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Post by Shadowkit on May 19, 2020 21:46:14 GMT -5
Rowan raised his eyebrows at her, his lips twitching and then turning back into a smile as she jokingly referred to him in the same way as Shadepaw. It seemed to be some sort of lower status in the clans, and he gave a soft snort as he thought about dashing around Softchirp, berating her with questions and being the one acting like the medicine cat's apprentice. "Seriously?" He mewed quietly as she stood and began padding away from him and the river, implying he should follow with her words. She was going to teach him something?
He lifted himself up onto his paws, glancing for half a moment to his patched wound, relieved to see the patchwork didn't seem to be breaking apart. He then turned his head back up to the moorlands, entering a trot to keep up behind her. This was something...different. She was going to teach him a skill, not just lore or laws.
He came to a stop a pawstep behind her, standing at her side and scanning the lands around them as she explained the importance of the wind in a hunt. It was foreign to him, something that wasn't even a factor in catching a rat in the city. He quietly acknowledged that he had seen the rabbit when she asked, and then he blinked and tried scenting the air, as well as trying to feel the wind. It was barely stirring along the moorlands right now, making it tricky for his untrained mind to discern whether they would get scent of the rabbit or the rabbit would scent them first.
"I think the wind is blowing towards the rabbit?" He didn't sound certain as he spoke quietly and timidly, clearly out of his element. "So...It'll smell us if we get too much closer?"
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on May 19, 2020 22:03:44 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕋𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪
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She gave an approving nod before speaking. "You're correct, if it was in the proper position what would we do to catch it?" She was sure he didn't know the true answer, he had talked about hunting city rats not prey out in open fields where their field of vision and hearing was in a broader range. Either way, she would be patient with his answer. Not even a warrior apprentice on it's first day out gave the proper answers to this question always, she recalled when she went out she had assumed to just run up to it and chase it. It was a hard lesson for her to learn when she kept missing prey after prey, Quailpad not daring to correct her until she saw the error in her ways. She brought herself back into the sitting position though, making room for Rowan beside her so he could rest. They wouldn't catch any prey today but maybe near the end of his days in the clan his wound will be healed up enough for it. She would love to see the excitement of his first honest catch, it was one of the best feelings in the world to her.
She had only caught the sparrow by the feather on it's wing but it was unskilled enough to be brought down, no matter the true value of her catch she was still proud of it. Boasting about it to any cat who would see, she even kept a feather of it in her nest until she switched to being a warrior. She wondered if Rowan would do the same, keep a memento of his own first prey, it would be a bit odd to keep a rat tail's laying about sure but it still made her wonder. Surely the two weren't so different, right? The only thing keep her from being just like the tom beside her was place she was born.
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Post by Shadowkit on May 19, 2020 22:16:08 GMT -5
He was stood on his paws beside her, until she settled down and he realized she wasn't going for the rabbit. Then he placed himself down on his haunches as well, biting his lip and wondering if there was some sort of trick to what she was asking him. Wasn't it so obvious? Didn't she just go up quietly and kill it? It seemed like too easy of an answer and doubt buzzed around his mind as he let himself second-guess himself like any novice apprentice.
"Umm...then you would just...sneak up on it, right?" He stared at the ear tips of the rabbit which seemed to be enjoying its own tasty meal with little notice of its surroundings and the natural hunter and the semi-natural-not-as-great hunter watching it.
sorry garbage reply
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on May 19, 2020 22:36:27 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕋𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪
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"You are slightly correct there, you would sneak up on it but not to where you could pounce. You see, rabbits are pretty quick and they can probably either see, or hear, you from a bit away. You'd want to get close enough to launch yourself at it, I typically keep a few tail lengths away. A good part of being a Chasmclan warrior is we are known for our speed. We typically give them a chase before dealing the final blow." She gauged his reaction out of the corner of her, in all honesty she didn't even know if this would be the proper hunting style for a cat not like her clan but it was all she knew. She didn't want to give him some made up answers that wouldn't help him or she wasn't sure of herself. "How fast would you say you are? Faster than your average cat?" It was an odd question sure, but still a valuable one to understand where he stood as a hunter. If he was slower than a typical warrior, she would have to search or ask around about different hunting methods.
