I'LL BECOME SOMETHIN [ camp/storytelling ]

[cougar]

Cougar and his brother's late entrance to the colony was well, leaving them in the dust. Friends didn't come easily to the pair of them, but it was still something that Cougar cherished about being in a colony. The slight companionship. They had joined the colony right before they had to pick up and move, and disappeared for a number of days after the move, returning depressed and on edge. Something was definitely up. Cougar just didn't know how to broach that subject with these cats yet.

It wasn't like he distrusted them, but it was definitely not whole-hearted dependency on them being able to provide for Cougar and Tiger, like Cougar could for them. Not yet, anyways. Cougar's ears twitched as he settled down in camp, leaning down to groom one of his legs. Unbeknownst to him, a colony-mate would be coming up to question him on all the thoughts circling his brain.

// @RYE @tiger (no need to wait for either!) mandatory brother ping tho​

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"speech"​

 

[RYESTALK]

——————————————【 She/her | 34 moons | Ripple Colony 】——————————————

【◈】It doesn't take much for Rye to feel nostalgic for their lost home these days - a certain sound, smell, anything of the like bringing memories flooding back in. Today, she'd found a lizard while hunting - scrawny as it is, it reminds her of the mountains, in particular the time even before the colony, when she'd still had a family. Bittersweet memories feel more like sweetness these days, surrounded by so many other bodies, and she's grateful that she even has scraps of good memories among the bad to think back on. Some cats didn't even have that, she knows, and there are others still that are more of a mystery to her. Nobody's obligated to share their story - some have had it harder than most, after all, and Rye certainly doesn't know the intricacies of the lives of many of her colony members, though there are some that are more interesting than others. Take Cougar and Tiger, for example - the pair hadn't been with them long before disappearing, and while she wouldn't have blamed them entirely for cutting and running at the time, being so new during such hardship, they had shown back up, seemingly intent on picking back up where they'd left off.

The whole thing's a bit odd, but she can't say she hasn't seen odder things still. The flood driving them from the mountains was much odder; the rockslide that led to her own arrival in the colony was much odder; truthfully, two cats coming and going doesn't really compare all that much in the grand scheme of things. Regardless, Rye has her own curiosities about the brothers, and so when she finds herself arriving back to their temporary camp and spots Cougar, who seems to have precious little to be doing at the moment, she sees her chance. Grabbing another piece of prey more filling than the lizard she'd brought back, she'll set it down in front of Cougar before flopping down herself, stretching out. "You eat yet? Figured dinner's the best pair to a story," she gestures at the offering, eyes sparkling. "I wanna hear a bit more about you, what kinda paths you 'n your brother have walked. Don't gotta tell me all the gritty details if you don't want to, 'course - I understand if it's private. Just figured I don't really know all that much 'bout y'all 'n figured I should change that. Can throw in a story or two 'bout myself - make it even, if you're interested." The proposal is casual, and really she doesn't know enough about Cougar to predict if he'll be uncomfortable with the request or not. Regardless, assuming he doesn't outright reject the offer, Rye will take a bite of her own lizard, savoring the not quite familiar flavor.

[penned by hijinks].

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[cougar]

Rye was quick on the chance, it seemed. Cougar's ears twitched, hearing the colony mate approach. He picked his head up, ice blue optics focusing on her. You eat yet? He glanced down at the piece of prey she settled between them. "Ah- no, not yet." Cougar stated, vision shifting back up towards her. She explained why she approached, and his head cocked gently. His story, huh? He glanced around camp as if on instinct, to see if Tiger was around. He shifted his vision back towards Rye. A gentle shrug- he supposed that talking to her about it couldn't hurt, after all.

Unlike his brother, he was a little bit looser-lipped. Rye was right, though- Cougar wasn't just going to up and give all of the details without a care in the world. Someone had murdered their mother, they were sure of it, and he couldn't rule anyone out. Not yet. "Well, what do you want to know, specifically? We've been a lot of places. Paws are achin'." He started simply, biting into the piece of prey. He was waiting for her answer, anyways, so why not have a small bite while she responded? ​

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"speech"​

 

[RYESTALK]

——————————————【 She/her | 35 moons | Ripple Colony 】——————————————

【◈】The question posed is a good one, and Rye takes a moment to chew thoughtfully, contemplating her answer. It's tempting to ask what the pair of them had been up to during the aftermath, though surely if they had wanted the rest of the colony to know, one of 'em would've mentioned something, even in passing. Next on the list would be where he'd grown up, especially if it wasn't near where the colony had been settled - only having known the same area before the move, she's always interested in hearing about other places and different environments. Not the best option, either, she decides; plenty of folks around here that don't particularly care for their lives before the colony, and she certainly doesn't want to bring up any bad memories and sour this little moment. Dredging up old memories does give her another idea, though, and one that seems more suitable than the other two at that. "Mmm...you got a favorite place you've been, then? Maybe a favorite story or memory that goes along with it or somethin' like that."

The question is innocent enough, she hopes, and even if it doesn't make for a good story, it at least might put Cougar in better spirits, thinking about good times and all that. Even if it's bittersweet at times, Rye knows that she treasures most of her memories of the mountains, before and after joining up with the colony, and though there's a story or two she'll always keep to herself, most everything else is more than fair game; hopefully Cougar feels similarly, at least in that he's got something good to look back on. Besides, what could be better than reminiscing on good times over a nice meal? Especially with all the trouble as of late, and the latent threat still hanging around in the air - it'd do them all some good to just take a minute to relax and enjoy good company, she thinks. Maybe if they got through a couple rounds of stories one of the elders would join in with a few stories of their own; surely they'd have some hearty tales after so many seasons of living.

[penned by hijinks].

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[DEACON]

The colony was a family, but very few were actually bound by blood. Of course there were exceptions, by chance, he'd stumbled across one of the brothers that day. Strutting forwards like a rooster, the tabby's honey-coloured eyes barely gave the two a second glance as he ambled right on past them toward the place where fish smelled the strongest. He'd been expecting [isomething[/i] to be waiting for him, even if it was the scrawniest piece of prey this side of the river, seeing there was nothing leftover caused the former rogue to scowl to himself. As if by placebo, he felt his stomach tighten and twist, an exasperated sigh escaping him as he realised he'd have to try his best to hunt later. Backtracking, the male's attention found itself once more on Rye and Cougar, squinting as he eavesdropped on their conversation (and eyed the malnourished lizard by their paws - he'd have to see if he could snag a bite). He turned his body to face them, then, with a roll of his shoulders, hopped closer to them and flopped on his side, ears twitching when Rye tried to prompt a specific story out of the other.

"Go ooooon, tell us your favourite memory. Nothing's too personal among friends," Deacon flashed a sharklike grin towards the other, his tail whipping against the earth as he spoke. He didn't know if Cougar was necessarily a friend, he didn't know if anyone truly held that label amidst the colony, but he certainly wasn't an enemy either.

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