I've Lost the Light

[Running]

Longstride nodded as Brookshade responded, noting how she seemed a bit displeased at how he avoided talking about Wingfoot.

Really, he should be able to talk about his brother. He hated the way his parents acted as if Wingfoot had never existed, but was he doing any better by shying away from remembering?

Nevertheless, he was thankful for the change of topic.

“Not a bit,” he replied, letting out a small chuckle.

“Admittedly I don’t remember much of the exile territories. I was just made an apprentice when the Great Return began, so what little I saw has receded into blurred impressions.” Longstride had been given the full tour of the territory to be certain, but that was such a far cry from truly seeing and knowing a territory, from being able to sense its nature and its subtle shifts in your bones.

“But it was not a good place-even a kit could get that impression. I never fought in one of those battles, but there was the tension in the camp, the medicine den almost constantly held wounded. I could sense the anger and fear…admittedly that part isn’t much different from now…and I also picked up a decent amount from eavesdropping on the warriors on how dangerous things were getting.

“Often our territory was worse than the one we have now, although not always as borders tended to move back and forth quite a bit more often. And then there was the stench of the twolegplace, and worse, the kittypets. Despite being fed by twolegs, those sleek rat-hearts found it fun to hunt in our territory or ambush small patrols. They even murdered the Tribe’s medicine cat apprentice, from what I heard. They never respected our borders, claiming we were a worthless variety of cat, but they were exceptionally cruel to the desperate clan cats who attempted to steal food or herbs from the twolegplace-that is, if the dogs or the thunderpaths filled with swift stonebeasts didn’t get them first.”

Huh. Brookshade would never have met a kittypet or seen a twolegplace or thunderpath even. Longstride’s generation was hopefully the last to face them.

“Yeah, it definitely made me long to see the Ancestral Lands-I liked to hear elders’ stories about them and the heroes who had thrived and fought there…I was more than a little disappointed at how this place didn’t live up to my sunny expectations. Our lot hasn’t improved all that much with the peace and new lands, even as the other clans thrive. Still, I would not want to go back. There was something crushing about being in a world perpetually at war. I hope that our strike doesn’t bring that back.”

[TatlTael]

All I Really Know is Life's too Short

It felt like she was getting back on track now. Her stubby tail curled up slightly as a soft purr had to be suppressed in her throat. The Great Journey was exactly what she wanted to talk about.
It was odd, no matter how many times she'd heard it. Stories of kittypets causing trouble for the clans. It seemed that with all their training as warriors, such a thing should never have been a problem. Perhaps it was due to how weak the clans had been after their journey into exile, but regardless, it just felt wrong. Kittypets were supposed to be soft.
Must have been awful living like that, she commented. Almost helpless.
Longstride's reluctance for war now seemed peculiar too. Not that anyone should want war, per say, but clan cats were warriors. It seemed inevitable that they would be at war sometimes. Of course, she wasn't surprised that Longstride was an unusual warrior. She'd know that a while. Yet that didn't leave her unsurprised by him.
So you really started training on the Return, then, she replied. That must have been...interesting. At least, that was one way to put it. Exciting was more what she thought. To be a young apprentice, learning what it meant to be a warrior during such an important time. 
    

tags: open
words: 215
notes: none

coded by DESTINY of Broken Kingdoms

[Running]

"Interesting. That is one way to put the journey. Others might depict it as a glorious return, or a time of great trial and suffering, StarClan testing us or abandoning us. Regardless of whether one found it fair or foul, it was an experience apart.

Almost unconsciously his voice shifted from the matter of fact tone he generally used, to something more lilting, echoing the elders stories he often listened to, cobbled together with traces borrowed from foreign cats he had spoke to during the journey and after.

"Not waking up in the same place each sunrise. Sneaking about and fleeing cats defending their lands, rather than proudly defending a territory. Patrolling duties supplanted by scouting for water or a safe place to rest. Being almost constantly surrounded by a haze of intermingled scents that normally would only be present at battles or gatherings.

