Private Thread Talons & Tribulations (6TL20)

Survival demands caution, but greatness requires daring
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 Odd eyes peeled, unblinking. Knowing that at any moment the hawk could return with a flutter of furious wings. He listened closely, ears momentarily flagging to prick at any suspecting noise of its return, but instead he heard the approaching foot falls of a cat. Kosmo didn't bother to look over his shoulder as to who had came across him in a private moment; her scent was enough to cause a brief look of familiarity to cross his gaze as he mouthed a quiet.

"Aspenberry...I might have." He hadn't chosen trouble by any means, and now this miscommunication or mistake could haunt the both of them. He kept surprisingly calm as he slowly, pointedly rounded to face her. With a moment of adrealine passed he could barely feel his aquired wound. his pain tolerance was heightened by his frequent use of poppy, so only a dull ache and the scent of blood alerted him to the fact.

"I'm - " Before he could get another word out, the swooping of wings brought him back to his senses. With a bounding step, Kosmo launched himself towards the spotted she-cat. "Down!" he growled, hoping that he managed to get Aspenberry out of the way without intending to crush her under his weight. Again the hawk passed by, diving low and talons barrowly grabbed at the cat in view before her wings flapped and folded to get her to the branches again.

It couldn't be helped. The hawk was beyond reason and only misguided vengeance caused her to act so, but Kosmo would protect himself and that of his company. On the offensive he followed after the hawk mid wing before he swiped at the creature's long tail. A catch of claws brought the hawk down further to where another swipe could be possible and Kosmo prepared himself for a fight.

'I am yet to understand my place in this world, but with you by my side, I know things just might be alright'
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It didn't take long for the moment of peace to be interrupted, for the distinct sound of swooping wings drew her attention. Her gaze focused, within a heartbeat, and she moved instantly, barely missing its sharp talons as they drove towards where the two cats once were. While she had moved in enough time to escape the hawk, it seemed that she wasn't quick enough to escape Kosmo, being half squished as they dove out of the way. His warning meant nothing, but she appreciated it anyway. Swiftly wriggling her way away from Kosmo, she freed herself, unharmed but shook. Despite her paying attention to the sky, it was easy for a hawk to pick off even suspecting prey. 

'Fox-hearted crowfood!' she spat, glaring up with the same anger that Kosmo had presented before. It was bold for such a creature to try pick off not one, but two felines, and Aspenberry wanted to make sure this stupid bird new it had made a mistake.

Both land and sky were now furious at each other, and it was clear only one would come out victorious, as long as someone kept clear-headed. Instead of attacking instantly, she waited until Kosmo moved, using that as a cue to spring forward. Claws outstretched, she noticed that Kosmo had gotten a swipe, and she aimed to grab it while it was wounded. She hit it, she was sure about that as when she landed there were feathers within her claws, but she was empty pawed. Seems it was moving too fast to grab, but as she watched it as it made its way up to the sky again, she saw it struggle just a little. Seemed as though she got the wing. That was a good sign.  

Heaving with both adrenaline and shock, she turned back to Kosmo to make sure he was alright. No new injuries it seemed. 'We need a plan. Talk to me, Kosmo'

Survival demands caution, but greatness requires daring
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 A shadow waned overhead, predicting that the turn of events was not yet conditioned to peace. There was war on the horizon and any moment could incite more violence from the offended bird. Kosmo stood, a bristling form of tested muscles and heighty might. His large form seemed poised to return the favor, but spared a moment to confer with his current partner in crime. She heaved herself, but seemed in more or less good health.

"The creature is after me. I will lure it through the garden. You follow by the treeline and set upon it as soon as it tries to score me." There was little time for the questions Aspenberry no doubt had for him. First would come action, and action brought his paws into motion faster than a responce could be aknowledged. Kosmo began to hug the trees with a quick, determined trot. There was no hesitance in his motions as he seethed quietly behind the brooding set of mismatched eyes.

He made to keep at a pace in which not to elude the hawk and so that the spotted she-cat could catch up and spring when she thought prudent. As a warrior herself, he had no doubt in her ability - and in a way trusted that her ability would be a compliment to his drive. There was no sound of falling wingbeats, but once parsley tickled his paws he saw a shadow sweep from the boughs above. Lower and lower it soared, arching towards him as Kosmo heard but seemed not to have noticed. Or at least wanted to make it so the hawk didn't believe it had been noticed, or that a trap with claws and fangs had been laid for her.

