[PRP] Tangled Discoveries (Fudge/Pinedapple)

[AlicornPlayhouse]

Fudge had never been the cautious type. Quite the opposite, actually, she was careless and forgetful. Most considered her a bumbling mess, unintelligent and living in fantasy. These were points those around her made very clear, and still she refused to care. Fudge may be all these things, but if she were to let it get under her fur it wouldn't do any good! Though, even the kindest of cat had to admit..
It would do her some good if she would have a bit more care with her life.

Being cooped up her entire life did her no good. Some were sheltered and came out afraid of the world, but she was astonished. The colors and lights, the smell of fresh dew and danger in the air, it called to her.. And Fudge was completely unprepared for it. This never stopped her though, and she learned. She went from getting across the street and retreating home as larger animals chased her tail to travelling safely all the way to the forest and walking amongst the trees. She'd waste away days, slowly learning the different ways she had to understand the world around in order to be safe. The way different animals made twigs snap. The smell of fire. What the sky looked like when she would have to start the trail home.

All in all, Fudge had become an expert in her small area of adventure! Even if she continued to fall into holes now again.. But, alas, to learn even more she had to leave her comfort zone once again. And, today, the young cat found herself wandering through a path she couldn't quite understand. 'Just a little further' she would tell herself before sniffing after the smell of mice.. Oh, she really should turn around.. But right over there is a really interesting looking stump! Oh, dang! Was it right or left now? Did she turn to get here? Fudge couldn't remember. Suddenly all the scents around her weren't all too familiar, and she couldn't ignore the underlying.. cat..?

That didn't matter now, though, as she trecked on forward with her head lowered to the ground to listen for any sign of danger amongst the twigs and roots. She had no idea if this was the right direction, but she knew for certain standing still amongst these trees until night fall would get her in more trouble than just being lost.​

 

[belloblossom]

Pinedapple had never seen the brown tabby in the woods before, but kittypet scent was hard to miss. He had to admit, for a she-cat that smelled absolutely foul - like bitter Twoleg murk and stale prey, she was picking her way through the forest with more ease than he'd seen on most newcomers. He thought of Creamnose, a kittypet who had joined TreeClan prior to Pinedapple's birth, who still been struggling to get to know the terrain of the Clan. Of course, the trail that led to the camp was perhaps the most difficult to traverse. With so many roots and rocky shelves, it was easy to be led astray, or onto another path entirely.
It seemed to be that exact case with this she-cat. She was walking away from the camp, which was good - he would've had to be aggressive and chase her away if she somehow got too close. Now that she was trailing away from TreeClan's den site, he could follow along with her from above. Careful paws made his travel silent and speedy. It didn't take long for the she-cat to find herself in a forked path. She moved in a direction that would just lead her to a dead end of clustered bushes, so he began to slide onto lower branches, until he could call out to her.

"I don't believe I've ever seen you around my territory before. I'd remember a face as pretty as yours. Are you looking for a way in, or out?" His question came out with a purr, his eyes twinkling. "You're a kittypet, aren't you." It wasn't a question. "I could smell it on you from trees away. I'm surprised that you weren't eaten by a fox or something similar. What's your name?" He asked and with a friendly smile as he settled on one low-hanging branch in particular, he added, "My name is Pinedapple, of TreeClan, who protects the ground you walk on." @AlicornPlayhouse

 

[AlicornPlayhouse]

The more that Fudge walked along, carefully ducking between roots and branches, the more confident she became. Some may say that seemed a bit counterintuitive- wouldn't you be worried the more lost you became? But, well, Fudge wasn't one to be like other cats. She wasn't going to go into a frenzy of fear over this! She's always found a way out of these things, so she may as well enjoy the journey. Along the way, she actually picked up a few interesting looking pebbles into her maw, pleased with a bit of a momento for her adventure of the day.

