Kestrels have Feathers too, y'know! (Lily, OPEN~)

[Carotius]

Tags: @lilykit


Kestrelflight bounded into camp, two fish dangling in his jaws from their tail, their slimy scales still dripping with seawater. He dropped them off at the fresh-kill pile, sniffing the other contributions, before proceeding to take a seat at one of the sunny spots to dry off his pelt. He wasn't hungry, but he knew he would be.

Flipping onto his back to allow sunlight onto his belly fur, the tom's eyes spotted a pretty little butterfly flitting about near his head. Aren't you a colourful thing? His forepaws shot outwards in short, sharp movements, aiming to catch the insect without really harming it. Then it flew out of his reach, with him letting out a wistful sigh.

"Cats flying? A strange and morbid dream," he chuckled, closing his eyes as he soaked the warmth onto his fur.

[Deleted]

Featherstep was in a grumpy mood today, as she always was. She had slept-in today to give herself a sense of relaxation and to calm her nerves. It had worked for a little away before she was awoken and dragged away to hunt with her half-sister, Softblossom. She had pretty much been useless since her warrior ceremony, and her half-sister had to always point it out.

She was able to catch a water vole today, near the glistening water that her clan was blessed with. She was grateful for the catch because then Softblossom wouldn't bother her for the rest of the day. She returned to camp, dropping the vole in the pile. Her stomach growled, and she grabbed one of Kestrelflght's fish. She padded near him, sunning herself as she ate.

Her eyes gazed at the butterfly, and her remark was, "but it's not as strange and morbid as you think."

[Carotius]

His green eyes reopened to focus on the newcomer, recognising the salty tang of the fish he had caught earlier. He couldn't help feeling amused when he realised it was Featherstep, in all her grumpy glory today; this would most definitely be a strange chat.

"You're in your lovely mood today, I see," he licked a paw and drew it slowly over an ear. He continued speaking, completely moving back to the first topic, "It's not as morbid when in a dream, so long as one doesn't think of plucking a bird's wings to a cat's back. THAT is morbidity."

He flipped onto his belly, sunning his back this round, while grooming down his the spiked up fur on his front legs. Kestrelflight suppressed an amused purr when he heard the she-cat chew even more noisily on the fish.

[Deleted]

She swallowed the fish she had in her mouth, snapping at him, "And you seem like you're in a lovelier mood, don't you?"

Her eyes studied him, squinted and narrowed. There was no warmness there; it was instead stern and hardened. She had no friends, and she knew why. It was because of the way she talked, the way she carried herself, the way she snapped back so easily. She clenched her jaw, biting her lower lip softly. Here was another cat, probably going to be scared off too.

She sighed, feeling as though there was a rock in her stomach. She pushed the fish away, her eyes flickering from side to side. Her voice was soft yet her tone was harsh, "Feather's have no use to us, and they always get stuck in your mouth. Everycat hates it, so why not pluck it on your back? It's not like it can do anything else."

Her comment had surprised her, and she felt as though she was talking about something other than just dumb bird feathers. She loosed her clench, cleaning her whiskers with her paw. She had to cover her face, which was, by now, showing her uncertainty at talking to this cat.

[Carotius]

OOC: oh my gosh, @lilykit! This is already going in a good direction with the title! OuO


Although by now he should be used to tethe she-cat's snappy outbursts, the spotted tom still found himself startled at Featherstep's reaction, his tongue paused mid-groom on his left foreleg. Lovely mood, indeed.

Kestrelflight flicked his tail tip, then resumed his grooming, albeit in a more thoughtful fashion as his eyes spotted a bee buzzing lazily on a flower bush nearer to the elders' den. For a few seemingly long moments, he watched the striped yellow creature, hovering around the many petals before finally settling on a stark red one.

"Feathers have no use to us..."

Kestrelflight snapped out of his reverie at that phrase, refocusing his attention back on Featherstep. The she-cat looked nothing less than downtrodden, the half-eaten fish pushed away while her paws worked to groom heR already neat fur.

He tilted his head thoughtfully. "True, feathers get stuck in your mouth and make you splutter whenever you clamp your teeth onto a bird. Any cat would rather these creatures be born without them, to make hunting and eating easier."

Something radiated from Featherstep's pelt. Was that uncertainty? Anger? Frustration? Likely preparing to rebuke.

"but those feathers do serve a purpose, y'know. They were not made to be a hindrance first," he meowed, turning his gaze to the she-cat. "Feathers are what help a bird survive, enabling them to fly and keep warm from cold drafts; much like how we have teeth and claws to defend and hunt, and fur to keep out leaf-bare's frost."

He scratched a small circle into the ground with his claws, not giving his acquaintance a chance to speak. "The Clan line their nests with the soft feathers of these flying wonders, knowing it keeps them comfortable and warm. It's these same soft and warm feathers that a mother bird uses to keep her children warm and alive, much like our mothers with their fur when we were kits."