"There were apprentices from other clans on the journey, but despite the clans working together, we didn't mix that much in training. Part of it was likely the clans wanting to keep their techniques to themselves. There was one attempt to send apprentices from different clans out on a scouting mission together," he chuckled. "Long story short, I still cannot believe Sootstar is now leader of DuskClan."

"Training diverged as well. So much of our knowledge is dependent on the territory, honed to fit the land. Incredibly efficient, yet vulnerable to change.  

"Many basic principles of fighting and hunting remained the same, but others, both small and large, were rendered useless upon travel. A cat sent to fetch moss will likely go to the place that their mentor pointed out to them. Now imagine that the cat is sent to search for materials for a nest in the lands beyond their territory. They cannot travel to the place they typically sought, and thus a simple task becomes a challenge. Not impossible, of course. They might have a recollection of the types of trees and plants that surround the moss, or might recall that they've only found moss in moist regions. They might decide to keep an eye out  for moss as they travel, or determine if any of the materials currently around are suitable for bedding. It required one to think a different way. Intuition rather than memorization.

"The same went for many things, knowledge and traditions rooted to the land rendered useless upon travel. It was a rough time for mentors, that was for certain, although some took it better than others."

He paused as a cacophony of birdsong erupted from a distant part of the grove. Using the shadows, he noted the height of the sun. 

"We should move on.  My cache is back there," Longstride gestured with his tail toward the direction whence he came. "Would you like to help me carry it back?" 

[TatlTael]

All I Really Know is Life's too Short

Longstride's response was honestly much more than Brookshade could have hoped more. I mean, the tom was obviously a detailed talker, but his matter of fact answers were beginning to feel more like a wildly-spun story. Honestly, Brookshade couldn't help her eyes growing a bit wider in awe.
Though she'd never admit it, Brookshade was most certainly a fan of tall tales. She'd loved them so much growing up, sitting in the elder's den and forgetting about her chores as she listened to the old cats speak of the past. Now, Brookshade was certainly too old for elder's tales, but that didn't stop her from trying to nonchalantly listen in when the apprentices were gathered around a story-telling elder. That same sort of sense of intrigue had come over her now, just listening to Longstride speak. She quickly tried to remind herself that she needed to be more mature.
"Fascinating," Brookshade murmured, mostly to herself as Longstride explained. She almost totally missed his final sentences completely, only realizing it was her turn to speak when a short awkward silence fell between them. "Oh! Yes. I suppose I could do that." She quickly puffed up her chest, pretending she was much less impressed than she really was. She stood, starting in the direction the tom had gestured.

tags: open
words: 215
notes: none

coded by DESTINY of Broken Kingdoms

[Running]

Longstride noted how the she-cat's unimpressed demeanor returned after a brief moment of distraction, but did not comment. He had appreciated their conversation, and did not regret the time it had taken. There had been a period during his apprenticeship when he had agonized over any moment wasted, but thank the stars he had moved past that phase. Life was so much more than maximizing returns.

"Thanks," he said, beginning to pad through the forest toward his cache.

Although filled with brambles and twisted trees, this region of the territory was gentler than the rocky outcrops, and there were patches where brittle needles covered the ground. Past the canopy of twisted branches, wisps of clouds scudded across the sky. As always, Longstride's eyes scanned his surroundings as he walked, senses trained to discern every clue that could indicate nearby prey, enemy intrusions, oncoming weather, or a wealth of unexpected variables. It was more of a reflex than anything, and as his mind wasn't fully occupied by tracking, he struck up a conversation again.

"It's strange to think," he mused. "How the stories of our lives may one day pass into legend. Already kits play out their own renditions of the battle against Adder. Likely a good thing I didn't have a starring role to play-it would be strange indeed if I started hearing kits saying, 'No, I want to be Longstride! You can be Harestar, and you're going to be Adder.'" The warrior chuckled at the thought.

