degausser [closed]

She was never one to stray off but found her paws carrying her further and further from the patrol. The more distance she covered, the more a weight was lifted from her chest. Other than heading to fourtrees, the young she-cat had been tethered to the territory, and she did not seem to mind. Darkglow didn't have fanciful dreams of another world or a desire to be anywhere far away from the cats that she loved. But she did wish for peace, for freedom from this thing that had been thrust upon her without any explanation. Dreams were not even restful. For once, as exposed as she felt out here alone, clanmates were a yowl away. It was a safe distance - just enough to let out this breath that had gathered in her chest.

Darkglow had always been a nervous creature, loving and soft. There were many aspects of the warrior life that she was not well-suited for, being the gentle soul that she was. Starving a fox right in the fangs had dredged up what little measures of courage were buried deep in her heart. But cats of other clans were not feral beasts, no cats were comparable to the terrible creature that glared at her down its snout. She had yet to contemplate what it would be like to face one of their neighboring clans, indulging in this survivalist life where all cats clawed their way to the type. In some ways, Darkglow had been protected, sheltered, and she liked it that way. The gnawing hunger was a sensation that she was used to, accustomed to.

For this reason, when she caught sight of a gorgeous, golden pelt across the border, it did not strike any sort of fear into her chest. Reservation, yes, and her head ducked slightly as a result. But there was a quiet curiosity and so the little she-cat watched the stranger with widened eyes. Her paws were rooted firmly on this side of the border. Clanmates only one call away. She was contented to watch him, and part of her hope the handsome tom would approach. Perhaps she would make a new friend today whose interesting stories would make her forget the world. Conflicted feelings flickered through her muddled mind and her expression was neutral as a result.

Klaus was practically a ghost, a wraith, or some other stealthy creature of legend. He had hidden among the snow banks in perfect stillness, watching Riverclan patrols go by. None of them were alone. For hours the golden tom lie still and waited... until a lone she-cat warrior appeared. A calico with one half of her face one color different from the other. His heartbeat quickened. Once he was completely sure she was by herself, the golden tom stood from his crouched position, loose snow practically floating off of his pelt with his movements and flowing away into the wind. He stared at her for several heartbeats before she finally realized that he was there.

He could see the look in her eyes... the very same look many many she-cats had given him. He barely held back a smirk. Even with a nasty, cloudy eye he was still desirable. Or did she pity him? Was that the angle he was going to have to go with? ... Not his typical route or his preferred method... but whatever he would take it.

He approached slowly but non-threateningly, a light wave of his tail to show that he had no ill will in his entire body. "Excuse me, is this Riverclan territory?" He called to her softly, being mindful about stopping right at the border. He had to think about what he should do... what he should call himself. As far as he knew, the clans only knew him as Dawnhawk with the exception of Waterlily, but she didn't know him by anything other than Klaus and hadn't made the connection yet as far as he was aware.

"I'm Klaus, a lone cat, I mean you no harm."

It felt dishonorable to be facing a loner so unaffected and she briefly glanced back over her shoulder as if the rest of the patrol would immediately materialized from the snow-laden backdrop. When nothing was there, Darkglow's gaze snapped back to him. She watched him, guarded. The clouded eye and odd scarring caught her attention and she studied them briefly before refocusing her eyes. Staring probably was rude. Instead, she tried to seek his gaze and find the intention behind it. There was nothing ominous there and so her shoulders relaxed. He'd asked a question. Darkglow's ears twitched.

"Oh, it is, yeah. I wouldn't stick around too long if I were you. My clanmates probably wouldn't like a rogue around the borders. Klaus?" Darkglow meowed lowly. Without thinking about it, she took a step back, settling down onto haunches. Her heart was strangely calm. The slow beats were somehow more ominous when slow. But she found herself drawn to this curious tom and it only felt proper to introduce herself, "I'm Darkglow. Are you here for some reason?"

My my she was trusting. He approached a little bit closer, but stopped about a fox-length from her. Darkglow... Found you. Though she was a warrior now. No matter. He was sure the result would be the same. If anything it made his plan that much easier. "What an interesting name... in a good way of course!" He added quickly with a warm smile. "Things that are dark don't typically have a glow. Clan cat names are strange in that way I suppose. So fascinating!" He sat down and, with a bit of a flourish to show off the shimmer in his white and gold tail, wrapped it around his paws.

"If any of your clan comes and they want me to leave, I will gladly do so. I have been alone for a very long time though and you seem so nice. Do you mind if I stay here for a little while and we just talk? It would certainly brighten my day and I promise not to cause you any trouble." Now began the process of gaining her trust. A few visits like this and maybe he could convince her off of Riverclan territory entirely. That would be far more ideal.

"Oh, I guess." The she-cat hummed softly, pondering his dissection of her name. Darkglow had never really thought about it. Perhaps to outsiders, clan names were a strange thing. She had grown accustomed to the way every cat had complex names. There was the consistency of a prefix but with the changing suffix, it showed growth and changed. For the first time, she contemplated what Jaystar had given her. After a moment, she muttered thoughtfully, "You're right, not usually. Maybe it is a hopeful thing then, if the darkness glows." That was a pleasant thought and she smiled.

