- Username: HABZ
Cat Name: wasp
Gender: male
Rank: diplomat / recruiter
Clan: cats of the red sands
Age: 3 years
Kitty trying out for: myo #892
Prompt:
baby bride rag
i know you may not be feeling the same way i am
sweetheart, you're mine, and now our life is all planned
nobody needs you the way you know i do
forget what they say, let's start our life anew
oh darling
i'm not so sure about our hearts aligning
at 16 years old, could this just be bad timing?
puppies pining?
listen to me, sweetheart, you are nothing when we're apart
i can promise you this: when we split the town, you won't be missed
- roar
the she-cat laid her weary head down, her eyes, shining like mirrors, gazing helplessly up at the overhanging mouth of the den. the sun tauntingly glared back through through the curtain of dead reeds, gripping her face, shoving her head-first deeper into the open maw of dehydration.
the scattered shade was hardly cooling, shadows preening her coat but not soothing her tender skin. the cat's tail flicked to and fro, her ears twitching with agitation. her body was exhausted, her stomach was empty and growling, and her mind was spinning with thoughts and questions, all of them revolving around one thing: water.
she had not drunk for days, the murky waters of the marshland that bordered her home were long gone, leaving only a cracked and dusty wasteland of rotting reeds and dead fish, stinking like death and mummified flesh. her clan, small but healthy before the thirst, had whittled away. some running blind into the desert. some mauling each other for the last scarce sips.
she'd chosen to stay in the clan. one of the only cats who did, though she was unsure that the others were even still breathing. she took up the old leader's den and prayed to starclan that by some miracle, a rain would come. that she could swallow enough water from the sky that she'd be able to move on, find a safe place. she'd only realised on the night of the second day, her throat burning like she swallowed hot sand, that starclan couldn't care less if she died. by the morning of the third, she assumed starclan was vying for her death. and to think, moons ago, she thanked them in guiding her into becoming a warrior.
it wasn't fair. she'd given everything to her clan, she'd followed their code to the letter, fought their battles, swore her loyalty, and this was how they rewarded her. alone, dying in the heat.
her thoughts were soon interrupted. suddenly, her ears pricked, and a sweet scent was carried across the hot breeze. her heart lifted. it was the smell of water. fresh, pure, drinkable water. but, starclan, curse her, she could hardly lift her head, let alone rise to her paws. she let out a hiss, a strangled sound that stung her throat. she had to get up. she couldn't die while it was still in reach. she forced her front legs forward, digging her paws into the sandy earth and dragging herself across the den, the sun beating down on her. her back paws were weak and barely responsive. but her head, oh, her head was so heavy. it felt as if the weight of a mountain was resting on her shoulders. she felt her chest heaving, her muscles screeching out for rest, but as she strained to catch her breath, the smell, tantalising and cruel... somehow seemed to be drifting closer.
the warrior let out a gasp, her whiskers twitching at the scent. she felt the grit of sand between her teeth and the grains between her toes, trying to will herself onwards, but just trembling harder. and then, a drop of cold water grazed her lips, and her heart jumped. the she-cat lifted her head, and saw, before her, the figure of a cat. her eyes, bleary and unfocused, saw nothing more than a blur of brown and orange, a bundle of dark green held loosely in their teeth. a cat? where did they come from? what was their purpose here? were they offering her the water she so desperately craved? her heart ached, and she struggled to open her mouth and speak.
"i... need..." she coughed, her tongue dry and cracking in her mouth. "w-water..."
the stranger said nothing for a moment, instead, she- he- the cat moved forwards, and a paw, gentle, was laid on her shoulder, coaxing her back down to the ground. the bundle, soaked moss, was pressed up against her weary jaws.
"drink."
and drink she did. the liquid trickled from the moss and soothed her raw throat, quenching her thirst for the first time in days. she swallowed it, gulp after gulp, until the moss was dry and her head began to clear. it felt like heaven.
at last, her vision began to focus. and the face of the cat swam into view. no older than her, his fur was long and mottled, and his eyes, a sharp cyan, glistened with amusement as he studied her. he smelled faintly of banksia and freshwater. his tail was wrapped neatly around his paws, his expression serene, as if he hadn't a care in the world.
"who are you?" the she-cat whispered, her voice still gone, her gratitude towards the tom welling in her chest. he only chuckled, and the warrior's face burned. saviour or not, he was obviously cocky.
"wasp," he hummed, tilting his head slightly. "a traveller. your clan would've called me a rogue. i was only passing through when i found you."
"passing through?" she repeated, and he nodded. she paused, taking a deep breath, before asking the question that had been nagging her since she first caught his scent. "why did you help me?"
the tom took a moment to respond, those cyan eyes dragging over to the entrance of the den. though his expression revealed nothing, she didn't miss how his ear twitched with something akin to discomfort. but his gaze returned, cool and smooth like water again.
"you don't see many warriors anymore," he said simply, and she didn't miss the hint of a smile that played at his lips. "besides, you were in no position to help yourself. did everyone else leave you here?"
