Fate...or something else? [tagged]

[Fablie]

[[Oh, I totally understand! I'm still replying a lot slower than you sometimes, anyway. xD There are so many threads to reply to. ;_; Your post was beautiful, and that matters a lot more than length, imho! c:]]

A long, frosty silver tail stirred the air for a moment, the she-cat staring expectantly at Aether and the rogue taking a flicker of time to collect himself again as he held back a grimace. She couldn't have guessed what he was thinking about; it was simply chance that she happened to suggest that. Nevertheless, a twinge of unease weighed in on him as it always did when his expectations were proven false or his thoughts seemed vulnerable. He twitched his whiskers playfully and put on an expression of surprise, simultaneously directing his own thoughts to the positive side of the situation; he had been wishing he could find some way to accompany her, after all.

"As a matter of fact, I am!" chirped the tabby, breaking the brief silence. Lilycloud had gone a little ways ahead before thinking to ask the question; Aether hesitated deliberately this time -- so as not to seem overeager -- but soon quickened his pace to fall into step with her. She was a bit smaller than him, and her fur was very thin and fine, seeming to sway like grass whenever the breeze picked up. There was a reason Aether preferred sheltered places to fields like this one, at least when searching for a place to sleep; beyond the obvious ease with which potential adversaries could catch sight of him, there also seemed to Aether a distinct lack of ways to go about gaining a strategic advantage should any conflict ensue. Conflict was, if at all possible, to be avoided, but it was always best to be cautious -- especially for one such as himself, who never was all that good when it came down to tests of physical nature. Besides, the ability to sneak around unnoticed had proven itself useful for other reasons in the past.

The obvious remedy for the situation of being out in the open was to arrive near the less-exposed areas around the Clans before nightfall. For now, he contented himself with allowing his gaze to dart around at the sloping horizon and keeping his nose tuned to any new smells entering the fray. Lilycloud's scent was the one that stood out among those of river and meadow, with the occasional aroma of prey puncturing the tapestry as well. He'd long since adjusted to it while they were talking, but now he was trying to keep aware of his surroundings, it was becoming a slight obstruction. I'm probably imagining that, he noted to himself after a moment of debating. In reality, the presence of another cat ought not cause too much harm so long as he doesn't linger on it.

The Clan cat had seemed absorbed in her own thoughts for a moment before asking Aether if he was heading her way, and he wasn't quite hurried enough to interrupt with any of the questions that had crowded in on his mind only moments ago. The silence was perfect for the rogue, and he waited for Lilycloud to rekindle their conversation. It's fine, he thought, perfectly fine that I'm not heading towards any one goal with this action.

Sometimes, you need to let others warm up to you first. Sure, he was going overboard with it for a cat he only wanted information from, and with whom he probably wouldn't ever meet again after this, but it wasn't like they were lacking time anymore. All these thoughts flitted idly through his mind, but he did not let himself turn completely inwards this time; Aether's ears and eyes remained peeled, and his gaze flitted to the cream she-cat just as often as they did the rest of the world.

[Heron]

Lilycloud felt her heart skip a flutter, an indication that his answer had pleased her. She was really interested in Aether and the way he was, like some sort of fresh new prey she'd never hunted before. Except she was not hunting prey, but perhaps something to satisfy the inner need to discover who she was, why she was, and how she was. Her dream with Starclan had been confusing, and speaking to Aether had been fresh and new. She longed to return to her clan, that inner instinct where she felt better surrounded by those who held her to the same priority as she held them. The cream she-cat adored the security that Stormclan provided, but she wondered what satisfied Aether's security. Did he even feel safe at all? She itched to know what sort of method he used to quench the parts of him that felt like they were missing.

