Private Backwritten Border Kittypet HE IS IN MY TEARS // temp private

[Daisydream]

​

He had lived as a Skyclanner for quite some time now, but the older tom knew without a doubt that he had made the right choice. Despite the pressure and impending feeling of sharing borders, he managed to stay positive. If they kept level heads and worked out a solution, then it would be fine. Pale paws glided across soft grass, and his scruffy maw settled into a relaxed smile. Daisydream loved his clan and knew they could handle themselves. When he was a kit, his mother had spun stories of fighters, a mysterious tom who had won her heart.

His naivety had soared at every tale, eyes wide and shining with wonder. Later in life, when he finally joined Skyclan back at the old territory, it was his chance. He had turned down the easier path of being a Kittypet, choosing to become a full time Clan cat, hoping foolishly to impress the father who barely acknowledged him. It was a shame the old bird had hardly tried to hold a conversation, let alone his frail old body, after the move. A shame they never got to say what needed saying. Being a secret of his father's would never sit right. Hearing the tabby beg him in croaks not to say he was his. Despite said plea, he would never be ashamed of his mother. Sure, some questions would never be answered now, but that was life. With a sigh, the wily coated tom shook the morose thoughts away.

No time for brooding near Windclan, i've got a meal to catch. Focus on the task. Alright, I know I heard something over here. Slow and steady, he crept around the tree line into a clutch of bushes. Maw opened slightly, bright blue eyes narrowing to a patch of leaf litter beside a rock. Gotcha! Triumph flared in his chest as his paw struck, swatting away the leaves to reveal two startled pika. Before they could flee, he snapped down on the first and pinned the second beneath a hooked claw. Quick, clean bites ended the hunt. Let it be fast and painless. Daisydream never regretted a meal, but a part of him always felt guilty. Still, the reward center of his brain lit up, and the guilt faded as he proudly gathered the small prey. Feathery tail curled high in satisfaction as he trotted, rodents clutched securely in his jaw. Until a strange scent teased at his nose.

Hm?

Glancing over his shoulder fluff, Daisydream caught sight of movement just beyond the border. A cat and not one he recognized, but something about them felt oddly familiar. Short ears twitched curiously. Noting the odd lack of noise around them as the other approached. Their stomach fell with dismay. Don't tell me I have to chat with Windclan alone. Said stranger continued closer to the border, and the motion made his hackles rise. That's not a Windclanner. Oh no, not now! Don't you do it! Tension prickled across his body. Carefully, he set his prey down and stepped over it, fur bristling with instinct. Rounded pelt rising over his spine, form doubling in size, he growled out a clipped shout. "Hey!" Neat, sharp, and enough to make clear he meant business. This fella was way too close for comfort. Oh, Kittypet! Then the scent hit his nose again.

This cat has no use for Skyclan's food or shelter, so what's the issue? Moving to meet them, he found the scent line with a paw and stationed himself there, posture firm. Daring the other to step even a strand of fur closer. Almond shaped eyes locked onto the intruder as his voice dropped to a low, warning rumble. "State your business." Despite his defensive stance, there was a softness to the words, a measured calm beneath the threat. He didn't smell any other cats nearby, and judging by appearances, if it came to claws. Well, the Skyclanner was rusty, but he believed he could put up a good match.

OOC @Gingerbread

​

 

[Gingerbread]

————————————————— Overboard, lost in the wilderness. ✦

The air was cool, and the sun beat comfortably off the back of the cinnamon tortie. He had taken a long-haul trek out here, mostly to go and mourn at the barn. It had been a long, long time since he was one of the mousers there now, but that was his first home, and to see it in such a shambles was more than a shame. Though the tom was just grateful most cats came out alive in the end, but still, it was a hard pill to swallow, and as much as he tried to keep Warriorclan or whatever they called themselves under wraps, it was hard to hear such news and have to wrangle a bunch of spoiled kittypets... Gingerbread sighed, as if he wasn't one too; it wasn't as if he could hold himself above his friends just for having been feral once before.

