I Never Asked You To (P)

[Natalia]

@yeah ((Hope you don't mind me tagging you here... Though Natalia could run into Jude as he comes back from his little scuffle with Thomas.))

Natalia was wandering as she usually did....

At least when she didn't find herself in some conversation with some cat that had been... Well... Around. Her thoughts were oddly clear, she found it rather nice to focus on simply her surroundings. It was rather pleasant. Deathclan was beginning to get a bit chaotic...

But she felt like it was good for her.

Her attention was caught by her... Friend. Her ears perked up. She spotted Jude. She was approaching him at a normal pace, when suddenly an alarming scent of blood. She broke into a run and she saw blood dripping down from his neck and face.

Naturally she freaked out. Mostly on the inside. Visibly, her body tensed as her ears folded back, and her eyes widened. She stopped right in front of Jude. "What happened?!" She couldn't help but shout a little.

[Deleted]

|| I don't mind at all! This should be fun.(: ||

Jude was making his way back to DeathClan, trying to ignore the blood beginning to drip into his eyes. He decided he wouldn't fix himself up until he got back to his den. This was because he didn't want a random mess of his blood somewhere in the forest. So, he focused on the ground in front of him and kept his neck very still. Blood would leak out of the wound if he moved it.

Then a familiar scent wafted near. He glanced up, wincing a little at the pain in his neck. 'Perfect timing.' "Hi Natalia." He said softly, blinking when she shouted. "I kinda got into a fight." He paused, debating whether to tell her right away or not. 'It couldn't hurt.' "...With your brother." He said the last part quieter, not knowing how much she'd freak out.

[Natalia]

Natalia's internal panic only rose as she took in Jude's appearance.

Then skyrocketed when he mentioned her brother. Her ginger tabby fur practically stood on end as she couldn't keep calm anymore.

"WHAT?! You ran into and FOUGHT with Sunset?!" She shouted, almost hysterically. "Why would you do something like that?!" She started to pace back and forth in front of Jude.

"We... We... Um.... Um..." She didn't know what to do. She'd only really gotten hurt once, and Dove had helped her then. Would Dove help now?! "Ask Dove for help?!" She suggested, still not really calming down. She made a noise of frustration. "I really don't know right now! I'm not omniscient!" 

[Deleted]

Okay, so she freaked out a lot.

He watched her with a frown when she began to pace back and forth. "He started it. Though I guess I provoked him..." He trailed off, thinking of their conversation. "I fought back because he was saying bad things about you." Jude didn't go into detail, knowing that it just might bring her self confidence down some more.

He sighed when she continued. "Natalia, calm down. Dove doesn't need to be bothered. Everything's fine." He took a deep breath before going on. "Please. Just breathe."

[Natalia]

Natalia did not calm down at first.

Jude's first words did nothing to soothe her panic. At all. In fact, it only escalated. She was finally sitting down, though practically hyperventilating. Thoughts of guilt tearing through her mind. If only she hadn't said anything to Jude, he wouldn't have gotten hurt by her brother. This was all her fault! It was her fault that her brother hated her and therefore attacked Jude apparently...

Her train of self-destructive guilt was halted by Jude's voice coming through asking her to calm down and reassuring her things were fine. Then he asked her to breathe.

"I-I AM BREATHING!" She shouted through her frantic breaths. "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE LITERALLY BLEEDING!"

[Deleted]

Jude closed his eyes, breathing slow, long breaths as if that would affect Natalia's breathing pattern. 'I definitely should've held that fact off. She's going nuts.' He thought it was sad that she had questioned why he fought him, while Thomas back there was just insulting her. 'Poor thing.'

He opened his eyes when she shouted again, ears slightly folding back. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision as blood had altered it. "That should tell you how much I want you to calm down." He sighed at the sound of her quick breaths. 'Is she about to pass out?' His gaze trailed to the area next to her, ready to run to it and catch her if she fell over.

[Natalia]

Thankfully, Natalia did not pass out.

Though, thankfully Jude's words managed to get to her. She could hear his calming breathes and without making much conscious thought, her breathing began to match her friend's. Soon, she was beginning to calm down. They continued until she was able to think coherently again.

Well, as well as she could when her brother who'd basically ruined her emotionally was involved.

