Bale It [Open]

[Llamafuzz]

Ragabash was insane, but Aslan still felt more nervous when he was without him, than when he was by his side. Whether these nerves were for himself, the King himself, or what he could manage without Aslan there to provide parental guidance he was not sure, and did not want to dwell on it. There'd been a stream of visitors, Drought being the most normal of all, in the previous moon. He wasn't entirely sure what Ragabash was putting together. Well no scratch that, he knew the tom's aims. His means would always be questionable, so sometimes he understood why he was better left in the dark. Even still it made him nervous.

Absently making a note to speak with the King of Rags later, Aslan slid his eyes shut and concentrated. In his mind's eye he drew together the plans he knew, connecting them back and forth as he plotted and planned away. The clans went here...Drought was over there. How to use the present situation to their benefit? Ah, this was why he usually left such things to Ragabash. Snapping his eyes open again the calico tom groaned and shook out his growing headache.

[Deleted]

Occhio walked away from where he slept, naturally, beside Lacie, his tail twitching. He wasn't watching over her much anymore, but he was still there mainly to guard her. The white tom walked around until he spotted Aslan, though he didn't know his name. He paused. Should I meet him or should I just walk back away. He heard a groan come from the cat. "Uh. Are you alright?"

[Llamafuzz]

Aslan had purposefully kept his eyes closed as he heard the approach of another. He had intended only to listen and wait, but when it seemed he was being addressed, the tom had to open one eye. "Well now, that depends on your definition of 'alright'." Aslan replied, swaying up to a sitting position. Rolling his shoulders out, he glanced at the strange tom. "Though I'm not in any distress, if that was what you were asking."

[Deleted]

"Well, you groaned, so I assumed that you were in pain. Are you?" Occhio asked, blinking his eye as he tilted his head. The white tom flicked his tail, moving a bit closer to the other tom. "I suppose you'd like to know my name. Occhio is my name. If you have any moronic jokes, get it out of you now."

[Llamafuzz]

"Fear not. As I've already said, I'm not in distress. Think of that sound as one of exasperation, not of pain," he advised the tom with a small nod. He was grateful for the concern of course, and used that gratitude to shun the similar irritation he felt by the same action. Letting one overshadow the other was better for his moral compass. Aslan's gaze turned quizzical - he kept the annoyance hidden - as the white cat continued to speak. "Pardon; do you have some form of prejudice against me, or have you been around too many ill-mannered cats and simply picked up their nature? I don't take to that hostile tone, Occhio, and I don't know what it's for."

[Deleted]

Occhio gave a grunt. "Well, I have been around cats that have made jokes about me only having a single eye. I know not all cats are like that, but I rather them get any insults they have about it out before I talk to them. It helps me decide if I should like the cat or not. I am appreciative that you are not the kind that don't take to hostile tones. My apologies for the hostilely." the white tom replied, flicking his ear.

[Llamafuzz]

"So you've adopted the nature to be rude before they have the chance?" Aslan remarked dryly, though his eyes were not unkind. He spared a moment to glance at the tom, up and down. "No extra limbs I see, no overgrown fangs or glowing eyes. My, my, I don't see anything to be making jokes about, you look like you're in perfect working order." Smiling, the calico tom blew out a sigh. Whether it was a case of low self-confidence or just a developed defensive nature, he didn't have the patience to deal with it. Luckily, Occhio turned to apologizing after, and Aslan accepted it with a brief, curt nod. "I wont say you're forgiven, because that must be earned, but certainly don't let your rash words or what offense they caused bother you. Leave that to me."

"My name is Aslan, it's a pleasure."

[Deleted]

Occhio gave a shrug. "Life is unkind. Sometimes you need to be unkind back." he replied, flicking his ear. The white tom did not mind having to work for his forgiveness--he did not even know if he would even see this cat again after today, and he would not care if he did or didn't anyway.

"Yes. So, if I may ask, why are you out here now? And, why did you groan?"

[Llamafuzz]

Aslan turned his head, amused with the observation. "Well you're certainly not wrong," he noted with a chuckle, "Though an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind, not to mention slightly cranky." Shaking his head, he once again glanced at Occhio, then at his missing eye, and shrugged. "Excuse the pun if you wish, it was not intended."

At the white tom's question he considered whether or not to pretend to take offense to the invasion of privacy. In the end, it sounded like too much of a hassle and the tom shrugged. "Ragabash's moronic tendencies tend to give me headaches," he explained briefly.