”Oh?” he grinned, chuckling. “Well, I’ll put up with anything as long as we get some answers,” he told him, knowing then how unusual that must have sounded to Edgefrost. Normally he wouldn’t tolerate anyone, but the thought of being able to bring their mother’s killer to justice had his paws itching with anticipation. He stared ahead for a moment, silent and calculating as he thought about what he’d do once they found whoever was responsible, but once he turned to look at his brother again, the anger from his features quickly faded and something more solemn took its place. Sleekfeather looked down at the ground, kicking a small pebble as they walked. “You and your siblings have quite the past, huh?” he replied softly, suddenly not wanting to look him in the eye, so he promptly closed his as if he were tired.
After a moment of awkward internal fumbling, he let out a soft sigh. “I am sorry for leaving,” he apologized, finally managing to get the words out. In his lifetime, he’d made many cats angry with him, and many downright hated him, which wasn’t something that ever really bothered him until now. With his adopted siblings, it was different. He cared about their feelings and didn’t want them to hate him. “I could have told you what I was doing but I wasn’t sure how long I’d be gone, or if I’d even be back for that matter,” he admitted, looking down at the ground again. Few things were as crushing as the weight of a loved one’s death, and that weight was only made heavier when compounded by guilt. He’d ripped myself to pieces wondering if there was anything he could have done to save Swanpath from the horrible end she’d suffered. From the pain in Sleekfeather’s tone and the way his body braced as if absorbing invisible blows, he was still punishing himself over his mother’s death. All around him were memories. Every part of Riverclan breathed Swanpath’s name. It was impossible for him to stay when her killer was still out there; completely free. “We’re just lucky that your sister had valuable information and pointed us in the right direction, otherwise I’d still be out there,” he pointed out, clearing his throat as he walked steadily beside Edgefrost, taking in all of the new scenery. He’d never been this far out before.
When he felt hard concrete beneath his paws, he flinched and stepped backwards, quickly moving away from it and back over to the grass. What the fuck? His eyes studied the sidewalk in dismay, and then widened when he looked ahead of them. Before him, he saw unwavering pillars of stone and steel much taller than any tree he’d ever seen, and strange glowing towers that reached into the midday sky. Drifting through the urban haze, his turquoise eyes grew wide awake, the fur along his back standing on end. There were monsters, and they puffed out grey, smelly smoke as they roared by. Its streets, full of two-legs, walked by without a second thought, completely disinterested in them. The ones here seemed less hostile than the ones in the forest, but no less oppressive. Then, a hot, sticky breeze filled his nostrils full of car fumes and smog, nearly making him gag. It was hard to believe that Edgefrost had once lived in such a place.
Looking over at his brother, it seemed as though he was currently reliving those terrible memories. He couldn’t help but wonder what his life was like when he lived here, but from the look on Edgefrost’s face, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. “No problem there,” he responded, aiming for a cheerier tone as he quickly followed behind Edgefrost, keeping very little distance between them. “Talking and making eye contact are the things I do least,” he told him, falling quiet on the subject as they approached an overgrown, abandoned building. Quietly, he wondered why Edgefrost had stopped to look at it, but before he could even begin to ask any questions, he felt a strong shove.
Trusting that Edgefrost had a reason for pushing him, he stayed quiet and followed his brother’s gaze to a grey molly. ’A spy?’ he repeated, eyes narrowing in thought. He knew that this little mission of theirs would be dangerous but it was proving to be much more dangerous than he expected. “I guess it’s a good thing we’re both dark furred,” he muttered under his breath, thankful that their coats were the very same color as the shadows they were sneaking around in. “Let’s find hurry up and find Destiny before we run into trouble, then. I’ll follow your lead. You know this place better than I do.”