She had actually began to rather enjoy the free feeling of wandering unknowingly amongst the forest when her ears pricked up and her paw steps slowed. Narrowing her gaze ahead as she glanced around, no.. no she must be imagining-
Just as she tried to convince herself the prickle in her fur was her imagination, out came a voice that she quite swiftly turned towards, dropping the couple of rocks and taking a step backwards, away from the tom that had come into her view. Thankfully her retreat didn't last long, as he continued to speak. Fudges guard didn't lower, not yet, but at the very least she hadn't been met with a flurry of claws and teeth.

"Oh! Hello-.. I'm sorry, what? Pretty...?" Fudge tilted her head, a bit taken aback by the beginning of this conversation. Though, she couldn't deny, she didn't mind the compliment. Especially not from him- just her luck, getting spooked by a handsome wild cat!. "I'm looking for neither, thanks." She responded curtly, lifting up her head and swaying her tail behind her, it had become considerably puffier at his sudden appearance. "I'm just out exploring, if you must know." Fudge was doing her absolute best to compose herself in hopes of not looking so flustered.. and, as evidenced by her swiftly twitching ears, was doing a terrible job of it. "Eaten by a fox? Excuse you!" She scoffed. "I know my way around out in the trees.. Well, most trees. I did go out a bit farther today.." She reflected, eyeing the surrounding forest. Though, not with any sign of discomfort, no, rather he gaze seemed to brighten up with excitement. ".. My names Fudge! Of, uhm, well.. Wherever it is I want to go, I suppose. Protector of.. for today it looks like rocks." She gestured with her paw towards the small colorful collection she had been carrying moments before.

 

[AlicornPlayhouse]

@belloblossom Tag above ^^ )

 

[belloblossom]

Pinedapple's whiskers twitched in amusement as he gazed down at the pretty brown she-cat. Her reaction wasn't quite what he'd expected, but then again... he wasn't sure, what he'd expected. When she made as though she were going to run, he'd bunched his muscles to chase her - make sure she strayed into some other Clan's territory, or back to her kittypet den altogether. However, when she stopped short, he found himself smiling at her.

He leaned forward as she stumbled over her words, explaining that she was out in their territory to explore - his mothers couldn't have any of that now, could they - but she seemed so certain that she wasn't in any danger here that he couldn't help but want to tease her a little.

"I'll admit, a fox may not choose to attack a cat like you - smelling like Twolegs as you are. Most forest creatures tend to stray away from Twoleg pets, it doesn't end well to interfere." His gaze slid away, looking up through the branches as he scented the air, as though for some impending doom. Flicking his ears up straight, he turned back to look at her. "However, you certainly look tasty enough to eat." He swiped his tongue over his fangs to accentuate the point.

It was here that he decided to jump from the low hanging branch to the ground, his tail swinging to keep him from toppling over. There was something in him that wanted to impress her, throwing caution to the wind in her presence.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Fudge, protector of rocks." He said, expression full of delighted amusement. "Now, as I must protect my home in turn, yet I have no true intention in causing you harm... I shall accompany you, while you're here, to ensure that you are not plotting the demise of my family." His tail swung over to flick the tip of Fudge's nose playfully. "I would be a birdbrain to be tricked by a pretty face. I suspect your intellect is as sharp as your claws." He blinked a her and then moved to her rock cluster. "So, what is the purpose of these rocks? Do you intend to carry them all home with you?" @AlicornPlayhouse

 

[AlicornPlayhouse]

Fudge's gaze flickered between his face and the surrounding trees still. Admittedly, she was still a bit frightened. But, if he wanted to fight her, he surely would have by now? With the high ground as well, only a fool would give away the surprise attack he could have had, and, well, she could beat a fool in a fight!

No amount of rationalizing could have prepared her for the bold nature of Pinedapple's next statement, her ears falling back as they began to burn. "H-huh?" Fudge was attempting to form a word, but what came tumbling out instead was.. Well, that. A surprised sound that resembled more a squeak than anything threatening. After all, she herself didn't know if she should feel threatened or embarrassed. Fudge took a sharp breath in, lifting her head up and trying to make eye contact with the tom above, even though she was finding it increasingly difficult. "Twolegs or not.. I wouldn't be an easy meal." She tried to respond in a level tone, but her voice cracked a bit still with embarrassment. "And, well, you don't quite strike me as murderous."