She stood back on her paws and folded her ears back. "But... Still... Just... Why would you fight him...? I'm not a good enough reason to get hurt." She sighed. "I.... I honestly don't want to see you hurt because of me."

[Deleted]

Jude relaxed a little more when she stopped hyperventilating. He hadn't realized it, but all of her nervous energy had made him tense up. His ears perked up again, frown apparent when she spoke.

"Are you kidding? Of course I'd fight for you." He winced as a breeze swept by before continuing. "You're a perfect reason for me to get hurt. I wasn't going to let him talk about you like that." Jude forced a tiny smile. "Besides... Now you know that if he ever comes looking for you, I've got your back." 'And it'll be a little harder for him to get around, too.' He held in a chuckle as he thought about the tom's injured eye. 'I wonder what his housefolk will think.'

[Natalia]

Natalia could tell Jude was still in pain...

Yet he was still making the effort to comfort her. She couldn't understand it. Why was he being so nice to her? He was the one bleeding, for star's sakes! She just... Couldn't understand why exactly she was worth it. What exactly made her so special to Jude? She wasn't the best fighter, she wasn't the best hunter... What was it that she did for Jude?

She didn't say any of this, though. She had a feeling... They'd just be going in circles. Possibly until Jude died of blood loss. Now that was a scary thought... It felt a bit selfish, but she didn't want to let Jude go now.

She cleared her throat. "Uh... We should probably... Go to the river before you bleed all over... Everything." She meowed awkwardly. "Um... You probably need help... Right?" She walked over to Jude and offered herself as something for the tom to lean on.

[Deleted]

He wondered what was going through her mind. 'I'm sure she still doesn't think she's worth it.' A chirping bird caught his attention for a split second, and he looked over. He quickly regretted this, cringing and lowering himself to the ground as his neck felt like it was getting chewed off. 'If this didn't convince her that she has worth, I don't know what will.'

He shakily straightened up again, eyes shut tight. He was about to shake his head, then realized how idiotic that movement would be. "No, I'm okay. I can get myself cleaned up." He said softly, trudging past her. "And I'm... sorry. Sorry that I fought him. I should've realized that you wouldn't want him hurt, even if he's not the nicest."

[Natalia]

Natalia almost wanted to bite back that she didn't care about Sunset but....

She did. Even after everything he did... There was a time before their parents had left... Where they'd been happy. Well, her brother had always been a bit grumpy, but he'd spared time to do things for her. He'd actually been the one to teach her to hunt and fight, rather than their parents.

Her eyes widened in worry as Jude seemed to struggle to maintain his standing position. "Are... Are you sure?" She asked, her gaze following Jude as he began to move past her. "Are you sure I can't help?"

[Deleted]

Jude shrugged. "There's nothing to be helped. You can come if you want, though I'm only going to the river and I can't imagine that being too fun." He called back, not stopping. Stopping would be a delay and right now he was more focused on keeping blood in his body. 'I can't believe this.'

So he walked off, leaving Natalia behind unless she wanted to come join him. He secretly wanted the company, but didn't want to bother her. He was used to being alone, anyway.

[Natalia]

Without much hesitation, Natalia began moving to join Jude.

Her fear was still going strong. She couldn't help but feel concerned. What if something happened out of nowhere on Jude's way to the river? Like running into some jerk. Like Pain. Who'd probably hold up Jude until he died of blood loss!

"No... No. I'm coming." 

[Deleted]

Jude listened as her pawsteps neared, focusing on the path in front of him. He gave her a smile when she came into view. "Thanks."

He pushed past some bracken, slowing up as a slope appeared. He crept down it cautiously, careful not to slide down. The river wasn't very far away- he could hear it. He padded by Natalia's side, keeping his ears perked for anyone around. A clutter of trees stood in front of them, though once they passed through that the river would be visible.

[Natalia]

Natalia saw Jude give her a smile.

She was surprised. It showed. Then she tried to return the smile, though it was slight. She didn't think she'd ever be the big grinning, eye sparkle type. That wasn't really... Her. Well, maybe it was once. But not anymore. She wasn't sure she'd ever be like that again.

Natalia was at Jude's side as they moved towards the river together, the ginger tabby keeping her senses alert just in case something unexpected happened.