like birds [Wolfblossom]

Apparently a fox wasn't enough to drive the young tom out of a place he didn't belong. He just couldn't resist the odd smells and new landscape that was drastically different from the open fields of his farmland home. Grub was especially fixated on the reflection of the moon and stars in the moderately fast waters of the creek he'd happened upon. The peaceful sounds of water was enough to sooth an ever-wandering mind.

He nestled down, a stick underneath him snapping silently: he would go unnoticed as he pondered the smooth surface of the water.

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

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'Invasion Dice' :

"Nice night, isn't it? The creek is peaceful at times like this." Wolfblossom stood on a branch above, gazing down at the tom who had wandered this far into Skyclan territory. Scraggly, and no clan cat. She had been making her way back toward camp after a late patrol of her own, kept awake by her own thoughts. The scent of the stranger had caught her attention, and the deputy had followed after it.

"Who are you, stranger? Don't see many on Skyclan territory." Wolfblossom regarded the wanderer with a curious wariness. If he turned out to be aggressive she had little problem using claws to chase him off, but she favored a more diplomatic approach to start with. The tom didn't have any prey... That was also a good thing. Skyclan's numbers were too large to afford a loss to cats who weren't their own.

Where had that voice come from? Looking left then right, down then up: Grub finally spotted the lilac she-cat that peered down at him from the treetops. A grin crossed his face. "I'm whoever you want me to be."

Standing up and stretching, he craned his neck to get a better look. She seemed rather strong. Muscular. He wasn't so sure about her comment that she didn't seem many strange cats out here; he'd already seen one who also didn't belong here. "I usually go by 'Handsome', but I'll give you special treatment and let you call me Grub." He flashed a raccoon-like grin, the white mask around his eyes not doing him any favors. "And who are you?"

Wolfblossom tried not to let her amusement show at the tom's words. He thought highly of himself, clearly. He did introduce himself after a bit of posturing. Handsome, Grub... Quite different things she associated with those. But Grub... That sounded familiar. She knew that name from somewhere...

'If you ever meet a young tom by the name of Grub, tell him to just. Go home. He's no business poking his busy nose in your territory.' That old loner, Mr. Worm, wasn't it? She wasn't sure if this was the same cat... Couldn't hurt to ask, she supposed. "Say... You don't happen to know an old tom by the name of Mr. Worm, do you? White fur, lives on a farm I believe... Was lost on our territory one day in leafbare, I guided him to the river. He mentioned something about a young tom named 'Grub' and Stars know there's not many of those about."

"My name's Wolfblossom, deputy of Skyclan. Whose territory you're on but... Well, I don't believe in using claws unless it's necessary. What has an outsider all the way in clan territory?"

His smile visibly faltered as though the muscular she-cat had just cursed him. Mr. Worm... Not a name he expected to hear coming off a strangers tongue. "The name rings a bell." It rang many bells, actually. Not a single soul had mentioned him after his passing, making the young tom begin to believe he had hallucinated an old man this whole time. "So this is where he'd been all this time? He used to get onto me for leaving without a word... Did he try and impart words of wisdom into you, too?"

Mr. Worms white pelt had been dirty and ragged by the time Grub had found him near the bridge that led into the forest; not a single sign that he'd gotten into a fight other than small teeth marks in his back leg that didn't match a cats. He'd been in good spirits, too. For now, Wolfblossom was not suspicious  "What I'm doing here? I'm bored, Wolfblossom. No one's around to babysit me anymore."

SkyClan... a nice patch of land they had. One he had yet to fully explore. He eyed Wolfblossom, a sparkle of mischief in his eye.

"Captured by twolegs, if I remember right... Like many others. Wound up lost on his way back home. He didn't want to be here, the least I could do was point him in the right direction." So this was that Grub, then. "I hope he made it home, those were certainly dangerous times for everyone."

"He told me if I saw you that you ought to go back home, too." A hint of amusement in her eyes, though it faded with his next words. Nobody around to babysit... Wolfblossom could connect the dots without being told. "Ah... My condolences." Though Grub didn't seem overly upset by it.

