Open to Join Oh, Mr. Toulouse!

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

Today was... ordinarily mundane, aside from Goosesong noticing Lilyriver travel to the medicine den for something that was none of his business, there was nothing that had happened today that was worth remembering. And so Goosesong had decided to dismiss his apprentice for the rest of the day, best she find something to do other than working her bones to the core, Goosesong wasn't like Stoneclaw, at least her certainly hoped not.

As the large silver tabby stepped further into the camp, Goosesong raised a brow at one of the cats within the camp, his silhouette a recognizable for sure, the unique and messy curls in his fur making for a unique shape for sure. Goosesong tilted his head at the situation Tangleloon had gotten himself into, was he... talking to the pebbles?

Goosesong decided that the day had nothing to offer him aside from this, so he moved calmly over to his clanmate and sat beside Tangleloon, not exactly comfortable though, more rigid and tense-looking compared to the cat he was sitting next to, but Goosesong didn't really mind that. "What's this Tangleloon?" he asked in his unreadable flattened voice that he always wore over his real voice.

"Seems I'm not the only one with nothing to do today"

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon didn’t move at first, his eyes still locked onto the precarious stack of pebbles as if sheer willpower alone could keep them standing. At Goosesong’s question, his ears flicked, but he didn’t look up right away.

"Ah, Goosesong. You have arrived at a most critical moment..." He meowed, his voice grave with mock importance. "Behold - the Mound of Tangleloon! A feat of delicate, patient precision. One wrong breath, one ill timed twitch of a whisker... and it all comes crumbling down."

A single pebble wobbled atop the pile. Tangleloon exhaled ever so carefully, as if his very presence might doom his creation.

Then, finally, he turned to look at Goosesong, eyes glinting with something between mischief and absolute nonsense. "I had considered alternative activities, of course. Staring at the frozen river until it thaws for one. Or perhaps attempting to bargain with the clouds - convince them to hurry along with the warm winds. But alas they don't speak to me and I, despite my many talents, am but a humble cat."

His tail flicked idly against the ground before he turned back to his tower. A gentle thump or two as he considered his options. "And so, I dedicate my time to this. A structure that will stand as long as possible. Which... frankly isn't looking to last very long at all." His voice was a touch quieter, obviously lamenting his boredom.

He gave Goosesong a sideways glance, an eyebrow raised. "Tell me, have you ever built something of great importance only to have it fall away from your paws?" His voice was casual but there was the faintest hint of genuine curiosity beneath the eccentricity.

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

Goosesong raised a brow at such innate concentration from the tom, he knew that Tangleloon had been a great warrior and could have served the clan well if it hadn't been for his incident. Curse you Stoneclaw, Goosesong thought to himself, keeping his silent cursing for his sire to himself rather than saying it aloud. He just wished that he could rip his affiliations with Stoneclaw without difficulty, but he was his sire, and no cat can go against their own lineage.

"Well, that is certainly... a creation" The silver tabby tom replied, genuinely trying to be supportive but attempting to understand the purpose of the 'Mound of Tangleloon' and the other plans that his clanmate had contemplated. Though the two had grown up somewhat similarly, there was something about how Tangleloon saw things that felt so completely alien to him, but it was not for Goosesong to judge.

Goosesong soon found himself oddly drawn to the progress of the tower, teetering on a shaky balance between falling and standing tall, and part of Goosesong wanted to see where this endeavor would go. His response to Tangleloon complimenting himself earned a simple twitch of Goosesong's ear, Nothing wrong with being confident.

The fairly large tom mulled over potential responses for a moment, unsure how to respond to such a question, he hardly knew what Tangleloon really meant by that, was it more literal? Or was it more symbolic than that? Maybe Goosesong was just thinking about it too much. "It's a fine mound, but its chances look rather slim, and yet it has not fallen. Only a cat like you could find entertainment in that, Tangleloon"

"However, I cannot answer a question like that without a bit more, information no? You must be able to give me more than that" 

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon hummed, tilting his head as if weighing Goosesong’s words with great importance. He gave the Mound of Tangleloon a somber nod, as if mourning its inevitable demise. "If you insist on clarification. Let me paint you a picture..." Tangleloon sat up straighter, flicking a paw dramatically toward the sky.

"Imagine a grand endeavor - a vision painstakingly assembled, carefully balanced, every piece placed with intention." His voice dipped lower, a note above a whisper. "And just when you think you've achieved greatness..."