At the sweeping drum of its wings as it flew impossibly close to the ground, Kosmo darted to the side, disappearing for just a moment as claws clicked at the air that would have been his tail if it had any more length to it! With a yowl, the large cat half climbed a twisted beam of blistering white fence line and kicked off, leaping at the creature and hoped Aspenberry was there to immobilize their shared foe.

'I am yet to understand my place in this world, but with you by my side, I know things just might be alright'
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Aspenberry gave him a quick nod. There was no time to protest unless she wanted the hawk to come hurling back towards them while they bickered over plans. Aspenberry decided to claw her way up a tree, hoping onto one of the lower branches where she could jump from tree to tree in pursuit of Kosmo. She wasn't used to climbing trees, and was a little wobbly, but it meant she would be hidden, and would get a better pounce later on.

She danced through the branches of the trees, swfitly, but almost loosing her footing at one point, but the adrenaline of the hunt kept her strong and she quickly readjusted herself. She made sure she could see Kosmo, incase the hawk decided to strike early. It was unlikely, but still possible. Once Kosmo reached the garden, he was now right in the open, an easy target - but exactly what the two cats wanted. All was silent for a second as she watched the cinnamon mink tom from the tree line. The second she heard the sound of strong, beating wings her head flicked towards the sky and she could see the fast approaching shape of the hawk, heading right to Kosmo. 

Aspenberry had only a heartbeat to decide when she would strike, otherwise Kosmo might be in trouble. She knew he would be able to strike the hawk if she missed, but it meant him becoming injured in the process. Narrowing her gaze and taking a breath all within a heartbeat, Aspenberry pounced, her mind blank except for the drive to sink her claws into the hawk. Kosmo had leapt at the hawk, shocking it, which meant Aspenberry landed squarely, taking the hawk down to the ground with her. Aspenberry could feel as her claws sank into flesh, and let out a sigh of relief. While it was a hawk that could cause nasty wounds, it was small meaning once pinned down by a cat it had little chance of escaping. Just in case the hawk decided to make one last strike with its beak, aspenberry chose to quickly flip it over so it wasn't on its back so she could bite down onto its neck. She waited until she could hear the cracking of its spine before letting it go, placing it down onto the ground of the garden. 

Survival demands caution, but greatness requires daring
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 As Kosmo had planned, it was over in an instant. A blink or two was all that had transpired and the storm of its wingbeats had quieted to the serene oneness of green leaf once more. He stepped away from its feathered corpse, broken in Aspenberry's maw. Together they had indeed claimed the life of this hawk, but even with their victory and the shallow blood scent that yet lingered, Kosmo's expression was still troubled.

Brows furrowed with a tilting longing as his thoughts plagued his mind. Once it had been dropped, the act finalized as its body lay still, the ticked mink tom slowly approached it without so much of a glance at the spotted she-cat. The note of his voice was a forlorn timber as he half wrapped his paw around the hawk's broken body before drawing it underneath the safety of his breast. "I didn't mean for this to happen to you." Kosmo mewed, head bent and tender as he addressed the otherwise once deadly creature.

"I'm so sorry." There was grief in his voice, as if mourning an equal, and in a way, that hawk was such an equal to Kosmo in the knowledge that he could understand them, and they could understand him. Most of the time communication didn't lead to a lack of understanding, but in this case, it did. A misunderstood grief of its own that chose to lash out at Kosmo himself. Once his anger had abided, he was sullen and sad for the hawks loss of life nonetheless.

"You're quick on your paws. I didn't expect another cat to interfere, but I appreciate you for it. I might have been the poorer otherwise..." He finally mewed at Aspenberry as he looked up, odd eyes both a bit tired and stricken.

'I am yet to understand my place in this world, but with you by my side, I know things just might be alright'
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As she turned her gaze to Kosmo's as he padded over to the hawk, she was surprised to be greeted with grief rather than triumph. He seemed to completely ignore Aspenberry, and had his entire focus on the broken corpse. She watched, not with judgement, but with curiosity.

Everytime Aspenberry killed prey, there was a tiny flicker of guilt in the back of her mind, knowing she had taken life from another, but it was food, and she needed it, so kill it she would. She could see where Kosmo was coming from, the hawk was just trying to survive, just as they were, but the way he mourned, it was like the hawk was a familiar to him. So unusual. 

She just watched as he apologised multiple time to the creature, confused and dumbfounded, but slightly in awe. 'Why do you apologise? If we didn't fight back, it would only continue to try get you. You may think it unnecessary to kill, but this hawk can feed multiple many.'

