Coming through (Wildtalon/Open)

[LION]

A journey that may never end.....?

........................................................................................................

It was that lazy hour, that moment when the day started to die down, slowly, very slowly, giving in to the night. A couple of gentle breezes were picking up, cooling the air after a pretty warm day. The air was nearly silent, save for a few bird chirps and and the breeze rustling the grass. Rarely the noise of a monster barreling down the gray trail would be heard, rumbling off into the distance in either direction.To one side of the road here was the base of mountains, a cut of the base exposed to the world showing off the hard rocks that made up the inside of the tall things. On the other side was a large barn, abandoned who knows how many moons ago. It was silent, other then the noise of mice amongst the place and the ever so slight rustle of hay which still lay in the barn.

Lion had been traveling quite close to the gray trail for awhile. He kept his distance, not so much out of fear but because the stink of it still stung his nose once and awhile. The black cat didn't really have a destination, he just followed a haphazard path to wherever he felt like heading. He knew one direction he would never take...back. Back was where all the places he had already been too. All the cats he had ever met, and all the memories he had ever made. He treasured his memories, and the few great relationships he had made, but for one reason or another, he knew he could never go back. Something always seemed to happen whenever he thought he truly found a new home. Many of the groups of cats he had found and stayed with awhile didn't trust outsiders, and when something bad happened, whether it included Lion or not, it would always become apparent to him that he should leave or else. Other times things just didn't seem to work out, for reasons he didn't quite understand himself. The beginning, his home, he could never return too. That option was gone to him forever. Maybe he kept moving in order to forget the way back, just so that in case he ever got weak and wanted to return, he would never find it? He couldn't see ever wanting to return to his old home though...there was nothing left there.

Lion was a rather big black tom, he had grown a lot since his journey began. Maybe it was all the walking and hunting he's done, or maybe he was just meant to grow big? Who knows, and he sure wouldn't find out how big he would end up getting if he didn't find a place to stop and rest soon. Not to mention, he was hungry. Sure enough a rather good looking place to spend the night loomed up ahead. A barn, at least that's what many a cat he had met before called it. It usually housed big animals, like horses and cows. Lion had stayed in a few before, and knew they usually had a good bit of mice around, but there was always usually a cat or two as well. Some barn cats were nice and friendly, and let any stray cat come and grab a bite to eat and rest. Others were not so nice, being kind of territorial, especially if they had large families. It was a fragile life, seeing as you lived so close to twolegs and if you angered them, they could try to take you away, or just simply kill you....like with a boomstick. Those things always gave Lion the shivers. They were loud, and could hit you with something so fast that you wouldn't see it coming until it hit you. The green-eyed tom had seen a couple before, and that was some of the moments he knew that he should be leaving that area and soon.

Coming upon the area around the barn, Lion's normal slow walk went into a semi crouch, stepping lightly on his paws, ducking below and around bushes, staying out of sight of anything he could see or sense. Dogs didn't scare the tom as much as boomsticks, he met them enough to know how to outwit them, but still you should never take your chances, especially in unknown territory. Plus he needed to have an idea if whether there were cats around or not, at least before he started hunting. His stomach ached a bit though. He didn't grab a bite to eat since when the sun was climbing to the top of the sky. He had crossed a couple of twoleg places since then; he didn't like sticking around those places.

The black tom had just gotten past the fence, near the barn, and he could already hear a few sounds of mice scouring around the place. However, on close inspection, it would appear to him that the barn was abandoned, at least by twolegs and the enormous animals that usually live near a barn. That was both good and bad. Good, because he wouldn't really have to worry about dogs, twolegs and barn animals. Bad, because an abandoned barn was an even more guarded place by cats. And he could also the subtle scents of cats. Lion's ear twitched, and he silently swiveled his head towards a place where a mouse was munching on a seed of some sort, unaware of his presence. His whiskers twitched as his tail stilled itself. A quick bite to eat wouldn't hurt, could it? Abandoned barns had an even more immense population of mice.

