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Post by niftyshark on May 18, 2019 19:56:30 GMT -6
“This first idea?” he prompted. She didn’t say no, and she didn’t back away any further, so he knew he had her hooked. Even if it wasn’t today, perhaps the opportunity was open for some other time. Despite his own certainty, he wanted to ensure that she meant it, and that she wouldn’t fall back later. Of course that was entirely possible, but he was aiming to avoid that. “You had me state exactly what I wanted. So what is it that you want?” Coyotestorm pressed a little bit, just enough that she wouldn’t be able to dance around the question easily—at least, in a way that would make it blatantly obvious if she tried to. He held his tongue after that, watching her and watching her expressions. It wasn’t like anyone was going to find out if she did something that was unordinary for her, providing she did a good enough job of hiding it.
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Post by theatricals on May 18, 2019 20:03:01 GMT -6
He knew he was testing her. She knew he was testing her, yet she couldn't decide whether she wanted to rise to the challenge or pull away at the last second. He had provided an out for her, and she suspected she could still take it if she wished, but what would that say about her? She never intended to speak about this to anyone else--neither the conversation she was having, nor anything after. But the idea of being called a coward was enough for her to let out a soft growl, directed at no one else but herself. "You." It was such a plain statement, and one probably made a bit too confidently considering her conflicting internal struggle, but she needed him to know that she wasn't a coward, and she would go for what she wanted, no matter if it caught her off guard.
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Post by niftyshark on May 18, 2019 21:03:08 GMT -6
His response was mirrored the same way, almost perfectly, down to the expression. Coyotestorm laughed despite himself. “See, it wasn’t so hard.” He spoke lightly, carefully, knowing he didn’t want to chase her away by stepping on her pride too much. He moved a little closer, through beams of sunlight that glowed through the leaves above them, but he left enough space to be moderately decent. He stood there for a moment, looking closely at her, before he withdrew. “I think I know just the place,” he said casually, turning on his heels to head in a direction that wasn’t sloping plains. He actually had no place in mind, but he didn’t think seclusion would be that hard to find. He came upon a stream and followed it lazily as it cut through a pine forest in the distance, not at all in a hurry to rush anything.
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Post by theatricals on May 18, 2019 21:15:20 GMT -6
Rowanmask couldn't be sure why he found this all so amusing, or if he was just laughing at her for the sake of making himself feel better, but she barely got the chance to ask before he moved somewhat closer. It was only natural that she try to step back, as any cat getting too close to her made her instinctively flinch away, but she stood her ground. As she did so, her muscles--previously tight and stiff--began to relax, and she didn't have the urge to turn away. Eventually he did, though, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Her mind was shutting down, she knew, but she wasn't sure whether that was a good or a bad thing.
She followed him without thought, moving along the stream in the area she couldn't say she knew any better than the one she had chosen earlier. Even in her confusion, she hadn't lost her intelligence or wit, and she called out, "Do you really?" It would seem weird if he did. Did he take other cats here? She didn't want to think about that. "I wouldn't expect cats to come out this far, least of all you." Now that was probably a lie, but she thought it was worth saying.
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Post by niftyshark on May 18, 2019 21:27:45 GMT -6
Coyotestorm paused by the water, examining his reflection as Rowanmask called out to him. He didn’t turn away, watching his face fluctuate on the water’s flowing surface. He glanced towards her after, but it was quick. “No, I don’t actually have a place in mind,” he replied easily, eyes fixed again on the stream. He rolled his shoulders, stretching them out as much as he rolled off the passable taunt. “I figured looking around wouldn’t hurt. Unless you have somewhere better in mind?” His expression was slightly smug. If she was going to challenge him, then he had no problem inviting her to search instead. “Unless you don’t want to look around at all. But I can’t promise that someone wouldn’t eventually notice...” He trailed off, eyebrows raised as he half-turned towards her.
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Post by theatricals on May 18, 2019 21:37:17 GMT -6
She was surprised that he would admit it so freely, but then again, she probably shouldn't be. Given the option, she didn't think Coyotestorm would have kept quiet or even attempted to lie to her. He may not have meant to taunt her himself, but it was foolish to ask if she had "somewhere better in mind." She traveled far throughout their territory--she probably knew even more than he did--but she wasn't about to reveal anything. His second comment earned him a glare, her own spark returning to her as he only pressed her more and more. "I bet those choice of words bring you tons of friends." She rolled her eyes briefly. "You toms think you know everything--I say you can figure it out for yourself."
She padded away then, moving no more than a few fox-lengths away where the ground sloped upwards into somewhat of an outcrop. It was no den, but it provided dry ground for her to sit, and she did just that. It didn't take but a moment for her to make herself comfortable, curling her tail neatly around her paws and moving to groom her side. Her fur was ruffled, partly from her earlier excursion as well as the annoyance she had felt. It made her feel more in control, knowing she could take care of herself.
