CLOSED Trudging Along

[Longstorm]

A simple gesture. That's all it had taken for Scorchpoint, the strange, ever silent Warrior from Abyssclan, to convince the younger cats to walk along with him. To traverse the mountains, as strange as its forests were, as frightening as the great sky could be.
No, they had Scorchpoint. What could there possibly be to fear as long as he was at their side?

At least, that's what Bluepaw was thinking. Scorchpoint isn't afraid of anything, she was thinking decisively. That means everything should be afraid of him. And he's with us.
The dove gray she-cat nodded firmly - to herself.
She looked around at the strange terrain they were traveling over. They were so far down in the mountains that the only reminder that there was snow at the tops was the occasional chilly gust of wind.
For the most part, though, all the ground was covered in dead pine needles. The ground was strange and squishy. It freaked her out, just a bit.
"Do you think we'll meet up with them again," she mewed conversationally to Commons.
No, she didn't really like Commons, but Abyssclannians seemed to despise ordinary conversations, better to talk in grunts and claws.

[Guest]

Dark padded silently alongside Scorchpoint. Before, he'd never taken much notice of the mottled Warrior. Now he could see that the silence of the tom, the subtleties of his movements, were a strength and not a weakness.
Dark was coming to truly admire the tom.
It was pleasant, Dark mused, to walk in silence like this. Nothing but the sounds of your own claws, nothing but the knowledge of your own strengths and secrets.
The dusky gray Choosing was glad he had Scorchpoint as a sort of replacement mentor. He was surely be made a Warrior when they returned home, and he would be all the better for having Scorchpoint as his teacher.
Dark smiled briefly at the thought then went stoic in a flash.
Warriors do not show emotion. This was one of the silent lessons he had learned from the silent Scorchpoint. It was thrilling.
He kept padding along.

[Runfast]

Commons didn't even glance at the plain-looking she-cat. She was more worried about getting home. Well, she was worried about that firstly. Secondly she was worried about her fur - still gray when it should be white! - But should I be more worried about my Clanmates? That's the right thing to be worried about, isn't it?
Commons was seriously doubting herself and the teachings of Satin. Was that a good thing?
The she-cat focused on the path ahead and kept quiet. Maybe that mottled tom had a good point, keeping quite all of the time.

[Longstorm]

Hidden quite well, a patched cat was watching the four strange cats. The she-cat's green eyes glinted as she crouched on her perch, a thick tree branch in one of the mighty pines.
Her green eyes narrowed as she listened to the gray she-cat. She bared her teeth when she saw the great claws the toms seemed to have - but she also looked interested, like maybe she wanted a pair of her own.
She licked her lips with a thin tongue as the cats passed underneath. Oh, her friends would be there very soon. Very, very soon.

Bluepaw sighed softly. It seemed like no one was very interested in talking. In fact, it felt like all the cats here saw her as the nuisance. Her eyes widened.
I've gotta find some way to prove myself!

In the tree, the she-cat let out a strange call.

Bluepaw froze. "What was that?"

[Runfast]

A bit further off, a red tom looked up from his meal. He let out a responding trill and stood.
Sounds like... visitors. He smiled a strange smile and called to the shadows, "Undertow - we have... guests."
A tom with long gray fur and green eyes slid out of the shadows. Even with his long fur it was obvious he was a wiry cat, nimble feet and long legs.
Undertow nodded to his superior and mewed softly, "The we must go to meet them."
The red tom nodded, his bright yellow eyes glinting.
The two toms turned and padded towards the sound of the trill.

Commons looked around - that sounded like a strange bird...

[Longstorm]

Scorchpoint stopped, listening as well. That couldn't have been a bird - that accent... He clawed the ground, casting his yellow gaze here and there, eyes narrowing.

Skyfall looked down at the strange cats, smiling when she head her leader Locke's response. "My friends are coming," her mew was almost inaudible.