To Aspenberry, his address to her felt shallow and meaningless, and she almost wished she had never chose to help at all. It was like her own actions had offended him in some way, and it was eating her up. 'I'm sure you would have been fine on your own, but I couldn't just stand there and watch as a f-' she was about to friend, but quickly changed 'as a cat is getting attacked'

She wanted to understand where he was coming from, and cautiously asked, 'What are you thinking? Can you try explain to me?' its so... odd. She added on silently. Kosmo was being as weird as ever, but I guess this is what made Aspenberry so interested in him. He did things that others didn't and Aspenberry felt drawn to that.

Survival demands caution, but greatness requires daring
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 Kosmo had returned to his silent vigil. For all intent and purposes such a catch would yield a great many mouths a meal, but the tom had lost his appetite. The adrenaline was ebbing and now remained a sluggishness as his actions caught up to him. If roused no doubt he could spring into action again, but reason was swift a strike as any as he unfurled from the corpse and allowed it a respectful amount of space.

"Indeed, it can nourish a good many. You are free to take this one back to your clan and take the credit for yourself in its hunting." He briefly wondered what kind of story she'd come up with to entertain her clanmates. Perhaps she'd even be commended for ridding the forest of a potential threat, small a hawk as it was. There would be some good to come out of its felling, but he still wondered if it could have been prevented in some way. if he could have done anything different.

He watched her then as her words fumbled, before he lifted his striped paw to give it a couple of licks to smooth out the stain on his pelt. True to her nature she pressed further, teetering on an unknown precipice that threatened to shake the foundation of her knowledge if only Kosmo clued her in. He paused to knead his claws into the loamy earth of the garden before speaking, tone oddly threatening. "I could try to explain it to you, but what I am about to say must never leave your maw." There were worse things than curses in the forest, green mush that caused sickness and death in cats and prey alike.

Once she had guaranteed her silence, Kosmo began to unveil one of his secrets, praying that she could be a cat he could trust even if she was fully clan blooded. "This hawk had a mate who was stricken with a wound that struggled to heal. I offered them healing in return for prey as I sometimes do - a trade of good faith, yet as I stayed and treated his wounds I discovered that by this point he was too far gone and his life was slipping away. The bird died in his nest, and his mate couldn't accept the loss of his life. Her grief turned to fury as the trade was forgotten and attempted to take my life as she believed I had stolen his." His gaze slipped from hers to drop to the hawk at their paws. "And the rest you know."

'I am yet to understand my place in this world, but with you by my side, I know things just might be alright'
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She thought about his offer, as it would feed her clan well, but it was a shared catch. She would take it only if he did not want it, but from what she could tell, he had no interest in making it his meal. She nodded her agreement, indicating she would take it back. As for how she would explain to her clan how she obtained such, well, she couldn't just spurt the truth so she would say she caught it herself. Aspenberry was fast on her paws and a decent hunter, it wouldn't be all that shocking for her to return with a hawk, especially with its small size. 

As Kosmo spoke to her, she could hear the almost threatening tone laced underneath his words, demanding she not utter a word of what he will say to another. Her eyes flashed briefly with, either hurt or insult, she wasn't sure, but she definitely felt the sting from his words. She knew it was a fair call though, for Aspenberry was a clan cat, one that outsiders must usually be wary of, and they had only crossed paths once before so it was only fair he still not trust her completely. She stayed silent, indicating that she would keep her maw shut, and let him continue. 

As Kosmo shared his story, Aspenberry's eyes became laced with confusion and a little hint of intrigue. This was the last thing she had expected to come from his mouth, but this was Kosmo, so she should have expected the unexpected after all. She pondered on his words, her forehead creasing with the slightest frown before speaking up. 'These birds take, kill and eat out kits you know. They are not a friend.' She replied harshly, trying to make it clear she did not fully support his actions. 'Are you not able to hunt yourself? Why do you need to make 'trades' with prey and predators just to feed yourself? Or does your own medicine code stretch father than just the realm of cats?' she queried, her tone a little softer now. She was trying to make sense of, just who Kosmo was exactly. 'You're really weird you know' she said with a quiet chuckle, 'I find your actions odd, something I would never do, but I would never see myself stopping you from doing. In its own way it is honorable, saving the life of a foe, and grieving for the unfortunate death of its mate..'

In her own way, Aspenberry slightly understood where he was coming from. Hawks took and slaughtered their kits, but did cats not do the same? It was a vicious cycle of survival, but it seemed like Kosmo wanted to bypass it and break the rules of existence.

