You're Not My Kind [Aether]

Beechfang finished grooming her pelt with a sigh, glancing around camp. The fresh-kill pile was alarmingly low despite the improved weather leading to more abundant prey, and there was only one cause for it. The dark forest cats lurking around camp liked interfering with the clan's hunting, seeming to get some amusement out of it. Now, it seemed that they only let a few of them hunt without being excessively obnoxious and deliberately messing with them. Beechfang had learned to keep her head down and keep her thoughts to herself quickly enough, and since then hunting had been easier. She had little appetite for the fresh-kill she brought back, but she was doing better than those of her clanmates who openly resisted the dark forest and Dawnhawk's oversight. Unhappily, the warrior padded toward the camp entrance.

The rogue that had stayed behind after Tornshadow had left had decided to join her, and even after hunting with him and Slightfrost, Beechfang wasn't quite sure how to feel about his presence even now. He'd seemed as shocked and dismayed as some of her own clanmates had been at what Dawnhawk had forced her to do, but Beechfang was under no illusion. His horror at Dawnhawk's cruelty didn't necessarily mean that he was her ally. She eyed him for a moment, gaze wary and guarded, before turning and leading him out of camp with a flick of her tail beckoning him to follow as a contingent of shadows closed rank around them.

"So... Why are you here?" She hadn't intended to ask him, but the words left her mouth on their own.

Beechfang was not the only one wary. 

His father had forced her to kill her own mother, and Aether wouldn't be sure just how angry that had made her. She clearly hadn't wanted to do the deed. What if she wanted to get back at Morningstar?

So far, at least, she had seemed compliant, and Aether followed her out of camp. He didn't like the dark forest cats, but for once he was glad of their presence. It meant he was protected. 

And then the molly turned, and asked the million dollar question. He didn't know if he felt safe telling her. 

"I'm......here to hunt, same as you. We have to eat sometime. Not like I can go without prey. Not like those things."

Was he trying to rub it in? That the dark forest walked among them? That he was very likely protected because of Dawnhawk? "Really?" Came the dry, blunt response indicating that Beechfang hadn't believed a word of it. "I was born at night, but not last night." With a snort, she turned in search of prey. He was right, they couldn't go without food. Not that the dark forest let them even eat in peace. Eye landing on a pheasant, the Skyclanner stalked forward in silence.

It seemed as though something else had eyes on the pheasant too, however. Beechfang's fur lifted as the rush of wind alerted her, leaping upward with a growl to sink her fangs into the owl's wing.

Beechfang tried to catch a bird for -3 sp. Catch was unsuccessful and summoned a predator.
87 / 90 sp

Beechfang used Jumping Strike on Owl for -7 sp, dealing -8+3 damage.

Beechfang
45 / 45 hp
80 / 90 sp

Owl
19 / 30 hp (30 - 8 - 3)
90 / 90 sp

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

Aether tipped his head as Beechfang spoke. What was she talking about?

"....what does being born at night have to do with anything? And I never said you were born last night. You wouldn't be out here if you were. Aren't you older than me? I know I wasn't born last night, so...."

Ahh, the stupidity arises once again as the sarcastic comment flew right over his head. Someone needed to teach him what sarcasm was, but obviously now was not the time, as an owl appeared, and he guessed Beechfang decided to hunt it instead?

Maybe he was just tired.

Anyway, he couldn't let the tabby fight alone, so into battle he went.

Aether used Leap and Hold, dealing 8 damage and costing 15 stamina. Owl is pinned for 1 turn.

Owl (Pinned)
11/30 HP (-8)
90/90 SP

Beechfang
45/45 HP
80/90 SP

Aether
60/60 HP
115/130 SP (-15)

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

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'Effect Dice' : 1

The tom was being deliberately obtuse, or he truly didn't understand her words. Beechfang didn't really care which. "You could hunt in places that aren't clan territory, but you chose to stay here. Tornshadow took most of your... siblings, I assume? With her when she left." Seeing Tornshadow had hurt, she knew the white and gold she-cat had never wanted to see the worst of her father, and Beechfang felt bad for her. She'd obviously been uncomfortable being around Skyclan again, even briefly.

Forcing her attention back to the pesky bird, Beechfang ranked her claws over a feathered shoulder. The owl thrashed beneath the tom's grip, beak snapping furiously, but already it had been severely weakened. If she couldn't take out her anger on Dawnhawk, the owl would have to do.

Beechfang used Front Paw Strike for -7 sp, dealing -8 damage.

Owl
3 / 30 HP (11 - 8)
90 / 90 SP

Beechfang
45 / 45 HP
73 / 90 SP (80 - 7)

Aether
60 / 60 HP
115 / 130 SP

Aether groaned internally as the scarred she cat pressed on with her questioning. His decision seemed to be the question of the season, but to be fair, these cats hadn't known him. They hadn't known what his father meant to him. 

With his jaw clamped, Aether slammed his paws down on the Owl's head, and then watched as it went limp. 

"Every cat keeps asking me that. It wasn't my siblings I had always aspired to be. It was my dad. Klaus was always there for me, he was a lot kinder back then too. And I just don't know how to let go. The moment I start to realize that he isn't the same tom that raised me, was ready to fight tooth and claw for me, I see him again. And I am drawn right back in. The black she cat said I needed to be my own cat, that it was time to step out of his shadow, and I know she's right, but how can you so easily leave the one cat who had meant everything to you?"

Just like Karuna behind the screen, Aether had found himself crying. He just wanted things to go back to normal. He wanted to go back to just being the group that took care of each other. And just like Karuna, a small piece of him broke inside. 

