her. She took a deep breath and picked up her pace, padding quickly after the cat whose scent she now recognised as a tom's. Another quick sniff revealed that he was a loner, or possibly a rogue.

I wonder what he thinks of me. He seems wary, but is he afraid? She smiled to herself, remembering the feeling of her claws sinking into flesh. He probably isn't. He most likely thinks he could chase me away with one hiss. Well he's wrong.

The tabby grinned, the shadows of the alley hiding her smile as she followed the rogue tom. She barely even hesitated before meowing, "Hello there. What are you doing around here? I don't see rogues nearby very often."

[Gusty]

SamCats (aha same)

The tomcat whipped his head around in surprise, but kept his expression as flat and emotionless as possible. Ah, darnit. It turns out that she really was following me all along. he grumbled internally. Perhaps she’s just a curious one? Well then. I guess many housecats are airheaded busybodies.

I don’t understand why she’d want to know stuff about a guy like me, though. I’m nothing interesting. Just your run-of-the-mill stray cat.

“Oh, I was just looking for some food.” Daedalus stated, keeping his sentence brief and straight to the point. There was no point in elaborating unless Lily prodded him with more unnecessary questions. After all, the tabby wasn’t one to trust others. Especially strangers.

[bobtail]

Gusty

Lily wasn't satisfied by this answer. The tom was being very defensive, although it was understandable. She was a stranger and he was most likely a stray. Her smile fell and her whiskers twitched uncertainly.

Just play dumb, she told herself. If she was lucky, she could avoid hostility. "Why don't you just ask your Twoleg for some food?"

Calling humans Twolegs would probably give away that she knew more than she let on, but it was worth a shot to avoid conflict. But if it came down to it, she as ready and willing to fight her way out of this alley.

[Gusty]

SamCats

The tabby didn't like the direction this conversation was taking. Why did she care about his well-being- or at least, how he got his food? If only she just minded their own business and stopped being so nosy.

He cringed internally at the mention of 'Twolegs'. Augh, why do so many felines called humans that? People weren't the only creatures with 'two legs'. Birds had two legs too, and yet nobody called them that.

"I don't have an owner. I just live by myself." Daedalus responded. "And I find my own food."

[bobtail]

Gusty
(Daedalus actually has a good point)

Lily twitched her whiskers with amusement at the tom's reply and tone of voice. He so obviously wanted her to leave him alone. But she had no mercy!

She would keep playing dumb in an attempt to keep her pelt and his intact, but there was no way she was stopping now. She'd been a kittypet for long enough now that all the scents she once knew by name had merged into one. To her nose, cats were either kittypets or not, and she hated it.

"If that's the case, then are you a loner or a rogue? Or perhaps..." She paused, trying to make it seem like she was really thinking about this. "You're a Clan cat?" It was hard to keep the hope out of her voice.

[Gusty]

Gusty
(Daedalus actually has a good point)

Lily twitched her whiskers with amusement at the tom's reply and tone of voice. He so obviously wanted her to leave him alone. But she had no mercy!

She would keep playing dumb in an attempt to keep her pelt and his intact, but there was no way she was stopping now. She'd been a kittypet for long enough now that all the scents she once knew by name had merged into one. To her nose, cats were either kittypets or not, and she hated it.

"If that's the case, then are you a loner or a rogue? Or perhaps..." She paused, trying to make it seem like she was really thinking about this. "You're a Clan cat?"
It was hard to keep the hope out of her voice.
(lol yea. Btw I'm sorry for the horrible activity)

Daedalus narrowed his eyes and paused for a moment. "No, I'm a loner." He stated, pelt bristling at the word 'clan cat'. Honestly, as far as he knew by the rumors, clanners were something to watch out for. Apparently there were many of them, making up a total of five clans. And according to what he overheard, they were probably arrogant, good-for-nothing felines that just took up space and pretended that they were the kings of the forest.

"And you're a housecat, right." Although the sentence itself was a question, he said it as a firm statement. "You shouldn't ask so many questions."