She did believe her claim. He didn't seem murderous, actually, he seemed charming in a weird way. This didn't stop her from hopping backwards a bit as he leapt down from his branch, fur once again fluffing up in an instinctual display of fear she could never quite control. Honestly, Fudge somewhat resembled a horribly oversized rabbit with the way her whole body poofed and her tail became one round ball of fur.
She very swiftly began to relax, though, as reason overpowered instinct. She was an animal, sure, but she was more than controlled by feral instincts that screamed at her head to run or fight. Those thoughts were things she'd rather pay no mind to. "I suppose I wouldn't mind some company.." Fudge ventured nervously, though it seemed she'd have no choice in the matter anyway. As his tail flicked along her nose it seemed her ears perked a bit more. Fudge breathed out what seemed to resemble some form of anxious laughter filled mew, her entire pelt seeming to be almost uncomfortably warm now the more nervous she became. She thought herself amazing socially, before this interaction. Something in the way he spoke, holding himself confident as his words flowed out as easy as water did a river. It took the thoughts out of her mind and crushed them up. "I might have sharp claws, but I'm not quite looking to fight.. As long as nobody's looking to fight me, that is." She squinted at him, still mildly suspicious over that line of her looking like a good meal. "Oh! The rocks!" Fudger had been so busy staring at him she hadn't even remembered why she called herself that, protector of rocks. "I just thought they looked quite pretty.. I bring them to the place I rest now and then, so I can keep a little piece of the wild.." A little piece.. It never felt like enough.

@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Pinedapple, for all his "warrior of TreeClan" big boasting, couldn't help the consistent, gentle purrs that rumbled out from his chest. She was an entertaining kittypet. She claimed to be the protector of rocks, but she seemed to have forgotten them altogether until he'd brought them back into the conversation. His whiskers twitched - yes, she certainly was entertaining indeed.

"The place you rest... isn't your home?" He inquired of her. "I sleep in my own home, among family and friends. A place you rest doesn't sound as charming, or rather, as familiar." He commented and then studied Fudge more closely. "Are you truly a kittypet? You have their scent on you, sure, and your collar is as plain as the sun in the sky, but your words..." He shook his head. "You sound awfully lonely for a cat with Twolegs at home, at least from what I understand of my Clanmates, who used to live a kittypet's lifestyle." He looked down at Fudge's rocks.

"I see the beauty in leaves, and you see them in rocks. The wild, as you call it, is certainly beautiful in the many forms that it takes." His duel-colored eyes flashed up to Fudge's bright green gaze as he spoke and then he took a step away from her, flicking his ears as though to clear away any muddled thoughts.

"Rocks aren't quite what I'd call wild, however. If you want to experience the wilderness truly..." He glanced back at Fudge with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Have you ever tasted anything beyond cold, kittypet slop?" He asked. "And, by extension... would you like to?"

Surely she wouldn't be in trouble if he shared the prey with her, right? He was getting hungry anyway and it wasn't as though he was on a hunting patrol, so he had no hurry or obligation to return to hurry back to TreeClan. Besides, Pinedapple wanted to see just how messy this she-cat was willing to get, on behalf of her claimed interest in the "wild." @AlicornPlayhouse

 

[AlicornPlayhouse]

Fudge snickered, seeming amused by the question Pinedapple had raised. "Hmm.. well, I never thought about it much. I suppose it isn't! I don't really see it as one." She shook her head, raising her paw and scratching at the back of her ear as he spoke. "I don't really think of myself as a kittypet.. I have a collar, sure, but that's mostly because I can't figure out how to get the thing off!" Her paw hooked down, pulling at the oddly loose piece of fabric. "See? It's real thick, and a little hard to chomp off from here.. Never bothered me enough to get it sorted... As for the smell? I don't think I stick there long enough.. but they stuck this on me." She raised her head, puffing out her chest to show the tree shaped piece that dangled from her collar. "It absolutely reeks. I've gotten used to it, and I know it's lost a bit of scent.. but definitely not all of it."