"If you're the speed of an average cat, you might want to take up a different method. Find one that best suits you, don't worry about missing your first prey out of the city though, we all miss prey every now and then. Even to this day I find myself messing up even the simplest of catches." {its okay, I dont expect either of us to give big long replies every time, just enough for the other to work off of (: }
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Post by Shadowkit on May 20, 2020 3:01:49 GMT -5
Rowan bit his lip as she left him rather confused about the right way to catch prey; how else could one do it other than just running for their prey? But she had an explanation for him rather quickly, not leaving him in the dark about how they hunted.
He listened with interest as she explained that Chasmclan had the unique advantage of being rather speedy, something that he imagined came to be because of how sprawling and open these moorlands were. When she explained the particularity of their technique, he nodded in understanding, though she seemed to pinpoint the next step of his uncertainty, that he wasn't certain he would have the speed that flowed naturally in her paws.
"I'd...say I'm decently fast for...for a city cat, but I...I don't know how that compares to you. I can't exactly race you right now, but if speed runs in your clan, then I would safely bet that you'd leave me in the dust." He winked at her, the smile reforming on his face as he gazed at her after considering all she had said.
Rowan sighed quietly as Softchirp assured him that it was okay to miss prey, to not perfect his method immediately. It just wasn't within her to not be kind, was it? If this were a different situation, he would tell her how incredibly different she was from the cats he knew, how she operated with a mindset from another world to his and how much he appreciated it. Even...even if it just couldn't exist in his world. Hopefully she would understand that when the future arrived.
His facial features had started seeming spacey as he admired her character, gazing absent-mindedly in silence at her. Without being able to explain it, he was started to feel a sense of foreboarding towards the coming days...each day that passed brought him closer to the moss being dropped and the truth coming out.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on May 21, 2020 3:28:38 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕋𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪
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"If you aren't as fast as us, it might be best to try a different method..." She tipped her head upwards, trying to think if she knew any others. None came to mind, perhaps she could ask around. It would certainly prove itself difficult to ask warriors about it and not raise questions, she could always say she wanted to know just in case. She brought head back down and made a soft tsk. "Or we can try birds, they'd be a bit easier. It's all about sneaking up on them, make sure you're out of the line of sight and hide in the tall grasses till you're close enough to catch them." She thought those might be a bit easier for the tom, it was certainly something he could try out as soon as he was gone.
"Either way, you'll get better with practice. Anyone can learn how to hunt like us, I'm sure. We may be born into a clan with special abilities like running fast but if you put your mind to something, anything is possible." She hoped it didn't come across as rude, she never knew how to put words out in the air correctly. The sun was slow moving in the sky, eventually it would fade into the horizon and leave them coated in darkness. "Uh..a bit random, but no one will notice us gone...do you wanna stay out a while? I can point out important stars to us and tell you kit tales, I know that may seem boring but I enjoy it a lot. Do you see the stars a lot in the city?" She couldn't imagine so, she was always told that this was the best view of the sky in the whole clan, to not take it for granted.
{Promise my next replies will be longer xD }
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Post by Shadowkit on May 21, 2020 3:47:36 GMT -5
Rowan had to listen silently as Softchirp pondered what alternative they might be able to find, still a little dazed that she just...decided to show him this technique. Even if she didn't think it would work out and she had to find a new one, it was amazing to him that it had taken all of a day to get her to start parting with particular techniques of their clan. How had he made that happen?
He had to shake his head to bring himself back to the ground, as she didn't notice his pondering and spacey stare towards her, wrapped up in plotting how to teach him to hunt properly. As she spoke he considered hunting birds, thinking about finding and catching a sparrow--if he had such fortune--and enjoying it once again. Of course, he probably shouldn't be doing the sort of running involved in catching a piece of prey, but...his paws were sure itching for it now that a special opportunity was here.
This skill will be valuable for ancestors know how long. Of course, Rowan didn't think there was much particular potential in him--he shrugged slightly as she mentioned that he could do anything if he really set himself to it, looking back in the direction of the river behind them for a few seconds. I know some cats who'd disagree. He thought morosely.
He turned back to her pretty quickly, listening as she made an offer to extend their trip out here even longer. You keep making this better, and I might have to stay for a long time. He mused in his head as he let out a quiet chuckle.
