[BlooRey DVD]

Brokensong
~~~~~

The tortoiseshell tabby she-cat felt light as a feather. She was trotting along side a large, ginger tabby tom, with eyes similar to hers. The she-cat's eyes were alight with joy as she giggled silently, her tail swishing happily as she moved. The tom at her side chuckled, shifting to butt her slightly as they walked. Brokensong stopped, lowering herself into a playful crouch, tail swishing back and forth as she pinned the tom with her gaze. The ginger cat blinked at her, his own, rather thick tail flicking with something between alarm and joy. When he spoke, his voice was a deep rumble, and the affection in it was clear. "Are you challenging your poor, old father? I'm much to old for games like that, Brokensong!" He purred. His daughter, however, did not give up. She continued with her lowered position, tail flicking rhythmically as she waited. A silent staring contest ensued, until finally, the large ginger tom dropped into an identical position.

Suddenly, they both launched themselves at one another, locking in what could almost look like a dance. They swatted playfully at each other, claws sheathed. Brokensong managed to land a solid bonk to her father's nose, and her face lit up with glee. Her father, however, was larger than she was, and soon she found herself pinned beneath him. She shook in silent laughter as she used her back paws to push at his stomach. The whole thing was a game to them, and there was never any sign of aggression in either of them. The older tom chuckled as he stepped off of his daughter, allowing her to stand once more. The pair shook out their coat, and the ginger tom stepped forward to nudge his daughter affectionately. "Come on, Brokensong. Enough games. We are supposed to be hunting, remember?" Brokensong gave a silent huff but nodded her head none the less. Her tail twitched as she lifted her nose into the air. The pair were both scenting for any sign of prey, and had anyone been around, it would have been remarkable how similar the two seemed to be. Though their coats were different, and the tom obviously much larger, there was still a similarity between them, in their build, and in their coat length.

The ginger tom turned to his daughter, his voice low. "I think I scent something over here. I'm going to go check it out. You head that way and I'll circle around to meet you, in a bit, okay?" As the tom spoke, his tail flicked, indicating the directions they were to take. The mute she-cat gave an enthusiastic nod of her head before nudging her father back, and taking off in the direction he had indicated.

Without her father's company, the she-cat's mind began to wander. She thought back to the times she had spent with that tom she'd met in StarClan's Claws. Zuma. At the thought of him, her heart gave a helpless little flutter. She found herself sighing silently, moving but not aware of her surroundings. She knew she should be hunting, and that her father would wonder why she hadn't caught anything when they met up. But... She couldn't give him and answer anyway, so why did it matter. As the beautiful torbie weaved in and out of the trees, a dull recognition lifted within her, and she began to register that she had once again ended up at StarClan's Claws. She couldn't help but wonder why her paws always seemed to take her there. With a soft smile she began to head away, intending to meet her father once more.

[Fawn]

ZUMA!

---

Contrary to how some Clans were dealing with the change of the weather and the subsequent flooding that came with it, the family of five that lived discreetly nearby had been completely dry since the big thaw began. After the rivers had grown swollen with the melted ice and runoff of the liquifying snowbanks, Zuma's thoughts had instantly turned to the beautiful mute she-cat he knew dwelt in the Clan nestled within the trees. After slipping away from another one of Shatani's tyrannical rants, Zuma had insisted on checking up on Brokensong first.

Well, she was Silentsong to him, and always would be; he dared anyone to correct him. Stepping through pools of sunlight, the handsome brown tabby strode like a tiger to the edge of TreeClan's forest, amber eyes keen and clear and primed for even the slightest hint of orange and black fur, his heart pounding in his ears as his stomach took to it's usual regiment of fluttering like a thousand moths were all trapped inside of him.

He didn't know what he'd do with himself if anything had happened to her. It was funny, how your life changed so quickly and so deeply just because that one perfect thing had come in at the right time. When you found just what you needed - whether you'd been aware you'd needed it or not - trying to live without it was like trying to live without a heart. Mouth open, the brown muscular tabby set foot over the boundary, not even a flicker of fear or worry or remorse crossed his features, his mind already made up that he would find her even if he had to walk right into the middle of TreeClan's camp.

Not that he knew where it was, but he'd find it. Oh he'd find it even if he had to--

Zuma's tawny ears perked forward and his footsteps unconsciously sped up as a tantalizingly familiar scent tickled the glands on the roof of his mouth, sending his heart into ecstatic tumbles within his ribcage. Silentsong! He spotted her the moment he thought of her name, and bore a grin as he sprang over the log that separated them, the path to StarClan's Claws at his back with his eyes utterly locked on the beautiful tortoiseshell in front.
"Hey!" He mewed, making no attempt to mask the excitement in his voice, a purr rumbling out of his light-colored throat as he leaned forward to brush his jaw across the top of Brokensong's ears, standing back and smiling. It had been practically involuntary, personal space abandoned for that one spontaneous moment he had thrown caution to the wind and gave a more intimate greeting than initially planned. "I was worried about you because of all the snow melting - glad to see you're okay! Say, you didn't meet anyone else while we were apart, didya?"

He was only half serious, of course. She was an awfully pretty she-cat in a Clan full of probably many eligible bachelors, why WOULDN'T she have met anyone else besides him? Unless he'd made a good impression. A very very good impression - the kind of first impression the other toms couldn't quite compare to.
Orrrr not.
Before he could fret too much about what was on her mind and in her heart, an unfamiliar scent rode in from the wind and made him pause.

[BlooRey DVD]

Brokensong
~~~~~~~~~