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Post by niftyshark on May 18, 2019 21:56:30 GMT -6
The smugness on his face turned to a scowl. He opened his mouth to question what she even meant by her statement, but she turned away herself before he could. He spun around to see what she was doing, but she was still nearby, settling at the base of a hill with a steep face. The pale tom studied her as she did so, but he didn’t join her right away. Instead, he brought his attention to the stream yet again. He crouched down by it and stared into its depths. It wasn’t even that deep, but it was still a stream regardless, and he was no WillowClan cat. Coyotestorm focused on the surface, waiting and watching. He saw a silver flash, and he instinctively shot his paw in. He was wholly surprised when his paw hooked around it, but it took both his paws to keep the fish from wriggling out of his grasp. He awkwardly shimmed it out of the water and held it under his paws. He laughed at himself before quickly stilling the fish. Picking it up, he brought it over to where Rowanmask was and dropped it beside her. “I think I found my new calling in life.”
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Post by theatricals on May 18, 2019 22:01:54 GMT -6
The warrior was half tempted to pad back over just to see what in StarClan's name he was doing, but she got her answer just moments later when he struck out a paw at the water, She almost wanted to laugh herself at his awkward movements, and even let out a small snort, but she went quiet when he actually managed to catch something. She watched him, curious and even slightly amused, as he brought the fish over, forcing herself not to pull back at the scent. It wasn't bad, but she knew for certain now why she avoided the WillowClan cats at gatherings. "Your new calling? I don't suppose you had much of one to begin with, if you used such a sloppy hunting technique." A low blow, perhaps, but she still hadn't received any sort of apology for him basically making fun of her for her earlier techniques. An eye for an eye.
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Post by niftyshark on May 18, 2019 22:12:24 GMT -6
Coyotestorm sighed. “I’m not a WillowClan cat and I will never claim to be. But that? That was good for a RavenClan cat.” He brushed off the worst of the spiteful response, partially intrigued that she was getting her bite back. He supposed it shouldn’t come at a surprise, but she really didn’t seem to have any hesitation. Was she comfortable, then? He didn’t know her enough to know for certain, but perhaps it was possible. He pushed the fish around for a few moments before he took an experimental bite. It wasn’t too bad at first, but the way the scales rubbed at his tongue and throat made his eye twitch. The flavor was different too, but not necessarily unappealing. “Mmm. Like a water... rabbit...” he tried, though he knew easily that he wasn’t selling it. “WillowClan can keep these. Though I can’t complain, since prey is prey.” He waited to see if she would risk trying it.
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Post by theatricals on May 18, 2019 22:16:21 GMT -6
She was half tempted to do just that, just to see, but from his response, she could guess that he wasn't a huge fan. A moment later, she basically got her answer, and she knew she'd rather not. "I think I can pass. But if you'd like, I can leave you alone with your fish." Unraveling her tail she flicked it to her other side, away from him, moving to stand. She looked at him for a moment before her ears twitched and she turned her head away, different scents catching her attention. "There wouldn't be rabbit warrens out here..." she murmured. They were far from the plains, yet she knew rabbit scent. It wasn't terribly recent, but it was enough to tell her that this place wasn't as secluded as she may have thought. At least, not for prey.
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Post by niftyshark on May 18, 2019 22:56:43 GMT -6
Coyotestorm didn’t bother to go after the fish as it was flicked away from him. Rowanmask had him there. It took him longer to figure out what the she-cat was doing when she stood up. He was slower to follow suit, and he trailed after her. Out of curiosity he tasted the air when he saw her doing so, and he could understand her surprise. The scent of rabbit was faint, and they were in an area that didn’t usually hold rabbits. He walked past her as he tried to determine where it was coming from. The ground was unusually soft underpaw, but he didn’t notice the significance until the soft earth crumbled underneath him. He didn’t even have time to shout in shock before he hit some kind of ground, eyes closed as the dirt and rock fell around him.
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Post by theatricals on May 19, 2019 20:15:54 GMT -6
Rowanmask wasn't even too close to Coyotestorm when she felt the tremors beneath the earth, jerking her attention towards the ground under him. Racing forward, she attempted to reach him, but it only served to trap her as she, too, fell through the earth and hit the ground with a sharp thud.
Her head was pounding, her ears were echoing, and she was almost sure that she had pulled a muscle, something that made all the more obvious when she attempted to move her leg. Surprisingly, though, that was her only injury--at least, the only obvious one. "Mousebrain..." she muttered, moving stiffly to her paws. She winced at the pain in her back leg, but it wasn't enough to stop her movement entirely.
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Post by niftyshark on May 19, 2019 20:29:33 GMT -6
He stayed still until the earth settled, and only then did he open one eye at first. Darkness was all that greeted him, but when he shifted out of the dirt that covered him, sunlight trickled in. He blinked the grit from his eyes and looked up, mouth setting in a frown when he realized where they he was once standing was several cat-lengths above him. Ahead of him was a narrow tunnel that led into darkness. He had no way out except to head that way. Coyotestorm looked up to the opening, about to call to Rowanmask to see if she could find some kind of help, but it turned out to be pointless. A moment later he noticed her slightly behind him, trapped just as he was. “You had to follow me down?” he grumbled. “I know you like me, but I didn’t realize just how much.”