Her mood was cheery and she purred as he sped up to fall into step next to her. They were walking relatively close now, like friends instead of strangers. Not wanting to step on his boundaries but still curious, she attempted to make small talk. It felt as though their conversation was always about her. "So how long have you been by yourself around here?" She looked at him, resting her blue gaze on his scar. "You said you travel a lot. Does that mean you are still traveling?" She had heard that territories went beyond what Stormclan knew off of their paws; beyond those territories it was simply assumed they were wasteland or more Twoleg homes. It seemed reasonable to believe that the only prey-filled areas were the ones they shared with the rest of the clans and the outsiders.

Word count: 295

[Fablie]

((Complications arose both last night and this morning resulting in an extended period of writing this post + a large amount of the original (and superior, I think) one being deleted, so I'm refusing to reread it before clicking send. I'm deeply sorry if it turns out to be a train wreck. Also, please tell me if you'd like me to tone down the ramblings/post length!))

Aether eyed the cream cat as she spoke, and noticed the expression on her face while she stared back at him. He'd gotten similar looks in the past, ever since he'd received a nasty scratch on his muzzle which refused to be forgotten -- physically, that was. He faced forward again, conscious of the way the off-color skin looked up close.

"I interact with other cats fairly often," commented the rogue, though he had to quickly emend what had started out as a steely tone in the hopes that Lilycloud wouldn't notice. His gaze kept flicking to the side as he spun the tale, gauging her reaction to his every word. He spoke quietly, calmly, yet to Aether it felt like a sudden shift from the momentary peace of a moment ago; now, he found his thoughts locked in a tempestuous parley as he was forced to decide exactly how he would have this cat view him. A single string of thought surfaced once or twice, challenging the ones that were momentarily dominating. Why does it matter? it queried, a chiding whisper that wanted to sting him for being so off-put by this stranger who had saved his life. She's not about to view you as a threat, so all this turmoil is meaningless!

Aether answered that silent voice the same instant he continued aloud, "I'm traveling at this exact moment, back the way I came, because of a rumor I heard about a cat -- who may or may not exist -- that allegedly lives the way we're heading now. That's usually how it is."

The tabby waved his tail callously to punctuate the next pause, but seized the opportunity to examine the surroundings they were walking through. One everlasting fact about Aether was that he would never trust the cats around him to check for danger; once, he'd been forced to sleep while someone else kept watch or risk making his suspicion obvious, but he had never trusted the skill or loyalty of another; he put his faith into his own skill at manipulation, and his ability to predict the motivations of most of those he met, but he had slept fitfully that night of his own accord. The area still seemed strangely agreeable for leaf-fall, though trees were sparse and their leaves even sparser. He only noticed a couple as they passed, and they seemed placed perfectly to remind one that it was, actually, approaching leafbare.

There were no other cats around, which was a good thing, for Aether was not the least bit inclined to expand the purview of his efforts in socialization to more than Lilycloud at the moment. She wasn't a hard cat to please -- which was part of why the small, insignificant, uncomfortable stream of thought in his head that he had needed an effort to satisfy had ever made its appearance. The issue with Lilycloud was, in Aether's opinion, her uniqueness; he could not pinpoint her motivations or weaknesses, nor could he place her in much of a category beyond that she was a surprisingly intelligent and open-minded Clan cat, who was kind-hearted but guarded -- the last word being the salient reason he knew that his categorization was inadequate, aside from subliminal cues that he must have picked up somewhere along the way.

The rogue returned to his explanation with the same soft pitch of before, elaborating, "I'm not actively trying to explore new places, or anything of the sort, if that's what you thought. I just follow whatever inclinations I have." As it happened, this version of things was unusually close to the truth. The key difference was the way he had phrased the latter part, as if he simply operated on arbitrary whims that came and went; rather, Aether's actions were driven by precise calculations, and spun from goals which he thought up in order to make changes wherever he went and make it easier for him to live his life. It was because of all his forethought and constant preparation for nothing in particular that he had survived the sickness that had followed his first encounter with Lilycloud -- though he owed the plans that saved him in part to the shallow knowledge of herbs his mother had imparted to him when she was alive.

