Snakes & Thorns [Redthorn]

ooc: Adderfang & Redthorn, right?

ADDERFANG
A kind word can attract even the snake from his nest.

Drip, drip, plop. Adderfang popped open his eyes, a droplet of water smothered the bridge of his nose. Sluggishly he glanced up at the roof of the den, a few more drops splashed upon his forehead. "Great..." he muttered quietly. A grim look bestowed his face, Adderfang was usually quite optimistic but he had one ugly fault. He hated new-leaf. When the soft bitter sweet arrival of tiny mewls, and birdsong echoed amidst the air, he found himself grumpy and irritated. Although he refused to admit it, he hated this time of the year because it was in new-leaf when his parents died. They were the only cats to ever smile and laugh with him. His mother and father didn't judge him by his looks, instead they loved him for who he was inside and out.

Few cats talked to him, tiny kits considered him a mutant, a monster. Something that dragged itself out of the lake and ended up in camp. Their screams of terror hurt him more then they'd ever know. With an irritated growl he scrambled to his paws and exited the den. He hated new-leaf with an ungrudging passion. Unexpectedly another cat was in his path, and to his fault he bumped into her.

Now most casual bumps led to conversation, this was something Adderfang enjoyed. He was truly a social butterfly, but due to his appearance he never got to spread his wings. Scathingly he muttered quietly, "Sorry..?" Who did I bump into? This was unknown to him, his anger clouded his vision. Narrowing his eyes he found his ability to see was slowly climbing the steep hill, it was nearly at the top. Ah he could see.

Redthorn. "My bad I wasn't watching where I was going, in apology how about joining me for breakfast? Flashing her an apologetic grin he flicked his tail towards the fresh-kill pile. Perhaps a casual chat between bites and chews would lighten his mood. Adderfang was easy to please, but as blatantly stated before; Adderfang hated new-leaf.

The sun was brightly shining, a welcome relief from the dreary weather they had been cursed with for the past season. It was warmer, and soon the Clans would have full stomachs. That pleased Redthorn very much. The thought of having a full stomach was delightful. Although, she could do with out the wetness of the thaw. It was to one thing she did not like about New-leaf. The thaw would make the marshes even wetter than they were, although she had never minded it.

Sighing, the ShadowClan warrior stood up, preparing to get her some breakfast. But her plan was momentarily disrupted when another cat ran into her. "Ouf!" she gasped as the air was knocked from her. Her eyes watered as she caught herself from falling over, and then she turned to see who the culprit was, her sharp tongue at the ready.

She was only slightly disappointed, and slightly disgusted, at the site of the cat. It was Adderfang, a great ShadowClan warrior but also with no charms what-so-ever. Releasing her anger in a slow hiss Redthorn tried her best to smile at the tom. "Oh, it's okay Adderfang. And I was about to get some breakfast anyways so I'll be happy to share it with you." Falling in step with the tom, she picked her out a lizard and then followed Adderfang to a slightly drier piece of ground.

The two warriors ate in silence for awhile. Redthorn wondering what to say, or if she should even say anything. This time wasn't well liked by the clan, but she had to remember that was only because of his appearance. She knew that was not what made a great warrior. But still, being around him made her... unsettled. Taking in a deep breath Redthorn asked "So, what do you think of the weather? It's nice isn't it?"

ADDERFANG
A kind word can attract even the snake from his nest.

His sticky, newly hatched wings suddenly snapped shut with an inaudible snap. Her hiss ringed perpetually in his mind, she was crestfallen; disappointed with the fact that she had crossed paths with him. Naturally his gaze fell to his toes; just another body part as ugly as the next. He was about to mutter a quick reply, something to say he was 'sorry', then he'd take his leave. Crawl back into the cocoon he came from and reserve himself away from the burning eyes.

But there was still a crack, a tiny fringe of light flickered before him. Apprehension tickled his belly, she said yes. It was prolonged, the statement caught him off guard. But he was happy, none the less. Blinking warmly he followed the she-cat to the fresh-kill pile. No words shuffled from his tongue, and they wouldn't have been welcomed anyway. Circumspectly he examined his choices, two mice and a jackdaw. The bird fancied his taste, so he snatched it up and trailed Redthorn to her desired spot.

The air fiddled with quiet whispers, the trees shivered and shook. The bothersome drip-drop of water nearly drove him insane, but Adderfang held his composure. When it came to conversation everything was hush-hush, not a word was uttered. Slipping his gaze from the jackdaw's once glorious feathers of soot to Redthorn's apple-shaped face, he found himself begging for at least one word to be said. Nothing. Nothing was even whispered. With a lopsided shrug he tentatively began gnawing on the bird's bloated stomach. It wasn't here he'd acquire the best taste or the best meat, but it was here he could drawl out the time. He wanted to get some social gain from this rendezvous.