"The stars? Umm...a little bit. The hu-...uhh...What did you call them? The...ones who own the kittypets. They make the air really bad around the city, so there are only some stars that are bright enough to shine through it. I know its a little better on the edges of the city, because I could see more, but...I've never been this far out. I guess..."
He looked up at the still-bright sky above them. Seeing water so natural had already been something magical for him. If she was offering, why not make this day even better? His wound was healing, and he wasn't going to be pushing it if she was giving up on teaching him to hunt for now.
"I'd be happy to stay out, and walk with you." He mewed as his gaze focused on her's. "Although, I imagine it's more likely the ancestors sprout dog tongues before we can be out a full day and your clan doesn't notice." Surely, at least some cat would check the den and notice they were absent. Depending on the cat, an assumption might be made that wouldn't be very...favorable towards him. He wasn't sure if they should risk that.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on May 21, 2020 4:09:15 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕋𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪
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She knew he made a true point about the clan not noticing, but she didn't want to return. Surely they were so lost in thoughts of fake danger they wouldn't bother to check up, right? Quailpad and Gingerstar would be lost in a deep conversation among themselves in the den, planning the next course of action over this 'threat'. Looking at the 'threat' now, she couldn't picture him being harmful. She still could see their side but it was blown out of proportion to her. A couple of strays were no match to clan's fury and they still knew how to say no, they would probably say no to the next bunch to show up if she didn't find them first. Either way, Rowan looked like your average run of the mill cat, nothing to fear in the way he spoke or presented himself. It could be a ruse, of course, but she felt it unlikely given how open he was before now and the pleasantness he brought with him.
"You have a point, though I would say if we head out before night you will be missing out. The sky lights up like no other, honestly even I am in awe most nights I'm out here." She hoped he didn't find it weird a warrior would be out late and not among her own kind but on night she found herself really struggling to sleep, she would stumble into the open moor and look up. It helped ground her to the world she was in and put everything in perspective. Sometimes it would show her how many cats cat had lived before, if the rumors were true and each star was a cat that met their fate, and how small her time in the clan would be compared to length the clan will live on. Even the greatest of names would be forgotten eventually, lost in the passage of time as it moved forward. To many cats it might appear something to fear but for her it just proved any mistake, no matter how large, would be gone in just a moment. She shook her pelt, bringing herself from her thoughts and back to the scenery around her. She didn't want to lose this moment to time though, it was one of the more pleasant ones in her life. Normally she would share this time alone but for now she had the loner, or rogue perhaps she still hadn't figured it out, next to her to enjoy it with.
"I know I've asked it before, I'm sure of it, but do you truly enjoy the city? I don't mean to knock your life but it seems...unpleasant. Don't take it wrong, I'm sure my own doesn't seem sunshine and flowers to you, but not being able to see the open sky...no open waters like this, cats fighting all on their own, I just don't think I could do it. I might have it rough at times but clan life seems easier to put it simple." She felt like she was stepping out of line again but thinking back on it all brought a flood of emotions, being lost in time was fine only because she knew that there was an afterlife waiting for her but it seemed the city cats didn't have that comfort for themselves.
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Post by Shadowkit on May 21, 2020 4:30:09 GMT -5
Rowan couldn't help but smile as she described the sky and how she often reacted to it. Softchirp didn't seem scared of her clan's reaction if her words and tone were anything to trust, and he wasn't going to give her any pushback. After all, it was only his life, right?
But it faded as she pressed her paws down on the issue of the city once more. He sighed quietly, looking down on his paws as he tried to figure out what made her so interested in the city if she found it so...unappealing compared to her life. Again, they were drawing dangerously close to the issue of Ebony and her role in his life, and unknown to Softchirp, why he was here. He had to turn his caution back on, more than its passive, default state, as he looked back up to the warrior.
"There are some positives to the city that are hard to understand without living the life. There have been times where I haven't eaten a couple days at a time, prey was so low in the harshest, coldest season, and the pity of one of the...kittypet owners saved me. Gave me some of that garbage that the kittypets eat. Like I told you before, rats are pretty easy to catch if you just use the noise to your advantage. It isn't close to delectable, but most moons they are plentiful and easy to find. And you can get anywhere. If I took you to the city, I could find us one of their nests that probably reaches higher into the sky than the trees on the south side of your territory. How's that for awe of the sky? You could practically reach your paws up and touch it."