By the time he had finished his sentence, Kestrelflight had drawn three smaller circles into the first one. Two of them were scored with another symbol of sorts, as if indicating a difference among the three.

"Tell me again how feathers are of no use?" Kestrelflight let his green eyes rest on Featherstep again, genuine curiosity making them glow.


OOC: This...is the longest post I've had in a long time. O.o

[Deleted]

She was taken aback, a bit speechless, really. Where, in his crazy mind, did he think he had a right to vote for feathers? They were annoying, they were useless, and they only got into your way. There were no useful things that a feather could do. All you can do with a feather is step on it and enjoy defeating it - enjoy being able to conquer it. They couldn't fight back as they weren't even alive. They were just part of a bird's anatomy, and no bird would mind if only one feather had just happened to be plucked away. The whole bird's flock especially didn't care for that poor little feather, who hadn't done anything wrong but do it's best and help the bird. The feather, however, still gets left behind, alone and to fend for it's unmovable self.

Featherstep bared her teeth, but don't get me wrong, this wasn't at Kestrelflight. It was aimed at herself, in who's thoughts were making her pity the feather - pity herself. She kept thinking about the feather when it was really just an anology for her. She never thought she could be this deep, but here she was, her thoughts being triggered by this male cat. What was he doing to her? She usually kept her calm around others, but she couldn't keep her own pelt down by now. It was prickly, fluffing up in all different directions. She couldn't tell why it was raised, but what she did know was that she felt slightly uncomfortable with her thoughts. Therefore, she decided to stop thinking and just... talk.

"Feathers are itchy and talons and their beak can certainly take the place of defense," she said, not knowing why she was still trying to build up the con side anymore, "Birds may need feathers, but they don't need everyone one of them. Some of them are outcasted as they drift alone with no one to help. There are other things that bird can use that will easily replace the warmth of a feather. Perhaps our shedding fur, or soft leaves that come from healthy plants. Perhaps they themselves can warm each other up, don't you think?"

She had looked at the circles he was drawing, but they didn't not registered in her mind. Her thoughts were completely filled with other things that she could not take in what was right in front of her. What did these circles mean? Three little circles inside of a big one, in which two of the smaller circles contained symbols. She couldn't place her paw on it, and it frustrated her so that she wasn't able too. Surely circles had nothing to do with feathers? It was certainly obvious that this diagram was not one of the camp, as they were more to it than just circles. She pondered for a moment, before looking back at Kestrelflight.

He seemed curious, and that curiosity in his eyes sparked one in hers. What would he say next in their delightful little chat? Would he explain the circles, or would he leave for that for herself to find out? Although she usually didn't enjoy company unless it was one with Softblossom, she was starting to enjoy the company of this fine tom. Her pelt lowered back to her pelt, and there was a sense of calmness around her, as though she was patiently awaiting her turn.

[Carotius]

OOC: Can you link Featherstep's bio here, @lilykit ? ^^

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Featherstep seemed agitated and slightly at a loss for words with regard to his argument on the usefulness of feathers. Kestrelflight couldn't blame her; the subject of being an asset to one's Clan had been a hot topic among warriors through many generations, and each one had something to say or rebuke about, with none being left out in the discussion. Unfortunately, it, too, came with the undesirable side effects of being compared with one another, leading to bitter rivalries and terrible consequences. The brown warrior was thankful he couldn't succumb to it very easily.

Ah, where were his thoughts supposed to be? Right, with the she-cat in front of him. Kestrelflight had a the very feeling in his bones that she was referring to herself when she spoke of the poor feather, to be abandoned and unneeded, to be left behind like a useless thing. He had this feeling. He knew he was right. He knew Featherstep was agitated about the matter. The Bengal tilted his head as he looked at the etching in the ground, his claws a little caked with dirt from scratching out the picture. To his Clanmate, it was more than likely to not make sense...but it meant the world to him.

"And yet, if those feathers leave their owner and drift alone, they still end up somewhere where they are needed, to help others survive. One's birthplace needn't always be where they feel accepted or needed...or loved," Kestrelflight allowed just a hint of sadness to tinge his voice, his paw scuffing out one of the marked circles, leaving one marked circle and the unmarked one in the bigger ring. "In such cases, they go elsewhere to find where their hearts lie, to find happiness for themselves. It isn't easy, I'm sure you know that."

He gazed up at Featherstep as he finished his sentence, his green eyes boring deep into her curious ones. He wondered what sufferings this grumpy she-cat was facing, such that she couldn't enjoy the comings and goings of life that moved endlessly around her. Kestrelflight himself soaked in the beauty of each day, seizing every moment of peace and tranquil that calmed his tired mind and body every day after executing his warrior duties. He loved it. If only he could find others that would enjoy it the same way he did.

Shrugging slightly, he turned back to the scuffed markings. "My sister followed her heart when I was a wee bit younger. She left to join WhisperClan, and...that's where she found her happiness."