[Aqua]

"I have always wondered who you were. Were you one of our Ancestors? Or another wise animal? And what did you hold in that strange object at the back there? Some sort of treasure? Bones?" The voice of a cat spoke from the inside of the hollowed out tree at the edges of the Tribe's territory. The fluffy gray she-cat was sitting beside the bones of an old creature inside the tree. This place was well-known for these remains as well as the strange jar that sat at the back of the hollow. So it was only natural for Possum to show on interest in this place. She had such a fascination and respect for death that her curiosity was highly piqued here. Even though she knew she would never get answers from the old bones, she still wondered about the life they lived and what they were doing in this place with that jar. Maybe they were like her and were fascinated by the macabre. Bones, life, death, the seasons, the Ancestors. So many things intertwined in the circle of life in the valley.

"Hmm. We may never know. But I'm sure the Ancestors know of your life and death. Hopefully you lived a good one." The she-cat meowed, getting to her paws. She slowly pushes her way back out of the tree, emerging into the sunlight beginning to rise over the horizon. The she-cat had spent the late hours of the night in the hollow with the deceased tenant. Possum That Creeps At Night was doing the very thing her name had entailed, creeping about in the dark. Nighttime was so peaceful to her and made her feel more at home, so it was only natural to spot the she-cat out and about at this hour. The cave-guards had stopped questioning her when she departs the camp late at night because they knew she did better at later times. That and everyone thought she was weird so they didn't try to interact with her too much. Most of the tribe had enough common sense to know the she-cat worshipped the Ancestors to the point she wasn't doing anything questionable while out at night. So it wasn't much of a concern anymore.

The she-cat gives her unkempt fur a quick shake, getting some of the pieces of leaves and wood out of her fur. While she would probably need to go through the rest of her fur later, at least some of it was out. "Maybe I'll catch something Hollow." She called to what one would only assume was the body inside. She was strange enough that it probably wasn't out of the ordinary for her to name the bones. And being that it was a hollow out log that was probably where she pulled the nickname. With a determined nod, the she-cat crouches and sneaks about the area for anything she could catch. With the sun beginning to rise, prey would begin to come out of their nests so it was perfect.

The she-cat continues her goofy looking sneaking just as she hears the noises of something nearby. The she-cat stops and waits, listening intently as it comes ever closer. Her ears twitch as the scurrying sound comes just in front of her. She leaps forward toward the noise, claws stretched out. There is the loud squeak of a mouse as the she-cat emerges from the tall grasses with the rodent in her jaw. She had taken a chance with that leap and managed to come out successful. She carries the mouse to the hollow, setting it just inside by the bones. "Thank you Ancestors for this life." She mutters to herself before stepping back out of the log, not noticing that she wasn't alone.

^{Made by Aqua || Tagged: OPEN || Words: #627}

[xvinn]

shadow of soaring (eagle) (she/her) | tribe of forgotten waters

Shadow of Soaring Eagle sat atop the log, watching her fellow prey-hunter emerge with her latest catch. Eagle had left camp with one of the Cave-Guards, Antler, before shooing the black and white she-cat off with a flick of her tail, telling her of her general whereabouts and just to shout if there was trouble to know of. Eagle was a half-decent tracker, and like many of the other tribe cats, knew that Opossum often came out alone in the dark for her hunting, and wished to find the grey tabby herself.

She leaned down, her tail wrapping around the back half of her body as she looked at Opossum emerging from the log once more after carrying in a mouse. "That was a decent catch," she spoke plainly, her voice not showing nor hiding any sort of strong emotion. Eagle had always been one to speak very directly, rarely bothering to beat around the bush or speak in a way to guard another cat's feelings. This also meant that her compliments were always sincere, and when she praised a fellow prey-hunter on some caught-prey, she meant it. "Unfortunately, its squeak probably alerted some of the other nearby creatures. They'll know someone is here." Eagle looked around the area, feeling even more impressed by Opossum's night hunting as she tried to make out the scenery around her.

