A Starless Path {1x1 w/ joji}

[joji]

As silence lingered for a brief moment in Gentleheart's ears, the silver-pelted stranger's hesitation, which was followed by a hardened gaze, betrayed nothing to him. Something about her was unquestionably different from a typical stray, she had some type of sharpness. Accidentally staring, he decided against prying at her, but really wanted to ask her what she was thinking about, noticing a far away look in her eyes for an instant. He thought he saw her give him a look of pity when his body audibly asked for food, and was glad they had at least one thing in common, even if it was hunger. When Rainshadow replied with her name, sounding almost proud of it, it came as a surprise to hear how similarly structured it was to his. He was thoroughly convinced that this cat is- or at least was at some point -in a clan. He also thought that her name was quite fitting. He observed as his company's ears perked up, and listened as she spoke once more, her voice in a more hushed tone. The question shocked him for a second, but he instantly indulged her, mimicking the stance she had instantly dropped into. I guess there's no way I could embarrass myself any further. The imitation crouch felt like more of a natural pose than any of the techniques he employed on his previous hunting endeavors. It was lost to him why Rainshadow even bothered to help him. She was clearly an accomplished hunter with a finely trained sense of hearing. There would be more for her if she hadn't offered to teach him. After the last comment, a chill ran down Gentleheart's spine as he imagined ruining this one too, and her being more angry than she had been when they first met. He silently invoked restraint and trailed slowly behind Rainshadow. Please don't mess this up. He begged himself as they investigated the noise together, exploring further into the trees.

[Koráki]

Padding silently across the frozen grass, Rainshadow's ears were pricked, straining to hear another sound from the gloom. Behind her, Gentleheart copied her pose, looking far more like a hunter than the clumsy mouse-brain he was before. This one learns quickly, she thought. Then another thought, harsher than the first, Why are you even helping him anyway? If she was being honest...she didn't know. It would make sense to just rush off to find prey on her own. After all, she didn't know this cat. She didn't owe him anything. Still, there was a small part of her, hidden away in the recesses of her heart, that had remained soft despite everything that had happened. Rainshadow wasn't cruel or cold. She couldn't turn away a hungry cat if she could help it. Besides all that... it would be nice to share prey with someone again. Even if it was with a total stranger that she was maybe certain wouldn't end up attacking her for it anyway.

Another soft sound caught Rainshadow's attention and she crouched even lower, slowing her steps until she was barely creeping forward. A familiar, delicious scent began to waft toward her. Another mouse!

Keeping her voice to a whisper, she mewed, "Keep quiet. Make sure your pawsteps are soft. Mice have very sensitive ears." It was almost like she was back in the clan again, teaching a young apprentice how to hunt. "Don't let your tail disturb any leaves."

A few heartbeats later, and she spotted it. It wasn't quite as plump as the first mouse, but it would still make for a nice meal. It was huddled next to a small stone, cleaning its ears. She waited with bated breath, tensing her muscles.

Then with a rush of movement, she pounced, landing on top of the mouse with a triumphant "Ha!" The mouse squeaked in terror, but it was swiftly silenced with bite to its skull. Rainshadow turned back around to Gentleheart, her eyes sparkling above the mouse in her mouth.

"Go' 'im!" She mewed, not even caring that she was technically talking with her mouth full. She dropped it at Gentleheart's feet. "Now we can both have a meal."

[joji]

