Dappledolly
Red Star
The unrelenting constancy of love and hope can rescue and restore you from any scope 🧿✨
Posts: 32
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Post by Dappledolly on Oct 2, 2022 3:29:04 GMT
"Its good to see you Sky!" It had been a while since she had seen the orange molly, her pelt shined like ice from the small stars that gathered in her fur. When she had met the old Poolwalker, her muzzle was already grey with age, and now she was young and strong, so much better than in her death. "I'm glad to see you as well." Sky replied, cautiously eyeing the white molly and making her pelt bristle with nerves. "What worries you?" she asked, lightly brushing her tail tip to her shoulder "You know I can tell when you're upset."
Butterfly pondered for a moment, trying to get her thoughts in order as she looked around. Mushrooms similar to those in the pool adorned he ground, some twinkling in blue hues. The air was comfortably warm, and she watched as a few other cats roamed about the beautiful sanctuary. "If you're going to ask of the landslide, that was not our doing... accidents happen and nature is out of our control." Sky's words pierced through Butterfly's thoughts as she felt her fur go warm. So they weren't upset..
"As for the clans, I don't think you should fret just yet. If it starts to become a problem, you'll be the first to know." she continued, pulling her tail back and wrapping it neatly around herself. "You're doing right by your tribe, Butterfly. They respect you and will follow anywhere. You have yet to lead them astray. Trust you are doing well." Sky finished, lightly nudging the white molly with a smile. Butterfly let out a soft sigh, feeling a bit more confidant. It was strange how well the older Poolwalker knew her and her plights, as if their time apart had been mere seconds. "Thank you, Sky" She mewed, looking down at her paws. "No worries my dear.. now go tend to that poor molly. She needs you." Sky chimed, motioning for Butterfly to return to the pool.
In the blink of an eye Butterfly jolted awake, placing her paws squarely at the bottom of the pool to orient herself. She had no idea how much time had passed, but the sun still appeared to shine outside, and Aster sat patiently waiting for her. Her heart began to flutter as she slowly waded towards her.
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theeriginals
White Star
Currently in College, May not respond right away
Posts: 51
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Post by theeriginals on Oct 2, 2022 4:24:36 GMT
Even though it may not have been long, Aster had rested her head on her uninjured paw and begun to doze. The cool stone was helping to soothe the throbbing in her injured one and the slow dripping of water into the pool had lulled her to dozing. Her whiskers twitched now and then, and her tail curled against her flank.
It took awhile for Aster to notice the sound of a cat swimming, only noticing it a second before Butterfly stepped onto solid ground. She yawned and shifted to turn her head toward the white and gray molly, blinking away the drowsiness. In her half awake state it was more evident how the glowing light made the Poolwalker look even more mystical than the sunlight. The rippling reflections once again gracing the soft fur of the molly. Aster’s gaze softened a little, not realizing she was staring.
She yawned again and stretched forward, wincing a little but trying to look strong. “Good talk?” She asked, clearing her throat as it cracked from sleep.
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Dappledolly
Red Star
The unrelenting constancy of love and hope can rescue and restore you from any scope 🧿✨
Posts: 32
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Post by Dappledolly on Oct 2, 2022 4:53:08 GMT
Butterfly padded onto the cool rock, purring softly as she watched the golden molly rose from her spot. "It went well, I tried to keep it brief as to not keep you waiting." she replied, taking a few steps back and gently shaking her pelt, trying to avoid accidentally wetting the other. She looked down at her paw and frowned, noticing the swelling beginning to form. Guilt once more began to surface, but quickly repressed those thoughts, thinking back to Star's words. 'Trust you are doing well' The orange molly's words rang through her ears as clear as day, reminding her she had nothing to worry about.
"Are you able to make the walk down? We can take as much time as we need so please go at your pace. And I can help if need be." Water continued to drip off the white she-cat, the blue from the pool reflecting and glittering on her pelt. "Thank you for holding on, I appreciate it more than you know." she purred, softly nudging the caramel molly.
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theeriginals
White Star
Currently in College, May not respond right away
Posts: 51
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Post by theeriginals on Oct 2, 2022 5:19:03 GMT
Aster stood and looked down at her paws before meeting her leader’s gaze. “I think I’ll be okay. Were you able to find another path down from here? May be safer since we’ve had bad weather.” She asked partly out of concern for herself but mostly for Butterfly’s safety. If this happened again while the to-be wasn’t with her….. the caramel molly shook the thought from her head and started to speak again, “I’m glad the talk went well even though it was short.”
