Hidden In The Space Between | Hazepaw

[Mosspool]

The river, Mosspaw had learned, was the most interesting thing in the territory. It made sense their clan was named for it. Aside from provide a bounty of fish to eat and a natural defense against the other clans, it also provided curiosities.

As near everything that fell in the river drifted downstream eventually, it was common to find something interesting floating down the river. Whether that be simply an odd shaped leaf or a whole cat. Of course, she had never seen the latter happen for herself. Only heard tell of sorry cats from other clans that had fallen in and only barely managed to drag themselves out, water-logged and half-dead, after they floated downstream.

Today though, while out on a hunting patrol, she spotted something even stranger. A bright red cylinder floating gently down the river. It was like nothing else she had ever seen. She was instantly enraptured by it, her hunt forgotten.

For a moment she just watched it, trying to make up her mind as to what to do. She was supposed to be hunting. Whatever that thing was, it certainly wasn't prey. Despite her own curiosity, part of her felt that she should just ignore it and go back to her hunt. Then again, she reasoned, it would be foolish to leave something this strange alone. It could be a danger to the clan.

Mosspaw's next instinct was to go out and grab it, but she restrained herself. Fishing strange things out of the river was an irresponsible idea, she told herself. Hazepaw was nearby. She would ask them what it was, and if she didn't know, the two of them could go back to camp and tell the warriors about it.

"Hazepaw?" She called out, without taking her eyes off the object. After waiting a moment for her sibling to head over, she flicked her tail toward the thing in the river. "Do you know what that is?"

//it's a red plastic solo cup​

 

[Hazewish]

TRAVELER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (AND NOW YOU MUST GO) ⋆⁺₊⋆

The river is many things, often contradictory: protection and danger, a barrier that separates them from the outside world just as well as a direct path to the lands beyond their territory. Hazepaw tends to take it for granted — it has, after all, always been there — but they love its more unpredictable aspects. Especially when they are harmless. Even on a hunting patrol, while they are meant to do something else, Hazepaw turns their attention to it rather than the prey they were sent after. The warriors on the patrol soon disappear in the underbrush while they linger back, looking at the glittering water. This is usual; Mosspaw’s presence is not.

Their relationship can be tumultuous at times, Hazepaw’s rebellion streak chafing against Mosspaw’s more straight-laced attitude, but they love their sister nonetheless. Especially because they can see their curiosity reflected there: the two of them are, maybe, more alike than either of them realize.

So when their sister calls their name, Hazepaw answers easily, padding up to the other adolescent and brushing against her side as they look at the strange object she pointed out. It’s… very vibrant, with a strange, baffling shape. They cannot fathom what it is or of what use it could be, but they can’t look away either, enraptured by the sight of this strange item bobbing up and down gently as the current pins it against river stones.

Mosspaw asks if she knows what it is, and she shakes her head no. Glancing at her sister, then the object, then her sister again, Hazepaw grins and taps her paw against the other’s flank.

”Check!” She says, an open challenge to Mosspaw to come and see it for herself. She doesn’t dash off just yet — but she leans forward in a clear sign that, although she is politely offering Mosspaw the first look since she was the one who found it, she won’t hesitate to go herself if her sister doesn’t dare to.

[⋆]​

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[Mosspool]

Though she was a bit disappointed that Hazepaw didn't know what it was, she wasn't surprised. When she told her to check, Mosspaw just shook her head.

"We should go check with..." She trailed off, glancing over. Her sibling was practically halfway to jumping into the river already. The memory of them ascending the monster's corpse as Cicadastar screamed his lungs out at them played out in her mind.

Telling Hazepaw had been a bad idea.

Mosspaw sighed, giving her sibling a long glance. Indecision and frustration played across her expression. "...You're going to do it if I don't aren't you?" There was no need for her to hear the answer, she knew it already.

There were not any rules against fishing strange things out of the river, and no one had told her not to. If anyone questioned her later, she could state that and be technically correct. Which was, of course, the best kind of correct. She would of course also rat out Hazepaw for almost jumping in the river and forcing her to jump first.

"Alright." Mosspaw relented. As soon as she said the word, she leapt in the river without sparing a moment. In slow, practiced motions, she swam over to the object, grabbed it in her mouth, and swam back.

Pulling herself to shore, she swiftly dropped it between them. She shot Hazepaw a sour look. "It tasted weird."​

 

[Hazewish]

TRAVELER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (AND NOW YOU MUST GO) ⋆⁺₊⋆

There’s something incredibly funny about Mosspaw’s serious gaze cracking as she mutters, you're going to do it if I don't aren't you?. Hazepaw nods, grinning, but their sister is already steeling herself before leaping across the muddy boundaries between the letter and the spirit of the law.

She grapes it between her teeth and swims back; Hazepaw, who would have batted it around with their paw first, is duly impressed by their sister’s boldness. They move aside to make space for the strange object. It makes a hollow sound as it falls, unlike anything they’ve ever heard. It’s right there, so they indulge in the desire to touch it; it rolls a little, a circular motion like an egg. They dart forward to lick it, quickly, and wrinkle their nose at the taste. Mosspaw is right: it tastes as weird as it looks.

”Twolegs…?” Though it comes out as a question, they’re pretty sure of their guess: nothing else in the forest could make anything quite as strange as this. What could possibly be the point of such a thing? They look from the Object to Mosspaw, seeking her opinion. ”... Use?”

[⋆]​

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[Mosspool]

Before she could so much as utter another word, Hazepaw darted forward to lick the strange thing. If she had a moment, she might have mentioned that she hadn't meant her comment as an invitation. As it was, she instead made a sour expression in sympathy.

Mosspaw nodded the moment her sibling uttered the word twoleg. Anything this strange had to come from them. The question of what it could be used for, however, was a trickier question.

Rather than give a guess, she touched it herself. Laying her paw on top of it. Testing her weight on it, she realized quickly how flimsy it was. Even the slightest bit of weight on it made it bend inward on itself. She rolled it back or forth under her paw. As she did, she stared at it intently, nodding to herself.

"I have no idea." Mosspaw stated plainly, shoving it toward Hazepaw. It toppled end over end before settling open side down.​

 

[Hazewish]

TRAVELER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (AND NOW YOU MUST GO) ⋆⁺₊⋆

Mosspaw closely inspects the strange object, testing it by touch as she squeezes it and moves it around. Hazepaw watches, fascinated, as it bends with a slight crinkling sound, echoing emptily as it rolls on the damp stone they’re perched on.

Their sister admits to not knowing what the point of it is and shoves it their way. Peering closely at the vibrant material of the twoleg artifact, Hazepaw noses its thin membrane, then gives it a nudge with their paw. It slides left, then right, then left again, with a slight grating sound that sounds nothing like any stone or wood or shell they’ve ever heard before. What could it possibly be made of? Insect shells, maybe? It’s so thin yet springy…

Bapping it a little harder, she sends it at her sister with a grin, aiming to make it bump against her nose. ”Fun,” she concludes. Something as strange and colorful must be a twoleg toy: she can see no other practical use.

[⋆]​

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