HEY BOY, SAME PLACE | chilledgaze

[spectermask]

A huff tumbles from his mouth, its the day after the gathering and the anger still resides in his chest. He let Eerie off the hook for today, or at least for the time being because only the lord knows that his mood changes so quickly. He doesn't like them, does not like the other clans, he had been one second away from leaping at the Riverclanner and tearing. He would've torn him apart in front of all of the cats, would have made him an example. And he hates Bonejaw too, beyond pissed with her betrayal and the fact that others had condoned her. Exile! that little child had cried, how annoying.

He hated children, such crybabies. They're glad Eerie didn't talk much, he's not sure they could take it if he did.

"Chilled." he greets the black-furred deputy with a closed-eye nod. "Come." from his laying down position he reaches up, attempting to knock Chilled off balance to rest with them. He just... was so frustrated with the recent events that he just needed to be besides them if only for a couple seconds. "Eeriepaw's training is going well." he murmurs, their tail thumping against the ground in a small attempt to make small talk. "How have you been feeling?" he blinks warmly, his face softening. Only for Chilledgaze would they let their guard down, only for Chilled.​

"speech"​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

fuck, they hated gatherings. the same uneasy feeling of their every move being watched wasn't the easiest to get past, but they managed. after some stupid riverclanmer had yelled at them, they simply went numb. they hadn't even spoke up much since, just wanting to be left to their lonesome. they couldn't feel, still. it was so easy to shut off, but turning back on never was. that required a lot of energy, a lot of... they didn't want to think about it. they're thoughts are interrupted by spectermask. oh. they had come to chilled rescue so quickly before they had gone silent. they knew they worried him, but... that meant little to them right at the moment. usually they'd care but not like this.

they felt themself being nudged off balance and they managed to catch themself before laying down, pressing to the side of the equally onyx colored feline, a yawn escaping off their tongue as their body quivered with a slow blink.

"hm? oh very good. eeriepaw will make a good warrior one day."

they nod their head, stretching their body with a dull look in their eyes. part of them wanted to get out of this numbness feeling sooner rather than kater, but other parts feared that maybe that wasn't the best idea. not yet, at least.

"just a bit tired. a long and exhausting journey too and from the gathering will do that to you. how are you? sorry you had to deal with all of that there."

they had lied about just being tired but they really, truly, were sorry. that wasn't specter's fight.
​

[ NOBODY ELSE MATTERS, GIRL ]​

 

[spectermask]

His heart almost flutters as they lean against him and he feels warm now. Here he can protect them fully, step in when needed, tell them to rest but they're practically cut from the same cloth. There would be no resting as either of them live, they would die exhausted. He tears his gaze away from them because if he didn't then he would never, turns his head up to the starry sky. Sometimes he wonders if She is truly watching him as his parents so very kindly beat in to him but long ago did he debunk Her as a fraud.

She didn't answer little Deaths prayers, her screams. She did not care when the girl had changed in to something different, changed from Death to Phantom, did not care when he had laid his claws against his parents and so he does not feel the familiar fear prickle at the back of his neck.

He blinks. No, Chilled is as their side. Chilled wouldn't let the girl come back, she never did come around them... He looks down again. They look so tired and for a second he gets all choked up, their eyes swimming with mist and once more do they have to look away. "Yeah... He'll make a good warrior for sure." his voice wobbles but he catches it, hopes it does not catch Chilled's ears. "I'll make sure of it."

And then they speak about being tired and he nods in understanding. "I would fight a losing battle, willingly, for you. That idiot wouldn't have known what hit him if he had went farther with it." it was the truth, he'd lay down his life for them, a thousand times over and his only grievance was that he did not have nine lives to spare them. "Hey..." he slightly hesitates. Being deputy means that one day Chilled would become leader, get granted the same 'nine lives' fad that Pitchstar had. He swallows hard as new insecurities and desperate decisions arrive and bubble up to the surface. "If somethings bothering you, I can fix it. Just tell me what and consider it done." he does not touch on his fear of losing them as he shifts, placing a paw on theirs.

He feels so alive by their side as if his parents had never existed, as if She hadn't. His friend, his best friend. "I'm just glad you're still here. " vulnerability, he hates it, but its needed. ​

"speech"​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

chilledgaze twisted their ear, turning to properly look at spectermask. he... seemed to waver a bit when talking about eeriepaw. did they think that they weren't doing a good enough job? taking in a deep breath in, they bumped their head against his. they needed to reassure them, even in the midst of all this hell. it could be very overwhelming, and he was bound to feel like a failure sometimes but he had to know he was doing just fine.

"you're doing fine. he's headed in the right direction. as long as he's loyal, what more can we ask for at a time where so many are betraying us?"

they shrugged. they watch him nod in somewhat understand– both of them had that in common. exhaustion, and aching bones from shouldering too much responsibility. chilledgaze felt responsible for the entire clan, and spectermask felt responsible for them. it left too much for either of them, but neither of them would even dare to admit it. never. not even from the stars... had they even made it there. they took in another sigh before brushing themself against the other, thumping their tail against his flank.

"you really shouldn't worry yourself with my problems, specter. you've got so much to deal with already. but i... appreciate you. no one gets it. but you try to, and you do. i'm glad you're still here too. surely without you i'd have gone crazy."

there is something nagging at their stomach but they don't wanna bother. they can't say anything that would make any sense anyways. spectermask being here, them simply laying with chilledgaze, was more than enough. they lean further into their friend's touch, with a breath in. their eyes drooped, and they felt so tired but they couldn't sleep with their brain still turning like this. they'd crash... in a day or two.
​

[ NOBODY ELSE MATTERS, GIRL ]​