A small smile passed her muzzle, a little awkward since the molly was usually expressionless but reassuring nonetheless. Then she paused and flattened her ears against her head, “Mouse dung… I was supposed to hunt for you while we were traveling.”
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Dappledolly
Red Star
The unrelenting constancy of love and hope can rescue and restore you from any scope 🧿✨
Posts: 32
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Post by Dappledolly on Oct 2, 2022 23:34:42 GMT
"There is a back path we can take.. but it may take longer than the way up." Butterfly began, trying to remember the hidden path she had found not too long ago, but rarely used due to the winding tunnel they had to pass that made Butterfly a bit nervous. She thought back to the path upwards, and how one wrong paw step could send them down the mountain, and with Aster not having all of her footing, an accident was bound to happen. "If you are able to handle the walk, it would be the best way to get back to camp without any more unpredictable ."
"And don't you fret about not being able to hunt, I can always eat back at camp.."The white molly trailed off, turning her gaze to a smaller section of rocks behind the pool, a smaller cavern barely illuminated by the blue hue of glowing mushrooms. She felt silly feeling fearful of the tunnel, especially since she had been down it a few times before, but something about the way the cavern bounced any tiny noise off its walls, sometimes hearing her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. She shuddered at the thought, but knew it was best for Aster.
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theeriginals
White Star
Currently in College, May not respond right away
Posts: 51
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Post by theeriginals on Oct 2, 2022 23:48:56 GMT
Aster’s tail tip twitched as she tried to not to let her pride get wounded by a silly sprain. She knew Butterfly was right, they had prey in the camp thanks to the other tribe cats, but still… it was Aster’s need to prove herself and her skills that made it hard to accept that it was okay. The reality of her injury was slowly sinking in as the adrenaline was almost completely gone by now. Her ears flattened and she hoped she wasn’t showing how distraught she was.
She noticed the other molly glancing nervously at the shadows, even though she suggested a safer option than heading back down the path they took to get here. “Poolwalker, I promise I’ll be fine. A little strain on my paw isn’t going to hurt me, especially since we’re heading back to camp.” The caramel molly gently nudged Butterfly’s shoulder with her nose to get her attention, “We don’t have to take a path you’re uncomfortable with. Also.. if we go slow on either path, I’m certain I’ll be fine.”
The throbbing and swelling was telling Aster the complete opposite, but she just couldn’t bring herself to show anymore weakness. Perhaps it was something she silently learned from her mother, trying to appear strong in front important cats in her life. She wasn’t sure, but she did know she’d already showed enough. She needed to be strong again if she was going to ease the Poolwalker’s nerves.
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Dappledolly
Red Star
The unrelenting constancy of love and hope can rescue and restore you from any scope 🧿✨
Posts: 32
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Post by Dappledolly on Oct 3, 2022 0:30:12 GMT
Butterfly turned to the caramel molly, all fear gone from blue eyes as she ran her eyes over her inured paw. "I think the safest option is the tunnel. I'm not putting you in any more risk and with there already being one landslide, i'm sure there's to be a few stray rocks still falling." As much as she disliked it, she was sure with the molly there she wouldn't feel as nervous. She needed to get Aster some herbs and some much needed rest for all she had done. She was more than grateful for her quick thinking and valor that saved her life, and she wanted to thank her as much as possible. She thought back to her den and thanked herself for recently replacing the extra bedding for a softer moss that had recently grown nearby.
She turned her sights back to the cave, the soft blue glow cautiously inviting the pair forward. A nervous sigh escaped the white molly as she slowly made her way towards the tunnel. She knew they wouldn't be in the tunnel for too long before it opened up to pathways outside of the caves, back towards a small area behind the tribe home cavern. "Stay close and let me know if we need to stop and rest." she said softly, trying to hide the nerves in her tone.
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theeriginals
White Star
Currently in College, May not respond right away
Posts: 51
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Post by theeriginals on Oct 3, 2022 0:41:16 GMT
Rather than argue with Butterfly, Aster relented and followed behind the smaller cat. “Alright… if you say so.” She stayed as close as she could, feeling her whiskers brush the other molly’s tail tip in the dim light, “I think I’ll be okay as long as we don’t sprint.” As they neared the narrow pathway, the shadows grew darker until it felt like all of the light was sucked away. Aster’s pelt bristled a little in discomfort, also finding the heaps of stone and earth above them unsettling. However it wasn’t much different from being really deep underwater and feeling her ears pop from the difference in pressure.
