Night Time is the Best Time (tagged)

[Sakuratree]

Echofang stepped out of the warrior den. Her short pelt glistened in the moon light. Night time was the best time because it was dark out. It was hard for regular warriors to see. That's why she enjoyed it. She felt kind of normal. Her blindness always got in the way of everything. Echofang sighed as she padded into the forest. Slowly, her walk turned into a run. Over time, she learned how to use her hearing to help her navigate. Plus, she memorized most of the territory and where everything was placed. If a tree fell over or a puddle was created, she would have more difficulty navigating. It also didn't hurt to have a great sense of smell. Echofang started slowing down as she heard the sound of waves lapping against the shore. She stood still for a minute, resting her blind eyes on the ocean ahead. Slowly, she stepped into the ocean feeling cold from the water. One step after another, she moved more into the water. Her body submerged more and more until she couldn't feel the sandy ground anymore. She swam forward counting each second. It took her ten seconds to reach shore. As she reached shore, she placed her paws on the ground and shook out her pelt. Quickly, she made her way to the center of the island and lied down. She tucked her paws in to stay warm. It was freezing. Her fur wasn't enough to keep her warm.

Leopardcay

[Leopardcay]

OOC: Not mates. Woo.

BIC: Moontail had been up for a while now. He had first sat down to rest a little here in camp before dawn, but as it always have, time had passed. It was now night and the moon was high in the sky, accompanied with stars and thin clouds. The clouds were gently sailing with the wind the blew chilling and refreshingly through Moontail's fur. His whiskers gently waved in the wind and twitched as he took a deep breath. In his mind wandered thoughts of the past day. He had woken up, rested, hunted a little on his own and then eaten. He had taken a stroll through the territory followed by a swim only for him to then again return to camp to sit where he sat now. He had taken a seat close to a bush, hiding him. He knew that he'd probably be bothered if they noticed him sitting here quietly for a long time and they'd maybe thing that something was wrong.

In reality, he didn't feel tired. He had thought and planned to go to the warriors den when the moon had started to rise, but he wasn't in the mood to sleep. So he stayed on his spot til he maybe would. Only problem was that it was now late at night and he was still up.

'Tomorrow will be exhausting...' the large tom thought to himself. He sighed as he rested his head on his paws infront of him. Then... He saw movement. His ears quickly perked as his head rose slightly. Was that...

'Is that... Echofang? Why would she be up so late?' The thought as his gaze gently followed the she-cat padding into the forest. He had seen her around camp and maybe exchanged one or two words with her. She was quite an astonishing cat. Sure, she was blind, he had heard her story, but you really couldn't notice that. She acted and could handle herself just as any other cat, but that didn't answer the question to why she was out so late.

His brow furrowed. Should he follow? He didn't really have anything else to do in the middle of the night. Plus, laying around doing nothing was sure to only get more and more boring. With that reasoning he quickly stood up and started to gently run after the other cat. Sadly, it had taken a while to decide if he should follow, thus, he couldn't see or hear her anymore. but he could still scent her. With steady paws, he kept moving at a steady, but not to fast pace, his nose leading him.

Her scent was sweet and comforting. Warm, in a way. He kept padding across the forest floor, now and then he jumped over roots and other times he ran around bushes. Quickly, he ended up at the shore. He could see paw prints in the sand that was probably from Echofang, but her scent had stopped by the water. He could only guess that she had made her way over to the island. Without hesitation, he jumped into the water and began swimming. The water was cold, chilling the tom, but his thick fur blocked out the worst of it. He quickly made his way across the water and climbed up on the shore of the island before he shook off the water from him. His whiskers were still dripping slightly, but it would have to do. It would dry off eventually, and he'd be forced to swim back later.

Moontail quickly began looking around the shore. Again, he could see paw prints. He once more started to follow the other cats scent to find it leading into the middle of the island, and finally, he could see Echofang again.

"Uh, Hello?" He called out to the cat.

[Sakuratree]

Startled, Echofang turned around. Judging by the scent she could tell it was Moontail. "O-Oh. Hi Moontail. What brings you here?" she questioned in a low tone. Something about her voice had a mysterious edge to it. That's how she liked to keep it. It hinted to others that she liked to keep a distance between him. She felt the moon's rays soaking her pelt. Her blind eyes laid an intense gaze on the cat. She stepped closer to the cat so they were almost face to face. She couldn't tell his exact location. Only approximately.

[Leopardcay]

Moontail blinked slowly as he watched Echofang. Her dim eyes were on him, seemingly looking through him. He gently sat down on the ground and wrapped his tail around him as he rested his gentle gaze onto Echofang's eyes.

"I was wondering what you were doing up so late. Especially out here." He spoke softly, his voice singing in a gentle but deep tone.

[Sakuratree]

Echofang grunted "That's none of your business. I am here for my reasons and so are you. I asked first so it is polite to reply first," she stated with clear confidence. "I'll tell you once you've told me." Echofang wasn't one to talk about her feelings. She never expressed her thoughts unless another expressed them first. Echofang did the same as sat where she was and slid he paws forward so she was lying down. Her bobtail wasn't very protective from the cold. Same with her short fur. She brought her paws closer and rested her head on them in attempt to feel warmer. but, it wasn't very helpful.

