immobile, frozen [p]

[foggy]

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Ever since the two home-guards deaths, Dusk had been a little paranoid about letting any patrol go out without having at least four home-guards escorting them. She knew that she was being excessive but she couldn't help the nagging fear inside her that had been present within her for who knows how long now, it told her that she should be scared, because her tribemates were dying. Eventually someone had convinced that it would be okay for the patrols to go out with their usual numbers of home-guards, that she should calm herself down before she left for her own patrol later on.

Despite her initial reluctance to be told what to do. Dusk had agreed and begrudgingly allowed the other home-guards to continue with their duties. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, she just didn't trust the events that were currently conspiring out of the stone walls that kept them safe. In fact, the mink was a little miffed that everyone else seemed so calm about it, but something had been making her extra protective lately, though she couldn't pinpoint what it was, she just felt the need foe her to be in control of everything to feel safe. That was impossible, of course, but it didn't stop her from trying to control what was just within her reach.

Her tail lashed in agitation as she walked away from the gathering patrols, figuring that she'd go and calm down with a snack before reattempting to join them. Dusk had been taking up extra patrols lately to compensate for the loss of two home-guards so she knew that the tribe wouldn't mind her taking something small before she'd patrolled, but she still felt a little guilty about it and picked the smallest mouse she could find, before finding a quiet corner to settle down in. The act of eating would hopefully be enough to distract her from her current fears and doubts but Dusk would have to find her appetite first, which had conveniently disappeared.

She was still pawing at her food absently when she sensed that someone was behind her, the angsty feline didn't yet turn to see who it was, hoping that they wouldn't need her for something because ancestors above knew that she wasn't in the mood to be around so many cats feeling like how she was. It would be exhausting. That was until the silvery-cream furred cat realised that actually, she didn't particularly mind the notion of having some company right now. Dusk didn't have too many friends in the tribe, and she certainly didn't want to bother them with her problems, seeing as they couldn't do anything about them even if they wanted to, but maybe allowing herself to become invested in some pleasant conversation would be exactly what she needed. "Join me?" She asked, her voice still held traces of her earlier agitation but sounded inviting and genial enough. She still hadn't turned her head to see who it was, possibly because the guard felt that it wouldn't matter too much if it was someone who she'd rarely interacted with or whether it was her sister, as long as they didn't mind talking.

(KajkaElina )

[KajkaElina]

Shark Hidden from Sight

female cave-guard

     Life in the Tribe was never truly easy, but it was clear that now it was especially difficult now. The recent losses sapped whatever happiness her Tribemates had, although the general mood had begun to rise again. Time had passed and the wounds caused by death had begun to heal. At least it's green-leaf. There is enough prey and it's the perfect time for a new litter or two. Everyone seemed more content and relaxed now, although the tragedies were not forgotten.

    Shark opened her hazel eyes. The hunting patrol before had exhausted her, with excited to-bes running all around her. Where did they get so much energy? I should take someone with me next time. There was no time to waste. Once she would get some of her energy back with a piece of prey, she would join the next patrol. I need to be as hard-working as possible... The fawn molly stood up and stretched. The grass beneath her was as soft as always. This was a great camp. Surrounded by the stone ruins, she felt secure.

    A familiar cat sat near the fresh-kill pile. Shark immediately recognized her as Dawn. Her light cream fur and stockier build were unmistakable. She was a home-guard that Shark admired. Dawn would always stick to what she thought was right. It was an inspiring and admirable quality, even if the fawn molly was older than her.

"Join me?" she asked. A small mouse sat in front of Dawn, completely untouched. It looked like the cream cave-guard didn't want to eat.

"Gladly," Shark croutched beside the other molly. There was still some time left before the next patrol and she still felt sleepy. Hopefully some food would wake her up.

((sorry if the stuff regarding the deaths was innacurate, I honestly have no idea what happened))

[foggy]

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Dusk would've agreed, if she had known the other feline's opinions on the current season. Green-leaf was her favourite of all the seasons purely for the fact that it was so warm. Dusk's fur, as soft as it was, was rather thin, thus allowing the cold from snow and the air to seep through her pelt into her bones. Apparently, this had been notable at birth, hence her naming, but then again, maybe her parents had decided to curse her with being cold all the time. Though, it was hard to feel completely morose in such good weather, at the very least, they would not go hungry and the warm weather had a relaxing effect on some of the tribe cats. A widespread panic would have been the last thing they needed, so perhaps the silver lining of all this happening was that it was happening in green-leaf.

She knew that the tribe was working hard, she had seen both prey-hunters and home-guards alike returning from patrol after patrol so tired they were nearly sagging into the ground as they walked. Sometimes she felt selfish for expecting them to be able to do more, Dusk knew that her current thoughts were being created and driven by a toxic combination of panic and fear, mainly of the unknown, and that reasonably, she should be advising everyone to start preserving their energy for what lay ahead. Maybe she'd regain her senses soon, hopefully some of the current mysteries would become clearer and Dusk could finally start to use her common sense again.

