private Take me to the edge of the world | Tempest

[Hazewish]

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

Cicadastar brought you for a reason. He knew this would happen.

Hazepaw is not prone to self-deception: she will lie to others if it makes it easier to successfully sneak out of camp, but she won’t lie to herself. There’s nothing to gain from that. Still, she does tend to… perhaps over-rationalize her actions, turning a selfish impulse into something that isn’t quite breaking the rules.

Like right now. She isn’t sneaking off while their fearless leader discusses matters with the ripple colony elders. She’s… exploring. Discovering the place and its people, striking a friendly rapport, everything Cicadastar wants this delegation to achieve, when you think about it. She’s gathering information, even! Being a diplomat, reaching out!

Also: they were getting restless, and snooping around the ripple colony camp seemed like a better use of their time than standing around with everyone else. Mosspaw does it enough for the both of them. Hazepaw is going to see more of these outsiders than what they could glimpse from their stationary position behind Cicadastar, and everyone will be better off for it. Probably.

Slipping through some foliage, Hazepaw observes the strange camp with wide, hungry eyes: the dens that aren’t quite dens, unknown cats going about their day. One of them snags their attention. A dark tabby about their age that they didn’t notice from behind Cicadastar. Padding up close, Hazepaw brings their head close, trying to see what the not-apprentice is doing. Without so much as a hello, which would be a waste of breath and time, they ask: ”What?”

[⋆]​

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[tempest.]

TAGS — The black-and-white adolescent makes herself busy as RiverClan invades their home. While some of their friendlier Colony members break off into conversational groups, Tempest slips away from the patrols so that she can work on patching the bit of makeshift den that had allowed her to get rained on this morning. It's not rain, really, but dew; either way, it's bad enough to wake up with a slightly damp muzzle.

Tempest has to admit, she's uncomfortable with this many strangers in their makeshift camp. She doesn't like a bunch of strangers knowing where they live, especially when they claim the lands the Colony is borrowing out of necessity to live and then acting like they're gracious for letting them remain in peace. Snapping Timber and Pepper had both agreed it was fine to allow RiverClan a visit, however, and Tempest isn't gonna undermine the elders' wishes, so she remains quiet even when given a chance to express that dissent.

But that doesn't mean she likes it.

"What?" Says an unfamiliar voice.

"What?" Tempest echoes, jolting with surprise and immediately blinking blue eyes back at this pale-furred stranger. Her whiskers are almost brushing theirs. Too close. Tempest blinks again, finally forcing (slightly choked) words into the air as her muzzle warms with embarrassment. "Can I help you?"

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[Hazewish]

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

Can I help you?

Hazepaw turns their head slightly to meet the Ripple cat’s eyes. They study her face for a moment — she looks nice, and unfamiliar, though she smells more like the River than any strange cat from other clans Haze has seen on patrols or at the Gathering. These cats don’t act like any loner they’ve heard about before: they have a camp, they have a hierarchy… And leaders, plural, without any Starclan help whatsoever! Now that’s interesting.

And the names are different too, she remembers — did this one introduce herself? To make sure, Haze nods curtly (nearly bumping against the other’s cheek as she does) and says, lifting a paw to point at herself: ”Hazepaw.” She follows it with a pointed look, waiting for the Ripple cat’s name as well.

But they don’t hold the black smoke’s gaze for long, distracted by the work she was busying herself with.

”Weaving?” They ask,finally drawing back to bring their muzzle close to the den instead. It’s immediately recognizable as such, but the technique seems different from what they’re used to from their clan. They wonder if it’s sturdier, or if it’s less waterproof; their paw inches closer as they consider prodding the weak patch.

[⋆]​

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