[bobtail]

(lol yea. Btw I'm sorry for the horrible activity)

Daedalus narrowed his eyes and paused for a moment. "No, I'm a loner." He stated, pelt bristling at the word 'clan cat'. Honestly, as far as he knew by the rumors, clanners were something to watch out for. Apparently there were many of them, making up a total of five clans. And according to what he overheard, they were probably arrogant, good-for-nothing felines that just took up space and pretended that they were the kings of the forest.

"And you're a housecat, right." Although the sentence itself was a question, he said it as a firm statement. "You shouldn't ask so many questions."

(It's fine :kittyface:)

Lily smiled to herself at how defensive this tom insisted on being. She stretched luxuriously, as if bored, and eyed the loner with a content expression. What are you hiding from me? Or are you just a very lonely cat?

His second statement caught her attention, however. She straightened up and frowned thoughtfully, considering her response. "Well... yes. I suppose I am a kittypet." She paused before adding with a smirk, "Now, anyway."

[Gusty]

SamCats

A housecat... for now? So what, is she going to leave her owners one day and become a loner or rogue? The tabby wondered. Well, if she does, it'll certainly be a painful choice, but one that's well worth it. He shook his head to clear the thoughts out of his mind.

"Well, since you are a housecat, this would be the perfect time to go back to your kind little owners and do whatever housecats do." Daedalus was struggling to get the right words out. Lily was being very... irritating. Probably purposefully so. If only he could get back to his quiet, uninterrupted hunting.

[bobtail]

Gusty

"Or... I could stick around for a while." Lily purred. "I haven't been away from my Twoleg in far too long." Moons, actually. Has it really been moons since I left?

"So what is it that you loners do all day? Doesn't it get boring being lonely?" She asked, padding closer to him and looking around the alley with mild interest. This was something she had actually always wondered, even before being a kittypet.

[Gusty]

SamCats

Seems like I can't shake her off easily. Daedalus thought, rather disappointed. He thought that most housecats would have enough adventure by now. Well, too bad for Lily, because he would attempt to give the most boring and vague answers one could come up with in a split second.

"Uh, no." The tabby muttered. "I'm used to being lonely. And I like it that way." He emphasized the last part, hoping that she'd take the hint that perhaps she should leave already? Although Lily didn't seem to adhere to any of this.

His voice already achy and scratchy from saying those few sentences. The tomcat coughed, trying to clear his throats of the dryness. Now that I think of it, I haven't talked to a cat for months, Daedalus thought. Except for now, of course.

[bobtail]

Gusty

Lily frowned thoughtfully. She could just go now and avoid the conflict that would most likely come from this meeting, or she could stay and ask what had been burning in the back of her mind since she saw this cat.

"That's... nice. My name's Lily, by the way." The tabby told him, looking around the alley and trying to seem disinterested. She should just ask the question before she lost her nerve and bolted.

"And, uh... I know you're not a Clan cat, but you wouldn't happen to know any, would you?" The Twoleg place was fairly close to the forest, so it definitely wasn't impossible.

[Gusty]

@SamCats /do you want to come up with some kind of drama or something? like going into the forest and meeting a clan cat?/

It was funny, how Daedalus didn't even think about asking for the she-cat's name in the beginning. Oh, well, his general lack of communication must've wiped his memory of what proper etiquette was. No big deal.

"Hmm, no. I don't know any clan cats." he said stately.

Why would she ask that question? Does she want to meet one of those strange clanners? Just thinking about meeting a clan cat made his fur tingle.
I've never met one myself, but I don't ever intend to. But she's the curious type. I guess I can't blame her, really...

[bobtail]

@SamCats /do you want to come up with some kind of drama or something? like going into the forest and meeting a clan cat?/

It was funny, how Daedalus didn't even think about asking for the she-cat's name in the beginning. Oh, well, his general lack of communication must've wiped his memory of what proper etiquette was. No big deal.

"Hmm, no. I don't know any clan cats." he said stately.

Why would she ask that question? Does she want to meet one of those strange clanners? Just thinking about meeting a clan cat made his fur tingle.
I've never met one myself, but I don't ever intend to. But she's the curious type. I guess I can't blame her, really...