He lifted his paw - then, with an exaggerated gasp, tapped the base of his tower. The pebbles clattered down in an unceremonious heap. Tangleloon stared at the ruins for a long moment, then exhaled slowly through his nose.

"Tragic, isn't it?" hFlopping himself onto his side, his pale green eyes half lidded, he half feinted a sigh. "Some might call it fate. Maybe poor structural integrity. Me? I say the wind is a fickle and vengeful thing." He stretched his paws toward the sky, as if shaking them at the heavens. "Oh, but we rebuild! We persist! Because what else is there to do?"

Tangleloon turned his head toward Goosesong, green eyes giving the tom a wink. "So...what answer were you hoping for?"

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

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Goosesong's silence hardly faltered as Tangleloon spoke with exaggerated enthusiasm, there was a certain charm to it rather than anything else, so his silence wasn't really because Tangleloon was too much for him or had grown irritating, though that was almost never the case regardless. "You have a way of wording things that make tragedy sound, vaguely interesting, Tangleloon" Goosesong responded, flicking his tail over his paws. "Perhaps you could give me some ideas, seems I bore Stormpaw with how I speak" he added, trying his best to make a joke to the other tom-cat

"But I can't say I've experienced much of anything as you've spoken of, nothing has really been destroyed from what my memory recovers" He added in response to Tangleloon's first question, watching at the pebbles clicked and clacked against one another until they fell into an unceremonious pile of rubble. The large silver warrior raised a brow at Tangleloon's mention of rebuilding and let out what one would only consider a faint chuckle out of his nose, though it was more of a wayward breath than anything that seemed to resemble real laughter.

"So we'll be rebuilding the Mound of Tangleloon I assume?" He asked with a slight tilt of his head, the amusement was there, but it seemed to be locked away from releasing itself completely, like most things that Goosesong couldn't hide away in the pit of his belly. "Perhaps Mound of Tangle-goose or Goose-loon would have a better ring to it"

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon’s ears flicked as if considering Goosesong’s words with utmost seriousness, though the lazy curve of his smile suggested otherwise. "Ah, what a tragic affliction..."" He mused out loud, rolling onto his back as he gazed up at the sky. "To be dull in the eyes of one’s apprentice. A fate worse than a crumbling mound of pebbles, surely." He let out a theatrical sigh. "But - perhaps even my guidance - you too may master the art of keeping young minds captivated. Or at the very least, confused enough to stay interested."

His tail flicked idly against the ground before he propped himself back up, shaking out his pelt as the strands of his mane bounced. At Goosesong’s admission, Tangleloon’s gaze sharpened, just slightly, before he leaned in, voice a touch lower. "Nothing destroyed, hmm?" His eyes gleamed with playful skepticism. "How terribly fortunate for you."

Then, just as quickly, the moment passed, and Tangleloon straightened up, a grin curling at his maw. "But let us not dwell on what has never been lost! We must think forward - we shall rebuild. The Mound of Tangleloon shall rise once more, stronger than before! Perhaps even... with a collaborator?" He waved a paw dramatically toward the remnants of his fallen masterpiece.

He gave Goosesong a pointed look, tail twitching with expectation. "Mound of Tangle-goose, you say? Sounds a bit ridiculous if you ask me." He hummed, as if genuinely weighing the options. Then, he flashed a mischievous grin. "I like it. Go on, then. If we are to immortalize this partnership, it’s only right you lay the first stone." The lean chocolate point tom rose to his dainty paws, before he bounced over to the larger, stockier tom while his tail flicked towards the stone in question.

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

Goosesong hardly made a sound while Tangleloon rambled on for what seemed like quite a while, but it didn't bother him. There was nothing the Clanmate could do inside the warrior code that could frustrate or anger him. Nothing had really caused that sort of reaction in Goosesong, not for a long time anyway.

The last comment made Goosesong tilted his head for a moment and look at the unceremonious mound of pebbles before pulling one away with one of his paws. It was one of the larger pebbles, a good stable for a tower if he thought so himself. The large silver tabby moved the pebble in front of Tangleloon, pressing his paw down on the flatter side of the pebble and lifting his paw to reveal the small stone, a staple for what could be.

"There we are, something to build from" he finally spoke, wrapping his tail around his body as he watch Tangleloon to gage his next move. Goosesong was mostly contemplated what stone the younger tom would use next, then back to the foundation for the new and improved 'Mound of Tangle-Goose' "I'd say you should place the next stone, I can't do all the work now can I?"

