SkyClan Territory

[Fel]

Originally Posted by Duskflight

The tom that everyone seems love to, has no clue about the emotion itself it seems, or has the definition of it all wrong which was strange, very strange for a tom of his age and to just be loved by so many, it almost didn't make any sense. How did he not know what love was? One of the most common emotions that almost every cat yearns for at least once in their life. And yet, he had not the foggiest of ideas about it, in fact, he was completely baffled and confused by whatever Rowanflower was trying to say, he thought he had a clue about what the other cat was saying, but then the ginger tom would simply say that it's not quite like that, leaving him confused once more. He glanced back at the young warrior as he told him to wait up, but for once, he didn't slow down, he was expecting Rowan to chase him, he had faith that the tom could catch up, he wasn't running his fastest, but he needed to run, it was a desperate urge inside of him to run, his energy overflowing and needing to be spent.
"A different kind of love? But isn't there only one type of love?" Asked the leader in confusion, glancing over his shoulder in his stark confusion, nothing that Rowanflower was saying was making any sort of sense to him. Huffing out in his confusion, he slowed his pace to allow the other cat to catch up a bit, stopping beneath one of the oldest tree's in the territory, his emerald eyes focused on the ginger tom racing to catch up.
"Yes, mates are the bestest of best friends, that's what we are, the bestest of best friends, right? Closest of friends Rowan. Why do you keep saying that I'm wrong then?" Sitting down, he would focus his attention solely on Rowanflower, it was painfully obvious that the tom truly had no clue of what he was talking about. But maybe... That innocent lack of knowledge of love, perhaps that's what let him run free without worry? It meant that he wasn't worried about confessing his feelings to a crush, worried about getting his heart broken, he was gleefully oblivious to the feeling. And yet, it could also be a downfall, what if he never knew the true, beautiful feeling of absolute love? To care about a cat so much that it felt like the world would crumble beneath your paws should the other be taken away, that feeling that you get when you're comfortably laying in the sun with them, having small talk, resting your head on them, knowing that you are their's and they are yours. Was it even possible to teach a cat love? If they were as clueless as him?

"...It's like the bestest of best friends, but then something a bit more, as if you simply can't be without them- like they're somebody you'll protect in a heartbeat if you have to, I think. Did you ever have parents? They... they were probably mates, I think." Rowanflower discussed, hoping that he'd see what he was talking about, his question. Please, please, Grousestar- maybe you know what they are, and maybe you don't get it- but there's nothing in the way of me teaching you- the student can become the teacher, and I can help you understand love, maybe. "Hey, it's not like you're wrong, it's just that you don't have the full story- because if you love somebody than that, it's bigger than any friendship out there. It's just something more, do you get me?" He sat next to Grousestar as well, letting out a deep sigh as the ginger-and white tom was glad to finally not have to run after his mentor- it was almost as if he was trying to run away from him- did I scare him in any sorts? I don't want to be scary- I just want to love him, and I just want to talk- why am I like this? It was almost as if he couldn't act even a bit normal, like the tom had to be awkward and shy all the time, that he couldn't just say it. All he wanted to do was ask one single question, but it was too hard for him, and it hurt the inside of his chest as he tried to take, eyes filling up with nervous fear as he spoke. Rowanflower didn't know what to say or what to do, or if he was going to make the right choice in front of this cat. Grousestar intimidated him, and it was hard to say that everything would end up being okay when you didn't know the future.
"A-And I was wondering if you wanted to be m-mine. Maybe. If you want. I-I-"

He was speechless.

[The Cannibal]

Originally Posted by fenic!

"...It's like the bestest of best friends, but then something a bit more, as if you simply can't be without them- like they're somebody you'll protect in a heartbeat if you have to, I think. Did you ever have parents? They... they were probably mates, I think." Rowanflower discussed, hoping that he'd see what he was talking about, his question. Please, please, Grousestar- maybe you know what they are, and maybe you don't get it- but there's nothing in the way of me teaching you- the student can become the teacher, and I can help you understand love, maybe. "Hey, it's not like you're wrong, it's just that you don't have the full story- because if you love somebody than that, it's bigger than any friendship out there. It's just something more, do you get me?" He sat next to Grousestar as well, letting out a deep sigh as the ginger-and white tom was glad to finally not have to run after his mentor- it was almost as if he was trying to run away from him- did I scare him in any sorts? I don't want to be scary- I just want to love him, and I just want to talk- why am I like this? It was almost as if he couldn't act even a bit normal, like the tom had to be awkward and shy all the time, that he couldn't just say it. All he wanted to do was ask one single question, but it was too hard for him, and it hurt the inside of his chest as he tried to take, eyes filling up with nervous fear as he spoke. Rowanflower didn't know what to say or what to do, or if he was going to make the right choice in front of this cat. Grousestar intimidated him, and it was hard to say that everything would end up being okay when you didn't know the future.
"A-And I was wondering if you wanted to be m-mine. Maybe. If you want. I-I-"

He was speechless.

