Unidentified See-Through Objects || Thunder+Crow Meeting

It was a fine day out in the clan territories, the kind of day that warranted a nice stroll. Not a border stroll, nor a wetland stroll, but just a nice stroll. For Thunderwillow, what could be nicer than exploring the great unknown? The unconquered, the untamed? Otherwise known as the neutral zone, where she spent more time glancing rather than actually crossing into. After all, there was no better place to be but Moonclan! That is, until things got a bit too stuffy for comfort. Not that he was easily deterred by things like loss and grief and the unspoken sentiments of war prickling everyone's pelt lately- He just knew when it was best to step aside and let the others feel what they felt. Let Foxlily feel what she felt, away from his clumsy words that didn't seem to be helping his clanmates as much as they usually did.

It was good to get out every so often and remember what it was like to be a cat. Not a Moonclan cat, not a Sunclan cat, but just a big, yellow cat with time to kill and the sun on her stripes. As Thunderwillow crossed the length of a fallen log, one paw in front of the other as she hummed along to nothing in particular, she swished her tail high and proud at the show of her balance, even though there was nobody to see it. Greatness didn't need an audience! And-

A scream rang out, violent and hair-raising in the otherwise peaceful birdsong of the woodland.

As the tabby settled down, Thunderwillow blinked at him blankly, brain seemingly chugging to process the unusual reply- But the instant it clicked was marked by another hearty cackle, shaking her broad shoulders and quivering the dangling ear fluff framing her head in rippling waves, as if creating its own downpour in the middle of a sunny, dry day. Batting hard at the remnants of their enemy for stability, his laughter finally died down with a good few smacks, blue eyes narrowed pleasantly towards xem. "Me neither! What a coincidence!"

Shaking out her pelt, the Moonclan warrior withdrew a hefty paw from the corpse beneath it, almost marvelling down at her handiwork in a gruesome sort of fascination. "Guess this guy made a huge mistake attacking you, then! Imagine dying for something so pointless! Never stood a chance, huh? I almost feel bad!" For all his momentary empathy, it didn't stop him from swatting at it one more time, as if punishing the enemy's foolishness before raising her eyes back to the other cat, grinning toothily. "Still, neutral ground is pretty dangerous after all, isn't it? Wandering here alone could be dangerous!" It was less an offer and more a direct statement of intent, as Thunderwillow waved his tail confidently, a sweeping motion of determination- a motion that said a decision had been made, and her mind would not be changed. "I'll stay with you! Even if you can't die, I'll keep the pests off your back, okay? Woo!"

Thunderwillow was hot on xeir paws the moment the other started off, practically bound at the hip, which made it all the more erratic for him to stutter to a reeling stop to keep from trampling the other cat over when she, too, stopped just ahead of him. Blinking towards the molly, he blanked out for a moment at the question, having forgotten the same detail. Oh, right, names! That made sense. When you met new cats, it was ritual to exchange introductions! And also, to know what to call someone you were walking with! Not at all shy to trade formalities with a Sunclanner, she smiled wide at her companion. "I'm Thunderwillow! Like the tree! And the, uh- the BOOM! Straight from the sky!" He did a half leap in place, smacking his front paws hard on the dirt as if to emulate the same sound. The impact was a muted thud, followed by an underwhelming upswirl of dust from the dry ground. Still!

"What's your name, huh?" Peering with sudden intensity, he leaned towards her as if in conspiracy. "You wouldn't happen to be Willowthunder, would you?" After all, sharing similar bodies basically guaranteed similar names! Having a shadow double in another clan seemed like a definite possibility. Xe even had black stripes! Like a shadow! Wouldn't that be just the luckiest coincidence ever?

"A bird on fire!" He repeated it like a known concept, nodding familiarly before his head stopped mid-motion, a realization crossing her expression. Gasping sharply, Thunderwillow responded, "But maybe crows are burnt after all! That's why they're charred black, right?" Then, blinking along Crowflame's back, he added, "Like your pelt! You're all black and gold.. like a crow! And like fire! Whoa! So your name is like. Perfectly balanced!" To have a prefix and suffix that so thoroughly suited you.. Sunclan suddenly seemed pretty snazzy! As slightly disappointed that she was to uncover that xe wasn't sharing the exact same name parts as her, which was always 100% plausible and realistic to assume, she was simultaneously satiated knowing that his new escort had a name that made sense. Not like some of the weird names other cats had, like Pansystar. She didn't even look anything like a pansy! But looking now at this Sunclan cat, there were crows and flames all the way, black and gold licking along their pelt in rippling alternation that truly did bring fire to mind.

"Well!" Thunderwillow pulled out of his prior lean, the two having finished exchanging their top secret information (their names). "It's great to meet your kwuh.. aqua.. ACQUAINTANCE! Crowflame!" She announced the newly discovered identity one more time, practicing the sound in his mouth as he fumbled through the introduction with little flustering to show for it. Even her mistakes were committed with an utmost conviction, claimed loud and proud without need for regrets. This new adventure would be the same way! Sunclan or Moonclan, there was never fault in getting to know your clanmate or your clanmate's enemies.

Crowflame's contributions to the conspiracy were met with mutually widened eyes, followed by an even wider smile to radiate back xeir sincerity. Thunderwillow, delighted to be engaged so readily, perked considerably at the reciprocal greeting. With a weighty stomp with her front paws, she stuck her nose off in a random direction, pointing onwards into the unknown with all the outlandish courage of an experienced adventurer. One who had never left Moonclan before, but who had the spirit nonetheless! "Crows might get burnt pushing their limits, but we never will! The evidence is plain as day! With your resilient stripes, and my battle prowess, we're basically immortal! Immune to even the full, concentrated power of the sun!"

A little too inspired by his own words, Thunderwillow could wait no longer. Buzzing with the power of her speech, she only had room for one more line. "ONWARDS!"

Then, like a blind badger, he hurtled abruptly through a bush, which crunched considerably as it left behind a trail of broken twigs and a cat shaped hole where the warrior had burst through to the other side.