[Leopardcay]

Moontail was a little taken back by Echofang's strong responsy but quickly found reason with it. He couldn't help but to smile a little at the she-cat who now was curling up.
'She must be cold...' He thought. She didn't seem to have as thick fur as he did. In any other case, he'd offer to maybe share some warmth but this she-cat seemed a bit... aggressive.
"Very well." He spoke as he smiled.
"I am here because I can't find rest. Mind's a mess." He spoke again, his tone staying the same. Soothing and deep, calm and gentle.
"Now, how about you?"

[Sakuratree]

"It's not like you would understand. but, a promise is a promise. I feel more confident at night time. Like a normal warrior. Normal cats can't see as clearly in as night as they can in daytime. I feel…like I'm the same as them now. They can see as much as I do," she sighed in a much softer voice. "It's not like you would understand anyway." Echofang's eyes bubbles up with tears as she turned around so the tom could not see her expression. What was she thinking? Telling another cat how she felt? That was wrong. Echofang sniffed a little trying to hide the water in her blind eyes.

[Leopardcay]

Moontail frowned as he heard her reasoning. He could understand that she wanted to feel better or normal in a way. He really could. Moontail looked down into the ground sadly with his golden eyes. He couldn't and probably never would understand how it was to be blind. but he did know how it felt to feel.. powerless. Hopeless, maybe? If that was what the emotion she connected herself, that is.

The tom looked up again to see Echofang... crying? Oh no this was too much.
Moontail quickly stood up and walked to sit closely beside her, their fur brushing. He proceeded to put a paw carefully on her back to offer some sort of... Comfort? Yes.. comfort. He just hoped she would take it that way. He took a deep breath before starting to speak.

"I may not know how you feel, but I can understand the reasoning and why. I can understand that it must feel hopeless at times. Just as I can understand how it feels to be different." He spoke softly and gently, his tone being careful with the she-cat.

"but sitting and thinking about it over and over never helps..." He said sadly, his eyes glinting in the moonlight.

"So cheer up. Please. Live your life how it's normal for you, not for others."

[Sakuratree]

Echofang looked up at the warrior shocked. Was he the first to understand how she felt? "Thank you Moontail. Your words mean a lot to me. They truly do," she purred. She muzzled him slightly as a thank you. "I've never told anyone how I felt about anything. You're the first," she mumbled. "I'm feeling a it cold. Do you mind sitting next to me?" Echofang was grateful for the tom finding her. Or she would've finally snapped. Everyone expected her to be great when she had become blind. Echofang had given up to be strong again. Although, slowly over time she was able to but she had lost her reputation. Right now, Moontail brought back her strength.

[Leopardcay]

Moontail smiled, glad he had made her feel better before he spoke to answer her question.
"Not at all." He said softly as he sat closer to Echofang, pressing his body against her, making their fur brush. She felt colder than him, but not by much. Only slightly, but it was enough to make the tom understand why she was cold. He wrapped his tail around her, trying to warm her up as much as possible. She didn't seem to have the luxury of a thick and soft fur as he did.

[Sakuratree]

Echofang smiled feeling already warmer. "Moontail, tell me, how does the sky look tonight?" She asked curiously. She nuzzled in closer as a harsh wind blew shaking the trees. If the sky was clear, she knew she was making the right decision. If the sky was cloudy she was not. She looked to the sky trying to imagine how it looked right now. She had to admit she was falling for the warrior a bit. This may have been one of their first conversations but, she needed someone she could trust. Someone she could talk to. Someone to teach her how to open up to others on how she feels.

[Leopardcay]

Moontail smiled. It felt nice to be this close to someone. He looked up into the sky and judged it. The crescent moon was shining brightly and the stars in the large blanket that was the sky twinkled, only blocked by a few thin clouds that were illuminated by the moon to shine a light blue around its edges.
"It's bright and has a crescent moon that shines brightly. The moon is accompanied by stars that twinkle like the imagination of kits. but the sky also has some clouds in it. Thin ones though that are illuminated by the moon." He said softly as he he watched. It was a marvelous sight and it made the large warrior feel tiny. Like a apprentice or kit entering the forest for the first time. This only reminded Moontail of his past, but he quickly swatted those thoughts away. Thinking about the sad history and what he could've done different was for another time.

[Sakuratree]

Echofang gasped. "It sounds beautiful. Sometimes I forget how the sky looks. It's feels good to be reminded," she admitted. "Don't you wish you could be a kit again? To fix those burning mistakes in your life?" She looked to her paws licking them a bit. She turned her head to his and pressed her head against him. "Don't you wish you could take back an action that you made?"

[Leopardcay]

The tom stiffened as his mouth opened but made no sound. Of course... If he could go back... It'd all be different... They'd be alive... The question had taken him completely off guard... He regained his composure quickly and took a deep breath.
"You couldn't imagine what I'd do to go back..." He said as calmly as possible. His voice was a little shaky, but not by much. He was a reserved cat after all. A warrior that can control himself.
Right?

[Sakuratree]

"I know how you feel. You feel the same way I did. but, you choose to keep it in you. Hoping to get away from it. Am I right?" She mewed hoping she was able to read the tom correctly. Echofang looked at the tom. Her intense blind gaze waiting for a response to know the truth. "I only want to help you. After all, you helped me realize that I don't need to dwell on my blindness. I can work towards being something better. Which I already am." She flicked her short tail towards the tom touching him slightly.