[Heron]

Lilycloud continued to look at him, meeting his eyes and suppressing the usual emotions that rushed through her when she gazed at him. His tone had started out with a clip but she did not shrink back or feel sheepish for asking what she wanted to ask. His words grew softer and more matter-of-fact as he continued, and the warrior accepted whatever had bothered him at first had diluted just as quickly as it had come. A cat? He was searching for someone? She felt her whiskers twitch in curiosity. Did she dare press further? He seemed open minded and willing to talk, but she never wanted to force anything out of a new friend. "Friend". What a complicated term; she had saved his life, and he had helped her hunt. Were two encounters enough to be friends?

Friends. With a jolt of sadness, the she-cat fought the urge to shake her head. Rogues and Stormclanners were not friends. They were to be used to gain information and the upper paw, nothing friendly of the sort between them. They did not hold the same standards. Her kitten heart wanted to stomp down her paw, a battle between who she was now and who she had been. You cannot be friends with rogues! He doesn't want to be your friend, anyway!

She looked away from him to feel the breeze flowing through her soft, thin fur as it grazed and cooled her skin. Her stomach was rather pouchy now that she had her fair share of fish, but she did not mind the extra feeling of weight as she walked. Once he was finished talking, she nodded, satisfied. "I see. And, yes, that is usually 'how it is'. I don't suppose the help of a clan cat is something you are planning to have once more?" Her tone was light and teasing, but her underlying tone indicated that she was serious if he wanted her to be. She knew, however, what rogues often thought of clan cats. That they were the enemy-- nothing useful, just a bunch of made up stories and rules. Telling Aether about her dream suddenly seemed like an embarrassment; why would he ever want the help of a cat that believes in something he explicitly stated he thought was, frankly, nonsense?

"I mean," she continued before he could part his jaw. "I live around here. I know the clans fairly well, and the rogues that inhabit it. With the exception of you, that is. If you knew what the cat looked like, I might be able to give you a name?"

---

// That's very okay! The more rambling the merrier, I'm not afraid of long posts.

[Fablie]

There was a hint of something else in Lilycloud's tone, behind that sonorous, frivolous voice; Aether was sure of it. At least, he thought he was. He wasn't usually wrong about these things. Her remark had the worst possible effect on his mental state, and it was starting to dawn on him that he ought to learn not to be so bothered by occasionally being surprised; it was impeding his focus, this uproar caused by what he hadn't expected. Why hadn't he expected it? Because Clans didn't help outsiders, of course. It had surprised him when she saved his life -- but now she was suddenly offering to help him of her own accord, when he wasn't even in dire need of aid. Still, thought Aether bitterly, I should have predicted it.

It took the tabby a heartbeat to notice the feeling of relief that accompanied his frustration at her offer -- though whether it truly was an offer, he couldn't say for sure. It did seem like one, but at the same time, Aether was feeling uncharacteristically doubtful of his own perception at the moment.

Lilycloud was still speaking, altering the meaning of what she'd said before. The silver tabby was careful to keep his countenance unperturbed, and let his attention settle on what Lilycloud was saying. Although she was hastily amending her prior statement -- or perhaps removing an unintended second interpretation before Aether could react to it -- she spoke with the clever, perceptive tone that he'd noticed was particular to her. It was another aspect that challenged the rogue's ideas about Clan cats.

She stopped talking far too soon for Aether's tastes; he was still contemplating the meaning of what she'd said, and hadn't yet formulated a response. In the end, he addressed it lazily, answering only the second part. "Well," he started, "At this distance, nothing I've heard can be counted on. I think it was a tom, and I know he wasn't a Clan cat, but that's about it. I don't know anything about how he looks." Aether felt a wave of disappointment at his own answer; it was, to say the least, underwhelming. He was underwhelming this day, it seemed.