While Eagle was also a talented prey-hunter by all means, she still relied on her sight as evenly as she relied on her other senses. It was clear that with the sun only just peaking out over the horizon, Opossum likely had to rely on primarily scent and sound, perhaps even disregarding sight altogether. It was an impressive talent, all things considering. Of course, it wasn't entirely unheard of - bearing in mind cats who perhaps had difficulty with their sight, either by birth, by accident or by age; but for a cat as young as Opossum who had perfectly good eyesight, it made it a talent worth keeping track of.

Eagle swooped down to the floor not far from her fellow prey-hunter, keeping her landing as quiet as the somewhat slender cat could allow. "You hold the Tribe of Endless Hunting close to your heart," she observed, looking back towards the log where she had seen the cat deposit her caught-prey. She had to squint her gaze to try and make out where it might be, but didn't dawdle on it too long, bringing her gaze around to Opossum once more.

Aqua / opossum ● 419 words

[Aqua]

The gray tabby let out a soft sigh, feeling at least a slight sense of accomplishment. In this sort of lighting, it could be difficult to see the world in the normal detail you could in the light. Even with the ability to see in the night, cats had some issues in the darker areas of terrain, like the hollow. So the she-cat had learned pretty quickly that if she wanted to catch anything at all out here, she'd have to rely on more than her sight alone. Honing in the other senses like hearing or scent definitely came into play in the shadows of the night. In this case, she had listened to the movement then took a shot at lunging towards the noises. So she got a really lucky catch with this mouse. In many cases, she would miss and have to wait for the land to brighten up a little more before returning to camp. Which wasn't a big deal as long as she returned with something to show for it.

"That was a decent catch.

The strange she-cat froze, not realizing another cat was in the area at this time of the early morning. Green eyes narrowed as Opossum tried to make out the figure watching her from afar. It wasn't often that anyone would comment on her catches, let alone watch her do it. "T-thanks?" She mumbled as the other she-cat went on about the loud noise the mouse had made. Any other prey near the hollow would have been alerted and probably retreated back to their nests, tis true. But the strange female hadn't intended on hunting just around the log alone. She would have moved further away for her next attempt at landing something.

Her thoughts soon cut short as the sound of the cat getting closer brought her back to reality. The tabby cat had leaped down beside her now, helping her to better make out the figure of Shadow of Soaring Eagle. She too was a fellow prey hunter and one that Opossum had little interactions with. No shock there since few cats really took any time to interact with her. Even still, Opossum knew of the she-cat at the least.

"Indeed I do." The disheveled looking she-cat meowed back, a sparkle of interest shining in her green eyes. Did Eagle have an interest in her ways? In her love of the Ancestors? "I greatly respect everything they did and are doing for all of us. Without them, we wouldn't be alive. So I respect that in a way that most find to be, you know, weird." The she-cat also glances towards the hollowed out log. While she didn't see Eagle's expression change as she looked that direction, Opossum was sure the other hunter was trying to see if she buried that mouse or left it lay.

"Are you trying to see where I put it?" She questions, turning to Eagle with a curious tone. She waves her tail a moment before motioning towards the hole, as if to tell Eagle to look if she wanted. Opossum was not ashamed of the fact she refused to bury her catches. She had no reason to hide her respect for the dead.

^{Made by Aqua || Tagged: xvinn || Words: #539}

[xvinn]

shadow of soaring (eagle) (she/her) | tribe of forgotten waters

Eagle studied the tabby in front of her a moment, trying to decide what the best move was. Her mind worked at a rapid pace going through four potential outcomes to the offer to look at the prey. If she went to look at the prey, perhaps it was because Opossum was allowing her in, and she would feel good that Eagle took the kind opportunity, or perhaps it was because Opossum felt that others did not like or trust her, and therefore she would feel that Eagle also did not trust her. On the other hand, if she passed on the prey, there is the chance that Opossum could be offended that she did not accept the offer, or she might feel grateful that Eagle trusted her actions and did not need any sort of proof. Of course, it was entirely possible that the brown tabby was overthinking her actions, but she needed to think deeply about every move she made. She often felt watched, but she wanted to be watched - she wanted others to look at her, look to her.