[Runfast]

Locke appeared out of the brush. "Hello," he mewed good naturedly. "Who might you four be?"
Undertow kept to the shadows, glowering behind his leader with green eyes.

[Longstorm]

Scorchpoint turned his burning gaze onto these new cats. He kept his fur from bristling, but he still set a clawed paw forward.

Bluepaw looked at the fluffy red cat in surprise - how had they snuck up on them?

From the tree above, Skyfall allowed herself to make a bit of noise as she slunk out onto an exposed branch.

[Runfast]

Commons bristled in shock at the new three cats. She kept her mouth shut, taking point from Scorchpoint as had become usual in recent days.
But we can't just stand silent all this time...

Undertow leered at the quiet cats - why weren't they speaking? Newcomers usually spoke quickly when confronted...

[Guest]

Dakr bared his teeth at the cats that had suddenly appeared but said nothing. He was waiting for some indication from Scorchpoint.

[Runfast]

Locke looked hurt. "You could at least speak to me," he murmured.

[Longstorm]

Scorchpoint flicked his ears. It's fine.

Bluepaw cleared her throat. "We're just passing through," she mewed.

[Runfast]

Locke cocked his head. "Passing through? Passing to.. where? And why, oh why, through my territory?" He didn't sound angry, just curious.
Though, Undertow didn't look too friendly.

[Longstorm]

Scorchpoint didn't seem to mind her cryptic answers, so Bluepaw went on. "It was unintentional... We got a bit lost. We didn't know there were others here, claiming the territory."
The blue she-cat glanced up at the patched she-cat in the tree above, feeling nervous. Skyfall leered back.

[Runfast]

Locke, seeming as passive as ever, mewed, "Lost? Oh, then you must be tired... Please," he stood to the side. "Share my home. Rest your weary paws. For tonight, at least." His yellow eyes glimmered as he spoke, and Undertow kept his threatening stance behind his leader.
Commons looked at Scorchpoint and the others. She, personally, wouldn't have minded a safe place in which to eat and to wash herself.
"The cats here are excellent hunters," Locke continued. "They could find you all the best bit of prey in Dusk Mountains faster than you've ever seen. Please," he purred imploringly, "as a favor to me."

[Longstorm]

Scorchpointcaught Commons' gaze and sighed in a strange, airy way. Fine. His expression turned stern. But only for tonight. There was something about these strange, thin cats that put him on edge. Something in their eyes. Something in their stride.

Bluepaw, catching Scorchpoint's meaning, looked back at Locke and nodded. "We accept."

Skyfall, still in that tree, frowned. Why are we extending our hospitality to strangers, Locke? Why? Her green eyes narrowed. Do we really need news of cats from far away? So they're accents seem different; it's nothing too new. She shook her head and made her to the branch of the next tree, her light frame making it simple.

[Runfast]

Locke nodded, his smile growing bigger. "Wonderful," he purred. "It's a short trek from here, do come along." The red tom turned from the group, his tail beckoning them to follow.
Undertow waited for the group to begin to follow.

Commons looked at Scorchpoint - she wouldn't go without him starting.

[Longstorm]

Scorchpoint still wasn't at ease, but he followed the red tom, picking his reinforced claws out of the pine needles as he went along.
Bluepaw let out the breath she'd been holding. She quickly followed the mottled gray tom, looking at Undertow worriedly.

Skyfall slowly came down from the tree she was in and approached the older tom.
"Undertow," her accent clung to her words. "What's the point of this?"

[Runfast]

Commons and Dark followed close behind.
After the last had passed, Undertow looked at the she-cat and mewed in a similar clipped accent, "They're here. Why not." The gray tom shrugged and turned. "By the will of the Goddess," he sighed.

[Longstorm]

Skyfall pondered the tom's words for a long, devout moment and nodded serenely. She turned and followed the others, being sure to take point in a way that would prevent the newcomers from suddenly fleeing.
But why would they? We mean them no harm...for now...

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