- Aug 5, 2022
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Flycatcher was returning back to camp after making dirt when an unusual scent hit his nostrils. Definitely a cat smell he thought but couldn't be sure as it was mingled with something else, something he couldn't quite discern. Against his better judgement, and without telling anyone where he was going he followed after the scent. He followed the scent closely until he was almost on top of it, becoming certain it was a cat when a feline-like shape darted through a bush close by. Thankfully he had not been spotted due to his downwind position. As he considered his approach, he knew he had to psych himself up lest he needed to drive this cat out if they were not here to join or had no intention of leaving on their own.
"You are trespassing on ThunderClan territory. What are your-" But the statement Flycatcher had been trying to say when he approached the stranger came to an abrupt halt when he realised who he was looking at. A tall blue mackerel tabby she-cat stood before him, almost a mirror image to him if not for the lack of white markings on her. His sister Moth stood before him. In many ways, she remained unchanged, but he did not miss the plump low hanging stomach she now carried, a sure sign of motherhood if any. "Moth," He breathed.
Moth's greeting was far brighter than his initial word to her. "Fly!" She called out. "My little brother...look at you!" The elder she-cat rushed over to greet him, bumping her head against his which he quickly returned. "It's been too long, little brother. Do you still live in these forests?"
"I do," Flycatcher confirmed nodding his head. "I live in a clan called ThunderClan. There are five groups of us now all living in the forest, made up of what remained of Rain's group and the marsh group." As he tells her that he realises with a jolt that his sister had already left the family prior to joining up with Rain's group so would have no idea who those groups were. "And I'm not Fly anymore. It's Flycatcher," He tells her proudly. "What about you? Do you still live in the twolegplace?" Flycatcher assumes she still does but without a collar on he can't be too sure.
"Flycatcher?" Moth echoes, tilting her head to one side as she speaks. "Do you catch a lot of flies now?" At first, Flycatcher can't tell if it is a joke or a serious question, as her tone and expression remain perfectly neutral as she speaks. It is only when a grin tugs at her features that he knows it to be a joke. "It's a strange name but weirdly it suits you, brother," She compliments. "You always were good at catching things just like dad." The mention of their father tugs at his heart, remembering that she doesn't know of their loss or that of their sisters. Unless she pries into them, he would spare her from the truth, and let her believe they were all still happy somewhere. "I do still live in the twolegplace," Moth finally answers. The grimace that briefly flashes across her features does not go unnoticed by him. "Me and my children live there. It's not like life in the woods but it's home. Do mom and dad live with you in this Thunder Clan? Cricket and Bee?"
"They're dead," Flycatcher responds, surprising even himself with the brutal honesty. "There was a big battle and they fought and died in it." He wished he could tell her more but that was really all he knew. He had always lamented not fighting with them on that day but there was one small benefit in that he was spared from witnessing their potential gory ends.
At the news, Moth staggered away from him, shaking her head. "No..." Her voice quivered. "Not them too."
Flycatcher raised a brow. "You lost someone else?"
Moth nodded wearily. "My son...my firstborn kit," She answers as the tears begin to flow. "His name was Reed. He was such a good cat, friendly, bright, and too curious for his own good. A monster snatched him away from us, from me!" His sister looked away and blinked a few times. "I came out here because of him. Whenever I want to think of him, I like coming back to the forest, or just getting away from the twolegplace. As much as I love it there, it can be too noisy sometimes, and the forest is so still and quiet in comparison. When I come here I like to imagine him running through the trees and living among nature as we all did."
He listens carefully as his sister relays this information, finding it hard to hear that he has lost another of his family. Reed. A nephew he discovered and lost in one day. "I'm sorry for your loss, Moth," He says, stepping closer to his sister and flicking his tail comfortingly over her. "From how you describe him, I think he would have liked it here. I can imagine him hunting in the bushes as we did, watching and learning from dad as though he was the wisest cat in the world." Whilst it was nice to reflect on things like this, there was something more serious clawing to the front of his mind. "Moth, you need to be careful if you choose to keep coming here," He tells her softly, careful of his words lest he upset her further. "There are certain cats in the forest who wouldn't take kindly to you wandering through the woods regardless of how peaceful your intentions might be. They wouldn't hesitate to chase you off...or possibly worse."
"Worse?" Moth blinks. "It seems the forest has not changed much since my youth," She sighs, "but I thank you for your words, brother. I will bear it in mind for my next venture."
"I don't want this to put you off leaving the twolegplace again, Moth, I just want you to be careful," Flycatcher assures her. "I don't want to lose any more family."
"Me either," Moth nodded in agreement. "Are you happy here, Fly?"
"Am I happy?" Flycatcher takes a moment to ponder the question. He thinks of his lead warrior status in the clan, of his friends, of Flamewhisker. Slowly he nods, "I am very happy here."