He had fought in the battle, of course, and was proud of his effort to fend off the rogues; he just hasn't done anything particularly noteworthy. And in truth he had been lucky to have fought what appeared to be the less dangerous rogues. Longstride remembered briefly glimpsing Rebelyell, a massive young warrior, rearing proudly one moment and on the ground the next, blood spewing from his frame before a russet-furred rogue that he had later learned was Adder. The murderess had turned in a different direction after felling the admittedly brash, but powerful tom, and mere chance had spared Longstride from a similar fate.

[TatlTael]

All I Really Know is Life's too Short

She began to fall back slightly so that Longstride could take the lead, seeing as it was his cache and she had no idea where it was. With is towering height (particularly compared to her own), it wasn't hard to let him move to the front, and soon her steps were speeding up again, even a little faster than before just to keep up. She didn't mind it, really. Actually, she was pretty used to having to work harder than other cats to get the same distance, so the effort didn't even show.
"I can't imagine kits will ever want to pretend to be me," Brookshade commented lightly, though inside it stung a bit. Who would ever want to pretend to be the cat that drove away the medicine cat? When the rest of the clan decided she was guilty, she was certain she would be scorned.
Longstride on the other hand, she could imagine becoming a legend. There was just something about him that felt like something out of an elder's tale. Maybe that was because all she knew about him was more or less born from gossip, though.
"I've never really thought much about the games I played as a kit," she said. "I wonder how the cats I used to pretend to be would have felt about me pretending to be them?" They probably would have been proud. They probably deserved the honor in the first place, though, of becoming a legend. Cats like Brookshade didn't become legends unless they were villains.

tags: open
words:  254
notes: none

coded by DESTINY of Broken Kingdoms

[Running]

Longstride wondered at Brookshade's comment about not thinking anyone would want to pretend to be her. The tone was light enough, but he really didn't know her well enough to determine if there were troubles beneath. 

"I wonder indeed. There are some who are more aware of how they are perceived than others," Longstride said as they continued on. "There are those in great legends passed down through generations, good and ill. Only time will tell which stories join them, or what of the truth is retained."

He looked at the sky, scenting the air again. It was certainly still here, no birdsong or rustle, and the wind seemed to be holding its breath for the moment. 

"However, I've found everyone has a story to tell. Something to teach."

He didn't admit that he envied those who had achieved greatness, even if his rational side knew that it was often qualified. Stars, he couldn't resist the allure of glory. Still, he was satisfied with his life. Well, enough satisfaction to live with. He was the reliable son, quietly hunting and tracking and knowing, relying on small self-improvements and sharing tongues with peers to get him from sun to sun.

They reached his cache, and Longstride proceeded to dig up the earth around his kills. It was a rather significant cache considering the generally prey poor nature of the territory, even if if was still leaf-fall. The clan would need it with so many of the members preparing for battle. 

"Anyway, thanks for helping me with these. With what will soon come to pass, my time will be better spent helping with patrols than trekking back and forth across the territory to bring all of my cache to camp. Things have a way of working out if we manage to look at what is given to us and see its advantage over its weakness."

With that Longstride picked up part of the cache and began to head back toward camp.

[Longstride to camp]

[TatlTael]

All I Really Know is Life's too Short

Brookshade hasn't meant to have an intensely deep talk today at all. Yet somehow it seemed she'd ended up in one thanks to Longstride. She didn't know if she resented him at the moment or admired him. He hadn't coughed up any of the information she might have found useful, but at lest the discussion had mostly distracted her from what a miserable failure she felt like.
"I'm happy to help," she purred softly. "At least I managed to do something useful today." She offered the tom a slight smile, showing the sweetness behind her piercing gaze only briefly before taking up the rest of the cache in her own jaws and padding after him.

//Brookshade to camp.

tags: open
words:  117
notes: none

coded by DESTINY of Broken Kingdoms