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon watched with a wry smile as Goosesong carefully selected a sizeable, flat stone and set it before them. The methodical care of the silver tabby was a stark contrast to Tangleloon's usual whimsical flair and the sight elicited a warbling chuckle from him.

"Ah, a foundation of true substance and stability..." Tangleloon intoned, his voice dripping with playful mischief as he lowered the tone of his voice and mimiced Goosesong's own. "A promising start indeed... But the true spirit of the Mound of Tangle-Goose isn't measured solely by its stability alone but by...character!"

He scanned the ground until his eyes fell upon a small, smooth pebble that caught the light just so. With a dramatic flourish, Tangleloon delicately picked it up between his teeth and placed it atop the larger stone, deliberately setting it slightly askew.

"There..." He declared with a theatrical pause, stepping back to admire their collaborative creation with a flurry of small steps. "A dash of unpredictability to keep things ever so interesting. After all, what is life without a little delightful imbalance?"

Turning to face Goosesong, his sly grin widened. "Your move, Goosey."

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

Goosesong watched as Tangleloon placed the smaller pebble atop of the base stone, it truly did show the duality of the two... in a way, but the stones will still be able to make a tower nonetheless. Of course they would with Goosesong and Tangleloon building it.

"Character? I suppose if the 'character' doesn't make it topple like it did before, there is no problem with a little personality to the Mound of Tangle-Goose." Goosesong had no idea why he was still entertaining the name, perhaps it was for Tangleloon's own entertainment, but something about it made Goosesong crack a rare grin before returning to his regular vacancy.

Goosesong's eyes traced the tower for longer than they should have, studying the best maneuver to choose in order to keep it up for so long, the large tabby wondered why this tower meant much more to him than anything else recent, not enough for him to get attached to it, but perhaps this was Tangleloon's doing, perhaps the pebbles brought the two together, but he would never really know.

After careful consideration, Goosesong leaned down and gripped a pebble between his front teeth and bravely placed it on top of Tangleloon's with as careful precision as he could muster, placing it on the side that was more likely to fall free if anything were to happen to the stone, once the stone was steady, Goosesong waited a few moments to speak again. "Sometimes unpredictability is just what some cats need, but with not enough stability, it will crumble trying to balance both, and even share of both would be preferred, but its not all the time that we get to pick and choose that do we?"

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon narrowed his eyes playfully, his tail flicking with amusement as he studied Goosesong’s latest addition. He let the silence stretch just long enough to be dramatic before finally speaking.

"A fine placement..." Came his outloud muse, nodding solemnly. "A touch of daring, but not reckless." He leaned in, scrutinizing the tower with exaggerated intensity before snapping his gaze back to Goosesong. "And yet...!"

Tangleloon tilted his head, his expression shifting into something more knowingly critical. "Your words, my dear Goosey, are much like your stone. Solid." Tangleloon continued after an exaggurated beat. "And yet, perhaps a touch too... pragmatic. You speak like a warrior delivering a border report - accurate, thorough, and utterly lacking in spectacle!"

He stepped closer, twirling a paw in the air as if conjuring a grand idea from the very breeze. "Try again!" He gestured dramatically at the pebble tower, then turned back to Goosesong, eyes glinting with challenge.

"You don’t simply state a truth, my friend. You weave it into a tale, spin it into something worth listening to! That is how you keep an growing apprentice hanging onto your every word."

With a satisfied flick of his ears, Tangleloon plopped another rock between his teeth onto the tower, the edges of his eyes widening dramatically when it teetered - just slightly! Oh, the drama!

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

"Being sensible and realistic is not a bad thing you know" Goosesong proclaimed, not boldly, not loudly, but at a volume and tone that was hard to mistake as nothing but himself. "If you set up realistic expectations you aren't disappointed." he added, studying the pebbles for a moment before his gaze snapped back to Tangleloon putting his own pebble as an addition to the pile.

But Goosesong did think it would be amusing to indulge Tangleloon for a while, because what else could there have been to do on a day such as this, especially for the young tom beside himself. Goosesong's eyes narrowed in focus, though that seemed to go on for quite a while, his life was never a matter of being entertaining, it was more-so a matter of being productive rather then keeping others entertained, that was Tangleloon's job from what he made of the spectacle.

