Salutations and Goo - Squirrel! [P]

[Antlerstar]

It was disappointing for Antler that the newest leader was so young.

[/i] it.

Antler had welcomed herself into the Hazeclan territory, finding amusement in how the mud sucked at her feet, and even more so when she fell hip deep into a sinking pool. She'd almost died there, and had found the moment incredibly hilarious. From there, covered in mud the tawny she-cat had invited herself into the Hazeclan camp, and now sat, looking around with innocent boredom as she awaited for her grand welcome party.[/ul][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Pearlstar]

Antlerstar must have known he would have come, because soon Pearlstar was makin' his way downtown. Pearl-dear was maybe a third of her size, and so it wasn't really his first instinct to confront the leader at first glance by the time he had sighted and made note of her presence. Besides, she had come alone, and the clans were just beginning to form after so much bloodshed. Why bother?

He approached Antler warily, having heard very strange things about her (these things, of course, Pearl intended to confirm or deny for himself.) The young leader eyed his newfound company, before choosing to perch on one of the few rocks scattered along the territory.

As young as he was, Pearlstar was undoubtedly handsome. He was sure to be a ladies' killer when he was older.

"...Antlerstar," he greeted, after some time of obvious hesitation. "What brings you here?"

[Antlerstar]

Pearlstar was even smaller than she'd predicted

[/b]she explained seriously with a shake of her head at the tragic news. "Captured by it, I was, but then a thought. 'Hang on, Pearlstar surely has some major life events or responsibilities I could be intruding on. Why aren't I there?' End flashback. And so here I am." The explanation was accompanied with a simply smile, though her eyes remained sharply curious as she waited for Pearlstar's reaction. She may be an individual easily carried by her whims, but Antler hadn't become leader by being an idiot.[/ul][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Pearlstar]

If Pearlstar could have heard half the things that Antlerstar had been thinking, he would have fled from the scene faster than no other. In fact, he was a very average size for his age, but given Antler appeared to be larger than the normal cat, she towered over him.

She was peculiar.
Very, very peculiar.
And that scared him.
But also, he was curious.
Though curiosity did kill the cat.

"Boredom?" he echoed, almost dumbfoundedly. That was a new excuse. He had half expected it to be a request for alliances. His whiskers twitched as she proceeded. What was her angle? There had to be an angle. Every cat had one.

"So.. you're here.. to do.. what exactly?" Pearlstar finally continued, shifting backwards ever so slightly.

[Antlerstar]

It was a constant amusement for Antler to watch the confusion shift in Pearlstar's gaze. Giving credit where credit was due, the mottled female had to admit the tom was impressive in his quiet air of privacy. He was able to hide so very much, that increased the danger.
She enjoyed noticing that.

While he seemed to deliberate with himself, Antlerstar took the opportunity to properly look the small male over. She'd done a scan of him at first sight, noted what she'd needed to in terms of her criteria for a breeding partner, and moved on. Now she looked at him as an actual living creature.
His fur was still somewhat downy and soft, like a kits, or at least that was how it looked to her. It was similar to the soft baby rabbit fur she had lining her nest at home, and briefly she wondered if sleeping on top of Pearl's fur would be as comfortable.
Well, not with all those bones.
They would have to go.

"I've never tried fish before. I want to," she stated matter of-factly, though the genuine eagerness in her eyes could not be mistaken. "Will you catch one for me?"

[Pearlstar]

Pearlstar couldn't lie. There was something hungry and intent and deliberate in Antlerstar's gaze that made him feel very self-conscious and awkward. Thankfully, HazeClan was covered in small areas where potential prey resided, so he didn't have to take her further into the territory to satisfy her request. To be entirely honest, Pearlstar wasn't sure he wanted her anywhere near the camp. Antlerstar didn't seem to mean him any harm, but she was from an enemy clan, and as much as he tried to deny it her boldness was intimidating.

Silently, he leaped off of the rock he had been resting on and motioned her her to follow him with his tail. He trotted a few fox-lengths to the left before stopping at a place where the river had branched off into a small pond. This is where the largest fish were to be found, and he would have been worried about her angle being to steal HazeClan's prey had it not been for the fact that she had made it pretty clear she knew nothing of fishing. He didn't intend to teach her, either.

Making sure not to cast a shadow over the water, Pearlstar waited. And he waited. And he waited. But unlike the larger warriors in HazeClan, he had to do things a little bit differently- this was not the way they taught the apprentices, no, but he didn't have time to adjust to using only two paws like they did. Being nominated as leader sped up a lot of the processes he would have had to go through.

As a small figure darted by, he snaked into the water, and launching himself in smoothly enough not to make a splash- only to cause a few ripples. (Of course, this would scare away the rest of the fish, but there wasn't much room for them to hide, and swimming back upstream seemed to be above them.) Pearlstar emerged with the limp figure of a large trout, and he tossed it to Antlerstar's feet.