Gusty
(That sounds good to me :) )

Lily sighed, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice as she meowed, "Oh. Okay then." If he didn't know any Clan cats, then there wasn't much of a point to sticking around any longer.

"Well, if that's the case, I suppose I'll just get going now." She sighed, turning away from him and finally letting her smile fall. Maybe I should just stop dodging it. If I want to see her this badly, maybe I should just admit that I made the wrong decision. I never should've left.

She began to pad away, her head and tail drooping. She hated to show her despair in front of anybody, but she couldn't hold it back anymore. This was the third non-kittypet she'd found since coming here, and the third who had given her no information on the Clans. Perhaps she would just have to find her own way to the Clans.

[Gusty]

SamCats /ok!

The tomcat watched as Lily continued forwards. For the first time in months, he felt a pang of sympathy arise in his gut. That she-cat looked so desperately defeated, with her tail half-dragging on the ground and a disappointed expression sketched across her face. Wow, she really wants to meet those scattered-brained clanners so bad?

He could've walked away by now, to perhaps do what he intended to in the first place (scavenge for food), but instead he felt locked in place. Daedalus made no move to follow Lily, but he didn't make any move to leave, either. He just stood silently, transfixed in time.

[bobtail]

Gusty

Lily reached the end of the alley and stopped, sighing as she stared up at her Twoleg nest. For multiple reasons, she didn't feel like going back just yet. Or going inside, at least. She crouched and tensed her muscles before taking off, landing gracefully atop the fence. The tabby took a second to glance back down the alley, surprised to see the loner still standing there. She'd thought that he'd run off as soon as she allowed him.

But that wasn't important. She sat down on the fence post and stared out into the Twoleg place, wishing that her Twoleg hadn't moved. When she first became a kittypet, she was able to take daily trips into the forest, in hopes of seeing her again. But then they moved nests and now she couldn't even remember the way back. She sighed again and stared down at her paws.

I never should have left the Clan...

[Gusty]

SamCats

Daedalus watched Lily for some couple of moments, as she jumped onto the fence and went back down into the village's streets again. She had this determined manner to her, as if nothing would stop her from reaching her goals. An aspiring thought trickled into the tom's mind: I wish that I could be like that one day. Having goals and reaching them. Right now... where am I going with my life?

But yet still, his goals would never include finding clan cats.

"One day, I'll do something worthwhile," he convinced himself, although he wasn't sure what.

[Gusty]

SamCats bump [take your time replying if needed]

[bobtail]

Gusty
(Sorry! I'm away from home right now so I'm stuck replying on my tablet, which takes a lot longer than my computer)

Lily sat on her fence, staring blankly out into the street. All the scents around her blended together, as if her forest cat nose still had not adjusted to these Twoleg smells. She shifted where she sat, feeling her collar rub against her neck. On an impulse, she twisted her neck and gripped the restraining item between her jaws, tugging and tugging.

But collars were made sturdily, and some half-hearted nibbling wasn't going to break them. Lily looked around the neighbouring gardens, wondering if there was some other way to remove this thing. Because without the strength to break it, she would have to find a way to wriggle out of it.

The tabby spared one last glance for the shadow watching her in the alley. She blinked deep blue eyes once in gratitude before turning and leaping down into her Twoleg's garden. She'd have to find her own way back home, and she would, even if it took her a hundred moons.

[Gusty]

SamCats (oh, ok, that's fine :3 )

The thoughts were still ringing in his ears. Daedalus basked in the realization that he wasn't getting anywhere. But after rethinking it for a moment, he wasn't sure exactly what he wanted to do with his life. This tomcat wasn't quite the type for deep thinking, really. Life on the streets had made him much more of an impulsive one- and framing out his future nerved him to some extent.

Well, now that Lily was gone... he could eat, couldn't he? Finally moving, the tabby sniffed the air, tying to pick out the strongest scents of food. After finding a strong one, he leaped on top of that garbage can and knocked it over. The contents spilled all across the ground, which would provide a good meal for the alleycat.

