growing up means growing into war [c]

When she wasn't strictly needed to help maintain WindClan, Thalia slipped away to the Asylum's camp. The place she grew up was comfortable, the place she felt at home; she might have lived and slept somewhere else, now, but this was her home. The cats that, these days, she only saw when she was here were her friends and her family in a way WindClan could never be, even if they hadn't been as hostile as they were to the Asylum as a whole.

There was a special kind of affection she felt for this place: the sounds of the cats milling about, the shadowed ledge beneath which she and the rest of the Nightstrikers once slept - and where she still napped, on occasion, when she could find the time. It was far easier to sleep here, under cover of shadow, than it was in her burrow-nest (admittedly, that was at least in part because she knew she was safe in a way she didn't outside the camp); and currently she was lying near that same ledge, watching some of the higher-ranking Nightstrikers practice their skills.

There was no doubt that Katana had a lot on her mind. Her usual teasing smirks and sharp, witty banter were somewhat lackluster at best. The clans being under Asylum's control wasn't even a passing thought. It was all normal to her now. Being placed as a guard in ThunderClan hadn't been as terrible as she had first expected. Of course, the initial takeover hadn't been a bump-free course but honestly, who's has? Once most of the annoyances were sorted out, it was alright. The hostility from the clans was still oh-so present but she was used to it by now. None of the looks or words fazed her. She was honestly rather indifferent. Some may see her as cold or apathetic but she saw herself as emotionally strong. She was doing as told and that's all. Nothing to really twist your fur over. Besides, she was a Nightstriker. Her faction was known to be rather ruthless after all.

The thing -more like cat- plaguing her waking mind was really starting to make her pelt itch with frustration. She hadn't been able to see Thal in quite a long time and in all honesty, it was driving her a bit mad. She wouldn't show it but she really did miss her other half, her best partner. The other member of the iconic duo. Katana had been so busy since the takeover that she hasn't had the chance to go back to the Asylum camp for a much needed break. She hadn't had time for anything but ThunderClan. She disliked her den in the clan and longed for the nest shrouded in shadows back home.

Home. That's where she was headed at this very minute. ThunderClan was doing fine as of now so she was taking some time off to go and hopefully nap for a while before she'd resume her duties. Maybe she'd run into a certain someone that was the reason for her recent grouchy demeanor. It was wishful thinking but you never know...

Well. She's gotta do more of that wishful thinking if this was a very possible outcome. After having greeted her fellow Nightstrikers, who only gave her a quick nod since they were preoccupied practicing some battle moves, she noticed a familiar figure laying within the shadows the ledge provided. Kat's whole mood lifted as she quickly padded over to her favorite she-cat. Her icy green gaze was sparkling with mirth and a hint of relief. Her brooding was finally over.

"Thalia! Heeey! Long time no see. Tell me, how's my favorite partner doing?" she greeted with a grin. She plopped herself down beside her best friend and pressed her body close, tail tapping the other's back. As she awaited Thal's response, her mind wandered back to when they had last seen each other. Gosh. It has been a hot minute. Thalia hasn't changed much but she did seem a teeny bit different. Nothing to fret over but it's odd she's able to notice.

Though she was usually at least a little bit observant - a necessary skill for someone as anxious as she often was, especially when she spent much of her time away from her safe haven - Thalia wasn't usually expecting company in the Asylum's camp, so she didn't realize precisely who it was that had settled next to her until the figure spoke. Instantly, though, she turned to look, her excitement plain to see. "Katana!"

If there was a special sort of affection she felt for this place - the home she'd grown up in - then there was also a special sort of affection she felt for her partner, who'd been by her side through almost all of it. Her words were true: it felt a little like they'd started to drift since everything began, but there was also something effortless about having Katana against her side; like she was simply falling back into place, or maybe like she'd never left at all. Like this, more than anything else, was where she was supposed to be.

"It's been difficult lately," she admitted. It wasn't hard, at this point; her time with WindClan was best described as such: difficult, for both herself and seemingly the clan cats in question, and the rest of the Asylum who just wanted things to settle. "But... I think things might be getting better. At least, I hope so." She was quick to continue, though, eyes shining: "But what about you? You've gotta have some stories to tell, right?"

"I get ya. It hasn't been the smoothest time in ThunderClan but I suppose it's all just normal by now. Some of 'em are more difficult than others but we manage. Nothing we can't handle, at least, nothing I can't handle." the light-furred cat answered, expression suddenly turned thoughtful. She let out a tiny, relaxed sigh as she subconsciously snuggled a bit closer to her best friend. "I'm afraid there isn't anything truly interesting for me to tell ya. Just that. Guess I expected a bit more from 'em but I'll take what I can get, ya know? I ain't really complaining since it finally gives me time to spend here at camp. Gives me more time to spend with my other half... if you know what I mean." The green-eyed she-cat gave Thalia a lazy smirk as she mumbled the last sentence. It was true. Thal was her other half. She completed her. She made her whole. Nobody else came close to the way she felt about the cat beside her. Just something about her was appealing to the rowdy Nightstriker. Now there was more food for thought...

She allowed a few moments of comfortable silence to pass by before she began to speak again but this time, however, her tone was softer and more relaxed, "I missed you, Thalia. I don't think you'll understand how much I did. Kinda made me a bit grouchy the more time I spent without ya by my side. Don't get me wrong though! I love the other Asylum furballs since they're my family but you're... special. Guess I always felt more drawn to you. Don't know if you feel the same way about me but I just had to put that out there..." She turned her head away, face heating up with soft embarrassment. She was never usually this... mushy... but she felt that today, she had the right to break away from her usual exterior personality and allow her more hidden side to see the light. She missed Thal gosh darnit! She wasn't all that cold like they made her out to be. You just gotta be a real good friend of hers to see her softer side... or just be Thalia. Either way, Katana was much more than what she let others see.

Thalia was happy to listen as Katana recounted her time in ThunderClan so far, uneventful as it might have been. Honestly, it was a welcome relief to hear that her best friend hadn't had to deal with as many issues as the WindClan Asylum cats had. "Of course it's nothing you can't handle," Thalia laughed, though her tone was entirely genuine. As Katana snuggled into her, she returned the gesture as best she could manage; it was honestly just nice to feel safe being this close to someone, especially when it was her best friend. "It's you. You're, like... Well, you're Kat! I bet they don't even know what hit them."

The silence that passed between them was peaceful; broken only by Kat's softer tone. Thalia listened intently - she wanted to savor every moment of it, really; Kat's rough-and-tough attitude was cool and all, but this softer side of her was something she appreciated just as much. "...I missed you too. I think I get what you mean, though. I love the rest of my family too, but it's not the same as it is with you." She held back a quiet laugh as Katana turned her head. "You're special to me, too. Of course you are."

They were a team, after all. The iconic duo! That was the way it had always been, and the way she hoped it would stay. Only seeing her sometimes was enough of a sacrifice, as far as Thalia was concerned - a world where they weren't a pair wasn't something she even wanted to consider.

And in some presently-distant part of her mind, she wondered why that would ever be a question, that Katana was special to her. The only question, really, was whether or not special was a strong enough word to describe every feeling she had. If she'd known such words, Thalia might have called it magnetic; the way she felt drawn to Katana. As it was, she sometimes felt like a moth to her partner's flame: something she couldn't bring herself to look away from.