Before the large silver warrior chose to say another word, he lurched, seemingly unpredictably into the pebbles, but in reality, he had already decided which one he was aiming to pick out of the few that had toppled over from the previous tower, perhaps if he made some sort of gesture that mad him seem as... spectacular as Tangleloon was trying to get him to be, perhaps the topic could be dropped entirely.

Goosesong pulled back his head to hold a pretty sturdy but compact pebble between his teeth, he took a look at the pile and politely placed it atop of the rest, lining the tower to a less teetering balance. "With... enough assistance... all could... hm" Goosesong searched for words to make what he would say more interesting but it seemed to just fall flat with every word he spoke. "I'd make a pretty lousy elder it seems."

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon’s ears twitched, his expression shifting into something downright delighted as Goosesong made his oh so dramatic lunge for the fallen pebbles. He watched the display with an approving gleam in his eye, like a mentor watching a particularly slow apprentice finally grasp a technique.

"Starclan shimmers! Now that was a touch of flair! A step in the right direction, my dear Goosey." Tangleloon praised, his tail curling in amusement as Goosesong carefully set his chosen stone atop the pile.

He lifted a paw and tapped it lightly against his chin in exaggerated thought. "As for your worries about being a lousy elder well… I’ll grant you this. You do have the makings of a rather stodgy one. All practicality!" He grinned, leaning in as if sharing a scandalous secret. "But you needn’t resign yourself to a fate of dull storytelling just yet."

He twirled a paw in the air, eyes sparkling with theatrical excitement. "You don’t just say, "with enough assistance, all could… " No, no, no! You proclaim - "Even the mightiest towers do not stand alone! Stone upon stone, paw upon paw, they rise, steady and strong!"" His voice crescendo before he abruptly cut off, his gaze flicking to Goosesong expectantly.

Then, with a dramatic sigh, he shook his head, a morose glimmer in his gaze as he stared at the larger tom. "But alas… if my efforts are wasted, so be it. Some cats were simply born to relay facts rather than enthrall.” His tail flicked lazily, but he let the words hang, just long enough to tempt a rebuttal.

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

Goosesong raised a brow at the younger tom's explanation, his expression hardly changing and his voice following was slightly dry, but still straightforward as always. "I wasn't aware storytelling required such a battle cry" he replied, flicking his tail for a moment as his eyes fixed onto Tangleloon's his eyes were so filled with light and enthusiasm, and he dealt with Stoneclaw for near the same amount of time that he had. Goosesong wondered what could have changed to make the two so different. "I feel if you need a speech, you should go to someone else, not me"

As Tangeloon's bold proclamations continued, Goosesong began to grow slightly exasperated, but amused none-the-less by his shenanigans "Do you ever speak plainly, or is that something that forms beyond your capabilities my friend?" he asked, a near silent, but amused purr beginning to rumble in his chest. 

"I assume this is just your way of asking me to entertain you, but as much I fail to see how theatrics contribute to stability, I'll give it a try" he explained, parting his jaws in a yawn before flicking his whiskers for a moment. "While some cats are meant to enthrall, sweep cats off their paws like wind beneath the wings of a great bird gliding through the clouds, others are made to ensure the others do not lead the rest to ruin."

Goosesong had no idea how his foolish attempt at storytelling sounded, but it was out of his mouth now and it was not like he could drink the words back up and erase them from Tangleloon's memory. If he failed his attempt, that is just how it was. "Discipline and order builds towers" he began, softer than before, as if there was a small stone being pulled off of his back as he gestured to the small mound they had created "not just grand spectacles, but both can create a spectacular mound that the whole clan can look at in awe."

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon’s ears perked at Goosesong’s words, his sharp green gaze locking onto the older tom with undisguised glee. "Ah ha! There it is! You see? That was almost poetic!"

He took a step closer, his expression positively alight with amusement. "A great bird gliding through the clouds - oh, Goosey." His voice took on a faux mournful lilt, as if he were lamenting some tragic loss. "...And yet, you resist, clinging to your beloved discipline and order as if they alone hold the world upright."

Tangleloon flicked his tail, pacing a slow circle around the tower, his gaze sweeping over the carefully balanced stones. "You say stability builds towers, and you’re not wrong. But tell me, what’s the point of a tower if no one stops to admire it? A structure without wonder is just another pile of stones.” He placed a delicate paw against the ground beside the tower, his expression turning oddly thoughtful beneath the usual catlike theatrics.