Survival demands caution, but greatness requires daring
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 This had turned out to be a series of unfortunate events. All because the bird's sickness had progressed farther than what herbs could save. Helplessness didn't often come over him, but it settled against his bones like a battering weight. A part of him wanted to bury the creature they had felled, but he couldn't suggest it. Not when Aspenberry had risked herself to help fell it.

"Anything is capable of killing, just as anything could have the potential to become a friend." Despite the crude cycle of life and death there was nuance. Where desparity fractured predator and prey, there were leylines that could bridge the gap if only a cat dedicated themsleves to trying. Perhaps there was a hint of their aquaintance as well. Two cats born from very separate walks of life, but were their lives so dissimilar?

Kosmo rolled his shoulders in an attempt to shrug off the heaviness of the situation. He felt the ache of his wound pester him, but it was dull and in the back of his mind. A strike from a precise beak had knocked into his flesh right above his armpit. "Of course I can hunt. Just makes it a bit harder to kill something when you can hear it pleading with you not to." his brow furrowed, but seemed to have spoken it causally enough. Best always to do so quickly, ambushing prey when possible - so they never have to chance to beg for mercy in the first place.

"As for the realm of cats..." The edges of his maw teased in a soft smile. His eyes lifted then, exhaling heavily. To replace his breath, he inhaled, filling his chest as his odd eyes searched the skies. There was a certain longing there, before his dark cinnamon face turned towards her. "There is so much more out there." He left it at that. It was as if the fight to the death had never happened - peace at last had returned to him, and despite his wound, he found himself in decent spirits.

Steeling himself, he took the creature by the back of the neck and stalked over towards an overgrown fennel bush that had long since sprouted in the garden, and stashed the catch under its pointed boughs. "It'll be here when you want to take it back to your clan. For now...I should probably treat my injuries. I... want to invite you to join me. Perhaps you can gain some additional perspective as to what transpired here. And I'd like the company." He added quickly, winking his green eye at her.

He wanted to take her to the farmhouse nearby and who knew, maybe the resident barn cats would introduce themselves.

'I am yet to understand my place in this world, but with you by my side, I know things just might be alright'
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'I... don't really get it, but I'll do my best to try understand, for you. You act this way from your heart, and to me, that means something' She had never met anyone like Kosmo before. The cats of the clans, while varying widely in personality all shared some sort of sentiment at the end of the day, but Kosmo seemed like he came from somewhere entierly unknown, and she was utterly fascinated. She hated how distracting it was, but for a cat so curious it was hard not to resist. 

'Do you need any help treating your wound?' she asked, a little cautiously. She could suggest some herbs, but she already knew Kosmo was skilled in the area of medicine and didn't want to risk him thinking she was intruding or controlling, so she just left it as an offer, incase he was happy to have a little assistance. 

Kosmo explained how and why he hunted the way he did, and Aspenberry's gaze softened a little. She was a huntress at heart, driven by instinct when it came to talent, and the pleading cries of her prey didn't even make it to her ears as she chase. To be that conscious of the other lifeforms out there, it must cause a pain little experience, and that Aspenberry was glad she didn't. 

She watched him silently as he continued, having little more to add to the conversation. He seemed to slowly come to peace with the situation as he looked to the skies. She considered placing a tail on his shoulder for comfort, but stopped midway, unsure if such as action would be responded to okay, as the two hardly knew each other at this point. 

'You.. want me to come with you? Your... home?' She wasn't sure if where he kept his herbs would be his place of rest, but it was a strong guess in Aspenberry's eyes at least. 'Are you sure?' she asked, giving him a soft smile back. She was happy to go, for the clan new she was out, and things were smooth at the moment. Plus, spending a little more time with the weird tom couldn't be that bad right?

Survival demands caution, but greatness requires daring
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Kosmo considered himself fortunate for Aspenberry. Despite being clan blooded and bound to the code, she had potential to be much more - and had proven herself by not acting rashly or insolently when confronted with his feelings. Respect was as much a balm as any, and Kosmo gave her an honest nod. Perhaps if his tail was of the usual length it would have settled on her flank, but it merely passed close to it. "Why not? This place is not a camp, merely one of many refuges in the wilds here. I don't require help treating my wounds, but I will use the herbs I have there. Come. I want to share something with you for your help." A smile came easily on his face, odd eyes peering at her intently before he indicated to the barnhouse and continued in that direction.