It took only a few sparing moments to pick through the half-decayed meat; a lot of it was not to his liking, but Daedalus had no choice but to eat it, since he hadn't acquired any hunting skills. Perhaps then, one day I will teach myself to hunt. But then again, I don't feel like living in the forests. It's so musty and unfamiliar there, nothing like the comfort of the village.

Once he was finished, but yet only half-full, Daedalus was restless again. For some odd reason, a prickling sensation ran across his spine, yet he scented no other cats in the alleyway.

Guided by some unknown instinct, the gray-pelted feline followed the scent trail of Lily. It was still fresh; she had been around here recently. As in, just minutes ago. Daedalus had no clue why he was even moving in this direction, but that was where his paws took him, and that was where he would go.

/why did this get so long)

[bobtail]

Gusty

Lily crossed her Twoleg's garden quickly and leapt up onto the fence on the other side. She hopped across a few more fence posts until she reached the nest of her friend, Ember. The reason she'd left the Clans in the first place. Part of the reason, anyway. The tabby padded over to the wall and made the jump to the outside windowsill, peering inside. She could just about see a ball of orange fur curled up in their nest.

The blue-eyed she-cat sighed and leapt back onto the fence, starting to make her way back to her own nest. She couldn't take off without letting her friend know first, so she'd have to wait to go back to the forest. Maybe she should look around this place one last time. It had been her place to rest for the past moon, after all. And she should probably say thanks to her Twoleg for looking after her for ten moons.

She was excited by the thought of finally going home. She'd get to see her Clanmates again! Cloudstorm wouldn't be there to welcome her back, but maybe... she would. She'd be an apprentice by now, wouldn't she? Or maybe she was already a warrior! An ache started in Lily's chest and she wondered if it was worth waiting to say goodbye to her friends around here. The tabby sighed and returned to her previous place on her fence; her eyes were closed, but her ears were pricked and she was listening attentively to every noise around her. She had to get back into the habit if she really wanted to go home.

(Probably the same reason it took so long for me to reply :()

[Gusty]

SamCats [just a question, do you rp Ember and Cloudstorm and those other cats? Also, what clan did Lily come from?]

I haven't been to this part of town in a while, hmm? he thought, padding into the bright, cheery parts of twolegplace. There were rows of houses, where some of them surrounded by a wooden picket fence. Others were surrounded by white plastic fences, like Lily's house. The houses were pretty large, and the yards were even larger. It had been a few moons or so since he'd actually gotten up close and examined these village homes.

The whole thing was kind of nostalgic, actually. Truth to be told, Daedalus used to be a housecat himself, when he was a kitten. He'd been born a domestic feline, living easily and stress-free for the first ten moons of his life. Nowadays, Daedalus would deny this part of his childhood. If anyone would ask about his kit life, he'd make up lies. Being a housecat was something that he was ashamed of; he didn't want to be reminded of his past...

His pace quickened as he followed Lily's scent. Daedalus was lost in thought, thinking about his 'kittypet' past and how plain stupid it was. The sun was burning on his back, warming it up. The amount of light on all sides of him was nearly unfamiliar, as he was more used to the darkness.

I want to go back to my alley. For a second, the tabby froze, finally coming to his senses. Now, Daedalus realized that he had been following Lily's scent to some random place.

He looked behind his shoulder. The alleyway was just a mere speck in the distance.

[can Lily see/find him now?]

[bobtail]

Gusty
(Lily came from ThunderClan. I roleplay Ember, and I used to roleplay Cloudstorm, but then he kind of... died.)

Lily blinked her eyes open as the soft sound of pawsteps reached her ears. She turned her head, growing increasingly aware of the way her collar rubbed against her neck. She narrowed her eyes at the ground below her fence and looked up and down the street, feeling a flutter of surprise when she saw the longer from the alley nearby.

She considered her options carefully before leaping down from the fence, unwillingly remembering how she once leapt from low branches in a similar way. She landed, relishing the jolt that shot through her limbs, and raised her head, blinking curious blue eyes at the cat just a couple nests down. Had he followed her here?

