The Buck and the Bees

[dino.]

[ @chaton ]

Her voice jerked him awake again, but his mind was still swimming with sleepiness, so all he could really offer in response was a small "mmm" of agreement. Favorite spot. Plus hunting. That sounded really nice, actually. He should be focusing on Cormorantpaw, but as much as he loved the fiesty tom, a break from training would be wonderful.
He felt her slip into sleep next to him, and his mind dragged him down as well. With a content sigh, he fell asleep as well.

[chaton]

{ set in the thunderclan territory }

The sun was high, the sky was clear... it was looking like a great day to be out. Buzztuft had just ventured out into the territory, hoping to lead Buckbranch to her favourite spot, as she had promised. Thoughts of the previous night were still quite present in her mind, but the calico wouldn't dwell on that too much. She had somewhere to be.
Continuing on through the territory, Buzztuft eventually came to a stop. This was the place. A small clearing among the trees, decorated with a small pond and some tall grass... perfect for both relaxing and hiding. Turning to Buckbranch, the calico gave him a soft smile. "Well, this is it! I like to come out here to clear my mind sometimes, as no other cat really comes by this place. Though, I don't mind having you here." Buzztuft padded into the small clearing, taking a seat close by the pond, inviting Buckbranch to join her with a flick of her tail.

@Slushie

[dino.]

[ @chaton ]

Buckbranch trailed after Buzztuft. He kept his gaze focused on the trees and foliage around him, refusing to look anywhere else. Last night's occurrences replayed themselves over and over in his mind, as if stuck on repeat. How in the world had he managed to fall asleep with a near stranger practically laying on top of him? His fur was still slightly squashed where she had rested. His brows furrowed in thought, but when she turned to him, he straightened up and gave her a smile that was equally as gentle.
He sat down next to her, peering around the hidden little spot she had brought him too. "I've never seen this place before," he said, sounding slightly awestruck. "It's beautiful." He'd have to tell Foxbound about it. Maybe they could go hang out here some time. Yeah, that'd be nice.

[chaton]

Buzztuft continued to gaze at the scenery around her. It had been about half a moon since she'd last visited this place, now recollecting all the tranquil memories that seemed to come by being here. "Isn't it?" Buzztuft meowed softly, turning to face Buckbranch soon after. "It really surprises me that nobody comes here. Other than prey, of course. Lots of them seem to gather around here for some reason." The mention of prey made her realise her hunger was growing. That didn't matter too much... she was sure they would have ample time to catch food later, for now, Buzztuft had more to say. With a smirk, she brightened her tone a bit. "You know... there's another cat I think I might like to bring out here at some point. In fact, I believe it's someone you know quite well!" A small laugh escaped her as she continued speaking. "Both you and her are quite wonderful, good-looking cats, though I can tell that my way of speaking definitely gets on her nerves more than yours. That's fine though! She's pretty, so I can ignore that."

@Slushie

[dino.]

[ @chaton ]

The tortoiseshell tilted his head as he gazed down at the still water of the pond. It was so incredibly peaceful. Almost too peaceful, really, as if no one had touched this place in hundreds of thousands of seasons. And yet here it sat, hidden and perfectly preserved. As if it had been waiting for someone to stumble across it.
He leaned forward to dip a paw into the water. The movement sent tiny wavelets rippling across the surface of the pond. "There's probably so much prey because no one comes here," he said. "So they have no reason to be nervous of being here."
Buckbranch glanced over at her as she continued speaking, and he chuckled. "Oh? You'll have to introduce me to her," he proposed. "I'm sure whoever it is would enjoy this place."

[chaton]

Taking a moment to get a small drink from the pond, the calico's eyes glinted with amusement. Clearly, Buckbranch hadn't picked up exactly who she was talking about. That was fine. She'd just say it directly to him instead. "Again, I'm fairly sure you already know them." Buzztuft meowed with a laugh, turning to face the tortoiseshell. "But, if you still don't get it... I'm talking about Foxbound, ya goof!" She raised her paw, gently tapping Buckbranch's nose with it for comedic effect.
"I wouldn't mind taking her out here. She might not appreciate it coming from me, though." Buzztuft phrased it as a non-serious statement, but within her, she knew she was speaking from a more truthful source. "Maybe you'd have more luck with that?" She proposed the question to Buckbranch. unsure of what his answer might be. Personally, she'd like to get to know both of them better. Maybe they could all go out as a group sometime... but that idea seemed quite distant in comparison to the reality of two cats who are just beginning to know each other sitting by a pond together.

@Slushie

[dino.]