Blinking up at him, she purred softly. "Lonely? I wouldn't say so. Just a wanderer is all..!" Then, she looked away. She gave no indication she was lying or anything of the sort, until her paws shifted uncomfortably along the ground. She rather quickly looked back to him, aware that he was right and somewhat ashamed of it. She was lonely. Fudge was happy! She loved her adventuring! But she was, in all senses, alone in it. "I'm talking to you, aren't I? That doesn't seem like something a lonely cat would do." Fudge huffed.

She followed his gaze, looking to the rocks herself. "I wish I could take leaves or flowers." She grumbled, scrunching her muzzle slightly. "They wilt far too quickly.." Fudge reflected, a bit down-trodden by this fact. She would rather leave them in their home to thrive than take them to hers where they would wither out and die, though. Then, she squinted as the tom stepped back. "Hm?" A silent question, it seemed. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to ask if he was alright.. He SEEMED alright.

Her eyes lit up, the soft prickles of concern that had begun vanishing instantly as he spoke. "I have! I tried old mouse once!" She squealed excitedly, beyond overjoyed to even be able to mention the experience. "It was.. horrible. I was young, and stupid.. it was probably a wonder I didn't get sick now that I think about it." Fudge was wildly amused by her own shortcoming in that area. She had tried wild food, and it wasn't good. "I would give anything to try something good! Something I catch, not left out by a crow that didn't even want to stomach it.." Her speech grew somewhat more distant, the thought of running hunting through fields enough to make her feel unsettled with her life once again. "I've never been able to. I still think the mice can smell me thanks to this stupid.. fake tree?"

Quickly, Fudge shook her head. "I'm getting side tracked!" She grumbled, stomping her paw down as if to.. recenter herself. She looked up, focused entirely now on Pinedapple. "Yes. I would like to."
@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Pinedapple had never met a kittypet who didn't think of themselves as a kittypet. Of course, he didn't exactly meet many kittypets to begin with, but he certainly hadn't expected Fudge to outright claim that the biggest issue she faced was the collar around her neck. He leaned closer to her, inspecting it. It was thick, that was well-enough, but Pinedapple's claws were sharp and sturdy from climbing all day. Besides, even if he tore a claw, one trip to the medicine cat den and a tedious visit with Errol would see him better soon enough.

Tucking the knowledge that he could aid her in this away as she continued to talk. He looked at her with sympathetic, almost pitying eyes as she claimed that she wasn't lonely - she was talking to him and he couldn't help but reach out his tail and place it gently on her flank.
"On the contrary, I would say you talking to me is a sign that you're lonelier than you realize. If you had company back home, you would have run back to it - whether other cats, or your Twolegs even. Instead you find more enjoyment in staying in an unfamiliar place and talking to a stranger, hoping to form a connection." He glanced away, apologetically, pulling his tail off of her and curling it around his paws instead. "Ah, my mother's influence. Riversong is quite insightful and I've always tried to be, to match her empathy. Forgive me, if I've gotten things mixed up."

Listening to her speak about prey and the horrible crowfood she'd eaten, Pinedapple felt bile riseing in his throat. He frowned deeply and shook his head.
"Crowfood is perhaps the only thing worse than kittypet food, at least according to some of us." He said with a grimace. "The only sort of crowfood that's acceptable in TreeClan is eating a crow as food." Though that was generally frowned upon, too, since crows seemed to be just as intelligent as cats. Killing one seemed to invoke a flock of crows coming for the revenge of their kin, and so TreeClan cats were trained at a young age to leave crows alone. Their smaller blackbird kin, however, were free game.

"Well, I'm happy to catch something - I was getting hungry anyway. But you're right, I fear your scent may have rubbed off on me now, so let's be rid of it altogether." He remarked and unsheathed his claws. "I can get that collar off of you, I think. Do you trust me?" He asked. @AlicornPlayhouse