ARPG WRITING CENTRAL

[TheSongOfTheStars]

Not enough food. Squirrel. Bird enemy. West. Dawn. Summer. Clear Weather.

910 words
"No food? What do you mean there's no food?"

Lilypaw woke to hear Wildeyes' low voice, urgent with a nervous edge. Two things she didn't recognize in her leader's voice.
The apprentice sat up, blinking rapidly and shivering in the cool predawn air.

"Prey's been scarce, Wildeyes, you know that."
"Yes, I know, but I didn't know it was nonexistent. Sandclaw, we have kits! Those kits are going to wake up and be hungry and expect to have something to eat."
"I know," Lilypaw heard her mentor sigh "It might be time to think about moving on to another part of the forest."
"Probably, but we have to at least feed the little ones before we can try and travel any sort of distance."
"I know. I'll try closer to the mountains, we haven't been around that area as much."

Lilypaw hunkered back down, feigning sleep as the two older cats parted ways and Sandclaw came stalking past her.
Then as his footsteps receded, she sat up, ears pricked, then she slipped through the camp in the opposite direction that Sandclaw had gone.
Maybe there had been less hunting by the mountains, but if there was ever any time to catch that squirrel, it was now.

For the past moon, Lilypaw had been thwarted by a squirrel who was as determined to stay alive as Lilypaw was to catch him.
Round and round in circles they'd gone, until today. Today she'd catch him for sure.

The grass was cool but the breeze was warm and blowing in her favor. Confidence flowed like a surging river through the young cat. Where could she go wrong?
She could see it in her mind now. The squirrel would be fast asleep, she'd sneak up the tree and catch it before it could even open it's eyes, then triumphantly she'd take it back to camp and for once Sandclaw would be proud of her.

As Lilypaw stalked quietly across the forest floor, high above her a hawk came stumbling into wakefulness, disturbed by the thunder of the cat's beating heart.
It blinked several times, then focused on the small figure below.


Lilypaw felt a twinge of disappointment as she approached the squirrel's tree.
There it was, not sleeping, at the base of the oak. That made things infinitely more difficult.
But...it's back was turned. She still had the element of surprise.

Impatient and excited, she began to run, giving up any pretense of stalking, and gave a flying leap towards the squirrel.

At the last second it scurried up the tree, leaving Lilypaw to crack her head against the trunk.
A half-second later a massive pair of talons buried into the wood, a fraction of an inch from her skull.
She shrieked and scrambled backwards as the hawk thrashed it's wings, struggling to free itself from the tree.

Tripping over her own tail, Lilypaw tried to retreat, her heart roaring in her ears and tears blinding her.
The hawk yanked its talons out from the tree and whirled on the terrified apprentice.

She froze beneath the yellow glare of its eyes, her beating heart suddenly still and her mind like mud as the predatory bird spread its wings out. It hefted into the air, feathers spreading to grasp the breeze, talons extending to pierce Lilypaw's heart.
She felt a weight smash against her and for several seconds everything was dark and all she could hear was screaming.

But there was no pain.
Was she dead? Was dying so quick she hadn't even felt it?
Was death being unable to move, breath, see?

Then she felt something cold press against her side.
"Are you alright, little one?" Asked a soft voice that rumbled like a far off river.
Air came flooding into her lungs and she opened her eyes to find a large cat sitting above her.
"I...I'm fine," she gasped, her whole body convulsing with shakes "I'm fine...am I dead?"
"No, you're not, just a bit shaken I believe. You're of Songclan?"
"Y-yes, I'm from Songclan."
"Then come, I'd better return you. Can you walk?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine, really," she forced her voice to sound light "I can make it on my own."
She tried to stand and found that her quivering legs barely supported her.
"I don't think that you can-"
She tried to take a step and tripped straight into the stranger.
"Like I said, I'll take you back."


Lilypaw radiated angry hot shame a Hollowmoon escorted her back into camp.
Every eye was on her Sandclaw stormed up to her, fire blazing from his eyes.