With a sudden, mischievous grin, he knocked a tiny pebble loose, watching as it tumbled down the side of their mound, and soon the rest followed, crumbling down and bouncing until the shapes still at their paws. "See? Now, is it ruined? Or does it simply need a new story?"

His whiskers twitched, his head tilting just so. "Come now... humor me just a little longer. What happens next, oh wise and disciplined one?"

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

As much as Goosesong knew of the chocolate point cat's antics, he still remained as unpredictable as always, though, one would not have to try hard to be less predictable than Goosesong, in regards to personality and his common lilt anyway. "Almost poetic am I? I haven't heard that one before" he commented lightly, flicking his tail over his front paws as his gaze was pulled away from the stone mound to pay more attention to Tangleloon.

"Discipline is what holds me together, Tangle, who would I be without what little personality I have" Goosesong replied, though there was a small joking purr beneath his regular fascade. "I do agree that it does not hold the world together though, there are many things that do such a thing, a spark of energy, spectacles of wonder, the clinging hope that things will go positively, but the negative aspects, if one could call them that, even out the good" he began, twitching one of his ears "Where there is light, there is always darkness, and in darkness there is always light, it is a delicate balance"

Goosesong had soon realised how much he had been taking advantage of the silence and soon his lips shut, not uttering much of anything as the tower crumbled to the ground in an unceremonious heap. "And yet, it only takes a single pebble to change the course of everything, even a breath of air may cause everything to fall apart, delicate balance" he stated.

"What to do now? Well, I'd say we rebuild." He answered, nudging the pile towards Tangleloon this time, he was unsure if that was a regret or not yet, but it was certainly a conscious choice on Goosesong's part "But don't think I'll let you pull a little stunt like that again" He added, a soft smirk dared to pull at the corners of his mouth, but it then vanished as if it didn't appear in the first place. Perhaps Tangleloon brought something out in Goosesong that had been hidden away for such a long time.

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon’s ears twitched, catching that rare teasing note woven into Goosesong’s otherwise steady words. A slow grin curled across his face, an amused glint flashing in his green eyes.

"Oh, Goosey..." The flamboyant tom purred, drawing out the name like a cherished tune."You claim to have little personality, yet here you are, saying such nonsense about balance and the interplay of light and dark."He placed a paw against his chest, feigning a dramatic sigh, shaking his head and sighing like some fretting queen.

His tail flicked as he regarded the fallen tower, now nothing more than scattered remnants at their paws. His gaze lingered for a moment, as if contemplating some deeper truth hidden within the stones. Then, just as suddenly, he was in motion, scooping a pebble toward himself with an elegant flick of his paw.

"Rebuilding, is it?"His voice lilted with clear amusement, though there was something softer beneath it."Very well, but if we’re to rebuild, then let’s not simply recreate what was lost. Let’s build something better."

His whiskers twitched as he considered the other tom, noting the fleeting smirk that had graced Goosesong’s face just a moment earlier. It had been there and gone in a heartbeat, but Tangleloon had seen it. Something worth chasing.

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

Goosesong flicked his ears for a moment, his tufted ears pointed towards Tangleloon before meticulously cleaning his white paws with slow and calculated licks to settle the long fur that always seemed so thick around the bottom of his paws. But he turned back to Tangleloon, mulling over his words with an innate interest.

"Nonsense." Goosesong repeated near silently, before returning to his silence, it sometimes felt easier to agree with others, cats become less agitated that way, but disagreements couldn't be avoided, he was just glad his internal disagreement with Tangleloon meant very little to the clan's wellbeing. "I wouldn't call it that, just a different perspective"

Goosesong didn't flinch at the swift movements of his clanmate, he rather watched the spectacle with a sense of hidden endearment that he wasn't used to, but he did not draw attention to that part of himself. Not in the way they stood now anyway. He seemed to prefer observing the tom's theatrics with a strange fascination that always hid itself beneath a steady expression.

The pile then caught Goosesong's attention once more, each pebble uniquely shaped with its own advantages and disadvantages in building a fine tower, but Tangleloon was right about one thing, it wasn't to be built as it was before, but differently, better than the last. And even if it weren't better than the last, it would be new, and that was almost never a bad thing. The silver tom picked up a pebbles, sturdy and fairly large but oddly shaped and placed it atop Tangleloon's that he had picked up. "It doesn't need to be better, but I embrace the difference"

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon’s ears twitched as Goosesong echoed his words, not quite agreeing, not quite denying. He tilted his head, eyes dancing with unspoken curiosity as he watched the other tom groom with that ever precise grace. That calm, unflappable steadiness.

