❄ ɴᴏ ᴛᴡᴏ sɴᴏᴡғʟᴀᴋᴇs ᴀʟɪᴋᴇ // ᴄᴀᴄ ᴄʜʀɪsᴛᴍᴀs ᴄᴀᴛ ᴛʀʏᴏᴜᴛs ❄

[hazilnut]

a thread for any and all tryouts for the CaC christmas adopts

❄ 010 - synonymous siblings

[hazilnut]

ᴛᴀʟᴄ- ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ's sᴏғᴛᴇsᴛ ᴍɪɴᴇʀᴀʟ, ᴇᴀsɪʟʏ sᴄᴀʀʀᴇᴅ

The day Talc lost his voice was the same day he lost his sister. Not Quartz, no. While his twin may have been ignorant to what a robin's song sounded like, she was still there come Budding when the red-chested birds returned. It was Calcite who was snapped away by the flash blizzard. Calcite whose death had frozen both Talc's heart and his words in the depths of his chest. Even nearly a season cycle later the day was preserved as clear as ice in his mind; resurfacing every night in his dreams. The memory of it was part of the reason why he fled into the minds of others when the stars came out when he finally learned her could. Until that day however, the only day that had changed his life so dramatically, Talc relived his sister's death every night.

ᴄᴀʟᴄɪᴛᴇ- ᴀɴ ᴜʙɪǫᴜɪᴛᴏᴜs ᴍɪɴᴇʀᴀʟ, ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ɴᴇᴀʀ ᴛᴀʟᴄ

Talc saw his sister everywhere. Quartz brought her sister everywhere. A starry cat traded away ears and tongue to save them.

ǫᴜᴀʀᴛᴢ- ᴀ ᴍɪɴᴇʀᴀʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴅᴜᴄᴛs ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇ, ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ

Quartz was just imitating her sister- anyone with half a brain could see that. After Calcite had died instead of growing cautious and withdrawn like Talc had, the shecat became brash and impulsive. It was easy to pretend to misunderstand Talc when he signed warnings about the strength of tree limbs at her and continue creeping along the thin brown line until it disappeared to nothing or broke beneath her paws, leaving her to twist desperately in mid-air and right herself just a heartbeat before she hit the ground. It was easier still to ignore Talc's disappointed looks and chastising flicks of his tail. She could tune him out simply by closing her eyes, a privilege which she abused until he simply stopped communicating with her. And so the deaf cat and her mute brother grew further and further apart, until someone decided to step in.

It was less than four lunar cycles later, the tail end of Budding, and everything was already falling apart. Quartz and Talc couldn't even organize themselves well enough to hunt. Since just the last sunrise one or another of them had scared away three mice, two birds, and a vole. Quartz knew her brother placed the blame with her impulsiveness; she could feel the quiet fury and frustration ebbing off of him in waves even without looking at him. Looking back on this time later Quartz would have to wonder if their powers had leaked in slowly and they had only discovered them suddenly. With only each other to communicate with it was easy to chock up a few odd understandings to familiarity. So of course Quartz could tell her brother was upset with her, she recognized his stance: muscles tensed, body like stone. His claws were sheathed of course, Talc prided himself on control and to an outsider he would appear the epitome of unnerving calm. His sister knew better of course.

We should split up to hunt. Talc finally signed when the pair of siblings had scared away another potential catch. Clearly we have different styles. The body-language the two employed was rudimentary but Quartz got the intended message clearly enough to feel her ears begin to burn. 'Different styles my tail,' the shecat couldn't help but grumble internally, 'it was his bug-eyed glare that did it. Any rabbit could sense Talc watching from a forest away.' To Quartz's surprise, her brother recoiled as if she had signed the accusation out in the open. Excuse you? He signed, tail flicking and a mixture of indignation and hurt shooting off like daggers.

You're excused. What for though? Quartz flicked back. She felt like needling her brother a little, it was rare that something ruffled his fur like this, and besides, she hadn't done anything wrong.