[ @chaton ]

Buckbranch
--------------

Buckbranch almost choked. He jerked his head around to stare at her. Had she read his mind? What the hell- was that even possible? He blinked as she tapped his nose with a paw, trying to ignore the urge to return the gesture.
"Y-yeah, Foxbound," he stammered. "I think she'd like it here. She's always been a fan of the calmer things." He tilted his head at her proposition, thinking. Buzztuft was right; the she-cat was a little too upfront for what he expected Foxbound's tastes to align with, so he would probably have better luck than her. "I mean, I could try? I'm not quite sure if she'd come with me, though. I don't think she likes me very much." He ducked his head to peer at his reflection. Sure, they seemed like good friends, but it had been a while since they'd last spoken. Maybe she'd started to grow apart from him. His heart ached at the thought, and he really hoped that wasn't the case.

[chaton]

Buzztuft's eyes widened at Buckbranch's sudden reaction to the mention of Foxbound. It seemed there was something more at play, but it was not her job to tread on that path... yet. Some time would be needed. She continued to listen to what he said, her expression growing increasingly confused. She was sure those two had been good friends, just from past observations, but now here was Buckbranch, worried that Foxbound might not even like him? That simply wouldn't do. Who could ever dislike this cat? It seemed that her services would be needed right about now.
"You really think that Foxbound of all cats would dislike you?" She meowed dramatically. "I may not know either of you that well at the moment, but even I can tell that you're both quite close. Friendship of that level doesn't just disappear overnight!" The calico dipped her paw into the water, such that the ripples would distract Buckbranch from his own reflection. Leaning in close, she softened her expression, taking on a calmer tone before continuing. "Look, Buckbranch. You've got to realise what a wonderful cat you are! Not only are your looks good, but your personality as well." She paused, taking a moment to appreciate the wonderful sight that was the tortoiseshell's presence. "You have been one of the kindest cats I've talked to, and I suspect that isn't just a one-off thing. How could anyone dislike a cat who's done nothing but be sweet? You need to think more highly of yourself, deprication isn't the sort of thing you should be worrying about."

@Slushie

[dino.]

[ @chaton ]

----Buckbranch----

He glanced up at her, and his brows furrowed. Why was she confused? He was the one who was supposed to be confused. He'd thought they'd been friends, and then they just... hadn't talked for a while. And that was the confusing part, at least to him. He shuffled his paws and bent down to peer at the pond again. And then, of course, Buzztuft startled him right out of his fur, and his head shot up once more.
As Buzztuft went on her little spiel, a small smile began to upturn the corners of his mouth. She had a point, he guessed. Maybe he was just being over dramatic. They had been pretty busy, after all.
Then she started on how sweet he was, how he had been nothing but sweet, and his smile turned rueful. "Yeah, uh, that's where you're wrong," he said softly. "I've screwed up so many times. There's a reason my time as deputy was so short. A reason why a lot of cats still look at me like I was a mistake. And even though that was a while ago, and even though I've been trying so stars-damned hard to make up for it, ThunderClan just can't seem to let it go." His tone grew hard and he dug his claws into the ground, the fur on his neck beginning to bristle with frustration. He stared back down at the water, tail flipping from left to right.

[chaton]

She may not have appeared to be the smartest cat, but Buzztuft was perfectly capable of reading the mood of a situation. Buckbranch seemed to have some suppressed issues... which were just now coming up. She didn't quite know why he was comfortable sharing this with her... but she supposed that if he trusted her enough to be open, then she'd just have to do her best to support him. Fixing it was beyond her, but support could be given for as long as it was needed. Turning to face the tom, her eyes widened as she saw how upset he'd suddenly become. This wouldn't do. He needed to be happy, to know that he's cared for. Buckbranch will be happy.
"Buckbranch!" Buzztuft meowed out, loud and suddenly. Hopefully it would be enough to pull his attention back. "It's not your fault that if even after all of this time, Thunderclan can't forgive you for mistakes that are in the past. In fact, cats who still think that way may as well be considered mouse-brained idiots. You've changed since your time as deputy, definitely for the better. You've worked on being a better cat, a better friend, just... better." An emotional sigh escaped her after she spoke, tail flicking in frustration at this clan for making one cat feel so bad about actions that were so long ago. She would fight anyone who dared to bring this up again. Buckbranch was nice. They were not allowed to bully her friend like that. Ever. "Now listen here," Buzztuft meowed sharply. "despite all the cats who treat you terribly, there are the ones who care about you. Whether it be as friends or family. There truly are cats who care. Like Foxbound, I'm sure. I can say... she truly does value you as a friend. And of course, I'm here too. We've not talked for long, but I care about you, Buckbranch. Seeing you like this only makes me angered with Thunderclan. How could there be any cat who still thinks badly of you? There's just no good reason... at all." Buzztuft pressed herself to Buckbranch's side as soon as she was done speaking. Her words had been... a lot. Hopefully what she was trying to convey had been understandable... but even then, the extra support, even if it is just being by his side, would hopefully be helpful.

@Slushie