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

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

On a day with as bright of sunshine as this, Duchess couldn't pass up the opportunity to lounge in one of the nearby trees by the riverside farmhouse that her and her mother called home. The branch was large and sturdy enough to hold her but there wasn't many leaves that decorated the trees like it used to conceal her black and white pelt with the thick foliage, but it wasn't like she had much to threaten her at the moment, except for slipping and falling to the ground maybe, but she trusted the sturdiness of the tree.

The sound of paws crunching on snow caused Duchess' ears to perk up for a moment and she opened her relaxed hazel eyes and glanced down from her vantage-point in the tree, recognizing a familiar ginger pelt. A smirk graced the corners of her lips as she studied the best way to get down from the tree, as she had done many times before.

The luxuriously long-furred she-cat jumped down from the tree branch by branch until she hit the safety of the ground with a satisfying 'cruuunch' and let out a chuckle. "I figured I’d see ya again soon… just didn’t know when." She purred, her tone easygoing and certain, as if she knew he would show up sooner or later. "How ya been, Noah? Feels like it’s been a while."

"zzZZzz"

───── /ᐠ - ˕ -マᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ─────

Noah, who had previously been staring down at his paws, looked up as Duchess stood in front of him, the tom beaming before basically pouncing on her. "Duchie! You're back!" the tom purred. "I've been cold... But besides that I've been well. What about you? The humans keeping you warm?" The last thing Noah wanted was for Duchess get sick but with the many vet-checkups she got the tom wasn't surprised that he had never seen her get sick before. Most kittypets were like that. Noah had no idea how vets worked. He'd gone once

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

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

"I’m back? You came to me, Noah—this is where I live, ain’t it?" Duchess tilted her head and let out a playful laugh, her tone was teasing but friendly as she spoke to her dear friend, weather he came from his own fruition or not, he was welcome, any cat was welcome at her farmhouse. A smirk tugged at the corners of her lips, smug and cunning, almost charming, one could say "Seems like ya just couldn’t get enough of me." she added, her tone was smug but still had its friendly twang.

Duchess shrugged at the notion of her people keeping her warm, she enjoyed leaving the house most days and exploring each and every corner of the territories, at this point, there wasn't a place she didn't know. "Well… warm enough. They can’t keep me cooped up in that farmhouse forever, y’know?" she chimed lightheartedly with a little rebellion in her voice, the black and white she-cat wrapped her tail around her body and let out a small smile.

As the wet snow drenched the fur on her paws, Duchess gave each a small flick to get the majority of the water off of them, however she hardly seemed to mind this as she didn't really draw much attention to it or herself while she did so. "Not as many mice ‘round out here, though. Still a bit too cold for ‘em, sadly." she shrugged, speaking rather matter-of-factly as she took a few licks of the white fur on her chest

"zzZZzz"

───── /ᐠ - ˕ -マᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ─────

"Oh well I guess that's true." Noah responded simply, the tom chuckling briefly. When the molly's laugh rang in his ears the tabby couldn't help but purr, the sound rumbling from his throat. "I can never get enough of you... Maybe one day I'll come live with you. Are you okay with that?" Noah's tone was a genuine one. The tom really did want to stay with Duchess. Besides, Raven would be an adult soon and she could manage on her own. If Duchess' humans liked pretty cats then Noah was definitely one handsome cat.

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

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

Duchess' ears perked at the idea of Noah moving into the farmhouse and her mind drifted towards how he would fit in there with her mother. She knew that her mother could make some sassy remarks at the expense of the comfort of some weaker willed cats, but since Noah was able to deal with Duchess' sass, she didn't see why he wouldn't, but she supposed it regarded a warning.

"Well, that’s an idea… but it wouldn’t be as easy as ya think." She spoke with a light chuckle, her tone was knowing and had an experience with such a thing, after all, she knew the farmhouse like the back of her paws. "My mama’s a sassy dame—oldest in the farmhouse, to be exact." she explained, her voice held a certain fondness but it also had her usual amused drawl as she was speaking to her close friend.

A smirk formed itself across her face, a playful one yes, but one that could imply a challenge. "You’d hafta get past her if ya wanna live comfortable." she purred, giving a playful warning and her tone spelled as if she was challenging the tom-cat to try and move in with the bunch, but there was part of her that did find the idea quite enticing, it would be nice having a cat that wasn't kin lying around that was for sure. Duchess shrugged, her easygoing tone soon returning to her honey-smooth voice "But other than that, can’t see why not."