"Huh..." Grunted out the tom with a small flick of his ear, brilliant green eyes glancing away as he thought over what Rowanflower had said to him, it sort of made sense to him, but truly, he couldn't make a connection to the words, he couldn't imagine anything better than happiness, it was like it was the only emotion that was in his life and he almost couldn't conceptualize other emotions, it was like it was impossible for him to feel anything other than happiness. But that's not true right? That was impossible for a cat to feel one emotion constantly... Right?
"Yes I had parents, they're not around anymore, but yeah.. They were mates. They were always around each other and talking and such, like good friends." Spoke the tom, looking back at his former apprentice, still not quite getting what he was saying.
"I... Still don't follow Rowan, it doesn't make much sense to me, but I'm sure you're right!" He purred out cheerily before looking up at the tree towering over them, only to slowly settle down on the ground and begin to lick a paw, eyes still focused on the other cat.
"Be your... Best friend? Bestest of best friends? Yeah sure Rowan! I'd love to be!"
He was so nonchalant about the whole thing, it was rather astounding, perhaps he didn't see the gravity of the situation, the weight it held. It appears poor Rowanflower would have a hard time getting through to Grouse just what exactly this was, and no one would blame him if he gave up.

[Fel]

Originally Posted by Duskflight

"Huh..." Grunted out the tom with a small flick of his ear, brilliant green eyes glancing away as he thought over what Rowanflower had said to him, it sort of made sense to him, but truly, he couldn't make a connection to the words, he couldn't imagine anything better than happiness, it was like it was the only emotion that was in his life and he almost couldn't conceptualize other emotions, it was like it was impossible for him to feel anything other than happiness. But that's not true right? That was impossible for a cat to feel one emotion constantly... Right?
"Yes I had parents, they're not around anymore, but yeah.. They were mates. They were always around each other and talking and such, like good friends." Spoke the tom, looking back at his former apprentice, still not quite getting what he was saying.
"I... Still don't follow Rowan, it doesn't make much sense to me, but I'm sure you're right!" He purred out cheerily before looking up at the tree towering over them, only to slowly settle down on the ground and begin to lick a paw, eyes still focused on the other cat.
"Be your... Best friend? Bestest of best friends? Yeah sure Rowan! I'd love to be!"
He was so nonchalant about the whole thing, it was rather astounding, perhaps he didn't see the gravity of the situation, the weight it held. It appears poor Rowanflower would have a hard time getting through to Grouse just what exactly this was, and no one would blame him if he gave up.

"Not just best friend- Grouse, will you-" Taking in a deep breath quietly, his tail trembled with anxiety as he tried to form the right sentence, as the warrior searched for the perfect term to describe what he was really feeling now. He was so focused on finding what would be right that he didn't think much about Grousestar's perspective on the term, blurting out what he wanted to say immediately after he thought of it. "Will you be my mate?" That was all he had to say, everything he had to do- and no matter the answer, at least he was brave enough to go for it.
He didn't mind that Grousestar seemed so casual about it, but the two were very different in how they spoke all of a sudden, as if it was just a normal day for the brown tabby, whilst it was something that the ginger-furred tom had been looking forward to his entire life. It was a confession, a stolen word off of a page of a love story which ended in tragedy, ready to be rewritten into something with a happy ending.
Rowan wanted a fairy-tale life with an ending like no other, and had always strived for this idea of meeting the perfect one- but he'd never known until about a moon ago that he'd known that cat all along, that it was the cat who's taught him everything. It was Grousestar, and he couldn't hold back his feelings any further from him, as it was the truth.

[The Cannibal]

Originally Posted by fenic!

"Not just best friend- Grouse, will you-" Taking in a deep breath quietly, his tail trembled with anxiety as he tried to form the right sentence, as the warrior searched for the perfect term to describe what he was really feeling now. He was so focused on finding what would be right that he didn't think much about Grousestar's perspective on the term, blurting out what he wanted to say immediately after he thought of it. "Will you be my mate?" That was all he had to say, everything he had to do- and no matter the answer, at least he was brave enough to go for it.
He didn't mind that Grousestar seemed so casual about it, but the two were very different in how they spoke all of a sudden, as if it was just a normal day for the brown tabby, whilst it was something that the ginger-furred tom had been looking forward to his entire life. It was a confession, a stolen word off of a page of a love story which ended in tragedy, ready to be rewritten into something with a happy ending.
Rowan wanted a fairy-tale life with an ending like no other, and had always strived for this idea of meeting the perfect one- but he'd never known until about a moon ago that he'd known that cat all along, that it was the cat who's taught him everything. It was Grousestar, and he couldn't hold back his feelings any further from him, as it was the truth.