He had planned to find out more when he got to the general area of this so-called mercenary cat -- and he wasn't at all concerned about his ability to gather information once he got there -- but the answer he'd given was far from encouraging if he wanted to get anything else out of the Clan cat. Is it even fair for me to think of Lilycloud that way? he wondered. It was a strange, out-of-place thought; it had no reasonable perch in his mind. Of course he could think of any Clan cat as a Clan cat; there was nothing so terribly special about this creamy-furred, blue-eyed she-cat with curled ears that Aether would ever not view her as what she was.

The rogue found himself on the verge of saying more to her, but only to be distracted by another scent -- faint and faraway, but a hint of which definitely hung in the air. He slowed, wanting to be sure it was not a threat or another cat.

[Heron]

"At this distance, nothing I've heard can be counted on. I think it was a tom, and I know he wasn't a Clan cat, but that's about it. I don't know anything about how he looks."


Lilycloud tried to hide her disappointment and her belief that perhaps Aether did not know what he was planning, doing, or going to act upon. If he was so set on finding a cat, it could be assumed he knew a lot about said cat. While it was tricky to search such large amount of cat clans, not knowing even their pelt was a dead end that Lilycloud felt he knew already. Because of this, she did not comment on his lack of knowing. Her whiskers twitched in distaste but she shrugged the incident off casually. While it would have been nice to be more help to him, this seemed like the end of what she could offer or provide for him.

She was about to unhinge her jaw and continue small talk, but she noticed that his speed had decreased significantly. Feeling suddenly nervous, the young she-cat picked up her head to search frantically. She tried to inhale, but the scent of fish around her lips made her swear to Starclan. She should have cleaned her chops better! The American Curl stepped closer to Aether and tried to inhale the scents through her mouth, allowing them to pass over her tongue. She could pick up the slight hint of something, but it did not alarm her the way it did to Aether. "What's wrong?" She asked flatly. Before he could answer, she mewed, "We are on a popular path. There's sure to be loners out here, just like the two of us." The Stormclanner listened intently, the muscles beneath her pelt flexing with anticipation and anxiety. She paused for several minutes, hearing the grass crunch beneath the weight of an approaching figure. It slithered from the field in front of them, turning its large head to look at them with an expression that portrayed both lack of amusement and interest.

The cat was a tom, his smell so strong that Lilycloud did not dare to take her eyes off of him. He sauntered closer and Lilycloud could see the thick scars that were lined on his shoulder and neck, so deep that she wondered how he had ever survived wounds like that. He was large and pointy, a dark reddish color that contrasted Lilycloud's cream and Aether's silver. Most of all, the cat's large body was so sickly skinny that he seemed to be starving to death. She prepared herself to fight him; it was not as though they had prey with them, so what could he want?

"Hello," the cat said, bored. He looked at Aether for a second and then turned his attention to Lilycloud. The warrior noticed that while his body seemed to be malnourished, he spoke just as well and even as Aether and herself. "Little clan-kittypet taking a walk out of her territory? That's a bit edgy on your part, lovely; making friends with a rogue...." Nazareth rested his dry, yellow eyes on Aether. His long tail flickered from side to side behind him. He gave off an aura of boredom and interest, as if both could co-exist on top of spoken words like it were common.

[Fablie]

When Lilycloud spoke, she seemed closer than she had been a moment ago. Aether let his gaze flicker briefly to where the light cream she-cat had slowed beside him as he listened, but kept his senses tuned; the scent he'd detected earlier seemed to be drawing nearer, and the realization that it came from another cat was both off-putting and worrisome for two different reasons.

He flicked his tail in acknowledgement when Lilycloud finished speaking. Were he traveling alone, the fragile tabby might have altered his course rather than allowing the other cat to catch him in the open, but he suspected that Lilycloud wouldn't understand his concern. He preferred not to bother with the sorts who couldn't be reasoned with -- like most of the Clan cats he'd met so far -- and when he did decide someone was worth talking to, it was usually better for him to approach them than the other way around.

