Private Thread Food for Company

There’s always something to do.
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Smallbird tentatively crept through the forest of Thunderclan, checking over her shoulder and regularly tasting the air. Guilt stirred lightly in her heart as she crossed the small thunderpath that split their land from the Treecut Place. Diving into the undergrowth on the other side, the gray tabby took a moment to collect herself, cleaning her fur smooth as her eyes scanned Thunderclan’s lands for movement. Once sure no one had followed her, and a quick glance at the sky to tell her that she needed to get a wriggle on, Smallbird turned away from her home, perked up her ears and relaxed her shoulders as she made her way carefully toward the meeting spot.

Since that first accidental encounter with the handsome loner, Fox, Smallbird had found herself irresistibly drawn to the fiery tom. She had planned, after last moon’s Gathering, that when she met him for the second time she would reaffirm the Warrior Code in her heart and say they couldn’t meet again. Yet, once she found herself in his company, the sense of belonging and relaxation which had caused her to agree to see him again, stopped all thoughts of never seeing him again. Life was easy and calm beside Fox. He opened her eyes to another way of living and made her own life more bearable. As such, she had agreed to meet him again, and again, and again. Part of the Thunderclan she-cat felt terrible that she no longer participated in her duties as thoroughly as she once did, but no cat had seemed to notice or care. A fact that only hardened her heart and made the decision to see the one cat who saw her and what she did all the more tempting.

As Smallbird padded through the unnaturally straight trees and thin underbrush, she considered the thoughts that plagued her mind whenever she thought of Fox. When she had first met him, she had considered that maybe he could father kits for her, helping her fulfill her duty to Thunderclan. As she had spoke with him more, however, she had found herself not wanting to have kits just to satisfy others. Fox helped her feel like she ought to do things for herself. If she were to have kits, it should be because she wanted them. Certainly, a part of Smallbird did want those kits, and she also still thought Fox would be the best cat to father strong, healthy kits that might just inherit a softness to their hearts that the clans lacked. For now, however, she found that just having someone to talk to, who heard her and liked her, eased her heart in a way that she had been unable to do by attempting to complete all of her duties to Thunderclan. Smallbird was enough for Fox, and that was becoming enough for her.

The smell of Fox strengthened as the gray tabby approached, and she purred warmly. The smell of rabbit blood surprised her but she supposed the tom had to eat too. A hint of jealousy flicked through her mind at the thought of him catching it with some other she-cat but she shook it off. Fox was more than skilled enough to catch a rabbit alone. Besides, he didn’t belong to her and was free to do as he pleased. ”Fox?” Smallbird purred as she pushed through the undergrowth into a small clearing where they had met before. She noticed the rabbit with surprise but assumed he must have caught it on his way to meet her. ”I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long,” she mewed, tail twitching as she settled close to the large tom. Smallbird’s body seemed to utterly relax as she sank against the soil by Fox’s side. For truely, this was where she felt safest and most at home.

The world's too big to stay in one place.

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The scent of Smallbird hit Fox before he saw her, and even the scent itself made him purr. Sure he had met other cats before and it was a pleasant experience, but none as unique, as... beautifully enticing as Smallbird's company. Part of him wondered if she felt the same way about his company or if he was just beating a dead bush chasing her. However... meeting her didn't feel like a chore or something he forced himself to do, it seemed to slowly become natural to him. Even if the two were going against her code to do it. He had told Smallbird that she didn't have to keep meeting him, but the look of joy on her face made everything worth it.

When her body pressed lightly against his side, he began defluffing the rabbit, a little too tedious for his large paws to keep up with, but so what if the rabbit was a little scratched up? It was still edible, and he was glad to share the prey with Smallbird, then again, a cat would just need to not try and rip out his throat to have his company. But none as special as Smallbird, never so special. "Birdie!" there was a trill that quickly moved to a paw in Fox's throat as he pressed his nose against the small she-cat's striped forehead, the purr vibrating through his chest. "I wasn't, I got here just as you did. Even if I was waiting though, I'd wait moons for you." his tone was light, but the sentiment held true. Smallbird he never typically hung around in the same places for very long, but Smallbird seemed to be changing that. Maybe the forest wasn't that bad after all.

"I caught this rabbit on the way. Had to fend off a weasel too... but those things are too bitter for someone so sweet." Fox reminded, his shoulder twitched, a small bruise was hidden under his fur from when the weasel tried to trip him over, but no bites or scrapes... thankfully. He glanced back at Smallbird with a softened but charming expression before nudging the rabbit closer to her. It seemed only fair that she got the first bite, after all, she was the one breaking her rules to be here with him. "Ladies first, Birdie."