Every warriors universe has their own beliefs and ways. And yet Hemlockshade is forced to live in one where he isn't accepted.
The young feline has been running from his problems since he was a kit. Escaping the ones who had tried to kill him, he...
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chapter five . ༉‧₊˚✧ . ˚.
Hemlockshade and Troutdip were munching on a large rabbit from the morning patrol. The sky was extremely gray, filled with clouds. Snow would be approaching soon, which meant prey would become scarce and harder to find. Leaf-bare wasn't extremely difficult, as they had plenty of woodlands to explore; after all, they always had outside of the Valon Providence. However, more and more prey bones and rogue scents have been found on their territory — both territories — and the Village cats have been worrying. In the back of Hemlockshade's mind, he had wondered if it was the felines that had been after him when he was a kitten.
"Earth to Hemlockshade." A voice shook Hemlockshade from his thoughts. He looked up and noticed his siamese friend starring at him, his whiskers covered in rabbit blood. Hemlockshade flicked an ear and gave a weak smile.
"Yes?"
Troutdip blinked and narrowed his eyes softly. "You seem tense. Want to tell me what's bothering you?" he meowed with a small smile curling on his muzzle. Hemlockshade tightened his muzzle. He didn't want to worry his friend. If word got out that these cats were on their territory because of him, they would surly exile him for good; this is the only home he has ever known — aside from when he was a kitten — and even then he barely remembered that.
"Just thinking about leaf-bare," Hemlockshade meowed as he dipped into the rabbit, ripping a piece from its corpse; that wasn't a total lie, he just couldn't risk exposing his background, even to his best friend. Troutdip smiled and nodded his furry head.
"It'll be okay, I think Batsqueal mentioned that The Gods are going to make this leaf-bare lighter than usual," Troutdip said. The nostrum novice could be right, but Hemlockshade didn't believe in their afterlife. Hemlockshade pretended to agree with him with a nod of his head.
As the two teared at the half-devoured rabbit, the black oriental tomcat could feel a pair of icy-cold eyes piercing through his fur. He rose his head and slowly glanced around. His eyes locked with a familiar pair of yellow eyes: Woollysheep. He stared at him with a cold gaze. Hemlockshade swallowed his saliva nervously and glanced away. Woollysheep and him haven't been talking much these days, but were more "friends with benefits", minus the "friend" part.
Hemlockshade glanced up again and his pelt began to prick up as he watched the corkscrew-pelted feline pad up to the two tomcats eating. Quickly, Hemlockshade rubbed the blood away from his whiskers and sat up. Troutdip noticed Woollysheep and rose his head, glancing between him and the gray combatant. "Care to join me for a walk?" the gray tom asked with a flick of his ear. Hemlockshade hesitated. Part of him wanted to, but the other part . . . . he knew why he wanted to take a walk. He needed to stand up for himself, but deep down his feelings for the combatant were still filled with a burning fire.