"Thank you, Hollowmoon," the deputy grunted "for brining back one of our own."
Hollowmoon dipped his head "You're welcome. Good day, Deputy."
Sandclaw nodded in return and Hollowmoon turned and disappeared into forest.

"WHAT WHERE YOU THINKING?"
Sandclaw exploded the second he'd pulled Lilypaw away from the rest of the clan.
"I-I...I was just-"
"You could've DIED, do you realize that?!"
"Yes I know!" Her ears flattened back and tears gathered in her eyes "I heard you and Wildeyes talking about how there was no food...so...so I tried to go and...and....the squirrel..."
"Is that was that was about?" Sandclaw's voice softened "Lilypaw, the squirrel is hardly worth your life."
She sniffled "I..."
"It's okay," Sandclaw sighed "It's okay. Go back to sleep. Everything'll be fine."
"Okay," she curled her tail over her nose "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," he nuzzled her ear "just go back to sleep."

[TheSongOfTheStars]

SUMMER OF THORNS PROMPT 1
469 words
"Alright," Sandclaw hissed as he watched the strangers milling around the edge of the forest "This had gone on long enough."
He turned and bounded through the treetops, back to Badgerhollow.


"They've completely wiped out the prey population on the east border," the deputy was surrounded by the entirety of Songclan, but his eyes where on Wildeyes "They'll begin moving deeper into the forest, depleting our reserves."
He sighed as Wildeyes continued looking at him calmly "Wild, this won't work. This peaceful acceptance won't hold. We'll end up being pushed around until we get chased right out of our forest. Our home."

He turned to the rest of the clan "We've tried talking to them, tried reason an patience but we've been ignored. We'll have to take action and show them who lives on this land."
There was an uneasy silence as the clan looked from their leader to their deputy.

"They'll move on soon enough," Wildeyes said finally "This isn't the first group of rogues to pass through. They never stay long Sandclaw.

"But they can be dangerous," interjected another voice and every eye turned to Redsparrow.
"There have been attempted kit-nappings and attacks on single cats before. It might not be unwise to move the youngsters, apprentices, elders and any who aren't well to a camp deeper in the forest."
"Agreed," Willowsun said "Just to be safe....y'know."
No one commented on the fact that Willowsun was possibly one of the most timid cats in the clan.
"We can't just leave them to run wild, they could follow us deeper, spring an ambush on our rear when we least expect it. Worst yet they could find our camp and massacre us in our sleep."
"Sandclaw has a point," Bearheart rumbled "Maybe Wildeyes should take th3 more vulnerable members of the clan to a safer location and leave a group of the more experienced warriors to deal with this situation."
"Oh Ancients no," Wildeyes gave her mate a look "Someone has to keep you hotheads in check. Redsparrow will lead those who feel unsafe deeper to Riverden. Those who want to stay can stay."

"I'm staying!" Piped up two voices instantly.
"No you're not!" Piped up two more voices.
Mousetoes and Nightlily turned from their mentors to Wildeyes with pleading eyes.
She flicked her whiskers "They can stay. They'll never learn to deal wit these sort of situations if you never teach them how.

Sandclaw scowled deeper and sent Nightlily a warning look. Wolfblaze just shrugged at Mousetoes.

It was decided that Wildeyes, Bearheart, Firedark, Wolfblaze, Firefly, and Ottercoat would stay along with Nightlily, Mousetoes and several oter young cats.
There was a bit of debate on whether or not Graystorm should stay, but eventually everyone agreed that being the only healer he should stay where it was safer.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

SUMMER OF THORNS PROMPT 2
483 words
"I don't like this," Firefly hissed, arching her back and digging her claws into the bough of the tree.
She and Sandclaw where perched in an oak, high above Wildeyes, Beartheart, and the one of the strangers.
"Me neither," he growled "We should've attacked immediately. We've totally lost the element of surprise. Now we've set ourselves up to be ambushed."
They paused as the strange cat scuttled off, disappearing into the grass while Wildeyes and her mate turned back into the trees.
"They're done," Firefly sighed and the lithe siamese slunk down the tree and joined the leader and elder warrior.
"Yeah, talking," Sandclaw muttered "But we're far from done."