A few agonizing seconds later and finally someone spoke. These words blocked that fringe of light. Adderfang was swathed in darkness. Composure. Composure. Keep your composure. A crack tinkled, split. Through a warm smile, and fake eyes he meowed,"The thaw brings back bitter memories, but you must go through pain to come out grand."

Redthorn was confused by Adderfang's words. What did he mean by that? As hard as she tried to think on what he meant, the further back in her history she went. Then she remembered. She had been four moons old, he was to become an apprentice that day when the bodies of his parents were brought to camp. Redthorn remembered the horror of seeing the two warriors lying in the middle of camp, unmoving and un-answering. She remembered asking her mother if that would ever happen to her and dad. Her mother didn't answer but instead push Redthorn and her brother back into the nursery. A couple of days later her mother was killed.

She could relate to his pain. "Yes, it does. And so we must remember from pain comes happiness. From the winter comes the spring but an interlude of healing must come in between." Pushing aside the remains of the lizard Redthorn closed her eyes and let out a sigh of pleasure. "But at times healing can be very...pleasurable."

Still weary of Adderfang, Redthorn did all she could do not to look at him. It was one defect of being a ShadowClan warrior she supposed. But this weather was affecting her behavior in many ways. As long as no one got on her bad side, she just might be on the roll of saying nice things.

ADDERFANG
A kind word can attract even the snake from his nest.

A deep sigh scrambled from his throat, "Your right, there is pain in healing-" The tom abruptly ceased to speak, the words wouldn't spill. The dam had closed, the bubbling water gurgled and gasped. Yet there must have been some faulty builder, for a couple words had escaped, "But I don't think I'll ever be able to heal from my loss." Adderfang missed his parents dearly, they had a been a close-knit family. They were breathtakingly beautiful, he had been the ugly duckling. Even after years of growth, he still had yet to spread his glorious white wings and be bestowed a swan.

But there was hope, a tiny sliver of light. Pitching Redthorn a pleasant grin he meowed, "Enough of this talk, this surely isn't something to chat about over breakfast." With these words, than serene silence returned. Only the pitter-patter of water, and the pestering chirps remained. The flesh, slick from fluids, glistened unappetizing in the sunlight. Adderfang gulped down his regrets and bit into the jackdaw. At once paradise infiltrated his senses, all regrets vanished. There was a perfect world, and in this world there was him and this jackdaw.

Although just maybe a bird wasn't a good choice, feathers easily found homes in the crooks of his teeth. How was he supposed to talk with a mouthful of feathers? Any doubt evaporated like a puddle of water on a hot, sunny day when he took a second bite. Except it wasn't green-leaf, it was new-leaf. The season where Addgerfang was reminded that he was alone in this world. No one had any good words to spare for an ugly monster. Times like these he wished he had went with them, starclan probably had shelter for a beast. And if not, they at least had his parents.

Swiping his the bottom proportion of his jaw he meowed rather gleefully, "So how have you been?" It was a broad, over generalized question. But what else to start a conversation with? You could chatter about the optimistic, the negative, and even the stuff oozing in between. Yet where would you dig up this information? You couldn't just right out sputter 'So what sucks and what doesn't?' No. The best way was to break the silence with an easy, comfortable conversation opener. Adderfang's butterfly wings were slowly beginning to creak open.

The she-cat listened to Adderfang's reply. She wanted to comfort him, to reassure him that he would overcome the loss of his parents. Heck, she knew she was slowly doing the same. But she just couldn't. After eating the lizard, looking at him seemed to threaten seeing that lizard once more. She was fighting against the urge to place her tail on his shoulder. That was what her brother did when he was comforting her, no words just that gesture. But the appearance of the tom, like it did to many of the other warriors, made her unsettled and she wanted to be as far away as she could. But she couldn't be rude.

The silence returned. The drip drop of the thaw returned. The chattering of the returning birds, the scrambling of the waking squirrels. It seemed to stretch on and on, and Redthorn was tempted to make an excuse to leave the company of the tom. But she couldn't be rude.

Adderfang's unexpected question startled Redthorn. She was surprised as such a seemingly casual question. But compare it to the little, very little, conversation they had just a few minutes ago and it seemed very forced. "I've been well. The warm weather has been a great blessing, and I put up with Patchclaw's rambling of wanting an apprentice." she cringed inwardly. Her reply even seemed forced! Was everything forced out when around this tom? She decided to wait to hear how he was doing, and then excuse herself with a little lie. Perhaps something about forgetting she was called for a patrol, or to go hunting with Patchclaw. But, she reminded herself once more, she couldn't be rude. Oh who are you kidding, Redthorn! As soon as he replies be rude and excuse yourself!

ADDERFANG
A kind word can attract even the snake from his nest.

