YOU'RE GETTING OLD \ lost

[TRUFFLEPELT]

All is quiet, or it seemed so to declining ears. Always has Truffle been a talented tom, though his hunting had waned over time- hopelessness had seized his bones for a bit after all had been lost, the final straw that had almost sent him into the pits of despair. Oh, that pain... until he had stumbled upon ThunderClan, he had wandered wondering for moons and moons about why he had been left alive to feel it. There had to be a reason. Lead here by destiny, Truffle was convinced that reason laid here, in ThunderClan's territory.

In the territory... somewhere. On that note... where exactly was he?

A trio of squirrels hung by their tails from his maw as Truffle walked aimlessly, notably unsure and noticeably, to anyone who knew better, heading in the complete opposite direction of ThunderClan's camp. All the while a mantra, low in his throat, prayed to whatever force he believed guided him. "Lead me home... lead me home..."

It was silly, but he was none the wiser.​

( PENNED BY PIN )​

 

[sloestride]

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THIS WEIGHT ON MY NECK MAKES IT HARD TO CONNECT

The forest breathed around him. As much as he had grown to understand the bustle of camp, it still grated on him like a slew of miniature hail storms. The constant fluctuation of moods and noise slipped unease through his pelt as a second skin. So he sat, curled as a budding fern, atop a mossy rock. Trying to get acquainted with this aspect of his life as well.

The rough grumble of a voice disturbed his unexpected mindfulness however, muttering- pleading? Unlacing his night-painted limbs, Slow stepped towards the sound. There, he discovered the fallow form of Truffle. Tilting one snow-snuffed cheek, he made his presence known. "Lead you home? Y'right man?" An airy concern brushed his words.

Flitting eyes checked the older tom over before pausing on the swinging prey in his maw. "I can take you back. Impressive catch that- sure know what you're doing out here huh." He was being honest, Slow couldn't even get near a squirrel yet- let alone catch one. He would have to keep an eye on this cat, clearly he knew a thing or two.​

 

[Blinding Star]

( ✧ ) He'd come outside today. Perhaps it was a mistake.

In one odd moment, where spirit and cheer had flowed through him like a wayward wind, completely out of place amongst the melancholy tides of late, he'd been spurred out of camp. Voices were harder to recall than faces and patterns, he's come to find. Few ended up significant enough to leave a stain on his mind. He'd drifted towards someone, Who? He honestly couldn't tell you. Someone new, at the very least, and an idiot, at that. Ember had a gift for attracting nuisances, didn't she?

A nervous wreck, that's what he's become, daunted by something as mundane as a walk. Not a run, nor hunting, nor combat. No, merely walking, one foot in front of the other. He worried his lips, strained his ears ahead of him. Of course, he'd been far too worried about losing this other cat, and not nearly worried enough about how he would retrace his steps. Once he hears the senile musings of lead me home, he nearly screams. He could just about rip out all of his whiskers right now, he thinks.

At least, before he can truly go mad, another seems to find them, a light in the darkness. And then suddenly he's complimenting the guy, and his stomach drops again. This old fool had made an impressive catch? Sure, they'd stopped a few times, but for all he knew (and a certain part of him hoped,) he was merely swinging at rotten bark. It takes all there is in him to stay quiet, he trembles with effort. Sure know what you're doing out here, huh? Contradictory, contradictory. "Clearly not," he grits out, and it nearly kills him not to say more.

[ he's so stressed I'm sorry ]​

 

[TRUFFLEPELT]

Two approached, one more welcoming than the other- though the latter's temperament did not phase Truffle even slightly. In face, his remark, forced through tightened teeth, blandished a light chuckle from the cinnamon tom. "Oh- apologies," he said, a quick bow moving his form. He only noticed the low posture of the tom, and the way his eyes did not quite meet Truffle's own, after had given his gesture.

"I'm glad it appears that way. Though I'm afraid my memory is getting worse when it comes to... tut-tut-tut... directions..." Directed at the former, the brown-and-white tom, his low tone grew gradual as his his tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth, yellow gaze searching for any tell-tale signs, anything distinctive about his surroundings that might tip him off to where exactly he was. Still, nothing came to the forefront of his mind no matter how long he searched for.

"I am not sure... how to get home. That is to say." There was no shame in his demeanour, though there was a vague, distant airiness lending itself to his swaying standstill and languid, long-stretched words.​

( PENNED BY PIN )​

 

[. Wildflower .]

✵ ღ ☾ LOVE WITH EVERY STRANGER - Back to regular programming, right? Back to hunting, to being out. She was confident enough to not be scared of the outside, after all- it’s all she had known for most of her young life!
Yet, she cannot help the anxiety that prickles along her spine as she is out, something was rustling…
She is about to turn around and head home when suddenly voices are accompanied along with the soft noise.
Oh… thank the stars…
After allowing herself a soft breath of relief, she pushes through the undergrowth to investigate, only catching some of the conversation.
❝ Oh, no! Are you lost? Well that won’t do… ❞ Wildflower quickly catches on, stumbling into the conversation paws-first, she tilts her head, giving a firm look to Blinding Star, he was being rude. She looks back to the caramel colored tom, her gaze now fully settling on him… he looked familiar!
Unfortunately, she didn’t exactly know his name, only briefly seeing that toothy grin around camp once or twice. ❝ Oh… wait- camps this direction. ❞ She quickly did a mental double-take, a bit embarrassed that she hadn’t recognized the tom as her own clanmate as Blinding Star and Slowpoke clearly had. She gestured to the path behind the small group, her sheepish expression now morphing into a sympathetic smile. She knew how it felt to be treated like she was stupid, just because she didn’t have the greatest memory! Not that he was being treated that way, only that she could empathize with having been lost a time or two.
❝ Speech. ❞

THE STRANGER, THE BETTER​

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