"I thought we where going to fight," Firedark complained loudly "Not talk!"
"They've finally decided to respond to us," Wildeyes replied "And I'd rather try to talk things over with them than fight."
"But this is our land!" Wolfblaze grumbled "We should defend it."
"Indeed," Sandclaw cast a cold look at his superior "It is our duty to keep our territory safe."
"Our responsibility," Bearheart agreed.
Wildeyes's shoulders tensed and she struggled to keep her composure as her deputy and mate second-guessed her.
"And ensuring the wellbeing of the warriors of Songclan is my duty. Your lives are my responsibility. Any death, any blood spilled is on my head and I do not want you to later say that lives where lost that could've been saved had only I been more reserved."

There was an awkward silence.

She sighed heavily and wished she hadn't sent Redsparrow off with the rest of the clan.Her sister would've supported her decision to pursue peace.

"Everyone should rest," she said finally "I have no idea how this talk is going to go over. If they do indeed prove to be hostile I need you all in top form."

Quietly the group of warriors broke apart, meandering off to find an easy place to nap or groom themself, or to mutter complaints out of earshot.

Wildeyes settled herself in at the base of a tree, between two thick roots. Bearheart followed her.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, curling around her.
"It's alright," she murmured, burying her nose into the thick fur between his shoulders "You want to protect us. I know that."
"You do too," he nuzzled her ear "And you're doing a better job of it than me. If I was in charge, cats would probably be dead by now."
"But do you think that they really will be willing to leave? I'm afraid that this meeting with their healers could be more dangerous than even confronting them straight up."
"This is our land," he assured her quietly "If they do attack, they'll be at a disadvantage. If we need to, we can run, back into the forest we know like our own fur."
Wildeyes closed her eyes "You're right. I just hope we don't have to."

[TheSongOfTheStars]

SUMMER OF THORNS PROMPT 3
463 words
Wildeyes glared up accusingly at the stars. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to send off the only healer in the clan.
If indeed the ancestors where actively interfering with the present day. She'd never bought into the starclan jargon as much as others. Dead cats should stay dead and leave the affairs of the living to the realms of daylight.
"Do you believe this?" Sandclaw hissed, coming up behind her, eyes blazing. He too scowled up at the night sky, as if he could stare down the purported troublemakers.
"No. I think they know that many clans subject themselves to superstition and they're trying to play with our heads."
"It might be working. Wolfblaze, Firedark, and Ottercoat may need reassurance that we aren't being invaded by ghosts."
"How are our apprentices."
Sandclaw paused and a smirk crossed his face.
"Wolfblaze practically had to sit on Mousetoes. He almost marched out to fight the strangers. And Nightlily spat and told me she's send them off to met their ancestors if they set another paw on our grounds."
Wildeyes smiled.
Their young ones may not have had impulse control, or patience, but they where intelligent.
And speaking of intelligent. Firefly came slinking out of the grass to their side.
"They're playing you," she said bluntly.
"Indeed," Wildeyes replied, slightly amused at the Siamese's bluntness.
"And it's working with your weaker minded warriors. Firedark's almost convinced himself to go and fetch Graystorm."
"It wouldn't do any good," Sandclaw said "He's no more clairvoyant than the rest of us."
Firefly's back arched slightly "Through that while meeting I want to gouge that white cat's eyes out. Imagine! Claiming to receive messages and such. I'd give him a message."
"Glad we agree on something," Wildeyes flicked her tail. But she shot a final glance upwards. Nervous. As if she was afraid she would see a sign. There where stories of such things.
There where also stories of cats who breathed water and flew across the skies with bird wings.
No.
No.
Songclan's future wasn't determined by stars or spirits. It was determined by her and her warriors.
She didn't need a sign. She didn't need a medicine cat or an oracle or a seer.
"Well?"
She realized Sandclaw and Firefly where looking at her expectantly.
"Ready yourselves and the rest of the warriors. These cats have shown they have no respect for the laws of any land and they have no code. There is much land that yields plenty of prey beyond these woods. Let them go there."
"And if we can't?" Firefly tilted her ears.
Wildeyes flicked her tail and glanced back at the Siamese.
"Well then. When we're done with them, they won't have to worry about having so many mouths to feed."