"I suppose that's what makes you so amusing, Goosey. Even your contradictions sound like truce offerings."

He gave a soft chuckle, the sound breathy and light, and turned his gaze toward the new pile taking shape between them. The pebble Goosesong had chosen was stout and oddly shaped, yet Tangleloon watched as it found a place atop his own. A crooked start to something new.

His eyes softened. He pawing another stone closer and gently pressing it into place beside the other. "I'll allow it. Though I still think a bit of flair wouldn't hurt."

He shot Goosesong a sideways glance, teasing but not biting. "You know, I always assumed you’d be the kind of cat who’d chase perfection. But maybe... you’re chasing something else." Stoneclaw had pushed him to be nothing short of perfect, and look where it had gotten him. He didn’t press further, not yet. He simply added another stone,, careful this time not to knock it over.

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

Goosesong's ears gave a not usually notable, but calculated twitch as he concentrated on Tangleloon's watching him pile another stone atop of the slowly growing tower, Goosesong felt nothing for the tower really but oddly enough, he felt the need to complete it to his best ability, even if it was one pebble at a time.

But regardless of Goosesong's desire to take responsibilty for the mound of pebbles, it was not going to last, it didn't feel as personal that way. At Tangleloon's mention of perfection, Goosesong's whiskers twitched in thought, a memory cast over his mind that he wish he had forgotten, many pressed together into one, and Stoneclaw seemed to haunt every one of them. "Perfection... is subjective" Goosesong replied.

"A cat can be perfect to someone and be far from it to another, I've learned that later in life than I should have" he added, leaning down an picking up the closest pebble within the front part of his teeth and placing it meticulously and carefully on the tower, letting it stand for a moment before being sure it was safe to pull his head away without worrying for the tower's structure. "It isn't bad to aim high, to chase something. But when that thing is so out of reach to the point it is no longer realistic, you might as well be chasing the wind"

"I don't know what I am chasing yet, but whatever my life is working towards, I'm sure it will be worth it in the end"

Retirement? I prefer ‘extended vacation with benefits.’
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Tangleloon watched Goosesong work with the kind of deliberate care that seemed to flow through every part of him. It was a curious kind of tenderness, one that hid behind a steady expression and quiet words. He didn’t interrupt. Not even when he caught the flicker behind Goosesong’s eyes - the ghosts that passed briefly, uninvited, but not unfamiliar. Tangleloon had his own, after all.

When Goosesong finally spoke, Tangleloon’s expression didn’t shift much, but his ears turned toward him like compass needles. At the mention of chasing the wind, a faint laugh escaped him.

"Oh, Goosey. That sounds like something a cat says when they’ve been chasing it for a long, long time."

He reached for another pebble with a slow flick of his paw, not to stack it, but to roll it idly between his toes, the way a kit might fiddle with a feather.

"I used to think I was chasing something." He glanced toward Goosesong with a crooked smile, no sharpness in it this time. "But all I ended up doing was chasing someone else’s idea of what I should be."

And for a moment, there was only the shared silence of two cats who knew what it was to carry more than they were ever meant to.

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･ﾟ~

Goosesong's eyes seemed to soften slightly as the conversation went on, as Tangleloon continued to speak about chasing something. Sometimes Goosesong forgot that Tangleloon had pushed the need for perfection onto Tangleloon as well, but the two were so different. But perhaps Goosesong didn't need words to figure that out, perhaps all he needed was Tangleloon's company, and that would never be opposed, not by Goosesong.

"Perhaps you just haven't found anything worth chasing yet. There is no rush for that sort of thing though, life doesn't rush, and everything gets done in the end" The silver tabby explained, glancing down to the tower of pebbles as he settling himself down a little more comfortably beside his clanmate, or perhaps a cat that meant more than just that.

His eyes were plastered onto the pebbles for what seemed like a long while, and the shared silence between the two cats felt peaceful, as if it were a warmth wrapping around them that felt as comforting as a queen's belly. "I feel this may not be about the mound anymore" he noted in an uncommonly joking manner, but his voice softened as he placed his head against his paws, letting out a soft, content sigh "And maybe it never was"