[smallpaw]

There was nothing like listening to the birds chirp on a warm sunny day; it was all the company he would ever need out here in the vast meadow... sweet golden wheat swaying to and fro in the wind. The loner lifted his chocolate face to feel the gust run through his fur like gentle, tantalizing fingers. It smelled flowery, like purple violets, to be exact. His two paws were neatly sucked under him, but he shifted, releasing them at the flicker of movement ahead in the brush. Through the beige stalks, a mouse scuffled about the earth for seeds... it's small whiskers twitching furiously at every second. The tom had all he needed to eat inside the barn; mice burrowed everywhere, save for winter, spring, summer and fall and back around. However... he couldn't say no to a good game, and he promised himself silently that he wouldn't kill it. Ears laid flat, he crouched... ready to race after the scurrying rodent... one, two... three-

Further movement sent the critter scampering back to shelter, and Wildtalon sat up fully to address the stranger responsible. Hardly disappointed, he was consumed by his unexpected curiosity. Light as a feather, he crept inaudibly towards the barn; the color was once red, but majority of the paint had chipped and beneath the crimson illusion was only a dull, dry brown... the hanging door welcomed him, creaking as the breeze rocked it on its flimsy hinges.

Soft blue eyes widened as a dark figure slipped inside, almost escaping his line of sight, but the loners peripheral view was as fleeting as he was, and he hurried to follow it into the dusty haven.

It was a tom, with big shoulders and big paws. His scent was foreign, so Wildtalon was convinced they had never met before... but even so, his suspicions had peaked. There had been many rogue sightings lately, more than there should be... He, who came from beyond Highstones, was not new to invasions and battles from the alike; he worried for the Clans. He could feel a knot in his gut that told him something was coming, and soon, that would send the forest to a shake. That, in turn, would disrupt the peaceful and harmonious life that Wildtalon and Scorn retain no where else but here. He squared his shoulders, equally muscular. His beautiful orbs were fierce, cautious as he looked onto the visitor.

"Can ay' 'elp you, sir?" He asked in a honey smooth voice. He prayed to the heavens that this was not another angry scoundrel who wanted to take control of the barn, but instead, just a lonely traveler looking for a place to rest and eat. If so, the company was much welcomed.

522

[LION]

The mouse had moved. Not because it had heard him, just because it wanted to scamper into the barn. Lion paused for a moment, hesitant at first to enter the barn. This could still be another cat's, or cats', territory.Although Lion didn't approve of those who took up territory without at least letting strangers leave their territory peacefully, he didn't want to accidentally start anything whatsoever. Fighting was not the black tom's thing. He would rather discuss it, try to make the situation as less painful as possible for both sides. He knew when and when not to do this (you certainly wouldn't see the tom trying to reason with a badger) but he tried to make the effort as much as he could. The allure of the mouse infested barn was bit too much for the traveling tom,so, he silently crept into the shadows of the aging place, green eyes catching the light that poured in from windows and cracks. He quickly caught sight of his prey once more, crouching down slightly as he stalked across the floor of the abandoned farm. He kept a bit more weight on his back paws then usually for a cat, showing he needed his front paws to be a bit more quicker then usual for a normal cat. He held this position with ease though, showing he's done it before many a time.

Lion stopped though, catching a scent that had grew in strength since he had entered the barn. He got to his paws as normal, straightening up, the mouse gone from his head as he instead concentrated on the new scent...a cat. It was a scent made of this place though, so it showed it was not another traveling cat like himself. So, when a tom's voice suddenly spoke up, the black tom wasn't jolted or spooked. Instead he looked around, catching sight of a blue eyed dark tom near the entrance of the barn he just walked through. Lion moved, though not quickly, to turn around and partially face the cat. To leave your back turned to another seems disrespectful, but facing them head on could make them even more cautious. So instead the black tom faced the other partially not fully. The other cat had set himself up strong, his eyes hard as he focused at the other.