More importantly, he often left a sour impression when he cut off ties with cats past their usefulness; leading such souls on unnecessarily wouldn't do, either, because they would inevitably realize his two-faced nature and become greater threats than if he'd simply abandoned them. As such, Aether occasionally left behind cats bitter enough to seek him out -- with limited success -- and those cats had needed to be eliminated before they could pass on information to the current occupants of the area. This was, perhaps, another factor of his life which he'd hidden from Lilycloud when she asked; traveling and subtlety kept his name from becoming infamous and impeding the progress of future undertakings.

The two travelers came to a halt near simultaneously, both alert to the cat who seemed to be heading their way. Aether was relieved when he ascertained that it wasn't anyone he'd met, but still felt dubious of how well he was handling the issue. Pawsteps could be heard now, making it clear that this cat wasn't scared of confrontation. The tabby found very little time to ponder this, however, as a dark, reddish figure invaded his vision. A bedraggled rogue approached. It was a tom -- large, but thin and sickly, as if struggling to find food for himself. He didn't seem overtly aggressive, but there was an air of contempt about him; his demeanor was conflictingly cynical and bored, whilst giving an impression of one looking for trouble. He lives for himself, Aether decided immediately. Unlike the diplomat, this cat made no attempt at hiding it.

A greeting came; a pair of flat, yellow eyes spent a cursory glance on Aether before focusing on the cat beside him. His next words were prying, sadistic, and -- in Aether's mind -- clearly spoken with the intent of getting under their target's skin. The pale tabby was almost tempted to observe Lilycloud's reaction to the taunt before speaking up; this option was short-lasted, as the sardonic yellow gaze now fixed itself on Aether. At this cue, the silver tom's demeanor shifted.

With Lilycloud alone, he had taken a neutral -- but pleasant -- approach; he hadn't needed anything more -- and besides, he wasn't sure what else she'd have responded well to. Now, he let his gaze narrow just slightly, putting on a disdainful expression to match that of the large stranger. He knew he was adept at controlling what was reflected in his golden-amber eyes, and he opted for a mellow filter this time. He did not desire to stir up anything more than this rogue seemed to be vying for.

"Is it? I wouldn't know about Clan customs," he drawled, trying to diffuse the potency of the stranger's remark, "but it sounds strange of them to forbid friendly relations with outsiders -- so far from their own turf, no less. Lilycloud, what do you say?" He blinked and twisted his neck to face the curly-eared warrior, more interested in her reaction to the concept of "friends" and the stranger's statement as a whole than he was curious about his question's answer. He half-expected her to correct the misconception that they were more than traveling partners, but a part of him hoped she would not; the more he interacted with this particular Clan cat, the more he was curious to know more about her -- not only her Clan -- and the only way he could do that was if he could somehow meet her again after their next parting. Maybe I should make a better effort to ask her help in finding that mercenary cat, after all, he thought idly.

Now he had turned his focus back to Lilycloud, Aether regretted how sharp his change in attitudes had been. He cringed inwardly, hoping she wasn't suspicious of him for it.

[Heron]

Lilycloud peeled her eyes off of Aether as he twisted his neck to gaze at her. She looked back into his amber eyes and swallowed nervously, turning back to the rogue that had just appeared. She was suddenly remembering how wary she could be of strangers, as if she hadn't been mingling with one like she was. "I-" she started, but was interrupted by the rogue; Nazareth looked amused at Aether's retort, letting out a small cough of a laugh. His ribs jutted out as he inhaled, making him look even more sickly.

"I agree whole heartedly." He pointed out, turning his attention to study the strange Stormclanner's ears. Instead of the usual, they were rounded and distorted. He wondered if this was some sort of disability, and the other rogue had taken pity on her. He knew that, for a clan cat, those such things were an indication that their lineage was anything but purely clan. She either was no stranger to rogues, or had kittypet blood. Nazareth had been a housepet, therefore holding no bitter agenda against them; purely the Twolegs alone did he have a problem with. "I probably have a few kits myself in the clans. Not yours, though." His whiskers twitched as he looked at Lilycloud. "So it is rather annoying that they like to look down on us, the outsiders."