Instead, Eagle shook her head, "You always provide for the Tribe, that is all one can ask of another. Your early hunts often help provide strength to others preparing for morning patrols, something I'm sure many do not thank you for." A beat. "So, let me thank you myself," Eagle gave a light bow of gratefulness to Opossum, not lingering for too long, just enough to let the recognition sit in the fellow Tribemate.

She turned back to the former statement, the one that clearly held deep-seeded beliefs in Opossum's heart. "Your worship should not be considered weird, it should be something others should try and attain themselves," Eagle spoke, "I think some of our kin struggle to find the balance between the worship of our ancestors and the current lives of the tribe - after all, we must protect our kits, and our kits' kits, so that when our spirits move on, we may be able to guide the future generations. But we must also make sure that we continue to pass on the word of our ancestors, lest they be forgotten." Though much of what she was saying was played up to try and get a feel for Opossum, there was still a fair amount of truth in what Eagle spoke. Worship of the ancestors was supposed to be one of the tenants of the tribe, one of the things that made them who they were - it's why the Skyteller was such a revered cat, a cat who was led by the ancestors almost as directly as a cat could be.

Aqua / opossum ● 447 words

[Aqua]

Opossum's head whipped around to stare at the other she-cat with wide eyes. She was a cat that was often just brushed off and left on the sidelines so she wasn't used to anyone showing her kindness....let alone thankfulness for what she did. The fact that this she-cat had shown an interest in talking with her at all, made the tabby extra surprised. Most of the tribe chose to avoid her and just trust that she was doing what she was supposed to. They truly didn't understand Opossum and her morbid interests so they chose to just stay away from her when they could. The she-cat had gotten used to this fact, accepting that keeping to herself was probably for the best.

"You're thanking me?" Opossum questioned, eyeing Eagle with a bit of confusion. "No one has ever thanked me for anything before." The tabby sits down and wraps her tail overtop of her paws. "....although that's probably because most cats just avoid me." She added the last bit nonchalantly, clearing not caring what other cats did.

Opossum listens intently as Eagle goes on to say that her form of worship should not be deemed weird. That the tribe should take her worship as more of an example versus something to frown upon. The tabby definitely could agree with what the other prey hunter had to say. It wasn't often that cat's other than Skyteller would really recognize the Ancestors during the daily day-to-day bustle. Sure, the tribe didn't have to take their devotion quite as far as Opossum did but the ancestors deserved some sort of thanks for allowing the Tribe to live another day. With all the power the Ancestor's held over them, one would think cat's would show more gratitude. But it wasn't often that you find anyone doing anything devoted specifically towards the Ancestors.

"Our Ancestors got us to where we are today and they are the reason we still thrive. They deserve as much gratitude as we can give them from here for not striking us down or bringing on misfortunes for us all. I do not think our fellow tribemates understand how much power they have. What's to stop them from taking us out just for upsetting them? You know? These are the reasons I respect life and death the way I do. Because at anytime, it could be over. I would rather live a life full of meaning than to pointlessly die."

^{Made by Aqua || Tagged: xvinn || Words: #409}

[xvinn]

shadow of soaring (eagle) (she/her) | tribe of forgotten waters

"A life full of meaning ... yes," Eagle echoed Opossum's sentiment, turning and looking at the she-cat before her. She did her best to try and study the cat, though the dark made things a little harder to pick out things she would normally look for. But nonetheless, she believed that she could start to hear something in the fellow prey-hunter's tone that perhaps made her seem grateful for Eagle's words - she could only hope her understanding was true.

