A Summer Stroll Border Patrol! } Tiny, Honey, Swan & Tiger

"Foxes.." Tinyleaf echoed softly, shaking out his pelt uncomfortably at the thought. It'd been a few moons since the spontaneous attack on camp, but he hadn't forgotten the shock of being woken by gnashing jaws and russet fur. If they were going to have returned, they surely would have done so already- foxes weren't the patient, coordinated type, not like the clan cats. Although he wouldn't voice it, he hoped it'd stay that way. An enemy you couldn't communicate with was far worse than another feline across the border. Speaking of other cats... "You're right, though. Loners are loners for a reason. They aren't all too keen on organized infiltration. If we're going to have any trouble with them, it'll be our numbers taking majority. Plenty of claws!"

Even as he spoke, however, keeping his regular cheer intact, the thought of fighting put a sour taste on his tongue. A warrior was a warrior, and he'd serve his part, but he'd give up his nest lining if it meant he didn't have to handle a petty territory skirmish again. Still, he tried to reassure himself, patrolling like this helps nip that kind of stuff in the bud, hopefully. There won't have to be a fight if we can just make our point through marks.

That reminded him. "We'll be meeting the border, soon. Let's keep our ears and noses up while loners are still on the mind!"

That much was true. Although he'd had his fair share of hard times, Tinyleaf couldn't imagine life without Sunclan. The permanence of existing somewhere, of leaving your legacy for moons and moons, a culture, a tradition... He relied on his sense of duty, his responsibilities, to get by. A life without a clan... now that was a difficult thing indeed.

Still, part of him couldn't help but wonder if maybe even loners had their way of fulfilling those needs. There'd never be a window to find out, what with how insulated the clan lifestyle was, but perhaps even a loner had friends and family to travel with. If Sunclan travelled here and there, I'd follow anyday! It was another kitlike sentiment, but that was just his way of thinking. It brought a happy twitch to his whiskers to consider, even in mere fantasy, the thought of going on a grand adventure with his clanmates by his side. Wasn't the sort of thing you should discuss out loud, though. Although, strangely- he peeked at Honeyflare once more- he wondered if others ever thought the same secret things.

But no time to dwell.

"Interesting, huh?" As he padded along, he stared down at his mismatched paws as if to recall a memory. Honestly, most patrols seemed to blur together in his head. "Well... I've seen plenty of confrontations, but I suppose more often than not, we find very little at all. As they say, though, an uneventful patrol is more or less a positive one." Tinyleaf blinked away from his stride now, peering up ahead. "What about you, Swanmask?"

"I see," Tinyleaf's voice came out soft as his flanks sunk down slightly, tightening in position to execute a clean spring the moment those foreign pawsteps erupted into the vicinity of the patrol. Locked for an ambush, he flashed a reassuring smile to Honeyflare. It must be a little bothersome, to deal with some dramatic instance of conflict mere moments after expressing a distaste for it. And so soon after his warrior ceremony, too... Hopefully, the problem could be resolved seamlessly. There was nothing a good scare couldn't fix. "Sounds like we'll have them run right to our paws. Let's see what we've caught."

It's not his nature to seek violence, never has been. But it wasn't about what he wanted; This was about the good of Sunclan, and maintaining the customs that defined its culture and territory for so long. A peaceful resolution would be ideal, but if push came to shove, he'd swallow his case of soft paws and do what needed to be done. Coming to terms with the thought, a proud gleam entered the green of his gaze, fixed on the trajectory of the stampeding loner with intent to succeed.