" We can't keep meeting like this ... " His muzzle crooks into a lazy grin as he glances up at @herondawn , eyes half-lidded with a draping blanket of exhaustion. It's a comment that's a little out of character for him, at least when talking to a strange-ish cat—but it seems head injuries have a way of dropping one's usual shields. It's true, anyways, because this is the second time he's run into the grey tom in the seclusion of the medicine den, although this one is considerably more makeshift. At least Herondawn got out okay, he decides, 'cause the foggy-furred warrior has been nicer to him than most.
It's kind of sad how happy that makes him, he thinks—and nearly says, though his tired mind just withholds the statement from his lips. His head throbs in protest when he tries to lift it and meet Herondawn's eye, so he just drops it back down, although that also makes it hurt. It seems like he just can't win lately, except at least Herondawn is here, and Herondawn is nice and here and has pretty golden eyes. He drapes a scarred foreleg over his face, hoping to prevent his thoughts from spewing out of his mouth and block the piercing light. " 'S too bright. "
Two-toned eyes blink from just under his leg, fixing waveringly on the other cat's face. It's nice that Herondawn is here, even if he isn't here for Cicadaflight—which, let's be real, he thinks, he probably isn't. It's still really bright, he thinks, even though the sky is darkening rapidly. He blinks slowly and slurs, " So what're you doin' here, anyways? "
❝ NIGHT ENDED THE FIGHT✧°.☀ ———————————— Herondawn, like always, was given a menial chore. Something small and out of the way. In his jaws, he carried a mouse for Moonbeam. While his clanmates took their time bagging larger prey to feed tired muscles, he was snagging prey for the medicine den. He was grateful to be doing something for his clan after the flood. No matter how small.
The dull warrior pushed himself into the makeshift medicine den ready to drop off the mouse and find some other small task to do. At Cicadaflight's voice, heat flushed Herondawn's system. This had been happening ever since they had chatted after Cicadaflight's injuries so many moons ago. Every time he caught sight of the warrior in camp or caught a stray greeting, he couldn't help but grow even quieter. It was such a bizarre and new feeling. He chalked it up to finally feeling seen by someone other than Swirldance. Nothing else.
We can't keep meeting like this...
Herondawn felt an uncomfortable giggle rise in his throat at the rumbliness of that voice. Embarrassed, he quickly cleared his throat and set the mouse clamped in his jaws down. He looked at Cicadaflight for the first time since entering the den and was instantly filled with pity for the other warrior. Herondawn hadn't seen it happen, but he had heard that the tom in front of him had suffered a nasty blow to the head during the escape. He looked so... sad. A sudden desire to comfort the tom welled up in his chest.
When Cicadaflight complained about the light, he did the next best thing to comfort and used his fluffy body to block the sun streaming onto his two-toned eyes. He wished he could do more like crawl beside him or groom the knots from his fur or tell him everything was going to be okay or-
Herondawn had to stop himself. The best he could do now is be here for him. His gold eyes flicked to the mouse at his paws and a soft smile grew on his face.
"Would you believe me if I said I came here to see you?" He asked, nudging the mouse toward the bi-colored tom. He could always find another mouse for Moonbeam. "How are you feeling, Cicadaflight?"
As much as he found humor in the fact that they only met in the medicine den, Herondawn couldn't help but wish the events from yesterday had not happened. Brackish water carrying branches and despair plagued his mind every time he closed his eyes. The vision of Swirldance, his sibling, churning the water with their unstable paws and he could do nothing to help. His clanmates and friends calling out in horror and desperation for the nightmare to end. It could have been worse, he reminded himself while taking a breath. He or Swirldance could have died. Moonbeam could have been swept away. Cicadaflight could have been killed. Why did he want to sob with relief at that thought?
Hazy eyes, pupils blown, rove over Herondawn's face without the abashedness that would accompany his usual inhibited demeanour. He shields his face from the dusky light with his leg still, even as split eyes take in a pelt like silvered fog and two moon-yellow eyes. It's strangely focused, the attentiveness with which his gaze fixes on the other's, contrasting the fogginess clouding his expression. Half-lidded eyes follow each motion as Herondawn speaks, just dazed enough that he doesn't appear to be totally following the conversation. A drowsy warmth fills his limbs, like sunlight soaking into the top half of a submerged rock, a golden brightness spreading from his chest outwards. Immersed in the throbbing of his head, he entertains the notion that the sun seeps from Herondawn's brilliant gold eyes.
" Thanks, " he slurs wearily when the other warrior's dense body blots out the offending sunlight, letting his impossibly heavy forelimb slide off his face. White lashes flutter shut for a moment, slivers of color barely visible at the edge of his just-shut eyelids. Tangled curls drift slightly in the wind, knots of black and white matted across his shoulders where he hasn't had the energy to wash them out. He knows he's in a state, and for the first time in a long time, he feels self-conscious about it—feels an almost immediate compulsion to neaten his fur that his aching head immediately puts an end to. He's not sure why.
" Hard to believe, " Cicadaflight rumbles, rolling the mouse gratefully towards himself with one paw. He props himself up on his forelegs, wincing at the immediate protest his sore head gives, and eyes the piece of prey appreciatively. " Man, I'm gonna owe you a hell of a lot. Have to make it up to you once I'm outta this nest. " His heavy muzzle crooks into a scowl, obvious irritation at his confinement warring with instinctive fondness for Moonbeam. She wants the best for him, and he knows that, but being cooped up in this nest is going to drive him crazy.