Keeping that in mind seemed to ease the discomfort along with Butterfly’s scent, damp from the pool but still there and still comforting. Perhaps it was their size difference, but Aster found it easy to keep up with Butterfly’s pace. “You’re sure you’re okay?” She asked quietly, stiffening as she noticed how her quiet tone seemed as loud as her normal volume.
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Dappledolly
Red Star
The unrelenting constancy of love and hope can rescue and restore you from any scope 🧿✨
Posts: 32
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Post by Dappledolly on Oct 4, 2022 13:45:43 GMT
As the pair hovered around the mouth of the tunnel, Butterfly took a big breath and treaded inward, the soft blue glowing mushrooms as their guide in the long, winding cavern. "I'm alright, I just want to get you feeling better sooner.." she trailed off, attempting to find an ending down the dark path and failing. She had never been too keen on tunnels, especially knowing that there weren't really tunnels that just ended at that. The cobweb of other tunnels and paths that led in and around the mountain could be confusing, even more so if you didn't know the paths, however, Butterfly knew this path very well, having traveled through the tunnel to get to the star pool in the dead of night when no one was around to accompany her.
As their eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cavern, they kept up their pace, paw steps softly echoing through the tunnel as they made their way through. She hoped they would make good time, but it was hard to tell where exactly the sun sat while in the dark. It was cool and damp, the earth holding some level of moisture as they continued forward, always acutely aware of where Aster walked behind her. She hoped that the trek didn't end with her paw a bit more swollen than when they started, however this was their only chance of making it back to camp without anymore scratches.
As they moved together in silence, Butterfly began to loose herself in thought, trying to remember which herbs would work best for swelling to the best of her abilities given the quantity she had at home. She was almost too lost in thought as she brushed a small mushroom group and a dinky brown spider landed on her pelt, scurrying to get off the white molly as she stopped dead in her tracks at the sensation in her pelt. Her eyes grew wide, letting out a loud shriek, shaking her pelt off and jumping around trying to get whatever it was off of her.
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theeriginals
White Star
Currently in College, May not respond right away
Posts: 51
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Post by theeriginals on Oct 4, 2022 20:28:49 GMT
Aster couldn't help the amused purr rumbling in her throat. "Poolwalker, I'll be okay. A little walking won't make it worse." She reassured the molly as she followed behind, whiskers still brushing her tail. Even though the glow helped her to see, it was still dark and unfamiliar. The caramel she-cat found walking with a sprain to not be that difficult.... if she stopped trying to walk on all fours. Aster usually walked with long purposeful strides, but now she seemed restricted to a slower and shorter stride. Her balance was wobbly as she limped along the path even though her tail curved this way and that to try and even it out.
The fur between her shoulders was prickling and her steps stiffer than usual. The stale air in the tunnels was accented with mushroom and dust. Not exactly the most pleasant scents to Aster who had a sudden longing for the familiar smells of the tribe's camp. So absorbed in her own thoughts, she barely noticed Butterfly stop until the she-cat started shrieking and jumping around. "Whoa! What happened? What's going on?" The to-be staggered in surprised, immediately sniffing the air for the source but finding nothing. She squinted in the lowlight and noticed a hitchhiker on the white molly's fur.
"Hey," Aster meowed and tried to steady Butterfly, moving to press against her flank since she couldn't use her paw to stop the other, "Hold still. It's just a little spider, I'll get it off." Without thinking she leaned over the Poolwalker, large frame almost covering the other's smaller one. Blowing gently dislodged the spider and she watched it float towards the stone floor, scuttling back into the safety of the shadows.
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Dappledolly
Red Star
The unrelenting constancy of love and hope can rescue and restore you from any scope 🧿✨
Posts: 32
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Post by Dappledolly on Oct 6, 2022 2:09:28 GMT
Butterfly watched the spider scurry off, eyes wide and tail bristled. "Thank you.." she mewed softly, shaking her pelt off trying to get any debris off her pelt. She felt herself grow warm with embarrassment as she realized she had just gotten scared of such a small creature right in front of the To-Be. Even worse, she could have furthered damaged her paw in the process. "Are you okey? Did I hurt you?" she asked, quickly scanning her leg looking for any more signs of bruising.
As she examined her paw in the soft glow, she couldn't help but giggle at the situation. "You keep saving me today." she mused, attempting to make light of the situation. She was upset at the fact that she had changed her plans for the day but was glad Aster was at least able to see just a bit of the wonder that resided on the mountain. She silently hoped no other issues arose as they continued their trek forward, both large and comically small and that Aster wouldn't be too upset with her for all she had to endure because of her indecisiveness.