The beautiful she-cat had been walking, lost in her thoughts when a voice broke through. "Hey!" Immediately, the she-cat's ears spun, recognizing the voice almost instantly. "I was worried about you because of all the snow melting - glad to see you're okay! Say, you didn't meet anyone else while we were apart, didya?" She was a little stunned as he stepped forward and brushed his chin over her head, but at first, she didn't mind it. That tell tale, silent purr that he always seemed to command forth rumbled in her throat as she rubbed her cheek against him. For a moment, everything was perfect, and she stepped back, a playful glint in her eyes as they rolled slightly. Then, something caught her attention. Seconds before a cat appeared from the bushes, a scent drifted by her nose. Her heart clenched suddenly and a look of sheer horror crossed her features. She back pedalled slightly, tossing her head, desperately trying to get him to run. Oh, why did he have to come now? Either he, she didn't care! If only one of them could have delayed slightly...

Suddenly she bumped into something. Something furry and warm. Her ears flattened against her head and she sprang away from whatever it had been. But she knew what it was. Knew who it was. Her green eyes locked with those of her father. There was obvious confusion in his gaze as he silently set the mouse that was clamped between his jaws down on the side. When he lifted his head, it became obvious to Brokensong that every move he made was deliberate and calculated. His gaze skimmed over her and locked onto this strange tom. He didn't smell of any Clan, so the older warrior knew he must be a loner. Why in the name of StarClan was he here then? And why had he been so... Affectionate with his daughter? Oh yes, he'd seen them. He'd been in the trees, but he'd seen them nonetheless. Something wasn't right here and the ginger tom knew it.

Brokensong was almost never afraid of her father. Even when he was angry, tail lashing and teeth bared, she wasn't afraid of him. She knew that, no matter what, he would never be able to hurt her, never be able to harm his Broken Little Song Bird. Now, however, Brokensong found herself holding back a tremble. Nothing scared her more than when her father was silent. He was never silent. Much like Zuma, Thonrshadow normally spoke enough for the two of them. Now, however, he didn't make a sound. He only examined the loner carefully, green gaze narrowed. Without turning his attention away from the other tom, Thornshadow addressed his daughter, his voice stern, but obviously confused. "Brokensong... Someone had better explain to me what this loner is doing on TreeClan territory."

For now, the ginger tom avoided the subject of his daughter's affection towards the tom. He'd play as though he hadn't seen it for now. A part of him hoped that it had been his imagination. In his mind, Brokensong could never do anything wrong. She was such an innocent, generous she-cat. There must be a reasonable explanation. ...Right?

[Fawn]

ZUMA!