Adderfang could sense her queasiness, was his appearance just that unsettling? With a languished sigh he meowed begrudgingly, "If my appearance is bothering you that much than you can leave--" His voice sounded taunt with hurt, he tried to upkeep his composure but it was hard when every cat that looked at him wanted to avoid him at all cost. He was sure if someone just got to know him; not what he looked like; but got to know who he was inside than his appearance wouldn't be so ugly. "I'm sorry, if I-" he paused, another sigh escaped his mouth. Looking away he meowed quickly, "If I could change my looks I would within a heart-beat." Hurt, sorrow, and pain entered his face. Why aren't my parents here! Why did you take them away! They never cursed allowed at my looks, they never ran away, they-they loved me.

"It just doesn't work that way." He meowed at last, glancing back at Redthorn he tried to blink away the threatening tears. He was a warrior; a tom no less. They shouldn't cry, he never cried. But all of these bottled up emotions were going to spill. That dam was breaking, breathing heavily he stood up. All these moons, acting nice. Trying to befriend others, yet they only ignored me. Why do I even try, this isn't fair. This stupid world isn't fair.

"I'm sorry for bothering you." he meowed quietly, flicking his tail he padded back to the warrior's den. He needed to calm down. Perhaps then he could reappear, a cheery grin plastered across his face. Sure it'd be all too fake, but at least he wouldn't look bothered by the squeals and stares. They were always laughing at him, whispering, and mocking. But at least he knew when he finally died his parents would be waiting for him. At least that was something to look forward to. Until then in the mean time he'd have to work hard to prove everyone wrong.

Looks weren't everything.

Redthorn felt her stomach fall into a never ending pit. He had sensed her feelings. She had hurt him and he was trying not to show it. She should have acted better around him. She knew he couldn't help the way he looked. And it broke her that he felt like he should change his looks. He was an amazing warrior, Redthorn just knew it. She just needed to put aside his appearance. She needed to get to know this Adderfang.

But before she could react to his words he got up and left to the warriors den. That made Redthorn feel even worse. He had to deal with cats being embarrassed around him all day for the rest of his life. He had no friends, he had to deal with his pain alone and the way the clan acted around him probably made it harder. She should do something. Say she was sorry that she didn't mean to be like that around him. But how was she going to say it?

A few moments after he entered the den Redthorn stood up and slowly made her way over. She could feel her stomach swirling and her throat went dry. This was something probably no other ShadowClan cat would do. Probably none of the four clans would go and apologize to the ugliest cat they knew and wanted to go hunting with them, not even Cinderheart who was the nicest cat Redthorn had ever seen.

She stopped at the entrance to the warriors den. Just stood there as her mind whirled with what to say. How was she suppose to put it? What words should she use? Redthorn took a deep breath and entered the den. "Adderfang," she whispered, her throat cracker with dryness. She cleared it and started over "Adderfang I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't judge you by your looks..." pausing she took a deep breath "Will you give me another chance to get to know the real you? Maybe go hunting with me?"

There, she had said it. And amazingly she hadn't forced it out.

ADDERFANG
A kind word can attract even the snake from his nest.

The disgruntled tom stiffly rose his head; surprise entered his face but only for a second. He coughed slightly; due to such an odd distorted face he had a few respiratory problems. They weren't much of a bother though. He swallowed; creased his lips into a straight line and looked away. Why is she here? She's only forcing herself into this. "I don't want your guilt to force you into something you'll regret." he meowed reluctantly. Truthfully he wanted to spring to his paws; grin like the sun, and whisk Redthorn away into the sunset. Where they'd hunt leisurely and gossip. But reality hit him with it's cruel, icy hands; choking the fun from his smile.

The only reason she was here was become she felt guilt; remorse; probably pity. Those weren't the reasons to befriend someone, nor hunt with them. He turned to face her once more; she didn't look uncomfortable. In fact she looked as if she wanted to be there. Perhaps it was a trick of the lights; maybe his head wasn't screwed on too tight. She wasn't honestly there because she wanted to be. All cats would rather be at the bottom of the lake than be in his presence. Adderfang furrowed his brows,

"Are you sure you want to go hunting with me?" he questioned, "You'd have to look at me you know." He had to state the obvious. Maybe she hadn't realized the dangers of hunting alone with him. She couldn't go off with some other cat; no, she had to stay within seeing distance of him.

A deep sigh was exhaled; he twisted his face to look squarely at hers. She had a rather pretty face, unlike his. Her fur was nicely kept; it reminded him of rich autumn leaves resting on freshly fallen snow. He smiled slightly, oh how he missed the snow. Anything would be better than spring.

Her eyes were a warm shade of amber. His smile softened,
"If you have no doubts-" he paused. Redthorn was the first cat to ever attempt to have conversation with him without being ordered to; and definitely the first to ask him to go hunting. This feeling trickled his spine; perhaps this was the sun kissed feeling of friendship. He dipped his head and meowed gently,

"Thank you."