Grown Up // P

[Patch]

Natalia

It was another day out in Deathclan, Patch had caught a vole and was hanging around the 'camp'. It felt a little calming, being away from the barn full of life and energy.

Patch looked up from her meal and caught a glance at Natalia. Jeez, how long was it since she even last saw the other she-cat, probably close to apprentice age? The she-cat flashed an awkward smile at Natalia, biting into the vole again.

[Natalia]

Natalia was dragging herself into the sort of area that functioned as a camp for Deathclanners.

She hadn't slept much the previous night, having only a few uncomfortable hours by the riverbank. Fortunately, Jude wasn't here. He probably wouldn't think to look in the 'camp' for a while, after all... She wasn't too enthusiastic about actively making friends, even if she was trying to be friendlier.

Dragging her gaze up from her paws she saw Patch. The other she-cat was eating and seemed to be almost carefree. Or maybe it was Natalia's imagination. She didn't know.

Their eyes met. Patch shot her an awkward smile. "Uh... Hey."

[Patch]

Patch shuffled her paws a bit, Natalia looked tired. Why was everycat tired these days? The she-cat nodded and smiled more normally, "Hey, how have you been doing lately?" She asked, slight concern wavered. She expected the other cat to collapse, like Pain did, why was she eventired? Better not ask.

[Natalia]

Natalia could hear concern edging Patch's voice.

She couldn't understand why. She and Patch didn't know each other very well, they were acquaintances more or less. Why would she care? Maybe she imagined it. Yeah, that was it.

She shrugged at the other she-cat. "I've been as I've always been."

[Patch]

"But you've grown, that's a change, but I guess we both have." Patch shrugged casually, finishing off the vole and throwing it in the bushes like she normally did. She didn't know what to say without feeling awkward, the two she-cats hadn't seen each other in a while and they weren't on the best of terms.

Patch just simply sighed and hoped to the clouds Natalia would break the silence.

[Natalia]

Natalia shrugged.

She didn't feel any older... If anything she felt younger, in all the wrong ways. Patch seemed to sense the awkwardness and was just blowing air around. She shuffled her paws uncomfortably.

"Uh... Yeah." She averted her gaze. "Uh... Have you ever... Had problems with a friend?"

[Patch]

Patch sighed a bit as Natalia broke the silence, but mentioning problems. She laughed weakly and flicked her tail, "Heh, not really. But I feel like it might happen soon, especially since the whole 'meeting' a couple days ago." She explained, thinking of Riverpaw.

"Why do you ask...?"

[Natalia]

Natalia didn't respond at first.

Though, she did give a sour look at Patch with flattened ears. "No reason." She insisted stubbornly. She wasn't about to go complaining about her issues to the first cat who showed up.

[Patch]

Patch felt like doing a facepaw. Who would ask a really odd question, then deny that they had any connection to it? The Deathclanner sat up and licked her paw, swiping it over her ear. "Then why ask the question? There's obviously something wrong." She said calmly.

[Natalia]

Natalia glared at Patch.

"There is nothing wrong." She growled. She didn't want to tell anyone. The only cat she trusted really was Jude and she needed to stay away from him. She could trust him... But she couldn't be his friend... Was she really right in the end, friendships are better left unformed?

[Patch]

Patch sighed, "Fine... You don't have to talk 'bout it." She said, rolling her eyes. She then started shuffling her paws, wondering if she should talk. Eh, why not, maybe she could get Natalia to talk.

"Have you sometimes had moments where you... Want to go back in time, when times were better..?" She recalled the blurry images of Nighthowl's life, Patch almost broke down.

[Natalia]

Natalia closed her eyes.

"Yeah." She whispered. How had those words managed to hit so close? She remembered all too many times she'd wish she could go back to. Times spent with her parents and brother. Before he'd become so... Violent and angry. Hateful, even. They'd been... Happy, even if Sunset had been a bit cranky at times.

But more than that... She wouldn't even mind going back to before Jude met Sunset. Maybe it was selfish, but she wished that it had never happened so they could be friends. Her heart ached. She wanted to go and find Jude... But she couldn't....

[Patch]

"You want to talk about it...? It helps, trust me, I know." Patch said, almost hesitant. To her, talking was a solution now, even talking to herself helped ease her emotions. She put her battered tail around the birthmark on her neck, and waited for the other she-cat to respond.

(This kitties have developed so much I can't even)

[Natalia]

((It's so satisfying, isn't it?))

Natalia folded her ears back.

She didn't say anything at first. After a moment of silence she began to speak again. "I... Opened a bit to someone else... And it just turned out to be a mistake." She closed her eyes. She didn't particularly like Patch, but she didn't really want her to get hurt too.

[Patch]

Patch didn't respond to Natalia at first, she searched for the correct words to say.

She laughed at herself at finally answered, not sure of what she was saying. "Don't worry, there's always crookedness in friendships, if that's what you're saying." She replied, flicking away her tail. "You just have to correct the mistake."