---

To any other average loner, the presence of a TreeClan tom with that inborn distrust of anything outside his Clan would have created some tension or apprehension on the loner's end of things. However, this was not your typical loner. Zuma grinned at the arrival of Thornshadow, almost nonchalant in his delivery as the brown tom offered a semblance of an explanation. "Well the loner was worried about her because of the flood, so he showed up to check on her. I'm Zuma, by the way."

He didn't ask for a name right away, but rather his golden eyes scanned the older feline's body structure, having first noted the similarities between the two TreeClan cats the moment Thornshadow had arrived. They were definitely related, and Brokensong had never mentioned (well, mimed) having siblings.
"You must be her father!" He mewed with an obvious air of energy, his behavior shifting into one that was more open and friendly despite Thornshadow's likely standoffish behavior - as though they were old friends who hadn't seen one another in a while. "Congratulations," he said with a fond glance at Brokensong, gently nudging her shoulder with his own, not wanting to overstep too many boundaries while her Dad was right here. (He did have SOME sense in these types of situations, but not much)
"Your daughter is very beautiful and kind, you must be proud."

That was the right thing to say to someone's father, wasn't it?

He hadn't exactly done this before. Awaiting Thornshadow's response, Zuma couldn't prevent the wandering of his honey-colored eyes to their corners, catching Brokensong out of his peripherals so that he might perform a visual check, just in case she hadn't been entirely truthful about being 'fine'. She could've hurt her paw and not cared to explain it to him, but he would've undoubtedly wanted to know. Even if she got a torn claw he would've still cared.