Lilycloud tried to gain strength through Aether's tone of voice, and how lax he seemed next to her in the presence of the stranger. She was rather off put by the realization that Aether had said her name aloud, and now the rogue in front of her knew who she was and what she was called. Not like being with Aether was a secret, but Stormclan would likely believe betrayal if they thought she had visited her "outsider friend" instead of Starclan as she instructed she was going to do. The creamy, ginger she-cat cleared her throat. "Outsiders usually bring trouble." was all she said, but looked at Aether before he could react negatively. "but yes, far from territory, it's to be expected that paths will cross."

Nazareth padded closer, sticking closely to the long grass that began the field next to them in case he had to run rather quickly. His yellow, dull gaze seemed to tighten as he inspected the two cats together. "Paths cross..maybe. From what I can see, you two seem rather comfortable." His tone was playful, tongue dripping with a hint of something else.

Lilycloud shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. Her fluffy tail folded across her back, the tip of it grazing Aether as he stood beside her. She shivered from the rogue's words, but piped up before he could assume anymore. "We're friends," she hissed, her stubborn attitude coming to play and the nervous, wary Lilycloud disappearing. Her demeanor had changed to demonstrate her warrior capabilities; Stormclan cats did not allow rogues to treat them like play things. She was a clan cat, after all. Something to be wary of, for with her came numbers of cats all ready to defend her and fight with her. She should feel untouchable. Despite this inclination, however, she felt rather kit-like. Her tough exterior would have melted if not for Aether beside her, providing a strength that she should have felt from her clan, but was feeling now from a cat she had only met twice. Her heart twisted, its strings sending signals to her brain that brought in a rush of conflicted thoughts. "Think twice about that and we'll rip out your fur, you scrap."

Nazareth looked nervous, his tail tip brushing the ground furiously. He had kept his calm, collected persona fairly well. When she hissed, his lips pulled back in response, showing a gleaming row of broken teeth. Instead of fighting back, he shrugged, focusing on Aether. "You'll find that clan cats," his lips pulled back once more in a growl. "are bad company. Too arrogant. That's why I get rid of mine, send them running back to their clan mates with their bellies swollen."

Lilycloud tried to hide her shock and embarrassment. As if she were just for kitting! She hissed once more, taking a warning step toward the unnamed rogue with her claws unsheathed.

---

This is crazy. I'm trying to put her emotions into words. She's already feeling outcast and disappointed in by her clan; they gave her a false sense of what it means to be a warrior. She had to kill another cat when she was young, and was praised for it. So it eats her at night, and then she gets this sense of security from Aether! And then she's feeling bad about that, because that feeling should come from her clan, not a rogue she just "officially" met. but she wants to maintain her composure, and all the while hoping Aether still wishes to befriend her despite the fact that this other rogue seems to be making a fool of the clans. So then she's trying to stick up for herself and her clan, all the while knowing she doesn't really feel as strongly about them in the first place. x)

[Fablie]

Lilycloud was clearly perturbed by the stranger's presence; when she met Aether's gaze with those bright blue eyes of hers, the tom heard a nervous little gulp and could swear he saw anxiety in her features. The shared glance was only a transient one before Lilycloud faced forward again -- apparently directing her answer at the other rogue, even though Aether had been the one to pose the question. He wondered if she was always this agitated by strangers, or if it had to do with what this one seemed to be getting at. Her initial reaction to Aether flashed through his mind, but his musing was shoved to the side as Lilycloud began speaking -- only to be cut off by the cinnamon-colored rogue that affronted them. Annoyance stirred in the silver tabby's gut; he would have to make sure the interruption didn't preclude her response.