[TheSongOfTheStars]

SUMMER OF THORNS PROMPT 4
528 words
Wildeyes feet flew along well remembered trails, forgotten beneath the new grass and fresh rain. In her mind she knew the trees, in her heart the twists and turns where like scratches on stone, and her soul quivered in trepidation.
She was flanked by Sandclaw and Bearheart and if she held her voice below a whisper she managed to speak to them.

"Where are the rest of the warriors?" she asked in a short breath.

"Flanking the grove," Sandclaw replied in an equally low voice "Just in case. Firefly is following us in the trees. I sent the apprentices to hang back..." He hesitated, then continued "If this does not go well, they will return to Redsparrow, so that the rest of the clan will have enough time to find somewhere safe."

"Wise of you," she murmured "Possible the most sensible thing you've done since this whole thing started."
"Thank you." He bowed his head a little.
Bearheart faltered in his steps as he looked at his mate "What are you planning to say, Wildeyes? What are we going to do?"
"Well," Wildeyes sighed, feeling more and more at a loss "I suppose, I'll try my best to keep things peaceful-Sandclaw- I'll offer them shelter, aid, food if they need it. And a guide. The sunset horizon is empty of other clans and thick with prey. If food is all they want then they can travel somewhat further."
"And if they don't? If they won't?"
"Compromise if we must."
Sandclae gargled from the back of his throat in disgust.
"We did it with Foxginger's group."
"Yes," Bearheart replied "But they came to us. Asked our permission and never threatened to fight us. In fact, offered their aid and alliance and would've moved on if we didn't welcome them."
"But they weren't desperate and Foxginger wasn't seeing stars as it is."
"And that would be another problem," Sandclaw muttered "This madcat is seeing dead cats."
"Many clans beleive such things."
"Which is why we usually don't talk to other clans," Bearheat sighed.
"Case in point, but we don't have a choice now."

There was a soft thump and all thre cats shied away as Firefly made an unexpected entrance.
"It seems like they're just up ahead," the Siamese said in a moth-breath whisper "Will there be a signal?"
"A signal to what?"
"To attack," Firefly gave her leader a look.
"No, there will not be. No one is to attack unless they draw blood," Wildeyes shook her thick coat "Now back to the trees and see to it that neither Firedark or Wolfblaze tries to take the initiative."
"Right," without breaking pace, she leapt to the trunk of a tree and raced up it in a streak of marble white.
"Well, it seems we've arrived," Sandclaw rasped, breathing heavy from the quick pace.
"Indeed," Wildeyes grit her teeth "Remeber. Compromise if necessary, peace above all. Hopefully this can still end in understanding."
"And battle, if that madbeast presumes to touch you," Bearheart nuzzled his mate "Take great care, my love."
"I will," she touched his nose with her "I hope no one looses any that the another cares about."

[TheSongOfTheStars]

SUMMER OF THORNS PROMPT 5
"It won't hold," Firedark grumbled as he glanced sideways at the outsiders "We'll turn our backs once and -bam!- they'll sink their claws in."
"Ah dunno..." Wolfblaze frowned almost thoughtfully at the crowd "Now that we've said we'll help them, they seem kind nice. Bit lost though."
" I like them," Nightlily said, titling her head. Upon discovering that the invading leader was nearly the same age as she was, the young cat had developed a near-sudden admiration of the group, or at least of Hecate "They are pretty brave."
"You can't deny that," Firefly sighed, rolling her eyes "But it's always easy to be brave when you're stupid."

After several hours of simply smoothing things over, Wildeyes was both exhausted and reassured. Hecate was terrified and the much more experienced leader had to balance between kindness and authority, all the while, pretending that she didn't notice the younger cat's nervousness.

