Speaking Their Language (c)

Sageroot was internally panicking. This wasn’t something any cat had done before, but she had made up her mind. She took a deep breath and approached Vinepaw.

“Hey, um, can I ask you a weird question?” she began. “You know I’m mentoring your brother now, Wigglepaw I mean, and he, well, his forest language is pretty choppy. You’re quite good at it, though. Um, well I’ve been thinking, and I think training might go better if I could speak you guys’s language. I was wondering, if there’s no rule in your culture against teaching outsiders, if you could teach me?”

Mother Tongue
Forest Tongue

Vinepaw stared into the warriors eyes with an impassive gaze. It was rare for ThunderClan to approach the half-forest blooded cats with anything other than a chore to do, so that was what he was prepared to hear. However, the question of whether or not he would be willing to teach his brothers mentor their language made his ears perk. "There is no rule... However, I won't do it for free." He eyed the already scarce food pile, his stomach growling pitifully. "The price for one session is a meal."

“A meal,” she echoed. A steep price these days to be sure, and Sageroot wasn’t the best hunter. Still, she’d seen how Cloudychase treated Wigglepaw. The young tom needed someone to show him some kindness. “I’ll do my best. Do you want payment before or after?” She had a feeling it would be before.

Mother Tongue
Forest Tongue

Vinepaw's stomach growled in an almost angry pitch in response. "Let's go hunting together, and I'll teach you while you catch me something. Deal?" At this point he was just desperate for food, throwing in something else that may sweeten the deal: "By the way, you say 'Hello', when you greet a friend in our language. It's informal, but shows you know them well."

Feral Language
Forest Language

”Hello,” Sageroot echoed. The foreign word felt strange on her tongue, but she managed to say it without any real trouble. As they padded along towards a good hunting spot, she whispered it under her breath a couple times. Suddenly, a rustle in the bushes caught her attention. Sageroot fell silent, ears swiveling to hone in on the sound.

She waited for the mouse to approach her before springing and closing her teeth on it. Not the cleanest kill, but not bad either. She turned back to Vinepaw. “Here you go. And if you didn’t see me scenting, it because I don’t smell very well. I hunt by sound.”

The member 'Nerd' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 2

Mother Tongue
Forest Tongue

He nodded, returning the greeting in feral tongue. "That's a good start."

The sight of the mouse - although scrawny - made Vinepaw's mouth water. Food! He padded up to the warrior, greedily stealing it away. It would be impolite to eat it here and now instead of sharing with the clan, but a promise was a promise; this mouse was his and his alone. "You can't... Smell? What's wrong with you?" A rude question asked with complete sincerity.

OOC: sorry for the delay;;;

Sageroot tensed for just a moment before shrugging. “I’ve always been that way. I hear too well and don’t smell well enough. It’s like my body’s all mixed up. I think Echosong’s the same way. Not with the exact same issues, but he’s different too.”

Mother Tongue
Forest Tongue

Vinepaw nodded, finding it interesting that one could even be born like that. "One weakness can build strength in something else. I'm sorry. That means 'I'm sorry'. That was insensitive of me to ask when we barely know each other. What else would you like to learn of my language?"

Sageroot relaxed a bit, understanding that Vinepaw was just curious. “Very true,” she purred. “Weakness can build strength. Um, how about a few other basics? Things like ‘please’, ‘thank you’, et cetera?”

Mother Tongue
Forest Tongue

"There are informal and formal ways to say things: If you want to thank a stranger - or maybe an acquaintance - you would say 'I appreciate what you have done for me.' If you are thanking a friend or close family member you might say 'Thank you for everything you do for me.' He paused, allowing time for Sageroot to repeat his words. "There is no different ways to say 'please' ".

He took his time in explaining what to say to someone you barely know and to someone you're close with, noting that sometimes there was no difference at all. Either way, if the warrior were to speak to any of his littermates, they would be ecstatic to hear a clan cat care enough to learn their language. Perhaps the forest wasn't all that bad if there were cats like Sageroot.

Feral Language
Forest Language.

Sageroot echoed each phrase, tucking them away in her mind before purring. “In that case,” she mewed, “I appreciate what you have done for me.” “Really, Vinepaw. Thank you.”

Mother Tongue
Forest Tongue

Vinepaw dipped his head, a rumbling purr letting Sageroot know that he very much appreciated the praise. "And thank you for the meal, friend."