Realizing his thoughts were running away from him, Zuma shifted his focus back to the other tom, noticing the silence, the calculation and the necessary caution that came with situations like these. He lowered his haunches to the ground in a sitting position, not wanting to come off too...strong. Though chances were, he'd already come on pretty strong already. Whoops. And yet...did he really mind? He was going to check up on the she-cat he cared about no matter what any cat said or did. This was out of Thornshadow's paws - the sooner the tom came to accept this, the better it would be for the both of him. He need not worry though, she was going to be well looked after.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:000000]Broken[/smear:ff6633][smear:ff6633]song[/smear:ffffff]
feat. [smear:ff6600]Thornshadow[/smear:663300]
~~~~~~~~~~

"Well the loner was worried about her because of the flood, so he showed up to check on her. I'm Zuma, by the way." Needless to say, this comment left Thornshadow.... More than a little stunned. The older, ginger tom stared at the loner - this Zuma, - the shock clear across his features. He couldn't put together why a loner would be concerned about the wellbeing of a Clan cat, especially his daughter. With the scene he'd seen before, however, there was something... Almost uneasy trickling through his veins. "You must be her father!" The tom gave a slight nod of acknowledgment, indicating that he was indeed Brokensong's father. Still, he could not shake the quiet unease that had gripped him. So he stayed silent as Zuma went on. "Congratulations, your daughter is very beautiful and kind, you must be proud." The tom's green eyes blinked slowly, before travelling back to the she-cat in question. "Uh... Thank you. I am very proud of her." He said simply, still a little shocked as his gaze shifted back to Zuma.

It was around this time that Brokensong seemed to come to life again. She stood up, timidly at first, glancing between her father and her friend. Yes, in her mind, he was her friend. She hadn't yet come to the realization that her heart was telling her something very different and very important. She waved her tail, drawing her father's attention away from Zuma. She stomped her paw slightly, giving an exaggerated exhale before nodding her head at Thornshadow and gazing at him expectantly. The ginger tom blinked at his daughter before clearing his throat, turning to address the tom once more. "I... I'm Thornshadow, Brokensong's father, as you pointed out." He paused again, watching as his daughter shifted ever so slightly closer to the tom, as though he were a magnet pulling her towards him. He did his best to ignore it and focus on the tom, as he was having a conversation with Zuma, not so much his daughter. That wasn't to say he was blatantly ignoring her. Oh no, he loved her too much to do that. He was really just trying to figure out what was going on. His daughter was an angel to him, and if what he figured was going on was indeed happening... Then there must be a way that it was okay.

And he would find that way. He was well aware of how strong of a bond love could be, and if this was the tom that she chose, or rather, her heart, then so be it. He wasn't going to try and break them apart. His mind drifted to the love of his life, Brokensong's mother, who had passed away moons ago, and a little bit of sadness could be seen glinting in his eyes. He suppressed it as soon as he could, straightening slightly. "If you don't mind... I'd like for a chance to speak with you, Zuma." His gaze drifted to his daughter for a moment, before he added softly. "Alone..."

The tortoiseshell tabby gave a small dip of her head, reaching out to nudge Zuma softly and offer him a small smile. She rose to her paws, padding past her father, pausing momentarily to lock gazes with him. The larger, ginger tabby looked down at his daughter, before giving her a soft smile and nuzzling her lovingly. "I'll be nice, I promise." He told her. And with that as reassurance, the tortie continued on by, her figure disappearing in the undergrowth, with one last glance at Zuma.

Once Brokensong had left, Thornshadow took a few steps forward, closing the distance between them slightly, making it more of a conversation than a standoff. He sat down, much like Zuma was, putting them on relatively even ground. He wanted the tom to feel comfortable. Not that Zuma appeared to need any help. Even so, Thornshadow made the extra effort, before stating simply. "Alright, Zuma... I'd like to know just what is happening here, if you don't mind me asking."

[Fawn]

ZUMA!

---

"Alright, Zuma... I'd like to know just what is happening here, if you don't mind me asking."

"I don't mind," he mewed calmly, tail tip curled like a shepherd's crook at the top. It was only fair that a father would want to know what his daughter was up to - she was his world, after all, and rightly so. Though he had wanted to keep his gaze on Brokensong as she left the two toms to themselves, Zuma knew that it would probably make a better impression if he gave Thornshadow his full attention and the respect he deserved, as Brokensong's father. Rasping his tongue over his chest twice before answering, Zuma settled for the blunt - but honest - approach rather than beating around the bush.
"I like your daughter more than anything or anyone else that I've ever met in my whole life. She's beautiful and kind and funny, she likes watching the stars and looks best when she laughs. I could go on, but I'm sure you already know that about her and more." He felt that warm bubble of air in his chest begin to fill up even further, eyes glowing with warmth he was dead certain he had never felt before - and never would again, for as long as he lived. Words resonant and as deeply earnest as he could make them, Zuma continued, gaze locked on the facial features of Thornshadow, not relenting for a moment as he poured out just what it was that was happening, and had been happening for a few sunrises, at least.

"I've never been in love before, Thornshadow, but I'd bet all four paws and my tail that this is what it's supposed to feel like. I haven't - I mean, I don't know how to tell her that, yet, but I think starting off by saying her Dad doesn't mind and wishes us well would be a good place to begin." He dared himself to grin with enigmatic hopefulness at the older tom, realizing he had given him a lot to take in - but he didn't want Thornshadow to feel like he was being bamboozled, or that Zuma had to think too much before speaking so that the father of the cat he cared about very deeply would think he was somehow being false or insincere with Brokensong's feelings.

He really did like her. Zuma didn't know how to make that any more obvious than he already had, short of shouting out in the middle of a Clan gathering at StarClan's Claws - which he would probably do, if it wouldn't cause heaps of trouble for poor Brokensong. The objective was to make her happy, not public enemy number one!

...and probably try to avoid becoming public enemy number one himself, either in the eyes of all five Clans, or in the eyes of Brokensong's father, who had yet to say anything...

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff6600]Thornshadow[/smear:663300]
~~~~~~~~~~~

The large ginger tom stared at the other tom, dumbfounded for a moment. Zuma did not play games, that was for sure. Green eyes forgot to blink until it was nearly painful, causing Brokensong's father to shake his head and close his eyes for a moment. So many things were spinning through his mind. He thought he had prepared himself in the amount of time between seeing the exchange between his daughter and this tom, and now, but it seemed nothing could have prepared him for actually hearing the words. He didn't open his eyes to meet Zuma's immediately. Instead, he remained where he was, eyes closed, tail completely motionless as it all began to sink in. Silence took a comfortable seat in the area as Thornshadow stood motionless.