With that, the tabby stood and moved around Opossum a brief moment, as though she might be going off to find a new place to hunt, but she took a moment to circle the other cat for a moment, as though she were her own prey. She did her best to stop this almost impulsive habit short, of wanting other cats to feel smaller and less superior and like they are simply prey to Eagle - she grasped the feeling that as an outcast, Opossum might be slightly more atune to such behaviours. Instead, she twitched her whiskers and spoke: "But who's to say that these other cats do not try and live their life to the fullest?" she pointed out. "I do not think there is any cat in the tribe who wishes to pointlessly die - I think they all wish to leave their mark on our world," while Eagle spoke these words, she wondered how much she truly believed it. She had seen cats in the Tribe that she believed were lazy, just trying to skirt their way through their lives and seek cheap thrills and happiness rather than full meaning.

As she sat, her tail twitched with a tiny bit of annoyance thinking of those exact cats, but she attempted to push the thought away in order to carry on the conversation at hand. "I don't mean to say that any of our fellow Tribemates who do not share your admiration for our ancestors are in any way equal, but simply that I think that they also wish to find meaning in life. Many cats wish to honour their ancestors not by praying and speaking with them, but by doing their best to live the types of lives that they might hold pride in - the type of lives we wish to see for our kits and our kits' kits."

Eagle looked skyward, watching as the stars were slowly disappearing from the sky, being replaced with the orange and purple hues of the dawn of a new day. "How do we know that we are pleasing our ancestors?" Eagle then asked Opossum, her tone expressing sincerity in her question rather than any sense of rhetoric, "How do we know that we are doing the right thing, so that future generations may look to us with the same pride cats like yourself do for our current ancestors?" It was a question that Eagle genuinely tried to find the answer to - she wanted to do great things for her Tribe, for her kin, for her daughters and for the future generations of the Tribe. She wished she could figure out how she was taking the right steps.

Aqua / opossum ● 543 words

[Aqua]

Opossum watched the other she-cat curiously as she seemed to size her up. The tabby eyed her as closely as she could in the dark, as if to get a much better look at her. Some cats might take this as a passive aggressive advance but Opossum did not find this in any way threatening. It wasn't often that cats seemed to glance at her in the camp so likely Eagle had never gotten an actual look like this of her before. A curiosity began to rise in Opossum's mind as the she-cat circled her. Did she find her strange looking? Did Opossum look capable enough to be out here on her own like she did? Or did Eagle just want to get a good look at the "weird one" of the Tribe? While the she-cat wasn't sure of the true reasoning behind this sudden circle around her, she didn't seem the least bit bothered by it as Eagle came back around her.

"No. I'm sure most would try to live a life they felt was worth it. But that does not mean we should just ignore the fact that there were cats that gave us the ability to live life to the fullest." The gray tabby replied as Eagle remarked about cats not wanting to pointlessly die. That was probably a poor choice of words Opossum had chosen to make her point there but still. The Tribe did not seem to care much for giving their Ancestors thanks very often for everything they had sacrificed for them to get where they were now. The Ancestors deserved all the praise and thanks for spending their lives making the Tribe stronger and better for the futures of all. Guaranteed it was probably wise to live a life where "now" was more important than the past. But Opossum just felt differently in her gut and so she was deemed strange for it.

"They focus on those living now and improve for the cats to come in the future. They look away from the past. How are we supposed to make a better future for everyone if we ignore those of the past and everything they went through to get to this point?" After all, history sometimes had a way of repeating itself so the she-cat did have a bit of a point. Situations that the Ancestors had pushed through could very easily hit the Tribe again and without a knowledge of the past and those that lived in it, the Tribe would likely be in trouble. Any group of cats could be in trouble this way, even the ones that followed "Starclan."

"You are here, are you not?" Opossum asked, whipping her head to look at Eagle. "You are healthy, correct? You have a full belly? Even the smallest of things such as that are ways the Ancestors show their happiness with us. It doesn't have to be some big event to show their feelings. Good weather. Fresh water. Good prey. Even healthy litters. They are all good signs for us. When things start to get hard and the weather goes crazy, then we need to question if we stepped over a line we probably shouldn't have. But even then, I'm not sure the Ancestor have full control of nature but more so play a part in it. Like the trembling and breaking apart of the Earth, for example. I'm not so sure the Ancestors or the clan's Starclan had any control over what was to come. All they could do was send warning. But even so, they hold more power over us than most seem to understand."

