it's a big ol' world out there (c)

The whirlwind of questions caught Cinderpaw off guard. Her ears went back gradually, flat against her head by the time he finished off on his final query. She stared at him for a moment, owl-eyed and bewildered, before she cleared her throat and with a soft "Uhh...", began to try to answer them.

She quickly found that to be a near impossible task. She hadn't been training for long with Perchstar, and she had only seen Rookpaw a couple of times during cross-over or leaving the den before her. Rookpaw was further ahead in their training, so they didn't do much joint activities. Not yet, at least. Cinderpaw knew she had a lot of catching up to do before that became even remotely possible.

"Well, Perchstar has been good to me so far..." She began, meeting eyes with the intense tom before quickly looking away again. It was like looking into the rapids of a river that almost dared you to stay too long. This was disconcerting, but a new encounter was always rough... Right..? "I--I personally think I'm not the quickest learner but she's being patient, so that's always a plus... I don't think I know enough yet to decide if she's 'good' or not. I mean-- She has to be the leader for a reason, right...?"

She smiled nervously, aware she was completely blathering but it felt like a needed contrast to Larkpaw's harsh and emphasized points. "As for Rookpaw... We've crossed paths sometimes but I don't train with them yet-- I'd just be slowing down their own training sessions. Perchstar hasn't seemed too upset during cross-overs, though, so I think it's going okay...?" With a hum and a small tilt of her head, she added; "I can ask Rookpaw for their own thoughts on their progress when I next see them, if you like!"

The next, almost hostile, curtness to Larkpaw's words threw her for a loop. Her ears went back instantly, and her tail tip quivered by her foot. He seemed so calm just a second ago, a little intense, yes, but not like the cat that would snap at her for a mere suggestion.

"I'm... sorry," She wasn't sure if apologising was correct in this situation, but it felt right. "I just thought it might be of some help."

Maybe she was stupid to think that. Larkpaw did have a point after all. They were siblings, so maybe it would be a little strange if she asked for him. She just thought it would be helpful.

Yet as quick as that barrage of sharpness came, it was smoothened by a strangled softness. Her ears perked again to a half-angle, and she watched curiously as he struggled to get the words out. Her mouth quipped in a hint of a smile.

"Thank you," She then answered, finding this version of him much more amicable. Of course, taken with a pinch of salt based on how awkward he looked saying it. Not a natural course of action, she assumed. "It wouldn't have been a bother at all, but-- I thought I'd offer anyways. I won't step on your toes."

Now, Cinderpaw was confused. Larkpaw was angry, and then she apologised. Then he was kind, and she replied in turn, and now he was angry again. Did she do something wrong? Running through the conversation again, she couldn't decide on anything. Maybe she offered to help too quick? Or maybe she was just missing something entirely? Ooh, why did other cats have to be hard?

Then, she thought of when she seemed angry and kind, that fluctuating sort of feeling. She did that when she was upset, or really hungry and tired. Maybe that was what was up with Larkpaw? Oh! She must be right! If she didn't do anything wrong, then maybe he wasn't feeling the best.

"Are you okay?" The question came out as clear as day, her ears perked and head inclined forward as if to listen closely or take in the entirety of his appearance. Slouching, limping, shivering. That kind of thing. "You seem a little upset, or maybe stressed? Are you hungry? We could go get something to eat. Or if you're sad, maybe we could talk about it? Stuff can be stressful. I don't want you to be sad."

Cinderpaw recoiled like a particularly cold raindrop had splattered onto her snout. She was silent for a long while, eyes widened and ears out against her head so flat they almost disappeared. She seemed startled rather than upset, but then the more he spoke the more her head tilted.

"You are bad at it," She confirmed with a resolute nod of her head. "But that's okay. I am too. We're just bad in different ways."

It made sense to her then. The back and forth, snaps and apologies. He was trying. She understood that. It was like when she rambled too much, and then said too little. Spoke too softly and then too loud.

"You know how I mumble, or stutter? I feel nervous, I don't know what to say. Sometimes I don't say what I mean because I feel like something has to be said but I don't know what," She hummed, blinking softly at him. She didn't want him to feel put-out. "The more it happens, though, the easier it gets. You're already getting better."

That small sway, nevermind his flat tone, but that little wag of his tail elated her. She found it hard to suppress the smile that was trying to find its home on her face, found it hard to still her tail tip that was practically vibrating.

"Of course you are," She purred, her front paws gently, slightly tipping the ground one after another as she spoke. "As long as you try you'll always get better. Mm... What was the saying... Practice makes perfect?"

She was glad that she got through to him, though. Even just a bit. He was a strange cat, that was for sure. A bit odd and hard to understand but that didn't mean he didn't deserve the effort. "It might take me a while, but I can try and understand how you talk, too, if you like. That way if you're too tired to swap your words around you can just say exactly what comes to mind."