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theeriginals
White Star
Currently in College, May not respond right away
Posts: 51
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Post by theeriginals on Oct 6, 2022 3:24:43 GMT
It was odd to be worried over like this, Aster realized as she felt embarrassed and grateful at the same time. On one paw it was nice and on the other she didn’t want to appear helpless. Her fur fluffed a little as she tried not to let awkwardness show, being used to “walking it off” with her usual wounds. “I’m alright honestly. You didn’t even bump me.” She replied and cleared her throat, “If anything I was just surprised.”
Her ears flicked toward the Butterfly as she commented on Aster’s heroics, prompting another purr of amusement. She shrugged and looked off to the side, a small smile tugging at the corners of her muzzle, “Ah, any cat would do the same. Besides it wouldn’t sit well with me to let my fellow tribe-mates get hurt.” Aster glanced back at the Poolwalker, trying to gauge her thoughts.
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Dappledolly
Red Star
The unrelenting constancy of love and hope can rescue and restore you from any scope 🧿✨
Posts: 32
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Post by Dappledolly on Oct 6, 2022 14:01:50 GMT
The Poolwalker chuckled, shaking out her pelt once more for any leftover debris as she turned back to the path at hand. "I appreciate it anyways." the white molly purred, motioning Aster with her tail to continue to follow her down the path. She knew any cat would have helped her, but she was simply grateful the To-Be didn't ridicule her for jumping at the sights of a small spider. As a matter of fact, Aster had done just as well as any other tribemate if not quicker. If anything, her To-Be days would be over soon. The molly was lost in thought, so lost in thought that she didn't notice when the hard dirt and gavel eased away to become smooth, cool rock that marked their arrival towards the entrance.
There was a soft white glow coming from a small point far into the tunnel, and once Butterfly realized where they were she began to pick up her pace. The floors were a lot easier on the paws, ands he was grateful they managed to find their way out. "It's up ahead!" she called back, turning around to flash the caramel molly a smile before continuing. They were so close, and food and herbs would be provided to them both soon.
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theeriginals
White Star
Currently in College, May not respond right away
Posts: 51
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Post by theeriginals on Oct 6, 2022 15:57:53 GMT
Aster winced as the light blinded her, having been used to the darkness of the cave and tunnels they had traveled in. She squinted her eyes as they took time to adjust, blinking rapidly and taking a deep breath of fresh open air. When she had adjusted to the light, she smiled back at the Poolwalker. "It's nice to feel the wind in my fur and not the cramped tunnels." The to-be replied, "Thank the spirits we had no other issues." After a brief pause the molly dipped her head in respect to the other and murmured, "Thank you, Poolwalker, for showing me the cave and the pool at the Star Cliffs. It was an honor."
Slowly the realization that she had been very casual to a higher ranking tribe member was over her like a wave of cold water. Had she overstepped any boundaries? Said anything out of line? Usually Aster was very good at maintaining respectful and formal interactions, separating work from relaxation. What had happened? Had she hit her head on the stones when she fell? Aster stretched to distract from the conflicting emotions that might've been flickering across her face, hoping Butterfly wouldn't notice that her thoughts were racing.
Once again she couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to be closer to the smaller cat, wanting to get to know the mysterious Poolwalker better. "I think I can pick up the pace a little. You must be starving?" Aster padded next to Butterfly and peered further up the path home, "Hopefully the others caught something good..."
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Dappledolly
Red Star
The unrelenting constancy of love and hope can rescue and restore you from any scope 🧿✨
Posts: 32
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Post by Dappledolly on Oct 7, 2022 14:57:36 GMT
Butterfly closed her eyes and took in a big breath, mentally thanking their ancestors for their safe passage home. A small breeze passed by the pair, rustling their fur as it flew past. As stressful as the tunnels were, they did well together! And other than the small mishap with the spider, she was more confidant in her abilities to cross it. She was proud of herself, and better yet, she was proud of Aster. She had taken the tunnel in stride, and had helped more than her fair share. As she thought, she suddenly turned to Aster who dipped her head towards her. Suddenly it dawned on her. They had been acting very casual, and as much as The Poolwalker enjoyed her company, she had a duty to perform. Still she purred softly, eyes softening as their eyes met once more. "Thank you for coming with me and keeping me safe. You are a strong member of this Tribe and I'm proud of all you've done today."
Her eyes drew towards the To-Be's injured paw, eyebrows furrowing as she remember what she needed to do. "Lets get you back to camp. I'm sure a good meal and some herbs will get you feeling better soon." She nudged the caramel molly playfully, then turning towards the smooth rock filled path. "We aren't too far from camp now!"
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