"You can be bored somewhere else. Like Riverclan if you head upcreek. But honestly... I won't take issue so long as you don't catch prey on our territory or cause problems. Which you aren't doing, right?" She scoffed at him lightheartedly, though the threat implied in her words was real. She hoped she wouldn't have to act on it. "...Hate to break it to you, but if you're on Skyclan territory, you have a new babysitter. A temporary one, mind you."

"Twolegs...?" It didn't take much thought to understand what Wolfblossom was saying. He smiled a bit at that. Though it was only brief before it turned into a scowl. "They must have picked him up on the trail to our farm. Idiots. They should know he already had a home... He traveled that road for every patrol. Knowing him, he probably didn't even put up a fight; Fantastic hunter, terrible at telling anyone no. Humans especially." A pang of guilt crossed over him like a shadow at the thought of what Mr. Worm had to go through only to die the second he got home. With his mind going, he could only imagine the hardships. "Thank you for helping him find his way. I mean it. Any favor you need, just call on me." He meant this genuinely.

The next bit made him chuckle. Go home... What home, old man? "Home was where you were." The shake of his head turned into a full body one and he tried to disguise his growing sadness. He was glad when Wolfblossom started talking about something else. Something about how he'd better not be causing problems. "I found a fox nest on your territory, so I'd say I've done you a favor. Couple of your guys helped out, too."  He was defiant by nature. He couldn't help it.

While he nodded as though he understood, a glint in his eyes betrayed him. Though, this river clan sounded rather interesting. Sky- trees that resched to the heavens. River... He hoped with all his heart that this was also a place that lived up to its name. Relaaaax, deputy. As much I adore being in your company, I've got places to be and things to do. Cross my heart that I'll behave. Just for you~" The tip of his tail flicked.

"They do like to meddle in places they don't belong. They came through with silvery traps and captured cats from all over the forest, we're just lucky that most who were captured managed to escape and return." How cats could be comfortable around them to the point of allowing them near, Wolfblossom didn't understand. Perhaps these two had a different experience, though. The thought of being in twoleg captivity sent a shiver down her spine. "Helping was the least I could do, it was only right... He wanted nothing more than to go home."

Foxes... Grub was not the first loner to help a Skyclanner fight them off, and that help never went unappreciated. "Foxes have been a problem. Always are. We kill one, and another pops up somewhere else. Keeps our claws sharp, I suppose, and I think we'd all rather fight foxes than other cats. I'm sure I'll hear about that one back at camp." And she'd hear about him, if the clanmate in question was smart. Wolfblossom was not strictly hostile to outsiders and wouldn't drive them off of the territory with claw and fang at the first sight, but she expected to know of their presence and whereabouts all the same. That he was still on the territory after encountering Skyclanners... Well, she'd see this one off properly.

"See that you do, Grub." Her whiskers twitched. "I take it you're heading off, then?" She tipped her head, watching the mottled tom.

Nothing more than to go home... Mr. Worm's last words rang in his ears even now: a jovial exclamation of "I'm home!" before passing away with a smile. A grimy ear flicked.

"It's a shame to take off so soon, but I'm sure you're only here to make sure I haven't done any damage to your territory. I will be back soon, though. I hope it's you who greets me again with a smile." He flashed a sharp, toothy grin up at the larger she-cat. In his mind, this was playful flirting. He hoped she wouldn't fall for him and be kept up late thinking of him... Though he wouldn't totally mind if she did. The more cats who knew him, the better. He wouldn't die without his name in the mouths of the entire forest. Unlike Mr. Worm, whose name hadn't been spoken by anyone but him till mere moments ago. "I bit you adieu, Deputy. I'll send this Rivered Clan your regards." He gave a quick and hearty wink before bounding off, following the river upstream.

"I'll be keeping an eye out." Wolfblossom's whiskers twitched as the tom spoke of heading toward Riverclan. "No need to mention me to them." She scoffed, the thought of having accidentally sent a rogue to Riverclan territory was a little amusing... But hey, it wasn't Skyclan territory. That was what counted.

"Farewell, then. Don't get into trouble." Wolfblossom watched the tom bound off, then after a moment retreated to the higher branches of the trees. She'd follow and make sure he was off the territory from a distance, then would head home.