For being mean! Quartz wasn't sure if one could whine without words, but Talc was certainly testing that boundary. He must have noticed, as the tom took a few seconds to flatten his fur. No outward adjustments could fool Quartz though; she could feel how he was losing control. This was the last of many straws. We don't have time for this. Petty insults don't fill stomachs.

I didn't insult you.

Oh I'm positive you meant "bug-eyed glare" as a compliment.

Quartz took a step back in shock. I never said that. She swore she had only thought of it, barely consciously even. Despite her pastime of annoying Talc she tried not to prod too hard. Her brother was fragile, a fact that was becoming increasingly obvious and almost physically painful. There was something smoldering in Talc's chest, so bright and hot that Quartz had to squint her eyes against it, despite knowing there was nothing visible there. The feeling though, that was almost overwhelming.

You- Talc paused, a layer of confidence and anger giving way to confusion then understanding. You thought it though. There was an echo of awe to his "words", but Quartz wasn't following.

What?

Don't sign it. Think it.

Quartz communicated her disbelief mentally and cautiously. She watched her brother's face for clues but the wave of emotions that sparked off him made sight unnecessary. Something clicked. Get out of my head, she thought sharply. If you're in there get out.

Talc's body, and his feelings, expressed surprise at Quartz's sudden ferocity. I can't. It's subconscious Q, your psyche is just sort of there. Quartz felt a frown edge its way onto her muzzle, and the very edges of panic had begun to tickle her throat. Very quickly her brother added, as if it would help, Don't worry! You don't have any secrets in there, honestly. We're siblings Q- I know you forwards and back. He reached a paw towards her, concern obvious. Talc was not so easy to ignore anymore.

'That's what you think!' Quartz thought, and got a thrill of satisfaction as a frown twitched across her brother's face. Instantly guilt and the momentarily-dispelled panic replaced her smugness. What was she thinking? Or feeling? Or- argh! This was confusing.

Q... Quartz, why don't you wan't me in your head? There was utter sincerity to Talc's signing and Quartz felt herself melting further. She was being stupid.

'It's just-' she began to think, then sighed and began again. 'It's just that it's not fair if you know me better than I know me.' Quartz tried to make her self-doubt sound funny. Talc didn't seem convinced. Maybe he could read her feelings too- drat. Better to just be honest for once. 'I'm just trying to be her Talc. I thought to myself, maybe if I act like Calcite then I won't forget what she was like. It was stupid- I'm not her.' She kept her gaze dropped, trying to stave off her brother's wave of feelings without much luck.

No you aren't her, Talc agreed. You're you Quartz and that's good enough. It's right enough. Missing Calcite... Talc had to stop his tail from flicking and messing up the conversation at their sister's name. Not missing her would be being insincere. Oh stars, for the longest time I thought you didn't care Q. Stars. But acting like her- don't quote me on this, stars know I'm worse than you, it's not a bad thing you know. Keeping Calcite with you like that it's- it's okay. She'd be glad to give your her courage. Do you get what I'm saying? Her brother's smile was sheepish and embarrassment at rambling permeated him, but Quartz smiled.

'I understand.' And she did. It was amazing how whole her brother's words made the shecat feel. She hadn't felt like she was allowed to grieve- that had been Talc's domain. Talc's nightmares and Talc's clearly forced smiles. There was no way to put into coherent words the way Calcite's death had left her feeling and so she had given up trying. But now, armed with this new manner of communication, maybe she and Talc could give it another try. Work through this grief together. Both siblings wore synonymous, hesitant grins now, and they embraced. In the brush, though Quartz could not hear it, prey rustled the Budding leaves. There would be second chances, for relationships and for filling stomachs.

High above the two white cats a feline with a matching star-studded pelt smiled. She had done well. Perhaps she could not join them but her family was still together, and that was what mattered to Calcite.