Gentleheart intently observed Rainshadow's hunting method. They noiselessly crept over the frosty forest floor together, crouched low to the ground, but not close enough to rustle the frigid grass and frosted fallen leaves. Anticipation rose within him as the she-cat heedfully apprehended the source of the noise, a fatal mistake their bounty had made. After Gentleheart had caused the initial hunting casualty, failing to capture the first mouse, he was determined not to spoil this catch. He watched as Rainshadow seemed to carve out a path, alert for any traces of the precious meal that would keep their hunger at bay, and feasibly replenish a little bit of strength. The tom felt optimistic about their second attempt, studiously absorbed the way Rainshadow followed her sense of smell, scanning the forest in front of her for tracks, while her ears gestured slightly. She looked in her element, embodying the term predator. In the prime moment, her ears flicked around quickly, and he saw her engage perfect stealth. He shrunk as she advised him, halting at once. The faint scent of mouse drifted in his nose, he felt as if his breathing or even his heartbeat might cause it to skitter away. The suspense seemed to drag on for moons, and the tom broke into a cold sweat while the hunger in his belly formed a pit. Suddenly he saw Rainshadow strike with impressive precision, followed by a prosperous exclamation, and a moment later, she sauntered up to him with her capture. He saw a new expression spread across her face, sheer delight. As she stowed the morsel upon him, settling it in front of his paws, she exuded satisfaction. "You were outstanding!" He enthusiastically trilled in awe. "That was a marvelous demonstration, you have astonishing dexterity and instinct." He praised her, glimpsing at the mouse, then back at Rainshadow, brandishing a wide smile. "I want to thank you for your generosity. I doubt I'll ever be able to get enough practice to be that refined, but I'm grateful to learn something new. I have a feeling that your way will be more effective than my previous routine." He added, purring quietly.

[Koráki]

Gentleheart's praise - which sounded actually genuine - made pride and embarrassment blossom in Rainshadow's chest. She flicked her ears and looked away from him, bending her head to give her chest fur a few self-conscious licks. "You make it sound like I'm some kind of champion or something," she meowed gruffly. His thanks was well received, though. Glancing back at him, she said, "I'm glad you learned something. I'd hate to leave a mouse-brain like you to fend for himself. How have you even survived all this time?" Okay, maybe that last question was a little rude. But Rainshadow was curious. This cat was well spoken and seemed intelligent. If he didn't know how to hunt, then it may be possible he started life as a kittypet - or at least grew up around twolegs.

Feeling a tiny bit guilty of her slip-up, Rainshadow nudged the mouse toward him with one paw. "You take first bite." Maybe then he'd stop smiling at her. After so long by herself, it was weird holding that kind of attention. But it's not the worst thing in the world, is it? A small, traitorous voice said in her mind.

While waiting for Gentleheart to tuck into the mouse, Rainshadow busied herself with looking around at the trees and undergrowth. It was a cold night, and so there shouldn't be too many other cats out and about. She hadn't seen many others during her short stay in this area. Still, one could never be too careful.

[joji]

The tom soaked in Rainshadow's humility. It wasn't often that the cats he encountered were as decent and humble as she was. "I try to be a supportive individual." He replied. "My wisdom is in remedies, if you care for that sort of thing." There were many times on his journey when wounded or ill strays would refuse treatment out of mistrust. Rarely, he would meet a cat who similarly knew anything about herbs. Explaining that there are plants with medicinal properties is nearly impossible to a cat who knows only of poison. Even so, he had his ways. Gentleheart was eagerly awaiting the permission to devour a ration of the mouthwatering kill, when the she-cat passed the inviting meal closer towards him. He promptly reclined on his flank, tucking a paw under him. He cherished his new friend as he put one paw out over the mouse, holding it while he took the first mouthful. The fresh prey was still warm as the tom chewed, and he started feeling more replenished with each bite. Rainshadow showed me such extensive gratuity, I wonder how long could I indebt myself to her? He asked himself fondly, savoring the tasty nourishment.

[Koráki]

Rainshadow found herself studying Gentleheart curiously as he took his first bites of the mouse. Remedies... she turned the word over in her mind. Does he mean remedies as in medicine? She had never heard of a loner or kittypet with knowledge of herbs. It was definitely something noteworthy, that this - clearly untrained - tom would know of medicine. This new bit of information, accompanied by his rather clan-like name, was starting to make Rainshadow wonder...

She waited until he'd had his fill before eating her own share. The mouse was so good she had to keep herself from drooling. It certainly wasn't enough to fill her belly entirely, but it would keep weakness at bay for at least another night. When she finished, she did a quick once over with her tongue, making sure no blood was left on her fur from the kill.

