WE'RE ON BORROWED TIME ... ❖

actions. ❖ "speech." ❖ thoughts.
Life wasn't easy, it rarely was, and things hadn't gotten any easier as of late. hungry bellies and tired paws made for angry voices and hot tempers, and being crammed into such a place ... it really wasn't good. it made the old tom ache for the days of relative peace, when the clearings weren't filled with cats picking brawls.

If anyone remembered when the elderly had gone for one of his semi-regular trips, they would have remembered the tiny scrap of fur that he'd brought back with him, another mouth to feed as it was seen by some and another kit to raise properly to others. He hadn't given much of a care, he'd only returned to this group of wanderers because he couldn't nurse the young girl himself. It had been some moons since he'd brought his niece to the group, he only stayed for her, and to start bringing order to the worst offenders. Or so he told himself, even if they fought back, he still had his claws and teeth. He wasn't as spry, but he could hold his own when he needed to.

Today was like any other day, resting in a sunny patch after a successful hunt, limbs folded up under himself and in the perfect loaf shape, content and relaxed for the first time in a while. He'd taken a walk from the basic camp when he'd come across the squirrel, said squirrel now buried nearby under the roots of a grand tree. His peace was disturbed by the sound of raised voices, his ears laying back and his fur pricking along his spine as he clambered to his paws and began to plod in the direction of the escalating situation.

Pushing through bushes, he came across the sight of two NPC tomcats exchanging blows over a bird left on the ground. Inhaling and barking out a sharp yowl, "Oi! Enough of that!", as he marched his way over and shouldered his way into the brawl as fur began to fly, grabbing one by the scruff and dragging him back a ways away, fending the other off with a sharp swipe at his head. Dropping the other offending party, the old tom would swish his tail in agitation and frustration as he stared between the two offenders, growling softly, "Mind explaining what you two mousebrains were doing? One bird ain't a reason to pick a fight. Forest got plenty of food t' share.", he cast both withering glances as they stared at each other and him.

WE'RE ON BORROWED TIME ... ❖

puffing out a heavy breath as the two offered muffled apologies, cinder turned his head as he heard canarysong's approach, a chuckle rumbling from his lungs at her words, "luckily, their mothers aren't here to see their disgrace and childish fight.", he murmured, offering the queen a dip of his head in returned greeting before snorting at the toms before them, "go hunt some more before you two come back to camp. if you're going to fight, fight in competition of who can catch the most.", he flicked an ear dismissively at the two.

putting his paw on the bird they'd been scrapping over, "however, i will be taking this back to camp with me. now get going you two.", he waved his tail as the two troublemakers departed with withering glances to the warrior and elder. turning his attention to canarysong once again, he gave her a warm purr, "i'd dare say they're kits pretending to be warriors. how have you been faring?"