He shook his head and took a deep breath of the cool air, compared to the twoleg place, everything felt fresher out here. Though his joints began to ache from walking so much in the last few days, it felt nice to clear his mind out here in the middle of nowhere. He had already passed by the camp of Windclan, avoiding it for now not to cause them more grief than his peers already had. The idea of clans felt silly to him, though he seemed to be the only cat in a thousand-mile radius who thought as much.

Instead, he was more than ready to slink home and curl up; he had given his time to mourn and was ready to settle for the day. Though, of course, it would take a while to come home so he wouldn't rush and cause himself more aches, he could drink in the surroundings and-

Gingerbread's ear flicked, hearing some rifling nearby. The faint scent of blood and a... Strangely familiar scent clung to the air. His head tilted curiously, watching the undergrowth as a cat pushed through. It took him a moment, but Gingerbread realised that it was Skyclan scent, but this wasn't the cat he had seen before. A fluffy cream tom emerged, with bright eyes and rather soft looking. One that seemed to puff up at the sight of him, it was rather amusing to watch the long pelt on the other rise in challenge.

The stranger tried to scare him off, speaking in a manner suited to a danger. Gingerbread couldn't help but chuckle warmly, stepping closer. "'Ey now, there ain't no reason to be so on edge, fluffy." His head tilted, eyes scanning the long-haired tom. Strange sort to be feral, he seemed much more suited to someone's treasured lap cat than a hunter. "Relax, 'm just passin' through, went to see what's left've my old barn." His gaze flickered over the moors towards where the horseplace was, and where the rubble of the barn still remained.

The older tom looked back at the warrior, a warm smile couldn't help but melt across his face, it was frankly rather endearing to see him try so much to seem threatening, this big softie couldn't be scary if his life depended on it. That was why Gingerbread didn't hesitate to step closer, scanning the stranger curiously. He hummed, looking the Skyclan warrior up and down before purring. "Th' name's Gingerbread, 'r Ginger, I answer either way." He added with a shrug, sitting comfortably, if he was going to spend some time here, he might as well get comfortable, or else his back leg would end up reminding him he wasn't as spry as he used to be.

———— I wasn't big, I wasn't small.

I wasn't anyone at all. ————

• 
  Gingerbread
  ✦—Kittypet
  ✦—He/Him
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A large, cinnamon tortie with mismatched blue and green eyes, missing a back leg and wearing a green kittypet collar.
  #DD4531

 

[Daisydream]

​

Daisydream blinked as the stranger laughed at him. Their coat bristled again, though now it was less threat, more indignation. His ears flicked sharply at 'fluffy.' "Excuse me?" He sputtered, blue eyes narrowing just a touch. "This is Skyclan. I'm unsure where you think you are, but you're closer than you should be." Taking another pointed step forward, paw now directly on top of the scent barrier, tail flicking high. His eyes caught on the ruddy tom's green collar. "You smell of kittypet." There was no judgment, only caution, as he meowed. Even as he said it, the warmth in the other tom's voice lingered in his head. Well, he isn't making himself out to be a threat. Just a pest.

"For the record." Daisydream muttered between pale lips. "I am not 'on edge.' I was doing my job." Their pale nose twitched with dismay as he glanced back into the territory behind. Was it inappropriate to talk this long with a cat who wasn't a daylight warrior? Maybe not, given the rumors of chats passed along to the neighboring Clans. The tom tried to ignore how friendly the other sounded, how relaxed. How he did not look intimidating either, as he sat down without a care in the world. Flashing that smile again.

His blue eyes stared a beat too long before flinching and jerking to the side. "I don't know why you're looking at me like that." A feathered tail betrayed him again, curling tight around fuzzy paws to stop the sudden nerves.

Realization snapped across his snout and pulled him from his nervous state.The one that burned down? His gaze lingered on the tom, then trailed to his missing leg. Mentally pushing back the surge of empathy, he pointedly stayed put. "Gingerbread?" The warrior repeated, rolling the name on his tongue like it annoyed him more than it did. A beat passed before he audibly sighed. "Fine. You'll have to find a different route. Take this as a friendly warning and stay off our borders." Then he added on reluctantly, voice dropping lower."My name is Daisydream. Not Fluffy, by the way."