He heard frustration in Rowanflower's voice and well, this only added to the older cat's confusion as he made himself comfortable beneath that old tree, his green eyes focused on the ginger and white tom as his tail quivered and a clear look of some form of frustration crossing his features.
Was it possible for him to become even more confused? Probably so. But he, for the most part hid it and dawned instead his normal cheery demeanor, a quiet purr escaping him as he simply watched his former apprentice try to form some type of words because his last sentence had trailed off.
And then finally he blurted out a question.
"Your mate?" Questioned Grousestar, his green eyes shimmering with that same confusion before there came clarity.
"Oh, yeah totally! I like to have a cat around to tell my day to, all of the stuff I did, play and joke around with, go on walks with, share tongues with, yeah, that sounds awesome, sure!" Grousestar busted out in a louder purr, stretching his forepaw's forward and closing his eyes.
The answer really just sounded like a good friend, that's what he thought a mate was anyways, just a really, really, really good friend that you could hang out with all the time and it wouldn't seem weird because you called each other 'mates', which was really just another term for 'the bestest of best, best friends'. But this time he didn't say that, in a way, it sounded like he was being truly genuine about being an actual mate, the one that loved and would one day hope to rear a family with. Though it would be up to Rowan if he believed that Grouse still wasn't at all clear on the whole 'mate' idea.

[Octavia]

Originally Posted by Derpple and Ashie

"If we get too big," meowed Mistypaw with thought, "I guess it would be hard to protect the territory. Spread too thin, and then we're just asking for some rogue band or loners to come in and steal what we've claimed, and we wouldn't be able to protect it." The silvery she-cat shuddered at the thought of having to fend off some invading felines because they were greedy about how much land they wanted." Bramblestripe gave an agreeing nod as they walked along, not feeling like voicing an opinion just yet. "Has that ever happened? Have we ever had to fight off other cats?"

Coughing quietly, Aetherwing remained silent for a moment or two, thinking carefully how to word his response, or was he? "Well there's a few different instances that come to mind, but it wasn't really defending the territory, more just making sure that they respected our clan borders. I don't think our clan has even had to kill a cat so far. Perhaps I'm wrong in that judgement, just, there's lots of land around us, the loners have places to go hunt."

Skyepaw continued to walk alongside her friend, listening to the tom, he seemed all over the place, but it wasn't... bad? Aetherwing seemed to know what he was doing, and often just chose not to be a mature warrior. Was she wrong to judge him for that?

[Derpple and Ashie]

Originally Posted by Octavia

Coughing quietly, Aetherwing remained silent for a moment or two, thinking carefully how to word his response, or was he? "Well there's a few different instances that come to mind, but it wasn't really defending the territory, more just making sure that they respected our clan borders. I don't think our clan has even had to kill a cat so far. Perhaps I'm wrong in that judgement, just, there's lots of land around us, the loners have places to go hunt."

Skyepaw continued to walk alongside her friend, listening to the tom, he seemed all over the place, but it wasn't... bad? Aetherwing seemed to know what he was doing, and often just chose not to be a mature warrior. Was she wrong to judge him for that?

Slowly following along, Bramblestripe gave a nod of her head and instead seemed to be focused on the horizon, half expecting something to go wrong. She flicked her tail for her apprentice to stay close. Mistypaw however, was keen on keeping the conversation rolling, and frowned in confusion. "So, they just go elsewhere? There's better lands out there?" She looked to the south, and couldn't seem to understand what he meant. "I remember life being pretty hard when I was with my mother," she meowed, an ache in her chest forming at the memory of the russet furred she-cat. "This place is a thousand times better than that!"

[doghouse]

As Grousestar spoke, she nodded and stood up, watching as he finished speaking and got up, then padded towards the camp entrance. Lioncry followed after the leader, her ears pricked cautiously.
She followed him, looking around, hurrying along beside him. She flicked her ears, then changed direction slightly, hoping he was following, as Lioncry was now in the lead, though she felt uncomfortable being in the lead, as she wasn't much of one to take charge, and was much better at following orders than taking charge. She sighed,
Weaving a twisted path through the trees, following her own scent trail, retracing her steps to hopefully find the others, Cloudspots, Owlwing, the strange tom, and whoever else had joined the escort. She sped up, hen looked back to make sure Grousestar was behind her. She peered ahead, waiting to make out the shapes of the others, but she was still too far away to see. Not nearly cllose enough to see them. They still had quite a ways to go as far as Lioncry knew, though they might've gained more ground than she'd thought. She wasn't sure quite how far they'd gotten.
“This way.” she meowed, taking a sharp turn and weaving around a bramble thicket, trying not to poke herself on any thorns or trip over any trailing tendrils. Her eyes were narrowed slightly in concentration as she lead Grousestar towards the patrol, her mind trying to remember where they'd been when she'd left.
@Duskflight

