The outlaw's return

Weary paws dreaded through the mire, pulling down hard on his already tired limbs yet he kept on going. It was all he had left. The promise of a better place. The promise of a valley bigger than any of the clan’s territory’s, tree’s so high they touched the sky, and creatures that filled one with wonder and awe. Amongst all these things lived the mountain cats, cats who adopted a different style of life. That promise made him wander, longer and farther than ever before. He had lived so fast his body and mind were becoming weary. The looming tree’s under which he slept in the dusty dirt no longer comforted him and made his bones ache. The uncertainty of everyday, not knowing whether he would make it or not, it was time to move on.

And so he went. Under the watchful eye of the moon, and under the warm embrace of the sun he walked. For a long time. He got lost plenty, panic stricken he would wander some more until the tree’s parted and the looming mountains caught his eye. The mountains. They were his guide. There he had to go to find what he was looking for. What he needed.

And so the thick woodlands began to fade, making way for rolling hills, human city’s, and woodlands once again. But the woodlands under which he now trespassed felt different. The tree’s were as tall as the tails, and the wind that swept past him even smelled different. Once the treck up the mountain begun he was met with heavy resistance. His body wasn’t adjusted to the steep slopes and loose rocks, occasionally he would slip and almost fall. After a particular hard tumble he was sure his leg was broken, but alas it only seemed heavily sprained. Defeated he descended again until he was once again surrounded by high tree’s and mountains, and in the valley he waited.

Gesloten topic.

<sub>Snow came down in thick flakes, dusting the cold, rocky earth of the mountainside. Starteller quietly observed the flakes as they fell, sheltered by the entrance of the Cave of Rushing Water. It had been mere days since she had become the healer of the tribe, mere days since she spent that fateful night with Skyteller up on the ledge near the starpools. It felt so wrong, but at the same time so very right to be there. She had returned as Teller of Fallen Stars, the healer of her tribe and she would attempt to do her tribe justice.

She was not sure what spurred her on the leave the protection of the cave and descend down into the valley. The snowflakes whipped into her face while she walked, surefooted, down the steep mountainpaths. She had been walking those paths ever since she was as young as six moons old. What she hadn't expected however, when she set foot inside a small valley, was to meet a stranger. Her muscles tensed and her hackles rose slightly. She knew that as a healer, she ought to be more welcoming of strangers, but she was wary still. "What brings you to the territory of the Tribe of Rushing Water, stranger?" she mewed, her voice carried by the wind.</sub>

A soft sound, an earthy scent. Talon turned his head to the stranger, his ears pricked in curiosity. He briefly let his gaze wander over her, taking her in as he did, her coat reminded him of a deer- a fawn perhaps. Her eyes were like molten gold and were as unwelcoming as icy frost in winter. By the words ‘tribe of rushing water’ he perked up and fully turned. “I have come to ask you for asylum. ‘Came from far to get here, I’ve been told of cats living in the mountains,” He opened with a cautious tone. He gave her a short nod, more of a courtesy really. “Name’s Talon, and I would like to join your tribe.”

_{Another one, of course. They came to ask for their prey right and left, talking about homes and such. At least this one looked like he was a capable cat, no missing or broken eyes and surely not undersized. But that also made him radiate danger to Starteller. Thus, the fawn hued cat stood up slightly straighter, her tail still and her chest forward. She held her chin high as she regarded the strange tom. Authority radiated from her, she was not one to be trifled with. "My name is Teller of Fallen Stars, I am the healer of the tribe and therefore its leader," she mewed, following his every more. Was he the cat who was able to slaughter her tribemates? Perhaps he had fooled Wisp the same way. "We of the Tribe pride ourselves in our hospitality, but we are no shelter and do not endanger our own. Thus, Talon, why are you seeking asylum?" Her tone was not welcoming, it was cautious and slightly cold. If he proved to be a threat, she would have no problem with sending him where he came from.}

The she-cat locked eyes with him moments before rising up, allowing herself to adjust her posture. Part of him wanted to sneer at the authority, roll his eyes maybe in a juvenile attempt at rebellion or something. He might have done some if he had been 40 moons younger. He kept his gaze on her, staying in his seated position to let her know he was fine with her display. It was his luck that he had run straight into the leader of this tribe, that would make things so much easier. She had introduced herself as Teller of Fallen Stars, and apparently being a healer also meant being a leader. Or maybe they were one and the same? Hell if he knew. Talon’s jaw tightened when she asked him why he sought asylum. Though he had endured many a plenty nights and days to ponder this exact question, he had to admit that in that moment he discarded everything he had practiced. He had a sense that if he wanted to make this thing work from the get go, he might as well just wing it. “I’ve been wanderin’ for a while now. Kinda lost track of myself. Been with a group o’ cats for years, we were nomadic and traveled from place to place, but they are no more. Been wanderin’ some more. My muscles ache, and I am tired of living every day in doubt, always watching over my shoulder, always wondering if I will wake up the next morning or if some cat killed me in my sleep. I’m..” He trailed off for a moment. Well, old wasn’t really the right word was it? He sure felt like it. He killed too many, committed too many sins to count. He just wanted to settle down, he wanted his old life back. But he knew that was never gonna happen. This was the closest he would ever come to living amongst others. Others who were, perhaps, not as lost as his previous companions had been. Talon cleared his throat before continuing. “I- well, I’m just moving on from that live now. I am not stranger to the perils of living on my own, as well as the perils that come when you have to provide for others. Been on my own a while now and like I said, been searching for you ever since I heard of a peaceful group of cats holed up in them mountains.” He gestured with his tail to the mountains that surrounded both cats, loomed over them as silent watchers.  

<sub>Starteller's wary smile tightened when she listened to the tom-cat who spun his tale. He was strategic with his words, cautious even, she had to give him that. But that did not relieve any of her misgivings about him. Sure, she was the one who wanted to turn every outsider away. That was why she had Day of New Light at her side. The calm and philosophical tom-cat had no problem with embracing strangers into the tribe, providing them with shelter and food. Together, they were able to walk the middle road. Thus, she kept her chief close and his council close to her heart, especially now she was still looking for her footing as a new healer of the tribe. But, Day was not here at this point, allowing her to weigh this decision on her own.

He was talking about a life, losing track of himself and she misliked that greatly. This cat was not able or willing to speak about his previous adventures. She did not like that at all. "We are peaceful indeed," she meowed, "but the mountains provide perils of their own. Surely you have noticed the large eagles floating above the mountains. They are more than willing to pick up a cat if they wanted to feed their own offspring. Thus, in the tribe we must be able to trust each other fully." Her tone was terse while she spoke to the tom-cat in front of her. "Thus, I will not yet grant you access to the tribe, I wish to speak and consult my chief first. You can follow me towards the Cave we call our home however if you wish to find shelter for the snow."</sub>

_{She had flattened her ears slightly while they walked, an uphill trot across the steep mountain slopes. "We might be welcoming, but we are no fools," she mewed warningly, her eyes transfixed on the loose pebbles that might make her fall. She was swift and surefooted, obviously used to trekking up the mountains. Sometimes, she cast a glance over her shoulder, not wishing to be surprised by the tom-cat behind her. She would give him a fight to remember if he did. For now he just followed calmly. "Mind your pawsteps," she warned him as he started walking, "the slope is treacherous with loose rocks. You wouldn't want to break a paw." Not that she particularly cared about this tom-cat. Starteller actually wouldn't mind he he decided to take a tumble down the hill and perish, but it would be such a hassle if he lived. Skyteller would so not be proud of these thoughts, she mused.}