The tabby padded towards him, walking with more far purpose than the last she'd seen him; she finally had a goal. She halted a few tail-lengths away and meowed, "Hello again. What are you doing so far from your alleyway..." She suddenly realised that she didn't know this cat's name. "I don't think you ever actually introduced yourself. Let's try again... my name's Lily. What's yours?"

[Gusty]

SamCats (oh, okay)

It's like we're back to the beginning, hmm? Daedalus wondered, flattening his ears at the thought about speaking again. But now that she asked a question, he felt obligated to respond. "I'm Daedalus."

And yes, I still remember that your name is Lily. Only talked to you a couple of moments ago; I still know your name. I'm not that old yet, he thought. The sarcasm was slipping back again. At least he managed to refrain from saying those last two thoughts aloud.

"But, wait, where were you going?" He blurted quickly, before Lily could respond.

//go me!! I spelled your username wrong so the mention didn't work before ;-;

[bobtail]

Gusty

Lily smiled a little as she learned the rogue's name, glad she could at least thank the cat who'd inspired her to return home by name. She was about to do just that when he spoke again, cutting her off before she could even open her mouth to speak. Her whiskers twitched with amusement and some tiny voice in the back of her mind started wondering which of them was older.

The tabby was silent for a few moments, musing over her answer to Daedalus' question and just how much information to give him. On one paw, she'd always been a very secretive she-cat, and hated sharing what she knew. On the other paw, she'd probably never see this rogue again after today. He'd go back to his alley, she'd say goodbye to Ember and then leave forever. Who knew, she might not even have to say goodbye! Maybe Ember would go with her! No, no, she loved her Twolegs too much...

The blue-eyed kittypet suddenly realised she'd been quiet for a little too long. Feeling awkward, she quickly decided to just tell Daedalus the truth. "I'm going to the forest outside of the Twolegplace. I lived there a long time ago, and I know now it was a mistake to leave."

[Gusty]

SamCats

The tom had always been comfortable with silences, so he didn't mind the long gap between his statement and Lily's. In the dim quietness of town, Daedalus felt his mind wander too. He nervously looked back over his shoulder, where his alleyway was just a mere black splotch in the distance. Slight paranoida made his fur bristle; he felt extremely uncomfortable out here in full sunlight. Perhaps he'd find shade under a tree or the shadow of a house later. And the fresh scent of freshly mowed grass prickled his nose, for Daedalus was more accustomed to the smell of rotting flesh and decaying matter.

He longed to be back in the alleyway, but at the same time, the 'angel' on his shoulder told him that it would be good to stay here, have a little bit of interaction, live his life as a normal feline.

He had only been half-listening when Lily finally responded, but he understood enough of what she said. "The forest?" Instinctively, he wrinkled his face up in mild disgust. Even though he'd never entered woodland before, it sounded like a horrible place to live. "Why would leaving be a mistake?"

And wow, I thought that Lily was a kittypet for her entire life. I guess I was wrong. Daedalus thought, a bit frustrated with himself, for he didn't like being incorrect.

[bobtail]

Gusty

Lily twitched her ear as Daedalus spoke, but that was the only sign of her annoyance. She was nothing like the optimistic yet obnoxious kittypet who'd snuck into that alleyway. The tabby was holding herself more like she had before leaving the forest, although most loners or kittypets wouldn't recognise it for what it was.

The she-cat mused over her response for a moment before meowing, "Yes, the forest. I was born and raised there, and I never should've left." Her blue eyes narrowed slightly, and they dimmed a little with thinly-veiled grief. "Leaving was a mistake because it's not how I was raised. My mother always taught me to care for those around me, and my father told me to be loyal to the ones I love. And yet..." She could no longer recount this while looking a cat in the eyes; the tabby turned her gaze to her paws. "I-I left it all behind at the first sign of trouble. My friends, my mate... It was a mistake."

[Gusty]

SamCats

The forest. She survived in the forest. Daedalus thought, forcing his facial expressions down from a shocked scowl to a neutral poker face. Who would've known.