"That's all yours," he declared, by which he meant, no, I'm not going to share that with you.

[Antlerstar]

Antlerstar's smile remained content and excited as she followed Pearlstar.

There had always been the fear of course that he would refuse her, and she never took rejection well, which was why she simply ignored it most of the time. Either way, such an action from Pearlstar would have been disappointing. His company was relaxing her, making her happy, and she was so rarely truly happy. Only smiling.

The tawny female had to admit Pearlstar's hunting techniques were interesting. She had no knowledge of how one normally hunted fish, but she doubted it was the way Pearl did it. It seemed too inefficient for longer hunting trips, but since she now had a fish, she wasn't about to ask. Warmed and amused by Pearlstar's tsundere-ish attitude, Antler pounced on the catch, though almost immediately slipped off of the slippery scales.
She would absolutely not be bested by a fish.

Securing it in the gills with an unsheathed paw, Antler glanced up at Pearlstar with a smile. She knew perfectly well what he had implied, and smiled impishly nonetheless. "Share with me?"

[Pearlstar]

Pearlstar's whiskers twitched when Antlerstar failed to grasp the fish the first time. The second time, she got the hang of it, which was almost disappointing to Pearlstar because he had been quite enjoying the show. It was always a sight to behold when someone of the opposite clan tried to catch a fish unless they had been properly trained. 

Share with me? The younger leader's ears pricked in a significant amount of shock. What were they, clanmates? Instantly, his mind began wandering for every excuse in the book as to why he wouldn't be able to share the prey. He was sick? No. He was afraid of germs? Definitely not. Cooties? That's silly- he sounded like he was only nine moons- 

Well, he was. 

Finally, with a resigned look Pearl glanced at the fish and then back to Antlerstar. "Uh, n-no, that's really okay. I don't really-" 

[Antlerstar]

Another dramatic sigh heaved through Antlerstar, then she smiled in acceptance. "Very well then, I shall have to feed you." Biting into the fish, she chomped off a sizeable piece and spat it out. Spearing it onto her claw she held it out for Pealstar to take, laughter shining in her gaze. "Well? Eat up, my little love monster."

The poor she-cat was nearly dying inside from all the laughter. Pearlstar was more amusing than a pool of sinking mud. She was impressed, though at this point she rather feared he was going to be scarred by her. Well no matter, it was sure to build character. This visits were sure to become routine. Anterlstar had already decided that they were friends, and friends they would remain.

"Say ahh. Though whether it's to eat or a scream of terror is up to you."

[Pearlstar]

"What?"

Pearlstar instantly backed up, falling off of the stone he had been sitting on. He groaned in response. That hurt. Still, no amount of pain in the world could have stopped him from stumbling back onto his paws and peeking at Antlerstar. What a sight that must have been- the top half of his face and ears poked up over the stone, and his eyes widened.

"Look- I'm not gonna eat your fish. That- that's been in your mouth."

But would it even matter if he protested at this point? She seemed pretty insistent.

Love monster?

"And I'm not your love-monster either," he hastily finished, panicking. "So don't call me that. Take that fish if it suits you. Take all the fish in that pond. Take my first born child, just don't call me your.. love monster."

Oh, how pet names would never do for Pearlstar's awkward self. He tensed his muscles.

3..2..1..

Run!

Taking off, the tomcat fled, but he was a water feline, and Antlerstar was so much larger than him. She would very easily be able to catch up to him. It's unfortunate he hadn't considered that before.

[Antlerstar]

Antlerstar sighed in disappointment before eating the fish herself. "So what you're saying is, you're scared of an indirect kiss, is that it?" Pearlstar backing away was amusing, and naturally Antlerstar began to follow him, but some of his words made her stop. His first-born? He was only a child after all, she'd deduced as much. The tawny female snickered briefly before shaking her head, the reluctance and sadness clear. "I'm sorry Pearlstar, but I can't have your kits."

No sooner were the words out of her mouth than Pearlstar had taken off, no doubt grief stricken by her rejection. Well, she'd certainly expected him to take it better than that. Giving chase, - admittedly excited by the idea - Antlerstar raised her voice as she erased the space between them. "Come on Pearlstar! Take it like a man!" With a final yowl she leaped at her friend.

[Pearlstar]

"I don't want your kits," he cried, looking over his shoulder while he was running. But, like every cliché girl in every cliché horror movie, he had to trip. They always trip. Because he had been looking back at Antlerstar, who was hot in pursuit, he hadn't seen the upgrowing root (I mean, why were there roots in HazeClan anyway? It was a marsh!) that his foot had snagged on. Not three seconds later, he was face-first on the ground, and groaned at the weight of Antlerstar crashing on top of him.

It took him a moment or two to catch his breath, but when he did, he twisted and turned and struggled to get out from underneath the other leader. Gasping for air, he stared at her in horror. Is she going to eat me?

Okay, unlikely. But it's not like he, or anyone else, could put it past her.