He was laughing -- the sickly one, that was. Had Aether not met a few similarly decrepit cats in his past, it might have been harder to discern; the entire action was more of a frightful croak, as if he might keel over in a heartbeat. Aether's claws extended briefly towards the ground against his will -- a trivial detail, even to him.

Moreover, he must have stepped backwards at some point or another, and his bright stare was once more locked on the large cat in front of him. He was laughing, you mousebrain! It's not alarming. The tabby tempered his expression as the other rogue responded -- I was asking for Lilycloud's input, not yours -- with what was, according to him, supposed to be agreement. What he was agreeing to, he was agreeing to the absurdity of Clan customs, which wasn't really the point Aether had been trying to make in the first place. His way of agreeing to it was unique, too, and part of it might well have been a very convincing bluff -- though Aether was inclined to think otherwise, given the tom's behavior up till now.

When the odd rogue was finished, Lilycloud resumed speaking without prompt. What she said hardly deviated from the expected, of course; truly, it should've been this way much more often in their conversations, with Aether predicting most of the ways they'd unfold. She hadn't denied his subtler assertion yet, though it might have slipped her mind during the third cat's unwanted commentary, or simply been taken for granted due to its meaning's ambiguity. The silver tabby kept his tail stilled as he considered this, merely nodding to accept her answer as the other tom closed in on them. He observed this from a sidelong view, unready to set his cautious mood on display despite the prickle of concern he felt.

'Comfortable'? Hardly. Not on Aether's part, at least. Perhaps Lilycloud had grown more relaxed by the time they'd encountered this newcomer, but the situation now was unpleasant to the both of them for separate reasons -- reasons which neither quite willfully divulged, although Aether was more reticent than his companion. Something soft brushed his side, and he looked in time to watch a sudden change of attitudes as Lilycloud spoke up. 'We're friends,' according to you, then? She had said it pointedly, fiercely addressing the sleazy tom that now stood that much closer to the both of them. Aether was tempted to take another step back, away from the two. Lilycloud was once again reacting in a way he had not predicted. She was agitated by that meddlesome tom's implications -- that was certain -- but why had she been so aggressive in that one statement? Was she really this easily provoked? She threw out a threat on behalf of the both of them, and it astounded Aether how audacious she was being.

Friends fought with each other without question, in the idealized delusions of most cats. Aether was no one's friend. That wouldn't change anytime soon; he only hoped attempting to play "friend" to Lilycloud wasn't about to result in more trouble than he was prepared for. The cat beside him would've looked almost ludicrous from her appearance alone; her soft, light-toned fur and her kittypet-strange ears did her no favors, and he wondered if she could possibly do anything but rile up the larger tom like this. A hiss erupted from the appropriate direction to punctuate the tabby's doubts.

At least we outnumber him, he reminded himself. He was still unsure if he would stay and help, should fighting break out because of Lilycloud's brashness. In reality, he predicted she would be a sturdy fighter -- at least compared to Aether -- and would be surprised if the other rogue, as bedraggled as he looked, was anywhere near a match for them. However, the concept of such an unnecessary scrimmage went against his personal policies, and the potential consequences of even a short-term injury in the current location could prove severe; it was with this justification that the decision became a complicated one for Aether.

Luckily, the dark tom seemed to think better of it before the choice became a crucial one. The situation hadn't abated yet, but it was to Aether's relief that the other rogue returned to simple talking for the moment. Unfortunately, what he said was perfect fuel for whatever fire he seemed intent on starting; Lilycloud made no effort to mend the dispute, either, instead hissing again and moving towards the other rogue to rekindle the threat.

That didn't work out very well, thought Aether to himself. He knew he was partly at fault for not doing more to intervene -- though accomplishing that without going against Lilycloud might have been a challenge -- but the tabby was also aggravated by his compatriot's perceived idiocy. It was almost like the reactions of all the other Clan cats he'd met, when they so much as noticed his presence.

