Dear Fellow Traveler (Closed)

For many a season he traveled, he'd seen plenty of forests, barren wastelands, lands drowned with water. And in these lands, the tom had encountered many different animals, some hostile, some neutral but that was as good as it got for Anatolios. But the air was different today, or so he thought, as he walked sprawling fields, a forest visible in the distance, there was nothing strange about it compared to every other location he visited, but he had to hope that this must be the place the giant white cats in the desert told him about.

He didn't want to fight alone anymore, he wanted companions, something to fight for - not just for himself. Menacing amber eyes spotted a two-leg dwelling not far from where he was currently standing, breathing a sigh of relief he started padded down, lean muscle rippling under his grey tabby pelt. He would make his way to Thunderclan in the morning, he wished desperately to rest and if the cats in the desert were right the two-leg dwelling would provide a comfortable nest for the night.

Down the hill, the heather did nothing to conceal his dark-grey figure but with the sky darkening his fur slowly started blending in. Slinking stealthily into the barn, he let his mouth hang open as he scented the area until he was happy that no cats were present. Anatolios straightened out, happy that he seemed to be the only one currently inhabiting the den. Once more he sniffed the air, the barn rich with the scent of prey, his torn ears flickering to the sounds of little creatures scuttling around the barn.

Anatolios's stomach growled at the sounds, his mouth watering. Being a loner the tom did not eat well, his bones always poked out at least a little bit, his travels and the enemies he came across often did not allow him time to hunt for himself. But now he would take the time to gorge himself, for if Thunderclan was not in the trees in the beyond, he had many more moons of travel ahead of him. Crouching down Anatolios searched for the squirming shapes of mice, and it did not take long for them to appear. Pupils blew as wide as saucers as he tracked them, his lean muscles tensing... just a little longer.

Shooting forwards Anatolios slammed paws down on little mice heads, crushing them in his rampage, but in the end, he had only slain two, regardless he scarfed both of the mice down, it had been ingrained that spending time enjoying and properly chewing his food was a waste of valuable time he could be using to create distance between him and everything. Soon, Anatolios was pushing hay around to make a more comfortable divot in the haystacks but he was not to rest. There was a stranger in the barn, the scent just wafting against his nostrils.

It was strong, and fresh, turning around Anatolios's eyes widened at the white hulking mass of Artemis Odan. Leaping from the haystack the tom strode to the white tom, finally! He had found him! Dipping his head the tom looked up through his eyelashes, apprehension in his gaze, "Artemis Odan, I am Anatolios I come from a land many seasons away from here, I have been looking for you, son of Titus Odan." Anatolios meowed, his ears tucked, his voice grating against his ears. How long had it been since he had spoken? Not since he had met the cats in the desert, that was certain, and maybe a chat with a stranger here and there but that was all.

Anatolios was uncomfortable as he realized how bedraggled he must've looked, how pitiful he must have sounded to the strong tom in front of him. His fur was matted, blood clotted his fur in spots, and he must have smelled of something foul. "I'm sorry to have found you in such a sorry state, but I need your help." he meowed, unsure if he was over-stepping his boundary, he only heard tales of Artemis Odan, never knowing him personally.

After his conversation with the strange cat a few days prior, Artemis was still conflicted. There was no peace settled within his heart nor his mind. He wanted to go back to Blizzard Star, that much was true. But, would he really sacrifice the freedom of traveling to settled down with kin that was not his own? The fluffy white tom was filled with the discontent that was written all over his tortoiseshell mask. As his tail tip twitched and he mulled over the knots twisting up inside him, the Oasis born tom found himself silently praying that the ancestors would help guide him to the right decision. He found himself hoping they had not abandoned him for thinking of staying with this Blizzard Star after abandoning his right to leadership after his father. So far, they had guided and protected him well, so why stop now?

A low, exasperated huff left his maw as a crashing began from one of the several cracks in the barn wall. His icy blue eyes scanned the den for the other creature whose scent had already reached his glands. It did not take long for his gaze to settle on the other tom whose paws slammed down noisily on the mice. Cats came in and out of this place all the time. There was no real reason to be alarmed by the entrance, but he did watch on with a mild amusement. When the other cat finally turned and looked at him, Artemis finally made the decision to rise up onto all four paws just in case this was a hostile. He had fought many fights over the moons, as much as he had tried to avoid them. Although, he had learned that not all were evadable. For now, his claws were still tucked safely in their sheaths. His maw was about to open as he took in the full sight of the stranger and his training kicked in. It was inescapable, the strong desire to help this bedraggled cat.

But, the tom spoke first. Artemis Odan's head snapped up at his name and any words built up behind his tongue fell away at once. Shortly after, the name of his father followed. Immediately, without hesitation, he shot back the questions, "Who has sent you, Anatolios? How did you find me?" The adventurer had made many enemies unintentionally in his travels and because of this had done the best he could to hide his tracks. Perhaps staying in this forest too long had been his downfall. Was this a sign from the ancestors in response to what he had just prayed? Had this cat come seeking him just to alert others of his presence? The tone he had spoken in said otherwise. He made sure to spread all four paws and stand taller in preparation for whatever words came next from this Anatolios.