" Well, I smacked my head into a rock, " he deadpans, although the awkward grin he can't quite hide gives him away. " 'S just a headache. I've survived worse. " He chews a bite of mouse and swallows with an appreciative hum, the bracing reminder of his scars wiping the smile off his face. Dipping his head until his fur falls in his face, he laps awkwardly at his tangled chest fur. " How about you? You okay? "
❝ NIGHT ENDED THE FIGHT✧°.☀ ———————————— Herondawn wanted to flinch as he felt Cicadaflight's gaze pierce through his fur and seemingly into his heart. He was not used to this from the scarred tom. He was more familiar with the way those two-toned eyes flicked to the ground or how they would glaze over him to search for a more interesting pelt than his dusty grey one. A heat rose to his cheeks as their eyes locked briefly. These meeting always felt so rare, but they always had a way of sticking in his brain for moons. The last time they had met in a medicine den, Cicadaflight curled up and Herondawn happening upon him, the dull tom couldn't get it out of his head for weeks. The number of fumbled hunts and missed conversation beats with his sister were... odd. Outliers to his usual attentive self.
Herondawn's attentive self couldn't help but notice the daze to Cicadaflight's stare and the way his eyes looked through white wispy lashes. They reminded of him of the first snow of leafbare, when the powder would cling to anything it touched. He longed to feel the chill in this moment.
He snapped out of his thoughts at Cicadaflight's slurred words. "You can make it up to me by staying in this nest and getting rest," he almost whispers into the quiet of the den. "After that, we'll figure something out." He smiled softly and felt pride as he watched the warrior accept his catch. His only regret was that he wished he had caught something bigger.
"I'm glad it's just a headache, truly. I don't know how we would have managed if we lost you." There's something unspoken in that sentence. A hidden message he didn't intend to hide. Herondawn so badly wished he could have slipped an I instead of we in his statement. His stomach churned at the personal admission.
He had never loved before. Most of his clanmates were so... confident with their love. They shoved it at each other with no worry of it being dropped by the recipient. Herondawn knew that if love was thrust at him that boldly, he would mess it up somehow. Now, though, rare confidence bubbled up in his throat. Plans formed in his mind to bring Cicadaflight more prey while he was cooped up in this makeshift den, and the endless possibilities once he was free.
Golden eyes looked away - it was hard, almost impossible - from the bicolored tom in front of him and glanced at the camp behind him. The nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he was not good enough tugged him away from his own ambition. How would Cicadaflight ever want to spend his time with the shadow named Herondawn? A more hopeful thought came to his mind then, He's spending time with you now, isn't he?
His soft smiled turned back to the warrior and Herondawn dipped his head in appreciation of his asking. "I'm okay. I... wasn't in camp when it flooded. I feel guilty about that, but I'm glad everyone is okay for the most part." He thought of Swirldance in that moment but shook his large head at guilt that barbed his heart. Not right now. He had plans to visit her later, but for now he wanted to be here in this moment. "How long are you going to be stuck in here?" He asked and felt himself lean forward, eager for the answer.
" Well, that's a big ask for me anyways, " he mutters with a near-playful roll of the eyes. Maybe if his head hurt less or he wasn't stuck in this stars-damned nest or camp had never flooded in the first place, he'd have the sense to shut up, like he normally does. But if none of that had happened, he wouldn't be talking to Herondawn at all right now, and ... man, that would kinda suck. He'd be fine with this conversation lasting forever, he thinks. It feels easy and right, the words slipping off his tongue in a way they almost never have.
" I think you're thinking too highly of me. " Amusement shows in the twitch of his scarred cheek as he scoops up another mouthful of mouse, a low hum of appreciation emanating from his chest as he chews. The sentiment leaves a warmth behind when the bite disappears, like liquid honey filling his chest. That's a first. He's never thought that the Clan would have any difficulty managing without him; he's replaceable, forgettable, a survivor of a lost bloodline. And the worst one, at that. " Beefang, yeah, maybe. But not me. "
There's nobody who would be irreparable if he'd gone under the water forever, of that, he's certain. But it's a flattering thought, and he blinks appreciatively up at Herondawn as he bites off another chunk of mouse. Nobody ever even pretends to want to flatter him, so if the other warrior's lying, he's more than willing to turn a blind eye. He probably is. Cicadaflight lets a sigh unwind from his chest as he chews pensively on the mouse to keep from having to talk more, happy to listen to Herondawn. He wasn't in camp, he feels guilty. Why? he has to wonder, it's a good thing he wasn't. It's a good thing he's fine.
Suddenly he doesn't want to think too hard about that, so he swallows another bite of mouse so fast he coughs. " That's ... good. I'm glad to hear it. " At the other's question, Cicadaflight's ears perk hopefully. Is he just being wishful, or does Herondawn sound almost excited about that? Don't get ahead of yourself, he scolds himself, he's probably just hoping you'll get off your ass and help out." Moonbeam said ... " He squints, wondering why counting suddenly seems so hard. " Four sunrises, I think? "
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