☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS "Great... they've left me behind again."
Sunnyday felt a prickle of annoyance snake its way up the length of his spine as he looked around himself, greeted with the sight of an empty forest. It was clear that he was slowing down with age, but this was honestly ridiculous. They couldn't have spared a few minutes in which to allow him to recover his breath? Clearly not. A sigh escaped him as he resigned himself to travelling solo. At least it was just the border between ThunderClan and SkyClan, so nothing to worry about considering that they were on good terms. Any other border and he would honestly have been concerned, and frankly more than a little pissed off.
Birdsong soon became his primary company as he continued along the planned route, a part of him gripping onto the hope that he might yet catch up to the younger warriors and apprentices that made up the patrol. But it seemed as though luck was not on his side. Still, it was turning into a pleasant stroll and he allowed himself to control his strides so he didn't agitate the tight, gnarled scar tissue that marred his left side.
A noise from the other side of the border caused the ageing warrior to slow his pace, and eventually he came to a complete and silent halt. His ears pricked up sharply and he eyed the SkyClan woods beyond the invisible line, his lungs soon burning from the breath that he held in. He exhaled sharply, his muscles relaxing by force. Whoever was on the other side was alone, so nothing to worry about. However... there was something oddly familiar about the scent. The familiarity of it all made his toes tingle, and eventually he caved to his desire to investigate. Believing that no main patrols were around he decided to stray into SkyClan's territory. Just by a little anyway, just so he could see who was there. "Hello?"
Shallow had sneaked out again after succeedfully stolen yet again a prey from the freshkill pile. It was almost ironic how no one had noticed this far but yet again there was none who really looked out after him. Shallow was to old for a nurse queen and he was to young to be made into an apprentice. Not like he wanted that to begin with. He didn't saw himself as an member of this so called 'skyclan' only taking advantage of this little bit of luck he had been given. It was them who had brought him in but he didn't think it was a permanent stay. They probably just felt pity for him but sooner or later they would wake up into the reality that he was nothing but a rogue. He had already captured some of thier judging eyes on him. So he needed to be prepared. A cat with his blood would never get accepted into a place like this. They would give up on him just like his previous group had, like his parents had.
The kit had just buried the crow underneath the dirt when pawsteps not far away reached his sensitive hearing. Shallow would quickly hide himself behind a tree before using his nose and hearing to detect what actually was coming over towards his direction. It wasn't one of this cats he lived with that was for sure but at the same time there was something familliar with this scent too. He couldn't figure out why though. Staying into his poorly hiding place he waited to see who it would be and...he recognized them almost instantly when he saw that golden fur placed on that lean and thin body structure of that tom. He hadn't seen them since thier first meeting he had tried once to meet them again but he had ended up running into one of this tom's clanmates instead who happend not to be special fond of rogues, like most cats.
" Oh, it's you." He stept out from his hideout to reveal himself in front of the much taller tom. Trust didn't come easy to him but for some reason he felt like this sunny cat could be trusted more then most, maybe because they had given him food or because they had treated him with kindness which no other cat had before he had meet them. Or he just liked the way this tom was treating him like just any other cat and not a coldhearted rogue, or a disable cat who only had three legs.
Watching them carefully Shallow blinked his eyes, not saying anything else for the time being. He was not a cat who spoke many words after all.
☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Memories of discovering a young kit, a rogue in the wilds, played into his mind. Where most might have walked away and cleaned their paws of all responsibility he simply could not. Life was to be respected, protected in fact. He had done what he could at the time, always wishing he could have done more, and then living his life pondering what had ever happened to the youth.
Life had a funny way of drawing lost souls back together.
"K-kid?!" Sunnyday was left spluttering with surprise, but as the intentional shock passed it was rapidly replaced with overwhelming joy. His long legs allowed him to close the distance in less than a few seconds, and like some kindly father seeing his children he aimed to lick the top of Shallow's head. "It is so good to see you again, my boy! You're looking... actually pretty good." At least better than how he had looked on their last encounter. Unfortunately the same could not apply to him, not with his form becoming ever more withered and frail. "You smell like SkyClan, have you found yourself a home?"
Shallow's eyes went wide when the other much taller cat suddenly come for him, and out of reflects he took a step back closing his eyes like he was expecting something far more painful to happen. But then he felt something wet and bristly on top of his head. Shallow opend his eyes again and it took a second for him to realise what actually had happend. Unused with this sort of behavior the kit took a step to the side and took a seat so he could use his right paw to place it upon the spot Sunnyday had groomed his head. He looked far too puzzled not understanding why the older cat had even done that. What a weirdo.
Shallow had calmned down enough by the unexpected ambush to glance back at them again still with his paw on top of his head. " I guess." He did had put on some weight since they last had seen each other but he was still far away from being at the weight he should be at. He noticed though the same couldn't be said about them. Shallow took note of that they where looking even less healthy then from last time. Observing this for a moment the kit twitched his ears when Sunnyday mentioned skyclan. Home. It took a moment before he shook his head.