Aether used upright lock on Owl. Owl is KOed.

Beechfang recoiled as if Aether was a snake that had startled her as he spoke. "You're still under his claw. After everything he's done? Pull your head out from under your tail, kitten. You either don't know who he is or you're being deliberately blind to it." He'd seen her ordered to kill Smokefeather on the promise the rest of the clan would die. It must be the latter. "He wasn't nice before his death either, he was just manipulative enough to trick others into thinking he wasn't capable of murdering kits without remorse." She spat. Turning, she began to walk, tail lashing back and forth as she continued, "He killed a kit that was barely two moons old in front of our mother and her littermate. He tricked Windclan into harboring them for seasons and then maimed Smokefeather while he was with them. When they finally kicked him out because we found out, he attacked our camp and killed elders, an apprentice, and then kidnapped another apprentice who wasn't even a full day into her training." She growled, "Should I continue? Because there's more. He's not the cat you think he was and never has been."

"My Pa isn't like that! He never once raised a claw against us, he was kind and he was patient! If one of us got hurt, he would go to war with entire Clans on our behalf! Did you hear about what we did to ShadowClan? They probably didn't mention why we did that. That was for my brother, Apollo. ShadowClan murdered him! And my Pa avenged him, because he was his kit! That is the kind of tom my Pa is. He gave a home to cats who had nowhere else to go. Gave them a chance at life. Because stars knows you Clans don't care about rogues! All you care about is territory and the cats who happen to have been lucky enough to be born in your group! Nevermind the cats outside who are starving, just fighting to survive! Even now, if it was not for Klaus, I would have no place among your camp. I would just be another rogue, simply because I was not lucky enough to have been born in your ranks! Like any cat would actively choose this life! Maybe it is you who needs to get your heads out of your tails!"

Aether stalked off in a fit of rage, dried tears still crusting his eyes. The black she-cat had made it seemed like she cared. Maybe she had. But in the end, she is just an exception to the rules the Clans hold. And here he thought he was starting to like SkyClan. With his jaw tightly set, Aether decided to set his mind back to hunting. And he had his eyes set on a dove above him.

Hunting angry did not do him well, though. He grew careless, and the dove flew away before he even had a chance to climb. Just his luck.

Aether is attempting to catch a bird for 3 sp. Catch was unsuccessful.

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 9

"Shadowclan warriors are honorable, I'm sure they wouldn't have killed without a good reason to." Beechfang snorted. Apollo? Stars, but rogue names were strange. At least that meant there was one less of them. Her nephew continued, and Beechfang shrugged. "I'm not sure why you think I should care about outsiders I've never met. You're right, we care about territory. About keeping our own safe from brutes like him." And what a good job of keeping the clan safe she had done, hadn't she? With a huff she turned away, not caring that the tom was crying. She'd came out here to hunt, not butt heads with a stone. Spotting a squirrel, Beechfang focused her attention on the fluffy gray pelt, stalking toward it in silence. Once close enough, she lunged for it, fangs snapping at her prey's neck.

"You don't know why you should care about us? You talk like we are something else entirely! We are cats, just like you! I'm sorry not all of us are born lucky, but we have lives too! You guys are not the only cats in the territories, you don't own this land! You Clans are so focused on fighting, who cares who pays, right? As long as you get rid of us. Just like Lion-whatever. So focused on the story of chasing me off, which by the way, he didn't, did he happen to mention that I saved his life? He would have become prey to that coyote if I wasn't there. But I helped fight it off, and he got to go home. Because we don't let cats die when they don't need to! You think they had a good reason to kill my brother? He was still a kit! What "good reason" is there for that! If you truly believe everything you say, then you are no better than what you claim my dad to be."

Aether narrowed his eyes, his pelt bristling. This cat even admitted to not caring, how did she not see how bad what she was saying was? With him right in front of her? If she thought she was going to be the one to make him believe his father was a bad cat, she certainly wasn't doing a good job. Only bringing herself down at this point.

"No, I truly don't. You are outside our ranks, and don't live on our territory. I care for my family, my clanmates. I care that they're safe and well-fed. You outsiders have a whole world that doesn't involve our territory or harassing cats just going about their lives, yet you choose to stay here with us? Every rogue I've ever met has caused nothing but trouble on our land and for our warriors." She scoffed, "And yet you all wonder why nobody wants you around. Do you know how much I had to listen to Dawnhawk cry about how we just never left him alone when he had all the chance in the world to simply leave and stop killing my clanmates? That even after he was trespassing on our territory, without any provocation from me. Do you know how simple it would've been for him to never have contact with any of us again? But he still stays here, even in death. I feel terrible that you had to grow up in that sort of environment, but it's up to you to get away from that, not me." It was a struggle to remember that they were hunting, but Beechfang finally managed to turn away with an annoyed sigh. The kit was ignorant and naïve, it wasn't up to her to try and teach him differently. She'd tried that before and had failed, anyways.

"You care about your family? What about me? My dad called you his sister, that makes us kin. So what am I to you? Family, or just some outsider?"

He huffed, but Beechfang still talked. And her words made him grow hot with frustration. 

"That dead thing isn't my dad! That is something else, something scary. He will kill me if I try to leave! Every single one of us knows it. He's changed. We are just as much a prisoner as you are. I already tried to get away. But of course, I am just the weak son. And even a beast like you couldn't beat him, so what good am I?"

Aether pointedly turned away to hide the conflict in his eyes. He wasn't sure if what he said was entirely true, but he couldn't help but remember what his dad said about joining the Clans. Even then, he had been willing to kill them if they betrayed him and joined the Clans. Maybe he was being blind to the truth.