He was cautious, avoiding completely his obligation to stay in the city. "You're right, though. There are plenty of disadvantages, but I guess I wouldn't have known them all before coming here." He was thinking a lot about his words in respect to not giving anything away, and it didn't hit him till after the words left his mouth that she might take it as her fault for showing him the negative side of his home. Biting his lip, he sighed quietly, deciding not to backpad from what he had said and instead try to get to the point.
"I guess in the city, you don't know what sort of cat you're going to run in to. In your clan, you know every cat who lives there. You see every cat who is born, I imagine. There's no....well, the mystery is elsewhere for you, I guess. But you know every name. For me, days like yesterday aren't so great, when I get in a fight and get hurt, but...other days, you're down on your luck, and you run into a cat who seems to consider you with more than a hiss or a passing nod. And something great comes out of meeting a cat that you have no ties with at all."
Rowan quickly pulled away from the subject of his...partner-mate-close-friend-cat to a broader subject. "I guess that's all to say that if you're willing to handle some danger, maybe that mystery will present you with something that makes all the bad worth it." He shrugged nonchalantly, like it was nothing at all before he licked his paw and ran it down the back of his head.
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Post by Shadowkit on May 24, 2020 15:01:38 GMT -5
(alrighty <3)
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Post by Shadowkit on May 25, 2020 23:23:53 GMT -5
"Well..." Rowan could certainly say he wished he wasn't stuck in the situation he was in. Another life? It was hard to imagine himself concretely anywhere else--He was just too busy dealing with his life how it was. "I guess I've thought about...things being different a lot? I don't know if that is the same thing, but...I've wondered how things might be different. To be honest, I've never thought about being born into a clan. Being around my siblings, and even my parents, every day...I haven't even thought about that a lot. I was lucky that I lived close to my brother, or I wouldn't have reunited with any of my family."
He looked beyond Softchirp to the rabbit to see if it had moved from where it had been. "From what it sounds like, you have a lot to worry about with your family. I can't imagine myself having to win the approval of that many cats. I mean...they already give you a rough time. I can't imagine if I had been born into a clan. I'd be...well, awful, I'm sure."
"But sometimes I think about being a wanderer. What it would be like to to not have to worry about borders, or what other cats will think of your passing." He was embellishing a little bit--he hadn't exactly been tied down to anyone until he let himself get swept up in hanging out with his brother, but...that felt so long ago. "If we could just meet a cat, and not worry about their intentions." He was silent for a few moments, looking down at his paws as he let his cover slip a little. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "But...oh well. That's not how it works. Not in the city, at least. It doesn't seem like your clanmates will ever believe in that, either. I guess it's a fool's fantasy."
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on May 28, 2020 1:19:37 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕋𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪
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She pushed herself upwards, causing the rabbit nearby to stir and make eye contact with them before running off to who knows where. She didn't bother herself with chasing after it, shoulders now slumped down. He made a great point about how clan life wasn't always that great, she couldn't exactly give it a good picture when she herself had such a bad time struggling to fit in with them. Either way, being a wanderer might seem like a good idea but she knew deep down she would never last more than a few sunrises on her own.
"Are you ready head back, Rowan?" Her question was sudden but she wanted to get back to her clan now. Her feelings were becoming too confusing for her, thinking about leaving had been gone from her mind for a long time but now it was front and center. She wanted to start over, a clean slate, none of her past mistakes being held over her head but it wasn't possible. The clan would hunt her down like she was a lost kit and give her an even worse punishment. They cared for her, it was shameful to fill her head with wishes of a different scenario for herself. "The clan might worry like you said, I can try to show you the stars a different day though if you'd like?" There she went again, trying to make promises that would be hard to fill.
{I see you play Stardew I too, partake in the dew of stars}
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Post by Shadowkit on May 28, 2020 1:49:58 GMT -5
(I do in fact partake in the dew of stars on switch and pc)
Rowan blinked, having to compose himself for a moment as she suddenly seemed to adjust her tune, asking if he was prepared to return to the camp. His eyes still focused on the trail of the now-departed rabbit, he chewed on his lip for a few seconds before sighing quietly. Staying out had been sounding like an attractive activity, but now she was pulling back on it and he wasn't in any place where he could argue.