Finally, he lifted his head, green eyes coming to life once more. He locked his gaze with Zuma's, dismissing the tightness he felt in his heart. The part of him that had been born and raised a warrior did not agree to this one bit. There was another part of him, however, that was stronger than his warrior thinking. That part of him was the father within him. It showed in his eyes, the strength of the deep rooted emotion he felt for the tortoiseshell tabby he was lucky enough to call his daughter.

"She's been so happy these past few days. I would assume that you and Brokensong met not so long ago, right around the time joy brightened her features, no matter how late she stayed out at night. There are no words that could sum up the way I feel seeing my daughter so happy. And if it is indeed all related back to you... I could never take that away from her. I'd face all of StarClan before I dared." He motioned with a nod to the sky, just in case this tom wasn't aware of what StarClan was. With a pause to gather his thoughts, the tom continued.

"I cannot say she realizes the way she feels about you just yet, but I can see it in her. She's always been a physical she-cat, as it is the best way for her to communicate. But it has never looked as... Intimate as it does when she's with you. You hold a special place in her heart, Zuma, I won't deny that. She'll come to the realization soon enough, but there is one thing you must realize. She cannot live with one paw in each world. The road ahead will not be easy for either of you. What is developing between the two of you is something that is frowned upon in the world in which Brokensong and I live. If you wish to continue with her in your life... A decision will have to be made, I hope you understand."

He looked the younger tom straight in the face, displaying just how important this was when it came to his daughter. "One of you will have to join the other's world." The words hung heavily in the air. None of what he had said had exactly been a question, however, more just statements that he threw out into the world. It was for that reason the tom continued on, his voice considerably lighter. "Pushing that aside for the time being however... Seeing as Brokensong can't exactly tell you things herself... Do you have any questions regarding her life? Regarding me? Anything at all?"

[Fawn]

ZUMA!

"One of you will have to join the other's world."

Perhaps they should've, but Zuma did not feel so much as a ripple of fear as a ripple of excitement, viewing the merging of two worlds - or rather, the choosing of one over the other - to be the grandest of adventures. It wouldn't quite be worth it without a few risks, right? The risk that TreeClan would loathe or reject him. The risk that he would cause a few problems for Brokensong - the risk that he wasn't cut out for Clan life.
Well my mother WAS a Clan cat at one point...

Though he didn't really want to use his mother's failed Clan-background as proof of his own successful future. Still, Thornshadow had given him much to think over, expression seemingly fixed on introspective, golden eyes brimming with the weight of decision versus consequence.

Thornshadow's next question, however, chucked any potential concerns he might have over joining Brokensong's world right into the next territory, the muscular brown tom's posture shifting with visible excitement. Any questions?
"Oh I've probably got too many!" Purred Zuma, chuckling, a million questions all fluttering around in the cage of his mind like small birds, each one squawking and flitting to and fro in an effort to make itself noticed. Before he could get to any lighthearted inquiries, however, Zuma, eyes full of slightly defensive protectiveness over the cat to whom they were speaking, addressed Thornshadow with a slightly guarded tone.
"Why did you name her Brokensong? She's not broken. She's quiet."

Why didn't anyone GET that?
Just because the beautiful TreeClan tortoiseshell cat could not utter a single word or make any sort of noise at all did not somehow make her damaged goods or some foxdung like that!