Behind her, he took a hesitant step forward and gave her a slight nudge, just as any other cat might have done to politely warn off an agitated ally. His golden-amber eyes were no longer narrowed, and it was all he could do to look menacing in front of the hostile stranger. His claws were fully extended, his body tensed; if one of them deigned to make a move, he would have to follow suite. Hopefully, his delicate form was not enough to tell the potential foe that he wasn't built for fighting. He wondered if his scar helped at all; going by appearance, did it make him seem battle-hardened? The thought was almost funny.

He let no time go to waste before speaking, even as he focused on deceiving the rogue with his appearance. "Isn't that just making more Clan cats? Not very logical, if you ask me," he mewed in a contemplative voice. Antagonizing either of the already-provoked cats here was far from his preferred method of doing things, but he was confident in his own ability to manipulate others more than anything else; if the dark-furred rogue backed down in the face of an unfair fight, no sacrifices or risks would be necessary.

It was a shame he still had no concept of what this yet-to-be-introduced rogue actually wanted.

---

[[Okay, I know I'm probably saying this a lot, but oh my god that post is amazing. *-* Thank you for the explanation of Lilycloud's thoughts at the end, because I hadn't noticed the depth there and I just love it so much. Lilycloud's a total sweetie.

I've been pretty occupied lately (not aided by a week of summer camp), so I only just got around to reading it -- as in, right before I began writing this. Super sorry for the overly extended wait period, and a post that isn't on par with yours; I'm still trying to figure out how to characterize Aether, and that is currently resulting in too much explanation and too little action on his part.]]

[Heron]

"Isn't that just making more Clan cats? Not very logical, if you ask me,"

Nazareth leaned forward in fit of laughter, twisting his body so that it was horribly clear that his ribs were jutting from beneath his skin. "Fair enough, fair enough," the older cat wheezed. His dry, yellow eyes did not regain any lost moisture; to Lilycloud, they seemed abundantly lifeless. Surely this was a cat that was dying? He looked so ill, so sickly, and yet the deep indent in his neck proved that he was likely a tough cat to kill. She silently wondered what kind thing could permanently damage a cat's neck so badly and let it live.

She kept her gaze locked onto the intruder, his horrible scent and ragged appearance making the she-cat more uneasy by the minute. She had half a mind, or claw, to put him in his place if not for the fact that she was feeling less and less like she could put up a hostile forefront. Her long, fluffy tail merely twitched behind her rigid body uneasily. She felt the slight nudge of Aether, and took it as a signal that maybe she was being too rash- enough to frighten him into leaving her behind for a solo fight, if the other rogue were to attack.

Nazareth, however, was anything but offensive. He erupted in a sickly fit of coughing and wheezing, for half a second almost revealing a shyness to him that implicated he was feeling bashful about hacking in front of two young, healthy cats. "Ah..." he breathed loudly once he was finished. "I don't mean harm to either of you. What you do is your business, as mine is mine. You see, I suffer from this condition that not even medicine cats of the clans can fix. When I have kits, each time I hope they will be spared from this sickly life. And each time they are not." The Abyssinian turned his head toward the sky, shaking it in a lame attempt to scorn the clouds and the stars.

Lilycloud felt less tense, turning to quickly glance at Aether. She half-hoped she was daydreaming this scenario; a sickly rogue teasing and taunting them both, erupting into what was the beginning of a life story. but she wanted none of it. She merely kept her tongue, wishing that warrior training could have prepared her for something like this. She could fight tooth and claw, but she rarely knew how to approach a verbal confrontation that twisted to a backstory.

The Abyssinian turned back to Aether and Lilycloud, yawning absentmindedly. His frail frame started to shake involuntarily, set forth by a chilly breeze that likely came from the river. To Lilycloud, who had been graced with a healthy, smooth pelt; the wind wasn't anything but welcoming and warm. but to the Abyssinian, where his pelt was so short that his pink skin shone through, it was hardly enough to protect him. "No, no...I don't pick fights, not anymore. Too witty for that."