"Do you think she'll hold to her word?" Sandclaw asked quietly as he sat next to her.
"I think she will," Wildeyes sighed and wearily eyed the rag-tag group "The rest of them though...I'm not so sure. I fear she may face being undermined."

"Ah yes," Firefly said, coming up next to them "Janus. The two-faced."
"What?" The leader and deputy asked in time and turned to look at her.
"Oh nothing," her tail tapped lightly against the trunk of the nearby tree "Just a 'two-leg' legend. Janus, the two-faced god."
"..Two-faced?" Sandclaw asked, with mild horror injected in his voice.
Firefly sighed and glanced upwards "How did the peace talk go, Wildeyes?"
"Well enough. For the next moon, or however long they need, we'll aid them in settling on their own land. Then, hopefully, we'll all be friends."
"Heh," Sandclaw snuffed "Or we'll all be dead, like Firedark keeps predicting."
"Hopefully we'll at least be able to live in toleration of each other," Bearheart remarked "By the way, Wild dear, I sent Mousetoes and Nightlily off to tell Redsparrow of current developments."
"You did what with my apprentice?" Sandclaw's fur went straight up on every end.
Wildeyes smiled indulgently at him "Sent her and Mousetoes off on their first solo mission. It won't be hard to track the rest of the clan and they won't have gone far."
"IT"S DANGEROUS WILDEYES."
The two broke off bickering.

Beartheart sighed "I can't wait for Redsparrow to come back."
"Me neither," Firefly shook her head "I hope with the return of our... less warrior-like clan members, some semblance of sensibility will be restored."
"In other words, I hope everything goes back to normal," Bearheart laid his chin down on his paws and closed his eyes.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

WAR
Digging
504 words


Orion loped through the light underbrush. The grass was soft here and the land was good. There was no razorgrass here to snag fur or slash sensitive pawpads. But with a startled pang, Orion realized he almost missed the bite of the weeds, that had been an inextricable part of the marsh warren, part of home.
Don't be ridiculous, he repriminded himself, the island was home now. Yet, it wasn't. The earth by the shores was too thin and soft for digging and a rabbit was not home without the safety of a warren.
The young rah paused as he sensed the trees overhead beginning to thin and the sky pushing through the thin green leaves. Any sparser and it would be too exposed to risk going further. Orion slowed to a hop, nose twitching as he tested the breeze. But all he could smell was the dew on the grass and as he went on the trees didn't thin any further. But abruptly the underbrush did, leaving an open glade in front of Orion. Ahead the earth arched up into a small hill, dappled by the sunlight dripping through the branches and he felt a thrill of hope.
He edge out of the brush, still wary of Elil, but it was safe. Eager, he hopped forwards, to the base of the rise and pressed a paw through the grass to test the soil. Springy and moist, but not damp. It could....it could be perfect. But there was only one true way to discover for certain. Orion-rah was no doe, but he had a perfectly fine set of forepaws and no reservations about getting them dirty. In a single moment soft grass and white roots were ripped up and flung aside, in five minutes, the earth was piling up being Orion, and in thirty minutes he was up to his shoulders in strong, soil. The dirt congealed beneath his nails and he knew he'd spend hours later grooming himself to rid his feet and fur of the dank sensation of thick earth, maybe even have to brave the icy bite of the stream, but really the only thing on his mind was how the faces of the other rabbits would light up when he guided them away from the cold breezes by the river to the warmer center of the island and showed them the first tunnel of their new home. His ears tucked back as he felt the touch of grass roots and loose dirt over his head and he thought about how the thick earth would keep out the winter cold, even in the higher burrows, better than even the deepest tunnels had in the thin soil of the old marsh warren. Panting, fur matted and the sunlight beginning to go red, he backed away to admire his work. At the moment it was little more than a dent in the hillock, but it was a beginning, a beginning of the Warren of the Long River. A beginning of a new home.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