[The Cannibal]

Originally Posted by Spirited Darkness

As Grousestar spoke, she nodded and stood up, watching as he finished speaking and got up, then padded towards the camp entrance. Lioncry followed after the leader, her ears pricked cautiously.
She followed him, looking around, hurrying along beside him. She flicked her ears, then changed direction slightly, hoping he was following, as Lioncry was now in the lead, though she felt uncomfortable being in the lead, as she wasn't much of one to take charge, and was much better at following orders than taking charge. She sighed,
Weaving a twisted path through the trees, following her own scent trail, retracing her steps to hopefully find the others, Cloudspots, Owlwing, the strange tom, and whoever else had joined the escort. She sped up, hen looked back to make sure Grousestar was behind her. She peered ahead, waiting to make out the shapes of the others, but she was still too far away to see. Not nearly cllose enough to see them. They still had quite a ways to go as far as Lioncry knew, though they might've gained more ground than she'd thought. She wasn't sure quite how far they'd gotten.
“This way.” she meowed, taking a sharp turn and weaving around a bramble thicket, trying not to poke herself on any thorns or trip over any trailing tendrils. Her eyes were narrowed slightly in concentration as she lead Grousestar towards the patrol, her mind trying to remember where they'd been when she'd left.
@Duskflight

Once making his way out into the territory, he would let the warrior take the lead since she knew where the group with the loner last was, his thoughts buzzing with all sorts of curious questions. Is he previously Skyclan? If not then how did he know about Starclan? Why was he injured? What did he want to see him for? Did he want to join the clan? All of these questions would hopefully be answered once he met the stranger.
The leader remained quiet as he followed along after Lioncry, his eyes somewhat glazed over as he mulled over all of the questions that filled his mind. And despite him not being fully focused, he followed along closely with her, not once stumbling or making a single mistake in his stride. After a little while of padding, he would reemerge from his thoughts and question the golden warrior,
"Are we nearly there?"

[doghouse]

Originally Posted by Duskflight

Once making his way out into the territory, he would let the warrior take the lead since she knew where the group with the loner last was, his thoughts buzzing with all sorts of curious questions. Is he previously Skyclan? If not then how did he know about Starclan? Why was he injured? What did he want to see him for? Did he want to join the clan? All of these questions would hopefully be answered once he met the stranger.
The leader remained quiet as he followed along after Lioncry, his eyes somewhat glazed over as he mulled over all of the questions that filled his mind. And despite him not being fully focused, he followed along closely with her, not once stumbling or making a single mistake in his stride. After a little while of padding, he would reemerge from his thoughts and question the golden warrior,
"Are we nearly there?"

Lioncry looked over her shoulder at the tabby tom, her eyes slightly clouded with thoughts. “Nearly.” she meowed after a few moments longer of hesitation. As she spoke, she saw the others and halted, seeing that the ginger tom, who was the stranger, was laying limply on the ground once again and Auroraflame was there, speaking with Owlwing.
“There they are.” Lioncry meowed, moving forwards again, going over to greet them, though she hung back, letting Grousestar take the lead now, as he no longer needed her to guide him, and it made more sense for him to be leading now. Plus, she didn't want to be in the lead anymore, as leading wasn't something she liked much. She'd rather leave it to those who were good at it, and that was why Grousestar was leader and Auroraflame was deputy. They were both very good leaders, at least, she thought so.

[Empress Of Evil]

@Duskflight@Spirited Darkness@Mapledash@Starfall@SuspiciousMindz
Auroraflame opened her mouth, about to say something suddenly when she saw Lioncry arrive with Grousestar. "Grousestar. Lioncry", Auroraflame said, dipping her head in respective greeting. Turning her attention mainly to Grousestar, she said, "I assume you already know but Owlwing, Cloudspots and Lioncry have found this loner on our territory". "He's injured and not in a very stable condition. He needs to be taken back to camp and be treated by Ebonypaw", Auroraflame said, slight concern flashing in her eyes. The loner may be a stranger but that didn't mean she shouldn't care. She glanced down at the ginger tom that lay on the ground. What happened to him that put him in this state? And how does he know about StarClan?, Auroraflame thought. Many questions spun through her head that she wanted to ask but now just wasn't the time.