"yes," she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. she thought of the way her clanmates had looked at her as they left. accusing, distrustful, even a little resentful. their eyes had been so empty, so dead, and she could hardly blame them. the heat was taking it's toll on all of them. she opened her eyes again, meeting wasp's gaze. "we were desperate. and i was too tired to move. the others didn't see a reason to stay behind."
"i don't suppose they would." wasp's tone was light and unreadable, and his eyes were once again focused on the entrance to the den. "i can't say i'm surprised that a clan cat would stay loyal to her clanmates."
the warrior didn't reply. she only looked away, her eyes trained on the sand. wasp moved a little closer, and she didn't object when his tail came to rest over her flank. his eyes, bright and curious, studied her with interest.
"you should've left, you know," he said, and his tone had a sudden edge to it. "why didn't you? was it really that important to stay?"
"i was loyal," she replied quietly, and the word tasted bitter. she had always been loyal. she had always been a good, loyal warrior. was her loyalty really what had led her here? her eyes, dull, met his.
"loyalty's a dangerous thing," wasp murmured, and his voice was quieter than it had been before. his gaze was distant, and the warrior's stomach turned, suddenly feeling as if she'd said something wrong. wasp blinked, his ears twitching, and the strange expression that had flashed across his face vanished. he shook his head and gave the warrior a quick, fleeting grin. "don't worry. at least i'm here now. you should be grateful, really. i was tempted to leave you here."
"i am grateful," the she-cat whispered, her heart twisting. "i'd be dead without you."
"and i'd be alone without you," wasp responded almost instantly, and the warrior could tell from his expression that he was only half joking. "you're a warrior, right? i suppose you'll want to go back to your clan."
"i guess." the she-cat looked back at the entrance. she ached for her clan, desperate to fling herself towards it, but her body, starved of water and exhausted, was telling her otherwise. and even if she could make it back to her clan, they might not even welcome her back. would they even recognise her? would they see her as a traitor?
"you could travel with me," wasp offered. his expression was carefully crafted, a cool and calm mask, but the warrior noticed the slight twitch in his whiskers. "i'm not planning on staying here long, but if you've got nowhere else to go, you're more than welcome to tag along."
she paused, her gaze flickering. her clan was still out there, somewhere. they might be dead. or dying. or worse, they could have moved on without her, forgotten her. wasp was here, offering her companionship, and a way out. something gnawed at her chest, though, an unflinching ember of loyalty.
"wouldn't it be selfish to leave my clan?"
wasp snorted, and his tail lashed. "not if they left you."
"but they needed me," she protested weakly, and wasp rolled his eyes.
"and you needed them, and what did they do? left you for dead," wasp spat, his tail twitching. "you should be glad i found you, and not a fox."
"but..." she stopped, and her ears flattened. wasp's expression softened, and he gently bumped his head against her neck.
"your clan is gone, or will be soon," he murmured, and his voice was low and gentle. "you're free to do whatever you want now. you can either follow the code and run back to them, or forget about it, and come with me. it doesn't matter. the choice is yours, but i think you know which choice is better."
his words sank in, and the warrior felt a weight settle on her shoulders. she closed her eyes. wasp was right. her clan had left her behind. there was nothing more she could do for them. if there was anyone she had to be loyal to, it was herself. she didn't deserve to die out here, abandoned and forgotten, while the code she had served so faithfully demanded she suffer for her loyalty.
"you're right," she breathed, and the weight on her shoulders was gone. "i've got no reason to go back."
"and every reason to leave," wasp purred. "it's alright. i can't blame you for being reluctant to let go. it's difficult, when you've been taught something your whole life, isn't it?"
"i'll try," the she-cat sighed. wasp only purred louder, his expression warm and amused. he rose to his paws, and the warrior tried to follow, stumbling and shaking.
"careful," he said, his voice edged with laughter. "you can't rush things. you need to build up your strength."
the warrior nodded, and wasp helped her up to her paws, letting her lean against him. his fur was surprisingly cooling against hers, and she felt the knots in her muscles soothing.
"it'll take some time," wasp mused, watching her closely. "but once you're better, we can travel together. you can see the world outside the marsh. have you ever wanted that?"
"always," she murmured, her eyes sheening with something like hope. wasp basked in the response, a purr rumbling in his chest.
"you've got a lot to see," he said, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "think about how much better your life will be from now on. no more clan structure, no more code, no more expectations. no more starving. you can do whatever you want. it's a fresh start. a chance to become something different. doesn't that sound great? doesn't that sound like freedom?"
"i never thought about it like that," the warrior whispered. "i always just... followed the rules. and it always felt like the right thing to do. but now... i don't think it's ever been a good thing."
"of course it isn't," wasp purred, his expression warm and encouraging. "that's what makes us better. the clan cats, they're stuck in their ways, aren't they? they're always so obsessed with the old ways, the traditions, the code, the same rules and values. the same hypocrites who abandoned you after preaching loyalty. but us?"
he paused, and his eyes shone with something darker.
"why, we'll be together forever, won't we?"