WAR
Gathering
533 words
As the rest of the rabbits began digging on the new warren site, Orion once again turned his tail towards them and set out into the thickets, this time pointing his nose towards back towards the river. They needed herbs, quite badly. No one was injured deeply, just cuts and scraps and bruises, but any one of those could turn green and infectious at any point and it was better to have herbs on hand rather than searching desperatly for them at the last moment. But Ratser, the older healer, who knew most about what plants to gather, was only getting older and stiffer and slower and Orion-rah couldn't let him wander in this unknown land, couldn't risk his friend not being fast enough if an Elil came upon him. Evenswift was fast, probably the faster among them, though Tufts would dispuit that, but she was a doe, and no matter how hard the bucks tried, they just couldn't match a doe for tunneling, so they needed her at the new warren. So Orion-rah was off on his own again.
Tracking back to the river was easy, though it didn't yield even so much as a crushed dandelion stem. Down among the river smoothed stones he didn't have much more luck, only finding riverweed and dank stinking moss that was more likely to make a rabbit sick than heal them.
Well, since he was there already and still thick with dirt from the previous day's digging, Orion-rah decided to swim. The water had the bite of an Elil, but the current wasn't rough, just strong enough to comb the muck from his fur and make him feel clean again. He ducked his head beneath the surface a few times, just to clear the grime from his ears, then climbed back to the shore, shivering.
Once back on dry, he gave himself a few brisk shakes to rid his coat of the heaviest moisture, then looked around. The current had pulled him downstream aways, but not so far that he was lost. Orion-rah was...fairly certain he could make it back to the new warren, before nightfall at least. But he still hadn't found what he was looking for. Ratser would be disappointed.
He had enough time, he supposed, to walk a little further down the shore before dark came creeping in. Edging up away from the stones to keep from tripping over the smooth, but unstable surfaces, he continued onwards, nose tilted to the wind. He was just about to give in and accept that Frith just didn't want him to find any herbs, when he caught a brisk, sharp whiff of something. Ears perking up hopefully, he slowed to a near stop and began rooting through the tufts of long thin reeds. The smell grew stronger but he just couldn't seem to find it. He huffed in exasperation and sat back on his haunches. And nearly laugh out loud at himself. The herbs weren't hidden in the reeds at all, but growing at the base of the nearest tree. Shaking his head at himself, Orion-rah, snipped the herbs of at the base of their stems and turned back towards his new home.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

WAR
Patrolling
592 words
Orion skirted the edge of the trees as he made his way towards the south of the island. No one had ventured down there yet and made Orion itch, not knowing what was there, not knowing what could strike unexpectedly.
He came to an open place between the trees and froze instinctivly as unfilted sun hit his back. He'd gone quite far for an average patrol, but still, he hadn't found the southern shore.
A little further. A little further wouldn't hurt. Much. Ratser would be irritated that Orionrah had been gone longer than he'd promised. But he could handle a tongue lashing to satisfy his curiosity.
He made it to the other side of the clearing without incident and was about to reenter the safety of the tree cover when the sudden beating of wings startled him into paralisis. A blur shot overhead and a bird settled on a low branch, wings spread wide and chest puffed, razor beak gleaming and talons like thorns dug into the wood. He very might well have been terrifying if he hadn't been no bigger than a common dove.
Orion relaxed and twitched a whisker "Well. Hello."
The bird looked as if Orion had insulted his mother, he tucked his wings in and shrieked. Orionrah winced in pain but didn't react otherwise.
"Do you not not fear me, cowardly hopper, one of the thousand Elil, who you are doomed to die by?!"
"Um...no," Orion huffed a chuckle "Little bird, the only ones who fear you are the earthworms and mice."
The bird spluttered indignantly "I am a kestrel! I strike terror into the hearts of all that see me!"
"The only thing you're striking me with is mild annoyance," Orionrah continued walking forwards "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have bigger things to worry about."
"Bigger things?" There was a wheedling note of curiosity in the kestrel's voice as he swooped down to hover over Orion's head "Like what hopper?"
"My name is Orionrah and my buisness is none of your concern."
"Rah?" The word dripped like honey off the raptor's beak and Orion felt a nervous twist in the pit of his stomach "Rah is a leader. Are there more rabbits? Is there a warren?"
Orion didn't answer.
"Is there? Is there?"
"What if there is?" Orion snapped "You couldn't even eat a rabbit, even if you managed to kill one."
"No, no, but Pacrack could."
Orion paused, ears flattening tight against his head "Who's Pacrack?"
But the kestrel seemed to find the idea so funny he was too busy laughing to answer Orion.
"Who is Pacrack?!" Orion leapt and swept the kestrel out of the air with a deft smack.
The kestrel screeched and lashed out wildly as he tried to right himself.
"I asked you a question," Orion demanded, pinning the kestrel down by his talons "Who is-"
"He is king! He is king of this island! He rules us all and takes what he pleases when he pleases!" The kestrel pecked at Orion's face, forcing the rabbit to release him "Ad he will be pleased to hear that an entire warren has moved in, rabbit is his favourite meat, oh yes and he will be very pleased with me, Skritch, when I tell him this good news."
Skritch pumped his wings and broke away through the tree cover, soaring out of sight, leaving Orion behind with a sinking feeling.
He looked forwards, then back over his shoulder. It was late and this patrol had already revealed more then he wanted to know.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

