FOREST.
loner
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The gentle hush of water lapping against wood filled the quiet, crisp early dawn. The sun was just preparing to begin its ascent and wash the world in its warm embrace. A dark figure, the even darker tabby stripes of his brown pelt just starting to become visible, sat on the dock, tail curled tightly around their paws to keep the chill of the leaving night from their toes and warm breath misting into the warming air.
While he pondered the possibility of sitting all night in wait for a patrol to find him, which they had not and he'd managed, he also pondered if returning was the correct path.
A little over two years ago he'd left with the complete belief he would never return, but there he patiently sat on the Dock of RiverClan's territory, waiting to be discovered by someone, anyone. It had not been a choice made lightly, but it was also not a choice he'd so easily back out of- even after sitting through most of the night and being given ample time to chicken out.
Leaving had also not been a light choice, but it had benefited him immensely in the end. After everything that had resulted from the clash with all the Clans, he'd been unable to find himself anymore, everything buried under new trauma, the likes of which he'd never experienced before. Even his family, always a strong and reliable point for him, had been unable to help. Feeling left with nowhere else to turn, he'd been present with the option of fleeing- and took it.
Life as a loner hadn't been easy, even with all his skills, but he'd experienced so much and was able to heal enough to help him to his current position- returning to RiverClan. He wasn't completely healed, perhaps he never would be, but he finally felt in a good enough place to return home. He didn't know if he'd be staying, or even welcomed, but he felt he owed himself at least some more closure on that front. It was a struggle now to realize what he might have given up before fading away from his home, but he now realized he was ready to accept what he'd still have. RiverClan was his home, no matter how much pain he might experience because of that, and he was ready to try to return.
Now someone just needed to come along to offer to help him take that last, final step back home.
“Ah yes, well my word is law now, so the Clan will have to have you.” Copperstar snickers at his light hearted joke.
“These are merely the scars of leadership, dear brother. Mommy dearest left the clans a while back and then I was chosen as deputy when the old one stepped up to be leader. Then she vanished one day and never returned, and the rest is history. Suddenly boom, I’m leader- like it or not.” He didn’t seem to register the fact that Forestmask was looking at him with bulging eyes now, taking in the new wave of information.
“I suppose it was only bound to happen, that we follow in the paw steps of one of our parents, though I do wonder why it had to be me of all cats. I’m hardly leadership material, I mean I more or less trip on every single little pebble out on the territory even though I should know exactly every single detail down to the last little speck of dust but… enough about me? How have you been? Where have you been?”
He had a list of questions that he wanted to ask his brother that was miles long, but he supposed he should start with those first. It was only then that he realized Forestmask was staring at him like he head two heads. He felt heat rising to the skin under his fur and suddenly the forest was much hotter than he recalled it being a few seconds ago.
Embarrassed, the orange tom let out a breathy huff of a laugh feeling somewhat small underneath his brother's intense stare, “What?" He inquired, shooting him a nervous grin, his large and fluffy white dipped tail curled round his body as he titled his head.
A prickling sensation, not unlike that of thousands of thorns raking across Copperstar’s spine, caused the fur along it to ruffle up. His ears shot straight upwards upon his cranium and his claws unsheathed against the forest floor, he lowered himself deep down into the blades of emerald green grass.
A rogue. There was a rogue in Riverclan territory.
His nose wrinkled and his pupils became slits within his eyes, he stalked forward, keeping low down to the ground and upwind of the rogue- so as not to give away his position as he slunk through the grass. His heart thumped wild within his ribcage and his paws tingled in anticipation with every step he took towards the intruder.
This was his chance to prove himself a capable and strong leader, he’d been struggling so much that his dear mommy has to step up and save his pathetic fluffy rump, and his clan mates would never let him live it done unless he showed he could be competent and collected. He couldn’t afford to make more mistakes, he had to…
Wait…
He paused for a moment, as he rounded the base of a tree and there on the docks…
Sat a feline that was vaguely familiar to him. At first the Riverclan Leader couldn’t quite comprehend just who it was he was staring at from around the curvature of the tree, so as not to be spotted.
However, the longer he stared, the more the rogue looked more and more like someone he truly did know. The orange tabby squinted and mentally scrounged about his memories for who this feline was.
His heart skipped a beat, once and then twice.
Oh sweet Starclan, was that who he thought it was?!
It couldn’t be? Could it? No, there was no mistaking that dark brown pelt and those forest green eyes. The ones that reminded him so much of their father, Tunnelstar.
Forestmask!
It was Forestmask!
It really was him, after all these moons! Copperstar wasted no time rounding the tree and bolting towards his brother like his tail was ablaze with burning flames.
“BROTHER!” He shrieked with absolute delight, as he all but launched himself into the tom cat, “FORESTMASK! IT’S YOU!” He pinned the tom and stared down at him, his own green gaze glittering with glee.
“I cannot believe it! You’re home!” And in Copperstar, and all his eccentric nature, began to lick his brothers forehead affectionately, purring almost as loud as his belly growled for food on a constant day to day basis because it was so bottomless he was always starving, apparently.