Tainted Love [closed]

Easily pulling himself across a decaying nest of branches that curled like brittle tendrils of heat-stiffened grass, Elmcloud's exposed underbelly was lightly grazed by the claws of hardened foliage. The unfavorable sensation made his fur prickle slightly, his muscles unsure of how to react to such awkward stimulation. After spending another relatively sleepless night spent drifting aimlessly until the sun arose once more, he was a tad bit uncertain of where his admittedly weary paws were taking him. It had been several moons since Crowstar and Poppysong had died, and yet the gloomy shadow that followed his every step seemed unwilling to relent in its presence. Perhaps he could make more of an effort to interact with his Clanmates, especially now that they regarded him without that infuriating pity, but it was just easier to tend to his Apprentices and duties and seek no further socialization. Blinking up at the unfamiliar grove of tangled trees that crawled across the sky high above him, the ruddy tom's features were pinched with a forced expression of content.

It had been ages since he had trekked this far down river; normally he stopped before the sparse familiarity of his Clan's territory gave way to the dense grove that marked ThunderClan's territory. The usual background noise of the forest dwindled until there was only the soft chattering of the river, which hummed as sweetly as the purring of a newborn kit. Large ears swiveling forward to peer at the dazzling light cast off of the rippling surface of the rather low river, Elmcloud's senses were unusually dull in that moment, thrown off by the deafening noises that was exuded by the river.

ooc; idk how i missed this i know i saw your pm like a really long time ago and i know i talked to you about this on the cbox ;;

Trotting through the familiar sights, scents, and sounds that composed RiverClan territory had become one of Ravenflight's favorite escapes. When she wasn't fulfilling her duty to her Clan, and the pressure and tension became too high within camp, she would slip away into the territory for a short, brisk walk to relieve her mind of the stress of being a warrior during such trying times. It was one of these times that took the she-cat to the river, smiling contentedly as she slowed to a meandering walk along the riverbank. The noise always seemed to calm her anxious thoughts, as sparse or plentiful as they might be on any given day.

Today, however, it didn't take her long to snap back to reality and notice the tom, clearly out of his element, blundering along on the other side of the river. He didn't seem accustomed to the noise of the rushing water, and she was sure he hadn't yet noticed her. Perhaps he wasn't from ThunderClan, and he had wandered too far downriver. "Hello!" she called, making sure to avoid using a threatening or menacing tone. "Are you lost? Or, er, just out for a walk?" She asked, a bit nervously.

Faint rivulets of steam, exuded by the steadily rolling rapids of the river, drifted upward with an appalling sense of urgency. Curling higher, higher, and ever higher into the relatively clear sky far above, they remained for only a heartbeat or two before eventually dissipating into the surrounding air. Gaze wandering after the shifting curtain of steam, Elmcloud's dismal thoughts were derailed by the odd happenings before him. The steams that twisted through SkyClan's territory never did such a thing- perhaps due to how little water actually resided within the depths of their stream beds. Large ears flicking at the inquisitive voice that suddenly resonated through the previously peaceful atmosphere, the tom's amber gaze strained to pick out the dark shape of Ravenflight against the curtain of vapor.

The words sounded harmless enough, right? A singular cat would rarely provide too much trouble, regardless of intentions. Perhaps it would provide an adequate distraction against the intrusive thoughts that made him so terribly miserable. "I suppose I'm doing the same as you," Elmcloud's amicable words held an undercurrent of rightful caution, "Just out enjoying the day."