Falling Grace [p]

[Natalia]

Natalia was again trying to sleep in a tree.

Her whole body ached, stiff from sleeping in various uncomfortable places. She'd had to resort to sleeping in odd places for not nearly enough time to avoid Jude. After he'd found her den, she couldn't sleep there anymore. He checked back there from time to time. 

She was rousing from her slumber, when she slipped. Panic tore through the ginger tabby as she fell out of the tree and came crashing down into someone. 


@yeah

[Deleted]

Jude wandered around aimlessly, giving the air a sniff every now and then. He moved pretty slowly, eyelids droopy. He was tired beyond words, though knew that the night would be the best time to search for Natalia.

The tabby froze in his tracks, the scent he was looking for finally reaching him. He perked up and looked around, trying to pick out her pelt among the shadows. He opened his mouth to call out her name.

But instead it snapped shut, and he collapsed to the ground. He took a few moments, wheezing and coughing, before realizing what had happened. He tried to roll over, wanting to get whatever had landed on him to slip off. But then he caught sight of ginger fur, and the familiar smell was a whole lot closer.

"Nat?"

[Natalia]

Natalia froze.

"Nat." Jude's voice cut through to her. She supposed nothing could last forever. It was stupid to think she could avoid Jude forever. Maybe if she...

Jude had at first tried to roll her off him, but then he stopped. The shocked tabby practically leaped off of her friend, her entire stance screaming nervousness and fear. "Jude." She whispered.

Then her eyes saw the wounds still healing on her friend. That crippling guilt and internalized anger began tearing at her in all the worst ways again as she began backpedaling.

It was clear she was about to bolt again.

[Deleted]

He coughed when she leaped away, and quickly got to his paws. She looked nervous. Normally he'd be concerned, but right now he was just too relieved to see her that he had to smile. Even so, the smile was more on the sad side. Was she angry with him?

He watched her carefully, realizing that she was ready to run off. Jude's smile disappeared. It was replaced by a frown, and his ears pinned back to his skull. "Please, don't. I didn't mean to say those words. The fight wasn't your fault." He padded closer, ready to chase her if she sprinted off. "I miss you. The fact that you're avoiding me hurts way more than these injuries."

[Natalia]

Natalia was confused beyond belief.

Why was he smiling? She didn't deserve that bright smile. She wasn't blind, she could tell that it was tinted with sadness. Yet, it was still a lovely thing that Natalia had missed in hiding from the lighter furred tabby. 

Then he frowned. That made more sense. He clearly was upset with something Natalia did. Maybe he realized he should be angry about the wounds. If Natalia didn't exist, he'd be fine. He'd be going about his business without those wounds. 

Then suddenly came Jude's words of kindness and confusion. She ended up backing up into a tree. "W-What?" Her voice sounded pathetic and confused. Jude was the one there, wasn't he? How could he say it wasn't her fault?

[Deleted]

He walked closer when she began backing up, though stopped in his tracks when she hit a tree. "W-What?" He tipped his head slightly to the side. What was she confused about? It all seemed very clear to him- he'd said the wrong thing, she ran off, he had to find her and apologize.

"You heard me." He said quietly, craning his neck to see where she'd bumped into the tree. "Are you okay?" Jude sounded concerned, wondering how hard she had backed up. 'Or maybe she doesn't like me anymore. Maybe after the fight she decided I was an idiot. Maybe she even hates me now, and that's why she's ignoring me.' He almost flinched at the thought, taking a step back. "I-I can leave, if you want..."

[Natalia]

Natalia couldn't back up anymore.

She tried taking breaths to calm down as panic was threatening to swallow her up, turning her into a sobbing mess. Jude seemed... Confused by her confusion. Why was he confused?! He was the one refusing to make any sense!

She flinched as Jude offered to leave, saying it like he was the problem. "J-Jude!" She cried out, throwing basically any control she had over herself and her emotions to the side. "I-I... I'm fine but you're really... Really not the problem here. It's just..." She averted her gaze. "Everything is my fault. You should just stay away from me...." Her voice was quiet and filled with obvious hurt, as she began to move her paws in a new direction.

[Deleted]

'I'm not the problem? Then what is?' He tried to keep eye contact when she looked away. His eyes were wide, and he quickly raced in front of her when she tried to walk off. "Nothing is your fault. I don't want to stay away from you." He hated how hurt she sounded.

"I can't bear to lose a friend like you. Please don't leave again." Jude pleaded, watching her hopelessly. 'There's nothing I can say that will change her mind. She's going to walk away.' He searched her expression, trying to figure out what she was thinking. 'I can't lose her.'

[Natalia]

Natalia was surprised by Jude's attempts to stop her from walking off again.

Tears were beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. Did he... Did he really want her? It was hard to believe. Too hard to believe.

His words of kindness and desperation didn't stop. He kept going on and on about he wanted her to stay. To not leave. She looked carefully at her friend's face. Was that... A face of hopelessness? She swallowed. "Do you... Do you really just want me to stay...? No strings attached?" She asked carefully, terrified of the possibility of rejection.

[Deleted]

Jude could see her eyes begin to water. He took a step closer without much thinking, trying to give her a head-nuzzle. "Yes. That's all."

He stepped back, a smile starting to appear. "Only if you want to stay, of course. If you want to run off again you can." He couldn't really tell which she wanted. Was she tearing up because she didn't want to see him? Or because he wanted her to stay and she didn't want that? 'I just want whatever she wants.' His friend's happiness was one of his highest priorities.

[Natalia]

Natalia was too shocked to push away Jude's touch.

Her emerald eyes were wide as the other tabby stepped back, the beginnings of a smile creeping back onto the tom's face. Then... A choice. Choices were hard. She wasn't sure if she liked them... Then again, she'd be pretty mad if someone forced her to do something she didn't like.

"I... I want to stay."

'So selfish.' A cruel voice echoed in the back of her mind. She wasn't sure if it sounded like her or her brother.

[Deleted]

"You do?" His voice wavered a bit. Jude had expected the polar opposite, as she had avoided him for awhile. He still wasn't completely sure why, but wanted to make it so it didn't happen again.

A very light purr erupted from his throat, accompanied by a full, cheerful smile. His friend was back, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off of him. 'No more endless searching. Thank goodness.'

[Natalia]

Natalia couldn't help but smile back at Jude.

Even if it was just a little bit. She loved seeing her friend show such an expression of happiness. Even if her doubts and guilt still tore at her, in this moment... It hurt just a little less.

Enough to forget about it even it was just for a little while.

"Yeah. I do." She whispered, afraid to speak louder. 

((UHM so does this thread end soon or do you want uhh something more than these two dorks making up?))

[Deleted]

|| doesn't matter to me.(: Did you have something in mind? ||

"Good." Jude's purr grew louder at the sight of her smile. He looked down at his paws, laughing quietly with a shake of his head. "You're pretty good at hiding, y'know."

[Natalia]

((Nah. This thread was short but got accomplished what we wanted, so we good.))

Natalia's tail twitched nervously.

"Eh... Thanks." She cleared her throat. "I... I guess you'll be able to find me in more predictable locations now. Like my den." Though, she was rather relieved by the prospect of being able to sleep in her own nest which was actually comfortable.