"zzZZzz"

───── /ᐠ - ˕ -マᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ─────

As Duchess thought about Noah's proposal, the tom looked at the molly with bright hopeful eyes, ears perked, listening closely when the she-cat spoke up again. "Well. I didn't expect it to be easy." the tom began. "And I know how to deal with sass. Let's just say I have a lot of experience" The ginger tabby responded, smiling cheekily. "Heehee just watch closely. We'll be sharing a nest before you know it."

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

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

Listening to Noah's confidence made one of Duchess' brows raise intriquingly as she curled her tail neatly around her paws. Her hazel eyes held a sense of her usual teasing sass. "You know how to handle sass, do ya? Raven give ya sass on occasion, does she?" she purred, her whisker's twitching in amusement as she gave the ginger tom a little playful nudge.

At Noah's confident remark the black and white she-cat let out a chuckle at his boldness "Yeah? Well, let’s see how far ya get." she teased with a flick of her tail, a playful glimmer in her hazel-green eyes as she stared at Noah for a moment, what's this cat have that made her so... drawn, Duchess supposed that it was just was a close friendship felt like and went on.

Soon, caution seeped into her tone, but the same curiosity still remained "So, Noah… noticed anything weird goin’ on lately?" she explained, flicking her eyes around for a moment, she recalled the loud noises of struggle and the slashing and ripping sound of claws coming into contact with fur the day before and she couldn't simply just keep her mouth shut about it, she had to tell someone, even if it wasn't a part of the clans where she heard the dreadful noises.

"Yesterday, I heard some screechin’ comin’ from the clan territories. Ain’t my business, but… there was a sudden stop." Duchess explained, her paws soon became restless and uneasy, her eyes betraying her caution and concern. "Ain't sit right with me" she added, her nose twitched with both worry and unease, something was wrong, Duchess felt it in her bones, but she just didn't know what.

With a sigh, Duchess shuffled her body closer to Noah, pressing her muzzle onto his striped cheek for a moment before speaking in a more quiet, yet serious and somewhat protective tone. "I want ya to be careful walkin’ ‘round them clan areas if ya do."

"zzZZzz"

───── /ᐠ - ˕ -マᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ─────

"Mm nah. As Raven's been growing older I've been feeling more confident leaving her home on her own actually. And when I first met her she didn't have much either, I'm talking about you, silly." Noah said to Duchess as he tried to recall the names of his sister's new friends from her adventures. Morgan and... Something he didn't remember. It was fine. It wasn't important.

When the molly questioned the tom if there had been anything weird going on lately the ginger feline looked confused, shaking his head. No. He hadn't seen or heard anything out of place lately. When the she-cat started to explain, the tabby nodded along, listening to her patiently. "Nah. Not bothered to go explore around the clans. Only cats I know besides you and Raven is this female feral called Luna. And I don't see a point in trespassing on their territory. I'm happy wherever you are."

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

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

Duchess perked her ears at Noah's response, if Noah wasn't worried or hadn't seen anything, she must've just been hearing things, since she technically hasn't seen a single thing happen, especially since it was around the territory of the clan cats where she had heard it from. Whatever it was, hypothetically, it wasn't any issue of hers to deal with, especially if it was clan business. 

Noah's perspective of trespassing made her nod in agreement, her mostly black pelt standing out against the snow while her pristine white sections of her pelt almost blended in completely, separated by her hazel eyes. "Well, you ain’t wrong there. Home’s where the heart is… or whatever folks say." she spoke, with her usual, laid-back, care-free tone returning to her lilt.

"Raven’s gettin’ more confident, huh?" Duchess questioned, tilting her head, it had been a fair while since Duchess had seen Raven, but she didn't have any reason not to believe Noah, she would just have to try and not be taken aback by a sleek, healthy black body of what was once a playful little kitten she had met from what seemed to be moons ago. "What’s she gonna be like when—or if—you tell her you’re leavin’? Think she’ll be alright?" she asked with simply, yet still easygoing, concern for Raven as whole, even if Duchess hadn't seen her in a while, she still cared for her, even wondered how she was doing from time to time.