Trying to hold back how passionately he opposed her name, Zuma licked his left paw and swiped it over his whiskerpads, as though he might literally wash away any negative feelings, intending to let Thornshadow explain himself first. All of the things her father had spoken to him just now...the fact that HE was the cause of her happiness, of making her day a little brighter than it normally would be had made Zuma feel lighter than air, and twice as protective now that he had a father's word that Brokensong felt something for him. The fact that there was a sliver of a chance that their feelings were mutual and not so heavily on his side alone had made the brown tabby loner feel like he had to do anything to make sure their budding, sincere affection matured into genuine, unshakeable love. It was like finding a scrawny sapling in the middle of winter; if he wanted to make sure it reached it's maximum potential, he would have to shelter it from the elements, protect it from anything that might hurt it until it could stand up strongly on it's own.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff6600]Thornshadow[/smear:663300]
~~~~~~~~~

There were many questions that the orange tom could have expected to be asked. The one that finally made it out of the other tom's mouth, however, was one he hadn't thought of. His daughter had always been Brokensong to him. To the Clan. She'd never seemed to be unhappy with her name, and now one questioned it, or thought different of her because of her name. Or at least he hoped no one did. With a flick of his long furred tail, the TreeClan warrior considered Zuma for a moment. He found it rather interesting that of every single question he could have asked, this was the one the tabby chose to ask. It made Thornshadow realize that his daughter was at the forefront of the other tom's mind. Zuma wasn't selfish.

"Brokensong's name originated from a nickname my mate had given her... We were late in naming her, as nothing seemed to befit a she-kit such as she. She was a quiet one right from the beginning, which is understandable now. Before, however... We didn't know she would never be able to speak. When we did receive the news, however, my mate took to calling her 'My Broken Little Songbird'." A sad smile crossed the tom's lips as he appeared to gaze off in the distance somewhere. It seemed as though he wasn't exactly there, that his mind and spirit were elsewhere, perhaps in another time. "She loved Brokensong so much... We were hesitant to name her Brokenkit... After all, that sounds pretty terrible, doesn't it? But when we tried it out, she didn't seem to mind. She was our Broken Little Songbird, and she'd already grown accustomed to the nickname, so we didn't want her to have to grow used to something completely different. The last part of her name... It also arose because of her nickname. This time, however, it was to... " He paused for a moment, swallowing slightly, a flicker of sadness visible for a brief moment in his gaze.

"It was to honour the memory of my mate. By the time Brokensong became a warrior, her mother had died a few moons back. And so... Broken Little Songbird became Brokensong. The memory of my mate lives on within my daughter. Not just to her, but to all of us, I think. I think I understand your surprise. However, what you must note is that our names do not always define who we are inside. We are not saying she is broken by giving her the name Brokensong. If that were true, then it would seem that I myself am a thorn." A smile played upon his lips here as he flicked an ear slightly.

After a moment's pause, he focused his gaze back upon the other tom. "I hope that has answered your question at least a little bit. If not, I can attempt to explain further... If you are satisfied with that answer, and you have other things you would like to ask, as I believe you mentioned you have many of them, I'm all ears." The older tom's tail was wrapped around his paws as he shifted lightly, awaiting the younger tom's response. He couldn't seem to shake off the thought that Zuma had brought up about his daughter's name, however. Had he and his mate made a mistake when they named their daughter Brokensong..?

[Fawn]

ZUMA!

In light of the true meaning behind Brokensong's name, Zuma's thoughts on the matter shifted ever so slightly - well, his insistence in calling her Silentsong over her given name was no longer fueled by indignation over the whole thing. So the purpose for calling her 'Broken' wasn't negative at all, despite that being a very negative word in his head. The odd brown tabby loner sat in a contemplating silence for a few moments, letting the words sink in, letting his imagination stretch and picture the beautiful - for she must've been, to have Brokensong for a daughter - Larkfern looking down with a mother's love at a tiny, utterly mute kitten. It had been a term of endearment, full of softness and warmth rather than malice and cynicism.

"Thanks for explaining that," mewed the tom with an earnest twitch of the whiskers, his countenance radiating none of the defense he'd been holding onto before. To him, it would still ring in his ears as something a kit should never be called, but now that he understood the name's origins, he could understand why Brokensong had reacted with surprise when he'd been so indignant over discovering her name in the first place.

Grateful to have so important a question answered, Zuma bore a smile full of ivory, the charismatic aura around him stronger now for the affection he felt for the she-cat he had never met - Larkfern, who had had only good intentions in naming Brokensong such a thing.
"What was her training like? Who was her mentor - actually, does she have any close friends?" Rattling off a quick list, Zuma's head cocked slightly to one side, as the last question had been a surprise even to the cat who had asked it. Does Brokensong have any close friends I should meet?

It was only to be expected that he would want to make a good impression on anyone that was close to her. Of course, if some of her friends didn't warm up to him - like that Featherpaw - then it wouldn't be the end of the world. He would pursue her no matter what; love had a funny way of blocking everything else out but the one you felt the strongest feelings for. Everyone else were like shrubs - in the background and otherwise ignored - whenever his mind wandered to the cat who had stolen his heart so quickly.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff6600]Thornshadow[/smear:663300]
~~~~~~~