"What do you mean, you regret it?" He asked first. It was a stupid question. She obviously missed her family and friends; that was what she implied by the second part of her response.

Following up quickly to cover up for his first statement, he continued: "So what, are you just going to enter that forest and find your family? They might not be there anymore. Who knows what might've happened to them... according to the rumors I hear, there can be foxes and badgers. Which can easily kill cats like us."

And how are you even going to find them? How long have you been a housecat? Do you even know your way back to your family through the maze of trees? He thought, trying to sort this mess all out. He'd never really been involved in anyone else's life before, this was a new sort of thing for him.

[bobtail]

Gusty

Lily frowned a little at Daedalus' initial question, wondering whether to be offended or confused. She quickly put it out of her mind as the loner spoke again, forcing her face back to a neutral expression. She heard the much more... reasonable questions and mulled over her response for a moment.

"Well, yes. It might be hard to find my way back to the forest, but once I do, I'm just going to go in. It may have been a long time since I was there, but I still remember where I was born." Lily explained, trying not to go into too much detail for risk of spilling things she wasn't comfortable talking about. "And I doubt that they'll have left. If my Clan is gone, then so are all the others and that's not very likely." After what happened to SkyClan, I'm pretty sure that none of the Clans would let another get driven off.

She couldn't help but smile a little at the mention of predators. It'd been far too long since she'd had a real fight! "As for any foxes or badgers... it might be moons since I was trained, but a true warrior never forgets how to fight." As she spoke, she began to realise just how true her words were: she could vividly remember bowling over her mentor, being confronted by enemy warriors, taking down a patrol with her Clanmates by her side. She had to stem the flow of memories before they reached the one she knew would break her all over again.

[Gusty]

SamCats o o p s I should have replied earlier

CLAN! That was the very first thing that swept through Daledalus’s mind, snapping into his thought process as quick as lightning, making it seem unreal. The fact that Lily once lived in the forest was a spectacular, peculiar feat in itself, but her being a clan cat that once lived in the forest- well, that was even more mind-blowing, and Daledalus froze in temporary shock. His whiskers tensed up; his tail no longer swished side to side, basking in the strangely warm sunlight, but instead shot straight upwards, as if he was afraid.

And she was a warrior too... he thought, biting his rough sandpaper tongue until it hurt. Daedalus didn’t know too much about warriors, but he certainly didn’t like them, from his prior background knowledge. They didn’t seem trustworthy. But then again, nobody was trustworthy. It just so happened that clan cats seemed even more untrustworthy than the general crowd. He’d never intended on ever seeing a member of the clans in his life, and yet here one was, right in front of him- well, a former one, but the effect was still there.

Daledalus thought that he may have had a chance at becoming friends with Lily, or at least acquaintances that chatted every month, but now he wasn’t so sure. This whole clan thing got onto his nerves.

By now, he’d completely forgot the whole ‘getting-into-forest’ dilemma and only concentrated on the ‘clan’ part. There was a spacious gap in the conversation, where he opened his mouth to snap something sarcastic or mean-spirited back, only to close it again without uttering a single word.

[bobtail]

Gusty
(It's fine!)

Lily was unreasonably surprised by Daedalus' response; he may not be a kittypet, but he still lived in Twolegplace, and most cats who lived there were afraid or at least wary of Clan cats, whether it was because of the stories that they ate live rabbits and kittypets or because they just seemed threatening. All the same, the tabby was somewhat hurt by the sudden change in the loner's demeanour, having thought that perhaps they could talk for a while longer. But if he was so put down by the realisation, perhaps of her heritage or her willingness to fight, then maybe they just weren't meant to be friends.

"Daedalus?" She ventured, wondering if perhaps she could talk the loner back into friendliness. "Is everything okay? Was it something I said?" Maybe he doesn't actually mind who I am. Maybe he was just surprised! The blue-eyed she-cat twitched her tail hopefully, suddenly realising how upset she had sounded; she sat down on the hard Twoleg path and lifted one paw to her muzzle, licking it and drawing it over her ear as if to seem disinterested.

