I KNEW HER 'FORE SHE BLEW UP / weaving

[RAINWHISKER]

Kittypet-born she was not, but Brook was one of Rain's cats through and through. Twelve whole moon cycles ago he and this group had taken Lightning and her under their wing. Together they all in their own way had raised the once child sibling duo into the adults they were now, but the cat who ended up having the most parental influence over them was Rain himself. Without him... well- Lightning and Brook would've likely for eternity have been two miserable orphans. Yet he with assistance from his group got them back onto her paws... after all the damage mother had caused them.

Thinking of her previous colony still caused Brook to physically shudder. All of the love they had received there from their mothers and the other queens had been artificial... they had hidden all their lies with sweet and deceptive words. Brook and Lightning had been young when they discovered the truth- and it almost had been too late. Without her brother, she wasn't quite sure where she'd be in this world right now... wherever she'd be it wouldn't be in Rain's group. That was a good enough reason for Brook to be thankful that things had turned out the way they had.

Here the love she felt was warm and genuine, she was no one token to be exchanged. So in these pine trees, she would forever remain.

At this moment she peacefully sat within the camp's clearing, a few curious cats had taken interest in her current hobby; weaving nests. Her material mostly consisted of long grass she had plucked out in the forest, but she had a few feathers off to the side weighed down by a stone. Almost effortlessly she could weave the grass together, it was one of the few valuable things her old colony had managed to teach her... luckily Brook was capable of not associating them with the hobby that brought her comfort.

"It's really easy- hard to pick up on but really easy once you've nailed the basics." Her head turns from side to side wherever the direction of voices can be heard. Blue eyes fail to meet anyone else's gaze though unless by coincidence. While doing so her paws continue to precisely weaving, this was a task where all Brook needed was touch... and well- there wasn't any task that required Brook to see unlike her seeing clan-mates.

"All I'm doing is following a pattern I've made up in my head... you see? From here I know you pull this piece of grass up... then over, tuck it back through... repeat." Her nest was about halfway done she determined with a quick brush of her paw over the weaved material. "I'd be happy to teach if any of you are curious. Beware it takes a lot of patience and practice, but anyone can get the hang of this." She shows everyone a light smile. ​

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[HAZE]

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╰☆☆ The sun is warm on the pale fur of his belly. Few loner-born cats would be comfortable exposing their stomach, even to the graceful golden kiss of the sun, but Haze is not bothered or worried. He's in his home, secure, surrounded by friends, family. His father's group. He couldn't be more content.

An ear flicks lazily as some cat begins what sounds like a lecture. Inwardly, he groans. He wonders if he's being called out again for only going hunting once today. He'd brought back a squirrel, but... truth be told, the thing had been mostly fur and tail. He'd been a bit surprised; it's greenleaf, after all, and the weather's been blistering lately. Perhaps the squirrel was like him... but had no groupmates to go find food for it?

He rolls over, warm stomach squished comfortably against the cool earth. Murky golden eyes flash with minor interest at the small gathering around a familiar face. Brook, one of many cats Rain had taken under his protective wing, seemed to be instructing the lot on how to do... something. Haze rises to snowy paws, ambling awkwardly and without grace towards the gray femme. He frowns. "That's a lot of effort when you can just clump some moss together," he says. A smile breaks the faux serious cast of his expression. Haze knows some cats like to stay busy... he just isn't one of them. "Maybe one of you want to make me one?" He flutters his eyelashes; he's sure someone will be charmed.​

—PENNED BY MARQUETTE.​

 

[Daisyflight]

"SUREFIRE, YEAH, THE SETTING SUN WANTS COMPANY"​

Daisy Flight had been lazily watching over Brook's craft for some time, preening herself in the usual multistep routine she enjoyed using to get her pelt to its softest. Weaving was a skill she had not been aware of during her days as a stray. The way the sightless molly before her twisted, strung and pushed at the moss was engrossing. It looked very restful, an exercise in precision and focus. Visions of herself weaving moons from now, a wise old crone with drooping whiskers and tattered ears, lifted her plumed tail in amusement. Even after all that time, the calico acknowledged she'd likely never be as proficient as the blue tabby sat in front of her.

Paw quaintly paused mid swipe of a tufted ear, Daisy Flight listened carefully to the molly explain her process. 'Patience and practice.' Hm, perhaps not for me after all she mused, consigning her aspirations. Weary shards of jade slid to take in Haze's tumbling approach, both eyes watching his shamelessly comfortable pace. It was admirable in a way, she didn't think she'd ever seen a cat sprawled out so completely before.

"Taking advantage of another's talents, are we?" Her tone was reprimanding but her whiskers twitched with amusement and her tail flicked in a coy greeting. Shuffling, deliberately so as not to startle Brook, she padded closer. Indulging her curiosity she dipped her charcoal tipped snout to sniff the materials briefly. "I would take you up on the offer, but I don't think I'd be a very good student" The smile on her face soaked her tone. Ah, the sun put her in such a good mood.


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✿ ✿ ✿​

 

[Rain]

A good number of the cats who resided in their little group were cats he had taken in himself, who he had raised and been a father to when previously they had none. He loved them, he loved them so fiercely and so entirely that even now as he stands a little distance away and sees them talking to each other his hears swells and he smiles happily in their direction.

He won’t stay away for long though, his eyes set on Haze and Brook he approaches the slowly forming group that is gathering to see what the blue tabby she cat is doing. He has to admit, he also wonders himself. Brook was strange but that’s something he liked about her, she was always coming up with ways to surprise him. He nods his head in greeting to the two she cats but he flicks Haze with his fluffy tail, as if telling his troublesome son to behave as he shoots him a knowing look. “He’s not bothering you two is he?” He asks, a teasing tone to his voice.

His eyes flicker back down the the contraption that Brook is working on, she claims it to be a nest but he’s never seen any that look so nice! Like, Haze, he usually just clumps some moss together and calls it a day. “This way of doing it” he starts, eyeing the thing in between Brooks paws “is it comfy?”​