The cat who had accepted her invitation was revealed to be Shark. They had been on patrols together in the past and were somewhat familiar with each other yet not overly so. She certainly couldn't call the fawn molly a friend per say but Dusk had no complaints about the hazel-eyed feline, mainly because she didn't talk that much. Dusk wasn't much of a conversation starter either, but she had been known to try and keep up a friendly comradery with her fellow guards. Even so, she felt like someone who she wasn't overly close to would be good company right now, sometimes it was easier speaking to someone who had a completely different point of view from your own.

Her light blue eyes trailed over her newfound companion for a couple seconds, noting the signs of fatigue that marred such a delicate looking face as clearly as a scar. The mouse was pushed closer towards the ticked tabby, Dusk deciding that maybe Shark needed it more than her, and motioned that she was free to take the first bite whenever she felt like it. "Thank you," Her voice was soft, a little quiet, but Dusk would stay true to her manners, knowing that Shark probably had another patrol soon and had decided to spend her precious downtime with her. "I needed some company today, things have been tough lately and I feel like I have been letting things I cannot change get to me," Was there a way to stop the tribe's oncoming troubles? Perhaps but not yet, in any case, so she would be forced to wait until she could be of more use. "In a way, I hope that whatever's coming would just hurry up and we could be over and done with it." She hoped that shark didn't mind her venting a bit, but Dusk was already feeling some of the tension loosen a little now that somebody was around the listen.


(It's fine! Two guards were attacked and taken away by hawks a while ago.)

[KajkaElina]

Shark Hidden from Sight

female home-guard

    Shark was happy to spend some time with Dawn. Sharing a piece of prey with a Tribemate was an enjoyable and relaxing activity - exactly the sort of thing she needed before going out on another patrol. She bit into the small mouse. It was a tiny creature, hardly suitable for one cat. Why would anyone decide to share something this small? Shark took another little bite and prodded the prey closer to the silver-cream molly. It was her turn to eat now.

    Listening to Dawn vent was somewhat upsetting for Shark. It wasn't easy to hear someone she thought highly about struggle. The fawn home-guard sighed. "That's not an uncommon feeling nowadays," Shark noted. Soon after the deaths she had been feeling the same, but quickly snapped out of it. It only hurt the Tribe to have valuable Tribemates moping around. "The only thing you can do is to improve your skills and be ready if something like that happens to you. While it was a tragedy, if we use it to motivate ourselves to become better, it will not be in vain." It was a long speech for the fawn molly, but she felt like it was needed. Dawn shouldn't have to fault herself for events that were completely out of her control. "No one, including you, is responsible," she whispered.

[foggy]

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It was Dusk's small appetite that led her to chose such a small meal, that, and the fact that she hadn't been expecting company, that had been a welcome but unexpected change to her initial plans of brooding in silence. At the same time, Dusk was feeling rather paranoid about her eating habits, she didn't want to eat too much until she'd everything she could for the tribe, especially since it had suddenly become apparent to her that she wasn't able to bring food back for the tribe, it just wasn't her specialty. The prey-hunters however, were actively contributing to the tribe, as a home-guard she knew her role was important but in these times of need, did it out-weigh the hunters?

The mouse was pushed back to her, and she stared at it for a few seconds, still debating as to whether she should eat some. Her hunger won out and the mink bent down to take a bite. The flavour felt dull, probably dampened by her current mood, Greenleaf food tended to always taste the best. She suspected it had something to do with the food of the mouse also becoming plentiful, and it fattened them up. It began to fill up the void inside her, Dusk hadn't realised how hungry she was before actually taking a bite.

At first, Shark's sigh conflicted her, Dusk didn't want to bring anyone else's mood down, that wasn't her intention. She'd rather be the only one worrying like this if it meant the rest of the tribe were in so-so moods and could continue their work contently. Yet, having someone take the time to consider her words and offer genuine advice was too good to pass up. The cat nodded upon hearing that it was a feeling shared by a lot of the tribe, deaths just didn't usually happen in the tribe, and if they did, it was of the elderly after months of service and the tribe being prepared for their eventual demise, so they had time to prepare. To have so much happen at once, after so many moons of peace, it was disturbing for the those who all they had ever known was peace.

Dusk couldn't ever say that she the emotional sort, the stoic and guiding figure, yes, but emotional just wasn't her. This was possibly the closest she ever got to cringing in public, though, perhaps she was just feeling extra sensitive and Shark's soft, comforting words were the tipping point. Her light blue eyes became glassy with unshed tears and, for a moment, she struggled with what to say. "Thank you, I know you probably felt saddened by it just the same so dealing with my grief wasn't necessary and yet you did so anyway. Thank you, Shark, I think getting it out in the open was just what I needed," As she'd been taught as a to-be, when anger or stress or grief built up, they would need an outlet. It was different for everyone, they all dealt with it in their own way.

Her softer moments usually left her feeling vulnerable, but she didn't feel exposed, oddly enough. Dusk felt open, but not in a way that she felt cornered, more like relieved that she was releasing her worries. "Who do you is to blame? Our ancestors, unseen forces that we don't know of?" Though she didn't like to talk badly about the Tribe of Endless Hunting, Dusk had always felt more comfortable blaming something for anything that happened. Having things just... happen, made her feel like the world was unstable, like anything could happen for no reason at all.