At Noah's remark of her being the reason he was so used to sass, Duchess raised a brow and grinned, beginning to purr lightly. "Ah, lil’ ol’ me? I would neverrrrr." she hummed with a teasing, joking sass that was rather in character for her at this stage as she gave her friend a playful nudge with her nose.

"zzZZzz"

───── /ᐠ - ˕ -マᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ─────

Noah watched Duchess' ears perk up, the tom's nose twitching. "You got some clan cat friends or something?" the tabby suggested softly with a tilt of his head. "If that's the case then it's valid for you to worry. But they're wild cats, aren't they? I'm sure if there is a problem that they can deal with it on their own." The ginger feline suggested, shuffling his white paws briefly before his eyes met the molly's green eyes once more.

"And yeah. Raven's getting more confident. Wandered to the other side of Whitehart the other day." Noah purred, the tom's voice an amused one. "She's even been going on walks with her housefolk. They don't put a harness on her or anything. She just walks with them." he told Duchess, flicking an ear. "I actually think she won't be too fussed about me leaving as long as I promise to visit." the tabby hummed, nodding at his own words. "Yeah... She'll be alright... And don't you try to deny your sass. You know it."

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

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

Duchess shrugged at Noah's question of Duchess being friends with any clan cats, it isn't like she was particularly close to any of them, but she had certainly seen the RiverClan ones that was for sure. "Eh, once ya seen one clan cat, ya seen ‘em all—like different stripes on the same ol’ raccoon." she replied, her voice giving a dismissive sort of tone, but it wasn't really mean-spirited, just direct, well direct as she could be, maybe she hasn't met enough clan cats.

"They ain’t really my style. But hey, if I meet one that proves me wrong… well, never say never, right?" Duchess rumbled, her voice gaining her more laid-back nature rather than the dismissive one she was wearing just seconds ago, she seemed rather open to the idea of meeting up with clan cats, but she knew a fair few from experience, all bark no bite that bunch. So naturally, she was still a little skeptical that she would find a friend in them.

With a brow raised in curiosity, Duchess pondered over Noah's words on visiting Raven every now and again if he had moved in with her at the farmhouse, it didn't sound like a bad idea, she did miss the kit after all. "Maybe we could both take little trips to see Raven if ya move in—I reckon she’d miss me somethin’ fierce." she purred playfully, a smirk tugging at the corners of her jaws as she gave Noah a playful wink of one of her hazel eyes.

The black-and-white she-cat let out a snicker for a moment at Noah calling her out of her sass and she nudged him lightly with her paw, not enough to move him, but certainly enough to make his lose a little balance, like two kits messing about in the nursery. "Heh, guess ya got me, friend. But hey, ain’t nothin’ wrong with a little sass—keeps life interestin’!" she chirped, letting a loud purr rise from the back of her throat, now that she thought about it, maybe living with Noah wouldn't be so bad

"zzZZzz"

───── /ᐠ - ˕ -マᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ─────

"Hm. Yeah. Taking trips to visit Raven together sounds nice." Noah responded with a nod. "And you're not wrong about a little sass making life more interesting." That was when Noah was suddenly ambushed by a bundle of black fluff, the tom falling over. "Wah!?"

"Get back here, little lizard!"

𓅨₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖𓅨₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖𓅨₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖

"I got you now! You can't just talk my ear off when I'm half asleep and then leave!" Raven loudly complained unhappily before getting off Noah. "I even went to the wrong farm and met a cat... But he didn't entertain me for long either..." Raven was well aware that Duchess was right there but she was too busy yelling at Noah to give the older she-cat attention. "Hmph."

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

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

As Duchess was about to respond to Noah, a black blur came catapulting on top of him, making duchess flinch ever so slightly "Woah there!" Came Duchess' surprised voice as she stepped back slightly to avoid being toppled over by the black kitten, but she couldn't suppress a light-hearted chuckle from deep within her chest. Oh how she loved seeing this little Sugarplum.

"Well, would ya look at that! If it ain’t Raven—hey there, darlin’!" Duchess greeted, her voice warm and friendly, as if re-uniting with an old friend. "Noah givin’ ya a hard time, is he? Ain’t surprised—he’s as stubborn as a mule in a mud pit." she added, taking a teasing jab at Noah and giving the ginger tom a small, playful wink.