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Post by theatricals on May 19, 2019 20:40:22 GMT -6
"I didn't follow you down," she huffed, pulling up beside him. "You may like to call me mouse-brained for the extra effort I put in to learning new things, but that's how you're able to tell when something like this is going to happen." Glancing up, she pursed her lips before looking back at him. "There were vibrations in the ground--the closer you got, the more hollow it felt. I tried to reach you, but perhaps it would have been better if I hadn't." It was as much a jab as much as it was a logical statement. If she hadn't fallen down as well, she probably could have dug him a way out.
Moving her gaze away once more, she noticed the tunnel off to the right, as well as smaller once a shorter distance away. "There's bound to be another exit. Unless you fancy staying here?" She doubted he would. Even closer to home, the smaller caves were far more comfortable. Here, they were large and cold. It was tempting to mock him for his mistake again, but for once she held her tongue.
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Post by niftyshark on May 19, 2019 21:39:13 GMT -6
“The ground didn’t vibrate. It was soggy.” There was no way Coyotestorm was going to even consider that perhaps Rowanmask was right. He didn’t care that his statement didn’t even make sense, just so long as he didn’t have to waste time thinking about it. He was far more concerned about where they were going and how they were going to free themselves. “I’m not staying here. There’s definitely a way out and I’m going to find it.” Without further thought, he wandered over to the larger tunnel and stuck his head in. The darkness quickly consumed the light, but it didn’t stop him. If anything, it made him move faster. He didn’t know if Rowanmask was behind him, and the strong scent of wet dirt prevented him from knowing by scent. Since he couldn’t see, he just assumed that she was behind him somewhere.
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Post by theatricals on May 21, 2019 14:12:41 GMT -6
Rowanmask moved instinctively to follow behind him, but only moments after she decided to do so, she felt a slight chill to her left. Without him behind her, she actually felt more comfortable moving through the tunnels, and she even pulled to a stop when the chill became too much to ignore. Sticking her head into the branching tunnel, she felt it even more strongly, and without a second thought, she disappeared into it, feeling the ground slope beneath her while also becoming harder and more stable. The tunnels were a confusing thing, but as long as she kept up with what direction she had come from, she should be fine. Besides, it would be easier to find a way out with two cats looking at the same time.
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Post by niftyshark on May 30, 2019 8:05:00 GMT -6
After a while more of walking with no comments, Coyotestorm grew suspicious. He slowed, and then stopped. He waited, ears erect, and it occurred to him then that he was truly alone. Rowanmask didn’t follow him? He made a noise of annoyance. She wanted to be independent -now- of all time? He sighed loudly. “Rowanmask, you’re killing me,” he said to the darkness, before shrugging and continuing onward.
The tunnel continued onward, curving one way and then another. He was actually starting to get a little anxious—he’d been moving without eyesight for a while, and he couldn’t tell if he was going upwards. The tunnels always had a way out though, right? It had to. The walls around him expanded, and the air felt fresher, though it seemed he was in a wider cavern. He took a moment to pause, trying to grasp at confidence he didn’t feel.
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Post by theatricals on May 31, 2019 16:33:44 GMT -6
It felt like she had gone in circles already, despite feeling as though she had only been walking for a few cat-lengths. But she still felt the coolness up ahead, and it only served to push her in that direction, her pawsteps quickening at the thought of a way out. But a sudden shape ahead, moving quietly into an area that she could tell was opening up, drove her to a stop. The dampness was clogging her senses, making her unable to know who--or what--it was. When she heard the shuffling stop, images flashed through her mind: a large black and white creature with blunt claws and a bad attitude, smaller, red dog-like animals with sharp teeth who would dig them into whoever they could catch. In a state of panic, Rowanmask threw herself forward, landing on the creatures back with no thought that it could be Coyotestorm himself.
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Post by niftyshark on May 31, 2019 17:15:15 GMT -6
Coyotestorm was focusing on his senses, and the slight scuffling he heard alarmed him. What else could be here with him? Before he could react, it stopped for half a heartbeat, and something slammed into him. He was knocked off his paws and into the cavern wall. With a hiss he kicked out his paws frantically, trying to hit anything he could reach in the darkness.
It was a few moments later that he realized the scent was familiar. It wasn’t some underground creature... it was...
Extending his hindlegs as far away from his belly as he could manage, back pressed against the wall, he used them as a buffer against what was attacking him so he could shout, “Rowanmask, stop! It’s me!” His heart was racing so fast he was surprised it didn’t leap from his chest entirely.
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Post by theatricals on May 31, 2019 17:50:57 GMT -6
Even after she heard him call out, she continued lashing out, so caught up in her panic that she didn't realize what he said until moments later. She froze suddenly, claws sheathing as she pulled back and pressed back against the wall behind her. Her breathing came in short gasps, her adrenaline still driving her. "You mousebrain! I thought you were a fox!" She shouted, although her voice shook with the fear that drove her to attack in the first place. Without being able to see, he could have been anything.
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