"I'm not sure." Darkglow's smile faltered slightly and she glanced around once more. Klaus wasn't doing any harm. He did not seem to be after any prey nor did he appear to have any ill-intent. The idea of there not being any other motive and simply having a moment to breathe was refreshing. It seemed like such an inconsequential thing that even with her indecisive anxiety, and the way she drew into herself, the warrior did not pull away. No one had told her that she couldn't talk to loners before. There was no code being broken here, no betrayal of clanmates. With a low sigh, she shook her head slightly and found his half-clouded gaze.

"You seem very nice too. I'm used to hearing about vicious loners that would claw your fur for looking at them wrong... but I don't think you'd do that. How does a cat live by themselves? I can't imagine how hard that must be." She found herself to be curious as she carried on, wanting to know more about his life. Any inhibitions had begun to melt away. Slipping into a conversation so detached from the world she knew was a comfort. Perhaps for a moment, she could forget her trouble, forget who she was, and this cloud that hung over her head...

Klaus watched her very carefully, drinking in her movements, her facial expressions, her tone of voice, everything. "Ah yes those do exist, unfortunately. If any of them come here I'm sure you clan would handle them appropriately... or I will. I'm not one for violence, as I find conversation more interesting than such brutality, but being a lone cat I have learned how to handle myself." He gave her a smile and small chuckle at her next question. She seemed like she was relaxing... this was good. He just needed to make sure this first meeting went smoothly. So far so good.

"Taking care of yourself is both harder and easier, I would think. I only have to feed myself, not anyone else, for example. However, if something were to happen to me and I got injured, I can only rely on me for support and healing. That's where it gets tricky. Still, I have lent a helping paw to others where I could. Loners are far more distrustful of helpful strangers and they have every reason to be, but I am happy to have made a friend here and there, though we live separate lives." He raised a paw and casually licked it before he swiped it over his face a few times. Once he briefly washed his face, he gingerly placed his paw back behind his tail.

"You're a very young warrior though. What is it like in the clans as a young warrior? Do you have to constantly prove yourself to your peers and to your leader? Are they more forgiving of mistakes while you're young and become more strict as you gain more experience? I know of the clans, but I wouldn't say I know a great deal. Id like to know more, if that's alright. Please don't hesitate to tell me if I am over-stepping my boundaries. I don't mean to."

"Me too!" She beamed enthusiastically, "It's probably not very warriorlike, but I far prefer to talk with another cat than fight. A better warrior would chase you off." Her ears heated slightly and she ducked her head with an uncertain grin. Would she be condemned for talking to an outsider if her patrol passed? It wasn't like Klaus has attempted to attack her or steal prey. He just seemed like a lonely cat, wanting some companionship during this long and cold leafbare. Darkglow understood perhaps more than he could ever know, feeling a sympathy blossoming in her chest as he spoke.

As they continued their conversation, the young warrior felt more and more at ease. Her fur had relaxed entirely and the tension left her shoulders. Everything she had been told about rogues seemed wrong. Although, with talking to Klaus, it seemed that not all were like him either. Life was such a complex thing and she hardly had time to think about more than her own circumstance. Thoughts had become saturated with worries about her future and what would become of this unusual thing. Regular warriors did not have to ever consider more than the patrols they were on and lining the bellies of their clanmates.

"Oh, sorry, you're fine." Darkglow muttered, realizing she'd become wrapped up in her own thoughts for a moment. Her head ducked even lower with embarrassment. It had never occurred to her to speak aloud the fears of her mind, having been strictly forbidden from doing so. But it was overwhelming, and he seemed safe. Perhaps that was why her tongue was so loose in the moment, "I, uhm, well I'm not exactly the most usual warrior. This is going to sound insane... do loners believe in ancestors? Or an afterlife? Hah, uhm, you're going to think I'm insane. But I can talk to dead cats and no cat is supposed to know its. Distracting at the very least. I hardly even think about being a warrior."

Even with such a bland explanation, it felt like a relief to speak with some cat that this meant nothing to. Having Cloverheart in her corner was one thing but it was a great burden for them both. Perhaps speaking to Klaus would make the load seem a tad lighter.

Behind the lax composure, the gentle, almost timid tone and the soft gaze in his eye... Klaus's body ran rampant with excitement. The more she talked, the more he had to focus on not looking as excited as he felt. This was it. This was definitely her. He blinked once, feigning surprise, but was sure to not turn his nose up at her or scoff at her words. He leaned forward, showing interest and concern.

"Loners all have their own beliefs but I personally believe in an afterlife. It's a comforting thought to believe that those you have loved and lost haven't really left you. To hear that you can speak to them..." He lowered his gaze, forcing a crocodile tear to well up in his eye. He'd always been good at singing, which required a fair amount of acting... and now his practice was paying off.

"I have lost a few very close friends and members of my family, Darkglow. Your words actually... it brings me peace. I feel hopeful again..." He swiped a paw over his eye to be rid of the wetness. He looked at her once more, a soft smile on his face. "I don't want to take up too much more of your time. I understand that you're a warrior and you have responsibilities but I would like to meet with you again. Can I see you again three sunrises from now?" His tone was polite, but there was a pleading tugging at the edges of his words. That much at least wasn't an act.