Open to Join Follow the River

Kindness goes a long way, but don't mistake it for weakness.

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

The black-and-white pelted she-cat had decided to follow her heart on her explorations today, which eventually lead her to RiverClan's territory, the south-west river in particular. She marveled at the soft murmuring of the river eased her the sounds of the territory brought a purr out from her throat as she perched herself on a stone that hung just above the river, dipping her paw into the flowing water.

Duchess watched as the shadows of fish drifted past, until one drew closer, just close enough...

She swiped her paw upwards, claws unsheathed to snag the fish into the air, she lurched forward, catching the minnow in her jaws before it could back into the river and bit down hard, only until the thrashing stopped, then dipped her paw into the water once more after placing the fish beside her.

It wasn't much of a strategy and more of feeling where the fish would flick past next, but if another drew closer, Duchess wouldn't hesitate to reach that opportunity with an open... wet, paw. She shut her eyes, feeling the current argue with the stillness of her paw and a smile pulled her lips upward, it was calm here, as it was where she lived, now that there wasn't any snow coating the ground. Nothing could ruin this moment now.

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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A scent broke through the hum of summer carrying with it the unmistakable musk of another cat. Tangleloon’s lashes parted, pale green eyes flicking toward the river with the tiniest spark of curiosity. For a heartbeat, the memory of whispered fears stirred... rogues, blood, and shadows in the reeds. He drew in another breath, slow and steady, and let his tail flick once against the grass. No...it couldn't be.

Intrigued the curly tom rose from his patch of sun and padded with the leisure of one who had all the time in the world. He let the grass brush his sides, unhurried, until the tucked earth gave way to the open bend of river.

There she was. Black and white against the shimmer, paw dipping into the current. For a moment he only watched, noting the minnows flashing silver, the delicate ripple of water breaking around her paw.

Relief tugged at his chest in an indulgent sigh. Not the killer. The killer was a smokey, dark tortie...With a michevious swish of his tail, Tangleloon padded closer, letting his paws press into the riverbank so his arrival was no secret. His voice, when it came, was warm and lilting as though he were welcoming her instead of howling her off.

"Well now, I thought the minnows were gossiping a bit too excitedly today...'Oh! My death - my death has arrived!' " His whiskers twitched, eyes bright with amusement, one pupil obviously different in size. "And here I find the source of their chatter...not a rogue but a fisher with grace in her paws." He dipped his head in a sweeping, almost theatrical bow, curls catching the sunlight as he straightened.

"Tangleloon." He offered eloquent as ever though his grin softened it. Warriors could huff and pomp all they liked towards a stranger, but Tangleloon liked to believe he was wiser than that. "Elder of RiverClan, Stone-Building...Sun-Soaker...Storyteller to Kits. And who, may I ask, has the river seen fit to introduce me to this fine greenleaf day?"

Kindness goes a long way, but don't mistake it for weakness.

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

Duchess' eyes cracked open to meet a curly haired tom, eyes unusually asymmetrical. She purred out a greeting to the warrior- no elder? He was young for an elder, but she shrugged of the implication that something would have happened to stop him from being a warrior and focused more on the theatrical words he spoke with an innate amusement in the twitching of her whiskers.

"Ah yes, the minnows chatterin' bout their own demise" She chuckled, light, as if the words tickled coming out of her throat before turning to Tangleloon and raising a brow "Tangleloon." she repeated, a fondness in her tone. "Well now, a cat carryin' so many titles must be worth the company" she added playful an intrigued, almost flirty if her voice didn't sound so friendly. 

As Tangleloon continued the theatrics, part of her felt that the words belonged to him alone, something that he carried with pride and something that was his, fascinating. "Them silvery, flickin' fish met their maker. Right at the paws and teeth of the lovely, Duchess" she replied, smooth and amused, almost painting a picture with her words.

She gave an approving nod, glancing at the fish she had caught and lifted her paw, licking the water from the white fur until it was as dry as a damp paw could be. "Got a story or two have ya?" She teased softly, cocking her head to the side "Well c'mon then, care to join a she-cat on a fine day like this? I lend you a fish and you cast a line and fish me up a tale." she invited, pushing the minnow she had caught towards the curly-pelted tom.

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon’s pale eyes, one wide and the other narrowed, fixed on the minnow nudged toward him. For a long beat of silence he only twitched an ear, gaze flicking from the silver fish to the black and white she-cat.

He straightened a bit, falling selectively on his back feet in a half crouch. "Strangers are curious things, Duchess. And strangers are not kits!" He exclaimed matter of factly.

He bent his head sniffing the catch. His voice dropped to a low hum, rich and river smooth. If Duchess had meant to be tantalizing, Tangleloon was very much oblivious - but kind! "Very well. A trade is fair. A tale for a fish. Duchess-Not-A-Kit."

"Long ago RippleClan was nearly torn apart by a thief, a shining beetle who stole the clan’s fish under the cover of stars. Warriors sharpened their claws, apprentices spat for blood. But two small leaders kits no higher than a queen’s nest stopped the battle before it began. Galestar the Unshakable, and Skyglide the Merciful...But - once peace was established between RippleClan and the newly formed BeetleClan, RippleClan's next trial would be from within!" He began, forming the story on the fly while his eyes seemed distracted by a buzzing dragonfly above.