Duchess stretched herself out for a moment and parted her jaws in a yawn as Raven stepped off of Noah before she stood then go herself comfortable again, it had been a while since Duchess had seen Raven, and she didn't want the moment to be dampened by Noah being his usual self. "How ya been doin’, Sugarplum? Feels like I ain’t seen ya in a coon’s age!" she purred, her tone as friendly as always. 

"zzZZzz"

───── /ᐠ - ˕ -マᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ─────

Noah hissed before standing up and shaking out his fur, ginger fur flying everywhere before the tom sat down to groom himself. "Sorry..." the mumbled to Raven though it was obvious that the pale ginger feline wasn't really sorry. "What are you talking about? I am not giving her a hard-"

"Get back here, little lizard!"

𓅨₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖𓅨₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖𓅨₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖

"Oh Duchess! It's horrible! Noah's giving me the hardest time!" Raven complained, putting on a dramatic act. "I've been super duper well! I've missed you so so so so so much!" The kitten cheered, happily pressing herself against Duchess. "I don't want Noah as my brother anymore. You can be my sister instead."

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

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

Duchess twitched her whisker's in amusement at Raven's theatrical attempt at complaining and crouched her body slightly downward to match her level, letting out a soft purr as Raven so happily rubbed herself against Duchess. The black-and-white she-cat felt no need to move away from where Raven had settled herself so she simply let herself stay where she was "Oh, is that right?" she mused, as if she was almost entertained by Raven's antics.

"Well, I missed ya too, Sugarplum, but ya can’t just go swappin’ siblings like a horse trade at the county fair." Duchess purred gently, her voice was teasing but still playful and warm, giving Noah a sharp but teasingly playful look. before turning her hazel gaze back to Raven. "How ‘bout a little compromise, huh?"

Duchess sounded thoughtful this time, as if she already had a plan brewing in her mind as she fixed up her posture. "Whenever Noah takes off, he’s gotta let ya know where he’s goin’ and how long he’ll be out. And if I catch wind that he didn’t? Well, I’ll just have to drag his tail right on over to your place myself." she explained to Raven, aiming a playful wink at Noah with a playful grin, but it was said with enough mock seriousness to hopefully sell the idea. "Ain’t that right, Noah?"

"zzZZzz"

───── /ᐠ - ˕ -マᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ─────

Noah rolled his eyes at the sight of Duchess entertaining Raven, the tom grumbling a bit but not saying anything. Despite this, the tom listened to her words, ear twitching and tail swaying... Oh... How beautiful Duchess was... She had such a- "Hm? What? Oh uh yeah sure. Sorry Rav, I'll tell you next time I go, yeah?"

"Get back here, little lizard!"

𓅨₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖𓅨₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖𓅨₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖

Raven continued to purr as Duchess gave her the attention she desired. "But why not? Noah said that in his old home his housefolk gave away the puppies all the time." She meowed before she started to suggest a compromise to which she cheered. "Okay!"

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

✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧༄🦋༄✧･ﾟ: ✿ :ﾟﾟ･✧

Duchess gave a strong nod to Noah when he spoke, the tip of her long-furred tail giving a few twitches as she moved to focus on the ginger tom, noticing he seemed a little dazed but choosing to not may much attention to it aside from raised brow. "That’s right, Noah. I’ll be on your back like a tick on a hound dog, I s’pose." she regaled in mock seriousness, but her subtle grin revealed that there was no real serious growl behind her words, there never seemed to be in most cases in any case.

She then turned her hazel eyes over to Raven, who raved on about housefolk giving away dogs to others, Duchess had never really thought to deeply about it, but she did have a reason in her mind that she could wrap her head around as to why they would do that to help her own case. "Well, dogs can have big ol’ litters same as us. Housefolk like their space, y’know, so they pass the pups along to other housefolk—keeps the place from gettin’ too crowded and spreads the love around. I don’t see a lick wrong in that." she explained matter-of-factly, her words carrying the weight of wisdom that she had from speaking to a few other cats she met.

With a gentle sigh, she let the moment settle, the silence did come easy for her but sometimes having guests brought the urge to entertain, and Duchess knew a perfect way to do just that. "Hmm… looks like I done run outta things to yap about. How ‘bout we spin us a yarn or two—what do y’all say to Noah kickin’ things off with the first tale?" she mewed, taking a cheerful coo to her tone as she turned to Noah expectantly, itching for a story. Though she did give him a look that implied the statement 'just make something up' followed by a light, playful wink at him.