BORDERLINE — auburnflame

[SLATESNARL]

❪ TAGS ❫ — He hated this. He hated having to constantly be accompanied by someone while on a territory outing. Slate, truthfully, had slipped out a few times on his own to do his business in the dirtplace because there was no way in hell that he was going to let someone else stand nearby. While the warrior could understand Blazestar was only proceeding outo of caution, he did not tend to do well with other people. The Maine Coon was a solitary tom through and through.

Slate perched by the river's edge, dulled amber hues staring down into the watery depths rather blankly. However, any cat with intuition could likely guess that many thoughts were swimming behind those eyes. He simply didn't tend to express them. The ambience was nice, however, and almost completely distracted him from the fact that Auburnflame was right next to him.

A ripped ear flicks only, his gaze unmoving from the river before them. "You didn't have to come with me, y'know." Slate speaks. "I know I ain't exactly your favorite person." The situation with Silversmoke hadn't been really... properly addressed. Slate had been captured by twolegs shortly after their confrontation, which left no room for attending to it. He honestly preferred it that way, but he knew that other cats who had witnessed their argument like Auburnflame and Cloverjaw might have still had unconfronted thoughts on it.

// @Auburnflame (and @SILVERSMOKE hehe)​

 

[Auburnflame]

He couldn't bring himself to lie that this new rule of Blazestar's was the slightest bit inconvenient for Auburnflame. While he completely understood the logic behind it, and the why, he did miss his leisurely walks through the pines. Of course, he didn't blame him, it was those damn Two-Legs that were the cause of it all. He wanted nothing more than to retire up onto the boughs of the pines, overlooking the greenery before him and possibly drifting off into a light snooze while doing so. He wasn't near as rebellious as some others, wanting to keep Blazestar's trust and not place himself or sny others in dangers. Those traps could still be out there, camouflaged with leaf litter and pine, waiting for it's next victim to whisk them away to that shelter. That shelter where Daisyflight would forever rest her head. A deep hatred brewed within him, a dark and foreign feeling, churning his belly at the thought of thst towering behemoth of a Two-Leg, watching helplessly as it took Slate and the others away.
He had accompanied the dark furred tom on their way to the river's sandy shoreline, sitting beside him as the larger tom looked thoughtfully at the rippling currents that passed them by and rhe calico joined him in silence. Every now and again, a brief flash of silver would catch his eye between the roots thst grew beneath the surface and his mouth salivated at the very thought of fish. He hadn't had it since he was a young tuft of fur rummaging along the banks before the clans. Minty irises finally were released from it's tantalizing hold, flitting over towards Slate with a quizzical quirk of a crimson brow. Since he's come back from the shelter, the warrior has noticed Slate's—difference in attitude as of late. Apart of Auburnflame sympathized with him; after all, he had witnessed his taking. He shed tears for him out of pure fear of whether he'd ever lay eyes upon his pelt again.
Should I talk to him? Maybe—maybe he'd open up to me now that we're alone. Pink lips pursed as he searched for words to say to break the silence, but it seemed as if Slate felt his icy gaze along his scarred features and spoke in his stead. Mismatched ears pull forward as his attention fully lands on him and reeled away from his inner thoughts. Auburnflame huffs out a laugh, crimson tail curling in amusement as he lightly nudged at his shoulder. " 'Course I did. Gotta have a partner, or else'll suck pretty bad if a Two-Leg snatched you up." He tries to feign a humorous grin, but it falters upon his lips to only a half smile.

I know I ain't exactly your favorite person.

Those words, the weight of them stung a little more than they should. Auburnflame's half-hearted grin soon disappears completely, melting into a frow with pinched brows. Perhaps it was true and Auburnflame hadn't necessarily thought about it till now. No, Slate wasn't his normal go to for company, but it didn't mean that he outright disliked him, did it? He doesn't speak for some time, too consumed by his emotions to answer right off the bat. Silversmoke hated him, and with good reason, but Silversmoke also saved him. He's often went to bat for Slate before, his psyche flashing back to him and the lead warrior's argument. Maybe Auburnflame's good nature caused him a bit of naivety, he swears he could see something in Slate. He can see that same compassion that Silversmoke possesses. He was just wired that way. Auburnflame fixes himself and clears his throat, sitting up straighter before speaking finally. "You may not be who I go to for some juicy gossip, but that don't mean I don't like you any less." His gaze flickers to Slate's profile as he tries to meet his eyes, "You're still a warrior of SkyClan. You're my clanmate. I respect you just as much as the next."