[Gusty]

SamCats

“I...” he started at first, somewhat hesitant, unsure of how things would play out. At first, Daedalus thought of lying, because was already ingrained in his mind. I could just say that there’s nothing wrong, and then hold a grudge for the rest of time. It won’t be too bad.

And the tom would have said that. Except the fact was that he had already paused for a significant amount of time, and if he spoke that sentence now, it would sound suspiciously false and calculated. To lie properly, you’d at least have to make it semi-believable, and Daedalus has already fallen out of that zone. His facial expressions revealed everything at first glance.

So instead, the alley cat slouched down a bit and just muttered, “I just don’t like clan cats.”

Subconsciously, the ragged-furred feline realized that he might have offended Lily in some way, but there was no way to take back the statement. It just hung in the stale air, awkward as ever.

[bobtail]

SamCats

“I...” he started at first, somewhat hesitant, unsure of how things would play out. At first, Daedalus thought of lying, because was already ingrained in his mind. I could just say that there’s nothing wrong, and then hold a grudge for the rest of time. It won’t be too bad.

And the tom would have said that. Except the fact was that he had already paused for a significant amount of time, and if he spoke that sentence now, it would sound suspiciously false and calculated. To lie properly, you’d at least have to make it semi-believable, and Daedalus has already fallen out of that zone. His facial expressions revealed everything at first glance.

So instead, the alley cat slouched down a bit and just muttered, “I just don’t like clan cats.”

Subconsciously, the ragged-furred feline realized that he might have offended Lily in some way, but there was no way to take back the statement. It just hung in the stale air, awkward as ever.

Gusty

Lily fought back her initial response, to hiss and swipe at Daedalus, and instead took a deep breath to calm herself, her annoyance shown only in a single twitch of her tail. She closed her eyes briefly, thinking of a calm day in the forest, before opening them again and straightening her downturned lips. It wasn't Daedalus' fault; most Twolegplace cats disliked wild cats. Maybe he'd had a bad experience with one; Clans definitely weren't the most open towards outsiders.

"I can understand that." She meowed, glancing away awkwardly as the words tumbled from her mouth. They were true; it was why she had left the Clan in the first place. "Clan cats can be brutal and unwelcoming, and I know firsthand just how cruel some of them can be. The reason I left was because of how dangerous they are. They..." she broke off, closing her eyes tightly and taking a deep breath to hold back the sob threatening to break from her throat. "A Clan cat killed the one I loved. That's why I left."

[Gusty]

SamCats

Daedalus could feel the underlying tension of the situation. Yes, Lily wasn’t entirely outraged, but her tone was sharp and crisp. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything after all. Maybe he shouldn’t have left his alleyway. Maybe taking risks like these were mistakes.

Oh. I see. Some clan cats are brutal, is that what you’re implying? he thought, although his mind envisioned needle-sharp claws and bloodstained carcasses. And I see that some clan cats kill... so it is like the rumors. I still am not really fond of them.

“But you,” Daledalus replied, uncertainly. “You’ve never killed anyone, have you?” Lily didn’t look like she was extremely bloodthirsty, but who knows, after growing up with cats that could be potential murderers... the tom didn’t fear for his safety, but he did want to know the ferocity of clanners.

[bobtail]

Gusty

If she'd been annoyed before, Lily was now officially offended. She fought to stay calm, closing her eyes tight and taking more than one deep breath before lifting her head and opening her eyes again. "No, Daedalus. I have never killed another cat." She hesitated for a second, not really wanting to risk scaring the longer even more. That would just hurt the both of them more.

"No, I've never killed a cat. I'm the heat of battle to defend my territory, I have come close. But the warrior code dictates that you should never kill an enemy, even in battle, unless it is to protect your own life." She meowed cautiously, wondering whether this would help or not. The mention of battle would probably make things worse, but telling Daedalus about the warrior code wouldn't hurt... right? "And since every Clan cat follows the warrior code, cats are rarely killed."