^{Made by Aqua || Tagged: xvinn || Words: #606}

[xvinn]

shadow of soaring (eagle) (she/her) | tribe of forgotten waters

Even healthy litters. seemed to ring through Eagle's head, almost blocking out the rest of what Opossum had to say. It felt as though those three simple words made time freeze as Eagle felt her head pulse in frustration. She did her best to take a breath, and calm down the fur rippling along her spine.

What healthy litters was Opossum talking about? In the last several seasons, litters were far and few between. The last litter of kittens born into the Tribe were Eagle's own daughters: Doe and Camellia, and they were already To-Be's now, the both of them. There were no kittens in the roost back in camp, no one younger than Doe and Camellia, now eight moons old. And when Eagle took a moment to think back, the last kitten to be born in the Tribe was a prey-hunter by the name of Mushroom, who had been the only kit of her litter - no littermates. There was one cat younger than her - another prey-hunter named Dream - but she had been born a Clan cat. Eagle had little patience for the cats who were first born in the Clans before joining the Tribe, especially those who didn't even bother to change their names, such as Dream's mother, Moonfeather, or the Senior Prey-Hunter, Emberlight.

Shaking the feeling of Clan cats from her mind, Eagle still couldn't help but have her mind race back to the litters - or rather, the lack thereof - within the Tribe. When she was a kitten, she could remember being told that it was the duty of all Tribe members, regardless of sexuality, to help expand the Tribe and bring new members into the ranks. She could remember being told that cats who had taken a mate but decided they wouldn't have kittens was frowned upon. She could remember being a young cat, seeing older cats take multiple mates, even. And though Eagle found herself growing up not feeling any strong attraction to any cats in particular, she still followed through with her duty. She approached Glory, a fellow prey-hunter who she held a great respect for, and told him that she wished to help expand the Tribe but did not have a mate. The two made an agreement to have kits - not because they loved each other, but because they both felt it was their duty to do so.

Eagle could remember some cats giving her stares when she left the kit-mothers' roost rather early - as soon as her kittens were weaned, she demanded to be a part of hunting patrols once more. But how could the Tribe judge her? She'd had the only litter of kits in the entire season - at least she was still contributing to the life of the Tribe, at least she was still bearing kits. No, she never loved Glory, and she didn't think she ever would, but at least they did something.

"You know what?" Eagle finally spoke, the fur along her pelt finally softening once more, "You're right, Opossum." The brown tabby looked down for a quick moment before raising her eyes to the sky above, hues of purple and orange slowly rising over the horizon, the stars above slowly disappearing from sight as the sun inched its way into the sky. "In fact, I think it's rather generous of you to say they're thinking about improving life for the cats to come in the future. Many of our Tribemates - they are selfish, and think of none other than themselves, much less the Ancestors watching over us or those they are supposed to protect."

She turned her head now to Opossum, her green eyes glinting in the rising sun, "After all, you are out here alone. It is the duty of our cave-guards to accompany prey-hunters on their patrols, such that they might run into a predator that they couldn't face alone. You and I both know that they are taught and instructed not to hunt, so if they are not doing their duty in keeping you company, and they are not providing food and filling bellies, what are they doing for the Tribe?" Although Eagle could easily feel that this could be a chance for her to start slipping up and to spiral out, she managed to remain calm in her words. She continued to speak in an even, almost unemotional tone, as she always did. Her words were always pointed and direct, devoid of feeling, as though doing nothing more but stating simple facts. Perhaps that's what she was doing in this exact moment: stating facts. "You have helped open my eyes, Opossum," she then added, giving her head a light bow towards the spiritual tabby at her side. "Maybe the Ancestors wanted to make sure I spoke to you - they knew you had wisdom to share, and knew it was a tragedy to go unheard. I'm honoured that they chose me, knowing that I would listen to what you held dear, and not write you off as others might have done."