Moth smiles. "Good. I'm happy for you too, little brother." His sister sits on the floor, and gestures for him to do the same. "I will return home soon but will you stay and tell me more of your life here before I go? I think it would make for a fun story to tell my kits when I return to them."
"You are trespassing on ThunderClan territory. What are your-" But the statement Flycatcher had been trying to say when he approached the stranger came to an abrupt halt when he realised who he was looking at. A tall blue mackerel tabby she-cat stood before him, almost a mirror image to him if not for the lack of white markings on her. His sister Moth stood before him. In many ways, she remained unchanged, but he did not miss the plump low hanging stomach she now carried, a sure sign of motherhood if any. "Moth," He breathed.
Moth's greeting was far brighter than his initial word to her. "Fly!" She called out. "My little brother...look at you!" The elder she-cat rushed over to greet him, bumping her head against his which he quickly returned. "It's been too long, little brother. Do you still live in these forests?"
"I do," Flycatcher confirmed nodding his head. "I live in a clan called ThunderClan. There are five groups of us now all living in the forest, made up of what remained of Rain's group and the marsh group." As he tells her that he realises with a jolt that his sister had already left the family prior to joining up with Rain's group so would have no idea who those groups were. "And I'm not Fly anymore. It's Flycatcher," He tells her proudly. "What about you? Do you still live in the twolegplace?" Flycatcher assumes she still does but without a collar on he can't be too sure.
"Flycatcher?" Moth echoes, tilting her head to one side as she speaks. "Do you catch a lot of flies now?" At first, Flycatcher can't tell if it is a joke or a serious question, as her tone and expression remain perfectly neutral as she speaks. It is only when a grin tugs at her features that he knows it to be a joke. "It's a strange name but weirdly it suits you, brother," She compliments. "You always were good at catching things just like dad." The mention of their father tugs at his heart, remembering that she doesn't know of their loss or that of their sisters. Unless she pries into them, he would spare her from the truth, and let her believe they were all still happy somewhere. "I do still live in the twolegplace," Moth finally answers. The grimace that briefly flashes across her features does not go unnoticed by him. "Me and my children live there. It's not like life in the woods but it's home. Do mom and dad live with you in this Thunder Clan? Cricket and Bee?"
"They're dead," Flycatcher responds, surprising even himself with the brutal honesty. "There was a big battle and they fought and died in it." He wished he could tell her more but that was really all he knew. He had always lamented not fighting with them on that day but there was one small benefit in that he was spared from witnessing their potential gory ends.
At the news, Moth staggered away from him, shaking her head. "No..." Her voice quivered. "Not them too."
Flycatcher raised a brow. "You lost someone else?"
Moth nodded wearily. "My son...my firstborn kit," She answers as the tears begin to flow. "His name was Reed. He was such a good cat, friendly, bright, and too curious for his own good. A monster snatched him away from us, from me!" His sister looked away and blinked a few times. "I came out here because of him. Whenever I want to think of him, I like coming back to the forest, or just getting away from the twolegplace. As much as I love it there, it can be too noisy sometimes, and the forest is so still and quiet in comparison. When I come here I like to imagine him running through the trees and living among nature as we all did."
He listens carefully as his sister relays this information, finding it hard to hear that he has lost another of his family. Reed. A nephew he discovered and lost in one day. "I'm sorry for your loss, Moth," He says, stepping closer to his sister and flicking his tail comfortingly over her. "From how you describe him, I think he would have liked it here. I can imagine him hunting in the bushes as we did, watching and learning from dad as though he was the wisest cat in the world." Whilst it was nice to reflect on things like this, there was something more serious clawing to the front of his mind. "Moth, you need to be careful if you choose to keep coming here," He tells her softly, careful of his words lest he upset her further. "There are certain cats in the forest who wouldn't take kindly to you wandering through the woods regardless of how peaceful your intentions might be. They wouldn't hesitate to chase you off...or possibly worse."
"Worse?" Moth blinks. "It seems the forest has not changed much since my youth," She sighs, "but I thank you for your words, brother. I will bear it in mind for my next venture."
"I don't want this to put you off leaving the twolegplace again, Moth, I just want you to be careful," Flycatcher assures her. "I don't want to lose any more family."
"Me either," Moth nodded in agreement. "Are you happy here, Fly?"
"Am I happy?" Flycatcher takes a moment to ponder the question. He thinks of his lead warrior status in the clan, of his friends, of Flamewhisker. Slowly he nods, "I am very happy here."
Moth smiles. "Good. I'm happy for you too, little brother." His sister sits on the floor, and gestures for him to do the same. "I will return home soon but will you stay and tell me more of your life here before I go? I think it would make for a fun story to tell my kits when I return to them."