Thornshadow flicked his tail with a small grin as he watched the tom before him. It had taken a few moments of pondering from the brown tabby, but it seemed that Zuma was satisfied with the answer given to him by the older tom. He flicked his ear, interested in the fact he seemed to know a little bit about the way the Clan's training system worked. With a sweep of his tail, he began his answer to this next question. "Brokensong was mentored by a tom by the name of Larchclaw. He was very patient with her, thank StarClan. But she progressed well. She could still hear what her mentor was saying and see what he was trying to teach her, it was simply harder for her to ask questions, as you can imagine. They were both very good with it though. There were some who were skeptical as to whether she would become a warrior at the normal age..." His voice trailed off slightly, the briefest hesitation present as he gave himself a moment to collect himself.

"But when Larkfern, her mother, passed away, it seemed to fuel something within her in her young years. She trained harder than ever. I strongly believe that she did it for her mother. By twelve moons, she was a warrior, just as she should have been. As for friends... Close friendships are a little hard for her to develop, all things considered. It was especially hard in her apprentice years. Now that she's a warrior... I think everyone matures a little more, or pays a little more attention to you after you become a warrior. She's begun to expand her circle a little bit more. I've seen her now and again with a tom known as Barkbite... But the easiest way to put it is that, to Brokensong, everyone is her friend. It's simply a matter of whether or not that feeling is one sided, or mutual. I do apologize for not knowing more in that department, Zuma"

He frowned slightly, ears spinning slightly as he listened to the forest subconsciously. He pondered for a moment, fairly certain that he had answered each of the questions the younger tom had spewed out to the best of his abilities. Lowering his green gaze to meet the other tom's, he tipped his head slightly. "You seem as though you're itching with many more questions. Anything else I might be able to answer?"

OOC: Bleh, short post. Sorry Fawn!

[Fawn]

ZUMA!

It both made perfect sense and no sense at all as to why Brokensong did not have more friends. On one paw, he understood that there might be some difficulty that came with attempting to communicate and relate and share things with a she-cat who could not answer you back, but on the other paw, he had no trouble communicating with her whatsoever and therefore the others must be lazy-good-for-nothings who needed to try harder. Or just weren't worth the friendship, honestly. She was such a wonderful creature - almost like a tall tale, a forest spirit who did not speak but could feel and think and reach out and touch your life if you just listened or looked hard enough. Perhaps her muteness was a gift rather than a curse? (though he had personally never viewed it as a curse to begin with, though some cats might) It would serve to weed out the bad ones, the cats who did not deserve the kind of innocent, supportive, forgiving friendship that she offered.

Warmed at the thought of Brokensong having such a patient mentor, he could turn the page on that subject with the knowledge that she had been treated well, and was continuously treated well amongst her Clanmates. In response to more questions, however, Zuma's jaws parted with an apprentice's eagerness before a new mentor patient and kind enough to allow them to ask questions - before thoughtfulness took over.
"I do have plenty more, but you deserve to have your questions answered too," Zuma spoke with his usual humorous, charismatic tone, despite a brief glint of regret darting across gleaming yellow oculars, the tawny tom unconsciously sitting up straighter at the thought of his mother.

He did not want to share his past with Thornshadow. He did not want to give the tom reason to doubt his intentions, or worse yet, reason to think he was a bad cat in general, not worthy of her daughter (which he sometimes doubted, though he was certain of how much he cared about her, and always vowed to work harder to be the kind of cat she deserved) and thus call the conversation to an abrupt and unpleasant halt. Still, Thornshadow deserved the truth. He had been honest with him, and it was good manners to return the favor. Besides, Zuma hated lying. He liked Thornshadow too much to ever think of pulling the wool over the older tom's eyes, or somehow twisting his words to make himself look better in the eyes of a cat who meant so much to Brokensong.

"I answer any question you have," restated Zuma, determination apparent in the way he spoke those words, as though swearing an oath before a Clan leader. "Even if some of those answers aren't what you expect or wanted to hear."