"If our cave-guards won't help protect you, as is their duty, then I am happy to stretch myself to what is required of me." Eagle stood on all four paws, moving in front of Opossum, "Allow me to be an extra set of eyes and ears for you, to look out for danger." In reality, it was the exact thing that Eagle had always wanted in her life regardless - though Opossum was younger than her, it was possible that she remembered Eagle's own Rite of Passage. Eagle had trained as hard as possible to be a Cave-Guard, only to fail her Rite three times, and be forced to train in the ways of being a Prey-Hunter, and pass her Rite the first time with flying colours. She had wanted to prove that regardless of being on the slightly smaller side, it would not hold her back from protecting her Tribemates. She had wanted to prove her strength, and she was not granted that chance.

Maybe in this single act, she could show Opossum that she was someone who could be trusted - someone who would listen, and even protect her if need be. Though Eagle did not share her beliefs in the Ancestors as deeply, she hoped that perhaps she had found the right words to sway her fellow Prey-Hunter. Show Opossum that she could trust. That's all Eagle needed.

Aqua / opossum ● 1115 words

[Aqua]

There was a very long pause as Eagle stood at Opossum's side. The she-cat's eyes were no longer focused on Opossum's appearance and were instead staring at some point in the distance. The words that the grey she-cat had spoke seemed to trigger some sort of reaction in the other she-cat. Maybe a sort of thought or memory that made her zone out in that moment. Her fur slightly rises and falls all in a quick burst as Opossum watched the other prey hunter. Perhaps her spiritual beliefs were just too much for Eagle to handle. That always seemed to be the case when cats had shown an interest before. Her thoughts on the Ancestors were too intense for others to follow along with, making them shy away from trying to learn more. So she was sure this was the same in Eagle's circumstance, the pause getting a little too long for her to think otherwise.

Opossum was a spiritual cat by choice and since she could not communicate directly with her religious guides, she had to go by her gut feeling. It wasn't necessarily something that was like set in stone from above. Just more so how she interpreted what she saw whether it be true or not. But one thing remained constant in all of her logic, the Ancestors were higher beings than the living. How else could they predict rough times for the future and be able to communicate when they are no longer of the physical realm? Call it magic or what you will but those who had passed held a power the Tribe did not. Underestimating their power could prove fatal for every cat in the Tribe if it came down to it. Period.

"You know what?"

Opossum's ears perked as the other she-cat seemed to snap out of whatever daze she had fallen into. She then goes on to tell Opossum that she is right but gives her tribemates more credit than they deserve. The she-cat stares at Eagle for a moment. The tabby had a good point of her own here. Many cats were selfish and thought highly of themselves, their greed overshadowing any thoughts of the Ancestors before them. That seemed to be a big downfall to it all, having cats that clearly had not received the same strict teachings on how to act in the Tribe. Or that was her best guess on the problem with some cats. Eagle then goes on to question why a cave-guard does not accompany her on her hunts. That was part of their responsibilities to the Tribe so it made no sense to Eagle why they were slacking.

"They probably could careless what happens to me. Too busy guarding the entrance of the cave, where intruders very rarely come close to." Opossum commented on the matter, adding to the questionable antics of the cave-guards. While she was just fine with being out alone, she often forgot that cave-guards were actually required to keep her company. She didn't think it was so much them slacking off but more of a "if we pretend not to see her, she'll leave us alone" kind of deal. Not many cats had kept her company longer than a few passing minutes like Eagle had. Perhaps it was a fear of her spiritual ways. Like she was going to cast some sort of magic over them if they dared join her. She chuckled under her breath at this. She was just highly misunderstood.