Their fur stood out in uneven tufts, and despite his slowly relaxing posture, his face burned under the cream of his muzzle. Wait. Maybe he has some useful information? Awkwardly, the tabby asked, with far less annoyance. "You said you came from the barn, yeah?" His maw sat stiffly as he immediately looked away again, pelt now flattened and ears tilting curiously.

​

​

​

 

[Gingerbread]

———————————————— Overboard, lost in the wilderness. ✦

He couldn't help but chuckle warmly at the stranger's indignation, it wasn't a lie, though; whoever this was looked far too soft to be one of these wild cats. Of course, though, that's when he actually started paying attention as the stranger continued. "Ey so this is that 'Skyclan'." Gingerbread hummed, standing up, walking around the stranger, and inspecting the nearby flora. "I suppose I might've been near, recognised the Skyclan scent from that fella couple've moons back." The air was cool yet rich, something he wouldn't mind enjoying a little while longer.

Though he noticed eyes trained on his collar and Gingerbread just had to laugh with the very blatant observation. "Almost like 'm a kittypet, fluffy, ya' think the collar would tip ya' off." The tom teased lightly, he hadn't planned or expected to run into any clan cats today, but he wasn't arguing about this softie Skyclan warrior, Gingerbread was already having fun after all. The thought was only solidified from the other's gaze lingering a little too long for his own liking, clearly getting flustered and trying meagerly to hide it behind twitching fur. He couldn't help but smile again, head tilting curiously, watching him try to fold into himself away from Gingerbread's warmth. The tom was more than known by the locals to be a flirt with anyone he found a passing fancy with, but something about this rather handsome stranger had him somewhat captivated, too.

It seemed something else crossed the stranger's mind, gaze falling to his missing leg. Gingerbread breathed to explain bluntly what had happened, but it came up more than he liked and usually opted to tease new Kittypets with some fantastical idea of how he lost his leg. Instead, he found his speech faltering, as the stranger repeated his own name back to him. It wasn't a question, not surprise or the sort, just an utterance of his name before he carried on with something or the other about routes and borders and-

"Aye, ya' really so desperate to get rid 've me already?" Gingerbread purred, realising he was trying to get the tom to leave, but he was having far too much enjoyment from the conversation to leave so soon. He paced back to where he had perched before, sitting again, but this time closer to the stranger. "'m not causin' no troubles 'nd thought we were havin' a rather nice chat, don't you?" The hum in his voice betrayed the rumbling purr in his chest, but he didn't mind. It wasn't a lie that he was enjoying the conversation; he had found rather nice company with-

"Daisydream." Purred again with a nod, he looked the fluffy tom up and down, that smile never falling from his face. "Fitting fer ya', Fluffy." He teased, lightly. It was good to know the stranger's name, not so much a stranger anymore in his mind. Once you've had a good conversation with someone and caught their name, that's no stranger anymore. What he was in that case, Gingerbread wasn't so sure yet, but that could be devised in time.

It seemed, though, Daisydream wasn't as sure about wanting to force Gingerbread to leave, his tone no longer holding the edge of annoyance it once had. "Aye, went to pay my respects." He hummed, his own voice dropping the smooth tone it had held while affectionately teasing the other tom. "Used to live up th' horseplace moons back, before this damned thing happened." Motioning, if only briefly, to his missing leg, before promptly continuing. "Still not so sure what happened with the fire, 'm just glad most've the barn cats survived- Uh, Windclan I s'pose they 're now." Gingerbread shrugged, absently.

Clanlife was strange to him; the barn was just a peaceful commune of cats, but now they had some strange hierarchy. He supposed it could have been a way to cope wth what happened at the barn, but with Skyclans and Windclans and something or the other about a Shadowclan? It felt like a whole load of nonsense to him. It didn't help having been unwittingly dragged into Warriorclan by Strawberry, why a pampered bunch of cats would want to play pretend clans was beyond him. All of it felt nonsensical.

———— I wasn't big, I wasn't small.

I wasn't anyone at all. ————

• 
  Gingerbread
  ✦—Kittypet
  ✦—He/Him
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A large, cinnamon tortie with mismatched blue and green eyes, missing a back leg and wearing a green kittypet collar.
  #DD4531

 

[Daisydream]

​

He watched Gingerbread, meander closer again, inspecting the grass as if it belonged to him.