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff6600]Thornshadow[/smear:663300]
~~~~~~

The ginger tom watched Zuma with a polite interest. He certainly wasn't expecting what Zuma said, but it made sense, he supposed. Thornshadow had answered some of Zuma's questions, and it was true that the older tom did have some questions of his own. After all, he'd only just met Zuma. He didn't know anything about this tom, other than the fact that his daughter had taken a keen interest in him. How could he be certain that Zuma wasn't a threat to Brokensong? The ginger warrior didn't care how much his tortoiseshell tabby daughter liked this tom, or how much it would break his heart to break hers, he wasn't about to let Brokensong be around a tom who might pose a threat to her in the end. Her safety meant everything to him. He'd take on StarClan alone just to defend her from harm.

It was bizarre, however, that there was a piece of him that hoped this tom would check out in the end. The joy this tabby brought Brokensong wasn't something that could be created out of thin air. It stemmed from deep within her heart. His mate used to tell her stories when she was young, stories of falling in love, that moment when you meet the one you were meant for, and you just know. He'd found that in Larchfern, which made the stories real to him. For Brokensong, however, they'd always been sort of like a dream, that bit just out of reach that, no matter how hard you tried, you could never quite reach them.

He wondered if she felt its true strength just yet. He knew that, occasionally, the feeling didn't grow, didn't spread its wings until much later. It originated as a soft flutter, a warmth. But eventually, it turned into an all consuming fire, and you just knew.

With a flick of an ear, he realized that he'd left Zuma hanging for a while. With a deep breath to signify the end of his thinking period, he straightened slightly, tail tip flicking thoughtfully. "I do have a few questions of my own... But I suppose that the most pressing one I can think of is... Assuming my thoughts are correct and you are a loner, as you don't carry the scent of any of the Clans, I do have to wonder at where you spend your days. And do you have any family, or is it just you?"

[Fawn]

ZUMA!

"I wander and hunt along the edges of the Clans' territories, with my back to the forest and my paws on the mountainside, usually." Replied Zuma, pleased that the pensive silence the TreeClanner had fallen into no longer persisted, though it did not completely rid the brown tabby of the gnawing sensation in his gut. "My mother would have my pelt for lining her nest if I told anyone where we live," this wrought a dark chuckle in the air between them, Zuma's eyes flickering with half-humor, half-seriousness as he responded to the latter of the two questions, tail-tip twitching. "Apart from her, I have one brother born before me and a littermate, a sister. I have grown up outside of the reach of the Clans my entire life, and I will admit to being rather curious about how my life would be if I had grown up a Clan cat."

As if he could picture her there, standing just at the edges of his peripherals, the handsome tom drew his gaze from the calm expression of Thornshadow to the abrupt left, looking in the direction he assumed the TreeClan camp to be. "So long as I'd been born in TreeClan, at least." It was fun with a note of bitter-sweetness to imagine how different his kittenhood experiences would have been had he grown up alongside Brokensong, as opposed to wandering through the forest not knowing her at all.

Was it selfish that he would have traded in the practice sessions with each of his parents for the one-on-one lessons of a mentor, able to walk next to Brokenpaw, following after her like the lovestruck tom that he was? It was probably the affection talking, because while independence and a devil may care attitude could not be separated from his being, Zuma was certain he could have dealt well with the rules of Clan life if it meant they could have known each other, and had been in one another's lives far longer then they had already.

Smiling distantly, Zuma refocused upon Thornshadow, wondering if such things had ever crossed the older tom's mind at all. What would we think of each other then, Thornshadow? if I had been a kit, a paw and now a warrior? Zuma knew little of the senior warrior's battle skills or hunting abilities, but for a second or two, he constructed a vision of himself as Thornshadow's apprentice, completely paws over tail in love with Thornshadow's daughter, their relationship one he would come to rely on and fall back on when times were tough.

Ah well.
There was no use wiling away the hours over what could've been, the days that never were. Zuma decided, with a glitter of golden eyes and a small smile, that he would just have to make up for lost time by spending as much of it as he could with Brokensong...

Once he cleared himself a path into TreeClan's midst.