THE FIRES OF PASSION [p]

[Natalia]

@esther

Natalia had been stalking Ash. Tracking her movements and what she was doing. She'd been doing so from high in the trees. She didn't think tree climbing was a regular past time of many, so it was relatively useful. Especially when cats didn't look up. However, her fur had bristled when she'd seen Ash speaking to Esther.

Instead of dropping in on them there, she'd waited until Ash had left. Then some time later, she descended from her wooden perch a distance away from Esther. Then she approached the younger cat normally. "Esther!" She called ahead, not wanting to badly startle the smaller gray kid.

[Deleted]

Esther went back to grooming her fur once Ash had left. It was nice talking to Ash. 'I bet the others like her too, even if she is new. I wonder what happened to the old leader.' She could ask someone about that later. Looking up, she realized she'd been sitting her for awhile. 'I should head to my den. A cleaning would do good.'

She stood up, about to walk away until her name was called. Esther flattened her ears, not recognizing the voice right away. Her claws slid out and she looked around.

Then her eyes met Natalia's. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Hello."

[Natalia]

Natalia noticed that Esther had tensed, but seemed relieved to see that it was her. Hm. Good call for calling ahead then. She cleared her throat. Best to be blunt and truthful. "So, I was tracking Ash's movements. It's what I've been doing since I found out she's been running around proclaiming herself leader." It was obvious what Natalia thought of it, by her irritation edging her tone. "I noticed she was talking to you. Did she say anything weird? I want to make sure she's not trying to manipulate you." There was real concern in her voice.

[Deleted]

Esther watched her carefully. There was something else in Natalia's voice, but she couldn't detect what it was. She was never really good with that kind of thing. 'Proclaiming herself? How can she do that if she really is the leader?'

The ragdoll shook her head, beginning to move away. "No. Nothing weird." She said smoothly, curious as to why Natalia asked that. Did she not believe that Ash was leader? 'And why on earth is she stalking her?'

[Natalia]

Natalia sighed. "I've been here a while." She explained, seeing Esther begin to move away. "Moons. Since I was 6 moons old. But I've never seen Ash before. Haven't even caught a stale scent trail." She continued. "I'm wary of following a leader whose made themselves extremely scarce, but only emerged to grab power when Dove died." She took a deep breath.

"I'm aware you're new, but this Ash cat is a practical stranger that I am unsure that she can lead Deathclan properly." She frowned. "So far, she strikes me as arrogant. Cocky. She didn't even try to gain my support at all. In fact, she seems almost insistent that I should leave Deathclan."

She took another deep breath. "I just wanted to make sure Ash wasn't doing anything... Questionable."

[Deleted]

Esther didn't fully understand why that was suspicious. So what if Natalia hadn't scented her before? Maybe she was in the wrong places, or maybe Ash was shy. 'Even if Ash was newer to DeathClan, she seems pretty fit to be leader and I don't know why seniority would matter.'

"I am unsure that she can lead DeathClan properly." Esther frowned slightly. She believed that Ash would be a decent leader. Why didn't Natalia think that? Just because she wasn't around before? 'Natalia and Ash are the only two I've met who weren't mean. I don't want to pick a side.' She was leaning toward siding with Natalia, though that was only because she knew her longer. Ash was the current leader, she wasn't rude, and Esther found it easy to respect her. She didn't have a reason to turn against her.

'Ash is insistent for Natalia to leave?' She shifted around uneasily, taking a glance behind her. She nodded to the tabby's last words, taking a breath. "Okay... I don't really know either of you, and you both seem fine to me, so I don't know who to believe."

[Natalia]

Natalia sighed. "I understand. I think it would be best if you formed your own opinion anyways. Though, I feel I must ask don't allow Ash's apparent status as leader to influence your decision." She advised. "Regardless of what you choose, I'm going to fight Ash." She stated bluntly.

"Of course, you can always just stay out of the whole thing until it blows over." She commented. "If you so wished, you could avoid anyone involved in the conflict and you'd probably be fine." She sighed again.

"I apologize for imposing... This on you. I think I just want you to know both sides. I think one of the deadliest things is misinformation and lack of info."

[Deleted]

Esther remained quiet and held herself still. She didn't understand why Natalia was going to fight Ash. 'It seems like a waste of time and energy. If enough of the older DeathClanners don't like Ash, then can't they just all easily overthrow her? A one-on-one fight could be a lot of trouble.' She didn't voice her thoughts. She didn't expect Natalia to listen.

The she-cat took some slow breaths, her ears flattening. "It's not like my decision matters. Go talk to DeathClanners who have been here longer. They're the ones that matter." She turned her gaze in the direction that Ash had fled in. "Aren't you following her? I'd leave soon before she's too far off."

[Natalia]

Natalia shrugged. "Everyone's decision matters." She replied. "Cats likely don't care as much if they haven't been here long, but age and experience are only one factor." She hummed in response.

"I suppose you're right." She cast one last look at Esther. "Catch you on the flipside." Then she leaped onto the nearest tree trunk and disappeared up the tree, out of sight.