WAR
Gathering
Evenswift
551 words


"Evenswift, why aren't you helping?"
Evenswift curled her paws together and turned her nose up at Tufts "I can't have my paws getting dirty."
"Why not?"
"Well, what if someone gets hurt? Can't have dirt in a wound, dearie."
"If you're not going to be useful, then go off and gather up some herbs," Ratser paused in digging to shoot the other healer a glare.
She shrugged and swaggered off into the brush, tail high, humming.
She picked her way across the forest floor as slowly as she could. If she drug her feet hard enough, she might be able to come back at sundown when the digging stopped.
There was a bunch of yarrow, but she'd gather it on her way back. A tuft of mint, but that was common.
Moss? Boring.
She came to a clearing and caught another, far more interesting scent. Thyme. Tucked away at the base of the log was the herb in question and she almost walked straight up to it. But something made her hesitate.
She looked to the other side of the clearing and the fur along her neck raised.
"I can see you," she called out "Some homba you are."
"Hm, well, in my defense I haven't hunted rabbits in a very long time," the orange whisp of fur was barely visible, but she caught a glint of light on dark eyes.
"Well then, you're rusty and apparently not all that hungry," she eged a half step forwards, ears perked.
"No, I suppose not," he admitted and sat up, a thin smile carving its way cross his face "Just bored...and curious."
"Hmph, strange Elil."
"Brave Shretna."
She tilted her head "What?"
"Fox speak for prey," he slunk forwards, his smile growing toothy.
"Hmm, you the only fox here?" She pretended to be oblivous to his obvious stalking.
"Ho, ho, wouldn't you like to know?" He paused to laugh "I will tell you one thing, I'm th fastest thing on four feet on this island."
Evenswift snickered and casually stretched to scratch her ear "Not anymore you're not," she glanced at the thyme.
"Oh really? What, you think you're faster than me, Bai'srist?"
She didn't ask what that one meant, but she did put on a grin to match his his "I know I am, embleer homba."
He sat back on his hanuches "You've got more attitude than five foxes and all the shretna I've ever met. Too bad you aren't like me."
"Oh, trust me, if I was like you, you wouldn't have half a hope of winning a race ever again."
"But you're not like me."
"Mm-hm, like this, you have no chance whatsoever."
He rolled his eyes "Prove it."
"Gladly."
Like a lightening bolt she shot past him, coming so close their fur brushed, and snagged the bunch of thyme in her mouth. She paused for a split second, twisting her head around to flash a brilliant grin at the dumfounded fox before vaulting over the log and tearing towards the river. If the homba did decide to follow her, she'd need to throw him off the scent so he couldn't track her back to the warren. But the look on his face made her think that maybe he'd be sitting there in shock for a good long while.