SunClan Camp || Open RP Thread

It was an obvious distraction. Tinyleaf had done enough talking to cats who wanted to be left alone (usually because it was him with them) that he wasn't so dumb as to take Honeyflare's sudden surrender at face value. And yet.

He settled down next to him, uncertainty dropping him to his belly like a heavy rock in a pond. As much as he knew it was his responsibility to push and prod and even report to a superior about these kind of weird behaviors, who would he tell? Without any details, any other cat would just dismiss Honeyflare's behavior to erratic grief. Impulses that would lead nowhere, just a bit of lashing out. But Tinyflare could tell it ran much deeper than that. Recognized the tone of the other's voice like an echo from his own past, and felt more than anything else that something was absolutely going to happen.

And he was so tired of being part of happenings. 

Tinyleaf made no move to pick at his bird, only cast a sidelong glance at his regretful companion. "It's my second favorite," His mew found itself, laden with new energy that he didn't have to dig for, only tap into the endless reservoir at his core where the desperate desire to throw his worries away resided like a 24/7 woodchipper. Gratefully, guiltily, he let the comfort of their shared lie soothe the dark swirling of his headspace. "You can taste the breeze, I always say."

Being offered a smile seemed to put Tinyleaf more at ease, shown in the way he turned his head more readily to look at his clanmate head-on. Encouraged now that Honeyflare hadn't just packed up and left at the nearest sign of trouble, he seemed to forget the prior friction entirely. "You don't need to apologize," he replied, smile shrinking into something slighter- more genuine?- as he dismissed the tabby's worries, nudging a ginger paw to bump gently at the other's bronze one. "It can be hard to voice the things in our heads. We think in all kinds of ways, and then we have to flatten it all into a few sentences for other people to understand... it loses a lot of shape when you have to confine it to language. For what it's worth, I don't think you messed anything up at all, so you're probably doing better than you thought!"

Then, like a cloud passing across the sun, that instance of quieter understanding had slipped away in a full frontal shift to idle conversation, accompanied by the broadening of Tinyleaf's grin as he shifted his paw back to prod the avian. "But, if you're still interested, birds tend to have a lighter, more delicate flavor, is what I've noticed! Compared to most land prey, anyway. Maybe it's because birds have to be light to fly? Or something... If you want, I can divide some for you right now." He was already in motion before an answer could be given, lowering his head to finally finish the plucking process as he continued speaking between spats of feathers. "But- My favorite is actually squirrel, like the one I brought back! Climbing animals are just so fun to catch, which I think is half the reason they taste as good, but during greenleaf they're also super flavorful with the bounty of the forest in them- Ah-"

At the far end of the bird, where he pulled at some of the tinier, downier feathers near the bases of the wings, he suddenly came away with a patch of fluff much greater than what he'd intended, and almost immediately sneezed when they inevitably tickled his nose, sending the down scattering between the two of them like winter had come early. Silenced by his own precipitation, Tinyleaf marveled wide-eyed at the descending tufts.

"Oh." As the feathers settled around them, a light dusting of pale greys and whites, Tinyleaf couldn't help batting at the few final stragglers, a pleased mrrp escaping him as he managed to entrap one between his mismatched toes. Stamping down on it triumphantly, he craned his neck to sniff at the catch, as if it hadn't been plucked by him a mere few seconds prior. But Tinyleaf never had to conform to reality's whims- For him, even a little feather was a hard fought victory, clearly dropped from the sky just for him! Amused, he slid his paw to his chest, tucking the fluff close lest it blow away. This one, out of all the others, was meant for me. "S-So they don't!"

"Oh?" Lucky for Honeyflare, Tinyleaf was quick to pounce on the opportunity for another distraction- somewhat literally, as he couldn't help his other paw from flashing out to agitate the newly reinvigorated down like a newly made apprentice. Old habits die hard, and no matter how old he got, it was a cat's nature to swat! Feeling a nudge at his side, he affixed its owner with a pleased blink, pleased to have met a fellow clanmate without the need for trappings of sophisticated, stoic dignity that kept them from acting like real cats every once in a while. As much as he was devoted to the path of a warrior, there were times he felt it stifled the true personalities of those around him. Made them tense and afraid to cut loose sometimes... But how could someone be expected to carry out their duty without a bit of freedom to inspire that capacity for responsibility?

It was good Honeyflare hadn't succumbed to that yet. Mainly so that Tinyleaf didn't have to feel embarrassed for having his own moment of weakness, surrounded by exciting, drifting debris just begging to be played with. Not to mention, used for the good of the clan, of course! He was quicker than me to think of that much- How could he doubt himself at all, being that thoughtful? "That's a really good idea! It's not much of them, but maybe if I keep an eye out, I can gather more of them over time..? I'm sure they'd be appreciated."

Then pawing lazily over another feather, Tinyleaf's attention drifted as he remarked, "Squirrels, though.. When you chase them across branches, you'd almost think they could fly. The way they jump so far makes it look like they're gliding. I wonder if that's a form of flight, in itself?"

Charmed by Honeyflare's visual, he couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of him, eyes crinkling with humor as he considered the logistics of having to hunt squirrels with the same caution they did birds. With those big, fluffy tails, you could probably hook them out of the sky if you jumped high enough! Part of it was an exciting thought, as much as it'd complicate the chase for everyone. It was probably a good thing it wasn't real... but it didn't stop Tinyleaf finding a silver lining to it.

Then, as if already planning on speeding up the process, Tinyleaf began to paw the feathers as well, this time to begin forming a small pile instead of leaving them scattered about. Humming a single note as he carried out his little chore, he responded, "You're right. It seems fairly to the point, but I hope our clanmates are already doing the same sort of thing... I'd hate to waste some good bedding in the breeze." Then, pausing as he considered the lightness of the pile, he blinked at Honeyflare for another instance of his sage advice. "Where should we keep them so that they don't fly away? Unless we should layer them directly into the nests already?"

A leaf! Inspired. Tinyleaf nodded thoughtfully, and then more thoughtful still when Honeyflare pointed out another unexpected flaw in the developing plan. Still, it felt a little disadvantaging to put the other warrior in the position of having to... guard the feathers, or something. In spite of the offer, it was Tinyleaf who'd caused those very feathers to shed! He couldn't well just put another cat in charge of holding them, especially not while he indulged himself. He didn't think he'd even be able to enjoy a meal, knowing it was holding someone else up. Hmm..

Then, as if struck by his own inspiration, the smaller cat perked up, and quickly finished building the pile of feathers. Then, taking the plucked bird with him, he carefully got to his paws and repositioned himself over the deposit, lowering back onto them slowly, slowly... just slow enough that they wouldn't burst out from under him. Just like that, the feathers had been perfectly covered beneath his stomach, safe from any breeze! "I can keep them like this!" Tinyleaf dropped the bird back down before speaking, the familiar pleasure of resolving a problem eliciting a purr in his chest. Then, not wanting to rob Honeyflare of his own role in their mission, he continued, "When we're ready, I'll have you fetch the leaf, and then that'll be that! Well, a few might stick to me, but... I'll just sit up so I can swipe them off!"