Open to Join Awake at Dawn

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle glanced sideways as the older tom approached, finishing the last stretch of his forelegs before settling back onto all four paws and rolled on his toes. His shoulders creased once beneath his smoky pelt, working out stiffness that hadn't come from a fight or patrol. Just an uncooperative night of tossing and turning in his nest.

Leave it to Beartooth to both glaze over and dig deeper when it came to his greeting. Maybe it just meant that he cared, but he wasn't too thrilled about exchanging pleasantries so early on. "Nothing to burden the medicine cat over." He replied, ears tipping back briefly before their returned, alert, towards the older warrior. He shrugged. "Just...didn't sleep well last night."

Without helping himself his eyes drifted from Beartooth to the different corners of camp again, expression a bit listless...or maybe just apathetic. It seemed the dawn-chasing patrol was on their way out and the camp was relatively quiet. "No use just staying in my nest if nothing comes of it."

Duskmantle assumed that he should be doing something others might classify as useful, but he didn't feel like attacking the day so quickly. Maybe Beartooth could distract him from all that for a bit before the need truly called him. "Why are you awake so early if not for dawn patrol or switching sentries?" His low, but lifted voice inquired, partially testing the tom.

Every scar, every flaw, and every loss still belongs to the light that makes us whole.

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A pair of aqua eyes peered out from the dark of ShadowClan's Elders' den, the dawn light had yet to reach the horizon, but the moon and stars were long gone, leaving the steely grey sky that was the line before dawn arrived. It appeared Eaglecry had woken earlier than necessary, but the large ticked tabby wasn't deterred, nor tired anymore. So she might as well grab a scrap of prey for herself, given the hunger she usually felt as she woke from her sleep.

However, before Eaglecry could think of what morsel she could pick, she noticed that two others were making do with an early morning rise. She questioned leaving Beartooth and Duskmantle alone for a few moments, maybe they would have preferred that, but she decided to offer her kindness anyway. As was typical of her.

Eaglecry then swiped out a blackbird and a frog from the pile, hoping to share the bird with Beartooth and to offer the frog to Duskmantle. She internally prepared for rejection for a few heartbeats before padding over to the early risers. 

"Seems we're all up early." She flicked her short tail in greeting, her curled ears pricking to see if she was interrupting any important conversation. "If I'm interrupting I will share the prey with others, but if you two would humor me, I would like to spend the morning with some-cat." She offered, placing the fresh blackbird and frog in front of the cats. The offer was made, but it wasn't her choice if it was taken.

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle's ears twitched toward Eaglecry at her approach, eyeing both of the prey items she had swiped from the fresh kill pile. As an elder, it was her right. Better her than the warrior to make a first move at the fresh kill pile before he analyzed its contents. It was odder still that another cat set something aside for him.

Another glance at Beartooth assumed the worst, but he wouldn't immediately assume that this was interupting. He made his thoughts known as his hind lowered where he stood and lifted his front paw to his muzzle. "I don't think you're interupting anything." He buried his foot over his face, smoothing his tongue over the flat of his wrist.

"I'm usually not." He interjected at her comment at being up early. He preferred to get more sleep in the morning since it took him a while at night to drift off. He didn't feel like explaining another reason not to see the medicine cat... He wondered if he'd catch other stray cats awaking at the dawn. Wouldn't be long now...

Sharing company with others wasn't something Duskmantle sought out very often, but a steady presence of an offer of prey made the morning fell a little less aimless either way. "Sounds like a plan. A bite to eat and then off to do whatever needs to be done. How have you been, Eaglecry?"

Every scar, every flaw, and every loss still belongs to the light that makes us whole.

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Beartooth's offer to clear the feathers for her earned him a purr from the the large, burly she-cat as she moved to sit beside the tabby tom and smooth down frayed strands of her rich brown coat. In turn, she turned to the toms that had graciously accepted her company and gave a grateful smile, a gentle pull of the mouth corners as the purr settled into a quiet, whisper-like rumble. "That is awfully kind of you to offer, Beartooth. You may if you like." She thanked him before a second thought was said about it, and even when any other thought gripped her mind, it didn't end with not expression her gratitude.

When both Duskmantle and Beartooth inquired about her wellbeing, her smile didn't falter, she was happy that they at least cared enough to ask. That was enough for her. "I've been well, all things considered. I've been wondering if I should visit Glowkit and Ashcloud later today, something to do instead of laying around camp all day I suppose." Eaglecry responded, as much as she knew retiring as an elder was the best of her options, she missed the life as a warrior, perhaps, with time, she'd get used to all of the doting. But maybe she wouldn't she didn't know, but what she did know was that her work had once been taking a toll on her, so it was best she spent moons in rest.

And now, here she was, up before dawnbreak sharing prey with the warriors as if she was preparing for an early morning patrol. Except Eaglecry would be in the camp while they left it, eventually. So she relished in the company while it was here. "How have the both of you been? Usual?" She asked in retaliation to their questions, whether it was genuine or simply a counter response was not exactly clear, but knowing to kind elder, she assumed that very little would need an answer to that question.

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle's cornflower blue eyes drifted again as Beartooth moved forward, his polite gruffness familiar as he offered to prepare the bird for consumption. Downy fluff would be removed before tucking into the meal and his mind wandered to decide if he wanted to suggest that the feathers could be used elsewhere.

While Eaglecry's offer was...pleasant, he didn't enthusiastically devour what was offered to him. Instead he extended a paw, claw flashing to hook the smooth skin of the frog and drawing it closer to him. At least a frog didn't require any preparation. The cool flesh danced over his tongue as Bearooth busied himself with the blackbird.

"I stopped by the nursery recently...They might enjoy the feathers for their nest." He mumbled around the frog's flank. He had the decensy at least to leave the best parts for Eaglecry. "Glowkit enjoyed the duckling I brought them at least."

It wasn't exactly a glowing endorsement but from Duskmantle it was about as optimistic as his words tended to get. His gaze wandered briefly toward the camp entrance where first light was just peeking to peek over the march trees.

"I've been well enough. Poor sleep included."