Eagle's next words made Opossum freeze, practically holding her breath as the she-cat bows to her. Had the Ancestors sent Eagle here for a reason? Was this meeting some big plan in place? Was it some ploy to get her back into the good graces of the Tribe or something? No one had ever shown her a kindness in this way let alone shown respect to her belief system. So the thought of the Ancestors pretty much rewarding her for her dedication by sending a kind heart made her heart race in her chest. Her way of life was actually being noticed by someone or something and that's all the mattered.

"I usually enjoy my alone time out here but if it would help ease your worry, I would be ok with it." The she-cat meows, smiling happily at the tabby. If Eagle was sent by the Ancestors, Opossum would be an ungrateful fool to turn her away. The prospect of having a new "friend" sort of scared the she-cat but she was ready to overcome the obstacle if that was what those above had intended. It would take some time to trust and warm up to the other prey hunter but Opossum was willing to learn.

^{Made by Aqua || Tagged: xvinn || Words: #789}

[xvinn]

shadow of soaring (eagle) (she/her) | tribe of forgotten waters

For a brief moment, there was a feeling inside of Eagle that stirred that she had not felt for a very long time, though she could not quite find the right word to describe it. But for the time being, the prey hunter raised her head and met Opossum's gaze, "I am more than happy to let you have your peace," she reassured her, "I trust you don't need me only a tail-length away from you at all times, anyways. And thankfully, unlike most of the cave-guards, I actually know how to keep quiet," there was almost a light purr of amusement rumbling in Eagle as she spoke, only just lightly slandering her fellow tribemates. She hoped that her tone of voice would allow the seed to only just lightly be planted, without causing a stir by making it seem like nothing more than a harmless joke, "So I can find a place to keep an eye out without scaring off any prey you might be tracking down."

It wasn't entirely false anyways. Eagle had lost count of the amount of times she'd had failed hunts due to a lumbering cave-guard walking so heavily that the mice down in the valley could probably feel it beneath their tiny paws. Or they'd trip over a rock and swear at the Ancestors at the top of their lungs, scaring away every bird from here to the Tribe's old home. But with her stalking and stealthing abilities that she'd mastered from seasons of hunting prey, Eagle would have no trouble blending in to the world around the pair, seemlessly blending in with the shadows so as to not disturb anything that Opossum might try to catch.

The tabby turned a moment, looking for a good place to keep an eye out on both her fellow prey-hunter and the skies above for any dangerous creatures that might want to swoop down and make a snack out of either of them. When such a place among the brush seemed to be appropriate, she began moving towards it. Yet, halfway there, Eagle stopped. She turned around to Opossum once more and stared for only a whisker's breath, "And Opossum?" she said, her intonation almost light through her usual monotone straight-speaking voice, "Thank you."

She wasn't entirely sure Opossum would understand. But maybe there had been something ringing true in Eagle's words earlier about the Ancestors sending her out here. In truth, she had simply been trying to gain the cat's trust, make her feel comfortable around her, and feel as though she could trust her if there were something she needed. She knew she could twist the idea of the fate from the Ancestors even from the little she knew of Opossum in order to try and reach that piece of her, but something seemed to ping in Eagle as well. She had wanted to be a cave-guard when she was young, but had been unable to pass her rite to become one, and when Skyteller made her try the prey-hunter rite, she passed with flying colours. It had stung, and she had tried to make up for it by being the greatest prey-hunter that she could be, prove that she could stand above the rumours and the whispers of the cats who looked at her odd for going through something that was somewhat of a taboo. But now, with Opossum, she could be a cave-guard, even for only a few moments while the fellow she-cat finished up her hunting. Maybe it would be only for a single morning, but maybe the Ancestors did mean for Eagle to come out here, and finally feel the joy of the responsibility to look out for another cat. To watch someone else's back while they concentrated on their duties. To prove that any cat could - and perhaps should learn to fight and stand their ground.

It was a silly thought. Sure, the Ancestors could do many great things, but this was probably not one of them. But it still meant something to Eagle, and she was grateful for it nonetheless.

Aqua / opossum ● 682 words