​

[ SETTING FIRE TO THE SKY ]​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

As a friend. The one statement that made him long for the pain of an eye injury again so long as he could forget all about how much such rejection stung. Romance had been a foolish path for him to try and take, made worse by the fact that Auburnflame had been the first animal he'd felt so fond of. He still did, stuck in a limbo between friends and something more, it was a company he loved to have even if he knew it would not go where he wanted it to. Being out in the territory alone was directly going against Blazestar's orders, he knew this and let his teeth show whenever he caught others trying to break them, but with how full of strangers and kittypets camp had become, he felt he would've gone crazy had he endured the company of another. The company of all except one. With a small grouse dangling between his jaws by its neck, he tentatively followed Auburnflame's stray scent, hoping to catch him whilst he wasn't busy for another conversation.

He should've known that he wouldn't be alone, rules were rules.

What he never would've expected was to see a hulking charcoal figure by his side.

Eyes wide as they glowered at the back of Slate's head, the Lead Warrior ducked between the ferns, his heart racing. What was he doing with Auburnflame? The river had been their special place to him, the first time the spotted tabby had laughed with the calico and smiled with a sincerity saved only for solitude. His fur snapped upwards and the grip on his prey tightened. Watching the calico nudge Slate caused his eyes to narrow in on the area, but hearing Auburnflame call him a partner sparked an ugly fire in his blood. Suddenly, he felt the urge to get between the two and redirect the conversation to something less... insulting. Bitterly, he wondered if this had been the reason for Auburnflame wanting peace so that a friend and whatever the hell Slate was didn't have to come to blows. Just as he found himself reaching a ceasefire with the large tom, a rivalry threatened to ignite once more, all because Silversmoke had been too worried to come forward about his feelings sooner. His tail lashed behind him. 'You coward! Can't go to the Twolegplace, can't be honest with Aubs, it's no wonder why you weren't chosen to help the Daylight Warriors'.

Tearing his gaze away felt just as mousy until he reminded himself that Auburnflame owed him nothing. Even if there were days where he wanted to tear Slate's throat out, he could not dictate who a friend chose to enjoy time with - it was a fact he'd readily understood with Ashenclaw and one he'd have to learn to accept with Auburnflame. Eventually. For now, with a silent huff, he turned away, breathing deeply as he steadied himself against the unsettled envy brewing throughout his system. What did Slate have that no one else did? No, no stop. Is this some cruel prank by him? Having lost his appetite for birds, Silversmoke began prowling back towards camp. Perhaps another set of 'partners' could enjoy the grouse.

[ outties ++ much love to yasha for trying to contribute ]

​

 

[SLATESNARL]

❪ TAGS ❫ — Auburnflame's bubbly optimism, even in the awkwardest of moments, isn't infectious to Slate... but he'd be lying if he claimed that it didn't help (at least a little). Not that he would admit that; he didn't want to give the tortoiseshell an ego boost, an excuse to bombard him with happiness and rainbows. The bottom line was that Auburnflame's personality was welcomed when it felt needed; a moment like now, perhaps.

He blinked when Auburnflame made an attempt at a joke of sorts, even so much as nudging his side, which causes Slate to subconsciously shift his weight in response. The former rogue wasn't necessarily used to physical touch; he did not even participate in sharing tongues (or at least the literal sharing tongues aspect of it). The tom reassured Slate that he didn't dislike him, which he acknowledged with a , "Hm." The multi-colored cat could have been just making up excuses so that he didn't come off as mean; it didn't seem like Auburnflame to be bluntly honest about his negative opinions of someone. "Even if I've got beef with Silversmoke?" Slate slightly cocks a brow, turning his sizeable cranium toward the other warrior. "You two are uh, close, yeah?" They seemed to talk with one another a lot, something that he found surprising especially for the likes of Silversmoke who always seemed like an independent soul even amongst his peers.​