Pale fur prickled anew, more from confusion than anything else. They did not move or growl this time, even as the other tom circled. "Yes." He remarked stiffly. "This is Skyclan." There was a smidge of pride in his voice, but layered beneath caution. Eyes narrowing when processing the fact Ginger had been here before. Baby blues follow every motion, ears twitching as the kittypet spoke freely, like borders were just polite suggestions. The teasing comments didn't help or the shimmer of fur.

Nose scrunching as he sputtered again, ears flicking back slightly at the repeated offense. "You sure are bold." The tom huffed, almost more baffled than annoyed. The strangers words weren't exactly rude, just soft. Warmer than most cats Daisydream spoke with these days. Which was a peculiarity that made the heat dwelling in his face intensify.

His tufted chest gave a subtle rise as he inhaled through his nose. He could feel himself trying not to smile. Why am I almost smiling at a trespasser? This guy had his head all in a whirl with only a few looks. Ludacris. The tabby refused to be such a squirrel brain.

Then came the question about getting rid of him, said with a purr and that ridiculous grin. A tilted tail twitched involuntarily, curling tighter. "I was doing my job until you came in." Their tongue felt dry and foreign as Daisydream spoke. "Not meant to mingle with rule breakers. Besides this is a border patrol." Just as he said it, he did not take another step or push the other away. In fact, his paws stayed rooted, even as he felt the warmth of the stranger beckon closer. His awful new nick name came again. Spoken lighter this time, with a nod and a glimmer. Causing butterflies to summersault in his chest.

That earned a reaction. Triangle shaped ears went flat with visible discomfort and his muzzle felt warm. "Stop saying it like that!" Embarrassment cracked the end of his meow. "I have a fitting and proper warrior name." Though the way Gingerbread said it made it sound anything but.

The mood shifted to somber as the ruddy tom motioned toward the moors and mentioned the fire. Brow creasing, the first sign of visible empathy reached his features. They knew what it meant to give up a home and to lose loved one's. Flashes of his father came to mind. He didn't dare interrupt. Just listened politely, eyes briefly flicking to the missing limb. Their barn had been real and cats had called it home. That touched something in the warrior's guarded emotions. Low and kind he murmurs in return. "I'm sorry to hear that." Their voice far more gentle than preferred. "Happy to know you were safe from it." They wouldn't dream of pushing for information on the unspoken incident.

A beat passed and hesitation took over. Daisydream looked behind himself, then back again. "You're an odd smelling kittypet." Their head tilted inquisitively. "Do you wander around these parts a lot?" It wasn't accusatory just genuine curiosity this time, his tail tip finally uncurling. Why do I need to know this? Another moment of thought, and then Daisydream sighed. Admitting a bit louder than necessary. "Well. If you were going to cause trouble, you would have done it by now! No wandering deep past this line, alright? My leader will have you ran off." Or worse. Given the sour remarks as of late he did not want to test those waters.

Ignorant delight is short lived as a distant patter of paws make his pelt crawl. This is bad. Immediately he stood to all fours and closed the space between them. Leveling Gingerbread with a look that he prayed meant business. "Unless you want to make friends with several less friendly cats. I really encourage you to get lost." His face flashes with concern. Unsure if this traveller meant to pass directly through their territory or was messing with him. Earlier hostility all but washed away as he understood the amount of trouble they were in for letting a cat dance around scent lines.

No. He wasn't hurting anyone. I can come up with something but dude has got to go.Leaning up he aimed to bump his head against Gingerbread's chest. Glancing to see if any clanmates has arrived yet and relieved to see none. "That should do it. I can say I ran you off." Crown nodding in approval he whispered. "Make your choice." Daisydream hoped the warning was clear.

OOC
*Backwritten to May.
Attempting to mesh scents with @Gingerbread so it appears they scuffled.
Ginger's next post will open the thread!
Any cat can be on the patrol and peep in after Ginger has stayed/left.
Your call Phoenix if Ginger sticks around or gets lost before the whole patrol arrives.
If they leave Daisy will cover for them ;)

​

​

​