"Can ay' 'elp you, sir?"

Green eyes glinted slightly. The tone didn't hold a growl, not to mention the accent sounded like it would belong to at least a partially relaxed cat. Lion dipped his head in a quick bow, letting his eyes trail to the floor before back up to meet the others. "I apologize. I should have announced myself first before entering." he said on a light tone. His own accent didn't sound like one who had been a loner for most of his life, more so one who may have been a part of a big group of cats at least, and not the kind that were more so gang like and rough, since his accent sounded more polite then rough. His tail dipped down a bit, not being higher then others. He was a cat who seemed to know how to be humble around others, to make himself seem less of a threat despite his size. Though, did he also know how to make himself look more threatening? "I was passing through and came upon this place. It's been a long day and I was hoping to grab a bite to eat, if you'll permit me that is."

[smallpaw]

He didn't know what to make of this strange newcomer; he was big and muscular. That alone might seem intimidating, but as he turned to glance at Wildtalon, the chocolate loner could see kindness in his eyes. It was then that he relaxed gradually, his posture balanced and he stood up straight. He knew a rogue when he saw one, and this cat was certainly no rogue. I apologize. I should have announced myself first before entering. A throaty laugh hit the air; and it was nothing but goodnatured. Whoever he was, he had manners, and he was surely welcome at the barn, no questions asked. Smooth clacks sounded over the worn away ground before they silenced over tufts of sprawled out hay. Wildtalon advanced calmly towards Lion, his soft blue eyes gleaming with excitement. He liked having guests around, especially ones he had never met before. Scorn would be pleased too! They'd get to tell some stories tonight; it got very boring to retell each other stories they had experienced, but never to tell a fresh cat. If all went well, they would have made a new friend by nightfall. I was passing through and came upon this place. It's been a long day and I was hoping to grab a bite to eat, if you'll permit me that is. He nodded, smiling. His long tail brandished, the tip twitching back and forth.

"Th'name ee's Wildtalon, mate. Th' ee's not my barn, no, but you are welcome'd to eat 'ere and sleep 'ere for as long as 'ou like. If 'ou come in peace, you leave in one piece." He chuckled at his joke. It wasn't exactly a lie, either, the last cats who had come here trying to overtake the barn had left with their tails in-between their legs. "Th'other she-cat 'ou may see in 'ere ee's my mate, Scorn," He leaped up on top of the rafters, walking along the rails effortlessly. "'Ou're not from around 'ere, no? 'Ay don't quite recognize 'ou." He smiled again. He wasn't sure what else to say, and he didn't want to bombard the stranger with questions and statements, poking and prodding. "'Ay come from a tribe of woodl'nd cats, up over th' mountain. And 'ou?"

He paused to wait for a response, his ears were perking forward, alert.

503

[LION]

Lion stayed where he was, even as the chocolate-tom headed towards him. The other seemed to visually relax while he had spoke, which made the black tom feel good. He had met quite a number of cats during his time, and Lion grew to know many different reactions to his calm greetings, and he much more enjoyed the ones when the cat relaxed and actually greeted him back. The most annoying were the ones when the cat would mock him for being so lightfeathered...Lion would never attack just from being insulted, but if the cat attacked first, then he slightly enjoyed making them run off with their tail between their legs a lot more. He enjoyed meeting new cats, even if he only stayed with most for just awhile. Even though for awhile now he's been a journeying cat, Lion did long for a place he could call home. Perhaps it was where he grew up that made it hard for him to make the final decision on where to stay, but there had also been other factors as well.

The black tom listened intently to the other, catching the vibe that he was welcomed here before the other even said it. He tilted his head slightly at the others name. Wildtalon? He hardly met a loner with a profound name like that. He had met groups of cats who lived in one territory who carried names much like, Rockclaw and River that cuts the Earth. Usually cats with longer names belonged with groups of cats and cats with shorter names were lorners; atleast that was what he found out from most other cats besides where he grew up in. He had is short name, but he had once belonged to a rather large group of cats.