It was unlikely Rainshadow would cross paths with this cat again, so what was the harm in asking a few questions. "Gentleheart..." she fixed him with a curious gaze. Were you a clan cat? What clan? Why did you leave? She wanted to ask so many questions, but she didn't want to pry too much. They were, after all, complete strangers. "Where did you learn these...remedies of yours?" There. That was innocent enough. She could be completely off the mark, after all. Maybe some loners did learn which plants helped to heal wounds simply through trial and error.

[joji]

After a couple of conservative bites, his turn was over. He licked his lips and beckoned the she-cat. “It’s all yours!” The partially clouded moon cast a dim light over them from its high position as the stars struggled to glimpse through the dull sky. He sprawled on his belly, occupying the grass in front of her as she ate the remainder of the prey that he had just watched her skillfully acquire. Wow, Rainshadow is such an impressive hunter. How can I ever pay her back for teaching me? The molly had shown him a more effective stance, but he knew it would take endless moons of practice to get the hang of each step. She probably wasn't interested in sticking around to guide him. What was in it for her? Rainshadow finished gulping down the rest of the meal and punctually started grooming herself. As she settled, she spoke in an inquisitive tone. Her question caught him slightly off guard, and he gathered his thoughts to compose a reply. After a moment, he answered. "My mother's mate taught me all I know about healing, but I don't understand much about the forest. He was from a clan, like you." He concluded, expressing his speculation about her origins. The place still felt foreign to him, even after the several moons he spent wandering through it. He studied her reaction through narrowed eyes.

[Koráki]

Rainshadow was just running a damp paw over her ears when Gentleheart mentioned his father being from a clan. She froze, staring at him with wide eyes as the true meaning of his words sank in. The only clan cats with substantial medicine knowledge were - well, medicine cats. But...

"It's forbidden for medicine cats to take a mate," she blurted. Which, again, must've seemed rude. And it's not like Rainshadow herself was the epitome of the warrior code at the moment. But still! "Did your father ever mention what clan he was in?" There was no judgement in her voice, only curiosity.

Then there was the matter of how Gentleheart figured out she was from a clan. This, she supposed, wasn't all that surprising, especially if Gentleheart already had prior knowledge of clans and their customs. Her name in itself was a dead giveaway.

[joji]

The tom's gaze went bleak as Rainshadow asked him questions that he didn't fully understand. "Well," He started, "All I seem to remember about him is the knowledge he passed down to me" He meowed. "My mother... Song. She never told me much more about him than his name. She called him Briarfang, but she doesn't talk about him much anymore, she just goes silent..." Gentleheart looked up from his paws chastely. He tried to search through his memories for any topic about the clans, other than the fact that it was where Briarfang was from. Memories of Song washed over him, and he felt suddenly homesick. He missed her, it was the first time in his life they had been separated for so long, willingly, at that. He had missed her the most during the start of his journey. Part of him wondered if he wasn't cut out for this and if he would just end up giving up the struggle to survive on his own and going back to living with her housefolk. Now, it frustrated him to not know, or rather, remember these things about Briarfang.

[Koráki]

Rainshadow found herself starting to feel a tad guilty as Gentleheart's expression clouded over. It should've been obvious he wouldn't want to talk much about his past. She certainly didn't want to get into detail about how she got to where she is now. "Forget I said anything," she said by way of apology, looking away from the tom to hide her embarrassed expression. "It was intrusive of me to ask in the first place."

Even as she turned away from him, she thought, Briarfang...why does that name sound familiar? It certainly wasn't anyone from her own clan. She thought she would've remembered if WindClan had a medicine cat in recent years who turned away from the warrior code. Perhaps this Briarfang was from one of the other clans. She wondered if he was still there...

Looking over her shoulder, Rainshadow decided it was time to extricate herself from this meeting. "Thank you for sharing a meal with me. I wish you luck on your journey." She purposely shied away from the more traditional farewell, May the stars light your path. It would be an empty sentiment. Without waiting for Gentleheart to reply, she dove off into the undergrowth, already calculating where she could spend the night.