Lonely Game {Leech}

[Minnowpaw]

( ♬ ) Minnowpaw was laying in front of the apprentice den, watching clan life go by before her with a look of melancholy on her face. She missed her sister, but the red somali hadn't been seen in camp for a while now and Minnow was beginning to think that perhaps her sister had found better cats to hang out with than her.

A hefty sigh would leave the quiet molly's nostrils as she fully laid on her side, tail lightly tapping the ground as she tried to think of what to do with her time. Perhaps this would be a good time to try to branch out some more and make some friends. She began to chew the inside of her cheek at the idea of putting herself out there, but she knew that Dogteeth and Garpaw would be proud of her if she at least tried so that would be at least the baseline positive.

Her copper gaze would flicker around camp until she spotted Leechpaw and heaved herself to her paws. Walking over, she would offer the tom a shy smile as she waved to get his attention and then waved again as a greeting. Minnowpaw couldn't think of a time she really heard the tom speak, so she wondered for
a moment whether he was mute or not, but that didn't truly matter to her, she just wanted a new friend, "H-Hello Leechpaw. Are you busy right now?" ​

( BUT I WATCH YOUR EYES AS SHE; WALKS BY )

 

[leechpaw.]

Contrary to popular belief, Leechpaw was perfectly capable of forcing his vocal chords to mutter out a few sounds here and there. He just didn't want to. Any uttered sentence, if not a necessity, seemed like a waste of his lungs' air and effort. His father snapped at him once, to not speak unless spoken to. A lesson not to be taken lightly.

The black-furred apprentice stared downward at the sluggishly-flowing water near an exposed portion of the riverbank, one patch spared from the freeze for at least one more day. His paw, stark white in contrast to his inky fur, traced the slanted slash carved into his features. A nervous habit by now. It narrowly curved over an eyelid and split his nose bridge, finally stopping just below his other cheek. He hated it. He hated the face glaring back at him. Leechpaw hunched his shoulders, filled with more and more hate the longer he stared. Just like his father, the same jet black fur, the same narrow face, the same wispy curls in his cheek fur, — the two icy blue eyes set in his skull and the ugly scar were the only distinguishing features.

Needless to say, Leechpaw didn't miss his family.

He startled at the motion behind him. It was a subdued reaction, but a flinch was still a flinch. Cold eyes regard Minnowpaw with an uncertainty, expecting her to explain herself for interrupting his brooding. And yet, he is the one being asked a question. Was that it? Leechpaw exhaled through his liver-hued nose, allowing a moment before any immediate response. "No," he answered in a flat tone, turning to face Minnowpaw fully. His rasped voice, evidently misused, betrayed little emotion, if he even retained any.​

 

[Minnowpaw]

( ♬ ) Relief would seem to wash over Minnowpaw as the one-word reply fell from Leechpaws' lips. Good, then perhaps she wouldn't really be bothering him. "O-Oh! Well in t-that case, would you maybe...um...wanna h-hang out with me?"

Her paws would shuffle shyly as she offered a sheepish smile toward the monotone tom, but it was genuine all the same, "I've..uh...seen you around camp and have wanted to talk to you for a while." Oh no, she was rambling to fill the silence now and she would feel the heat rise to her cheeks as a result, "I'm sorry if you'd rather not. Totally understand but uh...I just...I..."

And like that she was faltering. Looking back down at her paws she would mentally scold herself for being so dumb. Of course, Leechpaw wouldn't wanna hang out with her! She was nothing but a bumbling fool, not cheery and confident like Garpaw. ​

( BUT I WATCH YOUR EYES AS SHE; WALKS BY )

 

[leechpaw.]

Much to his surprise, Minnowpaw actually took interest in what he had to say. His brows briefly raised to reflect this sentiment, though relaxed soon after. It was about time someone approached him first with the respect he deserved, despite his distaste for social... well, anything. Leechpaw lifted his head just a bit higher and straightened his poor slouch just a little more. Only to be embarrassingly confused at what exactly she meant.

"Hang... out?" he quietly echoed, voice dropping to a grating croak. While he understood the technical definition, what any hanging out actually entailed was lost on him. Lounging around and talking? Seemed unproductive to him. But the appearance of having friends could benefit in many ways, such as a personal shield from both criticism and attack. Everyone else paraded around their friendships; he was the outlier in that regard, though he hadn't before considered suppressing his asocial nature to such a degree. It'd be a true test of tolerance, most definitely.

"Okay," he finally accepted, ever the cat of few words. He shuffled his legs to sit more comfortably, paws tucked neatly and aligned with each other. He remained silent for only an awkward moment, soon looking down at the smaller apprentice with an embarrassing question. "What now?"​