Lion chuckled along with Wildtalon at his joke. He wasn't a stuck up cat, he liked laughing with others. He would even crack a joke once and awhile, although he'll admit sometimes there only funny to him, not others. He could tell the other meant it though. Wildtalon looked like an agile fighter in his opinion. Despite being a bigger size then most toms, Lion never thought himself as a better fighter; even the smallest of cats were adverse in battle. His ears perked up a bit as the other mentioned another cat. He wondered if they had kits, but that didn't seem likely since the other didn't mention any. Lion himself had always been so hard on on trying to find a home that he never really thought of finding a mate himself, but it didn't nag at him really. His heart wasn't set on finding a single she-cat that he could love just yet, despite having gotten to knew many a she-cat over his journey.

"'Ou're not from around 'ere, no? 'Ay don't quite recognize 'ou. Ay come from a tribe of woodl'nd cats, up over th' mountain. And 'ou?"

Hmm, that last part was hard to answer really. The black tom sat back on his haunches for a moment, licking his paw and swiping it over his ear a couple times, a regular grooming action, which he sometimes used when he needed to think during a normal, laid-back conversation. "A tribe of woodland cats from over by the mountains, eh?" Lion said smoothly, turning his green eyes back to the other. "From that direction or that direction?" He gestured to one side of the barn to the other, to the main places he had seen some mountains before. "I came from that end." he said, gesturing to one of the sides, a more so west southern direction, which meant he was heading in a east northern direction. "I've just been a traveling cat for awhile now; I go from here to there, though I usually end up heading in the same direction." He didn't say anything really about where his journey started from. "I go from place to place really, and I get to see many kinds of cats. It's an interesting life, though not much of one in my opinion." He paused, stretching his shoulders a bit. "My name is Lion, by the way."

[smallpaw]

Weaving about the wooden beams effortlessly, the chocolate loner stopped at Lions response. A tribe of woodland cats from over by the mountains, eh? Well, not exactly... but that was where he had been born. He didn't want to spill his own entire life story out to this stranger, despite his friendly demeanor. His father had been a WindClan warrior, who met his mother when she trekked too far away from the tribe. They fell in love and had him, though his father, whatever his name had been, had left Wildtalons mother for dead, claiming his Clan, ultimately, needed him more than she did, and that he had a more important duty to serve to the warriors of the forest. Having never wondered enough to search for the nameless tom, when his mother died, Wildtalon settled here at the barn and made a living off of the mice, killing rats and exchanging stories with guests who passed by. Once in a while, some would stay for a month or so; they always left in the end.

From that direction or that direction? I came from that end. Lion signaled with his tail; Wildtalon had never formally met the woodland tribe, so there was no saying where they lived, or if they still did. They exiled his mother when they discovered she was due to have the kits of an outsider. His stormy blue gaze flickered, veiling behind a shroud. "'ho knows? I've liv'd 'ere for q'huite a 'hile," his voice rumbled quieter, more guarded than before. I've just been a traveling cat for awhile now; I go from here to there, though I usually end up heading in the same direction. I go from place to place really, and I get to see many kinds of cats. It's an interesting life, though not much of one in my opinion. Wildtalon chuckled, understanding where he was coming from. Sometimes, he felt the same.

Leaping down from the rafter, he landed with a thud a foxlength away. My name is Lion, by the way.

"Pleasure to meet 'ou, Lion," he purred warmly, "Are 'ou going further into the forest? If so, please travel w'th caution. There are four Clans of wil' cats jus' that way-" His tail tip flicked in the direction of WindClan and ShadowClan. "The' don't welcome outsiders into their territory." Dipping his head, he then leaped into the hay stalks, shifted around; a squeaking noise erupted, but died and a moment later the loner offered Lion a plump mouse. "Are 'ou hungry?"

552 blegh.