" I wouldn't call it that." he replied, glancing away after removing the paw from his head to for a brief moment think thier thoughts out, how they should respond. " I will leave eventually.." It was better to be out there starving and slowly dying. This was his best option for the time being but he had no intention of staying for long. There was no home for him. Not anywhere. His eyes were settled on them again, blinking as he took in a breath. " You should eat more." he stated like it was nothing not showing any particular feeling towards Sunnydays condition. But he stared at them even after he had stated this words. Concern maybe. Shallow didn't exactly know what to call it.
☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
The old tom would be lying if Shallow's reaction to his affection wasn't amusing. Though he did hope that one day the youth would come to understand that he was in no danger when it came to the old tom, and he also prayed to StarClan that one day the former rogue would find love and affection from others.
Sunnyday sat himself down and he gave Shallow a chance to process the situation and to respond, giving him all the patience in the world whilst never losing his warm smile. But he wouldn't lie that he was deeply concerned by what he was hearing. "Oh? Well, if you ever need somewhere to go just come to ThunderClan and ask for me by name. They won't ever give you any hassle if you ask for 'Sunnyday'." With luck the youth wouldn't encounter trouble in future when trying to find him.
The remark about him needing to eat more did cause him to visibly flinch. Of course he needed to eat more, but the pain he experienced when eating resulted in his strong aversion to even doing so. "I... of course." He supposed he could try to make an effort to do better, but he couldn't make any promises. But it would be nice to survive long enough to see another newleaf. Sunnyday exhaled a soft sigh before he came to realise something rather vital in that moment. "Why are you all the way out here on your own?" Where were the warriors? Surely SkyClan wasn't leaving young vulnerable kits wandering about all alone. "Don't tell me he's sneaking out and risking his life."
If you ever need somewhere to go...Shallow looked shooked by this his unblinking eyes staring at them. His eyes grow smaller again thinking this offer through but no matter how he tried to look at it he highly doubted it would work the way Sunnyday wanted it to do. He didn't know if he could trust this words if it ever would come down to it. " Don't your clan hate rogues?." he asked remember how he had got treated previously. The scar he had across his face he actually had got from one of skyclans warriors when he first had run into them and tried to steal one of thier apprentices prey. For him it was just a mark to remind himself daily on how rogues like him got treated. A lesson he wouldn't forget. " Dont you?." That was perhaps the more improtand question here if Sunnday hated his kind or not. If he did why help him for?. Why was he going out of his way like this for him?. Because he was a kit?, or was it because he lacked a leg?. Maybe it was out of pity. Needless to say he demanded a answer.
Shallow took note of how silent Sunnyday suddenly become when he pointed out about how they should eat more. It was odd considering how much this tom usually run thier mouth none stop at least when interacting with him. That made him puzzled, wondering why that reason was. Did he not like talking about food?. Shallow titled his head at them, observing them closely as he tried to come up with a reason why a such sudden change in behavior had just happend. Maybe he had said something that he shouldn't have?. Perhaps food was a sensitive topic for them. Flinking his tail in thought the young kit contunied to be puzzled by this until the old man spoke again. This time it was his time to flinch back by the unexpected change of topic. "Why are you all the way out here on your own?"
Shallow opend his mouth but then he quickly closed it again. He narrowed his orbs giving another flink of his tail to show a sign of his discomfort over this topic. He didn't want to tell them the truth, why he couldn't really say. Shallow viewed himself as a honest cat. He always told the truth without caring if the other cat wanted to hear it or not. Others opinions on him had never mattered to him before up until now. Weird. It was frustrating to him. Maybe it had something to do with how this old man looked at him with this blue trusting eyes. It made his stomach twist just thinking about it. " I.....don't wanna tell you." he mumbled as he looked away from them, ears slightly pinned back as he looked a bit in discomfort. He didn't want to lie but he did not wish to tell the truth either. It left him in a dilemma.
☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Sunnyday couldn't say for certain that ThunderClan would fully accept rogues, but that didn't matter! He didn't care that Shallow was a former rogue, he could see potential in the youth and he wanted to nurture him any way that he could. Besides, he was just a kit! He needed to be protected just like any other his age. "I don't hate rogues, and I don't hate you." He answered with firmness in his tone as he tried to convey that he meant what he was saying. "I only care with what is in the hearts of other cats. If I see a glimmer of goodness then why should I shun them? Heritage doesn't mean everything. My father was a kittypet, yet I didn't allow anyone to view me as being soft or weak."
So Shallow didn't want to tell him about why he was out all alone? It stung a little but he also didn't want to push either, not if it was causing the younger tom distress. But then again he also didn't want to just leave Shallow out there by himself at risk from the dangers of the forest. A fox wouldn't hesitate to take a young cat as a meal, especially with colder weather ahead. "You should really get back to camp where it's safe", Sunnyday began to say as he lowered himself down so he could lay on his belly with his paws neatly tucked under his chest. "But if you want I could sit with you for a little while." At least until a SkyClan patrol came sniffing by, something he didn't want to tangle with.
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