He turned back in the direction they had came from before saying anything, giving one of his stiffer back legs a quick stretch as he tried to shield her from seeing his disappointment. "I guess so. Let's go back. We have to sneak back in, right?" He sounded non-chalant about the task, because he wasn't too worried about it. They hadn't been out very long at all, so he felt comfortable saying they weren't under much risk of encountering that they had been caught. "Perhaps I should make dirt on the way back," He mewed a little more quietly as a thought to himself. It was both good to do so while he had a chance and perhaps a then-honest excuse for their...unnoticed absence.
"I guess...there'll be another day to do it." He quietly meowed, though there was clearly doubt dripping in his voice. How many more days he would be here was not a concrete thing at the moment, and the promise felt a bit hollow to him after she had just made and then rescinded her offer for them to stay out. Oh well. I'm still not a luxury guest here, I suppose. He started padding back in the direction of her camp, casting another look at his patched side wound. With a slight nod at seeing it seemed unbothered, he looked back up ahead of them and slowly rolled his neck, grunting as it stiffly protested the action.
"So, what is left for the rest of the day, then?" He looked up briefly at the sun, edging its way through the heights of the sky. "Violent interrogation by Quailpad? Question assault by Shadepaw? More disgust from Gingerstar?" He blinked, his mouth hanging open for a second as he realized he hadn't mentioned Softchirp's mother to the warrior, their brief and very unfriendly interaction. He hadn't exactly...planned to, but it slipped his tongue without him thinking. Ahh, crow-dirt. Am I that sloppy?
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on May 28, 2020 2:05:10 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕋𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪
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She stopped from taking her next step, ears perked up. She knew her mother had spoken to him but she didn't expect him to describe it that way. Sure, her mom was rather...unpleasant but it still shocked her. She whipped around to face Rowan, concern showing in her gaze. "What did she say to you?" She needed to know everything, even if it made the anger in her rise. If she was downright rude with no reason she would march herself inside that den and talk to her, herself. She didn't care for the backlash that came with it, Gingerstar had no place to be rude to the tom who had done nothing wrong. She felt it rising even without his answer, she was tired. Exhausted. It was all too much for her already confused emotions and she gritted her teeth.
"I....you know what? I'll ask her." She turned back around and pushed towards the camp at a brisk pace before she arrived at the entrance. She wriggled her way back in, not caring if she was caught sneaking Rowan out anymore. She didn't even check to see if he was following now, eyes blazing with anger.
{so like...can I friend u on the disc of ord and we play together sometime? (:
Also Soft is on a war path now}
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Post by Shadowkit on May 28, 2020 2:36:50 GMT -5
(Certainly you may
Also Rowan made a mistaaakkkeee)
Rowan almost cursed himself audibly when Softchirp stopped and spun around on her paws to ask what exactly her mother had said. He didn't know exactly how Softchirp was going to respond, but he could have guessed that she wasn't going to feel very pleased about what exactly her mother had told him. He didn't want to recite it now, knowing from the look of concern on her face that it was likely to anger her.
He was about to open his mouth to try to calm the situation down when she told him she didn't even need him to answer. Marching back to camp and confronting her mother directly sounded like it was going to be the quickiest way to get his hide skinned by Gingerstar, and alarm quickly developed in his chest as she began towards the camp again at a brisk pace.
He hurried after her, taxing his wounded side a little more than their slower walking from earlier. "Now, wait a minute. It wasn't really that bad, okay? I'm just...potentially a danger, or something. Something about a story and another cat who showed up, I don't know. But disgust was a strong word," He gulped as he tried to keep up with her, managing it most of the way back before he started feeling the slightest burning sensation beginning in his side, and with a quiet curse he realized he needed to slow down, and if she didn't stop he couldn't say anything to make this any better.
"Please wait, Softchirp," He gritted his teeth and called loudly as she reached and started pushing into the camp, trailing significantly behind her at this point. He hadn't expected his wound to start burning up from such a short, brisk trot, but now he was losing her ahead of him. "Gingerstar won't take kindly to the fact I--that I mentioned..." He hissed quietly, trying to continue pushing towards the camp, not thinking that much about being spotted in the main entrance anymore.
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